Dealing away closer Aroldis Chapman was “an easy call” and “the right call,” GM Brian Cashman told reporters including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. The club was able to “trade from an area of strength” and receive quality assets for a short-term piece, he emphasized, saying that “the total package was something that we targeted and strived to get.” The Yankees did explore extension possibilities with Chapman’s camp in early June, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Obviously that did not gain much traction, but the club could still look to bring back the high-powered reliever when he hits the open market this fall, as Cashman acknowledged in his comments. Interestingly, the veteran executive also stressed that parting with its closer didn’t mean that the club was fully abandoning hopes of contention this year, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. With the club still sitting in reasonable position, that could lead to an interesting couple of days in the run-up to August 1st.
Here’s more out of New York and the rest of the American League:
- It remains unclear whether the Yankees will really entertain the idea of trading Andrew Miller now that Chapman is gone, but ESPN.com’s Buster Olney argues (Insider link) that the Indians should force the issue. Cleveland, he suggests, needs to take advantage of its opportunity. While it would be painful to give up its best pre-MLB talent, the club might hope to deal away Miller’s remaining two years of contract control over the winter, hopefully recouping a decent portion of the value it would take to get him right now.
- Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski suggested today that the action is heating up, but that his team isn’t close to striking any major new deals, as Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (Twitter links.) Boston’s chief baseball decisionmaker said that he has fielded five new trade proposals today alone, with other organizations seemingly looking to make off with some of the team’s prime prospect assets. But while ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark cited rivals as suggesting that the Sox were aiming to do “something big,” via Twitter, Dombrowski said that the team doesn’t feel pressure to pull off another move.
- One area that the Red Sox have some obvious room for improvement is the bullpen, particularly with Koji Uehara looking like a major question mark down the stretch and Craig Kimbrel still working his way back. But with Kimbrel seemingly progressing well, Dombrowski suggested that the organization doesn’t feel compelled to add relief help, as Abraham further tweets.
- Meanwhile, though Red Sox righty Clay Buchholz isn’t filling much of a present role, Dombrowski says that he’s still an important part of the team’s rotation depth, as Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com reports. With Dombrowski also saying he is impressed with the way Buchholz is throwing the ball, it doesn’t seem as if there’s any momentum towards a deal involving the veteran.
- Royals GM Dayton Moore discussed his team’s uncertain deadline stance, as Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star reports. While acknowledging K.C.’s tough spot, and the need to listen to offers, Moore suggested that it’s still possible that the club won’t act as a seller. “We’ll evaluate what a team is potentially offering,” Moore said. “We’re not going to just dismember our team because players are free agents.”
- Of course, the Royals’ best players aren’t set to hit the open market for at least another season after this one, and that seems to have a major role in the team’s approach. As Dodd further tweets, Moore emphasized that the club would keep the 2017 season firmly in mind in any deadline dealing. It’s no surprise, then, that Kansas City suggested to one Wade Davis suitor that the package which landed Chapman wouldn’t have sufficed for the Royals’ closer, as Stark tweets. He comes with an additional season of control, raising both his market value and his function for his current team.
Seeing the haul the Yanks got for Chapman should make them want to deal Miller even more.
I agree 100%. I think as time goes on in the next 6 days, teams will start to get desperate and will put up prospects that Cashman really can’t say “no” too. If the Rangers suggested Profar AND Gallo, Nats put in Turner or Giolito, the Indians with their prospects, or the Dodgers with Urias (as a starting point & the center), I don’t care if the Yankees are leading the Wildcard at that point, you have to take those deals for Miller.
Although I’m a royals fan, I want the royals to trade Davis seeing what the yanks got. The haul would be Yuuuge!
I agree 100%. We could get 3 or 4 players that could help us for the next 5-7 years. We have Davis for a max of 1 more year.
Profar AND Gallo definitely
I could be wrong but i highly doubt the Yankees could get anywhere near those packages for Miller. Cubs wouldn’t deal an injured schwarber for him, i doubt they are going to grab Gallo, Urias or Giollito. Cubs made the deal for a good prospect in Torres and honestly and bunch of guys that never had a shot to make the team. Even Torres was really blocked for the next 4-5 years with Russell and Baez. Warren was going to rot in the minors for the rest of the year and Mckinney had zero chance to make the team in the next 2-3 years with Almora and Happ in the minors. I think it was a good deal on both sides but Torres is hardly Gallo, Urias or giolitto.
I agree.
Keep going forward for tomorrow.
I couldn’t agree more. If half a year of chapman can land two top 5 prospects, I can’t imagine what teams have initially offered for Miller and how high the price could get.
