OT: MLB Thread XLIV

[Ghost of jas]

Jeff Wilpon is an actual cancer of a human being

The more I hear how the Wilpons are screwing up this deal, the more I agree with this statement. Total douchebags.

 

[Gordon Bombay]

Jeff Wilpon is an actual cancer of a human being

They just refuse to let go of this team. Hopefully MLB steps in this time.

 

[Leetch3]

They just refuse to let go of this team. Hopefully MLB steps in this time.

i want them out but people really need to stop with this. there is literally zero grounds for MLB to step in. fans not liking an owner isn't a reason to force a sale. Maybe you could have made the argument when they were involved with madoff but now there is nothing. if MLB doesn't care about the clown show in miami, they certainly aren't going to do anything about wilpon

 

[nyr2k2]

i want them out but people really need to stop with this. there is literally zero grounds for MLB to step in. fans not liking an owner isn't a reason to force a sale. Maybe you could have made the argument when they were involved with madoff but now there is nothing. if MLB doesn't care about the clown show in miami, they certainly aren't going to do anything about wilpon

It's true. It's not like the Wilpons are running out a $90M roster, either. They do spend money. They spend it poorly, don't spend quite enough, and are stupid jackasses, but what they do shouldn't rise to the level of having their team seized. The Madoff thing was the only actual opportunity MLB really had. They didn't intervene, so now it is what it is.

 

[East Coast Bias]

i want them out but people really need to stop with this. there is literally zero grounds for MLB to step in. fans not liking an owner isn't a reason to force a sale. Maybe you could have made the argument when they were involved with madoff but now there is nothing. if MLB doesn't care about the clown show in miami, they certainly aren't going to do anything about wilpon

There were plenty of grounds to do it. They just didn't because Bud Selig kept owners in place that backed him, and blocked owners that would oppose him. Simple as that.

They're still in place because were Selig's boys. That's it. The league kept them afloat.

 

[Leetch3]

There were plenty of grounds to do it. They just didn't because Bud Selig kept owners in place that backed him, and blocked owners that would oppose him. Simple as that.

They're still in place because were Selig's boys. That's it. The league kept them afloat.

past tense maybe...right now there is nothing

 

[Machinehead]

 

[Elvis P]

That's amazing. There are things about David "Pee Wee Herman" Cone and Plawecki that I don't want to know! TMI!

 

[East Coast Bias]

no one can ever say the ride is boring with the Mets. I’ll give them that.

 

[Machinehead]

 

[BMOK33]

Don’t believe one story you hear that Steve Cohen was the problem here. He wasn’t but the Wilpons need to sell and Manfred cannot let that narrative fly as it might scare off potential buyers.

 

[nyr2k2]

Don’t believe one story you hear that Steve Cohen was the problem here. He wasn’t but the Wilpons need to sell and Manfred cannot let that narrative fly as it might scare off potential buyers.

I don't believe Cohen was "the problem" but his personality is a terrible match for a deal with the Wilpons. He's notoriously controlling, demanding, and obsessive, and the Wilpons are also scatterbrained control freaks who are obsessed with their image. It was just an awful pairing from the get-go, made worse by what was apparently only a vaguely fleshed-out power transition until recently, when Cohen realized the Wilpons were nuts and also wouldn't just do everything his way.

Cohen is a shitty dude. He's not the reason this deal failed, but I'm not surprised something involving him ended up f***ed.

 

[Elvis P]

A NY court has ruled that daily fantasy sports where you can win real $ are illegal gambling.

 

[Bob Richards]

Why would anyone bid at this Mets auction for the "privilege" of having their money controlled by the Wilpons?

 

[nyr2k2]

Why would anyone bid at this Mets auction for the "privilege" of having their money controlled by the Wilpons?

Unless the Wilpons are ready to just sell the f***ing team--not some controlled phase-out, just a straight sale--I don't know why anyone would want to get involved.

Beyond that, the Mets are an attractive asset. If they ever were put up for sale, in a normal way, I'd expect a lot of interest.

 

[Bob Richards]

I don't believe Cohen was "the problem" but his personality is a terrible match for a deal with the Wilpons. He's notoriously controlling, demanding, and obsessive, and the Wilpons are also scatterbrained control freaks who are obsessed with their image. It was just an awful pairing from the get-go, made worse by what was apparently only a vaguely fleshed-out power transition until recently, when Cohen realized the Wilpons were nuts and also wouldn't just do everything his way.

Cohen is a ****ty dude. He's not the reason this deal failed, but I'm not surprised something involving him ended up ****ed.

I can't imagine Cohen is anything but an awful ghoul himself and I've been deferring to him out of desperation for a change and visceral hatred of the current owners

 

[East Coast Bias]

Yeah he’s a shitbag. But they all are. You don’t become a billionaire by holding ethics above cash.

 

[JCProdigy]

Unless the Wilpons are ready to just sell the ****ing team--not some controlled phase-out, just a straight sale--I don't know why anyone would want to get involved.

Beyond that, the Mets are an attractive asset. If they ever were put up for sale, in a normal way, I'd expect a lot of interest.

Agreed, and as far as MLB stepping in to forcibly remove the Wilpons....
90 (11), 87 (9), 70(14), 77(15), 86(12). That's their win totals for the last five years with their attendance rank in parenthesis. These seasons include a trip to the playoffs and another to the WS. Sorry but I don't see it happening.

 

[NYR94]

Don’t believe one story you hear that Steve Cohen was the problem here. He wasn’t but the Wilpons need to sell and Manfred cannot let that narrative fly as it might scare off potential buyers.

