The latest from the American League…
- If the trade-happy Mariners have their way, third baseman Kyle Seager will be the next veteran to depart. The club’s willing to do “whatever it takes” to deal Seager, Buster Olney of ESPN writes (subscription required). Long one of the majors’ most underrated players, the 31-year-old Seager is coming off an uncharacteristically rough season and still has a guaranteed $57MM left on his contract. Seager’s presence is no longer needed in Seattle, which is rebuilding and trying to cut payroll, though it could be difficult to deal him on the heels of such a disappointing campaign. With that in mind, Olney suggests the Mariners could either swap Seager for another team’s unwanted contract or package him with one of their best remaining assets (Mitch Haniger or Jean Segura) to get his money off the books.
- Like Seager, Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez endured a surprisingly poor season in 2018. However, Sanchez is “not for sale,” general manager Brian Cashman tells Jack Curry of the YES Network (video link). The Yankees expect to be “proven correct” that Sanchez is a franchise catcher, per Cashman, who has consistently defended the 26-year-old in recent months. So, although Sanchez has come up in trade rumors as recently as this week, it appears he’ll stay put.
- Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer is another offseason trade candidate, but he explained to MLB Network this week that it wouldn’t make sense for the Tribe to deal him now. “There’s a lot of reasons I think that [the Indians should not trade me],” Bauer said (via Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com). “Ultimately, I think the surplus value on me this year is just way too high. Even with an arbitration raise, you’re probably talking about $15 to $20 million of surplus value.” Bauer added that it would be more logical for the Indians to move him a year from now, when his price will rise and he’ll be just one year from reaching free agency. The 27-year-old provided oodles of surplus value to the Indians in 2018, when he logged an amazing 2.21 ERA/2.44 FIP over 175 1/3 innings for a little more than $6.5MM. He’s projected to earn another reasonable salary – $11.6MM – in 2019.
Gary Sanchez future 2019 Comeback Player of the Year
Did somebody say oodles?
Fact
I haven’t heard that since I was 8, watching Dick Tracy cartoons with villains The Brow and Oodles on WGN after Cubs games.
You’re showing your age Steve.
I’m a shade surprised the old silver fox here knows how to log in.. jk I know what he’s talking about, God I miss the old Harry Carey day games
It’s ok, I get discounts at some fast food places. That’s if I can remember to ask for them.
They showed cartoons AFTER the Cub’s games.
Not til they have all pitchers who throw only fastballs!
NO. You DO NOT package Haniger to get rid of Seager. No. The Mariners are not financially strapped especially after trading Cano. I was reluctant with them doing it for Diaz as it surely limited the overall haul we received from the Mets. But in the end I was okay with the conclusion. But for Seagar? EAT THAT MONEY OWNERSHIP. If you’re going to trade Haniger, an All Star with 4 years of club control at a bargain salary, you rip the jugular out of whatever team you trade him too. You don’t attach a turd to the package and limit return so you can save money all while charging fans $11 for a beer. If this is a rebuild you go for **maximum** return to make this rebuild successful. Trade him to the Braves packaged with Pazos for some of their top prospects. You do not, under any circumstance, marginalize your return so a financially healthy ownership saves a few dollars.
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Phils get a Seager/Segura combo. We can move on from Franco finally.
The Phillies make sense, but they need to push hard for Harper or Machado first. If they sign Harper, get Seager and Segura, if they sign Machado, get Seager and Haniger. Either way a package of Franco, Santana, Bohm and JoJo and/or 20 Million to offset Santana’s salary, should be more than enough.
Dodgers find away to make a deal for Haniger and Seager from Seattle then move Seager to second with him rebounding. lol
Not a bad idea
Trade Bauer to the Astros just for the lols.
I was thinking the same thing. Make him and Bregman roommates.
Nah, you have to make him and Cole roommates.
With a bunkbed, you could room all three together. MLB network could have its first hit reality show.
Baur would be smart to move. Yes, he had a creer year last year however his WHIP was tanked most of his career. If trade the value now but again that’s why I’m notagm.
Bauer sure seems to think highly of himself.
