Innings Eater

24 year old baseball enthusiast. Twitter

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Veteran C, AJ Pierzynski, signs a one year deal for $2 mil with $700k in intensives. He shall be a backup catcher to touted rookie Christian Bethancourt. They still have Gattis as well, but with this addition, it's likely that Gattis will remain in the outfield during the majority of the year, unless he is traded later this offseason.. 

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RP Tim Stauffer ends his 12 year career as a San Diego Padres (10 in the majors). He was a former first round pick (4th overall) in 2003 (three after Delmon Young), and like Young never quite reached his potential as a starting pitcher; his best year he had 31 starts, an ERA of 3.73, and a 2.42 K/BB ratio. The last two years with the Padres, he's proved to be a quality mid-relief and long-relief arm. The Twins will bolster up their bullpen after a somewhat disappointing performance from their relievers (besides Glen Perkins). Compared to last year, he appears to be their best mid-relief arm, assuming Rule 5 draft pick (and a top 10 Braves prospect) J.R. Graham takes the long relief role. The Twin aren't quite booming from their rebuild like the Cubs this year, but they will be soon with their top prospects just on the horizon. This one year 2.2 million dollar contract, shows they want to improve from last year, with some of their younger players starting to emerge, extending Phil Hughes, and signing Ervin Santana and Torii Hunter (the later also taking a leadership role with the young prospects). The Twins are not looking to contend yet, but their future to a winning team is close ahead of them.

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OF Delmon Young to re-sign with the Baltimore Orioles. The pending physical will be taken in January.  It is a reported one year 2.25 million dollar deal, that appears could reach 3 million with incentives. 

Once a former first pick in the draft, Delmon Young, never quite lived up to his potential. He helped the Rays get Matt Garza in the 2007 trade with the Twins. However it seems like he found somewhat of a calling in Baltimore, resigning after one of the most successful year to his big league career, at least as of recent (hitting .302 in 242 ABs). He will likely continue to play in a platoon with lefty Alejandro De Aza. This move isn't going to replace the departed Nelson Cruz or  Nick Markakis, but it's a step in the right direction to repeat success. The Orioles may fall short of the playoffs this year with the powerhouse Red Sox beefing up again, the Blue Jays making a few offensive moves, the Yankees slightly improving themselves, and the dangerous small market Rays can always surprise. I'd expect the Orioles to be done with making any outfield moves with the All Star Adam Jones in center, breakout performer Steve Pearce, the platoon between De Aza and Young, and backup David Lough. This is the year the Orioles will be trying to go younger and building up prospects like pitchers Gaussman, Bundy, Tim Berry, Mike Wright, and Korean signed Suk-Min Yoon. And also hitters  (1B) Christian Walker, and Cuban outfielder (signed in 2013) Dariel Alvarez. 

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Jason Grilli signs a 2 year deal, with a third year option to the Atlanta Braves. The deal if the option is exercised is worth $10.75 million (3 million club option, 250K buyout). 

This is an interesting signing for the quasi-rebuilding Braves. The Braves of course are going to try to compete this year, but with selling their 2016 free agents Upton & Heyward (and the departure of Walden),  the team isn't quite going all in for 2015 year. So of course with this signing there will be some speculation to Craig Kimbrel being traded as well, but that is highly unlikely. The Braves signed former closer Jim Johnson and now Jason Grilli, that certainly does raise eyebrows, but they did just lose Walden (STL), Varvaro (BOS). They'll probably slot him as the 7th inning setup man after his decent success with the Angels as a relief arm. He could provide backup unless Kimbrel does get hurt with a successful 2013 run with the Pirates. The value of relief pitcher depth isn't sexy, but it does add an often overlooked important impact.

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Projected Trade: Cole Hamels & Ben Revere to SD for Wil Myers and others

Trade Proposal:Cole Hamels, Ben Revere, and cash (possibly a relief arm/or non-top 10 prospect to SD, while PHI receives Wil Myers, Yangervis Solarte, Will Venable, Robbie Erlin, and a young prospect.

