Happy New Year Pepper Viewers! Thanks for making 2013 Special! I look forward to talking Baseball with The over 4,000 that viewed us this Year. Happy 2014!

11 Questions with Matt Nadel

Baseball is a sport that is rich in history, while talking about trade rumors and free agent signings is great, the history of Baseball has an even greater story. Matt Nadel is another kid blogger who loves Baseball history.
His Blog "Baseball with Matt" (http://baseballwithmatt.blogspot.com/) tells the story about the games past.
Launched in April 2012, Baseball with Matt is a must read for Baseball Fans!

Niko(Pepper)-I recently asked him some questions, here is what I came up with:

Niko- Before your Baseball blogging career, how much interest did you have in Baseball, when did you become a "true" fan?

Matt- I didn't have as much interest in baseball before I started blogging but I did have somewhat of an interest in the sport. I probably became a true fan after the Yankees lost the 2007 ALDS to the Indians. I watched the games with my dad and it really got me interested in the game.

Niko-Who is you favorite player you interviewed and why?
2. My favorite player I interviewed was probably Jim Palmer, the Hall of Fame pitcher for the Orioles. He was my first interview with a Hall of Famer and he was so nice and engaged in the conversation. It was really fun to talk to him. 

Niko-What's the best part about writing your blog?
3. The best part about writing my blog is that I get to report about the greatest sport in the world. It's always really exciting to sit down at the computer and think to myself: "What topic do I write about next?"

Niko-Of all the games in Major League history, which is your favorite and why?
4. My favorite game would probably have to be Game Six of the 1993 World Series. Joe Carter's walk-off home run and Paul Molitor's excellent hitting performance really excited me when I watched a recap of the game on MLB Network.

Niko- In your opinion who is the best Manager in Baseball?
5. The best manager in baseball currently is Joe Maddon of the Rays. He took a horrible team and turned them into winners and they've been excellent ever since they made the World Series in 2008. Of all time, the best manager is Casey Stengel. He won so many pennants with his Yankee squads that it just doesn't make sense how a team could be so good.


Niko- If you could go back in time to interview or meet one person that played Baseball, who would it be?
6. I would love to sit down and interview Lou Gehrig. He was such a great player, but very quiet. I would love to know what is going on inside that head of his.


Niko-What is your opinion on the Biogenesis scandal?
7. I don't like the fact that players are using steroids. It's just not right and it's definitely not good for the game of baseball.

Niko- Now I know your a Yankee fan, so what's your favorite moment at Yankee Stadium?

8. I attended Game One of the 2009 World Series, the first Fall Classic game at the new house. The atmosphere was amazing and I was just thinking: "Wow. I'm experiencing history." I also got to meet Derek Jeter at the old house on August 16, 2008. I will never forget that date.

Niko- Any predictions for the 2014 season?
9. NL pitchers: watch out for Paul Goldschmidt. He is going to hurt you badly when you least expect it. Also, watch out for the Mariners. They might not win the division but they will certainly win more games than in recent years. 

Niko-What's your favorite part about Cooperstown NY?

10. My favorite part of Cooperstown is the Hall of Fame. Specifically, I love the room with all the plaques of the HoFers. It's so cool to see the history of baseball all in one room.
 Niko- And Finally, what do you hope to accomplish in the next couple of years with your Blog?

11. In the next couple of years, I hope to become more successful and more appreciated throughout the blogging community. I love writing about the game of baseball and I just want to continue doing this.

Thanks again Matt for the interview!

Dont forget to check out "Baseball With Matt" http://baseballwithmatt.blogspot.com/

Baseball Hall of Fame Election 2014

Well its that time of year again! Time for Hall Of Fame ballots to get stuffed.
Last year of course, no one was elected, which caused a stir among Baseball Fans. This year however, I am over confident that multiple players will be elected. Barry Bonds is one of the most controversial players on the ballot.  There is two sides to the argument. Do you A) Not vote for him despite him holding the record for home runs only because of his alleged steroids use? or do you B) Vote him in to the Hall since he is holding some of the best baseball records(albeit with a big asterisk) of all time. If it was up to me I would have to let him in. Any home run champion, no matter how deceiving he was, deserves to be in the Hall, after all, many other non-HR Champ players have made it into the Hall. Greg Maddux also deserves a vote, he was one of the best starting pitchers of the 90's. Other starting pitchers that I believe will make it are Curt Schilling and Tom Glavine.
I also hope that Mike Piazza makes it in during his 2 year on the ballot. He is one of the best hitting catchers of all time. He barely  missed the cut last year. I believe Frank Thomas will make the cut, but I wont be surprised if he is on the outside looking in. Best of luck to all the candidates!   

