The Braves are still waiting to see where the MLB investigation into international signing violations will lead. David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the latest on that situation, though it’s mostly a holding pattern. O’Brien also notes that his expectation is that veteran righty R.A. Dickey will choose to walk away from the game even if the club intends to pick up his $8MM option. Per O’Brien, it “seemed since he last week of the season that [Dickey] was leaning heavily toward retiring.”
More from the National League:
- Reds southpaw Brandon Finnegan, who made just four starts this season due to trouble in both shoulders, tells MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon that he has “completely” healed and is anticipating a normal offeason and Spring Training. “I’ve got more rotation in my right shoulder than I had before I got hurt,” said Finnegan. “That’s a good thing. I’ll start working out in November and throwing in December. I’ll keep up with my running, and that’s it.” Finnegan twice suffered a strained teres major muscle in his throwing shoulder and also was diagnosed with a torn labrum in his right (non-throwing) shoulder after an off-the-field fall in July. The Reds will be counting on the 24-year-old former first-rounder to come back healthy, alongside righties Anthony DeSclafani and Homer Bailey, to help stabilize the rotation.
- New Marlins owner Derek Jeter has already trimmed something in the vicinity of fifteen employees, Barry Jackson and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald report. That includes a few recent scouting and player development cuts, with some other preexisting personnel still unsure whether they’ll be retained. In the post, the Herald duo also make an astute observation about star slugger Giancarlo Stanton: if the team is going to get to a payroll in the $90MM range, it’s all but impossible to hold Stanton (and his $25MM salary) since the team must also already spend $31MM on Edinson Volquez and Wei-Yin Chen. The former will miss the 2018 season while the latter is a major health risk, so those contracts aren’t movable.
- Scott Miller of Bleacher Report profiles the renaissance of Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig. Sources tell Miller that the relationship between Puig and former skipper Don Mattingly was broken beyond repair,” but it seems a second chance under new manager Dave Roberts has paid dividends for all involved — even if it took some time for that to come to fruition. Puig himself credits a newfound willingness to listen to Roberts and others within the organization, spurred by encouragement from his mother, for his improved performance in 2017.
What’s the word on why Dickey wants to retire? Just a general, “I’m done.”? Or is there more to it?
From attempting to keep up with Braves news concerning Dickey over the last few weeks the biggest factor why he appears to be leaning towards retirement is to spend more time with his family. I think Dickey would be a good value if the Braves picked up his option (and he was willing to play of course), but most rumors have him hanging up his cleats.
“Or is there more to it?”
Dude, he’s turning 43 this month.
@terrymesmer What about it? He’s 43, he can still play. There are plenty of people that have played the great game of baseball, including MLB late into their forties.
> There are plenty of people
Just looking at the eight seasons in the 2010-2017 period, where 30 teams played 162 games a year (give or take), MLB played 38,880 games. In all those games, only three players in their age-43 year (or older) started a game as a pitcher:
Tim Wakefield: 42 starts (2010-11)
Bartolo Colón: 51 starts (2016-17)
Jamie Moyer: 153 starts (2006-10, 2012)
That’s only 246 of 38,880 starts, age 43+, or just 0.63% (much less than 1%).
Only five of those eight seasons had any such starts — three in a row had none at all. Only one of those eight seasons had two starters age 43 or over.
So, no, there are not “plenty” of 43 year old starting pitchers. You’d have to look back over a century or more to name “plenty.”
@terrymesmer You decided to use a ‘strawman’ argument. Nowhere when I replied to you did I state anything about a specific period in the great game of baseball that you have introduced into the debate to try and score a point. Sorry, it doesn’t work like that cherry picking a specific period or decade. I was talking about that there are plenty of people that have played this game well into their forties, and I didn’t mention specifically starting pitchers even though we’re discussing Dickey. Next time do read & comprehend what is written.
Last but not least for your edification and since I wasn’t talking about a specific timeframe but talking about the game overall.
