OT: 2024 MLB Thread

[JrFischer54]

Too many gimmicks is not good for sports. NASCAR has become an absolute joke of a motorsports series with all of its rule changes over the last two decades (shame because the on track racing these last few years has been spectacular). It started with a simple rule format of the best 12 drivers starting from scratch in the last 10 races to decide a championship. And now it turned into 16 drivers who won at least one race, entered in a playoff format where 4 drivers get knocked out in 3 playoff rounds in 9 races and having the final race decide who wins amongst 4 drivers. Absolute clown show.

My point, one gimmick turns into two gimmicks and then all of a sudden the entire sport is a gimmick. MLB has the new extra innings format, thats all that should be needed in terms of gimmicks.

outside of the weight of cars who knew there would've been more rules in nascar thats crazy

i'm not saying i like the idea but i certainly understand the idea behind it. having the .133 short stop batting 9th down in the 9th against your lights out closer isn't the high drama then say facing the best hitter would be.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Time for the Yanks to fire everyone. Losers.

 

[NjDevsRR]

 

[Saugus]

I did not expect Soto to go to the Mets. Wow.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Not a bad 2024 for us Mets fans. Unexpected and fun regular season and playoff run. Beat the Phillies in the 1st every postseason meeting and then get Juan Soto as an early Christmas/Hannukah present. Thank you uncle Steve!

 

[Better Call Sal]

Today was a shit day in my sports land.

Crazy contract. And the Yanks’ offer was right there. Cohen was never going to let himself be outbid.

 

[Davegarri]

Don't ever count out Uncle Stevie!

 

[Emperoreddy]

Next year's lineup looks really bad right now

 

[NJDevs26]

I did not expect Soto to go to the Mets. Wow.

I was half expecting it and half fearing the worst...guess people can't accuse Steve of coming up short anymore on the big FA's. Not to mention it throws down a serious marker in the whole (sometimes overstated) 'battle for NY'.

 

[NjDevsRR]

5th year opt out? So theoretically he could bounce and look for even more money if his stats continue/improve


Which probably won’t happen as he’d be in his 30’s but man, this mlb market has become stupid

 

[TheBeerNerd]

I did not expect Soto to go to the Mets. Wow.

I 100% did. It's been at the back of my mind for months. What I didn't expect was the Yankees under cheapass Hal to be so close in their offer. When it's a difference of $5 million at over $750 million, it stops being about the money, and other factors have to come into play. (EDIT: Hal gave him an extra year as well.)

If it's about team atmosphere... I can't blame Soto for choosing the Mets. I can't deny that they have a better culture than the Yankees, both as a team and a fanbase. My wife showed me a TikTok video where a Yankees fan said that we go in and win like it's our job, while the Mets have more fun.

Switching teams is out of the question. I'm in too deep. But I gotta say that anyone who wants to jump ship is right to do so.

Time for the Yanks to fire everyone. Losers.

Can't fire the son of a bitch owner. It isn't like he pulled off all the stops to get Soto, it's just that he kept the stupid button-down culture passed down from his father. Like it or not, that's not going to fly these days, but also the Yankees are a luxury team and probably won't change it. It's their core identity. That, and selling hats to people in places like China, Spain, and other parts of the world who just view the logo as a generic New York thing because they don't care about baseball there. Money is money, after all.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

My takes
1. Money-wise Soto wanted
- Max non-deferred contract value to show he is #1
- Max cash $$$ in the first 5 years of his deal.

Mets basically pay him in cash over $325 million in for the first 5 years ($75m signing bonus, 5x $51m per season). At that point Soto can opt out. I want to believe this may have been the biggest negotiation point money-wise.

2. Soto wants to have his own team. Mets needed a superstar to build around and Soto was always considered a complementary piece to Judge.

As a Yankee fan this stings but i do feel Yanks can spend this money better. They need to have a more consistent lineup which ended up being one of the key differentiating factors in the World Series loss. Yankees bottom of the order did not scare anybody. Time to fix that and the 1 base problem.

Not sure if they can go for Alonso, as it would be seen as being the 2nd tier team in NYC (lose Soto ans get Mets' change)

 

[My3Sons]

My takes
1. Money-wise Soto wanted
- Max non-deferred contract value to show he is #1
- Max cash $$$ in the first 5 years of his deal.

Mets basically pay him in cash over $325 million in for the first 5 years ($75m signing bonus, 5x $51m per season). At that point Soto can opt out. I want to believe this may have been the biggest negotiation point money-wise.

2. Soto wants to have his own team. Mets needed a superstar to build around and Soto was always considered a complementary piece to Judge.

As a Yankee fan this stings but i do feel Yanks can spend this money better. They need to have a more consistent lineup which ended up being one of the key differentiating factors in the World Series loss. Yankees bottom of the order did not scare anybody. Time to fix that and the 1 base problem.

