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Re: The MLB Thread
Craig Biggio is an interesting case for me. By the numbers, he's a sure fire HOF. But watching him during his career, I never looked at him that way. He was never among the greats of the game during his playing days. But I guess as a 2B, he's a can't miss. Piazza should get in too. Agreed on Schilling. As great as he was in the post-season, that's not enough to put him over the top. His downfall was he became great too late in his career. If he figured things out earlier, it might be a different story.
I don't think the PED guys get in. It's a slippery slope, but that seems to be the way they're going. It gets real tricky, and unfortunate, when people start speculating on who was on the juice and who wasn't. That doesn't seem fair to me. If there's no clear evidence, you shouldn't just assume or use the "eye test". Biggio's teammate Jeff Bagwell WAS a true superstar during his playing days and has never been linked to steroids. Yet people assume he did them, so he got a real low vote total last year. He did go up dramatically this year though for whatever reason so he might eventually get in. Maybe people did some hard hitting research and came up empty on the steroid front. But steroids aside he's a no doubt HOF.
Re: The MLB Thread
I was kinda shocked Bagwell didn't get in. But then again -- it took Andre Dawson YEARS, who had similar numbers. Then again Bags did it in 15 seasons vs. Hawk's 21 seasons. Maybe the Hall doesn't see Bags as a juicer, but they also don't see him as "first ballot". It might take him awhile to get in. The Hall also might use guys like Bagwell to induct in 2013, when the juicers are gonna hit the block for consideration.
As for Biggio, he also was kinda low-key, but I think alot of that came from him playing for a small-market team in Houston his whole career. Even within his own division, had Biggio been a Cub or a Cardinal... he'd of gotten a FAR bigger spotlight year in and year out.
I still think Biggio is one of the best leadoff hitters i've ever seen. Alot of people forget he started off as a Catcher, then converted to 2B, yet became one of the best, which is also something else to consider to put him over in the Hall.
As for Schilling, like you, I said the same thing last night. I was weighing "which photo" to post of Schilling, and I chose Arizona, because he won a ring there, and had the best years there, and ultimately IF Curt gets in by some miracle, I truely believe he goes in as a Diamondback. I don't think he's "one off moment" with the Red Sox would be enough to immortalize him there.
Yet people forget he spent NINE SEASONS as a Phillie. Hell, he won a pennant with them in 1993, and years before the D'Backs & BoSox, he was a big game pitcher with Philly in that series against the Jays.
But he just wasn't that "23 game winner" Schilling that came years later with that epic 1-2 punch of Curt/Big Unit in Arizona.
Either way, I agree with you totally. Schilling's moment was four-season run from 2001-2004, 3 with AZ and 1 with BOS. Not enough to make him a Hall of Famer, plus when you look at his career numbers compared to other pitchers from his generation, he looks worse.
Hell, i'd put Clemens in (which I never liked) based on his Boston years alone, before I would Schilling.
Re: The MLB Thread
I think Bagwell will make it. He got 56.0% of the vote this year and that was an increase of something like 14% from last year.
Piazza and Biggio are pretty much locks for next year. Schilling I think will get in because of his big game heroics. But he probably doesn't deserve to as noted by Axlin12.
The real interesting part is if the juicers (Bonds, Clemens) don't get the votes, I wonder which candidate benefits. Does Jack Morris get the final 8.3% needed to get in? Morris is in a tricky situation since he's only on the ballot for two more years then he has to go the Veterans Committee route. I could see Tim Raines getting a bump up from his 48.7% vote total this year.
I think Bonds gets at least 30% of the vote next year. I have no clue about Clemens, I think a lot of people still hold that appearance at Washington against him.
Bud Selig was given a two year extension today. I thought that fucker was supposed to retire after his current contract expired.
Re: The MLB Thread
Selig's been saying that for years. He runs the MLB like a damn dictator.
I don't think Schilling gets in even on "big game heroics". Peter Gammons is a total Red Sox nutswinger, and pretty much votes for all former Red Sox, and said awhile back he didn't think Schilling was deserving, regardless of post-season play. He also said like faldor that Schilling's career came too little, too late.
