Jerry says he has meetings set-up

[Donn Beach]

geez...well I don't think he has to worry about the Guardians

[Coeurd’Alene J]

Here are a few of the players that we aren't allowed to acquire during the biggest off season in team history due to JD's proclamations of dumbfuckery.

Kyle Schwarber: Proclamation of Dumbfuckery. He is a pure DH
Jose Ramirez: Proclamation of Dumbfuckery. Not trading ANY top prospects
Wilson Contreras: Proclamation of Dumbfuckery. Our catchers are so awesome we don't need to upgrade them
Matt Olson: Actually two Proclamations of Dumfuckery come into play here: France isn't moving from 1B and not trading any top prospects
Max Scherzer: Proclamation of Dumbfuckery. No mention of an Ace or TOR type starter
Corey Seager: Again two Proclamations of Dumbfuckery: The SJW legend JP has been anointed SS for his amazing 700 OPS AND burning bridges with his brother who was the best position player of the past decade.
Bryan Reynolds: Proclamation of Dumbfuckery. Not trading any top Prospects.

If Cleveland, Detroit or Texas outbid us for Semien Jay and I are coming to Boston to shoot your dogs and sell Lynda into slavery. We will then tell Jerry we have a new "switch hitter" to add to his staff.

[Donn Beach]

from traderumors...putting him at second doesn't seem outrageous

Defensively, Semien may profile better at second base than shortstop, but he’s played significantly more short in his career and should at least be good for a few years there. Semien does carry the weight of a qualifying offer, but interest should be robust for clubs that missed out on Correa and Seager or prefer not to shop in the $300MM aisle. His market also may differ from Correa and Seager in that he’s more likely to be signed as a second baseman.

[ice99]

Tigers and Rangers? Didn't Semien say that he preferred teams on the west coast? The M's are going to provide a better chance at the playoffs.

They'd have to surpass the M's bid significantly, one would think. I guess that's Boras being Boras.

[Donn Beach]

so looking at what was said about the market in terms of the CBA, Siemen could be a real target to sign quickly which is what Dipoto has been claiming he is ready to do

there’s a sense that top free agents Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and a few prominent starting pitchers could come off the board while the current CBA is still in play. Similarly, some in the industry expect that at least some of the offseason’s most aggressive teams (e.g. Rangers, Tigers, Mariners, Blue Jays) could be highly active in the days and hours leading up to the current agreement’s expiration, per Passan.

To some extent, it’s only logical to see the markets for certain top-of-the-scale free agents crystallize more quickly than others. Seager is one of the top two names on the market, while Semien is coming off the best season of any of the “second tier” of shortstops — those expected to sign north of $100MM but well beneath the likely $300MM+ price range of Seager and Carlos Correa.

Demand figures to be robust for both Seager and Semien. And, with likely interest from teams that won’t have immediate luxury-tax concerns regardless of who they sign, thanks to fairly wide-open payroll outlays, not every interested team will be overly concerned with waiting to see how the luxury tax unfolds. A lack of luxury-tax concern among Texas, Detroit, Seattle and Toronto surely dovetails with expectations that they could act more quickly than, say, the Yankees or Dodgers — both of whom will be keenly interested in the particulars of a restructured competitive balance tax.

[D-train]

That is my point, Dipoto is selling a 90 win team, that is a pretty damn good team. That is why he isn't moving France or JP around, its a 90 win team as is. You guys want him to add three pieces. He is looking to add another 6 win piece or whatever, like they did with Cano. That is what he is selling the owners, he isn't selling its three pieces away, its a piece away. His rational for blowing things up before was the team being more than a piece away, well they are still more than a piece away. Its like when he got his extension, lucked into a period of over performing. It could be he pulls it off with his farm, he does have pieces coming,

How is this for a fun fact. The team he blew up put up 34.5 WAR. The team he is now building on put up 25.8 WAR.

[Sexymarinersfan]

That is my point, Dipoto is selling a 90 win team, that is a pretty damn good team. That is why he isn't moving France or JP around, its a 90 win team as is. You guys want him to add three pieces. He is looking to add another 6 win piece or whatever, like they did with Cano. That is what he is selling the owners, he isn't selling its three pieces away, its a piece away. His rational for blowing things up before was the team being more than a piece away, well they are still more than a piece away. Its like when he got his extension, lucked into a period of over performing. It could be he pulls it off with his farm, he does have pieces coming,

How is this for a fun fact. The team he blew up put up 34.5 WAR. The team he is now building on put up 25.8 WAR.