What can the Blue Jays do to improve?

First off, the Blue Jays need a good year out of Dickey. But in trade, I would go after David Price. The former Cy young has a lot to prove if he wants to retain an ace status. The Rays are good trade partners with the Jays, but only time will tell.

MLB Archives: 1997 World Series Game 7

A Baseball Guide to January!

Yes it's almost January the last month before Baseball activities kick off! January is also the most boring month of the offseason because the majority of the deals have already taken place!
So I suggest doing one of two things. 1- You can take it light in Jan because come February baseball will heat up. Spring Training starts February 10th so you won't miss much if you don't pay attention to baseball. 2-Read #pepperMLB Daily!

Pepper Show Episode #4

Enjoy

MLB Archives: 2011 World Series Game 6

IF you cant view the video you can find it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8XkzEJsKe4

Pepper30: Minnesota Twins

This is interesting! The Twins are a team that might surprise you in the AL Central, even without Morneau, The Twins can trust young pitching to carry them to a playoff berth. The Twins have been Cellar Dwelers the last couple of years, however in a weak division a little pop can go a long way. Look for the Twins getting Bronson Arroyo this offseason, he would to good in St.Paul!

Link: (Bleacher Report) 2013 Surprises

Since the calendar year ends next week here a like to a countdown of the most shocks the Baseball World had this year

Happy New Year!

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1900113-all-30-mlb-teams-biggest-surprise-disappointment-of-2013

Stephen Drew is close with Red Sox

The last big shortstop Stephen Drew is surprisingly only getting comporable offers from the Red Sox, which is surprising consodering other teams could use his level of Defense.

The fate of Jamie Moyer!

I have recently got questions regarding Jamie Moyer and his status. He is in fact retired but not without some questions. He reported this September that he was returning to baseball as a knuckler, however this November he told the press that he is in fact done with his Baseball life.
 Who is your favorite active player from the 90s and why?

Masahiro Tanaka will be Posted. Biding starts Today

After lots of negotiable facts swirling around Baseball about Tanaka the last 2 months. We're all happy to say that The  club that Tanaka plays for the Golden Eagles have agreed to post Tanaka, the club announced on Christmas. Bidding starts today, however we expect multiple clubs to meet the $20 Million MAX.

Merry Christmas From the Pepper Franchise

With The start of baseball less than 2 months away...

What can we expect from the rest of the offseason?
-Nelson Cruz is still looking for a home. The Rockies and Red Sox are targets for Cruz, however no deal is imminent.
- The Masahiro Tanaka decision should come today or tomorrow. The Golden Eagles will announce if he will be posted.
- Ervin Santana is looking to resign with the Royals.
- Stephen Drew is getting offers from both Boston and The Mets, both are 2-3 year deals.
-Matt Garza is waiting for the Masahiro Tanaka situation to unfold before he signs.
This is a quiet week in Baseball, so this will be my last Baseball post before Christmas.
Merry Christmas from Pepper +

Update 7:01 PM - December 24 2013
Masahiro Tanaka will be posted for an estimated $20 Million.

Get Ready for "Baseball Prime" --- January 1st

Who's the best player in Baseball? Who will win the Pepper Prime award?  Vote Now!
Don't forget to comment!

Jim Thome. Should he make a comeback?

The answer is yes, the 44 year old thome who last played with the O's in 2012, is now a special assist. to the GM of the White Sox. He was on MLB Networks "Hot Stove" this morning stating he is optimistic about returning. Ken Rosenthal of MLBN predicted that he will return. Thome would be a good fit for a team looking for pop. He matches up well with Jason Giambi.
      Merry Christmas From Ben, Borja and Niko

Pepper30: San Francisco Giants

After acquiring veteteran pitcher Tim Hudson and giving Hunter Pence a contract extension, things have been quiet for the Giants. They are lookin for a infield upgrade. But with the market so thin it might be hard to find what the Giants are looking for. If I were the Giants, I would look to acquire an infield bat via trade. 

Merry Christmas from #pepperMLB

Pepper Inbox #4

If you haven't watched this weeks show it's here:

Now, for this weeks inbox, let's talk about the best player in the bigs. Who is it and why?
Don't forget to check out this weeks Poll also!

