The boys of summer! (Baseball Thread)

ACamp1900

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MLB Team Payroll Tracker (Spotrac)

Tampa Bay has the lowest. Boston has the highest.

When Arte bought the team from Disney the open statement was the Angels will be the Yankees-west coast... meaning heavy spending.It worked for a while there as they won like six out of seven division titles and made it to two ALCS' but the list of failed free agent signings during that time is pretty extensive so i think they backtracked off that for the last few years... hence the wholes in the roster currently. BUT, I think they are at a point where they are almost ready to start spending big again. We will see if I am right this off-season.
 

Rogue219

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Zack Meisel did a piece about the Indians yesterday in The Athletic.

Have to be in the most interesting "position" as any in the Majors.
 

Legacy

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The relief pitchers market is highly competitive this year with a number of quality arms available dependent on what role teams are looking for as well as whether or not they are under club control and what they would have to give up.

One evaluation of the top ten relief pitchers available.
MLB trade deadline: Ranking the Red Sox's top 10 trade targets with Kirby Yates and Will Smith high on the list
Boston needs to add a quality reliever or two if it plans to make another World Series push

MLB Team Relief Pitchers Statistical Rankings (MLB.com)
 
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Irish2155

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The relief pitchers market is highly competitive this year with a number of quality arms available dependent on what role teams are looking for as well as whether or not they are under club control.

One evaluation of the top ten relief pitchers available.
MLB trade deadline: Ranking the Red Sox's top 10 trade targets with Kirby Yates and Will Smith high on the list
Boston needs to add a quality reliever or two if it plans to make another World Series push

Kirby Yates please. Did anyone else watch our bullpen try to give away a 9th inning 3 run lead last night?
 

ACamp1900

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What do they have to give up? They have a widely regarded worst farm in baseball... it blows my mind there are even trade partners out there unless they are moving MLB talent. That's the strategy that killed the Halos, the farm was drained, so they traded MLB talent instead while chasing pennants and it killed the upper echelon run the team was on for a decade or so. It has taken a few years to rebuild everything...
 
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Irish2155

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MLB Relief Pitcher Stats by Player


For any RP, what would you be willing to give up?

We need a closer if the true goal is to win the Series again. Anything less isn't going to be much more help than we already have.

I like Yates not only because he is the best on the trade market, but he is also under team control for another year.

Our problem is the farm system being short on talent. A deal with the Sox in any fashion will be tough unless the other team is willing to accept draft picks or cash consideration, unfortunately. The only everyday player I think we'd be willing to part with would be JBJ or maybe Benny.
 

Legacy

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Yates and Vazquez may cost too much over their years left. SF may want too much for Smith.

Will Smith, Giants, LHP, $4,225,000: 2.55, 0.921, 13.4, 24, .187/.242/.333.

Comment: Free agent after this season. Excellent last year (2.55, 0.981, 12.1, 14, ) and the perfect candidate for L.A.. Forget the Giants won't trade with the Dodgers thing. That no longer applies. If Andrew Friedman can beat the competing teams with his offer of prospects (and he can) Smith is in the fold. If San Francisco only cooperates. By losing five of their next six games. Or six of their last six games. Giants' Reyes Montoya may be available as well.

Felipe Vazquez, Pirates, $4,500,000: 1.91, 1.087, 14.0, .219/.280/.331.

Comment: Team control through 2023 with salaries of $5,750,000 next year and $7,750,000 in 2021 with $10 million options for 2022 and 2023. I can't think of a reliever who would cost more in trade chips than Felipe Vazquez. He's great, but the Dodgers would feel the loss of human resources.

Kirby Yates, Padres, RHP, $3,062,000: 1.05, 0.814, 14.7, 31, .171/.230/.230.

Great in 2018 (2.14, 0.921, 12.9, 12, .181/.212/.279) and better now. Hitters are lucky if they touch the ball. Pads say it would take "an overwhelming offer," which can be done. Maybe not May or Gavin Lux, but a number of top 20 prospects, including someone like Keibert Ruiz would be required.

