2014 MLB Thread & Pissing Match

[ChicosBailBonds]

The A's just completely monopolized the starting pitching trade market.  They might as well have traded to get Price just for craps and giggles (who is going nowhere).  Chicos, your Angels don't have the pieces to make a counter move.  Good thing the A's can never seem to get over the hump that is the ALCS.

A's make another trade with the Twinkies.

I have bigger concerns, like finishing with the 2nd best record in all of baseball and having to play a one game playoff.  Sucks to be the AL West the last few years.

I doubt seriously we make any moves. 

[chapman]

Nice flexibility by adding Parra.  Splits leave him as a toss-up with Davis against RHP so worth filling in against tough righties, but moreover a useful option off the bench to spell any OF position where Schafer couldn't even be stomached...below average offense of Parra being a huge upgrade over completely inept of Schafer.  Would hope for an IF utility/1B upgrade too, but that can be had in August. 

[Benny B]

At this point - with an hour left before the NWTD - Tampa Bay is probably getting antsy to move Price, but I'm sure they want a young, MLB pitcher in return.  I don't think any other contender can offer more than the Brewers on that front.  Though since Melvin hasn't parted with Nelson by this point, he's probably not going to.

[wadesworld]

At this point - with an hour left before the NWTD - Tampa Bay is probably getting antsy to move Price, but I'm sure they want a young, MLB pitcher in return.  I don't think any other contender can offer more than the Brewers on that front.  Though since Melvin hasn't parted with Nelson by this point, he's probably not going to.

The Rays have no reason at all to move Price.  With him under control through next year, you can see how hot you stay and see if you can make a Playoff push in the awful AL East and then trade him in the offseason, or better yet, hang onto him for next year and if you aren't playing well you trade him at next year's deadline.  No reason to trade him now.

[Benny B]

The Rays have no reason at all to move Price.  With him under control through next year, you can see how hot you stay and see if you can make a Playoff push in the awful AL East and then trade him in the offseason, or better yet, hang onto him for next year and if you aren't playing well you trade him at next year's deadline.  No reason to trade him now.

8 games out at the end of July is not insurmountable if you're in second place.  But the Rays have three teams in front of them for the division and five teams in front of them for the 2nd wild card spot.  Nate Silver would be screaming "trade" right now.

[CTWarrior]

8 games out at the end of July is not insurmountable if you're in second place.  But the Rays have three teams in front of them for the division and five teams in front of them for the 2nd wild card spot.  Nate Silver would be screaming "trade" right now.

Plus he's more valuable now than he is this off-season or at next year's trading deadline.  If you pick him up now, he can effect two pennant races.

But if I'm the Rays, I've got to think 2015 is the best chance I'm going to have for a long while and I'm going to keep him.

[tower912]

David Price is a Tiger.   Austin Jackson and Drew Smyly are leaving.

[CTWarrior]

Plus he's more valuable now than he is this off-season or at next year's trading deadline.  If you pick him up now, he can effect two pennant races.

But if I'm the Rays, I've got to think 2015 is the best chance I'm going to have for a long while and I'm going to keep him.

Well, they traded him to the Tigers, the last team that needed him.  I don't know what the Tigers gave up yet,  but is Price really that much better than Verlander/Scherzer/Sanchez?

[tower912]

Arms race.   Countered Oakland's move.   Gave up a young starter and a starting CF.   Dombrowski just pushed his chips to the middle of the table.  

And it won't matter.    With the exception of the starting rotation, Cabrera, V Martinez, and Kinsler, Detroit is below average.  No dirtbags.   No one I expect to raise their game in the playoffs.    Several I expect to do worse in the playoffs.   Maybe it will be enough, but in my heart of hearts, I think Mr. I is disappointed yet again. 

[brandx]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I detest Kirk Gibson and the D'backs. This was after they went after Braun following one of their guys getting accidently hit. Now they have done the same to one of the best in MLB - Andrew McCutchen - knocking him out for at least a month.

