Archives for September 2017

Minor MLB Transactions: 9/8/17

By Steve Adams | September 8, 2017 at 9:15pm CDT

Here are Friday’s minor moves from around the league…

The Brewers outrighted right-hander Aaron Brooks to Triple-A, per a club announcement. He had been designated recently. Teams are obviously intrigued by his arm, as he has bounced around on waivers in recent years. But Brooks just hasn’t performed this year at Triple-A, where he owns a 6.12 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 — as well as 29 home runs allowed — over 145 2/3 innings.
The Mets are set to promote infielder Phillip Evans to the Major League roster, Newsday’s Marc Carig reports (on Twitter). New York recently lost Wilmer Flores for the rest of the season due to a broken nose, so the 24-year-old Evans can provide some additional infield depth. Evans isn’t on the 40-man roster, so they’ll need to make a move to formally select his contract, though New York can accommodate him by moving any of its injured players currently on the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL (e.g. Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler, T.J. Rivera, Michael Conforto). Baseball America ranked Evans 25th among Mets prospects last winter, noting that the 2016 Double-A Eastern League batting champ has enough bat to profile as a utility infielder in the Majors. He’s better suited at second or third, per that report, though he’s primarily been a shortstop in the minors. Evans hit .279/.341/.418 with 11 homers in his first Triple-A season this year.

White Sox Shut Down Carlos Rodon

By Jeff Todd | September 8, 2017 at 7:25pm CDT

The White Sox have shut down lefty Carlos Rodon for the rest of the season, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). He is said to be dealing with inflammation in his shoulder.

Rodon underwent an MRI today, leading to the DL placement. But the specific findings aren’t yet known. The prized southpaw will be checked out further next week, Merkin notes.

This is not how Rodon and the Sox hoped the season would end. The 24-year-old opened the year with an extended DL stint due to biceps bursitis, but returned to make a dozen mostly promising starts. Over 69 1/3 innings, Rodon carries a 4.15 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9. Beyond the free passes, he was hurt most by permitting 1.56 homers per nine.

It’s always at least a bit concerning to hear of shoulder issues, though in this case there was little reason for the club to take anything but the most conservative course of action. Needless to say, Chicago isn’t pressing for a postseason berth. And after trading away most all of the club’s veteran assets, Rodon is perhaps the team’s most valuable remaining player.

The South Siders will continue to take the long view with Rodon, who will qualify for Super Two status this coming fall. While that’ll enable him to begin increasing his earnings one year early, Rodon will not be eligible for free agency until 2022.

Angels Designate Brooks Pounders, Purchase Contract Of Shane Robinson

By Jeff Todd | September 8, 2017 at 6:23pm CDT

The Angels have designated righty Brooks Pounders for assignment, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports (Twitter links). His roster spot will go to outfielder Shane Robinson, whose contract was purchased. Infielder Jefry Marte has also gone on the 10-day DL with a fractured left foot.

Pounders, who’ll soon turn 27, has struggled in limited MLB action over the past two seasons. He has given up ten home runs among 36 hits over just 23 frames, with a 9.78 ERA resulting. That said, Pounders has managed a 25:8 K/BB ratio in that span, with an 11.9% swinging-strike rate. And he carries a 2.63 ERA with 8.6 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 over his 51 1/3 Triple-A frames in 2017.

The 32-year-old Robinson saw time with the Halos earlier this year, marking his eighth big-league season, and accepted an outright assignment after being removed from the 40-man roster. He has never hit much in the majors, but owns a solid .319/.370/.425 batting line with 28 walks against 37 strikeouts over 385 plate appearances this year at Salt Lake City.

Mark Melancon To Undergo Surgery On Tuesday

By Jeff Todd | September 8, 2017 at 5:42pm CDT

Giants reliever Mark Melancon is now scheduled to undergo surgery on his right forearm next Tuesday, per manager Bruce Bochy (via John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle; Twitter links).

The news comes as no surprise, as Melancon and the team have made clear in recent weeks that he’d have a procedure at some point in the coming weeks. The procedure will address chronic compartment syndrome in the pronator muscle, which has long been a problem for the veteran hurler but increasingly bothered him during the 2017 season.

