A date has been set for the previously reported Manny Machado-Yankees summit. He’ll head to New York to meet with the team on Wednesday, George A. King III of the New York Post relays. It’s reportedly one of four visits the superstar infielder will make around the league in the coming days. He’ll also sit down with the White Sox, Phillies and a mystery team. [UPDATE: Machado will meet with the Phils on Thursday, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports. The White Sox meeting is likely to take place “early in the week,” as per Fancred’s Jon Heyman, which would seemingly place it on Monday or Tuesday ahead of Machado’s trip to New York.] Machado’s meeting with the Yankees may give him an opportunity to clear the air with owner Hal Steinbrenner, who said last month it would be “essential” for the 26-year-old to explain his well-documented “Johnny Hustle” comments to GM Brian Cashman.
Here’s more on a few other American League clubs:
- In the event the Rangers trade left-hander Mike Minor, who has drawn interest from at least one team, they’d “likely have to add another veteran” starter in response, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. The Rangers don’t want to overexpose their young pitchers at the major league level in 2019, per Grant, and losing their 2018 innings leader in Minor without replacing him would make that task more difficult. Texas did sign Lance Lynn this week, but he’d be the only strong bet to eat innings on a Minor-less staff. While Drew Smyly and Edinson Volquez have done it in the past, the former hasn’t taken a major league mound since 2016, and the latter last pitched in MLB in July 2017 – a month before he underwent Tommy John surgery.
- Likewise, the Rangers plan to acquire bullpen help prior to spring training, according to general manager Jon Daniels (via Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram). The unit just lost its innings king from last season, Alex Claudio, whom the Rangers traded to the Brewers earlier in the week. Prior to that, the Rangers did reunite with Jesse Chavez via the open market, but they also saw Tony Barnette and the non-tendered Matt Bush become free agents.
- An experienced closer is on the Rays’ wish list, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. The Rays’ saves leaders from last season – Sergio Romo and Alex Colome – are no longer on the roster, with the former currently a free agent. Romo’s one of several established closers on the market, where Craig Kimbrel, Zach Britton, David Robertson, Andrew Miller, Kelvin Herrera, Joakim Soria, Cody Allen and Bud Norris are also among those seeking deals.
- White Sox uber-prospect Eloy Jimenez has been playing in the Dominican Winter League, but Chicago will probably shut the outfielder down until spring training because of a quad injury, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score tweets. Jimenez would have been done with winter ball in another week anyway, Levine notes, so this doesn’t seem like a particularly serious issue. As such, the 22-year-old Jimenez remains on track to make his much-anticipated big league debut sometime in 2019.
Manny to the Yankees
I agree. Whitesox are too far away from winning . He did enough losing in Baltimore.
Guessed you missed the part where the Orioles won more games during a multi year span than your Yankees – a period of time that Machado just happened to be on the team!
Indeed, and I’m sure he misses that feeling of putting a W on the board. Manny to the Yankees, if the Yankees want to win and if Manny wants to win, it’s a match made in baseball heaven. Offer 10/325 with an opt out after 5 years, an even 32.5 salary per year. Do it, Cash.
You are so right. I remember that time too. Manny probably remembers it fondly and would choose not to play for the Yankees because of their past losing ways.
I created an account just to respond to this. Yankees have won 60 more games than the Orioles since Manny hit the majors. more critically, 69 games over the past 2 years when it mattered most (his resigning years). thst brief span equals 9 wins, in 7 seasons the Orioles have had a better record twice. but the part most appealing is the last time they had a losing record.
He spun your counterargument on you, perfectly.
Just take the L.
Why does he need an opt out? I thought everyone wants to play for the Yankees according to their fans
The same way fans of ever team should feel, and if not oh well.
And as soon as his 6 years were up he made it clear he wanted out of Bmore as quickly as possible.
Yes, send him to the Evil Empire but it’s a match made in the Baseball Netherworld..
And how many rings did Baltimore produce from that time?
the same amount as the Yankees did, viva.
WS Balt 3, NYY 27
During “a multi-year span?”
