No way is Jason Hayward worth 200 mil......

<font color=goldenrod>So far around 50 writers have made their HOF ballots public and Ken Griffey Jr. is on every single one of them (rightly so).

Wonder who will be the one dickhead who submits a blank ballot just to avoid having a unanimous HOFer.</font>

Anyone who does that is risking getting their voting privileges revoked.

How many RIBBIES does he have?

Bwahhhhh!!! *snort* He only hit, like, 15 homerz too. They paid him like he was Delmon Young. Lollllll

And risking Swatter attack.

<font color=goldenrod>I wish. The BBWAA have removed a ton of people who haven't actively covered the game for over a decade and banned people like Dan LeBetard who have let other people pick their ballots. But as far as I know, they don't restrict otherwise.

There are still some writers who won't vote for any 90's-era player. And then there's the "if Babe Ruth wasn't a unanimous HOFer, nobody is!" camp.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>Mike Leake to the Cardinals. 5 years, $80 million with a mutual option for a 6th year. Full no-trade clause.</font>

Used to wish I was left handed and could throw 100. Now I just wish I could throw 88.

I wish I could throw 40

\_0__/

I threw mid 80s a few years ago. Then something happened in my forearm not Tommy John related, and now I have to finesse my way through lineups at about 55mph.

<font color=goldenrod>Mets sign Alejandro de Aza to a 1-year, $4.5 million deal.

As a bench guy he's an improvement over what they have...but I think the Mets are intending on platooning him as a left-handed complement to Lagares in CF. Problem is, de Aza can't play CF.

Would have rather just gone for Span or Parra.</font>

https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?...C7uZHAmcVGWgwE

<font color=goldenrod>Here was the HOF tracker I was talking about. Griffey still batting 1.000 with 90 ballots public.

Looking very promising for Piazza. Bagwell and Raines in good position too but still a ways to go. Hoffman needs a late surge.</font>

John Smoltz will be in the booth with Joe Buck calling MLB games for FOX.

I guess it's a semi-upgrade over McCarver and whoever else they had after he left.

What up, Tony Saunders

<font color=goldenrod>Damn, De Aza's deal is actually for $5.75 million guaranteed with incentives that could take him up to over $7 million.

Forget him being primarily a bench guy...that's clearly starter money. Their offseason spending on hitters is over.

RF Granderson
2B Walker
3B Wright
1B Duda
C d'Arnaud
SS Cabrera/Flores
LF Conforto
CF De Aza/Lagares

I still think they can compete with that lineup especially with the pitching. One or two injuries though and they're right back to where they were last year pre-Cespedes trade. Problem is I don't know what other choice they have. They can break the bank to bring in Cespedes, Upton, or Gordon but none of them can play CF on a regular basis.</font>

What team wouldn't fall apart with major injuries?

Cubs release Brendan Ryan.

If that's the case then why not the Castro/Warren trade be a straight up 1-for-1?

Guessing they just viewed him as the last man on the 40. Might have been the best use of that spot at the time but they wanted to give someone else a look. This is the point in the year when that spot gets DFA'd, then reacquired, then DFA'd again for what seems like no reason.

Maybe Yanks wanted to get rid of him?

<font color=goldenrod>Daniel Murphy to the Nats on a 3 year deal. Writing was pretty much on the wall with that one.

Oh well. Here's hoping he Murphs things up defensively like he always does.</font>

Chatter going around is that the Yankees are close to getting Aroldis Chapman from the Reds.

This I did not see coming. Although it's probably gonna cost a lot.

CMON CASHMAN MAKE IT HAPPEN

Done deal, according to Ken "The Bowtie" Rosenthal.

Details coming soon.

Yanks sending over 4 from the farm. But none of our top guys. Phew.

And RAB has crashed.

THATS MY KIND OF HOT STOVE

Yankees sending over Rookie Davis, Tony Renda, Caleb Cotham, and Eric Jagielo.

