Off-season FA news (non-NYM edition)

[nymr83]

I hate seeing beltran in pinstripes

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That, too.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Just realized MFYs next move will be to trade for Reyes, play him at 2B/SS depending on Jeet's health/retirement status.

I could give a shit Beltran is an MFY. That team is really getting old and artificial.

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: MFS62 wrote: Beltran to the Yanks (3 years) Good thing the Yanx aren't panicking over the loss of Cano. The funny thing is though, I think Carlos brings their average age down a bit. Funny, but, y'know, even in a vacuum, Beltran's deal may actually be a better one than the Granderson one. It's almost certainly a better deal for the MFYs than the Granderson deal is for the Mets, if only because of what they get from marginal wins.

Maybe, but even if you guy that line of thinking it only works if Beltran stays healthy and that's not only a big if coming into the season but it becomes an even bigger if as he turns 38 then 39.
Of course they can always play him at DH ... except that they already have 9 DHs on the roster!

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: MFS62 wrote: Beltran to the Yanks (3 years) Good thing the Yanx aren't panicking over the loss of Cano. The funny thing is though, I think Carlos brings their average age down a bit. Funny, but, y'know, even in a vacuum, Beltran's deal may actually be a better one than the Granderson one. It's almost certainly a better deal for the MFYs than the Granderson deal is for the Mets, if only because of what they get from marginal wins. Maybe, but even if you guy that line of thinking it only works if Beltran stays healthy and that's not only a big if coming into the season but it becomes an even bigger if as he turns 38 then 39. Of course they can always play him at DH ... except that they already have 9 DHs on the roster!

Yeah, I mean, Beltran's the better player though it's a gamble on when/if he hits a real decline, but the DH would in my mind help keep him healthy and make him the better player..

Well, what DHs do they have that they really want to play? They seem to be hoping A-Rod's not there, but really they should almost be aiming for a 50/50 3B/DH with him. They've never been concerned with Jeter's fielding anyway, and you're better off sitting him than DH. Their glut of other outfielders, Wells and Soriano and what not, are fine DHs but they're also the guys you put in RF for Beltran's DH days, which might be what they're thinking. Texiera? eh, he's probably fine at first. McCann could benefit from the DH though. My guess is it's going to be 50% Carlos, 20% Brian and 30% rotating rest. But that's only if A-Rod isn't playing.

[Frayed Knot]

Potential Yanqui DHs either to get their bat into the lineup, or give their octogenarian legs the day off, or because their glove/fielding range has been declared a hazard by OSHA are (in no particular order): Jeter, ARod, Beltran, Soriano, Wells, McCann, Ichiro, Nunez

What a lot of folks don't realize is that ARod & Jeter DH'd nearly 40% of the games (63 times combined) back in 2012 so it's not like they were everyday players even before their ankles & hips fell apart and their drug dealers got busted. And, sure, ARod's likely suspension takes one wrench out of the works (it also takes their best remaining bat out of the lineup no matter how much the fans want to pretend otherwise) but that still leaves 8 guys (the above seven plus Gardner) to fill 5 positions (3B, SS, DH, + both corner OF spots) plus give McCann & Teixeira days off in a lineup where probably only Ellsbury plays every day (assuming that he doesn't, y'know, miss an average of 67 games/year like he has over the previous four seasons).

So, yeah, I think they'd prefer to DH Beltran as much as possible, but the rest of that roster makes it difficult to do so. Jeter's backup, remember, is now Brendan Ryan who has hit .217/.283/.294 over the last four seasons - and he just got a two-year deal plus player option.
All this and we still don't know who's playing 2nd base ... or doing that starting pitching thing (although they've re-re-signed Kuroda) ... or closing (but that's a whole separate issue).

[Edgy MD]

How could they spend three years preparing for Rivera's retirement and still not have a successor in place?

Is Joba a starter or a reliever this week?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Brendan Ryan knows less about bat-handling than your idiot uncle heading up to the attic with a badminton racket and a blanket because he "heard something up there," but he's better than anyone we have there with his glove (plus he's Murph-plus, if not great, at 2B).

And as for second, they just signed Kelly Johnson there, who's generally been a nice complementary piece-- okay-to-very-good offensively and okay defensively-- for the entirety of his career. 1 year, $3M.

