The Rangers made their biggest additions at the trade deadline, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The principle additions were ace Cole Hamels along with relievers Jake Diekman and Sam Dyson. Between Hamels’ contract and raises to existing personnel, the Rangers won’t have budget to compete for top free agents. Instead, they’ll pursue more cost effective options. Possible reunions with Yovani Gallardo, Colby Lewis, and Mike Napoli represent a few possible fits. Additional bullpen depth is also seen as a need.
Here’s more from the western divisions:
- Padres GM A.J. Preller “remains an enigma,” writes Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune. Payroll is expected to range anywhere from slightly below last season’s $108MM to $120MM. That doesn’t give Preller any room for a splashy free agent signing. The club does have to work on building a better balanced product. A real shortstop – not Will Middlebrooks or Jedd Gyorko – should be a priority. The club probably also needs to replace Ian Kennedy and add another depth piece to the rotation. James Shields, Craig Kimbrel, Joaquin Benoit, and Derek Norris are the most likely veterans to be traded.
- History says the Rockies won’t make a splash either, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Trade interest in outfielder Carlos Gonzalez could affect the team’s plans. If the club is able to trade the two-years and $37MM remaining on his deal, they could potential bid for a slugger like Chris Davis. Despite terrible performance out of the rotation, they probably won’t try to woo free agent pitching.
- Angels GM Billy Eppler is a blend of the old and new schools, writes Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. For those interested, the profile of Eppler details his rise from intern to one of the top GM prospects in the game. The Angels faithful will hope his blend of scouting chops with an analytical instinct will result in a productive offseason for the club. His first test – the GM Meetings – begins on Monday.
An enigma GM…. that’s one of the sexiest things uttered in Padres history.
So last offseason he was the Rockstar GM, and this offseason he will be the Enigma GM?
Enough with the names, Preller needs to figure out what he wants to do and not just throw stuff at a wall and hope something sticks.
An enigma wrapped in a mystery. Isn’t that what somebody said about Russia?
Would Padres move Kimbrel or Benoit for Brock Holt and Pat Light?
As a Padres fan, I would say for Kimbrel more would be needed. But for Benoit I can see it happening in some form.
No
I don’t think so.
Benoit maybe, Kimbrel no.
Texas looks to be scary next year. Darvish, Hamels and a healthy holland is a pretty scary top of the rotation. If they re sign gallardo or a mike leake sorta guy, theyll be a force.
They were a scary team at the end of last year and little is changing. They really should have been in the ALCS but they gift-wrapped game 5 and gave it to Toronto.
Don’t forget Martin Perez either.
The Rangers, with GM Daniels at the helm, are poised to be in the playoff picture with their recent calculated moves. If they can keep their bullpen healthy, to go with the impressive front three (great idea posted about Gallardo/Leake addition), they are going to be a legit WS contender. If I was a Rangers fan, id be excited about Darvish returning healthy and rested and a real offseason for Holland!! GM Daniels belongs with the big boys.
Cargo would be a good fit in Baltimore. Wonder how much it would take to get him.
Cargo would be a good fit anywherre
This. And what you need to get him is young pitching, as always with the Rockies. Doesn’t make him a great fit for the O’s, since that’s what they need, too.
It could cost the o’s hunter harvey and others for cargo
Does Colorado have someone to replace Cargo? Moving him to use even more $ for one bat at a different position seems like running in place, or backward. Might just as well keep Cargo.
The Rockies need to acquire talent/depth, so trading him would net you some high ceiling pitching and signing Davis would still give them a decent bat. Not that I’m saying I would advise signing Chris Davis. His inconsistencies are the reason I would go nowhere near him this offseason
Not they don’t. Despite the popular belief that anyone can be good in Coors Field, the Rockies offense was actually fairly bad last season beyond Sharknado, CarGo, and, to a lesser degree, Blackmon and DJLM.
I actually totally agree. They can’t easily replace his production, but unless they think they will be serious contenders in the next two years, they are better off trading him and getting some serious pieces for when the team is ready to compete.
