Carp
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They took Delino Deshields Jr too...who could stick with the big club.
MLB Chatter Thread
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junk
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I saw him play when he was with Kane County. I remembered chuckling at his name
E_D_Guapo
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Twins To Sign Ervin Santana
By Jeff Todd [December 11, 2014 at 1:33pm CST]
The Twins have agreed to a four-year, $55MM deal with free agent starter Ervin Santana. The pact includes a $14MM option for a fifth year that will vest if he throws 200 innings in 2018. He will earn $13.5MM annually over the guaranteed portion of the deal.
MLB: Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves
Santana, of course, settled for a one-year deal with the Braves last year at the value of the qualifying offer. By acting more quickly this time around, he was able to secure the multi-year pact he was looking for. Minnesota will need to give up a pick to add Santana, but will be able to hold onto its protected first-rounder.
He earned that payday by following up his excellent 2013 campaign with a solid effort last year. Santana threw 196 innings for Atlanta, posting a 3.95 ERA with 8.2 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9 and a 42.7% groundball rate. But there were signs that he was even better than his results, as FIP (3.39), xFIP (3.47), and SIERA (3.63) all liked his work.
Those numbers led MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes to predict that the 31-year-old righty would land a four-year, $56MM deal, and that is very nearly exactly what happened. As Dierkes noted, the Twins pursued Santana last year and clearly liked his arm.
Santana joins a staff that already features several arms from last year’s free agent market, including Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes. Minnesota will hope for an improvement from that group, which posted the league’s second-worst cumulative ERA last year. Several young arms are expected to begin moving into the big league mix as well, with the team likely hoping its open market spending will join up with the rise of a much-heralded overall prospect group.
Also of note is the fact that the AL Central continues to be a division to watch. The White Sox have announced their intention to contend and the Indians are a rising team that just added Brandon Moss. And that’s all before considering the big-spending Tigers and World Series runner-up Royals.
By Jeff Todd [December 11, 2014 at 1:33pm CST]
The Twins have agreed to a four-year, $55MM deal with free agent starter Ervin Santana. The pact includes a $14MM option for a fifth year that will vest if he throws 200 innings in 2018. He will earn $13.5MM annually over the guaranteed portion of the deal.
MLB: Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves
Santana, of course, settled for a one-year deal with the Braves last year at the value of the qualifying offer. By acting more quickly this time around, he was able to secure the multi-year pact he was looking for. Minnesota will need to give up a pick to add Santana, but will be able to hold onto its protected first-rounder.
He earned that payday by following up his excellent 2013 campaign with a solid effort last year. Santana threw 196 innings for Atlanta, posting a 3.95 ERA with 8.2 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9 and a 42.7% groundball rate. But there were signs that he was even better than his results, as FIP (3.39), xFIP (3.47), and SIERA (3.63) all liked his work.
Those numbers led MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes to predict that the 31-year-old righty would land a four-year, $56MM deal, and that is very nearly exactly what happened. As Dierkes noted, the Twins pursued Santana last year and clearly liked his arm.
Santana joins a staff that already features several arms from last year’s free agent market, including Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes. Minnesota will hope for an improvement from that group, which posted the league’s second-worst cumulative ERA last year. Several young arms are expected to begin moving into the big league mix as well, with the team likely hoping its open market spending will join up with the rise of a much-heralded overall prospect group.
Also of note is the fact that the AL Central continues to be a division to watch. The White Sox have announced their intention to contend and the Indians are a rising team that just added Brandon Moss. And that’s all before considering the big-spending Tigers and World Series runner-up Royals.
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Think he should have took Detroit's 140 million last spring.
Carp
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Stark: Winners and Losers
SAN DIEGO -- Whoa. What just happened? Only the wildest 48 hours in the history of the winter meetings. That's what.
"In my 27 years in the business," said Marlins general manager Dan Jennings, as the winter meetings insanity was finally slowing to a trickle Thursday morning, "I don't know that I was ever involved in a crazier 48 hours than this. And it was happening from 11 in the morning to 4 in the morning. Every night."
Starting with the moment Jon Lester picked the Cubs late on a memorable Tuesday evening, it felt like an earthquake rippled through the Manchester Grand Hyatt. And the transactions started flying.
