The 2020 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread.

[ApricotSinner32]

Chris Sale, LHP, Red Sox – five years, $145MM through 2024: It’s understandable why the Red Sox locked up Sale, who was then coming off an otherworldly season in which he helped the club to a World Series title. Sale battled shoulder problems late in that year, however, and dealt with further injury woes and a drop in performance last season. The 30-year-old wound up throwing 147 1/3 innings, his fewest since 2011, thanks in part to elbow issues. When he did take the mound, Sale put up a career-worst ERA (4.40) and saw his average fastball velocity drop exactly 2 mph (95.7 to 93.7) from 2018. Those are alarming facts, but the bottom line is that there’s still plenty to like with Sale in the here and now. He did, after all, post a 3.39 FIP/2.93 xFIP/3.00 SIERA with an eye-popping 13.32 K/9 against 2.26 BB/9 during his “down” 2019.

Jacob deGrom, RHP, Mets – four years, $120.5MM through 2023: This contract looks like a steal for the Mets, who retained arguably the best pitcher in the game for almost three times less than Gerrit Cole got in free agency this winter. After receiving his extension last March, the 31-year-old deGrom proceeded to put up his second straight NL Cy Young-winning season, during which he logged a 2.43 ERA/2.67 FIP with 11.25 K/9 and 1.94 BB/9 in 204 innings.
Miles Mikolas, RHP, Cardinals – four years, $68MM through 2023: Mikolas struggled in the majors early in his career, dominated in Japan for a couple years, and then thrived in his first season back in the bigs with the Cardinals in 2018. They were impressed enough to lock up Mikolas for the long haul before last season, but the 31-year-old declined somewhat. He still offered quality production, though, with his velocity and swinging-strike rates in the same vicinity as the previous season. Mikolas ended up tossing 184 frames of 4.16 ERA/4.27 FIP ball with 7.04 K/9 and 1.57 BB/9 (the fourth-lowest walk rate in MLB).
Justin Verlander, RHP, Astros – two years, $66MM through 2021: There’s not much to say here besides the obvious: This looks like a good decision. The ageless Verlander, soon to turn 37, just won the second AL Cy Young of his career. He’s in line to front the Astros’ staff, which lost Cole, for at least two more seasons.
Kyle Hendricks, RHP, Cubs – four years, $55.5MM through 2023: The soft-tossing Hendricks isn’t the flashiest, but the 30-year-old righty has typically kept runs off the board and limited walks. Last season was no different – Hendricks recorded a 3.46 ERA/3.61 FIP with 7.63 K/9 against 1.67 BB/9 over 177 innings. With a fastball that only clocks in around 87 mph, there’s little room for error, but Hendricks has made it work so far. Despite Hendricks’ unimposing velocity, his fastball was one of the most valuable in the game last year, per FanGraphs.

interesting

[Chi_archie]

Curtis Granderson announces his retirement after a 16 year career.

start here at UIC

[stevenash]

I like that Ozuna to the Braves signing.
Atlanta’s lineup is pretty tough now.

[koz-man]

Matt Adams agrees to minor league deal with Mets

NEW YORK -- Matt Adams agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Mets on Friday, hoping to earn a job as a backup and a bat with pop off the bench.
The 31-year-old is primarily a first baseman but also has played the outfield. He batted .226 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs in 333 plate appearances last year for the World Series champion Washington Nationals, hitting 12 of his homers in June and July.
New York has NL Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso at first.
Adams has 11 career homers and 49 RBIs as a pinch hitter, but he was just 3 for 33 as a pinch hitter last year -- with two homers and a double.
An eight-year big league veteran, he also has played for St. Louis (2012-17, 2018) and Atlanta (2017), and he had his first stint with the Nationals in 2018.
Adams had a $3 million salary last year, and Washington declined his $4 million mutual option, which carried a $1 million buyout.

[BigSpoon]

I like that Ozuna to the Braves signing.
Atlanta’s lineup is pretty tough now.

Atlanta did okay replacing Donaldson's cleanup spot with Ozuna.

[batt33]

I like that Ozuna to the Braves signing.
Atlanta’s lineup is pretty tough now.

seem to be making the right moves.

[jrgum3]

Almost time for pitchers and catchers to report. Can't wait for the season to begin... My Giants may not be good this year but there will be enough to keep me interested all year around the league.

[JaimeMiro]

Had forgotten about the three-batter minimum, which will goes into effect this season.

How does that change way you approach the season?

[stevenash]

Had forgotten about the three-batter minimum, which will goes into effect this season.

How does that change way you approach the season?

