jaysfan2014

Basically, Rays are in full fire sale mode--dumping players for anything. It's going to be a long year in Tampa..

Rob Manfred better start taking action against the Rays if they're tanking.. so many teams trying for the #1 pick this year. With so much tanking, Jays will be in the playoff mix with the Yanks, Red Sox, Angels, Astros and Indians. Not sure on the Twins..

What a stupid trade.. are the Rays trying to tank?? Why the hell do you trade a guy who hit .282/.325/.490 with 27 HR/62 RBIs? He'll get claimed quickly.. Detroit? Chicago? Even the f****** O's...

Miami-Dade County is suing Loria and the Marlins for getting ripped off: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article200635529.html

2/$16M is high, even for a guy whose K/9IP plummeted in Texas, walks too many batters, and 3.40 ERA is smoke and mirrors.. In other words, perfect for the Orioles, who have a lot of issues with pitching, and have given stupid contracts or traded previously for garbage like Hellickson, Miley, Jimenez... Good thing the Jays didn't sign him.. he'll be DFAd or in the bullpen by midseason when he's putting up a 5+ ERA and costing the Orioles games..

Two TJS and endless injuries don't help..

It's demands like this that are freezing the free agent market.. players are demanding too many years and too much money. Unless things change soon, we'll be still seeing free agents unsigned well into March..

While he will get paid well (likely $25-30M/year), the years might be lower than Bryce Harper or Manny Machado.. likely 3-5 years instead of 7-8, especially watching the current free agent market, where teams are trying to avoid handing ridiculous deals close to a decade long.. especially watching several multi-years deals become albatrosses.

Perhaps because teams either don't have the money, already have 3B, and aren't willing to pay big money for low average/high walk and power players, especially watching guys like Jose Bautista and Chris Davis implode in recent years.

Blame technology, analytics and research--teams are getting smarter and not just paying just because a player hit 30+ HRs for one year and thinks they'll repeat (and end up flopping).

Then some of the players should lower their demands.. many of them are not worth the $25M+/year they're demanding, not even close.. these aren't young players like Machado and Harper, who will get $30-$35M+/year next winter.. these are good players, but not elite talents.. and many are over 30 and likely to fall off a cliff soon talent-wise. Most of the problem is greed by the players and agents, especially at a time there's so much dead money in the game (ask the Red Sox, Dodgers and Tigers), and teams can't afford to continue giving bad contracts.

The problem isn't owners--it's greedy agents demanding way too much money for past performance, and due to increasing analytics and sabremetrics, along with recent bad contracts polluting the sport (Miguel Cabrera, Jordan Zimmermann, Pablo Sandoval, HanRam, Pujols...), teams are financially constrained. They can't afford to be giving 7-8 year deals to 30+ year old players especially at the risk they'll be DFAd mid-way thru the deal (see Sandoval). In addition, many teams are currently in a rebuild and some are a year to a few years from contending and just can't throw money at players. Maybe if they'd demand fewer years and dollars teams would show up. Most notable recently is Eric Hosmer--who is still demanding a 8 year deal, when the Padres and Royals refuse to do so.. and Moustakas still hasn't received an offer. Arrieta's decline is hurting his leverage--no team wants to pay want he's demanding, not even big market clubs. And of course, there's the endless game of chicken between Boston and JD Martinez.. he wants way more than 5 years, but Boston, burned by the Sandoval, HanRam, Castillo and the Price contracts, doesn't want to add another long term salary when Sale, Bogaerts and Betts are due significant extensions. Teams are more willing to go the trade route (Yankees, Blue Jays, Astros) than pay huge salaries to talent that will decline in coming years. And of course -- BORAS. That's the biggest one..

At least Matt Bush eventually came back as a pitcher.

Unless a "mystery team" decides to show up.. it can't be ruled out. But the Red Sox need to make a decision re: JD Martinez soon.. fans in Boston will be angry at Dombrowski if he doesn't sign a big bat.

Meanwhile, the Yankees, Jays and Rays have made moves since the offseason started--while the Red Sox have sat on their hands and still haven't signed JD Martinez or any bench or bullpen help. And it's only 2 weeks till spring training..

Mookie Betts wins his arb case. $10.5M salary for 2018. He's well on his way to Mike Trout money in a few years..

Atlanta at #1--well deserved. Especially with Ronald Acuna in the system, who will likely be up by May (likely to be kept down for a few weeks for service time issues.) and all those pitching prospects. Now if they could start winning at the MLB level.. but they're likely looking at 2019 for contention, when the Nats go in a significant decline when Harper leaves via free agency, Mets are still a joke, and who knows about Philly.. and of course, the Marlins are going to be bad for some time..

Boston at #24 is no surprise--with all the graduations, Boston is going to end up having to make some hard decisions in the next year or two, as much of their core is approaching free agency. Kimbrel, Kelly, Pomeranz and HanRam are free agents at season's end--and in Kimbrel and Pomeranz's sake, they could be well beyond what Boston can afford--though getting rid of HanRam would actually be a positive, as he's basically useless at this point in his career--eventually, Michael Chavis will likely take over the 1B job (or 3B if Devers does not last at the position due to defense). Losing Pomeranz, Kelly and Kimbrel WILL hurt--as they have little pitching depth in the system, as much of it was dealt away. 2019 is the real cliff--Porcello, Sale and Bogaerts are gone after that season, and Sale could command $30-35M+/year if he stays healthy.. and it's not certain the Red Sox ownership will give that kind of money, even being a tax-paying team, as by the end of 2019, they will once again approach the 50% penalty on the luxury tax. The only real prospect in the system is Jay Groome.. and he's still a lottery ticket at this point. Most of the rest of the system doesn't project to be MLB regulars at this point.

Too bad Tampa's in payroll cutting mode, and even with these young players, most of the veterans(Archer, Colome, Dickerson) will likely be dealt for more prospects soon.. as the franchise continues to languish and still isn't close to getting a new stadium..

Ouch. Seattle's going to be an absolute disaster, especially with Cruz approaching free agency and King Felix nearing the end.. and Cano's contract about to become an absolute albatross, with a move to 1B/DH in his future.. sure he might get to 3000 hits, but will the team be any good?

Former Blue Jay Ryan Goins has signed a MILB deal with the Royals.

This message board's favorite reliever Matt West signed a MILB contract with the Tigers.

Yes, but Dombrowski has shot it down.. they can't afford to lose JBJ's defense and he still has offensive potential--though he is 28 in April.

What also might be holding the Sox back is his agent demanding more money and years--and Boston has limited flexibility to add any more payroll, as they are presently at about $204M and still need upgrades on the bench and bullpen, as this team seriously lacks depth thanks to Dombrowski nuking the farm to win now.. as it stands, injury-prone Brock Holt is the super-utility guy (coming off a terrible 2017), Devan Marrero (who struggles to hit but has a good glove) is the backup INF, there's no clarity at backup catcher as Sandy Leon and Blake Swihart are DFA candidates being out of options, and Bryce Brentz as the backup OF.. and the bullpen badly needs another reliever. Right now, even the Jays bench looks better than Boston's (pending us adding another catcher). Spending on JD Martinez isn't exactly smart when Boston has other holes on the roster, especially with the bench and the backend of the rotation until E-Rod returns.

DH--and it's possible he turns down a deal with Boston because he wants to play OF, which the Red Sox cannot offer due to a full outfield.