The Brewers are “trying hard” to bring Avisail Garcia to Milwaukee, tweets The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Earlier, Jose F. Rivera of ESPN Deportes put the Brewers close to a deal with the Mato Sports Management client. Garcia would figure to be a good fit to share time in the outfield with the lefty-hitting Ben Gamel. Garcia has played mostly right field in his career, a few spot starts in left notwithstanding. If indeed he does sign with the Brewers, it could mean moving Christian Yelich back to left. Ryan Braun is also an option for the outfield, though as of right now he’s penciled in for the lion’s share of starts at first base.
- Having nabbed a couple of former New York athletes in Zack Wheeler and Didi Gregorius, the Phillies are near their spending limit for 2019. Together, Wheeler and Gregorius add $37.6MM to Philly’s luxury tax ledger for 2019. Estimates put the Phillies right up against the $208MM tax threshold, putting some added emphasis to any further moves made this winter. Still, execs from around the league believe they are open to further spending, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. The Phillies will continue to look for “opportunistic” signings. It’s unlikely, then, that the Phillies would be in on Madison Bumgarner, given the league-wide interest in the lefty and the hefty contract he is likely to secure.
- Sneaking under the luxury tax remains a “realistic” goal for the Red Sox, per The Athletic’s Chad Jennings. The new regime led by Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom took a more egalitarian approach to the winter meetings than in recent years. Boston took the time to gauge the lay of the land rather than strike hard for a specific target. Moving all or most of the three-years, $96MM owed to David Price is still the quickest path to ducking the tax, but Bloom is resistant to making Price’s contract more palatable by attaching prospects. They are, however, willing to pay down Price’s contract to get it closer to $20MM per year rather than the current $32MM. Until Price does get moved, expect more of the same as the Red Sox will continue to work around the margins to tweak the roster.
If the Phillies stop here they never should have started. There are still too many holes to fill and as it stands, I can’t envision a scenario where they are better than the braves, Nats, and possibly the Mets unless multiple key players on all 3 teams get hurt.
I concur with the above comments. Banking on health and for Wheeler to win more than 12 games is a stretch. They are a 3rd place team right now.
NL East has some of the worst pens in MLB in 2019, which wasn’t as much of a concern for WSH by getting Doolittle and the Hudson rental. That being said, PHI/WSH have done little to address those concerns with not much left on the free agent market.
If the cost for Price is 3/60, the White Sox should be all over that. Gives them a lefty, innings stability and if Price bounces back, a really solid #3 starter that they need badly.
I actually like this for a lot of teams!
I’d like to see the WS do a big deal like that. Shouldn’t have to give up much of anything if they’re willing to take on $16-19MM/yr.
$16M…$19M year? He makes $32Mper… the RS are not going to eat $12Mper year and then have to pay another starter $10M to take his place.. it’s not worth saving $2M unless the prospect”s” attached are quality ones.
It’s worth doing because it helps them get under the luxury tax. That saves them a bunch more than in your calculation.
TedYaz…
If the Sox don’t eat $12-$14MM/yr they won’t get rid of Price. Period.
If they ate $12m a year and signed another starter for 10m they’d save 10 m not 2 m.
They would save 20m dumping Price then pay out 20 to new SP, so they save 10.
They will if they attach someone like Benintendi to the trade and that’s what I think they’ll end up doing despite Blooms hesitancy
If David Price “bounces back” he would give the White Sox a solid #2 starter or even a co-ace in their rotation to pair with Lucas Giolito. As we post, only three starters are pretty much guaranteed spots in their opening day rotation, Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Cease. Michael Kopech could be another provides he is fully recovered from his TJ surgery AND can show the command that he finally achieved two months prior to his procedure in September of 2018. Carlos Rodon is also rehabbing from his own TJ surgery which occurred this past May and is not expected to be available until sometime next summer.
The White Sox are also reportedly still monitoring/courting Madison Bumgarner, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dallas Keuchel after missing out on Zack Wheeler. Each of them could also provide the White Sox with a much needed southpaw veteran anchor for their primarily young and right-handed rotation.
Pitchers don’t generally “bounce back” at 35. Lust saying
Nah. A bum is still a bum, even at the “value” savings of $20mm. Go big or go home, better off sticking with a Nova for a lot less, and without the prospect of a diva disruption to the clubhouse. Might as well wait on the likes of Q, or a diminished Lester, each free agents a year from now.
