Hot Stove: MLB Offseason Thread

[pmoehrin]

Depending on who you believe, Madsen wasn't much (if any) cheaper at the time it all went down. If Boras was pricing him at Palelbpn's level, then they had to act and not take a chance of being left out in the cold. Of course now it's easy to see that they overpaid for papelbon and couldve waited, but that wasn't obvious at the time the deal was made.

I thought the Phillies CLEARLY overpaid for Papelbon at the time of the signing, and this had nothing to do with Madson; it had to do with the fact that Papelbon isn't good.

Agreed. He's on the downturn of his career, he can't simply blow guys away like he thinks he can. Maybe getting out of the AL will help, but I severely doubt it.

So now that Luke Scott will play 81 games in a dome does that mean I'll never have to see his douchey white frame, orange lens glasses again? Gotdamn it's a good day.

I also won't miss Papelbon's awful Dunkin' Donuts commercials, show-boating and douchebag "intense mound look".

Papelbon reminds me alot of Armando Benitez. Very intense, high heat, and is automatic in 90% of the time. The problem is like Armando the 10% he's not automatic are usually big games. Career April ERA of 1.32 Career September/October ERA of 3.73. I think that says it all.

I cannot say in game 162 of the regular season up by one heading into the ninth with a playoff spot on the line that there aren't other guys I rather have on the mound the Papelbon.

[The_Admiral]

What I will knock him for first and foremost was the fact that his family maintained ownership of the Brewers long into his tenure as commissioner which I would regard as a major conflict of interest.

In Selig's defense, the Brewers were not a Major League team during most of the overlap.

I think the MLB really needs to put caps on the amount of times a match can be shown nationally at six times a year not including end of season games that could potentially decide playoff positions.

But it's not just that the Yankees/Red Sox/Phillies are really popular, they're also often very good, and networks would prefer to show meaningful regular season baseball to the largest audiences. If you're so much of a leaguewide baseball diehard that you can't settle for yet another Red Sox game on a Wednesday night in June, buy the out-of-market package and watch whoever you want, whenever you want. Not that I was ever one of those people, but now that I have pretty much the entire NHL slate at my fingertips (except those stupid NHL Network games), I have no reason whatsoever to care who plays where how many times. It's so liberating.

EDIT: okay so I made fun of how NBC showed the Rangers every Sunday as if they were the Hockey Yankees when they were still just Lundqvist and some dudes, but I was never like "whyyyy won't they show the Shaaaaarks and the Aaaaaaavs for allllllll of America to see at 12:30 Eastern time?"

[RedSox44]

Give the devil his due, Bud Selig has presided over the longest stretch of labor peace since the MLBPA was formed, if he wants to stay on he should.

It might be fair to say that he's now the best of the big 4 commissioners.

That's not saying much. At all.

If we include the MLS (which I know we don't, but still), Don Garber is BY FAR the best commissioner in American pro sports.

[pmoehrin]

I think the MLB really needs to put caps on the amount of times a match can be shown nationally at six times a year not including end of season games that could potentially decide playoff positions.

But it's not just that the Yankees/Red Sox/Phillies are really popular, they're also often very good, and networks would prefer to show meaningful regular season baseball to the largest audiences. If you're so much of a leaguewide baseball diehard that you can't settle for yet another Red Sox game on a Wednesday night in June, buy the out-of-market package and watch whoever you want, whenever you want.

This is not about what I want to see, I get every Red Sox Yankee game just by living in the NY metro area. Even if they were to drop the national broadcasts of those games entirely which I'm not suggesting they do either, it has zero effect on me. This is just about why the MLB should not have all their eggs in one or two baskets when it comes to which teams get promoted and which ones don't. I also do get the MLB extra Innings package and do use it to watch plenty out of market match ups I would never get without it.

I will say they've gotten better. I think TBS does an excellent job of getting teams like the Reds and Twins involved in their National games. ESPN does a fair job, and FOX is just flat out awful at it. You just shouldn't have to explain to your average fan who good teams are in the middle of September because you never bothered to put them on in any time slot where they can get exposure and that's something the MLB has been burned on the last few years.

[TheOldRoman]

I think the MLB really needs to put caps on the amount of times a match can be shown nationally at six times a year not including end of season games that could potentially decide playoff positions.

