2015 Baseball season/Off Season Discussion

[GeorgeSteele]

Also, Murphy / Cespedes / Duda, our 3, 4 and 5 hitters batted .186 for the series with ZERO extra base hits.  Yet even still, the Mets would have won in 5 had just about every break not gone against them.  F'in baseball...

[tim_m]

That too. It's the mistakes that really killed them. Murphy inability to field groundballs, Duda unable to make a simple throw home. Cespedes kicking balls around the outfield. Errors will kill you against a great team like the Royals. You just can't give a team like that more outs.

[JAEBALL]

The only game that's on Familia was Game 1.

Game 4 is all on Clippard and Murphy for those two walks and the error, and game 5 was absolutely not Familia's fault either.

Mets were in position to win, they got beat by the better team in the end. They gotta sure up that bullpen and their infield defense, and they should be right in the middle of it next year. Problem for them is... I'd expect the Nats to bounce back in a big way.

[tim_m]

Agreed they definitely have some issues to address.

[faldor]

I don't think Collins managed to a World Series level, and that hurt them in a few games. Not saying they would have won the series if he managed differently, but he could've put them in much better positions. The World Series is different than the regular season. Far different. So you have to manage differently and you have to adjust on the fly. It's admirable to stick with the guys that got you there, and often that does pay off. But you have to have a shorter leash. You can't stick with the same 7th and 8th inning guys if they're not getting the job done. You have to be willing to extend your closer, if he's that much better than your setup men. He could have tried Robles over Clippard. A little more extreme, but Cespedes had a bad series. He could have started Lagares over him, or at least lifted Cespedes for defensive purposes earlier in games. He's got a cannon for an arm, but he's not a CF.

Most of the moves Collins made didn't work. Whether they were the right moves or not are debatable. He should get another shot though, possibly many. I'm sure he'll be a little wiser next time and his players will execute better. They played a bad series after a near perfect NLCS. It happens.

[GeorgeSteele]

I don't think Collins managed to a World Series level, and that hurt them in a few games. Not saying they would have won the series if he managed differently, but he could've put them in much better positions. The World Series is different than the regular season. Far different. So you have to manage differently and you have to adjust on the fly. It's admirable to stick with the guys that got you there, and often that does pay off. But you have to have a shorter leash. You can't stick with the same 7th and 8th inning guys if they're not getting the job done. You have to be willing to extend your closer, if he's that much better than your setup men. He could have tried Robles over Clippard. A little more extreme, but Cespedes had a bad series. He could have started Lagares over him, or at least lifted Cespedes for defensive purposes earlier in games. He's got a cannon for an arm, but he's not a CF.

Most of the moves Collins made didn't work. Whether they were the right moves or not are debatable. He should get another shot though, possibly many. I'm sure he'll be a little wiser next time and his players will execute better. They played a bad series after a near perfect NLCS. It happens.

They just extended him 2 years.  I'm fine with that, he deserves it, even though I agree with you, he did not have a good World Series.

At today's press conference announcing his extension, GM Sandy Alderson collapsed, but is apparently OK, saying it was just from dehydration and not having eaten anything today.  This World Series aftermath has been tough on all of us...

[tim_m]

I don't think Collins managed to a World Series level, and that hurt them in a few games. Not saying they would have won the series if he managed differently, but he could've put them in much better positions. The World Series is different than the regular season. Far different. So you have to manage differently and you have to adjust on the fly. It's admirable to stick with the guys that got you there, and often that does pay off. But you have to have a shorter leash. You can't stick with the same 7th and 8th inning guys if they're not getting the job done. You have to be willing to extend your closer, if he's that much better than your setup men. He could have tried Robles over Clippard. A little more extreme, but Cespedes had a bad series. He could have started Lagares over him, or at least lifted Cespedes for defensive purposes earlier in games. He's got a cannon for an arm, but he's not a CF.

Most of the moves Collins made didn't work. Whether they were the right moves or not are debatable. He should get another shot though, possibly many. I'm sure he'll be a little wiser next time and his players will execute better. They played a bad series after a near perfect NLCS. It happens.

He definitely did leave a pitcher in too long on a few occasions and put Familia in some tough spots. On the bright side he will learn from this and so will the rest of the team and be better for it in the long run. They have some questions to answer in the off season but they got a good foundation with that pitching staff. The future is bright i think in Flushing.

[tim_m]

I don't think Collins managed to a World Series level, and that hurt them in a few games. Not saying they would have won the series if he managed differently, but he could've put them in much better positions. The World Series is different than the regular season. Far different. So you have to manage differently and you have to adjust on the fly. It's admirable to stick with the guys that got you there, and often that does pay off. But you have to have a shorter leash. You can't stick with the same 7th and 8th inning guys if they're not getting the job done. You have to be willing to extend your closer, if he's that much better than your setup men. He could have tried Robles over Clippard. A little more extreme, but Cespedes had a bad series. He could have started Lagares over him, or at least lifted Cespedes for defensive purposes earlier in games. He's got a cannon for an arm, but he's not a CF.

