[yisman]

Healy traded to Seattle.

[Cross]

Lackey such a pos as a competitor, Hawk Harrelson not going to miss him.

[EmpireMaker]

The Nationals have yet to hold any extension discussions with stars Bryce Harper or Anthony Rendon, agent Scott Boras told reporters at the GM Meetings on Wednesday (via Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post). Asked whether there’d be any talk about a deal for Harper before he reaches free agency next winter, Boras suggested that the matter is presently up to the Nationals. GM Mike Rizzo told the New York Post’s Joel Sherman yesterday that he’d be “surprised” if there were no extension talks with Harper this winter, though as Janes points out, those types of negotiations typically occur later in the offseason.
A bit more from the division…

• With both Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle under team control next season, the Nationals are less inclined to pursue top-tier free agent relievers, Janes writes in a second piece. Rizzo expressed confidence in that duo and offered a generally encouraging review of his relief corps overall, health permitting. Injury concerns are present, though, as Janes notes; both Koda Glover and Shawn Kelley were heavily limited by arm troubles in 2017. As such Rizzo indicated that it’s possible his team will pursue some right-handed bullpen help this offseason. Janes runs down several options that Nats fans will want to check out, and she also notes that Matt Albers may ultimately end up elsewhere as he cashes in on a career year.
• Mets GM Sandy Alderson strongly downplayed the notion of signing an outfielder upon leaving the GM Meetings, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Post. Alderson indicated that a player that can handle some outfield as well as first base, or even just a pure first baseman are considerations, however. As Newsday’s Marc Carig tweets, that effectively points to regular center field work for Juan Lagares in 2018. Per Carig, the Mets have received trade interest in Lagares in the past and shown little inclination to move him. Of note, Carig also tweets that the Mets consider Jay Bruce versatile enough to handle both the outfield and first base, so a reunion remains on the table.
• Michael Conforto’s agents tell Joel Sherman of the New York Post that their client has received “excellent” medical updates from the surgeons that performed his shoulder operation thus far in his recovery. The young Mets oufielder is expected to be swinging a bat by late January and should be ready for Spring Training, as things presently stand.
• Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel spoke to Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill about the team’s need for rotation help. Adding starting pitching is reportedly a priority for the Fish even as they look to pare down payroll by roughly $50MM and market several of their biggest stars, including Giancarlo Stanton, in trades. Of course, as Hill alluded to, the composition of the returns on their trades could well help to satisfy that priority. “We know we need to get better,” Hill said of his team’s starting pitching options.“Some of the trades may dictate what that looks like, what shape or form that looks like.” Hill also indicated that the Marlins could look at smaller trades and waiver claims as a means of adding additional options.

[Chi_archie]

Lackey such a pos as a competitor, Hawk Harrelson not going to miss him.

is hawk gonna be around much?

[Otters27]

You guys think Rockies can make the wild card again?

[EmpireMaker]

CLEARWATER, FLA. — The measure of a man and the impact he has on others lies in those who celebrate his life at the moment of his passing. Such was the case for former Blue Jays and Phillies pitcher, and future hall of famer, Roy Halladay as about 1,000 baseball friends, family, fans and admirers gathered at Spectrum Field on Tuesday to pay tribute — along with wife Brandy and sons Braden and Ryan.
The numbers 32 and 34 were painted in the dirt on the front of the mound, with a game ball set between them, representing Halladay’s uniform numbers with the Jays for 12 years and the Phillies for four. Behind the mound, a podium was set up flanked by floral displays of his uniform numbers, plus portraits of Doc as a Phillie and a Blue Jay set up on easels. In front of the mound were 100 white chairs that were eventually filled by ex-teammates, coaches, close friends and family.
Guest speakers — all personally invited by Brandy Halladay — included Phillies owner John Middleton and former manager Charlie Manuel; former Phillies teammates Cole Hamels and Chase Utley; ex-Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi; Jays head trainer George Poulis; former Jays teammate and good friend Chris Carpenter; and Roy’s father, Roy Jr.
Also in the seats to honour their friend were former teammates and men who shared the same clubhouse: Jose Bautista, A.J. Burnett, Cito Gaston, Frank Thomas, Jimmy Rollins, Juan Samuel, Brad Lidge, Shane Victorino, Erik Kratz, Aaron Hill, Orlando Hudson, Scott Downs, John McDonald, Reed Johnson, Dustin McGowan, Ryan Howard, Cliff Lee, Kyle Kendrick and many others.
After all was said and done on this emotional day, there were two main take-aways from this celebration of Halladay’s life.

