Veteran slugger Edwin Encarnacion is expected to open camp with the Mariners after trade talks surrounding him failed to gain traction, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter link). Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto is expected to continue exploring potential deals over the course of Spring Training as needs arise throughout the league, he notes. Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times wrote over the weekend that interest in Encarnacion had faded. Encarnacion, among the game’s steadiest sluggers, has one year remaining on his three-year, $60MM contract and is almost certainly limited to American League clubs at this point of his career. An injury to a contender’s DH this spring could create some additional interest in Encarnacion, but a trade at this juncture doesn’t seem all that likely.
More from the division…
- Angels manager Brad Ausmus addressed the health of right-hander/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani today (Twitter link via Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group). While Ausmus didn’t want to get too specific in terms of providing a timeline for Ohtani’s return to the club following Tommy John surgery, the first-year Halos skipper indicated that the team expects Ohtani back at some point in May. He’ll be strictly limited to DH duties, of course, and it’s not yet clear exactly how often the Angels plan to get Ohtani’s bat into the lineup in the early stages of his recovery. One can imagine that the team will want to be particularly cautious, but the Angels will also want Ohtani in the lineup as often as possible after he hit .285/.361/.564 with 22 homers in just 367 plate appearances last season.
- Matt Chapman underwent thumb and shoulder surgeries this offseason, but the budding Athletics star looks to be on track for the season, writes Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Chapman took 50 swings in a batting cage Monday, and while he might be limited early in camp, the expectation is that he’ll be ready for the season opener. Perhaps more interesting, Slusser writes in another column that the organization has “no qualms” about putting top prospect Jesus Luzardo in the rotation on Opening Day if he’s deemed the best option. If that is indeed the organization’s stance, it’s a departure from the manner in which many clubs think. Luzardo, just 21, is considered to be among the game’s most elite pitching prospects, ranking inside the game’s 20 best all-around prospects on multiple publications. Last year, at just 20 years old, he skyrocketed from Class-A Advanced to Triple-A, working to a combined 2.88 ERA with 10.6 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 over the course of 109 1/3 innings. Presently, the A’s will have Mike Fiers, Marco Estrada and Brett Anderson (assuming he passes his physical) in the rotation, with a pair of spots up for grabs, barring further additions.
- Infielder Matt Davidson chatted with MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan about his role with the Rangers this coming season. Davidson, signed as a corner infielder/reliever, indicated that he’s not expecting to be one of the team’s top seven or eight relievers. Rather, he’s aiming to be an option to pitch in the same capacity he did with the White Sox last year — as a mop-up reliever in blowout games. “I want to be the pitchers’ best friend,” said Davidson. “Nobody wants to go in when it is a 7-0 blowout. I want to be the guy that helps them out.” Davidson did toss three shutout innings last season, and it’s not out of the question entirely that he pitches more effectively than some would expect if given a few more opportunities. However, it sounds as if the early plan is for him to try to make the club as a bench piece and emergency option on the mound more than any type of regular bullpen piece.
If the AL has a DH where pitchers can’t hit, then hitters should not be allowed to pitch. You are either on the roster as a hitter or pitcher. Or, do away with the DH and there won’t be an issue regarding hypocracy.
The Angels said Trout would bat second. WHY?
Not sure why you got down-voted but I asked the same question about Judge.
Apparently the idea is to get them more AB during a game. *shrug*
It is snart baseball. Your second hitter will get more AB over the season than the 3 hole hitter. You want an OBP guy first, and then best hitter 2, And do on.
yeah, but trout is a run producer as in rbi.
Because it’s been proven that the number 2 hitter comes up in higher leverage situations. He will also never come up with two outs and no one on in the first, well almost b ever. Bottom line, it’s smart baseball.
You usually want your best hitter to hit second in order to get them more at bats. I’m pretty sure each lineup spot gets about 18 or so more at bats per season than the one that follows it.
true. but angels need more who can drive in runs.
Because it’s scientifically proven that the best hitter (highest OPS) hitting 2nd creates more runs over 162 games?
Not sure where you get you facts, but at least for this team with these players, it should be Calhoun, Cozart, Trout. Calhoun OPS in 1064 PA as leadoff is .795, .752 in 1048 PA batting 2nd, Cozart batting 2 is .775 in 1093 PA, next best is leadoff with a .703 in 985 PA. Trout has 1.026 OPS in 1510 PA batting 3rd, .997 in 2289 PA batting second.
Science has ruined the joy of baseball.
Baseball will never ruin the joy of science, however.
‘Ignorance is bliss’ is a weird argument to make.
Aside from the 15-20 extra PAs, I recall previous studies showing that the 2 and 3 hitters are most likely to have the final PA of the game, with the 3 hitter having the most PAs with 2 outs and nobody on… While cleanup has the most PAs with runners on… So I’ve seen many suggest best hitter in 2 or cleanup, with an average of 30-40 PA difference between them. Of course, timely hitting anywhere in the lineup can blow any of this out of the water.
dumb?
Ohtani will not pitch in 2019 yet he will be able to bat after having Tommy John Surgery. Would hitting a baseball thrown by a pitcher traveling 92+ mph cause strain on his surgically repaired elbow?
Hitting does not put the same strain on the UCL that throwing (especially overhand) does.
It wont strain it as bad as throwing will, but given he hits LH, his extension arm is the surgically repaired one, so I do think they should be extra careful in trying to rush him back.
Every doctor I heard from says there will be less strain on his right elbow since he hits left handed. Eppler has stated the same thing more than once also.
The torque from swinging at bat is mostly on the leading arm, and since Ohtani bats left but throws right, it shouldn’t be a problem for him to DH while rehabbing his elbow.
He had the injury last year he was still able to hit.
Ohtani is a fine player, and can make any team better. Unfortunately, Ohtani or no Ohtani this Angels organization is going nowhere fast.
maybe, just maybe, your negative energy drags it down.
How you expect the players to focus on the game with all that fine SoCal scenery in the seats?
a lot of players’ wives come to games and shoot eye lasers at wandering eyes. or so i guess!
Matt Davidson should be thankful to have a job and hope to have a role, any role, with the Rangers.
Nothing against Matt Chapman, but I hope that the Athletics fans do not expect too much from him. Expecting .240 BA, .320 OBP, 20’s HR, 30 doubles with 180 strike outs personally. Maybe less.
Matt Chapman has had minor league career that does not bode well for high average hitter in majors, and last year’s average was propped up by BAbip that was .060 higher than league average. Does draw walks and has pop. Considering last year’s Performance trumps minor league history, I would not bet for a repeat performance…much less greater results.
If teams are smart they’ll use a guy for two-three innings and sub them out for a ph’er.