It was rumored over the weekend that San Diego may trade for homegrown pitcher Cole Hamels. This deal makes sense, other than the high contract. The Phillies are known to be in a rebuilding process, but they have just an okay farm system. The Padres have one of the best farm systems and have been selling their youth in order to make room for (mostly controllable) players with large impact or at least a high ceiling. Hamels has approved San Diego as a trade destination, and it makes perfect sense. As of right now, the Padres have a great rotation with Cashner, Ross, Kennedy, Erlin, and Johnson/Morrow/Despaigne/Luebke/Kelly to potentially man the 5th spot. With the addition of Hamels (and more than likely the departure of Erlin or at least Casey Kelly, or other prospect pitchers not named Matt Wisler), it would turn the Padres from a good, potential wild card team, to a playoff caliber powerhouse.

Now the reason I've included Ben Revere into the mix is because if they trade their "centerfielder" Wil Myers, they'd need a backup (Doubtful they would rely on Cameron Maybin or Will Venable realistically). Kemp and Upton are great hitters, but not the strongest fielders, so it makes sense to get a speedy lead off defender like Revere to play center in the big outfield of PetCo Park. Revere is controllable until 2018, and will cost relatively cheaper than Myers if Myers were to return to his 2013 form. Wil Myers was one of the higher touted prospects that helped get James Shields and Wade Davis to the American League Champion Royals. He had a down year in 2014 mainly due to injury, but has a chance to rebound to become a premiere player. Myers has 2 years of control more than Revere, and has a more impact bat. He'd be a perfect centerpiece to build a team around (along with 3B prospect Maikel Franco). The Phillies are a larger budget team, so realistically when they have a few young permanent pieces in place, they will buy some superstars to fill around them. Like when they got Jonathan Papelbon, Cliff Lee, and Roy Halladay to add to their homegrown Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard.

The Padres on the other hand, are a small-budget team, so realistically if this trade were to happen the Phillies would have to pay some of Cole Hamels' salary (similar to the Dodgers/Kemp deal). This means the Padres will have to give up a few more prospects. It almost seems that when Preller is doing business he states what he wants, and who is off limits from his team, and then asks who the other will take. So the Phillies could have a field day revitalizing their farm system. I'd expect 1-3 major leaguers other than Myers to be moved, perhaps a Venable, Almonte, or Maybin would make their way to at least replace Revere. I'd imagine Solarte or Amarista would go to play either at 3b or SS respectiavely. Solarte and Amaista currently hold the same role as asuper utility man; Solarte is a better hitter with more potential, while Amarista is a better fielder and can play in the hole of SS better. I'd also imagine Robbie Erlin to be traded. With Myers, Venable, Solarte, and Erlin going over, I'd expect a few prospects as well, maybe a major league ready prospect like Tommy Medica, Rymer Liriano, or Jake Gobbert. This trade would likely become over a 7 player trade giving them some low level arms and/or a low level bat. There is a chance San Diego would get a not-top 10 minor leaguer they'd like as well, or a bullpen arm from the Phillies.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates have been declared winners of the Jung-Ho Kang posting for just a hair over $ 5 million. Scouts argue weather or not the shortstop will be an everyday player here in America because the gaudy numbers of the KBO come from a very hittier's friendly league.However, with the departure of Clint Barmes to the Padres, Kang will at least act as a utility man behind the underwhelming Jordy Mercer.With Josh Harrison guaranteed a full-time spot at 3B, and Gregory Polanco starting the year in the majors, Kang could be a very important piece to this Pirates lineup. There is no way he'll hit 40 home runs this year, but he should be a difference maker if the Pirates do go ahead and negotiate a contract with him in the 30 day period. If they cannot, they will be refunded their $5 million.

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Josh Johnson resigns  is close to a deal with the San Diego Padres with a base salary of $1 million. The more games he starts the more he can make, with a maximum of 7.25 million. This deal, along with the similar Brandon Morrow deal, has hug upside for next to nothing in cost. One of the best deals in the free agent market in 2014-2015 off season. The deal has not been declared official yet, but it should get done before the new year.

Johnson was once a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2006 with the then Florida Marlins. He strung together a few good seasons in Miami, including an all star spot in 2009 & 2010. 2010 he was also in the running for the Cy Young award. But after 2012, health issues took a turn and he performed horrendously for the Blue Jays, and didn't even play last year for the Padres. If he can be healthy he should be a step up and have more ceiling from the Padres' 5th rotation guy last year in Eric Stults. There is no guarantee he will recover properly and stay healthy, so by signing him for next to nothing along with Brandon Morrow, the Padres are providing themselves the opportunity to improve their already lights out rotation.

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[inningseater]

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