2012 MLB Thread (Cabrera Gets Triple Crown, first since Yaz 1967)

[bhlloy]

Yeah I would be very unhappy with giving up Segura and Richards, even if it was Greinke coming back. I doubt that would be on the table.

[lungs]

It's hard telling what teams will be willing to give up now that they won't be getting any draft picks. If the Angels were to balk at both Segura and Richards my own feeling is that the Brewers would insist on Segura and maybe some other pitcher. Shortstop is a big priority with Cesar Izturis and Cody Ransom manning the position this year with no prospects at any levels within the system itself.

[bhlloy]

The Angels biggest problem will be that their farm system is completely bereft of decent pitchers, but I hope that doesn't mean they are forced to give up Richards. I'm not convinced Greinke is a reliable enough option to give up your one bona fide prospect who is probably only a year away from being a really good #3

[Chief Rum]

I have actually been hoping for Shields myself, not that I would turn down bringing in Greinke.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

You're up shit creek if you're looking for offense, though.

Jeff Francouer? Anyone?

SI

[jbergey22]

I heard rumors of the Reds being interested in Shane Victorino.

Two comments about that.

Are the Phils really in sell mode? And why would the Reds be interested in Victorino since they have mostly right handed hitters and Victorinos biggest asset is ability to crush leftys. I would think the Reds would be more interested in a left handed hitter that can help their mostly right handed hitting lineup. Victorinos splits are pretty one sided lately.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Jeff Francouer? Anyone?

SI

Heh...even if I was living in a hole prior to this week and had no idea about him, I then watched him live and in person on Monday.

No, thank you.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

I heard rumors of the Reds being interested in Shane Victorino.

Two comments about that.

Are the Phils really in sell mode? And why would the Reds be interested in Victorino since they have mostly right handed hitters and Victorinos biggest asset is ability to crush leftys. I would think the Reds would be more interested in a left handed hitter that can help their mostly right handed hitting lineup. Victorinos splits are pretty one sided lately.

Maybe Dusty likes Victorino's old school pedigree?

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Heh...even if I was living in a hole prior to this week and had no idea about him, I then watched him live and in person on Monday.

No, thank you.

I think you underestimate how much a late season rental of Francoeur is worth. He always seems to perform amazingly above his skill level for a short burst after he is acquired.

[stevew]

Just sign Russell Brayan if you think the immediate acquisition benefit has any merit.

[stevew]

Pirates recalled Starling Marte today.

[Ksyrup]

Is this a NE thing? Cause I have to admit, I've never heard of this before. Mondays and Canadians. Ooooo....kay?

LEOMINSTER, Mass. -- A Massachusetts mayor has fired a police officer accused of directing a racial slur at Boston Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford during a baseball game.

Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella says Officer John Perrault's comments and actions show he's unfit to serve on the police force.

Mazzarella's decision Thursday comes a day after Police Chief Robert Healey recommended that Mazzarella fire Perrault. Healey says the 38-year-old officer has used racial slurs at least two other times.

Perrault has been on paid leave since he called Crawford a "Monday" before a July 5 minor league game in Manchester, N.H.

The word is considered a racial slur when associated with the phrase, "I hate Mondays."

His attorney says Perrault wasn't using the word in a racial way and that the city is overreacting.

[Shkspr]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Is this a NE thing? Cause I have to admit, I've never heard of this before. Mondays and Canadians. Ooooo....kay?

If nothing else, this livens up Garfield cartoons immensely.

[ISiddiqui]

LOL!

Maybe the mayor was a huge Sox fan? Don't say anything against any players!

[Chief Rum]

For the record, July 5 fell on a... Thursday.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Is this a NE thing? Cause I have to admit, I've never heard of this before. Mondays and Canadians. Ooooo....kay?

I've heard the Monday thing here in Ohio. I actually figured it was this group of people came up with what they thought was a witty racial epithet. I didn't realize it actually had a history. They sure thought they were witty and funny.

[Easy Mac]

What if you just hate Mondays and Canadiens, which I do.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

What if you just hate Mondays and Canadiens, which I do.

Reported.

[Easy Mac]

Really?

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Reported.

Reported.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Is this a NE thing? Cause I have to admit, I've never heard of this before. Mondays and Canadians. Ooooo....kay?

