MLB (Non-Phils) News and Notes 2016

[allentown]

Loved the all star game as a kid in the 50s but my interest faded as I got older. Since the make the game count tie to the WS was put in place, I am actively ticked off at the all star game. This tie to home field advantage in the WS cheapens the game and IMO makes MLB look foolish.

The intense interest in the AS game from years past was lost with the adoption of inter-league play and then the availability of televised games from other cities, seemingly more frequent than we can get Phillies TV games in Allentown. Now fans have much more opportunity to watch the other league's stars on TV and even in their home stadium.

[donaldorc]

My favorite AS game ever...the first I can recall. 1964. Johnny Callison wins it with a home run in the 9th against the monster reliever, Dick Radatz. I was convinced it was the Phillies year. Short and Bunning also pitched in that game.

One of my favorite photos of all time is Callison being mobbed at the plate after the home run. He is surrounded by about 10 players, 7-8 of the who are now in the Hall of Fame.

CD, I mentioned Callison's home run up thread as my favorite memory.

[tom81]

My favorite AS game ever...the first I can recall. 1964. Johnny Callison wins it with a home run in the 9th against the monster reliever, Dick Radatz. I was convinced it was the Phillies year. Short and Bunning also pitched in that game.

One of my favorite photos of all time is Callison being mobbed at the plate after the home run. He is surrounded by about 10 players, 7-8 of the who are now in the Hall of Fame.

My favorite AS game was the year before CD. I went to the game with my family but I was bummed out after the game. I was a big Tiger fan then and Jim Bunning was the losing pitcher and the 3 hole hitter Al Kaline went 0-3.

It's hard for me to watch the game now since it starts at 8pm and I get up for work at 4:30am.

I for one like the idea of giving home advantage to the AS winner. Best record is kind of meaningless since they don't play the same teams. This gives some meaning to the game.

[LoneStarPhan]

While it is true that schedules cause teams to play different teams, at least winning should have some meaning. I see no reason to correlate anything to an exhibition game played by a collection of stars gathered for that game only, especially when the game is managed such that getting players into the game takes priority over using the players as a manager normally would if the game actually counted.

[California_Dreamin]

donaldorc..yes, that Callison home run, coming only a couple of weeks after Bunning's perfect game sure seemed to stamp '64 as the Phillies year. Not to mention...in those days, there was a belief [guess they did research to verify its validity] that if you were in 1st place on July 4th you would win the pennant.

Well, in 1964, the Phils played the Giants in SF on July 4, I know because my dad took me to the game. It was on a Saturday, right before the All-Star break. On the morning of the 4th, the Giants led by .5 game and in a tense taunt game that seemingly had everything [including the last home run of Duke Snider's illustrious career,] Hall of Famer Jim Bunning defeated Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry 5-2 in eleven innings.

This made the Phils league leaders at the END of July 4 and I went home that night believing that it was who led the league at the end of the day that would win the pennant, not the beginning of the day. Next day, Dennis Bennett outdueled another Hall of Famer, Juan Marichal, 2-1 and Phils went into the All-Star break with a 1.5 game lead. Callison's game winner came two days later.

Heady times, and the Summer of '64 is still one of the most wonderful, memorable summers I have ever had.

[California_Dreamin]

Speaking of All-Star games, I looked up the NL lineup for the 1965 game, managed by Gene Mauch and it is almost astounding....13 of the 20 guys who played are in the Hall of Fame and that doesn't include Pete Rose and Richie Allen, two guys who many feel belong there.

I mean guys like Mays, Aaron, Clemente, Santo, Williams, Torre, Koufax, Gibson, Drysdale, Stargell, Banks, Marichal. Robinson. Incredible. Only guys who looked a bit out of place were Cookie Rojas and Chico Cardenas. Maybe Turk Farrell.

[Philsmania]

Due to the talent disparity, the AL gas an unfair advantage in the ASG. If homefiels advantage is going to be determined by the ASG, than the NL needs an equalizer. Going forward, the NL should be allowed to use aluminum bats and the AL bat against restricted flight balls.

[Lawman]

Due to the talent disparity, the AL gas an unfair advantage in the ASG. If homefiels advantage is going to be determined by the ASG, than the NL needs an equalizer. Going forward, the NL should be allowed to use aluminum bats and the AL bat against restricted flight balls.

And yet, I can argue that's not the case. The premier pitchers are in the NL, and a lot of the hitters as well.

How the NL won baseball's star wars

[Lawman]

Loved the all star game as a kid in the 50s but my interest faded as I got older. Since the make the game count tie to the WS was put in place, I am actively ticked off at the all star game. This tie to home field advantage in the WS cheapens the game and IMO makes MLB look foolish.

The intense interest in the AS game from years past was lost with the adoption of inter-league play and then the availability of televised games from other cities, seemingly more frequent than we can get Phillies TV games in Allentown. Now fans have much more opportunity to watch the other league's stars on TV and even in their home stadium.

Lost its luster? Yeah, ok. But, it's still a fun exhibition game to watch. I have no problems with it, and my kids - so I assume other kids as well - feel that it's a coll and special event so they enjoy it.

[EastFallowfield]

Determining home field for WS bothers me a lot less now that I don't expect that to affect the Phillies. And not having home field was awesome in 2008!

[tom81]

mlbtraderumors.com/2016/07/p ... t-id=67095

padres-trade-drew-pomeranz-red-sox.html

[Slinging_Southpaw]

Red Sox Acquire Drew Pomeranz For Anderson Espinoza...

padres-trade-drew-pomeranz-red-sox.html

This may kick things off a little early this year.

