2015 MLB Free Agents

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Originally Posted by ToasterOven

Red Sox in gamble mode. Sandoval's slugging and on base have gone down for 4 straight years. Hanley is pretty fragile and is probably going to learn a new position.

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It is the proper year for them to gamble. Their #7 1st round pick is protected, so they can't lose it. The top-10 protected system really benefits the big-market/highly desirable franchises to have an off year every now and again.

It makes little sense that Boston can get a free pass this season signing any "rejected qualifying offer" free agents, yet the Marlins and Padres (the 11th and 12th worst teams last year), if they could even convince/want someone to sign with them, would forfeit their pick.

Granted Boston will still lose their 2nd and 3rd rd. picks with these signings, and SF and LAD will get compensatory picks.

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Originally Posted by ToasterOven

Red Sox in gamble mode. Sandoval's slugging and on base have gone down for 4 straight years. Hanley is pretty fragile and is probably going to learn a new position.

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Way I see it.

R CF Shane Victorino
R 2B Dusitn Pedroia
L DH Ortiz
R RF Yoenis Cespedes
S 3B Pablo,Sanoval
R LF Hanley Ramirez
R 1B Mike Napoli
R SS Xander Boegarts
R C Christian Vasquez


Too many right hand hitters.

Cespedes will never play Right Field. There was reported friction with Coaches & organization late last year. He will be traded.

Ramirez is athletic - like any SS who makes it to the Majors. However, who knows if he can play a big left field on the road.

AL East is too tough. This will never do. Do the Sox have a plan? Well, they gambled on youth last year and shit the bed offensively. I think this is just reactionary stuff to put butts in seats.

It will be several years before they sort out the very talented farm system & the kids they called up last year.

I understand this isn't a free agent signing but wow for the Blue Jays. Donaldson for Lawrie & a few prospects just doesn't seem right but Alex Anthopolous pulled it off. I absolutely love Donaldson.

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All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson is the latest Oakland Athletics star traded away in a rebuilding effort.

General manager Billy Beane looked at the large deficit by which his Athletics lost the American League West to the Angels, then evaluated how Oakland barely held off Seattle on the season's final day for the second wild card.

He realized he needed to rebuild his roster once more, but at least initially he didn't envision the move he made Friday night: letting Donaldson go to the Toronto Blue Jays for third baseman Brett Lawrie, right-hander Kendall Graveman, left-hander Sean Nolin and minor league shortstop Franklin Barreto.

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http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11...onto-blue-jays

Friedman/Zaidi not exactly doing wonders for the Dodgers yet, trading for two old relievers and signing two awful starting pitchers (both with ERA well over 5, with little apparent upside).

I think ownership is now suddenly obsessed with cutting payroll, which means Friedman might be handcuffed.

Honestly I'm not at all impressed yet.

Nelson Cruz just signed a four year $57 million deal with the Mariners. This Seattle team could be very solid next year picking up a much needed heavy bat in there lineup cause this is what they lacked last year while giving up the fewest runs in baseball.

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

Friedman/Zaidi not exactly doing wonders for the Dodgers yet, trading for two old relievers and signing two awful starting pitchers (both with ERA well over 5, with little apparent upside).

I think ownership is now suddenly obsessed with cutting payroll, which means Friedman might be handcuffed.

Honestly I'm not at all impressed yet.

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Dodgers had 2nd best record in NL last year. No need to make major adjustments with this team. Find a decent replacement for Ramirez and they should be good to go. LA should win the west by 15 games next year.

Orioles and Mariners both supposedly in talks with Dodgers for Kemp, which would bode well for the Dodgers if they can play those offers against each other. m's and o's both have some highly ranked pitching prospects.

It will be interesting to see what numbers Nelson Cruz puts up in a pitcher's park. Having only played for Texas and Baltimore (and a tiny bit for the Brewers), he's only known launching pads.

Lester gets 6 years $155 million from the Cubs

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story...n-chicago-cubs

Tigers are still going after Scherzer but you can bet he will want more then this now.

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

Lester gets 6 years $155 million from the Cubs

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story...n-chicago-cubs

Tigers are still going after Scherzer but you can bet he will want more then this now.

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Amazing how the entire free agent market was holding off waiting for a guy like Lester.

Scherzer more? Dunno, Lester was a lefty.

Dominos are gonna fall quickly now.

^^^- Yeah that is true about Lester being an elite lefty but still Scherzer has been the best pitcher in the AL over the past 2.5 year period so you know he will want $30 mil a year or more.

It will be interesting to see where baseball salaries go the next five years cause they are already way out of control. Teams should really structure deals based a lot on performance bonuses.

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

^^^- Yeah that is true about Lester being an elite lefty but still Scherzer has been the best pitcher in the AL over the past 2.5 year period so you know he will want $30 mil a year or more.

It will be interesting to see where baseball salaries go the next five years cause they are already way out of control. Teams should really structure deals based a lot on performance bonuses.

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Lol, salaries out of control. People have been saying that since Curt Flood in 1969. You're sounding old BNP.

Teams all got another $25 million this year in TV money. With cable programming dying sports salaries will never turn back.

