2017-18 non-Twins MLB Off-Season Transactions Thread

[Mike Sixel]

  On 1/10/2018 at 4:43 PM, nicksaviking said:

So the Padres snagged Dave Cameron huh? 

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-one-i-never-thought-i-would-write/

 

Sad for Fangraphs, good for Dave. Probably good for the Padres but TBD.

Maybe now we can stop reading how these guys don't know stuff about baseball. And, very sad for us readers

[biggentleben]

 

  On 1/10/2018 at 7:32 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Maybe now we can stop reading how these guys don't know stuff about baseball. And, very sad for us readers

 

Very good for those who have followed, or are attempting to still follow, in the path that Dave led. Both he and John Manuel showed this winter that just because you've spent "significant" time writing, you can still have value to a major league organization, and that's been previously thought to be something that teams would avoid. There are more being heavily recruited right now.

 

It's also interesting that Fangraphs has utilized this departure (and a couple others) as a moment to expand their full-time positions and their coverage. This while other places are cutting writers and having to load their sites with so many ads that content is nearly impossible to find.

[Vanimal46]

  On 1/10/2018 at 4:43 PM, nicksaviking said:

So the Padres snagged Dave Cameron huh?

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-one-i-never-thought-i-would-write/

 

Sad for Fangraphs, good for Dave. Probably good for the Padres but TBD.

Sad news to read. I really enjoyed reading his work... Those are big shoes to fill at Fangraphs.

[biggentleben]

 

  On 1/10/2018 at 11:29 PM, Vanimal46 said:

Sad news to read. I really enjoyed reading his work... Those are big shoes to fill at Fangraphs.

 

One of the most genuine in the business, and he's one that as you get to know him and his writing more, you see that he's really not "hating" on anyone at all, but he's simply looking for things that others might miss, and sometimes that exposes an underbelly we had hoped would remain unchecked!

 

I do think it's wise to have filled the staff with multiple people to replace him, though the managing editor position will be intriguing to see how that is handled.

[drjim]

  On 1/11/2018 at 5:04 AM, biggentleben said:

One of the most genuine in the business, and he's one that as you get to know him and his writing more, you see that he's really not "hating" on anyone at all, but he's simply looking for things that others might miss, and sometimes that exposes an underbelly we had hoped would remain unchecked!

 

I do think it's wise to have filled the staff with multiple people to replace him, though the managing editor position will be intriguing to see how that is handled.

Does anyone *actually* believe that national writers are hating on their team specifically or don't know anything about baseball?

[Mike Sixel]

  On 1/11/2018 at 1:15 PM, drjim said:

Does anyone *actually* believe that national writers are hating on their team specifically or don't know anything about baseball?

Given what I read here and Twitter, yes.

[drjim]

 

  On 1/11/2018 at 6:13 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Given what I read here and Twitter, yes.

 

I mean, nothing is 100 or 0%, and there are always a handful of rubes, but I can't believe any halfway informed baseball follower would really think this. Always struck me as more of a running joke.

[drjim]

All that said, this move surprises me same way that the Manuel move did. I applaud Cameron for making the move and accepting the challenge, but it is such a significant shift from what he has done so well for so long.

 

There is a really good Effectively Wild podcast with Ben Lindbergh interviewing him on the change.

[Vanimal46]

Josh Donaldson avoids arbitration and re-signs for $23 million with the Blue Jays. 

[gunnarthor]

 

  On 1/12/2018 at 5:12 PM, Vanimal46 said:

Josh Donaldson avoids arbitration and re-signs for $23 million with the Blue Jays. 

Man, salaries are increasing. Machado and Orioles aren't going to reach an agreement either so he could, if he wins, push salaries higher for guys like Buxton down the road.

[TheLeviathan]

 

  On 1/10/2018 at 7:32 PM, Mike Sixel said:

Maybe now we can stop reading how these guys don't know stuff about baseball. And, very sad for us readers

 

It is sad, I enjoy Dave Cameron.  But I'm not sure the criticism is that Dave Cameron doesn't know baseball, I think the criticism is more of the inflated pedestal we sometimes put people in his line of work on.  Dave Cameron knows a lot (and a lot more than me) but perhaps not as much as people think.  

[Squirrel]

Andrew McCutchen and cash considerations to the Giants for Bryan Reynolds (OF), Kyle Crick (RHP) and Internat’l bonus pool money.

[bird]

 

  On 1/15/2018 at 11:49 PM, Carole Keller said:

Andrew McCutchen and cash considerations to the Giants for Bryan Reynolds (OF), Kyle Crick (RHP) and Internat’l bonus pool money.

 

Interesting. I think Kiriloff and Kohl Stewart would be a slight upgrade as an offer. Krick was a former hotshot pitching prospect who faltered and has languished in AA now for three years, now a bullpen arm who gets a C grade from Sickles. Maybe more Dietrich Enns than Kohl Stewart? Reynolds gets a B/B- grade from sickles, same as Kiriloff, whose grade deflates as a result of his injury layoff.

