The 2015 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread

[BarkingToad]

Max Scherzer signing last year looks like a "bargain"

[Andy117]

Juan Uribe is still playing? Jesus H. Christ! Isn't he approaching 50 years old?

He needs to retire and go away...

He's 36, he's still a good utility guy.

[yisman]

Tanking is created by the system, can't blame the Cubs.

it's disgusting the leagues encourage it but it's also sickening how teams lose on purpose

[Shortstop]

The Latin American guys don't retire until no one will sign them. They truly love the game

This is true, Julio Franco is still playing semi-pro ball in Japan as a player/manager. He is 57 years old.

No, I get it. I've just never been a fan.

Perhaps my subconscious is reminding me of a time or two when he burned me either at the plate or in the field...

[El Nino]

Juan Uribe is still playing? Jesus H. Christ! Isn't he approaching 50 years old?

He needs to retire and go away...

Guy still swings out of his shoes

[Otters27]

[QUOTE=BarkingToad;24988343]Max Scherzer signing last year looks like a "bargain"[/QUO5TE]

The top pitchers are the new qbs of baseball. Not many of them. They become so valuable come playoff time

[Chi_archie]

Juan Uribe is still playing? Jesus H. Christ! Isn't he approaching 50 years old?

He needs to retire and go away...

wow, yeah seems like he has been around forever

[koz-man]

No, I get it. I've just never been a fan.

Perhaps my subconscious is reminding me of a time or two when he burned me either at the plate or in the field...

I still remember when he hit a game leading double of Rob Dibble in the 1990 All-Star game.

And the AL won 2-0.

[EmpireMaker]

Pirates Sign Ryan Vogelsong

By Jeff Todd | December 18, 2015 at 3:00pm CST
The Pirates have announced a one-year deal with free agent righty Ryan Vogelsong. Contract terms have not yet been reported.
Vogelsong, 38, had seemed to wrap up his MLB career after a stint with the Bucs in the early and mid-nineties. But he returned with new vigor after a stint in Japan, and has played with the Giants for the past five seasons.
Last year was not the best season for the veteran. He was healthy, tossing 135 innings over 22 starts and 11 relief appearances. But he logged a rough 4.67 ERA with 7.2 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9. And ERA estimators saw that earned run mark as a more-or-less accurate reflection of his actual contribution on the hill.

[BigSpoon]

Hisashi Iwakuma is back with the Mariners on a 1 year contract with 2 vesting options. He supposedly failed a physical with the Dodgers and Seattle brought him back.

[EmpireMaker]

Here are a few signings/moves pertaining to Japan and Korea…

• Right-hander Yohan Pino has signed a one-year deal with the KT Wiz of the Korea Baseball Organization, the club announced (hat tip: Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency). The soon-to-be 32-year-old Pino, a client of agent Chris Fanta, logged 79 2/3 innings over the past two Major League seasons between the Twins and the Royals (spending more time on the mound with the former but enjoying better results with the latter). He owns a 4.63 ERA with averages of 7.1 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 as a big leaguer, and he’s also compiled a 4.38 ERA in 494 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level in his career. This will be his first stint with an Asian team.
• Via NPB Tracker’s Patrick Newman (Twitter link), the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball have signed right-handers Kyle Davies and Josh Lueke as well as lefty Luis Perez. Davies has the most Major League experience of the bunch, having totaled 768 innings with the Royals and Braves from 2005-11. Davis returned to the Majors this past season, tossing 2 1/3 innings for the Yankees. Though he’s been around for quite some time, Davies will pitch nearly all of next season at age 32, so he could potentially have several relatively lucrative years ahead of him if he thrives in NPB.
• The Cardinals announced that they have sold the rights to right-hander Zach Petrick to NPB’s DeNA Yokohama Bay Stars (Twitter link). St. Louis will receive cash considerations (the exact amount has yet to be reported) for surrendering the 26-year-old Petrick, who will be better-compensated pitching in Japan’s top league than he would have been in the minor leagues here. Petrick breezed through the minor leagues and posted strong ERA marks until reaching Triple-A, where he’s struggled a bit over the past two seasons, registering a 4.56 ERA with 6.4 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 in 272 1/3 innings. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent, Petrick rose to No. 15 on Baseball America’s list of Top 30 prospects following the 2013 season, with BA praising his sinking fastball, above-average changeup and repeatable mechanics, which led to strong command.
• Left-hander Eric Stults will either pitch in Japan this season or retire, reports Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet (on Twitter). It’s not clear exactly whether Stults has a concrete offer from a Japanese club, although that does seem to be the implication. Stults made eight starts for the Braves in 2015 and has recorded 683 1/3 innings at the Major League level, working to a 4.24 ERA. His best years came with the 2013-14 Padres, when he was a staple in the team’s rotation and delivered 379 2/3 innings of 4.10 ERA ball.

