This is it. The start of the 300s media empire. Unless you’d rather listen to guys scream at each other on the radio about why Drew Pomeranz should be coming outta the bullpen. This is a podcast from real fans who talk the way you do; no hyped up hot takes or mock outrage. Just shooting the shit. In the very first episode of The 300s Podcast we talk about how Los Angeles has too many football teams, NFL coaches getting fired/hired, the Red Sox rotation vs the Mets, how the Islanders ended up with a bastard dragon as their mascot and is it possible to buy season tickets without having a panic attack? Subscribe today!
Red Sox Re-Sign Jackie Bradley Jr. for $3.6 Million to Avoid Arbitration
ESPN – “The Boston Red Sox have avoided salary arbitration with Jackie Bradley Jr., agreeing to a $3.6 million deal with the All-Star outfielder, a source told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. Bradley made $546,500 last season and will be eligible for arbitration in each of the next three years. Bradley, 26, enjoyed a breakout season in 2016, batting .267 with career highs of 26 home runs, 87 RBIs and 94 runs scored. He was voted a starter for the American League in the All-Star Game and helped Boston win the AL East with a 93-69 record.”
Its a good thing the Red Sox stuck with it when guys like Jackie Bradley Jr were struggling because with all the $20 million pitchers on the roster, theres not really much money left for expensive outfielders. Now the Sox have one of the best outfielders in all of baseball and all 3 guys are on rookie contracts. As anti-Theo as Dombrowski is, that is exactly what Theo preaches. Build up your farm system to be the core of your team and then add in a few high priced vets to fill out the roster, especially pitching.
I’m sure JBJ’s number will continue to rise, but if he puts up numbers similar to last year then $3.6 million is an absolute bargain. Not a bad bump for him either, essentially getting paid 6x what he made last year. I’d take that deal every day of the week.
LA Rams Hire the Youngest Coach in NFL History and I Love It
If you wanted to move on from the shit storm that was the Jeff Fisher era AND make a splash in LA, this is how you do it. Hire the youngest coach in NFL history. 30 year old Sean McVay, the offensive coordinator of the Washington R-words, is the new coach of the LA Rams.
Don’t make the mistake of hiring another mediocre coordinator or a guy who’s already been a crappy coach in the past. Inject some new blood, some excitement and a guy who actually has created a great offense and built up a QB in Kirk Cousins. Thats what the Rams needed. God knows Jared Goff needs it. Plus it will be wild to see a guy who looks like a ball boy calling the shots from the sideline.
I *love* wunderkinds, especially in industries that are dominated by old boring guys. Bill Belichick is the best coach in the history of the league and I would take a bullet for him, but he is an old boring guy. If a dude who’s basically the same age as me can succeed as an NFL head coach then that makes all the blood, sweat and tears I’ve poured into Madden over the years all worth it.
It reminds me of when Theo Epstein was named GM of the Red Sox back in 2002 when he was TWENTY EIGHT! Thats insane. I can barely pay my bills at 28 and I certainly can’t balance a check book and he was managing one of the biggest franchises in all of sports at that age.
So yea, I always root for young guys getting a shot in front office and coaching positions, mainly because it just happens so rarely. Hopefully he pans out better than Josh McDaniels first go as a young head coach in Denver, which blew up in less than 2 years.
Sports are tricky because all of the players will be around his age, if not older, so it can be easy for that to become a distraction. It looks like McVay is already doing his best to combat though, surrounding himself with very experienced coaches to counteract his inexperience, which is smart. He just brought on 70 year old Wade Phillips to be his defensive coordinator. A 30 year old head coach with a 70 year old DC is still a hilarious image to think of. That is a can’t miss TV sitcom. Its too bad the Rams were on Hard Knocks last year because I would watch the shit out of that show.
Voltron at 3B Cancelled by Red Sox; Plouffe Signs with the A’s
MassLive – “The Oakland Athletics have agreed to a deal with infielder Trevor Plouffe worth approximately $5 million plus incentives, according to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball and FanRag Sports. It had been reported Dec. 27 that the Red Sox were interested in signing Plouffe.”
Cancel the assembling of Voltron at third base. The Red Sox had been reported as in on Trevor Plouffe, which would have been at the very least some competition for the Panda at the hot corner. But he just signed with the Oakland A’s so cancel that. Welp, at least we all know Sandoval is the beacon of self control, inner fortitude and loves to compete with himself… Marco Hernandez is gonna push the shit out of Panda or maybe Brock Holt just up and takes the job for a couple months at a time. Or maybe, in a wild twist the $100 million third baseman starts earning some paychecks. Buckle up.
