Winter Blues: 2012 Official Offseason Baseball Thread
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Jays will be quicker, more selective
by Bob Elliott, QMI Agency
When the 12-player, Blue Jays-Miami Marlins deal is approved by commissioner Bud Selig on Monday, what kind of team can you expect to see at the Rogers Centre opening night against Terry Francona’s Cleveland Indians?
(Handing the lineup card to Francona will be a new Jays manager, someone not named Jim Tracy or Jim Riggleman.)
SPEED
Shortstop Jose Reyes stole 40 bases this season with the Marlins and has averaged under 51 stolen bases his previous five full seasons. He had 11 in 2009 when he played only 36 games for the New York Mets. Second baseman Emilio Bonifacio stole 30 for the Marlins, 70 in the previous two years. Left fielder Melky Cabrera was 13-for-18 stealing with the San Francisco Giants, after a 20-steal season with the Kansas City Royals in 2011.
Plus, the Jays have Rajai Davis, who stole 46 bases.
What, the Rogers Centre turf bother Reyes’ tender hamstrings, which restricted him to only 99 games his final three years with the Mets?
Well, any time we’ve heard a player complain about the turf, it’s been because his knee was aching or his back was causing him problems. We’re not saying the Rogers Centre turf is akin to walking on air ... but we don’t recall anyone complaining about hamstrings.
The Jays signed shortstop Alex Gonzalez, 33, with a knee problem, which had to be monitored in 2010. Gonzalez started 85 of the 89 games he was with the Jays before being dealt to the Atlanta Braves for Yunel Escobar.
The Jays are not the 1991-92 Montreal Expos that Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos grew up watching with Marquis Grissom (76 steals the first year, 78 the next) and Delino DeShields (51 and 56), but the Ontario Track club should be a lot better than, say, the 2009 Jays led by Alex Rios (19) and Vernon Wells (17) or the 2010 edition with Fred Lewis (17) and Jose Bautista (nine).
The combination of contact hitters with speed is more conducive to putting the ball in play.
FEWER STRIKOUTS
The Jays had too many swings and misses, striking out 1,251 times, fifth worse in the AL behind the Oakland A’s (1,387), Tampa Bay Rays (1,323, Baltimore Orioles (1,315) and the Seattle Mariners (1,259).
Gone is second baseman Kelly Johnson (159 strikeouts in 581 at-bats).
Gone from the starting lineup where he was 117 games due to trade is Rajai Davis, (102 whiffs, 487 at-bats), who will be in his back-up role again.
How one evaluator ranks the 2013 Jays hitters into groups when it comes to strikeouts:
Not often: Edwin Encarnacion, Maicer Izturis, Jose Bautista, Reyes and Cabrera.
Middle of the pack: Brett Lawrie and Bonafacio.
Way too much: Colby Ramus, Adam Lind and J.P. Arencibia
“Putting the ball in play and not striking makes a big difference when you are facing a David Price,” he said. “What’s the sense of home run power, if you seldom make contact.”
J.P. ARENCIBIA WILL BE BEHIND THE PLATE
If the Jays are planning on making a run at post-season play, how do they move Arencibia when their next best will be John Buck and then Travis d’Arnaud, who has had half a season’s experience at triple-A.
Arencibia, 26, batted .233 with 18 homers, 56 RBIs, a .710 OPS in only 102 games due to a broken finger.
Buck, 31, is coming off a season with the Marlins which he hit .192 with 12 homers, 41 RBIs and a .644 OPS in 106 games.
Buck has been told he’ll start the season as the back-up.
Eliminating: Former Mets and Chicago White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said he has not heard from the Jays. Ditto for Don Baylor and John McLaren.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2012/11/18/20365931.html
It should be a very interesting upcoming baseball season in Toronto; no doubt there'll be more fans coming to the stadium to watch them play. By the way, my money's on Manny Acta & maybe even Mike Hargrove to be named manager. I wouldn't mind Alomar, but he's never been a major league baseball manager. No more "John Farrell" type of experiments!
by Bob Elliott, QMI Agency
When the 12-player, Blue Jays-Miami Marlins deal is approved by commissioner Bud Selig on Monday, what kind of team can you expect to see at the Rogers Centre opening night against Terry Francona’s Cleveland Indians?
