Monthly Archives: January 2017

Posted on January 31, 2017  by Bryan Zarpentine With the start of spring training closing in fast, the Washington Nationals still have some work to do in their bullpen. Most notably, the Nationals lack a bonafide closer, but on Tuesday they did add some much needed depth to their bullpen by signing veterans Joe Nathan […]

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Well, we thought the hacking scandal in which former St. Louis Cardinals employee Chris Correa illegally gained access to a Houston Astros player database had been put to bed, but apparently not. One day after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred fined the Cardinals $2 million, forced them to […]

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine In the aftermath of last week’s trade of second baseman Logan Forsythe to the Dodgers, the Tampa Bay Rays are looking to replace him in their lineup. The trade of Forsythe has actually given the Rays quite a bit of flexibility to explore their options at multiple […]

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Aside from the signing of catcher Jason Castro early in the winter and the will they or won’t they drama surrounding the possible trade of second baseman Brian Dozier, it’s been a rather quiet offseason for the Minnesota Twins. However, like a few other small-market clubs, the […]

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Major League Baseball announced Monday that it has levied punishment against the St. Louis Cardinals after a former team employee hacked into a player database belonging to the Houston Astros. In 2013 and 2014, former Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa illegally gained access to Houston’s servers that included […]

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine When spring training gets underway next month, all 30 MLB teams will be on equal footing, and all will have a chance to earn a spot in the postseason. That being said, few people are giving the Cincinnati Reds much of a chance to keep up in […]

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Kansas City Royals have agreed to sign first baseman-outfielder Brandon Moss. The team has yet to officially announce the deal, which is pending a physical that is scheduled for later this week. However, multiple outlets are reporting that the deal is for two years and $12 […]

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Despite re-signing closer Kenley Jansen earlier this offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t exactly confident in the look of their bullpen heading into spring training, something they hope to rectify. Despite winning four straight NL West division crowns on the trot, the Dodgers have been unable to […]

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine After trading Logan Forsythe to the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, the Tampa Bay Rays created a vacancy for themselves at second base just weeks before the start of spring training. But the Rays did not recklessly make the trade without some kind of plan in place […]

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine When the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a trade for second baseman Logan Forsythe earlier this week, it was a huge sigh of relief for Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier. Throughout the offseason, Dozier has been the subject of trade talk, and for the most part, he’s […]

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Chicago White Sox have spent the winter engaged in what can only be described as a mini-fire sale. The White Sox have traded ace Chris Sale to the Red Sox and Adam Eaton to the Nationals, and they may not be done yet. Speaking publicly on […]

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine While playing in the World Series last year, the Cleveland Indians were missing a few key players. Aside from Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco missing from the starting rotation, the Indians were without left fielder Michael Brantley, who would have been one of the team’s best hitters […]

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The free agency saga of catcher Matt Wieters has had an infinite number of twists and turns, and there’s still no end in sight. The latest development comes from Tommy Stokke, who reports that the Milwaukee Brewers have “emerged as a potential suitor” for Wieters. Milwaukee’s exact […]

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine So far this offseason, the Washington Nationals have acquired their center fielder of the future in Adam Eaton, moved Trea Turner back to shortstop, filled their void behind the plate with Derek Norris, and solidified their bench with Stephen Drew. But there’s one thing they haven’t done […]

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine With February nearly upon us, teams are scouring the free agent market looking for a bargain. This is particularly true for small market teams like the Tampa Bay Rays, who are reportedly looking to add a power hitter after trading second baseman Logan Forsythe to the Dodgers […]

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Washington Nationals have declined to spend much money in free agency this offseason, but they have made some relatively small moves to improve the periphery of their roster, and that continued Thursday when the team re-signed infielder Stephen Drew to a one-year deal. Drew will earn […]

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Los Angeles Dodgers got great contributions down the stretch last season from 20-year old lefty Julio Urias. The rookie from Mexico posted a 1.99 ERA the second half of the season and earned a spot in the team’s postseason rotation. Naturally, the Dodgers are hoping Urias […]

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Cincinnati Reds have signed veteran pitcher Scott Feldman to a one-year deal. The Reds formally announced the deal Thursday morning. Feldman will make a base salary of $2.3 million with the chance to make an additional $2.2 million in incentives. The signing of Feldman comes one […]

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Outside of the trio of Chapman, Jansen, and Melancon, Greg Holland was one of the most intriguing relief pitchers on the free agent market this winter. Despite missing the entire 2016 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, more than a dozen teams expressed interest in signing him. […]

