2013-14 Hot Stove League (1 Viewer)

[Aaron Silverman]

I like how the Cano signing was announced about 5 minutes after a slew of reports that Jay-Z had torpedoed the entire negotiation by demanding an extra year.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I like how the Cano signing was announced about 5 minutes after a slew of reports that Jay-Z had torpedoed the entire negotiation by demanding an extra year.

I know--right? The M's say they'll do 8 years $200-Million...but would consider stretching to 9-years $225-Million and the Mariner's owner explodes, stomps out and shuts down the talks after Jay-Z says they'll only accept 10-years, $250-Million.

And then they quickly agree on 10-years, $240-Million.

Crazy.

 

[Mike Frezon]

It's hard to believe the Winter Meetings haven't even started yet.

The Phillies are apparently shopping around Jonathan Papelbon.

 

[Ockeghem]

Here's some good news for the BoSox.

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/10093236/mike-napoli-boston-red-sox-agree-deal

And it looks like Beltran is a Yankee.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/10093370/carlos-beltran-new-york-yankees-reach-three-year-45-million-deal

 

[Aaron Silverman]

You can never have too many expensive players over the age of 35!

 

[Mike Frezon]

A-Rod is out for the entire 2014 season.

But today's important news is: just one month until pitchers and catchers report!

 

[Sumnernor]

and A-Rod?

 

[Patrick_S]

I know this will be a very unpopular opinion here because of the fans that post in this head but the A-Rod suspension seems over the top. He really should have only gotten 50 games but Bud is just being Bud.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'm a fan that posts in this thread.

And I would have preferred that A-Rod had gotten 50 games. And, frankly, I don't know why he got such a lengthy penalty when others have not. I've never really understood that. I'm surprised it's allowed under the CBA.

 

[Patrick_S]

Well the day so many of the posters here in the HTF baseball threads has arrived, the expansion of replay has begun.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10305223/mlb-owners-ok-expanded-replay-2014

There are some limits to what can be reviewed and umpires will not be able to trigger a review until the the 7th inning.

Here are some of the plays that will now be reviewable.
In addition to home runs, expanded replay was unanimously approved by MLB owners for the following plays:
• Ground-rule double• Fan interference• Stadium boundary calls• Force play*• Tag play• Fair/foul in outfield only • Trap play in outfield only• Batter hit by pitch• Timing play• Touching a base (requires appeal)• Passing runners• Record keeping
*Except fielder's touching of second on double play
Somewhere there is an ex Tigers pitcher that is sad that this day came several years too late.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Ugh.

I'm telling you, it's not going to be good.

And this:

• Force play*
*Except fielder's touching of second on double play

is shameful. Putting in writing that you are not going to selectively ignore one rule while enforcing the rest.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Welcome to the 1980s, Major League Baseball!Mike, the reason that they aren't allowing review of "neighborhood" plays at second is because they're afraid (quite reasonably IMO) that it would encourage more collisions, which they're trying to reduce. (The next thing they're working on is some kind of ban on collisions at the plate. . .we'll see what they come up with, I guess.)

 

[Mike Frezon]

Mike, the reason that they aren't allowing review of "neighborhood" plays at second is because they're afraid (quite reasonably IMO) that it would encourage more collisions, which they're trying to reduce. (The next thing they're working on is some kind of ban on collisions at the plate. . .we'll see what they come up with, I guess.)

Maybe the players could just sit around a card table in the clubhouse and play Strat-O-Matic baseball. They might be even less likely to get hurt that way.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I prefer Replay to Strat-O-Matic. :p

 

[Mike Frezon]

And the Yankees reportedly win the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes! Seven years $155M.

I sincerely wish him the same amount of success as his countryman Daisuke Matsuzaka.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Everything except the ring!

You know who's REALLY pissed off about this? Yu Darvish!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Yaz scores the first run for the Orioles in today's O's/Red Sox spring training game in Fort Myers.

"Yaz" as in Michael Yastrzemski (grandson of Carl Michael Yastrzemski).

I always wondered why my parents named me Michael rather than Carl.

 

[Ockeghem]

Mike,I wasn't sure where to put this Red Sox news story. Please feel free to move it if necessary.



http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/10561798/rich-hill-boston-red-sox-confirms-infant-son-died

 

[Mike Frezon]

So sad.

Just the worst kind of nightmare for any family.

 

[Mike Frezon]

In other news, Jeter gets his first hits of spring training...a solid single and double against the Phillies today.