1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

The Official 2014 AL East Thread

Discussion in 'Other Sports Forum' started by finyank13, Feb 27, 2014.

  1. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    I think it's completely unfair to compare the toughness of pro players to guys like Jeter, Cal Ripken, Michael Jordan, Schilling and even Pedroia. Those five I mentioned, and I'm sure I missed others, are the exception. Heck even Arod before he hurt his hip played in nearly every game no matter what.
     
  2. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    Fine, still doesnt take away the fact the guy is soft...
     
  3. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    FWIW in Keith Law's ESPN Chat he's doing he got this question about TB:

    Of course that was also what scouts initially said about Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correra too and because Adames is so young who knows.

    EDIT: Speaking of Bogaerts he got this one too:

     
  4. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Not really AL East news but fits into the discussion last week about whether it's ok to purposely throw at hitters to send a message:

    http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2...tchen-has-a-broken-rib-not-an-oblique-strain/

    Obviously the broken rib it might not be from the DBacks throwing at McCutchen on purposed because Goldschmidt broke his hand because he got HBP by accident by the Pirates the day before. Either way throwing at hitters to "send a message" is dumb and why teams shouldn't do it because it could possibly lead to something like this.

    Either way should be interesting to see how long Delgado's suspension will be and if the MLB will reduce it. Remember Workman got 6 games and appealed but the MLB kept the original 6 games.
     
    finyank13 likes this.
  5. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    Also they have been floating around the idea of 6-man rotations as a way to try an lesson TJ surgeries. What are your thoughts on it?
     
  6. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    ...

    Really, Ortiz I get, but why the hate on Jeter....
     
  7. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Actually pretty funny you should ask, this was also from Law's chat yesterday:

    Have to agree with Law as well as it limits the # of starts your better pitchers make. I'd rather have Clayton Kershaw, for example, make 33 to 35 starts instead of 25 to 28, as those extra starts could make the difference in making the playoffs or not. Plus most teams have trouble finding 4 or 5 decent starters, imagine trying to find 6 starters? It would probably hurt the pitchers in October during the playoffs too if/when they start to pitch on 3 days rest at times, going from 5 days rest to 3 could lead to increased injuries too.
     
  8. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    I don't get the Jeter hate either but there's always been some Jeter backlash by players throughout the years. Apparently T.J. Quinn asked David Price and Chris Archer about Ortiz though....

    Seriously though imagine if the unnamed players were someone like Jeter or Rivera? Most likely it's probably some non star like most of the other names in the original raid led to.

    Either work I'm tired of all the PED stuff.
     
  9. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    Right but in theory it would be the same for all teams....it would place and emphasis on solid pitching depth...

    Also side work is less strenuous than actual starts no? What do they go 75% just to stay loose?
     
  10. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    What did they say??

    Also I would be beyond shocked and sad if those 2 got whacked....Quinn said no big names but also no small fringe names either....should be interesting....

    What do you think the angle on arrested A-Rod's cousin is? Trying to get him to flip on A-Rod....also it wouldn't surprise me if he started doing it from when he was a high schooler....as it is coming out that his cousin sold to high school kids...
     
  11. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    My point is most teams have trouble finding 5 pitchers each year, asking them to get 6 will just water down the pitching even more (although it could cause an increase in offense which the sport really needs right now).

    No clue what goes into side work and how hard they go on those days so I wouldn't be able to answer that.
     
  12. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Regarding Price/Archer just making a joke about how they don't like Ortiz because he hits HRs off of them.

    So its no big names but also no small fringe players either? So basically its the Melky Cabreras/Nelson Cruzs of the baseball world.

    There were always rumors about Arod using PEDs dating back to high school so no it wouldn't surprise me either if he started at that age.
     
  13. Jt0323

    Jt0323 Fins Up! Luxury Box

    12,967
    7,293
    113
    Dec 7, 2007
    Las Vegas
    Great series by the Yankees. Crazy that the top 5 teams after the all star break are the Rays, Yankees, Orioles, Blue Jays, and Red Sox
     
  14. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    A really good interview with Carl Crawford and his signing with the Sox before the 2011 season, although Crawford still comes off as a friend that can't stop bringing up his ex-girlfriend over and over and over again thus annoying you over and over and over again:

    http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/b...carl-crawford-does-not-share-jon-lesters-sent

    I'm glad he finally admits that it wasn't the right place for him because of the pressures and says he took the offer with the most money without ever doing any research on the city etc. Also nice to hear him admit he got booed because he didn't produce, although does hint some of it was race related.

