2K13: Rumor Thread

[Moonlight J]

In the trades we've talked with him, whether they've ended up happening or not, there hasn't been a word of them leaked.

One thing that surprised me coming in as an outsider is how many trades are discussed between teams but never consummated.

This is what always fascinated me -- how much gets done compared to how much is discussed.

The Myers thing with the Rays is about the first one I can remember where the Rays actually traded for & acquired guys that were discussed in rumors. Even in all of the rumors, Davis was never discussed.

[Ryno84MVP]

The full rumored deal is:
D'Arnaud, John Buck, Syndegaard, and a non-elite prospect
For
Dickey, Josh Thole and non-elite prospect

If R.A. Dickey agrees to a contract extension, he will be a Toronto Blue Jay. The Jays and New York Mets have an agreement in principle on a Dickey trade, but the deal is contingent on the right-hander signing an extension with Toronto, according to major-league sources. The two clubs opened a 72-hour negotiating window on Saturday, and the window expires at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, sources said.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/toronto-blue-jays-new-york-mets-ra-dickey-hot-stove-trade-121412

[TranaGreg]

virtually a done deal per Richard Griffin's Blue Jay blog ...

Sources are now saying that negotiations with Dickey have ended successfully at an affordable rate and that the next step before an announcement can be made is for Jays' medical staff to examine the righthander at their spring training headquarters in Florida.

http://thestar.blogs.com/baseball/

[Kevin Seitzer]

Wouldn't the absence of wind affect what the ball is able to do, at least somewhat? I know the Rays tended to have more success vs Wakefield when they faced him at The Trop compared to Fenway.

The wind probably makes some difference, but it should be minor, unless it's really, really gusty. The knuckleball movement is controlled by when and where the vortices shed off the ball in the wake behind the ball. That's controlled mostly by the speed and seam orientation as the ball turns very slowly on its way to the plate. For the wind to matter appreciably, it would need to be a significant fraction of the pitch speed. So yeah, 20 or 30 mph gusts are probably going to affect the knuckleball movement noticeably.

[schlesinj]

virtually a done deal per Richard Griffin's Blue Jay blog ...



http://thestar.blogs.com/baseball/

I wonder If Jimmy Johnson is endorsing the Dickey extezetion?

[BigJonEmpire]

Rosenthal says the Angels would prefer to trade Vernon Wells and Kendry Morales and move Trumbo to DH with Bourjos back in the outfield. They realize they would have to pay most of Wells salary.

[Moonlight J]

Dickey is a done deal--extended for 2 more years at 25 mil. He has an AAV of just $10M over the next 3 years

[james33]

One thing that surprised me coming in as an outsider is how many trades are discussed between teams but never consummated.

Interesting observation. I'm surprised there isn't more tactical leaking to pressure the other side. For example, let's say a team building for the future is talking to a major market team that just missed the playoffs last year about trading a stud starting pitcher to the major market team for a top prospect, but major market team is balking at trading, say, their 2nd best prospect.

I'd think tactically, the team building for the future would want to leak info. to the major newspaper of the major market team that the major market team has been offered Stud Starter for Prospect Joe. The average fan devalues prospects, so the public pressure might ramp up to complete the deal. Pressure ramps up, ownership listens, GM's hand is forced.

I suppose in the long run, the leaker would (no pun intended) piss everyone off by doing this, but I'm still surprised it doesn't happen more.

[Sharky]

Nobody is talking about it much (because he isn't a big star or prospect), but I bet Josh Thole was an important part of this deal. The Jays probably wanted someone who has proven he can catch a knuckleballer. And giving up a cost-controlled (albeit mediocre) catcher probably led to the Mets getting Syndergaard.

[virgonomic]

Nobody is talking about it much (because he isn't a big star or prospect), but I bet Josh Thole was an important part of this deal. The Jays probably wanted someone who has proven he can catch a knuckleballer. And giving up a cost-controlled (albeit mediocre) catcher probably led to the Mets getting Syndergaard.

So JPA (Arencibia) was right and he stays in TO. C is gonna be an average pit but at least he has some pop.

[cavebird]

The wind probably makes some difference, but it should be minor, unless it's really, really gusty. The knuckleball movement is controlled by when and where the vortices shed off the ball in the wake behind the ball. That's controlled mostly by the speed and seam orientation as the ball turns very slowly on its way to the plate. For the wind to matter appreciably, it would need to be a significant fraction of the pitch speed. So yeah, 20 or 30 mph gusts are probably going to affect the knuckleball movement noticeably.

This is interesting because someone on BP is presenting the opposite argument: that the standard conditions in a dome make it easier for a pitcher to control a knuckleball and therefore have better success. From a purely anecdotal point, I have seen Dickey pitch a couple of times in drizzly, wet conditions in Atlanta, and he got blasted both times. Although to temper that, the Braves also blasted Dickey once last year in good weather, so maybe they just can hit his knuckleball.

[Kevin Seitzer]

This is interesting because someone on BP is presenting the opposite argument: that the standard conditions in a dome make it easier for a pitcher to control a knuckleball and therefore have better success. From a purely anecdotal point, I have seen Dickey pitch a couple of times in drizzly, wet conditions in Atlanta, and he got blasted both times. Although to temper that, the Braves also blasted Dickey once last year in good weather, so maybe they just can hit his knuckleball.

I'm not saying that extremely windy conditions would be better for a knuckleballer. I'm saying that it seems plausible. Normal wind doesn't seem likely to have a noticeable effect on a knuckleball based upon what I know.

I would imagine that grip would be extremely important, so anything that effects grip, like humidity, or at the extreme, a wet ball, could matter.

[TranaGreg]

Interesting observation. I'm surprised there isn't more tactical leaking to pressure the other side. For example, let's say a team building for the future is talking to a major market team that just missed the playoffs last year about trading a stud starting pitcher to the major market team for a top prospect, but major market team is balking at trading, say, their 2nd best prospect.

I'd think tactically, the team building for the future would want to leak info. to the major newspaper of the major market team that the major market team has been offered Stud Starter for Prospect Joe. The average fan devalues prospects, so the public pressure might ramp up to complete the deal. Pressure ramps up, ownership listens, GM's hand is forced.

I suppose in the long run, the leaker would (no pun intended) piss everyone off by doing this, but I'm still surprised it doesn't happen more.

I think you captured it in the last line; to have any kind of career as a gm requires sustainable relationships and trust; pull that one or twice & you'd be tarred.

[Kevin Seitzer]

I think you captured it in the last line; to have any kind of career as a gm requires sustainable relationships and trust; pull that one or twice & you'd be tarred.

That's a big reason. Another reason is that you don't particularly want your own players to know that you were talking about trading them.

There are definitely times when media attention and rumors are a positive. But it's hard to do that and be "in control" of what gets out and how it gets received.

[virgonomic]

That's a big reason. Another reason is that you don't particularly want your own players to know that you were talking about trading them.

It can't have been fun being Travis D'Arnaud last weekend. Unless he wanted to be traded to the Mets, that is.