# The Official MLB Offseason Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 29, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185 "2011-10-29T14:39:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/81 "2011-11-02T19:01:30Z")
The Cubs have fired Mike Quade. Is Ryno going to get the job? ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/82 "2011-11-02T19:58:50Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The Cubs have fired Mike Quade. Is Ryno going to get the job? Theo Epstein said the new manager must have experience at the major league level. So that would seem to rule him out. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/83 "2011-11-02T20:14:59Z")
So we get competent ownership, make Kemp happy, and do some wise spending. Dee Gordon continues to grow at shortstop, Loney and Ethier bounce back… Look out, world! Anybody got a good 3rd baseman for sale or rent? We had this guy named Beltre, once, but I guess he just didn’t have what it takes to be a good ballplayer…:smack: ---
**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:** [November 2, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/84 "2011-11-02T20:18:51Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > So we get competent ownership, make Kemp happy, and do some wise spending. Dee Gordon continues to grow at shortstop, Loney and Ethier bounce back… > Look out, world! > Anybody got a good 3rd baseman for sale or rent? We had this guy named Beltre, once, but I guess he just didn’t have what it takes to be a good ballplayer…:smack: I’m not sure how much of that is sarcasm, if any, but I certainly don’t think all of it’s true. I certainly am not going to make any assumptions about the new owner(s) being competent – but for now, less incompetent will do. 🙂 As for Loney, rumors continue to have it that the Dodgers are going to make a serious run at Prince Fielder, and there was news last night that they’re close to re-signing Juan Rivera already. Which doesn’t exactly leave a whole lot of room for Loney. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/85 "2011-11-02T20:25:58Z")
I wasn’t being sarcastic at all, just rehearsing my usual Spring optimism. And I don’t think we’re getting Fielder…I doubt the team ownership situation will be clarified in time. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/86 "2011-11-02T21:54:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The Cubs have fired Mike Quade. Is Ryno going to get the job? > [@chizzuk](#): > > Theo Epstein said the new manager must have experience at the major league level. So that would seem to rule him out. Word this afternoon is that the Cardinals have asked Philly for permission to talk to Ryno (who currently manages Philadelphia’s AAA team.) Although that may just be the Cardinals’ way of messing with both their and the Cubs’ fans. ---
**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 2, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/87 "2011-11-02T22:49:01Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Adding one year to a contract that had 4 years left is all that happened. Also an option year after that with a vesting clause. If you think that is a bad deal for the Yanks to avoid losing their ace, well so be it. I think it was a very good deal consider where the Yanks would be if he did leave. Hell, it was practically a hometown discount. Sabathia could have easily extracted more years and dollars out of the Yankees by hitting the free agent market. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/88 "2011-11-10T02:03:00Z")
Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped in his native Venezuela. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/89 "2011-11-10T03:26:43Z")
Royals fulfill their need for a starting pitcher (Jonathan Sanchez) and their need to shed a surplus outfielder (Melky Cabrera). ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/90 "2011-11-10T03:41:22Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Royals fulfill their need for a starting pitcher (Jonathan Sanchez) and their need to shed a surplus outfielder (Melky Cabrera). Giants fulfill their need to trade a player who led the team in ERA in 2010 and threw a no-hitter at his lowest value, and their need to pick up an extra surplus outfielder who can’t field and may not even hit. You trade Sanchez when his value is high, or you let him start the year over Zito and benefit from his superior pitching while letting his stock go back up some before trading him. What you don’t do, is pull him from the rotation and then dump him for Melky Cabrera. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/91 "2011-11-10T15:20:59Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#): > > Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped in his native Venezuela. The Pirates are _finally_ getting serious about upgrading. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/92 "2011-11-10T16:52:27Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > McCourt bought them for 430 mill and wants a mere billion. I am sure he will share the profits with the players and the union. Did the players and union back him financially when he bought the team? Should they pony up if he loses money on the team? ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/93 "2011-11-10T17:37:52Z")
but I think the answers to your questions are: 1. He’s unlikely to lose money on the sale; and 2. the union and players didn’t have any participation in the decision. Haven’t much more in the past week or so about developments on the Dodger’s sale… ---
**Author:** ![Fred\_Garvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c67d28/32.png) [@Fred\_Garvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred_Garvin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/94 "2011-11-11T21:07:22Z")
[Phillies sign Papelbon 4yrs/50mil](http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7220927/jonathan-papelbon-philadelphia-phillies-agree-4-year-50-million-deal-source-says) 4 years? Wow, Philly take a HUGE risk. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/95 "2011-11-11T21:36:36Z")
It’s not even a risk. It’s like seeing the puddle and changing course to walk through the middle of it. Man do I not like that move. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/96 "2011-11-11T21:52:10Z")
Good Lord. I guess Ruben Amaro didn’t learn anything from Brad Lidge. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/97 "2011-11-11T21:53:26Z")
Wow. I saw they signed him, but that’s a very steep price. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/98 "2011-11-11T22:52:06Z")
Big money spent on a closer is the dumbest money you can spend in major league baseball. Yikes. Maybe the Phillies inherited a billion dollars in some sort of “Brewster’s Millions” scenario where they had tospent it all in a set amount of time. Papelbon’s a terrific pitcher but giving a 31-year-old guy that kind of money to pitch 65 innings is crazy. If Papelbon’s worth $12.5 million a year, Roy Halladay must be worth $35 million, at least. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/99 "2011-11-11T22:54:51Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Big money spent on a closer is the dumbest money you can spend in major league baseball. Oh, come on. BJ Ryan worked out just fine for you guys, right? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185/100 "2011-11-11T23:05:23Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Oh, come on. BJ Ryan worked out just fine for you guys, right? 🙂 (Breaks down sobbing) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-mlb-offseason-thread/601185.md?page=6)