(Handing the lineup card to Francona will be a new Jays manager, someone not named Jim Tracy or Jim Riggleman.)
SPEED
Shortstop Jose Reyes stole 40 bases this season with the Marlins and has averaged under 51 stolen bases his previous five full seasons. He had 11 in 2009 when he played only 36 games for the New York Mets. Second baseman Emilio Bonifacio stole 30 for the Marlins, 70 in the previous two years. Left fielder Melky Cabrera was 13-for-18 stealing with the San Francisco Giants, after a 20-steal season with the Kansas City Royals in 2011.
Plus, the Jays have Rajai Davis, who stole 46 bases.
What, the Rogers Centre turf bother Reyes’ tender hamstrings, which restricted him to only 99 games his final three years with the Mets?
Well, any time we’ve heard a player complain about the turf, it’s been because his knee was aching or his back was causing him problems. We’re not saying the Rogers Centre turf is akin to walking on air ... but we don’t recall anyone complaining about hamstrings.
The Jays signed shortstop Alex Gonzalez, 33, with a knee problem, which had to be monitored in 2010. Gonzalez started 85 of the 89 games he was with the Jays before being dealt to the Atlanta Braves for Yunel Escobar.
The Jays are not the 1991-92 Montreal Expos that Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos grew up watching with Marquis Grissom (76 steals the first year, 78 the next) and Delino DeShields (51 and 56), but the Ontario Track club should be a lot better than, say, the 2009 Jays led by Alex Rios (19) and Vernon Wells (17) or the 2010 edition with Fred Lewis (17) and Jose Bautista (nine).
The combination of contact hitters with speed is more conducive to putting the ball in play.
FEWER STRIKOUTS
The Jays had too many swings and misses, striking out 1,251 times, fifth worse in the AL behind the Oakland A’s (1,387), Tampa Bay Rays (1,323, Baltimore Orioles (1,315) and the Seattle Mariners (1,259).
Gone is second baseman Kelly Johnson (159 strikeouts in 581 at-bats).
Gone from the starting lineup where he was 117 games due to trade is Rajai Davis, (102 whiffs, 487 at-bats), who will be in his back-up role again.
How one evaluator ranks the 2013 Jays hitters into groups when it comes to strikeouts:
Not often: Edwin Encarnacion, Maicer Izturis, Jose Bautista, Reyes and Cabrera.
Middle of the pack: Brett Lawrie and Bonafacio.
Way too much: Colby Ramus, Adam Lind and J.P. Arencibia
“Putting the ball in play and not striking makes a big difference when you are facing a David Price,” he said. “What’s the sense of home run power, if you seldom make contact.”
J.P. ARENCIBIA WILL BE BEHIND THE PLATE
If the Jays are planning on making a run at post-season play, how do they move Arencibia when their next best will be John Buck and then Travis d’Arnaud, who has had half a season’s experience at triple-A.
Arencibia, 26, batted .233 with 18 homers, 56 RBIs, a .710 OPS in only 102 games due to a broken finger.
Buck, 31, is coming off a season with the Marlins which he hit .192 with 12 homers, 41 RBIs and a .644 OPS in 106 games.
Buck has been told he’ll start the season as the back-up.
Eliminating: Former Mets and Chicago White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said he has not heard from the Jays. Ditto for Don Baylor and John McLaren.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2012/11/18/20365931.html
It should be a very interesting upcoming baseball season in Toronto; no doubt there'll be more fans coming to the stadium to watch them play. By the way, my money's on Manny Acta & maybe even Mike Hargrove to be named manager. I wouldn't mind Alomar, but he's never been a major league baseball manager. No more "John Farrell" type of experiments!
I have. But i also know that there will more moves made & the opening day lineup will likely be different than the one it currently appears to be. I'm as much curious about whom the next manager will be.
