The 2021 MLB Thread

[BoilerCLE]

Look, it sucks to lose a star, but I think this was a decent trade for Cleveland. Say what you will, the Indians STILL have a chance to contend due to their killer pitching staff. I think that's what they're banking on right now. Remember, the Indians made the playoffs in 2020, yet Lindor didn't have a great 2020 - he batted .258 with 8 HR and 6 SB in 60 games. That's .258 with 21 HR and 16 SB over a full year. That's decent, but if you replace him with someone that's .250 with 15 HR and 10 SB, does that turn you from a playoff contender to cellar dweller?

The pitching's there to replace Carrasco. Carlos Santana was barely above replacement in 2020. The biggest loss might be Cesar Hernandez. But either way, you just replaced both Lindor and Hernandez with major leaguers with decent futures (at least with Giminez), which should only lose you a couple games vs. last year. But if the outfield can play at an above replacement clip (didn't happen last year) and they get someone to play decent at first (maybe Bobby Bradley?), they're not going to be much worse than last year. And last year was a playoff team.

 

[Stemmy66]

Baseball is dumb. The theory of no salary cap is just stupid

Well, TBH, is hasn't served the teams that have tried to buy a championship well, at least over the past 15 or so years..... See Yankees payroll over that time

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

The change in ownership for the Mets is huge. Cohen, unlike the Wilpons, has promised (and is delivering) to spend money. I don't think he's done either. I'm thinking the Mets will continue to try to sign George Springer.

Baseball is dumb. The theory of no salary cap is just stupid

I agree! There should be both a floor and a cap!

Look, it sucks to lose a star, but I think this was a decent trade for Cleveland. Say what you will, the Indians STILL have a chance to contend due to their killer pitching staff. I think that's what they're banking on right now. Remember, the Indians made the playoffs in 2020, yet Lindor didn't have a great 2020 - he batted .258 with 8 HR and 6 SB in 60 games. That's .258 with 21 HR and 16 SB over a full year. That's decent, but if you replace him with someone that's .250 with 15 HR and 10 SB, does that turn you from a playoff contender to cellar dweller?

The pitching's there to replace Carrasco. Carlos Santana was barely above replacement in 2020. The biggest loss might be Cesar Hernandez. But either way, you just replaced both Lindor and Hernandez with major leaguers with decent futures (at least with Giminez), which should only lose you a couple games vs. last year. But if the outfield can play at an above replacement clip (didn't happen last year) and they get someone to play decent at first (maybe Bobby Bradley?), they're not going to be much worse than last year. And last year was a playoff team.

Again, I agree. Lindor was home grown, drafted and developed by the Indians. Does that not speak to their scouting and coaching acumen? I think it does! Come on, naysayers! I'd like to hear even the most optimistic of you say what percentage of 1st round draftees make it to the majors! Come on! Let me hear ya!

 

[tequila4kapp]

Baseball is dumb. The theory of no salary cap is just stupid

It is because the players won't agree to it. And why should they? If they stand firm there is always some idiot owner who opens the wallet and splurges. And if - as is generally the case now - the owners start to learn how stupid it is to spend wildly, the players prepare their collusion case with the threat of MLB losing tons of money and maybe their anti-trust exemption.

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

Have a pretty close friend and fellow THPer who works in the upper levels of the Indians. Told me this was going to happen 3 months ago. Probably more to come

Should have told you this a year ago, when they couldn't get a deal done. This last minute negotiating crap, the brinksmanship, is for the birds! Indians aren't having it!

As an Indians fan I am so frustrated. I get it that Lindor was going. I already accepted it. But why Cookie too.

Because they could, and they got a really good prospect back. At both positions! Hey, I liked Cookie too, but you have to plan for the future!

It’s as if the Indians have decided to become the Indians of “Major League”. It looks like the majority of the roster will be making at or near the minimum salary.

Oh please! Grow up! They are running a business and you compare them to a fictional movie? I hope that you are not the least bit serious!

And here's another reason why these deal get done. I've heard far too many ignorant fanboys scream about Indian's trades in the past, and they have no idea what they are talking about. They holler about the Indians trading C.C. Sabathia to the Yankees! They did no such thing! They traded Sabathia to the Brewers! After a year, they traded him to the Yankees! Sabathia didn't want to go there, but his agent, and the MLBPU ganged up on him. The Yankees were offering a huge contract! They wanted him to accept it, and raise the pay scale for all ball players!

There are more forces at work here than you may acknowledge!

 

[zbeekner4]

I’m just over here hoping that the Braves sign Ozuna back or get a George Springer to play left field. Ozuna would be good if the NL had a DH. Unfortunately they aren’t so it’s hard to tell if the Braves are ready to give Ozuna a glove

 

[showtime]

Feels like we shouldn't have to be reminded as often as we are...but don't send unsolicited pictures of your junk. It's even worse when it's part of SIXTY-TWO unanswered texts! Mets should fire this dude for being a moron who can't understand an obvious social cue like a functioning adult should in addition to the grossly inappropriate stuff he sent.

