- 3,486
- 93
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2006
They weren't a good team last year and they didn't improve in the off-season. *shrug*
2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by proshares,
- Start date
- Status
- 3,486
- 93
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2006
They weren't a good team last year and they didn't improve in the off-season. *shrug*
- 28,043
- 10,465
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2004
Domonic Brown
Angels had a horrid off-season after promising to spend, missing on their top target (Crawford) and just about everybody else. It's still Texas' division to lose. Does Oakland have the offense to compete?
Anything less than a Boston/Philly WS should be a disappointment to both teams.
Angels had a horrid off-season after promising to spend, missing on their top target (Crawford) and just about everybody else. It's still Texas' division to lose. Does Oakland have the offense to compete?
Anything less than a Boston/Philly WS should be a disappointment to both teams.
- 28,043
- 10,465
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2004
Domonic Brown
Angels had a horrid off-season after promising to spend, missing on their top target (Crawford) and just about everybody else. It's still Texas' division to lose. Does Oakland have the offense to compete?
Anything less than a Boston/Philly WS should be a disappointment to both teams.
Angels had a horrid off-season after promising to spend, missing on their top target (Crawford) and just about everybody else. It's still Texas' division to lose. Does Oakland have the offense to compete?
Anything less than a Boston/Philly WS should be a disappointment to both teams.
wildKYcat wrote:
CP1708 wrote:
WOW at Wainright being done already. Carp won't be far behind either I'm sure.
That's a big loss, and I wonder what that could mean for Pujols. Does STL pull the trigger on a trade if they aren't in contention? Does someone rent him for a run?
no way anyone puts together a package for Pujols... i mean, what's it gonna take? a team would have to dismantle the farm. w/o a guarantee of him re-signing? can't see it.
i'd love to see it, tho.
They know that they are going to lose him anyways, right? If they are making a run, then that's one thing, you keep him, hope to get another ring one last time.
But if they are 20 out at the deadline, you know he walks in 2 months, why not make a deal? Get something for him at least. No reason they couldn't settle on 4 prospects. 2 top shelfs, and 2 solids.
Helps the team renting him make a good run, maybe get an inside edge on re-signing him as well, and losing 2 upper tier prospects shouldn't effect a team that severely if they are already in contention for something near the deadline.
*shrugs* Just how I would look at it.
wildKYcat wrote:
CP1708 wrote:
WOW at Wainright being done already. Carp won't be far behind either I'm sure.
That's a big loss, and I wonder what that could mean for Pujols. Does STL pull the trigger on a trade if they aren't in contention? Does someone rent him for a run?
no way anyone puts together a package for Pujols... i mean, what's it gonna take? a team would have to dismantle the farm. w/o a guarantee of him re-signing? can't see it.
i'd love to see it, tho.
They know that they are going to lose him anyways, right? If they are making a run, then that's one thing, you keep him, hope to get another ring one last time.
But if they are 20 out at the deadline, you know he walks in 2 months, why not make a deal? Get something for him at least. No reason they couldn't settle on 4 prospects. 2 top shelfs, and 2 solids.
Helps the team renting him make a good run, maybe get an inside edge on re-signing him as well, and losing 2 upper tier prospects shouldn't effect a team that severely if they are already in contention for something near the deadline.
*shrugs* Just how I would look at it.
- 8,139
- 88
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
Who is going to give up 4 prospects to rent Pujols for 2 months?
Look at what the Braves got for Tex.
Look at what the Braves got for Tex.
- 8,139
- 88
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
Who is going to give up 4 prospects to rent Pujols for 2 months?
Look at what the Braves got for Tex.
Look at what the Braves got for Tex.
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- 6,551
- 2,063
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
Doesn't he have to accept the trade tho? I think he said that he will decline any trade (not sure tho).
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- 6,551
- 2,063
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
Doesn't he have to accept the trade tho? I think he said that he will decline any trade (not sure tho).
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Freddie Freeman has the body of a left guard, or that of somebody who could move refrigerators or pianos for a living -- without a handcart. He looks like a Roman column.
http:///sports.espn.go.com/espn/gallery/enlargePhoto?id=6153794&story=6153762">http://sports.espn.go.com...153794&...idth=640,height=750,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=6153762#">[+] Enlarge
Ed Wolfstein/Icon SMIWhile massive, Freeman's power is still a question.
