Not sure I grasp this from San Diego's point of view. They must really be off LeBlanc to give up on an arm for a redundant backup catcher.

Not sure I grasp this from San Diego's point of view. They must really be off LeBlanc to give up on an arm for a redundant backup catcher.

Baker almost certainly would have been non-tendered too.

Wasn't Wade LeBlanc one of Tampa's big pitching prospects a few years ago? or am I thinking of someone else?

Well, LeBlanc does have a career 81 ERA+ so you couldn't blame them being off him. I'm also guessing he's out of options. I'm also not sure there's such a thing as a redundant backup C, at least as long as one of them can be stashed in the minors. Also Baker is under-sold in that excerpt. Before the injury, he had 570 PA of 106 OPS+ as a C. He might never do that again but if he's healthy and given he's LHB (to Hundley's RHB), he's a very nice backup and can probably grab some time at 1B and DH too.

Wasn't Wade LeBlanc one of Tampa's big pitching prospects a few years ago?

He's been in the Padres organization since he was drafted. Was even a semi-featured character in The Bullpen Gospels.

Wasn't Wade LeBlanc one of Tampa's big pitching prospects a few years ago? or am I thinking of someone else?

Wade Townsend perhaps? He was a Rays first round pick, got hurt and busted and is now retired.

Wade Davis was one of Tampa's big prospects. Now he's a very mediocre pitcher.

Sizemore signs with Cleveland too (I'll treat this as the random transaction thread)

One year, 5 mil with 4 mil in incentives.

Pirates signed Clint Barmes - I don't remember that being mentioned.

Phillies AAAA pitcher extraordinaire Drew Carpenter was waived in September, and now has been waived again by the Padres and picked up by the Blue Jays. He's still only 236.

Wade Davis, that was it. Thanks JJ1986.

Phillies AAAA pitcher extraordinaire Drew Carpenter was waived in September, and now has been waived again by the Padres and picked up by the Blue Jays. He's still only 236.

While that is younger than Arthur Rhodes, that is a bit old.

Did LeBlanc have a pseudonym in The Bullpen Gospels? Was there ever a thread to attempt to find some of the real names in the book? I realize he used composites for some, but maybe you could figure out some of the parts.

LeBlanc is a good example of the importance of park adjustments.

Slow news day, eh?

Surprised Sizemore didn't get more than that, thought the Mets would be in on it and send Pagan packing...

I expected the Mariners to make Sizemore an offer, too.

Did LeBlanc have a pseudonym in The Bullpen Gospels? Was there ever a thread to attempt to find some of the real names in the book?

LeBlanc was "Frenchy". There's a scene in the team bus where a hotshot rookie is mouthing off and, IIRC, refusing to give up his seat. That's (allegedly) Matt Bush.

Surprised Sizemore didn't get more than that

Really? Looks like a gift, at least on the guaranteed side.

The old Sizemore seems long gone. The last two injury-plagued years amount to 435 PA of an 83 OPS+ and negative WAR. The good defense appears gone (he might still be average). Even if you take the last 3 years, which seems a silly thing to do given the injuries, it's just a 98 OPS+ and 2.4 WAR in 950 PA. I can see him maybe getting more in incentives but he's got to get himself to 1 WAR to justify the $5 M and, to get there, he's probably going to trigger whatever the playing time incentives are and you end up paying him $9 M.

It's not the worst gamble in the world but he's more Kosuke Fukudome these days than he is GRADY SIZEMORE -- which is unfortunate.