MONDAY: The A’s have announced the signing.
SATURDAY: Lucroy’s one-year deal with the A’s will guarantee him $6.5MM, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Slusser also adds that the deal does not come with any incentives.
FRIDAY: The Athletics have agreed to sign catcher Jonathan Lucroy, per MLB.com’s Jane Lee (via Twitter). It’s a one-year deal for the Excel client, according to the report.
Entering the winter, MLBTR predicted that Lucroy would command a two-year, $24MM commitment. We cited the A’s as a possible suitor, but at the time it seemed likelier that the 31-year-old would choose a team more clearly positioned to contend, given his own comments on the subject.
As was the case for others, of course, the free-agent market did not really develop as expected for the veteran backstop. The Rockies — who employed Lucroy for the second half of the 2017 season — had interest but pivoted to Chris Iannetta, who ended up being one of three catchers (joining Welington Castillo and Alex Avila) to secure two-year commitments.
Lucroy’s free-agent experience was long expected to be much more rewarding. When the 2016 season drew to a close, after all, he stood as one of the best all-around receivers in the game, having just wrapped up a five-year run of .291/.353/.465 hitting during which he was also reputed to be among the game’s best defensive catchers.
The 2017 season, though, did not go well at all. Lucroy got off to a disastrous start at the plate with the Rangers before a mid-season trade to the Rockies. While he rebounded with a robust .429 on-base percentage (with 27 walks against just 19 strikeouts) down the stretch, Lucroy’s power never returned and he finished with a .265/.345/.371 slash line and six home runs over 481 plate appearances on the year.
Optimists will point to the still-impeccable zone control and long history of productivity. Pessimists can handily cite the fact that Lucroy delivered little hard contact, lots of grounders, and a career-low full-season dinger tally in a 2017 season marked by a leaguewide offensive surge.
Defensive questions also arose. While the Rockies credited Lucroy’s work at managing the pitching staff, suggesting he retains his good reputation in that hard-to-quantify realm, there was surprising slippage in the framing department. Once lauded as the master of winning strikes for his pitchers, Lucroy graded miserably in that key metric in 2017.
Of course, we at MLBTR were still somewhat bullish on Lucroy’s market situation despite those areas of concern. Indeed, I argued for more than our collective prediction, writing in early October that he could command a three-year commitment with an annual salary of $10MM or more. In a market full of surprises, Lucroy’s shortfall is among the most eye-opening. While he surely could have commanded a larger payday had he signed earlier in the winter, with timing playing a role in the ultimate contract, it remains notable that such an accomplished player was forced to settle for such a commitment.
[RELATED: Updated Athletics Depth Chart]
For Oakland, it’s an eminently sensible risk to take. The club had said it expected to utilize Bruce Maxwell as the primary option, but he had a tough season at the plate in 2017 as well as a troubling offseason run-in with the law. While he undoubtedly remains part of the future plans, it could be that he’ll open the year in the minors with Josh Phegley supplementing Lucroy at the MLB level.
Even with Lucroy aboard, it’s tough to pick the A’s as a favorite in the AL West that’s led by an outstanding Astros club and is competitive from top top bottom. But if he can coax breakout performances from a youthful pitching staff, if not also rebound with the bat, then perhaps there could yet be a surprise in store.
Lee and ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick previously reported a deal was close.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Everyone has been saying this all offseason. It was such a good fit.
Yes, this should have been done a while ago, and it should have been for 2 years as a bridge to Murphy. Still, this is VERY good news for the 2018 A’s, who are really starting look good.
It’s relevant, but we’ll have to get creative with our money moving forward. Losing revenue sharing and not having a very good stream of revenue limits our options. Hopefully the team is making some deals with corporations to fill some of those seats and get some more money, but for now we’re likely to operate in the red again next season, unless we see a large increase in revenue.
On the bright side, we’ve got a pretty good guy heading that project, so we should see some money coming in soonish.
Had to bump Maxwell if they could.
They could be good.
Maxwell will still get plenty of playing time. Josh Phegley is the guy who is outta the picture now.
