[Chi_archie]

I thought Jay Bruce was going to be a super star

[koz-man]

MLB Network's Jon Heyman hears the Reds believe the Orioles have the prospects to swing a deal for Jay Bruce.

That bit of information is almost certainly a follow-up to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal's report Wednesday that the Orioles would have interest in a trade for Bruce but it was uncertain that the O's could pull off such a deal. The Orioles are looking at a number of different options for adding a bat, including signing a free agent like Dexter Fowler or Pedro Alvarez, and it's unlikely that they would look to acquire more than one. While the O's seem to have a lot of plates in the air, the market for Bruce has been quiet for much of the winter.

Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter

Please make this happen

[Andy117]

Jennry Mejia tested positive for steriods for the 3rd time. Banned for life. Unbelievable stupidity.

[El Nino]

dumb fukk Mejia

[EmpireMaker]

Jenrry Mejia Gets Lifetime Ban After Third Positive PED Test

By Jeff Todd | February 12, 2016 at 3:49pm CST
Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia has been banned permanently from the majors after his third positive PED test, according to a league announcement. Remarkably, Mejia tested positive for the banned substance boldenone after earning two suspensions just last year.

It’s a truly stunning result, made all the more surprising given that Mejia was on track to resume his career with New York. Indeed, he recently agreed to a $2.47MM salary to avoid arbitration. While he was already to sacrifice a good portion of that money to finish serving his second suspension — which was of the 162-game variety — he’ll lose the remainder after today’s news.
Mejia becomes the first player to receive a permanent ban under MLB’s “three strikes and you’re out” PED policy. There is a provision that will allow the 26-year-old righty to seek reinstatement, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com notes on Twitter. But even if successful, he’d have to wait one year to ask and serve a minimum two-year ban.
In a statement, the Mets said that the club is “deeply disappointed” in Mejia. He had seemed destined to return to a prominent place in the club’s pen after finishing out his second ban. While New York seemed primed to cut ties at one point, the upside in Mejia’s cheap contract and rested, youthful arm certainly justified the risk. But Mejia somehow proved unable to avoid PED usage even while subject to stepped-up testing as a prior offender.
After failing to hold down a rotation job in 2014, Mejia had shown real promise in a relief role. He ended that campaign as the team’s closer, posting 28 saves and working to a 2.72 ERA over 56 1/3 innings out of the pen. While he has since been supplanted in the ninth by Jeurys Familia, Mejia certainly seemed to have a plausible chance of winning back a set-up role later in the 2015 season.

[LordVodka]

Who is the hot new pitcher for 2016?

[LT Profits]

Who is the hot new pitcher for 2016?

Keep an eye on Kevin Gausman

[BarkingToad]

Are the Reds going to have anyone good left?

[Shortstop]

Jennry Mejia tested positive for steriods for the 3rd time. Banned for life. Unbelievable stupidity.

dumb fukk Mejia

Jenrry Mejia Gets Lifetime Ban After Third Positive PED Test

By Jeff Todd | February 12, 2016 at 3:49pm CST
Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia has been banned permanently from the majors after his third positive PED test, according to a league announcement. Remarkably, Mejia tested positive for the banned substance boldenone after earning two suspensions just last year.

It’s a truly stunning result, made all the more surprising given that Mejia was on track to resume his career with New York. Indeed, he recently agreed to a $2.47MM salary to avoid arbitration. While he was already to sacrifice a good portion of that money to finish serving his second suspension — which was of the 162-game variety — he’ll lose the remainder after today’s news.
Mejia becomes the first player to receive a permanent ban under MLB’s “three strikes and you’re out” PED policy. There is a provision that will allow the 26-year-old righty to seek reinstatement, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com notes on Twitter. But even if successful, he’d have to wait one year to ask and serve a minimum two-year ban.
In a statement, the Mets said that the club is “deeply disappointed” in Mejia. He had seemed destined to return to a prominent place in the club’s pen after finishing out his second ban. While New York seemed primed to cut ties at one point, the upside in Mejia’s cheap contract and rested, youthful arm certainly justified the risk. But Mejia somehow proved unable to avoid PED usage even while subject to stepped-up testing as a prior offender.
After failing to hold down a rotation job in 2014, Mejia had shown real promise in a relief role. He ended that campaign as the team’s closer, posting 28 saves and working to a 2.72 ERA over 56 1/3 innings out of the pen. While he has since been supplanted in the ninth by Jeurys Familia, Mejia certainly seemed to have a plausible chance of winning back a set-up role later in the 2015 season.

