It's Time Again for the Hot Stove League!

You know it's a slow day in the Hot Stove League when the top stories on the wires are the Dbacks re-signing Rubby De La Rosa to a two year minor league contract and the Twins selling Michael Tonkin's contract to the Nippon Ham Fighters.


This is an excellent column about Halladay the person as well as Halladay the pitcher:

Mourning Roy Halladay, a Master Who Craved the Big Moments

For a lighter tribute, I wish I could post a video of the Baseball Project’s “30 Doc” song, but no luck finding one.


My guess is the manufacturer will be sued by Halladay's family.

mfpark said:

Dave Schmidt--very much agree.  Always liked watching him work, regardless of the team he was on.

So sad that his wife was opposed to him getting this model of plane, then relented and they made a sales video for the company showing how and why she changed her mind.  Turns out two senior engineers for the company that makes the plane died recently in a crash of the same model in California.



From TMZ Sports

Roy Halladay appeared to be hot doggin' it in his plane in the moments before his crash -- making extreme and unusual changes in altitude ... this according to multiple witnesses. 

TMZ Sports has obtained footage shot by boaters who say the ex-MLB star's plane was going from 100 feet in the air down to 5 feet and then back up again ... repeatedly. 

The boaters were so shocked by the flying pattern, they pulled out their cell phones to capture the bizarre dips and rises.

Moments later, the plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico -- and the boat full of witnesses raced over to the crash scene 


I watched the video.  There are 2 or 3 boats circling around the demolished plane as it floated upside down in the water.  I'm not sure what I would have done in the same situation but I expected someone to jump in the water to look around but no one did.

mfpark said:

From TMZ Sports

Roy Halladay appeared to be hot doggin' it in his plane in the moments before his crash -- making extreme and unusual changes in altitude ... this according to multiple witnesses. 

TMZ Sports has obtained footage shot by boaters who say the ex-MLB star's plane was going from 100 feet in the air down to 5 feet and then back up again ... repeatedly. 

The boaters were so shocked by the flying pattern, they pulled out their cell phones to capture the bizarre dips and rises.

Moments later, the plane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico -- and the boat full of witnesses raced over to the crash scene 




  Turns out two senior engineers for the company that makes the plane died recently in a crash of the same model in California.

For what it's worth, I don't think it was the plane.  The first crash was the chief test pilot and a new employee.  They dove into the wrong canyon, and faced  a mountain instead of the lake they expected.  That crash was ruled pilot error.


Reading some of the Mets' tea leaves:  

They seem to be talking down Dom Smith as an everyday first baseman.  Not sure if they are giving up on him too soon, or if they have seen enough after about 165 Big League at bats to determine that he will never catch up to MLB pitching.  He certainly hit well at all minor league stops and is only 22 years old, and he would not be the first young player who took some time to adjust to the bigs and then became a solid contributor.  Be he really stunk up the joint after he was promoted last year.

It looks like the Mets will try to re-sign Jay Bruce to play both outfield and first base, and use Flores at first base also.  Not sure if this means trading or demoting Smith or using Bruce and Flores to provide flexibility and match-ups.

Lagares more and more looks like he will be the main center fielder to start the season, Cabrera probably will see lots of games at third base (unless the Mets do not sign a second baseman, in which case he will see more games at second).  This has the feel of a patchwork team where flexible players are plugged in from game to game.  The Red Sox have shown it can work if you have a solid core to provide stability, but I am not sure the Mets have that core.

Meanwhile, there is already some friction between the front office and the new manager.  Alderson wants to limit pitchers to two times through the opposing line up, and is searching for lots of middle relievers to bridge from the (hopefully) sixth inning to the closer.  The only exemptions being deGrom and Syndegaard who will be allowed to go until the manager thinks they are out of gas.  Meanwhile, Mickey the Manager (a former pitcher and pitching coach, btw) says he does not like set rules like this and prefers to make decisions based on things like how well the pitcher is doing and where their release slot is at the moment (is their arm dropping?).  

Fancy that, a manager and former pitching coach saying he wants to make decisions on the field as he sees them.  I hope this does not presage a season of front office interference and constant sniping between the manager and the general manager.  The Mets already have enough challenges on the field as it is.




