HOT STOVE NEWS 12/18/2013 Tanaka news tonight

[gmsieb]

I will update as the day goes.
2 big ones so far.

story/news/rumor #1
MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that the Cubs asked the Braves for either Jason Heyward or Justin Upton as headliners in trade talks for Jeff Samardzija.

"While thoughts of landing [David] Price might have only existed in the fantasy world, the Braves were genuinely interested in finding out what it would take to bring Samardzija to Atlanta," wrote Bowman. "That interest quickly died when the Cubs indicated they would be looking for a return package that included either Jason Heyward or Justin Upton." Additionally, Bowman passes along that the Rays asked Atlanta for Alex Wood and Christian Bethancourt in a package for Price, and the White Sox were "looking for a return that rivaled what the Rays wanted for Price" to begin a discussion about Chris Sale. Two things are clear: Atlanta is doing its due diligence on top-flight available starting pitching, and the cost of that commodity is exceedingly high in the current marketplace.
Related: Braves, Cubs, White Sox, Rays, Jason Heyward

Source: MLB.com
Dec 18 - 12:44 PM


story/news/rumor #2
Shin-Soo Choo rejected a seven-year, $140 million contract offer from the Yankees, reports Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan.

Choo's agent Scott Boras countered that he was looking for "Ellsbury money," according to the report. New York signed Jacoby Ellsbury to a seven-year, $148 million contract earlier this month. Passan reports that the Astros are one team with an offer on the table to Choo. If Houston can pull off the stealthy signing, they could field an impressive outfield of Dexter Fowler, George Springer and Choo in 2014. Choo, 31, hit .285/.423/.462 with 21 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 154 games this past season for the Reds.
Related: Astros, Yankees

Source: Yahoo! Sports
Dec 18 - 12:13 PM

 

[lisu]

Who turns down 7 years $140 million?! That's just insane.

 

[gmsieb]

I found it shocking as well. Boras knows its a weak of group next year and is going for broke.


I think the braves should make a move base on what i read. If jhey can get you price or sale type with ext, i say do it.

Not sure id do it with the cubs though. Just not the same level of pitcher.

 

[RStadlerASU22]

I find both of these stories nuts. A team thinks a below .500 pitcher with a 4+ era is worth that in a trade, and a guy like Choo not only gets offered $20m a year but turns it down. In reality if he got a 4yr/20m contract id say it sounds fair. I live in another land than these guys for sure

Ryan

 

[HPC]

The Cubs are out of their mind if they think they'll get anywhere near a package like that for Samardzija

I think the only thing going for him is that he is young and under team control for another couple of years.

 

[cgilmo]

Heyward is untradeable. He's the most marketable player on the team.

 

[maxe0213]

I found it shocking as well. Boras knows its a weak of group next year and is going for broke.


I think the braves should make a move base on what i read. If jhey can get you price or sale type with ext, i say do it.

Not sure id do it with the cubs though. Just not the same level of pitcher.

I'm so happy that Choo turned that down from the Yanks. If they would've signed him and Ells both to 7 year deals that would've been insane and stupid IMO. I'll take Beltran for 3 over Choo for 7 every time.

Choo is an idiot for turning that down.

 

[HPC]

I don't see any team giving Choo a 7 year deal.

Boras is being Boras and seeing if there are any idiots who'll pony up.

Give it a little more time and I think a 4-5 year deal is more realistic.

 

[gmsieb]

I don't see any team giving Choo a 7 year deal.

Boras is being Boras and seeing if there are any idiots who'll pony up.

Give it a little more time and I think a 4-5 year deal is more realistic.

The yanks offered him 7, just not at the money they wanted.

 

[gmsieb]

story/news/rumor #3
Twins acquired LHP Sean Gilmartin from the Braves for C/OF Ryan Doumit.

Although not as gratifying as the 1991 World Series result, Minnesota will take the win here. The Twins didn't want to pay Doumit's $3.5 million salary next season, and now they won't have to. This transaction is great news for AL-only owners sniffing around Jason Kubel's 2014 sleeper potential, as Doumit would have been his primary competition for DH at-bats. Gilmartin might remind Twins fans of a more polished Scott Diamond, if you'll forgive the pun. The 2011 first-round pick is a southpaw with subpar velocity who pounds the strike zone with good movement. The Twins can let him marinate at Triple-A Rochester next summer because it has four veteran starters under contract and a host of fifth starter candidates already in place.

