The Giants made a couple of "dumpster dive" moves yesterday, which is probably about all we're going to get before the season starts. They signed RHP Bryan Morris and C Tim Fedorowicz to minor league deals with spring training invitations. Morris' deal is actually a conditional MLB contract calling for $1.25 M plus another $750 K in incentives if he makes the 25 man roster which seems likely if he is fully recovered from last season's back surgery.
Bryan Morris was a JC pitcher who caught some helium in the 2006 draft and the Dodgers selected him #26 overall. He missed the entire 2007 season with TJ surgery. He was traded to the Pirates after the 2008 season and did not make his MLB debut until 2012. He is a groundball machine, putting up solid numbers in 2013-2015 with the Pirates and Marlins: 18-12, 2.80, 215 IP, 3.77 BB/9, 6.40 K/9, 58.6 GB%. His pitching repertoire includes a sinking FB 93-95 MPH which he throws about 50% of the time, a Cutter at 88-90 MPH which he throws about 35% of the time and a slider at 82-85 MPH which he uses like a changeup about 15% of the time. He missed most of 2016 after undergoing back surgery. He is expected to be fully recovered by spring training.
Fedorowicz is a fringy backup catcher who has shuttled between AAA and the majors for several years. You may remember him as a backup C with the Dodgers for a couple of seasons. He gives the Giants some depth at C which they were sorely lacking since the trade of Andrew Susac last season.
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The Rangers Re-signed Carlos Gomez to a 1 year/$11.5 M contract. Gomez is coming off not 1, but 2 injury plagued seasons and $11.5 M seems to be the floor for any veteran player with a chance to be average.
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The Rays signed C Wilson Ramos to a 2 year contract, obviously knowing he will likely miss the first half of the 2017 season after tearing his UCL late in 2016. When healthy, Ramos is one of the better catchers in the game.
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Red Sox also signed 1B/DH Mitch Moreland to a 1 year $5.5 M contract which seems like a bargain for the Sox compared to what Gomez got from the Rangers.
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Wade Davis seems to be headed to the Cubs in a straight up trade for OF Jorge Soler. Davis is a frontline closer if fully healthy while Soler still has huge upside despite a sputtering start to his MLB career.
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This might be decision day for Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen.
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Nationals are believed to be not interested in trading for any other pitchers after losing out on Sale.
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KInda think the Giants are playing with a little fire if they enter the season (not now) with the OF as is....I do not mind giving Williamson a shot at the full time LF job.....but with Pence being injured the last two years, Span getting older and his aches and pains, I would like a decent MBL outfielder for insurance...I don't mean Gorkys Hernandez who I don't mind as a 5th OF/defensvie replacement, but somebody dependable and reliable for the 4th OF (I don't see Parker as that, and Slater/Duggar not likely ready yet).......Perhaps Nunez is that safety net--which would be more than fine...but that leaves 3B to Gillaspie who, despite late last year, is a bench player...with ARROYO needing mere time in the minors.....I'm not panicking, there's plenty of time, but I will also feel more comfortable if the Giants add one more reliable MLB OF bat---kinda like the Blanco of the last 4 years
ReplyDeleteSteveVA
Slater should be ready by mid-2017. There's no need for the Giants to pick anybody else up, especially cause they are over the luxury tax and will have to pay a 40% tax on anyone they get. Signing someone for 11 million has an actual cost of 15.5 million.
DeleteI expect the Giants to wait until the Hot Stove is down to the embers and then sign an OF or two to minor league deals with ST invites They've been very successful with that strategy in the past and I fully expect that to be their plan this time.
DeleteDid the Giants stay under the luxury tax with MM signing?
ReplyDeleteI hope they hang onto their spare change (if any) and see what they REALLY need AFTER the season starts!
The CW is the Giants are slightly over the luxury tax cap after signing Melancon.
DeleteGigantes & Mariners work another trade, send Chris Heston to Seattle for a player to be named later (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/giants-on-verge-of-trading-chris-heston.html#comments). Probably not to the scale of impact of Billy Swift for Kevin Mitchell or picking up Randy Winn, but at least they got something for Heston. And he gets a good ball park to pitch in, the dense marine layer wafting over Safeco Field, and an up-and-coming AL West team.
ReplyDeleteDtF!!!
NWGiantsFan
Given that so far in his career he has a K/9 just over 6 and a BB/9 over 3.5 for an fWAR of minus -1.6, I hope that Bryan Morris gets nowhere near the 25-man roster.
ReplyDeleteYou ignore his elite groundball rate. fWAR undervalues relievers and undervalues extreme GB pitchers.
Delete