Cherry picking at its finest. Why don’t you say precisely the “multi-year span” you’re referring to, for context.
*sigh* please read before posting…..the key prepositional phrase was “from that time” which is none, just like the Yankees.
the above comment was directed at duke
How often does Baltimore wins? Once every ten years
White Sox are 1-3 years away from winning. May make the playoffs this year with Machado and a few others on the roster.
1-3?
Manny probably will go to NYY, and it won’t stop TB and Boston from running all over them in 2019.
Keep dreaming JTO!
Haven’t this plethora of inaccurate assessments in awhile.
*seen his plethora
So., pinstripes .,last year was a dream?
Wish that was so, but the Yankees are only getting stronger. Red Sox have the most to lose if they don’t build up their bullpen.
Kind of silly to even consider in mid Dec. lots of time left for every team to improve
Pretty much
Based off of which facts? As it stands who has a deeper rotation, 1-5 than the Yanks (each 2.5 WAR and at least 150 IP last year)? Who has a better pen in the AL than just the ones the Yanks have now with 3 of the top 10 bullpen arms in Chapman, Bets and Green? The Sox, Rays and Astros all have gaping holes to fill too.
who had a better rotation in 2018 by war?
CLE, HOU, COL, BOS, PHI, NYM, WAS, LAD and THEN the yankers….
RP?
OAK, BOS, HOU, CHC, PHI and, again, THEN the yankers.
SP in 2018 just in the AL?
CLE – 20.9
HOU – 20.3
BOS – 19.7
NYY – 13.5
TBR – 11.8
BOS only lost Kimbrel and now has eovaldi for a full year, TBR only lost Romo and will be signing a closer as well as gaining Morton and have Honeywell coming back…Snell seems to get better every start (2nd half was sick), while the stankees lost Britton and D. Robertson… while none of the three aformentioned teams are done adding arms, personally, I still see TBR leapfrogging the tankees in regards to rotation and BOS, of course, remaining dominant. so, yeah, based on those facts, Miami bullyboy.
Now, do fWAR.
while Paxton and Haap are definite upgrades, it’s difficult to rely on a 36 and a 38 year old arm for a full season…with no J. Sheffield anymore, the quality of replacements falls off pretty hard after that. CLE, BOS and TBR have more quality depth, imo. Doesn’t matter, it’s all conjecture in the winter months…we shall see in the spring…and the summer….and fall.
You neglect that the Yankees traded for Paxton and will have Happ for a full season now. Severino was tipping pitches which caused him to fall off a steep cliff in the second half. The bullpen still needs to be dealt with, for sure, but I highly doubt the acquisitions are over. I have high confidence in the ability of the pitching staff to do their jobs. The Yankees won 100 games even with their staff ranking that low compared to the others. I certainly don’t expect them to be leapfrogged by the Rays.
Its not just pitching that wins games, you need good hitting too. And in that department the Yankees are juggernauts. Granted, we weren’t clutch in the playoffs, but with new members and training, that could be improved. I won’t be losing sleep over the team.
*sigh* again, please read thoroughly before posting….everything you’ve stated was covered in both my comments and, as I stated earlier, the key prepositional phrase was “in regards to the rotation”, never did I say that would cause them to leapfrog them in the standings….read each comment thoroughly before responding.
He is such a scumb&g I can’t see how this DOESN’T happen!!!
Manny to the highest bidder. Doesn’t matter if it’s a losing team or not.
Don’t sign Manny Yankees!!! You will regret it for a long time. Harper is the play here
Harper is great but too many ups and downs. Scared he’ll be another Stanton. Great players, but no telling if he’ll have an elite year or just a very good year.
38 homers and a .350 OBP isn’t a “great year”? Manny has had just as many “non-elite” years with the bat. It’s the position he plays and defense that closes the gap between Mannny and Harper. I’ve stated often that I prefer Harper tho.
Both players will turn out to be bad deals for whichever team they sign with.
Bud Norris to Tampa.
“F” the non-hustle comment. Manny is a gamer and not afraid to take the heat in a city that is extremely hot. The Pinstripes fit.
