Blue Jays / MLB Talk

[Colonel D]

I think the Jays have a lot of good little pieces and don't need to take risks on older players. They need to make a splash now or they will not interest free agents in the future. 

 

They have been also rands all winter. 

[Pears]

15 hours ago, Colonel D said:

I think the Jays have a lot of good little pieces and don't need to take risks on older players. They need to make a splash now or they will not interest free agents in the future. 

 

They have been also rands all winter. 

Once Yamamoto signs I think things will start picking up again. I'm still getting over being blue balled by Ohtani 

[runningback33]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39161682/mlb-competition-committee-tinkering-pitch-runners-lanes
 

Major League Baseball's competition committee approved several rule changes for the 2024 season, including subtracting two seconds from the pitch timer with men on base -- from 20 to 18 seconds -- while also widening the runner's lane to first.

Previously, batters had to essentially run on the dirt between the foul line and 3-foot line or be in risk of being called out for interference. Now, that lane will extend to the cut of the infield grass. The distance between the foul line and the infield grass will be between 18 and 24 inches in all parks, with some limited grace periods granted by MLB due to difficulty in modifying the field.

 

The rest of the changes for 2024 relate to the pace of the game as the league tries to trim time on the margins. MLB said the average nine-inning game increased by seven minutes from April to September last year, the first season with a pitch clock.

• With men on base, pitchers will have 18 seconds instead of 20 to begin their motion to home. However, there won't be any changes to the clock when the bases are empty. Hurlers will still have 15 seconds to begin their delivery in those situations. According to the league, pitchers began their deliveries with an average of 7.3 seconds remaining on the 20-second timer in 2023.

• Barring an injury, a pitcher who begins to warm up at the start of an inning will now be required to face at least one batter. Previously, they could be replaced during or after warmups. The league said there were 24 instances last season where the pitcher that warmed up between innings was replaced before throwing a pitch -- adding approximately three minutes of dead time.

• Mound visits will be reduced from five to four per game as the league said they rank among fans' least favorite events in baseball. Teams averaged only 2.3 mound visits per game in 2023 while, according to league data, 98% of games last season would not have exceeded a limit of four visits.

Umpires will permit defensive players to signal for a mound visit without actually visiting the mound to help improve pace of game there, as well. Teams will still be awarded an extra mound visit for the ninth inning if they've used four after eight innings.

• The pitch timer will now reset after a dead ball as soon as the pitcher is given a new one and play is set to resume. He no longer has to be on the mound for the clock to reset, preventing the pitcher's ability to delay a restart by walking around the edges of it.

• During pitching changes, if the clock is under two minutes as the reliever exits the bullpen and onto the warning track, it will reset back to 2:00 rather than 2:15 as it did last year.

 

• The league withdrew a proposal to reset the pitch clock as soon as a batter calls a timeout. Umpires will continue to use their judgment as to when the clock starts up again.

The competition committee is comprised of six owners, four players and one umpire, giving the league a majority vote on any changes. The rules announced Thursday are minor compared to those enacted for 2023 when the pitch timer was introduced in the majors for the first time, the shift was banned and the bases were widened. As a result, average game times dropped by 24 minutes last year.

"From its inception, the Joint Competition Committee's constructive conversations between players, umpires and owners have produced rules that significantly improved the game for fans," John Stanton, chairman of the competition committee as well as the Seattle Mariners, said in a statement. "These modifications will improve on last year's work by the Competition Committee, which was a resounding success with our fans and for the sport."

 

 

[runningback33]

https://baseball.realgm.com/wiretap/57297/Phillies-Make-Offer-To-Yoshinobu-Yamamoto

The Philadelphia Phillies have made an offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, according to a report.

It's the first offer the Japanese right-hander has received.

It was reported earlier this week that the Los Angeles Dodgers were considering a bid of $250 million to $300 million for Yamamoto.

 

[Bounce000]

The rich just got richer…

[Pears]

God I lowkey hope the Dodgers lose to some sub 90 win team in the divisional round now. Anyone who isn't an ignorant American with their head up their ass can easily see this is awful for baseball and why the MLB needs a salary cap. 

