Astros GM Jeff Luhnow spoke to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links) and other reporters about today’s five-player trade with the Mets, noting that New York “was aggressive” in asking about J.D. Davis. The Astros weren’t originally thinking of moving Davis, but Luhnow explained that “there was enough of a market for him that we decided to go ahead and explore it because there’s no obvious spot for him on our 25-man roster next year, at this point.” The Mets’ inclusion of catching prospect Scott Manea as part of the return going back to Houston “was a big part of it for us,” Luhnow said, due to the Astros’ lack of catching depth. In terms of future moves, Luhnow also said that the Astros are still considering the starting pitching and bullpen markets.
Here’s more from around the AL…
- Speaking to media (including the Kyodo News) in his return to Japan, Yusei Kikuchi mentioned that the Mariners were the first team to make him a contract offer. It isn’t clear if other teams also made offers after the fact and Seattle eventually altered its offer to win the bidding, or if perhaps the M’s were the only club to issue a concrete offer to the left-hander. The latter scenario seems rather unlikely, given that multiple teams reportedly had interest in Kikuchi during his posting period. Then again, given how impressed Kikuchi and agent Scott Boras were with the Mariners’ detailed plans for managing Kikuchi’s workload and arm health in his transition to Major League Baseball, it isn’t entirely out of the question that Kikuchi decided to jump on the offer, especially considering the money involved (at least $56MM, and worth as much as $106MM) in the deal’s unique salary structure.
- The Orioles have offered their bullpen coach job to minor league pitching coordinator John Wasdin, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Wasdin has been in his current role in the organization for the last two seasons, after spending the previous six years as a minor league pitching coach in the Athletics’ farm system. Wasdin briefly pitched for the O’s in 2001 as part of his 12-year career in the majors. It isn’t yet known if Wasdin will accept the offer, though regardless, Kubatko writes that the Orioles will head into 2019 with an entirely new coaching staff under new manager Brandon Hyde.
- The latest round of Manny Machado speculation had the free agent infielder reportedly visiting Chicago today, attending the Eagles/Bears NFL playoff game as a guest of White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf. As per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, however, this rumor wasn’t accurate. In terms of free agency, Machado is already seeing a Chicago vs. Philadelphia (vs. New York) battle play out, as the White Sox, Phillies, and Yankees are the three teams most directly connected to his pursuit, and it’s possible these three clubs could be the finalists for Machado’s services.
Clear that 40 man spot. Now go make a big deal Luhnow!
Time to tank and start the next rebuild. Fire sale, Astros!
They have been making low ball offers the whole off season. Only landed Brantley. Chirinos is not an add.
He can always say they were in on everyone to the fans but not really.
They have gone cheap.
This fan prefers Luhnow’s wisdom, to splashy idiocies.
Generally it’s awful pitchers which make good pitching coaches. Johnny Wasdin has that in his corner…
Yup. Bud Black, Roger Craig, Bob Gibson, Don Gullett, Mel Harder, Rick Honeycutt, Roger McDowell, Ron Perranoski, Johnny Podres, Dave Righetti, Johnny Sain, and others really sucked as pitchers. Generally.
Johnsilver;
Your comment makes the logical assumption that better pitchers are naturally gifted, so never had to figure out how to overcome difficulties and are thus ill-prepared to advise others of same.
Please bear in mind that even Michael Jordan encountered difficulties, and had to work hard to overcome them. Perhaps what makes great athletes great is their ability to employ effective strategies to overcome adversity.
And Wasdin will always be able to say that he was traded straight up for Jose Canseco.
I imagine Reinsdorf has one of those big expensive boxes. Wouldn’t people have seen him and machado if they were truly both at the game?
Kind of funny (if the two were in fact at that game) that the Sox want to keep Manny from considering the Phillies. They go to the Bears game only to see them blow it against Philadelphia in a playoff game. Not that a city’s NFL team should matter, but still.
“I imagine Reinsdorf has one of those big expensive boxes.”….and asking Manny to go dutch.
Ha! Theres no way that clown would spend on anyone bust his greedy self. Worst owner ever. 100% scumbag.
This machado thing has a similar feel to the cole thing last year. Everyone said cole will be a yankee and he ended up somewhere else. I have a feeling the same thing will happen with machado.
That happened this year with corbin
That’s because the Yankees were luke warm on Corbin, and likely just as luke warm on Machado.
Machado vs Andujar is not much of a gain offensively, although it is defensively. Depending how they see it, and if they would move Andujar rather than play him at first, it’s a trade off that gains them 300mil and a better defensive player. If they keep Andujar and think he can progress defensively, which really, throws caused most of his errors, than they have a guy under team control for 4 more years at cheap dollars and can spend the money elsewhere, like pitching.