I already hate that rule.

[Cross]

Ozuna loves to strikeout and is a terrible fielder.

[EmpireMaker]

The Indians’ offseason has largely been dominated by the specter of cutting payroll (such as the Corey Kluber trade to the Rangers or the persistent trade rumors around Francisco Lindor) rather than major acquisitions, the team’s signing of Cesar Hernandez notwithstanding. However, it seems as though the Tribe at least considered a significant addition, as Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that “the Indians were in on” Starling Marte before the Pirates dealt the center fielder to the Diamondbacks earlier this week.
The nature of the Tribe’s offer to Pittsburgh isn’t known, though we can at least make a speculative comparison to what the Pirates received from the D’Backs — $250K in international bonus pool money, and two interesting but non-elite prospects (shortstop Liover Peguero and right-hander Brennan Malone) who are each at least two or three years away from reaching the majors. Since the Bucs sent just $1.5MM in cash to Arizona as part of the deal, the D’Backs also took on almost all of the financial obligations for Marte, who is owed $11.5MM in 2020 and is controllable via a $12.5MM club option ($1MM buyout) for the 2021 season.
It could be that the Pirates simply preferred Peguero and Malone to whatever prospects were floated by the Tribe, and that money wasn’t a primary difference between Cleveland’s offer and Arizona’s offer. Still, assuming the finances would’ve broken down in a similar fashion, adding $10MM for Marte’s salary would’ve elevated the Indians’ 2020 payroll to a little beyond $106.5MM, as per Roster Resource. That still represents a notable step down from the $150MM+ payrolls the Indians had at the end of the 2017 and 2018 seasons, or even the $129.3MM year-end payroll from 2019. Since Marte’s 2021 option is likely to be exercised, Cleveland could have still found payroll room considering that Carlos Santana and Brad Hand could both come off the books via club options of their own, Hernandez is a free agent, plus who knows what other payroll space could be carved out by future trades (such as a Lindor deal).
As Hoynes notes, the Tribe’s interest in Marte indicates that the team could still be willing to spend to upgrade its 26-man roster, whether such a move happens in the offseason or perhaps closer to the trade deadline. Marte would have been a clear boost to Cleveland’s shaky outfield picture right now, though the Indians have enough outfielders in the mix that they might prefer to see which (if any) of those players steps up to become a reliable regular performer before looking at bringing any new players onto the roster. Oscar Mercado currently looks like the only Tribe outfielder slated for true everyday duty, as Jake Bauers, Delino DeShields, Greg Allen, Jordan Luplow, Bradley Zimmer and (when he isn’t at DH) Franmil Reyes are all vying for regular playing time.

[cincinnatikid513]

I like that Ozuna to the Braves signing.
Atlanta’s lineup is pretty tough now.

i thought he was going to get a monster contract before last season, 1 year deal wow , prove it year for him

[BarkingToad]

Ozuna loves to strikeout and is a terrible fielder.

Exactly

[Chi_archie]

i thought he was going to get a monster contract before last season, 1 year deal wow , prove it year for him

Nice deal

[koz-man]

Almost time for pitchers and catchers to report. Can't wait for the season to begin... My Giants may not be good this year but there will be enough to keep me interested all year around the league.

Yep.

I still can't believe the Reds signed so many free agent players this off season. Totally psyched for the up coming season.
In a weak division they really do have a chance. Go Reds

[ApricotSinner32]

Yep.

I still can't believe the Reds signed so many free agent players this off season. Totally psyched for the up coming season.
In a weak division they really do have a chance. Go Reds

[koz-man]

Rockies owner claims team will win 94 games despite lack of offseason additions


According to the Denver Post, Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort told the audience at a baseball-related event this morning that he expects his team will win a franchise-record 94 games this year. Monfort reportedly compared the 2019 team’s disastrous 71-win campaign to the 2008 flop that happened between two playoff appearances for the Colorado club. The owner claimed that the bold prediction came courtesy of the team’s analytics department.