Melancon is expected to be able to resume throwing in about six to eight weeks’ time. That ought to give him plenty of time to rehab and get ready for a full camp next spring.

While the overall outlook seems to be pretty promising, it’s obviously still disappointing for the season to wrap up this way. Melancon, 32, has turned in only thirty innings of 4.50 ERA pitching on the year, far shy of what San Francisco expected when it promised him $62MM over four years.

On the positive side, his key peripherals do not appear to have changed all that much from his recent work, so there is at least some cause to hope that Melancon can make good on the contract once he’s back to full health. The Giants, who face a variety of other needs, have little choice but to hope that he can rediscover his form in 2018.

Three Needs: San Francisco Giants

By Steve Adams | September 8, 2017 at 4:13pm CDT

With just over three weeks remaining in the season, much of the focus in baseball is on the American League Wild Card race, historic winning streaks from the D-backs and Indians, and Giancarlo Stanton’s pursuit of 60 home runs. Fans and executives for a number of teams, though, are already beginning to look toward the future as they seek ways to remedy disappointing 2017 seasons that won’t result in a playoff berth.

With that in mind, MLBTR is re-launching its yearly Three Needs series, in which we’ll take a high-level look at a trio of pressing areas that need to be addressed on non-contenders with the offseason looming. We’ll take considerably deeper dives into each team’s flaws and possible avenues to improvement in our annual Offseason Outlook series, beginning next month, but this series will get the ball rolling for offseason content here at MLBTR.

In arbitrary fashion, the Giants are first up in 2017. With a 55-87 record, they need to go 8-12 down the stretch to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1985 and just the second season of triple-digit losses in the storied history of their franchise.

1. Outfield improvements, both on defense and offense. Much has been made of the Giants’ lack of power, particularly in the outfield. They’ve already been linked to Giancarlo Stanton on multiple occasions, but the Giants need more than a power upgrade in the outfield. (Moreover, gutting an already thin farm and taking on a significant portion of Stanton’s contract doesn’t seem especially prudent anyhow.)

San Francisco ranks dead last in the Majors in outfield Defensive Runs Saved, and they’re a bottom-three team in Ultimate Zone Rating as well. Denard Span shouldn’t be playing center field anymore, but he’s been at least a league-average hitter. If the Giants can find a way to trade him and/or Hunter Pence, it could go a long ways toward improving the 2018 roster by creating space for younger options and freeing up resources for free agency and trades.

That’s a tall order, though, and the Giants could be better off simply sliding Span into left field and pursuing a center fielder that can excel defensively while providing some offense. Lorenzo Cain will be a free agent that, at 32 years of age, won’t break the bank in terms of contract length. Adding another aging outfielder to the mix might not pay off in the long run, but the Giants are aiming to compete next season. One alternative would be paying down some of Span’s contract to flip him to a team with a left field need, then giving Austin Slater an earnest look in left field and perhaps adding a more cost-effective center field option. Jarrod Dyson would bring elite glovework into the fold, though he’d only exacerbate the team’s lack of power and would need to be paired with a right-handed-hitting platoon partner.

2. A dependable mid-rotation starter. Giants fans may perceive the bullpen to the bigger need — and it’s a need, to be sure — but the rotation as currently constituted has far too many question marks and not much in terms of readily apparent reinforcement options. Assuming Matt Moore’s improvements in the second half are enough for his option to be exercised, the Giants will deploy a rotation consisting of Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto (whose injury all but rules out an opt-out), Jeff Samardzija and Moore. Candidates for the remaining slot include Ty Blach, who has the worst strikeout and swinging-strike rates in MLB, and 27-year-old Chris Stratton, who struggled in Triple-A this year and has walked 23 batters in 45 1/3 MLB frames. Prospect Tyler Beede could eventually surface as an option, but he didn’t perform especially well in Triple-A and missed the final chunk of the season with a back injury. More time in Triple-A could benefit him while buying the Giants some extra club control.

