The biggest stories on MLBTR from the past week:
Blue Jays talking with Jose Bautista. The slugger’s rather unusual spin through free agency could lead him back to where he started, as Bautista has been in “active contract discussions” with the Jays about a return. Bautista is apparently willing to discuss accepting a one-year deal from the Jays or other teams, though that one-year pact would still need to pay him beyond the $17.2MM value of the qualifying offer.
Mike Napoli’s market heats up. The free agent first baseman has seen his market pick up in recent days, with the Rangers perhaps in the driver’s seat. Texas is discussing a two-year contract with Napoli, though some other teams (reportedly the A’s and Orioles) are still in the mix.
Twins asking for final trade bids on Brian Dozier. After a winter full of trade rumors about the slugging second baseman, Minnesota is reportedly looking to wrap up the process, asking interested teams to submit their best and final offers for Dozier’s services. The Dodgers have long been seen as Dozier’s most ardent pursuers; the Braves and Giants have also been involved in talks, while the Nationals and Cardinals both have rather limited interest.
More trade buzz about Jose Quintana. Speculation about the left-hander’s future has become even more intense since the White Sox dealt Chris Sale. Conflicting reports this week suggested the Yankees may or may not be pursuing a trade for both Quintana and David Robertson, and New York also reportedly discussed a three-team deal with the White Sox and Pirates (another club interested in Quintana’s services).
Rockies linked to Greg Holland. Colorado is the latest team to show interest in the former Royals closer, with one report suggesting that the Rockies offered Holland a multi-year contract. Rockies GM Jeff Bridich didn’t comment on the reported offer, though he did acknowledge that his club “checked in” on Holland. Including the Rockies, that makes a whopping 18 different teams who have shown some degree of interest in Holland as he makes his return from Tommy John surgery.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Batista is a scumbag who deserves this dried up market. Lol i
Is this coming from a scumbag who can recognize other scumbags?
I’m certainly not a fan but how is Bautista a “scumbag”?
He just plays competitively and intensely.
It comes from watching this pos attitude. Glad he got laid out at second base lol
Odor is the scumbag, Bautista is good. Even if he can be a little cocky at least he can back it up with an amazing career, Odor has nothing to back it up with. I’m saying that and I hate the Blue Jays. (BTW he didn’t get “laid out” it was a sucker punch and Bautista barely reacted, he probably couldn’t have knocked Odor out in one punch, but he was pulled away.)
They squared off idiot. Your guy got his face punched in. Bautista is a me first team second scumbag
No they didn’t, Odor pushed him and Bautista tried to back him away by giving a little shove, and out of nowhere, Odor punched him, Bautista wasn’t expecting it because punched rarely happen in sports brawls, making it a sucker punch. And you never even disproved anything I said. And Bautista isn’t “my guy”, like I said. I hate the Blue Jays. Plus, most scum bags don’t have a charity, like Bautista.
Says Dave while wearing his Jose Reyes jersey! Bautista is a competitor. I don’t like him, but not sure he’s a scumbag.
Who’s wearing a Jose Reyes jersey? What the hell are you talking about?
Advanced humor…
Nah you’re just a douchebag
Orioles fan, Dave?
Sounds like a Rangers fan
I am dying for baseball news… I’ve seen these same rumors for weeks now.
You know it’s the slowest week of the baseball news year when the “top 5 stories” are old rumours about things hat haven’t happened!
Hahn (white sox) has been brilliant in getting ridiculous returns for Sale and Eaton. If he can position similar returns for Quintana and Robertson, he is a genius …
Lots of respect for what he is doing on the south side … I hope sox fans can be patient enough to let the kids come through the system at the right pace/time (something Theo/Jed have not been given enough credit for)
He has done I nice job. I especially applaud ownership allowing him to go in this direction. With Kansas City having upcoming salary concerns, recent rumors of Detroit considering shedding some salary, and Minnesota being the Twins, they could have decided to add free agents to compete with Cleveland.
Instead they paid attention to what they Cubs did with their farm system and are going that route. White Sox will never be the Cubs, but it’s the perfect time to scale back and emulate Chicago’s beloved.
As a Twins fan, I laughed at the Twins comment. Unfortunately, we’ve become accustomed to the Twins underperforming. At least we have a sweet stadium I guess.
I hope the guy that decided an outdoor stadium was good got fired because that is the dumbest idea I have ever heard of
I wonder who will make the trade for Quintana , he’s such an underrated pitcher on a cheap contract, I see the pirates as a fit for him
He’s done a great job but he’s not getting what he wants for quintana, Batters hit about .270 or higher ever year off him , he’s an innings eater but id rather have a young guy throw 180 innings of 4.50 ball then give up 3 top ten prospects for him.
Oh, so baseball is about hits not runs now? So 2017 teams are gonna win based on how many hits a team has? Get your fantasy line ups set people!
Who cares what opposing hitters are doing. .270 yet he’s managed to mitigate runs scoring against him. Who cares if a guy goes 2-4 with 2 singles if he gets double plays and the runner never scores? Hits dont win games runs do and quintana has shown the ability to negate runs scoring.
According to fan graphs he’s posted 5.1- 4.8- 4.8 WAR last 3 years. No innings eater would be able to post above nearly 5 WAR let alone above 4 even 3. Prime examples. Bartolo Colon below 3 last 3 years. RA Dickey hasnt posted anything above 2 in 4 years.
What if Bautista ends up with the Rays? just taking a 1 year deal and then rebuilding his value to get a bigger pay day next year
The problem is, I’m not sure there’s a lot to rebuild. He’s gonna be 37 heading into next years offseason. Even if he has a really strong 2017, I’m not sure teams flock to give him a high dollar 2-3 year deal. Edwin Encarnacion has been better the last 3 years, he is 3 years younger, and still only got a 3 year/60 million dollar deal. Granted, there’s a fourth year option for 25 million, or a 5 million buyout, so he took 35 million guaranteed.
Jose, after his age 37 season, would be lucky to get 2/40, IMO.
Lol we have been spoiled these passed few weeks with big stories like every other day. It makes it seem like we haven’t had a story in forever
Bautista is gonna have to settle for a 1 year deal for less than the QO was worth. His age and the numbers he’s put up are not worth nearly as much as he thinks.
Agreed. He was a great player back in the day, but he has too many things working against him right now. Mainly that he has no market. Add in his age, injuries, attitude, and declining numbers getting more than the QO seems like wishful thinking on his part. He has been such a great fit for Toronto I see him going back there, but not for $17M. But it wouldn’t be the first or last time I’m wrong.
JDL, Stewart, Sheffield, Rhame, and Mieses for Dozier and Chargois would represent a haul imo and Dodgers could afford to give it up.
He needs to look for 1. Year 16.m or 17.m Indians Red Sox Toronto Tampa Bay and the Cardinals and if he does good he needs to come back to free-agent just like céspedes.. 2018 2year 25.m
Hate Bautista