Baseball thread

[.V.]

As I'm posting articles today, one for our Rays fan. I best get used to last place in the AL East then

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2015/2/24/8097483/tampa-bay-rays-2015-projection-al-east-standings

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Hey, it's not that bad down there!

(ok, it actually is)

 

[Toffee_Joe]

I don't agree, fewer big players are hitting the market in their prime, and often when they do, a team has to over pay in years. Look at Cano last year, the last 3/4 years of that contract are going to be horrible for the Mariners.

Drafting and developing talent is the way baseball is heading at the moment. Add to the mix that the Yankees are handcuffed in terms of spending on young international players, and there may be an international draft once they aren't, means this is an opportunity missed.

Canon was a superstar though. There us no guarantee that Moncada ends up one. He is now likely not to be. The experts seem to have him at somewhere between 5 and 15 in prospect lists. Myers was number 3 two years ago. Last season he was replacement level. Unless the Yankees think he will be a star I understand saving the money. The other thing to be considered. This is a very young man coming from Cuba who now has everything he wants. I wouldn't blame him if baseball isn't quite as important for him as it was a few months ago!

As I'm posting articles today, one for our Rays fan. I best get used to last place in the AL East then

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2015/2/24/8097483/tampa-bay-rays-2015-projection-al-east-standings

Yeah I had seen that. I think we have the best rotation in the division. Not the best in baseball as Archer said today! Still enough to keep us competitive.

 

[.V.]

He still is, which is why he got $240m/10, but he's not long turned 32 and has 9 years left. The last 3/4/5 years are going to be horrible, but that's what happens with prime free agent players now, and the Yankees have 3 of them on the books for the next few years. When all is said and done, his stats will show that the evil empire got the best of him.

I accept that there is no such thing as a sure fire prospect, but given the way free agency works now, the Yankees need to get younger and with their deep pockets, it was a risk worth taking.

The flip side of that is Boston will be all over him to make sure that doesn't happen. He wouldn't be the first player to not put the required work in, but something tells me those sorts of players don't get $30m up front.

 

[Toffee_Joe]

He still is, which is why he got $240m/10, but he's not long turned 32 and has 9 years left. The last 3/4/5 years are going to be horrible, but that's what happens with prime free agent players now, and the Yankees have 3 of them on the books for the next few years. When all is said and done, his stats will show that the evil empire got the best of him.

I accept that there is no such thing as a sure fire prospect, but given the way free agency works now, the Yankees need to get younger and with their deep pockets, it was a risk worth taking.

The flip side of that is Boston will be all over him to make sure that doesn't happen. He wouldn't be the first player to not put the required work in, but something tells me those sorts of players don't get $30m up front.

Yeah Cano still is a superstar. I meant that when he was being signed he had to get those extra years as he was a superstar. The Yankees did get the best of him but he was a good signing for Seattle. They can afford a couple of albatross contracts due to how young the rest of their squad is. This relative inexpensiveness is where the real value in young players is, for me anyway. With Moncada costing $60m that advantage is lost.

Boston will be all over him to try and stop it happening but if he is that sort of guy then it will happen. Look at the problems Josh Hamilton had when he was with the Rays. Everyone knew he had talent but he was such a mess they didn't think he would make it. That's an extreme example. Its more likely he doesn't have the motivation to do that extra set in the gym etc due to a lack of motivation. Its conjecture though.

I don't hate the deal at all. I just understand why the Yankees didn't do it. Considering they have already lost the next two years of international signing I wouldn't have blamed them for going mad. Overall thigh $60m is a lot for someone with no guarantee to ever see the majors!

 

[.V.]

Think we'll have to agree to disagree here Joe. Trust me though, no one wants to see him fail in Boston more than me

 

[Toffee_Joe]

Think we'll have to agree to disagree here Joe. Trust me though, no one wants to see him fail in Boston more than me

Yeah lets do that. We can both agree on not wanting him to succeed in Boston though! They are by far and away the baseball team I dislike least.

 

[.V.]

Talking of Josh Hamilton

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...esses-relapse-to-mlb-officials-013433328.html

 

[.V.]

Jason Garrett gave a talk at the Yankees yesterday. That pretty much guarantees finishing last in the AL East then

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

That's Jason 'New Tom Landry' Garrett to you mate.

 

[.V.]

If you say so...

Nearly 24 hours until baseball pointless baseball, but still.

 

[Toffee_Joe]

If you say so...

Nearly 24 hours until baseball pointless baseball, but still.

Little more exciting than seeing that prospect you have been rooting for strike out/get a hit off a big leaguer though!

 

[.V.]

When I started watching baseball 10 years ago .280 was considered to be the average figure for BA.

The league has changed since then, and I'm trying to find out what the league average in stats for MLB was last season. Anyone know what the league average for BA, OBP, SLG, ERA and FIP was last year? These are about the only stats I'm able to fully grasp I'm afraid. Getting my head around 'moneyball-esque' figures is not easy for me.

