2019-2020 MLB Hot Stove (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Off topic, but I can’t understand why people give their good money to Dolan by packing MSG to
watch his team. I say starve him out of ownership.

It's not like they're missing good basketball play on the Knicks part.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Phils sign Wheeler. 5 years, $118 million.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Phils sign Wheeler. 5 years, $118 million.

I hope you guys don't regret that signing. I know there are some concerns about his shoulder.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I hope you guys don't regret that signing. I know there are some concerns about his shoulder.

Yes I thought that was a big contract, considering his injury history. The Phils still need a good left handed starter (Hamels was the last good one they had, and he’s been gone more than 4 years).

 

[Robert Crawford]

@Osato Where is Osato? As a Mets fan, he should be ecstatic.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Wow, Strasburg signs back with the Nats for 7/245M. That tells me that Gerritt Cole's contract is going to be 9 years at more than 300M. Cole is more than 2 years younger than Strasburg.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Wow, Strasburg signs back with the Nats for 7/245M. That tells me that Gerritt Cole's contract is going to be 9 years at more than 300M. Cole is more than 2 years younger than Strasburg.

I thought (and still think) giving a pitcher
8/300 is insane, but it sure looks like Cole will get something close to this, considering Strasburg’s deal. It’s nice to see him stay put- the one team baseball player is getting more rare as time goes by.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Wow, Strasburg signs back with the Nats for 7/245M. That tells me that Gerritt Cole's contract is going to be 9 years at more than 300M. Cole is more than 2 years younger than Strasburg.

Wow, Cole to Yankees for 9/324M! As a Yankee fan, I don't know how I feel about this huge contract. It's not going to end well if he doesn't opt out after his fifth year. Don't get me wrong, he's a great pitcher that I wanted the Yankees to sign, but damn it's 9 years for 324M.

 

[Jack P]

Finally, Cashman does something right when it comes to pitching.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yankees outbid the Dodgers and Angels which explains the final contract numbers. I'm a happy camper! The Yankees 11 year courtship of Cole comes to an end, after drafting Cole in the first round in the 2008 draft and then having Cole reject their offer to attend UCLA.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I thought Cole was going to get 8/$288 (a tick higher in years and AAV Over Strasburg). While I think the contract is ridiculous, the Yanks seem to have their man- when was the last time they’ve had a pitcher that could stick the ball up the opponent’s ass like Cole can? It’s been a long time.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Anthony Rendon 7/$245 with the Angels. OK, but who’s going to pitch for them? As a guy who follows the Sox, I’d like to see the Angels make a deal to get David Price- the Sox would have to swallow a good portion of the $96 remaining on the contract to get rid of him. I don’t know if the Angels would want him, even at a reduced rate.

 

[MartinP.]

I'm not a fan of the huge contracts which it seems now always have to be bigger than the year before. Are Padres fans happy they got Machado last year? Are Phillies fans happy with Harper? Are all of you happy with higher ticket and concession and parking prices? ($25 to park? You could get preferred for $50. Or pay $5 at an off-site lot and walk two steep hills.)

Has any player not taken the largest offer they can get? Is that what it's just about?

I didn't really like how Cole acted after the WS loss so I felt skeptical about embracing him if the Dodgers had traded for him. I would not have wanted Cole to go to the Angels, because the Dodgers can't seem to beat them without him. (Although they have Rendon now!) What I really wish the Dodgers would do is fix the TV contract so that more than 50% of the area can even watch them on TV. I mean, if they aren't using that contract money to do big trades, what are they doing with it?

(Maybe Cole can teach the Yankees about sign stealing.)

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm not a fan of the huge contracts which it seems now always have to be bigger than the year before. Are Padres fans happy they got Machado last year? Are Phillies fans happy with Harper? Are all of you happy with higher ticket and concession and parking prices? ($25 to park? You could get preferred for $50. Or pay $5 at an off-site lot and walk two steep hills.)

Has any player not taken the largest offer they can get? Is that what it's just about?

I didn't really like how Cole acted after the WS loss so I felt skeptical about embracing him if the Dodgers had traded for him. I would not have wanted Cole to go to the Angels, because the Dodgers can't seem to beat them without him. (Although they have Rendon now!) What I really wish the Dodgers would do is fix the TV contract so that more than 50% of the area can even watch them on TV. I mean, if they aren't using that contract money to do big trades, what are they doing with it?

(Maybe Cole can teach the Yankees about sign stealing.)

Please, you would have those high fees whether the players were making all of this money or not. The one thing I know about very rich people/owners is that they always want to be richer. It's ironic how the majority of fans seem to favor the owners interest over the players when most of the players come from similar backgrounds and in some cases much worst. The hell with the players getting some of that money instead lets root for the owners getting that money and placing it in their own pockets.