The first was the passionate speech by Brandy Halladay that wrapped up the proceedings. She was vulnerable. She was unsure of her ability to cope with her new life without her husband. She had a dozen pages written out, but most of it was cast to the wind as she melted down throughout an honest, and ultimately loving, assessment of being the wife of a famous major-leaguer with what seems the sole raison d’être to keep the family running.

“I’ve literally been standing next to a man for 21 years that people could not take their eyes off of,” Brandy said. “He was beautiful inside and out. He always had the right thing to say. When he would speak, people listened.
“I have heard that Roy had a lot of professional accomplishments. I guess he was a pretty good baseball player. I remember some of that. I remember watching him dominate, but I don’t remember stats, numbers, even dates of so many of the important things that he did.

“I was the one worried about how he’d feel when he came home, if the stress was overwhelming, if the media would be kind, because he took every single word to heart. It meant so much to him that people were proud. I worried that he slept enough. I worried if there was milk for cereal. I would worry about if he was happy, if he was healthy, if we were going to make it through.
“I thought my role as a wife was to do everything else so that he could do his job, and it was overwhelming a lot of times. But I watched him suffer through pain and fear and stress. I also watched him accomplish goals and reach levels that were unreachable. Even Roy couldn’t hold up to the standards that he set for himself.”
But following Brandy’s crisis — the emotional difficulty of keeping her thoughts on a celebratory arc, and maintaining the pages of her speech in any discernible order — she ended by speaking off-the-cuff with a strong message for her two children: Braden, 17, and Ryan, 13, the son whose team Doc had just led to a state title.
“For my boys, they’re already stepping up to try and take care of me, emotionally and physically,” Brandy said, “worrying if I’m OK. I’m not done being a mom yet. It’s the one thing that I need the most and that I know I can do. I’m so proud to be your mom.

Former Blue Jays star pitcher Roy Halladay died Nov. 7, leaving many of his peers in the sports world in shock. (The Canadian Press)“I know you’re hurting, and I am too. I know it’s unfair. But we still have so much of him. We have enough cigars to open our own store. We have a garage full of model airplanes. Best of all, I still get to see him every day because I look at you.”
The second takeaway from more than two hours of heartfelt tributes was in listening to Carpenter, who, among the group of chosen speakers, had the longest tenure as a friend and confidant. Carpenter was a first-round pick by the Blue Jays two years before Roy, back in June 1993. They had been friends since the first time they met at training camp in 1996.
It reminded us that what we learn, and sometimes forget too easily, is that there are no off-and-on friendships in the world of sports — whether it’s at the pro level or at levels most of us mere mortals have played. Carpenter — with his stories of their friendship through the Jays’ minor leagues, through their historic Game 5 matchup in the 2011 National League Division Series (won by Carpenter), through their retirement and epic fishing trips together — offered a reminder of what is great and good about sporting bonds.
“I can talk about when we used to sit in spring training at 1 o’clock in the morning,” Carpenter began. “Me and Doc bought a boat together. We’d sit out night-fishing with head lamps on talking about how we wanted to be like Roger Clemens and Pat Hentgen, two great pitchers we got to watch compete and be teammates with. We would talk about the pressures we’d be feeling trying to fill both those guys’ shoes, the expectations the organization had for us.”
They continued the friendship through the next 20 years, right to the day the tragic news was announced on Nov. 7 that Halladay had been killed when his plane crashed.
One result that hopefully will follow is that the Jays will take charge, after allowing the Phillies to take the lead in this celebration of life. The Jays need to set a date to raise Halladay’s name to the level of excellence and get ready to retire his No. 32 when he is voted into Cooperstown — wearing a Jays cap, as he promised he would last June when he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame at St. Marys.

