Weeee'rrrrreee Baaaaaaack...
It's been a while, but we finally got back into the "Studio" and recorded a much over due episode. Listen in as Noah and I take a look at the Chone Figgins and Cliff Lee deals. Spoiler alert, we approve.
TBL Epidode 8
Thanks for listening as always, and let us know what you think.
Garbs
P.S. We are aiming at keeping the blogcasts below 20 minutes. Is that a good time to aim at? Longer, shorter, what do you think is a good length. And, yes, that is what she said.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
I haven't forgotten about you...
I write this sitting at a coffee shop in Baltimore. I swear, I haven't forgotten about you. And by you, I mean you. The one person who reads this blog. Did you think there were multiple readers?
Just thought I'd let you know that Nick and I are planning on recording a podcast this weekend so look forward to that! A lot of things to talk about but we'll try to keep it short and sweet. Well, Garbs will be there so maybe not sweet, you know what I mean.
On a side note, I'm really disappointed because I'm coming to the swift realization that I won't be able to visit Camden Yards while I'm here in Baltimore. It's literally five blocks away from where I'm staying but work is getting in the way. I better get moving cause you better believe I'm going to go get a picture of that warehouse Griffey nailed during the All-Star Home Run Derby. Wish me luck!
Just thought I'd let you know that Nick and I are planning on recording a podcast this weekend so look forward to that! A lot of things to talk about but we'll try to keep it short and sweet. Well, Garbs will be there so maybe not sweet, you know what I mean.
On a side note, I'm really disappointed because I'm coming to the swift realization that I won't be able to visit Camden Yards while I'm here in Baltimore. It's literally five blocks away from where I'm staying but work is getting in the way. I better get moving cause you better believe I'm going to go get a picture of that warehouse Griffey nailed during the All-Star Home Run Derby. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Edgar takes strike one
The votes are in. Edgar Martinez missed his 1st-of-15 chances to be voted into the Hall of Fame. Edgar gathered 36.2 percent of the votes in his first year on the ballot. To be voted in a player needs to receive 75 percent of the votes.
In a related news story, Mariners beat writer Geoff Baker is taking some heat from Mariner fans. If you get a chance, head over to The Seattle Times Mariners Blog. Baker posts his reasoning for not voting Edgar Martinez into the Hall of Fame. Although I disagree with his decision and reasons for voting the way he did, I do respect the decision he made.
It would be very easy for him to go the easy route and vote the town's darling child into the hall. But in his own mind, Baker didn't feel Edgar was deserving of a first-ballot vote. He's definitely hearing about it now, though. Commenters are coming out of the woodwork to give him a piece of their mind.
I find the issue to be very intriguing as a blogger and given my career is closely aligned with the media. The decision to post how he voted for the Hall of Fame was not something Baker had to do. He is trying to be as open as possible with his readers, knowing full well a complete backlash among the townspeople was imminent. To Baker, his journalistic integrity and the need to be transparent with the readers of his blog were of such importance he was willing to share not only how he voted but why he voted that way.
Regardless of what you think about Edgar, it is going to take him some time to get in. All that is proven by the fact that the M's beat writer for the only newspaper in town didn't even give him the nod. It'll happen eventually (I think), but it'll take some patience and some convincing that a player who didn't play in the field and didn't necessarily put together the statistics that writers believe are needed for consideration to get into the hall.
Good luck next year, Edgar!
In a related news story, Mariners beat writer Geoff Baker is taking some heat from Mariner fans. If you get a chance, head over to The Seattle Times Mariners Blog. Baker posts his reasoning for not voting Edgar Martinez into the Hall of Fame. Although I disagree with his decision and reasons for voting the way he did, I do respect the decision he made.
It would be very easy for him to go the easy route and vote the town's darling child into the hall. But in his own mind, Baker didn't feel Edgar was deserving of a first-ballot vote. He's definitely hearing about it now, though. Commenters are coming out of the woodwork to give him a piece of their mind.
I find the issue to be very intriguing as a blogger and given my career is closely aligned with the media. The decision to post how he voted for the Hall of Fame was not something Baker had to do. He is trying to be as open as possible with his readers, knowing full well a complete backlash among the townspeople was imminent. To Baker, his journalistic integrity and the need to be transparent with the readers of his blog were of such importance he was willing to share not only how he voted but why he voted that way.