Hmmm, can you pitch as well as he can? Right, didn’t think so.
if you dont think highly of yourself, who else will?
Seagar has the Cardinals written all over it.
Hope not but if it happens than Fowler is the return.
my thoughts exactly robert. Fowler for Seager makes some sense, they have pretty close to equal money left on their deals, Fowler has something like $48m left.
The problems with this idea: Seager is better than Fowler…and he’s younger…and a better fit for the team. The Mariners just acquired a CFer that is better and cheaper than Fowler. The don’t have any better 3B options on the team. Fowlers contract is extremely similar to Seagers (same duration, with a few million AAV), so it wouldn’t be a salary dump.
Why would the M’s want Fowler? Unless the Cards included some good young talent, it makes zero sense.
to STL
Seager
Segura
Pazos
to SEA
Fowler
Wong
Hudson (#3 STL, #93 overall MLB prospect – already MLB ready – pitched last season)
Jr. Fernandez (#14 Cards prospect RHP)
Sosa (#15 Cards prospect SS)
Why would the M’s ever do this?
Seager for Fowler, straight up, is a bad deal for the M’s. See my comment above. His inclusion would need to be offset by better talent coming back to the M’s.
Segura and Pazos are worth far more than Wong, Hudson, etc.
This makes no sense for the M’s.
The cards can’t trade Fowler’s signing bonus money, so it’s $43.5M for Seager’s $56M (not including the option year)
So a straight swap would save the M’s about $12.5M over 3 years. But I dunno if this is really a match. Cards can keep Fowler for depth and would probably prefer a better upgrade at 1B/3B. And the M’s wouldn’t want that much salary coming back
That’s so bad
Seager for Fowler straight up in a bad contract swap?
I like how St. Louis fans are trying to convince us seager has a bad contract. Seats is fair and the contract you gave to Fowler is horrible, Wong no body wants either
What happened with Cruz?
Is he going, did I miss something? Too much gift
wrapping!
Cruz is a free agent
Side,
Thank You Guy
Please someone take Seager! Package him with Segura!
Seager to the Padres?
Seager to the Dodgers. Then they’ll be the law firm of Seager & Seager…
Ditto- Seager to the Pads
3B Kyle Seager plus SP Mike Leake almost equal what’s left on 1B/OF Wil Myers deal.
If that’s not the perfect bad contract swap I don’t know what is.
Obviously the Padres would have to add to Myers to get the Mariners attention but I think Myers plus Jacob Nix and Robert Stock get the Mariners attention. Without any money switching hands.
Seager gets to play closer to his brother on the West Coast and Leake waives his NTC to go pitch in his hometown San Diego.
Myers gets a fresh start, he Haniger, Gordon, Mallex Smith and company start to form the new core.
Getting Dunn, Bautista plus Swarzak in the Cano deal, plus possibly Nix and Stock in this deal really improves the Seattle bullpen/rotation with young controllable arms.
The Padres hope to get Seager to rebound while adding his LHH power bat somewhere in the 5-6 hole of the lineup.
Leake would be a solid #3 behind hopefully Syndergaard and Lamet. We shall see if the Padres/Mariners connection has legs to the rumors but their bad contracts lineup well.
Actually Seattle has added Sheffield, Sanchez, Dunn, Bautista, Swarzak.
The deal above will make that plus: Jacob Nix, Robert Stock.
Seattle needs to keep stockpiling young arms.
I’m an M’s fan, and this is interesting.
The problem is the money and fit. Myers has an extra year on his deal, so the Seager/Myers swap wouldn’t make sense unless the M’s thought Myers was a good bet to improve a lot. Leake’s contract isn’t bad: its pretty close to market value. He’ll earn his salary (at least the part of it that the M’s are responsible for).
Plus, it isn’t a terribly good fit from a positional standpoint. The M’s have better OF depth than infield depth.
If the Pads sweetened the deal a bit, it could be a good option. Stock and Nix would make it a pretty enticing deal.
Yup exactly what the Padres need right now-another overpriced, below average, quickly declining corner infielder
Convince Fowler to waive his NTC and send him to Seattle for Seager.
Seattle needs a third baseman more than it needs an underperforming outfielder.
