2012 MLB Winter Meetings and Offseason

[draynay]

Buster Olney had a video blog talking about fan-boycotting and attendance disasters, which the Marlins already had attendance disasters so I don't know how bad it could get, gators lounging in the empty bleachers already seems possible

in 2011 fans stopped going to Dodger games to the tune of a 600,000 drop in attendance figures, and yet they still drew twice as many as the Marlins did that year

as I keep looking at the figures, the Marlins were way up this year, from 2011's 28th in attendance to 18th, but now they've destroyed all that good will and they'll be back at the bottom with the Rays again

they say Selig is reviewing the trade but there probably isn't any real cause to block it, perhaps he will take a closer look at the Marlins operations. I feel for Marlins fans (if there are any left) on this one, after the debacle we went through in LA, this probably isn't gonna get better any time soon

[koodledrum]

The only way I can see Selig blocking the trade is if he feel's it's a massively one sided deal - that's probably why Loria has shunted $4m in with the deal given how back-loaded those contracts are - Selig may decide that it's not in the interests of the game to allow it to go ahead, but we all know he won't and we all know he'll do nothing about Loria. However if he let the Red Sox/Dodgers trade go ahead he's really got no choice but to let this one go as well.

[draynay]

no surprises from the major awards, at least not for me, its all the people I figured would win

baseball is too mired in tradition to overlook a triple crown or division crown and give MVP to somebody with new fangled statistical advantages like "fielding" or "running"

[koodledrum]

To be honest these days if they did ignore a triple crown they'd be fucked for it in the media, for what it's worth I'd have voted for Trout to be honest but that's just because I only see Cabrera as anywhere near a threat when he's got a bat in his hand - everywhere else he's average at best.

Also saw this earlier and thought it was awesome, I've seen the All Blacks for years and the Haka is one of my favourite pre-match rituals in sport, turns out they do it in baseball too! (and oddly enough the Ice Blacks - their ice hockey team do a Haka too!) In rugby the rule is that you have to stand 10m from them - the hell with that, there's a combative streak in me that would find the biggest guy in the pack and want to stand an inch from him letting him know I'm not intimidated!

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?co...ic_id=31426364

[kidsafe]

Also that Miguel Cabrera was on a postseason roster and division winner...even though the Angels won more games. Stupid. Trout had one of the best single seasons of all time...OF ALL TIME, and he didn't win the MVP. Oh yeah, and he cost his team $400K/yr vs $21M/yr...literally the most valuable player when money is considered, heh.

[sheffield]

Also saw this earlier and thought it was awesome, I've seen the All Blacks for years and the Haka is one of my favourite pre-match rituals in sport, turns out they do it in baseball too! (and oddly enough the Ice Blacks - their ice hockey team do a Haka too!) In rugby the rule is that you have to stand 10m from them - the hell with that, there's a combative streak in me that would find the biggest guy in the pack and want to stand an inch from him letting him know I'm not intimidated!

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?co...ic_id=31426364

LOL that's amazing.. they need more of this in American sports

[Skippy88]

And Melky Cabrera apparently signs with the Blue Jays. This is going to be a very interesting season for Toronto one way or the other.

[Rennadrel]

And Melky Cabrera apparently signs with the Blue Jays. This is going to be a very interesting season for Toronto one way or the other.

Too much optimism in the Toronto media about it at the moment. I have no idea how well the team will live up to the hype right now, they need a manager who can handle both the young and the old guys on the roster. I am glad that they got rid of Escobar though, he can go be Miami's problem.

[conscript]

And Melky Cabrera apparently signs with the Blue Jays. This is going to be a very interesting season for Toronto one way or the other.

Wow the Jays are loaded, and not just with guys who suddenly got really good at hitting the baseball despite not looking that good through most of their career (cough Bautista cough). The AL East is going to be a nightmare and that is before Boston potentially makes a ton of moves with their suddenly freed up check book.

[Irony]

God damn, The Jays on paper at least look like a contender in the East. Sucks that these enormous trades/signings only get us on par, not head and shoulders above the rest. Need Romero to bounce back and we have a very sold top 3 in the rotation, something we've lacked for a good 4 seasons.

[koodledrum]

Can't label the Jays as contenders until such times as they hire a MANAGER - they have the players, but history is littered with great teams which did nothing (Boston anyone?) - still have to win games to do anything.

[draynay]

the Jays are at least competitive in that division, with the old Yankees, dismantled Sox, fluke Orioles, and the Rays trying to trade half their pitchers since they can't afford them with 20k attendance

any of the 5 teams could take the division and at the very least Toronto is in the conversation, but thats the same thing people were saying about the Marlins when they had all these guys

[Masqerader]

Baseball sucks. At the pro and college level football is the only sport i have any interest in.

Don't troll the troll.


then maybe you should remove the "Trolls" post.

[Elbren]

A couple of good articles on Jeffrey Loria's "tenure" as an MLB owner.

Yahoo Sports Link

Grantland.com Link

[conscript]

Selig officially approved the Marlins/Jays deal. Loria= http://www.wowhead.com/item=20768

[Rennadrel]

Man, John Farrel must be kicking himself right now.

[scadouche]

On the Marlins issue. There is a reason why my friends and I started driving 5 hours across the state 2-3 times a year to go watch and support the Rays. I started following them when I was young back in 02'. I've turned into a huge fan of the team and sport their colors every day.

[conscript]

On the Marlins issue. There is a reason why my friends and I started driving 5 hours across the state 2-3 times a year to go watch and support the Rays. I started following them when I was young back in 02'. I've turned into a huge fan of the team and sport their colors every day.

Ya the Rays are a quality run organization with a horrible, horrible stadium that is arguably the worst in American pro sports (although Nassau Coliseum where the Islanders play could challenge it as that place is literally falling apart but they are moving to Brooklyn in a couple years), and an absolutely abysmal fanbase that won't turn out to support a World Series caliber team. Its too bad they can't move into that Marlins stadium and have the other teams buy out and contract the Marlins.

[Elbren]

Ya the Rays are a quality run organization with a horrible, horrible stadium that is arguably the worst in American pro sports (although Nassau Coliseum where the Islanders play could challenge it as that place is literally falling apart but they are moving to Brooklyn in a couple years), and an absolutely abysmal fanbase that won't turn out to support a World Series caliber team. Its too bad they can't move into that Marlins stadium and have the other teams buy out and contract the Marlins.

Tampa Bay Times Article

Sadly, the Rays are stuck in that stadium until 2027.

The city refused to allow any out-clauses based on attendance. (The team barely drew 1 Mil. in 2003 and they're still there) From what I understand, the city has shown absolutely zero interest in making any changes to the lease. I'd imagine it would take a very long, drawn-out and ugly lawsuit to get them out of the Trop.

[Skippy88]

Man, John Farrel must be kicking himself right now.

I'm not so sure. You read between the lines there wasn't too many people sad to see him go. There's been nothing publicly said but I think behind the scenes there was some friction between Farrell and others in the organization.