Archives for March 2017

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Pomeranz, McCann, Rays, Odorizzi, Blue Jays

By Mark Polishuk | March 19, 2017 at 10:52pm CDT

With Rick Porcello and Chris Sale suddenly looking like the only healthy and reliable members of the Red Sox starting five, Boston’s rotation is “a house of cards,” in the words of CSNNE.com’s Evan Drellich (video link). Lou Merloni, Jared Carrabis, and Drellich discuss Boston’s lack of pitching depth in the wake of David Price’s season-opening DL stint and Drew Pomeranz having to leave an outing today due to left triceps tightness. The controversial circumstances of the Red Sox/Padres deal that brought Pomeranz to Boston last season are also revisited, with Carrabis noting that “the trade looks like it keeps getting worse every single day” from the Sox perspective given Pomeranz’s ongoing injury problems.

Here’s more from around the AL East…

Brian McCann has nothing but fond memories of his time with the Yankees, though he told Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media that being traded to the Astros represents “a best-case scenario for both sides.” McCann was willing to waive his no-trade protection in order to join “a team filled with talent…young talent that’s going to be together for a while” that would allow him to regularly catch, while the Yankees were clearly going with Gary Sanchez as the catcher of both the future and the present. “You’ve got to see what you have, and what they have is a very talented catcher that is going to be there for a long time,” McCann said, noting that he himself displaced a veteran catcher (Johnny Estrada) when he first broke into the bigs as a rookie with the Braves in 2005.
Players face a big decision when presented with the opportunity to sign an early-career extension, as Evan Longoria and Jake Odorizzi of the Rays tell Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Longoria’s first extension with the Rays (a six-year, $17.5MM deal signed just a week into his big league career) drew some criticism at the time, though Longoria saw it as a chance to “have this security for myself and my family and just play and relax.”
Odorizzi, meanwhile, passed on a discussed extension with the Rays two offseasons ago. Topkin reports that the proposed extension would have been a six-year deal worth close to $30MM in guaranteed money, with over $20MM more available via two additional club option years. Such a deal would’ve covered at least two of Odorizzi’s free agent seasons and potentially kept him under team control through his age-33 season. Odorizzi doesn’t regret turning down the extension, saying “sometimes it boils down to, and I hate to say it, but the dollar amount. We all know the money in this game and the value of players and what your value is. And sometimes it just doesn’t match up. That’s just the circumstances.”
The Blue Jays hope to gain a competitive advantage with their high performance department, as Sportsnet.ca’s Arden Zwelling takes a look inside the all-encompassing plan dedicated to keeping players physically and mentally prepared year-round. Club president Mark Shapiro hired sports psychologist Angus Mugford last year to create the high performance department, which has now grown into a 43-person staff consisting of fitness trainers, dieticians, mental coaches, and more. The department’s focus on each player’s individual status helped the Jays decide to keep Aaron Sanchez in the rotation last season, as since Sanchez had so diligently been keeping himself in good condition, there was less fear that he would wear down after throwing so many innings.

NL West Notes: Padres, Rollins, Ethier

By Mark Polishuk | March 19, 2017 at 9:23pm CDT

Here’s the latest from the NL West…

Service time considerations could play a role in the Padres’ Opening Day roster decisions on Luis Perdomo and Manuel Margot on the Opening Day roster, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes. Perdomo, a Rule 5 Draft pick last offseason, clocked a full year of MLB service time in 2016, posting a 5.71 ERA, 6.4 K/9, 2.28 K/BB rate and a whopping 59% grounder rate over 146 2/3 innings. Margot, one of the game’s top prospects, had a 12-day cup of coffee in the bigs last season. Keeping both Perdomo and Margot in the minors for a few weeks to begin 2017 would allow the Padres to gain an extra year of control over both players. In Margot’s case, the extra minor league seasoning could be necessary since Margot has missed the last two weeks of camp with a knee injury.
Jimmy Rollins is off to a slow start in the Giants’ camp, with just three hits in his first 26 at-bats for an ungainly .113 average. Despite the lack of production thus far, the veteran infielder tells Andrew Baggarly of the Bay Area News Group that he isn’t yet feeling a crunch to perform given his non-roster status. “I’d love to start driving some balls. But pressure? No, it’s not pressure. You start doing that, then you’re really starting to go the wrong way,” Rollins said. As Baggarly notes, Rollins’ performance is somewhat difficult to evaluate since he appeared in only 41 games last season and none after June 8, so “the Giants must determine whether Rollins’ lack of results is due to diminished skills or whether he’s a veteran who needs a little extra time to regain his stroke.” Rollins gave no hints as to how he would proceed in his career if he didn’t make the Opening Day roster.
Andre Ethier will undergo an MRI on his back on Monday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Ethier has been bothered by lower back stiffness over the last two weeks and, since this is an unfamiliar injury for the veteran outfielder, Roberts said the club will “take it slow” in giving Ethier time to recover. Ethier played just 16 games last season due to a broken leg, and he is entering his last guaranteed year under contract with L.A. He needs at least 550 plate appearances for his $17.5MM option to vest for 2018, and while that much playing time may have been questionable anyway given the crowded Dodgers outfield, a significant back injury would certainly put it out of reach.

Offseason In Review: Toronto Blue Jays

By Mark Polishuk | March 19, 2017 at 7:41pm CDT

This is the latest entry in MLBTR’s Offseason In Review series.

The Blue Jays added several veteran reinforcements to their roster and brought back franchise icon Jose Bautista, though the loss of Edwin Encarnacion may linger as a “what-if” scenario for years to come.

