Home Sports Talk

2024 Baseball pre-season discussion is officially underway. Who is going where?

13

Comments

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    Well for what its worth Othani is interested in Boston because of his relationship with New Balance CEO Jim Davis.
    That would sure be of interest to Yamamoto who wants to play with other Japanese players & Otanhi who just wants to win.
    I think, for what it's worth, that the money will be available to make this happen.
    Attendance would go through the roof and make the powers to be very happy.
    The fans across the county would be ecstatic!

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    Verdugo has been traded to the Yankees for 3 minor league pitchers.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,165 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A close friend of mine has two Phillies season tickets. Pretty good seats. He goes to a few games each year and sells the rest on StubHub.

    He recently put the opening day game, and the second game on sale. If I told ya the price he got for those tickets, you may not believe me. Let's just say that there is Phillies fever this coming season.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 6, 2023 6:46AM

    I like the trade as the Red Sox move on from Verdugo as they had too many left handed outfielders and were weak in depth on pitching.
    Fitts being the main pickup is 6 foot 8 and has good speed on his fastball.
    They can now work on a Japanese connection of Ohtani and or Yamamoto.
    No more rocking the cradle guys!

  • MCMLVToppsMCMLVTopps Posts: 4,860 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Glad Verdugo is gone.

    I wouldn't get any hopes too high for any Japanese invastion of Fenway.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    We shall see what happens as they sure need to do something major this winter or they will have an empty ballpark in the summer.

  • MCMLVToppsMCMLVTopps Posts: 4,860 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Red Sox Nation will never allow Fenway to have "an empty ballpark". They may not like the results, but they will always put up the with parking nightmare, the exhorbitant prices for beer, dogs and trinkets for the kids. Its a New England event that is as ingrained as the snow that always flies in the Winter. It's a rite of passage to take your kid to Fenway. It'll never be empty.

    I think past employees in managerial positions made dumbass trades and failed to get position players that were sorely needed. You once touted Bloom, and I always disliked him... proof is in the pudding and now he's gone. The new guy has a pile of squeeze to deal with, including the cheater, aka Cora. That John Henry could allow him to stay as the manager after back to back cellar dwelling seasons is a mystery to me. He isn't remotely a leader in any sense of the word. You see him in the dugout, expressionless and perennially playing the beard, no beard look and has a demeanor akin to his dog having just died. There is no spark to this man, and esprit de corps has never passed through his synapse. Ted Williams "All managers are losers, they are the most expendable pieces of furniture on the face of the Earth." Source: Forbes Magazine (Volume 174, Issues 6-13, Page 248)

    And what if they did get one or two Japanese guys, they start every 5th game, maybe 30 starts a year. If they got 10 wins, so what, the season is 162 games. Ted Williams..."Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer." Source: The 2006 ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia (Pete Palmer, Sterling Publishers, 02/25/2006, Page 5)"

    I don't care if they never sign another Japanese player, or sign them all. The team needs to become cohesive, too many islands on this team and egos to stroke. A Dick Williams is what this team needs, these guys are paid insane money to perform, not eating chicken and playing video games in the dugout. Maybe Mr. Cowboy Up should be the team's manager.

    And yes, I did cancel my auto renewal of the MLB package

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    I understand what you are saying Al and don't disagree but if Henry opens his wallet they can have a good team next year no matter who is coaching.
    Preferably they will see the light on Cora early and can him.
    Yes they will have fans in the ball park but for games with teams like the Yankees playing only.
    I hope they get enouch good players that it is worth you getting the MLB package as I don't want to see another season like the last 2.
    Whatever he pays for a couple of good pitchers and hitters will pay the extra money in attendance for him.

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Soto to the Yankees. Preller traded his entire farm system of elite talent to get him, and traded him away for very little

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    Must be nice to have that kind of money to just throw away!

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    Another minor deal for the Red Sox today. O'Neil to the Sox for a couple of minor league players.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    Ohtani has set the record now let's see where the rest of them go as the flood gates have been opened. That will sure make the others sign somewhere, Lets hope the Red Sox get at least one of them

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I sure hope the sox get some pitching.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    I think all the time names will go this week!
    Hopefully the Red Sox name 2 of them!
    Yamamoto and Montgomery would be 2 excellent choices.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 14, 2023 8:38AM

    I don't know about you guys but I am disgusted with what is going on with the free agents. With Ohttani signing that monster agreement baseball has lost its glow in my eyes. Teams now are signing players that the current owners are not even going to be alive to pay out just so they can win a World Series for the coming years and players are just holding back their signing to make more than they are worth.
    This will spread to other sports also.
    I think I will just go back to playing computer games and to hell with watching sports on tv!!

