2024-25 MLB Hot Stove

[Jockey]

Every team in MLB has given out larger contracts than the White Sox except the A's and that will change soon.

[Jockey]

Yeah, I still favor the under on the 49.5 win total.

It takes a ton of effort to win less than 50 games.

[The Sultan]

Every team in MLB has given out larger contracts than the White Sox except the A's and that will change soon.

Why focus on 24 years of data when you can focus on just one?

[Jockey]

Why focus on 24 years of data when you can focus on just one?

In the last 24 years, every team but the a's have given out larger contracts.

But, you gotta love Scoop. I never would have guessed the Sox would set the place ablaze. In the not too distant future, being a fan of the White Sox will be akin to being a fan of the Chicago Cardinals. Go Ollie Matson.

[Pakuni]

In the last 24 years, every team but the a's have given out larger contracts.

But, you gotta love Scoop. I never would have guessed the Sox would set the place ablaze. In the not too distant future, being a fan of the White Sox will be akin to being a fan of the Chicago Cardinals. Go Ollie Matson.

Yes, let's focus on one individual contract instead of total payroll.
Even though Pittsburgh's payroll was $57 million less than the Sox's last year,  they have a $100 million player, so they actually spent more. #jockeymath

[The Sultan]

In the last 24 years, every team but the a's have given out larger contracts.

But, you gotta love Scoop. I never would have guessed the Sox would set the place ablaze. In the not too distant future, being a fan of the White Sox will be akin to being a fan of the Chicago Cardinals. Go Ollie Matson.

Nah. It's because you are getting worked up over a minor league deal that all sorts of teams do routinely.

[Jockey]

Nah. It's because you are getting worked up over a minor league deal that all sorts of teams do routinely.

I just contested that it was a typical CWS signing because the Sox are funny. Couldn't believe how everyone got so butt hurt over that.

[The Sultan]

I just contested that it was a typical CWS signing because the Sox are funny. Couldn't believe how everyone got so butt hurt over that.

Because it's a typical MLB signing.

[WhiteTrash]

It takes a ton of effort to win less than 50 games.

They have proven they have metal to do it. Shead a lot of talent from last year.

[Uncle Rico]

They have proven they have metal to do it. Shead a lot of talent from last year.

Wut?

[WhiteTrash]

Wut?

Didn't think an explanation was needed but here you go.

The CWS won 41 games last year.
They have traded their best talent from that team. (Mid and off season trades)

[Jockey]

They have proven they have metal to do it. Shead a lot of talent from last year.

Don't underestimate the job they did. Hard to shed a lot of talent from a pretty talentless team. 

[WhiteTrash]

Don't underestimate the job they did. Hard to shed a lot of talent from a pretty talentless team. 

So true. It was the CWS' best talent, not MLB's best talent.

The CWS have the advantage of having no negative impact of injuries costing them with a dropoff of talent. 

[MU82]

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal on the Cubs' failure to make a serious run at Bregman:

Theo Epstein famously used the phrase, "If not now, when?" to justify the Chicago Cubs' trade for Aroldis Chapman during the 2016 season. Epstein, then the Cubs' president of baseball operations, was trying to end a 108-year title drought.

Nine years later, the Cubs' position is not as urgent, but the availability of Bregman amounted to a new opportunity. The team, after years of exerting financial discipline and making a win-now trade for Kyle Tucker, had every reason to revive Epstein's mantra from 2016 in its pursuit of Bregman. Instead, owner Tom Ricketts authorized an offer that was only Bregman's fourth highest in total guaranteed money: four years, $115 million, with opt-outs after the second and third years, according to The Athletic's Patrick Mooney.

The Red Sox made the big-market push the Cubs backed away from, signing Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract with opt-outs after the first and second years. The deferrals in the deal lowered its present-day value to $95.1 million, or slightly more than half of the $182 million the San Francisco Giants committed to shortstop Willy Adames.

At the start of the offseason, few would have predicted such an outcome between Adames and Bregman. In a relative sense, Bregman turned out to be something of a bargain. Yet the Cubs, who would have deferred only a portion of Bregman's signing bonus, according to a source who briefed Mooney on the negotiations, still fell short.

The Cubs in 2023 were top five in both revenue and franchise value, according to Forbes.

But their current estimated luxury-tax payroll ranks 14th, according to Baseball Prospectus. They potentially are wasting what likely will be their only season with Tucker, who would have benefited from the addition of Bregman to the lineup. If Ricketts couldn't land Bregman on a short deal, why should anyone expect him to keep Tucker long-term?

It's not as if Ricketts' payroll commitments are suffocating. Only two Cubs are under contract past 2026: left-hander Shota Imanaga (through 2027 if he exercises player options) and shortstop Dansby Swanson (signed through 2029). The team is more than $31 million under the luxury-tax threshold and possibly could have remained under even if it had signed Bregman, through deferrals or other moves. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, however, told reporters the organization "philosophically" has avoided the kinds of large-scale deferrals other teams employ.

These words from Hoyer, regarding his case to ownership for Bregman, were telling: "I realize this is a financial stretch above our budget, but I realize this is the moment to do it." The Cubs are projected to win a weakened NL Central even without Bregman, but his addition might have sealed the deal. He was a better fit for their roster than he is for Boston's. And by getting him on a short deal, the Cubs could have given additional development time to third-base prospect Matt Shaw.

If not now, when? Lately, with Ricketts, the answer seems to be "never."

[wadesworld]

Theo Epstein famously used the phrase, "If not now, when will we be able to add a wife beater?" to justify the Chicago Cubs' trade for Aroldis Chapman during the 2016 season.

Fixed it for Theo.

[Jockey]

Tucker will absolutely NOT be a Cub in 2026.

[Uncle Rico]

I've been an Attanasio defender but, woo boy, he should quit doing pressers.  I'd hate to be in the ticket office this week

[MUfan12]

I've been an Attanasio defender but, woo boy, he should quit doing pressers.  I'd hate to be in the ticket office this week

Don't you appreciate a summer of entertainment and passion and a way for families to come together?

[Uncle Rico]

Don't you appreciate a summer of entertainment and passion and a way for families to come together?

No, families anger me

[tower912]

No, families anger me

To be fair, you anger them, too.

[Uncle Rico]

Always wait for the full quote

[The Sultan]

I've been an Attanasio defender but, woo boy, he should quit doing pressers.  I'd hate to be in the ticket office this week

I thoroughly believe that the small and middle market owners are ready for a big fight over the next CBA.

[Uncle Rico]

I thoroughly believe that the small and middle market owners are ready for a big fight over the next CBA.

As do I.  I think there are more than a few big market teams on board as well

[Pakuni]

The owners have gone 0-fer in MLB work stoppages dating back 50+ years, and often have found themselves in a worse position than what they could have had when the stoppage began.
No reason to suspect that will change.

[The Sultan]

The owners have gone 0-fer in MLB work stoppages dating back 50+ years, and often have found themselves in a worse position than what they could have had when the stoppage began.
No reason to suspect that will change.

The 2022 stoppage was a pretty minor thing over minor issues - I have no idea who "won" that one. The last one prior to that was 30 years ago.

But the union is considered weak and I think the owners are going to want significant changes to the compensation structure.