Offseason Thread: FAs, trades, firings, etc.

cold5 · Post #1 » by **cold5** » Thu Dec 3, 2009 3:17 am

So first big FA news today: Billy Wagner signs with Braves and Polanco about to sign with Phillies to play 3rd. Thoughts? Wagner's a decent signing, a very good closer but I'm not sure if there's dropoff from Soriano who was terrific last year. Polanco's a good hitter but I haven't seen him play third. Not sure why they were eager to dump Feliz. He got some big hits for them.

Post #2 » by **sunshinekids99** » Thu Dec 3, 2009 10:23 am

Well as a Red Sox fan I'm sure happy that Wagner signed with the Braves. Sox get some prospects back into the system with this move. Hopefully they can get some more when Bay signs with someone else.

Liqourish · Post #3 » by **Liqourish** » Thu Dec 3, 2009 6:26 pm

PLacido Polanco signs a 3yr deal with the Phillies. The Tigers offseason giveaway begins.

cold5 · Post #4 » by **cold5** » Thu Dec 3, 2009 10:05 pm

And Braves sign next veteran reliever. Braves sign Takashi Saito to set up for Wagner.

Post #5 » by **Schad** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 12:22 am

sunshinekids99 wrote:Well as a Red Sox fan I'm sure happy that Wagner signed with the Braves. Sox get some prospects back into the system with this move. Hopefully they can get some more when Bay signs with someone else.

Yeah, that's not a bad turnaround...a 27 year old OF and rookie ball kid (though one with potential) for a top-20 pick and another top-50 pick. Atlanta has a very good farm system, but they seem to be burning through prospects at a pretty high rate.

Now, if you could just be so kind as to send over your first rounder for Scutaro...

cold5 · Post #6 » by **cold5** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 1:55 am

So it looks like Mariners will end up signing Figgins for somewhere near a 4 year, 30 million dollar deal. Would be good for replacing and perhaps surpassing Beltre at 3rd. Fits with Mariners but they would lose some power.

Post #7 » by **sunshinekids99** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 2:01 am

cold5 wrote:And Braves sign next veteran reliever. Braves sign Takashi Saito to set up for Wagner.

Damn that's a good sign. I really wanted him back in Boston. For whatever reason they never seemed to have full trust in him last year.

Post #8 » by **Schad** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 4:32 am

Heh, Boston upheld their end of the bargain, but now I'm worried that you'll go and sign Soriano on us.

Post #9 » by **sunshinekids99** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 10:23 am

I really didn't want Marco Scutaro, hopefully my vibe on him is wrong. I wouldn't have touched this guy and I think he'll fall in line of the crap the Sox have been putting at shortstop.

Post #10 » by **HCYanks** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 1:44 pm

Not that the Red Sox are the only team in the league having trouble filling in the position, but it is moderately amusing how Epstein keeps throwing money at aging BPA shortstops and hoping it works out. I'm not buying that it'll go great this time either.

Still, it's better than the Lugo deal.

Post #11 » by **sunshinekids99** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 4:29 pm

So the deal is basically 6.5 million a year, I guess that's not too bad. He does do well taking pitches and has a great contact rate.

greenbeans · Post #12 » by **greenbeans** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 5:09 pm

sunshinekids99 wrote:Well as a Red Sox fan I'm sure happy that Wagner signed with the Braves. Sox get some prospects back into the system with this move. Hopefully they can get some more when Bay signs with someone else.

I agree about Wagner, they got the 4th best possibe pick back. Can't ask for much more there.
Who do you think plays lf? I still think Bay resigns, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him in Seattle.

Post #13 » by **sunshinekids99** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 9:51 pm

I think Seattle gets Bay and to be honest I wouldn't be that sad to see him go. I just don't think he's worth the money. They could go platoon with Hermida and someone like Marlon Byrd or Xavier Nady. Or spend a bit more on a guy like Jermaine Dye.

VinnyTheMick · Post #14 » by **VinnyTheMick** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 2:59 am

sunshinekids99 wrote:I think Seattle gets Bay and to be honest I wouldn't be that sad to see him go. I just don't think he's worth the money. They could go platoon with Hermida and someone like Marlon Byrd or Xavier Nady. Or spend a bit more on a guy like Jermaine Dye.

I don't think you want Nady. While he will come pretty cheap, he is injury prone & really fell back to earth after his first month as a Yankee. He's got a great attitude, though & seemed to be a great teammate.

cold5 · Post #15 » by **cold5** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 4:50 pm

sunshinekids99 wrote:I think Seattle gets Bay and to be honest I wouldn't be that sad to see him go. I just don't think he's worth the money. They could go platoon with Hermida and someone like Marlon Byrd or Xavier Nady. Or spend a bit more on a guy like Jermaine Dye.

Yeah Seattle's looking like it will be a pretty big player. Already signed Figgins, but they still could sign 2 or all 3 of Bay, Lackey and Harden.

Post #16 » by **sunshinekids99** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 6:17 pm

VinnyTheMick wrote:
sunshinekids99 wrote:I think Seattle gets Bay and to be honest I wouldn't be that sad to see him go. I just don't think he's worth the money. They could go platoon with Hermida and someone like Marlon Byrd or Xavier Nady. Or spend a bit more on a guy like Jermaine Dye.

I don't think you want Nady. While he will come pretty cheap, he is injury prone & really fell back to earth after his first month as a Yankee. He's got a great attitude, though & seemed to be a great teammate.

I do understand about the health issues of Nady, but as you said he would come cheap. One of the main reasons I even bring him up is that he hits lefties very well. Then you have Hermida who hits well against righties. I think it could work atleast.

cold5 · Post #17 » by **cold5** » Tue Dec 8, 2009 5:22 am

Wow. Nats sign Pudge. Good signing. Veteran catcher best game caller in league fits well with young, struggling staff.

Post #18 » by **sunshinekids99** » Tue Dec 8, 2009 10:48 am

Horrible sign IMO. Pudge is going to steal ab's from Flores. This team has no shot at winning let Flores get a ton of time and get a different backup catcher.

Post #19 » by **Stanford** » Tue Dec 8, 2009 7:15 pm

No one's going to mention the Yankees?

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/12/08/yank ... -has-legs/

A three-way deal that would send center fielder Curtis Granderson to the Yankees and right-hander Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks "has legs," a major-league source said Tuesday.

The Tigers and Diamondbacks were waiting on the Yankees to sign off on the deal, with an answer expected by 2 PM ET.

Detroit would get right-hander Max Scherzer (described by one scout as having No. 2 starter potential if he can throw strikes) from Arizona and center-field prospect Austin Jackson from New York.

Other pieces in the deal are believed to be right-handed pitcher Ian Kennedy (Yankees to DBacks), left-handed pitcher Daniel Schlereth (DBacks to Tigers) and left-handed pitcher Phil Coke (Yankees to Tigers).

It's looking like it's all but done.