MLB Offseason Moves/Rumor Thread

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, HakunaSakata said:

I'm pretty sure "Kramer" is in his 70s. 

 

Thank goodness some of us can edit our posts. 

[Just Regular]

Roki Sasaki is the next great coattail question whenever that happens.    I imagine Ohtani is captivating millions of kids in ways Gerrit Cole is not, and in 10, 25 years it'll be interesting to see how extensively MLB's player population diversifies.

For now Koji Uehara remains in the Top 10 of rWAR by players from Japan.     Chronologically by birth, some of the greats are:

1940 - Sadaharu Oh

1968 - Hideo Nomo     

1973 - Ichiro!

1974 - Hideki Matsui

1975 - Hiroki Kuroda and Koji Uehara

1981 - Hisashi Iwakuma

1986 - Yu Darvish

1988 - Masahiro Tanaka and Kenta Maeda (USA Clayton Kershaw)

1991 - Yusei Kikuchi

1993 - Kodai Senga and Masataka Yoshida (USA Tyler Glasnow)

1994 - Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki (USA Walker Buehler)

1998 - Yoshinobu Yamamoto

2001 - Roki Sasaki

I believe if it ends up Roki Sasaki obtains 2025 access to MLB, it'll be a Strasburg+ phenomenon.     He won't have the "short pitcher" scout ding, and even with that Friedman's bet that Yamamoto is Glasnow's AAV equivalent on the open market.       

The Dodgers and Padres have a couple of those March 20-ish regular season games for Asia promotional purposes, so we'll get the gift of Yamamoto v. Manny, Tatis and Xander as an amazing appetizer.     Yu Darvish will be the old dog trying to navigate the Dodgers lineup.

[Number5]

1 hour ago, HakunaSakata said:

Yamamoto's agent walked back the play with other Japanese players comment and even if it was true, he could have just as easily chosen to the Mets since they have Kodai Senga. I think it was all about 1) Money and 2) Proximity to Japan. It's still a brutal flight but leaving from the West Coast as opposed to the East Coast shaves off like 3-4 hours. I think LA being a top 10 City in terms of Japanese population was probably just icing on the cake.

Also, saying a team that has had one previous Japanese player who was an all-star (once) really qualifies it as having a "rich history of bringing in Japanese pitchers who become MLB stars" seems like a bit of a stretch. Yu Darvish only played for them for a few months so I don't think he really counts and Kenta Maeda is the only other Japanese pitcher I can think of who the Dodgers have rostered, but I don't believe he was ever an all-star.  

I've seen this said numerous times on the internet, but I have my doubts about this.  I think having Japanese teammates and having a sizable Japanese population in the area are larger factors than the proximity to Japan.  After all, he's not going to be commuting from Tokyo every day.  I really don't think the travel time difference from Japan to LA or NYC is a deciding factor for Yamamoto.  The money and overall contract terms are clearly #1, as you said.  I think that, as with all players, the comfort level with perceived lifestyle differences and team fit would matter more to him than the proximity to his place of birth.  I don't know the man, and we all have different buttons, but I just have a hard time believing that that extra flight time once or twice a year is a deal-breaker for a man as accustomed to travel as a professional athlete.  He's clearly chosen the Dodgers, so this is all moot, of course, but I just wanted to throw my 2 cents out there on the proximity issue.

Edited December 23, 2023 by Number5

[Just Regular]

I'm kind of watching NPB this decade half expecting something like what happened to the Negro Leagues after Jackie.

I think in Ichiro's generation, there was greater domestic pressure to stay in Japan.      Shohei's a generational talent* living his best life and I believe giving basebally joy to the world he couldn't at home, in parallel with the general tide of globalization.    All of Asia's greatest players (and I'm hopeful I'll live to see Baseball Yao Ming and not conflict with China) I think will get here as surely as Messi and Ronaldo got to European capitals, and their dads and granddads not so much.

Boy also are rules changes going to be contrived if 2024 Carter Stewart can have a vintage 2021-2023 Yoshinobu Yamamoto season, and gains true free agency when he turns 25 just prior to the 2024 Winter Meetings.       Stewart hasn't pitched anywhere near as effectively the last few seasons, but he was better in 2023 and at one time had approximately similar pedigree to Grayson Rodriguez for the American Clubs.     The Sigbots only care about the data readouts anyway.

*actual, valid use!

[Sports Guy]

 

[CaptainRedbeard]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

 

Bryce Miller was already the #11 SP with >100 IP last year by Stuff+. He was tied with Grayson. And that was almost entirely on the strength of his fastball, but with plus slider and curve. He had a subpar changeup (not registered as a splitter).  I was already really interested in him, but if he’s adding an improved splitter/change as well that’s very interesting.

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, CaptainRedbeard said:

Bryce Miller was already the #11 SP with >100 IP last year by Stuff+. He was tied with Grayson. And that was almost entirely on the strength of his fastball, but with plus slider and curve. He had a subpar changeup (not registered as a splitter).  I was already really interested in him, but if he’s adding an improved splitter/change as well that’s very interesting.

