Cleveland Sports Forum

Perhaps he was the private coach to Eddie Rosario for Altanta

Mariners sent 1B/OF Jake Bauers outright to Triple-A Tacoma.

Bauers was pushed off the 40-man roster earlier this week and ultimately passed through waivers unclaimed. The 26-year-old former top-100 prospect batted just .209/.290/.277 with four home runs and 78 strikeouts in 115 games (315 plate appearances) this past season between Cleveland and Seattle. He can elect to become a free agent and will probably do so.

surprise!

White Sox declined 2B Cesar Hernandez's $6 million option for 2022.

Hernandez slugged a career-high 21 homers in 2021, but that came with just a .694 OPS and he didn't do much in the final two months after the White Sox picked him up via trade. The 31-year-old should be able to land a starting job somewhere this winter.

MLB free agency, trades and offseason outlook: Jim Bowden answers 20 questions on Red Sox, Angels, Braves, more


By Jim Bowden Nov 12, 2021 139
As the MLB offseason plays out, I’ll regularly do reader mailbags to answer your questions and share what I’m hearing around the league. Let’s get right to this edition, which hits on 20 teams. Also, if you missed them, check out my look at key needs for each team and my ranking of the top 25 free agents (with contract predictions and best team fits).

(Note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.)

What is the ideal offseason for the Angels? — Justin B.

Signing three free-agent starters: Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman and Marcus Stroman. A mere $400 million and a five-year commitment for all three would get it done. OK, OK, I know — not realistic financially. What about Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke, all on short-term deals? OK, OK, I know — too much health risk. So how about a combination of those plans? You get my point: Acquire three top starters, and bring back Raisel Iglesias or sign Kenley Jansen, too.

While the Red Sox have plenty of flexibility and could almost maintain the status quo in the infield and the outfield, their defensive configuration left much to be desired in 2021. It seems far more likely that a shakeup is coming, at least at a couple of positions. Where could the Sox realistically get the most impact in a shakeup? — Tim F.

There’s a strong possibility the Red Sox make a quiet play for either Carlos Correa or Marcus Semien. If they land Correa, I think they’ll ask Xander Bogaerts to move to second base. If they sign Semien, he would play second base. I think they’ll also re-sign Eduardo Rodríguez or pivot to another similar starter, such as Steven Matz. I expect they’ll be aggressive in improving the bullpen. And if they can’t get Kyle Schwarber back, which they are trying to do, they might consider another left-handed hitter, such as Eddie Rosario.

What kind of demand will there be for the Braves’ three free-agent outfielders, Rosario, Jorge Soler and Joc Pederson? Will any of them return to Atlanta? — Josh G.

I think it depends on the universal designated hitter. If it’s adopted, as expected, demand for all three will increase. Soler will garner the most interest because of the hitting adjustments he made after being acquired from the Royals, including not chasing as much out of the strike zone. Rosario can really hit with power, but his low on-base percentage and defensive deficiencies will stand in the way to a degree. Pederson is a role or platoon player, and several small-market teams will be interested.

How many “big names” do the Rangers end up signing? — Jason P.

I think they have a chance to land two big free agents: Trevor Story to play shortstop and either Nick Castellanos or Michael Conforto to play right field would be my initial guesses. All three are young enough — they’re 28, 29 and 28, respectively — to be part of the Rangers’ long-term plans.

Will the Yankees go after a starter (this offseason)? If so, whom are they most likely to pursue: Jon Gray, Justin Verlander, Carlos Rodón? — Will M.

The Yankees are prioritizing one of the elite free-agent shortstops — either Corey Seager or Correa, with Semien as their third choice. I think they’ll also try to improve at catcher and in center field, with Starling Marte a real candidate for the latter. But to answer your question, yes, I think the Yankees will try to land a starter and it won’t surprise me if Verlander is the gamble they like the best among the free-agent starting pitchers returning from injuries.

What’s the best approach for the Brewers with Josh Hader, given the circumstances?

The Brewers should keep Hader unless they are absolutely overwhelmed by a trade offer. Armed with three No. 1 starters and a lethal bullpen, led by Hader, the Brewers have a legitimate chance of contending for the World Series next year. They need to spend the offseason trying to acquire as many bats as possible to improve the offense. They also should extend the contract of president of baseball operations David Stearns to stop the Mets’ indirect tampering.

Since you didn’t list the Twins as potential fits for any of the top free agents, what do you think they will do this offseason? — Sean M.

Byron Buxton: signed, traded or held? What happens? — S.H

I think the Twins will trade for a veteran starter, add bullpen depth and be active in the secondary shortstop market. In terms of the oft-injured Buxton, he just hasn’t played enough for Minnesota to give him the long-term contract he wants. Therefore, I would trade him if I could get the right return. If not, I would let him play out next season, or at least until the trade deadline and re-evaluate then, assuming he can stay healthy.

