2014 Offseason

[terpsfball09]

Hey guys. Haven't posted ITT in awhile! Anyway, thought I'd tell yall that Tulo has requested a trade to the yankees (as I said earlier this year). DJ is his idol, and he (and these are direct words from him to Trevor Story) "wants to be the guy that replaces Derek Jeter." He initially requested it last year, but Colorado had a far higher asking price than they do this summer. So, I HIGHLY doubt they trade him elsewhere. If he doesnt go to NYY, they'll probably keep him.

 

[saddles]

I have been having a conversation back and forth with Norm Hitzges via email the past few days about the Rangers. One thing he said that really surprised me was that the two Rangers owners really don't have anything in common and often go long stretches without having meaningful conversations.

 

[saddles]

Hey guys. Haven't posted ITT in awhile! Anyway, thought I'd tell yall that Tulo has requested a trade to the yankees (as I said earlier this year). DJ is his idol, and he (and these are direct words from him to Trevor Story) "wants to be the guy that replaces Derek Jeter." He initially requested it last year, but Colorado had a far higher asking price than they do this summer. So, I HIGHLY doubt they trade him elsewhere. If he doesnt go to NYY, they'll probably keep him.

From what I understand he doesn't have a no trade clause in his contract so he is really at the mercy of the Rockies. He will be owed a $2 million bonus if he is traded though.

 

[Justinkm83]

we have no money so we should just go with what we used last year

You completely misinterpreted what I was saying. Luckily DT explained it for me.

 

[Justinkm83]

Daniels said finding the right trade partners, as always, will be key.

"I think just by nature free agents will cost more money," Daniels said Wednesday after Michael Young was introduced as a special assistant go the GM. "I think we have some areas of depth and have a chance to get some players with a little bit more cost control."

When Daniels goes to Phoenix for the GM meetings next week, making a trade is a much stronger possibility than signing a free agent, at least right now. The cost of signing a free agent, specifically a pitcher, could skyrocket at the top-tier, which includes Jon Lester and Max Scherzer.

"I feel pretty good about our (minor) league system just based on the players we've been asked about, and other teams feel about it the same way," Daniels said. "It's a pretty unique market, there's quite a few pitchers who might be on the market, and that's probably the strength of the marketplace in free agent and trade standpoints. I don't know how quick it will be, but I think we'll be able to address our needs."

 

[terpsfball09]

From what I understand he doesn't have a no trade clause in his contract so he is really at the mercy of the Rockies. He will be owed a $2 million bonus if he is traded though.

Ya, but they aren't just going to trade someone who has been the face of their franchise. Obviously, if the guy wants to play for new york, they're gonna do everything in their power to make it happen. Not even in the same league

 

[donaldson79]

this from Olney on Martin:

• I wrote last week about the incredible position Russell Martin inhabits in the free-agent market, and how the Cubs are a great fit. Here's the great thing about Chicago's stack of young position players: All of their infield spots are accounted for, for years to come, mostly by cheap, up-and-coming players. Two of their three outfield spots are accounted for. Catcher is a position of need for them, and everything that Martin brings to the table -- the high on-base percentage, the patient at-bats, the pitch-framing, the leadership -- is an area of need for the Cubs. No free agent is a more perfect match for a team than Martin is for the Chicago Cubs at this stage of their development.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Ya, but they aren't just going to trade someone who has been the face of their franchise. Obviously, if the guy wants to play for new york, they're gonna do everything in their power to make it happen. Not even in the same league

Fans in general are tired of Tulo in Colorado. I have family there and have followed that team from the beginning. He made a statement years back that he would be the team leader and he failed miserably. Todd Helton was the leader of that team during his time there. Tulo has great talent but he is no leader. Tulo is about Tulo. And he does a great job modeling his uniform out at shortstop. They have needed to trade him for some time now and get a number of players/prospects for him while they can and not worry about where Tulo wants to go but what is best for Colorado.

 

[donaldson79]

Former major-league infielder Bobby Meacham has joined Pat Listach as the top candidates to join Banister’s staff as third-base coach.

Meacham managed Toronto’s affiliate in the Double-A Eastern League this season. He has served as a third-base coach with Miami in 2006 and the New York Yankees in 2008.

Meacham’s last major-league job was as first-base coach with Houston in 2010-12. Meacham was swept out when the Astros fired manager Brad Mills in August 2012.

Listach and Meacham are similar in that each has expertise in the infield and base-running elements of the game.

 

[saddles]

Fans in general are tired of Tulo in Colorado. I have family there and have followed that team from the beginning. He made a statement years back that he would be the team leader and he failed miserably. Todd Helton was the leader of that team during his time there. Tulo has great talent but he is no leader. Tulo is about Tulo. And he does a great job modeling his uniform out at shortstop. They have needed to trade him for some time now and get a number of players/prospects for him while they can and not worry about where Tulo wants to go but what is best for Colorado.

