Around Baseball 2026

[jaysblue]

10 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

Canada's own Denzel Clarke is in CF for the A's! 

Bassitt returning to the A's to soak up a ton of innings for them would be a great fit - but I suspect he wants to win and the A's are probably a few years away.

A's lineup will definitely be fun to watch this season. They just need some pitching. 

Agreed, Bassitt would be a perfect fit and could eat up a ton of innings for them. Consider them as a potential sleeper, but the AL West will be tough. 

[John_Havok]

2 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

Not everyone in this world is a greedy c*nt.  Most are, but not all.

The pressure from the PA on elite players to earn as much as humanly possible is real. One really only needs to look at the history of baseball ownership groups to understand why. 

Yes, from a personal perspective... 100 million... 200 million.... that doesnt make a real difference in quality of life for any individual player or family, either way you are set for life, your family is set for life, your family's kids, their kids and their kids are set for life... at least assuming money still exists as we know it after WW3 in a few years. 

[Brownie19]

What can (or does) the MLBPA do if you tell them to go pound salt?

[Spanky__99]

1 hour ago, jaysblue said:

A's lineup will definitely be fun to watch this season. They just need some pitching. 

Agreed, Bassitt would be a perfect fit and could eat up a ton of innings for them. Consider them as a potential sleeper, but the AL West will be tough. 

I told you and Carlos this after last offseason, they can't win without pitching no matter the sexy lineup. And pitching in Portland's a tough sell, warm bodies are a fit. I can see them make it interesting. 

[Spanky__99]

1 minute ago, Brownie19 said:

What can (or does) the MLBPA do if you tell them to go pound salt?

I'm going to worry about that s*** the day after the WS. Owners will lockout is my guess.

[Spanky__99]

2 hours ago, L54 said:

He just secured like 100M more for no reason. If anything it looks like an act of good faith by the org for paying him below market his entire career 

That's how I see it, the Jays did that with Joey Bats, it's classy.

[Stangstag]

1 minute ago, Spanky__99 said:

That's how I see it, the Jays did that with Joey Bats, it's classy.

Huh? How did the Jays do this with Jbats? If anything, they DIDNT do this and it saved them from paying big dollars after his decline 

[Spanky__99]

2 hours ago, L54 said:

Was Yu Darvish our first collective letdown as a group? Pretty sure that was the old board days too. He was going to be a Blue Jay we all could feel it 

Absolutely, then Chapman was almost inked.

[Spanky__99]

30 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Huh? How did the Jays do this with Jbats? If anything, they DIDNT do this and it saved them from paying big dollars after his decline 

There was a favourable extension in there IIRC for both sides, there was risk but good business?

[Stangstag]

1 minute ago, Spanky__99 said:

There was a favourable extension in there IIRC?

No? After the big 54 homer season, Jays signed Bautista for 5/65 or something, which was a risk at the time since he had exactly 1 good year. Turned out to be an absolute steal, then in 2016 there were negotiations and Bautista wanted 100m+ and the jays did not give it to him.

[Spanky__99]

4 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

No? After the big 54 homer season, Jays signed Bautista for 5/65 or something, which was a risk at the time since he had exactly 1 good year. Turned out to be an absolute steal, then in 2016 there were negotiations and Bautista wanted 100m+ and the jays did not give it to him.

See, that's what I'm talking about, lol

Damn, thought it was more.
They were smart, man. Dude hit a wall in '17.
He made good coin.

[L54]

I knew I had seen this but had to search for it. This is from January 10th so before this extension took place 

[L54]

3 hours ago, Laika said:

Yes 

Kevin Gray press conference at 9 

Thanks for nothing Kevin Gray whoever you are 

[L54]

55 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

What can (or does) the MLBPA do if you tell them to go pound salt?

Sweet truck all I’d imagine. It is foreign to me how or why more guys don’t take less money to sign wherever they really wanna be 

Tom Brady talked about this just recently on Spittin Chiclets. That’s a great interview 

[Laika]

Reality is most guys just want to make the most money and probably like being away from their wife and brats for half the year so geography just isn't much of a preference 

[Stangstag]

10 minutes ago, Laika said:

Reality is most guys just want to make the most money and probably like being away from their wife and brats for half the year so geography just isn't much of a preference 

Lol what a crazy statement 

[Spanky__99]

5 hours ago, Laika said:

Reality is most guys just want to make the most money and probably like being away from their wife and brats for half the year so geography just isn't much of a preference 

lmao... well played

 

[Laika]

9 hours ago, Stangstag said:

Lol what a crazy statement 

They'd never admit it but it's true 

Their careers also end early 30s, mostly, and people have kids so late now. Lots of time left to be a good dad, after baseball.

[jaysblue]

Atkins when he's in the negotiation room trying to sell Toronto's geography to American players. 

[Laika]

Embarrassing look for McCutchen and the Pirates 

He should just retire 

And they should have just told him no thanks back in November 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/pirates-open-to-re-signing-andrew-mccutchen.html

[Pendleton]

59 minutes ago, Laika said:

Embarrassing look for McCutchen and the Pirates 

He should just retire 

And they should have just told him no thanks back in November 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/pirates-open-to-re-signing-andrew-mccutchen.html

Yeah that's a super uncomfortable situation. They really should have just squashed the notion like you said, and not left it hanging all off season. He's a 39 year old DH who doesn't hit enough to take that position on a team that needs to get serious. You hate to see this happen with a franchise legend, but the self awareness needs to be there. 

[jaysblue]

Safe to say José Ramírez is destined for the Hall. One of the best players over the last 10 years. Wonder if he matches or surpasses Adrian Beltré for total WAR. 

 

[John_Havok]

Hearing a lot of talking heads saying Posey is a slam dunk 1st ballot Hall of Fame inductee next year

Others say hes not even close. 

Thoughts?

[Brownie19]

1 hour ago, John_Havok said:

Hearing a lot of talking heads saying Posey is a slam dunk 1st ballot Hall of Fame inductee next year

Others say hes not even close. 

Thoughts?

What?  How is that even a legit question?  Obviously he's a HOFer.

[jaysblue]

3 hours ago, John_Havok said:

Hearing a lot of talking heads saying Posey is a slam dunk 1st ballot Hall of Fame inductee next year

Others say hes not even close. 

Thoughts?

If Joe Mauer was a 1st ballot Hall of Fame inductee, Posey should be for sure. No questions asked. 

[Carlos Danger]

Close game in Denver! Snowbowl!

[Carlos Danger]

Pats vs............. Superbowl. 

[John_Havok]

4 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

What?  How is that even a legit question?  Obviously he's a HOFer.

That how i feel, for some reason people are getting hung up on the counting stat totals. 1500 hits, less than 160 HRs... It's like they forgot he was a catcher or something maybe??

[Laika]

Bader gets 2/$20.5m from the Giants

I know it's a very imperfect comp but he is largely why I don't think a Varsho extension would break the bank 

Yes Varsho is better... 

[Terminator]

Varsho extension is a tough one to figure. His dad is a former big leaguer and he is making some darn good money in arbitration. He could also be one of the Top FAs on the market next year. So he's not exactly desperate.

But teams typically don't pay for defense and his offense hasn't been good lately outside of a half season last year that was completely dependent on the long ball.

My guess, at the risk of getting tarred and feathered, is that something like 5/70 would get it done?