If Schilling gets in imo, it'll be years later and more than likely by the Veterans Committee.
Jack Morris might get in as an alternate to divert from the juicers.
Bonds getting a bump because of the HR record is stupid, if Sammy gets slighted. If we're gonna get Bonds a bump because of that, then Sammy should get better votes than McGwire because of the 600+ HR.
Griffey is a lock, but the interesting things that will happen in the years to come IF Bonds & Sosa are ignored, how will the Hall treat Jim Thome & A-Rod when they retire? A-Rod was found to have juiced, but apparently only during his Rangers tenure, and Thome was never linked to roids, but has a Paul Bunyan-type stature, and over 600+ HR like Sosa.
This is when it gets like faldor said... it becomes a VERY slippery slope of letting some in and others not.
Re: The MLB Thread
Reds and Ryan Madson reach $8.5 million / 1-year deal
by Ronald Blum / AP Sports
Free-agent closer Ryan Madson and the Cincinnati Reds reached an oral agreement on an $8.5 million, one-year contract, according to a person familiar with the deal.
Madson saved 32 games in 34 chances last year for NL East champion Philadelphia. CBSSports.com was the first to report the right-hander’s agreement with Cincinnati.
The contract is subject to a written agreement and a physical, according to the person who spoke Tuesday night to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized.
Madson replaces Francisco Cordero as the closer in Cincinnati. Cordero remains a free agent after the Reds declined a $12 million option, choosing instead to pay him a $1 million buyout.
Madson nearly re-signed with the Phillies, but a $44 million, four-year deal collapsed in November and days later Philadelphia reached a $50 million, four-year contract with closer Jonathan Papelbon.
In 491 career games, including 18 starts, Madson is 47-30 with a 3.59 ERA and 52 saves.
After years of success in a setup role, he took over for an injured Brad Lidge as Philadelphia’s closer last season and went 4-2 with a 2.37 ERA in 62 games. The lanky Madson allowed only two home runs and 16 walks in 60 2-3 innings.
Cincinnati slipped to 79-83 last season, finishing third in the NL Central a year after winning the division. General manager Walt Jocketty has spent much of the offseason retooling his pitching staff, acquiring starter Mat Latos and left-handed reliever Sean Marshall in separate trades that cost the Reds pitchers Edinson Volquez, Travis Wood and several promising prospects.
Madson is coming off a three-year deal with the Phillies that guaranteed him $12 million. He earned $5.1 million last year, including $600,000 in bonuses for games finished.
Re: The MLB Thread
I still have NO CLUE what happened with the Phillies re-signing Madson. Maybe the Phils felt Papelbon was the better option to let go of a team player like Madson.
Either way, the one-year deal signals that Madson probably feels the Free Agent market for closers is weak this season after Heath Bell got swapped up quick by Miami.
Obviously Madson's gonna try to test the waters again next off-season.
Re: The MLB Thread
Cubs President Epstein says Garza talk is overblown; wants Wood back
by Andrew Seligman / AP Sports
CHICAGO (AP)—Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein says trade talk involving ace Matt Garza is overblown and he also still hopes to re-sign veteran reliever Kerry Wood.
Chicago has been listening to offers for Garza and would like top prospects in return, but Epstein insisted he’s not being shopped.
“I can truly say more has happened in the media with this than has happened in reality,” Epstein said. “There’s no attempt to shop him. It’s not an everyday endeavor for us. As we do with all our players, we’re kind of weighing all our options to see what’s best for the Cubs. Really, I think very highly of Matt Garza. He’s a top-of-the-rotation type guy. I’m looking forward to him being on the mound for us this season, but we’re just being transparent about the fact that, hey, we’re in this for the long haul.”
Epstein said he would like to talk to Garza this weekend, with the team hosting its annual fan festival. On Wednesday, the executive was part of the “Cubs Caravan” event, interacting with fans at several stops in the city.
Garza emerged as the Cubs’ best starter last season after being acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay, going 10-10 despite a 3.32 ERA.