The 94-win mark would be quite an achievement for the Rockies given that they are the only team to have not given out a big league contract this winter. Colorado was victimized by injuries and underperformance last year, but it feels like the team would still need something resembling divine intervention to overcome all of those problems. Kyle Freeland went from Cy Young Award contender to a 6.73 ERA, Daniel Murphy had an 87 OPS+, Ian Desmond got 482 plate appearances… the list goes on. Having Nolan Arenado (for now anyway) and Trevor Story in your lineup will do a lot of good, but this isn’t basketball. Your supporting cast needs to actually provide support.
=================

this guy has Big Ballz

[Otters27]

Rockies will not win 94. Way to put too much pressure on yourself

[EmpireMaker]

Trade rumors have swirled around Francisco Lindor all winter, as the Indians’ moves to limit their payroll over the last 15 months have led to widespread speculation that Lindor will be dealt before he reaches free agency following the 2021 season. Edwin Encarnacion’s three-year, $60MM deal from the 2016-17 offseason still stands as the largest contract in Indians franchise history, and since Lindor could certainly command four times that amount as a free agent, there has been a lot of doubt that he will remain in Cleveland over the long-term.
Speaking to reporters (including MLB.com’s Mandy Bell and the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Paul Hoynes) at the TribeFest fan event today, Lindor said the Indians “haven’t offered me the right thing” in regards to a multi-year extension. Such a contract doesn’t seem to be a pressing concern for Lindor at the moment, as he is in “no rush” to pursue an extension since he is still two years away from the open market:

“Is there a right number for me right now? I haven’t really thought about it. I’m not there yet. I’m going to worry about what I got in front of my toes. A lot of money sounds pretty right now. Everything sounds pretty. A lot of years sound pretty, too. At the end of the day, it’s about what’s best for me, my family, and also the Indians’ organization.”
“If they don’t think I can stay here because of the money situation, then I won’t be here. But I do want to be in Cleveland. I love the Indians, I love their fans. The city has grown on me a lot. When it is the right time to sign an extension? I don’t know when it’s the right time. God has a plan for me and my family and I truly believe in it. What’s going to happen is going to happen.”

In regards to the Tribe’s “money situation,” Lindor downplayed the idea that the club wasn’t able to afford him, pointing out “there’s money out there. Our payroll was $120MM last year. That’s money.” That said, Lindor also acknowledged the team’s perspective on how payroll should be allocated: “The question is, is it the right time for each team…when are they going to spend the money?….Is it the right time for the Indians? I don’t know.”
To this end, Lindor seemingly implied that while he enjoys playing for the Indians, he isn’t pleased with being part of a club that one eye on the budget rather than a sole focus on being competitive. “Wherever I go, I want to win,” Lindor said. “I want to bring a championship to the city of Cleveland….It has nothing to do with the money. It has nothing to do with the years. It has nothing to do with who I like or who I don’t like. It has to do with championships. The front office tries to put a team together to win, not to save money. They’re supposed to try to put a team together to win. I’m here to try to win.”
The Reds, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Padres, and Mets have all reportedly had interest in trading for Lindor this winter, though Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona have both stated that their team isn’t looking to deal the shortstop. While a Lindor swap might not happen this offseason, the possibility can’t be ruled out for the trade deadline if the Indians aren’t in contention. Of course, Cleveland traded Trevor Bauer last July even while still in contention, though the Indians had the pitching depth to make a Bauer deal more palatable, whereas there isn’t any way for the team to so easily replace Lindor’s usual All-Star level of production.

[JaimeMiro]

Rockies will not win 94. Way to put too much pressure on yourself

Trying to rally the troops lol

[koz-man]

10 players who have longest tenures with 1 club


Staying with one team for an entire career is incredibly difficult, and one doesn’t have to look past the National Baseball Hall of Fame for proof.
This year, Yankees icon Derek Jeter became the 55th single-team Hall of Fame player, a group that makes up less than one-quarter of the player contingent enshrined in Cooperstown. Out of the record 22 players elected by the BBWAA over the last seven years, six stayed with just one team across their big league careers. They happen to be absolutely revered in their respective teams’ cities: Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Jeter, Chipper Jones, Edgar Martinez and Mariano Rivera.
And remaining a one-team player has grown increasingly difficult in this modern era of free agency, arbitration and industry movement toward younger talent. So, with that in mind, here’s a reflection on the 10 longest-tenured active players who have spent their entire Major League careers with just one team. Players are listed in descending order of seniority, and we’re only looking from a player’s debut date onward -- regardless of whether they were traded before entering the bigs. (Note: Félix Hernández would have ranked second on this list, but he is no longer on the Mariners' roster after signing a Minor League deal with the Braves.)

1. Yadier Molina, Cardinals
Debut: June 3, 2004
Molina told reporters recently that he wants to be a Cardinal for life, with plans to retire if St. Louis doesn’t bring him back after his contract expires this fall. And to be honest, it’s extremely hard to imagine Molina in any other uniform. Molina has represented the Cardinals at nine All-Star Games, captured nine Gold Glove Awards and four Platinum Gloves, and he helped the Redbirds claim four National League pennants and two World Series rings in 2006 and ’11. (Molina batted a combined .366 in those Fall Classic triumphs.)
Out of the 1,881 games that have featured Molina in the starting lineup, he has, incredibly, begun all but nine of them behind the plate. Molina begins 2020 just seven appearances behind Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith for third place on the Cardinals’ all-time games played list.

2. Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals
Debut: Sept. 1, 2005
“Mr. National” was the franchise’s first Draft pick in 2005 after the Expos moved to Washington, and he was fittingly still a contributor to the Nationals’ first World Series title in Year 15. He’ll be back again for 2020 after signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the Nats.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo speculated that Zimmerman will get a statue at Nationals Park someday, and maybe it will evoke Zimmerman’s home run off Gerrit Cole that helped give Washington its first World Series crown. It will be years before Juan Soto has a shot at knocking Zimmerman off the top of any of the Nats’ major all-time lists.


3. Adam Wainwright, Cardinals
Debut: Sept. 11, 2005
Wainwright debuted for St. Louis just one year after Molina, and within 13 months he had thrown one of the franchise’s most famous pitches: an Uncle Charlie curveball that froze Mets slugger Carlos Beltrán and sealed the Cardinals’ 2006 NL pennant. Wainwright morphed from a shutdown reliever to a workhorse ace, earning four top-three finishes in NL Cy Young Award voting in a six-year span from 2009-14.
Wainwright has also defied the odds on several occasions, bouncing back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2011, and returning again after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in ’15. He turned back the clock last year, winning 14 games and pitching admirably in October. That earned Waino a one-year deal for 2020, setting up the possibility that he and Molina could retire together as Cardinals.

4. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
Debut: Aug. 22, 2006
Pedroia has only suited up in nine games for Boston over the last two years, and his Major League future is in jeopardy after he suffered another setback with his problematic left knee. But the 36-year-old remains a respected leader whenever he appears at Fenway Park, standing as the franchise’s last active connection to its powerful teams of the late 2000s. Pedroia’s AL Rookie of the Year and subsequent AL MVP in back-to-back years made him an instant icon in Boston, and he’ll finish on the Red Sox’s all-time top 10 lists in hits, runs, doubles, steals and at-bats whenever he does retire.


5. Alex Gordon, Royals
Debut: April 2, 2007
Taken with the second overall pick by the Royals in the 2005 Draft, Gordon began his career as a highly touted third base prospect before morphing into a multiple Gold Glove-winning outfielder. He played through many lean years in Kansas City, as the franchise won just 43% of its games across Gordon’s first six big league seasons before turning things around in 2013 -- Gordon’s first All-Star campaign.
Gordon’s peak coincided with his club’s rise toward back-to-back AL pennants and a World Series championship, and his decision to re-sign with the club following its 2015 title campaign sealed his shot at Royal-for-life status. Though Gordon waived his 10-and-5 rights to void any trade, he's a good bet to retire in blue and white after re-signing with the Royals this month.


6. Ryan Braun, Brewers
Debut: May 25, 2007
Braun is entering the last guaranteed year of his contract, with a $15 mutual option remaining for 2021, and he noted a "sense of urgency" at the Brewers' fan festival with retirement potentially looming. A California native and University of Miami grad, Braun has made himself a very comfortable home in the upper Midwest, residing at or near the top of nearly every Brewers career offensive leaderboard. Braun’s Milwaukee tenure started off with a bang as he captured the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Award, signed an eight-year, $45 million extension soon afterward and went on to win the '11 NL MVP Award. He still has plenty of pop in his bat, reaching the 20-homer mark in four of the last five seasons.

7. Joey Votto, Reds
Debut: Sept. 4, 2007
Votto will probably keep climbing this list, since his contract keeps him in Cincinnati through at least 2023. His string of nine .400-plus OBP seasons in a 10-year span began in 2009, the year before he captured his lone NL MVP Award and led the Reds into the postseason. An NLCS appearance remains on Votto’s to-do list and the Reds, sensing an opportunity in the NL Central, have been as aggressive as any ballclub in making additions this winter. Votto will be motivated: Last year was the first full season of his career in which he finished with a sub-.800 OPS.


8. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
Debut: May 25, 2008
Kershaw began as the consensus top high school pitcher in America and debuted in the Majors with a curveball that quickly earned the nickname “Public Enemy No. 1” from legendary broadcaster Vin Scully. What followed was a résumé that made Kershaw the most decorated pitcher of his era: five NL ERA titles, three Cy Young Awards, a pitching Triple Crown in 2011 and the ‘14 NL MVP Award. Kershaw’s career 2.44 ERA entering 2020 is the lowest of any starter in the Live Ball Era (aka the last 100 years).
But after 12 years in a Dodgers uniform, Kershaw is still seeking that elusive first World Series title. He’s signed through the end of next year, and Los Angeles figures to remain a pennant contender until Kershaw’s next big contract decision.


