2015 MLB Thread

[Jagger69]

SI.com reports that the Yankees aren't going after Scherzer, Lester, Shields, or Sandoval.

Awesome. That increases Chicago's chance in landing one if not two of the three best pitchers available. I also think they're going to pursue Russell Martin. They could really use his leadership and his bat. And let's face it, anything is an upgrade over Wellington Castillo.


Side note: Joe Maddon had the greatest introductory press conference ever. In the history of man. I'll just leave it here:

Sorry man but no one besides a hard-core Cub fan would endure 42 minutes of Joe Maddon's press conference. I'm pretty sure nobody but you is going to watch that. No offense....just the way it is. Glad you're excited about him but few if any of us share your enthusiasm to that extent. No Reader's Digest 3 minute highlight reel? :dunno:

 

[barebeaverlover]

Twins announce Paul Molitor as their new manager

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/pa...ns-manager-no-doubt-where-200028219--mlb.html

 

[Red001]

anyone one who thinks the Yankees are not going after one of the big 3 pitchers is fooling themselves they will be in on at least one.
i think the Twins will be relevant quickly but they really need to start drafting better with pitchers and power stuff

 

[SirHumper]

There's no comparison.

Former left-hander Mickey Lolich, the MVP of the 1968 World Series for the Tigers, told the Detroit Free Press earlier this week that he was happy to see fellow lefty Madison Bumgarner win World Series MVP honors last week for the San Francisco Giants. Lolich said he didn't watch every game that Bumgarner pitched, but saw enough that he was impressed by him.

"I did see him pitch in relief and, when I would look up at the TV, I would say, 'Boy, he had a helluva breaking ball.'" Lolich said. "He was throwing well, getting guys out. It was like, he's done a good job out there. But I wasn't engrossed in it." Lolich, 74, doesn't see any comparison in what Bumgarner accomplished in 2014 to what he accomplished in 1968.

"Pitching and winning three complete games in a World Series is, sort of a great feat," Lolich said.

Lolich won Games 2, 5 and 7 for the Tigers in 1968. He allowed 20 hits, six walks and five runs in 27 innings with 21 strikeouts. Lolich also hit a home run in game 2 against Nelson Briles and beat Hall of Fame Cardinal great Bob Gibson in game 7.

Bumgarner, 25, won Games 1 and 5 and pitched five innings of relief to earn the save in Game 7. Bumgarner allowed nine hits and one run in 21 innings in the World Series.

"Great for him, he had a great World Series," Lolich said of Bumgarner. "But as far as comparison? It's not there.

"But I'm glad he did (win). I watched him and was quite impressed."

Lolich was 217-191 with a 3.44 ERA during a 16-year major league career. He pitched 195 complete games. He pitched over 300 innings for four consecutive seasons (1971-1974), including a career-high 376 innings when he went 25-14 in 1971.

 

[SirHumper]

More Detroit Tigers news:

It was announced this past week that former Detroit Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell would return to Detroit as a special assistant to Tigers' general manager Dave Dombrowski.

In 2001, Trammell was rated as the ninth best shortstop of all time in "The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract”, rating him higher than fourteen current Hall of Fame shortstops. Furthermore, in recent years, Trammell's candidacy for the Hall of Fame has picked up increasing support from the sabermetric community. However, Trammell has not been enshrined into Cooperstown. His boost in recent years is likely due to voters being more receptive to advanced metrics, such as WAR (Wins above replacement).

Trammell's Career highlights:
• 1984 World Series MVP
• 6-time All-Star (1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990)
• 4-time Gold Glove (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984)
• 3-time Top 10 MVP (1984, 1987, 1988)
• Collected both 200th hit of season and 1,500th career in same at-bat (October 1, 1987)
• Had a 21 game hit streak during the 1987 season.
• Had a 20 game hit streak during the 1984 season.
• Comeback Player of the Year (1983)
• Sporting News AL Silver Slugger Team (1987, 1988, 1990)
• Along with teammate Sweet Lou Whitaker holds AL record playing together (1,918 games). They also set the major league record by turning more double plays than any other shortstop-second baseman combination in the long history of professional baseball.
• The Trammell–Whitaker duo twice won Gold Gloves together, joining a list of eight shortstop-second baseman duos have won the honor in the same season while playing together (1983, 1984).

