2011 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[tim_m]

It's a done deal.

'Stros to the AL West, another Wild Card and 30, count 'em 30 - interleague games that will be played everyday throughout the season.

I swear to the baseball Gods if they try to force the the NL to adopt the DH I will hang myself from a rope made up of the Cards 11 World Series championship banners.

I know you hate this interleague play and the DH but that would be a bit extreme dude lol.

[tim_m]

The more i think about it the more i like the idea of the second wild card team. It will make winning your division more important. You won't wanna end up a wild card team and have to play one game then go home. The next thing that has to go is the stupid rule you can't play a division opponent in the wild card round. After the one game play in the team with the best record should play the team with the worst record regardless of what division they are in.

[Falcon]

The more i think about it the more i like the idea of the second wild card team. It will make winning your division more important. You won't wanna end up a wild card team and have to play one game then go home. The next thing that has to go is the stupid rule you can't play a division opponent in the wild card round. After the one game play in the team with the best record should play the team with the worst record regardless of what division they are in.

After listening to alot of the back and forth on the subject today, I'm more receptive to the wild card addition than I initially was.

They've still got a bit of tweaking to do on it so I'll reserve judgement.

Agree 100% with your "best record/worst record" regardless of division as well, seems  like common sense.

[tim_m]

The more i think about it the more i like the idea of the second wild card team. It will make winning your division more important. You won't wanna end up a wild card team and have to play one game then go home. The next thing that has to go is the stupid rule you can't play a division opponent in the wild card round. After the one game play in the team with the best record should play the team with the worst record regardless of what division they are in.

After listening to alot of the back and forth on the subject today, I'm more receptive to the wild card addition than I initially was.

They've still got a bit of tweaking to do on it so I'll reserve judgement.

Agree 100% with your "best record/worst record" regardless of division as well, seems  like common sense.

I'm hoping it will make owners really try hard to put a good team out there and get the team to really play hard to capture their division. I mean seriously who wants to be in the playoffs for one game? Nobody! So i think it could be a very good motivator. The article makes no mention of how the two wild card teams will be determined. I assume they will look at the 3 second place teams and pick the two with the better record.

As far as playing best playing worst regardless of the division. That needs to happen. That's how it is in the NFL, NHL and NBA. Its time baseball caught up and stopped this nonsense you can't play a division rival in the wild card round.

[Falcon]

Tim, it looks like your wild card idea is taking flight:

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/19/the-extra-wild-card-team-might-not-be-the-only-change-to-the-playoff-format/

[tim_m]

That would be fantastic if it comes to fruition. There is no logical reason best can't play worst in the wild card round. Now the only thing that needs to happen and you'll agree with me on this one. The team with the better record in the world series gets home field period.

[tim_m]

HGH testing is a done deal too apparently. Bravo players and owners They really got this new CBA right! Take notice NBA and NFL.

[Falcon]

Justin Verlander, AL MVP.

Uh, don't pitchers already have an award?

It's looking more like Bobby Valentine could be the next manager in Boston as well.

I guess down is now up, night is now day, black is now white and hell just became a glacier.

[tim_m]

Agreed Falcon. A pitcher who only plays ever fifth day should not be an MVP. Yeah, he won 24 games but he's only responsible for about 1/3 of their wins. A position player has a much greater impact on his teams success then a starting pitcher.

A press conference has been called for tomorrow for the players and owners to announce the new CBA. It includes blood testing for HGH, minimum salary raise, a luxury tax on amateur and international draft signings, changes to the luxury tax and compensation for clubs losing free agents.

[tim_m]

The rangers have signed Joe Nathan to be their closer, 2yrs 14.5 mil and are moving Feliz to the rotation. I think this has disaster written all over it. Nathan is just one year removed from Tommy John surgery and i don't know if feliz can make it as a starter.

[Falcon]

Ryan Braun, NL MVP.

They got this one right IMO, the guy had a great year.

Details here:

http://bbwaa.com/

[Falcon]

That was insane and i missed it while at the Dream Theater show LOL! Got to see Berkman tie it in the 10th and hear the rangers finally blow it in the 11th. Rangers deserved to lose this one. Absolutely atrocious pitching.

Were you in this crowd Tim?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYwkOWy9SwU&feature=related

[tim_m]

That was insane and i missed it while at the Dream Theater show LOL! Got to see Berkman tie it in the 10th and hear the rangers finally blow it in the 11th. Rangers deserved to lose this one. Absolutely atrocious pitching.

Were you in this crowd Tim?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYwkOWy9SwU&feature=related

I was very close by. That's the tv to the left. There was another tv straight ahead, which would be to the right in that video. I was watching that one. From the looks of that video i couldn't have been more than a few feet away.