Major League Signings

Kendrys Morales, DH/1B: Three years, $33MM
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., IF/OF: Seven years, $22MM
Jose Bautista, RF: One year, $18.5MM (plus $17MM mutual option for 2018 and $20MM vesting option for 2019)
Steve Pearce, 1B/OF: Two years, $12.5MM
J.P. Howell, RP: One year, $3MM
Joe Smith, RP: One year, $3MM
Total spend: $92MM

Trades And Claims

Claimed RHP Dominic Leone off waivers from Diamondbacks
Claimed RHP Leonel Campos off waivers from Padres
Claimed C Juan Graterol off waivers from Angels
Selected RHP Glenn Sparkman from Royals in the Rule 5 Draft

Notable Minor League Signings

Jeff Beliveau, Jonathan Diaz, Jake Elmore, Gavin Floyd, Jarrett Grube, Lucas Harrell, T.J. House, Mat Latos, Rafael Lopez, Brett Oberholtzer, Mike Ohlman, Gregorio Petit, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Jose Tabata

Notable Losses

Edwin Encarnacion, R.A. Dickey, Michael Saunders, Brett Cecil, Joaquin Benoit, Scott Feldman, Josh Thole, A.J. Jimenez

Toronto Blue Jays Depth Chart; Blue Jays Payroll Overview

Needs Addressed

When Encarnacion didn’t quickly accept the Blue Jays’ early offer of a four-year, $80MM contract, Toronto moved right on to its Plan B in another experienced slugger in Kendrys Morales. While Morales’ numbers over the last five years don’t match Encarnacion for either consistency or sheer production, the switch-hitter has still produced above-average offensive numbers for much of his career, and is just a season removed from a .290/.362/.485 line with the world champion Royals in 2015. Last year, Morales got off to a very slow start in the first two months before heating up to the tune of an .888 OPS over 423 PA from June 1 onward. Interestingly, Jays GM Ross Atkins suggested that Morales could see a “good deal” of action as a first baseman, though since Morales has played just 16 games at first since the start of the 2015 season, one would suspect Morales will fill more of a primary DH role.

Adding more versatility to the lineup is Steve Pearce, signed to a two-year deal despite undergoing elbow surgery last September. (Pearce has been limited to DH duty thus far in Spring Training but otherwise looks to be in fine condition.) Pearce appears to be the Jays’ first choice in left field, though he has also seen time in right, first base and even second base in recent years.

While he has been particularly good against southpaws, Pearce has an overall .266/.348/.485 slash line from 2013-16, making him a solid choice as an everyday player whenever Toronto decides to use him. Against left-handed pitching, Pearce could play first with Melvin Upton or Ezequiel Carrera handling left field. With a righty on the mound, Pearce could play left while Justin Smoak starts at first. Pearce could also spell Bautista in right field on occasion, or serve as a stopgap at second base if Devon Travis’ availability for Opening Day is still in doubt.

Bautista didn’t enter free agency on a high note, as he was limited to just 116 games due to injuries during his age-35 campaign. It also didn’t help Bautista that the market for free agent hitters in general was rather a cool one this year, and while a number of teams (such as the Indians, Phillies and Orioles) were speculatively linked as interested candidates for a signing, a lack of concrete interest allowed the Jays to re-emerge as suitors in late December.

Though one mystery team reportedly offered Bautista a three-year deal worth more than $50MM, he instead rejoined the Jays for $18.5MM and just one guaranteed year. One would think that a vintage Bautista season in 2017 will lead the slugger to decline his end of a 2018 mutual option in search of a bigger multi-year contract without the anchor of the qualifying offer weighing down his market. If that ends up being the case, the Jays couldn’t really complain about getting one final outstanding year from one of the franchise’s greatest hitters, even if they’re no longer in line for draft compensation.

Re-signing Bautista allows the Jays to fill a need in right field, with the hope that a season of better health will allow him to provide better defense. Bautista still hit .234/.366/.452 with 22 homers despite his injury woes last year, though Toronto will be hoping for more production to help make up for Encarnacion’s departure.

The Jays replaced free agents Brett Cecil and Joaquin Benoit in their bullpen by signing another pair of veterans in lefty J.P. Howell and right-hander Joe Smith. Before signing Howell, Toronto also considered other southpaws such as Jerry Blevins and Boone Logan. The Blue Jays did consider making a bigger expenditure on their pen, as the team had some talks with the White Sox about David Robertson.

After parting ways with Josh Thole and Dioner Navarro, the Jays addressed their backup catching needs by signing veteran Jarrod Saltalamacchia to a minor league contract. “Salty” is the favorite to serve as Russell Martin’s understudy, while the Blue Jays made some other minor acquisitions (i.e. Juan Graterol, Mike Ohlman) to build catching depth.

On the international signing front, Toronto made a splash by signing highly-regarded Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to a seven-year, $22MM deal. The 23-year-old Gurriel hails from one of Cuba’s most respected baseball families (his father is one of Cuba’s greatest players and his older brother Yulieski plays for the Astros) and could potentially line up at several different positions around the diamond. Gurriel is probably at least a year away from the big leagues but he stands out as an intriguing building block for the future.

Questions Remaining

Going into the offseason, there was significant doubt as to whether the Jays could re-sign either Bautista or Encarnacion, and a reunion with both seemed totally out of the question. It seemed like the Jays themselves believed the latter scenario was true, as once Encarnacion rejected that initial offer, the team jumped to sign Morales to fill Encarnacion’s role. As the winter went on, however, the expected frenzy for Encarnacion’s service never materialized, as the first baseman signed a three-year, $60MM deal (with a $20MM club option year) with the Indians that fell below all industry projections.

Had the Jays held off on Morales and waited perhaps just a few more weeks before re-engaging Encarnacion and agent Paul Kinzer, it’s possible Encarnacion could have ended up back in Toronto at a relative discount price. Instead, the Jays spent $33MM on Morales (who’s only a few months younger than Encarnacion and an inferior batter with no defensive value) and $18.5MM on Bautista, who certainly wouldn’t be the first star hitter to hit a sudden decline in his late 30’s.

Given the slow-moving market for all the first base/DH types on the market, Morales himself might well have still been available at a lower price tag had the Jays not been in such a rush. If not Morales, then a scenario certainly exists where the Blue Jays would’ve indeed managed to get the band back together by re-signing both Encarnacion and Bautista.

The Jays headed into the winter with a lineup lacking in athleticism and left-handed hitters, and those issues are still on the books as Opening Day approaches. “Any organization would be looking to create more balance, more platoon effect and potentially more speed. But it’s just not as easy as deciding to do that and making that happen,” Atkins said during an end-of-the-season talk with reporters.

