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

[D-train]

Hanigers overall numbers suck but it is even worse than that. If you recall he had a hot start. Since April 17th he had a heinous .191/.268/.303/.571

Totally cooked at age 33.

[Seattle or Bust]

Keith Law:

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1789161/ ... e-orioles/

I just don't see the M's giving $20+ million a year to a 34 YO 1B.

"You can't be going after the Mitch Hanigers." - such a lazy comment. They weren't "going after" Haniger. They were dumping Ray's salary and hoped Haniger still had some life in his bat as a 4th OF.

He is correct that the trade route is the more likely scenario.

[Seattle or Bust]

A New York Mets podcaster discusses a proposed trade for Luis Castillo with third baseman Brett Baty and possibly left-hander David Peterson in the return:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMMQI-_bjo8

At 23:40.

This year Peterson, a University of Oregon product, posted a 2.90 ERA and 136 ERA+ in 21 starts. Peterson comes with two years of team control with a projected 2025 arbitration salary of $4.4 million.

The Mets would be unlikely to do that trade. A more realistic trade would substitute right-hander Paul Blackburn for Peterson. This year Blackburn posted an ERA of 4.66 in 14 starts and is projected to earn $4.4 million next year in his final season of arbitration. fr

Other Mets podcasters had a similar Luis Castillo idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDo3M45dK4&t=781s

At 7:40.

I really don't know how to evaluate Castillo in a trade.

MLBTV has him at -$30 million... cratered his trade value by $23 million when he had the hamstring issue very late. Seems odd when you consider that starting pitchers are now given hefty contracts in their late 30's (Verlander, Scherzer). They act like Castillo threw 70 innings and needed Tommy John. No... he threw 175 innings to a 3.64 ERA, 3.95 FIP and 2.3 fWAR.

He can't be worth $-30M in a trade.

[Big_Maple]

OK - I know we will never take a run at Bregman. But whatever. If any FA in recent memory has made sense for the M's, it's Bregman. It just makes too much sense not to make him the one, big, offseason "get".

And it makes even more sense now. According to his agent (Boras), Bregman would be willing to move to 2B.

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1789137/ ... w-surgery/

Seriously - open up the wallets, sign Bregman, move him to 2B, and go after one of the many 3B options presented on this forum in the past few weeks. It just makes too much sense not to do it.

[D-train]

OK - I know we will never take a run at Bregman. But whatever. If any FA in recent memory has made sense for the M's, it's Bregman. It just makes too much sense not to make him the one, big, offseason "get".

And it makes even more sense now. According to his agent (Boras), Bregman would be willing to move to 2B.

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1789137/ ... w-surgery/

Seriously - open up the wallets, sign Bregman, move him to 2B, and go after one of the many 3B options presented on this forum in the past few weeks. It just makes too much sense not to do it.

Why move him to 2B though. Seems more logical to going after a natural 2B.

[Big_Maple]

Why move him to 2B though. Seems more logical to going after a natural 2B.

Um. Flexibility, I guess.

The FA class for 2B is thin. Like anorexically thin. There's a couple of options in Torres and Kim, but beyond that, most available 2B are utility guys. We need a legit answer to 2B, and I don't think anyone in this year's class should be someone we spend money on.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/09/ ... -base.html

We could go after someone in trade, but why limit ourselves if we have some positional flexibility. Bregman's bat plays well at any infield position, and arguably he's a defensive beast at 3B. But his arm will play just as well at 2B as third. If he is willing to move, and if there are not a lot of better options at 2B out there, why wouldn't we move him?

Remember over the last 2 years how pissed everyone was at JP's unwillingness to move 2B? That hamstrung our options in trades and in free agency while lots of other teams were moving guys around the infield. The Rangers moved Semien to 2B from SS even after he won a gold glove at that position. The Padres switched Xander Boegarts and Ha-Seong Kim between SS and 2B. The Dodgers moved Mookie Betts to 2B from SS. The Brewers moved Travis Shaw from 3B to 2B after signing Moustakas some years ago.

I guess the better question would be - why not?

BTW - the M's actually signed Chone Figgins to play 3B, but then had him switch positions with 2B Jose Lopez. But I like to forget the Chone Figgins years.

[Big_Maple]

BTW - I stumbled across this blog today. There's some fun and interesting stuff in it. I thought you all might be interested in their offseason proposal.

https://hardballviahardcore.blogspot.co ... l?m=1#more

There's more trades than you can shake a stick at - he's traded just about anything that isn't bolted to the ground including 5 fans and 3 beer vendors. But at the end of all of it, here's his 40 man roster:

Lineup

1. Victor Robles, RF
2. Julio Rodríguez, CF
3. Joc Pederson, DH L
4. Randy Arozarena, LF
5. Cal Raleigh, C S
6. Luke Raley, 1B L
7. Alec Bohm, 3B
8. Yoán Moncada, 2B S
9. JP Crawford, SS L

Bench: Rafael Marchán, Dylan Moore, Nick Madrigal, Sean Bouchard.


Rotation

1. Logan Gilbert
2. Luis Castillo
3. George Kirby
4. Bryce Miller
5. Brandon Woo


Bullpen

1. Andres Muñoz C
2. Matt Brash
3. Gregory Santos
4. Collin Snider
5. Trent Thornton
6. Troy Taylor
7. Bryan Hudson L
8. Angel Chivilli

[D-train]

Why move him to 2B though. Seems more logical to going after a natural 2B.

Um. Flexibility, I guess.

The FA class for 2B is thin. Like anorexically thin. There's a couple of options in Torres and Kim, but beyond that, most available 2B are utility guys. We need a legit answer to 2B, and I don't think anyone in this year's class should be someone we spend money on.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/09/ ... -base.html

We could go after someone in trade, but why limit ourselves if we have some positional flexibility. Bregman's bat plays well at any infield position, and arguably he's a defensive beast at 3B. But his arm will play just as well at 2B as third. If he is willing to move, and if there are not a lot of better options at 2B out there, why wouldn't we move him?

Remember over the last 2 years how pissed everyone was at JP's unwillingness to move 2B? That hamstrung our options in trades and in free agency while lots of other teams were moving guys around the infield. The Rangers moved Semien to 2B from SS even after he won a gold glove at that position. The Padres switched Xander Boegarts and Ha-Seong Kim between SS and 2B. The Dodgers moved Mookie Betts to 2B from SS. The Brewers moved Travis Shaw from 3B to 2B after signing Moustakas some years ago.

I guess the better question would be - why not?

BTW - the M's actually signed Chone Figgins to play 3B, but then had him switch positions with 2B Jose Lopez. But I like to forget the Chone Figgins years.

I guess it would keep 3B open for Bohm....

[D-train]

He would need to put in a lot of work turning DPs for the first time in his career.

[Big_Maple]

He would need to put in a lot of work turning DPs for the first time in his career.

He'd be the best hitting 2B in the AL. We then double him up with a big bashing 3B.

Or. We could bring back Robbie Cano. He maybe 41, but he's mashing .431 in the Mexican League (what the fuck are they pitching down there - beach balls?). Besides, he's likely still on our payroll.

And then bring back 40 year old Justin Turner.

Then replace the Gatorade in the dugout with Geritol.