2018/2019 Offseason Thread

[Ralph]

How many days do Sandy Alcantara / Pablo Lopez have to spend in the minor for another year of service time?

[fauowls44]

Mish was on the radio this morning and mentioned that they will be signing a reliever soon, possibly today.

[Ralph]

Adam Warren makes sense.

[Namaste]

Mish was on the radio this morning and mentioned that they will be signing a reliever soon, possibly today.

Remember that one time they traded Nick Wittgren for a bale of cotton candy?

[Nick]

[Namaste]

I just got banned at the other site for two benign posts that obviously didn’t go over well with whatever mod was on duty.

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Not warned. Banned. It’s likely the same mod that banned el penguino.

[rmc523]

I just got banned at the other site for two benign posts that obviously didn’t go over well with whatever mod was on duty.

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Not warned. Banned. It’s likely the same mod that banned el penguino.

Wait a second - was it a post about pollywag's "jokes" ? there's a post missing there.

[Namaste]

Wait a second - was it a post about pollywag's "jokes" ? there's a post missing there.

Yes.


I am (was) DTrain Over there.

[fauowls44]

Remember that one time they traded Nick Wittgren for a bale of cotton candy?

That reminds me. Baseball Prospectus was more favorable about that trade than I thought...

The Cleveland Indians acquired RHP Nick Wittgren from the Miami Marlins for RHP Jordan Milbrath. [2/4]

The Indians shored up their bullpen by acquiring Nick Wittgren from the Miami Marlins, whom Miami designated for assignment after signing Neil Walker last week. The free agency losses of Andrew Miller and Cody Allen opened up a big hole in Cleveland’s bullpen, even though both were ineffective during the 2018 season. After Brad Hand, Indians relief pitchers other than eternal LOOGY Oliver Perez weren’t much to write home about. Wittigren’s 2.94 ERA would have been third-best on the team last year.

However, like many ground ball pitchers, Wittgren’s ERA is controversial. The 28-year-old right-hander was successful in 2018 with an odd combination of an average 21 percent strikeout rate, bad 10 percent walk rate, and superb 0.27 HR/9. Those rates add up to a 3.09 FIP and 3.81 DRA. The latter discounts Wittgren’s performance in Marlins Park, which is unkind to home runs. He’ll lose that advantage in Cleveland, especially against left-handed batters. Cleveland should bet on Wittgren’s ERA regressing toward his 3.60 career average, although that would still make him the third best relief pitcher on the 2018 Indians.

In return, the Marlins acquired Jordan Milbrath. The 6-foot-6 righty relief pitcher spent the 2018 season between Double-A and Triple-A. At 27 years-old, Milbrath appears to border on journeyman status. However, Milbrath’s profile is intriguing. The former Rule 5 pick rebuilt his delivery two years ago by moving his arm angle down. The change increased the movement on his fastball, but he still maintained his 95+ mph velocity. He uses the movement to get enormous ground ball rates: 60 percent in 2018 and over 70 percent in 2017. While he still struggles with control, the Marlins are betting that he can improve on his 3.90 ERA in 2018.

The Marlins managed to get an intriguing arm in return for a player they were ready to place on waivers. The Indians managed to improve their shallow bullpen. The trade seems like a win-win, although the Indians might regret letting an intriguing arm like Milbrath go. A 60 percent or higher ground ball rate from a right-handed pitcher would go very far in an infield that features Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. —E.J. Fagan

[rmc523]

Yes.


I am (was) DTrain Over there.

I don't understand that at all - it wasn't even bad was it?

I was real original and have the same username both places haha.

[lou]

How many days do Sandy Alcantara / Pablo Lopez have to spend in the minor for another year of service time?

None. Alcantara has 100 service days and Lopez 93, so they have them for 6 years and they won't be a super 2. Richards falls into here too, but he will be a Super 2 but who cares. They have Alfaro, Smith, Steckenrider, Garcia, and Riddle for 5, and Conley for 4.

The only one I think that matters (ignoring all rookies with -0- service time) is Brinson. Keep him down 40 service days (call it May 10thish), get a year of control. Gerardo Parra on a MLB deal tomorrow could pay for himself if Brinson becomes even Michael Taylor after May 10th.

[rmc523]

None. Alcantara has 100 service days and Lopez 93, so they have them for 6 years and they won't be a super 2. Richards falls into here too, but he will be a Super 2 but who cares. They have Alfaro, Smith, Steckenrider, Garcia, and Riddle for 5, and Conley for 4.

The only one I think that matters (ignoring all rookies with -0- service time) is Brinson. Keep him down 40 service days (call it May 10thish), get a year of control. Gerardo Parra on a MLB deal tomorrow could pay for himself if Brinson becomes even Michael Taylor after May 10th.

Well, if last year is any indication, they're not going to do that with Brinson, though they should.

[Nick]

Brinson just needs to hit, the time to worry about service days was last year, and they f'ed that up. Just do whatever's best for getting him back on track.

[tjfla]

Revised

ML-Urena/Chen/Straily/Pablo/Richards/Smith
AAA-Sandy/Yamamoto/Merandy/Elieser/Neidert/Gallen
AA-Guzman/Sixto/Beggs/Dugger/Poteet/Mills/Puckett
Hi A-Rogers/Garrett/Cabrera/Holloway/Braley/Stewart/Castano
Lo A-Vallimont/Guerrero/Roberson/Mejia/Culbertson/Howe
Rookie-Matt Givin(TJ)/Dakota Bennett/Palacios and other DSL guys

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Doesn’t it benefit Miami financially to keep Chen’s innings down?

He has to throw a certain # of innings the next 2 years-NO WAY in hell it happens. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he is traded for a expensive but non performing bat. Chen is 22 million for 2020 and then option-likely trade him for guy who is signed till 2021 who could play 1B

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Mish was on the radio this morning and mentioned that they will be signing a reliever soon, possibly today.

Have offers out to a few. Bud Smith is name to watch but they like Adam Warren/Nick Vincent/AJ

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Remember that one time they traded Nick Wittgren for a bale of cotton candy?

The kid they got isn't half bad. He is older but changed his delivery LY and looked solid(control is shaky). Milbrath is 6'6 throws sidearm at 95 and has a groundball rate at 70%

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They got some cash to play with so expect 1 or 2 RP/OF/maybe Martin Maldonado signings over next few days

JT trade saved 5.3 Million

[tjfla]

Little nugget on Will Stewart. Marlins were actually offered better "ranked" arms(Not Medina/Howard) however thought he was gonna be better than those guys.

MLB has him #25 in Miami system while 2 others have him at #12/#15

Jupiter is going to have a rotation to watch-Holloway/Garrett/Cabrera/Rogers/Stewart. While Jax has Sixto(100 with Control)/Brady Puckett(6'8)/Jorge Guzman(100 with NO Control)