2018/19 Hot Stove League

[Gil Dobie]

Checking out the Spring Training Schedule today. A couple games out there look good. Maybe a Twins/Red Sox Friday Matinee.

They're both still in Ft. Myers, no? Probably would be a tough ticket.

Still some good tickets available online.

[css75]

Phillies to sign Andrew McCutcheon. Still have room for Harper.

Good, heard the Rocks were looking at him, he is well past his prime


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[93henfan]

Phillies to sign Andrew McCutcheon. Still have room for Harper.

Phils have the most cash to spend, but the Dodgers are closer to Harper's hometown (Las Vegas).

Phils should end up with either Harper or Machado. If they don't get one of them, this offseason will be considered a failure.

[css75]

One of the guys that looked like a surefire Hall of Famer was released today by the Toronto Blue Jays. Troy Tulowitzski in his first few years was arguably the best player in the game from 2007-11. The rest of his career he was ravaged by injuries. Hopefully he can catch on somewhere and revive his fortune’s, but I am afraid that ship has sailed.


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[css75]

Phillies to sign Andrew McCutcheon. Still have room for Harper.

Phils have the most cash to spend, but the Dodgers are closer to Harper's hometown (Las Vegas).

Phils should end up with either Harper or Machado. If they don't get one of them, this offseason will be considered a failure.

The Phillies seem to think they have a legit shot next year, do they?


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[GannonFan]

Phillies to sign Andrew McCutcheon. Still have room for Harper.

Good, heard the Rocks were looking at him, he is well past his prime


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Got him on a 3 year deal rather than the 5 he was looking for, he's still an above average defensive corner outfielder and he gets on base at an above average rate too. Just being past your prime doesn't mean you aren't a good ball player now, especially when you take into account that his prime was much higher than most other players. He'll look great in the same lineup with Harper.

[JoltinJoe]

Good, heard the Rocks were looking at him, he is well past his prime


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Got him on a 3 year deal rather than the 5 he was looking for, he's still an above average defensive corner outfielder and he gets on base at an above average rate too. Just being past your prime doesn't mean you aren't a good ball player now, especially when you take into account that his prime was much higher than most other players. He'll look great in the same lineup with Harper.

I know the Yankees thought they could get him back, but balked at the money he was demanding, reportedly in excess of $16M per year. He only made $14.5M last year and expected a raise, even though he is plainly on a down slope. He had five seasons in a row in which had an OPS of 144 or higher, but his last few seasons have been nothing like that. He just isn't worth that kind of money any more.

[SDHornet]

The Dbacka are rebuilding, Giants also going to rebuild, Padres improving but not there yet, that leaves Rockies and Dodgers to fight it out.


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That's been the motto for over 10 years now...I'll believe it when I see it.

[GannonFan]

Got him on a 3 year deal rather than the 5 he was looking for, he's still an above average defensive corner outfielder and he gets on base at an above average rate too. Just being past your prime doesn't mean you aren't a good ball player now, especially when you take into account that his prime was much higher than most other players. He'll look great in the same lineup with Harper.

I know the Yankees thought they could get him back, but balked at the money he was demanding, reportedly in excess of $16M per year. He only made $14.5M last year and expected a raise, even though he is plainly on a down slope. He had five seasons in a row in which had an OPS of 144 or higher, but his last few seasons have been nothing like that. He just isn't worth that kind of money any more.

His OPS with the limited time with the Yankees last year was 141. He's a right handed hitter and PNC Park isn't good to guys on that side of the plate. Why the Giants wanted him for their ballpark is a question for them, of course he wasn't going to produce there. But the new Yankee Stadium is a whiffle-ball park and he performed well there, and Citizen's Bank, while not to the extent Yankee Stadium is, is more amenable to McCutcheon's strengths. As for the money, nobody is really worth the money of a new contract, but that's baseball for you.

[JoltinJoe]

I know the Yankees thought they could get him back, but balked at the money he was demanding, reportedly in excess of $16M per year. He only made $14.5M last year and expected a raise, even though he is plainly on a down slope. He had five seasons in a row in which had an OPS of 144 or higher, but his last few seasons have been nothing like that. He just isn't worth that kind of money any more.

His OPS with the limited time with the Yankees last year was 141. He's a right handed hitter and PNC Park isn't good to guys on that side of the plate. Why the Giants wanted him for their ballpark is a question for them, of course he wasn't going to produce there. But the new Yankee Stadium is a whiffle-ball park and he performed well there, and Citizen's Bank, while not to the extent Yankee Stadium is, is more amenable to McCutcheon's strengths. As for the money, nobody is really worth the money of a new contract, but that's baseball for you.

McCutcheon didn't even have 90 at bats total for the Yankees in 2018. Moreover, he only had 40 at bats in Yankee Stadium. While he did hit five homers, his OPS was really due to an on-base percentage of .421, and that was a result of the fact that he drew a lot of walks in his time with the Yankees -- 22 BBs in 25 games. He hit .253.

But it did seem like he was always drawing a walk.

