Octopus Overlords

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 2:45 pm**

Amidst the chances of some real labor strife in MLB, teams are starting to sign free agents.

In the first two dominos to fall, Eduardo Rodriguez leaves Boston for Detroit, 5 years, ~$80M.

Noah Syndergaard leaves the Mets for the Angels, 1 year, $21M.

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 2:53 pm**

pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 2:45 pm Amidst the chances of some real labor strife in MLB, teams are starting to sign free agents.

Noah Syndergaard leaves the Mets for the Angels, 1 year, $21M.

Sounded good until I read about his health issues.

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 4:05 pm**

Julio Lugo dead a day before his 46th birthday.

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 4:43 pm**

Too bad that E-Rod left the Red Sox. He was definitely up and down during his time here, and never quite cemented himself as a clear #1 or #2 starter. But still, he was consistently above average, and sometimes great (and pitched well late in the season and against the Astros). And it's not like the Red Sox have a ton of depth in pitching. So I wish he was back, although it's not like we lost Nolan Ryan in his prime.

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 4:47 pm**

The other day I was talking to a former American who lives in Japan permanently (has a family there). He mentioned when he was young, he had travelled to Chicago to see his baseball idol, Ryne Sandburg, play. Well, the other day I told him about a billboard on I-294 -- good ol' white bread Ryno endorsing a weed dispensary! It kind of shattered his illusion of they kind of person Sandburg is.

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 6:16 pm**

Celeb Stoner

Some athletes come late to cannabis. Take MLB Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. He only recently started to use it for aches and pains. Now, he's an investor in and an ambassador for Verilife, a multi-state retailer owned by Chicago-based Pharma Cann.
...
“I really didn’t know anything about it, I didn’t have any interest in it,” Sandberg says about cannabis. “Now, it’s every day sometimes, as I’m looking for something to take the edge off.”

His regimen is gummies and tinctures for pain relief and insomnia.
...
Sandberg is among the many athletes who've turned to cannabis for relief. But he is the first former MLB player to join a cannabis company.

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 6:26 pm**

Noah hasn't pitched in 2 years. 21 million as a flier seems a bit much, but it's not my money. He easily could come back and be great or could be a shell of his former self. Sucks as he was one of my favorite players, but I don't blame the Mets for not trying to top that... And they get a draft pick. Yay...

I don't really see how the Mets fill all their holes with the players available. Bryant would be a sweet pickup, but I'm not holding my breath.

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 7:13 pm**

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 6:16 pm Celeb Stoner

Some athletes come late to cannabis. Take MLB Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. He only recently started to use it for aches and pains. Now, he's an investor in and an ambassador for Verilife, a multi-state retailer owned by Chicago-based Pharma Cann.
...
“I really didn’t know anything about it, I didn’t have any interest in it,” Sandberg says about cannabis. “Now, it’s every day sometimes, as I’m looking for something to take the edge off.”

His regimen is gummies and tinctures for pain relief and insomnia.
...
Sandberg is among the many athletes who've turned to cannabis for relief. But he is the first former MLB player to join a cannabis company.

Thanks, I shared that with my guildmate in Japan.

Posted: **Tue Nov 16, 2021 7:18 pm**

Posted: **Thu Nov 18, 2021 11:23 am**

Verlander is resigning with the Astros. That's a shock. I guess nobody wanted to offer him a multi-year deal.

Posted: **Thu Nov 18, 2021 11:36 am**

Eh he's 38. Could be his last season if he doesn't pitch well. Hell of a career... The salaries put out so far are pretty nuts. 25 million and he didn't pitch last year.

Posted: **Thu Nov 18, 2021 9:41 pm**

Shohei Ohtani named Americal League MVP. They got it right!

Posted: **Thu Nov 18, 2021 10:00 pm**

Royals tease their new uniforms in style

Posted: **Wed Nov 24, 2021 7:22 pm**

Wade Davis announces his retirement.

I have never seen anyone as dominant as he was in 2014-2015. In the 2015 playoffs he threw 10.2 innings, struck out 18 and allowed no runs.

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:13 pm**

Max Scherzer is close to signing with the Mets on a deal valued at $42M a season.