Losing Jagielo hurts because he was gonna be our 3B replacement for A-Rod down the road.

I thought the Reds had already traded him to the Dodgers, was that just talk. I know they got rid of Fraizer.

Got put on hold and later voided because of the recent domestic charges accusations.

<font color=goldenrod>Welp, Yanks should win every single game that they have a lead after 6.</font>

Sports guys are saying that the Yankees plan to keep Andrew Miller. Which would be awesome. But I just don't see that happening. We'll see how this goes when March rolls around.

Although, 4 guys for a season's worth of service from Chapman seems a little steep. Unless we're gonna offer him a fair extension. And we still gotta wait and see if MLB Investigations hand down some sort of penalty from this domestic violence thing.

I'll take it. I hate that the Reds are selling off all their top players but I'd rather them sell them to the Yankees if they are. Just hope Chapman stays healthy in New York and out of trouble. Friend of mines going to be pissed about it, he uses the Reds in 2k and Chapman's hard as hell to hit and I use the Yankees.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Out of all the relievers in MLB last season, only 3 struck out more than 100 batters.

They all wear pinstripes now. <a href="https://t.co/7pOkI3jPBH">pic.twitter.com/7pOkI3jPBH</a></p>&mdash; YES Network (@YESNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/YESNetwork/status/681607657552134144">December 28, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<font color=goldenrod>Aroldis Chapman suspended for the entire 2016 season for his domestic violence case.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>Just kidding. But wouldn't that be quite the swerve?</font>

Wow. I died reading that. Haha. Got me.

<font color=goldenrod>Congrats Jon Heyman on the dumbest HOF ballot of all time.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CXbCN2JU0AAU5Mb.png

You can argue all you want about letting in steroid guys (namely Bonds and Clemens) vs. not letting them in all you want. But you can't vote for one and not the other. That's just stupid.</font>

Seems like his reasoning for Bonds vs Clemens is almost the same everyone has with both guys. Bonds arguably was already Hall worthy before the roids and handled the accusations better than others. Clemens hurt his reputation and image a lot with the lawsuit and Congressional stuff like a lot of other famous roided guys who tried to fight back and failed badly.

Only real big surprise is him caving to the unwritten "No Roided Guys Ever" a lot of voters have regardless if those players non-roided period is good enough for legit considerations.

On the Chapman deal....feel like the Reds were desperate to move him. The package they got is more quantity than anything. Reading maybe one major league reliever and average every day guy, maybe. Perhaps the pending domestic violence issue forced them into a corner and they had to make due.

On the Yankees end, they give up very little bit inherent a ton of risk. With the domestic violence issues looming, a possible if not probable suspension hanging over Chapman, this could blow up on them. If he's suspended 50 games, that's a third of the year they have to go without. And in case it hasn't been mentioned, this is a one and deal for New York. Sure they could resign him, but the obvious plan is to try and maximize his value now beforehaving to pay market value.

Also doesn't look good from a public relations standpoint. You know the guy is recently accused of domestic violence, you know he's a possible suspension candidaten which hurts his overall value to the club, and you bring him in anyway without knowing exactly how that's all going to turn out.

Even though they didn't give up anything it's a lot risk given Chapman is only going to give them less than 70 innings over 162 games to begin with. Now there's a chance that total is cut by almost a third and there's no way of knowing before it actually happens.

We shall see. At least it's interesting.

We're already dealing with the bullshit from the A-Rod roids scandal. Public relations doesn't even faze us.


As far as workload goes, sure he probably won't be racking up the saves because he's splitting time with Betances & (possibly) Miller. But with a rotation that had EVERYBODY go on the DL last season, 6 inning outings is looking like the norm. These days, a 7-8-9 bullpen bridge should be on every team's wishlist.

The issue and risk isn't with the workload. It's with the idea that he could be serving a suspension and God knows when and what part of the season that'll be handed down and how long. A 50 game suspension is going to hurt, especially if it's mid year.