The free-agent market will be fronted by Yu Darvish, Jake Arrieta and possibly Masahiro Tanaka. The Giants may not be keen on spending at those levels with a number of other notable players on the wrong side of 30 still under contract, but the middle tier of arms has some solid names as well. Lance Lynn, Alex Cobb, Marco Estrada and Tyler Chatwood (who has been successful outside of Coors Field in his career) will all be on the open market, among others. As always, the trade market will feature myriad names that could step into the middle of the mix in San Francisco.

3. Infield depth, with a focus on third base. The Giants entered the year with Eduardo Nunez at third base, while Conor Gillaspie and Aaron Hill served as utility options. Korean star Jae-gyun Hwang headed to Triple-A with the hope that he could emerge as an option down the line. None of those players are with the organization anymore, leaving the re-signed Pablo Sandoval (who is in an 0-for-38 slump) and prospects Ryder Jones and Christian Arroyo as options at the hot corner. Neither Arroyo nor Jones has hit in the Majors yet. While both could emerge as long-term pieces eventually — Arroyo, in particular, has long been regarded as a quality prospect — neither has yet shown himself ready to handle regular duties for a (would-be) contender.

The Giants’ bench, too, is lacking in the way of infield depth. Kelby Tomlinson’s strikeout rate is a career-high 21.4 percent, and he hasn’t homered since 2015. Adding a player in the Jed Lowrie mold makes a good bit of sense for San Francisco. If Arroyo steps up and claims the third base role, a player of Lowrie’s skill set could easily slide into a utility role, potentially allowing him to spell Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford on occasion. (Panik has missed significant time with injuries in recent years, it’s also worth noting.) One option could be to re-sign Nunez, who enjoyed his time with the Giants and has said he’d be open to a return in free agency.

Orioles Designate Andrew Faulkner For Assignment

By Steve Adams | September 8, 2017 at 2:09pm CDT

The Orioles announced that they’ve activated shortstop J.J. Hardy from the 60-day disabled list. To clear space on the 40-man roster, the club designated left-hander Andrew Faulkner for assignment.

Hardy has been out since fracturing his wrist in mid-June, with that absence eliminating any possibility that his 2018 option would vest. He has also struggled to a .211/.248/.308 slash line with just three home runs this year, so Baltimore surely will pay Hardy a $2MM buyout rather than picking up the option at $14MM.

Indeed, Hardy will also return to quite a different situation for the present season. The O’s struck gold when they picked up Tim Beckham from the division-rival Rays at the trade deadline, and he figures to continue taking primary duties at short this year and in the future. Hardy will presumably function mostly as a utility infielder.

The O’s will run the risk of losing Faulkner, who had been slated to join the team’s contingent of players going to the Arizona Fall League. He saw action at the major-league level in each of the prior two seasons with the Rangers, but had not been called up since joining the Orioles organization at the end of camp this year. In 38 2/3 innings at Triple-A Norfolk, the southpaw worked to a 2.79 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 5.6 BB/9.

White Sox Select Contracts Of Al Alburquerque, Chris Volstad

By Steve Adams | September 8, 2017 at 1:32pm CDT

The White Sox announced this afternoon that they’ve added a pair of experienced arms to their pitching staff for the remainder of the year, selecting the contracts of right-handers Al Alburquerque and Chris Volstad from Triple-A Charlotte. The pair of additions fills Chicago’s 40-man roster.

Alburquerque, 31, is no stranger to the AL Central, having spent the 2011-15 seasons with the Tigers and also having tossed 10 innings for the Royals earlier this season. The hard-throwing righty used a sharp slider to rack up nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings over his first three seasons in the big leagues, but control has long been an issue for Alburquerque. In recent years, his velocity and strikeouts have both dipped, though he averaged 93.8 mph on his heater with the Royals in this season’s limited sample.

Overall, Alburquerque owns a lifetime 3.23 ERA in the Major Leagues through 237 innings. He’s averaged 10.9 K/9 with a 48.4 percent ground-ball rate as a big leaguer, but he’s also averaged 5.1 BB/9 in that time. He pitched well for the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate earlier this season and will give a thin White Sox bullpen some experience for the season’s final weeks as he also auditions for a 2018 job (be it with the Sox or with another club should Chicago remove him from the 40-man at season’s end).

