MLB hot stove discussion 2018/19 off season

[DegenerateDish]

MLB and the Cubs got a problem on their hands. Joe doesn’t run the day to day operations, but that’s his money his kids used to buy the team.

[Jockey]

MLB and the Cubs got a problem on their hands. Joe doesn’t run the day to day operations, but that’s his money his kids used to buy the team.

Wondering what you are referring to. Maybe Joe saying he is like a slave because he has to pay taxes on his billions?

[Lennys Tap]

Wondering what you are referring to. Maybe Joe saying he is like a slave because he has to pay taxes on his billions?

Some of Joe's emails published - racist jokes, anti Muslim talk, etc.

[MU82]

MU 82 used to be a voter - not any longer. That’s why you’ll see new address questions to him occasionally.

I am still a voter, and voted this year.

They are slowly weeding out us oldsters. Maybe this will turn out to have been my last year to vote, maybe not.

I do look at voting for the Hall as a privilege, and I take my responsibility seriously.

[Jockey]

I am still a voter, and voted this year.

They are slowly weeding out us oldsters. Maybe this will turn out to have been my last year to vote, maybe not.

I do look at voting for the Hall as a privilege, and I take my responsibility seriously.

Glad you are still active - for some reason I thought when you retired that you were no longer involved.

The Hall needs conscientious voters like you making these decisions.

[Jockey]

Some of Joe's emails published - racist jokes, anti Muslim talk, etc.

Thanks, Lenny.

No surprise really. That whole family is just rich, trailer trash.

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

Been quite the offseason for them.

[wadesworld]

Will the Cubbie fans come out with pitchforks like they did for 7 year old teenager Tweets?

[Jockey]

Will the Cubbie fans come out with pitchforks like they did for 7 year old teenager Tweets?

If they support wife beaters, there's no reason to think they won't support this vile, racist creep. Poor guy. Lamenting that he can't use the 'n' word and blaming it on political correctness.


Obviously, I don't think all Cubs fans are like this. Fans of any other team would probably react much the same, sad to say.

I guess my point is that sports should not be a reason to abandon basic human decency.

[Pakuni]

As a lifelong White Sox guy, I have a natural aversion to all things Cub.
But I shudder to think that I'm somehow going to be held responsible for every dumb thing that comes out of my elderly father's mouth.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to dislike or criticize Cubs' ownership. Something their father said in an email isn't one of them.

[JWags85]

If they support wife beaters, there's no reason to think they won't support this vile, racist creep. Poor guy. Lamenting that he can't use the 'n' word and blaming it on political correctness.


Obviously, I don't think all Cubs fans are like this. Fans of any other team would probably react much the same, sad to say.

I guess my point is that sports should not be a reason to abandon basic human decency.

Fans of all teams find it hard to separate the personal abhorrent behavior from great success and joy on the field for players in all sports.  However, a rich old guy who just owns your team, and especially this one who isn't even active in your team?  I see ZERO reason why Cubs fans would support Old Man Ricketts.  Even if this was Tom Ricketts, I wouldn't necessarily think so. 

Same way if Attanasio said something anti-Semitic or racist about LA, I dont think people who applauded Hader would automatically jump to his defense.

[Jockey]

Fans of all teams find it hard to separate the personal abhorrent behavior from great success and joy on the field for players in all sports.  However, a rich old guy who just owns your team, and especially this one who isn't even active in your team?  I see ZERO reason why Cubs fans would support Old Man Ricketts.  Even if this was Tom Ricketts, I wouldn't necessarily think so. 

Same way if Attanasio said something anti-Semitic or racist about LA, I dont think people who applauded Hader would automatically jump to his defense.

Well done, Wags.

[Not A Serious Person]

MLB and the Cubs got a problem on their hands. Joe doesn’t run the day to day operations, but that’s his money his kids used to buy the team.

This story will be forgotten by Sunday

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

MLB looking at rule changes:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/02/06/mlb-considering-drastic-rule-changes-that-could-speed-up-games-create-universal-dh/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.364a68439fe5

Universal DH.  Expand rosters to 26 players.  Pitchers must pitch to at least three batters unless injured or end of an inning.  Have one trading deadline.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

MLB looking at rule changes:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/02/06/mlb-considering-drastic-rule-changes-that-could-speed-up-games-create-universal-dh/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.364a68439fe5

Universal DH.  Expand rosters to 26 players.  Pitchers must pitch to at least three batters unless injured or end of an inning.  Have one trading deadline.

