Offseason Rumors

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Man, I like Rosenthal a ton. But pixie dust on Starlin turns him into Tulo. So no. Just no.

 

They're going to get actual Tulo. They seem to be aiming a bit higher than Castro.

[Guest]

Don't know where this fits best, but here's a mock offseason organized by a guy over on BTF. Not sure how accurate it will wind up being, but I'd guess these could be decent approximations for contract sizes FAs will be looking for.

 

http://www.royalsreview.com/2013/11/11/5087240/sb-nation-winter-meetings-simulation-debriefing

 

If the Cubs ended up dealing Castro for Trevor Rosenthal and Tyrell Jenkins I'd be done with this nonsense.

 

I also like how we non-tender our 3B platoon for no good reason.

[pitchcs]

From hearing hoops report the possible interest in Shierholtz and Barney from other teams and in house options like Vitters/Bogesevuic and Valbuena/Murphy, I would be solidly in favor of opening up the combined 6m in payroll by moving them. Barney would be more payroll motivated, but if Shierholtz can bring back a Pinyero/Black type then why not. If my payroll numbers are close then that would put it at 63m possibly putting giving us close to 25m to work with. Not sure on the actual top number other than less than 90m.

 

He'd bring back more than that.

[davell]

From hearing hoops report the possible interest in Shierholtz and Barney from other teams and in house options like Vitters/Bogesevuic and Valbuena/Murphy, I would be solidly in favor of opening up the combined 6m in payroll by moving them. Barney would be more payroll motivated, but if Shierholtz can bring back a Pinyero/Black type then why not. If my payroll numbers are close then that would put it at 63m possibly putting giving us close to 25m to work with. Not sure on the actual top number other than less than 90m.

 

He'd bring back more than that.

 

I'm not so sure. Midseason last year, maybe? But he fell off the grid late. Strong side of a platoon for 4 mill that gives you a likely .750/.800 OPS? Maybe you get a top 10 org guy back, but honestly, Pineyro and Black are close to that in some orgs as it is.

[Clem Fandango]

According to Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog, the White Sox, Cubs, Mets and Astros are among teams showing early interest in free agent outfielder Curtis Granderson.

Cerrone also hears that Granderson will now likely require a four-year deal. The 32-year-old was limited to just 61 games this season due to a pair of freak injuries, but he hit 43 homers in 2012 and 41 in 2011. His power will get him paid.

 

http://i.imgur.com/4lSCZaF.gif

[Tryptamine]

According to Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog, the White Sox, Cubs, Mets and Astros are among teams showing early interest in free agent outfielder Curtis Granderson.

Cerrone also hears that Granderson will now likely require a four-year deal. The 32-year-old was limited to just 61 games this season due to a pair of freak injuries, but he hit 43 homers in 2012 and 41 in 2011. His power will get him paid.

 

http://i.imgur.com/4lSCZaF.gif

 

I don't even want the guy on a two year deal. A 4 year deal is just awful.

[XZero771679666304]

Man, I like Rosenthal a ton. But pixie dust on Starlin turns him into Tulo. So no. Just no.

 

They're going to get actual Tulo. They seem to be aiming a bit higher than Castro.

 

I'd bet heavily against this. Colorado's FO/ownership has an irrational attachment to Tulo. That's not to say Tulo isn't worth being attached to, but Mozeliak and Co. are too smart to pay what the Rockies will ask.

 

I think St. Louis ends up with one of Peralta/Drew/Lowrie.

[davell]

Rangers aren 't going to try and keep Garza. That trade worked out well for them. Daniels mentioned he didn't see them going after FA SP looking for longterm deals. Hey, one less Tanaka suitor anyway. They did mention looking to trade for SP, not sure I see a fit with Shark though. In fact, after Dempster and Garza, they may decide not to trade for our pitching for a while.

[Post Count Padder]

Don't know where this fits best, but here's a mock offseason organized by a guy over on BTF. Not sure how accurate it will wind up being, but I'd guess these could be decent approximations for contract sizes FAs will be looking for.

 

http://www.royalsreview.com/2013/11/11/5087240/sb-nation-winter-meetings-simulation-debriefing

 

If the Cubs ended up dealing Castro for Trevor Rosenthal and Tyrell Jenkins I'd be done with this nonsense.

 

I also like how we non-tender our 3B platoon for no good reason.

That whole article is a joke. Look at some of the moves other teams make. Most are one-sided or make no sense for that team, like that Giancarlo Stanton trade or the Mariners trading Nick Franklin for Ludwick and a swingman or hell the Brewers trading Lohse for Trevor Cahill AND David Holmberg. Are you kidding me?

[NonProfitCow]

Rangers aren 't going to try and keep Garza. That trade worked out well for them. Daniels mentioned he didn't see them going after FA SP looking for longterm deals. Hey, one less Tanaka suitor anyway. They did mention looking to trade for SP, not sure I see a fit with Shark though. In fact, after Dempster and Garza, they may decide not to trade for our pitching for a while.

Likely with the Cardinals, parting with Andrus or Profar.

[Tryptamine]

Rangers aren 't going to try and keep Garza. That trade worked out well for them. Daniels mentioned he didn't see them going after FA SP looking for longterm deals. Hey, one less Tanaka suitor anyway. They did mention looking to trade for SP, not sure I see a fit with Shark though. In fact, after Dempster and Garza, they may decide not to trade for our pitching for a while.

Likely with the Cardinals, parting with Andrus or Profar.

 

Yeah, Miller for Profar makes almost too much sense not to happen.

[Clem Fandango]

To touch on that, this is from a week ago...

