Some news from around baseball…
- According to toxicology reports released today, Jose Fernandez had cocaine in his system and a blood-alcohol level that was twice the legal limit during the boat crash that took the lives of the Marlins ace, Eduardo Rivero and Emilio Jesus Macias on September 25, David Ovalle of the Miami Herald reports. Authorities have yet to determine who was driving the boat at the time of the crash — neither Rivero or Macias were legally drunk, though they both had alcohol in their systems. (Rivero was also found to have cocaine in his system.)
- Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar underwent surgery this week to repair a torn thumb ligament, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reports. The defensive standout is expected to be fine by Spring Training. Pillar hurt his thumb while stealing a base on August 6 and spent some time on the DL before playing through the injury throughout the rest of the regular season and Toronto’s postseason run.
- The Yankees should listen to offers for Masahiro Tanaka this winter, Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog opines, though obviously it would take a big haul for New York to actually trade its ace away when the Bombers are themselves looking for quality pitching. Tanaka can opt out of his contract after the 2017 season, which seems like a very likely possibility assuming he stays healthy and keeps delivering his usual strong performance. Tanaka would be hitting the free agent market heading into his age-29 season and would score well beyond the three years/$67MM owed on his Yankees deal through 2020. If New York only has one year left of control of Tanaka, it makes sense for the club to see what it could potentially get back for the right-hander in a deal. Axisa’s mailbag piece covers other several Yankees-related topics, including how the Yankees’ prospect return in the Aroldis Chapman trade was better for the club than if they had swung the rumored Andrew Miller-for-Kyle Schwarber deal at the deadilne.
- The Mariners aren’t likely to make a big splash in free agency, MLB.com’s Greg Johns opines as part of a reader mailbag. Seattle already has $88.5MM locked up in just five players (Robinson Cano, Felix Hernandez, Nelson Cruz, Kyle Seager and Hisashi Iwakuma) so there isn’t much remaining payroll room for another big contract. Johns thinks GM Jerry Dipoto will instead spread funds around to address several needs, improve depth and continue to raise the Mariners’ talent floor.
The idea of the Yankees trading Tanaka is insane. They obvious plan to contend – it’s why they didn’t trade Betances and they’re rumored in Sale talks.
So why would they trade Tanaka? Yankee starters finished with the 12th worst ERA in baseball. Without Tanaka, that turns into the 5th worst ERA in baseball.
Maybe listen to offers later in the season if they’re struggling, but to think that Cashman would even think about trading Tanaka during the offseason is crazy.
I agree that trading Tanaka would be insane and Cashman is more likely to trade Gardner, Headley and or McCann.. In addition, I believe that the Yankees have a low chance of contending next season. They’re most likely to develop their prospects and use their farm system to seek diamonds in the rough next season. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gardner (Ellsbury is unlikely to be traded because of his contract) just to open up another outfield position for audition. By the way, does anyone think that the Yankees would shift Gregorius or Castro to third base, or will either be traded? I find it a bit difficult to trade either because they’ve hit well the past season. This is to open up one infield position for Torres? I’ve seen his AFL numbers and he’s doing pretty well.
I don’t see Tanaka leaving the Yanks, I also see them signing phenom Ohtani.
I’d trade Tanaka for Trout if the Angels asked, but that’s because I think Trout could bring in any player, and I have a sneaking suspicion the Yankees are going to try and flip all the new prospects and some of the current big league team in a potential trade for Trout.
But otherwise, yeah no, there’s no non-Trout reason to move him.
You’d be insane to trade Tanaka for Trout. Tanaka is the ace of the rotation and you’d be searching for arms in all the wrong places. Unless you can move the OF surplus for an ace – don’t see that happening – you’d be robbing Peter to pay Paul. Trout is good, but the step down from Trout to Gardner isn’t as much as it would be from Tanaka to a SP replacement – unless they go after Sale. Maybe they can use Clint Frazier to headline a deal for Sale and trade Tanaka for Trout.
