2021 MLB Season / 21-22 Offseason Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

Beginning to feel like it's probably not a good thing one person can have so much money.

[The Buscher]

The US's policy failures have somehow, at long last, become the Mets gain.  Strange times.

[Your Mom]

30 minutes ago, CM Busch said:

Reminder that Steve Cohen spent more than Max Scherzer's contract on this fucking thing:

I'd be happy right now if the Cubs signed that guy. It would at least be something at this point

[gunnar hendershow]

4 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

I'd be happy right now if the Cubs signed that guy. It would at least be something at this point

I think Chris Sale is still under contract with Boston.

[GhostMachine]

1 hour ago, DYSI said:

Oof that's a lot of money on an older pitcher, but I think the Mets wanted this anyway they could. Mad Max and DeGrom on paper should be insane. Good for the Mets!

They had to pay that much because Max knows he won't be going back to the World Series, and very well might have a losing record on that team. Pitching isn't really the Mets' issue. Its run support. They should drop money on a proven hitter who dings at least 20 to 30 HRs a year.

[Toe]

Sounds like Robbie Ray is getting 5 years with Seattle. Sad to see him go - it was great to see him reinvent himself and he was a joy to watch. 

Report: Robbie Ray finalizing five-year, $115M deal with Mariners (sportsnet.ca)

[gunnar hendershow]

Rangers signed Seager to a 10 yr/$325 million deal with no opt-outs. He's played 1 fully healthy season since 2017 and there was a pandemic that year. Potential disaster contract.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Not gonna lie, for a minute I thought you meant there was a pandemic in 2017 and I was over here like "fuck, I knew I spent most of 2017 pretty fucked up, but did I miss a whole-ass other pandemic?!"

[The Buscher]

MLB and the MLBPA are said to have made good progress but not enough that it'll all get ironed out by Thursday.  So there will definitely be a lockout as expected, but hopefully it won't be as long as people thought.

One thing that sounds like it has a good chance of happening is a playoff expansion to 14 teams.  The owners obviously want it for the TV revenue.  Of all the concessions the players can make, it seems like one that could be sold as being a benefit to them from the standpoint that it could help solve some of the tanking, thereby getting more teams to spend.

As a fan though, it would suck.  162 games over 6 months is a long time to ask fans to be invested if you're just going to let nearly half the league in anyway.

[The Buscher]

Javier Baez to the Tigers.  6 years, $140 million...nearly exactly what the Cubs offered him last offseason.

[Toe]

I keep forgetting that the Jays still have Hyun Jin Ryu when I think about their 2022 rotation. He wasn't as good in 2021, but he's a good piece to have. I'd still like to see the Jays add one more arm to the rotation. Alex Manoah had a good debut but he's only got a little over 100 big league innings so far, so I don't want to rely on him to be a key piece next season.

[Gabriel]

With Gausman signed, I feel like the Jays are going to pivot to their infield need and bullpen arms for the time being. The free agent market for starters isn't great considering that they're going to be looking at recent deals to help gauge where they think they should be. Better to wait it out and buy low on a couple potential bounce back arms.

But if there's a trade to be had, that makes sense for our needs, I think Atkins will pull the trigger there on a starter or infielder. If they can land Chris Taylor as a free agent, that makes one of their outfielders available to be used to try and pry another starter through trade.

[Toe]

1 minute ago, Gabriel said:

With Gausman signed, I feel like the Jays are going to pivot to their infield need and bullpen arms for the time being. The free agent market for starters isn't great considering that they're going to be looking at recent deals to help gauge where they think they should be. Better to wait it out and buy low on a couple potential bounce back arms.

But if there's a trade to be had, that makes sense for our needs, I think Atkins will pull the trigger there on a starter or infielder. If they can land Chris Taylor as a free agent, that makes one of their outfielders available to be used to try and pry another starter through trade.

But who would they trade? I don't think Randal Grichuk holds a ton of power, and Teoscar and Springer are players you want to build around. I guess it's Gurriel Jr., and I have no clue what his value is on the market.

[Gabriel]

4 minutes ago, Toe said:

But who would they trade? I don't think Randal Grichuk holds a ton of power, and Teoscar and Springer are players you want to build around. I guess it's Gurriel Jr., and I have no clue what his value is on the market.

Grichuk is the guy you want to try and move in that situation, but it's more likely Gurriel. I believe Gurriel has more team control, and definitely more upside. Grichuk is a masher though, albeit a streaky one. He'll definitely have interest from teams, it's just a matter of whether or not he's enough to get the conversation going on a Jose Ramirez or Matt Chapman trade... or a deal for a starter from a team in need of outfield help and wanting to move pitching money.

IF the Jays sign Taylor or anyone else who can play the outfield, I believe fully that Grichuk or Gurriel will be moved very quickly afterward. More likely to be Gurriel, but I don't see Atkins getting fleeced in a deal here either. If the ask from a partner is Gurriel, the return to the Jays is going to be a controllable player who fits a clear need.

[Your Mom]

I admit to not following the American League very closely. Do I want Frazier on my team? Like I thought he was a bigger kinda name but we grabbed him somehow? Something seems off to me

[DYSI]

12 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

I admit to not following the American League very closely. Do I want Frazier on my team? Like I thought he was a bigger kinda name but we grabbed him somehow? Something seems off to me

An AAAA player that is sort of OK at playing outfield.

 

He also has good cleats.

[The Buscher]

On 29/11/2021 at 23:42, CM Busch said:

MLB and the MLBPA are said to have made good progress but not enough that it'll all get ironed out by Thursday.  So there will definitely be a lockout as expected, but hopefully it won't be as long as people thought.

Welp...so much for that optimism.  On the final day of the CBA, MLB negotiators walked out a mere seven minutes into their scheduled meeting with union leaders.

[The Buscher]

With hours to go before the lockout, Stroman breaks the news himself that he’s signing with the Cubs @Your Mom @The Redeemer CLDY

[Your Mom]

37 minutes ago, CM Busch said:

With hours to go before the lockout, Stroman breaks the news himself that he’s signing with the Cubs @Your Mom @The Redeemer CLDY

 Actual good news!!

[The Buscher]