Random MLB News & Discussion 2015–16

[jjgott]

Thought I would start a new thread for the new year

 

88-year-old doesn't appreciate high pitch, charges mound at Rockies Fantasy Camp

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/2/11/8018133/88-year-old-charges-mound-rockies-camp-lew-dunlap

[pete]

Put 'wrigleyville' and 'rats' in a search engine for some amusement.

 

Made me think of Ozzie Guillen and his comments about "rats as big as pigs" at Wrigley.

[jerichoholicninja]

Not MLB but still baseball related.

 

Little League officials announced Wednesday morning that Jackie Robinson West, the 2014 U.S. Little League World Series champions, have vacated their wins and been stripped of their title thanks to the use of ineligible players.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2015/2/11/8018071/jackie-robinson-west-2014-little-league-title-vacated

[brewcrewdue80]

Place your Bets! So ESPN posted the Atlantis Sports Book Over/Unders for teams. 19 teams predicted to finish .500 or higher. the Brewers one of the 11 not to be .500 at 80 wins. With the NL Central the toughest division. Winner StL at 87.5wins. Last in division Reds at 79. 8.5 games separating 5teams?

 

http://espn.go.com/chalk/story/_/id/12321069/washington-nationals-los-angeles-dodgers-highest-projected-season-win-totals-according-atlantis-sports-book

 

 

 

Some odd numbers. the Astros to win just 73.5 games? They won 70 last season. Twins to win 68.5 games after winning 70games last season? Aren't they going to be better? I think that divison may be the weakest in baseball if Victor Martinez isn't anywhere near his 2014 self. You know on the NL side I can't really complain with the projections. Atlanta, Philly, Colorado and Arizona are bound to be bad(with Arizona the most potential imo)

 

It shows the Brewers had better put a Premium on H2H matchups within the Division, ie when the Cardinals Bean ARam after a hot start/ you retaliate this season. Again, we get to find out early on 25 of first 32 games played in division. 1/3 of Divison Games in first 1/5th of season. 29 of final 35 games in division so 54/76 division games played in a 67 game span. 18 of the others in between the 95 other games.

 

Would be a good prediction to put Roenicke on the hott seat after the first month's of games. And of course obviously the final month's of games will either dictate him keeping his job, or the new manager keeping his job...Good month comparison of how the team does in the division.

[jerichoholicninja]

Just noticed Daron Sutton is doing an Angels broadcast. I can't find anything that says he's actually working for them though.

[fondybrewfan]

Not MLB but still baseball related.

 

Little League officials announced Wednesday morning that Jackie Robinson West, the 2014 U.S. Little League World Series champions, have vacated their wins and been stripped of their title thanks to the use of ineligible players.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2015/2/11/8018071/jackie-robinson-west-2014-little-league-title-vacated

 

A little late to the party here but I hope the grown up that tattled on all those young hard working kids feels really good about himself. I think I read the guy got arrested a couple weeks back; but I can't remember what for.

 

I hope Little League let the kids keep whatever trophies they won from that tournament.

[Outlander]

I hope they don't, they robbed another deserving team full of kids the opportunity to win or go to the Little League World Series. Most, if not all of those kids knew they were playing with teammates that really shouldn't be there. Lesson learned hopefully for those kids not to cheat in the future.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I hope they don't, they robbed another deserving team full of kids the opportunity to win or go to the Little League World Series. Most, if not all of those kids knew they were playing with teammates that really shouldn't be there. Lesson learned hopefully for those kids not to cheat in the future.

 

 

Well said.

[yfinn6]

Just noticed Daron Sutton is doing an Angels broadcast. I can't find anything that says he's actually working for them though.

 

And he was just as terrible as always.

 

Rickie Weeks cut his hair.. and hit a ball over the batter's eye.

[jerichoholicninja]

Just noticed Daron Sutton is doing an Angels broadcast. I can't find anything that says he's actually working for them though.

 

And he was just as terrible as always.

 

Rickie Weeks cut his hair.. and hit a ball over the batter's eye.

 

Not sure if you watched the whole Mariners game or not but they interviewed Rickie and asked him about learning outfield and corner infield. His response was that it was no big deal. Seemed like a big deal last year.

[yfinn6]

Just noticed Daron Sutton is doing an Angels broadcast. I can't find anything that says he's actually working for them though.

 

And he was just as terrible as always.

 

Rickie Weeks cut his hair.. and hit a ball over the batter's eye.

 

Not sure if you watched the whole Mariners game or not but they interviewed Rickie and asked him about learning outfield and corner infield. His response was that it was no big deal. Seemed like a big deal last year.

 

I did hear that and had similar thoughts. Oh well.

[MrTPlush]

Just noticed Daron Sutton is doing an Angels broadcast. I can't find anything that says he's actually working for them though.

 

And he was just as terrible as always.

 

Rickie Weeks cut his hair.. and hit a ball over the batter's eye.

 

Still has a ton of power with that quick bat speed.

[pacopete4]

Would love to see Rickie stay healthy and go off for an AL club.

[fondybrewfan]

I hope they don't, they robbed another deserving team full of kids the opportunity to win or go to the Little League World Series. Most, if not all of those kids knew they were playing with teammates that really shouldn't be there. Lesson learned hopefully for those kids not to cheat in the future.

 

 

Well said.

 

I highly doubt the kids knowingly and deliberately cheated. Parents yeah probably but I have a hard time actually blaming these kids for any of this.

[torts]

I hope they don't, they robbed another deserving team full of kids the opportunity to win or go to the Little League World Series. Most, if not all of those kids knew they were playing with teammates that really shouldn't be there. Lesson learned hopefully for those kids not to cheat in the future.

