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Archives for March 2017

Phillies Release Sean Burnett

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The Phillies have released veteran left-hander Sean Burnett, according to a team announcement. The reliever, who had an opt-out in his minor league contract for Sunday, requested his release.

At his best, Burnett was a high-end bullpen option from 2009-12, when he combined for a 2.86 ERA and a 55.4 percent ground-ball rate with the Pirates and Nationals. Arm issues have derailed Burnett’s career since, however, as the two-time Tommy John surgery recipient didn’t throw more than 9 2/3 innings in any of the previous four major league seasons. After missing all of 2015, he returned to the bigs with the Nationals last year and allowed two earned runs on three hits in 5 2/3 frames. Burnett spent most of the season at the Triple-A level as a member of four different organizations – the Nats, Braves, Dodgers and Twins.

While spring training stats don’t carry any significance, the 34-year-old Burnett did fare decently in camp with the Phillies. In nine innings, he yielded two earned runs on six hits and two walks, though he didn’t record any strikeouts. That showing clearly wasn’t enough for the Phillies to hand Burnett a roster spot, and he’ll attempt to catch on with a different organization as a result.

MLBTR Originals

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A roundup of MLBTR’s original content from the past week:

  • In a fascinating, extremely detailed piece, MLBTR contributor and former Cubs front office man Chuck Wasserstrom went back in time to the team’s active offseason after the 2006 campaign. The Cubs won just 66 games in 2006, leading the Tribune Company – which owned the franchise at the time and was looking to sell it – to give then-general manager Jim Hendry the green light to spend in free agency. Improving the on-field product would increase the Cubs’ value, the Tribune Company figured, so Hendry brought in famed manager Lou Piniella and made several signings. Wasserstrom interviewed both Hendry and Piniella about that offseason, and Hendry noted that left-hander Ted Lilly was the Cubs’ top free agent pitching target entering the Winter Meetings. Both Lilly and his agent, Larry O’Brien, as well as Hendry, Piniella and Yankees GM Brian Cashman (the Bombers were Lilly’s top choice) were among those who detailed the courting of Lilly, who ultimately signed a four-year, $40MM deal with Chicago. At the same time, though, Hendry was in a terrifying personal situation, having found out that he’d need to undergo an emergency heart procedure. When Lilly agreed to join the Cubs, Hendry was in the midst of an EKG. “To this day, the story obviously has been embellished in some ways by the fact that a couple hours later I was going to have a heart procedure – but the fact is that Larry O’Brien called me when I was on the gurney,” Hendry said. Added Cashman, who now works with Hendry in the Yankees’ front office, “I know we as an industry were worried sick about Jim and his health, but it’s nice to be able to look back on it in a fond way promoting how dedicated Jim is – because he survived it.” Hendry’s signing of Lilly proved to be a quality move, as the left-hander went on to post a 3.70 ERA in 113 starts with the Cubs and help the team to two playoff appearances.
  • Brewers reliever and funnyman Tim Dillard, who’s in minor league camp in Arizona, returned to share the second part of his Inner Monologue. Here’s an excerpt: “Yesterday a teammate walked in the clubhouse carrying coffee and wearing a huge round fancy wristwatch.  So just to be stupid, I asked him what time it was.  The guy stopped… dug his watch hand into his pocket… and emerged with a smart phone.  He hit the button to make the screen light up, but it was upside down.  But after repositioning his coffee between his arm and chest, he managed to flip the phone right side up.  “It isssssssss 6:37.”’
  • This year’s Offseason In Review series continued with looks at five teams. Tim Dierkes handled both Chicago clubs (links: Cubs, White Sox), while I tackled the Mets and Athletics, and Mark Polishuk analyzed the Blue Jays.

Tigers Place Mark Lowe On Release Waivers

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The Tigers have placed reliever Mark Lowe on unconditional release waivers, reports Jason Beck of MLB.com (Twitter link). The right-hander is due a $5.5MM salary this year, so he’ll likely clear waivers and become a free agent.