Shin-Soo Choo signs with Texas Rangers

After trading for Prince Fielder and now signing Shin-Soo Choo, the Texas Rangers have completely improved their weak offense to one of the best in baseball, as it once was. Last offseason, the Rangers lost two of their best hitters in Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli. Those two huge losses proved too big for Texas to overcome, as their weak hitting was one of the main causes of them just missing the playoffs. This offseason, they may have lost Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz(they alomost certainly won't sign him back with their full outfield), but Fielder and Choo are much better replacements. With their completely revamped offense, this is my predicted starting lineup for the Rangers next year.

RF- Shin-Soo Choo*
2B- Jurickson Profar
1B- Prince Fielder*
3B- Adrian Beltre
LF- Alex Rios
1B- Mitch Moreland
SS- Elvis Andrus
CF- Leonys Martin
C- Geovany Soto

Add this great offense to a strong starting rotation and a lights-out bullpen, and the Rangers could be well on their way to an AL west title in 2014.

*added this offseason

Pepper Show Update 12-21

Merry Christmas From Pepper!

Pepper Show #3

The Bloggers are back! Here's this weeks show!

BREAKING NEWS!!

The Texas Rangers have officially signed Shin-Soo Choo to a seven year 130$ million deal. This means that Nelson Cruz will not be returning to Texas. Stay tuned to Pepper for more updates

Pepper30: Chicago Cubs

Cubbies fans have been used to disappointing seasons, but that will all change in 2014 in my eyes. The Cubs need a frontline pitcher. I know I have been saying this a lot but bear with me. If Masahiro Tanaka does get posted, then he would be a good fit for the Cubs, if Chicago dosent get Tanaka. Or if the Golden Eagles don't post him then Bronson Arroyo would be a good fit. I expect the Cubs to make a late blockbuster trade in January, however only time will tell.

Offseason Tracker 12-20

-Grant Balfour and the O's agreed To a deal last week but now a new report says Balfour didn't pass the Physical.

- Carlos Beltran is now officially a Yankee.

- Stephen Drew is close to a deal.

- The Pepper Show Episode #3 airs tommorow

Tanaka Update

According to a New York Times Report, Masahiro Tanaka will not be posted this offseason. If Raukketen follows through with this report, it means that the Pitcher that went 24-0 an impeccable 1.  ERA, will not be posted. This is obviously bad news for Tanaka, who would want to be posted. He is scheduled to earn $8 million this year for the Golden Eagles. Everyone's fealing is that he would make 4 times that in America. Tanaka is guarrented 2 more years in Japan. This is not official, however it is highly speculated that this is an act of gamesmanship 

Pepper30 : Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates almost made it to the NLCS in 2013 but lost to the Cardinals in the DS. So far they have been quiet in the Offseason. But I believe things will change. The Pirates are looking for a RF after the loss of Byrd. Cruz is a likely candidate, he would fit well in Pittsburgh. The Pirates are also looking for another A.J Burnett type pitcher. Ervin Santana could fit the void, however it's not an emergency. 

Vote Now!

As you may have noticed, our blog has started a poll on where Masahiro Tanaka will end up. Voting is almost over. Have your say! Results to be featured on this Saturdays #PepperShow! Comment!

Offseason Tracker 12-18

Jose Veras signs with the Cubs

Joaquin Benoit signs 2 year deal with Padres

Nelson Cruz is looking to stay in the AL

#pepperMLB

Baseball activities to start soon

Even though Spring Training doesn't start until early Febuary, baseball activities start for clubs as soon as the new year begins. Players usually "ramp" up the activities around the new year, which means we are 2 weeks away from the beginning of Baseball activity. I hope that makes baseball fans more excited about Baseball! 

Merry Christmas From #pepperMLB

Pepper30: St.Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals hope to salvage another NL Championship next summer, and they have all the pieces to do it. After signing Jhonny Peralta, Peter Borjous and other core players to the roster, the Cards are in good place to win a WS trophy.... That was a bold pick, I guess the Cardinals are that kind of team!

Offseason Tracker 12-17

-Yanks near agreement with Brain Roberts.

-Tanaka wants to pursue a MLB Carrer.

-Spring Training is less than 2 months away

-O's sign Grant Balfour 

--------

Expect less posts from now on. Baseball is slow in late December.

