2010 MLB Season

[Noj]

Congratulations BFrank, Goodspeak and Giants fans! I'm especially happy for Freddy Sanchez, the pride of Burbank High School.

Condolences, Big Al, Jim and Rangers fans!

If anyone needs me, I'll be huddled in a corner, rocking back and forth in the fetal position muttering about the Dodgers.

[JSngry]

Condolences, Big Al, Jim and Rangers fans!

Save the condolences for some other season, please, not this one!

[Chalupa]

Giants win sparks high-tech 'riots' in San Francisco

[Big Al]

I remember in the early 80s when the Giants couldn't even buy a win, you could get a cheap ticket in the nose bleed section and after an inning or two walk down to the boxes and watch the game.

Fun times

Man, I was still doing that at the Ballpark last year!!!

I mean, who ever expected the Rangers to get to the World Series, much less the playoffs this year? This was beyond my wildest dreams and was a looooooooooooooong time coming!

This is the second time I've heard about Molina getting a WS ring. How does that happen? I'm certainly glad he's getting one, but I just don't get how!

[Brad]

Giants win sparks high-tech 'riots' in San Francisco

Read that with wonderment. Can 1984 be far behind

[Matthew]

I see where Adrian Bletre opted out of his $10,000,000 contract. If he thinks he getting more than that with some club, he's delusional. His pattern is established: Huge year before free-agency, mediocre after that.

[Dan Gould]

I see where Adrian Bletre opted out of his $10,000,000 contract. If he thinks he getting more than that with some club, he's delusional. His pattern is established: Huge year before free-agency, mediocre after that.

Per season, no. But you don't think he'd rather lock in 4/28 now then risk that he takes ten million but doesn't play as well next year or gets hurt and is one year older, trying to get another big contract? It went exactly as he and Boras planned it - play in a favorable ballpark, re-establish the potency of his bat, then go back out into free agency. Despite what you say is his established pattern, if his price doesn't get too high, I'd have no problem with the Sox re-signing him.

So long as they get kevlar vests for the left fielders.

[Chalupa]

2010-2011 Hot Stove Thread

[Matthew]

I see where Adrian Bletre opted out of his $10,000,000 contract. If he thinks he getting more than that with some club, he's delusional. His pattern is established: Huge year before free-agency, mediocre after that.

Per season, no. But you don't think he'd rather lock in 4/28 now then risk that he takes ten million but doesn't play as well next year or gets hurt and is one year older, trying to get another big contract? It went exactly as he and Boras planned it - play in a favorable ballpark, re-establish the potency of his bat, then go back out into free agency. Despite what you say is his established pattern, if his price doesn't get too high, I'd have no problem with the Sox re-signing him.

So long as they get kevlar vests for the left fielders.

I'm not a big fan of Beltre, and I think even 4//28 is way too much for him. Sox resign him, you get .270, 13hrs, 70rbi's. The guy's had two good years in his life, and has Boras as his agent -- think of Beltre as a poor man's Butch Hobson.

[Dan Gould]

I see where Adrian Bletre opted out of his $10,000,000 contract. If he thinks he getting more than that with some club, he's delusional. His pattern is established: Huge year before free-agency, mediocre after that.

Per season, no. But you don't think he'd rather lock in 4/28 now then risk that he takes ten million but doesn't play as well next year or gets hurt and is one year older, trying to get another big contract? It went exactly as he and Boras planned it - play in a favorable ballpark, re-establish the potency of his bat, then go back out into free agency. Despite what you say is his established pattern, if his price doesn't get too high, I'd have no problem with the Sox re-signing him.

So long as they get kevlar vests for the left fielders.

I'm not a big fan of Beltre, and I think even 4//28 is way too much for him. Sox resign him, you get .270, 13hrs, 70rbi's. The guy's had two good years in his life, and has Boras as his agent -- think of Beltre as a poor man's Butch Hobson.

He's 100% better defensively than Papa Butch ever dreamed of being. And there's no way he hits .270/13/70 batting half the time at Fenway. Maybe he does that if he ends up in a ballpark less favorable than Fenway but I don't get your dismissal of this guy at all. He plays hard, he hits the ball hard and aside from the collisions with outfielders, the team and Boston really appreciated him.

I think you are way off base.

[Jazzmoose]

I remember in the early 80s when the Giants couldn't even buy a win, you could get a cheap ticket in the nose bleed section and after an inning or two walk down to the boxes and watch the game.

Yeah, me and my friends were the ones up top smoking a joint in preparation for the later innings. Apparently security was told to leave the few paying customers alone...

Edited November 4, 2010 by Jazzmoose

[Matthew]

I remember in the early 80s when the Giants couldn't even buy a win, you could get a cheap ticket in the nose bleed section and after an inning or two walk down to the boxes and watch the game.

Yeah, me and my friends were the ones up top smoking a joint in preparation for the later innings. Apparently security was told to leave the few paying customers alone...

So, you knew Tim Lincecum back then...

[jazzkrow]

SO happy about my Giants-tho I was born in San Fran, I have lived in Portland the last 25+ years. I have followed the Giants all my life-and had doubts that they would ever win the Series. Heart broken in 62 and when they lost to the Angels after being up 3-2.

'Cept for the pitching staff-and what a staff- no real hitting stars but they had real spirit and such a joy/ but the torture moniker was true as they suffered thru so many one run games.

Now that they won a series-1st since 54- us Giant fans can relax and focus on the Worriors. They last won when I met my wife- 1975...

[Tim McG]

Congratulations BFrank, Goodspeak and Giants fans! I'm especially happy for Freddy Sanchez, the pride of Burbank High School.

Condolences, Big Al, Jim and Rangers fans!

