The official Hot Stove League Thread 2025-26 Offseason

[D-train]

I'm wouldn't be too upset if they went with Geno.

I just don't want to see Williamson near this baseball team until he drops a .900 OPS in the minors for a prolonged period of time.

Prepare to be disappointed, Williamson and young will be on team

He is relatively young vs. all MLB players but is old for a prospect and older than Julio. He and Emerson can't both be on the roster and he can't be a UT since he doesn't play SS so he will need to beat Emerson out or back to Tacoma for him.

[harmony]

I'm wouldn't be too upset if they went with Geno.

I just don't want to see Williamson near this baseball team until he drops a .900 OPS in the minors for a prolonged period of time.

Cal Raleigh did not maintain a .900 OPS over his 210 games in the minors:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/regi ... leig000cal

[GL_Storm]

I'm wouldn't be too upset if they went with Geno.

I just don't want to see Williamson near this baseball team until he drops a .900 OPS in the minors for a prolonged period of time.

Cal Raleigh did not maintain a .900 OPS over his 210 games in the minors:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/regi ... leig000cal

Almost nobody dominates to that extent in the minors.

[D-train]

I'm wouldn't be too upset if they went with Geno.

I just don't want to see Williamson near this baseball team until he drops a .900 OPS in the minors for a prolonged period of time.

Cal Raleigh did not maintain a .900 OPS over his 210 games in the minors:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/regi ... leig000cal

He had an .870 OPS in the Minors as a catcher. .959 with Tacoma.

Ben has a .792 OPS in the Minors as a 3B .854 with Tacoma.

He was 6th in OPS with guys over 100 PAs in Tacoma in 2025. Behind hitting legends Locklear, Rivas, Canzone, Ford and Cade Marlowe.

[harmony]

How would this hypothetical starting rotation rank among the rotations of the 30 MLB teams?

Freddy Peralta
Pablo Lopez
Robbie Ray
Zack Littell
Taijuan Walker

The Mariners traded away those five starters during Jerry Dipoto's tenure in Seattle. No judgment.

[D-train]

Good piece here on why the Cubs might trade Nico and how he might be the best fit for us vs. Donovan and Marte.

https://sodomojo.com/latest-cubs-buzz-c ... kecg46cypd

[bhofferb]

So another day of looking at Mariner news and seeing just pictures of crickets and tumbleweeds.

Help me understand their logic.
We pick up two veteran ball players at the deadline which pushes us to one game from the prize.
We sign one vet and yet lose two others to FA.

The front office cannot expect the same production or expertise to win. We ARE a different team today.

So we'll wait until all the proven bats are off the table and maybe sign some mediocre AAAA utility bat left over for cheap.

They proved to themselves a winning strategy and refuse to follow it. Can't make it up.

And the dopey fans on X think it is a lock we can just scape by again for FOUR months and then make Moves at the deadline to save the day. It is just a ridiculous plan.

The dopey fans and Jerry...