[Cross]

Cards finally about to not make playoffs.

[Chi_archie]

Cards finally about to not make playoffs.

I will believe it when I see it

[Shortstop]

Cards finally about to not make playoffs.

I will believe it when I see it

Word!

Unfortunately, they will rule the NL Central for several years to come...

[Shortstop]

Pirates Sign Ryan Vogelsong

By Jeff Todd | December 18, 2015 at 3:00pm CST
The Pirates have announced a one-year deal with free agent righty Ryan Vogelsong. Contract terms have not yet been reported.
Vogelsong, 38, had seemed to wrap up his MLB career after a stint with the Bucs in the early and mid-nineties. But he returned with new vigor after a stint in Japan, and has played with the Giants for the past five seasons.
Last year was not the best season for the veteran. He was healthy, tossing 135 innings over 22 starts and 11 relief appearances. But he logged a rough 4.67 ERA with 7.2 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9. And ERA estimators saw that earned run mark as a more-or-less accurate reflection of his actual contribution on the hill.

Oh my!

I'm hoping he will help next year, but this signing confuses the hell out of me!

[koz-man]

Word!

Unfortunately, they will rule the NL Central for several years to come...

Agree. They are not going away any time soon...

[BigSpoon]

Oh my!

I'm hoping he will help next year, but this signing confuses the hell out of me!

Pirates pitching coach turned around J.A. Happ last season. Maybe he can get Vogelsong back on track next year.

[MexicanStallion]

Reds have made 3 trades this offseason, but only one has counted.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Nationals are moving on from acquiring Brandon Phillips from the Reds and are pursuing other options.

Just yesterday, William Ladson of MLB.com had reported that there was an "85-90 percent" chance that Phillips would waive his no-trade clause to head to Washington, but it appears that maybe the veteran infielder has had a change of heart. Rosenthal also notes that Howie Kendrick could be an alternative option for the Nationals.

[yisman]

would not want Brandon Phillips at this point

Reds waiting until he's well past his sell by date to float him

even in his prime he was overrated. Surprise 2015 production, but you can expect '13/'14 or worse from him next season.

[koz-man]

Ex-No. 1 pick to join Rangers after prison release

The Rangers have agreed to a minor league contract with Matt Bush, the first overall draft pick in 2004 who recently finished 3½ years in prison.

[koz-man]

There's still a lot of offseason left, so these odds will change. And remember that odds are different than projections. Anyway, the latest World Series odds from Bovada.lv:

Chicago Cubs -- 6/1
San Francisco Giants -- 6/1

Boston Red Sox -- 9/1

Kansas City Royals -- 14/1
New York Mets -- 14/1

Los Angeles Dodgers -- 16/1
St. Louis Cardinals -- 16/1
Toronto Blue Jays -- 16/1

Houston Astros -- 18/1
Pittsburgh Pirates -- 18/1
Washington Nationals -- 18/1

Arizona Diamondbacks -- 20/1
Texas Rangers -- 20/1

Cleveland Indians -- 25/1
Detroit Tigers -- 25/1
Los Angeles Angels -- 25/1
New York Yankees -- 25/1

Seattle Mariners -- 33/1

Baltimore Orioles -- 50/1
Chicago White Sox -- 50/1
Minnesota Twins -- 50/1

Miami Marlins -- 66/1
Tampa Bay Rays -- 66/1

Milwaukee Brewers -- 75/1
Oakland Athletics -- 75/1

Atlanta Braves -- 100/1
Cincinnati Reds -- 100/1
Colorado Rockies -- 100/1
Philadelphia Phillies -- 100/1
San Diego Padres -- 100/1

[EmpireMaker]

14-1 on the Mets is a decent price, I like it

[EmpireMaker]

Royals at 14-1 and maybe the Astros at 18-1 look interesting too

[Shortstop]

14-1 on the Mets is a decent price, I like it

Royals at 14-1 and maybe the Astros at 18-1 look interesting too

I agree with all three of these, EM...

[Shortstop]

There's still a lot of offseason left, so these odds will change. And remember that odds are different than projections. Anyway, the latest World Series odds from Bovada.lv:

Chicago Cubs -- 6/1
San Francisco Giants -- 6/1

Boston Red Sox -- 9/1

Kansas City Royals -- 14/1
New York Mets -- 14/1

Los Angeles Dodgers -- 16/1
St. Louis Cardinals -- 16/1
Toronto Blue Jays -- 16/1

Houston Astros -- 18/1
Pittsburgh Pirates -- 18/1
Washington Nationals -- 18/1

Arizona Diamondbacks -- 20/1
Texas Rangers -- 20/1

Cleveland Indians -- 25/1
Detroit Tigers -- 25/1
Los Angeles Angels -- 25/1
New York Yankees -- 25/1

Seattle Mariners -- 33/1

Baltimore Orioles -- 50/1
Chicago White Sox -- 50/1
Minnesota Twins -- 50/1

Miami Marlins -- 66/1
Tampa Bay Rays -- 66/1

Milwaukee Brewers -- 75/1
Oakland Athletics -- 75/1

Atlanta Braves -- 100/1
Cincinnati Reds -- 100/1
Colorado Rockies -- 100/1
Philadelphia Phillies -- 100/1
San Diego Padres -- 100/1

The Boston Red Sox odds are interesting. I really like their chances next year!

