Hot stove 2.0
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2024 3:49 am
1st As per usual: No on Polanco's option, dump all the trashy arbitration guys:
Dump:
Austin Voth (5.115): $2.2MM
Luis Urias (5.014): $5MM
Trent Thornton (4.148): $2.1MM
Josh Rojas (4.126): $4.3MM
Sam Haggerty (4.036): $900K
Tayler Saucedo (3.112): $1MM
Gabe Speier (2.172): $900K
Keep:
Randy Arozarena (4.129): $11.7MM
Logan Gilbert (3.144): $8.1MM
Cal Raleigh (3.085): $5.6MM
George Kirby (2.151): $5.5MM
JT Chargois (5.101): $1.7MM
I am packing up -15.5M Mitch H.
Chicago WS get Mitch H. -15.6M, Tyler Locklear 12.4M, Walter Ford 2M, and 2.5M cash
The cutting of the chaff frees up about 45-50M in salary for 2025.
Trade for a 1B:
M's get Yandy Diaz 10M for 2025, 12M for 2026 0$ buyout. He had a 116 OPS+ after a slow start. He has a 126 OPS+ career and was the batting-average crown winner in 2023.His peak year was a 157 OPS+. He is more of a contributor than the main guy his max output was 22HR and 78 RBI. He does has some positional flexibility in that he can also play 3B.
The deal M's get Yandy Diaz 15.4M 1B/3B
Rays get 2B/SS Arroyo 13.5M, RHP Teddy McGraw 2.7M
M's trade for 2B Brandon Lowe. He is an oft injured player with a career 125 OPS+. He had a 121 OPS+ in 2024. His max year was 39 HR and a 154 OPS+. He is a lefty who helps balance out that line-up. He is owed 10.5M in 2025 with an 11.5M option in 2026. One of my thoughts on this acquisition is that even if he gets injured the M's have D. Moore who can more than fill in for his absence. Not to mention Ryan Bliss who is a great speed/power prospect who has had a decent little sample performance in MLB.
M's get: Brandon Lowe 2B/OF/1B 8.3m
Rays get: Ben Williamson 6.8M, M. Morales 2.3M, Jimmy Joyce 2.1M
Sign F.A. LHBP stud Tanner Scott 4 for 64M . He is that dominant lefty to pair with a fleet of dominant RH BP parts. I really want a dominant LH BP guy and he is among the best. That is Sport trac's estimate. He has been better than 200 ERA+ in the last 2 years. He was at 4 WAR this year.
FA options include A. Chapman but I am told Seattle would never sign a guy with his criminal history.
Tanner Scott 4/64M was one estimate
AJ Minter: 131 ERA+ career (Might be a more realistic target but let's go big)
Trade for 3B Jake Burger.
Miami is not looking to compete, but Burger is locked in as pre-arb. He has hit as many as 34 HR in a season and has been as high as a 125 OPS+. He has not displayed good defense at 3B but Mr. Perry has improved so many players including guys like Saurez that they should make the investment.
Miami gets
M's get: Jake Burger 15.1M
Miami: Cole Young 22.1M
My goal for the offseason was to:
Add an elite LH to the BP.
Add a combo of contributors who turn the lineup over in guys like Diaz, and add RBI producers AKA "base Sweepers" in guys like Burger, and Lowe:
Name, Position, OPS+ in 2024/ Career
1. Robles RF 155 / 90
2. JRod CF 116 / 130
3. Raley* DH 129 / 117
4. Randy LF 118 / 122
5. Cal** C 119 / 112
6. Yandy 1B 116 / 126
7. Lowe* 2B 121 / 125
8. Burger 3B 103 / 111
9. JP* SS 86 /102
Bench Garver C(85), Moore (104) Ut, Bliss Ut (102), Canzone* OF (91)
BP
Closer: Munoz, Tanner*
Set-up: Brash, Santos, Snider, JTC
Mid: TT, Buzardo
And noodles thrown at the wall plus the farm.
The starting rotation was the #1 unit and should continue to get better.
The BP as constructed should be better from getting back Santos and Brash but also adds an elite lefty in Scott? That has the makings for the #1 squad in all of baseball.
The line-up is solid top to bottom. Julio is your MVP candidate but FFS Burger has hit as many as 34 HR in a year and is your #8 hitter. JP is your #9 hitter and has a 131 OPS+ season under his belt.
