2023 Free Agents

[mvp 78]

I'm not expecting that, no, but stuff happens. Injuries are the really scary thing. The risk can't be ignored like it doesn't exist.

 

Injuries are a risk for EVERY player and EVERY contract, but I don't think it prevents you from making moves to improving your franchise unless there is a real known medical issue.

 

Don't trade for Pedro in 1998 because of his body type. It's not worth the risk!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The last time a half year in age mattered was when I was able to sit for my license. At age 30?

 

Yes, last season was his age 29 season. This year is his age 30 season. Are you expecting him to fall off a cliff? He has almost another decade to amass 25 fWAR and make his contract work out. He could do that by age 36. They'll be "eating" his deal at the end of it, but they are making money off of him right now. It's no different than what the Padres are doing 3 hours south of them.

 

Mookie will be paying off for LA for a long, long time. He's comfortable in Hollywood, and could someday be a team ambassador extolling Dodger Blue, like Papi and Pedro still sell red socks a couple times a year.

 

I don't have any proof on this, but I'd bet Betts is also the main reason the Dodgers sell more merchandise than the Sox now (it's probably not from Hernandez shirts, lately).

[mvp 78]

Mookie will be paying off for LA for a long, long time. He's comfortable in Hollywood, and could someday be a team ambassador extolling Dodger Blue, like Papi and Pedro still sell red socks a couple times a year.

 

I don't have any proof on this, but I'd bet Betts is also the main reason the Dodgers sell more merchandise than the Sox now (it's probably not from Hernandez shirts, lately).

 

As for individual MLB jersey sales, Mookie Betts topped Lids’ rankings. Also making the top-10 was a Jackie Robinson throwback jersey at No. 5, and Cody Bellinger checked in at seventh.

 

Not sure Dodgers fans are really paying attention...

 

Top 10 player jerseys:

Betts

Jeter

Griffey JR

Tatis JR

Jackie Robinson

Altuve

Bellinger?

Clemente

Acuna

Ryan - TEX

 

In terms team sales:

NYY

LAD

CHW

ATL

TOR

BOS

HOU

SDP

PIT

SFG

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

As for individual MLB jersey sales, Mookie Betts topped Lids’ rankings. Also making the top-10 was a Jackie Robinson throwback jersey at No. 5, and Cody Bellinger checked in at seventh.

 

Not sure Dodgers fans are really paying attention...

 

Top 10 player jerseys:

Betts

Jeter

Griffey JR

Tatis JR

Jackie Robinson

Altuve

Bellinger?

Clemente

Acuna

Ryan - TEX

 

In terms team sales:

NYY

LAD

CHW

ATL

TOR

BOS

HOU

SDP

PIT

SFG

 

Roberto might be higher if they didn't remove him from the shelves in Florida. They're just checking to make sure he wore 21.

[mvp 78]

@ChrisCotillo

Tanner Houck tells MassLive that he had conversations with the Red Sox about a contract extension last year. The sides didn't get far, but he's keeping the door open for more talks in 2023.

 

"If the opportunity on both sides is right, I’d be willing to."

[Hugh2]

If you are serious about competing, why not spend up to the line every year? Why be so far under it? Just sign 1 year deals!

 

I get that argument, and it's my general line of thinking as well but at the same time why spend the money just to spend the money?

[moonslav59]

I get that argument, and it's my general line of thinking as well but at the same time why spend the money just to spend the money?

 

We do have some incentive money attached to some contracts, so we may be closer to the line that it appears, but I agree.

 

Maybe we are saving space for deadline deals.

 

When you see some of these recent signings, they are for peanuts and a few look better than our lower roster players.

 

Why not improve?

 

(I think they might actually like Brasier over Chafin and Fulmer and Mondesi, Arroyo and Chang over Andrus, but I scratch my head over those calls.)

[mvp 78]

I get that argument, and it's my general line of thinking as well but at the same time why spend the money just to spend the money?

 

Because you want to field a competitive team with the best players possible.

[mvp 78]

Red Sox signed MiLB Daniel Palka 1B/DH.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/daniel-palka/14897/stats?position=DH/OF

 

AAA didn't have many 1B options so it's not a big surprise.

[moonslav59]

Red Sox signed MiLB Daniel Palka 1B/DH.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/daniel-palka/14897/stats?position=DH/OF

 

AAA didn't have many 1B options so it's not a big surprise.

 

Dalbec is not an option?

[mvp 78]

Dalbec is not an option?

 

They'd do best to move Dalbec around the field. If he's stuck at 1B, it's not going to help him get back to BOS.

[moonslav59]

They'd do best to move Dalbec around the field. If he's stuck at 1B, it's not going to help him get back to BOS.

 

I do think he starts the year at AAA, and he is a 1B option, even if he used elsewhere down at Woo.

