Offseason Baseball Thread

[Arrian]

Sava,

In general I agree that the money isn't my concern. It is, however, to a degree. Why? Two reasons:

1) Luxury Tax. The more the Yanks overspend, the more money my team will contribute to others' payrolls.

2) One of the problems the Yankees face lately is a roster full of "untradeable" contracts. This makes the roster very inflexible, which is not really a good thing.

Ming,

I love the Imperial March.

-Arrian

[Sava]

I'm not too concerned about the luxury tax. I'm too lazy to figure out how individual players will affect how much a team will give to other teams, etc...

But about #2... the alternative is to not sign a guy and then you either sign a lesser skilled player, or you promote a guy within the organization. Either way, you don't have much to work with if you are talking trades.

So I still don't see the downside of overpaying a mill' or two for guy if he fills a need and if the market is slim pickens... especially if the team in question is the Yankees or Cubs or Red Sox.

But I think we are about on the same page here.

About the Cubs signing Jacque Jones... this is good because it rules out the possibility of Milton Bradley being forwarded to Chicago from Oakland. Even after Bradley was traded from LA, there were still rumors that he was headed to Chicago. That would have been awful. Julio Lugo is another guy that is being talked about. He's also had problems off the field... specifically, with beating his wife.

Steve Stone had an interesting take on that scenario... He said that if the Cubs managed to acquire both Milton Bradley and Julio Lugo, the Cubs would lead the league in restraining orders. And in addition to that, they would have to move their TV broadcasts from WGN to Court TV.

[Arrian]

Sava,

Of course you're not concerned with the luxury tax. Only one team pays the tax: the New York Yankees (which was the intent all along). I'm not complaining - I think there should be much more financial restructing in baseball, actually, but that's a fact.

-Arrian

[Sava]

the Cubs are cornering the market on black frenchmen...

Jacque Jones, Juan Pierre

[Arrian]

The Cubs just need their pitchers to stay healthy. Of course, with Dusty Baker running things...

-Arrian

[Sava]

I'm not concerned about Dusty's handling of the starters this year. The Cubs have Dempster closing (who had the best save % of closers last year... 33 of 35), and they signed Scott Eyre and Bobby Howry, who will be the 7th and 8th inning guys, respectively.

People who criticize Dusty's handling of the staff, saying he rides pitchers too hard are morons. Dusty has many flaws... that is not one of them. His misuse of the pitching staff has to do with strategic matchups, not overusing pitchers. Imran was making a dumbass argument using 2003 stats. And it was such a dumb argument. Good pitchers pitch a lot of innings, the other pitchers that were high on those abuse ratings just happened to be other good pitchers in the league. And because in 2003, the Cubs had 3 of the top pitchers in the game, OF COURSE THEY WILL PITCH A LOT OF INNINGS. Combine that with the fact that they had a ****ty bullpen, and Dusty had NO CHOICE but to leave his starters in for longer stretches.

I'm not saying that you are making such an argument, Arrian, but I just wanted to nip it in the bud...

But the Cubs need a starter... I'm hoping they can sign Millwood.

I'm not worried about Zambrano... but Prior is a question mark. Wood is garbage... I'd trade him at the first opprotunity... Jerome Williams is slated to be in the rotation, also Glendon Rusch...

maybe Rich Hill (prospect who saw some time last year) will make the team, I don't know...

but right now the Cubs really only have 4 starters...

I'm disappointed in Prior... I thought he was going to be a top notch starter capable of contenting for a Cy Young every year... and I know his injuries have been different things... supposedly freak things, but still, if he has another year of injuries, I'm officially considering him a bust.

[Arrian]

One can certainly argue that having a ****ty bullpen = abusing your starters.

Sure. Or having a thin bullpen = abusing your best relievers (Torre).

So perhaps it isn't Dusty's fault. I must admit, I was just parroting CW there, and that's usually a bad idea.