I had no clue either. Sounds like something that should have been in the movie Undercover Brother.

[sterlingice]

How is Monday a racial slur?

SI

[Crapshoot]

MLBFanCave.com Video | Nats bullpen reads Fifty Shades of Grey - Video | MLB.com: Fan Cave

Ok, I may have to become a Nationals fan, or at least of their bullpen.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by stevew

Pirates recalled Starling Marte today.

They send down Gorkys Hernandez and Evan Meek for Marte and Rodriguez.

I don't get their insistence on always having an extra MI that cannot hit on the 25-man roster. They had Ciriaco for way too long last year. Right now, they have Harrison, Sutton, and Mercer and are essentially carrying 3.5 outfielders between Cutch, Marte, and Presley (Jones can play RF and Sutton can, too, but is awful out there and can't hit). Just annoys me. We could certainly use Hernandez as a pinch runner and defensive replacement more than any one of those three guys.

[molson]

I grew up one town over from Leominster but I never heard that one. I'm guessing its a localized down-low thing that a couple of guys made up so they could be all clever and express their racism without anyone knowing. That cop was probably drunk at the New Hampshire minor league game and made it a little too obvious with the context, "Man, I hate Mondays, you know what I'm saying, those African-American Mondays, like Crawford."

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

How is Monday a racial slur?

SI

What's the matter, you don't like them either? Of course I'm kidding. I own James Shields in my main fantasy league, I have to joke to keep from dyeing inside a little more every 5 days.

[stevew]

I love Hernandez's glove. I would rather see him playing the late innings in LF than anyone we have.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

How is Monday a racial slur?

SI

From what I gathered, it was a way to hide your racism and get a chuckle out of your racist friends.

ex: black guy walks by, look over at your buddy, " I hate Mondays." replace Monday with n****r.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by molson

I grew up one town over from Leominster but I never heard that one. I'm guessing its a localized down-low thing that a couple of guys made up so they could be all clever and express their racism without anyone knowing. That cop was probably drunk at the New Hampshire minor league game and made it a little too obvious with the context, "Man, I hate Mondays, you know what I'm saying, those African-American Mondays, like Crawford."

I've never heard the term either.

I would imagine the now ex-officer will have quite the lawsuit against the town.

[stevew]

Starling Marte says hello to the bigs with a homer.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by stevew

Starling Marte says hello to the bigs with a homer.

First pitch homer

We'll probably hear from Huntington how he knew Marte was ready now, but not two weeks. Back then he'd have struck out. On two pitches.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

MLBFanCave.com Video | Nats bullpen reads Fifty Shades of Grey - Video | MLB.com: Fan Cave

Ok, I may have to become a Nationals fan, or at least of their bullpen.

From what I understand, it's basically mainstream porn so it's not like they're picking the Odyssey or Inferno off the shelf.

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

What's the matter, you don't like them either? Of course I'm kidding.

Yeah, I hate Mondays- not enough sleep, stupid start of the work week, etc. Garfield was right about Mondays and lasagna. And, yeah, I'm like the anti "someone's got a case of the Mooondays" person around the office. I just walk around bitching about how Mondays suck, particularly Monday mornings.

SI

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

From what I gathered, it was a way to hide your racism and get a chuckle out of your racist friends.

ex: black guy walks by, look over at your buddy, " I hate Mondays." replace Monday with n****r.

Heck, its on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_slur

Monday

(US) A black person. Popularized by Russell Peters stand up at Def Jam.^[129]

[Logan]

Matt Harvey made his debut for the Mets tonight. Book is closed on him now...he went 5.1 innings, 3 hits, 3 walks, 0 runs, 11 Ks. Showed impressive stuff.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Logan

Matt Harvey made his debut for the Mets tonight. Book is closed on him now...he went 5.1 innings, 3 hits, 3 walks, 0 runs, 11 Ks. Showed impressive stuff.

Trying to not get to excited

[stevew]

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.....

Who knew The Carpenters were fucking racists.

[Logan]

Harvey also had two hits tonight, including a scorched double in his first AB. Just heard that makes him the first pitcher ever in the modern era to have 10+ Ks while getting two hits in his debut.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Logan

Matt Harvey made his debut for the Mets tonight. Book is closed on him now...he went 5.1 innings, 3 hits, 3 walks, 0 runs, 11 Ks. Showed impressive stuff.

