The Hey its 2021 now guys MLB thread

[BrewCity83]

How long until the Asian Carp flings himself into the boat?

  hilarious

[drewm88]

Very underrated player and one of the best names in baseball. Just beats out Jason Kendall for your title, IMO.

This is Geovany Soto erasure.

[MUBurrow]

Interesting. He had a heckofa final season, really seemed to have found the fountain of youth. He has more money than he or his kids or his grandkids or his great grandkids can spend, so good for him to go out on a high note.

Yep good for him if that's what's best for him and his family, but really surprised to see him walk from $22MM.  Especially in a year where the NL might get the DH and coming off a 100+ win season.

[JWags85]

This is Geovany Soto erasure.

Erasure was actually the term for Geo's performance during any postgame buffett

[MU82]

Yep good for him if that's what's best for him and his family, but really surprised to see him walk from $22MM.  Especially in a year where the NL might get the DH and coming off a 100+ win season.

Huge respect for Posey walking away from $22M if he wasn't gonna be all-in.

Over the years, plenty of guys have mailed it in for less.

[The Sultan]

LOL, the Braves victory parade is something.

https://twitter.com/thowedoffalil/status/1456681001594376200?s=20

[GB Warrior]

The Reds couldn't have gotten anything for Miley?

[Uncle Rico]

The Reds couldn't have gotten anything for Miley?

Seems preposterous, no?

[MUBurrow]

The Reds couldn't have gotten anything for Miley?

I guess the Cubs grabbed him at waiver priority 7 - I'm realy surprised he made it that far.  Just pick up his option and figure out what to do with him later.

[MUBurrow]

Couple of thoughts on qualifying offers/non-offers:
- A little surprised Brewers didn't extend an offer to Garcia.  It only would've been a $6MM raise if he accepted, and still would have been a fair contract for his performance last year.
- CWS fans - does Rodon not receiving a QO make you think he might be more broken than just regular arm fatigue?
- I still expect Kershaw to be back with LAD, and wonder if not extending a QO was a gesture of good faith to let him see what he'd get on the market without the draft pick compensation attached.
- I think we're going to see a lot of players accept - Belt, Conforto, Iglesias, E-Rod, Syndergaard, Taylor and Verlander could all accept not only because a $18MM payday is good for players of that level, but as much because having the draft pick comp really really hurts their values on the open market.

[ChuckyChip]

Couple of thoughts on qualifying offers/non-offers:
- A little surprised Brewers didn't extend an offer to Garcia.  It only would've been a $6MM raise if he accepted, and still would have been a fair contract for his performance last year.

Brewers already have Yelich at $26M, Cain at $18M, and JBJ at $9.5M (probably as a fourth outfielder), so there was no chance that they were going to commit another $18.4M to Garcia.

[Dish]

I didn't think there was a chance the Sox were going to offer Rodon the QO. I don't believe he'll ever get a season in without needing a decent amount of time away for either an injury or recovery time.

I'll be curious what he gets in free agency. Tying up $18 mil for 2022 with Rodon just didn't add up.

I'm really surprised Chris Taylor got a QO. He should sprint to sign it.

[GB Warrior]

I must have missed the season where the Cardinals had the best defensive lineup of all time

[MUBurrow]

Brewers already have Yelich at $26M, Cain at $18M, and JBJ at $9.5M (probably as a fourth outfielder), so there was no chance that they were going to commit another $18.4M to Garcia.

Team construction-wise, that's probably right. Its just too bad because they were already committed for the $12M if Garcia didn't opt-out, the $18M wouldn't have been a dramatic overpay, and if he declined they would have gotten the pick.  Contrasted with the Dodgers offering Taylor or the Angels offering Iglesias, it shows how the large market teams can absorb the risk that a player accepts the QO to steal a pick, becuase there is no such thing as a bad one year contract when your payroll is $175M. 

[ChuckyChip]

I found it interesting that of the six finalists for the AL and NL MVP awards (Vlad Jr., Ohtani, Semien, Harper, Soto, Tatis Jr.) exactly zero of them were on teams that made the playoffs.  In fact, the Angels, Nats, and Padres all finished under .500.