[Miss Korea]

19 minutes ago, Pears said:

God I lowkey hope the Dodgers lose to some sub 90 win team in the divisional round now. Anyone who isn't an ignorant American with their head up their ass can easily see this is awful for baseball and why the MLB needs a salary cap. 

 

This is good for baseball

This is good for baseball

This is good for baseball

This is good for baseball

This is good for baseball

 

I'm almost starting to believe it!  頑張って ドジャース !!

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, Pears said:

God I lowkey hope the Dodgers lose to some sub 90 win team in the divisional round now. Anyone who isn't an ignorant American with their head up their ass can easily see this is awful for baseball and why the MLB needs a salary cap. 

 

It may hilariously backfire for years. Thats my hope. 

[shiznak]

The Dodgers alone have spent 1.2B so far this offseason. While the rest of the league combined have spent 870m.

 

Fuck the Dodgers?

[Northern_Nuck]

9 hours ago, Pears said:

God I lowkey hope the Dodgers lose to some sub 90 win team in the divisional round now. Anyone who isn't an ignorant American with their head up their ass can easily see this is awful for baseball and why the MLB needs a salary cap. 

They do have a salary cap. It’s 230 million AND we found out it doesn’t matter as they can defer salary(this is BS in my mind)

 

 but Tampa has proven than it doesn’t matter as they continually become a competitor and constantly develop prospects. 

[Northern_Nuck]

9 hours ago, Bounce000 said:

The rich just got richer…

I think we all knew it was coming…

 

Dodgers To Sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto To 12-Year Deal

December 21st, 2023 at 11:28pm CST • By Anthony Franco

For the second time this month, the Dodgers have made a record-setting free agent strike. Los Angeles is reportedly in agreement with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on a 12-year, $325MM contract. The deal, which is pending a physical, includes a $50MM signing bonus for the Wasserman client and does not contain any deferred money. It comes with a near-$51MM posting fee to the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball, bringing the overall commitment north of $375MM.

The contract also contains a pair of opt-out opportunities. Specifics on that clause remain unknown, although SNY’s Andy Martinoreported that Yamamoto’s camp had sought the ability to retest free agency after the fifth and eighth seasons.

[RupertKBD]

I remember back in the day, watching the Yankees try and buy a World Series........hopefully the Dodgers fail in the same manner.

 

This is just embarrassing and the league should just scrap the luxury tax or whatever ineffective measures they have in place to try and keep the league competitive....

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, RupertKBD said:

I remember back in the day, watching the Yankees try and buy a World Series........hopefully the Dodgers fail in the same manner.

 

This is just embarrassing and the league should just scrap the luxury tax or whatever ineffective measures they have in place to try and keep the league competitive....

 

I'm personally hoping to see a billion dollar busteroo. It would be hilarious. 

 

Nothing short of multiple titles will be a disappointment. The pressure will be enormous.

[RupertKBD]

58 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

I'm personally hoping to see a billion dollar busteroo. It would be hilarious. 

 

Nothing short of multiple titles will be a disappointment. The pressure will be enormous.

 

You know you have to pay Alf royalties for using that, right?

[King Heffy]

3 hours ago, RupertKBD said:

I remember back in the day, watching the Yankees try and buy a World Series........hopefully the Dodgers fail in the same manner.

 

This is just embarrassing and the league should just scrap the luxury tax or whatever ineffective measures they have in place to try and keep the league competitive....

Long-term, the salary cap might be more appealing if the Dodgers succeed.

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, RupertKBD said:

 

You know you have to pay Alf royalties for using that, right?

 

I can't use puck sucker in this thread though. The correct baseball alternative sounds worse. 

[King Heffy]

3 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

I can't use puck sucker in this thread though. The correct baseball alternative sounds worse. 

It's cold season.  Cough sufferer.

[Gurn]

1 hour ago, RupertKBD said:

 

You know you have to pay Alf royalties for using that, right?

Just tell him the royalty was paid, after he empties a few, and can't remember F all.

