2017 MLB Season Thread

[Slopho]

Congrats to Barry Larkin for his election to the HOF, next year looks really interesting. Bonds is in, Piazzia, Biggio and probably Schilling (though he probably shouldn't be). I find it interesting that Jeff Bagwell gets 50% of the vote while Fred McGriff gets less than 25%.

 

[Steve B.]



Congrats to Barry Larkin for his election to the HOF, next year looks really interesting. Bonds is in, Piazzia, Biggio and probably Schilling (though he probably shouldn't be). I find it interesting that Jeff Bagwell gets 50% of the vote while Fred McGriff gets less than 25%.

I don't think Bonds gets in. And I'm one of the few who actually like the guy.

 

[L'Incandescent]

I'd be very surprised if Bonds got in on the first ballot. I think the voters will vote no to send a strong message. I have to say, though, I don't have a good sense at all about whether he'll eventually be voted in. I guess I lean toward yes.

 

[Slopho]

Bonds was a HOF before any allegations. Even at the point where he started taking roids, sometime in 2001 I think he was well over 400 plus HRs.

 

[L'Incandescent]



Bonds was a HOF before any allegations. Even at the point where he started taking roids, sometime in 2001 I think he was well over 400 plus HRs.

Yup, I agree completely with that. That's why I lean toward thinking he'll get in eventually. But I'd still be surprised if he got in on the first ballot because it seems as if the voters like to use first-ballot votes to send messages.
I suspect the low percentage of votes for Bagwell is at least somewhat related to steroids, but to the best of my knowledge he hasn't been implicated in any way.

 

[Rambo]

God damn it if I don't like this Pineda-Montero trade. Its obvious that even with the retirement of Jorge, the Bombers didn't think that Montero was going to be the catcher of the future. Hopefully, Pineda will be more like the first half iteration rather than the second half. Either way, its an upgrade for the rotation. NOW IF ONLY THEY COULD GET RID OF AJ BURNETT.

 

[ConcernedParent]



God damn it if I don't like this Pineda-Montero trade. Its obvious that even with the retirement of Jorge, the Bombers didn't think that Montero was going to be the catcher of the future. Hopefully, Pineda will be more like the first half iteration rather than the second half. Either way, its an upgrade for the rotation. NOW IF ONLY THEY COULD GET RID OF AJ BURNETT.

Don't worry, they'll buy him back if he turns out to be any good.

 

[LawrenceMD]



God damn it if I don't like this Pineda-Montero trade. Its obvious that even with the retirement of Jorge, the Bombers didn't think that Montero was going to be the catcher of the future. Hopefully, Pineda will be more like the first half iteration rather than the second half. Either way, its an upgrade for the rotation. NOW IF ONLY THEY COULD GET RID OF AJ BURNETT.

as a redsox fan I kinda freaked out.. then realized that they are giving up Montero. Its a definite two-way trade because montero looks to be an offensive force who you can eventually plant on 1st base. the yankees actually have good pitching to begin with... they really needed more offense (seriously its true even with tex/arod/ect)...

it looks like cashman is embracing the "run prevention" trend through pitching (not really with fielding with older Arod/Jeter on the horn)

what freaks me out is that Pineda is supposedly a very coachable malleable pitcher - so at least he's not a headcase (AKA Joba)....

what makes me happy is that the mother ******* yankees didn't steal king felix. it looks like they had the pieces to do it with. i was in fear of them offering TEX (partial salary)+Montero+prospects then freeing up 1st base for a run at Prince.

 

[Rambo]

I think they're happy with TEX, which is why they unloaded Montero. I don't like Fielder that much myself so I think we're set in that regard. The money would have been a wash. Frankly, until Felix's contract comes up, nobody's getting him away from Seattle.

 

[Slopho]

Its funny, rooting for a team that had a decent catcher for a number of years then going through a stretch wth Brooke Fordyce as a catcher I can tell you, its so damn important. Why weren't the Yanks looking 3 or 4 years ago after they got rid of Navarro?

 

[Rambo]



Its funny, rooting for a team that had a decent catcher for a number of years then going through a stretch wth Brooke Fordyce as a catcher I can tell you, its so damn important. Why weren't the Yanks looking 3 or 4 years ago after they got rid of Navarro?

Huh? They've had Posada behind the plate for a decade now. I guess they're going with Russell Martin from now on.

 

[Slopho]



Huh? They've had Posada behind the plate for a decade now. I guess they're going with Russell Martin from now on.

Right, what I'm saying is that they should have looked harder for a catcher after they decided that Dioneer Navarro wasn't going to be the guy. It takes 4-5 years to make it though the minors.

 

[Rambo]



Right, what I'm saying is that they should have looked harder for a catcher after they decided that Dioneer Navarro wasn't going to be the guy. It takes 4-5 years to make it though the minors.

Ah, I got it now. I HOPE they have someone waiting in the wings but, this being the Yankees, they'll probably hope to sign someone away from another team.

 

[LawrenceMD]



Ah, I got it now. I HOPE they have someone waiting in the wings but, this being the Yankees, they'll probably hope to sign someone away from another team.

offensive positive catchers are rarer than front line starting pitchers - also they are contract liabilities (ex. joe mauer).

the steroid era produced a lot of great catchers, but now its just a dearth...if mike napoli was a free agent he'd probably get 20million but no way in hell more than 4 years... even from the yankees.

montero maybe projected to be a eventual 1st baseman/DH, but napoli was in the same boat with the angels as well... thats why they gave him up... but Napoli eventually panned out defensively/catcher wise for at least this year.

 

[Rambo]

Frankly, I think a defensive catcher who's great with pitchers is WAY more valuable than one who's just ok but swings the bat well.