The only sport that matters: MLB 2010 Thread

[CajoleJuice]

Depends on whether Strasburg signs with the Yankees in 6 years or not.

[MyNameIsMethodis]

Why are the rays so dam good

[The Fake Shemp]

Depends on whether Strasburg signs with the Yankees in 6 years or not.

Why would he do that when he can stay with Cy Young winner Jordan Zimmermann, future HOF Ryan Zimmerman, NL Silver Slugger and MVP runner-up Bryce Harper, Gold Glove shortstop Ian Desmond and Rolaids Relief MOTY Drew Storen?

If the Nats can win games next season and sell tickets, they have a pretty awesome core that I think will be around for awhile. If they let Strasburg go, it'll only be because his arm blew out ala Kerry Wood.

* Not even counting blue chippers like Chris Marrero, Danny Espinosa and Derek Norris. Although if the Nats are .500, I think Norris gets traded for a bat.

[CajoleJuice]

Because they'll offer him more money than God?

[The Fake Shemp]

Will the Yankees even have a decent team in six years? I don't even know what their farm system looks like, and the core is rather old. Unless they plan on swapping teams with Tampa Bay, I can't imagine the Yankees being the best option for a guy wanting a ring.

[The Fake Shemp]

On Tuesday, four teenaged fans from Southbury, Conn. -- more Strasburg fans than Nationals fans, they said -- drove six hours south to Nationals Park, carrying a sign that read, "Strasburg Is Our Savior." It was merely the latest Biblical reference to a pitcher dubbed "Jesus" by awestruck teammates during spring training.

"It's a prophecy," one of the teenagers, Cody Herr, explained.

"Back home," said his friend, Zack Ulrich, "we call him Saint Stephen."

I think the only comparable baseball event in the Baltimore/Washington area - within recent memory - was when Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record back in '95. Strasburg's debut could be devastating to the Orioles, as well. Between him and all the other young guys coming up, including Harper, I'm not sure if a lot of Maryland residents will make the trek to Camden anymore. Especially if the O's still suck.

[pollo]

Depends on whether Strasburg signs with the Yankees in 6 years or not.

Not to troll, but I'm pretty sure this dude is blowing out his arm come 3 years from now.

[Human Snorenado]

Ok Federwang, I'm now taking offers for Strasburg.  We'll start with half of your team.  The good half, please.

[The Fake Shemp]

Yeah, no way Strasburg stays with the Nationals

Saved.

[Human Snorenado]

Also, for those complaining about stupid trades- I agree!  But I set the league up so that the only way to do anything about it is by player votes, not a commish move.  Sorry, but in my experience having the commish able to veto trades just leads to more headaches than it's worth.

Short version:  MALEK, QUIT BEING STUPID!

[Great Rumbler]

Is Stephen Strasburg the GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME?

:rolleyes

[Mr. Gundam]

Who cares? He can't pitch every day and the Nats suck balls lately.

[Human Snorenado]

You know who doesn't suck balls?  Your NL Leading Atlanta Braves.

 

[Great Rumbler]

You know who doesn't suck balls?  Your NL Leading Atlanta Braves.

 

Texas Rangers

[Sanjuro]

Oh hai thare

[Great Rumbler]

Oh hai thare

zomg

[Mr. Gundam]

Seattle Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik announced today the club has acquired first baseman Justin Smoak, RHP Blake Beavan, INF Matt Lawson and RHP Josh Lueke from the Texas Rangers in exchange for LHP Cliff Lee and RHP Mark Lowe.

Sad to see Lee go, but we were never going to be able to sign him, and Smoak is a fucking stud.

[Great Rumbler]

Smoak's good for a team that's building for the future, but the Rangers has a shot this year so what they really needs is some good pitching to go along with their great batting. Hopefully they'll get the team sold soon and be able to make a few more acquisitions before the trade deadline.

[Mr. Gundam]

I hope it works for them, cause I don't see Lee signing a long-term deal with them. I bet he goes to Philadelpha, Boston or New York next season.

[ManaByte]

I'll be at the All Star parade on Tuesday. Will take video on my iPhone 4.

[Human Snorenado]

lol Mets, lost to Melkdud and Worst All-Star Ever Omar Infante hitting homers off them.

[CajoleJuice]

we lost because jerry manuel is a fucking distinguished mentally-challenged fellow and bobby cox shat all over his fucking face with that wheel play

[Human Snorenado]

also because you're the Mets, and it's what you do

[Joe Molotov]

I hope it works for them, cause I don't see Lee signing a long-term deal with them. I bet he goes to Philadelpha, Boston or New York next season.

I think everybody down here knows this is a one year deal. It's just that this is the first time since 1999 that the Rangers have had a legit chance to make a playoff run, and they've gotta take it. I'm just glad they managed to pull the deal off, the ownership mess with Tom Hicks is reaching beyond ridiculous levels. If this was happening in New York or somewhere, he would have already been assassinated by angry fans.

