The Shohei Ohtani Pitch
This piece was originally written as a baseball free-agent signing analysis– but became much, much more. It now reads as a serial, dating November 29 – December 8.
The biggest news of this MLB off-season is the soon-to-happen posting of Japanese two-way pitching & hitting star Shohei Ohtani. It will cost one MLB team a $20 million fee, but the winner will likely be getting an ace pitcher, who can also hit like a regular player– at a bargain salary & signing bonus. That has every organization and their fans' attention. Every team in MLB is waiting to see where he signs before making a significant move.
Where he goes apparently depends on the terms of use & marketability, as all 30 teams get to make their pitch in writing to his agent, per his request. That's poise & presence, and Shohei Ohtani is a generational talent– age 23. These are the teams that can offer Ohtani the most bonus money according to the new international draft rules:
Rangers ($3,535,000)
Yankees ($3,500,000)
Twins ($3,070,000)
Pirates ($2,266,750)
Giants ($1,835,000) *
Mariners ($1,557,500)
Royals ($1,505,000) *
Marlins ($1,490,000)
Cardinals ($1,247,500) *
Braves ($1,210,000) *
* Teams that exceeded their bonus pool under previous CBA and cannot sign a player for more than $300K [1]
As shown above, the difference in bonus money for Shohei Ohtani ranges from a minimum of $300,000, up to $3.5 million for a few teams. He'll make many times more than this difference in endorsements, so bonus money isn't a deciding issue, which certainly irks some big-market behemoths. This is limited form of free agency, and Ohtani is handling it with a maturity that has obviously caught a few franchises off-guard. That makes him even more attractive to those who correctly judge & value talent.
Here is Shohei Ohtani's summarized questionnaire to all 30 MLB organizations:
• An evaluation of Shohei's talent as a pitcher and/or a hitter;
• Player development, medical, training and player performance philosophies and capabilities;
• Major League, Minor League, and Spring Training facilities;
• Resources for Shohei's cultural assimilation;
• A detailed plan for integrating Shohei into the organization;
• Why the city and franchise are a desirable place to play;
• Relevant marketplace characteristics.
Facts: an ace pitcher makes an entire rotation & bullpen better. It makes a manager's job infinitely easier. There are only a few true aces in all of MLB at any given time. This is probably one, who can also hit [!], so he fits best in the NL. Why?
Assuming Shohei Ohtani gets 35 starts for an NL team and he pitches well enough to get 3.5 AB's per start, this translates into ~125 AB's over a season. Furthermore, these AB's come with much less pressure to produce, as compared to DH-ing in the AL. He doesn't need the extra pressure to produce at the plate, when he's already considered an ace pitcher. In the NL, his plate production is "bonus," which makes his job easier, and exponentially increases his value to those teams.
Furthermore, he could pinch hit (left-handed hitter) in every non-start game where a pitcher is removed, allowing the creative manger to maximize his value in versatility. That could be another 100 NL AB's– at least. If he doesn't produce at the plate, there's limited downside in the NL. In the AL, he must produce on the mound and at the plate (at the DH standard) to be perceived as valuable.
Plus the fact he wouldn't have to face the DH on the mound regularly in the NL. Which would you prefer for career longevity. and better numbers as a pitcher? Shohei Ohtani fits best in the NL and from a senior-circuit fan perspective, it would be nice to see the AL get hurt by their DH (artificial offense) rule once in awhile. They get too many advantages from it already.
There's been only one Babe Ruth for a reason, baseball is the hardest sport. Even Ruth didn't do both full-time simultaneously, and that was in the pre-integration era. Being a two-way player is a tough enough task in the easier baseball league, which is the NL. Shohei Ohtani is worth an extra 2-3 WAR per year in the NL because of this.
Everyone is just guessing where he lands, as no one knows the content the any of the teams' questionnaire responses, or what's in his heart. But undeniably, this is a brilliant approach for a man in Ohtani's position.
He'll likely choose a creative new-school manager & innovative organization. Maximum money is mostly out of the equation, to the dismay of the Yankees, Red Sox, and other big spenders. Any narrative that suggests the American League is Shohei Ohtani's preferred destination is media propaganda & east coast bias, which favors AL power teams, but ignores inherent baseball logic & statistical analysis.
I'll list my four National League favorites to land Shohei Ohtani. 1) Cubs have a championship roster and are in desperate need of an ace. They probably can't win it again without one in their current window. Joe Maddon is a progressive manger, and so is their front office. Lots of media exposure and potential marketing deals in Chicago. One of the favorites, for sure. 2) Cardinals are another smart organization with qualification & need. They desperately need an ace to solidify their young starters, or else they face a rebuild. 3) Brewers need an ace to give them innings so their young starters can keep their arms attached. Their line-up is solid, and front office above average. Milwaukee is a tough blue-collar city. 4) Padres are a dark, dark horse in the media, but a serious contender in this sweepstakes. GM AJ Preller has been aggressive in the international draft, establishing baseball academies in the Pacific rim for just this reason. Ownership will now spend the posting fee, and they have plenty of young talent, as well as an ace manager & pitching coach. Ohtani could play LF for them if he's serious (and qualified) at being a two-way player. They can only offer a $300,000 bonus.
The rest of the NL teams already have an ace (Dodgers, Nats), or are moving in the wrong direction in the win curve (Mets, Pirates, Marlins, Phillies, Reds), with behind-the-times front offices. The Diamondbacks, Rockies & Giants have significant payroll issues affecting their rosters, making their attractiveness fleeting at best. The Braves just were sanctioned by MLB over previous improprieties, so that probably eliminates them.
If Shohei Ohtani goes to the AL, it's the Yankees. The questionnaire sent by Shohei Ohtani to all the clubs asks specifically about game usage. The Yankees can't really answer that question, because they haven't hired a new manager as of this publication. [2] Ohtani will be posted in a few days, so the Yankees front office & ownership better decide on the correct skipper (& soon), so they can properly finish their homework assignment. Otherwise, they will surely lose the Ohtani sweepstakes.
So let's summarize. This is potentially the biggest impact player to come into MLB since CF Mike Trout. That means 8-10 WAR per season, for 6-8 seasons before regression. That is inner circle HoF talent, which smart teams want for a career to be a superstar for their organization. Signing him will require more than the usual maximum money, as it will also entail a mutual agreement; first proof-of-goods by the player, then a career extension deal from the organization when it's time. Every team has evaluated what he's worth to them. Shohei Ohtani is methodically doing his evaluation of each organization, to find a best career fit. I can't wait to see him go to work on the mound. Evey MLB fan wants him for their team, but the best fans really only wish him well in his decision….
Update: December 4, 2017– noon
It's now Monday morning and the Padres are still the name everyone is mentioning on Shohei Ohtani. Or not mentioning actually, as "small market west coast team" is the buzz phrase, providing a fig-leaf of anonymity. Anyways– that eliminates the Dodgers, Angels & Giants. The Oakland A's are also reportedly out. That leaves the Mariners as an AL team (disadvantage here), who are also a mess organizationally (HUGE problem). The media keeps clinging the the ghost of Ichiro-past, as if that will summon this Japanese baseball prodigy to the northwest. Anywhere but San Diego!! In reality, it is the Padres who will be getting RHP Shohei Ohtani. I know that still sounds impossible to some, but get used to it.
All the other possible-team names keep changing, and are getting no traction, but the Padres stubbornly remain on Ohtani's list. It's a mystery? These meetings he's holding with the other teams are (probably) a formality, which he's scheduled and will go through, but it's clear (to those who see) that he's already decided. This is also a play for time at this point by AJ Preller, with roster crunches and the Rule 5 Draft next week. That's why the Yankees and the rest of the ESPN-led media are so upset, as they've been played by the maestro. It's been beautiful to behold!
AJ Preller won this prize by out-thinking & out-hustling his opponent GM's. He's been the best GM in the game for awhile now, recognized by a few who notice & care. Now a few more will notice this baseball genius. Preller has a long-standing relationship with Shohei Ohtani. Preller even speaks fluent Japanese, as well as Spanish. How's that for presentation?! Other teams are cry-babying over how they didn't get a real chance to make their pitch, or they didn't know what he wanted; while Preller has worked to know this kid personally for years. It's over: Shohei Ohtani is going to San Diego, and that is why AJP just got a 3-year extension– yesterday. How upset is ESPN & the east coast media? They know all this, but don't mention it in their write-ups or on TV. They can't, they're too enraged, self-interested & bitter…
AJP went into shutdown mode on Shohei Ohtani. There was zero media in the Padres forums concerning contending for Shohei Ohtani, which is what both sides (that mattered) wanted. The only flak or mentions in their forums came from this inquisitive independent baseball writer with too much time on his hands. When posting time came (Friday), AJ Preller flew in under-the-radar, and is about to land the pitching prodigy everyone coveted– for the minimum signing bonus & the $20 million posting fee.
It takes a genius to see the inconceivable and then pull it off. Preller has now won the last two international drafts by a wide margin, seeing how the Braves were recently stripped for their 2016-17 improprieties. Preller did it by spending more than anyone ever thought possible that time around. It was an ingenious strategy that caused great consternation & envy, leading to changes in the CBA rules last winter, with caps now set on international spending. This time around, with the Padres supposedly sitting in the $300,00 penalty box, Preller cashes in a longterm relationship for his organization, landing the biggest prize of them all. That's magic [!], and Padres fans love it!!
