Non-Twins Off-season news, tidbits and transactions

[Mike Sixel]

 

I don't think it's just this country. Seems to me professional soccer players get into all kinds of trouble as well and their behavior is overlooked if not sometimes celebrated.

 

good point! 

[Vanimal46]

 

Philly building a super team?

[Squirrel]

Philly building a super team?

But what team isn’t going to be ‘in’ on those two? Of course everyone’s ‘in’ and no one is going to confirm otherwise.

[Vanimal46]

 

That's what Marlins ownership gets for their recent fire sale... Question is, do they care?

[Mr. Brooks]

But what team isn’t going to be ‘in’ on those two? Of course everyone’s ‘in’ and no one is going to confirm otherwise.

I think the key word is "both".

No, not every team is in on both. Most teams don't have the resources to go after both, whether they choose to confirm or not doesn't change that.

[Aerodeliria]

I think one could get Encarnacion not cheaply, but more reasonably when compared to the haul they would want for Kluber or Carrasco (I imagine). Encarnacion still drove in 107 runs but his BA tailed off dramatically, he struck out the same number of times he had the previous year but played in 20 fewer games and his BBs dropped off a cliff 63 compared to 104 in 2017. Consequently, his OBP dropped .41 points and his slugging also dropped .30. I know Indian fans were not feeling that great about his performance, especially in the first part of the year.

[Squirrel]

I think the key word is "both".

No, not every team is in on both. Most teams don't have the resources to go after both, whether they choose to confirm or not doesn't change that.

Sure. I know. But when answering a direct question from a reporter, what GM is going to say no? No GM is going to answer that question even if it might be obvious that they will, could or won’t be in on it. That’s more what I meant by that rhetorical question, that at this stage of the game, they aren’t going to publicize their plan too much. I just can’t take tweets too seriously.

 

I actually think we’ll see movement on pitchers before we see movement on either Harper or Machado, but I could be wrong. I’m a horrible prognosticator.

[Mike Sixel]

Houston losing a starter to TJ.....I wonder if they will now re-sign one of their FA pitchers?

[cmoss84]

 

Houston losing a starter to TJ.....I wonder if they will now re-sign one of their FA pitchers?

I'm guessing they keep Morton.

 

Harper rejected a huge contract at the end of the year from the Nats, so he is going elsewhere more than likely. 

 

Meanwhile, C.C. re-upped with the yanks. Kind of hard to not to route for him, if you're a yankee fan or not. 

[nicksaviking]

 

That's what Marlins ownership gets for their recent fire sale... Question is, do they care?

 

The 1950 A's? That was the year both their owner AND manager promptly died. Surely it was due to the shock of the attendance collapse. 

 

Send a prayer to Derek Jeter and Don Mattingly folks.

[Vanimal46]

 

Flexibility is key, folks. These guys want opt outs to control their destiny.

[TheLeviathan]

Zunino and Heredia for Mallex Smith.

 

Seattle has a lot of speed on their roster.

[Mike Sixel]

Gary Sanchez to have shoulder surgery......wonder if they want Castro?

[Vanimal46]

 

Gonna be really tough to sign Marwin...

[ashbury]

Gonna be really tough to sign Marwin...

With the Reds in the picture now, we have no chance at Harrison.

[Mike Sixel]

Jeff Sullivan said in his chat today that a Paxton trade might be happening next week....he used to write a Mariners' blog, so I'm guessing he has inside info. I hope it is either the Twins, or one of the teams that would otherwise sign a top FA pitcher.....

[Vanimal46]

Jeff Sullivan said in his chat today that a Paxton trade might be happening next week....he used to write a Mariners' blog, so I'm guessing he has inside info. I hope it is either the Twins, or one of the teams that would otherwise sign a top FA pitcher.....

Fingers crossed the Twins are in the mix! A LH #3 pitcher is much needed around here.

[Riverbrian]

Versatility is absolutely in: Not only will teams will be climbing over themselves to get Marwin and not only will Josh Harrison find a home but take a look at the management level. 

 

Farhan Zaidi of the Dodgers it new President of Baseball Operations of the Giants. Add that to Chris Woodward of the Dodgers as the new manager of the Rangers, Baldelli of the Rays with the Twins, Montoya of the Rays with the Jays. 

 

Also consider that Chaim Bloom the current Rays PBO was a candidate for the Giants and Mets job and the Orioles are currently looking at Houston assistent GM Mike Elias for that Orioles GM position. 

