MLB 2008

[Lammycat]

Well, wasn't the issue over a bonus? They were being paid, but they weren't receiving the bonus (Are the A's coaches receiving it?)

It's appearance fees that were agreed to by MLB for the trip. BOS players contacted OAK players to inform them they'd be taking a stand because MLB seemed to be excluding coaches and staff from the $40,000 appwearance fees.

 

And BOS v. OAK play 2 exhibition games in Japan and 2 "real" games that count as part of the 162 regular season games..

[bobbob1313]

From what I've read, it sounds like they simply didn't read the contract right.

[Lammycat]

From what I've read, it sounds like they simply didn't read the contract right.

I hadn't read that but I know that MLB has acquiesced to having the coaches and staff from both teams compensated.The players voted on whether to go or not and MLB offered incentives (the $40,000 appearance fee, from what I've read) as it really is a promotional/ambassador-ship for MLB.

 

Link that addresses some of this:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3301195

[MrRain422]

To go back to the earlier thread, I don't know that it would be players complaints that would prevent scheduling games in Japan mid-season (though the players probably would complain). I don't think the front offices would agree to it because of the affect it might have on their players. Since only 2 teams would be affected, if one of those teams lost a game or two upon returning to the U.S., and then ended up one game out of a playoff spot at the end of the year, that would be the end of American baseball in Japan forever.

[Twisted Acres]

ESPN is broadcasting today's Red Sox/Blue Jays game, and the announcers just mentioned that everything regarding the coach payment issue has been resolved.

[MattZ]

To go back to the earlier thread, I don't know that it would be players complaints that would prevent scheduling games in Japan mid-season (though the players probably would complain). I don't think the front offices would agree to it because of the affect it might have on their players. Since only 2 teams would be affected, if one of those teams lost a game or two upon returning to the U.S., and then ended up one game out of a playoff spot at the end of the year, that would be the end of American baseball in Japan forever.

 

The game you lose in April is worth the same as the game you lose in September if you end up out of the playoffs by one game.

[Twisted Acres]

The game you lose in April is worth the same as the game you lose in September if you end up out of the playoffs by one game.

 

Yeah, we learned that the hard way last year, didn't we, Matt...

[MrRain422]

The game you lose in April is worth the same as the game you lose in September if you end up out of the playoffs by one game.

 

Right, but in April you get to be in Japan for a week ahead of time so its not quite the same crazy travel schedule as it would be if you dropped it into the middle of the season.

[MattZ]

Yeah, we learned that the hard way last year, didn't we, Matt...

 

 

Right, but in April you get to be in Japan for a week ahead of time so its not quite the same crazy travel schedule as it would be if you dropped it into the middle of the season.

 

Sure, but it's not inconceivable to think that with the time change, etc. that a team could come back and lose a game or two as a result of the jetlag, etc. That's all I meant. Those games could certainly impact the playoffs. And your point was that baseball wouldn't do this if they thought it could/would impact the playoffs.

[cryptique]

You know, I've been assuming through all of this that both teams would get several days off after their return from Japan ... and I was wrong. The Sox play the A's on the 25th and 26th in Japan, then open a series vs. the Dodgers on the 28th. Granted, they'll probably be on a plane out of Japan by noon Eastern time on the 26th, but that's still not very much time to overcome an 11-hour time difference.

 

Hmmm. I have to re-think this.

[PigSooie]

You know, I've been assuming through all of this that both teams would get several days off after their return from Japan ... and I was wrong. The Sox play the A's on the 25th and 26th in Japan, then open a series vs. the Dodgers on the 28th. Granted, they'll probably be on a plane out of Japan by noon Eastern time on the 26th, but that's still not very much time to overcome an 11-hour time difference.

 

Hmmm. I have to re-think this.

 

Those are spring training games in LA. Will the people who didn't make the travel roster play in this series?

 

LA is closer to Japan than Boston!

[MrRain422]

I bet the Sox starters don't play much vs. LA.

[cryptique]

Those are spring training games in LA.

Ah, that makes a big difference. That wasn't immediately clear from the schedule I was looking at.

 

Now I remember -- one of those exhibitions will be played at the Coliseum.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

There's a rumor floating around the White Sox have cut Juan Uribe. From a baseball standpoint, I'd be thrilled. He is blocking two youngish talents in Danny Richar and Alexei Ramirez. However, they also picked up Uribe's $5 million option during the off-season. It'd be surprising if they ate that so soon.

 

Edit:

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....ibe-waived.html

[PigSooie]

Colon to minors

Posted by Steve Silva, Boston.com Staff March 19, 2008 04:25 PM

Bartolo Colon won't be starting the season with the big club.

 

Colon was assigned to the Red Sox minor league camp today along with two other non-roster invitees, infielders Keith Ginter and Joe Thurston to minor league camp.

