MLB (Non-Phils) News and Notes 2016

mdougherty12 2016-01-01 02:57:08 UTC #1

It appears that the Dodgers have signed Kenta Maeda, but the financial terms haven't been reported yet:

mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/d ... maeda.html

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andyb 2016-01-01 17:43:54 UTC #2

Signed Kazmir also (not sure it was mentioned) for 3/48.

With Maeda they now have 6 starters but all are left handed except for Maeda (Kershaw, Kazmir, Anderson, Wood, Ryu).

Rumors are the Maeda deal is for 8 years though I imagine there are opt-outs and options along the way. It probably did not make sense for the Phillies to compete with that for a guy who may only be a 3rd/4th starter type though admittedly Maeda is a little bit of an unknown as to how his style will play over here. I always worry that Japanese pitchers have a tough time adapting from starting every 7 days (and maybe going deeper into games) to starting every 5 days against deeper lineups. It is a recipe for a couple years of success and then burnout/injury as their stuff loses its edge.

Austinfan 2016-01-01 19:06:05 UTC #3

allentown:

Austinfan:

That's about what I expected Leake to get, he didn't make sense for the Phillies, who would have had to grossly overpay to get a #3 (probably $100M), whereas Leake got good money from a perceived contender. By the time the Phillies were a serious contender in 2019, Leake would be struggling to maintain a spot in the rotation (or things have gone seriously wrong with our young pitchers and our 2016 #1 draft pick!). At $16M a year he just has to be a 3 WAR pitcher for a couple years, and a #4 or so the last three at 2 WAR.
I think it unduly pessimistic to decide that the Phillies can't be a serious contender by 2018 with the addition of FA such as Leake. I don't think it at all a stretch or a sign of failure of our prospects that we will need a starter like Leake in our 5-man rotation come 2018. It is normal that not all of the top pitcher prospects will make it and at this point, Nola is the surest thing on that 2018 staff. If we take Groome #1, he likely isn't a factor in 2018. Of Nola, Eickhoff, Thompson, Eflin, Villanueva, Appel getting 4 guys in the rotation for 2018 who deserve to be in contending rotation is actually doing well. If we get 5 guys who legitimately qualify, that's fine too, because we'll surely need 6 SP over the course of the season.

A pitcher like Leake 3 years from now is unlikely to be a difference maker, far more likely to be a 4th or 5th starter worth 1-2 WAR. So he'd be competing not with our top 3 or 4 pitching prospects, but with the second tier guys and the guys you can buy for one year on the FA market to patch the back of the rotation. It would be throwing money away to overspend on someone like that. He makes far more sense for contender, who is paying for his best years when they need them, and at that price, shouldn't be a huge risk in the out years.

zambonir 2016-01-06 03:05:43 UTC #4

Paul DePodesta has left the Mets to essentially run the Cleveland Browns. This is probably a plus for the Phillies:

"Paul completely reorganized the Mets; scouting and player-development functions and had an extraordinary impact in both areas, but he was also very directly involved in our trade and free-agent acquisitions," Mets GM Sandy Alderson said. "His commitment to excellence and his passion for innovation will be missed by the Mets and all of baseball. I wish him well with the Browns."

espn.go.com/newyork/nfl/story/_/ ... gy-officer

dcsman 2016-01-06 03:38:36 UTC #5

I thought this was kind of an odd career move when I saw it. I suspect the pay is better?

Dan the "wouldn't want to work for the Mets though either" man

Lawman 2016-01-06 03:47:46 UTC #6

Cleveland Browns are in a meeting deciding who should be the next GM:

Team Official One: Let's hire Paul DePodesta

TO 2: Paul? But he's a baseball official, what does he know about the NFL?

TO 1: Maybe not a lot, but look at us. Based on our track record, we don't know a lot about football either.

David_Criss 2016-01-06 16:21:34 UTC #7

Alex Gordon returning to Royals 4 years 72 mil avg. 18mil per

Philsmania 2016-01-06 16:31:10 UTC #8

Lawman:

dcsman:

zambonir:

Paul DePodesta has left the Mets to essentially run the Cleveland Browns. This is probably a plus for the Phillies:

"Paul completely reorganized the Mets; scouting and player-development functions and had an extraordinary impact in both areas, but he was also very directly involved in our trade and free-agent acquisitions," Mets GM Sandy Alderson said. "His commitment to excellence and his passion for innovation will be missed by the Mets and all of baseball. I wish him well with the Browns."

espn.go.com/newyork/nfl/story/_/ ... gy-officer

I thought this was kind of an odd career move when I saw it. I suspect the pay is better?

Dan the "wouldn't want to work for the Mets though either" man

Cleveland Browns are in a meeting deciding who should be the next GM:

Team Official One: Let's hire Paul DePodesta

TO 2: Paul? But he's a baseball official, what does he know about the NFL?

TO 1: Maybe not a lot, but look at us. Based on our track record, we don't know a lot about football either.

The new Browns are a punchline franchise. Man, what a cruel twist of fate for Cleveland. The beloved first Browns become the Ravens and two-time Super Bowl winning franchise and the replacement is this sorry excuse for a franchise.

