2014 MLB season...

[Paperback Writer]

Dave Cameron really likes the trade for the Tigers.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/tiger...t-even-better/

He is fairly indifferent about the trade for the Rangers

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/range...be-determined/

The Rangers are already trotting out Fielder in local TV commercials to sell tickets. Not a big Rangers fan but they are the local team for me. Fielder does give them middle of order left hand power to pair with Beltre. I think Fielder will have a lot of success in Ranger Stadium with the short RF porch.

Yankees do what they do, overpay for a Sox player, seemingly out of spite.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/stor...agree-contract

I like Ellsbury a lot. Really a great team player. But 153 million for 7 years? For someone who has minor but continual injury issues?

I'm going to miss cheering for Ellsbury. He's been one of my favorite Red Sox going back to his debut in 2007. Agree that the Yankees are over paying, as usual. I don't think I'll boo Ellsbury since I didn't boo Damon after he signed with the Yankees. Suddenly, I'm a fan of AJ Pierzynski along with Jonny Gomes - two players I never thought I'd root for. Strange times.

[Northwestcoug]

The Rangers are already trotting out Fielder in local TV commercials to sell tickets. Not a big Rangers fan but they are the local team for me. Fielder does give them middle of order left hand power to pair with Beltre. I think Fielder will have a lot of success in Ranger Stadium with the short RF porch.



I'm going to miss cheering for Ellsbury. He's been one of my favorite Red Sox going back to his debut in 2007. Agree that the Yankees are over paying, as usual. I don't think I'll boo Ellsbury since I didn't boo Damon after he signed with the Yankees. Suddenly, I'm a fan of AJ Pierzynski along with Jonny Gomes - two players I never thought I'd root for. Strange times.

I'll never boo him either. He has a great story. Grew up in rural Oregon, hometown hero, ending up playing for the two most famous ball clubs. And he seems like a good guy. I won't follow him as much as I did the last 5 years though.

[San Juan Sun]

Tigers have traded Fielder for Kinsler, traded Fister for spare change and a situational lefty, signed Joe Nathan to close, and are hopefully in pursuit of Chin-Soo Choo. This revamps the outfield into a good defensive unit, allows VMart and the MVP to share 1B/DH, opens a path to the majors for Nick Castellanos at 3B, and gets a lefty in an already solid rotation. The bullpen now has a solid closer, but will need to be rounded out.

Will miss Fister, and I hate that he's going to the Nats, but Drew Smyly will be a good 5th starter.

If we can get Choo, we'll be in the hunt for the World Series again this year. Only we'll be a much more well-rounded and dangerous team.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Mariners continuing to act like a team that is 1-2 players from contending.

ESPN Deportes' @Enrique_Rojas1 reports the #Mariners have let Cano know they're willing to offer between $230-$240 for 10 years
— Jessamyn McIntyre (@JessamynESPN) December 5, 2013

I'm sure the Roenick Seattle hockey team would be much smarter than this.

[cougjunkie]

Yankees sign Beltran 3 years 45 million.

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[San Juan Sun]

Yankees sign Beltran 3 years 45 million.

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Now that's a good signing. The Yankees can do so much more with the money they would have given to Cano.

[MarkGrace]

Yanks gives Tanaka 7 years 155m.
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/stor...5-million-deal

[pellegrino]

Yanks gives Tanaka 7 years 155m.
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/stor...5-million-deal

Damn Yankees!

Seriously though, I see MLB drifting into irrelevance and I think the lack of a serious revenue sharing program being a big part of it. The chasm between the Haves and the Have-nots gets wider and wider each year, which leads to less competition and less interesting baseball. I think all sports should look at the success of the NFL as a model. Revenue sharing and salary cap regulations make for more parity, which makes for more interesting games, which puts more drama in the sport.

[TripletDaddy]

Damn Yankees!

Seriously though, I see MLB drifting into irrelevance and I think the lack of a serious revenue sharing program being a big part of it. The chasm between the Haves and the Have-nots gets wider and wider each year, which leads to less competition and less interesting baseball. I think all sports should look at the success of the NFL as a model. Revenue sharing and salary cap regulations make for more parity, which makes for more interesting games, which puts more drama in the sport.

what is your basis for this? MLB is seeing record revenues. If anything, the game is gaining in popularity.

[pellegrino]

what is your basis for this? MLB is seeing record revenues. If anything, the game is gaining in popularity.

Just a personal opinion, no real empirical evidence to back it up.

I'd be interested in seeing where these gains are coming from, i.e. geography. Which teams are adding fans? Is it a league wide phenomenon, or just with the big teams?

[cougjunkie]

what is your basis for this? MLB is seeing record revenues. If anything, the game is gaining in popularity.

Yep it is gaining popularity and Tanaka playing in New York will help the global fan base.

Small market teams are also starting to compete year in and year out. The Yankees paying the luxury tax along with the Angels and Dodgers will help the game quite a bit. Oakland would not have made the run they did last year without money from the Angels luxury tax penalties to go out and sign Cespedes.

Tampa Bay, Oakland, Pittsburgh and Cleveland all competed with payrolls in the lower 1/3rd of the league.

[MarkGrace]

Just a personal opinion, no real empirical evidence to back it up.

I'd be interested in seeing where these gains are coming from, i.e. geography. Which teams are adding fans? Is it a league wide phenomenon, or just with the big teams?

TV deals. Ballpark attendance has remained pretty flat.

[pellegrino]

Yep it is gaining popularity and Tanaka playing in New York will help the global fan base.

Small market teams are also starting to compete year in and year out. The Yankees paying the luxury tax along with the Angels and Dodgers will help the game quite a bit. Oakland would not have made the run they did last year without money from the Angels luxury tax penalties to go out and sign Cespedes.

Tampa Bay, Oakland, Pittsburgh and Cleveland all competed with payrolls in the lower 1/3rd of the league.

Please define "compete." Is this making the playoffs, or is it making a serious run in the playoffs. I wouldn't consider Oakland's run last year any different from the O's run in 2012. They both caught lightning, neither team has the resources to be a serious contender.

[pellegrino]

TV deals. Ballpark attendance has remained pretty flat.

this would make sense. I get the feeling that perhaps there are more casual fans, but that they're interested in the big clubs, not small market teams.

[cougjunkie]

Please define "compete." Is this making the playoffs, or is it making a serious run in the playoffs. I wouldn't consider Oakland's run last year any different from the O's run in 2012. They both caught lightning, neither team has the resources to be a serious contender.

I would say making the playoffs means you are competing. Look at the Giants both years they had teams with homegrown talent and no high priced free agents. Guys that weren't even arbitration eligible still under team control.

Tampa Bay has done it the same way.

Draft smart, develop your farm system and you don't need to spend 180 million.

The Phillies had the third highest payroll in baseball and they were terrible.



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