Hot Stove League 2023 Version

Now that's a baseball photo.

ETA: tried 4 times to upload a photo here and each time the photo is not included. So ignore this post. Sigh.


Mets and Phils spending money today.


Phils' lineup is crazy, especially when Harper gets back. 


jfinnegan said:

Phils' lineup is crazy, especially when Harper gets back.

I mean, three guys scare you, right? And Realmuto is solid. The rest have some pretty big holes. It’s a lineup I’m very happy to ride with, but I don’t see the sweat pouring off opposing pitchers.


Trea Turner is going to steal a ton of bases next year. He's one of my favorite players in all of MLB. Even if he's always killed the Mets. 


You gotta like this. And it happened at CBP. 



DaveSchmidt said:

I mean, three guys scare you, right? And Realmuto is solid. The rest have some pretty big holes. It’s a lineup I’m very happy to ride with, but I don’t see the sweat pouring off opposing pitchers.

When Harper comes back the lineup is: Turner, Hoskins, Harper, Realmuto, Schwarber, I think Castellanos will be better this year, Bohm, is Segura still on the team?(he seems to kill the Mets).  Centerfield is the only clear spot that they need an upgrade. That's a pretty solid lineup. And it doesn't help that I have wanted Realmuto on the Mets for years.


The Phillies were going to sign one of the top shortstops one way or the other.  I think Turner fits wonderfully with the rest of their team, especially with Harper out most likely until after the All-Star break.  

I think the Phillies did not pick up Segura's option and will play Stott full-time at second base.

So now we see where Corea, Boegarts, and Swanson wind up.  The Dodgers have a lot of money and the need for a shortstop, and as of today the Braves have one shortstop on their active roster, Braden Shewmake, who has not played in the majors yet but who has hit well in the minors.


Can Grissom play SS? I thought that was his position before he came up and played 2nd when Albies got hurt.


Once Trout comes over I might have to become a Phillies fan.  Lord knows I have the demeanor for it.


mfpark said:

I think the Phillies did not pick up Segura's option and will play Stott full-time at second base.

Right. And Marsh in CF, possibly platooning again with Vierling.

jfinnegan said:

Can Grissom play SS? I thought that was his position before he came up and played 2nd when Albies got hurt.

I believe that’s Atlanta’s plan.


BarneyGumble said:

Once Trout comes over I might have to become a Phillies fan.  Lord knows I have the demeanor for it.

Nah. We can see your Yankees demeanor coming all the way down Broad Street.


DaveSchmidt said:

Nah. We can see your Yankees demeanor coming all the way down Broad Street.

2009 me is loling right now.


jfinnegan said:

Can Grissom play SS? I thought that was his position before he came up and played 2nd when Albies got hurt.

My guess is Atlanta re-signs Swanson or signs Boegarts.  Grissom is a decent shortstop and had a good rookie year, but they need to keep up with the Phillies and perhaps the Mets and so will be looking to add thump to their lineup.


BarneyGumble said:

2009 me is loling right now.

As I was saying.


Wow. Bellinger gets 18 million or so for one year with the Cubs.  He has been slipping every year.  That's a big number for him.


Hmmm. As fan of his new team, how should I feel about a pitcher named Walker?

(I guess Bob Walk did OK when the Phillies won rings in 1980.)


DaveSchmidt said:

Hmmm. As fan of his new team, how should I feel about a pitcher named Walker?

(I guess Bob Walk did OK when the Phillies won rings in 1980.)

Homer Bailey and Eric Plunk survived, so you should be okay.


He's solid. 4 years might be a bit much, but I would have been happy having him back with the Mets.


Judge to sign a 9 year deal with Yankees.  Ho hum, blah blah blah.  No surprises here.

The real news, as noted above, is Walker signing with the Phillies.  The Phillies are certainly filling in some holes on what is already a really good team.  I agree that 4 years at $18MM per is a hell of a stretch for a 30 year old pitcher with TJ surgery in his history.  But Walker has been healthy and strong the last two years, and slots in really nicely behind Wheeler, Nola, and Suarez.  

In a similar vein, Taillon signs with the Cubs for 4 years at $17MM per year.  Can say the same things as with Walker--past TJ surgery, strong bounce back the last few years, 31 years old, slots in well as mid-rotation pitcher. 

