Finally! Official Hot Stove League thread!

[D-train]

Silva vs. Giolito the two seasons prior to them hitting FA. Silva actually had a BETTER ERA+!! lol

lg.JPG (30.56 KiB) Viewed 596 times

cs.JPG (28.29 KiB) Viewed 596 times

[D-train]

Not sure what your guys goals are when coming up with an off season plan. Mine is to come up a plan that could be accomplished fairly easily AND put the team in contention for a WS title. I have no interest in simply trying to predict what these cheap ass idiots are going to actually do given their inane self imposed draconian "limitations"....

[D-train]

Goldy is another guy our fanbase thinks is a God to worship. Here he is calling a Bears TD. Gets pretty jacked doesn't he. lol

[D-train]

[D-train]

Here is another guy just shooting for the moon. Garver is a good idea but then he just peters out and gives up with the two Royals and Old man Pham.

[GL_Storm]

The rough draft of my offseason plan had the Mariners trading for Fernando Tatis Jr, until I realized that Tatis has a blanket no-trade clause. Tatis would approve a trade to Seattle only in my dreams.

Nevertheless the Mariners are likely to trade a starting pitcher for a bat (and could trade high on relievers Justin Topa and/or Gabe Speier).

My early free agent targets and their projected contracts (per The Athletic):

SP Lucas Giolito, 4 years, $70 million (although Keith Law thinks Giolito could settle for a one-year pillow contract)
Always looking for bargains on players coming off down seasons. A Jim Bowden blurb on the 29-year-old righthander caught my attention:

He needs to sign with a team with a strong pitching coach and analytics staff that will treat him as a reclamation project. With the right pitching plan, Giolito could rediscover what he had during his prime years of production.

https://theathletic.com/5008102/2023/10 ... edictions/
https://theathletic.com/4987045/2023/11 ... bellinger/
https://theathletic.com/5015723/2023/11 ... ojections/

OF Jung Hoo Lee (Jung Lee-hoo), 4 years, $56 million
The 25-year-old Lee lacks power (the opiate of the baseball masses) but has posted superb contact numbers in the KBO. Lee's outfield defense has received positive reviews.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/regi ... e---009jun

LRP Yuki Matsui, no contract projection
The now 28-year-old, who was the youngest pitcher to reach 200 saves in Japan, covers the possible departure of lefty Gabe Speier and provides longshot insurance behind sometimes shaky closer Andres Munoz.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/regi ... tsui000yuk
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/202 ... 200-saves/

Let me take cover before you fire off responses.

I like all of these players. Giolito would be a great fit here on a one-year deal if they pass on or can't work out a deal with Blake Snell.

[D-train]

What's appealing about a pitcher who is worse than Carlos Silva Gabe?

[GL_Storm]

What's appealing about a pitcher who is worse than Carlos Silva Gabe?

I think there's a good chance the M's can fix whatever's gone wrong since 2021. It isn't obvious in the numbers, but there's probably an issue with the slider. And he was pretty good last year with the White Sox before getting traded and then falling apart with the Angels and then Cleveland. On a one-year deal, I think he makes sense to fill a hole that allows you to trade one of your young pitchers. Obviously there's risk involved, but you're playing into an organizational strength.

But also, there are a number of other guys out there that could fit that role if they pass on Snell and still want to deal a young pitcher for hitting.

[harmony]

What's appealing about a pitcher who is worse than Carlos Silva Gabe?

Carlos Silva from 16 years ago is an awfully random comp for Lucas Giolito.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... l_ss_other

Scroll down to similarity scores.

[GL_Storm]

What's appealing about a pitcher who is worse than Carlos Silva Gabe?

Carlos Silva from 16 years ago is an awfully random comp for Lucas Giolito.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... l_ss_other

Scroll down to similarity scores.

It's just his way of saying that he thinks Giolito sucks, which is fine. He was bad in 2022 and sort of mixed in 2023. Also, DT is terrified of the bottom of the rotation.