MLB Offseason Thread

[Tommy Bunz]

Free Agency starts today.



How much money do you think Cano is going to get?
What moves do you want your squad to make?


this is my prediction for Ruben Amaro's offseason

[Philaflava]

When you strip the top 3 or so, this years class isn't that sexy. I predict we overpay for a fragile, 33 year old Nelson Cruz, who is still making the OF a liability.

As much as I hate to say this, I think Roy Halladay signs with the Mets and that don't sit well with me.

[Tommy Bunz]

I love Roy forever but he's done.

My wishlist:
Re-sign Chooch for a 1-2 year deal. McCann would be great but he's lefthanded and going to get waaaay overpaid.
Pick up one of the midrange SP available, preferably one with some upside (Garza, Ubaldo). At worst we need a Nolasco.
Get a top OF. Doesn't matter if he plays CF or a corner. One that can hit. Want no parts of Cruz. Ellsbury is a pipe dream and not worth the Crawford contract that Boras is looking for. Would love Beltran or Choo who would be the leadoff hitter we've been lacking for a decade.

In general the free agent class sucks for us cause we need RH hitters and all the top guys are lefties.
This is our first year with a protected top pick and we have a ton of money coming from our new TV deal next year, so its time to double down and spend on some top tier guys.

[Philaflava]

We ain't ever signing a Boras FA under Rube's watch. Beltran would be great but 36, just how much more does he have? I say it every year and he proves me wrong but one day I gotta be right. Defensively he is still better than Cruz but I think Beltran wants to win a ring more than anything.

I see us getting Nolasco, would rather Garza tho.

[Gregg Popabitch]

LOL nice try. Beltran is going to the sign with the Yanks.

[Philaflava]

If Granderson leaves then yeah, I can def see that happening.

[peanut butter]

I'm gonna predict where the top 10 free agents will go, and try to guess their contracts. I'd encourage everyone else to play along.

1. Robinson Cano- $150M/6 years from the Yankees. He means the most to New York, the Dodgers aren't going to compete, the Angels have learned their lesson, the Red Sox have a second basemen...I cant think of any team that can afford him that would have a reason to make a push on a longterm deal for a 30-year old 2B. The only dark horse candidate I can think of that could conceivably work is the Tigers, but I think he's out of their budget with the Cabrera/Fielder/Verlander deals, and Scherzer still looming.

2. Shin Soo Choo- $60M/5 years from the Rangers. They can afford him, and they need OF help. He'd be a great fit at the top of the lineup. I so wish the Giants would sign him, but they need to save all their money in order to overpay another one of the mediocre players already on their team.

3. Jacoby Ellsbury- $100M/5 years from the Red Sox. Career accomplishment deal. Considering his injury risk, he's worth about $1-2 million less per year over the course of the contract. But the Sox will lock him down because he's been an integral part of the franchise, and they'll make enough money selling hoodies at spring training to cover the cost.

4. Brian McCann- $50M/4 years from the Yankees. Gotta be an AL team, because he's gonna need to DH for at least two of the final years on his contract. And he could hit 20 HR a year in Yankee stadium with the short porch in right. I think its a terrible investment, but he's just the type of "character" guy that fits the cocksuckin Yankees self image.

5. Carlos Beltran- $30M/3 years from the Yankees. I think both sides have known that he's a Yankee for some time now. If things shake out this way (give or take a year), its probably not a bad deal for either party.

6. Matt Garza- $60M/4 years from the Braves. Tim Lincecum is his new best friend for setting the mediocre RHP market so high. The team is pretty much a guess here. ATL makes sense because they could use a veteran arm to replace Hudson, they have a budget, and are competitors in the NL. I think the Pirates could also be a good match, but I doubt they'll spend the money. Indians are a possibility as well.

7. Curtis Granderson- $50M/4 years from the Reds. A viable replacement for Choo who can put up impressive numbers in that cute little league park they have.

8. Ubaldo Jimenez- $55M/3 years from the Rangers. Just a classic move that has the Rangers written all over it: Overspend because they are desperate to buy an arm to help their meager pitching staff then the guy ends up getting torched and the deal is a total loss. Think: Chan Ho Park. What they should do is trade Profar to the Rays for David Price before the Dodgers snap him up, but they'd much rather just flush a few tens of millions down the drain.

9. Mike Napoli- $30M/2 years from the Red Sox. Pretty much this will give him the entirety of the contract that fell through last summer.

10. Ervin Santana- $14M/1 year from the Royals. He accepts the qualifying offer.

Bonus: Masahiro Tanaka- $1B/ 20 years from the Dodgers. Because let's face it: he's going to the Dodgers. For a long time and a lot of money.



PEACE

[Tommy Bunz]

Think you are low on $$$. Choo for 12 a year and Beltran for 10 is way low.
Garza to the Braves doesn't make sense either. They have 4 starters locked in already, and rarely make free agent splashes.

[peanut butter]

Yeah, its safe to assume that I'm too low, since FA deals are always way too high.
The landing spot for Garza was a crap shoot. On second thought though, I think the Angels are also an option.
And I'm going back on Granderson. I think he'll accept the qualifying offer from the Yankees.




PEACE

[peanut butter]

8. Ubaldo Jimenez- $55M/3 years from the Rangers. Just a classic move that has the Rangers written all over it: Overspend because they are desperate to buy an arm to help their meager pitching staff then the guy ends up getting torched and the deal is a total loss. Think: Chan Ho Park. What they should do is trade Profar to the Rays for David Price before the Dodgers snap him up, but they'd much rather just flush a few tens of millions down the drain.

