Andrew Rickli @THE_REAL_RICKLI

Jurrjens ERA against AL since 2010? BAL 0.00 (CG 1 hit), BOS 1.17, HOU 1.23, TEX 1.69, TOR 3.00. @masnRoch @masnSteve #orioles

Didn't know the Dodgers picked up Skip Schumaker. Good move, I like him.

Great baseball name.

I don't think it's silly if it was deserved. And why make the incumbent move when he has been used to playing that side of the field for three years now? Justin has already said he was fine moving to left, so it's a moot point.

Bourn goes somewhere else -> Braves should get a compensation pick. Coming back for one year (which is all the Braves could afford him) and probably losing that pick doesn't make sense. Braves' dealing Prado to free up cap space and then getting a deal on Justin Upton means Braves still have a similar amount of money to spend but are a better team because of it.

I'm hoping they aren't done, because they need a better third baseman, or some decent bench bats.

<font color=goldenrod>The Mets are still appealing having to give up their first round pick for Bourn. I do see their point. They had the 10th worst record in baseball and should have had the 10th pick...and only the Pirates' failure to sign their first round pick last year bumped the Mets to 11th. The union had already said they will support the Mets in their argument.

But the new CBA just says the first 10 picks are protected, not the 10 teams with the worst records. If MLB supports the Mets on this, it will create a precedent that will drive up costs on certain players since teams with unprotected picks could now potentially get the rule vetoed in certain situations. Hard to imagine the owners want to create a situation where costs will be even higher.

MLB also said they won't even make a ruling until the Mets agree to sign Bourn. So the Mets will have to take a HUGE risk in signing Bourn and then potentially the protected pick thing falls through.

I'm at the point where I just want them to sign Bourn for 3 years and be done with it. You only have Strasburgs and Harpers in the draft every so often. Nobody they could take at #11 would be a lock to be a start anyway.</font>

I have zero issue with either moving to left, but just feel that gold gloves are not a legitimate argument. Both are considered good defensive players, so regardless, it's a win.

Keith, there's no way, and I mean NO WAY BJ Upton would have remained in Tampa. None. They knew it, he knew it. Desmond Jennings will do fine in CF with Joyce eventually Myers flanking him.

Well I've seen a lot of people cite current fielding statistics as misleading, so I'm not sure what you want me to say. Like plenty of other awards in sports and elsewhere, Gold Gloves only lose their muster because people who occasionally don't deserve them get them anyway. I don't think Heyward is one of those people - from me watching over 100 Braves games last year, he was damn good - much improved over his first two seasons.

So Brian Cashman says it's possible ARod will miss the entire season.

Wow.

Why didn't he have his surgery right after the season, anyway?

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

The Yankees are just going to hand -out over $20million to ARod and he might not even have an at-bat this season.

LOL geez, what a bad contract.

The Yankees aren't idiots. I'm sure Arod's contract is insured, which means, after filing a claim, the Yankees aren't stuck wasting the money on a lost year while Rodriguez gets paid.

The reports say he had to condition it some first before having the surgery.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>OFFICIAL: @<a href="https://twitter.com/cubs">cubs</a>, RHP Carlos Villanueva have agreed to terms on 2-year deal.</p>&mdash; MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/295298887374229504">January 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

w/e

Prey to God he doesn't start

He wasn't terrible (always)

If you enjoy your pitcher giving up multiple home runs a game, you'll love Carlos V!

<font color=goldenrod>Mets may bring Jon Rauch back for another year.

I'd be fine with it. Rauch was actually way better than expected last year.</font>

That is your reaction to everything the Cubs have done, RP. C'mon, what do you expect outta this offseason? Trade Brett Jackson straight up for Clayton Kershaw? I know, it would take way more than that to pry Brett Jackson away, but...just...c'mon.

If you are the GM, what do you do?

