2010 FOT BASEBALL THREAD.

[nec13]

I haven't followed baseball for a good 15 years or something. 

If I wanted to get myself up to speed, where/how should I start?

Try mlb.com. They have some useful content. Yahoo's MLB page is also excellent. Baseball Prospectus is also a great site for baseball info, but it's subscription-based.

[jbissell]

I don't know, if they get far enough back I can't see even Henry throwing money at nothing. Plus, the buyers market in season isn't exactly a gold mine. They might be able to fill one or two holes if they come along, but you can't patch more than that. It's not just injury concerns either, there are a lot of other things they are banking on. The pitching staff after Lester and Beckett is a huge if. Matsuzaka is not a good pitcher having one lucky year, Lackey is a good #3 but has been inconsistent in the past couple of years and it remains to be seen if Buchholz will become more than a bottom of the rotation guy. The offense is good but it lacks the power you usually see in a big market team and again they're old.... and I don't know if I'd want a .250-.260 20-30 HR hitter hitting cleanup. Defensively, they're one of the best in baseball. But, I think the Yankees are going to blow them out of the water this year and somebody from the West or Central is going to take the wild card. If I had to take a guess I'd say they finish at least 10 games back in the East finishing 3rd and 5-6 games out of the Wild Card behind Tampa, Seattle and probably Detroit.

Yeah, but there's a good chance that they'll trade for Adrian Gonzalez so that cleanup hitter isn't going to be a big deal. Nothing would make me happier than the Red Sox missing the playoffs but I just don't see any of those 3 teams you mentioned (maybe the Rays) being much better than them.

[Reeleyes]

I'm a Yankees fan. I wish there was a salary cap so I could be proud when I say that.

[Gilly]

I'm a Yankees fan. I wish there was a salary cap so I could be proud when I say that.

They'd have to do it right, because the salary cap in the NHL has hurt that league. Balance is all well and good but you can't separate the top from the bottom in the NHL. I really like the NBA's cap except for the trade restrictions, but it's a lot easier to implement a cap for teams of 12. I think the best move for baseball would be to set a large cap with no minimum. I still want to see teams given the ability to rebuild without having to sign players just to meet a cap minimum. But a max cap of 170-180 million would be beneficial and would ensure that most of the top talent wouldn't go to the same teams. You'd still have bad owners, but I think you'd get about 10 teams extra each year that are competitive. That's also a problem, when only 8 teams make the playoffs, it's hard for an owner to spend money. But, I wouldn't want to see the playoffs expanded.

[Barry Egan]

I'm a Yankees fan. I wish there was a salary cap so I could be proud when I say that.

Yeah, I'm a Red Sox fan, and always feel the need to add "since 1995".

[P.W.]

I haven't followed baseball for a good 15 years or something. 

If I wanted to get myself up to speed, where/how should I start?

One year in a fantasy baseball league should get you up to snuff.

[P.W.]

Yeah, what I said. I'm drunk (on pizza, of course).

Every year since I was 6 years old, I've predicted a Tigers-Mets World Series and this year shall be no different. Maybe the Mets?

[scratchbomb]

I haven't followed baseball for a good 15 years or something. 

If I wanted to get myself up to speed, where/how should I start?

Try mlb.com. They have some useful content. Yahoo's MLB page is also excellent. Baseball Prospectus is also a great site for baseball info, but it's subscription-based.

Big second on Baseball Prospectus. They make reading about numbers fun! PLus, they're huge nerds, and I always trust nerds' assessments because nerds have no agenda except trying to be right.

[Pregnant Pause]

I haven't followed baseball for a good 15 years or something. 

If I wanted to get myself up to speed, where/how should I start?

I usually read Buster Olney's daily column on ESPN

[Stupornaut]

I don't really have any predictions, but as a Twins fan I'm both excited for the new season and aggravated that every out-of-state sports columnist is aghast that Target Field doesn't have a roof. Tom Verducci actually cited Minnesota's "miserable conditions" in May and September, which is nuts. And after looking at Miller Park, which looks like a warehouse from the inside and feels like there's a roof over the place even when it's open, I'd prefer having to deal with 45-degree weather anyways.

[Gilly]

Stadiums that have a retractable roof put it up if there's the slightest chance of rain. I think I prefer it the way it is as well.

[yesno]

Anyone know of any play-by-play guys who yell out "Touchdown!" for a home run call?  Because that would be really funny.

[Stupornaut]

Anyone know of any play-by-play guys who yell out "Touchdown!" for a home run call?  Because that would be really funny.

Joe Buck?

[Gilly]

Anyone know of any play-by-play guys who yell out "Touchdown!" for a home run call?  Because that would be really funny.

Joe Buck?

He would never say something that would be written with an exclamation at the end.

[scratchbomb]

Anyone know of any play-by-play guys who yell out "Touchdown!" for a home run call?  Because that would be really funny.

Joe Buck?

He would never say something that would be written with an exclamation at the end.

Ditto. Christ, he's the worst. in two different sports, no less