Archives for February 2017

Quick Hits: Giants, Giolito, Peralta, Kinsler

By Mark Polishuk | February 19, 2017 at 11:03pm CDT

Here’s the latest from around baseball as we head into the new week…

The Giants may carry five outfielders on the 25-man roster in an effort to keep Hunter Pence and Denard Span fresh, MLB.com’s Chris Haft writes. Giants skipper Bruce Bochy said the club may also carry four outfielders plus one bench player capable of backing up at both an infield position and an outfield spot. Pence, Span, Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson are expected to be regulars in the San Francisco outfield this year, with Parker and Williamson platooning in left field (unless one wins the job outright). Gorkys Hernandez, Mike Morse, Kyle Blanks, Kelby Tomlinson, Justin Ruggiano and Slade Heathcott are a few of the well-known names fighting for jobs in the Giants’ camp.
Lucas Giolito sees his trade to the White Sox as “an immediate breath of fresh air,” the young righty tells USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The highly-touted Giolito struggled in his MLB debut last season, posting a 6.75 ERA and walking 12 batters (against just 11 strikeouts) over 21 1/3 innings with the Nationals while being promoted and demoted multiple times. “Every start was like I have to do well or I’m going to get sent down to Triple-A. The team wanted to win, and if I wasn’t going to give them an opportunity to win, then they wouldn’t want me there. It made sense,” Giolito said. With the Sox in more of a rebuilding phase, Giolito is looking forward to getting more for an opportunity to properly acclimate himself to the majors.
Jhonny Peralta is fully healthy and fully prepared for a move to third base, the veteran Cardinals infielder tells MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch. Bothered by a thumb injury for much of 2016, Peralta batted only .260/.307/.408 over 313 PA as he lost his starting shortstop job to Aledmys Diaz. Peralta will now battle Jedd Gyorko for regular playing time at the hot corner while looking to re-establish himself before hitting free agency next winter. Peralta, who turns 35 in May, is hopeful of continuing to play “for a couple more years.”
Offseason trade rumors ended up being “just talk” and thus of no concern to Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler, the Associated Press reports. Kinsler and several other Tigers veterans were mentioned as potential trade candidates this winter, and Kinsler praised GM Al Avila for being straight-forward about what was happening. “To be up front and honest is always the best way to act in my opinion. That’s the way that I like to approach people, and that’s the way he approached us as a whole, as a team. Was it different? Absolutely, it was different. Most GMs would not do that,” Kinsler said.

AL East Notes: Bautista, Rusney, Weeks, Rays

By Mark Polishuk | February 19, 2017 at 10:19pm CDT

In the wake of Dellin Betances’ unusually public war of words with Yankees ownership in the wake of Betances’ arbitration hearing, a seemingly far more civil salary disagreement between the Yankees and another star was settled on this day in 1935. Long before salary arbitration was instituted in MLB, Lou Gehrig agreed to a $30K contract from New York for the upcoming season. This hefty-for-the-era salary made Gehrig the highest-paid player on the club, though it was still $7K short of Gehrig’s original demand. The Iron Horse didn’t seem too put off by the smaller paycheck, however, as he went on to hit .329/.466/.583 with 30 homers and a league-best 125 runs scored in a season that was, incredibly, a significant dropoff by Gehrig’s standards. He “only” posted 8.7 fWAR in 1935, as compared to his 10.7 fWAR season in 1934…so *clearly* the Yankees made a shrewd move in withholding that extra $7K. Gehrig, undoubtedly embarrassed by his subpar 1935 performance, rebounded for a 9.7 fWAR year in 1936.