I agree. Whoever will give them the biggest package should be where they send him. They don't owe him a trade to the Yankees.

 

[saddles]

I wonder what has gotten into Teodoro Martinez? He had 3 HRs in Frisco this year and already has 4 in 79 at bats this winter including 3 yesterday.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I wonder what has gotten into Teodoro Martinez? He had 3 HRs in Frisco this year and already has 4 in 79 at bats this winter including 3 yesterday.

Kind of like Smolinski when he came up to the majors. His stats were far better than what he was doing in the minors.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

I wonder what has gotten into Teodoro Martinez? He had 3 HRs in Frisco this year and already has 4 in 79 at bats this winter including 3 yesterday.

Take things that happen in the Dominican League with a grain of salt...much lesser competition.

 

[donaldson79]

Fans in general are tired of Tulo in Colorado. I have family there and have followed that team from the beginning. He made a statement years back that he would be the team leader and he failed miserably. Todd Helton was the leader of that team during his time there. Tulo has great talent but he is no leader. Tulo is about Tulo. And he does a great job modeling his uniform out at shortstop. They have needed to trade him for some time now and get a number of players/prospects for him while they can and not worry about where Tulo wants to go but what is best for Colorado.

Shame he's turned into such a butt hole.

Yeah, Helton approached it like he did as a college QB, lead always.

And you're right about the Rockies should benefit from trading him. Maybe they should go to his agent and tell him to see what he can work up with the Yankees, whomever, if it takes 3 teams do it. But make no mistake, we're not giving him away.

 

[saddles]

Take things that happen in the Dominican League with a grain of salt...much lesser competition.

Well, one of his HRs yesterday was against a pitcher who pitched in AAA this year with an ERA of 3.60. Another HR was against a young prospect from the Cleveland system who had very good numbers in the lower levels of the Indians system. It might just be the Winter leagues, but he is our leader in HRs amongst all of our prospects down there. I believe Smolinski is the only prospect we have with 3 HRs. Nick Williams has 2 and no one else has more than 1.

 

[donaldson79]

Keith Law and an interesting take on Masterson:


W-L 7-9ERA 5.88WHIP 1.63SO 116BB 69WAR -1.6
Masterson may be signed to be some team's starter, a role he has succeeded at in the past. But his history and skill set both point to a superior future in the bullpen. Lefties get such a good look at the ball with his near-sidearm slot, from which it's very difficult to turn over a changeup, that they've posted a .287/.367/.427 slash line against him in his career, including a .320/.408/.502 in his dismal 2014 campaign. Against righties, however, he'll be devastating, giving up so little power -- right-handed batters have slugged .301 against him in his career -- that he can be allowed to face the occasional lefty and try to overpower him. He also provides long-relief potential, something the Giants and manager Bruce Bochy used to their advantage in the postseason.

If he'll take $5 million a year and agree to work in relief, he's good value, but if he wants starter money and a rotation job, I'm out.

 

[saddles]

Keith Law and an interesting take on Masterson:


W-L 7-9ERA 5.88WHIP 1.63SO 116BB 69WAR -1.6
Masterson may be signed to be some team's starter, a role he has succeeded at in the past. But his history and skill set both point to a superior future in the bullpen. Lefties get such a good look at the ball with his near-sidearm slot, from which it's very difficult to turn over a changeup, that they've posted a .287/.367/.427 slash line against him in his career, including a .320/.408/.502 in his dismal 2014 campaign. Against righties, however, he'll be devastating, giving up so little power -- right-handed batters have slugged .301 against him in his career -- that he can be allowed to face the occasional lefty and try to overpower him. He also provides long-relief potential, something the Giants and manager Bruce Bochy used to their advantage in the postseason.

If he'll take $5 million a year and agree to work in relief, he's good value, but if he wants starter money and a rotation job, I'm out.

I don't think JD plans on spending that much on a reliever though.

 

[donaldson79]

I don't think JD plans on spending that much on a reliever though.

I was under the impression that any interest we had was from a starters standpoint. Can't imagine we'd have any interest in him as a reliever.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I was under the impression that any interest we had was from a starters standpoint. Can't imagine we'd have any interest in him as a reliever.

 

[romeo212000]

I was under the impression that any interest we had was from a starters standpoint. Can't imagine we'd have any interest in him as a reliever.

Anyone who spends big money on a reliever is a chump IMO. They're so volitile from one season to the next you don't know what you're getting. Look at Heath Bell, Joe Nathan, Soria, Uehara, Fernando Rodney...etc.