Lowe had to compete for a roster spot with Detroit this spring, which wasn’t the outcome the team envisioned when it inked him to a two-year, $11MM guarantee in December 2015. But Lowe then endured a disastrous 2016, when his average fastball velocity dropped from 95.5 mph in 2015 to 92.4 mph. Thanks in part to his less effective heater, Lowe registered a 7.11 ERA in 49 1/3 innings and saw his home run-to-fly ball ratio go from 8.9 percent in 2015 to 17.9 percent last season. Lowe also experienced a significant drop in swinging-strike rate (14.1 percent in 2015 to 10 percent) and nearly doubled his walk rate (1.96 per nine to 3.83).

Lowe was excellent two seasons ago with Seattle and Toronto, where he combined for career bests in ERA (1.96) and K/9 (9.98) across 55 frames, which led to his Detroit payday. The 33-year-old hasn’t been particularly consistent during his career, however, as he has posted subpar production in several campaigns. All told, though, Lowe’s output has been passable – despite having recorded a below-average ground-ball rate (39.8 percent), he has combined for a 4.22 ERA, 8.21 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 385 2/3 innings with six teams.

AL Notes: Rays, Twins, Athletics

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The Rays are on the lookout for a right-handed bat, which would come in the form of either a shortstop or an outfielder, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Their preference is to to land an outfielder who has options and can back up center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, per Topkin, who lists Bryce Brentz, Peter Bourjos, Austin Jackson, Rob Refsnyder and Justin Ruggiano as possibilities. Former Ray Melvin Upton Jr. might be a candidate, too, if the Blue Jays dump him, Topkin writes.

Elsewhere on the Rays front, Jesus Sucre is likely to join the newly signed Derek Norris as one of their two catchers, according to Topkin. Tampa Bay still needs to add Norris and Sucre to its 40-man roster, which means the club could look to trade one of its other backstops, Curt Casali or Luke Maile (probably Casali), relays Topkin.

The latest on two other American League clubs:

  • The Twins optioned right-hander Jose Berrios to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, thus eliminating him from the competition for the final spot in their rotation. The job will go to either Adalberto Mejia or Tyler Duffey, whom Berrios fell behind while he was with Team Puerto Rico for 18 days at the World Baseball Classic. Berrios only threw 6 2/3 innings during that nearly three-week span, which hurt his chances of beginning the season in Minnesota, but he doesn’t regret participating in the tournament. “Playing for Puerto Rico is an honor; it makes me proud,” Berrios told Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press through an interpreter. “I know this is my team, it’s my job. This is who drafted me. This is who I’m going to make it with, but you don’t get to play for Puerto Rico every day or every year. That’s not how it is.” The 22-year-old Berrios, who has dominated in the minors, still seems likely to end up in the Twins’ rotation sometime in 2017. If that happens, the former premier prospect will try to bounce back from a rough rookie year in which he posted an 8.02 ERA, 7.56 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 over 58 innings.
  • It came as a surprise when the Twins designated DH Byung Ho Park for assignment in February, but he ultimately remained with the organization after clearing waivers. Nearly two months later, he has the inside track on a big league roster spot on account of Kennys Vargas’ less-than-ideal spring, per Berardino. Vargas, who was also with Puerto Rico at the WBC, has gone just 1 for 15 with three walks during the Twins’ exhibition season. His situation worsened when he fouled a ball off his left foot Friday, and is now on crutches. Although initial X-rays were negative, the Twins will send Vargas for further testing, writes Berardino. “If he doesn’t play for a week, it’s going to have an impact,” manager Paul Molitor said of Vargas’ chances of earning a place with the Twins. “He just hasn’t had many at-bats.”
  • Righty Jesse Hahn looks like the odd man out in the Athletics’ rotation battle, observes Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Judging by the A’s pitching schedule, they appear poised to go with Andrew Triggs and Raul Alcantara for their final two starting spots, Slusser notes. Hahn was subpar at both the major league and Triple-A levels last season, and he hasn’t bounced back with a decent spring. The 27-year-old has yielded 15 earned runs on 25 hits in 15 1/3 innings.

