***Official 2011-12 MLB HOTSTOVE OFF-SEASON THREAD***

Simply because W and L's or a no decision is not a "stat" per se, those are outcomes, the final product of Statistics matched to Performance.

When the cake is baked, it's baked Lucky.

 

The final product matched to the performance of both the offensive and defensive performance of the team.
And yeah when a cake is baked it's baked, but if the cake doesn't come out the right color you don't blame the eggs when its clearly the wrong icing.

 

he had very very good and yes dominant seasons Fink come on, I original point was someone said something about Burhele wouldnt dominant because he doesnt throw hard.....Tommy John.....was his career full on dominant of course not, but which career was??

Example 1979 21-9 2.96ERA 17 complete games, TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX FREAKING INNINGS PITCHED, low k/9 fine wow you can savor that delicious stat, maybe he got lucky maybe not, maybe he produced alot of easy groundball outs who knows.....the point is he was dominant this year (and there are more seasons as well)....with a slow fastball....tell me one person that would trade in this stat line for a high K/9?

your ideal of dominant is ultra dominant.....that is like saying the only dominant hitters where Bonds, Mac and Sosa eyepopping number years, because they dont come around often like Pedro's seasons he had in 99-00 which like those hitters very rarely some around....

someone like Elsbury for instance to me (ugh Q up BDH now) dominanted baseball this year, but his numbers werent eye-popping....I guess we have a difference of opinion on that...

 

I took you off block one day too late :'(

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/...tml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Smh Ryan Braun.

 

He's still a beast. But a stupid beast.

 

So can they go ahead and change the name plate on the MVP award to Matt Kemp now, like it should have been in the first place?

Ryan Braun, 2011 NL MVP****

 

You sick ****, Sushi v Beer and Brauts?

Come on..man.

 

Beer and Brauts...and needles sticking out of his ***.

Ryan Braun is a cheater, and should probably be stripped of his MLB awards, but Selig is too much of a ***** to do that.

Besides, the DODGER DOG is classic. More iconic baseball food than anything in Milwaukee.

 

Uhm, yo quiero la chorizo de dodgers?

 

Seriousy consideration to putting you on ignore. Half the time I don't even understand where you are coming from. It is like you like taking the contrarian point of view to make yourself feel smarter than others or something.

 

Hope not Sam, in fact I suspect the Magic Group will wind up with the Dodgers.

As for the hot dog comment, just poking some fun at the "LA/Sushi Capital" perception.

FWIW, I USED to use that sort of half assed "Spanglish" with my coworkers in my last employ and we had a great time doing so, if one would, pardon the digression.

 

Love the hard hitting reporting by Nick Cafardo, especially since this had all ready been reported back in November by Alex Speier on WEEI.com. I actually don't think them having much money this offseason is a bad thing, I really don't see a FA out there that's a good fit for the team or really worth the contract they're going to get. I mean I like Michael Cuddyer but not for over 8 million or so and he'll probably get 10 somewhere. Maybe the team will get lucky was a cheap sign wash up instead of getting burned by a big money expensive FA again.

 

True, there is a wisdom in not just throwing more money at problems sometimes the players already on the team have to improve their performance.

With all the money Crawford is pulling down, you'd have to think they expect him to bounce back so adding yet another guy almost becomes counter productive.

 

Ugh, 7 yrs ago Kevin Millwood was Tommy Hanson, hope he can avoid going down the road Millwood wound up taking.

 

Realistically the Sox offense is fine. The only real opening is in RF and even with someone like a Josh Reddick in RF to start the year that's fine. Their line up doesn't concern me at all. It's the pitching staff, they need more arms whether it's in the pen or in the rotation.

 

more than 7 years ago....

 

The Sox current pay roll is at 132 million:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tz8qHiYrIzlFtVnly7gibjw&output=html

But once you factor in them tendering contracts to the arbitration eligible guys and the other guys on the 40 man there's not much wiggle room I guess. They don't want to go over the luxury tax penalty, which is at 178 million, or it will cost them big time. So it seems like after they sign everyone they already have under team control they'll be at around 165-170 million.

 

With so little funds to work with, you'd have to think they will start some really young pitchers?

 

Probably not. They already have Lester, Beckett and Buchholz in their rotation. Aceves could be another possibility too as could Bard. They'll probably sign a Jason Marquis type pitcher or make a trade for someone to compete in ST for the 5th spot. Then just mix and match. They really don't have any pitchers in the minor leagues that are close to being big league ready at the start of the year, maybe by mid season but not right away. The Sox won't rush them either.

 

...

 

Ramirez loves the NL Central.

 

Randy Wolf, were are you?

I only half kid, that is thin as paper though RF

 

What is? Maybe it's too early in the morning but I don't get the thin as paper comment.

 

Usually happens RF is there are 2 long relief guys who can start in an emergency, and be close to as good as the #4/#5 guy, I noticed you have not mentioned anyone like that in your run down.

Thusly paper thin.

 

...

 

No the Sox have guys like that in Kyle Weiland, Scott Atchison, Junchini Tazawa, Felix Doubront and Andrew Miller. I just don't consider them to be very good (or good enough to be a 4 or 5 in the AL East) or real candidates to make the rotation except for maybe Doubront.

I could live with a rotation of Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, Doubront/Bard/Aceves and Pitcher X (unless another one of Bard/Doubront/Aceves pitches well in ST and wins the job) to start the year, especially considering the FA market and the Sox spending limits. I except them to sign or trade for at least 2 non big name guys to compete for a spot in ST. But having a long man or two in the bullpen is a very low priority for the Sox right now.

 

Reports have them interested in Saunders as well......

 

hmmm RF no Lavarnway?

 

...

 

If they can sign him dirt cheap, sure why not? In the very least he could probably be a good LOOGY. But I doubt his stuff would play in the AL East as a SP.

I like the Shoppach deal, just 1 year cheap, he hits LHPs well. It means the Varitek Era is over, which I'm not sad about. The guy was a great player for the Sox and a warrior but it's time to move on. Hopefully Wakefield gets the same memo.

As far as Lavarnway, I guess it means the Sox want him back in Triple A catching everyday. Makes sense, no need to rush him let him work on his catching defense in Triple A. His bat would probably play in the MLB now but he needs work behind the plate. A catching platoon of Saltalamacchia and Shoppach is good enough for me.

 

The theory that Shoppach hits lefties well is a myth. He calls a good game and has a good arm. Other then that he's useless.

 

God damnit...quite possibly my favorite player of all time is now playing for Philly.

 

.909 OPS vs. LHP (4th highest among active catchers). Career stat line vs. LHP .274/.373/.536. I guess I don't see how its a myth. I'll take that as my back up catcher, he's the perfect platoon partner for Saltalmacchia.

 

Well the last couple of seasons with the Rays he didn't hit great against the lefties. He was just god awful at the plate. His swing needs a huge overhaul.

 

I don't know Nappy, in 2010 his stat line was .261/.375/.455/.830 in 45 games, 104 PA. In 2011 his line was .241/.344/.444/.788 in 50 games, 125 PA. For a back up catcher, I'll take those numbers. If he hits .250/.350/.448/.798 in ~50 games I'll be thrilled. He's awful vs. RHP no doubt about that. But let's put it this way he's a clear update offensively and defensively over Varitek.

 

I guess our problem was he was basically our starting catcher. He doesn't pass the eye test against lefties for sure. But the stats are there, so i guess he was decent against lefties....