Are the Yankees Better Off Without Cano?

For the first time in the storied history of the New York Yankees, they let one get away.  Robinson Cano, Yankee starting second baseman for the last nine years and an all star for five of those, has jumped ship for the Mariners of Seattle.  Cano, lured to the Pacific Northwest by the lofty sum of $240 million, is the first free agent to ever leave the Bronx Bombers to sign a nine-figure contract elsewhere — for once, the Yankees were hoisted by their own petard.  But despite losing Cano, the Yankees were just as active, and as willing to spend, as they had been in several years; in the absence of Cano, they have added centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (7 years, $153 million), catcher Brian McCann (5 years, $85 million), and right fielder Carlos Beltran (3 years, $45 million), as well as re-signing starter Hiroki Kuroda to a one year, $16 million.  And they still have money to burn — even if the team wants to stay under the $189 million luxury tax, they can still afford to spend another $20 million (and that’s assuming Alex Rodriguez’s salary stays on the books).  They are expected to be in on every remaining starting pitcher on the market, from Ervin Santana to Japanese megastar Masahiro Tanaka.  So are the Yankees — both now and in the future — better off sans Cano?

First, the present.  The Yankees’ weak farm system means they have no internal replacement for their star second baseman, and they just today lost the bidding on Omar Infante, the only capable second baseman on the free agent market.  Thus, the loss of Cano means the Yankees have another hole on a team with many question marks, whether they be injury-related (shortstop, first base) or otherwise (third base, see Rodriguez, Alex).  But the moves they made this offseason, including a low-profile signing of utility infielder Kelly Johnson (1 year and $3 million for a player 101 wRC+ and 1.2 fWAR in 118 games last year) enables to fill other, more pressing holes.  They replaced their offensive black hole at catcher (Yankee catchers had a 61 wRC+ last year) with the best offensive backstop on the market.  They added two proven (if aging/injury-prone) players to their outfield, bringing much-needed stability.  And because they don’t have to pay Cano, they can afford to add another pitcher to a starting rotation whose surest bet for production right now is either the 38-year old Kuroda or the unproven Ivan Nova.  The Yankee strategy sort of resembles Billy Beane’s famous strategy of replacing the production of one great star with contributions from several lesser one.  The Yankees [groan] put the money in Moneyball.

But how is the Yankees’ future outlook impacted by their decisions this offseason?  The truth is, it doesn’t matter — at least not to the Yankees. The moves the team made this offseason weren’t intended the team’s prospects in the long-term, nor will they.   Signing Jacoby Ellsbury doesn’t add depth to the Yankee farm system, and adding Brian McCann doesn’t find the team a replacement for Derek Jeter.  But the Yankees have never had to think with the future in mind; they’ve always had enough money to erase their past mistakes.  In the 2008-09 offseason, the Yankees spent over $400 million on the contracts of Texiera, C.C. Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett, all of which look like massive failures today.  But while every other team (Dodgers notwithstanding) would be crushed under the weight of those contracts, the Yankees have the payroll to reap the rewards (2009 World Series) without having to suffer the consequences.  The Yankees were deciding whether they wanted to kick one big can down the road, or three slightly smaller ones.  And in the Yankees’ situation, where they can afford to have those cans swept under the rug when the time comes, they made the right choice.

Home Plate Collisions Are, Indeed, Stupid

Yesterday, in the midst of an otherwise uneventful Winter Meetings, baseball made the biggest announcement of the offseason.  Sandy Alderson, GM of the Mets and chairman of baseball’s Rules Committee, in front of a crowd of baseball insiders gathered at Orlando, Florida’s Swan and Dolphin Resort, announced, “We will eliminate home-plate collisions.”  This is unquestionably a move forward for America’s most tradition-based game.

BaseballNation, the wonderful baseball site at SBNation run by Rob Neyer and Grant Brisbee, has a recurring segment on collisions at home plate entitled, “Home Plate Collisions are Stupid and You Should Feel Bad About Yourself if You Disagree.”  While the title is tongue-and-cheek (and perhaps a bit extreme), the articles raise a powerful question; what possible arguments can you make in favor of keeping these collisions that don’t sound completely ridiculous?

The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo attempts to make such arguments.  Cafardo’s article, “Is Major League Baseball Going too Far by Banning Home Plate Collisions,” starts off like this:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — One of the game’s biggest stars — Buster Posey — suffered a nearly career-ending knee injury as a result of a collision with then-Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins in May of 2011, therefore we must protect catchers?

Not a good start, but keep going.

Baseball is seeking to ban collisions that have happened since Abner Doubleday invented baseball. What are we doing here?

This is an argument we see from a lot of self-titled baseball traditionalists; since it’s been around forever, it has to stay around.  Leaving aside the fact that Alexander Cartwright invented baseball, there are so many flaws with this line of thinking.  In Cartwright’s version of baseball, you were allowed to peg the baseball at baserunners to record an out.  Bases were wooden rods in the ground (as seen in this recreation), so sliding into them put ankles in danger.  But both of these rules, on the books in the time of “Doubleday,” have long since been retired.  Baseball changes rules all of the time, often in the interest of player safety.

