MLB & Division Watching (2017)

[Mr Clean]

Wow, big FU to the Twins, who didn't want de Leon for Dozier.

I read they wanted De Leon +.

[houston-nat]

I read they wanted De Leon +.

Yeah - sorry, my post was unclear, I meant they didn't think he was a good offer by himself.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Dozier is signed through 2018, very cheap, too.  I'm going to guess that the Twins think he'll put up pretty good numbers and they can sell him in June / July at a premium.  We'll see.  Say if Murphy went down, you'd think they could ask for Robles +.

[NJ Ave]

Wow, big FU to the Twins, who didn't want de Leon for Dozier.

Or the Twins could say, see - if Jose de Leon is the going rate for an obviously lesser player like Logan Forsythe, we were correct in wanting de Leon + for Dozier.

That's the way I see it.

[GuyFromCO]

Brett Anderson to the Cubbies. $3.5M. That guy will keep getting paid to do Jack.

[Lintyfresh85]

Oh to be left handed!

That deal is pending physical... no sure thing with Anderson.

[GuyFromCO]

Oh to be left handed!

That deal is pending physical... no sure thing with Anderson.

True and true.

[Mattionals]

Weird to put this here, but I really wonder what it's like to be an Angels fan. So many people on MLBTR, I know it isn't the place for the most informed fans, are clamoring to sign Matt Wieters. Why? Why would you sign him at all with that awful rotation banking on Richards and maybe Shoemaker at best? The lineup isn't terrible, but I wouldn't call it a world beater either. That team doesn't need more bats, it needs defense and pitching.

[dracnal]

Weird to put this here, but I really wonder what it's like to be an Angels fan. So many people on MLBTR, I know it isn't the place for the most informed fans, are clamoring to sign Matt Wieters. Why? Why would you sign him at all with that awful rotation banking on Richards and maybe Shoemaker at best? The lineup isn't terrible, but I wouldn't call it a world beater either. That team doesn't need more bats, it needs defense and pitching.

Chicks dig the longball.

[NJ Ave]

Weird to put this here, but I really wonder what it's like to be an Angels fan. So many people on MLBTR, I know it isn't the place for the most informed fans, are clamoring to sign Matt Wieters. Why? Why would you sign him at all with that awful rotation banking on Richards and maybe Shoemaker at best? The lineup isn't terrible, but I wouldn't call it a world beater either. That team doesn't need more bats, it needs defense and pitching.

Angels just need wins.

The team is t-8 in projected record according to Fangraphs (84 wins). There are no teams projected to be better than them for the AL wildcard, but there are 6 other teams projected for 82-84 wins.

They have something like $160 million committed for next season, so they are a big payroll team but have plenty of room under the luxury threshold. They have old players for the most part and no farm system.

To sum up: I can't imagine a situation where a team could have a higher value for marginal wins, and their catchers truly suck.

[Mattionals]

Angels just need wins.

The team is t-8 in projected record according to Fangraphs (84 wins). There are no teams projected to be better than them for the AL wildcard, but there are 6 other teams projected for 82-84 wins.

They have something like $160 million committed for next season, so they are a big payroll team but have plenty of room under the luxury threshold. They have old players for the most part and no farm system.

To sum up: I can't imagine a situation where a team could have a higher value for marginal wins, and their catchers truly suck.

I agree their catchers aren't great, but they need to spend to get arms. I realize that Hammel is basically all that is left out there, but that rotation and bullpen, yikes.

[Lintyfresh85]

Really depends on the Shoemaker they get. If he's second half of 2016 and all of 2014 they've got a shot. But if he's all of 2015 and first half of 2016... they've got problems.

[madj55]

Weird to put this here, but I really wonder what it's like to be an Angels fan. So many people on MLBTR, I know it isn't the place for the most informed fans, are clamoring to sign Matt Wieters. Why? Why would you sign him at all with that awful rotation banking on Richards and maybe Shoemaker at best? The lineup isn't terrible, but I wouldn't call it a world beater either. That team doesn't need more bats, it needs defense and pitching.

I don't have the defensive metrics to back this up, but I think Maybin/Trout/Calhoun in the OF is pretty solid. Then you have great gloves up the middle with Simmons and Espinosa. Escobar is a weak link at 3B and I'm not sure who is playing 1B. Besides the catcher, they should have great defense up the middle IMO.

They do desperately need pitching. They also need to renovate that stadium a bit.

[DCFan]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2017/02/09/statistical-projections-say-mets-not-nats-will-win-nl-east/?hpid=hp_local-news_nationals-12pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.dc52df9909df

Nats to finish 87-75 and in 2nd place (to the Mets) according to Baseball Prospectus’s PECOTA.

[Natsinpwc]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2017/02/09/statistical-projections-say-mets-not-nats-will-win-nl-east/?hpid=hp_local-news_nationals-12pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.dc52df9909df

Nats to finish 87-75 and in 2nd place (to the Mets) according to Baseball Prospectus’s PECOTA.

Season over.

[DCFan]

Season over.

I like the projection from Fangraphs (same article) better. "FanGraphs’ projection model is more optimistic for Washington, forecasting 90 victories and winning the NL East by six games over the Mets."

[Natsinpwc]

I like the projection from Fangraphs (same article) better. "FanGraphs’ projection model is more optimistic for Washington, forecasting 90 victories and winning the NL East by six games over the Mets."

Championship!  I can't believe they actually play the games. Maybe some day it will all be sumulations.

[varoadking]

Championship!  I can't believe they actually play the games. Maybe some day it will all be sumulations.

...or something simular...   

[UMDNats]

Championship!  I can't believe they actually play the games. Maybe some day it will all be sumulations.

raise the banner.

"Fangraphs projected NL East Champs 2017"

[houston-nat]

How the mighty (ex-prospects) have fallen: Desmond Jennings signs minor league deal with Reds.

[GuyFromCO]

How the mighty (ex-prospects) have fallen: Desmond Jennings signs minor league deal with Reds.

Domenic Brown signed with the Rox. Waiting for the TINSTAAPP folks to pop in now...

[Lintyfresh85]

Domenic Brown signed with the Rox. Waiting for the TINSTAAPP folks to pop in now...

Brown was actually an All-Star at one point. Crazy.

[Natsinpwc]

Brown was actually an All-Star at one point. Crazy.

Had one great month. 

[varoadking]

Report on NHL Network that Tigers & Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch has passed away...

[imref]

Rosenthal says the braves are close to trading for Brandon Phillips, the guy who didn't want to come here.