Since he's controllable for two more seasons after this one, Yates is a considerably tougher get than Smith. So if you're a Dodger fan, you might want to root for the Giants to lose six straight starting tonight. Like you wouldn't be anyway.
 
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Legacy

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The Pads have the #1 ranked farm system. Should they move Kirby Yates and other top players for MLB ready players they should be in a great position years forward.
 
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Irish2155

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What do they have to give up? They have a widely regarded worst farm in baseball... it blows my mind there are even trade partners out there unless they are moving MLB talent. That's the strategy that killed the Halos, the farm was drained, so they traded MLB talent instead while chasing pennants and it killed the upper echelon run the team was on for a decade or so. It has taken a few years to rebuild everything...

On second thought, I'd definitely package Michael Chavez in a deal. Only for a top closer with a year under control though (Yates).

Dustin P. I'm sure is somewhere just begging to play second base. I kid.

Risky however depending on how Moreland hits coming off injury. We could package him too now I think about it, and keep Chavez...although the acquiring team I'm sure would be more interested in a younger Chavez.

Where there is a will, there is a way. Only 1 position player though...I still think JBJ or Benny brings back the best value without cashing out what is left of the farm.
 

ACamp1900

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giphy.gif


Angels fans driving to work all over So Cal today after completing that season sweep last night....
 
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ACamp1900

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Yes, I know they are in a far better place currently than my Halos, but these were fun...


"Sweeping with the enemy."

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ACamp1900

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IDK if the other inter-league local rivalries are as intense but the Freeway Series has always been a huge deal out here... even when it was just preseason growing up it was a big deal...

The Dodgers have only swept it once and despite having the far better record this is the first time the Angels have swept it.

I dream of a Freeway World Series one day.
 
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Irishize

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IDK if the other inter-league local rivalries are as intense but the Freeway Series has always been a huge deal out here... even when it was just preseason growing up it was a big deal...

The Dodgers have only swept it once and despite having the far better record this is the first time the Angels have swept it.

Dream of a Freeway World Series one day.

Hats off to the Halos...they got the best of my Dodgers. As loaded as they are and as in command as they are in their division, they will not get to the World Series w/ that dumpster fire of a bullpen. They refuse to hold leads & would be better off setting a tee at the plate vs throwing gopher balls.

I like Joe Kelly. Great athlete & has 100 mph stuff. But he’s a horrible reliever. The only team he’s had success against in the past two years was the team he now currently pitches. I can’t understand why he can’t be an effective reliever w/ his stuff. His fastball must be flat as a pancake w/ zero movement.

I love Kenley but he’s not afraid to blow a save in crunch time either. That being said, it’s their middle relief that needs major relief.
 

Irishize

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IDK if the other inter-league local rivalries are as intense but the Freeway Series has always been a huge deal out here... even when it was just preseason growing up it was a big deal...

The Dodgers have only swept it once and despite having the far better record this is the first time the Angels have swept it.

I dream of a Freeway World Series one day.

I have no idea how intense the Angels rivalry is but I do know the SF/LA rivalry may be one of the most contentious in MLB. The Cards/Cubs carries a lot of hate as well. Both teams’ fans look at their counterparts as “the worst fans in baseball”.
 

ACamp1900

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I have no idea how intense the Angels rivalry is but I do know the SF/LA rivalry may be one of the most contentious in MLB. The Cards/Cubs carries a lot of hate as well. Both teams’ fans look at their counterparts as “the worst fans in baseball”.

I don't know if the freeway series is on par with Dodgers/Giants or Angels/As but for an inter-league rivalry it's pretty intense. Growing up all my Angel/Dodger friends and family stopped everything for that last week of spring training and it's only gotten bigger as the games count now. It drives the focus of both fan bases while it's going on in a way nothing else does but it's only a couple series' a year so... it's unique.

