Nothing says Christmas morning like some hot stove baseball talk! Click here to read the transcript of this morning’s chat, moderated by MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk
Archives for December 2019
AL Notes: McCullers, Cron, Schoop, Orioles
Lance McCullers Jr. has “been dying” to return to the mound, and “is ready for the season to start tomorrow if it could,” the Astros righty tells MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Recovery from Tommy John surgery in November 2018 kept McCullers sidelined for all of last season, though he said he is on track for Spring Training and Opening Day after completing his rehab last month. McCullers’ return will be a boost to an Astros rotation that has already lost Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley in free agency, and the 26-year-old is still looking to fully break out in what would be his fifth MLB season. Injuries have limited the former 41st-overall pick to just 453 2/3 innings in his career, though McCullers has pitched well (3.67 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 2.86 K/BB rate) when healthy and has both an impressive postseason resume and an All-Star appearance to his name.
More Christmas Day notes from the American League…
- Jonathan Schoop and C.J. Cron are both looking forward to new opportunities in the Motor City, as the two newest Tigers told reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News). In Cron’s case, he said the Tigers “were on me from the beginning” after the first baseman was non-tendered by the Twins. “The thing that stood out the most was just how much Detroit wanted me….They told my agent early on they wanted me to be a part of this thing and their persistence never stopped,” Cron said. “Anytime somebody wants you that bad, it feels good and it made my interest higher and higher.”
- Several Orioles questions are addressed by The Athletic’s Dan Connolly (subscription required) during a reader mailbag piece, including the issue of just how much financial support GM Mike Elias has at his disposal as he rebuilds the roster. For example, Baltimore’s decision to trade Jonathan Villar to the Marlins for a fairly minimal prospect return created the impression that the O’s were more concerned with getting Villar’s $10.4MM projected arbitration salary off the books than they were in getting full value back for the talented infielder. In Connolly’s view, “Elias’ hands are tied more than he would have preferred,” perhaps due to such factors as low attendance at Camden Yards and the likelihood that the Orioles will have to start more evenly sharing their MASN broadcast revenue with the Nationals. It doesn’t seem that the O’s will be able to explore such tactics as offering to take a bad contract off another team’s hands if that team also includes some prospects in the trade. That said, it isn’t as if the Orioles are running a total bare-bones operation — Connolly notes that ownership has invested in the Orioles’ infrastructure, giving Elias more modernized analytics and international scouting departments.
Top 25 Offseason Trade Candidates: Late-2019 Update
Since our initial top-trade list of the offseason, we’ve seen a fair bit of activity on that front. Among those who were ranked or otherwise noted, the following ended up on the move: Omar Narvaez, Dylan Bundy, Corey Kluber, Nomar Mazara, Hunter Renfroe, Jurickson Profar, and Jake Marisnick. Now, with free agency humming along, we could see yet more significant players dealt.
This is an updated version of our list. The “methodology” is set forth in the original. It’s subjective; it’s debatable; and that’s what makes it fun.
1. Starling Marte, OF, Pirates (LR: 2): There’s not a full sense of urgency with Marte, who is under control for another season, but there’s a lot of demand in center and he’s a really nice fit for multiple teams. It still feels like some team will step up with a sufficient offer to get the Bucs to bite.
2. Ken Giles, RP, Blue Jays (LR: 1): The Jays have spent on new additions, but it still makes sense to shop a rental reliever in a market starved of high-end relief pitching. Perhaps the Toronto organization will seek MLB assets rather than far-away prospects; maybe the team will even hold Giles and re-assess at the trade deadline if the offers are insufficient.
3. Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians (LR: NR): It’s still not clear just how likely the Indians are to move their best player, but they did just trade Kluber and interest in Lindor has been both robust and persistent. He leaps to the top tier of this list based on his elite talent and the increasing plausibility of a deal.
4. Matthew Boyd, SP, Tigers (LR: 6): Several teams have yet to address their needs for starting pitching. With shell-shocking price tags on starters thus far, there’s added appeal in Boyd — a cost-efficient, controllable, durable starter with obvious upside.
5. Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, Red Sox (LR: 4): The market has been quiet, but it still stands to reason that the luxury-shaving Boston club will end up finding a taker for their solid center fielder.
6. Dominic Smith, 1B, Mets (LR: 8): Rumors on Smith haven’t exactly flown, but … where does he fit on the Mets roster? The club could really benefit from adding other pieces or freeing payroll space; moving Smith offers the readiest means to accomplish those tasks.
