Barring a late-breaking move as the ball drops, this’ll be the last post of 2015 on MLBTR. Thanks for another great year! Be sure to join us bright and early tomorrow for a new one that will start with an arguably unprecedented slate of unsigned free agents.
Here are a few stray notes from around baseball:
- In a piece for Baseball America, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times explores the question whether Javier Baez can turn into a Ben Zobrist-esque player for the Cubs. Baez has been getting a look in the outfield this spring, as has previously been reported. “It just adds to his versatility,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. “He’s someone who always enjoyed taking fly balls during batting practice out in center field shagging, and he’s always looked really good doing so.” Of course, Chicago will enjoy Zobrist regardless, since it just signed the genuine article this winter
- The Cubs have hired former backstop John Baker as a baseball operations assistant, as Wittenmyer also notes. The veteran wrapped up his seven-year MLB career in Chicago with a 68-game run in 2014. MLBTR wishes him the best of luck in his new gig.
- MLB.com’s Jim Callis lists his ten breakout prospects for the coming year. Among the interesting names to watch is Jake Bauers, a little-known piece of last year’s blockbuster three-team trade that sent Wil Myers to the Padres and netted the Rays Steven Souza. The rising youngster could make that deal sting even more for San Diego than it has already. Likewise, pitchers Josh Hader of the Brewers (added in the Carlos Gomez/Mike Fiers deadline swap), Frances Martes of the Astros (who came from the Marlins in the deal that sent Jarred Cosart to Miami), and Cody Reed of the Reds (a part of the Johnny Cueto flip this past summer) could change the calculus of the transactions that brought them to their current organizations, in the estimation of Callis.
- ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden provides his breakdown of the single most important missing piece for every team in the league in an Insider piece. Looking down his list, it’s notable how many clubs he cites as needing a corner outfielder. That market figures to explode at some point early in 2016.
I heard the word Spring! *Comes out of hibernation under pet rock named Jimmy and looks outside* *Back to hiding under Jimmy*
Wonder who the Rays are targeting as trade partners right now. With the recent signings I can see the Dodgers being a potential fit but has anyone heard any rumors coming out from the Ray’s side?
I cannot see the Dodgers giving up a ton of prospects for Fernandez of Miami or Odorizzi/Arche/Cobbr of TB, but I can see them trading for Longoria and McGee when they find that Justin Turner is not able to come back from injury and play 3B as they are hoping and they always need a good arm in the bullpen
Ha no way they are trading longo
Longoria has been the face of the franchise but is already in decline both offense and defense and is owed about $125 million. He is ripe for ownership turning him over for prospects, I think he should stay in TB but business decisions run the game.
Why would LA want to give up prospects for Longo (who as you say, is declining) when they have Seager who is going to move to 3B within the next couple seasons?
rays have been vocal about archer being untouchable there is no reason to trade him he is locked up for awhile…… second rays are trying to contend not rebuild so why would we trade our franchise player…
Odorizzi or cobb. Keep in mind cobb has tj so he is gone but friedman likes him
Don’t know if the teams would want to take a chance on Cobb.
I think he’d be more of a deadline trade target if he comes back healthy.
How in any way does that make it sting more for the Padres? Wil Myers was hurt last year because of a problem in his wrist that had bothered him since high school, which he finally got fixed for the first time. He was on his way to a very impressive year. Turner is still just a speedster prospect at SS, Ross will be a middle rotation guy. You can’t base a trade off of one season when one player spent most of the time on DL and the other two had very few starts. Absolutely ridiculous statement to declare that the trade stings for the padres after only a single season.
Ross could be a #2 starter and Turner is more than just a speed prospect. Someone is clearly a Padres fan
Both Ross and Turner have seen their stock rise significantly since the deal was reached. And both could be useful big league pieces for San Diego right now.
There’s uncertainty when evaluating a deal at any point in time – that goes for when this one was reached and after year one – but as things stand it hasn’t worked out for SDP. I’m not declaring the books closed on it, but as things stand, yeah, I think it stings.
I think after this year we will get a much better look on how this deal turned out. Let’s not forget Myers potential to be a .270 25hr+ guy as his floor. Hopefully him being healthy and a move to first will add to those numbers. But if produces less than that in 2016 and both Turner and Ross put up average numbers, then yes it most certainly will hurt. And like you mentioned if Bauers comes through then it could be a disastrous trade. I view that Alex Torres for Forsythe trade as a disaster considering Forsythe had a very impressive WAR this past year n Torres was out of SD a long time ago.
.270 25+ hr’s is not his floor. That type of floor is reserved for a superstar like Josh Donaldson or Mike Trout. I think you are confusing floors and ceilings. People may have dreamed on Myers being that type of guy at one point in tb or early in kc but that ship has sailed at this point me thinks.
