It was 100 years ago today that the Boston Braves finished off their sweep of the heavily-favored Philadelphia A’s to win the 1914 World Series. The “Miracle Braves” were in last place on July 18 and didn’t even hit the .500 mark until August 1, yet they rocketed to the NL pennant with a 61-16 record over their final 77 games. The Braves’ championship was even more stunning since they hadn’t even had a winning season since 1902. Let’s see, a team with a lack of recent success going on an incredible late-season run….a century after the Miracle Braves, could the Miracle Royals be next?
Here’s some news from around baseball…
- “If the Tigers want me back, we will work that out hopefully. Other than that, I’m still thinking about my situation,” Torii Hunter wrote in a text message to MLB.com’s Jason Beck. Hunter hinted at retirement following the Tigers’ elimination in the ALDS, and it seems that he might more inclined to hang up his cleats if he can’t return to Detroit in 2015.
- If the Pirates can’t re-sign Russell Martin, backup Chris Stewart wouldn’t be a bad option to take over the regular catching job next season, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review opines. Stewart can serve as a bridge to the Bucs’ young catching prospects, and while the 32-year-old isn’t much of a hitter, he is an excellent defensive catcher and pitch-framer. Since the Pirates would have to choose between a lot of flawed catching options on the open market, Sawchik reasons that the team could stick with a known commodity at a low cost.
- Athletics hitting coach Chili Davis is a contender to be the team’s new bench coach, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. With the Yankees, Red Sox and possibly the Cubs all interested in Davis as a hitting coach, the A’s could offer him a promotion to stay in the fold. The rest of the A’s coaching staff and (as Slusser previously reported) Cardinals bench coach Mike Aldrete are also candidates for the bench coach job, while Kirk Gibson and Ron Washington are unlikely to be considered since recently-fired managers usually aren’t so quick to accept bench coach gigs.
- On paper, the Nationals don’t have any great need for any bullpen additions this offseason, yet CSN Washington’s Mark Zuckerman wouldn’t be surprised to see the club add another notable relief arm.
- Six pitchers seem like candidates to receive qualifying offers this offseason, Fangraphs’ Mike Petriello writes. Max Scherzer and James Shields are locks to receive and reject the one-year, $15.3MM offers, while Petriello thinks Francisco Liriano and Hiroki Kuroda will also reject the QO — Liriano in favor of a multiyear deal and Kuroda since he could retire, pitch in Japan or re-sign with the Yankees for slightly more than the qualifying offer (as he did last year). Petriello also tentatively thinks Ervin Santana could reject a QO from the Braves while David Robertson could actually accept the qualifying offer, since his market could be hurt by draft pick compensation.
- The Yankees will address the closer’s job, the rotation, third base and shortstop as their main offseason focuses, George A. King III of the New York Post writes. King notes that the Yankees like Alcides Escobar, though he obviously isn’t a trade candidate this offseason since he’s such a key part of the Royals’ success.
If the pirates don’t resign Martin, I think they gotta make a trade for their future backstop! Reese McGuire has struggle this year and is about 3 years away! Maybe give the mets a call about one of their catcher. The mets will probably listen if the pirates offer up one of their young outfielders like bell or Meadows. Or even Allen Hanson might interest the mets.
McGuire s numbers say other wise. But meadows should be untouchable
I didn’t realize Chris Stewart was with the Pirates too, they got both of the Yankees previous catchers.
Yep, Yankees traded him to Pittsburgh
link to mlbtraderumors.com
I understand the logic of ‘there is no bad one-year deals’, but offering $15 million to a closer or a SP that has a whip over 1.30 for his career and never pitched 200 innings in a season is not smart.
Robertson’s career WHIP is 1.21 (though for the last 4 years it has been 1.17 or lower). As far as never pitching 200 innings in a season….well duh
I said ‘a closer or a SP’ – implying 2 different pitchers Robertson and Liriano.
Could be read two different ways..
I wouldn’t offer a QO to a closer who pitched 200 innings. I’d have Scott Proctor give him a call to sympathize over a ruined career.
Why? Would you do it for say, 8-10 million? If so, I would rather have Liriano and Robertson over 5 million bucks the team probably ends up eating anyway.
