MLB: General Baseball Off Season Thread

[BoxsterCy]

Angels win the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes. Will be interesting to see how this kid does. Could be in the running for the prestigious Joe Lanning Award.
https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-agrees-to-deal-with-angels/c-263134146

Looks like Yanks acquire Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins in a yuge deal. Will be interesting to see what players are included. Castro is likely gone with a bunch of others and ex-Cub prospect Gleyber Torres is probably new second basemen. Lot of money and runs contrary to the current philosophy but Carlo is a big deal. Does have an opt out in 2020 so can do the free agent thingie in a few years if he wants. Great options for him and he gets out of last place.
https://www.mlb.com/news/source-yankees-reach-deal-to-acquire-stanton/c-263175874

 

[BoxsterCy]

67 days till spring training.

 

[SCyclone]

So now for a Mantle/Maris combo, your Yanks have Judge/Stanton. The pitching staffs in the AL are all grumbling right now............

 

[BoxsterCy]

And why I love Didi:

 

[BoxsterCy]

So now for a Mantle/Maris combo, your Yanks have Judge/Stanton. The pitching staffs in the AL are all grumbling right now............

Lot of right handed bats in a lefties stadium with Aaron, Stanton and Sanchez but it's not like these guys hit a lot of short porch shots. Didi and Bird will still need to bring there leftie A-games.

 

[chuckd4735]

Harper to the Cubs loses a key competitor!

 

[BoxsterCy]

Harper to the Cubs loses a key competitor!

Maybe, for Yanks will be out of it.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...s-next-years-bryce-harper-free-agency-market/

 

[CycloneErik]

Maybe, for Yanks will be out of it.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...s-next-years-bryce-harper-free-agency-market/

Love the Colorado pitch line in there. "Want to hit 80 homers?"

 

[CTTB78]

So now for a Mantle/Maris combo, your Yanks have Judge/Stanton. The pitching staffs in the AL are all grumbling right now............

As are most baseball fans. This is exactly why I hope the Yankee$ lose every game they play. Can't win with their farm system, but they can buy championship$. Just pay the luxury tax and look for the next guy to buy.

 

[Buster28]

I fully expect the Giants to sit on their hands again this year. They don't seem to know what to do or how to do it. They achieved their past successes by drafting well and having a decent farm system. But they eventually traded most of their good minor leaguers away and the last few high draftees haven't turned out as well as expected. I don't believe taking on Stanton's contract is wise because it would handcuff SF from being able to add anyone around him. There simply isn't enough power in that lineup. People complain about the Giants not being able to hit homers at AT&T, but other teams do it all the time. It's not the park, it's the people swinging the bat. Breaking the bank isn't going to help. I certainly don't want to see Stanton end up in LA (which honestly doesn't need him), but while SF shows interest in players, they don't seem to be able to close any meaningful deals. I expect to begin spring training disappointed in who they have to work with.

 

[Cy$]

As are most baseball fans. This is exactly why I hope the Yankee$ lose every game they play. Can't win with their farm system, but they can buy championship$. Just pay the luxury tax and look for the next guy to buy.

Makes sense besides the points that three of the Yankees best players are farm guys(judge, Sanchez, severino) and that the Yankees are under the luxury tax next season. If you want to complain about spending, look at the dodgers instead.

Cashman is a good GM, don’t blame the Yankees for putting a notrade clause in Stanton’s contract and that the marlins are selling all their top players.

 

[CTTB78]

Makes sense besides the points that three of the Yankees best players are farm guys(judge, Sanchez, severino) ....look at the dodgers instead.
Cashman is a good GM.....

Agree the Dodgers are almost as bad, both spend money that most teams simply can't. Thankfully the Astros could at least buy one in Verlander.
It would be an absolute joke if the Yankees land Machado or Harper. Won't stop Cashman from trying. Money is not an issue with the Yankee$ and that helps anybody be a good GM, including Cashman.