Sox need another starter, nothing too crazy but someone who can hold there own, due to the inconsistencies of e-rod in the 5th spot.
I agree. They should go out and get Hellickson
I was saying for the past three years that the Indians should screw with there prospects and get a star player, and doing it this year would actually make me mad. To me I think they’ve waited to long to trade them so they should just wait until next year when Frazier and zimmer will be ready. Just imagine Cleveland’s outfield if they keep them for 2017.
Michael Brantley LF/CF
Tyler Naquin CF/RF
Lonnie Chisenhall RF
Bradley Zimmer CF
Clint Frazier CF
And if we want to we can resign Rajai Davis for another year or trade Chisenhall for prospects or a relief pitcher
I would be so happy if the Indians made a big trade but not at the cost of zimmer and/or Frazier
Zimmer and Frazier will be asked about in any trade most likely.
Dombrowski is “impressed” with how Buchholz is throwing the ball? What is impressive about it, his 6 ERA or his 4 BB/9? Or maybe it is his near 2 HR/9? Buchholz has been totally impressive! Dombrowski definitely knows what he’s talking about!
I take it you’ve never heard of posturing?
Regardless I just hope he doesn’t deal for another big starter, many of our prospects could fill significant holes on the roster soon. Pomeranz looked good last night and of ERod is back then there’s no need to morgage the future on Sale/Gray
He’s throwing the ball fine, the problem is that he has to face hitters.
All I’m going to say about the Royals is they can either go for it next year, but if they don’t win, they’re in a bad spot, or they can sell sell sell. Davis, Herrera, Hosmer, Moose, Perez, Cain, Escobar and Volquez would give them a ton of prospects
They have a mediocre farm team, so if I’m Dayton, I’m selling and positioning for 2018.
Do you follow the Royals at all?
They just extended Perez. They have one final year to go all in before the core blows up. Why would they trade away everyone now and forfeit that remaining year?
If I misinterpreted then I apologize. I took it as selling this year, which would be crazy. Sure, they will sell what they can, outside of Perez, if they’re in the same position next year.
I’m guessing new money Royals fan?
Hosmer is going to be traded in the offseason. From what I have read, he and his agent (Scott Boras) will be seeking a 10 year contract worth $200 million. The Royals can’t afford that as long as they have Alex Gordon’s stupid ass contract. So I think they will trade Hosmer in the off season and get a lot for him.
Dayton Moore wants MORE than what Chapman got? I honestly can’t even think of a viable package that offers more value than what Chapman got. We’re still talking about relievers, right? Can Wade Davis really command a Top 10 prospect??? Insane!
Davis has been a top 3 if not number 1 closer the past few years and he has another year of control so yea Moore is completely justified in asking for more than what the Yankees got for Chapman. And I’m not even a Royals fan.
Curious… what’s your criteria to determine who is a top 3 reliever. If you go by the numbers, the top 5 since 2014 (when Davis became a reliever) is the following, in order.
1. Betances
2. Chapman
3. Miller
4. Jansen
5. Davis
Furthermore, xFIP ranks Davis 10th in the same timespan.
He is also #1 in ERA during that timespan by half a run with an ERA of .99.
Are you really using fWAR to determine the best reliever?? That’s hilarious.
Britton and Davis have been better than all the relievers on your list.
Best? eh…Dominant? Absolutely. But I don’t have a problem with you arguing Brit or Davis are the top 2.
I’m not sure what numbers your looking at that puts Davis at #5. From 2014 until today ERA: Davis- 1.01, Chapman- 1.88, Jansen- 2.20, Betances- 1.81, Miller- 1.83. WALKS PER YEAR: Davis- 18, Chapman- 22, Jansen- 11, Betances- 26, Miller- 15. WHIP… Davis- .86, Chapman- .95, Jansen- .86, Betances- .91, Miller- .80. Out of those 5, I rank Davis #1 because ultimately it comes down to how many earned runs you allow and NOBODY is even close to Wade Davis’ ERA! I don’t care if someone strikes out 90 more hitters….it only matters how many hitters you allow to score. End of story!
You can’t look at ERA as the only factor if not then Adam Liberatore (I think that’s how it’s spelled?) from the Dodgers is the best reliever this year, his ERA is less than .90. I agree it factors in, but stuff and control matter too, you could have a WHIP over 1.50 but if you wiggle out of those jams your ERA will remain low. Top relievers include Miller, Britton, Betances, Chapman, Jansen, and Osuna (no specific order) all of which may not have an ERA as low as Davis’s but they give up less hits and walks and frankly have better K/9 than he does, Davis is good but ERA can’t be your only way of choosing the best reliever.