[moonslav59]

The highest paid players in MLB history, not including money still to be paid:

 

In $Millions

 

455 ARod

353 Miggy

342 Pujols

300 Verlander

277 Greinke

268 Kershaw

266 Jeter

265 Sabathia

249 Beltran

248 Price

236 Manny

228 Cano

223 Mauer

221 Felix

220 A Beltre

218 Votto

218 Teixeira

215 Fielder

204 Hamels

198 Scherzer

197 Trout

194 Wright

193 Bonds

192 Lester

191 Howard

 

Largest Single Contracts in MLB History:

426/12 Trout

365/12 Betts

360/9 Judge

350/11 Machado

341/10 Lindor

340/14 Tatis

330/13 Harper

325/13 Stanton (began in 2015)

325/10 Seager

324/9 Cole

314/10 Devers

300/10 Machado (extended before opt out- see above)

300/11 T Turner

280/11 Bogaerts

275/10 ARod (2008-2017)

260/8 Arenado

252/10 ARod (2001-2010: reworked in 2008- see above)

248/8 Miggy (2016)

245/7 Strasburg

245/7 Rendon

240/10 Cano (2014)

240/10 Pujols (2012)

225/10 Votto (2014)

217/7 Price (2016)

215/7 Kershaw (2014)

214/9 Fielder (2012)

212/12 Riley

210/7 Scherzer (2015)

209/14 J Rodriguez

207/6 Greinke

200/6 Correa

 

Other notables:

189/10 Jeter (01)

184/8 Mauer (11)

180/8 Teixeira (09)

180/8 Verlander (13)

175/7 Feliz (13)

167/9 Posey (13)

161/7 Sabathia (09)

160/8 Manny (01)

 

Pre 2001 (Manny & Jeter)

91/7 Piazza

 

 

 

 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The highest paid players in MLB history, not including money still to be paid:

 

In $Millions

 

455 ARod

353 Miggy

342 Pujols

300 Verlander

277 Greinke

268 Kershaw

266 Jeter

265 Sabathia

249 Beltran

248 Price

236 Manny

228 Cano

223 Mauer

221 Felix

220 A Beltre

218 Votto

218 Teixeira

215 Fielder

204 Hamels

198 Scherzer

197 Trout

194 Wright

193 Bonds

192 Lester

191 Howard

 

Largest Single Contracts in MLB History:

426/12 Trout

365/12 Betts

360/9 Judge

350/11 Machado

341/10 Lindor

340/14 Tatis

330/13 Harper

325/13 Stanton (began in 2015)

325/10 Seager

324/9 Cole

314/10 Devers

300/10 Machado (extended before opt out- see above)

300/11 T Turner

280/11 Bogaerts

275/10 ARod (2008-2017)

260/8 Arenado

252/10 ARod (2001-2010: reworked in 2008- see above)

248/8 Miggy (2016)

245/7 Strasburg

245/7 Rendon

240/10 Cano (2014)

240/10 Pujols (2012)

225/10 Votto (2014)

217/7 Price (2016)

215/7 Kershaw (2014)

214/9 Fielder (2012)

212/12 Riley

210/7 Scherzer (2015)

209/14 J Rodriguez

207/6 Greinke

200/6 Correa

 

Other notables:

189/10 Jeter (01)

184/8 Mauer (11)

180/8 Teixeira (09)

180/8 Verlander (13)

175/7 Feliz (13)

167/9 Posey (13)

161/7 Sabathia (09)

160/8 Manny (01)

 

Pre 2001 (Manny & Jeter)

91/7 Piazza

 

 

 

 

 

Can't really remember Felix... was he the cartoon cat who made all that money in animated porn?

[Bellhorn04]

Can't really remember Felix... was he the cartoon cat who made all that money in animated porn?

 

King Felix!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

King Felix!

 

That's what... ahhhh

[moonslav59]

That's what... ahhhh

 

The pitchers on the Mariners that kinda fell off a cliff.

[notin]

The pitchers on the Mariners that kinda fell off a cliff.

 

The last pitcher in MLB history to throw a perfect game!!

[moonslav59]

The last pitcher in MLB history to throw a perfect game!!

 

Yes, 10 years ago. He fell off a cliff starting in about 2016.

[Bellhorn04]

Yes, 10 years ago. He fell off a cliff starting in about 2016.

 

He threw a ton of innings at a young age.

[notin]

He threw a ton of innings at a young age.

 

Has anyone other SP started a game as a teenager since Felix?

[moonslav59]

Has anyone other SP started a game as a teenager since Felix?

 

GS by 19 year olds per fangraphs:

 

25 Elvis Luciano TOR 2019

18 Julio Rrias LAD 2016

4 Madison Bumgarner SFG 2009

2 Dylan Bundy BAL 2012

[notin]

Elvis Luciano just turned 23 and is currently a free agent…

[moonslav59]

He threw a ton of innings at a young age.

 

For sure.

 

84 at 19

191 at 20

190 at 21

201 at 22

239 at 23

250 at 24

 

He had more IP in his first 4.5 seasons (905) than Paxton has in his whole career (754).

 

Paxton has so much more mileage on that arm, left over!!! (LOL)

 

 

[moonslav59]

Elvis Luciano just turned 23 and is currently a free agent…

 

Sorry, I looked at games - not GS.

 

GS

15 Urias '16

1 Bumgarner '09

 

 

 

 

 

.

[moonslav59]

Toronto adds James Click as VP of Baseball Strategy.

 

Now we have another "Rays North."

[mvp 78]

Toronto adds James Click as VP of Baseball Strategy.

 

Now we have another "Rays North."

 

1. Boston

2. Baltimore

3. Toronto

 

Might as well just make it the whole division.

[mvp 78]

@PeteAbe

Yoshida spoke the other day about needing to learn to play the sun because so many games in Japan are in domes.

 

He did a nice job there of using his glove to shield the sun and make the catch.

 

Well, his defense isn't a complete train wreck.

[moonslav59]

1. Boston

2. Baltimore

3. Toronto

 

Might as well just make it the whole division.

 

The Yanks are stuck with Cashman for life, but I guess they could add a VP of Strategy.

[mvp 78]

Another inside out swing for Yoshida to LF. This time in the WBC. Maybe the Sox scouts knew what they were doing. Lots of Monster doubles?

 

https://twitter.com/Jared_Carrabis/status/1632741627394502658