Baseball offseason, let's get ready for 2014.

[EagerBeaver]

I really have to disagree. When this guy hasn't thrown a single MLB pitch and everyone already has him as the savior to baseball. Let's see if he turns out to be a Daisuke or a Yu before indocrinating him into the HOF!

SK,

The so called experts were saying if the Dodgers had signed Tanaka he would have slotted #3 behind Kershaw and Greinke giving LA the most formidable 3 man front of any team in MLB. This set up the possibility of a hosing of the AL Champ in the World Series (note the Dodgers are favorites WITHOUT Tanaka). Instead of moaning you should be very thankful and appreciative that Cashman and his 8 man "LA travelling team" prevented this Dodgers juggernaut from forming and thwarting the AL teams we all root for. Show some unity with team AL, will ya? I think a thank you card to Cashman may be in order.

All of the experts say Tanaka has the best split fingered fastball in the world. From what I can see it is not the hardest split I have seen, but the amount of break is unreal. Anyway, at this time Tanaka is indeed unproven in MLB, but all we can go by is what these experts have said and Tanaka's own track record in Japan.

 

[hungry101]

I read that Tanaka has thrown a ton of innings each year at age was 18 and 19 or something like this. I heard something like 300. I would be concerned about longevity. We will see.

 

[Special K]

Whoa, settle down Beav. I'm not moaning at all, but I'm not giving Tanaka a free pass to first ballot HOF'er like you and everyone else is! That's what I'm saying. Wait until he gets here and shows what he can do before drinking that Kool-Aid. Even as a Yankee fan you can do that, can't you? Well, come to think of it, I doubt it.

 

[Special K]

SK,

The so called experts were saying if the Dodgers had signed Tanaka he would have slotted #3 behind Kershaw and Greinke giving LA the most formidable 3 man front of any team in MLB. This set up the possibility of a hosing of the AL Champ in the World Series (note the Dodgers are favorites WITHOUT Tanaka).

One more thing Beav. How many games did Greinke & Kershaw combine to win in the NLCS last year? Out of 4 games started tell me how many they won?

The so called experts also didn't have the Red Sox on their radar to win the WS but guess what, they did!!

 

[EagerBeaver]

I read that Tanaka has thrown a ton of innings each year at age was 18 and 19 or something like this. I heard something like 300. I would be concerned about longevity. We will see.

He threw 160 pitches in game 6 of the Japan Series and then came out of the bullpen in game 7. By reputation, he is a durable horse, and he appears to have a bigger, stronger body than the smaller Dice K Matsuzaka, who was a nibbler that did not go after hitters. It is always a concern when a young pitcher amasses a lot of innings and throws a split that has some violent arm action, but the truth is nobody knows what will happen. By history, Tanaka has been a horse for several years now, amassing a lot of innings and also amassing ERA's that were half of what Yu Darvish's were. At some point you have no choice but to look at what a guy has done in the past. You cannot predict injuries, except when a guy has a consistent history of getting hurt, which Tanaka does not.

 

[EagerBeaver]

One more thing Beav. How many games did Greinke & Kershaw combine to win in the NLCS last year? Out of 4 games started tell me how many they won?

There is an explanation for that. Mattingly overused Kershaw and used him on short rest due to Ricky Nolasco having sucked moose balls and lost everyone's confidence. This is exactly why the Dodgers went hard after Tanaka. You can win in the postseason with 3 great guys; you cannot do it with 2 great guys getting overused and a bunch of others who suck. That is what happened with the Dodgers and also why the Cashman block on the Dodgers getting Tanaka was the great fortune of the rest of MLB.

In case you have not noticed, in the last 3 years the Dodgers under their new ownership group have been surging past every team in baseball in what they spend. Other teams have to stop them, and that is what the Yankees did.

 

[Special K]

In case you have not noticed, in the last 3 years the Dodgers under their new ownership group have been surging past every team in baseball in what they spend. Other teams have to stop them, and that is what the Yankees did.

Cue the music!!!! Hahahaha. How's it feel for the Yankees to have spending competition now? It's about time there's some parity in obnoxiousness.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Meet The Yankees New Set Up Man

Shawn Kelley should be able to fill the role of set up man to David Robertson. He has a high octane fastball:

http://nypost.com/2014/01/27/yankees-new-setup-man-ready-for-bigger-role-post-mo/

Meanwhile rumors persist that the Yankees, or the Mets, may acquire Stephen Drew:

http://nypost.com/2014/01/27/baseball-offseason-is-over-but-questions-still-remain/

 

[EagerBeaver]

Jenny Dell Removed From NESN Red Sox Broadcasts

Jenny Dell reassigned due to fucking Will Middlebrooks:

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2...sox-broadcasts-amid-relationship-with-player/

http://www.boston.com/sports/touchi..._on_red_sox_broadcasts_appear_to_be_over.html

Evidently it is not the 1st time a pretty young Red Sox sideline reporter at NESN was pounced on by a Red Sox, although in past years a little better discretion was used. It sounds like a New Year's Eve tweet by Middlebrooks, probably written and posted while drunk, was the last straw and cost his girlfriend her Red Sox reporting duties.

 

[Special K]

Teixeira already setting up the excuses...

