He was widely mocked and this is the first I've heard anyone say it "grew the sport."
2023 Offseason MLB News/Rumors Thread
- Thread starter DeadlySplitter
- Start date
Clearly Ohtani should have made a reality show where he dated various GMs/PBOs and eliminated one each week. "Brian Cashman, I thought we had a strong connection, but there were a lot of awkward pauses in our conversation while we were kayaking. And Jerry Dipoto, I feel like you're just here for the zip line."
Oh good! We can expect their 30-16 record in one-run games from 2023 to be worse next year.
ARI seems to be one of the two finalists for E-Rod:
View: https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/1732592732009382136
View: https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/1732592732009382136
I’m getting the feeling that the Disney+ documentary that came out last month called “Shohei Ohtani: Beyond the Dream” was not made available in the US?
It’s in (or is subtitled in) English so my assumption was that it was a US-focused piece that was released there, even if most of the names involved in production are Japanese.
It’s narrated by Pedro and features long interviews with Pedro, Hideki Matsui, CC Sabathia, Darvish, etc.
It’s clearly filmed before MVP was announced, and they don’t at all talk about his upcoming FA thought process. But it’s still a nicely put together profile and series of interviews.
View: https://youtu.be/HpO5AUM6kPc
In other news, thought this was interesting:
https://twitter.com/yakyucosmo/status/1732580864016654372?s=46&t=xXa7NDH1fxja4LQsGlS2Ow
https://twitter.com/yakyucosmo/status/1732580864016654372?s=46&t=xXa7NDH1fxja4LQsGlS2Ow
edit: removed the x & replaced w Twitter but it’s not displaying properly, sorry
Are Japanese teams feeling pressure about keeping talent? 3 guys are going to rake in a billion dollars this year. Guys like Roki and Munetaka must be seeing dollar signs themselves. I wonder if Japanese teams are worried about turning into a feeder system.
View: https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1732637582410784947?s=20
Ummm, don't the Reds have too many infielders already?
Ummm, don't the Reds have too many infielders already?
Your post was the first I'd heard of it so I went looking. It's on ESPN+ here, which might explain why it is a bit under the radar. I only have a sub because it's bundled with Disney+ and I usually don't log into that app unless there's a specific game I want to watch. I'll make a point of watching the Ohtani doc though.
Way too many. Let's get Spencer Steer in a Red Sox uniform.
Seriously, I think the Reds have to move at least two infielders at this point. Maybe 3?
Haha, exactly.
With 400 saves, Kimbrel could end up in the Hall of Fame someday, but ever since he left the Braves it seems like every fan base he pitched for was really frustrated by him and very happy to see him gone.
Padres, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Dodgers, Phillies-- is he really missed in any of those places? I'm sure there are some fans in each place who enjoyed the Kimbrel experience but I doubt it's a big percentage anywhere. Maybe San Diego? But that was one season 8 years ago-- how many people there even remember him playing for the Padres?
Some pitchers are just really frustrating to watch and might put up good numbers sometimes but the bad times outweigh the good ones. I suspect Giolito is similar (@Sad Sam Jones) and whoever signs him will regret it.
Kenley Jansen is all over Kimbrel's most similar lists on BBRef.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kimbrcr01.shtml
This could be an ugly roller coaster ride for a couple closers in the division this year.
Tangential, but I can’t see Kimbrel getting in. There should be a rule that says if every outing was viewed by fans through hands covering their eyes then you can’t get in.
Nats sign Nick Senzel
https://www.masnsports.com/blog/source-nats-sign-senzel-after-candelario-goes-to-reds?fbclid=IwAR1pJQxH-NnnCUzPqMiMkg-O9HrSbGBDzKDQTNnIR4vbBI6hA8QjV-OOSsw
The Nats signed former Reds utilityman Nick Senzel for $2 million (plus $1 million in incentives) overnight, a source familiar with the deal confirmed. This came shortly after Cincinnati signed former Nats third baseman Jeimer Candelario for a reported three years and $45 million.
Senzel, 28, was non-tendered by the Reds last month after a second straight disappointing season, during which he batted .236/.297/.399 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs in 104 games. His defensive versatility, though, remains a strength.
Senzel has played center field, third base, second base, left field and right field during his five-year career. The Nationals could use help at several of those positions in the short-term, so it’s possible they’ll have him move around the field depending on their needs on any given day.
https://www.masnsports.com/blog/source-nats-sign-senzel-after-candelario-goes-to-reds?fbclid=IwAR1pJQxH-NnnCUzPqMiMkg-O9HrSbGBDzKDQTNnIR4vbBI6hA8QjV-OOSsw
The Nats signed former Reds utilityman Nick Senzel for $2 million (plus $1 million in incentives) overnight, a source familiar with the deal confirmed. This came shortly after Cincinnati signed former Nats third baseman Jeimer Candelario for a reported three years and $45 million.
