The 2007 Major League Baseball Thread

[Ananas]

This is completely irrelevant to the argument. You already acknowledged that most teams cannot keep pace with the Yanks, and therefore are disadvantaged in putting together teams to compete. It's not just the Yanks either, it's small markets vs. large markets. So if Tampa can never hope to compete for a playoff spot barring some kind of miracle, how much of a fanbase do you expect them to build? Or KC? Or Florida? Or Pittsburgh? How about being a middle market franchise in the AL East with the two biggest markets, Boston and New York? Predictability doesn't inspire excitement. Constant defeat stifles support. And giving teams like the seven major league franchises with a payroll of over 100 million dollars a head start towards the playoffs is BAD for baseball. A salary cap is needed, and they chose to ignore that problem at the CBA negotiations last year.

[ACCBiggz]

Meh, I just said other owners have the money to do so but chose to run it like a business. The Yankees market themselves very well. I think the revenue sharing they do is plenty and a salary cap is not needed. Only thing that is needed is for general mangers not to fold to absurd asking prices by the players, outside of that, I don't agree with a salary cap. Parity created by it is BS.

[Ananas]

Meh, I just said other owners have the money to do so but chose to run it like a business. The Yankees market themselves very well. I think the revenue sharing they do is plenty and a salary cap is not needed. Only thing that is needed is for general mangers not to fold to absurd asking prices by the players, outside of that, I don't agree with a salary cap. Parity created by it is BS.

[ACCBiggz]

Well the agents run up the price more than "large market teams". However, the "small market teams" being ran by multi-multi-millionaires don't want to spend that much because it will limit profits, instead of winning. AOL/TW would be an example, they literally said 2 years ago they won with 65 million so they were going to cut to 60. Unlike when Turner was there and they had a healthy payroll to keep everyone around and together.

As you said, no reason to continue the argument. I say no to a salary cap, one day it may happen (as with a playoff system in college football). You say yes to one. Who cares? Seriously...

Is that the largest single season salary in baseball history by chance?

Edited May 7, 2007 by ACCBiggz

[Trey]

It's obvious a salary cap is needed, even if the cap is like, $125 million.

[Toe]

If pro football can survive with a salary cap in place, then baseball would benefit from one too.

[gunnar hendershow]

Baseball should follow the system that basketball has which allows teams to all play at a competitive level, but also assures that there isn't a dramatic amount of parity.

[Mofoticon]

Travis Hafner hits another grand slam as the Indians lead the Orioles 10-1 in the 9th...they are playing really well to start off the season.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Mofoticon

[Lowerdeck]

How about being a middle market franchise in the AL East with the two biggest markets, Boston and New York?

Baltimore says hello. Spend about $90M and still really really suck.

I do agree, both New York teams, the Cubs, and the Red Sox thrown around too much money. Then again, blame Scott Boras for a lot of this.

[gunnar hendershow]

How about being a middle market franchise in the AL East with the two biggest markets, Boston and New York?

Baltimore says hello. Spend about $90M and still really really suck.

We have to overpay for our players, look at this offseason. We spent a ridiculous amount of money on some above-average (at best) relievers. We wanted to be assured we'd get them. The same goes for a lot of contracts this offseason, teams that can't freely sign any free agent have to overpay for the ones that actually become available. Of course, we also have the problem of idiotic management from Flanagan and Duquette. Let's spend more money on raiding the foreign markets for talented young players I say.

Edited May 7, 2007 by damshow

[crazedfan]

Kei Igawa gets demoted to the minors, and Biggz's big Japanese duo of Igawa/Matsuzaka is a big failure so far, mwahahhahaa!

[livid]

Igawa yeah, but Dice K's still doing pretty well. He's had some growing pains, yeah, but if you didn't expect any, then you don't know what you're talking about.

And I'm sure Igawa will be fine in the end, especially since the Yankees rotation is a mess at this point.

[Lowerdeck]

Dice-K gives up five runs a game and cries like a bitch every time he does it.

I wouldn't really call that great.

[ACCBiggz]

Dice-K gives up five runs a game and cries like a bitch every time he does it.

I wouldn't really call that great.

[Lowerdeck]

Josh Beckett already has seven.

[Lowerdeck]

Here's a schedule. The Giants schedule, to the All-Star Break. It's very likely Bonds will hit his 756th home run sometime during this schedule.

When? Who knows.

May 10-13: @ Colorado

May 15-17: @ Houston

May 18-20: @ Oakland

May 21-23: Houston

May 25-27: Colorado

May 29-31: @ NY Mets

June 1-4: @ Philly

June 5-7: @ Arizona

June 8-10: Oakland

June 11-13: Toronto

June 15-17: @ Boston

June 18-20: @ Milwaukee

June 22-24: NY Yankees

June 25-27: San Diego

June 29-July 1: Arizona

July 3-5: @ Cincinatti

July 6-8: @ St. Louis

If Bonds doesn't have it by the Boston series, or in the Boston series, he's getting it for sure by the Yankees series, which is in S.F.

Imagine if Bonds jacks 756 off Roger Clemens.

[ACCBiggz]

Josh Beckett already has seven.

[gunnar hendershow]

Josh Beckett already has seven.

That's great... but that has NOTHING to do with Dice-K.

It has to do with the Red Sox line-up getting pitchers wins.

[livid]

But Josh Beckett is a staff ace, you shouldn't expect much less from him. I get the point, but it's not the same thing considering Beckett's 7-0 with a 2.51 ERA so that doesn't really prove anything in relation to Dice-K 'cause 3 runs doesn't usually cut it.

[Hellfire]

I don't think Dice-K's doing too bad. 4-2 with a 4.80 ERA. It's his first season, you have to expect some growing pains. He's going to get better as he adjusts more to the league.