The Inner Monologue of @DimTillard Part 2

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A few weeks ago I blogged my Inner Monologue for MLB Trade Rumors.  They decided it didn’t suck that bad, and asked if I’d write down some more thoughts… so now, back by not a whole lot of demand, my Inner Monologue Part 2!

It’s 4:08pm on Saturday March 25th, 2017.  My name is Tim Dillard.  I’m 32 years and 614 days old.  I’m a relief pitcher trying to win a spot for my 15th professional baseball season.  I’m currently in Arizona as part of Minor League spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers baseball club team organization.  I’m married and have 3 kids.  I enjoy movies, Star Wars, and movies about Star Wars.

4:11pm  I really need to work on my opening paragraphs for these blog things.  I remember my speech teacher back in college saying that the key to giving a good speech or writing an article, is to always start off with a funny joke.

4:12pm  But I can’t think of one.

4:13pm  Probably because I’m a little pressed for time.  My aforementioned offspring are enjoying nap/quiet time right now.  And according to my calculations, they will be standing on the furniture in 47 minutes.  And by furniture, I mean hotel furniture (so who cares really).  And by my calculations, I mean my watch.  And by my watch, I really mean the clock on my iPhone.

4:16pm  Yesterday a teammate walked in the clubhouse carrying coffee and wearing a huge round fancy wristwatch.  So just to be stupid, I asked him what time it was.  The guy stopped… dug his watch hand into his pocket… and emerged with a smart phone.  He hit the button to make the screen light up, but it was upside down.  But after repositioning his coffee between his arm and chest, he managed to flip the phone right side up.  “It isssssssss 6:37.”

4:20pm  Oh no, just heard a faint child cry from the other room… I’m betting it’s either my 18-month-old or my 76-month-old.

4:23pm  False alarm.  It was the TV.  Tell me again why ad agencies continually think it’s a good idea to have crying babies in their commercials?  I may be alone on this, but the sound of a crying baby in the house puts me on high alert.

4:28pm  Not sure why the TV was on anyway.  I really don’t watch that often. Unless you count sports, or the Dancing with the Voice Bachelor Project show my wife insists we view together.

4:29pm  During team stretch today, some of the guys were talking about the new Netflix show A Series of Unfortunate Events.  Jokingly, I asked if that was the show loosely based on my baseball playing career… no one laughed.  But honestly shouldn’t there be a show about the Minor Leagues?

4:34pm  Think about it… the plot could center around a Triple-A team.  It could be filmed in the offseason at any of the hundreds of unused baseball stadiums around the country.  It would probably work best as a dramedy.  And as far as casting and stunts, just call on former pro players who want to show off their acting chops!  Quick, anyone have Michael Bay’s err Steven Spielberg’s email?!

4:41pm  Just imagine the movie Summer Catch… but like completely different in every way.

4:42pm  Last week before batting practice, a bunch of position players were talking about the movies they have on digital download or their very legal hard drive.  So me being fluent in the language of movies, I naturally butted in on the fun.  But got some weird looks from the younger guys when I mentioned I had VHS growing up.

4:47pm  That same day I had a milestone event in my baseball career!  At the Angels stadium out here in Phoenix, I managed to pitch 2 different times in the same game!  I came in to end the 3rd inning, then came in again to end the 4th.  I know the rules can be bent in spring training, but pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve had 2 appearances in 1 game.  Guess I can add that to my list of strange career highlights.

