Interesting changes in MLB free agency rules

[YosemiteSam]

Alright, MLB free agency officially starts today.

One rule that changed is players with six years of major league experience no longer have to file for free agency. They are automatically free agents.

Another rule change, the old 15 days used to file for free agency; only the original team could negotiate with the player until after the free agent filing period had ended. That is no longer the case. All teams can negotiate with any free agent as of today.

Link to page discussing the changes.

On the Texas front, there seems to be some rumbling that Texas isn't just going to pursue Cliff. While I have no idea who they are looking at, they do appear to be looking to sign more than one free agent.

Who? Victor Martinez maybe? Especially if Bengie doesn't come back. I wouldn't mind seeing Joaquin Benoit back in a Rangers uni too. Especially if we lose Frank Francisco. I would love for the Rangers to examine the Zack Greinke trade avenue too. I would gladly trade Hunter and Harrison for him and maybe a little something extra if he was willing to come to Texas. Though he does seem to be a bit of a mental case.

I would love to have our starting rotation next season to be this:

1. Cliff Lee
2. Zack Greinke
3. CJ Wilson
4. Colby Lewis
5. Derek Holland

Have the bullpen look something like Neftali Feliz, Joaquin Benoit, Darren O'Day, Alexi Ogando, Darren Oliver, Mark Lowe, and Michael Kirkman.

 

[The Horned Frog]

Alright, MLB free agency officially starts today.

One rule that changed is players with six years of major league experience no longer have to file for free agency. They are automatically free agents.

Another rule change, the old 15 days used to file for free agency; only the original team could negotiate with the player until after the free agent filing period had ended. That is no longer the case. All teams can negotiate with any free agent as of today.

Link to page discussing the changes.

On the Texas front, there seems to be some rumbling that Texas isn't just going to pursue Cliff. While I have no idea who they are looking at, they do appear to be looking to sign more than one free agent.

Who? Victor Martinez maybe? Especially if Bengie doesn't come back. I wouldn't mind seeing Joaquin Benoit back in a Rangers uni too. Especially if we lose Frank Francisco. I would love for the Rangers to examine the Zack Greinke trade avenue too. I would gladly trade Hunter and Harrison for him and maybe a little something extra if he was willing to come to Texas. Though he does seem to be a bit of a mental case.

I would love to have our starting rotation next season to be this:

1. Cliff Lee
2. Zack Greinke
3. CJ Wilson
4. Colby Lewis
5. Derek Holland

Have the bullpen look something like Neftali Feliz, Joaquin Benoit, Darren O'Day, Alexi Ogando, Darren Oliver, Mark Lowe, and Michael Kirkman.

Greinke and Lee would give the Rangers quite a 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. Wouldn't surprise me to see them go after him.. Maybe Adam Dunn too? Or Carl Crawford?

Just speculating here on who they could take a look at.

 

[tko112204]

Hunter and Harrison for Greinke???

Does Daniels run the Royals too? That's the only way that is getting done.

Not to throw the Giants into this, but Keith Law said yesterday that the Royals would turn down:

GIANTS SEND: Jonathon Sanchez, Brandon Belt, Zach Wheeler, and Pablo Sandoval.

ROYALS SEND: Zach Greinke.

Not sure Harrison/Hunter gets it done if that doesn't.

 

[Stautner]

Hunter and Harrison for Greinke???

Does Daniels run the Royals too? That's the only way that is getting done.

Not to throw the Giants into this, but Keith Law said yesterday that the Royals would turn down:

GIANTS SEND: Jonathon Sanchez, Brandon Belt, Zach Wheeler, and Pablo Sandoval.

ROYALS SEND: Zach Greinke.

Not sure Harrison/Hunter gets it done if that doesn't.

I agree. That is too light for Grienke. Harrison is still an uncertainty, and while Hunter has proven to be a big league pitcher, he's no where near Greinke.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Hunter and Harrison for Greinke???

Does Daniels run the Royals too? That's the only way that is getting done.

Not to throw the Giants into this, but Keith Law said yesterday that the Royals would turn down:

GIANTS SEND: Jonathon Sanchez, Brandon Belt, Zach Wheeler, and Pablo Sandoval.

ROYALS SEND: Zach Greinke.

Not sure Harrison/Hunter gets it done if that doesn't.

I agree that Harrison and Hunter might not get Greinke, but only for the fact that he actually has two years left. I noted as much when I threw that out there. As for the Giants, I only know the names of Sanchez and Sandoval. I don't know really anything about Belt and Wheeler. Hunter and Harrison > Sanchez and Sandoval. Both Harrison and Hunter are young have great arms and both have starting MLB experience.

