The 2016 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread...

[Shortstop]

Saw the Yankees confirmed Chapman is going to be the closer going into spring. Thought that was sort of obvious.

you'd think, but the Yankees don't always do the logical thing with their bullpen

It would probably be a good idea for opponents to jump on the Yankees early this year.

Their bullpen could be lights out and completely dominant...

[Chi_archie]

The Rockies have agreed to a three-year, $27.5MM deal with outfielder Gerardo Parra, according to Wilmer Reina of Diario la Verdad (Twitter links). Jon Heyman also reported the signing via Twitter. The contract includes an option for a fourth year at $12MM, which includes a $1.5MM buyout. Parra will earn $26MM over the first three years of the deal, it appears.

under rated player IMO

[BarkingToad]

I would hope for Marlins sake they sign Fernandez long term.

[yisman]

under rated player IMO

I agree, I like Parra

better value there than with the 20+ million a year guys

[Shortstop]

under rated player IMO

I agree, I like Parra

better value there than with the 20+ million a year guys

Me, too! I've always liked Parra. Would love to see him wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform...

[EmpireMaker]

156 Players File For Salary Arbitration

By Steve Adams | January 12, 2016 at 11:37pm CST
The Major League Baseball Players Association announced today that 156 players have filed for salary arbitration. Players and teams will formally exchange arbitration figures on Friday, and in the five to six weeks that follow, dozens of agreements will be reached. Players and teams that are unable to find a middle ground will head to arbitration hearings in mid to late February, and, on the flip-side of things, some will hammer out multi-year deals in order to avoid the process in the future (possibly even extending the contract into would-be free agent years).
We’re keeping track of all of the arbitration settlements in the 2016 version of MLBTR’s annual Arbitration Tracker (bear in mind that some agreements have already happened) and will continue to do so as each case is resolved, whether by one-year agreement, multi-year deal or hearing. Here’s a team-by-team rundown of the players that filed for arbitration, with each player’s service time in parenthesis in addition to MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz’s projected salary for each.
AL West
Angels

• Kole Calhoun (2.130) — $3.6MM
• Garrett Richards (3.148) – $6.8MM
• Fernando Salas (5.048) – $2.2MM
• Projected total spend: $12.6MM

Astros

• Jason Castro (5.104) – $4.6MM
• Josh Fields (3.000) – $800K
• Evan Gattis (3.000) – $3.4MM
• Marwin Gonzalez (3.133) – $1.9MM
• Dallas Keuchel (3.089) – $6.4MM
• Luis Valbuena (5.148) – $5.8MM
• Projected total spend: $22.9MM

Athletics

• Yonder Alonso (4.116) – $2.5MM
• Josh Reddick (5.050) – $7.0MM
• Fernando Rodriguez (4.032) – $1.3MM
• Danny Valencia (4.118) – $3.4MM
• Projected total spend: $14.2MM

Mariners

• Charlie Furbush (4.121) – $1.7MM
• Leonys Martin (3.063) – $3.75MM
• Evan Scribner (2.142) – $700K
• Projected total spend: $6.15MM

Rangers

• Robinson Chirinos (3.103) – $1.4MM
• Jake Diekman (3.049) – $1.0MM
• Mitch Moreland (5.067) – $5.6MM
• Jurickson Profar (2.167) – $508K
• Tanner Scheppers (3.111) – $800K
• Shawn Tolleson (3.122) – $2.6MM
• Tom Wilhelmsen (4.089) – $3.0MM
• Projected total spend: $14.908MM

AL Central
Indians

• Cody Allen (3.076) — $3.5MM
• Lonnie Chisenhall (3.158) — $3MM
• Jeff Manship (2.130) — $700K
• Bryan Shaw (4.081) — $2.8MM
• Josh Tomlin (4.151) — $3.1MM
• Projected total spend: $13.1MM

Royals

• Drew Butera (5.018) – $1.1MM
• Lorenzo Cain (4.074) – $6.1MM
• Louis Coleman (3.018) – $1.0MM
• Tony Cruz (4.105) – $1.0MM
• Danny Duffy (4.085) – $4.0MM
• Jarrod Dyson (4.088) – $1.7MM
• Mike Moustakas (4.111) – $5.7MM
• Projected total spend: $20.6MM

Tigers

• Jose Iglesias (3.036) – $1.5MM
• J.D. Martinez (4.036) – $7.8MM
• Andrew Romine (3.049) – $700K
• Justin Wilson (3.035) – $1.3MM
• Projected total spend: $11.3MM

Twins

• Eduardo Escobar (3.128) – $1.8MM
• Casey Fien (3.143) – $2.2MM
• Kevin Jepsen (5.163) – $6.0MM
• Tommy Milone (3.143) – $4.5MM
• Eduardo Nunez (4.090) – $1.5MM
• Trevor Plouffe (4.162) – $7.7MM
• Projected total spend: $23.7MM

