2014 MLB Thread

[Vetali]

Welp, now we're below .500 as we should be. Honestly shocked we were even near .500 with 4 pitchers on the DL. 15 games and just getting the first Cano homer feels weird as well, with him starting as DH this game too.

[koodledrum]

Yankees just turned a triple play on the Rays. I wouldn't be too concerned Vetali, Cano's got more HR than his replacement in the Bronx, but well, that's about the only positive you can take from that I'm afraid - he may find it's a long decade in Washington that's for sure!

[Vetali]

Nah, I wasn't too hyped up about the Cano signing. Zduriencik was trying too hard to look good during the offseason. He'll be a nice addition if he can perform well, but if he doesn't then he'll fit in with the rest.

[VanillaO]

Fuck if Buerhle didn't have another damn good game. 7IP, 0R, 1.00 WHIP... lowered his season ERA to 0.64. Obviously he won't keep this up for the entire year, but if the Jays can rely on at least 2 guys to have quality starts 90% of the time, they have a chance. Now if only we could turn back time and stop the crazy trades of a year ago after the Marlins trade... ;o

[Gumboy]

I keep thinking Buerhle is still on the White Sox and getting mad about that, but yaay for him He is putting up ridic numbers so far.

Also Go twins! we are doing far better then I ever thought possible! Lets end the season now! (Yes, we are below .500, I expect it to get far, far worse before the end <.< )

[koodledrum]

Turns out Ivan Nova has a partial tear of his UCL, Yankees getting him evaluated prior to making any further decisions but the indications so far look like they're going to attempt rehab unless the second opinion indicates surgery's a more realistic option, obviously Tommy John being the order of the day in that case. The Yankees will be making "several" moves ahead of todays game against the Rays, one to cover Mark Teixiera's return from the DL & probably a couple to cover both Nova and AN Other in the bullpen. All that after a laugher last night including Dean Anna's pitching debut, giving up the final 2 runs after being told by Girardi just to lob the ball in.

[draynay]

they always try rehab, or platelet rich plasma and they always end up having the surgery anyway

[Vetali]

Swept by the Marlins. Its worse that I'm giving them this home stand in before I give up. The 2014 dumpster fire has already been lit.

[draynay]

maybe next year you'll make it through April

[Vetali]

maybe next year you'll make it through April

That isn't the Mariner way. You got to ride a bumpy raft around .500 until the break, then you sink right to the bottom.

[koodledrum]

That's kinda what happens when your entire plan is built around 2-3 players - the Mariners were always destined to be a secondary team, the question was always going to be over/under .500, there's not many smart people in baseball gave them a snowball's chance in hell of getting to the playoffs. When you have a division where you have three potentially very good ballclubs well, it's going to be difficult, I don't know what they've put in the water down in Oakland but it's working, the Angels have talent & while they're not as good as they've been the Rangers are still dangerous. Guess you just gotta hold on & see who Washington state's tax laws allow you to sign next off-season & hope they're more about the almighty dollar as opposed to success - otherwise it's going to be tough!

Still, atleast there's the Seahawks to get behind, so it's not all bad news!

[Vetali]

I'm not sure I'd prefer outright tanking at this point. Would give me false hope we would get rid of the problem. The sad thing is, I know we have talent. Seager and Ackley that are both doing awful are capable of much more. I said it last year, we need better closers. Tom Wilhelmsen has had a year to get his shit straight, and still shits the bed.

[Stommped]

Felix is and always will be my favorite non Cub player. I've had him in fantasy seemingly every year. I really want him on a contending team so people can stop using his ~12-14 wins as a reason he shouldn't win Cy Young when he's clearly the best pitcher in that league in my opinion.

[Gumboy]

I hope cano feels like a jackass going from a team with a winning pedigree, chasing the money to go to a losing team. Yankees could actually do good this year, even with him gone.

I would do the same thing though, dat money!

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Wait people talking about tanking? In the MLB?

[VanillaO]

King Felix is definitely ONE of the best in the AL. I don't think he's been quite so dominant in the last couple years as he was before, but he's definitely one of the guys you want as your #1.

[koodledrum]

Felix would probably be in my rotation that's for sure but I'm not sold on the fact he's an ace of a contending staff, he'd probably be considered an ace for the vast majority of baseball, but I'm not entirely sure if I was building a contending ball club I'd sign him as my number one guy, not if hypothetically speaking I had every pitcher in baseball to chose from. (Sorry, but he's just not as good as the Kershaw's & Verlanders)

As for Cano, we miss the production that he gives, there's not a team in baseball who wouldn't be weaker without his bat in it, but we'll cope fine without, just need guys to start finding some clutch soon & get some other guys on the right track and we'll score runs, my main concern with him gone is how long Brian Roberts will hold up. He did have a real & legitimate shot at being the next man in New York next year, which to me personally would be worth any amount of dollars, but he wanted the "prestige" of the 10 year deal - something the Yankees weren't willing to give him. He wanted to be in the same category as Albert Pujols & Alex Rodriguez as being a "lock" player, which would have been fine had he been 27/8 but at 31 that's a stupid risk to take - something the Yankees knew all too well & so they were prepared to let him walk. Can't fault the guy for looking after number one, but there's a piece of me which says I'd rather be the guy who's remembered as a team player before my own personal greed - especially when being that guy would still have made you rediculously wealthy.

[Stommped]

Felix career: 3.18 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 8.46 K/9, 3.29 K/BB
Verlander: 3.39 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.46 K/9, 3.04 K/BB

The sample size is virtually the same despite Verlander being 3 years older. Both came into the league in '05, Felix has 273 starts to Verlander's 270.

You can't argue with those stats. If Felix had pitched his entire career in Detroit and Verlander in Seattle, I'm pretty confident you would be saying the opposite. Felix would have about 30 more wins and several post season appearances by now (probably another Cy Young as well). He's not as good as Kershaw, but that's the only player I'm willing to name at this point. If Sale and Scherzer are dominant again this year I might consider them depending on Felix's year (he's off to a great start).

[draynay]

If I had to choose between Hernandez and Verlander I'd be pretty happy because they're both great. They get outs, they go deep into games, their numbers are really similar, as pointed out, I don't see anybody except Kershaw clearly ahead of them, so yea I'm mostly agreeing with what's been said. Both those guys have size and durability, Felix generally gets the edge just for being younger.

[Vetali]

Wait people talking about tanking? In the MLB?

Its the only way to define in words the Mariners post all star break.

Paxton is now unlikely to play until late May. We're already scratching the bottom of the barrel, and if anymore of our pitchers get hurt its gonna be even uglier. If thats possible.

- - - Updated - - -

Astros up 6-2 against Felix. Really wanted to go up to Seattle to a game this year, but see ya next year.

[Drikkink]

Is it just me or is every stadium as empty as a Marlins game? I had the Reds-Pirates game on earlier and I saw no one down the third base line... at all.

And those are two teams that have reasonable hopes of making the playoffs AND supposedly have good fanbases. I'd hate to see a Nats crowd or Braves crowd if things start to go south there, knowing how fairweather those fans are.