A few points on usage with Padres manager Andy Green, and their ace pitching coach Darren Balsley. Shohei Ohtani is a pitcher first. Pitchers are typically at the mercy of their manager & organization, when it comes to game usage & medical brains. See RHP Mark Prior, who incidentally is now with the Padres front office. The best way for a stud pitcher to avoid a blowout, is to pick an organization that takes medical science seriously and values their players as more than just a piece of meat. An organization needs to take a pitcher's opinions & philosophy into account on a human interaction level. The Padres now do this. Honestly they are the only team that checks all these boxes, so this choice is perfectly rational for Shohei Ohtani– despite what conventional-wisdom pundits may blather.
Too many old school managers push for too many innings from their young pitchers, while not expecting enough out of their veterans. The new school (correct) thinking is just the reverse, as young arms need extra protection from fatigue, until their arm strength builds up. Veteran starters need to pitch effectively through 6 innings minimum, and better yet into the 7th & 8th, to have much value. Veterans should 1) win games for good teams; and 2) have lower bullpen usage during their starts– as compared to younger starters. The same concept also applies to relievers on their usage scale.
Shohei Ohtani is probably a right handed ace (and no less than a #2), who hits left-handed. Reportedly as a hitter he strikes out a lot, but has good power. Possibly a left-handed Hunter Renfroe [?], meaning he could hit as high as 7th or 6th– on a good team. In any instance it gives him (and his team) an edge on the mound and makes his manager's job much easier– if used properly. He'll be giving his team more wins per start in the NL due to this. Baseball is much more interesting & real this way, don't you think?
The San Diego Padres now jump two steps ahead in their winning curve, and every plan towards winning a World Series just got accelerated. This ship had already been moving faster than the rest in it's building, and now they have signed the equivalent of LeBron James. In the NL West, Shohei Ohtani will be featured in LA, SF, Denver & Phoenix regularly as they play each other 18 times/season. I imagine the Yankees & Red Sox will now want the Padres to visit their ballparks when Interleague play rotates back around, instead of playing every game at Petco. The Padres are also about to sell 20,000+ new season tickets. How does that grab you?
Monday 6:00 PM
The Padres plan when Ohtani signs with them will be to sign a veteran pitcher to perform well and eat innings. I said it already: RHP Hu Darvish for 4 years for a rotation of #3 Clayton Richard, #4 Luis Perdomo & #5 Dinelson Lamet. LHP Robbie Erlin & RHP Colin Rea sent to AAA as TJ rehabs, waiting if someone falters or goes down, or a 6-man rotation becomes necessary. Plenty of young pitching depth with upside at AA on down, so it only gets better moving forward. No more talk anymore about reuniting with RHP Jhoulys Chacin, which is a nice upgrade.
LHP Brad Hand is the Padres closer, and everyone else will regret not getting him when they had their chance(s). Preller would have dealt him if someone had made a fair offer, but everyone low-balled him. That has a way of motivating players & organizations. A few effective bullpen pieces are also returning, with AJP likely finding the rest at a discount– as usual. RHP Carter Capps is the wild card in the 2018 bullpen mix.
C Hedges, 1B Myers, 2B Asuaje/Urias, SS stopgap FA/Tatis Jr, 3B Solarte/Spangenberg, RF Renfroe, CF- Margot, LF Pirela. In LF the Padres could make a trade for Christian Yelich or Ryan Braun to fill a huge need. JD Martinez in free agency? With Ohtani, Darvish & LF; the Padres are a wild card team in the NL West.
Padres will have improved OBP & defense, with a rotation to now match up with the big boys. AJ Preller needs to carefully manage payroll because Ohtani, Margot, Tatis and the rest need to be locked up for this plan to work. Note that neither Hu Darvish nor JD Martinez cost a compensation pick, because they were traded in 2017. In the NL, the Padres will have leap-frogged the Braves, Pirates, Marlins, Cardinals, Brewers & Rockies to be about even with the Diamondbacks, but with more upside. They were already better than the Reds, Phillies, Giants & Mets.
MLB Winter Meetings run December 10-14, and end with the Rule 5 Draft, which Preller takes seriously. I don't know what the lag time is between signing Ohtani and having to add him to the roster, but it matters, if indeed the Padres are about to close this deal, which I believe they are. As far as the rest of MLB goes, everyone will be sour grapes and hate on the Padres for this. People publicly wish Shohei Ohtani the best, but really want him only for themselves. It's human nature, but I agree it gets ugly too often in sports (and everywhere else) these days.
Here's a lesson in cyber-warfare. During spring training 2017, I published an article on the possibility of the Padres acquiring Ryan Braun. It was a theoretical trade piece I wrote, because I had a strong notion that deal was being quietly discussed. Evidently was on the mark, and it exploded that trade possibility. Since then I have had a much-more difficult time posting in all MLB forums. It has required finding and removing an encryption code, which holds-up posts from publication. I was also never allowed to edit in the 5-minute window anymore. It had to be perfect when it was posted, or else I had to delete & repost, or just leave it. Responding to others was limited or impossible. Ghosting & playing with the window in-your-face, are other nasty tactics.
Since about a week ago, I've magically been allowed to do everything normally again.
Anyone seen this beauty before?
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Fangraphs published an Ohtani piece yesterday that mentioned the Padres, then immediately dismissed them as a serious option. And this is called "serious" sports journalism? The Hardball Times and the rest are all the same, meaning they're in denial.
Today it's a concession piece, that reads as if it's been wrung out of them, as Fangraphs HATES this, but acceptance is slowly coming as we can see. It feels like outsiders are listening in here (sorta call & response like), don't you think? We're all being played, Black Hand interests lurk everywhere with AJP conducting. Shohei Ohtani the subject, and I the artist narrating.
What is real & fake news? One dialectical discovery I've made in this process is the east coast bias is a specific political tendency, with serious reach & power. The puppet masters remain hidden, but their masks are being exposed, layer by layer. They fear & hate this above all.
Tuesday– December 5, 2017: ~10:00 AM
"Stability" has become the new Padres buzz word in their media releases. AJP will likely soon get back to scouting for next June's amateur draft, where the Padres pick 7th. The international draft can be won even when sitting in the $300K penalty box, that is this year's lesson. AJP is already planning his strategy for the next round, in which the Padres will again be limited to $300,000 max signing bonus. AJP is a baseball savant who outworks everyone else by miles.
BTW, "stability" is another signal for an Ohtani signing, as it means you have an ace, so you can settle down in the acquisition market. Stability in MLB means filling in needs, without making big trades– and then going with it. We'll see if he actually means this, or if this is just another balloon being floated. Their current 2018 payroll commitments are well-under $40 million. Padres 2018 could be anything from another tough learning year, to a magical one. Certainly it will be more exciting.
The Padres dead money is: Matt Kemp (Hector Olivera), James Shields, Jedd Gyorko; minus KCR money for LHP Travis Wood, and LAD money for Matt Kemp– all of which balances to $6 million in 2018. Another $2M for the Padres in 2019, and that's it.
AJP got compensation picks for J Upton & I Kennedy; traded Kimbrel for a bounty; then dumped the rest in 2016 including: Shields, Rodney, Pomeranz, M Upton, Kemp, Cashner & Norris; while keeping his best players: Myers, Solarte & Hand. Longtime prospects Renfroe, Hedges & Margot have filled in much better, with more to come. Soon it will be time to step up and fill in some needs, possibly in free agency, since they are acquiring an ace in Ohtani.
When Shohei Ohtani signs in San Diego, the Padres have the money to get a top-tier free-agent starter (ie– Darvish, Arrieta) and a LF bat (JD Martinez), without breaking their budget. This allows them to not have to trade any of their best prospects from their top-rated system. The Padres are about to become "instant contenders," although knowledgeable fans know this took a lot of hard work. This team will have competitive staying power & upside, which is the last thing Dodgers & Giants want. That's why this narrative is being dismissed by the biased media.
More reports of the Padres as leading contenders for Ohtani are starting to filter into MLB & ESPN news feeds. They're going to have to report it, when it happens, after all this hype. Most aren't thrilled, and certainly don't understand. Anyone who has read this piece, knows more on this story & the Padres than all the mass media writers contributions– combined!
One week ago, I was the only person in the world (outside of those few who secretly already knew), who considered this deal a possibility for the Padres. I have written this story as it has developed, dissecting every relevant aspect. Normally a writer could expect to sell this story to a major media outlet (when it actually breaks), as this is the authentic account, and people would love to know how it actually happened. The only mainstream "analysis" will be clips, snippets & watered down versions from what I've written here. I will receive no references, nor acknowledgment that I was correct all along.
When you are blacklisted, you have to set your expectations differently. There will be no Sports Illustrated or Yahoo for me, only the satisfaction that I unfolded this story in inimitable artistic style in real time, and it will stand over everything else here for posterity. I did it when everyone else either: 1) didn't have a clue, or 2) was lying.
Tuesday ~12:30 PM
Here's my comment on this MLB piece concerning Shohei Ohtani's meeting with the San Francisco Giants bandwagon delegation today.
Reality check for Giants fans: No Ohtani. No Stanton. Still old, contract-laden, and a last-place team. Time to rebuild.
This is fun. Who's next? Working on a haiku for the Dodgers [!]. Seventy (70) people listening in that Giants MLB forum right now. This is how I have to market, promote & distribute myself as a blacklisted artist & journalist. Making money and getting 'hits' for others…
Tuesday ~2:00 PM
Source: Angels agree with prospect Maitan
Plan A: Ohtani, not happening
Plan B: top SS-prospect Kevin Maitan
A+ grade GM work getting that money from the Braves, to steal their stripped prospect! I respect that, in this line of work.
Padres fan cheatsheet for Red Sox haters on the 2016 "AJP Suspension" by MLB
1) The suspension was officially for "undisclosed anti-inflammatories" used by LHP Drew Pomeranz. Pitchers take ibuprofen regularly, so figure that weak stuff out.
2) AJP offered Anderson Espinoza back, and the Red Sox (Dave Dombrowski) refused. They whine either way.
