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Tim Dierkes
10:35
That's a fair criticism.  Not too hard to see him catch 70 games and play some 1B and DH and be worth $8 mil a year though.  Plus, some expect them to work to shed some of their commitments, and they may also let Tanaka leave and replace him more cheaply.
Jack
10:36
Tanaka to the phillies? Whats your reasoning I think they should wait a yer to spend that kind of money.
Tim Dierkes
10:36
They could see it as a unique opportunity to get a #2 type starter at a bit of a discount, and he is their first big step toward respectability as Jon Lester was for the Cubs.
Rally Monkey
10:37
What's with the Alonso to LAA prediction? Why would we want a 1B limited player who struggles vs LHP? Frazier/Chatwood/Swarzak/Minor all make infinitely more sense.
Tim Dierkes
10:38
Who would you rather have at 1B?  Flawed players still have value, and teams can get better in lots of different ways.  But I think Frazier and relievers definitely make sense for them.  Chatwood, a bit less so, I see a non-contender as more likely there.
Seth
10:38
You're really taking Yu Darvish over Jake Arrieta?  They're around the same age, and look at the last 3 years.  Darvish has struggled with injuries and got raked in the postseason.  Arrieta has been a workhorse (albeit a little inconsistent), and has pitched well in the postseason.  Plus Arrieta has about the least amount of mileage on a 32 year old arm that you can ask for.  Consider what Verlander is doing at his age with a lot more mileage....Arrieta could be a steal for 4 years.
Tim Dierkes
10:40
Yes, I am.  Has Darvish struggled with injuries?  He had Tommy John surgery.  It took a long time to get back, but he pitched 200 innings this year.  I don't see him as any riskier than Arrieta.  Is Arrieta a workhorse, at 5.6 innings per start?  Did he pitch well in the postseason?  He walked 10 in 10 2/3 innings.  It was a high wire act.  On Darvish's WS bombs, if that somehow brings the price down for someone to five years or the low 20s, I'd jump on that.
Victor Tossas
10:40
Can the royals realistically afford $132 Million for Hosmer?
Tim Dierkes
10:41
Probably at the high end of their range.  If I was running the team I would not offer anything close to that for him.
Cicero
10:41
You see the Yankees adding few large contracts ahead of the 2018-2019 free agency bonanza. Do you see them making a play for Darvish or Arrieta or an extension for Tanaka?
Tim Dierkes
10:42
Of those, I see a Tanaka extension as the most likely.  If you give him a new 5/100 deal, you actually reduce your luxury tax hit.  Darvish/Arrieta feel unlikely to me, but it wouldn't be crazy.
Jeff
10:42
I dispise the thought of the Braves signing Mike Moustakas.   Not really a question, just need to say it.
Tim Dierkes
10:42
Yeah, if you like guys getting on base, you're not gonna love him.
Braves FML
10:42
Could you see the Nats offering really backloaded deals to entice say Darvish and JD to cash in on Bryce's last year?
Tim Dierkes
10:43
The Nats were probably one of our top three picks for Darvish/Arrieta.  They don't need starting pitching, but it is a way to get better when they're locked in with a lot of position players.  They would indeed backload or defer a bunch of money.  I couldn't pull the trigger on them having like a $100MM rotation, but I still find the fit reasonable.
Mets baseball
10:43
So you don't think Mets will add another reliever and starter like Reed and Lynn. I believe Mets will aim for that before looking for a bat or 2.
Tim Dierkes
10:44
They have a pretty good amount of money tied up in Familia and Ramos, but I think they'll supplement the bullpen in some way.  I don't see them at the Lynn level for an SP addition but it would be wise to add there.
Royal Fan
10:44
You don't see the Royals in on any pitchers which they really need. Do they just find some more off of the junk pile?
Tim Dierkes
10:45
We have them signing Jaime Garcia.  Eh?  Eh??  I do expect them in on third-tier starting pitching.
Cicero
10:46
Strange aspect of these rankings is that you have the Dodgers as quiet as a church mouse when they were 1 game away from winning the World Series with core players like Kershaw, Turner and Hill aging.  I think it's a greater than 75% chance they sign Tanaka or Arrieta
Tim Dierkes
10:46
I would not put it that high.  I think they can improve the team without signing one of those two.
Diamond Dave Dombrowski
10:46
Do I:go after any of the B list closer FA’s as I continue to try to
Tim Dierkes
10:47
I do think the Red Sox make a bullpen addition.  It might be good to find someone with lower health risk, ie  not Morrow/Minor.
Twins Fan
10:47
Do you really think the Twins have a shot of landing Darvish?  Would he really want to play in flyover territory rather than on the coasts where he can have a higher profile?
Tim Dierkes
10:48
I can't pretend to know what's important to Yu Darvish, but in a general sense, free agents look for the biggest offer.  The Twins have little enough on the books that they can make that offer.  I don't know that they will risk having one pitcher make such a large percentage of their payroll though.
Brewers fan
10:49
Does it really make sense for the Brewers to sign Arrietta given that, they are a small market team and haven't given any pitcher near the amount you have suggested?
Tim Dierkes
10:49
Well, they paid Braun a similar salary and offered a lot of money to Sabathia and Fielder.  Whether it's smart for a small market team to do is another question.  It's probably not.
Red Sox fan 1
10:49
Red Sox interest in hosmer please tell me isn't legit
Tim Dierkes
10:50
I can see DD bidding on Hosmer.
Fergus
10:50
Which is more important to the fish when dealing Stanton, Money or prospects?
Tim Dierkes
10:50
Sounds like taking on as much of his contract as possible will be more important.  But in a PR sense they're going to need something good back.
Hank_Thompson_49
10:50
Where would Cueto be on the list if he opts out? Thanks Tim.
Tim Dierkes
10:51
I'd put him around #7.  He could get a four-year deal in the $80MM range, maybe.
James
10:51
Angels have Cron and Valbuena at 1B. The don't need another guys that can't hit LHP. Plus, Alonso is more likely to his 10HR next year rather than 20HR.  A light hitting, poor baserunning, poor fielding doesn't really fit
Tim Dierkes
10:52
Sorry dude, but the Angels absolutely have to sign Yonder Alonso.  It is mandated by MLB Trade Rumors.
John
10:52
What type of contract would darvish or arrieta need to fall to for the braves to jump in?
Tim Dierkes
10:52
So hard to say right now for them.  But I think if Arrieta somehow falls below $100MM, a lot of teams will get opportunistic.
Larry
10:52
Wouldn't Alex Cobb to the Cubs make sense in view of Cobb's history with Joe Maddon and Jim Hickey?  I'd look for the Cubs to sign Cobb and trade for another pitcher using their young, position players.
Tim Dierkes
10:53
Sure, that connection could facilitate a deal.  I see Cobb as a #4-5 type starter, but the Cubs do need two, so it would depend on who the other one is.
San Diego Padres
10:53
Out of the blue here... would the Cardinals be able to add Wil Myers in a deal centered around one of their top prospects (like Jack Flaherty) and Aledmys Diaz, given the Padres need for shortstop help.
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