2013 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[tim_m]

LaRussa, Cox and Torre to The Hall:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Retired managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox have been unanimously elected to the baseball Hall of Fame by the expansion era committee.

Each of the inductees won more than 2,000 games in managerial careers that spanned more than four decades. Torre became the fifth manager to win at least four World Series titles. La Russa won championships with Oakland and St. Louis. Cox led Atlanta to one championship and 14 straight division titles.

All well deserved. They all belong there. It makes me so happy to finally see Torre where he belongs.

[tim_m]

Robbie was batting second in a lineup decimated by injuries. Ideally, he would have batted 5th (behind Jeter, Granderson, Tex and Arod). But every one of those guys was on the shelf.

Blaming girardi for that is nuts. And complaining about it is, likewise, nuts.

Batting you 4th or 5th behind guys who can't hit isn't going to garner you more RBI. Because, you know, they are not going to be on base to drive them in.

Bit, look, there have always been complaints about Robbie's lack of hustle, and his questionable work ethic.  These comments don't surprise me...and don't really change anything in my assessment of him. Supremely talented, hof caliber player who is not up to being the face of the team, and not worth 10 years of ridiculous money at this point in his career.

Completely agree.

[tim_m]

Reports are coming in that Roy Halladay is going retire today, at age 36.  He's going to sign a one day contract with Toronto in order to retire as a Blue Jay.

Presser should be coming soon...

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10108609/roy-halladay-retiring-monday-toronto-blue-jay

Didn't see this one coming. Future HOF'r? I think so.

[Falcon]

Reports are coming in that Roy Halladay is going retire today, at age 36.  He's going to sign a one day contract with Toronto in order to retire as a Blue Jay.

Presser should be coming soon...

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10108609/roy-halladay-retiring-monday-toronto-blue-jay

Didn't see this one coming. Future HOF'r? I think so.

I think he's borderline.

Maybe on down the road, definitely someone who may gain steam as the years go by.

Nice to see he and Chris Carpenter go out at the same time, 2 nasty mofo's.

Clemens, Hentgen, Wells, Carpenter and Halladay on that staff in Toronto - not bad.

[Falcon]

LaRussa, Cox and Torre to The Hall:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Retired managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox have been unanimously elected to the baseball Hall of Fame by the expansion era committee.

Each of the inductees won more than 2,000 games in managerial careers that spanned more than four decades. Torre became the fifth manager to win at least four World Series titles. La Russa won championships with Oakland and St. Louis. Cox led Atlanta to one championship and 14 straight division titles.

It makes me so happy to finally see Torre where he belongs.

St. Louis is pretty gaga over this as well, he was an absolutely great player for them and managed them during a time of organizational transition.

[tim_m]

LaRussa, Cox and Torre to The Hall:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Retired managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox have been unanimously elected to the baseball Hall of Fame by the expansion era committee.

Each of the inductees won more than 2,000 games in managerial careers that spanned more than four decades. Torre became the fifth manager to win at least four World Series titles. La Russa won championships with Oakland and St. Louis. Cox led Atlanta to one championship and 14 straight division titles.

It makes me so happy to finally see Torre where he belongs.

St. Louis is pretty gaga over this as well, he was an absolutely great player for them and managed them during a time of organizational transition.

As they should be, what he did in his last few years as their manager was great. As for Torre, i hope New Yorkers are just as ecstatic. 4 titles in his first 5 years. 6 World Series appearances in his first 8 years. He helped make the Yankees relevant again and that should be celebrated. Now i think is the time to retire his number now that he is a HOF'R.

[Falcon]

LaRussa, Cox and Torre to The Hall:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Retired managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox have been unanimously elected to the baseball Hall of Fame by the expansion era committee.

Each of the inductees won more than 2,000 games in managerial careers that spanned more than four decades. Torre became the fifth manager to win at least four World Series titles. La Russa won championships with Oakland and St. Louis. Cox led Atlanta to one championship and 14 straight division titles.

It makes me so happy to finally see Torre where he belongs.

St. Louis is pretty gaga over this as well, he was an absolutely great player for them and managed them during a time of organizational transition.

As they should be, what he did in his last few years as their manager was great. As for Torre, i hope New Yorkers are just as ecstatic. 4 titles in his first 5 years. 6 World Series appearances in his first 8 years. He helped make the Yankees relevant again and that should be celebrated. Now i think is the time to retire his number now that he is a HOF'R.

