Even though they’ve traded Evan Longoria, more moves should be expected for the Rays before Opening Day, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Rays ownership has directed the front office to reduce payroll, and the team still projects to have a higher Opening Day payroll in 2018 (currently $83.6MM) than it did in 2017 ($70MM). There’s no indication that Tampa Bay has to cut it back to that $70MM level, nor is there a specific target that has been reported in recent weeks. But Topkin notes that the Rays are in a tough position of having to move veterans — possibly Denard Span, Jake Odorizzi, Alex Colome, Corey Dickerson or Brad Miller — while also still trying to fill out the roster. The bullpen, for instance, is lacking in experience, while Miller is projected to be the first baseman. If the Rays can clear enough cash, it stands to reason that they could reinvest some of those dollars in lower-priced options at those two positions (especially, I’d imagine, if Miller is one of the players to be jettisoned, thus creating a further opening at first base).
A bit more from around the American League as the sports world still buzzes about the Super Bowl…
- Twins right-hander Michael Pineda tells reporters that he threw for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery yesterday, making 30 throws from a distance of 60 feet (video link via the Minneapolis Star Tribune). Pineda, who signed a two-year, $10MM contract with Minnesota, declined to specify which other clubs he considered in free agency this offseason but said the concept of joining the Twins was one that immediately interested him when presented by his agent. The big righty said his expectation is that he’ll be able to get back on the mound before the end of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on July 18, 2017, though obviously there’s a long road ahead of him.
- Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram profiles a number of options for the Rangers as they head into camp uncertain about who will serve as Robinson Chirinos’ backup behind the plate. Brett Nicholas is the front-runner at this time, Wilson notes, though Juan Centeno, Jose Trevino and non-roster invitees Curt Casali and Mike Ohlman are all in the mix as well. Wilson notes that if the decision were to be made on defense alone, the organization would go with the 25-year-old Trevino, who many with the organization feel could be a plus MLB defender now. But, Trevino’s offense cratered in Double-A last year (.241/.275/.323) after a very good 2016 season in Class-A Advanced (.303/.342/.434). The Rangers undoubtedly hope he can be a long-term piece for them, so they’ll likely send him to the minors to further his development.
Braves: Get Colome and Dickerson
Rays: Get Markakis, Sean Newcomb, Toussaint, and Pache.
Braves getting robbed….in both proposals
Funny you say that. As a Rays fan I wouldn’t make that deal even if you took out Markakis.
I agree.
Second that
No, you’d keep both your guys & watch Colome do what most flavor of the month closers do (get shelled until they’re in danger of losing their job, or actually lose it) & watch Dickerson revert to his true self (a 4th OF or 3rd OF who hits .210 & Ks 225 times on a crappy team). If they traded both for Toussaint & Newcomb, they would (and should) thank their lucky stars. And I’m not even a Braves fan, quite the opposite.
Terrible for both teams
Pineda’s recovery from that Torn Labrum surgery, shortly after getting traded from Seattle— was thing of beauty.
If he can recover from that, he can recover from TJ Surgery.
I believe in his talent.
The guy has outstanding stuff.
Agreed. When he was on his game he was difficult to square up. But then he would have one little thing go wrong and it would all come off the rails. I hope he does well.
Might be a steal from when all is said and done, but is still high risk/reward deal.
The reward though for the Twins is one year at best of a premium Pineda in 2019 before he tries to go out and get paid again this time while healthy
Seeing a “premium” Pineda is a big question mark. At times he has looked very good, but other times he has been terrible. It seems that once he gives up a home run it all goes downhill from there. Hopefully the guy recovers from surgery and starts to show some consistency.
I agree about amazing stuff. That is why it was soooooo frustrating to watch him throw. He could come out, pitch 120 over 9 with 17 strikeouts and no runs, and then the next 2 games have 100 by the 5th inning after giving up 4-5 with 1 strikeout.
It is there, the question is always, which Pineda are you going to get.
Million dollar arm, 10 cent head.
he should just rub some Vaseline on it, he’ll be fine
Pine tar, not vaseline.
Braves: Get Colome and Cory D
Rays: Get Markakis (braves eat a portion of the contract), Ian Anderson, Sean Newcomb, Toussaint, and Pache.
That’s such an overpay
That is fair. My line of thinking is Corey is a controllable young AS outfielder signed to a good contract and Colome has the potential to be a very good closer. Given the importance of how relief pitching is right now and the market price going up for free agent relief pitchers today, he has a lot of prospect value attached to him. The Rays will take Markakis off Braves hands, and in return they will get pitching prospects. It might be an overpay, but i think the foundation for a possible trade is there.
