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2020 Off-Season Rumors/News

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Look at the Reds trying to be players.

Rest of the NL Central is out of money to spend. Reds do have a solid top of the rotation. Also have solid bats. They might be able to make some noise. Cubs, Cardinals and Brewers only going to get worse. So why not go for it? Joey Votto not getting any younger.

Cubs really haven't been much since winning the WS.
Cards are losing Ozuna.
Brewers have lost Grandal and Moustakous (Among other guys like Thames, Shaw, they are shopping Hader)

Pirates are irrelevant. I'm not a Reds fan. Nor do I think it will pan out for them. But at least they appear to be trying.
 
Cubs really haven't been much since winning the WS.
Cards are losing Ozuna.
Brewers have lost Grandal and Moustakous (Among other guys like Thames, Shaw, they are shopping Hader)

Pirates are irrelevant. I'm not a Reds fan. Nor do I think it will pan out for them. But at least they appear to be trying.

Coming off a 67 win season, while everyone else in the division was +.500, they traded for 3 players in the last year of their contract. That never made much sense at all. To make matters worse, the prospects they gave up flourished with the Dodgers and are now ranked in the Top 100. Then they pretty much doubled down at the trade deadline, trading their #1 prospect, for another player on a 1 year deal.

Moustakas is a nice player. However, the Reds have been a weak OBP team and that has never really been a strong part of Moose's game. And they're moving him to a new position that doesn't necessarily play to his greatest strength which is his arm. Obvious you aren't going to displace Suarez at 3B

They certainly are trying, but their moves come across as impulsive.
 
Coming off a 67 win season, while everyone else in the division was +.500, they traded for 3 players in the last year of their contract. That never made much sense at all. To make matters worse, the prospects they gave up flourished with the Dodgers and are now ranked in the Top 100. Then they pretty much doubled down at the trade deadline, trading their #1 prospect, for another player on a 1 year deal.

Moustakas is a nice player. However, the Reds have been a weak OBP team and that has never really been a strong part of Moose's game. And they're moving him to a new position that doesn't necessarily play to his greatest strength which is his arm. Obvious you aren't going to displace Suarez at 3B

They certainly are trying, but their moves come across as impulsive.

I'm not defending last season. That was terrible. But now this off season trying is what they kind of have to do. Votto is not going anywhere so go all out in what's likely to be one of if not his last great year. Saurez is a masher at 3B. They really missed Gennetts bat from 18 this past season. Moustakous is a upgrade offensively from Gennett.

I already said I don't think it will work but Brewers are losing a ton of talent including 2 of their best hitters (Grandal and Moose) and lost a innings eater in Zach Davies. Brewers clearly won't be as good next year. Cubs have been on the decline. Cardinals are losing Ozuna and have already said they don't really have much flexibility payroll wise. Teams have gone from shit to good in a off season. Plus its too late to take back all the stupid trades. Giving away Downs and Gray for Puig, Wood, Kemp, Farmer was moronic. Giving away Trammell for Bauer was stupid even if I'm personally not high on Trammell. But they have to at least try to get the playoffs because of their own stupidity.
 
I'm not defending last season. That was terrible. But now this off season trying is what they kind of have to do. Votto is not going anywhere so go all out in what's likely to be one of if not his last great year. Saurez is a masher at 3B. They really missed Gennetts bat from 18 this past season. Moustakous is a upgrade offensively from Gennett.

I already said I don't think it will work but Brewers are losing a ton of talent including 2 of their best hitters (Grandal and Moose) and lost a innings eater in Zach Davies. Brewers clearly won't be as good next year. Cubs have been on the decline. Cardinals are losing Ozuna and have already said they don't really have much flexibility payroll wise. Teams have gone from shit to good in a off season. Plus its too late to take back all the stupid trades. Giving away Downs and Gray for Puig, Wood, Kemp, Farmer was moronic. Giving away Trammell for Bauer was stupid even if I'm personally not high on Trammell. But they have to at least try to get the playoffs because of their own stupidity.

Sad part is some of those moves are the owners fault as well. The owner forced the GM to upgrade the team now and that isn’t a good thing to do when you have a ton of minor league talent but not a good MLB team
 
Sad part is some of those moves are the owners fault as well. The owner forced the GM to upgrade the team now and that isn’t a good thing to do when you have a ton of minor league talent but not a good MLB team

I'm not disagreeing. In hindsight signing Moustakous wouldn't have fit the "timeline" but they forced their hand likely trying to get Votto one last shot at a NLDS exit. NL Central is getting weaker and they saw it as an opportunity. Dealing Downs and Gray likely hurts more then dealing Trammell (Since they moved Senzel to CF Trammell was blocked). Ownership basically told the GM to go for it. He did. Now when it likely blows up in their faces the GM will get fired for doing what ownership wanted. The life of a sports executive.
 
So who are the Indians going to try and pick up? We have an open spot now on the 40 man roster.
 
Wouldn't mind kicking the tires on Avisail Garcia. Righty bat good for 18-20 HR and would be a nice guy to plug in right at the start of the year since Naquin is out.

Also really like Brock Holt.

C - Perez
1B - Santana
2B - Holt
SS - Lindor
3B - Ramirez
LF - Luplow/Johnson/Reyes
CF - Mercado
RF - Garcia
DH - Reyes

Could do worse since I'm assuming we aren't going to jump on any big names.
 
I like Holt as well. But I'm unsure of his bat extrapolated over the course of everyday ABs. And he'd be too expensive, IMO, for the Indians in a utility role.
 
Really think Travis Shaw should be a target. Lefty, middle of order bat that plays 3b/ 1b/ a little 2b.
Have him at 3B (shifting JRam to 2B) and Tribe has its bridge for a year or more until Nolan Jones is ready.
 
Really think Travis Shaw should be a target. Lefty, middle of order bat that plays 3b/ 1b/ a little 2b.
Have him at 3B (shifting JRam to 2B) and Tribe has its bridge for a year or more until Nolan Jones is ready.

Not sure that, even at his best, we could classify Shaw as a middle of the order bat.

But I think he's a prime candidate to bring in as a NRI, along with Duffy, to see if one of them is capable of holding down that spot until Nolan Jones is ready to debut.
 
Travis Shaw

YearAgeTmLgGPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSOPS+TBGDPHBPSHSFIBBPosAwards
201626BOSAL1455304806311634216715143133.242.306.421.7269020210304453/D7
201727MILNL144606538841473413110110060138.273.349.513.862121276204136*5/3D
201828MILNL1525874987312023032865278108.241.345.480.82511923974166543

in 2016: Hit majority of starts (57) & at bats (211) in the 6th spot for Boston
in 2017: Hit 4th in lineup in 134 games
in 2018: Hit 4th in lineup in 103 games

He ABSOLUTELY struggled with injuries and performance in 2019. I think someone will make him a MLB offer (heck a rebuilding team could bring him in to be a on-field coach/ help for younger players) so waiting to swoop in with a minor contract with NRI to spring training IMHO is a mistake.
 
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There was some talk the Twins could be in the mix for Wheeler. That no longer appears to be the case.

 
James Hoyt resigned. 40 man roster is full.
 

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