That and they won’t have a guy that spikes dudes when he’s angry…….
I would love Machado, don’t get me wrong, but not at the cost of Andujar, who I think possesses an Adrian Beltre upside, at least offensively. Funny too, because I have made this comparison for a while, and who is helping Andujar with his defense this offseason…..yup, Beltre.
Literally the only similarity between Andujar and Beltre that I can think of is that they are both free-swingers (Beltre was when he was younger, not as much when he aged.) I don’t see any other similarity, why would you even bring up that comparison?
Maybe because beltre was a free swinger and bad defensively when he was young also.
Anyone that has seen them both understands the comp to a 20 years old beltre.
I don’t remember Beltre being bad defensively. When he was with the dodgers he was good, from my memories watching him against the giants.
Andujar has defensive issues that go far beyond throwing. His DRZ was awful(!), so his range is bad (which is obvious if you watch Yankee games). He could become close to serviceable, I guess. Still, a great hitter, and I’m of the camp who believes Yanks don’t need Machado, they need pitching.
“That’s because the Yankees were luke warm on Corbin” that is the farthest thing from the truth. The Yankees went hard after Corbin and it took the Nats to blow him away with that contract to keep him away from them.
So hard that they never offered him a contract! Ever….
To be honest I think Paxton trade changed the mindset and I deal they weren’t as committed to Corbin as someone like you thinks they were.
It wasn’t bad throws that made Andujar a bad 3rd baseman last year. It was his terrible footwork. It looked like he was doing the twist on every ball hit farther than 2 feet from him. He might be able to improve with a ton of hard work but generally that is a fundamental instinct and not something that can be taught.
That is what I don’t understand. If Andujar has that big of a problem with range going to his left as a 3rd baseman, what makes fans think he is going to have an easier time going against his body as a 1st baseman? His future is probably as a DH and there is nothing wrong with that. Unless, he spends his entire offseason working on his defense and ignores practice with the bat. After signing as a 16 year old you would think they would have spent a ton of time on his footwork. So, there is a good chance that after 7 years working with pro coaches he isn’t going to drastically improve very much.
I am a lifelong Yankee fan from Long Island. So, you don’t have to bother with the “hater” replies just because I don’t buy into Andujar being the second coming. There is a reason Cashman has made him available and yet you hardly hear any rumors involving him.
Funny how every commenter thinks Andujar’s weakness was something different. Some say it was footwork, some say his double clutching, some say his range, or his lateral movement.
Sorry, but i’ll leave the evaluation of his skill to the professionals instead of some random internet know-it-alls.
To play it correctly, 1B is a far more difficult position to play then 3B. And the 3B is involved in a small fraction of the plays the 1B is.
Anyone that has played or coached the sport knows this.
This social media piling-on of Mr. Andujar is absurd…….
His feet are wrong. His range is bad. He doesn’t walk enough (Manny drew 3 more walks a month). He throws like a 7 year-old girl. His mother wears combat boots.
At 23 years-old he was the Yankees 2018 MVP…….but his career is doomed…..no team will touch him.
Meanwhile, back in reality……
The Red Sox cruised to a championship playing two 3B’s that were similar defenders, yet couldn’t touch him with the bat.
Anyone who thinks Andujar is as good as machado with the bat is on crack.
“As good as Machado” can be debated because he’s a rookie, but the stats below speak for themselves…
Andujar
.297/.328/.528
27HR/92RBI/25BB
.855 OPS
Machado
.297/.367/.538
37HR/107RBI/70BB
.905OPS
I’d say they’re fairly comparable, with the biggest difference being Andujar’s lack of walks.
y-02026;
… or perhaps swinging a cracked bat.
Machado not in Dodger Blue!
Sign already!
Wish the Astros would go after Gio Gonzalez. Be a good lhsp project.
He has a great curve and needs fixing. Perfect for the Astros.
Agree 100 percent.
Machado also drove up to the Milwaukee area before the Bears game.
In related news, Jesus Aguilar’s car was found this afternoon with 2 flat tires and a missing rear bumper.
Police say they are “baffled.”
Well played!
Manny had to go north to Wisconsin in order to find a decent bratwurst.
If Manny Machado and his agent are expecting the Yankees to get into a bidding war for his services as a FA I think and it’s just my opinion he is severely mistaken. That’s not the way these Yankees operate. They want him at a fair price and one that falls within there comfort level. It sounds to me from all reports I’ve seen is 10yrs/$300MM is NOT in that comfort level. My guess is if he wants to win and sooner rather than later or much later he’ll pick the Yankees if all it is, is about the money then it probably won’t be the Yankees. Just my opinion.