[koz-man]

Washington Nationals P Max Scherzer is the 10th pitcher to win 3 Cy Young Awards and the second active pitcher to do so, joining Clayton Kershaw. Of the eight retired pitchers to reach that mark, seven are in the Hall of Fame. Roger Clemens (7) is the lone exception.

[ApricotSinner32]

Washington Nationals P Max Scherzer is the 10th pitcher to win 3 Cy Young Awards and the second active pitcher to do so, joining Clayton Kershaw. Of the eight retired pitchers to reach that mark, seven are in the Hall of Fame. Roger Clemens (7) is the lone exception.

[BigSpoon]

Washington Nationals P Max Scherzer is the 10th pitcher to win 3 Cy Young Awards and the second active pitcher to do so, joining Clayton Kershaw. Of the eight retired pitchers to reach that mark, seven are in the Hall of Fame. Roger Clemens (7) is the lone exception.

Clemens belongs in the HOF as much as I dislike him. Just need to say he used PEDs on his plaque in an era where the majority of players did. Same with Bonds and the rest of them in that era.

[yisman]

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/11/1...ttle-mariners/


The A’s have struck with the first big move of the winter.
Looking for help in the bullpen, the club decided to give up some of its surplus power by trading away first baseman/designated hitter Ryon Healy to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for right-handed pitcher Emilio Pagan and minor league infielder Alexander Campos.

[EmpireMaker]

In his latest Inside Baseball column, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag looks into the Royals front office. Owner David Glass is “considering a possible two-year extension” for GM Dayton Moore, writes Heyman, even though Moore has “no leverage” given that he’s already under contract for three more seasons. This all arises after Glass declined to allow the Braves to speak with Moore about changing squads. While Moore has expressed gratitude to ownership, his recent comments were interesting, if difficult to interpret with any precision. All told, it seems there could still be some unresolved matters in the Kansas City front office.
Let’s look at a few more items from Heyman of particular relevance to the still-developing hot stove season:

• Top free agent center fielder Lorenzo Cain has drawn some early interest from the Mets and Giants, according to Heyman. As regards the New York organization, this information seems to conflict with recent statements from Mets GM Sandy Alderson — though as ever it’s worth taking things with a grain of salt and acknowledging fluidity this time of year. As for the Giants, we at MLBTR pegged San Francisco as the likeliest landing spot for Cain, though some doubt whether the organization will go over the luxury tax line and sacrifice draft choices to land him. At a minimum, though, the organization would seem to be wise to do some diligence on the possibility.
• The Rangers have “looked into” free agent righties Lance Lynn and Tyler Chatwood, says Heyman. While it’s not clear just how serious the interest is, the link isn’t surprising. Texas clearly needs arms; indeed, MLBTR guessed they’d land Lynn. While Chatwood doesn’t have nearly the track record of results that Lynn does, he is an intriguing option in his own right and shares some of the characteristics of Andrew Cashner — the former Ranger free agent signee who is himself back on the open market.
• Another team with a desire to add several starters (and with reputed interest in Chatwood) is the Orioles. The Baltimore front office met with agents for lefty Jason Vargas during the GM Meetings, Heyman reports. The 34-year-old veteran seems to be a good match for the O’s, as we predicted, since the team needs to find so many rotation innings and can’t afford to make major long-term commitments to multiple starters.
• The Diamondbacks are “open” to bringing back Fernando Rodney, GM Mike Hazen tells Heyman. Arizona is facing a difficult payroll situation but obviously will be looking to maintain and improve upon a Wild Card-winning roster. Though Rodney didn’t dominate last year, he’s still throwing mid-nineties heat and generating quite a few swings and misses — and obviously met with the approval of the D-Backs’ brass in the closer’s role. Beyond improving the pen, the Arizona priority is to improve in the outfield, per the report. That could mean pursuing under-the-radar additions; though Hazen says he’s not ruling out a return for J.D. Martinez, that’d almost certainly require the kind of payroll increase that does not appear to be under consideration.