Indeed, the Jays’ main three position-player acquisitions don’t really check any of the boxes on Atkins’ general offseason wish list. Bautista and Pearce are both right-handed bats, while the switch-hitting Morales has better career splits as a left-handed hitter over his career but has posted a better OPS from the right side of the plate in three of the last four seasons. While Pearce can play multiple positions, Morales is more or less a full-time DH and Bautista’s declining defensive numbers of the last two years argue that he too is best deployed as DH or first baseman at this point rather than as a regular right fielder. Morales taking the bulk of DH at-bats also means a loss of lineup flexibility — there is now less opportunity to give Martin, Troy Tulowitzki, or Josh Donaldson a break from playing the field while still keeping their bats in the lineup.

The Jays at least checked in on a wide range of players (such as Dexter Fowler, Carlos Beltran, Andrew McCutchen, Charlie Blackmon, Josh Reddick, Matt Wieters, Ian Desmond, Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce, Sean Rodriguez and their own free agent Michael Saunders) who could’ve potentially been better fits from either a versatility standpoint or by adding more left-handed balance. Signing the likes of Fowler or Desmond would’ve cost Toronto a first-round draft pick since both players rejected qualifying offers, though one could argue the Jays essentially surrendered a first-rounder anyway by re-signing Bautista, who also rejected a QO.

Atkins has stated that his “best-case scenario” is to have Pearce as the regular left fielder and Smoak as the regular first baseman. Counting on Pearce for regular outfield duty on the Rogers Centre’s artificial surface is optimistic enough, as beyond his elbow surgery, Pearce has also hit the DL with oblique, hamstring and wrist injuries in the last four seasons. Believing that Smoak is a late bloomer who can go from being a virtual replacement player (0.3 fWAR in his seven big league seasons) into a viable everyday option at age 30 is perhaps even more questionable.

It remains to be seen if Morales can handle enough first base time to at least spell Smoak against left-handed pitching. If not, and Pearce or Bautista need to step in at the position, that opens up left or right field for an outfield mix that includes Upton, Carrera, Dalton Pompey, and Darrell Ceciliani. Until Pearce is fully able to play, at least, the plan for left field appears to be an Upton/Carrera platoon (though the Jays are reportedly also looking around for outfield help).

Upton was a big disappointment after joining the Jays at the trade deadline, and, aside from a brief resurgence with the Padres, has been a below-average offensive producer in three of the last four seasons. Carrera is a rare left-handed bat on the roster but his career numbers are actually better against southpaws than righties.

Ceciliani is another lefty bat who owns more traditional splits, though he also hasn’t shown much at the MLB level. The switch-hitting Pompey is still an unknown quantity after struggling badly early in the 2015 season and being limited to mostly pinch-running duty in his subsequent time in the majors. He is also currently being held out of action after suffering a concussion during the World Baseball Classic.

Still, hoping on unproven commodities like Pompey, Ceciliani, or first base prospect Rowdy Tellez underscores the lack of left-handed hitting options on Toronto’s roster. Against a right-handed starter, the Jays’ lineup could feature just Morales, Smoak (a modest career .720 OPS against righties) and perhaps the switch-hitting Saltalamacchia as options from the left side, if Martin is on a rest day. Signing a veteran outfield option like Angel Pagan would be an upgrade, though the Blue Jays are apparently unlikely to land Pagan.

Travis’ lingering injury problems create another potential issue at second base. For the short term, the Jays could platoon Darwin Barney and Ryan Goins at the keystone, a scenario that would help the team keep the out-of-option Goins on the roster. Pearce could play second in a pinch if Travis faced a lengthy DL stint, though it would seem almost a waste of Pearce’s versatility to lock him into his least-ideal position, not to mention the fact that using Pearce at second would also weaken left field and first base.

There were rumors earlier this winter that the Blue Jays would explore stretching Joe Biagini out as a starting pitcher so that the righty could go from being an unexpected bullpen breakout star to rotation depth. The latest word, however, is that Biagini will remain in the relief corps, so the Jays are still thin on depth beyond their solid starting five of Aaron Sanchez, Marco Estrada, J.A. Happ, Marcus Stroman and Francisco Liriano. Mike Bolsinger could fill a long relief or swingman role, with MLB veterans Mat Latos and Lucas Harrell also in camp on minor league deals and Gavin Floyd also back on a minors contract as he looks to rebound from another injury-plagued season.

Deal Of Note

This section actually addresses multiple deals of note — namely the one-year, $3MM contracts the Jays handed to Howell and Smith, plus the one-year, $7.5MM contract Benoit signed with the Phillies and the whopping four-year, $30.5MM deal Cecil landed from the Cardinals.

Toronto took a slow-play approach to its bullpen needs, which ended up being a shrewd tactic given the early explosion in relief prices. Beyond the huge contracts given to star closers Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon, you also saw the likes of Cecil, Mike Dunn, Brad Ziegler, Junichi Tazawa, Daniel Hudson and Marc Rzepczynski land multi-year commitments before the end of December. The market slowed considerably as the winter went on, and thus the Jays landed both Howell and Smith for less than the Phils paid Benoit, let alone the massive outlay that would’ve been required to re-sign Cecil.

Obviously, several factors beyond just asking prices went into these signings (age, various teams’ particular preferences, etc.), including the fact that Howell and Smith are both coming off relative down years by their standards. Cecil and Benoit were both better pitchers in 2016 than Howell and Smith, though the gap in performance doesn’t equal the $9MM gap in salaries the two pairs will earn in 2017. Given Benoit’s age (39), Cecil’s rather inconsistent performance last season and the general inherent risk of paying significant money for relief pitching, one could argue the Blue Jays positioned themselves to get more bang for their buck in waiting out the market to sign Howell and Smith in February.

Overview

For the second straight offseason under Atkins and club president Mark Shapiro, the Blue Jays relied more on modest free agent signings rather than trades to upgrade the roster. (In fact, Toronto was the only team that didn’t swing a single trade all winter.) The Jays clearly didn’t want to surrender what it would’ve taken to acquire the likes of McCutchen, Blackmon or Granderson, be it prospects or young talent on the MLB roster. Likewise, Atkins and Shapiro preferred to spread the Jays’ cash around rather than focus the spending on one big signing like Fowler, or what they thought it would’ve taken to re-sign Encarnacion.