49 – Jamie Moyer
45 – Roger Clemens
46 – Nolan Ryan
46 – Randy Johnson
45 – Tim Wakefield
46 – Jesse Orosco
48 – Phil Niekro (
That’s just 7 to start with, and I won’t start listing positional players. Yes, there are plenty that have played this game into their forties, I can count 34 players alone that have been 45 or over and I won’t even start with 40-45, so yes there have been plenty, and it is an extraordinary achievement. End of story.
You took that way to far. No life?
There’s plenty more that didn’t play that long
I don’t think it was too far. For some of those longer posts, that was actually interesting to read about pitchers past 40 and how hard it is to compete at that level.
> You decided to use a ‘strawman’ argument.
I did not use a strawman argument, I simply used a sample, rather than the entire course of MLB history. And I did not cherrypick, I simply used the most recent seasons in which Dickey was active — the opposite of cherrypicking.
> I didn’t mention specifically starting pitchers even though we’re discussing Dickey.
You complain that I compared a starting pitcher to other starting pitchers. You complained I compared a pitcher in the current era with pitchers of the same era. Are you sure you know what cherrypicking means?
> I wasn’t talking about a specific time frame but talking about the game overall.
You list seven starting pitchers whose careers covered the period 1964-2009 — 45 years. One of those pitchers, Orosco, made only four career starts, the last when he was only 25 years old. So, six starters in 45 years. Your citations seem to support my argument, not yours.
Well done.
Next time do read & comprehend what is written.
@TerryMesmer
straw man
noun
noun: strawman
1.
an intentionally misrepresented proposition that is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent’s real argument.
Since I wasn’t talking about a specific period or even Dickey’s period of play, yes, you used a strawman. The meaning of strawman is above since you clearly need an education in respect to what a strawman is. You misrepresented the proposition, and yes, you used cherrypicking to attempt to support your position.
@TerryMesmer
I bet you’re the kinda guy that had his mom cut the crust off sliced bread as a kid.
The dude’s 43
And?
Braves need to let Dickey walk and sign Arietta. His work ethic is perfect to lead the new young pitchers and would be productive for 3-4 years. They definitely need to be more competitive next year.
Where are the going to get the money to sign Arrieta?
Braves should have the money to sign him. Most of their money has been going to IFA. I think the Braves were planning on getting BP help and keeping her the rotation young, but if the new GM decides he wants to upgrade without trading that’s a decent possibility.
No keep Dickey not that arrietta he’s Done way b4 43
eek, the Marlins want to reduce the payroll to 90 mil and a third is locked up in Volquez and Chen. They need to make some major trades to have any hope of contending in the next couple of seasons
Puig to marlins with Forsythe fir Stanton and Dee Gordon.
and this helps the Marlins?
Marlins can keep the rest of their good team and try to find pitching
la would never do that Stanton is not a good invesrment, not a good baseball plaer.
Except Gordon is not the type of guy they like and taking on that salary seems kind of laughable especially with them wanting to get under the threshold. That’s just a hard pass probably on both fronts actually there’s no probably even needed.
Forsythe is better than Gordon and Marlins wont want Puig because Mattingly hates him
Puig is the problem I get it and mattingly is a yankee like Jeter, but are u serious about forsythe? Does he hit .300? Does he even start everyday for dodgers? Marlins need to dump payroll and Stanton would approve the trade. Dodgers have at a minimum of eithier and Utley coming off payroll. That is $22+ mil
Forsythe is a much better asset when you factor in the contracts. The Dodgers front office hates dee gordon (as a player). Dee will never be a dodger again
Dodgers can afford whatever they want to afford. Money is no issue. See all their dead money contracts over the last few seasons.
Ok about dee. Do the dodgers need to “factor in contracts”
LA plans to be under cap 2018 or 2019
Haha! Don’t want Dee!
Hope your fingers are getting some nice exercise.
Hell no. Why trade Puig when he’s finally playing with his potential. Also Dee is super expensive and begged to be in Miami. (He’s from Florida. Wanted to be close to home remember?) Also we have so much potential like Verdugo wanting to come up from the minors.
We need Chase to retire and become our bench coach. The guy is good with coaching the kids and our bench coach wants to manage the Mets.
A-Gone and Dre need to hang the cleats. I love them so much and grew up watching both of them play but it’s time to let the kids take over. Take the series and then join Tommy and Vin in retirement.
Grandy needs to either work hard or join Joc in a trade over winter meetings. I see what Doc sees in him as potential in power goes, but the guy is useless when it comes to making contact.
Braves need to let Dickey walk and sign Arietta. They need an ace to set an example for the young guys and he’ll be good for 3-4 years. Plus they need to accelerate the timetable.
Once the Coppolella investigation is over, it’ll give a clearer picture. The Braves might be prevented from signing free agents to Major League contracts for a season or two (in addition to losing key draft picks and/or top prospects being declared free agents) as punishment. “Coppy” has already lawyered up, so it’s just beginning. Not good for the Braves…this will set them back at least 3-5 seasons.
Like ATL needed an excuse NOT to sign a free agent. If that’s the penalty then Liberty Media paid Coppy to do this to make more excuses. Their last multi-year deal was Markakis and Jim Johnson – that alone should cost us prospects in penalties for crazy.
Losing draft picks and/or impacted minor leaguers may happen, losing the ability to sign MLB free agents will never happen
Pretty sure that would be in violation of the CBA
He aint a Ace! He’s Done
Puig wouldn’t listen to anyone but his mother, and she set him straight. Good for her.
Did Jeter fire Benedict?
Benedict and Marc DelPiano, the two executives the Marlins signed from the Pirates two years ago have been let go by the Marlins. The Pirates got Trevor Williams for an organiztional filler type player, I forget who specifically, in a completely lopsided but agreed upon deal as compensation for the Marlins poaching two high level executives still under contract. Hope Dan Straily has a Cy Young type year because the Marlins could really use Luis Castillo and Trevor Williams right now.
Matingly will be gone before 2018 season
No one is going to prevent the Braves from signing free agents. That will never happen agreed on signing Arrieta.
Yeah that’s a little insane. Manfred:” You can’t sign a single free agent, I hope you fill out your roster with waiver claims and minor leaguers.” That’d be real good for the game of baseball.
If Miami is going to be losing anyways might as well unload everybody and just make there farm awesome and start over with Major League ready or top 100 prospects
That’s really the only way to go. There is no point in taking years to move veterans like they did in PHI. Just move everyone you can within the next 9 months, and start from scratch like Houston did.
No mention of Puig’s relationship with Turner Ward as a part of his turn around story? Hmmm.
Please expound..I’m not familiar, sounds interesting..
Turner Ward has been working with Puig to elevate the ball, whereas Puig had been pounding it into the ground.
He also changed his stance, and clearly have gotten Puig to ID pitches that used to be an out pitch against him. He doesn’t chase outside breaking pitches anymore, and it’s been a revelation.
Clearly Yasiel Puig and Turner Ward have a good personal connection as well, and overall Puig has been a better player and teammate, and his current teammates are embracing him. As a Dodger fan, I thought Puig was the key to this year’s run and he’s been incredible.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he’s been more animated this year, and produced as well. I think he’s allowed to be himself because he’s earned it, but the reverse is also true. He’s having fun out there because he’s playing well, and he’s playing well because he’s having fun.
I thought by now everybody would have seen the video of Puig giving Ward a big smooch on the cheek after hitting a HR. It happened more than 20 times this season. In addition to the coaching, Ward’s become something of a father figure for Puig. He’s been coached before but he really listens to Ward, and he admits that he wasn’t good at listening before. Big swing and a miss for Bleacher Report on this one. Not in their time zone, I guess.
I always liked Felix Milan he was scrappy
Puig will be in right fields for years to come. Matingly is a jerk, he was the reason Puig took two years to get straited . Matingly was a baby, he refused to talk or even look at Puig. What kind of a manager does that. That why LA fired him , they took Puig not Mantinly..