2023-24 MLB Offseason Thread

[Steve of phpBB]

Interesting analysis of Cody Bellinger's very odd season, where he slugged .525 with a crappy hard-hit rate.

https://www.mlb.com/news/cody-bellinger ... agent-case

[mister d]

Might be the most perplexing hitter in baseball. If you're a GM and can't explain what went wrong in LA, at a bottom-line approach/mechinical/eyesight??? level and not just "he struck out too much", you can't sign him.

[brian]

The Las Vegas As are now officially a thing.

[sancarlos]

The Las Vegas As are now officially a thing.

But, you guys still have a vote on public financing for the new stadium, right?

[L-Jam3]

It's really dispiriting when I stop and think about how much mediocre white nepo-sons have such outsized power and influence in America.

[mister d]

They earned that power and influence by being born.

[brian]

The Las Vegas As are now officially a thing.

But, you guys still have a vote on public financing for the new stadium, right?

Maybe. The teacher’s union is trying to collect signatures. But even if that is successful the legislature could approve anything with a 2/3rds majority. (Though that would take some serious arm-twisting by the (Republican) governor.)

[mister d]

Probably the first time since I was like 8 that someone I’ve never heard of got an MVP vote.

[mister d]

Exceptionally weird trade.

[tennbengal]

Exceptionally weird trade.

What trade?

[tennbengal]

Found it. Yeah, wtf.

[Giff]

Bummer of a trade tbh.

[L-Jam3]

Brian can obviously give us a better idea, but I think the Athletics might be at best 4th, and possibly all the way down to 6th, in the Vegas sports landscape. I would rank them potentially like this:

1. Knights
2. Raiders
3. Eventual NBA franchise
4. Aces
5 or 6: UNLV and Athletics.

The Knights enjoy the first mover advantage, and that and their success, and my belief that the Raiders perpetually shooting themselves in the dick, is what keeps them in the top slot.

[brian]

That’s a pretty good analysis. VGK are pretty much always going to be #1 in Vegas into the 30s no matter what on the ice for a variety of reasons — some of which are obvious and some that couldn’t be understood by a non-Las Vegan.

Raiders are probably #2 because the NFL is the NFL but they haven’t really made any inroads with Las Vegans who weren’t already Raiders fans.

An expansion NBA team WILL be embraced. Especially if as expected LeBron is the majority owner.

Too many people don’t understand how the Aces are now the premier franchise in the WNBA largely because they’ve been embraced by Las Vegas. They were the highest drawing team in the WNBA all season and sold out T-Mobile (18,000) for the regular season finale.

UNLV is a weird stepsister now. They were the only game in town for 50 years but will probably still outrank the As. Remember UNLV plays in the 10th biggest on-campus arena in the NCAA in basketball (as a MW team) and an NFL stadium for football. They’re a sleeping giant

[brian]

Oh by the way. The fact that the Angels have 5 MVP winners and 0 playoff wins in the last 10 years might be the weirdest stat ever.

[sancarlos]

Bummer of a trade tbh.

What an unfortunate last name.

[govmentchedda]

That’s a pretty good analysis. VGK are pretty much always going to be #1 in Vegas into the 30s no matter what on the ice for a variety of reasons — some of which are obvious and some that couldn’t be understood by a non-Las Vegan.

Raiders are probably #2 because the NFL is the NFL but they haven’t really made any inroads with Las Vegans who weren’t already Raiders fans.

An expansion NBA team WILL be embraced. Especially if as expected LeBron is the majority owner.

Too many people don’t understand how the Aces are now the premier franchise in the WNBA largely because they’ve been embraced by Las Vegas. They were the highest drawing team in the WNBA all season and sold out T-Mobile (18,000) for the regular season finale.

UNLV is a weird stepsister now. They were the only game in town for 50 years but will probably still outrank the As. Remember UNLV plays in the 10th biggest on-campus arena in the NCAA in basketball (as a MW team) and an NFL stadium for football. They’re a sleeping giant

Didn't realize UNLV played at Allegiant. I wonder if that holds them back, as everyone seems to think playing at RayJay holds back USF? Do locals make that argument about Pitt too?

[brian]

Didn't realize UNLV played at Allegiant. I wonder if that holds them back, as everyone seems to think playing at RayJay holds back USF? Do locals make that argument about Pitt too?

For now, it’s an advantage because the previous facility was so bad and Allegiant is so new and state-of-the-art. I expect if the program starts to turn the corner one day they’ll start wanting their own stadium but building on-campus is almost impossible because the campus is boxed in by the Strip. And if you’re not building on-campus then what’s the point?

[rass]

That’s a pretty good analysis. VGK are pretty much always going to be #1 in Vegas into the 30s no matter what on the ice for a variety of reasons — some of which are obvious and some that couldn’t be understood by a non-Las Vegan.

Raiders are probably #2 because the NFL is the NFL but they haven’t really made any inroads with Las Vegans who weren’t already Raiders fans.

An expansion NBA team WILL be embraced. Especially if as expected LeBron is the majority owner.

Too many people don’t understand how the Aces are now the premier franchise in the WNBA largely because they’ve been embraced by Las Vegas. They were the highest drawing team in the WNBA all season and sold out T-Mobile (18,000) for the regular season finale.

UNLV is a weird stepsister now. They were the only game in town for 50 years but will probably still outrank the As. Remember UNLV plays in the 10th biggest on-campus arena in the NCAA in basketball (as a MW team) and an NFL stadium for football. They’re a sleeping giant

Didn't realize UNLV played at Allegiant. I wonder if that holds them back, as everyone seems to think playing at RayJay holds back USF? Do locals make that argument about Pitt too?