 Merry Christmas from Pepper!

Closer Addison Reed to D-backs

Just today, the Chicago White Sox traded Addison Reed to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for prospect third basemen Matt Davidson. According to mlb.com, Davidson was Arizona's #2 prospect overall. He made his major league debut last season and batted .237 in 76 at-bats. Addison Reed, who has saved 69 games combined in the past two seasons, has competition for the closer's role in Arizona with J.J. Putz and Brad Ziegler.

Offseason Tracker 12-16

2B AJ Ellis signed with the Cardinals.

RHP John Axford signed withCleveland. 

Sources say all 30 teams could put up the 20 Million to negotiate with Tanaka

Pepper INBOX #3

With the last three pieces of the puzzle (Tanaka, Cruz and Choo) yet to be solved, I ask you for predictions. Who should go where and why? Thanks!

Pepper30: Milwaukee Brewers

Well this is a interesting ball club. After losing losing Ryan Braun to suspension in 2013. The Brew-crew is looking to rebound, with a positive 2014. Milwaukee has many holes in the infield. And could use an upgrade behind the plate. However I believe the main concern For the Brewers is their bullpen. It really needs an upgrade. They have been looking for Bullpen help since the offseason started. They are looking in to John Axford.
Stay tuned to the Spice.

Juan Uribe- Dodgers reach deal

The dodgers a team that lost to the Cards in the NLCS, are getting third Baseman Juan Uribe to a 3 Year Deal. The Dodgers are also planning on Bidding for Masahiro Tanaka

Pepper Show Episode 2!

Enjoy! Comments are welcome! Tell us what you think!

Justin Mourneau signs with Rockies

The Colorado Rockies continued their busy offseason, signing first baseman Justin Mourneau to a 2 year, $12.5 million dollar deal. He was Colorado's best option to replace future hall-of-famer Todd Helton, who retired this offseason after spending his whole 17-year career with the Rockies. Also on Friday, the Rockies signed former Yankees relief pitcher Boone Logan to a 3-year, $16.5 million dollar deal.

Pepper30: Tampa Bay Rays

It's been a while since I have done this, because I wanted to wait after the Winter Meetings. Tampa has recently signed James Loney and wants to trade David Price. Tampa Bay had a very good 2013 campaign clinching a wild card berth only to get eliminated by the Champion Red Sox in the ALDS. Joe Maddon always finds a way to win. He is a pure Baseball mind. One of the best managers in Baseball. The Rays could improve by getting a veteran starting Pitcher, however with Moore , Hellickson, Archer and possibly David Price, The Rays should finish with a Wild Card slot again in 2014

Friday Recap

On Friday two big deals went down. The Tampa Bay Rays suprisingly made a big move by resigning 1B James Loney. The Kansas City Royals added to their infield by signing Omar Infante. This is big because the Yankees were hoping to sign Infante and rejected Brandon Phillips in order to get him.

Do not forget to tune in to the #peppershow and leave thoughts or questions in the comments

S^2C Offseason Tracker 12-13-13

Omar Infante agreed to a 4 Year Deal with Kansas City.
David Ortiz is seeking a 1 year contract extension.I believe he deserves it considering his Postseason.
James Loney signed a deal with Tampa Bay.
The #PepperShow Episode 2 premieres tomorrow at 1PM

The Market for Johan Santana

After missing out in 2013. Johan Santana is attempting recovery from his Second Capsule Surgery. No one has ever returned from 2 surgeries of such magnitude. Santana is currently being watched by the Yankees, Blue Jays and Twins.

Winter Meetings Recap

Cox, LaRussa, Torre were all elected into the HOF.
MLB created a brand new Posting System with the Japan Leauges.
The Mets Signed Bartolo Calon to a 2 Year deal.
The M's Agreed to terms with Corey Hart and Logan Morrison.
Joba Chamberlain signed with the Tigers.
The Instant replay rules were finalized.
Roy Halladay calles it quits after 16 years

All these topics and more on the #PepperShow this Sat.
  

S^2C Offseason Tracker 12-12-13

The giants agree to terms with Michael Morse.
The M's Are set to introduce Robinson Cano.
The Rule 5 Draft took place this morning at 9am.
The Winter Meetings will wrap up Tonight.

