Frayed Knot

Latest rumor has the Natinals going hard after Gio Gonzalez, talking about a 4-for-1 swap including minor league pitcher Brad Peacock (they're very proud of him) and catcher Derek Norris. Both are well regarded prospects, others would presumably be lesser lights. Peacock: 15-3; 2.39 in AA/AAA in 2011, got a call-up at the end of the year and should be just about ready Norris: low BA but lots of walks & power [.210/.367/.446 at AA this year] with an improving defensive rep - maybe a year away The article on MLB.com suggests a trade is probably close and also mentions the BoSox and the Jays but not the Mets as pursuers.

metirish wrote: But the Mets are synonymous with St. Lucie, can't see that going down well, unless of course Fred plans on canceling ST to save money. They'd still be in PSL. What they have there now is the 'High-A' Florida State League entry AND a Gulf Coast League affiliate; the GCL being an entry level league where they play a half-season comprised with rosters of new and largely teenage signees from both the recent draft plus the Caribbean. The Mets currently have two entry-level teams: the GCL Mets plus the Appalachian League one in Kingsport and because these low-level leagues rarely draw more than a handful of spectators - other than scouts from other team or the occasional player relative - the big league club frequently owns these clubs as opposed local ownership for the higher minor leagues. I know the Mets own the GCL team (and Brooklyn), not sure about Kingsport. Current pecking order: NYC - MLB Buffalo - AAA International League Binghamton - AA Eastern League Port St Lucie - High A Florida State League Savannah - Low A South Atlantic (Sally) League Brooklyn - Split Season New York-Penn League Kingsport - Rookie Appalachian League Port St Lucie - Rookie Gulf Coast League So if one does disappear, sure, it'll almost certainly be for a cost-cutting move, but it also just puts them back to one entry-level club which is where most teams are and where they were before expanding to the GCL club 5 or 6 years back. The surviving entry level team, plus instructional league stuff, plus the teams they have in the Caribbean would take up the slack.

Edgy DC wrote: Rubin says (1) he hasn't confirmed this yet, and (2) Mets would still have the same number of prospects, but more of them would be kicking around St. Lucie playing intrasquad games. I'm expecting he'll get a yes on (1), and I'll respond with a maybe on (2). In fairness the Mets have been running with one "extra" farm team at the lowest level for the last number of years having one in both the Appy League (Kingsport) and in the Gulf Coast. Dumping Kingsport in favor of what is in effect the St Lucie Juniors would bring them back down to six domestic teams like most others although it would also probably have the cost saving move of centralizing things in PSL and I think the Appy is considered a small step better than the GCL.

metsmarathon wrote: hmm, i wonder what kind of roster our rankings project would turn out. For all the complaints about it, pretty darn close to the emerging consensus in this thread. The obvious exception is this site's namesake being so high which in turn brings up the age-old longevity vs shorter but better peak question. Other than him I think only Sid hadn't been mentioned. 1st TEAM C - Mike Piazza 1B - Eddie Kranepool 2B - Edgardo Alfonzo 3B - David Wright SS - Jose Reyes LF - Cleon Jones CF - Carlos Beltran RF - Darryl Strawberry RHSP - Tom Seaver LHSP Jerry Koosman RRfl - Armando Benitez LRfl - John Franco 2nd TAM C - Jerry Grote 1B - Keith Hernandez 2B - Jeff Kent 3B - Howard Johnson SS - Bud Harrelson LF - Kevin McReynolds CF - Mookie Wilson RF - Rusty Staub RHSP - Dwight Gooden LHSP - Sid Fernandez RRfl - Roger McDowell LRfl - Tug McGraw oe: Lowest ranked players to reach this list: Roger McDowell & Jeff Kent (46th & 47th) Highest ranked players squeezed out by position: Ron Darling and Jon Matlack (20th & 21st)

Rumors all week had it that the Jays were going to wind up as the high bid. Rangers offer reportedly topped $51 mil - and now they have that minor little problem of working out a contract. I hope some stadium has the foresight to play 'Getting to Know You' (from 'The King and I) over the PA when he first enters a game. Of course an organist playing a few snippets of it would be even better.

