2013/14 MLB offseason transactions

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

@BenBadler 4h

 

Reports from scouts were always fairly modest on Aledmys Diaz. Decent player, but wouldn't belong in the Top 100.

 

Guaranteed 1st year all-star.

[Post Count Padder]

Ervin Santana to the Braves, one year and $14.1 million.

 

And the Blue Jays aren't happy:

 

Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons "seemed more subdued than usual" during his media session Wednesday and "hinted" that the Blue Jays "had made plans based on signing Ervin [santana]," reports Toronto radio broadcaster Mike Wilner.

With the Nos. 4-5 spots in the rotation projected to be occupied by question marks -- J.A. Happ and Drew Hutchison -- and the No. 3 spot manned by a pitcher coming off a poor and injury-plagued season (Brandon Morrow), most analysts predicted Toronto would step up and land Santana. Apparently the Blue Jays' miffed manager did too. Santana signed a one-year, $14.1 million contract with Atlanta on Wednesday. It's possible that Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos got too cute here.

 

Does this make them come back to the table about Shark?

[davell]

I.think they'd check back in, but AA doesn't seem like the type willing to get bent over either. Which is what it'd take to pry Shark away, in my opinion.

[Guest]

Looks like the Jays fans are still not sure if Samardzija's worth giving up Norris for, so I suppose they wouldn't like the Stroman/Norris/Gose package it would take for me to be happy with dealing Shark there.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Looks like the Jays fans are still not sure if Samardzija's worth giving up Norris for, so I suppose they wouldn't like the Stroman/Norris/Gose package it would take for me to be happy with dealing Shark there.

 

I feel like if I were a fan of another team, I'd be very meh on a guy with a career-best fWAR of 3.0

[Guest]

Looks like the Jays fans are still not sure if Samardzija's worth giving up Norris for, so I suppose they wouldn't like the Stroman/Norris/Gose package it would take for me to be happy with dealing Shark there.

 

I feel like if I were a fan of another team, I'd be very meh on a guy with a career-best fWAR of 3.0

 

The Jays fans were actually better than most about not being absolutist with rhetoric about how he's a 3 starter on a good team or other such nonsense. They recognize his results have lagged his peripherals and his stuff by even more, but there's still a disconnect as to what that it would take to get him since the Cubs clearly aren't in a hurry to do so.

 

And actually, I meant to say Stroman/Nolin/Gose, lousy last name confusion.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Gose is a waste of space.

[davell]

I'd much prefer Norris to Nolin, who I see as a very slightly better Rusin.

[pitchcs]

How does Norris compare to Pierce Johnson?

[Guest]

I'd much prefer Norris to Nolin, who I see as a very slightly better Rusin.

 

Nolin is more of a deluxe Travis Wood to me. He's struck out nearly 10 per 9 IP while walking less than 3 per 9, he's at least a standard deviation better than Rusin.

 

Johnson is the right guy to compare to if you want a Cubs prospect to weight him against. The stuff isn't as good as Johnson, but the command is better and he's much closer to being MLB ready.

 

As for Norris, he's too far away to begin with, and I'm kinda over the" hard throwers who could be real good if they could just stop walking more than 4 guys per 9" type. For their part it seems the Front office might be on the same page with their acquisitions(Wood, Pineyro, Black, Edwards, Vizcaino, targeting Delgado, Villanueva/Hammel/Baker).

[Post Count Padder]

A familiar face

 

Indians released RHP Robert Whitenack.

Whitenack, 25, holds a 4.52 ERA with just 250 strikeouts across 392 1/3 innings across five minor league seasons. The right-hander has thrown just 43 2/3 frames avoid A-ball.

[SouthSideRyan]

So are morales and drew both going to wait until after opening day to sign somewhere?

[davell]

So are morales and drew both going to wait until after opening day to sign somewhere?

 

Morales is still talking to Seattle, so he's got a shot at signing before the draft. But I can't see anyone giving up a pick for him, unless Baltimore found room, since it'd be a late pick.

 

I think Drew is going to wait it out and sign after the draft. Unless Detroit gets desperate quick, after Romine sucks.

[SouthSideRyan]

I can't imagine they get more money waiting until June. By signing April 2, the team still loses a draft pick but morales/Drew can avoid being saddled with it next year assuming they sign 1 yr deals

[davell]

I think Drew will get a longer deal, if he waits. Not at 14 mill per, but I can see him getting 3/30 or so, once the compensation is lifted. That said, I don't understand why teams are trying to sign these guys on one year deals. If I'm going to lose my first round pick, I'd rather get a long term fix out of it myself.

[Guest]

Indians cut Francoeur.

 

Was going to ask if he was still any good against lefties and suggest picking him up and going with a Nate/Francoeur platoon in RF and Sweeney/Ruggiano in CF, but he's been pretty terrible against them the past couple of years.

[Guest]

I think Drew will get a longer deal, if he waits. Not at 14 mill per, but I can see him getting 3/30 or so, once the compensation is lifted. That said, I don't understand why teams are trying to sign these guys on one year deals. If I'm going to lose my first round pick, I'd rather get a long term fix out of it myself.

The union sure pulled a boner on that compensation agreement with the owners.

[Post Count Padder]

The Tigers acquired shortstop Alex Gonzalez from the Orioles for infielder Steve Lombardozzi, tweets Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.

 

So now that trade is Fister for Ray, Krol and a 37 year old Alex Gonzalez.

[davell]

Darvish-stiff neck

Holland-micro fracture knee surgery

Harrison- back surgery

Feliz-velo down after TJS

Andrus-sore elbow

Profar-torn shoulder muscle

Soto- torn meniscus

 

Holy [expletive] Texas