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    MLB 2019

    21st February.

    Unfortunately, the thread starts with the sad demise of Frank Robinson.



    So, where do Machado and Harper end up? If they drop to 5 year contracts, all the big boys will be in. (Machado to Boston, Harper to Cubs, is my guess. Neither fit the Yankees kid's line-up.)

    Here's to the new season. And fuck the Scarlet Longstockings.

    #2
    (Obviously, I am totally ignoring the 'Serie del Caribe' where Mexico are leading 2-0, and are at bat, bottom second. The Venezuelans look hungry. (Thanks Ben Elton))

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      #3
      I will be (pleasantly) shocked if Harper ends up at Wrigley; my bet would be Philly or a short-term return to DC.

      I still think Machado is as likely to end up in pinstripes as anything else.

      Final of the Serie del Caribe today.

      Toros de Herrera (playing in their home country) face Leñadores (Lumberjacks) of Las Tunas (Cuba). We have enjoyed watching the games, and the fact that a Panamanian team made the final should make for a good atmosphere. 4 pm Eastern on ESPN Deportes and streaming.

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        #4
        I would be shocked if the deals drop down to 5 years but assume the offers so far have maxxed at about 7 years. Machado's agent came out and said the White Sox offer as reported in the media was erroneous. But if that was the case, signings would have happened by now. The Padres meeting with Harper a couple weeks back is clearly a sign that he also has not received an offer that his team wants. I said it before, a 10 year deal for either player makes no sense. Yes, both are excellent (although Harper's stats are radically skewed by his MVP season) but I would want neither player at top dollar in 9 or 10 years. The one thing that might concern me if I was either player about a truly short term deal is that I would expect the next CBA to move up arbitration and free agency since teams don't want to pay players in their 30s. If that's the case then the teams will need to pay players much more early on. And if that happens, they certainly won't want to spend for a long term deal with Harper or Machado.

        Anyway, I would expect Harper to end up in Philly. Like, UA, I think if the years drop dramatically, I'd expect the Yankees to sign Machado, put him at short or third and if at third, put Andujar at first. I think the Yankees are crazy to give up on Andujar. Bird (Byrd) on the other hand, can't stay healthy so he seems like the one to go. The big problem for the Yankees was last season's move: Stanton. They gave up nothing to get him but they are stuck with a DH since Judge is set in right. Stanton is always going to be a home run threat but his MVP season was as good as it could get for batting average and defensive metrics. Huge mistake to do that deal.
        Last edited by danielmak; 10-02-2019, 18:52.

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          #5
          Memories . . . light the corners of my mind . . .

          https://twitter.com/hankschulman/status/1096434368845758465

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            #6
            They need someone to wash the kit.

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              #7
              Watched a real interesting interview with Red Sox's John Henry in FLA yesterday.. He fesses up that Sox made a huge mistake with the John Lester contract situation a few years back and looking at the impact it had (they finished dead in the division last the following year) this will have an impact on their negotiations with Chris Sale, who at 30yrs of age, would normally not now be offered a long term contract by the Sox. Sox have some pile up of contracts ending in 2020 (Sale, Bogaerts, Porcello, JD Martinez & more) and have indicated that they cannot sign them all and it's why they are not in the market for Harper or Machado . Sale states he's ready to pitch with no limitations on pitching count etc. so here we go.

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                #8
                Not sure whether to post here or in the WTF Thread, but Manny Machado is joining the Padres.

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                  #9
                  300 million for 10 years

                  Largest free agent contact in history.

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                    #10
                    https://twitter.com/zingaliJR/status/1097911767664070661

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                      #11
                      So this is the year that the Padres are actually investing properly? Rather than deliberately tanking and trying to get a good roster for several years down the line? They always talk a good game pre-season, but this is something different.

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                        #12
                        It is certainly a lot smarter than the Hosmer deal.

                        The NL is once again much more interesting than the Junior Circuit.

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                          #13
                          RIP to Dodgers legend Don Newcombe.

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                            #14
                            It's Bruce Bochy's last year as manager of the Giants. He's likely to retire with an under .500 record but with three World Series and four pennants (he managed the 1998 Padres) he's a lock for Cooperstown. He's one of those laid-back, aw shucks types who manages like a ruthless killer in the postseason. It was a joy to watch.