Regardless of what you think about Edgar, it is going to take him some time to get in. All that is proven by the fact that the M's beat writer for the only newspaper in town didn't even give him the nod. It'll happen eventually (I think), but it'll take some patience and some convincing that a player who didn't play in the field and didn't necessarily put together the statistics that writers believe are needed for consideration to get into the hall.
Good luck next year, Edgar!
Kotchman traded to the M's
ESPN's Buster Olney broke the news yesterday on Twitter that the Mariners and Red Sox were very close to completing a deal that would send first baseman Casey Kotchman to Seattle. Over the past 24 hours more details have emerged and according to plenty of sources the Mariners will send Bill Hall, a minor leaguer and cash to Boston for compensation.
So...what does that mean? Well, the Mariners certainly upgrade their starting first baseman for 2010 as Kotchman is a better option than Mike Carp. But they do so at the expense of a great utility player that has experience playing several different positions and has played them well.
Here's the story on Kotchman:
Casey Kotchman, a former 1st round draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels entered the league in 2004 but didn't start seeing significant playing time until 2007. In his first full season, Kotchman posted a .296 batting average, a .372 on-base percentage, and a .467 slugging percentage. These are decent numbers for a gap-power left handed hitter. The only problem is each year following 2007 Kotchman regressed. His 2009 numbers were .269/.339/.382, hardly the production we received last year from Russell Branyan.
However, Kotchman does fit the mold of the guys Jack Zduriencik has brought over to the Mariners. He's an above-average defender posting a career UZR of 4.4 per 150 innings, he's a patient left-handed hitter who makes contact with the ball, and he's a young player who hasn't quite reached his potential. Of course, with this type of trade the question is how much will it cost. Kotchman is eligible for arbitration in 2010 and some reports expect his salary to be in the $5 million range. Bill Hall's salary for 2010 would equal $8.4 million and that's why the Mariners are expected to chip in some cash for the trade. Keep in mind though, when we traded with the Brewers for Hall back in August, Milwaukee sent a lot of cash over as well which will seemingly be used in this trade for Kotchman.
What do we lose giving up a player like Bill Hall?
The obvious thing is we lose the flexibility of a utility fielder that can play multiple positions in the outfield and at second and third base. Hall is an above-average defender in the infield and an average fielder in the outfield. However, it seems the Mariners were still waiting for Hall to repeat on his monster 2006 season when he hit 35 home runs and scored over 100 times. Turning around and trading Hall as quickly as they did means there had to be cause for concern with the front office that he wouldn't return to his power-hitting form.
Overall, the Mariners essentially traded two minor league players for Casey Kotchman. The player that will be sent to the Red Sox and Ruben Flores, the minor leaguer sent to Milwaukee. For all of these reasons I think this is a good trade. What I don't like about it is the Mariners have downgraded their offense compared to other options that are on the market such as Russell Branyan and Adam LaRoche. If Kotchman can show some sign that he's anywhere near the type of offensive player he was projected to be this could be a great move. As it stands right now, I'd call it as just being ok.
So...what does that mean? Well, the Mariners certainly upgrade their starting first baseman for 2010 as Kotchman is a better option than Mike Carp. But they do so at the expense of a great utility player that has experience playing several different positions and has played them well.
Here's the story on Kotchman:
Casey Kotchman, a former 1st round draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels entered the league in 2004 but didn't start seeing significant playing time until 2007. In his first full season, Kotchman posted a .296 batting average, a .372 on-base percentage, and a .467 slugging percentage. These are decent numbers for a gap-power left handed hitter. The only problem is each year following 2007 Kotchman regressed. His 2009 numbers were .269/.339/.382, hardly the production we received last year from Russell Branyan.
However, Kotchman does fit the mold of the guys Jack Zduriencik has brought over to the Mariners. He's an above-average defender posting a career UZR of 4.4 per 150 innings, he's a patient left-handed hitter who makes contact with the ball, and he's a young player who hasn't quite reached his potential. Of course, with this type of trade the question is how much will it cost. Kotchman is eligible for arbitration in 2010 and some reports expect his salary to be in the $5 million range. Bill Hall's salary for 2010 would equal $8.4 million and that's why the Mariners are expected to chip in some cash for the trade. Keep in mind though, when we traded with the Brewers for Hall back in August, Milwaukee sent a lot of cash over as well which will seemingly be used in this trade for Kotchman.
What do we lose giving up a player like Bill Hall?
