The MLB Thread

[javierm27]

Any ESPN Insiders mind posting this for me? Thanks!

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/bust...y/post?id=8889

[spccowboy1]

Originally Posted by javierm27

Any ESPN Insiders mind posting this for me? Thanks!

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/bust...y/post?id=8889

SAN DIEGO -- The new inhabitants of the Dodgers’ front office are well aware of the media portrayal of them as nerds wielding mechanical pencils stuffed into pocket protectors. “The sooner we get past us being the story,” one Dodgers official said, “the better it will be.”

After what happened here Wednesday, however, there is no chance that Andrew Friedman and his staff will able to exist in the shadowy fringes. Not since Whitey Herzog assumed control of the Cardinals and remade them into a track team with a flurry of moves have we seen a front office so decisively alter the composition of a roster and a team.

Based on the choices they have made, however, a more appropriate representation of Friedman’s gang could be as a cleanup crew dressed in hazmat suits, because they have quickly waded into the messiest parts of the organization, from the clubhouse culture to the club’s subpar defense, and taken care of business.

Which is what is needed. The Dodgers' level of dysfunction last season was extraordinary. Manager Don Mattingly is even-keeled and circumspect, and is not someone who overreacts, given his experience of playing in New York in George Steinbrenner’s worst years as owner. But he was so moved, so frustrated by what he saw in the Dodgers' players and their treatment of each other that he called a team meeting in Colorado last season and told them, in so many words, that they were just selfish. This was a running theme throughout 2014, with the frustration level spread among players and staff. Five outfielders vied for playing time in three spots. Other players thought Hanley Ramirez was preoccupied with his failed contract negotiations and too often moped through his work. The patience for Yasiel Puig's repeated mistakes waned.

If Ramirez's mood swings were merely an isolated case of one frustrated player, it probably wouldn't have been as big of a deal. If Mattingly had to cope with only the outfield logjam and not other issues, perhaps that situation could've been more functional, as it was in 2013. If Puig's decision drift was the only concern, maybe the rest of the Dodgers would've given him a longer mental leash.

But as folks within the cocoon will attest, the personality brushfires were constant -- sometimes inning to inning, if you counted the body language -- and the level of general unhappiness was extraordinary. There have been complaints in the past about Mattingly's in-game strategy and decisions, but his allies in the organization felt he did yeoman's work in getting through the season without having even more eruptions than they did. As one member of the organization said, "Try finding someone else who can manage those [bleep]."

But Friedman and his staff arrived, seemingly with roster pickaxes and brooms, and whether the changes were actually meant to address the clubhouse conflicts or not, that is what has occurred. The Dodgers made a qualifying offer to Ramirez, but only to recoup the draft pick compensation; the team did not want him back for 2015, largely because of his defensive regression. Ramirez signed to play left field with the Red Sox.
[+] EnlargeDodgers
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports
The outfield needed some thinning in Los Angeles.

From the first day that Friedman spoke with reporters, he firmly stated that he intended to move some of his veteran outfielders. It’s nice to think that well-paid, established professionals will show up daily wholly invested in the esprit de corps regardless of whether they’re starting or sitting on the bench -- and by all accounts, Andre Ethier handled the situation well -- but after more than a year of the lineup logjam, the situation became onerous. Now the Dodgers have agreed to deal Kemp to the Padres, and the expectation of rival evaluators is that at some point, Friedman also will find a landing spot for Ethier, regardless of the cost; last season, Ethier hit .249 with four homers in 380 plate appearances, and is owed $56 million for the next three seasons. No longer will Mattingly have to explain daily to outfielders who have been All-Stars why they aren't playing.

But the most important change for the Dodgers will be in their defense, which did not match the historic strengths of the team -- the pitching within a home ballpark that generally fosters good pitching. The team with the highest payroll in the majors in 2014 had weakness at two critical defensive spots: Ramirez ranked among the worst shortstops in the majors last season, and because Kemp was moved to right field (and thrived at the plate after the change), Puig was shoehorned into center.

After the Dodgers' barrage of trades, Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and the other pitchers will be better served at shortstop by Jimmy Rollins, and Mattingly can install rookie Joc Pederson -- the closest thing the team has to a legitimate center fielder -- into the lineup. Carl Crawford, who actually had a good season last year through all of the outfield confusion, will be in left field, with Puig in right field.

Howie Kendrick is not as athletic as Dee Gordon, but he has much more experience at second base and scored markedly higher in defensive metrics; only four players had more defensive runs saved at the position than he did, according to FanGraphs.

