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Damn! I was really hoping the Pirates would have made a more diligent attempt to get Reynolds. Oh well...Comment -
Cueto could be hanging out there for a while.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports the Dodgers have "joined the fray" on free agent Johnny Cueto.
Heyman said the Dodgers jumped in on Cueto after failing to land their first two big targets of the offseason, Zack Greinke and Aroldis Chapman. Cueto would certainly be a nice consolation prize despite a so-so 2015 season. The right-hander owns a career 3.30 ERA and wouldn't cost the Dodgers a draft pick for signing him. The Giants, Cardinals and Nationals are among the other teams connected to Cueto to some degree this winter.Comment -
Mike Leake reportedly willing to take a pay cut to come home and play for the Dbacks. Guy is a Sun Devil and lives in the valley of the sun. Would be a rock solid rotation with him as a #3/4 starter.Comment -
I think whomever gets Heyward is the loser at this price he is NOT worth it IMO.
Nationals “Serious Threat” To Land Heyward, Who Has $200MM Offer In Hand
By Jeff Todd | December 10, 2015 at 9:49pm CST
9:46pm: A source tells MLB.com’s Bill Ladson that the Nats are “heavily involved” and are making a “legit” effort to sign the young outfielder. He adds, interestingly, that Taylor “would become expendable” if a deal is struck.
From an analytical perspective, it seems plenty plausible that the team could add Heyward (or another outfielder) and keep Taylor. For one thing, there’s plenty of justification to give him further developmental time at Triple-A. For another, he’d still be an important depth piece in the near term and would have plenty of possibilities for increased playing time with the clock ticking on Werth’s contract (and perhaps also his time as a full-time regular).
7:24pm: Washington is a “serious threat” to land Heyward, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com reports on Twitter.
3:45pm: The Nationals are the “mystery team” pursuing free agent outfielder Jason Heyward, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports on Twitter. They are joined in the chase for Heyward by the Cubs and Cardinals, per the report.
It’s not known which of those clubs — if not another — is in the lead, but Heyman adds in another tweet that Heyward has at least one offer at or over $200MM on the table. That’s not exactly surprising, as MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes predicted Heyward would reach the double-century mark, but does appear to suggest that he’ll be in position to maximize his potential market value.
Heyward’s youth and broad skillset make him a tantalizing target even for clubs that otherwise seem set in the outfield, as I explained in breaking down Heyward’s free agent case in late October. He’s a very good, but not great, hitter who has never returned to the power ceiling he showed earlier in his career. But he’s at the top of the class in basically every other area.
It’s possible that Washington would utilize Heyward in center field were he to land there, Heyman suggests. While the team has youngster Michael A. Taylor lined up to take over there, he’s still raw. It’s worth bearing in mind, too, that veteran Jayson Werth has only two years left on his deal and could ultimately stand to receive added rest given his nagging injuries over the years. While trades could be considered in the wake of a signing, it’s also possible to imagine Heyward splitting his time up the middle and in the corner for some time as the teams waits to see what happens with its other options.Comment -
can't believe teams are still signing Mark Reynolds.[quote=jjgold;5683305]I win again like usual
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[quote=Whippit;7921056]miami won't lose a single eastern conference game through end of season[/quote]Comment -
15th anniversary of A-Rod's $252M deal
On Dec. 11, 2000, the shortstop signed the famous contract that equaled or exceeded the value of 18 MLB franchises, 25 NBA franchises and 27 NHL franchises, using Forbes franchise valuations.
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The start of It All...Comment -
How in the world is Heyward going to get 200 million.Comment -
Mets outfielder Michael Cuddyer has decided to retire, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports on Twitter. Needless to say, that’s a major surprise, particularly as Cuddyer stands to earn $12.5MM this year in the second and final season of his contract.
It has not yet been reported whether Cuddyer, 36, will receive any portion of his 2016 salary, though Rubin adds on Twitter that some kind of buyout seems likely. Cuddyer turned down a qualifying offer (then valued at $15.3MM) to sign with the Mets for two years and $21MM.
Cuddyer joined New York after two consecutive seasons of huge offensive numbers with the Rockies. Even after adjusting for altitude, Cuddyer was impressive at the plate, running up a 139 OPS+ over 2013-14. But awful defensive metrics and injury issues — combined with advanced age — limited his appeal.
