# MLB Off Season/Hot Stove **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [March 11, 2020, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799 "2020-03-11T04:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/102 "2020-03-26T03:13:13Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > If Sumo Baseball is a thing then Dae-Ho Lee could make a return to the MLB. He’s built for that kind of play; his belly even has its own Twitter account: > [https://mobile.twitter.com/daeholeesbelly](https://mobile.twitter.com/daeholeesbelly) Could he make it to the pitcher’s mound before the catcher tackled him? Could he break that tackle? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/103 "2020-03-26T03:18:31Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Could he make it to the pitcher’s mound before the catcher tackled him? Could he break that tackle? Maybe. He’s not fast but he’s big, and that might give him momentum. Plus you can’t get your arms around him easily. I just think, if you have Sumo Baseball, you can use a hybrid Sumo/Hitter. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/104 "2020-03-26T03:37:47Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Maybe. He’s not fast but he’s big, and that might give him momentum. Plus you can’t get your arms around him easily. I just think, if you have Sumo Baseball, you can use a hybrid Sumo/Hitter. In theory, the 3rd baseman would be able to play strong safety if he was fast enough. But the catcher knows when the inside pitch is coming so he will have the jump. What would happen on a dropped third strike on an inside pitch? ---
**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:** [March 26, 2020, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/105 "2020-03-26T05:21:08Z")
Looking at old random box scores for various (work-related!) reasons, I came across this game from mid-July, 2001, in which Randy Johnson came in to relieve Curt Schilling after two innings - they pitched a joint shut-out and I believe Johnson holds the record for strikeouts recorded in relief in a game. > **[Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Diego Padres Box Score: July 18, 2001 |...](https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN200107180.shtml)** > > Arizona Diamondbacks beat San Diego Padres (3-0). Jul 18, 2001, Attendance: 22184, Time of Game: 2:20. Visit Baseball-Reference.com for the complete box score, play-by-play, and win probability Any D-back or Padres fans remember the game? I guess Schilling must have gotten hurt or something? Why the hell was Johnson available in relief in a random regular-season game in late July? ---
**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:** [March 26, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/106 "2020-03-26T05:25:09Z")
Answering my own question: the game had been suspended after two innings due to an electrical problem, and the following day was completed as part of a double-header. Johnson was scheduled to start anyway, and he was used as a relief pitcher in the first game instead to take advantage of the previous day’s lineup being overloaded with lefty hitters. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/107 "2020-03-27T12:42:15Z")
> [@](#): > > An Astros front-office executive wrote about the team’s desire to steal signs in an August 2017 email that was obtained by The Athletic. As the club discussed its advance scouting plans ahead of the playoffs, the executive asked the team’s scouts to pursue sign stealing from the stands, and suggested cameras could be used to do so. > > “One thing in specific we are looking for is picking up signs coming out of the dugout,” the email’s sender wrote in a message from August of 2017. “What we are looking for is how much we can see, how we would log things, if we need cameras/binoculars, etc. So go to game, see what you can (or can’t) do and report back your findings.” > > The email was sent to multiple people and provided to The Athletic on the condition that both its sender and recipients remain unnamed. [Astros exec asked scouts for help stealing signs and suggested using cameras, email shows (The Athletic; paywall)](https://theathletic.com/1374774/2019/11/16/astros-executive-asked-scouts-for-help-stealing-signs-and-suggested-using-cameras-email-shows/) I don’t think the Astros are the only ones stealing signs. But the growing mountain of evidence against them is becoming so egregious that I think MLB has to come down on them like a ton of bricks. Every day brings a follow-up story more ridiculous than the last. And it says something about how disliked they are that so many people are willing to rat them out and hand over evidence to journalists. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/108 "2020-03-28T02:21:28Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > [Astros exec asked scouts for help stealing signs and suggested using cameras, email shows (The Athletic; paywall)](https://theathletic.com/1374774/2019/11/16/astros-executive-asked-scouts-for-help-stealing-signs-and-suggested-using-cameras-email-shows/) > > I don’t think the Astros are the only ones stealing signs. But the growing mountain of evidence against them is becoming so egregious that I think MLB has to come down on them like a ton of bricks. Every day brings a follow-up story more ridiculous than the last. And it says something about how disliked they are that so many people are willing to rat them out and hand over evidence to journalists. I don’t see how the owners could not have been aware. Impose penalties on the team (hefty fine, take away draft picks, reduce luxury cap, reduce international money, no home games, no post season, etc.). Then make the owners sell the team in that condition. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/109 "2020-03-28T23:40:05Z")
A few lifetime banishments from baseball would send a solid message. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/110 "2020-03-29T00:21:07Z")