Also, I've only got the last book of Game of Thrones to read, please don't judge CF , so need some new reading material for the Kindle. Can anyone recommend anything?

 

[Toffee_Joe]

When I started watching baseball 10 years ago .280 was considered to be the average figure for BA.

The league has changed since then, and I'm trying to find out what the league average in stats for MLB was last season. Anyone know what the league average for BA, OBP, SLG, ERA and FIP was last year? These are about the only stats I'm able to fully grasp I'm afraid. Getting my head around 'moneyball-esque' figures is not easy for me.

Also, I've only got the last book of Game of Thrones to read, please don't judge CF , so need some new reading material for the Kindle. Can anyone recommend anything?

I love advanced stats. To be honest I enjoy them as much as the actual game. Fangraphs is my go to for most things. This link below has league average for hitters

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.as...nd=0&team=0,ss&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

And pitchers.

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.as...nd=0&team=0,ss&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

You can spend hours customising those as you wish. You can add most stats in at the bottom that you can think of. Its interesting to see the increase in strikeouts when its a long held myth that strikeouts come with power. Evidence that this just isn't true.

Really good book that is baseball related without being too much is "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach.

 

[TomPNE94]

Think I'll watch Yankees-Phillies tonight when I get in from North End. Wanna see how bad the Phillies are

I've got a couple of good books at home baseball related but can't for the life of me think what they are called! I'll post links to them when I get home

 

[TomPNE94]

I love advanced stats. To be honest I enjoy them as much as the actual game. Fangraphs is my go to for most things. This link below has league average for hitters

Same. I love maths and stats, probably why I love Baseball, only started watching it at the start of last season and I love it. It's my favourite American Sport by a distance.

 

[Toffee_Joe]

Same. I love maths and stats, probably why I love Baseball, only started watching it at the start of last season and I love it. It's my favourite American Sport by a distance.

Its because the stats actually measure things. In most sports they can be a bit irrelevant. Take shots on target in football. One from 40 yards out is equal to one from 10 yards. Plus there is so much baseball the sample sizes get up to relevant numbers quite quickly.

 

[TomPNE94]

Its because the stats actually measure things. In most sports they can be a bit irrelevant. Take shots on target in football. One from 40 yards out is equal to one from 10 yards. Plus there is so much baseball the sample sizes get up to relevant numbers quite quickly.

I feel like Munkiki would be in his element

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Heads up if anyone's got MLB.TV set to auto renew:

Due to new EU tax malarky some people are getting charged more than the advertised price. Should be $129.99. If you've been billed for more go post on the forum and they'll refund the difference. Got a phone call from a nice sorting it last night.

 

[.V.]

Thanks for that Joe, i've saved them in my favourites for future reference. Don't think i'll tinker too much with it, just keep it simple. I was only average at maths at school, so i don't have the inclination to pour over lots of statistical data.

I'm watching the first hour of that game tonight Tom. Live baseball!

I enjoyed Bat Boy by Matthew McGough and The Baseball Codes by Jason Turbow.

 

[.V.]

Heads up if anyone's got MLB.TV set to auto renew:

Due to new EU tax malarky some people are getting charged more than the advertised price. Should be $129.99. If you've been billed for more go post on the forum and they'll refund the difference. Got a phone call from a nice sorting it last night.

Thanks for that, i'll have to check it out when i get home. Always annoys me that they auto renew, but oh well.

 

[TomPNE94]

Heads up if anyone's got MLB.TV set to auto renew:

Due to new EU tax malarky some people are getting charged more than the advertised price. Should be $129.99. If you've been billed for more go post on the forum and they'll refund the difference. Got a phone call from a nice sorting it last night.

I only re-registered on Sunday on a month by month, won't affect me right?

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Don't think so. It's just with the annual auto renew you're supposed to get the billed the same price as when you first signed up.

 

[TomPNE94]

okay, cool.

Shall we do predictions for this season or do you want to wait until closer to the start of the season?

 

[.V.]

Arod's contract isn't number 1!

http://mweb.cbssports.com/mlb/write...rd-upton-jr-and-16-more-untradeable-contracts

 

[RavenBish]

Cincy Reds, more like Red Hot Hitting.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Arod's contract isn't number 1!

http://mweb.cbssports.com/mlb/write...rd-upton-jr-and-16-more-untradeable-contracts

I love that the Crawford deal still on there, 2+ years after the Red Sox managed to offload him, whilst he was out with a fairly serious injury.

Proof (along with Vernon Wells to the Angels) that just about nothing is ever _completely_ untradeable.

 

[.V.]

Arod at bat alert!

 

[.V.]

And he singled.

 

[.V.]

Mixture of cheers and boos both time he's stepped up to the plate.

Grounded to short in his 2nd AB.