Friedman may well do more tinkering, but as of this morning, Mattingly’s defense appears to be significantly improved, and more suited for Dodger Stadium than it was last summer. When the Kemp deal is finished and the Dodgers land catcher Yasmani Grandal from the Padres, this could be the batting order Mattingly draws up:

RF Yasiel Puig
SS Jimmy Rollins
1B Adrian Gonzalez
2B Howie Kendrick
LF Carl Crawford
3B Juan Uribe
C Yasmani Grandal/A.J. Ellis
CF Joc Pederson/Chris Heisey

The Dodgers also have worked to augment the depth of the roster, and flexibility -- something that GM Farhan Zaidi routinely looked for in recent years while with the Oakland Athletics under Billy Beane. Besides Justin Turner, who is coming off a year in which he batted .340 in 288 at-bats, they just added Enrique Hernandez, seen by peers as a hidden talent; in the minors, Hernandez played seven positions -- and he’ll grind through tough at-bats. Heisey has played all three spots in the outfield.

With the Dodgers set at the front of their rotation and at closer with Kenley Jansen, Friedman is working on everything in the middle; he has jettisoned Dan Haren, it appears, with Brandon McCarthy set to step into the rotation. Given the Dodgers’ four-year investment, they will have to hope that McCarthy, who reached 200 innings for the first time in his career in 2014, can stay healthy. They could use one more starting veteran starting pitcher.

Whatever the final strokes, the 2015 Dodgers will be different -- less dynamic offensively, certainly, without the power threats of Ramirez and Kemp, but much better at run prevention, and Mattingly can worry more about managing games than personalities.

From ESPN Stats & Information: On Oct. 14, it was announced that Friedman would be leaving his post as general manager of the Rays to become the new president of baseball operations for the Dodgers. Since then, Friedman and new GM Zaidi have been busy tweaking the roster they inherited.

Transactions made by the new Dodgers front office, by the numbers:

10 -- Number of trades made, including three on Wednesday alone (note: acquiring Andrew Heaney and flipping him for Kendrick are considered two separate deals).
2 -- Number of players claimed off waivers (SS Ryan Jackson and C Ryan Lavarnway; Jackson was later traded to the Royals).
1 -- Number of free-agent signings (reportedly agreed to a four-year deal with McCarthy on Wednesday).

• The Dodgers got busy, writes Jayson Stark. The Dodgers flexed their muscles, writes Joel Sherman.

• The Dodgers’ creativity prevailed, writes Keith Law. The Dodgers’ new front office is showing creativity, writes Bill Shaikin.

Notables

• The Phillies’ trade of Jimmy Rollins is the first big step forward in a necessary rebuilding of the roster, as Matt Gelb writes. Rollins made a lasting impression, writes Marcus Hayes. The Phillies also traded Antonio Bastardo.

• There are all kinds of rumblings about the Nationals, but for now, their big move has been a switch of outfielders. Jordan Zimmermann, Ian Desmond, Doug Fister and Tyler Clippard are all a year away from free agency, and history shows that teams stuck with players in that position usually lose out.

• The Red Sox are close to adding Wade Miley, who has been coveted by a number of teams. Boston swapped the two pitchers they got in the blockbuster with the Dodgers two years ago. Again: The loss of Jon Lester is festering in Boston, but the Red Sox have the assets in players and money to build a rotation good enough to win the AL East.

In the end, the Red Sox wouldn’t overpay for Lester, writes Michael Silverman. Ben Cherington says the Red Sox will have a good pitching staff.

• The Red Sox have been linked a lot to Cole Hamels, but keep in mind, Boston is on Hamels' no-trade list, and if he doesn’t want to pitch in the American League, a deal to John Farrell’s staff isn’t going to happen.

• The Cubs are not on a spending spree. They intend to contend in 2015.

• The Cubs are one of four teams to which Justin Upton can’t be traded without his permission, but as one source says, “Anything is possible.” In other words, in light of recent developments, Upton’s mind could be swayed.

• The Royals and the Braves are talking about Evan Gattis and Upton. The Braves are asking for a lot in return, writes David O’Brien.

• The Astros made a midnight strike with two relievers, Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek; their bullpen should be greatly improved.

• The top of the Marlins’ lineup should be dynamic. The Marlins think they can coax Dan Haren into pitching for them.

• The Yankees want Alex Rodriguez to lose some weight.

• David Lennon wonders if Scott Boras can lure the Yankees into the bidding for Max Scherzer. Scherzer could be looking for more than Kershaw.

• The Tigers haven’t closed the door on bringing back Scherzer, as Anthony Fenech writes. Time will tell what Dave Dombrowski has in mind, writes Tony Paul.

