OT: MLB Thread Part VI: First Place City

[New York RKY]

Continue

Click to read more...

 

[Machinehead]

http://nesn.com/2014/12/new-york-yankees-to-pay-for-education-of-slain-nypd-officers-children/

Nice gesture by the Yankees. George always took heat for being mean, but the Steinbrenner family has always been a friend to the community.

 

[Cassano]

Kuroda has signed with Hiroshima. That's the end of his MLB career.

 

[LORENZO]

pretty quiet right now.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

pretty quiet right now.

Man you make me so mad. Mets resigned Buddy Carlyle today. Huge news. I rejoiced 3x earlier. That's not good enough for you and your hot stove? Smh














Only 99% kidding. Carlyle obviously is the missing link

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Smoltz (deserved), Unit (deserved), Edgar (Nope-DH) and Biggio ( classic compiler) are in the Hall of Fame.

I watched Biggio when he was a catcher. The fact that he's in is a joke. Notorious playoff choke artist. Benefited from roid heads up and down the lineup.

But he was nice to the media and managed to not get caught with steroids.

Then why isn't Piazza in? Both were linked to steroids but never proven. One guy was the best hitting catcher of all time (after Bench), the other guy wasn't event the best at his position for the 90pct of his career.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

I freaking have to look at Drew AGAIN!!!???

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

Piazza not in on his first chance is a joke. Not in on the second is a travesty.

HoF voters are out of touch.

 

[ecemleafs]

when did edgar get in?

 

[darko]

Smoltz (deserved), Unit (deserved), Edgar (Nope-DH) and Biggio ( classic compiler) are in the Hall of Fame.

I watched Biggio when he was a catcher. The fact that he's in is a joke. Notorious playoff choke artist. Benefited from roid heads up and down the lineup.

But he was nice to the media and managed to not get caught with steroids.

Then why isn't Piazza in? Both were linked to steroids but never proven. One guy was the best hitting catcher of all time (after Bench), the other guy wasn't event the best at his position for the 90pct of his career.

And you know this lol.

Might as well blacklist everyone that played baseball during the steroids era.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

And you know this lol.

Might as well blacklist everyone that played baseball during the steroids era.

Sorry I meant "not do" steroids, which of course is still debatable.

My point was the guys who didn't do steroids (or didn't get caught) are going to be lionized even though they didn't have HOF careers.

I think the numbers/awards requirements should be standard.

Guys with multiple MVP/Cy Youngs, or multiple top-5 finishes over a 5-7 year period should be the guys who get in. Postseason accomplishments also a critical barometer.

No stat compilers. No media darlings. Raw numbers and awards.

If you did steroids, you're out. If you didn't do steroids, have the numbers to back it.

Biggio's WAR for 2B is respectable. Kent is shot because he sucked as a fielder. But he was a postseason monster, and has one of the best career OPS of any 2B who ever played, even adjusted.

My beef with Biggio is the eye test - a 20-year eye test.

I don't know. Obviously, if Kent DH'ed he'd be a hall of famer.

 

[Fugazy]

I freaking have to look at Drew AGAIN!!!???

It's only a one year deal. It also creates legitimate competition for 2B during spring training and provides more infield depth. I like the move.

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

What do we mean by stat compilers, though? Is Edgar a stat compiler because he was very good for a long time?

Edgar should be in the Hall. If baseball is going to have a DH, arguably the best DH of all time should be in there.

 

[Machinehead]

Mike Mussina doesn't have the peak of Pedro and Smoltz but he has comparable career numbers. He deserves more of the vote.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

What do we mean by stat compilers, though? Is Edgar a stat compiler because he was very good for a long time?

Edgar should be in the Hall. If baseball is going to have a DH, arguably the best DH of all time should be in there.

Because his fielding never impacted the game good or bad.

Playing the field takes a toll on the body. Diving, running down fouls and flies etc.

Jeff Kent gets murdered for his defense. It will likely keep him out. He's just one example.

To me, the DH should be for guys who played the field and are too broken down but can still hit.

Martinez was moved to DH because he was one of the worst defensive 3B in baseball. He was replaced by Mike Blowers.

Let that resonate for a second.

He was replaced by Mike Blowers.

That's like making Ozolinsh a forward for poor defense and replacing him with Redden.

I'm not anti-DH. I'm anti-I suck in the field so I have to DH.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Ok Pedro got in. Not Edgar. I must have read a bad tweet.

Pedro deserves it. Glad Edgars not in.

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

Because his fielding never impacted the game good or bad.

Playing the field takes a toll on the body. Diving, running down fouls and flies etc.

Jeff Kent gets murdered for his defense. It will likely keep him out. He's just one example.

To me, the DH should be for guys who played the field and are too broken down but can still hit.

Martinez was moved to DH because he was one of the worst defensive 3B in baseball. He was replaced by Mike Blowers.

Let that resonate for a second.

He was replaced by Mike Blowers.

That's like making Ozolinsh a forward for poor defense and replacing him with Redden.

I'm not anti-DH. I'm anti-I suck in the field so I have to DH.

Edgar became a full time DH in 94-- he wasn't an atrocious 3B when he was healthy, but he really ****ed up one of his legs in 93. Tore the hamstring and i also read that he ****ed up his knee? i'm not sure. He went to DH because he had a gimp leg. From 1990 to 2001 he was a phenomenal hitter when healthy, and from 89-92 before his leg was destroyed he was average to even above average in the field.