I wonder what Price would get on the open market? Could he get 3/60M? It depends in what Bum, Ryu, and Kuechel bring. The Sox could get someone to take him if they eat 36 mil of that contract and not have to attach anyone to him for that price.
Disagree. Age, numbers make him worth about $16M. Don’t see him being moved unless Boston changes this stance.
That’s exactly right. The idea that a pitcher with his age and recent injury history is worth 20 mil per is absolutely nuts. Boston is either going to have to eat a lot more of the money or include a really good player with him to dump that contract.
If a team like the Dodgers can get Price at 3yr/$60m, they should jump all over it. That’s a pretty reasonable gamble on him. None of his injuries were serious and he has a lot left in the tank. A change of scenery could revive him too.
Bloom won’t attach a prospect or anyone on the 40. RS will eat 12 and expect a decent AA prospect in return
OK, so they’re keeping him, then.
On what basis can you say he has a lot left in his tank. He only threw 22 games last year and looked every bit of his 34 years.Do you have some inside information nobody else has.
Disagree. Age, numbers make him worth about $16M.
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A month ago, I had him at about $14M, and I’m a RS fan. But after the crazy money being handed out to SPs, he’s a lot higher than he use to be. I’d like to keep him until the ASB, to see if we are contending, but if his valuation gets north of $20M, a trade might work.
Paying Price’s salary down to $20M still leaves him overpriced, even without considering the trade return. They’ll either have to include another good player, pay down the salary further, or take on a bad contract in return.
Cole Hamels is getting 18 million. Granted it’s for one year but Price has a higher ceiling than Hamels in my opinion.
He would have been 3/39-3/42 in a longer deal. The Price is right at 3/48-3/54.
The 3/39-3/42 were for a longer deal for Hamels.
Yes, Mo4ever. Your hypothetical Hamels and Price numbers sound right to me, too.
Last year Hamels threw six more games than Price and had an era almost a half a run lower so exactly on what is your opinion based
With the signings of Jose Peraza and Martin Perez by the Red Sox, Roster Resource now projects the Red Sox payroll to be $237.5M in 2020 for CBA tax purposes. If the Red Sox intend to get under the $208M tax threshold they have to chop $30M from this payroll. That’s going to require more than just eating $10 to $12M of Price’s AAV salary and the $11M Jackie Bradley is expected to make via arbitration.
They should either bite the bullet and start a rebuild in earnest or screw the tax and go for it one last time with essentially the same roster as the 2018 WS Champs.
You’re right about not getting under the tax threshold with this. I’m thinking the easiest way to find a taker for Price is to eat salary and attach JDM.
The problem with that is sat they eat 10 mill the other team would still be on the hook for an additional 45 million dollars next year, Name the teams that could afford that
Yeah that Harper deal will not age well. He has always been a bigger story than an elite player, minus a season and a half or so of unbelievable stats. He is ego first, talent second, and effort last.
Give me a humble beast like Trout, and now Rendon, all day any day. Quiet leaders who don’t for the game and the fans and not ego. Not spotlight chasers. They won’t do a damn thing without pitching, but…
25 mil a year will not seem bad down the road. I do not consider Harper a top 5 player, but top 15 certainly. They way contracts keep going up, I don’t see the Harper deal being outrageous for a big market club. The key though is the Phillies have about a 5 year window to win-now with Harper in his prime.
In what world is Bryce Harper a top 15 player. He may be a top 15 outfielder but I’m not even sure about that
He’s not the same as the brash young 19-yr old he was. He IS definitely more mature now. Some people simply refuse adjust THEIR mindsets.
I’m not a huge Harper fan myself but was in town for the Nationals postseason-clinching series with the Phillies and thought Harper came across as more thoughtful and mature commenting on that week’s events than he probably would have even two or three years ago.
I don’t see why everyone is delusional enough to think anyone will touch Price without
A)The Red Sox eating enough $ to make it relatively negligible for them(especially after signing a “replacement”
B)Literally draining the farm.
C)Including Betts.
I think pretty much EVERYONE believes in A) so I don’t know what your point is.
I’d be fine with the Phillies trading Bohm for Kris Bryant. They are in win now mode, and he’s the same age as Harper, which means the Phillies would be getting him during his best years. Also you’d be keeping him away from the Nats and Braves. Seems like a logical move to me.
I don’t think the Cubs would do that straight up, but Phils should definitely consider it. I like Bohm’s bat, but I am not convinced he could play 3rd in the majors. He screams 1B/DH to me.
He screams 1B/DH to me.
