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Archives for November 2016

Quick Hits: Cespedes, Mariners, T. Walker, International Draft

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With the Dodgers in payroll-trimming mode, they’re probably not legitimate threats to sign free agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, observes FanRag’s Jon Heyman, who lists the Giants and Nationals as likelier landing spots (Twitter link). The Giants are known to be in the market for an outfielder, having discussed J.D. Martinez with the Tigers, and the Nats tried to sign Cespedes last offseason before he re-upped with the Mets. Executives around the majors expect big moves from Washington this winter, and signing Cespedes – MLBTR’s top-ranked free agent – would clearly qualify as a significant splash.

Elsewhere around the majors…

  • Having acquired shortstop Jean Segura and outfielder Mitch Haniger from the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto is content with his team’s group of position players, he told MLB Network Radio on Sunday (Twitter links). Dipoto had to give up right-hander Taijuan Walker in the deal, though, so he’s now looking to pick up a replacement. “We would like to find one more starting pitcher,” said Dipoto. Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma and James Paxton are shoo-ins for jobs next year, meaning the addition of another starter could push Nate Karns or Ariel Miranda out of the rotation.
  • Walker’s numbers over 134 1/3 innings in 2016 were respectable (4.22 ERA, 7.97 K/9 and 2.48 BB/9), but the highly talented 24-year-old hasn’t yet emerged as a top-of-the-rotation starter. Mariners pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. expects that to change. “There’s so much upside in this guy,” Stottlemyre told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. “I know a lot of people have waited for him to kind of come around and put things together. I think he was starting to do that this last month.” After a disastrous Sept. 3 start in which he allowed five earned runs and recorded only two outs, Walker – with Stottlemyre’s help – made changes to his delivery. He then logged five more September starts and recorded a 2.93 ERA with 27 strikeouts against 13 walks in 30 2/3 innings. “When he can find himself, he’s got a chance to be a beast,” Stottlemyre said. “Until then, like all young players, he’s going to have some ups and downs. But I’m convinced he’s headed in the right direction and he can move forward now with his game plan and his approach.”
  • The next collective bargaining agreement could feature an international draft, but significantly raising bonus pool allotments and giving every team the same spending limit would make more sense, writes Ben Badler of Baseball America. If that were to happen, all 30 clubs would be on the same financial footing and the prospects would be able to negotiate freely with as many teams as they want. Additionally, Badler argues that his plan would make CBA negotiations easier because it would give the union one fewer gripe and take away the need for the owners to make a major concession elsewhere.

East Notes: Red Sox, Orioles, Mets

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A few notes from the majors’ two East divisions:

  • Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., right-hander Clay Buchholz, left-hander Drew Pomeranz, corner infielder Travis Shaw and catcher Blake Swihart could end up on the move this offseason if president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski tries to upgrade the team’s roster through trades, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. The soon-to-be 27-year-old Bradley is easily the most appealing member of the group, and his name came up in trade talks involving White Sox aces Chris Sale and Jose Quintana over the summer. Another member of the potentially rebuilding White Sox – closer David Robertson – could pique the Red Sox’s interest this offseason, suggests Mastrodonato, who wonders if Chicago would accept Swihart in return.
  • The Orioles have consistently made use of the Rule 5 draft in hopes of landing cheap diamonds in the rough, and they’ll once again take advantage of this year’s edition, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Among Baltimore’s recent selections are outfielder Joey Rickard (2015), left-hander T.J. McFarland (2012) and infielder Ryan Flaherty (2011). All three are still members of the organization, but major league success has mostly eluded them.
  • When the Mets relieved Tim Teufel of his duties as their third base coach and catching instructor on Nov. 16, they gave him the opportunity to stay with the organization in a different capacity. Teufel will do just that, having accepted a role as a minor league instructor and club ambassador, per the Associated Press. The 58-year-old Teuful was a major league infielder from 1983-93 and spent parts of six seasons as a member of the Mets, with whom he won a World Series in 1986, and has also managed a few of their minor league affiliates.

Poll: Will Blue Jays Re-Sign Edwin Encarnacion?

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When the Blue Jays signed designated hitter Kendrys Morales to a three-year, $33MM contract last week, it appeared free agent Edwin Encarnacion’s illustrious tenure with the franchise was all but over. Encarnacion is coming off back-to-back campaigns in which he spent more time at DH than first base, after all, and the soon-to-be 34-year-old will likely need to continue as a bat-first option as he keeps aging.

