With the Orioles having failed to extend Manny Machado in the past, the shortstop noted this weekend (via Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun) that “they never reached out and showed that appreciation like the Angels did to (Mike) Trout. It was a totally different situation.” Machado was referring to the Angels’ decision in 2014 to give the then-22-year-old Trout a six-year, $144.5MM extension – one that canceled out three arbitration-eligible seasons and three free-agent years. Now, Machado says he’s “grateful” he’ll hit free agency this offseason at the age of 26. So, while the Orioles are all but guaranteed to trade Machado to a contender in the next few months, it doesn’t sound as if his next employer will have a legitimate chance to prevent him from reaching the open market with a new contract. Of course, given that Machado is in line to sign one of the majors’ richest deals ever, it’s no surprise he’s eager to test the open market.
Here’s more on a couple other AL East teams:
- Left-hander CC Sabathia suggested last month that he’d retire at year’s end if the Yankees were to win the World Series. But the 37-year-old now seems more open to returning in 2019 even if the Yankees aren’t the last team standing this season. “If we win the World Series and I pitch well and I’m healthy at the end of the year, then it’s 50-50 that I come back,” Sabathia said (via Marc Carig of The Athletic; subscription required). “It’s not an absolute.” Considering how well he’s pitching, it stands to reason the Yankees would welcome back a healthy Sabathia next year if he decides to keep pitching. In his age 37-season, Sabathia has pitched to a 3.02 ERA/4.04 FIP in 83 1/3 innings, thanks in part to his ability to limit hard contact. Sabathia ranks third among qualified pitchers in average exit velocity against (84.2 mph).
- The value of Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak’s 2019 club option has climbed from $6MM to $7MM, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet tweets. In order for that to happen, Smoak needed to accrue 950 plate appearances from 2017-18. He surpassed that figure Saturday. And Smoak’s option will go from $7MM to $8MM if he amasses 150 more PAs this year (1,100 total from 2017-18), Davidi notes. Whether his salary ends up at $7MM or $8MM, both numbers look like reasonable salaries for Smoak – who’s enjoying his second straight above-average offensive season. Although, Smoak’s .235/.359/.438 line in 315 PAs falls well short of last year’s .270/.355/.529 showing.
- More on the Blue Jays, whose willingness to eat portions of veterans’ contracts in trades has them in a good position as the July 31 non-waiver deadline nears, Davidi observes. When Toronto sent infielder/outfielder Steve Pearce to Boston this week, it acquired infield prospect Santiago Espinal in part because it ate $1.66MM of Pearce’s remaining salary. With Pearce gone, the Jays still have several other veteran trade candidates, and paying some of their contracts would improve the team’s returns in deals. Notably, the Jays “have the support of the organization to do it,” general manager Ross Atkins said.
I’d be happy to see Sabathia rejoin the Yankees if he can continue as well as he’s currently pitching. A rotation of Severino/DeGrom/Sabathia/Tanaka/Montgomery would be pretty darn good if you ask me!
You do know Montgomery probably won’t be back in 2019, and where’s Gray?
Montgomery should be back by midseason. Gray’s going to be pitching in Japan.
12-18 months not gonna bank on mid-season 2019.
Being totally optimistic, there is a chance Montgomery pitches. 12 months lines up with mid 2019 and then it all depends how many rehab starts he’ll need.
I think Boceph may be right. I think a rotation of Severino/DeGrom/Keuchel/Sabathia/Tanaka is a good backup in case his TJ takes longer than anticipated..
The scrap heap
How you going to get DeGrom. More likely they will sign Corbin in the offseason then they execute a trade for DeGrom.
Yea Corbin has let it out that’s his dream.
They’re going to trade Ellsbury, Gardner, and Gray for DeGrom.
Lol
So no DeGrom then I thought so.
Even had his age, he’s a #3 for most teams. A lot of respect for anyone who successfully adapts his game.
That’s more Yankee fan dreaming as I don’t see the Mets trading DeGrom to the Evil Empire!
As much as I’d love to have DeGrom I doubt the Mets will deal him to the Yankees, even if they offer the best package. But a rotation of Sevy/Corbin/Sabathia/Sheffield/Montgomery doesn’t look half bad either.
Really wish they’d ship Gray off to Japan. He’s garbage.
Oh man I forgot Tanaka!
Sevy/Corbin/Tanaka/Sabathia/Sheffield
That rotation is kind of ass
I’d take that in Toronto next year.
It’d be ass no matter where it is
Care to elaborate on that? Asking because you’re completely off the mark, as usual.
