MLB 2014 season thread

Hi, Sandy!

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-accidentally-send-out-sandy-alderson-s-credit-card-information-1.8046786

 

Tony LaRussa now in charge in Arizona.

What are the odds that Dave Duncan gets his 1st managerial job by replacing Kirk Gibson before next season?



Struggling Diamondbacks hire Tony La Russa as new Chief Baseball Officer

http://mlb.si.com/2014/05/17/diamondbacks-hire-tony-la-russa-as-new-chief-baseball-officer/

 

My first thought was that Tony LaRussa gets another managerial job by replacing Kirk Gibson before August.

 

Before August? Hell, by June 1.

 

nothing happening in Kansas City right now

 

aaaaand, not no more. Jones singles up the middle to break up Danny Duffy's perfect game bid with two out in the seventh. Alex Gordon opened the inning with a great diving catch near the line in left to momentarily preserve things earlier in the inning.

 

Dodgers catcher Drew Butera on in relief ... for the second time this week.

 

on a night when Kershaw gets lit-up early.

 

Sid Hartman Day in the Twin Cities, bitches.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/05/17/twins-recognize-mn-sports-journalist-sid-hartman/

 

In an extension of the strikeout/lack of offense discussion, here's an interesting NYT piece on why the National League should adopt the DH:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/sports/baseball/now-not-batting-for-the-mets-a-sorely-needed-designated-hitter.html?_r=1

Even official MLB historian John Thorn is on board:

I'm totally for this idea. As a fan of a National League team, I think it's unfair that half the sport is cut out of the market for veteran hitters in free agency and trades. AL teams can pay them more (or feel better about taking on their salaries) because they know they can DH them a few times a week if need be.

 

The DH rule was a mistake and continues to be. It NEVER addressed the problem it was designed to fix, namely, lower American League attendance, which on an average basis continues to this day. It also exacerbates what everyone in the sport acknowledges, publicly or otherwise, is one of its main 21st century marketing problems, the length of time of baseball games. But hey, if the NL adapts it maybe A-Rod can come back and break a few records. That might cause me to support it.

 

I think the opposite. As a fan of an AL team, not having a DH protects the NL teams from these disastrous contracts because it highlights how terrible the player will be when he's old. If you can't competently field a position at 40, you're unlikely to be worth $25+ million as a DH. The AL teams kid themselves into thinking that they have the DH and can hide their aging star.