As for Volstad, the towering righty will be making his first appearance in the Majors since a two-inning stint with the Pirates in 2015. Volstad, in fact, has thrown just 10 1/3 innings in the Majors since the 2012 season. In the interim, he’s spent a season in the Korea Baseball Organization and pitched in Triple-A with the Rockies, Angels, Pirates and now the White Sox.

The 6’8″ Volstad was once one of baseball’s best pitching prospects during his minor league days with the Marlins. He graduated to Miami’s big league club in 2008 and went on to toss 584 innings out of the Marlins’ rotation through the 2011 campaign, logging a 4.59 ERA, 5.8 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in that time.

Overall, Volstad has a career 4.92 ERA in 705 2/3 Major League innings, during which he’s averaged 5.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 50.1 percent grounder rate. He’s made 18 starts and nine relief appearances for the White Sox’ Triple-A affiliate this year and can serve as a long reliever for manager Rick Renteria or make a start or two down the stretch, if needed.

MLBTR Mailbag With Guest Host Trevor May

By Trevor May | September 8, 2017 at 12:14pm CDT

A quick editor’s note: Thanks once again to Twins right-hander Trevor May for taking some time away from his Tommy John rehab schedule to host an edition of the MLBTR Mailbag as his latest entry in our Players’ Perspective series. Be sure to read each of Trevor’s three previous installments as well!

—

Thank you to everyone that sent over their questions. I had a really great time answering them all!

From Othar Z.:

What did it feel like when you learned that you were going to have Tommy John surgery?

Well, it felt bad. For a few big reasons.

You lose an entire year of your career. I was, and still am, at a point in my career that it’s important for me to prove that I’m here to stay. You can’t do that if you’re not pitching.
I had lost half of 2016 to a nagging injury that I couldn’t fully figure out until right at the end of the season. I spend 4 months in the winter working my butt off to get my back feeling good again, achieved that, only to get knocked down again with Tommy John. It’s like pulling yourself out of quicksand only to get slapped right back in.
I want to play. Not playing sucks infinitely more than playing.

But, my overarching theme: silver-linings. I get a year to get my body into amazing condition. I get to pursue some business interests that I might not of been able to during 162 games. I also get to spend a whole year with my new wife, something we haven’t been able to do once in our entire relationship. In essence, I plan to be better after this storm is over.

From Samuel S.:

Reflecting on the Ben Revere trade in 2012, when you were traded away as a prospect earning a minor league salary, how difficult was the transition process, on both a personal and professional level?

For me, not actually as difficult as you think. I was traded smack dab in the middle of the offseason, for one, so I had a ton of time to prepare for the next year. I hadn’t lined up housing for Spring Training yet, there was time to pack up and move, etc. I’m sure if it were during the season, the logistics alone would be a pain. Also, I was still going to be in Florida for Spring Training (both the Phillies and Twins are in the Grapefruit League). That kept some familiarity.

The biggest thing is learning and getting to know your new staff and teammates, the organization and the overall feel. It takes getting used to. BUT, if you’re traded somewhere, you know they really wanted you for some reason. It gives you a little boost going into your first competition with a new team.

Also, I had kind of seen it coming. The Phillies had made a trade every offseason I had been with them. I had been mentioned in just about every one of them. Just kind of did the math.

From Judy K.:

Do you think pitchers are being babied by most MLB organizations with all the pitch counts and innings limits?

This is a classic “better safe than sorry” situation. Like I said previously, Tommy John (and any shoulder surgery really) can take years away from a player and the organization that invested in them. As the science improves and causes get clearer and clearer, limits are going to become more prevalent. I think any decision that results in longevity for a pitcher is a good one. That said, I also just want the ball. This is an interesting question for me, because I’m about to be one of those guys next year.

In short, I really think it’s case by case, but acknowledging that you should be patient when increasing workload or coming back from an injury is important.

From Omar J.:

What are the Angels going to do to improve their offense, this year and next?

Unfortunately, I am not a member of the Angels or their front office, so I can’t really speak to their plans. I do know they have Mike Trout, who I hear is super good. Like, 99 on The Show good.

