Hot Stove League 2014-15

god wtf is cuddyer gonna do with a QO hanging over him, no way he doesn't accept

i'm sure he wants a longer deal, but . . . fangraphs crowdsourcing had him at 2yrs/$16m, so why not take 15.3 and see what you can get next fall

that crowdsourced number wasn't even considering the possibility he'd get a QO. not sure he could even get > $5m a year now

Cuddyer made $10M each of the past four years? Wow. The raise to $15M for one year only might be less important to him than playing for a lousy team. Why couldn't he get $20M over two years to play somewhere else?

he'll be 36, he only played 49 games in 2014, he hasn't topped 2 rWAR since 2009, his colorado/non-colorado splits are imposing, and he'd cost a draft pick

He's been durable for most of his career though. I don't think his situation is so different from Nelson Cruz's last year, and a lot of teams are kicking themselves for not signing him. Teams have been overvaluing their draft picks and prospects for a few years, things might be swinging back the other way, especially since every AL division will be totally wide open next year.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/11825652/alex-rodriguez-new-york-yankees-admitted-dea-used-peds

Reinstated New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez admitted to use of performance-enhancing drugs during a meeting with the Drug Enforcement Administration in January, according to a report from the Miami Herald.

Two sources confirmed details of the Herald's report to ESPN.

The Herald, citing a written "report of investigation," says Rodriguez told the DEA that he paid Biogenesis doctor Anthony Bosch for testosterone cream, testosterone gummies and HGH injections. According to the report, one such injection took place in the men's room of a Miami nightclub.

"Rodriguez injected the HGH into his stomach," the DEA report stated, according to the newspaper. "Rodriguez said Bosch told him the HGH would help with sleep, weight, hair growth, eyesight and muscle recovery."

According to the report, Rodriguez was also trained in tricks to beat a urine test.

"Bosch advised him to only use mid-stream urine for MLB drug testing," the DEA report stated, according to the newspaper. "Bosch told Rodriguez not to use the beginning or the end urine stream."

"Rodriguez injected the HGH into his stomach,"

uhh, ouch

i'm kind of excited in a weird way to see him back in action, despite the years i've spent despising him (long before the PED stuff) - shit's gonna be like the end of scarface more or less

third act features a spiraling downward a-rod sitting at his desk going facedown into a pile of freshly popped corn.

A-Rod is gonna call Rob Manfred a wor'less piece o' chit?

Hair growth? ARod would be more interested in leg growth, amirite?

a-rod is hypercompetitive; it's possible that he wanted to extend the 'hair growing in places where you have never hair before' concept to new levels

yeah I'm real excited to see him back in action for 2015, no lie

is a-rod on the yanks gonna be like how kobe's behaving on the lakers? not as good comparatively as kobe but otherwise the same in terms of old dude with a shitload of pride blacking out with sociopathic rage as his team is bad (by yankees standards)

xxxxpost god i hope he calls manfred that

testosterone gummies

angels trade C hank conger to the astros for prospects RHP nick tropeano and C carlos perez

conger's supposed to be an ace framer

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B1yPoNkIIAA5pcr.jpg

raul ibanez?

just threw in every 40+ guy they could think of

http://www.theonion.com/articles/turns-out-craig-counsell-was-actually-best-basebal,6581/

So what do you think the split is between San Francisco vs. the rest of MLB on who is going to drop a ton of cash on the Panda?

I can't see the Giants letting the guy leave. They probably don't need to get as nuts with the extensions as Detroit, but I think Sandoval will get signed.

just think he will take the best deal, which will be from SF. they can keep making money off him but the rest of the league sees Mo Vaughn

Gabe Kapler is new Dodger farm director

SF's management was crazy enough keep Lincecum for 18 millions, they are signing the Panda back.

if they do, will panda still be viable and not too fat when SF needs to make a title run again in 2016?

They should just sign him to a series of 2-year contracts.

Contract drive coinciding with even year bollocks.

ambidextrous reliever pat venditte is a minor league free agent

someone make it happen

https://sports.vice.com/article/yasmani-tomas-the-next-cuban-mlb-star-is-already-a-legend

Related: that 30 for 30 on Orlando and Livan Hernandez was pretty great.

ken rosenthal sez the dodgers lookin to make deals for matt kemp, carl crawford and andre ethier in addition to previously announced hanley ramirez

russell martin wants $75m

rays looking to trade hellickson to the national league

barves looking to trade el oso blanco, presumably to the american league

barves are in a tough spot at catcher

same

lol mets sign cuddyer to a two-year deal, no terms announced

costs a draft pick + whatever ridiculous salary they offered

i mean wut

oh dear lord

mets

15th overall pick

why

wwwuutttttttttt

Win-now mode, duh.

lol

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B2G4NzEIEAEdhCC.jpg

@JeffPassan
Mets aren't done. They've talked with the Rockies about Troy Tulowitzki, sources tell Y! Sports. Fear they can't afford, but talking still.

I saw John Stewart said this morning that the Mets were going to fuck up the offseason and all these internet shouty types were jumping all over him for it... and then then do this! lol

i mean, cuddyer's bat is pretty fucking solid, even accounting for the altitude-air boost. his bone structure is much more uncertain

omg if they get tulo mets immediately switch from my B team to my A team i dont even care thatd be fuckin bananas

...provided his bones didn't also prove weak

I guess I should be grateful it's a 2-year deal?

There are two possibly good outcomes...
he plays 120 games and hits .315/.380/.500
he plays 30 games and tear that one up

in either outcome the mets no longer have a first round draft pick

that'll probably turn into a missing 2nd or 3rd round pick but the mets need their picks jfc