As a braves fan..why? dickerson is fine but what an overpay. you include a closer who will get more expensive as well… they arent competing
It’s tough though. Dickerson isn’t a very good defensive outfielder which does hurt his value especially going to a NL team. Colome is proven, but to get Anderson, Toussaint, AND a Newcomb? I’d say maybe 2 of those guys, but definitely not all 3.
Only if they could extend Dickerson for a while at a reasonable rate, but I doubt they could. He’s a free agent after next year so that’s totally not worth it.
Not saying Braves should or shouldn’t make that deal, but Dickerson isn’t nearly as bad as you think. Over the last couple of seasons, he has been ranked as about an average defensive LF by DRS, UZR and Statcast.
Though it wouldn’t be much of a hit to our farm, we didn’t store up to use them like this. Colome doesn’t have much control left (like our Vizcaino) and will be expensive very soon. Not that I am holding my breath for this, but Kimbrel is a FA next year, and I would imagine he would want to entertain an offer to return to ATL with what could be his last contract. That way ATL isn’t so pushed to spend or develop an ace by having what could be an elite bullpen that could consist of AJ Minter (not there yet, but looks like a young Billy Wagner), Kimbrel and others. That takes more pressure off the starters and may even by easier to ease someone like Folty/Newcomb into a bullpen role, as Soroka, Wright, Allard finalize their development.
I don’t believe in paying top dollar for elite closers, but if you’re going to do it (and are competing), you might as well to someone that is a fan favorite and is still at the top of his game like Kimbrel.
Thinking braves need to eat significant portion of markakis contract in any trade scenario?
“Rays trade Span, Colome, and Miller to Dodgers for Seager, Bellinger, Kershaw, and a heavy-worded, crayon-scribbled note suggesting they sign Clay Buchholz. It takes care of LA’s LF problem so it works”
– average MLB Trade Rumors comment trade proposal
Your on some crazy dope tonight
It would have been more realistic if Archer was in on that trade and someone says that’s not enough for Archer
True simschifan
Accurate though
Why was Colome included in this proposal? Dodgers have a closer they don’t need Colome … insert Brad Miller instead … they’d need a 1b after sending Bellinger …. Give these trade proposal people some credit man
Toss in Royce Clayton and Rocco Baldelli and it’s a deal.
Plot twist. It’s a 4 team trade. The Braves will be acquiring Domingo Santana from the Brewers for Julio Teheran.
breaking: dodgers send the brewers justin turner as well, in exchange for international bonus money
I think the Rangers should take a flyer on one of the free agent catchers. So many options to choose from, surely one would sign for a one-year contract. Could be good trade bait for at the break. This would allow the Rangers a chance to add another piece to their farm system.
There seems to be a lot of this talk. Have the teams that do not appear to be contenders take flyers in hope of hitting pay dirt and trading for future farm talent.
Doesn’t seem like that long ago Rangers had those 3 stud catching prospects in Teagarden, Salty and believe other was max ramirez? They were looking at getting 1 of them to anchor the position for years. runs that way sometimes. teams will be loaded at a position with top kids and have a problem later on.
Brett Nicholas looks good every time he has been up. I think they want to give him a shot.He can hit, good guy too
Pipe dream: twins manage to get Darvish, then go all in for archer/colome Gordon/Javier/Romero… two other top guys only excluding lewis/gonsalves and maybe dropping one at most major like Kepler.
I’m saying if and only if Darvish do you drop a hail like that… immediately jump into World Series contention.
That is a lot of guys.
Man, I’m a huge Twins fan and I get your point, but this year still wouldn’t be the year to go all in. I have no problem in trading Gordon and maybe Romero. Javier might be our future 2nd baseman or shortstop depending on how Polanco progressed and if Royce Lewis can stay at short. I hope we get Darvish, but we’re still a young team putting together the pieces. We don’t know the fate of Sano yet and even if we did trade for Colome/Archer, we’re still going to be behind the Yankees and Astros and most likely the Indians. Keep the young guys and let them develop and if a trade comes up that’s tough to pass on then do it, but we can’t just give up on the future 5+ years from now. We’re more of a medium market team that spends like a small market team and we need to be a little conservative. If injuries happen to the Yankees and Astros, then maybe you need to pull the trigger on something, but we need to build a contender, not just a playoff worthy team.
Sounds like Theo n Jed
Best players to trade to relieve payroll are KK, Archer, and Colome and rebuild everywhere else.
Ramos and Span have negative values, but it’s just this season. If they can move those three, then they only have arbitration controlled guys in 2019.
KK will not be traded. He’s the Rays best player and irreplaceable in the field (unlike the Rays pitchers, where there’s always another young stud ready to graduate). He just signed an extension. He has become the face of the franchise over the past 2 years (along with Archer who probably will be traded at some point this year). Most of all, his surplus value is insane!!! He’s not tradeable.
