Offseason Rumors & Transactions Thread

[Agony and Ivy]

Jim Bowden ‏@JimBowden_ESPN 12m12 minutes ago

#Cardinals have joined the Red Sox, Cubs and Braves in pursuit of Jon Lester according to a club source which makes sense after Miller trade

 

I swear to god if the Cubs lose out on Lester to the [expletive] Cardinals I will lose my [expletive] mind.

 

Jokes on them. We could get like Brett Anderson or something.

 

1/3 the production at 1/6 the cost. hell yeah.

 

But then we'd have like a billion dollars in roll over cash to use to miss out on free agents next year. So I guess I am aboard the Brett Anderson as our big FA acquisition train.

[Guest]

Name one person who has suggested Brian Anderson as the big acquisition of the offseason.

 

Just one.

[Agony and Ivy]

Name one person who has suggested Brian Anderson as the big acquisition of the offseason.

 

Just one.

 

Did you miss the sarcastic posts on page 28? We were lamenting the fact that the Cardinals are now seemingly involved in Lester talks then sarcasm happened.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

definitely don't want brian anderson

[Banedon]

But...imagine the "Mister Anderson" jokes!

[UMFan83]

I think the Cardinals in on Lester might be a good thing. Perhaps the Cubs would be more willing to up their offer if the Cardinals got in a bidding war. Say what you want about Theo sticking to his plan, if the Cubs want to compete for the division in 2015 you can't let the Cardinals get Heyward and Lester while only giving up Shelby Miller.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I think the Cardinals in on Lester might be a good thing. Perhaps the Cubs would be more willing to up their offer if the Cardinals got in a bidding war. Say what you want about Theo sticking to his plan, if the Cubs want to compete for the division in 2015 you can't let the Cardinals get Heyward and Lester while only giving up Shelby Miller.

 

I'm not sure I want Theo faced with a choice that might lead to him deciding not to bother trying to compete for the division in 2015.

[treebird]

I think the Cardinals in on Lester might be a good thing. Perhaps the Cubs would be more willing to up their offer if the Cardinals got in a bidding war. Say what you want about Theo sticking to his plan, if the Cubs want to compete for the division in 2015 you can't let the Cardinals get Heyward and Lester while only giving up Shelby Miller.

 

miller isn't the only guy they lost. they also made their regularly scheduled human sacrifice disguised as a drunk driving accident to appease their dark lord.

[Guest]

I think the Cardinals in on Lester might be a good thing. Perhaps the Cubs would be more willing to up their offer if the Cardinals got in a bidding war. Say what you want about Theo sticking to his plan, if the Cubs want to compete for the division in 2015 you can't let the Cardinals get Heyward and Lester while only giving up Shelby Miller.

 

miller isn't the only guy they lost. they also made their regularly scheduled human sacrifice disguised as a drunk driving accident to appease their dark lord.

 

Or heart attack brought about by pot smoking.

[Sammys Boombox]

As @jaysonst reported, Stanton gets $107M over first 6 years, $218M in next 7 if he does not opt out. His idea to give #Marlins flexibility.

 

So, if he can get $31/32 million per from somebody else 6 years from now (who knows what salaries will be at then), and he does opt out after 6 years, this is a huge steal for the Marlins.

[RammyFanny]

So Rosenthal confirmed a 13 year old (seriously) reporting Billy Butler was in serious talks with the A's, and now the other 16 year old that was relevant during the Shark trade says done deal 3/30. I want sources too, damnit.

[SouthSideRyan]

Name one person who has suggested Brian Anderson as the big acquisition of the offseason.

 

Just one.

 

TT prefers our big acquisition be some sort of waiver claim with Brett Anderson backing it up

[SouthSideRyan]

So Rosenthal confirmed a 13 year old (seriously) reporting Billy Butler was in serious talks with the A's, and now the other 16 year old that was relevant during the Shark trade says done deal 3/30. I want sources too, damnit.

 

Hoops heard that the A's were interested in signing a major leaguer at some point this offseason. He scooped all of them.

[Guest]

Name one person who has suggested Brian Anderson as the big acquisition of the offseason.

 

Just one.

 

TT prefers our big acquisition be some sort of waiver claim with Brett Anderson backing it up

 

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140309024441/cookieclicker/images/e/e8/Exactly.gif

[sneakypower]

i do really want us to sign Brett Anderson

[Agony and Ivy]

Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 7h7 hours ago

Cubs one of the teams that have inquired about Swisher .

[Tryptamine]

Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 7h7 hours ago

Cubs one of the teams that have inquired about Swisher .

 

Of course they are. Guy wont even get 100ABs as Rizzo's back up and can't play OF anymore thanks to his knee surgeries. Between Swisher and Gomes, Theo is just determined to shove some old veteran club house guy down our throats.

[Agony and Ivy]

Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 7h7 hours ago

Cubs one of the teams that have inquired about Swisher .

