The Officially Official Off Season Thread (2016)

[saddles]

Why Jon Daniels will be happy if the Rangers keep their bullpen talent or use it to make a move | SportsDay

 

[saddles]

Rangers looking to repeat AL West title 2016

 

[saddles]

Jeff Banister on message to Rangers after ALDS loss: 'Allow this one to burn for the entire winter' | SportsDay

...as I talked to every one of our players at the very end and right after that game, 'Don't forget this one. Don't just gloss past this one. Allow this one to burn for the entire winter. Because if this doesn't get you up in the morning to get to the gym, to get to the field, to give you some determination to continue to work for what you want to achieve then I don't know what motivation is out there.' So I'm not going to allow this one just to go away. (But) we all need to find a way to wash well. Part of that shower process is to learn to not allow that burn to get too hot. There is a moment in time where you shut the door. You close one door and you open another. And that's similar to what I talked to our guys (about) in spring training last year about 2014. One of the things we did for them was we helped them close the book on 2014. We've talked about the playoff loss, of how it's going to help us, how we're going to utilize that burn. And we can shut the door on that playoff loss. It's just about finding the appropriate time."

 

[saddles]

Heard he was a little testy in the locker room at times.

Yoenis Céspedes has found winning chemistry with the Mets

Although he has a reputation for being serious, Céspedes, who was traded to the Mets from the Detroit Tigers on July 31, is far from a humorless figure. He's a regular guy who loves a joke and -- off the field, anyway -- is almost always smiling.

"People think I'm a guy who doesn't speak, that I'm closed off. But it's not like that,” said the 29-year-old outfielder. "When I came to Detroit, everyone thought the same until they got to know me. Eventually they came to realize the truth."

Céspedes, a native of Campechuela, in the eastern Cuban province of Granma, no longer competes with teammates to see who can eat more pizza and drink more smoothies, as he often did against his "friend and brother" Alfredo Despaigne, who he played with during the Cuban National Series and on the Cuban national team. But now, with the Mets, Céspedes competes in other contests with Uribe and Juan Lagares, both Dominicans, and with Rubén Tejada, a Panamanian.

The four players share a chemistry and plenty of pranks. One of these, a photo in which Céspedes was pictured with two huge trays covered with what once were crabs, even appeared on social networks...

Where Céspedes is always serious, however, is on the field. That has helped him adapt to life in the media capital of the world, where both the fans and the press tend to be extremely demanding.

In fact, Céspedes managed to win them all over quickly. The fans at Citi Field chant "MVP, MVP, MVP" each time he steps up to the plate. And the New York press has fallen at his feet.

 

[jta4437]

Yoenis Céspedes has found winning chemistry with the Mets

Although he has a reputation for being serious, Céspedes, who was traded to the Mets from the Detroit Tigers on July 31, is far from a humorless figure. He's a regular guy who loves a joke and -- off the field, anyway -- is almost always smiling.

"People think I'm a guy who doesn't speak, that I'm closed off. But it's not like that,” said the 29-year-old outfielder. "When I came to Detroit, everyone thought the same until they got to know me. Eventually they came to realize the truth."

Céspedes, a native of Campechuela, in the eastern Cuban province of Granma, no longer competes with teammates to see who can eat more pizza and drink more smoothies, as he often did against his "friend and brother" Alfredo Despaigne, who he played with during the Cuban National Series and on the Cuban national team. But now, with the Mets, Céspedes competes in other contests with Uribe and Juan Lagares, both Dominicans, and with Rubén Tejada, a Panamanian.

The four players share a chemistry and plenty of pranks. One of these, a photo in which Céspedes was pictured with two huge trays covered with what once were crabs, even appeared on social networks...

Where Céspedes is always serious, however, is on the field. That has helped him adapt to life in the media capital of the world, where both the fans and the press tend to be extremely demanding.

In fact, Céspedes managed to win them all over quickly. The fans at Citi Field chant "MVP, MVP, MVP" each time he steps up to the plate. And the New York press has fallen at his feet.

Nothing about that really changes what I've heard previously, and there's no guarantee he finds the same comfort level in his next stop, it's still something worth watching

 

[saddles]

Nothing about that really changes what I've heard previously, and there's no guarantee he finds the same comfort level in his next stop, it's still something worth watching

True, sometimes you don't know how a player is going to act after he goes somewhere new. I would have never expected Choo to tell Banister to go get a glove and play himself if he thinks he could play better. You never can tell.

I had never read any quotes one way or another about Cespedes so I thought I would look it up and that is the first article I came across. There may be some others with something a lot different to say.

 

[jta4437]

What's wrong with Cespedes and why coaches hate him? | RedSoxLife.com - Boston red Sox Fan Site, Blog, T-shirts

 

[donaldson79]

A lot of teams are starting to see that their 4 and 5 slots in the rotation start getting hit hard the third time through, and this may lead to more teams bringing on a bullpen piece specifically designed to bridge the game from a 4IP starter to the 8th inning guy or the closer. That may be the kind of guy Nick Martinez is. Either a guy you take out early for long relief or a long relief guy himself.