How could they spend three years preparing for Rivera's retirement and still not have a successor in place?

Hiya!

I mean, yes, it's chock full of imports and oldies. But the MFY lineup is looking damn solid, the bench is deeper than our starting outfield, and they've got money to spend before they hit last year's payroll. Mock all you'd like, but-- assuming they can find something for those rotation holes (hint: they could sign ANYONE on the market and still be around their stated budget for next season)-- they're set up nicely for next year.

[Frayed Knot]

"How could they spend three years preparing for Rivera's retirement and still not have a successor in place?" -- I guess theoretically it's David Robertson but while that team tends to say things like they're going to give the job to the up-and-coming guy (sure Brett Gardner is going to be our everyday CF next year) they rarely do.


"Is Joba a starter or a reliever this week?" -- Joba's current title is "unemployed"; the Yanx cut him loose at the same time as Phil Hughes

[Vic Sage]

Hopefully, the Ellsbury signing costs the MFYs Cano

.
looks like it did, at least in part.

Man, they are an old expensive team.

and that's before they signed KJohnson, Kuroda and Beltran!

CF - Ellsbury (30/$22m)
SS - Jeter (40/$12m)
RF - Beltran (37/$15m) / Ichiro (40/$6.5m)
1b - Texiera (34/$22.5m)
C - McCann (30/$17m) / Cervelli (28/~$1m)
DH - Soriano (38/$5m) / Wells (35/$2.4m)
3b - Nunez (27/?) / Reynolds (30/~$4m)
2b - Johnson (32/$3m) / Ryan (32/$2m)
LF - Gardner (32/~$4m)
Suspension: A-Rod (38/$25m)

SP - Sabathia (33/$22m)
SP - Kuroda (39/$16M)
SP - Nova (27/~$3m)
SP - [Pineda] (25/~$?)
SP - [Phelps] (27/~?)

RP - Robertson (29/~$3m)
RP - Shawn Kelley (30/~$2m)
RP - C. Eppley (28/~?)
RP - Adam Warren (26/~?) / Preston Claiborne (26/~?)
RP - Vidal Nuno (26/~) / Cesar Cabral (25/~)
RP/SP - [Huff] (29/~)

I think they'll have to trade Gardner for a 3bman or 2bman.
Gardner for Murphy anyone?

Edited December 7, 2013 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

Nymr83 wrote: I hate seeing beltran in pinstripes

I stripe seeing Hatetran in pinbelts.

[Frayed Knot]

Vic Sage wrote: Man, they are an old expensive team. ... and that's before they signed KJohnson, Kuroda and Beltran!

Well at least none of their old, expensive players are dealing with hip (Rodriguez), ankle (Jeter), knee (Beltran), wrist (Teixeira) or suspension issues.

[Benjamin Grimm]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I could give a shit Beltran is an MFY. That team is really getting old and artificial.

Me, I'd rather not see it, but having endured Strawberry and Gooden as Yankees, I know I can handle this.

[MFS62]

Looks like a good week for fat pitchers.
Heard the Tigers are close to signing Joba Chamberlain.
It would be interesting to know if there would be a "Don't do anything (I debated if there should be a comma there) stupid" clause in his contract.

OE, Olney reporting it is for $2.5 Million base plus "incentives".
Later

[Guest themetfairy]

Mat Gamel has reportedly signed with the Braves.

[Guest d'Kong76]

He has like 250 PA in the last five years

[Frayed Knot]

Mat Gamel has reportedly signed with the Braves.

He should insist that his new contract include an extra T for his name.





Omar Infante was a MFY target to fill the 2B hole left by Cano's defection but he reportedly has snubbed the Yanx for the Royals after KC was willing to include a fourth year to the deal.
Just think about that statement for the moment and try and think how odd that would have sounded over most of the last couple of decades: A Free-Agent choosing the Royals over the Yankees

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

themetfairy wrote: Mat Gamel has reportedly signed with the Braves.

MInor-league deal, too.

Low, with a high ceiling... now that's a risk to take.

