2013 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[GeorgeSteele]

AL East: Rays
AL Central: White Sox
AL West: Angels

NL East: Mets (j/k, Nationals)
NL Central: Cardinals
NL West: Giants

AL Wild Cards: Jays, A's
NL Wild Cards: Braves, Reds

AL Champions: Rays
NL Champions: Giants

WS Champions: Giants

[Falcon]

Adam Wainwright just broke the bank.

$97.5 million over 5 - details TBA shortly.

[pilferk]

Opening day (despite the Rangers-Astros game last night)!

When everything is possible, every team is a potential world series contender, and every fan has hope (except Cubs fans...who know that somewhere, somehow, someone will drop an anvil on their team)!

[Drew]

Hoping the Atlanta Braves get back to the World Series and win another Championship this year.

Took the day off and have enjoyed some early baseball today with Cubs at Pirates, Red Sox at Yankees, and now Giants at Dodgers.

[Bodhi]

Just got back from Yankee Stadium, went pretty much as expected with that dreadful line up the Yankees put out there, and Sabathia usually struggling early in the year.  Despite the loss it was a great day at the stadium, great weather.  I actually won these tickets last week from WFAN, so I can't complain.

[Falcon]

Gotta love opening day although it's tempered by the realization we'll have interleague/novelty play everyday.

There's nothing like that tradition rich Reds/Angels matchup to kick off the season.

[tim_m]

Gotta love opening day although it's tempered by the realization we'll have interleague/novelty play everyday.

There's nothing like that tradition rich Reds/Angels matchup to kick off the season.

You just gotta accept it. Every other sports league does it. Now MLB does.

[Falcon]

Gotta love opening day although it's tempered by the realization we'll have interleague/novelty play everyday.

There's nothing like that tradition rich Reds/Angels matchup to kick off the season.

You just gotta accept it. Every other sports league does it. Now MLB does.

I've accepted it but I still don't like it, especially every day.

[Falcon]

Buster Olney is reporting Robinson Cano has fired Scott Boras:

Buster Olney‏ @Buster_ESPN15m
Filed to http://ESPN.com :  Robinson Cano is changing agents, after quietly looking for new representation, and firing Scott Boras

Not sure if this is good news for the Yankees or not, Boras definitely would have got him to free agency and found a taker beyond the Yankees which may have been a blessing moving forward.

Or..

This move helps get something done at more favorable terms for the Yanks - less years/less $$ than Boras would have squeezed out of the highest bidder.

Either way, as good as he is - he's a middle infielder on the wrong side of 30 and I doubt the Yanks are gonna do anything too goofy at  this point.

[Falcon]

Good Lord, Cano's switching to Jay Z?

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/9124684/robinson-cano-new-york-yankees-switching-scott-boras-jay-z

[Falcon]

All the usual suspect talking heads seem to think Cano's agent change point to him resigning with the Yanks before FA.

Hearing any numbers in Yankee circles pilf/Tim?

[pilferk]

All the usual suspect talking heads seem to think Cano's agent change point to him resigning with the Yanks before FA.

Hearing any numbers in Yankee circles pilf/Tim?

I'd heard rumors that Cano was a bit ticked at Boras because the Yanks had made a "significant offer" for an extension...and Boras turned them down, flat.  Turned them down without really discussing it with Cano.  When Cano found out, he pushed Boras (kicking and screaming) back to the table with the Yanks.

I think Cano wants to stay a Yankee.  I don't think he's looking to take less than market value for his services (no real home town discount) but I also don't think he feels he NEEDS an "Arod" type deal (10 years, 270 million), either.  Boras seemed like that's what he was pushing for.

And if you look over the past couple of years...Boras' tactics have had mixed results.  Sure, he's had his fair share of success..but he's had a number of high profile failures, too. It's no secret that the Yankee organization are not big fans...and not JUST because of the A-rod opt out fiasco.  He's name dropped the Yankees to drive up other players prices...even when the Yanks have not been "in" on those players.  They hate being used as a bargaining chip when, really, they're bystanders.

I also think Cano and Arod are friends...and I suspect that Arod has been in Cano's ear about how badly Boras bungled his opt out.  I think that, combined with what Boras did with the Yanks offer, and Cano not really being mega-enthusiastic for Free Agency....I think Cano pushed for a deal.  Boras wouldn't really budge.  So Cano decided to go elsewhere.

I think that's a good sign for both Cano and the Yankees.  Lets face it:  This is Cano's team in a couple years....if it's not, already.

Oh..and to Falcon expecting that the Yankees won't do anything goofy....I wouldn't be so confident.  I think they will.  Not "Arod" goofy, but likely 7 years at 22 to 25 per.  So instead of a 10 year, 270 million dollar deal, they'll do a 7 year (with maybe a vesting option for eight) deal worth about 165 to 170 million.  It will probably be pro-rated, like the Arod deal (more money in the first 4, less in the last 3).

Cano is 30..he'll be 31 by the end of the 2013 season.  That would keep him in pinstripes till he's 38-ish...which seems about right all things considered.  The Yanks are going to treat him very much like they have Jeter..they want him to be a "Yankee for life", I think.

