Oakland A's: $10,391Farmer1906 said:Current Projected Opening Day #MLB Tax Payrolls
— Spotrac (@spotrac) December 7, 2022
1. #Mets, $300M
2. #Yankees, $261M
3. #Phillies, $241M
4. #Braves, $225M
5. #Angels, $212M
6. #Padres, $205M
7. #BlueJays, $200M
8. #Rangers, $199M
9. #Astros, $197M
10. #Dodgers, $189M
Farmer1906 said:Athletics To Sign Aledmys Diaz https://t.co/SzUC280iEd pic.twitter.com/mvgYZMrxsv
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) December 7, 2022
They made big waves at the trade deadline and eventually upset the mighty Dodgers. Possible dots to connect.Mathguy64 said:
I call BS on the Padres making these huge offers and getting turned down. The Union is very strict about this. You don't turn down an extra $40MM.
Losing a 2nd rounder was another issue for sure.FrioAg 00 said:
At that price on Contreras, I'd rather pick up another rental after the ASB like we did this year.
Source: The Mets acquired lefthanded reliever Brooks Raley from the Rays for minor-league pitcher Keyshawn Askew, as @JonHeyman said.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) December 7, 2022
AARON JUDGE IS STAYING! pic.twitter.com/iWPADxKa44
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) December 7, 2022
there is no "they are strict about this" there are no repercussions from signing where you wantMathguy64 said:
I call BS on the Padres making these huge offers and getting turned down. The Union is very strict about this. You don't turn down an extra $40MM.
I wouldn't be surprised. I doubt he'd post "how quickly they forget" about some stupid fan trolls.k20dub said:
Are trade rumors the reason Maldy posted his cryptic IG story yesterday?
EastCoastAgNc said:
Just now on 790, Chandler says if the Astros sign a catcher, Maldy is likely to get traded.
"The Astros continue to look at free agents Andrew Benintendi, Michael Brantley and Michael Conforto as options for their outfield. After losing out on Contreras, they might even explore signing two of the three."
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) December 7, 2022
Per @Ken_Rosenthal
OKCAg2002 said:
It's never really clear to me on those distances. Is it where it landed or a projected distance if the flight wasn't obstructed? If it's the latter, then no way that ball was only 450.
Deluxe said:"The Astros continue to look at free agents Andrew Benintendi, Michael Brantley and Michael Conforto as options for their outfield. After losing out on Contreras, they might even explore signing two of the three."
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) December 7, 2022
Per @Ken_Rosenthal
Deluxe said:
To what?
EastCoastAgNc said:Farmer1906 said:
link?— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) December 7, 2022
Quote:
The Dodgers are not pursuing shortstop Carlos Correa in part out of concern that a sizable portion of their fan base would not welcome the move. Correa was the most outspoken member of the 2017 Astros club that stole signs illegally during the postseason, and beat the Dodgers in a seven-game World Series.
The distaste Dodgers fans harbor for Correa, is not the only reason the club is reluctant to engage with him or for that matter, any of the other more expensive players on the free-agent market.
As the Dodgers wait to learn whether Major League Baseball will uphold Trevor Bauer's two-year suspension for violating the league's policy on sexual assault and domestic violence, club officials are uncertain how much back pay, if any, they will owe the pitcher.
Bauer stands to lose $60 million in salary. If his suspension is upheld, the Dodgers will not owe him anything. But if the suspension is overturned or reduced, the Dodgers as a third-time luxury-tax offender would be assessed penalties on top of his salary. As noted by the Los Angeles Times, the team's total payout could exceed $100 million.
The wide range of possible outcomes is one reason the Dodgers are planning to incorporate a number of young, minimum-salary-type players this season. They want to add a modestly priced starting pitcher, an affordable center fielder such as Kevin Kiermaier and a middle-of-the-order bat J.D. Martinez would make sense, though a left-handed hitter might be a better fit. But the Dodgers are unlikely to spend big, especially when they know the market next offseason might include two players they covet two-way Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani and Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki, if he is posted by his Japanese team, the Chiba Lotte Marines.
So, where might Correa land? The Twins still want him. The Giants are perhaps the most obvious fit now that they have lost Aaron Judge to the Yankees. But with Xander Bogaerts reportedly close to returning to the Red Sox, the Padres cannot be dismissed.
