after Season news 2012

First topic message reminder :

I thought I'd start a thread to put down all baseball news & trades that happen between 2012/2013, so if anyone hears of any trades/news please feel free to put them here.
BOSTON
Have appointed John Farrell as new team manager.

MIAMI
Have dismissed team manager Ozzie Guillen.

OAKLAND/ARIZONA/MIAMI

Oakland have signed center fielder Chris Young from Arizona, as well as cash, Arizona received Infielders Cliff Pennington and Yordy Cabrera. Arizona then Instantly passed Yordy Cabrera onto Miami in exchange for reliever Heath Bell.

Agreed tea,
And they have Buerle (pit-bull permitting) to give them a very dependable 30 starts to stabilize that rotation . . . . . .Not sure they need Reyes and his baggage, but he could be trade bait.

To be fair, I never said that Toronto would not be challenging, I expect the East to once again be competitive. I just feel that they will miss out next year, and like I said expect 2014 to be be the one they make strides in. The Yankees I still feel will make one big trade/signing, but are quietly going about there business, the re-signings of Rivera & Kuroda could be the most important of pre season. I know what you said about the Red Soxs, but I feel that alot of the players who so badly underperformed last year will come good (or at least average), the signing of Napoli is a good solid one, though the idea of playing him at first base is interesting. I hope the Orioles continue there form, but wonder that if we lose a few weather the confidence will go. Intact at the moment only Tampa look worse than last season, but I expect them to get a few new players in. Like you say if luck goes there way, and injuries than they have a very good chance. But they would need s hell of lot of luck.
Teassoc,
What would the Jays fans be like if there not competing by the all star game, what would the owners be like?

Although a Jays fan, I was happy for the Orioles this past season. Shame they didn't get any further though.

AL East is sure going to be competitive next season.

teassoc wrote:Although a Jays fan, I was happy for the Orioles this past season. Shame they didn't get any further though.

AL East is sure going to be competitive next season.

To be honest, given how poor we'd been the previous seasons, just being competitive was great, getting to the post season was the icing on the cake, it would have excellent to have gone futher, but just getting there and getting the O's toward's the top in that division was good enough (I'm easily pleased), I honestly do think Toronto will be there or there abouts I just don't think next year will be there year, but like you say this will be a competitive division, where anyone of the teams could be up there.

The San Francisco Giants have reportedly re-signed Angel Pagan to a 4 year $40 million contract.

4 years seems more than Pagan could have wished for! But apparently he is a very positive force in the Giants' clubhouse.

Speculation this morning about the Mets trading Dickey rather than fork over the type of contract that Boston and LA might offer him. And the Red Sox making Shane Victorino an 3-year offer?

Josh Hamilton being sought by the Mariners? Danny Haren to the Nats on a one-year rental??

The thing with the Red Sox is that they got steadily worse on the diamond thru the season and then bankrupted their team by jettisoning Adrian Gonzales, Josh Beckett etc. They have their hands full what with the owners putting the Red Sox AND LFC in a death spiral.

Agree Kiwi,
but with the signing of Napoli & Victorino ( the 3 year $39 million is pending a physical), you feel that they're slowly trying to sort things out. Though where this puts Ross is anyone's guess.

I don't get the Mets at this moment, tying down Wright to an 8 year $138 million contract, while trading Dickey seems strange to me, I would have thought they would have gone the other way round.

The Washington Nationals have depending on a physical signed Harem, to a 1 year $13 million deal. There ballpen looks very strong at the moment.

Arizona Diamondbacks have signed Eric Hinske on a 1 year contract.

Texas Rangers have signed free agent pitcher Joslin Soria on a 2 year $8 million contract.

tiger,
The Mets thing is all about the respective ages of the two, Wright being 29 and Dickey clocking in at 38 - though a knuckleballer could go on forever.

Not sure Danny Haren will not be in the rotation; he has been pretty much all his career.

