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  1. #1
    Extraordinary Member MRP's Avatar
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    Default 2018-2019 MLB Hot Stove Discussion

    Well it looks like the offseason action is underway in earnest. Big trade sand big free agent signings already.

    Mariners seem to be dismantling their team to rebuild, shipping Segura to the Phils in a multi-player trade and Cano to the Mets, a week or so after sending Paxton to the Yanks.

    Diamondbacks too, to a lesser extent, trading Goldschmidt to the Cardinals after losing Corbin in free agency (and likely Pollack too). Maybe they trade Grienke too?

    Yanks look like they will have to beef up their rotation through trades, they are 0-2 on signing big name pitchers as Corbin signed with the Nats and Eovaldi resigned with the Sox today. Who in their right mind would want to sign with the Yanks and have t throw to Gary Snachez-he can't handle low breaking pitches or frame anything, makes strikes look like balls, leads the world in passed balls and can't call a game to save his life. He is the albatross around the Yankees' pitching staff neck and no pitcher wants to go someplace where the catcher will make them worse and hurt their career. And they can't move him to DH because htey have too many corner outfielder types to field each game, more if they sign Harper.

    Winter Meetings are almost upon us, and maybe we will get answers to where Machado and Harper land. Plus who will sign Kimbrel and start the domino effect on all the relief arms in free agency?

    Also looks like the commissioners plan to limit shifts in the game is getting some support, so I wonder what will come of that?

    Looks like an interesting offseason shaping up, and some of the big moves have already started.

    -M
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    "Opinion is the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding." -Plato

  2. #2
    BANNED Joker's Avatar
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    Dipoto refuses to call it a full on rebuild, but... it seems that ultimately what he's doing is unloading the big contracts to free up money for the 2021 season when he sees the Mariners as a contender again. If the prospects pan out, that is. But if there's a solid youthful, athletic core, he'll have the money to go and buy free agents to help push the team over the top.

    I'm going to miss a lot of those players, though. Hopefully this plan works out. It's going to most likely put us at a 20 year playoff drought, at best.

  3. #3
    Extraordinary Member MRP's Avatar
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    Andrew McCutchen signs a 3 year $50 million deal with the Fightin' Phils. He's an upgrade and a clubhouse leader, but they might have overpaid for the player he is now.

    -M
    Comic fans get the comics their buying habits deserve.

    "Opinion is the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding." -Plato

  4. #4
    BANNED Joker's Avatar
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    Pretty quiet Winter Meetings so far.

    Spoke too soon... Dipoto makin' moves from his hospital bed.
    Last edited by Joker; 12-13-2018 at 12:38 PM.

  5. #5
    Old school comic book fan WestPhillyPunisher's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MRP View Post
    Andrew McCutchen signs a 3 year $50 million deal with the Fightin' Phils. He's an upgrade and a clubhouse leader, but they might have overpaid for the player he is now.

    -M
    Agreed. My first thought is this was Carlos Santana 2.0, but at least Cutch won't mean having 1B Rhys Hoskins playing out of position like he had done last season. However, this will mean someone from the outfield might have to go, either Odubel Herrera who may have fallen out of favor with the front office because of his gaffes at the plate and in the field, or Nick Williams or Aaron Altherr.
    Avatar: Here's to the late, great Steve Dillon. Best. Punisher. Artist. EVER!

  6. #6
    Extraordinary Member MRP's Avatar
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    Former Sox bullpen arm Joe Kelly signs with the WS losers, the LA Dodgers for 3 years $25 million. Kelly was someone I was hoping would come back to shore up the bullpen, but he is a Southern Cal native, so I can see the appeal of going to LA for him. He likely will be the top set up man for the Dodgers to bridge to Jannsen.

    Mariners get Encarcion from the Indians in a 3 team trade involving the Rays, the Indians get Santana from the M's, who had just acquired him in a trade last week. Dipoto was hospitalized while in Vegas for the winter meetings, but Mariners were still one of the more active teams at the meetings.

    Mets re-sign Familia, so the first closer piece is off the board. Kelly signed soon after, so the domino effect on relief arms may start, but Kimbrel is likely the logjam that has to go first to open the floodgates.

    Pujols days may be numbered as Angels sign 1B Justin Bour and Ohtani is slated to be the full time DH, so his AB will be much less next season, as he is likely the right-handed part of a platoon at 1B for the Halos.

    Winter Meetings are now done and no word on either Machado or Harper signings yet. I wonder if we will see any big moves for those 2 or any other big name left out there before Christmas.
    Comic fans get the comics their buying habits deserve.

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  7. #7
    BANNED Joker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MRP View Post
    Mariners get Encarcion from the Indians in a 3 team trade involving the Rays, the Indians get Santana from the M's, who had just acquired him in a trade last week. Dipoto was hospitalized while in Vegas for the winter meetings, but Mariners were still one of the more active teams at the meetings.
    Don't really expect him to ever see a Mariners uniform.

