2013-14 MLB Hot Stove thread

What about his honor in Japan? /bluefont

 

Brandon McCarthy says pitchers might be allowed to wear protective headgear next year.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/sports-mlb/20131220/mlb.pitchers.headgear/

The wussification of America continues. Catchers not getting their legs broken and skulls shook at home plate, pitchers not breaking their skulls on line drives ... this isn't even baseball anymore! They should find some men to play the game. The Way It's Supposed To Be Played.

 

You have to admire MLB's proactive stance on this, a mere 66 years after Herb Score's career was ruined by a line drive to the eye.

 

I remember that knock Kuroda took off his noggin a few years ago. The ball went off his skull all the way back into the stands behind first base — it was hit that hard — and it was a ground-rule double. Kuroda was very fortunate.

I don't have a problem with pitchers opting to wear a helmet, especially the ones like McCarthy and Kuroda who know what it's like to take a comebacker off the dome.

 

So, where's Balfour wind up, and does he end up getting a lot less money?

 

I think still Baltimore in a similar situation to Mike Napoli last year.

 

Looks like Rangers have agreed with Shin-Soo Choo. Seven years, $130 million. See ya, Nelson Cruz.

Choo passed on $140 million from the Yankees but will make more in Texas because of no state income tax.

 

He also lives in Arizona, where the Rangers train, and the Rangers' immediate future on the field is much brighter than the Yankees'.

Lack of state income tax in Texas is a negligible factor at best in FA decisions. Otherwise, lots of top free agents would be signing with the Astros, Marlins, Rays and Mariners, too.

 

So, why are so many reporters mentioning it as part of the reason he signed with Texas?

 

They mention it in the stories because that's the kind of thing an agent says. The agent can't afford to have a client say "I think the Yankees are going to suck for the next five years."

 

Regardless, Buck is speculating regarding the role taxes played in the decision.

To pretend to know, and criticize others for their own speculation, is silly.

 

Yeah, because the Marlins, Astros and Rays throw around big money offers just like the Yankees and Red Sox.