Mack’s Morning Report – 2-5-14 – TC, The Babe, Marlins, Phillies, Blue Jays

Coming Up –

            11am – Christopher Soto - MM's Top 25- #24

             2pm -  Reese Kaplan  -  What Would Surprise You Most During Spring Training?

Evan Drellich ‏@EvanDrellich  -  (Astros Beat Writer) There’s going to be a real glut of pitchers in camp for the Astros, which makes for good competition, but potential dilemma at spring’s end

Mike Silva ‏@MikeSilvaMedia  -  In best case scenario Kyle Farnsworth is a kerosene on the fire reliever - not excited about any upside

TC on 1B –

“We have options. It’s not a defensive position, it’s a production position. We know Ike can do it, we certainly think Lucas can do it. If it comes down to it where we think we need to get someone in there against left-handed pitching, we know Josh Satin is going to hit. We’ve got people there, they’ve just got to go out and get it done.”

Mack – Collins went on and stirred the pot even more by saying that Daniel Murphy could also play there. Left out of the conversation were Mr. Met and The Cookie Monster

It looks like the norm is to have diarrhea of the mouth if you are going to either manage the team or manage the manager of this team.

Once again, I’m so sick of this off-season.

The Babe –

One thing is for sure: Something of considerable magnitude occurred during the fifth inning of Game 3. There is a tendency by people who dismiss the the Called Shot to make it sound as if this was a normal at bat with Ruth merely facing Cubs pitcher Charlie Root.

Far from it. Ruth was being taunted by Cubs players who actually were standing on the field. The crowd was in a frenzy, as the Cubs finally seized momentum to tie the game at 4-4. Ruth responded vehemently with not one but several dramatic gestures, suggesting he was going to do something bad to the Cubs. Then he hit one of the longest homers in Wrigley Field history, which effectively sealed the World Series for the Yankees. http://www.shermanreport.com/my-new-book-babe-ruths-called-shot-answer-to-ultimate-question-isnt-as-simple-as-yes-or-no/#sthash.6cdoBpVv.dpuf

Miami Marlins –

The Marlins are my deep sleeper, a team that could win 85 games and maybe sneak into the wild-card picture. Young teams can mature in a hurry and the Marlins have two potential top-10-in-the-game players in Fernandez and Stanton, promising outfielders Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna and a young rotation that could take big steps. Winning 80-plus games probably won't happen this season, as I don't see enough offense from the infield, but it wouldn't shock me. http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/44022/ranking-the-teams-30-through-25

Philadelphia Phillies –

I can see a scenario where the Phillies could win 85-87 games and sneak into the wild-card picture, but a lot has to go right for that to happen. Brown improves, the old guys stay healthy and Howard has a big comeback season, and Gonzalez has a big year as the No. 3 starter. More likely, however, this is an old team that has gone from 102 wins to 81 to 73 to ... well, something lower. The core group of Utley, Rollins and Howard was once a dynamic trio that helped create a glorious era of Phillies baseball. The Phillies doubled down on those guys and bet wrong. This looks like a bad team with two ace pitchers. Don't be surprised if Cliff Lee is in another uniform come Aug. 1. http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/44022/ranking-the-teams-30-through-25

Toronto Blue Jays –

Toronto is the only team in the MLB not in the USA. With that comes foreign currency. For the years of 1990 – 2007, the Canadian Dollar was hovering around the 70 cents mark for the duration. The last economic crash in the USA – had the dollar at near par for the better part of the last 7 years, including once reaching $1.10 over every George Washington bill in America. The average for the exchange rate has been in the mid 90 cents range since 2008. The loonie has been in a nosedive since 2014 kicked in – and now it is around 90 cents for every US Dollar. If it goes down much more, it will be just another challenge the Jays will face in a vaunted AL East Division. http://mlbreports.com/2014/02/03/cdndollar/

Howard Megdal –

           Since the moment my first daughter was born in March 2010, I've done my best to surround her with and immerse her in baseball. My motives are greater than simple exposure to the finest sport ever created, though of course there is that. Baseball is an important element of my work, and a passion as well. Having a child, and not sharing baseball with her, would be keeping her at arm's length. It's early yet. But one of the easiest and still most emotionally rewarding ways to connect to her through baseball has been via baseball cards. This process began immediately: We had a birth announcement that included her picture on some 1987 Topps design baseball cards. http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/67423618/father-daughter-baseball-card-collecting-forges-connections?tcid=tw_share

Sully-Chat –

           Comment From john - Aldemys Diaz. Mets possibility?

Jeff Sullivan: Possibility but to my knowledge they haven't yet been linked

Comment From Guest - Rotowire says: "Lagares, based on manager Terry Collins' comments Thursday, could start 2014 in a platoon or possibly at Triple-A Las Vegas, ESPN New York reports." Goes on to explain Duda needs to get at bats. How foolish is this?

Jeff Sullivan: Let something happen before you get mad about it. Lagares still seems in line for plenty of time

International Spending –

           In 2014, international spending could stick around 2013 levels. The CBA eliminates $9 million that teams can spend on international amateurs beginning on July 2 this year through the removal of the six signings of $50,000 each team current has exempt from its bonus pools. The Cubs and Rangers also won’t be able to give a bonus in excess of $250,000 for the 2014-15 signing period, unless they find a way around the rules. However, the international consensus since the end of last year has been that the Yankees will soar past their bonus pool, with estimates of the Yankees budgeting anywhere from $10 million to $20 million for international amateur players during the coming signing period. http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/international-spending-rises-despite-bonus-pools/

Mack – Remember… some of the names already inn the system to keep an eye out this season… SS Alfredo Reyes, SS Yeffry de Aza, SS Luuis Carpio, C Ali Sancez, OF Ricardo Cespedes, OF Oswald Caraballlo… some of these should start to pan out this season at some rookie level

 Yuliesky Gourriel, who debuted in Cuba’s top league as an 17-year-old in 2002, has never attempted to defect. As Sanchez puts it, Gourriel’s parents “have close ties to the island’s communist party.” Six or eight years ago, he might have been a major league team’s No. 1 pick in an imaginary draft of Cuba’s top talent. He’s 29 and coming off one of his worst seasons, so he wouldn’t be quite so highly sought after now. Still, he’d almost certainly be a quality regular at third base in the majors.

Gourriel has his best season in Cuba in 2009, when he hit .399/.474/.710 with 22 homers in 328 at-bats. He helped Cuba bring home the gold in the 2004 Olympics, and he’s hit .293 with five homers in 82 at-bats in the three World Baseball Classics..  http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/02/04/cubas-yuliesky-gourriel-hopes-to-play-in-mlb-someday/