I would be surprised if either Riggleman or Tracy would be the next manager. If so, that would be the first time a rumour in regards to an AA move comes true. My guess is that the next manager will have a latino background first, and one with previous MLB managing experience second. That's why i'm leaning for Acta first, then Alomar. Who knows....maybe my personal wish will come true & Ozzie Guillen will be the team's next manager. If so, I will be reading every single Toronto newspaper on every single day!!! The man is the best 'quote' machine out there today!!! :thumb:
From MLBTradeRumors:
Commissioner Bud Selig has approved the blockbuster trade that the Blue Jays and Marlins agreed to last week. The Blue Jays announced the 12-player trade, which sends Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck, Emilio Bonifacio and cash considerations to Toronto for Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Jeff Mathis, Justin Nicolino, Anthony Desclafani and Jake Marisnick.
Now were just waiting to hear that the Commish has approved the transfer of the Tampa Bay Rays to Montreal.
Commissioner Bud Selig has approved the blockbuster trade that the Blue Jays and Marlins agreed to last week. The Blue Jays announced the 12-player trade, which sends Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck, Emilio Bonifacio and cash considerations to Toronto for Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Jeff Mathis, Justin Nicolino, Anthony Desclafani and Jake Marisnick.
Now were just waiting to hear that the Commish has approved the transfer of the Tampa Bay Rays to Montreal.
Red sox interested in Tony Stewarts twin
http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/s...19/red-sox-express-interest-in-lance-berkman/
I say sign Lance Berkman to a one year deal for $12mil, stick him at first for 20 games, the outfield for 20 and the DL for the rest of the season. I think they would get more out of Stewart :lol:
http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/s...19/red-sox-express-interest-in-lance-berkman/
I say sign Lance Berkman to a one year deal for $12mil, stick him at first for 20 games, the outfield for 20 and the DL for the rest of the season. I think they would get more out of Stewart :lol:
I'm not surprised that the Red Sox would be interested in Berkman. They're rebuilding, after all. 
Not sure the proper way to "re-build" is with a 36 yr old who will command 5-8mil and will spend more time on the DL than on the active roster, they already have david ortiz for that lol, but....sign him up Benny Boy :thumb:
I'm not surprised that the Red Sox would be interested in Berkman. They're rebuilding, after all.
Jays expected to sign John Gibbons as new manager! Maybe they'll resign Shea Hillenbrand and get the steel cage match of 2013!
I just saw that also. I'm absolutely stunned!
Toronto Blue Jays to name John Gibbons manager
Will introduce former Jays bench boss Tuesday
by Bob Elliott, QMI Agency
Everything old is new again.
Again.
It’s not Cito Gaston 2.0, but John Gibbons 2.0.
Gibbons, who managed the Blue Jays for parts of five seasons from 2004 to 2008, will be introduced Tuesday morning as their next manager.
At the general managers meeting in Indian Wells, Calif., Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said he was “looking for someone he could work with, someone his staff could work with, someone who was good for the city, good for the whole country.”
Going on a we-need-to-know-you-to-hire-you basis we figured the only people Anthopoulos knew with previous managerial experience were Frank Robinson from their days together with the Montreal Expos, plus Cito Gaston, bench coach Don Wakamatsu, and John Farrell from his GM days.
We forgot about Anthouplous’ time as an assistant GM, under J.P. Ricciardi. Anthopoulos and Gibbons were close friends, working well together.
Anthopoulos and Gibbons were spotted dining in Yorkville Sunday night.
Gibbons replaced fired manager Carlos Tosca in 2004. Tosca also inquired about returning as the Jays manager.
Under Gibbons in 2004, the Jays were 20-30. Gibbons had talent and great expectations in 2006 after the Jays landed free agents A.J. Burnett, B. J. Ryan, and Bengie Molina, while trading for Troy Glaus and Lyle Overbay.
The Jays ended in second place in the American League East division with an 87-75 record, one game ahead of the Boston Red Sox, the first time the Jays had escaped third place since 1993.
