[Cross]

Pollock a solid piece, but they do have lots of outfielders.

[koz-man]

Padres returning to brown, gold color scheme starting in 2020

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres say they are switching to a brown and gold color scheme for 2020 and beyond.
Wayne Partello, the team's chief marketing officer, says the Padres have notified Major League Baseball that they intend to make the change.
Partello said Friday that the team is still deciding on the exact look.
Fans have long clamored for a return to the distinctive brown color scheme used from the Padres' inception in 1969 into the 1980s. At one point, the team's color scheme was dubbed "mustard and mud."
The Padres have made several uniform changes over the years. Their current color scheme is blue and white.

[batt33]

Joc Pederson’s name has been raised in recent trade rumblings, but Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets that Los Angeles isn’t close to any deals involving the 26-year-old outfielder. The Dodgers may have lost a suitor for Pederson recently when the Braves re-signed Nick Markakis to a one-year contract with a club option, and for the time being, Pederson looks like he’ll be a key part of L.A.’s attack against right-handed pitching. As Rosenthal notes, the Dodgers’ signing of A.J. Pollock was fueled partly by an internal belief that the team would struggle against left-handed pitching. Pollock figures to line up as the team’s primary center fielder, with Cody Bellinger seeing some time there, in the outfield corners and at first base. Pederson, too, gives the Dodgers a potent weapon against righties, though he’s dreadful historically against lefties — which wouldn’t be as much of a concern (if he is retained) with Pollock in the fold.
Here’s more from the division…

• The Diamondbacks are still looking to add to the bullpen this offseason, general manager Mike Hazen tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. It has been a rather quiet winter in Phoenix outside of the franchise-altering trade sending face of the franchise Paul Goldschmidt to St. Louis. As the D-backs have worked to pare back payroll and embark on something of a soft reset, they’ve made some small-scale moves such as the signing of Wilmer Flores and Merrill Kelly (on top of the MLB-level talent added for Goldy). Plus, of course, the club kicked things off by re-upping Eduardo Escobar just before he hit the open market. Plenty of chatter has focused on the team’s remaining potential trade candidates, particularly in the pitching staff, but it’s not clear whether much possibility of tht remains. Regardless, it seems prudent for the organization to pursue some relief arms, given the course it has taken to this point. Presumably, any ’pen additions would be of the measured variety, as the Snakes gear up for what looks likely to be a still-competitive but mostly transitional year.
• Meanwhile, Nick Groke of The Athletic takes a look at a sleepy Rockies offseason, which has mostly involved the replacement of the departing DJ LeMahieu with Daniel Murphy. In the subscription piece, Groke describes the Rox’ participation in the market thus far this winter as “an empty freezer more than a hot stove.” The diagnosis, it seems, is a fairly simple one: the club simply doesn’t have the payroll space to pursue more aggressively further upgrades to its lineup. It really is a tricky spot, as the club as presently constituted seems a clear second to the Dodgers in the division. At the same time, there’s a clear opportunity to press ahead due to the vulnerability of the remaining NL West pack and the fact that this is the final season of control over star third baseman Nolan Arenado. It’s largely unclear whether GM Jeff Bridich will find a way to further boost the club’s sagging offense this winter, though it seems fair to presume he’s still looking for the right angle — be it a trade or (hopefully) high-value, low-cost free agent acquisition. Boosting the mix behind the plate and in the outfield would make sense on paper; whether it’ll prove feasible remains to be seen.
• The Giants have far greater uncertainty in their own outfield, though the club is also in quite a different overall stance. As John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports, new president of baseball ops Farhan Zaidi expressed confidence that the organization would have a suitable slate of outfielders when the time comes. In a statement that helps explain the Giants’ position as well as the overall trajectory of the free agent process, Zaidi explains: “As long as we feel there are good options out there by trade or free agency, the actual pulling of the trigger becomes a little bit less relevant as long as you feel you have some good leads, which I think we do. You don’t want to get in a situation of urgency or even panic.” With the San Francisco organization likely to eschew major, multi-year pacts this winter, it’s certainly understandable that they intend to exercise more patience. It’ll be interesting to see what opportunities might present themselves.