Here’s the latest from around the AL East…

Jose Bautista was choosing “between five or six places” this offseason before ultimately deciding to return to the Blue Jays, the slugger told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi and other reporters. There wasn’t too much buzz surrounding Bautista’s market this winter, as he was ultimately able to land only one guaranteed year on an $18.5MM salary, though another two years and $36.5MM could be available in option years. While the list of suitors was “not as many as I was expecting,” Bautista said he is happy to be returning to his first choice team.
Bautista also expressed some regrets about his public salary comments during last year’s Spring Training camp as well as comments made in private to Jays management. “I think in retrospect – I believe I can speak for myself and not for them – but I feel like I definitely could have handled things differently and maybe things would have played out different….Not necessarily changing the things that I said, maybe voicing them in a different setting and in a different way that might not get misconstrued and misunderstood the way that they did,” Bautista said. A lack of familiarity between the two sides contributed to the situation, he added.
Rusney Castillo is something of a forgotten man in the Red Sox camp, as ESPN.com’s Scott Lauber writes that the outfielder has no clear path to MLB playing time or even the 40-man roster. Castillo is still hopeful of making an impact, as he is retooling his swing and is enjoying more personal comfort now that his five-year-old son and other family members have been able to leave Cuba to join him in the United States. Castillo signed a seven-year, $72.5MM deal with Boston in August 2014 but has just a .679 OPS over 337 big league plate appearances.
The Rays essentially made “a coin-flip decision” to draft Delmon Young over Rickie Weeks with the first pick of the 2003 draft, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. Drafting Weeks would’ve obviously significantly changed not only the Rays’ franchise history, but likely a good chunk of baseball history over the last decade-plus, as Topkin chronicles the chain reaction of events that would’ve been altered had Young not gone first overall. Weeks, after all these years, has finally ended up in a Tampa uniform after signing a minor league contract with the Rays earlier this month.

NL East Notes: Alderson, Walker, Mets, Werth, Phillies

By Mark Polishuk | February 19, 2017 at 8:53pm CDT

Here’s the latest from the NL East…

The Mets aren’t engaged in trade talks about their outfielders, GM Sandy Alderson told reporters (including Newsday’s Marc Carig). Curtis Granderson, Michael Conforto, Juan Lagares and Jay Bruce have all been mentioned in trade rumors this winter, with Bruce generating the least buzz though he seems to be the player the Mets would be most eager to move.
Even with Bruce’s salary still on the books, the Mets were able to make moves to upgrade their bullpen later in the offseason. With the club’s 2017 payroll now estimated to be just under $154MM according to Roster Resource, the Mets have vastly increased spending since beginning the 2014 season with a payroll over less than $85MM. Alderson described the organization as being “all in” in pursuit of a championship, and he said he has the flexibility to add at the trade deadline if necessary.
Alderson told Mike Puma of the New York Post and other media that he spoke with Neil Walker’s representatives on Saturday and would soon be talking to Walker himself about a possible extension. According to reports earlier this week, the two sides have been in contact for much of the winter about an extension, potentially in the range of three years and $40MM.
Jayson Werth told reporters (including Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post) that he and the Nationals had yet to discuss continuing their relationship beyond this season, though “there’s always a possibility.” The 38-year-old Werth, perhaps half-jokingly, said he was hoping to play for five more seasons, though such a scenario would be easier playing for an American League team that could offer him DH at-bats. Werth has hit .267/.358/.437 with 99 homers over 3138 plate appearances in his six years in Washington, a tenure marked by several injuries but also some outstanding play when healthy, particularly excellent seasons in 2013-14. Rather than worry about his next contract, Werth is only focused on getting the Nats deep into the postseason. “I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove, and I still feel like I’ve got a lot in the tank,” he said.
Werth’s decision to leave the Phillies for a seven-year, $126MM free agent deal from the Nationals after the 2010 season generated a lot of controversy at the time, directed at both the Nats for seemingly overpaying and at Werth for leaving a contender to join a perennial also-ran. In hindsight, however, Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer observes that Werth made the right choice in leaving the Phils just before their decline began, and just before the Nationals grew into an NL East power. “My focus was on winning, but at the time that’s not really what it looked like. Everybody was like, ’The Nats were crazy, Werth is money hungry’ and whatever else was said,” Werth said. “Honestly, I was in a position to pick and choose what I wanted to do. What I thought was cool about the Nats was that it was a total underdog situation, but they had good owners…and a core group of players with a high ceiling. It was a situation where I thought we could build something.”

Royals Discussing Extension With Eric Hosmer; No Talks With Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas

By Mark Polishuk | February 19, 2017 at 6:49pm CDT

The Royals are discussing a contract extension with first baseman Eric Hosmer’s representatives, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports. Hosmer has set Opening Day as the deadline for negotiations, as he doesn’t want ongoing talks to distract him during the season. Should the two sides not reach an agreement by the Royals’ first game, Hosmer will test free agency after the season, though he did say he wants to remain in Kansas City.

