Hot Stove Thread 2014-15

Absurdity is what it takes to get desirable free agents to play in Toronto.

 

I was thinking that maybe he'd had a few decent games at Fenway during Interleague and that the Sox thought 81 games worth of Fenway Panda would be awesome.

But he has never played a game at Fenway.

Still, heck of a left side with Panda and Cespedes.

 

Cespedes is the bait they're dangling for Hamels.

 

That's assuming that Cespeda is a heck of a player.

 

And in Boston, Sandoval can become a full-time DH the last few years of his deal after Ortiz hangs it up (Ortiz's contract has team options for 2016 & 2017, but he'll be 41 then, so not sure he'll still be around).

 

As a Yankee fan, I'm very pleased by the Sandoval to Boston & Martin to Toronto news. About time someone else in the division started handing out the stupid, paralyzing contracts.

 

Well, the Red Sox already proved once there's no such thing as a paralyzing contract as long as the Dodgers are around to take it off their hands.

 

I'd be very curious to know how many free agents who sign big deals with new teams live up to their prior production. It could very well just be a case of the busts getting more attention, but it seems like players more often bust with new teams rather than maintain or increase their production.

I'm thinking of the guys who sign seven-year, $140 million-type deals with new teams. How many prove to be worth it?

Off the top of my head, Alex Rodriguez lived up to his production during his original 10-year deal (which I think he opted out of after six seasons). Manny Ramirez with the Red Sox. That's about all I've got without looking up numbers.

 

Let's see how Sandoval's heavy body ages.

 

Martin's deal is going to be a disaster.

 

I'll always remember Billy Butler fondly, but methinks Billy Beane is out of his goddam gourd paying the price he did for Butler.

 

Yes, but he's improved since then.