From Weston R.:

What was it like being traded and do you have any advice for players being a part of trade rumors?

Think of it as moving to a new school. New opportunities, clean slate. The team that trades for you wants you.

What was your favorite part of being a minor leaguer?

My favorite part of being a minor leaguer….. hmmm. Maybe the constant availability of peanut butter and jelly? Varying shower water pressure/temperature? No. Honestly, seeing parts of the country you wouldn’t be able to see otherwise is something I’m grateful for. Also, just learning to play ball and how to take one day at a time. You grow up quick in the minor leagues.

Also a random Washington question, have you ever been to Fatty Patty’s in Vancouver, Washington?

No, I haven’t, but I will check it out. My hometown in 30 minutes north of Vancouver.

From Mark M.:

Do you consider yourself to be the best pitcher the Twins have? If not, why the lack of confidence?

I like that, haha. No. You can’t be the best if you’re hurt. Also, I’m a guy that will always think that I haven’t done anything yet. I’ll always put someone ahead of me so I have something to chase.

From Dylan G.:

How impressed are you with the recently returned Glen Perkins after undergoing two major shoulder surgeries and having been out since early 2016?

Glen and I were on team rehab for quite a while together. It’s always good to see one of us graduate. He’s done the work and get himself to a place where he can compete everyday. Not everyone returns from that type of surgery. So yes, I am very impressed and happy for him. Can’t wait to be on that field with him.

From Andrew F.:

Who would you say is the toughest hitter you ever faced that most people wouldn’t expect would be so difficult?

It’s the Big Leagues, so there aren’t any proverbial “easy outs.” For me, I answer this question based on length of at bats. Robbie Grossman is one of these guys. Really great feel for the strike zone, bat is in the zone for a long time and uses the whole field. I need a hitter to chase to some extent. Robbie doesn’t really do that. So, we have 10 pitch at-bats almost every time. Fun fact: he’s my first Major League strikeout, looking. (From Robbie: “Yeah, and it was a ball.”)

From Sam H.:

I am wondering if players and coaches get annoyed by fans yelling down to them in the bullpen at Target Field? Also if I tied a string to a ball with a pen to have a player sign it would I get kicked out??

If you’re heckling, absolutely. If you’re saying hello or cheering, we’re cool with it. It’s just a case by case thing, and it really depends on the person. Myself personally, I’m OK with some positive feedback!

If you came in with a string and pen you probably would not get kicked out, no. I cannot guarantee that it will be signed though.

From Laurel T.:

Do you guys ever play the carnival throwing games, and are you 100% guaranteed a prize because of your ability?

I really cannot remember the last time I played one of those games, but we do have a better chance than most probably. 100%? No. Better than most? Yes.

Speaking of the “unwritten rules”—if you are the pitcher and everyone knows that a batter is going to be hit for retribution of an earlier misdeed, is it really difficult to intentionally hit someone with a pitch? Not skills-wise, but emotionally? It seems like that would be hard.

It probably isn’t easy, but I can’t really speak to the situation.

Do you keep baseballs from important achievements, and if so, how do you organize them/keep them?

I do. I have all of my Major League firsts packed away in storage for the moment. I think I would display it all in some way eventually!

If you were active during Players Weekend, what would your nickname have been on your jersey?

I was dubbed “Lurch” as a rookie in 2008, and it stuck.

When the team travels, do the players go out to eat together? Do you typically get to do what you want on an off day in an away city?

We mix in team dinners pretty often and break into groups sometimes as well. The bullpen will usually eat together regularly. I personally get lunch or dinner with a teammate pretty much everyday. And yes, when we’re off for a day, we have the freedom go out and about.

From Myra K.:

What’s in the backpack that a relief pitcher carries out to the bullpen?

The essentials:

Candy. Everyone loves candy.
Energy items. Red Bull, Monster, 5-hour energy, coffee, pre-workout. Really whatever the guys need.
Warm up equipment. Items need to get the body ready to throw.
Icy Hot. That muscle cream to warm up the body.
Pain Relievers. Duh
Energy Bars and Sunflower Seeds.

Thanks again for all of the questions!