“We are talking about certain extensions, stuff like that. But the way I see it right now, I just want to make it that far [to free agency]. And if I do make it that far without signing anything, I feel like I deserve that right to see what’s out on the market,” Hosmer said. “It’s not cutting this place out completely. It’s earning the right to see what else is out there, seeing my options, seeing what would be the best possible situation for me.”

Hosmer is far from the only Royals star scheduled to hit the open market next winter, though he appears to be the only one thus far contacted by the team about an extension. Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas both tell Rosenthal that they haven’t been in talks about a new deal. (It can be inferred that Alcides Escobar, another pending free agent, also hasn’t been in negotiations with the club. Escobar was described by Rosenthal as “less of a priority” than the other three, given how Raul Mondesi Jr. could step in as Kansas City’s shortstop of the future.) Since Spring Training has just begun, of course, it stands to reason that Royals GM Dayton Moore will at least touch base with these players about potentially remaining in K.C. beyond the 2017 campaign.

It could be that Hosmer drew the early attention from the Royals because his potential extension could be the most complicated. The club expects Hosmer and agent Scott Boras to seek a ten-year deal, owing to both Hosmer’s young age (he is entering his age-27 season), the number of big-market teams that could be looking for first base help next winter.

Most players prefer to avoid having extension talks drag into the season, and in Hosmer’s case, he has some extra financial security — he has already earned $29.75MM through his four seasons of arbitration eligibility as a Super Two player, including a two-year extension and a $12.25MM deal for 2017 to avoid arbitration.

It should also be noted that Hosmer could use another full year to really establish himself as a player worthy of a mega-deal, as the first baseman has been rather inconsistent over his first six seasons. Hosmer posted fWARs of 3.2 in 2013 and 3.4 in the Royals’ championship season of 2015, though he sandwiched those strong years in between three years of (according to the fWAR calculation) not even replacement-level play. Hosmer posted a -1.7 fWAR in 2012, 0.0 in 2014 and -0.2 last season, when he hit .266/.328/.433 with 25 homers over 667 plate appearances. Despite that seemingly good slash line, Hosmer was barely above average in terms of runs created (101 wRC+) and he was rated as a below-average baserunner and defender. After mostly good grades in terms of Defensive Runs Saved and UZR/150 in the previous three years, Hosmer’s first base work took a tumble as per those two metrics in 2016 (minus-6 DRS, -6.1 UZR/150). Hosmer’s contact rate also declined last year, while he posted a career-worst 19.8% strikeout rate.

With so many key free agents, the coming offseason has been seen as a turning point for a Royals team that is trying to remain competitive while remaining fiscally responsible. This winter, Kansas City has dealt two pending free agents in Wade Davis and Jarrod Dyson while extending another (Danny Duffy). While the odds of re-signing everyone is next to impossible, Duffy’s extension would imply that K.C. also isn’t going to let everyone walk and go into a full rebuild, though one or two of the free agents could be moved at the trade deadline if the Royals aren’t in contention for a playoff berth.

Orioles Acquire Vidal Nuno

By Connor Byrne | February 19, 2017 at 5:03pm CDT

5:03PM: The trade is official, as per a Dodgers press release.

4:23PM: The Orioles are close to acquiring left-hander Vidal Nuno from the Dodgers in exchange for minor league right-hander Ryan Moseley, reports Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun.

If Baltimore does acquire Nuno, it would be the second trade involving the 29-year-old in the past three-plus months. The Dodgers previously sent catcher Carlos Ruiz to the Mariners in November for Nuno, who has three years of club control remaining and will make a paltry $1.125MM in 2017. The swingman would provide the Orioles someone with extensive experience as both a starter and reliever – something they lost when Vance Worley departed in free agency – and perhaps push out-of-options southpaw T.J. McFarland off their roster.

In stints with the Yankees, Diamondbacks and M’s, the soft-tossing Nuno has combined for 126 appearances (42 starts) of 4.02 ERA pitching with 7.38 K/9 against 2.32 BB/9. He has been particularly tough on left-handed hitters, having held them to a .217/.285/.356 line, while righties have slashed .270/.320/.479. Nuno’s currently coming off a two-year stretch in which he recorded a 3.66 ERA, 8.05 K/9 and 2.01 BB/9 over 147 2/3 innings, though he generated ground balls at just a 39.7 percent clip.

