2015-2016 Hot Stove League

[Tobywan]

Congratulations to the Kansas City Royals on their WS win and to the Mets for a great season. Now that it is over the MLB Hot Stove League officially begins.



139 players are now free agents , here is a link listing a full accounting of the current players, a handful have already announced they will retire, there are a few dozen that may be added later depending on what happens with options. Does anybody stand out as a Christmas wish?



Free Agent list.

[Tobywan]

Alex Gordon has declined his option and Zack Greinke has opted out of the final years of his contract.

[catman]

I don't see Alex Gordon leaving KC. He is an institution there.

[Foster]

Yeah I can see him staying in KC as well.

My hope is that the Jays offer to Price or another one of the FA Sp's.

[Tobywan]

Royal extended a $15.8M qualifying offer to OF Alex Gordon. Picked up 2016 club options on RHP Wade Davis, SS Alcides Escobar and declined option on OF Jonny Gomes, making him a free agent.


Phillies claimed Dan Otero off waivers from Oakland.


Other new free agent filings:

C Bobby Wilson granted free agency after refusing an outright assignment.
LF Nori Aoki
LF David Murphy
SS Alexei Ramirez
RHP Andrew Bailey
RHP Jeremy Guthrie
RF Alex Rios
LHP Cory Luebke
LF Ryan Raburn
2B Maicer Izturis
SS Clint Barmes
RHP Casey Janssen
RHP Chad Qualls
RHP Joe Nathan

[Tobywan]

Qualifying offers made:

Mariners-RHP Hisashi Iwakuma.
Nationals-INF Ian Desmond, RHP Jordan Zimmermann.
Dodgers-RHP Zack Greinke, LHP Brett Anderson, INF Howie Kendric
Rangers-RHP Yovani Gallardo.
Padres-RHP Ian Kennedy, OF Justin Upton.
Cubs-OF Dexter Fowler.

[Foster]

Jays offered to Marco Estrada. Which pleases me, I think.

[Tobywan]

Nobody ever seems to bite on these offers.

[Tobywan]

The Nexen Heroes of the KBO have granted negotiating rights for Byung Ho Park to an MLB team. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports had reported it was the Red Sox, but has since retracted. The winning bid was $12.85 million.

[realmofotalk]

Does anybody stand out as a Christmas wish?



Free Agent list.

I remember this, and remember why we'll always blow it. This fucking team was too chickenshit to acquire a proven ace coming off a historic year whose team happened to be too poor to afford him, but we'll trade Konerko for Jeff Shaw, let Beltre leave as a free agent in his prime after his age-25 season, and sign Kevin Brown to a record-setting salary.

Red Sox Close to Getting Martinez - latimes

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Boston Red Sox seem to have emerged as the leader in the Pedro Martinez sweepstakes, sources from several organizations said Sunday night.

The Red Sox have apparently agreed to trade three of their top pitching prospects--Carl Pavano, Rafael Orellano and Peter Munro--for the Montreal Expo ace. Pavano is one of the top prospects in baseball. Munro is eligible to be selected in Tuesday's expansion draft, but the Red Sox are believed to have made a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays not to select him in return for future compensation, sources said.

The Expos are trading Martinez, the National League's Cy Young award winner, for financial reasons. Martinez will be eligible for free agency after the 1998 season. His availability has attracted most of the large-revenue clubs.

The Dodgers, unwilling to trade either Paul Konerko or Adrian Beltre and concerned about Martinez's future salary demands, had dropped out before Sunday.

[realmofotalk]

Zack Greinke has opted out of the final years of his contract.

Of course. Now I expect them to overpay for either Leake or Kazmir instead and watch the nerds proclaim how much better "value" they got as opposed to what they would have had to spend to re-sign Greinke. Instead of just doing what makes sense, the nerds must try and outsmart everyone. It's what nerds do.

[Tobywan]

AJ Pierzynski turned down more money to stay with the Braves, $2M base, $1M signing bonus and another million worth of incentives. His off season home is in Orlando where the Braves train.

[Tobywan]

Of course. Now I expect them to overpay for either Leake or Kazmir instead and watch the nerds proclaim how much better "value" they got as opposed to what they would have had to spend to re-sign Greinke. Instead of just doing what makes sense, the nerds must try and outsmart everyone. It's what nerds do.

Reportedly, Dodgers are still in talks with Greinke and looking at Price, too, want more Raytards?

[Hammer]

andrelton simmons to the angels...

"The two-time Gold Glove shortstop will head west from the Braves, according to ESPN and multiple reports. The Angels are sending Sean Newcomb, who Keith Law had as the No. 25 prospect in his July rankings, and Erick Aybar to Atlanta in the trade."

[Tobywan]

Colby Rasmus has accepted the Atros qualifying offer, first MLB player to ever accept in the three years since implementation.