Colon to Mets

The Mets continue their offseason spending by signing Bartolo Colon to a two year deal. This adds to their other big moves of Curtis Granderson and Chris Young.
In Other MLB news:
-Corey Hart signs with the Mariners to provide protection for Cano and also add Logan Morrison
-Marlins sign Garrett Jones
-Nationals trade for Jerry Blevins
-MLB made the awful decision to eliminate home plate collisions
Leave any thoughts and questions in the comments for this weeks Pepper Show

Japan and America agree to terms on a new posting system

This is significant for Masahiro Tanaka. Considering that the Posting cap is 20 Million. He might not get posted.

Brett Anderson to Rockies

As expected, the Athletics traded Brett Anderson to the Rockies for starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz and minor league pitcher Chris Jensen. Anderson, who has struggled with injuries his entire career, pitched only 44.2 innings this past season with a 6.04 earned run average.

3 team trade: Angels, White Sox and D-Backs

D-Backs get Trumbo + 2 players to be named later
Angels get Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago
White sox get Adam Eaton

David Price, Chris Sale trade rumors heating up.

The Rays said from the beginning that they intend to shop David Price.
The White Sox now have said that they will listen to deals for Ace Chris Sale. The White Sox would get have to get a lot of talent in return if they trade Sale.

Roy Halladay Retires after 16 amazing years!

Thanks Roy! I enjoyed watching you pitch over the last couple of years. You were dominant and a great Baseball Player. Enjoy your retirement.

La Russa, Torre, Cox have been elected into the HOF

Some of the best managers in baseball that I got a chance to see manage got elected. Tony LaRussa was one of my favorite managers. I got a chance to watch him during his tenure with the Cardinals. I got to see Bobby Cox the most, considering I am a Mets Fan. I got a chance to see Joe Torre during this years WBC. These legendary managers deserve to be in the Hall Of Fame.

Pepper INBOX: Pepper show#2

First of I would like to thank you for watching and posting on our signature show "Pepper Show"
The show is a hit on our blog and I would like to thank you!
Now next weeks show will feature another inbox. The subject is Teams. Comment us your favorite team and a question. Use the Hashtag #PepperShow to have your comment featured!

Winter Meetings Start Tonight!

Tonight GMs , Owners and many others will travel down to Orlando FL to talk trades. The Winter meetings are usually the point where things heat up. However this Years meetings might be different considering what happened last week. 

The Pepper Show! Season1 Ep.1 Enjoy!

My 2014 New York Mets

In response to Borja's post I have decided to put together a lineup for the NY Mets

1. LF Eric Young Jr
2. 2B Daniel Murphy
3. 3B David Wright
4. CF Curtis Grandersom
5. RF Chris Young
6. C Travis d'Arnaud
7. 1B Lucas Duda (Bye-Bye Ike!)
8. SS Ruben Tejada
I can't post pitchers yet, It's way to early with to many factors in the way.

My 2014 New York Yankees

My Lineup:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Derek Jeter SS
3. Mark Texiera 1B
4. Carlos Beltran RF
5. Alfonso Soriano DH
6. Brian McCann C
7. Kelly Johnson 2B
8. Omar Infante 3B
9. Ichiro Suzuki LF

Starting Rotation:
1. CC Sabathia
2. Masahiro Tanaka
3. Hiroki Kuroda
4. Ivan Nova
5. Michael Pineda

Recap of the Last 24 Hours

Curtis Granderson signed a 4 year 60 Mil deal with the Mets

Robinson Cano signed a 10 year deal with the M's
Cano signed the 3rd most expensive contract in MLB History

Scott Feldman signed a 3 year deal with the Astros

Carlos Beltran signed a 3 year deal with the Yanks

Hiroki Karoda signed with the Yankees

Late News!

It seems that the Yankees have quickly moved on from Robinson Cano. Multiple reports state the the New York Yankees have signed Carlos Beltran for 3 years. Now the Yankees have signed Jacoby Ellsbury, Kelly Johnson, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann

Crazy day for New York Baseball

The Yankees lost two of their best hitters today, with the Seattle Mariners shockingly agreeing to a 10-year, 240 million dollar deal with Robinson Cano, and the crosstown rival Mets signing Curtis Granderson to a 4-year deal worth 60 million. Nobody expected Cano to get the 10 years he wanted, and nobody thought the Mariners were interested in him either. This is tied for the second-largest contract in baseball history with Albert Pujols, behind only Alex Rodriguez. With Cano gone, the Yankees can go after other free agents like Masahiro Tanaka and Carlos Beltran, and they already signed Kelly Johnson to replace Cano. But this is still a huge loss for the Yankees. Cano has been the best second basemen in baseball for the past couple years, and his consistency is impossible to replace, as is the offense he and Granderson offered. The only compensation the Yankees get is a late first-round pick. As for Seattle, this signing improves their weak offense by so much and makes them a contender for next season. In other baseball news, the Yankees re-signed Hiroki Kuroda to a 1-year, 16 million dollar deal, Scott Feldman signed a 3-year deal with Houston, and Rafael Furcal signed a 1-year deal with Miami

