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Re: The MLB Thread
The NL West is up in the air, but not for the Padres. Giants got a championship rotation, Dodgers have re-amped their team in the off-season, Diamondbacks have added Jason Kubel, a power lefty, along with keeping their playoff team from last year. And the Rockies will stil around .500 in my opinion. I see the Padres finishing last in the NL West
The D'Backs won without Kubel, and the Giants championship rotation still didn't shutdown Arizona.
You're probably right, but I still I think the Giants are overrated, and got flat out lucky in 2010, and if you take SF out of the picture, nothing stands out about that division.
It's not the AL East... or the NL East for that matter.
Re: The MLB Thread
Some late news....
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Marlins acquire "Big Z" Carlos Zambrano; Cubs get Chris Volstad in trade
by Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
MIAMI -- Carlos Zambrano and Ozzie Guillen have been close friends for years. The two are about to find out if they will be a good fit together in Miami.
The Marlins are confident they will be. So much so that on Thursday, the team rounded out its rotation by acquiring the volatile Zambrano, plus cash, from the Cubs for former first-round Draft pick Chris Volstad. For Miami, the trade is essentially a low-risk, high-reward move, because the club gets a veteran who has proven he can pitch at the top of the rotation.
Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest made it clear that Guillen played a major role in the club taking a chance on Zambrano.
"We were very aware of the things that had gone on," Beinfest said. "Obviously, we weren't in Chicago. We weren't there with all the circumstances surrounding it, but we had very good information as to what had happened.
"We went into this with our eyes open. What has happened has happened. Carlos has some history of outward behavior, both on and off the field, that could be termed questionable. A lot of it comes from competitive fire. We think that's also a positive. We think a lot of those concerns were eased by his relationship with Ozzie."
From a financial standpoint, the deal basically is a wash. Volstad is projected to make about $2.5 million in his first year of arbitration. The Marlins, meanwhile, will be on the hook for $2.5 million of the $18 million Zambrano is set to make this year, with the Cubs paying the rest.
Miami also officially announced the signing of utility man Greg Dobbs to a two-year contract. Dobbs reached agreement on a deal worth $3 million on Tuesday. To make room on their 40-man roster for Dobbs, the Marlins designated right-hander Elih Villanueva for assignment.
Upgrading their rotation has been the top offseason priority, and the Marlins' starting five is set. At least for now, Zambrano likely will be slated as Miami's fifth starter, behind Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco.
"We feel pretty confident that these are the five guys," Beinfest said. "You never want to say never to anything. You never know what might come your way, but we like these five starters. Some of them, obviously, have been here. I think with the additions of Buehrle and Zambrano, we have a new look. I think they will all push each other. A healthy J.J. will change the staff immediately. We feel good about these guys."
The Marlins have been exploring the market for a frontline starter. They made a pitch for Gio Gonzalez, who was eventually traded from the A's to the Nationals before Christmas.
The asking price on the trade front was high, as teams were seeking either Mike Stanton or Logan Morrison as part of any deal. By landing Zambrano, Miami didn't have to move any of its top prospects.
In his prime, Zambrano was an upper-tier starter. The right-hander also has had his troubles keeping his emotions in check. This is where the Marlins will be counting on Guillen, their new manager, to make a difference.
"Ozzie feels very confident in him," Beinfest said. "He's confident he can help him be successful, and in turn have him help this ballclub win. A lot of the concerns were eased by Ozzie being here."
Zambrano and Guillen have done commercials together in their native Venezuela, and they've attended the same charity events in Chicago. To unite with Guillen, Zambrano waived his no-trade clause to leave the Cubs.
Zambrano is the Marlins' latest high-profile offseason acquisition. In December, Miami signed All-Star free agents Heath Bell, Jose Reyes and Buehrle.
Zambrano is also the one with the most baggage. The unpredictable right-hander is coming off a 9-7 season that ended abruptly. On Aug. 12 at Atlanta, Zambrano was tagged for five home runs, and he was ejected for throwing inside to Chipper Jones. He left Turner Field early and, at the time, told teammates he was retiring. He later changed his mind.
