Offseason Rumors & Transactions Thread

[sneakypower]

i was a little intrigued about the Kemp possibility and then i saw he's -34(!) in CF for his last 1800 innings (200 G) and he's still owed 5/108

 

...nevermind!

[Clem Fandango]

Kemp didn't get good again until halfway through the season and while his overall numbers look nice, he's yet to prove he can consistently keep those numbers up. Combined with the fact that he's an abysmal defender, he averages out to someone who isn't worth Castillo AND Almora, IMO.

 

A Castillo for Kemp swap is more realistic.

 

2014 Stats

Kemp: .287/.346/.506/.852 140 OPS+ 25 HR 89 RBI

Castillo: .237/.296/.389/.686 89 OPS+ 13 HR 46 RBI

 

2014 WAR

Kemp: 1.1 rWAR; 1.8 fWAR

Castillo: 1.8 rWAR; 2.2 fWAR

 

Matt Kemp is so bad at defense that despite having an OPS .166 points higher and an OPS+ 51 points higher than Castillo, he was still slightly less valuable than Castillo.

 

So if you're gonna offer up Castillo in a package for Kemp, I'd offer him straight up and not give anything else. Almora isn't as great as we'd hoped he'd become (yet), but I think he's still got enough heat as a prospect that he'd be a valuable asset in a deal for a more useful player.

 

The caveat of all this, of course, is if the Cubs sign Martin.

[Guest]

Sources have informed FOX Sports MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal that new Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and the L.A. brain trust are aggressively trying to move an outfielder, and that nearly all are in play.

 

 

speculate away

 

I off-handedly mentioned it earlier, but the more I think about it, the more curious I am how much of Crawford's contract they'd eat. It's only 3 years and he's a pretty nice fit if you believe he can be passable in CF(honestly, I kinda think he and Alcantara are comparable there).

 

Can he play CF?

 

Historically he's +9 in CF, but he hasn't played more than a few scattered innings there in 10 years. In LF he's been a +10 defender buoyed entirely by his range, so with that and his speed I think he'd make a decent enough CF, especially with lower range and big arms next to him in LF/RF (Bryant/Soler). Like I alluded to, pretty similar to Alcantara in practice. Great speed to go chase down balls, but with a poor arm.

[UMFan83]

@Ken_Rosenthal: A number of teams have expressed preliminary interest in Torii Hunter, including #Royals, #Twins, #Cubs, #Rangers, #SFGiants, #Mariners…

[sneakypower]

i really don't believe the Cubs part of that to be true

[jersey cubs fan]

MLBRosterMoves ‏@MLBRosterMoves 2m2 minutes ago

The @Mets sign OF Michael Cuddyer to 2-year deal. #HotStove

 

 

So the Mets give up 15th pick for the right to sign this guy? Is this a sign they plan on signing multiple QO types?

[Guest]

MLBRosterMoves ‏@MLBRosterMoves 2m2 minutes ago

The @Mets sign OF Michael Cuddyer to 2-year deal. #HotStove

 

 

So the Mets give up 15th pick for the right to sign this guy? Is this a sign they plan on signing multiple QO types?

 

I would hope so because otherwise, that's silly.

[Guest]

Also not a rumor or anything but this tweet from 2010 was retweeted in my feed and I found it funny:

 

@jonahkeri: fave story of night: doug melvin once texted theo on trade deadline - hardy for buchholz/bard...theo's reply: "lol"

[Guest]

Also not a rumor or anything but this tweet from 2010 was retweeted in my feed and I found it funny:

 

@jonahkeri: fave story of night: doug melvin once texted theo on trade deadline - hardy for buchholz/bard...theo's reply: "lol"

 

i had posted that in the other thread until i realized it was a million years old

 

not sure how to feel about that lol. guess it depends when.

[Cubswin11]

What did they give him money wise? Has to be fairly substantial since he got the $15 mill QO

[Clem Fandango]

Yet another insider article on ESPN about Castro possibly being traded,,,

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11851730/mlb-more-likely-traded-cole-hamels-starlin-castro

 

Still more of the obvious?

[Cubswin11]

Yet another insider article on ESPN about Castro possibly being traded,,,

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11851730/mlb-more-likely-traded-cole-hamels-starlin-castro

 

Still more of the obvious?

The guys at ESPN that keep reporting this/making up rumors have the same line of thought that idiot Mets fan did when he came here after the Russell trade.

[jersey cubs fan]

Yet another insider article on ESPN about Castro possibly being traded,,,

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11851730/mlb-more-likely-traded-cole-hamels-starlin-castro

 

Still more of the obvious?

The guys at ESPN that keep reporting this/making up rumors have the same line of thought that idiot Mets fan did when he came here after the Russell trade.

It's not just Mets fans. Lots of Yankees fans are convinced the Cubs will trade Castro for Mets pitching.

 

 

 

I'm not so sure it's particularly idiotic.

[apete6]

MLBRosterMoves ‏@MLBRosterMoves 2m2 minutes ago

The @Mets sign OF Michael Cuddyer to 2-year deal. #HotStove

 

 

So the Mets give up 15th pick for the right to sign this guy? Is this a sign they plan on signing multiple QO types?

 

I would hope so because otherwise, that's silly.

 

It's like a throwback to the Hendry days if that's their biggest signing of the offseason. How can you value a top 15 pick so lightly?

[Clem Fandango]

Funny enough, in a free piece that Crasnick wrote it talks about the same subject (Hamels/Castro trades):

 

5. Who is more likely to get traded this offseason -- Cole Hamels or Starlin Castro?

Responses: Hamels 13; Castro 11; both 3; don't know 1.

