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Well might as well start this off with a nutty trade:

To Dodgers: Mookie Betts, David Price
To Twins: Kenta Maeda
To Red Sox: Alex Verdugo, Brusdar Graterol

So, to cap it off, an incredibly profitable team in a huge market traded one of the best players in the world because they didn't want to pay the luxury tax and be slightly less profitable. What a scam the owners are pulling these days.

I can't explain the impetus for this move from Boston's perspective.

To top it off, the Dodgers are apparently only paying 1/2 of Price's salary and to make room for Betts in the outfield traded Joc Pederson to the Angels.

The Dodgers might be real good.

Quote from: Dappleganger on February 05, 2020, 12:32:50 AM
I can't explain the impetus for this move from Boston's perspective.

Nope. I get moving Price - he wasn't providing value for money - but Betts is a perennial MVP candidate. You pay that kind of guy and keep him around. Verdugo is a good young outfielder, and will cover a good portion of what Betts brought, but, he's not enough of a return to justify moving out your best player.

I mean, if you're looking for a baseball reason beyond saving money on the tax, you won't find one.

this is mostly speculation.

feel free to poke holes in my theory...

but  Maybe Mookie Betts  won't be that good a hitter
if he doesn't know what pitch is coming ahead of time?

Quote from: Nik Bethune on February 05, 2020, 09:26:11 AM
I mean, if you're looking for a baseball reason beyond saving money on the tax, you won't find one.

Nope. Luxury tax seems to be working as a soft cap. Teams don't want to be stuck over the line for any length of time.

Quote from: digdug on February 05, 2020, 09:58:54 AM
this is mostly speculation.

feel free to poke holes in my theory...

but  Maybe Mookie Betts  won't be that good a hitter
if he doesn't know what pitch is coming ahead of time?

This line of thinking is exactly where my mind went ...

Quote from: digdug on February 05, 2020, 09:58:54 AM
this is mostly speculation.

feel free to poke holes in my theory...

but  Maybe Mookie Betts  won't be that good a hitter
if he doesn't know what pitch is coming ahead of time?

That doesn't really add up for a number of reasons. I don't think there are any serious suggestions that the Red Sox have been stealing signs for Betts' entire career and his minor league numbers are terrific so...

Quote from: digdug on February 05, 2020, 09:58:54 AM
this is mostly speculation.

feel free to poke holes in my theory...

but  Maybe Mookie Betts  won't be that good a hitter
if he doesn't know what pitch is coming ahead of time?

If that were true, you'd probably see a more significant difference between his home and road splits - especially once you factor in the advantages that Fenway provides power hitting righties and plunking balls off the Green Monster.

Quote from: bustaheims on February 05, 2020, 01:20:54 PM
If that were true, you'd probably see a more significant difference between his home and road splits - especially once you factor in the advantages that Fenway provides power hitting righties and plunking balls off the Green Monster.

Betts is a weird case in that he hits more HR away from Fenway but much fewer doubles.

Either way, WAR corrects for park factors so his "value" is pretty static regardless.

Quote from: Nik Bethune on February 05, 2020, 09:26:11 AM

I mean, if you're looking for a baseball reason beyond saving money on the tax, you won't find one.

Well it's not like Betts is controllable for a bunch of years. He'll be an FA next year and has made it known that he fully intends to test free agency. Boston is getting back a very good young OF who has many years of control in Verdugo alone. So it's not just the tax they're worried about; they might lose Betts if he decides to sign elsewhere or have to dole out 400 million plus to retain him, which they still can do next year anyway. I don't love this for Boston but I'm not sure it's nearly as silly as some are making it out to be. 

Quote from: Andy on February 05, 2020, 02:28:47 PM
Well it's not like Betts is controllable for a bunch of years. He'll be an FA next year and has made it known that he fully intends to test free agency. Boston is getting back a very good young OF who has many years of control in Verdugo alone. So it's not just the tax they're worried about; they might lose Betts if he decides to sign elsewhere or have to dole out 400 million plus to retain him, which they still can do next year anyway. I don't love this for Boston but I'm not sure it's nearly as silly as some are making it out to be.