White Sox

• Avisail Garcia (2.167) – $2.3MM
• Dan Jennings (2.171) – $700K
• Brett Lawrie (4.055) – $3.9MM
• Zach Putnam (2.135) – $800K
• Projected total spend: $7.7MM

AL East
Blue Jays

• Brett Cecil (5.152) – $3.4MM
• Jesse Chavez (5.108) – $4.7MM
• Steve Delabar (3.008) – $700K
• Josh Donaldson (3.158) – $12.0MM
• Drew Hutchison (3.128) – $2.6MM
• Aaron Loup (3.083) – $900K
• Michael Saunders (5.138) – $2.9MM
• Drew Storen (5.140) – $8.8MM
• Projected total spend: $36MM

Orioles

• Brad Brach (3.063) — $1.1MM
• Zach Britton (3.158) — $6.9MM
• Ryan Flaherty (4.000) — $1.5MM
• Miguel Gonzalez (4.095) — $4.9MM
• Manny Machado (3.056) — $5.9MM
• Brian Matusz (5.156) — $3.4MM
• Chris Tillman (4.113) — $6.2MM
• Mark Trumbo (5.027) — $9.1MM
• Projected total spend: $39MM

Rays

• Alex Cobb (4.061) – $4.0MM
• Hank Conger (4.051) – $1.8MM
• Logan Forsythe (4.113) – $3.3MM
• Brandon Guyer (3.066) – $1.3MM
• Desmond Jennings (4.101) – $3.1MM
• Jake McGee (4.127) – $4.7MM
• Logan Morrison (5.069) – $4.1MM
• Erasmo Ramirez (2.158) – $2.8MM
• Rene Rivera (4.082) – $1.6MM
• Drew Smyly (3.154) – $3.9MM
• Projected total spend: $30.6MM

Red Sox

• Joe Kelly (3.101) — $3.2MM
• Robbie Ross (3.100) — $1.1MM
• Junichi Tazawa (5.086) — $3.3MM
• Projected total spend: $7.6MM

Yankees

• Dustin Ackley (4.087) – $3.1MM
• Aroldis Chapman (5.034) – $12.9MM
• Nathan Eovaldi (4.013) – $5.7MM
• Didi Gregorius (2.159) – $2.1MM
• Ivan Nova (5.024) – $4.4MM
• Michael Pineda (4.099) – $4.6MM
• Projected total spend: $32.8MM

NL West
Diamondbacks

• Welington Castillo (4.009) – $3.6MM
• Patrick Corbin (3.105) – $2.3MM
• Randall Delgado (3.100) – $1.0MM
• Rubby De La Rosa (3.097) – $3.2MM
• Daniel Hudson (5.117) – $2.0MM
• Shelby Miller (3.030) — $4.9MM
• A.J. Pollock (3.052) – $4.3MM
• Projected total spend: $21.3MM

Dodgers

• Luis Avilan (3.077) – $1.1MM
• Yasmani Grandal (3.115) – $2.7MM
• Chris Hatcher (2.146) – $900K
• Kenley Jansen (5.073) – $11.4MM
• Justin Turner (5.045) – $5.3MM
• Scott Van Slyke (2.151) – $1.2MM
• Projected total spend: $22.6MM

Giants

• Brandon Belt (4.128) – $6.2MM
• George Kontos (2.171) – $1.0MM
• Projected total spend: $7.2MM

Padres

• Andrew Cashner (5.126) – $7.0MM
• Derek Norris (3.102) – $3.4MM
• Drew Pomeranz (3.013) – $1.3MM
• Tyson Ross (4.126) – $10.0MM
• Projected total spend: $21.7MM

Rockies

• Nolan Arenado (2.155) — $6.6MM
• Charlie Blackmon (3.102) — $4.5MM
• DJ LeMahieu (3.128) — $3.7MM
• Projected total spend: $14.8MM

NL Central
Brewers

• Wily Peralta (3.033) – $2.8MM
• Jean Segura (3.065) – $3.2MM
• Will Smith (2.155) – $1.2MM
• Projected total spend: $7.2MM

Cardinals

• Matt Adams (3.033) – $1.5MM
• Seth Maness (2.154) – $1.2MM
• Brandon Moss (5.160) – $7.9MM
• Trevor Rosenthal (3.058) – $6.5MM
• Projected total spend: $17.1MM

Cubs

• Jake Arrieta (4.145) — $10.4MM
• Chris Coghlan (5.148) — $3.9MM
• Justin Grimm (2.170) — $1MM
• Hector Rondon (3.000) — $3.6MM
• Pedro Strop (4.156) — $4.7MM
• Adam Warren (3.036) — $1.5MM
• Travis Wood (5.004) — $6.4MM
• Projected total spend: $31.5MM