    Still kind of crazy to see just how far he's fallen in terms of production from 2010, when he was an All Star, to now being almost a part time/platoon player. He's a shell of his former self and while injuries definitely played a role in his reduced numbers I wonder if playing in Boston for that year and a half just killed his confidence. I do think he put way too much pressure on himself and probably listened to the radio and read the papers too much.

    Once again the Sox (and Crawford) were incredibly lucky the Dodgers bailed them out as it was clear Crawford and Gonzalez simply weren't good fits in Boston as they were too thin skinned.
     
  15. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Wait does Jeter actually wear cleats that list all of his accomplishments on them? People were talking about it on WFAN.
     
  16. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

    10,191
    4,187
    113
    Dec 3, 2007
    Bradenton,FL

    Yea you haven't seen the pictures of them yet?

    I like them. Let me brag on the low a little bit. He never does it, he deserves it.
     
  17. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Nope haven't seen them. Seems really un-Jeter like to do something like that though.
     
  18. Finfangirl

    Finfangirl Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

    10,340
    52,516
    113
    Dec 8, 2007
    Bay Area, Ca
    Ray Finkle likes this.
  19. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
  20. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Alex Speier and Keith Law talked about Bogaerts and other Sox players on Buster Olney's Podcast yesterday. Speier said that he's asked Bogaerts numerous times whether or not the move to 3B is the reason why he stopped hitting (Speier also noted that Bogaerts hit HRs the first 2 nights he moved off SS to 3B) and Bogaerts told him no the reason why is he got into a bad habit with his top hand and he was pulling off the baseball and not having the explosive follow through, which also has been causing him to cheat on pitches and thus being exposed when a pitcher throws offspeed stuff.

    I'm not worried about Bogaerts, I still think he's going to be a good MLB player. I just think it's the first time he's going through a long slump in any professional year of his career and I also think people forget just how young he is. The average 21 year old is A ball.
     
  21. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    So Justin Verlander, at 31 years old, has at least 5 years and 140 million left on his contract (he has a vesting option for 2020 for 22 million that could bring the total to 6/162). He's been regressing each of the last 3 years. Now is out with a sore shoulder and never has had any injury issues with his arm in his career.

    This is the exact reason why I wouldn't want to be Ben Cherington or any member of the Sox front office if/when they talk to Jon Lester about a contract in the offseason.
     
  22. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    oh yeah for sure I get that....so whats the plan? Not get any ace?
     
  23. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    Right when he proves to hit the yak, he will be fine, because he seems to be on the hard stuff...unless of course he is Serano :lol:
     
  24. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Never said that. All I'm suggesting is maybe it doesn't make sense giving a pitcher, no matter how good he is, a long term deal for big money after he passes 30 years old. We've seen Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and CC Sabathia to name a few all sign big contract after age 30 in the past few years all get hurt and still have big money left on the contract. Halladay had to retire and who knows about Lee and CC and what they have left.

    I think the next Red Sox ace will be had via trade and not by some big free agent signing.
     
  25. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    Just so we are on the same page, is "big" at 31.....5 years?
     
  26. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Yeah I wouldn't give any pitcher over 30 more than 4 years, unless of course the contract is for an insanely low dollar amount.

    I mean just look at the last two pitchers that the Red Sox signed for big money that were over 30, they were Josh Beckett who signed for 4 years at 68 million that started at his age 31 season and John Lackey who signed for 5 years 82.5 million at his age 31 season. Beckett was good in 2011, the first year of his contract, and was bad in 2012, hurt in 2013 only pitching in 8 games and has been good in 2014 but is now on the DL again. Lackey was bad in 2010, awful in 2011, missed all of 2012, was good in 2013 & 2014. So out of the 4 years Beckett was signed, he put up 1 good season, 1 bad season, 1 missed season and 1 that's still pending. In Lackey's 5 seasons, he put up 1 bad, 1 awful, 1 missed season and 2 good ones.