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That’s the whole thing. If Bohm is a real 3B, I’d put him in the Phillies lineup in May. But if he is not, then the Phillies should move him tomorrow.
You’re beyond delusional if you think Bohm gets Bryant. In fact, Bryant isn’t going anywhere unless it’s a gross overpay.
Pitchers tend to experience declining production under seven-year contracts, especially when the contract is signed after the pitcher’s 30th birthday.
In his four seasons with the Red Sox, David Price has posted 10.6 fWAR, valued at $85 million, while being paid $121 million. Over the most recent three seasons Price has posted 6.2 fWAR, valued at $49.8 million.
As a point of reference, Rick Porcello, who is three years younger, recently signed a one-year, $10 million contract after posting the same 6.2 fWAR, valued at $49.8 million, over the past three seasons.
fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&…
Can we lose the paradigm that Bloom HAS to get under the tax? It simply isn’t true, as the Sox activity this week shows. Bloom spent 10M this week (wisely or not is TBD) and it hardly caused a ripple. Or, in other words, “We ain’t in Tampa anymore, Toto”.
Henry WANTS to get under the tax. But he also knows that in September, more people were watching the Animal Planet than NESN. And NESN is the primary profit center for Fenway Sports Group; it’s the only reason partner Tom Warner got involved in the first place.
They can afford a 225M payroll. Like some other teams, they can afford a 325M payroll, tax consequences included. You can realistically run that number to 400M.
The Sox HAVE to compete. With an empty system, Bloom might have to shuffle the deck (major league payroll), and he’s creative; he might be able to come in under 208M.
But he doesn’t HAVE to. And if he does, at the price of finishing 4th, he’ll be gone so fast you’ll forget he was ever there.
Boston Globe beat reporter Alex Speier outlined the up to $100 million in consequences if the Red Sox exceed the luxury tax threshold for the third straight year:
bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2019/12/10/here-what…
It’s not just the tax … it includes enhanced “draft/international penalties for signing free agents” and “less draft compensation for departing free agents.” The long-range impact could be crippling.
The Red Sox could go all-in in 2020 by adding a few pieces to a club that won 84 games this season or step back for a year with plans to reload in a big way thereafter.
I’m in favor of a reset. Too many folks are concerned only about 2020. I’d rather keep making value-added moves, and put more emphasis on the next 6 years than the next 6 months.
But there’s a lot more involved than the yearly accounting, isn’t there? Ed Muskie???????? My hero, back in the day….
If Henry/Warner see their baby, which they’ve taken from 700M in value to 3.5B in 17 years (and that’s assuming they tell the truth, which of course they don’t) start to hemorrhage, don’t you think they’ll react? And a couple of fourth place finishes will make the Sox an afterthought, especially considering the market (Pats, Bruins, Celts).
Unless I see some DRASTIC cost cutting (not just jettisoning flippin’ Sandy Leon) , I’m not seeing a new austerity. Not non-tendering JBJ and adding 2 “meh” guys for 10M aren’t moves teams that are drawing in the sails make.
That said, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Bloom get under the 208M. But again, it’s more “I’d really like to” than “You HAVE to”.
Sox finished last 3 or 4 times this century. Attendance/viewership did not fall through the floor. The fanbase is intense. It keeps going to games. If the Sox stick with getting under the luxury tax line of $208MM, they won’t feel it much in attendance/viewership. It’s a monopoly. Where else are New England baseball fans gonna go?
Agree in general, but MLB teams don’t live by raw attendance numbers alone. It’s less the fanny in the seat than it’s what (a) that fanny spends and (b) how much the team gets to keep of that money.
And they suffered during the Valentine debacle, e.g. Not that they went broke (you’re right; they can’t). But they likely made considerably less.
The difference between KC and Boston, for instance, is more than just attendance. Sure, the winning the Royals did increase their profits. But there just isn’t enough there, there to make a HUGE difference. Meanwhile, there isn’t much of a ceiling on the Sox’ earnings if they keep on winning.
Red Sox finish last then win championships. Best run organization in baseball. They understand it’s better to win 4 championships in 15 years and have a few down years than it is to “compete” every year and get 1 every 20 years. Oh and the “prospects” they have are legit major league players up and down their roster, not a bunch of over-hyped flame outs. Find the best team to root for, they’re in Boston.
