2020-21 MLB Hot Stove Discussion

[Dan Gould]

46 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

Seems like an excellent signing for the Sox, Dan.

Not really hot-stove news, but still of great interest to all of us baseball fans here, I'd imagine:

MLB to reclassify Negro Leagues as major league

From the NY Times article:

The first step in merging the record books will be a thorough review of available information by the Elias Sports Bureau, keeper of M.L.B.’s official statistics. Its findings could result in several records changing, and could affect the career totals for any players who appeared in both the Negro leagues and the National League or the American League — a group that includes players like Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and Satchel Paige.

I am thinking I don't really agree with this ... it feels like a fix for something that isn't broken. The leagues were separate, that's just a fact. I think both are "major" but combining them when they didn't compete against each other ... to what end? Easier to track counting stats? Does this mean a Negro League museum is no longer necessary?

In comparing the leagues I think that the top players would have been great if there were no color line, and there are plenty of journeymen in both leagues who wouldn't have even gotten a cup of coffee if it were truly the best 800 ballplayers. By the same token that Ruth didn't face Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson didn't face Bob Feller either.  Was a 4th starter in the Negro Leagues going to get lit up or lit up worse than a 4th starter in the majors? If the results can't be known why add one league's records to another's?

I have to wonder what Buck O'Neil would say about this. Maybe I'm missing something.

(A thorough review by Elias Sports does sound good to me though.)

 

[Matthew]

I don't want to make light of the sentiments behind this move, but I think that a lot of players from the Negro Leagues would have appreciated some money to help them live in a better manner, than an after-the-fact stat gift that costs MLB nothing. 

[Dan Gould]

https://www.mlb.com/news/yu-darvish-trade-padres-cubs

 

I don't at all mind that the Padres seem to be building a juggernaut to really take it to the defending world champions and I get that the Cubs are trying to rebuild for the long haul but it definitely sucks that they appear to be throwing in the towel on 2021 long before spring training. I am not looking forward to letting my 85 year old Mom know what happened ... now my question is, does this mean that they'll keep Kris Bryant in his walk year and hope that a bounce-back year means a still decent haul for whoever needs him as a rental mid-season? Or will he still be dangled to stockpile more hoped-for potential talent?  If they send him off too they are truly sacrificing 2021. And that would suck. Who knows how many more seasons Mom will be around to watch?

[Matthew]

3 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

https://www.mlb.com/news/yu-darvish-trade-padres-cubs

 

I don't at all mind that the Padres seem to be building a juggernaut to really take it to the defending world champions and I get that the Cubs are trying to rebuild for the long haul but it definitely sucks that they appear to be throwing in the towel on 2021 long before spring training. I am not looking forward to letting my 85 year old Mom know what happened ... now my question is, does this mean that they'll keep Kris Bryant in his walk year and hope that a bounce-back year means a still decent haul for whoever needs him as a rental mid-season? Or will he still be dangled to stockpile more hoped-for potential talent?  If they send him off too they are truly sacrificing 2021. And that would suck. Who knows how many more seasons Mom will be around to watch?

Think they keep Bryant for the start of the season, and wait until the trade deadline for the best deal. The rebuild starts again. The Padres are kicking butt in the trade market right now, though is it enough to catch the Dodgers? I have my doubts. The Dodgers have a great team and will be nearly impossible to beat. The biggest plus for the Padres is Tatis Jr., the guy wants to win now! so I expect a huge MVP year from him. Not sold on the Darvis deal, just something about Darvis makes me uneasy, you never know what you're getting from start to start.

[Dan Gould]

1 minute ago, Matthew said:

Not sold on the Darvis deal, just something about Darvis makes me uneasy, you never know what you're getting from start to start.

He's been almost absolute lights-out since mid-2019 thru this season's strangeness. I think he's really special right now, just waiting to find out that the catcher needs to have 11 signs to flash, not 10.

And I do believe that the dimensions of San Diego will help him out on giving up long balls compared to Wrigley.  I feel bad for the guy he seemed so happy to be in Chicago but he probably gets in the swing of things pitching for a serious contender.

[JSngry]

Yu is a bad man. I'd much rather have him than not have him. How long are they getting him for?

[Matthew]

22 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Yu is a bad man. I'd much rather have him than not have him. How long are they getting him for?

Read somewhere that he has three years and 38 million left on his contract.

[JSngry]

I'd take that. What is he now, 36?

[Dan Gould]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

I'd take that. What is he now, 36?

I believe I saw 35 but he might be 36 before or during the 2021 season.

[JSngry]

Yeah, I'd take 3 years. (Two if he doesn't have a no-trade clause?)

I've seen the guy live, and the kind of skills he has, you don't disrespect (or, really, lose with age). Like any artist, he needs the right context to maximize his possibility for success, but damn....

[Matthew]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Yeah, I'd take 3 years. (Two if he doesn't have a no-trade clause?)

