- Joined
- Sep 13, 2005
- Messages
- 15,549
- Reaction score
- 2,652
Wasn't sure where to put this, but this seems like as good a place as any. Ichiro is a treasure.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...rustrated-unsigned-bryce-harper-manny-machado
Interested to hear some takes on this. This is the second year in a row that free agency has been ground to a halt. Why do you think that is? Competitive balance in baseball has gotten really bad. Teams that don't feel like they can compete with the Red Sox, Cubs, Astros, Yankees, Dodgers, etc aren't even pretending like they're trying to win. The Reds seemed like they were getting close but said '**** it' and blew the damn thing up. Royals seemed to throw in the towel as well. Plenty of money to spend and good players to spend it on ... but nada. The tank is on in baseball ... hard.
The Cubs and Astros have made an impression. 'The Process' there took a bit longer but man did it work and clubs have taken notice. I could see owners thinking their team is so far off from competing with the big dogs that now is a good time to regroup and focus on a youth movement. Can't say I disagree. Are the Padres a Bryce Harper away from contending? Keep dreaming. It's like teams saw the stat of the fins being .500 for the past 25 years and wanted no chance of taking part in such historic irrelevance.
Basketball isn't far off but will be a non story until Durant or LeBron or whatever superstar is still a FA sitting at home when the new season approaches.
On a side note, how bout that Yanks pitching staff? Good lawdy. I hated to see Robertson go but they've replaced him and then some.
Honestly I don't think either Machado or harper are even close to being worth the contracts they are looking for.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...rustrated-unsigned-bryce-harper-manny-machado
Interested to hear some takes on this. This is the second year in a row that free agency has been ground to a halt. Why do you think that is? Competitive balance in baseball has gotten really bad. Teams that don't feel like they can compete with the Red Sox, Cubs, Astros, Yankees, Dodgers, etc aren't even pretending like they're trying to win. The Reds seemed like they were getting close but said '**** it' and blew the damn thing up. Royals seemed to throw in the towel as well. Plenty of money to spend and good players to spend it on ... but nada. The tank is on in baseball ... hard.
The Cubs and Astros have made an impression. 'The Process' there took a bit longer but man did it work and clubs have taken notice. I could see owners thinking their team is so far off from competing with the big dogs that now is a good time to regroup and focus on a youth movement. Can't say I disagree. Are the Padres a Bryce Harper away from contending? Keep dreaming. It's like teams saw the stat of the fins being .500 for the past 25 years and wanted no chance of taking part in such historic irrelevance.
Basketball isn't far off but will be a non story until Durant or LeBron or whatever superstar is still a FA sitting at home when the new season approaches.
On a side note, how bout that Yanks pitching staff? Good lawdy. I hated to see Robertson go but they've replaced him and then some.