Dumbest post of the thread award
The Yankees would be gutting the farm in deals for Sale and Trout. Tanaka for Trout straight up is not happening (I imagine the Angels would also ask for Sanchez plus two other top prospects). The Sale deal would probably need whichever top prospects aren’t in the Trout deal. I don’t know enough about the Yankees farm outside of the fact that it got replenished from the trade deadline, but a Sale deal is going to require 3-4 top prospects/young players with potential already in the majors (not saying either one of these two would be included in a Sale deal, but Betances and Sanchez would be example of the “young players with potential in the majors”). The Trout deal, if Tanaka is included, is going to also need one of Sanchez/Betances plus another top prospect or two. Those prices are an overpay but they’re necessary since neither the Angels or White Soxs have any incentive to trade Trout/Sale for anything less than an overpay.
Are you somehow forgetting Trout is, oh how do I put this, MIKE FREAKING TROUT?!? It would take a package of multiple top 25 prospects plus a young, proven player just to start to land him, not an overpaid pitcher who will never live up to his initial hype.
Tanaka is going to opt out, why would the Angels want him?
It really is, you would be crazy to not accept Trout for Tanaka. And then idk how any baseball person could ever think this, but how is Trout only a little bit better than Gardner? That is saying Gardner is the second best offensive player in baseball, maybe most of us have been watching the wrong Brett Gardner or somthing because I’m pretty sure Garder was good but not the best.
Trout is the best player in the game and is a sure fire hall of famer. You don’t trade an ok pitcher for him straight up. It would have to be an ace pitcher, a good position player and multiple top 25 prospects. You my friend, are delusional
Well Tanaka is an ace. But what else would I expect from a Boston fan who probably started watching the team in October.
Isn’t it hilarious that not only do people think that the Angels might ask the Yankees to trade Tanaka for Trout? And even better that at least one person think the Yankees would be insane to pull the trigger on that trade. Good times.
I meant it was crazy not to accept it from the Yankees standpoint.
Of course it would be crazy, it would be beyond crazy. And of course the Angels would never offer anything close to that.
I really hope this is a joke.
Lets not even forget he had to rest half a season for that elbow of his to magically heal a ligament that isn’t even supposed to heal on it’s own.. Trout will eventually have to miss time with TJ surgery, no matter how good he is. The tear is there, don’t care what they are saying in the media. It doesn’t go away and not to mention Trout is the 100% best player in the game.. BAR NONE, where Tanaka isn’t close to the best pitcher, not a knock on the guy personally.
It would take a major haul of prospects and GOOD ONES along with Tanaka if Anaheim decided to move Trout and think if they did? The Angels are looking at kids top notch moreso than MLB vets is my guess to start a rebuild whenever they do move him.
How about the angels trade for Gardner or McCann
Tanaka for Trout? If I’m the Yankees I’d take that in a heartbeat and then laugh and laugh and laugh at the Angels. Until Trout’s walk year comes around it will take a ton of MLB talent and prospects to land Trout. And even then the Angels fans night burn down the stadium.
Trout isn’t just a GREAT player and the face of the Angels, he’s the face of baseball! Trading Trout would be as epic as when Edmonton traded Gretzky.
There’s no way the Yankees trade their ace. Dumb article. They need pitching, they don’t need to get rid of pitching. In a dream world, I’d love to see Gardner, Elsbury, Headley, and McCaan traded. It’s time to move on from the bad trades and free agent signings. Trade for Sale and sign Shohei Otani. That will give us a solid front of roatation for a few years while the young pitchers develop. Again, all a dream but I think it could happen. It’s time to get young and give the young guys a chance. I hate to compare anything to the Cubs, but they are a prime example of how to build a team. Let the young guys play!!
I doubt the Yankees are going deep rebuild, they just saw some market opportunities last year that made a deadline sale appealing. Wouldn’t be surprising if McCann were moved this winter but that’s a different circumstance. NY is my guess at a landing spot for Rich Hill, I think they’ll push to be relevant in 2017.
Yankees are in a build to win mode and you don’t trade your ace during that time. Tanaka taking his opt out isn’t a sure thing either. It wasn’t too long that everyone in the industry was concerned over his right elbow, those doubts will still linger.
The Yankees are at the point where they’re just starting a new era with guys like Judge, Bird, Sanchez, Betances and then guys not too far away like Frazier, Mateo, Torres, and Sheffield. They shouldn’t do anymore selling. They shouldn’t spend much money this offseason. They should see what they have in 2017 with their young guys and then they can throw their money at Harper and whoever else is in that phenomenal soon to be free agent class with Harper.
