Discussion

allentown 2017-12-09 02:42:35 UTC #102

Baseball set up a system which made under-the-table guarantees almost a certainty. The sport is seriously abusing its monopoly advantages.

zambonir 2017-12-09 03:10:38 UTC #103

This was reported before he signed (earlier today), no? Basically a fait accompli.

Edit: this is from 12 hours ago. This is also why I don't think he will get a multi-year extension before 2020.

zambonir 2017-12-09 06:55:27 UTC #104

If Stanton goes to the Yankees that's gotta be a positive, if not definitively, for the Phillies' free agency prospects next off-season.

Also, if they are dumping salary and he's willing to embrace being a role player, Chase Headley wouldn't look bad on this year's Phillies team. Hits best from the left side, can play 3B, 1B and LF. If Franco continues to falter he could hold it down for a while, or you could flip him.

andyb 2017-12-09 15:18:41 UTC #105

Castro going back to the Marlins. Part of the urgency on the Gordon trade though of course there were other motivations for the Marlins to do that.

I am assuming the Yankees have decided that getting below the luxury tax line is not that important. Yes the tax is high. But like the Dodgers the reality is that they can uniquely afford it. Judge and Stanton could be formidable for a couple of years. Of course both of those guys might end up at 1B or DH though the Yankees probably feel they need to compete now as in today. Wonder if they would add Darvish too now that they are dumping financial responsibility.

flyers19rw 2017-12-09 15:59:49 UTC #106

Last season, CC cost the Yankees $25M. Now he's gone and that money can all go to Stanton. The Yankees will find a way to skirt the luxury tax threshold. Their young stars-Judge, Bird, Sanchez-are "cheap"; not ready for arb payouts yet much the less serious contract negotiations.

LoneStarPhan 2017-12-09 16:37:04 UTC #107

Looks like one of Stanton or Judge moves from right to left field.

Stanton and Judge have only played right field in the majors.

Not really a huge problem to have.

zambonir 2017-12-09 23:07:36 UTC #108

Philsmania 2017-12-11 17:48:02 UTC #109

Allen Trammel finally cracks Cooperstown as does Jack Morris. I agree on Trammel but I find Morris's resume awfully underwhelming with only 258 wins and an ERA of 3.90. Heck, you almost have to wonder if Morris getting in may open the door just a little bit for Jaime Moyer (lefty, 269 wins, ERA of 4.25 not terribly far off from Morris's and Moyer pitched in the Steroid Era--though the conterpoint tho that is that Moyer's best years seemed to coincide with the peak of the Steroid Era from '97 to '03).

schillingfan 2017-12-11 21:29:30 UTC #110

Except for his politics, morris makes Curt Schilling more likely due to his amazing postseason stats.

Lawman 2017-12-11 21:38:53 UTC #111

zambonir 2017-12-11 21:46:52 UTC #112

Curt still has to be voted in by regular process though, I don't think the actions of this committee will influences the voters. But maybe some day, sure. No one will care about his politics in 20 years. By then Bonds and Clemens and McGwire will be in too, IMO.

Philsmania 2017-12-11 21:57:34 UTC #113

If anything, Halladay will blaze the trail into the Hall for Schilling.

zambonir 2017-12-11 23:00:51 UTC #114

Hey, I've got my issues with Curt but I hope that's not how he gets in.

(I kid. But Doc is instant first-ballot now because of the tragedy, which makes it hard to use him as a point of reference too.)

Philsmania 2017-12-12 14:48:46 UTC #115

I was speaking in terms of career numbers.

Philsmania 2017-12-12 16:47:11 UTC #116

Yankees deal Headley and potentially-promising pitcher Bryan Mitchell to the Padres for Jabari Blash who may not stick on their forty man roster. Essentially, the Padres get an arm for agreeing to take on Headley's contract. Does this help put the Yankees under the threshold and give them more room to work with vis-a-vis Machado next winter? However, the Yankees now have voids at second and third for 2018. Might that put them into the Hernandez bidding? Yanks have a nice system.

bkeich 2017-12-12 19:38:56 UTC #117

I see this as a missed opportunity for the Phils. They have more available money (or they should) than any other team, but they are just keeping it (I assume we will once again be the most profitable team). These are the deals (the one SD made) that they should be all over all the time, there really is no way a team should outbid them on "we will spend money to take on your problem, in exchange for something of value".

allentown 2017-12-12 20:07:15 UTC #118

I agree that the Phillies should be looking for deals similar to the deal that SD made, especially since they could use another option at 3B. However, I'm not sure about Mitchell, who is going into his age 27 season and needs a 40-man spot. He's a big strikeout pitcher in the minors but in two limited stints with the Yankees his K-rate has collapsed and his BB-rate doubles. Blash is much the same, going into age 28 season and hits a ton in AAA, but in two limited MLB stints hasn't hit at all. I think I'd rather be able to keep Davis, who is just going into age 25 season and is a lefty.

zambonir 2017-12-12 20:47:31 UTC #119

Yeah I don't think the Padres got any extra value out of the deal. I would have liked Headley on the Phillies as this year's Howie Kendrick (except a 3B/1B, though I presume he could also play the OF) and would have given up something better than Blash (I mean, that's basically just Tocci or Tommy Joseph anyway). He probably would not have been happy with his playing time though.

DurhamBull 2017-12-13 03:30:53 UTC #121

I don't think we could even expect Howie Kendrick to be this year's Howie Kendrick. The Phils got really lucky with him last year. Granted he was injured for a while, but he did what he was asked to in the field and had a career year at the plate. Does Stairs get credit for that?

bkox 2017-12-13 13:44:56 UTC #122