13 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Knew he was going to get overpaid.  $40 million for Murakami after the posting fee is a better gamble for a potential star.  O’Hearn is 32 and definitely not that guy.

I bet the 8 million gets covered easily by Japanese advertisement and engagement

3 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Maybe they can still be in on Robert too

Now the Pirates have more cost-certainty at 1B. I wonder which of O'Hearn/Horwitz moves off of 1B to LF or 2B, respectively. 

3 minutes ago, fathom said:

I bet the 8 million gets covered easily by Japanese advertisement and engagement

Yep, Ryan O'Hearn isn't bringing in any outside revenue.

2 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Now the Pirates have more cost-certainty at 1B. I wonder which of O'Hearn/Horwitz moves off of 1B to LF or 2B, respectively. 

Mangun is probably a backup right? Cruz wasn’t very good in CF and they can use someone who can play the position. Cruz probably would shift to LF (or DH I guess). Roster Resource currently has O’Hearn at DH but that is just a guess. Horwitz does have experience at 2B so could be his spot.

I would rather sign Mune, but that said, O’Hearn is gonna help Pittsburgh. With their young pitching, a average offense makes them a playoff threat.

1 minute ago, Timmy U said:

I would rather sign Mune, but that said, O’Hearn is gonna help Pittsburgh. With their young pitching, a average offense makes them a playoff threat.

And maybe Overstock.com sponsers the "O" on O'Hearn's jersey for $10M, or so. 

This deal pretty suggests Sox have to eat half of Benintendi’s salary to get rid of him.

O'Hearn going to turn back into a pumpkin. Good on him for getting a few bucks with a nice stretch of games

17 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

O'Hearn going to turn back into a pumpkin. Good on him for getting a few bucks with a nice stretch of games

Agreed.  So glad Getz stayed far far away.

30 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

O'Hearn going to turn back into a pumpkin. Good on him for getting a few bucks with a nice stretch of games

He’s had consistently above league average offense for 3 seasons. It’s certainly not sexy, but credit where it’s due. 

34 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

O'Hearn going to turn back into a pumpkin. Good on him for getting a few bucks with a nice stretch of games

Why do you think he’s going to turn into a pumpkin?

3 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Why do you think he’s going to turn into a pumpkin?

Bad defender and base runner who doesnt carry the iso value to trust sustained success as a hitter only imo. Lost some bat speed already last year, getting older, and just think that iso and bat speed continues down from here. I also just dont trust thet he's suddenly hitting lefties. 

4 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Yep, Ryan O'Hearn isn't bringing in any outside revenue.

I dunno.....I hear he's a big deal in Ireland.

 

3 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

O'Hearn going to turn back into a pumpkin. Good on him for getting a few bucks with a nice stretch of games

He was already fading in August/September.

3 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Bad defender and base runner who doesnt carry the iso value to trust sustained success as a hitter only imo. Lost some bat speed already last year, getting older, and just think that iso and bat speed continues down from here. I also just dont trust thet he's suddenly hitting lefties. 

I mean he was 52nd percentile in sprint speed last year, was -.6 runs below avg on the bases according to fangraphs and on most hitting metrics is 60th percentile or higher the last three seasons. He's also 32 until late next July. It's not like he's 35 and ready to fall off an athletic cliff. 

The last thing the Sox need is a 32 year old FA 1B projected for 2 WAR -- but as a player O'Hearn has plenty of things going for him and the Pirates spending some money here is a good thing for their team and MLB in general.

26 minutes ago, SoCalChiSox said:

I dunno.....I hear he's a big deal in Ireland.

 

Common misconception. 

People think he's Irish because of the O apostrophe in his last name.

Not true.

He's actually one of the historically mediocre Hearns.  So mediocre in fact that when people would meet them they would state 

"Oh, Hearn.", as if in disappointment. 

Eventually the family was was shortened into the contraction "O'Hearn".

Hope this helps.

29 minutes ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

What if it is the White Sox again?

16 minutes ago, PaleAleSox said:

What if it is the White Sox again?

Get CWS on it!

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/pirates-tied-kazuma-okamoto-mlb-171155977.html

Pirates still looking to add Okamoto

Red Sox and Jays in the mix

Cubs and Yankees both seem to be out on Tatsuya Imai

Leaves SFG AZ SD A's NYM Phillies Orioles Braves

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/the-starting-pitching-market-has-been-particularly-slow-this-offseason-whats-the-deal-015357345.html

"They’re a long way off from spending to the levels of franchises like the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets, but the Pirates are being a little less miserly ahead of the 2026 season. With hopes of maximizing their window with Cy Young winner Paul Skenes on the mound, Pittsburgh has acquired outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia and All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe via trade and signed reliever Gregory Soto to a one-year deal. In perhaps the most significant sign that the Pirates are ready to contend in the NL Central, Pittsburgh is signing former Orioles designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million deal.

The deal is far from the kind of eye-popping contract that those aforementioned franchises throw out each season, but it represents an important step forward for a franchise that has scant looked interested in serious contention at the ownership level. As noted by the Tribune-Review, this is the first multiyear deal that Pittsburgh has given out in free agency since 2016."

www.si.com

There aren’t a ton of options remaining in free agency. The Cards could kick the tires on a one-year deal for Miguel Andujar or Austin Hays, each of whom is coming off a big season with the platoon advantage. Old friend Tommy Pham is coming off a middling season against lefties but carries a .261/.368/.434 line in those situations over his career. Chas McCormick hasn’t hit in either of the past two years. He has a 20-homer season with a .273/.353/.489 showing in 2023 on his résumé.

The Cardinals could also look into a switch-hitting utility option like Willi Castro or Luis Rengifo.

mlbtraderumors.com

10 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Cubs and Yankees both seem to be out on Tatsuya Imai

Leaves SFG AZ SD A's NYM Phillies Orioles Braves

Where is it insinuated that Cubs are out? I think they're the favorites.