Winter Meetings Thread

[AZOldDawg]

I think it’s just more of the Dipito Two Step. Just feels like last year. Deja View All Over Again. Rather than go for the “Ring” management will again try towel into the playoffs

[Big_Maple]

I have no idea what Dipoto is going to do. Frankly, the winter meetings this year have been about as interesting as Bob Dole on quaaludes.

Literally the only thing that makes Jerry Dipoto interesting is his propensity to trade anything that isn't bolted to the floor. This year...? Nada.

IMHO, getting Sasaki would be a coup for two reasons: first, it's addition by subtraction. The dude is lights out - even after you adjust for him learning to pitch in America, he's still going to throw a baseball through a barn door. He's been compared to Skenes. He throws harder than Yamamoto. In high school, he broke the record for velocity set by Ohtani. And he has a stupid splitter that that has a whiff rate of 57%. He's going to be amazing, and I would rather have him pitching for us, than against us. If we don't get him, someone else will. Why would we not pull out all the stops to land him? He's cheap, and he's going to automatically be a TOR pitcher for whoever lands him.

Second, we don't have to have a 6 man rotation. That's insane. This gives us the luxury of dealing one of our starters. The front office says we aren't touching the rotation, but all I have heard is how likely we are to deal Castillo. So yeah, land Sasaki and deal a guy who is losing velocity on his fastball and who is due a lot of money. We are back to a 5 man rotation with a bunch of young, amazing, talented, cheap, controllable and dominant pitchers. And by dealing our weakest link, we get some positional offensive upgrade.

Do I think it will happen? Likely not. There's a lot of moving pieces that have to fall into place. But should it happen? Absolutely. We don't have to limit ourselves to linearly assuming we would just fold him into the existing rotation.

[D-train]

I have no idea what Dipoto is going to do. Frankly, the winter meetings this year have been about as interesting as Bob Dole on quaaludes.

Literally the only thing that makes Jerry Dipoto interesting is his propensity to trade anything that isn't bolted to the floor. This year...? Nada.

IMHO, getting Sasaki would be a coup for two reasons: first, it's addition by subtraction. The dude is lights out - even after you adjust for him learning to pitch in America, he's still going to throw a baseball through a barn door. He's been compared to Skenes. He throws harder than Yamamoto. In high school, he broke the record for velocity set by Ohtani. And he has a stupid splitter that that has a whiff rate of 57%. He's going to be amazing, and I would rather have him pitching for us, than against us. If we don't get him, someone else will. Why would we not pull out all the stops to land him? He's cheap, and he's going to automatically be a TOR pitcher for whoever lands him.

Second, we don't have to have a 6 man rotation. That's insane. This gives us the luxury of dealing one of our starters. The front office says we aren't touching the rotation, but all I have heard is how likely we are to deal Castillo. So yeah, land Sasaki and deal a guy who is losing velocity on his fastball and who is due a lot of money. We are back to a 5 man rotation with a bunch of young, amazing, talented, cheap, controllable and dominant pitchers. And by dealing our weakest link, we get some positional offensive upgrade.

Do I think it will happen? Likely not. There's a lot of moving pieces that have to fall into place. But should it happen? Absolutely. We don't have to limit ourselves to linearly assuming we would just fold him into the existing rotation.

I heard he doesn't want to DH but I don't have confirmation. He does have a no trade clause.

[Big_Maple]

I heard he doesn't want to DH but I don't have confirmation. He does have a no trade clause.

Suzuki or Sasaki?

I was talking about pitching, but I also read today that the Cubbies are looking to ship Suzuki. He was batting .283, and was better than Bellinger last season. A little iffy in the field, but really solid at the plate. An on base machine.

But I read he is unhappy being a DH, is a little pissy that Darvish talked up Chicago and then got traded to the Padres, and is looking for a change of scenery. No-trade clause notwithstanding, he might be a good fit with the M's, but then we have a stacked outfield. Trade Aroz? Make Haniger part of the trade and have a 4-man outfield?

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/12/ ... idacy.html

https://cubbiescrib.com/two-seiya-suzuk ... jesbpx8vby

Obviously we keep JRod, and I think Robles is going to bust out big time next year. I read that Robles was once a higher ranked prospect in the Nationals farm system than Soto:

https://www.si.com/mlb/mariners/news/se ... -nationals

[tehmc]

I heard he doesn't want to DH but I don't have confirmation. He does have a no trade clause.

Suzuki or Sasaki?

I was talking about pitching, but I also read today that the Cubbies are looking to ship Suzuki. He was batting .283, and was better than Bellinger last season. A little iffy in the field, but really solid at the plate. An on base machine.

