Earlier today, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reported that MLB and the MLBPA have agreed to stop including personal services deals and milestone bonus clauses in player contracts. He offers some reaction and detail in today’s column to go along with more rumors from around the league. Here are the highlights:
- One prominent agent says the aforementioned changes more make it more difficult to add dollars to contracts without counting them against the luxury tax.
- The Nationals still want to move John Lannan, but his slow start at Triple-A (7.50 ERA in three starts) is limiting his trade value.
- The Nationals aren’t trying to trade Roger Bernadina, Stark reports. Right now Washington is thin on outfield depth, so they’re probably not in a position to trade outfielders away.
- Some teams wonder if the Angels should shop Mark Trumbo for a controllable reliever. There’s no indication the Angels are looking to trade Trumbo, but they’re “trying feverishly” to move Bobby Abreu, Stark reports.
- Scouts say the Orioles would “do anything” to trade third baseman Mark Reynolds and right-handed reliever Kevin Gregg.
Release Abreu already. The A’s already have a bad defending 3rd baseman that can’t hit, so send Reynolds to Oakland for some kid.
The A’s also have Eric Sogard, who may not be an everyday player, but has looked pretty good defensively at 3rd and has had some clutch hits early on in the season.
I agree. Send Reynolds to the A’s. Sogard makes an excellent bench player.
That was not my point. I think the A’s should give Sogard some more playing time at 3rd and see what he can do. Plus, why would the A’s want Reynolds? If they were contending, then it would be a logical move. But with the A’s rebuilding, why trade a prospect or two, when they already have Stephen Parker waiting in the wings at third in triple-A? He may not be a top prospect, but he’s worth a shot to see what can do up in the big leagues. And isn’t Reynolds below average defensively anyways at 3rd? Plus I would also imagine that Reynolds would not fare well in the Colosseum.
Release Gregg. Reynolds has some trade value, but not much. His defensive problems are mental at this point. After watching him for a year plus, his mechanics are good for the most part but as soon as he catches the ball he starts to overthink the throw to first base. I think he needs to DH a lot and play some first and some third to get his confidence back defensively.
It didn’t turn out very well for the O’s, but I’d still make that trade again. He was (is) a flawed player with an outstanding skill that the team needed. Last year he was the only significant source of power on the team for the first 120 games. This year, others (Jones, Reimold, Wieters) are stepping up. Even Chris Davis, who only has 1 homer, is hitting a ton for average and it’s just inevitable that he starts hitting some HRs. So, the team doesn’t need to put up with Reynolds’ flaws to get power.
Gregg is a similar case. He was signed last year based on track record (ok), willingness to come here (not always a given), and the previous bullpen’s generally lousyness. He was worse than ever last season, and alienated the fanbase with his horsecrap excuse of “they need to get used to the way I pitch”. Sorry, you have major league stuff and a middle school brain. If you throw in the low 90s and have nasty breaking pitches, why aren’t you challenging hitters instead of trying to throw every pitch of every at bat one inch outside like you’re Jamie freaking Moyer or something. Now, he’s the worst pitcher in the O’s bullpen. The team only trusts him in mopup duty, and he doesn’t have the stamina to be a long man. He has no place on the team anymore.
Oh, and release Abreu. I just picked up Trout for my fantasy team and I’m just waiting for him to get called up. 🙂
Agreed. Cut your losses (both games and $$) and release Abreu and bring up Trout to re-energize this ballclub. The kid can certainly bat more than .176, run better and field infinitely better. No need to have Abreu occupying a valuable slot on the roster as your 5th designated hitter.
This Reynolds talk is ridiculous. When the weather warms up, Mark’s bat will warm up with it and the HRs will start flying. Reynolds is always better respected and well-liked when it is sweaty out. Home runs = true love in Fandom.
Gregg, however, makes no sense. The team is on the hook for $6M whether they trade him or waive him or nothing him, so they may as well drop him and use the $6M as addition by subtraction. The irony is that because of his performances, the O’s cannot trade him. Yet a change-of-scenery will likely make him into a much better pitcher, one worthy of a decent trade return.
If Gregg got released, would anyone sign him? Where could he be an improvement?
The Angels would be insane to trade Trumbo. If anything, they need to get him in the lineup more often. Yeh his defense at third is spotty, but you cannot afford to have his power on the bench. The guy hits bombs!!!!!
