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....

Correct.

And they were on their way becoming the team they used to be with Jose Fernandez as the centerpiece of that team, god rest his soul.

Last couple offseasons, Luria has opened the wallet.

Pittsburgh would be stupid to do so. But I could see them beginning a rebuild process.

Always thought of McCutchen as life long Pirate.

Guess who's still looking forward to the 2018-19 offseason?

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopo...200/bats2s.jpg

Don't want Machado.

Harper's a bit of a headcase. He can stay away, too.

And good god who put that together? Shoddy photoshopping job. Just look at Harper's hat for starters.

Why wouldn't you want Manny Machado?

We got Miguel Andujar just about ready to go. Cheaper, too.

Didi Gregorius is on borrowed time to thanks to Gleyber Torres.

Thanks, Cubs.

I don't even think Harper is going anywhere but Manny is staying put.

That picture is vomit inducing though..

LOL if you're seriously assuming Miguel Andujar is going to be as good as Manny Machado.

Never more appropriate

http://www.knower.org/cc/spidey.jpg

Padres get: RHP Pedro Avila
Nationals get: C Derek Norris

Look how great Machado looks in pinstripes. Can't wait for him to sign.

And yeah, anybody saying they wouldn't want Machado over any prospect is crazy. He's a beast.

Wonder if Norris is just a piece to sweeten the deal for the Nationals to get McCutchen.

Dbacks non tender Beef Wellington and sign Jeff Mathis for 2 years. Dumb move.

Manny machado is a such a little faggit jr arod baby bitch but of course he's going to be a Yankee...

They have way more gays in NY than Baltimore...

and Jews, don't forget Jews

Carlos Beltran to the Astros. 1 year, $16 million.

When Cashman does his traditional jump from a building before the Winter Meetings, it's go time.

Yankees sign Matt Holliday. 1-year, $13 mil.

I'll take it. Might have some pop left in his bat.

And the "Today's Era" committee voted in MLB exec. John Schuerholz and everybody's favorite Commissioner, Bud Selig into the Hall of Fame.

Can't really argue with either. Selig made some moronic decisions but at the end of the day he made the owners a boatload of cash, which is the commissioner's primary duty.

Will be funny when Goodell makes the HOF in a few decades.

Dodgers signed Rich Hill to a 3 year, $48 million deal.

Giants signed Mark Melancon to a 4 year, $62 million deal.

Aroldis Chapman currently demanding at least 6 years as the basis for any deal to be made.

If that's the case, Yankees might not even bother making Chapman an offer. Melancon is off the board now.

Betances just got promoted probably.

Yankees shouldn't even be in the running for Chapman. They have a good enough squad now to compete and should be looking to when Machado and Harper hit the market to splurge on free agents, imo.

Red Sox picked up the option year for John Farrell meaning he's staying as manager till after the 2018 season.

Sounds like Chris Sale is going to the Nats.

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK

Scherzer
Sale
Strasburg

That is goddamn absurd. Fuck me sideways.

Ill believe it when I see it. The White Sox are not a normal team.

Here's the thing. The Sox will engage in trade talk, but unless someone offers their top 7 prospects for a guy like Sale, or Quintana for that matter, they're just going to keep going back and forth between two or three teams trying to leverage them all to get the best offer they can, then say "nah" like a flirty cock tease bitch when they do get the best offer.

Too many people with differing agendas going on in the front office. The Rick Hahn side wants to do a long term rebuild like the Cubs did. The farm system has been decimated for 5 years and they have nothing to build with at this time. The Kenny Williams side wants to try to please Jerry Reinsdorf and claim they can compete in a year or two and that they should keep the core they have.

On one hand, I'll have more chances to watch Chris Sale pitch.

On the other hand, god damn you, Nationals.

Lets wait to see if Droford thinks the trade will happen before we make any predictions.

Sale needs to be traded. Keep Q though since I love him. Trade Frazier for whatever you can get for him too.

Steve Pearce to the Jays for 2 years. Puts the nail in the Encarnacion coffin.

Kinda sucks, the Jays couldn't sit and wait for Eddie E to make a decision, they needed to act. So while nobody picked up Eddie and he waited for a deal that seems to not be there, the Jays had to go and pick up dudes as contingency plans. Fuck his stupid agent lol.

Lol

I like Pearce and all but he can't stay healthy

He's a good hitter and he's cheap.

I think they really are hoping that Moralys picks up where Eddie left off. In Fairness to Kendrys, with the ability to start hitting away from Kaufman could elevate those power numbers. But he has to stay healthy.

I live the Pearce signing, anything to get Smoak off the plate when lefties are pitching...With that said, I'd still prefer to have kept EE or worked out a trade with Cincy for Votto....

I mean it's hard not to trust Atkins/Shapiro (particular Shapiro) given the chicken shit he was able to turn into chicken salad with Cleveland. I don't expect this season to be great, but he seems to be a big picture guy. At the end of the day, the hitting was abysmal last year helped by wonderful pitching, and they have pretty much the same pitching and the hitting won't get worse. Yeah you miss Eddie, but you have to imagine at some point down the line in the next few years they pick up someone else with that same sort of stank on their bat.

I wanna go eww at the thought of Jose Bautista playing for the Orioles.

Red Sox went and acquired Tyler Thornburg from the Brewers. And they're now in "talks" with Chicago on getting Chris Sale.

