2012 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[pilferk]

Oh, don't get me started, the '86 Mets were not a baseball team, they were a rock band.  From what I understand, almost the entire team (and coaching staff) liked to party. 

I think GnR originally took lessons on how to party from the '86 Mets.

[tim_m]

ESPN is reporting the Yankees are talking to several teams about trading Burnett. The pirates seem to be the front runner in talks.

[faldor]

JonHeymanCBS Jon Heyman
#yankees don't love the 2 minor leaguers #pirates offered for aj. best guess, it still gets done, with pitt paying $13-15M of aj's $33M

[tim_m]

Sounds good to me. I just want that bum gone.

[pilferk]

Get rid of him...take the 10 million in savings, 2 AA infield prospects, and move on.

Thanks AJ for 2009.  Since then you've sucked....go do it somewhere else.  Maybe the change of scenery (and probable distance from his wife/ex-wife/whatever she is this week) will do him some good.

[tim_m]

Agreed Pilf, take whatever you can get for him and move on. It will be best for all sides. You gotta give him a little credit though for the start against Detroit in the LDS. He pitched a helluva game in that one.

[Falcon]

ESPN's reporting the Red Sox and David Ortiz settling at the midpoint, $14.575M.

I'm guessing the Sox are going to be very relieved to have that chunk of change off the books next year.

[pilferk]

OK, Question:

As has been reported ad nauseum, the Yanks are trying to trade AJ Burnett.

Apparently, they had a deal in place with the Angels (that would have brough Bobby Abreu back to NYC) but they're on AJ's no trade, and he rejected it.

The other most likely suitor is the Pirates.

Now, ignoring all the the personal factors (apparently his wife is afraid to fly...thus why there are a bunch of west coast teams on his no trade list), which situation do you all think would be better for him?  Not the Yanks, but for AJ.

Angels or Pirates?

[pilferk]

Hey faldor...is the Ohlendorf deal with the Sox a Major League deal or a minor league deal w/ ST invite?

[LongGoneDay]

OK, Question:

As has been reported ad nauseum, the Yanks are trying to trade AJ Burnett.

Apparently, they had a deal in place with the Angels (that would have brough Bobby Abreu back to NYC) but they're on AJ's no trade, and he rejected it.

The other most likely suitor is the Pirates.

Now, ignoring all the the personal factors (apparently his wife is afraid to fly...thus why there are a bunch of west coast teams on his no trade list), which situation do you all think would be better for him?  Not the Yanks, but for AJ.

Angels or Pirates?

I think just about anyone in their right mind would rather play in California for a contender than play for the Pirates, no disrespect to their fans.
But there would be some pressure since their will be lofty expectations with the Angels this year.
I'm not sure pressure effects him or not, but maybe AJ thinks so. There will be none playing for the Pirates.
I think he is what he is. A pitcher with ridiculously filthy stuff(though it is declining some) but a guy that has never been able to put it together consistently.
I think he will continue to be that guy wherever he goes. He's done quite well for himself no doubt, but he's never lived up to his potential, and I think that ship has sailed. He had best pitcher in baseball type stuff, but it never translated to a truly great season.

[pilferk]

I think just about anyone in their right mind would rather play in California for a contender than play for the Pirates, no disrespect to their fans.
But there would be some pressure since their will be lofty expectations with the Angels this year.
I'm not sure pressure effects him or not, but maybe AJ thinks so. There will be none playing for the Pirates.

Agree on the Angels.

You play a ton of games against the A's and Mariners (who have anemic line ups).

You're almost certainly a contender.

You have a relatively potent offense behind you, who will likely score runs to support you.

You're in warm weather more often..which is going to make it easier to pitch and be easier on your body.

You have a good manager.

I think he is what he is. A pitcher with ridiculously filthy stuff(though it is declining some) but a guy that has never been able to put it together consistently.
I think he will continue to be that guy wherever he goes. He's done quite well for himself no doubt, but he's never lived up to his potential, and I think that ship has sailed. He had best pitcher in baseball type stuff, but it never translated to a truly great season.

Agree, especially post 2009.

He's always been wild.  He's always lacked control (both self and of the ball).  He's never lived up to his "stuff", though....except for his walk year (2008) with Toronto, maybe.

[Falcon]

I think the Angels would be better for al the reasons stated above although much like aging sluggers go to the AL to DH, aging pitchers seem to prefer coming to the NL to avoid it.

