ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: Trade Beckett, Fire Selig, Chris Carter, New Orleans Baseball and MLB Expansion
Sunday July 8th, 2012
Jonathan Hacohen: I love this time of the week. As the weekend approaches, I sit and cultivate your top baseball questions from many areas. Some of you e-mail. Some of you tweet. Others post on Facebook and others leave comments on the site. If you write in, I will find you. So thank you all firstly for taking the time to reading our site and supporting MLB reports. At the end of the day, there is no MLB reports without you, the readers. Ask the Reports is one of our ways of saying thank you for being a part of us and to have as many of you directly involved with our site. I won’t lie- your questions can be diverse, interesting, different. Some may go over the line and some just make us shake our heads. But most make us think, laugh and enjoy baseball. So it with great pride that we get to feature your questions to all our readers. So please, feel free to write in each week with your questions. We will get to as many as we can!
We are also lucky to have so many strong writers on board. You can get to know them on our Meet Our Team page. We may have different styles and opinions. But at the end of the day, these writers work their behinds off every week: researching, analyzing and preparing your daily MLB reports. You may call them geniuses or you may yell at them. Everyone has a say and opinions/debates are the foundation of strong baseball fandom. Please feel free to say hello to all your favorite writers. They will appreciate it and love to hear from you.
As we approach the All-Star break, here are five of my random thoughts before we jump into ATR:
- I can’t help but feel but the White Sox are truly a team of destiny this year. They are playing .560 ball and will lead the AL Central going into the break. They were a good team for most of the year. But the acquisition of Kevin Youkilis may very well prove to be a difference maker for them. I am a Tigers guy- I bleed blue and orange. So for me to say this, you know I feel strongly about the White Sox chances. Konerko. Dunn. Pierzynski. Yes folks, keep an eye on the White Sox in the 2012 playoffs.
- Remember those Angels that everyone left for dead? They are only 4 games behind the Rangers and will be a dangerous force in the 2nd half. Albert Pujols should be a summer beast and the Angels will get a strong dose of offense, defense and pitching. I liked their chances to start the year and feel very strongly about them going into the second half. Plus, they have a secret weapon by the name of Mike Trout.
- Living in Toronto, it amazes me how funny Jays fans can be. Their starting rotation has been decimated by injuries, yet the fans are still screaming for trade reinforcements at the deadline. People, wake up and smell the disabled list. Rather than put on a couple of band-aids in the hope of finishing .500, time to unload some desirable pieces and stock for the next 2+ years. Edwin Encarnacion, Kelly Johnson, Yunel Escobar and Darren Oliver should all be considered moveable for the right price. It isn’t going to happen this year. This team is close. But until the top prospects are ready to perform at this level, keep shifting, moving and upgrading parts until you are ready.
- The Bryce Harper vs. Mike Trout debate continues to rage on. While Bryce was being talked about more earlier on, Trout is now the name on everyone’s lips. We won’t know for 10+ years as to who will be the better player. Health, attitude, development and luck will all play a part in deciding this debate. Until then, enjoy two of the biggest baseball stars that you will see for a long time. These are special kids with special talents. Savor what we have.
- Finally, everyone loves talking about the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. But the biggest game is actually being played today. The MLB All-Star Futures Game. Team U.S. vs. Team World. The biggest and brightest prospects in the game. For many fans, they may know the names but have never actually seen these players perform. This is your chance. This game does not get the attention that it deserves. But as time goes by and the MLB Draft continues to get bigger and bigger, the Futures Game will become true baseball must-see tv. In case you weren’t aware, there is a prospect in the Reds organization by the name of Billy Hamilton, who just completed his 2nd straight 100 steals season. Considering that we are at the All-Star break and he has stolen over 100 bases, you can imagine how highly considered Hamilton is. For some reason though, he is not getting the press and notoriety that he deserves. If this was a Red Sox prospect, he would be bigger than Harper and Trout before they were called up. His time is coming and when he arrives at the big leagues, we may be seeing the next Vince Coleman…or…gasp…Rickey Henderson. So clear your schedule this afternoon and make sure to make the Futures Game a yearly tradition. It is a great investment in baseball knowledge.
