MLB 2020/2021 Off-Season Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

I lived in Philly during their glory years and the fact there were bandwagoners meant I could go and watch baseball wherever I wanted and get free beer to go with it!

[The Buscher]

Bandwagoning another team for a playoff run is fine, it makes a game you might otherwise skip more interesting.

Fair weather fans are another story.  Growing up in Yankee town, nobody my age knew a world where the Yankees weren't playing in October.  As such, October rolls around and that's when you see all the Yankee gear.  Not that I expect anyone to sit down and watch 162 games but loads of people my age paid zero attention to the regular season because it was a formality.

[The Buscher]

Rays vs. Dodgers break the Tampa/LA tie for pandemic champions.

[DMN in the House]

I think this means the Braves are even more cursed than the Dodgers are.

Also, if a global pandemic is what it takes to get Clayton Kershaw a title, fuck it, I'll take it.

[gunnar hendershow]

After all the worry a random team would get hot and win the World Series we've got a matchup between the clear best teams in each league. 

[Maxx]

I wouldn't even asterisk a Dodgers win, pretty much a makeup for getting screwed by the Astros.

[The Buscher]

Yep.  I fully expect the Dodgers would dole out rings to anyone who was on the 2017 roster but isn't there now.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

I was hoping for the Braves to make it through but Rays/Dodgers should be fun. It certainly feels like it will be Rays pitching vs. Dodgers offense.

[gunnar hendershow]

Imagine trading away Mookie Betts in his prime.

[Maxx]

WHO COULD SAY NO TO ALEX VERDUGO

[The Buscher]

I’ve been bullish on Chaim Bloom and long-term I think he’ll rebuild the Red Sox but Mookie is absolutely somebody you pay and build around.

[Meacon Keaton]

Just another reminder that Boston traded Mookie Betts.

[gunnar hendershow]

8 hours ago, B-li Manning said:

I’ve been bullish on Chaim Bloom and long-term I think he’ll rebuild the Red Sox but Mookie is absolutely somebody you pay and build around.

He comes from the Rays so I think he's going to be good at reducing costs for the organization while identifying good players. Problem for Boston is they are doing this when they still had a wide open window (if they could fix their pitching) and the rest of the majors have basically adopted the exact same organizational philosophies.

[The Buscher]

3 minutes ago, damsher hatfield said:

He comes from the Rays so I think he's going to be good at reducing costs for the organization while identifying good players. Problem for Boston is they are doing this when they still had a wide open window (if they could fix their pitching) and the rest of the majors have basically adopted the exact same organizational philosophies.

Yep, that's Bloom's specialty.  I badly wanted him as Mets GM as he would've worked perfectly under the constraints put on him by the cheap asshole Wilpons.  Although with the Cohen money coming in now it doesn't feel like as much of a concern provided they actually overhaul the scouting and analytics departments which are supposedly the first thing he wants to improve when he takes over.

Can't lie, it was a mild gut punch when the Dodgers came out of nowhere to lock up Mookie within a day of reports coming out that Cohen had re-emerged as the heavy favorite to buy the team.  I don't blame him for a second for taking the second largest contract ever in the midst of a pandemic and economic uncertainty of course...but man I had those MOOKIE METS NY paper headlines in my head.

[gunnar hendershow]

Mookie being the foundational signing a Cohen regime builds around would have been very interesting, especially because as much as Cohen probably would want to win right away with big signings the likelihood is the wins don't really start rolling in until the crop of prospects start coming up (much like the Dodgers). 

[The Buscher]

Yeah it still would have been a while.  I'm relieved Cohen wants to finally bring the organization into the 21st century but knowing he can always afford to spend when he needs a piece or two to contend is nice.

If they're gonna sign a big free agent this winter I think it'll be Realmuto.  Beyond that, Michael Conforto deserves an extension.

[The Buscher]

Stro's always been super confident and outspoken, which I appreciate.  That said, awkward situation to be in should the Yanks put out the best offer.

[Meacon Keaton]

If the Yankees offer Stroman the highest contract he’s bad off because they won’t be offering him much if anything.

[gunnar hendershow]

Buehler has just been lights out all postseason.

[Meacon Keaton]

What a wild ass game this was. Dodgers were one strike away from a 3-1 lead a handful of times, and Brett Phillips, in his very first postseason at bat hits a ...I guess two rbi single to win? I'd imagine they have to score the infallible Mookie Betts with an error there though.