The "Former Nat Watch" Thread (2015)

[RobDibblesGhost]

Justin Maxwell to the Marlins on a minor league deal.

[Mr Clean]

Lombo and Purke minor league deals with the White Sox.  https://twitter.com/MattEddyBA/status/675069482654650368

[BrandonK]

Lombo and Purke minor league deals with the White Sox.  https://twitter.com/MattEddyBA/status/675069482654650368

Good for them. Shame Purke never was able to become anything.

[houston-nat]

Korea's Samsung Lions have signed Collin Balester.

[BrandonK]

Good luck, old friend!

[mitlen]

Korea's Samsung Lions have signed Collin Balester.

Good luck, old friend!

Good luck.    Paging Spinman for details.

[Spinman]

What a blessing for Collin, Ashley, Roslyn, Violet, Spinman, Grandma Becky and Tom and Sally Balester! Looks like my vacation will be in Korea this summer, thanks to the Balester's and Samsung. The Samsung Lions have been great to deal with and are a family friendly organization.

 Thank God, Collin's deal is a guaranteed contract, which MLB clubs didn't offer. He will be in the starting rotation for the Samsung Lions, who have won several Championships recently equivalent to our World Series , in the Korean League. The Korean League Teams are allowed 2 foreign pitchers and 1 foreign infielder/outfielder. The rest of the team comprises of Korean players. The Lions liked how strong Collin has been pitching after his Tommy John surgery. Their spring training starts in Mid January in Guam. The regular season starts in April and they play 154 games, then the playoffs.

 Collin's family will live in Korea for about 7 months. They are looking forward to it.  We thank the Nationals, Tigers, Rangers, Pirates ( especially, they rehabbed him through Tommy John and we are forever grateful for the Pirates) and the Reds. Being able to get back to the Big Leagues with the Reds, after TJ was a huge accomplishment for Collin. Thank you to all the Nationals fans who have been a huge support to Collin. Go Nats! Go Lions! Spinman! 

[tomterp]

What a blessing for Collin, Ashley, Roslyn, Violet, Spinman, Grandma Becky and Tom and Sally Balester! Looks like my vacation will be in Korea this summer, thanks to the Balester's and Samsung. The Samsung Lions have been great to deal with and are a family friendly organization.

 Thank God, Collin's deal is a guaranteed contract, which MLB clubs didn't offer. He will be in the starting rotation for the Samsung Lions, who have won several Championships recently equivalent to our World Series , in the Korean League. The Korean League Teams are allowed 2 foreign pitchers and 1 foreign infielder/outfielder. The rest of the team comprises of Korean players. The Lions liked how strong Collin has been pitching after his Tommy John surgery. Their spring training starts in Mid January in Guam. The regular season starts in April and they play 154 games, then the playoffs.

 Collin's family will live in Korea for about 7 months. They are looking forward to it.  We thank the Nationals, Tigers, Rangers, Pirates ( especially, they rehabbed him through Tommy John and we are forever grateful for the Pirates) and the Reds. Being able to get back to the Big Leagues with the Reds, after TJ was a huge accomplishment for Collin. Thank you to all the Nationals fans who have been a huge support to Collin. Go Nats! Go Lions! Spinman! 

Life is full of adventures - this will be another fine one for the Balester family.  Here's to Colin and a stellar 2016!   

[Spinman]

 That's for sure. Thank you, Tom for all of your personal support over the years.

[mitlen]

It's about the journey.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He will be in the starting rotation for the Samsung Lions,

Interesting.  I hope he makes the most of it.  A solid season there with a lot of innings can really help him there or back here.  Best of luck.  Enjoy the kimchee and barbecue!

[JCA-CrystalCity]

While the Mets do have legitimate interest in Tyler Clippard, they only want him with a one-year guarantee, per Heyman. Clippard is looking for a two-year deal he adds. It certainly seems that the veteran’s market is lagging the rest of the top-end set-up men who hit free agency this year. That could be due to a combination of his heavy recent workload and sub-par peripherals last year, but Clippard should still find a significant contract given his lengthy track record and the high dollars we’ve seen given to inferior arms.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/dee-gordon-five-year-extension-offer-marlins.html

[welch]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/dee-gordon-five-year-extension-offer-marlins.html

In the same article: 

We’ve heard chatter that the Orioles and Rockies have had some talks regarding outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, and Heyman says that Colorado asked for young righty Kevin Gausman in a deal. That was, unsurprisingly, a non-starter for Baltimore.

I don't know Gausman -- no more interest in the AL -- but is he significantly better than AJ Cole plus Taylor Jordan?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

In the same article: 
I don't know Gausman -- no more interest in the AL -- but is he significantly better than AJ Cole plus Taylor Jordan?

yes.  Good K/BB rates, sub 1.25 whip last year.  A bit homer prone which bit him last year, but the year before he had favorable HR rates (and lower ERA and FIP).  270+ mlb innings over the last 3 years

[Mr Clean]

Detwiler to Cleveland: https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/679421290755842048

[BrandonK]

Detwiler to Cleveland: https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/679421290755842048

Heyman only believes capitalization and grammar when referring to In-N-Out.

[Spinman]

  This is Collin Balester on Spinman's site. I am really excited to join Samsung Lions in 2016. The Nat's fans have been awesome and I appreciated the blog day we had. I hope the Nationals win it all in 2016.
  Spinman will keep you updated. God Bless you all! Collin Balester " Bally" #40, #23, #99! 

[Spinman]

Collin Balester will take any questions you might have if you want to send them to me. He is on FaceTime right now with me. He loves the Nats fans!

[mitlen]

Collin Balester will take any questions you might have if you want to send them to me. He is on FaceTime right now with me. He loves the Nats fans!

Saw your post and didn't realize this was a real time thing.    Want to pass along Happy Holiday wishes to yunz (Pittsburghese for all of you).   No questions, just best wishes for an outstanding season.

Don't know if this is active but it may be fun to follow this year:

https://twitter.com/ballystar99

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Merry Christmas, Spinman, Collin, and Family. 

I saw Seibu anticipates you being in the rotation.  Are you trying to convert back to a starter at this point?  Did you talk to doctors about the innings jump?

[Spinman]

Merry Christmas, Spinman, Collin, and Family. 

I saw Seibu anticipates you being in the rotation.  Are you trying to convert back to a starter at this point?  Did you talk to doctors about the innings jump?

 Yes. The team Doctors were more than happy with his reports and physicals. Collin  is ready to pitch 150 to 200 innings.

[whytev]

Zach Walters injured in car accident. No word yet on if his pretty face is damaged, but it sounds like he's okay:

http://m.indians.mlb.com/news/article/160341998/indians-zach-walters-involved-in-car-accident

[JCA-CrystalCity]

A veritable plethora of former Nats news in this sentence fragment:

Detroit announced the signings of righties Logan Kensing, Melvin Mercedes, and Dustin Molleken as well as infielder Alberto Gonzalez and outfielder Nate Schierholtz.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/tigers-sign-jordany-valdespin.html

[houston-nat]

Tony Renda just got traded for Aroldis Chapman.

[whytev]

Tony Renda just got traded for Aroldis Chapman.

...is a statement that would have thrilled me six months ago?