2008 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[tim_m]

Schill is right. They are simply spending the money they have the way they want to, just like every other team is. They may have more than others but that isn't their fault and blaming them for it is wrong. If any other team had their kinda money you bet your ass they'd spend it on players to try and make their team better and thats just what the yankees are doing.

That's part of the problem actually.  Obviously no other team has as much money as the Yankees, but there are plenty of teams whose owners make a fair amount of money and just pocket it instead of re-investing it into the team to acquire players and make the team better.  All the money that is paid in luxury taxes by the Yankees, Sox, Mets, Angels, etc. that's distributed to the other teams but not all use it as they should.  I really don't have a problem with the Yankees spending the money the way they do.  If they had won the last 8 World Series I might think differently but they haven't won since they started building their teams through free agency, so it's not a proven recipe for winning.  The one thing it does seem to do, is it's hard to ever imagine the Yankees having a BAD season.  I mean last year was a bad season in their terms, but most teams would kill to be in the playoff hunt into September.  Teams that don't spend money can strike gold once in awhile and have great seasons, but that doesn't happen consistently.  The Yanks have had a huge payroll ever since 2000 and while they haven't won it all, they've ALWAYS been in the thick of things.

Yeah i would actually like to see some kinda stipulation that requires the luxury tax thats taken from the richest and given to the poorest has to be used on player development or for free agents. Thats what its meant for to make the team on the field better and thats what it should be mandated to be used for.

[D]

Marlins and Devil Rays have both won and been to more WS than the Yanks since they last lost to Arizona.

so screw the payroll, its about the draft and farm system.

Braves made it so long doing that and other teams are realizing it is all about the pitching defense and some speed and timely hitting.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Marlins and Devil Rays have both won and been to more WS than the Yanks since they last lost to Arizona.

so screw the payroll, its about the draft and farm system.

Braves made it so long doing that and other teams are realizing it is all about the pitching defense and some speed and timely hitting.

2001: Arizona
2002: Anaheim
2003: Florida
2005: White Sox
2006: St. Louis
2008: Phillies


These teams did not have huge payrolls.

[faldor]

Marlins and Devil Rays have both won and been to more WS than the Yanks since they last lost to Arizona.

so screw the payroll, its about the draft and farm system.

Braves made it so long doing that and other teams are realizing it is all about the pitching defense and some speed and timely hitting.

2001: Arizona
2002: Anaheim
2003: Florida
2005: White Sox
2006: St. Louis
2008: Phillies


These teams did not have huge payrolls.

Obviously it's been proven that you don't need a huge payroll to win it all, but it helps to make teams like the Yankees, Sox, Mets a perennial contender.  KC Royal fans have to hope lightning strikes one year while Yankee fans can hibernate and wake up in September when games will still matter to them.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

The Mets.

Haha.

[D]

There was a time though when KC baseball was very relevant.

they just had bad scouting etc over the years.

If i were a GM of a small market team, I'd invest most of my resources into pitching and defense.
'

people go too crazy for these power hitters.

U take A Rod.

I wouldn't have him on my team for anything

u can throw all his stats at me but his stats are the most worthless,meaningless stats in baseball history.

He is the king of the meaningless home run.

the most unclutch superstar in MLB history.

27 million for him is a waste.

same with so many pitchers u see.

I remember when the Dodgers gave a guy 12 million a year and he was coming off something ilke a  10-15 season. which is just ridiculous.

Oakland and Minnesota have been competitive for decades with small payrolls. It is knowing when to sell high also. knowing when to sell. If u have a top pitcher who u know u can't afford, trade him for great prospects like Florida did with their fire sales.

baseball is one game where team chemistry means everything.

how many world series rings did NY win before their spending bullshit?  4 straight right?

how many have they won since?

NONE

tells u something.

[tim_m]

There was a time though when KC baseball was very relevant.

they just had bad scouting etc over the years.

If i were a GM of a small market team, I'd invest most of my resources into pitching and defense.
'

people go too crazy for these power hitters.

U take A Rod.

I wouldn't have him on my team for anything

u can throw all his stats at me but his stats are the most worthless,meaningless stats in baseball history.

He is the king of the meaningless home run.

the most unclutch superstar in MLB history.

27 million for him is a waste.

same with so many pitchers u see.

I remember when the Dodgers gave a guy 12 million a year and he was coming off something ilke a  10-15 season. which is just ridiculous.

Oakland and Minnesota have been competitive for decades with small payrolls. It is knowing when to sell high also. knowing when to sell. If u have a top pitcher who u know u can't afford, trade him for great prospects like Florida did with their fire sales.

baseball is one game where team chemistry means everything.

how many world series rings did NY win before their spending bullshit?  4 straight right?

how many have they won since?

NONE

tells u something.

3 straight actually and 4 in 5 years and 3 outs from 4 in a row. God that one still hurts 9 times out of ten Mo gets that save.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

There was a time though when KC baseball was very relevant.

they just had bad scouting etc over the years.

If i were a GM of a small market team, I'd invest most of my resources into pitching and defense.
'

people go too crazy for these power hitters.

U take A Rod.

I wouldn't have him on my team for anything

u can throw all his stats at me but his stats are the most worthless,meaningless stats in baseball history.

He is the king of the meaningless home run.

the most unclutch superstar in MLB history.

27 million for him is a waste.

same with so many pitchers u see.

I remember when the Dodgers gave a guy 12 million a year and he was coming off something ilke a  10-15 season. which is just ridiculous.

Oakland and Minnesota have been competitive for decades with small payrolls. It is knowing when to sell high also. knowing when to sell. If u have a top pitcher who u know u can't afford, trade him for great prospects like Florida did with their fire sales.

baseball is one game where team chemistry means everything.

how many world series rings did NY win before their spending bullshit?  4 straight right?

how many have they won since?