[Mr. Gundam]

I hope it works for them, cause I don't see Lee signing a long-term deal with them. I bet he goes to Philadelpha, Boston or New York next season.

I think everybody down here knows this is a one year deal. It's just that this is the first time since 1999 that the Rangers have had a legit chance to make a playoff run, and they've gotta take it. I'm just glad they managed to pull the deal off, the ownership mess with Tom Hicks is reaching beyond ridiculous levels. If this was happening in New York or somewhere, he would have already been assassinated by angry fans.

Oh no, I sincerely hopes it works out for the Rangers. They just don't have much time to get it done with Lee.

[Human Snorenado]

All is right with the universe:  Braves up 5 in the division, and will probably sweep the Mess tomorrow.

[CajoleJuice]

if you're not already, you should be watching MLB Network RIGHT NOW

[Human Snorenado]

Turned cable off a week ago, why what's going on?

[CajoleJuice]

Well you're hours late. Travis Wood had a perfect game going into the 9th vs the Phillies in his 3rd ML start. He lost it in the 9th, but ended up throwing nine innings of shutout ball. Unfortunately for him, Halladay did the same. Neither got the win. Remember when we thought Halladay would win 30 games in the NL playing for the only team in the league with an AL offense? The Phillies offense has been almost as bad as the Mets. I blame Werth for banging Utley's wife.

[Human Snorenado]

The Phillies have been pretty bad this year offensively.  In their defense (and believe me I hate doing this) tho they haven't really had the core of their team all healthy at the same time.

[The Fake Shemp]

The Phillies are too old. I told my stepfather, a Phillies nut, that the window for more rings would be smaller than he thought.

[Human Snorenado]

Meanwhile, the Braves are AWESOMESAUCE.  Best record in the NL even after that turrible April.  I'm veritably tweaking my nipples in excitement, let me tell you.

[CajoleJuice]

That Lee trade (the Phillies one) was so fucking distinguished mentally-challenged.

Like Will said, they should have been focusing on winning again NOW since their window is closing. Not replenishing their farm system or some shit. The dude was making NINE million this year and he's fucking awesome. Instead they throw a shitton of money at Howard.

Whatever, it's good for all three of us here.

[Human Snorenado]

Pretty much, yeah.  Although with how banged up their offense has been and what with Werth fucking Utley's wife, I'm not sure how much help Lee would have been if he'd been on their staff all year.  Just doesn't seem like it's the Phillies' year.

Meanwhile, I'm just praying that Troy Glaus keeps producing and our bullpen doesn't notice how awesome it's been.  Cause if they do, they'll probably implode from the shock of it all.

[The Fake Shemp]

The Lee trade was really for Halladay, and in that sense, it's not entirely awful. But was it worth it? Lee is money.

[CajoleJuice]

The Lee trade was really for Halladay, and in that sense, it's not entirely awful. But was it worth it? Lee is money.

It wasn't though. They traded their prospects to the Jays for Halladay. Had both of them, but then sent Lee to the Ms for other prospects. Ms and Jays didn't deal with each other at ALL.

[Great Rumbler]

Cliff Lee

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I actually saw that game in person.  :'(

[close]

[Mr. Gundam]

Eh, he'll work out for you guys.

[Great Rumbler]

I'm sure it was just a one-off game, but it was pretty excruciating to watch in person. Although, it wasn't like the rest of the Rangers out there were doing much better.

[CajoleJuice]

You know he'll do better. He wants DAT PAYDAY

[Phoenix Dark]

So how about them Tigers?

[Human Snorenado]

Call me when you're actually leading your division, son.

[CajoleJuice]

Santana's arm hasn't fallen off yet, Triumph.

[Human Snorenado]

Yeah.  Give it another month or so. 

On a side note, my roto team is so historically bad that I'm pondering just quitting fantasy sports altogether.

[CajoleJuice]

I don't know how I'm destroying everyone this badly in roto. Happened last year, too.

[pollo]

I don't know how I'm destroying everyone this badly in roto. Happened last year, too.

i stopped caring 

[CajoleJuice]

How convenient.

And because we were just talking about those trades: http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2010/7/12/1565115/setting-a-franchise-back-x-years

Start playing "What if?" and the Phillies fans you know might reach for a weapon. For instance, what if the Phillies had waited to move Lee and hadn't signed Ryan Howard for 5 years and $125 million, and traded Lee for the Smoak package last week, enabling them to keep Werth, rather than Ibanez, past 2010. You'd be looking at a 2011 line up consisting of Smoak, Utley, Rollins, Polanco, Domonic Brown, Victorino, and Werth, rather than Howard, Utley, Rollins, Polanco, Brown, Victorino, and Ibanez. Swapping Werth for Ibanez makes the line up infinitely less lefty-heavy (and, thus, LOOGY vulnerable) in the middle, and the difference between Ibanez and Werth likely more than accounts for the difference between Howard and Smoak.