Freeman is listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and his sheer size might lead to some false impressions. He is not a Rob Deer or Dave Kingman type of hitter; rather, he has a nice, consistent swing, with an approach that allows him to take the ball the other way when needed. Last year, he hit .319, with 55 extra-base hits and 87 strikeouts in 519 at-bats, and a .378 on-base percentage. The Braves don't know whether he'll turn into a big-time power hitter, the kind of slugger who could blast 35 to 45 homers, but they are pretty sure he'll be a solid run producer. "He's going to hit," Chipper Jones said Wednesday, sitting in the dugout at the Braves' complex before their workout.
The Braves like the fact that going into the season, they have the kind of depth in their lineup -- Dan Uggla, Martin Prado, Jones, Jason Heyward, etc. -- that will allow them to hit Freeman near the bottom of their batting order and develop without pressure for production. (As opposed to the Mariners' Justin Smoak, who will be surrounded by marginal hitters, making the need for power from Smoak even more important for Seattle).
The other impression about Freeman, in just looking at him, is that he might not be adept defensively. But Braves talent evaluators were very pleased last year with Freeman's athleticism at first base, the improvement in his skills, the way he moves around. During Wednesday's drill, shortstop Alex Gonzalez bounced a throw in the dirt at first, and Freeman flicked a glove at it -- like a fly fisherman casting into the middle of a river -- and deftly snared it, drawing some response from teammates.
It remains to be seen how long it will take Freeman to get established in the big leagues, but the Braves are confident he will get there.
[h3]Cardinals woes[/h3]
• Adam Wainwright pitched for the Braves before being traded for J.D. Drew, and so it was with a mixture of shock and sadness that folks with the Atlanta organization reacted upon hearing the news of his injury on Wednesday morning; they admire Wainwright for the type of person he is, the type of competitor he is. And, as Bobby Cox mentioned while watching the beginning of the Braves' workout, there is nothing more difficult to replace than a No. 1 starting pitcher.
Joe Nathan -- one of the AL's best closers, and a respected teammate and competitor -- went down with Tommy John surgery last spring, and the Twins mixed and matched and won with some of the replacements brought in by GM Bill Smith. When All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau went down, the Twins were able to plug that hole with Jim Thome and others taking more at-bats.
But to lose a No. 1 pitcher at this time of year is particularly devastating -- and remember, Wainwright is one of the best half-dozen pitchers in the majors. Over the past two seasons, only Felix Hernandez has a lower ERA than Wainwright's 2.53, among pitchers with more than 250 innings.
Tony La Russa's teams always compete, and somebody now will get an opportunity, whether it's a Kyle McClellan or Shelby Miller (though they may opt not to push Miller). The Cardinals could always look to sign one of the remaining free-agent starters, whether it be Kevin Millwood or Jeremy Bonderman, or they could call the Phillies about Joe Blanton, although Ruben Amaro continues to say that Blanton will be with his team on Opening Day. Derrick Goold has a rundown of possible candidates here.
But no matter who steps into the role, he cannot be what Adam Wainwright has been, and the ancillary concern for the Cardinals is for the others on the staff not to overextend themselves as they try to help fill the void. "The pressure will be there on the other guys, and you hope that they don't try to pitch through an injury," said a rival executive.
Wainwright has been throwing arguably the best breaking pitch in the majors -- as Carlos Beltran can attest -- and his use of this was noted by a couple of his former teammates, as they mused over his injury. "If you throw a curveball like that, you just never know when [the elbow] might give out," said one. "For all pitchers, really, it's just a matter of time, and you just don't know when."
From Justin Havens of ESPN Stats & Information, how Wainwright ranked in usage of his breaking ball. The highest percentage of breaking balls thrown last year among guys who threw over 1,500 pitches:
Brett Myers: 46.8
Chris Carpenter: 44.8
Adam Wainwright: 43.8
Important contextual note: Wainwright's mark of 43.8 percent is well above the league average. The league-average mark for 2010 was 24.8 percent. The league batted .183 against Wainwright's breaking stuff. And the list of the most breaking balls thrown last year, total:
Brett Myers: 1,619
Chris Carpenter: 1,589
Dan Haren: 1,482
Adam Wainwright: 1,471
Tommy Hanson: 1,296
The Wainwright injury could have an impact on the Pujols situation, writes Bernie Miklasz. The Cardinals refuse to feel despondent, writes Bryan Burwell.
