MLB

[Norah]

Yeah, BJ Upton is lucky to crack .200 at this point.

[BigRedLedbetter]

Yeah, BJ Upton is lucky to crack .200 at this point.

I wouldn't be shocked if Uggla never has an MLB at bat ever again. BJ on the other hand is still only 29, runs like a deer and is very good with the glove. I could see him going somewhere else and being kinda close to what he was (5.8 combined WAR 2011 & 2012) a few years ago. I could see the Rangers trading for him this offseason as long as the Braves pick up some of the money. We need OF hope badly. Although I don't want BJ ANYWHERE near my ball club he has value.

I will totally admit I was wrong about BJ though. After two really good years in 2007 and 2008 (sorry Red Sox fans) I thought he'd be a future all star. Hard to believe this doofus had an OBP of .386 (2007) and .383 (2008) those years and hit .300 in 2007.

[numbers]

BJ Upton has the worst contract in the history of Major League Baseball. He is deserving of a veteran minimum and that's about it.

Chan Ho Park with the Rangers as well. When you consider they signed him to be their ace. He had a combined 1.3 WAR from 2002-2005 and made $48,884,803.

Wren is probably gone at the end of the year.

Carl Crawford is the worst contract ever, has to be.

Eh. At least he's been ok the last few years. Uggla, BJ Upton and Chan Ho Park were much worse.

Dodgers do have that contract for 3 more years after this year haha.

Hasnt Crawford been making significantly more money than any of those guys?

[BigRedLedbetter]

BJ Upton has the worst contract in the history of Major League Baseball. He is deserving of a veteran minimum and that's about it.

Chan Ho Park with the Rangers as well. When you consider they signed him to be their ace. He had a combined 1.3 WAR from 2002-2005 and made $48,884,803.

Wren is probably gone at the end of the year.

Carl Crawford is the worst contract ever, has to be.

Eh. At least he's been ok the last few years. Uggla, BJ Upton and Chan Ho Park were much worse.

Dodgers do have that contract for 3 more years after this year haha.

Hasnt Crawford been making significantly more money than any of those guys?

Yes. But you can argue he's been better than those guys were at the time. I know Crawford has not been good the last 4 years but I'd have to look up his stats.

[Bammer]

11% might not seem like that big of a deal. But over time, 11% can actually become pretty significant.

11% of batters that Felix faces are designated hitters. They are paid to do nothing - nothing - but hit.

11% of batters that Kershaw faces are pitchers. They are paid to do the opposite of hitting.

Since 2011 Kershaw has a better overall ERA (Kershaw 2.14, Hernandez 2.93), a better ERA vs. the AL (Kershaw 2.46, Hernandez 3.01), and a better ERA vs. the NL (Kershaw 2.10, Hernandez 2.23).

I got a couple more thoughts then I will rest my case.

Felix gets shit for run support in a lot of his starts. I can't even tell you how many games he's gone 8 and given up 1, and we lose 1-0 or lose 2-1 in extras. Anyway my point is that the pressure is always on for him to basically be perfect or he/we will lose. That's heavy.

Good thing two guys can win the Cy Young award because they both clearly deserve it.

[BigRedLedbetter]

11% might not seem like that big of a deal. But over time, 11% can actually become pretty significant.

11% of batters that Felix faces are designated hitters. They are paid to do nothing - nothing - but hit.

11% of batters that Kershaw faces are pitchers. They are paid to do the opposite of hitting.

Since 2011 Kershaw has a better overall ERA (Kershaw 2.14, Hernandez 2.93), a better ERA vs. the AL (Kershaw 2.46, Hernandez 3.01), and a better ERA vs. the NL (Kershaw 2.10, Hernandez 2.23).

I got a couple more thoughts then I will rest my case.

Felix gets shit for run support in a lot of his starts. I can't even tell you how many games he's gone 8 and given up 1, and we lose 1-0 or lose 2-1 in extras. Anyway my point is that the pressure is always on for him to basically be perfect or he/we will lose. That's heavy.

Good thing two guys can win the Cy Young award because they both clearly deserve it.

If only 1 guy could win the Cy (like back in the day) I think I'd still go Felix over Kershaw. I think Kershaw is better and that is who I'd rather have but what Felix is doing this year is nothing short of incredible. Agreed, he has never got shit for run support. How the Rangers have beat him 21 career times (24% of his career losses) is crazy. To put that in perspective a little Felix lifetime at Fenway and (new) Yankee stadium (combined).....1.84 ERA and an 8-2 record.

Darvish has had similar luck the last 3 years. I don't know how many 3-2 or 2-1 games Darvish has been on the losing end of. He would have won the Cy Young last year if he had any run support (we were 8th in the AL in OPS last year and I wanna say without looking it up our numbers were worse when Yu pitched).

[Lament]

Good thing two guys can win the Cy Young award because they both clearly deserve it.

I'm not putting down Felix at all. I think he's the second best pitcher in the world, and in a lot of eras would be the best. I just happen to think Kershaw is threatening to go down alongside Steve Carlton and Sandy Koufax.

