Maddon had to be one of the easiest winners for that award in quite some time
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Historic National League trio
This season, Jake Arrieta, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw each finished with an ERA+ of at least 175 (ERA+ measures a pitcher's ERA adjusted to their ballpark and league average).
The last time the NL had three starters do that, Cy Young was still pitching (1909). The award named after him will be given tonight.Comment -
National League
The three National League finalists rank among the best top trios in the league in recent memory. This was the first season in which the NL had three pitchers with at least 7.5 wins above replacement (Jake Arrieta, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw) since 1977 (Rick Reuschel, Phil Niekro and Tom Seaver).
Jake Arrieta
Arrieta would become the first Chicago Cubs pitcher to win the Cy Young since Greg Maddux in 1992.
He had one of the great finishes to a season in major league history, posting a 0.86 ERA over his final 20 starts. The Elias Sports Bureau notes that’s the lowest such ERA since earned runs became an official stat (in 1912 in the NL, 1913 in the AL).
His final numbers were amazing, a league-leading 22 wins, a 1.77 ERA (second in the majors) and 0.39 home runs per nine innings. He was at his best against the best teams, going 12-3 with a 1.48 ERA against teams that finished .500 or better.
Season highlight: On Aug. 30, Arrieta pitched a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts on Sunday Night Baseball against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the first by a Cubs pitcher since Carlos Zambrano in 2008. It capped a month in which he went 6-0 with an 0.43 ERA.
Zack Greinke
Greinke had a season that was one of the best by a pitcher in the past 20 years. He went 19-3 with a major league best 1.66 ERA. Amazingly, Greinke’s season ERA was below 2.00 at the end of every start he made in 2015.
He’s the fifth pitcher in the live ball era (since 1920) to have an .850 win percentage and an ERA below 2.00. The previous four pitchers to do so won the Cy Young.
If Greinke wins, it would be his second Cy Young -- his first came with the Royals in 2009, a season in which he also led his league in ERA.
Season highlight: Greinke approached Orel Hershiser’s record-setting 59-inning scoreless streak by throwing 45 ⅔ straight scoreless innings in June and July. Greinke’s stretch consisted of six straight scoreless starts, in which he struck out 42 and walked four.
Clayton Kershaw
Kershaw would become the fifth pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards, joining Roger Clemens (seven), Randy Johnson (five), Steve Carlton (four) and Greg Maddux (four).
Kershaw’s 2015 season doesn’t quite match his last couple, but he did finish with a 2.13 ERA. He went 11-1 with a 1.22 ERA in his last 17 starts of the season.
Where Kershaw did excel was in his combination of strikeouts (301), walks (42) and home runs allowed (15 in an NL-best 232 ⅔ innings pitched). He became the first pitcher to finish a season with a sub-2 fielding independent pitching (1.99) and 300 strikeouts since Pedro Martinez for the 1999 Red Sox.
Season highlight: Kershaw had a stretch of four amazing starts spanning July and August in which he shut out the Phillies, pitched eight scoreless innings against the Nationals, shut out the Mets and pitched eight scoreless innings against the Angels. In those four starts, he struck out 45 and walked one.Comment -
Tigers acquire closer Francisco Rodriguez from Brewers
By Dayn Perry | Baseball Writer
November 18, 2015 11:44 am ET
Per CBSSports MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Tigers on Wednesday acquired veteran closer Francisco Rodriguez from the Brewers. The teams announced the deal later in the afternoon.
Rodriguez, 33, is coming off a 2015 season in which he pitched to a 2.21 ERA and 5.64 K/BB ratio for Milwaukee. For his career, he boasts an ERA+ of 156 and 386 saves across parts of 14 big-league seasons. Those 386 saves rank seventh on the all-time list and first among actives. Over the course of his career, K-Rod has converted 86 percent of his save opportunities.
In recent seasons, the Tigers have struggled with late-inning relief. Joakim Soria was effective in the role this past season before being traded to the Pirates, but Detroit has cycled through a number of closers -- most of them ineffective -- in recent years. As for Rodriguez, he occasionally struggles with the long-ball, but in going from Milwaukee to Detroit he'll be swapping out one of the most homer-friendly ballparks for one that suppresses the home run to a modest extent.
Rodriguez is under for contract for 2016 at a salary of $5.5 million. His contract also includes a $6 million option/$4 million buyout for 2017.
Heyman reports that the Tigers will absorb money left on Rodriguez's contract through 2016.