The Cubs placed him on the disqualified list, and he did not pitch again.
In the offseason, Zambrano made five starts for Caribes in the Venezuelan Winter League, and he last pitched Dec. 27, giving up one run in 4 1/3 innings.
Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein met with Zambrano in November to outline steps the pitcher needed to take to "earn his way back to being a Cub." A return to the Cubs never reached that point because, at the urging of Guillen, the Marlins pursued Zambrano.
Guillen is convinced that Zambrano can bounce back. At the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Guillen told reporters that Zambrano would win 14 to 16 games in 2012. At the time, Guillen also clarified a report that surfaced a few months ago out of Venezuela that claimed the Marlins manager talked with Zambrano about going to Miami, which potentially could have been tampering.
"We talk as friends, we talk about what happened in the past, yes," Guillen said in Dallas. "We talk about how much better it's going to be, yes. We talk about what kind of pitcher he can be, yes. But talking about the Marlins, I never did."
Guillen now will be focused on getting Zambrano to pitch at the level he did in the past, and not be a distraction.
The Marlins also feel Zambrano has the ability to again achieve the status of a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
"I don't think we would have made the move without it," Beinfest said. "We gave up a young pitcher [in Volstad]. I think we all have been baffled by some of Chris' inconsistencies, the long ball, etc. This is a young pitcher who throws strikes and has Major League experience. If we didn't feel like there wasn't upside in Carlos and he could help us win, then I don't think we would be talking about this trade right now."
Zambrano has a 125-81 record and a 3.61 ERA in 319 career games. His 125 wins rank 15th all time in Cubs history, and his 1,542 strikeouts are second. The right-hander also has thrown a no-hitter, and he has playoff experience.
With the bat, Zambrano can also make a difference. He has 23 career homers, the most by any pitcher in Cubs history, and the most since Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Gibson had 24 when he retired in 1975.
Parting with Volstad means the Marlins are breaking ties with one of their homegrown talents. A native of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Volstad grew up near the club's Spring Training complex in Jupiter. The 6-foot-8 right-hander was the first of five first-round Draft picks the Marlins had in 2005.
Volstad certainly had his ups and downs in four seasons. As a rookie in 2008, he had a promising campaign, going 6-4 with a 2.88 ERA in 84 1/3 innings. But in '11, he had his struggles, going 5-13 with a 4.89 ERA in 29 starts.
The righty has remained durable, logging at least 29 big league starts over the past three years, including a career-high 30 in 2010, when he was 12-9 with a 4.58 ERA. A sinkerball pitcher, Volstad has a tendency to leave pitches up, and that has made him vulnerable to yielding the long ball. He gave up 23 home runs in 165 2/3 innings a year ago, and 29 in 159 innings in 2009.
Although he was a fixture in the rotation the past few years, Volstad went through rough spells that resulted in him being optioned to Triple-A New Orleans in each of the past three seasons.
With the Marlins moving into their new ballpark, they've made an aggressive push on the free-agent and trade fronts. The organization is working to reconstruct this team into a playoff contender, and it feels it has the pieces to compete in the National League East.
"Our expectations are high," Beinfest said. "We want to play in October. We think we have the type of ballclub to do it. You can talk all you want in December and January, but you still need to go out and do it. I think the pieces that we've add have transformed this team in a lot of ways. We've added to a young core.
"We feel really good about these additions. But let's face it, this division is extremely difficult. It may be the toughest division in baseball. That's debatable. There are a lot of good teams we have to compete with. Hopefully, they're saying the same things about us. We've had high expectations for a long time. Moving into this new ballpark, we want to have a good club. I think we've at least tried to take steps in that direction."
Re: The MLB Thread
This is a great deal for Miami. Z is still a SOLID mid-rotation pitcher, working for his buddy Ozzie Guillen (which has been rumored for years, including tons of Cubs to White Sox rumors for many seasons), and the Marlins only pay $2.5 million in 2012 and the Cubs eat the rest of his $18 million contract.
