Baseball Anyone? Okay who will win it all in 2009

[Echo_of_thunder 1]

The Braves agreed to terms with Derek Lowe on a four-year, $60MM deal. The braves were mentioned many times in the Peavy sweepstakes but that doesn't seem likely because they've allready added three quality starting pitchers. the Braves made their four-year offer to Lowe "on the condition that he accept the deal quickly." The mets lost big on this one because they needed a reliable pitcher like Lowe. Now they will focus on resigning Oliver Perez, a much less reliable pitcher.

sadly for My Mets I have been hearing all day here that Perez will and has been in talks also with the braves as well. but I have been scanning all sites looking and have heard very little of this just in a few forums. also hear the mets may give up on Padro now that Redding is a Met. Romors still have the mets trying still for Wolf. which I think would be a good idea. well as of this post 90 days to go until the Mets home opener in the new Citi field. AkA Shea #2
lets go met!

[nyy26 0]

I've heard Wolf's name mentioned. I've always liked Wolf, he's got great stuff and can be good enough for a number five starter in the national league. They've been saying on WFAN about the mets trying to lock up Perez. Would make sense.

[nyy26 0]

There were a couple of post-season rule changes that occurred during the owner's meetings in Arizona. All postseason games will be played to their conclusion. Owners also voted to use head-to-head records to replace coin flips when determining home-field advantage for tiebreaker games in division and wild-card races. Games would be suspended if they are called, regardless of how many innings have been played or the score at the time. A suspended game is resumed and played to completion at the same site. The change also applies to tiebreaker games but not to the All-Star Game. Owners approved the change three months after Game 5 of the World Series was suspended with Philadelphia and Tampa Bay tied 2-2 after 5? innings. That night, commissioner Bud Selig declared that the game would not be cut short, no matter how long it took.Play was resumed two days later, and the Phillies finished off the Rays 4-3 in the final three innings.

[Echo_of_thunder 1]

There were a couple of post-season rule changes that occurred during the owner's meetings in Arizona. All postseason games will be played to their conclusion. Owners also voted to use head-to-head records to replace coin flips when determining home-field advantage for tiebreaker games in division and wild-card races. Games would be suspended if they are called, regardless of how many innings have been played or the score at the time. A suspended game is resumed and played to completion at the same site. The change also applies to tiebreaker games but not to the All-Star Game. Owners approved the change three months after Game 5 of the World Series was suspended with Philadelphia and Tampa Bay tied 2-2 after 5˝ innings. That night, commissioner Bud Selig declared that the game would not be cut short, no matter how long it took.Play was resumed two days later, and the Phillies finished off the Rays 4-3 in the final three innings.

So happy to see that put all that down in writting. that rule has been there for many years. but never really used due to 1 it was not in writting. it was really left up for the ump to decided. So many people blame Mr Selig of game 5 but it was not his fault. if it was anyone's fault it was both managers, and owners plus whoever was carrying the game on TV, All breaks down to money. You know it is said that it has, (base ball) has come down to dollors and cents, and not what it was ment to be. A Game. but oh well this topic was started to see who would win the big show this year.
With all the wheeling and dealing and all. All bets are off. I am now thinking it could be a tossup for the NL East maybe in the AL East as well. You may get your subway after all.

[nyy26 0]

What about signing Jon Garland or Ben Sheets? Before the end of last season, you would have thought these guys would have been snatched up pretty recently after C.C. Sabathia signed. Garland was 14-8 with a 4.90 ERA for a playoff team last season and he?s only 29. Seems like a reasonable idea to sign him. But when you look a little more closely, you find that he allowed 237 hits and 59 walks over 196.2 innings along with hitting eight batters. A 1.51 WHIP is not pretty. Garland also a 5.99 ERA in the second half, 7.18 in September. He struck out 4.12 over nine innings, the lowest rate of his career. Opponents had a .355 OBP against him. So while he may have won 14 games, he had a lousy season. It?s hard to picture him coming into the AL East and pitching well. Sheets is a little more simple. Sheets ended last season with a bad elbow. But word is that the MRI taken on his shoulder was a cause for major concern. Many teams believe that Sheets? arm is not worth any sort of risk. He certainly must regret rejecting arbitration from Milwaukee given that no team is known to have made him an offer. If any team is going to spend money at this point, they would want some cost certainty in terms of at least innings. Sheets doesn?t offer that.

[nyy26 0]