But not just the usual flurry of free-agent signings, large and small. We saw an incredible succession of trades (not all of them official yet), involving the likes of Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon, Jimmy Rollins, Yoenis Cespedes, Rick Porcello, Mat Latos, Wade Miley, Howie Kendrick and Dee Gordon.
These weren't salary dumps or money deals. These were baseball deals. Involving big-name major league players. And they kept coming, one after another.
"You know what it reminded me of?" Jennings laughed. "The grand finale of a fireworks show."
We know that trying to absorb all that action, all at once, isn't easy. So we're here to help -- with our annual take on the winners and losers of the winter meetings.
The winter meetings winners ...
Cubs
What's not to like? Reeling in Lester was a franchise-changing event. Period. But that wasn't all the Cubs accomplished. Don't forget Miguel Montero. And Jason Hammel. All in the wake of the hiring of manager Joe Maddon. And suddenly, the Cubs weren't pointing for 2016 or 2017 anymore.
They have lots more to do, and lots of young players to develop, before we can say they're up there with the Cardinals or Pirates. But after this week, it's official. The future has arrived.
White Sox
Since practically day one of this offseason, White Sox GM Rick Hahn has been in attack mode, trying to fix the issues of a team that lost as many games (89) as the Cubs and Phillies and lost nearly as many as the Astros. He added Adam LaRoche and Zach Duke before he even arrived in San Diego. He had Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson stuffed in his travel bag by the time he left.
And Hahn clearly has more dots he hasn't quite finished connecting, starting with a potential deal that could send Dayan Viciedo to Seattle for badly needed bullpen depth in front of Robertson. We're not sure the White Sox are better than the Tigers, Royals or Indians yet. But "they're good," said one AL Central exec Thursday. "Really good. They'll be no fun to play."
Dodgers
The Dodgers won the fourth-most games in baseball this year (94). So it's hard to say they're better. But it's harder not to appreciate the creativity and vision of what they've done. As intriguing as their stealth pursuit of Lester was, it was even more intriguing to watch them strike on multiple fronts, within hours of knowing a Lester signing wasn't happening. Even by making trades with two teams (the Angels and Padres) they'd made a combined three deals with in the previous 38 years.
Love the new DP combination of Kendrick and Rollins. Love the upgraded up-the-middle defense of Kendrick, Rollins and Joc Pederson. Love how the ground-ball, funky-contact approach of Brandon McCarthy fits that defensive upgrade. Love how they cut payroll, added to their prospect depth and injected life and leadership into their clubhouse so decisively. Just don't love their lineup without Kemp and Hanley Ramirez. But there's more activity coming, in the probable addition of a free-agent starter (James Shields?). And maybe much more. So no one won the week like the Dodgers.
Marlins
Remember when the Marlins promised Giancarlo Stanton that they'd surround him with the talent to win? Hey, whaddaya know, they're actually doing it.
Gordon and Christian Yelich could wreak some havoc at the top of their lineup. There's a first-base upgrade coming any day now, whether it's Justin Morneau or one of several alternatives whose names haven't surfaced yet. Latos could be a big rotation piece if he can stay healthy and focused. And they seem confident Dan Haren will eventually choose collecting $10 million over retirement. So if Jose Fernandez makes any sort of impact in the second half, this is now a playoff team. Mark that down.
The winter meetings losers ...
A's
Boy, has this been painful to watch. The A's may have done this before. And done it well. But it feels as if this fall's clearance sale of Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss and Samardzija -- piled on top of the exits of free agents like Lester, Hammel, Jed Lowrie, Alberto Callaspo, Luke Gregerson and Jonny Gomes -- has been tougher than usual.
Maybe Brett Lawrie can turn into Donaldson. And eventually, we know, Billy Beane will strike and begin reassembling the blown-apart pieces on this roster. But the reviews on the prospects they've gotten back haven't been particularly glowing. And the scars left by August/September, the wild-card loss and all these trades won't heal fast. So no matter what magic Beane works between now and spring training, it's been a messy winter, topped off (or bottomed out) by this week's fire sale of Moss and Samardzija.
Orioles
Dan Duquette's style has never been to jump at the big-ticket items hanging on the racks in November and December. He's always been able to stay cool, operate patiently and find better value later in the offseason. And it's always worked. So maybe that's what's coming again here. But for now? Yikes.