Nats sign Stephen Drew. 1-year, $3 mil.

Drew hasn't been any good in like 2 years. Can't see why he keeps getting a chance. Oh well.

<font color=goldenrod>One thing that could possibly work in the Yankees' favor...Chapman's service time is 5.034. 138 more days on a big league roster will push him over 6 years of service needed for free agency.

If MLB comes down hard on Chapman and issues him a suspension that takes up around 40-45 games or so, it could possibly allow the Yankees to keep Chapman for an entire extra year of service.</font>

Does a suspension not count for service time? Pretty sure it's still considered even if he's not on the active roster.

<font color=goldenrod>Used to be the case under the old CBA. Was changed for the most recent CBA as the feeling that it was punishing the team. Now you only gain service time on the active roster, Major League DL, or bereavement lists.

Depending on what happens with Chapman this season it could be something that the union lobbies to get back when the CBA expires after next season.</font>

Sorry Droford, Kris Bryant got engaged.

Dodgers signed Scott Kazmir to a 3 year, $48 million deal.

Yikes.

Where'd those years and that dollar figure come from?

My favorite Cub player actually Rizzo

One good year is where it came from. Even after his "comeback" Kazmir has never been more than just average. So he's a bit overpaid but it's not ridiculously so. Besides, Dodgers needed another starter after they had Greinke pulled out from under them and backed away from Iwakuma.

Their rotation is still pretty solid. Kershaw is, well, Kershaw, and Kazmir, Ryu (if healthy) Anderson and Wood fills out a good if unspectacular rotation.

<font color=goldenrod>Kazmir has an opt-out clause after year one of the contract. That's fucking ridiculous.</font>

It's brilliant. Strasburg is the only worthwhile arm on the market. Kazmir could clean up in his next contract and the Dodgers would likely get a draft pick. Win win my man.

<font color=goldenrod>Everybody is going to get a year one opt-out before long.

Harper will make over $500 million or something over the course of his career.</font>

Peggy Bundy: Thank Arod kids!

Thanks Arod!!

Considering the discrepancy between what the owners are raking in as compared to the talent generating the revenue, I don't see the big deal.

Does every team operate in the black every year?

Yes. Even the supposed "poor" teams get revenue sharing money (remember when the Marlins got a stern talkin' to when they didnt spend on players and just pocketed that revenue sharing cash) and have probably gotten various government entities to take out large loans or bonds to pay for a new stadium they don't owe any debt on.

Paul Beeston, former Jays President has said in the past "I can take a 4 million dollar profit, make it look like a 2 million dollar loss and get every national accounting firm to agree with me." So even when they cry poor.....they aint.

Baseball is the richest its been. The owners are making massive sums of money. That's why you're seeing these huge dealsfor $30million a year and why it's the new market value for the elite. That cash isn't spent if the profits don't justify it.

How about those billion.....I'll say it again.....billion dollar deals for tv rights? The bloody dbacks have a 1.5 billion dollar deal.

<font color=goldenrod>I don't care so much about the players making more money as much as the fact that opt-out deals could lead to everybody becoming a free agent every year.

Like imagine if every player in that loaded 2018 free agent class (Harper, McCutchen, Donaldson, Machado, Kershaw, Harvey, Fernandez, Keuchel, etc.) got a year one opt-out and they all hit the market again in 2019 and every year after that. It would just be bad for baseball if there was that much roster turnover league wide every year.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>I expect the owners will try to lobby for opt-out regulations in the next CBA, but I can't see the union budging on the issue. Could lead to a stalemate once the epic free agent market comes up.</font>

Yup.

TV deals alone give teams enough money where they could be as fiscally irresponsible as the Yankees/Dodgers in their worst years and still manage to come out ahead. The benefits of being the only show in town during the summer. Cable companies are dying to keep the teams on their feed to fill otherwise dead air

Cubs are going to sign a trillion dollar deal when their current one with Comcast expires. Then they'll pay Jason Hayward 300 million just cuz.