That is not a superstar floor by any means. That is reserved for above average players which I believe Myers will be. The ship hasnt sailed because neither of his prior teams dealt with an injury that has plagued him since highschool. Nice try though
How do you figure that .270 25 HR+ is his floor? That’s a pretty impressive floor.
In 2013, Myers had a slash line of .293 /.354 /.478/.832 with 13 HR’s in just 88 games. He’s been hurt ever since. 25 HR’s might be a bit high for his floor, but if he can stay healthy playing 1B, he could certainly hit lead-off, and his floor could be .290 w/ 20 HR’s, 20 SB’s, 100 runs scored, and 50-60 walks…….which would be impressive enough for what they paid……I think. If he accomplishes that, I believe that SD will trade him away and get some serious value in return.
Myerw could very well put up those numbers I’m not saying he isn’t a good player but again a “floor” of .290 with 20/20/100 runs would make him 1 of the most valuable players in the game. when trying to determine future performance/value a floor is the very bottom end of what we can reasonably expect from a player…that would be 1 hell of an Italian marble floor. His floor is more like .225/.290/.400
Ok, fine……290/20/20 isn’t his “Floor”, but it’s a pretty reasonable expectation based on his performance to date (sans the injuries…..he would have to stay healthy to attain those numbers). Remember that he is moving to a less demanding position (1B), so he should have more energy/stamina to bring to the plate. I guess we don’t really know what he’ll do, so we’ll have to just take the “wait and see” approach. I like him to put together a nice season in 2016…….and he very well could go .290/25/25 if he leads off and stays healthy.
There is a reason he was one of the top prospects in baseball and since SD gets no national coverage his stats prior injury were not well known. Again he had the surgery that had ailed him since high school. This isn’t an ACL tear or some chronic knee injury. This is a matter of not having a surgery done earlier to fix his wrist. 2016 he will be an All-Star. If not I will gladly devour a gallon of tobacco chew.
Since when did 270 25hr floor become impressive. Either you are drinking the creamy goo of pitchers or your are blind to what actually is impressive in mlb. Those numbers qualify as a very very good player. Not a Trout type player
Don’t forget that the Rays also got Brad Boxberger in the Forsythe/Torres deal. Myers is looking like he’ll never reach his full potential. He had a bad attitude and was resistant to any coaching which is why the Rays decided to cut bait and deal him when they could. I wish the Rays would have just kept Turner and Ross though instead of dealing them for Souza who looks like a high strikeout low average kind of player.
Your also forgetting the main piece for the Pads in Jesse Hahn, and the deal was done under prior leadership. AJ did move Jesse in the Derek Norris deal and after a good start Hahn was shut down with elbow trouble and one TJ under his belt.. So in essence it amounted to their starting catcher until Austin Hedges is ready.. Not saying it put the balance back in the Pads favor but not quite so lopsided. Spangenberg was the choice over Forsythe and to date has been the only glimmer of home grown talent since Kaliel Green.. Boxberger and Ross early success does hurt, especially with the entire pitching staff is a big question mark. There have been a ton of bad decisions made over a decade.
Trea’ Turners stock rose fast and could shrink just as fast, it is still unknown. I do think it’s funny how 6 months ago he was a touted as the replacement for Desmond and now he will stay in the minors for more experience. Bottom line it too early to tell.
It certainly is a deal that stings. The fact that Bauers could now breakout could make it that much more painful.
The Padres have had their pockets picked multiple times in the past, and it’s because of the bad decisions made by the front office regimes.
Myers sill has some time to prove his worth, but as it stands now, the Rays and nationals got the better ends of that deal.
Ha! Denial is indeed not just a river in Egypt …
And reality is the facts that are in front of you that your worthless mind are too ignorant to understand. Just like the rest of the virus.
Επομένως, σας παρακαλώ πηγαίνετε γαμήσου σας κομμάτι γαμημένο σκατά άχρηστη σκασμένα μαλάκας που μπορεί να πάει σκατά δική τους αστερίες καφέ μετά κάνει μία άχρηστη δική τους άποψη . Αλλά πέρα από όλα αυτά , αν επιλέξετε να μεταφράσετε αυτό τότε θα αποδειχθεί πραγματικά το σημείο μου να σας γαμημένο ντους
That’s terrific news for John Baker-Man as ex Marlins announcer now used to call him. That TJ really ruined his career. He didn’t have much of an arm for a catcher to begin with and after the surgery, it was nearly nothing. A hitting only catcher and it seemed to slip then as well. The one good season, then the injury while with the Fish and he was doomed. A real shame for a super nice guy.
Good things sometimes happen to the nice guys and it seems Epstein has helped this one out. Good luck in future endeavors John!
I’d add Spencer Adams from the White Sox to that breakout list. Kid looks amazing in the minors right now and he’s 19..
FIRE VENTURA NOW!!!
Wrong site, dude.
Peascatt sioutats weihdut
Tiquo’o tiaet Visan Guold