Official 2012 MLB thread

Cosmic_Cannon

Big_Ev wrote:

As a Mets fan this is going to not just a long year but a long couple of years.

Despite the perception, we're not destined for 100 loss seasons. Duda and Ike can both hit 25+ homers. Kirk Niewienhius and Den Dekker are both quality CF prospects with range, Dekker has more pop, while Kirk has a better OBP. Tejada is a quality SS. Gee and Niese are both good back-end starters. We're still 2+ years away from being a threat in the division, but our future isn't as bleak. The sooner this financial mess gets cleared up, the better.

The Bossman wrote:

orioles got a nice lineup, they need one more starting pitcher imo.

They play in the toughest division, which saw every team(sans Sox) getting better. Plus, they have no front-line starting pitchers. Adam Jones and Wieters are nice, but the rest of the team is mediocre to say the least.

Big_Ev

Cosmic_Cannon wrote:

Big_Ev wrote:

As a Mets fan this is going to not just a long year but a long couple of years.

Despite the perception, we're not destined for 100 loss seasons. Duda and Ike can both hit 25+ homers. Kirk Niewienhius and Den Dekker are both quality CF prospects with range, Dekker has more pop, while Kirk has a better OBP. Tejada is a quality SS. Gee and Niese are both good back-end starters. We're still 2+ years away from being a threat in the division, but our future isn't as bleak. The sooner this financial mess gets cleared up, the better.

The Bossman wrote:

orioles got a nice lineup, they need one more starting pitcher imo.

They play in the toughest division, which saw every team(sans Sox) getting better. Plus, they have no front-line starting pitchers. Adam Jones and Wieters are nice, but the rest of the team is mediocre to say the least.

I think the financial aspect of it is the main issue. Once the money issue is squared away the team should have a good future.

Cosmic_Cannon

The financial situation is the 800-pound elephant in the room, when in reality, we have a weak rotation and had a terrible defense last year. Our pitching should fare better, with having Ike and Wright for an extended period of time, plus getting Torres and having Dekker/Kirk getting playing time.

Let's just say the Mets had money, and resigned Reyes and acquired Edwin Jackson or Darvish this off-season. That's still a fringe playoff team AT BEST. So our main culprit is pitching, improve this rotation, and we'll improve in wins. Hopefully Santana can have a productive season, expect Jon Niese to have a breakout year though.

Big_Ev

Cosmic_Cannon wrote:

The financial situation is the 800-pound elephant in the room, when in reality, we have a weak rotation and had a terrible defense last year. Our pitching should fare better, with having Ike and Wright for an extended period of time, plus getting Torres and having Dekker/Kirk getting playing time.

Let's just say the Mets had money, and resigned Reyes and acquired Edwin Jackson or Darvish this off-season. That's still a fringe playoff team AT BEST. So our main culprit is pitching, improve this rotation, and we'll improve in wins. Hopefully Santana can have a productive season, expect Jon Niese to have a breakout year though.

Right now I don't have my hopes up too much on Santana getting back to his old self right now. He needs to work himself back to at least a .500 pitcher then work from there.

TheBossman

Adam Jones
Nick Markakis
J.J. Hardy
Mark Reynolds
Matt Wieters


all over 20 homers last season. orioles got a power lineup, like i said the pitching is a little ways away. but they will make an impact this season.

Cosmic_Cannon

@ Bossman
Okay, they do have pop, but they struggle to get on base. What's the point of hitting 20 HR's, if you don't get on base?Also, the Orioles are a poor fielding team, WITH an awful staff. Good pitching and fielding go hand in hand, in that division, pitching is everything(Look at the Rays). Finally, they don't steal too many bases. When you add all these facts up, the O's are mediocre at just about everything(pitching, fielding, base-running, getting on base) in the most elite division in baseball. They will be a 5th place team, unless they over-achieve.

infamous114

I expect the Marlins to compete for the division. It'd be a disappointment if they don't make the playoffs as the division winner or a wild card spot

TheBossman

Tommy Bilfiger. wrote:

The Bossman wrote:

my division winners predictions.

