How long until the Nats trade for Sean Doolittle?
Solid fit, esp. given the history between those teams.
I think people are confused about what to expect from Maikel Franco, but if he hits .270 with 30 HRs and average D, that's pretty good and probably the best case scenario for year 2, right?
That sounds pretty awesome to me. Not sure how you could realistically hope for more.
Any word on Moss' market?
Crickets. I have no idea where he'll end up.
Good for baseball? Or should teams be "encouraged" to compete every year?
It's a free market with fully informed participants. Teams should be able to reset. In a way, knowing you can tank allows you to push harder when a window is open, right? Because you know you can pick up the pieces and start fresh. It's like baseball bankruptcy!
And as Manfred has rightly observed, there are only a few teams that can really pursue this in a given year (otherwise too many are chasing for the bottom to get picks). And there's only so long a team can ask its fans to wait before it becomes a losing strategy. So, it's self-correcting. Teams are doing it rationally; this isn't Major League (The Movie).
No way! See, I just can't win.
Is Ryan Howard a fit in Toronto?
Nope. Smoak to face righties, Morales full-time DH. Generally, it's tough to see Howard getting a guaranteed job. Not least b/c there are other guys still out there who'd be in consideration for teams that like the idea of a "name" veteran (Morneau).
That said, he can still hit righties and could easily have function in the AL. Heck, I wonder if a team like the Nats would grab him as a bench bat in place of Robinson.
He could still get a roster spot, I suppose; worst case, if he stinks in the spring, you cut him loose and eat whatever meager guarantee you gave out.
Should mets sign wieters to platoon with darnaud and backup fuda?
This is the type of value signing you can make if you have payroll space. But they still need to bolster the pen and seem to be stuck with Bruce, and apparently aren't really in their comfort zone on spending.
Do you think we've reached the point where Weiters price tag might be low enough for the Angels to bite?
Halos/Nats still seem likelier fits than the Mets.
What teams should I consider?
Whoever's giving the most playing time, which will probably also be whoever will pay the most (give or take). I am still on the "Carter is just as good as Trumbo" bandwagon, fwiw. They have near identical career batting lines. Carter K's more often but also draws quite a few more walks.
He is an all or nothing hitter, true, but he could be a solid get if his price really drops into the $4-5MM range for one year.
Was Melancon overpaid concerning the history of closers loosing velocity as they age?
It's not just about velocity, but yeah, the age is a big concern. He's not totally reliant on fastball velo, of course, but all pitchers lose some ability to set up other pitches when their arm speed slows down.
That said, what are you going to do? The market is the market. If you want a capital-C Closer, and can't (or don't want to) get the other two guys (or pay the cost in prospects in a trade), then that's who you have to get.
With many teams still needing late innings help should I move Arodys Vizcaíno, if so what kind of return am I looking at?
Eh ... he's an awfully speculative guy to target given the ups and downs. Think he's the type that the Braves should value more highly (or as highly) as other orgs, b/c they can deal with the volatility moreso than a team that's really geared up to win now.
Was Tampa asking for Conforto from the Mets in exchange for Colome THAT unreasonable?
It's fair to make that kind of ask, though I can see why the Mets wouldn't do it, too.
Do you think the Yankees and Astros jumped the gun on Beltran and Holiday? Lots of DH types they could have have gotten for a lot cheaper.
I think they (and other teams) wanted those guys.
Not just some power bat.
Don't the Cubs.... HAVE to have Baez' glove on the field for just about every play?.....Somewhere?
You could say the same about Schwarber's bat, or something. I imagine they will look at their depth as an opportunity to keep guys fresh throughout the year and play match-ups.
Jerry Dipoto drinking game: Every time he makes a roster move you drink. DRINK!
This would make my job more interesting.
What's a realistic return for Alex Colome?
Presumably, it'd be Ken Giles-ish in conception. Like, the Rays will value him highly and want teams to come forward with compelling offers. That's not a perfect comp (believe Colome has one more year of service and TBR probably doesn't want pure prospects), but I think they'd hold out for something big. As they seem to have approached Forsythe.
That's not to say I think they got some kind of steal in dealing Forsythe, it's just that I don't think they were going to move him unless they were offered a controllable, at/near-MLB player they really liked.
With all of the activity by the Mariners this offseason, do you see them as legitimate contenders or are they still several pieces short?