All-Purpose MLB Thread! (2019-2021)

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SLAB

Hall of Famer
#1
I still love my baseball, and figured this was big enough to start this thread with.

The Giants have jumped into the Bryce Harper race!!!


I’m going to get myself all hyped up like I did last season for Stanton and Ohtani only for it to fall through and the Giants sign someone on the downswing like Adam Jones.
 
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#3
For months now I've been having trouble understanding how Bryce Harper is worth $300M or more. It legitimately doesn't make any sense. He hit .249 last year with only 34 HRs during this current HR era. Not only that, prior to last season he's had like one fantastic year, but apart from that he's been really inconsistent. He was terrible two years ago. I just don't get all the hype at all. I'm actually totally baffled by it.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#4
For months now I've been having trouble understanding how Bryce Harper is worth $300M or more. It legitimately doesn't make any sense. He hit .249 last year with only 34 HRs during this current HR era. Not only that, prior to last season he's had like one fantastic year, but apart from that he's been really inconsistent. He was terrible two years ago. I just don't get all the hype at all. I'm actually totally baffled by it.
Well, batting average isn't everything. Since he broke into the majors in 2012 he is 10th in the majors in OPS+ (for any player with at least 2500 ABs) and of those ten, only he and Mike Trout (who is #1) are under 27 now. So you've got a young hitter in his prime with a reasonable chance of 10 more years of production who has established himself as a top-10 hitter in the league over a seven year period, already holds an MVP title, and is a free agent. I can see why he wants to get paid, it's not baffling at all. Even in his worst season his OPS+ was 111 - well better than an average player. Sure, you'd like a bit more consistency, but he's an MVP caliber player and it's not too often those guys go up on the free agent market.

That said, nobody has paid him yet, and I think there's a fair deal of skepticism over 10-year deals in MLB front offices. But he'll get serious money, and he's a good bet to be worth it when it's all said and done.
 
#5
Well, batting average isn't everything. Since he broke into the majors in 2012 he is 10th in the majors in OPS+ (for any player with at least 2500 ABs) and of those ten, only he and Mike Trout (who is #1) are under 27 now. So you've got a young hitter in his prime with a reasonable chance of 10 more years of production who has established himself as a top-10 hitter in the league over a seven year period, already holds an MVP title, and is a free agent. I can see why he wants to get paid, it's not baffling at all. Even in his worst season his OPS+ was 111 - well better than an average player. Sure, you'd like a bit more consistency, but he's an MVP caliber player and it's not too often those guys go up on the free agent market.

That said, nobody has paid him yet, and I think there's a fair deal of skepticism over 10-year deals in MLB front offices. But he'll get serious money, and he's a good bet to be worth it when it's all said and done.
And there should be skepticism, take a look at how some contracts turned out. Pujols is a shell of his former self, Arod is a bit of a different story with his PED issues, but that obviously didn't work out too well either. Cano has been decent but has not lived up to his price tag.

I can see how advanced stats might warrant a huge contract. But $300M+ seems extremely excessive to me still. I know BA isn't everything, but it's something. But hey, if there's belief that he can be one of the best players in the league on a consistent basis over the next 10 years then by all means. You've just gotta hope that he still plays with fire even after signing a huge contract.

Kinda like our concern with WCS.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#6
The only reason the Giants jumped in is very likely because his price has dropped, maybe significantly.

Farhan Zaidi, Giants new President of Baseball Ops, had a quite about guys who were one point out of the question they could circle back around to as the market changes. With Bryce not signed yet, I’m guessing the market has changed quite a bit.
 
#8
The only reason the Giants jumped in is very likely because his price has dropped, maybe significantly.