It’s not what he said, it’s what he did. The comment he made was about the play on the field. He loafed on the way to first during the playoffs.
People tend to forget that Harper has either been “sat” or “call;ed to the carpet” by every manager he has played for, from Davey Johnson to Dave Martinez. Even when Johnson left the bench during a game and Randy Knorr was acting skipper the rest of the night, he called Harper out for all but walking to 1st. He said “the lack of hustle was unacceptable.”
Cat even though I lean toward signing Harper you are absolutely right. It’s a case of short term memory for so many, and it’s probably the indictment of our society today.
Cereal…..Exactly….it’s all perception and selective memory. Manny made his “johnny Hustle” statement and that sticks with people. Harper never made such a statement even though he has been called on it numerous time so under the rug it goes.
As a Phillies fan I would lean towards Manny because the infield D was atrocious and he has said he would play 3rd for the right offer.
Wasn’t not hustling the reason Pap rang Harper’s neck – or at least the inciting incident?
Yep, sure was.
Manny’s bat and defense (if he was to play Third) would more than make up for any hustle questions. It’s just the Yankees are just so RH dominant right now with, Didi out, Gardner not an everyday player anymore, and of course Bird being such a non factor.
Cereal…..Manny’s LHP/RHP splits are so close to identical that it doesn’t worry me and the Phillies have a decent enough mix and adding Segura helps as his splits are pretty good too.
A large number of players fail to hustle at times due to frustration….I get that. I may not like it but I get it. Even a Phillies fan favorite, Jimmy Rollins ,was called out by Charlie Manual several times and was constantly blasted on social media for lack of hustle and popups. Fans even called him J-Pop instead of J-Roll.
I just hope both our teams get what is needed for the next step up as longs as it’s not something stupid like signing both to 10+year crippling contracts.
Oh great, ask a guy to play hurt then chew him out for not running out a worthless grounder. Really cool “managing”.
JTO
So, every time he was called out or more he was hurt? OK, sure….smdh
Also, if he was hurt, that would have been his comment. Instead he explained that hustling is not his game. That is a mindset flaw, not an induced by a specific condition.
I think almost every player can be called “this or that” at some point and time. It’s the fact that Manny obviously saw nothing wrong with saying it and then doubled down again and re-emphasizing it. That along with some of the plays see as “dirty”. You have to know how to handle the media if you want to be a top star in a top market. I think he’s learned that lesson.
Agree 100%. Machado is a superstar in this game and its hilarious watching people try and knock his game down because he doesn’t hustle. You are flat out lying to yourself if you say his bat is not worth the lack of “hustle”
At more than 300 million dollars, his bat isn’t worth it. If he can be had cheaper then he would be worth it.
Machado had a .905 OPS last year, that is elite no matter what you think about it.
So is his laziness.
My god I agree with you.
OMG! What next?
Agreeing with you know who??
Only on direct flights to SF, and RSVPing to Boone’s BBQ.
Agreed. Manny plays dirty at times because he is a passionate guy that cares about winning. If he doesn’t hustle on every play, so be it. Harper and others don’t hustle on every play either.
If he was so passionate, he’d hustle. He’d try to put pressure on the defense by forcing them to make good plays. He would try to leg out those grounders.
Rays will find a cheaper bargain of the bunch. Dont see them spending on Kimbrel like contracts
agreed. I would love it if they would sign Ottavino but I’m with you on them signing a bargain instead. Maybe a trade for LeClerc?
Don’t want Manny on the Yankees. Not as good as Gleyber or Andujar or Didi or Harper, our future infield right there.
Go to bed.
Wow! I’m flattered.
Don’t force ey to break out the greenie meanie.
The one thing I do worry about with Eloy is his frequent injuries and usually ones that shelf him for more than 1 week.
He’s Jorge Soler 2.0
Rays should consider doing business with Texas. Leclerc is a HUGE talent, about to break out, a la Inglasias. Rays have all kinds of payroll space, enough to take Shoo’s contract (Texas would have to eat some). And Shoo would give them a veteran presence in the middle of the lineup @DH; they don’t need the OF play.
