Around Baseball 2024

[L54]

The package they traded for 1 year of him is gone

 

1 sandwich pick in return

 

Poof gone

 

Probably only really miss Michael King though but still

[G-Snarls]

Remember when Soto turned down $440 million?

 

Boy did that work out well for him in the end

 

He got traded a lot. But maybe that was good for him in some ways too.

[G-Snarls]

The Dodgers are in agreement with right-hander Blake Treinen on a two-year deal worth $22MM, according to a report from Ari Alexander of KPRC2

[BTS]

The Dodgers are in agreement with right-hander Blake Treinen on a two-year deal worth $22MM, according to a report from Ari Alexander of KPRC2

 

Crowdsourced Fangraphs projection was 1/8 lol. Top guys like Scott, Estevez and Hoffman are going to be close to 40M probably. This is the place to wait and try to nab guys like Martin, Sewald, Romano, Yates, Robertson on 1-year deals.

[Terminator]

Hard to take the Dodgers deals at face value though. It could be a present value 2 year deal worth 16 mil. So really only 1 year extra than the crowdsource prediction.

[John_Havok]

Apparently Soto also has escalators in the agreement that can push it over 800M

 

Yeah looks like its tied to the opt out. Mets can void the opt-out by increasing his annual salary by 4m per season for the remaining 10 years.

[L54]

We are approaching the first billion dollar contract

 

Ethan Holliday you are a billionaire

[L54]

And congrats on Toronto for finishing second in the Ethan Holliday sweepstakes

[Spanky__99]

Yeah looks like its tied to the opt out. Mets can void the opt-out by increasing his annual salary by 4m per season for the remaining 10 years.

 

Lard 'tunderin Jesus by', incredible.

[Dick_Pole]

That is ridiculous, Soto is getting NBA star money. In a sport where he shares responsibility with 25 other guys at any given time. What stocks are Cohen shorting now? He's deserving of a short squeeze. When's the CBA expire? We are heading towards a lockout if this craziness keeps up. At least the power balance is shifting strongly towards the NL. AL playoffs will be easy to make.

[Dick_Pole]

RIP to the Cardinals. The city of St. Louis has been punching WAY above its weight class with one of baseball's greatest franchises for 150 years. But with the way baseball has changed, the money being spent and their current roster and other resources, that franchise looks to be headed for some dark times for a long time.

 

Say what you want about the s***** situation the Jays are in right now, but they have the backing of Rogers. Which puts a significant floor on how bad things can get, especially if the team decides to house its front office with competent people.

[Dick_Pole]

Another thing that's good and something that I alluded to last year. Yankees are for now "America's team" and the top franchise. They are on a trajectory to be supplanted by the Dodgers. Losing their top star to the Mets. This would be unheard of 20 years ago. But the guys coming into the majors now are old enough to remember maybe one Yankee championship. This team doesn't have the mystique it once did. It's just another big market team that can throw around the wallet. But Ohtani and Soto prove that they can no longer get anyone of their choosing on the FA market.

[Spanky__99]

Soto even got an opt-out after 5 years. Has a team ever been bent over this thoroughly?

 

 

lol

[max silver]

Soto even got an opt-out after 5 years. Has a team ever been bent over this thoroughly?

 

 

I low key think the smart play for the Mets would be to allow Soto to opt out and have someone else dramatically overpay for his decline years. If they could benefit from 5 years of a HOF caliber player’s peak while avoiding the ugly back half of his contract I think they would likely come out way ahead.

[Terminator]

I low key think the smart play for the Mets would be to allow Soto to opt out and have someone else dramatically overpay for his decline years. If they could benefit from 5 years of a HOF caliber player’s peak while avoiding the ugly back half of his contract I think they would likely come out way ahead.

 

Yeah there is no way in hell they add 40 mil over the final 10 years to keep him. They want him to opt out.

[Laika]

Trade Vlad!

[Eat My Shatkins]

Trade Vlad!

 

To the Mets...

[Masterbather]

Another thing that's good and something that I alluded to last year. Yankees are for now "America's team" and the top franchise. They are on a trajectory to be supplanted by the Dodgers. Losing their top star to the Mets. This would be unheard of 20 years ago. But the guys coming into the majors now are old enough to remember maybe one Yankee championship. This team doesn't have the mystique it once did. It's just another big market team that can throw around the wallet. But Ohtani and Soto prove that they can no longer get anyone of their choosing on the FA market.

