Hot Stove: MLB Offseason Thread

[rams80]

They put a cap, with penalties for breaking in, on bonuses spent on draft picks and international free agents.

The problem is that the cap is obscenely low. If it's as reported, 20 teams spent more than the highest penalty (2 forfeited first round picks) last season.

Oh God, they botched this one. I see what you guys are talking about now.

Yeah that's a problem. That said, given how corrupt international scouting is, I am in favor of some sort of reform/crackdown.

[Dexter Morgan]

Ken Rosenthal

Breaking: Astros expected to announce major changes Monday, including dismissal of GM Ed Wade. Full story coming shortly

[TFoA]

Ken Rosenthal

Breaking: Astros expected to announce major changes Monday, including dismissal of GM Ed Wade. Full story coming shortly

Good. They couldn't make the excuse that they were rebuilding while Wade was in charge. Not only were they trading their good players away (mostly due to new ownership coming in), they weren't getting even decent prospects in return for those trading chips. They were basically trading gold for coal. Maybe now the Astros can start rebuilding in the right direction with these changes.

[patsox]

Bobby Valentine will be the next manager of the Boston Red Sox.

[tBBP]

Just caught that bit of news as well...on False News Network, of all places.

So I checked MLB.com and the team website, and, well...it's (reportedly) true.

[Cujo]

Here's a pretty good source.

Top Hat Bobby is back!

[Dexter Morgan]

Congrats on hiring one of baseball's biggest underachievers.

Pretty obvious this hire was pushed by upper management. Do not believe Cherington wanted Bobby.

[BBTV]

Jose Reyes is in Philadelphia right now...

...to visit his baby momma. Phillies brass is attending various memorials for a late front-office employee and there is no meeting planned with Reyes.

[pmoehrin]

I like the hire of Valentine for the Red Sox.

One thing about Bobby V he doesen't put up with BS and I think certain Red Sox players already know they are not going to be able to screw around as much under Valentine as they were under Francona.

Francona had a very laid back approach and was awarded with two World Series, but I think the Red Sox players began to take advantage of that so now they have a hardass as a manager and if they're upset about it they have nobody to blame but themselves. When you have a September collapse like the Red Sox had you lose nearly all say in who the next manager is going to be.

[Shumway]

Word on the street/mlbtraderumors is that the Rockies are close to signing Ramon Hernandez, then sending Chris Iannetta to Anaheim for Tyler Chatwood.

So long, Jeff Mathis!

I realize Iannetta's not going to win a batting title or anything, but he should clear .200, which Mathis has done only twice in the last six years. I'm sure we'll revisit this when Jeff Mathis hits 30 HRs for another team.

Edit: The trade has been completed, apparently.

[Still MIGHTY]

Word on the street/mlbtraderumors is that the Rockies are close to signing Ramon Hernandez, then sending Chris Iannetta to Anaheim for Tyler Chatwood.

So long, Jeff Mathis!

I realize Iannetta's not going to win a batting title or anything, but he should clear .200, which Mathis has done only twice in the last six years. I'm sure we'll revisit this when Jeff Mathis hits 30 HRs for another team.

Edit: The trade has been completed, apparently.

Deal is, in fact, DONE.

HALLELUJAH!

Thank you, Jerry DiPoto!

[oddball]

I like the hire of Valentine for the Red Sox.

One thing about Bobby V he doesen't put up with BS and I think certain Red Sox players already know they are not going to be able to screw around as much under Valentine as they were under Francona.

Francona had a very laid back approach and was awarded with two World Series, but I think the Red Sox players began to take advantage of that so now they have a hardass as a manager and if they're upset about it they have nobody to blame but themselves. When you have a September collapse like the Red Sox had you lose nearly all say in who the next manager is going to be.

Bobby V is a complete joke. And to say that the players screwed around under Francona and won't under Valentine is completely laughable. The Red Sox lost, not because of Francona, but because the players couldn't/didn't get the job done. Bobby Valentine isn't pitching, nor is he hitting, or fielding. There won't be much of a change with the Red Sox until you change the players not the manager. It's the players who screwed around and have no discipline, blame the players for their lack of discipline and caring. Mitch Williams said everything you need to know about Bobby Valentine when he said he managed the game by who he was mad at. He's not a disciplinarian, he's an ego maniac and that is not a good thing for the selfish ego driven locker room that the Red Sox have.

