Official Winter Meetings Thread

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Can confirm that Indians, A's nearing a deal to send OF/1B Brandon Moss to Cleveland. More details soon.</p>— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) <a href="

">December 8, 2014</a></blockquote>

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[wildcard]

Yes, but he would probably get some starts in LF if De Aza is the starter. Agree in so far that Aoki and Rasums would be full time starters

I would not sign Aoki or Rasmus to a multi year deal with Alvarez less than a year alway. Alvarez may well be better than either of those guys.

De Aza and Hassan (if needed) in left

Let Buck sort out whether Pearce, Lough or Davis is better in right.

Davis or Pearce at 1B.

Now we are talking about adding a DH. Which opens the field over just outfielders.

[wildcard]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Can confirm that Indians, A's nearing a deal to send OF/1B Brandon Moss to Cleveland. More details soon.</p>— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) <a href="

">December 8, 2014</a></blockquote>

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Moss had hip surgery. Labrum. Isn't that what ARod had?

[33rdst]

Don 't see the appeal of either Rasmus or Aoki. Melky has some appeal but probably too expensive. Prefer Delmon to any of them. Need to pursue a trade.

[DrungoHazewood]

I would not sign Aoki or Rasmus to a multi year deal with Alvarez less than a year alway. Alvarez may well be better than either of those guys.

De Aza and Hassan (if needed) in left

Let Buck sort out whether Pearce, Lough or Davis is better in right.

Davis or Pearce at 1B.

Now we are talking about adding a DH. Which opens the field over just outfielders.

I don't think you go out of your way to clear space for Dariel Alvarez. You sign who you need and make space if he pushes his way onto the team. I don't think I buy into this idea that he needs another year of seasoning. He's 26. At his age Cespedes came straight out of Cuba and OPS'd .860 without the benefit of any minor league seasoning. I might be of a mind to just make Alvarez a 4th/5th outfielder and platoon mate of Lough or De Aza right now and see what happens. But if you want Rasums or Aoki to fill the other OF spot just do it, don't let visions of a future Alvarez stand in the way.

[DrungoHazewood]

Don 't see the appeal in either Rasmus or Aoki. Melky has some appeal but probably too expensive. Prefer Delmon to any of them. Need to pursue a trade.

The major difference between Rasumus and Aoki, and Delmon, is that neither Rasumus nor Aoki are terrifying fielders. Young is a DH and emergency outfielder, and he can't really hit righties. I don't even think they're competing for the same jobs. Young is just a platoon DH, and if he wants more than 1/3 kind of deal for that role you just move on.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sources: Brandon Moss deal to the Indians is done.</p>— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="

">December 8, 2014</a></blockquote>

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[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Joey Wendle, as anticipated, goes back to Oakland for Brandon Moss. Final deal. Done.</p>— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="

">December 8, 2014</a></blockquote>

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[33rdst]

The major difference between Rasumus and Aoki, and Delmon, is that neither Rasumus nor Aoki are terrifying fielders. Young is a DH and emergency outfielder, and he can't really hit righties. I don't even think they're competing for the same jobs. Young is just a platoon DH, and if he wants more than 1/3 kind of deal for that role you just move on.

Yeah but Rasmus and Aoki are mediocre at the plate. The complaint about Nick is that he became a singles hitter, which is true. Aoki has pretty mush been a singles hitter his entire MLB career. Rasmus can't hit.

[wildcard]

I don't think you go out of your way to clear space for Dariel Alvarez. You sign who you need and make space if he pushes his way onto the team. I don't think I buy into this idea that he needs another year of seasoning. He's 26. At his age Cespedes came straight out of Cuba and OPS'd .860 without the benefit of any minor league seasoning. I might be of a mind to just make Alvarez a 4th/5th outfielder and platoon mate of Lough or De Aza right now and see what happens. But if you want Rasums or Aoki to fill the other OF spot just do it, don't let visions of a future Alvarez stand in the way.

I don't see Aoki or Rasmus as improvement.

I think Alvarez may have upside in the future.

[DrungoHazewood]

Yeah but Rasmus and Aoki are mediocre at the plate. The complaint about Nick is that he became a singles hitter, which is true. Aoki has pretty mush been a singles hitter his entire MLB career. Rasmus can't hit.

Nick and Aoki are pretty much a wash both offensively and defensively from what I can tell. Decent OBP, low SLG, so-so baserunning. I'd see Aoki as a direct Markakis replacement without the intangibles but at ~1/3rd the $ commitment.

Rasums is more of a high-risk, high-reward guy who might give you nothing or might out-produce the other two by quite a lot. Probably comes down to whether or not the coaches and scouts think he's healthy and fixable. But he'd have to be priced as a project, not a sure thing.

[33rdst]

Rasmus had a .840 OPS in 2013. That would be an improvement. Of course, he only did it once. Probably a sideways move.

Rasmus has as many years with an OBP below .300 as he does above three hundred.

[DrungoHazewood]

I don't see Aoki or Rasmus as improvement.

I think Alvarez may have upside in the future.

Over Alvarez? Or Markakis? Or what's already on the MLB team (Pearce/Lough/De Aza)? Aoki would be mostly a holding action with regards to any of those, although the verdict is far from out on Alvarez (I'd guess he's somewhere in the Schoop/Jones continuum, and if he's closer to Schoop that's not a MLB outfielder). Rasmus could be better, could be worse, depending on which version shows up in '15.

[33rdst]

Nick and Aoki are pretty much a wash both offensively and defensively from what I can tell. Decent OBP, low SLG, so-so baserunning. I'd see Aoki as a direct Markakis replacement without the intangibles but at ~1/3rd the $ commitment.

Rasums is more of a high-risk, high-reward guy who might give you nothing or might out-produce the other two by quite a lot. Probably comes down to whether or not the coaches and scouts think he's healthy and fixable. But he'd have to be priced as a project, not a sure thing.

Aoki had 1 HR and 22 doubles last year. He's a 33 year old singles hitter. The little speed he has is likely to decline. Rasmus is as likely to have a .600 OPS as an 800. There are better options out there.

[wildcard]

Rasmus had a .840 OPS in 2013. That would be an improvement. Of course, he only did it once. Probably a sideways move.

748 over the last three year. Seeking big contract. I don't see the point in signing him.