Also, $5 million bucks for a career .247 hitter? Peace.
Is Manny Playing Japanese Independent Island League Baseball at 44 Sad or Awesome? Lets Make the Case
ESPN – “Former major league outfielder Manny Ramirez has agreed to terms with the Kochi Fighting Dogs of Japan’s independent Shikoku Island League.”
Guys this is sad. This is Manny Ramirez. The guy who never seemed to give a shit about baseball or his teammates or about much at all seemingly can’t quit the game. Manny was one of the greatest hitters of my generation, maybe of all-time, but the guy was so frustrating. It was like babysitting at times, but in the end it was worth it because when he was going .300/40/140 you’ll put up with a lot of shit. It was just “Manny being Manny.”
The thing about this though is its not like Manny needs the money. And its not like he’s expecting to make a MLB comeback at age 44. Hell he’s actually raking over there. He hit.352 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs playing in Taiwan in 2013. So he’s probably doing it just because he loves to play baseball. Maybe he’s like an old man who’s just now looking back and regretting not caring more? Maybe he misses the good old days? Or Maybe he just wants to swing through his goddamn shoes every at bat. I mean thats why I play beer league softball. Not to pad my OBP; I want to try and hit a HR every single at bat, regardless of my debatable power.
Alright, I think I’ve come full circle and changed my mind. You do you, Manny. Have a beer or 6 and swing for the fences. Thats what mens league/Japanese Independent Island League baseball is all about.
Cue the highlights!
Would Bryce Harper Spurn the Yankees Over His Lettuce?
Yahoo – “Even the most ardent Bryce Harper haters have to admit one thing: The Washington Nationals outfielder has a strong hair game. We’re not just talking about the hair on his head, either, though it is spectacular…It’s no secret Harper rooted for the Yankees growing up, and there’s been speculation about him joining the club the instant he becomes a free-agent for years now. Knowing that, [Clint] Frazier took the opportunity to do a little recruiting for New York.”
If you’ve ever had any hope of Bryce Harper spurning the Yankees (who he’s long been rumored to be destined for in Free Agency), then this is your best shot. Bryce Harper, the young, cocky dude who mashes dingers all while rocking the best hair in baseball and a full beard. Not on the Yankees because of their nonsensical rules on hair and facial hair. Bryce would have to shave the beard and start rocking a boy’s regular. Not this guy.
Would his glorious lettuce be enough for Harper to say forget that, I’ll go mash somewhere else and look like Jayson Werth if I want? Thats what I’m hoping at least. I love Harper and I think he’d be a cult figure in Boston; a fiery asshole that lives and dies with every play, runs into walls and absolutely rakes? Yea I think Massholes would take a liking to him. Either way, anyone but the Yankees. Thats just what they need, an MVP slugger in his prime. Don’t do it Bryce. Just look at the damage the Yankees have done to lettuce over the years.
PS – I’m already distraught over the lettuce that Yankees top prospect Clint Frazier will soon have to axe. RIP.
Red Sox Looking to Cobble Together a Third Baseman: Interested in Trevor Plouffe
NBC Sports – The Red Sox are interested in free agent third baseman Trevor Plouffe, Evan Drellich reports for the Boston Herald. If the two sides were to reach an agreement, Plouffe would likely be utilized in a utility or platoon role.
Can’t have an All-Star at every position I guess. As much as people wanted the Red Sox to smash open the piggy bank and go all in by signing a guy like Edwin Encarnacion, it wasn’t really realistic. Whether that reason truly is just a matter of staying under the luxury tax, who knows. But this Sox team is set at just about every position, except for ya know that glaring hole at 3rd base. With one of the worst outputs in the entire league at 3B last year, the Sox are desperate for some production out of the hot corner. So while Plouffe certainly won’t step in and be The Guy, he can contribute as a utility guy and provide a little safety net if Panda shits the bed.
So God help you Pablo Sandoval if this whole “I’m gonna lose weight to revive my career” thing is bullshit.
ICYMI – Pablo Sandoval looks to be slimmed down and in great shape down in Fla – photo courtesy Alvaro Hernandez – #wbz #RedSox pic.twitter.com/YX2zNm1E3U
— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) December 6, 2016
Bye, Felicia
NESN – Clay Buchholz’s 10-year career with the Boston Red Sox reportedly has come to an end. The Red Sox traded the right-handed pitcher to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer was the first to report the news, with FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman and FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal confirming. According to Gelb, Boston will acquire minor leaguer Josh Tobias in the deal.
