MLB Spring Training Thread

[MichaelWinicki]

OK football season is kaput...

Let's talk up some MLB!

One week away from the first pitchers and catchers reporting (Twins).

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The Yankees signing Chris Carter... Interesting.

Truthfully though there isn't much separating him and Trumbo and the Oh's are paying Trumbo 3X what the Yankees are paying Carter this season.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

The Yankees signing Chris Carter... Interesting.

Truthfully though there isn't much separating him and Trumbo and the Oh's are paying Trumbo 3X what the Yankees are paying Carter this season.

Carter strikes out a lot more. And dont the Yanks already have a DH?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Carter strikes out a lot more. And dont the Yanks already have a DH?

Yes the Yankees had one... So I'm not sure why the move.

And yes Carter strikes out a little more but he walks more also. Their OPS+ number is exactly the same for their careers: 112.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Yes the Yankees had one... So I'm not sure why the move.

And yes Carter strikes out a little more but he walks more also. Their OPS+ number is exactly the same for their careers: 112.

Its interesting that Carter was out there so long. Seems like a great value signing.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Its interesting that Carter was out there so long. Seems like a great value signing.

It was surprising he was out there that long.

There was talk about him going to Japan.

I'm not sure where the Yankees are going to use him.

 

[gmoney112]

Rangers got Napoli, not sure why they just didn't sign Carter.

Holland and Lewis gone, that's going to be kinda weird. Ross/Cashner signed, if Ross can get healthy then that's probably an upgrade. Don't know a whole lot about Cashner.

Hitting lineup looking pretty good. Looking forward to seeing some of the younger guys like Odor, Mazara, Profar.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Rangers got Napoli, not sure why they just didn't sign Carter.

Holland and Lewis gone, that's going to be kinda weird. Ross/Cashner signed, if Ross can get healthy then that's probably an upgrade. Don't know a whole lot about Cashner.

Hitting lineup looking pretty good. Looking forward to seeing some of the younger guys like Odor, Mazara, Profar.

Rangers are had to figure.

Right now I have them third in the division... But they could surprise like they have the last two seasons.

 

[Trouty]

Rangers got Napoli, not sure why they just didn't sign Carter.

Holland and Lewis gone, that's going to be kinda weird. Ross/Cashner signed, if Ross can get healthy then that's probably an upgrade. Don't know a whole lot about Cashner.

Hitting lineup looking pretty good. Looking forward to seeing some of the younger guys like Odor, Mazara, Profar.

Napoli is a gem, and proved last season, again, that he can smash the ball.

 

[Tabascocat]

I live a stones throw from the Angels stadium and guess what? The Mets don't come here this season

I am going to have to drive to SD to see my team this year, we will be out of LA by the time they go to Dodger stadium.

 

[cowboyeric8]

Am I the only one interested in the WBC. I enjoyed watching the last few times around. Good competitive baseball at times, I just wish the U.S. would have the best of the best, although they are much better this year.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Baseball is back for the Houston Astros!

Pitchers & catchers reported today (Valentines Day).

 

[Christiann]

Baseball can't get here soon enough. Really excited about our re-signings and trade for Logan Forsythe. Solid bench additions with the return of Utley and Franklin Gutierrez. ITFDB (Soon)

 

[Derinyar]

Rangers got Napoli, not sure why they just didn't sign Carter.

Holland and Lewis gone, that's going to be kinda weird. Ross/Cashner signed, if Ross can get healthy then that's probably an upgrade. Don't know a whole lot about Cashner.

Hitting lineup looking pretty good. Looking forward to seeing some of the younger guys like Odor, Mazara, Profar.

My guess is the team knows Napoli and likes what he brings to the clubhouse and they don't have that personal knowledge with Carter. There's also the fact that Napoli tends to be more split neutral then Carter is, which is important if you're signing someone who you're not intending to platoon.

It will be odd not to see Lewis and Holland in the rotation. Of course we didn't see a whole lot of either in the rotation last year, and very hit and miss results when they were. Ross is probably a midseason addition more then opening day. Cashner had troubles last year, but had been solid before that. Just box score scouting he was either unlucky or throwing meatballs, high BABIP and HR/9, and he started walking about 2x the people. Just a quick reading says he stopped throwing his curve/change up as much last year and that could suddenly cause a change in numbers, also there's some hope that just going to work with lucroy will make him better. Lucroy is considered a good framer and a good game caller. The real wild card for this years pitching staff is Martin Perez. If he takes a step forward and becomes the #3 that we hope he could be then we have a very solid 1-2-3 and that's better then most can claim.

The lineup is going to be interesting. Can Odor keep up what he did last year? He had a very odd season, good power, decent average, bad eye, and bad defense. I hope he takes a step forward with his defense as I doubt he's ever going to walk a reasonable amount so that seems like his quickest way to make the team better. Mazara is a question mark to me. He never really made the adjustments he needed to last year, but he was damn young. Profar I'm guessing isn't going to get enough AB to really matter, unless someone gets hurt. Also I'd include Elvis on the interesting part. Elvis had a very good year last year with the bat. Some of it was a BABIP spike, so that could easily go away, but he was hitting for more power and walking a bit more. A year around 280/340/400 would be a success for Elvis again, would keep most of what he gained last year but not all of it. Gomez is another very big question mark. Did getting to a different situation help him enough mentally that he's going to perform better from here out or was it the dead cat bounce of a player who's career is about over.

 

[FloridaRob]

David Wright is injured again. David, we know you are owed 47 million but come on. You have enough money put away. Time to retire. You keep trying to come back and you keep getting injured. Time to let someone else take your place. Thank you for your service. Mets will put a statue of you in the rotunda as soon as they put Seavers in there. Until then, go home.

 

[Tabascocat]

David Wright is injured again. David, we know you are owed 47 million but come on. You have enough money put away. Time to retire. You keep trying to come back and you keep getting injured. Time to let someone else take your place. Thank you for your service. Mets will put a statue of you in the rotunda as soon as they put Seavers in there. Until then, go home.

He is still owed 67 mill over the next four years.

He only has a shoulder impingement which is no big deal for anyone not named Wright .

I see him missing opening day, playing a few games starting around May and heading to the DL by July......par for the course.

 

[Joe Realist]

Not a Rangers fan, but Adrian Beltre will be newest member of 3000 hit club sometime in June.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

This was amusing... http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2017/03/15/the-as-and-mariners-twitter-accounts-are-throwing-down/

Luv the pro-wrestling touch at the end.