2015-16 Hot Stove Baseball

[burnspbesq]

Painful ending to the season, but I don't know even one fellow Mets fan (or anyone else for that matter) who expected in July that we would be one of the two last teams playing. Hopefully this begins a run of success for a few years. And had we not given away two or three games in the WS (sigh...), this may have had a different outcome. But nonetheless the Royals deserve the accolades.

Don't know whether Cespedes or Murphy will be back, but our starters are a great building block in the near term.

LGM ... forever.

My dream opening-day lineup for the 2016 Mets (ironically enough, opening day will be in KC):

Granderson, RF
Wright, 1B
Conforto, LF
Cespedes, CF
Arenado, 3B (obtained in a trade for Harvey, Duda, and Flores)
d'Arnaud, C
Herrera, 2B
Tejada, SS
de Grom, P

Reserve position players: Plawecki, C; Muno, 3B; Tovar, SS/2B; Cuddyer, LF/RF/1B; Lagares, CF; Johnson, 2B/1B/LF
Other starting pitchers: Syndergaard, Matz, Niese, Colon
Relief pitchers: Familia, Clippard, Robles, Blevins, Montero, Verrett

[jimsumner]

My dream opening-day lineup for the 2016 Mets (ironically enough, opening day will be in KC):

Granderson, RF
Wright, 1B
Conforto, LF
Cespedes, CF
Arenado, 3B (obtained in a trade for Harvey, Duda, and Flores)
d'Arnaud, C
Herrera, 2B
Tejada, SS
de Grom, P

Reserve position players: Plawecki, C; Muno, 3B; Tovar, SS/2B; Cuddyer, LF/RF/1B; Lagares, CF; Johnson, 2B/1B/LF
Other starting pitchers: Syndergaard, Matz, Niese, Colon
Relief pitchers: Familia, Clippard, Robles, Blevins, Montero, Verrett

If you want to trade Harvey for a 3B, the Yanks will take him off your hands for Headley and spare change.

[duke74]

My dream opening-day lineup for the 2016 Mets (ironically enough, opening day will be in KC):
...
Cespedes, CF
Arenado, 3B (obtained in a trade for Harvey, Duda, and Flores)
d'Arnaud, C
...

Do you think that we'll trade Matt this offseason, along with Duda and Flores? And that we'll sign Cespedes?

I actually think that Murph will be back. We'll tender to get the draft pick, which might scare away potential bidders...

interesting scenario.

[DukieInKansas]

My dream opening-day lineup for the 2016 Mets (ironically enough, opening day will be in KC):

Granderson, RF
Wright, 1B
Conforto, LF
Cespedes, CF
Arenado, 3B (obtained in a trade for Harvey, Duda, and Flores)
d'Arnaud, C
Herrera, 2B
Tejada, SS
de Grom, P

Reserve position players: Plawecki, C; Muno, 3B; Tovar, SS/2B; Cuddyer, LF/RF/1B; Lagares, CF; Johnson, 2B/1B/LF
Other starting pitchers: Syndergaard, Matz, Niese, Colon
Relief pitchers: Familia, Clippard, Robles, Blevins, Montero, Verrett

And I'm hoping the Royals opt to delay distribution of rings until the weekend series against the Twins.

[burnspbesq]

Do you think that we'll trade Matt this offseason, along with Duda and Flores? And that we'll sign Cespedes?

I actually think that Murph will be back. We'll tender to get the draft pick, which might scare away potential bidders...

interesting scenario.

Probably not, but the idea of putting Scott Boras in an un-resolvable conflict of interest by offering one of his clients in trade for another of his clients amuses me to no end.

Murphy is going to be looking for four years and $60 million. Cespedes is going to be looking for six years and $120 million. I'd rather go with Cespedes, but I can certainly understand anyone who is skeptical that the Wilpons will pull the trigger on a deal of that magnitude.

I'm mostly indifferent as between Clippard and Reed. Whichever can be had for less money.

If the Mets want to radically upgrade their middle infield defense, they could trade for Profar and sign Kendrick as a free agent.

[burnspbesq]

If you want to trade Harvey for a 3B, the Yanks will take him off your hands for Headley and spare change.

$70 million in spare change?

[Blue in the Face]

I'm mostly indifferent as between Clippard and Reed. Whichever can be had for less money.

Well Reed's under team control and Clippard's a free agent, so not much uncertainty as to who will cost more.

[Jim3k]

I'm mostly indifferent as between Clippard and Reed. Whichever can be had for less money.

No reason to be merely indifferent about Clippard. Just designate him for assignment and be done with him.

I saw him for most of the season, until late July, when Billy decided to clear the salary decks and go young. In this case, for a 20-year old A class pitcher (Casey Meisner) for Clippard. Until then, all I ever saw from Clippard was an inability to control late innings. If he came in, runners were going to get on and probably score. The rest of the A's weren't too bad, both position players and starters. But Clippard's (along with other bullpen pitchers) weak performance led to the A's poor season. Clippard just couldn't hold a lead. He continued to under-perform in the Mets' post-season. That's his trajectory.

Get what you can for him, but don't keep him.

[duke74]

Probably not, but the idea of putting Scott Boras in an un-resolvable conflict of interest by offering one of his clients in trade for another of his clients amuses me to no end.

Murphy is going to be looking for four years and $60 million. Cespedes is going to be looking for six years and $120 million. I'd rather go with Cespedes, but I can certainly understand anyone who is skeptical that the Wilpons will pull the trigger on a deal of that magnitude.

I'm mostly indifferent as between Clippard and Reed. Whichever can be had for less money.

