Rich Hill sweepstakes has 4 teams in the mix (Yankees, Dodgers, Rangers, and Astros) with another 2 teams somewhat interested (Red Sox, Orioles).


Rick Porcello and Anthony Rendon took this year's awards for AL/NL Comeback Player of the Year.

I really don't want Rich Hill.

Think Yankees are gonna bide their time and see how the CBA talks go.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBIES WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNS

C: d'Arnaud
1B: Duda
2B: Walker
SS: AssMan
3B: Wright (Reyes when Wright gets hurt)
LF: YOENIS GODDAMN MOTHERFUCKING CESPEDES!!!!!
CF: Granderson (Lagares vs. LHP)
RF: Conforto

Barring injury I'm fairly certain those would be the starting 8 come April 3rd. Bruce is a goner.

CUBBIIES WIN IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know how I feel about defense. Not sure I'd rely on Granderson holding up or producing much with that glove in center. But I can see that lineup as a worst case scenario for them should they not be able to move him, which I do think is an option.

Nonetheless, Cespedes signing is huge for them. They're now clearly a playoff caliber team with him there. They need to address 3rd base and the bullpen but as it stands they're in a good spot.

Worth the gamble for them in my eyes..... He's not going to produce at the same clip as he did in Korea, but if he could put up solid numbers they could trade him for some decent prospects or keep him and have themselves a 1B for years to come....

Also rumours in Toronto area are swirling that Encarnacion will make a decision by the end of the week and he will likely return to Torotno or head to Houston, with Toronto "showing him the most love"....

Like the idea of Eddie E and Morales as two mashers. Morales will hit well at Rogers Centre

Granderson played CF pretty much the entire second half last year and looked really solid. Sandy's shown a willingness to plug a square peg into a round hole when needed, and this might be one of those situations.

In addition to his bat a clubhouse leadership, it can't be discounted that Grandy's played at least 150 games in all three years he's been with the Mets. On a team notorious for having so many injuries, he's been the one guy they can count on to stay out there. So that's why I think they will trade Bruce but keep Grandy as opposed to dealing both.

Jays are linked with Bruce as well, which as a Jays fan, I want no part of.... I'd rather keep Saunders than Bruce....

both of them can stay far away

I get what you're saying. I just personally feel that if they go with him in center it's outta necessity. I'm not sure what he's gonna look like 150x out there at this point in his career.

Honestly, if I'm the Mets, I'm gunning for Dexter Fowler. Fuck it all and go all in. They have a young staff that will give them a shot to compete the next handful of years. Might as well go balls deep.

I'd love Fowler on this team, but I'd be stunned if the Mets handed out another huge contract this winter. I think they're going to just shore up their bullpen, and maybe make an attempt at bringing back Kelly Johnson for a 3rd go-around without having to trade Tim Tebow to the Braves to get him next year.

Ideally I'd like to see the Mets grab a righty reliever and a lefty reliever. I expect Bruce will help fill one of those needs via trade.

I'm also thinking that they'll have a triple threat match for the #5 starter spot between Wheeler, Lugo, and Gsellman. The winner goes into the rotation, the loser goes to AAA to stay stretched out, and the one who doesn't get pinned goes to the bullpen.

want want want Dexter Fowler. Jays need a proper leadoff hitter.

Orioles got Logan Verrett from the Mets for Cash

I think that needs its own thread.

Who is Verrett?

Feel like Vito would have mentioned his name at some point but never has.

He was decent for the Mets in 2015 but sucked in 2016.

No great loss, they traded him because they needed to free a spot on the 40 man roster for Cespedes.

No lockout, 5 year CBA has been reached.

Teams will no longer forfeit first round picks for free agents. Items that were heavily discussed including an international draft, 26 man roster, and adjusted September roster rules never came to fruition. Luxury tax thresholds are also set to increase each year.

Pretty much a huge win for the big market teams.

Edwin Encarnacion to the Astros. 5 years, $115 million.

Or not, his agent is refuting it

Feels like that would be a lot better to do during Spring Training when traveling wouldn't be a big issue than possibly during a season. Either that or right at the start of the season like they do when giving games to Mexico and Japan.

His parrot probably wants 5 million

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Turns out draft-pick compensation won't disappear. Teams over threshold lose a 2nd- &amp; 5th-round pick. Under threshold: lose 3rd-round pick.</p>&mdash; Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaysonst/status/804151936601751552">December 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Homefield advantage in the World Series is no longer determined by the All Star Game!!! Thank fuck.

The 15-day DL is also no more, now replaced with a 10-day DL.

Both very good changes, IMO.

How is a 10 day dl better?

Wouldn't be surprised if MLB missing out on having Game 7 of Cubs-Indians being in Chicago instead played a big role in ditching the homefield advantage stip from the All-Star game.

Means some teams will be less gunshy about putting an injured player on the DL and calling up a replacement. Teams were carrying injured dudes on the roster and playing shorthanded because they didn't want to lose them for a full 2 weeks.

It also resulted in guys coming back from injury faster than they should've and promptly re-injuring themselves.

Luxury Tax cap goes a bit higher and higher each year. Hal can finally be happy.

Athletics slowly being phased out of revenue sharing.

And the Braves just got Jamie Garcia from the Cardinals for some prospects.

They're really going all out to put butts in the seats come opening day.

Anybody have details about why Oakland is getting phased out?

Seems to be due to them getting too many complaints over the years about the amount they were pocketing or claimed to be pocketing instead of investing right back into the team.

Maybe if they were using the money to help invest in a new stadium, it wouldn't be an issue but doesn't seem to be the case either since they have similar problems the Raiders have in the NFL.

Worked wonders for the Marlins.

Surprised it only happened to them. Wonder how they feel about that.

A lot of what I'm reading is that since you got Billy Beane playing "moneyball" and having a dirt cheap payroll, the front office isn't putting the revenue shared money back into the team, and the fact they're in a "large market" (A's pull fans from Giants turf) but stink right now isn't helping.

Large market union reps, if you will, have noticed this and brought it up during negotiations. I think most teams have done something relevant to improve their team one way or another over the years, and Oakland hasn't done nothing yet still collects.

Athletics right now are looking to either get out of Oakland or just get a new building. No such luck yet. They get that, they'll get the money back when the new CBA comes around.

Side note. I am bummed out that the home field stip during the All-Star Game got eliminated. Felt like the team's players who were in the mix that point played a little harder.

Oh well.

They should have upped the rosters to 26 but since that required limiting September roster size I get why they didn't.

Even the notoriously cheapass Marlins dumped huge sums of money into the team a couple of times to avoid the union and other teams wrath. Sure one time involved duping the state in order to get a new stadium but still counts in the end.

I'd love for the Jays to trade for McCutchen, an excellent replacement for Bautista... Fowler would be a good get too, but I see him staying in Chicago....