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Originally Posted by Sanlmar

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

^^^- Yeah that is true about Lester being an elite lefty but still Scherzer has been the best pitcher in the AL over the past 2.5 year period so you know he will want $30 mil a year or more.

It will be interesting to see where baseball salaries go the next five years cause they are already way out of control. Teams should really structure deals based a lot on performance bonuses.

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Lol, salaries out of control. People have been saying that since Curt Flood in 1969. You're sounding old BNP.

Teams all got another $25 million this year in TV money. With cable programming dying sports salaries will never turn back.

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Salaries are nuts imo but with a game you play practically everyday from mid February (training camp before spring training) until October then longer if you make the playoffs it's the sport where players deserve to be paid the most.

As for TV it's still a sport where small markets will continue to always struggle because teams like the Rays, Twins, Diamondbacks, etc. aren't bringing in the money the Dodgers and Yankees are from TV.

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

^^^- Yeah that is true about Lester being an elite lefty but still Scherzer has been the best pitcher in the AL over the past 2.5 year period so you know he will want $30 mil a year or more.

It will be interesting to see where baseball salaries go the next five years cause they are already way out of control. Teams should really structure deals based a lot on performance bonuses.

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Originally Posted by abrown83

Cubs will get Lester and Russell Martin.

Also might get Hamels, if they are willing to trade one of their top prospects for him (preferably Addison Russell and a pitcher).

That would probably drop their odds in Vegas to be a top five WS pick.

Of course they are the Cubs and will fuck it up somehow.

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Well I was close, Lester and Montero (Toronto overpaid for Martin).

Cubs were already down to the 6th favorite this morning on Bovada.

They also signed back Hammel.

Cubs top four starting pitchers had a ERA of 2.74 in 99 starts last year.

If some of that young hitting arrives they are going to be very good this year.

And now the fourth favorite on Bovada.

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

^^^- Yeah that is true about Lester being an elite lefty but still Scherzer has been the best pitcher in the AL over the past 2.5 year period so you know he will want $30 mil a year or more.

It will be interesting to see where baseball salaries go the next five years cause they are already way out of control. Teams should really structure deals based a lot on performance bonuses.

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In an ideal world this would happen, but they can't

Reports that ole boy scherzer is looking for 7yr 200m

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Originally Posted by abrown83

And now the fourth favorite on Bovada.

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Granted they are public teams, but I'm not sure which one is more insane...Cubs at 12-1 or Red Sox at 9-1

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Originally Posted by lewfather

Reports that ole boy scherzer is looking for 7yr 200m

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He turned down 6/24 during the year. I could see 6/30 from someone.

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Originally Posted by ToasterOven

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Originally Posted by lewfather

Reports that ole boy scherzer is looking for 7yr 200m

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He turned down 6/24 during the year. I could see 6/30 from someone.

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He will probably get the same deal as Lester just because he is not a lefty.

So 6/155 (25.8125), with a club option for year 7.

Salary fix is easy. don't make the guarunteed. Not sure why nba doesn't as well.

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Originally Posted by JUSTIFIEDhomicide

Salary fix is easy. don't make the guarunteed. Not sure why nba doesn't as well.

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Because it is collectively bargained & their union isn't that stupid but I'm sure it was a rhetorical question & you knew the answer.

One way to bring down the price of the tickets to attend games would be for the governments to make them non tax deductible. No corporations would buy them at such inflated prices if they weren't.

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Originally Posted by JUSTIFIEDhomicide

Salary fix is easy. don't make the guarunteed. Not sure why nba doesn't as well.

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Wat

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Originally Posted by Hockey Guy

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Originally Posted by JUSTIFIEDhomicide

Salary fix is easy. don't make the guarunteed. Not sure why nba doesn't as well.

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Because it is collectively bargained & their union isn't that stupid but I'm sure it was a rhetorical question & you knew the answer.

One way to bring down the price of the tickets to attend games would be for the governments to make them non tax deductible. No corporations would buy them at such inflated prices if they weren't.

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Why not? First of all outside of Yankee stadium ticket prices are extremely cheap. If anything they could be raised. Especially GM and SRO.

Secondly, there are so many awful contract. Guys who sign for 8-10 years, and have 3-4 solid years(Ryan Howard) and than they fall off. They should be able to be cut, or at the very least they need to start making contracts with extremely low buyout rates based on which year they're buying out.

Something needs to be done. 300mil here 300 mil there, next thing you know someone is going to be signing a 500 million dollar contract right out of hebrew school.

It's fucking ridiculous

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Originally Posted by varys

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Originally Posted by JUSTIFIEDhomicide

Salary fix is easy. don't make the guarunteed. Not sure why nba doesn't as well.

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Wat

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What's the problem, gum?

Name the last contract that was 8-10 years long where the team was happy to be shelling out millions for some washed up 38 year old scrub

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Originally Posted by JUSTIFIEDhomicide

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Originally Posted by Hockey Guy

Because it is collectively bargained & their union isn't that stupid but I'm sure it was a rhetorical question & you knew the answer.

One way to bring down the price of the tickets to attend games would be for the governments to make them non tax deductible. No corporations would buy them at such inflated prices if they weren't.

