2019-20 Offseason News, Rumors, Trades

DeadlySplitter

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Arozarena isn't a nobody, he had great numbers last year in AAA, but STL needed to thin out their OF. Liberatore is the most valuable of the six assets moved, so the draft pick flip helps to balance that.
yeah I edited my post, I realized that was hasty. still a AAAA guy for now.
 

DeadlySplitter

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If I’m St. Louis, the mere fact that the Rays agreed to this deal would give me a lot of pause.
same.

"Liberatore is only 20 years old, and at 6’5″ and 200 pounds, might still need to add some bulk to withstand the workload of a Major League starting pitcher. " - trade rumors

on the other hand, this is why he has so much value at the moment:

"MLB Pipeline ranks Liberatore fourth on its list of the best left-handed pitching prospects, with a scouting report touting his potential for as many as three 60-grade pitches on the 20-80 scouting scale. In fact, Liberatore’s fastball, changeup, and slider all earned a 55 grade from Pipeline, while his “swing-and-miss hammer” of a curveball gets a 60 grade. "
 

jon abbey

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Also TB adds two guys to the 40 man without trading anyone, I think they’re at 41 now.
 

VORP Speed

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This isn't really an obvious one from the Rays perspective. I guess Martinez is a Yandy Diaz type play, where the dude has tons of raw power potential, hits the ball really hard, but has lower than expected HR. Will mostly DH, I assume. They have coveted him for awhile, so I'm assuming they have some angle on tweaking something with him Yandy style. Arozarena maybe replaces Kiermaier eventually and could be in outfield rotation this year, replacing Heredia. Seems like overall pretty fair based on volume of MLB or near MLB talent coming back, but Cards got the highest upside guy.
 

EvilEmpire

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So where does Martinez fit for the Rays? I think with regular playing time his bat will be more like 2017 and 2018 than last year, but isn't Tsutsugo going to be the regular DH?

I'm not certain, but I think Martinez's defense might actually make Clint Frazier look competent in the OF.
 

VORP Speed

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So where does Martinez fit for the Rays? I think with regular playing time his bat will be more like 2017 and 2018 than last year, but isn't Tsutsugo going to be the regular DH?

I'm not certain, but I think Martinez's defense might actually make Clint Frazier look competent in the OF.
Tsutsugo is probably going to get a lot of reps at 3B. I think that’s the plan, anyways. He rotates between 3B, 1B, DH and maybe some OF. Yandy rotates between 1B, DH and 3B. Choi and Martinez between DH and 1B. Positional flexibility!
 

Wingack

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You have to like anyone the Rays acquire. They must see something, I bet he has a huge year. Especially since he doesn't have to worry about his defense.
 

Plympton91

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Tsutsugo is probably going to get a lot of reps at 3B. I think that’s the plan, anyways. He rotates between 3B, 1B, DH and maybe some OF. Yandy rotates between 1B, DH and 3B. Choi and Martinez between DH and 1B. Positional flexibility!
And what about Lowe and Lowe? Would they move Nick Lowe now? Sox could use him?
 

jon abbey

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There’s the 40 man move, Rays trade Austin Pruitt to the Astros.
 

VORP Speed

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This is the Rays version of a GFIN move. Liberatore was 3 years away, they needed a RH bat now for 2020 and they needed to fill an OF rotation slot. Gave up a high upside guy to strengthen team for 2020, albeit with cost-controlled talent because hey it’s still the Rays.
 

jon abbey

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This is the Rays version of a GFIN move. Liberatore was 3 years away, they needed a RH bat now for 2020 and they needed to fill an OF rotation slot. Gave up a high upside guy to strengthen team for 2020, albeit with cost-controlled talent because hey it’s still the Rays.
A little strange in conjunction with the Pham move which seems like the opposite direction, but I know he was getting pricy for them.
 

VORP Speed

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A little strange in conjunction with the Pham move which seems like the opposite direction, but I know he was getting pricy for them.
I think they probably feel like they picked the Padres pocket on that deal, so hard to turn down. They like Renfroe a lot for right now, they’ve been looking to add more power, plus they get a stud prospect. Overpay for Pham. And they love a good overpay. This is the way.
 