[runningback33]

Dodgers trying to take over the MLB

[Gurn]

9 minutes ago, runningback33 said:

Dodgers trying to take over the MLB

I hope the league has a rule about how you can only own one team at a time, as the Dodgers and yankees could just buy their biggest competitors- or even the weak teams and "trade' for the best players.

[Bounce000]

We need a baseball movie about the LA Dodgers simply called “WTF is Moneyball?”

[runningback33]

Report: Blue Jays, RHP Espino agree to deal

https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-pitcher-paolo-espino-agree-to-deal-1.2052718

 

Espino, 36, has spent the previous four seasons with the Washington Nationals. He only made three big league appearances last season, recording a 24.75 ERA in 4.0 innings.

In five big league seasons, the Panama City native has a 5.01 ERA with 214 strikeouts in 257.0 innings pitched in 94 appearances.

 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by runningback33

[Wilbur]

3 hours ago, runningback33 said:

Report: Blue Jays, RHP Espino agree to deal

https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-pitcher-paolo-espino-agree-to-deal-1.2052718

 

Espino, 36, has spent the previous four seasons with the Washington Nationals. He only made three big league appearances last season, recording a 24.75 ERA in 4.0 innings.

In five big league seasons, the Panama City native has a 5.01 ERA with 214 strikeouts in 257.0 innings pitched in 94 appearances.

 

 

Domino's are starting to fall?

[RupertKBD]

On 12/23/2023 at 1:38 PM, runningback33 said:

Report: Blue Jays, RHP Espino agree to deal

https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-pitcher-paolo-espino-agree-to-deal-1.2052718

 

Espino, 36, has spent the previous four seasons with the Washington Nationals. He only made three big league appearances last season, recording a 24.75 ERA in 4.0 innings.

In five big league seasons, the Panama City native has a 5.01 ERA with 214 strikeouts in 257.0 innings pitched in 94 appearances.

 

Plan the parade route....

[runningback33]

Sources: Mitch Garver, Mariners reach 2-year, $24M deal

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39179989/sources-mitch-garver-mariners-reach-2-year-24m-deal

 

Catcher Mitch Garver and Seattle are in agreement on a two-year, $24 million contract, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Sunday, the Mariners' foray into adding to a playoff contender after a winter of dealing off their major league roster.

Garver thrived in part-time at-bats for the Texas Rangers en route to their World Series title this year. In 344 plate appearances split between catcher and designated hitter, Garver hit .270/.370/.500 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs.

Prior to the signing of Garver, who is expected to back up starting catcher Cal Raleigh and get the lion's share of his at-bats at DH, the Mariners chased their 88-74 season by trading starting third baseman Eugenio Suarez and starting left fielder Jarred Kelenic in money-dump deals. Garver adds a bat with an expected weighted on base near the 90th percentile of all hitters last year.

 

While he's not the star the Mariners need to pair alongside Julio Rodriguez -- Seattle did not pursue Shohei Ohtani in free agency nor Juan Soto on the trade market -- Garver certainly fills a need and represents a solid first move.

Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia dominated the headlines as the Rangers made their championship run in October, but Garver pitched in with pivotal hits despite not playing in his team's first-round win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

 

Before Game 2 of the American League Division Series, Texans manager Bruce Bochy told reporters that he had made up his mind it was time to get Garver into the mix against the Baltimore Orioles -- and he delivered by hammering a grand slam and driving in five runs.

Garver also had three hits, including a home run, in an AL Championship Series Game 6 victory over the Houston Astros; he also had a hit and scored a run in Game 7.

He also went on to hit a home run in the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Garver, who turns 33 in January, has spent seven years in the majors, including five with the Minnesota Twins before he was traded to Texas in a deal for Isiah Kiner-Falefa (who then was traded to the New York Yankees along with Josh Donaldson).

In 2019, Garver was key part of a Twins lineup that set an all-time single-season record with 307 home runs -- Garver had 31 in just 359 plate appearances, and was rewarded with a Silver Slugger Award.

He was primarily a catcher in his years with the Twins but has mostly been a backup there with Texas, as the Rangers were in the process of developing Jonah Heim as their regular catcher. Used primarily as a designated hitter, Garver caught 14 games in 2022, 28 games in 2023 and also had one appearance at first base last season.