I've seen the guy live, and the kind of skills he has, you don't disrespect (or, really, lose with age). Like any artist, he needs the right context to maximize his possibility for success, but damn....

I'm still in denial that Darvish ever pitched in game seven in the 2017 World Series.. never freakin' happened!

Edited December 29, 2020 by Matthew

[Dan Gould]

54 minutes ago, Matthew said:

I'm still in denial that Darvish ever pitched in game seven in the 2017 World Series.. never freakin' happened!

I completely forgot that he had those postseason problems ... and honestly - don't know where my head is at - but I initially said "2017? That was a five game series won by the Sox." 

[Matthew]

Tommy Lasorda died today. Dang, this guy was involved in so many of my memories of Dodger baseball. A unique personality. I remember how highly he was touted when he replaced Walter Alston (The Dugout Statue), and these young players coming up at the same time. Garvey, Lopes, Cey, Russell, Ferguson, Valentine (sadly injured). It was an amazing time to be a Dodger fan.

[Dan Gould]

16 minutes ago, Matthew said:

Tommy Lasorda died today. Dang, this guy was involved in so many of my memories of Dodger baseball. A unique personality. I remember how highly he was touted when he replaced Walter Alston (The Dugout Statue), and these young players coming up at the same time. Garvey, Lopes, Cey, Russell, Ferguson, Valentine (sadly injured). It was an amazing time to be a Dodger fan.

It was, because I actually liked them!  Red Sox were my AL team and Dodgers were my NL team. I think because I had to see the Yankees lose and that never happened. I remember the SI ... photo caption or was it on the cover? Anyway it was after Reggie stuck his hip out on the double play ball, clear as day, the cheater, and the photo or cover said "Lopes Mopes" or maybe "Lopes Mopes while ... " 

Serious question for all the baseball fans. With replay review, does Reggie get away with it? And relatedly, do the Dodgers win that game and have a much better chance of winning it all with a what, 3-1 lead at that point?

RIP  Tommy Lasorda. I bet he's chowing down on some real good pasta.

[JSngry]

I was a Walter Alston guy myself, and really did not like those Hollywood Dodger teams. But credit where credit is due - his legendary post-game rant is one of the most epic profanity-laden tirades on record, and I DO mean that as a compliment.

However, what he did to Fernando remains a tragedy, maybe not all of his own making, but he was complicit.

[Mark Stryker]

Baseball is the greatest game. R,I,P Tommy Lasorda.

"He can't get the fuckin' left handers out for Christ O'Fuckin' Mighty."

 

 

Edited January 8, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[JSngry]

Some day, the Ron Washington pep talk before the doomed Came 6 will reach general circulation. But until then...this is the winner!

[AllenLowe]

I thought these were the Buddy Rich bus tapes.

[JSngry]

Same tune, different arranger.

[Matthew]

PS: Definitely NSFW!

3 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

 

RIP  Tommy Lasorda. I bet he's chowing down on some real good pasta.

His restaurant had terrible food. Hate to say, but even if that Jackson play was changed, Dodgers still get steamrolled.

Edited January 8, 2021 by Matthew

[Dan Gould]

21 minutes ago, Matthew said:

 

Hate to say, but even if that Jackson play was changed, Dodgers still get steamrolled.

But if the Dodgers won they take a 3-1 lead. You know the odds are strongly in their favor, historically. I always felt that Reggie was the turning point, and the way he lined up his leg with the throw it was brutally obvious, above and beyond the fact that he is supposed to abandon the baseline when he's out.  One of those to keep debating I guess.

[JSngry]

Inside MLB's spiral of deception

https://www.axios.com/mlb-baseball-illegal-substance-drugs-5478a50e-0b41-4e05-91b9-43cbafa6e946.html

hmmmm….maybe not? Or maybe so? I think that looking for an edge never goes away. Never.

So....place your bets ladies and gentlemen, place your bets.

 

[Matthew]

On 11/25/2020 at 7:50 AM, Dan Gould said:

I don't think that last bit is scuttlebutt, I think Theo has said directly that he's interested in an ownership stake. the rest of it is just silly guessing.  And the Yankees should be about 100-1 they aren't hiring Theo to make baseball decisions.

So what are the odds current ownership puts their team on the market, for the Rangers or Indians?  

Theo Epstein to MLB was not on my card. It seems like a placeholder job to me. This way, he can get a good look at all the teams, and maybe invest in a group to take over a franchise. If before that, he can help speed up games and add some common sense to things, good for him.

[Dan Gould]

19 minutes ago, Matthew said:

Theo Epstein to MLB was not on my card. It seems like a placeholder job to me. This way, he can get a good look at all the teams, and maybe invest in a group to take over a franchise. If before that, he can help speed up games and add some common sense to things, good for him.

Yeah, nor on my card either, since I took him at his word that he was taking a year off. I don't think necessarily helps him on the way to having a stake in ownership ... I wonder how much work they even expect out of him.

[Patrick]

RIP Don Sutton. Tough month for Dodger legends.