I wonder if you could trade him for Victor Zambrano.

[Logan]

In hindsight that deal looks pretty decent.

/drunk

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by stevew

I wonder if you could trade him for Victor Zambrano.

yeah, that deal wasn't as bad as it seemed.

[Lathum]

bullpen trying to screw it up again

[lungs]

Ken Rosenthal just tweeted that the Angels are close to acquiring Zack Greinke.....

[lungs]

dola
Jean Segura and two Double-A pitchers

[Crapshoot]

Segura is a highly regarded prospect who the Brewers must believe can stay at short..

[Chief Rum]

No Richards. Good. Although I will miss Segura. Would like to know what Double AA pitchers, of course, to make a final determination on this one.

It would help a lot if we were to resign Greinke this offseason.

[lungs]

John Hellweg and Ariel Pena. Without knowing much about either, I like Pena's numbers.

Overall, I'd say I'm happy with the return. Wasn't expecting both Segura and Richards. Really happy to get Segura.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by lungs

John Hellweg and Ariel Pena. Without knowing much about either, I like Pena's numbers.

Overall, I'd say I'm happy with the return. Wasn't expecting both Segura and Richards. Really happy to get Segura.

I know both of those names, but I can't recall where they lie amongst the pantheon of Angels prospects. The fact I have heard of them, though, suggests they either have done well or were highly drafted or signed to a nice deal internationally.

[lungs]

From Baseball America:
4. Johnny Hellweg, rhp Born: Oct. 29, 1988 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-9 Wt.: 210
Drafted: Florida CC-Jacksonville, 2008 (16th round). Signed by: Tom Kotchman.
Johnny HellwegBackground: Signed for $150,000 as a 16th-round selection in 2008, Hellweg walked 129 batters in his first 122 pro innings while working almost exclusively as a reliever. He took off after the Angels shifted him to the rotation at high Class A Inland Empire last June, recording a 2.12 ERA and 80-24 K-BB ratio in 14 starts.

Scouting Report: Starting every fifth day allowed Hellweg to work on improving his direction to the plate and repeating his arm path during side sessions. Pacing himself also forced him to throttle back his fastball a bit, resulting in dramatically better control. With an almost effortless delivery, Hellweg tops out near 100 mph and sits at 95-97 with his fastball, which features late sink that induces plenty of grounders. He has improved the command of his low-80s breaking ball, which more often resembles a slider with plus lateral break but occasionally resembles a knee-buckling curve when he stays on top of the pitch. He tends to throw his decent changeup with too much velocity, and he used it only sparingly in 2011.

The Future: Tall and skinny, Hellweg still is growing into his frame and velocity, but if he holds onto his control gains he has No. 2 starter potential. The Angels added him to the 40-man roster in November and Double-A awaits him in 2012.

9. Ariel Pena, rhp Born: May 20, 1989 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 190
Signed: Dominican Republic, 2007. Signed by: Freddy Rodriguez.
Ariel PenaBackground: Signed as a 17-year-old, Pena spent three years in Rookie ball and has pitched just four innings above Class A in five pro seasons. After he ranked second in the high Class A California League with 180 strikeouts last year, he earned a place on the Angels' 40-man roster in November.

Scouting Report: Pena always has shown plus velocity on his fastball and slider, but his shaky command has held him back. He sits at 92-94 mph with his sinker and touches 98 with his four-seamer, showing explosive life when he stays on top of the ball. He throws a hard, late slider at 82-86 mph, getting both called strikes and swings and misses. He flashes a fringy changeup in the low 80s but lacks consistent feel for it. Though he's big and durable, Pena's delivery features enough effort to prompt some scouts to project him as a reliever. He leaves too many pitches up and to his arm side, while he also jabs at the back of his arm stroke and often loses balance in his delivery, causing his arm to rush to catch up with the rest of his body.

The Future: Pena can be nearly unhittable when his fastball and slider are working, but he'll have to cut his walk rate (5.3 per nine innings in full-season leagues) to stay in the rotation. He'll begin 2012 in Double-A.

[Chief Rum]

Looks a couple of live arms with control/command issues, but good upside on both of them.

I am guessing Roenicke is familiar with all three players.