The MLB Thread

[Allan]

Sounds simple, but with things like the Rule 5 draft, waivers and grading of free agents, things get a little bit more complicated.

 

Is there a reason that a club has to "forfeit" a draft pick when they sign a class A free agent? I mean, the term free agent would indicate the player is not signed to anyone, so why does the signing club have to give his last employer one of these draft picks?

 

What are waivers? How do players become eligible for them? Why so little compensation when players are claimed from waivers by other big league clubs?

[OmarVizquel]

Sounds simple, but with things like the Rule 5 draft, waivers and grading of free agents, things get a little bit more complicated.

 

Is there a reason that a club has to "forfeit" a draft pick when they sign a class A free agent? I mean, the term free agent would indicate the player is not signed to anyone, so why does the signing club have to give his last employer one of these draft picks?

 

What are waivers? How do players become eligible for them? Why so little compensation when players are claimed from waivers by other big league clubs?

 

Eesh. These are all things I suppose I should be able to tell you, as someone who's played and followed baseball my whole life....but I leave all this stuff to GMs and sportswriters to figure out....

[Allan]

Eesh. These are all things I suppose I should be able to tell you, as someone who's played and followed baseball my whole life....but I leave all this stuff to GMs and sportswriters to figure out....

 

No worries mate, it's these type of things that I think puts people here in the UK off of the game to an extent. There are so many aspects and so much terminology that we just don't understand as we've never come across them in our sports.

 

I suppose the same could be said the other way as well with regards to a certain sport whose name shan't be mentioned by myself on this forum for fear of mass anti repping....

[RJ Fan club]

Al, I'm on the phone so don't wanna link to the mobile site.

 

But, yeah looks like first week in April is opening fixtures and it's Boston vs Yankees.

 

Google 'MLB 2010 schedule' and look for a MLB website link, should be the first; you'll get it off there.

 

They do warm ups the week or so before like our preseason.

 

Edit: just seen on the mobile site they are only showing two dates, they may have more on the full website.

[neko]

[Allan]

Any idea's on the following who have signed for the Padres.

 

Scott Hairston & Aaron Cunningham (oakland)

 

Jerry Hairston Jnr

 

Jon Garland.

 

And there expected to do a one year deal today for catcher Yorvit Torrealba.

 

Not long to go now.

 

Jon Garland - Was a highly rated pitcher a few seasons back when with the White Sox, though he had a poor season by his standards in his last year there. Was shipped to the Angels and had a solid season last time round. Could be a good signing.

 

Yorvit Torrealba - Backup catcher at most of his previous teams, good behind the plate and average at the plate, I'd imagine this is just a short term fix.

 

Scott Hairston - Started last season at the Pads and then moved to the A's. I'd imagine he'll be the everyday left fielder. He has decent power, hitting 17 home runs in each of his last 2 seasons.

 

Aaron Cunningham - Looks like someone who would be used as a pinch hitter in a major league club. I'd expect him to start the season in the minor leagues, though a decent showing in Spring Training may see him used in a platoon role in right field for the majors club.

 

Jerry Hairston Jnr - Another backup type player, probably brought in to protect Chase Headley on occasion. Older head in the hot corner.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Al, I'm on the phone so don't wanna link to the mobile site.

 

But, yeah looks like first week in April is opening fixtures and it's Boston vs Yankees.

 

Google 'MLB 2010 schedule' and look for a MLB website link, should be the first; you'll get it off there.

 

They do warm ups the week or so before like our preseason.

 

Edit: just seen on the mobile site they are only showing two dates, they may have more on the full website.

 

Spring training runs for around a month before the season starts, I'm going out to Scottsdale AZ to watch the SF Giants. Did the same last year and it was great.

[Allan]

Spring training runs for around a month before the season starts, I'm going out to Scottsdale AZ to watch the SF Giants. Did the same last year and it was great.

 

The camps start in the next week or so. I know that some pitchers have reported back early for the Braves for a specialised training program, as most pitchers do every year.

[Guest ShoePiss]

The camps start in the next week or so. I know that some pitchers have reported back early for the Braves for a specialised training program, as most pitchers do every year.

 

No idea about camps, all I know is that the Giants will be playing pre season spring training games in AZ from the first week of March until the first week of April.... same as last season. Early on it seemed like a lot of the AAA players were involved and the first team players started later in the month.

[OmarVizquel]

Baseball is a cruel, cruel sport. Following a horrible team for 162 games, knowing you have no chance to make the playoffs, ruins the summer. Trust me, I've done it every season I've been conscious.

 

Good luck to the Padres, but I'd be shocked if they make any noise.

 

You should take a trip out there though...

[Anny Road]

Rounders with caps.

[OmarVizquel]

Rounders with caps.

 

Nolan Ryan will punch you in the head.

[OmarVizquel]

 

Even though I could never support NYY this man really got me hooked on baseball, I thank you CC.

 

We raised him from a young pup in Cleveland, but thanks to the economics of baseball had about as much chance of re-signing him as Kazakhstan has of winning the Olympic 4x400m. Bastard.

[RED Tezza]

Ok for anyone who doesn't want to have to subscribe to ESPN in the hope that they may show your team's games when the season starts. Get on this every teams games including Spring training matches. and all for 60 quid for a full year.

 

Media Center | MLB.com: Multimedia

[Allan]

Ok for anyone who doesn't want to have to subscribe to ESPN in the hope that they may show your team's games when the season starts. Get on this every teams games including Spring training matches. and all for 60 quid for a full year.