[ApricotSinner32]

In his latest Inside Baseball column, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag looks into the Royals front office. Owner David Glass is “considering a possible two-year extension” for GM Dayton Moore, writes Heyman, even though Moore has “no leverage” given that he’s already under contract for three more seasons. This all arises after Glass declined to allow the Braves to speak with Moore about changing squads. While Moore has expressed gratitude to ownership, his recent comments were interesting, if difficult to interpret with any precision. All told, it seems there could still be some unresolved matters in the Kansas City front office.
Let’s look at a few more items from Heyman of particular relevance to the still-developing hot stove season:

• Top free agent center fielder Lorenzo Cain has drawn some early interest from the Mets and Giants, according to Heyman. As regards the New York organization, this information seems to conflict with recent statements from Mets GM Sandy Alderson — though as ever it’s worth taking things with a grain of salt and acknowledging fluidity this time of year. As for the Giants, we at MLBTR pegged San Francisco as the likeliest landing spot for Cain, though some doubt whether the organization will go over the luxury tax line and sacrifice draft choices to land him. At a minimum, though, the organization would seem to be wise to do some diligence on the possibility.
• The Rangers have “looked into” free agent righties Lance Lynn and Tyler Chatwood, says Heyman. While it’s not clear just how serious the interest is, the link isn’t surprising. Texas clearly needs arms; indeed, MLBTR guessed they’d land Lynn. While Chatwood doesn’t have nearly the track record of results that Lynn does, he is an intriguing option in his own right and shares some of the characteristics of Andrew Cashner — the former Ranger free agent signee who is himself back on the open market.
• Another team with a desire to add several starters (and with reputed interest in Chatwood) is the Orioles. The Baltimore front office met with agents for lefty Jason Vargas during the GM Meetings, Heyman reports. The 34-year-old veteran seems to be a good match for the O’s, as we predicted, since the team needs to find so many rotation innings and can’t afford to make major long-term commitments to multiple starters.
• The Diamondbacks are “open” to bringing back Fernando Rodney, GM Mike Hazen tells Heyman. Arizona is facing a difficult payroll situation but obviously will be looking to maintain and improve upon a Wild Card-winning roster. Though Rodney didn’t dominate last year, he’s still throwing mid-nineties heat and generating quite a few swings and misses — and obviously met with the approval of the D-Backs’ brass in the closer’s role. Beyond improving the pen, the Arizona priority is to improve in the outfield, per the report. That could mean pursuing under-the-radar additions; though Hazen says he’s not ruling out a return for J.D. Martinez, that’d almost certainly require the kind of payroll increase that does not appear to be under consideration.

[Chi_archie]

[Chi_archie]

now we might not get shohei otani?

https://sports.yahoo.com/shohei-otan...203111650.html

[koz-man]

José Altuve is the second Astros player to win MVP, joining Jeff Bagwell in 1994. Bagwell was inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. Altuve is the fifth player whose primary position was 2B to win the AL MVP award since the BBWAA first awarded it in 1931, and the first since Dustin Pedroia in 2008. The others are Charlie Gehringer (1937), Joe Gordon (1942), and Nellie Fox (1959).

[koz-man]

Giancarlo Stanton becomes the first Marlins MVP, beating out Joey Votto by just two points in the fourth-closest MVP vote in history. Both players received 10 first-place votes with Stanton and his 59 home runs edging out on-base machine Votto, 302 points to 300. Stanton becomes just the seventh MVP from a losing team. I'm a little surprised that the vote was so close and it shows the influence of modern metrics that two guys on non-playoff teams finished first and second in the voting.

[mr. leisure]

José Altuve is the second Astros player to win MVP, joining Jeff Bagwell in 1994. Bagwell was inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. Altuve is the fifth player whose primary position was 2B to win the AL MVP award since the BBWAA first awarded it in 1931, and the first since Dustin Pedroia in 2008. The others are Charlie Gehringer (1937), Joe Gordon (1942), and Nellie Fox (1959).

Well deserved !

[yisman]

The Giants are pursuing Cain because they lost Cain and they need a Cain on the roster.

