Archives for March 2017

Olney’s Latest: Machado, Harper, Tigers, Jays, Giants

By Connor Byrne | March 19, 2017 at 9:17am CDT

Given that Orioles third baseman Manny Machado and Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper are scheduled to reach free agency after the 2018 season, high-payroll teams will spend the next two years deciding the more worthy target, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com. With that in mind, Olney polled seven evaluators on which potential $400MM player they’d prefer to sign. Six chose Machado, whom the evaluators regard as a more well-rounded player. “Harper gets credit and gets a huge part of his reputation for how far he hits home runs, but they still only count for one run,” one evaluator told Olney. “Machado is an entire field hitter who hits to the situation. He can hammer majestic homers, but can also do other things to help a team win.”

MLBTR Originals

By Connor Byrne | March 19, 2017 at 8:16am CDT

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

With the regular season approaching, Tim Dierkes released his first free agent power rankings of 2017. Tim’s list consists of the 10 players who appear poised to earn the most money if they reach the open market next winter. Aces Jake Arrieta, Yu Darvish, Johnny Cueto and Masahiro Tanaka are among the group, leading Jeff Todd to poll readers on which of the four will end up as the No. 1 free agent in next offseason’s class.
Comically gifted Brewers right-hander Tim Dillard revealed what goes on inside the mind of a veteran reliever during spring training. A sampling of his inner monologue: “Today, in-between spring training activities, I made time to share some of my baseball knowledge and wisdom with a younger generation of ballplayers. And they found time to remind me that I am still the oldest and most bearded guy in Brewers Minor League camp this year. But in their defense, I did utter these phrases at the field today: “Back in my day.”, and of course, “Not my first rodeo!”’
Tim Dierkes released his annual list of out-of-options players who are on 40-man rosters.
This year’s Offseason In Review series continued with looks at the Astros, Braves and Cardinals.
Finally, Jeff made the case that Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas is facing a make-or-break year.

Quick Hits: Free Agents, Johnson, Braves, Blue Jays, Reds, Shaffer

By Mark Polishuk | March 18, 2017 at 11:33pm CDT

Just over a year removed from the 2015-16 offseason, nine of the top ten contracts handed out last winter are already looking problematic, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Only Johnny Cueto turned in a vintage season in the wake of signing his pricey deal with the Giants last winter, while the other nine (David Price, Zack Greinke, Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Jordan Zimmermann, Jeff Samardzija, Wei-Yin Chen and Mike Leake) ranged from slight to complete disappointments in their first seasons with their new teams. Injuries played a role in several of these down years, which is perhaps even more ominous for the teams that have tens of millions in remaining commitments to these players. While this winter’s free agent market wasn’t as star-studded as the last, the lack of early returns on many of the 2015-16 investments could be another reason — beyond the new CBA, luxury tax concerns or a simple lack of elite talent — that teams were far more reluctant to spend over the last few months.

Some more from around the baseball world…

Kelly Johnson has received interest from the Blue Jays, Braves and Reds about a minor league deal and non-roster invite to Spring Training, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). Johnson, however, is still holding out in the hopes of landing a Major League contract. Atlanta’s interest in a reunion with Johnson has been well-documented, though Cincinnati and Toronto are new names as suitors. The veteran utilityman would fit as a needed left-handed bat and versatile bench piece for both the Reds and Jays.
The Reds also have Ryan Raburn and Desmond Jennings in camp on minor league contracts, and their track records mean more to manager Bryan Price than their Spring Training performance necessarily does, the manager tells MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon and other media. “Hopefully with the Raburn, Jennings group of experience and even [Hernan] Iribarren with his background, you want to have at least one of those guys if not two of them on the club to lend that experience,” Price said. The skipper’s further comments about valuing experience and versatility could be another hint as Cincinnati’s interest in Johnson, though that’s just my speculation.
After a wild offseason that saw Richie Shaffer become property of five different teams, he may now be emerging as a candidate for the Indians’ Opening Day roster, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian writes. Shaffer is hitting very well in spring action and his ability to play first base, third base and both corner outfield slots serves him well on a Cleveland team that is looking for flexibility with Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley both facing DL stints to start the season.
Then again, it’s pretty rare for a player to win an Opening Day job with a big spring unless he’s already in a general manager’s plans, ESPN’s Jim Bowden writes (subscription required). As GMs Dayton Moore, Jerry Dipoto and Thad Levine all tell Bowden, teams tend to have a set timeline for their minor leaguers and many non-roster invitee veterans are around to provide depth. “Intuitively, we know that 10-15 innings pitched or 40-50 plate appearances do not represent a significant amount of performance from which we should make meaningful changes,” Levine explained. “That being said, when a player’s performance is married with work ethic, character and a clear sense that he will enhance the team’s chemistry, the temptation to alter plans becomes real.”

