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Archives for February 2018

Nationals Sign Miguel Montero To Minor League Deal

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3:45pm: Montero’s contract will pay him $1.3MM if he makes the 25-man roster, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (Twitter links).  Another $1.7MM is also available to Montero in incentives.

1:35pm: The Nationals have signed veteran catcher Miguel Montero to a minor league deal and invited him to Major League Spring Training, tweets Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post. The Rep 1 Baseball client will compete with young Pedro Severino for a backup role in camp.

The 34-year-old Montero split the 2017 season between the Cubs and Blue Jays, hitting a combined .216/.310/.346 in 213 plate appearances. Of course, the nature of his departure from the Cubs organization was a larger story than his production at or behind the plate in 2017; following a late-June game when the Cubs’ opponent (coincidentally — the Nationals) ran amok on the basepaths, Montero publicly blasted starter Jake Arrieta for being slow to the plate and not giving him enough of a chance to throw out the opposing base thieves.

Unsurprisingly, the comments weren’t well received within the clubhouse or the front office, and Montero was designated for assignment the very next day despite the fact that he carried a strong .286/.366/.439 slash line at the time. Montero hooked on with the Blue Jays but floundered through 101 plate appearances, hitting just .138/.248/.241 through season’s end.

While he’s struggled at the plate in each of the past two seasons, Montero isn’t far removed from being a productive bat. In 2015 he served as Chicago’s primary backstop and hit .248/.345/.409 with 15 homers in 403 plate appearances, and his overall body of work from 2009-15 is solid: .265/.347/.421.

The Nats, of course, will hope his 2018 form more closely mirrors that solid seven-year run between the D-backs (where current Nats GM Mike Rizzo played a part in signing Montero) and the Cubs. Washington received a putrid year from 2016-17 offseason signee Matt Wieters, who batted just .225/.288/.344 with poor defensive ratings while earning $10.5MM in the first season of a two-year deal. Wieters had the opportunity to opt out of that deal and re-enter the free agent market, though he wisely forewent that option to remain in D.C. and earn another $10.5MM.

Montero and Severino will vie for at bats, as things currently stand, though the Nats could yet make a larger splash. Catcher has been a reported target for the team, and the Nats are said to have their eye on Marlins star J.T. Realmuto as a trade option. It’s possible that the Nats are kicking the tires on other trade targets as well, of course, and Jonathan Lucroy stands out as a prominent name that remains available on the open market.

Shelby Miller Wins Arbitration Hearing Against Diamondbacks

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Right-hander Shelby Miller has won his arbitration hearing against the D-backs, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports (via Twitter). The Roc Nation Sports client will earn $4.9MM in 2018 as opposed to the $4.7MM figure that was submitted by the team. His $4.9MM payday lines up with his projected arbitration salary from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.

Miller, of course, underwent Tommy John surgery early in the season, thus making it somewhat of a surprise to see him earn a modest raise. However, he did make four starts and post a 4.09 ERA with 20 strikeouts against 12 walks in 22 innings, and the arbitration panel apparently deemed that small sample of work worthy of a modest boost in pay. Arizona’s $4.7MM submission was merely a repeat of the salary that Miller earned in 2017, so their proposal was simply to not offer a raise at all and renew him at his previous rate of pay.

The season-ending surgery for Miller served to create a second consecutive disappointing season in Arizona after the D-backs infamously gave up Ender Inciarte and Dansby Swanson in order to acquire Miller two offseasons ago. However, it’s worth noting that Miller’s velocity, swinging-strike rate and overall strike percentage had demonstrated legitimate improvement through his first four starts after a nightmarish 2016 season in which he logged a 6.15 ERA in 101 innings.