Minor-league infielder Javier Betancourt is headed to the Brewers as part of the trade. Betancourt, 20, owns a line of .281/.323/.364 in 338 minor-league games. Defensively, he's spent time at second, short, and third. Last season, he reached the High-A level. The Brewers will also receive a player to be named later in the deal.Comment -
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he's only 33?
I would have guessed 39Comment -
Giants sign Brandon Crawford to six-year contract extension
By Dayn Perry | Baseball Writer
November 17, 2015 6:09 pm ET
The Giants on Tuesday announced that they've signed shortstop Brandon Crawford to a six-year contract extension. Ken Rosenthal reports that the deal is worth $75 million.
Crawford had been eligible for free agency following the 2017 season, so this deal in essence buys out four years of free agency while also giving the Giants some cost certainty through the final two years of Crawford's arbitration eligibility.
Crawford has long been a plus defender at the premium position of shortstop (he won his first Gold Glove in 2015), and his bat has also developed nicely. In 2015, Crawford's age-28 campaign, he batted .256/.321/.462 with 21 homers and 33 doubles, and he did that despite playing his home games in a run-suppressing ballpark. Needless to say, that's excellent power production, especially by the standards of the position. It's also in keeping with Crawford's offensive trajectory in recent seasons.
This new contract will run through Crawford's age-34 season. On Crawford's side, this deal gives him lifetime financial security, and the Giants meantime get a bargain on the going-market rates for durable, slick-fielding shortstops who can produce at the plate.Comment -
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Jake Arrieta wins the NL Cy Young and Dallas Keuchel wins the AL Cy Young. I think Greinke probably should have won it in the NL.Comment -
Andy Van Slyke says Kershaw wants Yasiel Puig traded from Dodgers
By Dayn Perry | Baseball Writer
November 19, 2015 7:54 pm ET
Former big-leaguer Andy Van Slyke, who's also the father of Dodgers outfielder Scott Van Slyke, on Thursday talked to host Frank Cusumano on CBS Sports Radio 920 in St. Louis. On the subject of his son's Dodger teammate Yasiel Puig, here's what the elder Van Slyke had to say:"This is just between you and I. When the best player -- the highest paid player on the Los Angeles Dodgers -- goes to the GM and ... is asked what are [the needs of the Los Angeles Dodgers], this particular highest-paid player said, 'The first thing you need to do is get rid of Puig.' That's all you need to know."The highest-paid player on the Dodgers would be Clayton Kershaw, who checks in with a 2015 salary of $32.571 million and a 2016 salary of $34.571 million. Van Slyke wouldn't mention Kershaw by name, but the implication is clear.
As for Puig, he has been exceptionally productive in his young career, with an OPS+ of 141 and a total WAR of 11.3 across parts of three seasons. However, he has been prone to injuries and mental lapses on and off the field. As well, his occasional exuberance may rub some the wrong way.
There's no doubt that Puig is a skilled ballplayer who has been productive when healthy, but it's entirely possible that his demeanor has led some powerful Dodgers to decide he's no longer worth the hassle. Maybe that's a flawed way of thinking, but it's nonetheless quite plausible.
Beyond that, this can probably be characterized as "candor to excess" on Van Slyke's part. After all, "This is just between you and I [sic]" is kind of a pointless declaration when uttered in the course of, you know, a radio interview.Comment -
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Puig is the type of guy that can be a cancer in the clubhouse. Takes managers and gMs time to realizeComment -
Bryce Harper wins as a unanimous selection for NL MVP, Josh Donaldson wins the AL MVP. I don't have a huge problem with both winning. Mike Trout finished 2nd in AL MVP voting for the 3rd time, beast!Comment -
always loved Andy Van SlykeComment -
By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | November 17th, 2015
Legendary Cuban baseball player Lazaro Vargas and his son, top infield prospect Miguel Vargas, have left the island, according to industry sources, and are currently in an undisclosed location.
Miguel Vargas, who turned 16 on Tuesday, is seeking a deal with a Major League team. Lazaro Vargas, 51, who played 22 years for the Havana Industriales in Cuba's Serie Nacional and won two Olympic gold medals while playing for the Cuba's national team, accompanied his son.
Miguel Vargas was expected to be one of the future stars of Serie Nacional, a league that has been depleted in recent years with hundreds of defections. The elder Vargas also managed and served as the director for Havana's top team, and he is featured on the 15 centavos stamp.
