-
Comment -
I’m sure Donaldson will get overpaid somewhere.Comment -
Ellsbury says he'll wave his no trade clause for a move to SF.
Yanks would have to gobble up a lot of the salary to make it happen.Comment -
Evan Longoria should be at least a four-win upgrade over what the Giants were going to get at third base. Last year, their third basemen ranked last in the majors in average, home runs, RBIs and OPS. Longoria isn't the hitter he was at his peak and is coming off his worst season at the plate, but he's still a solid two-way player. The Rays get an overrated prospect in Christian Arroyo and two high-risk arms, but most importantly get long-term salary relief. It also makes you wonder if the Rays are now more likely to trade Chris Archer.Comment -
Diamondbacks, Yoshihisa Hirano Agree To Two-Year Deal
By Steve Adams | December 21, 2017 at 10:23pm CDT
10:23pm: Piecoro now adds that Hirano will be guaranteed a total of $6MM on the contract.
10:17pm: Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that the two sides are in agreement on a two-year contract (Twitter link).
10:12pm: The Diamondbacks are closing in on a contract with right-handed reliever Yoshihisa Hirano, tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that Hirano’s deal, if finalized, will be a multi-year contract. Jim Allen of the Kyodo News had first connected the two sides earlier in the night (Twitter link).
Hirano, 34 in March, has long been a dominant closer in Japan, amassing 143 saves with a 2.62 ERA, 9.4 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 through 271 1/3 innings for the Orix Buffaloes from 2013-17. Because of his age and his professional experience in Nippon Professional Baseball, Hirano is exempt from both international bonus pools and the NPB/MLB posting system. He’s considered a true free agent and is free to sign for any amount.
The D-backs weren’t prominently linked to Hirano prior to the agreement, though he’d reportedly drawn interest from multiple MLB clubs, including the Dodgers, Tigers and Cardinals. Allen tweets that in speaking to big league scouts at the Winter Meetings, there was a consensus that while Hirano’s velocity is down from its peak earlier in his career, his splitter will still play in the Majors. Piecoro tweets that scouts to whom he’s spoken peg Hirano’s velocity in the 90-94 mph range and also credit him with a plus splitter and good deception in his delivery.
Fernando Rodney, who served as Arizona’s closer throughout the 2017 season, recently signed with the Twins, subtracting one late-inning arm from what was, on the whole, a generally successful group in 2017. Arizona also bid farewell to veteran lefty Jorge De La Rosa and righty J.J. Hoover this offseason, who soaked up a combined 92 2/3 innings out of the ’pen — further creating a a need to add some innings to the back of the relief corps.
[Related: Updated Arizona Diamondbacks depth chart and payroll outlook]
While it’s a stretch to assume that Hirano will simply be handed the closer’s role in Arizona right out of the gate, there’s no clear-cut ninth-inning presence for the Diamondbacks at present. Hirano will likely compete with Archie Bradley and others for that distinction this spring, and it’s not out of the question that he could find himself in save opportunities later in the year, even if he doesn’t win the job out of camp.
The D-backs are already headed for a record payroll in 2018, though Hirano’s contract will only modestly bump the current $126MM projection ever so slightly north. That said, it doesn’t seem especially likely that they’ll be particularly aggressive spenders on the free-agent market between now and Opening Day.
While they’re fresh off an NLDS appearance and are entering into the first season of a new television contract said to be worth more than one billion dollars, the D-backs aren’t merely setting a new record payroll — they’re shattering their previous high point. Arizona is on track for a near-$30MM payroll increase over its 2017 Opening Day mark and an increase of roughly $17MM over its previous franchise high. Arizona has only opened a season with a payroll north of $100MM once in its history (2014) and has averaged a $93MM Opening Day payroll over the past three seasons.Comment -
Ellsbury was sweet 6 years ago.Comment -
Dick Enberg, the Hall of Fame broadcaster whose "Oh my!" calls rang familiar with so many sports fans, has died, his wife and daughter confirmed Thursday night.
