MLB Hot Stove 2012-2013

[BSN07]

The Nationals announced that they acquired center fielder Denard Span from the Twins for minor league right-hander Alex Meyer. The Twins have confirmed the deal.

Good deal for the Nats. They get their CF, Harper moves to a COF spot and they either trade Morse or move him to 1B.

On the Twins side they have depth in the OF coming up, 2 top 100 prospects if I remember correctly. But the lack Impact pitching. Meyer is young and only in A ball but he a very nice prospect to get back in the deal and really what the Twins needed.

[a700hitter]

Angels Acquire Tommy Hanson For Jordan Walden
By Mike Axisa [November 30, 2012 at 11:48am CST]

The Angels have acquired Tommy Hanson from the Braves, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Atlanta will receive Jordan Walden in the one-for-one trade, MLBTR has learned.

Hanson, 26, pitched to a 4.48 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 174 2/3 innings this year. The right-hander missed time with shoulder tendinitis last season, and his fastball velocity has been trending in the wrong direction as well. Hanson is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, and Matt Swartz projects a $4MM salary. He will remain under team control through 2015.

Walden, 25, pitched to 3.46 ERA with 11.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 39 innings this year while missing time with a biceps strain. He was an All-Star as a rookie just last season, when he posted a 2.98 ERA with 34 saves in 60 1/3 innings. Walden is under team control through 2016. Earlier this week we heard that he was "very available" after the Angels signed Ryan Madson.
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/1...I8qZojYGgcO.99

[BSN07]

a SP for RP straight trade? I would have thought Hanson could have brought back more. Odd move IMO.

[Palodios]

Originally Posted by BSN07

a SP for RP straight trade? I would have thought Hanson could have brought back more. Odd move IMO.

Maybe there are unaccounted for health issues? Three arbitration years of Hanson, and I would have given up a very nice package, personally. Wonder if the Red Sox were in on him?

[BSN07]

Originally Posted by Palodios

Maybe there are unaccounted for health issues? Three arbitration years of Hanson, and I would have given up a very nice package, personally. Wonder if the Red Sox were in on him?

From what I read Hanson's shoulder is a worry.

And when it comes to the Braves and trading pitching I'm always weary. That's an organization that knows pitching. A wise man once said "beware of Braves bearing gifts"

[jacksonianmarch]

Hanson's shoulder is a worry. He's missed time and lost some velocity

[a700hitter]

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

Hanson's shoulder is a worry. He's missed time and lost some velocity

It is a good gamble by the Angels. Walden is just a hard chucking bullpen guy with no command. Trading bullpen guys usually nets you nothing more than a PTBNL.

[Behindenemylines]

Walden throws hard and is added to a deep Braves bullpen. Hanson health is in question, and now the Braves strong bullpen shortens the game. I never question the Braves when it comes to pitching.

[a700hitter]

Rays Acquire Yunel Escobar
By Tim Dierkes [December 4 at 10:05pm CST]

The Rays have acquired a new shortstop, getting Yunel Escobar from the Marlins for middle infield prospect Derek Dietrich today, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Escobar, a 30-year-old Cuban, hit .253/.300/.344 in 608 plate appearances for the Blue Jays this year. In September, he was suspended for three games by the Blue Jays after displaying an "unacceptable message" on his eye black. He was shipped to the Marlins as part of the November blockbuster, and the Rays appear to be buying low as they often do. Escobar is owed $5MM in 2013 and has $5MM club options for each of the following seasons, on a deal signed in June of 2011. His ability to play an acceptable shortstop generally makes him worth a couple of wins.

The Rays had a need at the position after using Elliot Johnson, Ben Zobrist, and Sean Rodriguez there in 2012. The Marlins prefer to use Adeiny Hechavarria as their shortstop after acquiring from Toronto in the same blockbuster deal. With the trade, Ricky Nolasco becomes the only Marlin earning more than $1.75MM in 2013.