The website TMZ.com cited "sources directly connected with Major League Baseball" in reporting on Monday that star Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun's positive test under Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Policy was triggered by medication for a [u:2wmpqx0b]private medical issue[/u:2wmpqx0b]. "Private medical issue"; is that what they're calling 'herpes' these days?

Decent minor league hitting numbers albeit in hitters leagues (PCL & CAL)

Jason Kubel -- 2 years -- Arizona

He turns 39 in a few weeks, the Natinals will be Cammy's 9th ML team (assuming he makes the cut - no guarantee).

Just a quickie comparison of career numbers finds some pretty significant differences: [table:3hi2m6qc][tr:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc][/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]IP[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]H[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]ER[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]K[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]BB[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]ERA[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]WHiP[/td:3hi2m6qc][/tr:3hi2m6qc][tr:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]LATOS[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]430[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]361[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]161[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]413[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]135[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]3.37[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]1.15[/td:3hi2m6qc][/tr:3hi2m6qc][tr:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]NIESE[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]371[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]417[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]181[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]315[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]123[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]4.39[/td:3hi2m6qc][td:3hi2m6qc]1.46[/td:3hi2m6qc][/tr:3hi2m6qc][/table:3hi2m6qc] Latos is also 14 months younger

Except that this vest could be worth $11mil so I'd live with the embarrassment of going pants-less at the press conference. Contract is for 11x3 plus the same 11 for the vest which is described as "easily attainable". JR just turned 33. His last three OPS+ were 87, 85 & 101

Rollins re-ups with the Phils 3 years plus a vest

Padres deal starter Mat Latos [9-14 in 20011 although w/decent ERA & WHiP: 3.47/1.18] to the Reds for Edison Volquez plus three recent 1st round draft picks. - Yonder Alonso -- a 1B taken as the 7th overall pick in 2008 (10 picks ahead of Ike) out of U-Miami, he had a good showing with the bat during a call-up this past year (.330/.398/.545 in 88 ABs) although is defensively limited to 1st and is blocked by Joey Votto - Brad Boxberger -- RHP who was a supp 1st round pick in 2009 from USC ... posted a combined 2.03 ERA; 93/28 K/BB in 62 IPs over AA & AAA. Seen as possible future closer or, at worst, solid middle reliever. - Yasmani Grandal -- one of two Cincy catching prospects (mentioned here before) he, like Alonso, was a 1st round pick out of U-Miami (12th overall in 2010. Switch-hitter, good bat [.305/.401/.500; 14 HRs mixed between High-A, AA & AAA] with a decent arm but is a step behind Devin Mesoraco on the Reds' depth chart. Sounds to me like a nice haul for a good though not great (though just turned 24) pitcher: a replacement pitcher (even though an erratic one) plus three prospects who are both good and should be just about ready to contribute. Don't think we could have gotten that for Niese but it maybe helps explain why they were/are dangling him.

Lefty Specialist wrote: Howie needs a Met fan to play off of. Someone who knows the history of the franchise and will understand Howie's jokes. Oh, and someone who can describe the action clearly, concisely and who sounds like he cares about whether the Mets win or lose. I never bought the idea that an announcer has to be a fan - especially seeing as we already have the prototype in both the TV and radio booths. Finding a guy who can describe the action well is much more important than is limiting yourself to trying only those who can match Howie memory for memory. Particularly on radio that's the much more important part of the job anyway. So as long as the guy knows baseball inside and out (I hate general purpose announcers dropped into baseball games) and isn't totally ignorant of team history I don't feel the need for a history of blue and orange footie pajamas as a prerequisite.

No, I think quality pitchers are just as masculine.

Phil Mushnick [Fri - NYPost]: It�s doubtful Wayne Hagin will be back for a fifth year as Howie Rose�s partner in the Mets� radio booth. Hagin�s contract has expired and WFAN has been interviewing possible replacements. Can we claim Hagin is the curse? Not convincingly.