The Rangers again are pondering whether to trade second baseman Ian Kinsler or shortstop Elvis Andrus to clear a middle-infield position for Jurickson Profar, according to major league sources. A move of Kinsler to first base also is possible but probably less appealing.

Kinsler seemingly would be easier to trade; he is owed $57 million over the next four seasons, plus a $10 million club option or $5 million buyout in 2018. Andrus, on the other hand, is guaranteed $126,475,000 over the next nine years, with a $15 million club option for — egads! — 2023.

The size of Andrus’ contract seemingly would preclude a deal, even to a high-revenue team such as the Red Sox, who might look to add a shortstop. Selling off Kinsler to a loser of the Robinson Cano sweepstakes, maybe even the Yankees, would appear more realistic.

In any case, the Rangers need to figure it out. Signing free-agent catcher Brian McCann would bring needed left-handed balance to their lineup. Adding another starting pitcher — Price? Masahiro Tanaka? — also would make sense. But figuring out the middle infield — and securing payroll relief — might be the key to the Rangers' offseason.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/max- ... ies-110513

Looks like the Rangers are interested in fixing their middle infielder logjam. Should be interesting to see how this plays out. But damn, that Andrus contract is bananas.


PEACE

[Tommy Bunz]

I don't see why he'd be untradeable. $14 million a year is cheap for an above average shortstop in a world where Drew is worth a qualifying offer. And he'll still only be 32 when his contract's up.

[peanut butter]

I don't see why he'd be untradeable. $14 million a year is cheap for an above average shortstop in a world where Drew is worth a qualifying offer. And he'll still only be 32 when his contract's up.

Yea I dont think he's untradeable either. The length is a little scary (nh), especially in light of the way he played over the course of the middle third of the season, but the money isn't unreasonable at all. I also don't understand their reticence to move Kinsler off 2B. I get that Andrus is probably overqualified defensively to play second, but there is a way to negotiate their assets without having to give any up. I think they should pressure Kinsler to move to 1B, or fill their hole in LF, and let Profar take short. If they after able to land Price or Scherzer by trading one of their middle infielders, then it makes sense, because they really need another ace alongside Darvish. But they've gotta do something, because blocking Profar again next year isn't gonna work.



PEACE

[Joe Pesci]

In a perfect world the Yankees would sign Choo to play left field and stay as far away from Beltran as humanly possible, but the they've had a hard on for Beltran for about 10 years now so that won't be happening.

[Gregg Popabitch]

If Granderson leaves then yeah, I can def see that happening.

I think the yanks will go after beltran whether Granderson comes back or not.

[peanut butter]

Heyman says the Giants could be interested in signing Ellsbury, Garza, Santana or Jimenez.

I can guarantee they will sign exactly none of those guys.



PEACE

[alpha]

Twinkies announce Mauer moving to 1b full time next year.

[peanut butter]

Crasnick surveyed anonymous executives to guess what will happen this offseason:

19 of 21 said Cano is going back to the Yankees, Cubs and Dodgers got the only other votes
12 of 20 said Choo will provide a better return on investment than Ellsbury, one said neither will give back value comparable to the amount their contract is worth
10 liked Garza as the best available starter, 5 liked Santana, 4 liked Jimenez and 2 declined to answer
18 of 21 said Phil Hughes will benefit more from a change of scenery than Joba Chamberlain will, surprisingly none of them said "who the fuck cares?"
9 think the Dodgers will sign Tanaka, 6 think he'll go to the Yankees, Giants/Cubs/Blue Jays/Mariners all received one vote
17 of 21 think David Price will be traded this offseason. Nine execs said that they think he'll go to the Rangers, 4 said the Dodgers and Nats/Cards/Angels/Astros all received one vote.
Of Kuroda, Hudson and Halladay: 12 think Kuroda has the most left in the tank, 8 think its Hudson, and 1 thinks its Halladay.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove13/story ... executives


PEACE

[Gregg Popabitch]

In a perfect world the Yankees would sign Choo to play left field and stay as far away from Beltran as humanly possible, but the they've had a hard on for Beltran for about 10 years now so that won't be happening.

I do not want Choo at the price he and Boras will command in the offseason. They are looking for more than Jayson Werth money. I'd rather sign Beltran to a shorter deal.

[peanut butter]

Happy Marlon Byrd Day!!


To celebrate, can someone with an Insider account share the Jim Bowden predicting the contracts for top 50 FAs this offseason?


PEACE

[Tommy Bunz]

I'm officially not renewing my season tickets this year.
fuck this team run by faggots

[Gregg Popabitch]

Have fun with Marlon Byrd, Phillies fans.

[Philaflava]

the $ is good for 2 years but i dont really want him as a starter wtf. old ass team.

[peanut butter]

I love the dichotomy between Gloss & Bunz's feelings toward the Phillies. It's consistently one of the best things about the Sports Bar.


PEACE

[Philaflava]

hyperbole happens

[alpha]

Giants targeting huddy

[peanut butter]

Reports circulating that the Phils are talkin about trading Dom Brown and friends for Joey Bats


PEACE

[Philaflava]

He is 33 and declining. Makes sense.

[Jayou Ayen]

Giants targeting huddy

Oh no



39

[alpha]

I think it's a good fit. Crick is a least a year away as are most of the arms in the minors.

[peanut butter]

There's no telling how Hudson can rehab from that injury at his age tho. I like Haren more. He's younger, and pitched pretty well for stretches last year.


PEACE