This team won the American League East by 12 games. Twelve. And all it's done this winter is wave adios to three huge pieces of that team -- to Nelson Cruz, to Nick Markakis, to Andrew Miller -- while replacing them with, well, nobody. Oh, sure, the Orioles will find a way to add a couple of bats, and a left-handed reliever, eventually. But you know what the odds are of finding a 40-homer guy like Cruz sitting in the free-agent bargain bin again next February? Zero. So boy, does this team have work to do.
Royals
Teams that get to the World Series are always a step behind when the gun sounds on the offseason track meet. We know that. And it's very possible that the most important development in the Royals' 2015 season actually came about this October, when this team's magical blitz through the postseason finally validated everything the Royals have been trying to be, to achieve and (maybe most of all) to forget.
But if we're going to judge the Royals strictly on the basis of what they've done, it's impossible to keep them out of the losers column. They've lost Billy Butler and Shields to free agency. They haven't been able to find a free-agent starting pitcher willing to take their money. They haven't been able to sign or deal for a right fielder. They replaced Butler by handing $17 million to a guy (Kendrys Morales) who had a .612 OPS and slugged .338 last season. So there's no getting around this. They're a worse team now than they were the night of Game 7. Sorry.
Giants
And speaking of Game 7 ... the Giants may have won October, but let's just say November and December haven't been quite as exhilarating. And their winter meetings week was a huge disappointment. They made Lester their No. 1 target of this offseason. He told them, "I loved you guys, but no thanks." And, well, now what?
Pablo Sandoval isn't coming back. Lester isn't changing his mind. They need a third baseman. They probably need two starting pitchers to replace Jake Peavy and Ryan Vogelsong (though one of them could still turn out to be Peavy). And while the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Padres have been filling up the "SportsCenter" Bottom Line, the Giants haven't filled a single hole. Not this week. Not this winter. We know one of the best front offices in baseball will figure out something one of these days. But we're afraid their winter meetings report card isn't one they'll be showing off to the family when they arrive home.
SAN DIEGO -- Whoa. What just happened? Only the wildest 48 hours in the history of the winter meetings. That's what.
"In my 27 years in the business," said Marlins general manager Dan Jennings, as the winter meetings insanity was finally slowing to a trickle Thursday morning, "I don't know that I was ever involved in a crazier 48 hours than this. And it was happening from 11 in the morning to 4 in the morning. Every night."
Starting with the moment Jon Lester picked the Cubs late on a memorable Tuesday evening, it felt like an earthquake rippled through the Manchester Grand Hyatt. And the transactions started flying.
But not just the usual flurry of free-agent signings, large and small. We saw an incredible succession of trades (not all of them official yet), involving the likes of Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon, Jimmy Rollins, Yoenis Cespedes, Rick Porcello, Mat Latos, Wade Miley, Howie Kendrick and Dee Gordon.
These weren't salary dumps or money deals. These were baseball deals. Involving big-name major league players. And they kept coming, one after another.
"You know what it reminded me of?" Jennings laughed. "The grand finale of a fireworks show."
We know that trying to absorb all that action, all at once, isn't easy. So we're here to help -- with our annual take on the winners and losers of the winter meetings.
The winter meetings winners ...
Cubs
What's not to like? Reeling in Lester was a franchise-changing event. Period. But that wasn't all the Cubs accomplished. Don't forget Miguel Montero. And Jason Hammel. All in the wake of the hiring of manager Joe Maddon. And suddenly, the Cubs weren't pointing for 2016 or 2017 anymore.
They have lots more to do, and lots of young players to develop, before we can say they're up there with the Cardinals or Pirates. But after this week, it's official. The future has arrived.
White Sox
Since practically day one of this offseason, White Sox GM Rick Hahn has been in attack mode, trying to fix the issues of a team that lost as many games (89) as the Cubs and Phillies and lost nearly as many as the Astros. He added Adam LaRoche and Zach Duke before he even arrived in San Diego. He had Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson stuffed in his travel bag by the time he left.
And Hahn clearly has more dots he hasn't quite finished connecting, starting with a potential deal that could send Dayan Viciedo to Seattle for badly needed bullpen depth in front of Robertson. We're not sure the White Sox are better than the Tigers, Royals or Indians yet. But "they're good," said one AL Central exec Thursday. "Really good. They'll be no fun to play."