Maxwell has to worry about jail time. Good move A’s. Phegley can learn from the vet
Maxwell will have plenty of playing time in the Crowbar Motel. He’ll become a great musician while he’s there, playing the Slobbering Blues on the Meat Whistle.
Maxwell will never see one day of jail time! It will be a big fine
and probation and lots of public service stuff!
Or maybe jail time!
Maxwell has some legal issues to sort out. His lawyer has been talking plea deal since the indictment in November, yet no resolution. Suggested a plea deal would be wrapped up before spring training,..then it was the regular season….apparently Bruce and his attorney aren’t liking what they are hearing.
Settlement conference #1 went nowhere and settlement conference #2 isn’t scheduled until April 13.
Sounds like Bruce Maxwell isn’t the only one that plays hardball. He might have to serve some time and then deal w/ a MLB suspension.
Maxwell has done absolutely nothing to deserve playing time. Name one thing.
Well, he gets on base and isn’t a terrible hitter (for a catcher). But I personally think all domestic abusers should be barred from the game permanently – Chapman, Reyes, Maxwell, etc. so I’m not a great ringing endorsement.
I would STRONGLY disagree he isn’t a terrible hitter. He’s an empty OBP guy who doesn’t even do that very well.
Plus if you’re going to defensively be the 42nd out of 54 C’s with 300 PA’s over the last 2 years, you definitely need a lot more than a .331 OBP with .354 SLG. fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=c&stats=bat�…
But if you see one of the names behind him, it’s longtime A/one of the worst defensive regulars, Steven Vogt, so Oakland probably sees him as “better than the last guy” instead of “another kinda cruddy guy”, like an impartial person would.
At least Lucroy is #3 out of those 54, so they finally got their eyes opened! Finally, A’s fans will get to see what good catching looks like again. Been a minute.
Where’d all this ‘domestic abuse’ talk come from?
It has nothing to do with anything that actually happened, and I’ve never even heard anything about a girlfriend.
On the day in question, he received a few hundred death threats, got drunk and didn’t remember ordering food, so when someone suddenly started pounding on his door (Arizona being an open carry state), he grabbed his pistol.
Not a terrible hitter (for a catcher) is the caveat. Most catchers can’t hit at all. Period.
Okay, I’m sorry; I remembered it wrong. Yes he got wasted and pointed a loaded gun at a delivery driver’s face as she opened the door. I’d still probably prefer guys like that spend some time away from the game. But I was wrong about the domestic abuse and for that I am sorry.
Some people mistake domestic abuse with aggravated assault. I did it too, on accident.
Sounds like a great guy
Not excusing his actions, but please tell me what its like to have hundreds of death threats come at you for respectfully showing a small protest out of concern for the lives of millions of Americans. Oh has that never happened to you? Me neither, perhaps we shouldn’t render judgements on reactions to things we’ve never experienced.
Really? Millions? You’re more likely to die from falling off your chair than getting killed by a cop. Stop making excuses for a scumbag.
Well, at least we know he will be ok on jail. He knows how to get on his knees…will come in handy while he’s in the group shower!
Where did I say anything about getting killed by a cop? I’d check those red state reactionary responses and consider things with a little wider scope before putting on that Darren Wilson Cardinals jersey.
Yea, but these idiots don’t want to hear the truth
and let the facts get in the way of their keyboard Justice !
That’s not true at all! Historically the catchers position has been loaded with very good hitters! I’d say just in the last few years has that diminished.
If there’s one team I’m happy for, to take advantage of this market, it’s the A’s. Congratulations on getting a quality player probably at a discount price (terms not reported yet) Crazy how Moose, CarGo, and Lucroy all signed in 1 day.
Thank you slow off-season…so much hahaha
about time. with all these one year contracts coming late, next years off season will be a boom!
Sour grapes next year for the team that misses out on Machado/Donaldson and ends up with Mous. Shoot for the homecoming queen and get the preacher’s daughter.
You say that like its a bad thing. She might be the best one..