 

[barebeaverlover]

The Tigers re-sign Victor Martinez 4 years-$68M. Does this affect Scherzer re-signing? The bullpen is still the Tigers main problem. If they don't fix it they won't win the World Series.

 

[feller469]

Good player, but 4 years is a long time on those knees. Maybe only DHing will pay off. Not sure if I would have done some of the signings the Tigers have done the last couple years.

 

[Jagger69]

Oscar Taveras 1992-2014

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-oscar-taveras-dies-in-car-accident/17977685/


View attachment 396759

Rest In Peace.

Apparently, Taveras was nearly 6 times the legal limit when he killed himself and his girlfriend that night. Extremely bad judgement by the young player to say the least.

http://deadspin.com/report-oscar-taveras-was-extremely-drunk-at-time-of-fa-1658138854

 

[SirHumper]

The Tigers re-sign Victor Martinez 4 years-$68M. Does this affect Scherzer re-signing? The bullpen is still the Tigers main problem. If they don't fix it they won't win the World Series.

The Detroit Tigers on the plus and minus side:

On the plus side: The Tigers have resigned their DH extraordinaire and part time first basemen, Victor Martinez for 4-years at 68 million. They could not afford to let a hitter of Martinez’s unique quality slip away to another team, especially to the White Sox where it was rumored he was going. After all, .335 hitters with 32 homers don’t exactly grow on trees. Plus, they might need Victor at first base for the first month of the season if Miguel Cabrera is still recovering from his off season surgery. However, long-term, four years might be a stretch, what kind of hitter will Martinez be in 2018 at age 40, know one can really say for sure? But between now and then if he is instrumental in bringing a World Series Championship back to Detroit the signing will be worthwhile.

On the minus side: The Tigers traded their top minor league position prospect in second baseman/center fielder Devon Travis to Toronto for part-time centerfielder Anthony Gose. This trade as all the potential of being another Doug Fister type deal. Let me explain: Travis hit .298 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs at Double-A Erie in 2014 and he is close to contributing at the Major League level. Gose on the other hand has three years of Major League experience under his belt but can only be described as a part-time performer at best. His life-time batting average is just .234, with 5 home runs, 36 RBI’s and 170 strikeouts in 552 at-bats. In 2014 he took a big step backwards with the bat hitting just .226 with 2 homers and 13 RBI’s in 239 at-bats for the Blue Jays. Plus he strikes out a lot (74 times) with just a few walks (25). However, he did steal 15 bases and is considered above average defensively. I can see disaster written all over this deal especially if Travis catches fire with the Blue Jays and Gose continues to flounder with the bat at the bottom of the Tigers lineup with all their other .220 hitters down there.

The next step should be, resign their ace Max Scherzer before the Yankees or Cubs sign him, and then start rebuilding the bullpen.

 

[barebeaverlover]

The Detroit Tigers on the plus and minus side:

On the plus side: The Tigers have resigned their DH extraordinaire and part time first basemen, Victor Martinez for 4-years at 68 million. They could not afford to let a hitter of Martinez’s unique quality slip away to another team, especially to the White Sox where it was rumored he was going. After all, .335 hitters with 32 homers don’t exactly grow on trees. Plus, they might need Victor at first base for the first month of the season if Miguel Cabrera is still recovering from his off season surgery. However, long-term, four years might be a stretch, what kind of hitter will Martinez be in 2018 at age 40, know one can really say for sure? But between now and then if he is instrumental in bringing a World Series Championship back to Detroit the signing will be worthwhile.

