2017-2018 Hot Stove

it is a little crazy that lincecum and ichiro have gotten major league deals in the current climate

They are both cheap and low risk though.

So’s the 30th guy on the 40 man

yes but they are also bad. you can at least dream on a kid coming up and maybe figuring it out -- a year ago it wasn't clear whether aaron judge was a starter! lincecum/ichiro have a ceiling that's probably below replacement-level

Moustakas (KC) and Logan Morrison (MIN) both sign for $6.5M guaranteed, one year

https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2018/3/8/17032480/mike-moustakas-royals-contract-return

Eric Hosmer signed for more money than Mike Moustakas, Carlos Santana, Logan Morrison, Yonder Alonso, Todd Frazier, Lucas Duda, Carlos Gomez, Curtis Granderson, Howie Kendrick, Eduardo Nunez, Jon Jay, Austin Jackson, Matt Adams, and Adam Lind COMBINED.

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) March 9, 2018

i know there's a lot of chatter about free agency being weird this offseason but this class is the greatest group of potential "i knew it was wrong when i was walking down the aisle" contracts i can recollect.

Which ones, the expensive (hosmer) or the cheap (moustakas)? Or both?

the moustakas thing is really really weird

Re: Ichiro I’d imagine part of the reason is that the Mariners aren’t giving their fans any reason for optimism and nostalgia is a cheap replacement. And one of their outfielders is injured.

cynically, the mariners are probably going to make a fair amount of money off of ichiro's farewell tour regardless of his performance

yeah none of these guys are scherzer or cano or whatever, and you wouldn't want to give any of them what hosmer got, but like . . . lucas duda is a pretty good hitter and i feel confident he can put up 1 WAR this year! and he got a one-year deal worth $3.5m.

adam lind is a verified destroyer of right-handed pitching, hit .303/.362/.513 last year, and couldn't get a big-league deal. why wouldn't someone pay a couple million for that off the bench?

The Lind tepidness might be more related to his off-field character flaws?

xxxxp

i think everyone out there is a pretty major question mark, i mean for example as a Cubs fan I'm remaining optimistic as possible on Darvish but this isn't a situation where he has a history of consistent Cy Young-level performances either, aside from his second season.

i think probably the safest offseason bets in the pool as far as more high-profile types were Cain and J.D. Martinez, i'd expect Cain to basically be as good as he's ever been and maybe even better and Martinez i think is a legit beast though who knows if he's in the middle of a consistent 7-8 year stretch of tearing the cover off the ball or if he's going to wind up more a Jermaine Dye type who peaks very briefly at an MVP level and then comes back down to earth.

lance lynn to twins for 1 year, $12 million (14 with performance incentives). he declined the qualifying offer earlier this offseason, and was expected to get somewhere around 4 years, $56-60 million.

https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201802130/images/headshots/f/f125588e_mlbam.jpg

making his lance face there.

i'm surprised he didn't at least land somewhere for 2 years, $35 million. maybe he had that offer and thought he'd try his luck again next year? weird offseason.

sorry, i meant 2 years, $30

on a one-year deal he's probably worth twice what he got

man. whoever signs Arrieta is gonna get him for chump change at this rate.

Didn't Lynn just turn down 2y/$20M from some team (it might have even been the Twins), claiming it was a non-starter?

You will have to think that Arrieta is going to do like Lynn and sign a 1 year deal and then try again next year to get a big dollar deal.

What is better? To take a 1 year deal on a team with a shot to win it all but high stakes or take a 1 year deal in a team with a huge pitching stadium to try to pad your stats?

Arrieta signs with Phillies! Looks like 3 years/$75 million based on reports.

That seems like a pretty good deal for both sides. I think the really long contracts are just going to be more rare going forward.

Definitely a smart deal for both sides. If Arrieta isn't more than a #2 or #3 starter going forward (which seems to be his new normal) then he wasn't going to get more money by signing a one year deal and trying again in free agency.

LOOKOUT! 👀 This will be my final season of calling baseball games. I’ve been playing or talking baseball ever since I was 4 years old. It’s time for this enjoyable ride to end. Thanks fans for allowing me into your homes & businesses. It’s been my pleasure. #Thisoneisgone

— Ken Singleton (@29alltime) March 12, 2018

I like Singleton that’s a drag

and on goes John Sterling

Seriously

Source: Second baseman Neil Walker has agreed to a deal with the New York Yankees. Still pending a physical.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 12, 2018

walker gets $4m + incentives (and is a better player than moustakas)

so who is left?

cobb, holland seem to be the big ones. there's also brett anderson, lackey, hellickson, bautista, mark reynolds, brandon phillips...

astros extend altuve for 2020-2024 for $151M

Hellickson minor league deal w/ Nats

alex cobb to the orioles, 4 years 60 million

seems weird given they aren't expected to contend and will likely trade machado sometime this year

feel like they finally looked in the mirror and said are we really going to give chris tillman 30 starts this season

the last time they signed a free-agent pitcher to a four-year deal it was ubaldo, so at least this can't be worse

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/us/politics/baseball-tax-law-.html

A Curveball From the New Tax Law: It Makes Baseball Trades Harder

jayson werth to the mariners (minor league deal), who have sensed a market inefficiency in Really Old Outfielders

Source confirms the Cardinals have a deal with Greg Holland, pending a physical. #STLCards

— Joe Trezza (@JoeTrezz) March 29, 2018

A Proven Closer

Sounds good to me tbh, they have plenty of payroll flexibility right now, they can afford to overpay.

Heyman tweets that Holland will earn $14MM on a one-year deal with the Cardinals.

A's send Meisner (22, A/AA, SP) to Cardinals in exchange for Josh Lucas (27, AAAA, RP)

a couple years ago i picked meisner to be a breakout star; he went 1-14 with a 5.85 ERA and 4.5 BB/9

still young-ish tho

Saw a rumour the Brewers/Dodgers are taking a Braun / Kemp+prospect swap.

Source: Mark Reynolds has a deal with the nats

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 13, 2018

finally, we can all move on with our lives

Bautista signed a Minor League contract with Barves