 

Of course they are. Guy wont even get 100ABs as Rizzo's back up and can't play OF anymore thanks to his knee surgeries. Between Swisher and Gomes, Theo is just determined to shove some old veteran club house guy down our throats.

 

Yeah I couldn't stomach Swisher.

[treebird]

Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 7h7 hours ago

Cubs one of the teams that have inquired about Swisher .

 

Of course they are. Guy wont even get 100ABs as Rizzo's back up and can't play OF anymore thanks to his knee surgeries. Between Swisher and Gomes, Theo is just determined to shove some old veteran club house guy down our throats.

 

let's just sign millar and varitek and have them on the dl but in uniform in the dugout every game

[Guest]

Bruce Levine ‏@MLBBruceLevine 7h7 hours ago

Cubs one of the teams that have inquired about Swisher .

 

Of course they are. Guy wont even get 100ABs as Rizzo's back up and can't play OF anymore thanks to his knee surgeries. Between Swisher and Gomes, Theo is just determined to shove some old veteran club house guy down our throats.

 

Quick reminder that 99% of offseason rumors are bogus and/or won't come to fruition.

 

@BruceMiles2112 Sources say #Cubs have not inquired about Nick Swisher.

[jersey cubs fan]

Bruce Miles ‏@BruceMiles2112 · 2m2 minutes ago

Sources say #Cubs have not inquired about Nick Swisher.

 

 

 

oh tranny

[Elrhino]

I fully expect us to go after a few sucky cheap veterans, but Swisher is a sucky veteran with a really bad contract.

 

Gomes seems to have a huge man crush on Maddon from their days in Tampa Bay, and has made no secret that he wants to manage one day. Can't we just talk him into being all lockerroom leadery as the 1st base coach and not actually have to depend on him to play baseball?

[RammyFanny]

I fully expect us to go after a few sucky cheap veterans, but Swisher is a sucky veteran with a really bad contract.

 

Gomes seems to have a huge man crush on Maddon from their days in Tampa Bay, and has made no secret that he wants to manage one day. Can't we just talk him into being all lockerroom leadery as the 1st base coach and not actually have to depend on him to play baseball?

I saw someone post a slightly older tweet from McCarthy from a few months ago saying he could blow peoples minds and make the case Gomes is more important than Lester. I would like to see that case.

[Elrhino]

I fully expect us to go after a few sucky cheap veterans, but Swisher is a sucky veteran with a really bad contract.

 

Gomes seems to have a huge man crush on Maddon from their days in Tampa Bay, and has made no secret that he wants to manage one day. Can't we just talk him into being all lockerroom leadery as the 1st base coach and not actually have to depend on him to play baseball?

I saw someone post a slightly older tweet from McCarthy from a few months ago saying he could blow peoples minds and make the case Gomes is more important than Lester. I would like to see that case.

 

I know McCarthy said the 2012 Oakland A's would have been a 70 win team without Gomes and Brandon Inge. He seems to be all in on clubhouse chemistry.

 

It sound stupid, but if you have a rookie that comes up and rookies are filled with self-doubt, filled with worry, and now you’re in the big leagues and you come to a team where nobody makes you feel welcome. So now you’re already nervous, you’re kind of worried about your lot, and then the guys around you, you’re not comfortable and you don’t feel like you’re one of them. You don’t feel kind of free and like you can do what you do. But if you have a guy like Jonny Gomes or Brandon Inge or someone who just comes up and is just kind of (BS-ing) with you and it just sort of loosens you up and then everyone else can kind of get in the mix. I know it sounds really stupid, but it’s kind of like being an artist where the more comfortable you feel, usually your better work comes out. I think it’s guys that just put out a comfortable atmosphere and they bring guys in. It’s like that in real life, too, where you’re with a group of friends and there’s people that you wait for to get to the dinner party because after that everybody loosens up and it turns into a good time. It’s guys like that. It goes for veterans and everybody. There’s guys that make you feel more comfortable. That loosens you up, which in turn the person you interactive with — there’s a whole trickle down effect to it that’s impossible to quantify but it does exist in there.”

 

http://archive.azcentral.com/insiders/nickpiecoro/2013/03/12/brandon-mccarthy-talks-leadership-analytics-miguel-montero-on-miguel-cabrera-other-stuff/

[Guest]

anyone have any guesses as to what grandal would cost btw?

 

i think he's my preferred target at this point

 

I have no idea, but I'd love to see if they negatively value Maybin on top of Grandal. Early reports are that they want power hitters so not sure how much of a match is there.

maybe they could be fooled into taking Javy?

 

I wanted to come back to this. What does a trade of Javy to San Diego look like? Grandal is an obvious target and they have SP they would consider moving too. Like mentioned above I really like Maybin as an extra OF/Alcantara insurance too, especially if they're ready to give up on him and do other things with that money.