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2019-20 MLB Hot Stove Thread...

Yeah, this is DC, not College Park, MD. I don't expect any cars (or couches) to be burned.
 
When do they "are you going to the White House?" questions kick in?
 
A baseball miracle or a deal with the devil? Nah, it was just Nationals baseball.

And when Eaton provided the coup de grace with a two-run bases-loaded single up the middle for a 6-2 lead in the ninth inning, hearts in Washington, supposedly interior organs unaccustomed to life outside the body, tried to escape their bounds and dance or do the shimmy with Soto or sit next to Kendrick and Eaton as they do a dual car-race home run celebration.

Of course, human hearts can’t do such things. But for many years, for decades and into future generations, when the doings of this team are recalled, hearts will dance and race and scream in joy.

This October has been an out-of-body experience for Washington baseball fans, who seem to levitate over their world, barely believing what they are seeing, game after game, series after series.

But they should, the entire sports world should, because this has been going on since May 24. Since then, including playoffs, the Nats have gone 86-43 — two wins for every loss — and have the best record in baseball.

What they have done this October is dazzling. But it is also in character. The 106-win Dodgers and 107-win Astros may find it hard to believe, even now. But the Nats, at this moment, are their peers.

And, now, their betters, baseball kings with brand new crowns.
 
Nats won the four games that Scherzer and Strasburg started. Coincidence? I don't think so.

The Nats hitters relax just enough to not be anxious, "knowing" that their two aces won't give up more than two runs. They feel that any opposing pitcher will make enough mistakes them to score at least three. Baseball is a game where you sometimes have to back down just a little from maximum effort.


Sometimes that means taking a pitch. Sometimes that means a short swing to foul off a really good strike or a pitch that fools you. Easier to do if you are not pressing to make something happen.
 
Strasburg opts out, JD Martinez opts in. I have to think Stras sticks with the Natties and just gets more $$, unless they try to get cheap on him with that deferred BS.
 
The post season is concluded with the Nationals as World Series Champions. The Series was conducted with the visiting team winning every game, a circumstance never seen in the history of professional sports in the US. Free agents are now free and the stove is getting warm. It seems like an appropriate time to rename this thread.
 
Upcoming off-season deadlines:

November 14 - Free agents must accept qualifying offer
December 2 - Teams must set their 40 man rosters
December 9-12 - Winter meetings (Rule V draft)
January 10 - Arbitration figures exchanged
February 3-21 - Arbitration hearings
February 11 - Voluntary reporting date for pitchers and catchers
February 16 - Voluntary reporting date for position players
March 26 - Opening day (26 man active rosters set)
 
Upcoming off-season deadlines:

November 14 - Free agents must accept qualifying offer
December 2 - Teams must set their 40 man rosters
December 9-12 - Winter meetings (Rule V draft)
January 10 - Arbitration figures exchanged
February 3-21 - Arbitration hearings
February 11 - Voluntary reporting date for pitchers and catchers
February 16 - Voluntary reporting date for position players
March 26 - Opening day (26 man active rosters set)

An important question is how long will Borras keep his FA pitchers (and teams seeking their services) waiting into 2020?
 
The FA list completely nose-dives after those first few guys. I'd bet on Bumgarner in Atlanta and Hamels in Philly.

Also, here are their predictions from last year:

Harper - Dodgers ($420m)
Machado - Phillies ($390m)
Corbin - Yankees
Keuchel - Nationals (4y/$82m)
Kimbrel - Cardinals
Grandal - Nationals
 
Surprised the Phillies weren't listed as one of the teams making a lot of moves. They already cut about half their pitchers.

Phillies likely going all in on at least 1 pitcher. Still have Nola, Eflin, Velasquez and Arrieta on the roster for 2020. After Nola, the rest are question marks, wouldn't be surprised if they get a couple of higher priced pitchers. Arrieta is on for a bunch, but only 1 year left and the other 3 are still in arbitration and shouldn't cost that much.
 
Phillies likely going all in on at least 1 pitcher. Still have Nola, Eflin, Velasquez and Arrieta on the roster for 2020. After Nola, the rest are question marks, wouldn't be surprised if they get a couple of higher priced pitchers. Arrieta is on for a bunch, but only 1 year left and the other 3 are still in arbitration and shouldn't cost that much.

I think Phillies will also get Cole Hamels with something of a "hometown" discount. Reading between the lines, I think he wants to finish his career with a WS win in Philly, to be a "bookend" for his first one.
 
I think the Hamels/Philly thing is overblown if you read the question and his answer. He felt like a square peg there for awhile - but I definitely think he wants to play for a contender, and if the Phillies make a decent offer, doesn't sound like he would turn it down, but I don't know about a hometown discount - he even said in the article he would take 1 year deals, but I think thats just him being open. Someone contender is going to give him a 2 year deal.
 
Feels like the Phillies will go after Hamels and a second tier guy like Wheeler rather than chase Strasburg or Cole. Maybe even go big on a 3B (e.g. Donaldson) and try to unload Hoskins in a trade for another piece like Boyd. Nola-Wheeler-Boyd-Hamels-Arrieta would be a decent enough rotation, with Eflin as the long-man tethered to Arrieta.
 
People have been stealing or trying to steal signals for a hundred years. BFD...
 
People have been stealing or trying to steal signals for a hundred years. BFD...

Yeah, but not by cameras. That makes it different than a runner on second peaking at the catcher's sign and flashing a signal.
 
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