Here’s the latest from around the AL West…
- Bruce Maxwell’s trial date (on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and disorderly conduct) has been scheduled for April 10, NBCSports.com Bay Area’s Joe Stiglich reports. This means that Maxwell would miss part of the Athletics’ season, though “there remains a strong possibility” that a trial is avoided by a plea deal, according to Stiglich. Discussion of a settlement conference took place today during Maxwell’s first pretrial conference today, as per a court spokesperson.
- Shin-Soo Choo is “not really worried about” being mentioned in trade speculation, the Rangers outfielder tells Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Choo’s name was reportedly included as part of the Rangers’ talks with the Diamondbacks about a possible Zack Greinke swap, as Texas was looking to move Choo’s contract to offset some of the salary the club would be taking on by acquiring Greinke. For Choo, such speculation is “part of baseball. That’s part of the deal. Nobody is happy to hear them in trade rumors….I have a great feeling for the Rangers, but at the same time I understand the team’s situation.” Choo has been hampered by injuries during his four years in Texas and is owed $62MM over the next three seasons, though Wilson feels that the Rangers should keep Choo, arguing that the outfielder has been effective when healthy and provides an OBP boost that the Rangers lineup otherwise lacks.
- The Rangers probably lack the prospect depth to trade for a top-tier starting pitcher, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes in his latest mailbag piece, in part because the club has already dealt so many other top minor leaguers in trades for Cole Hamels, Carlos Beltran, Jonathan Lucroy, and other established stars in recent years. Moving what few blue chip prospects the team has left for a pitcher like Chris Archer or Michael Fulmer doesn’t seem likely at this point. Texas has beefed up its rotation with the additions of Matt Moore, Doug Fister, and Mike Minor this winter, filling multiple holes in its rotation rather than making a big splash for an ace.
- The signings of Joe Smith and Hector Rondon may end up being the Astros’ biggest moves of the offseason, though MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart feels the team could still add another starter or a left field candidate. It isn’t out of the question that Houston makes a big play for Archer or the Marlins’ Christian Yelich, especially if the team could do so without moving either of Kyle Tucker or Forrest Whitley, McTaggart feels.
What is the MLB doing about Maxwell?
If he pleads guilty he deserves more than Chapman, Reyes or Familia.
Combined
Hes not on the level of the other 3, I wonder of he’s even worth keeping
Is it really that big of a deal?
Was Chapmans that big of deal? Maxwell deserves much more than Chap….and I am not seeing anything about an MLB investigation
Right
For the guy that kneeled during National anthem and then goes to jail on gun charges really isn’t smart.
It would seem if Chapman’s case is any precedent, it will be a 30-day suspension.
Honestly I’m surprised Arizona wants to deal Greinke, I know his contract is a problem as he’s likely to decline. But they finally turned a corner last year and he was a huge reason why. And getting Choo for him isn’t very helpful to the org.
They have decent pitching depth and not a lot of money to spend. I dont think its a matter of not wanting Greinke. With SP in such demand this season, I think the hope is they can free up money to better help the team elsewhere.
Kemp for Greinke would work. With a rotation of Kershaw, Greinke, Hill, Wood and ?
It doesn’t really work for the Dbacks at all.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN!!! Kemp is basically a salary dump that is dfa material. How would that work for the D-Backs??!!!
Because they’re a division foe and while they don’t want to deal Greinke, they’re looking to get something useful back.
Whitley or Tucker must be included for archer.
or for Yelich
Houston would probably pull that trigger for Archer, but I don’t see Miami getting both for Yelich.
if you read that fully you would most likely motive Price’s use of the word “or”, implying that only one of the two would need to be included
Thats not happening. Houston is not trading either Whitley or Tucker
Then they pass. That simple.
Agreed. I think the marlins can fill their MLB roster with some of the guys the Astros could offer for Yelich. Fisher in LF, Kemp at 2b, Paulino and Martes may get rotations spots. But I wouldn’t move Tucker or Whitley for Yelich. I am a huge Yelich fan though and would love to see him in an Astros uniform. Maybe include Colin Moran or JD Davis as well?.. Astros shouldn’t trade for Archer at all.
I would love to trade the Marlins Fisher, Moran and Martes as part of the deal for Yelich. Heck add Marisnick and it’s the exact Jarred Cosart package going back to the Marlins. That wouldn’t get it done, but it’d be downright hysterical.
It did not take Whitney or Tucker to get Verlander (who is 10X better than Archer) why should it take that for Archer or Yelich?