Prospect Watch: Top 30 international prospects
When the teenager will become eligible to sign is to be determined. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Vargas is in the early stages of his paperwork, and he will be subject to the rules of the international signing guidelines because of his age and experience. He joins a crowded field of young Cuban talent that includes highly touted 15-and-under Cuban national squad teammates Lazarito Armenteros, an outfielder, and left-handed pitcher Adrian Morejon, who are training in the Dominican Republic. The trio could become eligible when the 2016 international signing period begins on July 2, if they are not made eligible for the current period that ends on June 15.
Vargas also joins pitchers Vladimir Gutierrez, Norge Ruiz and Cionel Perez along with outfielders Yusnel Diaz and Jorge Oña on the long list of Cuban players to watch who are subject to the international signing guidelines.
When Vargas becomes eligible to sign will impact his future. The Cubs, Dodgers, Giants are among the teams that will not be able to sign any pool-eligible prospects for more than $300,000 for the next two international signing periods after exceeding their bonus pools this year. However, they are still in play for players who are eligible to sign under the international guidelines. The Angels, D-backs, Rays, Red Sox and Yankees are already in the maximum penalty after blowing past their bonus pools last year.
Vargas played first and third base in Cuba. He hit .382 with a .444 on-base percentage, 13 doubles, two triples and two home runs and 29 RBIs in 127 games for Havana's 15-and-under team in 2014. Vargas hit .297 with eight doubles and two triples for Havana in 2013 at age 13.
Vargas, like Morejon and Armenteros, was named to the all-tournament team for Cuba's 15-and-under team at the World Cup 2014. He played for the country's 18-and-under national team in Japan in September.Comment -
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Some see rival Giants as big threat to Dodgers for Zack Greinke
November 20, 2015 5:00 pm ET
The rival San Francisco Giants look like they might pose a formidable threat to steal star pitcher Zack Greinke away from the Dodgers.
A couple of people even suggested the Giants may be the favorite, though that is speculative.
The Giants are very much interested in Greinke by all appearances, and may well have made him their No. 1 target. The Giants are actually said to have interest in acquiring two starting pitchers, so it remains to be seen whether they can compete financially with the Dodgers, who are aiming to bring Greinke back into the fold.
The Giants also need an outfielder but have apparently prioritized starting pitching. That's no surprise since that's been the strength of Giants teams that won three of the past six World Series.
David Price is the other pitcher at the very top of an extremely strong and deep free-agent clas, but both the Giants and Dodgers may prefer Greinke, who posted a remarkable 1.66 ERA this year and finished second in Cy Young voting to the Cubs' Jake Arrieta.
Greinke opted out of the three years and $71 million remaining on his Dodgers deal and is expected to more than double that somewhere. Last time around, after signing with the Dodgers for $147 million over three years, he candidly told CBS Sports money was the main factor, though it is believed the Rangers were willing to go in that same dollar neighborhood last time around.
Greinke could also draw significant interest from the Cubs and Cardinals, two more contending National League teams looking for a starting pitcher. The Red Sox are an American League team seeking a top starter, and they have money, but Greinke is believed to prefer the National League because pitchers hit, and he is one of the better hitting pitchers in baseball.Comment -
Greinke gonna get so much moneyComment -
A's get Hendriks from Blue Jays for Chavez
The A's acquired Liam Hendriks from the Blue Jays for fellow pitcher Jesse Chavez.
Hendriks became a reliever with Toronto this season and went 5-0 with a 2.92 ERA, while Chavez went 7-15 with a 4.18 ERA in 30 games this year.Comment -
Tigers obtain Cameron Maybin in trade with Braves.
Last time Tigers had Cameron Maybin, they traded him in deal for Miguel Cabrera (2007)
Cameron Maybin gives the Tigers a RH bat to share time with Tyler Collins in left field and Anthony Gose in center.
He stole 23 bases last year and brings some speed to the Detroit lineup. He's also a positive energy guy who's good in the clubhouse.
Not a huge pickup by Tigers GM Al Avila, but a good fit for Detroit.Comment -
Jon HeymanBaseball Insider
Follow Jon
Some see rival Giants as big threat to Dodgers for Zack Greinke
November 20, 2015 5:00 pm ET
The rival San Francisco Giants look like they might pose a formidable threat to steal star pitcher Zack Greinke away from the Dodgers.
A couple of people even suggested the Giants may be the favorite, though that is speculative.
The Giants are very much interested in Greinke by all appearances, and may well have made him their No. 1 target. The Giants are actually said to have interest in acquiring two starting pitchers, so it remains to be seen whether they can compete financially with the Dodgers, who are aiming to bring Greinke back into the fold.
