Non-NYM Off-Season News

[Edgy MD]

Don't know. Neither Lobaton nor Severino seem ideal.

I'm pretty sure Ramos wasn't expected to be ready until mid-season.

[Frayed Knot]

Carlos Gomez (mentioned briefly somewhere around here as a NYM possibility) winds up with a one-year deal back with the Rangers which is where he finished out the final six weeks of 2016 following his release by the Astros. For whatever reason he was much better in northern Texas than he was in the eastern part of the state.

[Centerfield]

I don't think I knew he had been released by the Astros last year. Surprised we didn't kick the tires on that one with our CF hole and Lagares being injured.

And Gomez hitting RH.

[Lefty Specialist]

So far the off-season's playing out pretty well. Glad Sale isn't a Nat and Ramos is moving on.

Melancon to the Giants is a little concerning, as their bullpen was their Achilles heel. Wade Davis to the Cubs replacing Chapman is a wash.

Red Sox will be loaded. And they don't look like they're done. Gonna be tough to be a Yankee fan next year. (Awwwww)

One of the possible landing spots for McCutchen was the Rangers, but signing Carlos Gomez for CF closes that off. So it increases the DC possibility. I'm betting Cutch has a bounceback year and I'd hate for it to be for the Nats.

[Centerfield]

Lefty Specialist wrote: So far the off-season's playing out pretty well. Glad Sale isn't a Nat and Ramos is moving on. Melancon to the Giants is a little concerning, as their bullpen was their Achilles heel. Wade Davis to the Cubs replacing Chapman is a wash. Red Sox will be loaded. And they don't look like they're done. Gonna be tough to be a Yankee fan next year. (Awwwww) One of the possible landing spots for McCutchen was the Rangers, but signing Carlos Gomez for CF closes that off. So it increases the DC possibility. I'm betting Cutch has a bounceback year and I'd hate for it to be for the Nats.

Yeah, I think the Nats losing on Sale probably makes them front-runners for McCutchen. I guess then they move Tina Turner to SS?

I am trying not to celebrate the Nats losing on Sale too much. Last winter I laughed as they missed on all their targets, then the guy the eventually settled on turned into Ted Williams. Fucking Brandon Phillips. I still blame him.

But man, I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief that we dodged the Sale bullet. That guy would have just destroyed our lineup. Nats still have great pitching, obviously, but if Gio goes to the MFY's, they are basically right-handed.

[Frayed Knot]

Ian Desmond finally gets his long-term deal, 5 years to the Rox.
Not sure what position they intend for him. One of the corner OF spots I'd guess.

[Edgy MD]

The agent called and I said, ‘Really? Jose is a villain in Baltimore and I’m not going to go tell our fans that we’re courting Jose Bautista for the Orioles because they’re not going to be happy.'” — Baltimore GM Dan Duquette

That's refreshing in a goofy way. Good grudges make for good baseball!

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: Ian Desmond finally gets his long-term deal, 5 years to the Rox. Not sure what position they intend for him. One of the corner OF spots I'd guess.

Damn, that Desmond signing is going to cost the Rockies not just a draft pick but the most costly draft pick you can surrender under the current rules, #11 overall !!

[A Boy Named Seo]

Frayed Knot wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Ian Desmond finally gets his long-term deal, 5 years to the Rox. Not sure what position they intend for him. One of the corner OF spots I'd guess. Damn, that Desmond signing is going to cost the Rockies not just a draft pick but the most costly draft pick you can surrender under the current rules, #11 overall !!

That's kind of a weird one. A 30-year old shortstop turned outfielder who they signed to play 1st base for the next 5 years??

[A Boy Named Seo]

Matt Holliday to the Yankees. He seems like such a perfect Yankee, even more than he was a perfect Cardinal, with his easy, annoying, hateability.

[Frayed Knot]

re: Desmond: 1st base?!?!! That's weird.
His bat played real well when he was a SS (except for 2015) and again last year as a CF, but his 30 y/o numbers were, at best, so-so for a 1B and I certainly wouldn't want to be locked into them for his age 31-35 seasons.
Now it's Denver, Colorado so he'll hit well enough for sure, but there are a glut of 1B-men out there right now (hence the plunging market for Encarnacion) which makes this even stranger.





The Wade Davis from KC to the Cubs in exchange for Jorge Soler is apparently complete.

[Edgy MD]

A lot of movement of Wades: LeBlanc, Davis, ... can Miley be far behind?

[Edgy MD]

Also, with regard to Ian Desmond, player movement that fills a(n alleged) need in one place can open up a new need elsewhere. So now Texas is down an outfielder, with relief pitching to trade.

