2016 Official Major League Baseball Thread

[Doc Holliday]

Yankees and Cubs in trade talks involving Aroldis Chapman

NEW YORK — Aroldis Chapman and the rest of the New York Yankees dressed in their Sunday best for a flight to Houston following a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants that completed a 6-4 homestand.

Who returns in 10 days is unclear.

New York was discussing a trade that would send Chapman to the Chicago Cubs as part of a swap that would bring 19-year-old shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres to the Yankees, a person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because talks were ongoing and New York owner Hal Steinbrenner had not made any final decision.

Nathan Eovaldi (9-6) pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira hit early solo home runs of Jeff Samardzija (9-6) and Chad Green pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

"We're very much in this," Brett Gardner said. "There's no point in me sitting here campaigning for us to stay together."

But the Yankees (50-48), who matched their season high of two games over .500, may have shown their management too little, too late to prevent a selloff of veterans ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline for trades without waivers. New York trails AL East-leading Baltimore by 7 1/2 games and is 4 1/2 games behind Toronto for the league's second wild card, with the Astros and Detroit also ahead.

Chapman has 20 saves in 21 chances and his fastball, at up to 105.1 mph, has entertained fans focusing on the scoreboard velocity of every pitch.

"It's tough. I feel comfortable here. I feel like part of the family here," he said through an interpreter, adding that the Yankees have been talking to his agent.

Chapman has formed the Yankees' No Runs DMC bullpen trio with Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller, which has 203 strikeouts in 123 2/3 innings. Chapman, pitcher Ivan Nova, Beltran and Teixeira are eligible for free agency at the end of the season; Miller, signed through 2018 at $9 million, also is of interest to contenders.

"We don't want to see him go," Teixeira said of Chapman. "We're trying to win games, and he's a big part of that."

Chapman maintained he could be dealt and still re-sign with the Yankees as a free agent during the off-season.

"Oh yeah, if there's a possibility, and God willing, yes," he said.

Torres was scratched from the starting lineup of the Class A Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Sunday.


Yankees/Cubs talking trade

 

[Doc Holliday]

Talks in final stages to send Chapman to Cubs

by Joel Sherman, New York Post

The Yankees and Cubs were in the final stages of completing a trade Monday morning that would send Aroldis Chapman to Chicago for elite shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, Adam Warren and two other pieces, The Post has learned.

Hal Steinbrenner, who initially balked at his team selling, has given his blessing to the deal. The Yankees’ plan now will be to see how they play over the next four or five days heading toward the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.

If the Yankees make inroads toward the playoffs, they will retain their current roster and maybe even try to add to make a postseason push. If they falter in the coming days, general manager Brian Cashman is positioned to move other pieces such as Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran, Brett Gardner, Ivan Nova, Michael Pineda and others.

The Nationals and Indians were the other teams talking most seriously to the Yankees, but never put a prospect into the deal the Yankees felt matched Torres.

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told the Yankees from the outset that their primary target – Kyle Schwarber – would not be included in any trade, even for the more desirable Miller. The Yankees’ focus eventually became Torres vs. Eloy Jimenez, a power-hitting, 19-year-old, Single-A outfielder who homered earlier this month in the Futures Game.

The Yankees decided they liked the makeup, high baseball IQ and skill set of a middle infielder more. Torres is just 19, and already playing well in High-A (.791 OPS). The Yankees also have arguably their top prospect, another shortstop, Jorge Mateo, at High-A. But the philosophy is shortstops can more easily move to other positions, as have Manny Machado, Alex Bregman, Jurickson Profar, Javier Baez, Starlin Castro, etc. Plus, shortstops usually retain strong trade value.

The other pieces in the package from the Cubs do not include second baseman Ian Happ, outfielder Jorge Soler or third baseman Jeimer Candelario.

It would include Warren, who was traded last winter to the Cubs for Castro. He has not pitched particularly well (5.91 ERA) and recently was sent to Triple-A.

He could return to the seventh-inning and/or multi-inning role he did well in last year and give the Yankees a reliever that Joe Girardi trusts to feed the ball to what would be the back-to-the-future end-game of Dellin Betances and Miller – sans Chapman.