[Frayed Knot]

Pelfrey re-ups with the Twins; 2 years for $11mil guaranteed plus up to $3.5 in incentives.
Life can't be too bad when 5-13 / 5.19 ERA / 1.55 WHiP nets you a raise plus increased job security (coming off 1-yr/$4mil deal).

[ashie62]

I believe Joba is an Indian 1/2.5

[Frayed Knot]

Mama don't let your babies grow up to be righties

Boone Logan - 3 yrs / $16.5 mil with Colorado (pending physical and all that jazz)
This for a guy who totals around 40-some innings/year and just over 2/3 of an inning per outing for his career -- and while his splits v-LHBs are good they're hardly eye-popping: .243/.312/.378, and then there's that whole 4.39 ERA & 1.48 career WHiP.

Maybe the fact that his long (6' 5") side-winding motion makes him look more like the classic LOOGY than most leaves the impression that his effectiveness is better than it actually is.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Pelfrey re-ups with the Twins; 2 years for $11mil guaranteed plus up to $3.5 in incentives. Life can't be too bad when 5-13 / 5.19 ERA / 1.55 WHiP nets you a raise plus increased job security (coming off 1-yr/$4mil deal).

Perhaps they saw improvement, he was coming off Tommy John fairly quickly to start.

Not that his second half numbers look much better, though July and August were pretty good.

It looks like he basically threw everything right down the middle in September. 0-3, high ERA, tons of hits (high babip too) few walks and a ton of Ks. (Looks like his velocity was down in September too.)

[Edgy MD]

Ashie62 wrote: I believe Joba is an Indian 1/2.5

Coinicdentally, the same amount Elizabeth Warren claimed. WHOAH!

[Lefty Specialist]

Joke falls apart. Joba signed with the Tigers.

[Frayed Knot]

Kind of a nifty closer swap pulled off by the Orioles.
First they trade their off-good though erratic closer Jim Johnson to Oakland for Jemile Weeks plus a throw-in ... then they go and sign Oakland's closer Grant Balfour as a FA. Balfour has even had a slight statistical advantage over Johnson over the last few seasons. The downside to the whole thing is that Balfour turns 36 next week and is 5-1/2 years older than Johnson, but they got Balfour for two years while Johnson can be a FA at the end of 2014.


In other Baltimore news, longtime 2B Brian Roberts inks a one-year deal with the Yanx.
36 y/o and has missed 4,578 games over the last four seasons due to injuries, the Yanx are hoping Roberts makes them both younger and healthier.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: In other Baltimore news, longtime 2B Brian Roberts inks a one-year deal with the Yanx. 36 y/o and has missed 4,578 games over the last four seasons due to injuries, the Yanx are hoping Roberts makes them both younger and healthier.

Hard to say because he's barely played, but seems like his defensive ability has mostly dried up. So if when you play against the Yankees if you're at YSIII, you want a pop fly to right, if you're home, you want a dribbler up the middle.

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: Kind of a nifty closer swap pulled off by the Orioles. First they trade their off-good though erratic closer Jim Johnson to Oakland for Jemile Weeks plus a throw-in ... then they go and sign Oakland's closer Grant Balfour as a FA. Balfour has even had a slight statistical advantage over Johnson over the last few seasons. The downside to the whole thing is that Balfour turns 36 next week and is 5-1/2 years older than Johnson, but they got Balfour for two years while Johnson can be a FA at the end of 2014.

Yeah, about that whole closer swap thing ... the Orioles didn't like whatever they saw on Balfour's physical and have nixed the deal.





Kurt Suzuki, one of the possible candidates for teaming with d'Arnaud, has signed on with the Twinkies.
Eh, I wasn't too keen on getting him anyway. Didn't hit a lot except for that first half-season in Washington following his trade from Oakland, and isn't very good defensively either.

[Zvon]

No one is gonna bring this up?

Beltran Felt Hurt And Disrespected By Mets (Owners)
http://bleacherreport.com/tb/dc2nT?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=new-york-mets

[Edgy MD]

Thought this was about disagreements over the knee injury. I don't remember the (very stupid) Walter Reed attacks originating with the Mets brass.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The idea, I think, is that SOMEONE fed the press-- multiple writers-- the bit about Beltran not being there. (Otherwise, why note who ISN'T there in team fluff-coverage, right?)