AL Notes: JD Martinez, Ackley, Kopech, Red Sox, Pineda

By Mark Polishuk | March 18, 2017 at 10:44pm CDT

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez suffered a sprain in his mid-right foot while making a catch on Saturday and left the game after just an inning. (Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press has the details.) X-rays were negative and Martinez will be re-evaluated on Sunday before the club decides that any further tests are necessary. He was seen on crutches and left the ballpark in a walking boot, though Martinez told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck) that “it’s good that I’m able to move on it.” Needless to say, losing Martinez for any extended length of time would jeopardize both the Tigers’ lineup and Martinez’s chances at a big free agent contract next offseason as one of the top players on the open market.

Here’s more from around the American League…

Dustin Ackley has an opt-out date near the end of Spring Training in his minor league deal with the Angels, the utilityman tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, though he hasn’t decided whether he’ll exercise the clause or remain with the Halos’ Triple-A club. Ackley’s choice is complicated by the fact that he has yet to play the field this spring as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery. The veteran tells Fletcher that he can play first base and swing more or less normally, though he isn’t yet able to handle the throwing involved with second base or the outfield. Ackley hopes he can “at least give them [the Angels] some games defensively before camp is over.”
Michael Kopech was one of the major pieces the White Sox acquired in the Chris Sale trade, and Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago opines that Kopech could follow Sale’s career trajectory by breaking into the bigs as a reliever. The White Sox eased Sale into the majors by using him out of the bullpen in his first two seasons before unleashing him into the rotation, where Sale emerged as one of baseball’s best starters. Kopech only turns 21 in April and has yet to pitch above high-A ball, though if he continues to impress in the minors, Chicago may be tempted to get him to the big leagues by 2018 as a reliever.
The Red Sox face a number of pressing questions as they head into the season, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com writes, including some injury concerns for key arms like David Price, Drew Pomeranz and Tyler Thornburg. If these pitchers have to miss time in April, that could be particularly difficult for the club given that Boston faces a tough schedule over the first six weeks, including a lot of division games and tough inter-league matchups against the Cubs, Cardinals and Pirates. As Gammons notes, this could add up to a slow start for the Red Sox, which will only add to the pressure for a team that is expected to challenge for a World Series.
Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda has already experienced a lot of ups and downs in his career, in no small part due to his struggles with the language barrier, as ESPN’s Andrew Marchand details. Pineda came to MLB with little formal education and virtually no knowledge of English or American culture, which led to some inevitable growing pains (such as Pineda’s infamous suspension for using pine tar in April 2014). The piece is well worth a full read, as it chronicles Pineda’s rise to the majors and the problems that he and many other foreign-born players face upon being thrust into the pressurized environment of pro baseball.

Rays Notes: Cobb, Weeks, Whitley, Boxberger

By Mark Polishuk | March 18, 2017 at 9:25pm CDT

Some rumblings out of Tampa Bay…

Alex Cobb is drawing “potential interest” from the Cubs, Dodgers, and other teams as a trade target, The Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin writes. The determining factor, as Topkin notes, is how Cobb performs in his first full season back after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2015. The righty returned late last season to make five starts (and post an 8.59 ERA in 22 IP), and still drew some offseason trade buzz as teams likely were looking to buy low. The Cubs and Dodgers, of course, both have past connections to Cobb and the Rays in the form of Joe Maddon and Andrew Friedman. If Cobb returns to his 2012-14 form and Tampa is out of contention, he’ll be a prime trade chip at the deadline.
Cobb is entering his last year before free agency, and he tells Topkin that he is being realistic about the possibility that he’ll be dealt since the Rays rarely retain top players hitting the open market. “It’s just the way things unfold here. If you were a betting man, [a trade] probably would be the way to go,” Cobb said. The fact that 2017 could be his last year in a Rays uniform has been weighing on Cobb due to the “life-changing stuff” that has taken place over his 13 years with the franchise. “Then you go into the clubhouse and you see all the faces, people that I’ve seen since I was 18, that really have been your family since then….You think about it, and it’s sad. It’s sad that it’s a possibility I could no longer be around here,” Cobb said.
Rickie Weeks’ minor league deal with the Rays will pay him $1.5MM if he makes the big league roster, Topkin reports in another item, with $600K more available to the veteran in incentives. In that same piece, Topkin looks through some of the roster decisions facing the Rays during the spring, as the club’s choices are complicated by several out-of-options players. Nick Franklin, for instance, could lose his utility job to Daniel Robertson, or Erasmo Ramirez could be dealt to a team in need of starting depth.
Chase Whitley, who also underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2015, pitched four scoreless innings in Spring Training action on Saturday. Manager Kevin Cash told reporters, including Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times, that while Whitley is slated for a relief job, “we’re not ruling out him starting, either. It depends on how the numbers and how the injuries pan out, but right now, we saw last year what he can do coming out of the bullpen. There’s a lot of value to that.” The pen (specifically a long relief role) is still Whitley’s best bet to make the roster, and a spot could open up should Brad Boxberger start the year on the DL. Boxberger has been sidelined all spring with a bad back, but expects to pitch in a minor league game on Tuesday.

