The 2012 Offseason Thread

[Clem Fandango]

Done deal, it would seem

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/12/team-to-acquire-ra-dickey.html

 

The Mets are selling high on R.A. Dickey after the 38-year-old knuckleballer's Cy Young season. They have agreed in principle to a trade that will send Dickey to the Blue Jays, Ken Rosenthal reports (on Twitter). The deal is contingent on Toronto being able to work out a contract extension with Dickey and they'll have a negotiating window of 72 hours, expiring Tuesday at 1pm CST (Twitter link).

 

Rosenthal writes Dickey was seeking a two-year, $25MM contract extension, but it is not known if he would accept similar terms from the Blue Jays or seek a deal closer to market value. Rosenthal adds it is unclear what would happen to the trade if Dickey declined to sign an extension. The deal could collapse or involve a difference exchange of players.

[Guest]

@JimBowdenESPNxm: Padres and Edwin Jackson continue to negotiate towards 3- year deal according to Padres source

[mul21]

@JimBowdenESPNxm: Padres and Edwin Jackson continue to negotiate towards 3- year deal according to Padres source

 

I don't think I'd be opposed to giving him a 4 yr deal if needed.

[Guest]

if we let him sign somewhere for 3 years, i'm going to be pretty pissed. if it's true that he's even considering a 3 year deal with the padres, that probably means we aren't interested.

[toonsterwu]

This is the winter of crazy trades. For all the crap heaped upon the Royals, I dislike this trade for the Blue Jays, barring a top prospect going back to them, much more than the Wil Myers and Co. for Shields and Davis swap. As much as I always felt Aaron Sanchez was the best of that trio of Blue Jays arms at the same level (Nicolino and Syndegaard), Syndegaard and d'Arnaud? It's funny how the chatter that I've seen says TDA isn't an elite defender. Honestly, I never expected that. He was supposed to be a plus offensive catcher that was decent-solid behind the plate, or at least, that was my impression.

 

That package for RA Dickey? Damn if Sandy Alderson didn't luck into a magic pot of gold. Do I understand the move from the Blue Jays perspective? Sort of ... but that's really buying RA Dickey maintaining everything at a high level, which I'm wary of. I mean, I've been so focused on these three blockbusters, I completely forgot that the Blue Jays kicked things off with that ridiculously huge Josh Johnson/Mark Buehrle/Jose Reyes deal. Compared to the recent trades, that was a steal for them.

 

I said this a few pages back, but I'd be damn curious what Jeff Samardzija could net in the trade market. There's more than enough teams that are still looking for pitching. Don't expect it to happen, but damn, this sure is a crazy winter of big trades involving top prospects.

[Backtobanks]

This is the winter of crazy trades. For all the crap heaped upon the Royals, I dislike this trade for the Blue Jays, barring a top prospect going back to them, much more than the Wil Myers and Co. for Shields and Davis swap. As much as I always felt Aaron Sanchez was the best of that trio of Blue Jays arms at the same level (Nicolino and Syndegaard), Syndegaard and d'Arnaud? It's funny how the chatter that I've seen says TDA isn't an elite defender. Honestly, I never expected that. He was supposed to be a plus offensive catcher that was decent-solid behind the plate, or at least, that was my impression.

 

That package for RA Dickey? Damn if Sandy Alderson didn't luck into a magic pot of gold. Do I understand the move from the Blue Jays perspective? Sort of ... but that's really buying RA Dickey maintaining everything at a high level, which I'm wary of. I mean, I've been so focused on these three blockbusters, I completely forgot that the Blue Jays kicked things off with that ridiculously huge Josh Johnson/Mark Buehrle/Jose Reyes deal. Compared to the recent trades, that was a steal for them.

 

I said this a few pages back, but I'd be damn curious what Jeff Samardzija could net in the trade market. There's more than enough teams that are still looking for pitching. Don't expect it to happen, but damn, this sure is a crazy winter of big trades involving top prospects.

 

Yeah, it would have been nice to get in on the Royals or Blue Jays action.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

if we let him sign somewhere for 3 years, i'm going to be pretty pissed. if it's true that he's even considering a 3 year deal with the padres, that probably means we aren't interested.

