The 2019-20 MLB Hot Stove Thread

Spence

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This time a year ago everyone was still a free agent seemingly

Now it's pretty much just Castellanos, Puig, Domingo Santana, Pillar, and Pence
Outside of Castellano that’s pretty much a trash heap. I didn’t even know Pence was still in the league with his ADHD ass in the batters box
 

god shamgod

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I'm surprised they really haven't made no moves. The central is still a hand toss division. Are they cash strapped?

no , the cubs want to get under the cbt so they can reset it for future fa’s like betts and lindor or for future trades

They are currently 6 mil over it for 2020, they are gonna trade Bryant(18.5 salary)when this dumb ass grievance is settled to determine if he has 1 or 2 years of service time left,but the hold up is a 3rd party independent arbitrator is making the ruling. The case was filed in 2015 and finally heard in October 2019 it’s damn near February and still no ruling and that was holding up the cubs whole offseason. they won’t add payroll until they shed salary and Bryant’s salary will give them the flexibility to do that(don’t matter now no fa’s left) I expect low risk signings like taujuan walker or salazar injury prone ass then they can extend Báez etc and retool the roster for ‘21 and beyond.

Bryant turned down multiple extension offers including one similar to what Arenado got so it’s time to trade him and boras Corp :camby:
 

Remote

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Consider some of the talent to come out of the Pirates system in the last decade or so...

Starling Marte
Andrew McCutchen
Tyler Glasnow (who was dominating for Tampa before he got hurt last season)
Bryan Reynolds
Josh Bell
Kevin Newman (who may be unknown but just put up an .800 OPS in just first full year)
Gerrit Cole
Jameson Taillon

And they drafted Jordan Luplow who is now a very promising player for the Indians.

This franchise isn't bad at identifying talent. But they just refuse to spend.

(That Mark Appel draft pick in 2012 was a massive screw up though...even if Appel was a beast in college...there were a ton of concerns that he had peaked...even then)
 
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