Signing free agent David Price could be a prudent move in the long run for the youth-minded Yankees, John Harper of the New York Daily News opines. The Yankees are slated to have lots of spending room next offseason, but the pitching market next winter will not be nearly as robust as it is now. By signing Price, the Bombers can secure a true ace while they have the opportunity. Money, of course, could be a roadblock, but Harper suggests that the Yankees could trade Brett Gardner and his sizable salary to soften the blow, a move that could be possible following the acquisition of Aaron Hicks.
How much could Price cost? Recently, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projected that the veteran hurler could garner a seven-year, $217MM deal on the open market. However, he pegged the Cubs as his landing spot.
Here’s a look at the AL East:
- Orioles GM Dan Duquette told Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette of SiriusXM (link via ESPN) that they have the resources to both retain Chris Davis and add a top of rotation starter. “And by that, I mean a No. 1, 2 or 3 starter,” Duquette said (via Cash Kruth of MLB.com). “So there’s some in that group [of free agents]. I don’t think there’s that many No. 1 starters, but there’s some twos and threes in there that we could be very competitive on.” Duquette also said he expects free agency to move much more quickly this offseason because all parties understand the qualifying offer system much better than they have over the past two offseasons.
- Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com wonders if the Orioles would pursue a reunion with Nick Markakis. It’s not clear whether the Braves would considering moving the outfielder, who still has three years left on his free agent deal. Not everyone in the O’s organization is on board with the idea of bringing Markakis back to Baltimore, but there are people in the organization with interest in at least talking to Atlanta, Kubatko writes.
- With defense valued highly across the majors, it couldn’t be a worse time for the Red Sox to try and unload Hanley Ramirez, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald writes. Ramirez would seemingly appeal only to an American League team that needs a DH and Lauber theorizes that a team like the Orioles could have interest if Davis goes elsewhere. Even for a DH-needy team, a Ramirez deal could be a hard sell given his contract.
Would I love for the Yankees to have Price, sure. I just don’t see Cashman coming off of his oath not to spend long-term money on pitchers 30 or older. I also don’t see Hal opening up that checkbook this offseason.
He would be a good fit as he’s very successful against other A.L East teams but he’s soo expensive the Yankees are gonna be more cautious with signings like these now if they sign him I don’t wanna see another pitcher getting paid north of 25 million a year and wearing out after 3 years (Sabathia)
The AL East is the second worst division in baseball, behind only the NL East. A lot of pitchers can be successful there.
The A.L East hasn’t been bad until recently, Price has been successful since ’08 a time when the A.L East was still considered the hardest division in baseball and really you think any pitcher would be successful here ask Boston about how succesfull their pitchers were
What are u talking about, one down yr? Where have all the world championships in the last 25 yrs come from. See if you can guess which division…that’s right it is the AL east.
Time and time again. People are more successful OUTSIDE the al east.
I mean you keep saying this, but i’m not sure how it’s worse than the NL West, AL Central, or Al west. The AL east didn’t have two weak teams like the central or West. Honestly you take boston and put them in the AL central they might finish 2nd.
4 of the top-10 run producing teams were in the AL east. 3 were in the top 5. 3 of the top 10 teams in wOBA were in the AL East, Same goes for wRC+.
AL East was second in inter-divisional wins this year and was first in statistic last year. Really this comment is nothing more than a narrative created at the start of the year each season by bored writers.
3 out of the top four run scoring teams in baseball were in the AL east last season.
10 world champs have come out of AL east in the last 25 yrs, by far the best division aside from a down yr last yr. no other division is even close to that.
I don’t see price signing with Yankees and their homer friendly ballpark, or Cashman making an effort to sign him, especially with the chances of his contract looking sour in his mid 30’s just like how Ellsbury’s contract has turned out thus far.
Price has never said by the way that he doesn’t want to pitch in NY, Greinke has though. Cash cannot wait to sign a true ace until the money comes off these next two seasons. Price is there now and a lefty ace in the Bronx would be better then an other AL park. Hopefully cashman get make some more moves and maybe by the grace God he can move elsbury and most of his contract too to also free up some cash flow. We have got to make a splash in this once in a lifetime free agent pool!
wrong.