He was 82.Comment -
The domestic assault case against Red Sox righty Steven Wright has been “retired,” as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reported yesterday. That puts him on track to resolution of the possible legal trouble that arose out of a domestic incident earlier this month. That does not mean that Major League Baseball cannot continue to investigate the matter and decide for itself whether to issue discipline under the MLB-MLBPA Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy. Indeed, the commissioner’s office says it is continuing to look into the incident, though of course there’s no indication at this point whether there will be any punishment forthcoming.
Here’s more from the AL East:
- With former star Evan Longoria now playing elsewhere, the Rays face some interesting questions entering the new year. As Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports, there are loads of infield possibilities on hand even absent Longoria, particularly since the trade brought back another young possibility in Christian Arroyo. Several of those players could end up on the move, in theory, along with quite a few others. Topkin says not to expect pure salary-dumping moves, apart perhaps from the just-acquired Denard Span. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic further tweets that the Longoria swap isn’t necessarily a prelude to a deal involving top starter Chris Archer, though that still seems plausible.
- Regardless of how things turn out elsewhere in the division, the Blue Jays plan to enter 2018 with designs on competition, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick writes. That likely means the team isn’t going to seriously consider dealing star third baseman Josh Donaldson, despite persistent chatter about outside interest. GM Ross Atkins tells Crasnick both that the Jays are “trying to win” and that he “can’t imagine our team being better without Josh Donaldson.”
Comment -
Lock Steven Wright upComment -
Dick Enberg R.I.P., will miss him.Comment -
Nationals finalize $4M, 1-year deal with 1B Matt Adams
WASHINGTON -- The Nationals have finalized a deal with first baseman/outfielder Matt Adams.
General manager Mike Rizzo on Friday announced Washington agreed to terms with Adams on a one-year contract. The deal to make Adams the Nationals' new backup first baseman is worth $4 million.
The 29-year-old hit .274 last season with a career-best 20 home runs and 65 RBI with the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves. He is a career .271 hitter in six major league seasons.
Adams effectively replaces Adam Lind, who became a free agent after the Nationals declined to exercise a 2018 option in his contract. Adams has nine career pinch-hit home runs, and his 41 pinch-hit RBis lead the majors since he came up in 2012.Comment -
A trade of Gerrit Cole doesn’t appear to be imminent at this point, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports (via Twitter). Though it seemed at one point that talks between the Yankees and Pirates were picking up momentum, Crasnick says that multiple clubs have engaged with the Pirates since the winter meetings; the prospect of a Cole trade isn’t “Yankees or bust”.
The Yankees don’t appear to have tunnel vision on a Cole deal, either. Though the Bronx Bombers are trying to net Pittsburgh’s prized right-hander with proposals centered around Clint Frazier, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Bombers offered similar packages to the Rays and Tigers for Chris Archer and Michael Fulmer, respectively. From my perspective, it seems as though the Yankees may not be interested in Cole specifically, but rather could have a broader objective to move the 23-year-old Frazier in exchange for pitching help. Following the club’s acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton, it appears as though Frazier is destined to be a high-ceiling depth piece for the Yankees, whose outfield picture features Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks and Stanton, with Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury also on the roster.
In a brilliant piece for the New York Post, Joel Sherman points out that the Yankees can afford to be patient, as they did with Stanton this winter and Sonny Gray this summer. They’re not desperate for pitching right now, as their rotation is set to feature Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Gray, CC Sabathia and Jordan Montgomery. While each of those pitchers carries a question mark or two (or in Sherman’s words, “red flag possibilities”), the ballclub wouldn’t be chastised if it were to have these five in the rotation come Opening Day. Furthermore, top prospects Chance Adams and Justus Sheffield could reach the majors before long, with Adams being the more likely of the two to contribute in 2018.
