MLB Offseason 2013-2014

[Scout101]

Think last year's team proved that just spending the money doesn't equate to spending it WELL. Jays tried to play fantasy baseball, but the guys didn't look like a team at all...

 

[Yanks]

10th in payroll and we'll be lucky to get out of last place in the AL East.

I expect much more from the Blue Jays this year. I think the AL East is MLB's toughest division and the entire division could end up being seperated by 5 games or less when all is said and done.

 

[Pegaritaville]

Even with their increase in payroll, the Twins are ranked 24th. I guess $85+ million doesn't buy what it used to.

 

[Danny99]

10th in payroll and we'll be lucky to get out of last place in the AL East.

I expect much more from the Blue Jays this year. I think the AL East is MLB's toughest division and the entire division could end up being seperated by 5 games or less when all is said and done.

Interesting to hear that from a Yankees fan, but I just can't get behind this team. They are relying on three suspect arms in Morrow, Hutchinson, and McGowan for the back end of the rotation and made one significant player move on a team that was a cellar dweller last year.

Gibbons was and continues to be the wrong choice for manager. We all hope that Jays get off to a horrible start and someone decides to show him the door early.

 

[Timby]

The Mike Ilitch Cash Cannon strikes again ... 8 / 248 for Miggy. Holy shit, that's a spicy meat-a-ball.

 

[Scout101]

Interesting to hear that from a Yankees fan, but I just can't get behind this team. They are relying on three suspect arms in Morrow, Hutchinson, and McGowan for the back end of the rotation and made one significant player move on a team that was a cellar dweller last year.

Not shocking. Yankees are in the same boat, and the self-delusion has them thinking they've still got a shot, so gotta believe the Jays do too.

To everyone else, AL East looks more like:

Sox
Rays
O's
Yanks
Jays

Give or take. Could swap Sox and Rays, but could swap Yanks and Jays depending on health as well.

 

[Ryan8bit]

Even with their increase in payroll, the Twins are ranked 24th. I guess $85+ million doesn't buy what it used to.

Wasn't the payroll in 2011 over 110mil, but then look how that season turned out...

There have been years in recent history where they made the playoffs with 85mil or less, but this isn't going to be one of them.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It was nice to see baseball at Stade Olympique again, but I'm wondering why the Nationals weren't involved - seeing as how they used to BE the Expos and all that.

(I mean, do Montreal officials hold a grudge against the Nats for leaving? That seems rather harsh.)

 

[Timby]

(I mean, do Montreal officials hold a grudge against the Nats for leaving? That seems rather harsh.)

The entire thing was a shell game to get John Henry in charge of the Red Sox and Jeffrey Loria owning the Marlins (hell, the entire Expos staff got moved down to Florida, for Christ's sake). I don't blame folks in Montreal for being bitter.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Well to be fair, the Nationals also don't seem to be going out of their way to remember that they ever were the Expos. So if there's bad blood, it would appear to be mutual.

Not only did the Nats un-retire all of the Expos' retired numbers, there's not a stitch of Expo gear - or even the bloody name - anywhere in Nationals Park. (But they do mention the Senators - neither iteration of which ever had anything to DO with the Nationals. ) It's like the Nats want to forget they even existed before 2005..

Oh well. The crowd seemed really into it, anyway. It was probably the biggest baseball crowd they ever had in that stadium. Pity that it's still such a shithole, though.

 

[Timby]

It's like the Nats want to forget they even existed before 2005..

Yes, that was the entire point of the scheme from a decade ago, and the Loria / Henry / MLB shell game.

Mark my words, MLB would try to nuke Toronto from its history books, too, if the fanbase wouldn't take pitchforks and torches to the headquarters.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If MLB has such a grudge against Canada , then why did they even have these exhibition games in the first place?

 

[Kirby]

Just going by my gut; I'm thinking the Royals and the Reds are going to have excellent seasons. I will also become a more jaded and bitter Rockies fan.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

It's like the Nats want to forget they even existed before 2005..

Yes, that was the entire point of the scheme from a decade ago, and the Loria / Henry / MLB shell game.

Mark my words, MLB would try to nuke Toronto from its history books, too, if the fanbase wouldn't take pitchforks and torches to the headquarters.

Although, to be fair, the common thing these days is to let the city keep the team's history and start fresh with a new team. The Baltimore Ravens don't have any of the Cleveland Browns's history (nor did they have it before the Browns were brought back to life).

Although I do know a DC resident who was born in the US, but raised in Montreal. He's a Nationals fan and is one of the rare people who can say they were both an Expos and a Nats fan. He might be the only person who wishes they'd honor their past more.

 

[Yanks]

AL Beast Predictions:

Yankees
Rays
Red Sox
Orioles
Blue Jays

...you may be seated.

 

[Starbreaker]

There's actual consequences baseball in America tonight. The long wait is over! Huzzah!

 

[Kronos]

I don't mind so much the Nats claiming kinship with the old Senators, it makes much more sense then the Twins doing so when they abandoned the town, yes it's the same franchise but titles belong to a city.

 

[Kronos]

Mark my words, MLB would try to nuke Toronto from its history books, too, if the fanbase wouldn't take pitchforks and torches to the headquarters.

Sounds good, take Toronto back and they can have the half dozen hockey teams in the south

 

[Timby]

Given that it's Opening Day for the rest of baseball, I think this thread has run its course.