The obvious thing is we lose the flexibility of a utility fielder that can play multiple positions in the outfield and at second and third base. Hall is an above-average defender in the infield and an average fielder in the outfield. However, it seems the Mariners were still waiting for Hall to repeat on his monster 2006 season when he hit 35 home runs and scored over 100 times. Turning around and trading Hall as quickly as they did means there had to be cause for concern with the front office that he wouldn't return to his power-hitting form.
Overall, the Mariners essentially traded two minor league players for Casey Kotchman. The player that will be sent to the Red Sox and Ruben Flores, the minor leaguer sent to Milwaukee. For all of these reasons I think this is a good trade. What I don't like about it is the Mariners have downgraded their offense compared to other options that are on the market such as Russell Branyan and Adam LaRoche. If Kotchman can show some sign that he's anywhere near the type of offensive player he was projected to be this could be a great move. As it stands right now, I'd call it as just being ok.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Sound of Silence
There hasn't been much to say on the Mariner front for the past week or so. After trading Brandon Morrow to Toronto for Brandon League it would seem the Mariners are willing to hold still for a bit and let the market come to them.
Or, Jack Z could just be leading us to think that's what is happening and soon to unveil a blockbuster that will give us a power hitting 1st baseman at the expense of our entire minor league system. Either way, I'm getting antsy for something to happen.
In other news, Ken Griffey Jr. raised the 12th man flag at the Seahawks season finale on Sunday. I went to the game with Cam and Garbs and I know I felt that was the best moment of the game. It's hard to explain how a player more than 10 years removed from his greatest season as a Mariner can still be so loved by a city for those contributions so long ago.
Or, Jack Z could just be leading us to think that's what is happening and soon to unveil a blockbuster that will give us a power hitting 1st baseman at the expense of our entire minor league system. Either way, I'm getting antsy for something to happen.
In other news, Ken Griffey Jr. raised the 12th man flag at the Seahawks season finale on Sunday. I went to the game with Cam and Garbs and I know I felt that was the best moment of the game. It's hard to explain how a player more than 10 years removed from his greatest season as a Mariner can still be so loved by a city for those contributions so long ago.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Bay to the Mets
For those of you hoping Jason Bay still might wind up roaming Safeco's left field, the New York Mets flushed your dreams of having the right-handed power hitting, bad defensive left fielder by signing him to a 4-year guaranteed $66 million contract with a vesting option that would pay him over $80 million for 5-years. ESPN
It was rumored that both the Mariners and Jason Bay were interested in getting a deal done, but ultimately the price tag was too high and both sides would have to make a serious compromise to get a deal done. In the end, Bay took an incredible pay check to go back to the NL East while the Mariners head back to looking for a power-hitting first baseman.
Personally, I never saw Bay signing with the M's but as long as his name was on the free agent list and there was mutual interest you had to consider it a possibility. Granted, Bay would have become the M's best hitter if signed, the fact he's a right handed hitter in lefty friendly Safeco Field paired with his below average defense would have made this move a little tough to swallow. Good luck in New York, Jason!
It was rumored that both the Mariners and Jason Bay were interested in getting a deal done, but ultimately the price tag was too high and both sides would have to make a serious compromise to get a deal done. In the end, Bay took an incredible pay check to go back to the NL East while the Mariners head back to looking for a power-hitting first baseman.
Personally, I never saw Bay signing with the M's but as long as his name was on the free agent list and there was mutual interest you had to consider it a possibility. Granted, Bay would have become the M's best hitter if signed, the fact he's a right handed hitter in lefty friendly Safeco Field paired with his below average defense would have made this move a little tough to swallow. Good luck in New York, Jason!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Oh, Hello There...
Uhh...wow...what the hell happened to The Bush Leagues?
I've gotten that from a few people over the last four months as Garbs and I have seemingly disappeared off the face of the planet. It's true, it's true, The Bush Leagues took a bit of a hiatus, ironically about the same time football started and the weather began to turn shitty. We became lethargic with our posting which led to them being absent. But I'm going to work on building the posts and the commentary back up to a respectable level. Ok, maybe The Bush Leagues were never a beacon of respectability, we might as well be filming a TV show in our parents basement. But you get the point.
With that being said, there are plenty of things for Mariners fans to get excited about this upcoming season.
- Chone Figgins: The free agency season started with a bang as the M's were able to lure Figgins away from AL West rival the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and put him in Mariner blue. The move will give us one of the best tandems at the top of the line-up as all Figgins does is get on base while giving Zduriencik options on how he puts together the remainder of his infield. Welcome to the M's Chone, I used to think you were a horrible person, but now, you're ok in my book. Funny how changing teams can influence perception.