One thing, Dodger fans lead the charge on this 'wasting Mike Trout" nonsense... this comment on the MLB boards from an Angel fan got me good: "It's amazing to me how the Dodgers are wasting the careers of their whole team, not winning a world series! Maybe they should rebuild!"
 
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ACamp1900

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The Cards/Cubs carries a lot of hate as well. Both teams’ fans look at their counterparts as “the worst fans in baseball”.

And every other fan base looks at it like, "WTH guys, you're both pretty nice with the rest of us..."
 

NorthDakota

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Twins bullpen is falling apart. Need to make moves now. This is our first legit shot at a World Series in probably 15-20 years.
 

Irish2155

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Just watched the E:60 on Sammy Sosa. Kind of pisses me off he walked when asked about his Steroid use.

I played during that era and was gifted enough to not need that shit...my bombs were always legit and carried far...

But, living in Indy, I'd use to traffic for some of my teammates in Fort Wayne. Usually just high dollar checks they had bought in advance but if there was some substance, than throw that shit in the trunk.

In hindsight, I wish I'd never done that. I cheated myself by enhancing them with something I didn't need. One of my roommates put on 25 lbs in muscle our senior year over Xmas break for Christ sakes.

I also wonder how many of my competitors were juicing. Especially when we played in Lewistown, ID for National Champioships. Like I said, my bombs were legit, were there's? I wonder...
 
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ACamp1900

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The Angels are coming on strong!!! This may be a thing!!

(Orioles come to town)

Well fuck, see you next season.
 

IrishLion

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The Reds were up 11-2 over the Pirates last night... no incident.

The Pirates were up 7-2 over the Reds tonight... the Pirates throw at Derek Dietrich’s head because he pimped a homer back in May.

Clint Hurdle is just the wooooooooorst.

But the Reds will get shit on because Amir Garret went at the Pirates dugout like he was Jon Snow lol.

Also, shoutout to Yasiel Puig. Dude did nothing but bust his ass for the team this year, and then went to battle with them even though he’d just been traded. Farewell, my sweet Wild Horse.
 

irishnd31

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The Reds were up 11-2 over the Pirates last night... no incident.

The Pirates were up 7-2 over the Reds tonight... the Pirates throw at Derek Dietrich’s head because he pimped a homer back in May.

Clint Hurdle is just the wooooooooorst.

But the Reds will get shit on because Amir Garret went at the Pirates dugout like he was Jon Snow lol.

Also, shoutout to Yasiel Puig. Dude did nothing but bust his ass for the team this year, and then went to battle with them even though he’d just been traded. Farewell, my sweet Wild Horse.

So pumped about getting Puig. Think he is what is needed in the middle of that lineup for my Tribe. I don't follow the NL much. What did we just get in the outfielder from the Padres? All I know is he has 27 HRs this year.
 

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In a lesser known trade, the Cubbies traded Martin Maldonado, C to the Houston Astros for utility IF Tony Kemp. Maldonado will be with his third major league team in the last fifteen days. He played four games for the Cubs. The Royals traded him to the Cubs on July 15 after signing him in the offseason on a one year deal which included $1.4 million in incentives that would max out at 100 games. He played 74 games with KC. His previous team in 2018? Houston Astros. He was traded to Houston by the Angels before the trading deadline last year. Five teams in a little over one year (one team twice). So he's a free agent at the end of the season. Would any of his previous teams - Milwaukee, LAA, KC, Cubs - sign him again? Another one year deal? If so, I'll bet when next year's trading deadline comes up, he'll feel a little trepidation.

After the trade to Chicago two weeks ago, Royals general manager Dayton Moore said of Maldonado, “We can’t say enough about how he competed, the tone he set for our pitching staff, the way he studies, the way he prepares, and he’s playing some of his best baseball here this last month. … He’s a guy that we wouldn’t close the door on returning at some point in time. We think that much of him.”
 
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ACamp1900

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Super stoked by all the great moves the Angels made to improve the pitching today........
 
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