Yeah it wasn't Cohen who was the problem. Manfred works for the owners so the Wilpons are one of his many bosses. I do think that the Wilpons and other owners around baseball are pissed that someone from Cohen's camp probably leaked details of how the Wilpons tried to change the conditions at the last minute and that's why John Heyman tweeted that Cohen would have trouble ever buying an MLB team. The Wilpons are terrible.

In other news Cepedes release another hype video, this time with media quotes.

 

[Maximus]

Yeah it wasn't Cohen who was the problem. Manfred works for the owners so the Wilpons are one of his many bosses. I do think that the Wilpons and other owners around baseball are pissed that someone from Cohen's camp probably leaked details of how the Wilpons tried to change the conditions at the last minute and that's why John Heyman tweeted that Cohen would have trouble ever buying an MLB team. The Wilpons are terrible.

In other news Cepedes release another hype video, this time with media quotes.

Lord knows a healthy motivated Cespedes in the lineup makes the lineup that much better no doubt. Best case scenario his hammy or quads hold up and he has a solid year. Does that make the Mets what 3-4 games better than what is projected which is around 87 wins?

If we concede the Braves are winning the NL East, does 90-91 wins get a WC spot in the NL? Maybe. Who is the player who gets screwed out of AB's and a position spot? JD Davis? You figure Conforto is a lock and Nimmo if healthy should be as well seeing who else can play CF?

I may be in the minority but I really love JD Davis this year. I think he hits 30 bombs...90 ribs with a .260 BA something along those lines. Cespedes coming back derails those projections of mine drastically. Does Cespedes if healthy perform like he did for us in 2015 and '16?

I know this is a good problem to have but in a weird way Cespedes coming back complicates things at least for folks like me who think Davis's mini breakout last year is a precursor for a full blown breakout this year.

That said I do have to admit a healthy Cespedes in what should be an already lethal lineup is pretty dang enticing no matter how positive the thoughts I have about Davis going forward this season are. I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out.

 

[sbjnyc]

Fan Duel/Caesars (NJ) favorites to win each division. The odds don't suggest that the NL East or Central are going to be runaways. Then again these are local books so will tend to get more bets on local teams. I suspect (but not sure) Caesars uses the same odds between NJ and LV.

AL East - Yankees -370/-700
AL Central - Twins -165/-160
AL West - Astros -280/-240

NL East - Braves +200/+175, Nats +250/+250, Mets +280/+300, Phillies +310/+350
NL Central - Cards +220/+175, Cubs +260/+250, Reds +270/+250, Brewers +280/+450
NL West - Dodgers -1000/-1200

Fan Duel/Caesars win totals has the braves at 91/90.5+, Nats at 89.5/88.5+, Mets at 87/87.5-, Phillies at 85.5/85.5

Dodgers and Yanks are both over 100 wins. Westgate has a prop on the Yankees setting the MLB record for regular season wins.

Westgate also has Torres and Judge both at 12/1 for AL MVP.

 

[sbjnyc]

Finally got my Westgate account info back. Here are some interesting props:

Yanks and Dodgers to meet in World Series: Yes +350/No -450
Yanks or Dodgers win the world series : Yes +105/No -125
Yanks to break regular season win record (117+ wins): Yes +800/No -1400
Yanks at Orioles Opening Day: Yanks -450/Orioles +375 (no prop on Torres homers)

Winner of NL Wild Card game
Braves/Nats/Cards +500
Mets +700
Phillies/Cubs/Reds +800

Winner of AL Wild Card game: Yankees +3000

Team vs Team win props
Yanks -6.5 Astros
Yanks -14.5 Red Sox
Yanks -14.5 Mets
Braves -5.5 Mets
Nats -33.5 Orioles
Rays -26.5 Marlins
LAD -29.5 Giants

Most pitching wins
Cole +600
Verlander/Scherzer/Beuhler +1400
Kershaw +1500
...
deGrom +3000
Severino +4000
Thor/Wheeler +6000
Tanaka/Stroman +8000
Porcello/Matz +10000
Happ +20000

AL MVP
Trout -125
Judge/Torres +1000
Ohtani +1400

NL MVP
Acuna +400
Betts (not up yet)
deGrom +3000
Alonso +4000

HRs
Trout 39.5
Judge 37.5
Alonso 36.5
Stanton 33.5
Torres 32.5

 

[nyr2k2]

So I've seen it now reported in a number of legitimate, business-oriented publications that it was Cohen who tried to change the terms of the deal at the last minute. I know Manfred implied that, but I assumed he was just protecting an owner. Amusing if Cohen proved to be more of a douche than the Wilpons (amusing but not actually that hard to believe, given his past).

 

[Leetch3]

So I've seen it now reported in a number of legitimate, business-oriented publications that it was Cohen who tried to change the terms of the deal at the last minute. I know Manfred implied that, but I assumed he was just protecting an owner. Amusing if Cohen proved to be more of a *****e than the Wilpons (amusing but not actually that hard to believe, given his past).

I thought the thing he wanted to change was the wilpon's having control for 5 years which was ridiculous from the start and no idea why cohen ever agreed to it. how do you pay $2.6 bil for 80% of the team and not have any control?

 

[nyr2k2]

I thought the thing he wanted to change was the wilpon's having control for 5 years which was ridiculous from the start and no idea why cohen ever agreed to it. how do you pay $2.6 bil for 80% of the team and not have any control?

Yeah that's what it sounds like, but that bizarre setup was how it was reported from day one, basically. Why did he agree to it in the first place if he wasn't comfortable with it? It's all really odd.