MLB 2023 Season

[Syd Thrift]

I kind of doubt that the Dodgers tried to do much of any negotiating with other teams regarding Bauer tbh. Everyone knew he was going to get released anyway and all tossing in a PTBNL would have done was a. potentially put them ahead of the line in a potential multiple waiver claim (which, Bauer will absolutely clear waivers because nobody wants to pay that salary) or b. get out of a bidding war, which won’t happen either because once he does clear waivers if anyone signs him it’ll be for the league minimum.

I’m just crossing my fingers hoping it’s not the Mariners who bite on him. Someone probably will; I mean, horrible person or no, he’s a Cy Young award winner who’s still only 31.

[MathBandit]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

I kind of doubt that the Dodgers tried to do much of any negotiating with other teams regarding Bauer tbh. Everyone knew he was going to get released anyway and all tossing in a PTBNL would have done was a. potentially put them ahead of the line in a potential multiple waiver claim (which, Bauer will absolutely clear waivers because nobody wants to pay that salary) or b. get out of a bidding war, which won’t happen either because once he does clear waivers if anyone signs him it’ll be for the league minimum.

I’m just crossing my fingers hoping it’s not the Mariners who bite on him. Someone probably will; I mean, horrible person or no, he’s a Cy Young award winner who’s still only 31.

For b, the reason throwing in a PTBNL would make sense to me (again, assuming any team wants to go near him) is specifically because there's no bidding war. If two or more teams want him, he picks the best of them because money is identical- so if one contender and one wants-to-be-contender both want him, the latter gets him via 100%-retained trade and doesn't get him if he gets cut.

[Syd Thrift]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

For b, the reason throwing in a PTBNL would make sense to me (again, assuming any team wants to go near him) is specifically because there's no bidding war. If two or more teams want him, he picks the best of them because money is identical- so if one contender and one wants-to-be-contender both want him, the latter gets him via 100%-retained trade and doesn't get him if he gets cut.

But unless the Dodgers keep nearly all of the money, nobody has an incentive to do that trade, and the only incentive the Dodgers have is if they don’t have to pay a bunch of the money. On top of that, a trade makes neither side look good, as LA looks like they’re letting an offender off the hook while the team taking him on looks like they’re paying for an offender. I’m reminded of the backlash when the Nets tried to acquire Ime Udoka from the Celtics (whose transgressions seem to me to be not as bad as Bauer’s). I mean, in the end Bauer’s going to get paid the same anyway but the cycle of him getting cut and then signed by someone who calls him a “rehabilitation project” is a lot better visually speaking.

[Déjà Bru]

It looks like Carlos Correa is heading back to the Twins who apparently feel that he is now more affordable. The poor guy had to travel over 5,000 miles just to stay in Minneapolis.

[zappa1]

how did the Mets lose the Carlos Correa deal?

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by zappa1

how did the Mets lose the Carlos Correa deal?

That is a bold application of the term "lose".

The Mets, just as the Giants did earlier, dropped a $300m hot potato when they found out that there's a big old fork stuck in Correa's ankle.

And even that Twinkies deal is still pending a physical, of which he's so far failed two.

So yeah, I am not unhappy the Mets *didn't* ink that one.

[tejdog1]

Gonna be fascinating to watch this one going forward.
Two teams think his ankle is petrified sand held together with duct tape, chewing gum and a rusty screw.

[cephasjames]

Unless his ankle has deteriorated since last year, the Twins have already proven that they are okay with it by signing him to a deal last year.

[MathBandit]

Yeah, this seems pretty straightforward to me. We know he's healthy now and will be healthy for the next couple years. The Twins are also okay with guaranteeing him money for the next 6 years. What teams don't seem to be willing to do is trust his health in the 7-10+ year window.

[cephasjames]

Originally Posted by MathBandit

Yeah, this seems pretty straightforward to me. We know he's healthy now and will be healthy for the next couple years. The Twins are also okay with guaranteeing him money for the next 6 years. What teams don't seem to be willing to do is trust his health in the 7-10+ year window.

Which should honestly be the case in any long-term contract that takes a player into their mid- to later-30s.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

It looks like Carlos Correa is heading back to the Twins who apparently feel that he is now more affordable. The poor guy had to travel over 5,000 miles just to stay in Minneapolis.

Attachment 923971

I would walk 5,000 miles barefoot in the snow for $200 million

[Cobra Mgr]

Yeah, "poor" is not the word I would use for a guy set to make 9 figures.

In the meantime, my day has almost arrived.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

I would walk 5,000 miles barefoot in the snow for $200 million

Reasonable. Because for less than $1m you can get the brand-spanking-newest bionic legs that are much better than the old skin-'n-meat once you had before they froze off, and then you still have over $199m to blow!

[Cobra Mgr]

What are the odds?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

In the meantime, my day has almost arrived.

I find myself looking forward to this. While I regret this aspect somewhat from the "human aspect":

If MLB were to commit to electronic strike zone calls for all pitches, it would dramatically change the position of catcher, which for generations has been inhabited by players who have mastered defensive nuances -- receiving the ball effectively, pitch presentation and conversational advocacy with the umpires -- that would become all but obsolete under an ABS.

the flip-side is elimination of what is essentially conniving by the catcher and incompetence or prejudice by the umpire. A strike zone should be a strike zone, period.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

What are the odds?

If today's date was April 1, I would really be discounting this. As it is, I merely am politely doubtful as to the authenticity of this report.

In addition to the stunning likeness, the same unusual name? And, "In 2015, the doppelgängers were first mistaken for one another when they both had the exact same elbow surgery performed by the same doctor, named Dr. James Andrews"?

Notice that somehow they picked out the same style of glasses? My B.S. meter is registering disbelief.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Notice that somehow they picked out the same style of glasses? My B.S. meter is registering disbelief.

This is not the first article about those two. They may even have been on MLB.com a while ago. I definitely knew of those two before.

[thehef]

Originally Posted by Westheim

This is not the first article about those two. They may even have been on MLB.com a while ago. I definitely knew of those two before.

If it's a joke, then baseball-reference.com is in on it

[thehef]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

the flip-side is elimination of what is essentially conniving by the catcher and incompetence or prejudice by the umpire. A strike zone should be a strike zone, period.

I LOVE this ^^^. But will there be anything left for a player or manager to get all worked up about, yell at and kick dirt on umpire, and then get the heave-ho?

Methinks the electronic strike zone needs to have a robot presence at the ballpark so a manager can give it the Tommy Lasorda treatment, when necessary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX4L2LHGs98

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by thehef

I LOVE this ^^^. But will there be anything left for a player or manager to get all worked up about, yell at and kick dirt on umpire, and then get the heave-ho?

I have done my fair share of yelling at computers. Just put some old PC behind home plate, doesn't even have to be actually plugged in, that the manager can then symbolically kick dirt on.