Here’s the latest from around the American League…
- Money could prevent a reunion between Rajai Davis and the Indians, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. The Tribe would like to bring back the veteran outfielder, though there isn’t any payroll space after Cleveland went above and beyond their financial comfort zone to land Edwin Encarnacion. Pluto thinks Davis could only come back to the Tribe if he fails to drum up enough interest from other teams, though that seems unlikely given his still-excellent baserunning. It’s worth noting that the Orioles are the only team known to have interest in Davis’ services this winter, so if his market continues to be quiet, it wouldn’t seem to be out of the question that Davis returns to Cleveland next year.
- In a recent piece about the Blue Jays and Jose Bautista, Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star cites Brett Gardner as one of multiple “trade avenues to explore” for the Jays before they would considering re-signing Bautista. The Yankees are known to have received some interest in Gardner this winter, and this is the first time Toronto has been linked to the veteran, though Griffin’s comment could imply more a due-diligence type of a check-in on the Blue Jays’ part rather than a solid interest. Gardner’s overall hitting numbers declined in 2016, though he still checks a lot of boxes for the Jays as a good on-base threat and leadoff man, a left-handed hitter and an excellent baserunner and defensive left fielder. The 33-year-old is owed $25MM in guaranteed salary over the next two seasons. A complicating factor, of course, could be the fact that the two teams are division rivals — the Blue Jays and Yankees haven’t collaborated on a trade since 2002.
- The Twins have some leverage in shopping Brian Dozier since, as the slugging second baseman is under contract for two more affordable years, Minnesota can simply keep Dozier in the fold if it can’t find an acceptable trade offer for him this winter. In his latest subscription-only column, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney warns that waiting to find a perfect deal for Dozier is something of a risk for the Twins, as Dozier’s value may never be higher than it is right now. Dozier is prone to extended slumps (he hit very poorly in the last two months of the 2015 season and in the first two months of the 2016 season) that could lower his trade value if he gets off to another slow start.
- Also from Olney, he opines that “it seems inevitable” that the Red Sox will be looking for (ironically) a Clay Buchholz-like pitcher in trade talks, if not necessarily re-acquiring Buchholz himself from the Phillies. Boston dealt Buchholz two weeks ago in order to get his salary off the books for luxury tax purposes and to alleviate a seeming rotation surplus. With Eduardo Rodriguez suffering another (apparently minor) injury to his surgically-repaired right knee and Steven Wright and Drew Pomeranz also carrying injury concerns from last year, there are certainly some questions about the last two spots in the Red Sox rotation.
Base running for the Indians was a strength last year. I dont see them as efficient this next year and wonder how this will impact their totals wins.
I’m not sure where Davis would fit in the Cleveland outfield this season. Brantley/Chisenhall/Naquin/Almonte/Guyer seems crowded already.
Brantley isn’t a sure thing to return next season. There are reports that his shoulder issues are chronic and he has a degenerative issue there as well….that does not sound all that promising. I hope he is back, especially with how good a hitter he is, but they cannot count on him being the Michael Brantley we remember. Davis would be a great addition and would platoon in CF and LF like he did last year with Naquin and Almonte, with Chisenhall and Guyer holding down RF.
I think eddys power numbers and Brantley being back healthy will double the wins they won because of baserunning last year. So I wouldn’t worry about losing Davis lol
Yes I agree but besides the 40 SB Davis and Napoli were excellent base runners often taking extra bases. I hope that this continues because the offense, even with EE, will benefit. We can afford station-to-station like the orioles do.
I mean between lindor, Brantley, kipnis, and Ramirez stolen bases will happen. Think all four are 20 SB threats. Brantley and lindor will get 10-15 tho
That’s assuming that Brantley is able to play and that Ramirez can sustain his OB success from this past season.
I’m pretty sure the Red Sox can find someone in AAA that can replace Buchholz at the ML minimum. I mean your basically just looking for a guy who can go out and throw five innings per start and keep his era at or below five. You’re not aiming high when looking to duplicate Buchholz’s production.
Yea pretty weird statement there. The injury doesn’t look bad. We have three horses, and three other good pitchers.We have three starters at triple A who could spot start.
Your comment makes no sense from any perspective . ‘… basically looking for a guy that can can throw 5 innings per start and keep era below 5…’
– you Red Sox fans would accept ‘any’ starter with a 5.00 era? No chance. You guys (rightfully) rip starters with a 4.60 era..
