MLB Chatter Thread

[Deuce]

The Detroit Tigers traded Doug Fister to the Washington Nationals for three players: left-handed pitching prospect Robbie Ray, left-handed reliever Ian Krol, and utility man Steve Lombardozzi.

 

[Rev]

From what I read the Tigers didn't get much in return. I'm just glad Fister is in the national league because he usually gives the rangers fits.

 

[junk]

This coming year? Doubtful. Unless it is a September call up.

Centerfield will be between Presley and Hicks this year.

Yes, September call up. Full time in 2015. Pretty similar career arc to Trout so far.

 

[Rev]

From what I read the Tigers didn't get much in return. I'm just glad Fister is in the national league because he usually gives the rangers fits.

Well I guess we could face him in the World Series next year if Washington gets there.

 

[Deuce]

From what I read the Tigers didn't get much in return. I'm just glad Fister is in the national league because he usually gives the rangers fits.

They got $7 million in payroll relief from the move as well.

 

[Rev]

The Rays are trading for a catcher that hit .198 last season so I guess that means they have their cleanup hitter now.


~outta here~

 

[Deuce]

The Rays are trading for a catcher that hit .198 last season so I guess that means they have their cleanup hitter now.


~outta here~

He'll be a good late inning defensive replacement for Loboton. Don't hate on teams that can see the big picture.

 

[Cotton]

From what I read the Tigers didn't get much in return. I'm just glad Fister is in the national league because he usually gives the rangers fits.

I wanted him on the Rangers if nothing more for his name.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

He'll be a good late inning defensive replacement for Loboton. Don't hate on teams that can see the big picture.

Heath Bell part of that big picture? I know they got one really good year out of Fernando Rodney but fat ass Heath Bell and his pitiful velocity is going to be an even bigger challenge as a reclamation project.

 

[Deuce]

Heath Bell part of that big picture? I know they got one really good year out of Fernando Rodney but fat ass Heath Bell and his pitiful velocity is going to be an even bigger challenge as a reclamation project.

Reclamation projects are the Rays middle name. Rodney, Farnesworth was a good closer for one year, Percival revived his career for a season. Besides, I think Juan Carlos Oviedo is going to end up as closer. The Rays love good relievers with great changeups.

 

[Tony D]

He'll be a good late inning defensive replacement for Loboton. Don't hate on teams that can see the big picture.

3 years @ 10.75 million for a back up catcher? Sounds like starter money to me.

 

[Tony D]

Mariners may go to 8 years 200 million for Cano. They can have him at that price.

 

[NoDak]

Well I guess we could face him in the World Series next year if Washington gets there.

 

[Tony D]

Now Beltran has a 3 year deal for 48 million out there. Yanks need to move on from that one, too.

 

[Rev]

Now Beltran has a 3 year deal for 48 million out there. Yanks need to move on from that one, too.

Yeah. That's probably the Mariners.

 

[Tony D]

Yeah. That's probably the Mariners.

I thought I saw it was the Royals. Finish where he started.

 

[Rev]

I thought I saw it was the Royals. Finish where he started.

Mariners have jumped in late but also saw the royals early.

Then I guess it also depends on how serious they are with Cano. Can they sign both?


Looks like it is Kansas City.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

By Zach Links [December 3 at 7:19pm CST]

The Yankees are closing in on a seven-year deal with Jacoby Ellsbury, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. "It could happen," someone familiar with the talks told Heyman. It is believed the deal would top Carl Crawford's $142MM, seven-year deal.

ESPN's Jayson Stark reported on Monday that talks were moving faster than expected for the Scott Boras client
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He's one of my keepers in my FBB league. He's going to rack up SBs wherever he goes but with that short porch in RF he could see a big boost in his power numbers. Highly unlikely he ever goes for > 30 like he did a couple years ago but I could definitely see 15 per year to go with 40-50 SBs.

 

[Tony D]

Too many years and too much money for my liking, plus he seems to be always hurt. But I'll take him. Does he play CF? Do Yanks trade Gardner? Does Ellsbury play LF and Gardner CF?

 

[E_D_Guapo]

Too many years and too much money for my liking, plus he seems to be always hurt. But I'll take him. Does he play CF? Do Yanks trade Gardner? Does Ellsbury play LF and Gardner CF?

8:00pm: The deal includes an eighth-year option that could boost the total value to $169MM, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (on Twitter).

7:41pm: Ellsbury's deal is worth $153MM over seven years, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). That tops Carl Crawford's deal by $12MM.

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes predicted that Ellsbury would get a seven-year, $150MM deal in his free agent profile earlier this offseason.

7:31pm: The Yankees have agreed to sign Jacoby Ellsbury, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com first reported that the two sides were closing in on a seven-year pact. It is believed the deal will top Carl Crawford's $142MM, seven-year deal with one estimate pegging the deal at about $150MM, according to Heyman.

The Yankees have been in simultaneous talks with Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Beltran, and many other top free agents, including their own Robinson Cano. Things have stalled somewhat with Cano, however, as the Yanks don't want to go far beyond $170MM over seven years and Cano's team looking for about $260MM. Heyman spoke with sources who didn't rule out the Yankees continuing their purusit of Choo or Beltran, but it would seem unlikely at this point. One source told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter) that a deal with Ellsbury or another top outfielder won't preclude the Yanks from re-signing their star second baseman.

ESPN's Jayson Stark reported on Monday that talks were moving faster than expected for the Scott Boras client. Boras is notorious for waiting out the market to find the right deal as he did with Prince Fielder (signed in late January) and Michael Bourn (February).

Ellsbury offers more pop than the typical center fielder, with a career slugging percentage of .439 and isolated power of .141. While his power is more of the doubles and triples variety, which is aided by his speed, he did hit 32 home runs in his stellar 2011 campaign. In that year, Ellsbury led all of baseball with 9.1 wins above replacement, finished second in the AL MVP voting, won a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove, and made the All-Star team. However, the left-handed batter wasn't much of a threat against southpaws this year, posting a .246/.323/.318 line in 237 plate appearances.

The 30-year-old has also consistently posted above average UZR and DRS numbers in center field. While he has come back to earth somewhat since '11, he checked in with 5.8 wins above replacement in 2013, which is second only to Robinson Cano among free agents.

The Yankees have been vocal about their desire to get under the $189MM luxury tax threshold this winter, but it remains to be seen where they'll stand after the Ellsbury deal and Brian McCann's five-year, $85MM pact. Now more than ever, one has to imagine that the Yankees are rooting for MLB's side in the Alex Rodriguez saga.

The market for Ellsbury has been somewhat cloudy, but the Mariners and Giants were both believed to have interest.

Yankees people envision Ellsbury in center with Brett Gardner moving to left, Heyman writes. The 30-year-old was ranked No. 2 on Tim Dierkes' Top 50 Free Agent Power Rankings.