http://i.imgur.com/xgE10l.jpg

<font color=goldenrod>MLB Network really needs some more progressive minds to go along with Brian Kenny. Also Billy Ripken must be Dusty Baker's biggest fan.</font>

Nothing like Matt Vasgersian's brand of humor, I really like the guy. As for Kenny, I think I would like him more if he didn't portray himself so authoritatively and unquestionably right due to sabermetrics. I think there's a place for them in baseball, but they are not the be all and end all.

I don't understand how you can be mad at a statistic.

Bill James is a modern day Galileo.

Not the statistic, but the God-complex attitude people that spout off the statistics. Sabermetrics are fine but are not law and people who think that ONLY sabermetrics matter are very condescending. That's my only issue.

Rangers sign Lance Berkman to a 1 year. $10 million with an option for a second year. Will play mostly as a DH for the Rangers this season.

Apparently the DBacks are talking to the Padres about Justin Upton for Chase Headley. :|

apparently Justin Upton is going to be traded to every team before he's traded to one

The Headley/Upton trade was updated as not being a fit. Thank God. That wouldve ben a lateral move for both teams. I'd love Upton, but not for Headley.

Dude, Justin Upton hit a HR to the upper deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. and you would rather have Chase Headley? :|

I said I wouldn't trade Headley for Upton. One homerun means nothing. And really how does a team get better by trading one good player for another? The Padres don't get better making that move, so I wouldn't make it. Now, if they're adding Upton to a team that still has Quentin and Healey, I'm all for it, depending on who they have to give up.

Justin Upton is a future MVP. Chase Headley has had one good season.

I agree. But he's under contract for one more year longer than Headley is under control through arbitration. The Padres, adding Upton in exchange for Headley, are not any better than they were with Headley and without Upton.

The Padres might, MIGHT compete in one of the next three years, if their prospects pan out. I doubt they have the funds to sign Upton to a deal over 5-7 years worth $20 mil/year when his current contract is up. Not worth it unless Upton is being added on to a team with Headley still on it.

It Stinks!

LaRoche signs with the Nats for two years. Good deal for Washington since they stuck to their guns on a two year deal and got who they wanted for what they wanted.

Rangers expect Ian Kinsler to remain at second base; Profar likely headed for minors
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comments (3)
By Evan Grant/Blogger
egrant@dallasnews.com
9:04 pm on January 7, 2013 | Permalink

ARLINGTON – In addition to announcing the signing of Lance Berkman on Monday to be the team’s primary DH, Rangers GM Jon Daniels also tried to clear up the muddled roster picture.

Here’s the breakdown on what he said:

1. Ian Kinsler, who was at one point likely headed for a move from second to first, will almost certainly remain at second base.

2. Mitch Moreland will get a shot to play first base full-time.

3. Jurickson Profar will get a shot to win a job this spring, but the club is open to returning him to the minor leagues if such an opportunity doesn’t present itself.

“We’ve got a lot of different guys and a lot of different attractive options,” Daniels said shortly after introducing Berkman. “The reality is that we have a really attractive young option in Profar, but we will let things play out. If it happens naturally that things play out that way, that’s usually better. We’re not going to try to manipulate anything.”

In mid-December, Daniels indicated the team was leaning towards having Kinsler do a considerable amount of work during spring training at first base with the idea he could be the team’s regular first baseman. That would have created an opening for Profar and left Moreland in limbo.

Moreland, who will play the majority of the season at the age of 26 in 2013, has never gotten a full-time opportunity. He has been hurt for significant amounts of time in each of the last two years and when healthy, he’s had very few at-bats against left-handed hitters. Moreland is a left-handed hitter, had only 46 at-bats vs. lefties in 2012. He hit .239 with a .280 OBP. For his career, he is a .239 hitter with a .298 OBP and four homers in 177 career at-bats vs. lefties.





STUPID

<font color=goldenrod>The Mets have sent out invoices for All Star Game festivities. Everything (game, HR derby, Futures Game, Softball game, etc.) is being sold together as a package deal.

Fucking $723 for the worst seats at Citi Field</font> :|

How many did you buy?

