Finally! Official Hot Stove League thread!

[D-train]

Walter supplementing his income....

[D-train]

A cleaner look at at the Mariners moves so far.

Subtracted Campbell 2.83 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 10.4 Ks per 9 in MLB
Added Bolton 6.33 ERA, 2.10 WHIP and 9.3 Ks per 9 in MLB

Subtracted O'Brien 2.29 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 14.1 Ks/9 in AAA
Added Vargas 7.02 ERA, 2.10 WHIP 7.7 Ks/9 in AAA

Subtracted Murphy 1.2 WAR .873 OPS 142 OPS+
Added Seby -0.3 WAR .545 OPS 47 OPS+

Subtracted Geno Suarez 2.3 WAR .714 OPS 101 OPS+
Added Urias -0.2 WAR .636 OPS 74 OPS+

Subtracted Teo 2.1 WAR .741 OPS 106 OPS+
Subtracted Ford 0.6 WAR .798 OPS 122 OPS+

Total Subtracted: 6.7 WAR
Total Added: -0.7 WAR
Net: -7.4 WAR

[D-train]

When you create a bunch of new holes before you even fill the holes you already had, it put you at a disadvantage in negotiations because other GMs and agents know your are desperate. But I imagine that Jerry was told he needed to clear salary first to ensure they wouldn't exceed their self imposed salary cap. Just a Ass backward approach by an extremely risk adverse org to the detriment of their roster building.

[D-train]

Good hitting lesson here:

[Donn Beach]

Here's a rebuttal, not that I understand any of it. The back biting aspect is interesting.

https://dev.cubsinsider.com/2020/12/26/ ... e_vignette

[D-train]

Funny I was just noticing his OPS and OPS+ vs. Geno's in 2023

2023 T-Mobil Geno: .714 101
1999 Coors Bichette: .895 102

[Donn Beach]

That's like the Dave Cameron of the Cubs and the father of Kris Bryant. Just curious what their OPS+ were

[D-train]

I doubt he says this if they had even bothered to reach out to him

[harmony]

I doubt he says this if they had even bothered to reach out to him

After the Mariners jettisoned Teoscar Hernandez and Eugenio Suarez, and with too much time on my hands, the offseason plan going forward:

Contact Scott Boras to discuss a contract with Cy Young lefthander (and Seattle native) Blake Snell. When Snell’s demands fall out of the Mariners’ reach, attention shifts to two other Boras clients: Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and lefthander Sean Manaea.

Sign Jung Hoo Lee to a five-year, $70 million contract (AAV $14 million)

Sign Sean Manaea to a two-year, $24 million contract (AAV $12 million)

Trade six years of Bryce Miller to Cincinnati for five years of project third baseman Spencer Steer (pre-arb minimum salary)

Trade six years of righthander Prelander Berroa to Chicago White Sox for one year (and two team options) of designated hitter Eloy Jimenez (guaranteed 2024 salary $13 million with $3 million buyout of 2025 team option)

The trades may need added pieces on each side although Baseball Trade Values accepts each trade.

The lineup:

SS J.P. Crawford
CF Julio Rodriguez
LF Jung Hoo Lee
DH Eloy Jimenez
C Cal Raleigh
1B Ty France
RF Jarred Kelenic
3B Spencer Steer
2B Luis Urias / Josh Rojas

The Mariners add three bats -- ages 25, 26 and 27 -- projected to strike out at below league-average rates highlighted by Lee’s stellar KBO numbers

Infield coach Perry Hill gets to work his magic on another defensively suspect Cincinnati Reds third baseman

If Steer falters, Urias goes to third base

If France falters, Steer goes to first base and Urias to third base

If both fail, it’s Mike Ford time!

FanGraphs projects 2024 WAR of 1.3 in 143 innings for Bryce Miller, who this year posted 1.9 fWAR in 131 innings. FanGraphs projects 2024 WAR of 1.4 in 146 games for Spencer Steer, who this year posted 2.1 fWAR in 156 games.