Phil Mushnick [Fri - NYPost]: It�s doubtful Wayne Hagin will be back for a fifth year as Howie Rose�s partner in the Mets� radio booth. Hagin�s contract has expired and WFAN has been interviewing possible replacements.

Although Saito does turn 42 before the season starts and is coming off an injury-marred season with all of 27 innings pitched. At worst I think we're probably splitting hairs here.

Ceetar wrote: It's going to be inevitable. Runner on second 1 out, bottom nine, tie game. fly ball to center field that's called an out. runner retreats from near third back to second. replay indicates it was a fair ball. You could give the guy one base, but chances are the game should've been over. But then, it's one of those things to argue about. I assume you meant to say trapped where you wrote fair, but, yeah, that situation would result in there being at least as many arguments after the play is corrected as there might have been before the wrong call was righted and that'll be true no matter how it's corrected. Personally I'd rather argue about the call itself than about how and if the chessmen were artificially moved around after the fact. I really think Selig is caving into pr pressure from outside the sport on this one by listening to those talking heads who mostly don't watch/like baseball anyway but will take the opportunity of a high-profile blown call to yap about how baseball's refusal to be progressive and adopt replay for everything short of ball/strike calls shows it to be a dark ages 19th century sport. And I bet he's thinking; y'know, if I get this expanded replay rule passed they'd all write and say really, really nice things about me. No Bud, they still won't.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I guess that even if a ball is called foul by the umpire, you have to play it like it's fair, just in case. That's not going to happen. I don't see any way to keep players on both sides from reacting to the call as it's made, at which point it's left to the umps with the task of pretending to know how things would have occurred had the correct call been made initially. There's already that possibility with the home run calls. If something gets originally called a home run and then that's overturned on appeal if the ball is fair the umpire has to make a judgement call about where to place the baserunners. Yes, although that rarely happens. Almost all HR disputes are ruled as Not before being corrected to yes, and at that point everyone gets a free pass home anyway. The handful that aren't HRs but were call Yes probably became a dead ball anyway due to it winding up in the stands via a bounce or a fan touching it so existing ground rules cover it. Fair/foul calls and especially trapped/caught calls are going to involve a much larger set of possibilities and potentially open a big Em-Effin' can of worms - not to mention being potentially much more numerous than the relative handful (2-3 dozen/yr league wide?) of disputed HR calls.

Replay to include fair/foul calls, trapped/caught calls, but I guess we knew that. This one still needs ironing out with the umps union before it's officially official - and I really, really hope that before getting the go-ahead they think about all the possible outcomes from when an overturned call turns a dead ball into a live one or vice-versa ... although I don't expect that they will.

I don't believe the new plan calls for a tie-breaking game between teams that are both already in the post-season. It's true that the tie-breaking procedure (reg season head-to-head) will now mean a lot more than before but I don't have a problem with that. Want to avoid play-ins? ... then beat your rival. I also assume that ties among the 2nd and 3rd WC team (or a three-way tie) is the only thing that would require a play-in game to get to the play-in game. Ties between 1st & 2nd WCs only needs to settle who gets to host that play-in game and that could be done via head-to-head or even a coin flip if the h-t-h is even.

TransMonk wrote: It confused us too, and seemed to bounce back and forth. But the trooper was definitely Sconnie. All of the opening city scenes are Milwaukee, too. The wedding and party's and junk were set mostly in Chitown, though. I think the "new" best friend lived in Chicago but the rest of the peeps lived in Milwaukee. Yeah, they obviously meant to use the Milwaukee/Chicago split as a way to emphasize the gap between the poor-er Wiig against the more upscale (and up-marrying) Rudolph & her newer friends. There was even a line where someone said to Wiig; 'oh, you're still living in Milwaukee' as if she didn't feel badly enough about herself than to be reminded that she wasn't good enough to make the 100+ mile move down to Chi-town. So while the scenes with Wiig and the cop were in Milwaukee, the rest were the Chicago area.

