Finally! Official Hot Stove League thread!

[Coeurd’Alene J]

The Ohtani question should be how much revenue he brings with him. He had a camera that was only for him that was at Angel stadium and watched by millions of Japanese fans. His allure and potential revenue could easily be worth north of $30M a year. You pay him $50 M and get $30 of it back what’s the issue for billionaire John.

[D-train]

[D-train]

[D-train]

Kaleb Ort also gone so 38 on the roster now.

[harmony]

From Monday's column by Jim Bowden at The Athletic:

The Mariners are not expected to “play” at the dollar amounts it’s going to take to sign either Shohei Ohtani or Cody Bellinger, so it appears they’ll try to lengthen their lineup by landing multiple players who can make more contact than last year’s team, which struggled with swing-and-miss and strikeouts. (Seattle hitters were second in the majors in strikeouts.) The Mariners will focus on younger players in the 24- to 26-year-old range with at least three years of control left.

https://theathletic.com/5091262/2023/11 ... argets-al/

One offseason plan calls for the Mariners to acquire Jung Hoo Lee, Spencer Steer and Eloy Jimenez, hitters ages 25, 26 and 27 with lower strikeout rates and at least three years of team control:

https://www.marinertalk.com/viewtopic.p ... 60#p271859

FWIW today Baseball Trade Values minimally downgraded the surplus trade value of Eloy Jimenez from $2.2 million to $1.4 million after valuing Jimenez at a negative $5.9 million as recently as November 23:

https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/tra ... loy&page=4

The trade value of Jimenez is difficult to assess although one Chicago blogger thinks Jimenez is worth a Top 100 prospect-plus:

https://www.sportsmockery.com/chicago-w ... ez-trades/

Lookout Landing columnist Kate Preusser examines Eloy Jimenez as a potential trade target:

https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2023/12/ ... -white-sox

[harmony]

The Athletic on Saturday offered this blurb in piece about trade suitors for Juan Soto:

One possibility for the Padres, if they are unable to strike a satisfactory deal with a single trading partner, would be to involve a third club. The Mariners, for example, have desirable pitching, but might not want to part with it for only one year of Soto. Regular trading partners of the Padres, the Mariners could acquire longer-term offensive pieces from the team that lands Soto while sending pitching to San Diego.

https://theathletic.com/5105712/2023/12 ... ign=602288

Subscription required.

[D-train]

LL has LENGTHY piece on Soto as well.

https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2023/11/ ... ably-never

[Donn Beach]

Ohtani rumor

Vassegh mentions that Ohtani would only be willing to sign a short-term contract with the Angels, but if any other team wants to go after his services then they should give him a 10-year contract at a minimum with some options to opt out.

[D-train]

Ohtani rumor

Vassegh mentions that Ohtani would only be willing to sign a short-term contract with the Angels, but if any other team wants to go after his services then they should give him a 10-year contract at a minimum with some options to opt out.

Would be STUNNING if he resigned with them. Even more than if he signed with us.

[Donn Beach]

I brought up when he injured his arm it might lead to a short term angels deal, cover his rehab. Supposedly he's comfortable there. Could be what's that about if true.