Those 2016 struggles prompted the D-backs to, somewhat stunningly, option Miller to Triple-A Reno. (The move itself wasn’t necessarily stunning in light of his significant struggles, but it’d have been borderline unbelievable prior to Opening Day 2016.) That minor league demotion cost Miller enough service time to buy the Diamondbacks another year of control over Miller, who can still be controlled for another two seasons via arbitration. If he returns healthy in 2018, his raise for the 2019 season will now have a marginally higher base point.

The $200K discrepancy between the figures submitted by the two sides may seem like an exceptionally small gap to bridge in such a dramatic fashion. But, Miller’s modest raise will now serve as a data point in all future arbitration scenarios (for both the D-backs and the 29 other clubs), and teams often feel obligated to take a hard line against making too many concessions and progressing the market for future waves of arbitration negotiations. That’s a subject which MLBTR explored at length a few years back, for those interested in reading more about the team’s viewpoints on arbitration matters.

West Notes: Giles, Cruz, Mariners, Avila, Iannetta

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The Astros’ arbitration hearing with right-hander Ken Giles is taking place today in Phoenix, reports Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). The team submitted a $4.2MM salary figure for Giles, who countered with a $4.6MM proposal. While the $400K difference between those sums will likely seem trivial to most fans, it’s worth remembering that the salary set today will impact the raises that Giles receives in his next two trips through the arb process. Furthermore, teams are ever cognizant of not inflating the future arbitration market by making too many concessions and often feel a responsibility to take a firm negotiation stance. I spoke with a few different assistant GMs and GMs on the matter a few years back in a lengthier exploration of arbitration from the team vantage point, for those interested in some of the intricacies of the process.

A few more notes on some teams in the game’s Western divisions…

  • Looking to add a bit of versatility to his repertoire, Mariners designated hitter/outfielder Nelson Cruz revealed that he’s been working out at first base this offseason (Instagram link). Seattle already acquired Ryon Healy from the A’s in hopes that the young slugger can hold down their first base spot for years to come, but Cruz could conceivably see some time there when Healy needs a day off or in the event of an injury.
  • Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times takes a lengthy, comprehensive look at the Mariners’ bottom-ranked farm system (by Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law). Divish’s column has extensive quotes from GM Jerry Dipoto, director of player development Andy McKay and a pair of scouts from other clubs, each weighing in on Seattle’s lack of depth. Dipoto, as he has in the past, indicates that his front office has elected to use the bulk of its prospect depth to acquire MLB assets such as Healy, Mitch Haniger, Ben Gamel, Dee Gordon and Jean Segura. The rival scouts are critical of the system, with one calling it “barren.” However, they didn’t condemn the actions of the Dipoto-led front office as unwise. “It wasn’t a very good system when he got here so you use what you can to build for the big league and then down,” a scout from an AL club tells Divish. “I see their vision. They’ve traded a lot of midrange prospects, but you can’t replenish them as quickly as they’ve traded them off and that affects depth.”
  • The Diamondbacks’ signing of Alex Avila over Chris Iannetta (at a near-identical price) came down to simple timing, GM Mike Hazen tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The D-backs, according to Piecoro, made a two-year, $4MM offer to Iannetta before he signed for slightly more than twice that with the Rockies, but that came back in early December. Arizona wasn’t ready to make an $8MM+ commitment at that time, preferring first to explore the trade market for a longer-term solution. When that didn’t materialize, the club circled back to the still-available Avila. Hazen, according to Piecoro, added that the D-backs are likely to carry three catchers on their roster early in the season. Jeff Mathis, John Ryan Murphy and Chris Herrmann are all on the 40-man roster, though Murphy and Herrmann are out of minor league options. The D-backs could still add an outfielder as well, per Hazen.

Cubs, Peter Bourjos Agree To Minor League Deal

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12:04pm: Bourjos will earn a $1.45MM base salary if he makes the big league roster with the Cubs, MLBTR has learned (Twitter link).

11:57am: The Cubs have agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Peter Bourjos, reports Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). The Dishman Sports Group client will be invited to Major League Spring Training and vie for a reserve job with the reigning NL Central champs.

