2022-23 MLB Winter Meetings

[Ron Madden]

What 2022-23 MLB free agency so far means for the winter meetings

MLB's winter meetings kick off Sunday in San Diego, and across the sport, executives and agents anticipate a flurry of action to finally initiate the inexorable winter frenzy.

Aaron Judge could conclude his free agency by agreeing to a deal. The starting pitching glut could ease. Even the shortstop market, with four nine-figure players and twice as many teams expressing genuine interest, could start to move, with the rest of the dominoes falling quickly.

In reality, a wide swath of people involved in free agency told ESPN, the dam started breaking Monday, when both free agent and trade calls between teams started to pick up.

Whatever the true reason for the inaction -- front offices slow-playing, players sticking firm to high demands or, likelier, a combination of both -- all the flirtation and posturing that has become the norm in baseball offseasons eventually gives way to the truth that teams need players, players need jobs and those needs find common ground.

Next week's meetings provide a fertile backdrop for those compromises.

An annual gathering of the sport taking place in person for the first time since 2019, the winter meetings feature no deadline, no imperative.

But executives and agents agree that this incarnation is shaping up to drop a couple Mentos in a soda bottle and that the real movement could start Friday or Saturday before the meetings begin and extend beyond their Wednesday conclusion.
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https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/sto...eetings-impact

[SomeCallMeTim]

Why do I sense the price of my beer going up? Again?

[WrongVerb]

[corkedbat]

mmmm...Mentos

[Ron Madden]

What's ahead for Reds at Winter Meetings?

The last time the Winter Meetings were held in person was 2019, and the Reds were in the middle of the action. They were in hot pursuit of free agents and were one of that offseason’s more active clubs as it was trying to contend in 2020.

Much has changed in three years as the Winter Meetings are set to return next week. Cincinnati is currently in rebuilding mode and more likely to make smaller moves to plug holes on the roster.

Club needs
There are a lot of areas that need attention but general manager Nick Krall didn't identify one particular spot.

“I think we're active on the free-agent market just trying to figure out what the deals are and how we can continue to get better across the board,” Krall said on Tuesday.

However, the most open area of the roster appears to be the outfield. The Reds could also use a veteran arm for the rotation that can provide innings and some bullpen help. They solved their backup catcher situation by signing Luke Maile to a one-year, $1.175 million contract on Monday but didn’t rule out a three-catcher system.

Krall didn’t believe Cincinnati’s approach to the Winter Meetings would be different from any other year.

“We’ve touched base with free agents, touched base with every club,” Krall said. “We’re trying to figure out who is going to be in that range to help us that we can bring onto the club through trade or free agency that makes us better. I don’t know that we feel pressure to make a deal just because we’re in San Diego. … It’s a way to be face-to-face with teams and agents.”

Potential trade candidates
After being given orders to cut payroll by ownership last offseason, Krall has traded most of the team’s veteran players and higher salary earners during the 2022 season. He is unlikely to move younger, controllable players but has traditionally listened to any trade proposal.

One player who could be moved is veteran third baseman Mike Moustakas, but it won’t be easy. Heading into the final season of his four-year contract, the 34-year-old Moustakas is owed $22 million for 2023 and the option buyout for '24, and he has underperformed during his time in Cincinnati.

Payroll summary
Krall has stated he has been given a little payroll flexibility this winter to make the club’s needed moves, but the Reds will be open next season with a much lower figure than the $114 million budget they had on 2022 Opening Day.

“Now it’s, 'How can we continue to improve this club with the money we’ve got left to spend?,'” Krall said.
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story continues here:
https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/reds-w...s-preview-2022

[JCM11]

By the sound of that we'll be lucky if the Reds spend 20 million this off season. Better hope for some creative trades.

[Strikes Out Looking]

Mark Sheldon wrote lots of words to say, they'll kick tires, do nothing.

[mth123]

The big move will be the rule 5 draft pick who should still be in the minor leagues but will go north with the team and get 450 PAs before the reds realize he's a minor leaguer for a reason. Of course, that will be after passing on another minor leaguer who does show real big-league talent and ends up elsewhere.