I'd be good with this if it worked for both parties actually. I had mentioned earlier how NM may make the team as a long relief/spot starter.

Don't see him as a dominating pitcher, but he could be serviceable in a variety of rolls perhaps.

 

[donaldson79]

What's wrong with Cespedes and why coaches hate him? | RedSoxLife.com - Boston red Sox Fan Site, Blog, T-shirts

My goodness.....Doesn't get much more pointed and negative than this one.

 

[scotsman1948]

The main benefit is that Cespedes is an upgrade over Choo both offensively and defensively. You get less left handed also. It would be a way to improve somewhat without busting the budget completely all the while making your lineup more balanced.

Who fills the hole in the lineup?

 

[scotsman1948]

Who fills the hole in the lineup?

yes Cespesdes replaces Choo in your plan but i am still looking at the other corner OF position that has 2 players who are both more backup than regular in Hamilton & Ruggy.

 

[saddles]

yes Cespesdes replaces Choo in your plan but i am still looking at the other corner OF position that has 2 players who are both more backup than regular in Hamilton & Ruggy.

They are not going to spend money there. Their budget will not allow that. I was merely suggesting how they could upgrade RF and not trying to say that they could afford to bring in a good bat with their current budget. That is why they signed Ruggy.

They really can't even afford to do what I am suggesting which is why it very likely won't happen. I think you are having a hard time accepting what I suggest as an improvement because it is not a big enough of an improvement.

 

[DT LUNA]

They are not going to spend money there. Their budget will not allow that. I was merely suggesting how they could upgrade RF and not trying to say that they could afford to bring in a good bat with their current budget. That is why they signed Ruggy.

They really can't even afford to do what I am suggesting which is why it very likely won't happen. I think you are having a hard time accepting what I suggest as an improvement because it is not a big enough of an improvement.

And JD has pretty much said 2016 will kook much like 2015. Why not? Get healthy and repeat. Josh and Ruggy will be fine.

 

[Bmurph]

at least he's out of the AL West

Dodgers Sign Scott Kazmir

By Steve Adams | December 30, 2015 at 2:25pm CST

2:25pm: Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times reports that Kazmir’s deal is for three years and $48MM total (Twitter link). Jon Heyman of CBS Sports adds a very interesting wrinkle, however, reporting that Kazmir receives an opt-out in his contract after the first year of the deal, allowing him to re-enter the market in a pitching-depleted 2016-17 free-agent class if he remains healthy this year (Twitter link).

2:20pm: The Dodgers announced on Wednesday that they have signed left-hander Scott Kazmir to a three-year contract. Kazmir, a client of The Legacy Agency, will fill a void in the Dodgers’ rotation and give them yet another lefty starter to pair with Clayton Kershaw, Brett Anderson, Alex Wood and, if healthy, Hyun-jin Ryu, creating the potential for an entirely left-handed starting five.

In Kazmir, the Dodgers will secure some rotation stability that has eluded them to this point in the offseason. Los Angeles aggressively pursued a reunion with 2015 Cy Young runner-up Zack Greinke but lost out on their co-ace to an eleventh-hour push from the division-rival Diamondbacks. When that deal fell through, L.A. made a strong push for Hisashi Iwakuma and agreed to terms at three years and $45MM, but concerns about his physical prompted the Dodgers to try to restructure the deal. With that hefty guarantee no longer on the table, Iwakuma returned to Seattle on a one-year deal with a pair of vesting options, sending the Dodgers back to the drawing board.

 

[saddles]

The Rangers announced that they have signed catcher Michael McKenry and left-handed relieverDonnie Veal to minor league contracts. McKenry will receive an invitation to Major League Spring Training, per the announcement.

This is from mlbtraderumors.com

 

[scotsman1948]

And JD has pretty much said 2016 will kook much like 2015. Why not? Get healthy and repeat. Josh and Ruggy will be fine.

i hope so but neither fills me with much optimism but there is always our 2 top of prospects to step in

 

[donaldson79]

Well.....I guess the Dodgers aren't at all concerned with all this lefty-righty match-ups.

It will be interesting to see what, if any, moves they make in their BP.

 

[donaldson79]

The Rangers announced that they have signed catcher Michael McKenry and left-handed relieverDonnie Veal to minor league contracts. McKenry will receive an invitation to Major League Spring Training, per the announcement.

This is from mlbtraderumors.com

Is there a maximum number of players a team can bring to ST? And does this have any effect on our 40 man roster spots?

Thanks

 

[scotsman1948]

They are not going to spend money there. Their budget will not allow that. I was merely suggesting how they could upgrade RF and not trying to say that they could afford to bring in a good bat with their current budget. That is why they signed Ruggy.

They really can't even afford to do what I am suggesting which is why it very likely won't happen. I think you are having a hard time accepting what I suggest as an improvement because it is not a big enough of an improvement.

beginning to feel like we are back with Hicks owning the team

 

[saddles]

Is there a maximum number of players a team can bring to ST? And does this have any effect on our 40 man roster spots?

Thanks

It doesn't affect our 40 man at this point.

I have never heard of a maximum to invite to ST.