Again, turning the point into an opportunity to attack. Can’t help yourself. You’re obsessed. You avoided the entire point of my remark to attack. My point is that the Sox fanbase will support the team no matter what. Soooo, the Sox CAN make moves to get under $208MM and survive with the fanbase. They only need to do it for one year to reset the tax. Then they can go back and spend big. And stop talking like you have vast experience in WS titles, with a grand total of 4 in over 100 years. I’ve seen 8 in my life, so I’m not so bothered by 2 in 20 years…
Heck yeah
Enough about Harper already! What is the take on brewers trying to sign Avisail Garcia. Seems to me that the brewers are not going into rebuild mode as some suggest if they are looking to make this type of signing. I like it because I feel Stearns is trying to add the best overall right hitting OF he can sign to the team. We definitely still need a few big bats. If he does sign García, is the next move to FINALLY add a front line starter?
What frontline starter is available?
And before you answer, take a moment to consider things like..oh I don’t know..if they might actually have even the slightest interest in playing for Milwaukee.
Also consider, before spouting “if the money is right, they’ll come to a contender,” that starters still care about W-L record, and they know Counsell isn’t big on letting his starters face a lineup the 3rd time around.
I mean, I’m all for improving the rotation, but we have to be realistic. Stearns, or Attanasio, aren’t big on handing out huge contracts. After Suppan, Garza and Kyle Lohse, Milwaukee may be a bit hesitant to sign free agent starters for big-ish money.
Counsell shouldn’t be big on letting starters face the third time of a batting order. 80% of pitchers routinely get knocked when they do face them for the third time. If you have a decent pen, better to go with the pen, one inning at a time.
Not disagreeing with anything you said, but Counsell seems to have a quicker hook than most managers. Even if the starter is rolling.
So, if these free agents want W’s, the most $ they can get, and a chance to pitch in October, Milwaukee just isn’t an ideal destination. And unless they drastically overpay, mid-tier starters aren’t likely to sign there either.
Wins are quite literally the most overrated stat line in pitching. Is a 15-7 pitcher with a 4+ ERA better than a 6-12 pitcher with a 3.3 or so ERA. Pitchers should be valued to stats they can control and not dependent on how bad the offense behind them is.
Wins are very much in the pitchers control and not at all overrated.
Again, not disagreeing. But do you think a starting pitcher prefers going to a club where he at least has a chance to go 6-7 if he’s dealing, or the one where he could just as likely get yanked in the 5th with 1 out because he gave up a single or walk, and the leadoff hitter is due up?
Whyhayzee
DeGrom says hello.
We’re already friends.
Really.Then I guess Jacob DeGrom has done something wrong the last two years. Two Cy Youngs a combined era a little over 2.00 and a 21-17 won loss record to show for it. Explain to me what Degrom didn’t do that would have gotten him more runs.Maybe hit better and field all 9 positionslike a gold glove defender
Jacob deGrom won the last two NL Cy Young Awards with win totals of 10 and 11, respectively. Tells you all you need to know about wins.
Besides, wins is a team stat not an individual stat.
Hail I agree with much of what you said other than the snarky parts. What I mean is that we need someone to put at the top of the rotation with Woodie. You mention the FA busts but you forgot about CC and Greinke. I’ll take Kuechel or Ryu on an affordable deal, but a trade for a good pitcher is probably more in line with stearns and attanasio approach. I optimistically believe they want to compete. Last year we were just ok with all the guys we lost. We will not be competitive without a better rotation. The pitchers who are now gone were not the solution. And guys we recently signed are just cheap additions to the back end. We need a solid guy at the top or we won’t contend. I hope it happens.
I believe Stearns and co are trying to compete also. As far as trades, I don’t believe we have the ammo (prospects) to make a significant upgrade. Possibly if Hader is swapped out, but then I think a third team may need to be involved which makes it even more complicated.
I didn’t forget about CC or Grienke, but because they were trades (and in CC’s case a rental) I didn’t include them here (also because as I said above, I don’t believe we have the ammo to pull that off right now.
I do apologize for the snarky tone. It wasn’t so much directed at you as it was my pent up frustration over seeing so many comments that imply a signing or trade is so simple (also the doofus who keeps insisting all the below average guys Stearns cut loose are actually above average talents).
Boston has prospects?
Lol… just a pinch!
“The Brewers are “trying hard” to bring Avisail Garcia to Milwaukee”
There is no __trying__ in baseball.
We know Stearns likes guys with “positional versatility. If the guy can play LF, RF and potentially even 1B it’s not hard to see why the like him. You could even see a lineup w Yelich, Braun, Garcia and even Gamel in it on the same day w Braun at 1B or Garcia.
