2012/2013 MLB Offseason Thread

[livid]

Damn, I guess he is Dimitri's brother. I hadn't seen anything on him in a couple years but he used to be fairly thin so this weight clause kinda surprised me.

Also, fuck the Braves. Their OF is way too good now.

[thatshortguy]

Also, fuck the Braves. Their OF is way too good now.

Calling it: >60 HR, >40 SB, >6,000 Ks

[The Buscher]

The Mets are serious enough about signing Michael Bourn that they've petitioned MLB about getting the #11 pick in the draft protected. Their rationale is that they should have had the #10 pick, and only the Pirates' failure to sign Appel last year bumped them to #11. The union has said they will support the Mets in their claim.

MLB really has no incentive to change it though. The new CBA just says the top 10 picks are protected, not the 10 worst teams. Changing it would only set a precedent that would drive up costs on certain free agents, which the owners obviously do not want.

At this point I think I just want them to get Bourn on a 3-year deal and be done with it. Losing the #11 pick would suck, but it's not like it'd be a guaranteed can't miss prospect. The Mets OF right now is vomit-worthy.

[Damian WayLNKe]

Orioles sign Jurrjens. I remember when there was talk of trading for him this time last year. He still has two minor league options and we have arbitration rights for next season.

[Ananas]

At this point I think I just want them to get Bourn on a 3-year deal and be done with it. Losing the #11 pick would suck, but it's not like it'd be a guaranteed can't miss prospect. The Mets OF right now is vomit-worthy.

It's not just that you lose the #11 pick though. If they're intending on spending to the cap (and the 5% leeway above they get without being punished with lost picks) they're also losing a lot of their spending pool by losing their top pick. So you lose your top pick, and then you can spend marginally less to sign picks beyond that. I just don't get it for a team highly unlikely to compete in the NL East for at least the next two years. I don't think Michael Bourn really puts them that close to being in the conversation.

[gunnar hendershow]

Orioles sign Jurrjens. I remember when there was talk of trading for him this time last year. He still has two minor league options and we have arbitration rights for next season.

I think the deal rumored was Jones for Prado/Jurrjens. Obviously that deal not happening worked out a lot better than anyone could have anticipated.

In any case, this is a good signing without a lot of risk.

Bigger news, perhaps, is Kent Qualls coming in to be in charge of player development. He was in Boston when Duquette was there, and Montreal before that. I'm optimistic he can help the organization continue its work at building up through the minors and then bringing in low-risk/high-reward free agents.

As for Bourn, I feel like he's a great guy to bring onto a team that is already good--Baltimore could really use someone who fits his description but unfortunately their hole is at 2B moreso than in the OF. But he's not a player I see and go "Wow you can have him be one of your cornerstones". He's a really good player, but a lot of his numbers in Houston were hollow and that speaks volumes. The Mets don't get better with him, he gets some hits, steals 2nd, crosses home a bunch, but it doesn't start 2-3 run innings like you'd want from a guy like him.

[The Buscher]

At this point I think I just want them to get Bourn on a 3-year deal and be done with it. Losing the #11 pick would suck, but it's not like it'd be a guaranteed can't miss prospect. The Mets OF right now is vomit-worthy.

It's not just that you lose the #11 pick though. If they're intending on spending to the cap (and the 5% leeway above they get without being punished with lost picks) they're also losing a lot of their spending pool by losing their top pick. So you lose your top pick, and then you can spend marginally less to sign picks beyond that. I just don't get it for a team highly unlikely to compete in the NL East for at least the next two years. I don't think Michael Bourn really puts them that close to being in the conversation.

I think the Mets will be ready to make a push in 2014. Harvey will have had his first full season in the bag and Wheeler will have gotten his feet wet by then. Also d'Arnaud will have close to a full year under his belt and could be a fantastic asset to the lineup. Not to mention the money coming off the books with Santana, Bay, Francisco, etc. all having their contracts expiring.

Problem is next year's free agent class looks pretty bad. The Mets could really use a guy like Bourn at the top of their lineup. They're badly missing a table setter - and his speed works perfectly in Citi Field. It might not make a difference in 2013, but he'd be a key piece to have for 2014.

[GhostMachine]

Has Jim Thome retired yet?

[gunnar hendershow]

[gunnar hendershow]

BALCO South Florida is about to be broken wide open. Among the initial names are Melky, Gio Gonzalez, Nelson Cruz, and everyone's favorite choke artist A-Rod.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/21622130/a-rod-nelson-cruz--gio-gonzalez-among-players-named-in-new-ped-report

[thatshortguy]

Upton here...Upton here...

Just hope that B.J. Upton can play shortstop, since apparently LF & SS are the same position these days.

/NEVER FORGET

[Toe]

Heyward is the best player in the Braves outfield.

[thatshortguy]

What a lot of people locally are just not getting is that there are a lot of ways this could explode.

-Justin Upton gets cranky, throws fit.

-Heyward strikes out like he's being paid to.

-B.J. Upton forgets how to run.

-Any injuries occur.

The Braves' Opening Day roster is fairly stacked, but we're relying on a lot of young'uns to provide depth.

[Toe]

Who is going to play third?

[thatshortguy]

Jim N...

...no, Chris Johnson will play 3rd. SS is the position I'm worried about.

[Toe]

Chris Johnson? Ewwwww...

[9 to 5]

Hey you poofs, play the EWB Fantasy Baseball league this year now we have a good person in charge!

[thatshortguy]

Hey you poofs, play the EWB Fantasy Baseball league this year now we have a good person in charge!

You're a sweetie.

Got room for at least three more teams, but could always use more.

[The Buscher]

The Mets are considering signing Jose Valverde, presumably to compete with Frank Francisco for the closer's role. The loser will likely be the primary set-up man. Not sure my heart can sustain Valverde and Francisco pitching back to back innings on a regular basis.

I do like what the Mets have done with their pen so far though. Scott Atchison, Pedro Feliciano, and LaTroy Hawkins all brought in on minor league deals with invites to Spring Training. Atchison is probably close to being a lock assuming he's healthy, but the other two could make it as well. Relievers are so inconsistent year to year that just signing some veterans to cheap, non-guaranteed deals and hoping a few of them stick is probably the best approach.

[gunnar hendershow]

The best way to build a bullpen is to look at guys with particular strengths and sign them, you don't want to build around a lot of middle relievers or former closers, you want lefty specialists, long relievers, ground ball pitchers, a flamethrower, if you're lucky a gimmick pithcer adds a ton (Darren O'Day in Baltimore for example), and then you want your best two to pitch the 8th and 9th. This is what the Giants do, the Cardinals do, and the Orioles had this philosophy in their phenomenal pen from last year, just to name a few. I don't want to be a downer, but just grabbing veterans in hope that one of them works out sums up a decade of Orioles efforts to build a bullpen. You need to heavily scout which pitchers you want in your bullpen, the whole throwing shit at the wall and hope it sticks is the last way to build a bullpen.