 

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/left-out/

 

this.

[jerichoholicninja]

Anyone else following Will Ferrell's 5 games/9 positions/10 teams quest today? Watching him play infield defense he does a better job of moving on the pitch than most of my high school players. I'm most interested in seeing if he's going to actually catch or pitch. I can't imagine he'd do either one of those very well.

[3and2Fastball]

Anyone else following Will Ferrell's 5 games/9 positions/10 teams quest today? Watching him play infield defense he does a better job of moving on the pitch than most of my high school players. I'm most interested in seeing if he's going to actually catch or pitch. I can't imagine he'd do either one of those very well.

 

There would be a certain degree of danger in him playing Pitcher. Not sure if he'd be able to protect himself if an MLB hitter smoked one rght back at him

 

Its cool that he's doing it for charity, but it is one of those stunts that lessens the appeal of the overall MLB game, to me.... just another Hollywood star who has no business being on an MLB field. But anyways, like I said at least it is for charity

[AZBrewCrew]

[attachment=0]20150312_141400.jpg[/attachment] maybe the Brewers should take a flyer on him

[AZBrewCrew]

Anyone else following Will Ferrell's 5 games/9 positions/10 teams quest today? Watching him play infield defense he does a better job of moving on the pitch than most of my high school players. I'm most interested in seeing if he's going to actually catch or pitch. I can't imagine he'd do either one of those very well.

He actually had some pretty good reads in centerfield...better than some Brewers ive seen

[jerichoholicninja]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2394884-how-a-gruesome-surgery-saved-mike-napolis-mlb-career?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cnn-sports-bin

 

The surgery sounds excruciating, like something from the Middle Ages: Doctors broke his lower jaw. Broke his upper jaw. Broke his chin. Realigned his jaws, moving, as Napoli says, "everything forward to the max."

 

The procedure took eight hours. He was in the intensive-care unit for two-and-a-half days. He was on an all-liquid diet for six weeks. He still has plates and screws inside his skull.

 

Good lord, I don't know if I could go through that.

[jerichoholicninja]

Scott Boras opens big fat mouth and says:

 

“Cubs ownership has a choice,” said Boras. “Are they going to present to their market that they are trying to win? [Cubs owner] Tom Ricketts said they were all about winning.” In addressing the issue, Boras compared Bryant to several other top prospects who were allowed to start the year with their clubs in spite of service considerations, often with successful results. He had particular criticism for the team’s decision not to call up Bryant late last year, saying: “I believe the issue with Kris Bryant is not whether he should be on the 2015 team. The issue is, why wasn’t he called up in September of last year when he could have prepared for the 2015 season?”

 

Theo Epstein responds with:

 

“Comments from agents, media members, and anybody outside our organization will be ignored,” he said.

 

Nicely played Theo, nicely played. I certainly agree that the current system is hurting the players but Scott Boras is generally an idiot when he opens his mouth.

[brewcrewdue80]

I'm with Scott Boras over Kris Bryant. The Cubs had the perfect opportunity to groom Bryant for 2015 in September 2014 when they were playing for nothing but the future. Instead they let Bryant do nothing with the Playoffs finished.

Chicago isn't a Small Market franchise where this kind of Team Control should matter. They aren't Milwaukee, aren't Pittsburgh. When Bryant demands 20+mil per year in a contract, Chicago isn't going to sit there and say that's too much money for them, and send him away to who can. They are a Market that can.

 

Yet Chicago took it upon themselves to shelf Bryant in 2014, and for no reason to hold him back after a 6HR in 23PAs Spring Training thus far, are being expected to send Bryant down to AAA to start the season to "Improve his game"

 

Now to hold him down for a month almost 2 months to work on some part of his game is understandable and shouldnt be argued. But to send Bryant down and bring him up to start game 10 of a season, is an obvious tactic to gain an added year of Team control. I'd be furious if I'm Bryant or Boras due to that. Especially since Bryant doesn't have the ability to take the Cubs to an Arbitrator to argue that. He should be allowed to fight against the Cubs having that 7th year since it's 1billion % obvious they only sent him down in AAA to attain that ability. It's not for him to improve himself.

 

I'm against Boras more often than not, but in this instance, the Cubs have 0 right to hold back Bryant especially after dealing Valbuena away. There is no reason to send him to AAA anymore. It'd be one thing if his bat was bad in Spring Training, but when it's the best on your team including obvious Major Leaguers? Like Rizzo or Castro? and obviously better than Olt? What's your argument? To improve? Then send everyone down to AAA, they all have to improve because they are doing worse than Bryant is.

[logan82]

There is zero reason to call him up in 2014 or have him up for the whole season in 2015 unless they are playoff contenders. It would be stupid to give away a year of service time and the money it would cost.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I understand the Cubs keeping Bryant down in the minors for another year of team control, because of who his agent is. I doubt at this point they will be able to get Bryant to agree to a pre arby deal that buys out any free agent years, so why not keep him in the organization as long as possible. Boras clients give no hometown discounts.

 

From a pure baseball standpoint it makes zero sense, he is the best player in that organization and has been snice early last year.

[pacopete4]

There is zero reason to call him up in 2014 or have him up for the whole season in 2015 unless they are playoff contenders. It would be stupid to give away a year of service time and the money it would cost.

 

 

There's one good reason. Not to tick off Boras and Bryant. They may get an extra year of service but he may never forgive them for holding him back from his major league career. Hence, he may never sign with them again after this contract runs out. If he truly is a huge star, then I don't think I take that chance with him since they have plenty of money to sign players.