artie_fufkin wrote:

https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/tulowitzki-machado-yankees-1.25398625

The next to last paragraph about Machado's childhood idol being Alex Rodriguez jumped out at me. Who would idolize Alex Rodriguez? Or even admire him? Or tolerate him? That would be enough to make me think again about signing Machado. That and the casual manner with which he appears to approach his job. Or the notion he wasn't as good when you took him out of Baltimore. 

Shocking that a Hispanic kid from Miami would idolize a Hispanic kid from Miami who, by the time the first kid was 11, had already won a batting title, 3 HR titles, an MVP and had received the then-richest contract in baseball history.

Zach Britton to the Yankees.  3 years, $39M.  There's a 4th year team option that has to be exercised after the 2nd year, otherwise, Britton can opt out of year 3.

3 weeks until pitchers and catchers report for most teams and Harper, Machado and Keuchel (among many others) remain unsigned.

I’d like to say the GMs are getting smarter about wasting money, and I’m sure at least part of this is that organizations feel more confident in their ability to project performance in the future, but it seems inevitable we’re headed for another collusion lawsuit and/or a strike when this CBA ends. This scenario of free agents signing later and later is becoming the norm, not the exception, and I’m sure it’s one the MLBPA can’t be happy with.

artie_fufkin wrote:

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/kris-bryant-owns-st-louis-pisses-cardinal-nation-bryce-harper-cardinals-cubs-nelly

I always thought Bryant was better than this sort of nonsense, and if I'd probably keep my trap shut about other cities if I had grown up in Las Vegas, but if this is what people in Chicago need to hear to feel better about themselves, so be it.
I'm not sure what Dempster's role is here. He's always been an attention whore, but if he's been able to carve out a post-career entertainment niche in Chicago, there's a ironic component to all of this that lies somewhere between pathos and hilarity.

Honestly, this didn't bother me when I saw it, and I was disappointed that Molina and Brebbia felt the need to respond.  This was apparently at the Cubs' version of Winter Warm-up.  If I was a Cubs fan, I'd want my players to hate St. Louis too.  Hell, I live here.  Compared to Chicago or Vegas, St. Louis is boring.

forsberg_us wrote:

3 weeks until pitchers and catchers report for most teams and Harper, Machado and Keuchel (among many others) remain unsigned.

I’d like to say the GMs are getting smarter about wasting money, and I’m sure at least part of this is that organizations feel more confident in their ability to project performance in the future, but it seems inevitable we’re headed for another collusion lawsuit and/or a strike when this CBA ends. This scenario of free agents signing later and later is becoming the norm, not the exception, and I’m sure it’s one the MLBPA can’t be happy with.

I agree future performance is being predicted better.  The top free agents have likely all been offered outstanding deals.  Maybe they were not to the level of their satisfaction but they were surely elite level.  I think the marginal players are being evaluated differently because minor league players are being valued more.  A free agent 27 year old at a larger expense vs a arbitration player who is valued at same or slightly less production are being seen differently.  Teams are going with the younger and less expensive vs the older and costlier.  Because player evaluations are better proven players are not seen as more reliable them unproven.  When you weigh in the cost and the ceiling of youth it tips the scales a little more.

I think this is an excellent time to extend Goldschmidt.  As he watches two high market player sit on the top of the free agent pool he has to be wondering about his own outlook.

"It’s seems every day now someone is making up a new analytical tool to devalue players, especially free agents. As fans, why should “value” for your team even be a consideration? It’s not your money, it’s money that players have worked their whole lives to get to that level and be deserving of."

Maybe everyone is leery of dishing out big money to a 26-year-old free agent after the Jason Heyward contract. I think if I can try, I can pin everything on Heyward from the fall of the Roman Empire to the scourge of gingivitis. 

Greg Holland signed with the D-Backs.  That should loosen up the free agent market.

I keep waiting for the dominoes to fall with this free agent market.  There is to much value out there to sit forever.  I doubt the cardinals pounce after whiffing on holland tho.

Its crazy but i dont really blame the owners.  Players are overvaluing themselves.  Id compare it to the house for sale behind me.  Nobody wants it for that price.  It isnt worth it and until the price comes down it will sit.  It is true, you couldnt build it for the asking price and it is nice.  However you could build a brand new house for less.

APIAD wrote:

Its crazy but i dont really blame the owners. Players are overvaluing themselves. Id compare it to the house for sale behind me. Nobody wants it for that price. It isnt worth it and until the price comes down it will sit. It is true, you couldnt build it for the asking price and it is nice. However you could build a brand new house for less.

The question is whether all the neighbors in the area are collaborating to prevent the house from being sold because they want to keep the neighborhood affordable and their taxes low. As absurd as that sounds, it's happened before. 
The theory is once Harper and Machaco sign, the market will open up. But do you really want to pay $300-$400 million over 10 or 12 years for either of those guys? Harper's consistency is in question, his defensive skills are poor and not likely to get better, and he's been the star player on teams that have underachieved. And the traditional big spenders - Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers - are already stocked in the outfield. Machado didn't perform particularly well when he was traded to a team with a hitter's ballpark and there are issues about his work ethic.
And the remaining free agents after the top two aren't particularly enticing. You want to commit to 31-year-old Dallas Keuchel for $20 million for seven years when he's had one very good season and one pretty good season? You gonna back up the Brinks truck for Mike Moustakas? Gio Gonzalez? Clay Buchholz?
The only guy I'm surprised is still unsigned is Kimbrel. The market for relief pitching has been expanding over the past few years and I figured once the two premium setup guys - Kelly and Miller - were signed, the price for closers would be set. 

Last edited by artie_fufkin (2/06/2019 12:56 pm)

I'm not sure that fors is correct when he says that I don't care for players with ":flair," though he's close to the mark. I just don't think flair is the right word.

But for same reason I was pleased when they traded Pham, I would really hate to see either Machado or Harper with the Cards.  I might lose my interest in baseball earlier than I now project.

I pretty much lost my interest in Arkansas football when they hired Danny Ford.  It's never been the same.

"I pretty much lost my interest in Arkansas football when they hired Danny Ford.  It's never been the same."

Rick Pitino ruined my favorite college (Louisville) and pro (Celtics) basketball teams. I've never really followed the NBA since he was hired by the Celtics. If something better isn't on, I watch them occasionally because I like the Tatum kid, but I think I've seen one 48-minute NBA game in its entirety in the last 20 years. 
Denny Crum was no more interested in his players getting an education than Pitino or Calipari or Coach K, but at least he didn't offer any pretense about how they were student-athletes. I like my scoundrels to be honest.
 

Last edited by artie_fufkin (2/07/2019 9:53 am)