VORP Speed

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You can’t try to time the market when you play in the AL East. There’s always going to be a monster team in your division. At least there will only be one of them in 2020.
 

jon abbey

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I question a GFIN move with the Yankees where they're at. If Liberatore blossoms, the Yankees will probably be weaker in the mid 2020s when all their young stars hit where the Red Sox are at right now in their cycle.
You can’t try to time the market when you play in the AL East. There’s always going to be a monster team in your division. At least there will only be one of them in 2020.
A few things I'd like to add here: This was a mild GFIN move but TB was also dealing from depth, they have a loaded rotation plus McKay and Baz and Honeywell and McClanahan, plus the draft choice flip gives them an extra million to dole out as they see fit and maybe get the next Liberatore.

Second, if you are the Rays or the A's and you are pretty much never going to pay top dollar for a player, you can't really worry about where anyone else is in their cycle, in your division or not. You have to keep moving guys as they get pricy (Pham) and bringing in new guys.

Lastly, Cashman would never spell out his macro plan in detail, but to me he pretty clearly has been trying to lengthen the window past the current core by building two groups of prospects, the high-ceiling SPs that permeate NY's system currently and the super talented teenage position players who have mostly barely started to play in the minors. So I think the idea is to replace guys internally as much as possible, you started to see that a bit this year with letting Didi and Betances go and I think you might see it in a big way next winter when Paxton and Tanaka and Happ if he is still here all hit FA.
 

edoug

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You can’t try to time the market when you play in the AL East. There’s always going to be a monster team in your division. At least there will only be one of them in 2020.
Rays could be pretty good too. Maybe the Yankees will be decent as well.
 

DeadlySplitter

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if the Yankees hit on a good chunk of their draft picks, sure the window could continue. I'd like to think no team could keep that up forever though... or I'm deluding myself there.

the Rays will probably trade Martinez before he becomes a FA again. So you're giving up even more control years in a sense with the deal. I dunno, the Rays are very savvy on who they trade/get, especially on pitching, so I'm sticking with their projections on Liberatore are not so good.
 

jmm57

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I question a GFIN move with the Yankees where they're at. If Liberatore blossoms, the Yankees will probably be weaker in the mid 2020s when all their young stars hit where the Red Sox are at right now in their cycle.

Meanwhile, here's an extension before going to arbitration for Sano:

View: https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1215804226091261954?s=20
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mlb.com/amp/news/miguel-sano-contract-extension-with-twins.html
This seems like a total steal? Through age 30


Sanó will be paid $27 million for the first three years of the deal, with a $14 million club option or $3 million buyout for 2023. The agreement was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, and MLB Network insider Jon Heyman was first with the contract terms.

Sanó, 26, was previously eligible to be a free agent after the ’21 season, but his new deal runs through the '22 season with the club option, buying out at least two years of free agency. Sanó hit a career-high 34 homers in 105 games last year, hitting .247/.346/.576 with 79 RBIs.“
 

DeadlySplitter

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he broke out last year but remember, he was nearly cut for a sexual assault case + languishing in AAA with no OBP.
 

jon abbey

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The same guy on Twitter who posted yesterday that Cora was getting fired just posted that Beltran also has been fired, obviously not announced yet.
 

jon abbey

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The Twins have a seriously scary lineup now (they did already) and have decidedly upgraded their D with Donaldson and if Buxton can stay on the field. With 2019 wRC+ numbers:

1. Polanco SS — 119
2. Arraez 2B — 125
3. Cruz DH — 163
4. Donaldson 3B — 132
5. Kepler RF — 121
6. Sano 1B — 137
7. Garver C — 155
8. Rosario LF — 103
9. Buxton CF — 111
 

opes

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The Twins have a seriously scary lineup now (they did already) and have decidedly upgraded their D with Donaldson and if Buxton can stay on the field. With 2019 wRC+ numbers:

1. Polanco SS — 119
2. Arraez 2B — 125
3. Cruz DH — 163
4. Donaldson 3B — 132
5. Kepler RF — 121
6. Sano 1B — 137
7. Garver C — 155
8. Rosario LF — 103
9. Buxton CF — 111

Insane. We did it. I can't believe we got him.
 

jon abbey

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No decision from the Mets tonight on Beltran, people had expected that there would be one earlier in the afternoon. Only the Mets could manage to make news by doing nothing and saying nothing about it.
 

edoug

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His contract (with a possible opt out) plus what Colorado would want in return made a deal unlikely. To me anyway.
 

jon abbey

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His contract (with a possible opt out) plus what Colorado would want in return made a deal unlikely. To me anyway.
He said he didn't even want the opt out when he signed the original deal, that probably could have been easily negotiated away, but it's hard to give up a ton of prospect value and take on a huge deal like that, especially when COL ruled out the most likely destination by far, LAD, because they didn't want Arenado kicking their ass in the division year after year.