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Why not? First of all outside of Yankee stadium ticket prices are extremely cheap. If anything they could be raised. Especially GM and SRO.

Secondly, there are so many awful contract. Guys who sign for 8-10 years, and have 3-4 solid years(Ryan Howard) and than they fall off. They should be able to be cut, or at the very least they need to start making contracts with extremely low buyout rates based on which year they're buying out.

Something needs to be done. 300mil here 300 mil there, next thing you know someone is going to be signing a 500 million dollar contract right out of hebrew school.

It's fucking ridiculous

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Baseball contracts do have the availability to have option years, but there is always some dumbass GM out there (like Amaro Jr.) who will gladly throw $200 mil fully guaranteed at a power hitter like Howard.

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Originally Posted by JUSTIFIEDhomicide

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Originally Posted by varys

Wat

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What's the problem, gum?

Name the last contract that was 8-10 years long where the team was happy to be shelling out millions for some washed up 38 year old scrub

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Yankees were happy with Jeter's last 10 year deal. His falling off years (the last few) were all 1 year deals if IIRC

You could argue that AROD's original megadeal worked out well also, but he was traded during it, and the Yankees ripped that deal up early to give him another, the one that they are stuck with now.

The problem is how MLB handles players when they are younger.

Service time of six years means a lot of players don't get their first real contract until they are 28-30 years old.

They need to fix the system on the front end, so we don't continually have huge contracts running into players upper 30's (this isn't the steroid era).

Service time should be cut to something like four years.

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Originally Posted by abrown83

The problem is how MLB handles players when they are younger.

Service time of six years means a lot of players don't get their first real contract until they are 28-30 years old.

They need to fix the system on the front end, so we don't continually have huge contracts running into players upper 30's (this isn't the steroid era).

Service time should be cut to something like four years.

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Yup.

Even stud phenoms like Griffey, Trout, Arod who hit the bigs at age 19 technically wouldnt get their first chance at a free market deal til 25ish. of course guys like that tend to get taken care of earlier by their teams (as the Angels recently did with Trout) but the point remains.

Every league has tried to introduce the thought of non-guaranteed contracts during collective bargaining. Every one of them has dismissed it outright & that's where I get my comment that their "union isn't that stupid".

You do understand that the owners of each league just can't unilaterally implement this non-guaranteed contract thing don't you?

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Originally Posted by abrown83

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Originally Posted by ToasterOven

He turned down 6/24 during the year. I could see 6/30 from someone.

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He will probably get the same deal as Lester just because he is not a lefty.

So 6/155 (25.8125), with a club option for year 7.

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I don't think so. Scherzer will be getting more than Lester, I don't think that's in doubt.

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Originally Posted by ToasterOven

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Originally Posted by abrown83

He will probably get the same deal as Lester just because he is not a lefty.

So 6/155 (25.8125), with a club option for year 7.

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I don't think so. Scherzer will be getting more than Lester, I don't think that's in doubt.

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He probably deserves it, but lefties get more money historically than fair value.

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Originally Posted by abrown83

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Originally Posted by ToasterOven

I don't think so. Scherzer will be getting more than Lester, I don't think that's in doubt.

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He probably deserves it, but lefties get more money historically than fair value.

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This is supposed to be true.

Old lefties become LOOGY's. Old righties become bad contracts.

royals making good moves. something that is a rarity w/ them.

padres doing some good things as well..

wtf are the yankees doing...lol..wtf do they like about didi greg? no pop, no run, no hit ss that isn't that good defensively....lol..maybe he'll get better w/ the porch and w/ age he's still young. maybe he could hit 250 w/ 10hrs..lol

yankees are full of 240 hitters and they traded pitching..lol like they have enough of that. (like the headly deal) why trade prado..who will play 2nd base?...lol. i still hope they fry

The latest rumor is the Nationals are pursuing Max Scherzer hard. If he ends up there it will be super scary to face that already stacked core of starting pitching.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/...deal-deal-soon

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

The latest rumor is the Nationals are pursuing Max Scherzer hard. If he ends up there it will be super scary to face that already stacked core of starting pitching.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/...deal-deal-soon

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MLB rumors is reporting that Washington will move Strasburg if they sign Scherzer.

The deal appears to be confirmed with the National for 7 years but I didn't see an amount mentioned yet.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12...d=sportscenter

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

The deal appears to be confirmed with the National for 7 years but I didn't see an amount mentioned yet.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12...d=sportscenter

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Reports are now 210 million.

Wow and sounds like they literally might have been bidding against themselves and Boras played them hard.

Also, not a Free Agent signing but the Cubs got Dexter Fowler for two backups who weren't going to figure into their roster this year.

A career 270/370 guy who last year hit 388/488 with no outs and nobody on base.

I hope at this point the Cubs go after Zimmerman or Strasburg, either would be a nice single year addition and would/should make the Cubs the favorites to win the World Series.

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

The deal appears to be confirmed with the National for 7 years but I didn't see an amount mentioned yet.

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Just noticed Iggy is back at SS, nice.

Nathan is back at closer. Nobody in minors. You hear anything?