Our National Pastime: 2015 Baseball Thread
- Thread starter rumpleforeskiin
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I'm gonna call him "NFL".
Thats the best thing you ever said Doc :lol: :lol:
Best Regards
Smuler
Doc - I would tend to agree with you about the NL especially with starters. However, I don't think that NL closers ever get the luxery of pitching to another pitcher. Maybe your saying a NL batting order that uses multiple pinch hitters is not as productive as a AL line up that uses a DH?
Chapmen is solid. I can't believe the Yankees would continue with a BP like this. You would think they would have to trade one of the big 3 - Betances or Miller - with the addition of Chapmen. Maybe the Yankees think they have done this by trading Wilson to Detroit? You have Miller as your set-up, Chapmen as your closer and Betance as your go to arm when the starter gets into a jam in the 6th or 7th inning jam. The second best pen (Yankees) may have just out paced the number one pen (KC)?
What about the salaries of Miller and Chapman? Is Betance paid that much?
I would go further and say that on paper at least, this is the best bullpen in the history of major league baseball. It's the first time any team has had three 100 strikeout relief pitchers from the prior year in one bullpen. The Yankees are also stacked like never before on the left hand side- in addition to having 2 lefties who have both been premiere MLB closers (Miller and Chapman), the Yankees have young lefty Jacob Lindgren, who was a 1st round draft pick a couple years ago and has closer ability. He got hurt last year but showed tremendous promise before he went on the DL.
As far as the AL/NL nonsense: Rafael Soriano's ERA was a full run lower with the Yankees in 2012 then it was with Washington in 2013 and 2014. He held the closer job all 3 of those years. I expect Chapman to be MUCH better with the Yankees than with the Reds, number 1 because he is 27 years old and coming into his prime, number 2 because he has studs surrounding and protecting him and his workload, and number 3 because if he does get suspended he will not be pitching as many innings anyway. Oh and number 4, Yankees Stadium generally favors lefthanded pitchers and strongly disfavors righthanded pitchers.
I don't think it is nonsense about NL vs AL. Just do a comparison of the productivity of the DH vs a starting pitcher batting in the 9th position. Or maybe comparing AL vs NL 9th position hitter stats is a good way to compare the two particularly in the early innings. I do not think there is a pitcher in both leagues that would rather pitch to a DH vs fellow pitcher. Soriano may of just had a bad year for any number of reasons.
What about management of salaries? I know that closers are paid a great deal more than the rest of the pen due to the most misleading stat in the history of the MLB - the Save.
What about management of salaries? I know that closers are paid a great deal more than the rest of the pen due to the most misleading stat in the history of the MLB - the Save.
NL bullpen pitchers are mostly facing pinch hitters for the pitcher's slot who would be DHs if they were in the AL. In Soriano's 2 years closing for the Nats I doubt he ever faced a pitcher- if he did it would have been after already blowing the save. Same deal with Chapman in Cincinnati- he was a closer not facing any pitcher unless sent up to sacrifice bunt which is kind of hard to do on a 102 mph fastball.
There were rumours flying a month or so ago that Miller may be traded. Who knows what will happen, but i'm certain he and his agent aren't very happy at the demotion from closer to set-up man. NFL only has a year left, so he may be trade-bait for a quality starter. Relievers are so unpredictable. That's why i can't see the Yankees keeping all three. Plus spending that much money on a bullpen is just plain nuts if you ask me. While i agree with EB that 'on paper', this may be one of the best late inning bullpens in history, let's wait and see how it'll all turn out once the season is under way. Andrew Miller had arm problems last season. Who knows if those problems are behind him. Relievers are pitchers, after all. Pitchers often wind up with arm problems. The same thing could happen to either of them.
And again, i can't see NFL being as successful in the AL as he was in the NL. AL hitters enjoy teeing off fastball pitchers. The faster, the better. I can't wait to see the likes of Donaldson, Bautista and Encarnacion pounding NFL's fastballs out of the park!
p.s. Hungry, can you name me a top NL closer who was recently successful after a shift to the AL?
Let's see how Craig Kimbrel does in Boston
He's the real deal
Best Regards
Smuler
No, but I am hoping I can name one after the season is over. The guy the Tigers just acquired is from the Brewers.
EB - I am agreement with you for the Closers anyway.
I'm crossing my fingers today to finally see former Expos all-star Tim Raines to be named to the Baseball Hall-of-Fame. To me and many others, it's a travesty that he's yet to be named and only has two more opportunities (incl. today) to ever make it to the Hall.
Ken Griffey Jr. will be an easy selection. Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell will likely make it.
Ken Griffey Jr. will be an easy selection. Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell will likely make it.
