Shaping up to be interesting off season
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NL East should be exciting in 2019, excluding the Marlins of course.Comment -
Patrick Corbin going to sign with Yankees. I feel it.Comment -
Cubs tender contract to Addison Russell amid 40-game domestic violence ban
CHICAGO -- The Cubs on Friday tendered a contract to suspended shortstop Addison Russell, who is eligible for arbitration.
Russell, 25, will miss the first month of the season after accepting a 40-game suspension late in 2018 after his ex-wife Melisa Reidy accused him of domestic abuse in a blog post. From the start, the Cubs have said they want to see Russell get help while also being a positive force on the issue.
Though the Cubs tendered him a contract for next year, it still doesn't mean Russell will suit up for them again. The move on Friday simply prevented Russell, who made $4.3 million last season, from becoming a free agent.
"While this decision leaves the door open for Addison to later make an impact for us on the field, it does not represent the finish line nor rubber-stamp his future as a Cub," team president Theo Epstein said in a statement. "It does however reflect our support for him as long as he continues to make progress."Comment -
Russell is a bum.Comment -
For all the ongoing talk about Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz and the Indians’ trio of starters, Zack Greinke remains one of the more intriguing trade candidates on the market. Zach Buchanan of The Athletic takes an intriguing look at the dilemma the D-backs face in a potential Greinke trade in his latest column, while also revealing the 15 teams on Greinke’s no-trade list.
Per Buchanan, Greinke can block deals to the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, Tigers, Angels, Athletics, Phillies, Cardinals, Reds, Giants, Rockies, Dodgers and Padres. Obviously, that list includes several clubs who could make sense a viable trade partner for the D-backs, although Fancred’s Jon Heyman writes in his latest weekly notes column that neither the Red Sox nor the Yankees view Greinke as a fit for their clubs. Still, Greinke has already been connected to the Cardinals and it’s certainly possible to imagine interest from a few other organizations that appear on the list. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets that the Reds have checked in on Greinke, though John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 pulls no punches in rejecting that rumor (Twitter link).
Greinke, 35, has three years and $104.5MM remaining on his contract between his guaranteed salaries and a trio of $3MM payouts on an $18MM signing bonus that was spread out over the life of his six-year, $206.5MM deal. However, Buchanan reports within his column that the signing bonus payouts will remain the D-backs’ responsibility even in the event of a trade. Greinke’s contract does come with a $2MM assignment bonus in the event of a trade, which seemingly falls on the acquiring club, meaning that any team interest in trading for him would be taking on a total of $97.5MM over three seasons (minus any cash the D-backs include to grease the wheels on a swap).
That’s still a major sum for a new team to pay, given Greinke’s age, but the former Cy Young winner has been excellent for Arizona across the past two seasons. The veteran righty crossed the 200-inning threshold in both 2017 and 2018 while posting near-identical 3.20 and 3.21 ERAs. He’s maintained his elite control, still misses bats at an above-average rate and still possesses average or better ground-ball tendencies, as well.Comment -
gonna be hard to trade greinke with that contract, where will marwin gonzalez landComment -
Orioles got this shit in 2019 comeback time.Comment -
I think we see a splash or two next week.Comment -
Outfielder Billy Hamilton non-tendered by Reds, becomes free agent
CINCINNATI -- Speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton became a free agent when the Cincinnati Reds failed to offer a 2019 contract by Friday's deadline.
Hamilton, 28, hit .236 with four homers and 29 RBIs this year as his stolen base total dropped to 34. He swiped 56 bases in 2014 and increased his total by one in each of the next three seasons.
Hamilton had a $4.6 million salary on the last-place Reds, who went 67-95. He would have been eligible for free agency after next season.
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I always thought that he would get better because of his speed. But could never keep his OBP above .300 & now his stolen bases down this past year (34) from past 5 yrs in the 50's.Comment -
Arizona getting rid of a lot of players.Comment -
Having already swung one blockbuster trade this offseason, the Mets may have further headline-grabbing deals in mind. It appears they have interest in Indians ace Corey Kluber, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, who reports that the two teams have discussed the right-hander.
The Mets are one of several teams reportedly eyeing Kluber, a two-time American League Cy Young Award winner whose name has been prominent in rumors for a month. The fact that Kluber’s on the Mets’ radar is especially fascinating given that the future of one of their aces, righty Noah Syndergaard, is up in the air.
While New York may be attempting to build a dominant rotation led by Jacob deGrom, Kluber and Syndergaard, Feinsand notes it’s possible they could end up dealing Syndergaard and then acquiring Kluber in a separate trade. Swapping out Syndergaard for Kluber would seemingly be a near-term upgrade, though the latter is far older and pricier than the former. The 26-year-old Syndergaard has three arbitration-eligible campaigns remaining and will only make a projected $5.9MM next season, while Kluber will earn $17MM in 2019 – also his third-last year of control.
For Cleveland, trading Kluber would be an obvious blow to its pitching staff, though a deal could come to fruition if it enables the team to pick up immediate help and cut payroll. If the Indians would indeed want controllable, young major leaguers for Kluber, then Syndergaard, outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto, and second baseman Jeff McNeil look like the most logical fits from the Mets’ roster. All four are under control through at least 2021 and would seemingly help keep a Kluber-less Indians team strong in 2019.
