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MLB 2014

MJ5150

MJ5150

Moderator
Staff member
Gold Supporting Member
Apr 12, 2001
17,407
35,666
Edinburg, Texas
#1
Look at that fella's, pitchers and catchers start reporting in a few days. Spring is coming......

I have to say I am surprised the Pirates decided to ditch Jolly Roger as the official logo after 80 years. But hey, it will still be around.

Also bummer news about the passing of Ralph Kiner on Thursday. He played before my time, but I remember hearing stories about him.

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQbYFtoWLavfuWed9vHBYZDxk6boYlMaGK5S4586n79KYaZ-ceD.png


-Mike
 
#4
Looking forward to a big season from Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz and the rest of the Red Sox staff. Lester and Buchholz both have 20-game and Cy Young Award winning stuff, hopefully they'll stay healthy this season. Here's hoping they'll sign Stephen Drew before the season starts.
 
#5
stratovani said:
Looking forward to a big season from Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz and the rest of the Red Sox staff. Lester and Buchholz both have 20-game and Cy Young Award winning stuff, hopefully they'll stay healthy this season. Here's hoping they'll sign Stephen Drew before the season starts.
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Drew did a great job last year but I'm hoping to see Xander and WMB get full time gigs gigs this year. Can't wait for spring!
 
#7
stratovani said:
Looking forward to a big season from Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz and the rest of the Red Sox staff. Lester and Buchholz both have 20-game and Cy Young Award winning stuff, hopefully they'll stay healthy this season. Here's hoping they'll sign Stephen Drew before the season starts.
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There was some talk of the Jays signing Drew to play second. Would have given the Jays the best starting lineup in baseball IMO.

lowsound
 
#12
Fingers crossed for Kershaw to have another outstanding year. Dodgers outfield is alright: Carl Crawford, Puig, & Andre Ethier. It would be nice to get Matt Kemp back; it's reported he's recovering but not game-ready, not even running. Not good.
I'm curious about Tanaka & Yankees. Not a Yankee just curious.
 
#15
For the Tigers it will be a year of Questions and a decision to get younger, faster, and better defensively. The plusses, one of the best starting pitching staffs ever with the two past Cy Young winners and last years ERA winner. And a world class closer in Joe Nathan. They'll hit the ball and the offense will be fine if Cabrera stays healthy. I look for Porcello whose is still young (24) and primarily a ground ball pitcher to take a huge step forward this year with Iglasious, Kensler, Cabrerra (who is a VERY good first baseman) and Costolanos behind him.

The Question marks, Costalanos offense, (he's hit in the minors) and the middle relief along with a rookie Manager in Brad Asmus will decide wether they turn another Central Division crown into a World Series win.

I'm not worried about the loss of Fielder, in between his lousy base running, lack of playoff hitting, mass of strike outs, and double plays, and dubious defense in Detroit he'll be addition by subtraction. Having said that he may have a great statistical season in Texas with that short porch, BUT, they are going to really regret that contract for a guy whose real numbers are on decline in the long run, who can't field at the major league level.

Any team with Cabrera, Verlander, Scherzer, and Sanchez will be in the mix. And the scary thing is they are all entering their primes. Signing Scherzer will be the other big story this year.
 
#18
The Red Sox were relatively quiet in the off season.

Replacing Salty with AJ Pierzynski gives us better defense behind the plate but maybe a drop in offense. Salty is a good guy and I hope he tears up the NL. I think part of the reason the Sox and Salty parted ways is that the Sox are high on a couple of catching prospects and they prefer to have veteran catchers on short contracts rather than a relatively young Salty on a long contract.

Grady Sizemore is a relatively cheap lottery ticket/insurance if Jackie Bradley Jr. is not ready for primetime. I'd like to see both get off to good starts.

I wouldn't mind seeing Drew back or seeing him sign with another team. I am not worried about Xander at short I think he is the shortstop of the next 12-15 years, but Middlebrooks struggled a bit last year and I'd like to see some depth in case he struggles again. It is amazing that the team did so well in spite of the potential drama that the Middlebrooks/Jenny Dell (NESN sideline reporter) relationship could have created in the clubhouse. I'm glad it worked out well for the team and by all accounts that I have heard, they are a very happy couple.

The biggest stories left are signing Ortiz and Lester to extensions. Some are not happy that Ortiz is lobbying for an extension even though his contract has a year left, but I'm ok with it - keep giving him rolling 2-year contracts - when he's happy, he hits. Lester has indicated that he would take a hometown discount - get it done - you don't want the Yanks and Dodgers to start throwing crazy money at him.
 
#19
I'll be keeping an eye on Mike Zunino of the Mariners. He is a former Florida Gator, and this will be his first full season in the big leagues. He's the #3 pick from the 2012 draft, so good to see him up in the majors already.

-Mike
 
#20
iamlowsound said:
Then why are there still so many unsigned pitchers? Tanaka has been signed for over two weeks and pitchers have started reporting already.

lowsound
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Well no one was gonna sign the Matt Garzas and Bronson Arroyos of the world till they knew Tanaka was no longer an option.

Who's left unsigned? Ervin Santana, right? Did the Royals extend a qualifying offer to him? The draft pick compensation in the new CBA seems to really been screwing some free agents.
 

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