Which would be more valuable for the Cardinals — (adding) a starting pitcher or a shortstop? Based on that answer, whom should they pursue? In an ideal world for me, the Cards sign Scherzer and Seager, neither of which I expect to happen. — Ross M.

Starting pitching is their biggest need so if I were St. Louis I would focus on that first, but I also think Seager, with his left-handed bat and record of success in the postseason, is a perfect fit with the Cardinals. Putting Seager between Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado in the middle of their lineup would be a game-changer. My “ideal world” for the Cardinals is the same as yours: Scherzer and Seager. However, I’m also good with Stroman, Gausman or Ray and Semien.

What is a realistic outfield move the Guardians could make to improve their corner outfield spots, given their salary constraints dictated by ownership? Conforto, or is his asking price out of range? — Benjamin F.

I think the Guardians should sign Conforto, Castellanos or Kris Bryant, but I get the impression they are looking for cheaper options via trade rather than free agency. If they trade José Ramírez — and they are listening to inquiries about the three-time All-Star — don’t be surprised if multiple outfielders are part of the package coming back to Cleveland.

What would it cost the Dodgers to get Matt Olson? — John G.

Olson is an interesting trade target for the Dodgers. If I’m the A’s, I want Tony Gonsolin, Gavin Lux and Phil Bickford in return.

Any chance the White Sox bring Semien back to the South Side? — John F.

They have the resources to do it and the need at second base. It makes too much sense. So yes, of course there is a chance, particularly because owner Jerry Reinsdorf knows how close the White Sox are to getting back to the World Series.

What controllable, front-line starters could be traded this offseason? — Parker B.

Luis Castillo, Chris Bassitt, Frankie Montas, Tyler Glasnow and Sonny Gray.

Besides Gausman, do you see the Giants going after a top starting pitcher via free agency or trade? I would love to see them acquire Sandy Alcántara or Pablos López from Miami. — Cameron B.

The Giants have the resources — both financially and within their farm system — to chase the best starting pitchers available via free agency and trades, and they need four starters to put behind Logan Webb. Anything is possible, but the Marlins are not trading Alcántara.

What are the chances of Chris Taylor being signed by the Phillies? What will it take for a team to land him or the Dodgers to re-sign him? — Edward R.

I think Taylor will be flooded with offers, from the Mariners to the Dodgers to the Rangers to the Phillies. He’s going to do extremely well. I do like his fit with the Phillies as an everyday left fielder. As far as the contract, I predicted a four-year, $64 million deal in my top 25 free agents article.

Do you see the Mariners signing more than one big-ticket free agent or making a blockbuster trade that taps into their farm system? — Brett J.

President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, aka Trader Jerry, is ready to wheel-and-deal at a significant level. When it’s all said and done, he will have acquired a middle-of-the-order infield bat, a starting pitcher and more lineup depth.

If you were (Reds general manager Nick Krall) and were told to “align payroll with resources” by ownership, what’s your next move after parting with Tucker Barnhart and Wade Miley? — Frank R.

I would have to listen to offers on every Reds player, including Gray and Castillo. Although I wouldn’t want to trade either of them, they could bring back the best packages to retool with a lower team payroll. I would also gauge trade interest in Mike Moustakas, Eugenio Suárez and Shogo Akiyama to see what they could yield.

When will the Juan Soto extension process start? What are the chances the Nationals retain him? — Elias T.

The Nationals need to do their best to lock him up, but Soto is going to demand the first half-a-billion-dollar contract. I’ve heard that when he’s amassed six years of service time, he’s more likely to end up with the Dodgers or Yankees. I would enjoy this time with Soto in a Nationals uniform, because I’m afraid there will come a day when they trade him, as they did with Trea Turner this past season.

With Bill Schmidt’s promotion to GM, do you see the Rockies going in a different direction than the previous regime or maintaining the status quo? Could they move a player like Germán Márquez and lean more toward a rebuild, or go in the other direction and look to add? — Cullen F.

I am hearing the Rockies plan to pursue an outfield bat and a starting pitcher (if they can’t resign Gray) while continuing to improve their bullpen. But don’t expect massive changes this offseason besides those three areas. The Rockies will continue to build mostly through player development and scouting.

If the new collective bargaining agreement creates a $100 million salary floor, which free agents do the Marlins spend their money on? — Josh H.

First of all, if the new CBA creates a $100 million salary floor, I think it would go into effect over a two- or three-year period to give teams time to adjust. However, to answer your question, the Marlins are focused on improving their offense first and foremost, with the outfield their top priority. So, players such as Conforto, Castellanos, Schwarber, Avisaíl García, Rosario, Soler and maybe even a reunion with Marte would make sense for them.

Some teams are getting out their checkbooks while others watch and wait for the bargains and second-rate players.

Mets sign Scherzer for 3 years for a mere $130,000,000; to join various position players signed last week.


Rangers sign 2nd baseman Marcus Semian for only 7 years, $175,000,000. He's 31 so there's every reason to think he'll be just entering his prime when the contract reaches the half way point. "This would be the first long-term free-agent deal the Rangers have signed since Shin-Soo Choo agreed to a seven-year, $130 million deal ahead of the 2014 season." That worked out great for Texas. As a general rule, I believe anyone they sign then immediately goes downhill.

