MLB (Non-Phillies) Hot Stove, 2024-25

[BostonRoss]

What is the harm in a longer spring training? Do we want the season to start in mid-March?

Anyone who tells me what I "shouldn't" do deserves to be ignored. Does the author think it's a big revelation that the games don't count and that many of the players won't be in the majors this year (or ever)?

A longer spring training creates more opportunities for fans, especially those who are sick of winter weather in northern climes. I've had some very enjoyable visits to Florida in February and march where sitting out in the sun for a couple of hours watching baseball was thoroughly enjoyable. The fact that it's so long in some cases allowed me to schedule the trips when I could get down there. And even years when I can't go, just to be able to watch or listen to baseball (it was quite enjoyable to listen to Scott and LA yesterday) is a pleasure.

[Philsmania]

I wasn't trying to say that I agree with the idea to make ST shorter. I was just saying that I suppose one could make the argument that it should be shorter. There was at least one person over on the Phillies hot stove thread who opined that ST is too long.

If there is a benefit to a shorter ST, it wouldn't necessarily be starting the season sooner but giving the players a longer offseason. And, if the WBC is going to continue as the game's World Cup, they could stage it in February (preceded by a 3-4 week prep camp in January) and ensure that players in the tournament get to take part in the entirety of their own teams' spring trainings. That would be similar to how the sport the rest of the world calls football a/k/a soccer stages its World Cup prior to training time for that sports major leagues. Add to that the NFL probably adding an 18th game and pushing the Super Bowl to President's Day weekend which would obscure ST's first week. Just brainstorming here.

But yeah, as a fan, I like it as it is. But, I'm sure fans also liked it as it was when teams had six MiLB affiliates so we probably do not matter all that much, in the end.

[julio]

But if you wanted to shorten ST, how would you do that? Have pitchers and catchers report two weeks later (e.g., sometime this week)? Or start the season two weeks earlier?

Does anybody sane really want baseball - outdoors - in mid-March, in Boston, or New York, or Philadelphia, or Pittsburgh, or Chicago, or St. Louis, etc. Moreover, due to TV considerations, many of these games would be at night?

This strikes me as an article that got written because somebody had an assignment to write something. Not a discussion that is serious, but rather, a discussion because somebody wanted to "discuss" something - anything. Noise, not signal.

[zambonir]

I reaize it is paywalled but that essay got written because the writer loves baseball and found a certain poetry in the irrelevance of spring training. That web site is employee-owned and most staffers get to pick what they write about (in David Roth's case, he is also one of the preeminent thinkers about politics and internet culture over the last eight years).

[fish]

Rockies reliever Justin Lawrence was put on waivers- I loved his stuff in 2023.

[zambonir]

Reuniting him with Klentak

Former Mets GM Billy Eppler joins Brewers as special advisor: Sources

[andyb]

Braves might be going with a rookie catcher to start the year.

Braves’ Sean Murphy out 4-6 weeks, opening door for top prospect Drake Baldwin...

[Philsmania]

The rookie catcher may not be long, long-term for the Braves. The Braves extended Murphy through at least 2028 at $15 million per year (with option for 2029).

[zambonir]

Yeah but they cut our old pal Travis D'Arnaud loose. Unless the kid ends up being so valuable you have to trade him he can back up for a few of years and be playing 80 games by 2028. Pretty much what's probably going to happen with the Phillies if they re-sign JT too. We just don't know if it will be Marchan (and I suppose they don't really know if it will be Baldwin).

Anyway, the most optimistic timeline would still only have him out for a week. 3-4 tops. Which is why they might not bother trying to add a vet or extra AAAA type.

[zambonir]

Brewers To Sign Jose Quintana

$4-5 million

[andyb]

No Spencer Turnbull takers yet but the Braves with their injuries are among those interested. Reds as well.

[zambonir]

I guess Turnbull is a guy you don't really want on a fully guaranteed deal. Last year it was $2 million with the potential for $4 million, and between losing his spot to Walker (a spot he never would have had without Walker's injury, granted) and getting hurt himself he didn't get close.

Mets are still a bit light too (and yet passed on Quintana, probably too expensive with the tax).

[andyb]

I think I'd rather have Turnbull than Quintana for $4-$5 million. Quality > Durability for me though I guess that is the perspective of a larger market team that can afford depth.

[zambonir]

I meant I feel like with Turnbull you get neither. If he was seen as anything other than an injury-prone fluke some small market team would have signed him to be their 3rd or 4th starter months ago. We knew the Phillies weren't going to bring him back with Painter in the wings and Walker on the roster; then they put an exclamation point on that by giving value for a better pitcher with his own durability questions.

[bkox]

BREAKING: Outfielder Lawrence Butler and the A’s are in agreement on a seven-year, $66.5 million contract extension with one club option, sources tell ESPN. Butler, 24, broke out as a rookie last year and is seen as a foundational player for the A’s moving forward.

— Jeff Passan ( @JeffPassan ) March 7, 2025

[Philsmania]

Gerrit Cole, Tommy John surgery, out for 2025.

Gerrit Cole To Have Tommy John Surgery

MLBTR speculates that the Yankees may have interest in two still-unsigned phormer Phillies, Kyle Gibson and Spencer Turnbull.

[bkox]

The Tampa Bay Rays will not proceed with the development of a $1.3 billion baseball stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, principal owner Stuart Sternberg said. https://t.co/f3nQ5E8ac3

— ESPN ( @espn ) March 13, 2025

[flyers19rw]

Moving to Nashville?

[dcsman]

My thought as well. And they are not even 30 years old in Tampa. Why were they given a team there to begin with? Some MLB owners are the worst.

[julio]

My thought as well. And they are not even 30 years old in Tampa. Why were they given a team there to begin with? Some MLB owners are the worst.

The Athletics lasted 13 years in Kansas City - which will obviously support a MLB franchise (see Royals).

The Braves spent 13 years in Milwaukee - which etc.

The Seattle Pilots lasted one season - after which the franchise moved to Milwaukee; but the Mariners have demonstrated that Seattle is a viable MLB market.

Two different franchises abandoned Washington, D.C. (original Senators to Minnesota; second Senators to Texas after ~10 years), but the Nationals appear to be viable.

Two different franchises abandoned the small, declining market of New York City for greener pastures on the West Coast; but the expansion franchise that MLB placed in NYC to replace one of them has...thrived, no?

Ownership groups move franchises for lots of reasons - and at least some of the time, market viability is not the reason.