 

According to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers will listen to offers for their three middle infielders.

Sullivan writes specifically that the Texas front office has "let other teams know they are willing to at least talk about one of their middle infielders -- Elvis Andrus, Ian Kinsler or Jurickson Profar -- in any trade discussions that come up this offseason." The Cardinals are among the many major league clubs seeking help at shortstop this winter, and both Andrus and Profar can play the position. The Rangers' phones will be ringing.

 

Not that Andrus isn't movable, but that $120 million contract 7 months ago probably won't make easier than if he only had one year of arbitration left

[Post Count Padder]

Ruben Amaro Jr. is the best:

 

Howard Eskin of FOX 29 TV in Philadelphia reports that the Phillies are "deep in serious talks" to acquire Jose Bautista from the Blue Jays in exchange for Domonic Brown and others.

[davell]

We need a power, right handed stopgap type to start the year behind Rizzo in the order. Any ideas? I keep looking, in FA or in trades and can't see any sort of fit. Do we just go into the year with Schierholtz or Sweeney there with a platoon guy for lefties?

[Guest]

We need a power, right handed stopgap type to start the year behind Rizzo in the order. Any ideas? I keep looking, in FA or in trades and can't see any sort of fit. Do we just go into the year with Schierholtz or Sweeney there with a platoon guy for lefties?

 

He can't play every day, but Franklin Gutierrez.

[Guest]

Ruben Amaro Jr. is the best:

 

Howard Eskin of FOX 29 TV in Philadelphia reports that the Phillies are "deep in serious talks" to acquire Jose Bautista from the Blue Jays in exchange for Domonic Brown and others.

 

sounds good for the phillies

[davell]

We need a power, right handed stopgap type to start the year behind Rizzo in the order. Any ideas? I keep looking, in FA or in trades and can't see any sort of fit. Do we just go into the year with Schierholtz or Sweeney there with a platoon guy for lefties?

 

He can't play every day, but Franklin Gutierrez.

Yeah, that could work. Wish Hart's knees weren't shot, to where he'd be capable of a decent LF.

 

Morosi is reporting D-Backs interest in Schierholtz, by the way.

[Guest]

Bautista just turned 33, has put up about a .375 wOBA the last 2 years, and plays average RF defense. He makes 14 million this year and next, with a 14 million option for 2016.

 

Brown just turned 26, put up a .350 wOBA this past year in a breakout, and plays -10 LF defense. He's not yet arb eligible and is under team control through 2017.

 

The "and others" would obviously play a big role, but it looks like a pretty standard move for the Phillies. Make this year marginally better at all costs, for better or worse. The Jays could almost certainly spend 14 million wisely enough to make up the gap between Bautista and Brown, to speak nothing of the fact that one is entering prime while the other is leaving.

[Guest]

but brown is 26 and has only done it once. i'm not convinced he will continue to hit like he did last season, and his defense is so bad that he gives most of that back anyways. i think bautista is more likely to keep performing close to his current pace for a few more years, and you don't have to risk a huge long-term deal on him. if i was a blue jays fan, i wouldn't want bautista to be traded in a deal where brown is the best player coming back.

[Tryptamine]

but brown is 26 and has only done it once. i'm not convinced he will continue to hit like he did last season, and his defense is so bad that he gives most of that back anyways. i think bautista is more likely to keep performing close to his current pace for a few more years, and you don't have to risk a huge long-term deal on him. if i was a blue jays fan, i wouldn't want bautista to be traded in a deal where brown is the best player coming back.

 

Bautista has been quickly falling apart. They should be thrilled they can land a player like Brown let alone whatever else would be included.

[davell]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24227543/marlins-and-cubs-could-discuss-a-swap-of-bigtime-prospects

 

Extremely interesting idea, my guess is Heyman has names wrong though. I'd bet we're shopping Alcantara, Vogelbach, and Villanueva, not our big 4, for the young pitching the Marlins have.(outside of Fernandez obviously)

[Guest]

Mooney says the team isn't interested in McCann or Saltalamacchia, but has their eye on Kurt Suzuki: http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-looking-kurt-suzuki-one-option-catcher

 

Suzuki makes a lot of sense to me as a backup to Castillo. Career .685 OPS with a reverse platoon split, and from what I can tell he's a strong defender as well.

[Guest]

http://mweb.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24227543/marlins-and-cubs-could-discuss-a-swap-of-bigtime-prospects

 

Extremely interesting idea, my guess is Heyman has names wrong though. I'd bet we're shopping Alcantara, Vogelbach, and Villanueva, not our big 4, for the young pitching the Marlins have.(outside of Fernandez obviously)

 

I love how most of the Marlins listed are mediocre but the Cubs' prospects are all top-25 caliber prospects.

[abuck1220]

lol what a worthless article. these two teams "could" "discuss" trades.

 

JOURNALISM

[Clem Fandango]

I like Heaney a lot, but I don't know that I'd give up one of the 4 for him. And if I AM giving up one of the 4, I'd say Soler is the one I personally would part ways with first. Miami may like him because of his Cuban ties, but he also has a guaranteed contract which means they may not like him as a target, either.

 

Who knows, but I would suspect the prospect coming back would be Heaney. He was ranked #43 overall before this season then put up a 1.60 ERA in 18 starts across two levels (A+ and AA) with a 89:26 K:BB ratio in 95.1 innings. I have to imagine he'll be ranked somewhere right around where Soler would be ranked. I know rankings don't determine true value, but if they're doing a one-for-one swap, that's what I think is the most logical one. At this point I don't see any reason to swap the other 3 unless you're getting an MLB superstar back on the other end.