MLB Offseason Discussion Thread

[No More Sorrow]

NEW YORK -- Milwaukee's Ryan Braun has won the NL Most Valuable Player Award after helping lead the Brewers to their first division title in nearly 30 years.

Braun earned the MVP on Tuesday, receiving 20 of 32 first-place votes and 388 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Los Angeles center fielder Matt Kemp, who came close to winning the Triple Crown, received 10 first-place votes and finished with 332 points. Braun's teammate Prince Fielder finished third with 229 points, and Arizona's Justin Upton finished fourth with 214 points.

Braun led the NL with a .597 slugging percentage and was second with a .332 batting average. He had 33 homers, 111 RBIs and stole 33 bases.

Kemp led the NL in homers, RBIs and was third in average.

espn.com

 

[Killswitch]

I still would've given it to Kemp, but it was pretty close. Honestly, all except the AL CYA race were pretty close this year.

 

[Ben]

Of course I'm happy with Braun winning MVP and it was a close race with Kemp think he only beat him by 20 some points.

 

[Killswitch]

The top five hitters in the MVP voting — not including Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera — were a combined 2-for-35 against Verlander.

ESPN.com

 

[Killswitch]

Instant replay also to be expanded

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...-hgh-testing/1

Instant replay also will be expanded, subject to negotiations between MLB and the umpires' union, to include fair/foul and trapped/caught balls.

Good.

 

[Killswitch]

-----Original Message-----
From: Boston.com Newsletters [mailto:newsletters@boston.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 8:36 PM
To: A sexy beast named Phil
Subject: Breaking Sports Alert: Red Sox pick Valentine as manager

The Red Sox have chosen Bobby Valentine as their next manager, although the sides have yet to agree to a contract.
To read more, visit Boston.com - Boston, MA news, breaking news, sports, video

Bobby is a great 2nd or 3rd place manager at best. He doesn't know baseball fundamentals and only knows home runs. He wears the players out over the long haul. But good luck Boston with this loser, Y'all deserve him. Did you ever wonder why the Dodgers or Yankees never hired him? Because he is a terrible manager.

 

[The New F'n Show]

Today's news in short

David DeJesus to the Cubs
Ramon Santiago re-ups with Tigers
Ramon Hernandez to the Rockies
Rockies trade Chris Ianetta to Angels for Tyler Chatwood.
Thoughts?

 

[Killswitch]

Marlins pursuing Heath Bell

It's been their pursuit of Jose Reyes, Albert Pujols, Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson that has generated the most buzz, but the Miami Marlins also are making a serious run at free-agent closer Heath Bell, sources told ESPN.com.

With the future of their incumbent closer, Juan Oviedo (aka Leo Nunez), a major question due to an identity-discrepancy issue, the Marlins have been quietly aggressive in their pursuit of Bell since the day the free-agent negotiating period began four weeks ago.

Read full story

The Marlins are just trying to attach their names to every big free agent to create buzz. How many of them are actually likely to sign? Who knows. But right now it seems more of a PR stunt than any "serious runs" at free agents. However I still think they're sleepers to land Pujols.

 

[Killswitch]

Heath Bell & the Marlins have agreed to a 3-year deal

 

[Deuce]

Great decision in my opinion, Heath could be a huge addition to the team but we will have to wait and see.

 

[The New F'n Show]

Hasn't been formally announced but it looks like Bell will be a Marlin and I like it as well.

 

[Killswitch]

Depending on what free agent acquisitions they continue to make, and the health of their two stars, as well as the continued emergence of Gaby Sanchez, Mike Stanton and Logan Morrison, they should be contenders. Infante is such a solid second-baseman it is ridiculous that they were able to get him in exchange for Uggla.

 

[No More Sorrow]

DALLAS – Shortstop Jose Reyes, one of the most intriguing players on the free-agent market, also became one of the first big names to change teams, agreeing to terms with the suddenly flush Miami Marlins on a six-year, $106 million contract Sunday.

The news came on the eve of baseball’s annual winter meetings as executives were checking into the Hilton Anatole Hotel. On the heels of the signing of closer Heath Bell, the Marlins’ acquisition of Reyes gives the team that shifted its affiliation from the broader Florida to the more precise Miami a measure of authenticity.

The Marlins courted nearly every significant free agent in the last month, and perked ears had begun to give way to rolled eyes. But with the move of Reyes from the New York Mets to South Florida, it’s clear Miami is a legitimately hot destination. Sources said Sunday night they expect the Marlins to continue their courtship of a superstar first baseman – either Albert Pujols (whom they’ve offered a nine-year contract worth almost $200 million) or Prince Fielder – and a frontline pitcher, likely left-hander Mark Buehrle. At a time in the NL East when the Philadelphia Phillies are showing their age and the New York Mets are irrelevant, and with the opening of a new ballpark, and then feeling the pressure of opening that ballpark on the public dime, the Marlins are, said one source, “Going after it.”

They signed Bell last week to a three-year, $27-million contract, and are showing no signs of stopping.

YahooSports.com

 

[Killswitch]

I would assume Hanley gets moved to 3B...

(1) Heath Bell, (2) Jose Reyes, (3) Hanley will probably not be AS bad this year, and (4) Hanley getting moved to a position where he can't do so much defensive damage? The Marlins could be a legitimate WC threat, and opening the new stadium with at least an attempt at a bang is a smart move.

 

[The New F'n Show]

Stanton is the best player on that team, bringing in Reyes just makes him more dangerous.