Choi and some minor pieces should get it done…..
“Rays have all kinds of payroll space…”
Lol. What?
Figuring payroll the way you should (40-man, including minimum guys, and about 18% in fringe), they’re at about 70M. Even in living in their owners universe of fiction, they have about 15M to spend; in the real world, it’s about 30M (if not a tad more).
More than enough to add professional hitter AND a closer that could very well dominate over the next few years, at a cheap price.
If the Rays could add Nelson Cruz and Andrew Miller, wow!
I can see that but I would think the traded player would be Jake Faria and maybe a garret whitley and another prospect but we don’t need Choo that’s why we traded mallex they had too many Lh OF they need to either sign Nellie or trade for both Martinez’s from the cardinals they have the pieces to get it done .
Well, Faria’s kind of a nothing burger. And the RH/LH thing is overblown. The Rays have enough OBP RH guys, like Duffy, Pham. D-Rob, Adames (the bat plays, even if the defense is an adventure), and RH pop from Zunino and Pham, even considering the LH pitching-centric AL East. The whole idea is to get a shut-down closer, and cut the prospect cost by taking on Choo.
“Buying” closers on the FA market is often an exercise in futility. And while I wouldn’t over-emphasize their value, they’re nice to have. And Leclerc has done multiple innings.
Cruz is attractive; guy’s gonna hit til he’s 50. But the combo deal from Texas is just more attractive, IMHO.
I could not agree more with going after leclerc, I just don’t know if Choo would be worth the roster spot for DH. they dfa’d Cron because they wanted a “feared” bat – I say trade for leclerc and sign nellie…he’s a perfect fit. I wouldn’t mind trading for j. Martinez, either…I believe there’s a lot more pop in that bat than has showed up so far. I would balk at trading for both Martinez, however, as SLC highly value Carlos and the return would be too much (he’s got 5 years of control left) – I don’t want to let go of Jesus Sanchez or, of course, Wander – one of which would prob be necessary for both Martinez.
TLDR
Leclerc and Cruz / J. Martinez.
bam.
Wander’s not going anywhere…..you’re talking about a guy who, after Vlad Jr. bubbles up, is probably the best prospect in MLB…..he ate the Appy League alive, and doesn’t even shave yet….on the LOWSIDE, he’s Soto/Acuna……
Now, lots can happen. And the lauded BB rate is a bit overdone….nobody was pitching to him. And there’s some fielding issues (it’s a Rays thing), but he has the athleticism to play just about anywhere, with reps……
Sanchez should be available. He’s somewhat limited to LF, and they have a bunch of those guys; Lowe as in “ow”, McCarthy (if he stops being psycho), Solak (no, he’s not a 2B), etc. Down the road there’s Whitley and Lowe, the younger (as in low). All are legit prospects, so there’s depth. D-Rob and Diaz need somewhere to play.
The system may not have the ‘impact” possibilities that SD has, but there’s legit MLB talent there.
And ultimately Adams might be your LFer; the defense just isn’t acceptable for a contending team. Boegarts (who Adames translates into, ceiling-wise) is similar, but the Rays can’t afford to surround Adames with that type of talent that the Sox have.
Jose Martinez can be had from the Cardinals he’s a really good hitter better suited for the AL with his limited defense but Carlos Martinez is signed to a very team friendly deal on a team that isn’t in rebuild mode. He’s not getting moved
Only place the Ray’s have space is in the stands.
wah-wah.
that is the first time I’ve heard a joke about the empty stands at the trop.
you’re a….you are a clever guy
Phillies or Yankees for Machado. The White Sox would have to prove that they can win soon if they are to even have a prayer of signing either Machado or Harper
Yet the Phillies who have been just as bad can sign them? Hmm
Were you paying attention from April to August? How about just weeks ago when they picked up an All-Star shortstop…? Hmmm….
The Phillies also had a horrible run differential last year (less horrible than the Sox though) and are likely the 4th best team in their division – third if we’re being generous.
Where were you during 2018? The Phillies have also improved an already better team than the White Sox.
