This week in the baseball blogosphere…
- Chin Music Baseball argues that Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler has been the key to the World Series run.
- BP Toronto praises the Blue Jays for building an excellent rotation without paying top dollar.
- North Shore Nine writes that the Pirates should pursue a trade for Twins second baseman Brian Dozier, while Pirates Breakdown delves into the possibility of landing Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler.
- Extra Innings: Baseball Around the World interviews all-time great closer Trevor Hoffman, who was Great Britain’s bullpen coach in the World Baseball Classic qualifying tournament.
- The Runner Sports reminds us that a few Cubs used to be Astros.
- Think Blue Planning Committee breaks down the Dodgers’ upcoming free agent class.
- BaseballDocs predicts contract values for two of the top soon-to-be free agents, Yoenis Cespedes and Edwin Encarnacion.
- Rotisserie Duck highlights the best clutch hitters of 2016.
- Yanks Go Yard and Outside Pitch MLB name offseason trade targets for the Yankees.
- When Sid Slid proposes a Braves-Astros trade centering on right-hander Julio Teheran.
- Jays From The Couch opines that Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista has never been properly respected.
- Wayniac Nation offers the perspective of a lifelong Cubs fan.
- The Point of Pittsburgh examines the ways a new collective bargaining agreement could affect how the Pirates operate.
- Jays Journal looks at potential offseason outfield targets for the Blue Jays.
- Call To The Pen (links here) reviews the Orioles’ season and lists their top winter priorities.
- CTTP also asks if it’s time for the Phillies to acquire a bat.
- MLB451 regards Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval, Rangers right fielder Shin-Soo Choo and Brewers right-hander Matt Garza as possible trade candidates.
- Clubhouse Corner points to first baseman Greg Bird and right-hander James Kaprielian as keys to the Yankees’ future.
- Everything Bluebirds contends that the Blue Jays failing to re-sign Bautista and Encarnacion could eventually lead to Josh Donaldson’s departure.
- Inside the ’Zona ranks and details the Diamondbacks’ 11th- through 20th-best prospects.
- Sports Talk Philly observes that several players from the 2009 World Series between the Phillies and Yankees played their final games this year.
- Camden Depot revisits its Orioles offseason predictions from a year ago.
- Pinstriped Prospects checks in on the Yankees’ top 10 draft picks from this year’s class.
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And let the “thats way too light for our ace teheran” braves comments begin despite him posting an xfip 4.13 and fip of 3.69 in 2016.
Yeah but Tehran is one of those pitchers who consistently outperforms his FIP. Career 3.39 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 3.97 xFIP.
Sandoval is an awful contract. Granted.. One of the worst in the game.. Granted.. still see no reason to swap it out for a worse on in Choo, who plays a position they have -0- use for and is 5y older than Sandoval.
Maybe Dombrowski can get extremely lucky and tag him onto a deal, getting partial salary relief over the next several years. Taking on a worse AND older player does not solve anything.
3b is partialy taken care of between Shaw and holt short term any, then probably some combo of Moncada/devers long term. media is doing what it always does..hyping.
If the blue jays do no resign EE or Bautista, maybe the revisit the trade of getting Votto
It’s laughable that MLB451 even sniffed at the idea of sending Sandoval to SF:
1. He’s not an NL player. He is always going to have weight issues and has NEVER proven he can stay in shape. Why do writers not get this? He needs to play on a team with a DH. Oh and don’t even think about 1B. Last time he played there he ended up on the DL with a pulled hammy.
2. SF cares about chemistry. Since he left he’s snubbed his old teammates and ex players who dared to speak out have called him a selfish player. SF doesn’t want to bring that toxic narcissist back.
Now… having said that… The only way I could see SF bringing him back is if they got him for cents on the dollar and didn’t have to give up any prospects (because the farm isn’t great so the only trade I would offer was one of the “ball dudes” maybe two if they threw in some low calorie snacks and he was in effect a cheap bench bat with a potential upside. Sabean would be laughing his butt off saying “see, I still got you and didn’t need to pay 100mm for you, now I’m gonna make your life hell and put you on an eating program. You’re allowed three lean cuisines a day, plus some celery and almond butter”
Then just to be a bigger jerk, he’d trade him to the worst team in the NL but throw in a Dominos pizza gift card so when the new team makes him play every day he’s 350 pounds.
I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it though. Hehehehehe
But in all seriousness. No way should any NL team take Sandoval unless theyi got him for almost nothing. He presents way too much risk.
Imagine the Jays rotation with Thor instead of Dickey
A rotation of Thor , Sanchez and Stroman and add in Estrada plus happ
IF they still had Thor, they likely wouldn’t have signed both Estrada and Happ last offseason and would have shot for a key bullpen piece instead.