The 2021 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread

[stevenash]

Buster Posey was a College World Series hero too

So was Whit Merrifield.

[Otters27]

Buster Posey was a College World Series hero too

[jrgum3]

As a Giants fan its tough to see Buster Posey retire so abruptly after 12 years but I understand why he did it. He probably didn't want to sign an extension and become a broken down Catcher at the end of his career like so many do. So he went out after a really good season and I'm glad that at least he went out playing at a high level even though I'll miss not watching him play next year and in the years to come. He'll be tough for the Giants to replace that's one thing for sure.

[EmpireMaker]

Padres utilityman Jurickson Profar won’t opt out of his contract with the team, instead choosing to exercise his $6.5MM player option for the 2022 season, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link).
Profar’s free agent deal with the Padres last winter contains three guaranteed years, though Profar had opt-out clauses after both this season and the 2022 season. Opting out would have allowed Profar to pocket a $1MM buyout and then test the open market, though he will now receive a $6.5MM salary from the Padres in 2022, plus $1.5MM in remaining signing bonus money. Profar is set to earn $7.5MM in 2023 if he doesn’t opt out of that year, with another $1MM buyout attached. The two sides also have a $10MM mutual option on Profar’s services for the 2024 season ($1MM buyout).
There wasn’t much suspense behind Profar’s decision, as leaving $15.5MM on the table wouldn’t have been advisable considering Profar’s lackluster 2021 numbers. Profar hit .227/.329/.320 with four home runs over 412 plate appearances, and was a sub-replacement level player in the eyes of Fangraphs’ WAR metric (-0.7). While Profar had strong walk and strikeout rates, he simply didn’t make much hard contact, finishing in only the seventh percentile in hard-hit ball rate and barrel rate. Profar was further hampered by a pair of stints on the COVID-related injury list, which cost him around three weeks of action.
It seemed as if Profar was turning on the corner after a solid 2020 season, yet his struggles this year only added to his history of inconsistency at the big league level. Once considered the game’s top prospect during his time in the Rangers farm system, Profar hasn’t been able to put everything together, and his progress hasn’t been helped by a number of injuries along the way. After playing in parts of eight MLB seasons, Profar has only 4.6 fWAR and a .236/.320/.384 slash line to show for 2444 plate appearances.
This track record notwithstanding, Profar’s good 2020 season and his top-prospect reputation garnered him quite a bit of interest on the open market last year, and the Padres were willing to go to three years to retain him. That investment doesn’t look great one season into the deal, as while Profar was intended for something of a super-utility role in the first place, he doesn’t have a clear path to regular at-bats on next year’s Padres roster. There is still hope for a late breakout at age-29, and while Profar’s salary isn’t exorbitant by itself, San Diego is already pushing the luxury tax threshold even before making any offseason roster adds.

[Stallion]

The Braves bullpen was great this season.

[JMobile]

Congrats to the Braves!

On to next year...

Dodgers.

In other news, Buster Posey going to retire. At least he has 3 rings

[stevenash]

Is Soler's homerun ball still orbiting Neptune?

[Otters27]

Max Fried was a star.

What were Braves odds after 162 games?

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Congrats to the Braves!

On to next year...

[jrgum3]

Boy in the 4 games Atlanta won they really shut down that powerful Astro lineup. That's impressive and Atlanta proved to be the better team. Really amazing since they did it without Acuna. Their front office deserves a lot of credit for this world series victory with all the shrewd moves they made after Acuna went down. Of course the players deserve credit too for staying the course after that terrible injury and believing they could still achieve their ultimate goal of a World Series championship.

[EmpireMaker]

The Rays are expected to receive a fourth option year on left-hander/first baseman Brendan McKay, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. If that indeed proves to be the case, Tampa Bay would be able to option McKay to the minor leagues through the end of next season.
Most players can be optioned for three seasons. After a team exhausts those option years, they have to keep a player on the active roster or remove him from the 40-man roster entirely (thereby allowing other clubs an opportunity to trade for or claim that player off waivers). However, for players who have accrued fewer than five full professional seasons — defined as years with at least ninety days on a major league or minor league active roster — teams may be granted a fourth option year.
Fourth options most often come into play for players who have missed a significant amount of time in their careers on account of injuries. McKay is no exception, as he has barely pitched at any level over the past two seasons. After missing all of 2020 and the first half of this season recovering from shoulder surgery, the southpaw suffered a flexor strain in August that ended his 2021 campaign after just seven minor league outings.
More from the American League:

