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

[GL_Storm]

I maintain my position that no move is better than the wrong move. I would much rather the team make minimal changes to the roster, even if fans don't like it, than make some dumb move like signing Christian Walker or Paul Goldschmidt in a desperate attempt to add offense. They've made those moves the last few years and they don't work.

[Gametime]

I maintain my position that no move is better than the wrong move. I would much rather the team make minimal changes to the roster, even if fans don't like it, than make some dumb move like signing Christian Walker or Paul Goldschmidt in a desperate attempt to add offense. They've made those moves the last few years and they don't work.

I agree with that on trades. But, FA is just money. That is what sucks with our ownership. Scared on not making big profits.

[Pharmabro]

yeah this is looking like last year 2.0... sign garbage and dress it real nice and hope nobody notices...

I admit I am a little down on them but last year there were not many who were down on:

How many of you honestly remember thinking each of these guys was total suck?

BP guys:
Santos: Dude was coming off a 2.65 FIP with the stuff to back it up.
Stanek: was a year removed from a 333 OPS+ year 1.31 ERA FFS

Those two are pretty respectable but the dumpster dives in the BP 2 stand out:
Snider put up a 190 ERA+
&
Tyson Miller put up a 171 ERA+ for us and then them

Bats
OF/1B Luke Raley was coming off a bust out 125 OPS+, and he improved to 129 with us and we have him for 4 more years. Four more years! Four more years!

Polanco 2B, he averaged a 120 OPS+ and a 3.2 BWAR the previous 3 years. I guess he was playing injured most of the year and managed a 93 OPS+

Garver C/DH had averaged a 125 OPS+ coming into the year but had 3 monster years and a few down years. A very erratic player. 85 OPS+

Mitch #2 84 OPS+ (Mitch is probably the one we had the least confidence in) I looked at him as part of the offset to dump Ray.

Urias was an expensive dumpster dive.

In season
Robles (Dumpster luck 155 OPS+)
Randy 118 OPS+ with us
JT 128 OPS+ with us
BP
JT Chargois 136 ERA+
Yimi injured 64 ERA+

It is really hard to see someone saying all those moves were dumpster dives or didn't look like a reasonable objective decent option with the budget he was given to work with.

[bpj]

I maintain my position that no move is better than the wrong move. I would much rather the team make minimal changes to the roster, even if fans don't like it, than make some dumb move like signing Christian Walker or Paul Goldschmidt in a desperate attempt to add offense. They've made those moves the last few years and they don't work.

Agreed. The moves that ever made sense for the Mariners haven't happened yet.

The market for guys like Castillo and Arozarena is probably becoming clearer.

1B:
Pete Alonso
Triston Casas

2B:
Brandon Lowe
Luis Arraez

3B:
???

DH:
Joc Pederson

If they could add three of those guys, the lineup would be great.

So, it's not too late, but the unattractive options continue to fall off the board. At the same time, the holes of potential suitors for guys like Alonso keep closing.

The Yankees or Dbacks probably won't get Alonso now.

Could work out to the M's benefit if any of these guys end up coming hat in hand begging for a contract like the Mariners hope.

[Donn Beach]

Alonso would just return to the Mets if his market dries up.

[bpj]

Alonso would just return to the Mets if his market dries up.

Yeah, you'd have to beat the Mets offer, no doubt.

Haven't had a chance to do any side by side comparisons yet, but I'm wondering how Alonso stacks up next to Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson before they got contracts.

What's the ceiling for a bat like that? If he played shortstop, he'd be looking for $300M.

As a 1B, his bat is just as valuable to the team, but he's only going to cost, what, 5/125? 6/150?

Makes a lot more sense to me for a team that needs bats to add it at the cheapest positions like 1B and DH than paying double for a similar bat at SS or 2B.

[Donn Beach]

"On one hand, Alonso's consistent production -- he plays all the time, has averaged 42 home runs and 110 RBIs in his five full big league seasons, and would fit in the heart of the batting order for every team in baseball -- is unimpeachable," Passan said. "On the other, his profile frightens teams: a 30-year-old, right-handed-hitting and -throwing first baseman. Teams are hesitant to give him a long-term deal. At the same time, they see great value in adding him for the next few years. The Mets could still bring him back. The (New York Yankees) could enter the fray more aggressively."

Tim Britton and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that Mets owner Steve Cohen said that the team is "still engaged" in talks with Alonso and wants to bring him back. He would be able to slot behind outfielder Juan Soto and shortstop Francisco Lindor to give the Mets a formidable run-producing trio in the second through fourth spots in the lineup.

It's really just the Mets now, they will bring him back. They are haggling over the length of the deal.

[D-train]

Do you have a source or is this just something you made up?

My source is going to like 20 games last year and watching him up close.

All the guy does is goof off... before the game acting like a 12 year old playing little pranks like hitting people's hats off... jumping for high fives b/c he's short... At 1B, chumming it up with anyone and everyone he could while they're losing 8-2 and he's 0-4 with 3x weak grounders and a K.

That stuff is fine when you're performing. It's not fine when you're not.

He needed to put his f'n head down and get to work.

You don't have a source. You're just projecting your own feelings and biases about the player onto the organization. Classic keyboard jockey stuff.

HIs source is his eyeballs. Seems more credible that most "experts" parroting shit that other "experts" come up with.

[Donn Beach]

characterizing goofing off as being aloof?

[Seattle or Bust]

characterizing goofing off as being aloof?

Uninterested? Yes.

When it happens every day, your performance is suffering, and you're seemingly not in the head space to man up and compete... I'll call it aloof.

If your career was in jeopardy... would you not show up to the park, put your head down, quit the kid shit, and get to work?