MLB 2025-2026 Off Season Thread

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

• The Mets and the Twins are negotiating a package to bring Joe Ryan to 41 Seaver Way, with Jonah Tong being the key figure who will learn to love Northern Somalia

(buries head deeper in his paws)

[monkeyman576]

How did Tommy John have a 61 career WAR and 288 wins and not get into the hall of fame? I know he didn't have a ring and he's better known for the surgery named after him but still.

[Amazin69]

As if today couldn't get any worse, Joe F'ing Buck is now in the Hall of Fame, winning the Ford Frick award for 2026.

Who's next, Michael Kay??

[Amazin69]

AI (or PhotoShop?) is an evil thing.



Apologies to Westheim.

Melanie Newman, who covers the Orioles, notes that Polar Pete has a .981 OPS in late and close games. Gosh, who needs that, I ask you?

[Hrycaj]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

As if today couldn't get any worse, Joe F'ing Buck is now in the Hall of Fame, winning the Ford Frick award for 2026.

Who's next, Michael Kay??

I agree. Joe buck is a tough listen. I would rather listen to punk rocker Joe Buck Yourself.

[Amazin69]

Not only has David Stearns brought a version of the Sausage Race to the Mets, he's brought what someone (Sean Casey, I think) called that "Milwaukee Mentality". Short contracts, "fiscal discipline", etc.

How did that work out in Milwaukee, exactly? (Stearns's Brewers beat the Rockies in the 2017 NLDS. And that was that.) Small towns breed small minds, as the saying goes.

[Cobra Mgr]

Pirates trying to win?

2B Brandon Lowe, P Mason Montgomery, & OF Jake Mangum from Rays to Pittsburgh

P Mike Burrows from Pirates to Astros

Rays two prospects

[Cobra Mgr]

Rays sell Shane Baz to Baltimore for 4 prospects & a draft pick.

[DamPenguin]

Recently I discovered on Netflix the series “Brockmire”… I loved it, especially the first couple of seasons when Brockmire was out of control… brought back memories of Harry Caray slurring and singing the greatest version “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” in the 7th inning stretch

[Cobra Mgr]

Cubs Kyle Tucker signs w/Dodgers. And the beat goes on.

[Hrycaj]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Cubs Kyle Tucker signs w/Dodgers. And the beat goes on.

Probably the only team that was going to pay that. It only takes one though.

[CONN CHRIS]

$60 mil / year. Well over $100 mil with the luxury tax.

System is beyond broken and there will be no baseball in 2027. I guess that I'll stop worrying about what the Tigers will do about Skubal.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

System is beyond broken and there will be no baseball in 2027.

But I need baseball.

Baseball > Oxygen

[Westheim]

Oh, and then this:

Source: Bo Bichette to Mets on 3-year deal

$126M, about a quarter of which will be deferred, because even Uncle Steve's pockets have a bottom.

$42M/year for Bo Bichette??

Suddenly $60M for Tucker make a lot more sense.

[low]

[Hrycaj]

Originally Posted by Westheim

Oh, and then this:

Source: Bo Bichette to Mets on 3-year deal

$126M, about a quarter of which will be deferred, because even Uncle Steve's pockets have a bottom.

$42M/year for Bo Bichette??

Suddenly $60M for Tucker make a lot more sense.

This deal feels a lot like the Bregman one from last year.

[Hrycaj]

I wonder if the other baseball owners are upset with the Dodgers? Historically speaking they are kind of an old boys club. What you are seeing now is ownership groups really breaking away from the fold. Then again, I could be off base. I have heard arguments that x amount of teams in the league are essentially minor league teams for the big boys. Which was exactly what the Kansas city A's were to the Yankees 50-60 years ago.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Hrycaj

I wonder if the other baseball owners are upset with the Dodgers? Historically speaking they are kind of an old boys club. What you are seeing now is ownership groups really breaking away from the fold. Then again, I could be off base. I have heard arguments that x amount of teams in the league are essentially minor league teams for the big boys. Which was exactly what the Kansas city A's were to the Yankees 50-60 years ago.

As long as there is nothing driving up the salary floor, I'm sure the majority of owners don't give a flip. This is mostly an issue for fans of other teams & the media that covers them. Yeah, it makes it look like the Dodgers are making such a high amount that it is pricing the other teams out of the market. But the reality is it is putting money into their pockets. Having no superstars means lower salaries. Staying under the cap means getting revenue from the luxury tax. Smaller payroll + tax $ = greater profit.

Keep in mind, part of the reason for the luxury tax was to allow smaller market teams a chance to compete for star players. Name me one star player teams like the A's, Pirates, Royals etc has chased since the luxury tax took hold. Padres might be the only non traditional big market that has tried to buy a winner. And they maybe the exception cause they are the only pro team in their town.