If anyone needs me, I'll be huddled in a corner, rocking back and forth in the fetal position muttering about the Dodgers.

Aw, c'mon Noj.

It can't be all that bad. Cheer up!

I mean, the McCourt's messy divorce settlement ought to leave a few good players to root for next season, er...um.

Never mind

Edited November 5, 2010 by GoodSpeak

[trane_fanatic]

Went to the Giants victory parade and ceremony yesterday here in SF. It was a crush of humanity. The local news sources estimated 1.5 million people participated.

[Chalupa]

SF Giant Brian Wilson Introduces Jay Leno to 'The Machine'

(possible NSFW)

[Tim McG]

Went to the Giants victory parade and ceremony yesterday here in SF. It was a crush of humanity. The local news sources estimated 1.5 million people participated.

I'm jealous

[ghost of miles]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it: the 2011 Yankee outfield

[Dan Gould]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it: the 2011 Yankee outfield

I am not mistaken, and what the blogger fails to acknowledge, is that Swisher and Granderson are creations of Yankee Stadium when it comes to power and I'm pretty sure they both have appalling splits. Then there's Gritty Gutty Goober. The writer criticizes Crawford for never slugging .500 when the guy they got dreams of slugging .400 someday.

Regardless of the stats he quotes, its an underwhelming outfield and especially so outside of the friendly confines of the little league field in the Bronx.

[paul secor]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it: the 2011 Yankee outfield

I am not mistaken, and what the blogger fails to acknowledge, is that Swisher and Granderson are creations of Yankee Stadium when it comes to power and I'm pretty sure they both have appalling splits. Then there's Gritty Gutty Goober. The writer criticizes Crawford for never slugging .500 when the guy they got dreams of slugging .400 someday.

Regardless of the stats he quotes, its an underwhelming outfield and especially so outside of the friendly confines of the little league field in the Bronx.

You make some good points, Dan. But I think that the blogger's point was would the cost of adding Crawford be worth it, given what he might add. I don't think so.

[Dan Gould]

Well first I think that looking at Wins Above Replacement doesn't make an adequate comparison, and so I think that minimizes the improvement Crawford represents. And secondly, is it really the case that the Yankees will make cost-effectiveness the deciding factor in considering Crawford or Jayson Werth? Pretty sure they are going to kick the tires pretty hard one or the other.

[paul secor]

True. The Yanks have never been known to worry about $.

[Dan Gould]

Especially after one of those pesky, uber-annoying non-championship seasons.

[ghost of miles]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it: the 2011 Yankee outfield

I am not mistaken, and what the blogger fails to acknowledge, is that Swisher and Granderson are creations of Yankee Stadium when it comes to power and I'm pretty sure they both have appalling splits. Then there's Gritty Gutty Goober. The writer criticizes Crawford for never slugging .500 when the guy they got dreams of slugging .400 someday.

Regardless of the stats he quotes, its an underwhelming outfield and especially so outside of the friendly confines of the little league field in the Bronx.

Swisher's splits for 2009 and 2010:

Swisher 2009 Away 21 HR 55 RBI .268 BA

Swisher 2009 Home 8 HR 27 RBI .226 BA

Swisher 2010 Away 15 HR 47 RBI .287 BA

Swisher 2010 Home 14 HR 42 RBI .290 BA

In other words, you are mistaken.

Curtis Granderson splits for 2010

Granderson 2010 Away 10 HR 35 RBI .232 BA

Granderson 2010 Home 14 HR 32 RBI .262 BA

...not a very radical difference in Granderson's case. The guy also demonstrated power in Comerica Park in 2009 by hitting 30 home runs, so I think it's a real stretch to say that his power is a "creation" of Yankee Stadium. His late-season batting surge was, if anything, a "creation" of Kevin Long, and I think his stats have a good shot to be in line with Swisher's next year, as a .270-.290 hitter with 30 HR... plus Granderson has speed and is a good fielder.

I have no idea why you seem to hate Brett Gardner so much, but as a Yankee fan I'm really happy to have him in left field. His glove, throwing arm and speed alone all made him a real asset to the team this past season, and he had a .383 OBP, higher than Robbie Cano's... one of the highest in the NY lineup this year, actually.

Statistically speaking, it's a good outfield, and with Tex, Cano and A-Rod in the infield, we don't need a Jayson Werth or a Carl Crawford on the team. We're getting good bang for our buck as it is.

[ghost of miles]

Especially after one of those pesky, uber-annoying non-championship seasons.

Well, gee, there've been about 28 of those since I became a Yankees fan... somehow I think we'll get by. 2009 was sweet, but I think it's increasingly difficult for any team to repeat these days. The last team to do so was, uh--the Yankees! Ten years ago. And if we go to Bud Selig's Endless Autumn playoff scheme... probably harder still, even if division champions still have to play only two league series, because it means there's yet more opportunity for a hot wildcard team to go all the way.

BTW, meant to put all of this originally in the hot-stove league, where it's probably better-suited. I'm excited about Jesus Montero possibly starting at catcher for NY next season, excited that Robbie Cano's become one of the most dangerous hitters in the American League, and hopeful that Tex and A-Rod will have better years next year. The outfield's solid. Pitching is my biggest concern, what with the uncertainty about Andy Pettitte coming back, Phil Hughes' two-strike problem, and (nothing need be said) A.J. Burnett. Not sure if Nova will be ready to step up as a fulltime starter next year either. I'd love to see Cliff Lee join the team, but my conjecture is that he's a better bet to ultimately land with the Rangers. If NY doesn't sign Lee, then yes, they're going to have to do some real headscratching about the rotation.

Edited November 10, 2010 by ghost of miles