4:51pm  It will sit right up there next to:  bunting in a hail storm, pitching with a broken hand, almost winning a fan a new mattress, breaking a 107-year-old record for most hit batters in a season, escaping a bases loaded jam with ice cream on my face, being ejected, stadium lights turning off mid-pitch during a potential no-hitter, maintaining a career Major League batting average of .500, almost tackling Will Ferrell in the outfield, fielding a groundball off a giant boulder, hitting a bird mid-flight with a pitch… never mind, actually, that last one happened to Randy Johnson.

4:59pm  No kids have emerged from slumber as of yet, so I guess I’ll keep typing.

4:59:49pm  And not to brag, but I was once one of the top 10 or 15 typers in my entire 8th grade class.  I was also third-string quarterback.  And that same year, during Awards Day at school, I was unable to accept my Perfect Attendance Trophy due to sickness.

5:02pm  Today starts the closing week of Minor League spring training 2017.  And for players, it can be a very difficult and emotional time.  With so many decisions left to be made, players wait, wonder, and worry about what will happen next.  Which Minor League team roster will I make?  Am I really ready for opening day?  Who do I ask to be roommates for the next 5 months?  How do I find an apartment in just a few days time?  What if I don’t make a team?  What if I get released?

5:09pm  These thoughts are real.  These thoughts are scary.  And there isn’t a vaccine or antibiotic to stop them from spreading. (believe me)

5:11pm  I told a rookie yesterday to stay strong and stay standing to the very end of spring training… I honestly have no idea what this means.  May have stolen it from a Facebook picture with a cat on it.  But I’d like to think what I meant was: to keep fighting and keep grinding and show the decision makers everything you are.  That will put you in the best possible position to be awarded a baseball season.

5:13pm  “I’m in a glass case of emotion!” -Ron Burgundy

5:14pm  The sound of furniture under attack means I’m done for now.

To Be Concluded…

NL Notes: Cubs, Padres, Cardinals, Dodgers

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Unlike last season, when he took nearly three weeks to accept a summer demotion to Triple-A, Cubs infielder Tommy La Stella would be willing to head to the minors without incident this year, according to manager Joe Maddon (via Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago). A season-opening role with Triple-A Iowa is a possibility for La Stella, who’s battling outfielder Matt Szczur for the Cubs’ final bench spot. Szczur is the only one of the two who’s out of options, which could bode poorly for La Stella. The Cubs “haven’t decided everything or anything yet,” per Maddon, but he believes Szczur is a major league-caliber player and an ideal teammate.

More from the National League:

  • Yangervis Solarte (second base) and non-roster invitee Erick Aybar (shortstop) are likely to open the season as the Padres’ double-play combination, manager Andy Green suggested to Owen Perkins of MLB.com on Saturday. Solarte has spent the majority of his career at third base, but he also has experience at the keystone. His move across the diamond will open up the hot corner for a combo of Ryan Schimpf, who emerged from anonymity to hit 20 home runs as a 28-year-old rookie last season, and Cory Spangenberg. Aybar, meanwhile, has long been a capable shortstop, but he endured a poor 2016 split between Atlanta and Detroit and then settled for a minor league deal with the Padres last month. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old has impressed Green. “Erick’s done a lot of things we really like in camp so far,” said Green. “I enjoy the type of person he is, the way his mind works, the way he’s hit the ball around the yard.”
  • Career minor leaguer Jose Martinez has won the Cardinals’ fourth outfielder spot, leading the team to demote Tommy Pham to Triple-A Memphis. This is the second straight year the Cardinals have chosen an untested 28-year-old for a reserve outfielder role. Jeremy Hazelbaker, now with the Diamondbacks, unexpectedly emerged last spring and then slashed a useful .235/.295/.480 with 12 homers in 224 plate appearances as a rookie. Martinez, a .324/.392/.483 hitter in 885 Triple-A plate trips, has mashed this spring en route to a roster spot. Pham hasn’t, further influencing St. Louis’ decision, but he does own a quality .245/.333/.455 line in 358 major league PAs.
  • As of earlier this week, the Dodgers considered outfielder Andre Ethier doubtful for Opening Day on account of a “mild” herniated disk in his lower back. It now appears Ethier’s a lock to miss the beginning of the season, as the soon-to-be 35-year-old won’t resume baseball activities until the first week of April, tweets Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times. The Dodgers don’t consider Ethier’s injury a serious one, though. “I think it’s actually a good sign,” said manager Dave Roberts. “It’s not a six- to eight-week thing as I understand it” (Twitter link via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register).

