The World Series is tied at one game apiece.
Former big league pitcher John Morris passed away at the age of 84.
Brandon Hyde and Craig Albernaz both got interviews with the Nationals for their manager position. Jason Varitek will be returning to the Red Sox coaching staff.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
I’m excited about the season ending. Should either team win out then free agency would begin November 3rd, I believe. I’m anxiously waiting for Perry’s “we haven’t discussed it yet” quote.
But seriously the free agent list is not inspiring. Somehow we’re gonna have to learn how to draft and trade
This should be a bizarre off season. About a third of the league only has 2 years left on their TV deals and the vast majority of folks are expecting a lockout after this year.
Not exactly great time to be hitting the open market as a player.
I pretty much expect the Yankees, Doyers and Mets to sign a pile of dudes and everyone else to kind of shrug their shoulders. Even a pretty clearly positive move, like the Cubs extending PCA. Why now? Why not just wait till after the strike? Why sign Edwin Diaz right now unless yew duh Doyers? For most of the owners, signing a guy to even an eight figure deal just seems like lighting millions of dollars you don’t need to burn on fire. Plus, after the TV deals fall apart, how much money do you still have?
If I were an owner of a flailing franchise that is a distant second in a large market but still makes a fair amount of cash per season maybe I’d try to find a way to use this to my advantage. There are gonna be some FAs sitting around complaining about how no one really seems to want them in Feb.
I’m pretty sure that MLB would be perfectly happy for the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Mets, and the Dodgers be in the league championship series every year and for everyone else to be the Washington Generals. Maybe throw in the Phillies.
Salaries won’t be paid during a lockout, but if I’m signing a guy who is already 32 and we lose 2027 that gets me to the bad part of the contract really quickly.
Eric, don’t forget, “…all in” and “…meaningful games…”
And Atre will open his wallet for the right player
BA: Raudi update from the AFL.
Raudi Rodriguez, OF, Angels
The Scoop: After an outstanding season that saw him become one of just two qualified minor leaguers to finish with 20 or more doubles, 10 or more triples and homers and 30 or more stolen bases, Rodriguez has stayed scorching in the AFL. His miss rates in the regular season were slightly elevated, but he also hit the ball quite hard, as his 90th percentile exit velocity was 106.5 mph, and he maxed out at 111.8 mph. His past week in the Fall League showcased both his strengths and weaknesses: He punched out five times with just one walk, but he also produced five EVs harder than 100 mph, including a max of 108.9. (JN)
He’s clearly a Guns and Roses guy. All he needs is just a little patience and he’s got what it takes to make it. We’ll see in Alabama….
He’s crushing it. Would love to see him be a success story.
Unfortunately he’s more likely to be playing on Niko’s softball team.
He reminds me of Arozarena with a little less pop.
Similar body types, similar swings
Just for fun I am gonna list the Baseball Trade Values SIM values for a pile of the Angels players that we may trade at some point. Baring a tragic ATV accident or a change in contract status these should stay basically the same all winter. Quibble all you want with them, but generally speaking this computer brain actually gets most trades right, or is correct when it seems a team over/under paid for a player. It’s a reasonable measuring stick.
Oh, and in some cases “similar value” means give or take throwing in a solid prospect. 1-4 points.
By the way, they have a whole page dedicated to how they get these values, how it changes when baseball changes, etc. I can link to that if people ever want it during the boring months.
Zach Neto:28.9 similar value to Cole Young, Hurston Waldrep, Colton Cowser, Maikel Garcia, Brendan Donovan, Jazz Chisholm, Taj Bradley, Brandon Marsh
Jose Soriano 17.3 similar Cam Schlitler, Zebby Mathews, Hunter Gaddis
Reid Detmers 17.2 similar Chandler Simpson, Jeremiah Estrada, Jakob Young
Nolan Schanuel: 16 similar Nico Hoerner, Gabriel Moreno, Heliot Ramos, Anthony Volpe
Ben Joyce: 11 similar to Jack Dreyer, Dylan Lile, Mike Burrows
Jo Adell: 8.1 similar to Nassim Nunez, Joey Bart, Mitch Keller
Taylor Ward: 6.2 similar Nick Mears, Brayan Bocccio, Gabe Arias, Jakob Marsee, isaac Mattsen
Logan O’Hoppe: 1.1 – very many guys.
Yusei Kikuchi: -10.1 similar to Taijuan Walker, Ryan McMahon
Jorge Soler: -11.3 – Lots of mush.
Mike Trout: -134.6 he is basically as UNVALUEABLE as Paul Skenes is valued.
The guys with negative value get tough because there are players with negative value who are also good, but expensive. Like Soler and Yordon Alvarez are similar value to the SIM because of numbers and contract…. but clearly we’d want one and not the other.
But for those of us who muse on “trade everything” it’s a good idea to get a sense of the uvarnished value of “everything” at this point. When I am IIWPMing, and I want to approach a team about trading Ward for prospects, it is basically the same as offering Jakob Marsee and I will get around the same prospect return.
Here’s an idea of the prospect values. Connor Griffin is probably #1 right now in the MLB and he like a +75. Leo De Vries is a pretty big name. He’s a +56.6. Andrew Painter is the type of “ace” pitching prospect we’d stupidly expect in a trade. He’s a +40 so even Neto can’t come close to landing him.
Don’t get me wrong. There are A TON of pretty good prospects in that 10-20 range. Heck, there are a lot of guys most people have never heard of that are pretty good prospects in the 5-7 range. So there is hope.
I’m just saying, when we say “burn it down” it’s not like we’re gonna get two Churios and a Skenes out of it at all.
Thanks Gitch. It’s going to be a very interesting offseason, but the continued growth of the young core if what’s going to make or break this team moving forward.
We need pitching and pitching but until there is some depth, I wouldn’t trade any of the young core for pitching. Can Denzer replace Zach? Maybe.
Get Framber, get Cease, get Gallen. Keep drafting pitchers, we are going nowhere without much better pitching.
My face trade right now is Ward for Brady Singer.
Both similar values and similar salaries
Reds need at outfielder, Angels need pitching
The Orioles were a little quick to hire Brandon Hyde last season I thought. That team just caught termites and fell apart. Everyone sucked. But at least it looks like they hired a good candidate to replace him. I mean sure, I have no idea if he is actually any better decision by decision than Kurt Suzuki or Willie Randolph. But he seems like a good fit for the club.
Sounds like a good hire – lucky man – this seemed by far to be the best gig available based on roster talent.
GO JAYS!!!!
Go Jays! And….. maple syrup. That’s also from Canada and I like it.
Also some good maple syrup in Vermont and New Hampshire! But yes – Go Jays!!
Natasha Henstrige…. also from Canada…. I’m just working to think of Canadian things I have really liked in life. Lot’s of comedians were from there back when they were allowed to crack jokes in Canada…
i like three Québécois: Marcel Dionne, Vlad Jr, and Rogie Vachon
Agree on all three.
John Candy
Drew Doughty too. Don’t forget him.
Go Jays!
Plus the Canadian Girl from A League of their Own
