5 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

God dammit that's a great deal for the Twins.  He's purely a DH but he's a good DH.  Would not be surprised to see him put up 3 WAR next year and hit 280/350/520.  That said, there's a non zero chance his BA craters and sucks up a lot of his value.  Not much value at 230/300/470.

.280/.350/.520 is a pretty solid improvement over his 2018 season for a soon to be 39 year old.  I think it is much longer likely you see something like .235/.320/.500.  He'll probably hit 30-35 homers though.  

2 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

.280/.350/.520 is a pretty solid improvement over his 2018 season for a soon to be 39 year old.  I think it is much longer likely you see something like .235/.320/.500.  He'll probably hit 30-35 homers though.  

His road slash line last year was .295/.372/.527/.900.

Just now, ChiSox59 said:

.280/.350/.520 is a pretty solid improvement over his 2018 season for a soon to be 39 year old.  I think it is much longer likely you see something like .235/.320/.500.  He'll probably hit 30-35 homers though.  

In all honesty it just depends on how juicy he is up in Minny.  His aging curve is quintessential PEDs.  You're telling me a guy like Frank had his bat speed fall off dramatically in his mid 30s (injuries and all) but a guy like Cruz somehow not only maintains it but from 33-37 puts up his best offensive seasons, maintaining a BA over 280?

 

 

 

We’re roughly 45 days away from spring training and there are still a ton of free agents available.  Baseball’s system is definitely broken.

2 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

We’re roughly 45 days away from spring training and there are still a ton of free agents available.  Baseball’s system is definitely broken.

I don't understand how they can really make free agents sign sooner, and I don't really know why or how other sports don't seem to have this issue.

7 minutes ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

I don't understand how they can really make free agents sign sooner, and I don't really know why or how other sports don't seem to have this issue.

Baseball is very different for two reasons.  #1, their minor league system is super unique, and #2 MLB is the only pro sport with an anti-trust exemption.

13 minutes ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

I don't understand how they can really make free agents sign sooner, and I don't really know why or how other sports don't seem to have this issue.

I think Dombrowski through out the idea of having a deadline for moves being done (say Dec 31) and then rosters would be frozen until opening day.

As for why this is happening, I think not having caps & floors is part of it, but also the group think effect of almost all GMs valuing players in similar fashions and more willing to wait out agents for most of the over 30’s guys.

Edited December 31, 20187 yr by Chicago White Sox

19 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I think Dombrowski through out the idea of having a deadline for moves being done (say Dec 31) and then rosters would be frozen until opening day.

As for why this is happening, I think not having caps & floors is part of it, but also the group think effect of almost all GMs valuing players in similar fashions and more willing to wait out agents for most of the over 30’s guys.

I think it was spring training. The other thing mentioned was apparently it used to be after the Winter Meetings, there was no inter league  trading for a month or so.  That could spur some signings and trades.

I also read that as of today, only 6 players have signed contracts this off season longer than two years. And if you are in your 30s, you might want to reconsider ever becoming a free agent if you get a good offer beforehand.

I hope the Sox wind up signing both big guys, but if not, will they still do something significant?

58 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I think Dombrowski through out the idea of having a deadline for moves being done (say Dec 31) and then rosters would be frozen until opening day.

As for why this is happening, I think not having caps & floors is part of it, but also the group think effect of almost all GMs valuing players in similar fashions and more willing to wait out agents for most of the over 30’s guys.

I keep thinking that it would give one side or the other the upper hand, but I can't exactly think of why. But yeah, some sort of deadline would be great. Maybe even 30 days before the first team reports in the spring

57 minutes ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

I keep thinking that it would give one side or the other the upper hand, but I can't exactly think of why. But yeah, some sort of deadline would be great. Maybe even 30 days before the first team reports in the spring

Dick Allen suggested this - you sign a player before the Thursday of the Winter Meetings you don't lose a draft pick. Brilliant idea, positive feedback, both GMs and players would push to meet that deadline. 90% of the people given QOs would sign that week. 

15 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Dick Allen suggested this - you sign a player before the Thursday of the Winter Meetings you don't lose a draft pick. Brilliant idea, positive feedback, both GMs and players would push to meet that deadline. 90% of the people given QOs would sign that week. 

What is the advantage to having players sign earlier? Right now it continues to create conversation and interest in the league during the off season. I don't see why the league would want to curtail that.

11 minutes ago, ptatc said:

What is the advantage to having players sign earlier? Right now it continues to create conversation and interest in the league during the off season. I don't see why the league would want to curtail that.

