2018-2019 MLB Hot Stove Discussion

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Looks like the Phillies will meet with Bryce Harper in Vegas this weekend to make their pitch.

[MRP]

Red Sox avoid arbitration with Mookie Betts and agree to a 1 year $20 million contract, the largest ever for a second year arbitration eligible player, and second to Josh Donaldson's $23 million as the largest ever for an arbitration eligible player.

Russell Martin is traded by the Jays back to the Dodgers.

Yankees sign DJ LeMahieu, formerly of the Rockies to a 2-year deal. Looking less likely they will go after Machado now that they have signed both Tulo and Le Mahieu and have Didi Gergorious coming back at some point in 2019.

-M

[MRP]

Yanks finally unload Sonny Gray in a deal with the Cincinnati Reds, who sign Gray to an extension. Yanks flipped the 2B prospect they got from the Reds to the Mariners for an OF prospect. Yanks sent a minor league pitcher to the Reds as well, and got a draft pick from the Reds. The Reds were desperate for pitching after last season, and have added Tanner Roarke and Alex Woods in trades in addition to Gray, so their pitching should be better, but I wouldn't have signed Gray to an extension until I saw something from him this year. His splits away from Yankee stadium weren't bad last year, but his numbers in the Bronx were abysmal, and Great American is even more of a bandbox than Yankee Stadium is, so no guarantee he won't get lit up with the long ball there too.

-M

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Rivera, Halladay destined for Hall of Fame enshrinement. Anybody else?

I'm happy for both, worthy candidates to enter Cooperstown. Opinions?

[Hiromi]

Glad Mussina and Martinez finally made it

[CaptCleghorn]

Rivera, Halladay destined for Hall of Fame enshrinement. Anybody else?

I'm happy for both, worthy candidates to enter Cooperstown. Opinions?

Rivera as the first unanimous choice is an amazing honor. And you and I share warm feelings about Doc. I got to see Doc's last star as a Jay from atop Fenway's Green Monster. Granted, it was Toronto vs (effectively) Pawtucket, but still a pretty damn sweet game.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Rivera as the first unanimous choice is an amazing honor. And you and I share warm feelings about Doc. I got to see Doc's last star as a Jay from atop Fenway's Green Monster. Granted, it was Toronto vs (effectively) Pawtucket, but still a pretty damn sweet game.

And I got to see Doc pitch for the Phightins, and he was great. Meanwhile, speaking of Rivera, I was watching him being interviewed on MLB Network when Bob Costas asked if Mo had ever been to any Metallica concerts (he uses “Enter Sandman” as his theme song), Mo got a good laugh out of that, then the band came on with taped congratulations on his making the Hall. That was seriously cool!

[MRP]

Super Bowl is over and it's Truck Day in Boston...



the day all the equipment trucks are loaded and head to Florida for Spring Training. Baseball is just around the corner folks...

WOOT !

-M

[MRP]

And for those curious what goes on a truck going to spring training, the Sox tweeted the contents of the load:

What’s on the truck?

�� 20,400 baseballs
�� 1,100 bats
�� 200 batting gloves
�� 200 batting helmets
�� 320 BP tops
�� 160 jerseys
�� 300 pairs of pants
�� 400 t-shirts
�� 400 pairs of socks
�� 20 cases of bubble gum
�� 60 cases of sunflower seeds

-M

[Hiromi]

Spring training almost here and the main FA targets still unsigned

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Spring training almost here and the main FA targets still unsigned

A year ago, JD Martinez, the big fish in free agency wasn't signed by Boston until February 19th. I could see the wait for Harper and/or Machado lasting that long as their agents are trying to get more teams involved in bidding wars for their clients.

[MRP]

A year ago, JD Martinez, the big fish in free agency wasn't signed by Boston until February 19th. I could see the wait for Harper and/or Machado lasting that long as their agents are trying to get more teams involved in bidding wars for their clients.