The Blue Jays have reached an agreement with right-hander Kevin Gausman on a five-year, $110 million contract, a source told MLB.com, adding a major, long-term piece to their rotation. The agreement, which is pending a physical, has not yet been confirmed by the club. Gausman, 30, had been targeted by the Blue Jays in the past, and will now slide in alongside José Berríos, who recently signed a seven-year, $131 million extension,

Other lesser deals have been announced.
More big name shortstops looking for homes. Detroit considered a likely new home for Correa or one of the other stars.

When I am tempted to whine about the lack of spending in Cleveland I remember the Rays. The Rays are a powerhouse so no excuses for low spending teams. Fine, they don't want to spend, but they damn well have no excuse not to contend.

Rays = no excuses.

Post rant: The new CBA will very likely have a salary FLOOR.

After reading a Q and A at Baseball America about whether the Dodgers should give Seager a long term contract [answer: No, he has no history of staying healthy all season] I read next that the Rangers signed him for merely 10 years for $325,000,000. Rangers seem to have a history of stupid moves and this is highly likely to add to that.

"Doesn't it make sense for the Dodgers to re-sign Seager to play shortstop with Lux as second base? This leaves them the opportunity to deal Trea Turner at a great value with a full season to play?
Corey Seager is a tremendous player, but it’s very, very difficult to commit $200-plus million to a player who has held up over a full, 162-game season only once in his last four years. His frequent injuries and declining defensive ability don’t portend him aging well. Especially with Walker Buehler and Julio Urias needing to be paid in the coming years and so many holes to fill on the pitching staff, the Dodgers are better off investing both their short-term and long-term payroll space toward pitchers.

Seager, 27, batted .295/.364/.501 with 100 home runs in 609 games from 2016 to 2021 and established himself as one of the sport's premier offensive shortstops while with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he also missed extended time on multiple occasions.
Seager's season-ending slash line of .306/.394/.521 helped validate him as one of the sport's most competent hitters, particularly from the left side. His minus-five outs above average since the start of 2020 rank 28th among 39 qualified shortstops, but evaluators view Seager as a reliable shortstop who was boosted by the Dodgers' astute defensive positioning.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand confirms that the Cubs have signed Clint Frazier to a one-year contract.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers was first to report that an agreement was close. Frazier dealt with concussion-like symptoms throughout much of the 2021 season and batted just .186 with a .633 OPS in 218 plate appearances when healthy, but he's only 27 years old and certainly seems like a worthwhile gamble for the rebuilding Cubs. He projects to have a starting role in the outfield on the North Side of Chicago.

Orioles and OF Anthony Santander avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.15 million contract.

This is the second time through arbitration for Santander, who pulled in a $2.1 million salary in 2021 while slashing .241/.286/.433 with 18 home runs and 50 RBI across 110 games played. He suffered a right knee sprain in late September but should be fully recovered leading into the start of the 2022 campaign.

He projects to have a starting role in the outfield on the North Side of Chicago. That seems a bit optimistic

Santander gets $3M for a season with an OPS of 729. Congratulations on mediocrity

Roberto Perez to the Pirates for one year; no $ in the story I read.

Cubs take Yan Gomes along with Clint Frazier

Another former Cleveland minor leaguer Joey Wendle traded across Florida from Tampa to Miami

The Detroit Tigers have agreed to a six-year, $140 million deal with free-agent shortstop Javier Baez, a source told ESPN's Buster Olney on Tuesday.

The deal also includes an opt-out, according to the source. It would be the second-largest free-agent deal in Tigers franchise history. (Prince Fielder signed a nine-year, $214 million deal with Detroit in January 2012.)

While he struck out a league-high 184 times last season, Baez hit .265 with 31 homers, 87 RBIs and 18 steals. He also brings Gold Glove defense to Detroit with his signature no-look tags. His OPS of 886 was the best of his career; for his career 783

Yankees take Manny Ramirez in minor league Rule 5 draft
By Ethan Sears
December 8, 2021 5:44pm Updated

The Yankees added Manny Ramirez on Wednesday. No, not that Manny Ramirez.

This one is a right-handed pitcher who was on the Astros’ Low-A roster before the Yankees took him in the 2021 Minor League Rule 5 Draft. The Major League edition of the Rule 5 draft, like all other transactions, is currently off until the lockout is resolved.

Ramirez, a 22-year-old from the Dominican Republic, has been in the Astros’ system since 2017, but hasn’t registered any innings pitched in the minors since 2019. That year, pitching for Tri-City in the New York Penn league, he threw 37 innings with a 4.38 ERA. In two games at Single-A Quad Cities, totaling an inning of work, he gave up three earned runs.

Isn't That Manny Ramirez still trying to hook on with teams in Korea or Australia or Papua New Guinea?