O's sign Ubaldo Jimenez. 4-years, $50 mil.

I wonder if Gary throne will call homers he gives up Ubaldo bombs now that he works for the WWE

<font color=goldenrod>Braves lock up Andrelton Simmons for 7 years, $58 million. They're on fire locking up these young guys.</font>

Now they just gotta win when it counts.

An Atlanta sports team winning when it counts!?!?!

Yeah, that's asking too much eh Boomer?

<font color=goldenrod>Nelson Cruz to the Orioles. 1 year, $8 million plus incentives.

Jesus...and he could have had $14 million if he took the Rangers' qualifying offer.</font>

Most orioles fans didn't want him, but for $8 he can be the DH and smack 30 HRs and we'll all be happy.
If he plays well it'll only be 1 year anyway..

Orioles are still supposedly after Ervin Santana. If they can pull it off they'll have the best rotation for an orioles club this side of the year 2000

Tillman
Jimenez
Santana
Chen
Gonzalez/Norris

Even without Santana I kind of like it.

Is he a Boras client?

Yankees sign Andrew Bailey to a minor league deal with a boatload of incentives in it.

Won't be ready to go until mid-may. But if he can bounce back, it'll be a huge boost to the bullpen. Since Cashman hasn't done nothing to rebuild it so far.

<font color=goldenrod>I don't believe so. Stephen Drew is though...and he's not training at Boras' ST complex until he signs somewhere. He's still looking for a multiyear deal which is ludicrous at this point.

I'm betting he signs somewhere for around the $8 million Cruz got...and the Mets will still cheap out of paying the price.</font>

That's a pretty average rotation imo

Wouldn't expect anything considering him and Hanrahan managed to make Aceves look great in comparison for the closer spot on the Sox.

Which tells you all you need to know about O's starting pitching over the last 14 years.

Guys like Jose Mercedes, Calvin Maduro, Willis Roberts, Travis Driskill, Omar Daal,
Eric Dubose, Kurt Ainsworth, Kris Benson (and his wife), Brian Burres, Radhames Liz, Garrett Olson, Rich Hill, Henricus VandenHurk (only started 3 game, but the name..), Jo Jo Reyes and Chris Jakubauskas.

The best pitchers the Orioles had over that stretch were probably Rodrigo Lopez, Erik Bedard (traded for Adam Jones and our current best Pitcher Chris Tillman), Jeremy Guthrie and Sidney Ponson. Bedard was good enough to con the Mariners out of 3 good players, the rest of them probably wouldn't have been starters anywhere else.

<font color=goldenrod>Droford's trip down memory lane made me look at Mets pitching staffs from past years. I've had high hopes for the Mets rotation (even without Harvey) for quite some time, but in actually looking at it this might be the best Mets rotation since I started watching baseball. Mind the bar is pretty low as they've sucked for most of my life, but while they've usually had a legit ace or even a really good 1 and 2 starter, usually everyone else in the rotation is mediocre at best. This year I really love their 1-4 and I'm not sure I've felt that way headed into a Mets season before. Even the 2006 Mets team I loved really had a pretty bad rotation that was bailed out by a great lineup and a killer bullpen.

Wheeler has electric stuff. Niese is dependable and should be better than last year without the nagging injury he worked through. Gee was one of the best pitchers in the NL from late May and on last year. Colon is old and fat but he has a rubber arm and can still go, going to the NL will only help him as long as he doesn't spontaneously combust trying to run the bases. I'm pulling for Mejia for the 5th spot but it'll probably be Dice-K, either way it shouldn't matter as Syndergaard should be up by July.

I'd put that rotation right up there with some of the top ones in the NL. They're the least of my worries. They should keep the team in most games, the question is whether or not they'll score enough runs. Everything beyond 2-4 in the lineup is a massive question mark, and even that is being generous to Granderson who I like but the potential is still there for him to be underwhelming.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>It speaks volumes to me about how the Mets view the future of their rotation that a bunch of their quality SP prospects are going to work out of the bullpen in spring to see how they handle it because it'll be their only real shot at making the bigs in this organization. Hopefully Sandy sacks up and trades some of that depth for a big bat at the deadline if they can hang around contention that long.</font>

Yankees lock up Brett Gardner. 4-years, $52 mil. Goes into effect in 2015.

greinke made some comment yesterday about not being excited to play in australia. caused something of an uproar here. kinda get his point (gonna be a tad disruptive to cut spring training short, fly 16 hours x 2 etc to start off the season) but he probably could have worded it better. specially given the cash people are paying through the nose here for a ticket

Debating taking one of my vacation weeks for opening day, and just going to like 6 Tigers games (opening the season hosting the Royals then Orioles), just feel like I'd probably get angry with myself if I wanted to use that week elsewhere in the year. But ehhhh fuckit, it's baseball. Woo!

