A Realistic View at 2019: Part I

[mvp 78]

Bad reviews on his Defense from Scouts.

 

His defense has always been bad though. That hasn't changed. He's dropping on lists because his bat isn't progressing enough to carry his poor fielding.

[moonslav59]

Madison Bumgarner is a 29-year-old with a one-year commitment at a $12 million salary while Dallas Keuchel is a 31-year-old with a projected four-year, $82 million contract.

 

 

The return in trade for Bum will be huge.

[moonslav59]

The Rays might be reluctant to trade five years of lefthander Jose Alvarado and take on salary in the form of a three-year commitment to a backup catcher.

 

The Rays love defensive catchers, and Vaz would be their starter.

[moonslav59]

When last seen, Steve Pearce was hitting the piss out of quite a few baseballs himself...

 

It only counts with Yankee players.

 

We also need to worry about Sale's late season struggles, but Severino and Torres will repeat only their first halves of 2018 two times next year. Bank on it.

 

[harmony]

The Rays love defensive catchers, and Vaz would be their starter.

The Rays already have a better defensive catcher in Mike Zunino:

 

http://fieldingbible.com/complete-votetally.asp

 

... who in last year’s down season posted 1.5 fWAR to the negative 0.8 fWAR posted by Christian Vazquez.

 

Zunino’s 2017 fWAR of 3.7 nearly triples the 1.3 career fWAR of Vazquez, who is older than Zunino.

Edited January 10, 2019 by harmony

[kenmeister]

It only counts with Yankee players.

 

We also need to worry about Sale's late season struggles, but Severino and Torres will repeat only their first halves of 2018 two times next year. Bank on it.

 

 

I, for one, would consider converting Sale to a closer if he continues to be unable to pitch a full season, much as Papelbon and Eckersley before him.

[moonslav59]

The Rays already have a better defensive catcher in Mike Zunino:

 

http://fieldingbible.com/complete-votetally.asp

 

... who in last year’s down season posted 1.5 fWAR to the negative 0.8 fWAR posted by Christian Vazquez.

 

Zunino’s 2017 fWAR of 3.7 nearly triples the 1.3 career fWAR of Vazquez, who is older than Zunino.

 

I forget about Zunino. I read somewhere recently that the Rays were interested in a catcher.

[Kimmi]

Even 3 is too much, but it's better than 4 or 5.

 

I'm still doubtful we get him unless his price falls on a 3 o4 year deal or he agrees to a 1 or 2 year deal at top dollar.

 

Is Dombrowski going to go cheap on the BP?

 

Color me shocked if that happens. Not necessarily disappointed, but shocked.

[Kimmi]

Viot is one of those players that are almost instantly dislikable.

 

Isn't that the truth?

 

It's amazing how many Yankees players fall into that category. LOL

[Bellhorn04]

Is Dombrowski going to go cheap on the BP?

 

Color me shocked if that happens. Not necessarily disappointed, but shocked.

 

It does seem possible at this point, especially after his comments about Kimbrel.

[Bellhorn04]

Isn't that the truth?

 

It's amazing how many Yankees players fall into that category. LOL

 

True. And I can't believe the Yanks still insist on their players being clean-shaven. It's getting a little weird.

[Kimmi]

It does seem possible at this point, especially after his comments about Kimbrel.

 

I wonder how much of that is posturing. Not that I think Kimbrel's asking price in years will come down enough for us to sign him, but I still don't believe Dombrowski will go with the 'throw crap against the wall' BP strategy.

 

If he does, I'll be shocked, as I just posted.

[cp176]

I hope that the Yankees sign machado so that I can have a real reason once again to dislike them.

Kimbrel is on his way. here he comes.

[moonslav59]

I hope that the Yankees sign machado so that I can have a real reason once again to dislike them.

Kimbrel is on his way. here he comes.

 

I hope the Yanks get Machado, too.

 

Then, when we bear their asses it will be even more sweeter.

 

[moonslav59]

Is Dombrowski going to go cheap on the BP?