I'm not sure that the Red Sox not wanting to pay market rates for their best player makes it much better from a baseball perspective. This doesn't make them a better baseball team this season and there's not much of a chance that they will be for the duration of Verdugo's controllable years vs. retaining Betts.

Discussing it from a ...ugh, assets management point of view I'd be careful about repeating anything about a Red Sox player and what he "made known" when local Boston media is notorious for just parroting whatever negative stuff ownership wants to spread about players once it suits their purpose.

I like it purely from a selfish standpoint, it now makes Boston a weaker team which is better for our beloved Blue Jays.  I feel the same way about the Red Sox as I do about Les Canadians.

The Washington Nationals, a team principally owned by a man worth 5.3 billion dollars, is slashing the pay of some of his minor league players from 400 a week to 300. Others he's letting go entirely.

Said owner could afford to pay 500 minor leaguers 400 dollars a week for 413 years and still be a billionaire.

Not as bad as Oakland which stopped paying minor league players as of May 31st. Seems like both tems have reversed course on those decisions.

https://es.pn/2YcAeNj
https://es.pn/2My9eSQ

MLB is doing an awesome job of shooting themselves in the face over trying to get their league up and running.  The NBA and NHL have plans in place.  MLB is busy having media battles and trying to set this up as a fight over their next CBA.

https://twitter.com/HannahRKeyser/status/1286373420138139649

So opening day is going well.

Quote from: CarltonTheBear on July 23, 2020, 02:08:06 PM
https://twitter.com/HannahRKeyser/status/1286373420138139649

So opening day is going well.

Leave it to MLB to make the worst RTP plan.

Everyone else is going into isolation bubbles with no travel, delaying things more, or other more sensible protocols. MLB? Let's have all the teams travel across the region. Oh, and one of our teams can't play in their home city, so, they need to share a stadium. Our first choice is one they and their opponents wouldn't have visited under the shortened schedule, but, that won't be a problem right?

And this is the sort of thing Ford and Tory would have been ok with letting into the country.

Quote from: bustaheims on July 23, 2020, 02:38:15 PM
Everyone else is going into isolation bubbles with no travel, delaying things more, or other more sensible protocols. MLB? Let's have all the teams travel across the region. Oh, and one of our teams can't play in their home city, so, they need to share a stadium. Our first choice is one they and their opponents wouldn't have visited under the shortened schedule, but, that won't be a problem right?

I'm all for blasting the MLB here, but odds are if the NBA and NHL were starting new seasons now instead of finishing up they probably wouldn't be doing bubbles/no travel either.

Quote from: CarltonTheBear on July 23, 2020, 03:00:38 PM
I'm all for blasting the MLB here, but odds are if the NBA and NHL were starting new seasons now instead of finishing up they probably wouldn't be doing bubbles/no travel either.

That's fair, though, part of me would hope at least one of those leagues would recognize the problem and postpone things as much as possible.

The Canadian government not allowing U.S. based teams to travel back and forth across the border would have a much more significant impact on the NHL - enough that they might actually make the smart choice. Maybe. I hope. The NBA would probably be looking at a similar scenario to MLB.

Half an inning in and this is already one of the weirder things I've ever seen.

Quote from: Nik on July 23, 2020, 06:22:49 PM

Half an inning in and this is already one of the weirder things I've ever seen.

I'm not keeping tabs. What's happened?

Quote from: Bender on July 23, 2020, 09:00:44 PM

Quote from: Nik on July 23, 2020, 06:22:49 PM

Half an inning in and this is already one of the weirder things I've ever seen.

I'm not keeping tabs. What's happened?

Oh nothing specific, I just meant the empty stadium and mask wearing players.

And it looks like its Buffalo for the Jays.

