The 2017 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Cubs won't miss Hammel too much.

[koz-man]

Andrew McCutchen moving from center field to right field in 2017

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Sunday that Andrew McCutchen will play right field in 2017 after manning center field for the team the past eight seasons.


Starling Marte will replace McCutchen in center field, while Gregory Polanco will move to left field. McCutchen hasn't played an inning in right field in his major league career.

[Cross]

Smart move, Marte is extremely fast, good to have in center.

[Chi_archie]

Cubs won't miss Hammel too much.

I think with the amount of innings their guys pitched last year by staying healthy and the long playoff run, they are gonna need alot more depth.

I think there will be a big drop off in performance due to fatigue/hangover effect.

[Andy117]

Ready for baseball! Very sick of football at the moment.

[EmpireMaker]

The Yankees explored trades for several high-priced veterans on their roster this winter, with Joel Sherman of the New York Post reporting that Starlin Castro was among these names. The Yankees “let some clubs know [Castro] was available,” which comes short of actually shopping the second baseman but it does indicate at least an openness to the idea of a deal. As with Chase Headley and Brett Gardner, the Yankees weren’t able to drum up much trade interest in Castro.
In his first year in the pinstripes, Castro hit .270/.300/.433 with 21 homers over 610 plate appearances, making him a below-average runs creator (94 wRC+). Castro hit for more power than ever before (a career-best .163 Isolated Slugging mark) but he also set a new career high with a 19.3% strikeout rate. He also posted subpar glovework as per the Defensive Runs Saved (-8) and UZR/150 (-7.7) metrics in his first full season as a second baseman.
Castro showed enough promise early in his career that the Cubs signed him to a seven-year, $60MM extension in August 2012 but his production has since declined. With the exception of a strong 2014 campaign, Castro hasn’t delivered much at the plate in three of the last four seasons, and with below-average baserunning and on-base skills, a bump in power might not create enough extra value for Castro if his contact rate and defense continue to decline. It’s worth noting that Castro is both still young (he’s entering his age-27 season) and he has had a year to adjust to AL pitching, so it could perhaps be too early to write him off.
Still, as Castro is owed $30MM through the 2019 season (plus a $16MM club option for 2020 that carries a $1MM buyout), it makes sense that the Yankees would at least consider moving a player who has generated just 1.9 fWAR combined over the last two seasons. The Yankees have been operating under a tighter-than-usual budget this winter, Sherman notes, as the team is aiming to get under the luxury tax threshold by next season.
Aroldis Chapman and Matt Holliday were the club’s major free agent expenditures, while Brian McCann was dealt to the Astros and the likes of Castro, Headley and Gardner were all floated in trade talks. The Yankees have shown a willingness to eat some money to facilitate trades (as in the McCann deal), though outright salary dumps appear to be out of the question as the club continues to rebuild its minor league system.
That deeper farm system may also play a role in New York’s willingness to discuss Castro deals. Shortstop Gleyber Torres was the centerpiece of the Yankees’ midseason trade of Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, plus Jorge Mateo, Wilkerman Garcia and Tyler Wade are all ranked within MLB.com’s list of the Yankees’ top 15 prospects. With Didi Gregorius seemingly locked into a spot in the middle infield for years to come in the Bronx, this surplus of second base/shortstop talent could make Castro an odd man out for reasons beyond just his salary.

[Otters27]

Cubs won't miss Hammel too much.

Hammel is a good solid starter. Diamond a dozen type starter. Did he even pitch in the playoffs much.

[Chi_archie]

Hammel is a good solid starter. Diamond a dozen type starter. Did he even pitch in the playoffs much.

no the wasn't on the roster.

he typically fades in the 2nd half of a year BIG TIME

[Cross]

With their bats, average pitching would be just fine for most of the season.

[BigSpoon]

Hard to believe Starlin Castro is still only 26 years old.

[koz-man]

Yankees, Chris Carter agree to 1-year deal

The New York Yankees have reached agreement on a one-year, $3 million contract with slugger Chris Carter, pending a physical, a source confirmed to ESPN's Andrew Marchand on Tuesday.

