ATHLETICS / BLUE JAYS DEAL

Athletics Receive: Liam Hendriks
Blue Jays Receive: Jesse Chavez


Everyone on Twitter seemed to love this deal for the Athletics, which surprised me a bit. Let’s look.

In 2015 Hendriks was a strong play going 5-0 with a 2.92 ERA and 9.9 strikeouts per nine. The 26 year old reliever also saw his heater velocity go up about five mph as he moved from starting to the bullpen for the first time. The A’s can control the righty through the 2020 season. That’s all good. A pro since 2007, Hendriks did nothing for seven professional seasons. He never saw any success until the 2014 season. He carried that over to 2015 when his move to the bullpen seemed to change the outlook of his career. Still, there were some numbers to worry about amid the success last season: .322 BABIP, 24.8 LD-rate, 72.3 left on base percentage and 5.5 HR/F ratio. None of those four numbers suggest that the odds of a full repeat from 2015 are likely in 2016. He’s an AL-only option in fantasy leagues unless the A’s deem him worthy of 9th inning work which seems unlikely at the moment.

Chavez is thin, he’s 6’2” and about 165 lbs, and both of the last two seasons he’s slowed in the second half. Still, the last two seasons he’s gone 15-23 with a 3.83 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 8.1 K/9 and 2.80 K/BB. Nothing that stands out in any way, but solid work. The move to Toronto is not a good one for him though. He goes from one of the better parks in the AL to pitch in to one where the ball can fly. For a man with a 1.21 HR/9 mark, that’s not overly enticing. Will he start or relieve? Either way he’s only an AL-only play. Here is what the Jays rotation should look like: Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada, R.A. Dickey seem to be locks. It will then come down to Drew Hutchison, Aaron Sanchez, Roberto Osuna and Chavez for the final two spots.

BRAVES / TIGERS DEAL

Braves Receive: Ian Krol and Gabe Speier
Tigers Receive: Cameron Maybin

The Tigers originally drafted Cameron Maybin and a decade later he is back with the club (he was taken 10th overall in 2005). Maybin was solid last season for Atlanta as he finally stayed healthy and picked up more than 500 at-bats for the third time in nine years. He hit .267 with 10 homers, 59 RBIs and 23 steals while playing solid defense. Alas, his bat slowed tremendously in the second half as he hit .240 with just two homers after the All-Star break. Despite his talents, his 2015 effort is likely the best anyone should be expecting in 2016, especially if he hits near the bottom of the Tigers orders. His addition likely means the end of the Rajai Davis era in Detroit, and Maybin is to be paid $8 million this season with a $9 million team option next season with a $1 million buyout.

Krol is a 24 year old reliever who, isn’t very good. Through 110 big league outings he has a 4.91 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 2.00 K/BB ratio and a 1.20 GB/FB ratio. The lefty is just a guy.

Speier was added from Boston in the Yoenis Cespedes deal a year ago. He spent last season at Single-A with a 7.36 K/9 mark, 3.00 K/BB ratio over 44 innings. He’s yet to reach the legal drinking age.

ATHLETICS SIGN RICH HILL

The Athletics signed Rich Hill to a one year deal worth $6 million, and he will take over the roster spot of the departed Chavez who you read about above. Let’s talk Hill. In four starts in September Hill crushed it for the Red Sox going 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA and 36 strikeouts compared to five walks. He was spectacular. There is no chance he’s anywhere near that level of performance in 2016. In fact, he’ll be lucky to be a solid option in AL-only leagues. Hill turns 36 years old in March and last made five big league starts in a season in… 2009. That’s not a misprint. The 2009 season was also the last time the career journeyman threw 40-innings in a big league season. Wish him luck and throw that reserve round dart in league specific setups, but in mixed leagues… move along.

FERNANDEZ INNINGS LIMIT?

Jose Fernandez came back from Tommy John surgery last season throwing 64.2 successful innings (2.92 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 10.99 K/9). Recent reports hit that Fernandez might not be allowed to throw more than 180-innings, that he might even be limited to as few as 160-innings even, in 2016. Don’t forget that he is only 23 years old and his innings pitched marks the last three season are 172.2, 51.2 and 89.1 last season. No matter how many innings he throws Fernandez has stated that his agent, Scott Boras, will be involved in the talk about what the limit should be. ''I do not know what all this is all about, but Scott Boras will be there, because he's my agent,'' Fernandez said. ''I get to decide who is going to be on my phone calls. It's that simple.''

Remember this storyline on draft day 2016.

WILIN ROSARO A FREE AGENT

Wilin Rosario was designated for assignment late last week as the Rockies have decided to move on from the hitter. Can he play defense? No he can’t, and he really shouldn’t be catching much at all. Can he hit? Yes he can which makes this decision so odd. Over 447 career games he’s hit .273 with a .473 SLG. But here’s the real kicker. In his career against lefties his slash line is an insane .319/.356/.604. Yeah, he has a .960 OPS against lefties in 473 plate appearances. Oh yeah, he also has hit 32 homers in that time. How can the Rockies not find a spot for a hitter like that when a lefty is on the bump? There is no explanation that makes sense. None. Whomever gets him will get a lefty masher. It remains to be seen if Rosario will be able to convince his new team that he deserves to be on the field against righties. 

 

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