Can the Hot Stove Season Be Any Cooler?

[Bronx Yankees]

Kind of a boring Hot Stove Season so far. Mix a weak free agency class with a glut at certain positions, sprinkle in a little CBA-related uncertainty with a handful of teams with little to no interest in improving their rosters for 2017, and you get a lot of inertia. It also gets kind of boring hearing about the same rumors day after day. Seems like some teams also are trying to copy the Orioles' recent success at getting bargains late in the off-season. I wish we could just speed this along a little. Like, maybe:

"Blue Jays re-sign Bautista: He's done so much for our organization, plus no one else can stand him."

"White Sox trade Jose Quintana to Pirates for Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows: White Sox continue to win the off-season by tanking 2017 and stockpiling top prospects."

"Rangers sign Mike Napoli: Third time is a charm and it's obvious both sides need and want each other."

"Rockies sign Mark Trumbo AND Chris Carter and trade Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon to the Cardinals for Carlos Martinez: because it would be so much fun to watch!"

Boom! Done! Let's go play some baseball!

Mike

[Edwards Kings]

Joey Bats waiting by the phone...

[Deadheadz]

"White Sox trade Jose Quintana to Pirates for Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows: White Sox continue to win the off-season by tanking 2017 and stockpiling top prospects."

That seems like a lopsided deal.
Do you think Chicago would do Quintana for Glasnow straight up? Not sure the Pirates would do it but it would benefit the Sox by saving money and getting a player with more years of control.

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[Bronx Yankees]

"White Sox trade Jose Quintana to Pirates for Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows: White Sox continue to win the off-season by tanking 2017 and stockpiling top prospects."

That seems like a lopsided deal.
Do you think Chicago would do Quintana for Glasnow straight up? Not sure the Pirates would do it but it would benefit the Sox by saving money and getting a player with more years of control.

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Honestly, I have no idea what players the Pirates may be offering for Quintana, but I'm guessing that Glasnow straight up is not going to get it done. The White Sox have an established SP in Quintana that is a solid number 2 in most rotations on a team-friendly deal for four years. His value is extremely high right now, especially for a financially-constrained team like the Pirates. All rumors are that the White Sox are asking for the moon for Quintana because if they don't get a great offer, they can put him back on the market next off-season. I also think the Pirates like Taillon better than Glasnow and are willing to include Glasnow is any trade for Quintana. Also, and this is speculation on my part, but other than Moncada, the White Sox mostly have gotten pitching back for Sale and Eaton and, therefore, I expect that they will insist on Glasnow and at least one bat, with Meadows being the obvious choice, if they were to trade Quintana to the Pirates. A big factor as to whether the Pirates would make this trade is their current view of McCutchen. Marte and Polanco aren't going anywhere. If they still think they can trade McCutchen this off-season, then no way do they trade Meadows. If, however, they now intend to keep McCutchen, then Meadows has nowhere to play in 2017 barring injury and they may be more willing to include him in a trade that gets them Quintana for four years. I agree that a trade of Quintana for Glasnow and Meadows would seemingly favor the White Sox, although I think folks are viewing their trades of Sale and Eaton as being very much in Chicago's favor as well, and so why wouldn't they hold out for maximum value for Quintana?

Again, total speculation on my part. I'm just sick of hearing Jose Quintana and other "hot stove" rumors with very little actually happening.

Mike

[devilznj]

Re: Bautista

Trying to think if there have been any high profile players in recent history where management has
come flat out and said publicly that we don't want him because NOBODY likes him....