[Cross]

Giancarlo really lead that team to the playoffs, reminds me of when Andre Dawson was MVP w last place Cubs.

[EmpireMaker]

You didn’t think we were going to make it to the weekend without another look at the market for Giancarlo Stanton, surely? The Marlins slugger, fresh off of receiving the National League MVP Award yesterday, is still the biggest name to watch. Here’s the latest:

• Offers are flowing in on Stanton now that the GM Meetings have wrapped up, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes. The Giants have submitted some kind of proposal, according to Rosenthal, with the Cardinals and Red Sox among the other teams believed to be lining up their own concepts for Miami to consider. Rosenthal adds that the San Francisco organization would be willing to take on much of Stanton’s contract, but may in turn need to shed salary elsewhere. It’s interesting to note the Sox’ active interest, since president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski had thrown some cold water on the idea of a major acquisition of late.
• Stanton himself discussed the odd situation he faces — with his name splashed about headlines due both to his evident availability in trade and his MVP nod — as Tim Healey of the Sun Sentinel reports. The Marlins star says he’d rather remain with the Fish, but thinks the team needs to “thoroughly address[]” its pitching with “a huge push” that, frankly, does not seem likely. (Stanton says he’s “not entirely sure” it’s realistic, but adds: “But I know all teams have plenty of money.”) Generally, Stanton called the situation “interesting,” but seems to be at peace with the process. “This is the only place I’ve known,” he said, “but I also understand the business part of it and the direction the new ownership wants to go.”
• Super-agent Scott Boras sided with Stanton on the spending point in his recent comments to the media, chiding teams like the Marlins for drawing up plans to reduce payroll. But MLB commissioner Rob Manfred defended the rights of organizations — particularly, those with new owners — to modify payroll as part of their long-term strategies, as MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports on Twitter. “I think it’s unfair, really, to criticize a decision — if it turns out to be the decision — to move a player who has a contract that somebody else negotiated,” Manfred said in an oblique reference to Stanton’s situation. “… I hope that the fans of Miami — whatever decisions are made — give [new Marlins owners Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter] an opportunity to show what their plan for moving that franchise forward is.”

[Otters27]

How long can Altuve play at this level? 10 more years?

[Chi_archie]

How long can Altuve play at this level? 10 more years?

I think his style of play lends itself to that long

[koz-man]

The Yankees interviewed ESPN analyst Aaron Boone for their managerial job today. Boone joins longtime Yankee coach, Rob Thomson, former big league manager Eric Wedge and Giants bench coach Hensley Meulens as candidates for the job vacated by Joe Girardi.

[ApricotSinner32]

The Yankees interviewed ESPN analyst Aaron Boone for their managerial job today. Boone joins longtime Yankee coach, Rob Thomson, former big league manager Eric Wedge and Giants bench coach Hensley Meulens as candidates for the job vacated by Joe Girardi.

[Cross]

Boone should be a solid choice. Too bad Girardi getting the shaft.

[BigSpoon]

Quiet offseason so far, guess we'll have to wait until the Winter meetings on December 10th for the action to start.

[EmpireMaker]