On the minus side: The Tigers traded their top minor league position prospect in second baseman/center fielder Devon Travis to Toronto for part-time centerfielder Anthony Gose. This trade as all the potential of being another Doug Fister type deal. Let me explain: Travis hit .298 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs at Double-A Erie in 2014 and he is close to contributing at the Major League level. Gose on the other hand has three years of Major League experience under his belt but can only be described as a part-time performer at best. His life-time batting average is just .234, with 5 home runs, 36 RBI’s and 170 strikeouts in 552 at-bats. In 2014 he took a big step backwards with the bat hitting just .226 with 2 homers and 13 RBI’s in 239 at-bats for the Blue Jays. Plus he strikes out a lot (74 times) with just a few walks (25). However, he did steal 15 bases and is considered above average defensively. I can see disaster written all over this deal especially if Travis catches fire with the Blue Jays and Gose continues to flounder with the bat at the bottom of the Tigers lineup with all their other .220 hitters down there.

The next step should be, resign their ace Max Scherzer before the Yankees or Cubs sign him, and then start rebuilding the bullpen.

Gose is way above average defensively. He takes good routes to the ball, can run like the wind & is not afraid of banging into walls. He'll look great patrolling center field for the Tigers. Offensively, he has to learn to make more contact, bunt for a base hit & take the odd walk. A change of scenery will do him a world of good. The Jays do not have any high level infield prospects. This kid sounds like a good one. He'll have to adjust to playing on that stupid turf until they put real grass in at the Rogers Center.

 

[Ace Bandage]

I think you'll see the Red Sox go harder after Scherzer than you will the Cubs. I can see Chicago pursuing either Shields or Lester and trading for Hamels. For whatever reason, Epstein and Hoyer are wild about Hamels. I'm just worried about who they're going to have to give up to get him. Because he's not going to come cheap.

Personally, I'd like to get Scherzer and Lester... so we'll probably get Hamels and Shields and trade away some promising young prospects. Because... the Cubs.

 

[MustBeGood]

I think you'll see the Red Sox go harder after Scherzer than you will the Cubs. I can see Chicago pursuing either Shields or Lester and trading for Hamels. For whatever reason, Epstein and Hoyer are wild about Hamels. I'm just worried about who they're going to have to give up to get him. Because he's not going to come cheap.

Personally, I'd like to get Scherzer and Lester... so we'll probably get Hamels and Shields and trade away some promising young prospects. Because... the Cubs.

They are also talking to the Nats about trading for Jordan Zimmerman. Starlin Castro plus 1 or 2 prospects.

 

[bobjustbob]

Castro was on the Mets radar till GM Alderson says that going with Wilmer Flores wouldn't be such a bad thing. Thanks Sandy. So how many field level seats are you going to be giving away for $30? Even in his season ticket promo he's talking about rebuilding. Last year they couldn't average 65% tickets sold. I wish they would release real turnstile numbers.

 

[Ace Bandage]

I'm all for trading Starlin Castro. I'd much rather have Addison Russell at shortstop going forward. Right now is the perfect time to deal him too. He had one of his better years at the plate... though he's always going to be shit in the field. Dude is just lazy.

The Mets seem like a natural trading partner for Chicago. They have great young pitching prospects but lack young quality young hitters. The Cubs are the opposite. They have a surplus of quality young hitters and could really use some young pitching. I'd be surprised if they don't work out a deal eventually.

 

[bobjustbob]

Added Michael Cuddyer to fill a corner outfielder. Move the fences in for David Wright and Daniel Murphy...Daniel Murphy, what do you do with this guy? Good hitter but he is the man with the hands of stone at 2B. Has no idea what to do once on base. But how do you replace a .290 bat in this day of no steroids?

 

[SirHumper]

Gose is way above average defensively. He takes good routes to the ball, can run like the wind & is not afraid of banging into walls. He'll look great patrolling center field for the Tigers. Offensively, he has to learn to make more contact, bunt for a base hit & take the odd walk. A change of scenery will do him a world of good. The Jays do not have any high level infield prospects. This kid sounds like a good one. He'll have to adjust to playing on that stupid turf until they put real grass in at the Rogers Center.

