Offseason Rumors and Deals Around MLB

[25 Nuggets]

Andy did some things pretty well, some other stuff.....not so much.

He deserves a head nod for the success that came after he left. Dan made moves that contributed, he was the sitting GM, he gets the love, that's just how it goes in the real world. Sometimes the guy who does the heavy lifting gets very little of the glory, being a GM or Manager can be like that, these guys know that.

One thing though I am curious to see, will Andy be more engaged in the international market or will his philosophy regarding that remain consistent?

That is how I feel. I also do not believe we land Nelson Cruz (and Ubaldo Jimenez) and ride him to the ALCS with MacPhail. But he does deserve a lot of credit for starting the turnaround.

[notyourbuddy]

Why wouldn't Andy have been able to land Nelson Cruz when its nearly identical to his Derek Lee & Vlad acquisitions?

Signing a left over scrap bat in late January for 1yr/$8m is what the Os do.

[bpilktree]

It still amaez me that we argue who was the important part of the turnaround by te Gm. Both guys did a very good job and each had a completely different style but also a different team they had to make moves with. Andy had a very bad team that had a few very good players on it. He used those good players to trade and start a rebuild of the organization with the deals to get Jones Tilman Davis and a very other signings. Dan took a team that was still floundering a bit but you could see the clubhouse changing with Buck and on board but it didn't have all the pieces in place to really compete. Dan took the pieces he was given and build the team as a winning team over the last four years. He did it differently then Andy but also because of the postion of the team we had he had too. Maybe Any would have done some things different and maybe Dan would have done then different if he was the GM when Andy was but they each had a major part in turning around a franchise that lost for 14 straight years. Guessing what one guy would have done differently with signing guys or making trades is just that a guess. Maybe Andy makes the exact same moves as Dan or maybe he takes Jones and decides to trade him instead of extending him because the team was still a struggling team just 4 years ago for more prospects. Maybe Andy trades Britton for Ike Davis or signs Morales instead of Cruz. There are lost of different things that could have happened but what did happes was a losing franchise has been five hundred or better 4 straiight seasons with two playoff appearences and a divisional playoff.

[Il BuonO]

It still amaez me that we argue who was the important part of the turnaround by te Gm. Both guys did a very good job and each had a completely different style but also a different team they had to make moves with.

Andy had a very bad team that had a few very good players on it. He used those good players to trade and start a rebuild of the organization with the deals to get Jones Tilman Davis and a very other signings.

Dan took a team that was still floundering a bit but you could see the clubhouse changing with Buck and on board but it didn't have all the pieces in place to really compete. Dan took the pieces he was given and build the team as a winning team over the last four years. He did it differently then Andy but also because of the postion of the team we had he had too.

Maybe Any would have done some things different and maybe Dan would have done then different if he was the GM when Andy was but they each had a major part in turning around a franchise that lost for 14 straight years. Guessing what one guy would have done differently with signing guys or making trades is just that a guess. Maybe Andy makes the exact same moves as Dan or maybe he takes Jones and decides to trade him instead of extending him because the team was still a struggling team just 4 years ago for more prospects. Maybe Andy trades Britton for Ike Davis or signs Morales instead of Cruz.

There are lost of different things that could have happened but what did happes was a losing franchise has been five hundred or better 4 straiight seasons with two playoff appearences and a divisional playoff.

Paragraphs. For. Page. Breaks. Help.

[weams]

It still amaez me that we argue who was the important part of the turnaround by te Gm. Both guys did a very good job and each had a completely different style but also a different team they had to make moves with. Andy had a very bad team that had a few very good players on it. He used those good players to trade and start a rebuild of the organization with the deals to get Jones Tilman Davis and a very other signings. Dan took a team that was still floundering a bit but you could see the clubhouse changing with Buck and on board but it didn't have all the pieces in place to really compete. Dan took the pieces he was given and build the team as a winning team over the last four years. He did it differently then Andy but also because of the postion of the team we had he had too. Maybe Any would have done some things different and maybe Dan would have done then different if he was the GM when Andy was but they each had a major part in turning around a franchise that lost for 14 straight years. Guessing what one guy would have done differently with signing guys or making trades is just that a guess. Maybe Andy makes the exact same moves as Dan or maybe he takes Jones and decides to trade him instead of extending him because the team was still a struggling team just 4 years ago for more prospects. Maybe Andy trades Britton for Ike Davis or signs Morales instead of Cruz. There are lost of different things that could have happened but what did happes was a losing franchise has been five hundred or better 4 straiight seasons with two playoff appearences and a divisional playoff.

I think this is good info myself.

[25 Nuggets]

Why wouldn't Andy have been able to land Nelson Cruz when its nearly identical to his Derek Lee & Vlad acquisitions?

Signing a left over scrap bat in late January for 1yr/$8m is what the Os do.

Because Cruz cost a 2nd round compensatory pick, that that is because Ubaldo Jimenez cost a 1st round compensatory pick. I don't think MacPhail would give up either of those picks.

[Il BuonO]

I think this is good info myself.

It's a wealth of information. I was overwhelmed.

[Redskins Rick]

I thought it was nice of DD to give Andy a lot of credit in building the foundations of the team. Now if only DD could trade like AM.

