2016 MLB Regular-Season Thread

I think it was Stephen Jay Gould who wrote (in the mid-90s): "Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was the Braves' starting rotation."

 

I wonder if Strasburg had put together Clayton Kershaw's or even Chris Sale's career up to this point, whether Washington would have been so hell-bent on locking him down. But perhaps the thinking is, "Hey, we're the ones who have shepherded this guy through injuries and protected him and took the heat for shutting him down during a playoff push and, damn it, we're going to be the ones to live or die with him after all of this."

 

Close! It's $15M/year for 7 years, then $10M for the next 7.

Nationals will pay Stephen Strasburg until 2030, thanks to new extension

This is becoming a Nats staple. What do you guys think of these deferred contracts?

 

Loves it.

 

Deferred money is always good for the team. Lets the player get the higher nominal value for pride points while lowering the real value.

 

Cubs hitters having fun robbing Hector Rondon of saves

"When you're on the bench and you're up three runs, two runs, whatever, we have a game we call Screw the Closer," Ross explained, laughing and admitting 'screw' isn't the word the players actually use. "We want to score more so he doesn't get the save."

 

On the other side of town in Chicago, the White Sox win on a 12th inning grand slam by Todd Frazier last night. Unfortunately, it wasn't at home, in the afternoon, on a Sunday, against the other top contender in the league, so it isn't getting nearly as much buzz as the Baez shot. But the White Sox are now 23-10 and Frazier and Abreu are just starting to hit a little bit.

Jimmy Rollins is a black hole, though. Can't hit. And he was asked to bunt twice last night and failed both times.

 

Have the Cubs and White Sox ever been a combined 31 games above .500?

 

In 2008 they finished the season a combined 48 games over .500.

 

I expected Boras to seek 10 years

 

I had not read much about a Strasburg contract before the signing (it was my impression that it was unexpected), but based on Lester and Price getting 6 & 7 year contracts, respectively, when they are two or three years older, Strasburg taking only 7 years seems short. Basically, if others were going to get paid through age 36, why wouldn't Strasburg seek the same?

 

Because he has had TJ surgery already and continues to battle injuries.