Winter '18-'19 Transactions - non-NYM version

[Frayed Knot]

-- A) You can trade draft picks?
The 'extra' ones (ones that are awarded through various processes I don't pretend to understand), yes. But still not the ordinal ones based on your previous year's finish, no.


-- Yes, it's a dumb, knee-jerk thing, but... Wheeler, Kelenic, Plawecki and a midlevel minor-league pitcher or two wouldn't have gotten this done?
Maybe, but do keep in mind that the Cards are getting one year of one player, as opposed to the recent Mets deal where they get five and four years from two different guys in exchange for Kelenic et al

[smg58]

Weaver and Kelly were at least as highly regarded as Kellenic and Dunn are now, but they hiccuped at the big-league level. Weaver is sort of in a similar place as Rosario -- the talent is there but the results aren't yet. If the light clicks on for one of them, it will more than justify losing one year of Goldschmidt when they are rebuilding.

As for the Cardinals -- they have a glut of starting pitchers, another catching prospect who is as well regarded, and Molina still isn't going anywhere just yet. They dealt from surplus to get a year of arguably the best first baseman in the league. For now it makes them the team to beat in their division, but the Brewers and Cubs have more than enough time to respond.

[Guest sharpie]

Eovaldi returns to Red Sox. Terms not yet disclosed.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

The dream is over!

[MFS62]

smg58 wrote: and Molina still isn't going anywhere just yet.

They should ask us. Any of us could tell Molina where he could go.

Later

[Centerfield]

smg58 wrote: Weaver and Kelly were at least as highly regarded as Kellenic and Dunn are now, but they hiccuped at the big-league level. Weaver is sort of in a similar place as Rosario -- the talent is there but the results aren't yet. If the light clicks on for one of them, it will more than justify losing one year of Goldschmidt when they are rebuilding. As for the Cardinals -- they have a glut of starting pitchers, another catching prospect who is as well regarded, and Molina still isn't going anywhere just yet. They dealt from surplus to get a year of arguably the best first baseman in the league. For now it makes them the team to beat in their division, but the Brewers and Cubs have more than enough time to respond.

I would have much rather traded Dunn and Kelenic for Goldschmit. Or Nolan Arenado. Or Kris Bryant.

[Frayed Knot]

So Eovaldi, 29 in February and with 7 ML seasons to his name [148 starts, 4.16 ERA, 1.35 WHIP] signs w/Boston for 4 years at $17 per
while Patrick Corbin, 30 next July and 6 seasons under his belt [154 GS, 3.91 ERA, 1.285 WHIP] gets 6 x $23.3
Seems like a bigger than explainable disparity.


The Nats top three pitchers at this point: Scherzer @ $30 mil/per (AAV), Strasburg @ $25, and now Corbin @ $23.3
That's a lotta eggs in a basket.

[Mex17]

It's strange to see starting pitcher AAVs going up and up while complete games become more a thing of the past and "bullpening" becomes more of a thing.

[smg58]

Part of it is that AAVs are going up in general. But anybody who can be a third starter or better in a good rotation will keep their value. We'll see if the back-end starters get the kind of contracts they are looking for, though. It will also be interesting to see how the market for relievers is affected.

[Frayed Knot]

Speedster Billy Hamilton signs with the Royals ... which seems about right to me.

[Guest 41Forever]

Phillies spending wildly -- sign Andrew McCutchen for three years, $50 million

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2796872-report-andrew-mccutchen-phillies-agree-to-3-year-50m-contract

[Centerfield]

41Forever wrote: Phillies spending wildly -- sign Andrew McCutchen for three years, $50 million https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2796872-report-andrew-mccutchen-phillies-agree-to-3-year-50m-contract

Ben Grimm predicted that McCutchen would end up a Met. A pretty good guess in my opinion.

How many outfielders do the Phils need? I wonder how this affects their Bryce Harper chase.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Harper's signing with us, you know

[Guest 41Forever]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Harper's signing with us, you know

Who would the realistic suitors be?

Dodgers? Explains whey they would be trying to move Puig.

Angels have too many big contracts plus Trout.

None of the tear down teams.