The agreement was first reported by USA Today Sports.


Carter, who played for the Milwaukee Brewers last season, tied for the National League lead with 41 home runs in 2016. He also struck out an NL-high 206 times.


The 30-year-old first baseman was not tendered a contract after the season, making him a free agent.
In seven major league seasons, Carter has 150 home runs and 374 RBIs with a .218 batting average.

[El Nino]

Mike Napoli agrees to a 1 year deal with the Texas Rangers. Deal is pending a physical.

[yisman]

Andrew McCutchen moving from center field to right field in 2017


The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Sunday that Andrew McCutchen will play right field in 2017 after manning center field for the team the past eight seasons.


Starling Marte will replace McCutchen in center field, while Gregory Polanco will move to left field. McCutchen hasn't played an inning in right field in his major league career.

This switch should've happened last year in spring training.

[Andy117]

The Yankees explored trades for several high-priced veterans on their roster this winter, with Joel Sherman of the New York Post reporting that Starlin Castro was among these names. The Yankees “let some clubs know [Castro] was available,” which comes short of actually shopping the second baseman but it does indicate at least an openness to the idea of a deal. As with Chase Headley and Brett Gardner, the Yankees weren’t able to drum up much trade interest in Castro.
In his first year in the pinstripes, Castro hit .270/.300/.433 with 21 homers over 610 plate appearances, making him a below-average runs creator (94 wRC+). Castro hit for more power than ever before (a career-best .163 Isolated Slugging mark) but he also set a new career high with a 19.3% strikeout rate. He also posted subpar glovework as per the Defensive Runs Saved (-8) and UZR/150 (-7.7) metrics in his first full season as a second baseman.
Castro showed enough promise early in his career that the Cubs signed him to a seven-year, $60MM extension in August 2012 but his production has since declined. With the exception of a strong 2014 campaign, Castro hasn’t delivered much at the plate in three of the last four seasons, and with below-average baserunning and on-base skills, a bump in power might not create enough extra value for Castro if his contact rate and defense continue to decline. It’s worth noting that Castro is both still young (he’s entering his age-27 season) and he has had a year to adjust to AL pitching, so it could perhaps be too early to write him off.
Still, as Castro is owed $30MM through the 2019 season (plus a $16MM club option for 2020 that carries a $1MM buyout), it makes sense that the Yankees would at least consider moving a player who has generated just 1.9 fWAR combined over the last two seasons. The Yankees have been operating under a tighter-than-usual budget this winter, Sherman notes, as the team is aiming to get under the luxury tax threshold by next season.
Aroldis Chapman and Matt Holliday were the club’s major free agent expenditures, while Brian McCann was dealt to the Astros and the likes of Castro, Headley and Gardner were all floated in trade talks. The Yankees have shown a willingness to eat some money to facilitate trades (as in the McCann deal), though outright salary dumps appear to be out of the question as the club continues to rebuild its minor league system.
That deeper farm system may also play a role in New York’s willingness to discuss Castro deals. Shortstop Gleyber Torres was the centerpiece of the Yankees’ midseason trade of Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, plus Jorge Mateo, Wilkerman Garcia and Tyler Wade are all ranked within MLB.com’s list of the Yankees’ top 15 prospects. With Didi Gregorius seemingly locked into a spot in the middle infield for years to come in the Bronx, this surplus of second base/shortstop talent could make Castro an odd man out for reasons beyond just his salary.

Castro is one of the more overrated players in baseball. They won't get much if anything for him.

[Cross]

I'm excited to see Gleybar Torres in action.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Mike Napoli agrees to a 1 year deal with the Texas Rangers. Deal is pending a physical.

He will hit at least 30 dingers in that ballpark

[El Nino]

He will hit at least 30 dingers in that ballpark

The jet stream is real.

[Chi_archie]

Yankees, Chris Carter agree to 1-year deal

The New York Yankees have reached agreement on a one-year, $3 million contract with slugger Chris Carter, pending a physical, a source confirmed to ESPN's Andrew Marchand on Tuesday.