Prior is indeed a wierd case. He was the guy so many people thought had "perfect mechanics" and thus asserted he wouldn't get hurt. My thought is that there is no such thing as perfect mechanics - the human body is not designed, err, has not evolved to throw a baseball 95 mph with vicious spin.

-Arrian

[Sava]

Well, Prior's injuries have not been the result of his mechanics. He had the collision with Giles in 2004. Then a ball hit off of his elbow that caused the latest problem.


Kerry Wood's injuries, however, are because of his mechanics. And he's pretty much said that he is just going to have the surgery, rehab, and not change his approach.

[Arrian]

That's another thing - injuries happen, even if you do everything right. I guess that's the main point. Having good mechanics helps, but it's not a cure-all.

As for Wood - the success of his "slurve" might be the worst thing that ever happened to him. Granted, it got him paid and it got him in the record books... but what if he'd thrown a normal curveball/fastball/changeup combo? Maybe he would have had a long, successful career... just w/o the 20 strikeout game.

-Arrian

[Sava]

Originally posted by Arrian
That's another thing - injuries happen, even if you do everything right. I guess that's the main point. Having good mechanics helps, but it's not a cure-all.

Yeah... I agree...

What I would say is that if Prior keeps having injuries "happen" this year... it's time to say BYE BYE.

As for Wood - the success of his "slurve" might be the worst thing that ever happened to him. Granted, it got him paid and it got him in the record books... but what if he'd thrown a normal curveball/fastball/changeup combo? Maybe he would have had a long, successful career... just w/o the 20 strikeout game.

-Arrian

That's an interesting point. And it's certainly been talked about ad nauseum here in Chicago. I'm not sure how I feel about it though. I saw that game... It really was special because that season ('98) was one of those special Cubs seasons... Harry Caray had recently passed, Wood was this hard throwing rookie who had this 20 K game, the Cubs were in the playoffs...

I don't think I would want to trade that game for anything... it was just a great part of that season. And even though it put Wood on the map and gave him the reputation... perhaps made him overrated, he still has a body of work that speaks for itself. His career strikeout per 9IP is second overall to Randy Johnson.

If Wood would just adjust his mechanics and work with someone, he would solve his problems and he'd become a much more consistent pitcher. He might not strikeout as many batters, but it would force him to become a smarter pitcher. It would also extend his career. And maybe... JUST MAYBE, he could win more than 14 games in a single season.

[Arrian]

Baseball Prospectus was pretty brutal on the J. Jones signing, by the way. I'm inclined to agree - he hasn't been good in a while.

-Arrian

[Sava]

Originally posted by Arrian
he hasn't been good ever

Fixed.

Yeah, yeah... I know he has hit .300 a couple years, but his .OBP has never been that good.

And I just HATE guys that strikeout a lot and don't walk.

Why even bother picking up Jones when you already have a guy who will strikeout and not walk in Corey Patterson?

At least Patterson is younger and can maybe have his confidence issues fixed. But Jones' numbers are on the decline and it started at age 29-30.

You have to be careful when guys start to decline at that age.

I think I'm just going to watch the White Sox this year.

[Arrian]

I was trying to be... not too harsh on Mr. Jones. And I think he has *some* value at his peak. Not everyone is an all-star.

And I just HATE guys that strikeout a lot and don't walk.

Bad combo. Alfonso Soriano is about the best you're gonna get out of that combo.

Stikeouts in and of themselves aren't so terrible, but lots of 'em coupled with low OBP = suckage.

Back to Soriano, any good pitcher can get him out. Fastball inside (running in on hands) - fouled away. Slider away - swing & a miss. Slider away, bouncing two feet outside - swing & a miss, strike three. That was BRUTAL to watch.

-Arrian

[Lawrence of Arabia]

even judas betrayed for 11,999,970 shekels less.

[Arrian]

Oh the betrayal!!

Damon signed with the Red Sox as a free agent from the As. Damon signed with the As as a free agent from the Royals.

Call him a merc if you will, but he's always been one, LoA. The only people who really have any right to whine about it are the ten remaining Royals fans... and even then, I don't wanna hear it.

-Arrian