• The Yankees are talking with Sergio Romo, according to Jerry Crasnick.

• The Cubs would like to sign Jonny Gomes, who played for Joe Maddon in Tampa Bay.

Moves, deals and decisions

1. The Pirates have had preliminary discussions about an extension for Neil Walker.

2. The Rockies swapped Josh Rutledge.

NL East

• Teams are showing interest in Dillon Gee.

NL Central

• Tony Sanchez was sent home by his Dominican League team.

• The Cubs have the attention of the Cardinals.

• The Cubs have gained ground on the Reds, as C. Trent Rosecrans writes.

• The question lingers about whether Jean Segura was affected by extension talks.

NL West

• The Giants are working to add another starting pitcher.

AL East

• The Orioles are preparing to make a pick in the Rule 5 draft Thursday.

• Dan Duquette says the Orioles are not about to sign high-profile free agents.

• The Jays know what the cost is to add high-end relief.

• A Rays prospect might be the first pick in the Rule 5 draft.

• The Rays expect their stars to bounce back.

AL Central

• Steven Moya is part of the Tigers' long-term plans.

• Don’t look for Francisco Lindor to be on the Indians' Opening Day roster.

• The Twins are talking with Ervin Santana, but don’t have a deal.

AL West

• The Rangers met with the agent for James Shields.

• Lloyd McClendon is looking forward to next season.

• Jack Zduriencik disagreed with a Twitter report.

• Oakland’s poor finish persuaded Billy Beane to not stand pat, writes Susan Slusser.

• The Angels dealt for a pitching prospect.

Lastly

• Barry Zito is going to attempt a comeback.

And today will be better than yesterday.

Click the "Show Spoiler" Button to reveal hidden text.

[spccowboy1]

SAN DIEGO -- The new inhabitants of the Dodgers’ front office are well aware of the media portrayal of them as nerds wielding mechanical pencils stuffed into pocket protectors. “The sooner we get past us being the story,” one Dodgers official said, “the better it will be.”

After what happened here Wednesday, however, there is no chance that Andrew Friedman and his staff will able to exist in the shadowy fringes. Not since Whitey Herzog assumed control of the Cardinals and remade them into a track team with a flurry of moves have we seen a front office so decisively alter the composition of a roster and a team.

Based on the choices they have made, however, a more appropriate representation of Friedman’s gang could be as a cleanup crew dressed in hazmat suits, because they have quickly waded into the messiest parts of the organization, from the clubhouse culture to the club’s subpar defense, and taken care of business.

Which is what is needed. The Dodgers' level of dysfunction last season was extraordinary. Manager Don Mattingly is even-keeled and circumspect, and is not someone who overreacts, given his experience of playing in New York in George Steinbrenner’s worst years as owner. But he was so moved, so frustrated by what he saw in the Dodgers' players and their treatment of each other that he called a team meeting in Colorado last season and told them, in so many words, that they were just selfish. This was a running theme throughout 2014, with the frustration level spread among players and staff. Five outfielders vied for playing time in three spots. Other players thought Hanley Ramirez was preoccupied with his failed contract negotiations and too often moped through his work. The patience for Yasiel Puig's repeated mistakes waned.

If Ramirez's mood swings were merely an isolated case of one frustrated player, it probably wouldn't have been as big of a deal. If Mattingly had to cope with only the outfield logjam and not other issues, perhaps that situation could've been more functional, as it was in 2013. If Puig's decision drift was the only concern, maybe the rest of the Dodgers would've given him a longer mental leash.

But as folks within the cocoon will attest, the personality brushfires were constant -- sometimes inning to inning, if you counted the body language -- and the level of general unhappiness was extraordinary. There have been complaints in the past about Mattingly's in-game strategy and decisions, but his allies in the organization felt he did yeoman's work in getting through the season without having even more eruptions than they did. As one member of the organization said, "Try finding someone else who can manage those [bleep]."

But Friedman and his staff arrived, seemingly with roster pickaxes and brooms, and whether the changes were actually meant to address the clubhouse conflicts or not, that is what has occurred. The Dodgers made a qualifying offer to Ramirez, but only to recoup the draft pick compensation; the team did not want him back for 2015, largely because of his defensive regression. Ramirez signed to play left field with the Red Sox.
[+] EnlargeDodgers
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports
The outfield needed some thinning in Los Angeles.