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The plan to trade outfielder Jay Bruce this winter has not worked out as the New York Mets hoped, forcing the team to come to terms with keeping him around in 2017. At first glance, it appeared that Bruce would be relegated to a bench role with […]

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine A few days after reports surfaced that a deal was close, the Los Angeles Angels have completed an agreement with free agent infielder Luis Valbuena. The deal will pay Valbuena $15 million over the next two years, with a mutual option for the 2019 season worth $8.5 […]

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine After signing closer Mark Melancon to a long-term contract early in the offseason, the San Francisco Giants have been noticeably quiet this winter. However, with spring training just a few weeks away, the Giants appear to be taking advantage of a buyer’s market and signing some free […]

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Chicago Cubs already have one of the better starting rotations in the National League, but it never hurts to try to get a little better. The Cubs have reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with lefty Brett Anderson. The deal reportedly has a base salary of […]

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine It has taken most of the offseason, but the Los Angeles Dodgers have finally found their second baseman for 2017. Monday night, the Dodgers completed a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, acquiring second baseman Logan Forsythe for pitching prospect Jose De Leon. The Dodgers have spent […]

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine After agreeing to bring back outfielder Jose Bautista, the Toronto Blue Jays appear ready to put a bow on the offseason and head to spring training. But if there’s one thing left on Toronto’s to-do list, it’s add a backup catcher. Russell Martin is entrenched as the […]

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Boston Red Sox lefty Drew Pomeranz is in a unique position; he was an all-star last season, but is somehow not a lock to be in his team’s starting rotation this year. After the acquisition of Chris Sale, three of the spots in Boston’s rotation are spoken […]

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine One of the biggest winners of the baseball offseason has to be the Houston Astros. Perhaps wisely so, the Astros were active early in the winter and have put together what on paper looks like one of the best offensive lineups in baseball. However, we’ve heard little […]

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The clock is slowly ticking down of free agent catcher Matt Wieters, who is yet to sign with a team despite being arguably the top catcher on the free agent market this winter. Unlike many of the other top free agents who have had trouble finding a […]

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine For the second time in less than four months, the baseball world has lost one of its brightest young pitching stars far too soon. Officials in the Dominican Republic confirmed Sunday morning that Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura has died in a car crash. He was […]

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Tampa Bay Rays made headlines earlier this month by trading starting pitcher Drew Smyly to the Seattle Mariners in order to acquire young talent. Despite losing a pitcher as talented as Smyly, that trade made sense for the Rays in that they traded from a position […]

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Atlanta Braves have made several moves this offseason to strengthen their pitching staff, and on Saturday they made a move to shore up the other half of their battery. Atlanta has agreed to a one-year deal with veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki. The deal is pending a […]

Posted on January 21, 2017  by Bryan Zarpentine With time slowly running out until the start of spring training, free agent catcher Matt Wieters remains unsigned despite many considering him to be the top catcher available on the market this winter. Many have speculated that the Washington Nationals would ultimatley emerge as the favorites to […]

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine At the start of the offseason, Detroit Tigers GM Al Avila told reporters that changes were coming, and that the team wanted to get younger and gain more payroll flexibility. To many, this translated to a potential fire sale. However, other than trading Cameron Maybin to the […]

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Miami Marlins have been willing spenders this offseason with regard to pitching, signing two starters, two relievers, and trading for starter Dan Straily earlier this week. However, they’ve yet to add any offensive help, although rumors suggest that could change. Recent reports suggest the Marlins are […]

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine With time starting to run out before the start of spring training, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still without a full-time second baseman, and with trade talks with the Minnesota Twins regarding Brian Dozier still at an impasse, the Dodgers are reportedly expanding their search. Ken Rosenthal […]

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine One of the longest and most complicated sagas of the baseball offseason has come to its conclusion. The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to re-sign slugger Mark Trumbo. The two sides have gone back and forth in negotiations all offseason. There were moments when a deal looked inevitable […]

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Milwaukee Brewers are very much in rebuilding mode and may find it difficult to compete in 2017. But that hasn’t stopped them from venturing into the free agent pool and spending some money to improve their team for the upcoming season. The Brewers announced Thursday that […]

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine In an effort to strengthen their starting rotation before the start of the season, the Miami Marlins have acquired righty Dan Straily from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for three minor leaguers. The deal was completed Thursday morning but is still pending physicals. For giving up Straily, […]