Only Chapman would be going to the Cubs in this close-to-finalized deal.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Yankees deal Aroldis Chapman to Cubs

Flamethrowing reliever returns to NL in swap for Chicago’s top prospect, ex-Yankee Adam Warren and two minor league outfielders.

by Jay Cohen, AP

CHICAGO—The Chicago Cubs acquired hard-throwing reliever Aroldis Chapman in a trade with the New York Yankees on Monday, giving the NL Central leaders a boost as they try for their first World Series title in more than a century.

The Cubs paid a steep price, parting with top shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres and versatile pitcher Adam Warren in the four-player package going to the Yankees. Chapman faced a domestic violence allegation in the off-season that cost him a 29-game suspension, and the left-hander is eligible for free agency after this year.

But there is no doubting the talent of the 28-year-old Chapman, who went 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in 31 games with New York. He threw a 105.1 mph fastball to Baltimore’s J.J. Hardy last Monday night, matching the fastest since Major League Baseball began tracking speeds in 2008.

With lefty-batting sluggers Bryce Harper of Washington and Brandon Belt of San Francisco possibly looming in the playoffs, the addition of Chapman gives manager Joe Maddon one of the majors’ top assets when in need of a late strikeout.

New York had won six of eight heading into Monday night’s game at Houston, but it still faces long odds of getting to the playoffs. All-stars Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances are still at the back of the bullpen, allowing the Yankees to trade Chapman now and still consider trying for the post-season depending on how they fare ahead of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.

The Yankees made the decision to trade Chapman after his agents said he would not agree to a new contract that would start in 2017, a person familiar with the talks said.

If New York slips back any further, it could engage in a rare sell-off for the franchise. Miller, who is signed through 2018, also could be traded. Outfielder Carlos Beltran, first baseman Mark Teixeira and pitcher Ivan Nova are eligible for free agency after the season and could be sought by contenders.

Chapman quickly turned into one of baseball’s most dominant relievers when he broke into the majors in 2010 with Cincinnati. He threw the 62 fastest pitches in the major leagues last season, ranging from 103.92 to 102.36 mph.

Chapman saved 146 games with a 2.17 ERA in six years with the Reds before he was traded to New York last December after a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers fell through when it was learned Florida police investigated an accusation of domestic violence involving the Cuban pitcher.

Prosecutors declined to file charges, citing conflicting accounts, and Chapman was suspended for the first 29 games of the season, losing $1,856,557 of his $11,325,000 salary. He was the first player penalized a finite number of games under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.

“I regret that I did not exercise better judgment and for that I am truly sorry,” Chapman said in a team statement Monday. “Looking back, I feel I have learned from this matter and have grown as a person. My girlfriend and I have worked hard to strengthen our relationship, to raise our daughter together, and would appreciate the opportunity to move forward without revisiting an event we consider part of our past.”

Chapman and Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo also got into a heated argument in the ninth inning of a July 2014 game, but Rizzo said last month he was fine with the idea of acquiring the reliever.

The Yankees also received minor league outfielders Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford in the trade for Chapman. McKinney, a first-round pick in the 2013 draft, was acquired along with all-star shortstop Addison Russell in the 2014 deal that sent pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland.

Warren was drafted by New York and made his major league debut with the Yankees in 2012. He was traded to Chicago in the December deal that moved infielder Starlin Castro from the Cubs to the Yankees.


Doc Holliday's opinion of the trade: "Great trade for the Yankees. Good trade for the Cubs."

 

[EagerBeaver]

I think it was a great trade for the Yankees as well, now they need to sell some of the other guys and release A-Rod and eat his contract. I knew that would eventually happen, now is time to say A-Gone to A-Rod.

Refsnyder can take Beltran's spot so Beltran might be the next guy traded for young talent. His value right now has spiked and will never be higher.

 

[EagerBeaver]

ARod benched tonight vs Keuchel, his first benching vs. a lefty pitcher this year.. This could be a prelude to his release.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Well said and i perfectly agree with your suggestions. Arod helped bring us a championship and was a great player but his best days are long gone. Great trade for the Yanks today.