I think that is the counter argument. But is this really healthy conversation vs. the conversation fans would be having had most of the moves been made by now? Wouldn’t Bryce Harper jerseys make nice Christmas gifts? Look at fanatics top selling jerseys. He and Machado aren’t even on the list.

Whatever they do they need some sort of deadline. If they think conversation about how many free agents haven’t signed yet is a good thing, I really don’t agree. I think the owners like this because it will help suppress pay outs. If it leads to a strike, I don’t think whatever they think they are saving is worth it.

 

Edited January 1, 20197 yr by Dick Allen

1 hour ago, ptatc said:

What is the advantage to having players sign earlier? Right now it continues to create conversation and interest in the league during the off season. I don't see why the league would want to curtail that. 

Huge advantages. For the players, they get reassurance of a contract + team while not having to play risk with the market. For teams, they get a better picture of their plans instead of being held ransom by the top players like Harper/Machado (Think: IF w'sox miss out on harper/machado, are their plans ruined for this offseason as they missed out on a number of FA's that could have helped them since they were focued on harper/machado).

For the fans, sure you might miss the rumors, but I'm sick of the fake sources and rumors, and it's not like they won't be there still... there will still be free agents (without qualifying offers) and trades to be made.

3 hours ago, ptatc said:

What is the advantage to having players sign earlier? Right now it continues to create conversation and interest in the league during the off season. I don't see why the league would want to curtail that.

Right now from the player's side here's the setup. This is not a functioning market. It's becoming a race to the bottom. 

Quote

• Only six players have signed deals of more than two years fully guaranteed.

• No player older than 32 has signed a deal with more than two years fully guaranteed.

• There are about 200 unsigned free agents, and privately, player agents continue to forecast worsening conditions in the years ahead, because the vast majority of those in the open market will take one-year agreements to go back to work in spring training -- and then go back into free agency next winter and join the ever-growing number of players looking for work every offseason.

 

Free agent frenzy doesn't seem to hurt the other sports. 

Would it really kill baseball if no one was thinking too much about them in January during the NFL playoffs?

Everyone loves trade deadline action, create some motivation to have most of your roster in place before Christmas,. Make the Winter Meetings a spectacle again,  and pretty much shut it down until after the Super Bowl.

No matter what, most fans and networks think a lot will happen during the Winter Meetings,  and more times than not lately, they have been disappointed. It can be fixed.

If the owners insist on this path, the strike they will cause could really set them back. And you know there is going to be a strike because it lines up almost perfectly with when the Sox should be good again.

 

1 minute ago, bschmaranz said:

 

Definitely an interesting development. 

At major league min, it’s a no risk move for the Yanks, even if they’re serious about Machado. But why would Tulo agree to that deal with the Yanks if Machado was signing there too?

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

Definitely an interesting development. 

At major league min, it’s a no risk move for the Yanks, even if they’re serious about Machado. But why would Tulo agree to that deal with the Yanks if Machado was signing there too?

It would mean Andujar is getting dealt or moved to 1B if they signed Tulo and Manny.

Edited January 2, 20197 yr by soxfan2014

12 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Right now from the player's side here's the setup. This is not a functioning market. It's becoming a race to the bottom. 

 

I don't think this has anything to do with a deadline.  These players will be signed prior to Spring training if anyone wants them. I think it has more to do with clubs fans being more tolerant to rebuilding than a deadline.

The worst thing to happen to the middle range FA was the Cubs and Houston showing that tanking and building from within is really the better option if you don't have a 250 mil payroll. The teams sucked for 4 to 5 years but the fans came back.

14 hours ago, iWiN4PreP said:

Huge advantages. For the players, they get reassurance of a contract + team while not having to play risk with the market. For teams, they get a better picture of their plans instead of being held ransom by the top players like Harper/Machado (Think: IF w'sox miss out on harper/machado, are their plans ruined for this offseason as they missed out on a number of FA's that could have helped them since they were focued on harper/machado).

For the fans, sure you might miss the rumors, but I'm sick of the fake sources and rumors, and it's not like they won't be there still... there will still be free agents (without qualifying offers) and trades to be made.

I don't think the teams really care if they don't have a clear picture of the roster 3 months before the season. How many teams are being held for ransom by this once in a lifetime  situation (age/quality), 3 or 4. Not really a big deal anywhere else but in those places. Every other team could be signing and trading if they wanted to. They are just choosing a different direction. 

This slow FA market for the second year in a row is really going to be interesting going forward. If I was a fringe team this is actually the perfect time to go out there and make moves for cheaper that really improve the team. My worry is that we will have a work stoppage though ... and of course when the Sox are starting to be in contention.

Passan saying we’re the best fit for A.J. Pollock. Thoughts?