– ‘pretty sure you could find someone in AAA (to do the above)’ is exactly how you ruin talent… combine that to what the Boston fans and writers would (rightfully) do to a starter would couldn’t keep and era below 4.50
Good luck with your plan…
I believe he’s talking about a few spots starts not for a full season. So starts from someone other than the current six.
You’re not ruining someone of great value not someone you have high hopes such as groome.
Sorry … (in my mind) that was not clear.. thx for the clarification
For the periodic ‘6th starter’ (3-4 times during the year), there is also the option of ‘bullpen day’, where together you should be able to expect a 3-4 collective era…
(I just don’t like the idea of wasting innings even at the (developmental) AAA level, let alone MLB level).
Thx again for the clarification.
Henry Owens and Brian Johnson can both fill in for a combined 10-15 starts on the season. I’m sure they could also pick up a veteran 4A type to help out. As long as Farrell doesn’t decide to use any of his starters to run the bases again we should be all set.
Yes… knowing this is a 6th starter discussion, I agree, there are many options (not necessarily MLB min options though).
Here is another angle. I suspect this discussion (I guess really the ‘dump Buchholtz salary’) might be showing us the compounded value of Chris sale … the $12mm (’17), $12.5mm (’18) and $13.5mm (’19) contract ..
Even after Papi’s $16mm drops off, it wasn’t worth keeping Buchholtz (actually his $13.5 salary)… salary cap is a more consequential driver than I ever thought ..
I am a Cubs fan who was not ‘that’ worried about extensions for most of the young players… I need to rethink this (and offering Arrietta $25-$28mm/yr
Twins are gambling with Dozier, they should take DeLeon from LA. He might be a solid number 2 starter.
24 with injury concerns, not a solid trade candidate without some other prospects. Dozier will be a constant 25-30 hr guy, they need someone to perform on the field so they’ll be fine if they don’t find an adequate trade partner.
Hahah Gambling with dozier? De Leon is the biggest gamble there may be. No track record and big time durability concerns. Dozier is a damn good ball players and is worth more than a guy who may profile as a middle reliever and needs minor league time. Dozier should get 3 of dodgers top 8 prospects and a low level guy.
So you want Calhoun, Stewart, Toles, and a low level guy?
Urias and bellinger would get the deal done today, but that’s just a pipe dream.
Haha, yeah, if the LAD offered that, I’m sure it would get done today.
I would rather the Dodgers keep DeLeon and go with what they have for now. By the trade deadline they will be far better options than Dozier.
i dont think many top 2b will be avalible
I think that’s where we differ I think there will be a couple of options at the deadline. But regardless I think this is where we differ I think this is a better deadline deal.
Idk but this deal will not be what the dodgers want if they want to win. If the dodgers want to win a World Series they make deals and if not they keep their minor league team. Both is not an option. You either build the strong farm or you make deals to eat you wins.
Then list what superior 2b man will be available for a lower cost than a full two years of Dozier. Who btw, would be more valuable then all current Dodger player with perhaps the exception of Seager.
Perhaps with the exception? There is no perhaps or even question. Plus I can argue that Turner is more valuable to the clubhouse and team but regardless.
The Dodgers need a Right handed bat. Could be an outfielder. Does not have to be a 2b.
Who says it has to be a secondbaseman? They could get the upgrade in leftfield.
Obviously, Twins should extract as much value in return for Dozier as possible, but without the risk of losing out on one of the better pitching prospects in baseball. I believe Dodgers will ultimately offer another mid level prospect, or perhaps a couple of lower level prospects along with De Leon for Dozier which the Twins should grab and move on.
De Leon may profile as a reliever because he is not durable at all and the Twins still got 2 years of Dozier and they need fans to go to the ballpark.
I love how DeLeon apparently now has durability issues without the proper research but it’s a catch phrase people have seemed to attach for him. I also love the “profiles as a #3 starter” because he doesn’t sit at the 95-97 that he has but he actually pitches. One weird year in which he was sort of mishandled and the rash of major MLB injury issues should not define the kid. Holy cow. If the kid wasn’t a huge potential playoff roster add he would have thrown more innings in 2015 and same in 2016. The Dodgers attempt to try to start him late and ramp him up backfired. But don’t give me durability issues because if there were durability issues he wouldn’t have thrown in winter ball both of the two previous years and he also would even have been in WBC consideration. That being said he’s not an ace prospect but the kid pitches and can easily fulfill his #2 ceiling.
check fangraphs prospect evaluation. They have Deleon as a likely 3-4 starter. This isn’t just people making stuff up. It’s also interesting that you call people out for just making things up then claim that he can “easily fulfill his #2 ceiling”, which you have based on the fact that “he actually pitches”?
