2014 Off Season Thread

[FArting]

It is official Tomas is now a Dback.

 

[FArting]

Dbacks select Oscar Hernandez in Rule 5 Draft.

 

[devilalum]

Dbacks select Oscar Hernandez in Rule 5 Draft.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/...scar-hernandez-may-be-top-rule-5-pick/2209832


Instant Awesome!

 

[don7031]

Zeke Spruill moved for a long term prospect Myles Smith

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=smith-000myl

Looks like the Red Sox jumped when Spruill was designated for assignment.

 

[overseascardfan]

Zeke Spruill moved for a long term prospect Myles Smith

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=smith-000myl

Looks like the Red Sox jumped when Spruill was designated for assignment.

Man ARZ needs Drury develop otherwise they gave Upton away.

 

[FArting]

Eury De La Rosa Traded to Oakland for cash

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...reliever-eury-de-la-rosa-arizona-diamondbacks

 

[overseascardfan]

Eury De La Rosa Traded to Oakland for cash

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...reliever-eury-de-la-rosa-arizona-diamondbacks

A solid, young LH reliever traded for cash. Why? It's not like his salary was breaking the bank.

What is ARZ doing trading young, cheap talent for nothing?

 

[don7031]

Let's add some salt to the Eury De La Rosa give away. The A's then traded All Star catcher Derek Norris to the Padres for a couple unproven young pitchers.

 

[Dback Jon]

Let's add some salt to the Eury De La Rosa give away. The A's then traded All Star catcher Derek Norris to the Padres for a couple unproven young pitchers.

Damn

 

[WildBB]

I hope they intend to sign Scherzer or Sheilds otherwise it was a bone headed move not getting Norris at least.

 

[overseascardfan]

I hope they intend to sign Scherzer or Sheilds otherwise it was a bone headed move not getting Norris at least.

I think ARZ is done, Shields is really the only possible option and even he is a long shot as SF is really interested. So much for the analytics guy, these trade look KT-ish.

 

[Ronin]

Cliff Pennington avoids arbitration, agrees to $3.275 million deal with D’Backs

- See more at: http://www.prosportsdaily.com/artic...-with-dbacks-335378.html#sthash.oGQ2LJvn.dpuf

 

[FArting]

Dbacks sign Nick Punto to minor league deal.

 

[TJ]

Dbacks sign Nick Punto to minor league deal.

Interesting personal note re: Punto--his dad, Lou, was my boss for a brief period of time 10 years ago. He used to talk about his son all of the time and show us highlight clips on the Internet.

 

[overseascardfan]

What we see is what we get in terms of the 2015 roster. According to AZ Republic yesterday Stewart said they are no longer pursuing any trades for C's because the price is too high and that they are willing to give up offensive production from that position as they feel other positions will carry the offense. Well given the crap TLR was talking about competing next year and not having the type of year last year going forward I won't be watching this team until they bring in talent to make me want to watch. I know die hard fans will say I should support them no matter what but I compare it to paying money for an inferior product. The reason ARZ will never have the fan base of a NY or BOS or LAD is because they don't have the management that will do what it takes to build a team that will win on a consistent basis. These sub .500 years aren't going to bring in the fans. I know fair weather fans get criticized but no one wants to pay to watch losing teams, unless you are a Cub fan. Look at the Heat, home games were sold out the last 3 years because they brought in the talent and built a winner. They lose Lebron and the fans with him, moral of the story ARZ needs to bring in talent which they did not do this offseason because they were too focused on cutting salary.

 

[BC867]

What we see is what we get in terms of the 2015 roster. According to AZ Republic yesterday Stewart said they are no longer pursuing any trades for C's because the price is too high and that they are willing to give up offensive production from that position as they feel other positions will carry the offense. Well given the crap TLR was talking about competing next year and not having the type of year last year going forward I won't be watching this team until they bring in talent to make me want to watch.

I can live with the D-backs having a starting Catcher batting 8th, as long as he is good defensively and in throwing out runners, handling Pitchers and calling pitches. Especially now that our classic #8 hitter, Didi, is gone. I posted this opinion recently.

Did it help the D-backs pretending for the last few seasons that our Catcher was a cleanup hitter? It didn't help the team and it certainly didn't help Miggy.

Their have been many successful teams whose Catcher was a #8 hitter as long as he did the rest needed from his position.

 

[Ronin]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 43s44 seconds ago

Sources: #DBacks in mix for Shields, a strong indication that his market is not at $100M; AZ is not willing to spend for him at that level.