[Falcon]

That was insane and i missed it while at the Dream Theater show LOL! Got to see Berkman tie it in the 10th and hear the rangers finally blow it in the 11th. Rangers deserved to lose this one. Absolutely atrocious pitching.

Were you in this crowd Tim?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYwkOWy9SwU&feature=related

I was very close by. That's the tv to the left. There was another tv straight ahead, which would be to the right in that video. I was watching that one. From the looks of that video i couldn't have been more than a few feet away.

It's amazing what you'll find when searching "Rangers fans reaction" on youtube!

[tim_m]

That was insane and i missed it while at the Dream Theater show LOL! Got to see Berkman tie it in the 10th and hear the rangers finally blow it in the 11th. Rangers deserved to lose this one. Absolutely atrocious pitching.

Were you in this crowd Tim?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYwkOWy9SwU&feature=related

I was very close by. That's the tv to the left. There was another tv straight ahead, which would be to the right in that video. I was watching that one. From the looks of that video i couldn't have been more than a few feet away.

It's amazing what you'll find when searching "Rangers fans reaction" on youtube!

Haha yeah, i had no idea anyone was filming that.

[LongGoneDay]

I'm a bit out of the loop lately, but I must say, Bobby V is entertaining on TV, for what that's worth!
The guy knows his stuff. Not impressed with his track record as manager, but who knows. Could work, I suppose. Francona wasn't exactly setting the world on fire before the Sox.
I'm personally not overly impressed with any of the candidates. Not losing any sleep over not getting Sveum.
Last I remember him, he was trying to get as many Sox players killed at home plate as possible.

John Farrell and Mike Maddux were the only guys on the radar that seemed like great fits to me, but the Jays apparently asked for Bucholz in return, and Maddux isn't interested.

[faldor]

I'm a bit out of the loop lately, but I must say, Bobby V is entertaining on TV, for what that's worth!
The guy knows his stuff. Not impressed with his track record as manager, but who knows. Could work, I suppose. Francona wasn't exactly setting the world on fire before the Sox.
I'm personally not overly impressed with any of the candidates. Not losing any sleep over not getting Sveum.
Last I remember him, he was trying to get as many Sox players killed at home plate as possible.

John Farrell and Mike Maddux were the only guys on the radar that seemed like great fits to me, but the Jays apparently asked for Bucholz in return, and Maddux isn't interested.

Yeah, to be honest, I know there's a lot of anti-Valentine supporters out there, and I kind of got swept up in that.  But really, what's so bad about the guy?  Who was Terry Francona before he joined the Sox?  He was a failed attempt in Philly who became one of the best managers in Red Sox history.  I seem to remember Bobby V. having some pretty good years managing the Rangers and the Mets.  Not sure why everyone is so down on him.  And I agree with you.  All I remember of Sveum is him being a HORRIBLE 3B coach.  Are the Sox really going to regret not hiring him, 5 years from now?  I find that hard to believe.  Whoever they hire, they have the talent to succeed.  The manager just needs to not F it up.  Pretty straight forward.  I know there's a little more to it than that, but for the most part, if you have the talent it makes your job a lot easier.

[tim_m]

I like Bobby V, always have and i think he'd be a good choice for the Sox.

[faldor]

I like Bobby V, always have and i think he'd be a good choice for the Sox.

Yeah, he's a very knowledgeable baseball guy, that's for sure.  And he's more of a "no nonsense" kind of guy.  At least, far moreso than Francona, and that's what the Sox need at this point.  I don't know if he's a "long term" answer, but I think he'd be fine for the short term.  With that being said, I don't think anyone is cut out to be the long term answer in Boston.  Francona was about as close as it gets and he lasted 7 years, if you want to call that long term.  And that's WITH winning 2 World Series.  You think that'd get you a little more than 7 years.

[tim_m]

I like Bobby V, always have and i think he'd be a good choice for the Sox.

Yeah, he's a very knowledgeable baseball guy, that's for sure.  And he's more of a "no nonsense" kind of guy.  At least, far moreso than Francona, and that's what the Sox need at this point.  I don't know if he's a "long term" answer, but I think he'd be fine for the short term.  With that being said, I don't think anyone is cut out to be the long term answer in Boston.  Francona was about as close as it gets and he lasted 7 years, if you want to call that long term.  And that's WITH winning 2 World Series.  You think that'd get you a little more than 7 years.

Yes, that's definitely what they need right now a take no shit guy. Francona likely would've lasted longer had he not lost complete control of the clubhouse.