Yankees hitters looked helpless against Astros pitchers Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday, and part of the credit for that goes to Houston’s reliance on analytics, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic explains (subscription required and recommended). New York’s fastball-hitting offense had its way at times during a three-game home romp over Houston in the middle of the series, prompting the Astros’ analytics department to suggest the team’s pitchers throw more breaking balls. Morton and McCullers did just that in a 4-0 victory on Saturday, combining for 62 curveballs on 108 pitches. Incredibly, McCullers finished the game with 24 curves in a row to cap off four dominant innings. Afterward, pitching coach Brent Strom told Rosenthal: “I’ve got to hand this to our analytics people. “They said, ’Listen, this is where we’re making our mistakes. We need to throw as many curveballs as possible. This is a good fastball-hitting team.'”
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Left-hander CC Sabathia, the losing pitcher in Game 7 of the ALCS, made it clear to reporters on Saturday that his preference is to continue with the Yankees – not depart in free agency – per Brendan Kuty of NJ.com. “This is where I want to play,” said the 37-year-old Sabathia, who has revived his career over the past couple seasons and is fresh off a four-start playoff run in which he pitched to a 2.37 ERA across 19 innings. The 2017 season was the ninth with the Yankees for Sabathia, who just wrapped up the five-year, $142MM extension he signed in 2011.
- The Rays should be open to trading right-hander Jake Odorizzi, closer Alex Colome, outfielder/designated hitter Corey Dickerson and second baseman Brad Miller during the offseason, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times opines. All four players will go through arbitration in the winter, with Odorizzi projected to end up with the highest salary ($6.5MM). He’s also the player the Rays are most likely to trade, according to Topkin. Odorizzi, 27, is coming off a down season, but his impressive track record and two remaining years of affordable team control could lead to plenty of interest from starter-needy clubs.
- Adding more left-handed hitters to balance out a righty-heavy lineup will be one of the Orioles’ most important offseason challenges, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes. The O’s projected lineup for 2018 includes just two lefty-swingers, first baseman Chris Davis and catcher Chance Sisco. Another could come in the form of an outfielder, suggests Encina, who names Carlos Gonzalez, Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson as a few of several potential targets in free agency.
What about Markakis I think he would like to go back B-More
No thanks. We could spend that money on a guy like Grandy and Id prefer that. Kakis has no punch left in his bat an he plays below average D
Granderson barely hit the Mendoza line in the second half, but if you’d prefer to have a sub .200 batting average then Markakis who’s usually all around solid then yeah go for it I gues
All around solid yet Granderson batted around the Mendoza line and was a 2 win player while Kakis was a 1 WAR player with his “all around solid game” I think youre confusing all around solid with all around below average.If Grandy had some better luck with the balls he put in play he’d improve. There’s no where to go but down for Kakis. . What do you like about Kakis’ game? His 8 Hrs, his defense or his baserunning? That all around solid game? Based on? You like his batting average and OBP? That kind of solid all around game, because that’s about his only plus left.
Granderson hit .161 after the trade and .212 on the year, far from solid, he couldn’t hit his way out of a paper bag. His second half was dreadful while nick markakis has only hit below .270 once in his career and it was a .269 average. He’s still good for 30-40 doubles, and 80+ rbis while playing better defense then granderson, not to mention he’s younger. There’s no where left for granderson but down, but alright buddy
You guys ever consider that they just both suck?
There’s no factual basis for what you just said. Go to fangraphs,BB Ref, or any other site and tell me how many wins nick markakis was worth last year. Then tell me how many Grandy was worth. I’m sorry in your mind Nick Markakis was a more valuable player but that’s the only place he was. Grandy hit 3x as many homeruns, is a much better baserunner and is a better defensive outfielder in a corner. Grandy isn’t going to grade out that well because he played a lot of center, but it’s not a stretch to say he’s better than kakis in a corner. Kakis’s BABIP was about 320 while Grandy’s was way down at 220 suggesting that Grandy has some room for average improvement while markakis does not. So, I’ll go with the stats. You go with your own personal evaluation model.
I don’t think Grandy sucks. But, yeah, neither one of them is going to be a game changing talent anymore. Grandy can play multiple outfield positions, still runs well, has pop left in his bat and has some areas of his game that the stats say he should improve on. He may not, his BABIP might stay down at .220 (I doubt it) but even if it did he would be worth a bit more than kakis. That’s all I’m saying.