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @tommyrusty7 said:
    I don't know about you guys but I am disgusted with what is going on with the free agents. With Ohttani signing that monster agreement baseball has lost its glow in my eyes. Teams now are signing players that the current owners are not even going to be alive to pay out just so they can win a World Series for the coming years and players are just holding back their signing to make more than they are worth.
    This will spread to other sports also.
    I think I will just go back to playing computer games and to hell with watching sports on tv!!

    If you enjoy the game, why let salaries ruin it for you?
    Have you stopped watching movies because Tom Cruise made $100 million dollars for making Top Gun 2? or because The Rock is worth over $800 Million?

    all professional sports are entertainment. the biggest actors already make well more than current athletes.

    let them make all the money they can and just enjoy what they do on the field. Its what I do.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    It's the greed from both sides that really bothers me.
    Owners have more money than they ever need and all promise whatever it take to win.
    Players want more money than they can ever spend and say its because they want to win.
    Fans are stuck with footing the bill as ticket or tv prices go through the roof.
    Its why I stopped watching the NFL and if the MLB package goes up then then they too will be gone.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @tommyrusty7 said:
    It's the greed from both sides that really bothers me.
    Owners have more money than they ever need and all promise whatever it take to win.
    Players want more money than they can ever spend and say its because they want to win.
    Fans are stuck with footing the bill as ticket or tv prices go through the roof.
    Its why I stopped watching the NFL and if the MLB package goes up then then they too will be gone.

    to each his own. there is no wrong answer, just opinion. I just enjoy the games too much to let salaries push me away. I get the Patriots on local TV and dont buy any of the "packages" I just watch what is televised on regular TV and enjoy it.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    I can't argue with that plan if you are happy with it.

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Teams are making more than enough money to cover the contracts. Only the NFL makes more money as a singular league in the world. Players deserve more money as revenue grows.

    Tickets, parking, concessions, theyre basically the same price at a game with a last place 50 million dollar payroll as they are at a 200+ million dollar payroll.

    If the owners arent getting the money, and the players arent getting the money, than the TV networks will be getting the money.

    Id much rather see the players get as much as possible instead of the owners using the team as a piggy bank.

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Basebal21 said:
    Teams are making more than enough money to cover the contracts. Only the NFL makes more money as a singular league in the world. Players deserve more money as revenue grows.

    Tickets, parking, concessions, theyre basically the same price at a game with a last place 50 million dollar payroll as they are at a 200+ million dollar payroll.

    If the owners arent getting the money, and the players arent getting the money, than the TV networks will be getting the money.

    Id much rather see the players get as much as possible instead of the owners using the team as a piggy bank.

    I couldnt agree more. I will not trash a player for getting all he can anymore than i would an employee of any other profession. I would rather have the employee get the money than a billionaire owner or network. I have never understood all the fan backlash at huge sports/entertainer salaries. I suppose at the base level, it comes down to jealousy.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @craig44 said:

    @Basebal21 said:
    Teams are making more than enough money to cover the contracts. Only the NFL makes more money as a singular league in the world. Players deserve more money as revenue grows.

    Tickets, parking, concessions, theyre basically the same price at a game with a last place 50 million dollar payroll as they are at a 200+ million dollar payroll.

    If the owners arent getting the money, and the players arent getting the money, than the TV networks will be getting the money.

    Id much rather see the players get as much as possible instead of the owners using the team as a piggy bank.

    I couldnt agree more. I will not trash a player for getting all he can anymore than i would an employee of any other profession. I would rather have the employee get the money than a billionaire owner or network. I have never understood all the fan backlash at huge sports/entertainer salaries. I suppose at the base level, it comes down to jealousy.

    Jealousy is probably the best guess. I've never understood it. Its always been one of those things where its arguing more money for the owner. The revenue isnt going to disappear and ticket prices only crash if the team is just terrible.

    If someone had given a Jackie Bradly Jr 300 million I can understand hating the decision. As bad as he was that wouldnt even be his fault for taking it. I will never understand the stars make to much part though

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    It is really getting interesting on all the teams fighting to get their hooks into Yamamato. The Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, PhilliesToronto, Red Sox and only God knows where he will end up.
    One thing is for sure though is that he will certainly will be a very rich young man when the smoke clears. I doubt the Red Sox have much of a chance of getting him but hope they can find a way..

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree @tommyrusty7 I would love to see the Sox sign Yamamato

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    No matter how many things MLB try to do to equal out the playing field the richest teams always find a way to come up with the best players.
    Money is not the answer the baseballs problems as some owners have an unlimited supply !
    This time its not paying contracts until some future date when most of us have already gone to the happy hunting ground.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    There are reports out, (NOT CONFIRMED), that the Red Sox have a $300,000,000 offer ,with incentives & clauses , out to Yamamoto so that COULD be the reason they are meeting with him last.

