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       #Post#: 481882--------------------------------------------------
       Hot Stove
       By: Dave23 Date: November 2, 2023, 9:57 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Let the offseason begin!
       #Post#: 482443--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: Dave23 Date: November 14, 2023, 7:45 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Imanaga is reportedly getting posted today.
       PJ Higgins has signed a minor league deal with the Reds, with an
       invite to ST.
       Trevor Clifton has signed a minor league deal with Toronto.
       #Post#: 482528--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: CUBluejays Date: November 16, 2023, 11:59 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
  HTML https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38905458/shohei-ohtani-free-agent-chicago-cubs-cody-bellinger
       Massive update from Jessie.
       -It sounds like Ohtani or bust for a big addition
       -No bidding war for Bellinger, so if he has interest from
       another team he's gone
       -Shota Imanaga has been to Chicago already
       -May try and trade for Burnes if he's avaiable
       -Candelario is unlikely to come back
       -Morel as mentioned in relation to an Alonso trade, if that is
       the cost just sign Rhys.
       No impression after this.
       70% the Cubs have a less talented team on paper
       29% they're about the same
       1% they improve the roster, call this the Ohtani upset.
       #Post#: 482535--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: craig Date: November 16, 2023, 1:28 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I wonder if Ohtani wanting a short deal appeals to Hoyer;
       whereas Bellinger wanting long doesn't?  He hates long deals and
       values "flexibility."  So Ohtani will actually be the cheaper
       deal?
       I like to get media reports and perspectives, and input from
       "sources".  But Hoyer's front office has been pretty private.
       "Multiple sources" is great, but Hoyer isn't telling agents or
       scouts or assistant GM's from other teams what he's trying to
       do.  Not sure how much weight, if any, to put on the opinions of
       industry sources?
       Super dumb Ohtani question. I understand he's not supposed to
       **pitch** this year.  But is there any chance that he'd like to
       play 1B, rather than strictly DH, and that the throwing from 1B
       would be OK for him?  Obviously 1B is a really complex position
       to play, so perhaps without any experience there even a phenom
       like Ohtani would be terrible.  Just thinking that perhaps he'd
       think that would be fun, and he'd feel more a part of the
       action?  If two teams make similar offers, but the other team
       can only offer him DH usage, *IF* Hoyer could allow him the
       chance to play 1B, might that perhaps swing him our way?
       That Imanaga has already been to Chicago is pretty interesting.
       
       #Post#: 482536--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: craig Date: November 16, 2023, 1:33 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Two Boras thoughts:  He's a good agent and gets his players good
       deals, but it's still an open market.  And he gets the best
       players, so if you want to sign top players, you should be
       willing to talk with Boras.  I think it would be dumb to stay
       off of Bellinger because he's a Boras guy.  Bellinger is a free
       agent, so *IF* you sign him, the deal is the deal, who cares if
       you worked it with Boras?
       But, that's very different with Alonso and Soto, who are NOT FA.
       If you sign Bellinger, you get him multi-year.  But *IF* you
       trade for Alonso or Soto, it's obviously just rental.  Trading
       for Boras rentals who you know will not extend, there I think
       being Boras guys, I think that should be a showstopper.
       #Post#: 482537--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: chgojhawk Date: November 16, 2023, 1:47 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=craig link=topic=630.msg482535#msg482535
       date=1700162900]
       I wonder if Ohtani wanting a short deal appeals to Hoyer;
       whereas Bellinger wanting long doesn't?  He hates long deals and
       values "flexibility."  So Ohtani will actually be the cheaper
       deal?
       I like to get media reports and perspectives, and input from
       "sources".  But Hoyer's front office has been pretty private.
       "Multiple sources" is great, but Hoyer isn't telling agents or
       scouts or assistant GM's from other teams what he's trying to
       do.  Not sure how much weight, if any, to put on the opinions of
       industry sources?
       Super dumb Ohtani question. I understand he's not supposed to
       **pitch** this year.  But is there any chance that he'd like to
       play 1B, rather than strictly DH, and that the throwing from 1B
       would be OK for him?  Obviously 1B is a really complex position
       to play, so perhaps without any experience there even a phenom
       like Ohtani would be terrible.  Just thinking that perhaps he'd
       think that would be fun, and he'd feel more a part of the
       action?  If two teams make similar offers, but the other team
       can only offer him DH usage, *IF* Hoyer could allow him the
       chance to play 1B, might that perhaps swing him our way?