First off why would Grandy wanna go to the Orioles in the twilight of his career I would think he would look to be a 4th OF on a competitive team. I could see the Astros, Yankees or Red Sox making a run at him and him signing not with the Orioles yeah they may compete but they got a lot of moves to make in order for that to happen.
And 2nd I am not dillusonal in saying he would welcome a return because he played a long time there and he still resides there. I wouldn’t think the Braves could move him there without eating any of his salary and I think if the price is right the Orioles would love to have him back. He was great in the clubhouse and know that because of how vocal Adam Jones was when they let him leave.
It’s great to think that your team would just like to get any and everybody just because you like them but it’s more to it than that.
I am a Braves fan in NJ so I got to see a lot of Grandy and Markakis last year and I don’t care what the stats say my eye test says Markakis is a better player at this point in his career than Grandy is.
No one said you were delusional. Don’t know where you saw that. Here’s Kakis on the O’s post departure, “It was all because of my neck. They can say what they want to make them look good. It’s all B.S. … But, things work out the way they do for a reason, right?” Maybe feelings have changed between the O’s and kakis but take that as you want. Regardless of whether the 2 want to come back together, I think we’d be better off with Grandy or another option. Also, the orioles plan is to compete next year, and Grandy might have a WS trophy this year. None of us can know what his motivation is for signing. We can offer him playing time and playoff potential so it’s plausible. Same as Cargo, ethier etc.
The only reason I would want Markakis to come back to Baltimore is so that my framed autographed jersey of his is relevant enough again to sell it. Definitely not for his play.
You are using batting average and RBIs to prove some worth for Markakis, and you’re still doing it wrong. In this era a 270 BA and 80 RBIs isn’t even decent for an outfielder. Granderson, btw, is a much better defender than Markakis.
I’m with TLB on this one. Lifelong O’s fan,and I really don’t want either. Granderson would cost more, but neither is better then the combined Jones, Mancini, whoever else they toss out there. I think CarGo will end up being the one they get, just opinion. Coming off a down season in a deep market, a perfect DD reclamation project. And even after this season, happily take him over either of the two you guys are talking about.
Odorizzi and Cobb can go to the Cubs
Odorizzi and Colome to Cubs for Happ and Schwarber?
Probably what it would take. Happ has a brighter future in my opinion but being wasted here.
I would like to see something like that and the Cubs make a play for Lorenzo Cain. Try to resign Wade Davis and Alex Cobb and we are talking.
I would happily trade both Odorizze and Colome to the Cubs for Happ alone. Wouldn’t say no to Schwarber either (but I prefer Happ).
Hyun Soo Kim is available.
So is Michael Saunders unless MacPhail/Klentak decide they haven’t yet seen enough. The nine million those two geniuses paid Michael Saunders amount to half the 30 year olds career earnings.
yes, because a 1/9M deal is terrible for a guy coming off a 25 HR season when we needed LHB power
Omg an article that doesn’t mention the Phillies or even any former Phillies and he still conjures a reason to hate on “MacPhail/Klentak.” Brixton is right.
Saunders isn’t even with philly anymore
Oh look everyone, it’s Casey’s Partner, the most bitter, ignorant, annoying poster on Mlbtraderumors! I can’t wait to read what he has to say this time! Can he be as bitter and annoying as his last post?! I guess we’ll have to wait and find out!!!! The excitement is truly deafening.
Much credit to the Astros coaching staff on their preparation for games 6 and 7. Their pitchers had the Yanks looking too much one game and too aggressive the next. They definitely made the Bombers look unprepared…
I disagree. That was exactly what Cleveland did against them but it took the analytics team until game 6? Real crack team there.
The only way I see Tampa ditching Odorizzi, Colome, and Dickerson, is if they concede to a rebuild. Miller is likely gone either way. Kiermaier might be in that conversation as well.
Kind of a tough position to be in, given the dominance of New York and Boston in the East. Certainly couldn’t blame them for unloading now and trying again in a few years.
With a flooded second basemen market, return on Miller could be lackluster in comparison to his on field contribution
Miller shouldn’t be lumped with Odorizzi and the others in the first place, he is a non-tender candidate. He hit like .200 and his homers were down too I think
I’d definitely be concerned with his lack of power. The low average is acceptable, only if he hits homers. But a guy with average on base skills, little power, and bad defense? Yikes.
KK is the new face of the franchise. He isn’t going anywhere. Odorizzi is as good as gone this offseason. Colome and Dickerson are probably 50-50 odds. The Rays have to shed $10-15 million in payroll (including expected arb salaries) to get to their owner’s mandate, and Odorizzi and Miller accomplish $11 million. Unfortunately, that doesn’t allow for any free agent signings, so you have to wonder who else goes.
