MLB HOT STOVE ‘25-‘26

[wadesworld]

Curiously the most consistent complaint among my very wide circle of Brewers fan friends/family is that the Brewers don't spend enough, not that the Dodgers spend too much.

Meh.  Most people I know just understand that when the Brewers have a high level arm, they aren't going to be able to pay that arm once they hit free agency, so the smart move is usually to trade the arm prior to that happening.  That's the reality of baseball as it is.  The Brewers can't afford to give a Corbin Burnes $210MM and then have his arm explode (exactly how it happened).  The Dodgers (particularly), Yankees, Mets, etc. can afford the risk of that happening.

[Uncle Rico]

Curiously the most consistent complaint among my very wide circle of Brewers fan friends/family is that the Brewers don't spend enough, not that the Dodgers spend too much.

Spending stupidly is worst than not spending in many circumstances.

The Brewers matching the deal Adames got would have been bad money spent.

Avoiding risk completely is a problem.

[tower912]

Substitute Skubal and Tigers fans.

[MU82]

There ain't gonna be a salary cap.

[18thandWells]

MLB influencer Victor Conte has passed away.

[dgies9156]

Lords of the Realm covers the history of the labor movement in baseball and ownership burying their heads in the sand that lead to the strength of the union.  It's easily a top 5 must-read for baseball fans and lays out why baseball is where it is.

It's a great corollary for the NCAA and it's burying its head in the sand for decades. The similarities are striking.

One of the best baseball books I ever read. I strongly second Rico's recommendation.

[GB Warrior]

Meh.  Most people I know just understand that when the Brewers have a high level arm, they aren't going to be able to pay that arm once they hit free agency, so the smart move is usually to trade the arm prior to that happening.  That's the reality of baseball as it is.  The Brewers can't afford to give a Corbin Burnes $210MM and then have his arm explode (exactly how it happened).  The Dodgers (particularly), Yankees, Mets, etc. can afford the risk of that happening.

This, more than anything else, is the problem. There are maybe 5-6 teams that could afford the risk that the Snell contract presented. It's the risks you can't afford to take.

This WS was extremely good baseball. And it should be, there were more than a half dozen MVP/Cy Young caliber players playing. The fact that stars demand eyeballs and also produce aesthetically pleasing baseball isn't a hot take. It's the competitive balance to get there that is the problem. Other teams can have a seat at the table but there are a lot of breaks that have to go their way for that to happen. Next to no margin for error. And none of that was in play here - TOR is 5th in payroll. I think the gap between will get closed in the next CBA - there won't be a cap but I bet the tax calc will be different and disallow deferred money to the extent the dodgers have used it.

For what it's worth, I think viewership is slightly inflated by having an entire country rally around its only team.

[Pakuni]

This, more than anything else, is the problem. There are maybe 5-6 teams that could afford the risk that the Snell contract presented. It's the risks you can't afford to take.

This WS was extremely good baseball. And it should be, there were more than a half dozen MVP/Cy Young caliber players playing. The fact that stars demand eyeballs and also produce aesthetically pleasing baseball isn't a hot take. It's the competitive balance to get there that is the problem. Other teams can have a seat at the table but there are a lot of breaks that have to go their way for that to happen. Next to no margin for error. And none of that was in play here - TOR is 5th in payroll. I think the gap between will get closed in the next CBA - there won't be a cap but I bet the tax calc will be different and disallow deferred money to the extent the dodgers have used it.

For what it's worth, I think viewership is slightly inflated by having an entire country rally around its only team.

The figures were just from the Fox broadcast.
From the story:

And those numbers don't include Canadian viewership on Sportsnet. Per Front Office Sports, 10.9 million Canadian viewers on average watched Saturday's game. That's roughly 1/4 of Canada's population of 41-plus million people.

[tower912]

Flaherty exercises his option to remain a Tiger.

[GB Warrior]

The figures were just from the Fox broadcast.
From the story:

And those numbers don't include Canadian viewership on Sportsnet. Per Front Office Sports, 10.9 million Canadian viewers on average watched Saturday's game. That's roughly 1/4 of Canada's population of 41-plus million people.

