Official MLB 2023 Thread

[jazzpiano88]

17 minutes ago, Adan said:

To be precise, in that article Posey says it's the perception of SF that is the problem, and he goes on to say that when it comes to attracting free agents, "perception is reality."

 

Of course he was going to say that way.  He's not suicidal and wants to get the message across.

I lived there from 1995-2008 and that whole area was a paradise and a continuous festive atmosphere.

 

Being a close observer of the entire KNBR "when are they going to call up Posey" on a daily basis thu his rise to stardom was a real treat.

 

Those days, KNBR was a driveway listen in reverse.   Staying in your car listening in the parking lot before going in to work.      Those championship years were unprecedented.      It was a surprise to see Posey retire, but I believe he is destined for the HOF.   He played the game the right way in all respects.    

[jazzpiano88]

26 minutes ago, Dave Ferris said:

Semi- ot to the topic. We drove up to the Central Coast, then the Bay area for our 42nd anniversary last summer. We avoided SF for the first time ever.  Been there many times over the 45 years we've lived in Ca.. I've probably driven, or flown, up at least 25 times for gigs over the decades at different places in town ranging from the Ritz on Knob Hill for Barry Bonds' wedding to dive clubs. Early on I played with Big Moma Thorton at a bar that I know nothing was up to code in there. But even back then, those areas just felt funky not scary like now.  Like LA, it's changed dramatically for the worse. Very depressing.

 

A jazz pianist/flutist friend lives in an apartment in North Beach with on street parking. She just assumes her car will be vandalized once a month, so she just drives junker cars. Even those have been stolen multiple times.

 

You can no longer just walk into Piedmont Pianos up there, I was told they won't let you in without an appointment.

 

Growing up in the midwest,  I'd take yearly to semi-yearly journeys out to CA as I had cousins and Aunts/Uncles in both Newport Beach and Petaluma.  

 

Through those years, the experience visiting was so positive I vowed to someday live there.   I got my wish and my first real job in the Bay Area and lived the dream.

Now back in the midwest with a mixture of emotions.

 

On topic, the downside of my current location is that I am in MLB blackout for 5 teams. (Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Royals, and Cards).   I don't use local cable, but YouTube TV carries  Fox Sports Chicago, a White Sox affiliate.     So I can watch Steve Stone and Jason Benetti expertly call their games and practice their comedy shtick.

 

I do keep tabs on the Giants, except when they're playing the aforementioned teams. 

 

[jazzpiano88]

One more on the Posey comments about San Francisco from sports agent Scott Boras at SFgate.com:

 

Boras laid the Giants’ struggles with marquee free agents at the feet of the team, not the city.

 

“The biggest issue the Giants have is the fact that the Dodgers are getting better. Players want to know if they come here, will they be able to compete with the Dodgers? And now Arizona. That’s the real major question that San Francisco has to answer,” said Boras. 

[Synthaholic]

On 12/15/2023 at 7:42 PM, jazzpiano88 said:

Being a close observer of the entire KNBR "when are they going to call up Posey" on a daily basis thu his rise to stardom was a real treat.

I remember him from his Florida State days under Coach Mike Martin. He was a shortstop when he came up, and was a good one. I'm not sure why he switched to catcher after his freshman(?) year.

[Synthaholic]

On 12/15/2023 at 8:55 PM, jazzpiano88 said:

On topic, the downside of my current location is that I am in MLB blackout for 5 teams. (Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Royals, and Cards).   I don't use local cable, but YouTube TV carries  Fox Sports Chicago, a White Sox affiliate.     So I can watch Steve Stone and Jason Benetti expertly call their games and practice their comedy shtick.

Hopefully, our Long, National Nightmare will end soon. With the bankruptcy issues of Bally Sports there is going to be a new TV deal, and it won't be based on the old model of cable packages. MLB may even become the broadcaster, themselves, like they had to do in San Diego this year when Bally couldn't make their payments to the Padres.

 

I used to think that Steve Stone was one of the best pitching analysts in baseball, back when he had to deal with Harry Carey on a daily basis, for the Cubs, on WGN. I haven't heard him in ages.

[jazzpiano88]

29 minutes ago, Synthaholic said:

I used to think that Steve Stone was one of the best pitching analysts in baseball, back when he had to deal with Harry Carey on a daily basis, for the Cubs, on WGN. I haven't heard him in ages.

 

Yeah, he was great to listen to with Harry.  I was always amazed how accurately he could predict the play by play.     He still sounds like the same guy and is as insightful as always.

