Yesterday was an exceptionally active day of the season, even if the movements were mostly minor. The Robbie Ray-Mitch Haniger-Anthony DeSclafani deal was the big deal (although it was more “name” than impact), but also the Mariners and Rays coming together in a swap, which led to the Cardinals-Rays swap.
And of course, the Cubs made their first 40-player move of the offseason! …Claim a waiver from another hunter. Yeah, definitely not the most exciting move in the world, and I feel bad for Brian Servin because he has to wear the badge of being the first move. It's not his fault that he happened to hit the waiver wire at a time when Cubs fans were extremely concerned about the Cubs doing anything.
There were other moves too worth mentioning quickly, as well as other bullets…
The Rockies signed two players (resulting, in part, off waivers), former Cardinals outfielder Dakota Hudson and former Marlins catcher Jacob Stallings. Hudson, 29, still has the potential to be an average player, so this isn't a bad addition to a one-year deal ($1.5 million, plus $1.5 million in incentives). Stallings, 34, has been a late bloomer for the Pirates, mostly due to the strength of his elite work behind the plate. They traded him to the Marlins two years ago, and the bat and glove immediately fell off a cliff (what did the Pirates know?!?!), which is probably why you haven't heard much about him since. I can't believe he got a big league deal from the Rockies ($2 million).
The Braves signed utility man Luis Guilorme to a one-year, $1.1 million deal. Guilorme, 29, was actually a really good outfielder for the Mets before last year. But then last year happened and his high contact style turned into a surprisingly high offensive style, and the defense was rated poorly as well. The Braves hope to bounce back in a limited role.
The Brewers are taking a chance on Austin Nola on a minor league deal, so the Cubs don't get everything they pick up from depth. Nola, 34, was unable to sustain his late-20s success with the Mariners after a trade to the Padres (late offensive breakthroughs for catchers aren't uncommon, but neither is a rapid decline in the early 30s — it's a tough task on the body). 2023 was an absolute disaster, as he posted a 38 wRC+ and was one of the worst hitters in baseball. It turns out he had a condition that affected his brain's ability to coordinate his movements, which explained the decline. It remains to be seen if he can take control and rebound — for now, he'll be the Brewers' third-place catcher, behind William Contreras and Eric Haas (who also suffered a major drop at the plate last year that left him as one of the worst hitters in baseball).
I couldn't help but laugh at how obvious the client influence is here:
I mean. Come now. This is from the article and it's a bit ironic:
“For now, Bellinger, one of the top three players to hit free agency at 27 years old (Barry Bonds and Harper), remains one of the most fascinating free agent cases in years.
Consider that Bellinger is:
– 1 of 4 in the past decade have won an MVP award and been in the top 10 twice (Trout, Mookie Betts, Jose Altuve)
– 1 of 3 hitting .300 with 55 extra base hits in 2023 (Ronald Acuna Jr., Betts)
– 1 of 3 players with 80 percent contact rate and .525 slugging percentage (Acuna, Betts, Freddie Freeman)
– 1 of 5 with an .800 OPS and above average positivity on defense (Freeman, Harper, Lewis Robert, Corbin Carroll)
– 1 of 6 with .300 BA and .500 SLG (Corey Seager, Acuna, Freeman, Betts, Shohei Ohtani)
– 1 of 2 historically with great offense at both center field and first base, defined as an .800 OPS and .300 games at each position (Stan Musial).”
With all due respect to John Heyman, are you telling me he kept digging to find those mysterious statistical connections? Or maybe he had one of Scott Boras' famous player folders look at it? Because that's exactly what that data from Boras looks like: remove all the context, find the stats that make the guy look like the second coming of Stan Musial, and go.
None of this means I don't like Cody Bellinger. Of course I do. But can't we act like he's Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Ronald Acuña Jr. all rolled into one? More thoughts on the Cubs and Bellinger here. I think this will continue to decline, with Boras and Bellinger looking for $200+ million before they pull the trigger, and teams like the Cubs are just waiting things out and not getting particularly close to that level.
NBC Sports Chicago's deal with the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks expires in 10 months, and they have to figure out what they're going to do in this ever-changing landscape:
It would be very interesting if clubs moved to rebroadcast some of their matches on television, as teams in other markets have done. Sure, the money coming right out the door is down that much compared to a big RSN deal (which, you know, those are dying out anyway), but your reach can grow exponentially. It could be better for your fans, growth, and ultimately revenue.
Meta: We lost a long-time community member last week, and I honestly didn't know how to talk about him. Tex was a joy, and I know his family and friends will miss him dearly. That includes a lot of people here, because I know the true friendships that develop in communities like this. It is truly painful, and we feel these losses deeply. As I understand it, there will be something set up to help support his family, and I will be sure to share it here when it is done. Love the Tex family, love you all, and happy new year.
Source link