 

Yankees are still the Yankees. New York, LA and soon to be Las Vegas, those are glam destinations. It won't change anytime soon. Yankees might not always win the top FA anymore, but they will continue to be a player.

[Masterbather]

Trade Vlad!

 

Now would absolutely be the time!

[jaysblue]

Crowdsourced Fangraphs projection was 1/8 lol. Top guys like Scott, Estevez and Hoffman are going to be close to 40M probably. This is the place to wait and try to nab guys like Martin, Sewald, Romano, Yates, Robertson on 1-year deals.

 

$11M AAV for Blake Treinen isn't that bad at all, especially given his track record and bounce back last season. He's old but not that old at age 36. Posted a 1.93 ERA, 10.80 K/9 and 1 WAR across 46.2 innings last season. Yeah didn't expect him to get a second year, but whatever. If he's healthy, he's one of the few elite high leverage arms out there and could make a huge difference.

 

Hoffman is likely getting a 4 year/$48M contract. Make him the closer!

 

Martin and Yates might get 2 year deals somewhere. They definitely will use Treinen's deal now as a benchmark.

[jaysblue]

Yankees biggest holes are 3B, OF and SP. We'll be bidding against a humbled Yankees team on guys like Bregman, Teo, and Burnes/Fried.

 

Yup. Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox that missed out on Soto will look to make a big splash on one of the remaining FA's, which likely drives up their price. Not going to be easy for the Blue Jays this offseason even to land the guys in Tier 2.

[jaysblue]

Trade Vlad!

 

Would look bad from a PR perspective and likely for ticket sales next season.

 

If there was a regime change, I could see that happening. With Atkins/Shapiro still here, doubt they trade Vlad. But yeah might be the best time right now to deal him and try to get a package like San Diego got last offseason for Soto.

[jaysblue]

Or staying with the Yankees. Best to get him on the other side of the sport.

 

Yeah best case scenario he signed with a team in the NL. Seeing him with Boston or back with the Yankees would have been tough.

[jaysblue]

Teo and Santander are both going to easily clear 100M now as the other teams scramble. Profar could get 80.

 

Yeah the market for outfielders now looks pretty thin, especially if Teo and Santander get off the board.

 

Might have to go the trade route or look at signing someone like Austin Hays or Max Kepler on a one-year deal if the Jays don't give Teo or Santander $100M+.

[Pendleton]

[Brownie19]

If you're Soto - is picking the Mets over the Yanks the right move? The extra $5M is a cup of coffee for him. Who would you rather play for?

 

I don't think either team is in "great" position to be perennial winners of the next 5 years. Both are built through free agency, neither have a ton of youth or strong farm systems and both are likely to lose several key players via free agency this offseason. Both have deep pockets to hide the mistakes they make via free agency. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.

[Stangstag]

If you're Soto - is picking the Mets over the Yanks the right move? The extra $5M is a cup of coffee for him. Who would you rather play for?

 

I don't think either team is in "great" position to be perennial winners of the next 5 years. Both are built through free agency, neither have a ton of youth or strong farm systems and both are likely to lose several key players via free agency this offseason. Both have deep pockets to hide the mistakes they make via free agency. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.

 

It could come down to him wanting to be "the guy" vs being the side piece to Judge. Plus he'll be an absolute legend if he can help the Mets win, vs being just another footnote in the Yankees story.

[Omar]

Boston will now have a hard on for Vlad in free agency after the upcoming season. They couldn't get Soto so they will back the truck up for Vlad. Maybe moving him is the optimal play? No win situation for Atkins.

[Masterbather]

It could come down to him wanting to be "the guy" vs being the side piece to Judge. Plus he'll be an absolute legend if he can help the Mets win, vs being just another footnote in the Yankees story.

 

I think it really is about the money, it's an ego play. Nobody can possibly project 15 years of who will be more competitive between two very rich New York teams. But perhaps the willingness to spend is also symbolic. The Mets seem more willing right now to blow their brains out spending.

[Brownie19]

It could come down to him wanting to be "the guy" vs being the side piece to Judge. Plus he'll be an absolute legend if he can help the Mets win, vs being just another footnote in the Yankees story.

 

Perhaps. Lindor is still there too though - and he's building quite a legacy for the Mets himself.

 

You also have to consider the Yanks have won the World Series ONCE in the past 23 years. There's probably something to be said about being part of a Yankees team that puts them back on top of the league - especially if you can be part of an era that brings home multiple championships.