Ozzie "The Wizard" Smith wants the Federal Government to make Opening Day a national holiday. He got his 100,000 signatures with the We The People petitioning program and Obama has to review it. This also got backing by Budweiser.

I'm for this. Massachusetts shuts down for Patriots Day. BoSox play a 10 a.m. game.

IT AIN'T FAIR!

<font color=goldenrod>It won't get approved.

That being said I've already requested and got the day off. Strongly considering actually going to Citi Field for it. Tickets are expensive as balls, but I've always wanted to go to an actual season opener (only have gone to the home opener in the second week). This is the 4th time in the last 5 years the Mets are opening at home, so they're probably due for a stretch of starting on the road the next few years.</font>

I went to a few Opening Day games at the Vet (when the team(s) were terrible and tickets were super cheap lol). Always a good time.

Angels avoided arbitration and signed Mike Trout to a 1 year, $1 million deal. Both sides are also still working on getting an actual multi-year deal finished in the near future.

If Opening Day is a holiday and Opening Day is In Australia where its tomorrow already..does that mean its a 2 day holiday?

Opening Day starter Jon Niese heading to NY for an MRI on his left shoulder. Oh for the love of christ....

Pirates with the comeback win! Now off to watch the Dodgers/D-Bags. God I'm so happy. Wrestling Network and baseball back in the same week....Im in a constant state of orgasm. #Dehydrated

was going to go to Cubs Park tomorrow, but it's on WGN. So meh.

I'm going Tuesday

Is Russell Wilson playing baseball?

I think he's just going to work out. I doubt he's going to dual sport it. Would be pretty cool though.

Carl Pavano retires.

Heard Pete Gammons say he's going to watch him play within the next week. I think a Super Bowl winning QB is really going to kick the tires in minor league baseball.

he's supposed to be suiting up for the Rangers game today.

http://larrybrownsports.com/wp-conte...ostbusters.jpg

Toldeo Mudhens will be wearing these on May 30th

<font color=goldenrod>LOL @ this stupid "Face of MLB" contest MLB was running on Twitter. A's fans hijacked it in favor of Eric Sogard, who got past guys like Buster Posey and Jose Bautista en route to facing David Wright in the finals. Sogard had like a 42k vote lead when Wright had a mysterious surge of votes, many of whom came from South Korea on what appeared to be robot accounts.

It's almost as if MLB rigged their own farce of a contest to prevent Eric Sogard from winning.</font> :lol:

MLB's authority only views Eric Sogard as a B+ player.

O's rumored to be closing in on a minor league deal with Johan Santana.

Might end up as a reliever.

In Norfolk (AAA )

Lol that is so friggen hilarious

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_as...2260/kZyTY.jpg

Minor league guy on third sounds like a decent band name

Anyone on here want a Kerry Wood 20k game bobblehead? Its the giveaway for the game I'm going to and if I get it I won't want it, I'll send it to whoever if you cover the couple bucks to ship it via Paypal.

Also, Im in the process of getting 2 tickets for the game since, for whatever reason, 2 tickets are cheaper than 1. I'm verifying they aren't obstructed before I buy since I've got a feeling that they're probably behind a pole. If they aren't, if there's anyone that's going to be in Chicago on 8/22 and wants to go to a Cubs game for free let me know.

Dro, I'll take it. Love you forever big guy.

But the giveaways at Wrigley are stupid hard to get, so I won't hold my breath.

When I went to Fenway, I got there at 2:30 for 7pm game and had to walk around Fenway 4 times before I could get in a line to enter. This game is 1pm so I dunno.

My seats aren't obstructed, I ordered them. 511 in the upper deck, row 1. $50 for both tickets. Can't believe I found such cheap tickets. I had budgeted needing $75 for one decent seat, I don't mind sitting higher up as long as the view is good.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzAwWDMwMA...S6mpI/$_35.JPG

I can. The Cubs are terrible.

Same general area directly from the cubs costs $23 per ticket plus they tack on $10 in taxes and fees per ticket which is ridiculous.

