2014 Baseball season/Off Season Discussion

[pilferk]

Now the Yankees need to step up and retire his number.You don't keep HOF numbers un retired.

Beyond the book, is there any reason why they wouldn't?

The sooner the better I hope.

I can't think of any.

I don't know that he gets a plaque in monument park...maybe...but his number certainly deserves to be on the wall out in the bleachers section.  Book or no book, pissed off Steinbrenners or not..the guy managed 4 WS championship teams over the course of his time with them.  Not many managers can say that, with any team.

[tim_m]

I personally could care less about the book. The man deserves the number up on that wall to never be worn again ever. 4 titles in 5 years and 6 world series appearances in 8. Find me another manager with a record like that without his number retired. I doubt you could. If Hal and Hank are still butt hurt over the book they need to suck it up and do the right thing.

[tim_m]

Not that this will come to any surprise from anyone but Joe Torre will officially go into the HOF as a Yankee. Now the Yankees need to step up and retire his number.You don't keep HOF numbers un retired.

Torre's #6 would be the last available single digit for the Yankees... other than Jeter's #2, which is definitely getting retired. I think Torre deserves the honor, but those single digit Yankee guys are iconic and it doesn't seem that he quite fits in that company.  Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle... Torre?

I think he is when you think he won 4 titles in 5 years. Came within 3 outs of 4 in a row and appeared in 6 in 8 years.

[tim_m]

Now the Yankees need to step up and retire his number.You don't keep HOF numbers un retired.

Beyond the book, is there any reason why they wouldn't?

The sooner the better I hope.

I just want to see it happen while he's still alive. He deserves that much. He deserves the chance to run out onto that field wearing his uniform one more time and for all the fans the chance to say thank you.

[Falcon]

Like last year, a lot is going to depend on injuries and how things break. People forget the yanks contended for a playoff spot right up til the last few weeks, and led the league for a long time, with a team held together by band aids and duct tape. That speaks, to me, to the relative uncertainty in that division.

It'll probably be a crap shoot into late September, I don't think any of the 3 has the ability to run away from the pack too far.

I think the Sox (and Rays to a lesser degree) are much more equipped to upgrade in season though, plenty of high end minor league assets to deal from for whatever they may need along the way.

[faldor]

Pretty good article on the current Yankees business model, throwing insane amounts of money to fix any problems when all else fails. It worked for them the last time around, but for the most part excessive free agent spending isn't the most effective way to build a team, long term. When you have the money to cover up mistakes though, I guess it doesn't really matter.

http://nypost.com/2014/01/22/without-tanaka-spending-spree-would-have-been-worthless/

Cool article, I've become a huge Joel Sherman honk - he's great on MLB Network.

Not sure if it'll work this time around, at least they're giving it a shot.

I still they they're looking directly up to the Sox and Rays but who knows really.

It's all going to depend.

IF tanaka is as advertised.

IF cc bounces back.

IF Kuroda pitches like he did in the first half.

IF jeter comes back and is quasi-effective and healthy.

IF they can find ONE more effective infielder ( or Brian Roberts can be healthy and productive).

IF tex can be the player he was prior to his injury (stellar defense, .260 hitter, 30 hr).

They will compete for a playoff spot.

That's a lot of "ifs".

I think they are a good, but flawed, team. Great outfield. Potential for greatness in the rotation. Big questions on the infield and their bullpen.

But....then again...the other al east  teams are all flawed, too.  Red Sox are not as good as they were last year, offensively, yet, but have a solid rotation and bullpen (and are still probably the best team in the al east). Rays have a good rotation front to back, unless they trade price, and a shaky offense and midling bullpen (though the apparent addition of Balfour shores that up some). Neither Baltimore nor Toronto look to be contenders....though Baltimore looks closer.

Like last year, a lot is going to depend on injuries and how things break. People forget the yanks contended for a playoff spot right up til the last few weeks, and led the league for a long time, with a team held together by band aids and duct tape. That speaks, to me, to the relative uncertainty in that division.

The Red Sox had a lot of "if's" going into last season, and most of them came up on the positive side, which is extremely rare.  They could easily take a step back and become a 3rd place team, or worse, if some of those "if's" regress the other way.  I'm hopeful their pitching staff is good enough to keep them in contention, and that Jon Lester has truly become the ace that he once seemed destined to be.

Like Falcon said though, the Sox seem to have a much better farm system at this time than the Yanks.  So the Yankees are sort of forced to build their team through free agency, because there's not much help down on the farm.  Meanwhile the Red Sox can get adequate help from cheap, young sources which will allow them to spend in other areas down the road.  A much better business model.  But again, it doesn't really matter if the Yankees are willing to spend to no end, like the Dodgers.