The 28-year-old right-hander would be an attractive target for a contender if the price is right. The Cubs would have to weigh the long-term benefits, but they certainly have enough arms to make a deal. Even with Carlos Zambrano gone, they have seven potential starters with Garza, Ryan Dempster, Paul Maholm, Chris Volstad, Randy Wells, Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood.
“There’s really been no change,” Epstein said. “We’re kind of doing the work, weighing our options. I hate to talk about it because we’d hate to ask the player to have to read about it, but we also want to be transparent as we undertake the process of trying to (rebuild) this organization for the long haul.”
In the short term, he made it clear that he would like to retain Wood. The veteran returned to the Cubs for a second stint last winter on a $1.5 million, one-year deal even though he might have gotten more elsewhere.
Much has changed since then, with Jim Hendry getting fired as general manager and the organization undergoing a major overhaul following a 71-win season. One thing that hasn’t changed, the new management team insisted, is the desire to keep Wood. General manager Jed Hoyer said this week that the Cubs offered Wood a “substantial” raise, but there is no agreement in place.
“We’ve said all along we really want to get this done,” Epstein said. “I have a world of respect for Kerry. It should be a no-brainer.”
The Garza trade talks and Wood’s situation aren’t the only issues hovering over the club. News broke last week that Chicago police were investigating an allegation that All-Star shortstop Starlin Castro sexually assaulted a woman, an allegation that his attorneys have said is false.
Epstein declined comment about that situation.
Re: The MLB Thread
I don't usually put blog columns in here, but this one I agree with so... take a look.
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It's past time for league to let A's move to San Jose
by Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports
2011 record: 74-88
Finish: Third place, AL West
2011 final payroll: $70.5 million
Estimated 2012 opening day payroll: $39 million
Over a three-week span, the Oakland Athletics traded 37 percent of their strikeouts, 37.8 percent of their wins and 64.9 percent of their saves from 2011. The frenzied fire sale that saw Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey and Craig Breslow leave was expected, sure, but the speed with which the A’s eased them out of town felt sordid, the ugly consequence of baseball’s refusal to settle Oakland’s festering stadium situation.
Want to let us rot? Fine, the A’s are saying. We’ll make sure you bathe in the full funk of our putridity.
There are no winners here – not Major League Baseball, which has refused to dictate where Oakland’s future lies; not the A’s, who made $20 million-plus annually between 2009-11, according to Forbes, which throws a dubious shadow on Billy Beane’s claim the team lost money last season; and especially not A’s fans, a rabid but winnowing bunch that must dream about 2014 or 2015 instead of now.
Most of Oakland’s maneuvers looked more toward that future in a different ballpark – of Jarrod Parker (from Arizona in the Cahill deal), A.J. Cole and Brad Peacock (in Washington’s package for Gonzalez) and Raul Alcantara (the headliner from Boston for Bailey) anchoring a rotation going forward. Of Derek Norris (Washington) catching them, Collin Cowgill (Arizona) and Josh Reddick (Boston) running down fly balls in the outfield. Of something beyond 2012, which could be brutal.
Gone are all those pitchers, plus Josh Willingham and David DeJesus, leaving Coco Crisp and his new two-year, $14 million deal as the lone holdover from Oakland’s free-agent outfield as well as the lone tie to a long-ago time known as the ’70s. Of the 19 position players on the A’s 40-man roster, Crisp is the only one born in the ’70s – and just barely, at Nov. 1, 1979. The next-oldest player? Utilityman Adam Rosales. He turned 28 in May.
Reality Check
Going into last season, the A’s found themselves the hipster style of baseball: sort of ugly but trendy nonetheless. It was easy to see how scouts could fall in love with their pitching rotation. At the same time, the offense that waylaid them for the last half-decade was as schizophrenic as the name for O.co Coliseum (if indeed that’s what it’s called anymore).
Then nightmare after nightmare terrorized the A’s. Dallas Braden tore a shoulder ligament in May when the A’s led the major leagues with a 2.69 ERA among their starters. Considering Johan Santana still hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since suffering the same injury toward the end of 2010, the likelihood of Braden’s return for opening day is minimal. Brett Anderson, the hard-throwing, slider-heavy left-hander, had Tommy John surgery in July and may return before the All-Star break. And with Gonzalez and Cahill gone, all that’s left from last year’s rotation is Brandon McCarthy.