A few examples of being just as bad, Padres yes, Reds yes, but not the Phillies..smh
Romo probably won’t get the closer role again unless it’s some team like the Orioles. He’s done an admirable job when given the closer spot, but he really isn’t closer material.
Great stats as a reliever though.
Agreed. He’s your spot closer but not your full-time closer.
If the Yankees got Machado and don’t upgrade the rotation it would be the 1982 ‘Harvey Wallbanger’ Brewers all over again. Fun to watch with a lot of 10 – 8 games.
Why not check what the Yankees added to their rotation before making such a ridiculous post.
An aging lefty and an oft-injured guy? Ooooo scary.
His post was not as far-fetched as all your up-voters seem to think. Check out the 1982 Brewers pitching staff here (baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/1982-pitching.sht…) and then compare it to the Yankees likely staff in 2019 with their two recent SP additions. At least Milwaukee got major innings out of their top-4 starters. Good luck to the Yankees coming anywhere close to those numbers with their top-4, even accounting for the differences with bullpen usage in today’s game.
Additionally, we all know that the Brewers could mash which is something the Yankees should have no problem duplicating in 2019 with or without a Bryce Harper or Manny Machado.
It also should be noted that Milwaukee added 37-year old future HOF’er Don Sutton at the August 31st deadline. He made a significant contribution to the Brewers rotation for their September stretch run and then started 3 games in the postseason with mixed results.
1982 was when men were men and gay meant happy, u know back when guys threw 250 plus innings.
What does being gay have anything to do with baseball? Or being a man, for that matter? You know, back in those “good ol’ days” there were the same amount of gay men in the game and in society as there are today, they were just forced to stay in the closet due to that same ignorance you just demonstrated. You’d be surprised at how many of your ‘manly’ mlb players you worshipped as a kid (and today) were, and are, actually gay. Keep an open mind – baseball skill is not affected by sexuality.
@thegreatcerealfamine if you think Paxton and a full year of Happ is a major upgrade then all I can ask is can I buy drugs off you? You are smoking some good stuff.
Yankees already upgraded their rotation in Happ and Paxton.
Rhey traded for Paxton and resigned Happ.
Mike Minor for Julio Teheran
Kris Medlen for Julio Teheran
No thanks
Minor and Teheran are almost identical and both would benefit from a change of scenery and Minor would be back home with the Braves. We also need a lefty
I dunno as a Ranger fan I’m confused. I mean if your going to rebuild.,……rebuild. This “kind of” brand of rebuilding doesn’t seem to get you anywhere and locks you into mediocrity forever unless you get REALLY lucky on some reclamation projects.
Manny will take a below market contract just so he can be a Yankee.
No, even I know that’s not happening. The winning offer will have to be competitive
Anyone know who mystery team is?
Hate saying it but I could see DD and the Red Sox being the weasel mystery team.
So they’re gonna have a 280-300 million dollar payroll.
But if they trade Porcello and Xander,that frees up money for Machado
I dunno…they need to replace Kimbrel and I can’t see them going THAT much over the lux tax…they can’t be the mystery team, imo….it has to be the Orioles or Rays
I don’t put anything past DD. You shouldn’t either.
Maybe, but then where would Machado play? Play at 3B and then trade Devers away for pitching or a proper 2B? I’d love that except payroll is already sky high in Boston.
I hate the Red Sox. I’m a Yankees fan. But if they were smart they’d trade bogaerts and some for Realmuto and Brian Anderson. Then sign Machado.
Then Yankees answer with Bryce Harper.
Just can’t trust DD. You saw him in Detroit, and you saw him blow past threshold this year.
Oh God I hope not. I would rather them spend that money on extending the guy that actually is “Johnny Hustle”, Mr MVP himself Mookie Betts.
Manny Manny… Just imagine you going to your employer telling them you are not going to “hustle” at work…
Or your the number one salesman, and your boss says don’t worry about it .
It’s Manny being Manny V2. If I wasn’t “Johnny Hustle” do you know the one thing I wouldn’t say during my walk year? That I’m not “Johnny Hustle”.
Cashman should just meet with Machado and Harper and have them Lebron out deals together.
