Just when I mentioned that it was a slower time in the Major League Baseball off season there were a couple of signings of players of some note. If you're a baseball fan at least it will give you something to discuss.
The Houston Astros decided to allow Yuli Gurriel and Trey Mancini to enter free agency, so they were in the market for a 1st baseman and on Monday they signed one. Jose Abreu now formerly of the Chicago White Sox will take over as the Astros 1st baseman. Abreu signed a three-year $58.5 million dollar deal to join the Astros.
Abreu will turn 36 years old in January and has spent his entire nine-year career as a member of the White Sox. Abreu has been a proven run producer in his career but had a bit of a down year last year. Abreu hit just 15 home runs and drove in 75 runs. With the exception of last season and of course the Covid-19 shortened season Abreu has always hit 30 home runs and driven in over 100 RBI's.
In that Covid-19 shortened 2020 season Abreu played in all 60 games for the White Sox. Abreu hit .317 with 19 home runs and drove in a league leading 60 RBIs on his way to winning the American League Most Valuable Player award.
Now, the White Sox made a signing as well, but it wasn't a 1st baseman to replace Abreu. Instead, the White Sox brought in an arm for their starting rotation.
Chicago signed right-handed pitcher Mike Clevinger to a one-year $8 million dollar deal. The contract will become official once Clevinger passes a physical.
The White Sox have some familiarity with Clevinger as he spent the first four seasons and parts of his fifth with the Cleveland Indians. Cleveland dealt Clevinger to the San Diego Padres during the 2020 season and Clevinger missed all of the 2021 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Clevinger made 22 starts for the Padres last season and appeared in 23 games total. He went 7-7 with an ERA of 4.33 over 114 1/3rd innings. Clevinger made two post season appearances, both in relief for the Padres in the 2022 playoffs. He pitched a total of 2 2/3rds innings and ended up with an ERA of 28.63.
Clevinger has posted double digit win totals in three seasons, but has only pitched 200 one time in his career.
There was one more signing as Carlos Santana will start his 14th major league season as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Santana signed a one-year deal worth $6.725 million dollars.
Pittsburgh will be Santana's fifth team. He spent 10 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, two with the Kansas City Royals and one each with the Philadelphia Phillies and last season he was a member of the Seattle Mariners.
Santana is known as having a good eye at the plate and has led the league in walks two times during his career. He has also drawn over 100 walks in a season four times. Santana is a career .242 hitter and has hit 278 career home runs.
For a while now the Western conference of the NBA has been looked at as the better of the two conferences. It can be tough to get a Western conference playoff spot, so if a team gets off to a slow start, they could be in trouble come playoff time.
The Dallas Mavericks are just .500 through 20 games, so to hopefully help them improve the Mavericks signed a former All-Star.
Yesterday the Mavericks announced that they've signed Kemba Walker to a one-year deal. Walker's prorated minimum-salary cap hit will be $1,392,895. He'll earn $2,204,438 if his salary becomes guaranteed for the season.
Walker has been looking for a new team since he was waived by the Detroit Pistons after he was traded to Detroit on draft night by the New York Knicks. When Walker and the Pistons couldn't agree to a buyout Detroit waived him, so Walker will be paid $9.17 million dollars this season by the Pistons.
Due to some knee injury issues Walker only played in 37 games for the Knicks last season and averaged a career low 11.6 points per game. I'm sure that the Mavericks are hoping for Walker to score closer to his 19.5 points per game average through his career.
Since the Mavericks are 20 games into this season it may take Walker a little time to get into game shape, but on the plus side Walker won't be expected to be the lead ball handler as MVP candidate Luka Doncic handles those duties for Dallas.
As we wrap up this blog let me know what you think of those MLB free agent signings. I'd also like to know what you think of the Mavericks signing of Walker.
Remember to look for me on Twitter, I'm @Burketime.
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