2018 MLB Thread

[DMN in the House]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dodgers/comments/a6a1k8/listing_to_local_570_la_there_saying_bryce_is/

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dodgers/comments/a68exx/this_guy_is_plugged_in/

 

First one is the Reddit thread about LA sports talk radio talking about it, sourcing a Reddit user. The second link is the r/dodgers thread crossposting the source from the radio reports. Source has reportedly been accurate on Angels stuff in the past, so who knows.

EDIT: *shrug* It's all pretty nebulous.

Edited December 15, 2018 by DMN

[ThrillhouseMAX]

Wilson Ramos to the Mets, pending physical

[The Buscher]

I love it, only a 2-year deal as well.  Grandal is better but would’ve been far more expensive and Maldonado would’ve made the lineup substantially worse.

Best of all, I’m so glad BVW didn’t get duped into doing something dumb for Realmuto.

[ThrillhouseMAX]

Michael Brantley is signing with the Astros

[Meacon Keaton]

The Twins are going to retire Mauer’s #7 so that’s pretty neat.

[ThrillhouseMAX]

The Astros are going after Nelson Cruz. That offense is going to be dangerous.

[ThrillhouseMAX]

The Angels signed Matt Harvey, and I think they overpaid. 1 year, $11 million

[Meacon Keaton]

In baseball, there's really no such thing as a one year overpay. I know what you mean. There's no way he's worth $11 million a year. Just like Lance Lynn isn't worth $10 million a year and Andrew McCutchen isn't worth $17 million a year. But at least the Angels only gave him a one year deal and won't be paying him in 2020 like the other two contracts I mentioned.  

[gunnar hendershow]

The worst case with a one-year deal is he's off your books after a bad year, the next worst case is your team stinks but he's good so you can trade him for assets, the best case is he's good enough to anchor your rotation and get a team with Mike Trout into the playoffs.

I'm a huge fan of rebuilding teams just cleaning up with one-year or two-year deals for veterans solely so they have something to flip to continue adding depth at the minor league level.

[The Buscher]

MLB and the Cuban Baseball Federation have reached agreement on a posting system.  If it passes (still needs to clear Trump hurdles if he tries to roll back US/Cuba relations again), Cuban players will no longer have to defect to play in MLB.

[Gabriel]

12 minutes ago, damsher hatfield said:

The worst case with a one-year deal is he's off your books after a bad year, the next worst case is your team stinks but he's good so you can trade him for assets, the best case is he's good enough to anchor your rotation and get a team with Mike Trout into the playoffs.

I'm a huge fan of rebuilding teams just cleaning up with one-year or two-year deals for veterans solely so they have something to flip to continue adding depth at the minor league level.

100% this.

There are usually some quality free agents that get overlooked by teams because they don't want to commit term to a guy who had a rough year, or missed a lot of the season, or is on the wrong side of 30, or whatever other reason there is.

Just look at what the Jays did last off-season with their bullpen signings. Those signings that worked out, turned into good prospects, while giving those players more rope in the majors and with better teams now.

Sometimes you'll find someone like Seung Hwan Oh, who can come in on a one year deal, perform, raise their stock and help the team out by improving the prospect pool while being traded to a contending team.

[DMN in the House]

3 hours ago, Gabriel said:

100% this.

There are usually some quality free agents that get overlooked by teams because they don't want to commit term to a guy who had a rough year, or missed a lot of the season, or is on the wrong side of 30, or whatever other reason there is.

Just look at what the Jays did last off-season with their bullpen signings. Those signings that worked out, turned into good prospects, while giving those players more rope in the majors and with better teams now.

Sometimes you'll find someone like Seung Hwan Oh, who can come in on a one year deal, perform, raise their stock and help the team out by improving the prospect pool while being traded to a contending team.

It's a nice baseball spin on the NFL's one year 'Prove It' deals.

[ThrillhouseMAX]

Daniel Murphy is signing with the Rockies. I think he'll hit very well out there. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Andrew Miller to the Cards.

Jurickson Profar to the A's in a 3 team trade. Trade also involves the Rays. 

[Meacon Keaton]

So many Philly fans are taking pride in the fact that the Phils are expected to “outbid” the Yankees for Machado, despite the fact Cashman has been adamant they don’t intend to go higher than 10-years $300 million. 

[Meacon Keaton]

Sounds like a deal is near done that’ll send Kemp, Puig, and Alex Wood to Cincy in return for Homer Bailey, “prospects”, and perhaps some international signing money.

[ThrillhouseMAX]

That's big. And I wonder if that opens up enough room for LA to try and take Harper

[Gabriel]

The Blue Jays signed Eric Sogard to a minor league contract today, with an invite to spring training. Dude hit less than .200 last season, but his time in Oakland was pretty solid. At best, he bounces back and platoons in the infield with our younger guys... or stays on in Buffalo as an insurance piece if he's performing well enough... at worst, he looks like the Sogard of last season, the team and player cut ties and life goes on.

I'm not a huge fan of the move, simply because of the logjam in the infield already, but it may have been done with the knowledge that someone might be heading out, so I'll wait and see on this one. I am not upset by the move though, because it's never a bad idea to have disposable veterans around to really push your young guys to win jobs. I don't think anyone should ever go into Spring Training knowing that they'll be on the 25 man roster for Opening Day. I really feel like it needs to be earned, especially with younger players. Moves like this will help to accomplish that, but I'm calling it now... Sogard is NOT a Blue Jay at the end of the season. Whether he gets released or traded will depend on his performance and what other teams need, but I don't think he sticks around.

[DMN in the House]

2 hours ago, Meacon said:

Sounds like a deal is near done that’ll send Kemp, Puig, and Alex Wood to Cincy in return for Homer Bailey, “prospects”, and perhaps some international signing money.

 

2 hours ago, El TiBear Jew said:

That's big. And I wonder if that opens up enough room for LA to try and take Harper

Word is they're cutting Bailey, so I'm pretty sure that's the reason. I don't see them making this move unless they're pretty sure Harper is gonna sign.

[GhostMachine]

The Mets' GM said they should be the favorites to win the NL East next season. 

Every team in that division not named the Miami Marlins is going to be better than the Mets. They're on the right track, but unless they can manage to keep players healthy and provide more run support for their pitchers, they're not even going to sniff the playoffs, let alone make them any time soon. (I think they'll be good by 2021, barring any major disasters.)