This isn’t football, in which every play is a collision. You get a severe home plate collision once in a while, and although MLB estimates that 50 percent of its concussions come from collisions at the plate, they also are the result of batters being hit with pitches, catchers taking foul balls off the mask, and other collisions.

How far are we going to take this?

David Ross and Alex Avila suffered concussions as the result of foul balls off their masks during the 2013 season. Are we banning foul balls soon?

Stop with the strawman, false equivalency, slippery slope argument.  Of course concussions come from places other than home-plate collisions.  Does that mean we shouldn’t attempt to remove what even Cafardo admits is the biggest source of them?  Of course not.

An outfielder throwing to the plate, a runner barreling around third, and ball and runner coming to the plate at the same time is one of the most exciting plays in baseball. Does the catcher hold on to the ball after the collision, or does he drop it, with the runner safe?

This is sport. This is athleticism.

And now we’re taking it away?

I don’t know about Nick Cafardo, but personally, I don’t watch baseball for the home-plate collisions.  If all I cared about was watching two huge men run into each other at full speed, I would change the channel and watch football.  Baseball is  so much more than feats of sheer athleticism; removing this one aspect of the game in order to make it safer will not alter its character.  If you’re watching baseball purely for the home plate collisions, you’re watching the wrong sport.

Cafardo then proceeds to do some actual journalism, interviewing major league managers, many of them former major league catchers, some of whom are on board with the change, some of whom have reservations.  But then he closes the article with this:

It sounds as if runners and catchers will have to change what their instincts tell them they should do and what they’ve been taught do for many, many moons.

[Terry] Francona believes this may cause a whole other set of problems — possible injuries for the baserunner.

He’s right. Some things are better left alone.

This gets to the core of the argument against banning home plate collisions — fear of change.  The fear that any small alteration to the National Pastime will, like a butterfly flapping its’ wings, create a ripple effect whereby we wake up one morning to discover that baseball no longer baseball, and bugs are 20-feet tall.  These people see baseball as a constant, unchanging force, and I will admit that one of the things that drew me to baseball is the idea that as the whole world changes around it, baseball stays the same.  The problem is, this has never been the case.  Baseball is constantly in flux, and that’s a good thing.  You know what a synonym for the word constant is?  Stagnant.  The way baseball avoids stagnation, and stays vibrant and relevant, is by changing with the times.  Banning concussions keeps baseball well ahead of its competition (read: football) in player safety, keeping not only the players healthy, but the game itself.  To borrow a phrase, “home plate collisions are stupid, and you should feel bad about yourself if you disagree.”

Let Me Tell You Bout My Best Friend: The Nationals and A’s Story

Mike Rizzo and Billy Beane are the best of friends!

Earlier today, the Nationals and the Athletics made another trade. The Nationals acquired LHP Jerry Blevins from the A’s in exchange for the Nationals minor league player of the year, OF Billy Burns. It seems like the Nationals and the Athletics do a trade at least twice a year. Mark Zuckerman of CSn Washington tweeted that the Nationals and A’s have been trade partner SEVEN times since 2010, which was Mike Rizzo’s first year as GM. We take a look at all of the trades that the Nationals and A’s have made together since 2005.

(All Information From mlbtradetracker.com)

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
Chris Snelling	May 2, 2007	Ryan Langerhans

This trade was a small one, that ended up being big for the Nationals, even though neither of the players ended up being that good. Snelling only played 6 games for the A’s, hitting .350 in 25 at bats. Langerhans tenure with the Nats lasted longer, playing in 176 games over the corse of two seasons with the Nationals. Langerhans was then traded for a 6’5″ power hitting shortstop by the name of Mike Morse.

WINNER: Nationals

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
Jermaine Van Buren	June 26, 2007	Player to be named later

Who?

WINNER: Who?

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
Josh Willingham	December 16, 2010	Corey Brown Henry Rodriguez

 This was the first of many Mike Rizzo, Billy Beane transactions. Willingham was in the last year of his contract and the Nationals wanted to get some value out of him. So they decided to trade him to the A’s for fireballing RHP Henry Rodriguez and outfield prospect Corey Brown. Willingham performed well in Oakland, hitting .246 with 29 HRs, good enough for a 2.3 WAR. However, the two players didn’t pan out like the Nationals hoped. Rodriguez struggled to find his control throughout his tenure with the Nationals and Brown has been nothing more then a September call-up for the Nationals.