Dude you dont know much about preachers daughters then. If you can always date one in your life.
Awe too bad Washington, guess we’ll see Wieters continue to be a total boat anchor! Good news for the NL East.
Don’t think anyone will finish within 10 games of them.
Nats will now anti up for Realmuto.
*ante
Douche nozzle grammar cop!
They’d be better off with who they have realmuto isn’t an upgrade to any catcher except maybe geovany Soto. And I’m not 100% sure if he still plays.
Troll….
Hard not to blame the Nationals for taking a chance and hoping for an ops of 750 or so from Writers.
Didn’t sound like the A’s were happy with Maxwell off season problems and his attitude this spring. Good to see them bring in a much needed catcher until Murphy is ready to take over.
Maxwell will still play. Phegley is gone
Nope, Maxwell will get optioned but most likely released. Oakland in particular has been moving away from bad clubhouse players and its really surprising that he wasn’t released earlier. Oakland also really like Phegley as the backup – a couple insiders said there were plenty of club people pulling for Phegley to mash so he could start over Maxwell, who not only is controversial, but also AAAA. Phegley is at least MLB-level.
He won’t be released that’s crazy.
We live in the US where millionaires like Maxwell rarely serve time. He won’t go to jail.
Phegley is terrible, I’ll take Maxwell as a back up all day over Josh
Why though? Maxwell is MISERABLE defensively and isn’t a plus anything with the stick. Phegley is at least middle of the pack defensively, and that’s why you have a backup, he’s perfect for the job. Maxwell, meanwhile, was shoehorned into moving from 1B to C and it really hasn’t taken and he doesn’t look good back there. Phegley is also the kind of character the FO has prioritized in the post Butler/Valencia era, Maxwell has a lot of issues he really should be working on, not playing baseball until he’s resolved them.
Pheagly hits lefties and Lucrroy hits righties. Its the perfect platoon. Maxwell has options left and is facing jail time. Pheagly is also having a much better spring.
I don’t think it’s going to be a platoon.
Also, Lucroy has a higher career OPS vs lefties than Phegley does by 100 points. Phegley doesn’t “hit” anything.
I think Lucroy plays as many games as his body lets him. Phegley plays the other games and rests him but there is no reason to r/l platoon these two players.
Lucroy is right handed.
Have you ever heard of reverse splits?
Doesn’t matter because Lucroy is seeing minimum 80% of the playing time this year. Probably 130-140 games. Maybe add a couple of other games at DH or 1B or whatever. If his health holds up, Oakland is going to play him everyday, and that’s just what is happening. No platoons.
Yeah, he was just announced as our starting catcher.
There’s no way Lucroy would’ve signed if he was gonna be Maxwell’s back-up or his platoon partner.
What other options did he have though? We’re less than 3 weeks from opening day. Guys are signing 1 year deals today who expected huge paydays. Good for him if he does get the lion’s share of starts, but I have my doubts he signed this expecting or demanding 130+ starts behind the plate.
Lucroy’s other probable options: The Nationals.
Upon hearing the news, Maxwell takes strike three right over the heart of the plate….again.
Good one
Curious why the Brewers didn’t sign him. I know a lot of Brewer fans wanted him back, and his market has been slow/non-existent, like most. (Barely heard his name in MLBTR, unless it’s team desperate for C, but even then, they weren’t your traditional “big” spenders) I know a lot of Mets’ fans wanted him, but they were maxed out spending wise. Anyway, curious to see if it’s above/below Moose’s $6.5M
Brewers really do not need him. He’s barely (if at all) an upgrade over Pina/Vogt/Bandy.
My guess is Luc’s camp was in contact with the Brewers because he would be an upgrade over Vogt and Bandy but they weren’t willing to offer him the majority of the playing time because they like Pina, which is valid.
Makes sense, the As would be garbage with garbage Maxwell behind the dish
A’s lineup looks very solid at every position. If the A’s were to sign Arrieta as well, they should definitely be viewed as a wild card team.