From the Pirates’ side, they don’t necessarily need another outfielder. However, it stands to reason that a trade of Cole could set off a domino effect that prompts Pittsburgh to sell off other pieces. As Brink states in a separate article (one that deals with the “what if” scenario of a Cole trade), trading the right-hander could act as “the first tug on the rope that raises the white flag on 2018.” In that case, they’d be highly likely to shop Andrew McCutchen, the 2013 NL MVP, and his hypothetical trade would mean that Frazier could suddenly become a useful piece.
It’s unclear how serious the Pirates’ talks are with other potential suitors at this time, or even whether those clubs have made formal offers. Crasnick notes in his above tweet that a deal probably won’t come together before Christmas, but adds that trade talks could pick up again between then and New Year’s. It stands to reason that Pittsburgh could be patient for months, or even wait until the 2018 trade deadline to trade Cole (if they opt to move him at all). It will of course be far more evident how the Pirates’ playoff chances compare with those of the other NL Central clubs. However, there are plenty of reasons to move him now as well, including the high probability that clubs would be willing to pay more to have Cole for a full season, and the risk that the Yankees might acquire a different starter.Comment -
The Yankees and Pirates are still in talks about starter Gerrit Cole, but a source with knowledge of the discussions says nothing is close right now. The Yankees are not expected to give up top prospect Gleyber Torres in any deal. Clint Frazier remains a possibility.Comment -
C’mon and get a good deal for coleComment -
So far all trades and signing have been huge.Comment -
Still some big names yet to move in free agency or by trade. Probably won't happen until 2018.Comment -
Merry Christmas Everyone !!!Comment -
- The Nationals project to be over the luxury tax limit for the second straight year, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post writes, which could have some impact on how — or if — the team continues to spend this offseason or at the trade deadline. The Nats are currently slated for a 30 percent tax on all overages beyond the $197MM threshold, though that tax bill will rise if the Nationals spend beyond the $217MM mark. There doesn’t seem much chance that Washington will pass the threshold again next year, however, as the club has several big contracts coming off the books, so the Nats will be well-positioned to spend big in the vaunted 2018-19 free agent class, which includes such notable D.C. players as Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy.
- Ichiro Suzuki is still hoping for another contract with an MLB team, telling the Kyodo News Agency (as picked up by the Associated Press) that “I feel like a big dog at a pet shop that hasn’t been sold. Of course, I want to play baseball next year.” Ichiro also didn’t close the door on a return to Japan, in somewhat oblique fashion; when asked if there was a possibility he could play for Nippon Professional Baseball next season, Suzuki said “When you use the word possibility, there are many things … it means anything is possible as long as it’s not zero.” Suzuki turned 44 in October and has spoken of hoping to play until he is 50 years old, though it remains to be seen if a Major League team will give the future Hall-of-Famer a shot at his 18th season in the bigs.
- An American League scout shared his opinion on the Rangers’ three pitching acquisitions (Mike Minor, Matt Moore, and Doug Fister) with Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News, noting that the trio’s ability to miss bats will help take pressure off a shaky Texas defense. Most interestingly, the scout suggested that Minor would be most effectively deployed not just as a reliever, but as the Rangers’ closer. Minor has said that he chose to sign with Texas because the club was open to giving him the opportunity to again be a starting pitcher, so while the left-hander has also said he’s fine with continuing as a reliever, rotation work would seem to be his first option. Minor began his career as a starter but shoulder problems cost him all of the 2015 and 2016 seasons before he returned to post excellent numbers out of the Royals bullpen last year.
- After undergoing Tommy John surgery last May, Brady Rodgers hopes to be finished with his rehab by June, the Astros right-hander tells Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. A third-rounder in the 2012 draft, Rodgers made his MLB debut in 2016, tossing 8 1/3 innings for the Astros. He owns a 3.98 ERA, 4.56 K/BB rate and 7.4 K/9 over 575 career frames in the minors, with particularly strong results coming in the last two years at the Triple-A level. Once recovered, Rodgers will provide more upper minors depth for the Houston rotation.
Comment