AL West Angels
AL central tigers
AL east orioles (yes orioles)
AL wildcard rangers

NL West diamondbacks
NL central cubs (i think they will be good this season)
NL East phillies
NL wildcard marlins

orioles got a nice lineup, they need one more starting pitcher imo.

The CUBS? Da fuck

Reds,brewers,cards and possibly pirates>>>the cubs This year

Al west - Angels
Al wild card - Rangers
Al east - yanks
Al central -Tigers
Al wild card 2 - red sox

Nl Central -Reds
Nl west - Giants
Nl -east phillies
Nl wild card - Marlins
Nl wild card 2- cards

damn, thats fucked up i got more faith in cubs than tommy does lol...
and i forgot about the second wildcard team.

Cosmic_Cannon

Bryce Harper interview on MLB Network Hot Stove.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=7417714
Say what you want about his cockiness, but this dude has it, and will be a superstar.

New Reliever Rule

Spoiler:

MLB tweaks rule to prevent stalling for relievers

A season after the Tampa Bay manager put outfielder Sam Fuld to the mound to warm up for the sole purpose of giving a reliever extra time in the bullpen, Major League Baseball closed the loophole.

MLB has amended Official Baseball Rule 3.05 regarding such shenanigans. The change will "prohibit a manager from sending his current pitcher out to warm up with no intention of having him pitch because a relief pitcher is not ready to enter the game."

The Playing Rules Committee proposed the tweak in the offseason and it was approved by MLB, the players' union and umpires.

Maddon hadn't heard about the change until being asked this week.

"I know this, that all the odd kind of moments that occur during the season regarding umpiring, that they do write them down, and they'll talk about it at the end of the season. So, it doesn't surprise me. And it also indicates that they're on top of things, so I kind of like it," he said at the Rays' spring training camp.

"That was an anomaly. That'll probably never come up again," he added. "The other thing with Sammy. That was just something that we pulled out of our hat, just to try to make sure that we got everybody warmed up and ready to go."

The Rays were playing at Milwaukee last June when the episode occurred. Fuld pinch-hit for reliever J.P. Howell in the top of the eighth inning and Tampa Bay scored three runs to take an 8-1 lead.

Maddon had planned on using reliever Joel Peralta while the game was close. Once the Rays pulled away, Maddon wanted Cesar Ramos to pitch in the bottom half.

But because Ramos wasn't ready, Maddon sent Fuld — who batted in the pitcher's spot but has not actually pitched since high school — to the mound to warm up. Once Fuld was done, Maddon brought in Ramos.

The next day, after the Rays won 8-4, Maddon admitted he'd fudged things and apologized to the umpiring crew.

The rules committee, composed of executives, former players and an umpire, recently made a few other adjustments, none major.

Bats with a scooped end on the barrel can have an indentation of 1¼ inches, up from 1 inch. And the word "baseline" has been replaced in spots by "base path."

Also, the process for appealing an official scorer's ruling has been changed. In the past, a team's public relations employee would often ask the scorer to review a call. Now, a player's agent will work with the union to appeal, then there will be a process between MLB and the union to reach a decision.

Maddon, meanwhile, still had some questions about the reliever rule.

"How do they know the intentions are not to pitch him? How would you know that? You could easily leave him in there for one hitter if you had to," he said.

"My concern would be you could still send out your previous inning's pitcher to warm up and then pull him out of the game before the first batter. That's still OK, correct?"

Maddon was more certain on what to call the new 3.05 rule — as in, don't name it for him.

"Oh! Stay with the number," he said, laughing. "No, make it the Sam Fuld Rule. I'm good with that."

http://www.ajc.com/sports/mlb-tweaks-rule-to-1357530.html

Tony La Russa is in talks to work for MLB
http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view/20120221tony_la_russa_in_talks_to_work_for_mlb/srvc=home&position=recent

SunflowaSeeds

Yanks sign Ibanez, not mad at that.

Cosmic_Cannon

Hate to say it, but the Yanks are dangerous. I still like the Marlins to win it all, IF Reyes and Josh are healthy. However, the Yanks are one of the most complete teams in baseball, along w/ the D-Backs and Angels. It's crazy how many great teams there are this year, there is no clear cut favorite, about 11 teams that can realistically compete for a championship this year.

