Offseason discussion/rumors

[CSF77]

I mean if the problem is stars don't want to play in podunk towns then why are there franchises there? That's obviously a cut throat way of looking at the game but I don't particularly feel sorry for a Rays franchise that struggles to bring in money. The MLB screwed up putting 2 teams in florida to being with when they weren't teams with a fan base already.

Either way, I don't really see the argument that giving extra developmental tools(more picks/IFA money) makes those small market teams more likely to win a championship. I think in reality what happens is it makes them far better at being a feeding system. The problem those teams always encounter is that when they get a decent core together they can't keep it together. The fix for that isn't more young players. It's giving them the money to re-sign their guys before they hit FA. KC is a perfect example of this right now. They had a WS team and couldn't bring back Zobrist. Then Davis became to expensive for them and chances are we see them dealing several more players in short order. Now there's always the possibility that a team just tanks and doesn't use the money to improve. But that's an entirely different issue frankly. Perhaps you just put caveats on it that they only get it if <x> amount is spent on FA's or re-signing young players.

I guess my thing is limiting the ways a team can improve quickly is always going to be a bad thing. By putting caps on IFA's and handling the draft the way they have they are handcuffing teams and as TC mentions it basically encourages middling teams to go full on bad in a race to the bottom.

It has more to do with the fans. Fla has a lot to do there. Baseball is a option. A place like Cleveland etc has less entertainment options. KC is another place. Sports take hold in these environments. The only wind fall is population and economy.

Another city is OKC. They are another prime target. San Antionio. Again another market that could support a team.

 

[CSF77]

Yeah, the Warriors really struggle in the NBA because they're in Oakland. Considering the massive amount of wealth and growth in Silicon Valley, it's amazing to try and argue that Oakland doesn't have money to support two baseball teams.

San Jose has over 1 mil peeps. Bigger than SF

 

[DanTown]

I mean if the problem is stars don't want to play in podunk towns then why are there franchises there? That's obviously a cut throat way of looking at the game but I don't particularly feel sorry for a Rays franchise that struggles to bring in money. The MLB screwed up putting 2 teams in florida to being with when they weren't teams with a fan base already.

Either way, I don't really see the argument that giving extra developmental tools(more picks/IFA money) makes those small market teams more likely to win a championship. I think in reality what happens is it makes them far better at being a feeding system. The problem those teams always encounter is that when they get a decent core together they can't keep it together. The fix for that isn't more young players. It's giving them the money to re-sign their guys before they hit FA. KC is a perfect example of this right now. They had a WS team and couldn't bring back Zobrist. Then Davis became to expensive for them and chances are we see them dealing several more players in short order. Now there's always the possibility that a team just tanks and doesn't use the money to improve. But that's an entirely different issue frankly. Perhaps you just put caveats on it that they only get it if <x> amount is spent on FA's or re-signing young players.

I guess my thing is limiting the ways a team can improve quickly is always going to be a bad thing. By putting caps on IFA's and handling the draft the way they have they are handcuffing teams and as TC mentions it basically encourages middling teams to go full on bad in a race to the bottom.

But no team can ever really afford to keep four or five impact players being FA at the same time. Taking the Cubs for example, unless the Cubs develop an entire pitching staff of homegrown talent, the Cubs will be hard pressed to pay Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber, Russell, Baez, to stay together because of how high player salaries are getting on a per year basis. With the luxury tax being so "low" compared to what just a few players make, teams will be able to hoard young talent (like they always have) but teams won't be able to do what the Dodgers do right now which is pay three guys 20+ million, six guys 10-20 million, and 13 guys 4-10 million. That will be untenable very soon and when that happens, talent will spread around and players (hopefully) will get the money.

 

[DanTown]

San Jose has over 1 mil peeps. Bigger than SF

Doesn't have more money though.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Oakland needs to move to San Jose. Bigger city.

Fla doesn't support their baseball teams. They need to move that team. Maybe Indiana.

The Rays are likely headed to Montreal. The A's could be headed to Mexico City. Those are the priority cities according to the Comissioner.

 

[beckdawg]

Looking like the dodgers are bringing back turner. Makes sense and all.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

On the flip side, a small market team will never even consider making a run at guys like Kershaw, Trout, Harper, Chapman, Jansen, while the usual prospects will (Yankees, Dodgers, Angels, Cubs, Giants, Nationals). If you don't want the small market team to have some advantages, how would a team like the Royals ever win?

If you buy a small market team you understand what you're getting into. You're mission has to be development, development, development. The best places for them to invest is in the international market where they would set up acedemies, etc. It's part of the reason for revenue sharing. The problem is very few small market teams invest internationally. Most pocket that money or invest in the occasional FA but without multiple development paths they still struggle to succeed.Oakland invested in Cespedes but didn't stick with him. If they had,and kept some other players they would probably contend. I guess my biggest issue is that by handcuffing larger market teams you're denying the league talent as well and forcing owners to spend less is not going to, and will not force small market teams to spend more.

 

[brett05]

The Rays are likely headed to Montreal. The A's could be headed to Mexico City. Those are the priority cities according to the Comissioner.

Unless my mind is failing me, wasn't one of the Carolina's supposed to be getting a team for like the last 30 years because of how strong they support minor league baseball?