WINNER: Athletics

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
A.J. Cole Brad Peacock Derek Norris Tommy Milone	December 22, 2011	Gio Gonzalez Robert Gilliam

Gio Gonzalez was coming off a career year in Oakland. He had a 3.12 ERA, had a 129 ERA+, and was worth 4.3 WAR. The Athletics thought they weren’t close to contending and were hoping to get a lot of the great year Gonzalez had. The Nationals were getting close to being relevant, coming off an 80-81 year, second best in franchise history at the time. They had plenty of pitching and catching deal, and were looking to build on their success. The Nationals agreed to send top pitching prospect AJ Cole, September Call-Ups Brad Peacock and Tommy Milone, and power hitting catcher Derek Norris to Oakland in exchange for Gonzalez and minor league pitcher Robert Gilliam. In 2012, Gonzalez was a near Cy Young winner, pitching the Nationals to their first playoff berth since FDR. His second year with the Nationals was also extremely good. Milone has been the only player who has been beneficial for the A’s, posting two good years for the A’s in the back of their rotation. However, Norris, Peacock, and Cole all struggled in their first year in the A’s organization, and Peacock and Cole were both traded last offseason. 

WINNER: Nationals

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
David Freitas	August 3, 2012	cash Kurt Suzuki

After losing catcher Wilson Ramos to an ACL injury in May, the Nationals were down to there back up catchers for much of the season. By August, they were in desperate need for a catcher, with starter Jesus Flores barely holding on. The Athletics had a surplus of major league catching, with former National Derrek Norris, recently acquired George Kottaras, and Kurt Suzuki. The Nationals and A’s made their only midseason transaction, sending Kurt Suzuki and cash to Washington in return for minor league catcher David Freitas. Suzuki was key in helping the Nationals get their first playoff berth, having numerous clutch hits, earning him the nickname “Clutch” from teammate Ryan Zimmerman.

WINNER: Nationals

Seattle Mariners acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
Michael Morse	January 16, 2013	John Jaso
Comment: 3-team trade between Mariners, Nationals, Athletics

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
John Jaso	January 16, 2013	Player to be named later (Ian Krol) A.J. Cole Blake Treinen
Comment: 3-team trade between Mariners, Nationals, Athletics

This trade still hurts some Nationals fans. Fan favorite Michael Morse was the odd man out in D.C. when the Nationals acquired Denard Span from the Twins. John Jaso wasn’t needed in Seattle because of up incoming prospects Jesus Montero and Mike Zunino, and the Mariners were in the market for some hitting. The A’s needed a catcher because recently acquired catcher Derrek Norris did not pan out the way that the A’s had hoped. These three teams decided to do a three team deal, sending Michael Morse from D.C. to Seattle, John Jaso to Oakland, and minor league pitchers Blake Treinen, A.J. Cole (who was traded to Oakland from D.C. one year earlier), and a PTBNL (Ian Krol). Morse dealt with injury problems throughout 2013, and was traded from Seattle to Baltimore in August, after hitting .226 in 72 games. Jaso suffered a concussion midseason and was replaced by Stephen Vogt. Cole and Treinen had very good years in the Nationals low minor league system, and Krol ended up having a very good year in the Nationals bullpen, and was a key part of the Doug Fister trade this offseason.

WINNER: Nationals

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
Kurt Suzuki Cash	August 23, 2013	Dakota Bacus

About one year after he was acquired by the Nationals, catcher Kurt Suzuki was sent back to Oakland, as the Nationals didn’t have a need for him with Wilson Ramos getting the majority of the playing time. The Nationals received minor league pitcher Dakota Bacus, a player better known by his alter ego, the Whitewall Ninja. Suzuki went on to hit .303 in his short time back with Oakland.

WINNER: Athletics

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
Fernando Abad	November 25, 2013	John Wooton

Signed to a minor league contract last November, Fernando Abad was called up in May to be the Nationals lone left handed reliever. Abad did not disappoint, posting a 3.35 ERA in 37.2 innings in the bullpen. After the season ended, the Nationals DFA’d Abad. Two days later, the A’s and the Nats worked out a trade for Abad to be moved to Oakland for minor league pitcher John Wooton. It was reported today that the A’s intend on using Abad as their LOOGY.

WINNER: Athletics

Oakland Athletics acquire	Date	Washington Nationals acquire
Billy Burns	December 11, 2013	Jerry Blevins

This offseason, the A’s have gone trade crazy, acquiring such relievers as Jim Johnson, Luke Gregorson, Fernando Abad, and Drew Pomeranz. In order to make room for their new acquisitions, the A’s needed to make a trade. The Nationals have been looking for a left handed reliever for some time. The Nationals and A’s made another swap; LHP Jerry Blevins for minor league speedster, OF Billy Burns. This trade gives the Nationals the left handed reliever they always wanted.

WINNER: Too early to tell

Footnote: Mark Zuckerman wrote a piece while I was writing this about why the Nationals and A’s are such common trade partners.

