MLB Hot Stove 2019-20

[Lennys Tap]

Little early to be calling the rebuild successful.

Moncada, Kopech, Jimenez, Cease, Giolito and Lopez for Sale, Quintana and Eaton. Luis Robert and Madrigal. Vaughn. Grandal. And decent stop gaps while the core matures (Keuchel, Encarnación, Mazara). I like all of these moves - some a lot. As long as they stay the course I'm confident they'll be successful. But you're right, only time will tell.

[buckchuckler]

Luis Robert signs an extension with the Sox.  6 years, 2 option years.  He will be up opening day.  No service time manipulation here. 

Seems great for the Sox, and for Robert.

[Pakuni]

Luis Robert signs an extension with the Sox.  6 years, 2 option years.  He will be up opening day.  No service time manipulation here. 

Seems great for the Sox, and for Robert.

IF it all pans out, White Sox are set up for a long run:

@JeffPassan: The White Sox control players through the following years:

Luis Robert: 2027
Eloy Jimenez: 2026
Dylan Cease: 2025
Tim Anderson: 2024
Michael Kopech: 2024
Lucas Giolito: 2023
Yoan Moncada: 2023
Yasmani Grandal: 2023
Dallas Keuchel: 2023
Madrigal, Vaughn, Dunning: at least 2026.

[Dish]

One thing the Sox have done very well, maybe as good as any organization in the four major sports, is lock up young talent to team friendly contracts. The back end of these contracts for guys like Eloy and Robert make the reward far outweigh the risk at the dollars involved.

[MUBurrow]

Luis Robert signs an extension with the Sox.  6 years, 2 option years.  He will be up opening day.  No service time manipulation here. 

Seems great for the Sox, and for Robert.

Wowowow. Such an interesting contract.  At first blush, it strikes me as plenty fair, if a bit team friendly by current CBA standards.  But in addition to the normal reasons that a prospect signs a deal before ever seeing an MLB pitch, have to imagine that uncertainty in the new CBA played a significant role here, aina?  If so, the Sox are smart for leveraging that to get some cost certainty.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Domingo German gets a 63 game suspension.

[buckchuckler]

Domingo German gets a 63 game suspension.

It was an 81 game suspension going back to last season.  63 additional games this season.

[buckchuckler]

One thing the Sox have done very well, maybe as good as any organization in the four major sports, is lock up young talent to team friendly contracts. The back end of these contracts for guys like Eloy and Robert make the reward far outweigh the risk at the dollars involved.

This has definitely been Hahn's greatest strength with the Sox.  The contract extensions for Sale, Q, and Eaton enabled the team to bring in more value in trade for those guys.  Due to that, the core they have in place now is apparently quite a bit stronger than the core they started with including those 3 guys. 

The extensions for TA, Eloy and Robert look to be great moves as well.  Hopefully they are talking to Moncada right now.

[GB Warrior]

Have to think that the MLBPA grits it's teeth with these deals and is keeping inventory. I'd wager the argument is that this is some form or manifestation of service time manipulation (sign or we'll reserve the right to delay the window for your earning potential). It's not explicit, but it doesn't really need to be. He makes too much to keep down (though they could send him down if needed), so their fates are tied.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

@SlangsOnSports

Luis Robert is the 5th player to receive a contract extension with 0 days of MLB service time in his career at the time.

The others:
Evan White
Eloy Jiménez
Scott Kingery
Jon Singleton

That makes the White Sox the only team to hand out 2 such extensions -- to Robert & Jiménez.

[buckchuckler]

Have to think that the MLBPA grits it's teeth with these deals and is keeping inventory. I'd wager the argument is that this is some form or manifestation of service time manipulation (sign or we'll reserve the right to delay the window for your earning potential). It's not explicit, but it doesn't really need to be. He makes too much to keep down (though they could send him down if needed), so their fates are tied.

Hmmm.  I would think the union is at very least neutral on giving nearly 90 million to a guy that has never stepped on a MLB field before.  And when you look at the other 4 guys given deals like this (none to this level though), they seem to skew heavily to the players favor. 