 

[DanTown]

If you buy a small market team you understand what you're getting into. You're mission has to be development, development, development. The best places for them to invest is in the international market where they would set up acedemies, etc. It's part of the reason for revenue sharing. The problem is very few small market teams invest internationally. Most pocket that money or invest in the occasional FA but without multiple development paths they still struggle to succeed.Oakland invested in Cespedes but didn't stick with him. If they had,and kept some other players they would probably contend. I guess my biggest issue is that by handcuffing larger market teams you're denying the league talent as well and forcing owners to spend less is not going to, and will not force small market teams to spend more.

I think the point previously about investing in the international (and before draft) was why would say Oakland try and compete with the Yankees or Dodgers for Latin American talent? I mean the A's were never going to be able to afford the top end of the IFA so why would they heavily invest in the region if that is the case? Now that IFA are basically capped to a level that any team can afford them, I think you're going to see more lower level teams invest in IFA because now there is no advantage for the Yankees or Dodgers to just outspend you for contracts.

The pool is so small in terms of max spend and the penalty for going over is so severe that essentially the IFA area is essentially a draft where each team will get one really good player and not be able to afford more.

 

[DanTown]

Looking like the dodgers are bringing back turner. Makes sense and all.

Who do you think the second best team in the NL is? For me, it's still the Dodgers if they keep Jensen but I could be talked in to the Nationals too.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Unless my mind is failing me, wasn't one of the Carolina's supposed to be getting a team for like the last 30 years because of how strong they support minor league baseball?

Yep and Charlotte probably would have gotten a team eventually too but they just built a minor league park that can't be converted to an MLB stadium. They got tired of waiting basically. Montreal, on the other hand, is highly motivated and could have the bones of a stadium deal within months. If TB still is flailing around looking for one it makes a lot of sense.

 

[chibears55]

Cubs asked Tigers about trading Justin Wilson
LH Reliever

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[DanTown]

Cubs asked Tigers about trading Justin Wilson
LH Reliever

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IF they trade Kinser, that could be a home for LaStella.

 

[chibears55]

Dodgers close to resigning both Jansen and Turner. .

So..

If im guessing right, there no big FA left..
No teams in NL really bulked up and improved
And
Redsox only team that really improved in AL with Sale. .




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[DanTown]

Dodgers close to resigning both Jansen and Turner. .

So..

If im guessing right, there no big FA left..
No teams in NL really bulked up and improved
And
Redsox only team that really improved in AL with Sale. .




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- Nationals replaced Espinosa with Adam Eaton so I'd call that fairly sizable.
- Giants added Melancon so they probably get more wins than previous just by nature of having more reliability in the 8th/9th.
- Dodgers are potentially going to more than double the 42 starts they got from Kerhsaw, Hill, and Urias

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

Has the Koji deal been officially announced yet?

 

[brett05]

If the top NL teams just get healthy and have a healthy season I still have the Cubs as the favorites but no one should be surprised if a Dodger, Giant, National, Met team takes the Cubs out of the playoffs.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

The NL shouldn't see too much fluctuation with playoff teams. Cubs, Nats, Dodgers, and SF should all be back again. I think the Cardinals will be a bit better. I like the Fowler addition a lot. Maybe the Mets will have better health with their pitching staff but I'm not 100% sold on them.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Despite their flirtation with trading McCutchen it wouldn't surprise me to see Pittsburgh compete. McCutchen is likely to come out with a chip on his shoulder and if he's MVP quality that should give them and their young pitching staff a boost. St. Louis should be a WC lock and, if they did some nuts like sign Encarnacion, they'd be a threat in the Central. I know thus us going to sound crazy but I'm not convinced the Braves can't make some noise. If any of those young pitchers get untracked to go along with Teheran, Colon and Dickey that staff might keep them in games and Swanson could really blossom this year. In reality they're likely a year away but baseball is a weird sport and someone almost always surprises. The Mets basically stayed status quo despite the elation over Cesepedes resigning but they like to find late FA bargains and there are going to be some.

Still it probably comes down to the Cubs, Dodgers and Nats again but each has holes. The Cubs need another pitcher who can start games to both push Montgomery and be depth in case of injury. Starting rotations rarely go two years without major injury much less three. The Dodgers look impressive with the resigning of Jansen and Turner but 2B is still an issue and I'm not sure how good the rotation is for a regular season or how many innings Rich Hill will give them. The Nats look to have a solid rotation given health but who's closing out games? Catching is also massive hood. I also don't buy Adam Eaton in CF as his metrics there are not great. At this point I'll probably pick the Cubs in the NL but the Dodgers should be very close and I wouldn't overlook the Mets or Giants. The Nats have underachiever written all over them.

 

[chibears55]

If the top NL teams just get healthy and have a healthy season I still have the Cubs as the favorites but no one should be surprised if a Dodger, Giant, National, Met team takes the Cubs out of the playoffs.

I think the one thing that could definitely hurt the Cubs chances is the uncertainty of the Rotation..

Lester 33, pitched his ass off last year.. Can he do it again and it might be minor but how much did having Ross help him through the year.

Hendricks had a career year..
Like Arrieta was a question going into 2016 after a big 2015
Hendricks will be a question of not know what he will do the next year..

Arrieta.. Had a great 1st half and struggled a bit 2nd half
Now in Free Agent year, 31.. Will that put pressure on him?
Are we gonna see good Arrieta all or most of year or struggling Arrieta? That the question going in..

Lackey.. 38.. Just how much gas is left in the tank?
Plus with having the WS championship under his belt, what going to drive him to push hard in 2017, which probably will be his last.


Montgomery is a high question mark here..
Will he be able to give him starter consistency all year?


For me.. I need to see these guys get off to a good start the first month of season to feel a little comfortable with them.

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