The Giants also need an outfielder but have apparently prioritized starting pitching. That's no surprise since that's been the strength of Giants teams that won three of the past six World Series.
David Price is the other pitcher at the very top of an extremely strong and deep free-agent clas, but both the Giants and Dodgers may prefer Greinke, who posted a remarkable 1.66 ERA this year and finished second in Cy Young voting to the Cubs' Jake Arrieta.
Greinke opted out of the three years and $71 million remaining on his Dodgers deal and is expected to more than double that somewhere. Last time around, after signing with the Dodgers for $147 million over three years, he candidly told CBS Sports money was the main factor, though it is believed the Rangers were willing to go in that same dollar neighborhood last time around.
Greinke could also draw significant interest from the Cubs and Cardinals, two more contending National League teams looking for a starting pitcher. The Red Sox are an American League team seeking a top starter, and they have money, but Greinke is believed to prefer the National League because pitchers hit, and he is one of the better hitting pitchers in baseball.
It would be awfully strange seeing Greinke in a Giants uniform.
I could only imagine the reception he would get at Chavez Ravine...Comment -
Rumor: The Astros would like a closer and, per this Jayson Stark of ESPN report, that may be an understatement:
As with every offseason rumor, there's a lot to unpack here, so let's get to it.
First off, let's always look at the exact wording. Note here that this rumor didn't stem from the tight-lipped Astros regime. It came from "clubs talking to" them, and those clubs said the Astros "seem hell-bent to get a closer." So it's like hearing from a friend of a friend. Sure, it could be true, but it also might not be.
Let's examine how this might be a fit.
Background: In 2014, the Astros had the worst bullpen in the AL and it wasn't even close, so last offseason they went out and signed Pat Neshek and Luke Gregerson to shore it up.
It worked, though it was far from those two. Offseason waiver pickup Will Harris was outstanding while holdover Tony Sipp proved an exceptional option, and there was much better depth as a whole than in the disaster that was 2014.
In all, the Astros finished fourth in the AL in bullpen ERA at 3.27. The group did, however, blow 20 out of 59 save chances, good for 11th in the AL in save percentage.
Now, to be sure, this isn't about Gregerson. He had a very good season and closed down 31 of his 36 save chances. Plus, the blown-save stat on an individual level is a flawed stat (look at Jeurys Familia in Games 4 and 5 of the World Series for anecdotal evidence).
So what is this about? Knocking every pitcher down a rung and making the bullpen that much better as a whole.
If the Astros go out and add someone like Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller or Ken Giles, that moves Gregerson to the eighth inning and Harris to the seventh, with players like Neshek and Josh Fields being used in favorable matchups (Sipp is a free agent and could return).
That only shortens the game and makes the bullpen as a whole more efficient at holding leads. We've seen the Royals post two straight AL pennants and win the 2015 World Series despite not having a top-notch rotation, and a major part of it was the dominant bullpen.
This isn't to say the Astros will be emulating the entire Royals' formula. Far from it. The offenses are polar opposites. The part of the formula that most should look to emulate, however, is the lock-down bullpen.
Buy or sell? Yes, I'm buying the approach.
The Astros' astute front office knows full well the benefit of shortening the game, and if there's any bit of reactionary blood in there, they were six outs away from taking down the Royals in the ALDS.
Gregerson/Harris/Fields/Neshek is a fine start, but they probably need two more arms in there to become dominant, one of which being a frontline closer.
Chapman, 27, is the big dog here, capable of being the best closer in baseball in 2016. He's a free agent after the season, and the Reds surely want a prospect package in return, but one of the reasons teams like the Astros beef up the depth of the farm system is to have the flexibility to make moves for players like this and still have a strong system. This isn't like the Astros of two years ago. In 2015, the game was changed.
Giles might actually cost more, too. The Phillies are where the Astros were a few years ago and Giles isn't a free agent until after 2020. Surely Philly would want a haul for the 25-year-old stud, who had a 1.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 87 strikeouts in 70 innings last season.
Miller would surely cost a ton. The Yankees just signed him to a four-year, $36 million deal last offseason and he went out an won the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year award.
Rays closer Brad Boxberger, 27, won't hit free agency until after the 2019 season and saved an AL-best 41 games in 47 chances last season. He had a 3.71 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 74 strikeouts in 63 innings. There are reasons for concern, though, as his FIP was 4.26 and his strikeout rate went from 14.5 K/9 in 2014 to 10.6 last season while the walk rate rose significantly.
