Baseball's Back: The Spring Training Thread

Post #1 » by **Da Schwab** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:39 pm

Forget Valentine's Day, today is when pitchers and catchers report (voluntarily)! The coming weeks will be filled with last minute roster boosting and a showcase of new young talent for every franchise. I feel like we can keep all the news, regardless of team to this thread and discuss the development of some of the young'ns to this topic.

Let the games begin...

Post #2 » by **craig01** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:35 am

Spring is in the air

Dirty Water · Post #3 » by **Dirty Water** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:42 pm

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Post #4 » by **Da Schwab** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:01 pm

Two little pieces of news...

Junior is joining the Mariners as a consultant. Would be cool to see him on the bench as hitting coach one day.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring201 ... id=6124516

And, the Marlins are looking at Michael Young to fill their third base needs until Matt Dominguez is ready to be called up.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/ne ... id=6124573

The Florida Marlins' interest in Rangers infielder Michael Young is contingent on having Texas eat a significant portion of the $48 million owed to Young over the next three seasons, sources said on Tuesday.

Like a lot of teams, the Marlins seem to be valuing Young as a $6 million to $7 million a year player, so it would make sense that they would want the Rangers to pay about $30 million -- or more -- of the salary Young will make through the 2013 season.

Post #5 » by **Da Schwab** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:23 pm

Two things I think are notable today...

Jays make a terrible investment with Jose Bautista.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring201 ... id=6129630

And Sheff finally hangs em up.

Gary Sheffield, who last played in the majors with the New York Mets in 2009, told the New York Post that he called the Major League Baseball Players Association on Wednesday and officially retired.

"I wanted to retire after I played for the Mets," Sheffield told the newspaper. "My family said wait one year, that there was no need to rush it. I gave it a year and now it's time to say goodbye."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6131472

Is he a HOFer?

trwi7 · Post #6 » by **trwi7** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:25 pm

He's a first ballot HOF in the Dick HOF.

Post #7 » by **craig01** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:22 pm

trwi7 wrote:He's a first ballot HOF in the Dick HOF.

LOL

Post #8 » by **craig01** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:25 pm

trwi7 wrote:He's a first ballot HOF in the Dick HOF.

Ever think of making an all time DHOF by position?

Could be a lot of fun....lol...I'll start

OF- Sheffield
OF- Bonds
OF- Milton Bradley

trwi7 · Post #9 » by **trwi7** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:06 am

I'm liking this. 8-)

Dirty Water · Post #10 » by **Dirty Water** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 5:54 pm

craig01 wrote:
trwi7 wrote:He's a first ballot HOF in the Dick HOF.

Ever think of making an all time DHOF by position?

Could be a lot of fun....lol...I'll start

OF- Sheffield
OF- Bonds
OF- Milton Bradley

Nice. I like where this is going... Heres my starting lineup

C - AJ Pierzynski
1B - Rafael Palmiero
2B - Jeff Kent
SS - Alex Rodriguez
3B - Having trouble here - Do Miguel Cabrera or Miguel Tejada count?
OF - Carl Everett
OF - Barry Bonds
OF - Ty Cobb
DH - Albert Belle
SP- Kenny Rogers
RP - John Rocker

Could anyone imagine a team like that playing together?

Post #11 » by **Da Schwab** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 8:07 pm

Jim Edmonds is hanging em up...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring201 ... id=6135663

JUPITER, Fla. -- St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds has announced his retirement at age 40.

Edmonds injured his right Achilles tendon while rounding the bases after a home run last September for the Cincinnati Reds and never played again.

Edmonds signed a minor league contract with the Cardinals this month and was still undergoing treatment. But team doctors told Edmonds the injury was so severe he would not be medically cleared to play and that he could hurt himself even more.

The popular center fielder was a four-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner in 17 seasons. He helped the Cardinals win the 2006 World Series.

Edmonds said Friday that he felt it was best to retire now.

Very exciting player to watch in his prime. If it weren't for his reckless play and injuries, he may have gotten to 500 HRs and a possible HOFer.

bigboy1234 · Post #12 » by **bigboy1234** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 10:32 pm

He should be an automatic HOF, but he won't get in.

From 2000-2005 he put a 153 OPS+ (.989 OPS) with great defense in center. It doesn't get much better than that. For reference Kirby Puckett never even had a 153 OPS+ season and wasn't as good defensively.

Post #13 » by **craig01** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:12 am

Denny McLain would have to be one of the starting pitchers

Post #14 » by **Rafael122** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:13 pm

It was surreal seeing Vlad in an Orioles uniform. I am looking for big things to happen to the Orioles this season. At least .500. The lineup is filthy, and the rotation is full of potential.

greenbeans · Post #15 » by **greenbeans** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:45 am

I'm liking this. :cool:

Jose Iglesias is the young guy at Sox camp that's impressed so far. He was thought of as a year away coming in and he seems a lock now for a September callup at the least. He'll be the best defensive player on the team when he gets here.

CentralQB5 · Post #16 » by **CentralQB5** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:51 am

trwi7 wrote:I'm liking this.

haha Grienke is like " Get me outta here" :lol:

Post #17 » by **Da Schwab** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:29 pm

Adam Wainwright is having Tommy John surgery and will be out for all of 2011.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring201 ... id=6154112

St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and will miss the entire 2011 season, general manager John Mozeliak said Thursday.

Wainwright, a 20-game winner and runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award last year, was sent back to St. Louis on Wednesday for tests and a consultation with team physician George Paletta.

Earlier Wednesday, Mozeliak said "things do not look encouraging" for the right-hander, who injured his elbow while throwing batting practice Monday.

"We have confirmed that Adam Wainwright will require Tommy John surgery. So obviously, he'll be out for the year," Mozeliak said, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Not a real surprise to us, but certainly a disappointment and a finality to this process. As we look to the future now we certainly believe that we have a strong starting rotation on this club. And now we're going to have to try and fill it in terms of a fifth spot."

I guess it's relatively fortunate for this to happen to them now, being as they have all spring to scout guys to deal for, or bring a younger guy up quicker.

CentralQB5 · Post #18 » by **CentralQB5** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:46 am

^^
huge hit for Cards, Wainwright was nasty these past couple of years....i guess we'll see what Carpenter is made of and we'll see if he can put the whole rotation on his back and carry them

Post #19 » by **craig01** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:18 am

What a shame for Wainwright

Post #20 » by **TyCobb** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:20 pm

Jered Weaver and Kendry Morales for Albert Pujols. Get it done Reagins!