MLB News and Rumors

One of the most often cited criticisms of WAR is that replacement level is essentially an arbitrary construct, making the entire model just an act of theoretical speculation. The idea of replacement level is to essentially set a baseline for expected performance from a team that invested the absolute minimum in putting together a Major League roster. This replacement level team wouldn’t have a farm system, so that they didn’t have to spend money on draft picks, coaches, equipment, or facilities. They would rely entirely on league minimum veterans to build out their roster, thus allowing us to see how approximately many wins a team could expect if they did the absolute bare minimum in terms of organizational investment. That team doesn’t exist, obviously, as even organizations that completely tear down their big league roster work to rebuild through accumulation of young talent, and no team actually spends the league minimum on its Major League payroll. Thus, the criticism that…

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While some parents may have dreams of sports stardom for their newborn children, the parents of one Fenway Parks were pretty prophetic when they named their son. That’s right, a high school baseball player named Fenway Parks actually exists. Moreover, he’s apparently a pretty good player, too, considering that he’s being recruited by Mississippi, Nebraska and North Carolina according to PerfectGame.org. And, no, you don’t even have to ask. FoxNews.com reported in 2007 on an Indiana couple who named their child Wrigley Alexander Fields. No word on the five-year-old’s draft potential, as of yet. Check out a screenshot of Fields’ profile below. Photo via Twitter/Major League Baseball Photo of the Night Bourbon Street is always ready for a party. Quote of the Night “I would be hard-pressed to spell philosophical right now.” -49ers coach Jim Harbaugh in a Friday news conference Tweet of the Night Just some hockey humor for you. Not so Fasth, Viktor.— Dennis Bernstein (@DennisTFP) Febru…

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Travis Hafner and the Cleveland Indians may again find themselves together. Despite signing outfielder Nick Swisher and pitcher Brett Myers to contracts the Indians still have a large hole to fill at designated hitter.
On Friday, Indians GM Chris Antonetti said that the team could use free agent Travis Hafner to fill their DH spot. Hafner, 35, has spent ten seasons with the Indians but has appeared in more then 100 games once since the end of the 2007 season.
Hafner still shows occasional flashes of the player he once was but injuries have taken their toll on his body. The Indians declined a $ 13 million option on Hafner this offseason.
With a small base salary the Indians could roll the dice with Hafner. However, expecting regular production from Hafner is likely too much at this point.
Other options for the Indians currently on the roster are Mike Aviles, Tim Fedroff, and Rule 5 pick Chris McGuiness.

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MLBTR led to me this article by Nick Cafardo, which talks a bit about the Cubs.

“We’re certainly farther along than we were last year at this time,” said Epstein. “When we got here, we identified one core player [Starlin Castro] and now we can look around and see Anthony Rizzo, Darwin Barney, Jeff Samardzija , and others. We do have more positional prospects than pitchers, so we felt Jackson will be with us for many years to come.”
Epstein is hoping his top prospects — namely outfielders Jorge Soler (a Cuban defector), Brett Jackson, and Albert Almora , shortstop Javier Baez , and pitcher Arodys Vizcaino — will all be in the majors together by 2015. First baseman Rizzo is already there.
The Cubs have been waiting 108 years for a championship, a feeling Epstein is familiar with from his Boston days. While he doesn’t feel the Cub fans’ pain the same way, he understands it. He has always wanted to build a team from the ground up, and he’s getting that opportunity.
“I think, initially…

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Over at The Cub Contrarian, Kyle used an estimated WAR for players to get a team win total. I thought I’d do the same thing, but I’m going to do it two ways: projections and my wild ass guesses.
Wild Ass Guess
Catchers: Welington Castillo (1.0), Dioner Navarro (negative infinity)
I could easily see Castillo being a 2 WAR player, but I’m not buying it. I could also see him being replacement level, but I think he’ll end up adding some value, but not a whole lot. Dioner Navarro is a waste of a roster spot and perhaps the most overpaid player in baseball history in that he’s earning infinitely more than he deserves to be paid.
1st Base: Anthony Rizzo (3.0) backups (0.0)
I think Rizzo is a very good young player, but I don’t believe he’s a future superstar. I think he’ll make some all-star teams and provide a lot of value while being paid little. That sounds like what the Cubs need.
2nd Base: Darwin Barney (2.5), backups (0.0)
Barney isn’t much of a hi…

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Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is routinely heralded as one of the most, if not, the most hated player in the Majors. But, for some reason, the Windy City loved him…and the two-time All-Star catcher loved Chicago right back. So much so, he did the cliche and thanked his former fans by taking out an ad in the Chicago Tribune this past weekend.  That’s right, the catcher who helped lead the Chicago White Sox to the World Series in 2005 has, apparently, turned into a softie. Okay, okay…maybe it’s a classy move, but, it doesn’t matter. Whatever sting the 36-year-old catcher feels by not being re-signed by the ChiSox will surely be lessened by that $ 7.5 million deal he inked to play for the Texas Rangers.

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Society has progressed when it comes to accepting people for who they are regardless of sexual preference, but sports locker rooms are still a place that have a ways to go. Boxer Orlando Cruz recently revealed that he is gay, but there has yet to be an NFL, MLB, or NBA player who has come out while he was playing. Houston Texans running back Arian Foster feels people are more accepting these days and doesn’t think it will be much longer before a football player comes out. Athletes who were considering making such a bold move might think again after reading Torii Hunter’s comments. Hunter is a four-time All-Star and has played in the majors since 1997. He was considered a clubhouse leader with the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels, and he told the Los Angeles Times that having a gay teammate would be “difficult and uncomfortable.” “For me, as a Christian … I will be uncomfortable because in all my teachings and all my learning, biblically, it’s not right,” Hunter told the Times. “It wil

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The calendar is about to turn to 2013 and the Major League Baseball season is drawing closer. There is still one player that I could see traded before Opening Day that would make a major difference on the upcoming season. Could the Boston Red Sox make a move to try to get Justin Upton from [...]

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