2012 MLB Winter Meetings and Offseason

[Skarsguard]

Success! I found my dad's book of cards in my basement in my large box of beanie babies (my other set of collectibles worth practically nothing). Going through the stack of cased cards in my room, the only ones worth more than a dollar or two are Bobby Hull, Bobby Clarke, and Phil Esposito from 1972-73 and an Ed Matthews card worth like $15 from 1963 lol. If this experience has taught me anything its that my parents can suck it. Tell me my Magic cards are worthless will they?! My mom threw away cards that are worth more money than quality condition sports cards from the early 70s of legendary players.

Edit: Going through my book, the most valuable card is a 1994 Michael Jordan rookie card. A baseball rookie card... Never forget that one time the world's greatest basketball player ever retired (but really got suspended) for one year during his prime.

Man I will do that sometimes go to my moms house and look at my old shit that I use to think was worth money like my Jose Canseco rookie card. Ah yes but my mint Candelabra of Tawnos card is worth 150 bucks ( I remember getting pissed for spending 20 bucks on that bastard).
Anyways man my A's are smoking hot but I can't get to excited they always go thru a streak every year and end up watching the playoffs at home or getting bounced in the first series.

---------- Post added 2012-07-25 at 10:22 PM ----------

lol. My mom threw away an Alpha Black Lotus, a full Arabian Nights set, and a 95% complete Legends set. And a signed 1969 Yogi Berra card, and my 1987 and 1991 Twins cards (mostly signed). All at the same time. I threw a god damn fit. My dad was on my side... love him.

Never had a alpha black lotus did have some beta and unlimited thou. I ended up getting rid of my collection about 7 years ago to pay off my car.

[conscript]

Anyways man my A's are smoking hot but I can't get to excited they always go thru a streak every year and end up watching the playoffs at home or getting bounced in the first series.

The A's are absolutely killing it. Really hope they end up with one of the wild card spots. You have to feel for that team and their complete inability to spend money yet they find a way to compete and at least be relevant in most years.

[Angrybroduer]

Money Ball all over again

[Skarsguard]

I have been an A's fan since the late 80's when I started playing baseball. First game I ever watched had back to back home runs by Mcgwire and Canseco and I was hooked has an A's fan ever since. There is going to be a bunch of bandwagon fans but they probably won't last to long because like conscript said we don't spend money on talent and when we do it's for an aging vet who uses the A's to show the rest of baseball what they have left in the tank.

[kidsafe]

The A's are absolutely killing it. Really hope they end up with one of the wild card spots. You have to feel for that team and their complete inability to spend money yet they find a way to compete and at least be relevant in most years.

The Oakland A's owners are actually among the richest in baseball. The terrible payroll and low fan turnout is intentional posturing by Wolff (the majority stake owner,) a real estate magnate responsible for major development projects in San Jose and surrounding South Bay cities. He bought the As for one reason... His goal is to build a new ballpark, inflate the value of the team so he can sell them to a new ownership group. He wants to make Oakland look like a city devoid of baseball fans, he wants to force Selig (an old fraternity brother) to rescind the Giants' territorial rights to San Jose so he can score a huge property deal.

WRT to fairweather fans showing up in droves. Perhaps if the team actually makes the postseason, but I doubt they even get 20-25K fans per game right into October if they're in the hunt. If the Giants are in the postseason, that would be a detriment to fan turnout right up until the World Series, which would be a huge boon.

[koodledrum]

I knew they were trading him, but I wouldn't have seen Greinke going to a big market team like LA!

[conscript]

I knew they were trading him, but I wouldn't have seen Greinke going to a big market team like LA!

Wow what a deal for the Brewers. Greinke was walking as a free agent this offseason, with teams no longer getting compensation in the draft for guys leaving they would have ended up with nothing, and the Brewers turned him into three of the Angels top 10 prospects including a highly touted infielder. Pretty quality asset addition.

[Amsden]

I guess Texas decided Greinke was not worth Olt, Perez, or Profar. It seems if we don't include one of those 3 in a deal the door just gets closed in our face.