Cubs have a mini-Wrigley now too?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>They should apologize for their regular season lineup.</p>&mdash; John W. Henry (@John_W_Henry) <a href="https://twitter.com/John_W_Henry/statuses/442416348908781568">March 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Suck it Marlins.

Funny the Orioles scrub lineup for the whole game beat the Red Sox starters for 1/2 of it 13-2

hahahaha Oriole fan thinking Spring Training wins mean anything. You silly.

Ervin Santana caves and takes a $14.1 mil. 1-year deal with the Braves.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en"><p>Braves P Kris Medlen is expected to have a second Tommy John surgery. » <a href="http://t.co/3fViVSBXuv">http://t.co/3fViVSBXuv</a></p>&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/statuses/443825014312558592">March 12, 2014</a></blockquote>
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If the Cubs don't keep Baez up and start him at 2nd, FUCK YOU CUBS! Hey I like Darwin. I like his defense. Darwin Barney's defense won't push us to 80 wins and not having Barneys defense wont push us further down the barrel. We're already at the bottom. The Cubs are spooning with the Astros at the bottom of the barrel and the Twins have there nuts on our heads. Baez could be an All-Star at 2nd, this season. He could easily hit 35 home runs and open up the plate for Rizzo and Castro. Will the Castro to Baez connection be horrendous? ABSOLUTELY! Probably to the point of entertainment. Bob Golic could get a reboot if his sports follies tv show , strictly based on Castro and Baez trying to turn double plays. But are pitching is fixing to be bad. I'll take the 35 HRs coming from my number 2 hitter playing second base.

Stop fucking around Chicago.

Also.... A L S O . . . .Keep Kris Bryant's number on your speed dial.

P.S. Mike Olt is fucking back.

Ohhhhh Blue Jays. Gonna be a long summer. Ownership has money coming out of its ass and won't spend money on a starter. Not referencing Santana. Lol Ricky Romero is making a push for the 5h starter.


Ricky Romero.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales could wait until June to sign with new teams, according to agent Scott Boras. » <a href="http://t.co/9aaPyFV9uX">http://t.co/9aaPyFV9uX</a></p>&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/statuses/444552139449589761">March 14, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<font color=goldenrod>I cannot fucking believe the Mets still aren't willing to give Drew what he wants. Mets brass spent all last season publicly criticizing Ruben Tejada pretty much from the start of ST when he arrived overweight and out of shape. His confidence was clearly shot, he was horrendous last year, they sent him to a fucking fat camp in the offseason...and now 2 weeks from Opening Day they're trying to sell the fans on Tejada being a viable option at SS. He's already committed 3 errors in spring and he looks distracted.

Hell even if they trade for Nick Franklin I'd be happy at this point...and most feel he doesn't have the range for SS.

The Mets had the worst offensive production in baseball at both 1B and SS positions last year and they did absolutely nothing to address either this offseason. Just goes to show you that Alderson really is planning on punting another season. I do love the look of their pitching but they're gonna struggle to score more than 2 runs a game.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>Oh and their biggest competition going into the year was Davis vs. Duda at 1B, two guys who absolutely sucked last year. And neither of them have played since the first weekend of ST due to injury. Ugh.</font>

Detroit Tigers currently rumored to be frontrunners for Stephen Drew due to Jose Iglesias expected to out till around the All-star break this season.

Red Sox would get a draft pick as compensation if he signs with anyone else this year.

WHEELS UP TO AUSTRALIA BITCHESSSSS

I haven't watched a Mets game in years because they have no idea what the fuck they're doing.

Fuck me Freddy the Braves starting rotation is becoming the who's who of Tommy John surgeries.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>ICYMI: Today's Red Sox-Yankees spring training game was delayed after a swarm of bees invaded the outfield. <a href="http://t.co/atF3SXocpC">pic.twitter.com/atF3SXocpC</a></p>&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/statuses/446051441233252352">March 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Ricky Romero walked 5 batters today in 2 innings and still wasn't close to being the worst Blue Jay pitcher against the Tigers.

Baez has to make the opening day roster. Just fucking do it Theo.

Is McGowan back this year for you the Jays finally?

Yes, he wants to start but it's a bad idea. He was fantastic out of the pen.
It looks like the rotation will be Dickey, Morrow, Happ, Hutchison and Buerhle. Ugh. The Jays need to start drafting better.