I wonder what leads Zaidi is talking about.........

[JMobile]

Padres returning to brown, gold color scheme starting in 2020

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres say they are switching to a brown and gold color scheme for 2020 and beyond.
Wayne Partello, the team's chief marketing officer, says the Padres have notified Major League Baseball that they intend to make the change.
Partello said Friday that the team is still deciding on the exact look.
Fans have long clamored for a return to the distinctive brown color scheme used from the Padres' inception in 1969 into the 1980s. At one point, the team's color scheme was dubbed "mustard and mud."
The Padres have made several uniform changes over the years. Their current color scheme is blue and white.

I don't like those uniforms. I like the pin stripes.

[Chi_archie]

Padres returning to brown, gold color scheme starting in 2020


SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres say they are switching to a brown and gold color scheme for 2020 and beyond.
Wayne Partello, the team's chief marketing officer, says the Padres have notified Major League Baseball that they intend to make the change.
Partello said Friday that the team is still deciding on the exact look.
Fans have long clamored for a return to the distinctive brown color scheme used from the Padres' inception in 1969 into the 1980s. At one point, the team's color scheme was dubbed "mustard and mud."
The Padres have made several uniform changes over the years. Their current color scheme is blue and white.

oh my

crazy how things come back around

[El Nino]

Poop & Pee colors...kind of like their record.

[BigSpoon]

A's sign P Marco Estrada to a 1 year deal worth $4M.

[koz-man]

Rays' Tropicana Field going cash-free in 2019

Fans can leave the money clip and dollar bills at home if they plan to attend a Tampa Bay Rays home game next season.

On Friday, the team announced that Tropicana Field will become the first cash-free sports venue in North America.

The move intends to cut the average transaction time in half at concession stands, team stores, the box office and anywhere else where money traditionally changed hands.

"We have made significant investments each year to improve the ballpark experience for fans, including an overhaul of our approach to food and beverage since the beginning of our partnership with [hospitality partner] Levy," Rays vice president of strategy and development William Walsh said in a release. "This change will increase speed of service and reduce lines throughout the ballpark."

Among the methods that will now be accepted are ************, mobile pay and Rays gift cards.

This is another major change to the ballpark experience at Tropicana Field. Earlier this month, the team announced that it was eliminating all seating in the upper deck for 2019 in an effort to create a more "intimate" experience for fans. The move reduced capacity by more than 5,000 seats to approximately 25,000 to 26,000 -- 10,000 seats fewer than any other stadium in the major leagues.

[Otters27]

Id like to see a new wave of uniforms. maybe neon alternative colors

[EmpireMaker]

The Padres have emerged as one of the more ardent trade suitors for Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, and now Miami looks to have its eyes on one of San Diego’s young backstops. The Marlins want catching prospect Francisco Mejia included as part of the Padres’ offer for Realmuto, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports (Twitter link).
Mejia has already switched teams once in his brief pro career, coming to the Padres last summer as the return in the trade that sent Brad Hand and Adam Cimber to the Indians. The 23-year-old switch-hitter was a consensus top-20 prospect in the game last season, with Baseball Prospectus going as far as to rank Mejia as the sport’s fifth-best minor leaguer. He owns a career .293/.347/.452 slash line and 54 home runs over 2127 minor league plate appearances, and Mejia has also seen a bit of action at the MLB level, accumulating 76 PA with Cleveland and San Diego over the last two seasons.
Mejia saw a bit of work as a third baseman and corner outfielder in the minors, as the Tribe and Padres experimented with him at different positions given the presence of incumbent catchers (Yan Gomes, Austin Hedges) at the big league level. With Miami, however, Mejia clearly would be the Marlins’ long-term answer behind the plate as Realmuto’s replacement.
While Mejia is a logical target for the Marlins, he also stands out as something of an expendable piece for the Padres, despite his intriguing potential. Acquiring Realmuto would more than solidify their catching position, of course, particularly if the Padres were able to get Realmuto to agree to a contract extension before a trade (as Morosi mentioned in his earlier report). Mejia’s star potential at the MLB level gives him more trade value than Hedges, who has proven to be an outstanding defender with some pop in his bat, but hasn’t shown much overall hitting prowess over 921 career PA for San Diego.
Given that the Marlins are known to want a huge return for Realmuto, it’s likely that they have also asked San Diego about Fernando Tatis Jr., MacKenzie Gore and Luis Urias, though the Padres have reportedly been unwilling to move any of those top prospects. Even without those three involved, however, San Diego’s highly-touted farm system has so many interesting youngsters that the Padres could put together a tempting multi-prospect offer with Mejia as the headliner.

