2018 Hot Stove League

[goldenGlove]

2 hours ago, Blarg said:

Maybe y'all haven't paid attention to how far off a cliff Longoria has fallen. 

Last season Albert Pujols out performed him in OPS+.

Let that sink in. 

Albert should retire, his career has cratered, he is effectively done by most standards.

Longoria had a worse year. 

They got a Vernon Wells on their hands

[Lou]

BREAKING NEWS: JFK SHOT!

[Revad]

Herrera may be a good sign for the White Sox, who will likely trade him this year.  Spend maybe $5 million in salary before they trade the other $13 million on his contract and come away with prospects.  Not sure they really need a closer this year.

[Angelsfan1984]

According to Jon Heyman, neither the Phillies nor the White Sox have offered close to the $300 million-plus that free agent Manny Machado is requesting.

 

There isn't so much pressure for them to go that high when the Yankees seem only willing to sign him at a bargain rate and no one else is in the mix at all. The market for Machado should be significantly hotter, but the entire league is more fixated on profits than winning.

 

This has an Eppler/Arte swoop in written all over it. No draft pick, not likely a 10 year deal, all these fun swellopts being given. He may be a douche, but he fills a major hole offensively and defensively.

[Chuck]

Shut up Bowden. 

 

 

[Homebrewer]

this off season sucks

[floplag]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

Shut up Bowden. 

 

 

What it is is a shame that premium player salaries have evolved to the point where few can justify them or even afford them in many cases.
 

[beatlesrule]

I've read articles and have heard that all teams can afford any player. Whether or not they want to is a different story.

[Lou]

the white sox are expected to sign Herrera 

[Pancake Bear]

Owners see teams like Tampa and Oakland successful with shoestring budgets, and they hire GM’s who promise success with payrolls at sub-luxury tax levels. Friedman and Cashman are both starting to operate this way. With Illitch and Steinbrenner gone, there are fewer owners who’ll say, “Screw the budget, sign the top free agent!” With the back end of contracts ending up an albatross, it gives owners and gm’s excuses to not go long term on deals, even for younger players like Harper and Machado. Small budget teams don’t want to risk long term deals and big market teams are seeing less reason to when they can operate like a small market team most of the time and spend big only when they need to. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

19 hours ago, hangin n wangin said:

Will Smith is a beast!!

Hes a good dude, too. Still has friends in the org...

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

14 hours ago, Lou said:

BREAKING NEWS: JFK SHOT!

That means l must be late for my algebra class, cause I heard the news after PE.

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, beatlesrule said:

I've read articles and have heard that all teams can afford any player. Whether or not they want to is a different story.

Mlb set another record for revenue last year (10.3 billion), while at the same time registering the lowest combined attendance since 2003.  The crazy part is that doesn't count the 2.75 billion they made from selling BAM to Disney...   Money they got.... Interest in spending it...not so much.

 

[Inside Pitch]

3 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

Shut up Bowden. 

 

 

Once Harper signs I hear the 3M company intends to market a new adhesive designed to keep helmets on baseball players...

[Angelsfan1984]

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the Rangers have agreed to a one-year contract with free agent right-hander Shelby Miller.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand hears that the deal will be worth $2 million guaranteed, with performance bonuses that can boost it to $5 million

 

Damnit!!!

[Pancake Bear]

Jon Heyman on twitter referenced a report that Machado had narrowed his finalists to the White Sox and Phillies, however Heyman said he couldn't confirm that the Yankees were out. That said, he stated that they hadn't been particularly competitive in terms of negotiation and potential numbers.

[WeatherWonk]

1 hour ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

That means l must be late for my algebra class, cause I heard the news after PE.

The equivalent on Angels Win will be.............

"Where were you when you first heard that Trout signed a long term deal with the Yankees?" 

IF it happens, of course.

And the even more heinous equivalent to 9/11 will be...........

"Where were you when you first heard that Trout signed a long term deal with the Dodgers?"

 

 

......

[Lou]

2 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Hes a good dude, too. Still has friends in the org...

[Pancake Bear]

1 hour ago, WeatherWonk said:

The equivalent on Angels Win will be.............

"Where were you when you first heard that Trout signed a long term deal with the Yankees?" 

IF it happens, of course.

And the even more heinous equivalent to 9/11 will be...........

"Where were you when you first heard that Trout signed a long term deal with the Dodgers?"

 

 

......

I’d be more upset that Trout signed somewhere else than that he signed with the Dodgers. For me it’d be more bewilderment since he’s already in LA and I can’t imagine Moreno being outbid by the Dogs. Only team I’d be really angry about him signing with would be the Yankees. 

[Keener]

3 hours ago, Lou said:

Careful.  Do we have Carlton's expressed written consent?  

[Stradling]

Flop to wig out in 3...2...1

[bloodbrother]

Welp....I'd take Grandal on a 1yr deal over Lucroy

 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, bloodbrother said:

Welp....I'd take Grandal on a 1yr deal over Lucroy

 

I wonder how much the contract is for?  Has to be $15 million, right? 

[bloodbrother]

Looks like it'll be over the QO.

 

[Revad]

Plus the draft.pick