There will be a lot of talk in St. Louis about what Jonny Gomes did after hearing the news of the Wainwright injury. Given how aggressive La Russa's teams have been historically in retaliating when they feel the need to retaliate, Gomes will probably want to stay loose in the batters' box when he faces the Cardinals. It doesn't really matter now what his intent was; it only matters how his actions are perceived by the Cardinals.
Gomes says he wasn't singing about Wainwright.
• Some more from Braves camp:
1. Chipper Jones is not limited in anything he does on the field; the only thing he hasn't done, to this point, is slide.
2. The Braves still would love for Craig Kimbrel to seize the majority of the closer opportunities, with Jonny Venters in place as the safety net. Remember, Kimbrel struck out 40 in 20 2/3 innings at the end of last season.
3. Jason Heyward said his thumb problem, which hampered him at the plate for much of last spring, is better. Folks with the team think the injury had a significant impact on Heyward, despite his remarkable rookie season, because it impacted his ability to get to pitches throw inside, and perhaps affected his swing along the way.
4. Tim Hudson threw live batting practice Wednesday, and as usual it looked like the hitters only had the tops seams of the ball to swing at, as Hudson threw pitch after pitch that dove in the strike zone.
5. Peter Moylan, one of the NL's best setup men, feels much better after dropping a bunch of weight in the offseason. Most pitchers who throw with a lower arm angle, as Moylan does, tend to be thin guys, from Kent Tekulve to Brad Ziegler, which suggests that Moylan will be helped by his increased flexibility. "I had to [pitch] around this," he joked, grabbing onto his belly. Moylan is as self-deprecating as anyone you'll meet, and he has described his condition thusly: "I was a fat pig."
6. Cory Gearrin -- a 24-year-old reliever who has never pitched in the majors -- threw batting practice, with his unusual delivery: The right-hander throws sidearm, like Moylan, but early in his delivery, he seems to take a step toward the first base side of the rubber with his land foot. This is what feels comfortable, he explained, and he's had his best years in 2009-10; pitching in Triple-A last year, Gearrin posted a 3.36 ERA, striking out 66 and walking 32 in 80.1 innings.
Gearrin has developed a changeup that is a version of his two-seam grip, with the ball sliding off the last fingers of his hand, rather than driven by his index and middle fingers. But finding a decent off-speed pitch -- critical for right-handed sidearmers, as they look for ways to combat left-handed hitters -- hasn't always been seamless. Gearrin recalled trying a new changeup grip while throwing a bullpen session in the Cape Cod League -- and firing a pitch directly into the woods, on the side, as he had hit an errant tee shot at a right angle. His coach at that time told him to forget about the changeup and stick with his fastball-slider combo.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Freddie Freeman has the body of a left guard, or that of somebody who could move refrigerators or pianos for a living -- without a handcart. He looks like a Roman column.
http:///sports.espn.go.com/espn/gallery/enlargePhoto?id=6153794&story=6153762">http://sports.espn.go.com...153794&...idth=640,height=750,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=6153762#">[+] Enlarge
Ed Wolfstein/Icon SMIWhile massive, Freeman's power is still a question.
Freeman is listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and his sheer size might lead to some false impressions. He is not a Rob Deer or Dave Kingman type of hitter; rather, he has a nice, consistent swing, with an approach that allows him to take the ball the other way when needed. Last year, he hit .319, with 55 extra-base hits and 87 strikeouts in 519 at-bats, and a .378 on-base percentage. The Braves don't know whether he'll turn into a big-time power hitter, the kind of slugger who could blast 35 to 45 homers, but they are pretty sure he'll be a solid run producer. "He's going to hit," Chipper Jones said Wednesday, sitting in the dugout at the Braves' complex before their workout.
