2022-23 Baseball Offseason

[burnspbesq]

It will make this Cardinal fan very happy if we land a good SS like Swanson. He's a terrific fielder and a good hitter. When Mozeliak told the press that the team was going to give DeJong a chance to win the SS job in ST, I thought to myself, here we go again. Another year of a batting average between .100 and .200. I hope they go ahead and make that deal and then trade for a catcher to replace Yadi. Maybe the Oakland catcher, Murphy.

You can have James McCann for next to nothing. He is surplus to requirements in NY.

[DUKIECB]

I am reading the Cardinals and Cubs are current front runners to land the services of current shortstop of the Braves, Dansby Swanson.

I'm still holding out hope that the Braves can find a way to give Dansby enough money to stay but it's looking less and less likely. After the way the Freddie Freeman fiasco last year I was hoping this one could be different.

With Turner setting the bar so high at 27 mil per for 11 years I just don't see Swanson taking what the Braves can or will offer him.

[mr. synellinden]

Judge signs with the Yankees. 9 years and $360 million. And by Judge, I mean Aaron Judge not Arson Judge who signed with the Giants yesterday.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ees-per-report


That’s a lot of money for a 30 year old but he just had one of the greatest seasons in MLB history. And the Yankees need him. What’s Ohtani going to get?

[Duke79UNLV77]

The Dodgers have lost All-Star Trea Turner, All-Star Tyler Anderson, Heaney (ERA just over 3 and over 13 strikeouts per 9 innings), and Bellinger (amazing that he was MVP at age 23 and now a bust at age 26), and likely will lose Justin Turner. For the first time in a good number of years, they may not be the NL favorites starting the season.

[Chicago 1995]

Red Sox sign Kenley Jansen. 2/$32.

That would make more sense if (1) they had the questions on offense figured out; and (2) they didn't have two huge holes at the head of the starting rotation. Shoring up the back of the pen is great, but there are big holes to fix. Tinkering on the (relative) margins isn't going to placate a pretty disenchanted Red Sox fan base.

[CameronDuke]

I’m reading the Cardinals are about to sign 3X All-Star and 2016 World Series champion catcher Wilson Contreras from their rivals, the Chicago Cubs.

[mr. synellinden]

The Dodgers have lost All-Star Trea Turner, All-Star Tyler Anderson, Heaney (ERA just over 3 and over 13 strikeouts per 9 innings), and Bellinger (amazing that he was MVP at age 23 and now a bust at age 26), and likely will lose Justin Turner. For the first time in a good number of years, they may not be the NL favorites starting the season.

And with all that, the Dodgers still potentially have the following as the top 5 in their lineup:

Betts
Lux
Freeman
Smith
Muncy (check out his second half stats)

Potentially 5 All-Stars right there.

And their starting rotation as of now is:

Urias
Kershaw
Gonsolin
May

With Michael Grove, Ryan Pepiot, Gavin Stone and Bobby Miller potentially ready to step into the rotation. Or in the case of Miller, maybe a setup or closer role.

They also have a number of young hitters that may be ready to become everyday players. Vargas and Outman who spent some time with the team last season - and Michael Busch.

A good rundown here:

https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2022-12-06/dodgers-prospects-james-outmangavin-stone-miguel-vargas-bobby-miller?_amp=true

I would not be surprised to see them go after Correa and/or Rodon. But the cupboard is not bare there.

All that being said, if I had to bet right now, I’d say the Braves, Dodgers, Phillies, Mets and Padres would be my top 5 - in that order. But most betting lines have the Dodgers as clear favorites over the Braves. I think it’s closer than it was last year - so essentially I agree with you that they are definitely not the clear favorites they have been the past few seasons even if the oddsmakers say they are.

[luvdahops]

I’m reading the Cardinals are about to sign 3X All-Star and 2016 World Series champion catcher Wilson Contreras from their rivals, the Chicago Cubs.

Ouch. Worst case scenario for a Cubs fan. Was disappointed the Cubs didn't do more to keep Contreras, especially after potential summer trades fizzled. And then to not only lose him, but to the archrival Cardinals of all landing spots.

[mr. synellinden]

Can one of the mods fix the typo in the thread title, please?

Thank you.

[mr. synellinden]

Wow - the Padres are really all in. They signed Bogaerts - committing to an 11-year contract worth $280 million. I mean, Bogaerts is 30. 11 years?

Bogaerts, Soto, Machado, Tatis. Just wow.

[mkirsh]

Wow - the Padres are really all in. They signed Bogaerts - committing to an 11-year contract worth $280 million. I mean, Bogaerts is 30. 11 years?