After entertaining offers from a handful of teams leading up to the 2017 non-waiver trade deadline, the San Diego Padres opted not to trade reliever Brad Hand. But discussions are sure to heat up once again heading into the hot stove season. While the elite lefty is no sure bet to be dealt, the Friars look like a long shot to contend in a tough NL West division and could be well-served to exchange Hand for a package of young talent.
Hand followed a breakout 2016 campaign with an equally phenomenal 2017 season. Among major-league relievers this past year, he finished 14th in ERA (2.16), 11th in xFIP (2.90), 21st in K/9 (11.80), 6th in innings pitched (79 1/3), and 4th in Win Probability Added (3.89). The former second-round pick accrued 21 saves despite not taking over the closer role until late July, and was valued at 1.7 fWAR.
Every team in the major leagues would look better on paper by adding Hand to their bullpen. Relievers of his caliber are difficult to come by, let alone left-handers. He wouldn’t even be a rental; Hand is controllable through 2019 via arbitration. MLBTR projects him to be awarded just a $3.8MM salary in 2018, making him an incredibly payroll-friendly alternative to some of the big name free-agent relievers.
Not every team can afford Hand in terms of prospects, however, which is how we can begin to eliminate some teams from the mix. When the Indians acquired lefty Andrew Miller from the Yankees at the 2016 trade deadline, they forked over four minor leaguers, including top prospects Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield. While nobody would argue that Miller is the superior (and more established) relief pitcher, the two come with similar amounts of team control, while Miller’s contract guaranteed him $9MM per season.
If the asking price for Hand is anything close to the return the Yankees got for Miller, then we can firmly remove the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Angels, Giants, Mariners and Orioles from the picture. Teams like the White Sox, A’s, Phillies and Reds are probably too far away from serious contention to consider a run at Hand. But beyond that, there would still appear to be a vast pool of potential suitors, leaving the Padres firmly in the driver’s seat.
On paper, there are a few matches that make loads of sense. The Astros have a powerful roster that lacks only the presence of a dominant left-handed bullpen arm, and they certainly have the prospect depth to swing a trade. Likewise, the Dodgers would certainly benefit from another elite reliever to back Kenley Jansen, and their farm may be better than that of the Astros. The Brewers have a strong rotation that would benefit from another elite reliever who could help shorten games.
My favorite potential match is the Cardinals. St. Louis has so many outfield prospects that it’ll be hard to roster them all when the Rule 5 Draft comes around, while the Padres would probably love to add some upside young talent at that position. Meanwhile, the Cards are in definite need of a closer. I expect the two teams will at least discuss the possibility of a Hand trade.
Some other teams in dire need of bullpen help include the Twins, Rays, Rockies and Braves, though those teams might have other issues to address before thinning out their farm systems for a relief pitcher.
Whether a trade materializes or not, it’s fair to expect Hand’s name will pop up in trade rumors a fair number of times this offseason. It would surely be exciting to see how a contender might utilize him in the playoffs.

[ApricotSinner32]

After entertaining offers from a handful of teams leading up to the 2017 non-waiver trade deadline, the San Diego Padres opted not to trade reliever Brad Hand. But discussions are sure to heat up once again heading into the hot stove season. While the elite lefty is no sure bet to be dealt, the Friars look like a long shot to contend in a tough NL West division and could be well-served to exchange Hand for a package of young talent.
Hand followed a breakout 2016 campaign with an equally phenomenal 2017 season. Among major-league relievers this past year, he finished 14th in ERA (2.16), 11th in xFIP (2.90), 21st in K/9 (11.80), 6th in innings pitched (79 1/3), and 4th in Win Probability Added (3.89). The former second-round pick accrued 21 saves despite not taking over the closer role until late July, and was valued at 1.7 fWAR.
Every team in the major leagues would look better on paper by adding Hand to their bullpen. Relievers of his caliber are difficult to come by, let alone left-handers. He wouldn’t even be a rental; Hand is controllable through 2019 via arbitration. MLBTR projects him to be awarded just a $3.8MM salary in 2018, making him an incredibly payroll-friendly alternative to some of the big name free-agent relievers.
Not every team can afford Hand in terms of prospects, however, which is how we can begin to eliminate some teams from the mix. When the Indians acquired lefty Andrew Miller from the Yankees at the 2016 trade deadline, they forked over four minor leaguers, including top prospects Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield. While nobody would argue that Miller is the superior (and more established) relief pitcher, the two come with similar amounts of team control, while Miller’s contract guaranteed him $9MM per season.
If the asking price for Hand is anything close to the return the Yankees got for Miller, then we can firmly remove the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Angels, Giants, Mariners and Orioles from the picture. Teams like the White Sox, A’s, Phillies and Reds are probably too far away from serious contention to consider a run at Hand. But beyond that, there would still appear to be a vast pool of potential suitors, leaving the Padres firmly in the driver’s seat.
On paper, there are a few matches that make loads of sense. The Astros have a powerful roster that lacks only the presence of a dominant left-handed bullpen arm, and they certainly have the prospect depth to swing a trade. Likewise, the Dodgers would certainly benefit from another elite reliever to back Kenley Jansen, and their farm may be better than that of the Astros. The Brewers have a strong rotation that would benefit from another elite reliever who could help shorten games.
My favorite potential match is the Cardinals. St. Louis has so many outfield prospects that it’ll be hard to roster them all when the Rule 5 Draft comes around, while the Padres would probably love to add some upside young talent at that position. Meanwhile, the Cards are in definite need of a closer. I expect the two teams will at least discuss the possibility of a Hand trade.
Some other teams in dire need of bullpen help include the Twins, Rays, Rockies and Braves, though those teams might have other issues to address before thinning out their farm systems for a relief pitcher.
Whether a trade materializes or not, it’s fair to expect Hand’s name will pop up in trade rumors a fair number of times this offseason. It would surely be exciting to see how a contender might utilize him in the playoffs.