Look at his innings totals
Lol at these dodger fans on here saying the twins should take a lowball deal
The twins shouldn’t take a lowball offer. I also don’t think some of the information e.g. 1-1 is factual. They’ve agreed on the centerpiece of the deal. I just think they’ve squabbled over the 2,3,4 pieces. But rightfully so the twins have have tried to extract as much value as possible and start a bidding war. The Dodgers rightfully so are trying not to outbid themselves. I think this is a deadline deal.
Don’t see Buchholtz back in Boston… Groome, Johnson, or Owens will get first shot to fill
Which means Buster is drinking too much Koop-aid…..
I don’t see Groome getting an MLB shot this year, drafted out of HS a year ago
Groove won’t be in the bigs til September of 2018 at the earliest. The kid is also a greedy SOB lol Red Sox should have just not signed him and gave him a big **** you. These prospects should accept their slot values because the team should control them especially for the money they give.
So the red sox in a league full of greedy sob’s should turn away a guy who was ranked on some boards as one of if not the top prospect in the draft because of $? Again the red sox of all teams a rich team with the 12th pick especially when they were banned from international spending ?
Idk Groome just is a greedy SOB to me. Red Sox have wasted so much money on players that never even make the bigs. I think Groome should have just taken what he got and be happy.
He did take what he got, from the red sox.
Personally I never fault a player who hasn’t made it for going for all they can. I do fault a player for leaving a comfortable situation to gain only a small percent more. As far as red sox wasting $ on people who never make it its the nature of professional sports injuries/ineffectiveness happens and they were pretty successful in drafts for a while hence the young crop they have/had.
Exactly. Groomes a ways out. If they need the depth, its time for them flesh out or flush out Henry and Johnson. They keep talking about Wrights injury but unless it was way worse than they let on, he should be good to go by spring.
Twins would be foolish to trade dozier for de Leon. The guy has proved nothing and isn’t even proven to be durable. They don’t need to trade dozier. They got 2 more years of him and the fans need a reason to go to the ballpark. On the other hand, the dodgers would be foolish to let the chance to get dozier go bye. Dozier should easily get the Twins a package of 3 damn good prospects like the Phils got for Hamels. People don’t realize that most prospects fail. They don’t all work out and that is why there is never as much value with prospects as the real deal such as dozier.
Hamels had much more of a track record and much more control than Dozier. Only thing is he cost a lot more, but that’s less important for big money teams than the former considerations, I think.
And the Phillies took on 45Mish in salary in the Hamels deal too
and Hamels and Dozier have nothing in common, at all.
You are correct I am just talking about trade structure and return. Dozier should get a kings ransom for the twins if he goes.
these two players have nothing in common, but the twins should get a lot in return for dozier cuz of this trade of a player who has nothing in common with dozier? That makes ~0 sense.
Okay I thought some people here went to school, but obviously you didn’t. Dozier is a star now and cole is and was a start when he was traded. That is the comparison I have.
What would be a fair trade ?
Gardner & 4 mill a year for
Jon Harris or Rowdy Tellez or Vlad Jr. ?
Justin Maese
I think Zeuch is a fair compromise if you consider the Eatin haul.
I don’t think the Jays do that.
They never trade within the division anymore and the Yanks expect to win at least 80.
I agree they don’t usually but if they did.
Yankees will be paying nothing of gardners contract.
Gardner isn’t a salary dump. They should eat some to get a better prospect back
They sure won’t. And they’ll get back a used bucket of balls for him.
I think you’re confusing Gardner with Rusney Castillo.
It can be confusing. They have almost the same exact number of home runs away from Yankee Stadium the last 2 seasons, and Rusney hasn’t even played in the majors that much.
So whoever has more HR is the better player? Nelson Cruz leads the league in HR the last 2 years. I guess he’s the best player in baseball by your analogy.
Oh no. Just proving how poor a player he is away from YS.