• The 2021 season was a disappointment for Angels star Anthony Rendon, who was held to 249 plate appearances by three separate injuries. His season came to a close in early August, when he underwent surgery to repair a right hip impingement. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem that injury is expected to carry over into next season, as Rendon told Grant Paulsen and Kevin Frandsen of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link) this afternoon that he intends to be ready for Spring Training. “That’s the gameplan,” Rendon said. “That was what kind of pushed us to get the surgery done sooner than later. We were dealing with it for the entire year, trying to figure out what was going on and figure out the best way to approach it. … Once we knew where we stood in the standings and whatnot, we needed to knock it out so I could have an entire offseason to be able to get ready for Spring Training. That’s the goal.” The ongoing issues with his hip could certainly offer an explanation for Rendon’s downturn in production. The typically-excellent hitter posted a slightly below-average .240/.329/.382 line, the worst showing of his career at the plate.
• For the first time in a decade, the Mariners will enter an offseason with some uncertainty at the hot corner. With the club set to buy out longtime third baseman Kyle Seager, Seattle could look to address the position outside the organization. Corey Brock of the Athletic explores the various possibilities, ranging from internal options like Ty France and Abraham Toro to a big-ticket free agent pursuit. Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has spoken a few times about the team’s ability and desire to make some meaningful upgrades to the roster on the free agent market. Dipoto voiced a specific preference for “adaptable” players who have shown an ability to move around the diamond. Kris Bryant and Chris Taylor — each of whom Brock suggests as a speculative possibility for the M’s to target this winter — both have demonstrated the capacity to bounce between multiple positions, including third base.

[Cross]

Former Cub the World Series mvp, it stings!

[BigSpoon]

Congrats to Atlanta.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Will we get a game 7?

[Stallion]

Braves win Tonight!!!

[EmpireMaker]

Per a Tuesday morning press release, the Braves have placed utilityman Ehire Adrianza on the postseason paternity list and activated infielder Johan Camargo ahead of tonight’s World Series Game 6. MLB rules require that Adrianza spend a minimum of one day and a maximum of three on the paternity list, though the latter will not come into play with the season set to conclude in less than 48 hours. Both players are switch hitters capable of offering serviceable defense at multiple positions.
While neither would be likely to see game action with the series shifting back to an AL park, the move represents a marginal downgrade for the Braves, who had used Adrianza as their top pinch-hitting option in the NLCS (when Jorge Soler was sidelined following a positive COVID test) and a secondary option in the World Series. Though he’s hitless in two at bats against the Astros, Adrianza did deliver a crucial two-out double ahead of Eddie Rosario’s game-deciding three-run homer in the fourth inning of Game 6 of the NLCS. Camargo, who had been on the Braves’ NLCS roster, is hitless in four trips to the plate so far this postseason.
With time at six positions in 2021 in something of a super-utility role, Adrianza also would have likely represented a top option at a number of positions in the event of an injury. He amassed a .247/.327/.401 across 209 plate appearances in his first season in Atlanta — all of which slightly exceeded his career averages — as he helped to bridge the gap that arose following Ronald Acuña Jr.’s season-ending injury and Marcell Ozuna’s season-ending legal troubles.
Should such a need arise, it may now fall to Camargo, who slashed .272/.349/.457 across 524 plate appearances as the Braves’ primary third baseman during the 2018 season. The 2019 arrival of Josh Donaldson and subsequent emergence of Austin Riley have largely rendered Camargo surplus to requirements in Atlanta, however. He’s struggled mightily since his breakout 2018, slashing a combined .212/.260/.361 (good for a dismal 58 OPS+), and has recorded a meager two walks and zero hits in 18 big-league plate appearances in 2021.
Camargo has mashed in Triple-A (.958 OPS in 436 PAs this year), however, suggesting his struggles with the parent club may be attributable to a small sample size and irregular playing time. He’s also been a significantly better hitter against lefties than righties, posting an .833 OPS hitting from the right side against .700 from the left, but the Braves are still likelier to turn to mid-season pickup Orlando Arcia should a pinch-hitting situation unexpectedly arise.
Still, Camargo does replace some of Adrianza’s positional versatility, potentially enabling Braves’ manager Brian Snitker to pinch-run for a starter in a late-game situation (speedster Terrance Gore is on the roster) without sacrificing too much defensively. All in all, the move is unlikely to amount to much with the DH in play from Game 6 (and a possible Game 7) of the World Series, but it is possible Camargo may be asked to play a role.