The market has moved a lot for mid-rotation pitchers. Good news for Chris Bassitt and Noah Syndergaard.


DanDietrich said:

Wow. Bellinger gets 18 million or so for one year with the Cubs.  He has been slipping every year.  That's a big number for him.

His bat speed has slowed down the last two years--watch some film and he is behind a lot of pitches.  His pitch selection also has worsened, perhaps because of his struggles at the plate in general.  He is still a fine defensive center fielder, and is a good base runner when he gets on.

All in all not a terrible deal for the Cubs.  They have no true center fielder on their roster and their prospects are a year or two away.  Bellinger would have been around $18MM in arbitration anyway this year, so the price is where the market would have him.  He was only seeking a one year deal to be able to get his bat back on track, so there is little risk to the Cubs on a long-term deal.  The Cubs still have a lot of salary cap room for other signings (such as Taillon) and lots of money to spend (unlike some low-cap teams).


Interesting.  Reports are that the Padres offered Judge $400MM but he never got to serious deal points with them.  The Padres also reportedly offered Turner more than the Phillies did.  While it is unclear how those deals may have been structured--deferred salary, etc--two things are clear:  The Padres are looking to spend a lot of money yet again; and some elite players who want to win now are not seeing San Diego as the place to be.  Obviously when you are already a multi-multi-millionaire, more money or bragging rights may not be motivating enough.

Meanwhile the Giants have tons of cap room and the money to spend, so they likely will be going all in on Rodon and Correa/Bogaerts/Swanson.  They could use a shortstop, and need to replace a bunch of FA pitchers.  And then there is Nimmo.......


mfpark said:

The Padres are looking to spend a lot of money yet again; and some elite players who want to win now are not seeing San Diego as the place to be.

It was reported that Turner really wanted to return to the East Coast (his wife is from Flemington), so nothing against the Padres per se.


***BREAKING NEWS****

AARON JUDGE AND NY YANKEES AGREE TO RAISE PRICES 30%.   MORE TO COME,,


BarneyGumble said:

***BREAKING NEWS****

AARON JUDGE AND NY YANKEES AGREE TO RAISE PRICES 30%. MORE TO COME,,

Fortunately, 2009 you is still around to lift your spirits.


I thought he was going to get $400 mil. That deal doesn't seem that bad to me.


BarneyGumble said:

***BREAKING NEWS****

AARON JUDGE AND NY YANKEES AGREE TO RAISE PRICES 30%.   MORE TO COME,,

dude, it doesn't work that way. If people will pay, the team will raise prices as much as they can get away with regardless of whom they sign.


mfpark said:

His bat speed has slowed down the last two years--watch some film and he is behind a lot of pitches.  His pitch selection also has worsened, perhaps because of his struggles at the plate in general.  He is still a fine defensive center fielder, and is a good base runner when he gets on.

All in all not a terrible deal for the Cubs.  They have no true center fielder on their roster and their prospects are a year or two away.  Bellinger would have been around $18MM in arbitration anyway this year, so the price is where the market would have him.  He was only seeking a one year deal to be able to get his bat back on track, so there is little risk to the Cubs on a long-term deal.  The Cubs still have a lot of salary cap room for other signings (such as Taillon) and lots of money to spend (unlike some low-cap teams).

he hasn't been the same since he aggravated a shoulder injury high-fiving a teammate in the WS. That said, maybe the Cubs looked at Bellinger's medicals and saw that his strength has returned. If it has, he'll be very, very good for them.


jfinnegan said:

He's solid. 4 years might be a bit much, but I would have been happy having him back with the Mets.

he was mostly very good last season, outside of a couple of games where he was dealing with a tweaked ankle. He's not likely to be a Cy Young candidate, but as a guy who keeps hitters from lifting the ball, he's a pretty good fit for CBP.


Cards replace Molina with Wilson Contreras.  Great bat, and while he is no Molina behind the plate, he is solid enough--great arm, okay mechanics, rumored to not be a good pitch caller but that is just a rumor.  Pretty potent to have him batting behind Arenado and Goldschmidt.


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