Senzel, 28, was non-tendered by the Reds last month after a second straight disappointing season, during which he batted .236/.297/.399 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs in 104 games. His defensive versatility, though, remains a strength.
Senzel has played center field, third base, second base, left field and right field during his five-year career. The Nationals could use help at several of those positions in the short-term, so it’s possible they’ll have him move around the field depending on their needs on any given day.
I thought Eduardo Rodriguez didn't want to sign with a Western team. Or was it just a West coast team? Or just the Dodgers? Or has his situation changed?
The reporting was the situation changed this offseason, but it's fair to speculate if he just wants to avoid big-market teams.
He nixed a trade deadline deal to the Dodgers because he didn't want to move across the country midseason. The situation that changed is that he has months to relocate his family now.
Felix Bautista and his $1M salary say hello.
Edited to say that I was totally hoping that Kimbrel was brought in to be a high leverage late inning non closer (as we've all seen how that often works out) and used to spell Bautista on days when he's not available to pitch. It looks like he'll be getting a steady diet of the latter considering that is Bautista on the shelf for the season, a fact that I had completely forgotten.
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Yeah I don't get this at all. If you're the Reds, you have to play Noelvi Marte, Ely De La Cruz, and Matt McClain at 2B, SS, and 3B and all three should be borderline untouchable. And now you're adding Candelario to that mix in addition to making noises about keeping India? Also their top prospect is another infielder (Edwin Arroyo).
Steer can't play 2B can he?
Steer played 500 innings at 1B, 124 innings at 2B, 350 innings at 3B, and 310 in LF. I'll be honest and say that I don't know how good Steer is defensively at 2B, but, he played there a lot in the minors. I don't necessarily see him at the everyday 2B (although I'm open to that idea if the braintrust thinks he can handle it defensively) but I can imagine him playing almost everyday around the field. He hit .271/.356/.464 with 23 homers, 37 doubles, and 15 steals.
This could be a game changer if the Orioles get a real owner.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/david-rubenstein-reportedly-in-talks-to-acquire-baltimore-orioles.html
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/david-rubenstein-reportedly-in-talks-to-acquire-baltimore-orioles.html
View: https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/1732977449657319819?s=20
Would be a great fit for the Mariners, who need offense in the worst way.
Would be a great fit for the Mariners, who need offense in the worst way.
And they have Cowser, Kjerstad, Mayo, Basallo, Ortiz, all top 50 prospects per MLB, as well. The Orioles are going to be a problem for a long time, especially if they add pitching and guys like Grayson develop.
I'd much rather see him at second for the Red Sox than Whit Merrifield. He can still hit and his defense is fine. He's not going to kill the lineup like running Yu Chang out there every day will.
Another weird trade with Evan White in it!
View: https://twitter.com/jeffpassan/status/1733275256083677535?s=46
View: https://twitter.com/jeffpassan/status/1733275256083677535?s=46
Fletcher is guaranteed $15M over the next two seasons (including his 2026 buyout), but White is guaranteed $17M (including his 2026 buyout) for the next two seasons and hasn't played a major league game in two years. I'm not sure that the amount of money Seattle sent to Atlanta (chiefly to offset White's terrible contract) has been determined yet, though.
I can't find a Tyler Thomas among the Braves 40-man or prospects. Is this supposed to be RP Tyler Matzek?
I feel like we're not talking enough about how embarrassing this is for the Mariners that they had to offer Jarred Kelenic just to get rid of these two guys and now the Braves have managed to spin both of them off with little difficulty and now have effectively just gotten Kelenic for really cheap.
I mean, they do have David Fletcher and Max Stassi right now as underwater contracts.
How much did the Pirates take on for Gonzales, if anything?
It’s definitely embarrassing for the Mariners, but there’s probably a reluctance to trade between Seattle and LAA. Those teams haven’t traded with each other since 2012, and have done so only four times ever (since the Mariners were founded in 1977.
Dipoto resigned from the Angels front office in 2015. Can’t imagine either want to deal with each other.
Thought ATL might have gotten Stassi to include as part of a Dylan Cease deal, but this is sure a weird way to announce that if that's the case.
View: https://twitter.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1733630632130191544
View: https://twitter.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1733630632130191544