Tag: Wade Davis

What Do You Mean ‘Double Check’ My Sources?!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

jay bruce 2

The world has been waiting….

Waiting for the dominoes to start falling in Major League Baseball. Who knew that first domino would be a fake report?! Wednesday morning, multiple sources reported Gerrit Cole had been traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Houston Astros. By Wednesday afternoon, we had learned this report was as make believe as the Easter Bunny. Sorry parents. Apparently, some journalists prefer being 1st and wrong over being 2nd and right.

See, this is a fun time for MLB; the offseason. The time when rumors fly, money gets tossed around, and players potentially relocate. Until Wednesday, this offseason had been notoriously slow. Just 30 of the 160 potential free agents had signed with their respective teams. Over the past 2 days, free agency has built up speed. It turns out, all it needed was a little nudge from a fake report.

These new deals are 1-year contracts in order to avoid arbitration:

  • Cody Allen – $10.575 Million (Indians)
  • Khris Davis – $10.5 Million (Athletics)
  • Patrick Corbin – $7.5 Million (Diamondbacks)
  • Miguel Gonzalez – $4.75 Million (White Sox)
  • Mike Zunino – $2.975 Million (Mariners)
  • Randal Grichuk – $2.6 Million (Cardinals)
  • Zach McAllister – $2.45 Million (Indians)
  • Jake Marisnick – $1.9 Million (Astros)
  • Tommy Kahnle – $1.3125 Million (Yankees)

Arbitration is a legal process used when a player (prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent) and team can’t come to terms on a 1-year contract. Both the player and team submit their proposed salary contracts to a 3rd-party, neutral arbitrator. The arbitrator then determines a fair salary based on the player’s statistics. Despite retaining the rights to said player, arbitration isn’t generally the 1st step in a long-term, healthy relationship.

While everyone’s attention turned to 1-year contracts, and a fake report, the New York Mets swooped in and ACTUALLY signed a contract paying out more than $12 per year. On Wednesday, the Mets came to terms with Jay Bruce on a 3-year, $39 million contract. While Bruce isn’t a hop on my back and ride to the playoffs type of guy, he’s a solid offensive outfielder. On a team (as cheap as the Mets) lacking offense, I like this deal for the Mets.

Only 2 bigger contracts have been signed, so far, than Bruce; Carlos Santana and Wade Davis. Santana signed a 3-year, $60 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on December 20th. This makes the Bruce deal look even better. As for Davis, his 3-year, $52 million contract with the Colorado Rockies makes him the highest paid relief pitcher (per year) of all-time. We’ll see how he enjoys the “comfort” of pitching in Coors Field.

With just over a month until pitchers and catchers report, expect an avalanche of dominoes to fall in the near future. Here are the biggest, unsigned names:

J.D. Martinez, Jake Arrieta, Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas, and Yu Darvish.

MLB Free Agency, a time when wildly overpaying players has become America’s new pastime.

 

What do you think of the Jay Bruce contract?? Does Wade Davis deserve to be the highest paid reliever of all-time?? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

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American League Central Predictions

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Today, we will take a look at our first American League Division; the American League Central.  I will preview each team and give you my bold predictions for the upcoming season.  Here is a quick look at how each team finished last season:

2012 American League Central Final Standings:

                                                        W   L

Detriot Tigers:                                 88-74

Chicago White Sox:                        85-77

Kansas City Royals:                       72-90

Cleveland Indians:                         68-94

Minnesota Twins:                           66-96

Ah, the 2012 Minnesota Twins.  What a major disappointment they were huh?  No one was crowning them World Series champions prior to the 2012 season, but I think we all expected them to be above .500.  The Twins started out with a horrid record, and as the season continued it only got worse.  They finished dead last in the American League Central, a horrible 30 games under .500.  There is good news for 2013.  I don’t think it is physically possible to be as bad as they were last year.  That means there is only one way to go; up.  The Twins lost speedy outfielders Denard Span and Ben Revere, and they are hoping Darin Mastroianni can be their starting center fielder of the future, their leadoff hitter, and can blossom into a star.  I think he is a nice little player, but his strikeout rate is too high and his batting average is too low for me to say he’ll be a difference maker in Minnesota.  They also added Vance Worley and Mike Pelfrey to their starting rotation.  Mike Pelfrey after one solid year for the Mets in 2010, has underachieved beyond belief (if only I were 6’7″).  I don’t see the change of scenery being the difference for Pelfrey, and I see him struggling mightily this season.  As for Worley, after bursting on to the scene in 2011, his 2012 was very pedestrian (where he sported a 4.20 era and only won 6 games).  The Twins offense does have a chance to put up some runs, but that all depends on the health of their two former ‘superstars’; Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer.  Josh Willingham should have another nice season at the plate, but if Mauer and Morneau can stay healthy they could make a run at that elusive .500 record (hahaha).  That’s how good I think they will be this season, their ceiling is a .500 record.  When it’s all said and done I do think they improve upon their record from last season, but not by much.  They will be a stellar 70-92.

