caulfield12

Came across this interesting factoid looking up what LaTroy Hawkins was doing now in terms of broadcasting/guest appearances... "Hawkins is the godfather of his Minnesota Twins teammate Pat Mahomes' son, Patrick II who is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs.[103] Another godson of Hawkins's, Elijah Johnson, played college basketball for the University of Kansas Jayhawks.[64]

"Schriffen, who is biracial, becomes the second Black television play-by-play announcer (currently) in MLB, joining Seattle’s Dave Sims." source: wikipedia

2019 and 21 were clearly his peak.

They already had Suarez and Teoscar and let them go. Why would the Twins want to keep paying Polanco when they already have Julien, Brooks Lee, Lewis and Correa from second to third? They basically get DeSclafini free and healthier than any season since 2021 and a Top 70-80 prospect thrown into the bargain, plus another future Joe Ryan for all we know if everything goes well on the scouting/eval side. And Polanco's showing a lot of wear and tear and exhibiting increasing injury issues over the last season or two. Worth only 3.3 combined fWAR the last two seasons...negative defensive values even at second for three consecutive years. Usually thirty is the beginning of the steady decline these days...it has already started with him.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/yahoo-sports-am-caitlin-clark-is-in-a-league-of-her-own-125820434.html

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1770173/espn-david-schoenfield-seattle-mariners-failing-to-capitalize-on-their-best-window/ This was from December…but fans still must be perplexed about what the heck the Mariners are doing. https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/twins-land-two-top-30-prospects-mariners-trade-for-jorge-polanco/

Eddie Rosario and David Peralta (left-handed veteran bats), Jesse Winker, Jurickson Profar, Michael A. Taylor, Kevin Pillar, Kyle Lewis, Tommy Pham.

As a roster-building strategy, the Mariners have always targeted the cost-controlled contracts that come with young players like Woo and Miller. Those kinds of contracts — and the flexibility they afford the rest of the payroll — will take on a larger priority for the Mariners now. Which is why president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto hinted Tuesday that he’s unlikely to trade Woo or Miller in the Mariners’ ongoing pursuit of offensive upgrades — even as other teams are “constantly” inquiring about the Mariners’ young pitching depth. “It’s the appeal of the young guy … who has proven the ability to both compete at the major-league level and help neutralize the growing payrolls around the league,” Dipoto said at the MLB winter meetings. “That’s appealing. It’s hard to get to. And there’s a reason why we get so many phone calls, and there’s a reason why we love the guys the way we do. They’re good and they’ve performed since the day they stepped on a major-league field.” https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/analysis-why-mariners-are-unlikely-to-trade-away-bryan-woo-or-bryce-miller/#:~:text=That makes them a coveted,with uncertainty surrounding its finances. https://redbirdrants.com/posts/examining-bryan-woo-and-bryce-miller-as-trade-targets-for-the-cardinals-01hbxyp2apvq Argues for a trade of Gorman, Nootbaar and/or Donovan (not Walker) for Bryan Woo

Trading for Woo or Miller as the main piece for Cease doesn’t make any sense after trading Burger for pitching and leaving massive positional holes all over the roster… Just another signal the Sox never plan to pay for FA pitching again in the future. 6 years of control for a middle of the rotation starter simply isn’t worth it…if you think back to the Eaton trade, that was for two guys who had the tools to be #1/2 starters with Dunning more of a 3/4 or 4/5.

This is exactly what the Orioles hope to start doing with Hays Mullins Santander Mountcastle Mateo and Urias...turning vets into cost controlled prospects and reallocating the cost savings to other roster needs.

This is a shocker...glad he's your favorite NASCAR driver.

Presumably Julien takes over full time for MN. Mariners this offseason are almost impossible to figure out. Gonzalez is the long term value obviously, but Anthony DeSclafani and Justin Topa in the pen will play big roles for the Twins in 2024. Basically netting a top 100 prospect and major league pitching help (although not elite) for the present...and now can use the cost savings elsewhere. Brooks Lee (top 15 MiLB) isn't that far off from forming an impressive infield with Correa Lewis and Julien. Of course, I'm guessing most Twins' fans aren't exactly enamored with DeSclafini ...

Yeah...they're definitely not going to spend significant money on pitching from now until next off-season...it should be almost 100% directed at position players. Winnowing down the field of contenders and pretenders.

https://www.mlb.com/news/mariners-twins-trade-for-jorge-polanco https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-land-former-all-star-infielder-jorge-polanco-in-trade-with-twins/ If the Twins don't make any more moves they will begin the 2024 season with a starting rotation featuring Pablo Lopez, Chris Paddack, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Louie Varland. The first four names are locks, while it appears Varland will enter spring training with an opportunity to win the fifth spot along with DeSclafini. Twins general manager Thad Levine was a guest on Sirius XM MLB Radio over the weekend and suggested that Varland will compete for the job and that the Twins are still scouring free agency and the trade market for starting pitching depth because the losses of Kenta Maeda, Sonny Gray and Tyler Mahle "leaves a little bit of a hole in our starting rotation."

Having seas of parking lots, it's quite reminiscent of Kauffman and Arrowhead together right off two interstates. Great for tailgating, but terrible from an "entertainment" standpoint of having any other activities, bars/pubs/restaurants, shopping and office complexes, parks, etc. Just miles of concrete/asphalt. Not exactly visually or aesthetically appealing in any sense.

Except Robert won't be around for more than another year...or could even go at the deadline. Most likely next offseason.

