Finally! Official Hot Stove League thread!

[D-train]

This means, knowing how cheap our FO is - the only way we get Snell of all the Snell lovers out there is if we end up trading Castillo as their salaries will essentially cancel each other out making it a wash or a small add onto the current books in terms of Snell. Seeing their trades to date - this makes me a little nervous in that I worry they will just basically dump Castillo for garbage just to get someone to take on all the salary so we get Zero in return whereas if we traded one of the younger arms we'd actually get something of legit value back in return to help our offense, not to mention maintain 4 elite arms at the top of our rotation for a few years. We know that can't happen though as the FO couldn't have decided this late in the game to add 30mill in salary when they've gone out of their way to cut.

Really all it tells me is that Bowden enjoys blowing smoke up fans asses and it worked. There were hundreds of posts in response last night...

HA! so true. How's the ride brother!?!?! I'm jealous.

Love it! V12 450 HP. Hand Built in England!

[D-train]

Looks like France has lost so much weight he might have to change his name to The South of France...

[ice99]

The M's have something like a $120M cash payroll for the 26 man. The Astros are at $230+ M and the Rangers are at $200+ M.

Sign Snell, trade for a 2B or 3B.

Offer Snell a $101M/4 yr. contract as follows:

2024: $25M with $5M deferred to 2028 @ 5% interest
2025: $25M
can opt out after 2025
2026: $23M
can opt out after 2026 with $2M in lieu of the club option buyout
2027: $23M
2028: Club option of $29M with $5M buyout
Club option vests with 340 innings total in 2026-27, or 180 innings in 2027
* If the option vests (or club exercises option) then another option for 2028 for $25M with $2M buyout

Incentives for innings pitched each year:
$1M each for 155, and 180 innings. Incentives paid on 1/16 of the following year.

If Boras rejects that then tack on another year, $126M/5yr. contract as follows:

Replace 2026: $25M, and can opt out after 2026
Replace 2027: $23M, and can opt out after 2027 with $2M
Replace 2028: $23M
2029: Club option of $29M with $5M buyout

Club option vests with 500 innings total in 2026-28, or 350 innings in 2027-28, or 180 innings in 2028
* If the option vests (or club exercises option), then another option for 2029 for $25M with $3M buyout

Same innings incentives.

[GL_Storm]

The M's have something like a $120M cash payroll for the 26 man. The Astros are at $230+ M and the Rangers are at $200+ M.

Sign Snell, trade for a 2B or 3B.

Offer Snell a $101M/4 yr. contract as follows:

2024: $25M with $5M deferred to 2028 @ 5% interest
2025: $25M
can opt out after 2025
2026: $23M
can opt out after 2026 with $2M in lieu of the club option buyout
2027: $23M
2028: Club option of $29M with $5M buyout
Club option vests with 340 innings total in 2026-27, or 180 innings in 2027
* If the option vests (or club exercises option) then another option for 2028 for $25M with $2M buyout

Incentives for innings pitched each year:
$1M each for 155, and 180 innings. Incentives paid on 1/16 of the following year.

If Boras rejects that then tack on another year, $126M/5yr. contract as follows:

Replace 2026: $25M, and can opt out after 2026
Replace 2027: $23M, and can opt out after 2027 with $2M
Replace 2028: $23M
2029: Club option of $29M with $5M buyout

Club option vests with 500 innings total in 2026-28, or 350 innings in 2027-28, or 180 innings in 2028
* If the option vests (or club exercises option), then another option for 2029 for $25M with $3M buyout

Same innings incentives.

Nah. He's just not that good. I say they should roll with what they have.

[Pharmabro]

Really all it tells me is that Bowden enjoys blowing smoke up fans asses and it worked. There were hundreds of posts in response last night...

HA! so true. How's the ride brother!?!?! I'm jealous.

Love it! V12 450 HP. Hand Built in England!

Austin Martin is a classy sexy ride. Well done sir!

[Pharmabro]

Really all it tells me is that Bowden enjoys blowing smoke up fans asses and it worked. There were hundreds of posts in response last night...

HA! so true. How's the ride brother!?!?! I'm jealous.

Love it! V12 450 HP. Hand Built in England!

