Red Sox/MLB Buffalo Blue Jays - Mookie Betts agrees to sign 12-year, $365 million contract extension with LA

[Centrum Hockey]

Union is too good. They have successfully thwarted every attempt to improve the game.

My guess is they will lose the most from the pandemic because their players will refuse to play in empty stadiums staying in their own hotels where everyone has been tested.

Ratings would be through the roof if MLB network had a game on at all times. But it won’t happen their union is too strong.

Every team has an amazing regional sports network deal so they don’t really need fans. Pretty much the case across all 4 major sports even NHL which had little to no TV money relatively speaking when Jacobs destroyed the union in 2004.

MLB has the strongest union of any pro sport, and they have leverage because of what happened in 1994. They'll never accept a hard cap until financial instability threatens to take down franchises and eliminate jobs (threatening to contract Minnesota and Tampa was Bud Selig's last bargaining chip when they almost went on strike in 2002, but he caved). When guys like Bryce Harper get $35 million a year, it helps every player from Machado to Tzu-Wei Lin because of not only setting the market, but also things like escrow and pension implications inside the player's association. Hard cap is more logical, but the union isn't going to give in, for good reason.

Manfred has implied he would like to make far more changes to the game. But he knows every single change would result in a grievance even if it helped some of the players.

 

[Fenway]

Fantasy baseball: Here’s how I imagine I’d be previewing Opening Day at Fenway - The Boston Globe

(This is the column you might be reading today if not for the coronavirus pandemic.)

Stunned at being swept by the suddenly surging Baltimore Orioles, the 1-6 Red Sox will face the Chicago White Sox at 2:05 p.m. Thursday in their 109th Fenway Park opener.

"It will be good to finally get back to Boston,'' Sox interim manager Ron Roenicke might have said after Wednesday afternoon’s 4-1 loss to the upstart Orioles. "I’m pretty sure we’ll turn this around quickly when we get home to Fenway.''

Roenicke did not identify the Sox starting pitcher for the home opener.

"Could be Austin Brice, could be Marcus Walden, could be Heath Hembree,'' Roenicke said. "Chaim and the analytics guys will give me a name in the morning.''

Speaking of Chaim Bloom, he has turned out to be a prophet as well as a swell chief baseball officer. Back in February when the Sox made the Mookie Betts/David Price salary-dump trade with the Dodgers, Bloom said, “It’s reasonable to expect we’re going to be worse without [Betts and Price].”

Amen to that. One week into the 2020 season, it feels like the Sox have gone back to the bad old days of Bobby Valentine and Daddy Butch Hobson.

"People need to stop overreacting to this little speed bump at the start of the season,'' said special assistant David Ortiz, who will throw out Thursday’s first pitch and is expected to be in uniform in the Sox dugout for every game this season. "These guys running our team, they know what they are doing.''

The Sox used “openers” in three of their first seven games, losing all three. Boston’s only win came in the third game of the season when lefty Martin Perez beat the Blue Jays, 12-9. Perez, who specializes in pitching to contact, gave up six runs on 12 hits in his five innings and is expected to start again Saturday against the White Sox at Fenway.

Just one year ago, the defending world champion Red Sox came to Fenway for a ring ceremony and boasted the reigning league MVP (Betts) and a top three in the rotation of Chris Sale, David Price, and Rick Porcello. Now Betts is hitting .400 at Chavez Ravine and Sale, Price, and Porcello are unavailable to the Sox.

Sale underwent successful Tommy John surgery and is expected to be back on the mound by June of 2021. Price was traded to the Dodgers and is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in two games with LA. Porcello, who signed a one-year deal with the Mets, is also off to a 2-0 start and — as if to rub things in — Jon Lester pitched his second career no-hitter last week in a Cubs win over the Brewers.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, are down to two established starters: Perez and ace lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. Nathan Eovaldi, who won two games in 2019 after signing a four-year, $68 million contract, suffered an undisclosed arm injury in the first inning of his only start last week in Toronto. The Red Sox will not say whether Eovaldi needs surgery.

 

[McGarnagle]

Fantasy baseball: Here’s how I imagine I’d be previewing Opening Day at Fenway - The Boston Globe

(This is the column you might be reading today if not for the coronavirus pandemic.)

Stunned at being swept by the suddenly surging Baltimore Orioles, the 1-6 Red Sox will face the Chicago White Sox at 2:05 p.m. Thursday in their 109th Fenway Park opener.

"It will be good to finally get back to Boston,'' Sox interim manager Ron Roenicke might have said after Wednesday afternoon’s 4-1 loss to the upstart Orioles. "I’m pretty sure we’ll turn this around quickly when we get home to Fenway.''

Roenicke did not identify the Sox starting pitcher for the home opener.

"Could be Austin Brice, could be Marcus Walden, could be Heath Hembree,'' Roenicke said. "Chaim and the analytics guys will give me a name in the morning.''