[mr. leisure]

Rays' Tropicana Field going cash-free in 2019

Fans can leave the money clip and dollar bills at home if they plan to attend a Tampa Bay Rays home game next season.

On Friday, the team announced that Tropicana Field will become the first cash-free sports venue in North America.

The move intends to cut the average transaction time in half at concession stands, team stores, the box office and anywhere else where money traditionally changed hands.

"We have made significant investments each year to improve the ballpark experience for fans, including an overhaul of our approach to food and beverage since the beginning of our partnership with [hospitality partner] Levy," Rays vice president of strategy and development William Walsh said in a release. "This change will increase speed of service and reduce lines throughout the ballpark."

Among the methods that will now be accepted are ************, mobile pay and Rays gift cards.

This is another major change to the ballpark experience at Tropicana Field. Earlier this month, the team announced that it was eliminating all seating in the upper deck for 2019 in an effort to create a more "intimate" experience for fans. The move reduced capacity by more than 5,000 seats to approximately 25,000 to 26,000 -- 10,000 seats fewer than any other stadium in the major leagues.

You don`t have to worry about long lines in that ghost town stadium . lol

[SecondBaseMan]

Is it April yet?

[batt33]

Is it April yet?

close 2 more chains..just around the next corner

[EmpireMaker]

The Mets haven’t been connected to outfielder Bryce Harper or infielder Manny Machado – the best free agents available this offseason – in part because, “I don’t know how many teams have two $30-million players,” COO Jeff Wilpon said this week (via Tim Healey of Newsday). Wilpon was alluding to the Mets’ highest-paid player, outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who will make just shy of $30MM per year over the next two seasons. But Cespedes is not under contract thereafter, may not even play in 2019 because of heel problems, and will have insurance cover some portion of his money while he’s on the shelf. Still, whether the outfield’s a pressing need for the Mets is debatable, as they have Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Juan Lagares and Keon Broxton headlining that group. Wilpon noted the Mets “have some pretty good lefty outfielders” in Nimmo and Conforto, lessening the need for Harper. Entering the offseason, they weren’t as fortunate on the left side of their infield, where Machado could have made a huge difference. The team has since signed Jed Lowrie, though, and it’s seemingly content to go forward with him as its primary third baseman and Amed Rosario at shortstop. However, even after reeling in Lowrie (and acquiring other pricey veterans in Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos, Jeurys Familia and Justin Wilson), the Mets are still roughly $40MM under the luxury tax, Healey points out. Nevertheless, the big-market club is apparently content to stay out of the sweepstakes for both Harper and Machado.
More from around the National League…

• Although the Rockies’ Bud Black is entering a contract year, the manager’s not fazed by his uncertain status beyond 2019. “Those thing work themselves out,” said Black (via Nick Groke of The Athletic). If Black wants to stay with the Rockies, it’ll be a surprise if they don’t extend him this offseason or sometime prior to next winter, as he’s easily their most successful manager ever in terms of winning percentage (.548). The Rockies have made the playoffs in each of the well-regarded Black’s two seasons on the job and gone 178-147.
• Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, who underwent surgery in November to address an irregular heartbeat, told J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group and other reporters Saturday that he’s back at full strength. Pitching in the thin air of Colorado has been particularly problematic in recent years for Jansen, who was hospitalized after a game there last August, but trips to Coors Field won’t be an issue for him going forward. “If I’m hydrated I should be fine,” Jansen said.
• Earlier this offseason, John Farrell interviewed for the Reds’ managerial position – a job that ultimately went to David Bell. While Farrell was among many runners-up in that derby, he’ll still work with the Reds in 2019, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. After serving as a scout and advisor last year, his first in Cincinnati, he’ll function as a pitching consultant during the upcoming season. Farrell, 56, is best known for his run as Boston’s manager from 2013-17, during which the team went 432-378, took home three division titles and won a World Series championship (’13).