The last game Gibbons managed the Jays was in Milwaukee, an interleague contest. The Jays won 8-5 after dropping the first two games of the series.
The charter flight arrived in Pittsburgh and Gibbons was fired by Ricciardi, who put Gaston into the manager’s office for a second time.
Gibbons managed the Jays for 610 games (305-305, .500).
The Jays have been riding a crest of excitement and popularity since the 12-player deal with the Miami Marlins brought in shortstop Jose Reyes, right-hander Josh Johnson, lefty Mark Buehrle, catcher John Buck and utility man Emilio Bonifacio. The Jays also have signed free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera.
Both deals were finalized on Monday.
The thought was that the Jays would try to keep the season’s tickets and merchandise momentum going by hiring a high-profile manager. They approached Bobby Cox, who is headed for the Hall of Fame, but he decided to stay retired.
They interviewed Los Angles Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach and decided to go with experience.
The old saw about people not coming to ball parks to see a manager manage remains true. One month in, John Gibbons will be either a good manager or a bad manager based on his club’s record.
Since leaving the Jays, he has been the bench coach with the Kansas City Royals and managed double-A San Antonio, in the San Diego Padres organization, to a 60-80 record this summer.
Gibbons, the son of U.S. Air Force Col. William Gibbons, had his first at-bat playing Little League in Goose Bay Labrador, when his father was stationed there.
There must be something about the water in San Antonio which attracts the Jays front office to the city.
Gaston, currently vacationing in Hawaii, grew up on the east side of San Antonio at 239 Belmont St., while Gibbons grew up on the north-east side on La Albada Rd.
Gibbons is affable with the players, press and fans, a lifer after coming up in the New York Mets system. He has the other side of the pillow too.
After DH Shea Hillenbrand who wrote “this ship is sinking,” on the display board in the clubhouse in 2006, Gibbons confronted him behind closed doors and challenged him. Three days later, Hillenbrand was dealt.
The same year, lefty Ted Lilly refused to come out of the game as Gibbons made his second trip to the mound after watching an 8-0 lead nearly evaporate. Gibbons followed Lilly into the clubhouse tunnel where another confrontation happened.
When the doors opened, Lilly and Gibbons were both apologetic, no doubt with then-president Paul Godfrey’s peace mending.
We can hear a clubhouse voice now ...
“He’s baaaack!”
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2012/11/19/20369421.html
Upon further consideration, i like the move! Gibbons is a no-nonsense type of manager, he was always beloved by most of the players who played for him, and he's good friends with the GM. Plus, he's only 50 years old & looks at his 2nd chance in Toronto as his dream job. The media seems to like him very much & respect him, including the negative types like Bob McCown, who was raving about him today & whom i had never seen so happy. Former players such as John McDonald had nothing but good things to say about him today, and the fact he confronted the likes of Shea Hillenbrand (an asshole!) and Ted Lilly actually earned him a lot of respect. Team leaders such as Jose Bautista & J.P. Arencibia also seemed very pleased with the move. And, as i told a few people today, he can't be worse than John Farrell was, whom i actually like very much as a person. But as a manager? I have serious doubts about him.
Meanwhile, the Yankees (who still have done nothing with the no money they have to spend to fill all their holes) are a day older than they were yesterday.
ROFL! Who needs to do more, a team who won 95 games last season and the AL East or a team who lost 93 games and sat oh so nicely in the basement in the AL East ...................:lol:
I see the red sox interviewed Craig Counsell to be their hitting coach..... they let Dave M walk (one of the best in the game) and wanna replace him with Craig Counsell?????? Thumbs up Benny Cherrington!
...................:lol: I see the red sox interviewed Craig Counsell to be their hitting coach..... they let Dave M walk (one of the best in the game) and wanna replace him with Craig Counsell?????? Thumbs up Benny Cherrington!
Yankees just signed Kuroda for 1 year @$15 million plus bonuses.
The fact it's only for one year makes this a good deal for the Yankees. They're pitching rotation for next season now looks fairly decent.