Makes sense, even though it's not MLB standard in some ways it feels like it is in our backyard and our players have a familiarity with it.  Once they install some new lights and some other upgrades,  they can make it work.  Low Covid rates and heck its only 30 games there, right?

Just saw confirm of Buffalo in the paper..shuffle off to Buffalo...Anchor Bar, good wings!

So the Marlins are in the midst of an outbreak.

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1287736722588086273

It's so shocking that a team in Florida could possibly get a covid outbreak playing in a league with garbage strategy for limiting exposures.

Quote from: CarltonTheBear on July 27, 2020, 08:13:24 AM
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1287736722588086273

*Facepalm

I take it the MLB players are pretty much permitted to go where they plase and do as they wish outside of game time? Hence the Canadian govt not wanting games in Toronto?

I was surprised to see players with face coverings over the weekend. Something I haven't seen in other sports as they're in the "bubbles" or whatever.

Though I did also wonder why some were bothering - more often that not it was covering only the mouth not the nose or half hanging off altogether.

Quote from: Arn on July 27, 2020, 09:25:42 AM
I was surprised to see players with face coverings over the weekend. Something I haven't seen in other sports as they're in the "bubbles" or whatever.

Though I did also wonder why some were bothering - more often that not it was covering only the mouth not the nose or half hanging off altogether.

The skeptic in me figures that's more of a performative gesture than anything else.

Indeed I felt the same. 

Actually done properly it might not be a bad way of convincing some sceptics to wear masks and normalise it a little. But doing it half assed probably plays in to the people who don't want to wear one....

Quote from: L K on July 27, 2020, 08:47:33 AM
It's so shocking that a team in Florida could possibly get a covid outbreak playing in a league with garbage strategy for limiting exposures.

Apparently the Marlins were clean, but recently came into contact with the Atlanta team who had some players also test positive.

https://twitter.com/ken_rosenthal/status/1287757902548172803
The Marlins are still in Philly.

Quote from: herman on July 27, 2020, 09:46:49 AM
https://twitter.com/ken_rosenthal/status/1287757902548172803
The Marlins are still in Philly.

This feels like the day the NBA cancelled their season but you know MLB ain't doing that.

Their plan was basically um let's just do the normal stuff but with a mask in the dugout.

Hope I can get a refund on my MLB TV

What an absolutely shocking series of events, said no one.

David Price, who opted out of this season (which costed him about $11.8mil), chimes in:

https://twitter.com/DAVIDprice24/status/1287793458602635265

This is actually madness. I thought there was some kind of "bubble" around squads. Not just a free for all with a pile of spare players waiting to get in when inevitable infections occur.



https://www.inquirer.com/phillies/miami-marlins-coronavirus-outbreak-phillies-mlb-season-20200727.html

Players flying in and out of cities in a country where the virus is spiralling out of control and with no league-directive quarantine measures set in place nor required.  What could have gone wrong?

Quote from: Peter D. on July 27, 2020, 04:25:20 PM
Players flying in and out of cities in a country where the virus is spiralling out of control and with no league-directive quarantine measures set in place nor required.  What could have gone wrong?

And Doug Ford and John Tory were ok with this going to Toronto?

Quote from: Crake on July 27, 2020, 04:36:44 PM

Quote from: Peter D. on July 27, 2020, 04:25:20 PM
Players flying in and out of cities in a country where the virus is spiralling out of control and with no league-directive quarantine measures set in place nor required.  What could have gone wrong?

And Doug Ford and John Tory were ok with this going to Toronto?

Glad the feds put the kibosh. Absolute nonsense.

Can't understand why MLB didn't use the bubble approach, so far it has worked for the other leagues. Complete madness to let this happen.   And too bad, I have been loving seeing the Jays play again.

Quote from: Bender on July 28, 2020, 11:57:35 AM

Quote from: Crake on July 27, 2020, 04:36:44 PM

Quote from: Peter D. on July 27, 2020, 04:25:20 PM
Players flying in and out of cities in a country where the virus is spiralling out of control and with no league-directive quarantine measures set in place nor required.  What could have gone wrong?