Tanaka has an opt out clause and an elbow that’s going to require surgery at some point. If you can get a good haul for him, pull the trigger. The Yankees are building their offense/defense through the draft/trades. They will build there rotation through free agency once all the money comes off the books.
Let’s cross that bridge when we get there, the Yankees continue to have money coming off the books with most of the big contract gone by 18. I would look to add young pitching if possible for Gardner and McCann and trading some prospects. I think they like Torres, Andujar, Bird, Sheffield, Frazier and Rutherford the most.
Why wait? If he gets hurt, he’s worth nothing. If he doesn’t get hurt, he opts out and you’re going to have to pay him more. The Yankees have a great core to.
I assume the Yankees will be players for Jansen or Chapman this winter, and for Harper when he hits free agency. Add a couple of starters and the yanks will be contenders again.
2018 Yankees:
Sanchez C
Bird 1b
Castro 2b
Torres 3b
Didi ss
Frazier lf
Ellsbury cf
Harper rf
Rotation:
Pick 2
Kershaw, price, Harvey, darvish, cueto
Rotation 3-5
Pick any 3
Kapierlian, Sheffield, cessa, green, Mitchell, severino, Acevedo, clarkin, Pineda, eovaldi.
Bullpen
Any of the above plus:
Jansen/Chapman
Betances
Warren
Stupid
Hmm, I pick that the Yankees somehow trade for Kershaw and Price, and while they are at it maybe they could swap Elsbury for Trout if they eat enough of his contract first.
They both have opt outs but I highly doubt price exercises it. these Tanaka trout talks are hilarious neither are going to move Yankees can’t continue an all out rebuild. And as far as any Mike trout trade you can’t trade a guy that gets compared to mantle and every great player to ever play, while playing in a major market like la he’s an angel for a while despite how much he could help their farm system.(for what it’s worth the angels also have hopes of contending with Richards avoiding tj and a bunch of $ to spend)
Why is that stupid?
Price and Kershaw both have opt outs. Do your homework.
Don’t need to trade. Both have opt outs. Do your homework.
@nick4747
Yeah. Tanaka for trout doesn’t make a whole lot of sense on LA’s side.
Harper, Kershaw, and Harvey aren’t available until after the 2018 season.
Doesn’t the MLB text for cocaine or is that not a banned substance?
They dont test for recreational drugs like cocaine, pot, ecstasy… In the minor leagues they do test for it..
In my opinion major league players spend a lot of time traveling and away from their families.. They’re professionals with lives too.. If they want to do recreational, i dont see it an issue as alcohol is legal.
Nothing not an issue about coke use… were not talking pot here
No offense meant, but just because a substance is illegal, banned, or tested for doesn’t mean that some people won’t use them. Unfortunately none of that stopped the tragic death of Fernandez. Perhaps Fernandez’s choices (and those of the people with them) helped contribute to their own deaths, but that doesn’t make their deaths any less final or tragic for those it impacted. I will admit that the “fun” sometimes doesn’t outweigh the risks though.
From Wikipedia:
“Testing for drugs of abuse is not administered randomly, but on a basis of reasonable cause. If one of the HPAC panel members has evidence that a player has used, possessed, or sold banned substances in the last 12 months, they call a conference and discuss the evidence with the other members. If a majority vote to test the suspected player is reached then testing will take place no more than 48 hours later.”
While the death of Jose Fernandez was tragic, hearing the results that he was 2x over the limit of alcohol, and was also using cocaine… It disgusts me that such a young, talented young man, and for someone that risked his own life to come to America would be so reckless in his lifestyle. He WAS a role-model for a lot of people…
Maybe his Death can be a message to all that saw him as a hero or role-model, maybe now his message from the grave can be “don’t be like me” – Learn by my mistakes.
The only good part was he didn’t get anyone innocent hurt or killed.
That may sound harsh – but I was hit by a drunk-driver and I am now permanently disabled because of that person. I will Never have remorse for those that choose drugs and alcohol over the safety of themselves and the innocent they may harm or kill.