[RELATED: Encarnacion’s Free Agent Profile]

Although having two expensive DH types on a roster isn’t ideal, the Blue Jays are nonetheless interested in re-signing Encarnacion, FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported earlier this week. General manager Ross Atkins indicated after signing Morales that he could see a “good deal” of time in the field, which has been a rare occurrence over the past couple seasons, and that would seem to open the door to the possibility of him and Encarnacion coexisting.

Edwin Encarnacion

If necessary, the Blue Jays appear prepared to adjust to having Morales and Encarnacion divvy up time between DH and first, but it’ll obviously be a moot point if they’re unable to re-sign the latter. Before Toronto locked up Morales, it made a four-year offer in the neighborhood of $80MM to Encarnacion, who unsurprisingly rejected it.  As arguably the premier hitter on the open market, Encarnacion seems like a shoo-in to exceed that dollar figure. MLBTR projects a $92MM deal for Encarnacion, though an accord worth upward of $100MM doesn’t seem out of the question with the the Yankees, Red Sox, Rangers, Astros and some National League teams reportedly chasing him.

Encarnacion has been a spectacular hitter since his 2012 breakout, having slashed .272/.367/.544 in 3,133 plate appearances. He also ranks second in the majors in home runs (193) and third in ISO (.273) over that five-year span, and has further impressed with a 12.5 percent walk rate against a 15.1 percent strikeout mark. Encarnacion is now coming off a year in which he hit a career-high-tying 42 homers and appeared in a personal-best 160 regular-season games, but his still-excellent .263/.357/.529 slash stands as his least productive line during his half-decade run as an elite offensive weapon.

Despite his tremendous output over the past several seasons, the fact that Encarnacion’s an aging, one-dimensional player could significantly weaken his value in the coming years and make his deal an albatross down the line, as both Dave Cameron and Craig Edwards of FanGraphs wrote earlier this month. The Blue Jays’ front office is likely mindful of the risks that would accompany re-signing Encarnacion, though losing him and replacing him with the likes of Morales and first baseman Justin Smoak (and perhaps an outside acquisition) would probably damage the team’s short-term chances on the heels of back-to-back playoff seasons.

With Encarnacion having rejected a qualifying offer from the Blue Jays, they’ll receive a first-round pick if he signs elsewhere, so they’re in position to walk away with a potentially useful long-term asset if the slugger departs. The question is: Will he leave Toronto?

(Poll link for Trade Rumors App users)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

MLBTR Originals

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This week’s original content from MLBTR:

  • In the wake of a Wednesday trade between the Diamondbacks and Mariners that saw middle infielder Jean Segura and right-hander Taijuan Walker, among others, switch teams, Charlie Wilmoth asked readers which club got the better end of the deal.
  • Six starters who were free agents have already found homes for 2017, leading Jeff Todd to poll readers on which one ended up with the most team-friendly contract.
  • This offseason’s Free Agent Profile series continued with looks at first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (link), outfielder/DH Jose Bautista (link) and outfielder Carlos Gomez (link).
  • Jeff wrapped up this year’s Offseason Outlook series with a piece on what the coming months could bring for the Rockies. Links to all 30 entries can be found here.

Pat Dean Signs With Korea’s Kia Tigers

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The Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization have announced the signing of left-hander Pat Dean to a one-year contract, as Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net tweets. The 27-year-old Dean will earn $900K in 2017.

Dean, whom the Twins chose in the third round of the 2010 draft, stayed with the organization until it outrighted him Oct. 17. That came on the heels of a year in which Dean made his major league debut and saw somewhat extensive action, tossing 67 1/3 innings in 19 appearances (nine starts) and registering a 6.28 ERA, 6.68 K/9, 3.07 BB/9 and 44.4 percent ground-ball rate. Dean wasn’t much more successful in 87 1/3 Triple-A frames in 2016 – 5.56 ERA, 5.05 K/9, 1.96 BB/9 – though he was solid overall in 306 1/3 innings with Rochester. Dating back to 2013, his first year at the Triple-A level, Dean recorded a 3.50 ERA, 5.0 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9.

Dean will now try his luck in the KBO, a hitter-friendly league. He’s the second former major leaguer to agree to terms with the Tigers this week, joining outfielder Roger Bernadina.