[Chi_archie]

Quiet offseason so far, guess we'll have to wait until the Winter meetings on December 10th for the action to start.

i hope so

[koz-man]

Facing some tough choices, the Orioles are ready to listen to offers for Zach Britton and other relievers

[Cross]

Yawning at this off season right now.

[EmpireMaker]

The Blue Jays are the favorites to sign 15-year-old Dominican shortstop Orelvis Martinez, who scouts expect will receive the highest bonus of any player signed in next year’s July 2 international signing market, Baseball America’s Ben Badler writes (BA subscription required and recommended). Badler recently attended an MLB showcase for Dominican players and provides brief scouting breakdowns on some of the talents involved, plus the teams already connected to them in signing rumors. Besides Toronto and Martinez, the Giants, Tigers, Mariners, Rays, Indians, Royals, and Cubs were also linked to the seven other prospects featured in Badler’s report.

• Extensions could be a major element of the Twins’ offseason, as Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that the club could look to gain cost certainty over one or more of their young players with a multi-year agreement. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were often part of extension talks in their past jobs with the Indians and Rangers; Berardino gets some interesting quotes from Ian Kinsler about his dealings with Levine in working out his two extensions with Texas. for a lower-payroll team like Minnesota, though it’s worth noting that the Twins have no money at all on the books after the 2019 season. Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, and Eddie Rosario are all a season away from arbitration eligibility, while Jose Berrios and other possible cornerstone players still have multiple pre-arb years remaining.
• The White Sox have hired Omar Vizquel as the manager of their A-ball affiliate in Winston-Salem, according to Venezuelan reporter Efrain Zavarace on Twitter (hat tip to MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery). This will be Vizquel’s first managerial assignment after four seasons as the Tigers’ first base coach and one year as an infield coach with the Angels. He has often been mentioned as a potential managerial candidate in the big leagues, and Vizquel interviewed for the Tigers’ dugout vacancy earlier this offseason.
• There is “widespread interest” in free agent right-hander Tyler Chatwood, Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweets. As a result, it’s “probable” Chatwood will land a multi-year contract, a source informed Morosi. MLBTR forecasts a three-year, $20MM contract for Chatwood, who spent the previous five seasons with the Rockies organization. Chatwood combined for 60 appearances (52 starts) from 2016-17 and recorded a 4.27 ERA, with 6.98 K/9 against 4.33 BB/9, across 305 2/3 innings. His age (28 in December), high velocity and penchant for inducing grounders (57.6 percent over the prior two seasons) are surely helping his cause on the open market.
• After almost two years of trying, the Nationals aren’t close to selling the naming rights to Nationals Park, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports. If the Nats can eventually find a deal, it would create a short-term revenue bump for a club that has extensive short-term financial commitments and doesn’t seem any closer to resolving their ongoing TV rights dispute with the Orioles. (Janes also provides an update on the latest development between the Nats and O’s in that court case.)

[Chi_archie]

is Vlad Guerrero Jr getting an invite to spring training?

[Otters27]

The Blue Jays are the favorites to sign 15-year-old Dominican shortstop Orelvis Martinez,


What is the youngest to every sign? 12?

[Cross]

Vladdy jr is on my watch list.