Alex Wood was a target for the Nationals at the 2019 trade deadline, as Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reports that the Nats “nearly acquired” the southpaw, who was then a member of the Reds. The timing is interesting, as back injuries prevented Wood from making his 2019 debut until July 28, just three days prior to the deadline. While Wood ended up making seven starts for Cincinnati that season, it’s fair to assume that the Nationals may been considering him as a reliever (or a swingman) given the dire state of Washington’s bullpen at the time.
Needless to say, the Nats don’t regret how things turned out for them at the 2019 deadline, as July 31 acquisition Daniel Hudson played a critical role in Washington capturing the World Series. But with Wood now a free agent and the Nationals looking for some veteran pitching depth, GM Mike Rizzo could very well revisit the idea of adding the left-hander to the D.C. roster. Wood was again hampered by injuries in 2020, tossing only 12 2/3 innings for the Dodgers during the regular season and posting a 6.39 ERA. However, his campaign ended on the high note of a World Series ring and a 1.35 ERA (one run in 6 2/3 relief innings) in four postseason outings.
More from around the senior circuit…
- The Padres announced that longtime third base coach Glenn Hoffman is retiring from coaching for a new position as a senior advisor in San Diego’s baseball operations department. Hoffman has been a mainstay in the Padres’ third base box for the last 15 seasons, coming on the heels of seven seasons as the Dodgers’ third base coach (and a stint as the Dodgers’ interim manager in 1998, as Hoffman led the team to a 47-41 record). As per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, bench coach Bobby Dickerson seems to be the favorite to take over third base coaching duties.
- The Cubs will be looking for more pitching depth this winter, though Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that four rotation spots may be settled, to some extent. Yu Darvish and Kyle Hendricks are obviously entrenched atop the starting five, and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein sounds comfortable on Alec Mills and Adbert Alzolay taking up the next pair of rotation spots. There have been questions about Alzolay’s ability to stick in the rotation, but the Cubs were apparently impressed enough with the improvement of his slider to regard him as a starter. Youngsters Tyson Miller, Brailyn Marquez, and Justin Steele will get a shot at the fifth starter’s role, but Chicago is also looking outside the organization at the middle-to-bottom tier of free agent pitchers, depending on what the Cubs decide to do with the rest of their roster. Epstein has left open the possibility of bringing Jon Lester back on a short-term deal, but the Cubs are comfortable letting him test the market.
I remember Hoffman, before he had ever even had a plate appearance in MLB ball, used to drive this bright red corvette, at least to ST. Had the license tag “HOFF-1” still remember all these decades later. He played minor league ball in winter haven also (where ST was then for Boston), but can’t recall if he drove the thing during his time with the HaSox or not. Always meant to ask him during his time with the Sox during ST, but never got around to it, or forgot when had the chance.
John – You followed the Red Sox MLB and minor leagues in the 1970s as did I. It is a lot of fun watching the players rise through the system and play in the mlb. It is funny to see all these guys retiring. Fred Lynn was in the car next me a couple weeks ago. His license plate was (if memory serves me right something like) BOSOX19. When I saw the license plate I took a double take and realized he was driving. Lol, never expected that.
It was indeed a great time (to me) following the game and especially ST. Players, coaches, everyone was approachable. ST was just that.. ST. They came to ST pretty much out of shape over the winter. I can remember more than one game in early March where George Scott was wearing his warmup jacket during a ST game attempting to lose the gut he put on over the offseason and he ALWAYS came to ST with a bigger than Sandoval type belly.
Pitchers doing sprints along the warning track during games. Pepper.. Things lost in time as antiquated where everyone just gets back on their heels and swings for the fences, or rears back and throws as hard as they can.
Well the reason I looked at this article was because I saw Hoffman and Padres, but alas my expectations need to be lower.
Philip Seymour Hoffman?
I honestly thought Wood and the Nats were a perfect fit. They need 2 cheap starters and Wood wants to start above all else.
I’ve said it several times but just hoping someone from the Royals sees this and considers bringing Alex Wood to Kansas City
Yep, a Royals FO member will see your comment and then realize that they hadn’t been looking at the 2020-2021 free agents list, they instead were looking at the 2019-2020 free agents list. When he realizes their critical mistake, he then refers back to your original comment and then thanks you by giving you a position in their FO.
I kid.
2 comments, 2 smart a$$ comments. Why waste your time and ours?
Phillies need Wood
Is this a ED ad?
Angel needs Wood but will they get him, dought it,
The Cubs will probably sign a starting pitcher on a pillow contract. That and bring a couple tons of NRIs to fill out their pitching staff.
I think it’s absolutely discouraging that the Cubs will probably send out the exact same roster, bringing in a few cheap free agents, without trading anyone from the core. My assumption is Bryant will probably stay, without any consideration of making a daring trade, such as trading Darvish, whose value will never be higher than now.
They are not better than the Dodgers and Braves, probably not better than the Padres, and possibly not better than the Mets or Cardinals. I think the 2020 team was artificially better because they only played NL Central teams.
In my view they should analytically make a few trades, so as to build-up their Minor League talent, while also at the same time trying to win the NL Central.
NL Central and AL Central teams. But the toughest job is to simultaneously build up the farm while trying to contend. It can be done, but it is hard. And it almost always involves trading a fan favorite player.