9. Brett Gardner, Yankees
Debut: June 30, 2008
Gardner was surrounded by big-name veterans -- from Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu to Alex Rodriguez to Jason Giambi and so on -- when he debuted in the Yankees' leadoff spot 12 years ago, but he’s been the grizzled vet himself for several years now as the “Baby Bombers” around him matured into full-fledged stars. While Gardner’s leadership is big for the Yankees, he’s also done his part to keep himself a viable lineup option, tallying career bests with 28 homers, 74 RBIs and an .829 OPS just last year.
Aaron Hicks is sidelined until at least June while he recovers from Tommy John surgery, so Gardner should have the Yanks’ center-field job to begin the season. If he can stick around for a little while longer, Gardner could become the 11th player to finish a 15-plus year career spent entirely in a Yankees uniform.

10) Elvis Andrus, Rangers
Debut: April 6, 2009
Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz still anchored the middle of the lineup, and the Rangers were still without a World Series appearance when Andrus debuted at shortstop in 2009. Save for 21 games at designated hitter, Andrus has manned that position for 11 straight years, earning a pair of All-Star Game selections along the way. Andrus has passed on two separate opportunities to opt out of his Rangers contract, putting him in line to remain in the Lone Star State through at least 2022.

NEXT IN LINE
11) Carlos Carrasco, Indians (Debut: Sept. 1, 2009)
12) Buster Posey, Giants (Debut: Sept. 11, 2009)
13) Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (Debut: June 8, 2010)
14) Kenley Jansen, Dodgers (Debut: July 24, 2010)
15) Freddie Freeman, Braves (Debut: Sept. 1, 2010)

[Chi_archie]

Yep.

I still can't believe the Reds signed so many free agent players this off season. Totally psyched for the up coming season.
In a weak division they really do have a chance. Go Reds

Nice to see them go for it

[ApricotSinner32]

Anyone like the royals this year?

[BigSpoon]

The Reds, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Padres, and Mets have all reportedly had interest in trading for Lindor this winter, though Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona have both stated that their team isn’t looking to deal the shortstop. While a Lindor swap might not happen this offseason, the possibility can’t be ruled out for the trade deadline if the Indians aren’t in contention. Of course, Cleveland traded Trevor Bauer last July even while still in contention, though the Indians had the pitching depth to make a Bauer deal more palatable, whereas there isn’t any way for the team to so easily replace Lindor’s usual All-Star level of production.

Don't think the Blue Jays are serious about trading for Lindor.

[Stallion]

The Blue Jays will not get Lindor.

[stevenash]

Ozuna loves to strikeout and is a terrible fielder.

Just like 1/2 the league.

[Cross]

Pirates are going to be the Marlins of the NL Central.

[EmpireMaker]

The Astros have been a juggernaut dating back to 2017, evidenced by their three 100-win efforts, two American League pennants and World Series title. However, thanks to the sign-stealing scandal from their championship-winning campaign, the Astros’ recent excellence has been sullied in the minds of many observers. Although the club’s the reigning AL champion, it’s now going into 2020 with plenty to prove on the field. It also has a new GM and manager, having parted with the eminently successful Jeff Luhnow-A.J. Hinch duo after MLB issued each of them one-year suspensions for their roles in Houston’s misdeeds.
With spring training closing in, the Astros moved quickly to replace Luhnow and Hinch after firing them in mid-January. They tabbed former Rays vice president of baseball operations James Click on Monday to take over for Luhnow in the wake of selecting veteran Dusty Baker as their new manager last week. Click’s coming over from an organization known for doing a lot with a little, but despite the chaos that has enveloped the Astros, he’s not walking into a franchise low on talent. The 70-year-old Baker, meanwhile, is a calming influence and a longtime winner whom the Astros hope will help them sail through stormy waters.
Of course, one of the knocks on Baker is that he has never helped guide a team to a title in his 22 seasons as a manager. Could that change in 2020? Perhaps, though he’s inheriting a roster that has taken some hits this offseason. There’s no more ace Gerrit Cole, who left for the hated Yankees for a record contract after two straight sterling seasons in Houston. There’s also no more standout reliever Will Harris, who became a National in free agency, or offensive-minded catcher Robinson Chirinos (now a member of the division-rival Rangers). And the Astros haven’t done anything remotely splashy via the trade or free-agent markets (the latter of which is all but devoid of impact players now) to cover for their key departures or strengthen other aspects of their roster.
While this has not been a banner winter for the Astros, they do still look to be contenders on paper. Last year’s all-world offense – one fronted by Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, George Springer and Michael Brantley, among others – remains intact. Better still, the Astros could get full seasons from Alvarez (the 2019 AL Rookie of the Year whom they didn’t promote until almost halfway through June) and the Altuve-Springer-Carlos Correa trio after those stars were limited by injuries in the most recent campaign. And while Cole and now-Red Wade Miley are gone from their rotation, the Astros still boast an elite top two with reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke. They’ll also get Lance McCullers Jr. back from Tommy John surgery, though it’s up in the air how the rest of Houston’s starting staff will look once Opening Day arrives.
As nightmarish as this winter has been for the Astros, there’s no denying there’s plenty of talent still on hand. However, another 107-win season may be too much to ask – especially with their division having gotten stronger in recent months. The Athletics, a 97-win club twice in a row, look capable of challenging for the crown. Meantime, the Angels and Rangers appear to have made significant improvements after the pair stumbled to sub-.500 records a year ago.