MFYs have said they don't have room for him, right? Nor does Boston.

Cubs? Cardinals? Texas?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I read that the White Sox are hot and horny for Bryce Harper.

[smg58]

Centerfield wrote: 41Forever wrote: Phillies spending wildly -- sign Andrew McCutchen for three years, $50 million https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2796872-report-andrew-mccutchen-phillies-agree-to-3-year-50m-contract Ben Grimm predicted that McCutchen would end up a Met. A pretty good guess in my opinion. How many outfielders do the Phils need? I wonder how this affects their Bryce Harper chase.

Hoskins is moving back to first base next year, so it's not overly crowded.

I like seeing past-their-prime players get overpaid by division rivals. (Hell, I'd be doing a jig if the Phillies outbid us for Cano.)

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Giants are also getting all good and gay for harper, he'd be an icon there

[Benjamin Grimm]

McCutchen might have been a good pickup for the Mets if they could have gotten him for one year, $12 million. That wouldn't be realistic in early December, but it could have been possible if he was still unsigned at the end of January.

[Frayed Knot]

Phils OF was awful last year - offensively, defensively, Bruce Lee, and even Stan Lee
McCutcheon will help even if he's not the McCutcheon of old.
Nine seasons w/Pitt and now the Phils are his third team in the last 11 months.
Not really a CF anymore but he's got to be better than Odubel Herrera out there so maybe that's where they'll stick him.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Nationals deal RHP Tanner Roark to the Reds in exchange for RHP Tanner Rainey.
I mean, a Tanner traded for a Tanner ... what are the odds!?!?!?!


Rainey, 25 y/o former 2nd round draft pick out of West Alabama University (Roll Damn Tide on that half of the beach!) has been mostly a reliever since the lower minors and appeared in 8 games w/Cincy late in 2018
Sounds like the Nats needed someone to go in order to pay the Corbin money and Roark will likely net close to $10 mil this year.

[Frayed Knot]

Carlos Santana, signed to a major bucks deal early in last year's off-season (and therefore expensively according to most observers and as compared to subsequent deals) by Philly and then
sent last week to the Mariners in the Jean Segura trade, is now on his way to Cleveland as part of a three-team swap.

M's to Cleveland = Santana
Inuns to M's = Edwin Encarnacion
seriously, I just used a racist word when I really meant "Guardians" to Rays = Yandy Diaz (27 y/o Cuban infielder)
Rays to Cleveland = Jake Bauers (23 y/o 1B/LF)


Not sure I could parse that deal even if I was of a mind to try and do so.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Is that really a three-team trade? It looks more like the Mariners made two separate trades today, one with Cleveland and one with Tampa.

[Frayed Knot]

There's also cash involved including some going from Tampa to Seattle so I guess that completes the third leg of the triangle and makes it officially a tri-swap. (I've just coined a new word)
Also it appears another minor leaguer is heading to Cleveland from the Rays.

[smg58]

Here I thought Santana was undealable, and he's been dealt twice. And the offseason is still young.

[Frayed Knot]

Ian Kinsler - Padres, two years
The infielder -- 37 in June -- split 2018 between the Angels and the Red Sox.
He's had several 800+ OPS seasons during his now 13 year career but was sub-700 last season and (like most players I've found in my research) he isn't getting any younger.

[smg58]

The Nats return Matt Adams to the fold for a year and $3M, plus a team option.

The Angels bring in Justin Bour for a year and $2.5M.

It is not a good market for serviceable platoon first baseman.

[smg58]

Adams has a mutual option for 2020 that comes with a $1M buyout.

The Rangers sign Lance Lynn for 3 and 30. Ironically, I would have been more willing to give him this kind of deal last year than I am now. We'll see if I'm wrong twice.

[Frayed Knot]

Matt Harvey to the Angels.
Team has not confirmed but reports say a one year $11 mil deal w/incentives for more.

[Centerfield]

That seems crazy high for Harvey.

[Frayed Knot]

Certainly the floor of the deal -- which the early reports are saying that the $11 is the minimum guarantee. -- seems higher than I expected.
(Not that I've been spending my off-season wondering what Matt Harvey was going to make this year)