Classic Tex, laying the groud work for his possible failure this season. http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2...tiffness-in-his-wrist-for-most-of-the-season/

One of the big “ifs” for the Yankees is “if Mark Teixeira” can return as an effective hitter. Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal caught up with him and, while he has no pain in his wrist and the doctors say everything is healing correctly, he is still stiff and expects to be for some time:

Teixeira’s doctors have told him that it will take a year for the wrist to feel fully normal, and that the tightness will likely remain throughout. It should improve, however, with every therapy session he completes and every swing he takes.
“I’m expecting until June, and maybe even through this entire season, it’ll be a little tight,” Teixeira said.
​

This article drops the old “time will tell” chestnut, but that’s just a slightly more optimistic way to phrase “we have no freakin’ idea.” And it suggests that, while most players can get away without being effective in spring training because they’re “getting their work in” or whatever, watching Teixeira in Tampa this year is going to be a lot more important.

 

[EagerBeaver]

I will be seeing Teixeira in person for two spring training games in March. I am looking forward to seeing what he can do.

 

[Joe.t]

I have a sneaking suspicion that either Ubaldo Jimenez or Erwin Santana will be a Blue Jay by Friday February 7, just a hunch.

 

[kirkjonas]

I have a sneaking suspicion that either Ubaldo Jimenez or Erwin Santana will be a Blue Jay by Friday February 7, just a hunch.

Ubaldo is no what he used to be with a live arm that let him get away with a fast ball with no movement, lost the speed and lost the effectiveness, but Santana could be very interesting a prospect.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Cashman Tamping Down Expectations on Tanaka

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/sto...yankees-projects-masahiro-tanaka-no-3-starter

 

[Merlot]

Boyz!

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/sto...yankees-projects-masahiro-tanaka-no-3-starter

NEW YORK -- Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka, who last month signed the fifth-largest contract for a pitcher in major league history, has the potential to be a "No. 3 starter," New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Friday.

"We view him to be a really solid, consistent No. 3 starter," Cashman said on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" on ESPN Radio. "If we get more than that, all the better. He's got a great deal of ability.

"There is definitely some unknown because of the transition. We scouted him extensively. Certainly, we look forward to adding him into the mix with the rest of our rotation. That's what we look at him as: A solid, potential No. 3 starter in the big leagues."

Cashman is likely trying to tamp down expectations for the 25-year-old Tanaka, who signed a seven-year, $155 million contract with the Yankees -- the largest contract ever given to an international player. Tanaka can opt out of the deal after four years.

I agree with Cashman. No one can expect any pitcher who comes from a system, where the dynamics on many key details of pitching are different, to be a number 1 pitcher right away or even the first year. It would be unfair to expect that of any top American prospect too. However, the idiotic thing is you also can't pay $155 million for a pitcher like that and then tell people NOT to expect it. That's where Cashman looks like he's being ridiculous. Clearly, Cashman wants to greedily grab glory for obtaining Tanaka and now WEASEL out of responsibility for the prospect he could well fail to measure up to his cost.

Funny Yankees, :thumb:

Merlot

 

[lgna69xxx]

Very smart of Cashman to not put a lot more pressure on Tanaka. It would surprise me if he is not a #1 within 2 seasons however. Time will tell as they say. Look out for Nova this season, he pitched extremely well the second half of the season and was the Yanks best starter at that time. Really looking forward to seeing what Pineda has also. Banuelo's as well after both lost about a season each due to arm problems. Many times after TJ Surgery (Manny B) pitchers are better than before.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/sto...yankees-projects-masahiro-tanaka-no-3-starter

 

[Joe.t]

Very well said as usual iggy, you really know your stuff when it comes to baseball, I think that Nova might be a big surprise but I'm really looking forward to watching Tanaka and especially Pineda pitch, 43 days and counting.

For historical purposes an updated all time rankings of the most knowledgeable MERB members for the sport of baseball.

1. Eagerbeaver.
2. Iggy.
3. Doc Holliday.
4. Mitsou.
5. rumpleforskin.

:thumb:

 

[EagerBeaver]

Joe.t

Actually I would rank Chercherfemmes ahead of myself. He is the most knowledgeable fan I know.

 

[Joe.t]

How can I forget Chercherfemmes and his legendary minor league reports, my apologies to Chercherfemmes who undoubtedly is number one in the all time MERB rankings for baseball knowledge.

 

[Merlot]

Boyz.

Very well said as usual iggy, you really know your stuff when it comes to baseball,...

For historical purposes an updated all time rankings of the most knowledgeable MERB members for the sport of baseball.

1. Eagerbeaver.
2. Iggy.
3. Doc Holliday.
4. Mitsou.


:thumb:

:lol: So the poster boy for the Perfect Deadly Curse and wrong predictions of every kind wrote this. Funny how all of these experts had the CURRENT WORLD SERIES CHAMPION BOSTON RED SOX picked for last without hope for the next several years. BWAH!!!!!!!!!! I had them 3rd in the division, Rumples had them possibly winning it. On the record of predictions you all failed. But at least you didn't forget to give Iggy a kiss.

1. Irreversible fanboy.
2. Nothing.
3. Angry with Sox and Yankees.
Chercher cut and paste.
Joe.t jester.
DD41 hiding in shame.
Mitsou...at least she is willing to present an honest thought.

Joe.t

Actually I would rank Chercherfemmes ahead of myself. He is the most knowledgeable fan I know.

Beneath inadequacy.

Face it. You Yankees fans have been nothing but wishful team promoters at any time.

Thanks for another laugh.

Cheers,

Merlot