[GB Warrior]

Team construction-wise, that's probably right. Its just too bad because they were already committed for the $12M if Garcia didn't opt-out, the $18M wouldn't have been a dramatic overpay, and if he declined they would have gotten the pick.  Contrasted with the Dodgers offering Taylor or the Angels offering Iglesias, it shows how the large market teams can absorb the risk that a player accepts the QO to steal a pick, becuase there is no such thing as a bad one year contract when your payroll is $175M.

Brewers offseason will be really interesting. There's no doubt they're contenders, but they're  overextended (judging exclusively by their historical payrolls, not Mark A's pockets). And yet, this is the deepest pitching roster they may have ever had, with very little chance of keeping any of their top guys long term (other than Peralta).

Will be interesting how they handle Haders 3 Arb year (which is still not projected to be unreasonable) and whether they deal from a position of strength to improve the offense.

They are also out from under the Cain and JBJ deals after this year, which could factor in.

[MU82]

I found it interesting that of the six finalists for the AL and NL MVP awards (Vlad Jr., Ohtani, Semien, Harper, Soto, Tatis Jr.) exactly zero of them were on teams that made the playoffs.  In fact, the Angels, Nats, and Padres all finished under .500.

Voters are allowed to define "value" as they see fit. Personally, I like the MVP to have played an outsized role for a team that at least was a serious contender for a postseason spot.

I think it is a very fair argument that an athlete competing for a contender faces much more pressure than one playing for a loser ... and if the contending team's athlete repeatedly produces to keep his team in contention, he should be rewarded for having done so. And for years, that was usually the case.

The last decade or so, more than not, MVP simply has gone to the guy with the best stats.

I'm not "outraged" by that, it's just not what I think the spirit of the award is.

I think Vlad had a great chance to take the AL award from Ohtani, who had a lock on it until he performed poorly the last two months. Unfortunately for Vlad, he didn't do much, either, and his team didn't make the playoffs. So I think it goes to Ohtani.

In the NL, 2 of the 3 nominees were on teams that at least contended right through the final week of the season.

[BrewCity83]

I must have missed the season where the Cardinals had the best defensive lineup of all time

+100.

Five gold glovers (and none of them named Molina?)!

[CTWarrior]

I must have missed the season where the Cardinals had the best defensive lineup of all time

The Yankees had a season several years back where they were second to last in the AL in Batting Average Against on ground balls, meaning they were the second worst team in the AL at turning ground balls into outs, and three fourths of their infield won GGs.  Only A-Rod didn't get one (and he was probably their best defensive infielder).  I think the three were Jeter, Cano and Teixeira.

[Lennys Tap]

Voters are allowed to define "value" as they see fit. Personally, I like the MVP to have played an outsized role for a team that at least was a serious contender for a postseason spot.

I think it is a very fair argument that an athlete competing for a contender faces much more pressure than one playing for a loser ... and if the contending team's athlete repeatedly produces to keep his team in contention, he should be rewarded for having done so. And for years, that was usually the case.

I agree.

My guesses for this year? Harper and Ohtani.

[MU82]

I agree.

My guesses for this year? Harper and Ohtani.

I think your guesses will turn out to be right.

Vlad had his chance to overtake Ohtani. If he was great in Sept and led Toronto into the playoffs, he'd have had a very good argument, especially as much as Ohtani had tailed off. Ohtani wasn't just non-MVP-ish the second half of the season, he actually was quite bad. But Vlad faded, too, so the award goes to the better "story." And there's no argument that Ohtani was a great story this season.

Harper looks like the best choice in a meh NL field. That, of course, is assuming Yadi turns it down! 

[JWags85]

The Yankees had a season several years back where they were second to last in the AL in Batting Average Against on ground balls, meaning they were the second worst team in the AL at turning ground balls into outs, and three fourths of their infield won GGs.  Only A-Rod didn't get one (and he was probably their best defensive infielder).  I think the three were Jeter, Cano and Teixeira.

Pretty on par for the overrated defensive mystique of #2

[ZiggysFryBoy]

So....Satchel Paige is pretty great, hey?

[🏀]

So....Satchel Paige is pretty great, hey?

At the time.

[#UnleashSean]

So....Satchel Paige is pretty great, hey?

I'll let a jumbled sentence go.