2019-20 MLB Offseason Thread

[notin]

White Sox give OF Luis Robert a 6 year $50mill extension prior to his first MLB at bat, similar to the path they chose with Eloy Jimenez. If Robert is as successful out of the gate as Jimenez, the White Sox are looking that much tougher in a less competitive AL Central...

[a700hitter]

White Sox Designate Dylan Covey, Announce Steve Cishek Signing

 

By Jeff Todd | January 14, 2020 at 10:52am CDT

The White Sox have designated right-hander Dylan Covey for assignment, per a club announcement. His roster spot goes to Steve Cishek, whose previously reported signing is now official.

I am surprised about the Dylan Covey move.

[bkzwhitestrican]

Covey was pretty terrible, 6.54 ERA over three seasons. Some team will probably pick him up as a reclamation project though.

[jacksonianmarch]

He’s a project that teams like TB snap up. He’s better depth than BJ or Neck tat

[notin]

I am surprised about the Dylan Covey move.

 

Covey's only MLB skill was getting Red Sox hitters out. If the Red Sox picked him up, he would have no skills whatsoever...

[notin]

It's official. Josh Donaldson is a Twin

[moonslav59]

It's official. Josh Donaldson is a Twin

 

Another good AL team getting better, this winter.

 

Can we just admit our odds are going down every day? (And we started with long odds to begin with.)

 

I'm off the fence: fire sale time- all 1 year players, 2 year players not likely to be extended and Price & Eovaldi.

[notin]

Another good AL team getting better, this winter.

 

Can we just admit our odds are going down every day? (And we started with long odds to begin with.)

 

I'm off the fence: fire sale time- all 1 year players, 2 year players not likely to be extended and Price & Eovaldi.

 

So... Betts, Bradley, Workman, Hembree, Barnes, Price and Eovaldi? Have to wait a bit to sell of Perez...

[jacksonianmarch]

Don’t forget ERod

[moonslav59]

So... Betts, Bradley, Workman, Hembree, Barnes, Price and Eovaldi? Have to wait a bit to sell of Perez...

 

Yes.

[moonslav59]

Don’t forget ERod

 

No.

 

He's a 2 year guy I'd try to extend, but if it looks like he won't I'd look to deal him (maybe in July or next winter).

 

1 year's gone:

Betts (I'd try to re-sign him next winter)

JBJ

Workman

JD (will likely opt out, so trade him, too. Maybe re-sign.)

 

2 year's likely gone:

Barnes

Hembree

 

Salary dumps:

Price

Eovaldi

(Pedey ain't going nowhere.)

 

2 year's try to keep:

ERod

[Carpin]

No.

 

He's a 2 year guy I'd try to extend, but if it looks like he won't I'd look to deal him (maybe in July or next winter).

 

1 year's gone:

Betts (I'd try to re-sign him next winter)

JBJ

Workman

JD (will likely opt out, so trade him, too. Maybe re-sign.)

 

2 year's likely gone:

Barnes

Hembree

 

Salary dumps:

Price

Eovaldi

(Pedey ain't going nowhere.)

 

2 year's try to keep:

ERod

 

If the MLB punishes the Sox with something similar to the lost draft picks the Astros got, then you'll have no choice than to deal Erod, the one you try to extend is Devers. With low draft picks in consecutive years, the only other way to get good prospects would be thru trades, if not, the "rebuild" would be longer

[moonslav59]

If the MLB punishes the Sox with something similar to the lost draft picks the Astros got, then you'll have no choice than to deal Erod, the one you try to extend is Devers. With low draft picks in consecutive years, the only other way to get good prospects would be thru trades, if not, the "rebuild" would be longer

 

If we could extend ERod, I might try, even through a longer than hoped for rebuild. I'd rather extend ERod than Beni.

 

Keep Devers & Bogey, try to bring Betts back after dealing him and keep the pre-arb hopefuls.

[a700hitter]

Red Sox, Rangers Swap Sam Travis For Jeffrey Spring

January 15th, 2020 at 4:06pm CST •

By Steve Adams

The Rangers have acquired first baseman Sam Travis from the Red Sox in exchange for left-hander Jeffrey Springs, the teams announced. Boston has designated left-hander Bobby Poyner to make room on the 40-man roster.

Both Travis and Springs were recently designated for assignment, though Travis had already cleared waivers and been outrighted off Boston’s 40-man roster. Springs, meanwhile, was only designated earlier this afternoon. The Rangers will now pick up Travis’ rights without needing to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to the former prospect. The Red Sox, meanwhile, clearly feel they’re upgrading their left-handed bullpen depth in going with Springs over Poyner.

Travis, 26, was a second-round pick back in 2014 and frequented Red Sox prospect rankings as he rapidly ascended through the lower minors. However, while he hit well up through the Double-A level, Travis saw his bat stall in Triple-A and, despite a series of looks in the Majors, never made good at the game’s top level, either. In all, he’s a .267/.339/.392 hitter in nearly 1200 Triple-A plate appearances and just a .230/.288/.371 hitter in 278 MLB trips to the plate.

That said, the Rangers aren’t exactly teeming with quality first base options. Former top prospect Ronald Guzman hasn’t distinguished himself in his own MLB tryouts to date, and the club is intent on playing Joey Gallo in the outfield. Newly signed Todd Frazier could certainly handle first base if the Texas organization adds a more prominent option at third base, but there’s little harm in stashing Travis as a depth piece in hopes that a change of scenery brings out some of his yet-untapped potential.

