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.