While it’s unclear if any deals will materialize, a slew of Indians drew trade interest at this month’s general managers meetings, according to Terry Pluto of cleveland.com. Specifically, teams inquired about a few Indians pitchers – including right-handers Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger – as well as catchers Roberto Perez and Yan Gomes. Clubs also approached the Tribe about a couple less heralded members of the organization in outfielder Greg Allen and minor league righty Shane Bieber, Pluto adds. Of those players, it’s clear Carrasco would warrant the largest return, but there’s no reason for the Indians to move him. Conversely, the Tribe would be open to dealing either Perez or Gomes, Pluto suggests, considering the team has high-end prospect Francisco Mejia waiting in the wings behind those two.
More from a pair of other American League cities:
- The Orioles will wait until later in the offseason to discuss extensions with third baseman Manny Machado and center fielder Adam Jones, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com relays. Kubatko doesn’t expect an extension for Machado to come to fruition, which isn’t surprising given that he’s primed sign a mega-deal on the open market a year from now. Interestingly, though, Kubatko hears that Machado would prefer to play shortstop instead of third base, which could make a potential trip to free agency all the more intriguing. Machado logged 52 appearances at short between 2015-16 but has otherwise played the hot corner since debuting in 2012.
- Closer Zach Britton, another high-profile Oriole entering a contract year, likely wouldn’t bring back a great return via trade this offseason, Buster Olney of ESPN.com observes. While the Orioles are open to trading Britton, his lack of team control, high salary (a projected $12.2MM in arbitration) and recent arm problems figure to tamp down his value, Olney writes. Still, whether it’s Britton, Darren O’Day or Brad Brach, Baltimore seems poised to move one of its most established relievers and use the money it saves on much-needed starting pitching help, per Olney.
- More from Olney, who reports that the Red Sox and three-time World Series-winning manager Tony La Russa discussed having him serve as rookie skipper Alex Cora’s bench coach. Instead, Boston hired La Russa as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and replaced previous bench coach Gary DiSarcina with Ron Roenicke. La Russa, 73, hasn’t been part of a coaching staff since he managed the Cardinals to a title in 2011.
Orioles should try Machado at short and Schoop at third in spring training and if it works roll with that.
So take 2 gold glovers out of position? Then who plays 2nd
Tim Beckham
This actually makes sense machado would be a great SS schoop has the arm for 3B and beckham should be a 2B anyways
Three way move would solve O’s SS problem and Machado might resign with O’s
Machado is a shortstop so he would not be out or position
This is how they played together in the minors. Only reason it didn’t stay that way was because the Orioles had JJ Hardy amd needed both a 2nd baseman and 3rd baseman. They won an Eastern League title with them two together in AA.
Schoop isn’t a gold glove 2b. He has a great arm but he doesn’t have great range for a 2b. Schoop was moved to 2b, 3b was his natural position. I think he’d do just fine at 3b if not a bit better. He has the cannon arm and hit should suit him better range wise. Beckham or someone else can play 2b. I’ve never been a big Beckham fan and I don’t believe he was a good fit for Baltimore. He’s a question mark defensively and his plate discipline is horrible. It would’ve been great to get a legitimate top of the order guy to play 2b or SS. Beckham was free but I don’t think he’s what we really need.
I agree. Beckham was a nice addition but not a great SS.
Hopefully he is the utility guy. He makes a great compliment piece but not an everyday starter
Schoop isn’t a gold glove 2b. He has a great arm but he doesn’t have great range for a 2b. Schoop was moved to 2b, 3b was his natural position. I think he’d do just fine at 3b if not a bit better. He has the cannon arm and hit should suit him better range wise. Beckham or someone else can play 2b. I’ve never been a big Beckham fan and I don’t believe he was a good fit for Baltimore. He’s a question mark defensively and his plate discipline is horrible. It would’ve been great to get a legitimate top of the order guy to play 2b or SS. Beckham was free but I don’t think he’s what we really need.
There’s no alternative in house. Beckham is far better than any internal option we have. I agree he’s more of a utility guy but unless we sign a zack Cosart or another MIF option Beckham will have to start.
I’m not moving Schoop. I’m only moving Machado if he’ll sign a contract extension to play SS for the next 8 years.
Roenicke is the Boston bench coach, not DiSarcina.
DiSarcina was the Red Sox bench coach last year.
For the life of me I can’t understand why the orioles continue to wait on tearing it all down and rebuilding. They have some really great pieces to jump start it. Once these guys leave next offseason, with no return for the Os, it’s going to be a long long process for orioles fans. Those Chris Davis / Trumbo contracts look especially silly to me now.
Its because their owner is headstrong and cant fathom the idea of losing on purpose. His mindset is WIN WIN WIN WIN no matter what, and I don’t think he recognizes that it clearly isn’t working. Remember the trade deadline? He gave DD permission to shop Britton but when a trade match was found he rescinded it because he couldn’t do it.
If it were “WIN no matter what” they’d have a higher payroll. It’s more like “Win enough to keep fans watching.”
Higher than 160mil?
“Win some until the bills come”
Oh no Angelos attitude is NOT win win win. He does not know how to win and is clueless. Orioles will never win unless he sells or buds out of baseball operations
I think the Davis and Trumbo contracts are 1 reason the Orioles going for 1 more run. Might as well since dumping players now probably won’t bring the future back.
Dumping Machado, Jones, Schoop, Gausman and their relievers would give them a good jump start on a potential rebuild
Schoop and Gausman are under team control for years. Those are the two you rebuild around.
Schoop only has 2 years of control
Now is the time to extend him. O’s waited too long to extend machado.
Jones has a NTC, IIrc.
You wait until the trading deadline and see where you’re at before you dump.
except there’s no way they’re good by the time they are free agents
Why the hell would you trade Gausman. Sell teams on a guy with a high 4 ERA before he potentially takes the next step? Makes no sense. Plenty of team control left and we don’t have anyone to soak up those innings anyway. You dump all those guys it isn’t a potential rebuild, it’s a full rebuild. Moot point because angelos is very old and isn’t committing to that. Orioles fans have seen a lot of losing anyway so let them make one more run.
One more run? They have no chance. Going nowhere. They are a floundering organization
Good point. Makes sense cause Trumbo and Davis contracts are not dumpable
I don’t imagine La Russa as bench coach was genuinely a consideration – Roenicke is a solid choice.
Can you imagine how La Russa feels about Price and the disrespect he showed Eckersley…
Let price piss off the media. He had his teammates back and that’s what’s important. This whole Price thing is ridiculous and blown up.
Can you believe all the media attention and hype from two sentences?
Eck: Eduardo Rodriguez has looked crappy in his spring training tune-ups.
Price: There goes the Hall of Fame greatest of all-time pitcher in the flesh.
Please explain? Nobody on this current roster has anyone’s back,especially Pedroia!!!
I’m just saying one small confrontation or whatever led to a huge deal. That’s just how Boston is as a sports town.
I guess Price had his teammates back?
Pedroia all he did was not back up his manager’s decision to bean a guy. He was saying that it wasn’t him making that call but the manager.
The O’s could throw in some cash to come up with a good prospect return on Britton, assuming that’s what they are after.
If the orioles extend Machado, then it turns into what happened with A-Rod. They won’t have the money to be able to build around him. They should shop him right now, as well as jones, trumbo, davis, Britton, brach, and O’day. Rebuild the horrendous farm system and let the next GM (Hopefully Showalter) take this team to a World Series. Do exactly what the Astros did before..
When exactly did that happen with A-Rod?
Texas, its why they dumped him to NYY
ARod put up a 155 OPS plus as a Ranger, his highest with any of his teams. He also won a MVP with Texas. At the time he was traded Texas was a very competitive 89-73.
and they had no money left. Theres a 30-for-30 on it where the Rangers GM talks about it.
It is an intriguing idea to consider Showalter the next GM.
Farm system is actually between 10-15 now but all the more reason to tear the team down. They have a decent farm so load it up with whatever prospects they can get and use the freed payroll to supplement the rebuild through free agency when all the prospects are ready. Or sign three legit pitchers and compete in ’18.
Our farms definitely not 10 it’s about 15. A lot of people on here still claim how horrendous it is and what not cause it’s the easy thing to say. It’s actually very good considering our aversion to IFA signings. If we would start signing IFA’s we could crack the top 10 but if we continue this path we will never crack it. Hays and Cisco will most likely graduate from our system this year which will push us back down around the 20 range. It’s going to be difficult to beat #15 if we don’t start spending internationally.
I think Cleveland will be dealing one of the catchers to make room for Mejia. Package him with an extra OF like Allen or Naquin and add a corner bat.
I don’t see Naquin as a long term asset. Not with Zimmer and (potentially) Lofton 2.0 (Allen) knocking on the door.
Exactly, which is why I’d package him with Perez/Gomes and/or one of the extra starters for some help where they need it.
the only guys I see being dealt is Salazar and maybe Kipnis
I could see the Indians fielding a outfield of Chiz, Zimmer and Allan
infield is looking like Urshela / Diaz 3rd – Lindor ss – Ramirez – 2nd Brantley & Encarn 1st and dh rotation with whatever serviceable vet they sign off the scrap heap before the start of Spring Training to rotate from 1st , outfield and Dh
catcher will continue to be Gomes and Perez to start the season unless blown away I do not see us trading either catching around the majors is horrible in general we have two of the better defensive catchers out there and they can hold their own with the bat too
Mejia starts the season at AAA where if he continues to hit will be up by mid season but it may not be as a everyday catcher look for them to still work with Mejia at other positions so he does not have to be relied on as a everyday catcher his true value seems to be his bat.
Utility Gonzalez and Kipnis if not traded ( think Casey Blake if Kipnis is not traded )
also if Salazar is not dealt you could see him end up in the role in the bullpen formerly held down by Brian Shaw with Clevegr moving full-time into the rotation.
to sum it up I do not see any major free agent signings or trades this off season by our front office I believe none of our free agents with maybe Joe Smith being the only exception coming back.