I think it was a great trade for the Yankees as well, now they need to sell some of the other guys and release A-Rod and eat his contract. I knew that would eventually happen, now is time to say A-Gone to A-Rod.

Refsnyder can take Beltran's spot so Beltran might be the next guy traded for young talent. His value right now has spiked and will never be higher.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I think it was a great trade for the Yankees as well, now they need to sell some of the other guys and release A-Rod and eat his contract. I knew that would eventually happen, now is time to say A-Gone to A-Rod.

Refsnyder can take Beltran's spot so Beltran might be the next guy traded for young talent. His value right now has spiked and will never be higher.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Sabathia getting traded also. The Jays were scouting him a week or so ago. Beltran is another player they may be interested in, but possibly only during the off-season.

Word is that the Yankees are still thinking of trading Andrew Miller, which i feel would be a big mistake.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Sabathia has a contract that will be hard to trade, unless the Yankees eat some of it. Unfortunately there comes a time when every team needs to pull the plug on its aging warhorses and pawn them on teams in the hunt or perceived to be in the hunt who need that veteran pitcher or hitter. But you have to heist those teams of their talent, like Cashman did to Epstein. The Yankees already have a nice young core for the future and they need to just keep adding to it.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Jays on verge of acquiring Melvin Upton Jr.

by Shi Davidi, Sportsnet

TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays are on the verge of acquiring Melvin Upton Jr. from the San Diego Padres, who will pay down a very substantial portion of the outfielder’s salary, according to industry sources.

An A-ball prospect will be going the other way in the deal first reported by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. Given that Upton is due roughly the third remaining on his $15.45 million salary this year plus another $16.45 million in 2017, it will likely be a player with some upside.

Still, the exchange of money helps minimize the risk for the Blue Jays in a pricey trade market, and allows them to move in another direction if Upton reverts back to his struggles in 2013 and 2014, when he struck out 324 times while hitting 21 homers in 910 at-bats for the Atlanta Braves.

The 31-year-old is enjoying a nice bounce-back year in 2016 with a .256/.304/.439 slash line and 16 homers, 45 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 25 attempts.

The Blue Jays see him as a complementary player who adds depth, versatility, speed and someone who can play all three outfield spots. At the same time, he adds a measure of protection for next year, when only centre-fielder Kevin Pillar is under club control.

Upton’s arrival doesn’t guarantee pending free agent Jose Bautista won’t return next year, but much like the re-signing of first baseman Justin Smoak with Edwin Encarnacion, it sets in place an option in the event the right-fielder is not re-signed.

The Blue Jays have long talked with the Padres about multiple players including Andrew Cashner, who’s slated to start Tuesday, and injured right-hander Tyson Ross, who is working toward a mid-August return.

Pitching remains the most obvious area of need, but Upton’s speed adds a dimension the Blue Jays currently lack and his .913 OPS against left-handed pitchers this year is sure to help.

Upton has only to walk across the diamond to join his new team with the Padres currently in Toronto. He sat out Monday’s 4-2 Blue Jays win, his second straight game off, with San Diego manager Andy Green explaining to reporters that "it’s somewhat unusual."

"He’s completely healthy, he’s ready to go, he’s available (off the bench)," Green added Monday afternoon. "There’s nothing done at this point in time. Just decisions being made that he has a couple days off right now."

The Blue Jays are sure to keep looking for more help and are believed to have the capacity to add some payroll. With Drew Storen in DFA limbo, they also have some sunk cost that can be traded away to defray incoming money.

Storen is due the remainder of his $8.375 million contract this year, but the Blue Jays are only on the hook for about $2 million of the remainder since the Washington Nationals kicked in roughly $2 million to cover the salary difference between the right-hander and outfielder Ben Revere.

 

[smuler]

The Upton's are a cancer Doc :nono:

Good luck

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[Doc Holliday]

The Upton's are a cancer Doc :nono:

Oh well, i'm not Ross Atkins.