       That Imanaga has already been to Chicago is pretty interesting.
       
       [/quote]
       I don't think it would be in Ohtani's best interests, or in the
       best interests of the club signing him, to have him play 1B.
       While there isn't a ton of throwing, there is more than one
       might think.  Knowing someone is injured would cause opponents
       to run more on cutoffs, take bigger leads at 1B and steal on
       first moves from lefthanded pitchers etc.....While nowhere near
       the same thing, my old man team had a 1B coming off shoulder
       surgery.  Once teams realized that he couldn't throw they took
       advantage.
       Even routine things like throwing ground balls between innings
       was taxing on the arm.  I suppose a team could send someone out
       to throw groundballs between innings if there isn't a rule
       prohibiting it. Teams play catch with the corner OF closest to
       their bullpen so there probably isn't a rule against it.
       #Post#: 482538--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: Ron Date: November 16, 2023, 2:19 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=craig link=topic=630.msg482535#msg482535
       date=1700162900]
       I like to get media reports and perspectives, and input from
       "sources".  But Hoyer's front office has been pretty private.
       "Multiple sources" is great, but Hoyer isn't telling agents or
       scouts or assistant GM's from other teams what he's trying to
       do.  Not sure how much weight, if any, to put on the opinions of
       industry sources?
       [/quote]
       Exactly. The only people who have any real sense of what the
       Cubs intend to do, or may or may not do re Ohtani, Bellinger etc
       are those who are in the most inner circle of the Cubs. And it
       should be obvious by now that those guys are not talking to the
       media ... or to opposing teams.
       #Post#: 482540--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: CUBluejays Date: November 16, 2023, 2:23 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=chgojhawk link=topic=630.msg482537#msg482537
       date=1700164079]
       I don't think it would be in Ohtani's best interests, or in the
       best interests of the club signing him, to have him play 1B.
       While there isn't a ton of throwing, there is more than one
       might think.  Knowing someone is injured would cause opponents
       to run more on cutoffs, take bigger leads at 1B and steal on
       first moves from lefthanded pitchers etc.....While nowhere near
       the same thing, my old man team had a 1B coming off shoulder
       surgery.  Once teams realized that he couldn't throw they took
       advantage.
       Even routine things like throwing ground balls between innings
       was taxing on the arm.  I suppose a team could send someone out
       to throw groundballs between innings if there isn't a rule
       prohibiting it. Teams play catch with the corner OF closest to
       their bullpen so there probably isn't a rule against it.
       [/quote]
       Harper was able to do it towards the end of the year, but they
       would also give him breaks at DH as well.
       #Post#: 482542--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: Reb Date: November 16, 2023, 2:37 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=CUBluejays link=topic=630.msg482540#msg482540
       date=1700166199]
       Harper was able to do it towards the end of the year, but they
       would also give him breaks at DH as well.
       [/quote]
       Harper isn’t a pitcher too.
       Can’t imagine a club that has just spent a fortune for Ohtani—in
       part as a TORP—taking the risk of having him throw in a game
       until he is 100% rehabbed as a pitcher.
       What’s the point? Ohtani has never played 1B in big leagues even
       when completely healthy.
       #Post#: 482543--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Hot Stove
       By: CUBluejays Date: November 16, 2023, 2:38 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=Ron link=topic=630.msg482538#msg482538
       date=1700165942]
       Exactly. The only people who have any real sense of what the
       Cubs intend to do, or may or may not do re Ohtani, Bellinger etc
       are those who are in the most inner circle of the Cubs. And it
       should be obvious by now that those guys are not talking to the
       media ... or to opposing teams.
       [/quote]
       If you listen to Sharma/Mooney on their podcast, they had a
       pretty good idea that the Cubs wanted a SS and Swanson was the
       guy they were targeting.  Nothing is 100% when it comes to
       rumors and things can pop up, but Rogers/Sharma/Mooney seem to
       have a pretty good idea of the broad strokes.  Go back to
       previous off seasons under Hoyer.  Sharma/Mooney/Rogers where
       pretty good at getting the general direction of things.
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