MLB Chatter Thread

[Carp]

WASHINGTON -- Infielder Yunel Escobar is heading to the Nationals, and All-Star reliever Tyler Clippard is going to the Athletics, thanks to the ninth deal between those clubs in a little more than four years.

The swap, announced Wednesday, gives Washington a player who could solve its search for a starting second baseman. Escobar could play shortstop for the Nationals if they wind up trading away -- or fail to agree to a new contract with -- Ian Desmond, who can become a free agent after next season.

The A's just picked up Escobar from Tampa Bay, along with Ben Zobrist, in a trade Saturday that sent catcher John Jaso and two minor leaguers to the Rays.

 

[Carp]

I know that the Mets were initially involved in the earlier trade with Oak/Wash/TB and wanted Desmond. I would not be surprised to see them talk again, but they may want to wait because he is a FA next year.

 

[Cotton]

 

[Deuce]

I love how the Rangers never seem willing to part with prospects. Meanwhile, they are regressing as a team and their window is almost shut.

 

[Carp]

I love how the Rangers never seem willing to part with prospects. Meanwhile, they are regressing as a team and their window is almost shut.

Teams overvalue their prospects because they spent so much time feeding and watering them. Then they get to the point where they are no longer prospects.

 

[Carp]

 

[Cotton]

 

[Cotton]

 

[Carp]

Nats sign Max Scherzer, 7 for 180...pretty scary rotation with him.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

Cubs Acquire Dexter Fowler For Valbuena, Straily
By Charlie Wilmoth [January 19, 2015 at 9:42am CST]

The Astros and Cubs have officially announced that the Astros have traded outfielder Dexter Fowler to Chicago for infielder Luis Valbuena and righty Dan Straily. It’s a win-now move for both teams, with the Cubs trading from depth to upgrade their outfield and the Astros getting a new third baseman and adding rotation insurance.

Fowler, 28, hit .276/.375/.399 in 505 plate appearances in his first season in Houston in 2014. He posted poor defensive numbers in center, but he’s relatively young and has a long track record of posting high on-base percentages, with a career .366 mark. He’s in his final season of arbitration eligibility and is seeking $10.8MM, with the Astros filing at $8.5MM.

The Cubs had reportedly been seeking an outfielder, and Fowler will take over in center and join an outfield mix that also includes Jorge Soler, Chris Coghlan, Chris Denorfia and Arismendy Alcantara. Alcantara is just 23 and struggled in his first big league season in 2014, so perhaps the Cubs will have him start the season in the minors, or maybe they’ll also have him play infield, perhaps using him at third base until Kris Bryant arrives. (Mike Olt and Tommy La Stella could also be in the short-term mix at third.)

It’s not surprising that the Astros sought big-leaguers in return for Fowler, since their offseason has been oriented around improving their 2015 club. They’ve added Evan Gattis, Jed Lowrie, Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek to a team that finished 70-92 last season. With Fowler gone, the Astros could have Jake Marisnick, a strong defender, take over center field, although Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that George Springer could also be an option there.

Valbuena, 29, hit a solid .249/.341/.435 while playing third and occasionally filling in at second in 2014, but the Cubs have a wealth of young infield talent (including Bryant), making Valbuena expendable. Incumbent Astros third baseman Matt Dominguez had an awful .215/.256/.330 season in 2014, so Valbuena provides a dramatic upgrade. Valbuena will make $4.2MM in 2015 and will be eligible for arbitration for the last time next winter.

Straily was not needed in Chicago, which has plenty of interesting rotation options after adding Jon Lester and Jason Hammel this offseason. In Houston, he’ll likely provide depth for a rotation picture that will also include Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, Scott Feldman, Brett Oberholtzer and Brad Peacock. The 26-year-old Straily struggled in 2014, posting a 6.75 ERA, 8.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 52 big-league innings, but he had a solid season in Oakland in 2013. He has five years of control remaining before he’s eligible for free agency.
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Love this trade for the Cubs. They were still lacking a legit CF as well as a legit leadoff hitter. Fowler is both, though apparently the defensive metrics aren't great for him as a CF. He is no superstar but he is exactly what the Cubs needed. They gave up a solid player that they didn't need anymore in Valbuena and a pitcher who could still turn out to be pretty good in Straily, but it was a great move for the Cubs IMO.

 

[Carp]

 

[E_D_Guapo]

You Rangers fans like this move? I don't think these were among the top prospects in the organization, right? That's good because Gallardo's is a free agent after this season, I believe. His velocity & strikeout rate have been dropping pretty alarmingly the past couple of years too so I think he might have some really rough patches in a hitter-friendly AL ballpark. He does make 30+ starts a year though and has been good in the past. Not a bad guy to add if the cost wasn't too high but I don't see him posting an ERA being less under 4.00 this season.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

So the Astros signed Colby Rasmus to a one year $8M deal a day after trading Dexter Fowler? Lulz. Because they need another guy with a shitty OBP that strikes out all the time? Not enough of them in that lineup already? I know he plays a better defensive CF than Fowler & might hit 25 HRs if he plays enough, but it seems like a bad move to me from a lineup construction standpoint. When you throw in the fact that Fowler is also reportedly a good clubhouse guy/leader while Rasmus has been more or less uncoachable with a very questionable attitude...I just don't get it. Maybe they are hoping they can flip him at the deadline if he gets off to a hot start?

 

[Rev]

You Rangers fans like this move? I don't think these were among the top prospects in the organization, right? That's good because Gallardo's is a free agent after this season, I believe. His velocity & strikeout rate have been dropping pretty alarmingly the past couple of years too so I think he might have some really rough patches in a hitter-friendly AL ballpark. He does make 30+ starts a year though and has been good in the past. Not a bad guy to add if the cost wasn't too high but I don't see him posting an ERA being less under 4.00 this season.