[philpritchard]

Hasnt Crawford been making significantly more money than any of those guys?

I would rather pay $20 million a year for a guy who provides minimal value (although 2.9 fWAR last year is pretty solid) than $15 million for a someone who helps the team more by not playing.

I have no problem with Crawford failing in Boston, but it's always a shame to see such a promising career collapse so quickly. He was easily on a Hall of Fame trajectory when he left Tampa Bay.

[CopperTom]

Yeah, BJ Upton is lucky to crack .200 at this point.

I wouldn't be shocked if Uggla never has an MLB at bat ever again. BJ on the other hand is still only 29, runs like a deer and is very good with the glove. I could see him going somewhere else and being kinda close to what he was (5.8 combined WAR 2011 & 2012) a few years ago. I could see the Rangers trading for him this offseason as long as the Braves pick up some of the money. We need OF hope badly. Although I don't want BJ ANYWHERE near my ball club he has value.

I will totally admit I was wrong about BJ though. After two really good years in 2007 and 2008 (sorry Red Sox fans) I thought he'd be a future all star. Hard to believe this doofus had an OBP of .386 (2007) and .383 (2008) those years and hit .300 in 2007.

It's very hard to believe those numbers. Braves fans might hate him more for his defense though. He under performs in CF. Lucky for him, Justin might be the worst defensive OF in baseball. Klesko was better than Justin. It's pretty incredible that we made the playoffs last year considering that BJ and Uggla were regulars - we essestially only had 6 hitters in our lineup.

[philpritchard]

Yeah, BJ Upton is lucky to crack .200 at this point.

I wouldn't be shocked if Uggla never has an MLB at bat ever again. BJ on the other hand is still only 29, runs like a deer and is very good with the glove. I could see him going somewhere else and being kinda close to what he was (5.8 combined WAR 2011 & 2012) a few years ago. I could see the Rangers trading for him this offseason as long as the Braves pick up some of the money. We need OF hope badly. Although I don't want BJ ANYWHERE near my ball club he has value.

I will totally admit I was wrong about BJ though. After two really good years in 2007 and 2008 (sorry Red Sox fans) I thought he'd be a future all star. Hard to believe this doofus had an OBP of .386 (2007) and .383 (2008) those years and hit .300 in 2007.

It's very hard to believe those numbers. Braves fans might hate him more for his defense though. He under performs in CF. Lucky for him, Justin might be the worst defensive OF in baseball. Klesko was better than Justin. It's pretty incredible that we made the playoffs last year considering that BJ and Uggla were regulars - we essestially only had 6 hitters in our lineup.

It always boggles my mind when managers make decisions like that that clearly hurt the team. BJ Upton plays CF because he's a centerfielder, while Heyward, who's among the top few defensive outfielders in baseball, plays in right because he's a rightfielder. Don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by making them play somewhere else!

It's like the Jays continuously playing Reyes at SS while they have a spectacular defensive middle infielder in Goins playing 2B.

[BigRedLedbetter]

Yeah, BJ Upton is lucky to crack .200 at this point.

I wouldn't be shocked if Uggla never has an MLB at bat ever again. BJ on the other hand is still only 29, runs like a deer and is very good with the glove. I could see him going somewhere else and being kinda close to what he was (5.8 combined WAR 2011 & 2012) a few years ago. I could see the Rangers trading for him this offseason as long as the Braves pick up some of the money. We need OF hope badly. Although I don't want BJ ANYWHERE near my ball club he has value.

I will totally admit I was wrong about BJ though. After two really good years in 2007 and 2008 (sorry Red Sox fans) I thought he'd be a future all star. Hard to believe this doofus had an OBP of .386 (2007) and .383 (2008) those years and hit .300 in 2007.

It's very hard to believe those numbers. Braves fans might hate him more for his defense though. He under performs in CF. Lucky for him, Justin might be the worst defensive OF in baseball. Klesko was better than Justin. It's pretty incredible that we made the playoffs last year considering that BJ and Uggla were regulars - we essestially only had 6 hitters in our lineup.

I really like La Stella. With Peraza's speed I wonder if they'd move him to CF?

[BigRedLedbetter]

Trivia time fellow stitchheads.

Seven guys have 1,000 career hits in the AL and 1,000 career hits in the NL. Name them.

[Norah]

that one is tough

[BigRedLedbetter]

that one is tough

Agreed. I only got 4 of the 7.

One was on the 2004 Bo Sox.

[Norah]

I'm having trouble with the Red Sox one but I've come up with

Spoiler: show

Carlos Beltran.

[Norah]

ohhhh!

Spoiler: show

Ellis Burks

!

[Chris_H_2]

I'm assuming that they're not current players, no?

[Norah]

the first one i came up with is still playing

[Norah]

Ugh, I thought Beltre but he only has 949 NL hits.

[Norah]

Spoiler: show

vlad guerrero