Hot Stove Rumors Thread

[Mogriffjr]

I would want my club to think rationally. Sure as a kid growing up you want the franchise player to stay home but knowing what we know now about the value of players and how it is skewed towards veterans, you have to be savvier about these extensions. You can't survive if you give out bad contracts, or have too much payroll tied up in one guy. Locking up Jose Reyes for his age 29-35 seasons should not be a priority for a team that is at least two or three years from competing.

Warner nailed it.

If the Mets wanted to trade Reyes or felt like he is not part of their plans then trade him during the season. But the message you send there is you are rebuilding and you are spitting in the face of the fans. After the negativity from the Madoff situation, from trading K-Rod and Beltran, dealing Reyes, who has become "the Mets" would be a severe blow to the Mets pockets the next few years.

Not to knock David Wright but Reyes will give the Met fans some hope that he can be the cornerstone for the franchise moving forward. Reyes has been dynamic and the face the Mets need. What they are doing now is they are being careful of what they can offer. I think at this point with how thingss have been going, the Mets can give Reyes the best offer...unless someone comes out of left field, I just don't see that at this time but all of that can change (see Werth last year).

[Guest]

HOUSTON (AP)—Former Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade was hardly surprised that he was fired along with team president Tal Smith in the first major changes by new owner Jim Crane.

Wade was, however, disappointed that he won’t be with the club to see what will come of the many prospects he brought into the organization.

“I do think the work we have done with regard to the depth in the system will be saluted in due time,” he said Monday. “It takes time. We had a lot of work to do when we first got here.”

Wade, hired in September 2007, met with Crane and other executives last Tuesday and was told Wednesday he wouldn’t be retained.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...tros-wadefired

It is somewhat surprising that Wade was fired now- I thought the new owner would at least give Wade a year and take some time to evaluate the state of the team. Though not acquiring very many impact prospects in those firesale deals definitely hurt Wade and I can see why they want to move on now.

[Chrispy]

The Pittsburgh Pirates and blooming star centerfielder Andrew McCutchen have yet to agree on a multi-year deal, and ESPN Insider's Keith Law is hearing that the 25-year is not untouchable, though the Pirates would have to be blown away by a trade offer.

McCutchen had a strong 2011, his third solid season in a row, and is a fine defender and baserunner. Although he's not arbitration eligible for the first time until next winter, he could get pricey in years ahead, hence the idea of a long-term solution.

Law offers more on the situation, including what it might take to get the Bucs to consider moving their best player:
Keith Law
Pirates should pay McCutchen
"I'd ask for multiple 0-2 guys [players not yet eligible for arbitration] or prospects who profiled as impact players, and very few clubs could put that kind of package together. If McCutchen just wants Justin Upton money (six years, $51.25 million), I'd give it to him rather than trade him and see him become a superstar in 2012 for someone else."

Stupid, the Pirates need to lock him up.

I would :jizz: if the Yanks nabbed him.

[Guest]

What is crazy is that McCutcheon is just starting to tap his potential- he's just 25 and is going to improve again this coming season. The Pirates would be stupid to not sign him to an extension. You've got to keep your own players, and Upton money would be a smart bet with McCutcheon.

[NAHSTE]

CUTCH NOT UNTOUCHABLE?

Jurrjens, Bourn and JJ Hoover for Cutch.

Do it Pittsburgh. You need that ACE to ANCHOR YOUR BALL CLUB.

[Chrispy]

Gardner, Montero, Eduardo Nunez and Manny Banuelos

[Warner2BruceTD]

Gardner, Montero, Eduardo Nunez and Manny Banuelos

Pirates would be all over that, if they were serious about trading him.

[NAHSTE]

Yeah that's actually pretty good value for McCutchen. They'll probably end up waiting and taking an offer way shittier than that 18 months from now.

[Goober]

Jonathan Broxton to the Royals for 4-5 million (depends on games pitched).

Fair value for Broxton. High risk, high reward. Hopefully Brewer's don't decide to give that much to a reliever.

[Kuzzy Powers]

According to Mike Lynch of WCVB-TV in Boston, the Red Sox and Bobby Valentine have reached a "verbal agreement" to become the team's next manager.
We haven't heard anything official from the team, so take this report with a grain of salt for now. The Red Sox continue to say that Gene Lamont is still a candidate for the job and we likely won't hear otherwise until they are ready to make an announcement.

[Guest]

Bobby V was not Cherrington's choice for manager, and the story seems that his choice was Sveum, and Henry and Lucchino wanted Valentine. Considering Valentine's history with co-existing with his GM, this match may not turn out well if he wasn't Cherrington's choice.

[kyhadley]

Bobby V was not Cherrington's choice for manager, and the story seems that his choice was Sveum, and Henry and Lucchino wanted Valentine. Considering Valentine's history with co-existing with his GM, this match may not turn out well if he wasn't Cherrington's choice.

I don't understand where people are getting this from.

[Guest]

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7248252/ben-cherington-seemingly-overruled-dale-sveum

Also, a friend of mine who follows Red Sox baseball pointed out that Lucchino's last "guy" for manager that he hired was Grady Little. Needless to say, this article brings up some good points. It may be looking into things too much, but where there is smoke, there is fire.

[kyhadley]

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/...led-dale-sveum

Also, a friend of mine who follows Red Sox baseball pointed out that Lucchino's last "guy" for manager that he hired was Grady Little. Needless to say, this article brings up some good points. It may be looking into things too much, but where there is smoke, there is fire.

I don't know, I feel like that's reading pretty far into it, I'm not seeing much smoke here. I think there's too much going on behind the scenes to make that conclusion. I'm not anticipating much of a problem, but we'll see I guess.

[Guest]

It's been their pursuit of Jose Reyes, Albert Pujols, Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson that has generated the most buzz, but the Miami Marlins also are making a serious run at free-agent closer Heath Bell, sources told ESPN.com.

With the future of their incumbent closer, Juan Oviedo (aka Leo Nunez), a major question due to an identity-discrepancy issue, the Marlins have been quietly aggressive in their pursuit of Bell since the day the free-agent negotiating period began four weeks ago.

Bell, a 34-year-old right-hander, is coming off a 43-save season with the San Diego Padres that made him the only closer in baseball who has saved 40 or more games in each of the past three seasons.

The Padres remain interested in re-signing Bell. And teams in the market for a closer say the Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays also have shown interest.

Although Bell's strikeout rate declined from 11.1 per nine innings in 2010 to 7.3 this year, his average fastball velocity (94 mph), WHIP (1.15), ERA (2.44) and opponents' batting average (.223) were all in line with his previous performance.

Bell, who made $7.5 million this season, is believed to be seeking a three-year deal.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/73...ll-sources-say

Is there anyone who the Marlins aren't in on? I am very surprised that they haven't spent any money until now, and it's a shame.