The Major League Baseball thread

[Teh One Who Knocks]

So, now let all the hot stove talk start. The big news from Houston is that the owner doesn't want to pay the luxury tax next year so therefore he wants to stay under the salary cap. That mean he's basically going to let Gerrit Cole walk. Sadly, he's represented by Scott Boras, who I can't stand. But after getting so close to winning, will the Astros owner change his mind? Or is Cole going to become a Yankee like everyone thinks?

And of course the Red Sox are talking about trading Mookie Betts and/or JD Martinez to get out of paying the luxury tax next year, because if Boston doesn't get under the cap this year, they get hit with a HUGE punitive tax for being above the threshold for 3 or 4 straight years now (I forget how long they have been above).

[RBP]

Cole to the White Sox potentially. They are ready to compete, have money to spend, and need a stud starter.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Cole to the White Sox potentially. They are ready to compete, have money to spend, and need a stud starter.

I would say that the ChiSox aren't close enough to winning the World Series yet, you would think it would be hard for a guy like Cole to stake a step backwards, but with Boras as his agent, it's probably going to be all about the money. But then again, the Yankees are close and they have money to burn if they choose to go back to their old ways. Their current ownership doesn't seem quite as free spending as they used to be under Steinbrenner. Yet.

[RBP]

2019 Brewers All-Stars Yasmani Grandal and Mike Moustakas declined mutual options and went out to test their value in free agency.

MLB ranks top 20 free agents
1) Gerrit Cole, RHP, age 29 - Houston
2) Anthony Rendon, 3B, age 29 - Washington
3) Stephen Strasburg, RHP, age 31 - Washington
4) Aroldis Chapman, LHP, age 32 - NYY
5) Zack Wheeler, RHP, age 29 - NYM
6) Madison Bumgarner, LHP, age 3 - SanFran
7) J.D. Martinez, DH/OF, age 32 - Boston
8) Yasmani Grandal, C, age 31 - Milwaukee
9) Hyun-Jin Ryu, LHP, age 33 - LAD
10) Josh Donaldson, 3B, age 34 - Atlanta
11) Marcell Ozuna, OF, age 29 - St Louis
12) Nicholas Castellanos, OF, age 28 - ChiCubs
13) Jake Odorizzi, RHP, age 29 - Minnesota
14) Dallas Keuchel, LHP, age 32 - Atlanta
15) Mike Moustakas, 2B/3B, age 31 - Milwaukee
16) Didi Gregorius, SS, age 30 - NYY
17) Cole Hamels, LHP, age 36 - ChiCubs
18) Yasiel Puig, OF, age 29 - Cincinnati
19) Edwin Encarnación, DH, age 37 - NYY
20) Will Smith, LHP, age 30 - SanFran

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I saw an article that Chapman is definitely going to try the market. He better not be too picky and remember what happened to Kimbrel this past year.

[RBP]

I saw an article that Chapman is definitely going to try the market. He better not be too picky and remember what happened to Kimbrel this past year.

I believe that's an opt-out. He has 2 years at $30M left with NYY if he stays.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I'm going to guess that the now frugal Red Sox aren't going to be major players in the free agent market, at least not for big name free agents. I really hope that they don't let JD walk and that they don't trade Betts, that would be ridiculous and a slap in the face to the fan base.

One 'bad' season is no reason to scrap the team that won 108 games and the World Series just 1 year ago.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I believe that's an opt-out. He has 2 years at $30M left with NYY if he stays.

You're right, it was an opt-out.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

[Teh One Who Knocks]

You know, there's a part of me the wishes we were still back in the days of when players showed loyalty to the teams they played for and the fans that supported them. Now, all they care about is the money. Can you imagine back in the day seeing Ted Williams or Mickey Mantle or Ernie Banks or Mike Schmidt jumping from team to the next team to the next team chasing the almighty dollar? Back in the days when you didn't need names on the backs of the home jerseys because everyone knew who the players were by their numbers?

*sigh*

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Granted, I realize there was really no such thing as free agency back then, but still. Even today, players that either haven't reached free agency or are in the middle of contract negotiations will hold out and throw a temper tantrum until they get their way.

[Godfather]

Looks like the Nationals enjoyed the Capitals game tonight

[Teh One Who Knocks]

JD Martinez isn't opting out of his contact, so now we have to wait and see if they try and trade him. They would be stupid to dismantle the team.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Edmund DeMarche | Fox News




Many on social media voiced their disapproval after Kurt Suzuki, the star Washington Nationals’ catcher, donned a 'MAGA' baseball cap during a Monday ceremony at the White House celebrating his team's unlikely victory over the Houston Astros with President Trump.

The team's meeting with Trump always going to be scrutinized, especially after Trump was roundly booed during Game 5 of the World Series at Nationals Park. What used to be an unremarkable tradition of world champions stopping by the White House, has turned into something of a political event, with pundits even offering teams unsolicited advice on how to proceed.

Bill Kristol on Saturday envisioned "how great it would be" if the Nationals' owner announced that the players decided to "respectfully decline" Trump's White House invitation.

Although some Nationals' players did decline, many showed up for the ceremony, including some of the team's top stars. Many on social media were critical of the team for showing up and the criticism increased the happier the players seemed with the president.

Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute wrote, "Very sad. I love Kurt Suzuki as a player. But he wore a MAGA hat to the White House, so I will not cheer him. Not quite as bad for Ryan Zimmerman, but his praise for Trump is hard to take."

Zimmerman had thanked Trump for his work in keeping the country safe and presented a team jersey.

But Suzuki's endorsement was by far the most scrutinized. While Trump supporters found the display endearing, others slammed Suzuki for wearing the hat and turning the event into a political rally. Trump was even criticized over his "awkward" embrace of the slugger. The Los Angeles Times said the two shared a "titanic moment," referring to the famous picture of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet picture from "Titanic."

For Suzuki, who is from Hawaii, many of the posts were personal attacks. One user posted that he was an “embarrassment to his family" and others called him a racist.

Wajahat Ali, a contributing op-ed writer for the New York Times, posted, “They will never love you, Kurt Suzuki. They will never love you. Enjoy the hug and the delusion. Whatever makes you feel great."


@RBP

[Teh One Who Knocks]