# MLB Offseason Thread 2024-2025 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [November 1, 2024, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526 "2024-11-01T01:39:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [November 9, 2024, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/41 "2024-11-09T16:33:48Z")
Japanese pitcher [Roki Sasaki](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42280725/chiba-lotte-marines-post-japanese-star-roki-sasaki-mlb) appears to be heading to the MLB. However, he’ll be considered a minor league free agent, which means there’s a ceiling for what his contract can amount to. He can be added to a major league roster virtually immediately, but must sign a minor league contract. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/42 "2024-11-09T23:13:06Z")
He should move from the Marines to the Mariners. That would make one of the best starting pitching rotations in MLB. They even have enough talent to run out a six-man rotation, should they choose. Also, the flight to Tokyo is shorter from Seattle than L.A… ---
**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:** [November 9, 2024, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/43 "2024-11-09T23:21:44Z")
There’s at least idle speculation that the Cubs are going to try to pry a starter off of the Mariners to round out their rotation. With Imanaga, Taillon, Assad and Wicks, they need at least one more good arm. They have plenty of IF and OF prospects. Chicago’s main considerations this offseason are the rotation, back-of-the-bullpen, and an upgrade at C. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/44 "2024-11-13T14:57:13Z")
Tropicana Field, the home stadium of the Rays, which was damaged by Hurricane Milton last month, can be repaired, but it wouldn’t be ready until 2026, forcing the Rays to play elsewhere next season – MLB would prefer to see them stay in the region, which would likely mean playing at a minor-league or spring training facility. The bigger issue appears to be that the repair would cost $56 million (to replace the roof, and make other repairs), but the stadium is already slated for demolition, to be replaced by a new stadium by 2028. The city may not be interested in footing the repair bill, for a stadium that’ll only be used for a few more seasons anyway. Regardless, it’ll undoubtedly mean that there will be two MLB teams playing in minor league parks in 2025 (at a minimum), as the A’s will be playing in Sacramento, sharing a stadium with the AAA River Cats, until their new stadium in Las Vegas is completed. > **[Rays' home can't be fixed in time for '25 season](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42349675/rays-hurricane-damaged-home-fixed-55m-ready-26)** > > The city of St. Petersburg said damage from Hurricane Milton to Tropicana Field can be fixed for $55.7M but the stadium won't be ready until the 2026 season. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/45 "2024-11-13T17:37:23Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > would likely mean playing at a minor-league or spring training facility. At 16,515, the Rays were 3rd from the bottom in average attendance this season. A minor league park would be sufficient for them next season, and they might sell out every game! Plus, Tropicana is a terrible place in which to play baseball. Oakland had the lowest average attendance (11,528), and Miami was next (13,425). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/46 "2024-11-13T17:48:45Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > At 16,515, the Rays were 3rd from the bottom in average attendance this season. A minor league park would be sufficient for them next season, and they might sell out every game! Looking at capacity of the spring training / minor league ballparks in the Tampa area, mentioned in the ESPN article (there’s a recurring theme): - BayCare Ballpark (Phillies, Clearwater): 8.500 - Steinbrenner Field (Yankees, Tampa): 11,026 - TD Ballpark (Blue Jays, Dunedin): 8,500 - Ed Smith Stadium (Orioles, Sarasota): 8,500 - Publix Field (Tigers, Lakeland): 8,500 - Charlotte Sports Park (Rays, Port Charlotte): 7,670 Most of them only have a capacity of about half of what the Rays drew, on average, last year, and they also have minor-league teams playing there during the season (the same scheduling issue that the A’s are facing in Sacramento). It’ll work, but not ideal. > [@](#): > > Plus, Tropicana is a terrible place in which to play baseball. No argument there, and I’m sure that the Rays were happy to be able to finally be getting a new, less lousy stadium. But, they’re in for some strangeness, and really poor ticket sales, in the meantime. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/47 "2024-11-13T17:57:40Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > - BayCare Ballpark (Phillies, Clearwater): 8.500 > - Steinbrenner Field (Yankees, Tampa): 11,026 > - TD Ballpark (Blue Jays, Dunedin): 8,500 > - Ed Smith Stadium (Orioles, Sarasota): 8,500 > - Publix Field (Tigers, Lakeland): 8,500 > - Charlotte Sports Park (Rays, Port Charlotte): 7,670 TD Ballpark is probably the best stadium of any spring training facility, is close to St. Petersburg, and has previously hosted regular season games. Steinbrenner and BayCare are pretty good too. The only problem is they’d have to pay another team to play to them, so I suspect they wiull end up at Port Charlotte. PEople are also suggesting thjey play in Miami, but 1. I don’t think people realize how far Miami is from St. Petersburg; Florida is a big state. It’s like a four hour drive. It would be like the Mets playing in DC, or Atlanta decamping to Nashville. The Rays do have some fans and you want the games accessible to them, 2. The Grapefruit League stadiums noted above only hold 8000-11000 but I sincerely doubt the Rays would draw 8000 in Miami anyway. Some days the MARLINS don’t get 8000, and 3. At least when it isn’t raining, playing in a place like TD Ballpark would offer a nicer experience in many ways. Tropicana’s not a very attractive place to watch baseball. You could probably max out attendance many days at MLB level prices. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2024, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/48 "2024-11-13T21:36:04Z")
How many games would be rained out if they just played without a roof? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2024, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/49 "2024-11-13T21:45:36Z")
Given the current state of Tropicana Field, and the fact that damage to the stadium from the storm wasn’t solely limited to the roof, I’m not at all sure that it would be considered to be safe to play in today. Even if the verdict was “just tear off what’s left of the roof, and play in open air,” that’d take time and money, and I’m not sure that the stadium’s interior is built in a way that it would remain playable if it’s regularly rained on. Open-air stadiums are built to deal with heavy rain and runoff, both on the field and in the stands; a closed-air stadium likely isn’t built that way. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/50 "2024-11-14T19:37:25Z")