Philsmania 2016-01-06 17:01:18 UTC #9

Former Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos joins the Dodgers front office. That's six current or former GM's now working for the Dodgers (Anthopoulos, Zahidi, Friedman, Colletti, Byrnes and Hunsicker). Phillies now have some catching up to do. They only have five (Klentak, MacPhail, Gillick, Wade and Green).

mlbtraderumors.com/2016/01/dodgers-hire-alex-anthopoulos.html

Philsmania 2016-01-06 17:07:08 UTC #10

Nationals sign Stephen Drew to a one year deal, presumably to be a placeholder for Trea Turner. That eliminates a possible landing spot for Jimmy Rollins who played the same role for the Dodgers with Corey Seager percolating in the minors.

mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/nationals-to-sign-stephen-drew.html

Lawman 2016-01-06 18:12:39 UTC #11

Quick, hire Bill Polian. Because, hey, why not?

Philsmania 2016-01-06 18:17:25 UTC #12

This new leadership is probably more Joe Banner.

Figaro 2016-01-07 05:02:03 UTC #13

I think Nats fans expect him to back up Espinosa at SS (and Murphy at 2B) until Turner is ready. It's pretty hard to put a .180 hitter out there every day even if it's only for a couple months.

andyb 2016-01-08 22:14:42 UTC #14

Maeda medical info must have been really bad. Contract is $3 million a year plus a $1 million signing bonus. Then Maeda can earn $10 million incentives with 32 GS and 200 IP. $3 million of that requires 30 starts and another million requires 190 IP. So if Maeda is in the rotation full time he maxes out at $13 million a year and if he gets even one DL stay or is towards the end of the rotation it is more like a $9 million deal.

Maeda must really want to pitch in the U.S. to agree to this and the Dodgers are getting a great deal. If all options kick in it will have been close to what is projected. If he gets hurt in a year or two the Dodgers could release him and swallow the $3 million a year base contract without sweating. His Japanese team is probably also happy to get the $20 million posting fee if the medicals were that bad.

16-23: $3M annually
annual roster bonus: $0.15M for making active Opening Day roster
$6.5M annually in performance bonuses based on games started: $1M each 15, 20 GS. $1.5M each for 25, 30, 32 GS
$3.5M annually in performance bonuses based on innings pitched: $0.25M each for 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190 IP. $0.75M 200 IP

California_Dreamin 2016-01-09 03:41:12 UTC #15

The Washington Nats acquired Ben Revere tonight from Toronto for reliever Drew Storen. Personally, I like the two young hurlers the Phils got for Revere but do think he will help the Nats, though I don't think he is as good as Span was.

This makes Pap the closer without resistance in Washington.

Ryles 2016-01-09 19:16:31 UTC #16

This is great. Phils better take extra base on BFresh every chance they get + Nats now committed to Pap as closer. Get the popcorn & let the drama continue!

allentown 2016-01-09 21:20:25 UTC #17

Fired St. Louis Cardinals stat guy turned Scouting Director, Chris Correa, pleads guilty to 5 federal charges of hacking for repeatedly hacking into the Houston Astros scouting report database. He ran the Cardinals' 2015 draft and was fired shortly after when this FBI investigation was announced. In 2013 he accessed all of Houston's scouting reports prior to the draft, then went back and accessed the updates prior to day 3 of the draft.

It will be most interesting to see what, if any, penalty is assessed against Selig's favorite team by his anointed replacement commish. As with Boston in football, consistent success seems to be no bar to cheating to ensure more success in St. Louis. Just gives me more of a warm feeling to know that this persistently winning franchise qualifies for the extra charity draft picks. What's an appropriate punishment? How about stripping the first and second rounder in this years draft and not giving them their annual charity pick? Let Houston have the second rounder and the other two just evaporate.

Correa, who is 35, faces major jail time. Nice career you had, guy.

Article is from Wall Street Journal:

wsj.com/articles/ex-cardinal ... 1452271222

FMcB 2016-01-09 21:35:01 UTC #18

Nats fans are going to lose it when they figure out how poor Revere is in CF. Between this and defensive problems at 2b with Murphy that are bound to happen,it doesn't bode well for them. Too bad, so sad. Not.

Figaro 2016-01-10 05:47:48 UTC #19

Storen has some problems between the ears so the Nats may have gotten more than he was worth.

halfstreetheartattack.com/2016/0 ... ere-trade/

phillychuck 2016-01-10 14:29:03 UTC #20

allentown:

Fired St. Louis Cardinals stat guy turned Scouting Director, Chris Correa, pleads guilty to 5 federal charges of hacking for repeatedly hacking into the Houston Astros scouting report database. He ran the Cardinals' 2015 draft and was fired shortly after when this FBI investigation was announced. In 2013 he accessed all of Houston's scouting reports prior to the draft, then went back and accessed the updates prior to day 3 of the draft.

It will be most interesting to see what, if any, penalty is assessed against Selig's favorite team by his anointed replacement commish. As with Boston in football, consistent success seems to be no bar to cheating to ensure more success in St. Louis. Just gives me more of a warm feeling to know that this persistently winning franchise qualifies for the extra charity draft picks. What's an appropriate punishment? How about stripping the first and second rounder in this years draft and not giving them their annual charity pick? Let Houston have the second rounder and the other two just evaporate.

Correa, who is 35, faces major jail time. Nice career you had, guy.

Article is from Wall Street Journal:

wsj.com/articles/ex-cardinal ... 1452271222

Honest question...why waste a jail cell on this guy? Fine him a bunch, put him on 10 years' probation, 300 hours of community service a year until probation is up. He's not a danger to anyone.