 

Color me shocked if that happens. Not necessarily disappointed, but shocked.

 

Would you be shocked if he traded more prospects for a low-cost solid closer, instead?

[moonslav59]

Red Sox reliever Heath Hembree will receive a $1,312,500 salary next year, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports (Twitter link). Starter Steven Wright checks in just a shade higher, at $1.375MM, per Nightengale (via Twitter). Both players had projected in this range, with Swartz pegging $1.2MM for the former and $1.4MM for the latter. It’s Hembree’s first time through the process and Wright’s second.

 

-MLBTR

[notin]

True. And I can't believe the Yanks still insist on their players being clean-shaven. It's getting a little weird.

 

And THAT is why they are not getting Harper...

[notin]

Would you be shocked if he traded more prospects for a low-cost solid closer, instead?

 

I'm actually shocked he hasn't. How is Michael Chavis still in this organization?

[moonslav59]

I'm actually shocked he hasn't. How is Michael Chavis still in this organization?

 

Maybe he's waiting out one option before pulling the trigger on a trade.

[SoxnCycles]

Isn't that the truth?

 

It's amazing how many Yankees players fall into that category. LOL

 

There does seem to be a correlation between likability and laundry.

[S5Dewey]

There does seem to be a correlation between likability and laundry.

 

Seen on a bumper sticker:

 

I LOVE NEW YORK.

 

IT'S THE YANKEES I HATE

[Bellhorn04]

Sox avoid arbitration with Mookie. He gets the nice round number of $20 mill. A record for a second-year arb player.

[moonslav59]

Yanks get DJ LeMahieu at $24M/2.

 

Does this mean no Machado?

[moonslav59]

Brandon Workman and the Red Sox settled at $1.15MM, tweets Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. The second-time-eligible righty is controlled through the 2020 campaign and had been projected at $1.4MM.

 

The Red Sox and Blake Swihart settled on a one-year deal worth $910K, tweets Murray. That checks in south of his $1.1MM projection. As a Super Two player who’s arbitration-eligible for the first time, Swihart will be arb-eligible three more times and is controlled through 2022.

[kenmeister]

Yanks get DJ LeMahieu at $24M/2.

 

Does this mean no Machado?

 

I hope so. I think Harper and Machado are the two most over-rated "once in a generation" players I've ever seen, and I think their salary demands have been ridiculous from day one. Glad to see the NY Yankees showing some sense.

[moonslav59]

I hope so. I think Harper and Machado are the two most over-rated "once in a generation" players I've ever seen, and I think their salary demands have been ridiculous from day one. Glad to see the NY Yankees showing some sense.

 

I was hoping the Yanks got Machado, and his contract strangled them for a decade,

 

[notin]

Yanks get DJ LeMahieu at $24M/2.

 

Does this mean no Machado?

 

 

It means they soured on Tulowitzki faster than expected...

[moonslav59]

The Red Sox have agreed to a $2.475MM salary with catcher Sandy Leon, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (Twitter links). Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, meanwhile, is slated to earn $4.3MM.

[moonslav59]

It means they soured on Tulowitzki faster than expected...

 

Or, Bird/Voit, or they move Andujar to DH.

[moonslav59]

Updated Competitive Balance Tax Budget

 

$Millions

 

31.0 Price

22.0 JDM

20.6 Porcello

20.0 Betts

18.5 Sandoval

17.0 Eovaldi

15.0 Sale

13.8 Pedroia

12.0 Bogaerts

8.6 Bradley

6.5 Moreland

6.3 Pearce

5.0 Nunez

4.5 Vaz

4.3 Rodriguez

~3.5 Holt

~3.3 Barnes

2.5 Leon

1.8 Thornburg

1.8 Wright

1.3 Hembree

1.2 Workman

0.9 Swihart

~4 Other 18 players on 40 man roster

14.5 Player Benefits

 

TOTAL: ~$240M

 

(That's $34M over the tax line already- leaving us maybe about $6M for further additions, if we try to stay under the $40M line.)

Edited January 11, 2019 by moonslav59