The Marlins should un-retire his number. A Hero he is NOT.
I don’t think they in retire the number now, i think they should have waited longer and done somthing else to honor him. But yes he should be a role model for kids showing what not to do.
I think he is a hero for what he did with the community/kids, but this taints it a little. Let’s hope it was the guy driving who wasn’t over the legal limit and it was just an accident
Woah now, no way the Angels wouod give up Trout for Tanaka, that’d be such a rip off. Not even close to the same trade value.
Lol his entire the guys that made that proposal and then there reasoning just makes me laugh.
I see the Yankees signing Hill.
1B) Bird
2B) Castro
SS) Gregorius
3B) Headley
C) Sanchez
LF) Gardner
CF) Ellsbury
RF) Judge
DH) McCann
Bench – Austin / Romine / Hicks / Refsynder
SP) Tanaka
SP) Hill
SP) Sabathia
SP) Pineda
SP) Severino
SP) Cessa – Mitchell
RP) Betances
RP) Clippard
RP) Warren
RP) Layne
RP) Bleier
RP) Yates
RP) Shreve
Have you seen Judge play? No way he starts the year with the big club
That’s alot of relying on young guys and broken/ older guys. I hope your right as a red sox fan, between that and relying on those old/broken guys they might as well continue with a full out rebuild and just trade everyone whose not young and are able to get rid of.
No way they sign Hill. He will want too many years for too much money. I see them going after a one year contract type of reclaimation project.
JF – not a hero.
Now an example of total disappointment – a drug mess that horribly affected several families and left many fans disappointed and disgusted.
Not a role model … not at all.
So sad.
Best hopes to those families.
No baseball players are heroes…soldiers are heroes, teachers and public servants are heroes….don’t set the bar so high for a kid in his early 20s….he made millions of people do every year, the differences he paid for it with his life….show some respect
***Made the same mistakes millions of people do every year****
The difference is few children hang pictures of soldiers, teachers, and public servants on their wall. He was a hero for many children.
I’m not angry with the man because he did drugs and alcohol. I know many people with substance abuse issues and I’m one of them who struggles with it every day. I’m angry with the man because it’s possible he played with the lives of many people. I’m angry the same way I was at a friend who drove drunk and thought it was funny. I’m angry at him the way people are angry at a person who kills someone while drinking and driving.
So personally, I can’t show respect. During my time with my own problem I did some very stupid things. But none of them came close to endangering anyone’s life.
I didn’t mean to get that personal initially. But I hope that makes you see things from my point of view.
I really felt the death of Fernandez was a tragic deal for him, his family, his team, his community, etc. But this news really disgusts me.
In regards to Fernandez, I have no sympathy for him. When the news first broke that he passed I was shocked and heartbroken. The game lost one of its’ absolute best, possibly one of the most talented players to ever step on a mound. As an adult, which he was, you are responsible for the decisions you make and the situations you put yourself in. He made the conscience choice to do drugs and consume alcohol on a boat in the ocean in the middle of the night. As a consequence, he and 2 other people died. Regardless who was operating the vessel, they set themselves up for disaster. I have sympathy for their families and friends and the people who are left permanently heartbroken because someone close to them decided to act disgustingly irresponsible.
Some pretty sanctimonious attitudes on display in this comments section having to do with Fernandez.. Show some class!
I guess Fernandez was “sanctimonious” when he decided to consume twice the legal limit of alcohol, do cocaine and go out on a boat in the middle of the night. Where was his class and consideration for his family and friends?
Google “sanctimonious”.
Different ways to take sanctimonious but few if any of the posters have been acting like they are perfect people, in fact many have been saying that they are not but that their bad behavior didn’t get to the point of being homicidal, which is kind of a bad point to get to.
My point Matt is that he had no consideration for every single person around him. He didn’t care that he put his life on the line in an incredibly dangerous and unnecessary manner. Stupidity is one thing, his behavior was criminal. What if Jose had survived the crash and only the others died? We would be waiting for his court date instead of talking about how great of a guy he was. I’ll admit, on the field Jose was one of the best physically and emotionally. He played like he truly loved the game which is not evident in many ball players today. He made a lot more then a simple mistake. He knew exactly what he was doing and now his wife/girlfriend, his child and the one on the way will have to spend the rest of their lives without him because he decided to act so recklessly.
