MLB 2017 Offseason signings news/rumors

MikeM

Member
SoSH Member
May 27, 2010
3,049
Florida
For just $6.5M guaranteed, $16.5M over two years if all the triggers are hit. For a 30-year-old who just hit 38 HR.

Carlos Santana's agent is looking more and more like a genius.
Depending on what those triggers are exactly it's actually more then I thought Morrison would get at this point.

Let's not forget Justin Upton's team among this winter's winners too though. Major points this winter for striking early on that extension.
 

chawson

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
4,660
Tim Lincecum to Texas, whatever that's worth.

Pretty interesting offseason strategy over there. They've brought in Mike Minor, Doug Fister, Edinson Volquez, Jon Niese, Jesse Chavez, Bartolo Colon, Matt Moore, Shawn Tolleson, Zeke Spruill, Chris Martin, Kevin Jepsen, and Lincecum.
 

Murderer's Crow

Dragon Wangler 216
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
23,476
Garden City
Tim Lincecum to Texas, whatever that's worth.

Pretty interesting offseason strategy over there. They've brought in Mike Minor, Doug Fister, Edinson Volquez, Jon Niese, Jesse Chavez, Bartolo Colon, Matt Moore, Shawn Tolleson, Zeke Spruill, Chris Martin, Kevin Jepsen, and Lincecum.
Very interesting. Buy low in a cheap market. I don't think a single player on that list breaks out but I suppose none of them hurt either.
 

moondog80

heart is two sizes two small
SoSH Member
Sep 20, 2005
8,093
The last time Tim Lincecum was good, Mookie Betts was finishing up high school and Jonathan Paplebon, Jason Vartiek, and JD Drew were still on the Red Sox.
 

MikeM

Member
SoSH Member
May 27, 2010
3,049
Florida
Duda at $3.5M is a steal. Gonna suck to see him on the Yankees in September.
I'd honestly label it more as tick below market on his type nowadays. Too many FA bodies and GMs who ideally prefer setting their aim at younger talent, not enough chairs.

That Tampa split certainly wasn't doing him any favors either.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,715
Oof, maybe Boras should pay the player this time instead of the other way around:

Jeff Passan‏Verified account @JeffPassan
Mike Moustakas has agreed to a one-year deal with a mutual second-year option with the Kansas City Royals, sources with knowledge of the deal tell Yahoo Sports. It guarantees him $6.5 million and can max out at $22.7 million.
 

tonyarmasjr

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 12, 2010
1,120
Ouch. Maybe we should've signed him and traded Devers... That's a big spread between 6.5 and 22.7; details should be interesting.
 

Murderer's Crow

Dragon Wangler 216
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
23,476
Garden City
If he's in trouble, where does that leave Lance Lynn?
If you're a team with a good to decent offense (Toronto, Baltimore), I don't know what's stopping them from taking 1 year risks with Cobb, Lynn, and Arrieta. There are so many teams who could use cheap starting pitching and it's blowing my mind that these guys are still out there. No, they aren't aces, but what on earth is happening??
 

Sampo Gida

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 7, 2010
5,044
Regardless of where you stand on the collusion issue you have to expect MLBPA to file a grievance after they have a chance to review with agents what has transpired and put together a case

Moose on road 24 Hr 280/326/.582/908

Moose played in an extreme pitchers park and his 3 yr UZR is positive even if he was a bit below average last year after his injury in 2016

For that price half a dozen teams should have been in on him. Orioles, Rays, White Sox in AL.

The good news is Yankees went with Drury. Looking at Drury home-away splits they better hope he is able to change his swing
 

MikeM

Member
SoSH Member
May 27, 2010
3,049
Florida
Moustakas rejected a qualifying offer of $17.4 million.
It's nuts to think there wouldn't have been a single offer offer out there, even at a reduced rate, that was better then going down this road for him atm. I mean not even a Jay Bruce contract?

Boras is bordering on crazy if he thinks the lack of future draft picks being attached is going to have that much impact on his per/year earning potential.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

Homeland Security
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2005
19,615
Portsmouth, NH
It's nuts to think there wouldn't have been a single offer offer out there, even at a reduced rate, that was better then going down this road for him atm. I mean not even a Jay Bruce contract?

