2018 Hot Stove League

[arch stanton]

The agent turned GM the Mets hired could definitely shake things up a bit 

[Blarg]

On 10/30/2018 at 6:55 AM, Kody Mac said:

Everyone keeps talking about how the Giants are a long shot to sign Harper, but I think that's the prime destination for him. It's close to home for him and he grew up watching Bonds put balls into McCovey Cove. I think the Giants need to make a bunch of moves to stay relevant and compete, but signing Harper is a good start. Great for the fan base too. 

He grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Giants are blacked out there.

[T.G.]

38 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

The agent turned GM the Mets hired could definitely shake things up a bit 

Wasn't the guy who constructed the Warriors basketball team formerly an agent?  I like it when teams do something different to shake things up.  It's thinking that is "out of the... oh never mind.

[UndertheHalo]

The Mets owners are too retarded to do anything for reasons any normal person might find clever. 

[beatlesrule]

On 10/29/2018 at 4:21 PM, TNAngelsFan71 said:

he would loose a bit on

Is there any way he could tighten it?

[floplag]

20 hours ago, TroutField said:

That is pretty much the model of how you rebuild a franchise. That took like 5 years, and they have low payroll, a plethora of good young players, and a lot of pitching on the way. They did it better than Houston did, IMO. 

While true, its also not that simple.
They also traded a lot of years of bad baseball. 
And as we know from upcoming issues in Houston frequently discussed here, its also hard to maintain when you have a bunch of great young players that all start to get expensive around the same time.
I dont believe you have to go to ground zero to do this, and i think most teams that did this do so for financial reasons, not competitive ones.
We also have an added issues they dont, how to handle the best player on the planet who is not going to want any part of a rebuild.  

[Broad Street]

2 hours ago, Blarg said:

He grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Giants are blacked out there.

Still well within driving distance.

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, Kody Mac said:

Still well within driving distance.

For a guy living in Las Vegas I would never consider the nay area driving distance.  However flights are fairly reasonable.

[Lou]

On October 29, 2018 at 2:28 PM, Tank said:

Hi @Lou

lol  @ Cactus League 

April 11, 1961: Eli Grba Wins First Game in Angels Franchise History

[Lou]

1 hour ago, Kody Mac said:

Still well within driving distance.

that's like a 9 hour drive 

[Blarg]

To see a team he's never seen on TV. 

Except for losing in the World Series to the Angels.

[Docwaukee]

Pirates declined the option on Josh Harrison.  He has to become an immediate target.  Coming off a down year though.  

[T.G.]

The A's exercised Fernando Rodney's option.  He'll be 42 by Opening Day.  Wonder when he'll actually grow up?

[Docwaukee]

Adam Lindgren was released by the Braves.  One time promising prospect derailed by two tj surges.  Maybe the magic man Doug White can help him.  

[Broad Street]

2 hours ago, Lou said:

that's like a 9 hour drive 

I used to live in San Jose, it's not too bad. Granted there was a car full of us, but still.

[Lou]

42 minutes ago, Kody Mac said:

I used to live in San Jose, it's not too bad. Granted there was a car full of us, but still.

 

i'd rather 

 

[eligrba]

3 hours ago, Lou said:

lol  @ Cactus League 

April 11, 1961: Eli Grba Wins First Game in Angels Franchise History

[Tank]

8 minutes ago, Lou said:

 

i'd rather 

 

so i guess your sopwith camel is in the shop?

[Second Base]

It'll be really interesting to see how this market moves. 

Last year, I don't know if it was collusion or not, but teams were playing hardball in free agent negotiations. They just aren't spending like they used to, except on the elite targets. Last year, those elite targets held up the market, well into January. Machado and Harper are going to hold out for the most money possible, they might hold up the market just like last year. 

Then again, this years free agents saw what happened to the ones that waited last year, and won't be interested in that happening to them. They'll be eager to sign quick.

It'll be interesting to see how quickly teams move on from Harper and Machado. If it's fast, it'll be an eventful November and December. If not, it'll be a very boring Winter. 

[Lou]

6 minutes ago, Tank said:

so i guess your sopwith camel is in the shop?

can't find my screwdriver 

[Lou]

who are the agents for this year's top free agents? 

[Broad Street]

1 minute ago, Second Base said:

It'll be really interesting to see how this market moves. 

Last year, I don't know if it was collusion or not, but teams were playing hardball in free agent negotiations. They just aren't spending like they used to, except on the elite targets. Last year, those elite targets held up the market, well into January. Machado and Harper are going to hold out for the most money possible, they might hold up the market just like last year. 

Then again, this years free agents saw what happened to the ones that waited last year, and won't be interested in that happening to them. They'll be eager to sign quick.

It'll be interesting to see how quickly teams move on from Harper and Machado. If it's fast, it'll be an eventful November and December. If not, it'll be a very boring Winter. 

Agreed. I personally think Harper signs before Machado though.

[ukyah]

7 hours ago, True Grich said:

Wasn't the guy who constructed the Warriors basketball team formerly an agent?  I like it when teams do something different to shake things up.  It's thinking that is "out of the... oh never mind.

[Docwaukee]

45 minutes ago, Second Base said:

It'll be really interesting to see how this market moves. 

Last year, I don't know if it was collusion or not, but teams were playing hardball in free agent negotiations. They just aren't spending like they used to, except on the elite targets. Last year, those elite targets held up the market, well into January. Machado and Harper are going to hold out for the most money possible, they might hold up the market just like last year. 

Then again, this years free agents saw what happened to the ones that waited last year, and won't be interested in that happening to them. They'll be eager to sign quick.

It'll be interesting to see how quickly teams move on from Harper and Machado. If it's fast, it'll be an eventful November and December. If not, it'll be a very boring Winter. 

I think Machado will sign at the winter meetings.  I've got a sneaking suspicion that Harper is going to re-sign with the Nats here in the next couple days.  The mid market guys are going to sign much sooner this year.  There are fewer boars clients I think and the trades of the Marlins OF took a bunch of time. 

Trades of the upper echelon guys seem to hold up the market for that position.  So this year, the catcher market will move slower than everything else because of realmuto and the fact that there are other options on the market like Grandal, Ramos and Suzuki.  The reliever market will go early as always.  I think SP will go quick as well in that Corbin will set the market with the yankees moving early and then trickle down from there.  I think the position player market will move pretty quick in the mid tier

I'm not feeling a  ton of big trades this year.  Most of the crappy teams with a couple good players have already move those guys.   

some teams that could potentially trade guys off - TOR, MIN, PIT, TEX, ARI

 

[Lou]

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/bryce-harper-free-agency-rumors-scott-boras-says-theres-already-a-done-deal-in-place/