Major League Baseball HOT STOVE!

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Let's kick it off!  



2 years/$20 million

My New York Mets are putting together an awfully promising team for 2015.  Signing this proven vet tells me that the time to go for it is now.  Even more good news for New York tonight after Jacob deGrom takes home the NL Rookie of the Year award.  : D

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Cuban outfielder Yasmani Tomas is on his way to the states and is apparently ready to sign with an MLB team.  The Phillies are the favorites to land him. 

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RIP RUSSELL MARTIN AND HIS PIRATES UNIFORM. 

I feel bad for you, Uncle Gramps.  It's like when we let go of Paul Lo Duca.  I like having a fiery little backstop to get the team going and pick up big hits. 

So, how does a 2015 New York vs. Pittsburgh NLCS sound to you? 

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RIP RUSSELL MARTIN AND HIS PIRATES UNIFORM. 

I feel bad for you, Uncle Gramps.  It's like when we let go of Paul Lo Duca.  I like having a fiery little backstop to get the team going and pick up big hits. 

So, how does a 2015 New York vs. Pittsburgh NLCS sound to you? 

    Cardinals have to be there, and advance to the World Series. It's part of our Faustian bargain to rule the NL forever.

I have a feeling the Mets ascent to greatness will include an early-round ousting of the Redbirds.  Revenge for stealing what was to be triumph from us in 2006. 

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The Phillies offered A.J. Burnett $12.75 million, He's taking $4.5 million less to play with the Pirates.
Buuuuuuurn Philly.

The Phillies are in major rebuild mode, Burnett would not like to writhe in obscurity on a bad team for a year.  Believe me, it's a tough thing to do in that city because the fans are just so brutal. 

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Am I the only one who believes there should be a ban on contracts like the one Stanton got? It's awful. Dude could get fed up with playing for that team after 5 years and he won't be able to leave because of his massive contract.

Opt out clause after 6 in his deal.

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Not necessarily Hot Stove stuff, but my Metsies are once again changing the dimensions of their park, this time bringing in the ridiculous right-center field wall.  

http://metsblog.com/metsblog/mets-will-announce-new-citi-field-dimensions-next-tuesday/

Now the field will resemble Shea Stadium, which was enough of a pitcher's park as it is.  



I'm very happy with this, as Citi was absolutely absurd when it first opened.  

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Being a long suffering Pirate fan I have no room to talk, but Hokey, are you seriously going to tell us  you expect the Mets to even sniff a wild card spot, much less their division? 

I expect the Mets to win the NL East with anywhere between 91-95 victories, yes. 

Harvey - deGrom - Niese - Wheeler - Syndergaard/Colon/Montero/Gee (whoever impresses the most)

Familia - Parnell - Mejia - Edgin - Black at the forefront in the 'pen. 

It's about pitching, Uncle Gramps.

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Hanley Ramirez to Boston, 5/90

Very excited about this.

So, can someone explain the Red Sox to me?  2012 and 2014... the only two times the Sox have managed to lose 90+ games since the 1960s.  In between those seasons?  Oh, just a World Series title. 

*You must understand, as a Mets fan, my focus for the last better part of a decade has been only on their rebuilding process.  I haven't given too much thought to the rest of the league because the Mets aren't competing with them yet.  With the team starting to come around I've been able to get back into the game a little bit because I can see my team being right there in Sept. for a change.

As for the Ramirez signing...  Put him in the middle of a good lineup and he can be spectacular.  Knowing the Red Sox/Yankees, they probably go out and grab Lester and Sandoval as well and be right back at the top of the division next year.

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I think the latest news made me sadder than the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this wohle semester.

Every... and I mean EVERY long-term megadeal for a plus-30 starter has turned out bad. 

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I'm quite happy the Red Sox didn't get Lester. Hopefully Boston goes 0-for-starters this offseason then fights the Yankees for last place in 2015 (well, I hope that every year, really, but it could easily happen this coming year).

No way is Boston competing for last place in 2015.  They have a lot of talent in that lineup, and the AL East could easily be a slugfest like it was in the early 2000s. 

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I think the latest news made me sadder than the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this wohle semester.

Every... and I mean EVERY long-term megadeal for a plus-30 starter has turned out bad. 

I don't want Lester to fail tho. I want him to win a ring. I can't speak for Sawx tho. I mean, i'd rather have Jon Lester win another ring than have the Red Sox win another one. I'd rather have both, but given the choice, I'd take Lester over the Sox.

I want the Cubs to get one.  I've been a big fan of my three teams since about 1996.  I'm at 18-19 years, 57 or 58 total Mets/Rangers/Eagles seasons without a championship.  I feel for those fans.  There are people who were born when the Cubs where at a 25 year drought that are long gone.  There are 70-80-90-100 year old fans that just want friggin one.  ONE. 

Hopefully Lester can help that cause, but not before my Metsies!  As much as I love my Rangers and Eagles, I have a soft spot for the Mets to get me my first championship.  I've worn a blue Mets hat as part of my "look" for about a decade and my dad made me a Mets themed room in my childhood home.  Wallpaper, memorabilia, and all that.  I would honestly probably cry. 

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Also idk about the mets...Granderson is terrible (227 lmao)..Wright has NO POWER...and DUDA is never gona hit 30homers again he just got lucky.

If the mets are smart they would trade Duda and Grandjerson and get what value they can.

Duda was just lucky?  He plays at CitiField, clown!

And Granderson has always been a low BA player.  Still had 30 doubles, 20 HRs, 66rbi in a bad offense.  He'll have protection this year in the form of Cuddyer and a fell season of D'Arnaud. 

BTW, Mets made a nice depth move in getting John Mayberry Jr. to start against lefties.  .913 OPS against lefties last year, and has always had pop.