Yep. Or just request a release and sign the one day contract with the Cubs and retire. He's already a Chicago legend and will be for the rest of his life

boy did we dodge a bullet with Santander

Jonah Heim Braves MLB deal is for $1.25M

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 10, 2026

another catcher off the board

linkdude said:

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Jonah Heim Braves MLB deal is for $1.25M

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 10, 2026

another catcher off the board

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I know he's not the guy he was in 2023, but at that price, he's got to be much better than Salazar.

agdaddy04 said:

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Bryant just needs to retire.

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He's the hitting version of McCullers

MaxPower said:

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agdaddy04 said:

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Bryant just needs to retire.

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He's the hitting version of McCullers

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He's Anthony Rendon but without the toxic attitude

4 seasons with Colorado for the former MVP.

17 total homeruns and 61 RBI in 170 games
- 1.6 WAR

Yikes

superaggie73 said:

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linkdude said:

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Jonah Heim Braves MLB deal is for $1.25M

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 10, 2026

another catcher off the board

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I know he's not the guy he was in 2023, but at that price, he's got to be much better than Salazar.

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I wouldn't be sure about that.

Framber Valdez has a $20M signing bonus this season, all of which is deferred to payments beginning in 2030

There is also a $40M mutual option for 2029 and other incentives

More details: pic.twitter.com/mApcFewPAa

— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) February 10, 2026

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Framber Valdez has a $20M signing bonus this season, all of which is deferred to payments beginning in 2030

There is also a $40M mutual option for 2029 and other incentives

More details: pic.twitter.com/mApcFewPAa

— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) February 10, 2026

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How can you "defer" a signing bonus? It is literally an immediate payment due upon signing. If it is deferred, it is just another name for deferred salary. I am so sick of these BS games. Just take the value of the contract and divide it by the number of years and that is what should count against the CBT, regardless of when they get paid. Split it up however you want and credit more or less in each year, but the full value should count within the years covered by the contract.

So it's true… other teams ARE allowed to defer money.

There may be some legal reasons (like if he retires maybe he still keeps it). Not sure

Pretty sure signing bonus are taxed based on where you live, not where you get paid while playing.

MaxPower said:

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There may be some legal reasons (like if he retires maybe he still keeps it). Not sure

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Yep. Already earned and owed, so can't be lost for suspension or retirement, etc… taxes as well.

Also probably difficult to structure deferrals with the opt out stacked on top.

Can you imagine MLB with a cap like the NFL? Would be awesome if a teams success was tied to drafting, player development, coaching, and strategy.

What a concept for, how you say, a sports program...

A few comments and predictions:
Santander has picked up the Rendon baton.
Dana is no James Click.
Firing Click will end up costing Crane tens of millions if not more.
This is an 81ish win team. Fortunately Espada is shown the door after the season, perhaps Dana as well as his drafts haven't produced anything of substance yet.

Verlander was never not going into the HOF as a Tiger. I think only 8-9 pitchers have won MVP in the last 70 years and he's one of them.

Big Bucks said:

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A few comments and predictions:
Santander has picked up the Rendon baton.
Dana is no James Click.
Firing Click will end up costing Crane tens of millions if not more.
This is an 81ish win team. Fortunately Espada is shown the door after the season, perhaps Dana as well as his drafts haven't produced anything of substance yet.

---

If James Click was a great GM, why has no one else given him a chance to be GM?

iBrad said:

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Big Bucks said:

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A few comments and predictions:
Santander has picked up the Rendon baton.
Dana is no James Click.
Firing Click will end up costing Crane tens of millions if not more.
This is an 81ish win team. Fortunately Espada is shown the door after the season, perhaps Dana as well as his drafts haven't produced anything of substance yet.

---

If James Click was a great GM, why has no one else given him a chance to be GM?

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He was up for the Rockies GM job this year. I imagine he has the good sense to decline taking on that dumpster fire

iBrad said:

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Big Bucks said:

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A few comments and predictions:
Santander has picked up the Rendon baton.
Dana is no James Click.
Firing Click will end up costing Crane tens of millions if not more.
This is an 81ish win team. Fortunately Espada is shown the door after the season, perhaps Dana as well as his drafts haven't produced anything of substance yet.

---

If James Click was a great GM, why has no one else given him a chance to be GM?

---

I mean… He made a lot of great moves that paid off and helping us win two pennants and a World Series title. The only move that looks bad in hindsight is the Abreu for Vasquez trade but Vasquez hit well in our playoff run and caught a WS no hitter. Also all of his bullpen moves were great for that two season stretch.