7. Josh Hader, RP, Brewers (LR: NR): It’s awfully tough to gauge the likelihood of a deal involving the star southpaw reliever. But we know the Brewers are at least listening. And the plausibility of a deal perhaps increased when the anticipated cost of his arbitration seasons went through the roof when he snuck in as a Super Two. It’ll take a haul, but there’s a lot of potential interest and Milwaukee front office hasn’t shied away from bold change.
8. David Price, SP, Red Sox (LR: NR): The veteran southpaw underperformed his peripherals last year and doesn’t look quite so expensive after the eye-popping pitching contracts we’ve seen of late. He’s due $32MM annually in each of the next three seasons. The Red Sox would have to eat some money, to be sure, but it’s easier now to imagine a deal coming together. And sending out Price would be the readiest way of clearing the books.
9. Robbie Ray, SP, Diamondbacks (LR: 7): At various times, we’ve seen strong hints that Ray very much is and very much isn’t available. Shrug. The Snakes are always open to high-value scenarios and will consider moving Ray. But if they’re serious about chasing down the Dodgers, they’ll have to sacrifice some amount of future upside to prioritize the present. Hanging onto a high-ceiling arm such as Ray, who could still be dealt mid-season or get a qualifying offer at season’s end, seems like a reasonable risk.
10-11. Kris Bryant, 3B/OF, Cubs & Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies (LR: 21, NR): There’s a lot of smoke surrounding the third base market. If nothing else, perhaps there are a few enterprising GMs somewhere in the cloud, laboring to spark the tinder that could grow into a raging bonfire. That’s … well, it’s an overwrought metaphor, but you know what we mean. Anthony Rendon and Mike Moustakas are already signed. There are a lot of teams chasing Josh Donaldson. Those that miss could make serious runs at Bryant and Arenado, two of the game’s very best overall players over the past several seasons.
12. Chris Archer, SP, Pirates (LR: 10): Have we mentioned the price of pitching? The Bucs don’t need to move Archer, but this might be an opportune moment. He’s only going to cost $20MM over the next two years, more than half of which isn’t even guaranteed (relevant in the event that he tanks or is hurt in 2020).
13. J.A. Happ, SP, Yankees (LR: NR): The Yanks’ intentions regarding Happ aren’t entirely clear, but rumors have indicated he’s plenty available. And it stands to reason he would be, since he comes with a big luxury tax hit — $17MM, which is also the price of his 2020 salary — and really doesn’t seem a necessary piece of the pitching puzzle in New York.
14. Keone Kela, RP, Pirates (LR: 13): It’s certainly possible the Bucs will prefer not to sell low on Kela, who’s only owed a projected $3.4MM in his final season of arbitration eligibility. But that could add to the degree of difficulty of the team’s much-needed clubhouse improvement effort. And while there’s upside in holding out for a trade deadline deal, there’s also a risk of getting nothing back.
15. Clint Frazier, OF, Yankees (LR: 9): A few factors have conspired to move down the likelihood of a Frazier swap. The Yankees have spent big on pitching rather than using the trade market to address those needs. The early-season absence of Aaron Hicks leaves more room in the outfield. And the 26th roster spot makes it easier to fit Frazier even with a plethora of other position-player options. There are still scenarios where Frazier, Miguel Andujar, or some other player ends up on the move before the start of the season, but it’s also not hard to see the logic in hanging onto the full slate of bats to open the year with a plan to adapt as things play out.
16. Brad Hand, RP, Indians (LR: NR): This is speculative, as we haven’t seen Hand appear in rumors as a trade candidate. But if the Cleveland organization is willing to hold discussions regarding Lindor, it can’t hang up on callers asking about Hand. The southpaw closer is earning $7MM this year with a $10MM option for 2021, making him a cost-efficient target who’d greatly improve any bullpen in baseball.
17. Wil Myers, OF, Padres (LR: NR): No question about it: this contract is under water. Myers is owed $20MM annually through 2022 (plus a $1MM buyout on an option year). His play hasn’t justified that kind of salary. But the Friars are said to be a bit over budget at the moment and are surely still looking to improve their roster in a season in which they have to make real strides. Structuring a deal involving Myers could be a key part of the puzzle.