Bourjos, 30, spent the 2017 season with the Rays and appeared in 100 games, hitting .223/.272/.383 with five homers and five steals in 203 plate appearances. A fleet-footed veteran known for his outfield range, he drew positive marks for his glovework both in center field and in right field last season with Tampa Bay.

Overall, Bourjos hasn’t matched the .271/.327/.438 slash he posted in a promising 2011 season with the Angels, but he’s a career .241/.298/.382 hitter that brings a glowing +37 Defensive Runs Saved and +48.3 Ultimate Zone Rating to the table in 4007 1/3 innings of center field work in the Majors (albeit with much of that positive working coming prior to 2014 hip surgery).

He’ll head to Spring Training and hope to land a backup job in an outfield mix that includes Albert Almora Jr., Jason Heyward and Kyle Schwarber. Both Ben Zobrist and Ian Happ figure to be in the outfield mix for the Cubs as well, giving Bourjos a pair of switch-hitters with whom to compete. Bourjos has more experience in center field than anyone else on the Cubs’ roster, though, and he’d make for a useful right-handed pairing with Schwarber or Heyward should the Cubs see fit. He struggled against lefties earlier in his career but has hit them at a .278/.320/.406 pace over the past couple of seasons.

Mark Appel Stepping Away From Baseball

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In a candid, must-read interview with Bleacher Report’s Joon Lee, former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel reveals that he’s stepping away from professional baseball at the age of 26. Appel didn’t use the word “retirement” and suggested that perhaps, somewhere down the line, he’d give baseball another shot. However, for the time being, he won’t be reporting to Spring Training with the Phillies (who will retain his rights, tweets Matt Gelb of The Athletic).

“I’m 26, I have a Stanford degree, I have many interests beyond baseball, which I still love, but I have a lot of things I care about,” Appel tells Lee. “I enjoy challenging my mind. My last four years in baseball have challenged my mind.”

Appel, clearly, has dealt with his share of disappointment in professional baseball. The former Stanford ace was twice projected to be the top overall pick in the draft, falling to the Pirates at No. 8 in 2012 and then ultimately being selected No. 1 overall by Houston the following year after returning to Stanford for his senior season. As Joon explores in detail, Appel posted respectable numbers in his debut season but never really hit his stride after the fact, struggling through injuries and oftentimes inexplicable ineffectiveness from 2014-17.

Appel bluntly states that he was “maybe the worst pitcher in professional baseball” in 2014 and recalls a story where, after arguably the worst start of his career, frustration boiled over to the point that he destroyed a particle-board panel in the clubhouse by throwing upwards of 80 baseballs through it. (Appel purchased supplies to repair the damages at Home Depot out of his own pocket and handled the project himself the following day.) The right-hander obviously feels some disappointment about never reaching the Majors and says he would “absolutely” have loved to be pitching in the World Series alongside his friends and former Astros teammates.

As Lee points out, if Appel never makes the decision to return to pro ball, he’d become just the third No. 1 overall pick ever to retire without logging a single game in the Majors. Appel is aware of that unflattering context but seems to be at peace with the fact.

“I had high expectations,” says Appel, who is still rehabbing from his 2017 shoulder troubles. “I didn’t live up to those for a number of reasons. If you want to call me the biggest draft bust, you can call it that. … If I never get to the big leagues, will it be a disappointment? Yes and no. That was a goal and a dream I had at one point, but that’s with stipulations that I’m healthy, I’m happy and doing something I love. If I get to the big leagues, what’s so great about the big leagues if you’re in an isolated place, you’re hurt and you’re emotionally unhappy? How much is that worth to you?”

For the time being, Appel says he’s planning on pursuing an internship and attending business school, perhaps at Stanford but also with several other prospective universities in mind. He speaks with a certain level of excitement about the opportunity to spend more time with friends and family, as well as the possibility of traveling. Perhaps most important of all, Appel sounds like a man with an unexpected and impressive level of perspective on the struggles he’s had in professional baseball: “Some people have real struggles. I played baseball. I thought I was going to be great, and I wasn’t.”