Nationals Acquire Jerry Blevins

After searching for almost two offseasons for a reliever to fill the hole on the left side of their bullpen, the Washington Nationals have finally found their man. Today, the team made a deal with frequent trading partner the Oakland Athletics, acquiring lefthanded reliever Jerry Blevins in exchange for minor league outfielder Billy Burns.

For much of last season, the Nationals lacked a strong lefthanded reliever — one with the ability to consistently retire lefty hitters — and now they’ve found one. Against Blevins, lefties have hit .224 with a .636 OPS. But the team was looking for more than just a LOOGY (lefty one out guy), a lefty who could only face other lefties; they believed that they already had internal options, including Xavier Cedeno, to fill the role of a lefty specialist. In Blevins, they got what they were looking for. Blevins is not the typical reliever in that he has four pitches — a sinker, slider, curveball, and changeup — that he throws with regularity. This makes him effective against both left and right; in fact, last year, his left/right splits were reversed, as he posted a .581 OPS against righties versus a .741 OPS against lefties.

Burns, the player the Nationals traded away, is exactly the type of player Billy Beane values highly. Although he has very little power, Burns displays an amazing batting eye, with a career minor league OBP of .421. Burns is also lightening fast (74 steals last year, and caught only 7 times), and plays a very strong center field. Though he was named Nationals’ Minor League Player of the Year last year, Burns was left off Baseball America’s Top 10 Nationals Prospects List, a reflection of how undervalued his tools are. Burns is a tough player to give up, especially in exchange for a reliever.

The move may have been motivated by cost. Between the $11 million owed Rafael Soriano next year and the $6 million Tyler Clippard is expected to earn through arbitration, the team is already spending heavily on the bullpen. The Nationals had a choice to make — either shell out the money for a free agent reliever, or trade for Blevins (who is under team control for the next two years and is projected to earn $1.5 million in arbitration) and be forced to part with a prospect. Obviously, they chose the latter.

With the move, the Nationals acquired a solid lefthanded reliever capable of facing more than one batter, thus filling one of the biggest holes on the roster. While the deal may turn sour if Burns gets to the majors and performs (a real possibility, despite the prognostications of many scouts), in the present, the Nationals get exactly what they had been searching for.

Who’s on First?

Is Ryan Zimmerman slowly transitioning to first base?

In the 2011 movie Moneyball, A’s GM Billy Beane and third-base Ron Washington (played by Brad Pitt and Brent Jennings, respectively) sit in Scott Hatteberg’s (Chris Pratt) living room, attempting to convince him to join the team. They want Hatteberg at first base, but Hatteberg has never played the position before:

Hatteberg: I’ve only ever played catcher.

Beane: It’s not that hard, Scott. Tell him, Wash.

Washington: It’s incredibly hard.

Fast-forward to 2013. Ryan Zimmerman, franchise third baseman bedrock of the Nationals organization, struggled mightily at the hot corner in the first half. Coming offseason arm surgery, Zimmerman never seemed comfortable throwing the ball, and it showed; through August 7, he had made a league-high 14 throwing errors. Worse yet, his lack of confidence in his arm forced him to play far shallower than the average third baseman, robbing him of a great deal of his range, which for many years was among the league’s best. According to UZR, he was the worst third baseman in the major leagues. For the first time, there seemed a real chance that Zimmerman would not be able to stay at the position he had played his entire MLB career.

But in the last two months of the season, Zimmerman seemed to turn a corner. 9 months removed from the surgical procedure, Zimmerman’s arm strength seemed to finally return. The throwing errors stopped — after August 7th, he only made one more all season. With the trust in his arm came better range — he was finally able to take a few steps back and play deep, not having to worry if he had the arm strength to make the long throw. In the second half, Zimmerman made several highlight-reel plays, like the one below (link here):

With those two strong months, Zimmerman allayed many of the doubts about his position as the Nationals’ third baseman in 2014. Which is why it came as a mild surprise today, when we found out today that Zimmerman wouldn’t be playing there exclusively next year. As Adam Kilgore reported, Zimmerman would see some time at first base — according to Zimmerman himself, 10 to 15 games. When manager Matt Williams told Zimmerman of the plan, there was an exchange that seemed almost ripped from Aaron Sorkin’s script. From Kilgore’s article:

As each shared their view on the team and Zimmerman’s role, Williams posed a question to the Nationals’ franchise player: “Do you own a first baseman’s mitt?”

…

“I’ll get one,” Zimmerman said.

Later on in the aritcle, Zimmerman said this:

Still, Zimmerman views learning first base as a significant challenge. He readily admits he has no earthly idea how to play first base. He has appeared in 1,110 major league games in the field: one at shortstop, 1,109 at third base.

“I don’t even know which foot stretch at first base,” Zimmerman said.

First base is hard. It’s incredibly hard.

