Will617

I think Scutaro gets traded this year, and Lowrie keeps Iglesias out of team at least through 2012. I have doubts about Iglesias' offensive ability. I also think that Kalish will prove himself next year. And no, I'm not betting any beer on this. I don't have much for myself as it is.

What are the players being ranked on? I feel like most people thought Lars, Reddick, and Bowden were pretty much at their peak and not likely to become starting major leaguers (although it's possible the first two could still improve a bit, but I think that Bowden has pretty much reached his limit).

If the Angels were willing to deal Napoli for Wells' contract, I kind of wish the Sox could have flipped someone for him.

Or, Lowrie could be penciled in as the starting SS, and if any of the other players aren't available at the start, he temporarily moves over to cover. This is assuming that Lowrie wins the job, which I think he should.

That is a very, very generous ranking of the Yankee farm system.

Are we going to have a section where we make a pitch on how awesome are team is?

Being constantly reminded by the world of 1918. And then watching 2004 unfold.

That's too bad if his job is in jeopardy. I really would like to see Cashman stay in NY. He's one of my favorite GMs.

I want to talk about nuclear proliferation...

Scenario A: Paps has a terrific year, Sox throw money at him because they don't have other needs, everyone's happy Scenario B: Paps has a mediocre year, Sox throw slightly less money at him because that's still pretty good (and decently cheap), most people are happy Scenario C: Paps collides with Adrian Beltre trying to cover 1st base, misses season with rib fractures, toughness questioned. Brought back on relatively cheap contract, some people are happy. Think it's more likely that Papelbon is brought back in each of the above cases. Although, I think that if Papelbon has a good year (i.e. significantly better than last year), that's the least likely scenario for him to return. I don't think that he's lost anything from a stuff perspective, I think that it's more of an issue of approach and that is fixable.

I feel like the draft does the opposite. The very good players that are Type A will inevitably leave because the value of a 1st rounder isn't anywhere near the value of the player being acquired (I believe that a 1st rounder is generally worth around $5 million or so? $5 million wouldn't detract anyone from signing someone like Victor Martinez). Meanwhile, the more marginal players that just managed to get Type A status (like Grant Balfour) have to settle for lesser deals because, in their case the Type A status actually hurts them significantly. I cannot think of a single instance where a player that really deserved his Type A status remained with their team because other bidders were scared off by losing a 1st round pick. Furthermore, many of the teams that are benefiting from this system aren't really the ones that ought to be. The Red Sox certainly are not "have nots". The Rays deserve their picks more, but they are still a team that did extraordinarily well last season. Many of the bottom feeders have not benefited all that much. Also, the system they use to determine who gets Type A and Type B is really stupid.

Beckett still managed to get 8.18 K/9 last year. His peripherals aren't too far off from his career numbers (although the walk rate is a little troubling, but likely due to injury). Bounce back.

I have salary space that needs a new home. Anyone want it?

I want.

Mitch Moreland, 1B, Texas Rangers. 400k

First Pedroia, then McCutchen (though I could live with that one), now Arencibia and Smoak.

I'm here. Tell Exman that he's an ass and I hate him. Now have to fill that final bench spot, lemme find someone to choose.

I'm 36m under the cap and I don't really know what to do about it.

I think I would have preferred the Jets to win, in hopes that the Pats can thrash them next week and shut Rex Ryan up until next season.

Going to be travelling for a significant portion of the day tomorrow, going to send my picks to Ital. If all of them happen to be taken, I'll be on maybe around 5 to rectify that problem.

At this point, I would take a lot of gambles on backup players, since even if they don't pan out they probably will be about as bad as most other backup players. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Red Sox, $418,580

Dammit, first Exman steals Pedroia in front of me, now he takes Arencibia as well. Kevin Jepsen, RP, Angels, $415k Figuring out the second pick.

I didn't see the penalty (a favorite line of Wenger's), but I really doubt that players intentionally miss penalties regardless of how much they hate the manager. If Agger had just come back from an injury, it makes a lot of sense not to play him twice in 5 days. I heard that Agger wanted to leave, but it could just be rumormongering. It also sounds like they're lining up Coyle to replace Hodgson, and the only reason it's taken so long was because their first two choices for manager spurned them. It makes sense that they would take their time picking a new manager - it's unlikely that they're in CL contention, so they might as well get the right guy in instead of rashly finding a random manager to put in. The Sox are (in my opinion) the best run organization in the MLB for a reason - they don't make impulse moves, they're willing to make the decisions they think are right regardless of fan criticism. And I've heard that Liverpool do need a strike partner for Torres. N'Gog isn't very good and I've never been sure what Kuyt does besides running around (I mean, he's very good defensively with his work rate and all, but I'm just not sure what he contributes offensively). Think that someone that could play a role on the wing and cut inside would be very effective, like the role that Villa played with Torres during the World Cup - even if Torres can't find the back of the net, he would create space for his strike partner to move in. Maybe someone like Ashley Young. Although it would create a problem since Liverpool don't have good LBs to create width should the left winger cut in and function as a second striker.

His career BABIP is .274, which isn't horrible considering he had the 5th highest percentage of fly balls in the MLB. Out of the 13 pitchers with the highest FB% last season, only one (Brian Matusz) had a BABIP over .300, and most weren't that close. Giving up more fly balls should not have a large effect on how many of those fly balls turn into home runs, unless you're not that great of a pitcher (in which case, your other numbers will be terrible as well). While the number of IFFB% does seem to suppress your HR/FB% (just by my cursory glance of people who led the league in IFFB%), Cain's HR/FB% increases on the road, and his ERA increases dramatically (over his career), despite similar peripheral numbers.