Dietrich, 23, hit .279/.338/.457 in 563 plate appearances across High-A and Double-A this year, playing shortstop and second base. The Rays drafted him in the second round in 2010. Baseball America sees him as a second or third baseman long-term, and given above-average power, suggested prior to the season he had a chance at becoming an above-average big league regular.

This fills a need for the Rays.

[a700hitter]

Giants To Sign Marco Scutaro
By Tim Dierkes [December 4 at 10:22pm CST]

The Giants and second baseman Marco Scutaro are in agreement on a three-year, $20MM deal, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The World Champion Giants are keeping their team mostly intact, having reached an agreement to retain Angel Pagan yesterday.

[Palodios]

Congrats to our old friend Scutaro. Good to see a gritty, hardworking and selfless player get a great contract on a team that is happy to have him.

[BSN07]

The D-backs and Indians have discussed the framework of a deal centering around Cabrera and Trevor Bauer, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com reports. The sides have been talking about the deal for two weeks, but talks have picked up at the Winter Meetings. There's no indication that a deal is close to completion at this time, however.

7:25am: It wouldn't be the Winter Meetings without talk of potential blockbuster trades, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Rays, Rangers, Indians and Diamondbacks have discussed several combinations of three-, four- and even five-team trades.

That could get interesting.

[a700hitter]

Phillies Acquire Ben Revere
By Tim Dierkes [December 6 at 11:11am CST]

The Phillies acquired outfielder Ben Revere from the Twins, reports MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Starting pitcher Vance Worley is going to the Twins in the deal, tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. A good minor league pitching prospect is also headed to Minnesota in the trade, tweets Scott Miller of CBS Sports.

Revere, 24, hit .294/.333/.342 in 553 plate appearances for the Twins this year, stealing 40 bags in 49 tries. With just one year and 149 days of Major League service, Revere will not be arbitration eligible until 2014 at the earliest, and is under team control through 2017. He was a first-round pick of the Twins in 2007. He'd been penciled in to take over center field from Denard Span, who the Twins dealt to the Nationals less than a week ago.

Worley, 25, posted a 4.20 ERA, 7.2 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 0.81 HR/9, and 46% groundball rate in 133 innings this year for the Phillies. He battled a bone chip in his elbow for much of the season, which was removed in September surgery.

I think this is a good acquisition by the Twins.

[a700hitter]

Cubs To Sign Ian Stewart
By Zach Links [December 6 at 3:32pm CST]

The Cubs are set to re-sign third baseman Ian Stewart, sources tell Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (via Twitter). It's a one-year, $2MM deal for the Reynolds Sports Management client, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The deal also includes $500K of incentives.

The 27-year-old is said to be back to full health after playing with a broken bone in his wrist for the last two years. During that stretch, Stewart has had a .183/.272/.289 slash line with five home runs in 338 total plate appearances. Before the injury, Stewart owned a career .245/.332/.451 slash line in four seasons with the Rockies.

Theo got the dredge out for this move.

[a700hitter]

Diamondbacks To Sign Brandon McCarthy

Posted by Ben Nicholson-Smith on Friday Dec 7th at 4:25pm

The Diamondbacks have agreed to sign right-hander Brandon McCarthy, John Gambadoro of 620 KTAR in Phoenix*reports (on Twitter).*Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com confirmed that the LSW Baseball client has agreed to terms on a two-year deal pending a physical (all*Twitter links).*The deal is worth $15.5MM, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports (on Twitter). McCarthy missed time with a shoulder injury this past season, but the scariest moment of his season occured when he was hit in the head with a line drive in a game against the Angels on September 5th. The 29-year-old didn't pitch again and had to undergo surgery to treat a skull fracture.* When healthy, McCarthy pitched well, posting a 3.24 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 111 innings.*He ranked 32nd on MLBTR's list of*top 50 free agents. Arizona now has enviable pitching depth. McCarthy joins a rotation that includes Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill and Wade Miley. Trevor Bauer, Tyler Skaggs and Patrick Corbin represent high-upside options for the number five spot in manager Kirk Gibson’s starting rotation. The Diamondbacks are said to be considering trades involving their young arms as their search for a shortstop continues. Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Another pitcher comes off the board.