2018/19 Hot Stove League

[dbackjon]

They've won 4 World Series this century to your Yankees' two. Methinks they're doing something right.

Yea, if they win 18 more without the Yankees getting another one, they'll be tied.

But committing $68 million Eovaldi over the next four years wasn't necessary. No one else was going to give him that kind of money.

I actually like this, because it will force the Yankees to trade for guys like Kluber, Bauer, Bumgarner, or Greinke. The Yanks are sitting on a load of young talent and it's time to let some of it go.

One of those guys will be in pinstripes come Spring training. If you are going to pay $17M or more per year to a starter, the guy should have the kind of track record that justifies that salary.

I like the Yankees' roster long-term over what the Sox have.

Who's playing first for the Yankees?

[JoltinJoe]

Yea, if they win 18 more without the Yankees getting another one, they'll be tied.

But committing $68 million Eovaldi over the next four years wasn't necessary. No one else was going to give him that kind of money.

I actually like this, because it will force the Yankees to trade for guys like Kluber, Bauer, Bumgarner, or Greinke. The Yanks are sitting on a load of young talent and it's time to let some of it go.

One of those guys will be in pinstripes come Spring training. If you are going to pay $17M or more per year to a starter, the guy should have the kind of track record that justifies that salary.

I like the Yankees' roster long-term over what the Sox have.

Who's playing first for the Yankees?

To start, they'll stick with the Voit/Bird platoon that worked so well down the stretch, and see if either wins out. Not sure Bird is really the answer. Great talent, but he's been hurt alot. You have to start thinking he's not durable enough to play every day in MLB. Voit played great after they acquired him last season, but you can't be sure he can do that again. But he's earned the right to try.

There's talk also about opening trying one of the young OF studs at first base in spring training too. Clint Frazier may get a look at 1B, although he is ticketed to replace Gardner in the OF some day. You might see Andrew McCutcheon grab a 1B glove in the spring too. And there is always Neil Walker hanging around.

Not really an issue. If they get into the season and need to upgrade, they have a glut of OF talent to exchange for a 1B. Still, they can carry a weaker offensive player at first, if need be, so long as he flashes solid leather. The line-up is deep, young, and getting better.

[Col Hogan]

Red Sox resign Nathan Eovaldi to a 4 year $67m contract. The fire-throwing World Series hero was considered a critical part of the team for GM Dave Dombroski to retain...

That's a lot of money for a guy who has been dominant for two months in his otherwise unremarkable career.

You are the back of your baseball card. I think the Sox overpaid big time.

Says the guy whose team was trying to sign him for the second time...

[AZGrizFan]

Yea, if they win 18 more without the Yankees getting another one, they'll be tied.

But committing $68 million Eovaldi over the next four years wasn't necessary. No one else was going to give him that kind of money.

I actually like this, because it will force the Yankees to trade for guys like Kluber, Bauer, Bumgarner, or Greinke. The Yanks are sitting on a load of young talent and it's time to let some of it go.

One of those guys will be in pinstripes come Spring training. If you are going to pay $17M or more per year to a starter, the guy should have the kind of track record that justifies that salary.

I like the Yankees' roster long-term over what the Sox have.

Who's playing first for the Yankees?

Please feel free to unload the top 2-3 of that boatload to Arizona for Greinke. Please. Pretty please.

[CAA Flagship]

Who's playing first for the Yankees?

To start, they'll stick with the Voit/Bird platoon that worked so well down the stretch, and see if either wins out. Not sure Bird is really the answer. Great talent, but he's been hurt alot. You have to start thinking he's not durable enough to play every day in MLB. Voit played great after they acquired him last season, but you can't be sure he can do that again. But he's earned the right to try.

There's talk also about opening trying one of the young OF studs at first base in spring training too. Clint Frazier may get a look at 1B, although he is ticketed to replace Gardner in the OF some day. You might see Andrew McCutcheon grab a 1B glove in the spring too. And there is always Neil Walker hanging around.

Not really an issue. If they get into the season and need to upgrade, they have a glut of OF talent to exchange for a 1B. Still, they can carry a weaker offensive player at first, if need be, so long as he flashes solid leather. The line-up is deep, young, and getting better.