There is a lot of risk in these deals for the team.  If the player flames out for any reason, the team still is on the hook for 60ish million dollars.  If the player is decent, they still end up overpaying for them.  The players don't have to go through renewal and arbitration.  For example, in his first 3 seasons, Mike Trout made about 2 million.  Eloy made 1.8 last year.  Now obviously the players trade some possible huge numbers in arbitration and in most cases a year of free agency, but for a lot of these guys, guaranteed millions are worth more than possible money 5 years down the road.  The only way the team comes out ahead is if the player becomes a star.

[Pakuni]

Have to think that the MLBPA grits it's teeth with these deals and is keeping inventory. I'd wager the argument is that this is some form or manifestation of service time manipulation (sign or we'll reserve the right to delay the window for your earning potential). It's not explicit, but it doesn't really need to be. He makes too much to keep down (though they could send him down if needed), so their fates are tied.

One way of looking at it is that between his initial bonus and this deal, Robert could earn up to $114 million by the time he turns 29.
In comparison, Kris Bryant will have earned about $60 million (assuming arbitration forecasts are accurate) at the same age.
Seems it would be hard for the MLBPA to argue that this is bad for the player, especially when it avoids the service time nonsense that affected Bryant.

[Dish]

I also wonder if in the short term, if the Sox decide to go back into the international signing route, if there will be a positive impact with the Jimenez and Robert deals with guys deciding who to sign with. The new CBA may eventually change all the international signings into a draft, so it may have zero impact.

[buckchuckler]

I also wonder if in the short term, if the Sox decide to go back into the international signing route, if there will be a positive impact with the Jimenez and Robert deals with guys deciding who to sign with. The new CBA may eventually change all the international signings into a draft, so it may have zero impact.

Cuban phenom Oscar Colas just defected and will likely wait to sign until the next J2 signing period.  That is likely how the Sox spend their next signing period. 

[buckchuckler]

So apparently Cespedes busted his ankle in some sort of interaction with a wild boar.  Crazy.

[buckchuckler]

Nats have signed a bunch of guys in the last week or so.  Will Harris, Daniel Hudson, Starlin Castro, Eric Thames, and Asdrubal Cabrera.

Interesting moves.  Seems like they did this instead of meeting Donaldson's 110 asking price.

[Pakuni]

Reds sign Shogo Akiyama.
The Reds at least seem like they're trying, and the NL Central might be there for the taking given the departures, and potential departures, elsewhere in the division.

[Jockey]

Nats have signed a bunch of guys in the last week or so.  Will Harris, Daniel Hudson, Starlin Castro, Eric Thames, and Asdrubal Cabrera.

Interesting moves.  Seems like they did this instead of meeting Donaldson's 110 asking price.

Seem like pretty good moves. You need solid players surrounding your stars.

[buckchuckler]

Seem like pretty good moves. You need solid players surrounding your stars.

Yeah, it isn't Rendon, but solid moves.

[Pakuni]

White Sox add Steve Cishek.
1 years/$6 million with a $6 million option year.

[Dr. Blackheart]

White Sox add Steve Cishek.
1 years/$6 million with a $6 million option year.

Good. You Sox fans can watch him walk the bases loaded now.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Good. You Sox fans can watch him walk the bases loaded now.

I know you shouldn't put extra emphasis on one outing, BUT..
that game in San Diego in September was so very, very bad.  The Cubs were tied for the second Wild Card, Bryant and Heyward each hit two HR, the Cubs came all the way back, and Cishek loaded the bases before walking Margot on 4 pitches in the 10th.  I stayed up to watch the whole thing, and then couldn't sleep because I was so pissed. 

He appeared in 149 other games for the Cubs the last two seasons, but that one seems to stick out.

[Pakuni]

Just another reminder of why extending netting down the foul lines is a good idea.

https://sports.yahoo.com/astros-game-foul-ball-brain-damage-toddler-family-021329952.html

[The Sultan]

Just another reminder of why extending netting down the foul lines is a good idea.

https://sports.yahoo.com/astros-game-foul-ball-brain-damage-toddler-family-021329952.html

"MLBPA executive director Tony Clark also called for extended netting in the aftermath of the death of a fan struck by a foul ball at Dodger Stadium."

Interesting because as per Cheeks, this would prevent them from diving into the stands and making great plays! 

[buckchuckler]

The trade with the Cards and Rays is so interesting. There is a lot of speculation that it was the precursor to an Arenado move.