MLB 2018-19 Offseason Thread

It's absolutely relevant because it changes the calculus now. Players are no longer producing at peak level at age 35 anymore, making it much more difficult for a player to live up to a 10-year, much less to outplay it.

 

Sabathia with the Yankees
Catfish Hunter?

 

Players are less likely to produce at a peak level past age 35. Much less. But it's not impossible. I was referring to the history of the list, not its future. The likely compromise that MLB can offer to prevent a future work stoppage is easy. Shorter contracts at more per year. Since so much of the contract process is ego, it would produce spectacular numbers in the papers while reducing risk. What if the Padres had offered Machado $50 million a year for five. They're on the hook for less dough, he has an eyepopping deal AND the chance to go back to the market at 31.

 

Sabathia has 41 wins over the last 5 years with a league average ERA over those 5 years

From 2014-17 the Yankees paid $96million for 32 wins and 94 starts.a million dollars a start is why fans are as antagonistic about players as they are the owners.

Catfish was worth it for the 1st 4 years of his contract, the 5th not so much, but it qualifies as a success

Andy Messersmith, Rawley Eastwick and Don Gullett were notable fails. For every Free agent signing that can qualify as a home run I’m sure there are more than an equal amount of 1-3-6 double plays to end a 1 run game.

 

That's all the decline after he opted out. Resigning him was a disastrous decision. The first contract though?

 

Yeah, only players who changed teams.

 

That was only a one-year deal and it certainly wasn't for "big money."

 

he opted out after the 2011 season. If the yanks let him walk they would have missed a 15 & 14 win season. It’s all intertwined.

What’s the marginal cost of a 10th win? , 14th? 19th? A 20th start? 24th? 29th?

You can throw a decent pitcher out there and get 8 wins in 30 starts for 2 million dollars, but doubling production in 30 starts will cost 10 times as much.

Is Machado worth 5 times more than a player who produces 90% of machado’s slash line

 

First, I find the use of wins as a measure of success odd. More importantly, that's the point. Yes, miss out on 2 good seasons and the 5 bad ones that follow it and be thrilled that you got only the prime years at the appropriately high price.

 

Wins are an effective measure of success for starting pitching. NOT THE ONLY MEASURE. When you engage a 20million a year starter for multiple years you are buying, or attempting to buy, an ACE. A pitcher who goes 7+ innings, starts 30+ times. wins 18+. the team wins 22 of their 30 starts. That pitcher wins 1-0 or 8-7. Thats the guy who ends the 3 game losing streak. That's the player who wins the 1st on the 10 game 11 day road trip.

 

There is no gift if he chooses to stay. And the way the financials are shifting, teams aren't lining up to give 31 year olds long term big money contracts.

 

There is a whole lot of old school, clichéd bullshit in this post. LOL to the 1-0 or 8-7 line. He must have pitched to score in that 8-7 game.