2023-24 MLB Hot Stove League

[ghost of miles]

4 hours ago, soulpope said:

https://www.mlb.com/news/tyler-glasnow-manuel-margot-traded-to-dodgers

A new "evil empire" 👹 .... off course not taking into account  Gasnow's durability issues ....

From the linked article:

“He finished the year with 120 innings over 21 starts, both career-high marks.”

Wowza. Age 30, and those are career highs? He’s an outstanding pitcher when healthy, but yeah, durability issues for sure.

[Dan Gould]

29 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

From the linked article:

“He finished the year with 120 innings over 21 starts, both career-high marks.”

Wowza. Age 30, and those are career highs? He’s an outstanding pitcher when healthy, but yeah, durability issues for sure.

And Dodgers require an extension agreement, so it sounds like they have to be willing to commit 6-7-8 years at the going rate for a guy that has that kind of durability issue. In terms of empires, this seems like late-period Roman thinking. <late, lamented green smilie here>

Edited December 15, 2023 by Dan Gould

[Matthew]

50 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

And Dodgers require an extension agreement, so it sounds like they have to be willing to commit 6-7-8 years at the going rate for a guy that has that kind of durability issue. In terms of empires, this seems like late-period Roman thinking. <late, lamented green smilie here>

Obvious the Dodgers are going all in, wanting to be the dominant team for the next decade. Their one blind spot is the continued thinking that Dave Roberts is the right manager for this to happen -- nope, not in a million years, his speciality is messing up the playoffs. Really, staring Kershaw??? 1/3 inning, 6er, the Dodgers never recovered from that one.

[JSngry]

So Shohei's contract allows him to opt out if GM/ ownership changes hands?

THAT'S historic! 

[Ken Dryden]

That's probably a wise move. New owners have often screwed things up royally, although some did it for years and should have been relieved of their teams for their gross cheapness.

[JSngry]

It just seems like a totally new level of ownership empowering athletic labor, even if it is for just one player. 

[Dan Gould]

I certainly enjoyed reading this look at the implications of Ohtani's deferred salary:

 

https://reason.com/2023/12/15/baseball-star-shohei-ohtanis-new-contract-is-a-massive-tax-avoidance-scheme-nice/

[Brad]

18 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

I certainly enjoyed reading this look at the implications of Ohtani's deferred salary:

 

https://reason.com/2023/12/15/baseball-star-shohei-ohtanis-new-contract-is-a-massive-tax-avoidance-scheme-nice/

I’m guessing that the owners never thought a player would defer a significant portion of the contract the way Ohtani did. I’m sure that this will come up for discussion in the next labor negotiations. 

[Dan Gould]

39 minutes ago, Brad said:

I’m guessing that the owners never thought a player would defer a significant portion of the contract the way Ohtani did. I’m sure that this will come up for discussion in the next labor negotiations. 

Why would owners possibly be concerned about the implications of this?  My understanding is that the current agreement states that the amount  deferred is not limited, and takes into consideration any deferment because they have already stated how this will count against the CBT, and its not "two million per year now and $68 million when they start paying the deferred salary."

On top of which, ownership should appreciate a player who takes a huge contract and also wants to make sure that the team can compete without going out of control on the CBT, by deferring his pay. This is just the logical extreme.

[soulpope]

Yoshinobu Yamamoto for USD 325 mn 12 years to Dodgers .... somehow boring, but probably (hopefully ....) baseball will have suprises on offer ....

Edited December 22, 2023 by soulpope

[Dan Gould]

Truly an extraordinary amount of money for an untested commodity for a very long time. 

On the assumption he is so damn special color me pleased he's not in the AL East.  And as far as their manager goes, if they would fire Roberts then I would have no reason at all to care if they win or lose and could adopt nearly the same contempt I had for the Yankees and their insane contracts and payrolls.

[JSngry]

4 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

Truly an extraordinary amount of money for an untested commodity for a very long time. 

This. 

[Dan Gould]

When mediocrities want to "re-establish their value" the going rate if you're a pitcher is over 19 mil a season.  

https://www.mlb.com/news/lucas-giolito-red-sox-free-agent-deal

Ugh.

[Dan Gould]

Jesus Christ the questionable moves keep coming. Sale and cash for someone who can best be described as "promising young player" - some middle infielder.  Maybe he can take over SS when Story goes down again.

No question Sale has been a huge disappointment thru the contract extension they signed him too and who knows if he manages to be healthy but he was your number 1 starter, for good or ill, going into 2024.  And he actually pitched pretty decently early in 2023 before his "stress reaction" in his shoulder blade.  If he pitched well or just decently, he could certainly be shipped at the trade deadline for a lot more than a single middle infielder who may or may not cut it in the majors. Plus cash. 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/braves-red-sox-trade-chris-sale-for-vaughn-grissom.html

Color me completely unimpressed with Craig Breslow to date. He better sign the other Japanese pitcher on the market or swing a much more useful deal soon or its last place again in 2024.

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by Dan Gould

[JSngry]

The Texas Rangers have hired Dave Bush as their “Director of Pitching Strategy,” it has been announced today. Bush spent the previous four seasons as the pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox.

Am I excited about this? 

[felser]

On 12/30/2023 at 3:51 PM, Dan Gould said:

 Sale and cash for someone who can best be described as "promising young player" - some middle infielder.  Maybe he can take over SS when Story goes down again.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/braves-red-sox-trade-chris-sale-for-vaughn-grissom.html

Atlanta sent Grissom down last year and went with Arcia at SS because Grissom's glove work was so poor.  You don't want him as your SS.  You stick him at 2B, but I would have rather taken my chances with Urias there.  Two bad trades, Sale and Urias.

[JSngry]

RIP Bud Harrelson. 

https://www.lonestarball.com/2024/1/11/24034440/former-ranger-bud-harrelson-has-passed-away

[Dan Gould]

I was looking for video of the fight with Rose and remembered that it really sucked and the best views were still photographs.  A fight like that today in a WS or LCS would have so many cameras on second base ...

[Brad]

 

[Dan Gould]

Dropping Severino and getting Stroman in his place is a huge upgrade for Yankee fans. For the rest of us, we can hope that his recent injury struggles are exacerbated by the alleged shortcomings of the training staff and he will be on the shelf as often as Severino was.

[Brad]

9 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

Dropping Severino and getting Stroman in his place is a huge upgrade for Yankee fans. For the rest of us, we can hope that his recent injury struggles are exacerbated by the alleged shortcomings of the training staff and he will be on the shelf as often as Severino was.

There will be many more Yankee fans who can look forward to being blocked by him on social media. 

[soulpope]

Stroman is not a "dream signing" for sure, but at least a low(er) price gamble on a starting pitcher .... btw and Snell (who is seemingly asking an arm and a leg) has had - sandwiched between two outstanding seasons - years of mediocrity ....

[JSngry]

Classic Beltre:

https://www.mlb.com/news/adrian-beltre-ejection-on-deck-circle?partnerID=mlbapp-android_article-share

[JSngry]

Damn right I love First Ballot Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre!

[Ken Dryden]

There were plenty of "promising" prospects in baseball who flamed out in record time.

Here are some:

Look up their stats at baseball reference...