Last season the Cleveland Indians showed that they can compete in the American League Central.  They held a record of 44-41 at the All-Star break.  Then the Indians went on to have a disastrous 2nd half, going 24-53 to close out the season.  This forced the Indians owner to fire their manager Manny Acta.  Over the offseason, the Indians hired former Red Sox manager Terry Francona.  They believe that the combination of Francona and their new acquisitions this offseason gives them a chance to compete for the division title.  They added former Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher, home-run hitting Mark Reynolds, speedy centerfielder Michael Bourn, and the power/speed threat of Drew Stubbs (if only Stubbs didn’t strike out a million times he’d have the potential to be GREAT).  Between Reynolds and Stubbs their batting average will plummet while their strikeout rate soars through the roof, but they have the potential to be a very good team.  If Ubaldo Jimenez can return to All-Star form, watch out for the Cleveland Indians!  I think that they will be the most improved team from last season but will just miss out on the playoffs.  I believe they will finish with a record of 85-77.

The Kansas City Royals have been a model of inconsistency over the years, and that’s exactly what they were last season.  I do believe that they are heading in the right direction though and might actually surprise some folks this season.  The Royals have a good young team with a mountain of potential.  They also added James Shields, Ervin Santana, and Wade Davis to their starting rotation this offseason.  I believe this will vastly improve this team, and they will finish with a winning record for the first time since 2003.  The Royals have a lineup with a rare combination of speed and power.  Between Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Jarrod Dyson, and Alex Gordon the Royals should swipe a lot of bases this season.  They also have a lot of pop in their bats, with Mike Moustakas, Eris Hosmer, and Billy Butler anchoring the lineup.  Expect the Royals to be improved from last year, finishing with a record of 82-80.

Outside of Chris Sale, the Chicago White Sox rotation hovered around .500 in terms of wins and losses last season.  I believe that is what we will see from this team in 2013.  They did not make much noise this past offseason.  The only real addition they made was bringing in Jeff Keppinger to play 3rd base.  He should help with their batting average but not much more.  They do have nice players in their lineup in Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez, and Alejandro De Aza, but that won’t be enough to compete in this division.  This will be the most improved division in baseball, and the White Sox will finish in 4th place in the division this season.  I don’t think their pitching is good enough and it will ultimately be their downfall.  I see the White Sox having a disappointing season, finishing with an 80-82 record.

This is the Detroit Tigers division to lose.  With Justin Verlander heading up a rotation that includes Max Scherzer and Doug Fister, the Tigers rotation should continue to mow batters down.  Add that to a lineup that features Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, and I think it’s safe to say that the Tigers will win the American League Central again this season.  The Tigers do have a big question mark this season though, that could throw a big curveball into their plans.  They don’t have a closer right now.  They don’t seem to be interested in re-signing Jose Valverde.  Now, I dislike Valverde more than anyone in the world.  Watching him pitch makes me want to stab myself in the eyes with a pencil.  However, sometimes the scarcity at a position should dictate how you put your team together.  Valverde did implode in the postseason last year, but he is by far the best option at closer for the Detroit Tigers (at least right now).  Come playoff time, are you really going to feel comfortable handing the ball to a rookie in the 9th inning??  I highly doubt it.  I foresee the Tigers holding off the Indians to win the division, but I don’t think they’re going to make it look easy.  Their record should be similar to that of last year at 89-73.  They will narrowly win the American League Central.

2013 American League Central Projected Final Standings:

W   L

Detroit Tigers:                                  89-73

Cleveland Indians:                          85-77

Kansas CIty Royals:                        82-80

Chicago White Sox:                         80-82

Minnesota Twins:                            70-92

Projected American League Central Winner: Detroit Tigers

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