UN BE LIVABLE

Robinson Cano signed 10 years with the Seattle Mariners. As a Yankees fan I was hoping that Cano would return but was ok with him leaving. But NO ONE expected to see Cano in the Northwest. This is officially the craziest offseason in MLB history

Seattle signs 2B Robinson Cano to 10 Year Deal

Well today December 6th 2013 will be one of the most memorable days of this Offseason. Cano just signed the 3rd biggest contract a Baseball Player has ever received. Cano signed a 10 year 240 million dollar deal. This signing will surely make Seattle a contending team in 2014.

Mets sign Granderson

Curtis Granderson recently signed a 4 year deal with the New York Meta for $60 Million.
This is huge for the Mets, a team that is looking for left handed pop.

For more info go to Mets Flash: http://metsflash.blogspot.com/

Robinson Cano in serious talks with M's

The Seattle Mariners are in "heavy" negotiations with Robinson Cano regarding a 9 Year Deal. 

If this goes through it would be shocking. No one expected the M's to jump into the Cano pool. More news tomorrow on Pepper:MLB

Masahiro Tanaka gaining interest

Well it's almost time for the posting situation to start. He is gaining interest from both LA Clubs and Chciago(NL). Tanaka went 21-0 and led his team to a championship.

Merry Christmas From Pepper

STAY TUNED TO PEPPER

This whole week....
Coverage of the winter meetings
Trade rumors, signings 
The Premiere of The Pepper Show
Thanks for reading Pepper! 

Who is the Best Player on the Market?

If you ask me, it's a no brainer! Robinson Cano will be the highlight of the offseason, can the Yankees get Cano? I asked my sources, and they said "Maybe". Not a convincing answer ... Hopefully we get some good deals next week with the Winter Meetings coming to Orlando,FL.

The Storm before the Calm?

Unlike the usual slow start to the offseason this season has started big with signings and trades galore, All of this before the Winter Meetings!

Yankees sign Jacoby Ellsbury for 7 years, 150 Million

Making their second big free-agent signing this offseason, the Yankees signed former nemesis Jacoby Ellsbury to a 7 year, 150 million contract. With the Yankees still having major weaknesses, especially in their starting rotation, and trying to get under the 189 million dollar tax threshold, this raises doubts whether Robinson Cano will stay with the team. Cano recently lowered his asking price to 9 years and 260 million, which is still far from what the Yankees will be willing to do. But assuming that the Yankees re-sign Cano, and that Alex Rodriguez will be suspending for at least the whole 2014 season, this is my predicted Opening Day lineup for the Yankees next April:

CF- Jacoby Ellsbury
SS- Derek Jeter
2B- Robinson Cano
C- Brian McCann
1B- Mark Teixeira
DH- Alfonso Soriano
LF- Brett Gardner
RF- Ichiro Suzuki
3B- Eduardo Nunez

Jacoby Ellisbury signs 7 year 150 Million dollar deal With the Yankees

12-3 -13 the most crazy day in Baseball offseason  history. This is a huge deal sand expect it to be more developed tomorrow.The Yankees, have made their club 10 times better with this signing, but how do Yankee fans feel about this? Can the Yankees go sign Cano now? All of these questions are up in the air. To date this is the biggest signing of the Offseason.
                    FOR OUR GERMAN VIEWERS:
3.12 -13 die verrückten Tag in Baseball Offseason Geschichte. Das wird eine große Sache Sand erwarten, dass es weiter entwickelten tomorrow.The Yankees, haben ihren Club 10 mal besser mit diesem Abschluss gemacht, aber wie Yankee Fans dazu? Kann die Yankees gehen unterzeichnen Cano jetzt? All diese Fragen sind in der Luft. Bis heute ist dies die größte Unterzeichnung der Offseason.
  