I never said he’s a great hitter or anything but he plays great D, can still Run, and draws plenty of walks. To say he’s only worth a bucket of balls is very silly. If he was a FA he probably gets a 3 year/$35-$40 mil dear.
Which is what he is owed. Why would a team pay him that AND kick in a prospect? He’d get back nothing but a bucket of balls.
This new FO is hoarding prospects, they won’t trade anyone. They’ll only trade for players like J. Bruce who hold very lil trade value and will only require a filler prospect
Huh? You’re kidding right ?
For the love of god, no more Buchholz. Isn’t Tim Wakefield available?
1
If the twins do trade dozier, I really hope they move Polanco back to 2nd, he’s much better defensively there than short.
I’m over the Dozier idea.
Let’s bring in the rookie infielder(s).
Could Bellinger work for one year at 2’nd; get acclimated and build with Seager.
Come on man I need you guys to beat the Cubs
No. But there is Hernandez, Calhoun and Barnes they could try out.
He’s LH so no. But he’s going to profile in a corner OF spot most likely for a couple of years in his MLB career.
Bellinger throws left-handed, so that would be a funny move to play him at second. I mean, I’m all for thinking outside the box and all…
Bellinger was a .260 hitter in double A. You don’t want him in the majors starting next year. I don’t see how they project him to be so good. I like the fact that he can field, but .260 with 20 something homers. The Phillies got a guy who is 22 and hit 38 bombs in AA and they don’t give any love to him. Not mentioning that he also hit .280 and had a 115 RBIs
It’s the simple maturation of a player really. He hit for high average with no power his first year and a half. Then his power developed but he sold out to much in 2015. Looking at BA in the minors is misleading. His OPS has stayed consistent. There is a lot to like about Bellinger. It should also be pointed out that he played a majority of his AA as a 20 year old. Its his project ability is a major factor. If you focus on the .264 and .271 overall you’re missing a lot.
And btw I’m assuming your referencing couzens but what you didn’t mention he is essentially 2 years older and also Kd 186 times. So if your comparing the two is .271 that much different than .276 especially when you take into account 90Ks v Couzens 186 Ks. Now you can probably say there is more power there couzens. That’s really a major red flag jumping to AA and doubling the amount of Ks from year past. But time will tell as both players will be making that jump to AAA.
I don’t see the Yanks and Jays trading, I see Gardner going to either the Dodgers or Giants!
Dodgers makes too much sense. They have the prospects and excess starting pitchers, which are both what the Yankees are looking for/need.
Kazmir for Gardner and Refsnyder.
Gardner, refs and 10 mill for Sheffield.
Kazmir isn’t worth that.
Dodgers don’t need him.
I agree with both but the giants prospects aren’t great pitching wise and I don’t see them giving up Beede.
As for the Dodgers I for one they think they match up but I’ve had Dodger fans tell me they don’t need a Lf’er.
The dodgers have so many OFs at the MLB level and so many knocking on the door. Plus there in no way is a need for another LH hitter. They need a RH bat with pop. None of which the Yankees can provide. On ancillary pieces they may match up but I’m not seeing any major pieces going back or forth.
Gardner to the Jays? Would be shocked if it happened. Not only an AL East rival but older outfielders whose value is mostly tied to their legs might be risky on that artificial turf.
I’d be looking at low risk 1-year stopgaps in the hopes that Pompey or Alford emerge in the future. Lorenzo Cain comes to mind as a potential fit for the Jays but I’m not sure if the Royals are sellers at the moment.
Gardner is only two years. He also gives them a lead off hitter if anything he can platoon with upton in the second year.
It is obvious Dozier has more value to the Twins and their fans than to the rest of the league. They should keep him. After all, who would be left for bobblehead night?
Yes they should do Paul Molitor bobbleheads (I believe he is still the manager). Without dozier, sano would struggle with no one in the lineup behind him.
Twins need to be in the same rebuild mode as the White Sox. They should trade Dozier now and then cash in again before the July trade deadline by trading Santana.
I’ve been waiting for a legitimate rebuild since 2011.
Much rather have the Jays re-sign Bautista and bring back Davis to TO !!!
Yes… The Red Sox might look for a Clay Buchholz type later this year. But you know cheaper, doesn’t have the same baggage in Boston.
Gardner instead of Bautista? I`m beginning to think BLUE Jay`s management are employed by the other teams in the AL East. LMAO
That’s a writers opinion , Jays would never do that