MLB 2024

[buldog5151bass]

As an umpire, I can tell you numerous issues, including;

A right handed hitter HAS to cross over into fair territory to reach the base line.

A runner has to run in foul territory, then step on a base in fair territory.

This makes it cleaner.

It's different with the third baseline. A runner will stay in foul territory to avoid being hit with a batted ball.

 

[Gaolee]

Pitchers and catchers start reporting on February 13. Not for all teams, but that's the early schedule. All should be in camp by the 15th. So a bit more than six weeks from now. And the Mariners are still not as good on paper as they were before they started trading.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Still LOTS of free agents and trade candidates out there. A lot of players didn't want to make a decision until Ohtani and the other Dodger signing set the market prices.

 

[Gaolee]

The Dodgers are the Dodgers. The rest of the teams aren't. And other free agents aren't Ohtani. It's still going to be expensive to sign free agents, thanks to the Dodgers. Their deal with Ohtani seems really dumb on the surface of it. There may be details and opt-outs I don't know about, but there's no way his arm is going to last very much longer after two Tommy Johns.

 

[thisheregiraffe]

Interesting to see The Braves trade for Chris Sale. Hard to rely on him to pitch very much these days—but he’s still got a lot of upside if he can stay off the injured list.

Trader Jerry is getting back to work too!

DeSclafani kind of only has one good season under his belt, but he’s at least managed to stick in the league. He was in The Trade between Toronto and Miami in 2012 that sent a bunch of prospects to Miami for Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, and a few other guys. Toronto also traded for R.A. Dickey that same winter. Man that was a crazy winter. And then the Jays were a let-down in 2013 Jays fans were riding high over the winter though!

 

[Gaolee]

Um, gosh. I'm not sure what to think of all that. Getting Haniger back is good, but hardly earth shattering. I don't know anything about Desclafini. Time to learn, I guess. Raley only has a slightly higher average than Caballero. I guess he's an outfielder instead of an infielder. The Mariners need both. Caballero can certainly field.

The Mariners seem to be thinking their farm system will come up with some serviceable players, if not outright stars. I hope so. It's been hit and miss, as it always is.

Mariners pitchers and catchers report pretty late. February 20.

 

[Gaolee]

Now that Washington's football season is done, it's time for me to pay attention to baseball again. I didn't like how their season ended, and liked that it ended with Harbaugh smiling even more. But that's life. Baseball heals all wounds and causes other wounds.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I've said it before. There is baseball, there are other sports you watch while waiting for baseball season.

 

[thisheregiraffe]

Dodgers sign Teoscar Hernandez to a one-year deal $23.5 million deal ($8.5 million deferred). Good luck in L.A., Teo! Lots of Jays fans still miss you.

And apparently the Cubs will be signing Imanaga. That’s a pretty big deal for them.

 

[slobake]

And apparently the Cubs will be signing Imanaga. That’s a pretty big deal for them.

Yikes! There was all this talk online that Imanaga was going to sign with the SFGiants. I guess people are reluctant to play for the Giants now.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Signing period ends tomorrow I believe. So we will know soon.

 

[Gaolee]

Dodgers sign Teoscar Hernandez to a one-year deal $23.5 million deal ($8.5 million deferred). Good luck in L.A., Teo! Lots of Jays fans still miss you.

And apparently the Cubs will be signing Imanaga. That’s a pretty big deal for them.

The Dodgers have splashed a whole lot of cash lately. In a perverse way, I'm really happy the Mariners haven't done that. The Dodgers are far more likely to be the '23 Mets than the '86 Mets in my opinion, in spite of the star power.

Yeah, I know. I'm probably just jealous.

 

[buldog5151bass]

They still need pitching. But again, it's a call for a salary cap/floor.

 

[Gaolee]

They still need pitching. But again, it's a call for a salary cap/floor.

That's the one thing the Mariners have. Good young pitching. If they can keep their staff and keep those guys healthy, they should be in pretty good shape as far as that's concerned. It's the bats they just never seem to have.

 

[thisheregiraffe]

M’s trade for Jorge Polanco - Mariners Acquire Jorge Polanco

Nice 2B upgrade for Seattle. Julien kind of stole Polanco’s job last year in Minnesota.

Also the Jays signed Justin Turner to a one-year deal. He had a decent season in Boston last year… but it’s not a very inspiring move. Hopefully he helps, anyways.

 

[Gaolee]

M’s trade for Jorge Polanco - Mariners Acquire Jorge Polanco

Nice 2B upgrade for Seattle. Julien kind of stole Polanco’s job last year in Minnesota.

Also the Jays signed Justin Turner to a one-year deal. He had a decent season in Boston last year… but it’s not a very inspiring move. Hopefully he helps, anyways.

If Polanco can stay healthy, he will be a big improvement even if he has an average year for him. If Julio Rodriguez can get back to his rookie year performance and cut way down on the strikeouts, the Mariners could actually be pretty decent this season.

Kelenic never lived up to the hype, and when he broke his hand in a fit of pique, that may have sealed his fate as trade fodder. Pitching seems pretty well set, and the farm seems to have a decent amount of pitching.

I'm still not convinced by the lineup yet. They are solid up the middle in the field, but I don't see the corner outfielders as being big assets yet. Same with third base.

I assume Crawford will lead off with Julio second. France third maybe, and then Garver? That would put Raleigh as five, then maybe Polanco. If Polanco catches on fire, maybe he moves up a bit. After that, Haniger, I guess. He's a .230 hitter with a bit of power. The rest are uninspiring hitters in the .200 to .230 range. .230 would be an improvement over the bottom of the order last year, though, so there's that.

Less than a month to go. Nah, I'm not getting wound up yet. But this is the season.

 

[thisheregiraffe]

It’s been a big week for the O’s!

Orioles Confirm Agreement To Sell Control Stake To David Rubenstein

Orioles Acquire Corbin Burnes

O's fans have been frustrated for a while by the Angelos family, so I’m sure the sale was already good news for the fans. Then they land Burnes in a trade a couple days later.

This team is going to be a problem in the AL East this year.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Now they just need to sign him to an extension. They certainly have a low payroll for a team trying to win.

 

[Bent77]

Pitchers and catchers start reporting on February 13. Not for all teams, but that's the early schedule. All should be in camp by the 15th. So a bit more than six weeks from now. And the Mariners are still not as good on paper as they were before they started trading.

Ok we’re 2 days past due for bb news!

 

[thisheregiraffe]

Today’s the day for the Blue Jays!

https://x.com/bluejays/status/1758137109020561823?s=46