“I wouldn’t stay there very long,” he told Fox Sports. “I wouldn’t sign a long-term deal there. Those rules, that’s old-school baseball. I was born in ’85. That’s not for me. That’s not something I want to be a part of.”
he has said MULTIPLE time he would not sign with yanks
He said that years ago. Last year he said he’d accept a trade to the Yankees
why would he change his mind. he can get the same money the yankees will offer him anywhere else where they dont enforce those stupid rules
They’re not moving Elsbury, unless they’re willing to pay 60-70% of the contract
Cash has gotta jump into a free agent pool that is the best in a generation. Give him a 5 yr at a huge AAV rather then the length would be ideal. Hal needs to be reminded that the freaking mets almost walked down the canyon of hero’s which would have made all us Yankee fans sick to our stomach. He has to open up the checkbook now! There aren’t guys available next off season like this.
Price would never entertain idea of pitching for Yankees, especially when their ballpark yields the 4th highest homerun rate per 9 innings of 1.251 and that they have one the shortest right field porches in baseball. Price will look to sign with elsewhere.
Would be a chance to right a wrong by bringing Markakis back. Fan base would rejoice and he can help. Much needed lead off hitter and pitch taker getting on base
Before Hanley hit a wall (literally and figuratively) he was leading the majors in HR and looked great. After that he severly slumped. If the Sox can keep him at 1st and the D is major league average he’ll be a net positive next season. If he cant handle 1st then there is a serious peoblem until Ortiz retires. Id like to think the Sox can surround him with defense coaches and get him up to par by the season’s start.
Yeah I don’t get the Hanley-hate. The groupthinkers seem to have decided he’s a worthless, replacement level or worse, shell of his former self. He was REALLY good to start 2015, and I think he’s an ideal DH.
the reason for the Hanley-hate is that he is a selfish player. He knows he has a contract, so he doesn’t care if he learns the new position. Team mates grow tired of that fast. I’m guessing he wont want to dh either.
Nah, that type is BJ Upton, Michael Bourn, Edwin Jackson. Names roll off top of my head of guys that signed big deals and just sat… And sat.. Some continue to sit..
Ramirez, as has been posted numerous times already, was performing as usual, until he hit the LF wall going for a flyball and hurt his shoulder that was still hurt when the season ended. Hopefully? It will be healed by the time 2016 season begins. Having 10+ HR during just April should show he wasn’t sitting and 19 when he hit the wall in early June.
They tried having him play a position he never played before last year. What makes you think this will be any different? He can do far more damage at first than he did in left.
He seems to have no skill at fielding fly balls. Thankfully thats not a problem at 1st. Lets see whether hot grounders and picks in the dirt are something he can handle or not.
Hanley was a solid SS just got injured and he had played 3rd in his career before. Move that fat slob panda to play first and then plug Hanley in at third. Seems like that would make the most sense. Trade Nash away or stick him in the outfield, I mean do what the heck ever u need to keep them both on the field at $40plus mil a yr u have to.
I’ve never agreed with the mentality of playing someone just because you over-payed for him. The money has already exchanged hands. I say play the best 9, regardless of their paycheck. I’d rather someone ride the pine for $20m than put up lousy numbers while a young kid making a fraction of that can put up way better numbers. The bottom line is the same, and you have a better team.
Jays need to ink that donkey, Chris Davis. Four guys with 40 HR power would be hilarious. But yeah, probably be better to get an ace pitcher.
I know money talks, but I feel like Price has alluded more than once that he has no interest in going to the Yankees….
“they have the resources to both retain Chris Davis and add a top of rotation starter. “And by that, I mean a No. 1, 2 or 3 starter,” … REALLY?? They have $350 Million to spend? Dont think so.
They do. Depending on how contracts are structured they could definitely bring on two high-end FA’s.
the yankees can afford to go way over the luxury if they want. but they will sign no one and wait for bryce harper to hit free agency. their long term deals on pitchers have not worked out for the length of the deal. tex,cc will all be off the books after 2017. i think they do short term deals and leave themselves more flexible in a couple years.
How many of you guys don’t understand that the original poster was talking about the Orioles who haven’t exceeded a $120M payroll ever and have a projected $100M payroll that includes arbitration raises for next season?
I love how everyone assumes the Yankees are the team being talked about but words like “retain Davis” don’t apply to the Yanks.
Who cares what they are saying, they had the highest payroll from ’96-2000 and couldn’t get past the Yanks. Since then, even though he has spent big before, the organization acts like they are in austerity mode. Davis is not being retained by the Orioles.
You do know that the money isn’t paid upfront all at once, right?
