[Ax]

With winter meetings over, I guess it's time to start looking forward to 2012.

Things are already crazy with Pujols and Wilson going to the Angels and Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle to the Marlins.

Not only that but we've got the added drama of HanRam being angry about moving to third and wanting to be paid more or traded and Ozzie Guillen is coaching them. Oy Vey.

I'm not going to make any predictions about next year other than this: It's going to be a very interesting year.

This is the Astros last year in the NL and they pretty much sold the farm middle of last season.

Anyways, should be a good season eh?

BTW, I found this in the 2010 MLB thread, I was looking for something I said about the Holliday deal causing the Cards not to have money to sign Pujols (totally called that one) and found this:

Originally Posted by tmlfan123

Imagine a Pujols bidding war...

I believe we just saw one and I believe it made me scratch my head. Now all I can say is LOL.

[penguinofwar]

250 million on a guy who is about to be 32? Sure, you may have just gotten the best hitter in baseball right now, but that money is going to be hurting in 4 or 5 years.

[Ax]

Originally Posted by schmetterllng

250 million on a guy who is about to be 32? Sure, you may have just gotten the best hitter in baseball right now, but that money is going to be hurting in 4 or 5 years.

Better than 275 Million for 10 years to a 32 year old.

It's not so bad since he went to an AL team where he can eventually become a really overpaid DH. However it would have killed a NL team.

[Art]

It's going to kill an AL team. That money is stupid. You can't spend a quarter of a billion dollars on a single player, and expect to win a championship. Baseball is way too much of a team sport. They'll be good, but championship? Unlikely.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by Art

It's going to kill an AL team. That money is stupid. You can't spend a quarter of a billion dollars on a single player, and expect to win a championship. Baseball is way too much of a team sport. They'll be good, but championship? Unlikely.

The Angels could be interesting to watch depending on how things develop.

Pujols comes into a lineup that finished second in the AL West. He fills out an infield that includes a Gold Glove SS (Erick Aybar) and an All-Star 2B in Howie Kendrick. In the OF, Torii Hunter is getting up in age, but still managed 23 HRs, and Vernon Wells is capable of putting up solid hitting numbers. Depending on how Mike Trout develops over the next year or two and how Kendry Morales' rehab turns out, they could have a decent amount of power in their line up.

Plus, having Jered Weaver, CJ Wilson and Dan Haren in the starting rotation won't hurt things either.

[Ax]

Originally Posted by Art

It's going to kill an AL team. That money is stupid. You can't spend a quarter of a billion dollars on a single player, and expect to win a championship. Baseball is way too much of a team sport. They'll be good, but championship? Unlikely.

Oh, I didn't say it was a great idea, but it's not gonna affect an AL team like it would an NL team. Also, the Angels are going to be either a WC or win the AL west this year.

[Art]

Originally Posted by Ax

Oh, I didn't say it was a great idea, but it's not gonna affect an AL team like it would an NL team. Also, the Angels are going to be either a WC or win the AL west this year.

Anything outside of winning the West is unacceptable for them. They just took the beat pitcher from the Rangers and added Pujols. Even WC would be massive failure.

[penguinofwar]

Originally Posted by Art

Anything outside of winning the West is unacceptable for them. They just took the beat pitcher from the Rangers and added Pujols. Even WC would be massive failure.

Seriously, it feels like the Miami Heat in a way, that there is so much expected success now

[SporkV]

So, apparently Ryan Braun tested positive for PEDs....

[Ax]

Originally Posted by Wailing Wombat

So, apparently Ryan Braun tested positive for PEDs....

Yup, may lose his mvp.

[SporkV]

Originally Posted by Ax

Yup, may lose his mvp.

Where'd you hear that? I've heard people yelling he should lose it, but has anyone said anything official-like?

[Ax]

Originally Posted by Wailing Wombat

Where'd you hear that? I've heard people yelling he should lose it, but has anyone said anything official-like?

No, but Buster Olney said something about it and he's "The baseball insider". (according to ESPN). Since the MVP is awarded by the BB Writers Association, I'd say he'd know a thing or two about it as well.

[Art]

Originally Posted by Ax

No, but Buster Olney said something about it and he's "The baseball insider". (according to ESPN). Since the MVP is awarded by the BB Writers Association, I'd say he'd know a thing or two about it as well.

He won't lose it. Officially. I also saw a report that said he used a banned substance, but specifically not a PED. That kind of changes things.

[Ax]

The new CBA is interesting, and now has to be ratified by the umpires association, which in my opinion is ridiculous that they get a say in the CBA. Umpires need more accountability and the new CBA doesn't help with that at all.

Some things of note in the new CBA:

Expanded replays: Now, at the umps discretion (like that's ever gonna happen, "ah, gee, I might have got that one wrong" when was the last time any ump ever admitted to being wrong? Right Jerry Meals?), fair or fowl balls and player interference can be reviewed. Honestly, I think there should be some sort of challenge system for this but whatever, it's a rule that will never ever get used.

Tattoo rules: no corporate logos for tats.... really, who would want to sell their body as advertisement space?

Players have to notify teams of a number change 8 months in advance unless they want to buy all the team's stock in their apparel with that number on it. lol.

and several other stuff that's generally minute or uninteresting.

The replay is the big thing.

[Shift]

The guy who blew the perfect game last year admitted being wrong. Just sayin'