 

[smuler]

I was amiss in Congratulaing Ken Griffey Jr and Mike Piazza on their induction Sunday

2 of the best that ever played the game :usa2:

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[Doc Holliday]

I was amiss in Congratulaing Ken Griffey Jr and Mike Piazza on their induction Sunday

2 of the best that ever played the game :usa2:

Griffey yes. But i have my doubts on Piazza, whom i suspect used roids when he played.

Why is Pete Rose not in the hall of fame???

 

[smuler]

But i have my doubts on Piazza, whom i suspect used roids when he played

This is the first I ever heard of this ?

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[Doc Holliday]

This is the first I ever heard of this ?

Best Regards
Smuler

I've heard of it many times when people were discussing who had a chance of going to the hall. Piazza has even discussed it himself and claimed he has always been clean. But he did play in the steroid era, after all.

But i'm happy he's in. Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds should also be in, if you ask me. Especially Clemens. It's never been proven that he used roids and i'm not even sure roids do help a pitcher's performance.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Melvin Upton Jr. Was repeatedly benched for not hustling when he was with the Rays and the number of teams he has played for and his mediocre production suggests he has a poor work ethic and is not a good clubhouse guy. Back in 2008 playoffs, nobody could get him out and he appeared poised to be a star but his career has kind of gone in the other direction with some exceedingly poor seasons. His brother Justin is a bit bigger and is a better player but he also seems like he never reached his potential.

Regarding Ken Griffey Jr.- he is the most talented player I have seen in my life and although it's hard to say this for a guy who hit 630 career homers, I think he never reached his potential either and this was mainly due to injuries.

Mike Piazza was along with Johnny Bench the two best hitting catchers in the majors in the last 50 years. Piazza was a bit more of a smarter hitter than Bench. Bench was amazing til he hit 30 and was pretty badly broken down after that. Piazza also broke down from catching but I liked his swing and his ability to hit for power and average. He was not a really great catcher like Bench was. Bench was the best all around catcher of the last 50 years. I still can remember his opposite field upper deck homer in Tiger Stadium in the 1971 All Star game in which Reggie Jackson crushed a ball off the top of the light tower, off Dock Ellis. Bench's homerun into RF upper deck was a missile. Bench was the man in the 1970s.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Melvin Upton Jr. Was repeatedly benched for not hustling when he was with the Rays and the number of teams he has played for and his mediocre production suggests he has a poor work ethic and is not a good clubhouse guy. Back in 2008 playoffs, nobody could get him out and he appeared poised to be a star but his career has kind of gone in the other direction with some exceedingly poor seasons. His brother Justin is a bit bigger and is a better player but he also seems like he never reached his potential.

Wait!! I just found out that he used to be named BJ Upton!!!!! Wow!!! Until now, i thought they were brothers!!!!

I love this trade!!!! I've always been a BJ Upton fan since his days in Tampa!!! Toronto actually tried to obtain him a few times over the years!!!

When did he change his name??

 

[hungry101]

I hate to say this but I was hoping the Yankees would trade for Drew Pomeranz who would be awesome in Yankees Stadium. Sounds like a good deal for Boston if not a heist.

The Tigers Welcomed Pomeranz to Boston last night

 

[hungry101]

What a great game in Beantown. What a lineup they have. Thank you Boston for trading us the best SS in all of baseball. Tigers have won games 1 and 2 against the Red Sox!

 

[Doc Holliday]

What a great game in Beantown. What a lineup they have. Thank you Boston for trading us the best SS in all of baseball. Tigers have won games 1 and 2 against the Red Sox!

Hopefully they'll sweep today. The Jays came back last night and won in 12. O's had previously lost. Hopefully the Jays will keep the streak going today since Baltimore's in town Friday for a three-game set. They decided to skip Estrada's start today and inserted Dickey in his spot since Estrada has a better record against Baltimore. But it may have been a mistake since Dickey pitched poorly and SD were off to a 7-1 lead. But the Jays are coming back and are currently trailing 7-4 in the 7th.

Go Jays, Go Tigers!!!