2014 Off Season Thread

[WildBB]

Like LaRussa says, it's not won on paper it's won out on the field.

SF is due for their off year let down again.

The pen is solid this year. There could be some surprises among the starters, it will be a good competition. If there aren't results they'll sit.

 

[FArting]

Listening to Tony La Russa interview

Bob Knight is going to speak to the team
John Madden might speak to the team

http://arizonasports.com/?nid=244&a=310376&p=&n=

 

[Matt L]

Listening to Tony La Russa interview

Bob Knight is going to speak to the team
John Madden might speak to the team

http://arizonasports.com/?nid=244&a=310376&p=&n=

That's got to be worth 2 wins apiece. hopefully we only lose 84 games rather than the projected 88

 

[overseascardfan]

Just saw on AZ Central sports, ARZ is finalizing a new TV deal worth north of a BILLION DOLLARS! Yet the club felt the need to trim payroll and field a minor league team this season. They just added more fuel for my anger.

 

[Matt L]

Just saw on AZ Central sports, ARZ is finalizing a new TV deal worth north of a BILLION DOLLARS! Yet the club felt the need to trim payroll and field a minor league team this season. They just added more fuel for my anger.

I am not too upset with the management because they really were in a bad spot from what they inherited from Kevin Towers. I also think it is foolish to overpay free agents like James Shields, Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval just to get to 80 wins. However, they should make a big splash and overpay for Yoan Moncada to get him in the system so that he will be ready in a couple of years when we are ready to compete.

 

[Dback Jon]

I am not too upset with the management because they really were in a bad spot from what they inherited from Kevin Towers. I also think it is foolish to overpay free agents like James Shields, Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval just to get to 80 wins. However, they should make a big splash and overpay for Yoan Moncada to get him in the system so that he will be ready in a couple of years when we are ready to compete.

Agree with this

 

[overseascardfan]

I am not too upset with the management because they really were in a bad spot from what they inherited from Kevin Towers. I also think it is foolish to overpay free agents like James Shields, Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval just to get to 80 wins. However, they should make a big splash and overpay for Yoan Moncada to get him in the system so that he will be ready in a couple of years when we are ready to compete.

I'm not saying ARZ should have pursued the big ticket FA's but dealing away Miley to avoid arbitration and not willing to sign a veteran C like Soto (or some other cheap, proven C) to replace Montero, trying to get their payroll under $90M sends a message loud and clear.

 

[Phrazbit]

They needed to tear the thing down before they could fix the foundations. I'm not too worried about them not spending moderately to fill a couple of holes when this team is almost certain to lose 90+ games regardless of who plays catcher.

Unless they've got a chance at a young guy with potential (like these Cubans) then I'd just assume they sit on their cash for the moment.

After what we've seen the last few years I actually trust the ownership to be willing to spend, they just need to start being smarter on what they spend it on. Wait for difference makers, stop throwing stop gap contracts to vets.

 

[overseascardfan]

They needed to tear the thing down before they could fix the foundations. I'm not too worried about them not spending moderately to fill a couple of holes when this team is almost certain to lose 90+ games regardless of who plays catcher.

Unless they've got a chance at a young guy with potential (like these Cubans) then I'd just assume they sit on their cash for the moment.

After what we've seen the last few years I actually trust the ownership to be willing to spend, they just need to start being smarter on what they spend it on. Wait for difference makers, stop throwing stop gap contracts to vets.

I understand this team is going to be terrible, there is no sugar coating it. It's the message given off that irks me. Miley would undoubtedly be the staff ace until Corbin returns. He was a young, LHP they traded off because they didn't want to pay him $7M a year? TLR said a couple of days ago that games aren't won on paper and that he expects this team to be better than last year. Not when you trade your best available , healthiest SP for a couple of unproven SP's and go with an unknown starting C. They expect people to pay money to watch this team "compete"?

 

[BC867]

...and go with an unknown starting C.

I wouldn't fret too much about Tuffy as our starting Catcher. They say he is a great handler of pitchers and he is good at throwing out baserunners.

There have been plenty of successful teams in the history of baseball whose Catcher couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag, but made a huge difference when his team was on the field (a full half of the game).

Besides, how much worse could he be batting eighth than Didi was?

 

[FArting]

Tuffy has been named the starting catcher.

 

[Matt L]

Tuffy has been named the starting catcher.

Well, there weren't any good options on the roster and it sounded like the front office felt that the trade options were to expensive. The other 7 players in the lineup are going to need to hit a lot to cover up for Tuffy and the pitcher.