My true baseball high would be some opposing player going into the D'bags dugout and kicking Gibson's a$$. But since that isn't gonna happen, here is the next best thing.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/arizona-diamondbacks-kirk-gibson-paul-kevin-towers-andrew-mccutchen/

This paragraph sums them up well:
Where they cross the line is by throwing at hitters. Let’s call it what it is: an institutional policy, set in place by Towers and enforced by Gibson, of responding to hurt feelings with violence. In spring training games, blowout losses, and late and close situations, Arizona’s pitchers have intentionally hit opposing teams’ star players. Other teams hit batters on purpose, but nobody does it as often or as routinely as the Diamondbacks do. They’ll do it to retaliate for accidental hits-by-pitches, they’ll do it out of spite, and they’ll do it because they’re losing.

[brandx]

Last August, Gibson had harsh words for Ryan Braun, who was then about to be suspended for PED use. Gibson, never one to miss an opportunity to pander to his base, said he’d confront Braun to his face. Which, of course, he didn’t. Gibson took that personal, testosterone-charged anger to the press, and then, in June of this year, congratulated Evan Marshall for hitting Braun to load the bases with a one-run lead.

[akmarq]

Price is in line to make $18+ million in arbitration this offseason. There was no way the Rays could afford that. Every GM in baseball knew he was going to be traded at the deadline or the offseason and the Rays were smart to make the deal when opposing GMs had the incentive pay more for the chance to use Price in the 2014 post season.

[drewm88]

Baez! 2015 World Series campaign starts tonight! I expect him to go 4-5 with 2 doubles and a home run. Plus 3 of  the top 10 plays on tomorrow's SC.

Between Baez, Castro, Rizzo, and Bryant, plus the veteran leadership of phenoms Corey Patterson, Tyler Colvin, Jeff Samardzija, Mark Prior, Soto, Pie, and Hee Seop Choi, we are golden.

[wadesworld]

Baez! 2015 World Series campaign starts tonight! I expect him to go 4-5 with 2 doubles and a home run. Plus 3 of  the top 10 plays on tomorrow's SC.

Between Baez, Castro, Rizzo, and Bryant, plus the veteran leadership of phenoms Corey Patterson, Tyler Colvin, Jeff Samardzija, Mark Prior, Soto, Pie, and Hee Seop Choi, we are golden.

The saddest part is that the funniest part of that last statement is including Castro in there...

[🏀]

The saddest part is that the funniest part of that last statement is including Castro in there...

A three time all-star shortstop with a slash line of .328/.423/.751 that is under 25 and with a very team-friendly contract?

Pretty unnatural carnal knowledgeing good asset.

[🏀]

Baez! 2015 World Series campaign starts tonight! I expect him to go 4-5 with 2 doubles and a home run. Plus 3 of  the top 10 plays on tomorrow's SC.

Between Baez, Castro, Rizzo, and Bryant, plus the veteran leadership of phenoms Corey Patterson, Tyler Colvin, Jeff Samardzija, Mark Prior, Soto, Pie, and Hee Seop Choi, we are golden.

Not sure why Samardzija is in there, but Baez is exciting. Problem with CPat, Pie and Choi was the internal hype that was created they would never live up to it. The new farm system has the scouts hype for once in their history.

[wadesworld]

A three time all-star shortstop with a slash line of .328/.423/.751 that is under 25 and with a very team-friendly contract?

Pretty unnatural carnal knowledgeing good asset.

Yawn.  The guy makes more unforced errors than just about anybody I've watched.

[🏀]

Yawn.  The guy makes more unforced errors than just about anybody I've watched.

Hilarious, coming from a guy that was so excited about Segura's production last year, which is under those numbers.

The errors thing is good too considering Castro and Segura both have 12 errors this season, and Castro has played more games.

[wadesworld]

Hilarious, coming from a guy that was so excited about Segura's production last year, which is under those numbers.

The errors thing is good too considering Castro and Segura both have 12 errors this season, and Castro has played more games.

I was 100% excited about Segura's production last year.  He was a stud.  His defense is still outstanding.  I'll take a defensive star at SS at 24 years old in his 2nd season who struggles at the plate over a SS who has all the physical tools in the world but is the same average player at 24 in his 5th season that he was at 19 (not trying to say Jean is a better overall player, just that Starlin is incredibly overrated...Puig Lite in terms of physical tools that underperform partly due to mental lapses).

I'm going to go ahead and give Segura a pass on 3 of his errors that came within a week of him returning from the death of his 9 month old son.  That might be just me though.

Last year Jean had 199 put outs and 459 assists with just 15 errors (.978 fielding percentage) and a defensive WAR of 1.0, in his first full season playing shortstop.  Compare that with Starlin's 238 put outs and 416 assists with 22 errors (.967 fielding percentage) and a defensive WAR of -0.3.

