Random MLB News And Discussion

[Glennron]

Juan Francisco clears the right field bleachers at Great American Ball Park

Those right field bleachers were about 6% full at best.

[GB12]

I was watching Baseball Tonight and just when they're about to do the webgems (what I've been waiting for) they decide to go "live" to show Rivera's 600th career save instead. Not happy about that.

[RightFieldCoder]

They changed the configuration of the ribbon boards at MP starting last night. They pitch count and linescore at the ends have been moved in a section. The ends of the ribbon boards are now a white on blue closed caption of what Rob Edwards is saying over the speaker system. I wonder who had this idea or if this was something we picked up from another team?

[Invader3K]

They changed the configuration of the ribbon boards at MP starting last night. They pitch count and linescore at the ends have been moved in a section. The ends of the ribbon boards are now a white on blue closed caption of what Rob Edwards is saying over the speaker system. I wonder who had this idea or if this was something we picked up from another team?

I noticed Busch Stadium has closed captioning, but it's on the actual video board in the outfield.

[dlk9s]

I think they did it so the lighting around home plate will be even in both halves of each inning.

[Invader3K]

Sports Illustrated did a poll of some MLB players to rank the "Meanest Players in MLB." Prince Fielder and Nyjer Morgan both made the list: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1109/mlb.poll.meanest.player/content.1.html

[dlk9s]

This from ESPN's Jayson Stark:

 

"Whitey Herzog once said the two things a guy needs to succeed in the managing biz were a sense of humor and a good bullpen. Well, here's the proof: If all games had ended after the eighth inning this year instead of the ninth, the Cardinals would be leading the Brewers by 4½ games instead of trailing by 5½."

 

Wow.

[ttsather]

Arthur Rhodes will receive a World Series ring, regardless of outcome.

That must be nice.

[Big Cat Dad]

Not sure how many people are watching the world series, however, looks like Grienke had Carpenter pegged just about right. Napoli just hit a warning track shot off Carpenter in the 6th with two on that was tracked down to end the inning.

 

Carpenter looks right at Napoli and screams....(sorry mods but this is to good) "F yeah, you POS, F you."

 

If you don't believe me look at the replay and tell me he didn't yell that. Real classy Carp........your peers really respect you.

[Funketown]

I'm pretty sure Carpenter was saying "Boo-urns".

[GB12]

So why haven't I been able to find a Ron Washington dancing .gif? I thought the internet would have been all over that.

[Invader3K]

Sounds like the Astros moving to the American League is basically a done deal, according to Jim Bowden.

[dlk9s]

So why haven't I been able to find a Ron Washington dancing .gif? I thought the internet would have been all over that.

You mean this?

 

http://i.imgur.com/AiYGk.gif

[dlk9s]

A former MLB'er (very good player for a couple years, career was derailed by injuries - now makes appearances on TV) is good friends with a relative of mine. I've met him and we've become friendly acquaintances and he's on my Facebook friends list.

 

I messaged him a couple weeks ago and asked him if he was as nauseated as I was by the Cards winning the World Series. His response, "Well for your glass half full angle. La Russa retired."

 

Nice.

[Patrick425]

A guy I worked with just sent me this email. Wow.

 

From a list of “The 25 Least Influential People Alive”

 

21. Bobby Bonilla

Bonilla retired in 2001, but in July 2011, the New York Mets began shelling out for a deferred portion of the former slugger's contract that will pay him $1.2 million annually for the next twenty-five years. See, the Mets originally thought this payout was a shrewd move, because it allowed them to take Bonilla's deferred money and potentially outearn its value by investing it in a firm run by, you guessed it, Bernie Madoff. And so Bonilla, who is now 48, will earn $30 million over the next three decades, until he turns 72. For doing absolutely nothing.

 

 

Read More

 

 

[Raw Biz]

A guy I worked with just sent me this email. Wow.

 

From a list of “The 25 Least Influential People Alive”

 

21. Bobby Bonilla

Bonilla retired in 2001, but in July 2011, the New York Mets began shelling out for a deferred portion of the former slugger's contract that will pay him $1.2 million annually for the next twenty-five years. See, the Mets originally thought this payout was a shrewd move, because it allowed them to take Bonilla's deferred money and potentially outearn its value by investing it in a firm run by, you guessed it, Bernie Madoff. And so Bonilla, who is now 48, will earn $30 million over the next three decades, until he turns 72. For doing absolutely nothing.

 

 

Read More http://www.gq.com/enterta...ople-alive#ixzz1fCcx38G6

 

 

Yeah this has been pretty well known for awhile. I think some on here have even talked about deferring money like this for Prince but people bring up Bonilla and how it backfired.

 

Article from 2000.