Still waiting for the Skanks to put their big feet in the water . . . . . .

kwinigolfer wrote:tiger,
The Mets thing is all about the respective ages of the two, Wright being 29 and Dickey clocking in at 38 - though a knuckleballer could go on forever.

Not sure Danny Haren will not be in the rotation; he has been pretty much all his career.

Still waiting for the Skanks to put their big feet in the water . . . . . .

The Yankees are apparently looking at Reynolds (Orioles), and Keppinger (Rays), though I think the Keppinger is mainly to do with A-Rods injury.
Sorry I ment to put Haren down for rotation, which they look strong in.Fancy that division to be between the Nats & Braves.
Apparently, the rumours are that the Yankees where looking at Wright, and this forced the Mets to act how they have, Don't know weather this is true or not but its a good story.

2 players who joined new clubs have left without playing. Whiteside has left the Yankees for Toronto and Escobar has left the Marlins for Tampa.

Scutaro hits the jackpot (3 years for $20M) in San Francisco - not bad for a 37-y-o who must have been wondering if he'd still be playing in 2013 just six months ago.

A LOT of teams over-paying for average (relatively speaking) talents in my opinion, Yankees doing a good job of waiting for value, probably via a Granderson trade.

The Houston Astros have traded pitcher Wilton Lopez the Colorado Rockies, with pitcher Alex White going the other way.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded Catcher Ramon Cabrera to the Detroit Tigers, with pitcher Andrew Oliver going to the Pirates.

The Chicago Cubs have signed, pending a physical, outfielder Nate Schierholtz on a 1 year $2.25 million contract. Schierholtz was free agent.

Kiwi,
Got to agree, quite a few clubs are paying well over the odds for not great players. A few clubs playing it well.
Does the longer they leave it benefit the clubs or players? I mean Goethe club or players
hold the upperhand

Too many non-entities being paid outlandish sums of money for my liking.

tiger,
These owners meetings have provoked far more action that their recent predecessors, almost as if some clubs see some compulsion to do something, anything.
In times gone by the Yanks would have been leading the charge, but now they're being pilloried for doing nothing!

I'd say the clubs taking the upper hand will be those with a deep farm system who can sit on the sidelines, wait for the dust to settle and make their moves - most likely by trade - when the landscape is a little clearer.

Your Orioles (love Buck Showalter) looking to be getting value for money - re-signed McLouth on a one-year contract and he's a good player. Think Jason Bay will do a good job for Seattle also, but some of the deals just make your head spin.

Oh No! This is serious: Looks like Eric Chavez is leaving NYY for Arizona, where he lives - perhaps rumours of the Yanks being in for Youk at $12M for a one-year deal are true?

Joe Blanton to the Halos. $15M for two years not bad for a pitcher who hasn't had a winning record since 2010 - he's a horse though, so he'll eat up lots of innings.

And what's with these hunting injuries? First Robin Yount hits Dale Sveum with some buckshot, then Cashner gets knifed by a mate as they were gutting animals. Nice. Serves 'em right.

Philadelphia Phillies have traded baters Vance Worley and pitching prospect Trevor May to the Minnesota Twins, To get outfielderBen Revere.

Tampa Bay Rays have signed infielder Jame Loney on a 1 year $2 million contract,(this is a good deal in my opinion).

Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed, pending a physical, a 2 year $15.5 million contract with free agent pitcher Brandon McCarthy.

The Chicago Cubs have signed pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa, from the Hanshin Tigers, on a 2 year $9.5 million contract.

In sad decline after so many great years and many (most?) of Texas Rangers' hitting records, Michael Young is traded to the Phils.
In a measure of Texas's desperation to mitigate his $16M contract, the Phils will only have to pay him $6M in 2013, the remaining $10M bill footed by Nolan Ryan and his sidekicks.