I can't believe many people (other than Cubs fans) would take the Cubs at that price.

After all, they are the Cubs! I hope they're a major failure next year...

[Chi_archie]

not happy with the pirates off season thus far

[BigSpoon]

The Boston Red Sox odds are interesting. I really like their chances next year!

I can't believe many people (other than Cubs fans) would take the Cubs at that price.

After all, they are the Cubs! I hope they're a major failure next year...

Red Sox odds seem a bit low, not much value there. Blue Jays still the team to beat in the AL East.

[yisman]

Ex-No. 1 pick to join Rangers after prison release

The Rangers have agreed to a minor league contract with Matt Bush, the first overall draft pick in 2004 who recently finished 3½ years in prison.

just proving that when you're drafted first overall, you get 8 chances or so

[Cross]

I hate futures odds, one big injury changes things so much.

[Andy117]

6/1 on the Giants is crazy. That team isn't that good.

[EmpireMaker]

Justin Upton: There have been surprisingly few solid rumors about Upton’s market, as the Angels and Orioles have both at least spoken with Upton’s representatives but there’s been little evidence of a serious pursuit. He carries a high projected price tag (MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes thinks Upton will get a seven-year, $147MM deal) and he’ll cost his new team a draft pick as qualifying offer compensation, though Upton’s main problem could simply be the glut of other quality outfielders on the free agent and trade markets. That said, it’s hard to believe Upton won’t eventually wind up with a lucrative deal given the number of potential suitors that could use a big outfield bat.
Chris Davis: The Orioles, Davis’ former team, made a $150MM offer to the slugger that has since been taken off the table. The Cardinals, Blue Jays and Red Sox have been speculatively linked to Davis but Baltimore is the only club known to be firmly pursuing him. If Davis and agent Scott Boras are really looking for an eight-year, $200MM offer, however, it’s hard to see any team taking the plunge at that price, despite Boras’ track record of scoring higher-than-expected contracts for his clients.
Yoenis Cespedes: Upton and Cespedes share many of the same issues clouding their market, though Cespedes is two years older but can be signed without draft pick compensation. (Cespedes, in fact, is the only player of these five who doesn’t have the qualifying offer hanging over his free agency.) The Orioles and Angels have also been lightly linked to Cespedes, with the Tigers, Royals and Giants also being involved. The White Sox have also been mentioned as a possible suitor for Cespedes or Upton, as they have a left field vacancy.
Alex Gordon: Though Gordon is four and two years older, respectively, than Upton and Cespedes, he’s been getting a lot more interest from a variety of teams — the Cardinals, Astros, Royals, Giants, Angels, Red Sox, Cubs, Orioles and Tigers have all been linked to Gordon at one time or another this winter. At least a few of those teams, however, can probably be eliminated from contention due to other moves; the Cubs signed Heyward and Colby Rasmus accepted Houston’s qualifying offer, for instance. Dierkes projected a five-year, $105MM deal for Gordon, so it’s not surprising that teams are exploring their options before deciding to give up a draft pick and give a nine-figure deal to a 32-year-old.
Ian Desmond: Whereas the other four names on this list had good-to-excellent walk years, Desmond headed into free agency burdened by a poor 2015 season (.233/.290/.384 in 641 PA, 83 wRC+, -3.7 UZR/150). It’s made for a slow market for Desmond, as teams with shortstop needs like the Padres and Mets have shown only marginal interest. What may help Desmond, however, is that he may not be limited to shortstop-needy teams, as his agents have been pushing him as a multi-position player capable of handling the outfield. The strategy seems to be working to some extent, as multiple teams are considering Desmond not just at short or the outfield but also at second and third.

[Otters27]

would not want Brandon Phillips at this point

Reds waiting until he's well past his sell by date to float him

even in his prime he was overrated. Surprise 2015 production, but you can expect '13/'14 or worse from him next season.

Ya guy is way past his prime.

[Chi_archie]

just proving that when you're drafted first overall, you get 8 chances or so

I think Josh Hamilton paved the way for more chances

[BigSpoon]

6/1 on the Giants is crazy. That team isn't that good.

Another even year coming up. Some people think they will win again since they did so in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

[Shortstop]

not happy with the pirates off season thus far

Yeah, me neither! They sure haven't done anything yet to improve themselves, that's for sure...