I am betting they will start to go the Braun route with Cain sooner than later by giving him planned off days. The 2 will probably alternate those. It would not at all be a bad idea even if him or Braun never play 1B. You would have 5 OF. Right now you have 2 C, 2b and 2 as if you call Urias a SS. Unless I’m forgetting a utility guy.
I would hope they are going to find 2 the corner IF and a utility IF for the OD roster. W the 26 man roster, that gives them 12 position players w room for 14 P. Seems right to me.
Counsell should try to trade Tyrone Taylor & Payton Henry to the Pirates for Chad Kuhl and Kevin Kramer. The Pirates are going to need a back up at center field behind Reynolds when they trade Marte so they may be interested in Tyrone Taylor and Brewers also have Corey Ray who will be ready this year. Payton Henry is blocked by Narvaez & Feliciano while the Pirates need catching. Kevin Kramer is listed as a 3B but due to Hayes, he learned OF & 2B which offers position versatility but could hold the 3B spot down w/ Mathias/Urias until Urceg is MLB ready. Chad Kuhl looks promising and is similar to Lyles w/ 3 years of control left which the Brewers could see possibility to make Kuhl into a reliable #3-4 pitcher.
The Phillies portion of the article mentioned Wheeler and Didi. Why does almost every Phillies article on this site turn to Bryce Harper? Now I know why he was second in the majors in jersey sales last year – he is one popular dude. Even of they had Harper’s 27.5M to spend this year, they still wouldn’t have had enough to sign any of the three big free agents for 35 million plus and stay under the cap.
Give me a line up with eight Bryce Harpers in it and I’ll go to war with anybody. Totally absurd that this guy is not getting much love in the court of public opinion.
If Boston eats that kind of money, what kind of prospects would they get back? Price isn’t exactly a sure bet even at $20mm per.
As a Reds fan, I would be willing to send Bauer back but I wouldn’t want to send prospects. I would be willing to send prospects or Senzel if there was any way to pry Boegarts out of Boston, but that isn’t happening.
Do not part with Senzel. He’s gonna be mashing for the Reds for the next ten years. He’ll be the Reds best hitter this year.
I really hope you’re right, because he has had trouble staying on the field the last 2-3 years. I worry about that durability and figure why not sell high? I know there is a huge risk factor here, but if the Reds could somehow yank Bogaerts within the deal by sending out Senzel, I’d have trouble not exploring that at least. I totally agree w/you on his ability and what you said however. He just has to stay on the field to do it.
Philly was in 1st place in early June up until McCutchen’s injury. From their the wheels fell off.
Despite the overpay for Wheeler, adding him, Didi and McCutchen back to full strength the Phillies have to be a factor in the division. Other teams have made improvements too in that division. NL East is setting up to be very compelling.
As a Reds fan, I would be willing to send Bauer back but I wouldn’t want to send prospects. I would be willing to send prospects or Senzel if there was any way to pry Boegarts out of Boston, but that isn’t happening.
Boston chips in half of David prices salary. 48 million. Reds send Tyler Mahle Sal Romano and Freddy Galvis to Boston. Reds then get Trevor story from Colorado in a trade and sign Marcel Osuna as a free agent.
Is it really a big deal for a corner outfielder to play more left than right? I didn’t care when I was playing
For an established MLB player, I’m guessing the instincts you’ve gained regarding the flight of the ball (hook vs slice for instance), and playing balls off the wall (Particularly with goofy angles and “corners” in outfield gaps) can be tough.
Also, I think it would be difficult for a left handed thrower to run toward the left field line, make a play (catch), turn and throw it back in. Or a right handed thrower going towards the right field line…
A sad commentary on long tern big buck contracts.
When a team has to pay another team to take your mistake.
But it is what it is.
I’m okay with the Phillies signing Didi @ $14 million because it’s only for one year. He’s a better SS than Segura, and according to Joe Girardi, a solid clubhouse guy. If the shoulder is sound, he’ll be the most popular guy on the team this summer.
I’d really like to see Klentak find a taker for Segura. That guy really disappointed me last year. Was looking for a 20/20 season from him.
If I was the brewers GM, and hadn’t made the swap with SD for Urias, I’d swap you Arcia for Segura.
While Wheeler was certainly a necessary signing, he only gives them a second quality starter. One would think they have to be considering moving Segura for another SP. If not, they might still be scuffling to get to 85 wins.
trade for Wil Meyers and be done with it. First base solved,