As for the Cubs getting Volstad... that falls under the "who gives a shit" category. Volstad on his best day is a #4 starter, and is probably a future setup man.
The Cubs were in a difficult position, trying to get rid of an overpaid, above-average declining pitcher, who happens to be a notorious headcase. So unfortunately they couldn't get more in return than Volstad, but personally considering the Cubs ate the cash of Z's contract, I don't see why they couldn't have gotten a little more, like Gaby Sanchez also in the deal.
Re: The MLB Thread
Zambrano "was a cancer and better off removed"
I completely agree. I've been wanting the Cubs to unload Z for YEARS.
I think the guy is a good pitcher, but he's a total nutjob that former Cubs GM Jim Hendry protected for years and years. The Cubs constantly protected him, even when they knew he was in the wrong. Z picking a fight with Derrek Lee (a known GREAT clubhouse guy/leader for years) should've been the moment they unloaded Z to the White Sox crosstown (they did try).
Either way, I just wish it had been sooner.
Re: The MLB Thread
Reds SS Barry Larkin elected to Hall of Fame
by Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Barry Larkin will be the newest member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, joining the Class of 2012 as the sole member elected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, it was announced on Monday.
The 12-time National League All-Star shortstop and three-time Gold Glove Award winner, who played his entire 19-year career for his hometown Cincinnati Reds, garnered 86.4 percent of the vote. Last year, Larkin finished third behind inductees Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven when his name appeared on 62.1 percent of the ballots cast. It was Larkin's third year on the ballot.
Jack Morris was second with 66.7 percent and Jeff Bagwell was third with 56 percent. They were followed by Lee Smith (50.6), Tim Raines (48.7), Alan Trammell (36.8) and Edgar Martinez (36.5). Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams fared the best among newcomers on the ballot, appearing on 9.6 percent of the ballots.
Larkin will be inducted into the Hall during this year's ceremonies on July 21-22 in Cooperstown, N.Y., joining legendary Cubs third baseman Ron Santo, who was elected posthumously to the Hall last month by the Golden Era Committee. They will be inducted on July 22 behind the Clark Sports Center. Ford C. Frick Award winner Tim McCarver and J.G. Taylor Spink Award electee Bob Elliott will be honored in a separate ceremony on July 21 at Doubleday Field.
Larkin was a nine-time Silver Slugger winner, a member of the Reds squad that swept the A's in the 1990 World Series and the NL Most Valuable Player in 1995. His .295 lifetime batting average was 33 points higher than that of Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith, who was elected predominantly for his defense in 2002. Cal Ripken Jr., elected along with Padres right fielder Tony Gwynn on the first ballot for both men in 2007, hit .277 as a shortstop, the position he played for most of his stellar 21-year career with the Orioles.
Morris, who won the World Series with Detroit, Minnesota and Toronto and had 254 victories during his 18-year big league career, was a long shot. He needed to pick up 21.5 percent to make it this year. This was his 13th of a possible 15 years on the BBWAA ballot and his hopes are fading, considering the star-studded ballots that eligible BBWAA voters will confront in the next four years.
BBWAA members with at least 10 consecutive years of covering Major League Baseball can place as many as 10 names on their ballots. Five years after retirement, a player can remain on the BBWAA ballot for 15 years provided that he receives at least five percent of the vote each year.
Bagwell, his career with the Astros cut short because of a shoulder injury, hit 449 home runs and hit .297 in 15 seasons. Though he also played under the shadow of steroid use in baseball, there has been no evidence that he ever used the drugs and he has denied doing so. Bagwell was NL Rookie of the Year in 1991 and Most Valuable Player in 1994. He received 41 percent of the vote in 2011.
In 2013 alone, a controversial ballot will include, for the first time, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Craig Biggio and Curt Schilling, along with other notable returnees such as Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire.
