Finally! Official Hot Stove League thread!

[D-train]

WS champion Rangers have signed away Diego Castillo. Non-roster Invitee. They have had pretty good luck with guys that didn't perform well here.

We gave up Shenton in a knee jerk trade to back fill after the Graveman trade for Toro for a guy that is a NRI 1.5 years later.

Shenton put up a 1.034 OPS in AAA last season in the International League which is a pitchers league. Feels like we could use a good hitting OFer about now, doesn't it?

Let that sink in for a minute.

Their 26th ranked prospect, he's not projected as an outfielder

The 25-year-old has an all-bat profile considering he’s a below-average runner. He has enough arm to feature at third base, where he’s received the majority of his Minor League starts, but first base might be a better fit. The Rays have played him more there since moving him to Durham, and Kyle Manzardo’s move to Cleveland opens up a lane on that section of the depth chart

Oh yeah, my bad. Well we could use a 3B as well.

[ice99]

I don't care much about size, if the power is there its there, but we all know the PCL is a hitter's paradise.

Altuve is 5'6 166 lbs and 209 HRs in 13 seasons

Willie B. is 5'11" 200 lbs and only hit 18 in 14 seasons

He followed up with 0 hrs in the AFL, except for that GS, so we will see.

Yeah 23 is not a lot at all even in the IL. I just found it interesting that Seager didn't become a semi Power hitting until he was in his late 20s

It was interesting with Seager's first few games at 3B. The M's fans and bloggers were saying he didn't have the first step reflexes to play 3B.

[D-train]

I find it interesting that 3B and 2B have the same positional adjustment.

[ice99]

I find it interesting that 3B and 2B have the same positional adjustment.

I remember seeing different WAR than fWAR and bWAR. Was it PECOTA, I don't know. Also, not all systems had the 2B, and 3B with the same positional adjustment.

I believe 2B had more in that system. But it was like CFers years ago having a jump on WAR. Their positional adjustment evened the field for hitting, but their speed usually allowed them to get more baserunning WAR (or maybe the adjustment also compensated for SB). But they could get a higher defensive WAR due to CF being able to save more runs. In the case of 2B vs. 3B, the average 2B has more baserunning WAR than 3B. and defensive WAR.

So if we're just going to value a player by a leveled playing field WAR then we should adjust the positional adjustment. Having 2B with the same adjustment as 3B seems fine.

[GL_Storm]

I would try to get Shenton back in any trade with the Rays.

[Donn Beach]

Like it says, with them trading Kyle Manzardo the rays would most likely have plans to keep shenton

[Seattle or Bust]

Most boring off season of all time.

Nothing is fkn happening.

[GL_Storm]

Most boring off season of all time.

Nothing is fkn happening.

It's one of the worst free agent classes in at least several years combined with lots of teams stepping back their spending.

[Seattle or Bust]

Morosi on MLB Network today floating the M's trading for Dylan Cease and trading off Woo or Miller for bats...

One can pray.

[Bil522]

Steamer and FanGraphs project Jose Caballero with a 2024 wRC+ of 98 in 62 games:

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jose- ... osition=2B

As points of reference, Hall of Famers Luis Aparicio, Ozzie Smith and Nellie Fox posted career wRC+ of 83, 90 and 96, respectively.

Caballero is neither a future Hall of Famer nor the Mariners' sole 2024 option at second base.

But defense has value.

Sure.

But not enough to say no to a guy who has put up 118-124 wRC+ the last 4 seasons minus the Covid year if the return is right. At that point offer one of Rojas or Cabby in the return for the deal and put Polanco at 2B.

If Cabby puts up a 98 OPS+ I'll eat my socks. Wouldn't want to anger the Steamer Gods tho. No way Jose.

ZiPS projections for Jose Caballero are more conservative with an OPS+ of 95 and 1.4 WAR in just 294 plate appearances.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2024-zips-p ... -mariners/

Jorge Polanco would have the edge in a standard-format fantasy league that counts only hitting stats to the exclusion of other contributions.

The Mariners don't play in a fantasy league.

I beg to differ. Mariners ownership thinks it can pull hitting out of its ass and fart high leverage bullpen pitchers....do you need more proof than this off season to say that Mariner ownership lives in a fantasy land?