In honor of tomorrow being the day the 2013 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees are announced, here is my 2013 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot:

1) Barry Bonds

2) Roger Clemens

3) Sammy Sosa

4) Curt Schilling

5) Jeff Bagwell

6) Craig Biggio

7) Mike Piazza

8) Rafael Palmeiro

9) Edgar Martinez

10) Fred McGriff

Bagwell, Biggio, Piazza, Edgar Martinez, Larry Walker.

Clearly you aren't on any Posting Enhancement drugs with this list. :)

Edgar's would be better if Schilling was included. #BloodySock.

As a Yankees fan I am genetically unable to even utter that man's name.

That's who I'd vote for.

But out of those ten, I think only Craig Biggio and Mike Piazza have a shot at making it later today.

And maybe Schilling.

<font color=goldenrod>None, the ASG would be fun to go to but I'm not shelling out that much for a glorified exhibition game.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>If Piazza doesn't get in, I fucking riot. Don't see how he couldn't be considered a first ballot guy unless the crotchety old voters decide that everybody who played in the 90's/early '00s automatically roided. Which given that Bagwell is inexplicably already on try #3 at getting into the Hall, it wouldn't be too surprising.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>The voters would be well advised to at least let some guys in this year, considering that next year there already figures to be more of a logjam (Maddux and Glavine are locks plus you have Thomas and Mussina to get debate as well).</font>

Frank Thomas is not a debate, the man is as close to a sure thing as you can get in the steroids era. His stats are nuts, and he's a naturally big, genetically freaked Bo Jakson type of guy. I remember when he was in Toronto and in the on-deck circle he would swing a 40lb rebar bar rather than a bat. Dude is just a monster

Love Frank Thomas. So good.

Agreed. But tell that to voters who will be all like. "A DH in the Hall? NOPE!!!" The HOF is mostly bulllshit at this point.

But, it counts now!!!

Nobody made it this year for the Hall. Craig Biggio was the closest at 68%.

Schillings did better than Clemens who did better than Bonds but all three did better than McGwire in the first year.

Terrible.

Disgusting.

Shut down the HOF. It is officially pointless.

What a joke.

These voters mean to tell us that no player who's in the HOF already used PED's back in the day, when they weren't illegal? That's a joke. I'm sure we have HOF'ers who used.

Figured Jack Morris would make it in. Next year is his last.

But yeah, crazy NOBODY is going in this year.

Everyone is outraged about these hats and yet no one is talking about the HOF

MLB To Introduce “Interview Caps.” You Know, For Interviews.

http://deadspin.com/5974474/mlb-to-i...for-interviews



http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17sm.../avt-small.jpg Barry Petchesky

How funny! I was just saying to myself the other day, "MLB needs more caps. Sure, they've got home caps, road caps, alternate caps, throwback caps, second alternate caps, batting practice caps, road batting practice caps, fashion caps, and playoff caps for each round, but that's not nearly enough caps. If only someone could make some more caps."
Someone heard my prayer, because Uni Watch's Paul Lukas is reporting that MLB will be introducing "Interview Caps" for every team. The Mets' cap, seen above, is the only one to come out so far, so we'll leave the style critiques to the experts (it's hideous). Instead we'll ask: What the hell is this thing for?
According to MetsBro, a blogger who first leaked the design yesterday,

"From what I hear its purpose is to be worn during interviews and off-the-field stuff (charity events, blood drives, etc.). Unlike the NHL's version, however, it will not be mandatory for players/coaches to wear the cap during interviews. It's more if just a ‘Here if you want it' type of thing."

As pointed out, the NHL already has specific caps for players to wear when meeting with the media, and the NFL will fine anyone who doesn't wear officially licensed gear. So the fact that MLB's interview caps aren't mandatory would seem benevolent. But then—why bother at all? To have more caps, dummy! It'd be foolish to have fewer caps, and to keep the same number of caps? Well, that's no solution at all! More caps! More caps is the only way! Caps available for sale at your team's clubhouse store, or online at MLB.com. Caps! Caps for everyone! Buy more caps and support America!




http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18ay...g/original.jpg

Fitted trucker caps with a pre-worn bill! Hell yeah! Best day ever.

So if a player is taking batting practice during spring training, and a reporter asks for a quick interview, he's gonna run into the clubhouse, get his "interview cap", and come back out?