The Orioles will have to create 40-man roster space for Nuno, Encina notes, while Ken Gurnick of MLB.com tweets that dealing the pitcher will enable the Dodgers to open up a spot for newly signed outfielder Franklin Gutierrez. They’ll also pick up the 22-year-old Moseley, whom the Orioles selected in the eighth round of last June’s draft. Moseley disappointed in 2016 at Texas Tech, per Baseball America (subscription required/recommended), which lists a “power-reliever future” as the best-case scenario for the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder. Moseley debuted professionally in short-season ball last year and registered a 3.20 ERA, 8.24 K/9 and 4.12 BB/9 in 19 2/3 innings.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Quick Hits: Betances, Pace Of Play, Rox, Schwarber, Rays

By Connor Byrne | February 19, 2017 at 4:58pm CDT

Ace reliever Dellin Betances had more to say Sunday regarding his arbitration-related dispute with Yankees president Randy Levine, telling reporters – including George A. King III of the New York Post – that he has no regrets over comments he made Saturday. Betances added that he isn’t going to seek out Levine to potentially clear the air between the two. “I don’t feel I need to speak to him, I don’t know how [the Yankees] feel,’’ Betances said. “I am just going to try and prepare for the season and help the team as much as I can.’’ Further, on the heels of MLBPA executive Rick Shapiro calling Levine’s remarks “totally unprecedented” Saturday, union chief Tony Clark weighed in Sunday and referred to them as “unprofessional” (Twitter link via Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan).

NL Notes: Cubs, Weaver, Reds, Mets, Nats

By Connor Byrne | February 19, 2017 at 3:07pm CDT

Whether the Cubs extend right-hander Jake Arrieta prior to free agency next winter will be up to president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer, chairman Tom Ricketts told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. “They have the right perspective on what they have to put a great team on the field this year but have a longer term perspective in realizing decisions that affect this year might hurt us in a few years,” said Ricketts, who added that the reigning World Series champions will be “thoughtful and strategic” in deciding when to exceed the luxury-tax threshold. The Cubs spent past the mark for the first time last year, but they’re on track to avoid the penalty this season, estimates Jason Martinez of Roster Resource and MLBTR. Allowing Arrieta to walk in free agency next year would help the Cubs stay under the limit in 2018, too, though they’d also lose the 2015 NL Cy Young winner and one of the game’s top starters. It seems that will happen, however, as Arrieta’s agent, Scott Boras, could push for a $200MM-plus deal. In the meantime, Arrieta will make $15.6375M in his final year of team control.

AL Notes: Blue Jays, Yankees, Sox, Frazier

By Connor Byrne | February 19, 2017 at 1:06pm CDT

Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson is likely to sit out the next two to three weeks on account of the right calf strain he suffered Friday, reports John Lott of The Athletic (Twitter link). The durable superstar hasn’t appeared in fewer than 155 games in any of the past four seasons and, barring a setback, it doesn’t appear this injury will affect his Opening Day availability.

Elsewhere in the AL…

When first baseman Chris Carter was still unsigned at the end of January, his agent, Dave Stewart, suggested that the slugger would have to seriously consider signing in Japan. Carter ultimately didn’t have to take such a drastic measure, of course, as he inked a one-year deal with the Yankees earlier this month. Now, it doesn’t seem as though Japan was ever a legitimate possibility for Carter. The 2016 National League co-leader in home runs (41) told reporters – including Randy Miller of NJ.com – on Saturday that the notion of going to Japan was “probably not that real” and “was more just to cover all bases and check all options.” Carter did admit, however, that he “started getting antsy” when February rolled around and he didn’t have a contract. “It’s definitely a tough offseason this year, but it seems like the game is changing a little bit where there is more emphasis on complete players,” he stated.
If Pablo Sandoval doesn’t reestablish himself as a capable third baseman this year, the Red Sox could eventually swing a trade for Todd Frazier of the White Sox, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Chicago will have paid more than half of Frazier’s $12.5MM salary by the trade deadline, which should make the 31-year-old an attractive target for Boston or other contenders, Cafardo observes. Given that the White Sox are amid a rebuild, it seems they’d prefer to ship out established veterans like Frazier sooner than later, as general manager Rick Hahn implied in an interview with MLBTR contributor Brett Ballantini earlier this week.
The Yankees listened to offers for left fielder Brett Gardner over the winter, though no trade materialized. That surprised Gardner, who told Miller on Sunday that he expected a deal to occur. Considering Gardner’s a soon-to-be 34-year-old playing on a team that has committed itself to a youth movement, he could still end up on the move sometime soon. The careerlong Yankee addressed that, saying, “I guess on one hand obviously I don’t want to get traded, but on the other hand the fact that maybe some other teams have interest in me, I see that as a compliment.”
White Sox center fielder Charlie Tilson suffered a stress fracture in his right foot and will cease impact activities for at least 10 days, tweets Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. If healthy, the 24-year-old Tilson figures to start in center this season for the Sox, who acquired him from the Cardinals last July for reliever Zach Duke. In his big league debut in August, Tilson tore his hamstring and missed the remainder of 2016 as a result.