From the first day that Friedman spoke with reporters, he firmly stated that he intended to move some of his veteran outfielders. It’s nice to think that well-paid, established professionals will show up daily wholly invested in the esprit de corps regardless of whether they’re starting or sitting on the bench -- and by all accounts, Andre Ethier handled the situation well -- but after more than a year of the lineup logjam, the situation became onerous. Now the Dodgers have agreed to deal Kemp to the Padres, and the expectation of rival evaluators is that at some point, Friedman also will find a landing spot for Ethier, regardless of the cost; last season, Ethier hit .249 with four homers in 380 plate appearances, and is owed $56 million for the next three seasons. No longer will Mattingly have to explain daily to outfielders who have been All-Stars why they aren't playing.

But the most important change for the Dodgers will be in their defense, which did not match the historic strengths of the team -- the pitching within a home ballpark that generally fosters good pitching. The team with the highest payroll in the majors in 2014 had weakness at two critical defensive spots: Ramirez ranked among the worst shortstops in the majors last season, and because Kemp was moved to right field (and thrived at the plate after the change), Puig was shoehorned into center.

After the Dodgers' barrage of trades, Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and the other pitchers will be better served at shortstop by Jimmy Rollins, and Mattingly can install rookie Joc Pederson -- the closest thing the team has to a legitimate center fielder -- into the lineup. Carl Crawford, who actually had a good season last year through all of the outfield confusion, will be in left field, with Puig in right field.

Howie Kendrick is not as athletic as Dee Gordon, but he has much more experience at second base and scored markedly higher in defensive metrics; only four players had more defensive runs saved at the position than he did, according to FanGraphs.

Friedman may well do more tinkering, but as of this morning, Mattingly’s defense appears to be significantly improved, and more suited for Dodger Stadium than it was last summer. When the Kemp deal is finished and the Dodgers land catcher Yasmani Grandal from the Padres, this could be the batting order Mattingly draws up:

RF Yasiel Puig
SS Jimmy Rollins
1B Adrian Gonzalez
2B Howie Kendrick
LF Carl Crawford
3B Juan Uribe
C Yasmani Grandal/A.J. Ellis
CF Joc Pederson/Chris Heisey

The Dodgers also have worked to augment the depth of the roster, and flexibility -- something that GM Farhan Zaidi routinely looked for in recent years while with the Oakland Athletics under Billy Beane. Besides Justin Turner, who is coming off a year in which he batted .340 in 288 at-bats, they just added Enrique Hernandez, seen by peers as a hidden talent; in the minors, Hernandez played seven positions -- and he’ll grind through tough at-bats. Heisey has played all three spots in the outfield.

With the Dodgers set at the front of their rotation and at closer with Kenley Jansen, Friedman is working on everything in the middle; he has jettisoned Dan Haren, it appears, with Brandon McCarthy set to step into the rotation. Given the Dodgers’ four-year investment, they will have to hope that McCarthy, who reached 200 innings for the first time in his career in 2014, can stay healthy. They could use one more starting veteran starting pitcher.

Whatever the final strokes, the 2015 Dodgers will be different -- less dynamic offensively, certainly, without the power threats of Ramirez and Kemp, but much better at run prevention, and Mattingly can worry more about managing games than personalities.

From ESPN Stats & Information: On Oct. 14, it was announced that Friedman would be leaving his post as general manager of the Rays to become the new president of baseball operations for the Dodgers. Since then, Friedman and new GM Zaidi have been busy tweaking the roster they inherited.

Transactions made by the new Dodgers front office, by the numbers:

10 -- Number of trades made, including three on Wednesday alone (note: acquiring Andrew Heaney and flipping him for Kendrick are considered two separate deals).
2 -- Number of players claimed off waivers (SS Ryan Jackson and C Ryan Lavarnway; Jackson was later traded to the Royals).
1 -- Number of free-agent signings (reportedly agreed to a four-year deal with McCarthy on Wednesday).

• The Dodgers got busy, writes Jayson Stark. The Dodgers flexed their muscles, writes Joel Sherman.

• The Dodgers’ creativity prevailed, writes Keith Law. The Dodgers’ new front office is showing creativity, writes Bill Shaikin.

Notables

• The Phillies’ trade of Jimmy Rollins is the first big step forward in a necessary rebuilding of the roster, as Matt Gelb writes. Rollins made a lasting impression, writes Marcus Hayes. The Phillies also traded Antonio Bastardo.

• There are all kinds of rumblings about the Nationals, but for now, their big move has been a switch of outfielders. Jordan Zimmermann, Ian Desmond, Doug Fister and Tyler Clippard are all a year away from free agency, and history shows that teams stuck with players in that position usually lose out.

