MLB 2017 Offseason signings news/rumors

Snodgrass'Muff

oppresses WARmongers
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Mar 11, 2008
27,644
Roanoke, VA
I just want to make sure this thought isn't lost to the sands of time
Thank you. I would have done it had you not.

Now, if the argument was "We should have signed Moustakas for this deal instead of JDM, I'd be willing to listen.

So what odds do we give of a lockout when the CBA expires?

70%?
I'd put the odds at 70% of a strike BEFORE it expires. Something approaching 100% for when it expires.

Which benefits nobody
And everybody.

KC signed Moustakas, Duda and Jon Jay for a combined $13M. Good job, Tony Clark.
And I don't think the Royals will be much, if any worse off than they were last year. Amazing.

I'm also shocked that Mouse is looking to get back into the market next year or the year after instead of seeking a Carlos Santana-like deal with someone. We all know how stacked next year's FA market is, but the year after isn't looking good for what will be a 31 year old power hitting third baseman with low OBPs.

Here are some interesting names from that class. I don't think he fairs any better in the 2019-2020 winter than he did this off season:

1B:
Goldy
Morrison
Smoak
Abreu

2B:
Altuve
Schoop

3B:
Arenado
Castellanos
Rendon

SS:
Bogaerts
Gregorius

OF:
Khris Davis
Avisail Garcia
Corey Dickerson
Ozuna
JDM (maybe)

DH:
Hanley (maybe)
 
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Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat

has big, douchey shoulders
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Thank you. I would have done it had you not.

Now, if the argument was "We should have signed Moustakas for this deal instead of JDM, I'd be willing to listen.



I'd put the odds at 70% of a strike BEFORE it expires. Something approaching 100% for when it expires.



And everybody.



And I don't think the Royals will be much, if any worse off than they were last year. Amazing.

I'm also shocked that Mouse is looking to get back into the market next year or the year after instead of seeking a Carlos Santana-like deal with someone. We all know how stacked next year's FA market is, but the year after isn't looking good for what will be a 31 year old power hitting third baseman with low OBPs.

Here are some interesting names from that class. I don't think he fairs any better in the 2019-2020 winter than he did this off season:

1B:
Goldy
Morrison
Smoak
Abreu

2B:
Altuve
Schoop

3B:
Arenado
Castellanos
Rendon

SS:
Bogaerts
Gregorius

OF:
Khris Davis
Avisail Garcia
Corey Dickerson
Ozuna

DH:
Hanley (maybe)
JDM is a maybe as well, right?
 

DanoooME

above replacement level
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Mar 16, 2008
19,831
Henderson, NV
I'm also shocked that Mouse is looking to get back into the market next year or the year after instead of seeking a Carlos Santana-like deal with someone. We all know how stacked next year's FA market is, but the year after isn't looking good for what will be a 31 year old power hitting third baseman with low OBPs.
I think he reached the "beggars can't be choosers" portion of the program.
 

tonyarmasjr

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Aug 12, 2010
1,120
Thank you. I would have done it had you not.
Geez...tough crowd. Tap those meters and make sure they aren't broken.

On a similar note, though, it is a shame that the Sox haven't really been able to cash in on such a down market. The Nunez deal is team-friendly, and they appear to have gotten JDM at a discount, but wouldn't it have been nice to have been shopping for a third baseman or a couple mid to back-end starters?
 

MikeM

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May 27, 2010
3,051
Florida
Thank you. I would have done it had you not.

Now, if the argument was "We should have signed Moustakas for this deal instead of JDM, I'd be willing to listen.
As tempting as it might be to include this in a variety of "what else the Sox could have done" scenarios, the fact of the matter is we weren't going to be the ones signing him to *this* deal with the penalties KC doesn't have to pay attached, and there really isn't anything to suggest he'd have even been willing to consider the type of multi year value deal that may have bridged that gap to serious consideration on our end.

The sit out and make zero money in the meantime bluff didn't make any more reality sense here then it did for JDM, but Boras at least appears to believe he'd be getting Moose the big money without the picks attached:

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article203843894.html

"Watch what happens," Boras said. "This player has no picks attached to him. It goes away, because they can only put it on him once. So now it's a totally different world for Moose."
 

Snodgrass'Muff

oppresses WARmongers
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Mar 11, 2008
27,644
Roanoke, VA
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article203843894.html

"Watch what happens," Boras said. "This player has no picks attached to him. It goes away, because they can only put it on him once. So now it's a totally different world for Moose."
If that was Boras' pitch to Mouse to get him to take that deal, there will be a reckoning. I'm pretty sure next winter is even less of a market for him than he had this year, QO or not. And again, the following winter won't be an easy place for him to land a big deal, either. This year was it for him.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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May 5, 2017
2,499
I'll give the Twins some credit for upgrading 40% of their rotation this late in the off-season, when the top free agent pitchers weren't interested in signing there.

Lance Lynn
Jake Odorizzi
Jose Berrios
Adalberto Mejia
Phil Hughes

Ervin Santana bumps someone in May. If I squint hard enough, I can see that almost being a decent rotation. Of course, when you look at the pen with Fernando Rodney trying to close out games, and counting on guys like Alan Busenitz and Taylor Rogers who had nice years but are far from dominant, they look more like pretenders. I think Berrios is one of their top two starters, but they seem to be planning it this way in April so he can pitch one of their two games in his native Puerto Rico.