I'm suprised that Orlando Hudson is still availible. With the talent this guy has, he should have been snatched up a while ago. I guess it's the economy.Why wont the mets sign Hudson? The seeming lack of interest in free-agent second baseman Orlando Hudson has been one of the biggest mysteries of the offseason, but it's still too soon to jump to conclusions. The Indians explored signing Hudson before trading for Mark DeRosa to play third base. The Nationals, White Sox and Giants all have needs at second base, whether they admit to them or not. The Braves still could acquire a second baseman and move Kelly Johnson to left field, though they are unlikely to spend big on another free agent. The Mariners also could be in the market at second if they move Jose Lopez to first base. Hudson, coming off surgery on his left wrist, has resumed all baseball-related activities. He continues to seek a contract of three or more years, executives say, but ultimately could settle for a shorter term with the right team ? say, the Mets or Yankees. Both of those clubs currently are set at second, the Mets with Luis Castillo, the Yankees with Robinson Cano. A trade of either appears unlikely, but Hudson could land with another team ? most likely, the Nationals ? if his market in New York fails to develop. Trading Cano and signing Hudson would work for the Yankees financially ? Cano is owed $25 million over the next three seasons, and the Yankees could pay Hudson a similar figure. But the Yankees, confident that Cano will rebound from an off year, only would trade him if they received a significant return. Personally, I am pro Cano. The Mets, on the other hand, would love to get rid of Castillo, who bombed last season in the first year of a four-year, $25 million deal. Castillo, 33, batted .245 and missed nearly two months with a strained left hip flexor, and no team is willing to take the rest of his contract. "No, Castillo did not have a good year last year," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said Friday. "But we're talking about a guy who for 10 years was close to a .300 hitter (Castillo entered last season with a .294 career average). We feel he's going to bounce back." Minaya mentioned Thursday on the Mets' cable network, SNY, that the team might sign a free-agent hitter to a one-year contract once it polishes off its rotation. When asked to clarify, he sounded cool to the idea of adding a left-handed hitter such as Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu or the most expensive right-handed hitter on the market, Manny Ramirez. "Most of the hitters are left-handed ? I don't see us doing a left-handed hitter," Minaya said. "It's going to be a real low-end right-handed hitter if we do anything." Hudson is a switch-hitter. His effervescent personality would be perfect for a Mets team that has collapsed in each of the past two Septembers. And the high-energy, slick-fielding double-play combination of Hudson and Jose Reyes would be a fan's delight. The problem is, the Mets already are paying two managers, Willie Randolph and his replacement, Jerry Manuel; and two closers, the injured Billy Wagner and his replacement, Francisco Rodriguez. Paying two second basemen would be a stretch at a time when the Mets' bigger priority is probably upgrading the combination of Daniel Murphy and Fernando Tatis in left field. But the only way the Mets could move Castillo would be if they assumed the bulk of his remaining salary. Hudson will find work. The question is where.

[TheDisturbedOne 1]

I think Cano is too good for the Yankees to pass up. Speaking of which, are any of those injured players of the Yankees coming back next season? I remember the DL being filled with Yankees players (from what I remember quite a few out fielders) last year.Also do any of you guys play fantasy baseball? I'm sure we could get a league started up here. I played it last year, but gave up when my ranks were so low. I lost a bunch of people to the DL. And don't use Yahoo Fantasy, you can't see any details of the rankings.

[Echo_of_thunder 1]

I think Cano is too good for the Yankees to pass up. Speaking of which, are any of those injured players of the Yankees coming back next season? I remember the DL being filled with Yankees players (from what I remember quite a few out fielders) last year.
Also do any of you guys play fantasy baseball? I'm sure we could get a league started up here. I played it last year, but gave up when my ranks were so low. I lost a bunch of people to the DL. And don't use Yahoo Fantasy, you can't see any details of the rankings.

Not sure if they have or not, Tried to play it once a couple of years back over on yahoo but never really could figure it all out. could be fun though. Not sure of how many baseball fans we have here in Trap. Seems like it is more NFL and other sports. worth a shot though.

[nyy26 0]

A fantasy baseball league would be great. but as echo said i dont think there's much interest here. if we can get at least 8 then why not?

[Echo_of_thunder 1]

A fantasy baseball league would be great. but as echo said i dont think there's much interest here. if we can get at least 8 then why not?

Okay that's 3 of us. I am in, but honestly not sure of what is what. noob when it comes to that

[TheDisturbedOne 1]

Let's see if anybody else is going to see this and join in.I saw today that some more players got signed for longer deals. I also saw that Ryan Howard is asking for $15 Million! That is complete B.S. and I hope that the Phillies don't sign him. He is hardly worth what they were paying him, and I could really see him getting injured for the whole season. Usually that happens to somebody who has been hitting tons of home runs.Well only a few months till spring training! I can't wait!

[Echo_of_thunder 1]

Let's see if anybody else is going to see this and join in.
I saw today that some more players got signed for longer deals. I also saw that Ryan Howard is asking for $15 Million! That is complete B.S. and I hope that the Phillies don't sign him. He is hardly worth what they were paying him, and I could really see him getting injured for the whole season. Usually that happens to somebody who has been hitting tons of home runs.

Well only a few months till spring training! I can't wait!

less than a few willie, try Febuary. and yes that is a joke. he is not with that much. As much as I hate philly I hope they have the brains enough not to sign him. Been here romors the mets are still talking to Ollie Perze, and Ben Sheets. Would not mind having Sheets, even though he is one who also loves that Disabled list.

[stevenjackson39 0]

I'll join.btw, how do you think the AL East and NL West are gonna end up this upcoming year (please be unbiased)

[Echo_of_thunder 1]

I'll join.btw, how do you think the AL East and NL West are gonna end up this upcoming year (please be unbiased)

Dodgers in the West and the AL East well my feelings are it is up for grabs. With everyone the Yankees have picked up there a maybe. but you have to take into account the rest of the team. Most are well Washed up and should give it up. Fla has the best shot I think though. All young and hungry after that joke last year.

[nyy26 0]

You have to pick the Dodgers in the NL west especially since it looks like there going to bring back Manny. The Yankees are the best team on paper in the AL east, and they'll win it all if the stay healthy. The Red Sox however, had a few under the radar signings that could be big contributes. The AL east has three teams that could make the playoffs.