2020 Winter Meetings Begin
stadiumreport.bbn December 13th, 2020
For the next three days, New Major League Baseball teams will be scrambling to meet with prospective free agents, possible trading partners, the media and egocentric agents. Rumors will be kindled by the hot stove fire, burn out of control and be doused by the hour. Some will have casualties; don't be one of them!
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And things got underway fast as the
Denver Seahawks extended their superstar 1B
Jeff Urban(32, 5*) on a 5y/$167.5M kicking in after the 2021 season. The 8x All-Star hit .290-23-72 .936OPS 5.8WAR in 134 games last season… despite being labelled as a wrecked body… but every season with them has a chance for another world series ring.
Just as we tried to get underway ourselves, the
Chicago Rangers grabbed righty ace
Hagane Noguchi/(35, 4.5*, 10-8 3.34 164K 25GS 5.5WAR) off the free agent market.. Sitting at a 80-82 record, the team from the Windy City is looking for someone to bring them over the edge.
With our assistant GM Alan Lehmann working on a separate deal with
Los Angeles with a similar idea, I invited over the GM of the
San Diego Padres to talk about closers. The
Padres were paying RHCL
Alex Espinosa(35, 4*, 2-5 31SV 2.96 68K 54.2IP 2.5WAR) $14,7M for next year… and they did not like it. Same for the
Angels and 2012 Reliever of the Year
Jordan Salazar(34, 3.5*, 1-5 32SV 2.88 59.1IP 1.8WAR), so why not…
Expos Shop for Relief Help
stadiumreport.bbn December 13th, 2020
In a stunning turn of events, the
Montreal Expos have acquired not one, but two closers with big contracts as both
Jordan Salazar(34, 3.5*, 1-5 32SV 2.88 59.1IP 1.8WAR) from the
Los Angeles Angels and
Alex Espinosa(35, 4*, 2-5 31SV 2.96 68K 54.2IP 2.5WAR) from the
Padres were acquired in two quick deals today.
Both with combine for a whooping $29.2M salary that will join the
Expos payroll, while the
Padres get back AA 2B
Ken Kasza(25, 2*, .256-7-32 .656OPS -0.2WAR AA) and the
Halos get A 3B
Mike Yuran(24, 2*, .222-6-30 .554OPS -1.6WAR). What the idea behind this is… remains to be seen.
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It’s ANOTHER Flip as Expos Trade Closers to Washington
stadiumreport.bbn December 13th, 2020
GM KC Martin surely knows how to pull a surprise. Two hours after grabbing two closers in two headscratching deals, he managed to flip them again for a couple of quality youngsters that are better than the two he gave up just today.
With
Jordan Salazar(34, 3.5*, 1-5 32SV 2.88 59.1IP 1.8WAR) and
Alex Espinosa(35, 4*, 2-5 31SV 2.96 68K 54.2IP 2.5WAR) going to the
Nats, the Canadian team got back #201 prospect, R LF
Santiago Rodriguez(19, 0.5/3.5*), who was hitting .259-8-16 .734OPS 2.9WAR in rookie ball, and 23-year old AA catcher
Jordan Chavis(2.5*, .247-22-47 .775OPS 91G S A/A/AA).
Technically, I would love to get some relief help for the big club… but I can’t pass up on a move that lands us an upgrade/prospect. We now have four catchers in our system that can… ‘play’ in NMLB without embarrassing themselves too much, and Elias Mendia has ‘some’ trade value. More tomorrow.