Hot Stove Thread 2014-15

Braves sign Nick Markakis for 4 years, $44 million:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/orioles/2014/12/03/nick-markakis-orioles-baltimore-atlanta-braves/19861623/

Markakis has always been one of those guys who appears to be better than he is, but at least he's durable and doesn't strike out like crazy.

This also means the Justin Upton trade is almost certainly going to happen.

 

Markakis is a nice player, but the only real advantage he has on Heyward is durability.

I think the Upton was going to be traded even if they didn't add outfield help.

 

Are the Orioles done trying?

 

According to Rosenthal, they're using "medical concerns" as an excuse, the same way they did with Grant Balfour and Tyler Colvin last year.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/baseball-joe/blog/markakis-health-may-have-persuaded-orioles-to-let-him-leave-120314?cmpid=tsmtw:fscom:mlbonfox

 

Two-thirds of their outfield just bolted. Adam Jones is lonely.

 

I was half-right. He DH'd 89 games and played outfield 70 games (500 and something innings).

 

Michael Saunders to the Jays for J.A. Happ.

 

Markakis hit 14 HRs last year, drove in 55 runs and was going to cost the Orioles $17.5 million during his age 31 season. Of course they let him go, they would have been fucking stupid to do otherwise.

 

They bought out his option year for $2 million, but could have re-signed him. Supposedly, he wanted a four-year deal and they weren't willing to go past three.

 

A cog in the machine. Cohesion matters.

But 17 mil is a lot.

 

It's always about the money in Oakland. Fisher doesn't want to pay anyone, Beane knows it and moves people. Billy Butler will be the next Matt Holliday. Sure, he signed for $10 million a year for three years. He'll be gone before the trade deadline next season. I'm surprised Cespedes lasted as long as he did. Yes, Beane was allowed to "go for it" when be traded for Lester. That's because Fisher only had to pay him two months.

Beane catches a lot of heat for these deals but he's working from within the constraints of a tight budget. I don't think he got enough for Donaldson but the other teams know he's not dealing from a position of strength.