2014 Baseball season/Off Season Discussion

[faldor]

The Yankees are starting to come alive. Reports they're making a strong play for Andrew Miller. That'd be a pretty dominant lefty/righty combo in the pen with him and Betances. Also looks like they're getting involved with Lester too. If they don't end up with him I'm sure they'll make a play for Scherzer. Not sure what they'll do to improve the offense.

[tim_m]

The Yankees are starting to come alive. Reports they're making a strong play for Andrew Miller. That'd be a pretty dominant lefty/righty combo in the pen with him and Betances. Also looks like they're getting involved with Lester too. If they don't end up with him I'm sure they'll make a play for Scherzer. Not sure what they'll do to improve the offense.

About time after the recent moves by Boston. They had to start doing something.

[pilferk]

The Yankees are starting to come alive. Reports they're making a strong play for Andrew Miller. That'd be a pretty dominant lefty/righty combo in the pen with him and Betances. Also looks like they're getting involved with Lester too. If they don't end up with him I'm sure they'll make a play for Scherzer. Not sure what they'll do to improve the offense.

Their offense and bullpen are their biggest needs.  I think the rotation sorts itself, right now.

And they've sat back and watched the big FA bats fall, or nearly fall, one by one...

[pilferk]

And with that...Yanks aquire Didi Gregorius. (picture me with my fingers on the bridge of my nose, nodding back and forth)

Who, you know, is obviously the answer the Yanks offense so desperately needs, and the 2B or SS of the future!


I just don't even....

We'll see how much he "cost". If it's JUST Shane Greene....I can only hope this is a view toward depth, rather than thinking he's their every day answer.  But...I'm shuddering right now.

[Falcon]

I suspect Didi is the everyday answer for now, sheesh - not exactly an upgrade over Brendan Ryan.

Nice move to sign Miller, he's a stud.

I guess they've moved to "run prevention" mode.

Hell, it worked for KC this year.

[TheBaconman]

Mark my words.   This year will be the year of the Toronto Blue Jays.  We just need a closer and then are set baby!!!!

[pilferk]

I suspect Didi is the everyday answer for now, sheesh - not exactly an upgrade over Brendan Ryan.

Nice move to sign Miller, he's a stud.

I guess they've moved to "run prevention" mode.

Hell, it worked for KC this year.

Yeah, i suspect the same....

The miller move basically shores up their pen. Lefty AND solid in late innings, one fell swoop. Maybe need one more solid arm, but i think they might find that in house.

They need one more starter ( likely resigning mccarthy).

Their offense is anemic. Like celler dweller bad. They need at least 2 .275 hitters in there, and one real power threat, to actually have an offense that might score runs. With the projected lineup, today....they might be better than the rays in the al east....MIGHT. The o's, jays, and sox are all a lot better on paper, right now. I needa se the jays prove they dan actually win.....but the other two are sure fire division title competitors.

[pilferk]

Mark my words.   This year will be the year of the Toronto Blue Jays.  We just need a closer and then are set baby!!!!

I'd like to buy in...they have the talent to compete.

But they did a couple years ago, too...and even last year. For sone reason, they just cant seem to win, esp after the as break. Until they prove they can, color me skeptical.

Having said that, they've def made the moves to put them in position to win.

[tim_m]

Lester to the Cubs 6 years 155 million.

[pilferk]

Lester to the Cubs 6 years 155 million.

I just read a "rumor" that the Red Sox are PISSED.  I'm waiting to see if that smoke turns into fire.

[faldor]

Lester to the Cubs 6 years 155 million.

I just read a "rumor" that the Red Sox are PISSED.  I'm waiting to see if that smoke turns into fire.

I figured Theo would go all in for Lester. I'm sort of surprised the Red Sox went as far as they did in the end. They screwed this thing up from the beginning, offering him 70 million last March. They could've locked him up if they gave him somewhere around 100 million probably. Luckily for Jon, he went out and had a career year and made himself more than double the Sox original offer.

I'm sure the Red Sox owners are pissed about losing out to Theo, but I can't imagine they're surprised. I'm sure they had plans B, C, and D lined up. We'll find out what those are and if they're better or worse.

Good for the Cubs though. It'd be nice to see them competitive again.

[tim_m]

I'm not surprised either. The sox really screwed the pooch up with how they handled things with Lester. The cubs could be very interesting. A good mix of young talent and now some veteran talent, add in one of the best managers in the game and things could turn around in the windy city very soon.

[tim_m]

Rollins traded to the Dodgers.

[tim_m]

Well a lot sure has happened in the last 24 hours. Dodgers, Reds, Marlins, Tigers and Red Sox have all made huge deals. I can't even remember them all.

[pilferk]

Tons of deals and signings coming out of the winter meetings.

Lots of shifts in power,too. 

And that Detroit lineup with Cespedes added? Yikes. Miggy, Vmart, Cespedes, and JD Martinez?

Holy scariness.

[faldor]

Not overly excited about the Red Sox last few moves. Seems like they're stockpiling a bunch of #3/4 starters. Taking the Baltimore/KC route so far. I just hope they're not done yet. Buchholz, Porcello, Masterson, Miley, Kelly might pile up wins in the regular season if they have enough offense and a good bullpen, but that doesn't seem like a playoff rotation to me.

[tim_m]

Tons of deals and signings coming out of the winter meetings.

Lots of shifts in power,too. 

And that Detroit lineup with Cespedes added? Yikes. Miggy, Vmart, Cespedes, and JD Martinez?

Holy scariness.

Best team on paper in the AL? Now they have to lock up Scherzer.

[Falcon]

Quite a flurry in the winter meetings, interesting stuff.

Not sold on the Dodgers moves, I understand the payroll shed with Hanley and Kemp but not sure if they'll be able to make up the offense lost moving ahead.

I like what Boston did, a total remake through free agency and trades with plenty of $ and prospects to do whatever they need to do moving ahead.

The Cubs are obviously improved with Lester, Montero, Hammel et al.  Same as the Sox, flexibility with dough and plenty of high end young talent to augment the big league roster as needed.

Jury's out on the Yanks, love the Miller deal but Didi as an everyday option is puzzling.  Their best move was not going bonkers to re sign Robertson.  Betances/Miller is a lethal late ending combo although how many leads will they have to protect with that offense?

My Cards did their thing early with the Heyward deal and took care of the RH power bat off the bench with Mark Reynolds signing yesterday.  I'm still not comfy with the health/depth of the starting pitching but who is?  Walden in the back of the bullpen with Siegrest and Rosenthal can literally make it a 6 inning game.
Would love to see them go deep sea fishing with hometown guy Scherzer but they're not going to go 200 million for a pitcher, just not their style.

Nice to see the Marlins making moves to improve, same with the Jays.

Tigers improved offensively but could have screwed the pooch pitching wise dealing Porcello and possibly out of the Scherzer sweepstakes.

Love the Hot Stove, can't wait for spring training.

[tim_m]

Should be an interesting season to see how it plays out with all the players moving around for sure.

[pilferk]

The didi move from the Yanks is just a head scratcher. They had that type of player already under contract. His biggest benefit is...hes cheap?

They have, literally, no offense. The bullpen does them no good if they are losing every game 2-0.

They need an entirely new infield. Tex can stay for his defense. Everyone else currently on the infield roster should be replaced, or playing off the bench. Terrible.

I honestly expect the Yanks to see their first year in the cellar of the al east in a long time.

They are also not filling that stadium with their current projected lineup....