I think the Padres could have done better by waiting.
A smallish 18 year old who is a long ways from the Major Leagues seems a bit light to me.

[bigegypt0417]

Red Sox Acquire Drew Pomeranz For Anderson Espinoza...

padres-trade-drew-pomeranz-red-sox.html

This may kick things off a little early this year.

I think the Padres could have done better by waiting.
A smallish 18 year old who is a long ways from the Major Leagues seems a bit light to me.

Espinoza is a top of the rotation prospect...thats a great deal for a guy who was pretty much a bust at one point.

[Slinging_Southpaw]

Red Sox Acquire Drew Pomeranz For Anderson Espinoza...

padres-trade-drew-pomeranz-red-sox.html

This may kick things off a little early this year.

I think the Padres could have done better by waiting.
A smallish 18 year old who is a long ways from the Major Leagues seems a bit light to me.

Espinoza is a top of the rotation prospect...thats a great deal for a guy who was pretty much a bust at one point.

Since getting out of Colorado, his numbers don't say "bust" to me.
While in Oakland, I was surprised that he was pushed to the back and to the bullpen the way he was. I was hoping to move Rollins for him, then was shocked when San Diego got him for Alonzo and a lefty reliever whose name I won't attempt to spell.
He just made the All-Star Team. If I'm Boston, I make this trade in a second.

[flyers19rw]

Red Sox Acquire Drew Pomeranz For Anderson Espinoza...

padres-trade-drew-pomeranz-red-sox.html

This may kick things off a little early this year.

I think the Padres could have done better by waiting.
A smallish 18 year old who is a long ways from the Major Leagues seems a bit light to me.

Espinoza is a top of the rotation prospect...thats a great deal for a guy who was pretty much a bust at one point.

Since getting out of Colorado, his numbers don't say "bust" to me.
While in Oakland, I was surprised that he was pushed to the back and to the bullpen the way he was. I was hoping to move Rollins for him, then was shocked when San Diego got him for Alonzo and a lefty reliever whose name I won't attempt to spell.
He just made the All-Star Team. If I'm Boston, I make this trade in a second.

Preller gets rolled again.

[tom81]

Red Sox Acquire Drew Pomeranz For Anderson Espinoza...

padres-trade-drew-pomeranz-red-sox.html

This may kick things off a little early this year.

I think the Padres could have done better by waiting.
A smallish 18 year old who is a long ways from the Major Leagues seems a bit light to me.

Espinoza is a top of the rotation prospect...thats a great deal for a guy who was pretty much a bust at one point.

Since getting out of Colorado, his numbers don't say "bust" to me.
While in Oakland, I was surprised that he was pushed to the back and to the bullpen the way he was. I was hoping to move Rollins for him, then was shocked when San Diego got him for Alonzo and a lefty reliever whose name I won't attempt to spell.
He just made the All-Star Team. If I'm Boston, I make this trade in a second.
Preller gets rolled again.

I hope Klentak is on the Phone right now with Preller asking about Will Myers!

[bigegypt0417]

Red Sox Acquire Drew Pomeranz For Anderson Espinoza...

padres-trade-drew-pomeranz-red-sox.html

This may kick things off a little early this year.

I think the Padres could have done better by waiting.
A smallish 18 year old who is a long ways from the Major Leagues seems a bit light to me.

Espinoza is a top of the rotation prospect...thats a great deal for a guy who was pretty much a bust at one point.

Since getting out of Colorado, his numbers don't say "bust" to me.
While in Oakland, I was surprised that he was pushed to the back and to the bullpen the way he was. I was hoping to move Rollins for him, then was shocked when San Diego got him for Alonzo and a lefty reliever whose name I won't attempt to spell.
He just made the All-Star Team. If I'm Boston, I make this trade in a second.
Preller gets rolled again.

Preller got a top 20 prospect for Pomeranz...I'm not sure that's getting rolled.

[Slinging_Southpaw]

I think we need to get over the numbers assigned prospects, especially if they're 18 and have never played above low A-Ball. This is a small bodied pitcher that throws hard. He'd have to be a lot closer to the Majors before I'd feel comfortable trading an in demand, LH starter, who has 2 more years of control.

[bigegypt0417]

I think we need to get over the numbers assigned prospects, especially if they're 18 and have never played above low A-Ball. This is a small bodied pitcher that throws hard. He'd have to be a lot closer to the Majors before I'd feel comfortable trading an in demand, LH starter, who has 2 more years of control.

If we're going to do that, we need to temper our opinion of a pitcher who has been in the majors for parts of 6 years and the 102 innings he's thrown this year is his high. He's also been a Reliever for a couple of years...the red sox didn't just steal Cole Hamels.

baseball-reference.com/playe ... dr01.shtml

[andyb]

I think we need to get over the numbers assigned prospects, especially if they're 18 and have never played above low A-Ball. This is a small bodied pitcher that throws hard. He'd have to be a lot closer to the Majors before I'd feel comfortable trading an in demand, LH starter, who has 2 more years of control.

Agree that his value is lower because he is so young. Espinoza is very good, however, with stuff that resembles Pedro Martinez. I would not be shocked if he is in the majors next year like Urias was this year.

I think Pomeranz should have drawn a little more return. But this is a good player they got. Preller is more interested in quality than quantity of prospects which is not necessarily wrong. It is a reason why the only deals I care about for the Phillies would be ones that get higher end prospects. Hellickson and maybe Rupp if we are bold. I just have a hard time thinking any other deal is going to net a difference-maker and deals might cause 40-man compression deal problems down the road.