A top of the rotation pitcher followed by 4 back of the rotation pitchers. Trim, all you do is go around regurgitating Jim’s ideas, please don’t say I’m the one who is wrong, as usual. All you do is agree with a troll.
“4 back of the rotation pitchers”?
Tanaka is a postseason ace, Sabathia is clutch as they came (12-0 pitching after Loss) Sevy’s became true ace, in every sense of the word this year.
“Ass rotation” ? huh? Yanks have history of rotation all performing where it matters most.
xabial I thought JDGopher’s comment was stupid. Corbin’s pitching better than Stroman pitched last year, and yet Corbin is considered a back of the rotation guy? Stupidity.
JDG – I’ve disagreed with Jimmer on many things. Difference is we are civil about it, and I’m not triggered by #scoutseyes the way you and others are on this site. You play to people’s opinions to gain friends just so they don’t completely obliterate your off the mark opinions as much as they should. But, if it bothers you that I don’t criticize Jimmer then all I can say is grab the nearest tissue and get over it.
So kind of you JD to call people names.
Please note I never insult. And I am often correct in my scouting calls. I think I have only missed two or three scouting calls in the 70-80 scouting calls that I have made in the last few years on this site.
Would you mind defining your use of the word troll for me please? thanks.
As for Trim,. he seems to get it right most of the time. We don’t always agree but it is good to see someone with that kind of expertise on this site.
The truth sometimes hurts to fans, esepcially if it disagrees with the marketing RaRa of the club and the hopes of the fanbase. #scoutseyes
“they never reached out and showed that appreciation like the Angels did to (Mike) Trout. It was a totally different situation.”
Oh gimme a break! Machado works harder on his home run handshakes and dances with teammates than he does on his game
Plus, if they had extended him the Orioles would be still 36 games under .500
As Gary Thorne said the other day the team is in disarray from top to bottom and so is the city of Baltimore and maybe the whole state…. top to bottom!!!!!!!!
SMH
Manny…..you aren’t Mike Trout.
He has a better arm than Trout, but that is about it.
Manny’s attitude is terrible. and he ain’t helping the O’s one bit!
But Trout would not have gotten his deal if he’d had 2 season ending knee surgeries like Manny did.
Lets not forget after 2.5 seasons in Baltimore he had already had 2 knee surgeries and had a career-high 14 HRs. He was not winning MVPs and a lot of his value was defensive.
Bold prediction: Machado isn’t traded
Because Angelos is still alive and in the mix, I agree that’s the most probable outcome. Even though doing so would be detrimental to the organization, Angelos would see keeping Machado as a big “F-you!” to the rest of the league.
Oh good heavens what a nightmare.
Cashman’s mistake last year was getting Gray INSTEAD of Verlander. They would be looking to repeat as WS Champions now.
Sonny Gray has been such a disappointment. His numbers are only marginally better than Jon Gray who the Rockies just sent down to AAA today.
Next year is Sonny’s final season of arb eligibility before hitting free agency after 2019. Yankees can non-tender him after the season (which I don’t see them doing), trade him for whatever they can get after arbitration, or just ride it out through next year. I look at him much the same way I look at Matt Moore – all the potential in the world that just hasn’t panned out, and it’s not clear why.
While I agree that Gray was a mistake, I think Houston probably would have insisted on prospects Cashman didn’t want to give up.
The tigers you mean…and it wouldn’t have cost much in prospects considering his salary, which was the reason why the Yankees didn’t get him.
Add in Verlander’s salary instead of Gray’s and the Yankees wouldn’t be under the luxury tax this year.
No chance the team trading for him prevents him from hitting FA. I know all this talk about him being “besties” with Almora coupled w/ the Cubs youthful core intact for years to come is appealing to Machado, but he’ll still hit the open market next winter, whether traded to the Cubs… or anywhere else.
As far as the Blue Jays go, sell, sell, sell!
Machado and Harper are in for a rude awakenings, they will both sign deals that are heavy in opt out options for the player on the front end and just as heavy on club options on the back end. When all said and done, they probably play 8 years and average $35m on their next contract. Far cry from $400m they idiot journalist have been projecting.
Rude awakenings…. 35mil per year for 8 years….
What a nightmare.
With the way the past offseason went, I’m not sure either gets a long term deal with an average $30+ million per year. I think Harper might even wind up signing a 1 year deal if his season continues as it has. I understand both manny and Harper are young, but teams have seen the error of signing player to extremely long deals. They just don’t generally work out. I’d rather miss out on some potentially superstar years to not have the bloated contract that ties up the roster on the back end.