In the two full seasons that he was our GM after the sanctions, the team won over 200 games and was in the World Series both years

So now we are saying he was not a great GM?

iBrad said:

---

Big Bucks said:

---

A few comments and predictions:
Santander has picked up the Rendon baton.
Dana is no James Click.
Firing Click will end up costing Crane tens of millions if not more.
This is an 81ish win team. Fortunately Espada is shown the door after the season, perhaps Dana as well as his drafts haven't produced anything of substance yet.

---

If James Click was a great GM, why has no one else given him a chance to be GM?

---

There were a lot of things that went on behind the scenes that certainly haven't helped his case. He was a solid GM - but not fun to work with and he burned a lot of bridges from what I understand.

I’m convinced the Rockies have their own internal stuff+ model but the spreadsheet is sorted from lowest to highest and they just never noticed https://t.co/IEhesuQ0pI

— No More Fielders 🧢 (@nomorefielders) February 11, 2026

Jordan Montgomery returns to the Rangers where he played a big role in winning their first title. Should be ready within a few months. @Evan_P_Grant 1st

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 11, 2026

Astros manager Joe Espada names Hunter Brown as Opening Day starter.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 11, 2026

Astros closer Josh Hader experienced “arm soreness” before his fourth bullpen session of the winter, manager Joe Espada said. Hader had imaging that revealed “bicep inflammation.” Hader is scheduled to resume his throwing program today, but his status for Opening Day is in flux

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 11, 2026

Reliever Enyel De Los Santos has been shut down with a right knee strain, Joe Espada said.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 11, 2026

Just fantastic start

tjack16 said:

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iBrad said:

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Big Bucks said:

---

A few comments and predictions:
Santander has picked up the Rendon baton.
Dana is no James Click.
Firing Click will end up costing Crane tens of millions if not more.
This is an 81ish win team. Fortunately Espada is shown the door after the season, perhaps Dana as well as his drafts haven't produced anything of substance yet.

---

If James Click was a great GM, why has no one else given him a chance to be GM?

---

I mean… He made a lot of great moves that paid off and helping us win two pennants and a World Series title. The only move that looks bad in hindsight is the Abreu for Vasquez trade but Vasquez hit well in our playoff run and caught a WS no hitter. Also all of his bullpen moves were great for that two season stretch.

In the two full seasons that he was our GM after the sanctions, the team won over 200 games and was in the World Series both years

So now we are saying he was not a great GM?

---

He inherited a team that won over 100 games three seasons in a row. He was able to let veterans walk (Springer, Correa) because there was talent in the pipeline behind them (Tucker, Pena), and because this guy named Yordan Alvarez came up and was producing at an impressive clip. 2022 was bolstered by Verlander coming back from TJ and winning another Cy Young.

Click made some peripheral moves, but the bulk of those teams were still the product of Luhnow and everyone in the industry knows that.

the LMj extension is the big negative on Click's ledger

tjack16 said:

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iBrad said:

---

Big Bucks said:

---

A few comments and predictions:
Santander has picked up the Rendon baton.
Dana is no James Click.
Firing Click will end up costing Crane tens of millions if not more.
This is an 81ish win team. Fortunately Espada is shown the door after the season, perhaps Dana as well as his drafts haven't produced anything of substance yet.

---

If James Click was a great GM, why has no one else given him a chance to be GM?

---

I mean… He made a lot of great moves that paid off and helping us win two pennants and a World Series title. The only move that looks bad in hindsight is the Abreu for Vasquez trade but Vasquez hit well in our playoff run and caught a WS no hitter. Also all of his bullpen moves were great for that two season stretch.

In the two full seasons that he was our GM after the sanctions, the team won over 200 games and was in the World Series both years

So now we are saying he was not a great GM?

---

He made that trade only after he got his balls clipped by Dusty going to Crane to veto the Urquidy for Contreras move.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Astros manager Joe Espada names Hunter Brown as Opening Day starter.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 11, 2026

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Sounds like we might need him to throw a complete game.

Yainer Diaz sprained his left foot while playing winter ball in December, Joe Espada said. Diaz is still participating in baseball activities, but his running progression will be behind some others. Diaz is still hitting and will catch Tatsuya Imai's bullpen today.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 11, 2026

So Diaz is fat now?

Astros GM Dana Brown said “trade talks have slowed down quite a bit” but did not rule out still making a move or put a cutoff date on potentially doing so during camp.

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) February 11, 2026