God I wish the Cubs could trade Brett Jackson for Clayton Kershaw

Mets sign Scott Atchison to a minor league deal with a ST invite. Looking at his stats, I'd say he's got a very god chance at making the team.

So A-Rod, Gio Gonzalez, Nelson Cruz, Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon, among others, showed up as customers for this clinic in South Florida whose owners are now under State and Federal Investigation for distributing PED's.


http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8893588

Nick Johnson retires.

Steady Freddy Garcia goes to San Diego. 1-year, $1.3 mil. minor league deal

Softbank Hawks release Hideki Okajima. He wants to come back and play in the MLB.

MLB and the Dodgers might be clashing soon over the new Dodgers tv network because of how the Dodgers are trying to weasel out of more revenue sharing requirements.

MLB already gave them a special discount as part of the deal for the new owners but the Dodgers found more ways to drop the required payments which is something MLB implied they are not to do.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/s...k-sportsnet-la

Yankees are thinking about working on voiding A-Rod's contract. But they already said they're gonna sit tight and wait until MLB does their investigation before they make a move.

I love every A-Rod story.

I see no way A-Rod is able to go back to the Bronx after this. As detailed as the information we saw today, I doubt these Bosch's are making this up.

It coincides with A-Rod coming back after hip surgery in '09, hitting 30 homers, and for once in his life having a good postseason, helping the Yankees win the World Series.

A-Rod has that self-destruct mechanism built into his brain. Also, he is has a universal hatred gene that sets off everyone including 75% of Yankees fans. I hope NYY lawyers can find a way to get out of this.

A-Rod is pretty easy to hate. Might be the purple lips in the playoffs. Why won't he share his drink????

Fuck em.

Went to the stadium a few years back and two drunken fellas behind us started talking about his purple lips when his pic came up on the big screen. Their answer: Derek Jeter slathers purple icing on his dick after the games and A-Rod has to clean it. Thus, my friends and I decided that the MVP of every game would receive the Purple Icing award and A-Rod would service him. I'm glad you mentioned that and allowed me to tell that stupid, " you had to be there" story.

I hope the Yankees can't get out of his contract. Watching them trying to stay within the luxury tax threshold while carrying A-Rod's contract would be entertaining.

I hope the Mets pick him up after the Yankees dump him.

What the hell? I would trade Brett Jackson for a bag of Taco Bell right now if i was the GM. He's worthless. I've seen enough of him and Vitters. I dont need to see much more. Everyone acts like hes being blocked by Dejesus. Dejesus is a pretty damn good CF that doesnt get enough props. He's the type of guy that will be a staple of a championship squad. Like Victorino during Phillies run or Eckstein during Los Angeles run. Brett Jackson had his chance and he stunk badly. And he already had issues with strike outs in the minors.

I would trade Brett Jackson for owenbrowns dirty underwear.

If Omar Minaya was still Mets GM, that would happen, actually.

I was being sarcastic about Jackson. Also love how you hate the kid who got called up and had a shitty half season. Would you have cut Rizzo, too?

You never answered my question, silly goose.

I remember when A-Rod was first hitting free agency in 2007, some Mets fans were calling for the Mets to sign A-Rod and move Reyes to 2B :o thank fuck Omat wasn't THAT stupid.

Comparing Rizzo as a prospect to Jackson as prospect is ridiculous. It's not even close.

I'm sure Omar at least made a call to Alex or his agent. Omar was signing every latino that hit the free agent market.

If he signed Miguel Cairo and Endy Chavez, I'm sure he tried to get A-Rod.

That's not what I'm doing.....Trying to show you the hole in your logic.

I understand and maybe i'm overstating my argument a bit here, so i'll pull back a bit, but IMO, Brett Jackson wont amount to much. I rather have Dejesus.

Dejesus is the better player now, sure. Jackson will be in AAA when the season starts, anyway.

I'm just trying to figure out what you want them to do in order for them to contend sooner because you don't seem to think anything they are doing is worthwhile.

