2017 MLB Thread

[The Buscher]

Damn, I had my money on Ohtani being named player-manager, DH'ing and pitching every fifth day.  Guess he'll have to settle for being Tennessee's next football coach.

[Meacon Keaton]

I'm curious and willing to give Aaron a shot. I liked Bob Boone. And Aaron will always have a place in my heart for 2003. I'm still not too thrilled with getting rid of a manager that had us one win from the World Series, but I guess I like this hiring more than Thomson?

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Jays trade for Aledmys Diaz. I love the move. He had a rough 2017 but was an All Star in 2016. We got him pretty cheap, Woodman seems like a good prospect but is a few years away and a prospect. Diaz is a great upgrade from Ryan Goins, who was non-tendered.

[The Buscher]

Ohtani's agents have informed both the Red Sox and Yankees that they are out of consideration.

It sounds like he doesn't want to go to a heavy favorite, but rather a potentially decent team where he can be the guy who ends up bringing them over the hump.

Mariners may be the favorites as they've supposedly told Ohtani he'd be allowed to DH on days he's not pitching.

[gunnar hendershow]

He clearly wants to hit on the days he's not pitching. I'd wager the compromise for him is be on an AL team, that way he doesn't get hurt in the field and he can realistically hit on the days he pitches while leaving the DH slot open for later in the game which is a real intriguing strategic advantage for a team.

It's hard for me to see him on an NL team due to the lack of a DH, teams aren't gonna leave a position open for him on days he isn't on the mound.

[The Buscher]

Glad to see the New York tabloids are handling Ohtani's decision with class.

[Your Mom]

Man I hope he kills them now whatever team he chooses

[Maxx]

YOU FAHKIN SCAIRED!?

[GhostMachine]

Now I'm really hoping he goes to a division rival.

[Meacon Keaton]

It’s the lame ass Daily News, folks. Page 14 says Hilary Clinton gave birth to a three-legged kitten named Mitsy after an affair with Elvis Presley.

Wait. I’m thinking of the Post.  

[gunnar hendershow]

I think if there were no other factors involved Ohtani would pick San Diego. He's familiar with the organization, it's a good city, closer to Japan than most other ballparks, and they'll probably be accommodating of some requests to play the field and such. Also, the weather. I think we'd all pick San Diego if we could.

[The Buscher]

I have a feeling the experiment of Ohtani as a hitter won't last long.  He has legitimate pop, but he struck out over 40% of the time in a league that is widely viewed to be around Triple A level in terms of the level of competition compared to the Majors.

I'll guess within a year or two he'll concede that pitching is his meal ticket and focus on that full time.

[The Buscher]

53 year old Rafael Palmeiro considering a comeback

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Dee Gordon to the Mariners. He'll play CF.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/12/mariners-to-acquire-dee-gordon.html

[Meacon Keaton]

That's one of those rare deals that very clearly worked out well for both teams. Seattle gets a good hitter with amazing speed to put at the top of the line-up and Miami just saved themselves about $40 million in their quest to cut all contracts that are more expensive than league minimum. 

[The Buscher]

The statement Gordon's agent put out is low key hilarious.  A full paragraph talking him up as one of the best second baseman in the major leagues and how it would be highly unusual for a player of his caliber to ever be asked to switch positions.  And that even though he has only four months to learn a new position, he will take the new challenge in stride and do whatever he can to help his new team.

They make it sound like he's being asked to play a new position and he's taking one for the team by doing so.  Except he wasn't being asked, he was being told that's what he's doing.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

11 hours ago, Meacon said:

That's one of those rare deals that very clearly worked out well for both teams. Seattle gets a good hitter with amazing speed to put at the top of the line-up and Miami just saved themselves about $40 million in their quest to cut all contracts that are more expensive than league minimum. 

Seattle also got international money, presumably for Ohtani.

[Meacon Keaton]

Apparently there is suspected foul play (hey yo baseball pun) regarding the Ohtani thing. I haven't had a chance to look into what exactly it is.

Also I got an alert saying that Giancarlo Stanton is now saying he'd waive his no trade clause to play for the Yankees. Now that's a Christmas present I'd be excited about.  

[The Buscher]

Yeah, even though it sounds like the Marlins have agreed upon trade proposals for the Giants and Cardinals, Stanton isn't thrilled about going to either of those places.  So he's told the front office that he only wants to go to one of this year's final four teams:  Astros, Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs.

People are comparing it to Kevin Durant but it's not even close.  Durant willingly left a team that was only a win away from the finals to go to the team that beat him.  Stanton doesn't want to leave, he's just been told in no uncertain terms that they can't afford to build a team around him.  So if they're going to move him, he may as well go to a team that can win a title fairly quickly.

Comparing the situations is apples and oranges with the sports they are, anyway.  Basketball is incredibly easy to predict and Durant leaving essentially ended the season 11 months early and was basically an easy pass for a ring.  Stanton could go to a team well positioned to win but even then the best teams in baseball can easily lose a best of five or best of seven series.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

1 hour ago, Meacon said:

Also I got an alert saying that Giancarlo Stanton is now saying he'd waive his no trade clause to play for the Yankees. Now that's a Christmas present I'd be excited about.