And won more games

I like our chances with Detroit, Toronto, and Texas if there were ever any teams to compete with.

[ice99]

so looking at what was said about the market in terms of the CBA, Siemen could be a real target to sign quickly which is what Dipoto has been claiming he is ready to do

there’s a sense that top free agents Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and a few prominent starting pitchers could come off the board while the current CBA is still in play. Similarly, some in the industry expect that at least some of the offseason’s most aggressive teams (e.g. Rangers, Tigers, Mariners, Blue Jays) could be highly active in the days and hours leading up to the current agreement’s expiration, per Passan.

To some extent, it’s only logical to see the markets for certain top-of-the-scale free agents crystallize more quickly than others. Seager is one of the top two names on the market, while Semien is coming off the best season of any of the “second tier” of shortstops — those expected to sign north of $100MM but well beneath the likely $300MM+ price range of Seager and Carlos Correa.

Demand figures to be robust for both Seager and Semien. And, with likely interest from teams that won’t have immediate luxury-tax concerns regardless of who they sign, thanks to fairly wide-open payroll outlays, not every interested team will be overly concerned with waiting to see how the luxury tax unfolds. A lack of luxury-tax concern among Texas, Detroit, Seattle and Toronto surely dovetails with expectations that they could act more quickly than, say, the Yankees or Dodgers — both of whom will be keenly interested in the particulars of a restructured competitive balance tax.

I can see Boras waiting, especially to see if they raise the luxury tax salary levels. Unless Semien gets $30 million a year, which would be an overpay, imo.

[Sexymarinersfan]

so looking at what was said about the market in terms of the CBA, Siemen could be a real target to sign quickly which is what Dipoto has been claiming he is ready to do

there’s a sense that top free agents Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and a few prominent starting pitchers could come off the board while the current CBA is still in play. Similarly, some in the industry expect that at least some of the offseason’s most aggressive teams (e.g. Rangers, Tigers, Mariners, Blue Jays) could be highly active in the days and hours leading up to the current agreement’s expiration, per Passan.

To some extent, it’s only logical to see the markets for certain top-of-the-scale free agents crystallize more quickly than others. Seager is one of the top two names on the market, while Semien is coming off the best season of any of the “second tier” of shortstops — those expected to sign north of $100MM but well beneath the likely $300MM+ price range of Seager and Carlos Correa.

Demand figures to be robust for both Seager and Semien. And, with likely interest from teams that won’t have immediate luxury-tax concerns regardless of who they sign, thanks to fairly wide-open payroll outlays, not every interested team will be overly concerned with waiting to see how the luxury tax unfolds. A lack of luxury-tax concern among Texas, Detroit, Seattle and Toronto surely dovetails with expectations that they could act more quickly than, say, the Yankees or Dodgers — both of whom will be keenly interested in the particulars of a restructured competitive balance tax.

I can see Boras waiting, especially to see if they raise the luxury tax salary levels. Unless Semien gets $30 million a year, which would be an overpay, imo.

Absolutely an overpay. But if thats it takes to make the first domino fall, then count me in.

[Sexymarinersfan]

Well this definitely should put the Matt Olson trade rumors to rest.

More from around the AL West…

Members of the Rangers front office recently met with Corey Seager and Marcus Semien in California, The Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant reports. Texas was already known to have interest in both free agent shortstops, so the in-person meetings represent the next logical step in the pursuit, especially since the Rangers have also met face-to-face with another available shortstop in Trevor Story. After five consecutive losing seasons, the Rangers are looking eager to return to contention, and are known to be willing to spend at the highest ends of the free agent market. Since Seager, Semien, and Story all rejected qualifying offers, Texas would have to give up $500K in international bonus pool money and their second-highest pick in the 2022 draft as compensation — which is another sign of the Rangers’ aggression, considering that pick would be the third choice of the second round.


Unsurprisingly, the Athletics are putting a very high asking price on Matt Olson in any trade talks, as MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets the A’s are “shooting for the moon” in their demands. It remains to be seen whether any team will line up on an Olson trade, and yet parting with a big trade package would probably be justifiable, considering Olson’s impressive track record. Olson is the most prominent of what could be several Oakland trade candidates this winter, as the club looks to be cutting back on payroll.