But I read he is unhappy being a DH, is a little pissy that Darvish talked up Chicago and then got traded to the Padres, and is looking for a change of scenery. No-trade clause notwithstanding, he might be a good fit with the M's, but then we have a stacked outfield. Trade Aroz? Make Haniger part of the trade and have a 4-man outfield?

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/12/ ... idacy.html

https://cubbiescrib.com/two-seiya-suzuk ... jesbpx8vby

Obviously we keep JRod, and I think Robles is going to bust out big time next year. I read that Robles was once a higher ranked prospect in the Nationals farm system than Soto:

https://www.si.com/mlb/mariners/news/se ... -nationals

If we were able to trade for Suzuki and also trade Castillo/Arozarena/Haniger that will open up about 32 million, we could go after a Bregman or Alonso.

I'd prefer Bregman because the 2025 FA class has
1B - Vlad/Naylor/Yandy Diaz (club option)/LaMonte Wade Jr.
2B - Luis Arraez/Ozzie Albies/Brandon Lowe

And 3B doesn't really have anyone.

[Lamda]

I have no idea what Dipoto is going to do. Frankly, the winter meetings this year have been about as interesting as Bob Dole on quaaludes.

Literally the only thing that makes Jerry Dipoto interesting is his propensity to trade anything that isn't bolted to the floor. This year...? Nada.

IMHO, getting Sasaki would be a coup for two reasons: first, it's addition by subtraction. The dude is lights out - even after you adjust for him learning to pitch in America, he's still going to throw a baseball through a barn door. He's been compared to Skenes. He throws harder than Yamamoto. In high school, he broke the record for velocity set by Ohtani. And he has a stupid splitter that that has a whiff rate of 57%. He's going to be amazing, and I would rather have him pitching for us, than against us. If we don't get him, someone else will. Why would we not pull out all the stops to land him? He's cheap, and he's going to automatically be a TOR pitcher for whoever lands him.

Second, we don't have to have a 6 man rotation. That's insane. This gives us the luxury of dealing one of our starters. The front office says we aren't touching the rotation, but all I have heard is how likely we are to deal Castillo. So yeah, land Sasaki and deal a guy who is losing velocity on his fastball and who is due a lot of money. We are back to a 5 man rotation with a bunch of young, amazing, talented, cheap, controllable and dominant pitchers. And by dealing our weakest link, we get some positional offensive upgrade.

Do I think it will happen? Likely not. There's a lot of moving pieces that have to fall into place. But should it happen? Absolutely. We don't have to limit ourselves to linearly assuming we would just fold him into the existing rotation.

I agree on taking a flyer on him cause he won't cost us much right now which is a good thing, but as the reports say - he's far from a finished product. He's probably 2-3 years away from being one - his innings would be limited in the 140-150 range this year and then next year you gotta build on it. Good thing is the M's seem to do a good job with pitchers - we will get him in tip-top shape only to have him hit FA and bolt for 500mill hahaha.

[Seattle or Bust]

Crochet to the Red Sox...

Imagine what it would be like to root for a fun team that does fun things?

Reading that the major prospect going back to Chicago is catcher Kyle Teel... no. 4 in the Sox farm, no. 25 on MLB Pipeline.

Boston gets 2 years of an ace w.o having to trade Mayer or Anthony...

[tehmc]

Crochet to the Red Sox...

Imagine what it would be like to root for a fun team that does fun things?

Reading that the major prospect going back to Chicago is catcher Kyle Teel... no. 4 in the Sox farm, no. 25 on MLB Pipeline.

Boston gets 2 years of an ace w.o having to trade Mayer or Anthony...

Looks like the deal is for Kyle Teel (#25), Braden Montgomery (#54), Chase Meidroth and Wikelman Gonzalez

Basically their #4, #5, #11 and #14 prospects

[tehmc]

Good news is the Crochet trade is one of the shoes that needed to drop before a Luis Castillo trade.

Mariner's equivalent solely based on Top 30 prospect rankings
#4 - Harry Ford
#5 - Felnin Celesten
#11 - Tai Peete
#14 - Teddy McGraw

Felnin Celesten is the only one I would be hurt to see go but would still have made the trade for Crochet.

[rockycola]

Dud of a Rule 5 draft. M's passed on choosing anyone. I'm good with that.
From the M's vaunted minor league stockpile, zero were picked.
I thought perhaps Taylor Dollard or maybe Jimmy Joyce, both RHP, might get a trial elsewhere but not to be.