[Rojo Rijo]

The only thing that interests me at the WM is the draft lottery on 12/6

[RedTeamGo!]

Anyone else kind of get the feeling the Reds are just done as an mlb franchise? Like I am having trouble paying attention this offseason. I am usually really interested in the winter meetings and this year it’s like baseball doesn’t even exist to me anymore. Really sad.

[JCM11]

Anyone else kind of get the feeling the Reds are just done as an mlb franchise? Like I am having trouble paying attention this offseason. I am usually really interested in the winter meetings and this year it’s like baseball doesn’t even exist to me anymore. Really sad.

We're pretty much just in "wait and see what the top prospects do" mode for 2023/24 right now. If Elly, Marte, Strand, and Mclain don't turn into good MLB players over the next few years we're in big trouble. It could happen they al have talent, but I would like to see a few trades using some prospects to bring in some MLB players. You can't just sit back and hope 6 or 7 prospects fill out your starting lineup.

[REDREAD]

Anyone else kind of get the feeling the Reds are just done as an mlb franchise? Like I am having trouble paying attention this offseason. I am usually really interested in the winter meetings and this year it’s like baseball doesn’t even exist to me anymore. Really sad.

I'm with you. I'm done mentally. The 2023 Reds are more like a AAA team than a MLB team.. Yes, the Reds have 6 legit good young MLB players for now. They will get traded though before the team is good again. On top of that, we have one of worst Reds GMs in my lifetime. The quote above.. Krall is confirming what most of us already suspected. Reds have very little money to spend.
Redszone is my only link to the Reds now. I am not going to watch any more games deliberately. (Obviously, if someone else is watching it, I won't demand they turn it off )
I started following the Guardians. They are way too cheap too, but at least they have a smart front office and put an entertaining product on the field.

Heck, we used to refer to 2000-2009 as the "lost decade" (Maybe I don't have the exact dates), but during that time, the Reds lost 96 once and lost 90 once.. The other years were all less than 90 losses. Those teams were not good, but at least they were not complete clown shows like the Reds roster is now. The Reds are a lock for another 100 loss season. Phil C is completely nuking the fan base. I hope it causes long term damage to the valuation of the franchise. I hope it hurts the ratings and the next TV deal.. I think that's the only way tanking will be fixed.. When the cable companies start low bidding on teams that are annual tankers. The owners and union are not going to do squat.

[MikeS21]

I started following the Guardians. They are way too cheap too, but at least they have a smart front office and put an entertaining product on the field.

BOOM! Right there perfectly illustrates my feelings on the Reds.

I don't care that the Reds don't spend money. It's just that when they do spend, they spend it on the wrong players. Other teams (Guardians, Rays, and even the A's) don't spend any money. But they do spend what little they do on players who can actually improve the team. They know WHO to spend it on. The Reds waste their money on folks like Moustakas, Shogo, Galvis, Doolittle, and Zack Duke (and others), and wonder why they don't move the needle.

[Ron Madden]

Competitive Balance rounds set for '23 Draft

While the top of the 2023 Draft order is yet to be determined, with the first-ever Draft Lottery set for Tuesday, some things are starting to take shape later on in the Draft, particularly after the first and second rounds. That’s because the Competitive Balance rounds have now been set.

Since 2017, Major League Baseball has used a formula that combines revenue, winning percentage and market score to award Draft picks to teams that fall in the bottom 10 in revenue or market size.

The Competitive Balance Draft picks can be traded.

In 2022, there were 15 teams awarded picks in the two rounds, seven in Round A and eight in Round B. This year, there will be eight in Round A and six in Round B, with the Padres dropping out.

Competitive Balance Round A takes place after the completion of the first round while Round B is held after the second round is over. The picks have been awarded for 2023 as follows:

Round A
1. Mariners
2. Rays
3. Brewers
4. Twins
5. Marlins
6. Tigers
7. Reds
8. A’s

Round B
1. Guardians
2. Orioles
3. D-backs
4. Rockies
5. Royals
6. Pirates
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continue reading:
https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-draft-c...draft-coverage

[15fan]

Reds going to save the cost of hotels, plane tickets etc and just Zoom or Facetime as needed.