2012 MLB Winter Meetings and Offseason

[Skarsguard]

I was born in New York, so I will represent my home team and no other. How silly would it be, me supporting the Texas Rangers or Atlanta Braves as a native New Yorker?

You could be a Met's fan instead but took to the team that goes to the playoffs and world series more? I don't know since I haven't even been to New York but is it a regional thing that makes somebody a Mets fan instead of a Yanks fan?.

[sheffield]

You could be a Met's fan instead but took to the team that goes to the playoffs and world series more? I don't know since I haven't even been to New York but is it a regional thing that makes somebody a Mets fan instead of a Yanks fan?.

I was born in the 80's when the Mets were actually the better team in NYC and the Yanks were the cellar dwellars.
People conveniently forget how terrible the Yankees were in the 80's up to when Buck Showalter/Stick Michael were handling the team.

[draynay]

these Dodger closer woes are just reopening old wounds

its easy to understand why this town went crazy over Eric Gagne when you see all the other rubbish closers we've had

used to have Todd Worrell, but when everybody got sick of the fact that he was AWFUL, they traded away Konerko (who just hit his 400th homerun... SIGH) to get Jeff Shaw, who then retired at the advanced age of 34 and left the team high and dry again, but that worked out for awhile

Saito got it done, but then came BROXTON who has already made hilarious history this season

Javy Guerra got booed leaving the game, but generally when your closer is doing so badly the other team is pounding base hits off of his face, people are going to react negatively, that and all the painful memories that come flooding back whenever a closer starts to fall apart, everybody seems ready for Jansen to come in but he's already got a blown save this year too

[belfpala]

these Dodger closer woes are just reopening old wounds

As a Twins fan, I now apologize to the baseball gods for taking a healthy Joe Nathan for granted for so many years. Watching Matt Capps close just hurts.

I preemptively feel sorry for Yankees fans when Mo retires and/or can't do the job anymore. Great closers are a rare breed.

[koodledrum]

The thought of Mo retiring is slightly concerning, but not half as concerning as it was prior to last year - you get the feeling Robertson could prove to be a very handy closer when the time comes, i'd certainly rather that than Soriano that's for sure!

[belfpala]

Hmmm... Tigers outfielder Delmon Young accused of hate crime-related assault in New York City

[koodledrum]

Yeah just read that, some pretty ropey comments on MLB.com's article though - makes me wonder how this foul mouthed Scot managed to last 5 days in NYC without getting locked up!

[Amsden]

Yeash rough day for Harrison.

[GammaIntro]

So...how 'bout them Nationals?

[koodledrum]

the Nats just called up Harper didn't they, could be interesting to see if he actually manages to hit big league pitching!

Yankees won on a WP last night, first time in something silly like 16 starts that Nova hasn't collected a win but when you're going up against Verlander your chances of that W are pretty slim at best!

[draynay]

the Nats just called up Harper didn't they, could be interesting to see if he actually manages to hit big league pitching!

well he didn't have to face Kershaw so he's got that going for him at least

[Amsden]

That's like the third time I've see Beltre hit a HR after someone walks Hamilton. Does Beltre really hit into enough DPs to make that strategy worth it.

[belfpala]

That's like the third time I've see Beltre hit a HR after someone walks Hamilton. Does Beltre really hit into enough DPs to make that strategy worth it.

Because... Hamilton is off to another MVP season?

[conscript]

That's like the third time I've see Beltre hit a HR after someone walks Hamilton. Does Beltre really hit into enough DPs to make that strategy worth it.

He has been worse than the average player over the last couple years at grounding into double plays. 25 in 2010, 13 last year, 2 so far this season. In 2010 and 2011 he was 3 runs below average on production in double play situations (an "average" player would have knocked in three more runs in those double play hits than Beltre did). It probably has more to do with Hamilton hitting everything so far this year.

---------- Post added 2012-04-29 at 07:18 AM ----------

Drew Smyly has been such a surprise for the Tigers this year. I expected him to really struggle, but he has been down right great. He should have had a much more convincing win yesterday but Big Potato tried to give another game away. Just need to get Fister back and have Scherzer stop sucking. I've come to the conclusion there is nothing to do with Porcello but accept who he is, a pitcher who will make two-three fantastic starts in a row then follow it with 8 runs in the first inning or two.

[koodledrum]

where the Yankees need to do something about Freddy Garcia - preferably send him to the unemployment line, he's been shocking this season and when you're 6 runs down before you're out of the second even the Yankees will struggle there. Garcia's ERA is climbing & well, the last two starts he hasn't managed to get through 2 innings, nothing he's throwing is fooling hitters and frankly he's a BP pitcher these days, David Phelps should be taking his spot in the rotation next time round because if Girardi runs him out there again that'll be a disaster! Still atleast we have CC on the bump today, that's a lot more comforting than when you see Garcia or Hughes in the lineup!

---------- Post added 2012-04-30 at 11:55 AM ----------

Well, they did something, they've put him in the pen no doubt to be the long man & promoted David Phelps to the rotation - i'd personally have preferred they released him as i wouldn't like him pitching any time, even with a 15 run lead in the bottom of the 8th at Kansas City! Good win for us last night, CC looked strong & we got some runs across but left 15 guys on base, that's pretty poor!

By the way anyone know what the deal was with the White Sox uniforms last night, confused the crap out of me with the whole red thing going on!

[sheffield]

Phelps will just be stop-gap until Petitte returns.. which should be in a couple of weeks hopefully
they should hold onto Garcia in case he can straighten himself out or in the event should Phelps/Hughes/Petitte implode

too much starting pitching they said...

[belfpala]

too much starting pitching they said...

No such thing. At least, no such thing if you can stash some of it in AAA ready to take over if there's an injury or a free agent leaves after a season.

[koodledrum]

Sheffield - you can see how Garcia's been pitching, man i'd expect little league players to get hits off pitching like that, you know Hughes is going to implode the only hope is that Petitte doesn't but Garcia stunk the place out, we knew he didn't have heat now it appears he's lost command & location which was pretty much all he had to work with.

And i agree, there's rarely a situation where you have too much starting pitching, unless your starting rotation is consists of Verlander, Sabathia, Halladay & Kershaw - then you can pretty much use the bullpen every 5th day to get those guys some work!

[Elbren]

Yahoo Sports Link

Nice, so apparently Andy Pettite is a cheater AND a liar.

[Mrjhova]

I get the sense the chance to play their now yearly whipping boys, the Braves, the Phillies are starting to heat on up.

Not that we didn't all know the Phillies would eventually take the NL East anyway.