3) Red Sox used ESPN and their media mouthpieces (Buster Olney) to slant national coverage in their interest.
4) Red Sox have a notorious history of whining when they don't win.
5) Red Sox are the most ungracious winners in MLB, their fan's conduct is insufferable and that is why they're hated even more than the Yankees these days.
6) RHP Anderson Espinoza is recovering from Tommy-John surgery, he'll be back in 2019.
I'll publish my haiku titled "Sunday Match-up" now, since it's unlikely to be seen or appreciated in the Dodgers MLB forum– which moves at 10-12+ comments/minute, and ejects non-Dodgers fans quickly. Their television market is largely blacked-out, as ~60% of the LA residents can't watch a Dodgers game on TV. Thus the intense social media activity, which has more volume than the Yankees, by far. I wonder if the Dodgers brass even considered this to be a negative when they began in this "sweepstakes"?
A haiku is a Japanese poem, 3 lines in length, with a 5-7-5 syllable structure.
Sunday Match-up
Kershaw — Ohtani
Padres baseball thus springs forth
It's best– don't you think?
Tuesday, ~5:30 PM
Fangraphs prospect chat today:
Gavin: Where would Shohei Ohtani the pitcher and Shohei Ohtani the hitter fall in MLB Prospect Rankings, respectively?
Eric A Longenhagen: #1/In the 125-200 range
Eric Longenhagen is one of the few baseball analysts in the media I actually respect. He takes prospects seriously, and uses a sound method in his analysis. He has quite an online following. The chat begins with a barrage of questions on Ohtani going to the Padres, which he really can't answer.
Seattle Mariners record in 2017: 74-88
Seattle Mariners payroll obligations– no options 2018-23:
$151.5M $131.7M $108.3M $120.9M $129.2M $108.1M
So where do the Mariners fit in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes? They have an important role as the ever-hopeful dupes. The "west coast small market" label is Seattle, but comparable to the real winner– San Diego. This throws enough people off the scent for AJP, who needs until the end-of-the-week or so, to clear the Rule 5 Draft– as previously discussed. Hard to believe that a fringy minor-leaguer Preller is unwilling to part with, and a prospect arm from another organization whom he likes (?), are what's holding everything up on Ohtani– but there you are.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto declined to comment on the current situation, he spoke openly of his team's plans to pursue Ohtani on his Wheelhouse Podcast two weeks ago.
"We're not joking around," Dipoto said on the podcast. "We're bringing the big guns. We're bringing the 'A' team. When we sit down, we'll be sitting down with very notable faces, and that is a part of what we want to sell. We want to sell the Seattle experience and what it means to Japanese-Americans, our culture and how this organization has trended so positively when we have the star Japanese player. And make no mistake, this is a star Japanese player. He's gifted. He's going to make some team a lot better."
Think of the Mariners as the dopey guy who thinks he is about to meet (and possibly win) the most beautiful woman anyone has ever seen, but in reality is being played– as she's already taken. Even if Dipoto feels he being used (which he is), he still can't resist, because the prize is too beautiful.
The Rule 5 Draft is where many GM's make mistakes that cost their organization, without anyone knowing until much later. AJP got right-handed starter Luis Perdomo from the Cardinals in the 2015 Rule 5 Draft. The Cards sure could use that extra starter now. Last year Preller traded to corner the top three picks [!] in the Rule 5 Draft, and every selection is still with the organization & protected.
Catcher Luis Torrens is an illustrative example of sloppy management leading to opportunistic vulturing. Preller knew the Padres weren't going to win in 2017, so he gambled on talent acquisition and came up huge. NY Yankees GM Brian Cashman had four prospects Rule 5 drafted a year ago, and three were returned– all are now gone, either washing out or traded away. The fourth guy was Torrens, who now is safely tucked away in the Padres system. Luis Torrens will start in AA or AAA, and be ready for a call-up, as he saw quite a bit of MLB action in 2017. Padres kept three Rule 5 players, and went 71-91, as Andy Green & Brad Hand got them 12 wins above their Pythagorean.
The real reason the Yankees lost this valuable catching prospect is because Cashman was too hasty in signing free agent DH Matt Holliday. There wasn't even a hot market for him, but Cashman inked him on December 7, 2016. and had to had him to their 40-man roster for the Rule 5 Draft on December 8, 2016, leaving Torrens exposed. If Brian Cashman had waited another day or two on Holliday, he could have avoided this loss. Holliday was worth 0.0 WAR in 2017, and is now a free agent again.
The Rangers keep being mentioned in the Ohtani mix, but really were a shaky bet (at best) from the start, even when no one knew. When they dumped RHP Hu Darvish at the 7/31 deadline, that killed any chance they could ever have. Darvish was reportedly upset that he was even offered, then ultimately traded to the Dodgers for a prospect haul. He wasn't consulted, or asked how he felt about it. The Rangers have 0% chance of re-signing Darvish now, and the only "Ohtani connections" the Texas Rangers ever had, were when AJ Preller was their director of scouting before he came to be GM of the Padres. Those stale 'connections' won't help Texas in this case.
After the Yankees, the Cubs were the toughest competitor for the Padres in this hunt– in my earlier estimations. Still a heavyweight but look closely, as this organization is already starting to crumble after its magical 2016 World Series season. RHP Jake Arrieta is gone, and not worth resigning– due to over-usage. Ace closer Aroldis Chapman even voiced his feelings over being abused my Maddon in the World Series after he signed with the Yankees. Joe Maddon has slipped quite a bit in the eyes of those who seriously evaluate MLB managers, especially after a few Anthony Rizzo dirty slides, which he defended adamantly. Pitching coach Jim Hickey has been a big part of Maddon's success, and that gets overlooked too much. Cubbies have the resources, but are not as progressive as some would have you believe.
That covers all the candidates, as of today the field has supposedly been reduced to seven (7) teams: Angels, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, Padres and Rangers. I've outlined the facts with all the reasoning. Now you decide: fake news or the truth?
Tuesday ~ 10:30 PM (Last post for today)
As typhoon Ohtani starts to zero in on San Diego, AJ Preller is doing what he's done a few times already, to the irritation of more than a few rival GM's. AJP is controlling the market, as he's held the winning lottery ticket from the start, with the 29 other GM's (more-or-less) in the dark. Recall that AJP managed the 2016 trading window up to the 8/1 deadline in that campaign in the same fashion; dumping junk and grabbing whatever he could get. He glutted the market with mediocrity, thus devaluing everything in its wake. It was a tsunami, and 15-20 teams got washed up in it.
As far as this Rule 5 Draft goes, which is to be held on December 14th from 9-11 AM in Orlando, FL: there is no way AJP is scrapping any long-held plans for acquiring young talent on the cheap. The east coast media will surely pressure him to get this Ohtani deal done faster, when they figure out what's been going on here. Leadership means hold fast, when others advise you to yield. All this is why AJ Preller is the best GM in MLB.
Wednesday December 6, 2017: ~11:00 AM
When Shohei Ohtani declares his intention to sign with the Padres, the other 29 teams can finally get back to business. The actual signing process involves the Padres paying the $20 million posting fee to MLB, which is then transferred to Ohtani's former Japanese professional club. When the paperwork is finished & returned on that, then Ohtani is officially released from his Japanese-league contract, and can sign with the Padres. I'm estimating the whole process will take about a week or so. Just as long as Ohtani is officially inked with the Padres by next Friday (December 15), or later. This is so AJ Preller can do his Rule 5 Draft magic, and then make the necessary roster adjustments afterwards, so he doesn't lose any assets. AJP dosen't want to pull a Brian Cashman/Luis Torrens boner here.
Of course, the Padres brass will need to appear surprised & completely tickled over this unexpected turn-of-events, when the Ohtani decision is announced. They could never dream of being the recipients of such good fortune [!], but nonetheless it's true. At that point, everybody in the Padres organization will have to screw on a straight face for the media, in the final act of this affair. By now, astute baseball readers should understand this whole ordeal to be the "Ohtani Affair," as opposed to "sweepstakes." There was never any 'open' competition, once it was agreed-to by MLB to post Ohtani– allowing him a 21-day free-agency window. When that owners' agreement was unanimously ratified, the Padres had just won– although no else knew it. That's the definition of under-the-radar.
More & more, the truth is start to filter into the major media sports news, and especially into the comments section of MLB forums. Most baseball fans are actually ahead of many of the MLB writers and "experts" in their assessments & conclusions. Many eager fans have been digging for days & weeks, trying to find some relevant facts & analysis they can hang their hats on– mostly to no avail. Slowing, but surely the facts & broad outline of events are seeping onto the Internet, somehow [?].
I expect Friday to be the Ohtani announcement day. After that, everyone in MLB packs up & flies to Orlando, for the Winter Meetings, which start on Monday, December 11. Not much left for me to discuss until then. I've covered it all, and once again have gotten ahead of the story. This happens to me a lot. I get my hooks into something compelling, just as it's developing, and then find myself ahead of the curve during my research and writing. This has happened again, so now I will patiently wait for the predicted & inevitable result…
I also feel we are near the end, because this whole affair reminisces my Hurricane Irma Diary. In both situations, I place myself within the actual story, and consciously direct the action– while narrating it to the world. I feel this good-time movie is about to end, as it feels like Midnight Run (1988), in which I am Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas (Charles Grodin); trapped, compelled, and carried along in a mad adventure that drives everyone crazy. It's running time is 126 minutes, so it goes on somewhat longer than your typical movie, but you're never bored; just exhausted, satisfied and relieved when it's over. If anyone asks for my credentials: Special Agent Alonzo Mosely– FBI.