There are several obvious advantages for the Nationals if Zimmerman can play a little first in 2014. First, the team will have the ability to sit first baseman Adam LaRoche against tough lefties — he had a .566 OPS against all southpaws last year — by moving Zimmerman to first and having Anthony Rendon shift to his natural position of third. Second, Zimmerman’s added versatility as a corner infielder could save the Nationals from having to waste a bench spot on a player like Jeff Baker, who hits lefties very well (career .875 OPS against LHP), but cannot play adequate defense anywhere but first base.

But what worries me most about this move is not its’ implications for the present. Zimmerman is a very athletic player, and despite his lack of experience, I have little doubt that he will be able to make the transition to first. I’m worried more about what the move says about how the organization sees Zimmerman’s future. Again, from the Kilgore article:

Zimmerman’s foray at first base could help ease a transition later in his career. LaRoche’s contract will expire after 2014, and the Nationals may move Zimmerman to first and put current second baseman Anthony Rendon at third base, the position Rendon played in college and the minor leagues.

Most around baseball have seen Zimmerman’s eventual move to first base as an inevitability. But this move suggests that Zimmerman’s days at third could be numbered — a fact that poses problems for his status as an elite player. Last year, Zimmerman posted a 123 wRC+ that ranked 6th among all qualifying major league third basemen. But among first baseman, a 123 wRC+ would rank only 13th; at first, Zimmerman’s bat would be merely average, severely limiting his value. Zimmerman would go from an above-average player at a position of scarcity to an average one at a position of abundance — hardly a player worth the $100 million extension he received in February 2012.

And maybe that’s what so incredibly hard about first base; not playing the position, but providing value to your team while playing it.

If Zimmerman becomes more liability than asset at third, it may necessitate a position change. But it is in both Zimmerman’s interest and the Nationals’ to give him every opportunity to prove he can still man the hot corner.

Career in Review: Roy “Doc” Halladay

​ Roy “Doc” Halladay was a prototypical ace. Always the victim of injuries and underperforming teams, people will always pose the question: What could have been of Doc Halladay? Of course, you can ask that question of most athletes. From Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and Grant Hill in basketball, to Bo Jackson in football (and baseball), to pitchers Kerry Wood and Mark Prior and the legendary Ken Griffey Jr., people ponder how great certain stars could have been. Doc showed considerable stretches where he was considered a top five pitcher in the sport.

Yet, he could never shake injuries that eventually forced him to retire. He continuously struggled with shoulder issues that landed him on the DL multiple times in his stint with Toronto and at the end of his stint in Philadelphia. Back in May when he learned the news of his partially torn labrum and rotator cuff, he didn’t shy away from the inevitable question. In May, he said, “Nobody wants to go out on a bad note. If you had your choice, you want to go out strong. Ideally, you want to go out as a world champion. But some of those things aren’t in your control. I have no regrets at any point in my career, so if things don’t work out and they do end on a sour note, I’m not going to look at it that way.”

And now, suffering from shoulder and back problems, Doc decided to walk away. His tone reflected his feelings from last May. He said, “As a baseball player, you realize that’s something you can’t do the rest of your life. I really don’t have any regrets.”

And why should he? Doc finished his career with a record of 203-105, an ERA of 3.38, 2,117 strikeouts, 8 trips to the All-Star game, 2 Cy Young awards, one no-hitter (in his first postseason start), and one perfect game. Although he never won it all, he accomplished almost every solo accolade a pitcher could considering the amount of time he missed through injuries.

He will be remembered most, though, for his undeniable work ethic. He was known to have shown up for work on days he was scheduled to pitch at 11 am, for a 7:05 start. His rigorous preparations consisted of countless arm exercises, running, and weight lifting. And this was when he was healthy, he had to rehab many times from countless shoulder injuries and a broken leg he suffered in 2005 on a comebacker. Chase Utley said of his former teammate’s work ethic, “He is by far the hardest worker that I’ve ever seen and treated every game as if it were his last. It was no coincidence why he was the best pitcher of his era. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to watch him pitch for four years. I’ll miss his presence and passion but, most of all, I will miss his intensity.”

This work ethic paid off, having registered 67 complete games in his career and leading the majors in that category 5 years in a row and 7 of 9 years during the prime of his career. He had 20 shutouts and 2,749.1 career innings pitched. He was a 20 game winner 3 times as well. Doc was known to be very intense during his routine as well. He never spoke with anyone except his catcher, pitching coach, or manager during his starts.

In his retirement speech, he cited his injuries and wanting to spend time with his family as reasons for leaving. He said, “My goal was to leave baseball better than I found it”. It is clear to everyone around the sport that he did. His work ethic rubbed off on numerous others and provided a model for others around the league. In addition, he was a finalist for the Roberto Clemente award a few times as well.

