MadThinker88

Actually it was only 1 game between the teams that year. A close win by PSU at PSU. PSU went to the B1G championship game & OSU sat at home since both are part of the east division. While PSU won the B1G they had 2 losses, including 1 vs Pittsburgh. OSU only had the 1 loss & was then selected for the playoff. OK now that I think of it that is true, but my point is Penn State clearly earned a playoff spot over Ohio State and got screwed out of it because Ohio State. Screwed/ not screwed... Tow-mato/ Toe-mato... I can see why some feel PSU was wronged in 2016 & I can see why the committee did not feel PSU was one of the best 4 teams at the end of the year. With that decision made I examine the reasoning/ impacts of the decision and use that to guide my understanding moving forward. The bigger point with the 2016 decision was the 2nd loss to Pittsburgh.. The Panthers went 8-4 before losing their bowl game. That appears to be a better 2nd loss then the Badger loss at Illinois (6-6) this season. That 2nd loss is what would stop a Badger playoff appearance this year IF they beat OSU in the B1G championship game/ rematch... As for possible bowl destination for the Badgers, I am finding references online that the Rose Bowl would take the highest ranked B1G team IF they can't get the B1G champ. And by ranking that references the college football playoff ranking, not the AP or the Coaches Polls. Badgers win Saturday night, Rose Bowl has an easy pick (getting the champ). Buckeyes win, it gets interesting for Rose Bowl & we shall see where it all shakes out.

Actually it was one 1 game between the teams that year. A close win by PSU at PSU. PSU went to the B1G championship game & OSU sat at home since both are part of the east division. While PSU won the B1G they had 2 losses, including 1 vs Pittsburgh. OSU only had the 1 loss & was then selected for the playoff.

I still they'll need help elsewhere, but if you're of the belief that the Badgers would still legitimately have playoff aspirations with a win next week, this is probably helpful. Removes the temptation for the committee to take a 1 loss non conference champ Alabama team which I definitely think was a real possibility. If you want the chance to really become real, root for a Colorado win tonight (extremely unlikely), and an Oklahoma State win (somewhat unlikely). A lot (& I mean A LOT) more chaos than that is needed for WI to make the playoff. The loss to Illinois got worse today with Northwestern beating Illinois (now 6-6). Root for Oregon to win PAC12 & derail Utah. Pray for Virginia to win the ACC over Clemson. Having LSU go down to Texas A&M helps too. Make it so SEC gets only 1 representative..

Thank god! Auburn beats Bama..

West division version of Harbaugh??? Maybe not. PJ was able to win the axe for a year.. Harbaugh now 0-5 vs his biggest rival and has allowed 118 points combined in last 2 meetings of The Game...

Incorrect - Minnesota lost on the road at Iowa. Assuming WI maintains this lead, it would be the 1st home loss this year for MN..

No. Castellanos was ineligible for a qualifying offer this time around since he was dealt during the 2019 season.. None of the remaining 7 players that declined a QO would net their former club a pick before the 2nd round. They would all produce picks between Comp B selections and the 3rd round.

No need for an investigation. Let's map this out. Let's say MN loses to WI, it takes MN to 2 loses (at Iowa & WI). Penn State also has 2 loses (at MN & at OSU). Assuming OSU wins out for this mapping, they are into the Playoff. WI would then be at 3 loses (at Illinois & 2 against OSU). Michigan would be at 3 loses (at WI, at PSU, vs OSU). Of those 4 non-OSU teams, Penn State is likely the highest rated at the end (#10 now with final game against Rutgers). While WI gets a bump beating now #8 MN, it would lose that ground with another lose in the B1G title game. MN has the highest rated win (when PSU was at #4). WI over MN is next (MN at #8). In terms of the loses for each team, both the MN losses are to teams in top 25. Same for PSU. Same for the 3 with Michigan. While WI has 2 loses vs a playoff team (OSU), the other is to a currently unranked Illinois. That would sting. PSU, WI & Michigan have all been to Pasadena since 2006. MN had its last visit in while Ike was still President. I suspect that would be an item in MN's favor if the Rose Bowl could pick its team (not tied to a game representative). If the Rose Bowl selects WI (because they won the west division), that is fine & understandable. If the Rose Bowl can select another B1G team and picks other than WI, that is also understandable.

I thought the Braves moved a 3B prospect to the OF last season due to Donaldson??

Anyone else wonder if this is another account by the infamous HighHeat19???