ETA: 3 years, $130M. AAV of $43.3M.

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:40 pm**

Crazy amount of money. Only makes sense of they really think they can win it all.

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 3:01 pm**

Octavious wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:40 pm Crazy amount of money. Only makes sense of they really think they can win it all.

Yes and no. I mean, it's a crazy amount of money for us, but the Mets owner (and most MLB owners) have enough money that it's not that much money for him. Most owners these days are pretending that the luxury tax is a cap to justify saving money for their next yachts, which gives those owners who don't want to do that a competitive advantage.

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 4:13 pm**

El Guapo wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 3:01 pm
Octavious wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:40 pm Crazy amount of money. Only makes sense of they really think they can win it all.
Yes and no. I mean, it's a crazy amount of money for us, but the Mets owner (and most MLB owners) have enough money that it's not that much money for him. Most owners these days are pretending that the luxury tax is a cap to justify saving money for their next yachts, which gives those owners who don't want to do that a competitive advantage.

Ya well I think they are going to have to really work on a hard cap or Cohen is just going to buy the entire league. Dude is worth something like 14 billion. This is like peeling off a 20 for him.

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 4:39 pm**

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 5:41 pm**

Corey Seager to Texas, 10 years, $325 million.

This comes a day after the Rangers signed Marcus Semien to a 7 year, $175 million contract.

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 5:46 pm**

Only $4.5M less than the Orioles payroll for a .297 lifetime hitter with 16 home runs last year.

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 6:05 pm**

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 5:46 pm Only $4.5M less than the Orioles payroll for a .297 lifetime hitter with 16 home runs last year.

He was worth almost 4 wins even only playing 95 games last year. You can't be that surprised he signed such a big contract.

Posted: **Mon Nov 29, 2021 9:22 pm**

pr0ner wrote: ↑Mon Nov 29, 2021 5:41 pm Corey Seager to Texas, 10 years, $325 million.

The Rangers know we can always get a sucker, er offload, those lengthy contracts.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:19 am**

So, there's going to be a baseball lockout as of Thursday. Though the real consequences apparently won't come until February / March, when they'll need to start spring training to be ready to start the season on schedule. The general rumblings I've read seem to suggest that there's the potential of serious strife and brinksmanship, with at least the possibility of missed playing time.

But we'll see, I guess.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 11:45 am**

I'm already a casual MLB fan, and a lockout might end it for me.

My last experience going to the ballpark was dreadful. I can't watch them on TV regularly (no cable -> no games).

And now, in a league where Corey Seager gets a $300 million contract, the owners aren't making enough money?

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 11:56 am**

noxiousdog wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 11:45 am I'm already a casual MLB fan, and a lockout might end it for me.

My last experience going to the ballpark was dreadful. I can't watch them on TV regularly (no cable -> no games).

And now, in a league where Corey Seager gets a $300 million contract, the owners aren't making enough money?

Yeah, if there's one thing that's majorly bothering me with baseball right now, it's uber rich owners who care far more about keeping payroll down than about having competitive teams (especially for teams like Cleveland).

Honestly, if they don't miss playing time I'm not going to care all that much, and even if they do I suspect I'll be back sooner or later, but if the owners go scorched earth to try to wring a few more pennies out of their teams...that's going to be a huge turnoff.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:04 pm**

If Seager is worth 4 wins, that's $8M per win. By that metric you can buy 100 wins for $800M. Peel off a couple more twenty spots.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:24 pm**

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:04 pm If Seager is worth 4 wins, that's $8M per win. By that metric you can buy 100 wins for $800M. Peel off a couple more twenty spots.

That was in 95 games because he lost 2.5 months due to breaking his hand. The Rangers clearly think he can be a 6+ win player if he's healthy (which he's demonstrated in the past that he can be), which is why they're paying him what they are.

There's a reason why Corey Seager gets $32.5M a year and Javy Baez gets $23.3M a year, after all. Javy is a better defender, but Seager is a vastly superior hitter (and also two years younger).

Also, buying 100 wins will cost a lot less than $800M, given how WAR actually works.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:53 pm**

:

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:04 pm If Seager is worth 4 wins, that's $8M per win. By that metric you can buy 100 wins for $800M. Peel off a couple more twenty spots.