                            In an unparalleled tragedy that ursus will empathize with, I may well have lost my Cooperstown Ball Cap Company New York Giants hat. Thought about it the other day, it wasn't in the bag I keep my hats in, I've overturned the house and can't find the thing. I miss my hat.

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                              #15

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                                #16
                                That is very much how I feel. The company doesn't exist anymore, my future wife bought it for me as my Christmas present, it was in NYC with me on my honeymoon (where it got a few nods of approval from fellow Giant fans, old and young). It's irreplaceable. I want my hat back.

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                                  #17
                                  OMG

                                  I'm so sorry.

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                                    #18
                                    Sorry to hear that Flynnie. I love my retro Padres cap. I would be devastated to lose it.

                                    So, yeah, I'm glad there's a 2019 thread. How have the Padres got money now?

                                    I really hope bringing in Machado doesn't mean they flog off Wil Myers or one of the kid hitters. They signed Hosmer on a then record deal last year.

                                    If only they had some better pitchers (Jake Peavy 2005 vintage would be grand)

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                                      #19
                                      Everyone in MLB has shitloads of money.

                                      The Padres just decided to spend some.

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                                        #20
                                        I'm shocked by the Manny signing more from Manny's side. I have posted a lot of times in the 2018 thread, and maybe this one, that a 10 year deal makes no sense to me on either of these players because at 34, 35, 36 they won't be worth the money. The deal would need to decrease in those years for my liking. But I do think the Padres are the right type of team for this deal. They only have Hosmer on huge money, so the kids will start to get more expensive but only if the kids develop and have an impact. And of course, that money could escalate if the new CBA shifts to earlier arbitration and new stats in arbitration. From Manny's perspective, he's going to lose for a few years before the Padres can get good. I think the White Sox would have a better chance to win sooner (weak division) and he'd be closer to Miami for those off days. Anyway, of the two big stars, I think he's a safer bet and hope the Padres start to improve with him in the squad--just not enough to catch the Dodgers.

                                        It will be interesting to see what Philadelphia does now. Corner outfielders are easier to find and if you remove Harper's MVP season, his stats are much, much worse. Manny might not be Johnny Hustle but he's a Steady Eddy. Removing his best year wouldn't do much to drop his average offensive and defensive strengths. If the Phillies are smart they'd go for Keichel and Kimbrel for less years and less money.

                                        Anyway, Spring Training games start to air on MLB Network this Friday. I think there are some MLB v. college team games on Thursday if I'm not mistaken.

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                                          #21
                                          The latest 99% Invisible is on the land clearance of Chavez Ravine for Dodger Stadium.
                                          In the 1950s, Los Angeles was an up-and-coming city but wasn’t quite there yet. For decades, people had been moving to California for the climate, the jobs, and the cheap real estate. It was a city on the rise but something was still missing. “When Americans were asked to talk about the major cities of

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                                            #22
                                            There is an excellent PBS Frontline documentary on that situation.

                                            danielmak, I'm sure that I've said this before, but I feel very strongly that it isn't sensible to look at contracts that way. Instead, I would counsel looking at the overall commitment with the understanding that the club is always overpaying for the "out" years at the end and often underpaying for the initial and/or middle years. One also needs to consider the time value of money, which makes it more attractive for the club to "backload" any contract. I can assure you that is the framework in which both clubs and players look at it.

                                            As to Machado's decision, I have to think that spending six+ months a year in San Diego as opposed to the South Side has more than a little to do with it.

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                                              #23
                                              The first I knew about the Chavez Ravine clearances was the Ry Cooder concept album about it.

                                              Ursus, I often wondered why more players who'd already made their millions didn't sneak down to San Diego for a few sunset seasons with no expectation of success. It worked for Phil Rivers for a decade and a half...

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                                                #24
                                                I think that the absolute dysfunction of earlier regimes had a lot to do with that.

                                                Building Petco was the first major step in turning that around, but even then they couldn't decide what their model was.

                                                An interesting angle to the Machado signing is the thought that the Padres can really "monetise" success now that they are the only top tier team in town. They have also shed what appeared to be a reluctance to sign Latino players that was rooted in the city's demographics in the 70s.

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                                                  #25
                                                  Eh? They had Latino stars in the 80s. Unless Benny Santiago wasn't Latino.

                                                  EDIT: (And the Alomar bros and Luis Salazar, and Adrian Gonzalez 10 years ago)
                                                  Last edited by Patrick Thistle; 21-02-2019, 17:13.

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