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Baseball Hall of Fame welcomed three new members Wednesday night with the announcement that Tim Raines, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, and Jeff Bagwell have all received enough votes to attain entry into Cooperstown. Several notable players fell short of the 75% vote needed to reach the Hall, […]

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine After three solid seasons from right fielder Kole Calhoun, the Los Angeles Angels are ready to commit to three more years of Calhoun in right field. On Wednesday, the Angels announced that they have agreed to a three-year extension with Calhoun worth $26 million. The deal will […]

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine One of the more under-rated players that helped the Cleveland Indians get within a game of a world championship in 2016 was Brandon Guyer, who was acquired in a mid-season trade from the Tampa Bay Rays. On Wednesday, the Indians made sure that Guyer will remain in […]

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Ever since the Detroit Tigers traded Cameron Maybin to the Angels early in the offseason, they’ve had a vacancy in center field. Most consider prospect JaCoby Jones, an incredible athlete who’s had difficulty sticking at one position, to be the team’s center fielder of the future. Jones, […]

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine It’s been a wild and unpredictable offseason for outfielder Jose Bautista, but in the end, he’s ending up back where he started: with the Toronto Blue Jays. Multiple outlets are reporting that the Blue Jays and Bautista have agreed to a one-year deal with mutual options for […]

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Texas Rangers have agreed to sign outfielder Josh Hamilton to a minor league deal. Re-signing Hamilton had been expected for quite some time, but is now official. Hamilton will be invited to major league spring training and have the opportunity to make the Rangers’ opening day […]

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Even after an offseason full of big moves, the Houston Astros appear to be looking to make one more big splash, most likely in the form of a frontline starting pitcher. One pitcher they have been linked to at various times this offseason is Sonny Gray of the […]

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Kansas City Royals announced Monday that they have signed starting pitcher Danny Duffy to a five-year extension worth $65 million. The deal comes as the southpaw is about to enter his final year of arbitration, and ensures that he will remain in Kansas City through the […]

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine All-star outfielder Michael Saunders has a new home, and it’s with the Philadelphia Phillies. Multiple outlets are reporting that Saunders has agreed to sign a one-year deal with Philadelphia for $9 million. The deal also has an $11 million option for the 2018 season that could be worth […]

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Of all the players who could be with a new team by the start of spring training, Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana is undoubtedly the most intriguing. Teams have refused to give up their pursuit of the lefty, and the latest rumors suggest that interest in […]

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The free agent market has moved so slowly this winter that less than a month before spring training gets underway, there is still a large collection of free agents who remain unsigned. Those players are undoubtedly getting anxious and will become more willing to accept offers below […]

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine With trade talks between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins regarding second baseman Brian Dozier reportedly at an impasse, the Dodgers may look to pivot and look elsewhere for a second baseman. There’s been speculation that Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler could be Plan B if […]

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The free agent market has been unkind to power hitters this winter, and it’s been especially harsh on Michael Saunders. There’s been little chatter about Saunders this winter, especially with players like Mark Trumbo, Mike Napoli, and Jose Bautista still unsigned. However, Saunders is arguably the best […]

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine With just over a month until the start of spring training, there are quite a few proven major league catchers still available on the free agent market. Matt Wieters is the most notable of them, as he was regarded by many as the top catcher available when […]

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Arizona Diamondbacks, as they were expected to do, shored up their catching situation on Friday by signing veteran backstop Chris Iannetta to a one-year deal. Iannetta will make $1.5 million in 2017, as he helps fill Arizona’s need behind the plate after the Diamondbacks parted ways […]

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The Texas Rangers have signed starting pitcher Tyson Ross to a one-year deal. The team is yet to announce the deal, but multiple sources have confirmed that an agreement has been reached between Ross and the Rangers. Ross will reportedly make $6 million plus incentives in 2017. […]

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine The San Diego Padres are in the midst of a long rebuilding process that may not be finished for a few more years. However, the team is ready to ensure that first baseman Will Myers is with them when they reach the end of the road. Multiple […]

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine It took roughly three dozen trades, all of which came in a span of less than 16 months, but Seattle Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto finally appears satisfied with the look of his team. After an offseason that included one trader after another after another, the Mariners appear […]

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Bryan Zarpentine Despite coming back in time to be part of the Chicago Cubs team that won the World Series, a knee injury in early April deprived Kyle Schwarber of spending his first full season in the big leagues in 2016. However, Schwarber will get another chance at his […]