Two winters of free agent acquisitions, even on non-blockbuster signings, add up; the Jays’ estimated payroll of over $162.6MM for 2017 will be the largest in franchise history. With this big payroll in mind and the fact that the Jays focused their attention on veteran signings, the club is clearly still in win-now mode after consecutive trips to the ALCS. For a team that has championship aspirations, however, the Jays are taking risks both in their lack of depth, and in apparently counting on underachieving players (i.e. Smoak, Upton, Carrera) to play notable roles. There isn’t much margin for error on this roster if, say, Bautista doesn’t have a bounce-back year, or if an unexpected injury fells a cornerstone player like Donaldson.

Still, with some good minor leaguers in the system, the Jays are leaving themselves room for improvement if they need to make a trade or two at the deadline. There’s also the possibility that the front office felt it didn’t need to make many changes to what is already a contending team, and that the combined contributions of Morales, Pearce and a revived Bautista will make up for the losses of Encarnacion and (to a lesser extent) Saunders.

What’s your take on the Blue Jays’ winter? (Link for app users.)

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

5 Key Stories: 3/11/17 – 3/17/17

By Mark Polishuk | March 19, 2017 at 6:20pm CDT

Here are the top stories from the last week of coverage on MLBTR…

Nationals release Derek Norris. A notable name hit the free agent market this week, as the Nats released Norris after no team claimed the catcher on waivers. The lack of waiver action was more due to Norris’ $4.2MM salary than a lack of interest in his services, however, and Norris has already drawn interest from around a half-dozen teams, with the Rays and Cardinals mentioned as possible suitors. Washington only acquired Norris in December, but he became expendable after the Nats signed Matt Wieters as their primary catcher.

Ian Desmond to miss time after hand surgery. The Rockies’ injury-plagued spring caught up to the team’s prized offseason signing, as Desmond suffered a fracture in his left hand after being hit by a pitch. The good news, as it were, is that the surgery went smoothly and Desmond is now expected to miss only four-to-six weeks, an improvement from the initial six-week timeline. Still, Desmond will begin the season on the DL, leaving the door open for Mark Reynolds or possibly youngsters Stephen Cardullo or Jordan Patterson to fill in at first base in Desmond’s absence.

Anthony DeSclafani shut down due to sprained UCL. The injury news wasn’t as optimistic for Reds righty DeSclafani, who is being shut down for a month before his arm is re-evaluated. DeSclafani is looking into stem cell and platelet-rich plasma injections in order to help his rehab process. The Reds are still hopeful that their ace can avoid Tommy John surgery, though we’ll know more next month.

Rays agree to extend Kevin Kiermaier. Tampa Bay locked up arguably the game’s best defensive player to a six-year extension (plus a club option year) worth a reported $53.5MM in guaranteed money. The deal is expected to be officially announced on Monday. Thanks in large part to his superb glove and base-running skills, Kiermaier has generated 13.1 fWAR over the last three seasons despite posting only slightly above-average numbers at the plate. If Kiermaier has even a modest bump in production (or even continues at his current pace), this deal could be a wise investment for the Rays.

Orioles re-sign Pedro Alvarez. The O’s brought back a familiar face in Alvarez, who agreed to a minor league deal with the club that will pay him $2MM in base salary. Alvarez drew some degree of interest from the Twins, Rays, Red Sox, and Royals, though like many other first base/DH types this winter, his market stayed generally quiet. Interestingly, Alvarez has been working out as an outfielder and Baltimore intends to use him as a part-time option in left and right field.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Injury Notes: Red Sox, Tigers, A’s, Padres

By Connor Byrne | March 19, 2017 at 4:50pm CDT

The Red Sox’s rotation will already be without left-hander David Price to begin the season, and fellow southpaw Drew Pomeranz could join him on the shelf. Pomeranz left his start Sunday after two innings with tightness in his left triceps, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal was among those to report. Pomeranz doesn’t believe it’s a serious injury, but considering he dealt with forearm stiffness late last season and then had a stem cell injection, Boston “must be wary,” opines Scott Lauber of ESPN.com. Injuries have been the story of Pomeranz’s tenure with the Red Sox, who acquired him from the Padres last July for high-end pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza. The Sox then complained that the Padres withheld medical information on Pomeranz, leading Major League Baseball to suspend Friars general manager A.J. Preller for a month. The league also gave Boston a chance to undo the trade, but the team turned down the offer, in part because the trade deadline had already passed.

For the Red Sox, beginning the season without both Price and Pomeranz would force them to slot Kyle Kendrick into their rotation. The 32-year-old last pitched in the majors in 2015, when he started in all 27 of his appearances with the Rockies and posted a 6.32 ERA in 142 1/3 innings. Kendrick joined Boston in January on a minor league deal, which includes opt-outs on June 15 and Aug. 15.

More injury news:

Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez went for an MRI on his mid-right foot sprain on Sunday, but the team didn’t release the results. Instead, it sent Martinez to see a foot specialist for a second opinion, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. The Tigers could find out Martinez’s fate as early as Sunday, said manager Brad Ausmus; although Martinez doesn’t have any broken bones, ligament damage is a possibility, notes Fenech. That could be disastrous for both team and player – Martinez is an integral part of Detroit’s lineup, and he’s entering a contract year. Based on potential earning power, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes ranks Martinez as the sixth-best player who’s scheduled to hit the open market next winter.
Hoping to make a quicker-than-expected return from a lat strain, Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray will head to Chicago on Monday to visit Dr. Anthony Romeo, a latissimus dorsi expert, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Gray’s goal is to receive clearance to begin throwing again. The A’s shut down Gray for three weeks on March 9, but if his visit to Chicago yields good news, he could make his season debut in the middle of April instead of at the end, per Slusser.
Padres lefty Christian Friedrich has been dealing with “overall soreness from the shoulder down through the triceps through the elbow” this spring, manager Andy Green told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Consequently, Friedrich could have difficulty making good on his effort to crack the Padres’ rotation. Friedrich led the Padres in starts (23) last year, when he logged a 4.80 ERA, 6.96 K/9, 3.62 BB/9 and a 44.9 percent ground-ball rate over 129 1/3 innings.
Outfielder Jaff Decker’s spring bid to win a roster spot with the Athletics could be in jeopardy on account of an oblique strain, writes Slusser. Decker has been competing with Alejandro De Aza to serve as Oakland’s fifth outfielder (if the team carries one), but the former’s attempt might go for naught if the injury keeps him out for more than a few days. “It’s unfortunate: He was having a good camp, he was impressing,” manager Bob Melvin said of Decker, who has hit .304/.407/.408 in 23 spring at-bats. “There’s still a spot to be won out there whatever potentially the 25th spot is, the 12th or 13th spot as far as the position players go.”

