196 replies to this topic

[Steve55]

Tigers are giving Flaherty $14 million to pitch for one season. Good for them!

 

 

Hope he pitches better for them .

[mdrunning]

Michael Wacha to the Royals for a reported two years and $32 million.

[Mackus]

I don't currently regret not beating that offer, but it's pretty depressing how inevitable it feels that we end up with a much worse SP addition than Wacha. I've got zero confidence in management to do anything even approaching acceptable in the rotation.

[mdrunning]

I don't currently regret not beating that offer, but it's pretty depressing how inevitable it feels that we end up with a much worse SP addition than Wacha. I've got zero confidence in management to do anything even approaching acceptable in the rotation.

You can't expect us to compete financially with the Royals, can you?

[mweb08]

I don't currently regret not beating that offer, but it's pretty depressing how inevitable it feels that we end up with a much worse SP addition than Wacha. I've got zero confidence in management to do anything even approaching acceptable in the rotation.

Yep. All these pitchers passing us by are defensible until they won't be. It's sad that we're thinking that will be the likely outcome.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The Royals are flush with cash, chill chill. 

 

EDIT: what mdrunning said. Beat me to it.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: Rumors: Multiple teams interested in Japanese pitcher Imanaga

https://www.cbssport...turner-reunion/

[BSLChrisStoner]

@JeffPassan

Also in the story: All the alleged $300M bids for Yoshinobu Yamamoto — that’s inaccurate, sources tell ESPN. Teams have been asked not to discuss terms yet. But that could change today when bidding, sources said, is expected to begin. Now is when Yamamoto's free agency gets real.

[BSLChrisStoner]

ESPN: Which teams could land top slugger Cody Bellinger?

https://www.espn.com...ue-jays-2023-24

[Nigel Tufnel]

Rule changes for 2024:

• The runner's lane to 1B will now include the dirt area in fair territory
• Pitch clock changing to 18 seconds (was 20) with runners on base
• Only 4 mound visits per game (was 5)
• After a dead ball, the pitch clock will start when play is ready to resume, instead of when the pitcher in on the mound (pitchers won't be able to stall for time by delaying stepping on the mound)
• The pitcher who starts an inning must face at least one batter

(1) Chelsea Janes on X: "MLB announces rule modifications for 2024, including reducing pitch clock from 20 seconds to 18 with runners on base. https://t.co/b0fQDq8ohI" / X (twitter.com)

[Mackus]

• The runner's lane to 1B will now include the dirt area in fair territory

 

Amazing that it took so long to make this obvious and easy change.  Good job, I guess?

 

Don't think any of the other changes will be noticeable, just minor tweaks.

[Nigel Tufnel]

The Player's Association is against all of these changes (being against the change to the runner's lane is strange, but maybe it's just on principal) but in the last CBA they agreed to set up the competition committee so that players were in the minority.  So they were outvoted.

[Mike in STL]

Amazing that it took so long to make this obvious and easy change.  Good job, I guess?

 

Don't think any of the other changes will be noticeable, just minor tweaks.

The main question is will every infield grass be cut to the same spot across the league. 

 

Google image search some parks. Oriole Park the foul line is practically an inch give or take from the grass. Fenway Park you have at least 2 feet of dirt between the foul line and the grass. So will you have 2 feet extra inside the baseline in Boston than Baltimore? Maybe this falls under the "baseball is unique, every stadium is different" thing? But some dimensions are standard. 

[mdrunning]

Yoshiobu Yamamoto to the Dodgers for a reported 12 years and $325 million. Unlike the Ohtani contract, this deal contains no deferrals. The Dodgers also had to post a $50.6 million posting fee.

 

That's $1.2 billion on three contracts this offseason for the Dodgers. 

[CantonJester]

Yoshiobu Yamamoto to the Dodgers for a reported 12 years and $325 million. Unlike the Ohtani contract, this deal contains no deferrals. The Dodgers also had to post a $50.6 million posting fee.

 

That's $1.2 billion on three contracts this offseason for the Dodgers. 

 

To the shock of nobody paying attention.

 

They’ve now effectively cornered at least the Japanese market, and potentially the entire Asian market. 

 

The argument will soon become “they would’ve made that $ anyway…” once the Dodgers begin reaping the financial windfall over the next few years. 

 

They’re not even playing 3D chess. They’re just using their financial might to make more $, and if it all shakes out, win some hardware. 

[Mackus]

Man that's a wild commitment for Yamamoto.  He's gotta be an ace at those prices.  Won't impact the Dodgers bottom line enough to matter if he isn't, but that is what they are buying.  Biggest contract ever for a pitcher, right?  Before even considering the additional posting fee.

[Mackus]

The huge deals for pitchers this offseason make me even angrier that the Orioles weren't in on guys last season.  Particularly Bassitt and Senga. I also wanted Rodon, so they didn't all work out, but the prices were far more palatable a year ago.  I imagine that trend continues, so they if they see a guy they like, should pony up now even though it hurts a lot and not wait a year or two when it'll hurt a lot more.

[Mike in STL]

Must be nice.

[mdrunning]

Yamamoto's deal also reportedly contains two opt outs as well.

 

The Dodgers have now accounted for more than half of the total spending in free agency thus far this offseason.

[glenn__davis]

Excellent news for us.  Let the Dodgers buy them all and keep them in the NL.