That’s such a bad deal, you’re not getting rid of that dumb contract, sorry
M’s aren’t strapped for cash. Keep Seager and hope he rebounds and trade him then. I would lock Haniger up with an extension.
That would be doing the same thing the mariners did to get in the Seager mess. Haniger is not even arbitration yet. Wait and see if he is the real deal before signing him long term. Mariners signed Seager after a career year and it cost them big time now. Haniger is a good player but not a super star player. Wait another 2 years before thinking about giving him a long term deal.
In seven full seasons, Kyle Seager has produced 27 WAR. That’s an average of 3.58 per season, even including his struggles in 2018. Steamer projects 2.6 WAR, even coming off that bad 2018.
Kyle Seager is a really good player.
Thank you for the Steamer’s Kyle Seager projection of a 2019 WAR of 2.6, which this year was valued at about $21 million.
In other words, more than Seager’s annual salaries in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Fowler/JMart/Weaver/Reliever for Seager/Haniger?
I’d keep Seager another year, see if he bounces back. But by all means, KEEP HANIGER!!!
There’s no reason to add someone else to Seager. It’s different for Cano for obvious reasons. But in no way shape or form are the situations similar. The mariners can get value for Seager without adding someone else in.
Kyle Seager for Luke Weaver straight up with some cash coming the Cardinals way?
I’m glad others are saying : keep seagar-see if he can rebound. And DON’T do anything with Hanover, except pencil him in at RF.
That might make more sense but doesn’t seem to be Dipotos plan.
I think they should trade Hanover for Saxony
Just for accuracy’s sake, assuming the Cards remain on the hook for Dex’s signing bonus, a straight swap would save Seattle $9.5m from 2019-2021 and another $15m in 2022.
Dexter Fowler’s $10 million signing bonus still has six $1 million installments due in 2019 through 2021, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts:
legacy.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/na…
With the club option the Mariners owe Kyle Seager nothing in 2022. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts the 2022 option becomes a player option if Seager is traded.
legacy.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/al…
Steamer projects 2019 WAR of 0.7 in 87 games for nearly 33-year-old Dexter Fowler and 2.6 in 149 games for 31-year-old Kyle Seager.
Even if the Mariners had a backup plan at third base the trade proposal makes no sense..
Didn’t see that 2022 was a club option on the site I saw. Thanks.
It becomes a player option if he’s traded which makes this really awkward. Makes him less valuable and a team taking on more money if he doesn’t rebound pretty substantially.
Steamer projects 2019 WAR of 0.7 in 87 games for nearly 33-year-old Dexter Fowler and 2.6 in 149 games for 31-year-old Kyle Seager.
Even if the Mariners had a backup plan at third base the trade proposal makes no sense..
It’s a great thought to trade Fowler for Seager, on the Cardinals side. But there are problems with it. First, despite Fowler, seemingly, being unhappy as a Cardinal, he’d be going to a team with much less of a chance to be competitive. He’s very unlikely to waive his full NTC for that very reason. But if he could somehow be convinced to waive it, the Cardinals would need to throw in a sweetener. Perhaps a Hesley might be the “price”.
The package and/or arrangement could be expanded as well. Add Gyorko in the return for Seattle so they have a 3rd base option and Povse coming back to the Cards.
All that said, there actually might need to be a third team involved willing to take Fowler for little to nothing going the other way(s).
I have to believe that the Cards are willing to eat part of Fowler’s contract to jettison him.
I’m thinking the Mariners wouldnt want Fowler. But maybe they would move seager for say Cecil and gyorko? They would save some money, and have a third baseman. We would improve at third and bullpen just by cecil being gone, while also not taking on alot of extra money. I think seagers due 57 mil. Cecil’s due 15 and gyorko 13 I think, with an option. So seager becomes a 40 mil commitment over 3 years. Could work for both sides
That’s why i suggested a third team might be needed.