NL East Notes: Nationals, Phillies, Marlins

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The Nationals have “kind of settled on” their choice for a closer, Dusty Baker told Jamal Collier of MLB.com, but the manager hasn’t revealed the decision to anyone competing for the role. Koda Glover, Shawn Kelley and Blake Treinen have all been vying for the job this spring, and it appears the inexperienced Glover is the front-runner. Although Glover has just 19 2/3 major league innings on his resume, the hard-throwing 23-year-old is the favorite to handle the ninth, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman, who adds that Washington likes his “moxie.”

More from D.C. and two other NL East cities:

  • Sticking with the Nationals’ bullpen, right-hander Joe Nathan is still with the team after he didn’t opt out of his contract Friday. However, that wasn’t his only opportunity – the longtime closer actually has a 72-hour window to exit his minor league pact, reports Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com (Twitter link). The Nats have taken a good look this spring at the 42-year-old Nathan, who has thrown 10 2/3 innings and allowed five earned runs on 13 hits and three walks (and totaled eight strikeouts).
  • The Phillies are facing a 40-man roster crunch as Opening Day nears, meaning they could pursue a trade to free up space, per Matt Gelb of Philly.com. “We’re trying to come up with the best plan for when we break, and a lot of it has to do with the non-roster players,” said manager Pete Mackanin. “If we make a move, someone has to come off [the 40-man roster] and that’s an issue.” Outfielder Tyler Goeddel, whom the Phillies demoted to Double-A on Friday, and pitchers Adam Morgan, Alec Asher and Luis Garcia are among those on the 40-man bubble, notes Gelb.
  • Marlins left-hander Jeff Locke is making progress in his bout with bicep tendinitis, having thrown off a mound for the first time this spring on Saturday, but manager Don Mattingly suggested he’s likely to at least miss all of April, writes Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Locke, an ex-Pirate whom the Marlins signed to a one-year, $3.025MM deal in December, would have opened the season as either a No. 5 starter or a long reliever had he been healthy. Locke’s ongoing absence will continue to sap the depth of a Miami team which is reportedly looking for rotation help.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Yanks, WBC, Sox, Twins, Tigers, Brewers

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This week in baseball blogs:

Please send submissions to ZachBBWI @gmail.com.baseba

Indians Notes: Lindor, Ramirez, Jackson, Shaffer

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It was on this day in 1910 that the Chalmers Auto Company announced that a new car would be awarded to the batting champions from the American and National League.  This innocent promotion ended up leading to a memorable controversy, as Cleveland’s Nap Lajoie “won” the AL batting title after collecting eight hits in nine at-bats (under very dubious circumstances) during a season-ending double-header against the St. Louis Browns.  Chalmers ended up awarding cars to both Lajoie and runner-up Ty Cobb in the wake of the embarrassing situation.