 

[IcSyU]

Agree the Dodgers are almost as bad, both spend money that most teams simply can't. Thankfully the Astros could at least buy one in Verlander.
It would be an absolute joke if the Yankees land Machado or Harper. Won't stop Cashman from trying. Money is not an issue with the Yankee$ and that helps anybody be a good GM, including Cashman.

Every one of those ownership groups is billionaires. They COULD spend the money if they want to but they choose not to.

 

[CTTB78]

Every one of those ownership groups is billionaires. They COULD spend the money if they want to but they choose not to.

Put the Yankee$ ownership in media markets like Minnesota, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburg, etc. and they wouldn't be going after guys like Stanton, Machado, and Harper. The Yankee$ wouldn't even be able to re-sign more than one of their current farm team studs.

 

[CyGuy5]

First things first, I hate the Yankees. Second, it seems as if the Royals have no interest in signing any of there core players with the exception or Hosmer. It is very likely that the Royals lose Hosmer, Moustakas, and Cain. Going to be a really fun rebuilding process (jimlad)

 

[boone7247]

Every one of those ownership groups is billionaires. They COULD spend the money if they want to but they choose not to.

Not picking on you specifically, but why do people say this? Harper is going to get somewhere between $300 - $400 million probably. I don't see billionaires lining up to give away their fortunes? That isn't how they became billionaires. I suppose you could say this meaning they COULD as you typed. But no one in their right mind is going to spend outside of what their potential return is.

Highly recommend "Soccernomics" for some insight on professional sports and their economics.

 

[CTTB78]

First things first, I hate the Yankees..... It is very likely that the Royals lose Hosmer, Moustakas, and Cain. ....

Too bad Ca$hman is not your GM. He'd be able to sign all three, and also add Stanton and maybe throw in Machado, just because.

Just kidding, of course, because a fan of another small market team, I feel your pain.

 

[BoxsterCy]

As are most baseball fans. This is exactly why I hope the Yankee$ lose every game they play. Can't win with their farm system, but they can buy championship$. Just pay the luxury tax and look for the next guy to buy.

Makes sense besides the points that three of the Yankees best players are farm guys(judge, Sanchez, severino) and that the Yankees are under the luxury tax next season. If you want to complain about spending, look at the dodgers instead.

Cashman is a good GM, don’t blame the Yankees for putting a notrade clause in Stanton’s contract and that the marlins are selling all their top players.

Don't forget Bird in that group, all of them at around $550K right now which is why they can do the Stanton thingie and still stay under the luxury tax limit. Throw in Hicks at $1.5M and likely Torres later in 2018 at $550K and they have some real bargains, at least until they have arbitration or have to get ahead of arbitration with some multi-year deals. If they didn't have the worse deal in franchise history, Ellsbury, ******* up the budget they would be in even better shape.

I am not super pumped on the Stanton deal with all of the outfielders in the pipeline but I guess they couldn't pass it up after the Marlins handcuffed themselves with a no trade contract they couldn't afford and then passed the buck to the new owners. Barring big falloffs, a lineup of Judge, Stanton, Sanchez and Bird is going to have yuge home run production.

Contrary to the ranting going on in this thread, the Yankee has essentially dealt themselves out of the Machado and Harper free agent wars. They will not be a player for them. Someone is going to spend insane money on Harper although I think it would be cool if he managed to stay put. More likely that someone, probably the Cubs, is going to play him insane money though.

 

[CTTB78]

......
insane money on Harper although I think it would be cool if he managed to stay put. ......

I know what you're saying. Miami fans were thinking the same thing about Stanton.

 

[ISUCubswin]

If healthy, Stanton/Sanchez/Judge could very well combine for 180 homeruns next year.

I just don't see Judge and Stanton both being healthy. I love Stanton, but he's only been healthy 3 of his 8 seasons. Judge is so damn big that he just looks like one who's going to get hurt every year.