The Baseball Book Club discussion

Talk about spring training news here - from all 31 camps (30 teams plus unsigned free agents - hopefully the last one disbands soon!)

As soon as the 1st unsigned gets hurt
Mike Linn

To continue a conversation I started-- Mike L says that if the Padres really do sign Jake then my son should be a GM by his bar mitzvah. He has exactly 10 months until the big day so on that note who will Jake sign with---
back with Cubs (wishful thinking)
Yankees or Red Sox
Padres
Phillies
Another sleeper team
The suspense is getting to be too much.

Of these choices: #1 Cubs #2 The field aka "sleeper" team

Can't rule out Yankees or Red Sox just because of who they are.

I hate to always be the downer, but the more I think about the Hosmer signing, the more I think it is bad for both parties.
Hosmer is a pretty good batting average hitter with less-than-average power at a power position--he hit 25 homers in a year that everyone else was hitting 40.

He is going to a notoriously bad hitters park that eats mediocre power guys for lunch.

He looks an awful lot like Mark Grace or Sean Casey to me. I don't think he can be a savior for a bad team all by himself. Are they going to be happy if he hits .290 with 18 home runs?

The move could be a career killer for him. Of course, he'll be well paid though.

Doug wrote: "I hate to always be the downer, but the more I think about the Hosmer signing, the more I think it is bad for both parties.
Hosmer is a pretty good batting average hitter with less-than-average po..."
That's pretty much how I see it too. His defense is alleged to be very good but I've seen advanced stats from Brian Kenny that make Hosmer about league average.

I don't think you win championships overpaying for defense at first base. It's not like shortstop or centerfield or catcher.

And he's an okay hitter for a second baseman or maybe third baseman, but for first, he's not special. Give me Rizzo or Votto any day.

As spring training starts, Houston looks awfully strong. Picking up Verlander was the deal of the year. If he continues as he did at the end of the year and Cole comes through, they will be hard to beat.

Doug wrote: "I don't think you win championships overpaying for defense at first base. It's not like shortstop or centerfield or catcher.

And he's an okay hitter for a second baseman or maybe third baseman, b..."

Heck, I would even take Mauer (2017 version, not the earlier Target Field years) over Hosmer. Much better defense and while the power isn't there like in the Metrodome years, his OBP and lack of strikeouts is a plus to me. Ballparks (Petco vs. Target) are similar for lack of power. Of course, I would know what it is like to have overpaid for a catcher/1B for many years. Although, like you earlier said, at the time it made more sense - who knew injuries would devastate him so much, requiring the shift in positions? But I just see so many similarities between Mauer 2014-16 and Hosmer in SD that I agree - it was too much money.

Has anyone heard the rumor that Arrietta is considering sitting out until midseason since no team is willing to pay him what he's worth.

Uh, no, but it doesn't surprise me based on his comments from last year- no hometown discount. I'm just wondering who'd sign him at midseason based on him not acting like a team player.

Anybody who is in position to go far in the playoffs if they sign an ace pitcher (so about half the teams in either league).

Lack of acting like a team player doesn't seem to enter into GMs thinking most of the time if they think a guy's talent profile will help the team (remember Milton Bradley got signed by about 8 different teams in his career).

Actually, sitting out about 16 starts might be good for Jake for the playoffs--he'll be fresh and it might prolong his career. The question becomes: do you pay him a half-year's salary or the whole salami?

I'd pay him for half the year only and no long term deal. He can test the waters again next year and not demand as much.

No pitch clock this season...

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mlbs-new...

Brina wrote: "I'd pay him for half the year only and no long term deal. He can test the waters again next year and not demand as much."

The Patriots have used the playoff-hired-gun for years with very good results.

I know and I'm trying not to think of pointy ball right now. There are still 7 months until kickoff with too much drama between now and then.

All things being equal if the Yankees and Astros are both headed for 100-win seasons in August, if I'm in charge of the Yankee purse strings, I'm going to rent Jake for 2 or 3 months--I think he would make the difference.

Same goes for the Dodgers or Cubs or maybe the Indians. If you've got a great team, the addition of Jake for the playoff run would be worth any cap penalty you have to pay. I think the guys on the team would appreciate it because, from their standpoint, the owner is making a big effort to put them over the top.

By the next spring, the good feelings of the winning clubhouse will have faded away and then you may look to dump him.

If that is the case Theo should take him now before other teams think about taking him for half the year. Yankees need an arm moreso than the other three contenders so I would think they would offer the most $.

ESPN is reporting that the Red Sox & JD have agreed on something
Mike Linn

Mike wrote: "Has anyone heard the rumor that Arrietta is considering sitting out until midseason since no team is willing to pay him what he's worth."

If Jake doesn`t know he`s declining, how can he possibly know what he`s worth ? Just asking
Mike Linn

Michael wrote: "ESPN is reporting that the Red Sox & JD have agreed on something
Mike Linn"

5 years 110 M

That was their original offer to JD
Mike Linn

Just noticed a 2 YEAR OPT OUT in the deal!!
Mike Linn

Personally I still can't get over the gact that this guy turned down 27.5 million a year for 4 years. I remember Clemens sitting a few months but if im Jake I make a reasonable demand and get on a team ASAP.