[JaimeMiro]

The Astros have been a juggernaut dating back to 2017, evidenced by their three 100-win efforts, two American League pennants and World Series title. However, thanks to the sign-stealing scandal from their championship-winning campaign, the Astros’ recent excellence has been sullied in the minds of many observers. Although the club’s the reigning AL champion, it’s now going into 2020 with plenty to prove on the field. It also has a new GM and manager, having parted with the eminently successful Jeff Luhnow-A.J. Hinch duo after MLB issued each of them one-year suspensions for their roles in Houston’s misdeeds.
With spring training closing in, the Astros moved quickly to replace Luhnow and Hinch after firing them in mid-January. They tabbed former Rays vice president of baseball operations James Click on Monday to take over for Luhnow in the wake of selecting veteran Dusty Baker as their new manager last week. Click’s coming over from an organization known for doing a lot with a little, but despite the chaos that has enveloped the Astros, he’s not walking into a franchise low on talent. The 70-year-old Baker, meanwhile, is a calming influence and a longtime winner whom the Astros hope will help them sail through stormy waters.
Of course, one of the knocks on Baker is that he has never helped guide a team to a title in his 22 seasons as a manager. Could that change in 2020? Perhaps, though he’s inheriting a roster that has taken some hits this offseason. There’s no more ace Gerrit Cole, who left for the hated Yankees for a record contract after two straight sterling seasons in Houston. There’s also no more standout reliever Will Harris, who became a National in free agency, or offensive-minded catcher Robinson Chirinos (now a member of the division-rival Rangers). And the Astros haven’t done anything remotely splashy via the trade or free-agent markets (the latter of which is all but devoid of impact players now) to cover for their key departures or strengthen other aspects of their roster.
While this has not been a banner winter for the Astros, they do still look to be contenders on paper. Last year’s all-world offense – one fronted by Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, George Springer and Michael Brantley, among others – remains intact. Better still, the Astros could get full seasons from Alvarez (the 2019 AL Rookie of the Year whom they didn’t promote until almost halfway through June) and the Altuve-Springer-Carlos Correa trio after those stars were limited by injuries in the most recent campaign. And while Cole and now-Red Wade Miley are gone from their rotation, the Astros still boast an elite top two with reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke. They’ll also get Lance McCullers Jr. back from Tommy John surgery, though it’s up in the air how the rest of Houston’s starting staff will look once Opening Day arrives.
As nightmarish as this winter has been for the Astros, there’s no denying there’s plenty of talent still on hand. However, another 107-win season may be too much to ask – especially with their division having gotten stronger in recent months. The Athletics, a 97-win club twice in a row, look capable of challenging for the crown. Meantime, the Angels and Rangers appear to have made significant improvements after the pair stumbled to sub-.500 records a year ago.

So long as they still have he World Series title all's good lol

[jrgum3]

The Astros will find a way to make the playoffs imo. Too much talent on that roster not to contend. The question is will Dusty finally get the playoff monkey off his back? Based on his history I’d say no but again I still think the Astros are contenders despite losing Gerrit Cole and not making a splash in free agency.

[Chi_archie]

The Astros will find a way to make the playoffs imo. Too much talent on that roster not to contend. The question is will Dusty finally get the playoff monkey off his back? Based on his history I’d say no but again I still think the Astros are contenders despite losing Gerrit Cole and not making a splash in free agency.