The Padres tried for Trea Turner, met with Judge and pursued Bogaerts. They clearly have $300 million-plus to burn, perhaps $350 million-plus (no, they did not offer $400 million to Judge). They could spread that money around to build necessary depth. Or they could become a factor for a big-name free agent such as Correa or Kodai Senga. Brandon Nimmo would be less of a consideration, with the Padres likely to go with an outfield of Fernando Tatis Jr., Trent Grisham and Juan Soto.
The idea of the Cubs adding both Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson was always far-fetched. The addition of two prominent infielders worked for the Rangers last offseason in part because both Corey Seager and Marcus Semien were Scott Boras clients. But with Bogaerts represented by Boras and Swanson by Excel two different agencies it was much more difficult to coordinate two such signings.
The Cubs view Swanson as perhaps their most realistic target at shortstop, assuming they don't go big for Correa.
Agents believe it is no coincidence that arguably three of the most prominent starting pitchers remaining on the free-agent market Carlos Rodn, Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Bassitt are all weighed down by qualifying offers.
Teams when pricing such pitchers factor in the cost of losing draft picks and international bonus pool space. The qualifying-offer system remained intact when the players' union rejected the league's final offer for an international draft. The union viewed the international draft as too big an item to trade for the elimination of draft-pick compensation, which affects only a handful of free agents each year.
Right-hander Seth Lugo is drawing interest as both a starter and reliever, with the Angels, Dodgers, Padres and Nationals among the teams showing at least some interest in adding him to their rotations.
Lugo, 33, pitched regularly as a starter in 2017 and periodically in 2016, 2018 and 2020. He has never thrown more than 101 1/3 innings in a season, making his endurance a question. One executive, however, believes Lugo should indeed pursue a starting job on a one-year deal, then hit the market again next offseason after a full season in the role.
That way, the executive said, Lugo could break out of reliever salaries in the $6 million to $8 million range and become a starter at the $10 million to $14 million level.
The Cardinals' agreement with Willson Contreras on a five-year, $87.5 million contract might accelerate the market for free-agent catchers, which also includes Christian Vzquez, Mike Zunino and Tucker Barnhart.
The market has moved slowly in part because the A's are entertaining trade offers for Sean Murphy and the Blue Jays are willing to move one of Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk and Gabriel Moreno.
Teams will examine Zunino carefully as he continues his recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery on July 28. The Red Sox, Pirates, Royals, Twins, Guardians and Astros are among the teams with varying levels of interest in catchers.
And finally, the Astros continue to look at free agents Andrew Benintendi, Michael Brantley and Michael Conforto as options for their outfield. After losing out on Contreras, they might even explore signing two of the three.
Farmer1906 said:
I'm just trying to listen to the Rome interview y'all are referencing.
Quote:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/Astros-off-board-Willson-Contreras-Cardinals-17637970.php
The Astros made at least one three-year offer to Contreras, according to a person with knowledge of the team's discussions. It's unclear whether the Astros broached a fourth year or had any inclination to include a fifth, but their interest in Contreras was strong.
Signing another catcher may portend a trade of Maldonado, who a crucial part of Houston's clubhouse chemistry and one of the team's foremost leaders, to clear a spot for Lee or Diaz to develop.
Christian Vzquez, whom Houston traded for last August after Crane nixed the Contreras deal, is now the best available catcher on the free-agent market. Contreras' five-year deal delivered a benchmark for him to gauge his worth. Vzquez is two years older than Contreras and nowhere near the offensive threat. If the Astros have interest in a reunion, they are far from Vzquez's only suitor. Other teams more desperate for catching may present more compelling deals.
Multiple people familiar with the Astros' situation said there is mutual interest in two-time Gold Glover Tucker Barnhart, who would solve another of Houston's winter needs. Barnhart bats lefthanded, sorely needed balance for a lineup that's too righthanded. Barnhart has a preexisting relationship with Baker, for whom he played in Cincinnati, and is thought to want a two-year deal.
A report on Monday afternoon from MLB.com threw the Astros into the sweepstakes for Oakland A's catcher Sean Murphy, who is widely expected to be traded this winter. Barnhart is under club control through 2025 and will command a huge return from whichever team acquires him. Whether Houston has enough to lure him is a mystery. Whether Crane feels it necessary to do so is another.
Disturbing footage: RHP Trevor Bauer was viscously attacked by a dog this morning outside his Los Angeles residence. Prayers for a quick recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/NDDp7J3jXq
— Baseball Memes (@MLB_Memes7) December 7, 2022