Boras is bordering on crazy if he thinks the lack of future draft picks being attached is going to have that much impact on his per/year earning potential.
It certainly seems like it’s enough for teams to pass on their first wave of second tier players. Then it’s just a matter of willingness of picking up scraps.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,715
Good job by the Padres trading for Chase Headley and his entire 1/$13M deal in this market, in order to get their hands on the rare and special talent that is Bryan Mitchell. :)
 

Murderer's Crow

Dragon Wangler 216
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
23,476
Garden City
Good job by the Padres trading for Chase Headley and his entire 1/$13M deal in this market, in order to get their hands on the rare and special talent that is Bryan Mitchell. :)
On the other hand, there is virtually no way to trade Ellsbury before his agreement is up unless the Yankees eat the whole thing.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,715
On the other hand, there is virtually no way to trade Ellsbury before his agreement is up unless the Yankees eat the whole thing.
That's not true, they could include better prospects than Mitchell and get someone to take a good chunk of it, but they don't need to move him that badly.
 

Wayapman

New Member
Aug 19, 2012
94
I find it extremely hard to believe that Moose didn't get any better offers than that. That contract is so bad it boggles the mind
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,715
KC signed Moustakas, Duda and Jon Jay for a combined $13M. Good job, Tony Clark.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,715
And SD committed to $157M combined for the Hosmer/Headley duo, hahahahahaha. Way to read the market, Preller.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

has fancy plans, and pants to match
Dope
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2001
24,537
Guys, Nick Cafardo is still convinced that the Yankees are lurking in this Moustakas thing. Boras told him all about it.
 

Yelling At Clouds

Post-darwinian
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
3,405
I find it extremely hard to believe that Moose didn't get any better offers than that. That contract is so bad it boggles the mind
Yeah, I get that practically nobody sympathizes with the players this offseason, but I look at the Moustakas situation and I can at least see where they're coming from. Moustakas isn't a perfect player or anything, but he's young and he can absolutely help a team.
Considerer the Braves - actively tanking the last couple of years, but if Swanson rebounds, Albies keeps it up, and Acuna has a solid debut (three not-outrageous possibilities), they could easily be a part of the WC scrum in the NL. A 3B like Moose would give them above-average production at 7 of 8 positions in the above scenario. Even if he went for the going rate for a good 3B, he wouldn't screw up their payroll because they don't have a lot of long-term deals. But they would rather staple a glove to a cactus or whatever and go with that instead because... they might get a shot at Machado next year? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,715
Fangraphs makes a case that both Moustakas' defense and foot speed may have dropped off a cliff after his torn ACL in 2016, one wonders if Boras had aimed in the $40-$50M range initially, if maybe he would have gotten more nibbles.

"Statcast can come in handy here. We can look at sprint speeds, from Baseball Savant. In 2015, Moustakas’ average sprint speed ranked in the 38th percentile, and the 48th percentile among third basemen. In 2017, however, Moustakas’ average sprint speed ranked in the 7th percentile, and the 9th percentile among third basemen. Suddenly, Moustakas was moving slower, and it’s evident in his baserunning measures. In terms of moving up an extra base on hits, Moustakas just ranked in the lowest percentile. Moving from first to third on singles, Moustakas ranked in the lowest percentile. Moving from first to home on doubles, he ranked in the 3rd percentile. Moving from second to home on singles, he ranked in the 14th percentile. Moustakas, in 2017, didn’t attempt a single stolen base. Moustakas did very little running.

And that wasn’t the only casualty. Looking at third basemen between 2014 and 2016, and blending both DRS and UZR, Moustakas’ defense ranked in the 64th percentile. This past season, again among third basemen, his defense ranked in the 23rd percentile. Moustakas came back, and he hit. He hit a bunch of home runs. But while that was happening, Moustakas had slowed down. He was playing worse defense, at least statistically, and the Royals started him 17 times at DH."

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/why-mike-moustakas-market-didnt-develop/
 

chawson

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
4,660
Moustakas contract is unreal. Moose, Jay, and Duda should net them at least a couple interesting prospects this summer.

Cargo’s going back to the Rox on a one-year deal giving them six playable outfielders in Blackmon, Tapia, Desmond, Dahl, Parra, and Gonzalez. Desmond could play first again, but that would displace prospect Ryan McMahon. Weird team.
 

bosockboy

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
19,863
St. Louis, MO
Have to think this was Moose’ decision to just take the best deal possible and move on. Boras probably pushed for the post draft strategy but I’m sure that’s a miserable existence for the player.

On another note, some of the earlier offseason deals look incredibly smart now. Particularly Wade Davis getting top dollar at 3/52.