FanGraphs projects 2024 WAR of 2.0 in 151 innings for lefthander Sean Manaea, who this year posted 1.1 fWAR in 117.2 innings. Manaea would replace Miller in the Seattle rotation.

FanGraphs projects 2024 WAR of 2.2 141 games for Eloy Jimenez, who this year posted 0.4 fWAR in 120 games.

The Mariners don’t have the greatest history with Scott Boras, who slighted the M’s in postseason comments. Among Boras clients, Yusei Kikuchi turned down a player option after three seasons with Seattle. This year Luke Weaver signed with the Mariners on August 22 only to be waived a few weeks later.

The rotation:

SP Luis Castillo
SP George Kirby
SP Logan Gilbert
SP Sean Manaea
SP Bryan Woo

Marco Gonzales and Emerson Hancock provide rotation depth

Lee, Jimenez and Manaea add $39 million to the 2024 payroll after the subtraction of the combined $25 million salaries of Hernandez and Suarez from the 2023 payroll.

Arbitration salary increases add to the payroll:

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/seattle-mariners/payroll/

As always, feedback is welcome.

[bpj]

I doubt he says this if they had even bothered to reach out to him

After the Mariners jettisoned Teoscar Hernandez and Eugenio Suarez, and with too much time on my hands, the offseason plan going forward:

Contact Scott Boras to discuss a contract with Cy Young lefthander (and Seattle native) Blake Snell. When Snell’s demands fall out of the Mariners’ reach, attention shifts to two other Boras clients: Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee and lefthander Sean Manaea.

Sign Jung Hoo Lee to a five-year, $70 million contract (AAV $14 million)

Sign Sean Manaea to a two-year, $24 million contract (AAV $12 million)

Trade six years of Bryce Miller to Cincinnati for five years of project third baseman Spencer Steer (pre-arb minimum salary)

Trade six years of righthander Prelander Berroa to Chicago White Sox for one year (and two team options) of designated hitter Eloy Jimenez (guaranteed 2024 salary $13 million with $3 million buyout of 2025 team option)

The trades may need added pieces on each side although Baseball Trade Values accepts each trade.

The lineup:

SS J.P. Crawford
CF Julio Rodriguez
LF Jung Hoo Lee
DH Eloy Jimenez
C Cal Raleigh
1B Ty France
RF Jarred Kelenic
3B Spencer Steer
2B Luis Urias / Josh Rojas

The Mariners add three bats projected to strike out at below league-average rates highlighted by Lee’s stellar KBO numbers

Infield coach Perry Hill gets to work his magic on another defensively suspect Cincinnati Reds third baseman

If Steer falters, Urias goes to third base

If France falters, Steer goes to first base and Urias to third base

If both fail, it’s Mike Ford time!

FanGraphs projects 2024 WAR of 1.3 in 143 innings for Bryce Miller, who this year posted 1.9 fWAR in 131 innings. FanGraphs projects 2024 WAR of 1.4 in 146 games for Spencer Steer, who this year posted 2.1 fWAR in 156 games.

FanGraphs projects 2024 WAR of 2.0 in 151 innings for lefthander Sean Manaea, who this year posted 1.1 fWAR in 117.2 innings. Manaea would replace Miller in the Seattle rotation.

FanGraphs projects 2024 WAR of 2.2 141 games for Eloy Jimenez, who this year posted 0.4 fWAR in 120 games.

The Mariners don’t have the greatest history with Scott Boras, who slighted the M’s in postseason comments. Among Boras clients, Yusei Kikuchi turned down a player option after three seasons with Seattle. This year Luke Weaver signed with the Mariners on August 22 only to be waived a few weeks later.

The rotation:

SP Luis Castillo
SP George Kirby
SP Logan Gilbert
SP Sean Manaea
SP Bryan Woo

Marco Gonzales and Emerson Hancock provide rotation depth

Lee, Jimenez and Manaea add $39 million to the 2024 payroll after the subtraction of the combined $25 million salaries of Hernandez and Suarez from the 2023 payroll.

Arbitration salary increases add to the payroll:

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/seattle-mariners/payroll/

As always, feedback is welcome.

Interesting ideas harmony, good stuff