Speaking of Chaim Bloom, he has turned out to be a prophet as well as a swell chief baseball officer. Back in February when the Sox made the Mookie Betts/David Price salary-dump trade with the Dodgers, Bloom said, “It’s reasonable to expect we’re going to be worse without [Betts and Price].”

Amen to that. One week into the 2020 season, it feels like the Sox have gone back to the bad old days of Bobby Valentine and Daddy Butch Hobson.

"People need to stop overreacting to this little speed bump at the start of the season,'' said special assistant David Ortiz, who will throw out Thursday’s first pitch and is expected to be in uniform in the Sox dugout for every game this season. "These guys running our team, they know what they are doing.''

The Sox used “openers” in three of their first seven games, losing all three. Boston’s only win came in the third game of the season when lefty Martin Perez beat the Blue Jays, 12-9. Perez, who specializes in pitching to contact, gave up six runs on 12 hits in his five innings and is expected to start again Saturday against the White Sox at Fenway.

Just one year ago, the defending world champion Red Sox came to Fenway for a ring ceremony and boasted the reigning league MVP (Betts) and a top three in the rotation of Chris Sale, David Price, and Rick Porcello. Now Betts is hitting .400 at Chavez Ravine and Sale, Price, and Porcello are unavailable to the Sox.

Sale underwent successful Tommy John surgery and is expected to be back on the mound by June of 2021. Price was traded to the Dodgers and is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in two games with LA. Porcello, who signed a one-year deal with the Mets, is also off to a 2-0 start and — as if to rub things in — Jon Lester pitched his second career no-hitter last week in a Cubs win over the Brewers.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, are down to two established starters: Perez and ace lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. Nathan Eovaldi, who won two games in 2019 after signing a four-year, $68 million contract, suffered an undisclosed arm injury in the first inning of his only start last week in Toronto. The Red Sox will not say whether Eovaldi needs surgery.

You didn't mention the author's name in your post, but reading just the first line I knew with 100% certainty which columnist wrote that article.

 

[McGarnagle]

Jim Edmonds has COVID-19, confirming that he can catch just about anything.

 

[EvilDead]

Jim Edmonds has COVID-19, confirming that he can catch just about anything.

 

[Fenway]

 

[CDJ]

Interesting video

forgot the White Sox could have had Tatis-Moncada up the middle. Incredible

How Did The White Sox Trade Fernando Tatis Jr.?!

 

[N o o d l e s]

Interesting video

forgot the White Sox could have had Tatis-Moncada up the middle. Incredible

How Did The White Sox Trade Fernando Tatis Jr.?!

Well, they have his brother Elijah so hopefully they don't f*** that one up

 

[yazmybaby]

Wouldn't it be great if Betts came back to Boston via free agency for the 2020/2021 season?
All we would need is 1-2 more pitchers and have Sale come back 100% and we would have a great chance at the World Series.

 

[Seidenbergy]

Wouldn't it be great if Betts came back to Boston via free agency for the 2020/2021 season?
All we would need is 1-2 more pitchers and have Sale come back 100% and we would have a great chance at the World Series.

He basically can't without causing luxury tax issues. If there is no season this year, teams essentially won't get credit for being under the cap this season and will need to re-set next year.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

He basically can't without causing luxury tax issues. If there is no season this year, teams essentially won't get credit for being under the cap this season and will need to re-set next year.

We need him to play some games for LA and not put up good numbers. If that happens and his market dries up he might end up back here.

 

[CDJ]

Since nothing resets they’ll be banking on the new CBA allowing them to do whatever they want with minor penalties as opposed to what’s currently in place

I’d roll the dice, f*** it. Worst case scenario you get hurt in the draft and lose million but adding Verdugo/Downs/Wong may just be enough to offset that sting

 

[Ben Grimm]

The 1946 Red Sox are arguably the best Red Sox team to not win it all. I think Fenway was the ballboy.

"1946 Boston Red Sox (104.8)

Other leading candidates: 1949, 1942, 1948, 1950, 1978

Before the Red Sox fell off in the 1950s, they had a number of teams more than good enough to win a World Series with Ted Williams as the franchise cornerstone. However, the only one of those teams to snare an American League pennant was the 1946 group, which ranks as the strongest eligible candidate in the long, frustrating history of the Red Sox. That was the only World Series Williams ever played in. He struggled to five singles in 25 at-bats in that year's Fall Classic, which Boston dropped to Stan Musial's St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Boston dropped the decisive game 4-3. You could put together a great tournament of heartbreaking Red Sox teams. We all know that. Books have been written on the subject. Movies have been made about it. The 1967, 1975 and 1986 teams all won pennants, lost in October and had great narratives. The 1978 team was one of Boston's best but fell in the Bucky Dent game. The 1977 team was really good as well. All of those teams were considered. But the best Boston teams that never won were those Williams-led teams from the late '40s. We decided to give Teddy Ballgame another shot at the gold."

www.ESPN.com

 

[CDJ]

Al Kaline Passes Away


some sad baseball news

 

[Sheppy]

Al Kaline Passes Away


some sad baseball news

Pretty crazy how many years he played and only saw the post season twice. Incredible, really.