Bonds, the all-time leader with 762 home runs, and Clemens, a 354-game winner, are in the midst of court cases, charged with lying in legal testimony about the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds was found guilty on one count of obstruction of justice and has appealed his sentence. The Clemens trial is set to begin anew this spring. Palmeiro was suspended in 2005 for testing positive for a banned substance, and McGwire admitted in 2010 that he used steroids during his playing career.
In December, the Golden Era Committee of 16 members considered 10 candidates, including eight players, who participated in the Major Leagues from 1947-72. Needing 12 votes to be elected, Santo -- who died on Dec. 3, 2010, from complications of diabetes and cancer -- received 15 of 16 votes.
Santo will be represented at the induction ceremony by his wife, Vicki, who will give the acceptance speech. Santo will be the fourth member of the Cubs team of the 1960s and '70s to enter the Hall, joining shortstop Ernie Banks, outfielder Billy Williams and pitcher Ferguson Jenkins.
Re: The MLB Thread
I'm kinda shocked at this. I don't think Larkin is a Hall of Famer AT ALL. He seems like a nice guy, was a great leader, and represented the Cinncinnati Reds club for years, and meant a great deal to the city of Cinncinnati.
But there is no stat that he has that makes him a leader at his position. There were several offensively & defensively better shortstops during his era, and although Larkin was very good, MVP-quality for a few years... hmm, I just don't know why he got elected.
It took him 19 seasons to get 2300+ hits? Wow... not. Fielding percentage isn't even close to being the best ever, 198HR at his position... he looks like junk compared to Cal Ripken... I don't get it.
Unlike Ron Santo, who should've gotten in YEARS AGO, not a year after he dies, when Santo was the best 3B in the NL during his generation.
Re: The MLB Thread
2013 Hall of fame ballot to feature controversial greats
by John Schlegel / MLB.com
In the cyclical realm of the annual National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, there are years with only a few viable candidates, such as the 2012 election to be announced Monday, and others with several real possibilities. And there's always a dash of bubbling conversation over who should get in and who shouldn't.
Then there is the 2013 ballot, which promises to be a whole different ballgame.
A year before it will even be in the hands of Baseball Writers' Association of America members who compose the electorate for induction, it's clear the 2013 ballot is one that will change the landscape of how players are elected to join the greats at Cooperstown. In terms of epic production, celebrated accomplishments and, most telling, their stardom taking place at the epicenter of an era tainted by performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, this class is without peer.
This year, the announcement, which will be delivered Monday on MLB Network and streamed live on MLB.com starting at 2 p.m. ET, could be that Barry Larkin or perhaps even Jack Morris received enough of a bump of support to earn induction into the Hall of Fame. Or, it could be that no one earned enough votes from the BBWAA electorate, delivering a Hall of Fame shutout for the first time since 1996.
Next year's announcement is bound to have a more profound effect on the game, regardless. It will amount to a pronouncement on an era of unparalleled accomplishments and widespread suspicions.
For the first time, the Hall of Fame-lock accomplishments of Barry Bonds, a record seven-time Most Valuable Player, and Roger Clemens, a record seven-time Cy Young Award winner, will be put to the Cooperstown test. It's obviously not as simple as those daunting resume items: Those accomplishments must be balanced against, among other things, each former superstar's current legal battles with the United States government. In separate cases at trial, they have been accused of lying when saying under oath that they never used performance-enhancing drugs.
And Bonds and Clemens are just the tip of the 2013 ballot's iceberg. There's also Sammy Sosa, Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio and Curt Schilling -- all among the most accomplished players of their era. Others such as Kenny Lofton, David Wells and Julio Franco deepen the ballot further, making it much heftier than the 2012 ballot's roster of first-timers, headed by the Yankees' Bernie Williams.
Between now and the time the 2013 results are revealed, there will be plenty of discussion about the merits of the players who will make their debut on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2013, and plenty of time to dissect what kind of message the electorate will send.