The A’s aren’t gonna sign Arrieta lol
A’s lineup and bullpen are solid, rotation still needs work but Arrieta just isn’t realistic. Maybe a guy like Lance Lynn or Alex Cobb but I expect A’s to be done with adding people. If a few things go their way they could be in playoffs.
Arrieta isn’t going to a liberal mecca. Why did you say him and not Lynn or Cobb?
Arrieta seems the most desperate, and likely to take a one-year deal.
Heck, maybe they all take one-year deals 😉
The glimmer of hope the A’s can snag Arrieta with a one year deal as well. Unrealistic? Maybe, but not impossible.
Arrieta is a Midwest guy!
If the A’s got Arrieta
Fowler Arrieta
Olson Graveman
Chapman Maneaa
Davis Cotton
Piscotty Puk
Lowrie then Barreto
Joyce/Pinder
Lucroy/Maxwell
Semien
Looks like a legit playoff team to me
Arrieta hates California, he isn’t coming.
Lynn or Cobb though….
Cobb, only if it’s 2 years with an option. A’s won’t be willing to commit that many years to a guy a year removed from TJS that is about to enter his age 31 season.
Also not sure they’re willing to give up the draft pick for it. 70-80 has been a good range for us the last couple of years.
That is true, but at this point, how many prospects do you need? I count at least a dozen guys who will see MLB time either this season or next.
Like the Royals, they really should put offers out for Cobb, Lynn and Holland, too. Imagine that staff with those 3? I think that puts them over the Angels. Oakland could be the team to take advantage of this weird market.
I don’t think we need another bullpen arm. There’s already a (good) logjam there with a bunch of guys vying for the final spot, as well as an entire wave of relief pitchers in Triple A that is almost ready (Finnegan, Sanchez, Wahl and Trivino are all young and throw triple digits with wipe out secondaries, and Nolan Blackwood’s stuff is just plain dirty). So Holland is out.
I don’t believe Lynn will replicate his success from last season, even with our much improved defense. He outperformed his peripherals and has already lost a tick from his FB velocity, and is similarly only a year removed from TJS and about to enter his year 31 season. I’ve already given my opinion on the Cobb situation.
As for prospects, we need all the prospects. Until we know where the ballpark situation is going we need to have all the resources we can for as little as we can.
> how many prospects do you need?
Given Oakland’s financial restraints because of the Coliseum, and the way the city leaders manage to somehow be incompetent at everything that matters but feel fine about issuing public statements as to what the team will do … without confirming it with the team.
“We came up with a list of 10 places the team could build, maybe.”
“Seriously? Half of these are already being used for something else, and two of them you didn’t even ask if they were *available* before you listed them! By the way, the Post Office is pretty annoyed with you right now.”
“They’re going to build at Howard Terminal!”
“Whaat? No, we’re still looking at options.”
“They’ve ruled out the Peralta land, it’s Howard Terminal!”
“Peralta still in our options. Haven’t. Chosen. Yet.”
… anyway, you can get players three ways, draft, trade, sign. Until the money situation is resolved in a very long-term way, it’s draft and trade, mostly for prospects. Signings will occur, but running a big payroll of free-agents simply is not an option.
Best thing about having too many prospects is you can trade from surplus to fill a hole, like sending Munoz and Shrock over for Piscotty.
So cool that you and Arrieta are so close.
Holland is better than Hatcher, Hendriks, Alcantara and Casilla. The A’s pen is 100% NOT a strength, lots of scrubby arms in there. You list off a ton of prospect relievers aka the most volatile of prospects aka Holland is already a better option.
Its funny watching A’s fans defend their love of crappy ballplayers simply because they were better than the even worse scrub that was there before. Every time I read a comment like that I say to myself “Who hurt you?” Vogt was AWFUL at catching, Maxwell was slightly less awful but still awful, yet many A’s fans wanted to give him a shot even though he’s a nightmare defensively and with the bat due to the lone reason of him being better than Vogt. Yeah no.
Greg Holland slides right into closer in Oakland, facts.
So cool that you don’t pay attention enough to read public comments made by players on twitter, but do feel the need to post that fail.