NONE

tells u something.

Finally someone agrees with me.

The same goes for BALCO Barry.  Did any of his HR's win him a World Series. 

Nu uh girlfriend!

[D]

well, in Barry's defense, the manager Dusty Baker blew that one world series with his pitching decision.


but yeah, up till Barry did nothing int he playoffs.

[faldor]

The Red Sox actually made a couple moves it appears.  Of course nowhere near the hype of the Yankees and they're not huge signings, but it's something.  No longer can you say, they haven't done anything.  They've added Brad Penny to the fold for one year/5 million with 3 more million in incentives possible.  An added veteran arm to compete for a spot in the rotation.  IF healthy he should get in and Masterson will stay in the bullpen, Bowden and Buchholz will start the season in AAA.  They also signed a catcher, Josh Bard.  He was on the Sox a couple years ago as a backup to Varitek, but he failed miserably in being Tim Wakefield's personal catcher.  He led the league in passed balls and didn't last long, they ended up trading him away for Doug Mirabelli.  I thought Bard was a decent offensive catcher, but he actually had a worse batting average than Varitek last year if you can believe that.  So I'd have to imagine they signed him as a backup/depth and they're still in search for a starting catcher.

[sandman]

the AL East is gonna be a battle. the yanks should be better, but i'm still not ready to pick them as the favorite. building teams via FA rarely works in any sport.

the yanks defense has been a problem. not sure if they have done enough to address that.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

The Red Sox actually made a couple moves it appears.  Of course nowhere near the hype of the Yankees and they're not huge signings, but it's something.  No longer can you say, they haven't done anything.  They've added Brad Penny to the fold for one year/5 million with 3 more million in incentives possible.  An added veteran arm to compete for a spot in the rotation.  IF healthy he should get in and Masterson will stay in the bullpen, Bowden and Buchholz will start the season in AAA.  They also signed a catcher, Josh Bard.  He was on the Sox a couple years ago as a backup to Varitek, but he failed miserably in being Tim Wakefield's personal catcher.  He led the league in passed balls and didn't last long, they ended up trading him away for Doug Mirabelli.  I thought Bard was a decent offensive catcher, but he actually had a worse batting average than Varitek last year if you can believe that.  So I'd have to imagine they signed him as a backup/depth and they're still in search for a starting catcher.

Brad Penny is actually exercising his fatass.  He'll give Boston more than he ever gave L.A.

He's only good until the ASG, fair warning.

[pilferk]

The Red Sox actually made a couple moves it appears.  Of course nowhere near the hype of the Yankees and they're not huge signings, but it's something.  No longer can you say, they haven't done anything.  They've added Brad Penny to the fold for one year/5 million with 3 more million in incentives possible.  An added veteran arm to compete for a spot in the rotation.  IF healthy he should get in and Masterson will stay in the bullpen, Bowden and Buchholz will start the season in AAA.  They also signed a catcher, Josh Bard.  He was on the Sox a couple years ago as a backup to Varitek, but he failed miserably in being Tim Wakefield's personal catcher.  He led the league in passed balls and didn't last long, they ended up trading him away for Doug Mirabelli.  I thought Bard was a decent offensive catcher, but he actually had a worse batting average than Varitek last year if you can believe that.  So I'd have to imagine they signed him as a backup/depth and they're still in search for a starting catcher.

They've done "something" now...I'm not sure they've done anything that actually makes them any better than they were last year, yet, though.

[pilferk]

Anybody else interested in the MLB Network and what it's content is going to be??

We have it on our cable system....goes "live" on Jan 1.

I hope it's decent!

I'm a little bummed that it looks like Leiter won't be doing Yanks games on the Yes network anymore.....

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Anybody else interested in the MLB Network and what it's content is going to be??

We have it on our cable system....goes "live" on Jan 1.

I hope it's decent!

I'm a little bummed that it looks like Leiter won't be doing Yanks games on the Yes network anymore.....

Well, Citizens Bank Park and Busch Stadium are going to be featured in "Cathedrals of the Game."

Nothing screams cathedral like a couple of new, ugly HOK designed ballparks.

I'm going to enjoy this.  Fuck ESPN.  AND, Harold Reynolds is going to be on the MLB Network.  He was the only good one out of the bunch out in Bristol.

I'm mostly in it to watch the classic games, since ESPN Classic (again, FUCK them) has resorted to airing poker games and old episodes of "American Gladiators."

[pilferk]

Well, Citizens Bank Park and Busch Stadium are going to be featured in "Cathedrals of the Game."

Nothing screams cathedral like a couple of new, ugly HOK designed ballparks.

I'm going to enjoy this.  Fuck ESPN.  AND, Harold Reynolds is going to be on the MLB Network.  He was the only good one out of the bunch out in Bristol.

I'm mostly in it to watch the classic games, since ESPN Classic (again, FUCK them) has resorted to airing poker games and old episodes of "American Gladiators."

I hope it's good content.  I agree on ESPN Classic.....with the excpetion of the occasional "Classic" College Basketball game, their content is shit.  For Classic baseball, you're pretty much limited to the "local" sports networks: NESN and YES for us.  But it get's old watching the classic games from only 2 teams.....every off season.

I'm really hoping the MLB network pans out....it could be a VERY good thing, I think.

Oh, and I like Bristol.  Nice town, good local amusement park...but the ESPN building is pretty fugly.

[D]

ESPN Classic also shows old AWA and UWF wrestling cards!

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

ESPN Classic also shows old AWA and UWF wrestling cards!

And BOWLING! 

[novemberparadise23]

Burrel to the rays is a good pick up for them. He is a good bat and they needed a right handed hitter to help balance out all there left handed hitters.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

I made a new thread for '09.

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/board/index.php?topic=55622.0