The fact it's only for one year makes this a good deal for the Yankees. They're pitching rotation for next season now looks fairly decent.
Kuroda left money on the table as he would of obviously got more from either of the LA's and likely one or two other teams as well. (could you imagine if the Jays got him? ) Just goes to show there are more important things than money, like playing in NYC and for the greatest MLB franchise of today and all time. Now Pettitte needs to come back and the Yanks are looking good with CC, Kuroda, Pettitte, Hughes, Nova/Phelps.
Also, Cashman said today that Pineda threw at Yankee stadium today and had plenty of "zip on it" but they are not gonna rush him back and do not expect him to be ready for the start of the season. In other news, the red sox are still talking with Craig Counsell and showing David Ross the city. :thumb:
) Just goes to show there are more important things than money, like playing in NYC and for the greatest MLB franchise of today and all time. Now Pettitte needs to come back and the Yanks are looking good with CC, Kuroda, Pettitte, Hughes, Nova/Phelps. Also, Cashman said today that Pineda threw at Yankee stadium today and had plenty of "zip on it" but they are not gonna rush him back and do not expect him to be ready for the start of the season. In other news, the red sox are still talking with Craig Counsell and showing David Ross the city. :thumb:
Bullshit. The Yankees blew him away with that offer to keep him from going to LA or Anaheim.
In what language do they use the construction "would of." We can eliminate English.
Kuroda was the Yankees second most valuable player last year. While I had little hope that the Sox would sign him, I was hoping he'd go to LA or Anaheim. The Yankees threw so much money at him, that he really had no choice but to sign with them.Kuroda's back. Start planning the parade!!
Happy 92nd Birthday, Stan "the Man" Musial.
Even though i think it was a good signing by the Yankees, i was appalled at the kind of money they threw at Kuroda. I could have seen $15 million for two seasons, but not for just one year. However, the Yankees had to outbid the California teams if they wanted to keep him & that's what they did. My guess is that he would have preferred a multiyear contract, but the Yankees gave him 'an offer he can't refuse' for one year & it was a no-brainer to agree to go back to the Bronx Zoo. But $15 million!!
p.s. Is he THAT good???
p.s. Is he THAT good???
ur joking right? he made what, 10 mil last year? and performed extremely well in the toughest division in all of mlb, of course he would get a few more mil next year, he was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. He was not gonna take a pay cut and neither would you or i after that season, plus he wants to go and finish his career in japan and still have something left, it was understood by everyone he wanted a one year deal, no surprise at all. He wants a world series ring and then go home, he made the best decision to get that.
I'd like to no what the offers were from others cause he surely settled for less to stay in da boogie down bronx. Dodgers with the way they are spending i am positive offered same but an extra yr and likely more $$$$ per, and likely the red sox did as well lol.
ps, yep, he is that good.
I'd like to no what the offers were from others cause he surely settled for less to stay in da boogie down bronx. Dodgers with the way they are spending i am positive offered same but an extra yr and likely more $$$$ per, and likely the red sox did as well lol.
ps, yep, he is that good.
Even though i think it was a good signing by the Yankees, i was appalled at the kind of money they threw at Kuroda. I could have seen $15 million for two seasons, but not for just one year.
p.s. Is he THAT good???
1. Kuroda was paid $10 M last year and was essentially the same pitcher that he was the year before. One would expect him to get paid $10-$12 M and that's likely what he was offered by LA and Anaheim.
2. His peripheral stats showed no signs of deterioration last year, despite his age.
3. There are two troubling pieces however. First, he will be 38 next year. Second, he threw 234 innings last year, 32 more than in any prior season.
4. His WAR last year was 6.2, second highest on the Yankees behind Robinson Cano. So, yes, he was that good.
2. His peripheral stats showed no signs of deterioration last year, despite his age.
3. There are two troubling pieces however. First, he will be 38 next year. Second, he threw 234 innings last year, 32 more than in any prior season.
4. His WAR last year was 6.2, second highest on the Yankees behind Robinson Cano. So, yes, he was that good.
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