Re: Braves moves — FWIW, SI just linked ATL to both David Robertson and Jose Quintana in a prediction list of the last remaining FA. I believe if they got both, that’d almost certainly put them over the lux tax line (or at least with no room for in-season moves like AA loves to do…), so I highly doubt both, but probably one.
Are you one of the flat earth Quintana getting over 20m a year folks?
They said they would go over tax but I would try my best to drop under. If other teams do go insane on Quintana go Heaney. Robertson too much call someone else. Make a trade. Grab some dfa relievers.
Run – This offseason SI has been awful with their predictions, they have zero credibility as far as I’m concerned. Just totally throwing crap against the wall, probably much of it stolen from other websites.
Fever, yes, it’s SI in name only. They fired any real reporters. I think they also got caught creating a fake reporter with photo and bio who turned out to be an AI creation. Maybe that was the Sporting News.
I thought it was Sporting News, which has even less cred, and SI is little cred, if any, In the same league as NY Post, imho. Hence, the FWIW. I wish more credible publications would do something like that.
Lord – Yeah not surprised, all of a sudden they are both at the top of the searches and in the headlines. Money talks and they’ve both got the familiar publication names.
I really think every team in the NL Central has about a 20 percent chance. Not because they are bad teams, but because they are all pretty good (but no better than that) teams.
Cards haven’t done anything so I would have them at a much lesser chance. Pirates Reds next tier. Then Cubs with better odds. Brewers better odds. Off season isn’t over so anyone can make a move and increase their odds. Grichuk to Pirates would be big. Canha make a difference. Cubs can do something even bigger.
Take a look at the Cubs schedule the first month, beginning with that stupid series in Japan. They could be out of the division race before the vines come out.
“Since Flaherty is open to shorter-term deals (presumably with an opt-out), I could see him being SD’s pivot after they move Cease, or in less likely fashion King. ”
——————————————
This doesn’t make any sense.
The Padres are going to be ruined through 2033 beginning no later than 2028—probably earlier given the contemporary aging curves in the post-PEDs era that sees even stars, even future HOFers often barely hanging on by their mid-30s, if they get that far.
That Peter Seidler saw the Padres as his plaything rather than as any sort of public trust dooms them to nearly a decade of extremely expensive decline that dealing away one of Cease and King can’t do nearly enough to mitigate, not with a farm system ranked in the high 20s.
So why not go for it in 2025?
You have two of the best pitchers in baseball and an old but not an ancient team. You probably won’t win the division against the L.A. Beasts, but winning a 4-round postseason as perhaps the top wildcard seed isn’t impossible if you go into it with two aces.
So why deal one of your two primary tickets to that destination, and for what…? So that the 2030 Padres can win 72 games instead of 70?
Deal Arraez, sure. Someone will overvalue the 1.0 bWAR Singles Demon enough to get you a more useful player, but make that a useful player on the MLB squad __in 2025.__
The Padres are doomed. They do have a little time left, though—but only if they recognize and acknowledge where they are. Take advantage of that time and take your best shot in 2025.
Completely agree with JStrawb.
Why on earth would the a Padres trade Cease (scheduled to make $13.75 m in 2025 to ostensibly “free up money” and then replace him with a more expensive and inferior starting pitcher in Flaherty? Come on man, they’d just lazy….
You trade Cease because it’s extension or trade. Trade much better return than QO draft pick. That’s it end of story. That’s the smart move. That’s how Cleveland Tampa Milwaukee contend so often with 100m payrolls.
If they were really concerned about $ and wanted Jack they could trade additional player or 2.
Get the point that the 1 for 1 swap math doesn’t add up.
I know it’s a ridiculous trade comp and KC would never do this, but as an Angels fan I would be all for a Trout-Witt trade. Also, Trout wouldn’t agree either.
It sounds like you love Witt much more. Why not just become a KC fan? Witt has mega surplus value. Trout negative value. Rising current super star vs fallen super star. Probably want HOF Trout as lifelong Angel so not going anywhere unless he ask to be traded.
To commit the time to even typing that out tells me that you would likely be happier as a Royals fan. The Angels don’t have a single asset that they could pair with Trout that would get the Royals to even consider trading Witt. Sounds like you may be an NBA fan.
Right Field Rob asked, “Why spend the $$ on Adames and then not upgrade rest of lineup? Destined for 4th?”
Because the Giants signed Adames to help solidify their infield for the next 7 years – not just for 2025.
Because THIS offseason is when a 29 yr old Adames – the best available FA SS on the market – was available. And somehow, Posey also managed to jump the market to secure his services, before Soto and the rest of this ultra high-flying market really got rolling.