It's not like Harvey, Gsellman, Lugo and Matz were consistently getting through the batting order twice before that rule was put in place.


I think it's manufactured controversy.  I doubt that the front office ever meant to dictate that pitchers were never going to be allowed a third time through the batting order.  Seems to me it's more of a rationale for keeping more bullpen arms on the active roster because it will often be the plan with some of their pitchers.

The issue with Dom Smith also seems to be that the team still needs to be convinced that he'll commit to conditioning himself to make it through a big league season.  Even he admitted he was worn out by September last year.  If he comes to spring training in great shape, gets off to a terrific start at AAA, maybe he becomes part of a trade later in the season. But I don't think he can be plan A at 1B going into this season.  I'd like to see Bruce return, and have them sign a 2B or 3B.  Maybe Neil Walker or Todd Frazier. That wouldn't be a bad lineup. It's all going to come down to the starting pitching anyway.


If it is a "manufactured" controversy, it was engineered by Alderson.  I mean, why leak that to the press in the first place?  It was guaranteed to force Mickey to respond when, as you say, there really was no need since most of their guys fade in the sixth inning anyway (as do most MLB pitchers these days).  I just do not understand why a supposedly media savvy front office in the largest media market in the nation would go this route this early in the process.


This was news to me. It’s going to sting the Braves for a while, I’d think.

M.L.B. Bars Former Braves Executive in Signings Scandal



DaveSchmidt said:

This was news to me. It’s going to sting the Braves for a while, I’d think.


M.L.B. Bars Former Braves Executive in Signings Scandal

Losing all those prospects (who they should not have had anyway) is a huge blow to their minor league rosters.  They lost the money they paid to them, and they are now very thin at all levels in terms of prospects.


Gee, with almost every male celebrity this side of 45 years old getting busted for showing dick pics and hitting on female co-workers, and with Flynn cutting a deal with Mueller, no wonder the Hot Stove League is as cold as the Mets' bats last year when the game was on the line.  Who cares about where Stanton winds up when we might be seeing the unraveling of 45?



As much as I hate to say it as a Red Sox Fan, hiring Aaron F-ing Boone was a brilliant decision.  I think Yankee fans are going to love this guy, along with sportswriters and players.  So far the most substantial move of the Hot Stove League season.


And now it looks like the Cards are very close to trading for Stanton.  Although he has a full no-trade clause, I can't see that the Cards (or Giants) have gone this far down the line with trade negotiations without a go-ahead from Stanton.  

Stanton has an opt out after 2020, so he can check out the Cards and see if they are World Serie-ous and still walk onto a contender in 2021 (assuming his productivity remains stratospheric), or stick around for the largest contract in baseball to date.


Meanwhile, the second hottest guy available this off-season, Ohtani, has narrowed down his market to mainly West Coast teams plus the Rangers and Cubs.  Dodgers, Giants, Angels, Padres, and Mariners.  

He is certainly intriguing--young, very athletic, can hit and pitch.  Wants a chance to play outfield and/or DH between starts if possible.  He comes relatively cheaply given the new posting system, which is different from some past Japanese signings like Matsuzaka (besides, his real value is in endorsements where he will exceed $20MM a year).  

His stats as a pitcher in Japan compare favorably with Darvish.  His batting is solid but not in the Godzilla range, and his OBPS is not in the Ishiro range.  So he is projecting as a pitcher in the MLB with perhaps spot appearances in the field between starts.


Stanton would be nuts to opt out after 2020. After 2020 he is still owed roughly $230 million over 8 years. 


mfpark said:

And now it looks like the Cards are very close to trading for Stanton.  Although he has a full no-trade clause, I can't see that the Cards (or Giants) have gone this far down the line with trade negotiations without a go-ahead from Stanton.  

Stanton has an opt out after 2020, so he can check out the Cards and see if they are World Serie-ous and still walk onto a contender in 2021 (assuming his productivity remains stratospheric), or stick around for the largest contract in baseball to date.