Royals Release Brandon League; Trade Brandon Dulin To White Sox

By Connor Byrne | March 19, 2017 at 3:51pm CDT

The Royals have released veteran reliever Brandon League, reports Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. Additionally, they’ve traded first baseman Brandon Dulin to the White Sox for a player to be named or cash, according to Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links).

The 33-year-old League, who hasn’t taken a major league mound since 2014, joined the Royals on a minor league deal in January. That came after shoulder problems limited the former Mariners and Dodgers closer to 10 2/3 minor league innings in 2015 and helped keep him out of baseball last year. In his comeback attempt with the Royals, the right-hander tossed five spring frames and yielded just two earned runs on three hits, though he did issue four walks while totaling only two strikeouts.

Long a hard thrower, League has registered 532 big league innings with Toronto, Seattle and Los Angeles, and recorded a 3.65 ERA, 6.34 K/9, 3.13 BB/9 and 60.5 percent ground-ball rate. After a strong stretch from 2010-12, the Dodgers signed League to a three-year, $22.5MM. League then delivered mixed results over two years, and the Dodgers released him in 2015 amid his aforementioned shoulder troubles.

Dulin, whom the Royals selected in the 12th round of the 2013 draft, hasn’t gotten past Single-A. The 24-year-old hit .254/.312/.391 in 269 plate appearances at that level last season.

Offseason In Review: New York Mets

By Connor Byrne | March 19, 2017 at 2:41pm CDT

This is the latest entry in MLBTR’s Offseason In Review series.

For the second straight winter, the biggest offseason question the Mets faced centered on whether they’d re-sign outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. And for the second straight winter, the Mets managed to prevent Cespedes from departing in free agency. As a result, he’ll once again serve as the centerpiece of New York’s lineup as the club tries to log three consecutive playoff berths for the first time in franchise history.

Major League Signings

Yoenis Cespedes, OF: Four years, $110MM
Neil Walker, 2B: One year, $17.2MM (accepted qualifying offer)
Jerry Blevins, LHP: One year, $6.5MM (club option for 2018)
Fernando Salas, RHP: One year, $3MM
Total spend: $136.7MM

Trades And Claims

Acquired cash from Orioles for RHP Logan Verrett
Acquired cash from Orioles for RHP Gabriel Ynoa

Notable Minor League Signings

Tom Gorzelanny, Wilfredo Boscan, Donovan Hand, Ben Rowen

Extensions

None

Notable Losses

Bartolo Colon, James Loney, Alejandro De Aza, Kelly Johnson, Jon Niese, Justin Ruggiano

Mets Roster; Mets Payroll Information

Needs Addressed

Aside from Cespedes, whom we’ll address on a more in-depth level later, the Mets brought back three of their other free agents in second baseman Neil Walker and relievers Jerry Blevins and Fernando Salas. General manager Sandy Alderson didn’t do anything else of significance, meaning the Mets are essentially relying on the same roster they did last year. Considering the Mets fought through a rash of injuries to win 87 games and earn a wild-card spot in 2016, Alderson’s continuity-based approach could prove beneficial.

One of the keys to the Mets’ success last season was Walker, whom they acquired from Pittsburgh in December 2015 for left-hander Jon Niese. That trade has already gone down as a heist for Alderson, as the perennially productive Walker had yet another quality season. Niese, whom the Mets later reacquired from the Bucs for reliever Antonio Bastardo, scuffled with both teams last year. That made it an easy decision for New York to decline Niese’s $10MM option for 2017 in November.

Walker, meanwhile, slashed .282/.347/.476 with a career-high-tying 23 home runs in 458 plate appearances and registered a personal-best 9.3 Ultimate Zone Rating as a defender. Consequently, the belief was he’d test free agency during the winter. While MLBTR projected Walker would garner a three-year, $36MM deal on the market, he ultimately eschewed an opportunity to shop his services around the majors in favor of the Mets’ $17.2MM qualifying offer.

It’s possible Walker, 31, was leery of leaving a high guarantee on the table because of the season-ending back surgery he had last September. Regardless, it seems that issue is behind him. The Mets, after all, nearly awarded Walker an extension in the three-year, $40MM neighborhood last month before talks hit a snag over his 2017 salary. So, although Walker’s long-term future is uncertain, the switch-hitter is in place to function as a linchpin in the Mets’ lineup for at least another year.

Both Blevins and Salas are back for the short term, too, albeit at much lower salaries than Walker. The bigger prize of the two is likely the 33-year-old Blevins, who was quietly great last season. Blevins pitched to a 2.79 ERA with 11.14 K/9 against 3.21 BB/9 in 42 innings and 79 appearances, during which he dominated left- and right-handed hitters alike. Relative to both his 2016 performance and the larger guarantees awarded to fellow lefty setup men like Brett Cecil (four years, $30MM), Mike Dunn (three years, $19MM) and Marc Rzepczynski (two years, $11MM) in free agency, Blevins’ contract looks quite fair for the Mets. Each of Cecil, Dunn and Rzepczynski signed fairly early in the offseason, but Blevins had to wait until February. It’s now possible he’ll work as the Mets’ primary bullpen southpaw through 2018, as his agreement includes a reasonably priced club option ($7MM) for its second and final year.

