The Table Setter, Jan. 23, 2024: You (probably) did it. You (probably) did it, Joe.

[Cody Schoenmann]

Come talk James Paxton, Aroldis Chapman, Joe Mauer, and more on today's anticipatory table setter.

Image courtesy of © Joe Rondone/Arizona Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Yesterday, Matt Trueblood's table setter delved into a veteran pitcher who signed a deal with a contending team, a veteran pitcher who signed a deal with a non-contending team, and Joe Mauer's Hall of Fame Candidacy. Today, I am going to do the same. Why? The most likely reason is that I am an unoriginal sell-out, but it also could be because, to quote Rust Cohle from season one of True Detective, "Time is a flat circle. Everything we've ever done or will do, we're gonna do over and over and over and over again. Forever." Whatever it is, well, it's Groundhog Day again. 

Veteran Pitcher Signs with Contending Team
On Monday, 35-year-old Canadian starting pitcher James Paxton signed a one-year deal worth around $12 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a season in which he posted 4.50 ERA, 4.68 FIP, and 1.0 Wins Above Replacement at FanGraphs (fWAR) with the Boston Red Sox, Paxton looks to become the World Series-hopeful Dodgers' fifth starter, a role previously occupied by 24-year-old rookie Emmet Sheehan.

The Dodgers' signing of Paxton signals that the organization's decision-makers wanted to acquire a back-of-the-rotation starting pitcher to supplement a unit they effectively rebuilt from scratch earlier this offseason. Although oft-injured, Paxton consistently hit 96-97 MPH with his fastball over 96 innings pitched (IP) while posting a formidable 24.5% strikeout rate with Boston last season. Paxton needs to improve his breaking ball velocity and movement to become the All-Star-caliber hurler he once was with the Seattle Mariners. Nevertheless, this deal feels mutually beneficial.

Veteran Pitcher Signs With Non-Contending Team
On the flip side, 35-year-old left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman signed a one-year, $10.5-million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates, a salary-restricted small-market team with much more significant pressing needs elsewhere, elected to create one of the most formidable on-paper back-of-the-bullpen duos in Chapman and All-Star closer David Bednar.

In 2023, Chapman managed a 3.09 ERA, 2.52 FIP, and 1.8 fWAR over 58 1/3 IP with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. Though he won his second World Series championship with the Rangers, the majority of Chapman's success came in the first half of the season with the Royals. The flamethrower allowed a 22.2% home run rate on fly balls (HR/FB) and only managed to strand 74.1% of baserunners (LOB%) over 29 innings pitched with the Rangers from Jul. 2 through Sept. 28. 

Nevertheless, if Chapman stays healthy, he projects to be a win-win signing for the Pirates. Either the Buccos are contending with Chapman as a dominant force at the back end of their bullpen, or they can ship him off to a contending team for a respectable package, similar to what the Royals did in 2023. Chapman is nearing the end of his career, and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his signature mix of high velocity and supreme productivity in Pittsburgh.

Twins Daily Is Bringing Up Joe Mauer's Hall of Fame Candidacy Again? Why, of course.
For the last 23 days, Twins Daily has published at least one article or video on the subject of Joe Mauer's Hall of Fame candidacy. (I don't know if this is true, and I refuse to be fact-checked.) Regardless, today is different, and the reason is that if he can accumulate 65.8% of the remaining vote by 5 PM Central tonight, Mauer will become the first Twins player to become a first-ballot Hall of famer since Kirby Puckett in 2002. 

Cathartically, this will be the last anticipatory piece on Mauer's Hall of Fame candidacy, and can now look forward to providing heavy coverage of the event, remembering and reexamining Mauer's career from various angles. Ideally, Mauer's election into the Baseball Hall of Fame will naturally lead into the Twins signing or trading for a frontline starting pitcher or power-hitting first baseman/corner outfielder, but know that we will milk this as long as necessary. 

Miscellaneous MLB Notes:

• The St. Louis Cardinals signed utility player Tommy Edman to a two-year, $16.5-million contract to avoid arbitration. Edman, 28, will become a free agent at the end of the deal.
• Another position player is switching to pitching, as former infielder Alex Blandino will attempt to become a knuckleballer this upcoming season in the Cincinnati Reds' minor-league system.
• The Detroit Tigers traded infielder Tyler Nevin to the Baltimore Orioles for cash.

