That's why I don't talk. Because I talk too much.
-- Joquin Andujar
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| Deadline Dealing - by CreweAlexRock |
 
The MLB trade deadline passed at 4pm ET on July 31, and in the months of June and July many notable players were traded. All trades strengthened teams looking to get into the post season, to give fans a chance to be optimistic about their chances.
The trade system in Major League Baseball is quite simple. Teams may trade only players currently under contract, except players who have been drafted in the last year. Trades between two or more major league teams may freely occur at any time between the end of the World Series the year before and July 31st. In August, trades may only be made after all players in the trade clear waivers or are not on 40-man rosters. Players acquired after August 31 are ineligible for the postseason roster unless they replace an injured player. Teams may not trade draft choices, but may purchase the rights to Rule 5 Draft Picks.
This article looks at the major transactions from the past two months.
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Posted bygalraen on Tuesday, August 05, 2008 - 07:35 PM (48 Reads)
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| Pete Rose: An acceptable punishment? - by FilthyRitch |
This article has one important figure attached to it. 4,256. That’s the amount of hits Pete Rose equated in his 23 year playing career. Whilst passing Ty Cobb to become Major League Baseball’s all-time hit leader, he made one fatal mistake.
Pete Rose bet on baseball. He finally admitted that whilst managing the Cincinnati Red’s, he bet on Baseball every night, often to the sums of $10,000. His biggest mistake however is publicly campaigning for 15 years insisting that he did NOT bet on Baseball. Even after the publishing of attorney John Dowd’s 225 page report detailing insurmountable evidence against Pete Rose he still pleaded his innocence.
Pete Rose was banned from Baseball by outgoing commissioner Peter Ueberroth and replacement Bart Giamatti in 1989 and was therefore placed on Baseball’s Ineligible list. At the time he was banned there was no rule at the Hall of Fame to exclude ineligible players from the Hall. This however was introduced in 1991 and ever since it’s looked less and less likely that Pete Rose will be allowed in.
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Posted bygalraen on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 10:04 PM (115 Reads)
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| Home Run Derby ruined my swing - Fact or Fiction by TamSyndrome |
There has been much debate recently about the effect the Home Run Derby has on players who participate in it. Some players have declined to take part alleging that participating causes players to change their swings, which has an adverse affect on their subsequent performance. Many fans have expressed their opinion that their teams sluggers shouldn't participate for the same reason. Other players and fans have poured scorn on the concept, pointing out that in fact it's just an extension of batting practice that they undertake every day, and that any effect is mostly in the mind, or just an excuse to spare their blushes.
So, where does the truth lie? I decided to do some research into the subject, breaking the pre and post All Star Game performances of those who took part in recent Home Run Derbys. Before I began this research, I thought it was purely an excuse used by hitters for a poor second half, you guys can draw your own conclusions. Read on to see the pre and post All Star Game numbers for all the Home Run Derby participants in 2007.
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Posted bygalraen on Monday, July 14, 2008 - 03:31 PM (196 Reads)
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| Mid-Summer mystery - by CubbieDream |
With major league teams ready to shut down for the all star break the age old debate is ready to return from hibernation. Should the All-Star game’s outcome have any significance other than bragging rights? And if we persist to give it significance should the farce that is fan voting continue? We should also ask the question is there a fair way to select the teams, as even manager selection can be a puzzler, just look at Jason Varitek’s inclusion this year, I’m not sure what says ‘I’m not a all-star’ more, the .220 batting average that he currently holds or his .300 OBP , but the saying ‘it’s good to have friends in high places’ comes to mind. Hi Mr Francona!
I’m not here to filter through the rosters, the names of players that shouldn’t be there, because I don’t think that I have to, everyone knows who should and should not be there, everyone knows that this is a popularity vote more than anything, and everyone knows that the smaller your teams fan base is the less chance you have of making it to the heights of the mid summer classic.
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Posted bygalraen on Thursday, July 10, 2008 - 11:01 PM (172 Reads)
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| Variable Strike Zones |
Back before the Umpires strike, when both leagues had their own set of umpires there used to be a distinct difference between the two. The National League was the league of low strike zones, and the American League the league of 'High Heat'.
During the strike Selig hired a bunch of scabs, and once the strike was over refused to take back most of the strikers, and merged all the umps into one group. The immediate effect obviously was a drastic fall off in quality, which still haunts us today. Many of the scabs have either improved or been gradually replaced, but there are still a few very bad ones left. Curiously the worse the umpire the more arrogant and aggressive they are. But it isn't the quality of the Umpires that I'm primarily concerned with here.
Another effect of the merging of the umpires was to unify the strike zone, and for a short time that seemed to have happened, but in recent seasons it seems to me that there has been a reversion.
I've noticed when watching the two leagues, and especially during inter-league play an increasing difference, and during inter-league games a lot of baffled and sometimes angry, stares back at the HP umpire after a strike call. When it's been a predominantly AL ump, it's usually the NL players amazed that a pitch that high could be called a strike, and vice versa.
If this is an accurate observation, then it would have a profound effect on people switching leagues. I had noticed this reversion back in 05/06 and it was the main reason for predicting that Barry Zito would struggle, especially when NL teams got him sussed. He's a pitcher that desperately needs at least a regulation strike zone, and performs like a true ace when the zone is high. Give him a low zone and he's in serious trouble. This was something I observed for some time, we do occasionally get an NL type home plate umpiree in AL games, but not very often, but when we did Zito was cannon fodder. Chad Gaudin was the opposite, and any NL team looking for a No3 or 4 starter should definitely consider a trade for him.
So am I imagining things? Is Zito's predicted performance a fluke? Should I keep taking the meds?
Click >>>HERE<<< to comment on this article.