1 yr 8M with a 8M option for CC. Prove you want to be in pinstripes.
Fantasy world
CC’s market value is 12.3 and I would offer him close to that, he had a good year You need at least 6 maybe 8 starters to get through the season. CC is good for this team, similar to what Bart was to the Mets.
Prove what? U don’t think he’s proven his worth after 120 wins and an era south of 4 in the AL East? Get real. I hate the 200 million dollar contracts but he probably is the only example of a guy that actually earned every his. I’m an Os fan, Sabathia has more seasons of 200 plus innings then the entire Orioles staff. We Os fans dream of a day when we can get a pitcher of CC caliber to lead the rotation.
Enough of CC already. Time to give youth a Chance (Adams).
Boooooooooo
Not that I’m purporting to be brilliant or anything but, I was thinking watching this week that the Yankees are like playing my nephew in MVP Baseball 2005. Every fastball catching the plate at all is a HR and every off speed or breaking pitch within the general vicinity of the batter is a swinging strike. Why anyone does anything but throw garbage at the Yankees is beyond me.
Easier said then done. If the pitches aren’t quality strikes then the Yankees can be more patient and put pressure for pitcher to have to throw a fastball. Breaking balls is a recipe to beat them but the pitcher still has to execute. A bad fastball down the middle you can get lucky and the batter foul it off or hit it bad. A bad breaking pitch will get destroyed by any major league player.
Ethier to the Orioles seems like something BAL would do and not a bad option if they decided to try to add an experienced LH bat on the cheap.
Ethier is a better bet to me than Granderson at this point.
Ehhhh idk about that. We’ve only seen an extreme small sample size of Ethier this year, so it’s hard to evaluate where he really is right now. Grandy can cover more outfield positions. IE CF if we want to give jones a day off or let him DH. I think Grandy would be a better corner than Ethier. I’m sure Ethier will come very cheap but you know the orioles physical isn’t the easiest for a guy coming off an injury. Hard to evaluate Ethier, but I think Grandy is a better fit at the moment.
You’re right, Ethier has had very few 2017 ABs. And good points about Granderson’s defensive versatility and that BAL team physical hurdle.
I’m still concerned about Grandy’s overall Dodgers performance but may be a little too bullish on Ethier.
Its so stupid people are confusing analytics with a good ole scouting report or watching tape. I’ve watched the Yankees 5 times this year and could have told you don’t throw them fast balls throw more off speed pitches.
If the Yankees are to resign him, CC will have to be a free agent first for some time. He’s never going to accept a huge pay cut from what he’s currently being paid down to his market value from the Yankees out of the gate. And the Yankees should be keeping their eyes on the Luxury Tax threshold.
Please, Yankees. No more lifetime achievement contracts. Let CC walk. Stay the course with the youth movement.
CC has been done. Few good games then will tank which he did. Morton is a cheater using foreign substances. Even more ridiculous it is allowed
Sabathia earned a 2-year deal with his performance this year. Maybe $25M total. It’s always a gamble, though, with SPs in their late 30s.
Why give CC anything more then one year? How has he earned a two year deal?
I said it before, I’ll say it again. Yankees should have claimed Verlander on waivers back in August. He wiped the floor with them the last time he faced them in the postseason and they didn’t fare much better this year. If they had claimed him, they’d be in the World Series right now.
Carlos Gonzalez actually makes too much sense not to sign with Baltimore. He’s a lefty with huge power coming off a down season.
He could do a make good one year deal with the O’s and build his value back up in another hitter’s park. Plus he’s good enough defensively in left not to clog their DH spot.
I could be happy with CarGo and Jones manning the corners with Hays in center. Could end up as a disaster, but enough upside there for me to see why it would work.
What are you doing with Mancini in that scenario?
Does anyone know?
I think we’ll take a Bath for 8 mill – 1 year with an team option for his age 39
Where would Macini go? DH? We still have trumbo. I don’t see jones sliding over for a rookie nor do I think Hays is ready for the bigs just yet. Maybe halfway through the year he forces his way up but he hasn’t seen enough pitching in the upper minors yet. He broke out in a big way this year but he hasn’t taken an AB at AAA and didn’t kill it in the bigs in his small sample size. Signing Cargo I definitely could see, but that’ll most likely move hays back down to AAA. Unless Trumbo is terrible I have to believe he’ll be our DH for most of next season.