[Cross]

Looks like we are going to wait until after the super bowl for Harper and Machado.

[jrgum3]

Seems like every year big offseason signings don't happen until football is officially over. Why that is I'm not sure but it could be that Harper and Machado simply want way too much money and teams aren't sure they want to pony up for their services.

[cincinnatikid513]

Seems like every year big offseason signings don't happen until football is officially over. Why that is I'm not sure but it could be that Harper and Machado simply want way too much money and teams aren't sure they want to pony up for their services.

teams are getting smart, i think zack greinke single handly ruined free agency for the upcoming players 6 years 206 million wowzers

i think also alot of teams have questions about machado and his lack of hustle and effort in the playoffs

[Chi_archie]

Looks like we are going to wait until after the super bowl for Harper and Machado.

Yep

Wait wait wait

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Looks like we are going to wait until after the super bowl for Harper and Machado.

Padres in the mix for both supposedly...

I'd much prefer Machado over Harper.

[koz-man]

Bob Melvin: A's expect Kyler Murray to be at spring training

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics remain hopeful of seeing Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray in their uniform when spring training begins next month.


While Murray, a former Oklahoma quarterback, declared for the NFL draft last week, he could report to A's spring training in Mesa, Arizona. He has an invite to big league camp.

An outfielder, Murray was taken ninth overall by the A's in last June's MLB draft.


"As we're sitting here right now, we expect him to be in spring training," A's manager Bob Melvin said Friday, a day before the club's Fan Fest. "Now, look, he has opened up some doors for himself that the world is literally his oyster right now, and I will be for whatever he chooses to do. The football thing, you win the Heisman Trophy and you get drafted in the first round, how often does that happen? He is that type of athlete and he's going to have a great career in whatever he chooses to do, and we will support whatever he chooses to do. But at this point in time we haven't heard anything different, and I'm expecting him to be in spring training. If something changes in the meantime, then we deal with it."


On Jan. 13, representatives of the A's and Major League Baseball met with Murray.


"We'd love to have him. He's invited to spring training. We're hoping he's there," A's general manager David Forst said. "He's an incredible young man and would be a great asset for the A's. We made it clear to Kyler how much we'd like to have him here and how great a baseball player we think he could be."

Murray's Sooners lost in a College Football Playoff semifinal Dec. 29 to eventual runner-up Alabama.
He signed with Oakland for a $4.66 million bonus, of which $1.5 million was paid last summer within 30 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office. The remaining $3.16 million is due March 1.
There was an agreement between the team and Murray that he would play football last season, then skip his senior season to begin his pro baseball career. Melvin as well as executive Billy Beane and Forst closely followed Oklahoma football in 2018.
Murray showed off his skills taking batting practice at the Coliseum in an A's uniform back in June, when he was greeted by "WELCOME TO OAKLAND" with his photo on the big scoreboard.


In football this past season, he completed 260 of 377 passes for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns with seven interceptions and a passer rating of 199.2. He also rushed for 1,001 yards and 12 TDs.


"You've got to separate there. When he comes and plays baseball, the football thing is good stories for the guys. It's all about performing in baseball, that's kind of where my focus will be," Melvin said. "It's a phenomenal athlete if you take a step back and look what he's accomplished."

[BigSpoon]

Is it April yet?

New Shortstop account?

[JMobile]

Padres in the mix for both supposedly...

I'd much prefer Machado over Harper.

I don't want Machado, I want Tatis Jr to play at SS. Machado wants to play SS and not 3rd.

