Hot Stove Thread 2014-15

Pablo Sandoval rejects the Giants' qualifying offer, which probably means nothing. I imagine he'll re-sign long-term anyway.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/04/pablo-sandoval-rejects-qualifying-offer-from-giants/

 

THAT NUGGET was the best part of the drug trial.

 

Yogi didn't win a WS as manager but won 2 pennants, Yankees in 64 and Mets in 73.

 

Molitor was not much better as a player than Torre, if at all.

 

Torre also got fired from 3 managing jobs before he landed with the Yankees.

 

I am a huge Yankeefanboi, but I have problems considering Torre a HOF manager. Winning 4 WS and 6 pennants should get you in and I don't deny that. But he was not a very good game manager, didn't handle starters all that well and it was a no-brainer having Mo set up for Wetteland, having Mendoza, Nelson and Santon set up for Mo. ARod may not have deserved the Jeter treatment, but knowing ARod's fragile psyche, Torre should have handled him much better. Winning and having the press love you was enough to keep Big Stein at bay.

 

AJ Burnett turning his player option of $12,750,000 has to be a relief for the Phillies, given his age and his 8-18 record with a 4.59 ERA. Maybe he is going to retire.

 

He claims he won't play anywhere too far from Maryland, which obviously limits his options.

 

I have a baseball signed by Ted and everyone else on the roster.

But I don't think it's worth much.

 

So it's either the Nationals or Orioles. I can't imagine either would want him. But who knows? Could be he gets a one-year deal loaded with incentives. If he pitches for a contender maybe he has a good season. I was underwhelmed when the Giants acquired Jake Peavy along with his 1-9 record and 4.72 ERA. But then he turned it around.

 

Orioles are huge on aging low risk high reward players who play at a home town discount.

 

I'm not sure what exactly Burnett's definition of "near Maryland" is, but he's already exhausted half of New York, Philly and Pittsburgh. Maybe he'd consider Cincinnati, Cleveland or even Atlanta, I don't know.