As for free agency, Darren O'Day is the top option. The sidewinder had a 1.52 ERA with 82 strikeouts and only 13 unintentional walks in 65 1/3 innings, but he's never been a full-time closer.
Also remember Sipp is a free agent and we know he can thrive in this bullpen.
So maybe the Astros bring back Sipp and trade for either Chapman or Giles? That would create for a pretty scary bullpen just two years after being an embarrassment.
Regardless, I'm definitely buying the Astros being heavily involved in the closer market in order to shorten the game and deepen their late-inning arsenal.Comment -
Aroldis Chapman would look great in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform!
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Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reports that the Nationals "have joined the Dodgers" as leaders for the services of free agent reliever Darren O'Day.
On Saturday, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman wrote that the race for O'Day was of the three-team variety, between the Braves, Nationals and Dodgers. Crasnick's report supports Heyman's assertion. Also of note, O'Day's wife works as a television reporter in Washington D.C. The 33-year-old reliever's reportedly looking for a deal in the range of four years and $28-36 million. In 65 1/3 innings during the Orioles' 2015 campaign, he held a 1.52 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 82/14 K/BB ratio.Comment -
According to a report by Bill Shaikin, Dylan Hernandez, and Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers will name Dave Roberts as their new manager. CBSSports MLB insider Jon Heyman confirms the report and adds that Roberts will be announced as manager provided the deal is completed. Roberts had been a finalist for the job along with Dodgers Director of Player Development Gabe Kapler.
Roberts, 43 and a UCLA product, spent parts of the 10 seasons as an outfielder in the major leagues. He spent 2003 and part of 2004 with the Dodgers. Over the course of his career, Roberts established himself as a skilled defender and elite base-runner. Roberts' most famous on-field moment came during Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, when he was a member of the Red Sox:
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Since retiring as a player, Roberts has worked as an analyst, coach, and front-office exec. In 2014-15, he served as bench coach for the Padres.
Roberts will become the 32nd manager in franchise history and, as Ken Rosenthal notes, the first minority manager in Dodgers history.
After being eliminated in the NLDS round of the 2015 playoffs, the Dodgers, with a new, analytics-driven front office that may not have seen eye to eye with Don Mattingly, parted ways with Mattingly despite his leading the team to five straight winning seasons and three straight NL West titles. Mattingly has since become manager of the Marlins.
Now for some things to know ...
1. Roberts inherits a good team but an uncertain payroll situation.
Roberts will take over a 92-win team and a payroll that's already in excess of $150 million for 2016. However, the Dodgers may be facing the free agent losses of NL Cy Young runner-up Zack Greinke and starting second baseman Howie Kendrick. (There's also trade speculation regarding Yasiel Puig.) As well, the Dodgers brought in the brain-trust of Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi in part to get leaner after the bloated contracts of the Ned Colletti years. As such, it's not certain that the Dodgers will be especially active on the free agent market, at least when it comes to the big-ticket guys like Greinke and David Price. Of course they have the resources, but in general the front office is looking to get more efficient on the player payroll front. That could mean a greater reliance on internal solutions and mid-line acquisitions.
2. Roberts needs to lead the Dodgers deep into the postseason.
As mentioned above, there's nothing wrong with Mattingly's regular season resume. However, he never led the Dodgers to the World Series. When you're a revenue colossus like the contemporary Dodgers at the top of the success cycle, it's about the trophies. If Roberts gets them to take that next step -- as, for instance, Terry Francona did after he took over for Grady Little in Boston -- then he'll be rightly viewed as an upgrade. If that doesn't happen, then we'll all be wondering why the front office chased off Mattingly in the first place.
3. Roberts becomes one of the youngest managers in baseball.
He's presently 43 years and 175 days old. Among current big-league managers, just Kevin Cash of the Rays, A.J. Hinch of the Astros, and the newly hired Andy Green of the Padres are younger than Roberts (h/t: True Blue LA).
4. MLB's been hoping for more minority hires.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, like his predecessor, has publicly expressed his desire to see more diversity among big-league managers and in big-league front offices. Earlier this offseason, Dusty Baker made his way back to the dugout, as the Nationals hired him to helm the likely contender in 2016. Roberts, though, is a young first-timer (save for his one-game interim stint with the Padres this past season), and in MLB's eyes that's likely a very welcome step forward for baseball. Roberts is the son of an African-American father and a Japanese mother.Comment -
rule V draft coming up!Comment