The agreement was first reported by USA Today Sports.


Carter, who played for the Milwaukee Brewers last season, tied for the National League lead with 41 home runs in 2016. He also struck out an NL-high 206 times.


The 30-year-old first baseman was not tendered a contract after the season, making him a free agent.
In seven major league seasons, Carter has 150 home runs and 374 RBIs with a .218 batting average.

guy has a ton of power but not much else going for him

[Otters27]

Carter is your typical power/strikout guy. only batting .218. Sometimes I don't see the upside for these guys. Unless their homers come in clutch situations or early in games to give teams a padded lead

[BigSpoon]

Carter is your typical power/strikout guy. only batting .218. Sometimes I don't see the upside for these guys. Unless their homers come in clutch situations or early in games to give teams a padded lead

At $3M on a 1 year deal he is worth taking a flyer on though.

[mr. leisure]

The price is right on Carter .

[EmpireMaker]

Carter is very streaky, but everyday he strikes out a very high percentage and doesn't get all that many hits other than homers.

[koz-man]

Mike Napoli agrees to a 1 year deal with the Texas Rangers. Deal is pending a physical.

Mike Napoli set career highs in games played (150), hits (133), HR (34) and RBI (101) last season. He also set a career-high with 194 strikeouts, which was third-most in the major leagues.

[yisman]

I don't like Carter-type players but for 3 million, not a bad deal

[Cross]

3 million is less than vlad's 17 year old son just signed for.

[Chi_archie]

3 million is less than vlad's 17 year old son just signed for.

Vlad Jr actually signed back in 2015

teams are given just a few million dollars in the international signing pool by MLB these days, so its still significant

Lucius Fox from the Bahamas got 6 million that year from the Giants

[Otters27]

Hard to believe that we are getting close to spring training. College baseball starting up as well.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

good low risk signing by the Yankees with Carter

[BigSpoon]

Brian Wilson is planning a comeback as a knuckleballer. http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...-knuckleballer

[El Nino]

Brian Wilson is planning a comeback as a knuckleballer. http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...-knuckleballer

Very strange...I heard he shaved his pirate beard too.

[EmpireMaker]

Blevins is official with mets. 5.5M salary in '17, 7M team option in '18 w/1M buyout. 100K incentives each year. #mets

7 replies 53 retweets 110 likes

[koz-man]

Report: Rule change in minors will put runner on 2B in extra innings

With commissioner Rob Manfred focused on increasing the pace of play in Major League Baseball, the minor leagues have become a proving grounds of sort when it comes to the pitch clock and other ideas.
One of the focuses this season will be on possible solutions for speeding up extra-inning games.


Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported Wednesday that MLB will test a rule change in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League this summer that will automatically place a runner on second base at the start of extra innings.


A similar rule has been used internationally and will be in place for next month's World Baseball Classic.

[mr. leisure]

Report: Rule change in minors will put runner on 2B in extra innings


With commissioner Rob Manfred focused on increasing the pace of play in Major League Baseball, the minor leagues have become a proving grounds of sort when it comes to the pitch clock and other ideas.
One of the focuses this season will be on possible solutions for speeding up extra-inning games.


Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported Wednesday that MLB will test a rule change in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League this summer that will automatically place a runner on second base at the start of extra innings.


A similar rule has been used internationally and will be in place for next month's World Baseball Classic.

That sounds nuts , keep it the way it is .

[Andy117]

Report: Rule change in minors will put runner on 2B in extra innings


With commissioner Rob Manfred focused on increasing the pace of play in Major League Baseball, the minor leagues have become a proving grounds of sort when it comes to the pitch clock and other ideas.
One of the focuses this season will be on possible solutions for speeding up extra-inning games.


Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported Wednesday that MLB will test a rule change in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League this summer that will automatically place a runner on second base at the start of extra innings.


A similar rule has been used internationally and will be in place for next month's World Baseball Classic.

Of all the ideas baseball has come up with lately, that's the worst.

[yisman]

thats a horrible idea. I hate it.