I agree, but some have done stranger things to get to a winning team later in their career.



by the end of 2020, Stanton will have made over $100MM in his career to that point.  And if he's still the player he is now, he'll command at least another $150-200 MM in free agency.  So he may not find a team insane enough to put him under contract until he's 38 like his current deal, but he'll be paid very well.  I could see a guy taking $300MM over his career instead of $400MM if it means going from a perennial losing team playing in front of empty seats to going to the Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox or Yankees.


If the rumors of a trade to the Cards or Giants come through he gets the best of both worlds - a team with a winning tradition and his existing contract.


So far the Giants seem to be lagging in the Stanton race, while the Cards seem to be putting something together.  OTOH, Stanton is said to want to return to California, where he is from, and he does have that no trade clause to wield.


Do Angelenos count San Francisco as being part of California?


Ohtani to the Angels, which is too bad because I’d rather not have to stay up late to watch him.


Rumor this morning is Stanton to Yankees. No details yet but it will be interesting to see the players and money involved. But it seems likely that the Yankees have given up on getting under the luxury tax. 


Wow, I go away for a weekend and the whole HSL tilts sideways.

I was in Ft Lauderdale where the newspapers and television pundits were resigned to the Stanton to Yankees deal.  They expect Castro to be traded before he even plays a game as a Marlin--he is not seen as a replacement for the recently traded Dee Gordon (to Seattle).   Not because Castro is a poor player, but because he is owed $22.5M over the next two years so he is a good bet to be traded to someone with prospects to trade.

Next to go from Miami could be Realmuto, a catch at catcher--young, controllable contract, loads of talent.  Perhaps even Yellich.  Both could bring a boatload of young prospects to a very depleted organization.  Luria devastated the infrastructure, from the stadium to the minor leagues, and they have a lot of rebuilding to do.  Jeter seems determined to rip it up from the roots.

The Stanton deal comes on the heels of the Yankees swearing they will get below the luxury tax line--Tyler Kepner (normally with good sources) ruled out a Stanton deal as recently as the Saturday NY Times.  But there is a bigger worry for Yankees fans--Stanton has only been fully healthy two of the last four years, which of course included last year's monster season.  

But the thought of Stanton tucked in with Judge and Sanchez in the lineup is scary.


Ohtani chose the Angels because it felt right.  How unusual to hear in these days of big salaries and egos.  Of course, his potential bonus and first year earnings are severely capped by MLB agreements and relatively level among the suitors, so I can see why feel was more a factor.

Not sure if he will be the real deal in the Majors, so it is a low-cost risk for the Angels.  On the pitching side, his Japanese stats compare favorably with Darvish, so he might be a solid MLB pitcher.  WIth Pujols ensconced as DH and locked in through 2021 it is hard to see where Ohtani's desire to bat will fit into the lineup.  Pujols is owed $115M over the next four years (he will be 41 at the end) so he is not going anywhere.

And then there is the fact that Pujols really slowed down last year, both with his bat speed and his foot speed.  He was one of the least productive hitters in the majors in terms of OBP and OBPS, and he is a double play factory when he is not hitting homers (23 last year).  Do the Angels have the cojones to make him a really high-priced part-time player?  Would he walk from a chance to get to 700 homers and take a front office job instead?  Would he be willing to restructure his contract to a Bonilla-like long term annuity to allow the Angels to be able to get the young players who could surround Trout and make them a winner?




mfpark said:

Ohtani chose the Angels because it felt right.  How unusual to hear in these days of big salaries and egos.  Of course, his potential bonus and first year earnings are severely capped by MLB agreements and relatively level among the suitors, so I can see why feel was more a factor.


Definitely liked that he was shopping around for quality of life.  However, it's been written that the big money is going to come to him for endorsements regardless of where he plays.  He almost doesn't need his MLB salary, given the millions that sponsors will offer him.


Yankees gave up nothing but money and we know when push comes to shove they do not care about that. Plus with trading Castro they apparently will still be able to do what they want - get under the cap for one year.



ska said:

Yankees gave up nothing but money and we know when push comes to shove they do not care about that. Plus with trading Castro they apparently will still be able to do what they want - get under the cap for one year.

I am guessing that is why the Marlins kicked in $30M if Stanton does not exercise his out clause in a few years.


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