cardsfan

I think the Twins had a good off-season--not great because they didn't get an ace. Adding Donaldson improves the defense and can't hurt the offense. Romo and Clippard will help anchor the BP and take some pressure off Rogers. Letting Perez, Gibson, Cron and Schoop go only made sense. Maeda, Hill and Bailey are an improvement over Perez and Gibson--potentially a big improvement if Hill pitches as well as he has in the past. If Buxton and Sano stay healthy, the Twins can win 100 games again.

Hill is going to be 41. I mean he is going to try to come back with some experimental procedure on his rebuilt elbow.

Then Maeda ERA on the road was over 5.1. He lost 2 starts to the Angels a bad team and had another lost in relief against the AL.

I'm wondering if Marwin Gonzales would say anything to fellow Twins players if he noticed the Astros were stealing signs against the Twins? How about when I was facing you Berrios I was tipped off.

Oh, he could pretend not to notice.

I think this scandal will keep Beltran out of the Hall of Fame and Altuve. I don't see how 75% of voters will vote for these 2.

BtW, Pete Rose was on the HOF ballots for 3 years and he received less than 10% of the vote. If reinstated no guarantee that a future Veterans Committee puts him in.

Every mid-market team except yours, needs to rebuild at some point in time. Due to our past successes, being continuously in poor draft position caught up with us.

They've only had 2 Gold Glove starting catchers since 2000. Then every couple years 3 or 4 starting pitchers start many games that didn't start for the team a couple of years earlier. Not too many bad contracts being lucky they didn't get Heyward, Pujols, David Price and Stanton's contracts. Missed out on Scherzer who is from here.

Since the MVP3 days are over they develop, acquire, and trade off lots of starting pitchers. Out there now in trades is Marco Gonzales, Zach Gallen and Sandy Alcantra and a recovered after 3 seasons off Lance Lynn.

They must have some internal metrics that they use. College pitchers arms are more developed than high school graduates.

The lack of pitcher development is why most of the 2010's were major losing seasons.

Contract the 2 Florida teams or move at least one.

If contract 2 go back to 4 divisions and just 2 postseason rounds.

I think the amount of competition the World Series is facing for ratings today, compared to the 70's, is a lot bigger factor for lower ratings than the quality of teams playing.

I don't watch much of the WS or Stanley Cup unless my team is in it. It's true that there is so much to do. I don't know how TV revenues keep increasing for badeball.

What can really throw off projections is a pitcher having an outstanding season in regards to his win-loss record and/or the team's record when he starts.

In 2018 the Cards brought Miles Mikolas back from Japan who knew our pitching coach and didn't re-sign Lance Lynn. Miles that year went 18-4 and the Cardinals were 14 over .500 at 88-74 and 24-8 when he was on the mound, whereas if Lynn took the QO the Cards would have been around .500.

We had a middle reliever who came in mid-relief in tight games and was 11-1. His WAR was 0.5 or so. That could throw off PECOTA since it can't measure a maybe outlier.

I don't know why its calculated this far ahead of April 1.

One pitcher swapped out for another or coming out of nowhere or declining or soaring on his own can make a big difference.

Have you seen the World Series television ratings from the late 70's compared to today? Once you let in too many teams it degrades the product.

I have a better proposal. After 154 regular season games the last 8 games and 2 weekends, 4 home and 4 away, are played against one team. Your opponent is dependent upon the standings after 154 games before the last 2 weekends. Number 1 in the division would play Number 2 in the division. Number 3 would play other number 3's and Number 4 and number 5 play each other.

These last 8 games are sold at the beginning of the season. The 8 games count as regular season stats. After 162 games we have the same format as today or just one wildcard. Its possible that the #3 team could finish first or wildcard if after 154 games the standings for the top 3 are close together.

In years which little separates the top teams these final games would have an old time playoff atmosphere.

Boston did not find a team willing to give more because 1 year of Betts is not worth more than they received. Also, consider Boston is not going to compete this year so how much value did Betts really hold for them? What they showed here is that they are not interested in being mediocre so they sacrificed in a year they won't compete to amke themselves better for several years yo come. Kind of like the Yankees did when they got Torres.

 

They also reset the luxury tax which will position them nicely in pursuing free agents. They get 5 years of a guy who could be an all-star in Verdugo , a SS top 100 prospect, and a catching prospect that can play 2B/3B. He could be a very nice utility player. All of this for 1 year of Betts in a year they won’t compete. I guess it’s an F if you have a very short-term view and fail to consider Boston is not likely to compete this year. Long-term this deal was a solid B+ for Boston and an A- if Downs becomes an average regular. They get a solid A if he becomes an above average regular.

