MLB 2014-15 Off-Season News

[HavanaMatt]

The White Sox have been quietly putting together a good team this winter. I'm not saying it will happen, and I doubt very much that it will, but a Windy City Series isn't impossible this year.

It would be totally insane in Chicago if that happened, and it would be fun to see that in my lifetime.

[Air M'Ville Cap'n]

But that would come at the expense of the Cardinals!

[sirgumby77]

The White Sox have been quietly putting together a good team this winter. I'm not saying it will happen, and I doubt very much that it will, but a Windy City Series isn't impossible this year.

This would be cool, but the body count would be astronomical. Many white sox fans getting out of the concrete jungle at 26th & California would go ape shit when their team loses.

[HavanaMatt]

Royals sign P Ryan Madson
Ryan Madison, formerly of the Phillies has signed a minor league deal with KC
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White Sox sign Emilio Bonifacio
Chi Sox have signed Bonifacio to a 1-yr, $ 3 mil deal with option for 2016
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Phillies sign P Aaron Harang
Harang signs for 1-yr and $ 5 mil
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Reds acquire OF Marlon Byrd from Phillies
CIN acquires Byrd for a minor league prospect
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Cubs sign Chris Denorfia
Cubbies sign Denorfia for 1-yr
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Rays sign INF Asdrubal Cabrera
TB gets Cabrera for 1-yr, $ 8 mil
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[HavanaMatt]

Breaking : A's acquire Ben Zobrist & Yunel Escobar from Rays

The Rays have announced that they’ve traded Ben Zobrist and SS Yunel Escobar to the Athletics for
C/DH John Jaso, SS prospect Daniel Robertson, and OF prospect Boog Powell. The Rays also announced
that they would receive cash considerations, which Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets amount to about
$1MM.

It will be a 2nd stint in TB for Jaso, as he was a Ray during the 2010-11 seasons.
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A's deal again - acquire P Tyler Clippard from Nationals

OAK has acquired P Tyler Clippard from the Nats for SS Yunel Escobar pending physicals.

[HavanaMatt]

Astros acquire C Evan Gattis from Braves

The Astros have added more right-handed power to their lineup, acquiring C/OF Evan Gattis and minor
league right-hander James Hoyt from the Braves, the teams announced. In return, Atlanta will acquire
a trio of prospects: right-handers Michael Foltynewicz and Andrew Thurman as well as 3B Rio Ruiz.
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Cubs acquire OF Dexter Fowler from Astros

The Cubbies acquired Fowler from HOU for INF Luis Valbuena and P Dan Straily
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Giants sign OF Nori Aoki

Nori Aoki and SF have agreed on a 1-yr deal with an option for 2016, as reported by John Shea of the San
Francisco Chronicle. In the club’s announcement, the option was described as a club option that can vest
into a mutual option.

[HavanaMatt]

Breaking : Nationals to sign P Max Scherzer to a 7-yr deal

The Nats have agreed to sign Max Scherzer to a 7-yr deal, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets. The contract
will carry through 2021, which will be Scherzer’s age-36 season.

Scherzer will receive $210MM for 7 years of work, but the contract has an unusual structure, with Scherzer
receiving $15MM per season for the next 14 years, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. That means the Nats
will be paying Scherzer through 2028.

[Air M'Ville Cap'n]

That's a pricey deal. Once again I'm glad the Cards didn't spend that kind of cash on him.

[Coolbreeze2444]

It's kinda weird, though. They signed Scherzer to a ginormous deal and now their listening to offers for Zimmermann or Strasburg. If they are going to get rid of one of them, why did they sign Scherzer? They are top-shelf pitchers and work a heck of a lot more cheaply than Scherzer.

[JeffASaul]

That's a pricey deal. Once again I'm glad the Cards didn't spend that kind of cash on him.

Same here for the Yankees.

Talk about mortgaging your future though... He will count as $15MM against the cap for SEVEN years after this contract ends, assuming he even finishes the contract.