Salas also went without a contract until February, when he accepted a modest $3MM after a near-flawless showing down the stretch with the Mets last season. The team acquired Salas from the Angels on the final day of August, and he then proceeded to allow just four earned runs in 17 1/3 innings and rack up 19 strikeouts without issuing a walk. The 31-year-old was far less effective over the first five months of the season as a member of the Angels, with whom he posted a 4.47 ERA, 7.2 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 56 1/3 frames. Last year was a microcosm of the inconsistent Salas’ career, which makes it a gamble (an affordable one, granted) that the Mets are looking to rely on him in a prominent late-game role this season. While the Mets’ best reliever, closer Jeurys Familia, likely serves a season-opening suspension resulting from an October domestic violence incident, they’ll turn to Addison Reed, Salas, Hansel Robles and Blevins as their top end-of-game pitchers.

Click to continue…

Questions Remaining

For a team with such a high ceiling, questions abound. Injuries are a significant concern, especially with respect to third baseman David Wright. The longtime franchise icon appeared in a meager 75 games over the past two seasons as he battled spinal stenosis and a herniated disk in his neck, and he’s now unable to throw because of a shoulder impingement. If Wright is again unavailable for most or all of this year, it won’t necessarily spell doom. After all, the Mets did get by fine without him in both 2015 and ’16, though past third base contributors like Daniel Murphy, Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson are no longer on their roster. And it would be rather optimistic to expect current hot corner options Jose Reyes and T.J. Rivera to replicate their success from last season.

Reyes, who rejoined the Mets last summer after the Rockies released him in the wake of a domestic violence suspension and a subpar 2015, slashed an above-average .267/.326/.443 in 279 plate appearances with New York. The 33-year-old’s highest ISO (.176) since 2008 largely drove that success, so it’s understandable that projection systems like ZIPS (.267/.326/.391) and Steamer (.256/.308/.375) aren’t bullish on him as the 2017 campaign nears. Rivera was outstanding, too, as he hit .333/.345/.476 in the first 113 trips to the plate of his career. The 28-year-old only walked three times, though, and given that he’s not exactly a burner, he won’t sustain his .360 batting average on balls in play going forward.

Fortunately for the Mets, they do have another utility infielder capable of manning third in Wilmer Flores, but they might need him at first base if starter Lucas Duda is unable to stay healthy. A back injury basically made the powerful Duda a non-factor last season, and he dealt with further troubles early in camp. Duda has since returned and raked in spring action, however.

As is the case with Duda, pitchers Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler have all looked good this spring after fighting through various injuries last season. The best of the four (and arguably the premier right-hander in baseball), Syndergaard, had the least problematic ailment – a bone spur in his elbow that didn’t require surgery. DeGrom (shoulder) and Matz (a “massive” bone spur) did undergo procedures on the heels of injury-truncated campaigns, on the other hand, and Wheeler hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2014 on account of 2015 Tommy John surgery. There’s more worry over Matt Harvey than any of them, as the (former?) ace endured an uncharacteristically mediocre 2016 that concluded with July thoracic outlet syndrome surgery on his right shoulder. Harvey hasn’t fared well statistically in his return this spring, which would be a lot less alarming if not for the fact that his velocity, normally in the mid-90s, is down at least a couple miles per hour.

It’s clearly still too soon to panic in Harvey’s case, but it’s worth noting that the Mets lost their most durable starter, the revered Bartolo Colon, to the NL East rival Braves in free agency. Colon spent the previous three seasons as a member of the Mets, with whom he delivered no fewer than 191 2/3 innings in each campaign and combined for a decent 3.90 ERA. With his sturdiness and respectable production now out of the picture, and Wheeler perhaps poised to begin the year in extended spring training or the Mets’ bullpen, they’ll need Syndergaard, deGrom, Matz and Harvey to hold up physically. They also have the relatively unproven Robert Gsellman, who shrugged off a 5.73 ERA and 5.20 FIP in 48 2/3 Triple-A innings last season to put up a 2.42 ERA and 2.63 FIP in his first 44 2/3 major league frames. There are reasons to believe the hard-throwing Gsellman is for real, as FanGraphs’ Dave Cameron explained last month, but the track record is limited. While Seth Lugo teamed with Gsellman to unexpectedly pitch the Mets to the playoffs last season, he might begin this year in their bullpen if each of Syndergaard, deGrom, Matz, Harvey and Gsellman get through the spring healthy.

As mentioned earlier, the most notable relief-related questions regarding the Mets center on Familia’s suspension length and Salas’ ability to sustain his performance from last year. The club is also hoping lefty Josh Smoker emerges in the wake of a 15 1/3-inning debut in which he yielded eight earned runs despite a whopping 25 strikeouts. Elsewhere in the ’pen, a bounce-back year from another southpaw, Josh Edgin, could be in the cards after Tommy John surgery cost him all but 10 1/3 innings last season. His place in the Mets’ bullpen isn’t a sure thing, though, as they’re also considering Sean Gilmartin, Tom Gorzelanny and Paul Sewald. Gilmartin and Gorzelanny have been mixed bags in the big leagues, while the soon-to-be 27-year-old Sewald hasn’t yet cracked the majors.

Most of the concerns regarding the Mets’ pitchers focus on health, but the main catcher to whom they’ll throw, Travis d’Arnaud, comes with both durability and performance questions. D’Arnaud has battled one injury after another dating back to his days as a well-regarded prospect, including a shoulder strain last season that likely contributed to his disappointing .247/.307/.323 line in 276 PAs. He was far better the previous year (.268/.340/.485), but even that was over just 67 games and 268 trips to the plate. It might be foolhardy to count on d’Arnaud, then, yet the Mets didn’t prioritize upgrading over him during the winter. They’ll instead rely on d’Arnaud, Rene Rivera and Kevin Plawecki, who combined to offer some of the majors’ worst offensive production from behind the plate last season. To their credit, all three provide defensive value as adept pitch framers.