I didn't see that or this because they undermine the aside in my argument.

[MUBurrow]

Bieber opts in at $16 million.  Really surprising - he had a $4 million buyout. If he had opted out, I would have thought the Blue Jays would have gladly given him $15+ AAV on a new deal if he wanted to stay there.

[Jockey]

MLB influencer Victor Conte has passed away.

Well respected by the pusher community.

[JWags85]

Bieber opts in at $16 million.  Really surprising - he had a $4 million buyout. If he had opted out, I would have thought the Blue Jays would have gladly given him $15+ AAV on a new deal if he wanted to stay there.

Surprising.  But I kind of get it.  He could probably have gotten a $100MM contractHe's working back from Tommy John.  And his last full season with Cleveland was alright. But pitch a full year with a good to very good team like the Jays, pitch like he did to end this year, closer to his 2022 production, and he's looking at more like a 5 year, $150MM deal next year.  If he feels good about his arm and his progress and that the market is a bit soft this year ahead of the CBA, then it actually looks pretty wise.  31 for an ace going into FA next year is very much in his prime.

[MU82]

Surprising.  But I kind of get it.  He could probably have gotten a $100MM contractHe's working back from Tommy John.  And his last full season with Cleveland was alright. But pitch a full year with a good to very good team like the Jays, pitch like he did to end this year, closer to his 2022 production, and he's looking at more like a 5 year, $150MM deal next year.  If he feels good about his arm and his progress and that the market is a bit soft this year ahead of the CBA, then it actually looks pretty wise.  31 for an ace going into FA next year is very much in his prime.

Plus - and I know this might sound crazy - maybe Bieber actually likes being a Toronto Blue Jay.

[jficke13]

Spending stupidly is worst than not spending in many circumstances.

The Brewers matching the deal Adames got would have been bad money spent.

Avoiding risk completely is a problem.

Oh I agree. I was mostly just trying to contrast my experience with the cubs fan complaint I was responding to.

I'll admit to basically having transitioned to "mostly-unplugged dad" phase of fandom where I'll kinda grumble "they oughta sign a bat!" or "I wish they could reach a deal with Freddy" even though I know in my brain that "signing a bat" or trading for a bat or being the last longterm contract a starter signs and chasing those personnel decisions is antithetical to the organization's philosophy.

But again, I mostly was saying the prevailing complaint is less "wahh the big rich cubs and dodgers out spend us!" and more "dangit Mark, pay the man his money."

But for people who take comfort in thinking the Brewers fandom is the former, whatever gets you through the offseason. By all means.

[Uncle Rico]

Oh I agree. I was mostly just trying to contrast my experience with the cubs fan complaint I was responding to.

I'll admit to basically having transitioned to "mostly-unplugged dad" phase of fandom where I'll kinda grumble "they oughta sign a bat!" or "I wish they could reach a deal with Freddy" even though I know in my brain that "signing a bat" or trading for a bat or being the last longterm contract a starter signs and chasing those personnel decisions is antithetical to the organization's philosophy.

But again, I mostly was saying the prevailing complaint is less "wahh the big rich cubs and dodgers out spend us!" and more "dangit Mark, pay the man his money."

But for people who take comfort in thinking the Brewers fandom is the former, whatever gets you through the offseason. By all means.

Mark takes a lot of abuse from fans about his spending and some of it is justified!  But the man overpaid Matt Garza, Jeff Suppan and Kyle Lohse chasing 85 wins. 

[Uncle Rico]

Rockies have hired Paul DePodesta as their head of baseball operations

[The Sultan]

Prince Harry apologized to the people of Canada for wearing a Dodgers cap during the World Series.

I'm serious.

This is lamer than when Hillary was pretending to be a Yankee fan.

[Pakuni]

Prince Harry apologized to the people of Canada for wearing a Dodgers cap during the World Series.

I'm serious.

This is lamer than when Hillary was pretending to be a Yankee fan.

Geez, it's not like he went to a party dressed like a Nazi.