Pirates

• Francisco Cervelli (5.146) – $2.5MM
• Jared Hughes (3.162) – $2.2MM
• Jeff Locke (3.020) – $3.5MM
• Mark Melancon (5.098) – $10.0MM
• Jordy Mercer (3.095) – $1.8MM
• Chris Stewart (5.091) – $1.6MM
• Tony Watson (4.101) – $4.6MM
• Projected total spend: $26.2MM

Reds

• Zack Cozart (4.084) — $2.9MM
• J.J. Hoover (3.102) — $1.1MM
• Projected total spend: $4MM

NL East
Braves

• Arodys Vizcaino (2.168) — $1.1MM
• Chris Withrow (2.132) — $600K
• Projected total spend: $1.7MM

Marlins

• Carter Capps (3.007) – $800K
• Jose Fernandez (3.000) – $2.2MM
• Dee Gordon (3.154) – $5.9MM
• Adeiny Hechavarria (3.060) – $2.3MM
• Tom Koehler (3.016) – $3.9MM
• Bryan Morris (3.011) – $1.1MM
• David Phelps (3.156) – $2.5MM
• A.J. Ramos (3.030) – $2.8MM
• Projected total spend: $21.5MM

Mets

• Lucas Duda (4.137) – $6.8MM
• Josh Edgin (3.015) – $600K
• Jeurys Familia (3.030) – $3.3MM
• Matt Harvey (3.072) – $4.7MM
• Jenrry Mejia (3.085) – $2.6MM
• Addison Reed (4.002) – $5.7MM
• Ruben Tejada (4.171) – $2.5MM
• Carlos Torres (3.114) – $800K
• Neil Walker (5.166) – $10.7MM
• Projected total spend: $37.7MM

Nationals

• Danny Espinosa (4.113) – $2.7MM
• Wilson Ramos (5.047) – $5.3MM
• Anthony Rendon (2.130) – $2.5MM
• Ben Revere (4.149) – $6.7MM
• Stephen Strasburg (5.118) – $10.5MM
• Projected total spend: $27.7MM

Phillies

• Freddy Galvis (3.021) – $1.9MM
• Jeanmar Gomez (4.063) – $1.5MM
• Jeremy Hellickson (5.045) – $6.6MM
• Projected total spend: $10MM

[Chi_archie]

I would hope for Marlins sake they sign Fernandez long term.

I don't think he'll sign an extension

[BigSpoon]

I don't think he'll sign an extension

Scott Boras is looking forward to 2019 where Fernandez and Harvey will both be free agents.

[koz-man]

Scott Boras is looking forward to 2019 where Fernandez and Harvey will both be free agents.

You got that right....Big Payday ahead

[Andy117]

Scott Boras is looking forward to 2019 where Fernandez and Harvey will both be free agents.

Boras looks forward to every off season. He wins pretty much every year.

[yisman]

Boras looks forward to every off season. He wins pretty much every year.

yes he does

boras looking to screw everyone but himself

I remember when he screwed A-Roid

[BigSpoon]

Boras looks forward to every off season. He wins pretty much every year.

That is very true. I also forgot about another Boras client that is a free agent in 2019: Bryce Harper.

[El Nino]

Dee Gordon got paid by the Marlins.

[Chi_archie]

That is very true. I also forgot about another Boras client that is a free agent in 2019: Bryce Harper.

yeah, might be a record breaker, since he'll be so young

[EmpireMaker]

Seung-hwan Oh told reporters in Korea, including Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency, that he got the impression all throughout negotiations with the Cardinals that the team felt it needed him, and he’s happy with the deal he received. Oh apologized to his Korean fans for some legal troubles that he incurred which resulted in a 72-game suspension from the KBO, though his actions wouldn’t have warranted any consequences in the United States. Oh was suspended for gambling at an overseas casino in Japan (not on baseball), which is against the KBO’s rules. He’d be forced to miss a half season if he returned to Korea’s top league, though he spoke like a man who doesn’t intend to do so in the near future, saying he hoped to reach the World Series and wouldn’t be satisfied with an ERA over 3.00. Instead, Oh said, he hopes to keep that number closer to 2.00 — a threshold with which he is familiar after a stellar career in both Korea and Japan. Oh said he doesn’t plan to add a new pitch but might rely more heavily on his split-finger. He’s also looking forward to a potential showdown with countryman and new division rival Jung Ho Kang, who was 4-for-13 with a homer off Oh in Korea, per Yoo.

[MexicanStallion]

Dee Gordon got paid by the Marlins.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Marlins and Dee Gordon have agreed in principle to a five-year, $50 million contract extension.