 

Media Center | MLB.com: Multimedia

 

You can get a lot of games using TV Ants, and possibly Tor, depending where you are in the world.

 

All it'll cost you is a few minutes of your time while you download and install the apps, and then wait for the stream to buffer when you find the game you want to watch. You can find links to streams on the MyP2P Baseball forum.

[Allan]

Is CC Sabathia liked in baseball by other fans, obviously the RS hate him, but he is my favourite player.

 

Could the Padres possibly sign him one day?, what is his wages? and what would he cost?

 

Doubt it mate, he's one of the highest paid pitchers in all of MLB. If there were a remote chance he'd sign for the Pads, it'd be only as a free agent, or if the Pads brought some phenom into their ranks and used him and a couple of other top prospects as traid bait.

 

Trouble is, with CC at the Yankees, just about every club will find it hard to compete with their financial muscle. Plus they always seem to pick up the best prospects floating around, so they are never short of talent in their minor league clubs.

[RedKnight]

And that's why Baseball doesn't rule as much as the NFL.

[OmarVizquel]

Baseball draws you in when you're a kid. You just want to watch your team play, collect baseball cards, and pretend you're one of your heroes in your backyard.

 

Then one day when you're older you realize that the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox spend $150 million more than your team, and you have virtually no chance unless your owner sells the team to some crazy new owner who wants to pay out of his own pocket for free agents (i.e., this rarely happens). It's a ludicrously unfair system.

 

And yet you still have the same nostalgic feeling that you had as a kid, and your team sucks you in every spring. It's a cruel cycle.

 

Luckily, baseball (like all US sports leagues) has a playoff to determine the champion, so while a team like the Yankees (at over $200 million in payroll) will almost certainly clinch a spot in the playoffs during the 162-game season, a smaller team can sometimes find a blind run of luck in a best-of-5 or best-of-7 game playoff series to beat the big dogs. That's how the small-market Florida Marlins won the World Series in '97 and '03.

 

So while a playoff system might seem strange, at least it helps in some small way to add a bit of intrigue and give small teams a chance. Otherwise, the Yankees or Red Sox would win the championship every single season.

 

By the way, this is a good site to follow MLB news for your Padres: San Diego Padres - MLB Baseball - Sporting News

[Allan]

First games of spring training are fast approaching.

 

The Braves start against one of their divisional rivals, New York Mets, on Tuesday 2nd March.

 

Can't wait for the season to start, so I can see Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens tear up the NL East. Also hoping that Jason Heyward impresses in Spring Training enough to be on the opening day roster, this kid should be the next big thing in baseball.

 

I'm intrigued to see how Derek Lowe will bounce back from last years poor season by his standards, and also how Troy Glaus holds up at first base, will he have his hitting power back and provide that much needed threat behind Chipper and in front of B-Mac in the Braves lineup?

[RedKnight]

Go Red Sox!

[Allan]

Go Red Sox!

 

I hope they beat the Yankees to the AL East, goes without saying, though I'm not so sure I'd like to see them win the World Series again.

[Guest ShoePiss]

First games of spring training are fast approaching.

 

The Braves start against one of their divisional rivals, New York Mets, on Tuesday 2nd March.

 

Can't wait for the season to start, so I can see Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens tear up the NL East. Also hoping that Jason Heyward impresses in Spring Training enough to be on the opening day roster, this kid should be the next big thing in baseball.

 

I'm intrigued to see how Derek Lowe will bounce back from last years poor season by his standards, and also how Troy Glaus holds up at first base, will he have his hitting power back and provide that much needed threat behind Chipper and in front of B-Mac in the Braves lineup?

 

Two weeks till I'll be watching Cactus league games, 80F temps, cold beer and watching (hopefully) SF Giants beat the Mariners and A's. Can't wait.

[RED Tezza]

First games of spring training are fast approaching.

 

The Braves start against one of their divisional rivals, New York Mets, on Tuesday 2nd March.

 

Can't wait for the season to start, so I can see Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens tear up the NL East. Also hoping that Jason Heyward impresses in Spring Training enough to be on the opening day roster, this kid should be the next big thing in baseball.

 

I'm intrigued to see how Derek Lowe will bounce back from last years poor season by his standards, and also how Troy Glaus holds up at first base, will he have his hitting power back and provide that much needed threat behind Chipper and in front of B-Mac in the Braves lineup?

 

 

I'm feeling your anticipation the Cards also start spring training off against the Mets albeit on the 4th march it can't get here soon enough

[RedKnight]

I hope they beat the Yankees to the AL East, goes without saying, though I'm not so sure I'd like to see them win the World Series again.

 

Beating the Evil Empire goes without saying, as for winning the World Series again, we've hardly been prolific in the last 85 years. I can't say I'm that excited by our trades, I've got a feeling watching the Red Sox will be the Baseball equivalent of watch LFC play this season. Too interested in defence.

[Allan]

Beating the Evil Empire goes without saying, as for winning the World Series again, we've hardly been prolific in the last 85 years. I can't say I'm that excited by our trades, I've got a feeling watching the Red Sox will be the Baseball equivalent of watch LFC play this season. Too interested in defence.

 

This is true, but after your last World Series victory, there was a feeling that you were becoming that which the Red Sox had fought so hard against during those forgetful years.