Thats not the first time DD has given Andy credit. But, I agree, nice of him to appreciate the man.

Also, just for the record, Andy had given some kind words about DD and his handling of the team, too.

[Ohfan67]

I thought it was nice of DD to give Andy a lot of credit in building the foundations of the team. Now if only DD could trade like AM.

To be totally fair, DD doesn't have an Eric Bedard to trade. And a gullible Seattle GM to rob.

[Going Underground]

Slow news day.

WP article:

Quick, off the top of your head, list the 10 players in baseball around whom you would most like to build a baseball franchise. Of the names that sprung to mind, surely some of these were included: Bryce Harper, Josh Donaldson, Andrew McCutchen, David Price, Jose Fernandez, Manny Machado, Jason Heyward, Dallas Keuchel, Clayton Kershaw and Matt Harvey.

That group includes two reigning Most Valuable Players, one current Cy Young and two multiple-time Cy winners. Only one (Donaldson) has ventured into his 30s. Just one (Heyward) has not finished in the top five of an MVP or Cy Young vote: Heyward just signed a $184 million contract at age 26.

Here is the mind-blowing, sport-shifting denominator they have in common: They could all be free agents following the 2018 season.

The free agent money dropped in the 2018 offseason promises to be bonkers. The free agents, especially position players, likely will wait for Harper to reset and shatter the market. One high-ranking National League executive said Harper could command a 15-year, $450-million extension from the Nationals right now, without any other teams bidding for him. It sounds obscene, but it is easy to fathom a $500-million contract for Harper.The free agent money dropped in the 2018 offseason promises to be bonkers. The free agents, especially position players, likely will wait for Harper to reset and shatter the market. One high-ranking National League executive said Harper could command a 15-year, $450-million extension from the Nationals right now, without any other teams bidding for him. It sounds obscene, but it is easy to fathom a $500-million contract for Harper.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/12/12/the-2018-mlb-free-agent-class-is-going-to-be-bonkers/

[Can_of_corn]

It's a wealth of information. I was overwhelmed.

You sure you won't just whelmed?

[Number5]

Slow news day.

WP article:

Quick, off the top of your head, list the 10 players in baseball around whom you would most like to build a baseball franchise. Of the names that sprung to mind, surely some of these were included: Bryce Harper, Josh Donaldson, Andrew McCutchen, David Price, Jose Fernandez, Manny Machado, Jason Heyward, Dallas Keuchel, Clayton Kershaw and Matt Harvey.

That group includes two reigning Most Valuable Players, one current Cy Young and two multiple-time Cy winners. Only one (Donaldson) has ventured into his 30s. Just one (Heyward) has not finished in the top five of an MVP or Cy Young vote: Heyward just signed a $184 million contract at age 26.

Here is the mind-blowing, sport-shifting denominator they have in common: They could all be free agents following the 2018 season.

The free agent money dropped in the 2018 offseason promises to be bonkers. The free agents, especially position players, likely will wait for Harper to reset and shatter the market. One high-ranking National League executive said Harper could command a 15-year, $450-million extension from the Nationals right now, without any other teams bidding for him. It sounds obscene, but it is easy to fathom a $500-million contract for Harper.The free agent money dropped in the 2018 offseason promises to be bonkers. The free agents, especially position players, likely will wait for Harper to reset and shatter the market. One high-ranking National League executive said Harper could command a 15-year, $450-million extension from the Nationals right now, without any other teams bidding for him. It sounds obscene, but it is easy to fathom a $500-million contract for Harper.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/12/12/the-2018-mlb-free-agent-class-is-going-to-be-bonkers/

I don't know, seems to me like such a glut of star talent on the market could actually serve to drive down the amount each of them stands to make in free agency. If I were DD, I would be driving this point home to Manny's agent.

[Il BuonO]

You sure you won't just whelmed?

Possibly, it's common.

[bpilktree]

I think the opt out clause is going to change free agency in the future. I think agents will start to push the top players to have have opt out contracts so they can put pressure on the teams. The reason Heyward may have taken less money could have been that opt out. He may figure heck i take the 8 years and if i play better great i can make even more money and if things do go as planeed i can just stay in Chicago and collect my 23 million a year.

The NFLs contracts are so team helpful in terms of money because the contract's are not completely guarenteed compared to baseball where the players have all the control in they have it guaranteed and if they don't like it now with these new opt outs for Heyward, Greinke and Price the can comtrol even more.

[Roll Tide]

Per Roch

The Orioles signed left-handers Jeff Beliveau and Zack Dodson and outfielder Rubi Silva to minor league deals, according to Baseball America's transactions page.

Beliveau, who turns 29 next month, has posted a 4.00 ERA in 58 major league games over four seasons. He appeared in five games with the Rays this year and allowed four runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings before undergoing surgery in April to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Dodson, 25, was a fourth-round draft pick of the Pirates in 2009 out of Medina Valley (Texas) High School. He was 7-10 with a 3.67 ERA in 28 games (27) starts this year at Double-A Altoona.

The Cubs released Silva, 26, in August. He's a career. 282/.305/.429 hitter in five minor league seasons and has played all three outfield positions and second base.