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @tommyrusty7 said:
    No matter how many things MLB try to do to equal out the playing field the richest teams always find a way to come up with the best players.
    Money is not the answer the baseballs problems as some owners have an unlimited supply !
    This time its not paying contracts until some future date when most of us have already gone to the happy hunting ground.

    Theres no small market teams in MLB, theres just teams that operate like theyre one. Even the As who spent notrhing last year were just following the plot of Major League the movie, be so so bad that you can move the team where you want to. The Indians sold out over 400 games in a row in the 1990s before they tore the team apart.

    Any team could have offered Othani that deal and other teams did. Othani prioritized going somewhere he thought he could win. He wants to win, he wants to be in the playoffs which is why he deferred basically the entire contract. He has opt out clauses in his contract that hes allowed to leave if the Dodgers stop putting competitive teams on the field and things of that nature. Hes the first person to ever have such clauses

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    The Blue Jays made the Dodgers pay a high price that could bite them in the ass in a few years.

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Blue Jays didnt run up the price at all. Othani makes 2 million a year for the next 10 years. League minimum for a rookie is 700k and is almost 800k by 2026.

    He made a decision to work a contract that would help the team and the players in general with the high number and picked a team that he thinks can win. If the majority owner or the president of operations changes for any reason he has the ability to opt out which is unprecedented.

    If he was worried about money he wouldnt have deferred 97% of his contract for a decade interest free

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    If the Blue Jays had not made the $600 million dollar bid he would not have gotten the $700 million dollar deal from theDodgers,

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 16, 2023 2:42PM

    The Blue Jays reports were false anyways.

    He got 700 because he proposed and agreed to defer 680 million of it interest free for a decade.

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    So the Dodgers are gambling that 680 mil will be chump change in a decade?

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It will certainly be worth a lot less in a decade especially since he isnt charging them interest on it which is common place. The 68 million a year they will be paying him in a decade also wont count against their luxury tax numbers at all. It was a trick to cust their luxury tax number in half while he was playing.

    He basically agreed to play for free for a decade so they can add other pieces around him as he wants to win. He knew he couldnt actually play for the minimum as he had an obligation to other players to get a high salary and came up with a compromise thats a win win for everyone

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Basebal21 it really is an ingenious contract for both parties. big contract/competitive team for player, a contract that will not hamstring the team salary wise.

    I wonder why Trout didnt do something similar.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • Alfonz24Alfonz24 Posts: 3,105 ✭✭✭✭✭

    So we will have a Ohtani day like Bobby Bonilla day?

    #LetsGoSwitzerlandThe Man Who Does Not Read Has No Advantage Over the Man Who Cannot Read. The biggest obstacle to progress is a habit of “buying what we want and begging for what we need.”You get the Freedom you fight for and get the Oppression you deserve.
  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 18, 2023 1:35PM

    @craig44 said:
    @Basebal21 it really is an ingenious contract for both parties. big contract/competitive team for player, a contract that will not hamstring the team salary wise.

    I wonder why Trout didnt do something similar.

    Players do do similar things. Basically all the big contracts have deferred money, Strasburg made 15 million one year 45 million the next, Harper had years added on to bring down the AAV etc. They will vary which years get what payments to fit with projected salaries of other players etc.

    As far as why Trout didnt defer it all, he wasnt in a position too. Anything Othani does is easy to consider an outlier as the only legitimate two way player. He also made sure the number at 10 years 700 million was big enough it wouldnt hurt other players in arbitration or contract talks. If he has a more normal contract it would have probably been more like 10 years 500 million. If Trout were to have deferred everything as the best player in baseball then every contract and every arbitration meeting would start with "Trout did this" type stuff and it would actually hurt all the other players.

    The other thing and maybe the more important thing is endorsement money. Othani makes over 40 million a year in endorsements. Harper is second at 7 something million, Trout makes 5 million a year in endorsements and theyre the only 3 making over 5 mil last time I checked.

    Othani taking 2 million a year is still earning over 40 million a year, Trout taking two million a year and he would be earning first year arbitration money for a player of his caliber

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 21, 2023 4:55PM

    As predicted the pitch clock has one again been shortened. Its now 18 seconds with a runner on base and MLB made some other rule changes again. Its just going to keep getting shorter and shorter so commercial breaks can be longer

    Players have no ability to block any changes from the competition committee because Tony Clark agreed to a system in the CBA they are out numbered in.

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    There is just too much money changing hands here and we the fans are getting the (short) sticky end of the stick.

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If as reported the runner lane change to first base should be a good thing. Its not anything major though. The pace of play stuff is to the detriment of fans for sure. You dont get to see the best from players making it to short.