Wednesday ~2:30 PM
The Padres will end this charade with Seattle & themselves being the finalists. I forecast this list will go from 7 to 2– suddenly. Seattle's GM Jerry Dipoto is comparable to Midnight Run-character Marvin Dorfler (John Ashton), a useful but greedy tool whom everyone keeps around when needed, but is cut-out when the pie is sliced at the end. Both see success in visions before their eyes, and both are always thinking– just before they crash their planes into a mountain. Dipoto too will be flying home, unfulfilled. All flights are non-smoking now, so I still wonder on that one a bit…
AJ Preller has to repair all this collateral damage which has occurred during this bloody campaign. This whole process was considered "going to war" by all 30 MLB teams. That's how high the stakes are. Simply understanding AJP's rationale (as I've shown) goes a long ways towards healing for many. Honestly, a lot of teams & their fans behaved very badly during this whole Ohtani-affair. The should be ashamed of themselves and look within, but instead heap derision & scorn at the victors and the prize. These haters all need to be exposed as frauds and shouted-down, permanently. The Ohtani campaign by the Padres since his posting, has been a coming-out party for this organization. Call it a surprise party, if you will.
This franchise is now officially a heavyweight, for the next 6-8 years. No other franchise outside the Yankees & Dodgers can own that statement. Can you imagine Clayton Kershaw facing Shohei Ohtani on the mound, AND in the Padres line-up? It's happening, as it's already a haiku. That's going to be an AL-type batting order 1-9, when he pitches & hits for the Padres. No one in the NL wants to face that, and most in the AL doesn't either.
I'll admit I've had a roaring fun time crashing this Padres private party. I figure that after I get done bringing in Ohtani's ass, I'll call up AJP & get my cut of that $300,000, and then open up a nice coffee shop. For all you aspiring bloggers, let me just say that doing what I've done requires talent & dedication, as it's a very tricky business. Over half of new blogs go under within a year. I'm not saying that as your advisor, I'm just saying that if I was your advisor, I'd have to strongly advise you against it, because it's a very tricky business.
A final significant parallel to this 1988 cinema classic are the surveillance teams. "Are they good or bad guys?" is the question that runs throughout the film. You can now figure out your own scorecard on any covert media activity in the Ohtani affair.
As far as the inner loop for the Padres goes, it starts with AJP & majority-owner Ron Fowler. AJP has been given complete control of baseball operations, so this was his baby all the way. His core group is manager: Andy Green, farm director: Sam Geaney, and scouting director: Mark Conner. They were undoubtedly in on this, early. Their media has been perfectly in-sync, indicating a long-planned & well-executed PR campaign, which went under-the-radar. That means the Padres media was in on it too. Preller unplugged the east coast immediately, particularly when the Yankees (and such) tried to bring out their brass bandwagons. That reduces buzz factor, and that was what the primary interested parties wanted.
The midwest big boys (Cubs & Rangers) have been left on low heat all along. Just being "alive" is consider awesome by some still. The west coast has been split between big & small market size. This put the Padres, Mariners & A's in one camp; and the Dodgers, Giants & Angels in the other. The A's were immediately eliminated. The big-market angle has been played as a negative, while small-market as positive. This keeps the west coast on a medium simmer overall. Nice hot stove cooking by AJP.
In poker, it's how you play em' that counts. In this game AJP held a straight flush all along, even before the cards were supposedly dealt. The Angels adapted quickly, shifting to the top international prospects which the Atlanta Braves had just lost. That makes the Halos big secondary winners here. Meanwhile, the Yankees, Rangers, etc have all sat on their thumbs waiting for Ohtani to change his mind.
The Angels even used next year's bonus pool money to make these valuable talent acquisitions. This year's international talent is going… going… gone [!], and the east coast big boys are still at the table with the biggest piles of unused chips. Who do you spend those millions on now, if you are Brian Cashman or Jon Daniels? It's only usable until early-July, 2018. Then everyone replenishes & resets, as the next wave of young exploitable intentional talent gets this form limited free agency. All the cream has been signed.
Look at the list I copied & pasted from MLB.com at the beginning of this piece, which showed top remaining international money to spend, by team & amount. Those teams that wished instead of worked, lost all around. You gotta admit it, AJ Preller played this one beautifully.
Shohei Ohtani has handled his interests impeccably, as he was obviously asked to work with the Padres organization concerning the exact date of his signing. His Japanese club the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League, and all his support staff have surely aided in this. Shohei Ohtani is already proving he's an accommodating team player, even in making his American star debut.
I have to keep reminding myself that I need to report the mass media activity, as an accurate representation of what's happened. Because as soon as this real story breaks, everyone changes their narrative and claims "I knew it was the Padres all along." I posted the earlier "Kershaw vs Ohtani AL-lineup," snippet as a comment in the MLB Ohtani piece this afternoon. At the time, the Ohtani story was positioned second, below Aaron Boon as new Yankees manager, but above yet-another Giancarlo Stanton trade-talk piece. An hour later in the MLB main feed, the Ohtani story was dropped to 5th. Impressive, no?
Bonzai! I just checked the Padres MLB site and there's this new article.
Preller expects to be busy at Winter Meetings
From talkin' trade to the Rule 5 Draft, GM has full to-do list
Preller said. "I get the sense that things are going to start to open up, and you'll start to see some activity."
Padres beat writer AJ Cassavell & AJ Preller are just precious together, don't you think?
I'm sitting in my underwear & t-shirt in central Florida, on the edge of my seat with anticipation…
Actually I'm grateful, as I interpret this as tomorrow. That's nice, I can finally sign-off for the day. Sayonara.
Thursday December 7, 2017 ~ 10:00 AM
As expected this morning, nothing new on MLB.com or the Padres MLB site, so I check back with Fangraphs. Fangraphs is baseball analytics site is run by Dave Cameron, who held an online fan Q & A chat yesterday. Here are some relevant questions he fielded on Shohei Ohtani, along with his replies…
Jack: What team would benefit the most from acquiring Ohtani?
Dave Cameron: Probably the Giants or Mariners, both of whom have questionable futures once their core ages out of contention in the not too distant future.
Hae-Lo Dee: You're handed a thousand dollars with the stipulation that it has to be placed on a bet for what team Ohtani signs for. Which team do you put it on?
Dave Cameron: Probably the Mariners.
Hae-Lo Dee: What do you think the chances are that Ohtani has decided already, but is playing out the decision for no reason other than due diligence?
Dave Cameron: I'd guess he probably had a preference going into this thing, but is open to a team changing his mind.
Bob: Rank the 7 teams still in on Ohtani in order of probability of landing him (in your opinion).
Dave Cameron: SEA-SF-big gap-LAD-ANA-SD-TEX-CHC
Matt H: What would a moderately optimistic estimate of Ohtani's 2018 WAR be?
Dave Cameron: +6
Dave Cameron: Alright, have to go meet with a lawyer for a bit. Thanks for hanging out everyone.
Fangraphs also published an Ohtani article, making a case for him going to the Cubs. I wrote-up that angle a few days ago, and today it's dead; but here's Fangraphs covering it now. Almost every time I go to their site, I get a pop-up window asking me for money. No thanks.
Thursday ~ noon
Why do I keep punishing Fansgraphs, ESPN and the shills at MLB? It's not just because they are liars. AJ's Cassavell & Preller lie too, but when I bust them in the comments section of their forums, they've learned to notice & react appropriately. They acknowledge my power & influence, and know they can't fool me– so we're cool. A lie only hurts, if you believe it.
With Fangraphs and the rest of those fucks, they simply refuse to admit they've been busted down to their underwear, and continue to lie as before. This is the same as Trump, Clinton, Bush, Sanders and all the rest of politics, personified and refracted through the lens of media manipulation– known as east coast bias.
Today is Pearl Harbor Day. On this day in 1941, Japanese imperialism launched a surprise attack on the US naval base in Hawaii, thus bringing the United States & Japan into conflict. World War II ended with two atomic bombs being dropped on the civilian cities of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. Most Japanese people still consider this horrible act to be a war crime. Most Americans view it differently.
San Diego maintains the largest naval fleet & marine base in the world, so any of this "small market" stereotyping that's been going on during the Ohtani affair, is completely ridiculous. I often wonder how foreign players feel when the "Star-Spangled Banner" is being played, while they are surrounded by full military trappings & jet fly-overs? Sometimes, I feel like I'm the only one who thinks these thoughts.
I've gone back and edited everything from start to finish, correcting all typos and other mistakes, added links, etc. This running summary of events is around 7500 words, spanning a week-and-a-half in time. The irony of this Ohtani story is that when it "breaks," this authentic account will be completed, while everyone else scrambles to get their version of the truth published & noticed. That's how blacklists and fake news interact.
Thursday ~1:30 PM
This is new, (but listed 3rd) on the Padres MLB homepage:
Report: Padres met with Ohtani on Tuesday
By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell
SAN DIEGO — The Padres were the last of the seven teams to meet with two-way Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani, doing so on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, according to Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan…
It appears that Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan is about to "break the story," Shohei Ohtani is going to the San Diego Padres! Soon will be "official." Ain't that something? I know I'll be relieved, because if it had been the Mariners or Dodgers, I was going to have a lot of re-editing to do.
Also in the news during this 10-day span: Trump ready to go to war with North Korea; Wildfires burning out of control in California; Massive tax cuts for rich approved by both houses of Congress; Conflicts within US ruling class intensify following Flynn guilty plea; Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital sparks anger & protests; etc…
Over & Out
Friday, December 8, 2017 ~1:00 PM
There's an old expression is baseball that goes; it ain't over until it's over.
It looks like there are a few clowns who want to go extra innings, when the score is 128-0. I've already introduced this Charlie Brown caricature, take a look at his latest weak stuff.