Your proposal isn’t bad, but the Cards are only paying $8 mil of Gyorko’s owed $13 mil. The Padres are paying the other $5 mil. Plus, there’s a team option with a $1 mil buyout for Jedd. So in total, that’s swapping $24 mil to the M’s for $56 mil base that would be owed by the Cards. BUT, if Seager is traded, his club option for $15 mil in 2022 becomes a player option. So, in reality, the total for Seager rises to a possible $71 mil. In your scenario, the Cards would need to get at least 1, maybe 2, decent prospects in their return. Somewhere in the 12 to 20 range of team top 30.
Now, Seager might decline that option if he’s playing well and healthy, but it’s a risk, on the Cards part, none the less.
That could work! Good insight
“The club’s willing to do “whatever it takes” to deal Seager,”
Okay, Dipoto, give the Giants Haniger, Kelenic, Dunn, and Seager.
The Giants will give you Samardzija, Melancon, and Longoria.
You said, “whatever it takes”
Whatever it takes to reduce Mariners financial obligations to him. Not add more salary. That’s the whole point of doing whatever it takes to get rid of his salary. Not add more salary to replace his.
Dealing Cano looking to deal Leake and segura they’re looking to shed salary. Not take on more salary.
It was a joke.
It’s said they’ll do “whatever it takes.”
The Mariners ownership are also going to be getting money from a new contract to the naming rights to the stadium. The Safeco contract has expired.
Kyle Seager and Mike Leake for Eric Hosmer Brett Kennedy to replace Leake in the rotation and 1 or 2 lower level prospects. Padres can shift Myers back to 1st pick up an innings eater, Mariners clear salary.
Hosmer makes absolutely no sense for the Mariners.
Is the point to get something back or to clear salary? Cause they’d save about 10mill in 2019 and 10 Mill in 2020 by swapping contracts. They’d also pay Hosmer 2 Mill more in 2019 than they’d pay seager. And have to deal with a 4 year 60 Mill contract assuming he opts in which he may. Also I’d assume the Padres would send back lower prospects Cish range to facilitate the deal.
You still have to put together a roster
Hosmer isn’t getting traded after year 1 of that deal. The organization values him highly anyway. He won’t be moved.
How do the M’s clear salary? They get your junk 1B for the same exact cost. Hosmer is guaranteed 80MM over the next four and then if he never rebounds he has the right to earn himself another 39 over the last 3. Leake and Seager are owed 93 total. Seattle could end up picking up more money for Brett Kennedy? No thanks. Leake still has value as an innings eater and I’ll take seager’s chances of bouncing back for less guaranteed money at a more useful position.
Seager and Leake make 10 Mill more combinef than Hosmer does in 2019 and 2020.
Hosmer makes 2 Mill more than Seager does in 2021.
That leaves 4 years 60 Mill obligation to Hosmer 2022-2025. His price reduced to 3 years 13 Mill a year from 2023 2024 2025.
Nobody wants that contract
Ha good try trying to dump that horrible Hosmer contract, but even Dipoto wouldn’t make that horrendous deal. And if you can’t get Dipoto to take it since he always gets ripped off, no one else will fall for it.
Hosmer is making 21 Mill in 2019 2020 2021 2022 then it converts to a 3 year 39mill contract.
Seager is making 19.5 2019 2020 2021. Leake is making 16 Mill in 2019 15 Mill 2020. Trading both saved them roughly 10 Mill in 2019 and 10 Mill in 2020.
They’d spend 2 Mill more in 2021 to pay Hosmer than they’d pay Seager.
Leaving them with a 4 year 60 Mill deal for Hosmer.
Youre assuming that they’d want hosmer for that price and that Leake and seager have no value. Too many flaws in that logic. Hosmer is paid way too much at a non premium defensive position. Seager is a season removed from being a productive player and Leake still does what he was signed to do. Eat innings in the back half of a rotation. Sure, Hosmer is a season removed from being productive too but his deal was bad the day it was signed. Had he produced this year SDP wouldn’t have had an easy time moving him. They certainly won’t w the way he played.
Leake and Seager don’t have value. Not at their current prices. Nor does Hosmer. Whole point of excitement changing bad contracts with the Padres kicking in a couple C/C+ level prospects
Leake is worth his contract, or modestly overpaid at worst.