Not sure if they can go for Alonso, as it would be seen as being the 2nd tier team in NYC (lose Soto ans get Mets' change)

Spoken like a true dyed in the wool American.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[TheBeerNerd]

So Cashman admitted that they held off on signing Blake Snell because they didn't have the money for both him and Soto. And now the Yankees have neither. You couldn't get that kind of confession out of me through torture.

Oh well, still better than the Blue Jays throwing their hands up and saying, "well, we were just glad to be considered." And the Red Sox being tightwads under FSG. And the Rays not having a home stadium and possibly on the move. Boy, this division is going to be the Orioles' for years to come, huh.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

My takes
1. Money-wise Soto wanted
- Max non-deferred contract value to show he is #1
- Max cash $$$ in the first 5 years of his deal.

Mets basically pay him in cash over $325 million in for the first 5 years ($75m signing bonus, 5x $51m per season). At that point Soto can opt out. I want to believe this may have been the biggest negotiation point money-wise.

2. Soto wants to have his own team. Mets needed a superstar to build around and Soto was always considered a complementary piece to Judge.

As a Yankee fan this stings but i do feel Yanks can spend this money better. They need to have a more consistent lineup which ended up being one of the key differentiating factors in the World Series loss. Yankees bottom of the order did not scare anybody. Time to fix that and the 1 base problem.

Not sure if they can go for Alonso, as it would be seen as being the 2nd tier team in NYC (lose Soto ans get Mets' change)

The Yankees haven't sucked for well over 30 years! Sure losing anything to my Mets will be deemed a complete embarrassment but, trust the process over there. San Diego moved on quite well after Soto left them. You'll be fine. Mets Yankees can really become a rivalry now!

 

[TheBeerNerd]

One other thing about the Soto signing: at one point, a Stadium security guard gave his family attending a game a hard time entering. So Steve Cohen used that as an opportunity to talk up his policy on family during games. That might have been key to going to Queens.

If George were alive, that guard would have been fired already. But also, he probably wouldn't have been outbid by Steve. Can you imagine an MLB where those two were the owners in NYC at the same time? The tabloids would be eating good!

The Yankees haven't sucked for well over 30 years! Sure losing anything to my Mets will be deemed a complete embarrassment but, trust the process over there. San Diego moved on quite well after Soto left them. You'll be fine. Mets Yankees can really become a rivalry now!

Honestly, thinking about it some more, there are other problems with the Yankees than just re-signing Soto, and this makes it easier to address them. But it does sting. And regarding the Yankees sucking (or lack thereof): they've had 11 losing seasons since getting Babe Ruth, while the Angels have had 10 since getting Mike Trout.

 

[My3Sons]

One other thing about the Soto signing: at one point, a Stadium security guard gave his family attending a game a hard time entering. So Steve Cohen used that as an opportunity to talk up his policy on family during games. That might have been key to going to Queens.

If George were alive, that guard would have been fired already. But also, he probably wouldn't have been outbid by Steve. Can you imagine an MLB where those two were the owners in NYC at the same time? The tabloids would be eating good!

Honestly, thinking about it some more, there are other problems with the Yankees than just re-signing Soto, and this makes it easier to address them. But it does sting. And regarding the Yankees sucking (or lack thereof): they've had 11 losing seasons since getting Babe Ruth, while the Angels have had 10 since getting Mike Trout.

The Yankees need to start really updating their farm system and pro scouting. They can't just sign the latest biggest name that makes it to free agency as a means of team building anymore.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

The Yankees need to start really updating their farm system and pro scouting. They can't just sign the latest biggest name that makes it to free agency as a means of team building anymore.

Tale as old as time...

 

[NjDevsRR]

Fried to Yanks

@Emperoreddy

So

Cole
Fried
Rodon
Gil

 

[TheBeerNerd]

I saw a Braves fan say that at that number and that term, he's glad to be rid of Fried. Also, he has one of the worst postseason ERAs in history and at least one season-ending surgery.

Matt Blake is a miracle worker and will make him better, and elbow injuries are going to happen in today's game no matter if you've had one before or not. But that is a little rich and a little long for a 31 year old.

 

[NJDevs26]

They basically had to pay Fried or one of the other big-name pitchers, especially after Cashman publicly complained that he couldn't bid on Snell because of the Soto situation being up in the air.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

They basically had to pay Fried or one of the other big-name pitchers, especially after Cashman publicly complained that he couldn't bid on Snell because of the Soto situation being up in the air.

Like I said, you couldn't get that information out of me through torture. But yeah, he did have to overpay, and they needed to add to the rotation, so I understand the logic.

I hope that 1st base hole is fixed next. Alonso is the obvious choice but it does kinda feel sad to take the Mets guy after they took one of ours.

 

[NjDevsRR]

 

[My3Sons]

View attachment 943605

He's obviously an excellent pitcher and as a lefty always a nice bonus, but it's an 8 year deal that starts when he's 30. I'd still like the Yankees to start building a younger team.