The 27-year-old Springs, meanwhile, struggled to a 6.40 ERA with 32 strikeouts against 23 walks in 32 1/3 innings with Texas in 2019. He’s posted huge strikeout numbers in the upper minors and enjoyed better success with the Rangers in 2018 than in 2019, but he’s an extreme fly-ball pitcher with below-average velocity who saw his opponents’ hard-hit rate soar in 2019. Springs does have three minor league option years remaining, so he’ll be an optionable piece of depth for the Sox for the foreseeable future — assuming he sticks on the roster.

Poyner, meanwhile, has a minor league option of his own remaining. Like Springs, he’s a 27-year-old who posted solid numbers in 2018 but struggled in 2019. The similarities don’t stop there, as Poyner saw his hard-hit rate and opponents’ exit velocity both jump in 2019. However, he doesn’t have Springs’ gaudy strikeout totals and averages just 89.8 mph on his heater to Springs’ 91.7 mph. Boston will have a week to trade, outright or release Poyner.a Bloom Blockbuster!

[a700hitter]

Red Sox, Rangers Swap Sam Travis For Jeffrey Spring

January 15th, 2020 at 4:06pm CST

By Steve Adams

The Rangers have acquired first baseman Sam Travis from the Red Sox in exchange for left-hander Jeffrey Springs, the teams announced. Boston has designated left-hander Bobby Poyner to make room on the 40-man roster.

Both Travis and Springs were recently designated for assignment, though Travis had already cleared waivers and been outrighted off Boston’s 40-man roster. Springs, meanwhile, was only designated earlier this afternoon. The Rangers will now pick up Travis’ rights without needing to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to the former prospect. The Red Sox, meanwhile, clearly feel they’re upgrading their left-handed bullpen depth in going with Springs over Poyner.

Travis, 26, was a second-round pick back in 2014 and frequented Red Sox prospect rankings as he rapidly ascended through the lower minors. However, while he hit well up through the Double-A level, Travis saw his bat stall in Triple-A and, despite a series of looks in the Majors, never made good at the game’s top level, either. In all, he’s a .267/.339/.392 hitter in nearly 1200 Triple-A plate appearances and just a .230/.288/.371 hitter in 278 MLB trips to the plate.

That said, the Rangers aren’t exactly teeming with quality first base options. Former top prospect Ronald Guzman hasn’t distinguished himself in his own MLB tryouts to date, and the club is intent on playing Joey Gallo in the outfield. Newly signed Todd Frazier could certainly handle first base if the Texas organization adds a more prominent option at third base, but there’s little harm in stashing Travis as a depth piece in hopes that a change of scenery brings out some of his yet-untapped potential.

The 27-year-old Springs, meanwhile, struggled to a 6.40 ERA with 32 strikeouts against 23 walks in 32 1/3 innings with Texas in 2019. He’s posted huge strikeout numbers in the upper minors and enjoyed better success with the Rangers in 2018 than in 2019, but he’s an extreme fly-ball pitcher with below-average velocity who saw his opponents’ hard-hit rate soar in 2019. Springs does have three minor league option years remaining, so he’ll be an optionable piece of depth for the Sox for the foreseeable future — assuming he sticks on the roster.

Poyner, meanwhile, has a minor league option of his own remaining. Like Springs, he’s a 27-year-old who posted solid numbers in 2018 but struggled in 2019. The similarities don’t stop there, as Poyner saw his hard-hit rate and opponents’ exit velocity both jump in 2019. However, he doesn’t have Springs’ gaudy strikeout totals and averages just 89.8 mph on his heater to Springs’ 91.7 mph. Boston will have a week to trade, outright or release Poyner.

A Bloom Blockbuster! Edited January 17, 2020 by a700hitter

[Bellhorn04]

Print the tickets.

[mvp 78]

And to add to this offseason:

 

Scott Brosius’ son claims Mike Trout is on HGH for a thyroid condition.

[mvp 78]

Well, this cheered me up.

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2020-zips-projections-seattle-mariners/

 

The 2020 Mariners are a bit like going to a failing mall. There are still some stores you remember scattered about, though the logos appear to be from another era. The fountain’s dry, and the shops mainly sell sunglasses. There’s an ear-piercing kiosk manned by a guy who looks like he missed the carnival employee bus and decided to move into the abandoned Caldor instead. Yes, this will all be hit by a wreckering ball and give way to a new open-air shopping district with a Kelenic’s Grille in a few years, but for now, you wander into the food court and feel your childhood memories being wiped out by the collective reek of old cinnamon, cigarettes, and shame.

[a700hitter]

[h=2]Scott Kazmir Launches Comeback Attempt[/h]

He would be worth a MILB contract.

[moonslav59]

He would be worth a MILB contract.

 

I'd rather hire him as our manager.

[Slasher9]

not sure where to put this so thought here...

Madison Bumgarner has been secretly competing in rodeos under fake name, 'Mason Saunders'

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2020/02/23/madison-bumgarner-secretly-competing-in-rodeos-under-fake-name/41252731/

[Bellhorn04]

Noah Syndergaard also needs TJS.

[moonslav59]

Noah Syndergaard also needs TJS.

 

We should trade for him!

 

Lol!