General 2012/2013 Offseason Thread

[Cap78]

A brand new glove has been unveiled at the winter meetings. Out goes leather with these being totally form-fitted with a microfibre/synthetic shell. Prices range from $600-$800 or so. Looks like they only come in black with contrast colors specially ordered in the stitching.

Here's the site... Carpenter

This is not a new glove...well known and highly respected company in glove circles...run out of cooperstown

[Blue387]

Cubs to sign Nate Schierholtz:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...hierholtz.html

I didn't expect the Cubs to land Schierholtz but okay.

[Cap78]

Cubs to sign Nate Schierholtz:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...hierholtz.html

I didn't expect the Cubs to land Schierholtz but okay.

I couldnt be more thrilled...i have decided they are just reaching for below average until their farm system pans out

[Ben Grimm]

Phillies traded RHPs Vance Worley and Trevor May to Minnesota for CF Ben Revere.

[Buczilla]

Phillies traded RHPs Vance Worley and Trevor May to Minnesota for CF Ben Revere.

Hmmmm? I wonder who falls for Boras' schtick and throws the bank at Bourn now.

As for the trade, a bit of a steep price for the slap hitting Revere to be had.

[Ben Grimm]

Hmmmm? I wonder who falls for Boras' schtick and throws the bank at Bourn now.

As for the trade, a bit of a steep price for the slap hitting Revere to be had.

He also has an arm more suited for LF - unfortunately, without the bat to go with it. Seems to me the Phils fell in love with what Juan Pierre offered them last year and figure getting a younger version of him is the way to go. But he's likely hitting 2nd in their lineup and I think he's more of a 7-8 hole guy.

[Ben Grimm]

BoSox sign RHP Koji Uehara to a one-year deal estimated at $4.5M.

[ConnieMack]

He also has an arm more suited for LF - unfortunately, without the bat to go with it. Seems to me the Phils fell in love with what Juan Pierre offered them last year and figure getting a younger version of him is the way to go. But he's likely hitting 2nd in their lineup and I think he's more of a 7-8 hole guy.

At least He plays a good defensive CF as they'll need it if they don't sign another OF..............Ruf on one corner and Brown on the other corner means He'll be covering a lot of ground out in Center.

Maybe hit leadoff if they can get Rollins to move down?

He has a He has a good contact rate, 92.6 percent , which ranked third in the majors and if He can take a few more walks could be an excellent lead off guy here for a couple of years anyhow.

[Rich the Giants fan]

Phillies traded RHPs Vance Worley and Trevor May to Minnesota for CF Ben Revere.

Big time overpay. Reeks of desperation after missing out on Upton, Pagan and Span. Worley > Revere, and May is icing on the cake.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Big time overpay. Reeks of desperation after missing out on Upton, Pagan and Span. Worley > Revere, and May is icing on the cake.

I dunno; looking at the Fangraphs thread on it makes me think this isn't as lopsided as people think because Worley and May aren't as well-liked.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Double Post

[ConnieMack]

Big time overpay. Reeks of desperation after missing out on Upton, Pagan and Span. Worley > Revere, and May is icing on the cake.

Not an overpay......Worley is way over rated, and also coming off elbow surgery. Trevor May is a very dispensable prospect........He has nice K rates, but if He does not miss their bats He can get hit hard. He was great in lower level ball, but regressed as he went up in class.
I will be surprised if May in in anyone's rotation 3 years from now. He is a typical " pump up the prospect and dump Him. "

[bluesky5]

Not an overpay......Worley is way over rated, and also coming off elbow surgery. Trevor May is a very dispensable prospect........He has nice K rates, but if He does not miss their bats He can get hit hard. He was great in lower level ball, but regressed as he went up in class.
I will be surprised if May in in anyone's rotation 3 years from now. He is a typical " pump up the prospect and dump Him. "

I hope your right Connie Mack. I was pretty down on this trade when I first heard about it but I've begun to even out. Guess we'll only know for sure in a couple years.

[bluesky5]

This is not a new glove...well known and highly respected company in glove circles...run out of cooperstown

Run out of Cooperstown like a carpetbagger or run out of Cooperstown voluntarily for greener pastures?

[Ben Grimm]

I hope your right Connie Mack. I was pretty down on this trade when I first heard about it but I've begun to even out. Guess we'll only know for sure in a couple years.

Ruben Amaro (Phils GM) stated today that there's a major premium put on both speed and power by teams seeking out players. That's been true so far looking at deals given to Upton, Victorino and Bourn's asking price. He thinks he found a player who'll be here for 5+ years with upside based on his age/experience. The only true baserunner on this team is a 34-year-old Rollins so it did need to be addressed.

Worley's a so-so pitcher who survived on being unknown, some luck, and his willingness to challenge hitters his first year. He got figured out last season, and even before the bone chips was getting hit hard. He can be a #2-3 for a team like Minnesota, but he's no more than a #4-5 in a decent rotation. Mays I do like, but he didn't progress this year and seems to struggle any time he's promoted so he could still be a few years away. And Ruben doesn't (nor ever had) much patience with his farm system.

[wu-tang clan]

While it appears to be a good trade at face value for Minnesota (according to others; I know nothing of Worley or May's abilities), it really sucks losing two of the most solid archetypal leadoff hitters in baseball today in the span of a few days in Span and Revere; Mauer won't have as many opportunities to hit guys in, and might resort to swinging for the fences more. In addition, both were fan favorites, so we lost a bit of identity as well. I could easily see this trade being positive for Philly in the long run, as Revere can steal 60 bases in his sleep should he get the opportunity, in addition to potentially hitting a ton of line drives as he did last year-- low-lying, single-esque line drives mind you, but high-percentage hits nonetheless. He has a weak arm, but is very athletic in the outfield, and will likely become a fan favorite in Philly (regardless of the perfect last name) if he finds some decent success due to his positive, give-it-your-all Kirby Puckett-esque attitude on the field.

