October's Over: The 2014-15 MLB off-season thread.

[Kramerica Industries]

The Yankees have missed the playoffs the last two seasons since Russel Martin left, and the Pirates have made the playoffs the two seasons he was in Pittsburgh there is something to chew upon.

I love Russ as much as anyone but if you watched the Yankees either of the past two seasons and thought that Russell Martin was the difference between those teams making and missing the playoffs, then I have a bridge to sell you.

With regard to Lester or any of the big names out there and their involvement with the Yankees - I really have no bead on what the Yankees' off-season plans are. They could opt to re-sign their own guys and maybe dabble for a mid-level player here-or-there, go after a nine-figure player, do both, do neither, whatever. All I know is that the strategy of signing a whole bunch of old guys to one year deals failed in 2013, and the strategy of giving players 30-and-(well) above pretty much failed in 2014. Besides, just from a personal POV, I'm getting a bit uneasy at the idea of signing 2x champions from the Red Sox and dragging them to New York.

To have [Lester] and Cespedes.

Odds are they are going to trade Cespedes between now and Opening Day so that part of the thought process won't really end up playing itself out. The whole "plug Yoenis into Fenway and SEE WHAT HAPPENS!" ideology was flawed from the get-go, and that .719 OPS he put up with the Red Sox and .688 mark at Fenway are proof to that.

[NJTank]

Maybe in 2013 Martin could have gotten the Yankees a wild card spot, they had trouble all season at the catcher spot and only missed the playoffs by a few games.

[Kramerica Industries]

Yes they did. Shocking that the strategy of making an oft-injured backup catcher the starter ended up blowing up in their faces. Ultimately, however, they missed the playoffs by six games. Genuinely, thinking back to that team, I really don't envision where plugging in Russell Martin for Chris Stewart would have been worth that many games. We're not plugging-and-dropping the .832 OPS bat that Russ was in 2014; we're plugging-and-dropping the .704 OPS bat he was in 2013 (a mark that was marginally worse than his 2012 mark).

[JasonFromMiami]

what the hell ? Jose Canseco loses his finger playing poker.

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Jose Canseco ✔ @JoseCanseco

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My finger should have been amputated from the beginning. It was very loose with no bone to connect it.it was also smelling really bad.

12:51 AM - 15 Nov 2014 Las Vegas, NV, United States

I guess he should not have asked someone to pull his finger

Right, and first time there is a terrible smell BEFORE someone pulls a finger

[The_Admiral]

Why did they trade him if they thought he would resign with them this offseason?

That's called answering your own question.

[JasonFromMiami]

"If Giancarlo Stanton opts out of his new 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins after the first six seasons, he'll be walking away from a staggering $218 million over the final seven seasons, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN.com Tuesday.

However, one source said Stanton was so motivated to give his team the financial flexibility to win now, he agreed to a heavily backloaded contract structure that will pay him just $30 million over the first three seasons.

According to a major league source who had seen the terms, Stanton's salaries over those first three seasons will be only $6.5 million in 2015, $9 million in 2016 and $14.5 million in 2017, far less than he could have earned through arbitration in 2015 and 2016 and then via free agency."

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Great dude or what ?

[dfwabel]

"If Giancarlo Stanton opts out of his new 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins after the first six seasons, he'll be walking away from a staggering $218 million over the final seven seasons, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN.com Tuesday.

However, one source said Stanton was so motivated to give his team the financial flexibility to win now, he agreed to a heavily backloaded contract structure that will pay him just $30 million over the first three seasons.

According to a major league source who had seen the terms, Stanton's salaries over those first three seasons will be only $6.5 million in 2015, $9 million in 2016 and $14.5 million in 2017, far less than he could have earned through arbitration in 2015 and 2016 and then via free agency."

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Great dude or what ?

Not sure how you can judge that at all because that all hinges on the Marlins spending the "difference" of what he gave up.

What you do know is that he got hit in the face with a fastball just over 60 days ago. He, along with his family and representatives, made the decision to take the $$$ now as opposed to wait.

And again, signing him long term assist the Marlins in trying to get a much larger local TV contract since they will negotiate that before he can opt-out.

[Sport]

Stanton and the Marlins = Alex Rodriugez and the Rangers

[cmm]

Billy Butler signs with the Athletics. Three years and $30 million.

[Tigers6884]

David Price reportedly on trading block for Tigers: http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/11/18/7240393/tigers-rumors-david-price-trade

I'm excited about this news. While Price was okay for the Tigers last season, he wasn't Max Sherzer good. This move would free up the necessary cap space to resign Max and it could also net some big name prospects.

[Brass]

Red Sox have made offers to Jon Lester and Pablo Sandoval. Both, please.

[CS85]

NL team has allegedly offered Lester a 6 year $144 million offer. Apparently field is narrowed to Red Sox, Cubs, Cardinals, Braves.

[Brass]

NL team has allegedly offered Lester a 6 year $144 million offer. Apparently field is narrowed to Red Sox, Cubs, Cardinals, Braves.

I refuse to believe that the New York Yankees are not part of that list.

Lester is also set to meet with the Braves tomorrow. Do teams usually submit offers before a player visits?

[JasonFromMiami]

Marlins reportedly make offer to Adam LaRoche.

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NO, you got to be :censored:ing kidding me

[Tigers6884]

Marlins reportedly make offer to Adam LaRoche.

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NO, you got to be :censored:ing kidding me

All of this, after going all in on Giancarlo Stanton? This certainly is changing my view of Jeffrey Loria as a cheap*censored*. I guess the Marlins aren't really focused on winning though, since they'll probably be unable to sign many other players beyond LaRoche, Stanton, and the usuall young prospects (aka: players who won't last beyond a couple of years).

[Epiphanic]

According to the Marlins website, the depth chart at 1B is Garrett Jones, Justin Bour, and Jeff Baker. LaRoche is a better hitter and fielder than Jones and is just a year older. Bour is still an unproven rookie. Baker is essentially Garrett Jones with a better glove (but not as good as LaRoche). Signing LaRoche is an unequivocal upgrade for the Marlins. Teams can't spend eleventy billion dollars on every position.

[Brass]

Reports are saying Sandoval will probably make up his mind before Thanksgiving. MLBTradeRumors is also reporting that the Padres are making a hard push for his services.

[GriffinM6]

Stanton and the Marlins = Alex Rodriugez and the Rangers

Actually, you're pretty wrong about that. The Marlins were in the Wild Card hunt for a fair amount of the season(pretty much up until Stanton got hit). They have a good young staff, that will see Fernandez return midseason, GREAT outfielders, and a solid infield that could see some improvement from 1st and 2nd. They really have built up good prospects and acquired good ones as well over the past few years. Alvarez came over in the Toronto deal, and it looks like that "firesale" was actually a win-win for both teams.

[tp49]

White Sox sign LaRoche 2 yrs/$25 million.

[cmm]

Good, he killed the Mets.