Not sure I follow …
Below are 2 pitchers and their stats over the past 3 seasons.
SP A: 614 IP, 10.75 K/9, 2.83 BB/9, 1.11 HR/9, 3.36 FIP, 3.25 xFIP
SP B: 567 IP, 9.30 K/9, 2.56 BB/9, 1.11 HR/9, 3.62 FIP, 4.01 xFIP
One is owed 2/$56mm for his age 35-36 seasons. The other is owed 4/$34mm for his age 29-32 seasons. Ignoring the fact that you somehow think one of those pitchers is currently 10x better than the other, do you not think the younger SP, with twice the amount of control at a quarter of the AAV might be a more valuable commodity moving forward?
Maybe one of these days Archer will stop underachieving his advanced stats (his past 2 years)
I completely agree though that his age and contract give him a big edge over Verlander
Staggeringly stupid of Oakland to commit to Maxwell, if only for baseball reasons – he is NOT a good catcher and is a AAAA hitter. Phegley and Garneau are also AAAA. Murphy is a ways off and might not hit enough to be anything but a backup. An everyday C or a platoon duo should be #1 on the A’s list, but this is maybe the most frustratingly stupid front office move of the offseason – you don’t commit to a guy like Maxwell, even without the controversies, he’s not a good player in the slightest.
I kind of hope Maxwell gets a very long MLB suspension just so it will force them to get an upgrade at C – which they will, easily, as Avila, Lucroy, Realmuto et al are out there. There’s probably a dozen superior options available for nothing at AAA across the country.
Good thing development teams don’t give up on players as easily as you do. Last season was Maxwell’s first season in the majors, so there’s plenty of time for him to put it together. Last season was also Murphy’s first full PRO season, so there’s more than plenty of time for him to put it together.,
Lucroy is all I see us getting, if we go after a catcher at all. Realmuto is an unrealistic get for a team that’s still rebuilding, and Avila doesn’t want to play for the A’s. So whether it’s “wise” or not to commit to a catching duo of Maxwell and Murphy, that’s what it will be for now.
They were a “rebuilding” team that improved 6 games to 75 wins, meaning adding a couple 3 win players should be imperative, they might contend in 2018 if they just spend some goddamn money for once. The Phillies are doing what Oakland should be doing right now.
I’m glad to hear someone make the comments you’ve made. I wondered if it was only me who thought/thinks that Maxwell isn’t worth the wait to keep him, with the crime(s) he’s committed and the overall quality, or lack thereof, of his catching. Beane should be out there beating the bushes for the best catcher he can find…and, pay the man to sign. The A’s/Billy Beane are always so cheap, that a bad catcher is good enough for them. No! Every up-the-middle position player has to be an above-average level player, especially on defense. What happened to the philosophy the A’s used when they won the World Series? Defense, OBP, speed, smart base running, etc. Nothing is going to change until BB goes out the door for someone more forward thinking, and until Kaval figures out how to finally, after decades of the Coliseum, secure a new park for the Oakland A’s! I hope that also includes an entirely new ownership group that wants to win, and respects their own players, unlike these owners.
They’re clearly well-stocked in every other position except catcher, I still think I’d rather they have traded Sonny Gray for Flaherty and Kelly over that package they got from the Yankees.
But with Olson, Chapman, Puk, Mateo and seemingly dozens more quality MLB-ceiling prospects all so close, a smart team would be spending money where they are lacking depth, which the A’s so clearly do with the C position, but are sticking with bad players at the backstop for reasons other than poor decision-making in the front office.
Beane/Forst should trade a pitcher to the Phillies for Knapp. win/win.
Great fit for both teams. Dakota Chalmers for Knapp works.
I would assume regardless of a plea he is looking at a suspension. If it gets classified as a domestic violence charge then mlb has more say in how long. I don’t think the cba has clarification between.
If the A’s don’t have a contingency plan in case of something that’s their own fault. I just feel bad for the rest of the team. This will follow them around all season. Like the kneeling did
It did? I barely read about it. Total non-issue. The gun stuff is far more serious.
I would just dump his contract and move on. This ain’t the NFL.
Thasts some loaded bullpen they got now. Should be a contender in the NL West or at the very least WC this year
No way the Astros should give up either of those prospects for Archer. I’d give up one of them for Yelich though.
A’s should go ahead and trade for Realmuto assuming the worst case scenario will play out for Maxwell. OAK has the prospects to pull it off.
Barreto for Realmuto straight up might work.