MLB 2019-2020 Offseason Thread

[Meacon Keaton]

You've never been to a game or bought a shirt or hat?

The best kind of Red Sox fan, probably. 

[Krabby]

I hate when my team is retaining dead weight money :s

[Lowerdeck]

1. Probably won't go to a game this year, unless I get free tickets.  There's a soccer team in Hartford, will buy tickets for that instead.

2. The Dodgers better win the World Series this year

3. Verdugo from the Dodgers, Graterol from the Twins.  I'm wondering how much cash the Sox sent to LA, but it's an OK return.  Unless there's some weird surprise planned, might as well get something in return.

[gunnar hendershow]

The return is decent. It's not generational player who could go down as the 2nd greatest Red Sox hitter ever but it's decent. Both guys can be All-Stars for a few years.

[Maxx]

47 minutes ago, Meacon say “Hi People!” said:

You've never been to a game or bought a shirt or hat?

The best kind of Red Sox fan, probably. 

Correct.  The Rangers have gotten more money from me

[The Buscher]

6 hours ago, Meacon say “Hi People!” said:

It lasts like three weeks too long. The first two weeks or so you’re just ecstatic to have baseball of any kind back, but by the end of week two you want it to count and mean something. I’ll still take it over nothing and college baseball tournaments start soon so yay!

Yeah I burn out on spring baseball within a week.  After a game or two Gary heads back north to finish the Seton Hall season and the other two only sporadically show up so for most of spring it's like their pre-game show host and on-field correspondent calling the game.  I only really enjoy watching the first week and last week.  The first week because it's the return of baseball, the last because the rosters have been trimmed from like 70 to 30 and guys are actually trying to hit their stride before the games start to count.

5 hours ago, damsher hatfield said:

Welp Steve Cohen might not be buying the Mets after all because the Wilpons changed up negotiations at the altar.

I just feel bad for every fan of that team. And I have Peter Angelos owning mine.

Unfortunately I've feared this was coming for a few weeks.  The news about Cohen buying the team broke in the first few days of December...and it seems to me that news like that doesn't leak until it's close to the finish line.  So that there'd been no announcement or anything in two months made me think something was obviously holding the deal up.

Jon Heyman says Cohen may have walked when he felt the deal changed but he's still "hoping the team calls back"...which makes me think maybe he's playing chess.  The guy is a lifelong Mets fan and clearly has the money to get the deal done regardless of what the Wilpons might have changed at the 11th hour.  Walking away from what he thinks is them trying to screw him is something he's doing on principle but the reality is if he really wants the team he can get it.  This is the same dude who has a $1 billion art collection simply because he wanted it.

Not trying to get my hopes up because the Wilpons bungling this is so typically them...but we'll see.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I like the KC cap.

[Meacon Keaton]

I’ve had a few hours to think about it and I just really don’t think Boston’s return is that great. That’s the best they could do for one of the best players in baseball? I mean I get he’s going to be a free agent but ouch.
 

Dodgers made out like bandits. Basically getting Price for Maeda and Betts for Verdugo. I’d do that a million times out of a million.

[The Buscher]

If Betts had to be traded to the NL I'm glad it was the Dodgers who were already locks to win the West even without him.  Rather that than even a team like the Padres who would've become a legit Wild Card contender.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

He's the 2nd best player in the world but he's a free agent at the end of the year. They basically got 2 prospects who are better than what they'd have gotten for draft pick compensation for Betts, plus got the salary cap relief they needed from getting rid of Price. 

I'm also biased because I'm very glad that Betts won't mash the Jays anymore. 

[Gazz]

20 hours ago, Meacon say “Hi People!” said:

A Yankee podcast I listen to had a twitter question from a “Gazz, a UK Yankee fan”. @Gazz have you been holding out on me?!

I'll be long dead in the cold, hard ground before I watch a baseball game.

[GhostMachine]

14 hours ago, B-li Manning said:

If Betts had to be traded to the NL I'm glad it was the Dodgers who were already locks to win the West even without him.  Rather that than even a team like the Padres who would've become a legit Wild Card contender.

I also think the Dodgers are capable of signing him to a new contract. Whether he enters free agency or not.

Not happy at all with the deal Boston did. But since the Dodgers are my parents' favorite team and this improves their chances of repeating as NL champs, I can live with it. 

[Meacon Keaton]

Apparently there’s a hiccup in the Mookie deal as Boston has found an issue with Graterol’s medical report. Not a lot coming out but it’s being suggested that the Red Sox may ask for an additional prospect or cash to make up for it. 

[The Buscher]

 

[Meacon Keaton]

Manfred said, from his understanding, the deal is not going to happen and the Wilpons will continue to be majority owner which is...is just aces.  

[The Buscher]

Manfred also added in "the assertion that this deal fell through because of anything the Wilpons did is completely and utterly unfair".

Tells me all I need to know.  Another commissioner who is a Wilpon shill.

[gunnar hendershow]

There's an NDA involved so we'll probably never know what shit the Wilpons pulled.

[The Buscher]

Based on what I’m reading from numerous writers, there’s very real doubt that the owners would have approved Cohen anyway.

That was one of my concerns when news of the potential deal first came out in December.  The guy would’ve far and away been the richest owner in baseball.  It’s partially an ego thing I’m sure.  But the biggest thing is that Cohen would’ve turned free agency on its head at a time when owners are trying to get below the luxury tax and suppress salaries wherever possible.

[ThrillhouseMAX]

Man, it's hard to be a Mets fan when the Wilpons pull shit like this. 

[Lowerdeck]

So it's like four days before ST starts, and the Red Sox may have a manager in time for that.

 

Maybe