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Posted bygalraen on Saturday, June 28, 2008 - 02:15 PM (117 Reads)
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| Instant Replay- Another Look ~ by CubbyDream |
Whether instant replay should be used in Major League Baseball has been a debate that has been high on agenda’s for some years now, and it has come to the forefront yet again this week.
In 2005 Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig was asked if he was tempted to follow the example of the NBA,NFL and NHL in installing Instant Replay to correct wrong decisions in baseball, he replied "No, I think the human element in baseball is really very important, The umpires for the most part do a wonderful job. Sure, there are controversial decisions as there are in every sport, but I think overall, the umpires have really, really tightened up on everything, and I'm satisfied with the job they are doing right now." He could not of made his stance much clearer. However he was not alone, General Managers had voted split the vote 50-50 on whether to use instant replay, 15 in favour and 15 against.
Only two years later in the winter of the 2007 season, the vote had changed from 15-15 to 25-5 in favour of instigating the use of instant replay but only on a limited basis. GM’s were not talking about instant replay for balls and strikes, they were not insinuating that the umpire crews were not doing there job, they were merely stating the obvious that some calls are missed, and that no game should be decided on a wrong call. Colorado GM Dan O'Dowd made it clear when he commented "The umpires, particularly in a four-man crew, in many instances are 150 feet from the outfield fence where the ball crosses the line. Are there circumstances when it might make sense to review that? Having umpired at the amateur level, those are hard calls for umpires to make at that distance." Does it not make sense that GM’s want the right call? In a professional sport where millions of dollars are spent, is it not understandably conceivable that this is the best thing for the game of baseball?
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Posted bygalraen on Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 08:34 PM (276 Reads)
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| WINTER BLUES, SUMMER BLUES - by UKMLB Supporters Club Feature Writer Ronnie |
I noticed a malaise among Baseball fans over the Winter, the season has ended and the reality of no Baseball over the long, dark, cold Winter Months has a depressive effect upon many. But not all! For fans of the teams on the wrong side of the tracks this is the best time of the year. Let’s be honest, once May comes around people in Tampa or K.C. or Pittsburgh or half a dozen other Baseball outposts have little to look forward to, but during the Winter they can believe. Sure they probably are kidding themselves, but at this time of year they can chat happily to fellow sufferers about the latest recruits and how these new guys really are actually misunderstood budding superstars, no really, they are! They can make believe that their time is just around the corner, they will be like the Marlins and come from nowhere to be crowned World Champions. This keeps them smiling during the long, dark, cold Winter days. Sadly, life, and Baseball, isn’t like that. For proof just see the trade between the Mets and Twins for Johan Santana, the Twins were backed into a corner and were left with almost no choice but to trade him or see him leave for virtually nothing. They had thought a battle between the Yankees and RedSox to acquire him would bring in a goldmine of talent, but for whatever reason the bidding war never materialised and the Mets jumped in with a package that included not one established MLB player, this for one of the best pitchers in the game today. Where do small revenue teams derive hope from that? The Twins lost both Torri Hunter and Johan Santana for financial reasons and the Twins have been established contenders for the past few seasons, what genuine hope do the likes of Tampa & K.C. really have?
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Posted bygalraen on Thursday, May 01, 2008 - 04:04 AM (444 Reads)
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| NL West preview - by DP |
Considered to be one of the weakest divisions in baseball in 2005 and 2006, a resurgence took place in the NL West in 2007, four teams finished with winning records and it produced a NL champion for the first time since 2002.
Another division that went to the wire, the surprising Diamondbacks have young team which will be expected to improve with another years experience and the addition of Dan Haren. The Rockies and Padres, who played the one game play-off for the wild-card berth at the end of last season, both bring back similar teams to last season and will expect to challenge once again. The Dodgers, who went 82-20 last season, are full of talented youngster and the likes of James Loney, Matt Kemp, Chad Billignsley, Jon Broxton and Russell Martin should develop into a team that will contend for years to come though, in such a tough division, this may be a year too early for them to reach the play-offs. Finally the Giants, a team lacking identity or direction, should be contenders for the worst team in baseball this year.
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Posted bygalraen on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 05:03 PM (421 Reads)
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| NL East preview - by DP |
Despite many strong regular seasons from the Phillies, Braves and, more recently, the Mets, the NL East has not produced a National League champion since the World Series winning Marlins in 2003.
After a close race in 2007, which was capped by the infamous Mets collapse, another fruitful regular season is likely this year. The Mets made the major move in the off-season, making the trade for Johan Santana, and start the season as favourites for the World Series in many peoples eyes but the Phillies, who look just as strong as the division winning team of last season, will have other ideas. The Braves, trying to bounce back after two below par seasons, will also expect to be in the mix. Washington, in their new stadium, and Florida are both young team who should find it difficult to compete this season
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Posted bygalraen on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 05:23 AM (488 Reads)
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| NL Central Preview - By DP |
In six out of seven years between 1998 and 2005 at least 93 wins were needed to top the NL Central. Then considered one of the strongest divisions in baseball, it has fallen into decline recently.
83 wins in 2006 and 85 wins in 2007 enough to win the division and another poor season seems likely in 2008. The Cubs and Brewers are the favourites again but neither as made major improvements in the off-season. Both have young teams and should get better this year but it's difficult to see either making a sustained push in the play-offs. A young Reds team may be dark-horses, top prospects such as Jay Bruce, Joey Votto and Homer Bailey should all be called-up this season and could help a team that is building a decent nucleus of players. The Astros and Cardinals, the cream of the division earlier in the decade, are both rebuilding and should struggle and the Pirates, well they're still the Pirates.
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Posted bygalraen on Monday, March 31, 2008 - 02:02 AM (634 Reads)
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