Dodgers
The Dodgers won the fourth-most games in baseball this year (94). So it's hard to say they're better. But it's harder not to appreciate the creativity and vision of what they've done. As intriguing as their stealth pursuit of Lester was, it was even more intriguing to watch them strike on multiple fronts, within hours of knowing a Lester signing wasn't happening. Even by making trades with two teams (the Angels and Padres) they'd made a combined three deals with in the previous 38 years.
Love the new DP combination of Kendrick and Rollins. Love the upgraded up-the-middle defense of Kendrick, Rollins and Joc Pederson. Love how the ground-ball, funky-contact approach of Brandon McCarthy fits that defensive upgrade. Love how they cut payroll, added to their prospect depth and injected life and leadership into their clubhouse so decisively. Just don't love their lineup without Kemp and Hanley Ramirez. But there's more activity coming, in the probable addition of a free-agent starter (James Shields?). And maybe much more. So no one won the week like the Dodgers.
Marlins
Remember when the Marlins promised Giancarlo Stanton that they'd surround him with the talent to win? Hey, whaddaya know, they're actually doing it.
Gordon and Christian Yelich could wreak some havoc at the top of their lineup. There's a first-base upgrade coming any day now, whether it's Justin Morneau or one of several alternatives whose names haven't surfaced yet. Latos could be a big rotation piece if he can stay healthy and focused. And they seem confident Dan Haren will eventually choose collecting $10 million over retirement. So if Jose Fernandez makes any sort of impact in the second half, this is now a playoff team. Mark that down.
The winter meetings losers ...
A's
Boy, has this been painful to watch. The A's may have done this before. And done it well. But it feels as if this fall's clearance sale of Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss and Samardzija -- piled on top of the exits of free agents like Lester, Hammel, Jed Lowrie, Alberto Callaspo, Luke Gregerson and Jonny Gomes -- has been tougher than usual.
Maybe Brett Lawrie can turn into Donaldson. And eventually, we know, Billy Beane will strike and begin reassembling the blown-apart pieces on this roster. But the reviews on the prospects they've gotten back haven't been particularly glowing. And the scars left by August/September, the wild-card loss and all these trades won't heal fast. So no matter what magic Beane works between now and spring training, it's been a messy winter, topped off (or bottomed out) by this week's fire sale of Moss and Samardzija.
Orioles
Dan Duquette's style has never been to jump at the big-ticket items hanging on the racks in November and December. He's always been able to stay cool, operate patiently and find better value later in the offseason. And it's always worked. So maybe that's what's coming again here. But for now? Yikes.
This team won the American League East by 12 games. Twelve. And all it's done this winter is wave adios to three huge pieces of that team -- to Nelson Cruz, to Nick Markakis, to Andrew Miller -- while replacing them with, well, nobody. Oh, sure, the Orioles will find a way to add a couple of bats, and a left-handed reliever, eventually. But you know what the odds are of finding a 40-homer guy like Cruz sitting in the free-agent bargain bin again next February? Zero. So boy, does this team have work to do.
Royals
Teams that get to the World Series are always a step behind when the gun sounds on the offseason track meet. We know that. And it's very possible that the most important development in the Royals' 2015 season actually came about this October, when this team's magical blitz through the postseason finally validated everything the Royals have been trying to be, to achieve and (maybe most of all) to forget.
But if we're going to judge the Royals strictly on the basis of what they've done, it's impossible to keep them out of the losers column. They've lost Billy Butler and Shields to free agency. They haven't been able to find a free-agent starting pitcher willing to take their money. They haven't been able to sign or deal for a right fielder. They replaced Butler by handing $17 million to a guy (Kendrys Morales) who had a .612 OPS and slugged .338 last season. So there's no getting around this. They're a worse team now than they were the night of Game 7. Sorry.
Giants
And speaking of Game 7 ... the Giants may have won October, but let's just say November and December haven't been quite as exhilarating. And their winter meetings week was a huge disappointment. They made Lester their No. 1 target of this offseason. He told them, "I loved you guys, but no thanks." And, well, now what?
Pablo Sandoval isn't coming back. Lester isn't changing his mind. They need a third baseman. They probably need two starting pitchers to replace Jake Peavy and Ryan Vogelsong (though one of them could still turn out to be Peavy). And while the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Padres have been filling up the "SportsCenter" Bottom Line, the Giants haven't filled a single hole. Not this week. Not this winter. We know one of the best front offices in baseball will figure out something one of these days. But we're afraid their winter meetings report card isn't one they'll be showing off to the family when they arrive home.
