MLB: 2013 Pre-Season Thread

Masked Man

mlb announced random in-season testing for HGH. always assumed hgh was really prevalent in all major sports, this could be interesting.

jack presley

Masked Man wrote: »

mlb announced random in-season testing for HGH. always assumed hgh was really prevalent in all major sports, this could be interesting.

Watch home run totals go down again!

jack presley

As well as the regular season to look forward to in April, the Jackie Robinson film '42' is due out too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peEuSIeWv_4

I just hope the story isn't Hollywood-ised too much.

rockonollie

Ditto you thoughts on Hollywoodisation..........

but i am very excited for this

Coeus

So the Nats go and sign Rafael Soriano. As if their pitching wasn't already good, it is now even better...

8-10

Coeus wrote: »

So the Nats go and sign Rafael Soriano. As if their pitching wasn't already good, it is now even better...

Hoping to see them in June for the first time.

Coeus

8-10 wrote: »

Hoping to see them in June for the first time.

I seen them a few years back in interleague play against the Yankees. That year (2009) the Yankees won the world series and the Nats finished with the worst record in MLB. Even though the Nats won that night, I'd never have thought they would be serious contenders only a few seasons later. Only Ryan Zimmermann is still around for them of the players who took the field for them that night...

8-10

Coeus wrote: »

I seen them a few years back in interleague play against the Yankees. That year (2009) the Yankees won the world series and the Nats finished with the worst record in MLB. Even though the Nats won that night, I'd never have thought they would be serious contenders only a few seasons later. Only Ryan Zimmermann is still around for them of the players who took the field for them that night...

Good stuff. I was living in Philadelphia during that World Series. Wasn't much fun! NLCS was awesome though.

I've lined up 14 games to see this year. Wish I could buy the single tickets now but looks like I have to wait.

jack presley

Coeus wrote: »

So the Nats go and sign Rafael Soriano. As if their pitching wasn't already good, it is now even better...

Yeah, they really are going for it this year. They should walk away with the NL east anyway and will be big favourites for the whole thing. However, I wonder how many times the does the best team in January on paper actually go on to win the World Series?

Coeus

jack presley wrote: »

Yeah, they really are going for it this year. They should walk away with the NL east anyway and will be big favourites for the whole thing. However, I wonder how many times the does the best team in January on paper actually go on to win the World Series?

I know but they have great pitching and defence and those teams tend to do well when they make the postseason, just look at the Giants. As long as Stras can get through the season without blowing his arm out they should get there. Definately an exciting time to be a Nats fan...

Waitsian

Darren Oliver is coming back to pitch for the Blue Jays.

Janssen, Oliver, Santos, Delabar, Rogers, Jeffress, Cecil - that's one hell of a bullpen.

rockonollie

Reds sign Armando Gallaraga to a minor league deal........if the name sounds familiar, he was the pitcher that lost a perfect game when Jim Joyce blew a call at first base with 2 out in the 9th inning of a game in 2010. Ironically, the Reds have also signed Jason Donald, who was the player called safe at first.

Gallaraga amounts to no more than a backup starter. Should Aroldis Chapmans' move to the rotation not work out, Gallaraga and Mike Leake will fight for the 5th rotation spot in Spring Training.

In other Reds news....all rumours suggest that Bud Selig will announce that the Reds will host the 2015 All-star game. Will make the HR derby very entertaining.........anything reaching the 500 foot mark to right field will have a good chance of landing in the Ohio River. (Only 2 HR balls have every reached the river, Adam Dunn and Juan Francisco, but none have gone in on the fly.

For the record (and to challenge the big hitting lefties) it's 560 feet from home plate to the river just inside the right field foul pole.

8-10

rockonollie wrote: »

For the record (and to challenge the big hitting lefties) it's 560 feet from home plate to the river just inside the right field foul pole.

What's the typical distance reached at the derby?

rockonollie

8-10 wrote: »

What's the typical distance reached at the derby?

The big hitters are usually between 450-500 for a few........470 will clear the right field bleachers and has a chance of getting to the river on one bounce......


I got a video of Dunn's HR that reached the river......unfortunatly the video is older and you don't see where the ball ends up.....but it was to centerfield and cleared the centerfield deck (before the pilot house was built)

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25548033&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_25548033&v=3

Benimar

Looks like the two Upton brothers will be playing together for the Braves

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130123&content_id=41120090&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

Coeus

Benimar wrote: »

Looks like the two Upton brothers will be playing together for the Braves

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130123&content_id=41120090&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

I like the look of that Braves outfield now, 3 potential 20/20 guys with excellent defense.

I would have thought the Dbacks would have wanted more in return for a top young talent with a few years of control. Texas offered more but got turned down and of course Upton vetoed the move to Seattle which looked a really good package for them.