I didn’t love some of his statcast data and that was a reason I liked Woo although it’s a SSS for each.  Woo also did a better job of missing bats and getting Ks.

But yea, this could be a game changer for him.

[ThisIsBirdland]

I’m pretty patient and trusting of the front office but it will be frustrating if they don’t land one of these SPs we’ve been discussing all offseason. So many options.

[Just Regular]

4 hours ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

I’m pretty patient and trusting of the front office but it will be frustrating if they don’t land one of these SPs we’ve been discussing all offseason. So many options.

I'm ready to continue excruciating patience until July 31, but if on August 1 there isn't an obviously superior option to John Means or Dean Kremer to start Game 3 it'll be tough.

The first part of 2024 will give some data whether any of Hall, Povich or McDermott can be that, but I think the odds are against.

Chris Getz hopes Dylan Cease is the only important trade SP to move before spring to tilt supply and demand his way.     Burnes, Bieber, Luzardo and Framber are all on possible or sure contenders.      The Mariners can use all their pitchers for now - by July 31 they will have an almost full view how Robbie Ray's return timeline looks.

Seattle is one of the Clubs with big TV revenue worries, so high dollar Ray (or even Luis Castillo as a longer shot) could be in the summer mix.     If Kirby and Gilbert are their 1-2, they aren't going to be wanting to pay $20mm+ to SP3 and SP4, and that goes even more so if one of Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo pushes towards the Top 3.

[Can_of_corn]

35 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

I'm ready to continue excruciating patience until July 31, but if on August 1 there isn't an obviously superior option to John Means or Dean Kremer to start Game 3 it'll be tough.

The first part of 2024 will give some data whether any of Hall, Povich or McDermott can be that, but I think the odds are against.

Chris Getz hopes Dylan Cease is the only important trade SP to move before spring to tilt supply and demand his way.     Burnes, Bieber, Luzardo and Framber are all on possible or sure contenders.      The Mariners can use all their pitchers for now - by July 31 they will have an almost full view how Robbie Ray's return timeline looks.

Seattle is one of the Clubs with big TV revenue worries, so high dollar Ray (or even Luis Castillo as a longer shot) could be in the summer mix.     If Kirby and Gilbert are their 1-2, they aren't going to be wanting to pay $20mm+ to SP3 and SP4, and that goes even more so if one of Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo pushes towards the Top 3.

So some of us have already graduated to assuming the team will be in the ALDS?

At this rate the fanbase should be insufferable by 2025.

[Bahama O's Fan]

I think what you see now is what you get. We aren't making any major moves. We might add some deep depth here or there, but this is the roster, basically.

[MCO'sFan]

48 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

I'm ready to continue excruciating patience until July 31, but if on August 1 there isn't an obviously superior option to John Means or Dean Kremer to start Game 3 it'll be tough.

The first part of 2024 will give some data whether any of Hall, Povich or McDermott can be that, but I think the odds are against.

Chris Getz hopes Dylan Cease is the only important trade SP to move before spring to tilt supply and demand his way.     Burnes, Bieber, Luzardo and Framber are all on possible or sure contenders.      The Mariners can use all their pitchers for now - by July 31 they will have an almost full view how Robbie Ray's return timeline looks.

Seattle is one of the Clubs with big TV revenue worries, so high dollar Ray (or even Luis Castillo as a longer shot) could be in the summer mix.     If Kirby and Gilbert are their 1-2, they aren't going to be wanting to pay $20mm+ to SP3 and SP4, and that goes even more so if one of Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo pushes towards the Top 3.

If John Means returns to being pre-TJ John Means then I have no problem with him starting a GM3 if they get there. 

[Three Run Homer]

1 hour ago, Just Regular said:

I'm ready to continue excruciating patience until July 31, but if on August 1 there isn't an obviously superior option to John Means or Dean Kremer to start Game 3 it'll be tough.

The first part of 2024 will give some data whether any of Hall, Povich or McDermott can be that, but I think the odds are against.

Chris Getz hopes Dylan Cease is the only important trade SP to move before spring to tilt supply and demand his way.     Burnes, Bieber, Luzardo and Framber are all on possible or sure contenders.      The Mariners can use all their pitchers for now - by July 31 they will have an almost full view how Robbie Ray's return timeline looks.

Seattle is one of the Clubs with big TV revenue worries, so high dollar Ray (or even Luis Castillo as a longer shot) could be in the summer mix.     If Kirby and Gilbert are their 1-2, they aren't going to be wanting to pay $20mm+ to SP3 and SP4, and that goes even more so if one of Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo pushes towards the Top 3.

I think you are correct that there won't be many trades of front-line starting pitching this offseason, which makes it all the more important that the O's make a serious attempt to sign someone in the free agent market.  I'm going to be pretty steamed if this team doesn't make a major addition to the starting rotation in the offseason.  

[Frobby]

40 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

I think what you see now is what you get. We aren't making any major moves. We might add some deep depth here or there, but this is the roster, basically.

Way too soon to say IMO.  This is the slowest moving market in a long time.  Plenty of time remains. 

[Keygans]

Bryce Miller and Justin Topa for Cowser and Ortiz.  Who hangs up first?