I hope NY'ers finally embrace Torre as well, his run of success there was phenomenal.

He (and TLR of course) did the rounds around STL media today, such a cool guy.

He was a helluva player for them, his 1971 MVP season was incredible.

It'll be cool to see Torre, TLR and the rest of the living Cards HOF'ers on opening day rocking the red blazers and reveling in the festivities.

As a sidebar, watching TLR and Ozzie Smith stand amongst the HOF'ers at Busch should make for good theatre as well, those 2 absolutely despise one another.

[pilferk]

I hope NY'ers finally embrace Torre as well, his run of success there was phenomenal.

He (and TLR of course) did the rounds around STL media today, such a cool guy.

He was a helluva player for them, his 1971 MVP season was incredible.

It'll be cool to see Torre, TLR and the rest of the living Cards HOF'ers on opening day rocking the red blazers and reveling in the festivities.

As a sidebar, watching TLR and Ozzie Smith stand amongst the HOF'ers at Busch should make for good theatre as well, those 2 absolutely despise one another.

I love Joe. And I think a lot of Yanks fans still do.

BUT, if there is any ill will...Torre brought it n himself. Writing an unflattering tell all ghost written by a hack...and then proclaiming he didn't know what had been written by sed ghost writer in his name...was not the taste he should have left in yanks fans mouth.

Fans generally took his side in the whole blowup with hank, Hal, and Cashman.  But the blowback from the book....I think people finally got over it. But it took some time.

[tim_m]

I hope NY'ers finally embrace Torre as well, his run of success there was phenomenal.

He (and TLR of course) did the rounds around STL media today, such a cool guy.

He was a helluva player for them, his 1971 MVP season was incredible.

It'll be cool to see Torre, TLR and the rest of the living Cards HOF'ers on opening day rocking the red blazers and reveling in the festivities.

As a sidebar, watching TLR and Ozzie Smith stand amongst the HOF'ers at Busch should make for good theatre as well, those 2 absolutely despise one another.

I love Joe. And I think a lot of Yanks fans still do.

BUT, if there is any ill will...Torre brought it n himself. Writing an unflattering tell all ghost written by a hack...and then proclaiming he didn't know what had been written by sed ghost writer in his name...was not the taste he should have left in yanks fans mouth.

Fans generally took his side in the whole blowup with hank, Hal, and Cashman.  But the blowback from the book....I think people finally got over it. But it took some time.

The book definitely wasn't his best idea but the man deserves all the praise in the world for what he did for the franchise during his run as manager. I know he and Cashman have talked it out and settled it. I'm not sure how Hal and Hank still feel towards him though. Just based on what he accomplished though as Yankee manager he absolutely deserves to have his number retired in monument park. Does he deserve a monument? That's probably debatable but certainly a plaque and his number retired. If there is still any ill will preventing it from happening it needs to be resolved, so that this great man gets the day he deserves so that the fans can say thank you for all he did before he passes and its too late.

[tim_m]

LaRussa, Cox and Torre to The Hall:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Retired managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox have been unanimously elected to the baseball Hall of Fame by the expansion era committee.

Each of the inductees won more than 2,000 games in managerial careers that spanned more than four decades. Torre became the fifth manager to win at least four World Series titles. La Russa won championships with Oakland and St. Louis. Cox led Atlanta to one championship and 14 straight division titles.

It makes me so happy to finally see Torre where he belongs.

St. Louis is pretty gaga over this as well, he was an absolutely great player for them and managed them during a time of organizational transition.

As they should be, what he did in his last few years as their manager was great. As for Torre, i hope New Yorkers are just as ecstatic. 4 titles in his first 5 years. 6 World Series appearances in his first 8 years. He helped make the Yankees relevant again and that should be celebrated. Now i think is the time to retire his number now that he is a HOF'R.

I hope NY'ers finally embrace Torre as well, his run of success there was phenomenal.

He (and TLR of course) did the rounds around STL media today, such a cool guy.

He was a helluva player for them, his 1971 MVP season was incredible.

It'll be cool to see Torre, TLR and the rest of the living Cards HOF'ers on opening day rocking the red blazers and reveling in the festivities.

As a sidebar, watching TLR and Ozzie Smith stand amongst the HOF'ers at Busch should make for good theatre as well, those 2 absolutely despise one another.

