(12-23-2019 02:25 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(12-22-2019 09:42 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I have no idea why this offseason turned so crazy.

My first reaction is "who cares - it's great" except my second reaction is "**** - the Dodgers completely whiffed". So my third reaction, as stated earlier, is that we had a unique set of circumstances: Big money/market teams, with lots of room under the cap, had identified needs where there were elite free agents, as well as several very good FAs. Those teams were willing to spend and drove the market up for everyone. Compare to last year, with all the complaints and assertions of collusion re Harper, Machado, Keuchel, Kimbrel. First, no big market teams except Philly NEEDED Harper (plenty enough would've like to have him but that's why they all offered lower bids), and I think the shine was already coming off him - he's pretty much solidified himself as a very good not elite player. I'm not sure any big market teams wanted Machado; Dodgers definitely were out. And Keuchel and Kimbrel showed pretty well during 2019 why they weren't worth huge money last year.

tl; dr... markets changeno collusion.

FIFY as you gave rational reasons why there was never any collusion the previous year--just teams making rational decisions for a change.

Can't believe waht the White Sox gave Keuchel. Sorry for them.