The A’s bullpen is actually good not great but good. Treinen has the stuff to be a closer, just needs the chance and behind him
Pagan
Hendricks
Butcher
Hatcher
Casilla
Coulombe
Dull
And behind them
Montas
Triggs
Trivino
A’s bullpen is solid dude
And petit
Holland is better than almost all those guys, but ok.
Sure, Holland would be the closer, but starting rotation is much weaker than the bullpen. Did you see the bullpen pieces we picked up this winter? I love the upgrade at catcher, and they are likely done with spending, but if they spend any more, it’s for a starting pitcher.
With Wahl, who has been good when healthy, and Finnegan and Sanchez as well. Blackwood is knocking on the door and they’re also exploring the possibility of Gossett out of the pen where his stuff plays better.
It looks like Arrieta goes back to the Cubs and Lynn to StL each for 1 year short $.
This QO will likely do a job on those FA that got one
in 2017-18.
Those that don’t sign wont be signed, by any other than their former team, until after the June draft.
No room for Arrieta
Arrieta goes to Brewers or Nats.
The Cards are not signing Lynn! That ship has sailed!
Arrieta is not going back to the Cubs either! He’s burned those bridges !
And marlins price for realmuto just went up.
Trade deadline piece if the As aren’t contending. Awesome move either way.
At this point the financial part is unknown, but this should be a good move for both Oakland and Lucroy. Oakland should have a POTENTIAL above average catcher (if he returns to career norms) and Lucroy has a chance to better his stock.
I really think that Coors Field got into his head.
Hope this means Maxwell is heading to jail. If anyone of us pointed a gun at a food delivery person we would already be there.
I said this all offseason and now it happened. This is a perfect fit and always been. Oakland just made a move that might turn them into dark horse for a WC. Lucroy + young pitchers = a good thing. Maxwell with young pitchers? NOPE.
As for the WC, while the Astros are going to run away with the West, the Angels have the higher ceiling but the way lower floor, so injuries are going to destroy them if they have any…and they always do. Meanwhile Oakland is overflowing with ready-nowish prospects like AJ Puk, Fowler, Mateo, Barreto etc etc. I can now easily see them running over everyone in the second half. Watch out world, Oakland is back (yes they were in the postseason in 2014, but literally no one remembers that for some reason).
If they want to really win my heart, they’ll now trade Lowrie for Weiters (Barreto-time!) and sign Cobb and really take it to Houston in 2018.
Barreto still has a bit of work to do on his strikeout numbers. They’ve had him change some of his mechanics, so he’ll likely end up getting called back up once he’s comfortable with those changes.
The changes were less movement in his stance, and improving his 2 strike approach.
Yeah, and he looks great now, so let him play. He’s directly behind Lowrie right now, so if Lowrie sprains his ankle tomorrow, Barreto is your Opening Day starter anyway.
And don’t even get me started on Puk….my god so infuriating…”No lets make him throw 5 shutouts at AAA while we get creamed and then miss the playoffs by a game” – book it.
I’d rather not lose a year of control on Puk and have to patiently wait.
Expect him up right about the same time as Chapman was last year … just after the estimated ‘super 2’ arbitration cutoff. And yeah, there will be people pissing and moaning about “A’s so cheap” while conveniently forgetting that pretty much every team plays servicetime games. If it means we get more Puk in the long run, I’m okay with it.
I’d rather start Puk on Opening Day and make the playoffs, why not live for now for once and not for 6 years from now (and guess what, the A’s don’t have a good record at keeping their players when that would even matter). Melvin wants it, and the team should start being bold, especially when Puk is potentially a new Big Unit.
I know the concept of selling tickets is a totally foreign thing to A’s fans, but having good players makes people go to games. Puk is good.
It would be a great PR move, and he’s shown the ability to play even without his best stuff. That additional year of control is mighty appealing, though.
This is such a stupid argument that constantly gets made. The marginal benefit of adding a guy to the roster to start the season is dramatically outweighed (especially in this specific case) by the long term benefits that leaving them down gets you. This is why you see many teams do it with many players.
