2021 MLB Season / 21-22 Offseason Thread

[The Buscher]

Unsurprisingly, Kumar Rocker's medicals came back showing elbow trouble and as such his contract has yet to be finalized four days ahead of the signing deadline.  The Mets beat are trying to make a big deal of it or paint it like the Mets made a mistake but I think everybody in baseball knew he was hurt, that's why he fell in the first place.  It was a calculated risk.

At this stage I imagine the signing delay is a back and forth with Rocker/Boras' camp where they're negotiating either a reduction in yhr reported $6 million bonus he was offered, or getting him to agree to surgery straight away even though it'll delay the start of his professional career.  Even when they took him I mentally assumed he wouldn't be in the bigs until late 2024/early 2025 due to an eventual surgery so it's no surprise to me.

Would seem Rocker stands to lose a lot more than the Mets from not getting the deal done.  He ends up not signing, his only choice is to go back to Vandy and try to pitch through an elbow injury.  Not only could it torpedo his next draft position, but college seniors have basically no leverage in terms of negotiating a bonus unless they want to try their hand in Japan or Korea.  Mets meanwhile would get the #11 pick in the draft and simply try again.

[gunnar hendershow]

I suspect he signs eventually, Boras clients are tough to deal with but he seems to usually at the end of the day have his players sign the offers. I assume more than anything Boras is running out the clock to see if the Mets flinch, which is what I'd expect from the best agent out there.

[The Buscher]

4 hours ago, Gabriel said:

The Dodgers HAVE to be the front-runner for Scherzer. No one on the team even wants Bauer back, should he be allowed by the league. They've basically come out and said that he's not welcome with the team... and Bauer's lawyer has urged him to plead the fifth when he takes the stand... which makes it seem likely that he's guilty as hell and won't be back anyways.

And right on cue, the Dodgers, Padres, and Giants are said to be Scherzer's three preferred destinations and it's been strongly hinted that he'd like to play out west next year.  He's said to be willing to accept a deal to a few other places as well in the interim but he's apparently told the Nationals that he will not approve a deal to either NY team.  I can't blame anyone for not wanting to live in NYC, shame I can already forget about Cohen writing him a big check this winter.

In more bad news for the Nats, Strasburg will be undergoing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery which has claimed the careers of Chris Carpenter, and Matt Harvey among others.

[gunnar hendershow]

That's a shame. The Nats are so lucky they won it when they did, that was the very end of their window you have to feel. They'll be an interesting franchise to watch in the next decade, given that they've done everything they set out to do after the move from Montreal they might cut back on spending a bit. Especially being in a division with the Mets and Phillies who both seem fixated on being huge spenders. Basically what their neighbors up I-95 ran into with the Angelos era minus the winning a World Series part.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Bring the Expos back.

[Maxx]

At least Strasburg got it closer to the end of his career and after a World Series, instead of getting struck down in his prime like Harvey.

[GhostMachine]

4 hours ago, CLDY said:

Bring the Expos back.

I don't think the Yankees are willing to move to Canada, sadly....

[gunnar hendershow]

The Mariners, sitting a game out of the wild card, traded their top reliever Kendall Graveman to Houston for a garbage return. They're claiming it's "part of future plans" but very hard to justify that. Just pathetic. No commitment to winning.

[Krabby]

21 minutes ago, damshow said:

The Mariners, sitting a game out of the wild card, traded their top reliever Kendall Graveman to Houston for a garbage return. They're claiming it's "part of future plans" but very hard to justify that. Just pathetic. No commitment to winning.

And why? What do they get out of it? Is it just shedding money?

[gunnar hendershow]

7 hours ago, Krabby said:

And why? What do they get out of it? Is it just shedding money?

They would up trading for Tyler Anderson later on but it's still so freaking odd. I'm sure getting Anderson in no way required giving up their best bullpen arm.

[Toe]

Oakland Athletics acquire Starling Marte from Miami Marlins for Jesus Luzardo (espn.com)

Looks like the A's beat the Yankees to the punch. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Even though he's having a rough year, Luzardo for 60 games of Marte is a pretty amazing return. 

[gunnar hendershow]

Wow good work by Miami getting that return for a rental.

[Gabriel]

2 hours ago, damshow said:

Wow good work by Miami getting that return for a rental.

The A's won't be paying any of Marte's salary this season. So, really, the deal is that Oakland gets Marte for free and has first crack at him for next year (he'll be playing somewhere else, because they're cheap) and the Marlins get a struggling pitcher with very high upside in return for making Oakland significantly better short-term at no monetary cost.

These are the types of deals that I can see becoming more commonplace in pro sports. Rentals with retained salary going to a team that doesn't traditionally spend much money, with cost-effective prospects headed back the other way. Cheaper teams can make this system work simply because if they aren't good enough to contend, they can focus on playing and developing younger players and surround them with cheap veterans... but if they're good enough to be legitimately focused on the post-season, you have the prospect capitol to pay the price to acquire impact players for a likely short term run at success.

I like the deal for both teams. Miami upgrades their future pitching by adding a guy who will definitely be on their roster to open next season... and Oakland is all-in on the post-season, which is great for their fans and franchise, because sometimes they're just a small-market team.

[GhostMachine]

The Mariners' deal is insane. Players are upset, and fans (and not just Mariners fans) are calling for the GM's head. Its not a good deal when they're getting a struggling player and a pitcher whose .ERA is so bad its a wonder why he isn't on the bubble of being released.

 

[The Buscher]

Joey Gallo to the Yankees

[gunnar hendershow]

He's the type of player they like there.

[Maxx]

Rangers fans wondering why they didn’t get much of a return for a guy who is barely a .225 hitter when on a hot streak.

[Szumi]

8 hours ago, Buschie Kay said:

Joey Gallo to the Yankees

Well whenever he plays bad, he has the ready made excuse. "Joey Gallo? I'm not Joey Gallo! I'm Joey CALLO! C-A-L-L-O!"

[gunnar hendershow]

Here's how the Orioles won last night in the bottom of the 9th.