Amazingly, the cupboard remains decently stocked among starters. McCarthy and Guillermo Moscoso were command-and-control revelations (whose low strikeout totals don’t necessarily bode well for repeat performances). Parker has No. 2-level stuff and Peacock emerged as a likely big-league rotation staple last season. Even Tom Milone, a low-upside lefty who was the final piece of the Gonzalez deal, could find himself plugging a hole until Anderson and Braden return.
The bats, on the other hand, remain flaccid. While a full season of Jemile Weeks should help and Scott Sizemore looked a lot better in an A’s uniform than he did Detroit’s, Oakland is banking on a whole bunch of maybes. Brandon Allen? Maybe he can hit for power in the major leagues like he has at Triple-A. Same for Chris Carter and Kila Ka’aihue. Maybe Michael Taylor can regain the prospect luster of a few years ago, maybe Cowgill can survive in the big leagues as a 5-foot-9 corner outfielder, maybe first-round pick Sonny Gray turns into Tim Hudson 2.0.
The A’s might as well be the Ifs. Because as long as owner Lew Wolff and GM Billy Beane run their team with an indignant streak – trying ever so subtly to force MLB to figure out their situation – the perpetual limbo of the franchise will render it irrelevant. No team, not even the best-managed ones, can win with constant change. And that’s what the A’s are right now: a group of mercenaries who understand they’re not long for a green-and-yellow uniform.
Cahill and Gonzalez and Bailey and Breslow learned just like Tejada and Giambi and Zito and Hudson and Mulder and Haren and Damon and Street before them. Only a new stadium will stop the revolving door. And the almost-certain use of public money to get it makes the situation not only more tenuous but more revolting.
Savior
March will mark the three-year anniversary of MLB forming a committee to explore the A’s relocation prospects. Three years to figure out something that long ago was evident: baseball has no future in Oakland, not with MLB’s commitment to publicly funded stadiums and the city’s unwillingness to bend. It’s long past due for Bud Selig to negotiate a compensation package for the San Francisco Giants to give up the territorial rights to San Jose, where the A’s can move and prosper. Baseball is better with thriving multi-team markets. Los Angeles has suffered because of the Dodgers, New York because of the Mets and the Bay Area because of the A’s. The Dodgers will have new owners soon. Creditors ultimately will save the Mets. The A’s are in Selig’s hands. He needs to stop fumbling them.
Athletics In Haiku
Liquidation sale!
Bats, balls, jerseys, pants, socks, jocks
Next on A’s trade list
Re: The MLB Thread
I still have NO CLUE what happened with the Phillies re-signing Madson. Maybe the Phils felt Papelbon was the better option to let go of a team player like Madson.
Either way, the one-year deal signals that Madson probably feels the Free Agent market for closers is weak this season after Heath Bell got swapped up quick by Miami.
Obviously Madson's gonna try to test the waters again next off-season.
He had Scott Boras as an agent, a big time Jerry Maguire type who actually sat out JD Drew for a whole season rather than sign as the Phillies top pick in 98 or so. Anyway, my belief is the Phils made an offer, and Boras & Madson said they're going to look to see if they can get more. Amaro & the Phils said nope, it's a take it or leave it offer. When they walked the Phils immediately signed Pappelbon out of the blue. Telling Madson & Boras you snooze you lose, good luck.
Re: The MLB Thread
Actually Snow that's happening quite a bit, now that you mention it. Jerry Crasnick had an article over at ESPN basically saying how Team GM's were now banding together and secretly boycotting and sandbagging Boras and his clients.
Notice how Madson got a shitty, one-year deal with the Reds?
Notice how Prince Fielder and Edwin Jackson and Carlos Pena STILL aren't signed?
Spring Training starts in a matter of weeks and these guys still haven't signed anywhere, and it's because Boras is OVERPLAYING his strong arm tactics.
I don't care where Prince signs, but he IS NOT GOING TO GET TEN YEARS. Neither of them have backed down on that, and it's just not gonna happen, unless he's willing to spend the rest of his career as a Washington National.