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Complete rumors and could be another Blue Jays situation, but talk is Yamamoto will sign with either the Dodgers Yankees or Mets

    If true I would imagine the Dodgers

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yamamoto 325 million 12 years to to Dodgers.

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 22, 2023 4:14AM

    It's supposed to be a $325 million dollar 12 year deal with $50,000,000 signing bonus but who actually knows right now. How can one team spend so much and others not be able to come up with it to improve their clubs? The Red Sox have not spent a dollar so far after they said they would. Season ticket sales will take a nose dive as fans hold their collective noses on them.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    The silence is loud and clear here from John Henry on down but it is loud and clear from Los Angeles! He signed where he wanted to play ,

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,350 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Basebal21 said:
    As predicted the pitch clock has one again been shortened. Its now 18 seconds with a runner on base and MLB made some other rule changes again. Its just going to keep getting shorter and shorter so commercial breaks can be longer

    Players have no ability to block any changes from the competition committee because Tony Clark agreed to a system in the CBA they are out numbered in.

    thank goodness. shorten that clock!!! I dont care how long commercial breaks are, I never watch commercials. I always start games 30-40 minutes late and just FF the Ads. game is so much more enjoyable without all the pitcher/batter theatrics slowing pace down.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • tommyrusty7tommyrusty7 Posts: 2,050 ✭✭✭✭

    I have been doing that for a couple of years and It works out well.

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @tommyrusty7 said:
    It's supposed to be a $325 million dollar 12 year deal with $50,000,000 signing bonus but who actually knows right now. How can one team spend so much and others not be able to come up with it to improve their clubs? The Red Sox have not spent a dollar so far after they said they would. Season ticket sales will take a nose dive as fans hold their collective noses on them.

    Those numbers are accurate, but theres also a 51 million dollar fee they have to pay to Orix on top of it. Othani basically deferred his contract so they could sign him as well with Yamamoto having no deferred money

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @craig44 said:

    @Basebal21 said:
    As predicted the pitch clock has one again been shortened. Its now 18 seconds with a runner on base and MLB made some other rule changes again. Its just going to keep getting shorter and shorter so commercial breaks can be longer

    Players have no ability to block any changes from the competition committee because Tony Clark agreed to a system in the CBA they are out numbered in.

    thank goodness. shorten that clock!!! I dont care how long commercial breaks are, I never watch commercials. I always start games 30-40 minutes late and just FF the Ads. game is so much more enjoyable without all the pitcher/batter theatrics slowing pace down.

    I do that with TV shows and movies but I cant do it with sports. I have to watch sports in real time, theres to much of a chance of seeing the score somewhere that would ruin the game for me.

    Id much rather watch the pitchers controlling the game strategically than extra commercials. The time it takes to watch a full game is not matching up with the reduction in playing time meaning more commercials. More importantly though injuries are going to increase as the clock decreases.

    I do not enjoy watching the beautiful game of baseball being fundamentally drastically changed the last couple years or the direction this is headed where its going to keep happening. Its sad to see the majority of teams are currently owned by people that just really dont like baseball in general and just view it as an investment

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

  • MCMLVToppsMCMLVTopps Posts: 4,860 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Basebal21 said:
    Yamamoto 325 million 12 years to to Dodgers.

    Pretty easy to predict. He'll play at least half the year in great weather, easy flight choices back to Japan, and he has Ohtani to pal with. A no brainer.

  • Basebal21Basebal21 Posts: 3,634 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MCMLVTopps said:

    @Basebal21 said:
    Yamamoto 325 million 12 years to to Dodgers.

    Pretty easy to predict. He'll play at least half the year in great weather, easy flight choices back to Japan, and he has Ohtani to pal with. A no brainer.

    For sure. The Japanese and Korean players have historically preferred to stay on the west coast especially for their first contracts. With their need for pitching once Othani agreed to defer basically everything something big was definitely coming. They obviously werent going to resign Bauer and I doubt he would even play for them which left either Yamamoto or Snell. Kershaw had surgery and they have a unique relationship anyways.

    Their rotation is still in bad shape. Urias is gone after actually being arrested for a second time for domestic violence, Kershaw is gone and had shoulder surgery, May and Buehler have both had 2 TJ surgeries each and May especially will miss much of the year. Glasnow has never come close to starting a full year without getting hurt and only 1 time has he ever started more than 20 games and it was 21. Miller had his highest workload ever last year and has had shoulder issues in the past. Othani obviously wont pitch much if at all this year.

    Definitely not the Dodgers rotation we are used to seeing. Wouldnt be surprised if they tried to add someone else

    Wisconsin 2-6 against the SEC since 2007

Sign In or Register to comment.