No reason they couldn’t be serious contenders next season. Did anyone really foresee the Astros or the Rangers or the Mets being serious contenders in 2015? Why not the Rockies in 2016? As far as a CarGo trade, it depends on what the serious pieces are. I’d be okay with an offseason deal if the deal involved a top 50 position player prospect + a lesser pitcher or two. I’d rather keep CarGo until the deadline or next season if a pitcher is going to be the centerpiece. Pitcher prospects just remind me of Drew Pomeranz and Alex White. That’s why I was not a fan of the Tulo deal.
The Astros, Rangers, and Mets all had top minor systems and talent already on the team. No one foresaw the Rangers just because of injuries. The Rockies lack talent and pitching. If they weren’t in rebuild mode, they wouldn’t have traded Tulo. They should trade cargo and any other older players that have value and build a minor league system like the Rangers or Astros.
The Rockies currently have one of the top 5 (probably 3 now) systems in baseball.
The Rockies could be a contender if they signed two top line starters and 2-3 guys for the pen. Beyond that they have a decent squad that could contend.
Why not the Rockies in ’16? Simple, the FO isn’t entering the off season with contending in ’16 in mind, although it still has a chance to happen.
Rockies had 6 starters + Dickerson that were above league average in OPS+ and Paulsen that was a tick below. Pretty good offense. The pitching just stunk it up with only 2 starters and 2 members of the pen above league average. That has to be their complete focus.
I see a fit between the Padres and Blue Jays. Looking at Hutchison and Tulo for Kimbrel, Cashner and a controllable arm. This would have to be approved by Tulo, but I’m not sure he is a fan of being in Toronto. The Jays need pitching and the Padres need a stud shortstop.
Even though I’m a nationals fan, Chris Davis to Colorado is the one thing I’d want to happen this offseason.
Just because you want to see the moonshots he hits in Denver?
Chris Davis. 60 homers, 200 strikeouts. Might be interesting. If they are going to spend that much, I’d rather it go for a lesser 1B (or just keep Paulsen) and get an arm in the Gallardo/Kazmir/Leake tier of starters.
I’d pass because of the qualifying offer involved. What about Doug fister with that ground ball rate? I’d get some arms without QOs attached (yes I know their first pick is protected, but you still lose a valueable second round pick).
I’m not as bullish on Fister as most people. I wouldn’t HATE a Fister signing, but I consider him a Tier 3 guy. I’d prefer a Tier 2 guy. Now if you sign a Tier 2 guy AND Fister, then we might have something going. The QO I am not worried about because the player being signed has about a 95% chance to outperform a random second round pick. Actually they have probably a 75% chance to outperform the first round pick. Draft picks are highly overrated because most never even reach the bigs.
Starting pitchers north of the Kyle Kendrick level don’t sign with the Rockies. I think they’ve pretty well given up and are assuming their next crop of good pitchers will come via draft or trade.
The Padres should trade one of the SPs for the Rangers Elvis Andrus.
What would the Padres want for Shields?
Typically you would think 2 of top 5 prospects in a system. But Padres are pretty consistent in saying they are looking to contend in 2016, so that would not work. They would need a young, MLB ready starter to take his place in the rotation and other high ceiling, low level prospects if they are going to contend.
They would have to kick in money with shields too right?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Two of the top five prospects in a system for Shields!? No way anyone offers us that! Shields has negative trade value! We couldn’t give him away!
You should just stick with the name you have on the Padres board. We all know its you anyway. No one has NEGATIVE trade value. Shields is still one of the top 30 starters in the game even after having to deal with a catcher that inflated all the pitchers on our squads ERAs. With that in mind we might have to pay $6-9 million over the next 3 seasons in order to get a top level prospect that is MLB ready and a couple of other high ceiling prospects.
1. Yeah, I know how to downvote other people’s comments too.
2. “No one has NEGATIVE trade value.” That’s not true. If you have to pay to get rid of a player he has negative trade value. While Shields isn’t as extreme an example as say, Ryan Howard, his trade value is still in the negative. We would have to pay part of his contract just to get rid of him. If we want an actual good return, we will have to pay even more of his contract. I dunno if by “$6-9 million” you meant in total or per year but if we want a top prospect in return then we will have to pay AT LEAST that much per year.
3. I’m not even on the Padres board so what are you getting at?
Their immortal souls might do it. Seriously, if the Padres trade Shields or Kimbrel, it’s an admission that their entire plan for rebuilding is totally wrecked after only a year and they are starting over. The fans would have every reason to feel betrayed.