2012 MLB Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

I like the Angels acquisition of Greinke. They very much have to go into win-now mode. The Pujols contract is going to be an albatross in a few years and they have very little left in their farm system. The team is stacked and has as good a shot as anyone to win in October. Plus, and just as importantly, it kept him out of Texas.

[zero]

It must really suck to be an Astros fan.

[gunnar hendershow]

Pending approval, Hunter Pence is headed to the Giants.

He won't be the last Philly player traded before July 31.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I am starting to get really, really, really excited about my Reds. 8 game win streak?!

As a Cubs fan I oh, now I'm sad.

[naiwf]

Victorino to the Dodgers.

[gunnar hendershow]

What's he going to do? Back up in the OF?

Not a bad deal, everybody needs a 4th OF as good as Victorino, but I just really am curious how LA will use him.

[Ron]

What's he going to do? Back up in the OF?

Not a bad deal, everybody needs a 4th OF as good as Victorino, but I just really am curious how LA will use him.

"Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Victorino will be his everyday leadoff hitter and left fielder."

Found that info here: http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/8217491/los-angeles-dodgers-acquire-philadelphia-phillies-outfielder-shane-victorino

I figured it was given that he'd replace the Abreu/Hairston platoon in Left. Today has been interesting as a Phillies fan. And I do not like the return we got for Victorino and Pence at all.

[gunnar hendershow]

Pence was a salary dump because of the Hamels contract, and nobody would give up much of anything for Victorino. At least the Phillies got a return for a guy who is gone at the end of the season.

[Meacon Keaton]

As a Phillie hater, I must admit you all somehow got more for Victorino than Pence. I actually think you guys made out well on the Victorino trade. You all needed bullpen help desperately and you got some.

[thatshortguy]

Thanks to Ryan Dempster refusing to go to the Braves, he ends up in Texas and we end up doing very little at the deadline (if you ever want to count getting coin, Maholm & Johnson from the Cubs as activity.)

I understand that Dempster probably wanted to go to a more cemented contender this year, but with Hanson now on the DL, he could have really bolstered our rotation. Alas.

[gunnar hendershow]

He also took the impending Cubs fire sale and turned into a birthday candle. They got nothing in return and still have Garza and Soriano.

[Ananas]

I wouldn't say they got nothing. They got someone to take Soto off their hands and Christian Villanueva is an interesting prospect in an organization scarcely lacking in interesting prospects. And I don't think the Cubs were too likely to have extended to Dempster the 13 million dollar offer it would have taken to get compensation for his signing elsewhere in the off-season, so with his no-trade clause they kind of had to take what they could get. Put it this way - long term the Cubs are a better team today than they were 30 hours ago.

[Lowerdeck]

Well what better way to relaunch your franchise and open a new stadium than with a huge fire sale?

If you're rebuilding, why the hell would you sign Jose Reyes to a huge contract? Stupid Marlins are stupid, and they'll still probably win another World Series in the next decade.

Jeffrey Loria is just horrible. He tanked the Expos, screwed over Montreal. Then went to Florida, tanked the Marlins and screwed Dade County over. I'm sure he's making huge bank being such a scumbag.

[gunnar hendershow]

Well what better way to relaunch your franchise and open a new stadium than with a huge fire sale?

If you're rebuilding, why the hell would you sign Jose Reyes to a huge contract? Stupid Marlins are stupid, and they'll still probably win another World Series in the next decade.

Jeffrey Loria is just horrible. He tanked the Expos, screwed over Montreal. Then went to Florida, tanked the Marlins and screwed Dade County over. I'm sure he's making huge bank being such a scumbag.

He is, he's turning a huge profit right now with the new stadium. He celebrated in 2003 because the World Series win meant an increase in season ticket sales the following season.

All the people working below him, the food vendors, etc all don't see a time but Loria does great in his position. Makes off like a bandit and leaves a ruined franchise when he's done with them.

[naiwf]

Joe Blanton was claimed by the Dodgers. It's amazing that the Phillies and Marlins are gutting their teams and the Mets will still struggle to finish 3rd in the division.

[Ron]

And in a surprising turn of events, Cliff Lee was claimed off Waivers....

[Guest mr. potato head]

And in a surprising turn of events, Cliff Lee was claimed off Waivers....

Is this any different from the usual August "teams put guys on waivers to see if there's a potential trade out there" stuff?

[Ron]

Well yes, that was the point on putting him ON Waivers. But no one expected anyone to CLAIM him off Waivers. It was expected he and his $95 million would clear waivers and then allow the Phillies to see if they did want to move him. But now, depending on who claimed him, the Phillies can just let all that money go should they want to free up the cap space and the team is not on of his no-trade teams. I highly doubt that will happen, but then again I doubted anyone would claim him..

[gunnar hendershow]

The pricetag on Cliff Lee has to be big. I'm surprised someone did claim him, no word on who yet.

Also, the Orioles probably should have been willing to pay more of Blanton's salary. He's better than whatever else is being thrown out there and will basically pay for himself with ticket sales if the team is anywhere close to a playoff spot in September. Ah well.

[Meacon Keaton]

The pricetag on Cliff Lee has to be big. I'm surprised someone did claim him, no word on who yet.

$94 million is what is still owed. There are only a few teams that would claim such a huge contract...