***Official 2012-13 MLB HOTSTOVE OFF-SEASON THREAD***

Any NFL guys yet?

 

Ah let's try not to stereotype here considering the four bigger named PED users in the MLB have been American in Bonds, Clemens, McGwire and Canseco.

I do think the risk/reward of taking PEDs in those Latin countries are greater though and wouldn't blame any kid trying them to try and land with a MLB team.

 

*Hugs Wright Jersey*

 

Jayson Starks is reporting there are more names connected and could be announced later today.

 

Yeah that was it. My buddy said:

So I don't know what else is out there or what's coming.

 

Sosa, Palmero, and Juan Gonzo are pretty big names too from that era...

I am not of course all nationalities do it, but Latins are the main beneficiaries of it, look at the numbers. And honestly I don't blame them....

surprised Cano hasn't been popped yet.....

on another note I would LOVE and actually expect the Post or the Daily News to start to unleash the investigative hounds on this story as it pertains to A-Rod. That plane flight you hear overhead is them on there way lol...

 

I actually think its not a cultural thing but there is some truth to what youre saying but its because these other countries dont have drug policies as strict as we do.

 

I don't blame them either. I mean if it's either live in poor living conditions in the DR or Columbia or whatever for the rest of your life or maybe if you take this PED you can get bigger, stronger, possibly better and catch on with a MLB team and will be set for life. I don't blame any young kid in those countries taking them to try and get a better life for them and their families.

And yes Boik that's absolutely the main reason why we see Latin players getting pinched for PEDs. But bottome line is the PEDs are out there and so are the ways to beat the tests. If someone really wanted to get them and beat the system it wouldn't be too hard to find.

 

Agreed. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Hell, if I was stuck in Tuscaloosa, I'd drink a magic potion that would cut my lifespan in half, just to get the hell out of there.

 

More like A-Roid, amirite?








...I'll show myself out now.

 

Ryan Braun, Francisco Cervilli and Danny Valencia were just named as being on the Miami PED list. Clearly PEDs didn't work for two of them.

 

Add Jesus Montero's name to list too. This is getting fun now. Anyone want to take bets on who's next?

 

Michael Pineda.....

 

I was wrong Peralta is.

The Levinson clients are falling like flies.

 

Felix Hernandez just got paid.

 

7/175 for Felix....

 

As good as Felix is that contract is insane, but hey it's even insaner that Felix is only going to be 27 years old in April, at least they're still able to have some of his peak years during that length of time. But hey good for Seattle being able to keep a super duper star. That's definitely good for baseball.

 

I think trading him for prospects and spreading that money around would have been a better decision for them. Not sure.

 

The Mariners normally raise the pups and donk them off when they peak.

Not this time, great job Starbucks.

 

Have you heard anything more Braun?

What I'd heard was his name was in the clinic's record but not in the PED portion of stuff.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/stor...sulted-anthony-bosch-appeal-positive-ped-test

Something like that, but with tens of millions on the line no telling what lengths guys will go to deny something.

 

No I haven't, just what you posted.

I have heard that there are more names they haven't been made public (I don't know who those names are though) and Keith Law from ESPN made a comment in his chat yesterday they he has heard of at least 1 other player that hasn't been named yet that is a pretty big name. This isn't over by any means.

 

Michael Bourn is heading to the Indians on a 4 year 48 million dollar deal. It has a vesting option for the 5th year to bring it to 60 million.

Must say this was a pretty big surprise him going to Cleveland and only getting 12 million a year. I'm guessing teams just didn't want to surrender that draft pick for him (the new CBA is really hurting those players that get offered arbitration).

 

I can't tell you how exciting it is as an Indians fan to land Swisher and Bourn. I'm sure the players union hates this new rule, but it just might save teams in places like Cleveland where fans had pretty much given up.

 

Actually the new CBA hurts small market/bad teams since they have to give up draft picks. Cleveland doesn't have a 2nd or 3rd round pick now due to signing Swisher and Bourn, and loses draft money too. It's simply a stupid rule but whatever.

 

I dont think it was that big of a market for a speedy 18M dollar CF though....and I am glad too, because that guy isnt worth 18M.....

no worries Boras will make up for it as the Yanks pay 25M for Cano in a few months.....

 

Yeah I definitely think between his age and his lack of above average skills in anything other than speed and defense hurt him from getting bigger money but any team losing a pick for him absolutely killed his FA value.

It will be extremely interesting to see what Ellsbury gets next offseason.

 

Right - giving up picks and having an allotted amount to spend in the draft certainly hurts small markets...

...but in this once instance, the Indians having their top-10 pick protected means other teams were reluctant to bid on Swisher / Bourn and lose their 1st rounder (and therefor the $$$ to sign picks that comes with it). So the price on these guys came way down.

 

I might be wrong but I believe with the old CBA the top 10 or 15 teams had their 1st round picks protected too.

 

Now that teams are allotted a certain $$$ amount to spend on picks - losing a 1st rounder really hurts the ability to sign guys later in the draft. So the implications of losing a 1st are worse now than previously.

 

..

 

Yes you're correct then.

 

Oh it's great for the fan base (and baseball) to finally be able to keep a superstar type player like Hernandez around for that long. With that being said the move isn't without risk but Felix would probably be one of the handful of players I'd feel ok with giving a long term big money deal like that.

 

It also means he will never pitch in the playoffs........I am joking, well only half joking, maybe he does when he is 35 and a shell of himself at that poiint.....

Would love to see different teams in the playoffs, Baltimore was a great story last year, very interested to see how they do this year...

 

Yeah, well I was talking about even before they put the protective language in the contract. And yes I've seen the King's Court, I think it's great for baseball and the franchise he'll be in Seattle for at least 7 more years.

 

I agree, big year, big money contracts are starting to go out the window since the Yankees and Sox stopped shelling them out every year......Hopefuly the years of AJ Burnett types get 15M+ because they can pitch are done...

I would give huge years/money too...

King, Verlander, Kershaw, Price and that is it....literally....everybody else step up and get the Dempster treatment 13-15M

 

I'd love to see Baltimore go back but they did next to nothing this offseason. They must be expecting another season of miracles. There is that pending deal with Jair Jurrjens.... and Nate McClouth is back... how can they miss?

 

They got there because of there, say what you will, incredibly fluky record in 1 run games (29-9), if they brought that down to what the avg is then they aren't even close to being in the playoffs next year.....

 

Well now, jaws must have dropped when ole Mikey stepped on the scene.......

 

Exactly. It was a total fluke, I believe only one of their SPers started more than 25 games. They got lucky, that's not to take anything away from what they did but to expect them to repeat it would be silly.

 

Sounds like a few jealous Stripes and Sox fans if you ask me.