Despite scrutiny, officials expect MLB probe after Shohei Ohtani decision
11:55 AM ET Buster Olney ESPN Senior Writer
This will surely backfire into kamikazee, anti-east coast bias feedback– from fans who know the source. But that doesn't mean they won't try their worst! These rabid dog pack-journalists never will learn, and therefore they must be beaten into submission. That is a valuable lesson. I'm thinking possibly an "undisclosed Rule 5 Draft agenda…"
Still no "official" announcement Shohei Ohtani has chosen the Padres. Likely later this afternoon (IMO), west coast time. The posting & transfer process will then begin. Of course, it's late on the east coast and already Saturday in Japan, so they'll get back to it on Monday there, which will be Sunday here. Crazy timing, huh?
Here's another little coincidence for you. When I went to check the MLB site(s) on Friday morning– December 8, their page format which they have used for the last 5+ years has been completely changed. This is for the main site and ALL the teams; COMPLETELY reformatted, with everything repositioned and jumbled around. People are obviously confused, as the number of comments is way down. Maybe this is due to the fact that many comments' sections that don't even load. I try to post something on the latest Stanton piece— forget-about-it! This gets me thinking…
I click on a few of my links above, and they all load, but only the article [!]– no comments that others & I posted are to be seen. It's a good thing I saved & published everything I posted, otherwise MLB, it's writers, and fans wouldn't have access to what happened during the Ohtani affair. Hey, I'm always thinking.
Friday, 2:18 PM
It would be wise & brave for the Padres war room to agree to whole-heartedly take on this unfair east coast bias, while the iron is hottest. The east coast powers-that-be will never respect the Padres, until they kick a little ass in this area. Also, what about the kid's feelings? Speak from your heart when you declare Shohei Ohtani! This is a watershed franchise moment for the Padres, and a crossroads for MLB.
I can interfere no longer, you must use the force wisely AJP.
If A.J. Preller is a genius (and he is), then what am I?
Wile E. Coyote, super-genius, and it's just like that Mel Blanc cartoon character, as we both have guile & ingenuity, but ACME keeps sending us defects, so everything always blows up in our faces. We're both funnier & easier to understand when our voices are heard. It may be hilarious to watch on television, but how many times can you be sent off a cliff, plunging a thousand feet below into a 'poof' of smoke, and then dust yourself off still dazed & hungry, trying to figure out another brilliant plan while the brainless roadrunner zooms by again?
Proof: MLB reports Shohei Ohtani signs with the Angels.
Friday, December 8 6:11 PM
I had waited to see if this was a zig-zag by AJP, to short-circuit a potential MLB investigation, but it isn't. He may still be investigated, even though he lost. I leave what I've published above untouched, as this article is a character study more than anything else, and I have no issue admitting I was wrong about where RHP Shohei Ohtani would land in the end. It appears the Black Hand has stepped in, and there's nothing anyone can do about that at this time.
The official Padres narrative is now that they lost Ohtani because they didn't have enough money, and he wanted to DH. That's just the opposite of what everybody claimed & indicated for weeks & weeks, but now it's suddenly peddled as the truth. In a nutshell, the Red Sox were never players here, so their strategy was to foil the apparent victors– the Padres (whom they HATE), forcing Preller to kick Ohtani to his buddy Billy Eppler, or else MLB (Red Sox) would have eventually stripped and sanctioned the Padres. When ESPN media ran out Buster Olney, that was the signal. AJP complied.
The Black Hand message: move along everybody– move along; nothing to see here. This blog has done major damage to MLB, ESPN, many others' credibility– even the Padres. No apologies to any of them.
That was my ultimate purpose from the start, as I am a revolutionary socialist, against this form of capitalist exploitation. Shohei Ohtani is worth many times more than what he's getting, and so are all the others. As a Padres fans I would have loved to have him, but wish him well with the Angels. In sum, AJP may have overplayed his hand [?], and probably should have closed the deal with Ohtani as soon as he could of, instead of concerning himself too much with the Rule 5 Draft. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, and sometimes something greater things matters more.
Wile E Coyote is at his wits end, a bit scathed, and "officially" Over & Out in this blog episode.
[Final editing completed 9:52 AM Saturday, December 9. No one is smart enough to figure all THAT out– instantly.]
Buster Busted:
Final image uploaded at 12:13 PM, Sunday December 10, 2017
Final score in extra, EXTRA innings: Angels— 150, as they got Ohtani, Maitan and a few others for being Johnny-on-the-spot, combined with good hustling by GM Billy Eppler. That earns him a promotion to Taipan; Padres-– 50, (for merit in wisely avoiding a bigger trap (set by the Red Sox); MLB & the rest— 0. Ric Size— infinity.
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Posted in Economics, Film & Mass Media, Politics, Sports	| Tagged East Coast Bias, MLB international draft, San Diego Padres
Sexual Politics: Witch Hunts & Blacklists
What is currently going on in the US media is nothing less than a witch hunt against male celebrities. Today, a celebrity is broadly defined as anyone on TV: athlete, actor, musician, politician, etc. The first question that must be asked is: Who is directing this? This has clearly been a planned-out & coordinated campaign, with political orders being carried out by media interests & their minions.
It began with Harvey Weinstein, a despicable Hollywood figure, which is significant. Witch hunts are roving moral blacklists, that descend upon their prey in an ordered & calculating manner. Since no one cares for Harvey Weinstein, he's an easy first target. Everyone who personally hates him, or is with the current political agenda, gets their cut. Once established as legitimate, witch hunts takes on a life of their own. There are very few who defend fundamental democratic principles such as: presumptive innocence before definitive proof, the accuser facing the accused with their claims, or the right to privacy.
Instead we get yellow journalism, muck-raking and lies; 24/7/365 from CNN & the New York Times. The "Russian interference" campaign has worn too thin for too long, so here's the change-up. The analogy in baseball is when the smart hitter ignores this garbage as well, and takes ball four– again.
Barry Bonds was the greatest baseball player of his generation, and most-likely– ever. The video below is proof of this, as well as a quick slide into the sports side of blacklisting; namely Barry Bonds' MLB Hall-of-Fame candidacy. Why are all these pitchers & pundits so afraid to throw a strike, or face the truth? [1]
Little boys, pretending to be men, to all the guys / Hysterical girls, posing as women, for all the gals — Ric Size "Unsung"
In the mass media, there is no truth, just a non-stop side-show of distractions. When was the last time you (as a viewer) saw any serious labor coverage in the news? Strikes, work stoppages, deaths on the job; do you ever see, read, or hear about this in any depth from a rank-and-file, real-world perspective?
The answer is "No." It's exclusively NYSE-analysis of the labor markets in the corporate media. In a class society driven with inequality, how could it be otherwise? What passes for "official news" today is nothing more than sports, celebrity gossip, talking head opinions, and Trump tweets.
Do you know what's going on with the US wars being waged in Africa, Asia & Latin America? Tens-of thousands of troops have been deployed to these faraway battlefields, for reasons unknown to most of the American population. Isn't the government of a democratic nation supposed to declare a good reason, and prove it to the people, before sending their children off to war? What is democracy?
Soldiers being killed, maimed, and/or psychologically scarred doesn't make the news. Neither does an analysis of what they are fighting for. The unspeakable truth is– it's always economic (power) interests, with China & Russia being the opponents. Do you personally feel any animosity towards the people of these nations? Most Americans don't, but the media always tells us we should, because they are the enemy. Therefore all their allies are our enemies too, and so North Korea, Syria & Iran are "existential threats" to our way of life, and must be annihilated. That is the logic of US imperialism, refracted through a corporate/intelligence media lens.
It's still the same set-up as the Cold War, and all the old methods of red-baiting leftists & artists are being brought out again. History proved when this blacklist barrier was smashed in the 1960's by social forces and artists like Bob Dylan & the Beatles, it became a revolutionary situation. Political figures began to be assassinated (JFK, MLK, Malcolm X, RFK), always under murky circumstances. Most remain unsolved in many ways. This was the deep state in action, snuffing out revolutionary impulses by beheading liberalism & black radicalism in the 1960's.
Today the political enemy of the deep state are the class-conscious workers armed with socialism. The only political tendency that represents genuine socialism are the Trotskyists of the Fourth International. Every other political tendency on Earth falls within imperialism's grasp.
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is the US branch of the Fourth International. In ruling circles, the SEP is equated with "Russian terrorism." The political program of the SEP is world socialist revolution, which puts it into the most bitter life-or-death struggle against the US deep state. Hence the propaganda & Internet censorship campaigns from Google, Facebook, and the rest of corporate social media. [2]
The deep state is composed of elite political power brokers who dominate finance, Wall Street, Madison Avenue (PR), and Langley (CIA/ intelligence services). The Bush & Clinton (& now Obama!) families are part of this nexus, which pulls-the-strings on Donald Trump & the rest of the political figures you see & hear in the news.
This is the origin of this ongoing witch hunt against "sexual predators" in Hollywood, NYC & Washington. The hypocrisy of all this is astounding, as everyone knows these places are infamous for being fleshpots for the rich, glamorous & powerful. This can't even be described as an open secret, it's just a fact every adult knows today.
Their level of depravity is seemingly infinite, and for many common people (sadly), that's the allure. Too many ordinary hedonists wish they could join in this depraved orgy. This is how people have been trained to be, as education & civility has been degraded. There aren't many good jobs anymore either, even if you are a college graduate– deep in debt. So what's there to hope for, still living with your parents at age 25? Opioids & other prescription painkillers are readily available to soothe all types of pain…
Most Americans still aren't ready to face the need for conscious & continuous work in political education, to prepare themselves for the necessary socialist revolution– to come. Most are too busy with day-to-day living (survival), and have been taught to take care of themselves first & always. This isn't compatible with species survival, but don't ever try to explain that to a liberal, as their knowledge in arts & science ends where class interests begin. In fact. these attacks are coming specifically from deep state liberal identity-politics ruling circles.