E_D_Guapo
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Yep. They really need their stud young pitchers (Gausman, Dylan Bundy, etc. ) to take a big step forward and for Chris Davis to at least be what he was in 2012. 2013 is never happening again but they can't afford another 2014 out of him. There are also still a lot players on the market that can help teams, too. Most of the big time guys are gone but a guy like Mike Morse seems like a logical replacement for Nelson Cruz. A step down for sure but would come at less of a cost too. They could make a trade. Machado could break out, etc. You're right though…as it stands right now they are getting lapped within their division.
Carp
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They are the one team I think we could move Granderson to. Now we have brought in the fences and brought in his old hitting coach, but we are hemmed in with trying to upgrade the offense. Pretty much every spot is spoken for, so we have to rely on internal improvements. The only spot that could provide an offensive upgrade is SS...and I don't see a SS out there right now that is available that I want over FLores. If we moved Granderson then we could look to add a corner bat.
E_D_Guapo
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That move would seem to make an awful lot of sense. The Os would be on the hook for $15/$16M per year for the next 3 years so that would be the potential hangup but a they could really use a left-handed power bat like that. Not sure what the Mets would get in return, but the salary relief/opening up of a spot alone would be worth it. Get Alderson on the phone and see if he'll let you broker the deal.
Carp
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I would not want much back to be honest. I would like to have the ability to either go and get an OF bat or have a spot for Nimmo/Conforto to slide in to.
Carp
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Rangers Acquire Ross Detwiler
By Jeff Todd and Steve Adams [December 12, 2014 at 9:35am CST]
After a season in which their pitching staff (and position players) were ravaged by injuries, the Rangers have added an arm to solidify their staff, announcing the acquisition Ross Detwiler from the Nationals. In exchange, Washington will receive righty Abel De Los Santos and infielder Chris Bostick.
Detwiler, a former first-round pick, enters his age-29 season after a somewhat disappointing 2014 campaign. Working from the pen, Detwiler threw 63 innings of 4.00 ERA ball with 5.6 K/9 against 3.0 BB/9.
Previously, Detwiler had established himself as a fairly solid starter: he carried a 3.46 ERA over 301 2/3 frames from 2011-13, most of it working from the rotation. But the Nats shifted him to the pen given the team’s stacked rotation and the possibility that his stuff would play up in that role. Realistically, he did not have much of a place on this year’s Nationals roster with several lefties and starting depth pieces in place.
The southpaw comes with just one year of control — at a projected $3.3MM price tag — but will provide Texas with a rotation option or possible swingman piece. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes that the Rangers will give Detwiler the opportunity to start, though he could ultimately end up in a setup role if that does not pan out. While it is perhaps optimistic to say he has significant upside at this stage of his career, Detwiler could still deliver plenty of value for the Rangers. In particular, his solid 46.5 percent career ground-ball rate should be an asset with Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre in the infield.
The 21-year-old De Los Santos split the 2014 season between Class-A and Class-A Advanced, posting an outstanding 1.92 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 56 1/3 innings of relief. In his review of the Rangers’ prospects, Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel mentioned De Los Santos as a potential power arm in the bullpen.
Bostick, also 21, was acquired by the Rangers in last year’s Craig Gentry trade. He spent the season with Class-A Advanced Myrtle Beach and batted a respectable .251/.332/.412 with 11 homers and 24 steals (though he was caught 11 times as well). Bostick ranked 18th among A’s prospects at the time he was dealt to the Rangers, but his numbers in the Florida State League represented a decline from his work in the Midwest League a year prior.
This swap largely kicks off the offseason for both clubs. They have previously been linked in several trade scenarios, but nothing has been consummated. In fact, per MLBTR’s Transaction Tracker, the last time Texas and Washington matched up on a deal, the Nats acquired Tanner Roark — the man who in large part kept Detwiler from a rotation spot last year.
By Jeff Todd and Steve Adams [December 12, 2014 at 9:35am CST]
After a season in which their pitching staff (and position players) were ravaged by injuries, the Rangers have added an arm to solidify their staff, announcing the acquisition Ross Detwiler from the Nationals. In exchange, Washington will receive righty Abel De Los Santos and infielder Chris Bostick.
Detwiler, a former first-round pick, enters his age-29 season after a somewhat disappointing 2014 campaign. Working from the pen, Detwiler threw 63 innings of 4.00 ERA ball with 5.6 K/9 against 3.0 BB/9.