RE: Pitt

I see reporters lament the lack of an on campus stadium sometimes, but the tours we did played up the fact that they play at the NFL stadium and insisted that there is plenty of transportation. Maybe Max can speak better to the reality.

[L-Jam3]

Playing at the Linc is the only thing preventing Temple from becoming a national football powerhouse.

[Giff]

I’ll use this as an excuse to proclaim I hate college sports in pro arenas, March Madness pre-Final Four excluded. Although I do miss the days of the chance of on-campus first weekends.

[MaxWebster]

My daughter went to nearly every game and says the transportation is pretty good and constant on both ends for students (if not hair-raising... "PSYCHO bus drivers, dad" - LOL) - we were there for parents' weekend and went to the FSU game (our hotel was right across the river so we walked over) and I saw student busses lining up *many* hours before the game

Didn't realize UNLV played at Allegiant. I wonder if that holds them back, as everyone seems to think playing at RayJay holds back USF? Do locals make that argument about Pitt too?

RE: Pitt

I see reporters lament the lack of an on campus stadium sometimes, but the tours we did played up the fact that they play at the NFL stadium and insisted that there is plenty of transportation. Maybe Max can speak better to the reality.

[mister d]

7Y/$172MM for Nola sure seems like one of those bad good signings.

[degenerasian]

Rumblings again. Apparent Kikuchi was his idol growing up. Went to the same high school.

[brian]

Just need to dip into that Ontario Teachers Pension Fund.

[EdRomero]

As Verdugo designed his plaque for Monument Park yet?

[mister d]

I am choosing to believe this is a pass-through trade. I am not engaging yet.

[EnochRoot]

I am choosing to believe this is a pass-through trade. I am not engaging yet.

Why would the Padres want a light hitting corner OF with character issues who has been benched for lack of hustle and showing up late for work?

[mister d]

Why would _______ want … ?

[MaxWebster]

with both a Dodger fan and a Jays fan residing here at the house ... there is some serious sphincter clenching in the house this week.

[A_B]

Buster Olney is a joke.

[DaveInSeattle]

The Mariner's have completely shit the bed...again...

After the disastrous Jerry DiPoto interview after the end of the season (the now infamous "54%" one), now they are dumping salaries right and left. Turns out that the RSN (Root Sports NW) is 71% owned by the M's, and XFinity has decided to move that channel to the a premium cable tier, which costs viewers an additional $20 a month.

Because of this, it looks like the viewership is going to go way down, blowing a huge hole in the M's payroll budget. So much for going after Ohtani, Soto, or Blake Snell (who is a native and is begging the Mariner's to make him an offer).

Looks like another wasted season of Julio, and lots of trotting out of the '95 and '01 players. And bobble-heads....so many bobble-heads

[mister d]

Absolute no-brainer of a trade. Thorpe doesn’t project as top-end and King has tremendous stuff but only one more year of control and has snapped his arm pitching. They don’t even have to extend Soto to justify it.

(And Grisham steps right into the Bader role, seemingly for free.)

[Rex]

Juan Soto to the disabled list. What a move for him.

[mister d]

Way to go, past me!

If you're going to trade Juan Soto, that sure seems like the kind of prospect package you'd want in return.

(Like I think Washington can end up winning this trade?)

((Maybe you can't trade Juan Soto and win, but if you were writing down the trade packages any of the top half dozen contenders would have to send for Juan Soto, this is it.))

[degenerasian]

So I guess Jusge will play a lot of CF. I don’t know if that’s ideal.

[mister d]

It is not ideal, for sure. He's fine defensively (+3 OAA over the last two years in CF, although that's below average CF) but the Stadium is huge so its just not great from a wear and tear standpoint. I'm still hoping the real plan is flipping Verdugo, Soto to LF and then find a defense-first righty (Bader!) to split the time with Grisham until Dominguez is back.



(I don't, at all, understand the Verdugo trade. Not as a player or person or roster fit or anything.)

[A_B]

It is not ideal, for sure. He's fine defensively (+3 OAA over the last two years in CF, although that's below average CF) but the Stadium is huge so its just not great from a wear and tear standpoint. I'm still hoping the real plan is flipping Verdugo, Soto to LF and then find a defense-first righty (Bader!) to split the time with Grisham until Dominguez is back.



(I don't, at all, understand the Verdugo trade. Not as a player or person or roster fit or anything.)

Share an agent with Soto by chance?

[EnochRoot]

It is not ideal, for sure. He's fine defensively (+3 OAA over the last two years in CF, although that's below average CF) but the Stadium is huge so its just not great from a wear and tear standpoint. I'm still hoping the real plan is flipping Verdugo, Soto to LF and then find a defense-first righty (Bader!) to split the time with Grisham until Dominguez is back.



(I don't, at all, understand the Verdugo trade. Not as a player or person or roster fit or anything.)

Soto in YS LF would be a very bad idea. His arm is too weak for RF. His ideal spot is DH. Stanton? Out to pasture.

[mister d]

Yeah, Soto in the OF is a bad idea in general but LF is the best hiding spot. Maybe that's the plan anyway, assume Stanton gets hurt and opens up the DH and have Soto there 75% of the time with Verdugo in LF.

Share an agent with Soto by chance?

Nope, and I assume that's less pertinent in a trade versus UFA situation? The only logical answer is the Soto trade was falling apart and this gave the impression of leverage but that's so stupid and transparent it can't be right.