[ApricotSinner32]

Bob Melvin: A's expect Kyler Murray to be at spring training


OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics remain hopeful of seeing Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray in their uniform when spring training begins next month.


While Murray, a former Oklahoma quarterback, declared for the NFL draft last week, he could report to A's spring training in Mesa, Arizona. He has an invite to big league camp.

An outfielder, Murray was taken ninth overall by the A's in last June's MLB draft.


"As we're sitting here right now, we expect him to be in spring training," A's manager Bob Melvin said Friday, a day before the club's Fan Fest. "Now, look, he has opened up some doors for himself that the world is literally his oyster right now, and I will be for whatever he chooses to do. The football thing, you win the Heisman Trophy and you get drafted in the first round, how often does that happen? He is that type of athlete and he's going to have a great career in whatever he chooses to do, and we will support whatever he chooses to do. But at this point in time we haven't heard anything different, and I'm expecting him to be in spring training. If something changes in the meantime, then we deal with it."


On Jan. 13, representatives of the A's and Major League Baseball met with Murray.


"We'd love to have him. He's invited to spring training. We're hoping he's there," A's general manager David Forst said. "He's an incredible young man and would be a great asset for the A's. We made it clear to Kyler how much we'd like to have him here and how great a baseball player we think he could be."

Murray's Sooners lost in a College Football Playoff semifinal Dec. 29 to eventual runner-up Alabama.
He signed with Oakland for a $4.66 million bonus, of which $1.5 million was paid last summer within 30 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office. The remaining $3.16 million is due March 1.
There was an agreement between the team and Murray that he would play football last season, then skip his senior season to begin his pro baseball career. Melvin as well as executive Billy Beane and Forst closely followed Oklahoma football in 2018.
Murray showed off his skills taking batting practice at the Coliseum in an A's uniform back in June, when he was greeted by "WELCOME TO OAKLAND" with his photo on the big scoreboard.


In football this past season, he completed 260 of 377 passes for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns with seven interceptions and a passer rating of 199.2. He also rushed for 1,001 yards and 12 TDs.


"You've got to separate there. When he comes and plays baseball, the football thing is good stories for the guys. It's all about performing in baseball, that's kind of where my focus will be," Melvin said. "It's a phenomenal athlete if you take a step back and look what he's accomplished."

[JAKEPEAVY21]

I don't want Machado, I want Tatis Jr to play at SS. Machado wants to play SS and not 3rd.

according to a few articles I read on MLB.com, Machado might be willing to play 3rd.


https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/mann...es/c-303187672

[Cross]

Machado better play anywhere for 30 mil per year.

[jrgum3]

according to a few articles I read on MLB.com, Machado might be willing to play 3rd.


https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/mann...es/c-303187672

I think if the Padres offered enough dough Machado will gladly play third base. It's interesting that a team like the Padres might get involved in the Machado sweepstakes but thats what happens when a guy asks for so much money that teams back off him.

[koz-man]

M's sign ex-Giants RHP Hunter Strickland to 1-year, $1.3M deal


SEATTLE -- Reliever Hunter Strickland and the Seattle Mariners have finalized a $1.3 million, one-year contract.
Strickland can earn $450,000 in performance bonuses for games as part of the deal announced Sunday: $75,000 for 25, $100,000 for 34, $125,000 for 45 and $150,000 for 50.

He can make an additional $875,000 for games finished: $50,000 for 20, $175,000 for 30, $250,000 for 40 and $400,000 for 50.

The 30-year-old right-hander spent the past five seasons with San Francisco, going 14-14 with a 2.91 ERA. He was 3-5 with a 3.97 ERA last year, with 14 saves in 18 chances.

Strickland became a free agent when San Francisco failed to offer a contract by the Nov. 30 deadline.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said Strickland "has the ability and the track record to be an impact reliever in high-leverage situations" for the team.

To clear a roster spot, right-hander Max Povse was designated for assignment.

Strickland fractured his hand last season after punching a door following a blown save against the Miami Marlins and was sidelined from June 18 to Aug. 18.

