NEWS/RUMORS/AROUND MLB Thread (Oct 2016 - Feb 2017)

I don't know how to use a twitter email

 

There was a bogus rumor yesterday

 

Thankfully GONE - The same old "I'm a futile, dumbfuck, waste of roster space" look on AJ Ellis' face.

 

Bautista is back with the Jays on a 1 year deal with 2 options. Can make up to 60 Mil, but not terribly likely that both parties pick up the mutual option next year. He is probably the second best 1B/DH option out there which is where he is headed.

 

Ummm...OK.
John Travolta is not gay.

 

What the he'll are waiting for pull the freaking trigger

 

What the he'll

 

I am drunk bro, My Cowboys lose my Dodgers lose wtf..:jumpcliff:

 

With Calhoun showing up to spring training any day now(just posted in the MiLB thread) to work with MLB staff on his D, that could cause the FO to take a step back from the table on the 2B acquisition. His bat is said to be close to MLB ready, but his glove is the problem. If he shows progress from his off season work and it continues through camp, I could see them wanting to get him 100+ AB's for the first couple of months in AAA and then look to bring him up to fill 2B rather than use prospects on a Dozier or Foresyth.

 

Puig not submitting the necessary paperwork for the WBC..somebody maybe talked him out of blowing up both hamstrings in non-MLB action.
Good talk.

 

Well, you all wanted something so here is something....
Bowden just now on MLB radio was asked about the Dodgers having interest in Jay Bruce. The answer was a stern "no" and what he has been told by those that he knows in the Dodgers FO is that they have no intention to address LF at this point. He said that the feeling is that the organization believes that Toles is the guy and that he is ready for it everyday. To top that off, he added the team has told him that they are not willing to add any more money to the OF right now as having Ethier's 17 mil on the bench is the reasoning for that. My guess is that teams are not wanting to move corner OF's right now as the market for them is weak and the club wants to see who if any of Puig, Ethier, Toles, Bellinger, SVS and/or Ruf step up in spring training.

Also, folks talk about how the Giants addressed their huge need this offsesason at closer and leave it at that, but ignore that they are a little weak at 3B, don't have a SS, still thin in the BP and have a bit of an issue at the back of the rotation. Well they, according to Bowden's sources, are tapped out. That does not make much sense as they are sitting around $170 mil from what I see. It could be that going into next season, their payroll is already going to be pretty tight up against the threshold and don't want to risk anything. A couple of their younger guys get expensive next year(Belt has 13 mil jump, Crawford 7 Mil) and could be in trouble if Cueto does NOT opt out. They're going to be an interesting team to watch the next 12 months.

 

Ruf and his career .921 OPS VS LHP is definitely intriguing.

ROX scare me more than they do.
If the ROX young pitching holds up and McGee pulls it together they should be firmly in the WC race.

 

I'm hoping that Ruf shows that last year was just an outlier and not the new norm. He is a year away from a 1.107 OPS vs lefties, but the dude is straight garbage against RHP. Be nice if one of the LH mashers can get their shit together this season as Ruf, Thompson, Kike and SVS have all been known as LH killers in their career.

Honestly, if those things with the Rox come together, then they're one of the best teams in baseball. Their team defense is already amazingly good and can hit at every position, but if their starting rotation finally figures it out, mixed with the bullpen as well, they will be fucking tough. They don't stay healthy and they're fucked too.

 

I'm fine with the OF. Can always get a guy at the deadline but between Puig, Toles, Ethier, SVS, Ruf and maybe Bellinger I think they'll be fine.