*** OFFICIAL *** MLB 2023 Thread

[Dan Druff]

Yankees won't say if they're talking with Aaron Judge regarding signing him as a free agent: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ut-aaron-judge

Judge not only had 62 HR, but also hit .311 and managed a .425 OBP. Amazingly, it's not even clear if he will win the MVP, as Shohei Ohtani is also contending for the award, given his stellar two-way season.

While Judge had one of the best offensive seasons of all time, signing him long term to a monster contract carries a little risk. He was injured in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and played only about 60% of the time over that stretch. He was healthy in 2021 and 2022, but as he ages, this becomes a concern.

And his age is the second thing. He's going to be 31 a few weeks into the 2023 season. Will the Aaron Judge of 2028 be like the one we saw in 2022? Probably not. Will the Aaron Judge of 2031 even be viable as a Major League player? Possibly not. Giving him any more than 6 years is probably a big mistake, unless the extra years are cooked into the contract as throwaway years, where you're essentially deferring money.

Right now it is projected that he'll get something like a $300 million deal, which is insane given that these will be his age 31+ years, and he's not a pitcher.

The Dodgers and Giants are considered the two frontrunners for him, especially if Trea Turner (who seems to prefer the east coast) goes elsewhere. The Giants want to get back to respectability after a disappointing failseason following their 107-win campaign in 2021.

[Sanlmar]

Yankees won't say if they're talking with Aaron Judge regarding signing him as a free agent: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ut-aaron-judge

Judge not only had 62 HR, but also hit .311 and managed a .425 OBP. Amazingly, it's not even clear if he will win the MVP, as Shohei Ohtani is also contending for the award, given his stellar two-way season.

While Judge had one of the best offensive seasons of all time, signing him long term to a monster contract carries a little risk. He was injured in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and played only about 60% of the time over that stretch. He was healthy in 2021 and 2022, but as he ages, this becomes a concern.

And his age is the second thing. He's going to be 31 a few weeks into the 2023 season. Will the Aaron Judge of 2028 be like the one we saw in 2022? Probably not. Will the Aaron Judge of 2031 even be viable as a Major League player? Possibly not. Giving him any more than 6 years is probably a big mistake, unless the extra years are cooked into the contract as throwaway years, where you're essentially deferring money.

Right now it is projected that he'll get something like a $300 million deal, which is insane given that these will be his age 31+ years, and he's not a pitcher.

The Dodgers and Giants are considered the two frontrunners for him, especially if Trea Turner (who seems to prefer the east coast) goes elsewhere. The Giants want to get back to respectability after a disappointing failseason following their 107-win campaign in 2021.

Dodgers need to focus on shortstop. Gavin Lux is massively flawed defensively. I swear he never learned how to throw a baseball. He isn’t the answer.

I think you are aware speed on the bases is going to be hugely important next year due to rules changes. Or you could continue the 3 outcome approach.

[Dan Druff]

Yankees won't say if they're talking with Aaron Judge regarding signing him as a free agent: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ut-aaron-judge

Judge not only had 62 HR, but also hit .311 and managed a .425 OBP. Amazingly, it's not even clear if he will win the MVP, as Shohei Ohtani is also contending for the award, given his stellar two-way season.

While Judge had one of the best offensive seasons of all time, signing him long term to a monster contract carries a little risk. He was injured in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and played only about 60% of the time over that stretch. He was healthy in 2021 and 2022, but as he ages, this becomes a concern.

And his age is the second thing. He's going to be 31 a few weeks into the 2023 season. Will the Aaron Judge of 2028 be like the one we saw in 2022? Probably not. Will the Aaron Judge of 2031 even be viable as a Major League player? Possibly not. Giving him any more than 6 years is probably a big mistake, unless the extra years are cooked into the contract as throwaway years, where you're essentially deferring money.

Right now it is projected that he'll get something like a $300 million deal, which is insane given that these will be his age 31+ years, and he's not a pitcher.

The Dodgers and Giants are considered the two frontrunners for him, especially if Trea Turner (who seems to prefer the east coast) goes elsewhere. The Giants want to get back to respectability after a disappointing failseason following their 107-win campaign in 2021.

Dodgers need to focus on shortstop. Gavin Lux is massively flawed defensively. I swear he never learned how to throw a baseball. He isn’t the answer.

I think you are aware speed on the bases is going to be hugely important next year due to rules changes. Or you could continue the 3 outcome approach.

Yeah next year is going to be a huge difference with the shift banning. Really going to change stats for a lot of players. I'm going to research this before the April fantasy draft.

Interestingly enough, Trea Turner's poor defense was really the catalyst to the Dodgers' collapse in this NLDS. I agree Lux is very questionable defensively.

Dodgers also aren't even talking to Justin Turner right now. He put a sort of passive-aggressive complaint through the media about that. I don't see them grabbing his $16 million option. Dude is 38 next month, and looked like an old man in the playoffs. Dodgers need to let him go or sign him for cheap and not expect much.

[Sanlmar]

With regard to speed - I was thinking of this :

Pitchers are limited to two disengagements (pickoff attempts or step-offs) per plate appearance. However, this limit is reset if a runner or runners advance during the plate appearance.

If a third pickoff attempt is made, the runner automatically advances one base if the pickoff attempt is not successful.


Players gonna be running like crazy. Gimme fast guys like Trea Turner

[Sanlmar]

Sadly, Trea is one of those players who appears not to thrive under the bright lights and pressure.

We know players like that.

