Don't know what to say but apparently the Chicago Cubs have lost their senses. They have signed Edwin Jackson, he of the 10-11 record with the 98 win Nationals, to a 4 year, $52 million deal. Cripes, Jackson is only 70-71 in his career with a 4.40 ERA. He was a #5 starter for the Nats and did about what the Nats expected, so they non-tendered him. That is a LOT of money for those career numbers. MLB has lost their collective minds.:rolleyes2: -- Al
Baseball 2013 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter lancer
- Start date
It would seem that in order to become one of the millionaire's club in MLB, all one has to do is to be a mediocre pitcher. The Jackson signing is just one example. Two others that I find hard to believe are the signings of Ryan Dempster by Boston and Lariano by Pittsburgh. Dempster gets a $26.5 million, 2 year deal as a reward for a 124-124, 4.33 ERA, career record. Lariano gets $14 million for 2 years with a 53-54, 4.40 ERA record. MLB pitching is so watered down, talent wise, that these kind of contracts are becoming the norm for these types of pitchers. These signings are just for innings eaters as these guys are what they are, .500 pitchers, who are not ever going to be anything else. They have been around awhile and have found their level. I also see that a couple of pitchers who have been out of baseball for a while (2-3 seasons), have signed minor league contracts. Scott Kazmir and Jeremy Bonderman are attempting comebacks and I think they have a decent shot of making the majors what with current needs for anyone who can throw. I wish them luck as they both used to be good pitchers. I'm thinking that with the talent dilution at the major league level, that maybe Roger Clemens might still have an opportunity
to comeback, if this HoF thing falls through this year. End of rant. -- Al
Warrior
Lieutenant General
- Joined
- May 12, 2005
- Messages
- 15,293
There hasn't been a signing the Red Sox have made this off season that makes any sense; Dempster, Napoli (that one my be voided as he has a bum hip), Victorino, Moss and the latest one, Drew for 10 million dollars, he flat out sucks.
They have no plan at all, as in zero.
Right now in the AL East, I'd rate the teams as Blue Jays (their 14 fans up in Toronto must be thrilled with what they've done this off season), Rays (they continue to move players they have no shot of resigning and get big returns back), Yankees (what a team; 90% of them are AARP members), Orioles (sorry O's fans, you're not winning 900 one run games again this year), Red Sox.
The last place Red Sox.
Awesome, when does spring training start?
Just a little concerned about the path that the Nats have followed since the end of the season. They haven't resigned LaRoche, which could prove a big error. He hasn't signed with anyone else yet but the lack of the Nats interest in resigning him makes his leaving almost guaranteed if he can get close to what he is asking. He must feel under-appreciated. Even more concerning is the lack of attention to their bullpen. It was a major strength of their team last year and it has taken a major hit. It has lost all 3 of their proven left-handers, with no replacement. Top that off with the loss of left-handed starter John Lannan and there could be the start of a problem. Still a lot of time to make moves but I have to wonder what the management is thinking. -- Al
Good news for the Nationals and their fans as Adam LaRoche has resigned with the Nats at $25million for 2 years and a 3rd year mutual option. Whew! LaRoche was HUGE foe the Nats in 2012, both defensively, but even more on the offensive side as he was a rock all year long. 2013 without LaRoche would have been a big hole to fill. Now for the bullpen. -- Al
jazzeum
Four Star General
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2005
- Messages
- 38,433
Nothing wrong with your eyes. No one got in.
Not sure why Piazza isn't in. There's no evidence against him like Clemens or Bonds, just a lot of whispers and innuendo.
Piazza received around 57% of the required 75%. Clemens and Bonds received around 37% each.
Combat
Brigadier General
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2005
- Messages
- 10,431
That's great news. It will be a sad day if Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, and McG ever get in. Cheats and liars. I would even let Rose in before those guys.
Not surprised at all. I thought Biggio and Piazza might make it but wasn't real confident. Quite an indictment of that generation of players. As Schilling says, they (the players) did nothing to push cleaning up the steroid problem and now it has come back to bite them. -- Al
Warrior
Lieutenant General
- Joined
- May 12, 2005
- Messages
- 15,293
Baseball, the people who run it and the writers who cover it are all jokes.
The winning league of the All star game gets HFA for the World Series; how about the team with the best record getting it?
AL has the DH, NL doesn't, another joke.
Bonds and Clemens not in the Hall of Fame, why?