Therefore the impulse to defend celebrities, artists & left-wing politicians will not come from Democratic party supporters; it will come from the working people & youth who have dumped both parties. The truth of the two-party system is that it works together to exploit youth & workers. They appear to act in the interests of the common man/woman, from both sides of the aisle, but in earnest always defend capital– in all its forms. The Democrats use the unions & pseudo-intellectual liberalism, to blind workers and educated youth. The Republicans use religion, racism & nationalism to rally its rural working-class base. The former party is for philistines, the latter is for fascists.
The battle against blacklisting & media sex-scandal pogroms is but one front in the greater war for socialist equality, which can only be achieved by revolution. Those who are enlightened & educated are the ones who care the most about art & human culture. What is happening now is a desecration of human society, as fascists have taken the White House, and the supposed opposition (Democrat) party has done nothing to warn the people, because they are it's most hostile enemy.
Until this fact is absorbed into the marrow of enough politically conscious workers & students, this witch hunting & Internet censorship will continue, and things will generally continue to get worse for most everybody. Once this reaction is beaten back, a revolutionary window will open, as this witch hunt campaign signals a final ideological arrow. Once you get past sex scandals & censorship, there's nothing else to titillate & distract. Politics is then exposed for what it is, corrupt & bankrupt.
That's when all the nonsense lies end, and revolutionary action starts. The battle lines in this upcoming civil war are already being drawn, so it's important figure out which side is which. and what it means. It can save a life, and the life you save may be you own, as well as those you love.
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Posted in Economics, Film & Mass Media, For Women, Politics	| Tagged Barry Bonds, Internet Censorship, Kevin Spacey
MST3K & Getting a Clu
William Martin "Clu" Gulager was born November 16, 1928 in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He's the son of a cowboy entertainer who gave him his nickname, for the clu-clu birds (martins) that were nesting at their home when Clu was born [1]. Today he is 89, so happy birthday, Clu!
Clu Gulager is the consummate made-for-TV character actor; from the 1970's, through the 80's, & beyond. He began in Hollywood in earnest, as Billy the Kid in The Tall Man, a TV series which ran from 1960–1962. This successful series was suddenly canceled because of his role specifically.
The code Hollywood had acquiesced to under the McCarthyist blacklist, was to not let "bad guy" characters win. This went part & parcel with FBI Director Edgar J. Hoover's attempts to censor morality, blacklist "communists," and spy on domestic political dissidents– COINTELPRO.
This directly relates to movies and the deteriorating quality of Hollywood film-making in the !950's & 1960's. Many of the enduring classic films from this era, are foreign films from Japan, India & Europe; as McCarthyism had much to say on what Hollywood could produce.
In America, a significant amount of top-talent was blackballed, while mediocre-hack writers, directors & actors were given starring roles in Hollywood productions. No-talent directors such as Ed Wood, Francis Coleman, Roger Corman, Sandy Frank, and any other bizarro with a conformist ideology & a camera, were allowed (encouraged) to make an endless parade of B-movies, which filled the screens of drive-ins across post-war America. This is the "vast wasteland" our parents were raised in, and it filtered through to the MTV generation in no clearer form than Clu Gulager.
With Gulager, there is more to the picture than meets the eye. His fans have a Clu, but it's not easy to get to. This is a Hollywood character actor, with depth– a rare combination. Clu Gulager is a name that most film fans don't know, yet probably most have seen him in the movies or TV shows they've watched over the decades.
From ~1970 onwards, whenever a made-for-TV series or movie needed a hard-boiled, cowboy bureaucrat– enter Clu Gulager. Plus he's got great hair. Hollywood needed that a lot in the 1970's & 80's, so Clu always found work. Here's his resume from Wikipedia [2]:
TV and filmography
Playhouse 90 (TV series) (1959)
Have Gun – Will Travel (TV series) (1959)
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV series) (1959)
Laramie (TV series) (1959)
The Untouchables (TV series) (1959)
Wanted: Dead or Alive (TV series) episode "Crossroads" (1959)
The Rebel (TV series) as Virgil Taber in "Paint a House with Scarlet" (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV series) (1959–1960)
The Tall Man (TV series) (1960–1962)
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962)
Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV series) (1964)
Dr. Kildare (TV series) (1964)
Wagon Train (TV series) (1959–1964)
The Killers (1964) (director Don Siegel)
The Virginian (1968) 3×20 Lost Yesterday as Emmett Ryker
San Francisco International Airport (1970) as Bob Hatten
The Last Picture Show (1971, director Peter Bogdanovich) as Abilene
The F.B.I. (1971) as Lyle Chernik
Bonanza (1972) as Billy Brenner
Mod Squad (TV series) (1972) as Dustin Ellis
Molly and Lawless John (1972) as Deputy Tom Clements
The Glass House (ABC TV film) (1972)
Kung Fu (1973) as Sheriff Rutledge
Call To Danger (CBS TV film) (1973) as Emmet Jergens
Ironside (1968–1973) as Frank Clinton / D.W. Donnelly / Jack Brody
McQ (1974) as Toms
Shaft (1974) as Richard Quayle
Hit Lady (1974) as Roarke
Gangsterfilmen (1974) as Glenn Mortenson
McCloud (1975) as Johnny Monahan
Cannon (1971–1975) 1×06 Country Blues as B.J. Long, 2×09 Child Of Fear as Burdick, 4×22 Vengeance as Jonathan Quill
The Streets of San Francisco (TV series) (1975) as Inspector George Turner
Police Story (TV series) (1974–1975) as Officer Williams / Tim Keegan
Ellery Queen (TV series) (1976) as Father Terrence Devlin / Captain Thomas G. Horton
Barnaby Jones (TV series) (1973–1976) as Sheriff Mack Hollister / Mark Landy
Hawaii Five-O (TV series) (1972–1976) as Arthur Lambert / Jack Gulley
The Other Side of Midnight (1977) as Bill Fraser
The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove (TV series) (1979) as Cuda Weber
A Force of One (1979) as Dunne
Kenny Rogers as The Gambler (TV film) (1980) as Rufe Bennett
Falcon Crest (TV series) (1981)
Skyward (1980)
Quincy M.E. (TV series) (1982)
CHiPs (TV series) (1982)
Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story (1983)
The Master (TV series) (1984)
The Initiation (Film) (1984)
Knight Rider (TV series) (1985)
Into the Night (1985)
The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) as Mr. Walsh
Bridge Across Time (1985)
Airwolf (TV series) (1986)
Magnum P.I. (TV series) (1986)
The Fall Guy (TV series) (1982–1986)
Simon & Simon (TV series) (1986)
Hunter's Blood (1986)
From a Whisper to a Scream (originally titled The Offspring, 1987)
Murder She Wrote (TV series) (1985–1987)
Tapeheads (1988)
MacGyver (TV series) (1988)
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)
Eddie Presley (1992)
Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter (1994)
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (TV Series) (1995)
Beavis and Butt-Head (TV Series) (1995)
Walker Texas Ranger (1995)
Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (1996)
Feast (2005) as Bartender
Vic (2006) (short film) as Vic Reeves
Feast 2: Sloppy Seconds (2008) as Bartender
Feast III: The Happy Finish (2009) as Bartender
Piranha 3DD (2012) as Mo
Tangerine (2015) as The Cherokee
Blue Jay (2016) as Waynie
Clu has a dark side, which he plays with well, in this recent video he directed & produced with his son.
The best Clu Gulager entry point for the uninitiated is Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K). This highly influential cable series ran from 1989-99, the first seven seasons were on the Comedy Channel.
Best Brains, Inc (BBI) was the corporate-named ownership of MST3K, which included: show creator Joel Hodgson (Joel Robinson), Trace Beaulieu (Crow / Dr. F), Kevin Murphy (Servo), Mike Nelson (first a writer, then Joel's replacement) & Jim Mallon (producer & Gypsy) & Paul Chaplin (writer).
BBI has had a Clu for as long as anyone. Gulager appears in (seemingly) every incarnation of the original 10-season MST3K series, save for season one featuring Josh Weinstein (now J. Elvis Weinstein) as Tom Servo.
Gulager first appears with Joel & the bots in Master Ninja (Episode 322). This "movie" was actually a failed 1984 TV-series, with Lee Van Cleef in the staring role as The Master. Timothy Van Patten is incomprehensible in his dialogue, as the apprentice sidekick, and mercifully this show was canceled after 13 episodes. It was repackaged in 1985 for the home-video market as Master Ninja, and this is what Joel & the bots are riffing in this classic episode.
MST3K writer Paul Chaplin remarks in their authoritative Amazing Colossal Episode Guide, "For the whole show we referred to Clu Gulager as 'Clu Gallagher.' We never noticed how wrong we were until show 614…" Chaplin also adds, "I think he [Gulager] is a fine actor, and he provided one of the few bright spots in this show."
On to MST3K: Episode 614. A note to fans, episodes are numbered by season first, then show in season next; so episode 614 is– season 6, show 14. The number of shows in a season varied– from as many as 24, to as few as 6. Season six had Mike Nelson in Joel Hodgson/Robinson's jumpsuit, with everyone else from their "classic era" still there. San Francisco International (1970) is the made-for-TV movie they are riffing, and this one is too considered a "Mistie" classic.
Season six was the last with Frank Conniff (TV's Frank), and after that (S7) Trace Beaulieu left. Beaulieu in particular played an essential role in MST3K, as Dr. Forrester & Crow. He was always on-screen, an it's his genius that drives the show. He foils perfectly with Kevin Murphy as Tom Servo, and works with Joel/Mike just as brilliantly. In a word: irreplaceable.