Per Rosenthal, the deal includes a $14 million vesting option for a possible sixth year. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman subsequently noted that the option will vest if Gordon reaches 600 plate appearances in year five, or reaches a combined 1,200 over years four and five. Gordon won the NL batting title in 2015, slashing .333/.359/.418 with four homers, 46 RBI, 88 runs scored and 58 steals across 653 plate appearances. He's swiped 55-plus in each of the last two seasons. In addition to the nice offensive work this past season, he also won his first Gold Glove. Gordon turns 28 in April.

[El Nino]

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Marlins and Dee Gordon have agreed in principle to a five-year, $50 million contract extension.

Per Rosenthal, the deal includes a $14 million vesting option for a possible sixth year. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman subsequently noted that the option will vest if Gordon reaches 600 plate appearances in year five, or reaches a combined 1,200 over years four and five. Gordon won the NL batting title in 2015, slashing .333/.359/.418 with four homers, 46 RBI, 88 runs scored and 58 steals across 653 plate appearances. He's swiped 55-plus in each of the last two seasons. In addition to the nice offensive work this past season, he also won his first Gold Glove. Gordon turns 28 in April.

Thanks for posting the particulars. I was on mobile.

[koz-man]

Yanks scout: No interest in cricket star

Wallace Matthews says a Yankees scout was unimpressed by cricket star Kieran Powell's workout as Powell attempts to transition to baseball: "[The scout] basically said, 'He sucks and we have no interest at all.'"



==============
lol... too funny. He sucks!!!!

I think there was a movie about transforming a cricket player to the MLB.

[Andy117]

That is very true. I also forgot about another Boras client that is a free agent in 2019: Bryce Harper.

Bryce Harper will probably get a $400 million contract.

[Shortstop]

156 Players File For Salary Arbitration

By Steve Adams | January 12, 2016 at 11:37pm CST
The Major League Baseball Players Association announced today that 156 players have filed for salary arbitration. Players and teams will formally exchange arbitration figures on Friday, and in the five to six weeks that follow, dozens of agreements will be reached. Players and teams that are unable to find a middle ground will head to arbitration hearings in mid to late February, and, on the flip-side of things, some will hammer out multi-year deals in order to avoid the process in the future (possibly even extending the contract into would-be free agent years).
We’re keeping track of all of the arbitration settlements in the 2016 version of MLBTR’s annual Arbitration Tracker (bear in mind that some agreements have already happened) and will continue to do so as each case is resolved, whether by one-year agreement, multi-year deal or hearing. Here’s a team-by-team rundown of the players that filed for arbitration, with each player’s service time in parenthesis in addition to MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz’s projected salary for each.
AL West
Angels

• Kole Calhoun (2.130) — $3.6MM
• Garrett Richards (3.148) – $6.8MM
• Fernando Salas (5.048) – $2.2MM
• Projected total spend: $12.6MM

Astros

• Jason Castro (5.104) – $4.6MM
• Josh Fields (3.000) – $800K
• Evan Gattis (3.000) – $3.4MM
• Marwin Gonzalez (3.133) – $1.9MM
• Dallas Keuchel (3.089) – $6.4MM
• Luis Valbuena (5.148) – $5.8MM
• Projected total spend: $22.9MM

Athletics

• Yonder Alonso (4.116) – $2.5MM
• Josh Reddick (5.050) – $7.0MM
• Fernando Rodriguez (4.032) – $1.3MM
• Danny Valencia (4.118) – $3.4MM
• Projected total spend: $14.2MM

Mariners

• Charlie Furbush (4.121) – $1.7MM
• Leonys Martin (3.063) – $3.75MM
• Evan Scribner (2.142) – $700K
• Projected total spend: $6.15MM

Rangers

• Robinson Chirinos (3.103) – $1.4MM
• Jake Diekman (3.049) – $1.0MM
• Mitch Moreland (5.067) – $5.6MM
• Jurickson Profar (2.167) – $508K
• Tanner Scheppers (3.111) – $800K
• Shawn Tolleson (3.122) – $2.6MM
• Tom Wilhelmsen (4.089) – $3.0MM
• Projected total spend: $14.908MM

AL Central
Indians

• Cody Allen (3.076) — $3.5MM
• Lonnie Chisenhall (3.158) — $3MM
• Jeff Manship (2.130) — $700K
• Bryan Shaw (4.081) — $2.8MM
• Josh Tomlin (4.151) — $3.1MM
• Projected total spend: $13.1MM

Royals

• Drew Butera (5.018) – $1.1MM
• Lorenzo Cain (4.074) – $6.1MM
• Louis Coleman (3.018) – $1.0MM
• Tony Cruz (4.105) – $1.0MM
• Danny Duffy (4.085) – $4.0MM
• Jarrod Dyson (4.088) – $1.7MM
• Mike Moustakas (4.111) – $5.7MM
• Projected total spend: $20.6MM