[Dan Druff]

Edwin Diaz just got $102 million to pitch one inning every so often.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...2-million-deal


Staying with the Mets. Pretty sweet to pull up with a 1.31 ERA and a 17 K/9 on your contract year.

[Sanlmar]

PFA is pleased to announce that Clayton Kershaw signed a one year deal with the Dodgers.

The fail won’t last forever though. Cherish

[Dan Druff]

Dodgers and Kershaw are gonna keep signing 1-year deals until he declares that he and his aching back are done.

He will be 35 in 2023. He's not going to restart his career with any other team. He was briefly considering the Rangers last year, because he grew up in that area, before coming to his senses and realizing that it wasn't a wise move to play out his final years on a failteam.

Keep in mind he also treated his dating life the same way. He's been with the same girl since high school, probably the only one he's ever touched in his life. Unlike most ballplayers who fuck around on the road, I would guess Kershaw has never done that.

Kershaw is one of the rare modern career-long 1-team players. Unlike Freddie Freeman, who also wanted to be a 1-team player and had his hometown as a second choice, there is no large contract to dick around with here. This will be a year-by-year thing, until Clayton said, "Yeah I'm done", and that will be that.

Since Clayton is not one of those players who wants to spend his last few years being terrible or injured almost the whole season (he's a perfectionist, so he couldn't stomach this), so the Dodgers don't need to worry about him outstaying his welcome.

It's no longer a question of when Kershaw leaves -- it's a question of when he retires.

[simpdog]

Edwin Diaz just got $102 million to pitch one inning every so often.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...2-million-deal


Staying with the Mets. Pretty sweet to pull up with a 1.31 ERA and a 17 K/9 on your contract year.

And he gets paid until 2042 lol.

Bobby Bonilla would be proud, his payments finally end in 2035.

[Dan Druff]

Bellinger was non-tendered.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ngeles-dodgers

Dodgers had one more year of him before free agency, but they're letting him go. Why? Because the broken arbitration system would have awarded Bellinger $18 million, and he's not worth that. Besides, even if somehow Bellinger hits unexpectedly well, he's a free agent for 2024, and then where do they go? So keeping him for $18m just didn't make sense.

This is a great example of how they need to fix the arb system. The system was designed to reward good players before they become free agents, but it's insane that even rich teams like the Dodgers are releasing their own homegrown players because the arb system will overpay them. The arb system should be a lot more performance-dependent -- to where very productive players get the big money, but struggling players can be paid a reduced rate.

He's not necessarily leaving LA, though I'm guessing it's more likely than not that he goes elsewhere. The Dodgers still might sign him in a cheaper multiyear deal. I'm guessing he finds some team willing to gamble on him, especially since a change of scenery can help him.

Basically his hitting has been shit since he injured his shoulder in that stupid shoulder bump following a home run. I'm not sure if it's lingering physical issues, or if he just fell into bad habits since coming back, and can't break out. Or both.

I think some teams will try to take a shot with him because his OF defense is so good. Even if he hits like an average outfielder, his defense is good enough to make him valuable. So he doesn't need to destroy the world with his bat in order to make decent money -- just stop hitting .200 and popping/striking out so often.

[FRANKRIZZO]

Judgment Day: Yanks sign judge for 300 mil plus for 10 years

[Ryback_feed_me_more]

Yanks sign judge for 300 mil plus for 10 years

Must be 2 Judge's Cause Aaron got 9 yrs on his contract not 10yrs but at about what I expected avg of $40M a year which seems fair given the market. Whats interesting is it leaked out San Diego offered him more in fact then the Yankees. Not sure how the hell the Padres thought they could afford a 3rd 300Milly+ contract.

[Dan Druff]

Judgment Day: Yanks sign judge for 300 mil plus for 10 years

Try $360m.

And the Padres offered him $400m, but again were spurned.

This is the second time that the Padres offered $40m-$60m over the highest competitor in the east, and got spurned. LOL


Padres probably did themselves a favor. While the huge market Yankees can afford to eat this contract if it goes bad in a few years, the Padres really can't, especially with all the other money they've committed lately.

The second half of this contract should be.... interesting, to say the least.

[Dan Druff]

Oh, and remember Masataka Yoshida? The one on my NL-only fantasy team who I was hoping would come up huge for me as a super-cheap reserve keeper?

Well, not happening. He went to the Sawks for 5 years, $90m.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ee-5-year-deal

[Sanlmar]

Trea Turner and others not interested in playing in California?

Oh geee

[Dan Druff]

Trea Turner and others not interested in playing in California?

Oh geee

His family is from Philadelphia, and in general he is just more comfortable in that area of the country. This has been eating at him ever since he was shipped from Washington DC to the Dodgers.

[Sheesfaced]

Judgment Day: Yanks sign judge for 300 mil plus for 10 years

Try $360m.

And the Padres offered him $400m, but again were spurned.

This is the second time that the Padres offered $40m-$60m over the highest competitor in the east, and got spurned. LOL


Padres probably did themselves a favor. While the huge market Yankees can afford to eat this contract if it goes bad in a few years, the Padres really can't, especially with all the other money they've committed lately.

The second half of this contract should be.... interesting, to say the least.

Padres finally found someone who’d take their money in Boegarts. Even though they already have a SS. Weird.

[FRANKRIZZO]

What do you think about baseball pitch clock and banning the shift?

[tgull]

Sad, met him in 2011. Pedestrian meet up, it was in the offseason circa 2011 and he was hosting some type of radio show. Nothing big, shook hands and that was about it.