<font color=goldenrod>Here is Bartolo Colon getting a base hit and RBI in today's ST game and receiving a standing O for it</font>

http://instagram.com/p/l2wL3Rh-9x/#

<font color=goldenrod>Jenrry Mejia looked great today, clearly the best choice for the #5 starter spot. Sorry Dice-K, but the absolute best thing that could happen for the Mets is if you get rocked in your next time out to eliminate any doubt.

They can't even use Dice-K's veteran opt out clause as an excuse, since it doesn't take effect until May 30th. He has to report to AAA if the Mets want him to. Can always call him up later if Mejia slumps.</font>

David Ortiz agrees to a 1-year, $15 million contract extension with the Red Sox. Now becomes a free agent at the end of the 2015 season instead of this year.

Fucking fantasy team is falling apart piece by piece and the season hasn't started yet. Josh Johnson out for a month with a strained flexor muscle and now Jurickson Profar is out 10-12 weeks with a torn right shoulder muscle.


DAMN IT!

<font color=goldenrod>Josh Johnson is a perennial cripple.</font>

Baez back to the minors. Cubs back to the bottom of the NL one week into the season.

I know. When you've got the 12th pick. Most "good" pitchers are usually gone. Finding him was like find treasure in the trash. Took a chance, what can I say.


/shrugs

The Tigers traded Lomardozzi to the Orioles for the other Alex Gonzalez, who will likely be starting at SS with the Iglesias injury. It also makes their trade with the Nats for Fister look stupid, as they essentially got a 37 year old SS and two scrub pitchers in return.

Stephen Drew is still unemployed.

Boggles the mind.

Not too surprisingly considering very few teams were actually interested in him to begin with and since he's a Boras client, took way too long to lower his asking price (if he did at all).

There's like 17 Alex Gonzalezes. You're going to have to be more specific.

The one that's 37 and started playing with the Florida Marlins.

oh, you mean that fucking dirty piece of shit Alex Gonzalez.

it was never not stupid

Lombardozzi is 25 and has some potential/value

The Tigers have had an atrocious off-season.

Didn't qualify Veres or Peralta and got no picks back
Fielder is gone with Victor Martinez who can't stay healthy in his place
Are going to have Scherzer go to free agency, which they tried to avoid by basically giving away Fister
No shortstop
Bullpen still a mess
Dirks is out for a long time
An aging Kinsler at 2nd

And yet they're still projected to win the division by a for margin. Probably will be between them and the Royals, whoever beats up on the Twins and White Sox more.

Got me to thinking about my projections

AL East
Orioles
Rays
Red Sox
Yankees
Blue Jays

AL Central
Tigers
Royals
Indians
White Sox
Twins

AL West
Angels
Athletics
Rangers
Mariners
Astros

WCs - A's and Royals

NL East
Nationals
Braves
Phillies
Marlins
Mets

NL Central
Cardinals
Reds
Pirates
Brewers
Cubs

NL West
Dodgers
D-Backs
Padres
Giants
Rockies

WCs - Braves and D-backs

Somebody else join Moonax's fantasy league already we should have already drafted by now.

Buccos opened up a can of whoop ass on the Blue Jays today in a spring training game. Won 22-5.

Pirates farm that good, or Blue Jays farm that bad?

Texas Rangers prospect Rougned Odor

Ugh, J.A Happ allowed 7 runs in three innings. 20.25 ERA and he's probablyy in the rotation. Yup.

Esmil Rogers gave up 9 runs in 2.2 innings.

Two gguys competing for the 5th start spot.

Special thanks goes out to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ending the New York Yankees' streak of 15 years of having the highest payroll in baseball.

$235 mil. for the Dodgers, $204 mil. for the Yankees this season.

Pirates and Starling Marte agrees to a 6-year, $31 million contract extension with the Pirates.

<font color=goldenrod>Odd, I thought the Pirates and Starling Marte would agree to a contract extension with another team.</font>

Pirates and Starling Marte agrees to a 6-year, $31 million contract extension with the Padres.

Pretty nice of the Pirates

<font color=goldenrod>Miguel Cabrera now owns the largest deal in history. 10 year, $292 million contract extension with the Tigers.</font>

Thank you Tigers.

Jose reyes leaves after 1 at bat wtf... Starting the tally of how many full games will I watch this year again. Didn't watch any games yesterday... Over/under this year is looking grim at 2.5

What did I end up with last year

It's no wonder Matt Garza has a no hitter going against the Braves right now . What with the likes of Dan Uggla swinging at EVRRYTHING! Christ Uggla! Leave it on your shoulder every once in a while.

<font color=goldenrod>The season has started. Mods close this.</font>