The Pirates should pick up Reynolds from the O’s so that they can have the largest amount of strikeouts for an infield EVER. Play Reynolds at first and Alvarez at third. Maybe get Jack Cust and have him play the outfield.
Honestly though, the Pirates offense couldn’t be much worse than it is now. Historically, they’re off to a horrid start offensively and everyone except for McCuthen has been struggling. Unless their hitters take some serious strides, it’s hard seeing them as a .500 club.
Well Einstein defined insanity as ‘Doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.” Hence, another losing season for the Pirates.
Someone made an interesting suggestion. Move Pujols to 3rd and Trumbo to 1st. Pujols has a bit of successful experience at the position and the range to make it work (at least better than what we have). For the sake of sanity STOP spending money and trades for RPs. We have tried every avenue and there has been no consistency. Move Jerome Williams into the BP, Garret Richards to the 5, add Brad Mills and give Jepsen non leverage situations. Next!
Would that really solve anything? Even though Pujols does have 103 games played there, that was all early in his career and I doubt he would still have the range to play 3rd still. I would let Trumbo get comfortable at 3rd and maybe even play him in a corner outfield spot or DH when Wells, Hunter, or Morales need a day off. Trumbo seems more athletic defensively at this point than Pujols. Plus, with Pujols struggling early on, would moving him to a position he hasn’t played in a long time help him out at all? He’s just settling into LA, let him get comfortable at a position he’s played mainly the last seven years or so and where he has had success defensively. And if Vernon Wells continues to struggle, then you slot Trumbo into left. It’s not a perfect scenerio, but one that would work.
WhiteSox need more production from 3B, maybe they can get Reynolds and bat him right behind Dunn, and make the highest strikeout prone pair of players in history.
Yyyup.
Nats need to go get trumbo ASAP, he would be perfect at first for the future
It’s just a proposal, so don’t get on my case if you don’t like it but Nats get Trumbo & Bourjos for Rendon…?
Honestly, in my opinion I’d pull the trigger on that deal we would acquire a great offensive first baseman and a great center fielder. Rendon is a monster tho but with trumbo at first, lomberdozzi at 2nd, Espinosa at short, Zimmerman at 3rd Harper in right, bourjos in center, and werth in left that would be a dam solid line up
solid & young (except for Werth (who will have the veteran presence in that clubhouse)) & that don’t get on my case wasn’t meant for you, it was meant for others who read it & shoot it down without actually thinking about the trade, they just shoot it down because it has the Nat’s #2 prospect going to LA
And don’t make fun but I have already traded for them both in MLB 12 the show !! Like 2 weeks ago
maybe you’re a psychic…
Do not trade Trumbo! This guy has been on a tear in each game he’s been able to play this season. His walk rate has been improving, He has
walked more times in about 5 or 6 games than he did in his first 30 last
year. If given the opportunity, He’s bound to hit 35+ HR with an
improved OBP.
How many, like me, drafted Trumbo in multiple fantasy leagues thinking he would start at 3B, hit 30 plus bombs and have 1B, OF, 3B eligibility.
You must not follow the Angels very closely because Scioscia said, in the middle of spring, that Trumbo would only start 30-40 games at 3B.
Angels relievers are sucking so far. Why not give Kevin Gregg a try? Abreu for Gregg.
One prominent agent says the aforementioned changes more make it more difficult to add dollars to contracts without counting them against the luxury tax.
Well Fiscal Responsibility is always a good idea, because as far as I am concerned you can never be too responsible!
I dig Mark Trumbo, so I am unsure as to why the Angels would want to trade him.
Angels are “trying feverishly” to move Bobby Abreu, Stark reports.
Ahhh, that’s why I haven’t seen Dipoto as of late, he’s sick. Honestly, if he he has reason to be sick, it should be because the Royals beat them up pretty good especially since they (Royals) have lost seven in a row. Or because Artie Moreno wanted to stick it to Boras so he ran out and signed Pujols. The problem is when you try to do that for some reason it always backfires.
I would love to know who thess scouts are stating that the Orioles will do anything? Why would scouts know anything? It’s been my experience that scouts have been known to be wrong. To paraphrase a famous Law and Order episode I think my Aunt knows more about baseball then they do and she’s a nun! I think there’s some truth in that! 😛
Reynolds and Gregg are almost untradeable. I don’t care what the Orioles do even if the promise a case of Klondike Bars!
Gregg for Abreu? I’d take a free milkshake from Del Taco for Abreu at this rate though…