Hot Stove Thread 2011-2012

[Chalupa]

Oh snap.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/celebrities_gossip/Jose-Reyes-in-town-visiting-daughter-baby-mama-Phillies-too-.html

[Brad]

I love some of those comments about Reyes on the Philly article. They should get so lucky. If I'm Reyes I want the Phillies in the mix.

I thought they were re-signing Rollins anyway.

[paul secor]

Best news I've heard in a while:

Valentine's deal is for two years. Just as I suspected, they want Valentine as a stop-gap until their ex-pitching coach potentially becomes available when his contract with Toronto ends.

Two years and counting until I can enjoy a Red Sox game again.

I can empathize, Dan. That's how I felt about the Billy Martin Yankee reruns in the 1970's and 80's.

[Brad]

Best news I've heard in a while:

Valentine's deal is for two years. Just as I suspected, they want Valentine as a stop-gap until their ex-pitching coach potentially becomes available when his contract with Toronto ends.

Two years and counting until I can enjoy a Red Sox game again.

I can empathize, Dan. That's how I felt about the Billy Martin Yankee reruns in the 1970's and 80's.

After the news conference yesterday, Bobby said he would have signed for one year; he just wants a chance to manage again.

[Quincy]

Just to add a wee bit of jazz content to the thread (as occasionally somebody gets upset at people wasting time on baseball on a jazz board), Taylor Teagarden was traded from the Rangers to the Baltimore Orioles. Maybe the cartoon bird on the cap will bring out the best of his abilities.

[JSngry]

Is the recently-departed Mr. Teagarden any relation to the long-departed Mr. Teagarden?

I am still stoked about having Greg Maddux on board. Sure hope there's reason to be.

[Quincy]

Is the recently-departed Mr. Teagarden any relation to the long-departed Mr. Teagarden?

I am still stoked about having Greg Maddux on board. Sure hope there's reason to be.

Yes siree, Jack was his great-great uncle. I'm sure there's a joke about "tools of ignorance" and great-great uncle's instrument choice in there somewhere. (Apologies to Free For All.)

Between Nolan's wanting pitchers to go further into games and Greg's brain to pick you may end up with a staff of super pitchers for the Rangers.

[Tim McG]

Is the recently-departed Mr. Teagarden any relation to the long-departed Mr. Teagarden?

I am still stoked about having Greg Maddux on board. Sure hope there's reason to be.

Yes siree, Jack was his great-great uncle. I'm sure there's a joke about "tools of ignorance" and great-great uncle's instrument choice in there somewhere. (Apologies to Free For All.)

Between Nolan's wanting pitchers to go further into games and Greg's brain to pick you may end up with a staff of super pitchers for the Rangers.

That's is what they needed in this year's WS.

But can they swing:

[paul secor]

Is the recently-departed Mr. Teagarden any relation to the long-departed Mr. Teagarden?

I am still stoked about having Greg Maddux on board. Sure hope there's reason to be.

I have a feeling that Greg Maddux's role with the Rangers will be an active one, as opposed to a p.r. role - a la Reggie with the Yankees.

[JSngry]

Yeah, it's pretty much understood that his role will be that of roving pitching instructor/adviser/whatever.

Don't know if he's a proven quantity as an instructor, knowing how to do something and being able to successfully communicate it to others is never a given, but you sure can't find fault with his pedigree.

And he looks to be just the guy to coach The Dutchstache itself, as well as The player who wears it. Bonus points!

[Brad]

Think I have that Donruss rookie card!

[JSngry]

You could often count on Donruss to have the most..."unique" photos of a player, and that was certainly one. Maddux looks like he's got a date to show up on Boardwalk Empire once he leaves the mound.

[Dave James]

Best baseball card set ever. 1957 Topps. Discussion?

[JSngry]

That might be the best, but this is the greatest:

[Dave James]

http://www.thedeadballera.com/Audio/TalkinBaseball%20Original%20Version.mp3

[JSngry]

Ohhhh....that song grates on my nerves the same way the theme song from Cheers does...I really don't want to go to someplace where everybody knows my name, ya' know? And I don't want to live in a world where you get your simpleton muscle massaged by cloying melodies and voices to make you think you do... I can talk about Willie, because I saw him play, but Mickey was more or less a crippled drunk by the time I came to the game, and Duke was some guy with funny looking hair on the old baseball cards I kept finding in older kids' collections as they gave them away...not really something that stirs the feel-good pot, if you know what I mean. Willie, Sandy, & Brooks, now THAT I could talk about!

This one here plies the same nostalgia for an era that was before mine and a place that was/is not my own, so I don't get too hot for it either, but it does have a nice melody and changes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6nhcuLuCqM

My "baseball song" will always be "Bubbles Was Cheerleader" by Pat Williams (from the Shades Of Today album on Verve), which they used for years on Astros pre- & post-game show broadcasts, which I listened to religiously. Didn't even know what it was until just a year or two ago!

Edited December 4, 2011 by JSngry

[Dave James]

Jim,

Ever heard "Dodgers" by bassist/singer Jay Leonhart? Pretty good baseball song. It's from his album "LIfe Out On The Road.:

[JSngry]

Haven't heard that one.

[Brad]

That might be the best, but this is the greatest:

Bowman made some pretty cool cards, such as this one of Mays.

[Brad]

Marlins have apparently signed Reyes, pending a physical. After losing $70 million this year, Mets couldn't afford him.

[Dave James]

Marlins have apparently signed Reyes, pending a physical. After losing $70 million this year, Mets couldn't afford him.

Five years, $106 million. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Miami Marlins, the new New York Yankees.

[JSngry]

[Chalupa]

Marlins have apparently signed Reyes, pending a physical. After losing $70 million this year, Mets couldn't afford him.

Five years, $106 million. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Miami Marlins, the new New York Yankees.

ESPN is reporting six years, with $102M guaranteed.

The Marlins better hope that the new stadium = fans, or they will be bankrupt before the end of Reyes contract.

[Dan Gould]

They will be bankrupt, because the new stadium will not = fans for any substantial length of time. Sure there will be curiousity about the place, and good crowds for a little while. But the fact is that they've cut off too much of their potential fan base by locating so deeply in the heart of Miami. The old stadium had plenty of problems, no doubt. But it was convenient from every major highway. I could get home to Palm Beach county in 30 or 40 minutes. But not even a Bobby Valentine-less Red Sox road trip would get me to drive that far.

And the team's history has shown that all of those immigrants from Latin America rarely if ever gave a shit about the Marlins. (They gave only a slightly larger shit when they were winning).

Miami will not support the team and too much of Broward and Palm Beach won't even consider shlepping that far.

[Brad]

They will be bankrupt, because the new stadium will not = fans for any substantial length of time. Sure there will be curiousity about the place, and good crowds for a little while. But the fact is that they've cut off too much of their potential fan base by locating so deeply in the heart of Miami. The old stadium had plenty of problems, no doubt. But it was convenient from every major highway. I could get home to Palm Beach county in 30 or 40 minutes. But not even a Bobby Valentine-less Red Sox road trip would get me to drive that far.

And the team's history has shown that all of those immigrants from Latin America rarely if ever gave a shit about the Marlins. (They gave only a slightly larger shit when they were winning).

Miami will not support the team and too much of Broward and Palm Beach won't even consider shlepping that far.

Wasn't some of the problems with the old stadium meterological: too rainy or too hot. Also, from watching games on TV, it didn't look like a "welcoming" stadium for baseball. By losing some fans because of travel time, do they gain others?

Maybe owneship (Luria I think) is just trying to build up the product so he can sell the team for a tidy profit.