TheBossman

Cosmic_Cannon wrote:

Bryce Harper interview on MLB Network Hot Stove.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=7417714
Say what you want about his cockiness, but this dude has it, and will be a superstar.

New Reliever Rule

Spoiler:

MLB tweaks rule to prevent stalling for relievers

A season after the Tampa Bay manager put outfielder Sam Fuld to the mound to warm up for the sole purpose of giving a reliever extra time in the bullpen, Major League Baseball closed the loophole.

MLB has amended Official Baseball Rule 3.05 regarding such shenanigans. The change will "prohibit a manager from sending his current pitcher out to warm up with no intention of having him pitch because a relief pitcher is not ready to enter the game."

The Playing Rules Committee proposed the tweak in the offseason and it was approved by MLB, the players' union and umpires.

Maddon hadn't heard about the change until being asked this week.

"I know this, that all the odd kind of moments that occur during the season regarding umpiring, that they do write them down, and they'll talk about it at the end of the season. So, it doesn't surprise me. And it also indicates that they're on top of things, so I kind of like it," he said at the Rays' spring training camp.

"That was an anomaly. That'll probably never come up again," he added. "The other thing with Sammy. That was just something that we pulled out of our hat, just to try to make sure that we got everybody warmed up and ready to go."

The Rays were playing at Milwaukee last June when the episode occurred. Fuld pinch-hit for reliever J.P. Howell in the top of the eighth inning and Tampa Bay scored three runs to take an 8-1 lead.

Maddon had planned on using reliever Joel Peralta while the game was close. Once the Rays pulled away, Maddon wanted Cesar Ramos to pitch in the bottom half.

But because Ramos wasn't ready, Maddon sent Fuld — who batted in the pitcher's spot but has not actually pitched since high school — to the mound to warm up. Once Fuld was done, Maddon brought in Ramos.

The next day, after the Rays won 8-4, Maddon admitted he'd fudged things and apologized to the umpiring crew.

The rules committee, composed of executives, former players and an umpire, recently made a few other adjustments, none major.

Bats with a scooped end on the barrel can have an indentation of 1¼ inches, up from 1 inch. And the word "baseline" has been replaced in spots by "base path."

Also, the process for appealing an official scorer's ruling has been changed. In the past, a team's public relations employee would often ask the scorer to review a call. Now, a player's agent will work with the union to appeal, then there will be a process between MLB and the union to reach a decision.

Maddon, meanwhile, still had some questions about the reliever rule.

"How do they know the intentions are not to pitch him? How would you know that? You could easily leave him in there for one hitter if you had to," he said.

"My concern would be you could still send out your previous inning's pitcher to warm up and then pull him out of the game before the first batter. That's still OK, correct?"

Maddon was more certain on what to call the new 3.05 rule — as in, don't name it for him.

"Oh! Stay with the number," he said, laughing. "No, make it the Sam Fuld Rule. I'm good with that."

http://www.ajc.com/sports/mlb-tweaks-rule-to-1357530.html

Tony La Russa is in talks to work for MLB
http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view/20120221tony_la_russa_in_talks_to_work_for_mlb/srvc=home&position=recent

i saw that about 1 hour before i did my first baseball draft and picked up harper in like the 19th round.

Cosmic_Cannon

Funny, because he's going to be bad for the first half, if he starts Opening Day. If the Nats are smart, they'd give Harper a full year to mess up when he starts for the Nats.

Cosmic_Cannon

CJ Wilson break-dancing
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/a8a8d5d6f6/can-a-baseball-player-breakdance

Don't call Albert hombre...

Spoiler:

Pujols unhappy with Angels' 'El Hombre' billboards

The Angels succeeded this offseason in getting Albert Pujols out of St. Louis, but getting St. Louis out of Albert Pujols is a different proposition.