  8. #8
    Extraordinary Member Hiromi's Avatar
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    looks like the major stuff will happen post winter meetings this year, highest profile free agents and trade targets are mostly still available

  9. #9
    BANNED Joker's Avatar
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    Safeco Field is now T-Mobile Park. They are adding magenta/pink accent lights to it. It is pretty awful.

    I'll probably still call it "The Safe" ...I know it's odd to have a preference in corporate naming rights, but for some reason Safeco Field always felt like a name and not a brand.

    I love seeing the field lit up at night from a distance, and am really not looking forward to the new pink/magenta accent lights.

  10. #10
    Mighty Member C_Miller's Avatar
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    There are certainly stadiums that are named after corporations that work and some that just feel awkward. Gillette Stadium comes to mind. Great American Ball Park is another. And I think most people forget that Wrigley Field is named after the same Wrigley family as the gum. But there are certainly poorly named corporate stadiums. KFC Yum! Center comes to mind and Guaranteed Rate Field.

  11. #11
    Extraordinary Member Hiromi's Avatar
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    I miss stadiums that weren't named after sponsors so damn bad

  12. #12
    BANNED Joker's Avatar
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    I grew up with The Kingdome and The Coliseum. I miss them.

    The Coliseum became Key Arena and the entire city was offended. It was also our first foray into the world of corporate branding of stadiums.
    Safeco at least was a smaller, lesser known local brand, so it didn't cary the same corporate weight of Key Arena. Still, it was not, nor did it ever replace The Kingdome. I grew up in there, you can kiss my ass about it being a garbage indoor stadium.

    I'm mostly just upset that T-Mobile has to add their "magenta" lighting to the stadium. There's not much more majestic to me that a night game under the lights, and that "magenta", I'm worried, might really take away from that specific feeling I get at night games.

  13. #13
    Extraordinary Member MRP's Avatar
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    Daniel Murphy has signed a 2 year deal with the Rockies.

    Anibel Snachez signed with the Nats, joining Corbin as a new addition to that rotation.

    Trevor Cahill joins Matt Harvey in the Angels rotation, both on one year prove it deals.

    Joakim Soria signs a 2 year deal with the Athletics, as another of the bullpen pieces falling into place, but the big pieces are still out there. Though rumors are that Andrew Miller is close to a deal with the Cardinals.

    -M
    Comic fans get the comics their buying habits deserve.

    "Opinion is the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding." -Plato

  14. #14
    Old school comic book fan WestPhillyPunisher's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by C_Miller View Post
    There are certainly stadiums that are named after corporations that work and some that just feel awkward. Gillette Stadium comes to mind. Great American Ball Park is another. And I think most people forget that Wrigley Field is named after the same Wrigley family as the gum. But there are certainly poorly named corporate stadiums. KFC Yum! Center comes to mind and Guaranteed Rate Field.
    Here in Philly, the Wells Fargo Center (home to the Sixers and Flyers) was, thanks to bank mergers, previously called CoreStates Center from 1996 to 1998, First Union Center from 1998 to 2003 (fans here relished calling it the "FU" Center), and Wachovia Center from 2003 to 2010.

    Meanwhile, the "Slurp Manny Machado Tour" came to Philly yesterday, I think he was wined and dined by the Phils for a couple of hours. Whether or not that resulted in anything positive is anybody's guess.
    Avatar: Here's to the late, great Steve Dillon. Best. Punisher. Artist. EVER!

  15. #15
    Extraordinary Member MRP's Avatar
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    Huge Dodgers-Reds trade. Alex Wood, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig headed to Cinci for Homer Bailey, a couple of prospects, a back-up catcher and cash. Bailey is a 10/5 guy, and waived his no trade on the condition the Dodgers release him immediately and he becomes a free agent. The prospects were middle infielder Jeter Downs and RHP Josiah Gray. Kyle Farmer was the catcher who can also play some infield. The Dodgers save $70 million in luxury cap space with the deal and free up spots and money to either make more trades or be active in the free agent market.

    Andrew Miller signs a 2-year deal with the Cardinals.

    The Rangers dealt Jurickson Profar to the A's in a 3 team trade involving the Rays. TheA;s also signed Joakim Soria to a 2 year deal.

    And the Mariners continue to wheel and deal, getting outfielder Domingo Santana from the Brewers for Ben Gamel and minor-league pitcher Noah Savalos.

    The Mariners were also in the news as they had a massive discrimination lawsuit filed against them by a former employee accusing them of discrimination, bullying, and deliberately undermining the progress of Felix Hernandez and claiming DiPoto blamed Latino players for ruining the clubhouse and causing the second half collapse of the team last season. http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...elix-hernandez

    Not sure how all that jibes with the M's just trading for another young Latino player in the Brewers deal but it will be interesting to see how that all plays out.



    -M
    Comic fans get the comics their buying habits deserve.

    "Opinion is the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding." -Plato

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