The chance that bringing him up early is going to be the difference between them making the playoffs or not is not large enough to offset the value they would get from the additional year.
Oh we remember the As and that huge blown lead in the WC game. We remember it well.
I loved your comment until the last paragraph. Lowrie was the best hitter on the team last year. There are like no good veterans on this team besides him, he’s the last guy I want to see traded. Get serious.
Patiently waiting for all the posts excoriating the Excel corp. and how they are ruining baseball and how they screwed Lucroy over. I wonder how long I’ll be waiting.
Lucroy wasnt issued a $17.4M QO, only to re-sign for ~$10M less guaranteed money
Cmon, David! Sometimes, Boras gets hate for no reason here, but the Moose situation, was his biggest failure.
I think… if Excel was Moose’s agent, they would’ve advised him to take the $17.4M QO— Which is almost as much money as Moose has made, his entire MLB career (~$20M)
And the QO thing is total hindsight anyway; nobody at the beginning of the offseason thought Moustakas was going to get less than the QO. Nobody. I challenge you to find me a single prediction that suggested Moustakas would get less than 17 million. Just one.
Apparently every GM knew it because none of them stepped forward with an offer that size. You would think an agent who is being paid big money to know how teams think would know more than fans and sportswriter, who, at best, are informed outsiders. Any player who keeps his agent after taking a financial beating this year deserves to take another financial beating next year.
Oh, so you’re saying all the GMs conspired to decide not to give the QO? Because, you know, that’s illegal. No GM is going to play his cards that way and you know it.
He will be traded at the deadline just like every decent player the As get.
Find another thread
Yeah, I agree. The A’s should hold onto players that they are going to lose to free agency and not stockpile high upside prospects. At more or less the trade deadline last year the A’s acquired four of their top ten prospects (Luzardo, Mateo, Fowler, Kaprielian {plus Neuse is probably number 11, or so}) and now have MLB pipeline’s seventh best system. Beane/Forst May have made some unpopular trades over the years, but most of them seemed to have worked out so far. The most unpopular trade, Donaldson to the Jays, cannot be judged as a success or failure yet as we have to see how Franklin Barretto, Kendal Graveman, JB Wendelken and Zach Ervin’s careers pan out.
You are probably a Giants fan…
Of course he had a miserable drop in pitch framing stats last year. He opened his season with a new MLB team (not Milwaukee) for the first time. They churned through SPs like crazy, and then he was traded mid-season, and had to learn a new set of pitchers, in a new league, at altitude. That is sloppy thinking, and I hope his agent countered these points on his behalf. Beyond all that, selfishly, I wish he was on the Nats or Twins. This is a great deal for Oakland.
He’s brilliant. Sign a one year deal with the A’s guarantees he will be playing for a contender down the stretch….after the A’s trade him.
And he won’t have a qualifying offer to deal with next off season.
If any team gives Lucroy a QO, he would accept in about .5 seconds. Even if he hit 325 this year with 20 hrs he’d take that QO after this offseason. No one will ever him a QO again.
I thought you are only allowed to receive a qualifying offer once in your career.
He didn’t have one this year to deal with either!
It absolutely amazes me that players who had down seasons but good track records of success wouldn’t want to play for Oakland, when they have to know they’ll end up on a contender by the end of the season. Whether that’s with us or with someone else is really irrelevant.
Just say no to 3 year 24 mil$? Shoulda called him dork. Next victim Arrieta
With all the returning-home type contracts this offseason I was starting to think he might end up on the Brewers
“It’s tough to pick the A’s as a favorite in the AL West…” is anyone actually even coming remotely close to doing that? They are lucky not to finish in last place and this is coming from and A’s fan.
You might be an A’s fan. but you don’t know much about player analysis if you think this team is lucky to not finish last. They’re way better than the Rangers and the Mariners now, and depth alone will get the A’s more wins than either of those two teams. If Angels stay healthy they’re going to the postseason, but if they get hurt, suddenly the A’s are th clear 2nd best team in that div, with about a dozen potential MLB prospects hitting the game in the next 18 months, ranging from contributor to superstar. They’re not only about to blow by those other 3 teams, but challenge Houston for the #1 spot by 2020.