I'm anti-DH but if it's in the game I think the best should be in the Hall.

 

[darko]

5 Silver Slugger awards, 4 Gold Gloves, over 3000 hits (21st all time), 15th all time in runs scored, 5th all time in doubles, 92nd all time in WAR amongst positional players, 46th all time in offensive WAR. Biggio was never the best player in baseball but he was a very good player for a very long time. Bit unlucky not to win an MVP award in 97, he was every bit as good as Larry Walker that year. HOFer for me.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

5 Silver Slugger awards, 4 Gold Gloves, over 3000 hits (21st all time), 15th all time in runs scored, 5th all time in doubles, 92nd all time in WAR amongst positional players, 46th all time in offensive WAR. Biggio was never the best player in baseball but he was a very good player for a very long time. Bit unlucky not to win an MVP award in 97, he was every bit as good as Larry Walker that year. HOFer for me.

5 SS in 20 years.

Only 6 seasons in top-10 in hits.

Only 3 top-10 MVP seasons.

Classic compiler.

Hall of Very Good is perfect for him, being that that's what it's become.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

So Mets said no to this trade:

Mets get: Ian Desmond

Nationals get: Zobrist and Escobar

Rays get: Syndergaard and next best Mets prospect.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...bay-rays-ian-desmond-ben-zobrist-trade-011115

Desmond hit 24 hrs last year, and drove in 91 rbi's.

 

[Cassano]

So Mets said no to this trade:

Mets get: Ian Desmond

Nationals get: Zobrist and Escobar

Rays get: Syndergaard and next best Mets prospect.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...bay-rays-ian-desmond-ben-zobrist-trade-011115

Desmond hit 24 hrs last year, and drove in 91 rbi's.

That would've been awful for the Mets. Maybe if they were the ones who got Zobrist and Escobar, it would've been decent. No need to bring in the Nats to the trade. Yunel could be the team's SS and Zobrist can literally play anywhere and give your team 6+ wins at the end of the season. If they got Zobrist and Escobar, I would put them as favorites for NL East, maybe even the NL.

Not to mention Desmond is a FA I believe.

Sandy made mistake for not making that trade straight up with the Rays...

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

That would've been awful for the Mets. Maybe if they were the ones who got Zobrist and Escobar, it would've been decent. No need to bring in the Nats to the trade. Yunel could be the team's SS and Zobrist can literally play anywhere and give your team 6+ wins at the end of the season. If they got Zobrist and Escobar, I would put them as favorites for NL East, maybe even the NL.

Not to mention Desmond is a FA I believe.

Sandy made mistake for not making that trade straight up with the Rays...

Zobrist is good at 2b. We have Murphy, then Herrera.

Yunel is hit or miss.

Zobrist is also a FA at the end of the year.

 

[Cassano]

Zobrist is good at 2b. We have Murphy, then Herrera.

Yunel is hit or miss.

Zobrist is also a FA at the end of the year.

Zobrist is the most versatile star player in the game IMO. He has also played a ton of shortstop in the past. Also besides last year, Escobar has been a generally productive SS.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Zobrist is the most versatile star player in the game IMO. He has also played a ton of shortstop in the past. Also besides last year, Escobar has been a generally productive SS.

Sometimes I get caught up when I hear about up and coming prospects. Matt Reynolds is definitely someone i'm looking forward to seeing, even if his ceiling is only as a utility player.

However I believe Sandy hasn't acquired a shortstop for 2 sole reasons: Gavin Cecchini and Ahmed Rosario.

They are two of his (figurative) babies. Cecchini a reach in the 1st round. Sandy was absolutely in love with this kid coming out of HS. Look at what the organization has put Cecchini through. He's at double A now, he's over 4 years younger than the average age of a double A player. They'll keep him there a year, and hope that he excels, propelling hope within the organization that he'll be here sooner rather than later. I.e. midway through 2016.

Ahmed Rosario. How about him. Scouts call him bar none the best Mets prospect. Keep in mind prospect is synonymous with the word potential. Nothing to do with how well rounded he is. This kid has the best tools, best talent, according to scouts. And why does it matter? Why is this another prospect that I think is so telling of Sandy's intentions towards finding us a long term SS solution? Because to get him, Sandy broke pretty much everyone of his principles of spending money for unproven commodities. He spent the most money ever in Mets history on a foreign prospect. The whole budget. Sandy penny pinches. He hardballs free agents. Yet he swiftly, quickly, overpaid and broke the budget for this one guy.

Tulo isn't coming. Desmond's defense is bad. He hits, but he's not better than Wilmer defensively. Desmond put up 26 errors last year (I think). Turning 30. Will be a free agent. Bad bet.

And while Flores and Murphy might not be the most solid... the Mets have reinforcements coming soon. Namely, Dilson Herrera, who is a much better defender than Murphy.

 

[darko]

You have to be careful when using average age for a league. 25 is average age for EL but it's skewed and from a 25 year old you expect to be on the cup of a major league call up. No doubt Cecchini is young for the league but it's closer to 2 years than 4+. He's got some serious contact issues.

Rosario is a lanky kid. Once he fills out he may move away from the shortstop. If he reaches his upside he'll have a bat and the arm to move to 3B.


Sandy is an idiot if he decided against acquiring a shortstop because of these 2. Cecchini has 4 at bats at AA. He's at least 12 months away. Realistically he's a midseason or September call up in 2016. Rosario is 18. A guy like Zobrist would've been a perfect addition since he has a year to go on his contract.