2013/14 MLB offseason transactions

[sneakypower]

it's generally understood that Ilitch was behind the Fielder signing; he's getting old & wants to win

 

So now Ilitch is ok with trading him? Doesn't make a lot of sense.

who knows, maybe Prince's 0 RBI postseason or whatever helped Dombrowski compel him to move on

[Guest]

Royals about to announce they've signed Jason Vargas, per several sources. Rosenthal says it's for 4/32. Dave Cameron sums up my thoughts pretty well:

 

@DCameronFG I have always liked Jason Vargas as a perfectly average big league pitcher. I'm a fan. And there's no way I'd give him four years.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

4/$32 for a guy who didn't make Fangraphs' top-47 FAs.

[jersey cubs fan]

It's almost as if major league teams have lots of money to spend.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It's almost as if major league teams have lots of money to spend.

 

Well, some of them.

[Guest]

It's going to be the same sad song, "I can't believe he got that contract. Good thing the Cubs didn't do that". At least we'll have self-satisfaction.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I assume this takes them out of Samardzija conversations.

[Boris]

Gil Meche 2.0?

[Guest]

I assume this takes them out of Samardzija conversations.

 

I would think this more replaces Chen/Mendoza at the back of the rotation. Even with Duffy coming back, I could still see them being interested in Samardzija to replace Santana and push Davis to the bullpen. I'm not sure how that fits in with their finances and other needs for the offseason, but Vargas + Shark is a few million less than Chen + Santana made last year.

[sneakypower]

It's going to be the same sad song, "I can't believe he got that contract. Good thing the Cubs didn't do that". At least we'll have self-satisfaction.

we're really doing this right now.

 

for Jason Vargas.

 

he, of the 4.63 career xFIP.

 

there are no words.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It's going to be the same sad song, "I can't believe he got that contract. Good thing the Cubs didn't do that". At least we'll have self-satisfaction.

we're really doing this right now.

 

for Jason Vargas.

 

he, of the 4.63 career xFIP.

 

there are no words.

 

That's a little misleading. He hasn't actually put up an xFIP that high since 2008.

[Guest]

It's going to be the same sad song, "I can't believe he got that contract. Good thing the Cubs didn't do that". At least we'll have self-satisfaction.

 

There's nothing inherently wrong about Vargas' contract, most of the surprise was hearing that it was 4 years before 32 million was announced as the number. There's also nothing to lament, because Vargas doesn't do anything particularly well either. You sign him to lock down a rotation spot for several years at okay levels of production? Cool, there's value in that. There's also value in not doing that because there's been over 100 starters who have outproduced him these last two years, and another 15+ relievers too.

[sneakypower]

That's a little misleading. He hasn't actually put up an xFIP that high since 2008.

and that's not misleading? (separate years of 4.60, 4.61 in that time)

 

ok put it this way: he just set a career high in xFIP, with 4.29, and still only 4 qualified starters in baseball had a worse mark than that

[jersey cubs fan]

It's going to be the same sad song, "I can't believe he got that contract. Good thing the Cubs didn't do that". At least we'll have self-satisfaction.

we're really doing this right now.

 

for Jason Vargas.

 

he, of the 4.63 career xFIP.

 

there are no words.

 

If a guy who is a tick better than Travis Wood is getting that kind of money, that is the market.

[jersey cubs fan]

That's a little misleading. He hasn't actually put up an xFIP that high since 2008.

and that's not misleading? (separate years of 4.60, 4.61 in that time)

 

ok put it this way: he just set a career high in xFIP, with 4.29, and still only 4 qualified starters in baseball had a worse mark than that

 

Why qualified? There's 15 guys that pitched as much as him with a worse mark.

[sneakypower]

it's utterly hysterical that you're pissing your pants over not being able to shower a pitcher with money, who missed significant time with injury this year and when he actually pitched, pitched pretty shitty

 

like you're so absolutely desperate to see money spent on something you don't care what that it's even spent on

[jersey cubs fan]

it's utterly hysterical that you're pissing your pants over not being able to shower a pitcher with money, who missed significant time with injury this year and when he actually pitched, pitched pretty [expletive]

 

like you're so absolutely desperate to see money spent on something you don't care what that it's even spent on

Pissing my pants? I'm lamenting the fact that with the market apparently higher than previously thought, the Cubs may be even less active than previously hoped.

 

If you could read with any semblance of proportionality you may have figured that out.

[Guest]

I was merely making an observation. I don't really care about Jason Vargas. The market is the market, there are no trophies for spending the least amount of money/win. It's really just frustration. Theo and Jed have made some quality signings, I hope they continue to do so.

[Rob]

The Royals DFA'd Kottaras today. He'd be a great pickup for our backup C.

[Layoutman]

I know Castellanos is well thought of, but based solely on numbers in the minors, he looks like he doesn't have much pop. Am I missing something?

 

 

Castellanos is the real deal that will have more value at 3rd rather than a corner outfield spot. I've posted bitching an moaning around the all star break wanting to move Garza and Barney to the tigers with a return package headlined by Castellanos and/or Porcello. Castellanos is good at baseball and will get a lot of opportunities in that tiger lineup.

 

How much rust is on his 3rd base glove? That is the question. His is more likely to put up Terry Pendleton/Kevin Seitzer numbers instead someone like Kevin Orie.

[Layoutman]

Dave Dombrowski is the most underrated GM in baseball.

 

I've been on the Dombrowski's wagon since the Cabrera and Willis deal. He got cheap Cabrera control for I think 3 years at the time of the deal. Willis was a quality starting pitcher at the time of the deal. He couldn't for see Willis tanking.

 

Dealing Granderson in a 3 way deal in 2010 netted Max Scherzer , Daniel Schlereth and Austin Jackson.

 

Didn't like the Delmon Young deal in 2010.

[illiniguy]

The Royals DFA'd Kottaras today. He'd be a great pickup for our backup C.

Jesus, Dayton Moore needs a clue.

[Guest]

Chris Young to the Mets, per Olney and Rosenthal. 1 year, 7.25 million.

[SouthSideRyan]

Sigh.

 

Did Young have injury issues this past year? He posted a -0.7 dWAR despite playing half his innings in the corners. This coming just 2 years after posting back to back 2+s

[Guest]

Sigh.

 

Did Young have injury issues this past year? He posted a -0.7 dWAR despite playing half his innings in the corners. This coming just 2 years after posting back to back 2+s

 

Looks like he had a 15 day DL stint for a quad injury, but superficially that seems to have been a one-off issue.

 

Young would have been alright, but for FA OFs I still like Gutierrez the best from the right side.