Latest On Giants, Pablo Sandoval

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SATURDAY: Contrary to Drellich’s report, the Giants have not talked about reacquiring Sandoval, according to Chris Haft of MLB.com. General manager Bobby Evans expects Nunez to serve as the team’s primary third baseman next year and is focusing his efforts on finding a closer, writes Haft. While club executives aren’t allowed to publicly discuss acquiring players who are under contract elsewhere, Evans did address the Sandoval situation, telling Haft, “I’m not aware of any consideration of a reunion, but we’ll never forget all that he meant to the Giants organization.”

FRIDAY: The Giants have had internal discussions about trying to strike a deal for Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval, according to Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. It is not known whether the two organizations have talked about the former San Francisco star.

Sandoval, 30, is two years into what has been a disastrous free agent contract with the Red Sox. Entering the 2014-15 offseason, he was widely regarded as a high-quality option at the hot corner, with youth on his side and a resume full of strong contributions with the bat and the glove. The Giants pursued a reunion, but Sandoval ultimately took five years and $95MM to head east.

The productivity came to an end as soon as he reached Boston, however. Sandoval posted a decidedly mediocre .245/.292/.366 batting line in his first season with his new organization, and drew abysmal reviews for his fielding at the hot corner. He lost his starting job in camp heading into 2016, and ultimately underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.

Beyond Sandoval’s age and track record, there’s not much to commend him at this point. He has notably struggled with his weight before, but it has been a greater problem than ever with the Red Sox, and it’s hard to know what to make of the latest reports that he is in better shape. And now, Sandoval has the shoulder issue to work back from, too.

Still, the Giants have drawn good work from Sandoval in the past. While his contract is very clearly under water, he’s hardly owed a monumental sum. Including the buyout on a 2020 option, Sandoval is set to earn $58MM over the next three seasons. While there’s no chance that San Francisco will take that on in full, it’s not impossible to imagine the sides coming to a meeting of the minds.

[RELATED: Red Sox and Giants Depth Charts]

The Giants do have Eduardo Nunez and Conor Gillaspie on hand to cover third, neither is clearly an everyday option there, and both could be put to use elsewhere. Interestingly, though, the Red Sox probably have the greater need at the position. Travis Shaw and Brock Holt are under team control, and Yoan Moncada could be the long-term solution, but it’s an area in flux at present with Sandoval still a question mark.

Cafardo’s Latest: CBA, V-Mart, Encarnacion, Cespedes, Chapman, Nats, Marlins

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Major League Baseball’s owners and players might not agree to a new collective bargaining agreement before the Dec. 1 expiration of the current CBA, but a lockout isn’t guaranteed if they don’t, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Instead, business could continue under the soon-to-be old CBA as the two sides keep negotiating toward a new deal, even if doing so takes them through spring training.

Here’s more from Cafardo:

  • Although there are some appealing designated hitter types on the free agent market, teams are showing interest in Tigers DH Victor Martinez, according to Cafardo. Given that the Tigers are aiming to get younger and cut payroll, trading Martinez would seem to make sense, as he’ll turn 38 in December and is owed $36MM over the next two years. However, in addition to his lofty salary, Martinez’s 10-and-5 rights could put the kibosh on a potential deal. The switch-hitter recovered from a miserable 2015 to slash .289/.351/.476 with 27 home runs in 610 plate appearances this past season.
  • There’s a “healthy amount” of interest in free agent first baseman/DH Edwin Encarnacion, a general manager told Cafardo, who notes that a signing is unlikely until there’s clarification on the 2017 luxury-tax threshold. “Normally, teams would be very aggressive in getting both of these hitters signed, but right now you have to stay back a little,” an AL GM said in regards to Encarnacion and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported Saturday that the league has agreed to increase the figure from $189MM to $200MM in CBA negotiations. That could make big spenders like the Yankees and Red Sox more inclined to chase Encarnacion (and maybe Cespedes in New York’s case).
  • The Yankees, Dodgers and Giants are known to be eyeing free agent closer Aroldis Chapman, and the Nationals have also emerged as a possible destination, per Cafardo. Executives around the majors expect aggressiveness from the Nats this winter, and signing Chapman to what should be a record deal for a reliever would certainly qualify as a bold move. Notably, Washington attempted to acquire Chapman from the Yankees over the summer, but he ended up with the Cubs. The Nationals then picked up Mark Melancon from the Pirates. He’s also a free agent now, leaving the Nats in need of late-game help.
  • Along with the previously reported Twins, the Marlins are among the teams with interest in free agent right-hander Justin Masterson. The low-payroll, starter-needy Fish “are looking to hit the jackpot with a surprise pitcher,” writes Cafardo. The 31-year-old Masterson hasn’t pitched in the majors since an unsuccessful 59 1/3-inning run with Boston in 2015. He threw 54 1/3 frames with the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate last season and recorded a 4.97 ERA, 5.3 K/9 and 4.31 BB/9. Shoulder and knee injuries have beset Masterson in the past, but he indicated earlier this week that he’s now healthy.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: D-backs, Mariners, Braves, Tigers, Trout, Giants