Could be true

[batt33]

The Astros will find a way to make the playoffs imo. Too much talent on that roster not to contend. The question is will Dusty finally get the playoff monkey off his back? Based on his history I’d say no but again I still think the Astros are contenders despite losing Gerrit Cole and not making a splash in free agency.

I tend to agree with the Dusty comment... has had plenty of chances

[ApricotSinner32]

The Astros will find a way to make the playoffs imo. Too much talent on that roster not to contend. The question is will Dusty finally get the playoff monkey off his back? Based on his history I’d say no but again I still think the Astros are contenders despite losing Gerrit Cole and not making a splash in free agency.

No doubt about that

[BigSpoon]

The Astros will find a way to make the playoffs imo. Too much talent on that roster not to contend. The question is will Dusty finally get the playoff monkey off his back? Based on his history I’d say no but again I still think the Astros are contenders despite losing Gerrit Cole and not making a splash in free agency.

Andy Reid got his championship, maybe Dusty can too.

[stevenash]

10 players who have longest tenures with 1 club


Staying with one team for an entire career is incredibly difficult, and one doesn’t have to look past the National Baseball Hall of Fame for proof.
This year, Yankees icon Derek Jeter became the 55th single-team Hall of Fame player, a group that makes up less than one-quarter of the player contingent enshrined in Cooperstown. Out of the record 22 players elected by the BBWAA over the last seven years, six stayed with just one team across their big league careers. They happen to be absolutely revered in their respective teams’ cities: Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Jeter, Chipper Jones, Edgar Martinez and Mariano Rivera.
And remaining a one-team player has grown increasingly difficult in this modern era of free agency, arbitration and industry movement toward younger talent. So, with that in mind, here’s a reflection on the 10 longest-tenured active players who have spent their entire Major League careers with just one team. Players are listed in descending order of seniority, and we’re only looking from a player’s debut date onward -- regardless of whether they were traded before entering the bigs. (Note: Félix Hernández would have ranked second on this list, but he is no longer on the Mariners' roster after signing a Minor League deal with the Braves.)

1. Yadier Molina, Cardinals
Debut: June 3, 2004
Molina told reporters recently that he wants to be a Cardinal for life, with plans to retire if St. Louis doesn’t bring him back after his contract expires this fall. And to be honest, it’s extremely hard to imagine Molina in any other uniform. Molina has represented the Cardinals at nine All-Star Games, captured nine Gold Glove Awards and four Platinum Gloves, and he helped the Redbirds claim four National League pennants and two World Series rings in 2006 and ’11. (Molina batted a combined .366 in those Fall Classic triumphs.)
Out of the 1,881 games that have featured Molina in the starting lineup, he has, incredibly, begun all but nine of them behind the plate. Molina begins 2020 just seven appearances behind Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith for third place on the Cardinals’ all-time games played list.

2. Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals
Debut: Sept. 1, 2005
“Mr. National” was the franchise’s first Draft pick in 2005 after the Expos moved to Washington, and he was fittingly still a contributor to the Nationals’ first World Series title in Year 15. He’ll be back again for 2020 after signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the Nats.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo speculated that Zimmerman will get a statue at Nationals Park someday, and maybe it will evoke Zimmerman’s home run off Gerrit Cole that helped give Washington its first World Series crown. It will be years before Juan Soto has a shot at knocking Zimmerman off the top of any of the Nats’ major all-time lists.


3. Adam Wainwright, Cardinals
Debut: Sept. 11, 2005
Wainwright debuted for St. Louis just one year after Molina, and within 13 months he had thrown one of the franchise’s most famous pitches: an Uncle Charlie curveball that froze Mets slugger Carlos Beltrán and sealed the Cardinals’ 2006 NL pennant. Wainwright morphed from a shutdown reliever to a workhorse ace, earning four top-three finishes in NL Cy Young Award voting in a six-year span from 2009-14.
Wainwright has also defied the odds on several occasions, bouncing back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2011, and returning again after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in ’15. He turned back the clock last year, winning 14 games and pitching admirably in October. That earned Waino a one-year deal for 2020, setting up the possibility that he and Molina could retire together as Cardinals.

4. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
Debut: Aug. 22, 2006
Pedroia has only suited up in nine games for Boston over the last two years, and his Major League future is in jeopardy after he suffered another setback with his problematic left knee. But the 36-year-old remains a respected leader whenever he appears at Fenway Park, standing as the franchise’s last active connection to its powerful teams of the late 2000s. Pedroia’s AL Rookie of the Year and subsequent AL MVP in back-to-back years made him an instant icon in Boston, and he’ll finish on the Red Sox’s all-time top 10 lists in hits, runs, doubles, steals and at-bats whenever he does retire.