Sandoval showed potential as a hitter last year, but then it fell off like Chris Davis did. As soon as the pitchers figured him out, he wasn't the same hitter anymore. (shame for both him and Chris Davis)

I truly doubt the Royals trade him though. I think his value will be at it's highest at the trade deadline next season.

 

[tko112204]

I agree that Harrison and Hunter might not get Greinke, but only for the fact that he actually has two years left. I noted as much when I threw that out there. As for the Giants, I only know the names of Sanchez and Sandoval. I don't know really anything about Belt and Wheeler. Hunter and Harrison > Sanchez and Sandoval. Both Harrison and Hunter are young have great arms and both have starting MLB experience.

Sandoval showed potential as a hitter last year, but then it fell off like Chris Davis did. As soon as the pitchers figured him out, he wasn't the same hitter anymore. (shame for both him and Chris Davis)

I truly doubt the Royals trade him though. I think his value will be at it's highest at the trade deadline next season.

Zach Wheeler was the 8th pick in the 2009 draft. Seen as a potential no. 1 starter. And Brandon Belt will be somewhere in the top 10 of all prospect lists next year. They are our 2 highest prized prospects.

To the other point, there is not a GM in baseball that would rather have Hunter than Sanchez. Harrison is the wildcard. But if he becomes AS good as Sanchez, that will be an accomplishment. Don't let the ONLY time you saw JS fool you into thinking he's no good.

 

[tko112204]

And I think it would be foolish to trade Sandoval at this point. He was 8th in WAR in 2009 and like 1,784,243th this year. Makes no sense to trade him after that. He has zero value right now.

You could replace him with Bozo the Clown in that trade and it wouldn't make a difference.

 

[YosemiteSam]

To the other point, there is not a GM in baseball that would rather have Hunter than Sanchez.

You do realize that Hunter only played about half a season this year and was 13-4 and was undefeated at home. He was on pace for over a 20 win season if he had pitched an entire season.

He started 11 less games (22) than Sanchez (33) and yet had as many wins (13) and 5 less losses. (4) They had about the same WHIP, Sanchez had more SO, but Hunter had 1/3 as many walks. Sanchez pitched 193 innings and Hunter only pitched 128.

I wouldn't say *any* GM takes Sanches over Hunter. Of course, I'm thinking you don't even have a clue who Hunter was until the Rangers faced the Giants. It's common. Most people didn't know who CJ Wilson was either or Colby Lewis until the No-name Rangers got to the playoffs.

 

[tko112204]

You do realize that Hunter only played about half a season this year and was 13-4 and was undefeated at home. He was on pace for over a 20 win season if he had pitched an entire season.

He started 11 less games (22) than Sanchez (33) and yet had as many wins (13) and 5 less losses. (4) They had about the same WHIP, Sanchez had more SO, but Hunter had 1/3 as many walks. Sanchez pitched 193 innings and Hunter only pitched 128.

I wouldn't say *any* GM takes Sanches over Hunter. Of course, I'm thinking you don't even have a clue who Hunter was until the Rangers faced the Giants. It's common. Most people didn't know who CJ Wilson was either or Colby Lewis until the No-name Rangers got to the playoffs.

Wins....

 

[YosemiteSam]

Wins....

Losses.

 

[tko112204]

Sanchez ERA was 3/4 of a run lower, his K rate was 2x higher than Hunter's, his ERA+ was 17 runs higher, despite having more walks, his K/BB ratio was still better than Hunter's. His BAA was the lowest in MLB.

But you're right. Hunter had more wins. He's clearly better.

 

[tko112204]

Losses.

I know we're in the middle of an argument here, but you do realize that wins and losses have less than nothing to do with evaluating a pitcher, right?

 

[Temo]

I agree that Harrison and Hunter might not get Greinke, but only for the fact that he actually has two years left. I noted as much when I threw that out there. As for the Giants, I only know the names of Sanchez and Sandoval. I don't know really anything about Belt and Wheeler. Hunter and Harrison > Sanchez and Sandoval. Both Harrison and Hunter are young have great arms and both have starting MLB experience.

Sandoval showed potential as a hitter last year, but then it fell off like Chris Davis did. As soon as the pitchers figured him out, he wasn't the same hitter anymore. (shame for both him and Chris Davis)

I truly doubt the Royals trade him though. I think his value will be at it's highest at the trade deadline next season.

Speaking as a neutral observer, there's no way Harrison and Hunter are equal to Sanchez and Sandoval. They're not even equal to Sanchez alone.

Sanchez is a legit #2. Hunter has a ceiling of a #4, and if Harrison plays more for than a couple hundred more innings in the big leagues, I'd be surprised.