Chat: 12/17/15 9:56am
Chat: 12/17/15 9:56am
Shouts
<p>I'd say 2003...but pretty much</p>
<p>Sweet! We now have the most complete team since... 2001?</p>
<p>this deal is incredibly fair and balanced for both sides...it mitigates risk, rewards merit/#Health, provides for extra security in Kuma's #Health (trainer), treats him like royalty (plane tickets home in the luxury section when he needs them, an entourage, a gold-lined mitt...:) ), and the Mariners showed nothing but class the entire way through all of this...other than chiseling him on that third year originally. :)</p>
<p>Hey hey! I was pretty close! I thought out loud (somewhere below) that Kuma's vesting innings might be somewhere around 160 and 320 innings. From MLB-TR: The options are priced at $10MM apiece, but they can vest at higher levels. If Iwakuma reaches 162 innings, his 2017 option would be guaranteed at $14MM. If he can tally 162 frames in the following season, or 324 total over 2016-17, then he’d earn $15MM.</p>
<p>I understand attorneys yell at each other all morning in court, then go out together for Fava beans and Chianti at lunch. ... No? ...</p>
<p>How do the Dodgers remain on speaking terms with JeDi after he's declared war on #Los_Angeles?</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - OBF - 12/18/15 1:57pm<br><p>Not sure why the Dodgers would be mad at JeDi... They HAD kuma... THEY walked away... Reminds me of when my six year old gets mad at his sister half a room away when he accidentally breaks his own lego creation... :)</p>
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<p>Another mark of the new era: the M's tweeting videos of their internal celebrations of roster gains.</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - bpj23 - 12/18/15 9:43pm<br><p>That was pretty fun to watch!</p>
</div><div class="indented">Reply - bpj23 - 12/18/15 9:43pm<br><p>That was pretty fun to watch!</p>
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<p>162 IP yes-or-no trigger sounds a trifle harsh to Dr. D. So he finishes at 159 IP and he's a free agent again? Hmmmm.... come to think of it there's some upside for Iwakuma...</p>
<p>Oh. Here's an article that lays out a more graduated approach to the options. Team options, not vesting options, with $500k bonuses at 10-IP intervals. $100k personal trainer. Nice. <a href="http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/mariners-re-sign-iwakuma-after-repor... target="_parent">http://www.msn.com/e...</a></p>
<p>Oh no! The Dodgers took one of our pitchers. Tyler Olson to LAD for PTBNL and cash</p>
<p>1 year, $12M when Price and Greinke are getting $30-$35M per year. And it's not like you can pitch a game allowing fewer hits</p>
<p>1 year for 12 million total or 2/26 or 3/40 depending on him pitching 162 innings in order to trigger the following season. Can also earn 2million bonus per season if he reaches 190 innings.</p>
<p>The Marlins seem to think the Dodgers are a poor fit, per the latest reports...my guess is that the Dodgers don't know Kuma as well as we do and freaked out about the mushy shoulder, not realizing that he doesn't rely on his shoulder as much as the average ace.</p>
<p>The mystery continues...<br />
Kuma sounds like he doesn't know how he flunked the Dodgers physical--says he's 'fully healthy'. Maybe JD doesn't know either? Assume that will be a question he's asked at 2p.<br />
Don't know exactly why the Dodgers would be looking for a reason to pull out...maybe Fernandez in play for them?</p>
<p>Mwahahahahahaaaaa...we're in yer park stealin' yer aces, Dodgers. :)</p>
<p>From Ken Rosenthal: Sources: Iwakuma can earn nearly $45M with #Mariners - close to #Dodgers’ proposed guarantee - if both options vest. Full no-trade clause.</p>
<p>From Ken Rosenthal: Sources: Iwakuma can earn nearly $45M with #Mariners - close to #Dodgers’ proposed guarantee - if both options vest. Full no-trade clause.</p>
<p>Yes...his roster was already complete, so it would be easier for him to pitch the idea of overspending a bit for a bargain asset to the committee, since he's already proven he can pinch pennies when he needs to and this makes him more likely to be trusted by the bigwigs. Also, he has the freedom, now that everything is set up, to clearly demonstrate the need for Iwakuma. The off-season is now essentially over...and boy has it been a #Wild one.</p>
<p>Luck is the residue of design, as Branch Rickey once famously said. By getting all offseason trades and acquisitions done (cheaply) basically before the winter meetings were over, JeDi was able to strike when the opportunity presented itself.<br />
- ChicagoMariner</p>
<p>Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. I accept this karma after some of the ridiculous breaks that have gone against us in recent years / the last decade and a half.</p>
<p>With the Kuma add...this is now officially an awesome off-season even though I still hate Martin and I still completely despise the Elias/Smith deal.</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - anonymous - 12/18/15 9:08am<br><p>Especially dislike the Smith/Elias deal now that Iwakuma's back anyways.</p>
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<p>Hot diggity #Dog! I signed off of sports #News for the day in the late afternoon, get awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call that our first grandchild is announcing he's ready to exit our daughter, sign on while we await the #News to head for the hospital, and see THIS! SUPER!</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - OBF - 12/18/15 8:09am<br><p>Congrats GrandDaddyO! Boy or girl?</p>
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<p>Maybe its time for DiPoto to go BIG: trade Montero to someone who needs a 1B and is willing to give up some prospects, and sign Steve Pearce to the bench spot. The budget is already pushed up - push it another $6-8M more and get a RH-hitting guy who can backup 1B, LF, RF, and, in a pinch, 3B and 2B. Then you could let O'Malley, Sardinas, and Taylor fight for the IF bench spot without worrying about them needing to cover more than SS except for exercise or worrying about Sardinas batting in a critical situation. It looks like they're SO close to having everything covered and redundant.</p>
<p>Is Aoki doing the futterwaken tonight?</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - csiems - 12/17/15 11:45pm<br><p>The man stayed true to his word and guaranteed Kuma's signing. :)</p>
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<p>Now, who is getting DFA'd to make room? Guaipe? Martin? Schugel? Romero? Baron? My guess is that Guaipe gets DFA'd and then traded before he hits waivers to an NL club, who would be 15-30th in line for waiver pickup. Hey, #Miami still needs arms?!</p>
<p>Resigning Hisashi is just about the best thing I could wish for -- well done JeDi. I'm thinking Jeff will need that new graphic for tomorrow's post. *grins*</p>
<p>I'll take Miley and Karns over Happ and Elias. Felix and Kuma at the top with four very strong pitchers and plenty of innings for all six to share. It just changes the pitching staff outlook so completely bumping everyone down a notch and getting that depth back and having Nuno down to number seven. Do we have a top 5 AL rotation now?</p>
<p>The hitting and defense already looked better to me than the 14-15 teams so this is just great, great #News and makes us a playoff contender if the bullpen can hold it together (a big scary if).</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - Bat571 - 12/18/15 12:21am<br><p>FanGraphs has updated their projections - Ms now 6th rotation in MLB, second to the Indians in the AL. Adding 3.4 WAR will do that for you!</p>
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