Two terrific young players whose value on the field is radically overrated. Great to have on a fantasy league team for a year, not so much on a major league team expecting them to be leaders in getting the team into the WS. But as we’ve seen for decades, the media plays favorites, gives pub, and will quote select stats to inflate the legend of those they like. As examples, for the past 2 years 25 year-old Jose Rameriz of the Indians has been the impact player Machado was supposed to be, and the Nats 19 year-old Juan Soto is already a better all-around (and smarter) player then Harper is and will ever be.
Both will get those screwy one-sided long-term astronomical contracts where they can opt-out in a few years, but if they suck they can stay to collect a good percentage of their teams payroll, handicapping that teams front office from putting a contending team on the field for years.
“Nats 19 year-old Juan Soto is already a better all-round (and smarter) player then Harper is and ever will be” You sir need to get some help..WTF
You sir need to watch a dozen Nationals games.
Good point…a dozen games is a totally valid sample size.
Yea they are really gonna struggle to come to terms with only getting 280 million
Sabathia needs 8W and 88K to reach 250W and 3000K.
12-0 pitching following a NYY Loss, since beginning of 2017.
Let’s go CC! #HOF career
Hey X looks like it’s not going to be a sweep. In all seriousness these are two really good teams and I expect this to go down to the wire. I’m thinking injuries could be the difference in winning or losing the Al east. Should be real interesting tomorrow obviously the Yankees have an advantage tomorrow but Boston has been able to hit Severino at times in the past. Should be a lot of fun.
Thank you for keeping it classy, Bruin1012.
Better team won today. Can’t wait for tomorrow 😉
Unfortunate Severino and sale did t face off in the same game. Probably better that gray faced him so Yankees have a better chance of taking 2. It would have been a toss up between Severino and sale as to who won
Agreed. Who would have thought Devers would go 5-for-5, 4 RBI (Grand Slam) 3 Runs scored. His BA went from .239 to .251 with 14 HR.
Special night for the young man. Last hit came off Shreve, so shouldn’t count… Just kidding!
On to rubber game. Congratulations to well-deserved W.
Wish Sonny Gray was a little mentally stronger… Only needed 10 pitches to get the first 2 outs, yet somehow (still) served up a Grand slam, top of 1st lol. Never seen a SP unable to put batter(s) away w/ that many 2 strike counts in my life lol. He had 20 pitches on 2 strike counts .. w/ ZERO outs.
Man can’t wait for the game today should be real interesting. The Red Sox ace Sale held serve yesterday what an overpowering performance. It will be interesting to see how Sevy responds. I have to admit I was wrong about that guy didn’t think he was going to be a starter but his fastball slider combo is devestating. Have to lay off the slider to have any chance against Sevy. Should be a lot of fun again today.
Baseball is a business. If someone is good enough to go for the real gold like Manny, then be happy for him. Baltimore never turned out with sellout crowds to see his stellar play in the field and hunger for each at bat (as I used to for Davis, no more, no more). Manny will finish up his career as one of the very best players ever so he should be well compensated and play in front of more appreciative fans.
Whether Manny will stay, I hope, or go, I think depends on how MLB rules on the MASN contract with the Nationals to be decided on in mid-July, I think! So if the O’s win, they might very possibly keep Machado albeit leaving not a lot of money for the upcoming free agencies of Britton, Jones, Brach, but so what. Keep the super good ones. MANNY IS INCREDIBLE……..think about it!!!!!
O’s just need to clean house. Starting with the manager, pitching coach and hitting coach. Trade everything that isn’t nailed down. Release Davis by choking on the remaining salary. This is an ugly team.
Manny is Parkman from Major League 2. Good player who’s ego makes him think he is the best player. I have watched him grow these last few years and he has gotten a better bat and a bigger head.
Orioles should sell him right after the AS game.
I don’t get all the Manny bashing on here. The guy had. A couple immature moments 2+ years ago. How many of you had immature moments at work when you were in your early 20’s? Let’s be real. Manny is a far more valuable player than Harper but he did have the 2 knee injuries. He’s not as good as Trout but he’s available and can play SS or 3rd. He’s going to get a record breaking contract. He’ll break $325M that G got but like someone else said it may have some club opt outs and/or incentives on the back end. A couple immature plays by an early 20’s Star is not going to keep any team away from him.
Additionally, whoever said he works harder on his celebrations than his game … come on you can’t blame Manny for the O’s performance. Manny is a .377 hitter with RISP.