2018 Hot Stove League

[Erstad Grit]

Sounds like he helped Robertson get leverage as a favor 

[VariousCrap]

1 hour ago, Dochalo said:

I still think Eppler makes a couple more pen moves where it's either on minor league deals or perhaps a couple of 1 yrs deals in the 2-4m range after more of the dust has settled.  

I agree.  He is just waiting for prices to drop.

[Lou]

"The twists and turns keep coming in the public on-again off-again courtship between the Washington Nationals and free agent outfielder Bryce Harper. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden tweeted last night that the Nationals latest offer to Harper was actually “much more” than the $300MM commonly quoted. Per Bowden, the 10-year, $300MM offer was merely the first offer the Nationals made to their erstwhile superstar. The offer as stated – seen by many as the low-end of what Harper might expect – has been the single biggest signifier that the Nats are ready to move on from Harper, but the ongoing entanglement between the two sides is evidently more complex."

 

remember, it's Bowden

[floplag]

Just for S&Gs... gonna leave this here.

 

[Stradling]

Yep, the opposite is also true.  While turning down the Mets offer Grandall has priced himself out of the market.  He will be back with the Dodgers at 1 year and less than his QO.  

[HaloMilliVanilli]

I'm fine that we didn't give up the pick and the longer term deal.  

[UndertheHalo]

Ya, Grandal might have f*ucked up.  I still think there’s a chance he goes to the Reds or something tho.  They apparently were also looking at him. 

[Chuck]

2 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

Ya, Grandal might have f*ucked up.  I still think there’s a chance he goes to the Reds or something tho.  They apparently were also looking at him. 

I doubt it since there's no DH, Votto is entrenched at 1B and they have Barnhart. 

[Docwaukee]

Interesting that they're projecting Grandal to a 3.6 WAR season considering the first time he reached that was in 2018 in his walk year.  

I really question how many years of a 4 year deal he's gonna be catching 140 games at age 30-33.  Then you're spending 15m per on a guy where a huge chunk of his value comes from positional scarcity and he ends up at 1b where he's basically Justin Bour making 6x as much.  

Not that it should be the absolute determining factor, but the team that had him is only willing to bring him back on a 1yr deal.  I don't really like the Lucroy signing all that much, but the gap in commitment from him to Grandal is enough for me to understand.  Ramos was the right fit.  Too bad that didn't work out.  

[floplag]

5 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

Interesting that they're projecting Grandal to a 3.6 WAR season considering the first time he reached that was in 2018 in his walk year.  

I really question how many years of a 4 year deal he's gonna be catching 140 games at age 30-33.  Then you're spending 15m per on a guy where a huge chunk of his value comes from positional scarcity and he ends up at 1b where he's basically Justin Bour making 6x as much.  

Not that it should be the absolute determining factor, but the team that had him is only willing to bring him back on a 1yr deal.  I don't really like the Lucroy signing all that much, but the gap in commitment from him to Grandal is enough for me to understand.  Ramos was the right fit.  Too bad that didn't work out.  

While true, he is only 30 after all so is likely to still be catching for another few years.  The whole 1B/DH thing might not be a real factor till the final year or so of a 4 year deal.   In his career he has over 600 games as a C, with less than 50 at 1B/DH combined.  I agree fully hes likely to end up there, i just dont think it happens for the bulk of a 3-4 year deal if at all during that time.  Its moot i suppose at this point.

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, RBM said:

If that is the case then we should have waited on Lucroy and got him for 2 or 3 years. We dont have a catcher in the pipeline so this is a position where Eppler could have gone beyond a one year deal. 

Or you upgrade elsewhere with the difference, you don’t lose your draft pick and international money that we have been spending all of in recent years, and go after a catcher again next year.  

[Chuck]

I wonder if the Angels make more moves in the month of January than November or December? 

Seems like another medium-large deal could happen, while a bunch of smaller deals still. 