Bogaerts, Soto, Machado, Tatis. Just wow.

And they reportedly offered Judge $400m over 10 years. Which he turned down. Crazy

[cato]

Wow - the Padres are really all in. They signed Bogaerts - committing to an 11-year contract worth $280 million. I mean, Bogaerts is 30. 11 years?

Bogaerts, Soto, Machado, Tatis. Just wow.

If there was one position the Padres had covered, it was SS. I suppose Bogaerts grabs the spot at short, Kim slides over to second and Cronenworth slides over to first.

I don’t know anything about Bogaerts’s fielding ability, but Machado, Kim and Cronenworth are elite so that rounds out a nice infield.

Fernando better be ready to play in the outfield when he gets back.

[CameronDuke]

Ouch. Worst case scenario for a Cubs fan. Was disappointed the Cubs didn't do more to keep Contreras, especially after potential summer trades fizzled. And then to not only lose him, but to the archrival Cardinals of all landing spots.

Tough day for the Cubs. I think the only remaining player on their current roster that was on their 2016 World Series championship team is now Kyle Hendricks.

[burnspbesq]

Jose Quintana has reportedly agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal with the Mets.

Right now the Mets rotation looks like Verlander/Scherzer/Quintana/Carracci/Peterson or Megill. If they’re able to bring Bassitt back, then they’re good to go. And they can still go five years, $120 million to bring Nimmo back if that’s what it takes.

[duke74]

Jose Quintana has reportedly agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal with the Mets.

Right now the Mets rotation looks like Verlander/Scherzer/Quintana/Carracci/Peterson or Megill. If they’re able to bring Bassitt back, then they’re good to go. And they can still go five years, $120 million to bring Nimmo back if that’s what it takes.

Think we are still looking at Senga from Japan.

And I really want Nimmo back. He is so valuable to the Mets on so many levels. Work ethic, attitude, table setting, etc.

[cato]

Think we are still looking at Senga from Japan.

And I really want Nimmo back. He is so valuable to the Mets on so many levels. Work ethic, attitude, table setting, etc.

I believe the Padres as also still making a push for Senga.

[kmspeaks]

I'm still holding out hope that the Braves can find a way to give Dansby enough money to stay but it's looking less and less likely. After the way the Freddie Freeman fiasco last year I was hoping this one could be different.

With Turner setting the bar so high at 27 mil per for 11 years I just don't see Swanson taking what the Braves can or will offer him.

I don't think Dansby (baseball performance wise, I understand market value is different) is worth what he's going to make and I'm happy Atlanta won't be giving him $25+ million a year, especially since paying that would probably prohibit resigning Max Fried in a couple years. In a healthy Atlanta lineup he's hitting in the bottom 3rd and that's just too much money for a hitter as streaky as he is.

Freddie overplayed his hand and assumed there were no lengths the Braves wouldn't go to resign him so he ended up taking less money to get the 6th year he prioritized. Dansby is different, he's at the perfect age to go play the big free agent game and Atlanta doesn't want to swim in those waters. I like him as a player but won't lose any sleep over him playing somewhere else.

[DUKIECB]

I don't think Dansby (baseball performance wise, I understand market value is different) is worth what he's going to make and I'm happy Atlanta won't be giving him $25+ million a year, especially since paying that would probably prohibit resigning Max Fried in a couple years. In a healthy Atlanta lineup he's hitting in the bottom 3rd and that's just too much money for a hitter as streaky as he is.

Freddie overplayed his hand and assumed there were no lengths the Braves wouldn't go to resign him so he ended up taking less money to get the 6th year he prioritized. Dansby is different, he's at the perfect age to go play the big free agent game and Atlanta doesn't want to swim in those waters. I like him as a player but won't lose any sleep over him playing somewhere else.

I can’t argue with anything you said but I really like Dansby and his clubhouse leadership will be missed. I was just hoping for some compromise and for once to keep a hometown guy but money trumps all of that almost every time.

[budwom]

Right now there are enough billionaire owners who don't really care about profit and loss* that we will continue to see crazy lucrative contracts bestowed upon over the hill superstars...

* profit and loss offset long term by the appreciating values of franchises...even Steve Ballmer's frothing at the mouth purchase of the Clips in 2014 for $2 billion has seen an estimated appreciation of more than $600 million.

[burnspbesq]

Think we are still looking at Senga from Japan.

And I really want Nimmo back. He is so valuable to the Mets on so many levels. Work ethic, attitude, table setting, etc.

You got your wish. Eight years, $162 million.

Mets also signed David Robertson to bolster the pen.