MLB News & Notes (other than Cubs or Sox)

[funkster]

Fractured wrist for Springer. 

[4FP]

He's also the most ancient looking 29 year old I've ever seen.

::looking for the smiling face Butcher uses::


Yah. You guys are right. When I slept on this I changed my mind. Feels like Deep Blue Dan trying to deek someone into a "trade".


Still looking for that stick, though. Sorry, Baxtor.

[rok]

I suspect that offensive reinforcements will come from within the organization. I would love to also add a Zobrist type, provided that he doesn't cost an arm and a leg. That said, if Fowler/Montero/KB/Russell get just a little bit better and Soler returns and approaches anything close to his 2014 production, it will be like trading for several all-stars. Kind of.

[rok]

White Sox Won't Dismantle At Deadline

MLB Trade Rumors / by Zach Links / 21min ago

With a few weeks to go until the trade deadline, little is certain about what the White Sox will do. Jeff Samardzija has a litany of possible suitors, but he and other trade chips could wind up staying put depending on how the Sox fare in the coming days. No matter what happens, however, White Sox executive vice president Ken Williams told Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports that the team won't be holding a fire sale.


"It's important that we not lose sight of what our organization goal was, and that was to give us the best three-year window. And we're not going to abandon that completely with only three months to play," Williams said. "I think [Rick Hahns] done one hell of a job. Everyone wants to put the blame on [manager] Robin [Ventura], too, but all he can do is put the players in position to succeed. They're the ones who have to look in the mirror and execute. If we do anything, it will be consistent with trying to maximize this three-year plan or window that we set out originally."


After today's loss to the Orioles, Chicago owns a 36-43 record and sits last in the AL Central, 10 games back of the first-place Royals and 5.5 games behind the last wild card spot. It's not an ideal spot by any stretch, yet given the crowded American League standings, the White Sox are just a hot week or two away from being right back in the hunt.


While it may be a bit too early to start selling yet, Williams said he's open to at least hearing any trade proposal. Teams can even pitch trades for ace Chris Sale, but it's extremely unlikely that anything will happen on that front.


"We've always had that mind-set that we will listen to anyone who wants to make an offer for our players," Williams said. "How else do you know what the value is? Something may bowl you over. But we can't envision anything happening along those lines."


While Sale is locked up on a team-friendly deal that could run through the 2019 season, Samardzija is a different story, as he's set to hit free agency this winter. Nightengale mentions that every club with an urgent pitching need has expressed an interest in Samardzija, and that the Blue Jays in particular have strongly pursued the righty.


"If Samardzija signed an extension to remain on the south side, that would obviously change things. We just have to get some sort of indication it's possible or not to sign him. We have to also see if it's realistic given our resources and the other obligations we have," Williams said.


That said, a midseason deal seems very unlikely with Samardzija so close to the open market. While he stressed that by no means does it take the White Sox off my list if he hits free agency, Samardzija seemed eager to take control over his playing future.


"I worked hard to get to this spot in free agency. I just want to sign with a team that is competing every September with a chance to be playing in October," Samardzija said. "Look, I don't hold bad blood or grudges against anybody. I understand how the business side works. Front offices have to do what they have to do. But I also need to protect myself and make sure I'm in a situation where I can win for a long time."

[Runnys]

That last quote from Shark sure makes it seem like he is hoping the Cubs give him a call during FA.

[rok]

Fuck him. I hope he ends up signing a below market value deal like Garza's in Milwaukee so they can both be miserable together.

[jstraw]

Fuck him.

[Runnys]

I agree. I don't want him back.

[jstraw]

I hate him now. "Look, I don't hold bad blood or grudges against anybody." The fucking nerve. He thinks he's a big man for forgiving the Cubs for something? he thinks there *is* a grudge to hold or not hold? He can eat shit.

[funkster]

Yep.  Fuck him.

[Kid]

Somebody is going to pay close to #1 money for a #3 starter by signing Samardzija.  I'm confident it won't be this FO.

[Andy]

The Cardinals and Pirates have a 4 game series at Pittsburgh this weekend.  If by some chance, Pittsburgh sweeps the series (a long shot), the Pirates would be a half game out of first place.

 

If over that time the Cubs sweep the White Sux, the Cubs would only be 5 games out.

 

Sweeping a 4-game series is very unlikely, but one can hope.

[jstraw]

Well, we should be rooting for the Cards to sweep the Pirates, assuming we're not going to beat them for the division and we want a lock on hosting the WC.

 

I can't do that.

[Coldneck]

Well, we should be rooting for the Cards to sweep the Pirates, assuming we're not going to beat them for the division and we want a lock on hosting the WC.

 

I can't do that.

 

I disagree. I think the Pirates are better than the Cards. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cards had a mini collapse over the next couple of months. 

[Kid]

 

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jstraw" data-cid="253443" data-time="1436462698">
<div>
Well, we should be rooting for the Cards to sweep the Pirates, assuming we're not going to beat them for the division and we want a lock on hosting the WC.

 

I can't do that.

 

I disagree. I think the Pirates are better than the Cards. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cards had a mini collapse over the next couple of months. 

 

</div>
</blockquote>
 

The Cardinals being overtaken for the division wouldn't shock me, but I guess the theory would be that we should root for whoever the division leader is to beat the #2 team in the division to try to host the WC game.  Under that theory, I think you have to go with the standings as they currently are, not what you guess they might be in the future.

 

There's a huge range of possibilities between the Cubs' standing vis-a-vis the #1 WC spot depending on these series.  If the Cubs sweep the Sox and the Cardinals sweep the Pirates, the Cubs are 1 game back of the Pirates.  If the Sox sweep the Cubs and the Pirates sweep the Cardinals, the Cubs are 7.5 back of the Pirates.  At that point, the Pirates would be only 0.5 game back of the Cardinals, but the Cubs would be 8 back of the Cardinals even if they were overtaken.

 

So, best case scenario if you're only thinking WC would have to be the one that has the Cubs 1 back of the WC.  I think an argument could be made for hoping for a split between the Pirates & Cardinals if you haven't given up on the division (I haven't).