 

We'll see, but I like the Giant's side of this one right now.

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Keep in mind McCutchen is a shell of his former self too. Below replacement level in 2016, did rebound to 2.5 bWAR in 2017. Probably should be a corner player now? This is his last year under contract too, and it's not clear they could get much of a comp pick for him anymore either. They tried to deal him this past summer so presumably they know the market, not sure if holding onto him for a deadline deal was a good alternative.

[drjim]

I kind of like what the Giants are doing. They are pretty limited in young guys and up against it in payroll, so worth a shot to squeeze out some value out of some vets while they still have Posey amd Bumgarner at a high level and some other decent pieces.

 

I doubt health holds out, and it is a really high beta strategy, but it's this or blow it all up.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Yeah, this is definitely good for the Giants. They need some health and bouncebacks, but none are too far in the rearview mirror. Makes absolute sense for them to add Longoria and McCutchen.

[yarnivek1972]

Brian Duensing resigns with Cubs. The one that got away? Just let him walk for nothing. He probably has 5 plus good years in a role every team needs.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

  On 1/17/2018 at 7:00 PM, yarnivek1972 said:

He probably has 5 plus good years in a role every team needs.

Low leverage short reliever? Or trade sweetener?

[drjim]

  On 1/17/2018 at 7:43 PM, spycake said:

Low leverage short reliever? Or trade sweetener?

Lots of trade capital squandered when the Twins let Duensing go, not to mention Adam Brett Walker.

[big dog]

 

  On 1/17/2018 at 8:50 PM, drjim said:

Lots of trade capital squandered when the Twins let Duensing go, not to mention Adam Brett Walker.

and now, after the Brewers/Orioles/Braves/Orioles/Reds systems, Walker is a free agent again.  I sure hope he gets to the majors with someone someday.

[TheLeviathan]

I'm starting to think owners and players are colluding.  If nothing happens in the next two weeks things are going to get really interesting.

[gunnarthor]

 

  On 1/18/2018 at 6:31 PM, TheLeviathan said:

I'm starting to think owners and players are colluding.  If nothing happens in the next two weeks things are going to get really interesting.

I think the owners are colluding. Probably not the players though ...

[Vanimal46]

 

  On 1/18/2018 at 7:34 PM, gunnarthor said:

I think the owners are colluding. Probably not the players though ...

 

We'll never know for sure but it would be interesting if someone investigated. I would imagine there's pressure from the MLBPA and players themselves to hold out for more money. Perhaps Lynn and Cobb already were offered ~3/36 and they're getting pressured to hold out for 3/42 or something. 

[TheLeviathan]

  On 1/18/2018 at 7:34 PM, gunnarthor said:

I think the owners are colluding. Probably not the players though ...

I think owner collusion is near certain...but i am warming to the idea the players are as well as a reaction.

 

I think we see a major free agent sit out part of the year.

[old nurse]

With the back end of contracts being so worthless eating money it is now collusion that teams do not want to give them out?  Martinez was reported as wanting a 7 year contract.  5/100 is a lot different than what he was looking for.

[ashbury]

The collusion of the 1980s was pretty cut-and-dried. Some good-to-great players simply weren't getting offers, unless the current team put out the word that they were no longer interested in their player. The Commissioner was actively involved in scrutinizing long-term contracts. After that got exposed, the teams adopted a strategy of keeping a database of who they were making offers to - which likewise was a transparent attempt to rig the market.

 

The case this off-season looks much harder to prove, or even define. Players are getting offers, just not always ones to their liking. Truly free markets go through "boom and bust" cycles - indeed one might argue that the freer the market the worse the bubbles and subsequent corrections - and sabrmetric analysis has led teams to a more co-aligned "rational market", so I'm not at this point convinced there is wrongdoing. But I have an open mind because time will be needed, for instance to know whether average salaries actually go down despite healthy revenues.

[Mike Sixel]

It appears the Brewers are acquiring yelich. Good for them

[Riverbrian]

 

  On 1/25/2018 at 11:13 PM, Mike Sixel said:

It appears the Brewers are acquiring yelich. Good for them

 

It's going to be hard to not like the Brewers. I'll keep trying but that young GM is doing a helluva job acquiring assets. 

 

The team is an amazing combination of Youth, Speed and Power. 

 

They had a full OF of Major League Talent and Tantalizing Prospects and it didn't stop them from upgrading at the position. And they still are talking about adding Cain. 

 

Acquire your assets... keep acquiring assets... don't worry about log jams... hope for log jams. 

 

The Brewers are clearly on the rise. 

 

It's gonna be hard to not like them.  

 

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Hello? Twins?

 

*tap*tap*

 

this thing on?

[tvagle]

And now LoCain joins the Brew Crew...what's next Archer, Arrieta and Darvish?