[tim_m]

No but apparently he did this cause talks between Boras and the Yankees had stalled. To me that clearly indicates he wants to be a Yankee and only a Yankee for life. So i definitely think this favors the Yankees.

[Falcon]

Oh..and to Falcon expecting that the Yankees won't do anything goofy....I wouldn't be so confident.  I think they will.  Not "Arod" goofy, but likely 7 years at 22 to 25 per.  So instead of a 10 year, 270 million dollar deal, they'll do a 7 year (with maybe a vesting option for eight) deal worth about 165 to 170 million.  It will probably be pro-rated, like the Arod deal (more money in the first 4, less in the last 3).

Let me re-phrase, how about "too goofy"?

I could see them doing the deal you described without blinking (maybe gulping hard though) which is still nuts but not ARod/Tex nuts.

[tim_m]

In the end i think this means he likely stays a Yankee for life while still getting more money they he's ever seen in his life.

[Falcon]

In the end i think this means he likely stays a Yankee for life while still getting more money they he's ever seen in his life.

Indeed.

He's a sharp guy, he knows they need him more than he needs them as the team transitions over the next few years and he's going to get paid regardless.

[tim_m]

In the end i think this means he likely stays a Yankee for life while still getting more money they he's ever seen in his life.

Indeed.

He's a sharp guy, he knows they need him more than he needs them as the team transitions over the next few years and he's going to get paid regardless.

Regardless this makes me happy because it tells me being a Yankee is more important then getting the most ridiculous contract possible from whoever will pay up. I don't think we'll get a hometown discount but i think he's happy not to get the ludicrous contract Boras wanted to get for him.

[faldor]

Yu Darvish with a dominant performance last night.  Started watching the game in the 7th inning to see history.  Unfortunately he came up one out short of a perfect game.  Of course, it was against the Astros, so take that for what it's worth.  I've heard a few people predict 2 wild card teams from the AL West because of the 18 games against Houston.  Obviously a big plus there.  They're basically a AAA team by the looks of it.  Not to take anything away from Darvish.  He was great and it appears he will become a true ace, if he's not there yet.

Watched most of the Dodgers/Giants game last night.  Well pitched game by Madison Bumgarner as well.  Once again, the Dodger lineup was pretty weak, but regardless a good pitching performance.  Some of these right handed lineups against good lefty pitchers are scary bad.  The Dodgers last night, the Yankees on opening day.  I know you have to use your bench from time to time, but I'm not sure you need to get so cute so early in the season.

Bryce Harper and the Nationals look pretty good.  Big surprise there.  Talk about being set up nicely for the future.  It helps to be bad at the right times and hit it big with your draft picks.  Along the lines of projections, it seems the experts are in complete agreement on the entire NL East.  1) Nats, 2) Braves, 3) Phillies, 4) Mets, 5) Marlins.  Seems logical. 

And on the opposite end of the spectrum, the AL East seems to be the hardest to predict.  On paper, the Blue Jays would appear to be the clear favorite.  And I'd suspect the Rays will be good again on the strength of their pitching.  I know a lot of people expect the Orioles to drop off, but they should still be a factor.  The Red Sox should be improved as long as they pitch to their potential.  Injury concerns could seriously set them back, though that could be said for all teams really.  The Yankees are already experiencing major injury problems.  There's a chance they could tread water until the main players come back.  That's a dangerous proposition though.  That waiting game is a tough game to play.  Guys can have setbacks and instead of coming back in a month, it becomes 6 weeks, or 2 months.  Then when they do come back it takes them awhile to get it going.  And obviously in the meantime, other guys can get hurt.  It happens all too often where teams that start the year without their projected lineup, they just never reach that point.  The lineup they're sending out in the meantime isn't going to scare any pitching staff.  Aside from Cano, Ichiro, Youkilis, and Gardener there's not much there.  And that's not a very fearsome foursome to begin with.  Though I will say, they gave Lester all he could handle on opening day and were able to work his pitch count and knock him out after 5 innings.  Not much pop in that lineup though, so they're going to have to score runs in different ways.  Sort of like the Red Sox did and will have to continue to do, as they have some power issues of their own.  They were aggressive on the basepaths and strung singles together to score runs.   

I'm just glad baseball is back.  Now if spring weather would just follow suit.  It'll get here eventually, right?  And I'm glad the Red Sox won't start 0-6 this year for once.  Though 1-6 is still not out of the question. 

[AxlsMainMan]

Dickey sure isn't living up to the hype

[Eazy E]

"No easy outs for the reigning Cy Young Award winners as both Dickey and Price struggled mightily Sunday. Each allowed 8 runs on 10 hits - 2 of which were long balls - and neither lasted into the 6th inning. According to Elias, it's the 1st time in baseball history that the reigning Cy Young Award winners have allowed at least 8 runs on the same day."

"R.A. Dickey gave up eight runs - seven earned - in 4 2/3 innings today. In 33 starts last season, he only gave up more than five runs once, allowing eight against the Braves on April 18."

"R.A. Dickey allowed five runs (all earned) in the first inning against the Red Sox. Last season, Dickey only allowed five runs (four earned) all season in the first inning while making 33 starts."