I like all of the ones you listed.

[CTWarrior]

MLB looking at rule changes:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/02/06/mlb-considering-drastic-rule-changes-that-could-speed-up-games-create-universal-dh/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.364a68439fe5

Universal DH.  Expand rosters to 26 players.  Pitchers must pitch to at least three batters unless injured or end of an inning.  Have one trading deadline.

This is a good list.  I didn't like the expansion of the roster to 26, but as long as it comes with a limit of 12 pitchers/team, it is fine, especially as an incentive to the players union to accept other changes.

Not sure I like tweaking draft system.  Small market teams need all the help they can get.

I think the big rift coming between players and management is going to be over salaries, as usual.  Basically, players have been willing to accept being tethered to teams early in their career because of the big payday that awaits when they hit free agency.  Now that the teams have wised up and are less willing to pay for past performance and base contracts on what they can expect using all the knowledge they have, free agents are getting less money.  MLB is going to have to do something about that, and it has to revolve around paying the younger players more without shortening the tethered time, or the small market teams will never be able to compete.  Not going to be easy, glad I don't have to figure it out.  I think the first thing they have to do is kill that loophole where you wait to bring a guy up until May so you get an extra year under control.

[MU82]

Ricketts now "apologizing."

But because it's impossible to sell an apology of, "I'm a racist, and sorry if you don't like that," it's not worth even considering the hollow words somebody wrote for him.

I tend to agree with Smuggles, though, that few will care about this long-term. Fans cheer the uniform, always have, always will.

[Spotcheck Billy]

MLB looking at rule changes:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/02/06/mlb-considering-drastic-rule-changes-that-could-speed-up-games-create-universal-dh/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.364a68439fe5

Universal DH.  Expand rosters to 26 players.  Pitchers must pitch to at least three batters unless injured or end of an inning.  Have one trading deadline.

I heard the players union wants the NL DH to start this year already after rosters are basically set. I can't see that happening.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

This is a good list.  I didn't like the expansion of the roster to 26, but as long as it comes with a limit of 12 pitchers/team, it is fine, especially as an incentive to the players union to accept other changes.

Not sure I like tweaking draft system.  Small market teams need all the help they can get.

I think the big rift coming between players and management is going to be over salaries, as usual.  Basically, players have been willing to accept being tethered to teams early in their career because of the big payday that awaits when they hit free agency.  Now that the teams have wised up and are less willing to pay for past performance and base contracts on what they can expect using all the knowledge they have, free agents are getting less money.  MLB is going to have to do something about that, and it has to revolve around paying the younger players more without shortening the tethered time, or the small market teams will never be able to compete.  Not going to be easy, glad I don't have to figure it out.  I think the first thing they have to do is kill that loophole where you wait to bring a guy up until May so you get an extra year under control.

Could they accomplish this by shortening the time to arbitration?  Or maybe introduce a restricted free agency where the current team has the opportunity to match a qualifying offer?

[buckchuckler]

I heard the players union wants the NL DH to start this year already after rosters are basically set. I can't see that happening.

And yet 4 of the top 5 free agents are still on the market.  And many others.

[mu03eng]

I, for one, am excited for the work stoppage in 2020 or 2021. Players need to rebalance the ledger

[CTWarrior]

Could they accomplish this by shortening the time to arbitration?  Or maybe introduce a restricted free agency where the current team has the opportunity to match a qualifying offer?

I think they could if they were willing.

[buckchuckler]

I, for one, am excited for the work stoppage in 2020 or 2021. Players need to rebalance the ledger

This seems stupid to me.  The last strike cost a World Series, took years to recover and at least somewhat led to the steroid era.  But maybe that is because I am a fan of the game.  I hope the work stoppage can be avoided because it can really hurt the game. 

Tony Clark and Co. have done a terrible job on the behalf of the union.  They have been short sighted and ignorant.  Fighting for things like chefs in the clubhouse while the owners have been able to set up the luxury tax like a salary cap.  The owners used a international draft as huge leverage (why should the players care???) to get what they want.  The MLBPA has only themselves and their leadership to blame for their situation.  Salaries haven't been their focus in the last 2 CBAs.  They are paying for that now -- at least in perception.