Zach Greinke to the Dodgers?
Quite a gamble for Magic and his chums given that Greinke was thought to shy away from the glitz and glamour of high profile markets.
Huge payroll now in LA, but big question marks against some of the new boys. Would think Adrian Gonzalez was a great acquisition, but Ramirez? Crawford?? Beckett??? And now Greinke.
Not sure that you really know what you're going to get with that lot Magic.

Hi, Dodgers East!

Add to that, that they have now also signed pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu on a 6 year $36 million contract, and it does make you wonder.

Very happy to see the Kansas City Royals trade for Jamie Shields, that'll keep him away from the Yankees for a couple of starts, at least!
KC have built up a formidable roster, especially now they've added Shields, Santana and Guthrie to their rotation.

They could be an AL Central contender for 2013, no doubt about it.

The Mets reportedly offering R.A.Dickey a 2 year, $20M contract; would think that's an open invitation for trade offers if ever I saw one. Insulting really, all things considered.

The New York Yankees have agreed, pending a physical, a 1 year $12 million deal for Kevin Youkilis.

A good signing in your opinion Kiwi?

Agree about what the Mets offered Dickey. Might as well just come out and said we'll trade him for the right deal than just offer him a stupid deal.

tiger,
Youks is a gamer; one year contracts, overall, have proved very beneficial to the Yanks over the past few years and have been integral to their success. It's the guys on long-term contracts, by and large, who have let us down.

We'll be happy that Youks is playing for us.
And we'll be happy not to have him playing against us!
Not many Yankee fans will be disappointed if A-Rod is out all year. Good riddance.

The Cleveland Indians/Cincinnati Reds & Arizona Diamondbacks have completed a 3 team 10 player trade.

Cincinnati have got right fielders Shin-Shoo Choo, and Jason Donald and about $3.5 million from the Indians.
Arizona have got Pitcher Tony Sipp, 1st Baseman Lars Anderson from the Indians, and Shortstop Didi Gregorius from the Reds.
Cleveland have got Pitcher Trevor Bauer & center fielder Drew Stubbs from the Reds. And pitchers Matt Albers & Bryan Shaw from the D-Backs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired utility Skip Schumacher from the St Louis Cardinals with minor league Shortstop Jake Lemmermen going the other way.

It's being reported that, pending a physical, the Boston Red Soxs have agreed a 2 year $27.5 million contract with pitcher Ryan Dempster.
Looks like the Soxs could be back challenging in the east, with this signing added to Napoli & Victorino they are certainly tighting up defensively, and have the hitters.

Also, The Anaheim Angels have agreed a 5 year $125 million contract with Free Agent Josh Hamilton.
This is a major intention for the Angels, left handed Hamilton playing clean up behind Pujols, looks like they are intending to go far in the post season play offs. And also they have majorly weakens one of there division rivals.

Som big wheels turning!

Trouble with the Red Sox, these are not much better than average players, well known because they played at high profile teams, but certainly you'd rather have Gonzales and Beckett than Napoli and Dempster. And, if they trade Ellsbury, then Victorino would be a step down.
And they lost badly with last year's guys.

Not sure about the Angels - not a huge contract for Hamilton though considering his talent. One just gets the sense they've stopped playing for Mike Scioscia.

I Think that because the Red Soxs have had quite a few bad/big signings go wrong, that they are signing dependable solid players, who you know what you're going to get day in day out. Ross,Napoli,Victorino and Dempsey should tighten them up defensively, and are solid players. Gomes I'm not sure about, the key signing they made so far is Ortiz, if he gets on a roll he will be the difference.

Although surprised they let Haren go, Blanton & Hanson should help compensate that, Cousians is an alright back up, and the middle order has a frightening look about it, plus the pay roll is the biggest in the clubs history. That if Anaheim don't go far in the post season, Scioscia will be gone. The fact that at the moment one of there main rivals is weak should help them.

The New York Yankees are believed to be close to agreeing a new 2 year contract for about $ 12&/13 million with Ichirio Suzuki.

Yup, Good news for the Yanks.

