Misc. Free Agent News

[jersey cubs fan]

Any interest here from the Cubs, I wonder? Could be an intriguing minor league deal option.

 

Former Orioles right-hander Daniel Cabrera is pitching in the Dominican Winter League after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Agent Mike Powers told Morosi that Cabrera intends to return to MLB as a starter. The 6'7" right-hander hasn't appeared in a Major League game since 2009.

If he can throw strikes down in the Dominican, I'd be interested.

 

Yeah, that'd be what I'd want to hear. He's always had really good stuff and the ability to strike a lot of people out. Some of those 6 and 7 BB/9 seasons are ridiculous, though.

 

Can you learn much of a pitcher's control by his time in the Dominican? Maybe it's just a phrase but the whole "hit your way off the island" approach has to be a part of that league to some extent, right? I imagine the hitters are pretty aggressive.

[Guest]

Any interest here from the Cubs, I wonder? Could be an intriguing minor league deal option.

 

Former Orioles right-hander Daniel Cabrera is pitching in the Dominican Winter League after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Agent Mike Powers told Morosi that Cabrera intends to return to MLB as a starter. The 6'7" right-hander hasn't appeared in a Major League game since 2009.

If he can throw strikes down in the Dominican, I'd be interested.

 

Yeah, that'd be what I'd want to hear. He's always had really good stuff and the ability to strike a lot of people out. Some of those 6 and 7 BB/9 seasons are ridiculous, though.

 

Can you learn much of a pitcher's control by his time in the Dominican? Maybe it's just a phrase but the whole "hit your way off the island" approach has to be a part of that league to some extent, right? I imagine the hitters are pretty aggressive.

We have scouts in the Domincan that can watch that, though.

[jersey cubs fan]

We have scouts in the Domincan that can watch that, though.

 

Sure, but if the hitters are still overly aggressive isn't it difficult to judge from the stands whether a guy is actually throwing strikes that would be considered good strikes in a more patient league? It's not like they have Fox broadcasting with the K zone or anything.

[Guest]

We have scouts in the Domincan that can watch that, though.

 

Sure, but if the hitters are still overly aggressive isn't it difficult to judge from the stands whether a guy is actually throwing strikes that would be considered good strikes in a more patient league? It's not like they have Fox broadcasting with the K zone or anything.

It's not perfect, but it's not that bad, either. If nothing else, you can tell by the hitter's swing path and how much the have to reach, pull their hands in, etc.

[RammyFanny]

It didn't sound like anything too serious, but a poster in the comment section on chicagonow (John Arguello's blog) mentioned that MLB radio mentioned "the Cubs may be kicking the tires on Joe Nathan ".

[Have a seat, Neifi]

Definitely would be interested in Aaron Hill at the right place. Guy seems like he could recapture some of his form from a few years ago over here in the weaker NL.

[dew1679666265]

It didn't sound like anything too serious, but a poster in the comment section on chicagonow (John Arguello's blog) mentioned that MLB radio mentioned "the Cubs may be kicking the tires on Joe Nathan ".

 

Nathan's interesting since he might come cheap. I wouldn't want to see us put any real money into the bullpen this offseason. Too much good young talent to pour anything more than a reclamation amount of money into it. Give Woody his super cheap deal, maybe bring back Shark (probably) and be done with the pen unless Nathan or someone similar is willing to come in for a major bargain.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

It didn't sound like anything too serious, but a poster in the comment section on chicagonow (John Arguello's blog) mentioned that MLB radio mentioned "the Cubs may be kicking the tires on Joe Nathan ".

 

WHATCOULDTHEYGETFORMARMOL?

 

No really he's on a fairly friendly deal....People like to get in on hard throwers for the bullpen that might be percieved to have fallen off a little (like Nathan or Broxton)....gotta think Marmol would bring back something decent...then again if they went Mile Maddux then maybe they can sedate some of those quirks for a year....

[Guest]

Definitely would be interested in Aaron Hill at the right place. Guy seems like he could recapture some of his form from a few years ago over here in the weaker NL.

Why do people think the NL is weaker?

 

I understand projecting pitchers to get better because they don't have to face a DH. But why project a hitter to get better by moving to the NL?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Definitely would be interested in Aaron Hill at the right place. Guy seems like he could recapture some of his form from a few years ago over here in the weaker NL.

Why do people think the NL is weaker?

 

I understand projecting pitchers to get better because they don't have to face a DH. But why project a hitter to get better by moving to the NL?

 

I haven't checked lately, but for a few years there virtually every move involving a significant player switching leagues was NL>AL.

 

From 2005-11, the AL is 979-785 in interleague play for a .554 winning percentage. Definitely a tougher league.

[Guest]

Definitely would be interested in Aaron Hill at the right place. Guy seems like he could recapture some of his form from a few years ago over here in the weaker NL.

Why do people think the NL is weaker?

 

I understand projecting pitchers to get better because they don't have to face a DH. But why project a hitter to get better by moving to the NL?

 

I haven't checked lately, but for a few years there virtually every move involving a significant player switching leagues was NL>AL.

 

From 2005-11, the AL is 979-785 in interleague play for a .554 winning percentage. Definitely a tougher league.