Also, the Rays only have a salary issue in 2018. They free up almost $30 million in salary next year (almost 50% of total salary).
He isn’t irreplaceable in the field. His defense has declined from all-time great to outstanding to simply good in a matter of 3 seasons. And studies have shown that fielding peaks in the mid-twenties, earlier than the hit tool.
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve read on this site, which is saying something. KK’s defense has not declined. He has been injured, but his play has, if anything, improved overall.
Darvish signed, or Archer traded first (assuming Archer traded at all)?
Darvish. No more Archer talk please
I still think Colome best fits the Cardinals.
Twin fans will quickly tire of Pineda’s disposition on the mound. He never looks comfortable and throws way too many pitches for the stuff he has. Add to that his Jekyll and Hyde starts and you will be frustrated as Yankee fans were as to why he never became the stud he should have been
Colome, Miller and Odorizzi will all hit the block. The logical reason is the sheer talent coming up behind them. Yarbrough: LHP pitcher of the year award, Schultz: if you don’t get this guy on your fantasy baseball team someone will beat you down. Strikeout King: last year 143 as a bullpen arm. 22 SO in 14 innings at one point. Guerrieri: 2011: 24th pick overall. Bauers and Adames.
This overhaul completes the amount of money needing to be trimmed.
Cancel that 163 strikeouts
Guerrieri is gone. Claimed by the Jays on waivers earlier in the offseason.
What does everyone think?:
Cards get: Archer, Colome, Brad Miller
Rays get: Flaherty, Tyler O’Neil, Max Schrock, Austin Gomber, Oscar Mercado.
I feel like you can argue thats not enough because archer is young and cheap, or that it’s a big overpay by giving up 5 of your top 15 prospects.
I think, I come here to read actual insider trade information, not the made up, unrealistic trade bs that a lot of you frustrated fantasy owners think is clever.
Nobody is forcing you to read the awful comments.
He asked for my feedback on his trade proposal and I gave it to him.
Not to be that guy, but I think your proposal would be considered light for Archer alone. Not a single top 50 player for Archer? I don’t think so. See the Quintana trade for comparable value.
Fair enough. Flaherty is top 50 on multiple lists. Oneil is a former top 100 I believe. And I viewed taking miller as a draw because I think hes a good bat off the bench but rays would probably be happy shedding salary. And Davbee, if you just come here for the insider info why are you reading and commenting here?
I feel Brad Miller wouldn’t bring back anything right now.
I’d be floored if they got anything more than cash or APTBNL. They should have traded Miller to the O’s instead of Beckham. It was/is super frustrating watching either of them in the Rays lineup but at least Beckham I just accepted as the pick we got.
Pineda is back pitching after undergoing Tommy John surgery yesterday? That’s not how it’s supposed to work!
I read it that same way and I thought, “It’s a miracle!”
For those who care to enjoy random trades made by non MLB GMs (if you’re one who doesn’t, just kindly ignore please):
Twins get Colome and Odirrizi
Rays get Eddie Rosario and Trevor May
Saves Rays 8 million and gives them a young MLB ready Rosario to plug into the lineup and former top prospect May to be bullpen support/5th starter.
Twins get the pitching help they need to compete come playoff time without gutting their minor league system.
Hard Pass. Trevor May is coming off a lost year and is already in arbitration. The Rays don’t trade rotation pitchers with 2 years of control for relievers with 3 years of control. They want prospects, and with Odorizzi and Colome, they’re looking for at least a top 100 prospect for each (perhaps top 50 for Colome). As for Rosario, he’s a much more intriguing player but for one big problem. The Rays only need him if they can move Span. Counterproposal – Rosario to the Rays and Span and either Colome or Odorizzi to the Twins.
I’d be happy with Rosario for Span and Odirrizi.
I would love a blockbuster that netted the twins Archer and Odirrizi, but not as realistic.
Rays get Rosario, Nick Gordon and Romero/Gonsalves.
Twins get Archer, Oddirizi and Span
I don’t see Archer being moved unless a top 25 pick AND a top 50 pick is involved. The Rays still have 4 years of control with Archer and can afford him. They aren’t trading him for just a bunch of “guys”. Odorizzi, on the other hand, is almost guaranteed to be moved before the start of the season.
Oh no! The Rays have an $86M payroll without dumping more salary? They are in critical danger of not being in the bottom 5 in payroll. Quick, trade everyone!
I am looking for new homes with immediate needs for the following players:
Jake Odorizzi – All
Alex Colome – All
Brad Miller – BoSox, *Tigers
Corey Dickerson – Twins, *ChiSox
Denard Span. – None
* Not acquiring veterans.