MLB Offseason 2021: Hot Stoves, Bat Flips, & Bubbleball

[LMU 7,759]

22 hours ago, Gary said:

Dustin Pedroia has announced his retirement today. He would’ve been a great player if it wasn’t for Manny Machado...

FYP

[LMU 7,759]

And let this be an official moderator warning.  The politics/religion talk has hit the point of going too far.  All that's needed to have been said about Schilling, Coonrod, and BLM has been said.  Next topic, please.  Or continued mockery of the Rockies.  Whichever you prefer.

[BBTV 20,882]

Don't understand what "expanded powers" the players were afraid of Manfred having.  I would have expected the MLBPA to like the DH and expanded playoffs, as that should equal more money for their players, while the other temporary rule changes like the runner on second and 7-inning DH would theoretically reduce risk.

 

162 games is too much - 154 probably is too, but I'd take the reduced innings if they're paying me the same either way.

[McCall 1,441]

38 minutes ago, BBTV said:

Don't understand what "expanded powers" the players were afraid of Manfred having.  I would have expected the MLBPA to like the DH and expanded playoffs, as that should equal more money for their players, while the other temporary rule changes like the runner on second and 7-inning DH would theoretically reduce risk.

 

162 games is too much - 154 probably is too, but I'd take the reduced innings if they're paying me the same either way.

I heard somewhere that the language in the proposal made it seem like he would have the ability to cancel or pause games at will, or something to that effect. Don't know how accurate that is.

[ManillaToad 1,344]

16 hours ago, Cujo said:

Has there ever been a worse trade in the history of the game?

 

To St. Louis:

Nolan Arenado

Fifty million dollars cash

 

To Colorado: 

Austin Gomber

Elehuris Montero (14)

Tony Locey (26)

Mateo Gil (28)

Jake Sommers (unranked)

(STL system prospect rank)

 

 

I can think of two Cardinals trades that were more lopsided than this one

[LMU 7,759]

1 hour ago, BBTV said:

Don't understand what "expanded powers" the players were afraid of Manfred having.  I would have expected the MLBPA to like the DH and expanded playoffs, as that should equal more money for their players, while the other temporary rule changes like the runner on second and 7-inning DH would theoretically reduce risk.

 

162 games is too much - 154 probably is too, but I'd take the reduced innings if they're paying me the same either way.

Tony Clark’s taking whatever sympathy last season garnered and is proceeding to drive a steamroller over it. MLB is giving them things they want, even giving them a full paycheck, but the hill the players decide to die on is game cancellations in a pandemic? The “we’re big boys and we know the risks” argument is not a good one PR-wise with (most of) the general public.

[ninersdd 581]

So when I posted about the Arenado trade last week, I didn't realize that it was the Rockies sending the 50 million to St Louis instead of the other way around. Good lord. Seems like with Goldschmidt two years before, Arenado should've been a Rocky for life.

[schlim 775]

I ran across this twitter post from a labor lawyer that spells out why the players didn't accept or counter the owners' proposal. There's 12 parts, so I hope they're all readable in the link below:

https://twitter.com/EugeneFreedman/status/1356456806629978112

 

[infrared41 9,466]

On 1/31/2021 at 3:24 PM, BBTV said:

His main stated reason for not kneeling is that he's a Christian and can't kneel for anyone but god.  Don't get me wrong - if I was as pea-brained as this guy and was a multi-millionaire despite it, I'd probably believe I was blessed by a higher power too.  But if one can't do a simple act like take a knee because of a god?  That one is a loon.  

 

Not for nothing, but there are plenty of sane, rational people who believe in a "higher power." How about you dial down the ridicule by about 85%?

 

FWIW, I won't take a knee for anyone or anything. Period. Doesn't matter if I believe in the cause or a higher power, or whatever, I ain't doing it. What does that make me? 

[SFGiants58 14,557]

I'll take a knee for General Zod.

 

 

 

[BBTV 20,882]

1 hour ago, infrared41 said:

FWIW, I won't take a knee for anyone or anything. Period. Doesn't matter if I believe in the cause or a higher power, or whatever, I ain't doing it. What does that make me? 

 

A stand-up guy?

[BBTV 20,882]

2 hours ago, LMU said:

Tony Clark’s taking whatever sympathy last season garnered and is proceeding to drive a steamroller over it. MLB is giving them things they want, even giving them a full paycheck, but the hill the players decide to die on is game cancellations in a pandemic? The “we’re big boys and we know the risks” argument is not a good one PR-wise with (most of) the general public.

 

My issue with this is I'm not sure what the alternative is.  If they can't postpone or cancel games, what do they do when there's an outbreak?  Even if they follow all the rules, it's just gonna happen, and it seems like if I'm a player, I'd actually prefer that games could be postponed for safety reasons.  Starting a month later also increases the chances that some of the team staff (even if not the players) have received the vaccine.  It just seems to make to much sense.

 

It kinda seems like they're not going with it just because it wasn't their idea and they're afraid to actually agree to anything.

[infrared41 9,466]

14 minutes ago, BBTV said:

 

A stand-up guy?

Well played. 

[McCall 1,441]

Cardinals trade Dexter Fowler and cash (reported to be $12.75m) to the Angels for a player to be named later. Only seems to free up about $1.75m, so not necessarily much of a "salary dump". 40-man roster wasn't full either, but it does allow for some younger players to get in the line-up while also keeping open the possibility of adding another OF.

[ninersdd 581]

Dodgers get Trevor Bauer. Kinda like the Red Wings adding Marian Hossa after they won it all. The best get better.

[rams80 4,278]

On 2/2/2021 at 1:32 PM, BBTV said:

Don't understand what "expanded powers" the players were afraid of Manfred having.  I would have expected the MLBPA to like the DH and expanded playoffs, as that should equal more money for their players, while the other temporary rule changes like the runner on second and 7-inning DH would theoretically reduce risk.

 

162 games is too much - 154 probably is too, but I'd take the reduced innings if they're paying me the same either way.

 

Under the current CBA more playoffs do not actually get more money for the players IIRC.

[BBTV 20,882]

Just now, rams80 said:

 

Under the current CBA more playoffs do not actually get more money for the players IIRC.

 

Maybe.  I don't know how that works.  But if a guy that's a FA after next year can say that he lead his team to the playoffs, that probably earns him more than if not, and more playoff slots = more guys with playoff experience.  Also more opportunities for guys to earn World Series and playoff shares.  I'm still not sure how it would be a negative from a player perspective.

[rams80 4,278]

I see you haven't been paying attention to the free agent market the last few years.  Most of baseball has decided it won't spend on FAs period, regardless of past accomplishments.

[BBTV 20,882]

12 minutes ago, rams80 said:

I see you haven't been paying attention to the free agent market the last few years.  Most of baseball has decided it won't spend on FAs period, regardless of past accomplishments.

 

Is that really any difference than it's ever been?  It's almost always the same handful of teams that are willing to pay, and in the past couple of seasons, outsiders like San Diego and Toronto have given some guys really big deals in addition to the usual suspects like NYY, NYM, LAD, LAA, PHL, and WAS.  I think even Cincinnati paid a few guys a lot of money.

[Dynasty 2,418]

1 hour ago, ninersdd said:

Dodgers get Trevor Bauer. Kinda like the Red Wings adding Marian Hossa after they won it all. The best get better.

 

Seriously? A big-named player is going to a team in big market LA? I'm speechless.

 

At least he stays in the NL, if you're one of those people who root for the leagues (ASG, etc.).