The Astros got better and lost no one. They prepared not for winning the division but going back to the WS.
There is no doubt they will meet the Yanks again. I don’t see anyone even in that class. Sure Angels may get a WC. Clev should take the central. Minn n Bost – LAA all will be battling 2 WC spots. NY should capture the East. Anyone thinking anything else as far as post season and these 6 teams are dreaming in reality TBH even with injury. Boston could flip flop with NY.
But for that to be reality their pitching would have to be a lot better and NY rotation decline. Otherwise that’s your teams. Someone not getting in out of the 6
Oh yeah, way better than the Mariners whose offense is better, and rotation is better than Oakland. But I’ll agree on Texas. Cause that just looks like a dumpster fire.
You cannot say the Angels are a contender until their pitching can prove to stay healthy, facts.
No way to know without time travel but if Lucroy accepts that trade to the Indians he might very well be a World Series champ with a $100 million contract right now.
lmao in what world does 2017 Lucroy singlehandedly get the Indians over the Yankees and Astros? Delusional post.
2016 world series…you know, the one the Indians were 1 game away from winning.
In what world does his post have anything to do with 2017 Lucroy? Lucroy rejected a trade to the Indians in 2016 – you know, the year they made it to extra innings in the World Series?
Show me where the OP says 2016, I’ll wait.
The OP is talking about the trade of Lucroy to the Indians, which most people who follow baseball can remember happened in 2016, not 2017.
I wouldn’t feel too bad if I’m lucroy. just wait until mid season and get traded to a contender
None of the Indians are World Series champs, and who knows if adding him changes them blowing a 3-1 series lead.
He means get traded mid-season THIS YEAR.
really dont know what the Nats are waiting for here… unless they finally give MIA what it wants for realmuto? cant possibly think they could give weiters the majority of starts behind the plate. lucroy and nats just seemed like such an obvious fit
Now the A’s can trade him to the Nats in five months for some young talent.
So really it’s a 3 month contract since he’ll be trade for the 4th time in less than 3 seasons.
“Even with Lucroy aboard, it’s tough to pick the A’s as a favorite in the AL West that’s led by an outstanding Astros club and is competitive from top top bottom”.
Lmao….Lucroy adds maybe 3-4 wins to a maybe .500 team….anyone who thinks they will compete with the Astros and Angels are high….they may compete for 4th place in their division….
Except the Angels have zero depth and the worst pitching coaches in the game who routinely blow out all their pitchers arms, so, no, you are high if you think the Angels are a slam dunk to stay healthy all year.
If you honestly think the Mariners and Rangers are better than the A’s on paper right now, then you don’t know anything about baseball, sorry.
Yes and I even argue the Angels are not much better than the A’s. I think the A’s and Angels lineup is equally good and maybe the A’s have a slight edge offensively. Defensively, the have a slight edge over the A’s, but both still very good. Starting rotation and bullpen, I give the slight edge to Oakland
One word. Moneyball. I just hope they get better actors to play the players in the sequel, “Moneyball 2: Thriftier Than Ever”
Lucroy burned Cleveland for this contract lmao!
Karma is always ready to jump in Lucroy. You stiffed the Indians’ trade for you and now they have three catchers who they wouldn’t trade even up for YOU. Not to mention your desire to play for a real contender. Good luck with that.
.
Mets are crazy they shoulda been all over LuCroy as a Brave fan I am glad they weren’t
At the end of the day it’s business… Billy Beane is just a master… Knowing he needs a good receiver to handle a very young but promising pitching staff, the A’s can keep LuCroy for the entire season or trade him… Oakland future looks brighter…
Dear haters,
Cant blame me for this one.
Scott Boras
Lucroy is going to bounce back. Hard worker and was always liked in Milwaukee
Definatelly a trade piece for them later this year.