Maybe, they sign Betts next offseason. Their new GM promised fans they would still compete this year. I suggest if the Red Sox go 11-8 against the Yankees they pick up 6 games as they were 5-14 last season. Forfeiting draft picks like the Astros?

This was actually two separate trades as it turned out. The Dodgers sure became more loaded, groan. Will they be able to re-sign him in the offseason next year? If Price is healthy in Dodger Stadium he could have another 2018 season. Only way to beat Dodgers in postseason is to outpitch them and win the close ones. An A. The Red Sox well they couldn't find another team to give them a better return so an F. Waiting for the cheating punishment to be handed out for their 2018 season.

Twins deal incomplete. When and if Graderol pitches more innings than Maeda the Dodgers will be happy since to them this is a mid-level trade, forgotten in a year or two. The Dodgers giving up $10 million with other draft pick and prospects involved makes you wonder they value the others just as much.

The intern who developed an Excel app used for stealing signs that the Astros GM embraced has been promoted in the front office. I don't think Luhnow will ever get a job. Luhnow saying he didn't read long emails referencing this app is laughable. He should have said I never started out doing something like this. I lost my way.

It's hard to believe the owner isn't aware.

The 5 worst records in the AL:

Tigers

Orioles

Royals

Blue Jays

Mariners

 

Against those 5 teams:

Twins were 43-15

Yankees were 42-16

 

If you insist on substituting the Blue Jays and Mariners for the White Sox to make your point.

 

OK... The Yankees were 3-4 against the White Sox, which doesn't speak well for the Yankees, and it should also be pointed out that the Yankees went 13-13 against the WEAK WEAK AL Central.

 

However, this isn't your point. Your point is that you believe the Twins have the worst rotation out of Yankees, Rays, Red Sox, Twins, Indians, Astros, A's and Rangers.

 

You could be right but you are going to have to try something else in order to slide it past us.

I'm not entirely sold on Pineda as he accidentally swallowed a masking agent. He was recovering from an arm injury which effected his 2017 season and he missed all of 2018. His 2016 season for the Yankees was bad.

And I don't think you can count on the worst SP in the NL for 3 years and last year in mid-August his ERA was 5.5. The last month he was pitching every 6 days and he vastly improved. Took years to do so. And an experimental procedure on 40 year Rich Hill who will need sometime to heal and stretch his arm?

Minors need to keep producing a starting pitcher one or more a year.

The Rangers won only 78 last year so they were allowing more runs than giving up.

They were 14-5 against the World Champion Red Sox as the Sox won 84.

Someone mentioned the Pirates were similar in the NL Central. But, the Pirates were only 2.5 out at the ASG break one game below .500 before losing 93 games. Only the Marlins were awful the entire season.

The Yankees went 17-2 against Baltimore so let's not act like they didn't have their own similar advantage. The notion that Minnesota lost to the Yankees in the ALDS because NYY's pitching was wildly better is not really supported by any evidence.

Here's what I think the Dodgers game plan with Price and Graterol is. After all, Dodger pitching since the 1940's is by far the best in baseball during the regular season. I miss the McCourts fighting over their divorce while the Dodgers declined. Oh, the Dodgers lose a lot of deciding last games of the regular season and many last games of the postseason.

The Dodgers don't believe they are getting a subpar David Price. Have him start 20 games in Dodger Stadium and San Diego's ballpark and see if the Dodgers don't win 112 games this year. You will have to outpitch the Dodgers in the postseason.

Now as far as Graterol, it looks like they want him to start eventually. He starts and say wins 16 games with a good WHIP and ERA they will re-evaluate and perhaps trade him before losing him to 2 years with arm problems and rehab. The Dodgers can develop or buy or trade for pitching. Better to trade a pitcher one year too early than a year too late.

Could the Dodgers trade off Price after a great year with 2 years left? Will they get to keep the Red Sox money?

But it kind of reminds me of the days where pitchers like Johnson and Clemens were averaging 97 on their fastballs.

 

eh? eh?

Especially given the Twins bullpen. Graterol is a great arm but the Twins already have a BUNCH of really good arms in the bullpen.