 

[Ronin]

azcentral sports ‏@azcsports 1m1 minute ago

Diamondbacks agree to terms with Cuban pitcher Yoan Lopez. Deal includes $8.27 million signing bonus.

 

[Dback Jon]

azcentral sports ‏@azcsports 1m1 minute ago

Have not heard of him.

 

[Ronin]

Have not heard of him.

Neither have I. At first I thought the article said Moncada but that turned out to be false hope.

 

[Dback Jon]

From a Yankee pre-signing perspective

http://www.pinstripealley.com/yanke...-Yoan-Lopez-Yankees-international-free-agents

Lopez is 21 and comes fully loaded with a fastball that sits in the mid-90's and can reach triple digits. Unlike the other Yoan, he's been cleared to sign with a pro team by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (which contrary to popular belief does not exist solely for the purpose of ushering Cuban baseball players into the majors). Add to all that good stuff the fact that the Yankees have already neutron bombed their international spending pool allotment for this year - they won't be allowed to sign pool-eligible players like these for two years beginning in May - and doing everything humanly possible to land the two Yoans seems like an absolute no-brainer.

 

[Dback Jon]

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/103645646/yoan-moncada-yoan-lopez-lead-cluster-of-cuban-prospects

Moncada, Lopez lead cluster of Cuban prospects

Several teams buzzing about shortstop, right-hander at Winter Meetings




Switch-hitting middle infielder Yoan Moncada, 19, and right-handed pitcher Yoan Lopez, 21, are among the players generating the most buzz in international circles this week. Both are expected to sign with a team sometime next year.



The Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, D-backs and Braves are among the several teams that have scouted the latest group of Cuban players on the scene.


Lopez, 21, held a showcase for scouts in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 8 and has begun private workouts for teams. Sources indicate the Yankees, Dodgers, and D-backs are among the teams that have already expressed interest in the 6-foot-4, 190-pound pitcher.

Lopez, who established residency in Haiti and has been declared a free agent by Major League Baseball, must still be cleared by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury before he can sign with a team. Moncada, 19, is also awaiting OFAC clearance before he can sign.

Lopez throws a cut-fastball, a change, a curve and a slider, but he is best known for a fastball that hovers in the 93-to-95 mph range. His fastball has been clocked at 100 mph three times since he began working out for teams. Back in Cuba, Lopez played three seasons for Isla de la Juventud in Cuba's Serie Nacional, the island's top league. He sported a 3.12 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 11 walks in 49 innings in his final season before defecting from Cuba.

 

[Matt L]

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/103645646/yoan-moncada-yoan-lopez-lead-cluster-of-cuban-prospects

Moncada, Lopez lead cluster of Cuban prospects

Several teams buzzing about shortstop, right-hander at Winter Meetings




Switch-hitting middle infielder Yoan Moncada, 19, and right-handed pitcher Yoan Lopez, 21, are among the players generating the most buzz in international circles this week. Both are expected to sign with a team sometime next year.



The Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, D-backs and Braves are among the several teams that have scouted the latest group of Cuban players on the scene.


Lopez, 21, held a showcase for scouts in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 8 and has begun private workouts for teams. Sources indicate the Yankees, Dodgers, and D-backs are among the teams that have already expressed interest in the 6-foot-4, 190-pound pitcher.

Lopez, who established residency in Haiti and has been declared a free agent by Major League Baseball, must still be cleared by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury before he can sign with a team. Moncada, 19, is also awaiting OFAC clearance before he can sign.

Lopez throws a cut-fastball, a change, a curve and a slider, but he is best known for a fastball that hovers in the 93-to-95 mph range. His fastball has been clocked at 100 mph three times since he began working out for teams. Back in Cuba, Lopez played three seasons for Isla de la Juventud in Cuba's Serie Nacional, the island's top league. He sported a 3.12 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 11 walks in 49 innings in his final season before defecting from Cuba.

Does this make him a reliever? I like that they are spending a little bit more on international free agents. I think it is a good idea and will only help the farm system.

 

[overseascardfan]

Does this make him a reliever? I like that they are spending a little bit more on international free agents. I think it is a good idea and will only help the farm system.

Not sure but I think Cuban seasons are not as long as MLB seasons. You have to think he is a starter to garner that much interest and get that kind of signing bonus.

 

[FArting]

Dbacks not going to pursue Shields has come to an end.

http://www.foxsports.com/arizona/story/dave-stewart-diamondbacks-out-of-james-shields-pursuit-012215