Just like that, the Clay Buchholz Era in Boston has ended. Fittingly, it ended with a whimper and not with a bang. The dude threw a no-hitter in his second career start in 2007, but could never live up to his potential.
Buchholz showed flashes at times, no doubt. An All-Star in 2010, he finished 6th in Cy Young Award voting that season. He was named to the All-Star team again in 2013 after starting the season 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA. But injuries put him on the shelf from June 8 – to September 10 in 2013, and he ultimately did not make much of mark the rest of that season or during the World Series title run.
Ultimately, those flashes were just flashes and only served to extend his time in Boston. His reasonable salaries didn’t hurt his case either. Why not take a flier on your own guy instead of bringing in someone else? (See Miley, Wade.)
While his 81-61 record puts his winning percentage at .570 and his 3.96 ERA puts his ERA+ at 109, it’s hard not to characterize the Buchholz Era as a disappointment in the end. The ups and downs, the injuries, disappointments (see 2008) and frustrations ultimately became too much for the Red Sox. Buchholz has now been swapped for a 24 year-old infielder with no professional experience higher than A-ball.
If the Phillies take on all of the $13.5 million due to Buchholz, that’s a win for Trader Dave. But even if not, this is is addition by subtraction for the Red Sox. I know that you can never have too much pitching (see Arroyo, Bronson), but Buchholz was never an innings eater. It’s just one less moving part John Farrell needs to be concerned with. With David Price, Rick Porcello and now Chris Sale headlining next year’s staff, hopefully the Red Sox can move away from the revolving door that has been (at least the back of) their rotation for the last few years.
Yankees Respond to Red Sox Trading for Chris Sale and Sign Aroldis Chapman to Monster Deal. Rivalry is Back On
BREAKING: Aroldis Chapman has agreed to a 5-year, $86 million deal with the Yankees. (via @FOXSports) pic.twitter.com/l6abcmdRu0
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 8, 2016
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The Yankees just signed Aroldis Chapman to a 5 year $86 Million deal the largest deal any reliever has ever received. My initial reaction? Shit. My next response? This is the not fucking around crew.
And I love it. As much as its going to suck having to fear Aroldis Chapman coming out of the pen to slam a close game shut 19 times a year, this is phenomenal for the Sox Yankees rivalry.
To be honest its been pretty dull the past few years as both teams really haven’t been very good at the same time. Sox win the AL East last year? Yankees finish 9 games back. So it will be good to have a new stud on the other side for us all to hate. Plus both teams are young and getting better, which is great for breeding that next generation of contempt. You need guys going head to head beating each others brains in every season for years to really get that bad blood going. Throw in a nut job like Chris Sale and I think we’ve got a dog days of summer bench clearing brawl just waiting to happen.
This reminds me of the good old days back in the early 2000s when these two teams were getting after it like the Cold War, constantly trying to one up the other side with big signings, trades, digging up international gems (cue Theo Epstein trashing his hotel room after losing out on Jose Contreras to the Yankees). We had Theo and the whole front office flying out to Arizona to have fucking Thanksgiving dinner with Curt Schilling, all in hopes of getting him to waive his no-trade clause for the Sox over the Yankees. Reminds me of the days when each side was calling the other the Evil Empire. Red Sox trade for one of the top 3 pitchers in baseball? Literally the next day the Yankees sign arguably the best closer in baseball. Giving this rivalry the juice it needed. Love it.
Red Sox Brass Must Enjoy Watching All the Former Red Sox Dominate MLB Awards
With Terry Francona wining AL Manager of the Year yesterday it got me thinking. Francona was manager of the year and was in the World Series, now Jon Lester could very easily win the NL Cy Young tonight to go along with his World Series title, not to mention Theo Epstein potentially winning MLB Executive of the Year. So out of Boston’s not so long ago core of the franchise, we could see a Manager of the Year, Cy Young winner, MLB Executive of the Year and a World Series title all in the same season and the Red Sox will receive ZERO BENEFIT.
Thats crazy. I know some of these guys have been gone for a couple of years now, but let that sink in. The one time core of the Red Sox may have a clean sweep of the biggest awards in the sport. I honestly don’t know if Larry Lucchino feels bad about ousting pretty much all of these guys or if he just laughs it off and thinks, “Fuck it, I invented Camden Yards.”
Either way, hopefully its a wakeup call for John Henry to STOP MEDDLING IN BASEBALL AFFAIRS. You ran the best baseball executive of our generation out of town over a pissing contest just so we could hold onto the 70 year old guy who likes to monetize everything down to the goddamn bricks at Fenway. Solid management plan.
The 300s 