Announced today they will be playing at Steinbrenner Field. > **[Rays plan to play 2025 season at Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field](https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2024/11/14/interim-stadium-steinbrenner-field-yankees-tarpons-pinellas-st-petersburg/)** > > In need of an interim home following hurricane damage to Tropicana Field, the team has a deal in place with its American League East rival. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/51 "2024-11-14T19:40:19Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Announced today they will be playing at Steinbrenner Field Obviously the Rays front-office team reads the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/52 "2024-11-14T19:47:41Z")
I’m surprised to see that the single A Tarpons who play at that field only average 6.4 weather postponements a season. Not bad it a 132 game season. The amount of delays may be high. No word on where they will play during their season. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/53 "2024-11-14T19:49:47Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > Announced today they will be playing at Steinbrenner Field > > Obviously the Rays front-office team reads the Dope. Pretty much a no brainer. The league was apparently pushing for them to stay in the area. It’s the biggest stadium in the area and apparently the team facilities are excellent and new. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/54 "2024-11-14T22:27:57Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’m surprised to see that the single A Tarpons who play at that field only average 6.4 weather postponements a season. Not bad it a 132 game season. The amount of delays may be high. > > No word on where they will play during their season. I guess they could adjust the FSL schedule to just play when the Rays are on the road. ---
**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:** [November 14, 2024, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/55 "2024-11-14T23:11:46Z")
And/or play a couple of more games on the road this next couple of seasons. It’s Florida - nothing is that far away from Tampa. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2024, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/56 "2024-11-19T23:34:01Z")
The plot thickens further, regarding the Rays’ new stadium. The team has fronted $50 million for early work on the stadium project, but are saying that further progress is stalled, as there have been delays in Pinellas County’s approval of a bond issue for the public portion of the project’s funding. At this point, the Rays are saying that the delays are making it unlikely that they’ll be able to start play there in 2028 (which was the current plan), meaning that, unless Tropicana Field’s roof is repaired, the team is looking at 4 or more seasons playing in a minor-league ballpark (or not playing in the region). > **[Rays say new stadium unlikely to be ready by '28](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42489924/rays-say-new-stadium-unlikely-ready-2028-season)** > > Due to a combination of damage to Tropicana Field and political delays on financing, it is unlikely the Rays' planned new stadium will be ready by 2028. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2024, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/57 "2024-11-19T23:50:09Z")
The figure I’ve seen is $15 million to the Yankees to use Steinbrenner Field for the season. Or maybe that will be $15 million to Juan Soto. I also heard MLB is paying not the Rays. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/58 "2024-11-20T00:19:20Z")
The Guardians’ Stephen Vogt and the Brewers’ Pat Murphy have been named the AL and NL Managers of the Year, respectively; both of them were in their first season managing their teams. Vogt had never held a managerial role prior to this year. Murphy had managed extensively in the college ranks (for Notre Dame and Arizona State), and for two seasons in the Brewers’ minor-league system, but his only previous major-league managerial experience had been as the Padres’ interim manager in 2015. An interesting note: Murphy will turn 66 years old next week. He’s the fourth-oldest winner of a Manager of the Year Award, behind Jack McKeon (who won it twice, at ages 72 and 68) and Davey Johnson (who won it at age 66). > **[Vogt, Murphy win top managers in first year on job](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42492742/cleveland-guardians-stephen-vogt-named-al-manager-year)** > > The Brewers' Pat Murphy and Guardians' Stephen Vogt were named Managers of the Year on Tuesday after leading their teams to the playoffs in their first full seasons managing. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/59 "2024-11-20T02:04:49Z")
Rob Manfred is cooking something up right now with national broadcasting rights for MLB games. There’s nothing concrete at all, but it sounds like he wants to consolidate all ownership of local and national broadcast rights under the MLB, which would end blackouts for good. MLB would auction off national broadcast games to various networks/streamers, and the local games would be sold as a package via [MLB.tv](http://MLB.tv) or some other service. At first glance, it seems like this would really screw over big market team fans. Yankee and Dodger (and other big market team) games would be the obvious first games being sold, and their fans will need to have subscriptions to every service (I.e. Amazon Prime, Apple+, MLB Network, ESPN) to watch games. I could see there being a way for in-market fans to watch on [MLB.tv](http://MLB.tv), but who knows. Overall, this would be a game changer for the average fan, in a good way. Eliminating blackouts has seemed like the third rail of baseball commissioner-hood, and this would be amazing - especially if there’s a palatable solution for in-market fans during national broadcasts. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526/60 "2024-11-20T02:16:00Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > At first glance, it seems like this would really screw over big market team fans. Yankee and Dodger (and other big market team) games would be the obvious first games being sold Dodgers fans are used to being screwed over by sales of broadcast rights. From 2014-2020, they had this (article from 2014): > **[Almost 70% of Los Angeles can't watch the Dodgers on TV](https://awfulannouncing.com/2014/almost-70-of-los-angeles-cant-watch-the-dodgers-on-tv.html)** > > This weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers open their regular season in Australia, but unless your cable provider is A) affiliated with Time Warner Cable i.e., Bright House or B) Time Warner itself, you can’t watch the games. And there is no chance for... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread-2024-2025/1009526.md?page=4)