Austin Martin is a classy sexy ride. Well done sir!

[Pharmabro]

I am warming to a player I never-ever thought I would.

Who am I talking about?

Whit-Motha-Fn-Merryfield!

I have spent years hating this guy as he is always linked to us. I am like he sucks!

Until I heard on a podcast that he responded this way to the question "What ballpark do you like to hit at the most?"
Whit "I like to hit in the one in Seattle the most."
Why?
"I see the ball really well there."

And he does
.288 .326 .488 .813 is his lifetime batting line in Seattle. In 2023 against our pitching in Seattle .286 .375 .286 .661

He only hit to a 94 OPS+ in 2023 but over the 1st 4 months he was at 303 .351 .430 .781. And Happy 35th birthday to you Whit!

On the bad .212 .250 .288 .538 .247 BABIP in his final 2 months last year.

Whit has nearly 20 WAR for his career and has been a very good player who maxed out at 4.5WAR, He has been league leader in steals X3, hits X2, triples X1, Doubles X1, games played X3, Range factor @ 2B X2,

What if Whit is the anti Beltre-Teo-etc-etc? He is not that good elsewhere but comes here and excels vs being a HOFER elsewhere and being pedestrian here.

[ice99]

I am warming to a player I never-ever thought I would.

Who am I talking about?

Whit-Motha-Fn-Merryfield!

I have spent years hating this guy as he is always linked to us. I am like he sucks!

Until I heard on a podcast that he responded this way to the question "What ballpark do you like to hit at the most?"
Whit "I like to hit in the one in Seattle the most."
Why?
"I see the ball really well there."

And he does
.288 .326 .488 .813 is his lifetime batting line in Seattle. In 2023 against our pitching in Seattle .286 .375 .286 .661

He only hit to a 94 OPS+ in 2023 but over the 1st 4 months he was at 303 .351 .430 .781. And Happy 35th birthday to you Whit!

On the bad .212 .250 .288 .538 .247 BABIP in his final 2 months last year.

Whit has nearly 20 WAR for his career and has been a very good player who maxed out at 4.5WAR, He has been league leader in steals X3, hits X2, triples X1, Doubles X1, games played X3, Range factor @ 2B X2,

What if Whit is the anti Beltre-Teo-etc-etc? He is not that good elsewhere but comes here and excels vs being a HOFER elsewhere and being pedestrian here.

He'd still have to hit on away games. With the M's luck, even Figgy had an .802 OPS in Safeco in 2008.

[D-train]

HA! so true. How's the ride brother!?!?! I'm jealous.

Love it! V12 450 HP. Hand Built in England!

Austin Martin is a classy sexy ride. Well done sir!

Thanks Man! Can't believe I got it for only $37k and they gave me $23k for the 15 yo Hummer with 118k miles.

Was a $163k car when new.

[D-train]

I am warming to a player I never-ever thought I would.

Who am I talking about?

Whit-Motha-Fn-Merryfield!

I have spent years hating this guy as he is always linked to us. I am like he sucks!

Until I heard on a podcast that he responded this way to the question "What ballpark do you like to hit at the most?"
Whit "I like to hit in the one in Seattle the most."
Why?
"I see the ball really well there."

And he does
.288 .326 .488 .813 is his lifetime batting line in Seattle. In 2023 against our pitching in Seattle .286 .375 .286 .661

He only hit to a 94 OPS+ in 2023 but over the 1st 4 months he was at 303 .351 .430 .781. And Happy 35th birthday to you Whit!

On the bad .212 .250 .288 .538 .247 BABIP in his final 2 months last year.

Whit has nearly 20 WAR for his career and has been a very good player who maxed out at 4.5WAR, He has been league leader in steals X3, hits X2, triples X1, Doubles X1, games played X3, Range factor @ 2B X2,

What if Whit is the anti Beltre-Teo-etc-etc? He is not that good elsewhere but comes here and excels vs being a HOFER elsewhere and being pedestrian here.

He'd still have to hit on away games. With the M's luck, even Figgy had an .802 OPS in Safeco in 2008.

I would literally rather have a 46 yo Figgins than Shit Merrifield.