Top pitching prospect Julio Urias, just 17, will start the Dodgers' spring training game today against the Padres, the team has announced. Urias has never pitched above the Class A Midwest League, where the lefty posted a 2.48 ERA with 11.1 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 54 1/3 innings last season. That in itself was an accomplishment, given that it was only Urias' age-16 season, and he was pitching in a full-season league. Baseball America's Prospect Handbook 2014 ranks Urias the Dodgers' third-best prospect, noting that he throws 91-96 MPH, has an advanced approach to pitching, and could make quick progress through the minors. The Dodgers will surely have him start the season in the bush leagues, but even starting a big-league spring training game is quick progress indeed for a 17-year-old. Here are more notes from the West divisions.
- The Mariners are still trying to re-sign DH Kendrys Morales, ESPN's Jim Bowden tweets. They still would like Morales to reduce his price, however. Morales, of course, is still a free agent because the qualifying offer has depressed his market. Bowden also tweets that Felix Hernandez has been in touch with Morales and says that Morales would like to return if the two sides' financial differences can be resolved.
- Veteran Xavier Nady is back with the Padres, the team that drafted him, as an NRI, and he's trying to enjoy all the baseball he has left, writes MLB.com's Corey Brock. "I'm thankful for every day to put this uniform on," says Nady. "I know it doesn't last forever, but it's sure been a lot of fun." Nady also looks back to the beginning of his career, when he signed with the Padres in 2000 as a second-round pick out of UC-Berkeley and was immediately promoted to the Majors, where he went 1-for-1 in his only big-league at-bat before heading to the minors for the first time the following season.
What a shame I am not able to watch Dodgers games yet, I am an Urias fan and if he meets his potential when he makes it to the majors, we could see a legitimate return of something like Fernandomania, pretty exciting and talented kid
The game wasn’t televised in any case. Not even on MLBtv.
It’s the late game on free mlb tv tonight at 10PM Eastern.
Urias already pitched, in the day game.
Good lord, Julio Urias, He’s not Kershaw, not even close, but the Class A Great Lakes Loons had a better pitcher in 2013 Julio Urias than they had in 2007 Clayton Kershaw. Just something to keep in mind.
And ck was two years older
Might be able to get a bargain on Morales, but Boras might not allow. He is the one agent where I could see his players sitting out until midseason. And I think he could get a pretty lucrative deal if a team can sign Morales at midseason for only money.
He would have been a better target for the orioles than Cruz was. Morales generally gets on base at a slightly better clip and would have just been the DH and 1b fill in for Davis.
Morales we all know wasn’t going to sign for 1/8m like Cruz did and probably not for 2/24-26m either had he been offered that.
The issue with sitting out until midseason is that the further you get away from the end of the 2013 season, the less likely a team is going to want to commit past 2015 for that player, IMO. If Morales can’t get a contract to extend into 2016 & beyond, is sitting out really worth it, monetarily? He would need 2.5+ years of guaranteed money to make it worth it, and even then the discount he’d get by signing now might not account for the prorated portion he’s losing. Assuming he’s looking for 3/36 or something, which seems like a Boras demand when there’s no market present, would sitting out half the year then signing for 6, 12, 12 or 2.5/30, really make sense? I don’t foresee the huge jump in Drew/Morales’ markets after June.
How good is Julio Urias, actually? Everything I see has him hyped up like crazy. I’m really expecting him to make a name for himself as he shoots through MiLB..
Don’t believe the lie the M’s have no money to spend. They have money with the team buying ROOT Sports, they just don’t want to spend much of it. I like Morales, but it makes the team built as bad as it was last year, with too many players of the same type. If we packaged Smoak and Franklin in a deal for an OF’er Morales would be a great signing.
If the ms dont sign morales then the rangers will sign him