Ahh looks like the Brewers wanted Olt or no deal. I would rather keep our future 3rd baseman than give him up for a rental ace. We should be able to keep our lead despite LA getting Greinke. We may answer with trying to get Shields (assuming the Rays don't ask too much), but with Feliz coming back soon we should be fine.

[koodledrum]

Yeah Texas wasn't giving up Olt at all, as soon as the Brewers went hunting for him Texas walked apparently.

[draynay]

instead of offering top prospects the Dodgers are offering to take on big contracts

I can definitely live with taking Ramirez's contract, he is still young and talented enough to earn it, but there's some rumblings they might soak up Soriano to try and end the Dempster stalemate and that frightens me, plus I'd have to see him doing that inane little hop every time he catches a fly ball

[conscript]

instead of offering top prospects the Dodgers are offering to take on big contracts

I can definitely live with taking Ramirez's contract, he is still young and talented enough to earn it, but there's some rumblings they might soak up Soriano to try and end the Dempster stalemate and that frightens me, plus I'd have to see him doing that inane little hop every time he catches a fly ball

I'd be happy the Dodgers were actually putting money into the product on the field rather than pulling it out of the team to buy their 20th house like the last owners. Soriano is having a good year. His production is way better than what the Dodgers are getting in left field right now. He only has two years at $18 million each and the Cubs are likely going to pick up a healthy portion of that tab to lower their own payroll. If getting a fantastic rotation upgrade means taking on slightly more payroll in addition to a fair upgrade in left, why not do it.

[belfpala]

Francisco Liriano is now with the White Sox.

Good luck with that, White Sox.

[draynay]

I'd be happy the Dodgers were actually putting money into the product on the field rather than pulling it out of the team to buy their 20th house like the last owners. Soriano is having a good year. His production is way better than what the Dodgers are getting in left field right now. He only has two years at $18 million each and the Cubs are likely going to pick up a healthy portion of that tab to lower their own payroll. If getting a fantastic rotation upgrade means taking on slightly more payroll in addition to a fair upgrade in left, why not do it.

the Cubs would be taking on the money to get a prospect and the Dodgers aren't interested in giving anybody up, plus they've got a Cuban defector lined up to take the LF spot in the near future

[sheffield]

Yanks are dropping like flies.. i wonder if Cashman goes out and makes a move before the deadline.. i say no
Id put Swisher @ 1st until Teixeira comes back and then worry about the outfield later

[conscript]

Yanks are dropping like flies.. i wonder if Cashman goes out and makes a move before the deadline.. i say no
Id put Swisher @ 1st until Teixeira comes back and then worry about the outfield later

Well with Tex's injury being minor last time I heard, it wouldn't be completely necessary to make a big splash. Wouldn't be surprised to see them try and add something though just because they can.

Arizona and Cubs were talking an Upton/Garza deal but Chicago is on Upton's NTC for now. Sox trying to move Beckett. Pence trying to be moved by the Phils. O's after Blanton. Deadline insanity with only two hours to go.

[belfpala]

Arizona and Cubs were talking an Upton/Garza deal but Chicago is on Upton's NTC for now. Sox trying to move Beckett. Pence trying to be moved by the Phils. O's after Blanton. Deadline insanity with only two hours to go.

Pence traded to the Giants, last I saw. Victorino to the Dodgers...

[conscript]

Pence traded to the Giants, last I saw. Victorino to the Dodgers...

Pence deal to the Giants is on hold pending physicals and other stuff according to Twitter. Victorino to the Dodgers is surprising. Phillies cleaning house. The Flying Hawaiian is going to be big in LA.

[Nuadu]

Arizona and Cubs were talking an Upton/Garza deal but Chicago is on Upton's NTC for now.

I would hope that Upton could reconsider this. If he is in a lineup with Castro hitting in front of him and either he and Rizzo hitting behind that it could be a fun middle of the lineup to be in. Obviously this is coming from a Cubs fan who knows we need pop in our lineup and protection in the order would increase Rizzo's value. I hope AZ's GM is as aggressive as they say he is.

[conscript]

Pence now officially a Giant.

[belfpala]

Pence now officially a Giant.

With Pence and Victorino traded, that probably makes the market for Denard Span a lot smaller? I think he's the most likely to be traded from the Twins (although there's some talk about Morneau or Willingham, but I think those are unlikely).