 

[David Norman]

There have been a few players who opted out of Yankee money to go to a place they'd rather play or avoid a team/owner/manager they'd rather avoid -- either hometown, or childhood favorite or wife/family preference -- though it's certainly the exception. certainly some longer term players have signed for significantly less money with their current team rather than move. It is the distinct minority of contracts.

Even contracts like Ozzie Albies last year was widely seen as leaving tons of money on the table, but that's a bit different situation since he was still several years from Free Agency, but some of his 6th+year money though guaranteed was substantially less than almost every analyst thought he'd earn barring some catastrophic injury.

OTOH, I can't agree with you more strongly that player salaries aren't increasing prices anymore than they'd be otherwise, just redistributing that income from the bosses to the workers.

I will leave the comment "it's ironic how the majority of fans seem to favor the owners interest over the players when most of the players come from similar backgrounds and in some cases much worst" since it seems to apply to many other parts of life as well. It's just amazing how many of those Centi-Millionaires adn Billionaires are always looking out for the best interest of the little guys rather than the little guys who are fighting with those Angelic Altruists

 

[MartinP.]

Please, you would have those high fees whether the players were making all of this money or not.

Is that an assumption or is there data for that? It 's reasonable to assume there must be some correlation to that. Supply and demand suggests that if you sign a superstar player and fans want to see said player, the demand goes up along with the prices.

Just because I said "I'm not a fan of the huge contracts which it seems now always have to be bigger than the year before" doesn't mean I'm siding with the owners. I've seen very few of these mega-contracts that have been worth it. It benefits a select few players and it ups revenue for the owners in attendance and merchandising.

2019 data: Guess which teams have the highest and lowest average ticket prices:

Spoiler

Highest: Cubs - $128.00
Lowest: Mets - $37.00
https://www.statista.com/statistics/193673/average-ticket-price-in-the-mlb-by-team/

 

[Robert Crawford]

Is that an assumption or is there data for that? It 's reasonable to assume there must be some correlation to that. Supply and demand suggests that if you sign a superstar player and fans want to see said player, the demand goes up along with the prices.

Just because I said "I'm not a fan of the huge contracts which it seems now always have to be bigger than the year before" doesn't mean I'm siding with the owners. I've seen very few of these mega-contracts that have been worth it. It benefits a select few players and it ups revenue for the owners in attendance and merchandising.

2019 data: Guess which teams have the highest and lowest average ticket prices:

Spoiler

Highest: Cubs - $128.00
Lowest: Mets - $37.00
https://www.statista.com/statistics/193673/average-ticket-price-in-the-mlb-by-team/

Not when it comes to corporate greed. It's a trait that's there even more so today. Just look at what the NFL owners did to season ticket fans with those PSLs. Business owners will always try to push the envelope when it comes to ticket and concession prices because of supply and demand set by the fans and their willingness to pay for them. Most teams don't own parking fees and those prices have increased that has nothing to do with player salaries.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Not when it comes to corporate greed. It's a trait that's there even more so today. Just look at what the NFL owners did to season ticket fans with those PSLs. Business owners will always try to push the envelope when it comes to ticket and concession prices because of supply and demand set by the fans and their willingness to pay for them. Most teams don't own parking fees and those prices have increased that has nothing to do with player salaries.

Yes the PSLs charged by the owners of the NFL teams is just another way to stick it to fans that
enjoy having season tickets and going to the games. I was happy to read that Spanos overestimated the demand for season tickets to the Chargers games at Kroenke’s new palace- let Spanos have to offset the cost for rent at the new joint.

 

[Osato]

@Osato Where is Osato? As a Mets fan, he should be ecstatic.

I’m here! Love the Mets moves so far!!
I’m curious how the cespedes contract restructuring will help the Mets this off season.

I do think there is a lot of faith / belief by the Mets that players will rebound next year. I guess it’s all a gamble whether it’s a free agent or hoping a player has a better season!

 

[Jeffrey D]

Is that an assumption or is there data for that? It 's reasonable to assume there must be some correlation to that. Supply and demand suggests that if you sign a superstar player and fans want to see said player, the demand goes up along with the prices.

Just because I said "I'm not a fan of the huge contracts which it seems now always have to be bigger than the year before" doesn't mean I'm siding with the owners. I've seen very few of these mega-contracts that have been worth it. It benefits a select few players and it ups revenue for the owners in attendance and merchandising.

2019 data: Guess which teams have the highest and lowest average ticket prices:

Spoiler

Highest: Cubs - $128.00
Lowest: Mets - $37.00
https://www.statista.com/statistics/193673/average-ticket-price-in-the-mlb-by-team/

Wow- I’m surprised at the team with the lowest average ticket price. Not really surprised by the team with the highest prices.