[Geoff Grace]

2 hours ago, Synthaholic said:

Hopefully, our Long, National Nightmare will end soon. With the bankruptcy issues of Bally Sports there is going to be a new TV deal, and it won't be based on the old model of cable packages. MLB may even become the broadcaster, themselves, like they had to do in San Diego this year when Bally couldn't make their payments to the Padres.

 

Unfortunately, I have a personal stake in this outcome. My music has been regularly used by Bally and Fox in MLB, NFL, NBA, and other sporting events; and it's been a important chunk of my royalties over the years.

 

I keep hoping for Bally Sports to bounce back. They struggled with payments to the Diamondbacks as well. So far, it doesn't look good.

 

In the meantime, Fox has begun using hit records instead of dedicated sports music, so that income stream is drying up for me as well.

 

Fortunately, I don't have all of my eggs (or even most) in that basket; but it's been a fun ride. I like watching a game and then realizing that music in the background is mine. I've only had that experience two or three times per year, but it's been great.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[LarsHarner2]

Now Bryce Harper wants an extension, as the Phils owner even said Bryce was underpaid before the $700/10 deal last week. 

Well, whatever happened to accepting the deal you made? Looking back at my current job I probably should have negotiated for more, but I am not going to tell my employer I am underpaid, I find other ways to supplement my income.

 

For the first time in several years, the Phillies increased the price of my Sunday plan- perhaps the first time in a decade. It's justified given their 2 playoff runs the last 2 years.

However, as time marches on I'll likely prefer to spend time watching on TV alongside my keyboard.

 

At some point, teams won't be able to afford these contracts. 

[Synthaholic]

Ronald Acuña, Jr.: 8 years/$100M

Ozzie Albies: 7 years/$35M

 

If any players deserve renegotiated contracts, it's these two. Especially Ozzie, who once again had 100+ RBI and 30+ HR.

[Adan]

Extensions and renegotiations are different things.  Harper isn't asking for a renegotiation of his existing contract, instead he's essentially offering to sign a new contract for years beyond. Neither party is under any obligation to do that.  In my opinion that's a bit risky for the Phils given Harper hasn't exactly been Cal Ripken-like in his ability to stay on the field.  On the other hand, Philly fans seem to love how his intensity matches their own, which tranlslates into ticket sales, so there's more than just performance and WAR in this equation. 

[Geoff Grace]

Not surprisingly…

Sources: Japanese star Yamamoto goes to Dodgers for 12 years, $325M

Best,

Geoff

[Doerfler]

So, in the span of just 10 days, the Dodgers committed to more than $1.16 billion in future payroll. 

 

 

[Adan]

One does get a wiff of a master plan here: sign Ohtani but defer most of the cash so they can also sign Yamamoto, an objective Ohtani probably would have whole-heartedly supported as it has the potential to prove the dominance of Japanese baseball. And why not? It would be something new and interesting in this sport. 

[Synthaholic]

I actually believe the California Attorney General should investigate the Ohtani deal. Deferring $690 million until he's done playing cheats the state out of income tax on $68M per year. And when he retires, there's no guarantee he will stay in California, cheating the state a second time.

 

I don't like this deferred money scheme. It's an avoidance of the Luxury Tax. And when they do start paying him the huge post-career checks, that money won't count against the Luxury Tax in those years, either.

 

The whole thing is inherently unfair to the other teams.

[Geoff Grace]

Braves acquire Chris Sale, cash from Red Sox for Vaughn Grissom

Great addition for one of the top rotations in baseball.

Best,

Geoff

[Synthaholic]

2 hours ago, Geoff Grace said:

Braves acquire Chris Sale, cash from Red Sox for Vaughn Grissom

Great addition for one of the top rotations in baseball.

Best,

Geoff

I don't know what to think about this one, Geoff. When Chris Sale is right he's lights out, with the highest career K per 9 innings of all active pitchers. But he hasn't been right since 2019, I think. Every season since has been shortened by one injury or another. The Braves have a long history of turning pitchers around, so they must see something in him that warrants giving up Vaughn Grissom, who I really like, and whom I thought was their future shortstop.  Maybe they have plans for Sale in their bullpen, if they are worried about too many innings. He would make a great closer.

 

BTW, Grissom's 1st MLB home run was over the Green Monster at Fenway. I watched that game and thought I was seeing our newest star. I hope he does well for Boston. When Braves players that I like leave the team I always want them to go to the American League so that we don't have to face them. Like Adam Duvall. Hopefully Eddie Rosario. We still have to face Freddie Freeman and Jorge Soler.