Perhaps he drew a lot of walks because pitchers were pitching around him, thinking he could still do significant damage in an offensive-friendly stadium like Yankee Stadium. Otherwise, though, I don't see the correlation between the OPS and Yankee Stadium.

[css75]

His OPS with the limited time with the Yankees last year was 141. He's a right handed hitter and PNC Park isn't good to guys on that side of the plate. Why the Giants wanted him for their ballpark is a question for them, of course he wasn't going to produce there. But the new Yankee Stadium is a whiffle-ball park and he performed well there, and Citizen's Bank, while not to the extent Yankee Stadium is, is more amenable to McCutcheon's strengths. As for the money, nobody is really worth the money of a new contract, but that's baseball for you.

McCutcheon didn't even have 90 at bats total for the Yankees in 2018. Moreover, he only had 40 at bats in Yankee Stadium. While he did hit five homers, his OPS was really due to an on-base percentage of .421, and that was a result of the fact that he drew a lot of walks in his time with the Yankees -- 22 BBs in 25 games. He hit .253.

But it did seem like he was always drawing a walk.

Perhaps he drew a lot of walks because pitchers were pitching around him, thinking he could still do significant damage in an offensive-friendly stadium like Yankee Stadium. Otherwise, though, I don't see the correlation between the OPS and Yankee Stadium.

I always liked Cutch, but he is not the player he was in Pittsburgh, i figured 30 for 3 years was more in his range. Phils said they were going to spend stupid, this is proof.


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[AshevilleApp]

Nationals sign Anibal Sanchez to a two year $19 million contract.

Granted that he bounced back well with Atlanta last year, but that seems high.

[css75]

Rockies have signed Daniel Murphy to a 2 year deal, haven’t seen much of him lately, does he have enough in the tank to be a difference maker?


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[GannonFan]

Rockies have signed Daniel Murphy to a 2 year deal, haven’t seen much of him lately, does he have enough in the tank to be a difference maker?


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He's not a bad player, but certainly not a difference maker. Depending on the contract he's a decent get, assuming he stays healthy.

[AZGrizFan]

Have the Dbacks traded their last two good players yet?

[Ivytalk]

Puig, Kemp, and Wood go to Reds for Homer Bailey and two prospects. Dodgers took a big salary dump. Will they get Bryce Harper?

I’m already tired of the Harper/Machado talk. The Phillies probably won’t get either one, and neither is worth the money.

[AZGrizFan]

Puig, Kemp, and Wood go to Reds for Homer Bailey and two prospects. Dodgers took a big salary dump. Will they get Bryce Harper?

I’m already tired of the Harper/Machado talk. The Phillies probably won’t get either one, and neither is worth the money.

I’m guessing that’s why that trade was made. Gets him to fill their (now) empty RF spot, and he’s now close to home. Plus, they’re one of the 4-5 teams that can actually pay him what he’s looking for.

[JoltinJoe]

I’m already tired of the Harper/Machado talk. The Phillies probably won’t get either one, and neither is worth the money.

These 10-year megadeals -- have any of these deals worked out? Which team has been happy that it gave out one of these deals and got a fair return?

[Gil Dobie]

Purchased 4 tickets to a Red Sox vs Twins game at Jet Blue.

[Chizzang]

I’m already tired of the Harper/Machado talk. The Phillies probably won’t get either one, and neither is worth the money.

These 10-year megadeals -- have any of these deals worked out? Which team has been happy that it gave out one of these deals and got a fair return?

You mean A-Rod wasn't worth $317 million..?
Shocked I tell you

https://www.si.com/mlb/2016/08/11/new-y ... z-contract

[Gil Dobie]

These 10-year megadeals -- have any of these deals worked out? Which team has been happy that it gave out one of these deals and got a fair return?

You mean A-Rod wasn't worth $317 million..?
Shocked I tell you

https://www.si.com/mlb/2016/08/11/new-y ... z-contract

Derek Jeter might be the one and only.
Jeter Link

[Chizzang]

You mean A-Rod wasn't worth $317 million..?
Shocked I tell you

https://www.si.com/mlb/2016/08/11/new-y ... z-contract

Derek Jeter might be the one and only.
Jeter Link

Jeter is probably the greatest all around baseball player of all time



Certainly of this generation without question
If making everybody around you better counts then he might be the greatest player ever

[GannonFan]

If making everybody around you better counts then he might be the greatest player ever

Nonsensical term when it comes to baseball. Does not apply.

[93henfan]

If making everybody around you better counts then he might be the greatest player ever

Nonsensical term when it comes to baseball. Does not apply.

Certainly nonsensical regarding defense. Maybe applicable a little on offense with forcing pitchers not to pitch around, for instance, a cleanup hitter.

[GannonFan]

Nonsensical term when it comes to baseball. Does not apply.

Certainly nonsensical regarding defense. Maybe applicable a little on offense with forcing pitchers not to pitch around, for instance, a cleanup hitter.

I could see that, to a point, for one other player in the lineup. But the other 7/9's of the lineup wouldn't be impacted. Far from the impact that a basketball player could have, or a QB, or an NHL goalie, or so on. Baseball's a collection of a lot of isolated, individual play.