Well, Kopech's value has never been lower...still retains some residual name value and the #21 fastball which wasn't all that effective last year. In the end the heavy lifting will always come down to FA...and they simply can't follow the same approach of avoiding every single $100+ million contract. Maybe the Orioles can get away with it, but even the Royals added Zobrist Cueto Shields etc., and the Cubs Jon Lester most famously. At any rate Toronto has to keep Varsho (came up as Vasshole lol) insurance for Kiermaier at the very least.

All things considered...the Brewers don't ever go on that extended run without Braun Yelich and lots of pitching. https://www.fangraphs.com/players/christian-yelich/11477/stats?position=OF Only 8.5 fWAR for the last four years. Even if you valued that production at let's say $70-75 million adjusting for 2020...you've got the totality of $215 million likely falling off the last four remaining years. The problem is who in the world doesn't try to keep their own player at that age coming off two consecutive 7+ fWAR years, an MVP award, etc.??? The Rays...arguably.

Isn't Anderson a former infielder? Almost NU basketball coach and Ozzie's nemesis? Then there was a Brewers' pitcher with that name as well.

https://www.fishstripes.com/2021/1/25/22247364/christian-yelich-trade-brewers-marlins-results-3-years-later This is arguably one of the best trades of the last decade. So obviously...rather than Cease, the majority of teams are going to want prospects back. In fact, the lack of top line prospects is what kept the Sox from trading for Miggy Cabrera and changed the course of the AL Central similarly to what Yelich did for the Brewers. The idea was to find an undervalued asset who had the capability of exploding. Ideally, Varsho would be closer to having just 2 years of service time...rather than merely three increasingly expensive years remaining. Then the second key is being able to afford a generous enough extension to be enticing. And you're arguably MUCH better off giving that extension to a player at Varsho's CURRENT age than 30/31. You have to lock in ages 27-29/30 and not the decline years. So back to the drawing board trying to find that future star every single GM is on the look out for. And Christian Yelich is the blueprint...as he was a rising but erratic youngster with worlds of potential but not a future HoFer already. This is another quite similar situation to Cease now...albeit Greinke with more like Dylan Cy 2022 version value. (On December 19, 2010, the Kansas City Royals traded Zack Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt to the Milwaukee Brewers for Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Jeremy Jeffress, and Jake Odorizzi.) Finally, not sure Getz has the cojones or desired prospects to even pull it off in first place. Clearing out half of the top line talent from a top heavy and still quite thin system would be a career killing risk. Conversely, reflect back on Todd Ritchie for Kip Wells Josh Fogg Sean Lowe...an example where the acquired asset blew up in the wrong way and wiped out future depth that could have filled out a rotation for the better part of a decade. Or Nick Swisher. Or Jeff Samardzija. Nick Swisher is the closest example of what that trade would look like. Obviously fell on the wrong side of that deal as well. Just desperately want to jump start this thing with some exciting positional talent we can watch sooner rather than 2-3 years from now. IMO, far better to have that young player on board to launch a new stadium as well.

You must not have much faith in Chris Getz if you think fans will patiently wait around until 2027/28 to compete in this division. Or that he is any better than Hahn at signing Tier B free agents priced twice as high as previously.

Nor will Soros at Davos.

"Life-changing moment for Colt," Matt Paul (his agent) told the Free Press on Sunday afternoon. "He put himself in a position to secure enough money financially to where, regardless of what happens, his family should be well taken care of, him and his fiancée. Our philosophy was to make sure we were flexible in our approach to these conversations. If the player has interest in potentially pursuing this type of opportunity, it's our job to do a complete analysis of the potential market. We did a complete analysis." The Tigers, under former general manager Al Avila, selected Keith at No. 132 overall in the fifth round of the abbreviated 2020 draft out of Biloxi High School in Mississippi. He was a shortstop in high school, and committed to Arizona State, but switched to second base and third base in the minor leagues. "Colt has done everything we've asked of him during his young career," Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said in a statement, "improving all facets of his game and asserting himself as one of the sport's most promising young players. This contract demonstrates our faith in Colt and this organization's commitment to acquire, develop and retain young talent." https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2024/01/28/detroit-tigers-sign-colt-keith-to-deal-worth-up-to-82-million-9-years-contract-extension/72388149007/ Another thing to consider is fifth round draft picks never get massive extension offers...at least not until now...they face FAR more criticism and scrutiny than first rounders ever do within an organization. Colt Keith thinks like Conor McGregor, plays like Joey Votto, looks like Detroit Tigers' best prospect. It's a lesson learned from his father. Colt Keith tries to simplify everything about his game. can't link to this Detroit Free Press article because I'm not a subscriber.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39409250/tigers-sign-infield-prospect-colt-keith-6-year-286m-deal His deal includes three team options that could make it worth $64 million over nine seasons, and the Tigers said there are escalators that increase the value to $82 million over nine years. A left-handed-hitting third baseman and second baseman, Keith is from Zanesville, Ohio, and was a fifth-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft out of Biloxi High School in Mississippi. The Milwaukee Brewers agreed last month to an eight-year, $82 million contract with 19-year-old outfielder Jackson Chourio, the largest contract for a prospect with no major league service.

I remember Salvador Perez signing something like $7 million for 5 years...that was one of the worst of all-time, but understandable for some families in the Caribbean. And that was after he had already proved his worth at the major league level, albeit briefly. The Royals later ripped it up and gave him a much more commensurate deal. Monday, Jan. 25. In 2012, the Royals signed Perez to what became one of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball. He'll earn $7 million through the first five years, and after that, he has three club-option years worth a combined $14.75 million, per Baseball-Reference.com.