The Braves like the fact that going into the season, they have the kind of depth in their lineup -- Dan Uggla, Martin Prado, Jones, Jason Heyward, etc. -- that will allow them to hit Freeman near the bottom of their batting order and develop without pressure for production. (As opposed to the Mariners' Justin Smoak, who will be surrounded by marginal hitters, making the need for power from Smoak even more important for Seattle).
The other impression about Freeman, in just looking at him, is that he might not be adept defensively. But Braves talent evaluators were very pleased last year with Freeman's athleticism at first base, the improvement in his skills, the way he moves around. During Wednesday's drill, shortstop Alex Gonzalez bounced a throw in the dirt at first, and Freeman flicked a glove at it -- like a fly fisherman casting into the middle of a river -- and deftly snared it, drawing some response from teammates.
It remains to be seen how long it will take Freeman to get established in the big leagues, but the Braves are confident he will get there.
[h3]Cardinals woes[/h3]
• Adam Wainwright pitched for the Braves before being traded for J.D. Drew, and so it was with a mixture of shock and sadness that folks with the Atlanta organization reacted upon hearing the news of his injury on Wednesday morning; they admire Wainwright for the type of person he is, the type of competitor he is. And, as Bobby Cox mentioned while watching the beginning of the Braves' workout, there is nothing more difficult to replace than a No. 1 starting pitcher.
Joe Nathan -- one of the AL's best closers, and a respected teammate and competitor -- went down with Tommy John surgery last spring, and the Twins mixed and matched and won with some of the replacements brought in by GM Bill Smith. When All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau went down, the Twins were able to plug that hole with Jim Thome and others taking more at-bats.
But to lose a No. 1 pitcher at this time of year is particularly devastating -- and remember, Wainwright is one of the best half-dozen pitchers in the majors. Over the past two seasons, only Felix Hernandez has a lower ERA than Wainwright's 2.53, among pitchers with more than 250 innings.
Tony La Russa's teams always compete, and somebody now will get an opportunity, whether it's a Kyle McClellan or Shelby Miller (though they may opt not to push Miller). The Cardinals could always look to sign one of the remaining free-agent starters, whether it be Kevin Millwood or Jeremy Bonderman, or they could call the Phillies about Joe Blanton, although Ruben Amaro continues to say that Blanton will be with his team on Opening Day. Derrick Goold has a rundown of possible candidates here.
But no matter who steps into the role, he cannot be what Adam Wainwright has been, and the ancillary concern for the Cardinals is for the others on the staff not to overextend themselves as they try to help fill the void. "The pressure will be there on the other guys, and you hope that they don't try to pitch through an injury," said a rival executive.
Wainwright has been throwing arguably the best breaking pitch in the majors -- as Carlos Beltran can attest -- and his use of this was noted by a couple of his former teammates, as they mused over his injury. "If you throw a curveball like that, you just never know when [the elbow] might give out," said one. "For all pitchers, really, it's just a matter of time, and you just don't know when."
From Justin Havens of ESPN Stats & Information, how Wainwright ranked in usage of his breaking ball. The highest percentage of breaking balls thrown last year among guys who threw over 1,500 pitches:
Brett Myers: 46.8
Chris Carpenter: 44.8
Adam Wainwright: 43.8
Important contextual note: Wainwright's mark of 43.8 percent is well above the league average. The league-average mark for 2010 was 24.8 percent. The league batted .183 against Wainwright's breaking stuff. And the list of the most breaking balls thrown last year, total:
Brett Myers: 1,619
Chris Carpenter: 1,589
Dan Haren: 1,482
Adam Wainwright: 1,471
Tommy Hanson: 1,296
The Wainwright injury could have an impact on the Pujols situation, writes Bernie Miklasz. The Cardinals refuse to feel despondent, writes Bryan Burwell.
There will be a lot of talk in St. Louis about what Jonny Gomes did after hearing the news of the Wainwright injury. Given how aggressive La Russa's teams have been historically in retaliating when they feel the need to retaliate, Gomes will probably want to stay loose in the batters' box when he faces the Cardinals. It doesn't really matter now what his intent was; it only matters how his actions are perceived by the Cardinals.
Gomes says he wasn't singing about Wainwright.
• Some more from Braves camp:
1. Chipper Jones is not limited in anything he does on the field; the only thing he hasn't done, to this point, is slide.