Now let’s get to your top questions of the week:
Q: Greetings MLB Reports,
We’ve started a fund for fans to help pay a portion of Josh Beckett‘s contract, making it easier to deal him to any team that will take him. Please pass the word around if you believe our effort has any value. Two local (Boston) sportswriters and one radio talk jock have publicly endorsed us so far.
http://www.tradebeckettnow.com
Kind regards,
Mykl from Boston
JH: Are you done laughing? Good- because I think these guys are serious. I decided this week not to save the best for last. Rather, we are going to bat our clean-up hitter in the leadoff spot. This is one of the funniest messages that we have ever received here on MLB reports. Here is a little snippet taken from BuyOutBeckett.com:
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I think that you get the idea. It is time to get rid of Josh Beckett. The funds collected by this group is not actually going towards paying off Beckett’s salary, but rather is being donated to an unnamed charity (who likely did not want to be associated with this “cause”). What are your thoughts? Wacky or good intentions? A little bit of A and a little bit of B for me. Here is my take. There are many problems in Boston. Absolutely. An unhappy Big Papi, following the arbitration process last winter. Beckett, Lackey and their Fried Chicken & Beer Gang. Bobby V and his adjustment to the clubhouse and the City of Boston. The post-Theo era has not gotten off to a strong start for the Red Sox and its fan. If I had to nail though the biggest issue, it is the loss of the heart and soul of the team, Kevin Youkilis. Red Sox fans loved their Youk and are still in shock over the loss of their warrior. When you lose a guy like Youkilis in the manner that he left, it leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. Here on MLB reports, we call it the “Curse of the Youk”. Is it going to be on the level of the Curse of the Bambino? Time will tell. But much has been happened to this team since its September collapse last year, that it is very difficult to lay the blame at Josh Beckett’s feet.
That being said, is it time for Beckett to go? Absolutely. I can see the writing on the wall. After the beer & chicken incident, many fans in Red Sox nation were not pleased to learn that Beckett was golfing during an injury stint. The reality is that no matter what this guy will do, the critics are circling, waiting to pounce on him. I don’t think that anyone expects Beckett to be bought out, but if the Kevin Youkilis debacle has taught us anything: be patient and get value for your players. Let Beckett prove that he is healthy and productive, and then consider a trade for him. Who knows, maybe he will pitch so well that the Red Sox will want to keep him. But in order to get a fresh start, I don’t have an issue with him being moved. As long as value comes back to the Red Sox. If the Red Sox move Beckett as well for nothing (plus pay most of his salary on top of it), they will shoot themselves in the foot in the manner that they did with the Youk swap. This reader is clearly passionate about his Red Sox. I can feel that. The cause if a funny one and is so extreme, that it brings the point home. But moving key players for nothing does nothing more than set the team back even further. You can move out the old guard and bring in fresh bodies, just be sure to bring in as much talent as you can. I personally love your sites and thought that they were hillarious. As long as they are taken in that context and your ultimate goal in bettering the Red Sox is understood, I am all for these types of stunts. But let’s keep our eye on the prize. Building a roster for the next World Series championship. But Beckett is but one issue on this team. I am not ready to throw him under the bus just yet.
Q: Folks you missed one big important thing when it comes to Major League expansion, and that is a “ready-made fan base”. I know New Orleans was put at the bottom of your possibilities list but I have seen more people wearing the logo of a AAA club (the New Orleans Zephyrs locally known with affections simply as “the Z’s”) then in any other town. The fans could give a rats rear end about their major league sponsor. Instead, they are FIERCELY loyal to the team itself. If the Z’s were brought up to the majors that city will follow. Andrew
JH: Hello Andrew. Not a week goes by that we do not get a question on our MLB Expansion feature, back in July from last year. From all the comments we have received, you are definitely by the far the most passionate fan of New Orleans baseball! New Orleans was one of my chosen locations, largely based on its passionate fan base and ability to support a Major League team. But let’s keep some things in mind. Firstly, Zephyr Stadium, home of the Zephyrs has a 10,000 seat capacity. The Marlins AAA squad since 2009, the team plays approximately 71 home games per season. I certainly would hope that the team could draw 10,000 per game, if it would hope to get 30,000 plus for Major League games. But I am looking at attendance numbers and I am not liking what I am seeing. Last year, the Zephyrs were 10th in the Pacific Coast League in attendance, drawing 5,315 fans per game as of early September. The year before? Again ranked 10th, with an average of 5,596 fans per game. What does this mean to me? Without winning teams, the area is not drawing fans in droves. This is not how you land a MLB team. Win or lose, rain or shine, if I was heading up MLB expansion, I would want to see full stadiums every night. This may be a chicken-egg argument, that the area will not draw full crowds unless they have a MLB team. But without the full crowds, that team will never come.