[totdprods]

4 minutes ago, RBM said:

If that is the case then we should have waited on Lucroy and got him for 2 or 3 years. We dont have a catcher in the pipeline so this is a position where Eppler could have gone beyond a one year deal. 

Or we can sign Grandal next year when he doesn't have a QO attached and has much more reasonable contract demands.

Castro, McCann, Lucroy again, Gomes, d'Arnaud, Cervelli all could be of interest.

[Angelsfan1984]

7 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Or we can sign Grandal next year when he doesn't have a QO attached and has much more reasonable contract demands.

Castro, McCann, Lucroy again, Gomes, d'Arnaud, Cervelli all could be of interest.

Using that theory we are a certainty to sign Mous? Perfect fit last year and even again this year.

[Second Base]

I don't understand how this is a surprise to the media every winter. There are three things that EVERYONE should know about Eppler by now.

1. He doesn't sacrifice draft picks. The Angels have not signed a single player with draft pick compensation during his tenure as the Angels  GM, and he's mad enough it clear that he does this because he's rebuilding the farm so that the team can remain competitive while getting payroll under control.

2. Eppler chases defense more than pretty much any team in baseball. If he can acquire a good defensive player at a low cost, he'll do it. 

3. Billy Eppler does not pay for relief pitching. 

[totdprods]

19 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Using that theory we are a certainty to sign Mous? Perfect fit last year and even again this year.

I'd love to see Moose sign here for a 2/$18-20m or so.

Next year, nab Grandal for 2/$25m and an option.

[Chuck]

3 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I'd love to see Moose sign here for a 2/$18-20m or so.

Next year, nab Grandal for 2/$25m and an option.

Yeah, I would too. Moose at 3B and against lefties, Cozart there and Fletcher at 2B. 

[totdprods]

Basically I'm up for signing anyone who'd be good to flip at the deadline. Moustakas, bargain relievers or #5 SPs, a SB threat/defensive specialist 4th OF, etc., a vet defense-first catcher to back-up Lucroy, etc.

[Hubs]

5 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Yeah, I would too. Moose at 3B and against lefties, Cozart there and Fletcher at 2B. 

I think Moose is no longer an option with Bour signing. They have depth at 3rd, and Moose unless he's going to play full time, and also play some 1st in Pujols' absence, doesn't seem to make sense.

[Docwaukee]

7 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Basically I'm up for signing anyone who'd be good to flip at the deadline. Moustakas, bargain relievers or #5 SPs, a SB threat/defensive specialist 4th OF, etc., a vet defense-first catcher to back-up Lucroy, etc.

I was thinking that it would have been smart to make better use of this technique in 16, 17 and 18.  Maybe it costs a little more in payroll but it could have hastened the process.    

[Stradling]

Sign any and all closers that will accept a one year deal, then trade them all at the deadline.  

[Angelsfan1984]

Moose makes perfect sense...he can play against righties, cozart against lefties and fletch can cover 2nd on days where cozart plays 3rd. You can stick him in the middle of the lineup or anywhere you would assume Pujols would spot in the lineup so like 5/6 and be happy with it. Like Tot said a 2/18 would be a really nice get.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Moose makes perfect sense...he can play against righties, cozart against lefties and fletch can cover 2nd on days where cozart plays 3rd. You can stick him in the middle of the lineup or anywhere you would assume Pujols would spot in the lineup so like 5/6 and be happy with it. Like Tot said a 2/18 would be a really nice get.

I like Mous, but what in Eppler’s make up makes you think he would pay $9 million for part of a platoon?  Hell if that was the case don’t you think we would have already signed a Jon Jay type to be the right handed platoon for Kole?  

[Docwaukee]

the Royals got Jorge Lopez and Brett Phillips for Moustakas at the deadline last year.  Lopez was 25 at the time and a former top 100 guy that has yet to be successful at mlb.  Phillips was also a top 100 that's been an mlb failure so far, but he's still only 24.  

[Stradling]

Just sign Ottavino already, FUCK!!!