[Chi_archie]

M's sign ex-Giants RHP Hunter Strickland to 1-year, $1.3M deal


SEATTLE -- Reliever Hunter Strickland and the Seattle Mariners have finalized a $1.3 million, one-year contract.
Strickland can earn $450,000 in performance bonuses for games as part of the deal announced Sunday: $75,000 for 25, $100,000 for 34, $125,000 for 45 and $150,000 for 50.

He can make an additional $875,000 for games finished: $50,000 for 20, $175,000 for 30, $250,000 for 40 and $400,000 for 50.

The 30-year-old right-hander spent the past five seasons with San Francisco, going 14-14 with a 2.91 ERA. He was 3-5 with a 3.97 ERA last year, with 14 saves in 18 chances.

Strickland became a free agent when San Francisco failed to offer a contract by the Nov. 30 deadline.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said Strickland "has the ability and the track record to be an impact reliever in high-leverage situations" for the team.

To clear a roster spot, right-hander Max Povse was designated for assignment.

Strickland fractured his hand last season after punching a door following a blown save against the Miami Marlins and was sidelined from June 18 to Aug. 18.

solid deal

[Cross]

-65 with wind chill here in Minnesota this week... I need baseball!!!

[EmpireMaker]

The Royals are nearing a four-year deal with second baseman/outfielder Whit Merrifield, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports. The contract will guarantee him $16.25MM and includes $2MM in available performance bonuses, Morosi tweets. It also includes a club option for a fifth year; the exact value remains unclear, but Jon Heyman of Fancred tweets that it could boost the total contract value to over $30MM.
Since Merrifield was already under control through 2022, his new deal will cover his final pre-arbitration season and his three arb-eligible years. Merrifield, a client of The L. Warner Companies, will also give up the rights to one prospective free-agent season via option. Of course, that’ll come after he has already reached his 34th birthday — a critical factor in understanding this agreement.
[RELATED: MLBTR Extension Tracker]