Opt out clauses are better for teams. They potentially keep them off the hook for money the player likely won't be worth down the line and recoup draft picks in some cases. They serve to get the player a longer guarantee down the line, ala b Arod, Sabathia, Greinke, etc.

People are acting like player/team/mutual options are a new thing. I realize it's typically been for the last year of a deal, but it's existed in these various forms for a while. The guys who sign those early team friendly deals often have a clause where the player can opt out of the contract and into arbitration.

It's not going to cause any kind of major shift in the market since the general concept has been in practice for a while already.

<font color=goldenrod>If you were offered a 10 year, $300 million standard contract or a 10 year, $275 million contract with an opt out after year one, which would you pick?

Because I'm pretty sure a lot of players would take the latter one. If they put up the type of season that got them that contract in the first place...they can opt out and make even more. If they regress, get hurt, or have a shit year, they still have the protection of the rest of the contract and still make a shitpile of money.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>I'm fine with the players getting paid. They definitely should.

I just don't want it to reach the point where the offseason becomes a glorified fantasy baseball auction draft. And that's what will end up happening if the year one opt-out becomes the new norm.</font>

I'd definitely take the latter. The goal is to gain as long a long-term commitment as possible. Opt outs like Greinke, Arod or Sabathia had are more likely the norm.

Speaking on one year extravaganzas...I read a suggestion to offset teams holding down minor league talent for an extra year of service time. Instead, those who would otherwise qualify that end up being held down, like Kris Bryant, would use the extra year gained as a restricted free agent year. Other teams are given a chance on a one year bid to sign the player, and the original club has the right to match the offer or let the player go.

Not sure how compensation would work for the losing team but it's definitely far more interesting than "let's not increase our chances of winning to try and gain an extra year".

and Dodgers fans bitched that the revenue sharing money they sent is paying for Greinke. Which is kinda the point.

Could see that becoming a big issue with new CBA talks if it gets abused too much or too many teams get burned by that point.

Either that or a team pulls a Marlins by winning a title with a bunch of quick opt-out players and then just lets those guys leave since their risk paid off. Other teams would then be on the hook for new massive contracts or the market for those players bust because of the price tags.

Dodgers agree to terms with Kenta Maeda from the Hiroshima Carp. Dollar figures haven't been released but the Dodgers did pony up the $20 mil. max fee to talk with him.

Was hoping this would be the last big move for the Cubs. Sounds like a solid #3 with possible #2 upside/ceiling.

Maeda deal is 8 years, 24 million guaranteed with 10-12 million per season in incentives. Sheeeeeeeeeit.

Good fucking Christ. I'm sure he'll be solid but 8years for a mid rotation starter? Yikes.

Paidea.

That's a rather unique deal if I ever heard one before. Although, I'm interested in that those yearly incentives are. Must be easy to hit if they're giving out that much.

<font color=goldenrod>Another HOF update. 138 ballots now public which is roughly a third of the ballot, a good sample size.

Griffey still batting 1.000 as he should be. Doubtless some idiot won't vote for him but his induction was never in question.

Piazza (88.4%), Bagwell (82.6%), and Raines (80.4%) are still above the 75% threshold but their numbers have gone down in the last week and a half. Generally a safe bet that the numbers will go down at the end because many of the old school writers won't release their ballots. Probably will come down to a photo finish for Bagwell and Raines may end up being close enough to benefit from the "last chance" support that he'll get next year.

Hoffman's only at 62.3%, he may actually pick up votes at the end with the older voters favoring saves. He'll miss out but should be relatively safe to stay on the ballots the next few years.

Wagner, on the other hand, not only will miss out on induction but right now he's projected to be dropped from the ballot entirely. I think he'll grab enough votes to hang on but I would have thought he'd poll similarly to Hoffman. Either way I think both guys could be in trouble come 2019 when Rivera jumps on the ballot.</font>

Ryan(s) Howard and Zimmerman have filed defamation lawsuits against Al Jazeera.