Aside from that quartet, it doesn’t appear the rest of the Mets’ roster or their prospect pool is teeming with ideal pieces to pry Kluber out of Cleveland. Baseball America ranked the Mets’ farm an uninspiring 19th in the game even before they agreed to trade a pair of their best prospects, outfielder Jarred Kelenic and righty Justin Dunn, to Seattle in a package for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. The Mets do still have two of the outlet’s top-1oo prospects, however, in shortstop Andres Gimenez (No. 53) and first baseman Peter Alonso (No. 72).
While it’s unknown how serious the Mets are about Kluber, it’s fair to say they’re positioning themselves as one of this offseason’s most interesting teams to watch. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen has been a polarizing presence in his first few weeks as an executive, but it’s clear he’s willing to make bold moves in an effort to improve a New York club coming off back-to-back sub-.500 seasons.Comment -
Kluber to the Mets would be interesting especially if they kept Thor and Degrom.
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Hamilton and Buxton one in the same. Fast as fukk but can't get on base.Comment -
Mariners still got lots of pieces left to sell off in their rebuild/fire sale. Haniger, Segura, Gordon, Colome and Seager to name several.Comment -
Keuchel is a hot arm right now.Comment -
Mariners wheeling and dealing
first they fleece the Mets, now they trade Segura to Philly[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 -
Joe Panik will remain the second baseman.
Panik and the Giants agreed to a one-year contract Friday afternoon, avoiding arbitration. Not a bad move
That double play he started against the royals was epic......Comment -
10:40pm: Segura is expected to waive his no-trade clause to accommodate the deal, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reports (Twitter link).
9:59pm: The two teams have agreed to the trade “in principle,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets. The deal will be announced on Monday, and Crawford will be part of the return going to Seattle. There has been speculation that Carlos Santana could be sent to the M’s in order to balance out the money involved in the deal, as per Fancred’s Jon Heyman, though the “Mariners may be resistant to that.” Santana’s involvement would add an entirely new aspect to this trade, as the first baseman is owed $35MM over the next two years. The Mariners did take Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak back from the Mets to help offset Cano’s salary, however.
9:10pm: The Phillies and Mariners are “in serious talks” about a trade that would send shortstop Jean Segura to Philadelphia, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). Segura would have to waive his no-trade clause to allow the move. Rosenthal writes that the M’s “have [their] next deal lined up” after the trade of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz becomes official, and since that deal could be finalized by Monday, it hints at a possible timeline about any potential Segura movement. Yesterday, Rosenthal reported that Seattle had interest in top Phillies prospect J.P. Crawford as a potential piece of the return for Segura.
Segura was first linked to the Phillies last week, and he has been a popular figure in trade rumors ever since the Mariners shifted into payroll-cutting mode. The Yankees also had some interest in Segura, while the Padres and Mariners discussed a potential blockbuster that would’ve sent Segura and Mike Leake to San Diego in exchange for Wil Myers. With a .308/.353/.449 slash line and 41 homers over the last three seasons, it isn’t surprising that Segura is generating such interest. He doesn’t turn 29 until March, and he is controlled through the 2022 season on a contract that will pay him $58MM over those four seasons (including a $1MM buyout of a $17MM club option for 2023).
Shortstop was a major problem area for the Phillies last season, as Crawford hasn’t shown much in limited MLB action, and super-utilityman Scott Kingery also didn’t produce at the position in his first big league season. Manny Machado has been widely speculated to be a top target for the Phillies this winter, though in the event of a Segura trade, Machado would be pursued as a third baseman while Segura handled shortstop.
Dealing Segura would be the latest move in a rather stunning roster overhaul orchestrated by Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto, who has already traded James Paxton, Mike Zunino, Alex Colome, and (all but officially) Cano and Diaz in less than four weeks’ time. Leake and Kyle Seager are also being shopped as Dipoto looks to move as many long-term commitments as possible to reposition the M’s for a return to contention in 2020 or 2021. These deals have already netted the Mariners a significant amount of young talent to help their thin farm system, and even more could be on the way via the Segura deal, or if Dipoto considered moving more controllable talent like Mitch Haniger or Marco Gonzales. Crawford, for instance, has been a consensus top-16 prospect in the sport (as per Baseball America and Baseball America) in each of the last three seasons, though his relative lack of success at the Triple-A level has somewhat dimmed his stock.Comment -
Finally the hot stove is heating up!Comment -
Reports: Mariners, Mets finish off seven-player blockbuster trade
A blockbuster trade that gained momentum throughout the week has been completed, as the Seattle Mariners have agreed to deal All-Star closer Edwin Diaz and veteran second baseman Robinson Cano to the New York Mets, according to multiple reports.
In return, the Mariners reportedly will receive veteran right fielder Jay Bruce and several prospects -- right-handed pitcher Justin Dunn, a first-rounder in 2016; outfielder Jarred Kelenic, the sixth overall pick in 2018; right-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak and right-handed pitcher Gerson Bautista.
The Mariners also are sending $20 million to New York.
The trade is contingent upon the players passing their physical exams. The deal could be announced as soon as Monday
Cano, 36, has five years, $120 million remaining on the 10-year, $240 million contract he signed with Seattle in December 2013, when current Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen served as his agent, along with Jay-Z's Roc Nation.Comment -
id rather have segura than carlos santanaComment -
Wow, Segura went to the Phillies and Santana to the M's. Phillies still want Machado too after this trade.Comment