I'd like to see data on #1.

 

I find #2 to be almost entirely irrelevant.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

A nearly 2000-game sample in which one league wins 55% of the games doesn't sway you?

[Guest]

A nearly 2000-game sample in which one league wins 55% of the games doesn't sway you?

How do you necessarily link that with the AL has superior pitching so that a move to the NL makes it easier for hitters?

 

Couldn't it be that the AL simply has better hitters to explain the difference?

 

Couldn't it be that the NL doesn't have teams structured for a DH and therefore is at a disadvantage when playing interleague?

 

Also, I haven't done the math, but even if things were 50/50 and you plotted the curve of expected outcomes after 2000 games, I'm pretty sure 55% would be within two standard deviations. Which means it wouldn't be especially compelling evidence.

[Cubswin11]

A nearly 2000-game sample in which one league wins 55% of the games doesn't sway you?

How do you necessarily link that with the AL has superior pitching so that a move to the NL makes it easier for hitters?

 

Couldn't it be that the AL simply has better hitters to explain the difference?

 

Couldn't it be that the NL doesn't have teams structured for a DH and therefore is at a disadvantage when playing interleague?

 

Also, I haven't done the math, but even if things were 50/50 and you plotted the curve of expected outcomes after 2000 games, I'm pretty sure 55% would be within two standard deviations. Which means it wouldn't be especially compelling evidence.

This

[Illini Iceman]

National League won the All Star Game this year, that proves the NL is the better league, duh!

[Hairyducked Idiot]

A nearly 2000-game sample in which one league wins 55% of the games doesn't sway you?

How do you necessarily link that with the AL has superior pitching so that a move to the NL makes it easier for hitters?

 

Couldn't it be that the AL simply has better hitters to explain the difference?

 

Couldn't it be that the NL doesn't have teams structured for a DH and therefore is at a disadvantage when playing interleague?

 

Also, I haven't done the math, but even if things were 50/50 and you plotted the curve of expected outcomes after 2000 games, I'm pretty sure 55% would be within two standard deviations. Which means it wouldn't be especially compelling evidence.

 

It's been a loooong time since I had to plot a binomial distribution. I'll have to take your word for it.

[Guest]

A nearly 2000-game sample in which one league wins 55% of the games doesn't sway you?

How do you necessarily link that with the AL has superior pitching so that a move to the NL makes it easier for hitters?

 

Couldn't it be that the AL simply has better hitters to explain the difference?

 

Couldn't it be that the NL doesn't have teams structured for a DH and therefore is at a disadvantage when playing interleague?

 

Also, I haven't done the math, but even if things were 50/50 and you plotted the curve of expected outcomes after 2000 games, I'm pretty sure 55% would be within two standard deviations. Which means it wouldn't be especially compelling evidence.

 

It's been a loooong time since I had to plot a binomial distribution. I'll have to take your word for it.

sqrt(n*p*(1-p)) = std deviation of a binomial.

 

In this case where n = 2000, p = .5, the stdev = 22.36. So the AL winning that many games is 4.34 standard deviations from the mean if you assume a .500 underlying mean. Which makes it less than 1% probable that the assumption is correct. However, there are still quite a few possible explanations for that gap.

 

Even more, it's still a huge leap from saying that the AL has dominated interleague play and there for a hitter's numbers should improve in the NL.

[UMFan83]

Buehrle is meeting with the Marlins tomorrow.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Ryan Madson reportedly close to signing a 4/44 deal with a 13 mil option for a 5th. He's pretty bad ass, but that's one hell of a commitmant to a 31 year old reliever.

[Clem Fandango]

That's ridiculous. Ruben Amaro, Jr. [expletive] up the free agent market yet again

[UMFan83]

That's ridiculous. Ruben Amaro, Jr. [expletive] up the free agent market yet again

 

He's just continuing the legacy of overpaying relievers that Jim Hendry left. Good thing I feel comfortable that the Cubs won't be overpaying for relievers (or paying at all) this winter.

[SouthSideRyan]

Ryan Madson reportedly close to signing a 4/44 deal with a 13 mil option for a 5th. He's pretty bad ass, but that's one hell of a commitmant to a 31 year old reliever.

 

Remember how I said it was disconcerting that Gillick's hand-chosen successor wasn't very good?

[Clem Fandango]

I was just checking out the Ryan Howard contract again. I can't believe Ruben Amaro, Jr. thought that was a good idea. What an idiot.

[dew1679666265]

Figured this would work best here.

 

Korean right-hander Suk-min Yoon has hired agent Scott Boras and may be posted in time to spend the 2012 season with a Major League team, according to Yahoo’s Jeff Passan.

 

If the 25-year-old decides against the posting system, he’d hit free agency a year from now. Yoon, who throws a 93 mph fastball with a slider and a change, posted a 2.45 ERA with 9.3 K/9 in 172 1/3 innings for the Kia Tigers this season.

 

Thoughts? Anybody know anything about this kid or another Boras client, Hyun-Jin Ryu, who could be posted after 2012?

[Formerly Snayke]

Amaro is [expletive] terrible. Good god.