 

[Templet0n]

I pretty much just watch baseball and good now. Looking forward to a full season.. hopefully will get to go to a game this year.

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

Feels like we shouldn't have to be reminded as often as we are...but don't send unsolicited pictures of your junk. It's even worse when it's part of SIXTY-TWO unanswered texts! Mets should fire this dude for being a moron who can't understand an obvious social cue like a functioning adult should in addition to the grossly inappropriate stuff he sent.

And he’s gone. What a moron.

 

[Duffer Waldorf]

 

[Bernoulli]

Feels like we shouldn't have to be reminded as often as we are...but don't send unsolicited pictures of your junk. It's even worse when it's part of SIXTY-TWO unanswered texts! Mets should fire this dude for being a moron who can't understand an obvious social cue like a functioning adult should in addition to the grossly inappropriate stuff he sent.

This is beyond bizarre.

 

[Iceman!]

Tough to watch the Cubs be systematically disassembled.
I mean, they need to make a change however this looks extreme.

 

[Reframmellator]

Pirates cleanup/rebuild continues with the trade of Jameson Taillon to the Imperialist Yanquis for four relatively highly rated prospects. This comes on the heels of trades involving 1B Josh Bell and RHP Joe Musgrove. After a 20 win season last year, (for the Pirates, not Taillon) there's really nothing left to tear down, more of a bulldoze and sweep. This looks like a 3-5 year plan, but the Pirates are also the poster child fo rthe salary floor argument made above.

Hard not to root for Taillon. He has shown flashes of why he was drafted No. 2 overall, but his career has been derailed by two Tommy John surgeries and testicular cancer.

 

[Bernoulli]

Pirates cleanup/rebuild continues with the trade of Jameson Taillon to the Imperialist Yanquis for four relatively highly rated prospects. This comes on the heels of trades involving 1B Josh Bell and RHP Joe Musgrove. After a 20 win season last year, (for the Pirates, not Taillon) there's really nothing left to tear down, more of a bulldoze and sweep. This looks like a 3-5 year plan, but the Pirates are also the poster child fo rthe salary floor argument made above.

Hard not to root for Taillon. He has shown flashes of why he was drafted No. 2 overall, but his career has been derailed by two Tommy John surgeries and testicular cancer.

Wash, rinse, repeat. Or tank and accumulate young talent, be relevant for a few seasons, let players leave or trade them away. That’s the playbook. All while spending as little money as possible.

 

[tequila4kapp]

MLBPA says no to universal DH and expanded playoffs.

What. The. #@$?

That is more jobs and more money. What are the players thinking?

 

[Bernoulli]

MLBPA says no to universal DH and expanded playoffs.

What. The. #@$?

That is more jobs and more money. What are the players thinking?

I’m sure it’s about money and the offer of a universal DH wasn’t enough for the players to agree to expanded playoffs. I think the expanded playoffs mean more revenue for MLB and the owners and maybe not the players or not enough for the players.

Plus, the labor relations between the two sides is extremely poor. I assume there will be great difficulty in negotiating the successor to the CBA.

 

[belmontcc15]

Expanded playoffs is an awful idea. The race in August/September is the best in sports. You eliminate that & the season becomes incredibly boring

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

LFG!!!

 

[Duffer Waldorf]

Whoever voted for LaTroy Hawkins for the HOF should have his voting privileges revoked.

 

[Reframmellator]

Just read that 2022 is Schilling's last year of eligibility with the BBWA voting and he says he is sending the HoF a letter asking to remove his name from next year's ballot, preferring instead to take his chances with the Veterans Committee.

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

Feels like we shouldn't have to be reminded as often as we are...but don't send unsolicited pictures of your junk. It's even worse when it's part of SIXTY-TWO unanswered texts! Mets should fire this dude for being a moron who can't understand an obvious social cue like a functioning adult should in addition to the grossly inappropriate stuff he sent.

Reminds me of something a buddy of mine told me a while ago. He was working in IT at a place that turned out to have a perv! He was sending pics of his junk to female associates. They dug into it and discovered his identity! As my buddy put it, "If you want to post pics of your junk on-line, that's weird enough. But, you should at least make certain that your smiling face doesn't appear behind it!" Yes, he was taking shots from "below"!

 

[Bernoulli]

Whoever voted for LaTroy Hawkins for the HOF should have his voting privileges revoked.

At least that person voted for someone. 14 ballots were sent back blank.

 

[Just_Brad]

Happy the Jays picked up Springer, and see tonight they grabbed Semien (who I know nothing about).

I really want to see Guerrero back at 3rd this season, but I doubt that will ever happen, and now I hope they don't 'eff around with Biggio and mess up his development.

 

[Elmave]

Just read that 2022 is Schilling's last year of eligibility with the BBWA voting and he says he is sending the HoF a letter asking to remove his name from next year's ballot, preferring instead to take his chances with the Veterans Committee.

 

[showtime]

Let’s just end the Hall of Fame. The gate keeping by the self righteous voters is awful.