A lot of people around the game, think Adames could have scored a higher guarantee if he’d waited out the market a little bit longer.
Whether the Giants contend or mostly just rebuild in 2025, his signing is a feather in BP’s cap, one that will reap benefits for the rest of this decade.
Arrested Development AND Groundhog’s Day references? Mark Polishuk is the worst!
I’m kidding, I have no issue with a few non-baseball questions, though I know it drives at least a few people crazy, which I actually think is a good reason to continue them.
It might add to their craziness – not drive it. That’s a pre-existing condition.
Personally, I enjoy a bit of schtick – in moderation – and I’LL be the judge of that, thank you very much. 🙂 But hey, it’s a new year and a chance to be bold! So maybe it’s time to mothball Bees and Beads in favor of Ann or … God knows who or … what?
goob – I bet references to two iconic sitcoms that often revolved around baseball, Seinfeld & Cheers, would be better received and there’s much material to choose from since they combined for 20 seasons.
I don’t follow the chats, what was the Groundhog Day reference? The repeating of the beads thing?
Worst is trade rumors trying to describe themselves as “experts”. If any of the staff was on that level they would leave trade rumors which likes to beg for money and go to a much higher company where higher pay comes. Do they know more than me about baseball? Sure but are they on the level of say the Athletic writers? Not even close
These guys know their stuff very well. They’re on top of not only trade rumors, they’ve demonstrated frequently that they have a strong grasp on each team’s minor league system, and they know procedural stuff such as waivers, QO, etc. They have different areas of f expertise, but they know their stuff. And of course, I imagine the writers at The Athletic get paid more.
They get paid more because they are better at their craft that was my whole point. This place is opinions most of the time. How many of the free agent contest contracts were they completely wrong about? Again they know more than me but not enough to have those begging posts stickied on all 4 sites. Plus a mention on every single chat and I’m sure I’m missing other advertisements. If you’re going to pay money for sports journalism the athletic is the winner period
The reason the Giants haven’t made any trades is that conversations with other teams always begin and end with the other team wanting Bryce Eldridge. Posey (wisely) isn’t willing to trade him. I can’t remember where I read this, but I think it was one of the Giants’ beat writers who said it.
Why does Altuve get so much hate from the cheating yet Beltran doesn’t ? Wasn’t he the mastermind of the cheating for both the Yankees and Astros? He had an amazing playing career but he did get fired before coaching a single game for the Mets. He’s guilty
I don’t mind the Hall of okay players I’m just wondering how it makes sense to be so biased towards one player and not the other. By this being the mastermind isn’t as bad as using the cheating, or as bad as steroids. He gets in but Big Mac and studs like him get stiffed. It’s a joke is all I was saying man
MLB has a history of being far too lenient, no doubt about it.
As a baseball fan I’m more concerned about Cora’s extremely light punishment. Beltran may have brought up the cheating idea, but Cora was unquestionably the ringleader and took the lead on implementing the cheating plan. He ended up getting only a 60-game suspension, which is ridiculous.
You see what the saints did? (where my name came from). Wow I can only imagine with how light off they will get it. The whole team should be kicked out of the NFL but no chance that happens. I’m sorta shocked trade rumors didn’t post about it but the comments would get closed (total pc bull*hit) so oh well
They tried to cover up for the church’s clergymen who were guilty of sexual crimes. With the DA their vp of communications in 2018 got the list of guilty people, and they took 20 people off the list, 2 which were already charged with a crime. Then they start controlling the media outlets on what they can release. All while telling the fans they were barely helping out. There’s a really good Newsweek article on it. Hell every news station put out an article on it today.
Re: Braves moves — FWIW, SI just linked ATL to both David Robertson and Jose Quintana in a prediction list of the last remaining FA. I believe if they got both, that’d almost certainly put them over the lux tax line (or at least with no room for in-season moves like AA loves to do…), so I highly doubt both, but probably one.
Are you one of the flat earth Quintana getting over 20m a year folks?
They said they would go over tax but I would try my best to drop under. If other teams do go insane on Quintana go Heaney. Robertson too much call someone else. Make a trade. Grab some dfa relievers.
Run – This offseason SI has been awful with their predictions, they have zero credibility as far as I’m concerned. Just totally throwing crap against the wall, probably much of it stolen from other websites.
Fever, yes, it’s SI in name only. They fired any real reporters. I think they also got caught creating a fake reporter with photo and bio who turned out to be an AI creation. Maybe that was the Sporting News.
I thought it was Sporting News, which has even less cred, and SI is little cred, if any, In the same league as NY Post, imho. Hence, the FWIW. I wish more credible publications would do something like that.
Lord – Yeah not surprised, all of a sudden they are both at the top of the searches and in the headlines. Money talks and they’ve both got the familiar publication names.