Yeah thanks for the clarification.. They would still be investing 300-350 million. wow…
every team does. Just a matter of how its dispersed. If they sign a #2 for 20MM, and spend 25MM on Davis per year, its not impossible.
Not impossible but very improbable. If their projected payroll for 2016 is around 100Million no way they invest almost half of that into two guys. Sorry, not going to happen.
Nick Markakis for Chance Sisco, Mike Yastrzemski, and Drew Dosch.
That wouldn’t be a bad haul for Atlanta on Markakis.
That wouldn’t be a bad haul for Atlanta, but it would be a god awful trade for the Orioles.
The Orioles think too highly on all three and I agree
O’s would prolly do two and not Yaz
Cisco and Dosch but not three
I like Price and Davis better with the Cardinals!! That could remedy both of there short comings.
Pitching is a shortcoming, huh?
I like Zimmerman and Davis over Price. David Price is going to cost too much and I say let the Cubs have him. Hes a choke artist in the playoffs so he would be a good fit for the cubbies.
No one seems to be talking in the media about the $billion and a half tv contract they just signed. Who cares that they have been conservative before, they never had this kind of money and yet the compete and win. They could surprise everyone by bringing back heyward and in signing one or two of these top free agent starters.
Hanley was one of the best hitters in the game the first month of last year. Then he ran into the wall and went into a funk and was hurt the rest of the season. At least we know when healthy he can hit. I am more concerned with Sandavol. Sandavol is making 20 million per year too. What people don’t realize is that he has been on a downward offensive trend since 2013. And he finished this season with his worst statistical career stats in eveey offensuve caregory of his career (except for number of strijeouts on the season) with the exception of 2008 when he played in 41 games. His offensive WAR finished at 0.3 this season and his glove was even worse finishing with a negative DWAR this year. Sandavol couldn’t defend at the position he has played his entire career and nobody got on him about it and the Sox decided to throw Ramirez who was yet to play the outfield in his pro career spanning nearly 15 years out there and everyone got on him. I am tired of hearing about Ramirez when Sandavol is trending down harder and has little upside at the plate.
I hate the sox, and Hanley abused us in the Bronx and at Fenway before he got hurt. In addition to his injury he also had to go play left field I’m a park completely different then any other left field in all of baseball. He is and has always been a great hitter and I agree with you, Pablo is the problem and so they should give Hanley 3rd and out panda at first. Especially if he gains another 40lbs like he did last offseason. They can’t move those contracts and they have to play them so that if they do want to unload them then someone can see them in their more natural positions. go yanks
Why would ATL give away Markakis? I don’t understand why his signing was so confusing. An above-average defender to fill in for the best OF defenseman in the game (JHey) for a decent price. He gave ATL what they signed him for, minus the power that should return somewhat the 2nd year after the neck abrasion surgery. No, ATL is not competing in 2016, but he still would have 2 years left on his deal and his clubhouse leadership is important in helping developing and maturing these baby Braves, same reason they went after Pierzynski, Gomes, Grilli in 2015 — mature clubhouse leaders/gamers.
Because the braves already have clubhouse leaders on the roster and could potentially get something decent and young back in return.
I liked the Markakis signing all along. He brings the type of offense that the Braves are trying to build around. We certainly need that kind of consistent production once we have a team again in 2017/2018. I hope they don’t move him.
If this is a legitimate possibility, It would seem the compete in 2017 pitch Hart made was an absolute crock. Nick and Freddie are the only really reliable hitters left on the team at the moment and making up offensive ground like that is impossible in one off season, even if mallex and olivera become fixtures.
The whole point of not resigning Markakis was to stay away from the back end of his contract. Why would you want to give up something to acquire something you actively avoided in the first place? Unless the Braves are having buyers are willing to subsidize a good portion of these last three years of the deal, it doesn’t make financial sense for the O. And why would Markakis want to come back after being openly critical of the O’s for not resign him?
Because the O’s need him and a chance to right the wrong. Just think what could have been last year for us if we had a lead off hitter and someone on base for all those solo homers. Aside from the merry-go-round we spent with outfielders that would have been unnecessary if we had Nick
Why would the Orioles be the slightest bit interested in a fat overpriced baseball player?
Ramirez is a lot of things, but fat is not, and never has been one of them. That would be the useless Panda at third base.
I don’t trust price, he has pitched poorly in big spots and never pitches well in NY compared to his baseball card stats. I think he’s soft and not wanting to pitch in NY in the past had more to do with his insecurities than shaving his beard.