[1992casey]

Bobby fulfilled the terms of his contract, so he isn't earning the money for doing nothing. The Madoff twist is the problem.

[GAME05]

but isn't avoiding a strategy based on the chances that the money winds up in the hands of a thief a bit of a paranoid reaction? $30 million is sure worth a lot less in 20 years than it is now if you're going to have to pay him the money, regardless.

 

even though Bonilla lost out on the opportunity to make more money by investing it now instead of getting it later, i think he made a great move. it has to be really easy to spend all the money you make right away and then find yourself broke upon retirement. for example, Evander Holyfield had a fight in Africa somewhat recently, not because he wants the competition, but because he's totally broke. smart move by Bonilla.

[endaround]

The Mets made the decision based upon what they thought they could make with the money they currently were paying Bonilla. Now if they just did a decent job of investing it wouldn't have mattered. They instead followed Madoff. This is no different from tons of pensions paid each day.

[berniebrewer4life]

but isn't avoiding a strategy based on the chances that the money winds up in the hands of a thief a bit of a paranoid reaction? $30 million is sure worth a lot less in 20 years than it is now if you're going to have to pay him the money, regardless.

 

even though Bonilla lost out on the opportunity to make more money by investing it now instead of getting it later, i think he made a great move. it has to be really easy to spend all the money you make right away and then find yourself broke upon retirement. for example, Evander Holyfield had a fight in Africa somewhat recently, not because he wants the competition, but because he's totally broke. smart move by Bonilla.

This. Yes they are paying him until he's 72. But so what? When factoring in inflation, they are getting the better end of the deal.

[Baldkin]

What is missing from that snippet is that the deferred payments were in lieu of paying Bonilla 5.9M.

 

I don't think inflation would've covered that...

[jerichoholicninja]

My brain was really bored at work today and I've been spending a lot of time on MLB Trade Rumors so this is what I think is happening at the Winter Meetings regarding Prince and Albert.

 

Albert and his agent Dan Lozano have a private room in which they are entertaining all their suitors. The Cardinals management is sitting at a table with an open briefcase with $200 million cash. They have their arms folded and have told Albert this is their offer and he can take it or leave it. However, they have stashed another briefcase under their chair with another $40 million in it that they plan to offer if he says no. Everyone in the room can see it, knows it's there and knows what's in it. Ozzie Guillen and the newly signed Jose Reyes have a booth set up blasting salsa music with dancing scantily clad latin women. Alex Anthopoulos is in the back of the room jumping up and down trying to get noticed, but everyone is ignoring him. Theo Epstein walks into the room with a blank check in hand, using it to fan himself and loudly exclaims, "Just looking." and then walks out of the room. Brian Cashman and Ben Cherington are outside with their ears up against the door, waiting for the moment to sweep in and blow away anyone else's offer.

 

Meanwhile down the hall Scott Boras and Prince Fielder have also rented a private room to entertain offers. Scott turns to Prince and tells him to be patient, GM's will come begging for you to sign with them. This room is not as full as Albert's. There is a maintenance man fixing a light and Doug Melvin sitting by himself twiddling his thumbs.

[berniebrewer4life]

Found this today.

 

http://s1-03.twitpicproxy.com/photos/large/466205104.png

[jerichoholicninja]

My brain was really bored at work today and I've been spending a lot of time on MLB Trade Rumors so this is what I think is happening at the Winter Meetings regarding Prince and Albert.

 

Albert and his agent Dan Lozano have a private room in which they are entertaining all their suitors. The Cardinals management is sitting at a table with an open briefcase with $200 million cash. They have their arms folded and have told Albert this is their offer and he can take it or leave it. However, they have stashed another briefcase under their chair with another $40 million in it that they plan to offer if he says no. Everyone in the room can see it, knows it's there and knows what's in it. Ozzie Guillen and the newly signed Jose Reyes have a booth set up blasting salsa music with dancing scantily clad latin women. Alex Anthopoulos is in the back of the room jumping up and down trying to get noticed, but everyone is ignoring him. Theo Epstein walks into the room with a blank check in hand, using it to fan himself and loudly exclaims, "Just looking." and then walks out of the room. Brian Cashman and Ben Cherington are outside with their ears up against the door, waiting for the moment to sweep in and blow away anyone else's offer.

 

Meanwhile down the hall Scott Boras and Prince Fielder have also rented a private room to entertain offers. Scott turns to Prince and tells him to be patient, GM's will come begging for you to sign with them. This room is not as full as Albert's. There is a maintenance man fixing a light and Doug Melvin sitting by himself twiddling his thumbs.

I forgot to mention the part where Art Moreno backs up a dump truck full of money into Pujol's room.

[mothershipconnection]

What's am I not getting about the Kubel deal with Arizona? They paid $15MM for a defensive downgrade and 5 years of extra age.