The superstar slugger voiced his objections Wednesday to a series of 20 billboards around southern California that depict Pujols in an Angels uniform next to the words "El Hombre," Spanish for "The Man." Pujols, who signed a 10-year, $250 million contract with the Angels in December after 11 seasons in St. Louis, believes the phrase "The Man" should be reserved for Cardinals Hall-of-Famer Stan "The Man" Musial, whom Pujols got to know during his time with the Cardinals.
"I prefer not to use that," Pujols told Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-02-22/news/chi-pujols-unhappy-with-angels-el-hombre-billboards-20120222_1_albert-pujols-cardinals-hall-of-famer-billboards

Cosmic_Cannon

NL Central is a 3 horse race. The Bucs; Cards, and Brewers can all compete for the division crown. Outside of the NL and AL East, this is one of the most toughest divisions in baseball.

peagle05

Tommy Bilfiger. wrote:

Ryan Braun won his appeal

No 50 game suspension

Chi-Town Bully

So how good is MLB's drug testing if Braun beat his case

Cosmic_Cannon

Chitown Bully wrote:

So how good is MLB's drug testing if Braun beat his case

Steroids and PED's are an overblown issue in baseball. If you know the history of MLB, then you'll find out it's filled with "cheating" and technicalities that gave someone an advantage. So I laugh, when people want to shit on Bonds or Clemens, because they "cheated" or "shamed the game".

With that said, the testing policy is strong, and hasn't more than 10 positive tests in the past 5 or 6 years.

Cosmic_Cannon

MLB Likely Adding WC Slot This Year

Spoiler:

Buster Olney of ESPN shed additional light on Major League Baseball’s anticipated expanded playoff system yesterday. According to Olney, MLB is expected to implement the 10-team playoff system, including an additional pair of wild-card clubs, this season. Sides have until March 1 to make the deal official, but Olney said that at this point talks are down to the ironing out of details.

Back in September it was announced that Major League Baseball was considering expanding its current playoff format. In order to make the postseason path of wild-card teams more difficult than division winners as well as include another team in postseason play, the league proposed adding an additional wild-card team from each league.
The two wild-card clubs from the American and National Leagues would participate in a one-game playoff to decide which club would move on to the League Division Series.
Initially, playoff expansion was believed to be tied to the Houston Astros move to the American League. Because this won’t take place until 2013, most expected the additional wild-card teams wouldn’t enter the mix until at then.
But MLB commissioner Bud Selig has pushed the expanded playoff format, hoping to have it implemented in 2012 from the beginning. Late last month Selig came out publically and said that he believed the additional wild-card teams would come into play in 2012. Selig added that major league clubs really wanted the switch and that the whole scenario would add excitement to the game.
With the March 1 deadline looming, we should soon find out one way or another if we can expect a 10-team playoff system in 2012.

I understand that the league and its teams would like to make the postseason path of wild-card teams more difficult than division winners, but I’m not sure the prior system was broke enough to warrant a fix. While I’m sure the one-game playoff has the potential to add excitement, the final day of the 2011 regular season offered fans plenty to get excited about.
What are your thoughts on playoff expansion? Are you excited for 10-teams or do you want MLB to keep the format as it is?

http://calltothepen.com/2012/02/23/mlb-playoff-expansion-expected-in-2012/

aneed123

the Braun stuff is bullshit. That nigga cheated they pick and choose who they crucify... That shoulda been Princes MVP and team....

lamontbdc

aneed123 wrote:

the Braun stuff is bullshit. That nigga cheated they pick and choose who they crucify... That shoulda been Princes MVP and team....

Naw Kemp should have won over Prince. Kemp had a better all around year and is a much better defender

baseball testing dude just fucked up by not following the correct procedures. dude found a loophole

aneed123

Naw Kemp should have won over Prince. Kemp had a better all around year and is a much better defender

baseball testing dude just fucked up by not following the correct procedures. dude found a loophole

yeah Kemp shoulda got it. but the way they bashed all dem other dudes and this cat gets off? come on its bullshit

Cosmic_Cannon

Just beautiful

Spoiler:

infamous114

Wow that's the first time I see the Marlins stadium complete from the inside, it does look beautiful. I'm still getting used to the uniforms though

TheBossman

the only problem is they HAVE to be good to fill up that stadium. and damn@ the little ass houses right next to the stadium. imagine living their and hearing the game every night.