 

[HPC]

The yanks offered him 7, just not at the money they wanted.

Ah, true.

I should say, I dont see any team going forward giving him 7 years

 

[maxe0213]

The yanks offered him 7, just not at the money they wanted.

7 years and 140 million is 20 million a year. What does he expect. He's not THAT great of a player. Above average but I wouldn't even say top 10 in the OF in the bigs. Maybe barely top 10.

 

[Musial Collector]

story/news/rumor #3
Twins acquired LHP Sean Gilmartin from the Braves for C/OF Ryan Doumit.

Although not as gratifying as the 1991 World Series result, Minnesota will take the win here. The Twins didn't want to pay Doumit's $3.5 million salary next season, and now they won't have to. This transaction is great news for AL-only owners sniffing around Jason Kubel's 2014 sleeper potential, as Doumit would have been his primary competition for DH at-bats. Gilmartin might remind Twins fans of a more polished Scott Diamond, if you'll forgive the pun. The 2011 first-round pick is a southpaw with subpar velocity who pounds the strike zone with good movement. The Twins can let him marinate at Triple-A Rochester next summer because it has four veteran starters under contract and a host of fifth starter candidates already in place.

As a Twins fan, I approve of this!

 

[All The Hype]

Samardzija's peripherals show that he's a better pitcher than his mainstream stats have indicated the last couple years. It's no surprise the Cubs are asking a lot for him, but it's hard to imagine another team considering him in the same sentence as a guy like Price and offering the Cubs the big value they're looking for out of him.




As for Choo....no idea what he's waiting for. Idiotic to pass up that money IMO.

 

[maxe0213]

As for Choo....no idea what he's waiting for. Idiotic to pass up that money IMO.

I agree. I can't figure out why he would decline 7 years and 140 million. He can't possibly expect that he will get another offer like that. The Yankees instead signed Beltran so they are no longer on the table. If the Rangers end up getting Tanaka then they are out on Choo. Who else will offer him 7 years at 20 per?

I can't think of anyone.

 

[gmsieb]

story/news/rumor #4
Tanaka
Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports the Dodgers could still look to add a top-flight pitcher before spring training.

"I think there’s some chance to that. There are a lot of dynamics that we're not aware of yet," Colletti said of adding a star pitcher during a radio appearance. "You kind of pointed to a couple of them there and that's accurate. We'll see. Any time we see a player that we think can help our club, we make an inroad to find out what the rest of the dynamics are." The two players that most likely fit that description are Masahiro Tanaka and David Price, and both would come at a hefty price -- Tanaka's in dollars, Price's in trade chips. The Dodgers' rotation is already one of the best with Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dan Haren at the top, but the team almost certainly has the ability to land another big piece if so desired.
Related: David Price

Source: ESPNLosAngeles.com
Dec 18 - 6:39 PM

 

[maxe0213]

If the Dodgers trade for Price they would wipe out their farm system. That would be such an awful move for them.

 

[gmsieb]

I was more interested in their intest in Tanaka. If they want him and go big, they slide away of the mariners, for me.
FN Dodgers

 

[gmsieb]

story/news/rumor #5
According to Sports Hochi in Japan, the Rakuten Golden Eagles are prepared to offer Masahiro Tanaka an $8 million salary to stay with the team next season.

It would be the largest single-season salary ever for a Nippon Professional Baseball player, per Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. Tanaka has expressed his desire to play in MLB next season, but his Japanese club isn't ready to relent just yet. Even if he isn't posted this offseason, the 25-year-old right-hander will be able to leave on his own after the 2015 season. At this point it's just a matter of when -- not if -- he makes the jump to the U.S.

 

[scotty216brs]

If the Dodgers trade for Price they would wipe out their farm system. That would be such an awful move for them.

What would that matter? They are in 'win-now' mode if you haven't noticed....