Wow!

Being a pitcher, he of all should know that "3 Strikes and You're Out!"

[Shortstop]

I thought Jay Bruce was going to be a super star

Me, too...

[Shortstop]

The Oakland A's traded for Khris Davis (OF) this afternoon.

The Brewers receive Jacob Nottingham (C) and Bubba Derby (P)

[EmpireMaker]

Orioles Discussing Three-Year Deal With Yovani Gallardo

By Jeff Todd | February 12, 2016 at 6:38pm CST
FEB. 12, 6:38pm: A deal isn’t expected to come together this evening, Kubatko tweets.
9:06am: There’s some hope that the deal could be completed today, tweets Heyman, though the two sides are still debating whether the deal would be three years or three years plus an option, he notes. Once the Orioles have Gallardo’s deal wrapped up, the focus will shift to a bat, Heyman adds. They’ve been linked to Dexter Fowler, Jay Bruce and Pedro Alvarez recently.
FEB. 10, 5:07pm: ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets that “if and when” the deal between the Orioles and Gallardo is finalized, he’ll be guaranteed $40-45MM over three years.
10:40am: There’s momentum toward a deal, but some “tweaks” in the proposed terms are needed to finalize a pact, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (Twitter links).
9:54am: The sides are “moving close” to a contract that would include three guaranteed years, Jon Heyman reports on Twitter. It’s possible that an opt-out would be included, adds Heyman, who notes that an agreement is not yet in place. Baltimore appears to be in the lead to add Gallardo and already recently began reviewing his medicals, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com adds.
9:30am: The Orioles are “making progress” in contract talks with free agent righty Yovani Gallardo, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. Baltimore has long been said to be interested in the soon-to-be 30-year-old, but this report provides the first indication of deepening negotiations.
Gallardo declined a qualifying offer from the Rangers at the outset of the offseason, of course, and thus requires a signing team to sacrifice a draft pick to sign. In the Orioles’ case, the team would stand to part with its first-round choice — currently, the 14th overall selection. And it has been hesitant to do that after already missing out on possible comp picks in two cases (Matt Wieters and Chris Davis).
It’s not clear to what extent other teams remain involved in the hunt for the veteran, but many of the organizations that seemed plausible landing spots have taken alternative routes to building out their rotation. For instance, the Astros signed Doug Fister and the White Sox added Mat Latos. Recent reports also suggest that the Rockies are no longer in pursuit of Gallardo.
The qualifying offer is obviously a factor in Gallardo’s market, as it is with any player who receives one, but the bigger question in his value lies in how you view his results against his peripherals. As Tyler Clippard’s signing just proved, a lengthy track record of excellence may not always translate to corresponding earnings in free agency, even for somewhat younger pitchers, where there’s a lot of wear-and-tear and signs of declining underlying ability.
In the case of Gallardo, there’s plenty to like about his recent run prevention record, which includes 184 innings of 3.42 ERA pitching last year. But he’s also seen his strikeout rate fall all the way to 5.9 per nine with his walks rising to 3.3 BB/9. And Gallardo’s average fastball has declined by more than two miles per hour from his highest annual mean velocity.
It’s obvious to see why the Orioles are interested in bolstering a rotation that’s now without Wei-Yin Chen (who at least left a comp pick when he departed). There are options, to be sure. But there isn’t much in the way of upside — Kevin Gausman probably carries the most — and even some of the depth comes with its own questions. Baltimore figures to utilize Gausman, Ubaldo Jimenez, Chris Tillman, and Miguel Gonzalez in the starting five, with pitchers such as Odrisamer Despaigne, Vance Worley, Mike Wright, and Tyler Wilson also factoring into the competition.
Ultimately, it’s not clear that Gallardo would end up representing a truly significant upgrade over Baltimore’s current options, but he’s an established arm with a nice track record of durability. It’s worth noting, too — as Steve Adams pointed out to me — that his strong groundball rate (49.3% last year) would figure to play well with a high-quality Orioles infield defense to back him.