A closer look shows a front loaded double opt out clause, depending on those 1st 2 years. If they are great , he probably opts & gets a wheelbarrow. If they are only fair, he waits until the 2nd opt. Either way, he`s ,looking for another free agency. Legal of course but short of being truly Kosher one would think
Mike Linn
I`m also not sure that this response to the Stanton trade makes them a lock. More better, but to me , the keys for them are Hanley Ramirez remembering how to produce, & much more importantly, Mr. Price being right. It`s still about pitching, pitching, & more pitching.
Another great bunch of rumors has the Yankees yelling " cap be damned" & signing Moustakis & Arietta.
Televised games this Friday I believe

Televised games do indeed start on Friday including Cubs and Brewers at 4!
When have Yankees ever cared about the salary cap??

The Steingrabber in charge is not named George. Personally, I would have kept the real manager named Girardi & gotten rid of the Cash Man. IMO
Mike Linn

Michael wrote: "That was their original offer to JD
Mike Linn"
Originally it was 125 and he rejected. I guess he got cold feet. Poor boy only gets 110 mil.

Mike, I couldn't agree more. He had them on the cusp of winning, Girardi deserved to manage team this year.

But Booney is so much cheaper & all he has to do is follow what the computer says. Open the Bombay doors Hal.
Mike Linn

Girardi paid the price for making the decision not to challenge a call that ended up costing him a series just as Casey Stengel got fired for starting Art Ditmar instead of Whitey Ford in the 1960 series and Grady Little for not pulling Pedro in 2003. These things happen.

I`m just not sure what lie Cashman would have told if Girardi had won the World Series. But trust me, he still would have been fired. The Yankees & the Red Sox were the favorites to win both times you brought up. Girardi`s team surprised all to have gotten as far as they did. He wasn`t fired for that, he was fired for his refusal to go by the analytics as ordered. Any other team rewards the manager for as close as they got
Mike Linn
Stengel says he was fired for being 70

Michael wrote: "I`m just not sure what lie Cashman would have told if Girardi had won the World Series. But trust me, he still would have been fired. The Yankees & the Red Sox were the favorites to win both times ..."

And Stengel vowed never to make that mistake again.

Mike wrote: "Girardi paid the price for making the decision not to challenge a call that ended up costing him a series just as Casey Stengel got fired for starting Art Ditmar instead of Whitey Ford in the 1960 ..."

I didn't think that mattered after the Yankees ended up winning that series - assuming you are talking about the hit batsman/foul ball call. That was in the Cleveland series

Phillies trying to get Arrieta, but if they are looking for a short term contract, I think Arrieta will wait for an injury to a starter.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/27...

I think that was one og of the things Lance. Girardi doesn't embrace the new analytics and doesn't even like replays. His non reaction on that one play probably didn't sit well with the guys upstairs. This kinda reminds me of when Joe MacCarthy was running the Yankees and Larry MacPhail took over and wanted to change a lot of things. Joe was doing a great job but didn't fit in with the way the new guy operated. Same with Girardi. Good job but not on the same page.

Orlando Cepeda was rushed to the hospital from a golf course and his condition is said to be serious. No details as of yet.

Mike wrote: "I think that was one og of the things Lance. Girardi doesn't embrace the new analytics and doesn't even like replays. His non reaction on that one play probably didn't sit well with the guys upstai..."

Such is the way of business. When the boss has a way he want things done the employees need to get on board. A sports team is really just another type of business.

You know what they say. You either change the people or you change the people.

I still think Jake winds up in pinstripes.

I'm glad to see Hosmer go to the Padres if only to get him off my back in the AL Central. Tom Hamilton, Cleveland's radio announcer, looooooves him and I've been getting progressively more annoyed about it the last few years. So now we'll see less of him, which is A+ in my book.

Also pleased to see Cleveland signed Rajai Davis to a minor league contract with a ST invite -- after 2016, he'll always have a special place here.

Got tickets for Cubs vs Reds on April 3 right behind Cubs dugout!!! Care to join us Doug??

Happy 90th birthday to former Pirates relief ace Elroy Face.

I always liked him. I think he was one of the few real forkballers. At one time he was 14 and 0

Three way trade between Yankees, Dbacks, and Rays. Souza to Dbacks, Drury to Yanks, a few prospects to Rays.

Former major league pitcher Tom Brewer has died at 86 years of age. Mr. Brewer pitched for the Red Sox from 1954-1961 when an arm injury ended his career. He was only 29 at the time. He won 91 games for the Sox and was an all star in 1956 going 19-9.

Mike wrote: "Former major league pitcher Tom Brewer has died at 86 years of age. Mr. Brewer pitched for the Red Sox from 1954-1961 when an arm injury ended his career. He was only 29 at the time. He won 91 game..." This makes me so sad. He was another baseball card for me.

Brina wrote: "Three way trade between Yankees, Dbacks, and Rays. Souza to Dbacks, Drury to Yanks, a few prospects to Rays." The impact of this trade for the Yankees is that with the addition of Brandon Drury who can play 2nd and 3rd seems to exclude one more team from Mike Moustakas' sources of income.

Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten* wrote: "I'm glad to see Hosmer go to the Padres if only to get him off my back in the AL Central. Tom Hamilton, Cleveland's radio announcer, looooooves him and I've been getting progressively more annoyed ..."

I have to agree with Ashley's sentiments - Hosmer seemed to always find a way to get key hits against the Twins. So I too am glad to see him out of the AL Central.