Off-season, non-Twins, baseball news and signings 2021-2022

[Squirrel]

We have a thread every year to post news and tidbits about happenings and signings around the game. If the news is 'big', feel free to start a separate thread. Not everything needs to go here, but, consider this thread a collective.

I'll start with this news bit:

 

 

[tony&rodney]

Read Jay Jaffe's article on fangraphs.com

Congratulations to Buster Posey on a fabulous career. i watched the news conference and he talked about the rigors of catching very briefly. Buster really was the heart of the Giants team and is a fine human.

It did remind me of Joe Mauer. Although Posey went out on top on a 107 win team in perhaps the most terrific division race ever, you will see that Jaffe still has Mauer ahead of Posey. We were lucky to have Mauer and lucky to be able to watch Posey on mlb.com.

[ashbury]

Posey?  That young guy?  What's he doing retiring?

[old nurse]

Better to have left a little too early than too late.  

[Otto von Ballpark]

The Reds just waived Wade Miley, after a 5.7 bWAR pitching season (albeit only 2.9 fWAR). Miley has a $10 mil team option for 2022.

The Cubs were awarded the claim on Miley. (Not sure if the Twins put in a claim, as they are one spot behind the Cubs in waiver priority.)

[ashbury]

2 hours ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

The Reds just waived Wade Miley, after a 5.7 bWAR pitching season (albeit only 2.9 fWAR). Miley has a $10 mil team option for 2022.

The Cubs were awarded the claim on Miley. (Not sure if the Twins put in a claim, as they are one spot behind the Cubs in waiver priority.)

The MLBTR article said the Reds shopped Miley first and had no takers. A bit like the Eddie Rosario situation last year, except this time someone took the player. If the Twins wanted Miley without handing over any talent and just taking on salary, they gambled and lost.

[Vanimal46]

Who would have guessed Yadi Molina would stick around longer than Buster Posey? Whether Posey ends up in the HOF or not, he’s one of the top 3 all time catchers in the last 20 years. Cheers to an excellent career! 

[Danchat]

I am surprised Miley was available for $10M and nothing else. The way he's pitched, he's a quality #3/4 that will be a lot more expensive out on the open market. Good move by the Cubs to claim him.

[Otto von Ballpark]

On Miley, apparently he was hurt and awful in September. Officially called a "strained neck" and also described as a "twinge of pain near his collarbone" which might have been enough to give teams pause. Especially combined with the Reds decision to waive him before declining his option, and on waivers, there's no mechanism for reviewing medical information or conducting a physical before placing a claim.

[nicksaviking]

Wow, 14 free agents getting a QO attached to them. That seems like a lot. The Twins don't have to give up much though, just their third highest pick so I'm cutting that pick loose here and now. Don't want it, never had it, got a free agent(s) instead.

I'd be fine if the Twins signed just about any of them. I'd have little interest in Brandon Belt, nor would I think the team. I also think Michael Conforto has been too inconsistent through is career so I'd rather not go that route. I know he's a popular name on this site, but I also don't have much interest in Chris Taylor, now that he's got a QO, I have even less interest.

[nicksaviking]

15 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

On Miley, apparently he was hurt and awful in September. Officially called a "strained neck" and also described as a "twinge of pain near his collarbone" which might have been enough to give teams pause. Especially combined with the Reds decision to waive him before declining his option, and on waivers, there's no mechanism for reviewing medical information or conducting a physical before placing a claim.

Even when healthy, he's not a guy I'd ever trust. He's going to be 35, he always gives up a fair amount of baserunners, he doesn't strikeout anyone, and he seems to go from usable pitcher to DFA candidate at the drop of the hat. Except for one season in Houston, he's also always struggled in the AL. Though FIP says even that season was all smoke and mirrors and he wasn't terribly good then either.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

This stretches the definition of "news," but MLB Trade Rumors just posted its top 50 free-agent predictions, which is always a fun read.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/11/top-50-mlb-free-agent-rankings.html

Their list is entirely educated guesses, not anything from inside sources as best I know, but it's interesting to read the guesses of writers who cover transactions from a league-wide perspective. This year rather than publishing a single team prediction for each player based on some kind of consensus from the list's writers, they published each of the 3 writers' individual guesses.

I agree with the basic outline of what they predict for the Twins—they won't play at the very top of the market, but it's realistic that they invest substantially in free agency given the major need for pitching. Each of the writers picks one of the top five starters on the list, either Stroman or Rodríguez, to go to the Twins, and there are guesses of Wood, Kluber and Knebel for further pitching reinforcement later in the list.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Dodgers sign Andrew Heaney for 1 year, $8.5 million.

[Vanimal46]

54 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

Dodgers sign Andrew Heaney for 1 year, $8.5 million.

That was quick! 