[oiler]

well mejia had many chances and was too stupid

[El Nino]

Wow!

Being a pitcher, he of all should know that "3 Strikes and You're Out!"

[LT Profits]

Ultimately, it’s not clear that Gallardo would end up representing a truly significant upgrade over Baltimore’s current options

I disagree, I think he could end up being around their #3 starter.

[Chi_archie]

The Oakland A's traded for Khris Davis (OF) this afternoon.

The Brewers receive Jacob Nottingham (C) and Bubba Derby (P)

Bubba Derby! what a great name

[Wrigley]

I disagree, I think he could end up being around their #3 starter.

I agree with LT has a chance to be there 3rd starter

[BigSpoon]

Mejia story is ridiculous, failing his 3rd drug test while still serving his suspension for his 2nd failed test. What a fool.

[koz-man]

Are the Reds going to have anyone good left?

Joey Votto, It’s still a pleasure watching one of the best hitters in the game apply his craft. He quietly finished third in the 2015 MVP voting after one of the best second halves in recent history, hitting .362/.535/.617. In fact, the last player not named Barry Bonds to have a .500 OBP in any half of a season was Frank Thomas in 1994.

[Cross]

That Mets pitcher must be one of the stupidest people playing baseball ever.

[Andy117]

Who the hell was Mejia listening to? A-Rod never got caught and used for years.

[EmpireMaker]

Rays pitcher Alex Cobb is targeting a late July return from Tommy John surgery, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Cobb went under the knife in mid-May of last season. This reported time table puts him on a typical 14 to 15 month pace. Cobb last pitched in 2014 when he posted a 2.87 ERA with 8.06 K/9, 2.54 BB/9 and a 56 percent ground ball rate.

• Waiver claim Chase Whitley is on a similar return schedule to Cobb. Whitley’s surgery came a few days after Cobb so it’s possible he won’t be ready until early August. While Cobb has a borderline ace ceiling, Whitley has performed more like a swingman. In 95 career innings, he has a 5.02 ERA with 7.20 K/9 and 2.18 BB/9. Interestingly, his peripherals suggest the potential for a sub-4.00 ERA.
• While they recover, the rotation is a little thin if injuries strike. The team is already relying upon Matt Moore and Drew Smyly – both of whom have missed significant time in recent seasons. Matt Andriese is one of the main depth options with top prospect Blake Snell knocking on the door.
• Topkin also runs through the position battles at other positions. Outfield is a spot to watch for our readers. The club is particularly deep. Trade acquisition Corey Dickerson is expected to be the primary designated hitter with Desmond Jennings in left, Kevin Kiermaier in center, Steven Souza in right, and Brandon Guyer in a reserve role. Injuries or a trade opportunity could quickly mutate the plans.
• The Rays problems are of the “good” variety, Topkin writes in a separate piece. Most of the roster is crowded with the exception of the bullpen where options can emerge unexpectedly. With their depth, future transactions in the outfield and at first base are possible. The team has been shopping James Loney for awhile now. He’s owed $8MM for this season.

[BigSpoon]

Who the hell was Mejia listening to? A-Rod never got caught and used for years.

A-Rod is rich as penetrate and can afford the best 'doctors' and latest drugs, Mejia not so much. Not a fair comparison.

[Wrigley]

Who the hell was Mejia listening to? A-Rod never got caught and used for years.