But it's not just that the Yankees/Red Sox/Phillies are really popular, they're also often very good, and networks would prefer to show meaningful regular season baseball to the largest audiences. If you're so much of a leaguewide baseball diehard that you can't settle for yet another Red Sox game on a Wednesday night in June, buy the out-of-market package and watch whoever you want, whenever you want.

This is not about what I want to see, I get every Red Sox Yankee game just by living in the NY metro area. Even if they were to drop the national broadcasts of those games entirely which I'm not suggesting they do either, it has zero effect on me. This is just about why the MLB should not have all their eggs in one or two baskets when it comes to which teams get promoted and which ones don't. I also do get the MLB extra Innings package and do use it to watch plenty out of market match ups I would never get without it.

I will say they've gotten better. I think TBS does an excellent job of getting teams like the Reds and Twins involved in their National games. ESPN does a fair job, and FOX is just flat out awful at it. You just shouldn't have to explain to your average fan who good teams are in the middle of September because you never bothered to put them on in any time slot where they can get exposure and that's something the MLB has been burned on the last few years.

I agree, except I think ESPN is worst of all. MLB Network is great because they talk about ALL games, unlike ESPN who will spend 15 minutes on Sportscenter on a Yankees/Red Sox matchup and not even gloss over half the games played. However, MLB needs to do better themselves and needs to force change upon Fox and especially ESPN. Right now, we spend the whole year being told that the Yankees, Red Sox and to a lesser extent Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals and Dodgers are really the only teams who matter, then when neither of those teams make the World Series, ratings are bad and everyone is scratching their heads why. ESPN doesn't even try to hide their bias. I will never forget that going into the 2007 World Series, John Kruk said "Uh, I don't really know anything about the Rockies. If ESPN and Fox broadcasted more teams and showed that teams like the Padres and Reds actually exist, maybe casual fans will have some level of interest when they make the playoffs. It's no wonder people don't watch when non-marquis teams are in the playoffs,

[MEANS]

or how Chris Berman almost screamed in horror when Juan Uribe's ground ball to Tony Graffanino was missed in the fifth inning of the 2005 playoffs...so obvious how much of a boston homer he was....

[pmoehrin]

What your saying about SportsCenter could be said about any sport. You watch SportsCenter to see highlights. If you want more you need to go elsewhere. Been that way for a decade now.

I do see a decent mix of games on ESPN though and Baseball Tonight is still solid and does as good of a job as the MLB Network shows in terms of being well rounded in what teams get covered.

To me they're okay. They could be doing a better job, but I don't think of them as much of a problem as they used to be.

FOX is far more of the issue to me. They're lead announcer is on the record as saying he doesn't like baseball that much. How can you possibly allow him to be your guy?

[TheOldRoman]

or how Chris Berman almost screamed in horror when Juan Uribe's ground ball to Tony Graffanino was missed in the fifth inning of the 2005 playoffs...so obvious how much of a boston homer he was....

His "OHHHH NOOOO!" for Graffanino's error was only topped by his call of the final out and the White Sox' first postseason victory since 1917. "And the dream to repeat has died." After a few more sentences and fighting back tears, he mentioned that the White Sox had won.

What your saying about SportsCenter could be said about any sport. You watch SportsCenter to see highlights. If you want more you need to go elsewhere. Been that way for a decade now.

I do see a decent mix of games on ESPN though and Baseball Tonight is still solid and does as good of a job as the MLB Network shows in terms of being well rounded in what teams get covered.

To me they're okay. They could be doing a better job, but I don't think of them as much of a problem as they used to be.

FOX is far more of the issue to me. They're lead announcer is on the record as saying he doesn't like baseball that much. How can you possibly allow him to be your guy?

Sportscenter has gotten worse and worse since I started watching (2003), so at this point they do gloss over most games. However, the NFL is very good at promoting all of its teams, and they always mention each NFL game on Sportscenter.

Baseball Tonight has gone down the crapper the past several years, too. First off, they relegate it to only a half hour because Lord knows we need NFL Tonight to give us breakdowns of OTAs and then training camp previews for 30 minutes a night. On Baseball Tonight they don't even cover every team. Most games they do highlight get two clips tops. MLB Network is much better at showing all teams, as well as hiding their bias about the teams.

