MLB News & Notes (other than Cubs or Sox)

[funkster]

I knew we should have signed him!

[rok]

I knew we should have signed him!

Especially given his stellar postseason track record. He would have fit right in.

[1060Ivy]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="funkster" data-cid="212167" data-time="1385006509">
I knew we should have signed him!

Especially given his stellar postseason track record. He would have fit right in.</blockquote>


Signing Fielder would have adversely affected the a Cubs run of sustainable success

[rok]

Agreed.

[1060Ivy]

Prince has signs of decline the last couple of years and ran afoul of ownership but is still a potential monster.   Tigers saw an opportunity to move around offensive pieces, move Miggy off 3rd base and give slightly more ABs - and a regular position - to Castellanos while reducing future payroll.

 

Kinsler has shown more signs of decline than Prince and with the Rangers' TV deal they saw trading one offensive player for another for future payroll obligations.

 

The trade may truly work for both teams.  There are risks on both sides.

[MickKelleherWasMyHero]

I'm not sure if the deal is all that great for the Tigers. It means they're not going to re-sign Infante, and Kinsler is a bit of a downgrade defensively from him, I think. In the short term, it hurts them.

 

Moving Cabrera off 3B was a must for the Tigers, but I thought it'd be Victor Martinez who would go to open up the DH spot. 

[rok]

Problem is that Martinez probably has much lower trade value than Prince, so even if they tried to move him it would likely just be a salary dump. I think as Ivy said, this will work out well for everyone.

[MickKelleherWasMyHero]

Yeah, I was expecting them to dump Martinez's salary and re-sign Infante. That would've gotten Cabrera off of 3B, and I think Infante is a better option at 2B than Kinsler at this point (although Kinsler might rebound offensively). Igelasis and Infante over a full year would've been a pretty good double play combo, and for the short term, Fielder offers Cabrera better protection in the lineup.

 

Money is close if someone would eat Martinez's contract ($12 million) for nothing in return and Infante signs for around $8 million a year. 

 

Thus, I think this hurts Detroit in the short term, but it gets them out of Fielder's contract a year or two early before he becomes he immovable.

[pgulota24]

I think it benefits the Rangers OUTRAGEOUSLY more than the Tigers.  They have personnel waiting to get on the field and Kinsler has been steadily declining in almost every batting category.  Granted the salaries are a factor, for TEX, its not something they can't handle.  I think the records for 2014 largely support TEX more than DET with this deal.

[rok]

If the Tigers end up signing Wilson, as has been rumored recently, I'm gonna have a hard time rooting for them in the AL Central. Please sign Nathan instead.

[CFOrfan]

Bourjos/Grichuk to STL for Freese/Salas

[rok]

Yanks to sign McCann's punk ass for 5yrs/$85m.


https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status...9595791360

[funkster]

Wonder if that will have any affect on their ability to sign Cano.  Sounds like they don't really want to pony up what he wants to begin with.

[rok]

Looks like the Dodgers are signing Haren.


https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status...0330339329


Hopefully this means one less suitor for Tanaka.

[1060Ivy]

Looks like the Dodgers are signing Haren.

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status...0330339329


Hopefully this means one less suitor for Tanaka.

 

Dodgers spent large on their outfield acquiring 4 outfielders in the route to the NLCS so why should we expect them to stop acquiring starters with 6 for their starting rotation - Kershaw, Greinke, Haren, Beckett, Ryu, Billingsley.

 

Haren should provide them a great innings eater at a 'prove it' type contract for $10 MM for year 2 that vests to 2 years if he's able to be the innings eaters he's been in the past - second year vests at 180 innings.