Rafael Santiago picked Minnesota's max contract offer from among several bidders at the PM Part 2 cycle. It's widely believed that the Twins' pitching and bullpen coaches Wilfredo Rivera and Sadie Webster, heavily influenced Santiago's choice.
In the cycle's other huge move, the White Sox won Louie Young's services with a 5-year deal worth $87.3 million.
Left at the alter during preseason were the San Diego Padres, who had money to spend and had the best pitchers' ballpark, but were shut out on both Santiago and Vincenzo Smalley. We're awaiting a juicy quote from Natic_Empire for blog publication.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Yankees Join "Noisiest Off Season" Fray
The defending AL Champ Yankees jumped headlong into the biggest off season makeover conversation Tuesday, getting SP Bobby Ray Dixon (3 years, $50 million) in the first PM cycle, then winning the bidding for Benito Andujar (3 years, $35 million) in the 2nd PM shift.
The talented Dixon has had stretches of brilliance (most recently his Season 15-18 run with the Jays and Royals). But he's also had seasons where he just seemed lost. Like last year, to a degree (4.54 ERA), and (yikes!) Season 11 (39 HR's and .865 OPS against...really?).
Which Dixon do the Yanks get...the good Bobby Ray of Season 17 or the evil Season 11 Bobby Ray?
Andujar (ROY, 2 All-Stars and 4 Silver Sluggers over the fireplace) is a steadier commodity than Dixon and undoubtedly a big OF upgrade - the only question is the speed of ratings decline.
Wednesday PM1 update: quiet cycle on the signing front. Young and Santiago are waiting until the last minute.
The talented Dixon has had stretches of brilliance (most recently his Season 15-18 run with the Jays and Royals). But he's also had seasons where he just seemed lost. Like last year, to a degree (4.54 ERA), and (yikes!) Season 11 (39 HR's and .865 OPS against...really?).
Which Dixon do the Yanks get...the good Bobby Ray of Season 17 or the evil Season 11 Bobby Ray?
Andujar (ROY, 2 All-Stars and 4 Silver Sluggers over the fireplace) is a steadier commodity than Dixon and undoubtedly a big OF upgrade - the only question is the speed of ratings decline.
Wednesday PM1 update: quiet cycle on the signing front. Young and Santiago are waiting until the last minute.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Twins, Rays, NL East Moves Highlight Offseason
It's hard to say which team has been shaking things up the most in this wild and woolly off season, but there are numerous contenders. In no order of anything:
Twins: pulled the first non-shocker by signing 3-time Cy Young winner Vincenzo Smalley to a $110MM max deal. They got Smalley a new catcher (lifetime .319 hitter Eddie Williams) by sending reliever Claude Brand to St. Louis. And while rumors don't count, they're supposedly in contention for the soon-to-be-very-expensive services of Rafael Santiago. Santiago or not, they're not done. And don't forget Stretch Carver.
Rays: getting notice for the number of significant transactions - 3 Type A free agents so far. They started with 3-time All Star OF Roosevelt Tollberg, and gussied up the bullpen with Virgil Morales and Haywood Truman. They also appear to be on the hunt for more additions.
NL East: Last year's toughest division continues to bring in talent. D.C. started the action with the blockbuster trade for 3B Max Gutierrez (Season 18 AL MVP, multiple other hardwares), sending OF Paul Henderson, DH prospect Diego James and defensive whiz Adam Shipley to Boston. The Phillies kept pace by inking former Cy Young Winner Norm Long (3 years, $24 million), former Met Luis Cruz (2 years, $10.2 million), bullpen ace Einar Duran (4 years, $23.2 million), and Mr. "I never get paid but I always produce" (3 WS rings with 3 different teams), Dean Darensbourg. The Mets offset the loss of Smalley with a big contract for Reid Jordan (5 years, $70million), upgraded an OF spot with Roberto Rodriguez (3 years, $18.3 million), and landed a defensive catcher in Collin Womack (1 year, $2.4 million). Finally, the Pirates, although not as splashy as their division mates, added a pair of Type A bats and have been prominent in trade rumors.
Other "noisy" off seasons include Atlanta, with 2 Type A lefty hitters and a Type B SP; Nashville, Cincinnati and Toronto, with 3 Type B signings apiece; and of course Boston, which instead of getting a couple of possibly-useless draft picks for Gutierrez, picks up a solid OF, a sterling defensive IF, and a stud DH prospect.**
Tune in here for exclusive coverage of the signing-day press conferences of Rafael Santiago, Benito Andujar, Louie Young, and Bobby Ray Dixon.