 

Two players on the Red Sox major league roster, righthander Josh Beckett and lefthander Craig Breslow, will remain in Florida and will not make the trip to Japan.

[MattZ]

There's a rumor floating around the White Sox have cut Juan Uribe. From a baseball standpoint, I'd be thrilled. He is blocking two youngish talents in Danny Richar and Alexei Ramirez. However, they also picked up Uribe's $5 million option during the off-season. It'd be surprising if they ate that so soon.

 

Edit:

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....ibe-waived.html

 

Sweet! I got Alexei Ramirez for $1 at last weekend's rotisserie baseball auction.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

No official confirmation from the team, but at this point the rumor is that they just placed him on straight waivers and he'll still be on the roster if no team claims him.

[bobbob1313]

What do you guys think of my fantasy team?

 

C: Joe Mauer $19

C: Michael Barrett $1

1B: Derrek Lee $32

2B: Aaron Hill $5

SS: Jose Reyes $41

3B: Troy Glaus $5

CI: Albert Pujols $44

MI: Howie Kendrick $8

OF: Matt Holliday $37

OF: Fukudome $4

OF: JD Drew $3

OF: Adam Jones $1

OF: Justin Upton $1

DH: Lyle Overbay $4

B: Gary Matthews $1

B: Felix Pie $1

B: Cody Ross $1

 

P: Bronson Arroyo $4

P: CC Sabathia $24

P: James Shields $5

P: Homer Bailey $1

P: Matt Garza $1

P: Chien-Ming Wang $7

P: Eric Gagne $2

P: Jose Valverde $3

P: Zach Greinke $3

P: Johnny Cueto $1

P: Mike Pelfrey $1

P: Rick Vandenhurk $1

 

I waited and didn't spend much on pitching, so I'm pretty happy with what I got. Valverde and Gagne for $5 can get me 60 saves, so I can't complain about that. My offense isn't exactly stellar top to bottom, but I got 5 certifiable studs and a bunch of high upside young guys. I accidentally built the keeper team of all time. I could potentially be looking at keeping Cueto, Bailey, Garza, Shields, Jones, Upton, and Pie for $11 next year and have a hell of a core.

[Twisted Acres]

SHOCKED that you spent $41 on Jose Reyes considering your lukewarm feelings for him. Was Hanley too expensive for you?

 

Is this a 5x5 or head-to-head team? The pitching could be a revelation, or it could be a disaster. Would have loved to see you get one more double-digit pitcher. How often can you add/drop?

 

I had my head-to-head, non-auction draft the other day (I'm the commissioner) in a 14-team, keep-up-to-4-for-up-to-5-years league. We have a unique option called Roster Freeze, where you can keep as many as you want from last year going into this year, but for the following 2 years, you can't keep anyone.

 

I'll post my draft in a minute so you can pick it apart.

[bobbob1313]

Regardless of what I feel about him, he's a fantasy baseball stud.

 

It's actually a 5x5 weekly head to head league. We did traditional Roto one year, but it's not quite competitive enough, so we went to this format. You can add/drop however much you want, which is good because I'm going to have to scour the wire for pitchers if they don't work out.

[Twisted Acres]

glad to hear you can add/drop...

[Beltmann]

Valverde and Gagne for $5 can get me 60 saves

I'm very hopeful about Gagne, but the jury's still out...

[Lammycat]

I'm very hopeful about Gagne, but the jury's still out...

I picked him up on two of my Fantasy teams. I think he'll be fine. Who knows, though.

[MrRain422]

I'm drafting in both of my leagues tonight.

[MattZ]

Here is my rotisserie AL only keeper team (not that anyone asked). The really good deals I've got are guys that I have as young cheap keepers that I signed to a long term contract (eg, Bedard, 7) and the really bad deals I've got are guys that I have as young cheap keepers that I signed to a long term contract that suck ass now (eg, Santana, 15). Nothing beats true auction, keeper, rotisserie baseball. Mixed leagues means everyone's got an allstar team. I also insist on playing AL only to minimize conflicts with the Mets.

 

C: Posada, $22

C: Laird, $1

1B: Morneau, $27

2B: J Lopez, $3

3B: Lowell, $13

SS: Crosby, $2

MID: A Ramirez, $1

COR: Sexson, $5

OF: Ichiro, $32

OF: Abreu, $27

OF: D Young, $5

OF: Adam Jones, $5

OF: M Bradley, $5

DH: F Thomas, $1

P: Bedard, $7

P: Kazmir, $17

P: Felx, $5

P: Halladay, $26

P: Santana, $15

RP: Soria, $17

RP: CJ Wilson, $9

RP: Borowski, $14

RP: Benoit, $4

TOTAL: $260