2014-2015 MLB off season player movement and rumors thread

[LittleHurt05]

Donaldson has one more year of team control left than Lawrie does. I just don't get it

[iamshack]

Hah, I love Billy Beane.

 

This is the exact type of trade everyone was telling us you don't do the other day.

 

It's obviously a gamble on Lawrie's health, but let's see what else gets done.

[southsider2k5]

MLB ‏@MLB 9m9 minutes ago

 

.@Dodgers, @Orioles reportedly discussing a Matt Kemp deal: http://atmlb.com/1v7TasX #HotStove

 

[southsider2k5]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/11/davi...ors-sunday.html

 

David Robertson Rumors: Sunday

By Edward Creech [November 30, 2014 at 2:00pm CST]

 

Earlier today, we learned an AL East GM wonders whether the Yankees, instead of trying to re-sign David Robertson, may opt to pursue Andrew Miller to form a lefty-righty closer tandem with Dellin Betances. Here’s the latest on Robertson, the top free agent reliever:

 

A baseball executive has told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com Robertson is said to have already received a three-year, $39MM offer making a four-year contract likely. Robertson reportedly is seeking a four-year deal in the neighborhood of $50MM.

Heyman reports the Yankees prefer not to go four years on Robertson, but may be forced to do so to keep up with the big acquisitions made by division rivals the Red Sox and Blue Jays.

[southsider2k5]

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS 2h2 hours ago

 

indians, royals, rangers taking a look at kendrys morales. mariners, jays among other possibilities.

rangers, orioles, mariners, twins, royals (giants have also called) among teams in on torii hunter

[Eminor3rd]

Nelson Cruz to Seattle, 4/$57m, via Enrique Rojas of ESPN

[Jake]

Nelson Cruz to Seattle, 4/$57m, via Enrique Rojas of ESPN

 

He's exactly what they've been looking for. It's a longer term than they probably wanted, but total $$ isn't insane. Good deal.

[southsider2k5]

Chris Cotillo ‏@ChrisCotillo 1h1 hour ago

 

#Pirates acquired Sean Rodriguez from the #Rays in exchange for a player to be named later and cash.

 

Jerry Crasnick ‏@jcrasnick 1h1 hour ago

 

Gaby Sanchez hit 19 HRs and was an All-Star with #marlins in 2011. Today he got DFA'd by #pirates to make room for Sean Rodriguez.

[southsider2k5]

Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN 4h4 hours ago

 

The Giants are meeting with Jon Lester today.

[Chisoxfn]

He's exactly what they've been looking for. It's a longer term than they probably wanted, but total $$ isn't insane. Good deal.

Yeah, I was pretty intrigued at that signing. If you could have gotten him for 3 years with a little more AAV, it would have been preferred. The dude has raked the past few years and a power bat like that is hard to come by. Obviously you have the steroid issue looming over him and he isn't a high OBP guy but it still isn't a pathetic OBP by any stretch of the imagination. Presume he won't be hitting 40 hr's in Seattle though.

[southsider2k5]

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS 47m47 minutes ago

 

off big stanton deal, marlins make offers to fernandez, 3 other young stars. it's 6-yr bid for jose. http://cbsprt.co/1pIajZB

[thxfrthmmrs]

I don't know about the Cruz deal. For a 2 year deal? Sure, but 4 years is too much of a commitment for a 34 year old player who eclipsed his previous year's HR total by 13.

 

People say VMart is dued to regress because he put up career numbers at age 35, but I'd be more worried about Cruz. Bat speed is the first thing that goes away for aging players. There's a chance he puts up a lower OPS than Dunn out in Safeco, or in today's lingo, a similar wRC+.

[southsider2k5]

MLB ‏@MLB 4m4 minutes ago

 

.@Marlins reportedly offer Jose Fernandez a 6-year, $40 million deal. http://atmlb.com/1twa9km Club has not confirmed. #HotStove

 

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 6m6 minutes ago

 

Source: #Marlins indeed offered J. Fernandez nearly $40M for 6 guaranteed years, as @JonHeymanCBS said. Deal also includes 2 club options.

[Kyyle23]

I don't know about the Cruz deal. For a 2 year deal? Sure, but 4 years is too much of a commitment for a 34 year old player who eclipsed his previous year's HR total by 13.

 

People say VMart is dued to regress because he put up career numbers at age 35, but I'd be more worried about Cruz. Bat speed is the first thing that goes away for aging players. There's a chance he puts up a lower OPS than Dunn out in Safeco, or in today's lingo, a similar wRC+.

 

Well, didnt he miss 50 games the previous year due to a PED suspension?

[witesoxfan]

I don't know about the Cruz deal. For a 2 year deal? Sure, but 4 years is too much of a commitment for a 34 year old player who eclipsed his previous year's HR total by 13.

 

People say VMart is dued to regress because he put up career numbers at age 35, but I'd be more worried about Cruz. Bat speed is the first thing that goes away for aging players. There's a chance he puts up a lower OPS than Dunn out in Safeco, or in today's lingo, a similar wRC+.

