# Major League Baseball Hot Stove League Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [November 10, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382 "2016-11-10T18:02:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/101 "2016-12-07T22:20:45Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > There are two possibilities here: > > 1. Dan Duquette is an idiot. > 2. The reporter is an idiot. > > The smart money ain’t on #1. Apparently he said it (assuming he said it) during a radio interview. So if he did say it, there ought to be a tape. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/102 "2016-12-07T22:31:08Z")
Apparently the fans’ dislike can be overcome, [if Bautista’s price drops](http://www.si.com/mlb/2016/12/07/jose-bautista-free-agency-orioles-fans-dan-duquette). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/103 "2016-12-08T04:18:26Z")
I’m sure the Orioles fans would just totally hate him if he was hitting home runs as a Baltimore Oriole. Sure they would. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/104 "2016-12-09T08:26:26Z")
[Dexter Fowler signs with St Louis](http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18239484/dexter-fowler-reaches-agreement-st-louis-cardinals) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/105 "2016-12-09T19:45:41Z")
Did the Red Sox have to promise Sale that they wouldn’t use throwback uniforms? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/106 "2016-12-10T20:22:38Z")
Twins prospect Yorman Landa dies in car accident. > **[Twins prospect Yorman Landa dies in car accident in Venezuela](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/twins-prospect-yorman-landa-dies-in-car-accident-in-venezuela/)** > > Landa was only 22 years old via [http://cbssportsapp.com](http://cbssportsapp.com) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/107 "2016-12-14T00:19:16Z")
Sources say the Dodgers have re-signed Jansen and are close on re-signing Turner. Good. Those two were key components of the Dodger defense last year, and with Turner healthy, third base is solid. Now if we can just sign a power-hitting second baseman, we’ll be set for March. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/108 "2016-12-15T07:24:36Z")
Cubs agree with Koji Uehara on a one-year deal. They now have pitchers who threw the last pitch in three of the last four World Series (Uehara in 2013 vs St Louis, Wade Davis in 2015 vs New York Mets, Mike Montgomery vs Cleveland this year). ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/109 "2016-12-15T21:38:29Z")
Sad to see Koji leaving Boston. He was a ton of fun to watch in 2013. This will be his age 42 season, but a year at $6M is not bad. He was still a very useful bullpen arm last season. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/110 "2016-12-20T18:38:22Z")
Boston trades Clay Buchholz to Philadelphia in exchange for minor league second baseman Josh Tobias ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/111 "2016-12-20T20:07:30Z")
Why not vote for our own Hall of Fame? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=813687](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=813687) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/112 "2016-12-23T00:03:23Z")
A bit dated but [Record 6 MLB teams to pay luxury tax](http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-mlb-luxury-tax-20161216-story.html). ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/113 "2016-12-23T14:51:08Z")
Cleveland signs Edwin Encarnacion for 3 years / $60M. They’re pretty pleased with themselves. It’s not a bad deal and he fills a hole for them. I do wonder who they were bidding against. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/114 "2016-12-23T17:14:51Z")
That’s a very good deal and you can imagine how angry Blue Jay fans are. The Blue Jays will be spending $18 million the next two years on Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce, who were signed effectively to replace Encarnacion. In the third year they still owe Morales $13 million more. How this is better than just re-signing Encarnacion - who, according to numerous first-hand reports, wanted to come back to Toronto - I really do not understand. I can understand a team making a single decision to say “Edwin Encarnacion is a helluva hitter but big deals to 1B/DH guys in their 30s often don’t work out, so we’ll spend the money on something else.” But they spend the money on… two 1B/DH guys on their 30s, neither of whom’s as good as Encarnacion. It’s like trading a quarter for two dimes. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/115 "2016-12-23T17:27:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The Blue Jays will be spending $18 million the next two years on Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce, who were signed effectively to replace Encarnacion. In the third year they still owe Morales $13 million more. How this is better than just re-signing Encarnacion - who, according to numerous first-hand reports, wanted to come back to Toronto - I really do not understand. I saw a report that the Jays offered Encarnacion 4 years for $80 million, which he evidently turned down. So now he gets essentially the same deal from Cleveland, only for one year less. Either he was originally hoping for significantly more dough and/or a longer-term deal, or he wasn’t that crazy about returning to Toronto. If Brantley comes back strong, the Indians will have a pretty potent lineup. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/116 "2016-12-23T20:02:45Z")
There are reportedly about 20 teams interested in SP Tyson Ross. Chicago Cubs rumored to have the most interest. If he signs there, he’d essentially be replacing Jason Hammels in the rotation. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/117 "2016-12-23T21:52:16Z")
Pitcher David Rollins has been claimed off waivers by the Cubs. That makes the 5th time this winter that he has been claimed. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/118 "2016-12-24T02:14:22Z")
Justin Turner gets a 4 year contract from the Dodgers for a reported $64 million. Both sides are quite happy with the deal. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/119 "2017-01-03T16:06:12Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I saw a report that the Jays offered Encarnacion 4 years for $80 million, which he evidently turned down. Yeah, hard to blame Toronto. That was back in November that he turned down the 4/80M deal. The Jays quickly reacted and signed Morales. They could have gambled that the market wouldn’t be what Encarnacion thought (a gamble they would have won) and waited him out. But imagine how pissed fans would be if they came up completely empty handed. And Encarnacion reportedly turned down more money from Oakland to sign with Cleveland. Can’t blame him if his motivation is winning. Just read an article about the possibility of the Red Sox reacquiring Clay Buchholz from Philly. And it concludes that they will probably not. So there was 5 minutes well spent. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382/120 "2017-01-05T00:24:36Z")
Little-known California law could allow Mike Trout to become a free agent after the 2017 season. Not that I think he’d exercise it: > **[Could a little-known California law allow Mike Trout to become a free agent?](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/could-a-little-known-california-law-allow-mike-trout-to-become-a-free-agent/)** > > Section 2855 of the California Labor Code suggests it's possible via [http://cbssportsapp.com](http://cbssportsapp.com) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball-hot-stove-league-thread/771382.md?page=7)