Doesn't help the roster get any younger, but fills a crucial hole, in the line-up and in the outfield.

St Louis Cardinals have signed Veteran Ty Wiggleton on a 2 year deal.

The favorites to land Dickey at the moment are the Toronto Blue Jays, it what us likely to be a multi player trade (well the Mets will get a few anyway).
This would be a great signing for Toronto. And will really kick them into gear.

After all they've had a fairly quite post season so far, only changing there coach, signing half of Miami's team, Plus Melky Cabrera plus Macier Izturis plus Jeremy Jeffress.
Wonder what would happen if they went out and made a splash in the post season

Yes, Jays are close to a trade with the Mets for R.A. Dickey. Supposedly Travis D'Arnaud going the other way. Both teams swapping medical details.

The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed a 2 year $12 million contract with pitcher Mike Adams.
They have also agreed a 1 year $2.5 million deal with Pitcher John Lannan.
Both these deals are pending physicals.

The Detroit Tigers have agreed a 5 year $80 million contract with pitcher Anibal Sanchez.

Looks like the Dickey trade from the Mets to the Blue Jays is going down.

Good luck to R.A.Dickey and good riddance to the Mutts.

And the Mutts are letting Mike Pelfrey move on to the Twinkies whle he recovers from Tommy John surgery.


Now: Not so fast on Napoli to the Red Sox - there are reports he flunked his physical and the Sox have withdrawn their earlier offer while trying to get Napoli to sign a shorter-term deal.
Meanwhile the Sox are (over)paying for Stephen Drew, allegedly being close to a 1-year $9.5M deal. Older brother JD slept in the Fenway outfield for a few years while failing to match (his) expectations at the plate - though not at the bank.

Cody Ross was a popular Sox last year so no surprise he could be signing for the Phillies.

Oakland A's have reportedly move fast on replacing Drew, by apparently agreeing a 2 year $9.5 million contract (with options for a 3rd year), with highly rated Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima.

The Houston Astros have agreed a 1 year deal with veteran batter Carlos Pena.

The Toronto/New York Mets trade has now been confirmed, its 7 players.
Toronto have got pitcher R.A.Dickey, catcher Josh Thole & minor league catcher Mike Nicheas.
The Mets get in return, top catching prospect Travis d.Arnaud, Pitcher Noah Syndergaard,catcher John Buck and minor league Wuilmer Beccera.

Is this a good trade in people's opinions?

It's good in the long term for the Mets. Catcher for possibly the next 10+ years in D'Arnaud, and I've heard equally good things about Noah Syndergaard.

tigerrobins wrote:Oakland A's have reportedly move fast on replacing Drew, by apparently agreeing a 2 year $9.5 million contract (with options for a 3rd year), with highly rated Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima.

The Houston Astros have agreed a 1 year deal with veteran batter Carlos Pena.

The Toronto/New York Mets trade has now been confirmed, its 7 players.
Toronto have got pitcher R.A.Dickey, catcher Josh Thole & minor league catcher Mike Nicheas.
The Mets get in return, top catching prospect Travis d.Arnaud, Pitcher Noah Syndergaard,catcher John Buck and minor league Wuilmer Beccera.

Is this a good trade in people's opinions?

Whether it works or not you can't fault Jays management for not trying to build a serious contender.

To be honest, I like the deal as it gives the Jays a true number 1 pitcher, and prospects don't always work out. Also Dickey has a good record vs AL East teams and pitching under the roof should help him the times that it's closed.

Most puzzling thing is why the Mets think it's a good idea - appreciate the raft of prospects, but many of those won't pan out as teassoc says.

Complete change of philosophy for the Blue Jays though, all their eggs in a 2013 basket.

Glad to see Yankee killer Carlos Pena go west to Houston . . . . .

AJ Pierzynski to Texas? Missed that, everyone one would like the "pest" on their team!
And Edwin Jackson hired to eat up innings for the Cubbies for four years.