Seager is coming off a bad year, but his contract is near the albatross that Hosmer’s is. The M’s don’t want more long term, bloated contacts. They are actively getting rid of them.
Leake and Seager for Myers+? That’s not silly.
How much money does Seattle realistically have to move on leake’s deal if they just want to trade him? Not all that much. 2/25 would be fair for Leake and he’s owed 36. They eat about 10 and they can offload the guy without any problems. They saved more money there then they did in your hosmer scenario without even have to think about moving seager.
They’d have to eat 14 Mill. He’s worth a 2 year 22 Mill deal at market value for his profuction.
If they want to eat 14 Mill sure go for it. They’d get back a fringe prospect or 2 similar to the James shield deal. Padres lucked out that tatis Jr became what he has but that’s what Mariners would get for Leake a lottery ticket.
Not really.
St. Louis is paying $9 million of his contract the next two years. I’m not sure if they will be responsible for part of his 5 mil buyout for 2021. But the M’s – or anyone they trade Leake to – will only pay $11 per year in 2019-20.
Worst case scenario, his salary would be 2/26 or 3/40 if they pick up the option.
That’s about market value for a reliable inning eater type.
Cards are paying about $5m each year.
So Seattle is really only paying $10 and 11m.
Curious, can Saeger okay other positions other than just 3rd? I don’t follow the Mariners and don’t know if he’s ever played other positions like 2nd base. If he can play 2nd maybe the Dodgers can trade for him? Or play him at 3rd and move Turner to 2nd where he has experience. The Dodgers need a solution at 2nd base and not only would that solve that it would also put the Saeger bothers on the same team which would be pretty cool. I know he had a down year but I still think he should bounce back.
Kyle Seager was drafted as a second baseman:
baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=2009&dr…
Seager had played 22 MLB games at second base but only one inning since 2012:
baseball-reference.com/players/s/seageky01.shtml
Thank you!! That answers my question. Definitely would like to see the Dodgers try to trade for him then and move him 2nd. Even though it’s been a while since he’s played there I think he’d be fine.
If the Mariners eat 25m off that deal i can see him going down to San Diego. Playing in the same division as his brother and he could be a nice bounce back candidate.
Have to move Myers contract off the books 1st.
The White Sox have a loaded farm system and a hole at 3B. Steele Walker, Blake Rutherford, Micker Adolfo, Gonzalez and Basabe are in a crowded outfield. I’d say pick your flavor among those kids and another mid-lower Prospect.
Seager and Haniger to the white Sox would be a good pickup. Adams, Adolfo, Yolmer going back
Seager and Segura for Carlos Santana, Tommy Hunter, JP Crawford and Zach Eflin
Lol…why would the Mariners do that? They are in a rebuild, they would want prospects for Segura and Seager isn’t that bad. He played half the season with a broken toe in his plant foot. They might be interested in Crawford but they will want good prospects to…not thinks Seager would be going to
Philly, just Segura.
It’s strangely amusing to me how it seems to be impossible to have a middling opinion of Sanchez. He’s either great or he’s a DH.
Haha I was noticing that too
Ellsbury for Seager straight up?
Ms have zero options at 3B if they dump him. At least Seager is near gold glove like and a possible bounce back at the plate. Hope the Ms don’t dump him for a useless salary dump player or eat practically his entire salary for a very low C prospect.
Steamer projects Jacoby Ellsbury with a 2019 WAR of 0.0 in 24 games and Kyle Seager with a 2019 WAR of 2.6 in 149 games.
In the Seattle outfield complementing Mitch Haniger and Mallex Smith, Steamer projects Ben Gamel with a 2019 WAR of 1.1 in 130 games and Jay Bruce with a 2019 WAR of 0.5 in 119 games.
Why would the Mariners be interested in Jacoby Ellsbury?
Why? Seager can actually play in a game while Ellsbury is junk.
Ellsbury isn’t junk
Junk looks at Jacoby ellsbury and thinks “well, I still have my health at least”
A professional athlete who doesn’t have his/her health isn’t an incredibly desirable (or useful) employee… Junk might look at Ellsbury and admire his salary…
Idiots all know that he had shoulder surgery right here Cortizone shots all season right