Seems like suing Al Jazeera isn't going to work out.....

fuck

Royals resigned Gordon

4y/$72m

<font color=goldenrod>Fuck Alex Gordon. That 9th inning HR in Game 1 of the WS will haunt me even more than Murph or Duda's fuck ups in Games 4 or 5.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>MIKE PIAZZA!!!!!!!!</font> :love:

https://mlblogsopeningday.files.word...2001-od-hr.jpg

<font color=goldenrod>Griffey sets the new percentage vote, being left off of only 3 ballots.

Bagwell missed out by 15 votes, should be a good bet for next year. Raines also came in around 69% so that could bode well for next year.</font>

fuck those 3 stupid retard assholes

Tim Raines should have gotten in, fuck the voters

:y: Griffey Jr going in the Hall.

Going to assume those 3 voters used the Babe Ruth excuse as why it wasn't unanimous.

2 players going in. Gonna be a short day at Cooperstown.

Junior was obvious, so was Pizza. Congrats to them. 3 guys who left Griffey off should have their memberships revoked.

<font color=goldenrod>With next year being his final year on the ballot that usually leads to a natural upswing in votes. Also, 16 of 17 players who have gotten a vote % that Raines had have gone in the next year, so that's why he and Bagwell should be virtual locks for next year. Hoffman got closer than I thought he would so it's possible all 3 are in next year.

Vlad is probably the best bet for a first ballot guy next year. Pudge probably won't make it straight away just based on suspicion. I could see Posada sticking around on the ballot for 10 years but not sure he'll make it. Manny won't make it since his steroid usage is confirmed, the only question with him is whether or not he gets bounced on the first ballot.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>Also Bonds and Clemens...not sure. They each gained around a 20% bump in the voting, but still will need 130 or so new votes each to make it. They each have 6 years of eligibility yet but getting 130 voters to change their mind of a group of 450 might be tough.</font>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The frenzy to ID those who didn't vote for Griffey, Jr. may weirdly increase likelihood that Rivera, Jeter or some other player gets 100%.</p>&mdash; Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/684890422997594112">January 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That might be worse just for the public backlash alone. Not that Jeter or Rivera or someone else isn't worthy but the reason them getting a possible unanimous induction was due to voters being tired of the ridicule.

<font color=goldenrod>Piazza will announce the cap he'll wear on his plaque, which almost has to be a Mets one unless he decides to turn heel.

Pumped. Realistically this will be the last chance I'll see a guy enshrined as a Met for a couple of decades. I don't know if Beltran will make it to the HOF and if he did I think he'd sooner go in as a Royal or with no logo like Maddux. There was a time I thought Wright was gonna have a HOF career but sadly I think his only chance now is to stay healthy and produce like 2006-08 David Wright for the rest of his career. I think he's missed too much time, unfortunately.</font>

I thought they did away with the player choosing the team?

<font color=goldenrod>The committee officially decides, but they ask for the players' input and generally do what the player wants unless it's something egregious.

Maddux went in with no logo at his own request, since he didn't want to slight the Braves or Cubs and identified with both franchises. Big Unit thought about going the blank cap route but ultimately asked for a D-Backs cap since that's where he won his ring and threw his perfect game, and the committee honored it.</font>

I would be okay with Rivera getting 100% votes... hate closers but he da man

Lol remember when Wade Boggs tried to go into the HOF as a Devil Ray

Lmao didn't he go in as a Ray? Thought it was written into his contract.

There are no more Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Also the contract didn't involve an agreement with the Hall of Fame Board, invalidating it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congrats to Junior the 3rd teammate off my Springfield Nuclear Power Plant team to make the Baseball Hall of Fame! hug for Mike Piazza too</p>&mdash; Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoseCanseco/status/684922667133042688">January 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<font color=goldenrod Jose Canseco just won the internet</font>