[tony&rodney]

The Twins would be smart to attempt one or two quick signings.

[yeahyabetcha]

12 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The Twins would be smart to attempt one or two quick signings.

Maybe they could sign JA Happ for 8.5 million.  He went 5-2 with 4.00 ERA down the stretch for a playoff team.  Oh wait, never mind.

[nicksaviking]

16 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

The Twins would be smart to attempt one or two quick signings.

I agree, but with the CBA renegotiation (lock-out), I could see it play out where only the lower tier guys actually sign now.

The owners' latest offer had a salary floor, but also lowered the luxury tax cap. If the big clubs go over that proposed threshold they are going to totally give away their negotiating leverage. And the top end players aren't going to sign while the big clubs play coy and sit out the bidding.

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, nicksaviking said:

the top end players aren't going to sign while the big clubs play coy and sit out the bidding.

Agree with you. I was thinking  dugout and field wisdom/utility option reunion with Ehire Adrianza specifically.

The CBA could create a logjam, for sure. Still, and everyone keeps saying this - decide what to do about Buxton. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

6 hours ago, yeahyabetcha said:

Maybe they could sign JA Happ for 8.5 million.  He went 5-2 with 4.00 ERA down the stretch for a playoff team.  Oh wait, never mind.

Better to trade John Gant for a starter at the deadline next year. Oh wait, never mind that either!

[Otto von Ballpark]

3 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

I agree, but with the CBA renegotiation (lock-out), I could see it play out where only the lower tier guys actually sign now.

The owners' latest offer had a salary floor, but also lowered the luxury tax cap. If the big clubs go over that proposed threshold they are going to totally give away their negotiating leverage. And the top end players aren't going to sign while the big clubs play coy and sit out the bidding.

On the other hand, if a team is aggressive about offers right now -- for example, the Twins offering guys the full predicted MLBTR contract values, or maybe even a little more -- then the player might take it, and avoid the risk of waiting on the new CBA (which may not bring all the big clubs back into the bidding later).

[Vanimal46]

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Angels reportedly working on a one-year deal with Syndergaard, ahead of his Wednesday afternoon deadline to accept or decline the qualifying offer from the Mets.

Edit to clarify: I was referring to the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, not any kind of heavenly angels. Although I understand they used to collaborate in the outfield.

[nicksaviking]

The Twins are beginning to run out of free agent starting pitchers that actually interest me.

[Vanimal46]

11 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

Angels reportedly working on a one-year deal with Syndergaard, ahead of his Wednesday afternoon deadline to accept or decline the qualifying offer from the Mets.

Edit to clarify: I was referring to the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, not any kind of heavenly angels. Although I understand they used to collaborate in the outfield.

Strange that they wouldn’t have an option year tacked on since they’re paying the 2nd round pick as well. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

50 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Strange that they wouldn’t have an option year tacked on since they’re paying the 2nd round pick as well. 

As I understand, the Angels are still pursuing other qualifying-offer free agents, and if they sign one of those, then it's effectively only a 3rd round pick that they give up for Syndergaard.

[Otto von Ballpark]

That said, I would have expected a Syndergaard option too, since he barely pitched at all in 2021.

I guess the lack of an option gives the Angels no incentive to protect his arm much in 2022, beyond getting the most they can out of him that season.

Also, let's be honest: there are always decent odds that the Angels will be sellers next July. So they could still get someone else's 2nd or 3rd round draftee back for Syndergaard.

[Mike Sixel]

Cleveland, while driving payroll to record lows because they claim to have no money..... Is trying to sell part of the team at a valuation of 1.4 billion. Don't believe the owners when they cry poverty......

[nicksaviking]

5 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Cleveland, while driving payroll to record lows because they claim to have no money..... Is trying to sell part of the team at a valuation of 1.4 billion. Don't believe the owners when they cry poverty......

Committed to winning!

The highest bid possible. "Hey fella, this here franchise is fully automated with next to no upkeep or expenses. These little guys will work for peanuts, or at least they will if they know what's good for 'em!"

Seriously though, this is undeniably good ammo for the MLBPA. I don't know how the other owners aren't screaming at the Cleveland owners right now for making them all look like liars.

[Squirrel]

6 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Cleveland, while driving payroll to record lows because they claim to have no money..... Is trying to sell part of the team at a valuation of 1.4 billion. Don't believe the owners when they cry poverty......

Right ... it's a tactic to 'cry poverty' in negotiating years ... been on the receiving end of that too many times to count. But they will claim 'operating costs' are different than assets, which, okay ... selling off part of the team to help with costs ... BUT ... at $1.4billion? That's more than an asset

[Otto von Ballpark]

Astros re-sign Verlander. 1 year at $25 mil plus a $25 mil player option for a 2nd year.

I guess he must have looked pretty good at his workout the other day.