2013-14 MLB Hot Stove thread

I thought the Phillies needed more veteran experience.

 

That wouldn't be a trade. It would be heist.

 

Because they are crying poor again, relying on the small market excuse. Of course, the real test is if they do lose Burnett and Morneau as well and if they do anything to address those holes in the roster. But to come out crying poor this quickly? Not a good sign.

 

I think the real test will be how they do next year. A lot of people thought the Red Sox were shedding and going cheap heading into 2013. Turned out they had a slightly better plan.

 

The Red Sox did spend money on free agents last offseason. Not superstars, but they spent plenty on solid players.

The Pirates' options at first base and in right field are guys who have failed in many opportunities. Doing nothing and handing over right field to somebody like Tabata or Jones is not a better plan and it does not take waiting to see how the entire 2014 season goes to determine that.

But I get it. Certain folks just don't want to admit that one season doesn't erase everything that has been wrong with that franchise for over 20 years.

 

Last I read, the Pirates were looking to up payroll to perhaps as much as $100m this season.

 

I assume you mean total contracts, not just money to the 2014 payroll. Otherwise, that would be a hell of a lot of spending in one offseason.

Where did you read that?

 

Yeah it sounds like they just thought Byrd wasn't a good value. Teams make decisions like that all the time. The Blue Jays signed Melky Cabrera to two years, $16M, and they're regretting that quite a bit.

 

As I said, I have no problem with it as a baseball move. My issue is with them trying to justify it to the fans by crying poor. That organization has a lot to prove after years of not even trying. That ownership group has been a disgrace from day one and assuming the are suddenly going to do even everything within reason to stay competitive is a heck of a leap of faith.

 

It doesn't look to me like they're crying poor. It looks to me like the price for Marlon Byrd got too high for their tastes. If they do indeed bring their payroll up around $100 million and Byrd isn't part of it, I don't see what the problem is.

Of course, if they do renege on that promise and drop payroll and keep printing money, then they're the same old Pirates.

 

OOP, I was gonna cull this set of quotes down but remembered that gets your panties all in a wad, so I didn't ... let me know if there are other passages that I should have included to be fair to your position.

Having noted that ...

Saying a player is "out of our price range" is not the same as, as you put it, "crying poor." Bill Gates isn't gonna pay $10 million for a cheeseburger, but that's not because he can't afford to piss away $10 million.

 

I'm still waiting to see where they made that promise. Not saying they didn't, but I haven't seen it.

Sure, if they are just going to spend money elsewhere, there is no issue. But the Pirates deserve no benefit of the doubt at all in that regard and they have broken promises regarding spending before.