• The Red Sox are close to adding Wade Miley, who has been coveted by a number of teams. Boston swapped the two pitchers they got in the blockbuster with the Dodgers two years ago. Again: The loss of Jon Lester is festering in Boston, but the Red Sox have the assets in players and money to build a rotation good enough to win the AL East.

In the end, the Red Sox wouldn’t overpay for Lester, writes Michael Silverman. Ben Cherington says the Red Sox will have a good pitching staff.

• The Red Sox have been linked a lot to Cole Hamels, but keep in mind, Boston is on Hamels' no-trade list, and if he doesn’t want to pitch in the American League, a deal to John Farrell’s staff isn’t going to happen.

• The Cubs are not on a spending spree. They intend to contend in 2015.

• The Cubs are one of four teams to which Justin Upton can’t be traded without his permission, but as one source says, “Anything is possible.” In other words, in light of recent developments, Upton’s mind could be swayed.

• The Royals and the Braves are talking about Evan Gattis and Upton. The Braves are asking for a lot in return, writes David O’Brien.

• The Astros made a midnight strike with two relievers, Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek; their bullpen should be greatly improved.

• The top of the Marlins’ lineup should be dynamic. The Marlins think they can coax Dan Haren into pitching for them.

• The Yankees want Alex Rodriguez to lose some weight.

• David Lennon wonders if Scott Boras can lure the Yankees into the bidding for Max Scherzer. Scherzer could be looking for more than Kershaw.

• The Tigers haven’t closed the door on bringing back Scherzer, as Anthony Fenech writes. Time will tell what Dave Dombrowski has in mind, writes Tony Paul.

• The Yankees are talking with Sergio Romo, according to Jerry Crasnick.

• The Cubs would like to sign Jonny Gomes, who played for Joe Maddon in Tampa Bay.

Moves, deals and decisions

1. The Pirates have had preliminary discussions about an extension for Neil Walker.

2. The Rockies swapped Josh Rutledge.

NL East

• Teams are showing interest in Dillon Gee.

NL Central

• Tony Sanchez was sent home by his Dominican League team.

• The Cubs have the attention of the Cardinals.

• The Cubs have gained ground on the Reds, as C. Trent Rosecrans writes.

• The question lingers about whether Jean Segura was affected by extension talks.

NL West

• The Giants are working to add another starting pitcher.

AL East

• The Orioles are preparing to make a pick in the Rule 5 draft Thursday.

• Dan Duquette says the Orioles are not about to sign high-profile free agents.

• The Jays know what the cost is to add high-end relief.

• A Rays prospect might be the first pick in the Rule 5 draft.

• The Rays expect their stars to bounce back.

AL Central

• Steven Moya is part of the Tigers' long-term plans.

• Don’t look for Francisco Lindor to be on the Indians' Opening Day roster.

• The Twins are talking with Ervin Santana, but don’t have a deal.

AL West

• The Rangers met with the agent for James Shields.

• Lloyd McClendon is looking forward to next season.

• Jack Zduriencik disagreed with a Twitter report.

• Oakland’s poor finish persuaded Billy Beane to not stand pat, writes Susan Slusser.

• The Angels dealt for a pitching prospect.

Lastly

• Barry Zito is going to attempt a comeback.

And today will be better than yesterday.

Click the "Show Spoiler" Button to reveal hidden text.

[javierm27]

Thank you!

[smokew11]

https://twitter.com/Heandog8/status/542917138634506240

[rickyh24]

Honestly think the Dodgers should have kept him.

[CrashTheStone41]

Originally Posted by smokew11

https://twitter.com/Heandog8/status/542917138634506240

Hilarity. I like the kid much more because of that tweet.

[smokew11]

buster olney retweeted it, thats how i found it

[CrashTheStone41]

Originally Posted by smokew11

buster olney retweeted it, thats how i found it

Buster Olney blocked me on twitter after I called him a moron a handful of times.

[rickyh24]

Originally Posted by CrashTheStone41

Buster Olney blocked me on twitter after I called him a moron a handful of times.

[smokew11]

Originally Posted by CrashTheStone41

Buster Olney blocked me on twitter after I called him a moron a handful of times.

[BotheLaneFan]

Buster Olney looks like the type of dude who enjoys cheese Pringles.

No idea why, just has that look.

[javierm27]

Another ESPN Insider request, if anyone can do me a favor.

Thanks!

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story...eady-break-mlb

[YouNeverKnow25]

When the Toronto Blue Jays made their somewhat surprising move to add Russell Martin, they didn't just weaken the free-agent catching market. They decimated it. Sure, you could probably piece together a decent backup from guys like Geovany Soto, Nick Hundley or David Ross, but there's no one close to being a full-time starter. Of the remaining free agents, there's not a single one who's even projected to manage even a lowly .300 OBP in 2015, according to Steamer projections.