If the Mets want to radically upgrade their middle infield defense, they could trade for Profar and sign Kendrick as a free agent.

NY Post (Martin) today on possible changes (FAs and others):
Blevins-prob back
Cespedes - gone ($/yrs)
Clippard - gone
Colon - prob back
Harvey - Arb eligible. trade bait?
Johnson - try to bring back
Murphy - tender
Niese (signed) - Back for trade piece?
O'Flaherty - uncertain. Ineffective when obtained
Parnell - Prob gone
Reed - Arb eligible, already at $5 million
Uribe - valuable, but with a healthy Wright, needed?

[weezie]

Well sir, might be time to shut this old thread down and begin the off season thread with...

Dusty Baker named new manager of the nat. Why am I thinking that this may not be the solution in that locker room?

[YmoBeThere]

As much I disliked many of his in-game moves, the Reds did drop off after he left. Obviously, personnel health plays an issue...

[JBDuke]

Congrats to the Royals on their World Series Championship. Time to start a new thread!

Trades, free agent signings, winter meetings, etc. Discuss MLB news here for the next few months. We'll start a Spring Training thread come February...

[luvdahops]

Well sir, might be time to shut this old thread down and begin the off season thread with...

Dusty Baker named new manager of the nat. Why am I thinking that this may not be the solution in that locker room?

Having lived through Dusty for four years with the Cubs, I don't think this is a bad hire. He tends to do well with veteran clubs, much less so with working in young and untested talent. How he handles Harper will obviously be key. His track record with talented players with challenging personalities has been mixed (e.g. pretty good with Bonds, not so good with Carlos Zambrano). We will see.

[weezie]

^^^ Harper now qualifies as tested though.

Kirk Gibson, our Gibby rumored to be talking to the Dodgers? He was diagnosed with Parkinson's so I hope the rumors mean he's doing well with it.
His local Detroit tv analysis/color was excellent. Great baseball mind.

[Dev11]

Arenado, 3B (obtained in a trade for Harvey, Duda, and Flores)

I'll have what (s)he's having. Not even the Rockies would be this dumb. Arenado is perhaps the second most valuable position player in the National League.

[Olympic Fan]

While I'm not a fan of Dusty Baker, he has had some success as a manager.

Of course, his reputation is that he destroys young arms with overwork. That dates back a decade ago to a time when he routinely had gifted young hurlers throw 120-plus pitches a start -- over and over again. Many in the Cubs organization believe that he's guilty of destroying Mark Prior and Kerry Wood. When confronted by this, Baker routinely shrugged it off and refused to address the issue.

However, there is some evidence that he's learned from his mistakes. as this article from 2011 suggests, he wasn't nearly as obtuse in Cincinnati as he was in San Francisco and Chicago:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...rticleid=13948

It would be very interesting to watch. But if I were Steven Strasburg (or his agent), I'd keep a very close eye on Baker.

PS I don't claim to know what happened, but the Nats first leaked that they were signing Bud Black to manage ... then they landed Baker. The story I've been reading is that they low-balled Black, offering him a two-year salary that would have made him the lowest paid manager in baseball. Now, I don't know if Black is better than Baker or not, but if Black is the guy you want, you let a little money (and in the context of Washington's salary picture, it is a very little bit of money) cost you the guy you wanted in the first place? Or did they agree to sign Black, then find that Baker was available and then low-ball Black to free themselves up to get Baker?

Either way, a sloppy way to do business.

[Blue in the Face]

PS I don't claim to know what happened, but the Nats first leaked that they were signing Bud Black to manage ... then they landed Baker. The story I've been reading is that they low-balled Black, offering him a two-year salary that would have made him the lowest paid manager in baseball. Now, I don't know if Black is better than Baker or not, but if Black is the guy you want, you let a little money (and in the context of Washington's salary picture, it is a very little bit of money) cost you the guy you wanted in the first place? Or did they agree to sign Black, then find that Baker was available and then low-ball Black to free themselves up to get Baker?

They'd interviewed Baker several weeks ago, so the only reason to offer Black the job in the first place was that he was their choice over Baker.

[FerryFor50]

My dream opening-day lineup for the 2016 Mets (ironically enough, opening day will be in KC):

Granderson, RF
Wright, 1B
Conforto, LF
Cespedes, CF
Arenado, 3B (obtained in a trade for Harvey, Duda, and Flores)
d'Arnaud, C
Herrera, 2B
Tejada, SS
de Grom, P

Reserve position players: Plawecki, C; Muno, 3B; Tovar, SS/2B; Cuddyer, LF/RF/1B; Lagares, CF; Johnson, 2B/1B/LF
Other starting pitchers: Syndergaard, Matz, Niese, Colon
Relief pitchers: Familia, Clippard, Robles, Blevins, Montero, Verrett

I can't imagine Arenado costing THAT much. A top line starting pitcher, a power hitting 1B and a SS prospect? Arenado could probably be had for Harvey straight up.

[Tappan Zee Devil]

I can't imagine Arenado costing THAT much. A top line starting pitcher, a power hitting 1B and a SS prospect? Arenado could probably be had for Harvey straight up.

I would probably do that if I were the Mets. Harvey has Boros as an agent and they will absolutely lose him in two years.

[burnspbesq]

I can't imagine Arenado costing THAT much. A top line starting pitcher, a power hitting 1B and a SS prospect? Arenado could probably be had for Harvey straight up.

The Mets can afford to overpay. Moving Duda clears the way for Wright to move to IB, which I think will prolong his career, and the farm system is loaded with middle-infield prospects with higher ceilings than Flores.