2011(and beyond!) MLB thread.

[SheSaidSheSaid]

I'm sure it's that Biggio "isn't a first ballot Hall of Famer" (as if that means a damn thing). Remember, some asshat next year won't vote for Greg Maddux, just so no one ever gets in unanimously. Same for Randy Johnson the year after that, Ken Griffey Jr the year after that, and Chipper Jones the year after the year after that.

On the bright side, only one more year where we have to hear about goddamn Jack Morris.

[Dante1847]

Not even Craig Biggio?

I'm also really disappointed that Ralph Kiner has still not been given the Ford C. Frick Award.

at least he was the top vote getter, which he is well-deserving of. like others, I wasnt surprised that no one was elected this year

[darkwinterbeast8]

I think the Piazza snub is the worst. None of these cowards have ever accused him in print of taking steroids, but they'll keep him out anyway.

All the stuff the media ever accused Piazza about were of his personal life off the field, which shouldn't matter because it has no bearing on how he performed as a baseball player.

[clashcityrocker10]

All the stuff the media ever accused Piazza about were of his personal life off the field, which shouldn't matter because it has no bearing on how he performed as a baseball player.

And even all that was bull****.

[SheSaidSheSaid]

Well hey there Justin Upton trade to the Mariners.


Okay, so he exercised his partial no-trade clause and blocked it, but this is far from dead. That (players exercising no-trade clauses) has happened before and deals between the involved parties eventually went through.

But it does mean the Mariners and Diamondbacks have agreed to a trade, even if Upton hasn't. Once the Mariners throw some more money at him, he probably will (sort of like the Dickey Toronto trade).

If it's Upton straight-up, I'm guessing the trade package to be one or both of Casper Wells and Mike Carp, one or both of Taijuan Walker and James Paxton (Walker has to be included...has to be), and possibly some more organizational depth pieces like Rich Poythress or Ko Hui Lo. Or maybe pieces slightly more valuable than mere "organizational depth," like Chih-Hsien Chiang or Andrew Carraway or Nick Franklin. Hopefully the deal is for Upton and good god somebody better to trot out as a fifth starter than Hector Noesi.

Talks are ongoing. I am cautiously excited. Justin Upton is the Felix Hernandez of rightfielders. This would be massive if it goes down.

[SheSaidSheSaid]

Most of the prospective package seems to be known - Franklin, one of the Big Three (unknown which), either Stephen Pryor or Charlie Furbush, and a fourth unknown player. I had forgotten that part of the reason Arizona are trading Upton at all is that they have a ton of outfielders, so Carp or Wells wouldn't be necessary (one or both would surely be sloughed off in a more minor trade to someone else if the Upton deal is consummated, though).

Gotta say, I like the Mariners in this trade, particularly if it's Paxton or Hultzen. All three of the Big Three are valuable, but Walker is the only one who has Felix-level potential. Hultzen's big plus is his high floor, but with it comes a low ceiling. There is almost no chance he won't develop as a dependable #3/#4 sort of starter. Almost no chance he'll be better, almost no chance he'll be worse. I don't know quite as much about Paxton, but he's definitely more volatile than Hultzen without Walker's OMGWTF upside.

[darkwinterbeast8]

Justin Upton still doesn't want to go to Seattle. At this point, It's safe to say that Upton will more likely be a Seattle Supersonic or a Seattle Metropolitan than a Seattle Mariner in his career.

If that's the case than whatever, the last thing I want to see is the M's trade those prospects for someone who doesn't want to be in Seattle and will pout and play horrible until he's gone, especially after what we went through with Figgins.

And even all that was bull****.

This is true.

[SheSaidSheSaid]

Justin Upton still doesn't want to go to Seattle.

That's not any newer than anything I posted =\

At this point, It's safe to say that Upton will more likely be a Seattle Supersonic or a Seattle Metropolitan than a Seattle Mariner in his career.

No, it really isn't. This is not dead.

[darkwinterbeast8]

That's not any newer than anything I posted =\

No, it really isn't. This is not dead.

Not saying it's new. As for the deal being dead or not, it could still happen but I'm not holding my breath for a guy that has repeatedly said he refuses to be traded to the Mariners (and so far has been a man of his word) to go back and accept being traded to the Mariners. Plus with some of the rumors I've read about, it would be Franklin, Walker, Pryor, AND Furbush for Upton. That seems to be a high cost for a guy who doesn't want to play for Seattle. On top of that, the Mariners usually get burned on deals like this.

All of those things make me a bit apprehensive about this proposed trade.

[SheSaidSheSaid]

Trading relievers (who aren't named Mariano Rivera....seriously, just him) for a piece of value is something you should ALWAYS be willing to do. The Mariners have tons of prospects in the middle infield -- not so much the outfield. Franklin is easily replaced. Giving up Walker would sting a little, but acquiring such value as Upton in a trade should sting a little.