MLB Offseason 2014-15: Wait, pitchers and catchers report WHEN?

[Ar-Pharazon]

Per this story, the Red Sox are out of the Lester chase. It's saying the Cubs & Giants are the current options.

The Cubs are reportedly close to landing Miguel Montero from the D-Backs, apparently for a couple low minor league pitching prospects.

There's also a story about Starlin Castro being questioned in connection to a nightclub shooting in the DR. If true, could this prod the Cubs into that rumored trade with the Mets? They're probably desperate enough to take him.

 

[Yanks]

From someone that constantly gripes at how "old" the Yankees are... not sure why you would support letting Greene go, weather he is replaceable or not.

Young relievers with mediocre history in the minors, terrible command and two pitches are a dime a dozen.

World-class defensive shortstops are not.

OK, someone that can hit is hard to find too I guess.

what did you just pay Miller 36 million over 4 years to do, if not close? Kinda handwaving over that signing, aren't you?

I thought he was going to set-up (lefty). But I guess I'm wrong. I haven't read a ton, but I don't remember them saying he was going to close when they signed him.

 

[Scout101]

to be fair, that was before your closer was signed by someone else, no? 36M a lot if you have no intention of using him as more than a setup guy...

As for Lester? Eh, just wait and see. Even in the linked story, the story itself contained someone else saying the opposite of the headline, so lot of bad info out there. Either way, looks like tonight/tomorrow should be the day, and we can finally all move on, one way or the other. Media saying "should decide soon" for like 2 weeks now, beating this story to death. Once he signs, rest of the market can get going, too.

 

[Skywalker]

Jon Lester to the Cubs, 6 years $155 million.

I think I'll go cry now.

 

[Scout101]

eh, with an option to go to 7/170. Will miss him, but hard to justify him for that $$$ in my head. Had some great runs, but some really bad/mediocre runs recently too. That's paying him the 2nd highest pitcher in history, having trouble making that work. Although Max will bump him to 3rd soon, I'm sure.

This should at least get the FA and Trade markets moving at last...

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Jon Lester to the Cubs, 6 years $155 million.

Fuck...yeah

Now we need to get Scherzer.

 

[Timby]

eh, with an option to go to 7/170. Will miss him, but hard to justify him for that $$$ in my head. Had some great runs, but some really bad/mediocre runs recently too. That's paying him the 2nd highest pitcher in history, having trouble making that work. Although Max will bump him to 3rd soon, I'm sure.

Yeah, I'm of two minds on this one. Six - seven years is a very long time to sign a pitcher who's on the wrong side of 30, but on the flip side, this is barely over the topline of Greinke's deal with Los Angeles, and Lester is a better pitcher than Greinke.

Scherzer wants $200 million, which is insane.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

D'ya think Scherzer is worth the same $155M?

And like you said earlier in this thread (or maybe the summer thread), they're going to have to overpay for any of these pitchers.

What's the word on Scherzer? Is he talking to any teams?

 

[Timby]

D'ya think Scherzer is worth the same $155M?

And like you said earlier in this thread (or maybe the summer thread), they're going to have to overpay for any of these pitchers.

What's the word on Scherzer? Is he talking to any teams?

Yeah, the overpay is expected; rationally speaking, 6 /155 potentially 7 / 170 is just too damn much money to spend on a pitcher who's 31, but the other options out there suck out loud (especially because now that word is Gillick is back to running the show in Philadelphia, it's going to take a hefty price to spring Hamels from their clutches).

Boras was waiting for Lester to set the market before talking to anyone, but he was pretty clearly expecting a much bigger contract for Lester -- which is why he planted the stories about Scherzer's $200 million demand about two seconds after the Lester news got out. Based on where the market has settled, for both pitcher trades and Lester's money, it's hard for me to see the super offer ever materializing, because $200MM+ is Kershaw money, and Max Scherzer is not Clayton Kershaw.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Well another year, another entirely new set of Oakland A's.

Ugh..

I am tired of the A's being a farm team for the big spenders.

 

[Timby]

Well another year, another entirely new set of Oakland A's.

Ugh..

I am tired of the A's being a farm team for the big spenders.

Well, it would help if their ownership weren't cheap bastards.

But beyond that, Billy Beane does this shit all the time, so I don't know why people are even surprised anymore. They trade star players and go through a massive roster overhaul every few years. No one thought they got enough for Harden at the time, either, and then one of the guys he got back turned into a pretty good third baseman.

I mean, I'm not oing pretend I get what he's doing this time or that he hasn't fucked up in the past, but he's genuinely trying to rebuild the team on the fly because he doesn't think the roster as it was currently constructed was good enough to win the World Series.