And this year Jean has 127 put outs with 330 assists and 12 errors (.974 fielding percentage) and a defensive WAR of 1.0, compared to 124 put outs and 326 assists with 12 errors (.974 fielding percentage) and a defensive WAR of -0.2.

So sure Castro has played more innings, but he has had less opportunities.  Defensively Jean is just as much better than Castro as Castro is better than Jean offensively.  A SS who has a negative defensive WAR is a pretty big problem.

But hey, why not just pick 2 statistics (innings/errors) and paint a broad picture with them?

[🏀]

I was 100% excited about Segura's production last year.  He was a stud.  His defense is still outstanding.  I'll take a defensive star at SS at 24 years old in his 2nd season who struggles at the plate over a SS who has all the physical tools in the world but is the same average player at 24 in his 5th season that he was at 19 (not trying to say Jean is a better overall player, just that Starlin is incredibly overrated...Puig Lite in terms of physical tools that underperform partly due to mental lapses).

I'm going to go ahead and give Segura a pass on 3 of his errors that came within a week of him returning from the death of his 9 month old son.  That might be just me though.

Last year Jean had 199 put outs and 459 assists with just 15 errors (.978 fielding percentage) and a defensive WAR of 1.0, in his first full season playing shortstop.  Compare that with Starlin's 238 put outs and 416 assists with 22 errors (.967 fielding percentage) and a defensive WAR of -0.3.

And this year Jean has 127 put outs with 330 assists and 12 errors (.974 fielding percentage) and a defensive WAR of 1.0, compared to 124 put outs and 326 assists with 12 errors (.974 fielding percentage) and a defensive WAR of -0.2.

So sure Castro has played more innings, but he has had less opportunities.  Defensively Jean is just as much better than Castro as Castro is better than Jean offensively.  A SS who has a negative defensive WAR is a pretty big problem.

But hey, why not just pick 2 statistics (innings/errors) and paint a broad picture with them?

Just like painting a yawn on Castro...

No doubt, Castro's career WAR will surpass Segura.

[wadesworld]

Just like painting a yawn on Castro...

No doubt, Castro's career WAR will surpass Segura.

Overall WAR yes. Defensive WAR? No chance. By the time Castro figures it out from neck up he'll be so diminished physically it won't matter.

[🏀]

Overall WAR yes. Defensive WAR? No chance. By the time Castro figures it out from neck up he'll be so diminished physically it won't matter.

Neither is more important than the other.

[wadesworld]

Neither is more important than the other.

Nope.  But at SS I'll personally take a player who is better defensively and struggles offensively vs. a player who struggles defensively but is better offensively.

And again, I'm not saying Jean is a better player than Castro.  I'm just saying that at 19 years old Castro was supposed to be the next big thing in baseball, the can't miss prospect, and 5 years later he is the exact same player he was at 19 years old.  In fact, Castro has gotten worse over the last 2 years than he was his first 3 years.

(Although, if we are looking at overall WAR, Jean's WAR last year - first full season in the majors - is higher than any year in Castro's career, and Jean's WAR this year is higher than Castro's is this year.)

[shiloh26]

Nope.  But at SS I'll personally take a player who is better defensively and struggles offensively vs. a player who struggles defensively but is better offensively.

And again, I'm not saying Jean is a better player than Castro.  I'm just saying that at 19 years old Castro was supposed to be the next big thing in baseball, the can't miss prospect, and 5 years later he is the exact same player he was at 19 years old.  In fact, Castro has gotten worse over the last 2 years than he was his first 3 years.

(Although, if we are looking at overall WAR, Jean's WAR last year - first full season in the majors - is higher than any year in Castro's career, and Jean's WAR this year is higher than Castro's is this year.)

?

Starlin Castro - WAR (2014)

Fangraphs: 2.1
Baseball Reference: 1.1

Jean Segura - WAR (2014)

Fangraphs: -0.1
Baseball Reference: 0.5

[wadesworld]

?

Starlin Castro - WAR (2014)

Fangraphs: 2.1
Baseball Reference: 1.1

Jean Segura - WAR (2014)

Fangraphs: -0.1
Baseball Reference: 0.5

My bad, read it wrong on ESPN.