Here’s some news from modern-day Cleveland baseball…

  • There aren’t any extension talks going on between the Indians and Francisco Lindor, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (via Twitter).  Cleveland isn’t necessarily in any rush since Lindor isn’t even eligible for arbitration for two more seasons, though the Tribe has historically looked to extend young talent when possible.  Once Jose Ramirez’s extension is finalized, he’ll be the ninth member of the Tribe’s roster signed to a multi-year extension by the team.  Lindor’s extension case will be particularly fascinating to watch given his status as one of the sport’s rising superstars.  (Cleveland.com’s Zack Meisel recently speculated that a Lindor extension might cost the Indians something in the neighborhood of $65MM-$75MM on a six-year deal.)
  • Ramirez’s extension was finalized after about a month of negotiations, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes.  According to Rafael Nieves, Ramirez’s agent, yesterday was the self-imposed deadline for the extension to be settled, so Ramirez could focus on preparing for Opening Day.  Ramirez originally turned down an offer comparable to Jose Altuve’s four-year, $12MM extension with the Astros from 2013.
  • Austin Jackson’s minor league contract with the Indians was known to contain an out clause near the end of Spring Training, and MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports (Twitter link) that Jackson’s opt-out date is actually tomorrow.  Jackson is hitting well this spring though it may still be difficult for him to carve out a spot in the Tribe’s crowded outfield picture.
  • After an offseason in “DFA limbo,” Richie Shaffer is hoping for some stability with the Tribe, Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan writes.  Shaffer was traded from the Rays to the Mariners in November and then designated for assignment and claimed by Seattle, Philadelphia and Cincinnati before finally landing in Cleveland on a waiver claim…and then being DFA’ed again and outrighted off the Indians’ 40-man roster.  Needless to say, it was a trying offseason for Shaffer and his family, and Passan’s piece is well worth reading as an insight into how such transactions take their toll on a player.  “That was the first time I’d ever been talked about in that light – as a player a team would consider DFA’ing,” Shaffer said.  “A year prior to that, I was in the Futures Game….Baseball’s an odd business. The game is pretty simple, but the business is strange. Once you get DFA’d once, there’s almost this perception that you’re a guy who can be DFA’d. Essentially, the next person who picks you up gets you for nothing, so you’re just as expendable to the next team because they got you free.”

Cafardo’s Latest: Braves, Quintana, Martes, Hosmer

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe shares a few hot stove items in his weekly notes column…

  • The Braves have had some interest in trading for White Sox lefty Jose Quintana, though Atlanta president of baseball operations John Hart says his rebuilding team isn’t quite ready to make that kind of major deal.  “We’re still growing this team.  Our whole mantra has been young players,” Hart said.  “It’s worked.  We like where we’ve gone.  Our farm system has gone from worst to first.  At this point we’re probably likely not going to move these [prospects].”
  • More from Hart, who said that the Braves “haven’t really entertained anything” in regards to trade offers for veterans, including Nick Markakis.  “Nick is a good piece. He’s a super pro player….We’ll look at what happens this year, but he’s an affordable guy,” Hart said.  Markakis is owed $10.5MM in both 2017 and 2018.  The Braves somewhat surprisingly signed Markakis to a four-year, $44MM deal in the 2014-15 offseason just as the team was beginning its rebuild, and the veteran has hit .282/.358/.386 over 1370 PA since coming to Atlanta.
  • Quintana may be the biggest name who could be traded before Opening Day, though the White Sox are steadfast in their demands for a big return and are prepared to keep Quintana until someone finally meets the asking price.  Cafardo sees the Dodgers as a sleeper for Quintana, as Los Angeles has a good farm system and is dealing with some injury questions in the rotation.
  • “The Astros seem to be the team most engaged” on Quintana, though Houston didn’t budge when the White Sox asked for a trade package of Francis Martes, Kyle Tucker and Joe Musgrove earlier this offseason.  Cafardo notes that Martes is the specific stumbling block in talks, as the Astros are naturally unwilling to give up one of the sport’s most highly-touted pitching prospects.
  • The Royals are reportedly preparing to shop their multiple free agent veterans if they fall out of contention this summer, and Cafardo says K.C. is looking at the Red Sox as a possible trade partner for Eric Hosmer.  Boston could pursue Hosmer as a rental if Mitch Moreland isn’t performing, though the Sox also have an intriguing internal first base option in minor leaguer Sam Travis.

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