The story of his unique delivery is intriguing as well. He was sent down to AA to revamp his delivery during an unsuccessful start to the 2000 season. He changed his arm slot to 3 quarters and became more reliant on his off-speed pitches instead of just his fastball. He played 12 years in Toronto, making 6 all-star teams. He never made the postseason. The Blue Jays traded him to Philadelphia prior to the 2010 season. He threw a perfect game on May 29 against the Florida Marlins. He finished that regular season with a 21-10 record and a 2.44 ERA. He totaled a career high 219 strikeouts and pitched 250.2 innings while only issuing 30 walks. In his long awaited first postseason start, he threw a no-hitter against the Joey Votto led Reds. He became the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan in 1973 to throw two no-hitters in the same season. After another successful 2011 campaign, injury plagued seasons in 2012 and 2013 ultimately ended his career.

What will Roy “Doc” Halladay’s legacy be? He was a student of the game, a hard worker, an 8 time all-star, and arguably the best pitcher of his generation. In 5 years, will he be in the Hall of Fame?

Yes.

Say WHAT? Wrapping Up The Past Week in Baseball

If I had to sum up last week in one word, it would be wacky. In the past week alone, almost 40 major leaguers changed teams, including top free agents Robinson Cano and Jacoby Ellsbury. We break down all of the weeks action below.

MONDAY:

The week kicked off in Toronto, with the Blue Jays sign free agent catcher Dioner Navarro to a two year deal. The Nivaro signing allowed the Blue Jays to non-tender their current catcher, J.P. Arencibia. Later that afternoon, the Pirates traded for catcher Chris Stewart from the New York Yankees. In other small moves, Willie Blomquist signed a two year deal with the Seattle Mariners, and Scott Kazmir signed a 2 year, $22 million deal with the Oakland A’s, finishing the Bartolo Colon era in Oakland. Then, later that night, the biggest news from that day broke. The Nationals acquired widely underrated starting pitcher Doug Fister from the Detroit Tigers for Steve Lombardozzi, Ian Krol, and Robbie Ray. This trade allowed the Nationals to fill the hole they lost when Dan Haren signed with the Dodgers. For the Tigers, the trade freed up a rotation spot for highly anticipated pitcher, Drew Smyly. Another trade from that night was a surprising one; The Baltimore Orioles trade closer Jim Johnson to the Oakland A’s for INF/OF Jemille Weeks. The reason that this is so surprising is because the moneyball belief is that a team doesn’t need a proven closer in order to succeed. However, acquiring Johnson is going against that belief. That night was also the non-tender deadline, where players like Justin Turner, Ronnie Belsario, Daniel Hudson, and former 2009 Rookie of the Year winners, Chris Coghlan and Andrew Bailey.

TUESDAY:

This was possibly the biggest, non-winter meetings day in offseason history. The day started off with AJ Pierzynski signing a one year deal to go to the world champion Boston Red Sox. The A’s remained very active in acquiring Josh Linbolm and Craig Gentry from the Rangers, and Luke Gregorson from the Padres. The Padres recieved outfielder Seth Smith as part of the Gregorson deal. Then, the Rays got themselves another defensive catcher in Ryan Hanningan in a three way trade with the Reds and the Diamondbacks. The Rays also got struggling relief pitcher Heath Bell in that trade. The rebuilding Astros decided that they wanted to acquire a center fielder, so they traded Jordan Lyles and Brandon Barns for Dexter Fowler, who is coming of a career year. Another rebuilding team making some moves were the Marlins: they signed catcher Jarrod Saltalamachia to a 3 year, $21 million deal. The Yankees signed second baseman Kelly Johnson, as they prepared for Robinson Cano going to another team. They also signed Jacoby Ellsbury to a 7 year, $153 million deal, the third largest contract for an outfielder. The Tigers finally got a good closer in Joe Nathan, and the Rockies found a replacement to Todd Helton with Justin Morenau. In total, 17 major leaguers were moved in this one day, alone.

WEDNESDAY:

Wednesday was a very slow day, in terms of this week. The biggest news was probably that Paul Konerko was re-signing with the White Sox. Konerko, who had one of the worst years of his career, will most likely platoon with DH Adam Dunn in 2014. Also reported that day was the fact that Seattle was going to be a major suitor for Robinson Cano.

THURSDAY:

Another slow day in terms of this week. Norichka Aoki was traded from the Brewers to the Royals. At the time, this trade seemed odd, as it seemed that Carlos Betran was close to signing with the Royals to a three year deal. For the Brewers, the trade allows Ryan Braun to move from Left Field to Right Field and opens up a spot for outfielder Khris Davis, who shinned last year when Braun was serving his 50 game suspension. Edward Mujica changed world series teams, as he signed a one year, $8 million deal with the Red Sox. Brian Wilson returned to the Dodgers on a one year, $10 million deal. Lastly, the Marlins signed INF Rafael Furcal, in hopes that they can convert him into a second baseman.