RedSox need the bullpen help big time, but I'm not sure selling Travis Shaw was the best move to do it.... Moncada/Sandoval fighting it out for 3B in spring training would scare me shitless if I was a fan....

HOT STOVE (maybe)
 

Red Sox reportedly trade Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, and 2 more prospects to the White Sox for Chris Sale.

its real

YES! Thank you Sox.

Sale, Porcello, Price. Will be the best three punch since the Braves in the 90s.

No Betts No Bradley No Boagertz no problem!

Just a player who might better than those guys, but no bid deal.

See you in October!

All Sale(s) Final.

Dombrowski still gotta overpay to replace David Ortiz.

lol fuck the BoSox

If the Jays sign Dexter Fowler I'll consider it a somewhat successful off season. You can't guarantee performance but it's addressing a hole.

Either Mo or Jeter will be the first unanimous HOFer.

BBWAA just passed a ruling today that beginning with next year's vote, all ballots will be made public. So anyone who dares to be "that guy" to not vote for an undisputedly qualified player is going to be chased down to explain themselves.

Shame they didn't have this in place when Junior got screwed out of 100%.

Cue Droford to come in here and sully Boston and Sale while talking up the Orioles signing scrubs and trying to say Joey Rickard is good at anything baseball related.

Rather the Sox kept Shaw than think Panda would be a better choice for 3rd base but beefing up the bullpen was a great move. Also gives them some insurance whenever Kimbrel has his stretches of just being awful.


:lol: I wish they were actually that good. Already expecting somehow for the the team to fall apart next season like every other time they've been touted as an offseason champ contender in recent years.

BoSox busy day continues with the signing of Mitch Moreland.

Yankees have extended offers to Aroldis Chapman & Kenley Jensen.

Sox signing Moreland pretty much confirms the rumors of Hanley being their DH for next season. 1B/3B and the outfield were the two areas where the Sox had a lot of depth at.

Yes, the Red Sox are a "super team" while the Cubs, the reigning champs and one of the youngest teams in the game, sit here with too many good players to play at the same time and a rotation that cut Jason Hammel, who could be some teams #3 starter.

The Cubs/Red Sox World Series should be fun.

Red Sox single handedly making the Winter Meetings interesting. I can't remember ever hearing this little in terms of juicy rumors this time of year.

Cashman has quite a set to make that claim or amnesia.

Lol

How long til he's cutting up Red Sox jerseys? How long til he goes on a rant towards someone on the front office when they do something he doesn't like?

Wilson Ramos to the Rays. 2 years, $18 million

Sale is a winner. He's done playing with a bunch of losers holding and dragging him down.

There will be no incidents. He got what he wanted doing that stuff: out of that hellhole.

Ya. Don't see him messing up if the team is winning. Plus, I doubt David Price would allow that shit in his domain.

Chris Sale has never pitched in the post season which means he has a better post season record than David Price

Great deal for Tampa on Ramos.

Cubs-Royals close to a trade deal which would involve the Cubs getting Wade Davis and the Royals getting Jorge Soler as the basis. Cubs bolted on resigning Aroldis Chapman once he made it public he wanted 6 years for a new deal.


Mariners currently rumored to be interested in a possible trade with the Red Sox for Drew Pomeranz and/or Clay Buchholz. Sox rumored to want a package of prospects or an MLB-ready left handed batter as the basis for those deals.

Is Wright going to be healthy by season start?

Marlins rumored to be going after Aroldis Chapman. Marlins owner opening up the checkbook to get him or Kenley Jansen as their top priorities for this offseason.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Source: Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has signed off on spending the money to sign Kenley Jansen or Aroldis... <a href="https://t.co/teFCaphuea">https://t.co/teFCaphuea</a></p>&mdash; Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaysonst/status/806342889642999808">December 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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For some perspective on how expensive Chapman will be, already rumored to have an offer for $92 million.

Yankees? Only they would overpay for a player they traded cause they were having a fire sale.

Yankees have offers out to Jensen & Chapman.

We're just waiting for the first one to say yes.

Wade Davis for Jorge Soler is a complete heist for the Cubs.

Supposedly the Royals demanded Amed Rosario from the Mets, which is laughable.

Terry Collins reverses course, says 2017 might not be his final year before retirement.

https://jimfansunited.files.wordpres...7582.jpg?w=696

Anything is better than Hank Conger & Bobby Wilson....

Btittons gonna have to build a loading dock on his house so they can back up the armored trucks to his house

Donald Trump fucks the Blue Jays over when the top tax rate goes down and the difference between playing in Canada and playing in the US goes from not much difference to a big difference. Toronto will have to overpay by a mile just to match US teams offers especially from states with no state income tax where it'll be close to a 20% difference.

Ian Desmond to the Rockies

Assholes need to move to America instead of loser Canada.

Supposedly nobody is interested in Jay Bruce at all, teams view him as a one-trick pony (he is) and everyone wants the Mets to eat money in trade. Grandy however is drawing plenty of interest but he's far more valuable to the Mets than Bruce at this stage.

I'm hoping they can work something out with the Rangers. They need a bat and have a shitload of talented relievers. If they can send Bruce packing for one of them that would be the best case scenario.

Ian Desmond deal is head scratching. He was atrocious in the 2nd half of last to a tune similar to his 2015 numbers. Not sure what the Rockies are thinking.