Yanks still have to make their move but very few free agent cards left on the table. Watch out for a BIG trade!

The Miami Marlins have signed 3rd baseman Placido Polanco on a 1 year $2.75 million contract.

Good signing by Texas, but to be honest they needed to do something with Young & Hamilton leaving.

The reason I asked about the Mets/Blue jays trade is because I don't understand the Mets in this.To loose a starting pitcher, to a group of prospects that may or may not work dosn't seem that good a business to me. Especially given that the Nationals,Braves & Phillies are all strengthening in a tight division which the Mets weren't that good in in 2012. I would have thought they would have gone for a couple of veterans, it's not like Toronto don't have any spare.

Teassoc, Agree that it great signing for the Blue Jays, and added to the other signings made you can't fault the Toronto Club house, they've certainly signed a good squad. My only worry would be if it dosn't work out in 2013, what then?

tigerrobins wrote:The Miami Marlins have signed 3rd baseman Placido Polanco on a 1 year $2.75 million contract.

Good signing by Texas, but to be honest they needed to do something with Young & Hamilton leaving.

The reason I asked about the Mets/Blue jays trade is because I don't understand the Mets in this.To loose a starting pitcher, to a group of prospects that may or may not work dosn't seem that good a business to me. Especially given that the Nationals,Braves & Phillies are all strengthening in a tight division which the Mets weren't that good in in 2012. I would have thought they would have gone for a couple of veterans, it's not like Toronto don't have any spare.

Teassoc, Agree that it great signing for the Blue Jays, and added to the other signings made you can't fault the Toronto Club house, they've certainly signed a good squad. My only worry would be if it dosn't work out in 2013, what then?

If it doesn't work out it fans can't blame management.

Another bad year for injuries could ruin things, as could poor form by Bautista and Encarnacion. Otherwise they should have a great year.

Got to agree Teassoc, and seeing as most have signed 2/3 year deals it can only be good for the Blue Jays.

One thing is for sure, next year's AL east is shaping up to be a fascinating close competition, though I do fear for the Orioles abit.

Blue Jays now 15/2 favourite in one Las Vegas book to win World Series - 35/1 at the end of the 2012 season.
Yanks 14/1, Mets have plummetted to 66/1, Marlins to 100/1!

tea,
Spot on regarding Joey Bats and Encarnacion . . . . .

Pittsburgh, pending a physical, have signed pitcher Francisco Liriano to a 2 year $14 million contract.

Seeing as quite a few on here support AL East teams, at this moment how do you think the table will end. Mine at the moment

Yankees,
Blue Jays,
Orioles,
Red Soxs,
Rays.

How about:

Blue Jays,
Rays,
Orioles,
Yankees,
Red Soxs.

I'd go:
Yanks
BJ's
Rays
Orioles
Sox

More

After reading both your predictions, I can only assume that:-

Teassoc, you had a good Friday night and where a little worse for wear

And Kiwi, I hope that bang on your head dosn't hurt to much (fancy putting the Rays above above the Orioles, not that I'm biased of course ).

Sox win one: Close to acquiring Pirates All-Star closer Hanrahan (who can't do much worse that the Sox bull-pen the past two seasons).
Sox lose one: Free agent Cody Ross signs with Arizona.

Blimey,
Looks like Swisher has hit the free agent jackpot - reports of the Cleveland Franconas offering him a 4-yr deal for $56M.

A good reminder to the Yankees that some of the best signings are the ones you don't make. $56M??!! I'd be very surprised if he's still in the League in 4 yrs time.

Seattle have apparently signed, for the 3rd time in his career, Raul Ibanez on a 1 year $2.5 million deal.

That's now 2 players I would have liked the Orioles to go for (Cody Ross is the other), getting worried now, as other clubs strengthen we seem to be standing still relying on the impressive form of last season lasting.

Kiwi, Teassoc.

I hope you both have a good and enjoyable Christmas & New Year. And wish you all the best for 2013.