 

[Therick67]

I thought AL had already passed.

RIP Mr. Kaline

 

[RoccoF14]

Don't know how many of you subscribe to the Athletic, but I've really been enjoying their Baseball All Time 100 series they've been writing. Part of the enjoyment of baseball for me has been debates just like this.....

My personal #1 just came it at #4. Kinda pissed that Bonds (who hasn't made the list yet) will most likely come in ahead of him. Ah well.

If you haven't read Hank's autobiography, you should. He'll always be #1 in my book. I can still remember when he hit 715. I was 6 years old and watched it live on a 12 inch black and white TV with my dad. Its probably one of my earliest sports memories...
The Baseball 100: No. 4, Henry Aaron

 

[CDJ]

Dude had incredible longevity


I saw Bonds homer in Fenway against Wakefield. I believe it had been the only stadium he hadn’t homered at up to that point. This was when everybody knew he was a juice head, people let him hear it lol

 

[RoccoF14]

Don't know how many of you subscribe to the Athletic, but I've really been enjoying their Baseball All Time 100 series they've been writing. Part of the enjoyment of baseball for me has been debates just like this.....

My personal #1 just came it at #4. Kinda pissed that Bonds (who hasn't made the list yet) will most likely come in ahead of him. Ah well.

If you haven't read Hank's autobiography, you should. He'll always be #1 in my book. I can still remember when he hit 715. I was 6 years old and watched it live on a 12 inch black and white TV with my dad. Its probably one of my earliest sports memories...
The Baseball 100: No. 4, Henry Aaron

Here's link to the top 97 so far. Through process of elimination, Ruth, Bonds and Mays are the 3 remaining who haven't made the list, so there's your top 3.

If Aaron played in a major baseball market, he'd be ahead of Mays and Bonds......But that's one man's opinion.

The Baseball 100: A project celebrating the greatest players...

For all you Sox fans:
#88 Schilling
#80 Fisk
#47 Boggs
#38 Yaz
#37 Pedro
#33 Foxx
#13 Clemens
#6 Williams

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Al Kaline Passes Away


some sad baseball news

"After hitting .294 in 1971, Kaline became the first Tiger to sign a $100,000 ($631,306 in today's dollars) contract. He had turned down a pay raise from $95,000 to $100,000 the previous year, saying he did not feel like he deserved it after hitting .278 with 21 home runs in 1970."

 

[Alicat]

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Dude had incredible longevity


I saw Bonds homer in Fenway against Wakefield. I believe it had been the only stadium he hadn’t homered at up to that point. This was when everybody knew he was a juice head, people let him hear it lol

From 1990-1993, Bonds won 3 MVPs and came in 2nd the other year. Well before he started juicing. Also won 8 gold gloves. He was already a great player. Steroids ruined the perception of him as a player.

 

[Bruinaura]

LOL at the image of them all sitting in random bleacher seats.

 

[McGarnagle]

From 1990-1993, Bonds won 3 MVPs and came in 2nd the other year. Well before he started juicing. Also won 8 gold gloves. He was already a great player. Steroids ruined the perception of him as a player.

Incredible athlete who didn't need to cheat to be good, but put himself over the top with steroids anyway at the expense of his entire reputation. Really leaned into being the heel though, it takes a special personality to pull off what he did.

Barry Bonds is going to make a great biopic subject someday since there's a ton of psychologizing you can do around his career. Trying to live up to his dad's expectations, coming up just short with the Pirates fueling his competitive nature, going home to SF, then watching Matt Williams almost break the HR record and getting jealous, then watching the attention McGwire and Sosa got in 1998 pushed him over the edge I think. Then when the Bush administration got involved in the steroid witchhunt and commissioned the Mitchell Report, things took another turn and public opinion went from scoffingly going "yeah, 73 HRs but he was obviously on roids" to "asterisk! cheater! Throw him out of the game!" And race is absolutely a factor influencing people's opinions of him and adds another layer to his story arc.

Growing up as a Sox fan on the East Coast I really only got to watch AL baseball with regularity, so I never got a chance to really watch Bonds in his prime other than that one series in Fenway around 2007 or so, or in his playoff series. And I hated him as everyone did. I kind of want to go back and watch more highlights of him to appreciate the kind of hitter he actually was.

In the end, you have the greatest baseball player of our generation and yet everyone outside of San Francisco hates him. It's a strange circumstance. I kind of want to write this movie now.

 

[Ben Grimm]

From 1990-1993, Bonds won 3 MVPs and came in 2nd the other year. Well before he started juicing. Also won 8 gold gloves. He was already a great player. Steroids ruined the perception of him as a player.

Fictional post, but don't let facts stop you. He played 7 seasons in PITT and never hit more than 34 HRs before he started juicing after the 92 season. This is well known.

The top 4 hitters by bWAR, fWAR, and WAA stats are Ruth, Bonds, Mays, and Cobb. Look it up.