 

What the Twins *don’t* have is a bunch of really good arms in the rotation and while Maeda isn’t the sexiest target in baseball, adding a fourth guy that slots in with similar numbers to Odorizzi, Pineda, and maybe even Berrios is a pretty big deal over 162 games. The Twins now have a solidly above average rotation and that shouldn’t be dismissed simply because they didn’t go out and get a flashy name.

I was looking at the 2013 Cardinals who lost the World Series in 6 and nearly every pitcher and reliever had arm injuries since then. Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Jaime Garcia, Michael Wacha, closer Trevor Rosenthal, Carlos Martinez, Kevin Siegrist and Seth Maness. Only Joe Kelly who bombed in LA last year did not. Trading these young pitchers off before they became injured isn't as easy as it seems. The Cards got 1 good year out of 5 from Wainwright in $95 million contract though he came back in an incentive contract.

You as a GM would have to be absolutely naive not to believe that Brusdar with TJ surgery and shoulder impingement while still throwing 99 Mph isn't going to spend time on the DL with arm injuries? Boston playing games? Please.

The Cards bought out Jaime Garcia's arbitration years and got enough value out of him, barely, to then trade him for John Gant. C. Martinez has been sent to the BP as we nurse his shoulder and may start this year.

The incentives contract with Maeda is a good thing. But, his record on the road and against the AL last year is awful. He may pitch well against KC, Detroit and Baltimore. Against the Yankees and Astros I don't think they will be too worried. But, thanks to the contract and Brusdar's arm problems it'll probably be a good trade. Perhaps Brusdar becomes a more finesse pitcher.

Remembering our pitcher Lance Lynn who injured his elbow near the end of his fourth season rendering a trade impossible as season five was rehab and season six was a recovery year in which his second half was bad you remember him for season seven? It took him until season eight with the Rangers to look like his old self.

It wouldn't shock me Berrios suffers an arm injury as hard as he throws. This isn't the days where pitchers like Maddux were averaging 89 Mph on their fastball.

Let us worry about that. Why did your team sit out the offseason?

Our 100 mph pitcher, Alex Reyes, who has recovered from arm surgery a couple years ago, then some abdomen strain or tear, and then last year may be finally ready to go. I'm surprised the Dodgers didn't offer to trade Maeda for him.

We have 10-11 real major possible starters counting the Korean lefty. Plus we got Tampa's top minor league pitching prospect this offseason.

We've tried inquiring how to get Arenado if Colorado wants to eliminate a disgruntled employee cheaply. Why give lots of prospects and pay $$$$ when could sign a comparable FA.

Bunch of random thoughts:

 

1)Yes, the Twins said they were starting Graterol out in bullpen. But everything I remember seeing said that was because he didn't have anything more to prove in the minors, but also had never had his innings pushed to the point where he could be a year long starter. Don't remember anyone every saying he would NEVER be a starter publicly. The medical records may say it, but the Red Sox would never have known that. Starters are more valuable than relievers, even if it would have taken him a year or two to get stretched out to that point.

 

2)Of course Boras would say that he is healthy enough to start, Starters get more money than relievers. What else would an agent say?

 

3)If I were in charge I would still see if the Dodgers wanted to do a straight up swap of their own. Last year they used Maeda primarily as a reliever(for multiple reasons it appears). They clearly don't see him as a starter. But if they trade him they have an opening in the bullpen. So Graterol would be a cheaper, higher ceiling option. Regardless of the Red Sox, a trade between LA and MN still makes sense to me, both are trading from areas of strength to address areas of relative weakness.

If he was that good there would be more offers for him as the Dodgers I am sure made known he was available. I can imagine what his record would be with a team where balls fly out of the ballpark.

He ought to go to San Diego and make more starts at home.

Unfortunate for Brusdar, regardless of how this works out.

He's been unfairly portrayed as "damaged goods", which not only hurts his potential earnings but also hurts the Twins as his trade value has plummeted if this deal doesn't go through.

 

I do know one thing: Brusdar will be VERY motivated, regardless of where he plays. Kid's gotta be ticked off and I don't blame him.

No bat day? I've taken my nephew to get a regular size bat at the old Yankee Stadium, Wrigley and the White Sox park.

When I went to my local stadium with my daughter we had a commemorative Molina bat.

Berrios is taking a risk if he thinks that he can be one of the few pitchers not having a major arm injury after pitching 6.5 years throwing an average fastball of 94 MPh in the big leagues.

I'm surprised as good as Maeda is why he was traded for a pitcher with shoulder problems? You mean the Dodgers couldn't get more of a sure thing from any of the other 28 clubs? It's such a team friendly contract.