The decision to expand in the future to two new cities will be based on many factors. The population, economic viability of the area, state of the stadium and ability to build a new one, local television…and much more. If New Orleans is as fiercely loyal to their team as you say, their fans better start producing some sellout numbers. Filling half of a AAA stadium will not cut in my friend. Plain and simple. I have spoken to many fans in New Orleans and people who have visited the area. Everyone loves it and there is a good vibe to bring Major League Baseball to the area. But the city and its fans need to prove that they can sustain Major League Baseball. Attendance is but one factor. But based on those numbers alone, I will say that New Orleans still has a long ways to go. Thank you for your comment.
Q: I’m always surprised that Chris Carter is “only” 6’4″ and like 240. The bat just looks like a toothpick in his hands. Jason
JH: You and me both buddy. You and me both. Carter has been an absolute machine since getting his most recent recall from the minors. In 5 games, he is batting .400 with 3 home runs. The numbers should not be surprising for anyone that has followed the one time uber-prospect, who has taken some time to develop. Seemingly around forever, Carter is still only 25-years of age. Shifting between the outfield and first base hasn’t helped, but it appears that the A’s have settled on him at first. After 7 seasons in the minors, Carter had little left to prove outside of the majors. From 2007, he had home run seasons of 25, 39, 28 and 31. Last season, Chris Carter had 21 home runs in only 81 minor league games. The man is ready for the show. In 2010, he was the 28th ranked prospect in the minors. But something funny has happened in recent years in baseball. If you don’t produce right away, many start to consider a prospect a failure. That is far from reality. Baseball is the toughest sport to crack and quite often, young players need 1-3, sometimes more chances to solidify themselves as major leagues. Carter is no different. Not everyone can have an immediate Harper impact. Even Mike Trout did not right away produce in his initial call-up last season. Carter’s numbers in the minors are outstanding. 182 home runs, .283 AVG, .378 OBP and .535 SLG. Chris Carter is one of the building blocks that Billy Beane is relying on as part of his master plan, as I discussed in my A’s report yesterday. Billy Beane is building a new A’s, in the form of the Bash Brothers and Mustache Gang years. The new A’s will be built on incredible hitting, with Chris Carter being a key piece of the puzzle. When I have watched him bat, he looks to me like a giant. But yes, he is “only” 6’4″ and 240 something lbs. His numbers make him look even bigger than they are. Combine his bat with Cespedes, Reddick, Norris, Choice and gang, and you will see Oakland going back to their offensive bashing ways. What’s old is new again with the Athletics.
Q: There is no doubt that Billy Beane is a Baseball Genius, but the indecision by the Commissioner is a crime. Bud Selig needs to give a Yes or No for the A’s move to San Jose. Selig is the worst Commissioner in the history of MLB and the owners should throw him out right now! A’s Diehard
JH: Wow, no love for Bud! I am sure that you are speaking more out of frustration than anything else, but I don’t think we can lay the San Jose issue squarely at Bud’s feet. The A’s have essentially presented a San Jose or bust scenario, so the territorial rights for the area needs to be resolved before a firm answer can be given. This is about the San Francisco Giants blocking the A’s, not Bud’s indecision. I am not saying Bud Selig is perfect, far from it. But this is one mess that I will not blame Bud. Baseball is currently in a hight level of transition. The second Wild Card was added this year. The Astros are moving to the AL West next year. Change is happening at an unprecedented rate. The A’s relocation situation is still at the top of the list of pressing MLB issues. Clearly the Coliseum is not the long-term solution and a new stadium is needed. But without a new stadium coming in Oakland, it will be difficult to keep the A’s in the area. San Jose is seen as a desirable solution, but the Giants insist that this area belongs to them. So until this is resolved, either the A’s continue to stay in Oakland or a third solution is needed. That could mean relocation to a completely new area, say Portland or Nashville. Is that a better solution? As an A’s fan, I’m sure that you would like to see the A’s stay as close to their current home as possible. There is a lot of politics involved to get this done. Keep faith in Bud. I expect a solution will come down before you know it.