2. The Braves still would love for Craig Kimbrel to seize the majority of the closer opportunities, with Jonny Venters in place as the safety net. Remember, Kimbrel struck out 40 in 20 2/3 innings at the end of last season.
3. Jason Heyward said his thumb problem, which hampered him at the plate for much of last spring, is better. Folks with the team think the injury had a significant impact on Heyward, despite his remarkable rookie season, because it impacted his ability to get to pitches throw inside, and perhaps affected his swing along the way.
4. Tim Hudson threw live batting practice Wednesday, and as usual it looked like the hitters only had the tops seams of the ball to swing at, as Hudson threw pitch after pitch that dove in the strike zone.
5. Peter Moylan, one of the NL's best setup men, feels much better after dropping a bunch of weight in the offseason. Most pitchers who throw with a lower arm angle, as Moylan does, tend to be thin guys, from Kent Tekulve to Brad Ziegler, which suggests that Moylan will be helped by his increased flexibility. "I had to [pitch] around this," he joked, grabbing onto his belly. Moylan is as self-deprecating as anyone you'll meet, and he has described his condition thusly: "I was a fat pig."
6. Cory Gearrin -- a 24-year-old reliever who has never pitched in the majors -- threw batting practice, with his unusual delivery: The right-hander throws sidearm, like Moylan, but early in his delivery, he seems to take a step toward the first base side of the rubber with his land foot. This is what feels comfortable, he explained, and he's had his best years in 2009-10; pitching in Triple-A last year, Gearrin posted a 3.36 ERA, striking out 66 and walking 32 in 80.1 innings.
Gearrin has developed a changeup that is a version of his two-seam grip, with the ball sliding off the last fingers of his hand, rather than driven by his index and middle fingers. But finding a decent off-speed pitch -- critical for right-handed sidearmers, as they look for ways to combat left-handed hitters -- hasn't always been seamless. Gearrin recalled trying a new changeup grip while throwing a bullpen session in the Cape Cod League -- and firing a pitch directly into the woods, on the side, as he had hit an errant tee shot at a right angle. His coach at that time told him to forget about the changeup and stick with his fastball-slider combo.
- 8,139
- 88
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
Brian Wilson is not funny.
- 8,139
- 88
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
Brian Wilson is not funny.
- 24,942
- 12,737
- Joined
- May 30, 2006
Originally Posted by Proshares
For Dirk
josh (chicago)
chances of pujols goin to the cubs?1-100
Klaw (1:31 PM)
Pure speculation - haven't asked any execs about it - but Texas sure seems like the ideal fit, no? Money, contention, need at 1b, willingness to spend.
It won't happen.
- 24,942
- 12,737
- Joined
- May 30, 2006
Originally Posted by Proshares
For Dirk
josh (chicago)
chances of pujols goin to the cubs?1-100
Klaw (1:31 PM)
Pure speculation - haven't asked any execs about it - but Texas sure seems like the ideal fit, no? Money, contention, need at 1b, willingness to spend.
It won't happen.
- 20,620
- 1,615
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2007
welcome back baseball!
- 20,620
- 1,615
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2007
welcome back baseball!
- 17,626
- 456
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2006
- 17,626
- 456
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2006
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- 6,551
- 2,063
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
I'll be heading to Arizona on Fri and Sat to catch the A's play the Rangers and Giants.
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- 6,551
- 2,063
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
I'll be heading to Arizona on Fri and Sat to catch the A's play the Rangers and Giants.
- 3,486
- 93
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2006
^Thats sick! I've only been once, back in 06 (5 years ago??
). After I get out of school and whatnot, I want to make it a yearly trip.
- 3,486
- 93
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2006
^Thats sick! I've only been once, back in 06 (5 years ago??
). After I get out of school and whatnot, I want to make it a yearly trip.
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- 6,551
- 2,063
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
Originally Posted by WearinTheFourFive
^Thats sick! I've only been once, back in 06 (5 years ago??). After I get out of school and whatnot, I want to make it a yearly trip.
You go to SLO right? I went last year for the first time and it was sick, so I'm definitely trying to make it a yearly thing also. I'm a senior now so it's easier to skip class.
- Status