[Shumway]

I really don't like the idea of dumping Chatwood for Iannetta, but the upgrade at catcher was way overdue. I just can't believe Colorado didn't want to take on Vernon Wells' contract!

[The Six]

Sorry ladies, Barry Zito's getting married.

Barry Zito, one of the great hunks of Giants baseball, is headed to the altar.

The three-time All Star pitcher and his fiancee, 25-year-old actress Amber Marie Seyer ? a former Miss Missouri USA ? showed up at the Marin County clerk?s office Nov. 18 to take out a marriage license.

?I asked if he wanted a confidential one, and he said ?no,? ?? said Joyce Whitney, a senior deputy county clerk. ?He said, ?Just give me a public one ? I?m over myself.? ??

The couple listed an L.A. address on their application.

As a bachelor, the 33-year-old Zito?s love exploits have been well documented including a brief romance with hottie actress Alyssa Milano. He was even once spotted on a date with Paris Hilton.

Zito, by the way, isn?t the only Giants bachelor tying the knot. The team has also confirmed that outfielder Nate Schierholtz, 27, will soon marry his longtime girlfriend, 25-year-old business consultant Kate Eveland.

[Still MIGHTY]

I really don't like the idea of dumping Chatwood for Iannetta, but the upgrade at catcher was way overdue. I just can't believe Colorado didn't want to take on Vernon Wells' contract!

I know! Right?

Chatwood was all right, but there are better guys out there. I'll gladly trade Chatwood for an improvement at catcher. Very happy about this deal. Can't wait for what else DiPoto has in store.

[Shumway]

In order to make room for Broxton, the Royals designated 2B/SS Jeff Bianchi for assignment. I had math class with Jeff in high school.

[pmoehrin]

In order to make room for Broxton, the Royals designated 2B/SS Jeff Bianchi for assignment. I had math class with Jeff in high school.

The fact that he feel to Kansas City should tell you how much confidence GM's have in this guy. He's also a great example of how short the window can be for relief pitchers. It wasn't that long ago you could make a decent argument for him being the best relief pitcher in the game. Now he's just lucky to have a job.

[AlMagz]

In order to make room for Broxton, the Royals designated 2B/SS Jeff Bianchi for assignment. I had math class with Jeff in high school.

The fact that he feel to Kansas City should tell you how much confidence GM's have in this guy. He's also a great example of how short the window can be for relief pitchers. It wasn't that long ago you could make a decent argument for him being the best relief pitcher in the game. Now he's just lucky to have a job.

Its a great move for he Royals, 4 million isnt a lot even for them. Also if he pitches well it works for them and he will probably be dealt at the trade deadline to a contender, so they will get decent compensation for him. Its a pretty smart move. And if he sucks then everybody was right about him deserving too much.

[pmoehrin]

In order to make room for Broxton, the Royals designated 2B/SS Jeff Bianchi for assignment. I had math class with Jeff in high school.

The fact that he feel to Kansas City should tell you how much confidence GM's have in this guy. He's also a great example of how short the window can be for relief pitchers. It wasn't that long ago you could make a decent argument for him being the best relief pitcher in the game. Now he's just lucky to have a job.

Its a great move for he Royals, 4 million isnt a lot even for them. Also if he pitches well it works for them and he will probably be dealt at the trade deadline to a contender, so they will get decent compensation for him. Its a pretty smart move. And if he sucks then everybody was right about him deserving too much.

I tend to agree that its a pretty low risk move, and considering the arms KC has down in that bullpen, if Broxton can't cut it, they have no reason to keep him. Were only talking about a one year deal and he's not going to be the closer. But the fact that nobody offered him a closer spot I think shows you how much the relief market has changed.

Again this is a guy who three years ago could have made the argument he was the best relief pitcher in baseball and you have GM's now basically saying we don't care. You got hurt and history says that if your a relief pitcher no matter how dominating you may be, if you have the type of injuries Broxton has had, your done. If your lucky enough to make it back like Billy Wagner that's great, but more likely then not the end result tends to be more like the story of Randy Myers or Eric Gagne.

[mania]

I don't think that's fair.

Apparently both the Rangers and Red Sox were in on him, KC just offered the best deal (and probably, with the idea he'll set up, the best role... couldn't see him being more than middle relief for either Texas or Boston).