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

[TraderGary]

Polanco is also a switch hitter and a guy that works well with Edgar.

He was horrible after they hired Edgar. Where in the holy hell do you come up with this stuff? There must be a Fort Knox of empty beer cans around your computer station.

[D-train]

Hopefully Bliss surprises us and Polanco gets a lot of bench time.

Unrelated. Bliss is the 2B and Polanco the 3B.

Yeah, we'll see. Maybe it'll work.

That's what I heard about the Urias/Rojas platoon about a year ago. Jerry even went so for to add the WAR of their two best seasons and say they could be a 5+ WAR player even thought that was in about 220 games. lol

[D-train]

So, I guess it looks something like this

C. Cal**
1B. Raley*
2B. Bliss
3B. Polanco
SS. JP *
RF. Robles
CF. JRod
LF. Randy
DH? Shenton*

Bench:
Super Utility Moore
C Garver
Inf. Solano
INF/Outfield Shenton*
OF Canzone*/ Haniger

Fk all, Haniger should have been dealt away with a prospect in the 1st week to the W.S. or Marlins. My best generic plan while sticking to the "Budget". Trade a couple of mid top 30-ranked prospects to the Malrins for Burger. Trade for 2B Lowe with the Rays, trade Haniger and prospects for salary relief and a pack of 89 Upper deck baseball cards. Sign 1B Pete Alonso 5/125M or trade for Yandy, etc, etc.
Vs
Polanco, Solano, and Shentono

They will DH the Mitches over Shenton despite low 600s OPS vs. .745 OPS (SSS) and Polanco .651 OPS over Solano who had a .760 OPS both in 2023 and 2024 because of money.

[D-train]

To all who hate it... what would you have done instead? What amazing move really moves the needle for you?

lol ok so tell us - who are you in the FO really? You can't be this dense otherwise...This move is just a move to spend the 15mill they had to spend this offseason so they can say they did it. They haven't changed the fact that we still only have 4 legit hitters, all with bad batting averages, and we did jakshite to fix that this offseason. Maybe 5 if you count Raley but i'm still on the fence on that guy. It will be the same thing as last year - hope rides on the first 4 hitters cause its easy outs once you get past them.

We have the pitching to challenge for the WS but we got a high school offense...and to state it again for you - YOU AND THE FO DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO FIX IT!!! Ownerships billionaires couldn't put in a measly 30mill into this season to get 2 legit bats to put us over the top cause they plan to fail...we've stated many times - if the team wins then more seats are filled and the profits soar... but they don't plan for that, they plan to fail and only sell the worst-case scenario of tickets. Its a joke and I really don't get why Stanton at 70 has no sense of urgency to see the team win while he's still alive to see it... instead he's acting like he's got another 50 years and is worried he won't have enough money to last

And there you have it.

[D-train]

Has not been injury riddled cripple entire career.

His addition means likely see ya later Mastrobouni (from 40). Improvement.
Means Dylan Moore isn't the everyday 3b. Improvement
Means Moore can toggle between 2b/ss to give Bliss and JP rest. JP likely misses some time again. Improvement there.
Allows Solano to be a utility guy at 1b and 3b as needed.
Polanco is also a switch hitter and a guy that works well with Edgar.

What gives you the impression he works well with Edgar?

He seemed to do just as bad after.

Wilson and Edgar were hired on Aug. 22nd. "Works well with Edgar" LOL

Screenshot 2025-01-31 5.49.05 AM.png (17.47 KiB) Viewed 403 times

[bpj]

Has not been injury riddled cripple entire career.

His addition means likely see ya later Mastrobouni (from 40). Improvement.
Means Dylan Moore isn't the everyday 3b. Improvement
Means Moore can toggle between 2b/ss to give Bliss and JP rest. JP likely misses some time again. Improvement there.
Allows Solano to be a utility guy at 1b and 3b as needed.
Polanco is also a switch hitter and a guy that works well with Edgar.

What gives you the impression he works well with Edgar?

He seemed to do just as bad after.

Wilson and Edgar were hired on Aug. 22nd. "Works well with Edgar" LOL

Screenshot 2025-01-31 5.49.05 AM.png

Yeah I don't really think his problems were just health related...

[D-train]

SEATTLE -- Jerry Dipoto called the end to the Mariners’ season “incredibly frustrating,” saying that his front office will spend the offseason evaluating its own evaluation process and outlined what the roster will look like in 2025, as part of an impromptu 25-minute media session prior to Saturday's 7-6 walk-off win over Oakland at T-Mobile Park.

So they did that and the solution was to resign a guy that had a .606 OPS at T Mobile.

[AZOldDawg]

How does Jerry still have a job? He gets an F+ for last year’s off season and is F+ for this off season. Even Vogey would be an upgrade

[D-train]

How does Jerry still have a job? He gets an F+ for last year’s off season and is F+ for this off season. Even Vogey would be an upgrade

Good news is either we make the playoffs or he is finally canned right?

[Captain 97]

Seriously if this is the result they should have just kept Rojas. It's a clownshow over there.

They are paying him DOUBLE what Rojas would have cost.

Rojas was complete shit. Not that I’m excited about Polonco, but Rojas was one of the worse hitters in baseball after his hot first month. .186/.272/.281 from May 14 through the rest of the season while primarily playing a platoon. I’d take Polonco any day over Rojas.

Their bats were pretty comparable last season. 91 OPS+ for Rojas, 93 for Polanco. Rojas was more valuable though because he is a good defender and Polanco is garbage. Throw in that Polanco is making twice the money and this is just a totally embarrassing. Basically this signing is just an admission that they weren't able to do anything that they thought they could do this offseason.

Screenshot 2025-01-31 at 08-42-12 Josh Rojas (2024-2024) vs. Jorge Polanco (2024-2024) Head-to-Head Stats Comparison Stathead.com.png (91.62 KiB) Viewed 364 times