Don’t forget to follow all the socials for updates and great conversation: Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch

NL West Notes: Martinez, Cain, Urias, Padres

By Steve Adams | September 8, 2017 at 9:10am CDT

J.D. Martinez has been an incredible source of power for the D-backs, slugging 18 homers in just 173 plate appearances with his new team. There’s mutual interest between the two sides in extending their relationship beyond the 2017 season, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, though there are clear challenges that stand in the way of that possibility. With Zack Greinke, Yasmany Tomas and Paul Goldschmidt already under contract in 2018 plus an enormous arbitration class (A.J. Pollock, Robbie Ray, Jake Lamb, David Peralta, Shelby Miller, Chris Owings, Patrick Corbin, Taijuan Walker, Randall Delgado, Andrew Chafin), Arizona is already likely to approach or replicate 2017’s Opening Day payroll of $103MM. Martinez suggested that he’d prefer to sign with a winning team rather than a rebuilding club that offered more money, while GM Mike Hazen (without mentioning any possible payroll constraints) said he wouldn’t rule anything out. That said, with a five-year deal looking firmly plausible for Martinez this winter, it seems to me that a reunion between the two sides is a considerable long shot, as other contenders will surely be making lucrative offers as well.

Elsewhere in the division…

Right-hander Matt Cain isn’t sure what the future holds for him, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. The former Giants ace and longtime rotation stalwart tells Shea that “being able to be a career guy (with one team) is something that’s dear to my heart.” Cain adds that he values the loyalty that the organization has shown to him over the course of his career and that he’d relish the chance to become just the fourth player to ever have spent at least 10 years in the Majors — all with the Giants. Cain, though, does not firmly rule out the possibility of continuing his career, even if it’s with another club. Giants fans will want to check out the full column, as it’s filled with anecdotes related to Cain’s legacy in San Francisco and features quotes from teammates Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey as well as pitching coach Dave Righetti, skipper Bruce Bochy and of course, Cain himself.
Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias underwent shoulder surgery to repair his left anterior capsule earlier this season, and FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes in his weekly NL Notes roundup that the procedure actually went better than expected. Per Heyman, Dr. Neal ElAttrache anticipates a full recovery for the highly touted 21-year-old, although Urias still appears to be facing a significant layoff. Dodgers president of baseball ops Andrew Friedman said at the time of the surgery (in late June) that a rehab period of 12 months was expected for Urias.
The progress of Colin Rea and Robbie Erlin, both rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, gives the Padres another pair of arms to add to next spring’s rotation battle, writes MLB.com’s A.J. Cassavell. Both pitchers joined the team in September (though not the active roster, to be clear) as they continue their rehab process. Erlin is facing live hitters and is throwing every fifth day, alternating between bullpen sessions and live batting practice. Rea, meanwhile, is up to five bullpen sessions and will keep throwing into mid-October before a six-week break. They’ll join any offseason additions as well as injured rotation hopefuls such as Matt Strahm, Christian Friedrich and Jarred Cosart in vying for starting jobs with the Friars next March.

AL East Notes: Tillman, Warren, Cobb, Donaldson, Jays

By Steve Adams | September 7, 2017 at 11:42pm CDT

The Orioles are pushing right-hander Chris Tillman back to the bullpen, as Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes. It’s the second move to the ’pen for Tillman this season, as he’ll be replaced by right-hander Gabriel Ynoa on Sunday. As Encina notes, the Orioles’ rotation is devolving into a veritable game of musical chairs, with the struggles of Tillman, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jeremy Hellickson all creating uncertainty as the team tries to hang around in a tight AL Wild Card race. It’s certainly possible that Tillman finds his way back into the rotation mix; Jimenez was only just recently bumped to the bullpen but will now return to start on Monday. Tillman has been dealing with soreness in his right wrist, per Encina, though he said the apparently minor issue hasn’t impacted him on the mound. It’s been a nightmarish season for Tillman, who has long been the most consistent member of the Orioles’ staff. His free-agent stock has already taken a massive hit in 2017, and a move to the ’pen doesn’t do him any favors, as it minimizes his chances to demonstrate improvement in the final few weeks.

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