[mr. leisure]

Lets go Braves


We don`t want a game 7

[stevenash]

**oops, double post**

[stevenash]

Should be a good game. Will be sad if Braves only chance was being up 4-0 Sunday Night

Braves will get it done tonight.

[Otters27]

Should be a good game. Will be sad if Braves only chance was being up 4-0 Sunday Night

[jrgum3]

No NFL games, maybe people will watch baseball again tomorrow.

If I didn't have to work I'd watch the game. This has been a very good series with most of the games being competitive. I think the Astros might send this to a game 7 but the Braves do have their pitching lined up so it should be a good game tomorrow.

[Cross]

No NFL games, maybe people will watch baseball again tomorrow.

[Stallion]

Braves will win, have faith.

[JMobile]

This world series is coming out great after all. I'm kind of pulling for the Braves

[Otters27]

Up 4-0 you just can't let them back in like that

[stevenash]

The umpiring on both sides has been brutal.
Balls are strikes, strikes are balls the whole series.

Check swing calls they are getting wrong at an alarming rate too.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

The Braves choking tonight is a bad sign. You don't want to give a team life when you have them on the ropes. Now the Astros return home where they actually hit this is anybody's series now.

We might see a game 7 now

[jrgum3]

The Braves choking tonight is a bad sign. You don't want to give a team life when you have them on the ropes. Now the Astros return home where they actually hit this is anybody's series now.

[EmpireMaker]

With Trey Mancini entering his final year of arbitration eligibility, there has been much discussion over whether the first baseman will remain with the Orioles or head elsewhere, either via trade or as a free agent next winter. It isn’t clear if the O’s are willing to sign any veteran player (even the beloved Mancini) to a long-term extension as they continue their rebuilding process, though MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski suggests that the team could split the difference by pursuing a shorter-term extension with Mancini. Inking Mancini to a deal of two or three years would be especially beneficial if the Orioles became competitive earlier than expected, and an extension wouldn’t necessarily mean that the team couldn’t still trade Mancini down the road. Indeed, teams might be more interested in acquiring Mancini if they knew they’d have him for more than just the 2022 season.
Of course, it isn’t known if Mancini himself would be open to such a shorter-term arrangement, though he has often said that he loves playing in Baltimore. Mancini turns 30 years old in March, so in the event of a short-term extension, he would be delaying his free agency until at least the start of his age-32 season. While a short-term deal would lock in some more money immediately, Mancini might prefer to bet on himself in 2022 and wait for a more lucrative, longer-term contract next winter. Mancini has earned $4.75MM in each of the last two seasons and is projected to earn $7.9MM in his final arb year, so he already banked some financial security throughout his career.
More from the AL and NL East…

• Speaking of short-term extensions, Miguel Rojas agreed to such a deal with the Marlins earlier this week, and now looks to make it nine seasons in South Beach. While Rojas is a strong defensive shortstop, however, he noted to The Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson and other reporters that “I’ll do whatever it takes for this team to be a winner,” even if that means a position change. “I didn’t sign to be the shortstop or the third baseman or the second baseman,” Rojas said. “I signed to be part of the team and to be of course a leader in that clubhouse, to help others that come here for the first time to be comfortable and to fit right in to what we’re doing here in Miami.” The Marlins are hoping that Jazz Chisholm has second base covered for the foreseeable future, though Rojas’ flexibility gives the team a wider berth to consider other infield additions this winter and down the road.
• Rays VP of baseball development Peter Bendix is staying in Tampa rather than pursue any other job opportunities with other teams, Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times writes. Rays executives have been popular hires around baseball, and Bendix had been mentioned as a possible candidate of interest for the Mets as their search for a new GM or president of baseball operations. Bendix has been in his current role for the last two seasons, and part of the Rays organization since 2009.

[Cross]

Snitker had a bad game tonight. Anyone can win now.

[Stallion]

Go Braves!!! The Astros aren't very good without the cameras and trash can.

[stevenash]

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Astros are pretty much done. Amazing what the Braves have done without Acuna.

[stevenash]

Smith is nasty. Love that curve ball

Honest to God.
I thought I was watching Mo again (only Mo had the cutter) in the ninth.
Houston could have nine outs in the ninth and they weren't scoring a run.

[Otters27]

Smith is nasty. Love that curve ball