Although it's only December, it's always a good time to talk baseball. I thought I'd kick off the conversation with the White Sox' acquisition of Jeff Samardzija. As the article below explains, he's a bargain #1 or 2 starter at a salary of about $9.5 million, his last season before free agency. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ox-latest-trade-details-comments-and-reaction
They also signed David Robertson from the Yankees. The Sox look like they are loading up on arms in the off-season.
He'll still be a free agent in 2016. So he's a rent a player. Now of course if he has a good year, they'd probably make him a good offer for a long term contract.
He turned down an offer from the Cubs last season. The dollar amount was $85 million. I think it was for 7 years, maybe 5.
No kidding, he showed something last year, but after the move to Oakland and a couple of good outings he was not all that good. This next year is a Salary Year for him. Have a good year and given his age and potential he could get a really good contract. ...with the Yankees most likely.
George and Terry.....typical evaluations by a Yankees and Astros fan. Look at the W-L record and nothing else. In Terry's case, judge his time with the A's without the salient facts. His combined ERA in 2014 was 2.99 (Cubs 2.83, A's 3.14). He pitched 219 innings. In 2014 he averaged 8.6 SO and only 2.6 BB per 9 IN. He's been a starter for the Cubs only since 2012. He also pitched over 200 IN in 2013, which qualifies him in today's game as an "Iron Man" starting pitcher. He averaged 6.95 IN in 16 starts for the A's, thus taking pressure off their bullpen. It's common knowledge that the A's free fall in 2014 was due to an inept offense, not pitching. Now tell me you wouldn't want him in your team's starting rotation, regardless of his salary, which by the way is a bargain at around $9.5 million. Speak louder. I can't hear you. :lol:
I've seen much better pitchers come to the Big Apple, fall flat on their faces and get run out of town on a rail. If you can make it there........ 8)
The Dodgers have a new GM and unlimited cash. They let Hanley Ramirez walk and they're shopping three of their outfielders: Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, and Andre Either. They want to keep the three kids out there: Puig, Van Slyke and Pederson. Puig will not be traded under any circumstances. We know his story now: he's stupid. We can work around that. Van Slyke or Pederson could be traded, but only at a steep price. Butera, the backup catcher, was traded to the Angels today for a player to be named. This clears the way for the Dodgers to trade Kemp for a catcher...possibly a deal with San Diego.
Quote: "LOL.....I thought it was good speed and good arm were GOD given...the rest you can teach?!?" As the farmer said when he smashed his mule between the eyes with a 2x4, "First you have to get his attention."
:idea: :!: :?: Dodgers trade Dee Gordon and Dan Haren to Marlins for Andrew Heaney, Chris Hatcher, Austin Barnes and Enrique Hernandez... http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/103746900/source-dodgers-marlins-swap-dee-gordon-andrew-heaney-in-6-player-deal I don't know about this deal. Haren is from Bishop Amat and he lives locally. He had already publicly proclaimed that if he couldn't play for the Dodgers or Angels that he would retire... The trade of young All-Star speedster Dee Gordon tells me that the Cuban 2nd baseman in the minors is ready..., but I hadn't heard that before. The key to the trade is young pitcher Andrew Heaney. Everybody wants that kid. I hope he's worth getting rid of Gordon and Haren. He'll be given every opportunity to win the 4th or 5th slot in the rotation behind Kershaw, Greinke and Ryu. - Dodgers trade for Jimmy Rollins. The top prospect in the Dodgers organization is SS Corey Seager. The addition of Rollins gives the team a place holder until he's ready...
Astros add Gregerson and Neshek to the relief staff. Still need a lot more before we'll be competitive.
Dodgers add Howie Kendrick at 2b, which, combined with Rollins, improves their middle infield defense.
What's the difference between Managing a baseball team and coaching a football team? It does seem like football coaches actually coach at least a position in addition to running the show (managing). Do baseball managers coach anything or do they leave that up to their staffs and focus solely and decision making with regards to lineup, pitching rotation, making game decisions?
Terry, you ask a very good question. I'd like to hear from JO'Co and Corey, who have managerial experience at high levels, Corey having been a college coach. We know that at the younger levels, coaches are teachers. It seems that at the higher levels, specifically the pros (A, AA, AA, MLB), the teaching involves refinement or correction of mechanics of already proven talent. At the MLB level, the manager seems to be more of a tactician and administrator than a teacher or instructor. Interesting question, indeed.
re: Dodger payroll Nope. I have no idea. The team has made something like 10 trades in the last 48 hours and turned over their entire roster. The kid I wanted so much (Heaney) was traded to the Angels just 5 hours after they acquired him, so I have no idea what's going on. The overall payroll is definitely going down, but where it winds up is anybody's guess. The new owners cleaned out the front office after the hated Frisco Giants finished 2nd and then won the WS. Now the dugout is being cleared as well. Remember the bubble machine after HRs? I think we've seen the last of that...along with Hanley who never buttoned his shirt, Kemp who growled at coaches who tried to help him, and Flash Gordon's kid and his Superman undershirts... I'll try to give you guys a full report, but first we have to wait for the fires to burn themselves out. The Big Broom of administration is sweeping through Los Angeles and these guys don't have much of a sense of humor. The only one smiling is Mattingly... re: managing The manager of a baseball team is like the captain of a ship: you're responsible for everything. Old catchers like Bruce Bochy or Mike Scioscia will often call individual pitches for their catchers. Mattingly acts as another hitting instructor, and so on... You don't trust your assistant coaches, but you do count on them to do their jobs and to give you timely information as they receive it. They're another set of eyes and ears that can help you manage the game, and that's what the job is all about: making adjustments to changing situations and anticipating those situations BEFORE they come up: 1. What's the count? 2. Where are the base runners? 3. How many out? 4. How many left-handed batters does the other guy have on his bench? 5. How many do you have? 6. Left-handed pitchers? 7. Where are we in the lineup? 8. Where are we in the other guy's lineup? 9. What did this batter do on his last at-bat? 10. What's the pitch count? (I used a counter I kept in my pocket.) 11. What's the catcher's time to 2nd on a steal? (Corey kept a stop watch in his pocket.) I could go on and on. Example: runners at first and third, one out, third inning, no count, the batter is batting third in their line up and he struck out in his first at-bat. What do you do? 1. I move the corners back. This guy isn't bunting. 2. I move the middle infield to double-play depth, closer to the middle. 3. I call pitches for the catcher. Two-seam sinkers down and away to try to get the grounder for a double play; curves and sliders down and away too. Show him the four-seam fastball up and in or up the ladder, but nothing for a strike: it's only for show. The only mistake I want with that guy is walking him... You get the idea. It's a game of managing percentages on every pitch of every at-bat. Managing the offense is similar. I never trusted any assistant with my offense. I ran it myself. Corey used to call all the pitches himself on his teams.