ARZ Offseason Thread

[overseascardfan]

Well the 2016 MLB Free Agency period has begun and time to speculate on what ARZ does to improve next season.

A lot of QO's were handed out, there are a couple of guys on ARZ's radar that are now tied to draft pick compensation: RHP Jordan Zimmerman, RHP Jeff Samardjia & RHP John Lackey

So what should ARZ do?

I think they should go after Johnny Cueto. Rumor is he is going to return to the NL after he didn't do so well prior to the playoffs with KC. Someone made a good point that going after Leake would makes no sense with a similar type of SP (De La Rosa) on the roster. Jordan Zimmerman would be tempting but it would cost ARZ the 13th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, which may be worth it.

Stewart mentioned in AZ Republic that he is at the Winter Meetings but doesn't expect much to happen on the trade front (at least not now) since he feels ARZ has done a lot of work to get its current depth and doesn't feel like making moves to deplete it.

ARZ doesn't really need a position player as the lineup seems to be set. Maybe an offensive upgrade at SS or 2B but I think Drury takes the 2B job and whomever doesn't win the SS job could be trade bait (Owings).

I would look at Cueto and maybe Kazmir and focus on building a strong bullpen with some FA's or maybe trade for a Craig Kimbrel whom I'm sure SD would love to deal.

There are plenty of trade candidates such as CLE's Danny Salazar and possibly OAK's ace Sonny Gray but OAK will ask for a king's ransom for him.

Should be an interesting offseason.

 

[DWKB]

Team payroll will only go up around $10M. I'd temper expectations of a FA splash unless we get rid of some players.

 

[Phrazbit]

Team payroll will only go up around $10M. I'd temper expectations of a FA splash unless we get rid of some players.

I don't know about that, they did a lot of house cleaning the last year and a half. We have very little salary commitments right now. As it stands right now we're locked into 33 million in salary, but that does not include any arbitration players. Even if you project a big number there, say another 30 million, that puts us at about 60 mil. We started last year at 91 million, over 100 million the year before.

I think they'll add at least another 20 million to that figure.

 

[DWKB]

I don't know about that, they did a lot of house cleaning the last year and a half. We have very little salary commitments right now. As it stands right now we're locked into 33 million in salary, but that does not include any arbitration players. Even if you project a big number there, say another 30 million, that puts us at about 60 mil. We started last year at 91 million, over 100 million the year before.

I think they'll add at least another 20 million to that figure.

Pretty sure they've already stated it will be around $100M. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[overseascardfan]

Team payroll will only go up around $10M. I'd temper expectations of a FA splash unless we get rid of some players.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/arizona-diamondbacks

With Hill's salary ($12M) ARZ is sitting at $58M in salary commitments for 2016 without factoring arbitration players. Say they want to keep payroll at $100 - $110M that is a nice chunk of change. The only person I would offer arbitration to is Castillo, I would release the rest, including Hellickson. It would be nice to rid themselves of Hill's salary but not at the expense of jettisoning another prospect to accommodate a trade.

 

[Phrazbit]

Pretty sure they've already stated it will be around $100M. I'll see if I can find it.

Well, if its up to 100 million then I'd suspect that will be nearly 40 million dollars in free agent signings, double what I figured. I should have clairified that my add "at least 20 million" was to what I estimate their payroll will be up to after arbitration, ect, which, even projecting it towards the high end should be about 60-65 mil. If they're going from there to 100 million then that is room for a major free agent splash, maybe 2.

 

[GatorAZ]

Dump Tomas.

 

[Dback Jon]

Dump Tomas.

Giving up on him after one year in the US/Pro-baseball?

 

[GatorAZ]

Giving up on him after one year in the US/Pro-baseball?

Yeah. Before his contract escalates and becomes untradable.

 

[Matt L]

Yeah. Before his contract escalates and becomes untradable.

I wouldn't dump him but I wouldn't be opposed to moving him for a decent starting pitcher. Aaron Hill on the other hand, I would have dumped him before the trade deadline.

 

[overseascardfan]

I wouldn't dump him but I wouldn't be opposed to moving him for a decent starting pitcher. Aaron Hill on the other hand, I would have dumped him before the trade deadline.

I wonder if ARZ tried to deal Hill to ATL with Touissant. At least Cahill would have been off the books this year. I'm sure ATL would have said no or asked for a better prospect. The worst part about Cahill is there is no buy option so ARZ is on the hook for the whole $12M.

Side note, ARZ pulled off a trade yesterday for some back up C/OF for 1B prospect Daniel Palka. Don't really get the point, you give up a prospect who doesn't count against a roster spot or the big league payroll for a back up who probably won't play and is on a big league contract?

 

[Matt L]

I wonder if ARZ tried to deal Hill to ATL with Touissant. At least Cahill would have been off the books this year. I'm sure ATL would have said no or asked for a better prospect. The worst part about Cahill is there is no buy option so ARZ is on the hook for the whole $12M.

