MLB 2018-19 Offseason Thread

Fiers worked OK for Tigers. This guy has more talent

Tigers signing veteran left-handed pitcher Matt Moore

 

I can remember a time when Moore was considered every bit the prospect as Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. Keith Law had him ranked third (behind Trout and Harper, and one spot ahead of Manny Machado) going into 2012.

He had that one really good year with the Rays (2013), then he got hurt. Since coming back from Tommy John, he's been a below-average pitcher.

Yet more evidence to back up the old Baseball Prospectus maxim TINSTAAPP (there is no such thing as a pitching prospect).

 

That’s why it’s so difficult to build with arms, as the Tigers are doing
The theory is you can trade excess pitchers for position players but pitchers get hurt so much it’s difficult to do
The Tigers thought Daniel Norris would be a building block but he’s always hurt
Meanwhile, Matt Boyd, also obtained in the David Price deal, has become a serviceable fourth starter with trade value

 

It's why I really liked the way Theo Epstein built the Cubs. He got the the more bankable assets that assured the franchise it would at least be competitive for a decade. They may never win another and they were really close to not winning one at all. But when you get a dozen top hitting prospects, you're going to hit on enough to sustain a run of quality baseball at the very least. And when you have the financial means the Cubs do, you can put together enough pitching to give yourself a shot at a title.

 

A's announce new ballpark plans, part whatever.
A's announce waterfront ballpark and Coliseum site plans

 

ZZZZZZZZZ.
Someone wake me up when the shovels start hitting the dirt.

 

Exactly. And abandoning the museum site still feels like a mistake.

 

I'm assuming (and that's not always a good idea) that the team has checked into what kind of wind conditions they might incur at that location. It's not that noticeable at the Coliseum, mainly because the Arena and the three-tiered bowl around home plate deflect much of anything coming off the bay, but when I worked security across the Nimitz at the Oakland Corp Yard (which was right on the water), it could get to be Candlestick-like at times: cold enough to have a sweater or jacket as soon as the sun set in June and July. I guess it'll really depend if Alameda breaks the wind (sorry, sophomoric humor).

 

Shit wrong thread

 

Reports: Mets closing in on deal for Cano, Diaz

I kinda get this on the Mariners' side. Yeah, they give up their closer, but they get ride of Cano's contract. I don't get why the Mets are doing it, though. They're going to be crying about paying a 36-year-old Cano, who is coming off a PED suspension, an average of $24 million a year.

 

They're sending back Bruce and Swarzak, who will make a combined $22.5 million this year (and Bruce will make $14 million in 2020 as well). Diaz is valuable, and Cano can still hit.

But yeah, 2-3 years from now, his contract is going to be an albatross probably.