I did trade 8 top 30 prospects. including 3 of what I consider top 100's .
Dump:
Austin Voth (5.115): $2.2MM
Luis Urias (5.014): $5MM
Trent Thornton (4.148): $2.1MM
Josh Rojas (4.126): $4.3MM
Sam Haggerty (4.036): $900K
Tayler Saucedo (3.112): $1MM
Gabe Speier (2.172): $900K
Keep:
Randy Arozarena (4.129): $11.7MM
Logan Gilbert (3.144): $8.1MM
Cal Raleigh (3.085): $5.6MM
George Kirby (2.151): $5.5MM
JT Chargois (5.101): $1.7MM
I am packing up -15.5M Mitch H.
Chicago WS get Mitch H. -15.6M, Tyler Locklear 12.4M, Walter Ford 2M, and 2.5M cash
The cutting of the chaff frees up about 45-50M in salary for 2025.
Trade for a 1B:
M's get Yandy Diaz 10M for 2025, 12M for 2026 0$ buyout. He had a 116 OPS+ after a slow start. He has a 126 OPS+ career and was the batting-average crown winner in 2023.His peak year was a 157 OPS+. He is more of a contributor than the main guy his max output was 22HR and 78 RBI. He does has some positional flexibility in that he can also play 3B.
The deal M's get Yandy Diaz 15.4M 1B/3B
Rays get 2B/SS Arroyo 13.5M, RHP Teddy McGraw 2.7M
M's trade for 2B Brandon Lowe. He is an oft injured player with a career 125 OPS+. He had a 121 OPS+ in 2024. His max year was 39 HR and a 154 OPS+. He is a lefty who helps balance out that line-up. He is owed 10.5M in 2025 with an 11.5M option in 2026. One of my thoughts on this acquisition is that even if he gets injured the M's have D. Moore who can more than fill in for his absence. Not to mention Ryan Bliss who is a great speed/power prospect who has had a decent little sample performance in MLB.
M's get: Brandon Lowe 2B/OF/1B 8.3m
Rays get: Ben Williamson 6.8M, M. Morales 2.3M, Jimmy Joyce 2.1M
Sign F.A. LHBP stud Tanner Scott 4 for 64M . He is that dominant lefty to pair with a fleet of dominant RH BP parts. I really want a dominant LH BP guy and he is among the best. That is Sport trac's estimate. He has been better than 200 ERA+ in the last 2 years. He was at 4 WAR this year.
FA options include A. Chapman but I am told Seattle would never sign a guy with his criminal history.
Tanner Scott 4/64M was one estimate
AJ Minter: 131 ERA+ career (Might be a more realistic target but let's go big)
Trade for 3B Jake Burger.
Miami is not looking to compete, but Burger is locked in as pre-arb. He has hit as many as 34 HR in a season and has been as high as a 125 OPS+. He has not displayed good defense at 3B but Mr. Perry has improved so many players including guys like Saurez that they should make the investment.
Miami gets
M's get: Jake Burger 15.1M
Miami: Cole Young 22.1M
My goal for the offseason was to:
Add an elite LH to the BP.
Add a combo of contributors who turn the lineup over in guys like Diaz, and add RBI producers AKA "base Sweepers" in guys like Burger, and Lowe:
Name, Position, OPS+ in 2024/ Career
1. Robles RF 155 / 90
2. JRod CF 116 / 130
3. Raley* DH 129 / 117
4. Randy LF 118 / 122
5. Cal** C 119 / 112
6. Yandy 1B 116 / 126
7. Lowe* 2B 121 / 125
8. Burger 3B 103 / 111
9. JP* SS 86 /102
Bench Garver C(85), Moore (104) Ut, Bliss Ut (102), Canzone* OF (91)
BP
Closer: Munoz, Tanner*
Set-up: Brash, Santos, Snider, JTC
Mid: TT, Buzardo
And noodles thrown at the wall plus the farm.
The starting rotation was the #1 unit and should continue to get better.
The BP as constructed should be better from getting back Santos and Brash but also adds an elite lefty in Scott? That has the makings for the #1 squad in all of baseball.
The line-up is solid top to bottom. Julio is your MVP candidate but FFS Burger has hit as many as 34 HR in a year and is your #8 hitter. JP is your #9 hitter and has a 131 OPS+ season under his belt.
I did trade 8 top 30 prospects. including 3 of what I consider top 100's .