The Diamondbacks’ recent plummet out of contention in the NL West should force the team and fans alike to ask the uncomfortable question of how long Paul Goldschmidt will remain with the team, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Arizona holds a no-brainer $14.5MM option over Goldschmidt for the 2019 season, but he’s slated to hit free agency after that campaign. The D-backs don’t have tons of financial flexibility (thanks largely to enormous salaries for Zack Greinke and, to a lesser extent, Yasmany Tomas), and they’re lacking in the upper levels of the farm following numerous win-now trades. There’s also the question of how willing the team should be to commit what could be a $25MM+ annual salary to a player who’d be 32 years of age in the first season of that contract.
While the D-backs and Rockies aren’t in the same situation in terms of payroll and overall farm strength, Arizona’s Goldschmidt conundrum nonetheless has some parallels to the looming decision Colorado will need to make with regard to Nolan Arenado. Both players will be free agents following the 2019 season, and both franchise players could be difficult to extend now that they’ve come this close to reaching free agency.
Here’s more from the division…
- Hunter Pence has recently ducked questions about whether he’ll continue his playing career beyond the current season, but Kerry Crowley of the San Francisco Chronicle notes that Pence isn’t the only Giants outfielder whose career could be in question. Veteran speedster Gregor Blanco discussed his future with Crowley, acknowledging that he’s not certain what type of interest he’ll draw in free agency but adding that he does hope to continue his career. “I’m really pleased and happy and proud of myself for my career, but I still have one more goal and that’s trying to make it to 10 years in the game,” said Blanco. The 34-year-old technically has already appeared in parts of 10 big league seasons, though his 2009 campaign was quite abbreviated (24 games, 48 PAs) and, in terms of Major League service time, he’ll finish 2018 with eight-plus years. It’s been a tough season at the plate for Blanco, who has batted just .225/.277/.331 through 174 trips to the plate.
- Dylan Floro has proven to be an exceptional find for the Dodgers, writes Mark Whicker of the Southern California News Group. Acquired from the Reds alongside some international bonus pool space in a largely unheralded trade this summer, the journeyman Floro has delivered 27 innings of 1.33 ERA ball with 10.0 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 0.33 HR/9 and a 54.8 percent ground-ball rate. Floro discussed the manner in which he’s changed his pitch selection since returning to Los Angeles, as well as the way in which manager Dave Roberts’ confidence has made him feel at ease. “Mainly it’s been nice to know I’m going to get chances even if I have a rough night, and I’ve had a couple of those,” said Floro, who had previously been designated for assignment on four occasions (including once by the Dodgers, before ever pitching in a big league game for them).
Got a game for ya’ll, name your top 5 favorite/least favorite MLB writers
Do you count?
You?
Favorite….well I’ll check Reddit and the Score for those guys.
Favorites: Jeff Sullivan, Andy McCullough
Least Fav: Dylan Hernandez, Henry Schulman, Bill Plaschke, Jon Heyman
Anyone else having trouble with the TR app? For some reason I can only see what’s posted today and if I keep scrolling down there’s a four week gab with no posts
It’s because you wanted to bash the writers…
Goldy is a beast!
Pence plays the game the right way. He should retire before things get worse,
Were you saying that to Albert Pujols as well?
Pujols still has a contract. Pence will be trying to get another one coming off an embarrassing 2 year stretch of baseball, if he decides to try and keep playing. Deep down even though he loves the game, he has to know that he is done at this point.
If he wants to play, he’ll have to settle for a one year low base with incentives contract. The choice first his his, does he want to continue as a fourth outfielder and if so, is there a team willing to give him a spring training shot given his limited versatility? Other than the Giants as a thank you, I’m not sure. In today’s game the ability for reserves to be able to play anywhere seems to almost be a must.
I’m quite sure that he would receive spring training invites
Last offseason was the nail in the coffin to guys like Pence. Unfortunately for him even if he wanted to play, no one would want him.
If the D-Backs wanna save money, I’m sure the Yankees would take Goldschmidt and Greinke.
What a dumb comment, actual Yankees fans know better.
Rockies gotta pay arenado. He’ll be 28 at contract end…still at least 6-7 years of production in that Colorado air….can’t let that go….but I guess tulo left….though different circumstances.
Rockies should trade away a couple solid prospects to dump bad contracts this offseason to clear money for Arenado. They have a very good, young, cheap rotation for the next 3 years, can’t waste that opportunity.
I think arenado will go to angels and join trout and ohtani. That middle of the order will be lethal.
Where’s this money coming from??
Lol the angels aren’t getting Arenado. They need to focus on retaining Trout, if anything.
Floro has been exceptional since coming over. A quality pickup, that has been lost in the volume of discussion about this FO not helping the bullpen.
Yep. No matter how well the bullpen performs, it will always be a weak link to some here. Easier to blame the FO that way.
Should the Dodgers win the WS, it will be in spite of the FO, according to some.
You nailed it fox471.