(Although that's wrong, because Howard would be in the 2011 lineup since his extension doesn't kick in until 2012)

[Joe Molotov]

OMFG, I wish this Ranger's ownership mess would get sorted out. It's been dragging on forever, and just when it seems like it's about to get resolved, it takes another twist and ends up more deeply mired than ever. It's just getting bizarre at this point.

FORT WORTH -- The prospective new owners of the Texas Rangers, including team president Nolan Ryan, filed suit against the ballclub Monday, asking that a bankruptcy judge approve the sale agreed upon in May.

It was the latest twist in a messy drama being played out in federal bankruptcy court in Fort Worth.

As the saga grinds on, frustrated fans have apparently decided to target the negotiator appointed to work out a deal to lift the Rangers out of Chapter 11. William K. Snyder, 51, has suggested that the bidding be reopened at a new auction.

Security at the courthouse was stepped up after Snyder received threatening phone calls, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Lynn said Monday.

In the suit, Pittsburgh sports attorney Chuck Greenberg accused the club of breaching the purchase agreement he struck with owner Tom Hicks on May 23. That deal became part of the team's so-called "pre-packaged" voluntary bankruptcy plan filed the next day.

Lenders, who are owed $525 million, opposed the plan, prompting the appointment of a chief restructuring officer to determine the best deal.

The lawsuit, filed by Greenberg's new attorney, Thomas E. Lauria of Miami, apparently was timed to beat the group's imminent loss of exclusive rights to negotiate the purchase.

It asks Lynn to prevent the team, under Snyder's direction, from discussing a sale with rival bidders and asked the judge to order that the May 23 deal be consummated.

If not, Greenberg wants the cash difference between the value of his contract and the ballclub's fair market value.

Ryan, a Hall-of-Fame pitcher whose legend has been enhanced by the transformation of the Rangers into the American League West leaders, has made it clear that he will remain in Arlington only if Greenberg's group buys the team.

Snyder declined comment on the threats.

Security was stepped up at the federal courthouse Friday, when Snyder attended a Rangers bankruptcy hearing. A Federal Protective Service vehicle was parked conspicuously in front of the entrance, and the number of guards on duty was more than doubled.

"I don't know anything more than that Snyder has received threatening calls," Lynn said in an e-mail relayed from the bench.

Although a source close to the case said the calls were serious enough to alert federal officials, Lynn downplayed any potential danger. No one would describe the content of the threats or say how many have been received.

"I am not particularly worried about them," the judge said. "After all, we do get those e-mails from disgruntled fans who believe -- as, I understand, do some sports writers -- that I should construe the Bankruptcy Code as wished for by the fans.

"I don't expect anyone to shoot at him or me," he said. "A baseball through my window is another matter."

The guy the lenders want to be the owner has already been shot down by MLB to own any team after he broke a handshake agreement to buy the Astros, but for some reason they're just pushing himl 

[Great Rumbler]

 

[Flannel Boy]

Triumph is fapping.

[Human Snorenado]

UNF.  That's how it's done, bitches.

[Flannel Boy]

There's a reason I traded for Brian McCann in H2H!

spoiler (click to show/hide)

see, not all my trades are completely distinguished mentally-challenged.

[close]

[Human Snorenado]

YES

YES

YES

SUCK IT DOWN, YOUR ATLANTA BRAVES WILL HAVE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE FOR THE WS

[CajoleJuice]

ALol

[The Fake Shemp]

Matt Capps, game-winning pitcher

[Human Snorenado]

Braves send Yunel Escobar and Jojo Reyes to Toronto for Alex Gonzalez and a couple of minor leaguers.  Looks like this shit is all wrapped up.

[CajoleJuice]

Looks like a distinguished mentally-challenged trade (unless one of those pitchers you got turns out to be good).

[Human Snorenado]

Only one pitcher, other player was a minor league shortstop.

Trade was great- Escobar was/is a dipshit that can't be bothered to keep his head in the game and play hard all the time, and his numbers had dipped this year.  We needed power and got it at a position you usually don't get it from, and Gonzalez by all accounts is a professional on the field and the clubhouse, which means he'll fit in great here.  Also, I don't need to go into the Life and Times of Jojo Reyes, cause he sucks.  He always has sucked and always will.  He is the second coming of Albie Lopez.

[CajoleJuice]

SELL LOW, BUY HIGH

Braves philosophy!

Gonzalez's power won't continue through the second half.

And yeah, the other guy had a shitton of steals. The pitcher is my size, which is kinda awesome. I really think the trade is more for the possibly underrated prospects than Gonzalez, really.

[Human Snorenado]

It's entirely likely.  I mean shit, the Vazquez trade (which looks good now that he sucks this season and Hudson is awesome) was mainly for the minor league pitcher and not Melk-dud.

As for "buying high" being our philosophy... uh, no.  Trying to get lucky with reclamation projects (Troy Glaus, Billy Wagner) on the (relative) cheap is what we've been up for the past couple years.  We've just got lucky in a couple of cases this year which is why we're doing so well.