MLB 2024-25 Hot Stove Thread

Really wanted Burnes, he pitched 5 miles from me in college. Would’ve been nice for 2-3 yrs but then I don’t think he’d age like Verlander/Scherzer. Maybe, though I mean Evoaldi is still pitching, so is Hill and Morton.

I’ve never thought that free agents can compensate for a poor farm system. Burnes was not going to make up for SFGs utterly failing to produce stars, or at least 3-4 WAR players on the cheap.

 

Damn. Guess the Giants and Boras really were too far apart. Oh well. I just hope they haven’t let it go too long to not get another arm to fill Snell’s spot.

 

I don't know what Baltimore does now. Do you take another run at Flaherty for a full season hoping that the trade deadline year was a blip? Love Rodriguez but I'm not sure he's quite ready to be rotation centerpiece, not to mention his rough injury history. No idea when Wells or Bradish will be ready. Eflin is a good No. 3 guy. Kremer's a decent No. 4. No idea where the Japanese fella slots in. Povich seemed to settle himself down in his second stint with the club, so there's hope there. Biggest question is how Bautista looks coming off TJ. That bullpen was a mess all year because guys were pitching out of position. If Bautista is Bautista again, it's probably worth at least 5-6 wins over last year.

 

I keep seeing condolence messages for Lenny Randle on social media, but no story confirming.

Deserves his own thread. But don't want to blow it (pun intended).

 

Belated, but I like the Mets’ Sean Manaea deal. He was a rock for them last year. Hopefully the arm-slot change continues to work and he’s not a one-season wonder. But if he falls off a cliff, they got the three-year deal and not the 4-5 I thought he’s get.

Mets rotation feels a lot like last year. Possible big upside. Though getting them all to click two years in a row can be a tall order.

The lineup will score. I think they’ll sign Alonso or another power bat. The longer the Alonso thing drags out, the less likely he’ll stay with the Mets.

 

Been winding my way through Ken Burns’ Baseball here and there. I’m a sucker for a rewatch every 5 years or so. It just hooks me.

I’d absolutely watch a Ken Burns’ football.

 

Charlie Morton to the Orioles on a one-year deal.

Orioles' Charlie Morton: Headed to Baltimore

 

Mike Elias just watching that championship window close in slow motion.

 

A bit early for that, amigo. The key pieces are still quite young.

 

Orioles remind me of the 1990s Indians. If they don’t go get an ace soon, they’ll have the same number of titles to go with all that offensive firepower.

 

The 2025 season has been toast since three starters (Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells and John Means) went down with TJ by the 2024 All-Star break. If two of them are back in 2026, things should be better.