- Cliff Lee: We were able to trade for one of the Top 5 pitchers in baseball and all it cost us were three guys who might make an impact for the Philadelphia Phillies one-to-three years down the road. Granted, we only have Lee inked for one-year at present, but this is a great sign from the M's front office that they're focused on winning in 2010. Not to mention, is there a better 2-man top of the rotation than King Felix and Lee?
- Milton Bradley: Obviously the best part of this addition is what we gained by subtraction: No more Silva! But also, Bradley will give us the bat we needed in the heart of the order to follow Ichiro and Figgins. Although it has been made very public by the media of Bradley's past problems and his seven different teams in ten years, I feel confident all he needs are some good hard Griffey tickles to keep him in check.
And the best part is, we're not done yet! There is still a glaring hole at first base and a group of bottom of the rotation starting pitchers to be less than excited about. Although he will most likely break camp, I do not see Mike Carp as our regular starting first baseman. It's just not going to happen. Look for Z to make something happen through free agency or trade, but I guarantee you we will have a Number 4 hitter to follow Ichiro, Figgins and Bradley.
For the fifth spot in the rotation we have the hold-overs from last year; Jason Vargas (not Justin), Luke French, Doug Fister and Garrett Olson. None of these pitchers offer anything to get truly excited about as far as talent go, but they would be well-suited for the bottom of the rotation. However, there are still pitchers in free agency that could offer plenty of upside for a moderate salary. Pitchers like Ben Sheets, Chien-Ming Wang or even bring back former M's pitchers Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn or hell...even Randy Johnson.
There's still plenty of things we can do in the offseason to build a team for an AL West Championship. But, early signs point that we are well on our way.
I've gotten that from a few people over the last four months as Garbs and I have seemingly disappeared off the face of the planet. It's true, it's true, The Bush Leagues took a bit of a hiatus, ironically about the same time football started and the weather began to turn shitty. We became lethargic with our posting which led to them being absent. But I'm going to work on building the posts and the commentary back up to a respectable level. Ok, maybe The Bush Leagues were never a beacon of respectability, we might as well be filming a TV show in our parents basement. But you get the point.
With that being said, there are plenty of things for Mariners fans to get excited about this upcoming season.
- Chone Figgins: The free agency season started with a bang as the M's were able to lure Figgins away from AL West rival the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and put him in Mariner blue. The move will give us one of the best tandems at the top of the line-up as all Figgins does is get on base while giving Zduriencik options on how he puts together the remainder of his infield. Welcome to the M's Chone, I used to think you were a horrible person, but now, you're ok in my book. Funny how changing teams can influence perception.
- Cliff Lee: We were able to trade for one of the Top 5 pitchers in baseball and all it cost us were three guys who might make an impact for the Philadelphia Phillies one-to-three years down the road. Granted, we only have Lee inked for one-year at present, but this is a great sign from the M's front office that they're focused on winning in 2010. Not to mention, is there a better 2-man top of the rotation than King Felix and Lee?
- Milton Bradley: Obviously the best part of this addition is what we gained by subtraction: No more Silva! But also, Bradley will give us the bat we needed in the heart of the order to follow Ichiro and Figgins. Although it has been made very public by the media of Bradley's past problems and his seven different teams in ten years, I feel confident all he needs are some good hard Griffey tickles to keep him in check.
And the best part is, we're not done yet! There is still a glaring hole at first base and a group of bottom of the rotation starting pitchers to be less than excited about. Although he will most likely break camp, I do not see Mike Carp as our regular starting first baseman. It's just not going to happen. Look for Z to make something happen through free agency or trade, but I guarantee you we will have a Number 4 hitter to follow Ichiro, Figgins and Bradley.
For the fifth spot in the rotation we have the hold-overs from last year; Jason Vargas (not Justin), Luke French, Doug Fister and Garrett Olson. None of these pitchers offer anything to get truly excited about as far as talent go, but they would be well-suited for the bottom of the rotation. However, there are still pitchers in free agency that could offer plenty of upside for a moderate salary. Pitchers like Ben Sheets, Chien-Ming Wang or even bring back former M's pitchers Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn or hell...even Randy Johnson.
There's still plenty of things we can do in the offseason to build a team for an AL West Championship. But, early signs point that we are well on our way.
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