Tigers

• Jose Iglesias (3.036) – $1.5MM
• J.D. Martinez (4.036) – $7.8MM
• Andrew Romine (3.049) – $700K
• Justin Wilson (3.035) – $1.3MM
• Projected total spend: $11.3MM

Twins

• Eduardo Escobar (3.128) – $1.8MM
• Casey Fien (3.143) – $2.2MM
• Kevin Jepsen (5.163) – $6.0MM
• Tommy Milone (3.143) – $4.5MM
• Eduardo Nunez (4.090) – $1.5MM
• Trevor Plouffe (4.162) – $7.7MM
• Projected total spend: $23.7MM

White Sox

• Avisail Garcia (2.167) – $2.3MM
• Dan Jennings (2.171) – $700K
• Brett Lawrie (4.055) – $3.9MM
• Zach Putnam (2.135) – $800K
• Projected total spend: $7.7MM

AL East
Blue Jays

• Brett Cecil (5.152) – $3.4MM
• Jesse Chavez (5.108) – $4.7MM
• Steve Delabar (3.008) – $700K
• Josh Donaldson (3.158) – $12.0MM
• Drew Hutchison (3.128) – $2.6MM
• Aaron Loup (3.083) – $900K
• Michael Saunders (5.138) – $2.9MM
• Drew Storen (5.140) – $8.8MM
• Projected total spend: $36MM

Orioles

• Brad Brach (3.063) — $1.1MM
• Zach Britton (3.158) — $6.9MM
• Ryan Flaherty (4.000) — $1.5MM
• Miguel Gonzalez (4.095) — $4.9MM
• Manny Machado (3.056) — $5.9MM
• Brian Matusz (5.156) — $3.4MM
• Chris Tillman (4.113) — $6.2MM
• Mark Trumbo (5.027) — $9.1MM
• Projected total spend: $39MM

Rays

• Alex Cobb (4.061) – $4.0MM
• Hank Conger (4.051) – $1.8MM
• Logan Forsythe (4.113) – $3.3MM
• Brandon Guyer (3.066) – $1.3MM
• Desmond Jennings (4.101) – $3.1MM
• Jake McGee (4.127) – $4.7MM
• Logan Morrison (5.069) – $4.1MM
• Erasmo Ramirez (2.158) – $2.8MM
• Rene Rivera (4.082) – $1.6MM
• Drew Smyly (3.154) – $3.9MM
• Projected total spend: $30.6MM

Red Sox

• Joe Kelly (3.101) — $3.2MM
• Robbie Ross (3.100) — $1.1MM
• Junichi Tazawa (5.086) — $3.3MM
• Projected total spend: $7.6MM

Yankees

• Dustin Ackley (4.087) – $3.1MM
• Aroldis Chapman (5.034) – $12.9MM
• Nathan Eovaldi (4.013) – $5.7MM
• Didi Gregorius (2.159) – $2.1MM
• Ivan Nova (5.024) – $4.4MM
• Michael Pineda (4.099) – $4.6MM
• Projected total spend: $32.8MM

NL West
Diamondbacks

• Welington Castillo (4.009) – $3.6MM
• Patrick Corbin (3.105) – $2.3MM
• Randall Delgado (3.100) – $1.0MM
• Rubby De La Rosa (3.097) – $3.2MM
• Daniel Hudson (5.117) – $2.0MM
• Shelby Miller (3.030) — $4.9MM
• A.J. Pollock (3.052) – $4.3MM
• Projected total spend: $21.3MM

Dodgers

• Luis Avilan (3.077) – $1.1MM
• Yasmani Grandal (3.115) – $2.7MM
• Chris Hatcher (2.146) – $900K
• Kenley Jansen (5.073) – $11.4MM
• Justin Turner (5.045) – $5.3MM
• Scott Van Slyke (2.151) – $1.2MM
• Projected total spend: $22.6MM

Giants

• Brandon Belt (4.128) – $6.2MM
• George Kontos (2.171) – $1.0MM
• Projected total spend: $7.2MM

Padres

• Andrew Cashner (5.126) – $7.0MM
• Derek Norris (3.102) – $3.4MM
• Drew Pomeranz (3.013) – $1.3MM
• Tyson Ross (4.126) – $10.0MM
• Projected total spend: $21.7MM

Rockies

• Nolan Arenado (2.155) — $6.6MM
• Charlie Blackmon (3.102) — $4.5MM
• DJ LeMahieu (3.128) — $3.7MM
• Projected total spend: $14.8MM

