2018 MLB Thread

[Meacon Keaton]

Yankees finally traded Sonny Gray so I'm glad that's finally done. We got Shed Long a second base prospect and their Competitive Balance A pick, which is expected to be #36 overall. Then we turned around and traded Long to Seattle for outfield prospect Josh Stowers.

I'm alright with this. More excited for the pick than anything. Shed Long is someone that could potentially make the bigs, but isn't expected to be anything super special. Stowers meanwhile is incredibly talented, but still very raw. That said, I think he did have like a .380 OBP in A ball last year, so if that only gets better, that's perfect. I think he has high level speed too. 

At the end of the day, I'm just glad we're done with the failed Sonny Gray experiment. 

[gunnar hendershow]

The Reds extended Gray as well so they're taking on a decent risk there given that he was subpar in the Bronx.

[Draevyn]

Do you know what my team is doing?......nothing at all!

[gunnar hendershow]

There's far too much radio silence from every direction this winter. We're less than a month from pitchers & catchers and the marquee free agents are all still unsigned.

[Meacon Keaton]

I was hoping for one of Machado/Harper, but we re-signed JA Happ and Zach Britton, signed DJ LeMahieu, Adam Ottavino, and Troy Tulowitzki (lol?), and traded for James Paxton. So I really can’t complain. That’s more movement than the rest of the AL East combined.

[The Buscher]

Two hours from the HOF announcement.  55% of the ballots revealed - if you assume anyone whose ballots haven't gone public yet vote the same way as they did last year, Mussina will land almost exactly at 75%.

That's probably the main source of "drama" tonight with Mo, Doc, and Edgar locks.

[The Buscher]

Class of 2019:  Rivera, Halladay, Martinez’s Mussina

AND.....Mo is the first unanimous selection!

[Meacon Keaton]

This is GLORIOUS news! Way to go, Mo!

[livid]

 

 

[Meacon Keaton]

Quote

Of course, much of Rivera’s legacy is tied to his postseason heroics; the game’s premier reliever ratcheted up his penchant for domination in October (and November), pitching to a ludicrous 0.70 ERA with 110 strikeouts against 21 walks in 141 postseason innings.

🙌

[Lint]

1 hour ago, Buschie Van Wagenen said:

Class of 2019:  Rivera, Halladay, Martinez’s Mussina

AND.....Mo is the first unanimous selection!

This actually surprises me.  A few years ago when, I think it was Ken Griffey Jr. was elected, some sanctimonious asshat from the BBWAA said he voted "no" for him because he knew he was going to be elected anyway and didn't want to risk him being elected unanimously.  Something to the effect of "Babe Ruth and Roger Maris weren't elected unanimously, no one should"

[Your Mom]

Did more than one Martinez make it or is that a typo?

[Meacon Keaton]

A typo.

 

Twas only the Edgar

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

30 minutes ago, Lint said:

This actually surprises me.  A few years ago when, I think it was Ken Griffey Jr. was elected, some sanctimonious asshat from the BBWAA said he voted "no" for him because he knew he was going to be elected anyway and didn't want to risk him being elected unanimously.  Something to the effect of "Babe Ruth and Roger Maris weren't elected unanimously, no one should"

Yeah, that shit was stupid. I also hated the "this guy is a Hall of Famer but he doesn't deserve to be in on his first year". 

But whatever, hopefully that mentality changes. And to be honest, if it wasn't someone like Griffey, Mo is a perfectly fine candidate to be the first unanimous inductee. 

[GoGo Yubari]

I saw Edgar finally got in on Twitter today and nearly cried. Should have happened a long time ago but better late than never. That's my one baseball post for the remainder of the decade.

[The Buscher]

On ‎15‎/‎01‎/‎2019 at 10:00, Buschie Van Wagenen said:

Within 10%
Schilling:  74.3%
Clemens:  73.1%
Bonds:  72.6%
Walker:  66.3%
 

So those numbers stayed pretty consistent right up until the class was announced, but they all took an expected sizable drop once the actual numbers came in:

Schilling:  60.9%
Clemens:  59.5%
Bonds:  59.1%
Walker:  54.6%

I thought Walker would get in for his final year next year, but to jump up 20% would be a lot.  Still, he just jumped up 20% to even get where he is now so it might happen.  Working in his favor though is that there's now going to be some free space on the ballot.  Other than Jeter, the first-timers next year are a pretty weak class.  Guys like Konerko and Soriano had distinguished careers, but they aren't Hall of Famers.

Jeter could well go in alone in 2020, but I can't rule out Schilling or Walker.  I still think Bonds and Clemens aren't going in until their final year of eligibility.

Now that the seal has been broken on unanimous Hall of Famers, I wonder if Jeter and other no-doubters follow suit.  Alternatively, on packed ballots there might be more incentive to give your votes to someone else.

[DMN in the House]

If Derek Jeter, who, if he hadn't played for the Yankees, would be a borderline HOF candidate (his WAR is basically the same as Walker's), goes in alone and unanimously, then fuck baseball. It's not even about hating the Yankees, because Mo deserved it, and I'm not even arguing Jeter as worthy of the Hall, but this idea that Derek Jeter was some kind of all-time pantheon of gods great is absurd.

[Taxation is Theft]

1 hour ago, DMN said:

If Derek Jeter, who, if he hadn't played for the Yankees, would be a borderline HOF candidate (his WAR is basically the same as Walker's), goes in alone and unanimously, then fuck baseball. It's not even about hating the Yankees, because Mo deserved it, and I'm not even arguing Jeter as worthy of the Hall, but this idea that Derek Jeter was some kind of all-time pantheon of gods great is absurd.

There's a mythos to being a Yankee. Same as being a Laker or a Cowboy or driving for Ferrari. Does Jeter get that bump for being a Yankee? Absolutely. Is he borderline? Absolutely not.

[DMN in the House]

1 hour ago, Sticks Sticksly said:

There's a mythos to being a Yankee. Same as being a Laker or a Cowboy or driving for Ferrari. Does Jeter get that bump for being a Yankee? Absolutely. Is he borderline? Absolutely not.

Diving deeper and just looking at shortstops he looks a lot better (though I'd take Larken and Ripken over him), but straight WAR comp (which I believe is the easiest way to compare players) isn't so great.

I was mostly trying to get a rise out of @GhostMachine, you know how he loves his Yankees, right @Meacon? Calling him a borderline HOFer is a bit hyperbolic.

[MalaCloudy Black]

https://deadspin.com/the-video-of-mariano-rivera-getting-the-call-from-coope-1831982636