If Alex Wood is throwing 92-94, he’s good. If he’s throwing 88-90, he’s throwing BP. He’s definitely a guy worth rooting for though, and I hope he’s successful wherever he ends up.
On a side note.. I just looked at Kyle Hendricks’ career page..and he’s quietly put up a brilliant career so far. With everything else going on in Chicago over hr last few years, I haven’t realized just how good he is.
Yeah, Hendricks is great. One of the least talked about starters in the game, but he has helped that Cubs team for years.
Hendricks has been great and dependable. When he has that changeup fully locked in, his starts are really enjoyable and fun to watch.
Highly underrated and smartest pitchers in the game.
***One of the smartest.
Greg Maddux lite lol
White Sox could use another lefty. Would rather have Wood than Quintana
Wood is good, but is he the starting pitcher worth $10m a season or in the pen worth $4m? Can he make 20 starts a year? Nasty when healthy.
Well my Mets payed porcello 10 mil lol
I still can’t believe they did that coming off his 5.50+ ERA season. Brodie was so bad.
Yes they did. Donation to a local charity, LOL. It will be Porcello’s last big contract. He could be looking at a Non-roster invitee type deal this year, or a one-year make good low risk deal somewhere. Like a pitching coach player to a group if youngsters. Detoit again?
Gotta do your homework on the Cubs. Alzolay has long been a top prospect who added a devastating slider to go with 4 other pitches. Marquez is a year away.
Hopefully someone other than the Dodgers sign Dead Wood for 2021.
Cubbies, take Stanton… please!!!
You think the team that was crying poor *before* the pandemic is going to take on 218M in new money
Good luck with that
No one is taking Stanton until and unless he has at least two highly productive, injury-free seasons. And the Vegas odds aren’t good.
Hoffman FunFact- Hoffman’s Dad was a usher at Anaheim Stadium. From time to time he would sing the National Anthem before the game.. He was known as the “Singing Usher”
What’s the over/under on Tyler Chatwood being a solid 4 or 5 for another team? I’d love Duncan work his magic on him on the south side.
The Cubs are certainly at a crossroads. They could bring everyone back for one more year in 2021, knowing fully well they cannot resign everyone (Schwarber, Bryant, Rizzo, Baez, and Contreras) long-term and hope to have any financial flexibility, while at the same time they cannot seriously believe they are currently better than the Dodgers, Braves, or Padres. They clearly are probably the fourth best team in the NL (maybe also behind the Mets and Cardinals??), while at the same time the playoffs are unpredictable, so just getting to the playoffs and getting hot at the right time can lead to a deep playoff run.
I would look to package Bryant in a deal with Darvish, maybe to the Mets or Angels (could prove really good fits from a competitive-window standpoint, especially with Cohen the new owner in NYC). Bryant and Darvish to NY Mets for Mauricio, Allan, Ginn, and J.D. Davis (maybe a little more even). I would prefer a deal to the Angels, sending Bryant and Darvish, while getting back Marsh, Detmers, and Kochanowicz (possibly a little more). Cubs get another $42 million off the books, which can be used to a get bunch of one-year to two-year deals for Tommy La Stella, Jackie Bradley, Brand Hand, James Paxton, Jose Quintana, and Chris Archer, etc. (maybe different names). Can get even more off the books with non-tendering Schwarber.
This would position the team to get additional Minor League talent into the system, shedding salary for possibly a big 2021-22 offseason where they could resign Baez (if he regains pre-2020 form), sign Lindor, Syndergaard, Verlander, longer deal for Rizzo, etc.
I would use 2020 as a retool year, getting what you can for some of the players on the roster, while keeping others (Happ, Baez, Rizzo, Contreras, Hendricks), building towards a better team in 2022 and beyond. The current roster just has not gotten over the hump in the last four years. Doing nothing with the roster and expecting different results is the definition of insanity!!
What would the Halo’s do with Bryant??? the last thing in the world they need is a 3rd – 1st =Lf – DH. Now if you want to take Justin Upton, Albert Pujols, for bryant and Darvish that would be a good deal.
Bryant could also play RF, but of course the Halos have Adell. Pujols only has one more year, although at $30 million, while Bryant also has one more year at $20 million (probably; last year of arbitration). Yeah, that certainly is a logjam, and they all hit right-handed (Pujols, Upton, Adell, Bryant). Maybe the Halos prefer to trade Adell in this scenario rather than Marsh (lefthanded), IDK.? It’s just a scenario, though probably far-fetched.
As a Cubs fan, in my mind, the Halos picking up Bryant would be part of the justification in getting Darvish for such a modest cost (Marsh, Detmers, and Kochanowicz), as the Cubs are in a financial pinch, though probably every team is.
If the Halos did pick up Darvish, I think they’d be the favorites in the AL West with Bundy, Canning, Heaney, and Darvish. And with a new general manager, he might want to make an initial splash. And they can’t continue to waste Mike Trout, as they need to get him to the playoffs. I think Arte Moreno and the Angels’ fans want a winner, so I could see something similar to this happening. Maybe Bryant wouldn’t be included? With Madden as the manager, he’d find a spot somewhere for Bryant.
Maybe the Cubs could trade Bryant to the Tigers for Matt Boyd?
Coming from a long time Dodger gan….SOMEONE please trade for Wood!!!
He isn’t on a team currently, so he can’t be traded.