Eric Gagne Mulling Comeback

By Connor Byrne | February 19, 2017 at 12:19pm CDT

Although former major league reliever Eric Gagne retired seven years ago, he is considering staging a comeback attempt at the age of 41, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

“I feel great,” said Gagne. “It’s almost scary.”

Gagne, who will pitch for Canada in this year’s World Baseball Classic, told Gurnick he still features a fastball upward of 90 mph and a changeup. The right-hander has had throwing sessions with the Diamondbacks and Padres, per Gurnick, and is now serving as a guest pitching instructor with his longtime team, the Dodgers. Gagne threw in front of club president Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi on Sunday, tweets Gurnick, who notes that wasn’t an official tryout.

While Gagne’s latest major league action came back in 2008 as a member of the Brewers, with whom he scuffled (5.44 ERA, 6.13 FIP in 46 1/3 innings), he was once a dominant force in Los Angeles. Gagne was with the Dodgers between 1999-2006 and was at his best from 2002-04, when he converted a record 84 straight saves, earned three straight All-Star nods and won the National League Cy Young in 2003. During that 247-inning stretch, Gagne blew just one save in 153 attempts and posted a 1.79 ERA, 13.3 K/9 and 2.11 BB/9.

Gagne, who also pitched for the Rangers and Red Sox, combined for a 3.47 ERA, 10.04 K/9 and 3.16 BB/9 in 643 2/3 frames. He did appear in the Mitchell Report for using human growth hormone in 2004, though, and later claimed that 80 percent of his Dodgers teammates utilized performance-enhancing drugs.

Padres Sign Jered Weaver

By charliewilmoth | February 19, 2017 at 11:11am CDT

SUNDAY: The Padres have announced Weaver’s signing. To make room for Weaver, the club has placed righty Colin Rea on the 60-day disabled list. Rea underwent Tommy John surgery in November and won’t pitch this year.

SATURDAY: The Padres have agreed to terms with veteran righty Jered Weaver to a one-year deal, Fan Rag’s Jon Heyman tweets. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale was the first to tweet a deal was close. Weaver will receive $3MM, as Heyman tweets and SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo confirms. Weaver can also receive a $250K assignment bonus. Weaver is a client of the Boras Corporation.

The Padres were repeatedly connected to Weaver this winter as the team aimed to remake its rotation. After parting ways with Andrew Cashner and James Shields in trades last season and then non-tendering Tyson Ross, the Padres’ starting pitching corps looked extremely thin. The team has since added veterans Jhoulys Chacin, Clayton Richard and Trevor Cahill to eat innings, and it appears Weaver will be another arm to add to that mix.

Weaver has pitched his entire career to this point a short drive up Interstate 5 in Anaheim, and his new deal with the Padres allows the Southern California native to stay in familiar environs. The 34-year-old has generally been a reliable workhorse throughout his career, but he’s undergone a long decline in the past several seasons that culminated in a very disappointing 2016 in which he posted a 5.06 ERA, 5.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 while averaging just 83 MPH with his fastball. ERA estimators suggested he was even worse than that 5.06 ERA suggested, with a 5.64 xFIP and 5.44 SIERA. His ground ball rate also continued to drop to just 28.8%, and he led the AL in home runs allowed, with 37. A big-league deal for him is a small coup for Boras at this point.

Even as Weaver’s velocity and strikeout rate have diminished in recent years, however, he still managed to pitch 178 innings last season, and his ability to take the ball has value. He could be an asset for a Padres staff that could struggle to get through games in 2017.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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