Off Season Blockbusters!

[Edwards Kings]

Yeah...that is what I want...a first baseman in Coors that can hit 20 HR in a good year (i.e. average-ish power, poor contact rate) who made his bones last year on a 35% hit rate...oh, and lock him in for five years at $14M a year.

What could go wrong? While the iron is hot, maybe the Braves can trade them Bartolo and an order of cold fries for Arrenado.

Did not see this coming....

Coors will boost Desmond's production. Hell, Bartolo could hit 5 dingers there.

Normally I would agree, but Coors helps flyballs get over the fence, not ground balls jump them (Desmonds FB rate has averaged 30% the last three years while his GB rate is 52%). Anything can happen, but I have trouble seeing it.

But thanks for making my case for Barto! Arrenado...Welcome to Atlanta!

[Yah Mule]

Adam Eaton is worth how much?

https://twitter.com/Jason1Goff/status/8 ... 9008594948

[Bronx Yankees]

Adam Eaton is worth how much?

https://twitter.com/Jason1Goff/status/8 ... 9008594948

Adam Eaton AND his team-friendly contract, I guess. I think - rightly or wrongly - a lot of shine has come off Giolito.

I posted a short time ago that I didn't think the White Sox necessarily should sell-off their pieces and rebuild. But, having made that decision, they seem to be doing a helluva good job so far in terms of stockpiling young talent.

Mike

[Yah Mule]

The Padres once turned Adam Eaton into Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young and the immortal Termell Sledge. The Rangers also got the final 92 innings of Akinori Otsuka's career in that deal. Not the most auspicious start to Jon Daniels career as GM.

[Bronx Yankees]

And Chapman to the Yankees. I'm obviously a Yankees fan but I'm not sure about this one. Seems to me they are paying a lot of money for a closer when they already have Betances who has the tools to be an elite closer. I mean Chapman is a step up, and Betances will make a great set-up guy, but is this their biggest need? Will have to ponder this one a little more.

Mike

[Edwards Kings]

And Chapman to the Yankees. I'm obviously a Yankees fan but I'm not sure about this one. Seems to me they are paying a lot of money for a closer when they already have Betances who has the tools to be an elite closer. I mean Chapman is a step up, and Betances will make a great set-up guy, but is this their biggest need? Will have to ponder this one a little more.

Mike

It is a lot of money. But with the trend towards the mulit-inning shut-down reliever, the Yankees have both a multi-inning guy and the shut-down closer to boot. Gonna be tough to eek out a one or two run rally after the sixth inning in a close game against the Yankees this year. Again. Oh, and there is that Clippard guy...taking a strength and making it stronger.

Might not be a bad strategy.

[Bronx Yankees]

And Chapman to the Yankees. I'm obviously a Yankees fan but I'm not sure about this one. Seems to me they are paying a lot of money for a closer when they already have Betances who has the tools to be an elite closer. I mean Chapman is a step up, and Betances will make a great set-up guy, but is this their biggest need? Will have to ponder this one a little more.

Mike

It is a lot of money. But with the trend towards the mulit-inning shut-down reliever, the Yankees have both a multi-inning guy and the shut-down closer to boot. Gonna be tough to eek out a one or two run rally after the sixth inning in a close game against the Yankees this year. Again. Oh, and there is that Clippard guy...taking a strength and making it stronger.

Might not be a bad strategy.

Wayne - I agree. I'm coming around on this signing, although it still is a lot of money. (But, then again, the Tigers gave Mike Pelfrey $16 million over two years, so maybe this isn't so bad.) The Yankees are a long way away from assembling a top-tier starting rotation, and so perhaps the best way to win games is to shorten them. Takes some of the pressure off the starting pitchers (which is good because none of the guys on the staff go deep in games). Seems like the Marlins have the same idea as they attempt to reassemble a starting staff; will be interesting to see if they really can beat out the other teams for Kenley.

Mike

[Edwards Kings]

Good year to be a FA closer...and what will the White Sox get for Robertson from the Dodgers once Kenley is off the boards (if he goes to the Marlins)?

[headhunters]

the dodgers seem to only want to spend $ on Cubans. they would have been much better off without the likes of guerro and puig and much better off with the likes of jansan and turner. the trend I see is that most teams that have won in the past are seeing the market overvalue potential and undervalue current production. the cubs won the world series mostly because of great trades and free agents than with their great drafts. theo is selling off those drafts. and ya- he screwed up big time with heyward. kris Bryant is the one guy that is great. BTW- top 10 from the 2013 draft: appel ( by those geniuses on the Astros) Bryant gray stewart frazier moran ball dozier meadows and bickford. other than Bryant and to a MUCH lesser extent gray- none of those guys have done anything and most won't ever be much. I love when people talk about prospects and draft picks and never mention how great the failure rate. the rockies gave up pick 11? hell teams can't even hit with a top ten. it is a crap shoot. and as the Astros proved with appel- you can miss with the 1st pick.