Because they played and thrived in the steriod era? How can ANY player voted in who played during that era not be suspected of using PED's?
Bond and Clemens had HOF numbers BEFORE they started using; so what's the problem?
Bonds was a SEVEN time MVP, Clemens was a SEVEN time Cy Young award winner, neither gets in the hall, moronic.
News flash; professionals will do what they have to do to play longer, put up big numbers and make big money as a result, it's what they do for a living, so they'll do what they have to do to play longer and make as much money as possible.
Hypocrites.
The winning league of the All star game gets HFA for the World Series; how about the team with the best record getting it?
AL has the DH, NL doesn't, another joke.
Bonds and Clemens not in the Hall of Fame, why?
Because they played and thrived in the steriod era? How can ANY player voted in who played during that era not be suspected of using PED's?
Bond and Clemens had HOF numbers BEFORE they started using; so what's the problem?
Bonds was a SEVEN time MVP, Clemens was a SEVEN time Cy Young award winner, neither gets in the hall, moronic.
News flash; professionals will do what they have to do to play longer, put up big numbers and make big money as a result, it's what they do for a living, so they'll do what they have to do to play longer and make as much money as possible.
Hypocrites.
Our local sports channel, MASN, is reporting a rather shocking signing by the Nats. The Nats have signed Raphael Soriano (NYY closer) to a 2 year, $28 million deal with a 3rd year option. Has caught me by surprise as I thought our bullpen was in great shape with Clippard as set-up and Storen as closer. Obviously this leaves one of them out in the cold, and I'm guessing the Storen meltdown against the Cards means it is going to be Storen looking for work. There hadn't been any hint that this move was coming, that Storen had lost the confidence of management. I figured that the Nats would be after left-handed help, if anything, in the pen. Shows what I know.:redface2: Too bad, as Storen has been a top-flight closer for us and I hate to see him dumped. The only other move I see here is if management plans on moving Clippard out, instead of Storen. That would make even less sense than dumping Storen as Clippard has been lights out in the pen for the last couple of years. As a matter of interest, this also leaves the NYY's without a closer if Rivera doesn't perform as expected coming off his injury. I wonder what they were thinking, letting Soriano go? Interesting day for all involved. -- Al
jazzeum
Four Star General
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2005
- Messages
- 38,433
Thought you'd be happy when I heard the news Al, but doesn't sound completely like it. Nats have just improved themselves immeasurably.
Yankees weren't going to sign Soriano anyway as he didn't want to be backup insurance to Rivera or backup man.
Yankees weren't going to sign Soriano anyway as he didn't want to be backup insurance to Rivera or backup man.
Brad, I'm pleased the Nats have gotten themselves such a proven closer, but I'm a little unsure of the necessity. Storen is a proven closer and should be effective again, providing he doesn't have a lingering head-case problem in regard to his meltdown. The signing just says to me that management no longer believes Storen is their man. A team doesn't spend $28 million on a closer to have him compete for the job so I'm assuming Storen is toast as far as the Nats are concerned. The Nats have kind of blown up a bullpen that didn't need it and I'm not at all sure they have improved the pen in the process. In addition to signing Soriano, the Nats let their 2 key bullpen lefties get away this off-season and have not as yet replaced them. I'm just a little 'bothered' by it all. -- Al
Former Baltimore Oriole manager Earl Weaver died this morning at the age of 82. RIP Earl, you were the best the O's ever had and your teams were the best the O's have ever had or are likely to ever have. You will be missed by everyone in Birdland. -- Al
Warrior
Lieutenant General
- Joined
- May 12, 2005
- Messages
- 15,293
Just read this on another forum, guess he was on an Orioles fantasy cruise and collapsed in his room wiht his wife by his side.
One of the greatest managers that ever lived, won close to 1,500 games if I am not mistaken, had some of the greatest teams of all time as the Orioles manager, his teams were loaded.
RIP Mr Weaver.
One of the greatest managers that ever lived, won close to 1,500 games if I am not mistaken, had some of the greatest teams of all time as the Orioles manager, his teams were loaded.
RIP Mr Weaver.
sammy719
Major
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2007
- Messages
- 6,649
Earl was one of a kind
I loved his passion for the the game (not sure the umps would say the same) but no doubt the greatest Oriole manager that ever put on that uniform, rest in peace Earl you will never be forgotten...Sammy