How do you think Paxton will fare with the Dodgers? Will the Pirates become contenders with Chapman, or will they trade him to a winning team at this summer's trade deadline? Will Mauer make it into the Hall of Fame? Do any of the "Miscellaneous MLB Notes" stick out to you? Join the discussion and comment below.

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[Karbo]

Lets go Joe!

[DJL44]

Joe Mauer is in the Hall of Fame is going to be the big news before Twins Fest this year.

[DJL44]

The Dodgers adding Paxton means someone on their 40-man roster has to go. Time to call about Gus Varland.

[TopGunn#22]

Joe Mauer will make it in.  Congratulations to him!  When you consider how lucky the Twins had to be to get the #1 overall pick, and then have to choose between Joe, Mark Prior and Mark Texieria it's amazing how he ended up with us and the rest is history.

Paxton will be a good #5 SP for the Dodgers, but with Buehler coming off his 2nd Tommy John surgery and Paxton and Glasnow also in the rotation, the Dodgers are playing Russian Roulette with their rotation and health.  And that's not even mentioning Clay Kershaw at all.

Chapman still has some gas in the tank, but to pay what they're paying for him is so out of the ordinary for the Pirates.  Depending on how the season goes for them, I could see BOTH Bender and Chapman traded for good prospects as the rebuild continues in Pittsburgh.  

[Trov]

The Chapman signing by Pirates is savvy move.  The Twins in the late 90's early 2000's did signings like that.  They would sign a vet, knowing they planned to trade by seasons end and they hoped the player would show value to increase trade returns.  Left handed pen guys will always be in demand and guys that have shown success in high leverage in past as well. 

[DJL44]

I think Mauer is signing early in the morning on Saturday at TwinsFest if you want to be the first one with a "Joe Mauer HOF 2024" signature on your memorabilia.

[Blyleven2011]

4 hours ago, Karbo said:

Lets go Joe!

Joe's already came and went ...

It's let's go voters ... 

It's a good possibility  he gets elected , I will be surprised if he gets in on first ballot because I didn't think it would Happen , because it's the minnesota twins  ...

It appears he had alot of respect nation wide from media and fans from the votes that are tabulated  already  ...

[chpettit19]

3 hours ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

Chapman will be traded to a contending team at the deadline.

This phenomenon is super strange to me. It's the same thing that happened with him last year. The Rangers had to trade Cole Ragans (and Roni Cabrera) to the Royals to get Chapman for half the year. Ragans is probably the Royals best starting pitcher now after he ripped off 12 starts in KC with a 2.64 ERA, 1.074 WHIP, and 11.2 K/9. Really weird to me that contending teams don't just sign him during the offseason. Did the Pirates really pay him that much more than the contenders want to to make it worth trading real player capital for him in 6 months? Very weird to me.

[mnfireman]

213 public votes counted (55.5% of total), Mauer sitting at 83.6% (178/213 votes). He needs 110/171 remaining votes (64.3%). Trending very much in the right direction!!

[DJL44]

Mauer will be the youngest current Hall of Famer by a lot, the first one born in the 1980s.

[DJL44]

18 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

This phenomenon is super strange to me. It's the same thing that happened with him last year. The Rangers had to trade Cole Ragans (and Roni Cabrera) to the Royals to get Chapman for half the year. Ragans is probably the Royals best starting pitcher now after he ripped off 12 starts in KC with a 2.64 ERA, 1.074 WHIP, and 11.2 K/9. Really weird to me that contending teams don't just sign him during the offseason. Did the Pirates really pay him that much more than the contenders want to to make it worth trading real player capital for him in 6 months? Very weird to me.

Looks like the Angels are loading up in the same manner. I don't think they will be as hesitant to sell this summer.

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Looks like the Angels are loading up in the same manner. I don't think they will be as hesitant to sell this summer.

A year or 2 too late, but they're one of the worst run franchises in baseball (or maybe all of sports) so that's not surprising. They really need to start building up some pitching prospects. And trade Trout.