2019-2020 MLB Non-Phillies News/Notes Discussion

[BostonRoss]

Other than Andrelton Simmons, Mike Trout hasn't had a teammate with 4+ bWAR in five years. The last? Howie Kendrick.

[Squire]

Catcher Austin Romine has a 1 year/$4million deal with the Detroit Tigers

[Philsmania]

MLB tinkers with its substance abuse (non-PED) policy, adds opioids and drops marijuana.

https://www.npr.org/2019/12/12/787550622/major-league-baseball-drops-marijuana-adds-opioids-cocaine-to-drugs-of-abuse-lis?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=nprnews&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&fbclid=IwAR3BOs8sy0M_Ln33Q7c8hHtlfVeoq6yKYWnRrDZd9Ra80D0VP2k1HgtubdA

[el-pietro]

Nats being linked with Donaldson (by an extremely unreliable "journalist").

Bob Nightengale on Twitter

I'm not going to assume this is accurate but if it is I have to wonder why they didn't resign Rendon. Sure the AAV will be an extra 7M or so, and the deal was longer, but Rendon was their guy, the have the space under the tax limit, and hes younger by over 4 years. Hes also significantly better.

Either way I hope Donaldson is out of the division.

[zambonir]

Trade price on Corey Kluber was very low. Of course he's coming off a very rough year and is 33. If he turns out to be what he was he'd have been worth busting the tax, if he's Arrieta probably not.

Sources: Rangers agree to acquire Kluber in deal

[Philsmania]

Mets and Cespedes re-work his contract to account for his mysterious non-baseball related leg injury.

Mets, Yoenis Cespedes Agree To Amended Contract

[el-pietro]

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1206333754182111237

Interesting to see him go to a division rival.

[zambonir]

Well, the Phillies' belief that Wheeler will be better going forward - and paying for that - will get put to the test.

[andyb]

I definitely prefer Wheeler, though the contract difference is pretty stark. $15 million deferred of the $85 million. Hopefully the whole wear and tear arguments are correct.

[zambonir]

Head to head I also prefer Wheeler but now Wheeler has to be better than both Bumgarner and whoever the Phillies might have spent that $6.6 million AAV on, never mind the deferral even. Though that only applies this year (hopefully). Definitely more risk that MadBum is sunk cost sooner.

[Philsmania]

Matt Kemp to attempt a comeback with the Marlins.

Marlins To Sign Matt Kemp

[Squire]

Maikel Franco signing with the Kansas City Royals per Morosi. One year/$3million

[Patchmk88]

Hope he tears it up next year. I mistakingly names my puppy after him right after his rookie year thinking he’d be a star. Now people ask me who my dog is named after, I tell them Maikel Franco, and they say who the ■■■■ is that. (I live in Louisville, KY for reference)

[zambonir]

Haha that is a lot more than a jersey! I actually bought a Franco shirsey just this season (he was hot and I liked the grey color and didn't want to just be another Harper guy).

I'm glad he's in the AL and on a non-contender. We can worry about seeing him after the trade deadline if he sorts it out.

[nycphils]

If he suddenly start raking I think that is an incredible indictment of the Phillies’ player development program.

[zambonir]

Sometimes the late-bloomer, change-of-scenery thing needs to happen regardless. J.D. Martinez's success is not an indictment of the Astros' player development program. And what happens next to Franco won't change the Phillies' failings either way!

Or he could do as well as Dom Brown or Tommy Joseph though I'm not sure that would make us feel any better either.

More likely it will be middle ground, he'll be the same-old competent major league hitter (at least at times) but not enough to get into significant positive WAR.

Either way the people who failed him - even at the major league level but the minors too- are long gone.

[jimbomill]

If he suddenly start raking I think that is an incredible indictment of the Phillies’ player development program.

Agreed. Still wishing Franco good luck, though.

[David_Criss]

I was lucky enough to be at al three Phillies games in KC in May. Franco played well and even tossed my 5-year-old granddaughter a ball. He signed more than any other Phillies player did, too. He always seemed happy. I wish him well.

[kmc1019]

I am a veteran and had the honor of swapping out 3B bag mid-game in South Philly, and being announced on the field. Everyone before, during and after treated me well, but Maikel Franco came across more warmly and sincerely than anyone. Wish him the best.

[zambonir]

I think that came across when they demoted him too. Popular player. Leader of the Latin-American contingent. Best friends with Neris. But in the end, that's the same good guy/clubhouse leader argument as your David Bells and Sean Rodriguez's.

He's definitely still young enough to turn it around but I think the Phillies firmly believed, regardless of the hitting coach, that he is unwilling or unable to adjust/fix his offensive approach.

Wonder if Sal or Joe Jordan texted Arbuckle about him.