I don't have faith in Clint Frazier in the long term. His swing is so terrible (swings off his front foot). That can work if you are young and strong. But later in a season and later in a career, I don't see that working.
And I have had it with Sanchez as well. His defense is awful. His reaction time is slow and he can't frame pitches if he is able to catch them.

[JoltinJoe]

Who's playing first for the Yankees?

Please feel free to unload the top 2-3 of that boatload to Arizona for Greinke. Please. Pretty please.

A deal like that would work for both teams, as I see it.

[JoltinJoe]

That's a lot of money for a guy who has been dominant for two months in his otherwise unremarkable career.

You are the back of your baseball card. I think the Sox overpaid big time.

Says the guy whose team was trying to sign him for the second time...

But not at $68 million for 4 years. Geez, the guy is below the MLB average in every conceivable pitching stat for his career. He's got solid stuff and this may work. But it's a lot more money than anyone else was going to give him.

As you may recall on my Facebook page, I said acquiring him down the stretch for your No. 15 prospect was a great, low risk move.

But giving him $68M because he pitched far better in the final two months of 2018 than at any other time in his career? That's high risk.

[dbackjon]

Please feel free to unload the top 2-3 of that boatload to Arizona for Greinke. Please. Pretty please.

A deal like that would work for both teams, as I see it.

Yes

[dbackjon]

Who's playing first for the Yankees?

To start, they'll stick with the Voit/Bird platoon that worked so well down the stretch, and see if either wins out. Not sure Bird is really the answer. Great talent, but he's been hurt alot. You have to start thinking he's not durable enough to play every day in MLB. Voit played great after they acquired him last season, but you can't be sure he can do that again. But he's earned the right to try.

There's talk also about opening trying one of the young OF studs at first base in spring training too. Clint Frazier may get a look at 1B, although he is ticketed to replace Gardner in the OF some day. You might see Andrew McCutcheon grab a 1B glove in the spring too. And there is always Neil Walker hanging around.

Not really an issue. If they get into the season and need to upgrade, they have a glut of OF talent to exchange for a 1B. Still, they can carry a weaker offensive player at first, if need be, so long as he flashes solid leather. The line-up is deep, young, and getting better.

Watching the playoffs, it seemed as if you had a pretty big hole at 1st. Defense was subpar. Surprised you didn't go after Goldy.

[Col Hogan]

Says the guy whose team was trying to sign him for the second time...

But not at $68 million for 4 years. Geez, the guy is below the MLB average in every conceivable pitching stat for his career. He's got solid stuff and this may work. But it's a lot more money than anyone else was going to give him.

As you may recall on my Facebook page, I said acquiring him down the stretch for your No. 15 prospect was a great, low risk move.

But giving him $68M because he pitched far better in the final two months of 2018 than at any other time in his career? That's high risk.

I wonder why you’re not the Sox GM instead of Dombrowski???

[JoltinJoe]

But not at $68 million for 4 years. Geez, the guy is below the MLB average in every conceivable pitching stat for his career. He's got solid stuff and this may work. But it's a lot more money than anyone else was going to give him.

As you may recall on my Facebook page, I said acquiring him down the stretch for your No. 15 prospect was a great, low risk move.

But giving him $68M because he pitched far better in the final two months of 2018 than at any other time in his career? That's high risk.

I wonder why you’re not the Sox GM instead of Dombrowski???

Me too.

Isn't he the guy who gave David Price a 7-year deal for $217M?

[Gil Dobie]

Twins sign Schoop to relace Dozier at 2B

[JoltinJoe]

To start, they'll stick with the Voit/Bird platoon that worked so well down the stretch, and see if either wins out. Not sure Bird is really the answer. Great talent, but he's been hurt alot. You have to start thinking he's not durable enough to play every day in MLB. Voit played great after they acquired him last season, but you can't be sure he can do that again. But he's earned the right to try.

There's talk also about opening trying one of the young OF studs at first base in spring training too. Clint Frazier may get a look at 1B, although he is ticketed to replace Gardner in the OF some day. You might see Andrew McCutcheon grab a 1B glove in the spring too. And there is always Neil Walker hanging around.

