Bucs trade Oviedo for The Password from Bosox

[MJG75]

[https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/ ... trade.html]

I like it. The 22 year old top 100 prospect strikes out a ton, but he has projected 25-30 HR type power, good speed, plus defender with a strong arm, can play all 3 OF positions, but probably more likely in the corner. We will see how it goes, usually these guys never pan out for the Bucs but I am on board for now. Also hearing lots of reports that Bucs are starting to make serious inquiries/offers on a bunch of mid range FAs. Could it be the pressure is on from the big markets in anticipation of the CBA in 27?

Let's go, Bucs! Give me a competitive team again before I go, please...

[Dan Smith--BYU]

With Skenes, they could get to 85 wins and be a real threat in the playoffs. It would take a lot less than Dodger level contracts.

[jeemie]

Are the Pirates really serious, or are they pretending?

They supposedly offered Schwarber 4 years at $125 Million, but the scuttlebutt was Schwarbomb really wanted that 5th year.

Did Nutting know this would be a dealbreaker and so withheld it, but now he can pretend he's all in?

We have lost out on Alonso just now to the Orioles, who we supposedly also were all in on.

I don't trust Nutting so...

[MJG75]

Yeah, I don't really trust Hillbilly Bob further than I can throw him. I do think the Schwarber thing was all show, they made a solid offer but knew he wouldn't go for it. He wanted that 5th year, plus he likes it there by all accounts. The park suits him better than PNC would. They would have had to offer a ridiculous overpay to get him and since they likely knew that and offered what they did anyway, so yeah it was all for show. For the fans but even more importantly to MLB and the big market owners.

They sniffed around Alonso but as far as I could tell they didn't really go after him the way they did Schwarber. They seem most interested in left handed power, so they seem linked to Brandon Lowe now. But again. While I hope they do something serious, or even semi-serious, to get competitive, I fully expect the usual array of FA bums on one year deals. Already signed one, Soto, which I think is a waste of money. They need hitting, Ben. You understand? Hitting. A bat that hits a ball. I swear we not only have the cheapest owner in sports, but also the most moronic GM in all of sports. Sheesh. If Dave Parker and Mario Mendoza were standing in front of him and he had to pick one, it would be Mendoza every time. Because he has more position flexibility or some horse shit. I swear he is an idiot.

[MJG75]

If I was GM in a vacuum, I would have schmoozed Schwarber's agent to find out what he really wants, what it would take to pry him away from the Phils, then inflate it some so it is even sweeter. Pay him the money. Signing the reigning NL HR king would instantly turn everyone in the city of Pittsburgh into hardcore Bucs fans, with Schwarber and Skenes, PNC park would be full all summer. And MLB would love us. So would the businesses on the north shore. Spend the rest of my FA money on some needs, such as left handed relief, but for a lot cheaper than Soto. Nothing else major or big, except to keep all my pitching and trade Cruz for a haul of near ready MLB talent, one of whom would be a decent defensive CF. Cruz didn't have a great year, but still has enough to offer and is young and cheap enough to garner a decent haul of prospect talent. And then go from there.

Oh and I would be in constant contact with Skenes agent. What would it take? Under a cap system, what would it take? I would be working the agent on one hand and Hillbilly Bob on the other.

But we have Ben Cherington.