Offseason Rumors & Transactions Thread

[Backtobanks]

From MLBTR:

To be sure, plenty of time remains for the market to re-develop and the cost to go back up, to say nothing of a (perhaps unlikely) scenario in which Shields waits to see if injuries or other issues crop up this spring. But if Shields’s AAV does indeed fall below the expected $18MM to $19MM range, a three year pact could well land at or below the $50MM mark. Of course, as the above discussion shows, even reaching that threshold at this point in the offseason timeline would actually represent a rather unusual achievement.

[ctcf]

Derrick Goold @dgoold

#Cardinals have signed veteran pitcher they intended to pursue: RHP Carlos Villaneuva. Will receive a non-roster invite to spring training.

 

Dark times

[Some Guy]

Villanueva getting a minor league contract to be a swingman has relevance to the trade market for $5.7M swingman Travis Wood. (In case anyone thought there was one).

[NonProfitCow]

Villanueva getting a minor league contract to be a swingman has relevance to the trade market for $5.7M swingman Travis Wood. (In case anyone thought there was one).

So what's the relevance of Kyle Kendrick getting 5.5 million?

[ctcf]

Since Dave is just making all kinds of proclamations tonight:

 

David Kaplan @thekapman

I expect Cubs to have deal done for Welington Castillo and possibly Travis Wood before they head to AZ. Phillies + a few others interested

 

Not that this is anything earth shattering.

[ctcf]

Really kinda surprised K-Rod is still unsigned. On a related note, are the Tigers broke or do they just hate themselves?

[Tryptamine]

Really kinda surprised K-Rod is still unsigned. On a related note, are the Tigers broke or do they just hate themselves?

 

Their refusal to address their bullpen year after year is amazing.

[NewUserName]

Really kinda surprised K-Rod is still unsigned. On a related note, are the Tigers broke or do they just hate themselves?

 

Their refusal to address their bullpen year after year is amazing.

they have done several things in the past few years to address their bullpen. It's just that everything they do makes it worse

[Den Haag]

Rockies signed INF/OF Josh Vitters to a minor league deal.

 

The former top prospect has really fallen from grace in recent years and hit a disappointing .213/.268/.339 with 11 homers and 38 RBI in 112 games at Triple-A Iowa in 2014 while striking out 107 times in 375 at-bats. Still just 25-years-old, it's a nice low-risk signing for the Rockies.

 

http://memedepot.com/uploads/2000/2339_bye.jpg

[NOLA]

Rockies signed INF/OF Josh Vitters to a minor league deal.

 

The former top prospect has really fallen from grace in recent years and hit a disappointing .213/.268/.339 with 11 homers and 38 RBI in 112 games at Triple-A Iowa in 2014 while striking out 107 times in 375 at-bats. Still just 25-years-old, it's a nice low-risk signing for the Rockies.

 

http://memedepot.com/uploads/2000/2339_bye.jpg

And with a whimper, the Josh Vitters chapter with the Cubs comes to a close. Well, it was closed anyway, but whatever.

[Guest]

Rockies signed INF/OF Josh Vitters to a minor league deal.

 

The former top prospect has really fallen from grace in recent years and hit a disappointing .213/.268/.339 with 11 homers and 38 RBI in 112 games at Triple-A Iowa in 2014 while striking out 107 times in 375 at-bats. Still just 25-years-old, it's a nice low-risk signing for the Rockies.

 

http://memedepot.com/uploads/2000/2339_bye.jpg

And with a whimper, the Josh Vitters chapter with the Cubs comes to a close. Well, it was closed anyway, but whatever.

I was never a fan since the day of the draft.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Rockies signed INF/OF Josh Vitters to a minor league deal.

 

The former top prospect has really fallen from grace in recent years and hit a disappointing .213/.268/.339 with 11 homers and 38 RBI in 112 games at Triple-A Iowa in 2014 while striking out 107 times in 375 at-bats. Still just 25-years-old, it's a nice low-risk signing for the Rockies.

 

http://memedepot.com/uploads/2000/2339_bye.jpg

And with a whimper, the Josh Vitters chapter with the Cubs comes to a close. Well, it was closed anyway, but whatever.

 

We're really going to regret this decison for about a month and a half.

[biittner77]

The real damage of the Vitters pick is that he is the new poster child for the "no Cubs prospect will ever be good again" meme. See also "all Cubs prospects are overrated."

 

Corey Patterson is dead. Long live Josh Vitters.

[sneakypower]

a certain 2011 draftee will usurp his status in short order

[Hairyducked Idiot]

a certain 2011 draftee will usurp his status in short order

 

If anyone is the Heir of Vitters, it's Almora.

[sneakypower]

surprisingly ZiPS still likes him, rates him #57 prospect

[Abe Frohman]

a certain 2011 draftee will usurp his status in short order

 

Is Almora not Shawon Dunston in CF? Only a white.

[rawaction]

a certain 2011 draftee will usurp his status in short order

 

Is Almora not Shawon Dunston in CF? Only a white.

 

Dunston played CF for a little bit, especially after he left the Cubs.

[Clem Fandango]

a certain 2011 draftee will usurp his status in short order

 

Is Almora not Shawon Dunston in CF? Only a white.

 

He's white now?

[Guest]

a certain 2011 draftee will usurp his status in short order

 

Is Almora not Shawon Dunston in CF? Only a white.

 

He's white now?

 

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cu.html

 

http://i.imgur.com/5XYwC8e.png

 

There's a chance he's mixed (mestizo - although I thought this term was usually reserved for Spanish/Native American mix ala South and Central Americas) but he looks pretty white to me.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

iirc, his dad was born in cuba

[NonProfitCow]

Idiots

 

Reinaldo Albert Almora

 

He's mexican

[Guest]

His mother's name is Ana and his father's name is Alberto...a family full of AAs. Ironically, probably where his career will fizzle out.

[Sammy Sofa]

Almora won't even get a chance to flame out; Baez is the new Patterson/Pie/Vitters.

[Guest]

Almora won't even get a chance to flame out; Baez is the new Patterson/Pie/Vitters.

If Baez flames out he will be the biggest bust I can remember. Way bigger than Paterson. It will be a failure of epic proportions.

 

I don't think he will be a bust in the formal definition like Vitters, I think he kick around the league for several years ala Ronny Cedeno.