Another interesting tidbit I'll add for all of you Philly fans concerning Ben Revere: he's the only player I've ever seen not hit with his back foot touching the back chalk in the batters box; he sets up in the middle of the box instead.

[Ben Grimm]

if he finds some decent success due to his positive, give-it-your-all Kirby Puckett-esque attitude on the field.

This alone will endear him to fans. For some reason, the vocal majority of fans in this town treat baseball like football - where you have to play on high adrenaline and give 100% at all times. It's why they fell in love with Chase Utley and Aaron Rowand couldn't buy a drink in this town after he faceplanted the wall, while not accepting Bobby Abreu's style of play.

[ConnieMack]

Ruben Amaro (Phils GM) stated today that there's a major premium put on both speed and power by teams seeking out players. That's been true so far looking at deals given to Upton, Victorino and Bourn's asking price. He thinks he found a player who'll be here for 5+ years with upside based on his age/experience. The only true baserunner on this team is a 34-year-old Rollins so it did need to be addressed.

Worley's a so-so pitcher who survived on being unknown, some luck, and his willingness to challenge hitters his first year. He got figured out last season, and even before the bone chips was getting hit hard. He can be a #2-3 for a team like Minnesota, but he's no more than a #4-5 in a decent rotation. Mays I do like, but he didn't progress this year and seems to struggle any time he's promoted so he could still be a few years away. And Ruben doesn't (nor ever had) much patience with his farm system.

Pretty much what I thought on the trade.........

They gave up a pitcher with a lot of red flags in Worley. His called strikes is never going to be sustainable and his health and conditioning are in question also.

Plus, a prospect who is walking close to 5 batters per 9 innings at pretty much every level and saw his K rate dip when moving up to AA.
May might have been the Phil's # 3 pitching prospect this coming season.

I don’t think this is an overwhelming win trade for the Phil's , but I think a lot of people are overestimating Worley and May and underestimating Revere.

May has good arm but He throws up in the zone. His fastball was good enough to get by with that type of command in A ball where the hitters are not used to seeing that and hack at it repeatedly, but once He moved up to Reading and AA level players, most who have learned to lay off that high pitch then that high pitch doesn't work.

Combine that with his lack of being able to repeat his windup and you have a pitcher who will probably not be a successful starter in the big leagues, maybe as a bullpen arm down the road.


So reality is they give up a # 5 starter coming off elbow surgery, and a falling prospect for a cheap, controlled starting CF which frees up a ton of money they could have paid to Bourn, or Pagan to go out and sign a better # 5 starter or possibly a power hitting corner OF.

[ol' aches and pains]

Run out of Cooperstown like a carpetbagger or run out of Cooperstown voluntarily for greener pastures?

Their mailing address is a PO box in Cooperstown, so they must not be too far away.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Their mailing address is a PO box in Cooperstown, so they must not be too far away.

So there were no conversations to "get them glove folks out of here" or "We gotta move our business out of this closed down at 5 p.m. town"?

[DownUnderDodger]

The following from SI.com re trades:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...siextra_120712

[Blue387]

Andruw Jones to play in Japan?
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...japanese-team/

[SamtheBravesFan]

Andruw Jones to play in Japan?
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...japanese-team/

If true, ganbare and good luck, Andruw! Help Rakuten to the pennant!

[Cap78]

So there were no conversations to "get them glove folks out of here" or "We gotta move our business out of this closed down at 5 p.m. town"?

Perhaps my post was worded improperly...the business is based in cooperstown...if you check out a certain glove forum, you will find the owner himself or others posting about the company

[9RoyHobbsRF]

Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro definitely wanted to return to the Giants. Each of the two free agents made that clear to management, but like most players, they waited for, and took, the best deals.

Both were in San Francisco for their physicals today. After taping a segment for tonight’s “Chronicle Live” on Comcast Sports Net Bay Area, scheduled to run at 8 p.m. PST, Pagan said he had several three-year offers on the table and was waiting for the first team to go four years. The Giants did, and he agreed immediately. He said he would have given the Giants a chance to match one of the other offers.

Scutaro was more blunt in suggesting that love for the Giants was not the driving factor in his decision. This being his last contract, he wanted the biggest he could get.

He reminded us that he left money on the table to sign with Boston before the 2011 season so he could get a championship, “and all I got was bald.”

Pagan and Scutaro remained teammates even in free agency. Both said they talked or texted just about every day, discussing the offers they were getting but also expressing a desire to play together in San Francisco again. Once Pagan signed his four-year, $40 million deal he pressed Scutaro even more to sign. When the Giants offered three years at $20 million, the second baseman did.

Scutaro was wooed by the Cardinals, who reportedly offered a two-year, $16 million contract. He heard from manager Mike Matheny and some of the players, but not Matt Holliday, and Scutaro admitted he thought about what it would be like to play with the guy who took him out in Game 2 of the NLCS.

A couple of other notes:

Pagan plans to play for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic and also hopes to buy a house in San Francisco.

Scutaro does not plan to play in the WBC. Asked if he would buy a house here, he said, “I would have if they gave me three thousand million dollars.”


Much more coming in the story I’ll write for the Gate and tomorrow’s Chronicle.

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Scutaro freaking cracks me up