Around Baseball 2023

[jaysblue]

Charlie Morton is almost 40 years old

 

7 innings vs the Mets

11K's

0 runs

 

Mets suck haha. But yeah Morton is rock solid even at his age.

[jaysblue]

Just saw they put Trout back on the IL today too. My god the Angels are a mess.

 

Even prayers from Joseph Gordon-Levitt can't save them.

[glory]

Ohtani getting hurt while trying to carry the Angels was sadly predictable. Hopefully he still gets the money he was projected to get.

[jaysblue]

Ohtani getting hurt while trying to carry the Angels was sadly predictable. Hopefully he still gets the money he was projected to get.

 

He'll probably still become the highest paid player in baseball even with the pitching injury. Aaron Judge signed a 9-year/$360M contract last offseason, which works out to $40M base salary every season. Ohtani easily should get a $50M base salary even just as a hitter. He probably signs for 10-12 years most likely, so he'll get longer term than Judge. Probably will be a clause in his contract that if he pitches again, he can receive performance bonuses starting in 2025 for how many starts, innings pitched etc.

[Laika]

Who f***ing knows what he gets now. This opens things up for all kinds of creative contracts.

 

My first guess is that he ends up taking a big deal that is like, 60% of what people thought he could get, but he negotiates for an opt-out after the second year or so.

[Brownie19]

Lots of talk this morning that the contract could include a ton of incentive based options on the pitching side. Basically if he stays healthy, he'll get all that extra coin, if he doesn't, he won't.

[Brownie19]

This is so f***ing incredibly sad for baseball. Why can't we have nice things? Unfortunately, this seems like the baseball gods punishing Arte Moreno and the FO office for being so turrrible.

[Stangstag]

Who f***ing knows what he gets now. This opens things up for all kinds of creative contracts.

 

My first guess is that he ends up taking a big deal that is like, 60% of what people thought he could get, but he negotiates for an opt-out after the second year or so.

 

Yeah that probably makes most sense

[jaysblue]

Who f***ing knows what he gets now. This opens things up for all kinds of creative contracts.

 

My first guess is that he ends up taking a big deal that is like, 60% of what people thought he could get, but he negotiates for an opt-out after the second year or so.

 

I would use Aaron Judge's contract as a benchmark, if you focus Ohtani as just a bat. Though you probably want him to play a corner OF spot until he pitches again.

 

Definitely will have performance bonuses on the pitching side. Could see him wanting an opt-out after year two or three like you said as well.

[Sorrow]

I'm genuinely amazed with Nolan Schanuel. Small sample size of 26 PA but he has a 26.6 BB% : a 7.7 K% as a 21 year old with 21 MiLB games.

[BTS]

I'm genuinely amazed with Nolan Schanuel. Small sample size of 26 PA but he has a 26.6 BB% : a 7.7 K% as a 21 year old with 21 MiLB games.

 

No power to speak of yet, but his plate discipline is insane for a 21-year old seeing major league pitching after less than 100 minor league PA: 23% O-swing 83% Z-swing so far.

[max silver]

I would use Aaron Judge's contract as a benchmark, if you focus Ohtani as just a bat. Though you probably want him to play a corner OF spot until he pitches again.

 

Definitely will have performance bonuses on the pitching side. Could see him wanting an opt-out after year two or three like you said as well.

 

I don't think playing outfield is going to be an option for Ohtani until the elbow is fully healthy, and at that point he's likely almost ready to pitch anyway. It seems like the thoughts of him ever playing outfield as well as pitching just went up in smoke due to the extra wear and tear this would place on his surgically repaired elbow ligament.

[RustyTrombone]

Wonder if Shohei ever considers switching to a RP role. Like not a closer role but maybe like a multi inning late game reliever. Come in the 7th and finish the game couple times a week type. Would be less taxing on his arm than starting games every 6 days.

[Laika]

No power to speak of yet, but his plate discipline is insane for a 21-year old seeing major league pitching after less than 100 minor league PA: 23% O-swing 83% Z-swing so far.

 

His maxEVs from MiLB/College data are apparently bottom of the scale

 

like, 104 MPH or less

[Brownie19]

His maxEVs from MiLB/College data are apparently bottom of the scale

 

like, 104 MPH or less

 

Who do you think his comparables are at the ML level? Sean Casey? Keith Hernandez? Tony Gwynn (at 1st base)?

[max silver]

Wonder if Shohei ever considers switching to a RP role. Like not a closer role but maybe like a multi inning late game reliever. Come in the 7th and finish the game couple times a week type. Would be less taxing on his arm than starting games every 6 days.

 

That would be interesting to try to navigate getting him warmed up if he's in the lineup that day. If he were on base during his teams at bat he wouldn't be able to get himself warmed up in the bullpen so he'd maybe need to be replaced in the lineup when he's getting ready to pitch.

[BTS]

His maxEVs from MiLB/College data are apparently bottom of the scale

 

like, 104 MPH or less

 

Read that too. Probably not going to play at 1B, but maybe there’s enough offense there to work at 3B

[RustyTrombone]

That would be interesting to try to navigate getting him warmed up if he's in the lineup that day. If he were on base during his teams at bat he wouldn't be able to get himself warmed up in the bullpen so he'd maybe need to be replaced in the lineup when he's getting ready to pitch.

