striker

The Cubs selloff last year really drove it.

Smyly would be an interesting pickup. Has experience also pitching out of the pen.

FA - I'd go Cueto. We just need 5 good innings. Pirates aren't going to trade Quintana. They just signed him this offseason. Anyone hear anything about Lambert or Stiever?

If we all agree we need another starter, You can’t argue against plan A if you don’t have a plan B. Trades hurt, but you have to push your chips up at some point.

NSC is back online

I saw your tweet yesterday and all I could think of is there was no way I thought Hosmer would get $144m. Boras always proves me wrong.

I'm thinking Miami or Detroit.

I'd do this.

Dollars are actually close when to take income taxes into account.

I'm thinking our RF, Kimbrel and SP moves are all contingent on Conforto. Option 1: Sign Conforto, trade for Manaea, trade Kimbrel for prospects or backup catcher. Maybe even a three way that sends prospects to Oakland. Option 2: Trade Kimbrel to TB for one of Meadows or Kiermaier. I'd love Conforto, but the projections don't see that much of a different between Conforto, Meadows or Kiermaier. Trade for Manaea. Fans are waiting on a Manaea or Kimbrel trade when Hahn is waiting for Conforto to decide first.

Think it's good news or bad news that we've heard absolutely nothing on the negotiations?

So they can't negotiate trades? Seems odd.

Funny how everyone has said that GMs could still negotiate trades during the lockout but the rumors went dark. Are they under the radar? Are agents primary sources of rumors?

Yeah I was lazy when I picked him. I just saw he played 3B, SS and 2B and had some pop.

Best FA Option: Villar Best trade option: McNeil

It's about actual cost versus market cost. So Kimbrel costs $16m and is worth $16m in the market (based on what Inglesias signed for), so he's break even. Segura costs $12m but is worth say $8m in the market based on what Hernandez signed for, so there is a $4m deficit that the Phillies have to make up in the form of cash and or prospects.

I'd take that too but I want a prospect (Marchan?) and maybe $2m. Then with the 6m cash savings (16m - 12m + 2m cash), you sign Tepera. So you turn Kimbrel into your 2B, backup C and another reliever.

Agreed. I watch baseball for entertainment. The Twitter portion, even the burners, add to the entertainment. It's a long dark cold winter.

With Inglesias signing, the demand for Kimbrel will have gone up and makes him look like his cost and value are aligned. With Hernandez signing for $4m and his production close to matching Segura's, that makes Segura's cost about $8m over value. I've seen rumors of Marlin's interest as well. Thoughts?

They said the same thing last year about Bauer.

Romy is going to end up in Oakland somehow. Then he’ll rollout 3 and 4 war seasons

It makes zero sense to pickup Kimbrels option then trade him for Segura, when you could have declined his option and just signed Escobar for $8-$10m and spent the difference elsewhere. My guess is that whatever conversations they've had about Kimbrel include others coming from the Sox to sweeten the return. I'd love to get McMahon but the Rockies are such an odd team, who knows if they'd even trade him. If they had half a brain they would have traded Gray, Story and others at last years trade deadline.