That's a considerable problem for some of the other teams that were expected to be heavily interested in Martin, like the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, because their paths forward are less clear now. In Los Angeles, A.J. Ellis is better than his .191 batting average would indicate, but he's also nearly 34 and coming off several serious leg injuries. The Cubs might need to stick with Welington Castillo, who's coming off a poor season. The Pirates will replace Martin with a trio of catchers more suited to be backups; the current Rangers starter is 30-year-old Robinson Chirinos, who has less than a full season of major league play under his belt.

It's not a good time to be looking for a catcher, is the point, and the main trade options being talked about come with questions of their own. (Arizona's Miguel Montero has had two consecutive bad years and is still owed $40 million; Houston's Jason Castro followed up a breakout 2013 with an atrocious 2014; Atlanta's Evan Gattis has excellent raw power but can't really catch.)

The flip side, of course, is that if you have catching depth, you're in a favorable position. If you need a catcher, you want to call the San Diego Padres, and you want to ask for Yasmani Grandal.

Grandal only just turned 26 years old earlier this month, yet his career has already had some pretty tumultuous ups and downs. He was the No. 12 overall pick by the Reds in the 2010 draft and was a key part of the 2011 trade that sent Mat Latos to Cincinnati, but he also missed 50 games in 2013 due to a PED suspension and blew out his right knee barely a month after being reinstated. He rushed back to be ready for Opening Day 2014, but he played infrequently as part of a three-headed catching situation with Hundley and Rene Rivera. Though Hundley was eventually traded to Baltimore, Grandal's catching time didn't increase all that much, because he became the semi-regular first baseman for most of the final third of the year because of Yonder Alonso's injury problems.

Russell Martin
Daniel Shirey/USA TODAY Sports
Russell Martin signed a $82 million, five-year contract with Toronto earlier this week.
If you like batting average, then Grandal has been pretty underwhelming, hitting only .225 this year and .215 last year. Of course, we're smarter than to rely on a number that ignores walks and treats home runs and singles equally, and that low average hides the truth about Grandal, which is that he's been an above-average hitter. By wRC+, which accounts not only for the low offensive environment around the game but particularly of San Diego's home field, Grandal's 111 mark means he was 11 percent better than a league-average hitter. Since his 2012 debut, 37 catchers have had at least 700 plate appearances, and Grandal's 119 mark is the seventh-best in baseball -- a ranking that looks even more impressive when you remember that two of the men above him (Joe Mauer and Carlos Santana) aren't really catchers any longer.

The batting average doesn't reflect that because Grandal is a poor baserunner who never beats out hits -- he is a catcher coming off a knee injury, after all -- and struck out his fair share this year, but he makes up for that with patience and power. His 13.1 percent walk rate this year, for example, was well above the nonpitcher MLB average of 7.8. More impressively, his average fly ball batted ball distance of 304.13 feet was not only the eighth-best in all of baseball, it was the best by any non-righty hitter. Of his team-leading 15 homers, Hit Tracker measured that 14 of them would have left the yard in at least 80 percent of parks.

On defense, we know that there's limitations in how we can measure catchers, so the data on Grandal is somewhat uneven. Empirically, the fact that Grandal started only 67 games behind the plate while Rivera -- a career journeyman on his sixth organization, not including a 2010 stint in independent ball -- became the regular starter and personal catcher to Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross would seem to be a red flag.

Of course, there's context to that. Grandal's rushed return from the knee injury may have caused the Padres to hesitate in catching him too often, and Alonso's spotty availability opened a need at first. Rivera, one of the most-respected defensive catchers in the game, had a breakout season himself by putting up a 114 wRC+ to go with excellent pitch-framing numbers.

When Grandal did get behind the plate, however, he rated as an above-average pitch framer, as well. While single-year numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, StatCorner ranked him as being better than Martin, who got his big deal in no small part because of his skill in framing. Baseball Prospectus didn't quite go that far, but it still considered him as the 13th-best catcher overall. One might also assume that with another year away from the knee injury, Grandal's ability to catch more often might improve, as well.

If we've sufficiently established that Grandal is an intriguing young player at a thin position with youth on his side, then what we haven't done is answer the most important question of all: Why would a Padres team fresh off one of the most inept offensive performances in team history consider moving him?