The problem is that there just isn't that many competitive teams with needs at the positions Machado and Harper play with the room under the luxury tax threshold and the salary flexibility to sign either one and be able to keep the young talent they have who will soon be free agents and/or arbitration eligible (with guys like Betts getting $20 million in arbitration suddenly young stars aren't bargains that they were before their first free agency), added to the fact Harper had a sub-par season average-wise and is only fair defensively, and Machado has a lot of baggage with his hustle comments and preference/requirement to play short where he is only an average defender.

In the current MLB market, you don't build teams around free agents, you complement already existing core nucleus of controllable talent with free agents. So, rebuilding teams aren't going to go after either Harper or Machado, somewhat competitive teams who don't have a full complement of young controllable talent in place aren't going to spend on either guy, competitive teams with money but gluts at corner outfield, corner infield, DH, and/or star shortstops (and most truly competitive teams already have star level shortstops) aren't going to go for either guy, so who does that really leave?

The Dodgers seem to have gone in other directions. The Sox were never in. The Astros don't need or have room for either one. The Yanks could be, but the trade for Stanton last year and the money they will have to pay in the next few years to keep the Baby Bombers makes it unlikely, plus their weakness is starting pitching and defense, not offense, so it's not money well spent for them. The second tier teams looking to make a splash are really all that's left, but none of them offer the prestige and auxiliary benefits and earning potential that the major market marquee franchises do. Sure the Mets have all NYC has to offer like the Yanks, but the Mets aren't of the same pedigree as the Yanks, and aren't as close to winning. The Phillies might be close, and seemed to be in on these guys, but it seems their potential offer to Harper was less than what he turned down to stay with the Nats (as have all the other offers that have had $$$ revealed). The offers for Machado that have had any details leaked were all significantly lower than the $300 million people were talking leading into this free agent class (more in the $200 million range), and teams like the Padres, White Sox and Angels that have been mentioned aren't really that close to being contenders even if they add the likes of Harper or Machado. There's really no team that's one slugger away from contention and sinking $300+ million on either of these guys takes teams out of the market for all the young stars moving into free agency over the next 2-3 years and puts them at risk of losing their young talent when their period of control is over.

None of the market factors and pieces of the puzzle point to any real bidding war developing. Harper's best bet is to see if that $300 million from the Nats is still on the table, and Machado may have to take a shorter contract and try again in a year or two when more teams are closer to true contention.

-M

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Harper's best bet is to see if that $300 million from the Nats is still on the table....

Speaking of which:

Phillies insider believes Harper will likely return to Nationals

[MRP]

Looks like there are some major rule changes, both on the field and off, being bandied about between the league and the player's union... http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...ges-alter-game

among the rule changes being discussed are:

-A three-batter minimum for pitchers

-A universal designated hitter

-A single trade deadline before the All-Star break

-A 20-second pitch clock

-The expansion of rosters to 26 men, with a 12-pitcher maximum

-Draft advantages for winning teams and penalties for losing teams

-A study to lower the mound

-A rule that would allow two-sport amateurs to sign major league contracts

union reps went over proposals with team reps last week as spring training nears, and owners meetings are coming up, but everything is still in the discussion stage of let's throw things out there and see what people think.

Most of the proposed changes are geared towards improving pace of play, dealing with service time and rosters, re-stimulating the free agent market in the off-season and dis-incentivizing tanking for teams that are rebuilding. Some of them are within the power of the commissioner to impose without union approval, but with CBA talks looming, both sides are trying to generate some good will and momentum as they get nearer.

It will be interesting to see what comes of this, if anything.

-M

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I find these rule changes most intriguing, especially the three batter minimum which, as the article stated, would eliminate the bain that's the one batter specialist. While that's certain to piss off managers who live for their endless strategy, that would help to shorten games that seem to stretch into infinity, especially when the Red Sox and Yankees square off. The 20 second pitch interest me most insofar as to how both starters and relievers would learn to adapt to that. Lastly, bringing the DH into the National League, something I felt was long overdue, living in an NL city (Philly), I'm sick to death of watching pitchers helplessly flail away at the plate, or clog up the basepaths like clumps of hair in a drain on those extremely rare occasions when they actually manage to get a hit. Kudos to MLB for these proposed changes.