*
 

Yelling At Clouds

Post-darwinian
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Jul 19, 2005
3,407
I'd say it puts them on a tier with Anaheim and Seattle, meaning they're plausibly in the mix for the second Wild Card. Yes they're flawed, but so are the others.
 

chawson

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Aug 1, 2006
4,662
I'll give the Twins some credit for upgrading 40% of their rotation this late in the off-season, when the top free agent pitchers weren't interested in signing there.

Lance Lynn
Jake Odorizzi
Jose Berrios
Adalberto Mejia
Phil Hughes

Ervin Santana bumps someone in May. If I squint hard enough, I can see that almost being a decent rotation. Of course, when you look at the pen with Fernando Rodney trying to close out games, and counting on guys like Alan Busenitz and Taylor Rogers who had nice years but are far from dominant, they look more like pretenders. I think Berrios is one of their top two starters, but they seem to be planning it this way in April so he can pitch one of their two games in his native Puerto Rico.

*
That pen is pretty solid. Rodney’s a goofy pitcher and could go either way, but Pressly and Hildenberger and Rogers are good, and of course there’s Addison Reed.

They may sneak in over LAA and Seattle if only because they get to beat up on the Royals, White Sox, and Tigers a bit more. With early reports about Ohtani not looking great, they might even be favorites.
 

Oppo

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Apr 5, 2009
1,576
Don't forget the Twins can score and added Morrison. 4th in runs in the AL and 7th in MLB last year. Should be one of the most interesting teams this year.
 

chawson

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Aug 1, 2006
4,662
I've come around to the belief that the assuming one of the wild cards will come out of the AL East is a bit presumptive.
I mean, it is by definition, but I think it's a safer bet than any time since they started the new playoff format.

However, I did overestimate the stranglehold the Angels had on the fifth spot. Those predictions rest on Ohtani, and scouts are getting weird on him.
 

MikeM

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May 27, 2010
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Florida
Going to be pretty funny if/when Bryce Harper fires Boras in favor of a different agent in preparation for his upcoming free agency.
 

Snodgrass'Muff

oppresses WARmongers
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Mar 11, 2008
27,644
Roanoke, VA
3/75. All things considered he did well.
Not quite that simple.

Arrieta will earn $30MM in 2018, $25MM in 2019 and $20MM in 2020, Jon Heyman reports (Twitter links). Arrieta can choose to opt out of the deal after the second season, though interestingly, the contract also allows the Phillies to “void” the opt-out in the form of an additional two-year extension for the 2021-22 seasons. That extension would pay Arrieta a base salary of $20MM in each of the two years, with incentive clauses that could elevate the salaries to $25MM based on games started in 2018-19, or up to $30MM based on Arrieta’s placement in NL Cy Young Award voting results.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/phillies-jake-arrieta-agree-to-deal.html
 

TheYaz67

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May 21, 2004
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Justia Omnibus
Curious decision by Philly, I mean, he came at a "discount" years-wise but not AAV-wise (makes him a top 10 paid starter), and they lost alot of games last year and didn't look super competitive in any phase of the game in loosing all those games. Lots of young talent that may either mature into something in the next 2-3 years or they have to move on from some guys, but I guess they have little payroll and what the heck - if all the other non-Nationals teams in the NL East are going to suck again this year (a distinct possibility), then maybe they figure feasting on those teams and a little luck might give them a shot a the second NL wild card this year....
 

grimshaw

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May 16, 2007
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Portland
They had very little payroll committed - may as well scoop up some good players while the core is being built and maybe get lucky. The lineup actually isn't that bad, and Nola is someone to build around too.

Cesar Hernandez
Carlos Santana
Odubel Herrera
Rhys Hoskins
Aaron Altherr
Maikel Franco
JP Crawford
Jorge Alfaro
 

MikeM

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May 27, 2010
3,051
Florida
Curious decision by Philly, I mean, he came at a "discount" years-wise but not AAV-wise (makes him a top 10 paid starter), and they lost alot of games last year and didn't look super competitive in any phase of the game in loosing all those games. Lots of young talent that may either mature into something in the next 2-3 years or they have to move on from some guys, but I guess they have little payroll and what the heck - if all the other non-Nationals teams in the NL East are going to suck again this year (a distinct possibility), then maybe they figure feasting on those teams and a little luck might give them a shot a the second NL wild card this year....
I think you also have to take into account the whole surrounding "building a winning culture" philosophy aspect, even if they don't actually sneak into a WC spot, and the upside appeal where Philly can be one of the better drawing teams when they give their fans a reason to buy in (it wasn't that long ago they were close to or leading MLB in attendance every year).
 

Gdiguy

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Jul 15, 2005
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San Diego, CA
I think you also have to take into account the whole surrounding "building a winning culture" philosophy aspect, even if they don't actually sneak into a WC spot, and the upside appeal where Philly can be one of the better drawing teams when they give their fans a reason to buy in (it wasn't that long ago they were close to or leading MLB in attendance every year).
It's also a pretty trade-able deal - a team might have 5-6 solid starters now, but if they're in contention in August and lose a starter due to injury, Arrieta on basically a 1.5 year deal (max 2.5 yr) could be very appealing.
 

Yelling At Clouds

Post-darwinian
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Jul 19, 2005
3,407
I'm not sure Altuve is an example of this necessarily, but I have wondered if the chilly market this offseason would get more players to consider extensions with their current teams rather than risking a Moustakas situation.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Jan 23, 2009
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Alex Cobb to the Orioles. One more free agent pitcher off the board that the Red Sox weren't going to sign no matter how much some folks wished for it.