The Tigers outfield still needs some work.

Yes, the acquisition of outfielder Anthony Gose gives the Tigers a legitimate center fielder who can run and play solid defense. But Gose should not be expected to fill the Tigers' needs as an everyday center fielder. What do you have when you remove Torii Hunter, Austin Jackson, and Andy Dirks from the picture? You have a very mediocre outfield. Gose can replace the defense of Andy Dirks, but doesn't replace his offensive production -- even in a down year for Dirks. And Gose does not begin to replace the lost offensive production of Hunter or Jackson in the lineup.

Meanwhile, Rajai Davis' platoon splits are staggering. Davis hit .356 against left-handed pitchers in 2014. That justifies his presence in the lineup, regardless of his defense. Conversely, Gose is a career .208 hitter against left-handers and .238 against right handers.

Against right-handers, Davis hit just .247. That's a problem for a corner outfielder, especially one who plays sub-par defense. It was a problem for the Tigers last year, and it needs to be addressed before 2015. Keeping Davis in a full-time role would be a big detriment. The Tigers needed to upgrade their defense, and they have done that in center field. Up the middle, the Tigers now have Gold Glove nominees in Kinsler and Avila, the returning Jose Iglesias, and now a plus defender in Gose. That's a pretty solid group.

However, the Tigers need to address the loss of Torii Hunter's production in the lineup. Hunter age 40 should not be brought back to play in the outfield at this stage of his career, but his departure leaves the Tigers with a big hole in the lineup. The Tigers also lost Austin Jackson, their starting center fielder the past five seasons, and Andy Dirks, a left-handed outfielder who would be an ideal platoon partner for Davis in left field. Gose and Davis combined can replace one of them, but not both. And they don't replace the lost production of Hunter who hit .286 with 17 home runs and 83 RBI in 2014.

What the Tigers still lack is a second corner outfielder who can hit right-handed pitching. They also need a replacement for Hunter near the top of the lineup. Dombrowski said at the beginning of the off season that the team needed another left-handed bat, and someone to pair with Davis. That is still a huge need.

 

[SirHumper]

I think you'll see the Red Sox go harder after Scherzer than you will the Cubs. I can see Chicago pursuing either Shields or Lester and trading for Hamels. For whatever reason, Epstein and Hoyer are wild about Hamels. I'm just worried about who they're going to have to give up to get him. Because he's not going to come cheap.

Personally, I'd like to get Scherzer and Lester... so we'll probably get Hamels and Shields and trade away some promising young prospects. Because... the Cubs.

Don’t count Mighty Max Scherzer out of the Tigers picture just yet. Reports in the Detroit media have him continuing to negotiate with Detroit.

At the end of spring training he turned down an offer of four-years at 144 million. His agent Scott Boras told the media that the bidding will start at 200 million and eight years...

And to that I’d say… I'd like to fuck Playboy Cyber Girl Felicia Taylor, lets see who gets lucky first!

 

[Jagger69]

Giancarlo Stanton apparently set to sign a record 13 year/$325mm contract with the Marlins.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2...to-13-year-325-million-contract-with-marlins/

:eek:

 

[MustBeGood]

Giancarlo Stanton apparently set to sign a record 13 year/$325mm contract with the Marlins.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2...to-13-year-325-million-contract-with-marlins/

:eek:

Marlins should of gave that kind of a contract to keep Miguel Cabera in town instead of trading him.

Is Boras his agent? Plus that many years makes him untradable. Unless they eat some of the portion of the remaining.

 

[Jagger69]

Marlins should of gave that kind of a contract to keep Miguel Cabera in town instead of trading him.

Is Boras his agent? Plus that many years makes him untradable. Unless they eat some of the portion of the remaining.

Supposedly there is a no-trade clause but he can opt out after the 5th year! Some of these owners are brain-dead! The Marlins will have Stanton and a bunch of triple-A players on their roster for a long time.