For those of you who missed it (hint……hint…..), you might want to check out Jeff Sullivan’s article (link below) from Wednesday on the same topic addressed by Whicker, Sullivan points out how Florio (like Cingrani in 2017) improved markedly after coming to LA. This FO, contrary to the conventional wisdom of some regular posters here, not only is smart about acquiring gems in the rough; but, they also have brought in coaches who are quite good at improving the skills and approaches of the players.
link to fangraphs.com
I would also add that this FO knew all along that a couple of starters (Maeda and Wood) would be added to the pen and that there was no need to panic on the bullpen. The Dodgers pen will not be a weakness in October. When you compare the LAD to other teams that make the playoffs, I just don’t see the bullpen as the liability some here are suggesting
Floro hasn’t been lost. He stands out as the only one who has amounted to anything. And yes, the bullpen remains the Dodgers weak link.
Ryu, Wood and Maeda will strengthen the bullpen just fine in the playoffs.
last year they say Ryu cant pitch in relief for that He wasn’t in the WS
Wood last few outings have been awful, he might not make the playoff roster
With the way Wood has been pitching lately, he might very well be left off a playoff roster. It isn’t just the diminished velocity that has hurt him, it’s the lack of command. They have tinkered with his delivery before and will probably have to do it again, but the chances of them fixing mechanical issues before the season ends are slim to none. Fortunately Ryu has really stepped up. Short of some major setback over the next week he’s a lock to be on a NLDS roster, in the rotation, along with Kershaw, Hill, and Buehler. Stripling and Maeda are in the pen. Wondering if we will see Urias again before the end of the season.
The Goldy decision is why it sucks to be a mid-market team in a division with 2 large market ones…..tough, tough choice has to be made…..despite all his pluses (class act all around), it’s going to be hard to keep him……
Goldy to the Yanks for Andujar
lol
It’s too bad they overreached on Greinke. I think it’s gonna cost ‘em Goldy — which is a shame.
Not if you’re a Dodger fan
well said. This is why Friedman walked away from the table–and he had (and will have) considerably more resources to play with. Mid-market teams have such a small margin to play with and long-term max contracts, like the one AZ gave to Greinke, have even greater implications for their ability to remain competitive.
Christian Walker time. No more AJ or Corbin either.
LOL @ the Arizona Douchebacks stealing a ton of BoSox front office etc personnel over the last couple seasons and STILL NOT MAKING the playoffs in the WEAK NL West Division. Way to choke like the 2004 new yawk pinstripes. Serves you right, chumps. Gotta feel bad for coach Louv and Bucky though, they don’t deserve that. Goldie boy is likely on his WAY OUT sooner than later too, we’ll take him off your hands in Title Town in FA, no worries. Could use another 1st baseman with solid skills and a goofy last name.
Lol you are the absolute worst
“Title town”
the football team cheats.
Red Sox have like 3 wins the last 90 years
Bruins have 1 in like 60 years
NL West is certainly not weak but more power to you
It is middling. Based on combined record, slightly more games lost than won. The division strength from high to low:
ALW
NLC
ALE
NLW
NLE
ALC
This ranking is unchanged since the last time I ran these numbers in mid-July. The most notable change since then is the NLW has gotten slightly worse and the ALC has gotten better.
Sad way for Hunter Pence to “go out” concerning a good MLB career and some WS Rings that he ACTUALLY contributed to winning. Maybe a year off or something of the like would do him some good? Dude is a solid character and decent person, a rare feat for the state of texass, lol.
I love Blanco. I think he’s a classy player. However I’m frustrated when I see Bochy hit him at leadoff. He’s just not a great guy to leadoff, he doesn’t get on base enough when hitting first. When he’s hitting down the lineup he hits better. I don’t know what it is about Bochy he wants the leadoff guy to have speed but when their speed doesn’t help when they aren’t on base.
If the D-Backs wanna keep Goldy, and supplement him with a good supporting cast of players, I feel they have no choice but to trade Greinke, maybe even Marte as well.
Mega blockbuster here……Goldy/Greinke/Lamb/Chafin to the Cardinals for Carpenter/Fowler/Weaver/Hudson/Gyorko. D-backs get two young cost-controlled pitchers who are already MLB level pitchers and former 1st round picks. They get the Grienke contracts off the books. along with other $ longer term. The Cardinals get the MOTO bat(Goldy) and LH bat/3rd baseman they need plus most of all get rid of Fowler. Greinke can be the veteran leader of the staff for his remaining time (three years).
If I were the Cardinals I would do that trade in a heartbeat,but you only get one of Weaver or Hudson, and throw in Brett Cecil
Steve: Regarding the part about Floro that reads “Floro discussed the manner in which he’s changed his pitch selection since returning to Los Angeles…” could this possibly indicate a win for analytics? It seems to imply that the Dodgers either knew before they acquired him, or they learned very soon afterwards, that he wasn’t using his most effective pitches often enough, or in the best sequence. Thoughts?
If you read Jeff Sullivan’s post, you’ll get your answer. link to fangraphs.com