5. Alex Gordon, Royals
Debut: April 2, 2007
Taken with the second overall pick by the Royals in the 2005 Draft, Gordon began his career as a highly touted third base prospect before morphing into a multiple Gold Glove-winning outfielder. He played through many lean years in Kansas City, as the franchise won just 43% of its games across Gordon’s first six big league seasons before turning things around in 2013 -- Gordon’s first All-Star campaign.
Gordon’s peak coincided with his club’s rise toward back-to-back AL pennants and a World Series championship, and his decision to re-sign with the club following its 2015 title campaign sealed his shot at Royal-for-life status. Though Gordon waived his 10-and-5 rights to void any trade, he's a good bet to retire in blue and white after re-signing with the Royals this month.


6. Ryan Braun, Brewers
Debut: May 25, 2007
Braun is entering the last guaranteed year of his contract, with a $15 mutual option remaining for 2021, and he noted a "sense of urgency" at the Brewers' fan festival with retirement potentially looming. A California native and University of Miami grad, Braun has made himself a very comfortable home in the upper Midwest, residing at or near the top of nearly every Brewers career offensive leaderboard. Braun’s Milwaukee tenure started off with a bang as he captured the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Award, signed an eight-year, $45 million extension soon afterward and went on to win the '11 NL MVP Award. He still has plenty of pop in his bat, reaching the 20-homer mark in four of the last five seasons.

7. Joey Votto, Reds
Debut: Sept. 4, 2007
Votto will probably keep climbing this list, since his contract keeps him in Cincinnati through at least 2023. His string of nine .400-plus OBP seasons in a 10-year span began in 2009, the year before he captured his lone NL MVP Award and led the Reds into the postseason. An NLCS appearance remains on Votto’s to-do list and the Reds, sensing an opportunity in the NL Central, have been as aggressive as any ballclub in making additions this winter. Votto will be motivated: Last year was the first full season of his career in which he finished with a sub-.800 OPS.


8. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
Debut: May 25, 2008
Kershaw began as the consensus top high school pitcher in America and debuted in the Majors with a curveball that quickly earned the nickname “Public Enemy No. 1” from legendary broadcaster Vin Scully. What followed was a résumé that made Kershaw the most decorated pitcher of his era: five NL ERA titles, three Cy Young Awards, a pitching Triple Crown in 2011 and the ‘14 NL MVP Award. Kershaw’s career 2.44 ERA entering 2020 is the lowest of any starter in the Live Ball Era (aka the last 100 years).
But after 12 years in a Dodgers uniform, Kershaw is still seeking that elusive first World Series title. He’s signed through the end of next year, and Los Angeles figures to remain a pennant contender until Kershaw’s next big contract decision.


9. Brett Gardner, Yankees
Debut: June 30, 2008
Gardner was surrounded by big-name veterans -- from Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu to Alex Rodriguez to Jason Giambi and so on -- when he debuted in the Yankees' leadoff spot 12 years ago, but he’s been the grizzled vet himself for several years now as the “Baby Bombers” around him matured into full-fledged stars. While Gardner’s leadership is big for the Yankees, he’s also done his part to keep himself a viable lineup option, tallying career bests with 28 homers, 74 RBIs and an .829 OPS just last year.
Aaron Hicks is sidelined until at least June while he recovers from Tommy John surgery, so Gardner should have the Yanks’ center-field job to begin the season. If he can stick around for a little while longer, Gardner could become the 11th player to finish a 15-plus year career spent entirely in a Yankees uniform.

10) Elvis Andrus, Rangers
Debut: April 6, 2009
Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz still anchored the middle of the lineup, and the Rangers were still without a World Series appearance when Andrus debuted at shortstop in 2009. Save for 21 games at designated hitter, Andrus has manned that position for 11 straight years, earning a pair of All-Star Game selections along the way. Andrus has passed on two separate opportunities to opt out of his Rangers contract, putting him in line to remain in the Lone Star State through at least 2022.

NEXT IN LINE
11) Carlos Carrasco, Indians (Debut: Sept. 1, 2009)
12) Buster Posey, Giants (Debut: Sept. 11, 2009)
13) Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (Debut: June 8, 2010)
14) Kenley Jansen, Dodgers (Debut: July 24, 2010)
15) Freddie Freeman, Braves (Debut: Sept. 1, 2010)

With the exception of dickhead Braun I noticed almost every name on this list are class acts.

Pedroia, Zimmerman, Votto, Freeman, and Gordon all stand out.