Josh Hamilton would have been a really good gamble. Especially at the price he got. Dejesus, Castro, Hamilton, Rizzo would be a sick top of the lineup.

So much for next year's plan b.

so we got an extra year of a lesser player. Way to go, Towers.

Mark Grace is sentenced to 4 months in jail for a DUI

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...3802--mlb.html

<font color=goldenrod>Mets bring in LaTroy Hawkins on a minor league deal. I've always been conditioned to think he's terrible...yet looking at his numbers he's been deceptively good the last few years.

So assuming health and the minor league invitees coming through, their bullpen right now is: Francisco, Parnell, Edgin, Feliciano, Atchison, Hawkins, and a long man. That's actually got potential. Still hoping they manage to grab Brian Wilson or somebody though.</font>

I got to meet LaTroy "Your Boy" Hawkins at the last WBC. He was beyond awesome and I've been rooting for him ever since.

I also root for LaTroy Hawkins

Fans in Chicago hated him. Never figured out why other than he sucked as a closer. No one boo'd Mel Rojas.

Sad to hear about Grace. My favorite Cub as a kid. :(

I think you vastly undervalue Prado. Braves fans think he is a steal at that price, and we would have signed him to that in a heartbeat if we had had the cash. He doesn't hit for much power, but he's a plus defender at any position not in the battery, he hits for a great average and is a fan favorite and a clubhouse guy. And third is currently a hot commodity in the MLB. A lot of teams have some shitty third basemen these days - the Braves now included.

I think Braves' fans are prone to overvalue him (myself included), but Prado is one of the best 2-hole hitters I've ever had the pleasure of watching. He was such a table-setter for the offense, and I'm not sure who is going to do that for the Braves now.

4/40 is too much for Prado, but you just took on Upton's 3 years and 38 mil deal. Don't have the cash. Mmkay.

Yankees sign Matt Diaz and Juan Rivera.

Rickie Weeks, Brian Roberts, Chris Young, Michael Young, and Vernon Wells are all making more than Prado next year. I'd take him over all of them.

You're just still butt hurt that your local team traded your favorite player, even though he hasn't yet lived up to his hype/potential.

Hey now, Brian Roberts might actually play this year. Its a contract year after all, lol.

You can not try and tell me that Justin Upton is a lesser player than Marteen Prado. you can't. I can't see the logic in it. at all.

I never said he was, but things were not working for him in Arizona. He just was not fitting in with that team.

Justin Upton is 25, 3 years remaining on his contract at $38.5 million.

Martin Prado is 29, with 4 years on a deal at 40 million.

Would you rather have Justin Upton from 25-28 (typically the prime years of a hitter), or Martin Prado from 29-33 (when the downside sets in typically)?? Come the fuck on.

I cannot wait until Upton starts cranking out MVP seasons.

Wasn't he supposed to be doing that already? What happened to the greatest pure prospect since Ken Griffey?

I dont believe any of the shit they say about prospects until I see that shit. Also, pushing him up to the big leagues at 19 probably stunted his growth. Could have used another year or 2 in the minors. Still has Top 5 MVP finish.

I don't believe MVP potential til I see it either. :p

Shannon Stewart has a Top 5 MVP finish too.

I went and looked that up. I can hardly fucking believe my eyes.

WHO CARES MORE TIME FOR PARRA TO SHINE SHUT UP

Shannon Stewart was awesome :'(

Shannon Stewart was going to save the world.

You'd take Martin Prado over Chris Young?

You're crazy.

Yeah I would. Young has never hit over .250 or had an OBP over .341.

I would too. Chris Young stinks.

Im marking my territory and pissing on Upton over Prado.

Now it is being reported Anthony Bosch himself injected A-Rod with steroids.

Things aren't looking good for him.

I hope these guys talk.

Unlike Greg Anderson. That guy kept his mouth shut and did a couple of stints in the slammer when they were going after Bonds.