NL West Notes: Thole, Giants Outfield, Padres, Dodgers

By Mark Polishuk | March 18, 2017 at 8:06pm CDT

News and rumblings from around the NL West…

Josh Thole suffered a “significant” hamstring tear that Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo expects will sideline the catcher for the season, Lovullo told reporters (including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic). Thole is getting a second opinion on the injury and surgery is a possibility. The veteran catcher was in Arizona’s camp on a minor league deal battling for the backup role, though signs pointed to Thole starting the year at Triple-A.
While the Giants have many homegrown stars on their roster, the team has been strangely unsuccessful in their attempts to draft and develop everyday outfielders, Carl Steward of the Bay Area News Group writes. Marvin Benard (a 50th round pick in 1992), was the last Giants draftee to play as a full-time starting outfielder for more than one season. Part of the issue is that San Francisco has acquired so many notable outfielders in free agency and trades, ranging from Barry Bonds to Hunter Pence. “There are things that you do that de-emphasize young players at those outfield positions,” GM Bobby Evans said. “At the same time, I still think you should require opportunity for these guys to break through. It may be an area where we haven’t emphasized it as much because we’ve had other options from other sources. I just think it’s harder to patient sometimes with outfielders because there are so many other alternatives in terms of the free agent market and trades.” Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson are looking to break the “curse” as the two youngsters battle for the left field job this spring.
The Padres have so many prospects in camp after their international spending splurge that some players (including highly-touted Cuban lefty Adrian Morejon) have been used in simulated games since they don’t have enough roster space for proper minor league games, ESPN’s Keith Law writes in his latest subscription-only piece. Law provides an in-person analysis of several Padres and Dodgers prospects, with particularly good reviews given to Morejon, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Dodgers righty Walker Buehler.

Twins News: Jay, Veterans, Stubbs, Breslow

By Mark Polishuk | March 18, 2017 at 6:27pm CDT

Here’s the latest from Minnesota…

Left-hander Tyler Jay, the sixth overall pick of the 2015 draft, will be used as a reliever going forward, Seth Stohs of Twins Daily reports. The decision was mutually made between both Jay and the Twins. Jay mostly pitched in relief in college, yet the Twins were intrigued enough by his four-pitch arsenal that they spent the high pick on him in order to test him as a starter. The southpaw pitched well in 13 starts at High-A ball last season before battling some neck issues over five appearances (two of them starts) and 14 innings at Double-A. Baseball Prospectus ranked Jay as 98th on their recent list of the 101 best prospects in baseball, and he also appeared on top-100 lists from MLB.com (60th) and Baseball America (80th) prior to the 2016 season.
Jay was drafted one spot ahead of Andrew Benintendi in 2015, and 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson reports (Twitter link) that the Twins “had very little interest” in the outfielder who is now the game’s consensus number-one prospect. Notables such as Carson Fulmer and Ian Happ were picked in the next two spots after Benintendi. In fairness to Minnesota, however, Jay was highly regarded by the major prospect scouting pundits headed into the 2015 draft, so he likely wouldn’t have fallen much further than sixth had the Twins passed.
The Twins made a point of adding veteran leadership to their young clubhouse this winter, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes. Matt Belisle, Ryan Vogelsong, Chris Gimenez, Drew Stubbs and Craig Breslow were all signed to minor league deals or low-cost MLB deals this offseason, providing Minnesota with inexpensive but experienced players who can help on the field and also serve as mentors. “The idea at this stage of my career that I could impact an organization for longer than I may be playing for it is pretty powerful and pretty compelling,” Breslow said. “I’ve started to think about all of the players who have helped shape my career. I certainly look to them with incredible deference. If I have the opportunity to fill that role for somebody, it’s a legacy I would be really proud of.”
Also from Berardino’s piece, he notes that Stubbs will earn $1MM on his minor league deal should he crack the Twins’ big league roster. Stubbs has bounced around with the Braves, Orioles, Rockies and (multiple stints with the) Rangers over the last two seasons, playing in 137 games and hitting .207/.302/.365 over 234 plate appearances.
Breslow’s contractual opt-out date is early next week, though Berardino tweets that the Twins will add him to their 40-man roster. Trevor May will be moved to the 60-day DL (due to his torn UCL) in order to create space.