Brewers Recently Contacted Rays About Chris Archer

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Seeking an upgrade for the front of their rotation, the Brewers recently circled back with the Rays to inquire on the availability of Chris Archer, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). A deal appears unlikely, though, Rosenthal adds, as Tampa Bay may not hold Domingo Santana or Brett Phillips in high enough regard to serve as a centerpiece.

After speaking with Rays GM Erik Neander, Archer recently expressed confidence to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he’d remain with the Rays to open the season. The Rays understandably have a huge asking price on Archer, who is on one of the more team-friendly contracts in all of baseball. Tampa Bay controls Archer $33.75MM over the next four seasons, and only the first two years are even guaranteed; his deal contains club options for the 2020 and 2021 campaigns. Archer is only guaranteed $15.5MM over the next two seasons, so in the event of a catastrophic injury, the team that controls him could cut ties and be off the hook without even needing to pay the entire $33.75MM sum remaining on his deal.

While Archer’s ERA over the past two seasons is a hair above 4.00, fielding-independent metrics like FIP (3.60), xFIP (3.38) and SIERA (3.47) all feel he’s been considerably better than his bottom-line run prevention would suggest. Archer has, after all, averaged 10.8 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 with a 44.9 percent ground-ball rate in that span. He’s gotten in trouble with home runs at times — particularly in August and September of last season — but also possesses one of baseball’s best swinging-strike rates (12.8 percent) and lowest contact rates (72.5 percent) in that two-year stretch. Beyond that, he’s made 32 or more starts in each of the past four seasons, averaging 202 innings per year along the way.

It stands to reason that Tampa Bay would have interest in either Santana or Phillips on the surface, as each could potentially be a long-term cog in the outfield. But, while Santana is coming off a strong season (.875 OPS, 30 homers, 3.3 fWAR, 3.0 rWAR), he’s controllable for the same four-year term as Archer and figures to be compensated handsomely in arbitration if he continues to hit for this type of power.

Phillips has six years of control and is not far removed from ranking as one of MLB’s best overall prospects. (Baseball America still ranked him 80th this offseason, in fact.) However, he struck out at a 30 percent rate in Triple-A last year and a 35 percent pace in the Majors. His overall offensive output in Triple-A (.305/.377/.567) and in the Majors (.276/.351/.448) both look strong on the surface, but both were buoyed by a BABIP north of .400 that is assuredly due for regression.

Finding a slugging corner outfielder, especially in today’s game, and a strikeout-prone center fielder with speed and power isn’t as difficult as finding a durable, 200-inning arm who ranks among the game’s best swing-and-miss artists — especially when said pitcher can affordably sit near the top of a rotation from his age-29 through age-32 campaigns.

Certainly, the Brewers have other top-ranked talent that could be added to any theoretical package. In addition to Phillips, second baseman Keston Hiura, third baseman Lucas Erceg, and right-handers Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff have all placed on various top 100 rankings early in 2018, and their system possesses enviable depth beyond those top few names. Rosenthal, however, suggests that Milwaukee may be reluctant to further deplete its farm after parting with three of its better prospects in Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison and Isan Diaz to acquire Christian Yeilch. (The team also punted its third-round pick and the associated slot money in the 2018 draft to sign Lorenzo Cain.)

The Brewers figure to be connected to just about every pitching upgrade on the market in the weeks leading up to Spring Training, having already made an offer to Yu Darvish while also showing various degrees of interest in fellow free agents Jake Arrieta and Alex Cobb. One would imagine they’ve checked in with the Royals on Danny Duffy and the Tigers on Michael Fulmer as well, given the rebuilding efforts taking place in Kansas City and Detroit, for instance.

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