Not really an issue. If they get into the season and need to upgrade, they have a glut of OF talent to exchange for a 1B. Still, they can carry a weaker offensive player at first, if need be, so long as he flashes solid leather. The line-up is deep, young, and getting better.

Watching the playoffs, it seemed as if you had a pretty big hole at 1st. Defense was subpar. Surprised you didn't go after Goldy.

Bird is actually a pretty decent first baseman defensively. He's only made three errors in his career in over 1,200 chances. He does a good job keeping his foot on the base while fielding throws a bit off the mark. He fields what he gets to. The knock in his defense is that his range is average at best, and he doesn't tend to bail out his infielders when they are way off the mark with a throw.

It's that latter tendency that gets attention. Both Torres and Andujar are young IFs who still rush throws sometimes and need a savior on the other end. Bird gives a good stretch and can dig out a bad throw, but not a really bad throw.

As for Voit's defense, it's like the second coming of Jason Giambi -- and I wasn't a fan of the first coming. I read recently that Voit is committed to improving his footwork in an effort to make himself a good defender, and has been spending the off-season working on his defensive skills. Let's hope.

Truth be told, the difference between the Sox and the Yankees last year was defense. The Yankees are a better offensive team, probably have a bit in the edge in starting pitching when you get to the 3-5 starters, and a way better set-up and hold bullpen. But the Sox were just superlative defensively, especially in the OF, where their three OFs have so much range, you'd think they were playing with a fourth. Honestly, I don't remember ever seeing an outfield that so routinely turned drives into the gaps into harmless outs -- and then turned around and gunned throws back to the IF. Since all three of those guys are young, I don't expect that OF defense to suffer any time in the near future.

[dbackjon]

It was Voit's statue-like play at first that made me think that a player like Goldy could have tipped the series to the Yankees.

[JoltinJoe]

BTW, as much as I am a Yankee fan, it is hard for any baseball fan to root against the Sox OF. What they are doing out there is special. Whatever moves the Sox may make, Dombrowski cannot break that OF up. Those guys are erasing opponent's runs every game. I wouldn't be opposed to him trading that OF, in whole, to the Yankees.

Actually, the Yankees' OF defense is a strength. But it is not Boston's OF.

[JoltinJoe]

It was Voit's statue-like play at first that made me think that a player like Goldy could have tipped the series to the Yankees.

When I see Voit at first base, I see a natural-born talent.

A natural-born DH, that is.

[SuperHornet]

Who's playing first for the Yankees?

Who's on first?

phpBB [video]

[css75]

Who's playing first for the Yankees?

Who's on first?

phpBB [video]

Always a classic.


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[Gil Dobie]

Lee Smith and Harold Baines elected to the baseball hall of fame.

[css75]

Lee Smith and Harold Baines elected to the baseball hall of fame.

I can understand Smith but Harold Baines. Baines was very good and had a long career,but one of the all time greats, no way.


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[Gil Dobie]

Lee Smith and Harold Baines elected to the baseball hall of fame.

I can understand Smith but Harold Baines. Baines was very good and had a long career,but one of the all time greats, no way.


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Probably helped to have Jerry Reinsdork on the committee. More like a lifetime achievement award for Baines, who's #20 on the all time games played list.

[css75]

I can understand Smith but Harold Baines. Baines was very good and had a long career,but one of the all time greats, no way.


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Probably helped to have Jerry Reinsdork on the committee. More like a lifetime achievement award for Baines, who's #20 on the all time games played list.

All he had was longevity, Kenny Lofton, Larry Walker, Vada Pinson and Tommy Davis were all better.


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[Gil Dobie]

Checking out the Spring Training Schedule today. A couple games out there look good. Maybe a Twins/Red Sox Friday Matinee.

[GannonFan]

Checking out the Spring Training Schedule today. A couple games out there look good. Maybe a Twins/Red Sox Friday Matinee.

They're both still in Ft. Myers, no? Probably would be a tough ticket.

[GannonFan]

Phillies to sign Andrew McCutcheon. Still have room for Harper.