# MLB Hot Stove **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 2, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494 "2017-11-02T14:13:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/301 "2018-01-14T18:38:17Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Agree with you that the under on Bruce’s next three years is a heck of a lot more likely than the over. Not a player I’d especially want on my roster at $13 mil per year…(now watch him hit fifty homers in 2018) > > As for position, here’s what I hear: > > First, the Mets keep thinking they can turn Michael Conforto into a capable CF (the old “but he’s really athletic!” fallacy.l). I’m dubious, but if they can do it then Bruce joins Cespedes in the corners. I mean, maybe Conforto can play center field passably well. He was out there a bit last year and he wasn’t good but he wasn’t a disaster. I sure wouldn’t want to force the issue, but I guess you never know. It just seems to me that pushing Conforto defensively is an added cost involved in signing Jay Bruce, and an unnecessary pressure on Conforto. I forgot to post this before, but am I the only person who missed Oakland’s Matt Olson? Last year in 189 at bats, Olson had: - 24 home runs - 2 doubles Isn’t that wonderful? He’s the ultimate pure home run hitter. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/302 "2018-01-15T15:48:08Z")
Now the Blue Jays are said to be kicking the tired on an Andrew McCutchen trade. I’ve always liked McCutchen but something happened to him in 2016 and he hasn’t been the same, although he improved in 2017. As he would have to move to right field in Toronto - there is no way in hell he plays center over Kevin Pillar - maybe taking a few plays off his to do list would help him get back a little closer to where he used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/303 "2018-01-15T16:06:17Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Now the Blue Jays are said to be kicking the tired on an Andrew McCutchen trade. Interesting typo. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/304 "2018-01-15T18:08:51Z")
Freudian slip perhaps… ---
**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 15, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/305 "2018-01-15T20:31:32Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Now the Blue Jays are said to be kicking the tired on an Andrew McCutchen trade. > > I’ve always liked McCutchen but something happened to him in 2016 and he hasn’t been the same, although he improved in 2017. As he would have to move to right field in Toronto - there is no way in hell he plays center over Kevin Pillar - maybe taking a few plays off his to do list would help him get back a little closer to where he used to be. But he’s a Giant > **[MLB Hot Stove trades: Giants acquire Andrew McCutchen from Pirates](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-hot-stove-trades-giants-reportedly-acquire-andrew-mccutchen-from-pirates/)** > > Gerrit Cole was traded over the weekend and now McCutchen is on the move ---
**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:** [January 15, 2018, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/306 "2018-01-15T23:10:39Z")
First Longoria, now McCutchen. Definitely looks like a win-now strategy for SF, but they each seem like guys on the decline. Be interesting to see how much of their top value these two guys have left. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/307 "2018-01-15T23:42:39Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > But he’s a Giant > > [https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-hot-stove-trades-giants-reportedly-acquire-andrew-mccutchen-from-pirates/](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-hot-stove-trades-giants-reportedly-acquire-andrew-mccutchen-from-pirates/) Jays got scooped - and the Giants didn’t give a lot up. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/308 "2018-01-16T00:00:49Z")
Damn, one less place for Ellsbury to go. Looks like a good move by the Giants. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/309 "2018-01-16T22:03:42Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Jays got scooped - and the Giants didn’t give a lot up. I think the Giants got the better end of that trade. Yeah, McCutchen isn’t the player he used to be, but he’s still a solid fielder and hitter. He was also the “face” of the Pirates, who didn’t even apparently negotiate with him, just let him go. I realize it’s hard for small market teams, but it sucks to see Cutch leave like this. I expect a backlash from fans (ticket sales and TV ratings). I know nothing will ever get done, but it’s painful watching the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox have payrolls that are twice as much as the lowest six teams. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/310 "2018-01-16T22:12:00Z")
> [@Orwell](#): > > I think the Giants got the better end of that trade. Yeah, McCutchen isn’t the player he used to be, but he’s still a solid fielder and hitter. He was also the “face” of the Pirates, who didn’t even apparently negotiate with him, just let him go. I realize it’s hard for small market teams, but it sucks to see Cutch leave like this. I expect a backlash from fans (ticket sales and TV ratings). Taken completely in isolation, I agree. Taken strategically, I honestly think the Giants are crazy. Absolutely batshit. It’s not that I mind Cutch, but what the hell are they doing? They’ve added salary in Longoria and McCutchen to a team that finished 64-98. If those two do well that makes them what, 71-91? They’re in a tough division - I just don’t see them finishing third, much less making the playoffs. Is it worth all this money plus some prospects to have a bad record instead of a very bad record? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/311 "2018-01-17T12:08:59Z")