I like the move and I dont think the cost was very high at all. Sardinas is nice but I really just see him as a utility guy for the Rangers. Basically it came down to not being able to move (or wanting to move) Andrus for him and the emergence of Odor so he was a good trade chip for us. Who knows how Diplan is going to turn out? He is so young and Knebel is a bullpen piece that can be replaced. We needed another starter and one that could eat innings so I think he will do fine with us. They are also hoping that since he is a hometown kid they might be able to resign him if needed.

BTW the Ballpark isnt as hitter friendly as it was in the past. They closed off some sections that was allowing the wind to tunnel in before last season.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

I like the move and I dont think the cost was very high at all. Sardinas is nice but I really just see him as a utility guy for the Rangers. Basically it came down to not being able to move (or wanting to move) Andrus for him and the emergence of Odor so he was a good trade chip for us. Who knows how Diplan is going to turn out? He is so young and Knebel is a bullpen piece that can be replaced. We needed another starter and one that could eat innings so I think he will do fine with us. They are also hoping that since he is a hometown kid they might be able to resign him if needed.

BTW the Ballpark isnt as hitter friendly as it was in the past. They closed off some sections that was allowing the wind to tunnel in before last season.

Those prospects didn't ring a bell as being some of the top ones in the Rangers system and yeah, an 18 year old is so far away and so difficult to project anyway. Gallardo has been a good SP for quite a while and is reliable. The declining strikeout rate and velo haven't affected him that much yet (though 2013 was a pretty bad year by his standards) so maybe he has figured out how to get around it. His ground ball rate has been going up a little so that helps. Hard to argue with bringing in a guy who should give you 200 IP for the cost of meh prospects. I would just be a little concerned that the move to the AL combined with the lower K rate/velo could cause him some problems in Arlington.

 

[Kbrown]

So the Astros signed Colby Rasmus to a one year $8M deal a day after trading Dexter Fowler? Lulz. Because they need another guy with a shitty OBP that strikes out all the time? Not enough of them in that lineup already? I know he plays a better defensive CF than Fowler & might hit 25 HRs if he plays enough, but it seems like a bad move to me from a lineup construction standpoint. When you throw in the fact that Fowler is also reportedly a good clubhouse guy/leader while Rasmus has been more or less uncoachable with a very questionable attitude...I just don't get it. Maybe they are hoping they can flip him at the deadline if he gets off to a hot start?

This year is going to be feast or famine offensively. I still see an overall improvement.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

This year is going to be feast or famine offensively. I still see an overall improvement.

I definitely see improvement overall for the Astros. I just find this particular move to be puzzling considering the numerous guys who hit for power and strike out a lot already in their lineup. Just seems like they might as well have kept Fowler who at least gets on base at a very nice clip. He fits nicely at the top of the order. A one year deal for Rasmus certainly isn't going to hurt them, just seems like an odd addition. If he has a season similar to 2013 he will be a bargain, but he has just been so inconsistent.

 

[Carp]

Meanwhile in NY...all our eggs are in the lets hope Flores comes on like Lagares and Duda did this year basket.

 

[dallen]

You Rangers fans like this move? I don't think these were among the top prospects in the organization, right? That's good because Gallardo's is a free agent after this season, I believe. His velocity & strikeout rate have been dropping pretty alarmingly the past couple of years too so I think he might have some really rough patches in a hitter-friendly AL ballpark. He does make 30+ starts a year though and has been good in the past. Not a bad guy to add if the cost wasn't too high but I don't see him posting an ERA being less under 4.00 this season.

Cheap move that doesn't prevent us from making an in season trade if it doesn't work out. Coupled with maybe getting some form of Perez or Harrison back near the all-star break, and I think it is a pretty good risk. Worst case we lost a few mid-tier prospects and have to trade a few higher prospects which we would have had to trade any way to get someone better. Best case he is the solid 180 inning #3 starter he has been in the past. Seems like a shrewd move to me.

 

[Carp]

Astros Nearing Deal With Ryan Vogelsong
By Jeff Todd [January 20, 2015 at 11:15pm CST]
11:15pm: Drellich tweets that a deal with Vogelsong would be for one year, if it is ultimately finalized.

6:57pm: Nothing is likely to get finalized tonight, tweets Drellich. Meanwhile, Berman adds that Vogelsong is no longer in Houston, though he doesn’t specify how the physical went.

TUESDAY, 8:42am: Vogelsong and the Astros are nearing a deal but are still addressing the final details of the arrangement, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick.

MONDAY, 10:44pm: Vogelsong is in Houston presently, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26. He declined comment on his situation with the club, per Berman.

6:07pm: Vogelsong is a “realistic option,” but nothing is expected to be wrapped up tonight, Drellich tweets.

5:40pm: The Astros are in “serious discussions” with free agent righty Ryan Vogelsong, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reported earlier today that Houston was not done with its roster, noting that a pitching addition was possible and that Vogelsong was a player the club had confirmed interest in.

Houston added some rotation depth today by dealing for a package that included former MLB starter Dan Straily. But the team is obviously still looking for innings.

Vogelsong, 37, has been a steady presence at the back of the Giants’ bullpen since re-emerging with a stunning season back in 2011. Though his results have been up and down, he has averaged 164 frames per year of 3.74 ERA ball, to go with a 3.92 FIP on the back of 7.0 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9. And it is worth noting both that Vogelsong has posted fairly consistent regular season velocity figures (and was able to amp up his fastball into the mid-90s during