The MST3K legend is that producer, Jim Mallon (Gypsy) was the one who got greedy over money and ruined it for everybody. Today it's Rifftraxx (Mike Nelson & Kevin Murphy); Cinematic Titanic (Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Frank Conniff and Mary Jo Pehl); while Joel Hodgson has revived the original MST3K concept with new characters, as season 11 was just produced and released on Netflix. The common denominator is that none of the original BBI, work with Jim Mallon anymore.
Of importance to Misties, it's rumored that Clu Gulager appeared in Touch of Satan (1971)— which was MST3K 908. Mike Nelson puts Crow (now played by Bill Corbett) on "Clu Gulager alert," after not seeing his name in the opening credits. Crow looks for him quickly, but can't find him. Gulager never appears in the MST3K episode, and I refuse to watch the original. Without Mike & the bots wisecracking– it's unwatchable.
MST3K season's 8-10 are Sci-Fi channel-era, and not favorites for hardcore Misties. As stated already, it's impossible to replace Trace Beaulieu. Season 7 was only 6 episodes, as BBI ran into internal conflicts, as well as the Hollywood industry machine, when they made MST3K: the Movie (1996). This movie riffed This Island Earth (1955), and was only made after an endless series of creative compromises were forced upon BBI.
Produced by Gramercy Pictures, an art-house division in action, horror and sci-fi for Universal ; MST3K: the Movie got very little distribution, and had a limited run in select theaters. During that same period, Grammercy was heavily promoting Barb Wire (1996), the Pamela Anderson siliconed jigglefest. According to Wikipedia, Barb Wire cost $9M to make, and grossed $3.8M at the box, making it a stiff [!] which quickly went to video.
MST3K: The Movie is cited to have grossed $1M, with no estimate on it's cost to make. It surely didn't lose money for the studio, as BBI didn't get paid. They make this clear in their season 7 sketch of Crow's "Earth vs. Soup"– Ep. 704: The Incredible Melting Man. The host segments in Ep. 704 acidly paints a picture of the "negotiations & creative discussions" with Hollywood sleazeballs.
In conclusion, Clu Gulager like MST3K— are talents who have faced immense challenges, and deserve a wider appreciation for their artistry. Take the time to appreciate them on their birthday, and any other day.
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Posted in Film & Mass Media	| Tagged San Francisco International (1970), The Master (1984)
Almirola Introduced as Patrick's Replacement
This is how it ends for Danica Patrick. Her iconic first name doesn't even get to make the headline, as the biggest superstar in sports is being pushed out by NASCAR [1]. Fans can't wait to read about Junior's "final ride" @ Phoenix this week, which has been a weekly ESPN piece, sanctioned (insisted upon) by NASCAR. It has generated very few (often no) comments– week after week, in celebration of Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s last season. For the record, I like Dale Jr. and think he deserves a respectful send-off, but things clearly aren't being treated equally here.
Danica Patrick is a pioneer in sports, but this goes largely unmentioned in NASCAR reporting, even as she's being retired. This is as far as she's allowed to go. Women drivers are now accepted in Indycar, NHRA, and other top-competitive racing series– just not in NASCAR. This had to be reinforced in every way, including her garbage team year-after-year, with no speed in her car– week-after-week. Richard Petty couldn't do anything with that, so spare her fans the numbers & "statistical analysis," as everyone who follows understands NASCAR is fixed anyways.
On top of that, Danica was intentionally wrecked, spun-out, and generally treated with unsportsmanlike conduct from her "peers" her entire career in NASCAR [2]. The racing standards in NASCAR can best be described as reckless & unprofessional. That's how millions & millions of young Danica-fans feel. The fact she won even one race (2008 Indy Japan 300) in her career, is a testament to her driving skill & fierce determination, in the face of obstacles (and media scrutiny) which no other driver has ever had to endure.
Plus– the fact she's gorgeous, so everyone has an opinion, right? When Danica talks about having babies, that gets people excited I've noticed. No one else in racing lights up social media faster than Danica. That's why people use only her first name in reference, because everyone knows. That's marketing gold, and NASCAR wasted it because they hate her.
Tough to get sponsorship with that kind of industry & team "support," much less run competitively. NASCAR blew the best chance it ever had to save itself from declining ratings, by modernizing. But seeing how Danica Patrick was treated (almost killed– repeatedly) by such ignorance & hatred, makes it hard to imagine any woman wanting to follow her in her NASCAR tire tracks.
For more see: https://ricsize.com/is-danica-patrick-retiring/
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Posted in For Women, Sports	| Tagged Athlete Retired, HOF Driver
North Korea Nukes Itself
According to a RAND Corporation senior researcher, Kim Jong-un believed that nuclear weapons were his guarantee of regime survival. In 2016, Kim Jong-un stated that North Korea would "not use nuclear weapons first unless aggressive hostile forces use nuclear weapons to invade on our sovereignty". The United Nations has since enacted five cumulative rounds of sanctions against North Korea for its nuclear program and missile tests [Wiki].
North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests since 2006, all of them in tunnels burrowed deep under Mount Mantap at a site known as the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility.
Satellite imagery registered an artificial 6.3-magnitude earthquake, so big that it shook houses in northeastern China, on September 3, 2017. Eight minutes later, there was a 4.1-magnitude earthquake that appeared to be a tunnel collapsing at the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility.
It is now certain there is a Chernobyl-type disaster ongoing, at Kim Jong-un's only nuclear facility. All six of North Korea's underground nuclear tests have taken place in the same region. Apparently 'tired mountain syndrome' has caused North Korea's only underground nuclear test site to collapse, leading to a nuclear meltdown. As many as 200 people have been said to have died already due to this catastrophe [1].
North Korea is notorious for it's strict censorship, so on-site reporting is scant, but what's even more remarkable is the lack of discussion in the Western press & media outlets. This is a BIG story, with political & environment repercussions globally, yet nary a word from the "free press" in over two months!
All this has surely been known in US intelligence & military circles since it happened, detected by the most-sophisticated "Five Eyes" satellite imagery, but yet kept secret from its populations in the US, UK & Australia. In the meantime, the Trump administration and the deep state have been raging their tactical differences (privately & publicly) on how to best attack North Korea. This conspiracy against the working people of the world, threatens to start a third world war. The people of the US and everywhere else have been told virtually nothing of this nuclear catastrophe in the mountains of North Korea.
This ongoing nuclear meltdown shreds every US pretext for war on North Korea. Kim Jong-un's nuclear ambitions have obliterated into a radioactive waste site. That is why this is being kept secret in the US media. All-the-while aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, bombers & jet fighters of every sort deploy en mass in the China Sea.
Kim Jong-un's nuclear program has just melted itself down to its radioactive core. It poses a massive environmental threat to the entire region, and will spread radioactive dust & debris throughout the hemisphere if another test is conducted, but otherwise there is no offensive threat to the US or any other nation. And yet we are told by Trump & the rest, that North Korea is an existential threat which must be eliminated. We keep hearing this over & over, yet none of it is ever true. This pageant has a strict script, and no revisions are allowed. This is where the working masses need to intervene, with a demand of cessation of hostilities with North Korea and all other nations that haven't attacked the US.
Kim Jong-un is the crude & stupid dictator of North Korea, who rightly fears becoming the next on a long list of dead US bogeyman, including: Panama's Manuel Noriega, Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic, Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, and Afghanistan's Osama bin Laden. Kim Jong-un & Syria's Bashar al-Assad are now in the cross-hairs. The US-imperialist campaigns directed at removing both of them from power, in the US media & political circles, rage back & forth over priority of target (Russia or China) & tactics. None of this is ever discussed in depth, or with any intelligence in the mainstream media.
A pretext has been carefully scripted in Washington to justify a devastating preemptive war on North Korea. Trump's 'Asian tour' will be followed by a reactionary campaign to demonize the Chinese government for being incapable of reining in the 'rogue state' in Pyongyang. Kim Jong-un being on the verge of acquiring the capacity to launch nuclear attacks at the continental United States, was a central tenet to this pretext for aggression on North Korea. This has now fizzled in fact, with this nuclear meltdown. Any further US saber rattling & aggressive-posturing is blatant militarism– a war crime by definition. That should be noted & discussed before that fact.
The crisis of the Trump administration in it's struggle-to-the-death with the US deep state is bringing all this to a head. The working masses must intervene in their own interests, against more wars-of-aggression from the criminal ruling elite in Washington, Wall Street & Langley, which attempts to assert itself militarily when it no longer has popular political support.
Trump's conciliatory attitude towards Chinese President Xi Jinping, praising its sanctions on Pyongyang, can turn on a whim, as we have all seen. It is clear that Trump is being led by the nose, as his diplomatic calendar consists mostly of golf outings & other such diversions. With the current set-up & trajectory, any mood swing from the unstable commander-in-chief [!] could start a Dr. Strangelove-doomsday scenario.
The arrival of two additional aircraft carriers follows major US-South Korean naval war games, involving the USS Ronald Reagan, three nuclear submarines, Aegis destroyers and more than 40 other warships, proves who's really pulling the strings. It's the generals & top pentagon brass in charge of the US armed forces, with no civilian oversight. Civilians are the enemy, in this war. Yet the army is made of civilians, hence the dialectical rub.
The contradictions of American and global capitalism, is proceeding with an unprecedented degree of recklessness (known as Trumpism), which is used to deliberately inflame flash points everywhere. Donald Trump is under political & media attack night & day from deep state elements that want him deposed. He is facing mounting public hostility to his agenda of racism, austerity and war. Trump is being propelled towards launching this war as a means of diverting acute social tensions outwards against a foreign enemy.