 

He'd cost us a pick, right? I suspect that was a big different on Sanchez.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

if we let him sign somewhere for 3 years, i'm going to be pretty pissed. if it's true that he's even considering a 3 year deal with the padres, that probably means we aren't interested.

 

He'd cost us a pick, right? I suspect that was a big different on Sanchez.

 

Edwin Jackson would not cost a pick. Washington didn't tender him.

[Little Slide Rooter]

@JimBowdenESPNxm: Padres and Edwin Jackson continue to negotiate towards 3- year deal according to Padres source

 

I don't think I'd be opposed to giving him a 4 yr deal if needed.

 

-< 30

-former mega prospect

-strikes out a lot of guys

-doesn't walk too many guys

 

I'm kind of shocked that Theo is pounding his door down. If we had 5/77 on the table for Sanchez, we should be willing to go at least 4/55 for him.

[Little Slide Rooter]

They certainly are giving up a ton, but damn. What an offseason for them. Melky, Reyes, Bonifacio, Johnson, Buehrle, and Dickey.

True. The division is probably the weakest it's been in over a decade. Mine as well go for it now.

 

I would't be surprised if the Yankees and Red Sox found themselves at the bottom of that division for the first time in God knows how long. Not sure it's even happened since they expanded to 3 6 divisions. This being said, knowing the Yankees and Red Sox, it likely won't take them long to buy their ways back to the top. This makes it an ideal time for the rest of the division to take advantage.

[Little Slide Rooter]

@BleacherNation: #Cubs: Chicago Cubs Sign Pitcher Jensen Lewis to Minor League Deal http://t.co/tNdT36Wu

 

With Sanchez in the rear-view mirror, it's time get back to what we do best: stocking up on reclamation project middle relievers.

[Cubswin11]

Stephen Drew to the Red Sox on a 1 year $9.5mm contract. Would have been interested in him on a 1 year deal if he was willing to play 3B.

[toonsterwu]

Stephen Drew to the Red Sox on a 1 year $9.5mm contract. Would have been interested in him on a 1 year deal if he was willing to play 3B.

 

Too many teams looking for a shortstop to think that he'd move to another position at this stage. I actually like the job Cherington's doing in Boston right now, getting some stopgap pieces that could make them competitive now, while building for the future. Of course, there's a big decision coming down the pike soon for Cherington with Jacoby Ellsbury.

 

As a side note, I understand what the Blue Jays are doing, opening their window and hoping for a run. But ... I'm not sure, on paper, that the Blue Jays are necessarily better than the other AL East teams right now, and well, they've basically got a 2-3 year window where they have to win.

 

In saying that, I guess I do appreciate a GM that, at some point, decides to go for it, and I understand that this might be the Blue Jays best chance. I just wonder if they wouldn't have been better off pursuing a cheaper starter and keeping one (or both) of d'Arnaud/Syndegaard. No, Dickey is not a one year fluke in that he's shown himself to be a solid starter for 3 years now, but can he pitch at the quality he pitched at last year? I don't know, and if he's closer to 2010/2011, I just wonder if d'Arnaud/Syndegaard and say ... Edwin Jackson (randomly picking a FA starter) might have made more sense than Dickey.

[Backtobanks]

They certainly are giving up a ton, but damn. What an offseason for them. Melky, Reyes, Bonifacio, Johnson, Buehrle, and Dickey.

True. The division is probably the weakest it's been in over a decade. Mine as well go for it now.

 

I would't be surprised if the Yankees and Red Sox found themselves at the bottom of that division for the first time in God knows how long. Not sure it's even happened since they expanded to 3 6 divisions. This being said, knowing the Yankees and Red Sox, it likely won't take them long to buy their ways back to the top. This makes it an ideal time for the rest of the division to take advantage.

 

It makes it the ideal time for all other teams (including the Cubs) to take advantage before the Yankees and Red Sox get back to spending like drunken sailors.

[Cubswin11]

Carlos Pena to the Astros for just under $3m for 1 year.