NL Central
Brewers

• Wily Peralta (3.033) – $2.8MM
• Jean Segura (3.065) – $3.2MM
• Will Smith (2.155) – $1.2MM
• Projected total spend: $7.2MM

Cardinals

• Matt Adams (3.033) – $1.5MM
• Seth Maness (2.154) – $1.2MM
• Brandon Moss (5.160) – $7.9MM
• Trevor Rosenthal (3.058) – $6.5MM
• Projected total spend: $17.1MM

Cubs

• Jake Arrieta (4.145) — $10.4MM
• Chris Coghlan (5.148) — $3.9MM
• Justin Grimm (2.170) — $1MM
• Hector Rondon (3.000) — $3.6MM
• Pedro Strop (4.156) — $4.7MM
• Adam Warren (3.036) — $1.5MM
• Travis Wood (5.004) — $6.4MM
• Projected total spend: $31.5MM

Pirates

• Francisco Cervelli (5.146) – $2.5MM
• Jared Hughes (3.162) – $2.2MM
• Jeff Locke (3.020) – $3.5MM
• Mark Melancon (5.098) – $10.0MM
• Jordy Mercer (3.095) – $1.8MM
• Chris Stewart (5.091) – $1.6MM
• Tony Watson (4.101) – $4.6MM
• Projected total spend: $26.2MM

Reds

• Zack Cozart (4.084) — $2.9MM
• J.J. Hoover (3.102) — $1.1MM
• Projected total spend: $4MM

NL East
Braves

• Arodys Vizcaino (2.168) — $1.1MM
• Chris Withrow (2.132) — $600K
• Projected total spend: $1.7MM

Marlins

• Carter Capps (3.007) – $800K
• Jose Fernandez (3.000) – $2.2MM
• Dee Gordon (3.154) – $5.9MM
• Adeiny Hechavarria (3.060) – $2.3MM
• Tom Koehler (3.016) – $3.9MM
• Bryan Morris (3.011) – $1.1MM
• David Phelps (3.156) – $2.5MM
• A.J. Ramos (3.030) – $2.8MM
• Projected total spend: $21.5MM

Mets

• Lucas Duda (4.137) – $6.8MM
• Josh Edgin (3.015) – $600K
• Jeurys Familia (3.030) – $3.3MM
• Matt Harvey (3.072) – $4.7MM
• Jenrry Mejia (3.085) – $2.6MM
• Addison Reed (4.002) – $5.7MM
• Ruben Tejada (4.171) – $2.5MM
• Carlos Torres (3.114) – $800K
• Neil Walker (5.166) – $10.7MM
• Projected total spend: $37.7MM

Nationals

• Danny Espinosa (4.113) – $2.7MM
• Wilson Ramos (5.047) – $5.3MM
• Anthony Rendon (2.130) – $2.5MM
• Ben Revere (4.149) – $6.7MM
• Stephen Strasburg (5.118) – $10.5MM
• Projected total spend: $27.7MM

Phillies

• Freddy Galvis (3.021) – $1.9MM
• Jeanmar Gomez (4.063) – $1.5MM
• Jeremy Hellickson (5.045) – $6.6MM
• Projected total spend: $10MM

Wow! It's definitely going to be a busy and interesting winter...

[Shortstop]

Dee Gordon got paid by the Marlins.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Marlins and Dee Gordon have agreed in principle to a five-year, $50 million contract extension.

Per Rosenthal, the deal includes a $14 million vesting option for a possible sixth year. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman subsequently noted that the option will vest if Gordon reaches 600 plate appearances in year five, or reaches a combined 1,200 over years four and five. Gordon won the NL batting title in 2015, slashing .333/.359/.418 with four homers, 46 RBI, 88 runs scored and 58 steals across 653 plate appearances. He's swiped 55-plus in each of the last two seasons. In addition to the nice offensive work this past season, he also won his first Gold Glove. Gordon turns 28 in April.

He sure did!

[yisman]

good deal for the Marlins! Gordon is elite

[yisman]

buying out the arbitration years, really

he'd be a lot more valuable on the open market

[EmpireMaker]

