MLB Trade rumors and news for October 17th, 2016

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Rise and shine, baseball fans! Last night, the Dodgers tied the NLCS with a 1-0 game in Chicago. The game was tense and Kershaw retired the first 14 batters he faced. There were five hits the entire game, but when one of those is a solo shot from Adrian Gonzalez in the 2nd, that’s all you really need. The teams now travel to Los Angeles for the next two games.

Speaking of West Coast aces, the Giants have discussed signing Madison Bumgarner to a second extension, as one does.

“The Giants have discussed signing pitcher Madison Bumgarner to another contract extension, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Mercury News.

Though the Giants and Bumgarner already had discussions with regard to a new deal, it’s unclear whether those talks will progress this winter, according to Baggarly.”

After firing nearly everyone who couldn’t hide under their desk, the Diamondbacks have hired former Boston GM Mike Hazen as their new general manager and executive vice president.

“Hazen is expected to have full control over the Diamondbacks’ front office after serving as an assistant to Dombrowski, replacing fired general manager Dave Stewart in Phoenix. Arizona has stripped chief baseball officer Tony La Russa of decision-making power, overhauling a front office that has been largely ineffective for two seasons.”

Now that the qualifying offer for 2017 has been set for $17.2 million (chump change, imho), it’s time to keep a close eye on those who can receive one.

“With news that the qualifying offer will be climbing nearly nine percent to $17.2 million, the free agent landscape is beginning to come into focus. Qualifying offers are determined by the average salary of the 125-highest paid players in baseball on an annual basis. This past offseason, Zack Greinke set the all-time record in annual salary by signing a six-year deal that is worth $34.42 million per year on average.

With salaries climbing in free agency then, qualifying offers are set to climb a directly proportional amount; and that makes sense. While many players don’t have the independent leverage to guarantee themselves more than $34 million per year over a term deal, the qualifying offer—set at half of that—is peace of mind for players right on the precipice of stardom. At best, it is a safety net to insure that a player at least gets fairly compensated for one season. At worst, it is a way for teams to be non-committal to players, robbing them of one of their more productive seasons when they should be able to chase a longer-term deal, while also directly impacting their value in free agency.”

Dave Roberts made a boo-boo. Will Dave Roberts keep making boo-boos? We’ll just have to watch the rest of the NLCS and judge mercilessly.

“On October 13th, the baseball world had nothing but praise for Dave Roberts. In game 5 of the NLDS against the Washington Nationals, Roberts didn’t follow the blueprint that had been laid down by hundreds of managers before him; instead, he followed the blueprint set by Terry Francona just days before.

In the 7th inning, Roberts brought in his vaunted closer Kenley Jansen, to “save” the game. It was a brilliant move, and one that signaled a changing landscape for relievers. No longer would the most dominant pitcher in the bullpen be left for a save opportunity that might come along. Now they were being used for when the game was on the line, regardless of the inning.”

ICYMI: The Florida Panthers wore Jose Fernandez warm up jerseys during Thursday’s opener against the Jersey Devils.

Jose forever.

Important Links:

MLB Injury Tracker

The deeper we get into the postseason, the more managers will lose their jobs. Keep up with that game of chess in one place . Send us a thank you card later.

They say laughter is the best medicine, and we don’t want you taking any risks during this year’s cold and flu season. Better head on over to our Instagram, @MLBDailyDish, for your daily dose. And don’t worry, we’ll be sure to bill your insurance.

Today in baseball: On October 17th, 2000, hitting an opposite field single, Mariners catcher Dan Wilson snaps his 0-for-42 skid, the longest hitless streak in postseason history.

Question of the Day: Who will be the first player this offseason to receive a qualifying offer?