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This week in baseball blogs:

Please send submissions to ZachBBWI @gmail.com.

Alex Guerrero Signs With Japan’s Chunichi Dragons

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SATURDAY: Guerrero has officially joined the Dragons, tweets Hoornstra. His deal is worth $1.3MM and includes $700K in performance bonuses, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link).

FRIDAY: Infielder/outfielder Alex Guerrero is nearing a contract with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league, according to Sanspo (link in Japanese; h/t J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles News Group).

Last we heard from Guerrero, he was hitting the open market after being released by the Dodgers over the summer. He never caught on with another major league organization during the season, though presumably he at least would have made for an interesting minor-league signing this winter.

Instead, the Cuban now seems likely to head to Japan. He just reached thirty years of age, so he is still reasonably youthful. But the recent returns have not been promising.

Guerrero missed much of the 2016 season with a knee injury, and was dreadful during his rehab assignment. That made it an easy call for Los Angeles to cut him loose, even though that meant giving up on a player who was still under contract for 2017 (at a $5MM salary). The Dodgers will presumably be able to save a bit of that, depending on what Guerrero will receive in Japan, though most of the cash will remain on the books.

All said, the Dodgers didn’t make out very ell on their $28MM investment. While Guerrero wrecked Triple-A pitching, putting up a .323/.357/.598 slash in 266 plate appearances there, he never maintained success in the majors. There were flashes of promise, and some intriguing pop, but he ultimately posted a .224/.251/.414 slash in 243 trips to the plate at the game’s highest level.

That slugging potential surely would’ve warranted more of an opportunity if it weren’t for the fact that Guerrero never seemed to fit in defensively. Billed as a middle infielder upon his signing, Guerrero played third base and left field during his brief time in the majors, though presumably he could again at least be an option at second.

East Notes: Yankees, Rodriguez, Rays

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The Yankees are in the closing stages of Hal Steinbrenner’s rebuilding plan, and they should not deviate from it now, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. That means they must give young players the opportunities they need, both in the minors and in the big leagues. Sherman cites the example of Aaron Judge, a flawed but interesting player who might need extensive development time in the Majors before he hits his ceiling. The Yankees have a number of big-league players, like Greg Bird, Luis Severino and Luis Cessa, who will also require patience to develop, along with a very talented group of minor leaguers. Sherman notes that teams like the Cubs and Red Sox made their aggressive pushes only when it was clear they had a core of young talent that was ready to help. The Yankees should also be looking to accumulate financial flexibility, so that, in a couple years, when they’re a bit older and players like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson and Shohei Otani are available as free agents, the Yankees will be in the best possible position to add them to their own strong core. Here’s more from the East divisions.

  • Sean Rodriguez’s big step forward last year was propelled by changes he made to his plate discipline against righties and to his launch angles, Eno Sarris of FanGraphs writes. Even if he doesn’t retain all of his 2016 improvement next season, though, he’s a good match for the Braves, Sarris opines. Rodriguez’s abilities to hit lefties and play several positions give the Braves platoon options at second base (with Jace Peterson) and the outfield (with Nick Markakis). Also, the relatively cheap $11.5 million guarantee limits the Braves’ downside if Rodriguez fails to live up to his surprising 2016 performance.
  • The Rays haven’t yet made any significant moves this offseason, and some of the deals made by other teams might have thwarted them to a degree, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times suggests. Jason Castro and Brett Cecil stood out as potential fits for the Rays, but other teams signed them at relatively high costs. GM Erik Neander, though, says the opportunities available later in the offseason might turn out to be better for the Rays. “Early offseason signings are typically the result of a very competitive market for those players,” says Neander. “Sometimes it’s difficult to contend with that, but not always. Our job is to be prepared, try to do our evaluations correctly, wait for the right opportunity to arise and be in position to strike when it does.”

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