Orioles Have Made Offer To Yoenis Cespedes

By Steve Adams | January 14, 2016 at 9:36pm CST
9:36pm: Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles have increased their interest in Cespedes and are considering an offer worth around $18MM per year. That would seem to indicate that the Orioles are on the higher end of the range previously listed by Crasnick, although from my vantage point that still seems to be too light to land a player of Cespedes’ caliber. Whether that’s a launching point into deeper negotiations or an offer near the top of Baltimore’s comfort zone remains to be seen, but the team does not appear, at this time, to simply be willing to reallocate the ~$150MM offered to Davis to a pursuit of Cespedes.
6:16pm: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that “it’s believed” that the Orioles are willing to go in the range of five years and $75-90MM for Cespedes at this time. While that’s a sizable sum, it’s also considerably south of the general expectations most had for Cespedes entering the season. Crasnick also tweets that the Orioles are becoming increasingly frustrated with Davis and might even be on the brink of walking away from negotiations entirely.
4:57pm: The Orioles have made an offer to outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, an industry source tells MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko (Twitter link), who adds that Baltimore prefers Cespedes to Justin Upton at this time. Per Kubatko, there are no new developments in the seemingly stagnant talks between the Orioles and Chris Davis. MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli tweets that Baltimore’s interest in Cespedes “is high.”
The nature of the offer remains a mystery at this juncture, although given Baltimore’s reported seven-year, $150-154MM offer to Davis, the team clearly has some money to spend this offseason. While many have speculated that Cespedes could eventually change course and seek a short-term deal, that speculation seems largely unfounded; reports yesterday indicated that Cespedes’ camp has no interest in seeking a short-term deal, and as Jeff Todd and I broke down on today’s podcast, players on the level of Cespedes, Upton and Davis typically end up getting paid, even if they linger on the market into late January. For instance, one year ago today, a common narrative was that Max Scherzer didn’t have a market and wouldn’t be able to secure the mammoth contract he sought; on Jan. 22, he signed a $210MM contract with the Nationals. While the outfield market has been slow to develop, the Orioles could potentially be one of the keys to expediting the signing process for the remaining top bats. Representatives of each of the top remaining bats know that Baltimore has money to spend and a need for offense, with at least one corner-outfield hole to fill.
As the two top corner outfield bats remaining on the market, Cespedes and Upton figure to remain linked until one of the duo signs. The pair offers relatively similar skill-sets, though Cespedes offers considerably more defensive upside whereas Upton’s keener eye at the plate leads to an edge in on-base percentage for him. Additionally, Upton is two years younger, but he also comes with draft-pick compensation attached to his name after rejecting a qualifying offer. The same cannot be said for Cespedes, who was of course ineligible to receive a QO after being traded from the Tigers to the Mets this past season.

[Chi_archie]

Market for some of the mid-tier pitchers seems to be slow

[koz-man]

The Royals are reportedly said to be making progress on a deal with the free-agent right-hander. Ian Kennedy

[Wrigley]

good deal for the Marlins! Gordon is elite

great deal for them

[Shortstop]

good deal for the Marlins! Gordon is elite

great deal for them

A mutually beneficial deal, indeed!

[Shortstop]

Orioles Have Made Offer To Yoenis Cespedes

By Steve Adams | January 14, 2016 at 9:36pm CST
9:36pm: Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles have increased their interest in Cespedes and are considering an offer worth around $18MM per year. That would seem to indicate that the Orioles are on the higher end of the range previously listed by Crasnick, although from my vantage point that still seems to be too light to land a player of Cespedes’ caliber. Whether that’s a launching point into deeper negotiations or an offer near the top of Baltimore’s comfort zone remains to be seen, but the team does not appear, at this time, to simply be willing to reallocate the ~$150MM offered to Davis to a pursuit of Cespedes.
6:16pm: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that “it’s believed” that the Orioles are willing to go in the range of five years and $75-90MM for Cespedes at this time. While that’s a sizable sum, it’s also considerably south of the general expectations most had for Cespedes entering the season. Crasnick also tweets that the Orioles are becoming increasingly frustrated with Davis and might even be on the brink of walking away from negotiations entirely.
4:57pm: The Orioles have made an offer to outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, an industry source tells MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko (Twitter link), who adds that Baltimore prefers Cespedes to Justin Upton at this time. Per Kubatko, there are no new developments in the seemingly stagnant talks between the Orioles and Chris Davis. MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli tweets that Baltimore’s interest in Cespedes “is high.”
The nature of the offer remains a mystery at this juncture, although given Baltimore’s reported seven-year, $150-154MM offer to Davis, the team clearly has some money to spend this offseason. While many have speculated that Cespedes could eventually change course and seek a short-term deal, that speculation seems largely unfounded; reports yesterday indicated that Cespedes’ camp has no interest in seeking a short-term deal, and as Jeff Todd and I broke down on today’s podcast, players on the level of Cespedes, Upton and Davis typically end up getting paid, even if they linger on the market into late January. For instance, one year ago today, a common narrative was that Max Scherzer didn’t have a market and wouldn’t be able to secure the mammoth contract he sought; on Jan. 22, he signed a $210MM contract with the Nationals. While the outfield market has been slow to develop, the Orioles could potentially be one of the keys to expediting the signing process for the remaining top bats. Representatives of each of the top remaining bats know that Baltimore has money to spend and a need for offense, with at least one corner-outfield hole to fill.
As the two top corner outfield bats remaining on the market, Cespedes and Upton figure to remain linked until one of the duo signs. The pair offers relatively similar skill-sets, though Cespedes offers considerably more defensive upside whereas Upton’s keener eye at the plate leads to an edge in on-base percentage for him. Additionally, Upton is two years younger, but he also comes with draft-pick compensation attached to his name after rejecting a qualifying offer. The same cannot be said for Cespedes, who was of course ineligible to receive a QO after being traded from the Tigers to the Mets this past season.