That should be very interesting. Hope you can get to see that in person.

[Falcon]

That should be very interesting. Hope you can get to see that in person.

Oh man, I hope I do as well.

I've been to one opening day in STL and it's a really cool, unique experience.

HOF'ers, players riding in in convertibles and most important - Clydesdale's!

[tim_m]

That should be very interesting. Hope you can get to see that in person.

Oh man, I hope I do as well.

I've been to one opening day in STL and it's a really cool, unique experience.

HOF'ers, players riding in in convertibles and most importlant - Clydesdale's!

Well hopefully this one will be your second.

Now i just hope the Yankees do the right thing and honor Torre in that same way as St. Louis plans to sometime this season. Especially because you know he's going in wearing a Yankee cap.

[tim_m]

So with Halladay retiring today. The HOF class in 5 years will be this. Rivera, Pettitte, Halladay and Helton. Rivera is clearly the only one that is a shoe in in that class.

[Falcon]

That should be very interesting. Hope you can get to see that in person.

Oh man, I hope I do as well.

I've been to one opening day in STL and it's a really cool, unique experience.

HOF'ers, players riding in in convertibles and most importlant - Clydesdale's!

Well hopefully this one will be your second.

Now i just hope the Yankees do the right thing and honor Torre in that same way as St. Louis plans to sometime this season. Especially because you know he's going in wearing a Yankee cap.

His induction is mainly based on his Yankee managerial tenure so they'll surely roll out the red carpet and honor him accordingly, it would be a shame if any animosity lingered and got in the way.

[tim_m]

That should be very interesting. Hope you can get to see that in person.

Oh man, I hope I do as well.

I've been to one opening day in STL and it's a really cool, unique experience.

HOF'ers, players riding in in convertibles and most importlant - Clydesdale's!

Well hopefully this one will be your second.

Now i just hope the Yankees do the right thing and honor Torre in that same way as St. Louis plans to sometime this season. Especially because you know he's going in wearing a Yankee cap.

His induction is mainly based on his Yankee managerial tenure so they'll surely roll out the red carpet and honor him accordingly, it would be a shame if any animosity lingered and got in the way.

Agreed, not doing so would just be wrong.

[GeorgeSteele]

Question on free agent draft pick compensation --- say a team signs a free agent and, as a result, forfeits its first round draft pick to the free agent's prior team... what happens if the team signs a 2nd free agent?  What compensation does the prior team of the 2nd free agent get?

For this purpose, I'm assuming (1) both free agents are Type A players, (2) who received qualifying offers from their prior teams and (3) the signing team is not a bottom 10 team with 1st round protection. 

[Falcon]

I suppose they could call Cincy and see if the Reds would do Gardner for Phillips straight up, they're gonna need a CF with Choo likely on the move.

Phillips has a horrific contract and is in definite offensive decline, still slick around the bag though.

He's a bit of a jackass as well, not sure how his act would play in a clubhouse that's taking on a lot of new personalities.

 

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/11/the-yankees-turned-down-a-brett-gardner-for-brandon-phillips-deal/

[tim_m]

I suppose they could call Cincy and see if the Reds would do Gardner for Phillips straight up, they're gonna need a CF with Choo likely on the move.

Phillips has a horrific contract and is in definite offensive decline, still slick around the bag though.

He's a bit of a jackass as well, not sure how his act would play in a clubhouse that's taking on a lot of new personalities.

 

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/11/the-yankees-turned-down-a-brett-gardner-for-brandon-phillips-deal/

I was just coming here to post that. I still think they're ope to trading him for the right player.

[tim_m]

What's everyone's thoughts on banning collisions at the plate? I understand what they're trying to do but not allowing the catcher to block the plate seriously undermines his ability to get the runner out. Not to mention, it could result in other injuries to the arm. If you can't stand in front of the plate or just in front of it you're going to have catchers sticking their arms out in harms way with guys barreling down at full speed.

[Falcon]

What's everyone's thoughts on banning collisions at the plate? I understand what they're trying to do but not allowing the catcher to block the plate seriously undermines his ability to get the runner out. Not to mention, it could result in other injuries to the arm. If you can't stand in front of the plate or just in front of it you're going to have catchers sticking their arms out in harms way with guys barreling down at full speed.

I'm not sure, they're going to have to define the parameters of the rule before I give my 2 cents.