CarterHud

             In a trio of signings, the Philadelphia Phillies have signed 1B Carlos Santana to a 3 year, $60 million deal, plus signed RHPs Pat Neshek and Tommy Hunter to two year deals.

             Santana, the second best 1B on the market (Eric Hosmer), can help the Phillies, and be their best vet. The former catcher is a really good player to add. Hunter and Neshek are good middle inning relievers at a cheap price.

             Santana, 31, had a .259 batting average, 23 homers and 79 RBIs in 667 Plate Appearances for the Cleveland Indians in 2017. In his MLB career, all in Cleveland, Santana has a .249 batting average, 174 homers, and 587 RBIs in 4782 Plate Appearances.

              Neshek, 37, had a 1.59 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 62.1 innings for the Phillies and Colorado Rockies last year. He represented the Phils in the all-star game. In his MLB career for the Phillies, Rockies, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins, Neshek has a 2.75 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 447 strikeouts in 445.2 innings.

               Hunter, 31, had a 2.61 ERA, .97 WHIP and 64 strikeouts in 58.2 innings for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017. In his MLB career for the Rays, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Indians and Chicago Cubs, Hunter has a 4.13 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 510 strikeouts in 769.1 innings.

             The Oakland Athletics have acquired OF Stephen Piscotty from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for INFs Yairo Munoz and Max Schrock.

              The A\’s need an outfielder. They were looking to get LF Khris Davis more DH time in 2018. Acquiring Piscotty lets them do so. He could bounce back from a rough 2017.

              Piscotty, 26, had a .235 batting average, nine homers, and 39 RBIs in 401 Plate Appearances last year. In his MLB career for the Cards, he has a batting average of .268, 38 homers and 163 RBIs in 1306 Plate Appearances.

             For the Cardinals, they didn\’t need Piscotty after acquiring Marcell Ozuna, plus they have Randall Grichuk and Tommy Pham, and rising prospect Harrison Bader. They sent him home to Oakland, where his mother Gretchen, who was diagnosed in May with ALS, lives. A\’s GM Billy Beane called the Cardinals \”one of the most classiest organizations in sports\” for trying to get Piscotty home.

              Munoz, 22, has a .267 batting average, 41 homers, 228 RBIs and 58 stolen bases in 1916 Plate Appearances in his MiLB career.

              Schrock, 23, has a batting average of .324, with 18 homers, 131 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in 1219 Plate Appearances in his minor league career.

              I think this is an even trade. The Athletics get something they need, plus the Cardinals get rid of an outfielder who wasn\’t needed, send him home to his sick mom, and get some prospects. 

               The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired OF Marcell Ozuna from the Miami Marlins in exchange for RHPs Sandy Alcantara and Zac Gallen, OF Magneuris Sierra, and LHP Daniel Castano.

                For the Cards, they acquired, Ozuna, who was an all-star in his break-out year, and he\’s still 27. They didn\’t give up any top prospects, which is always good.

                Ozuna, 27, hit .312, with 37 homers and 124 RBIs in 679 Plate Appearances for the Marlins in 2017. In his MLB career, Ozuna has a batting average of .277, with 96 homers and 361 RBIs in 2684 Plate Appearances.

                 The Marlins already traded Dee Gordon to Seattle and Giancarlo Stanton to the Yankees. The biggest prospect they got is probably Nick Neidert from the Mariners, or Alcantara. But, they got what they wanted…. I guess?

                  Alcantara, 22, made his MLB debut in 2017, with an ERA of 4.34, a 1.80 WHIP, plus 10 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.

                   Sierra, 21, also made his debut in 2017, with a .317 batting average, no homers, five RBIs and two steals in 64 Plate Appearances.

                    Gallen, 22, has a 2.86 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, plus 136 strikeouts in 157.1 innings in his minor league career.

                     Castano, 23, has a 3.82 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 115 strikeouts in 139 career minor league innings.

                      I think the Cardinals won this trade. They got an all-star, and didn\’t give up much.

            The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired 2B/3B Ryan Schimpf from the San Diego Padres for INF Deion Tansel.

            The Rays just acquired a nice power bat, but someone who struggles to keep his batting average over .200. He can play 2B and 3B, which is nice, since they could explore a Brad Miller trade, and Evan Longoria could be available.

             Schimpf, 29, hit .158 with 14 homers and 25 RBIs in 197 Plate Appearances in 2017. In his MLB career, all for the Padres, Schimpf has a batting average of .195, with 34 homers and 76 RBIs in 527 Plate Appearances. He has an outstanding ratio of a homer every 15.5 Plate Appearances in his short career.

              After recently acquiring Chase Headley, the Padres don\’t need Schimpf. Tansel isn\’t a major leaguer, but he\’s a fair return for Schimpf.

             Tansel, 23, has hit .280, with four homers, eight steals and 43 RBIs in 330 Plate Appearances in his minor league career.

           The San Diego Padres have acquired 3B Chase Headley and RHP Bryan Mitchell from the New York Yankees in exchange for OF Jabari Blash.

            As a young, developing team, the Padres can take in the $14 million left on Headley\’s deal. Headley can be a nice mentor for the young Padres. Mitchell can be a starter or a reliever, and is still a prospect. Blash wasn\’t even a starting OF for them. Headley was a longtime Padre, and had 115 RBIs for them in 2012.

            Headley, 33, hit .273 with 12 homers, 61 RBIs and nine steals in 586 Plate Appearances in 2017. In his MLB career for the Yankees and Padres, Headley has a batting average of .264, with 130 homers, 592 RBIs and 93 stolen bases in 5701 Plate Appearances.

            Mitchell, 26, had a 5.79 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 32.2 innings in 2017. In his MLB career, all for the Yankees, Mitchell has a 4.94 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 64 strikeouts in 98.1 innings.

            For the Yankees, they needed a salary dump, with the recent acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton and his monster contract. Dumping Headley works. Blash will probably never play for the Yankees. They should of asked for Ryan Schimpf, who was traded  to the Rays soon after.

            Blash, 28, hit .213 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 195 Plate Appearances in 2017. In his MLB career, all for the Padres, Blash has a batting average of .200, with eight homers and 21 RBIs in 279 Plate Appearances.

            I think this is an even trade. The Yanks get the much needed money, and the Padres get some skill. It\’s very even.