Jarod Saltalamacchia to Marlins

The Miami Marlins have agreed on a 3 year deal with C Jarod Saltalamacchia. This comes the same day as the Red Sox, his former team, signed a new catcher
The A's have also acquired Craig Gentry from the Texas Rangers

MLB NEWS FLASH

A three team trade has gone down between the Rays, Reds and D-Backs.
The Rays get Heath Bell and Ryan Hanigan
The Reds get David Holmberg
The new blogger rumors have not been confirmed
Today has been bizarre! Dexter Fowler is going to the Astros for 2 minor leaguers.
Congrats Astros you got very lucky!
Also the A's acquire Gregerson from the Padres
Joe Nathan signs with the Tigers
and AJ Pierzinski goes to the Red Sox

Calling all Knuckleball pitchers!

Hello everyone! Being a Mets fan since 2006 has taught me two things. Don't expect the Mets to meet your expectations, and the "superstar" player that we sign in the offseason isn't going to be that amazing. The Mets have been a lightning in a bottle, type team for quite some time now, and I feel its time they finally make a move. RA Dickey is a prime example, he is a great player, and he has a great heart. I recommend reading his excellent book "Wherever I Wind Up" By RA Dickey. I read his book last summer, I  related to it.  I'm fourteen but rarely ever go to church, except for when i go with my grandmother. RA says the exact same thing in his book. He is the last of his kind, and it scares me. My favorite part of watching Dickey is seeing that ball dance in the strikezone. So here is  my worry, With no Wakefield how many Knuckleball pitchers will be left? MLB Networks "The Next Knuckler" tried to promote the pitch, i don't know the results but I hope it worked. I love the knuckleball, it mystifies me, and I don't want to see it be forgotten. Best of luck to RA Dickey and the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014!

Big Day of Trades

One day after signing Scott Kazmir the Oakland A's added to their very good bullpen by trading for Orioles closer Jim Johnson. The other Beltway club the Washington Nationals traded for Detroit Tigers starter Doug Fister

The Pepper Show is coming! Debuts December 9th!

For those of you who have been asking The Pepper Show will be various Pepper contributors talking about whats going on in the baseball world and answering your questions! Make sure to comment all questions you may have!

MLB NEWS: 12-2-13

Ryan Vogelsong signs a one-year deal with San Francisco

Scott Kazmir signs a 2 year dael with Oakland

Shortstop market is thin after the signing of Jhonny Peralta

People in Atlanta are not reacting well to the Braves projected move to Cobb County, Georgia

Who's up for arbitration?

Today teams must decide if they want to give select players arbitration or if they want to release him. Many players are arbitration eligible including Mets 2B Daniel Murphy. The Deadline is tonight

Top 10 ballparks: #8 PNC Park

Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. A beautiful retro ballpark with modern charm.

Profile: Carlos Beltran

Beltran is looking for a 2 year deal in 2014. He mist out on a championship by 2 games last year.
The Cardinals, Red Sox and Yankees all seem like good fits for Beltran

DR WBC Parade

Over the weekend the Dominican Republic held a parade for the 2013 WBC champions, who won it back in March. This only shows the importance of the World Baseball Classic to some countries.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and we will be ready for the Winter Meetings coming up

Make sure to join us for The Pepper Show, debuting Monday December 9th!

And don't forget to leave your baseball questions in the comments using the #peppershow

A guide to Cooperstown, NY

Have you ever been to Cooperstown? If you have you might not be that interested in the post, but I urge you to read on. Cooperstown is a beautiful get away town in the middle of the Otesego County. Some highlights are the Hall Of Fame and the Hall of Fame museum.

But have you ever been to Doubleday Field? It's a beautiful retro ball park located right next to the Cooper Inn hotel, The current tenant The Cooperstown Hawkeyes play there in the summer. But other stars play there, like Felipe Alou, Mo Vaughn and Trevor Hoffman played there last fall, I got the honor of being the official Scoreboard and Scorekeeper .

And boy did I enjoy it.

I highly recommend a trip to Cooperstown next spring!

  

Latest rumors, buzz, and recaps

Hanley Ramirez is looking for a contract extension.

The Mets are involved in a three way trade.

Except The Stove to heat up next week with the winter meetings.

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Any Cheap Deals for Black Friday?

Sources say no. GM's seem to be taking the week off, in a way. Rumors have gone down, and with Winter Meetings approaching it makes since to take the week off from Trades.