Q: I’ve had some second thoughts on this topic. Expanding into Canada does fit w/ the current MLB commissioner’s dreams of expanding globally. But Canada would be a hard sell for some of the current teams who need visiting teams to boost their attendance. Mr. Hacohen is right. Ratings in the U.S. against Canadian teams will obviously be down. The ONLY way to avoid a drop in ratings is to play to Canada’s strengths. Create an all Canadian division! This would promote the game within Canada the most of any option. Canadian teams playing on Canadian T.V. With the weighted schedule, the Canadian teams would play more than half their games against rival Canadian teams. This would create a big rivalry among Canadian fans, and a guarantee that one Canadian team would be in the playoffs every year…..which would absolutely boost Canadian interest in the sport. The Blue Jays would finally be set free from the extremely tough American League East and be allowed to soar as perennial favorites in a National League Canada division. Cities that could join the Jays…….Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Ottawa. KG
JH: Hmmmm… KG, I feel the patriotism in your comment. But I am very sorry to tell you this: there is a better chance that I will be named the next commissioner of baseball before we see an entire Canadian division in MLB. This is another one of those questions that come up on a weekly basis. Will MLB expand into Canada? Which cities would be considered? Montreal? Vancouver? Living in Canada, I can tell you firsthand that this will not happen. The Jays are not exactly world beaters in attendance and are one of the lower ranked teams on the road. Take a look at the numbers from Montreal before they left and you will have an even better idea why the type of Canadian expansion that you are dreaming of will not happen. The NBA left Vancouver and is not returning. The only major sport that is moving aggressively into Canada is hockey. If you know anything about Canada, then you will have a full idea of why that is the case. Take any Canadian city. Sports radio spends more time talking about the NHL offseason than the MLB regular season. As a baseball fan, it makes me shake my head. But it is what it is. Canada loves hockey. It likes baseball, but not to the same degree. To throw out some numbers, a hockey team will draw about 10,000 fans per night for 40 home games. A MLB team needs to draw 25,000+ at least for 81 home games. Do you see Edmonton and Ottawa drawing those amount of fans for every game? What about on the road? The results would not be good. White Sox vs. Edmonton? Twins vs. Vancouver? Eeeek….ESPN and American television would have fit! This is America’s pastime. With so many viable American cities out there, Canada would be lucky to have one more team accepted into Major League Baseball. Even that, I can’t see happening. The other MLB owners wouldn’t want it. Bud Selig wouldn’t want it. And quite frankly, I’m not sure those Canadian cities want it. A new stadium would need to be funded for 100’s of millions of dollars. Would the taxpayers pay for it? Not in this lifetime. What about merchandise sales outside of those Canadian cities? Television deals and ratings? There is a whole basket of issues there to review. Remember, even in a “Canadian division”, you still have to play the other AL teams, plus interleague play. If you truly want to free the Blue Jays from the AL East, create a whole new realignment of baseball. Now that would be exciting! But to create a Canadian division of MLB, my answer is no. Maybe in the minors, but never in the majors. Thank you for writing in and giving us some food for thought!
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Jonathan Hacohen is the Founder & Lead Baseball Columnist for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen) Follow @mlbreports
Posted on July 8, 2012, in The Rest: Everything Baseball and tagged ask the reports, atr, baseball, baseball questions, billy beane, boston red sox, bud selig, chris carter, josh beckett, mlb, mlb expansion, oakland athletics. Bookmark the permalink. Comments Off on ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: Trade Beckett, Fire Selig, Chris Carter, New Orleans Baseball and MLB Expansion.
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