For now, here's a glimpse at six players who will head one of the most talented and intriguing groups of first-timers seen on the Hall of Fame ballot:
Barry Bonds, OF, Pirates-Giants
Key credentials: Seven-time National League MVP, 13-time All-Star, 762 HR (1st all-time), 1,996 RBIs (4th), 1.051 OPS (4th), 2,558 walks (1st), 2,227 runs (3rd), single-season HR record (73, 2001), eight Gold Gloves, 12 Silver Sluggers, seven postseason appearances (one league title).
By any measure, it's an amazing array of numbers and honors, hard to top in any era. And, to think, there was a time when he'd already made it clear that he was on his way to Cooperstown, but some thought his surly attitude with the media at times would cost him some votes.
When Bonds is up for election in the Hall of Fame, it's likely his appeal of one count of obstruction of justice stemming from his April trial in federal court still will be ongoing. Bonds was convicted of that one count but a jury couldn't come to a conclusion on three charges of giving false statements during his 2003 testimony to the grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO).
With a sentence of two years' probation, 30 days of home confinement and 250 hours of community service being suspended while the appeal takes its course, Bonds will be on the Hall of Fame ballot with a lot of off-the-field considerations for voters -- and that amazing collection of otherwise first-ballot accomplishments.
Roger Clemens, RHP, Red Sox-Blue Jays-Yankees-Astros
Key credentials: Seven-time Cy Young Award winner (6 AL, 1 NL), 11-time All-Star, 1986 AL MVP, 354 wins (9th all-time), 4,672 strikeouts (3rd), two pitching Triple Crowns (AL, 1997, '98), 12 postseason appearances (3 World Series, 6 league champions).
This is another no-brainer altered by legal issues. By the time the Hall of Fame ballot is distributed, Clemens is expected to have stood trial in Washington, D.C. on six charges of perjury, giving false statements and obstruction of Congress based on his 2008 testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. After a government mistake provoked a mistrial last July, a new trial has been set for April 17.
Regardless of the outcome, Clemens' journey through the legal system -- all the while denying he ever used PEDs -- obviously will have an effect on his candidacy, which otherwise would be rock solid. Clemens' 354 wins are the one shy of Greg Maddux (Class of 2014) for the most since Warren Spahn's 363 through 1965, and his record seven Cy Youngs spanned 19 seasons.
Sammy Sosa, OF, Rangers-White Sox-Cubs-Orioles
Key credentials: 1998 NL MVP, seven-time All-Star, 609 HR (7th all-time), three 60-HR seasons (1st), six Silver Sluggers, two postseason appearances.
The National League MVP after he and Mark McGwire went on their historic homer tear in 1998, Sosa also has allegations of PED use in his history -- along with an incident with a corked bat in 2003. The New York Times reported in 2009 that Sosa was among the players who failed drug tests in 2003, although he denied in the 2005 Congressional hearing that he ever took steroids.
If his '98 slugging partner McGwire is any indication, it'll be tough for Sosa to get much support. McGwire received 19.8 percent of the vote in his fifth year on the ballot a year ago
Mike Piazza, C, Dodgers-Marlins-Mets-Padres-A's
Key credentials: 12-time All-Star, 1993 NL Rookie of the Year, 462 HR (most ever by a catcher), 10 Silver Sluggers, five postseason appearances (1 league champion).
From the time he burst onto the scene as a 62nd-round pick who became a Rookie of the Year for the Dodgers, Piazza proved to be one of the greatest hitting catchers of all time. While he hit 30 homers in eight consecutive seasons and nine overall, his most memorable homer was a two-run shot on Sept. 21, 2001, to push the Mets to victory in their first home game after the 9/11 attacks.
There were whispers throughout his career and one published allegation, but Piazza never has been directly, officially implicated in using PEDs
Craig Biggio, 2B, Astros
Key credentials: Seven-time All-Star, 3,060 hits (21st all-time), 668 doubles (5th), 285 HBP (2nd), 1,844 runs (13th), four Gold Gloves, five Silver Sluggers, six postseason appearances (1 league title).