Farhan Zaidi, Giants new President of Baseball Ops, had a quite about guys who were one point out of the question they could circle back around to as the market changes. With Bryce not signed yet, I’m guessing the market has changed quite a bit.
From what I hear the market was just never there, at least not for that long term 300 mil price tag that he was looking for. And the reason being that he is so despised around the league. Got this a while back we’ll before he went into FA from a pretty reputable gossip site I read, so take it for what it’s worth ;-)
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#9
Despised or not, dude’s a talent in the outfield the Giants haven’t had since Bonds. I’ll take him.

I’d happily take his antics over Manny Machado’s that’s for sure.
 
#10
I have to say, I'm feeling considerably less interested in this upcoming season. Perhaps it just doesn't feel like the preaseason is actually starting because the offseason feels incomplete with such significant free agents still remaining unsiged. I know it's vogue to talk about teams needing to rebuild in the draft, but I'm not so sure that carries as much weight in a league without a salary cap. Any team that actually wants to improve can just go sign free agents and rebuild/retool in short order. They just don't want to spend the money.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#13
Don’t tease me. Stop teasing me.

—-

Removed the tweet because of a swear. @extrabaggs says the Giants clubhouse thinks there’s a very real chance they’re welcoming Bryce Harper this weekend.
 
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SLAB

Hall of Famer
#15
Giants offered 12/310

I can hear it in my head “We can go 310 but not a penny more.”... I’m disgusted. The Giants empty ballpark is going to haunt them for seasons.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#19
How about a salute to Oakland for finally getting a Khris Davis contract extension signed!



Here's to two more years of Khrush Bombs in the Bay!
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#20
How about Hunter Pence absolutely killing the ball for Texas?

I’m so happy for him... I’m so sad it’s not in a Giants uniform.
 
#22
Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died this morning at age 27. Absolutely horrible news. Not sure what cause of death is. Ugh.

Edit: Reports say police were called and he was found unresponsive in his hotel room. Really hope it wasn't suicide. His poor family...
 
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SLAB

Hall of Famer
#23
The Giants are somehow only 3 back in the wildcard race now.

They won a double header against the Rockies today, and Crawford had 3 hrs and 9 rbis in the two games. o_O
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#24
The Giants are just downright silly right now. Won in the bottom of the 16th after going down in the top.

I’m completely off the “sell everyone” bandwagon. Just the entire bullpen. Extend MadBum. I never want to see him in a different uniform.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#25
Aaaaaaand, .500!!!

The baseball gods will not allow Bochy’s final season to be the trainwreck it appeared to be only a month ago.

((Still well the bullpen. Will Smith isn’t returning, gotta get the return on him now))
 
#28
Funny how everybody is insisting the Giants sell. Yet no other teams with around their record are expected to be sellers. People trying to pretend the Giants wild card ambitions are somehow more misguided than a Arizona, STL, Philly, Washington run. When the motivation is more the disappointment that chances are the Giants won’t be bolstering up other teams with their best players when two weeks ago it was a certainty.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing what we can get for some of the bullpen arms even if it nukes the run but you only trade a Bumgarner if you’ll be unable to retain him. Bumgarner doesn’t have his foot out the door and the Giants could keep him if they offer a good contract. We trade Bumgarner and then we’re out looking for a Bumgarner. That’s not just nostalgia and not wanting a playoff hero to be judged by how they pitch for the Spankees(though I don’t want that, Bum is a Giant) but he is still a viable ace level starter who still has a few high level years left in the bigs and I don’t believe he wants to leave the Giants. Only way the Giants lose Bumgarner this offseason is if they don’t make him a real offer. Considering they were ready to throw 300 million at Bryce Harper; I’m sure there is money in the cushions for a “rebuilding” team for MadBum
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#29
You nailed it.

Don’t trade MadBum. Extend him ASAP.

Trade Will Smith. He’s elite now, but with Melancon’s stupid contract there’s no way they’re going to pay for another bullpen arm. He’ll bring back something really good.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#30
Apparently the Giants have bought into their own hype and may be buyers now... they had a high-level scout checking out Matthew Boyd the other night.

I hate it. Buying would be so incredibly short-sighted and stupid.
 
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