FRIDAY:

Friday was also an extremely busy day in baseball. It started off early, with reports that Robinson Cano and the Mariners were no where close to a deal. Then, about an hour later, Jon Heyman reported that Cano had signed a 10 year, $240 million deal with the Mariners. That deal ties Cano with the Mariners until 2023, when Cano is 41 years old. It is also the third biggest contract ever, behind Alex Rodriguez’s two contracts when he signed with the Rangers and then the Yankees. Soon after Cano it was announced that Cano was leaving New York, another Yankees announced he was leaving, but only across town. The Mets signed Curtis Granderson to a 4 year, $60 million deal. Right after that deal was announced, the Astros announced that they had agreed to signed starting pitcher Scott Feldman to a 3 year, $30 million deal. Recently non-tendered players like Ryan Webb and J.P. Arencibia found themselves new homes on Friday: Webb signed with the O’s while Arencibia signed with the Rangers. The Nationals signed OF Nate McLouth to a two year deal to help fill out their bench. Carlos Beltran ended up signing with the Yankees on a three year, $42 million deal. The Yankees weren’t done there as they signed Huroki Kurdoa  to a one year deal. And lastly, Mike Napoli ended up back in Boston, signing a two year, $32 million deal.

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Because of this crazy week before the winter meetings, we might have one of the most boring meetings ever, with the top free agent available being Matt Garza. However, look for top players like David Price, Mark Trumbo, and even Chris Sale to be on the move this week via trade. Hopefully, this week will be as fun as last.

Why We Root for Hometown Discounts

Mike Napoli will be returning home again

Friday morning, Robinson Cano signed a 10 year, $240 million contract to become a Seattle Mariner.  Cano left the team that signed him at 19, developed him, and watched as he turned into the best second basemen in the major leagues; he traded in Yankee pinstripes for navy blue and northwest green.  That same day, it was announced that Mike Napoli, the first baseman who helped anchor the Boston Red Sox’ push to their third world championship in ten years, had re-signed with Boston for two years and a relatively modest $32 million.  The turn of events prompted this response out of MASN Sports’ Dan Kolko:

https://twitter.com/masnKolko/status/409147050853687296

Kolko is far from the only person who holds this opinion.  Every time a free agent signs with another team, he is deemed a traitor by loyalists (or often, a “trader“).  Even when a player like Dustin Pedroia or Jared Weaver re-signs with a team for which I have no rooting interest, it still warms my heart just a little to hear that they have taken the proverbial “hometown discount.”  But why is this?  What about this decision is so admirable to us?

The truth is there is no real answer, because the nature of sports fandom is completely irrational.  It is easy to detail to even a non-sports fan the reasons why we love our sport; the confrontation between pitcher and batter, the fact that it is a team sport comprised of individual performances, the fact that it can be appreciated by jocks and statheads alike.  But if you had to explain to someone who had never watched sports a day in their life why you are so passionate about your team, what reasons would you give?  That they were the closest team to your hometown?  Proximity is hardly a reason for devotion (unless you listen to social psychologists).  And yet, here we are, us die-hard fans, rooting for the team in good times and in bad, forming a kind of unbreakable bond between ourselves and our team, and by extension, the players on that team.  We root for those players (whom most of us have never actually met in our lives), pay to watch them play, buy jerseys and t-shirts with their names on the back, and live or die on their exploits.  The nature of sports fandom is a psychology research thesis onto itself; in fact, there have been several thousand books written on the subject.

But it helps explain why we feel as though players owe our teams, and therefore us, some kind of loyalty.  Logically, it makes little sense — why should we be mad at Robinson Cano for deciding not to leave $65 million on the table, or mad at Jacoby Ellsbury for accepting the highest offer he received?  In fact, if we humans were the logical creatures we believe ourselves to be, the entire concept of sports fandom would be seen as laughably ridiculous.  But so much of the human experience — in my opinion, the best parts — are rooted not in logic, but in beautifully incomprehensible emotion.  It’s why we allow ourselves to fall in love with a team, and care about something that couldn’t care less about us.  Becoming a fan of a sports team enters us into a fraternity of like-minded fanatics, and gives us the opportunity to feel like even just a small part of something bigger than ourselves.  We give our unwavering loyalty to our team, and somehow, against all logic, it hurts us personally when the athletes choose not to do the same.  And this is where the disconnect between player and fan occurs.  To the player, it’s a job.  To the fan, it’s something like a religion.

Nationals Sign Nate McLouth

After adding Doug Fister, the Washington Nationals did not have a need to make any earth-shattering moves.  But while the team had no gaping holes, they still had several small ones left to fill.  They had a real need to improve upon their bench, a unit that hit .207/.264/.351 in 2013.  The bench was particularly bad from the left side, with key players Roger Bernadina and Chad Tracy hitting .178 and .202, respectively.  While the baseball world around them was undergoing wholesale changes, the Nats needed to focus on filling comparatively smaller holes.

Today, they took a big step towards completing their bench.  They signed former Orioles’ outfielder Nate McLouth to a 2 year deal, worth approximately $10.75 million, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.  McLouth will likely be a left-handed bench bat and a fourth outfielder on a team with three entrenched starters.