For whatever reason, McCutchen has played poorly in the first two to three months of the season. Then he usually starts heating up before the all-star break and oscillating between hot streaks and mediocrity until season’s end. I’m not sure whether it’s the manner in which Hurdle has put his lineup together or what, but Cutch has been a different player since 2015. He still has power, though. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/312 "2018-01-17T14:59:40Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > For whatever reason, McCutchen has played poorly in the first two to three months of the season. Then he usually starts heating up before the all-star break and oscillating between hot streaks and mediocrity until season’s end. I’m not sure whether it’s the manner in which Hurdle has put his lineup together or what, but Cutch has been a different player since 2015. He still has power, though. Yeah, that’s been McCutchen’s pattern year after year. After the first two months, it’s all “maybe he’s lost it” and “maybe he’s getting old”, and then by August it’s “he’s back!”. It makes it kind of hard to analyze him until a full season is over. He’s been a good guy, good with fans, and I wish him well. He started with the Pirates as a minor league player, and I just wished he could have remained a Pirate his whole career. I hope the same for Manny Machado with the Orioles, but I’m betting that’s not going to happen, either. One one hand, I understand going for the money. But I think that’s short-sighted. If you look at players that stay with one team their whole career, they have a lifetime of being appreciated and making money with that identity. As an Orioles fan, I’m thinking of guys like Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell (he did leave at the very end of his career), Cal Ripken, etc. I guess those days are largely over. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/313 "2018-01-17T16:03:12Z")
Those moves aren’t crazy. If the Giants are out of it at the break, Longoria and McCutchen (and others) will make great trade bait in what is always a seller’s market. The team can get the prospects then that they can’t get now, and will be in better shape for future years. ---
**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:** [January 17, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/314 "2018-01-17T17:48:10Z")
The Giants are out of it now. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/315 "2018-01-17T17:51:01Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The Giants are out of it now. One projection I read has the moves they’ve made and the return of their pitching be enough to move them up to 2nd Wild Card, I don’t buy it but it is out there. Hell, if they decide to add Ellsbury, they would probably be a sure thing for a wildcard. Think they’ll buy this theory? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/316 "2018-01-17T18:58:33Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > One projection I read has the moves they’ve made and the return of their pitching be enough to move them up to 2nd Wild Card, I don’t buy it but it is out there. > > Hell, if they decide to add Ellsbury, they would probably be a sure thing for a wildcard. Think they’ll buy this theory? I just saw a rumor that supposedly came from Ellsbury’s _doorman_ claiming that he had cleared out his NYC apartment. Yankee fans are getting desperate. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/317 "2018-01-17T19:28:46Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I just saw a rumor that supposedly came from Ellsbury’s _doorman_ claiming that he had cleared out his NYC apartment. > > Yankee fans are getting desperate. “Really, oh boy, such good news, woot, Ellsbury is gone! Yay!”, Jim says with a note of desperate joy. Ellsbury is probably the single worst signing that Cashman decided to make. Some of the other bad Yankee deals were directed down on him by others, mainly the Boss. He was one of the few voices against extending A-Rod, Sheffield was purely George, the Boss even did the negotiations. I think Pavano was Cashman’s mistake though too, so coin toss which deal was worse. Giambi was at the direction of the new TV Network YES and it still wasn’t really that bad. So yes, Yankee fans are a little desperate to move Ellsbury along and make room for others. It is true. Our beat writers are nearly as bad. One local writer for the NY Post suggested Ellsbury to the Rockies for Ian Desmond and other [locals](http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2018/01/mlb_trade_rumors_yankees_jacoby_ellsbury_for_rocki.html#incart_river_index)are reporting this as a rumor rather than just speculation. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/318 "2018-01-18T00:49:25Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Taken completely in isolation, I agree. > > Taken strategically, I honestly think the Giants are crazy. Absolutely batshit. It’s not that I mind Cutch, but what the hell are they doing? They’ve added salary in Longoria and McCutchen to a team that finished 64-98. If those two do well that makes them what, 71-91? They’re in a tough division - I just don’t see them finishing third, much less making the playoffs. Is it worth all this money plus some prospects to have a bad record instead of a very bad record? Reminds me of the Astros in the 2006-2007 off-season - they were only one season away from the world series! They were not terrible the season before! But the writing was clearly on the wall and they decided to ignore it and try to string things out just a bit longer, which made the total crash and burn necessary a few years later. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2018, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/319 "2018-01-24T23:23:40Z")
Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vlad Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman are in the HOF. Edgar Martinez up to 70% in voting. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494/320 "2018-01-24T23:42:55Z")
Guerrero and Hoffman? Ugh Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hot-stove/800494.md?page=17)