Previously, Detwiler had established himself as a fairly solid starter: he carried a 3.46 ERA over 301 2/3 frames from 2011-13, most of it working from the rotation. But the Nats shifted him to the pen given the team’s stacked rotation and the possibility that his stuff would play up in that role. Realistically, he did not have much of a place on this year’s Nationals roster with several lefties and starting depth pieces in place.
The southpaw comes with just one year of control — at a projected $3.3MM price tag — but will provide Texas with a rotation option or possible swingman piece. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes that the Rangers will give Detwiler the opportunity to start, though he could ultimately end up in a setup role if that does not pan out. While it is perhaps optimistic to say he has significant upside at this stage of his career, Detwiler could still deliver plenty of value for the Rangers. In particular, his solid 46.5 percent career ground-ball rate should be an asset with Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre in the infield.
The 21-year-old De Los Santos split the 2014 season between Class-A and Class-A Advanced, posting an outstanding 1.92 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 56 1/3 innings of relief. In his review of the Rangers’ prospects, Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel mentioned De Los Santos as a potential power arm in the bullpen.
Bostick, also 21, was acquired by the Rangers in last year’s Craig Gentry trade. He spent the season with Class-A Advanced Myrtle Beach and batted a respectable .251/.332/.412 with 11 homers and 24 steals (though he was caught 11 times as well). Bostick ranked 18th among A’s prospects at the time he was dealt to the Rangers, but his numbers in the Florida State League represented a decline from his work in the Midwest League a year prior.
This swap largely kicks off the offseason for both clubs. They have previously been linked in several trade scenarios, but nothing has been consummated. In fact, per MLBTR’s Transaction Tracker, the last time Texas and Washington matched up on a deal, the Nats acquired Tanner Roark — the man who in large part kept Detwiler from a rotation spot last year.
VA Cowboy
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He's a good pitcher but has had injury issues. Plus he's a FA after next season. The Reds received P Anthony DeSclafani and C Chad Wallach in return. DeSclafani won't fill Latos' spot but should be a starter. Wallach provides needed depth at C. Both are also fairly young and have upside. The injury concerns and soon to be FA issue with Latos is why he didn't command more in a trade.
Reds also sent Alfredo Simon to the Tigers for SS Suarez and former 2013 first round P Jonathon Crawford. Simon is another soon to be FA. I like this trade for the Reds better than the Latos deal, but both could work out for Cincy in the long run.
Carp
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It is a shame because the Reds looked like they might be on the road to consistent contention, but with these moves they seem to be half way in...just waiting for a reason to have a full on fire sale.
VA Cowboy
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Yeah, they're always having to manage the payroll which is even what the GM was quoted as saying after these moves. They don't have unlimited fund like team such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, etc to go all in every year. Unfortunately they don't draft good enough yearly to have a slew of homegrown talent in their system either.
For years the Reds were a great hitting team but only a couple of quality starters in their rotation. The last couple of years though they built up their starting rotation but the hitting waned.
When I first became a fan I was 8 and it was at the tail end of the Big Red Machine years. Shortly after that they hit rock bottom in the early 80's. Finally built it up and won the World Series in '90 and then spent the next decade coming in 2nd behind the great Braves teams. After piddling around .500 or below for much of the 2000's they finally become a NL contender, but haven't been able to put it all in place. Now it looks like their window is closing again, but like you said, they aren't ready for a full fire sale but aren't able to be a real contender either.
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White Sox add Melky Cabrera
CHICAGO -- The White Sox have found an upgrade in left field by agreeing with free agent Melky Cabrera, a baseball source confirmed to ESPN.com.
The three-year contract is worth $42 million, pending a physical exam which is expected to take place early this week, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.
Cabrera, who was believed to have significant interest from the Seattle Mariners, would take over in left field and continue an impressive string of offseason acquisitions from general manager Rick Hahn.
The 30-year old Cabrera batted .301 with 81 runs scored in 139 games for the Toronto Blue Jays this past season, hitting 16 home runs with 73 RBIs.
The White Sox have not confirmed the signing, which comes days after a trade for pitcher Jeff Samardzija was made official and three days after the signing of reliever David Robertson was announced.
But White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton mentioned Cabrera in a welcome message on Twitter on Saturday night, and Cabrera retweeted the message.