    Of course there are going to be exceptions like Curt Schilling, for example who they gave 3 years to and even then he was hurt in 2 out of the 4 years, but I just think you're asking for trouble giving pitchers who are over 30 long term deals. They very rarely work out.
     
    finyank13 likes this.
  27. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    Right and I am in step with you, but how does a team under this philosophy get that ace then? Drafting? I mean you need an ace no? Sox I would think have interest in Lester, Shields and Max (I always say Max cuz I have no clue how to spell his last name hhaha), and IMO none of those guys are signing a 4-5 year deal....

    Where does that leave you? Is it better to get say 4 years good out of 6? or even 3 year on a 6 year contract? I would be shuttering as a Sox fan to think Buch is their ace next year. Then again the Yankees are "in it" without an ace so there's that....The pitching isn't the problem, their hitting is...it isnt great (pitching) but it has kept them in games...
     
  28. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    I think the Sox are going to make multiple trades this offseason to get at least 2 SPers. The last time the Sox didn't have an "ace" they went out and make the Beckett trade. They have a lot of prospects and a log jam with their 40 man roster. So no I don't see them going into the year with Buchholz as their ace.

    With the offense in baseball the way it is I think teams can certainly survive and be good without a clear cut "ace". Look at the AL East, Baltimore is in 1st place and who the hell is their ace? Jimenez or Tillman? Yikes. Toronto doesn't have an ace either nor do the Yankees right now (although Tanaka is clearly one).

    Scherzer and Lester will absolutely get more than 5 years, probably 6 or 7 while I think you can get Shields for 4. I can't see the Sox letting Lester walk and then signing Scherzer as it wouldn't make much sense to me and I bet Scherzer will be more expensive.
     
    finyank13 likes this.
  29. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

    10,191
    4,187
    113
    Dec 3, 2007
    Bradenton,FL
    [​IMG]
     
    finyank13 and Ray Finkle like this.
  30. GreenMonster

    GreenMonster New Member

    2,056
    612
    0
    Apr 3, 2008
    Atlanta
    Something tells me the Sox will resign Masterson to take one slot.
     
  31. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Can't wait for this.
     
  32. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Much rather they sign him as a long reliever/super swing man. He's really been getting exposed this year vs. LHH due to his delivery.
     
    Nappy Roots likes this.
  33. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    Still thinks he gets DFA'd....unless of course and it wouldnt surprise me that he keep him up in the beginning because he will put asses in the seat......with Jeter, AP, and Mo gone coupled with a very boring avg team there is no reason to go there...

    This could very well be the first time since 1993 that neither NY or Boston didnt make the playoffs......crazy.
     
  34. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    They'd be kind of stupid to dump him without seeing if he can produce with offense being almost non-existence nowadays.

    And I'm sure the owners know he'll probably be a draw for the first half of the season which they will need if they miss the playoffs for the 2nd straight year and Rivera and Jeter are gone.
     
  35. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    He hits max? 15 home runs next year, drives in 75 or therein about......not worth the media circus that will die out after the first month...
     
  36. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    I didn't realize Werner was in it for the Comissioner's seat....??

    22-8 Manfred right now, he needs one more vote...
     
  37. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

    10,191
    4,187
    113
    Dec 3, 2007
    Bradenton,FL
    I agree with Ray. At this point you keep Arod and hope he is half way decent. Which is a possibility.

    As long as he gets away from Kevin Long lol
     
  38. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

    30,718
    5,415
    113
    Jan 6, 2010
    I dont think Long makes it past the WS after they Yanks are eliminated...
     
    Nappy Roots likes this.
  39. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Considering Yankee 3B in 2014 are hitting .258/.326/.388/.714 with 10 HRs with 49 RBI, Yankee DHs are hitting .231/.289/.400/.689 with 16 HRs with 52 RBI and all Yankee infielders are hitting .246/.312/.375/.687 with 57 HRs with 245 RBI in 2429 plate appearances, I'd say yeah the Yankees would glady take 15 HRs and 75 RBIs from him next year.
     
  40. Ray Finkle

    Ray Finkle Member

    13,500
    4,315
    113
    Dec 9, 2007
    Yeah it certainly came out of nowhere and part of me wants him to get it because he's always super awkward in interviews so it would be funny to watch and plus I'd hope he'd strong arm teams into making loopsided trades with the Red Sox, like Stanton and Jose Fernandez for JBJ and Buchholz. But no I don't think he has a real shot.
     

Share This Page