MLB Hot Stove

[MoeFOH]

Eovaldi re-signs with Red Sox... YES!! 

A good bit of business, methinks. He was lights-out against the Yankees every time. And that's reason enough alone to shell out for a $67m/4-year deal...

Long may that sort of Yankee-killing stuff continue! 

Seems we will likely lose Kimbrel, though. However, I think other good closer options are out there. Maybe bring Miller back. And I think Kelly might stay, so he could be an option. 

Interesting times...

Keen to see where Harper and Machado end up. Honestly, I wouldn't trade either one of them for any of the current Red Sox first-choice roster. Machado seems a no-brainer to end up at the Yanks, what with Didi out for 2019. His numbers will make the Yanks' offence even scarier, but they're welcome to him. Can't stomach the guy, the way he plays, to be honest.

And, speaking of my stomach, my gut says Harper might stay put with the Nats. Unless Philly unloads a bomb of a deal to snare him. The Nats getting Corbin might be enough to sway him to stay, if the deal's right. Strong starting rotation, and that young kid Soto killing it... Nats could be a force if he stays. 

The other possible trade I'm very interested in is Mad Bum. That guy is off the charts brilliant. I know he's under a bit of a cloud with declining numbers, etc., but he'd be a bet I'd be willing to take on as a GM. You can't trade lock, stock, and barrel for him, but if you had the right offerings to dangle...

[FireMedic]

Harper and Machado both signed and delivered. Machado doesn't make sense to me for the Padres, thinking he won't be there the life of that contract. Harper to the Phillies is definitely interesting 

[DaBoot]

Both signings of Harper and machado to rebuilding teams make sense, eat up the minimum payroll, can put butts in the seats at home games, and an easy trade for talent next year to a contender, 

[FireMedic]

Right, I agree. I was more saying if I'm Machado it doesn't make a ton of sense to go to the small market unsuccessful Padres. It makes a ton a sense for them to sell tickets and eventually as trade bait to rebuild with prospects. Phillies I think are trying and expecting to be contenders sooner rather than later, plus they take Harper from within the division. Machado probably could have got that same money from a different team but I guess in the end the man signed a 30 million a year deal, probably doesn't much care about anything else.

[MoeFOH]

I posted about this topic in a different way in the Waterhole. If I were Machado, I'd have taken the best deal possible that the Yankees were offering. And, being a Boston fan, believe me, I didn't want him to do that. But, to me, the chance to play in that team would have been worth the sacrifice in dollars. Especially since I believe it could have come back to you in other ways (perhaps a World Series or two) and in a financial sense, down the track. Part of me thinks the Yanks really didn't want him there. I think his attitude burned him there. 

Harper, to be honest, I don't really get what the hype is. I understand he's top tier stuff, but, for me, I think I could probably name at least 5-10 players I'd rather shell out that sort of dough for. In sum, yes, he's a big chip to play, but I don't think he's going to be the franchise cornerstone the Phillies hope him to be. I'm talking team success-wise. Sure, he'll mean more cash register maintenance in ticket and jersey sales. 

All that aside, still some interesting FA's left to sign. It looks like Kimbrel has blundered with his asking price and length of deal... He'll probably still get paid somewhere in the vicinity of his asking, but I'm keen to see where he ends up... 

And, like Easter buns in January, we're already buzzing about Mike Trout's impending free agency... in 2020/21... $400m ???

[FireMedic]

On 3/4/2019 at 2:45 PM, MoeFOH said:

I posted about this topic in a different way in the Waterhole. If I were Machado, I'd have taken the best deal possible that the Yankees were offering. And, being a Boston fan, believe me, I didn't want him to do that. But, to me, the chance to play in that team would have been worth the sacrifice in dollars. Especially since I believe it could have come back to you in other ways (perhaps a World Series or two) and in a financial sense, down the track. Part of me thinks the Yanks really didn't want him there. I think his attitude burned him there. 

Harper, to be honest, I don't really get what the hype is. I understand he's top tier stuff, but, for me, I think I could probably name at least 5-10 players I'd rather shell out that sort of dough for. In sum, yes, he's a big chip to play, but I don't think he's going to be the franchise cornerstone the Phillies hope him to be. I'm talking team success-wise. Sure, he'll mean more cash register maintenance in ticket and jersey sales. 

All that aside, still some interesting FA's left to sign. It looks like Kimbrel has blundered with his asking price and length of deal... He'll probably still get paid somewhere in the vicinity of his asking, but I'm keen to see where he ends up... 

And, like Easter buns in January, we're already buzzing about Mike Trout's impending free agency... in 2020/21... $400m ???

The market has been set and the 400m barrier doesn't seem far off and Trout seems the most reasonable to hit it at this current time 

[MoeFOH]

19 hours ago, FireMedic said:

The market has been set and the 400m barrier doesn't seem far off and Trout seems the most reasonable to hit it at this current time 

Yep, I agree. It's only his age that might preclude a 10-yr mega deal. But I still think he'll get it. After all, he's the 2nd best player in baseball... behind Mookie Betts! : )

[FireMedic]

5 hours ago, MoeFOH said:

Yep, I agree. It's only his age that might preclude a 10-yr mega deal. But I still think he'll get it. After all, he's the 2nd best player in baseball... behind Mookie Betts! : )

Haha got it