Kolek planning to go pro
The Yankee's new ace has cut his hair and shaved.
Brewers are apparently close to signing Justin Smoak. Not sure where he fits exactly. He was good a couple of years ago, maybe he is just a lightning in a bottle signing.
There's your lefty platoon at first with Braun. Goodbye Eric Thames.
You've gotta be right, but Braun hits RHP better than Smoak.
To be fair, almost everyone hits RHP better than Justin Smoak. If they Brewers can use the $25M off the books to sign Donaldson, the line-up will look A LOT better than it does now.Cain - CFYelich - RFHiura - 2bSmoak/Braun - 1bGarcia/Braun - LFNarvaez - CUrias - 3bArcia - SS
You've gotta be right, but Braun hits RHP better than Smoak. Maybe a platoon with Braun/Avi depending on matchup and Braun floats between LF and 1B.
Smoak is a switch hitter, btw.
Its worth noting that the thing that Stearns' signings this offseason seem to have in common are (for this environment) low strikeout rates. None of Avi, Smoak, Sogard, or even Healy for his low OBP come with huge strikeout percentages. Looks like Stearns is betting on a return of the old baseball and a regression to more typical power numbers. If HRs drop, relying totally on three true outcomes is a less successful stragtegy. If power is down in 2020, the way Stearns is constructing this lineup might look genius. It will be an interesting moneyball type season in MKE.
White Sox sign Gio Gonzalez.Terms not yet released.Good if this is as a #4/5 starter. Nothing more than that, I hope.
Can't verify, but I heard 1 year, 5 million. So reasonable. Hope this isn't all there is, though.
Pretty sure eye kan pitch 5 innin's and throw a 81 mph fastball two.
Tigers pick up Cron and Schoop. I see both as stop gaps, but they have got to hit better than what Detroit had last year. Maybe the Tigers get to 50 wins.
Sox get Keuchel for 3 years; option for 4th.