That all caught up to Cuddyer in 2015, as he managed only a .259/.309/.391 slash line in 408 plate appearances. With his poor glovework counted in the tally, Cuddyer contributed at or just slightly above replacement level last year.
A tough season at the end of the line doesn’t detract from an outstanding career, of course. Over parts of 15 seasons in the majors, all but four of which came with the Twins, Cuddyer put up an excellent .277/.344/.461 batting line and swatted 197 home runs. He earned All-Star nods in 2011 and 2013.
While it would be unfair to lose focus on Cuddyer’s own accomplishments, it’s hard not to consider the impact of this news on the defending NL pennant winners. There was plenty of reason to believe that Cuddyer would have been a useful contributor in 2016, but his hefty salary stood to represent more than 10% of New York’s 2015 Opening Day payroll.
It remains to be seen how much spending capacity the Mets will have to reallocate, but there will surely be some added funds to disburse. And with Michael Conforto joining Curtis Granderson as the presumptive starters in the corners, those dollars won’t necessarily need to go directly to a replacement. Instead, after having already beefed up the team’s infield ranks, the Mets can either up their allocation to a new center fielder (with Juan Lagares becoming an oft-used fourth outfielder) or put the dollars toward another bench bat or reliever.Comment -
Heyward, Cubs agree to $184M deal
The Cubs continued their busy offseason by agreeing to terms with free-agent outfielder Jason Heyward on an 8-year, $184 million deal, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick and multiple reports.Comment -
World Series 2016 Cubbies?Comment -
Always liked Cuddyer. Solid Twin, better person.Comment -
with the years of tanking in Chicago and now the huge spending, it'd be pathetic if they don't win a pennant[quote=jjgold;5683305]I win again like usual
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[quote=Whippit;7921056]miami won't lose a single eastern conference game through end of season[/quote]Comment -
It pains me to announce that, my boy, Charlie Morton is now a member of the Philadelphia Phillies.
I always believed he had the stuff to be a perennial All-Star.
Harsh reality is, most players never live up to their potential...
I wish him well across the Commonwealth unless he's throwing against the Buccos!Comment -
[quote=jjgold;5683305]I win again like usual
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[quote=Whippit;7921056]miami won't lose a single eastern conference game through end of season[/quote]Comment -
Going to be a good year Cubbies!Comment -
Heyward is a bad signing, he won't help the Cubs much IMO.Comment -
Even though former Mets outfielder Michael Cuddyer is now off the books, the club isn’t likely to jump on top outfielders like Yoenis Cespedes, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The $12.5MM saved from Cuddyer (assuming there was no buyout), will probably be used on quality bench depth. The team improved dramatically when they acquired Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe.
I'll take Cespedes over Johnson and Uribe (and a couple more like them) all day every day.Comment -
The Orioles have pulled their contract offer to free agent slugger Chris Davis, vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette confirmed to reporters at the team's FanFest event Saturday. The club is now "going down different tracks."
Earlier this week, CBS Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported the Orioles offered Davis more than $150 million, though he noted there was still a gap in talks. Davis is said to be looking for a contract in line with the eight-year, $180 million deal the Yankees gave Mark Teixeira a few years ago.
Duquette said the team will now explore other options to boost their lineup. Heyman says they have their eye on the recently non-tendered Pedro Alvarez.
In addition to Alvarez, the Orioles could look at outfield bats like Alex Gordon, Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes. They made a big offer to Davis, so they have money to spend, obviously. A starter like Mike Leake or Scott Kazmir may be a target as well.
The O's have already re-signed Darren O'Day to a four-year contract, but they stand to lose Davis and Wei-Yin Chen to free agency. They still boast an impressive core led by Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Zach Britton.
Baltimore went 81-81 in 2015 and finished five games back of a wild-card spot. Even if they manage to re-sign Davis and Chen, it only gets them back to where they were in 2015. They're not upgrades.
Davis, 29, hit .262/.361/.562 (146 OPS+) with an MLB leading 47 home runs in 2015. His 126 homers from 2013-15 are the most in baseball, as are his 580 strikeouts.
The Mets need to think about getting Davis.Comment
Why? He's a K machine.