Its actually cheaper than $800M. Replacement players would still get you some wins so you start out well above zero wins.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:40 pm**

Yep, I think a .294 win percentage is baked in for a team of all replacement level players. So you're starting at a baseline of ~48 wins and off you go from there.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:24 pm**

pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:40 pm Yep, I think a .294 win percentage is baked in for a team of all replacement level players. So you're starting at a baseline of ~48 wins and off you go from there.

.265; 43.

Sincerely,

2003 Detroit Tigers

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:35 pm**

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:24 pm
pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:40 pm Yep, I think a .294 win percentage is baked in for a team of all replacement level players. So you're starting at a baseline of ~48 wins and off you go from there.
.265; 43.

Sincerely,

2003 Detroit Tigers

Players can have negative WARs. The Detroit Tigers team offense was at -1.3 fWAR in 2003, for example, so the offense was actually below replacement value.

Also, the .294 win percentage comes from Fangraphs' own explanation of WAR.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:40 pm**

Jason Bay got 16 million to have a -1 war in his last season with the Mets. That freaking guy.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:53 pm**

Octavious wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:40 pm Jason Bay got 16 million to have a -1 war in his last season with the Mets. That freaking guy.

Chris Davis got $23M to put up -3.1 WAR one year.

Hell, he was at -0.8 WAR his final season, with a wRC+ of -14. Note that 100 for wRC+ is a league average hitter, so he was 114% worse than league average for his 55 plate appearances that season.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:55 pm**

The Tigers have agreed to a six-year, $140 million deal with with Javier Báez. Apparently Detroit thinks they are on the cusp.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 3:30 pm**

pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:53 pm
Octavious wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:40 pm Jason Bay got 16 million to have a -1 war in his last season with the Mets. That freaking guy.
Chris Davis got $23M to put up -3.1 WAR one year.

Hell, he was at -0.8 WAR his final season, with a wRC+ of -14. Note that 100 for wRC+ is a league average hitter, so he was 114% worse than league average for his 55 plate appearances that season.

Chris Davis is in a league of his own in sucking per dollar. So yes he "wins".

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 3:32 pm**

Octavious wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 3:30 pm
pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:53 pm
Octavious wrote: ↑Tue Nov 30, 2021 2:40 pm Jason Bay got 16 million to have a -1 war in his last season with the Mets. That freaking guy.
Chris Davis got $23M to put up -3.1 WAR one year.

Hell, he was at -0.8 WAR his final season, with a wRC+ of -14. Note that 100 for wRC+ is a league average hitter, so he was 114% worse than league average for his 55 plate appearances that season.
Chris Davis is in a league of his own in sucking per dollar. So yes he "wins".

Good work if you can get it!

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 4:41 pm**

I have no idea if Corey Seager is worth $300 million, but I can tell you he's not one of the best players in mlb. He's had exactly one year of top ten WAR. This is same argument I have about Carlos Correa. I don't care how good you are in 1/2 a season.

I really don't care how much they make; whether it's owners or players as long as 1) they don't come asking me to build their stadiums and 2) don't get surprised when I lose interest when I can't watch it on TV... especially by lockout/strike.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 6:40 pm**

pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 2:45 pm Amidst the chances of some real labor strife in MLB, teams are starting to sign free agents.

In the first two dominos to fall, Eduardo Rodriguez leaves Boston for Detroit, 5 years, ~$80M.

Noah Syndergaard leaves the Mets for the Angels, 1 year, $21M.

Labor Strife starts tomorrow:

Come 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 1, Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement with the MLB Players’ Association expires, and for the first time in nearly 30 years, that deadline will pass without the ratification of a new CBA.

In response, MLB is expected to impose a lockout of players, tabling all transactions until both sides can hammer out an agreement.

And as the occasional checkpoints on the calendar – Dec. 1, the Christmas and New Year’s holiday week, Feb. 1, the mid-February start of spring training, March 1 – arrive without a new deal, the specter of a work stoppage looms larger.

Posted: **Tue Nov 30, 2021 7:07 pm**

Here's hoping the owners try to start the season with all minor league players.

Octopus Overlords

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