Speaking of defensive value, it could be hard to come by at multiple outfield spots, where the Mets will start Curtis Granderson in center and Jay Bruce in right. Granderson, who primarily played right over the previous three years, hasn’t seen extensive action in center since 2012. Then a member of the Yankees, Granderson was a liability in the grass (minus-seven DRS, minus-18.1 UZR in 1,364 innings), and he’s now 36 years old. Defensive metrics have regularly been down on Bruce, which was again the case last year (minus-11 DRS, minus-8.9 UZR). Moreover, it seems if things had broken to the Mets’ liking over the winter, he’d be in another uniform.

Facing the possibility of Cespedes’ departure, the Mets exercised Bruce’s $13MM club option and were then unable to find a trade to their liking for the latter after the former re-signed. As a result, they kept Bruce, who joined the team in a trade with the Reds last July and then hit poorly down the stretch (.219/.294/.391 in 187 PAs). Bruce does have eight 20-home run seasons under his belt, including 33 last year, so it’s possible he’ll rebound to help the Mets’ offense. If not, he won’t offer the club any value, and it’ll then turn to currently blocked youngster Michael Conforto. With Cespedes, Granderson, Bruce and Duda on the roster, there’s no way for Conforto to get consistent at-bats, so the 24-year-old might head back to Triple-A and wait for an injury or an underwhelming showing from someone ahead of him on the Mets’ depth chart. In the meantime, the Mets figure to mitigate some of the problems Granderson and/or Bruce could cause in the field by using the defensively brilliant Juan Lagares as a late-game replacement.

Deal Of Note

Unlike last year, when Cespedes sat on the open market until late January, a deal came together quickly this offseason for the Cuban-born star. It didn’t help Cespedes’ cause a year ago that he had to compete with other highly touted free agent outfielders in Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Chris Davis (primarily a first baseman) and Alex Gordon, the first three of whom landed contracts richer than his three-year, $75MM pact.

In addition to guaranteeing a $27.5MM salary for 2016, the Mets retained Cespedes 13-plus months ago by including an opt-out for this past offseason. The latter factor appealed to Cespedes, who took advantage of his ability to void the deal this year in order to test free agency again.

Considering he was widely regarded as the foremost player set to hit the market, it’s no surprise that Cespedes ended up with easily the richest contract in the 2017 class. However, that still didn’t require an overly long commitment from the Mets, who re-upped Cespedes in late November on a four-year, $110MM accord. That was reportedly the max to which the Mets were willing to go, and their proposal ultimately defeated several other suitors’. It also stopped the Mets from taking other routes, including signing another big-name free agent like center fielder Dexter Fowler or right fielder Jose Bautista. New York showed interest in both as potential contingency plans, though it seems Fowler would’ve made a better fit than Bautista for a team with a logjam of corner outfielders.

With Cespedes now under their control for the long haul, the Mets are left to hope he ages gracefully into his mid-30s. Now entering his age-31 season, Cespedes is coming off two of the best offensive campaigns of his five-year career, having combined for a .286/.340/.537 line with 66 home runs in 1,219 PAs. He also saw his walk rate rise dramatically in 2016 (9.4 percent – up from 6.1 percent from 2012-15), which was the product of chasing fewer pitches out of the zone. If Cespedes’ plate discipline gains stick, that would obviously help justify the Mets’ investment, as would bouncing back from the quad injury that slowed him last season. Cespedes had both his worst baserunning and defensive year as he contended with that issue, and it also hurt his cause that he had to help pick up the slack in center. In 495 innings there, he logged woeful numbers (minus-seven DRS, minus-20.6 UZR/150); conversely, he was stellar across 550 innings in left (four DRS, 9.0 UZR/150), where he has usually thrived.

Overview

It’s easy to imagine 2017 going awry for the Mets if injuries persist, though last year’s team certainly overcame plenty of misfortune to finish among the NL’s top five clubs. With Cespedes and Walker still around to complement what could again be an elite pitching staff, the Mets should push for a playoff spot and perhaps compete for a World Series. Indeed, the club is “all in” on pursuing its first title since 1986, according to Alderson, who has put together the most expensive season-opening roster in franchise history. Should the need arise, Alderson will be ready to add reinforcements during the summer, and he may have to if the Mets are going to overtake the reigning NL East champion Nationals for the division.

What’s your take on the Mets’ winter? (Link to poll for mobile app users …)

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pitching Notes: Cardinals, Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers

By Connor Byrne | March 19, 2017 at 12:51pm CDT

The Cardinals have tabbed Michael Wacha to begin the season as their fifth starter, tweets Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. That’s not particularly surprising, as St. Louis optioned one of Wacha’s competitors, Luke Weaver, to Triple-A on Saturday after he showed poorly over five spring training innings. The other contender for the Redbirds’ last starting role, former closer Trevor Rosenthal, fell behind the 8-ball when he dealt with right lat muscle soreness earlier this month. Barring an injury, the other four-fifths of the Cardinals’ season-opening rotation will consist of Carlos Martinez, Adam Wainwright, Mike Leake and Lance Lynn.

Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright finally seems to be putting his long bout with right shoulder bursitis behind him, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. Wright, a 2016 All-Star whose season ended in August after he injured his shoulder as a pinch-runner, threw three hitless innings against the Twins on Saturday. The 32-year-old indicated afterward that he’s “in good position to be ready for Opening Day.”
Ernesto Frieri served as a more-than-capable reliever with the Padres and Angels from 2010-13, when he combined for a 2.79 ERA, 12.28 K/9 and 4.36 BB/9 over 229 1/3 innings, before he flamed out over the next two seasons with the Halos, Pirates and Rays. After taking 2016 off to repair his mechanics, the 31-year-old Frieri believes he’s poised for a career renaissance with the Yankees, per Brendan Kuty of NJ.com. “Before, I was a thrower,” Frieri said Saturday. “I’d just throw fastballs and I got away with that, too. But I had that deception. And now I have that deception back.” Frieri, who’s attempting to make the Yankees’ roster after signing a minor league contract Thursday, threw two scoreless innings for Colombia during the World Baseball Classic and touched 95 mph. His average fastball velocity in 2015 was 91.2.
Rangers right-hander Tyson Ross will throw live batting practice for the first time this year on Wednesday, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Ross, who’s on the mend from October surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, “has met all checkpoints on time or early so far,” Grant adds. The expectation when the Rangers signed Ross in January was that he’d be ready for major league action by May or June.