I love it! Manny Machado is scheduled to visit with 3 known clubs and the one proverbial “mystery” team. Why the mystery?
If this was Bryce Harper I could understand this tactic with Scott Boras as his agent because the mystery team would be the one scheduled suitor that ultimately makes the highest contract offer that he would then have bidding against themselves before the deal is actually signed.
Cardinals?
Something tells me the “mystery” team is also a mystery to Manny Machado and his agent. Just drumming up an extra suitor to increase his limited market by 25%.
My thoughts exactly. You can’t tell me there’s a mystery team when not a single reporter or writer knows anything about its identity. If there were any substance to this, something would have leaked somewhere. Hopefully someone is tracking Machado’s itinerary on this trip
A couple of questions:
Machado vs. Harper
1) The better hitter?
2) The better fielder?
3) Which had a harder time adjusting to defensive shifts?
4) Healthier?
5) Prediction of where they sign?
Thank you!
Have a warm, safe and Happy Holiday
Just sign them both, you made 600 million last year!
Harper
Machado
Harper
Machado
Who cares
The WhiteSox and Harper are a perfect match but it doesnt hurt to dream big so a Machado addition would be awesome for the Sox!Chicago has a bright future with a great farm system which makes us Ready to WIN with them both!Lets Go White sox get it done!!
Forget Manny’s “comments” about not hustling….he DIDNT hustle in the World Series (and immediately before becoming a FA). Pathetic and obtuse! How will his effort be during a June game in Tampa Bay with a huge guaranteed contract? #nomanny
Jimenez, Walker, Kopech, Robert, Burger, Adolfo, Hansen, Dunning, Burdi,
Sox top prospects are having a very tough time staying healthy.
Eloy Jimenez also had some other minor injury issues in 2018 not listed in this article link (sports.yahoo.com/white-sox-may-shut-down-181409496…). He missed two weeks of spring training with left knee tendonitis and then suffered a mild pectoral strain just as camp was winding down that delayed his start a AA Birmingham. Hopefully he won’t turn into the next Jorge Soler with all these nagging injuries. Top CF prospect Luis Robert is another player that can’t seem to stay off the disabled list either. This might be a bad time for Herm Schneider to step down from being the White Sox head trainer in the dugout.
An elite prospect like Jimenez needs to try to stay healthy. Get him a personal trainer so he can stay on the field and upgrade his abilities. This guy could be a difference maker in the middle of the lineup next year. Give the youngster help with his training, rehab and basic good workout habits.
Eloy in bubble wrap sounds good. Look forward to his arrival in mid-April all stretched out and ready for seasonal cool temps.
He certainly wouldn’t be the first White Sox hispanic player to be affected by the generally miserable weather in Chicago in April and May. Maybe the White Sox would consider holding training camp in Anchorage instead of Glendale so that when they return to Chicago it will actually feel balmy.
“Mystery team” the Mets. Looking to move Rosario for jtr and Manny to fill the hole.
Please God forgive this wayward soul…
Let’s get machado cashman !!!!! Machado knows the Yankees mean bussiness and won’t tolerate the “Johnny hustle” garbage. He is a great fit for the team for numerous reasons
I think the Yanks offer Machado 8/250 with an opt out after 4 years.
I’m sure Boras will jump right on that.
Then Dan Lozana would jump on Scott Boras for stealing back his client.
Sour grapes, Cashman turned his team around while still making the playoffs, every owner can do the same thing, they have the money. The Sox will be on 2 ten year plans.
Being realistic there’s probably only 3 teams in Machado’s market. And one of them doesn’t really count as Chicago WS are seen as a long shot landing spot for him. To me the NYY and Phillies wont have a bidding war over him as PHI will throw their stupid money at him so that leaves the Yankees out since they don’t want to go long term with him as stated. After all that he ends up in a Phillies uniform. Just my (un)educated guess
Manny to NYY unless Phillies in his Thursday visit with them produces more $ / yrs front loaded. But Manny prefers AL for sure and Phillies offer will depend on their possibility on prime objective: Harper, who would probably prefer NL East or LA. Bets?