Even so, Robertson as stated below, has a much lower WHIP than that and his K/9 offsets anything unlikable about his WHIP. He also has now proven he can close in NY and the downside is either paying him 15 million (which the Yankees can easily do) or getting a pick instead of nothing. It’s a no-brainer in NY and a smart move for any larger market.
I guess they are looking at Liriano’s potential. Prior to last season, Phil Hughes had a career whip higher that 1.30 and had never pitched 200 innings before. He put together the best year of his career. He signed a $24 million FA deal.
Pretty arbitrary cutoff point. Liriano has thrown as many as 191.2 innings in a season, and has thrown at least 150 in each of the last three years. If those are quality innings (like in 2013), the QO amount is a good deal.
Chris Stewart was terrible as the starting catcher for the Yankees in 2013. He has a good glove but he had a slg % of .272 in over 300 PA.
Yeah he’s got no power (didn’t hit a single HR this year) but his glove is pretty good and he went .385/.418/.462 after the break. Not expecting anything like that from him, but he’s hardly a poor option. I don’t know if I’d trust him starting though.
A team’s offense must be pretty bad to be worried about the catcher having no power.
Kuroda will be an interesting one to follow. I don’t really see why he wouldn’t accept the QO. He’s not going to get more money and I think the his desire to play in Japan is overblown. What Japanese stars have gone back to NPB?
The infamous Kei Igawa.
I meant Japanese stars in MLB.
Kaz Sasaki was a solid closer for the Mariners before he returned to Japan. Apparently he struggled with assimilation.
My bigger fear is he retires.
Kenji Jojima, Tadahito Iguchi, Kaz Matsui, Kosuke Fukudome. Kuroda in 2014 was better than all of those guys in their final seasons of MLB. And I may have misspelled all of their names.
I think he was referring to ones who had good major-league careers, not ones who went back because they couldn’t cut it in MLB.
Kaz Sasaki saved 129 games for the Mariners over three seasons before returning to Japan.
Yanks will have CC and Nova coming back which should help the rotation, I think Robby will get a QA but not sure about Kuroda. I would think they try and sign Sheilds or Kuroda. As for SS, and 3rd, I think they go after Lowrie and Headley.
I’m not so certain CC can help the rotation.
did you see those guys pitch the last 1.5 years? help? no bueno
Nova did excellent in 2013.
Discussing free agency during the playoffs is like discussing where teams will finish in spring training. It’s fun, but once the market starts evolving, considerations come into play that were not foreseen.
One thing I liked was the Dodgers leaking information that they would probably not pay big for Scherzer, they’re cutting back on long-term contracts for large amounts. Apparently they’re now playing the game the way their large money brethren – the Yankees and Red Sox – have for years….they say they have to cut back on spending and don’t want to go over some arbitrary amount…..then they always do. It’s a negotiating ploy that a veteran agent such as Scott Boras (Scherzer’s rep) looks upon as no more then a low level speed bump.
Alcides Escobar not a trade candidate?
I wouldn’t go that far. He was a negative-value player as recently as last year. The guy’s top comps are Rafael Ramirez and Royce Clayton.
I’d definitely be listening if somebody wanted Alcides Escobar. He’s not useless, but dismissing the possibility of a trade out-of-hand is a bit much…
We talking fantasy league or MLB?
What would the Royals do for a SS as the team is peaking right now? Why would they break up their chemistry?
In mid-September the MLB Network was going over positions and ranking players. The panelists all agreed that Alcides Escobar was the best all-around SS in the AL this year. It’s not even close.
Let me add….
Please understand that I watched portions of somewhere between 800 – 1,000 games this year on the MLB subscription service. (I always watch 2 games at once, and switch when a game gets out of hand). While I enjoy statistics, I place a priority on what a player does to keep his team in the game, and what he does to turn momentum in his teams favor.
Mr. Escobar was is as much responsible for the Royals success this year as anyone of the roster. He has at least a few good years left in him. I don’t see a traditional FO dumping a guy early because he might get the team a prospect or two. Short of major injuries, there is no reason the Royals don’t remain WS contenders for the next 2-4 years.