 

And also consider that Baldeilli was also a finalist for the Reds job and Brandon Hyde of the Cubs was a finalist for the Twins and Jays and it sure looks like everybody was looking in the same tight versatility circle.  

 

Marwin is going to get paid while Escobar and Nunez probably sold themselves short. 

 

The jobs available to the Buck Showalter types are going to be less and less. 

[ashbury]

Versatility is absolutely in: Not only will teams will be climbing over themselves to get Marwin and not only will Josh Harrison will find a home but take a look at the management level.

So, you're saying that it's no longer a Market Inefficiency, and we should look elsewhere for a competitive edge.

 

[Riverbrian]

 

So, you're saying that it's no longer a Market Inefficiency, and we should look elsewhere for a competitive edge.

 

 

LOL... In reality, Not Yet... But eventually yes. 

 

Evolution Baby... Evolution.

 

It's why some birds have large beaks. It's because they will die if they can't crack that nut. 

[TheLeviathan]

Interesting read.

[Mike Sixel]

I'm not sure where to put this.....but note that there are links in the story to his two studies, and also to studies taht discuss teh $/WAR thing that people here hate....but has validity.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/post-2018-farm-system-rankings/

 

Note the WS way out front of the Twins, and Detroit not that far behind.....

[Vanimal46]

[Monkeypaws]

Gotta hand it to the Yankees - ROY last year in Judge, and 2nd and 3rd place this year in Torres and Andujar. Got their homegrown ace in Severino. They do a nice job of developing players: Sanchez, Betances, Holder, etc.

 

Their trade record is also pretty good. There's more than just deep pockets in the Bronx.

[bird]

 

LOL... In reality, Not Yet... But eventually yes. 

 

Evolution Baby... Evolution.

 

It's why some birds have large beaks. It's because they will die if they can't crack that nut. 

 

 

Source?

[Vanimal46]

[bird]

 

 

 

Evolution Baby... Evolution.

 

It's why some birds have large beaks. It's because they will die if they can't crack that nut. 

 

Okay, so a not-so-quick story about specialized evolution and "positional flexibility".

 

I'm birding up north with one of my nerdiest birding friends (redundant, I know). We spot a flock of red crossbills, who, as their name suggests, have crossed mandibles which they use as a tool to extract seeds from the hard outer shells of pine cones. In the territory we were in the most common food targets were white pines and western hemlock, although other coniferous species are found. My nerd friend tells me he heard a flight call that indicates another "type" of red crossbill, and he thinks it's a type 5 perhaps. I let it go, just like I forgave the first ridiculous baseball nerd who introduced the term LOOGY to me.

 

I get home, still naggingly curious, and read up to find that the bird nerds are now actively talking about, like, ELEVEN different types of red crossbills, all with distinct enough flight calls and eating habits to be identified, which really ticks me off, because I was pretty dang proud of knowing MY crossbill and the two from the west and east with flight accents I could identify. Red crossbill types are otherwise pretty much indistinguishable, kinda like starters and primary pitcher types. I want to reject all this new stuff. And then I read about the new and improved Cassian Crossbill, which can only be found in two frickin' counties in southern Idaho and only eats Lodgepole Pine seeds, which most other crossbill types ignore like the Baltimore Orioles ignore shifts and stuff.

 

My visceral attraction to flocks of red crossbills has diminished and I very much fear my newfound attraction to the simpler sport of curling.

[nicksaviking]

 

So, you're saying that it's no longer a Market Inefficiency, and we should look elsewhere for a competitive edge.

 

 

I think that's fairly easy in this case. If everyone else wants flexible players and you can't get them to come here, turn your own guys into flexible players or trade for guys who can do so but no one has tried yet.

[nicksaviking]

 

I'm not sure where to put this.....but note that there are links in the story to his two studies, and also to studies taht discuss teh $/WAR thing that people here hate....but has validity.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/post-2018-farm-system-rankings/

 

Note the WS way out front of the Twins, and Detroit not that far behind.....

 

Looks like KC is just in the early stages of their traditional 20 year rebuild.

[ashbury]

I think that's fairly easy in this case. If everyone else wants flexible players and you can't get them to come here, turn your own guys into flexible players or trade for guys who can do so but no one has tried yet.

I was completely pulling RB's chain. Even if something is no longer a market inefficiency, you still may need to do it, lest you fall behind and become an inefficient dinosaur yourself.