Off-season, non-Twins, baseball news and signings 2021-2022

[Otto von Ballpark]

Brandon Belt was the only player to accept the qualifying offer.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

2 hours ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

Astros re-sign Verlander. 1 year at $25 mil plus a $25 mil player option for a 2nd year.

I guess he must have looked pretty good at his workout the other day.

The Athletic speculates about whether Houston now may be motivated to deal another starter from the back end of their starting pitching depth. Would Odorizzi make sense for the Twins, buying low on a guy they've worked with before?

[Vanimal46]

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Dan Gladden on the radio broadcasts predicted all summer long that Carlos Correa might sign with Detroit. 

The Tigers have already signed Eduardo Rodriguez this offseason.

 

[Mike Sixel]

None of the top MVP vote getters were on playoff teams. Progress.

[Otto von Ballpark]

One common trade target looks to be unavailable, at least for a few months until the Marlins change course again:

Report: Sandy Alcantra, Marlins near 5-yr. extension "north of $55 million"

[nicksaviking]

The Giants are re-signing DeSclafani and Alex Wood. I always assumed the Giants would have first dibs on whichever starters they wanted to re-sign.

But I kind of thought one of them would be Gausman and at least one of the two lesser appreciated starters would be up for grabs. Seems to me either the Giants think they can re-sign all three or Gausman's asking price is going to turn some stomachs.

[tony&rodney]

5 hours ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

One common trade target looks to be unavailable, at least for a few months until the Marlins change course again:

Report: Sandy Alcantra, Marlins near 5-yr. extension "north of $55 million"

Great move by the Marlins - congratulations to them. I wanted Alcantara but was 99+% sure he was unavailable even for Lewis added to three or more additional players; not a fit because he is too good.

[tony&rodney]

15 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

The Giants are re-signing DeSclafani and Alex Wood. I always assumed the Giants would have first dibs on whichever starters they wanted to re-sign.

But I kind of thought one of them would be Gausman and at least one of the two lesser appreciated starters would be up for grabs. Seems to me either the Giants think they can re-sign all three or Gausman's asking price is going to turn some stomachs.

Giants had a good season and want to spend some of that do-re-mi from full stands to show interested in remaining competitive. The relationship in San Francisco is really solid between the organization and their fans.

[nicksaviking]

Pretty crazy that the Rays are seriously talking about a 10 year 200M deal with Wander Franco. 20M per year is typically somewhere between 25% and 40% of their payroll. It's hard not to read more into this. Are they expecting a salary floor and/or greater revenue sharing? Have they given up on the new stadium/relocation so they're done pretending to be poor? Or are they expecting relocation to be in their near future?

[Otto von Ballpark]

20 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Pretty crazy that the Rays are seriously talking about a 10 year 200M deal with Wander Franco. 20M per year is typically somewhere between 25% and 40% of their payroll. It's hard not to read more into this. Are they expecting a salary floor and/or greater revenue sharing? Have they given up on the new stadium/relocation so they're done pretending to be poor? Or are they expecting relocation to be in their near future?

Reports are saying 12 years, $223 million for Franco.

I'm guessing it's fairly backloaded since it includes 3 pre-arb years. And if it doesn't have any no-trade protection, the Rays could easily move it at any time -- Franco is still only 20 years old.

The Rays previously gave Longoria what was essentially a 9 year, $130 mil contract (6/100 extension on top of guaranteeing 3/30 in remaining team options) before the 2013 season, when he was already 27 years old.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Franco's deal is 11 years for $185 mil guaranteed.

 

[Vanimal46]

3 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

Franco's deal is 11 years for $185 mil guaranteed.

I guess we’re going to have to change the script to “What would the Rays do”. They sign generational players to long term deals now. 

[Mike Sixel]

14 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

 

I guess we’re going to have to change the script to “What would the Rays do”. They sign generational players to long term deals now. 

A certain poster must be unsure what to post now......I mean, this team just put more than 20% of its payroll in one player. And signed him to a long term deal. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

White Sox buy another reliever: Kendall Graveman, 3 years, $24 mil.

[big dog]

Steven Matz to the Cardinals, 4 yrs/ $44 million.

[big dog]

16 hours ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

White Sox buy another reliever: Kendall Graveman, 3 years, $24 mil.

Looks like a Kimbrel trade is coming. He was horrible as a set-up guy.

How much longer does the magic pixie dust on Liam Hendricks last?

[nicksaviking]

I never wanted Steven Matz on the Twins. That one I don't mind getting away.

As for Graveman, eh,  relievers are unpredictable by nature, I would never expect him to have similar years back to back.

[Vanimal46]

 

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

 

Yeah, I suppose waiting to extend a guy after four years as opposed to after one year will do that.

I'm jealous either way. I really need the Twins to get themselves one of these young studs.

[Mike Sixel]

On 11/24/2021 at 1:56 PM, nicksaviking said:

Yeah, I suppose waiting to extend a guy after four years as opposed to after one year will do that.

I'm jealous either way. I really need the Twins to get themselves one of these young studs.

Right. That's a lot more free agency to buy out. 

[Rosterman]

Eduardo Escobar signs for two years and $20 million with the Mets. Often felt he was the realiable guy that did get away, and at time wondered how the Twins would've fared with him at third instead of Sano, and even Donaldson now, for a fraction of the price.

 

One of those "maybe too expensive" selloffs, and he felt he was appreciated a tad more in Arizona than Minnesota and resigned right away.

 

I hope he likes New York.

 

 

[Danchat]

 

The Mets are getting their signings in before the lockout begins.... I like this version of the MLB offseason a lot more!

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

And the Mets finished off the day yesterday by signing Starling Marte, 4 years, $78M.

Fun to see a team making such a sudden series of strikes, and none of these 3 guys seemed like particularly strong needs or fits for the Twins (maybe Canha) so it's mostly just fun to observe the burst of action without options getting slimmer.

[tony&rodney]

3 hours ago, whosafraidofluigirussolo said:

none of these 3 guys seemed like particularly strong needs or fits for the Twins

Apparently, no current MLB player is a fit for the Twins. In a startling development, free agents appear to be signing contracts for more than $8 million per year.

Starling Marte is (was) a fantastic fit for the Twins. Canha also, but less so. Pitching is the mantra, but we wait and hope for ???

The initial conservative nature of our Twins roster construction held the budget to $130 million. Some people hoped for a larger budget, possibly $150 million. Although it is early this may have been too high of a limit. Everyone might need to consider a roster construction near $110 million. Trades could still bring in some good players. We may be waiting for several months to see any changes due to the impending CBA closing. Patience is a virtue .... 

[lecroy24fan]

Kluber to the Rays, 1 yr/$8M plus incentives that could get it to $13M.

 

Seems low to me.

[lecroy24fan]

Gausman to the Blue Jays.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

17 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

Gausman to the Blue Jays.

I'm not in the doomsayer camp about the Twins being inactive on the SP market while it's been moving so quickly, but there is starting to be a vibe of getting late early.

The best starters left are Rodón, Stroman, Scherzer, Ray
Other teams clearly looking for a starter include the Angels, Dodgers, Mets; possibly the Giants (especially if either of the reported signings of Wood and Cobb, currently not finalized, don't go through?)

You can see a situation where the Twins get a front-line-ish starter in free agency, but it's going to have to be a decisive and expensive move. One good thing about Gausman's signing (5 years, $110M reported) is that it doesn't outpace the predictions like Semien's contract did.

[Squirrel]

Gray to Rangers ...

 

 

 

[TheLeviathan]

4 years and 56M.  I had him at 15M AAV in my offseason plan, that move could end up looking really good.