That would be 6 years of control, he hasn't reached a full year yet. Of course that can all change with a new labor agreement. Lauer is just shy of 2 years of service time (1.160). So in 2020 he'll be pre-arbitration, and as a very likely Super 2 player he'll be arbitration eligible for 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Or in other words 5 years of team control remaining. Lathund is correct. And would be 5 years of control remaining - 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024.

According to Baseball Reference, Lauer isn't arbitration eligible until the 2021 season & free agency for the 2025 season. That would be 5 years of control

The Wisc/PSU question is the big one. Historically (and I know that's all of 6 seasons), I believe that when the Big Ten Champ was in the playoff, the runner-up of the Championship game was the Rose Bowl representative, but I don't believe they're required for that be that way. I do not believe it is required either. A lot has to do with the strength/ ranking of other teams in the conference. Considering where Penn State started & is still top 10 with 2 losses, I would not be at all surprised if they finished ahead of the Badgers if Wisconsin did not win out..

I happy for Yan, both for getting a ring & for finding a place to sign before Thanksgiving... https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/nationals-re-sign-yan-gomes.html

Can someone layout the projection rotation for 2020 now that Chase Anderson, Z. Davies & others are gone (without any more trades/ free agents signings)?? Roster Resource is suggesting Freddy Peralta is in the rotation. I would be interested to see the various thoughts/ opinions..

Bieber gave up a lot of HRs last year, but he would be one that I would consider trading Hiura for. I have to wonder why would the Tribe even do it though. If you read the linked article its clear the Tribe will listen on everyone. That said, the cost to get some players (like Bieber) would be thru the roof, to the point of being unrealistic.

Its a old narrative but no longer true. Surprisingly the Tribe is fine with its payroll going into 2020. They are even have some space for some either FA signings (or extensions) since they already took they needed steps in declining the option on Kipnis & dealing Bauer back in July. If arbitration projections hold true there is roughly $15M in space before they reach the opening level for 2020. IF the Tribe had a payroll issue, they could have declined the team option for 2020 (& save another $17.5 M in the process).

If Gibson is getting 3 yrs and $30M, pitching prices are going higher than expected (or at least higher than I envisioned)..

No real surprise.. I've been a fan of his for years (ever since a conversation with him between innings of a Midwest league game as he was in the on deck circle) but Jesus is what he is, a 4A ballplayer.

FYI about Lauer - he grew up in the Lorain-Cleveland OH area & went to college at Kent State (many moons after Travis Shaw and even longer after I did). There is baseball pitching theory that pitchers from the 'cold-weather' states (ie not having baseball year round) take a little longer to develop and have possibility of lasting longer (due to fewer innings pitched in their youth)...

A solid move by both teams.. That said neither team should print playoff tickets yet. Brewers still have weak points/ holes at 3B, C & now starting rotation & bullpen.. I wonder if DS has another deal in the works to address the pitching needs using Arcia...

It appears Vogt is off the board... https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/diamondbacks-sign-stephen-vogt.html

Certainly a possibility but wouldn't it be more beneficial for a team to have signed him to a major league deal than take him in the rule 5? True but it is also possible to be taken in the minor league phase of the R5. And in that phase there is nothing locking a player into a level or any return to prior organization mechanism. For example: Martin Cervenka He was a minor league free agent that left Cleveland & signed with San Fran (minor league deal) after the 2017 season. December 2017 Baltimore took Cervenka in the minor league phase of the R5.

Catchers that are good both offensively AND defensively are rare. On top of that, they cost a ton to hold onto or acquire in a deal. Worse, catchers get banged up so much that a season with 100 starts is considered good. Any other non-pitcher position & only 100 starts is looked upon with questions. So teams tend to make a choice - do they prefer a catcher that is offense first or one that is defense first. I believe the Brewers would be smart to determine the market inefficiency - are more baseball teams leaning offense 1st or defense 1st and go after the other area. The Brewers should be able to get a better deal (due to limited market/ demand).

Its always good to have trade targets IF you decide to pursue a particular direction. But why would Tampa Bay make that deal?? That is the point often overlooked in trade ideas. If Cleveland is going to have issues paying Lindor beyond his remaining arbitration years or Milwaukee is going to have issues paying Yelich beyond his current contract, how does Tampa not have an issue at that point?? Why do they give up young good controllable talent to acquire either Lindor/ Yelich?? The Dodgers as a larger market team with the ability to handle higher payrolls and being on the cusp of winning it all makes more sense. They need that last piece to push them over the top to win it all.