MLBTR profiled Merrifield as an extension candidate last March, explaining that he was a non-traditional, but nevertheless intriguing, potential target for a deal. The concept was rather simple, and remains largely the same now, though he has one more year of service and has further boosted his on-field value in the interim. For Merrifield, a deal offers a chance to ensure he locks in significant career earnings, cutting off the risks associated with his relatively advanced age — a factor that also significantly limits his future free agent upside. For the team, it’s an opportunity to achieve cost certainty and some savings for the arbitration seasons while also picking up control over an additional season of the two-time All-Star’s services.
In terms of the financial figures involved, there’s not a ton of cash at stake. For a player who remains a league-minimum earner even after hitting his 30th birthday, though, it’s a big chunk of change. Merrifield might have anticipated topping $16.25MM in his three seasons of arb to come, but not by a massive amount. Even reaching that level of pay would assume he’s at full health and continues at least to be worthy of regular playing time. Looking at a few recent second base comps, DJ LeMahieu earned exactly at that level ($16.3MM) over his three arb years. It’s certainly possible that Merrifield could have topped that with more campaigns like his 2018 effort. On the other hand, despite a higher first-year starting salary than LeMahieu, Joe Panik is now on track to earn a good bit less (he’s at $7.25MM through two seasons) after experiencing a setback season.
From the Royals’ perspective, the risk is limited and there are some clear benefits to this new pact. The broader state of the franchise is also an important consideration, though. Although the club is coming off of a 58-win season and figures to miss the playoffs for the third straight year in 2019, it has consistently turned away trade interest in Merrifield. General manager Dayton Moore declared prior to last summer’s non-waiver trade deadline that the Royals “need [Merrifield] in our city and on our team.” Thus, the late-blooming standout’s extension will serve as the organization’s latest vote of confidence not only in Merrifield, but in its broader slate of MLB and near-MLB talent.
Cashing in on the affordable club control over Merrifield through a trade surely had its appeal as well. Indications are that such an approach was at least explored at the 2018 trade deadline and perhaps in the offseason as well, though Moore made clear more recently to rival orgs that Merrifield was staying put. Of course, the pact may not preclude the Royals from trading him in the relatively near future. The Padres, for instance, awarded reliever Brad Hand a team-friendly extension last January and then traded him to the Indians in July for an offer they simply couldn’t pass up. Such a quick flip seems less likely in this case, considering the Royals’ faith in Merrifield and the team’s desire to avoid a full-blown rebuild. Generally, though, the contract shouldn’t hurt Merrifield’s marketability, even if it doesn’t vastly increase the value of his control rights.
So, what are the Royals getting for their money? A ninth-round pick of the K.C. org back in 2010, the 30-year-old Merrifield has likely emerged as the Royals’ premier player in the club’s post-Lorenzo Cain/Eric Hosmer/Mike Moustakas era. Merrifield debuted with a respectable showing in 2016, albeit over just half a season (81 games, 332 plate appearances), before truly breaking out the next year. Since 2017, the righty-hitting Merrifield has accrued 8.1 fWAR (including 5.2 in 2018, tying him for 15th among position players) and slashed .296/.347/.449 with 31 home runs and 79 stolen bases in 1,337 PAs.
Merrifield didn’t offer much power in 2018 (12 home runs, .134 ISO), but he still logged a terrific 120 wRC+ on the strength of a league-leading 192 hits, a .304 batting average and a .367 on-base percentage. When Merrifield did reach base, he terrorized opposing clubs, evidenced in part by his league-high 45 steals on 55 attempts. He was also eminently durable, appearing in 158 games, and effective in the field. Merrifield earned plus defensive marks in 900-plus innings at the keystone and upward of 300 frames in the outfield, including 241 in center.
The broad profile is of a versatile, multi-functional player who’d clearly be of interest to every single team in baseball. That’s a remarkable state of affairs given where Merrifield’s career stood entering the 2016 season, which he opened at the Triple-A level for a third-straight time, on the heels of a mediocre .265/.317/.364 showing for Omaha in the prior campaign. The intervening development is a credit both to the Royals and Merrifield, so it’s only appropriate that team and player each seem to have a path to benefit from this new contract — modest though it may be in its overall impact.

[JMobile]

White Sox are still trying to pitch a deal to Machado. I doubt Machado goes to the Padres.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

White Sox are still trying to pitch a deal to Machado. I doubt Machado goes to the Padres.

doubt it as well but who knows..we need a few veterans to go with all the young talent on the way in the coming years.

[BigSpoon]

-65 with wind chill here in Minnesota this week... I need baseball!!!

Big snowstorm here today in Toronto as well. Winter blues.

[batt33]

M's sign ex-Giants RHP Hunter Strickland to 1-year, $1.3M deal


SEATTLE -- Reliever Hunter Strickland and the Seattle Mariners have finalized a $1.3 million, one-year contract.
Strickland can earn $450,000 in performance bonuses for games as part of the deal announced Sunday: $75,000 for 25, $100,000 for 34, $125,000 for 45 and $150,000 for 50.

He can make an additional $875,000 for games finished: $50,000 for 20, $175,000 for 30, $250,000 for 40 and $400,000 for 50.

The 30-year-old right-hander spent the past five seasons with San Francisco, going 14-14 with a 2.91 ERA. He was 3-5 with a 3.97 ERA last year, with 14 saves in 18 chances.

Strickland became a free agent when San Francisco failed to offer a contract by the Nov. 30 deadline.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said Strickland "has the ability and the track record to be an impact reliever in high-leverage situations" for the team.

To clear a roster spot, right-hander Max Povse was designated for assignment.

Strickland fractured his hand last season after punching a door following a blown save against the Miami Marlins and was sidelined from June 18 to Aug. 18.

Good for him... He did alot of good things for the giants on and off the field, Helping/visiting special needs kids....around the bay area for one
got the save in the 18 inning game vs the nationals in 2014 ........ wont bring up his 2014 world series record though

[yisman]

Hunter Strickland throwing fastballs down the middle non-stop and then throwing at Harper is what I remember him for