[Yah Mule]

the dodgers seem to only want to spend $ on Cubans. they would have been much better off without the likes of guerro and puig and much better off with the likes of jansan and turner. the trend I see is that most teams that have won in the past are seeing the market overvalue potential and undervalue current production. the cubs won the world series mostly because of great trades and free agents than with their great drafts. theo is selling off those drafts. and ya- he screwed up big time with heyward. kris Bryant is the one guy that is great. BTW- top 10 from the 2013 draft: appel ( by those geniuses on the Astros) Bryant gray stewart frazier moran ball dozier meadows and bickford. other than Bryant and to a MUCH lesser extent gray- none of those guys have done anything and most won't ever be much. I love when people talk about prospects and draft picks and never mention how great the failure rate. the rockies gave up pick 11? hell teams can't even hit with a top ten. it is a crap shoot. and as the Astros proved with appel- you can miss with the 1st pick.

The Rockies gave up the 11th pick to overpay a declining 31 year old player at a position that wastes his defensive abilities. Just as mindless as their decision to give journeyman Gerardo Parra almost $30 million when they already had three lefthanded hitting corner OF on the roster. There rarely seems to be anything resembling a plan.

Since we're cherry picking. Over the last 13 years, here are some of the guys who were selected with the 11th pick:
Addison Russell
George Springer
Max Scherzer
Andrew McCutchen
Neil Walker

I know right away I would strongly prefer four of these players to Ian Desmond and the other one's a push.

The Cubs have also signed their share of Cuban players: Soler, Armando Rivero, Eddy Martinez. The Cubs were so active in the previous IFA signing period, they're restricted in their international signings for two years.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/draft ... erall_pick

[Yah Mule]

Deep pocket teams like the Dodgers and Cubs have advantages that extend beyond their payroll. They give them extra trade capital which equals increased roster flexibility. The Dodgers outbid other clubs in their division to sign Hector Olivera (which did them a favor as it turns out) and then flipped him in a three team trade. They'll likely add a piece to their roster in exchange for Yasiel Puig sooner or later. The Cubs can transition from Aroldis Chapman to Wade Davis by sending away Jorge Soler and his large contract and perpetually tight quadriceps muscles. It's a pretty nice deal. You give an expensive import a tryout, if he isn't quite what you expected, you trade him and - if you're the Dodgers - you eat the remaining $28 million.

[headhunters]

yah mule- we will just have to disagree. 4-13 is actually pretty good. but- the diamondbacks then traded max for edwin jackson abd ian kennedy- and instantly got worse- so that draft pick made them worse. the great billy bean traded russell ( his 1101 st trade since taking the helm in oakland) to the cubs. so now it is 2-13. we also will have to disagree on desmond. i don't think he plays 1st for the rockies- but he is a piece. when "smart' teams get pieces- they are praised- like bean getting hammel and the alphabet. when "dumb' teams do it they are slammed. i looked at about 8 drafts- i didn't cherry pick that one- but i did notice the draft sale was in seems like a super draft with a hit rate of about 30-40%. the other thing i am getting more and more suspect of is WAR as in relates to outfield defense. it seems to be flawed as it relates to center field. it seems that when you move a guy out of center field his war often skyrockets if moved to right. i could go on- but he is the same player. center field is just harder- and more important- and it isn't accounted for. the draft is a crap shoot. trout went 25th i believe- 25th. he might end up as the greatest player of all time.

[Edwards Kings]

And then depression set in...

After so much activity, post the Dexter Fowler signing, we get....

Astros signed INF Reid Brignac to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
The 30-year-old spent the 2016 season in the Braves' organization, slashing .264/.361/.394 with eight homers and 42 RBI in 102 games at Triple-A Gwinnett. He'll add organizational depth to the Astros but is a long shot to crack the Opening Day roster in a reserve role.

or

Braves re-signed 2B/OF Emilio Bonifacio to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
Bonifacio returns to the Braves after getting a brief shot with them in 2016, when he hit just .211/.268/.211 over 43 plate appearances. He'll compete for a utility job.

or

LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Jared Burton wants to return to the majors in 2017.
Burton didn't pitch in 2016 after being suspended 50 games last January for a second positive test for a drug of abuse. He'll have to settle for a minor league contract, as there doesn't figure to be much of a market for a 35-year-old who hasn't pitched well in the majors since 2013.

jonesing bad....