I hate Fox's coverage of baseball. Everything about it. It is silly that when I watch my White Sox World Series DVDs, dramatic home runs are followed up by gears turning and a ridiculous robotic noise to update the scoreboard at the top of the screen. And who could forget dear Scooter! Tim McCarver needs to be put out to pasture and Joe Buck needs to be sledgehammered in the groin. However, I don't think they are as big a problem as ESPN because other than the playoffs, they only show 20 or so games a year. People tune into ESPN each day to follow baseball.

[pmoehrin]

Most of what you said is simply matter of opinion. I'm not going to argue Baseball Tonight's case, but I can say ESPN shows alot more then 20 games a year.

I don't know what the exact number is but they do show at least three games a week.

I'm not going to say you'll get a full picture of what's going on simply by watching ESPN because you won't. The NFL's about the only sport where you can and that's because ESPN talks about the NFL non stop, but your not going to get just Yankees and Sox shoved down your throat at every turn either as you used to. I just don't think of them as the worst foot forward for the MLB right now.

[Fox]

Give the devil his due, Bud Selig has presided over the longest stretch of labor peace since the MLBPA was formed, if he wants to stay on he should.

It might be fair to say that he's now the best of the big 4 commissioners.

That's not saying much. At all.

If we include the MLS (which I know we don't, but still), Don Garber is BY FAR the best commissioner in American pro sports.

Exactly. Best meaning least bad.

[RedSox44]

Give the devil his due, Bud Selig has presided over the longest stretch of labor peace since the MLBPA was formed, if he wants to stay on he should.

It might be fair to say that he's now the best of the big 4 commissioners.

That's not saying much. At all.

If we include the MLS (which I know we don't, but still), Don Garber is BY FAR the best commissioner in American pro sports.

Exactly. Best meaning least bad.

Even "bad" is too kind a word for most commissioners...

I'd personally go with "least horrawful".

[mania]

Holy .

Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi traded to Seattle for Michael Pineda and Jose Campos.

Hell of a trade for the Yankees, sending a glorified DH and a throw-in bullpen arm for an amazing young pitcher and a flame throwing prospect who strikes out a :censored:ton and doesn't walk a lot.

As a Rangers fan, I'm glad Pineda is out of the division, although I hate him going to another contender.

[RedSox44]

Holy .

Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi traded to Seattle for Michael Pineda and Jose Campos.

Hell of a trade for the Yankees, sending a glorified DH and a throw-in bullpen arm for an amazing young pitcher and a flame throwing prospect who strikes out a :censored:ton and doesn't walk a lot.

As a Rangers fan, I'm glad Pineda is out of the division, although I hate him going to another contender.

I think I speak for all Red Sox fans when I say

OH

[Lights Out]

Mariners got very good value in return for Pineda... Montero has the potential to be a great hitter in the MLB.

As for the Yanks... you have a really good pitcher, the Rays have a really good rotation. 'Nuff said.

[RedSox44]

Mariners got very good value in return for Pineda... Montero has the potential to be a great hitter in the MLB.

As for the Yanks... you have a really good pitcher, the Rays have a really good rotation. 'Nuff said.

And the Red Sox have no pitching after Lester.

Hello third place.

[BigBubba]

Terrible move by the Yankees...Montero was gonna be the saviour of the franchise.

[RedSox44]

The Yankees just signed Hiroki Kuroda, too.

OH OH OH OH

https://twitter.com/#!/JackCurryYES/statuses/157995526921535488

Jack Curry

@JackCurryYES

Big night for the Yankees. They have agreed to a 1-year deal with Kuroda, pending a physical. Deal will be between $10 and $11 million.

[JayJaxon]

The Yankees needed a pitcher...and got a great one. Lucky for everyone that isn't a fan of the Evil Empire, they need more than one pitcher. Montero was going to be the next guy for them. Now I'm glad he is somewhere else.

[Dexter Morgan]

The Yankees needed a pitcher...and got a great one. Lucky for everyone that isn't a fan of the Evil Empire, they need more than one pitcher. Montero was going to be the next guy for them. Now I'm glad he is somewhere else.

They just signed Kuroda

CC

Pineda

Kuroda

Nova

Hughes/Burnett/Garcia

[zpqmaowl]

Kuroda was my favorite pitcher who never got any run support at all. I saw his one-hitter on July 7, 2008 against the Braves (damn Teixeira). Also, he seemed to pitch every time we went to the game...