 

I agree, but I think he should be fine for the first two years and good enough, especially against lefties, the last two to find some value out of it.

 

It's not my favorite deal, but the Mariners have opened the window and want to win before it closes again, so this move makes sense in that light. We'll see what they look like in 2017, but my guess is that it'll be a bit uglier at that point.

[Dick Allen]

When Nelson Cruz was Tank's age, he was pretty turrble.

[Rowand44]

When Nelson Cruz was Tank's age, he was pretty turrble.

Well lets get Tank some roids than.

[thxfrthmmrs]

Well, didnt he miss 50 games the previous year due to a PED suspension?

 

After examining his ISO+ over the past few years, it seems his source of power has been pretty consistent. But he's still a power only dude who doesn't get on base much. At the end of the day, when the bat speed goes away in 2 years, he will provide little to no value for the team.

[witesoxfan]

When Nelson Cruz was Tank's age, he was pretty turrble.

 

Hopefully, if they stick with him, this ends up a fair comparison.

 

I know the Sox like to challenge their prospects and they have their reasons for doing so, but a lot of times they do end up rushing these guys and it's hard for them to recover. When Beckham struggled in year 2, I think they could have easily justified sending him down to work on some things. Same thing with Viciedo now. When you're going to be paying him $4 mill, how can you justify sending him to the minors?

 

I have always liked Viciedo despite the numbers, but he's between a rock and a hard place right now.

[LDF]

Hopefully, if they stick with him, this ends up a fair comparison.

 

I know the Sox like to challenge their prospects and they have their reasons for doing so, but a lot of times they do end up rushing these guys and it's hard for them to recover. When Beckham struggled in year 2, I think they could have easily justified sending him down to work on some things. Same thing with Viciedo now. When you're going to be paying him $4 mill, how can you justify sending him to the minors?

 

I have always liked Viciedo despite the numbers, but he's between a rock and a hard place right now.

 

man you are going on a ledge here. i will give you credit when i see that most have

given up on him, including me. I, for the sake of the Sox hope you are right.

[caulfield12]

I'd rather give Viciedo $4 million for 2015 than Nelson Cruz that crazy amount of money for four years.

 

If nothing else, it makes it more and more likely that Saunders is gone, but I doubt 1) the M's plan to play Cruz full-time in the OF anymore OR 2) Saunders was still perceived to be a starter anyway, even without this deal.

 

 

http://www.ussmariner.com/2014/12/01/a-luk...n-cruz-signing/

Good reading on the move by a Mariners blogger.

 

Interesting very last column line...about not forcing Cruz into the OF and moving Saunders for peanuts.

 

 

LOL. Of course they had to overpay, "this is southeast Alaska" we're talking about here! That's funny.

Edited December 2, 2014 by caulfield12

[Rowand44]

I'd rather give Viciedo $4 million for 2015 than Nelson Cruz that crazy amount of money for four years.

 

If nothing else, it makes it more and more likely that Saunders is gone, but I doubt 1) the M's plan to play Cruz full-time in the OF anymore OR 2) Saunders was still perceived to be a starter anyway, even without this deal.

How is that a crazy amount of money in today's market?

[caulfield12]

How is that a crazy amount of money in today's market?

 

It's crazy based on his decline in the 2nd half of 2014, the PEDs, the fact that he's essentially a DH but much older than Adam Dunn was when he signed a similar deal with the White Sox. Just like giving Victor Martinez four years was crazy, I'd say the same here for Cruz. Most fans would have preferred three, if not two.

 

It would be interesting to stat track all of his Baltimore homers and see how many of those would have made it out at Safeco.

 

We'll find out soon enough.

 

 

I guess this also would make it less likely that the M's would also want Viciedo in exchange for Saunders, but who knows in the end?

 

Both players undoubtedly need a change of scenery to give new energy to their careers.

Edited December 2, 2014 by caulfield12

[flavum]

Angels not expected to tender Gordon Beckham a contract.

 

http://aldengonzalez.mlblogs.com/2014/12/0...e-non-tendered/

 

I wonder if this move impacts the Sox compensation in any way. Seems like a ridiculous amount of time to complete the trade.

[LittleHurt05]

I agree, but I think he should be fine for the first two years and good enough, especially against lefties, the last two to find some value out of it.

 

It's not my favorite deal, but the Mariners have opened the window and want to win before it closes again, so this move makes sense in that light. We'll see what they look like in 2017, but my guess is that it'll be a bit uglier at that point.

 

If there is any team for whom I think it makes sense to go "all-in" and risk some awful contracts, it's the Mariners. The past has shown that they can have a great, supportive fanbase, but their two next-door neighbors have taken away all the excitement and pub from them. They have a top-5 pitcher in the league and you don't want to waste him before something goes wrong. Plus, I know their owners can afford it. So I can understand the Cano & Cruz deals for them.