2020 Spring Training News, Rumors, Trades

Sad Sam Jones

Member
SoSH Member
May 5, 2017
2,494
Indians sign Domingo Santana to a one year deal + a 2021 team option. It's a $1.5M guaranteed with a $500,000 roster bonus and a $5M option for next year.

There have been Santana rumors in Cleveland for 3-4 years, so I guess this isn't a surprise, but it seemed unlikely after the Indians acquired a better version of him last summer in the form of Franmil Reyes. They should spend spring training trying to figure out which of the two will kill them less often in right field and make the other the regular DH. I was thinking that an outfield/DH of Luplow - Mercado - Santana/Reyes at least gives them a formidable lineup against lefties, but the right-handed Santana has actually put up reverse splits the past two years. The Indians now have 25% of their 40-man roster filled with outfielders, and all but Daniel Johnson (AAA) and Tyler Naquin (ACL surgery) expect to compete for a spot on the 26-man roster. They'll either need to make a small deal or two or cut a couple guys they'd probably rather not.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,716
If the Indians falter, that could be pretty huge for the Red Sox playoff chances.

ZiPS thinks the WC teams will be two of Tampa, Oakland, Cleveland, Boston, LAoA, and Chicago in order of likeliness.
The Clevinger news was a week ago, since then he has had surgery and is expected to return around mid-April, so not a big deal.

Tampa and Oakland are pretty clearly the wild card teams to beat right now IMO, although Oakland will be relying on a lot of young pitching. Right now the AL looks to me exactly the same as it ended last year, NY/MIN/HOU division winners and TB/OAK wild cards.
 

Sad Sam Jones

Member
SoSH Member
May 5, 2017
2,494
A couple of days ago people across the internet were coming out of the woodwork writing off the Indians season and getting all gossipy about how they have to trade Lindor now for one of the rumored packages they turned down months ago since Clevinger and Carrasco are injured. It turns out that Clevinger isn't expected to miss more than 2-3 starts and Carrasco's injury is a day-to-day thing.
 

YTF

Member
SoSH Member
That Indians rotation is going to be one to keep an eye on. Kluber was deemed expendable and while Clevenger is expected to return mid April I'm going to assume that is going to be an extended spring training/rehab stint which likely extends into May. Carlos Carrasco is making a comeback from battling leukemia. Zach Plesac, Adam Plutko and Aaron Civale all stepped up admirably in '19, especially with Kluber and Carrasco missing the bulk of the season. It will be interesting to see which if any of those three can continue to improve where they left off.
 

SemperFidelisSox

Member
SoSH Member
May 25, 2008
31,087
Boston, MA
Suppressing fan enthusiasm at games. Great job, MLB. If they were smart they would let fan participation like this be allowed all over the league. But the Astros feelings....
 

Oppo

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 5, 2009
1,576
Suppressing fan enthusiasm at games. Great job, MLB. If they were smart they would let fan participation like this be allowed all over the league. But the Astros feelings....
Seriously. AL West teams should have best sign competitions for fans every time the Astros are in town. Just no profanity, be clever.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
SoSH Member
Oct 31, 2013
72,442
I was there, for 2 innings before the rain killed the game. Even though it was the Astros home opener, since they share the stadium, the Nats fans outnumbered Astros fans 2-1, maybe more. Astros got booed often. And they were too cowardly by not playing a single regular. (Soto, Scherzer, and other starters played for Nats, which is unusual for a "road" team this early. )

Stadium can use more exits, also.
 

edoug

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
6,007
I was there, for 2 innings before the rain killed the game. Even though it was the Astros home opener, since they share the stadium, the Nats fans outnumbered Astros fans 2-1, maybe more. Astros got booed often. And they were too cowardly by not playing a single regular. (Soto, Scherzer, and other starters played for Nats, which is unusual for a "road" team this early. )

Stadium can use more exits, also.
It must've been a fun atmosphere. I read that the crowd was vicious (relatively speaking) and hilarious.
 

edoug

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
6,007
https://www.nationthailand.com/sport/30382672?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=internal_referral

"A fastball is coming! It's a fastball!" the fan repeated, over and over, nodding to how the Astros once knew what pitch was coming by gleaning them off in-game video, then banging on trash cans in the dugout to tip off their hitters. "It's a fastball!"

Scherzer pumped in 94-mph heat that Straw watched for strike one.

"What did I tell you, Myles?" the fan continued. "I told you it would be a fastball! You should have swung!"
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,716
My Arenado/Jon Gray to NY for a big package in June prediction makes even more sense now with Severino out, Gray is a FA after 2021.
 

DanoooME

above replacement level
SoSH Member
Mar 16, 2008
19,831
Henderson, NV
So 7 more years for a total of $188.5M? That's only a shade under $27M a year. I'd think he's worth more than that.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,716
So 7 more years for a total of $188.5M? That's only a shade under $27M a year. I'd think he's worth more than that.
He is, but the Brewers had three years of control remaining with him already (two years plus an option), which is a huge amount of leverage.
 

azsoxpatsfan

Does not enjoy the go
SoSH Member
May 23, 2014
4,774
Bbrefs play index is free for the next two months. I wasn’t sure where to put this info but thought some people here might enjoy giving it a try