PLAYEROPS+ thru 31OPS+ post-31GAMES thru 31GAMES post-31BABE RUTH212199 (-6.1%)1,3501,153 (-14.6%)TED WILLIAMS193187 (-3.1%)1,273828 (-35.0%)TY COBB185145 (-26.1%)1,8051,229 (-31.9%)LOU GEHRIG183166 (-9.3%)1,538626 (-59.3%) ROGERS HORNSBY177168 (-5.1%)1,689570 (-66.3%)MICKEY MANTLE177156 (-11.9%)1,740661 (-62.0%)STAN MUSIAL172144 (-16.3%)1,5241,502 (-1.4%)JIMMIE FOXX170129 (-24.1%)1,834483 (-73.7) FRANK THOMAS169136 (-19.5)1,371951 (-30.6%)WILLIE MAYS159151 (-5.0%)1,5341,453 (-5.3%)HANK AARON157151 (-3.8%)1,8061,492 (-17.4%)JOE DiMAGGIO157152 (-3.2%)1,111625 (-43.7%)MEL OTT157150 (-4.5%)2,015715 (-64.5%)FRANK ROBINSON156149 (-4.5%)1,7861,022 (-42.8%)MANNY RAMIREZ156150 (-3.8%)1,383919 (-33.6%)

A look at the ghost of Albert's future (courtesy of Tom Boswell from the Wash Post a few days ago) Charting the careers of baseball's best 15 hitters (as per career OPS+): Ruth, Williams, Cobb, Gehrig, Hornsby, Mantle, Musial, Foxx, Thomas, Mays, Aaron, DiMaggio, Ott, Frank Robinson, and Manny Ramirez - That group turns out to average through their age 31 season an OPS+ of 170 and 1,612 games played - By a nice coincidence Pujols, now that he's through his age 31 season, sits with an OPS+ of 170 and 1,705 games (Boz also notes that if you take away military service for several of the early group they also would have averaged right about 1,700 games each) So the bottom line is that Albert prior to age 32 was almost identical to the average of the all-time best 15 hitters at the same point in their careers. So what happened next? - Well, an OPS+ of 154 for the composite group starting with the year they turned 32 ... down a bit more than 9% from the first portion of their careers although still quite good - But the problem comes with the next figure which showed them averaging only 944 games played from age 32 to the end of their career. IOW, they collectively hit about 90% as well but for less than 60% as long/often. Now there is lots of variation among that group and it's impossible to tell where Pujols will fall ... but of course a large part of the problem with a lengthy contract at his age is that you don't know at what part of the spectrum he'll fall. * Ruth was fairly consistent until near the end. 1st half 212 OPS+ (Two Fuckin' Twelve folks!!) with 1,350 games played vs a still-great 199 and 1,153 starting at age 32, although in his case his 1st half numbers were kept down by him being a part-time player while on the mound. * Musial also played nearly as many games after turning 32 (1,502) as he did before (1,524) while seeing his OPS+ fall only from 172 to 144 * Mays, like Musial, played a long time and generally stayed healthy and productive: 159/1,534 per vs 151/1,453 (here's the part where the sports-writer puts in the line about how embarrassing he looked in the '73 WS) And while it could be argued that a couple guys, for varying reasons, really brought the average way down ... * Gehrig: 1,538 games played vs 626 after age 31 (for obvious reasons) * Foxx: 1,834 vs 483 (he drank ... a lot) * DiMaggio: 1,111 vs 625 (various injuries) * Ott: 2,015 to 715 and Hornsby: 1,689 to 570 (not quite sure of the details for those two) ... Babe, Ted & Willie, along with Aaron (1,806 to 1,492) were still the only ones whose 2nd half games played were within 25% of where they were in their 1st. Mantle: 1,740 to 661 Thomas: 1,371 to 951 Robinson: 1,786 to 1,022 Manny: 1,612 to 944 Williams: 1,273 vs 828 (he had a military call-up during in both halves of his career) Cobb: 1,805 to 1,229 IOW, Good luck Angels, you just may need it.