A lot still depends on Harper and Machado.  If they sign deals with an AAV in the neighborhood of 30, that seems to be exactly what was expected.  Almost all of the other players on the market had their warts.  Grandal is a career .240 hitter.  Pollock can't stay healthy.  Brantley is a great hitter, but has limited power and health concerns.  Even with that, Grandal and Brantley got high AAV deals.

There will likely still be 4-5 guys that sign deals with an AAV of at least 23 million this year.  It isn't easy to see the guys that have been drastically underpaid this offseason (Pollock, Bour -- I don't know who else).  People pointed to Dozier at the time of his signing, but 9M seems pretty strong for a guy that hit .215 last season.

Free agency is riskier it seems, but players making bad decisions has made it look worse.  Guys like Moustakas last year and Grandal this year overplayed their hands (both settled for 1 year deals while reportedly turning down deals in the neighborhood of 4/60) and had their primary suitors move onto other options, leaving them with few options.

I think the luxury tax will have to be strongly revisited.  It is being used like a hard cap for pretty much every team but the Yankees.  I think they have paid more than 90% of the money that has been allocated for the luxury tax, and it looks like Boston will be the only team over this season.  The MLBPA has really underestimated the impact of the luxury tax.  Is a tax if your payroll is too low the answer?

[Chili]

This seems stupid to me.  The last strike cost a World Series, took years to recover and at least somewhat led to the steroid era.  But maybe that is because I am a fan of the game.  I hope the work stoppage can be avoided because it can really hurt the game. 

Tony Clark and Co. have done a terrible job on the behalf of the union.  They have been short sighted and ignorant.  Fighting for things like chefs in the clubhouse while the owners have been able to set up the luxury tax like a salary cap.  The owners used a international draft as huge leverage (why should the players care???) to get what they want.  The MLBPA has only themselves and their leadership to blame for their situation.  Salaries haven't been their focus in the last 2 CBAs.  They are paying for that now -- at least in perception.

A lot still depends on Harper and Machado.  If they sign deals with an AAV in the neighborhood of 30, that seems to be exactly what was expected.  Almost all of the other players on the market had their warts.  Grandal is a career .240 hitter.  Pollock can't stay healthy.  Brantley is a great hitter, but has limited power and health concerns.  Even with that, Grandal and Brantley got high AAV deals.

There will likely still be 4-5 guys that sign deals with an AAV of at least 23 million this year.  It isn't easy to see the guys that have been drastically underpaid this offseason (Pollock, Bour -- I don't know who else).  People pointed to Dozier at the time of his signing, but 9M seems pretty strong for a guy that hit .215 last season.

Free agency is riskier it seems, but players making bad decisions has made it look worse.  Guys like Moustakas last year and Grandal this year overplayed their hands (both settled for 1 year deals while reportedly turning down deals in the neighborhood of 4/60) and had their primary suitors move onto other options, leaving them with few options.

I think the luxury tax will have to be strongly revisited.  It is being used like a hard cap for pretty much every team but the Yankees.  I think they have paid more than 90% of the money that has been allocated for the luxury tax, and it looks like Boston will be the only team over this season.  The MLBPA has really underestimated the impact of the luxury tax.  Is a tax if your payroll is too low the answer?

Average is a horrible statistical measure. Grandal lead the league in OBP (.349) for Catchers last year and #2 in WAR. His lifetime OBP is .341 because he walks so much.

[buckchuckler]

Average is a horrible statistical measure. Grandal lead the league in OBP (.349) for Catchers last year and #2 in WAR. His lifetime OBP is .341 because he walks so much.

...Nevermind that BA is the largest component of OBP... anyways...

You giving Johan Carmargo a 20 million per year deal?  He basically had the same OBP and SLG.

Grandal was 52nd in OBP last season.  Hardly elite.  He is in the same ballpark as Matt Kemp and Jean Segura, guys not reknowned for their OBP skills.  Walks only help so much if you still have a poor BA.  I spent plenty of time studying Adam Dunn. 

I know Grandal is a C having a C that is anything but a blackhole is valuable.  My point was he is not without his warts.  How about his complete mental breakdown in the postseason?  Yeah he is a good framer (um hooray?) but he quite realistically couldn't catch in the playoffs.  Not to mention he was 4/34 -- oh wait average doesn't count.  He also had 5 BB.  Solid .231 OBP.  And not just this year either.  Career in the postseason he is has a .107/.264/.200 slash line for an impressively bad OPS of .464.

He gave teams reasons not to go above and beyond to want his services.