# Baseball Offseason Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 9, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985 "2010-11-09T01:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/441 "2011-02-04T01:26:05Z")
I remember when he announced he was _going_ to retire, but I haven’t seen anything official. He is still listed on Atlanta’s roster on ESPN and considered active on baseball-reference; but it does look like he did retire. Man was that quiet. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/442 "2011-02-04T03:18:58Z")
Apparently the Orioles are about to close the deal to get Vladimir Guerrerro, but there has been some growing chatter about the Tigers swooping in to pick him up. Depending on the number of years, I like that move a lot by the Tigers. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/443 "2011-02-04T12:32:53Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > Reports are that Andy Pettitte will retire tomorrow. It will be interested to see how he will fair in hall of fame voting. To me he was a very good pitcher who got a lot help from pitching nearly his entire career for the Yankees, and thus a little bit short of the hall standards. I’m particularly curious about how much voters care that he admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs. I’ve watched Pettitte’s whole career from up close, and as much as I respect his game and what he meant to the Yankee teams he played on (as Joe Torre said yesterday, he was the “glue” of the staff,) I don’t see him as a HOFer. Just my opinion. He was steady and only occasionally great. He pitched one of the greatest games I ever saw (Game 5 1996 WS) and was as tough as they come, but he just misses. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/444 "2011-02-04T14:53:24Z")
I say he’ll stay in shape, and come back a la his hero Roger Clemens around June for his full yearly salary and get the Yankees’ miserable rotation in order. Any takers on this bet? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/445 "2011-02-04T15:10:46Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > I’ve watched Pettitte’s whole career from up close, and as much as I respect his game and what he meant to the Yankee teams he played on (as Joe Torre said yesterday, he was the “glue” of the staff,) I don’t see him as a HOFer. Just my opinion. He was steady and only occasionally great. He pitched one of the greatest games I ever saw (Game 5 1996 WS) and was as tough as they come, but he just misses. Just read [an article](http://baseballmusings.com/?p=64121) today that will most likely make some Yankee fans’ heads explode, suggesting that Derek Jeter’s subpar defense might have cost Pettitte the HOF. I have to say that his ERA and WHIP are glaringly bad when talking about his chances. > [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I say he’ll stay in shape, and come back a la his hero Roger Clemens around June for his full yearly salary and get the Yankees’ miserable rotation in order. Any takers on this bet? Could be. And as hamstrung as the rotation will be, I could see Cashman pleading for him to come back. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/446 "2011-02-04T15:19:06Z")
It comes down to AJ though. He is an erratic pitcher. If he has a fairly consistent year the Yanks rotation will probably be fine with in all likelihood Nova and Garcia as the 4th and 5th. If AJ has another year like last year or if CC or Hughes get injured, then the desperate plea to Andy will be made. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/447 "2011-02-04T15:39:23Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > It comes down to AJ though. He is an erratic pitcher. If he has a fairly consistent year the Yanks rotation will probably be fine with in all likelihood Nova and Garcia as the 4th and 5th. If AJ has another year like last year or if CC or Hughes get injured, then the desperate plea to Andy will be made. As potent as the offense is, if you’re banking on Burnett to have a good year, Nova to step up, and Garcia to be good, all in the same sentence, that’s a wild-card year at best. Additionally, the Indians are better served holding onto Carmona, because there’ll be a price war erupting. Go sign Kevin Milwood. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/448 "2011-02-04T15:50:48Z")
Nova and Garcia need to be adequate. Get 10+ wins each and eat up 150+ innings. This is not asking a lot. I’m counting on CC & Hughes putting up 200 good innings and winning 16+. AJ is the wild card to me, we need him to put up nearly 200 innings and pitch well as the 4 & 5 spots are not strong. If he is good they Yanks are good. If he is bad the Yanks will be desperate unless someone unexpected steps up. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/449 "2011-02-04T16:59:44Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Nova and Garcia need to be adequate. Get 10+ wins each and eat up 150+ innings. This is not asking a lot. I’m counting on CC & Hughes putting up 200 good innings and winning 16+. AJ is the wild card to me, we need him to put up nearly 200 innings and pitch well as the 4 & 5 spots are not strong. If he is good they Yanks are good. If he is bad the Yanks will be desperate unless someone unexpected steps up. Right, but if your season falls apart if AJ Burnett pitches like a solid #2 pitcher, you might be in trouble. That’s not even taking injuries into account. I’m just saying that it could be rough this year, unless the offense decides it wants to set another record and take the pitching onto its back. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/450 "2011-02-04T18:05:43Z")
Well the offense could be that good but it would be a bad idea to count on it. I think most pundits are already picking Red Sox #1 and Yanks for wildcard anyway. The real game changer might be the Yanks bullpen. This could be a truly great bullpen with the pieces now in place. But it still needs enough starters going 5+ and preferably 6 on average to not wear it down. Yanks have Soriano for 8th and Mo for 9th. Joba & Robertson as Righties Boone Logan and Pedro Feliciano as Lefties Mitre as the long guy. Still have Marte lurking as an extra lefty if he can get and stay healthy. There is also a slew of live arms in the minors to help in the bullpen. So this can be a fun season to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/451 "2011-02-04T20:59:03Z")
Jim Edmonds back to the Cards on a minor league deal with a major league camp invite. Seems unlikely to help the team much, but if it means I get to applaud him in the Birds on the Bat one more time before he retires then I will be extremely satisfied to do so. Then I can start gearing up my “Edmonds for the the Hall of Fame” arguments for 5 years hence. And if he somehow gets rejuvenated, makes the team, and makes a run for 400 HR (only 7 short), that will add some excitement to the early season take the edge off the looming Pujols free agency. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985.md?page=22)