News of the agreement was first reported by Chicago sports talk station WSCR 670-AM.
Hahn had indicated after the Robertson signing that money was now tight, but a Cabrera signing would contradict that stance. The White Sox came into the offseason with money to spend after big contracts like those for Jake Peavy, Alex Rios, Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn all have come of the books in the past two years.
Heading into the winter meetings on Monday, the White Sox's biggest needs were with relief help, a right-handed starter and a left fielder. Robertson, Samardzija and Cabrera would provide an answer to all three areas in that order. The White Sox have also acquired left-handed reliever Zach Duke and first baseman/designated hitter Adam LaRoche since the 2014 season ended.
The White Sox appeared to be in the middle of a rebuild that started when Peavy was traded at the 2013 non-waiver trade deadline. But with the additions of Robertson and Cabrera, that timetable now appears accelerated.
Cabrera, a switch-hitter, has a career .286 average, with a .339 on-base percentage over 10 seasons. He was an All-Star in 2012 with the San Francisco Giants but ended that year with a 50-game suspension after a positive test for elevated testosterone levels.
Cabrera is coming off a two-year, $16 million contract with the Blue Jays. He batted .293 with a .340 on-base percentage in 227 games for Toronto.
The White Sox tendered a contract to outfielder Dayan Viciedo earlier this month, but a Cabrera acquisition would make Viciedo nothing more than a backup. Cabrera provides an upgrade over Viciedo defensively.
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Wow talk about going big or going home. The White Sox are definitely pushing all in for this season. I like their mix of youth and veteran talent.
CHICAGO -- The White Sox have found an upgrade in left field by agreeing with free agent Melky Cabrera, a baseball source confirmed to ESPN.com.
The three-year contract is worth $42 million, pending a physical exam which is expected to take place early this week, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.
Cabrera, who was believed to have significant interest from the Seattle Mariners, would take over in left field and continue an impressive string of offseason acquisitions from general manager Rick Hahn.
The 30-year old Cabrera batted .301 with 81 runs scored in 139 games for the Toronto Blue Jays this past season, hitting 16 home runs with 73 RBIs.
The White Sox have not confirmed the signing, which comes days after a trade for pitcher Jeff Samardzija was made official and three days after the signing of reliever David Robertson was announced.
But White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton mentioned Cabrera in a welcome message on Twitter on Saturday night, and Cabrera retweeted the message.
News of the agreement was first reported by Chicago sports talk station WSCR 670-AM.
Hahn had indicated after the Robertson signing that money was now tight, but a Cabrera signing would contradict that stance. The White Sox came into the offseason with money to spend after big contracts like those for Jake Peavy, Alex Rios, Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn all have come of the books in the past two years.
Heading into the winter meetings on Monday, the White Sox's biggest needs were with relief help, a right-handed starter and a left fielder. Robertson, Samardzija and Cabrera would provide an answer to all three areas in that order. The White Sox have also acquired left-handed reliever Zach Duke and first baseman/designated hitter Adam LaRoche since the 2014 season ended.
The White Sox appeared to be in the middle of a rebuild that started when Peavy was traded at the 2013 non-waiver trade deadline. But with the additions of Robertson and Cabrera, that timetable now appears accelerated.
Cabrera, a switch-hitter, has a career .286 average, with a .339 on-base percentage over 10 seasons. He was an All-Star in 2012 with the San Francisco Giants but ended that year with a 50-game suspension after a positive test for elevated testosterone levels.
Cabrera is coming off a two-year, $16 million contract with the Blue Jays. He batted .293 with a .340 on-base percentage in 227 games for Toronto.
The White Sox tendered a contract to outfielder Dayan Viciedo earlier this month, but a Cabrera acquisition would make Viciedo nothing more than a backup. Cabrera provides an upgrade over Viciedo defensively.
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Wow talk about going big or going home. The White Sox are definitely pushing all in for this season. I like their mix of youth and veteran talent.
D
Deuce
Guest
It doesn't make sense unless they are getting some great deal. His value is down after the year he had, but he's only one year removed from a good year and lots of years of control left.
We did need to move an OF or two because of a surplus, but that should have been fixed by moving Matt Joyce yesterday. This has to be the Padres initiating something big on their own. I've also read that the Rays may not be enthralled with some of the players discussed, but can then flip them for players they do from other teams. So who knows what this will look like in the end.