Why Fred McGriff should be voted in to the Hall of Fame

With the brand new Hall of Fame ballots coming out recently, we see many new names and old ones that will get all the attention. But what about Fred McGriff, the first basemen who played from 1986 to 2004? McGriff hit 493 home runs over the course of his career, tied with Lou Gehrig for 26th on the all-time list. He also had 2,490 hits during his career, good enough for a respectable .284 batting average. In my opinion, McGriff was the most underrated of the steroid era. The reason for the lack of attention towards McGriff was being overshadowed by the bigger hitters of his era, such as Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds. But unlike those players, he never took any sort of performance-enhancing drug. With his hall of fame worthy numbers, a championship, and his clean career, I would be surprised not to see McGriff voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year.

pepper30:LA Dodgers

Magic was in the air in Los Angeles this summer, the NL West champs have money to spend this offseason. They are looking to acquire players such as Masahiro Tanaka and Robinson Cano. The Dodgers will start the season in Sydney, Australlia this March! 

Happy Thanksgiving from the Pepper family!

While we are all stuffing down food tomorrow, which MLB teams will try to stuff in the signings that they will be thankful for in 2014?

Ricky Nolasco to the Twins

The Minnesota Twins have signed RHP Ricky Nolasco. He spent 2013 with the Marlins and Dodgers.
In other news LHP Ted Lilly has officially retired

Nelson Cruz rumors, Biogenesis

Nelson Cruz is looking for a 4 year deal. Many people are upset that people that were connected to biogenesis are getting more money. Players like David Aardsma spoke out on twitter. And I believe they are right.

Going on vacation in Flordia?

Well it might be worth it to stop by the winter meetings this year in Orlando, Florida. The meetings will be held in the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort from December 9th to the 12th.

2014 HOF ballot

The 2014 Hall of Fame ballot has been announced: Greg Maddux Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas headline the newcomers. Hopefully someone will get elected this year

Welcome to ...... Masahiro Tanaka

Wherever Masahiro Tanaka ends up this year it has become evident it will be a big market club. This is because in order to speak to him, you need to pay millions of dollars.Because of this teams like Kansas City has no chance

Monday Moves

Some of the winter moves to happen on this busy Monday:
- The Oakland A's acquired LHP Fernando Abad from the Washington Nationals
- David Murphy signed a 2 year deal with the Cleveland Indians
- Rumors are swirling that the Toronto Blue Jays might be close to acquiring Jeff Samardzija from the Chicago Cubs

November Action

This offseason has been rather interesting because there has been lots of big moves in November. Most offseasons have a slow start and pick up later in the winter. I hope this means that the whole offseason and the 2014 season will be exciting. Here are some of the Big November moves:
-Prince Fielder/Ian Kinsler trade
-David Freese/Peter Bourjous trade
-Brian McCann to the Yankees
-Jhonny Peralta to the Cardinals
-Dan Haren to the Dodgers
-Marlon Byrd to Phillies
-Tim Hudson to the Giants
-Josh Johnson to the Padres
-Nick Punto to the A's
-Jason Vargas to the Royals
-Chris Young to the Mets

Dan Haren to the Dodgers

Th LA Dodgers have reached a 1 year agreement for 10 million dollars with RHP Dan Haren. Haren struggled last year in his one year with the Washington Nationals. The Dodgers just keep on spending money and now have a rotation that includes Kershaw, Grienke, Ryu, Nolasco, and now Haren

Not official yet but looks like Peralta is going to the Cardinals

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Yanks Get McCann

Brain McCann who has played his whole career with NL East Champion Atlanta Braves. Is moving to New York under a multi million 5 year deal. The Yankees were looking for a catcher. McCann would fair well at Yankee Stadium especially with those short right field seats

pepper30: Houston Astros

A team that has no hope of making the postseason.
A team that baseball prospectus said has a 0.0% percent chance of making the world series
A team that has no players that anyone has ever heard of
A team that ended 2013 with a 15 game losing streak
Well Thats the Astros.... but can they fair better in 2014? Lets find out.
If the Astros sign some good players(Which they dont have the money for) they will still be to far back. Unlike Miami , a team with a surplus of young talent, Houston has no young stars!
Matt Dominguez type players are not stars, and Jose Veras type veterans cant lead the team. I know Astros fans are going to hate this but, the Astros have no chance at the postseason. However on a positive prospective, I like their Logo! Best of Luck to the 2014 Houston Astros