I can’t decide if your method of baseball watching is psychotic or fanatical.
I fear you.
Why?
Has it occurred to you that the non-moneyball teams that play solid fundamental baseball are the ones that go the furthest in the playoffs…..and have for years?
I don’t think is FO, manager/coaches. teammate or Royals fans have any doubt as to the value of Alcides Escobar.
And why would the Yankees want him?
Yankee fans, some any way, also think they can dream of unicorns and trade them to the mountains for Troy Tulowitzki
I was refering to your statement that you watched between 800-1000 games this year. I’m not convinced I’ve seen that many in the last 20 years.
I do the same thing with my MLB subscription. I got it at the all-star break for a deal, and I cant wait to get it next year. I watch two games at once as well, and I love it. I’ve just graduated from Uconn and studying my series 6 atm. I half watch the games while learning and I love it. idk if you know this but you can go back all the way to I think 2009 thats probably the coolest thing of all time of anything cool to ever exist except for me
The Royals potentially have a lot of quality innings to replace if James Shields walks, and a mid order batting need if Butler goes. That said…this offense vastly underperformed and overcame some serious mismanagement by Yost. Any team that can finish over .500 is a world series threat… it isn’t necessary to win 100 games. Royals won 89…06 Cards took it all with 86
I’m not sure how this is a response to what I wrote.
There aren’t that many people in baseball I’d consider “not a trade candidate”. To put Escobar in that group is a little silly.
If somebody wants to overpay for a guy who just last year managed to “hit” (if that’s even the right word) his way to a 53 OPS+, then I’m listening. If they’re not willing to overpay, then I hang up.
The Cubs hired John Mallee as their hitting coach last Thursday. You can take them off the list of suitors for Chili Davis.
I am surprised to think that the Pirates will present each a $15.3 million qualifying offer to Russell Martin and to Francisco Liriano. This seems to go completely opposite of the spending pattern of Pittsburgh Pirates owner and management through the years. It would be a big step in the process of building a championship team, but o I just don’t see Nutting approving the spending.
Chris Stewart is a terrible defensive catcher and can’t hit and I fully expect him to be the Bucs starting catcher in 2015
In what universe is Stewart a terrible defensive catcher? Based on what? Exactly which part of his defensive game do you object to?
Why would Liriano not accept the QO, in fact why would Pitt even offer a QO? He hasn’t broken 170 innings in 5 years, and his 4.5 BB/9 should scare plenty of suitors. If I was him I’d politely reqest ownership to offer a 3yr 30m deal. He averages 5 2/3 innings a start. He’s a tax on the bullpen and shouldn’t be treated like the 2006 player he pretended to be in Minn. I’m not saying he’s a waste, but I think his numbers say more about this infamous pitching coach than it does about him.
Sounds like a replacement for James Shields built in the aggregate with another arm for the Royals.
Braves should consider Torii this offseason. Great clubhouse guy, a lot of contact. Him and Aoki should be considered
I totally agree,Hunter is the type of guy this team is lacking
His defense is terrible now, and the Braves don’t have a DH slot that they could hide him at. The Tigers could get away with a DH in right and a DH at first because their pitchers try to strike everyone out. Atlanta doesn’t have the same type of pitching staff.
If the Yankees want a quality defender at SS with speed and a below average bat, I’m sure the Rangers would listen on Elvis Andrus
Thought Ervin could receive a qo two years in a row
What do you mean *you people*!
I watched a ton of Pirates games this year, and also saw a good deal of Stewart in 2011. I don’t know why you’d assume that isn’t the case. And my eyes tell me he’s a very good defensive catcher. He blocks pitches well, his throwing is at least average, his framing is good.
And, yes, for the record, there are stats on each of these skills, and yes, they do show Stewart to be above average.
I totally agree that sabermetrics are making the game appear as it is played in cyberspace. They may have a small place in the game but it is the actual on field actions that drive the game. These people should watch a game. If Stewart does become everyday backstop he’ll be lucky to hit the Mendoza line. Sanchez has never lived up to potential that the Bucs must seen when they drafted him.
Do they have a Stat for not throwing a runner out on a pitch out? Because I seen that happen to Stewart 3 times this year.