[Clem Fandango]

The Tigers had almost a dozen calls about Rick Porcello within a few hours of their agreement with right-hander Anibal Sanchez, Knobler reports. The Tigers are expected to trade Porcello, who’s second time arbitration eligible with a projected salary of $4.7MM. The Cubs called, but there's no match, Knobler adds.

[Cubswin11]

The Tigers had almost a dozen calls about Rick Porcello within a few hours of their agreement with right-hander Anibal Sanchez, Knobler reports. The Tigers are expected to trade Porcello, who’s second time arbitration eligible with a projected salary of $4.7MM. The Cubs called, but there's no match, Knobler adds.

Probably something to do with Theo telling their GM to go [expletive] off after the swooped in and signed Sanchez and Jed sending a flaming bag of dog [expletive] to Comerica Park.

[nilodnayr]

@JimBowdenESPNxm: Padres and Edwin Jackson continue to negotiate towards 3- year deal according to Padres source

 

I don't think I'd be opposed to giving him a 4 yr deal if needed.

 

-< 30

-former mega prospect

-strikes out a lot of guys

-doesn't walk too many guys

 

I'm kind of shocked that Theo is pounding his door down. If we had 5/77 on the table for Sanchez, we should be willing to go at least 4/55 for him.

 

You left out 6 seasons of 30+ starts. Really no reason to not give him a 4th year. Over the past three years, he ranks 37th in the league (qualified) with a 3.74 xFIP (Sanchez had a 3.63).

[Cubswin11]

@JimBowdenESPNxm: Padres and Edwin Jackson continue to negotiate towards 3- year deal according to Padres source

 

I don't think I'd be opposed to giving him a 4 yr deal if needed.

 

-< 30

-former mega prospect

-strikes out a lot of guys

-doesn't walk too many guys

 

I'm kind of shocked that Theo is pounding his door down. If we had 5/77 on the table for Sanchez, we should be willing to go at least 4/55 for him.

 

You left out 6 seasons of 30+ starts. Really no reason to not give him a 4th year. Over the past three years, he ranks 37th in the league (qualified) with a 3.74 xFIP (Sanchez had a 3.63).

Yeah Jackson has been a very above average pitcher for his career but seems to get a weird label as not being that good for some reason. Does he have starts where he comes out and just gets shelled, or what? Is he a "bad clubhouse guy?" There's no reason to be in the 4/45-55 range for him if we were going almost 5/80 on Sanchez.

[Clem Fandango]

I used to be a huge hater on Edwin Jackson, mostly because he was always kind of awful, then he put together like 3 1/2 good months in Detroit and somehow that parlayed him into a player nobody wanted to keep, but teams always tried to trade for, and gave up decent players as a result. Jackson was traded for Max Scherzer, Daniel Hudson, and Colby Rasmus over the course of about 1 1/2 years. I didn't understand it, but he started to live up to his potential consistently when he went to the White Sox and he's been fairly consistent since then. His fWAR since 2009 has been 3.6, 3.9, 3.9, 2.7. He'd almost assuredly be, at the very least, a 2.5 win pitcher, but more than likely a 3 win pitcher each season throughout the duration of the contract. He'd be worth the gamble, and I wish the Cubs would step up a pursuit.

 

 

EDIT: Speak of the devil. Brett just put up a nice article on Jackson:

 

http://www.bleachernation.com/2012/12/17/so-lets-talk-about-edwin-jackson/

[davell]

Oakland is evidently signing Nakajima to play SS. Very doubtful Barney is included in a trade now.

[Guest]

abty basically said that the cubs were going to get old before garza got hurt. sad if true

[Cubswin11]

abty basically said that the cubs were going to get old before garza got hurt. sad if true

??? Meaning they were/are going to add old(er) veterans, presumably proven players, before his injury made him a relative unknown?

[sneakypower]

Mike Olt, i'm assuming

[Bobson Dugnutt]

abty basically said that the cubs were going to get old before garza got hurt. sad if true

??? Meaning they were/are going to add old(er) veterans, presumably proven players, before his injury made him a relative unknown?

 

I'm thinking old should have been Olt?