Before he joined Oakland on a one-year, $6MM deal last November, the Red Sox tried to re-sign left-hander Rich Hill as a reliever, while the Pirates made a similar offer to the A’s and wanted him to start, reports Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com. Hill, who revived his career with four great starts as a member of the Red Sox last September, has carried his success into this year. Despite dealing with multiple injuries, the 36-year-old has put up a sterling 2.09 ERA, 10.21 K/9, 3.07 BB/9, 49.5 percent ground-ball rate and 15.7 percent infield fly rate in 82 innings. The A’s dealt him and outfielder Josh Reddick to the Dodgers on Aug. 1, thereby turning a cheap investment into three well-regarded prospects.
More from around the majors:
- The Braves are unsure if they’ll promote high-end infield prospect Ozzie Albies when rosters expand next month, writes Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Atlanta already called up shortstop Dansby Swanson, who figures to be half of a long-term double-play tandem with Albies, but he’s three years older than Albies, notes Bowman. The 19-year-old Albies, whom Baseball America, MLB.com and ESPN’s Keith Law all regard as a top 20 prospect, hit an excellent .322/.394/.446 in 325 Double-A plate appearances this year, but he hasn’t been as effective at the Triple-A level (.248/.307/.351 in 247 PAs). Albies has combined for 27 stolen bases, though, and has posted similar strikeout and walk rates at each level.
- Right-hander Jake Peavy was supposed to return to the Giants’ rotation Saturday to fill in for the injured Matt Cain, but he instead ended up on the 15-day disabled list because of a lower back strain (via Justin Wise of MLB.com). “He can’t pitch with the way his back is. Jake was excited to get back into starting, so it’s a bad break for him,” said manager Bruce Bochy, who turned to Albert Suarez to start in place of his two hurt veterans. Suarez threw 4 1/3 innings of three-run ball in a 3-1 loss to the Braves. Peavy, whom hitters have teed off on in eight relief innings (.351/.368/.568), has recorded a 5.47 ERA, 7.47 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 108 2/3 frames as a starter this year.
- Dodgers outfielder Scott Van Slyke will undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist next Thursday, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. Van Slyke’s wrist has bothered him since last summer, notes Gurnick, and the 30-year-old batted a meek .225/.292/.314 with one home run in 113 plate appearances this season. From 2013-15, he slashed an impressive .261/.349/.455 with 24 homers in 651 PAs.
bosox are very bad at drafting, developing, now keeping quality starters.
Hill hasn’t pitched 80 innings in a decade. Hardly a poor decision by the Sox.
Smart of Hill to take the A’s offer over the Pirates. He likely assumed the A’s wouldn’t contend and he would be traded at the deadline and avoid getting a qualifying offer.
Excellent points!
Very stupid to call up Swanson and not Albies. For many different reasons.
And yet none of them are listed…Swanson is older and has gone through college baseball play. Look at how he is playing. He is ready. Albies is only 19. This idea that they are at the same place and need to be treated as such is misleading. They will continue to build their bond when Albies is up and maybe Swanson can give him some advice to stick. This is what spring training is for, if that is the right time.
Why was it stupid? They did it because they found a decent trade for Aybar(lucky cuz he only played good for last month or so-otherwise untradable entirely)and got a decent prospect catcher in the process. They just need a SS and called up Swanson. He is 3yrs older, a bit more consistent maybe? Stupid? So Coppy & Hart are stupid? Is their if job so easy.? They didn’t do out of favoritism. Albies (they really high on Albies) will be up and in meantime he can keep making adjustments to hitting AAA pitching, work on defense…. Albes is only 19. They buffer the kid from pressure so he can develop not rush cuz people are dying to see him play. It’s business.
Why was it stupid? Just call stupid & not elaborate Chief(because you didn’t like it it’s stupid?)? I respect viewpoints but you didn’t make one. They did it because they found a decent trade for Aybar(lucky cuz he only played good for last month or so-otherwise untradable entirely)and got a decent prospect catcher in the process. They just need a SS and called up Swanson. He is 3yrs older & ready apparently. Stupid? So Coppy & Hart are stupid? They have a job trying to rebuild-still a long way to go but Braves have good farm system finally-still missing bats & ready position players. Still no ready Ace…. Other pieces missing. They will have to do some more trades to improve immediately & it’s risky to spend on big contracts. This winter is 1st time they have any money to go after big leaguers. It’s gonna cost big time. People won’t like the moves they make when it happens. I trust this regime more than Wren era. They move Swanson on favoritism-he’s had more time to get ready.. Albies (they really like) will be up Spring and in meantime he can keep making adjustments to hitting AAA pitching, work on defense…. he is only 19. He is gonna make a big leaguer & good one maybe. They buffer kids from pressure so they can develop. He could play now & probably succeed but no rush.
Can’t imagine what the reasons would be…albies may not be ready yet…that alone is good enough… even when he’s ready I doubt him or any of the young guys will be instant superstars…it’s going to be a while before this team is all the way back
I feel like they should definitely call him up. However, I don’t believe he’s ready. Give him the “cup of coffee” (so to speak), 1-2 starts a week (maybe against the worst starters they’re seeing that week?) for the month of September, pinch hit in non pressure situations a couple times a week, defensive replacement a couple times a week… but most importantly sit him next to the veterans and Seitzer so he can watch and listen. Put his locker next to someone like Recker, Markakis or Kemp. It should be an educational experience.
It absolutely wasn’t stupid!! You didn’t give your viewpoint so it’s hard for me to decipher your reasoning. Albies is only 19 years old. To call him up now and assume that he struggles severely would limit the amount of time the Braves may end up needing to develop him. Swanson played 3 years in college which is pretty much the minors leagues these days so he has had more time than Albies to develop. Albies may be playing very well in Mississippi so far but it would be premature to assume he could do it at the major league level. The Braves traded away Aybar so they didn’t have a serviceable player on the major league roster to put at short. I like Darnaud but he isn’t an everyday player at SS. The Braves have two 2nd baseman in Jace Peterson and Gordon Beckhman. The latter of which I personally believe should be cut but nonetheless they have serviceable 2nd baseman unlike they did at SS. Calling up albies now could only hinder his growth being at age 19. You have to be very careful when making a decision to call him up. The same goes for a ton of talent the Braves currently have in the minors. Albies and Swanson for playing time together in AA-Mississippi so it’s not like they won’t have had any experience together when he is called up. So if you think Albies should be called up do you think the Braves should just call up all of there young highly regarded pitching like Allard, Anderson, Wentz, Toussiant etc.? They are all young and may be pitching very well but making a decision of when to call up a player to the majors consist of many perameters. Some of which most of us forget to account for as fans. Coppy and the front office know what they are doing. As a fan just put your trust in them that they make the best decision for the future of this ball club. Only a few select players in all of baseball’s minor leagues could justifiably earn a call up at the age of 19 and I personally do it think Albies is one of them. Guys like Harper and Trout are special players