San Diego could very well keep him and split his time between catcher and first to keep the trio of Alonso, Grandal and Rivera healthy, but that might not be the most ideal usage of their assets. The switch-hitting Grandal is much more effective from the left side of the plate, making a platoon with the lefty Alonso an awkward fit, and while Rivera may not be likely to repeat his breakout 2014, his defense alone will keep him in the lineup. Furthermore, prospect Austin Hedges, a consensus top prospect considered among the premier defensive backstops in the minors, may only be about a year away from being ready.

Simply put, new general manager A.J. Preller has a ton of holes to fix on this team, with potentially the entire infield up in the air depending on how you feel about the ability of second baseman Jedd Gyorko to bounce back from an awful season or shortstop Everth Cabrera's continued off-field problems. Other than Hedges, most of the better offensive talent in the system is several years away, and the Padres aren't generally a landing spot for big-ticket free agents. Trading Grandal wouldn't be without risk, but catcher is one of the few San Diego strengths, and the market is ripe to play interested teams off one another.

Click the "Show Spoiler" Button to reveal hidden text.

[javierm27]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

When the Toronto Blue Jays made their somewhat surprising move to add Russell Martin, they didn't just weaken the free-agent catching market. They decimated it. Sure, you could probably piece together a decent backup from guys like Geovany Soto, Nick Hundley or David Ross, but there's no one close to being a full-time starter. Of the remaining free agents, there's not a single one who's even projected to manage even a lowly .300 OBP in 2015, according to Steamer projections.

That's a considerable problem for some of the other teams that were expected to be heavily interested in Martin, like the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, because their paths forward are less clear now. In Los Angeles, A.J. Ellis is better than his .191 batting average would indicate, but he's also nearly 34 and coming off several serious leg injuries. The Cubs might need to stick with Welington Castillo, who's coming off a poor season. The Pirates will replace Martin with a trio of catchers more suited to be backups; the current Rangers starter is 30-year-old Robinson Chirinos, who has less than a full season of major league play under his belt.

It's not a good time to be looking for a catcher, is the point, and the main trade options being talked about come with questions of their own. (Arizona's Miguel Montero has had two consecutive bad years and is still owed $40 million; Houston's Jason Castro followed up a breakout 2013 with an atrocious 2014; Atlanta's Evan Gattis has excellent raw power but can't really catch.)

The flip side, of course, is that if you have catching depth, you're in a favorable position. If you need a catcher, you want to call the San Diego Padres, and you want to ask for Yasmani Grandal.

Grandal only just turned 26 years old earlier this month, yet his career has already had some pretty tumultuous ups and downs. He was the No. 12 overall pick by the Reds in the 2010 draft and was a key part of the 2011 trade that sent Mat Latos to Cincinnati, but he also missed 50 games in 2013 due to a PED suspension and blew out his right knee barely a month after being reinstated. He rushed back to be ready for Opening Day 2014, but he played infrequently as part of a three-headed catching situation with Hundley and Rene Rivera. Though Hundley was eventually traded to Baltimore, Grandal's catching time didn't increase all that much, because he became the semi-regular first baseman for most of the final third of the year because of Yonder Alonso's injury problems.

Russell Martin
Daniel Shirey/USA TODAY Sports
Russell Martin signed a $82 million, five-year contract with Toronto earlier this week.
If you like batting average, then Grandal has been pretty underwhelming, hitting only .225 this year and .215 last year. Of course, we're smarter than to rely on a number that ignores walks and treats home runs and singles equally, and that low average hides the truth about Grandal, which is that he's been an above-average hitter. By wRC+, which accounts not only for the low offensive environment around the game but particularly of San Diego's home field, Grandal's 111 mark means he was 11 percent better than a league-average hitter. Since his 2012 debut, 37 catchers have had at least 700 plate appearances, and Grandal's 119 mark is the seventh-best in baseball -- a ranking that looks even more impressive when you remember that two of the men above him (Joe Mauer and Carlos Santana) aren't really catchers any longer.

The batting average doesn't reflect that because Grandal is a poor baserunner who never beats out hits -- he is a catcher coming off a knee injury, after all -- and struck out his fair share this year, but he makes up for that with patience and power. His 13.1 percent walk rate this year, for example, was well above the nonpitcher MLB average of 7.8. More impressively, his average fly ball batted ball distance of 304.13 feet was not only the eighth-best in all of baseball, it was the best by any non-righty hitter. Of his team-leading 15 homers, Hit Tracker measured that 14 of them would have left the yard in at least 80 percent of parks.

On defense, we know that there's limitations in how we can measure catchers, so the data on Grandal is somewhat uneven. Empirically, the fact that Grandal started only 67 games behind the plate while Rivera -- a career journeyman on his sixth organization, not including a 2010 stint in independent ball -- became the regular starter and personal catcher to Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross would seem to be a red flag.