Most of the moves Collins made didn't work. Whether they were the right moves or not are debatable. He should get another shot though, possibly many. I'm sure he'll be a little wiser next time and his players will execute better. They played a bad series after a near perfect NLCS. It happens.

They just extended him 2 years.  I'm fine with that, he deserves it, even though I agree with you, he did not have a good World Series.

At today's press conference announcing his extension, GM Sandy Alderson collapsed, but is apparently OK, saying it was just from dehydration and not having eaten anything today.  This World Series aftermath has been tough on all of us...

I agree well deserved and with that rotation you guys are gonna be fine for awhile.

[tim_m]

Dusty Baker is now the Nats manager.

[GeorgeSteele]

Mets made a qualifying offer of 1 yr $15.8M to Daniel Murphy.  He has until next Friday to accept it, which he's not expected to, as he'll likely command a multi-year deal in the $50-$60M range.  With the qualifying offer, that ensures the Mets get a draft pick if Murphy signs elsewhere.  They're expecting to call up Dilson Herrera to play 2nd next year.  He hit .311 in AAA last year, has a good glove, so hopefully it's not a big downgrade. 

[tim_m]

With the atrocious errors Murphy made this postseason how much worse could Herrera be?

[GeorgeSteele]

With the atrocious errors Murphy made this postseason how much worse could Herrera be?

On the field, no doubt he's a huge upgrade.  But I love Murphy's bat, always did, even before his crazy HR barrage in the NLDS and NLCS.   

And I love his intensity.  The Wilmer Flores walk-off HR was my favorite moment of the season and check out who the 1st guy out of the dugout is at 1:44 of this video:  http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v317777083/wshnym-flores-drills-walkoff-homer-to-leftcenter

[tim_m]

With the atrocious errors Murphy made this postseason how much worse could Herrera be?

On the field, no doubt he's a huge upgrade.  But I love Murphy's bat, always did, even before his crazy HR barrage in the NLDS and NLCS.   

And I love his intensity.  The Wilmer Flores walk-off HR was my favorite moment of the season and check out who the 1st guy out of the dugout is at 1:44 of this video:  http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v317777083/wshnym-flores-drills-walkoff-homer-to-leftcenter

We'll just have  to see how the kid does offensively, who knows he could end up being better then Murphy.

[TheBaconman]

I don't think the Jays will resign Price.  Wish they would, but I doubt it.  I bet he goes to the Cubs

I do wonder if Estrada will be the first one ever to accept a qualifying offer.   Geez I don't know why the Jays just don't offer him a 3 year 30 million deal.

[Falcon]

More bad news on the injury front for the Cards today - and totally outta the blue.

Lance Lynn underwent TJ surgery today and will miss the entire 2016 season.

A huge blow obviously, Lynn's an innings horse and one of the leaders of a young staff.

Speculation has already moved to David Price, their mutual admiration for each other has been no secret but the stars have never aligned on the trade market.

Things have changed significantly now, the Cards have a need and they have $ to literally burn if they deem necessary.

And...

Alex Reyes (one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball) got a 50 game suspension yesterday for popping dirty on "drug of abuse",

That drug of abuse was fucking weed.

Ironically, if he'd been on their 40 man he wouldn't have been suspended, the JDA doesn't consider pot a suspendable offense for those on 40 - just minor leaguers.

How fucked up is that?!?

[tim_m]

I agree the different JDA' s for minor leaguers and big leaguers is stupid. It should be the same for both.

[GeorgeSteele]

50 games for pot, beyond ridiculous.  Does the players union negotiate for minor leaguers or just major leaguers?

[tim_m]

I don't believe there's any negotiation involved for minor leaguers. MLB can do whatever they want.

[pilferk]

I don't believe there's any negotiation involved for minor leaguers. MLB can do whatever they want.

Correct.

There is no really no negotiation.  The only grounds for appeal is if you believe there was procedural/testing error (like: bad sample or incorrectly labeled sample). You have to prove it.  And it's all or nothing (no reductions, etc).

MLBPA doesn't get involved, at all.

[JAEBALL]

Cashman made a nice little move yesterday IMO.. Hicks replaces Chris Young, and frees up a spot on the roster for Gary Sanchez possibly.

I know there's talk of trying to move Gardner or Ellsbury, but I don't see it, especially Ellsbury obviously, which could make Hicks a full time player.

I really would love to move Teixeira so the Greg Bird era can begin.

The move I'd reallllllly love to see is this supposed Miller package for Strasburg....