MLB hinted they won't be punishing anyone that gets exposed in this latest PED scandal. Only way they will get involved in this mess is if the Feds get involved to the point sworn affidavits are made.

MLB is going to have to do something. I have the feeling there's still a lot of info that's gonna come out and make the situation even worse for the players, especially A-Rod.

Were players suspended for being involved in the Mitchell Report? If not, then the players now may use that as precedence.

Doubt it would be successful since I believe the roids policy at the time didn't cover anything done prior to the report and even some of the stuff listed didn't get covered until MLB redid the policy to be more strict after the report.

I don't think that'd work, because if I'm not mistaken, players were asked to speak to George Mitchell and were told they wouldn't be punished for anything they told him.

Prado was rumored to be asking for 13 per from the Braves when they entered contract negotiations; they obviously tried to resign him, but the financials weren't there so instead of the them including Simmons they started including Prado. I'm no contract expert or anything.

And I don't think you can just compare Upton/Prado. You got Randall Delgado for like six years or something, and he will become a decent back-end starter at worst, from what I saw of him.

I mean I wouldn't have made the trade either, but I imagine Prado will be the backbone of the top of your order. The only time he ever struggled in his Braves tenure was when he played half a year injured. He almost certainly won't get better than he has been, but he has been incredibly reliable at a position that is not reliable. The Braves will probably spend a while trying to find his/Chipper's replacement.

I have a weird feeling that Juan Francisco may have a very good season.

Lol @Mitch Williams

"Jim Johnson was 51/54 in save opportunities that's why the Orioles were so good."

Try absolutely unsustainable success in 1 run games, bro. Not some closer that will likely get shelled next season.

I've over A-Rod and all A-Rod stories.

Correct. Maybe that's what he was getting at, but probably not.

Mitch Williams is a moron, so definitely not.

Please watch what you say about Mitch Williams. :'(

Just met Mitch at a meet and greet last night. Any man who despises pitch counts is a good guy by me.

Pitch counts are a useful guideline. Not a hard and fast rule to follow.

the Rockies would inaccurately throw 75 baseballs at you for insulting pitch counts

After watching Mark Prior, you can't help but know that pitch counts should not be ignored.

Shannon Stewart used to be a beast for my Jays

Mark Prior may have needed them, sure. But guys like CC Sabathia + Scot Shields have rubber arms and pitch counts are not really an issue. It is more of an arbitrary guide to use with pitchers depending upon their fatigue level, size, and body make-up. When Girardi limits CC to 110 pitches in September when the man can easily toss 145 and be ready for his next start, it drives me nuts because its unnecessary and puts the most important thing for a team (the W) At risk, but it's a trendy strategy that a lot of baseball people have bought into as gospel rather than a tool to be used in CERTAIN situations and not UNIVERSALLY by all pitchers.

Guys like CC and King Felix are different cases because they're built like dump trucks. (I assume you meant) James Shields isn't a power pitcher (ave 92.3 mph fastball in 2012, a career high and 90.9 career) who's best pitch is a changeup which is much less stressful to throw.

Innings limits on younger pitchers and pitch counts for individual games are a major part of pitching now due to the high attrition rate of young pitchers, especially when compared to position players.

Here is a favorite article of mine from Baseball Prospectus

As a Yankees fan I see the otherside of pitch counts: inability of some pitchers to condition themselves past them-- Joba and Phil Hughes are prime examples. And body type is a main point I was making as a component of when pitch counts ought to be necessary. They are not something to be used in all cases, but for those who most need them in order to develop. And I did mean former reliever Scot Shields who was known in college for his freakish arm and its lack of frailty. I respect your side Drebs, and I'm not calling for teams to abolish them but to be more prudent In using them rather than treating all pitchers universally.

Understood. You basically agree with DaveWadding's comment then?

So what has gone wrong with Phil and Joba?