What a baseball player ! Imagine if he was healthy
http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5247355
He was the Mickey Mantle of his day, but Griiffey was better
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mantlmi01.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/griffke02.shtml
Also, next to Bench, Piazza was the best offensive catcher
Best Regards
Smuler
Ken Griffey got the highest percentage of votes ever and will enter the Hall on his first try. Mike Piazza, to the surprise of many, is the only other to enter the Hall. Many observers had him fourth on their list. Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines barely missed it, i've been told. Hopefully for Raines next year's the charm since it'll be his last chance to get in.
Congrats also to Griffey for passing Tom Seaver as the all-time highest percentage vote getter, a mark I never thought would be broken :
http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2016/01/06...o-100-but-he-is-the-all-time-top-vote-getter/
Best Regards
Smuler
http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2016/01/06...o-100-but-he-is-the-all-time-top-vote-getter/
Best Regards
Smuler
Drew Storen happy to join the Jays
"I'm incredibly excited to be headed to Toronto," he posted on twitter. "Heard so many great things."
Storen, a six-year major-leaguer with a career 21-13 record and 95 saves, was traded for outfielder Ben Revere and a player to be named later.
He will earn $8.8 million US in 2016 and is expected to contend for the Jays' closer position.
The move gives Toronto several options both in the bullpen and the starting staff. Sanchez may return to the starting staff, or he may become a 7th inning setup man with Storen and Osuna in either the 8th-inning setup role or as closer, with lefty Brett Cecil coming in anytime in the late innings to blow away the left-handed hitters.
My guess is that Sanchez will remain in the bullpen, unless the Jays trade a starter. As of now, the starting rotation would look like this: Stroman, Dickey, Estrada, Happ, Hutchison.
"I'm incredibly excited to be headed to Toronto," he posted on twitter. "Heard so many great things."
Storen, a six-year major-leaguer with a career 21-13 record and 95 saves, was traded for outfielder Ben Revere and a player to be named later.
He will earn $8.8 million US in 2016 and is expected to contend for the Jays' closer position.
The move gives Toronto several options both in the bullpen and the starting staff. Sanchez may return to the starting staff, or he may become a 7th inning setup man with Storen and Osuna in either the 8th-inning setup role or as closer, with lefty Brett Cecil coming in anytime in the late innings to blow away the left-handed hitters.
My guess is that Sanchez will remain in the bullpen, unless the Jays trade a starter. As of now, the starting rotation would look like this: Stroman, Dickey, Estrada, Happ, Hutchison.
Orioles re-sign Chris Davis for 7 years
BALTIMORE — Multiple people with knowledge of the situation say Chris Davis has agreed to a seven-year, $161 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, pending a physical.
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the Orioles have not announced the transaction.
The 29-year-old Davis has been with Baltimore since 2011. He hit a major-league leading 47 home runs and amassed 117 RBIs last year.
Davis became a free agent after the 2015 season. The Orioles were his most aggressive suitor, offering a seven-year deal last month.
Davis stalled making a decision. His decision to agree to terms came days after Baltimore reportedly made an offer to hard-hitting free agent Yoenis Cespedes.
Davis has 203 career homers, including 126 over the last three years. He hit a career-high 53 long balls in 2013.
BALTIMORE — Multiple people with knowledge of the situation say Chris Davis has agreed to a seven-year, $161 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, pending a physical.
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the Orioles have not announced the transaction.
The 29-year-old Davis has been with Baltimore since 2011. He hit a major-league leading 47 home runs and amassed 117 RBIs last year.
Davis became a free agent after the 2015 season. The Orioles were his most aggressive suitor, offering a seven-year deal last month.
Davis stalled making a decision. His decision to agree to terms came days after Baltimore reportedly made an offer to hard-hitting free agent Yoenis Cespedes.
Davis has 203 career homers, including 126 over the last three years. He hit a career-high 53 long balls in 2013.
Doc, note that while Davis led the majors in homers last year he also led in strikeouts with 208, which was only 12 Ks shy of the major league record. This man is not cheated on his swings. Reminds me a bit of Reggie Jackson but only in that regard. Reggie often corkscrewed himself into the ground with his swings, but when he connected had massive power as does Davis. Jose Bautista is another guy who swings for the fences.
Tigers sign Upton:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-detroit-tigers-agree-six-year-deal/78981736/
I would have prefered Cespedes but this is an interesting and much needed signing.
He has hit 26 or more homeruns 3 years in a row. We need some pop in LF.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-detroit-tigers-agree-six-year-deal/78981736/
I would have prefered Cespedes but this is an interesting and much needed signing.
He has hit 26 or more homeruns 3 years in a row. We need some pop in LF.
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