Day 108

Fresh Start_108: The Wild Winter Meetings

The universe works everything out for a reason. As I was closing my eyes to go to bed last night, my phone lights up my pitch black room and I see the Aroldis Chapman has signed a deal with the New York Yankees. The deal is worth $86 Million over 5 years, including a no-trade clause for the first 3 years, which also includes a clause that allows Chapman not to be traded to California. As you may already know, I didn’t want Chapman back because I thought Kenley Jansen was the best closer on the market. When I wrote that article, I didn’t take into account how valuable the first round draft pick was for the bombers. The first round pick is the 18^th overall pick in the draft, and this move signing Chapman is the right move.

Chapman wanted to come back to the Bronx, and was obviously willing to take less money to come back to the Yankees. Chapman wanted a 6-year contract for $100 Million or more. That deal didn’t happen and maybe that deal wasn’t even on the table from any team in the league. I thought when Chapman got traded to Chicago, that he would stay in Chicago after they would win the World Series. The Cubs might have taken a different approach after hearing how much money that Chapman wanted. The Cubs acted quickly and traded a cluttered outfield to get Kansas City Royals Closer Wade Davis for Jorge Solar. Davis will fill the closer role that was left by the Cuban Missile. Chicago can now focus on re-signing their leadoff hitter and starting centerfielder Dexter Fowler.

This move for the Yankees is following the block buster trade that the Red Sox made for Chris Sale. The Bo Sox did give up Yoan Moncada—the number one prospect for the Red Sox, which the Red Sox gave $31 Million just one year ago. Moncada was one of the first Cuban players that got a ton of attention last offseason. Moncada will be a great addition to a young infield that includes Todd Frazier, Tim Anderson, and Jose Abreu. This Chicago team under performed by the measures of everyone around the game. This deal works out for both teams and prompted the Yankees to fork over $86 Million to the fire baller in Chapman. Everything that the Yankees and Red Sox do is to combat each other to try to make the playoffs.

The Nationals loss Mark Melancon to the San Francisco Giants for $62 Million over 4 years. They trade for Adam Eaton to play centerfield and move Trea Turner to shortstop (his natural position). Eaton is a great centerfielder and it was a good move for Nationals except for what they gave up to get Eaton. The Nats gave up Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez which are two highly talented prospects in the Nationals system. Giolito is the number 3 prospect in all of baseball. This Eaton trade is the same kind of trade that the White Sox did just to get Eaton in the first place. Eaton was the best centerfielder in all of baseball, and will be a good addition to a playoff team in the Nats. For Washington, they still need to a closer so they don’t fall apart after trading for Eaton. This also brings the Andrew McCutchen to an end which I am happy about, because I don’t want to see Cutch outside of the Steel city.

This is one of the best times of year as a baseball fan, and with two days left in the Winter Meetings, there will be so much more to happen. The Winter Meetings are always crazy and this is only the beginning of the baseball offseason. I am happy with what the Yankees have done in the Winter Meetings, making Brian Cashmans’ 2016 even more impressive.

Sources:(mlb.com, espn.com, baseballreference.com, twitter.com/jonheyman)

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