Cody Anderson To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

By Connor Byrne | March 19, 2017 at 12:24pm CDT

Indians right-hander Cody Anderson will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the 2017 season, the team announced (Twitter link via Jordan Bastian of MLB.com). Anderson made the decision after a second opinion confirmed both a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and a mild flexor strain.

The unfortunate news for Anderson comes as an unexpected development, as manager Terry Francona indicated earlier this month that the 26-year-old would likely avoid surgery. Instead, Anderson will undergo the second procedure on his elbow since November, when he had arthroscopic surgery.

Anderson would not have cracked an Indians rotation that’s set to feature Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin. However, he likely would have factored into the equation this year as either starting depth and/or in a long relief role. He made 19 appearances, nine of which were starts, for the American League champions last year and pitched to an unsightly 6.68 ERA in 60 2/3 innings, though he encouraged with his K/9 (8.01), BB/9 (1.93) and swinging-strike rate (12.2 percent). Anderson also saw his average fastball velocity jump from 92.1 mph in 2015 to 93.5 mph last year. That came after a 2015 debut in which Anderson pitched to a sparkling 3.05 ERA in 91 1/3 innings and 15 appearances (all starts), albeit with worse numbers in the other categories (4.34 K/9, 2.36 BB/9 and 7.8 percent swinging-strike rate).

Anderson, who’s in his penultimate season of pre-arbitration eligibility, will lose a year of service time as he spends 2017 recovering on the disabled list. Meanwhile, more opportunities could come this season for any of Hoby Millner, Mike Clevinger or 2016 postseason hero Ryan Merritt, among others (depth chart).

In another less-than-ideal development for the Indians, second baseman Jason Kipnis is roughly four to five weeks from returning to major league action. Kipnis went for a second opinion on his bothersome right shoulder, and Dr. Keith Meister concurred with Indians doctors that he’s dealing with inflammation. If the Kipnis-less Indians don’t venture outside the organization for help at the keystone, they could turn to in-house options Erik Gonzalez, Michael Martinez or Ronny Rodriguez. Alternatively, Francona said this week that third baseman Jose Ramirez could head to second, which would leave the hot corner to Gonzalez, Giovanny Urshela or Richie Shaffer (Twitter link via Bastian).

On a positive note, Michael Brantley will make his spring debut on Monday and play left field. An integral cog from 2014-15, when he slashed an outstanding .319/.382/.494 with 35 home runs and 38 steals across 1,272 plate appearances, Brantley totaled just 11 PAs last year on account of shoulder troubles. The 29-year-old underwent shoulder surgery in November 2015 and again last August.

NL Notes: Cubs, Mets, Pirates, Marlins, Giants

By Connor Byrne | March 19, 2017 at 10:20am CDT

As of now, 38-year-old Cubs right-hander John Lackey doesn’t expect the 2017 season to be his last. “At this point, I think I’m more likely to pitch next year than not pitch,” Lackey told Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. “But we’ll see at the end of the season.” Lackey will be a free agent next winter, and while the Cubs unsurprisingly aren’t ready to commit to bringing him back as a 39-year-old, they’re keeping the door open. “It’s not a decision that you make right now,” said general manager Jed Hoyer. “But certainly we love having him. I think his edge, his swagger is fantastic for our team. And we’re certainly glad that we signed him last winter.” In 2016, the first season of a two-year, $32MM deal, Lackey recorded a 3.35 ERA, 8.6 K/9 and 2.53 BB/9 over 188 1/3 frames for the World Series champions.

The latest on four other National League teams:

All three of the Mets’ fifth starter candidates – Robert Gsellman, Zack Wheeler and Seth Lugo – have fared well this spring, leaving the team with “a pleasant puzzle to solve” by Opening Day, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post. “It’s a great problem to have,” manager Terry Collins said. “We came into this camp knowing we have depth in the rotation. We didn’t know where Zack was going to be, but we felt with the other four guys and Robert and Seth, we had some depth here. And they have stepped up and shown us we weren’t wrong.” Wheeler hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2014 because of March 2015 Tommy John surgery, but he ran his fastball up to 97 mph on Wednesday. That “certainly” got the Mets’ attention, Collins noted. It’s possible Wheeler will open the season in extended spring training or the bullpen, though, as the Mets try to limit his workload. Lugo, meanwhile, is “a strong candidate” to begin the year in the bullpen, sources told Puma.
Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang remains in South Korea, where’s waiting to obtain his United States visa, per Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Kang, who received an eight-month suspended prison sentence on March 3 stemming from an offseason DUI in South Korea, is working out on his own, but he hasn’t faced live pitching. “He’s going to need some work, some game at-bats,” GM Neal Huntington told Nesbitt. “We can set up some sim games, we can set up a lot of at-bats for him in a short period of time. But it’s hard to say until we get him here.” Because the Pirates placed Kang on the restricted list last week, he’s not currently occupying a roster spot; further, he won’t receive pay for any regular-season action he might miss.
Marlins third baseman Martin Prado suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain during Venezuela’s loss to Team USA in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday and is likely to miss some regular-season time, per Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. While that’s disappointing, Prado is relieved that he didn’t receive a far worse diagnosis. “I was not sleeping,” he informed Frisaro. “I was like, so worried about myself, worried about the team, worried about the future and everything. After I talked to the doctors, it was a big relief for me.” Until Prado comes back, Miami will turn to Derek Dietrich and Miguel Rojas at the hot corner.
The Giants entered the spring without a clear No. 1 option in left field, but Jarrett Parker has separated himself from Mac Williamson in the battle for the role, observes Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News. “Coming into this spring, he knew what was at stake and he’s doing the job,” manager Bruce Bochy said of the 28-year-old Parker, who the skipper believes is “maturing as a hitter” and “playing well on defense, too.” Last season was Parker’s first extensive action in the majors, and he batted an above-average .236/.358/.394 in 151 plate appearances.

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