US Congress is complicit is this, as they have surely been aware of this nuclear accident which happen two months ago, yet it just voted to impose sweeping new sanctions on North Korea, targeting any people or companies associated with the North Korean regime and cutting off all financial assistance [2].
This posture of reserving the use of the "nuclear option," on a regime it knows has just melted its nuclear program into oblivion, is the height of political cynicism & recklessness. These facts need to be known by the people of the world as they happen, because they affect everyone. This information is being kept secret, in order to run a PR campaign for war on North Korea, a country that couldn't possibly defend itself at this point. That's why the US hawks want to go to war, easy prey. The problem is China, which the warheads conveniently ignore [3].
Last week CIA director Mike Pompeo said North Korea was only months away from having nuclear-strike capacity. "They are close enough now in their capabilities that from a US policy perspective we ought to behave as if we are on the cusp of them achieving" that objective, he said.
Trump's Asian tour is a propaganda campaign meant to round up support for US aggression, in spite of the facts on (and under) the ground. For those studying & comparing the centenary of the Russian Revolution, which culminated on November 7, 1917; this is your "Kornilov Affair." This militarist conspiracy against the people of North Korea must be ruthlessly exposed, while organized resistance needs to form quickly & concretely.
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Posted in Economics, Politics	| Tagged Militarism, tired mountain syndrome
World Series, Free Agents & Padres Off-Season
No doubt that 2017 was the Dodgers' year, the same way 2016 was the Cubs' year. Both were the best teams in baseball, yet one team didn't win it all. What makes the difference? In 2016 Theo Epstein & GM Jed Hoyer got the relief ace they needed in Aroldis Chapman, from the Yankees for top prospect SS Gleyber Torres. Recall, the Cubs couldn't have beaten Cleveland in 7 games without Chapman. It was the same way for Cleveland, in obtaining lefty relief ace Andrew Miller. Both teams couldn't have gotten as far as they did, without those bullpen stoppers.
This year when it was time to get what you REALLY needed for the post-season (7/31 deadline), the best team (Dodgers) balked at the asking price for the most valuable post-season commodity, a lefty relief ace still under arbitration control– which is really nice in February, and invaluable in October. Much of the resistance from teams-in-need was because it was Padres GM AJ Preller selling. So, why didn't any team make him a serious offer for Brad Hand at the deadline?
Yes, there is the trend towards organizations hanging onto their prospects, but also I suspect an element of collusion (which I can't prove), in retaliation for what AJP did in 2016. He simply got the best of too many teams & their GM's last year, which I've discussed extensively here & elsewhere. But that's still no excuse if you are serious about winning.
Instead, the team-to-beat spent about half of what they needed to get Brad Hand, in order to acquire something they didn't need– in Hu Darvish. By late July, the Dodgers had already won their division, and had plenty of capable post-season starters. What they desperately needed was a guy who was good enough to get outs in the 7th & 8th innings in October. It's foolish to waste money on what you don't need, just because it's more affordable than what you actually need. This is what Dodgers GM Andrew Friedman did & didn't do in 2017. This was probably the best team the Dodgers will have in this competitive window, and they blew it. Games 2 & 5 of the World Series were both there for LA to win, but manager Dave Roberts couldn't find a guy in his bullpen to get the outs he needed, because that guy wasn't there.
American League line-ups are qualitatively tougher than the National League, so whether it was the Astros or Yankees, Dave Roberts needed another reliable bullpen option to close those World Series games out. Dodgers GM Andrew Friedman knew this in July, when he said they were looking to acquire a "wipe-out lefty reliever." By that he meant (of course), Brad Hand. There was no one else close to his value that was available, and yet no team would make AJ Preller a substantial offer. In other words, no team was willing to pay the price to win in October. Tell me what a GM's job is again?
The media chimed in, "Hand's value will never be greater… if the Padres are smart they'll sell now…" AJ Preller said, "No!" to all that nonsense (again); and now the Gnats, Yankees and Dodgers REALLY regret not acquiring Brad Hand. He could have helped all of those teams get the outs they so desperately needed (when it counted most), instead of coming up short. This is not to say the Astros didn't have trouble getting the tough outs too, they were just a little better balanced overall. You need luck too, but really it's money & brains that wins. Astros were a little better at that game, and that was the difference in the fall classic.
These are the most-mentioned MLB free agents this winter, with my brief comments:
Yu Darvish: This RHP in his prime was a great #2 starter, but never quite an ace. He's now a #3 starter on a championship team.
J.D. Martinez: The corner OF to get, as he supplies OBP & SLG. He's likely looking for his payday (longterm 6-8 yrs), which will be too long for most.
Eric Hosmer: He's 28 and this is his payday– represented by Scott Boras. Look for ~8 years $200M. He's very good, but not worth that kind of investment.
Lorenzo Cain: Age-31 speedy CF, will need to move to a corner in a year or two– never a good longterm sign. It will be interesting where he lands, and for how much & long.
Wade Davis: The FA closer this winter. That's big $$.
Mike Moustakas: 3B career: .251/.305/.425. Had one great season in 2015, when they won it, otherwise he's overrated.
Jay Bruce: OF/DH career (mostly in a bandbox): .249/.319/.472, which means he's now useless. Cheap bench depth only, otherwise he's an overpay. I'm sure someone will…
Todd Frazier: 3B career: .245/.321/.459. A little better than his former teammate Jay Bruce, but not much.
Carlos Santana: 1B/DH/C career: .249/.365/.445. Good OBP, but limited SLG, as well as catching anymore. If he stays healthy, he can be an bargain somewhere, probably AL.
Jake Arrieta: This age-31 RHP has a lot of mileage on his arm. Health & medical evaluation is critical here. If Arrieta is healthy, he can be a strong #2 starter over the course of his contract, which is extremely valuable. If his arm falls off, then some team has a huge sunk cost. This will be the highest-risk FA deal this winter.
Alex Cobb: This age 30 RHP is underrated because the Rays always have pitching. In 2017: 179.1 IP, 3.66 ERA. Yankees are interested for sure, and you know what that means.
Zack Cozart: Career SS: .254/.305/.411. He's age-32, and 2017 was a career year. The Reds have stunk for a long time, because they invested so heavily in many of the free agents on this list. All are losing players, with inflated power stats, due to extreme ballpark effect. All are average-to-poor defenders. Teams have wised-up somewhat, but I still expect Cosart to get a richer deal than his actual worth, as there still are overspenders aplenty.
CC Sabathia: This age-37 LHP still has some gas in the tank, 2017 with NYY: 148.2 IP, 3.69 ERA. His usage needs to be limited, but those are still mostly quality innings from a 3/4 AL starter.
Ichiro Suzuki: RF 2017 with Miami: .255/.318/.332, probably should retire. Career in MLB: .312/.355/.403, 3080 hits. Best defensive RF ever? Ichiro or Clemente. First-ballot HoFer.
Padres Notes:
The top off-season trade chips for Padres GM AJ Preller are closer Brad Hand & 3B Yangervis Solarte. Hand will likely be dealt, as teams & their fans saw the value of a shut-down reliever in October. The teams that came up short especially saw this, and should be more in the mood to offer what Brad Hand is actually worth this time around. His value is similar to what closer Craig Kimbrel was worth when he was dealt to the Red Sox in the winter of 2015. Wade Davis is the only free-agent closer available this winter, so options are limited in this premium market.
Yangervis Solarte has a lot of value. He's an everyday 3B, with legitimate utility value, and a switch-hitter. That wins games when used properly, as Padres manager Andy Green has. From a business standpoint in terms of prospects, AJ Preller won't get the value he's seeking, as Solarte is generally underrated which cuts his market value. His contract is team favorable, and that leads to the reasons Solarte signed it. His wife had just passed away from cancer, and he appreciated the organizational & fan support. He stated he wanted to finish his career with the Padres. That's a loyal soldier (but only in SD), and a valuable asset. I don't think Padres GM AJ Preller trades that away, because most of Solarte's value is in San Diego, which means you can't get a fair return. You know what I mean?
AJ Preller has a logjam of young infield talent, but not a MLB SS. Whatever AJP deals, he'll look to add depth (top prospect or MLB ready) to that position & corner OF. The Padres desperately need a mashing LF. And pitching. Most Padres fans are optimistic about Carlos Asuaje at 2B, but nothing is certain. Luis Urias is a hit-first 2B prospect, with little power. You need to see Manny Margot-type improvement from Urias, before getting too excited there. 2B/3B Cory Spangenberg, CF Travis Jankowski, and even some other relievers (if there's interest) are the guys AJ Preller will try to deal this winter.
Preller is now running into roster crunch issues, which will only become more acute for the Padres. That alone is a sign of organizational improvement, as their fans have never seen this! AJP will now have to lean more towards protecting his prospects from the Rule 5 draft, instead of making 3 or 4 picks. Since he's proven he can evaluate the best Rule 5 talent (5 out of 7 selections have stuck), he'll likely be the best GM at protecting his elite young talent from hungry predators.
This organization has improved, and the bar has been raised, so these are the roster moves the Padres have been making for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft & beyond. This is how the Astros built what just came to fruition. AJP actually has the Padres on a faster curve. Note, not even one 100-loss season at the depths of their rebuilding, which was 2016-17. Padres fans thank Andy Green & Brad Hand for that. Now it's player development and managing the 40-man roster, with the goal of building a championship team. In the meantime, more low-level FA pitchers & positional fill-ins this winter, with the possibility of a blockbuster deal or two– as it's AJ Preller. That's a management plan a fan can see, and go with. It's what I expect AJP will do.
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Posted in Economics, Sports	| Tagged AJ Preller, LHP Brad Hand, MLB