Andujar gives them similar numbers offensively, so I agree with you. If Machado won’t come on their deal, they are happy keeping a guy like Andujar, who has a All Star level swing, and is hungry to get better defensively.
If they get Machado, then they have more decisions to make, and more possible mistakes. If they trade Andujar and the guy continues to develop they could be kicking themselves. That’s why I hope they move Bird back to AAA and give Andujar a 1B glove. Seeing throws were his main issue at 3rd, 1B should be a lot easier.
Andujar has defensive issues that go far beyond throwing. His DRZ was awful(!), so his range is bad (which is obvious if you watch Yankee games). He could become close to serviceable, I guess. Still, a great hitter, and I’m of the camp who believes Yanks don’t need Machado, they need pitching.
COPY PASTE!
Kikuchi isn’t guaranteed 56 mil, he’s guaranteed 3/43 and can opt out after that OR opt in for an additional 1/13 OR the Mariners can select a team option at an additional 4/66 that overrides his player option. I’m so tired of reading that he’s guaranteed 4/56. So it’s either 3/43, 4/56, or 7/109. HES NOT GUARENTEED 56 MILLION. You all are professionals and can’t get the details of his contract right, it’s pretty sad.
GOMS!
Player options are considered guaranteed per the CBA ( mlbplayers.com/pdf9/5450407.pdf ) so they are not wrong.
This is a joke right? Do you know what guaranteed means? It means that he is entitled to it… They can’t not give it to him if he wants it. You correctly pointed out that he has an “option” as to whether he wants it. That doesn’t change the fact it’s guaranteed money that they cannot take away from him. He can only give it up.
The difference between a player option and a club option is lost on some people.
Yep. It’s pretty sad.
Before the New Year we heard that a friend/former teammate of Manny’s said NY is where he will go and he will sign right after the holiday. A few days ago we heard that another friend of Manny’s said it’s Chicago and it’s all but done.
We have heard from writers that the offer from the CWS is closer to $200M than $300M and that the NYY are leery of 10/300+. We have heard many say Philly will be the highest bid.
One aspect no one has mentioned is Yainee….The Wife!! As the saying goes “Happy Wife – Happy Life”
Will she say “Go where you want honey, money doesn’t matter” or “I want to be near my brother, even if it’s only one year” Will her input be “Are you crazy? Leaving $30M-$40M on the table is nuts. Think of your family that raised you. Think of our future children and grandchildren” Yainee is the “X (or in this case the “Y”) factor. If you don’t think the wife has some say in the matter, talk to Cliff Lee.
Women don’t have Y chromosomes so she would he the “X” factor.
lmfao
Good point
You must have no experience with women, because if you think every woman is the same, or if you think every marriage and relationship is the same, then you’re a fool.
If you don’t think a players wife and the welfare of his family are a factor in decisions there is nothing that can be done to help you.
lol nobody said it’s not a factor, but if everyone is different. Maybe for his wife she wants her husband to be happy above all else.
Or, and here’s a shock, Mr. “i’ve never been in an adult relationship”– maybe JUST MAYBE they make decisions as a couple!
WTH do you think the last paragraph of my post indicates. It indicates a conversation between a husband and wife…..a wife’s input in the decision making.
You seem to have trouble with comprehension Adam so this back and forth is over due to that and your childish attempt to rile me up with your imbecilic assumptions regarding my life.
Have a nice day.
A-6710;
We’re all fools at some level.
It’s the optimists among us who say, “I do.”
A pessimist is just a well-informed optimist.
Cat, are we related? We seem to be Locked in on the same thoughts. (*_^)
LOL…not that I know of, but my Dad (rest his soul) was a small town LEO.
LOL..I was a big town LEO
OK White Sox. The Bears are done and we need something to get us through this long cold winter. Sign Manny or Bryce and give us something to look forward to.
John Wasdin 12 year major league career only 3 years was it less than 5? Lowest era was 4.17. How did he last 12 years?
Yes lets go Wayback Wasdin. Former Red Sox great.
All-time greats go to Yankees. Is Andujar an all-time great?
ask us again in 8 to 10 years
Yes, that’s why Cashman will swing a trade for Andujar before the season. Frazier and Florial for Andujar!
There’s a name I hadn’t heard in a long time. John “way back” Wasdin. The “Way back” being a dig on the many homers he used to give up.
Thinking the same thing. LOL
Hopefully MacPhail has walked Middleton back from the ledge and jump into stupid money especially when it pertains to Machado and Harper, Take a lesson from Cashman, one the greatest front office thinkers in modern MLB history and play it cool.