** Apologies if I left out anyone with especially active off seasons. Let me know and we'll do a QuickHit.
Twins: pulled the first non-shocker by signing 3-time Cy Young winner Vincenzo Smalley to a $110MM max deal. They got Smalley a new catcher (lifetime .319 hitter Eddie Williams) by sending reliever Claude Brand to St. Louis. And while rumors don't count, they're supposedly in contention for the soon-to-be-very-expensive services of Rafael Santiago. Santiago or not, they're not done. And don't forget Stretch Carver.
Rays: getting notice for the number of significant transactions - 3 Type A free agents so far. They started with 3-time All Star OF Roosevelt Tollberg, and gussied up the bullpen with Virgil Morales and Haywood Truman. They also appear to be on the hunt for more additions.
NL East: Last year's toughest division continues to bring in talent. D.C. started the action with the blockbuster trade for 3B Max Gutierrez (Season 18 AL MVP, multiple other hardwares), sending OF Paul Henderson, DH prospect Diego James and defensive whiz Adam Shipley to Boston. The Phillies kept pace by inking former Cy Young Winner Norm Long (3 years, $24 million), former Met Luis Cruz (2 years, $10.2 million), bullpen ace Einar Duran (4 years, $23.2 million), and Mr. "I never get paid but I always produce" (3 WS rings with 3 different teams), Dean Darensbourg. The Mets offset the loss of Smalley with a big contract for Reid Jordan (5 years, $70million), upgraded an OF spot with Roberto Rodriguez (3 years, $18.3 million), and landed a defensive catcher in Collin Womack (1 year, $2.4 million). Finally, the Pirates, although not as splashy as their division mates, added a pair of Type A bats and have been prominent in trade rumors.
Other "noisy" off seasons include Atlanta, with 2 Type A lefty hitters and a Type B SP; Nashville, Cincinnati and Toronto, with 3 Type B signings apiece; and of course Boston, which instead of getting a couple of possibly-useless draft picks for Gutierrez, picks up a solid OF, a sterling defensive IF, and a stud DH prospect.**
Tune in here for exclusive coverage of the signing-day press conferences of Rafael Santiago, Benito Andujar, Louie Young, and Bobby Ray Dixon.
** Apologies if I left out anyone with especially active off seasons. Let me know and we'll do a QuickHit.
Quick Hits: Reds and Twins
World ML: Is this the year Miguel Rojas, Tony Ordaz and Vin Sanchez lead Cincy to
the Promised Land? What do you need to get back to your Season 15-16
playoff form?
jwperry: I think we are close, I'd love to add a few more bats and shore up the bullpen after loosing my closer from last season...that and get the cubs out of the way ;)
World ML: You've already made the big splash with Smalley. How do you fill the roster if you land Santiago?
zbrent716: If I land Santiago, I don't do much else. Probably Rule 5 for a bat/glove off the bench and a mopup man, and maybe deal one of my extra catching bats. Without Santiago, I go grab some of the good talent still in FA and sign multiple guys.
jwperry: I think we are close, I'd love to add a few more bats and shore up the bullpen after loosing my closer from last season...that and get the cubs out of the way ;)
World ML: You've already made the big splash with Smalley. How do you fill the roster if you land Santiago?
zbrent716: If I land Santiago, I don't do much else. Probably Rule 5 for a bat/glove off the bench and a mopup man, and maybe deal one of my extra catching bats. Without Santiago, I go grab some of the good talent still in FA and sign multiple guys.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Quick Hits: A's and Rockies
World ML: You made a nice improvement in the win column last year...what are the
top 3 things that have to happen for the A's to contend this season?
strang: 1. Pitching staff has to walk fewer batters and give up less homers 2. Better defense up the middle 3. Obtain a player or two who are legitimate threats to hit homers
World ML: Welcome to Major Leagues. What are your top 3 goals for the Rockies this year?
perdue12: 1. Since I am new to the franchise learn my organization from the ground up; 2. Make the playoffs; 3. Build a plan for the future, whether it be rebuild, or grow with the talent we have.
strang: 1. Pitching staff has to walk fewer batters and give up less homers 2. Better defense up the middle 3. Obtain a player or two who are legitimate threats to hit homers
World ML: Welcome to Major Leagues. What are your top 3 goals for the Rockies this year?
perdue12: 1. Since I am new to the franchise learn my organization from the ground up; 2. Make the playoffs; 3. Build a plan for the future, whether it be rebuild, or grow with the talent we have.
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