And Doug Ford and John Tory were ok with this going to Toronto?

Glad the feds put the kibosh. Absolute nonsense.

Just FYI, the plan submitted to the province and approved by Chief Medical Officer of Health required the teams to be isolated from gen pub. 

I think the issue became the crossing border thing, which is a federal thing, and has nothing to do with the province.  The feds didn't want to open that can of worms.

Quote from: Highlander on July 28, 2020, 12:04:20 PM
Can't understand why MLB didn't use the bubble approach, so far it has worked for the other leagues. Complete madness to let this happen.   And too bad, I have been loving seeing the Jays play again.

A tight bubble is not feasible for baseball. The teams and support staff and stadium grounds crews, etc. is a significantly larger number of people than hockey. For a regular season grind, that's kind of crazy, even though baseball is the most distanced of the 4 major sports.

Hockey's RTP looks to be working well right now, thanks to Canada generally managing things well, but if it is needed for the next regular season as well, there'll be an uproar from players and staff.

https://twitter.com/CraigMish/status/1288167307567669252

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1288142815696957441

https://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/1288165448945721346

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1288164474785013762

https://twitter.com/brookob/status/1288171433047228416

https://twitter.com/kaitlyncmcgrath/status/1288173783551967237

Yeah. The season is off to a great start.

This is reminding me of Pop goes the Weasel.

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1288507241033805825

Half their roster. Half.

Shut. It. Down.

Quote from: bustaheims on July 29, 2020, 12:25:25 PM
https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1288507241033805825

Half their roster. Half.

Shut. It. Down.

I can't believe they ever thought this was going to work.

Supposedly the Jays game on Friday has been delayed/postponed.  They are now tentatively going to play a double header on Saturday and a game on Sunday against the Phillies. 

So now we have a rushed season where players are going to be at increased risk of injury and we are jamming games into double headers to account for a lack of safety on COVID exposure.  MLB is absolutely incompetent.

https://twitter.com/timbritton/status/1289975947265847297

Quote from: herman on August 02, 2020, 12:37:03 PM
https://twitter.com/timbritton/status/1289975947265847297

He packed up his stuff in the middle of the night and left the hotel.   He's opting out.   He informed the team during the game.  But of a bizarre series of events

Quote from: L K on August 02, 2020, 04:34:26 PM

Quote from: herman on August 02, 2020, 12:37:03 PM
https://twitter.com/timbritton/status/1289975947265847297

He packed up his stuff in the middle of the night and left the hotel.   He's opting out.   He informed the team during the game.  But of a bizarre series of events

I'm just glad he's okay

Quote from: L K on August 02, 2020, 04:34:26 PM

Quote from: herman on August 02, 2020, 12:37:03 PM
https://twitter.com/timbritton/status/1289975947265847297

He packed up his stuff in the middle of the night and left the hotel.   He's opting out.   He informed the team during the game.  But of a bizarre series of events

With the way MLB (and indeed some other players) have handled things, I'd be surprised if he's the last

Bunch of Cardinals players and staff test positive.

More games postponed.

Seemingly players visiting a casino this time being the cause.

They really do need to shut it down. The rules aren't stringent enough and even if they were it seems you can't control your players to stop them doing these things if they're not in a "bubble"

Well Tampa is doing a good job of crapping the bed.

Personally I?m just glad that the league that pretends Pete Rose and Barry Bonds don?t exist can celebrate how awesome Houston is.

Quote from: L K on October 17, 2020, 03:57:57 AM
Personally I?m just glad that the league that pretends Pete Rose and Barry Bonds don?t exist can celebrate how awesome Houston is.

I agree. Two Hall of Famers

It's not MLB but worth posting somewhere:

https://twitter.com/BASportsGuy/status/1317321234749648897

Lol.