[tim_m]

Gary Carter has passed away from brain cancer. RIP 

[pilferk]

Gary Carter has passed away from brain cancer. RIP 

Just saw that.

I'll NEVER forget that '86 WS.....

57...so young.

[GeorgeSteele]

Gary Carter has passed away from brain cancer. RIP 

Just saw that.

I'll NEVER forget that '86 WS.....

57...so young.

Didn't know until I saw it here.  That's just horrible and depressing. 

RIP.

[tim_m]

Way too young for anyone to die. I will always remember the '86 series too. He started that remarkable comeback against the sox.

[faldor]

Hey faldor...is the Ohlendorf deal with the Sox a Major League deal or a minor league deal w/ ST invite?

Minor league deal.  Another contender for the 5th starter.  I'd say he's pretty far back on the list though, not that it's all that impressive.

Sad news about Carter.  His health really deteriorated fast.

[Falcon]

Heard about The Kid passing a few hours ago, this just sucks.

[GeorgeSteele]

The New York Times

February 16, 2012

?Luckiest Guy in the Room,? Even at the End of His Life
By DAVID WALDSTEIN

Undaunted by brain cancer, Gary Carter made a brief appearance at his charity golf event last month at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach in Florida, one of the last times he appeared in public before his death on Thursday.

Among those in attendance were teammates from his Mets days, including Tim Teufel, now the Mets? third-base coach, who described how Carter gave a short, emotional speech that captured everything about Carter and his indestructible personality.

?For me, that was almost like his Lou Gehrig speech,? Teufel said. ?He said he felt like the luckiest guy in the room. His wife and his kids were there, and he just said how thankful he was for everything he had. Gary has great faith, and he wasn?t blaming God or anyone.?

Darryl Strawberry, the slugging outfielder who was part of the 1986 Mets, called Carter ?the best teammate I ever played with.? Strawberry, who was at the January event, said that Carter was in a wheelchair, in pain, and that it was ?difficult to see him like that.?

?I just gave him a big hug and reminded him how much we all loved him,? Strawberry said.

Bobby Ojeda, who joined the Mets in 1986, cited Carter?s passion for the game and said his attitude was critical that season.

?When I first got there in spring training, there was this feeling that we were going for it all, that this is the year and nothing short of winning the World Series would be acceptable,? Ojeda said. ?Gary was right at the front of the bus on that.?

Davey Johnson, his manager with the Mets, acknowledged that Carter enjoyed being noticed, but said that tendency had its value.

?He loved the limelight,? Johnson said. ?He loved New York and he loved to play on the big stage. That kind of pressure would make some guys wilt, but Gary loved it and he excelled under that scrutiny.?

Carter broke in with the Montreal Expos in 1974 and was a franchise icon until he was traded after the 1984 season. Dan Warthen, a pitcher with the Expos at the time and now the Mets? pitching coach, was a roommate of Carter?s in the minor leagues and again when they were first called up.

?He could rub some people the wrong way because of his energy, but it was honest energy,? Warthen said. ?A lot of guys were jealous, but they never made it to the big leagues, so there was a reason for their jealousy.?

Warthen said he loved throwing to Carter because he knew hitters and how to get them out. He also said Carter helped pitchers by constantly chattering to hitters.

?He would drive them crazy,? Warthen said. ?They would tell him to shut up, but he would be asking them about their families or complimenting the umpire or talking about the pitcher. They would go nuts.?

Johnson said the last time he saw Carter was at the golf event. ?He couldn?t get out of his chair, and I know he was in a lot of pain,? Johnson said. ?But you know what? He was still upbeat and positive. That?s Gary. That?s how he always was.?

[pilferk]

2 different news items today:

1) Yanks and Pirates expect to present the AJ Burnett deal to the Commish's office today...looks like, unless MLB objects, Burnett is gone.  Yanks will pay about 20mill of the 33 mill (meaning the Pirates will pick up 13 mill) of his remaining salary.  Yanks will get a couple of A ball (maybe 1 A, 1 borderline AA) players.  I'm 100% OK with that, if it turns out to be true.  They'll likely use that money to sign both Ibanez AND Chavez..and might even have some left over.

2) Wakefield announced his retirement today...so looks like he will not be part of the Sox rotation (or bullpen) plans for next year.

Edit: And one more...

Okajima (who the Yanks signed to a minor league deal) failed his physical...nulling the deal.  Not a HUGE deal...but noteable.