So it begins, The official Hot Stove League Thread 2024-25 Offseason

[D-train]

Raley had a 129 OPS and the other two had a 119 OPS. I don't think it's very wise to make out lineups based on how much guys make lol. We would have haniger hitting lead off and garver hitting second.

[tehmc]

Anthony Santander signs for 5 years $90ish million

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/ ... ander.html

I'm so glad we didn't sign him because $20 million a year is way too much for a switch-hitting productive bat that has positional flexibility to play the OF/1B/DH and can put up 30-40 HR's.

[DavidGee24]

This can't be true: https://www.si.com/mlb/mariners/news/se ... obile-park

There is no way that the Mariners, who thought that Mitch Garver and his .000 (0-32) lifetime batting average at T-Mobile would be a good fit, would think that Triston Casas wouldn't be a good fit simply because he hits to all fields. That just doesn't make any sense at all, nor does Casas and Raley "being redundant" as Raley can play outfield, his performance is not guaranteed, and when exactly did having another good bat in your lineup become "redundant"?

[D-train]

This can't be true: https://www.si.com/mlb/mariners/news/se ... obile-park

There is no way that the Mariners, who thought that Mitch Garver and his .000 (0-32) lifetime batting average at T-Mobile would be a good fit, would think that Triston Casas wouldn't be a good fit simply because he hits to all fields. That just doesn't make any sense at all, nor does Casas and Raley "being redundant" as Raley can play outfield, his performance is not guaranteed, and when exactly did having another good bat in your lineup become "redundant"?

How were we involved in trade rumors for him if we didn't think he was a good fit????

[TraderGary]

So its better to have a league with Dynasties and the same teams are good and bad every season as long as they have a salary cap than a league that does not have dynasties because it MIGHT happen because there is no salary cap. Sorry I disagree. If the Dodgers win 3 WS titles in 5 years I might feel differently.

The difference is, even when it came to the Pats or the Chiefs, you still felt like other teams had a shot. You had hall of fame QBs battling both in the playoffs. You felt a solid 10-15 teams could have a shot knocking them off because the star talent was and is spread out. Where in baseball, if a star reaches FA, they are most likely going to NY or the Dodgers. To say a salary cap is bad is just old fashioned way of thinking. I’d rather stars battling, not teaming up

I agree.

I will be very surprised if there isn't a strike or lockout in 2027 with the owners attempt to implement a salary cap. Baseball desperately needs one. It's gotten out of hand for reasons already stated. The league is too top heavy.

[TraderGary]

This can't be true: https://www.si.com/mlb/mariners/news/se ... obile-park

There is no way that the Mariners, who thought that Mitch Garver and his .000 (0-32) lifetime batting average at T-Mobile would be a good fit, would think that Triston Casas wouldn't be a good fit simply because he hits to all fields. That just doesn't make any sense at all, nor does Casas and Raley "being redundant" as Raley can play outfield, his performance is not guaranteed, and when exactly did having another good bat in your lineup become "redundant"?

How were we involved in trade rumors for him if we didn't think he was a good fit????

Because who would want a player who hits to all fields? They'd rather have a player who's pull happy and strikes out at a 30%+ rate. How the fuck does Dipoto still have a job?

[GL_Storm]

So its better to have a league with Dynasties and the same teams are good and bad every season as long as they have a salary cap than a league that does not have dynasties because it MIGHT happen because there is no salary cap. Sorry I disagree. If the Dodgers win 3 WS titles in 5 years I might feel differently.

The difference is, even when it came to the Pats or the Chiefs, you still felt like other teams had a shot. You had hall of fame QBs battling both in the playoffs. You felt a solid 10-15 teams could have a shot knocking them off because the star talent was and is spread out. Where in baseball, if a star reaches FA, they are most likely going to NY or the Dodgers. To say a salary cap is bad is just old fashioned way of thinking. I’d rather stars battling, not teaming up

I agree.

I will be very surprised if there isn't a strike or lockout in 2027 with the owners attempt to implement a salary cap. Baseball desperately needs one. It's gotten out of hand for reasons already stated. The league is too top heavy.

It could happen. From the side of the player's union, the key will be whether or not player salaries are still going up. We know there are some monster contracts being given out, but how is the average player doing when most of the teams are cutting back due to the loss of local TV money?

[Donn Beach]

I'll believe it when I see it. In my mind it's not about the players union, it's the owners. To begin with the big market teams are not going to be interested in a cap, how about the smaller markets. Let's take the mariners, would they be interested? The first thing is it would require them opening their books. You really think the mariners would be interested in doing that? And the fact is they are doing fine aren't they? Isn't that the narrative, they are making money. The fact is a cap would be for the fans benefit, but not even every fan. I just don't see it happening. Even before you get to the fight with the players it take such a change in teams view their businesses

[D-train]

The fact the League that has a salary cap has FAR less parity than the one that does not have one ends the argument for me. Does a cap result in less parity? Of course not but it clearly doesn't result in more parity in the case of the NFL so what's the point. The mlb draft lottery was implemented to discourage tanking but it actual reduces parity so I don't think the MLB is obsessed with increasing parity like the fans are.

[Donn Beach]

Exactly, first you need to identify the issue before applying a remedy. There is a problem, it's not parity, it's shrinking revenues for some teams. It's what the mariners are dealing with, it's affecting other clubs but not the big market teams. When it came to labor negotiations the line in the sand for the owners was opening their books, that was the thing they would never agree to. Now they are giving that up voluntarily in order to make their cap work? I do not see it