Obviously, you value relievers less than GM’s do. I do agree that Davis would be lucky to fetch as much in trade. Left handedness added to the premium price.
When you’re ERA is below a 1.00 the last two years, while converting nearly every save opportunity, with another year left on his contract, yes he can command that type of haul. The Royals told Washington that if they want Davis Giolito will be involved. He’s the #1 prospect in all of baseball. With the type of closer Davis is, it isn’t a surprise a team that wants to solidify the back end of their bullpen and shut the game down would pay that much to get him.
He wasn’t arguing against your point but you completely ignored the part about Chapman’s left arm added to his value.
So because he’s a lefty and Davis is a righty, Chapman is better and has more value? That doesn’t quite add up considering Davis has allowed 19 runs over 172 innings and Chapman has allowed 31 runs over 151.2 innings in the last 3 years. Does being a lefty even out the 20.1 innings less Chapman has pitched than Davis? Or does the 12 runs more that Chapman has allowed even out because he’s a lefty?
Chapman is not a better closer than Davis. Davis has more pitched more innings with less runs allowed. Isn’t that more valuable than what arm he throws with? And to add to that, whatever team gets/keeps Davis this year will get him again next year. Chicago is losing Chapman in 3 months. Seems like Davis has more value than Chapman.
At least Davis is signed through next year, so yes I can see why he’d want more than what Cashman got.
But he doesn’t have the numbers to put him in the same league as Chapman. He’s out pitching his peripherals. He doesn’t give up HRs I’ll give him that, but his K/9 have been going down since he first became a reliever, and his BB/9 are trending upwards.
And his ERA continues to go down each year. Are we basing everything off how many strike outs he can have, or how many runs he actually gives up?
EAST COAST BIAS: I don’t give a crap if Davis has less strikeouts than Chapman. You also mentioned Walks. Do you realize that Chapman threw 13 more walks last year than Davis? (And Davis threw more innings). Do you realize that Chapman had a 2015 WHIP of 1.14 and Davis had a 0.88? (I’m assuming you know what WHIP is). And do you realize that Chapman, since 2014, has a ERA of 1.88 and Davis, since 2014, has a ERA of 1.01??? Davis is better…end of story
Some team will get Miller but Davis stays so does Hosmer,Cain and so on. Other Closer types will get Traded next to go a Phil maybe. Another Blockbuster will happen.
I’m not taking anything away from Chapman. He’s the real deal that throws 100 mph on every pitch. But just because you have a great heater doesn’t make you the best. Looking at ERA, saves, plus a extra year of control; there is no reason why the Royals can’t ask for as much or more then the Yanks got for Chapman. Now that doesn’t mean they’ll get it, but they can ask. Remember it’s all about setting the market.
The market has been set wit the Chapman deal.
KC should really hook up with the Nationals in a multiplayer trade.
Davis, Volquez and Orlando for
Turner, Lopez and Taylor
This doesn’t strike me as a realistic return for those three players, and I’m not sure the Nats would have all that much interest in Volquez and Orlando.
There’s probably more value shipping then individually
Now that Chapman has been traded, we no longer ever ever ever ever have to hear any of the announcers refer to the back-end of the Yankees bullpen as “No Runs BMC.” #neveragain
Until the yankees re sign him in december, you can get the NO RUNS D M C SHIRTS @75% off for the next several months …. Order now before they sell out!!!!
It’s DMC
Boston sends Rafael Devers, Trey Ball, Andrew Benintedi, Rusney Castillo, Clay Buchholz, Bryce Brentz, Blake Swihart, Henri Owens, Ryan Hanigan, San Travis and Mauricio Dubon by Will Smith Jeremy Jeffress, Ryan Braun and Jonathan Lucroy of Milwaukke. Later Boston Sends Drew Pomeranz, Deven Marrero, Joan Moncada, Austin Rei, Luis Basabe, Michael Chavis and Pat Ligth to White Sox by Chris Sale and Juan Minaya. hahahaha Prospects 1 2 3 6 9 11 13 18 22 35 39 Out. boston new additions are controllable for several years.
I love the way this deal plays out, cuz the overall picture is we sent Brendan Ryan for Starlin Castro, or we sent Chapman and Ryan for Castro, Torres, McKinney, Warren, and one other outfielder. And the backend is still stronger than most teams have, it’s still towards the top, other teams would kill to have Miller and Betances.