A one-team man who became the 20th player to reach the 3,000-hit barrier, Biggio would seem to have the requisite credentials. Only Rafael Palmeiro, his 11-percent support reflecting his own PED issues, has 3,000 hits and hasn't been voted into the Hall of Fame once eligible. Biggio fell just nine homers short of joining Willie Mays as the only players with 3,000 hits, 300 homers and 300 steals.
By all accounts, Biggio also passes the character test and hasn't had his name mentioned in connection with PED use. Former teammate Jeff Bagwell checked in with 41.7 percent of the vote his first time out in 2011.
Curt Schilling, RHP, Orioles-Astros-Phillies-D-backs-Red Sox
Key credentials: Six-time All-Star, 216 wins, three 20-win seasons, 3,116 strikeouts (15th all-time), five postseason appearances (3 World Series, 4 league champions).
Schilling really made his legacy in the postseason, where he combined with Randy Johnson for the ultimate Dynamic Duo that led the Diamondbacks to the 2001 World Series title and then moved his October show to Boston, where the Red Sox won two World Series titles with Schilling as a key part of their pitching staff.
Whether he did enough over the course of his entire career to warrant entry to Cooperstown is likely to be the main consideration for Schilling.
Like the rest of the players who will make their debuts on the 2013 Hall of Fame ballot, the decision won't be clear or easy to make.
For the voters, it'll be a whole different ballgame.
Re: The MLB Thread
I've said this before and i'll say it again. MLB needs to decide whether or not they're gonna recognize the steroid era.
But with the fact that Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro have been on the list for years, with McGwire leading the pack at typically only around 19-23% of the vote, it seems clear that the voters have made a majority decision to ignore that era.
So under that guideline...
I think that Craig Biggio will get in on the first ballot. He's arguably one of the best offensive, if not THE best offensive 2B in history with 3,060 career hits and 291 career HR, despite he not having the career Batting Average.
Biggio was not the best defensive 2B to play the game (that was Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg), but Biggio still was quality.
With the 3,000+ hits alone, Biggio is a first ballot Hall of Famer.
The other guy will be Axl Rose's favorite catcher -- Mike Piazza. Although i'm not sure if Piazza will get in on the first ballot due to the assumption of PED's, but then again he was never mentioned really, and he is the all-time offensive catcher in the history of the game. So maybe he will get in first shot.
As for the others...
Schilling doesn't have the numbers. Flat out. Nothing more, nothing less. He was a very good pitcher during his era, but he's not a Hall of Fame, nor was he "the best". So no...
Sosa will toil in McGwire hell. Sosa has better numbers than McGwire, but Sosa's "who me?" attitude after his retirement, will probably reflect worse on him than McGwire's confession, redemption and "good guy" image he has today after leading the Cardinals offensively in the NL to a World Series title in 2011.
Bonds & Clemens will be the very interesting ones to watch. Many voters/writers have argued that Bonds & Clemens "were Hall of Famers before they started juicing". Which I personally think is UTTER GARBAGE. That is a total cop out statement, for two reasons -- 1) Bonds is the all-time HR leader, they will feel pressured to acknowledge that, and 2) everybody in MLB had a raging, throbbing, lubed hard-on for "The Rocket" for years.
If the Hall elect Bonds & Clemens, but leave Sammy Sosa (one of only 8 players in history to hit over 600 HR) off, and keep McGwire & Palmeiro from getting elected... that is total bullshit and the Hall will lose even MORE credibility.
Another bullshit scenario is, "how does steroids affect pitching" argument for Clemens, but no Bonds. That would be embarassing.
They either need to let EVERYONE IN, or NO ONE in.
For for now i'm saying... bank on Biggio & Piazza.
But if Barry Bonds doesn't get in, it will finally be the "official" statement from MLB & the Hall -- "we don't acknowledge that era of baseball".
