MLB Offseason Thread 2019: Pitch Clock Imminent?

[Thrasher]

Mike Zagurski won't have a job after the rule change. 

[alkeiper]

Mike Zagurski won't have a job after the rule change. 

He didn't have a job before the rule change either. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[alkeiper]

I'm killing time at work looking at MLB rosters, and I'm working my way up from the worst teams. Some capsule thoughts:

-Orioles. I actually find the Orioles a little interesting. A lot of their players are 23-26 years old and should improve. Not enough to get out of last place (I haven't studied the Blue Jays), but there could be some fun individual success stories.

-White Sox. Until Eloy Jimenez gets called up there's not much to get excited about. If they actually take a lead into the ninth inning they have Alex Colome. Maybe Yoan Moncada takes a step forward?

-Royals. Just looks like a bad team. They have a few players like Merrifield, Mondesi and Hamilton who can run, which I appreciate.

-Rangers. Joey Gallo is one of the most interesting players in baseball. Rob Deer hit 230 career home runs while hitting .220. Gallo is even better than that. Their pitching staff is a collection of veterans trying to reestablish their careers. But a team that will struggle to finish out of the basement.

-Marlins. Maybe the worst team in baseball. I can see why you would go to an Orioles game, or a Rangers game. Why the hell would you go to a Marlins game? To see if the guys with 9:1 K/BB ratios run into a home run?

[Thrasher]

-Marlins. Maybe the worst team in baseball. I can see why you would go to an Orioles game, or a Rangers game. Why the hell would you go to a Marlins game? To see if the guys with 9:1 K/BB ratios run into a home run?

They moved the Marlins statue outside the park. Imagine if the Mets did the same with the Big Apple.

[Amy pats fan]

Yankees signed Gio Gonzalez to a minor league contract.  There's a 4/20 opt out, and if he makes the roster he gets $3m with games started incentives

Never been the biggest fan of his, but can't argue with the price and depth is a need with the injuries to Severino and CC.

I know a lot of Mets fans wanted him, and I'm surprised the Mets wouldn't match or exceed that offer

[alkeiper]

It feels like there's no demand. And for a pitcher who made 32 league average starts last season, that's bizarre.

[alkeiper]

The Angels appear to have signed Mike Trout to a huge extension. Total of $430 million, 12 years. Obviously a good deal for the Angels. They will never acquire another player as good as Trout. A few more capsule team thoughts. I doubt I'll hit all 30 teams but I enjoy doing this.

Los Angeles Angels: Most teams in baseball are either in championship cycles or tanking to get to the next cycle. The Angels are the one team that bucks the trend. They have Trout and they try to cobble together whatever resources they can to build the best team possible. It's a good team if everything clicks, but terribly thin. Besides Trout they have Andrelton Simmons who might make a heated Hall of Fame debate someday. Justin Upton, Shohei Ohtani are there. They also have a reliever named Buttrey.

Seattle Mariners: The Mariners sent J.P. Crawford to the minors because making certain they have a league average shortstop in 2025 is of the upmost concern. A team like that doesn't give a shit about 2019 and after Ichiro plays in Japan this week, it'll be hard to feign interest. Biggest question is if Felix Hernandez can find his footing and start a career resurgence to push him to the Hall.

Oakland A's: Their win total last year was fluky and it's hard to see them repeating that. But Khris Davis is as powerful as any hitter in baseball, Franklin Barreto is coming up and Jurickson Profar could blossom. I feel like they're more interesting than two sentences, but here we are.

[Krankor]

JP Crawford, at best, is a league average shortstop.

[Krankor]

I find this deal and the other mega contracts interesting. Teams basically have a benchmark for megastars now.

No one, and I mean no one, is worthy of a contract larger than Trout's. 12 yrs - 430 mil.

Nolan Arenado's 8 yr extension of 260 mil set the bar for 3b. Kris Bryant imo should get less than Arenado. Machado I also consider a 3b since that is where he will play id at 30 mil per yr. Is Bryant worth that much? I'm not sure. Statistically, Machado had been better.

Interesting tweet from Jayson Stark:
Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Nolan Arenado: $1.32 billion worth of contracts just for four guys. Tampa Bay Rays total payroll in franchise history: $1.01 billion worth of contracts - for 21 seasons! Fascinating times in baseball.

[alkeiper]

Bryant had a higher WAR in 2015, '16 and '17 than either Machado or Arenado had in 2018. 2018 may have been an aberration for Bryant and who knows exactly what his profile will look like in 1-3 years. Bryant will be nearly 30 when his free agency card comes up and that will limit his future earnings more than anything. Harper and Machado got paid because they reached the majors as teenagers.

Mookie Betts is the player to watch. He has two more years until free agency and just hit .346, went 30/30 and plays elite defense. He's probably worth $300 million, but the Trout contract sets a cap on his value to some extent.

As an aside, can we stop and admire Betts' 2018 season for a moment? Bill James compared Betts to Willie Mays. The difference between Betts and Mays is that Betts has one season of that quality under his belt. Mays did it for a decade. But Betts last season was absolutely of that caliber.

[Gert]

Feel like the Trout contract at least nets Mookie $350-375 million, and the tax of the Red Sox not wanting to lose him may push him to $400 million.

As a side note I am very interested to see what happens with Dallas Keuchel. I'm sure he and his agent want more locked in money, but at some point I would think about taking a 1/25 (if it's out there as a mercenary), put yourself in a weak division or a good team that will make the playoffs and try to net a 2 year deal in 2020.

Interesting that the Braves are following him but are worried about having to give up a comp pick.

[alkeiper]

Gio Gonzalez claims the Yankees were the only team to offer him a contract. I wonder if any team has even made a serious offer for Keuchel. It doesn't feel like there's a pursuit.

[sfaJack]

Local reports are the Astros offered Keuchel a couple of 1 and 2-year deals but that the dollars were "not close" to what he seeks

[alkeiper]

More thoughts, finishing off the West.

Houston Astros: The 2017 Astros had an all time great offense. 2018 was a disappointment for the offense, but the pitching staff led the league in run prevention. This is a team with three potential Hall of Famers in the infield and another Hall of Fame candidate at the top of their rotation. It's a damn good team.

Arizona Diamondbacks: A .500 team that lost Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock and Patrick Corbin. For me my interest in this team is primarily in Zack Greinke and whether he can reach 200 wins.

Los Angeles Dodgers: This team is a beast. With Clayton Kershaw hurt I worry about the depth, but if everything clicks they should cruise to huge win totals. I'll be interested to see what kind of players Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager develop into.

San Francisco Giants: Evan Longoria led the team with 16 home runs last year. That about sums up the excitement. If Buster Posey continues his decline, there's not much to watch here.

San Diego Padres: I love creating All Franchise teams. Here's a lineup for the Padres, leaders in WAR at the position they played the most games.

C: Gene Tenace (19.
1B: Adrian Gonzalez (20.4)
2B: Bip Roberts (12.5)
SS: Ozzie Smith (11.0)
3B: Chase Headley (18.6)
LF: Gene Richards (19.0)
CF: Kevin McReynolds (12.4)
RF: Tony Gwynn (69.2)

Now think about the team the Padres should field for the next 4+ years. Luis Urias at second, Fernando Tatis Jr. at short, Manny Machado at third, Manuel Margot in center. Francisco Mejia perhaps behind the plate. This team could have five of its all time lineup spots challenged in the upcoming decade. As far as the pitching, did I mention the offense is really good?

Colorado Rockies: Enjoying their best pitching staff in franchise history. Could use more offense, but you should never be in want of offense in that ballpark.