A Few Free Agents To Consider, Ballpark News, And No More Postseason Coin Flips

by Al on Nov 6, 2008 8:07 PM CST in News Comment 17 comments

I haven't done a headline post like this in a while, and when I do, I've usually put them up in the morning. But there are some interesting notes tonight, so I'm getting this one up now, and you can continue discussing during the day.

A. J. Burnett has opted out of his contract and is a free agent. I am neither arguing for nor against signing him; I simply point out that a lot of people here were in favor of going after him last winter. What say you now?
The Yankees bought out Damaso Marte's deal. He's a free agent. Some here were in favor of the Cubs going after him last summer. Marte had a good year, and the Cubs could use a lefty reliever. He sometimes walks everyone in sight, and he's 33 years old. Thoughts? (Another note in that link: the Yankees are considering making former Cub Mick Kelleher their first-base coach.)
More renovations and seat additions are being made to Fenway Park this offseason. Crane Kenney has said more than once that he looks to the Red Sox as a model in many different ways. What the Red Sox are doing to Fenway could be a model of what could be done to fix up Wrigley Field.
And finally, wild-card and division tiebreakers may be decided by head-to-head records, not coin flips; GM's will discuss this again at the Winter Meetings next month. Perhaps this is a precursor to giving all postseason home fields to the team with the better record.

That ought to give you enough to fill your Thursday night and Friday. Have at it.

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Well...

Right now, there are more important issues to deal with than Burnett. I say try to get Peavy, figure out what we are going to do with Dempster and Wood, and look at if we need Burnett. If we lose out on Peavy and Dempster, then maybe we should look at Burnett. I think the other issues are more important…

As for Marte….ah, I’d pass. I think we could do better… even if it has to come by trade.

As for the wild-card and division tiebreakers… I think the head-to-head record idea sounds much better than a coin toss.

by TheHawkRules on Nov 6, 2008 8:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I was going to suggest making this a Peavy free diary

but the first post mentioned him already. Oh well.

by rlpete on Nov 6, 2008 8:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

by TheHawkRules on Nov 7, 2008 8:25 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Buck Furnett

His arm is like cotton candy.

The worst beer I had was pretty good.

by Worf on Nov 6, 2008 8:56 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

GAMBLING

VIOLATIONS

by Slamdog on Nov 6, 2008 9:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

What does this mean?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Nov 7, 2008 3:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Birds Pursuing

Holiday

"Sports are a crazy business. If there was a template, we'd all be champions, right? But there's one winner and 29 or 30 losers; one guy wins, everybody else is tied for last. That's the way it works" -- Mark Cuban

by TheRiot Police on Nov 6, 2008 10:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Wild Card Tie Break

If the head to head is tied between teams in different divisions in a wild card tie break, then what would the second tie break be?

The Cubs beat the Giants, 6 games to 3, in an odd number of 9 games, in the season series before the wild card playoff in 1998, so the Cubs would have had home field anyway under this proposed new system.

Looking at the Cubs schedule this past season, the Cubs played an even number of 6 games against the D-Backs, Braves, Mets, and Nationals. Teams from different divisions could tie in a season series and tie for the wild card. What do you do then to determine home field?

If two teams from the same division tie for the wild card and tie in the season series, then one could responsibly use division record as the second tie breaker for home field.

The White Sox were trailing in the season series to the Twins in 2008, 10-8, before hosting Minnesota in that one-game playoff for the AL Central. The Twins would have had home field under this proposed new system.

"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Nov 7, 2008 10:05 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Good question.

I suspect this has not been completely worked out yet.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Nov 7, 2008 10:35 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

It’ll be interesting. Not to mention the unbalanced schedule makes for interesting cases as well. The Cubs played the Mets 6 times, but two at home and four on the road. Assume the Cubs sweep at home and win 1 on the road. For the season they would be 3-3.

I’m sure if they go through with this method they’d develop an order of tiebreakers.

If they split the season series they could consider head to head road wins, better record vs opponents division, etc.

by CubFan81 on Nov 7, 2008 11:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

It will probably be similar to the NFL’s tiebreaking methods that start with the head-to-head record and end with the combined bust sizes of the team cheerleaders.

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Nov 7, 2008 11:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I have a tape measure and would volunteer for that

but not that many MLB teams have cheerleaders. Maybe that would be a good incentive for them to get some. I know I saw some team with cheerleaders who played the Cubs this year. Who was that? Cheerleaders almost won but Woody came in and got the save.

Tommie Agee was out.
"This field, this game, is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that was once good, and it could be good again." TM

by Weeghman Park on Nov 7, 2008 11:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Heard rumors of Cubs going after

Jake Peavy. That would be one he!! of a rotation if we could sign Dempster back also.

by ThisOldCub18 on Nov 7, 2008 12:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Not to be snarky although I know it sounds like it:

did you look at any of the existing posts before posting this here? There are two over there on the right just specifically about Peavy with a combined 700 comments. I apologize in advance if you were being sarcastic and I just didn’t get it.

Tommie Agee was out.
"This field, this game, is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that was once good, and it could be good again." TM

by Weeghman Park on Nov 7, 2008 12:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Why did you have to make me cry. You big jerk.

I usually look at the main posts first and was excited when I heard. After I posted then I went to the sidebar and was like oh SH!^ I hope no one calls me out on this cause I am so close to the ledge since the cubs choked, again, in the playoffs, Well I am rambling with my ruon sentences so I guess I’ll just take a step closer to the ledge.

by ThisOldCub18 on Nov 7, 2008 4:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs