Some items from around the NL East…
- The slowed free agent market could benefit a team with seemingly limited payroll space like the Mets, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News writes. If price tags fall due to the lack of movement, players like Jonathan Lucroy, Lance Lynn, or Alex Cobb could emerge on the Mets’ radar, especially if the team is willing to get “creative” with offers. For Mike Moustakas, for instance, Ackert wonders if the Mets could offer the third baseman a contract with an opt-out after the first season if Moustakas wanted to quickly test the market again; New York made a similar deal with Yoenis Cespedes two years ago.
- The Mets’ methods of dealing with injured players has been a source of controversy for years, and while the club has made new hires in its medical department this winter, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports that ownership “micromanagement” and hyper-competitiveness will have to be curtailed in order for progress to be made. In particular, COO Jeff Wilpon is “more involved in medical matters — such as working on media releases about injuries.”
- As you might expect, rival teams have been coveting Braves outfield prospect Ronald Acuna, with the Marlins most recently asking for Acuna in as part of a Christian Yelich trade package. Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos told reporters (including Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that the team might still consider an outfield move “but [one] that’s not as big because we don’t want to block Acuna” in 2018. Arguably the top prospect all of baseball, Acuna is expected to debut in Atlanta’s outfield as early as Opening Day.
- The Marlins could be an attractive destination for lower-tier free agents who are still trying to find a new team, the New York Post’s Joel Sherman writes, given their lack of big league-ready talent. Signing a couple of notable veterans to reasonable contracts would help the Marlins on several fronts, Sherman argues — the team could gain some trade deadline chips, add veteran leadership to a young roster, and alleviate criticism from the players’ union about a lack of spending.
An opt out contract for Moose would be a terrible idea. It would turn into a lose lose situation on the remaining years.
Zero percent chance Acuna is on the opening day roster. They’re obviously gonna leave him in the minors for a bit to gain the extra year of control.
I’d tend to agree unless he just blisters spring training
No way he’s on the opening day roster. Anthropolus doesn’t want Jason Heyward 2.0 on this team. Acuna need to learn continued consistency and success against higher level pitching. Period.
I don’t see any reason to rush Acuna let him develop at AAA until we move Markakis closer to the deadline.
With the question marks in the Brewers rotation I wonder what it would take for the Braves to get Santana or Brett Phillips. Maybe Frazier from the Yankees or Castellanos from Detroit.
Whoever it is but I just hope the offseason isn’t over still a lot of holes.
Under the radar acquisition target for the Braves: Jake Marisnick.
Send an offer! But I think Cameron Maybin ona 1 yr deal makes more sense.
How about ichiro for one year at 5mil. He would be one heck of a mentor for the kids coming up, and they would have the best example of what it takes to perform and be successful at the highest levels of the game.
Also, always been a huge fan of his. Would love to have him for a season to see him play at Sun trust.
He’s bad though, not worth a roster spot probably and definitely not worth $5M
I’m a fan of Ichiro too and he has held on way too long. Definitely don’t think the Braves should be interested in wasting a roster spot with him.
Yes I would love Cameron Maybin as a platoon with Markakis until RC arrives then use as 4th oulfielder. Still need somebody to hit behind FF.
That is interesting I wonder what that would cost.
Astros won’t trade him. Valuable to them as a 4th outfielder and defensive replacement in close and late innings. Unless they’re getting someone to upgrade their major league roster I dont see it.
Vizcaino could interest HOU (2 years of control). Yes, he is arb-eligible, but can be a dominant late-inning arm with closing experience and ability. He would provide insurance for Giles.
Trading Viz doesn’t make since for the braves. They don’t have many other late inning options right now.
Since the Marlins are tanking anyway and have a plethora of roster spots available, please give Ichiro one last year.
How about the Giants.
Jeter would need to take out a payday loan to afford someone like ichiro.
As an Astros fan, I doubt we would want to move him. He has good value as a 4th outfielder and defensive replacement in late innings. Plus he’s Springer’s best friend. Braves could just sign Maybin or a guy like Dyson.
Ichiro to braves. rub some hall of fame ju-ju on Acuna. 🙂
Give me a break. If they actually cared about improving, they would have traded for Yelich, w/o Acuna involved. But that would be a mistake though because AA wants to keep the “best farm system” moniker and delusional fans love it too!
Who would they have included to match the Brewers package? Keeping in mind that position prospects are more valuable than pitching.
You say that like the Brewers actually gave up prospects that are of quality. The Braves have major league ready and close to ready pitching prospects, as well as positional prospects like Riley and Pache. If they cared enough to compete, they would have made the move for Yelich. Yelich is the kind of player any team would be content with if their prospect ultimately becomes a player of his caliber.
Anyways, i still believe Todd Frazier is a good option for third base short term.
Yah, Brinson and Harrison are terrible prospects. It’s not like BA just put Brinson at 18 and Harrison at 75 in their top 100… Bunch of garbage.
MIL was in a better spot to make the kind of trade MIA was wanting. Yes, ATL has a lot of pitching, but Acuna is too good, and Pache’s isn’t high enough for them to build a package around, even if the arms going back are much better than the little MIL sent their way. Obviously, they needed a MLB-ready OF to take Yelich’s spot, and Brinson is in a much better spot than anyone ATL was offering (presuming that Acuna was off-the-table – as he should have been). I like Yelich, but I’m not dwelling on it.
That is a fair point to make in reference to the Brewers being more in position to go after Yelich, however, players like Yelich are not made available often. One reason you build a strong system is to make trades for big players. Yelich is that player and the prospects they have, are enough to make a trade for Yelich. I’m sure the Marlins took the trade from the Brewers because the Brewers were willing to give up their top prospect, not necessarily that they were looking to acquire an outfielder. The Braves were reluctant to give up pitching to their division rival.
and then where would you have been with a not right farm system and a team that still has no chance of competing this year great job. you guys have a lot of great pitching and if you develop at all you’ll be able to make a good staff but since half the guys will flame out you need all the guys you have
Have the marlins shown any indication that they are going to sign any ML contracts? They are still chipping away at that $90MM payroll goal.
The only position player comparable to Brinson is Acuna and no way AA was moving him as a rebuilding team. And the SP the Brewers are looking for are not prospects on the cusp. They took the package with the best overall ranked prospect.
that makes sense but the bridge could have beat that offer if they wanted without Acuna now I think they did the absolute right thing by not doing it because they’re not contenders right now
“ownership micromanagement and hyper-competitiveness ”
No, it’s cheapness. Wilpons’ don’t like paying a salary even for guys that play, let alone for guys that don’t (same reason they won’t release guys with major contracts, don’t eat salary on trades and won’t buyout David Wright).
I know everyone is on the bash Jeter and Co bandwagon but the MLBPA criticizing a team that’s going to loose money in the upcoming year is a flat out joke. It’s their team they should be able to do as they see fit.
Lose*
The Marlins are gonna profit almost $90 million dollars this year! Not lose!
Yes a team or any business should be run as the owner’s see fit. But when the subsidies are greater than expenses there will be a lot of valid criticism
I agree with you. Their team, leave em alone.
yeah we should just let the teams do whatever they want let’s not have any oversight at all that’s a great idea! they had a concern and voiced it. let system work as intended
Acuna is ready-now and there’s already young core in front of him, like Albies and Swanson, and behind him too, in their massively deep farm. They should announce him as the Opening Day OF of Markakis-Incriarte-Acuna asap
Psssh,
How about Yelich, Inciarte, Acuna trio.
Make it happen Coppy!
Uhh
Make it happen AA!
Uhh
Screw winning – – Braves and Co.
It’s too early in the morning for me to be reading such dumb posts.
Go back to bed then!
shut up, i haven’t had my coffee yet
and lose an extra year of control that would be stupid
They could keep him in the minors for a few short weeks and gain an entire year of control.
Bet The House On It!!!
It’s only a few weeks to get that extra time correct?
The opt out you suggest for Moose is unrealistic. The last think he wants, or needs, is to re-enter a free agent market with Machado and Donaldson, Murphy and Dozier, and even an aging Adrian Beltre with his .915 OPS last year, A smart GM gives Moose an opt out after 2 years. Notwithstanding that fact, I really don’t want the Mets to go after him. I would much prefer Frazier’s glove in the field and his rah-rah presence in the clubhouse. and If I sacrifice a little at the plate, which I am doubtful of, so be it.
I would be ecstatic, however, if they were able to land Lynn or Cobb, as that would strengthen both the rotation AND the bull pen, by moving Wheeler to the pen. (I don’t like the idea of giving up that #6 draft pick in the 2nd round. For that reason, I am on the fence about bringing in a Holland on one of those bargain deals..)
Moose in my opinion is the better glove in comparison to Frazier. Both of them possess a firey leadship quality. Frazier is a local guy which i enjoy, but outside of that i believe Moose is the all around better player. If they could give him a 4 year/56mil deal with an opt out after 2019 I’d be all for it.
Acuna is the top prospect in all of baseball, the kid from japan played professionally. So he shouldn’t be considered