JoeyBaseball722………..He only did that if “he was operating the vessel”. If he was a passenger, and the guy who did NOT do cocaine was the driver…….then Jose didn’t “put anyone else’s life in danger”.
At the original press conference, they said that…………that boat had been stopped many times for “safety issues” (probably speeding)…..and I quote, “On None Of Those Occasions, was Fernandez operating the vessel”.
Have you Never done something like what they were doing? Most of us probably have (at some point in our life)….and been fortunate enough to have avoided an accident of this magnitude.
That being said, I don’t condone his behavior, but am sad for him, his family, and the families affected. MLB lost a special player that night.
Kbarr regardless if he was operating the vessel or not he’s still responsible. Not only was he severely intoxicated, but also had coke in his system. Toxicology showed they all had alcohol in their systems so obviously they care about anything, but their own intentions. Have I acted recklessly? Yes of course. If I was out on a boat with my buddies and died in a crash my friends and family would he devasted and sad. If I died and we were all drunk and 2 of us did coke, our families would be furious and disgusted in addition to being heartbroken. I am sad I wont ever see his flawless delivery or charismatic smile ever again, but I have no reason to feel sorry for him. It was easily preventable and should have never happened with the navigation aids that come on a boat like that. It’s purely the irresponsibility of himself and his associates. This is held especially true if Jose owned the boat, but I’m not aware whether he did or not. Bottom line kbarr, Jose is responsible for his own decisions and his actions resulted in his death.
he did own the boat
I’m not surprised drugs and alcohol contributed to Fernandez’s death. It’s a tragedy that could have been avoided.
It would have been avoided (at least temporarily) if the Marlins hadn’t “pushed his Sunday Start back to Monday……………………not blaming, just saying………………….because he would NOT have been out in a boat at 3 am if he was pitching that day.
It’s unlikely they would trade Tanaka this offseason though it was also unlikely they trade 2.5 years of Andrew Miller away. I could see it if they get a very strong package, Giolito, Urias, whoever.
If they are out of it around the deadline and he is healthy he will bring a haul despite having only a couple of months left under contract which makes him an easy sell.
Come on guys, José Fernandez was a human being. Put yourself in his place. He made his way to America, worked hard to become one of the top contestants in his sport, contributed to the community and was, in a very young age put on pedestal as a hero and role model. It’s no mystery if his rise to stardom made him weak to the many temptation of Miami and south Florida. Just because he was a human being with the same weaknesses as everyone else doesn’t make him less of a hero. RIP JF.
Ah yes, because everyone gets drunk, does some rails, and jumps on their boat, in the ocean, in the dark and either drives it 60mph into a jetty, or allows someone to drive their boat 60mph into a jetty. Yes, EVERYONE has these same weaknesses….gtfoh
Nope….not a hero anymore….we’ll rip the “ever-lovin-daylights” out of A-Rod & Big Pappy for doing ‘enhancers’….but not rip a player who was on illegal drug(s) (by law; not by MLB guidelines) who may, or may not, be the driver of his boat that KILLED people !
Think about what A-Rod & Big Pappy did in comparison to Fernandez.
No comparison.
No hero – in anyway – shape – or form.
(the light & legacy of JF is now 180 degrees different – now that illegal drugs were clearly involved in what would’ve likely been a criminal case if he survived the crash)
What if they didn’t just kill themselves, but also took the lives of innocent fisherman working for their livelihood? How would u feel then? Enough of the bs “he made a mistake” like he picked the wrong answer on a multiple choice test. Nothing will ever change who he was on the field, but obviously he wasn’t the same person off the field.
To get trout yanks would have to START with Sanchez and Betances….probably 4 or 5 more top prospects including four Torres and Frazier
Tanaka ain’t going anywhere. We need to have him waive his opt-out and extend him. His arm looked sound last year after he had the bone spurs removed, and they’ll always have to watch his workload to to some degree to keep his elbow healthy, but when he’s on he’s on. Pitchers like him don’t grow on trees. They need to build around him. We’ll have plenty of kids coming up in the next few years, and even more, after we trade McCann and Gardner, The future looks bright.