Of course, there's context to that. Grandal's rushed return from the knee injury may have caused the Padres to hesitate in catching him too often, and Alonso's spotty availability opened a need at first. Rivera, one of the most-respected defensive catchers in the game, had a breakout season himself by putting up a 114 wRC+ to go with excellent pitch-framing numbers.

When Grandal did get behind the plate, however, he rated as an above-average pitch framer, as well. While single-year numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, StatCorner ranked him as being better than Martin, who got his big deal in no small part because of his skill in framing. Baseball Prospectus didn't quite go that far, but it still considered him as the 13th-best catcher overall. One might also assume that with another year away from the knee injury, Grandal's ability to catch more often might improve, as well.

If we've sufficiently established that Grandal is an intriguing young player at a thin position with youth on his side, then what we haven't done is answer the most important question of all: Why would a Padres team fresh off one of the most inept offensive performances in team history consider moving him?

San Diego could very well keep him and split his time between catcher and first to keep the trio of Alonso, Grandal and Rivera healthy, but that might not be the most ideal usage of their assets. The switch-hitting Grandal is much more effective from the left side of the plate, making a platoon with the lefty Alonso an awkward fit, and while Rivera may not be likely to repeat his breakout 2014, his defense alone will keep him in the lineup. Furthermore, prospect Austin Hedges, a consensus top prospect considered among the premier defensive backstops in the minors, may only be about a year away from being ready.

Simply put, new general manager A.J. Preller has a ton of holes to fix on this team, with potentially the entire infield up in the air depending on how you feel about the ability of second baseman Jedd Gyorko to bounce back from an awful season or shortstop Everth Cabrera's continued off-field problems. Other than Hedges, most of the better offensive talent in the system is several years away, and the Padres aren't generally a landing spot for big-ticket free agents. Trading Grandal wouldn't be without risk, but catcher is one of the few San Diego strengths, and the market is ripe to play interested teams off one another.

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Thank you!

[javierm27]

This was funny, although it's not official yet, haha.

http://www.truebluela.com/2014/12/15...-twitter-photo

[junior94]

Originally Posted by BotheBOFan

Buster Olney looks like the type of dude who enjoys cheese Pringles.

No idea why, just has that look.

He always kinda reminded me of like the sports nerd version of Patton Oswalt.


btw I'm curious for any Nats fans around here, how much of a PR kind of hit was possibly taken by Bryce Harper not showing up for that fan event? Are many people irked by that?

[DMBstandUP1984]

Lester on the cover of SI

he will be injured by June

[rickyh24]

Originally Posted by junior94

He always kinda reminded me of like the sports nerd version of Patton Oswalt.


btw I'm curious for any Nats fans around here, how much of a PR kind of hit was possibly taken by Bryce Harper not showing up for that fan event? Are many people irked by that?

Gocubsgo was so mad about it he switched back to Cubs.

[javierm27]

Brian Wilson has been DFA'd by the Dodgers, lol. Front office isn't messing around.

[junior94]

Originally Posted by javierm27

Brian Wilson has been DFA'd by the Dodgers, lol. Front office isn't messing around.

man I swear it feels like the possible time frame in baseball between someone being so relevant at their position to then become... well, not so, is getting shorter and shorter every year.

[BotheLaneFan]

I met him a month ago. He rules. Injuries suck.

[javierm27]

@Ken_Rosenthal
Sources: #Padres, #Rays discussing significant trade. Talks involve a number of players. Wil Myers would be main piece going to SD.

Pads are going all in for next year.

[javierm27]

Originally Posted by junior94

man I swear it feels like the possible time frame in baseball between someone being so relevant at their position to then become... well, not so, is getting shorter and shorter every year.

It really is, and especially with relief pitchers.

[javierm27]

Report: Matt Kemp Trade Held Up Because He Has Old-Lady Hips

[keithcoldroses]

Hall of Fame today!!!

You guys think Alan Trammell finally gets over the hump?

[scrock25]

No clue.

Really want to see where Scherzer and Sheilds land though, I mean this is becoming annoying. All the reports were that things would move pretty swiftly after Lester signed and literally all we've heard is that some mystery team offered Shields 5-years yesterday and that's it.

[Roose13]

Biggio or riot!

[justink]

Originally Posted by Roose13

Biggio or riot!

Seriously.

Gonna be mad if my boy Bagwell gets snubbed again too.

Killer B's!!!

[YouNeverKnow25]

biggio, smoltz, unit, pedro