Pirates in the poll. With their starters and that division, they have the best chance. They won’t, but it’s a little better than Toronto’s.
I really think every team in the NL Central has about a 20 percent chance. Not because they are bad teams, but because they are all pretty good (but no better than that) teams.
Cards haven’t done anything so I would have them at a much lesser chance. Pirates Reds next tier. Then Cubs with better odds. Brewers better odds. Off season isn’t over so anyone can make a move and increase their odds. Grichuk to Pirates would be big. Canha make a difference. Cubs can do something even bigger.
Yeh, I have Cubs/Brewers at the top of the divison, drop off to Pirates, then drop off to Reds/Cards
Take a look at the Cubs schedule the first month, beginning with that stupid series in Japan. They could be out of the division race before the vines come out.
Gotta play em at some point might as well get em over with
@DreamGM You always make a lot of sense (almost as if you were a real GM at one point? maybe just a knowledgeable GM in a different line of work lol.)
Like GM of GM?
I am impressed with you as well Ignorant. I figure only 3 percent of our community is capable of recognizing my exceptional brilliance.
Get a room U2
Toronto has zero chance of first. The lineup is trash.
Very old rotation as well.
Repugnant odor.
None of my Fay Vincent questions made the cut. Damn. I should’ve asked about bees or some other dated arrested development joke.
Awwww poor baby.
Now, you’re just being bitter. Fay wouldn’t want that.
“Since Flaherty is open to shorter-term deals (presumably with an opt-out), I could see him being SD’s pivot after they move Cease, or in less likely fashion King. ”
——————————————
This doesn’t make any sense.
The Padres are going to be ruined through 2033 beginning no later than 2028—probably earlier given the contemporary aging curves in the post-PEDs era that sees even stars, even future HOFers often barely hanging on by their mid-30s, if they get that far.
That Peter Seidler saw the Padres as his plaything rather than as any sort of public trust dooms them to nearly a decade of extremely expensive decline that dealing away one of Cease and King can’t do nearly enough to mitigate, not with a farm system ranked in the high 20s.
So why not go for it in 2025?
You have two of the best pitchers in baseball and an old but not an ancient team. You probably won’t win the division against the L.A. Beasts, but winning a 4-round postseason as perhaps the top wildcard seed isn’t impossible if you go into it with two aces.
So why deal one of your two primary tickets to that destination, and for what…? So that the 2030 Padres can win 72 games instead of 70?
Deal Arraez, sure. Someone will overvalue the 1.0 bWAR Singles Demon enough to get you a more useful player, but make that a useful player on the MLB squad __in 2025.__
The Padres are doomed. They do have a little time left, though—but only if they recognize and acknowledge where they are. Take advantage of that time and take your best shot in 2025.
Completely agree with JStrawb.
Why on earth would the a Padres trade Cease (scheduled to make $13.75 m in 2025 to ostensibly “free up money” and then replace him with a more expensive and inferior starting pitcher in Flaherty? Come on man, they’d just lazy….
*that’s just lazy
You trade Cease because it’s extension or trade. Trade much better return than QO draft pick. That’s it end of story. That’s the smart move. That’s how Cleveland Tampa Milwaukee contend so often with 100m payrolls.
If they were really concerned about $ and wanted Jack they could trade additional player or 2.
Get the point that the 1 for 1 swap math doesn’t add up.
One problematic issue with that poll; it’s lack of a “subzero-into-infinity” voting choice in the Rockies part of the survey.
Really makes it hard to take the whole thing seriously.
I know it’s a ridiculous trade comp and KC would never do this, but as an Angels fan I would be all for a Trout-Witt trade. Also, Trout wouldn’t agree either.
It sounds like you love Witt much more. Why not just become a KC fan? Witt has mega surplus value. Trout negative value. Rising current super star vs fallen super star. Probably want HOF Trout as lifelong Angel so not going anywhere unless he ask to be traded.
To commit the time to even typing that out tells me that you would likely be happier as a Royals fan. The Angels don’t have a single asset that they could pair with Trout that would get the Royals to even consider trading Witt. Sounds like you may be an NBA fan.
Random question to the crowd: Zebby, Festa and Larnach to SD for Cease? Is that a decent framework?
I’m a pads fan and I’d love that deal. No way twins would do it though
Brasier is 37 and making $4.5 million this year. Yes, he’s been good since going to LA, but his larger, even recent track record isn’t great.
Right Field Rob asked, “Why spend the $$ on Adames and then not upgrade rest of lineup? Destined for 4th?”
Because the Giants signed Adames to help solidify their infield for the next 7 years – not just for 2025.