Great question: Who would you rather have on your team? Yoenis Cespedes or Justin Upton?

[Shortstop]

• Sixteen-year-old Cuban outfielder Lazaro Armenteros held a showcase for scouts on January 8th and “early returns…have been mixed at best,” ESPN.com’s Eric Longenhagen tweets. Several sources described Armenteros as “unable to play center field” and “too muscular & stiff,” though he did receive a very good grade of between 6-7 (based on the scouting grading scale of 2-8) on his running. Between 150-200 scouts were expected to attend his showcase, and one veteran scout even cited such names as Willie Mays and Bo Jackson to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale last month in terms of comparable power and speed, though the caveat that Armenteros was still quite “young and raw” in his ability. There has been quite a bit of speculation about the phenom known as “Lazarito,” as this was the first time MLB scouts had been able to see him in any sort of baseball activity since the summer of 2014. It isn’t yet known if Lazarito will be cleared to sign with a Major League team during this international signing period or the next (which begins on July 2).

Sixteen years old? Damn, he's a high school sophomore. Tons of time to mature and progress...

Definitely a kid to keep an eye on and keep track of...

No report of his hitting capabilities???

[EmpireMaker]

Great question: Who would you rather have on your team? Yoenis Cespedes or Justin Upton?

I would rather have Cespedes, Upton mails it in for long periods during the season IMO.

[El Nino]

Great question: Who would you rather have on your team? Yoenis Cespedes or Justin Upton?

Cespedes. Upton is a punk. He will have great stretches and then go to sleep.

[koz-man]

I would rather have Cespedes, Upton mails it in for long periods during the season IMO.

Cespedes. Upton is a punk. He will have great stretches and then go to sleep.

I would also take Cespedes over Upton.

[EmpireMaker]

#Orioles have agreed to a 7-year, $161 million deal to keep free-agent 1B Chris Davis.

[EmpireMaker]

The Royals have agreed to terms with Ian Kennedy on a five-year, $70MM deal, Jon Heyman tweets. Heyman had reported yesterday that the two sides were progressing toward a contract. The deal will include an opt-out after 2017, tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. Kennedy is a client of Scott Boras.
Kennedy notably rejected a qualifying offer from the Padres earlier this offseason, a decision that now looks astute. He posted mediocre numbers in 2015, with a solid 9.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 but with a 4.28 ERA and 31 home runs allowed in 168 1/3 innings.
Kennedy did allow only 11 homers in the second half versus 20 in the first. His home run totals throughout the 2015 season were also perhaps somewhat high given his underlying numbers, and he had a strong season in San Diego in 2014. But his struggles to control the long ball last year were still hard to ignore.
Kennedy’s qualifying offer, his underwhelming performance and the large number of good free agent pitchers available did not prevent him from receiving a lucrative contract, however. And the opt-out is icing on the cake, adding considerable value to the deal by potentially giving Kennedy one more chance to land a big free agent contract at age 33, should his first two years in Kansas City go well.
For the Royals, the appeal of adding a starting pitcher is obvious. Despite winning the World Series in 2015, the team’s 4.34 rotation ERA was fourth-worst in the American League. They had not yet significantly upgraded that rotation this offseason, and they projected to have Edinson Volquez, Yordano Ventura, Kris Medlen, Danny Duffy and veteran Chris Young each taking the ball every fifth day. Kennedy should, at the very least, significantly improve their rotation depth. His weaknesses might also be somewhat minimized in Kansas City. While Kauffman Stadium is by no means a pitcher’s park, it does somewhat limit home runs, and the Royals’ strong outfield defense should help Kennedy turn his fly balls into outs.
The deal also marks somewhat of a milestone for the Royals, who appear to be heading into 2016 with a set of commitments that are, for them, unprecedented. With Alex Gordon now back under contract, Kansas City already had $113MM in commitments. Add in Mike Moustakas’ as-yet-undetermined arbitration-year salary and Kennedy’s deal, and the Royals’ 2016 Opening Day payroll could top $130MM, as MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan tweets. That figure will fly past their $113MM Opening Day payroll in 2015, to say nothing of their series of eight-figure Opening Day payrolls before that.
Due to the qualifying offer, the Royals will give up the No. 24 overall pick in the draft. The Padres will receive a pick at the end of the first round.