I’ve also been hearing about Milwaukee, and I have my doubts that it will stop there. After penalties are assigned (and I agree, heavy suspensions at the very least are appropriate), I think the best reform to the game will be just to give each dugout live video feed of the catcher & opposing dugout (from the field). If everyone has the info, everyone can take it into account and do whatever is needed to mix up the signals and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/111 "2020-03-29T00:29:23Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > I’ve also been hearing about Milwaukee, and I have my doubts that it will stop there. After penalties are assigned (and I agree, heavy suspensions at the very least are appropriate), I think the best reform to the game will be just to give each dugout live video feed of the catcher & opposing dugout (from the field). If everyone has the info, everyone can take it into account and do whatever is needed to mix up the signals and so forth. At this point, I think you just give the pitcher and catcher head sets or some other way to communicate directly. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/112 "2020-03-29T23:34:56Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > At this point, I think you just give the pitcher and catcher head sets or some other way to communicate directly. Is it really that hard to police? ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/113 "2020-03-30T01:11:56Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > My understanding is that Washington’s offer has a lot of the dough as deferred money, so it’s entirely possible Rendon could be lured away by an equal or even slightly cheaper off if the money is actually all paid during the term of the contract. > > A huge $30m/year contract to Rendon will probably be a disaster. He’s a terrific player, but 2019 was the best year he has ever had, and he’s 30 next year, so the odds are very heavy that he will have no other years as great as 2019. The majority of huge contracts to position players are disasters. It blows up in your face far more often than not. The Rendon offer was 210-215 million for 7 years but paid out over 14 years. I am hearing that this offer will expire soon or has expired already. I am also hearing that the Nats are talking to Moustakas, no real surprise there. Finally, I am hearing that the Nats are talking to the Red Sox about a trade for Mookie Betts’ if they can reach an understanding with Mookie regarding an extension. But then again, everybody is probably talking to the Red Sox about Mookie Betts. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/114 "2020-03-30T08:12:37Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > The Rendon offer was 210-215 million for 7 years but paid out over 14 years. I am hearing that this offer will expire soon or has expired already. I am also hearing that the Nats are talking to Moustakas, no real surprise there. > > Finally, I am hearing that the Nats are talking to the Red Sox about a trade for Mookie Betts’ if they can reach an understanding with Mookie regarding an extension. But then again, everybody is probably talking to the Red Sox about Mookie Betts. As much as I like Rendon, I’m not sure the money couldn’t be better spent. Let’s say they get Moustakas for 10-12 per year. They could still get Strasburg, Bumgarner, Hudson and another similar reliever, Zimmerman and a platoon partner, someone like Cabrera to play second if Kieboom isn’t ready, and Gomes at a reduced rate. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/115 "2020-03-30T08:31:22Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I don’t have a cite for you, but I watched about 60% of the Nats’ games both this summer and in 2018. The difference in the dugout atmosphere was blatantly obvious. Were you in the dugout or clubhouse? I’m finding this less than convincing. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/116 "2020-03-30T09:02:25Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > Were you in the dugout or clubhouse? I’m finding this less than convincing. His cite is the Nats record after their 24-33 start to 2019 and their playoff run. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/117 "2020-03-30T10:53:32Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > His cite is the Nats record after their 24-33 start to 2019 and their playoff run. 19-31, but who’s counting? It was a magical run in a magical year. Bryce can hit but he brought no magic. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/118 "2020-03-31T02:09:08Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > As much as I like Rendon, I’m not sure the money couldn’t be better spent. Let’s say they get Moustakas for 10-12 per year. They could still get Strasburg, Bumgarner, Hudson and another similar reliever, Zimmerman and a platoon partner, someone like Cabrera to play second if Kieboom isn’t ready, and Gomes at a reduced rate. Then you are left with a hole in the lineup? I know the Nats (like everyone with any salary cap room) are talking to the sox about Mookie betts. If the Nats get Mookie Betts, they can ditch Rendon. But Mookie is going to be 27 million next year on a 1 year contract. Bats with good gloves are not cheap. Sure pitching is important but good offense and fielding helps take some of the pressure off the pitching. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/119 "2020-03-31T02:11:05Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > 19-31, but who’s counting? > > It was a magical run in a magical year. Bryce can hit but he brought no magic. A lot of it wasn’t just the absence of Harper, it was also the presence of players like Parra. Parra is going to Japan for 2 million. > **[Nats fan favorite Parra leaves to play in Japan](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28121384/gerardo-parra-leaves-nationals-mlb-play-japan-yomiuri-giants)** > > Gerardo Parra, whose "Baby Shark" walk-up song became an anthem for the Nationals and their fans, has agreed to a contract with the Yomiuri Giants. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/120 "2020-03-31T02:54:26Z")
Awh! I’m gonna miss Parra and Baby Shark. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/121 "2020-03-31T06:34:09Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > At this point, I think you just give the pitcher and catcher head sets or some other way to communicate directly. Let the pitcher call the game. Theres more he can do to establish signals and a code. Catchers are kinda limited…well from what weve seen them do. They could do all kinds of stuff other than fingers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799.md?page=7)