COYW

Never realised that there was an MLB forum on here. How time flies, the Yankees will be starting their pre-season in less than a fortnight.

Glad and sad to see Swisher go to the Indians. He was a great character to have around the place but woeful when it came to the post season. I wouldn't shed any tears if A-Rod went elsewhere. He hasn't done anything special since 2009. I see he is still listed as a shortstop; give me a break. I'd have Nix in there before A-Rod.

jack presley

COYW wrote: »

Never realised that there was an MLB forum on here. How time flies, the Yankees will be starting their pre-season in less than a fortnight.

Glad and sad to see Swisher go to the Indians. He was a great character to have around the place but woeful when it came to the post season. I wouldn't shed any tears if A-Rod went elsewhere. He hasn't done anything special since 2009. I see he is still listed as a shortstop; give me a break. I'd have Nix in there before A-Rod.

With €114m due over the next 5 years, it'll cost the Yankees to get rid of A-Rod. Maybe they'll come to some deal where they pay him a percentage of what he's owed if he fecks off but from what I've read over the past day or so, it'll hard for them to void his contract even if it is proven that he was juicing. And I don't think they'd want to get into a long legal battle to do so.

Welcome aboard to the baseball section of Boards by the way!

COYW

jack presley wrote: »

With €114m due over the next 5 years, it'll cost the Yankees to get rid of A-Rod. Maybe they'll come to some deal where they pay him a percentage of what he's owed if he fecks off but from what I've read over the past day or so, it'll hard for them to void his contract even if it is proven that he was juicing. And I don't think they'd want to get into a long legal battle to do so.

Welcome aboard to the baseball section of Boards by the way!

Thanks.

Yeah, just doing some reading and it looks like we are stuck with him til 2017. Chances are he might not even play ball until well after the all star break. Youkilis is another disaster waiting to happen; granted he is only on a one year deal.

rockonollie

According to reports, the Reds are on the brink of signing Miguel Olivo who was the Mariners backup catcher last season. I would assume the deal will be similar to the one Dioner Navarro received last year, minor league contract with spring training invite....with Hanigan and Mesoraco going into the season healthy, Olivo would be the AAA starter and be injury backup through the season.

rockonollie

Now that we've finally seen the end of that football mularkey..........only 1 week to spring training!!

8-10

Has anyone ordered tickets off MLB.com before?

I am looking at getting tickets for May and June, however the credit card I want to use expires in April.

Will I require the credit card to pick up the tickets do you think?

rockonollie

8-10 wrote: »

Has anyone ordered tickets off MLB.com before?

I am looking at getting tickets for May and June, however the credit card I want to use expires in April.

Will I require the credit card to pick up the tickets do you think?

MLB.com use the ticketmaster system to sell tickets on the site, you should have the option to print your tickets right away.

8-10

rockonollie wrote: »

MLB.com use the ticketmaster system to sell tickets on the site, you should have the option to print your tickets right away.

Good stuff, thanks for that!

Coeus

8-10 wrote: »

Has anyone ordered tickets off MLB.com before?

I am looking at getting tickets for May and June, however the credit card I want to use expires in April.

Will I require the credit card to pick up the tickets do you think?

Which team are the tickets for? Most teams ticket site will send out the tickets or allow you to print them when you purchase. Yankees however have you collect them at the ticket office before the game (well that was before last season)...

Edit: Meant to add that is when buying from abroad.

rockonollie

Reds sign Manny Parra......probably will fill the lefty bullpen roll left open when Bill Bray left. Will allow Tony Cingrani to stay in the rotation at AAA to stay in starting shape incase he may be needed.

Coeus

King Felix has become the highest paid pitcher in baseball...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/02/07/seattle-mariners-felix-hernandez-contract-highest-paid-pitcher/1899241/

8-10

Bought tickets to 6 games today, including 2 interleague games which will be a first for me. Have another 8 planned, waiting on Phillies single-game tickets on sale next week.

Even got myself a Field Box ticket, Row B, for Red Sox v Phillies at Fenway. Cannot wait.

jack presley

8-10 wrote: »

Bought tickets to 6 games today, including 2 interleague games which will be a first for me. Have another 8 planned, waiting on Phillies single-game tickets on sale next week.

Even got myself a Field Box ticket, Row B, for Red Sox v Phillies at Fenway. Cannot wait.

You lucky ba&^ard!!! I'm so envious. For 3 years from 2009-2011 I made the trip over to the States and took in 5-6 games each time but the good times have ended and money's tight so I wasn't able to afford to go last year and won't be going this year either.

jack presley

Coeus wrote: »

King Felix has become the highest paid pitcher in baseball...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/02/07/seattle-mariners-felix-hernandez-contract-highest-paid-pitcher/1899241/

I love watching him pitch. I loved his perfect game with all the crowd in the yellow shirts.