MLB Offseason Discussion Thread

[The New F'n Show]

Love Baseball and can't wait till its back in play. Unfortunately for me i like the Orioles so i have to resort to watching for specific players on the O's and around the league to keep me entertained. I like a lot of the guys i grew up watching now most of which on their way out. Jim Thome and Jason Giambi are two that i watch closely, O's may have the right idea though with this new GM, building in house and bringing in some young talent to grow may be the best route for them. They don't really have the funds to go out an buy a team and even if they did the free agent market doesn't have to many great names left available.

I worked for Ripken Baseball out in Aberdeen one summer and I have to tell you I've developed the O's as my third team. With that said this new GM was not a good Hire he;s stuck in the 90's and his theory's are outdated. I read a lot of baseball writers and very few are fond of this move. Could be a few more years of futility.

 

[Duke Nukem]

Outfielder Pat Burrell, who helped the Giants to a World Series in 2010, has retired after 12 big-league seasons, according to a report published Monday.

MLBTradeRumors.com published a story indicating that Burrell had hung up his spikes but did not cite a specific source. Fox Sports' baseball reporter Ken Rosenthal confirmed the news.

Burrell hit 18 home runs for the Giants in 2010 but spent much of 2011 battling a foot injury that limited him to 92 games.

Burrell was placed on the disabled list on July 15 with a mid-right foot strain and didn't play again until Aug. 31, though he was still in pain after missing 43 games.

He is No. 4 all-time on the Phillies' career home runs list.

Steve Elkington told a great story on Rome about Burrell getting blackout wasted and running around a hotel butt naked.

 

[Killswitch]

Nationals To Sign Edwin Jackson

The Nationals haven't finished above .500 since moving to Washington in 2005, but there's reason to expect significant improvement from the 2012 club in light of the team's offseason moves. GM Mike Rizzo continued bolstering his pitching staff today, agreeing to terms with free agent right-hander Edwin Jackson.


The team announced the one-year deal this afternoon, and Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, who first reported the news (Twitter links), says the agreement is believed to be in the $8-12MM range. The Scott Boras client has to pass his physical for the deal to become official.

The Nationals' projected starting rotation includes Jackson (pictured), Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Chien-Ming Wang. Everyone of the starters except Wang had an average fastball velocity of at least 92 mph in 2011. John Lannan and Ross Detwiler would provide depth, though Lannan is now on the trade block.

Jackson, 28, posted a 3.79 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with a 43.8% ground ball rate in 199 2/3 innings for the White Sox and Cardinals this past season. The hard-throwing right-hander has averaged 208 innings per season with a 3.96 ERA since 2009, but has a career ERA of 4.46 with 6.7 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 since he debuted with the Dodgers on his 20th birthday in 2003. Jackson ranked sixth on MLBTR’s list of top free agents entering the offseason.

Jackson profiled as a Type B free agent after the season and the Cardinals offered him arbitration. They'll obtain a compensatory draft pick in the supplementary first round of this year's amateur draft, but it won't come from the Nationals.

That's a pretty solid rotation, tho Wang should be on the block- not lannan.

 

[InYourFace]

Surprised Lannan is on the block.

Pretty filthy rotation for the Nats

 

[Duke Nukem]

Jackson's a solid arm to have.

 

[JMobile]

Well looks like the Padres are going nowhere this year....again.

 

[Killswitch]

Guthrie to the Rockies for Lindstrom is a semi-interesting deal. Lindstrom is a somewhat nice reliever (a bit up and down, so who knows), Guthrie is a consistent innings eater (would make a reasonable 3rd or 4th starter on a competitive team).

 

[The New F'n Show]

Hammel was in that above trade also.

 

[Killswitch]

This waiting on the Bruan decision is agonizing. Now the Arbitrator says fuck the 25 days, he may need more time? Dude, do your fucking job and get on with it!

 

[Killswitch]

Yanks are shopping Burnett to the Pirates, tho nothing is final

The New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates have a framework in place for a possible A.J. Burnett deal and are working through conditions in that framework, baseball sources said Sunday.

The Yankees have been engaged in talks with four teams but the Pirates have emerged as the front-runner, sources said.

One of the clubs was among teams Burnett can veto per his contract, a source said, and the right-hander was unwilling to give in on that team. It was uncertain what teams were ...

Read full story

AJ had more strikeouts than all but 17 NL pitchers last season and pitched more innings than anyone in the Pirates' rotation...and against NL lineups pitching higher in the rotation it's a mortal lock both those numbers go up and his ERA drops at least a full run. Anyone who doesnt see this deal would be a win-win for both teams is chugging too much haterade.

 

[Duke Nukem]

Just go to the Pirates to dump bad pitching contracts. They historically love doing these kinds of things.

Unless the Yanks eat up 95% + of the contract and the Pirates give up only a career minor leaguer, it's a dumb trade.

 

[Ben]

Braun decision needs to come down so I know what the team is going to be dealing with to start the season. Central is going to be down this year with the Brewers and Cards being the front runners.

 

[The New F'n Show]

Cespedes finally signed today surprising people getting 4 years $36 mill from Oakland.

 

[Duke Nukem]

Cespedes finally signed today surprising people getting 4 years $36 mill from Oakland.

I don't get that contract or the Coco Crisp contract. Seems like too much...

 

[Killswitch]

Billy Beane is the same guy who threw $10 million at Ben Sheets two years ago too. So, it appears the Athletics do have money to spend. They just don't know how to spend it.