Side note, ARZ pulled off a trade yesterday for some back up C/OF for 1B prospect Daniel Palka. Don't really get the point, you give up a prospect who doesn't count against a roster spot or the big league payroll for a back up who probably won't play and is on a big league contract?

They must want to use him as a cost-controlled backup catcher.

 

[GatorAZ]

They were taking about a Pollock for Harvey swap since they're not re-signing Cespedes. No thanks. Either come with the young guns under team control or adios.

 

[overseascardfan]

They were taking about a Pollock for Harvey swap since they're not re-signing Cespedes. No thanks. Either come with the young guns under team control or adios.

Yeah, stay away from the Boras headaches. I would trade Pollock for Sonny Gray but OAK's new GM said he's not on the market. But Gray is the type of SP ARZ should be after.

 

[overseascardfan]

So not how credible Venom Strikes website is but there are some rumors about possible ARZ FA & trade targets. We all heard about Zimmerman & Leake but rumor has it ARZ is also interested in Gallardo & Kenta Maeda in FA. On the trade side ARZ has supposedly inquired about Andrew Miller and more interestingly a rumored trade possibility with CIN where ARZ would move Hill's deal for Brandon Phillips. Phillips is the much better player but he has a couple years left on his big contract and CIN wants payroll relief with Hill's expiring deal. ARZ would probably have to give a prospect in the deal but Phillips would have to waive his no trade clause which he may not be willing to do as he has spent his entire career in CIN.

 

[unseenaz]

So not how credible Venom Strikes website is but there are some rumors about possible ARZ FA & trade targets. We all heard about Zimmerman & Leake but rumor has it ARZ is also interested in Gallardo & Kenta Maeda in FA. On the trade side ARZ has supposedly inquired about Andrew Miller and more interestingly a rumored trade possibility with CIN where ARZ would move Hill's deal for Brandon Phillips. Phillips is the much better player but he has a couple years left on his big contract and CIN wants payroll relief with Hill's expiring deal. ARZ would probably have to give a prospect in the deal but Phillips would have to waive his no trade clause which he may not be willing to do as he has spent his entire career in CIN.

I've read all these rumors on other sites as well. Aside from Maeda. Didn't we use our international signing money last year?

 

[overseascardfan]

I've read all these rumors on other sites as well. Aside from Maeda. Didn't we use our international signing money last year?

http://arizonasports.com/story/447139/report-d-backs-interested-in-japanese-p-kenta-maeda/

I'm not sure Maeda is classified as a FA that counts under international pool money. His Japanese team has to post him, so ARZ along with other teams need to bid on his negotiation rights and the money that is bid will be WAY more than teams spend in international pool money. Also, there are teams that probably don't have international pool money but will be bidding on Maeda's services.

If ARZ is willing to pay the $20M release fee plus the cost of a contract, I figure Price or especially Cueto could be an option. ARZ needs an ace, Maeda is younger that both Price & Cueto but its hard to project how he will fair against MLB hitters on a yearly basis rather than international competition.

 

[Matt L]

I wouldn't mind them taking a chance on Maeda. I don't care much for the Brandon Phillips trade and I definitely wouldn't want to trade a prospect and aaron hill for Phillips. I am not a Gallardo fan...

I wouldn't mind signing Jeff Smardzija

 

[GatorAZ]

Hellickson traded to Philly.

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[Lefty]

Hellickson traded to Philly.

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Glad some team took that contract. Maybe they are going to go after Price.

 

[overseascardfan]

Glad some team took that contract. Maybe they are going to go after Price.

I'm thinking they are going after Cueto or Maeda but Price would be ideal.

 

[Matt L]

Glad Hellickson is out. Gotta move Hill and then we really could make a play for Cueto or Price.

 

[overseascardfan]

Glad Hellickson is out. Gotta move Hill and then we really could make a play for Cueto or Price.

Three ways this happens:
1. ARZ kicks in some cash in a deal.
2. ARZ parts with a good minor league prospect (most likely scenario).
3. ARZ takes on a large contract in exchange (Brandon Phillips rumor).

I don't get why ARZ did not include a buyout in his current deal, the $12M is fully guaranteed.

 

[Matt L]

Three ways this happens:
1. ARZ kicks in some cash in a deal.
2. ARZ parts with a good minor league prospect (most likely scenario).
3. ARZ takes on a large contract in exchange (Brandon Phillips rumor).

I don't get why ARZ did not include a buyout in his current deal, the $12M is fully guaranteed.

1. I would be okay with this (it's not my money and maybe they will learn a lesson about overpaying older players...)
2. This would be a bad idea unless we are actually getting a good player in return
3. I really would not want to trade Hill for Phillips unless we are getting something back for taking on the additional salary (1 more year)

 

[overseascardfan]

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/p...llock-from-the-diamondbacks-for-shelby-miller


ARZ inquired about Shelby Miller but talks ended when Pollock was brought up. Maybe Teheran could be had for less.