Cafardo’s Latest: Norris, Marlins, Kendrick

By Mark Polishuk and Connor Byrne | March 18, 2017 at 5:14pm CDT

In his weekly notes column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo explores the possibility of a Cubs/Red Sox World Series while also sharing some hot stove items…

The Cardinals may have some interest in Derek Norris. St. Louis currently has Eric Fryer penciled into the backup catcher role, with prospect Carson Kelly waiting in the wings at Triple-A. Norris has received interest from multiple teams (including the Rays) since being released by the Nationals earlier this week, so he could prefer to sign somewhere that can offer him a clearer shot at a starting job, rather than settling for a role as Yadier Molina’s understudy.
According to scouts Cafardo has spoken to, Norris would be best served by avoiding the Cardinals and other NL teams in order to stay in the American League. The general consensus among Cafardo’s sources is that Norris isn’t much of a defender, so playing for an AL team would allow him to take the field as a DH. The scouts do praise Norris’ work ethic and leadership abilities, on the plus side.
The Marlins are looking for third base help in the wake of Martin Prado’s hamstring injury, and Cafardo suggests that Brett Lawrie could be a fit. There isn’t any suggestion that Miami is specifically targeting Lawrie, though it makes sense that the team is doing its due diligence on third base options. Prado is undergoing an MRI today to determine the severity of his hamstring issue. Lawrie isn’t healthy himself, as he is looking to fully recover from a lower-body injury before signing a new contract. The Marlins already have the left-handed hitting Derek Dietrich to fill in at third, so if the team did need depth in the event of an extended DL stint for Prado, a righty bat like Lawrie would make sense for platoon purposes (though utilityman Miguel Rojas is also on hand).
Along with his previously reported June 15 opt-out date, Red Sox right-hander Kyle Kendrick will also have a chance to exit his contract Aug. 15. Kendrick signed a minor league deal in January, but he has since become a legitimate contender to serve as the Red Sox’s sixth starter at the outset of the season. The 32-year-old last pitched in the majors in 2015, when he started in all 27 of his appearances with the Rockies and logged an ugly 6.32 ERA in 142 1/3 innings.

Phillies Notes: Roster, Herrera, Klentak, Burnett

By Mark Polishuk | March 18, 2017 at 4:00pm CDT

Some notes from The City Of Brotherly Love…

With a full 40-man roster, the Phillies have several tough choices to make before Opening Day, CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury writes. Chris Coghlan, Daniel Nava and Brock Stassi are in camp on minor league deals and, if any make the team, someone else would have to be displaced. The Phils have two bench spots open, in Salisbury’s estimation, plus another bench spot for the backup catcher (either Andrew Knapp or Ryan Hanigan, the latter of whom isn’t on the 40-man).
The Phillies’ five-year, $30.5MM extension with Odubel Herrera is already looking like a shrewd move for the team compared to other extensions for center fielders, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer opines. The Braves signed Ender Inciarte to a similar extension (five years and $30.525MM, with a sixth year option) while the Rays locked Kevin Kiermaier up for six years and an option for $53.5MM. All three are strong-to-great defenders but Herrera is the best hitter of the trio, Murphy notes, plus a year younger. The extension also allows the Phillies future flexibility under the luxury tax, making it especially valuable for a big-market club that aims to spending freely once it emerges from its rebuilding phase.
General manager Matt Klentak sat down with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand for an interview detailing how Klentak got his start in baseball, his path to becoming Philadelphia’s GM, some of the Phillies’ offseason moves and more.
Sean Burnett took a rather extreme measure to combat his elbow pain in 2013, the southpaw told PhillyVoice.com’s Ryan Lawrence last week. Burnett was dealing with a damaged ligament that was not quite damaged enough to require Tommy John surgery (Burnett had already undergone a TJ operation in 2004), so he decided to force the issue. “I would go back to my [hotel] room, set up some pillows on the headboard and would chuck balls at it hoping it would pop just so I could get it fixed,” Burnett said. “The pain I was in was excruciating. I knew it wasn’t going to get any better. If you throw a ball long enough you know what it’s going to take and how your body feels.” Burnett’s elbow finally gave out during a game against the Mariners in May 2014 and he underwent the surgery, which kept him out of action until this past September when he returned to the big leagues in the Nationals bullpen. After signing a minor league deal with the Phillies this winter, Burnett is competing to be the second lefty in Philadelphia’s bullpen.

Offseason In Review Series

By Mark Polishuk | March 18, 2017 at 2:55pm CDT

Here are the links to each team’s entry in the MLBTR Offseason In Review series. This post will be updated as more entries are published over the coming weeks, and you can find a permanent link to this index in the “Tools” dropdown menu above.

AL East

Blue Jays
Orioles
Rays
Red Sox
Yankees

AL Central

Indians
Royals
Tigers
Twins
White Sox

AL West

Angels
Astros
Athletics
Mariners
Rangers

NL East

Braves
Marlins
Mets
Nationals
Phillies

NL Central

Brewers
Cardinals
Cubs
Pirates
Reds

NL West

Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Giants
Padres
Rockies

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