2013-14 MLB Hot Stove thread

Ryan Dempster out for the year with "physical issues" and desire to see family.

 

Yankees take page from Red Sox playbook, start spring by publicizing all the reasons they didn't want Cano back anyway. No. 1, he didn't run out routine grounders:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/harper-cano-loafing-long-story-article-1.1616740

 

Jimenez to Orioles for 4/$48. Orioles forfeit No. 17 pick in draft.

 

Gotta pass the physical, which with Baltimore is no slam dunk.

 

Saw this somewhere that ARod is taking his year off of baseball to train for the Tour d'France.

 

I heard he's training for this:

 

Former minor leaguers file lawsuit against MLB, seek class-action status for claim that they weren't paid minimum wage. They got between $3,000 and $7,500 a year for 50-70 hours of weekly work during the five months of the regular season, and get nothing for spring training or other commitments.

http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_25180719/lawsuit-filed-against-mlb-by-minor-league-players

I have no idea if this can go anywhere, but it would change the structure of minor league financing pretty dramatically.

 

Wild story about Giants pitchers John D'Acquisto and John Montefusco racing their sports cars from San Francisco to Phoenix in 12 hours to report to spring training in 1976 (written by D'Acquisto, by the way):

http://www.instreamsports.com/alpha/node/349

 

Seven-year, $58 million extension for Andrelton Simmons:

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseball/braves-sign-simmons-to-7-year-extension/ndWS5/

Man, the Braves are knocking it out of the park at the negotiating table here lately ...

 

That was an awesome read.

 

Matt Harrison has another setback with his back after two surgeries last year. He's flying back to Dallas for an MRI.

Without him, the Rangers might as well concede the AL West to the Swingin' A's. Lots of fancy position contracts and no pitching other than Darvish. It's 2001 all over again.

 

Tommy Hanson to the rescue!