McLouth’s career path has been a unique one, filled with both highs and lows.  After a solid 2007, McLouth had a breakout year for the Pirates in 2008, hitting 26 home runs, putting up a .276/.356/.497 triple slash, and earning MVP votes, a Gold Glove, and his only all-star bid.  After a solid 2009 that saw him traded to Atlanta at the deadline (for current Pirates’ starters Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke), McLouth fell off a cliff in 2010.  In 85 games, he hit .190/.298/.322, was the 6th-least (by fWAR) valuable player in baseball, and earned himself a demotion to triple-A.  He struggled again in 2011, and after getting non-tendered by the Pirates in 2012, he found a home in Baltimore.  In a season and a half in the Charm City (201 games), he hit .261/.333/.409 and had a league-average 100 OPS+, with 19 home runs and 42 stolen bases.  At age 32, McLouth seems to have regained some of the form that made him an all-star in 2008.

The price might seem a little expensive for a player who will get only the occasional start.  But that is the state of the market today.  In a world where Willie Bloomquist (of the 1.4 career fWAR) can get 2 years and $5.8 million, a 2 year deal for $10.75 seems entirely reasonable by comparison.  The Nationals have payroll flexibility but lack the need to sign a big-ticket free agent; therefore, the most prudent strategy is to overpay slightly for the premium reserves.  McLouth, the starting left fielder on a team that won 85 games, now shifts to a backup role on the Nats, and his ability to play all three outfield positions gives new manager Matt Williams tremendous flexibility — he can give a day off to one of his outfielders without sacrificing too much offensive production.  Signings like these will not make major headlines, but  this is the type of move the Nationals need to make in their drive to win a championship.

Free Agent Profile: Michael Morse

With the recent addition of the immensely underrated Doug Fister, the Nats added a pitcher who has been recently named a Cy Young candidate by ESPN’s Mark Simon. Most people will argue that this came at a fairly cheap price considering the swap for a mid-level LHP prospect, a future lefty reliever, and a low ceiling, switch hitting utility man. Yet, Stephen Lombardozzi may be the player the Nats will miss the most in this pivotal 2014 season.

The lack of bench presence in the 2013 campaign crushed the Nats late in games. Chad Tracy finished with a line of .202/.243/.326. Tyler Moore finished with a line of .222/.260/.347. Scott Hairston stumbled to a line of .191/.237/.414. Stephen Lombardozzi, with a line of .259/.278/.338, was far and away the Nats most productive bench player. Yet, this line does not clearly represent the value Lombo had during his time with the Nats. Lombo made starts at 4 different positions, as well as hit semi-effectively from both sides of the plate. His versatility was key for a thin Nats bench that failed to duplicate the results of the successful 2012 “Goon Squad”.

With Nats looking to improve their bench, an addition like the similarly versatile Jayson Nix makes sense. But there is a certain Beast that is available, cheap, and useful to the 2014 Nats.

Michael Morse was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2000 MLB draft by the Chicago White Sox. He traveled through the minors as a power-hitting 6 foot 4 inch Shortstop. Former White Sox Hitting Coach Greg Walker was quoted saying, “This kid, Morse, the shortstop, is a dynamite talent. He might be the guy when you look back that everyone says, ‘Oh, man.’ He has jaw-dropping talent, and to have that kind of juice at shortstop is something special.” In 2004, Morse was traded to the Mariners in a trade centered around Freddy Garcia. With minimal success at the Major League level with the Mariners, Morse was traded to the Nationals in 2009 for Ryan Langerhans. It was there that Beast Mode realized his full potential finishing with a .303 average, 31 Home Runs, and 95 RBIs in 2011. An injury plagued 2012 season brought his season numbers down and he was traded in the January of 2013 back to the Mariners in a deal where the Nats reacquired A.J. Cole. Morse made his presence known in the first 30 games of the 2013 season, hitting 9 Home Runs in those games, including 4 of those in his first 4 games. Then, numerous injuries again derailed his second stint with the Mariners and he was traded to the O’s on August 30th for speedster Xavier Avery. He hit .103 in 12 games for the O’s and was not re-signed.

With the Nats looking for consistent bench power hitting presence, the return of fan favorite Morse seems logical. He could be had for relatively cheap and could be a steal considering he is only 2 years removed from his incredible 2011 season. If he comes back healthy from his recent wrist surgery, the Nats should take a flier. Morse would be rejuvenated living in a city that he enjoyed and playing for a fan base that revered him. If he could produce at half the level he did in his days starting for the Nats, he would be an upgrade over any Nats bench player during the 2013 season. He could step in and play first on days facing lefties, and could be the DH during interleague play. For others convinced that Tyler Moore will not be successful at the Major League level, Michael Morse provides a possible replacement.

Let the return of Take On Me allow the Nats to finish what they started in that magical 2012 season.