[pilferk]

Depends (re: filling holes during the season).

I agree, they are not going to make many "position of strength" type trades, sending a good prospect (or package of prospects) for a good MLB caliber player.  At least, not given what we know about their prospects....though, I'd point out, with the MCCann deal, Sanchez becomes almost expendable in their farm system and he's a top 100 guy.  They also have a glut in their outfield...and Brett Gardner, if he could bring the right player(s) back, could always be moved (though he's due an extension by the end of the year, of will be a FA next year..but they could trade and sign kinda thing), too.

But what they do have (as per usual) is cash.  And there are usually a decent number of teams who are out of contention by the trade deadline, and want to unload a big contract with a year or less remaining...and they just want a team to pay off the rest of the contract.  They're not looking for a rebuilding type package of prospects.  It's becoming more rare, with the second Wild Card, but not impossible.

The Yanks biggest problem is their infield, though...and I don't see a LOT of those guys (bad contract/big money single year remaining infielders on non-competitive teams) around this year. 

It's going to be interesting.  I think they can cobble together a bull pen, especially now that Tanaka is signed...that leaves a couple guys who would have been competing for a starting slot in the rotation to fill out the pen.

But the infield is another story....unless they have a surprise break out from their farm system or a cheap veteran who just catches fire (Help us Brian Roberts...you're our only hope!!).  Basically, what they hoped would happen last year and, really, didn't.....

That's one of their biggest what ifs and maybe their hardest to overcome.

But, ya know...if CC doesn't rebound and Tanaka turns out to be a bust...it won't much matter this year, anyway.

[Falcon]

Here's Baseball Propectus' Top 101 Prospect list for 2014:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=22670#.Uua3aVIsA68.twitter

Great stuff including updated scouting reports on each.

[GeorgeSteele]

RIP Ralph Kiner.   

http://wapc.mlb.com/cutfour/2014/02/06/67511554/remembering-7-time-home-run-champion-ralph-kiner

[pilferk]

M's signed Fernando Rodney...and look to be on Nelson Cruz.

Neither of those, IMHO, makes them much of a danger in their division...or in any less danger of losing 90+ games this year.

[tim_m]

A-Rod has dropped his lawsuit. Hopefully this is the last we hear or see of this piece of crap.

[Falcon]

A-Rod has dropped his lawsuit. Hopefully this is the last we hear or see of this piece of crap.

This is just Step 1 on ARod's image rehabilitation plan, Step 2 will be not showing up to spring training and Step 3 will be some sort of public contrition.

Odds are you'll see him in a Yankee uniform spring training 2015.

[pilferk]

A-Rod has dropped his lawsuit. Hopefully this is the last we hear or see of this piece of crap.

This is just Step 1 on ARod's image rehabilitation plan, Step 2 will be not showing up to spring training and Step 3 will be some sort of public contrition.

Odds are you'll see him in a Yankee uniform spring training 2015.

Almost certainly.

[tim_m]

A-Rod has dropped his lawsuit. Hopefully this is the last we hear or see of this piece of crap.

This is just Step 1 on ARod's image rehabilitation plan, Step 2 will be not showing up to spring training and Step 3 will be some sort of public contrition.

Odds are you'll see him in a Yankee uniform spring training 2015.

The man could find a cure for cancer and still not rehabilitate his image. He should just disappear.

[GeorgeSteele]

Phillies sign AJ Burnett.  1 yr, $16M.  Seems a bit high, but only one year so...

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10443905/aj-burnett-agrees-deal-philadelphia-phillies

[pilferk]

Jeter has just announced that 2014 will be his final season.

I'm not even sure what to say...

First ballot HOFer, all around stand up guy, and the literal pride of the Yankees.

Sad day for Yankees fans...

[Falcon]

Jeter has just announced that 2014 will be his final season.

I'm not even sure what to say...

First ballot HOFer, all around stand up guy, and the literal pride of the Yankees.

Sad day for Yankees fans...

I think we all knew this was coming, nice to see him going out on his terms.

A little surprised he's going the farewell tour route, probably more for the fans than any "draw attention to myself" motive though.

[Falcon]

With Jeter on the way out, I hope Yankee fans are preparing to hear this in 2015:

"And playing shortstop, Alex Rodriguez"

[GeorgeSteele]

^
  if only.   

As for Jeter --- great career, iconic player and deserving of all the respect and accolades he gets. 

[pilferk]

After 2 hip surgeries?

Not likely.  He will be lucky if he can manage 3rd and not be a mostly full time DH.