That being said, focusing on Marcus Semien as the centerpiece of a Samardzija deal was the most insane thing I've seen in a while, even worse than the return Boston got for Lackey.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Well another year, another entirely new set of Oakland A's.

Ugh..

I am tired of the A's being a farm team for the big spenders.

Well, it would help if their ownership weren't cheap bastards.

But beyond that, Billy Beane does this shit all the time, so I don't know why people are even surprised anymore. They trade star players and go through a massive roster overhaul every few years. No one thought they got enough for Harden at the time, either, and then one of the guys he got back turned into a pretty good third baseman.

I mean, I'm not oing pretend I get what he's doing this time or that he hasn't fucked up in the past, but he's genuinely trying to rebuild the team on the fly because he doesn't think the roster as it was currently constructed was good enough to win the World Series.

That being said, focusing on Marcus Semien as the centerpiece of a Samardzija deal was the most insane thing I've seen in a while, even worse than the return Boston got for Lackey.

Been an Oakland Fan since I was 5 years old. I am not surprised by the ownership's obvious mandate to save money, nor am I lacking in faith in Billy Beane's skills, but I am tired of the overhauls and changes. It is tough to cheer solely for a uniform.
It would be nice if we could occasionally cheer for the people in it.

 

[Yanks]

Well, I have a bunch of RS fans that owe me a case of beer. I knew Lester was going to the Cubs. (or more specifically not the Red Sox). What GM stuck by him when he had cancer?

Scherzer will command a larger contract than Lester because of his age. (I think) I believe my Yankees will be in on that one.

Boy, I've always said these monstrous contracts have got to stop somewhere, but they just don't. TV $$$4 is just huge.

I do wish the owners would take some of that TV money and REDUCE ticket prices for the average Joe. God, I went to Yankee Stadium this year and damn near had to take out a second mortgage.

 

[Skywalker]

Max Scherzer is only like seven months younger than Jon Lester. His age has nothing to do with the kind of money he's looking for.

He's not going to get $200 million, at least not guaranteed. I can see him ending up with a deal that works out to be a little bit more than what Justin Verlander got from the Tigers last year.

 

[Tom Servo]

Well, I have a bunch of RS fans that owe me a case of beer. I knew Lester was going to the Cubs. (or more specifically not the Red Sox). What GM stuck by him when he had cancer?

Scherzer will command a larger contract than Lester because of his age. (I think) I believe my Yankees will be in on that one.

Boy, I've always said these monstrous contracts have got to stop somewhere, but they just don't. TV $$$4 is just huge.

I do wish the owners would take some of that TV money and REDUCE ticket prices for the average Joe. God, I went to Yankee Stadium this year and damn near had to take out a second mortgage.

You do know Cherington was there when Theo was in Boston right? That relationship, at least in terms of who was there when he had cancer, is irrelevant.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers....

Can't wait to see how Phillies fans treat him the first time LA comes there.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Are we finally seeing the end of the Phillies core?

--Sran

 

[Timby]

Holy shit, the Marlins traded one of the best pitching prospects in the league for Dee Gordon and a guy who has said he'd retire if traded outside of SoCal.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Well, now we can put that statement to the test.

--Sran

 

[Yanks]

Well, I have a bunch of RS fans that owe me a case of beer. I knew Lester was going to the Cubs. (or more specifically not the Red Sox). What GM stuck by him when he had cancer?

Scherzer will command a larger contract than Lester because of his age. (I think) I believe my Yankees will be in on that one.

Boy, I've always said these monstrous contracts have got to stop somewhere, but they just don't. TV $$$4 is just huge.

I do wish the owners would take some of that TV money and REDUCE ticket prices for the average Joe. God, I went to Yankee Stadium this year and damn near had to take out a second mortgage.

You do know Cherington was there when Theo was in Boston right? That relationship, at least in terms of who was there when he had cancer, is irrelevant.

I don't think so. That and Theo offered him 20 million more dollars and didn't slap him in the face with a joke contract in the spring. You can't convince me that Theo would have treated Lester like Cherington did.

My sources were experience, a knowledge of the baseball landscape and common sense. Theo had the money. He had the manager. He had the personal relationship with Lester. He brought Lester into the Red Sox organization. He did not boot Lester out of it.

The Red Sox lowballed Lester, and then traded him.
That's a funny way to show someone that you want them.

http://www.boston.com/sports/blogs/...ned_from_the_red_sox-jon_lester_disaster.html

Enjoy Buchholz as your #1.