 

Yea it would be going back and forth from the bullpen type of thing if he was to di this. In the WBC this year he did do this in the finals tho. Like he went to warm up in the bullpen, then his spot in the lineup came up so he had to rush back and hit, then after heis atbat he ran back to the bullpen to get warm up and then came in to close it out. But it would be tough to do and keep him in the lineup at the same time. Like eventually there would be a scenario where he has to get loose to come in but he spends the whole half inning stuck on the bases and isnt ready to pitch.

[Laika]

Who do you think his comparables are at the ML level? Sean Casey? Keith Hernandez? Tony Gwynn (at 1st base)?

 

I am not sure there are any

 

The modern no-power 1B guys like James Loney, John Jaso and end career Joe Mauer could occasionally sting the ball 106 to 108 mph

 

Maybe he has more power than people are worried about though. Cavan Biggio didn't hit a ball harder than 104.6 until his third MLB season, which was rather ironically when he started to suck

 

I am sure there are a bunch of weirdo players from the 60s and 70s who had no power but amazing zone control.

[L54]

Wonder if Shohei ever considers switching to a RP role. Like not a closer role but maybe like a multi inning late game reliever. Come in the 7th and finish the game couple times a week type. Would be less taxing on his arm than starting games every 6 days.

 

Was thinking similar but more like a collegiate closer. Play RF and hit and then come in to close games. Could go multiple innings to close too

[Brownie19]

Unfortunately, no dead cat bounce for Votto this year. His contract will be up (assuming Reds decline the club option). Is he done? Will he retire at the end of the year?

 

I'll never forget that HR he crushed v. the USA in the WBC at the dome. The dome was shaking.

[BTS]

Unfortunately, no dead cat bounce for Votto this year. His contract will be up (assuming Reds decline the club option). Is he done? Will he retire at the end of the year?

 

I'll never forget that HR he crushed v. the USA in the WBC at the dome. The dome was shaking.

 

I think and hope he walks away. Everything seems to point in that direction:

 

- expiring contract

- consecutive lost seasons

- not close to any personal milestones that would be worth chasing

 

Would be nice to see the Reds get to the playoffs for him one last time

[Laika]

Also the Reds have no incentive to bring him back for one more year. They are kind of overflowing with controllable young players.

[z3r0s]

Starsburg is retiring. That extension to be among the worst contracts ever in the history of sports.

I'm not clear if retiring means he is leaving any of that on the table or no.

[BTS]

Starsburg is retiring. That extension to be among the worst contracts ever in the history of sports.

I'm not clear if retiring means he is leaving any of that on the table or no.

 

36.6 fWAR, 113 wins and over 1700 Ks through age-30. He was on a HoF track before his career derailed. s*****.

[Laika]

Sad. Dude absolutely shredded his nerves / neck / shoulder over the last few years trying to rehab. The wikipedia summary is depressing:

 

2020 season

Strasburg began the 2020 shortened season on the injured list (IL); he made his 2020 debut on August 9, 2020. On August 14, Strasburg left the second game he started, after facing only three batters. The following day, Strasburg went back to the IL with a nerve issue in his pitching hand.[106] Strasburg would miss the remainder of the year with the two games being his only appearances on the year.

 

2021 season

Strasburg made two starts for the Nationals in 2021 before landing on the injured list on April 18 with right shoulder inflammation. Strasburg was activated and made three more starts before returning to the IL on June 2 with a neck strain. On July 27, it was announced that Strasburg would undergo surgery to alleviate neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, ending his 2021 season.[107] In his 5 starts, Strasburg posted a 1–2 record and 4.57 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 21+2⁄3 innings of work.[108]

 

2022 season

Strasburg was activated from the IL on June 9, 2022, and made one start (in which he gave up seven earned runs in 4+1⁄3 innings of work) before returning to the IL five days later with a stress reaction in the ribs. [109] On July 14, Strasburg was transferred to the 60-day IL, where he remained for the rest of the season.[110]

 

2023 season

On February 15, 2023, Strasburg did not report to spring training as scheduled, due to a nerve-related setback in his recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome.[111] On June 3, Strasburg was shut down from all physical activity due to "severe" nerve damage.[112] On August 24, media reports stated that Strasburg planned to retire. [113]

[jaysblue]

36.6 fWAR, 113 wins and over 1700 Ks through age-30. He was on a HoF track before his career derailed. s*****.

 

Yeah that really sucks. He was awesome to watch. Definitely looked like he was going to be HoF worthy.

 

I drove down to Buffalo to see his last minor league start in 2010.

[Laika]

Starsburg is retiring. That extension to be among the worst contracts ever in the history of sports.

I'm not clear if retiring means he is leaving any of that on the table or no.

 

Typically it does mean they are giving up the remaining money.

 

But in practice I think the player and team often negotiate some sort of buyout. Meet in the middle or defer payments or whatever.

[jaysblue]

Unfortunately, no dead cat bounce for Votto this year. His contract will be up (assuming Reds decline the club option). Is he done? Will he retire at the end of the year?

 

I'll never forget that HR he crushed v. the USA in the WBC at the dome. The dome was shaking.

 

He probably retires.

 

As much as I would love to see him sign with the Blue Jays for one-year as a DH/backup 1B for next season, I think he's stated numerous times he wants to finish his career in Cincy.

 

Does everyone on here thinks he makes the HoF?

[BTS]

He probably retires.

 

As much as I would love to see him sign with the Blue Jays for one-year as a DH/backup 1B for next season, I think he's stated numerous times he wants to finish his career in Cincy.

 

Does everyone on here thinks he makes the HoF?

 

He should be a slam-dunk HoFer.