 

These two players have become rumor mill staples for entirely different reasons. The Phillies went 73-89 and finished 23 games behind Washington in the NL East with a $180 million payroll, and Hamels could help them get younger and cheaper by bringing in a mother lode of talent in return.

 

But moving Ryan Howard in a salary dump is one thing. Trading a 30-year-old three-time All-Star lefty and 200-inning machine is something else. The Phillies' hesitance to move high-priced franchise staples in recent years makes some observers wonder if they have the stomach to go young and ensure themselves of three to four years of pain in the standings and at the gate. And some insiders think GM Ruben Amaro Jr.'s price for Hamels might be prohibitive.

 

"It sounds like Philly is going in a different direction and might look to move some contracts," an AL exec said. "But Hamels is the one guy who still is really good and has value to them. And with what Ruben is asking for, I'm not sure a trade can be consummated."

 

Castro is a three-time All-Star at age 24. If the Cubs believe they have a chance to contend in 2015, they might keep him and let him be the bridge to Addison Russell in 2016. But the Cubs have enough Plan B's (Javier Baez, Arismendy Alcantara) to give Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer the option of making Castro available and seeing what kind of package he might command. Castro is signed for $43 million through 2019, and that $8.6 million annual outlay won't scare away many teams with a shortstop void.

 

"I'm betting on Castro [getting moved]," an AL exec said. "I don't think he's Theo's kind of player. They obviously have a ton of depth coming under him. He's very poor defensively. He's not an on-base guy, and I don't see him fitting with them long term. Theo will certainly ask for a lot, but I think he's realistic."

 

Two survey respondents had a similar brainstorm on the topic of Castro and Hamels being dealt.

 

"Hell, maybe they get traded for each other," an AL exec said. Of course, Castro alone wouldn't suffice for the Phillies. But he could be a nice start.

[Guest]

Two survey respondents had a similar brainstorm on the topic of Castro and Hamels being dealt.

 

"Hell, maybe they get traded for each other," an AL exec said. Of course, Castro alone wouldn't suffice for the Phillies. But he could be a nice start.

 

http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/PandaTantrum.gif

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It *has* to be a sign of planning to sign multiple pick-losing players.

[Tryptamine]

Just read this article and I pray to god our front office is a lot smarter than these sources. Castro is very bad defensively? No, that's definitely not right. He has been a positive defender every year of his career other than 2011. One of Castro or Russell seemingly need to be traded because as shortstops we know they couldn't possibly play any much easier position. Also there's the Castro+ for Hamels suggestion. Oh please can we trade away our 25 year old 3 time allstar whose contract provides 50M in excess value even if he doesn't improve for a 31 year old making 110M over the next 5 years, coming off a season where they missed time with arm issues and then got the piss abused out of them?

[Tryptamine]

It *has* to be a sign of planning to sign multiple pick-losing players.

 

Absolutely shocked that someone would give up a pick. I don't even know if I would have been ok with giving up a 2nd rounder for Cuddyer.

[Guest]

Two survey respondents had a similar brainstorm on the topic of Castro and Hamels being dealt.

 

"Hell, maybe they get traded for each other," an AL exec said. Of course, Castro alone wouldn't suffice for the Phillies. But he could be a nice start.

 

http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/PandaTantrum.gif

 

Jesus [expletive] Christ

[Guest]

Pick aside, Cuddyer seems like a huge crash candidate, I have no idea why he would be job 1 for the offseason. He played 49 games last year. He's 36. He's about a -10 outfielder. He's coming off Coors and BABIP inflated overall numbers. His expected overall production is not appreciably different than Justin Ruggiano. Why would you run out to guarantee him 2 years and apparently 20-25 million on day 1? Add the pick on top of it and it just seems impossibly silly.

[Banedon]

Two survey respondents had a similar brainstorm on the topic of Castro and Hamels being dealt.

 

"Hell, maybe they get traded for each other," an AL exec said. Of course, Castro alone wouldn't suffice for the Phillies. But he could be a nice start.

 

http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/PandaTantrum.gif

 

Jesus [expletive] Christ

 

[sneakypower]

Just read this article and I pray to god our front office is a lot smarter than these sources. Castro is very bad defensively? No, that's definitely not right. He has been a positive defender every year of his career other than 2011.

i don't know where you're seeing this, but it's very unlikely to be accurate

 

per UZR*, he's only been positive once (2012), but to be fair he's never been a huge overall liability at SS, either; in fact, it's probably safe to project him to give back half a win with his glove, which is perfectly fine if he still hits .280

 

all & all, i'd eventually just move him to 2B if i got glowing reviews on Russell's glovework

 

 

*fielding bible & totalzone are even slightly less forgiving

[Tryptamine]

Pick aside, Cuddyer seems like a huge crash candidate, I have no idea why he would be job 1 for the offseason. He played 49 games last year. He's 36. He's about a -10 outfielder. He's coming off Coors and BABIP inflated overall numbers. His expected overall production is not appreciably different than Justin Ruggiano. Why would you run out to guarantee him 2 years and apparently 20-25 million on day 1? Add the pick on top of it and it just seems impossibly silly.

 

Clearly the time to strike is now before they sober up. Castro for Wheeler,Syndergaard and D'Arnaud. Make it happen.

[SouthSideRyan]

MLBRosterMoves ‏@MLBRosterMoves 2m2 minutes ago

The @Mets sign OF Michael Cuddyer to 2-year deal. #HotStove

 

 

So the Mets give up 15th pick for the right to sign this guy? Is this a sign they plan on signing multiple QO types?

 

Holy [expletive]