That's amazing haha

I love this

Quote from: Heroic Shrimp on October 17, 2020, 11:47:55 AM
It's not MLB but worth posting somewhere:

https://twitter.com/BASportsGuy/status/1317321234749648897

Lol.

Classic, thanks for sharing this one.

Awesome...would have been even better if the guy did a bat flip lol..

You know what I have not heard anyone say: man I miss seeing pitchers hit

Quote from: Joe S. on October 25, 2020, 09:20:43 PM
You know what I have not heard anyone say: man I miss seeing pitchers hit

The only time I miss it would be when a pitcher randomly mashed a home run.

That was fun. But I don't miss all the other thousands of pitcher at bats.

Quote from: Joe S. on October 25, 2020, 09:20:43 PM
You know what I have not heard anyone say: man I miss seeing pitchers hit

I miss seeing some of the pitchers who swing like I would in the batters box.   I somewhat understand the argument about the strategy element of the game but those same people whinge about guys not throwing complete games anymore so why are you happy about a starter getting pulled after 5 innings because of a hitting option

White Sox have hired Tony Larussa as their new manager. Because what else would make sense than hiring a 76 year old who has been retired for almost 10 years.

In other news Cleveland will hire Tommy Lasorda as their new manger because why not.

The Rays declined their option on Charlie Morton and Mike Zunino today.

I have to say it was pretty bizarre watching some people try to paint the World Series as being a small market underdogs vs. big market overspending goliaths. The Rays are a terrible organization who thrive on just never paying players. We should all be rooting for their collapse and, hopefully, an eventual move to Montreal.

Quote from: Joe S. on October 30, 2020, 10:44:28 AM
White Sox have hired Tony Larussa as their new manager. Because what else would make sense than hiring a 76 year old who has been retired for almost 10 years.

In other news Cleveland will hire Tommy Lasorda as their new manger because why not.

I was going to say at least Larussa is still alive until I see that so is 93 year old Lasorda. Wow, I thought he was dead.

Quote from: Joe S. on October 30, 2020, 10:44:28 AM
White Sox have hired Tony Larussa as their new manager. Because what else would make sense than hiring a 76 year old who has been retired for almost 10 years.

In other news Cleveland will hire Tommy Lasorda as their new manger because why not.

It's weird, but, at least La Russa has connections to the ChiSox. He's just completing the circle.

Quote from: Nik on October 30, 2020, 10:50:05 AM
The Rays declined their option on Charlie Morton and Mike Zunino today.

I have to say it was pretty bizarre watching some people try to paint the World Series as being a small market underdogs vs. big market overspending goliaths. The Rays are a terrible organization who thrive on just never paying players. We should all be rooting for their collapse and, hopefully, an eventual move to Montreal.

Yeah. Their scouting and development systems are excellent. They have a knack for identifying pieces in organizations that are undervalued or underdeveloped, and that's helped them be a contending team, but, other than that, they're terrible.

Quote from: bustaheims on October 30, 2020, 11:56:51 AM

Quote from: Nik on October 30, 2020, 10:50:05 AM
The Rays declined their option on Charlie Morton and Mike Zunino today.

I have to say it was pretty bizarre watching some people try to paint the World Series as being a small market underdogs vs. big market overspending goliaths. The Rays are a terrible organization who thrive on just never paying players. We should all be rooting for their collapse and, hopefully, an eventual move to Montreal.

Yeah. Their scouting and development systems are excellent. They have a knack for identifying pieces in organizations that are undervalued or underdeveloped, and that's helped them be a contending team, but, other than that, they're terrible.

Sure, but also a lot of it is that it's actually not super difficult to look over another team's roster and be like "We'll take two of your best prospects for our developed major leaguer". That doesn't take away from their scouting/developing but it's not quite the same as digging through the draft for talent.

Quote from: Joe S. on October 30, 2020, 10:44:28 AM
White Sox have hired Tony Larussa as their new manager. Because what else would make sense than hiring a 76 year old who has been retired for almost 10 years.

Yeah, about that:
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1325982315823116288
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1326237087084011524