Testing has changed so much since A-Rod started

[BarkingToad]

Joey Votto, It’s still a pleasure watching one of the best hitters in the game apply his craft. He quietly finished third in the 2015 MVP voting after one of the best second halves in recent history, hitting .362/.535/.617. In fact, the last player not named Barry Bonds to have a .500 OBP in any half of a season was Frank Thomas in 1994.

Votto may set the single season walk record, no need for teams to pitch to him.

[LT Profits]

Votto may set the single season walk record, no need for teams to pitch to him.

The Historically Lousy Clutch Hitting of the 2015 Reds

[Chi_archie]

The Historically Lousy Clutch Hitting of the 2015 Reds

wow very interesting

[mr. leisure]

The Historically Lousy Clutch Hitting of the 2015 Reds

They were awful

[Andy117]

Testing has changed so much since A-Rod started

A-Rod was "caught" only a few years ago.

[koz-man]

Votto may set the single season walk record, no need for teams to pitch to him.

Agree.



Bruce will not be able to bat behind him to protect. It will be up to Devin Mesoraco. If he can find his 2014 form.

[Shortstop]

The Historically Lousy Clutch Hitting of the 2015 Reds

Wow! How frustrating! Nice find, LT...

[El Nino]

The Historically Lousy Clutch Hitting of the 2015 Reds

[EmpireMaker]

Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager has been named the top prospect in baseball for the 2016 season by all four major scouting publications, including Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, ESPN, and MLB.com. Baseball America released their annual top-100 list Friday, completing Seager's sweep.
Seager, 21, hit .293/.344/.487 with 37 doubles and 18 homers in 125 games split between Double-A and Triple-A last year. He then put up a .337/.425/.561 (173 OPS+) batting line in 27 games with Los Angeles as a September call-up. Seager hit third in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Mets.
In their free scouting report, MLB.com said Seager "has a higher offensive ceiling than any big league shortstop except for Carlos Correa." They note he's big for a shortstop (listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 lbs.), but that's not considered a huge problem. "Eventually moving to third base wouldn't prevent Seager from being a star, because his bat will play big at any position."
Here are the consensus top 15 prospects in baseball using the rankings from the four scouting publications. I simply averaged out each player's rank.

1. SS Corey Seager, Dodgers - Average Rank: 1
2. OF Byron Buxton, Twins - 2
3. RHP Lucas Giolito, Nationals - 3.5
4. LHP Julio Urias, Dodgers - 4.75
5. SS J.P. Crawford, Phillies - 4.75
6. 2B Yoan Moncada, Red Sox - 8.5
7. SS Orlando Arcia, Brewers - 9
8. RHP Alex Reyes, Cardinals - 9.5
9. 3B/OF Joey Gallo, Rangers - 9.75
10. RHP Tyler Glasnow, Pirates - 10.25
11. OF Nomar Mazara, Rangers - 13.25
12. SS Trea Turner, Nationals - 15.25
13. LHP Blake Snell, Rays - 15.25
14. SS Dansby Swanson, Braves - 16.25
15. LHP Steven Matz, Mets - 18.5

So not only do the Dodgers have the best overall prospect in baseball, they also have another consensus top-four prospect in Urias, arguably the best pitching prospect in the game. The Rangers (Gallo, Mazara) and Nationals (Giolito, Turner) also have a pair of top-12 prospects heading into 2016.
The 2015 rookie class was historically great. I'm not sure we'll see anything like that again, at least not anytime soon. The 2016 rookie class should be very good though, thanks in large part to Seager

[BarkingToad]

The Historically Lousy Clutch Hitting of the 2015 Reds

Looking like another last place season for Reds, take under 71 win season total.

[LT Profits]

Looking like another last place season for Reds, take under 71 win season total.

Another train of thought is that since Clutch Hitting has not been a predictive stat in the past, they should be better in that category after being anomalously and historically bad last year. Then again, they could still go under 71 wins simply because they are not very good.