[HahnSolo]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Matt Holliday to the Yankees. He seems like such a perfect Yankee, even more than he was a perfect Cardinal, with his easy, annoying, hateability.

He looks like an adult Caillou. For those of you without kids, that is NOT a good thing.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I suppose it's better than looking like Tommy Pickles.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: Also, with regard to Ian Desmond, player movement that fills a(n alleged) need in one place can open up a new need elsewhere. So now Texas is down an outfielder, with relief pitching to trade.

And as if on cue, reports are out there that the Mets & Rangers have been seen chatting earlier today. No specifics beyond that.

[Edgy MD]

I have Sandy's ear. He relies on me a lot.

Should I put a bug in there with regard to Jonathan Lucroy? We can package Bruce with Harvey and get a monster return. Just say the word. Sandy listens to me.

[TransMonk]

White Sox OF Adam Eaton to the Nats for prospects Lucas Giolito, Dane Dunning and Reynaldo Lopez.

One less suitor for McCutchen. Just sayin'.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Man, some pretty incredible hauls by the White Sox. You can call it a rebuild, I guess, but these dudes are Major League ready or pretty close.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

TransMonk wrote: White Sox OF Adam Eaton to the Nats for prospects Lucas Giolito, Dane Dunning and Reynaldo Lopez. One less suitor for McCutchen. Just sayin'.

It's quite a price to pay, but, well, Eaton is a better get than McCutchen-- hell, maybe a better get than Sale-- at this point.

[Frayed Knot]

Certainly a cheaper and longer-term alternative to McCutcheon as Eaton is signed thru 2019 with reasonable options for '20 + '21
He'll be their CF moving Turner back to SS

Giolito's a big price to pay, Reynaldo Lopez being included takes one of their in-house bullpen options out of play, and while the third process Dunning is a ways away but was their 1st round draft pick in 2016 - but ya gotta give to get.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

In yesterday's other news, the Cubs add bullpen superarm Wade Davis from the Royals for youngish OF Jorge Soler...

... to replace some asshole who just signed with the Yankees. (5 yrs/$86M, with limited no-trade... and, because he was traded in-season, no loss of qualifying-offer first-rounder).

[Lefty Specialist]

Well, he can buy all the weaponry he needs to threaten his girlfriend now.

[DocTee]

Who's the Nats catcher in '17?

Why Derek Norris, of course. Interesting acquisition- I think Wieters may still be on their wishlist.

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: ... to replace some asshole who just signed with the Yankees. (5 yrs/$86M, with limited no-trade... and, because he was traded in-season, no loss of qualifying-offer first-rounder).

Pretty good set of transactions for the Yanx overall.
- trade shit [crossout]pro[/crossout]suspects to get him on account of his imminent suspension
- pay him for about 1/3 of a season under his original contract
- trade him away at the deadline for lots of good prospects
- get him back at the cost of nothing except money because you had traded him away previously

Of course there was the small matter of the deal that sent him away signaling to their fans that they were throwing in the towel on a season where a playoff spot was still very much in reach, and now the question of whether a closer can be worth $17+ mil/year or that he won't blow up (physically or otherwise) during the next five seasons.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Reports are that the Orioles have told Jose Bautista that they won't make him an offer because their fans don't like him.

[Centerfield]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Well, he can buy all the weaponry he needs to threaten his girlfriend now.

I know that this is not supposed to be a funny subject but this made me laugh out loud.

What an asshole. Wasn't there a guy on the Giants that ended up shooting himself in the leg a few years ago? I hope this happens to Chapman.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Cubs sign Koji Uehara to a 1year deal. I wonder why we didn't go after him

[youtube:hnhayqj5]LEksgDdn0x4[/youtube:hnhayqj5]

[Frayed Knot]

Looking like Dexter Fowler to the Cards on a five year deal.
Not that it was a direct exchange or anything, but StL certainly seems like they're coming out on the better end of the Heyward/Fowler "swap" of NL Central outfielders.

[Centerfield]

Frayed Knot wrote: Looking like Dexter Fowler to the Cards on a five year deal. Not that it was a direct exchange or anything, but StL certainly seems like they're coming out on the better end of the Heyward/Fowler "swap" of NL Central outfielders.

Based on 2016 anyway. Fowler's numbers were a bit high for his standards in 2016. And he has played his career in hitters' parks. Heyward, as everyone knows, was historically bad last year.

Gun to your head, who has a better season in 2017? You probably go with Fowler, but it's not a no-brainer for me.