Because THIS offseason is when a 29 yr old Adames – the best available FA SS on the market – was available. And somehow, Posey also managed to jump the market to secure his services, before Soto and the rest of this ultra high-flying market really got rolling.
A lot of people around the game, think Adames could have scored a higher guarantee if he’d waited out the market a little bit longer.
Whether the Giants contend or mostly just rebuild in 2025, his signing is a feather in BP’s cap, one that will reap benefits for the rest of this decade.
Arrested Development AND Groundhog’s Day references? Mark Polishuk is the worst!
I’m kidding, I have no issue with a few non-baseball questions, though I know it drives at least a few people crazy, which I actually think is a good reason to continue them.
It might add to their craziness – not drive it. That’s a pre-existing condition.
Personally, I enjoy a bit of schtick – in moderation – and I’LL be the judge of that, thank you very much. 🙂 But hey, it’s a new year and a chance to be bold! So maybe it’s time to mothball Bees and Beads in favor of Ann or … God knows who or … what?
goob – I bet references to two iconic sitcoms that often revolved around baseball, Seinfeld & Cheers, would be better received and there’s much material to choose from since they combined for 20 seasons.
I don’t follow the chats, what was the Groundhog Day reference? The repeating of the beads thing?
FPG,
Bees/Beads and some new Ann thing. I haven’t watched Arrested Development, so I don’t know the references.
The Groundhog Day reference was someone asking a question using the handle Ned Ryerson.
gbs – Ah okay, that’s cool …. love that movie.
BTW – I met Phil years ago, he was right outside PNC Park before the game. Seemed like a kind soul, very laid back.
Worst is trade rumors trying to describe themselves as “experts”. If any of the staff was on that level they would leave trade rumors which likes to beg for money and go to a much higher company where higher pay comes. Do they know more than me about baseball? Sure but are they on the level of say the Athletic writers? Not even close
NO Saints,
These guys know their stuff very well. They’re on top of not only trade rumors, they’ve demonstrated frequently that they have a strong grasp on each team’s minor league system, and they know procedural stuff such as waivers, QO, etc. They have different areas of f expertise, but they know their stuff. And of course, I imagine the writers at The Athletic get paid more.
They get paid more because they are better at their craft that was my whole point. This place is opinions most of the time. How many of the free agent contest contracts were they completely wrong about? Again they know more than me but not enough to have those begging posts stickied on all 4 sites. Plus a mention on every single chat and I’m sure I’m missing other advertisements. If you’re going to pay money for sports journalism the athletic is the winner period
I pay for both. I appreciate what they do here and think it’s easily worth $30/yr. To each their own.
Love the Ned Ryerson name on Groundhog Day!
The reason the Giants haven’t made any trades is that conversations with other teams always begin and end with the other team wanting Bryce Eldridge. Posey (wisely) isn’t willing to trade him. I can’t remember where I read this, but I think it was one of the Giants’ beat writers who said it.
The basis for the poll was flawed since the Royals didn’t go worst to first.
Why does Altuve get so much hate from the cheating yet Beltran doesn’t ? Wasn’t he the mastermind of the cheating for both the Yankees and Astros? He had an amazing playing career but he did get fired before coaching a single game for the Mets. He’s guilty
Saint – Then you won’t like this news, Beltran will almost surely be inducted into the HOF as he fell less than 5% short this year.
I don’t mind the Hall of okay players I’m just wondering how it makes sense to be so biased towards one player and not the other. By this being the mastermind isn’t as bad as using the cheating, or as bad as steroids. He gets in but Big Mac and studs like him get stiffed. It’s a joke is all I was saying man
Saints – I don’t disagree.
MLB has a history of being far too lenient, no doubt about it.
As a baseball fan I’m more concerned about Cora’s extremely light punishment. Beltran may have brought up the cheating idea, but Cora was unquestionably the ringleader and took the lead on implementing the cheating plan. He ended up getting only a 60-game suspension, which is ridiculous.
You see what the saints did? (where my name came from). Wow I can only imagine with how light off they will get it. The whole team should be kicked out of the NFL but no chance that happens. I’m sorta shocked trade rumors didn’t post about it but the comments would get closed (total pc bull*hit) so oh well
Saints – Not recently as I don’t keep up with the NFL too much.
But I do remember their bounty scandal, not sure if they got disciplined for that years ago.
They tried to cover up for the church’s clergymen who were guilty of sexual crimes. With the DA their vp of communications in 2018 got the list of guilty people, and they took 20 people off the list, 2 which were already charged with a crime. Then they start controlling the media outlets on what they can release. All while telling the fans they were barely helping out. There’s a really good Newsweek article on it. Hell every news station put out an article on it today.