18-19. Josh Bell, 1B & Adam Frazier, UTIL, Pirates (LR: 14, NR): We didn’t include Frazier in our last list, but reports indicate he’s getting plenty of interest from other organizations. A versatile defender who has had good overall success against right-handed pitching, Frazier would fit a lot of rosters. It’s also not strictly clear how much trade value the market will reward him. Bell would be valued highly, but it’d be much harder for the Pirates to part with him, even if he didn’t sustain his superstar first half effort in 2019. In both cases, the Pittsburgh organization will want to be wowed to make a deal, but must be open to the possibility.
20-22. Mychal Givens, RP, Orioles; Joe Jimenez, RP, Tigers; Tim Hill, RP, Royals (LR: 15, 16, NR): As with our first list, these relievers stand out as guys that don’t have to be dealt but surely are available for the right price. Hill joins the list after being cited as a target of several contenders. The southpaw offers plenty of cheap control to the Kansas City organization but is already 29 years of age. He carried big groundball numbers last year while also showing an ability to get strikeouts against righties. Givens is the best established of this group, though he’s coming off of a forgettable 2019 season. As for Jimenez, the Tigers will likely remain patient given the lengthy control rights remaining, but the club ought to pursue trade scenarios if there’s serious interest.
23. Willson Contreras, C, Cubs (LR: 23): So if the Cubbies are likely to move one significant player as part of their promised reshuffling, and it doesn’t turn out to be Bryant … one would expect to see Contreras on the move. Then again, cash-strapped though it may be, the Chicago front office can’t just go dumping Contreras for any old return. It’s still possible the Cubs will have a rather wild or a totally tame overall offseason once the dust settle.
24. Mookie Betts, OF, Red Sox (LR: 20): It’s tough to guess the odds of a move involving one of the game’s greatest players. It seems low, but there are some intriguing possibilities. New chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom came up with the Rays, who routinely spin off their best players as they near free agency. Might the Dodgers turn to a full-court press on Betts if they miss on other targets? Could some other team see a chance at vaulting past their rivals in one fell swoop? There has been much talk about how Betts may not be all that valuable on a one-year deal that’s likely to approach $30MM. Well … what about the rarity of the opportunity to rent a mid-prime, ~6-7+ WAR player without promising him gobs of money into his late thirties? There’s immense appeal to that as well.
25. James McCann, C, White Sox (LR: NR): The South Siders have put out word that they like the idea of carrying McCann along with Yasmani Grandal. There’s some sense in that, to be sure, as the former can reduce the load on the latter, who can also line up at designated hitter or first base. But if the White Sox end up adding another significant bat to go with Jose Abreu in the 1B/DH mix, as they’re rumored to be exploring, then the arrangement would seem decidedly less functional. In that event, working out a deal involving McCann might work for all involved. He’d get a better playing time situation, the White Sox could address other needs (either directly or by adding to the club’s prospect/payroll pool), and another organization would find a way to fill a void in a market that has moved quickly on catchers.
Others To Consider
Premium multi-year targets: Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox; Mike Clevinger, SP, Indians; Jon Gray, SP, Rockies; Trevor Story, SS, Rockies; Mitch Haniger, OF, Mariners; Trey Mancini, 1B/OF, Orioles; J.D. Martinez, DH/OF, Red Sox; Eduardo Rodriguez, SP, Red Sox; Whit Merrifield, UTIL, Royals; Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers
Rental targets: Marcus Semien, SS, Athletics; Kirby Yates, RP, Padres; Ian Kennedy, RP, Royals; Joc Pederson, OF, Dodgers; Josh Reddick, OF, Astros; Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants; Carlos Santana, 1B, Indians
Younger players with multi-year control: Kyle Schwarber, OF, Cubs; Johan Camargo, INF, Braves; J.D. Davis, INF/OF, Mets; Steven Matz, SP, Mets; Niko Goodrum, INF/OF, Tigers; Austin Hedges, C, Padres; Ender Inciarte, OF, Braves; Manuel Margot, OF, Padres; Albert Almora Jr., OF, Cubs; Mallex Smith, OF, Mariners; Michael A. Taylor, OF, Nationals; Jose Urena, SP/RP, Marlins; Caleb Smith, SP, Marlins; Tyler Mahle, SP, Reds; Brad Keller, SP, Royals; Abraham Toro, Astros; Joe Musgrove, SP, Pirates
Veterans on expensive, multi-year contracts: Brandon Belt, 1B, Giants; Matt Carpenter, 3B/1B, Cardinals; Brandon Crawford, SS, Giants; Wade Davis, RP, Rockies; Ian Desmond, OF/IF, Rockies; Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies; Dexter Fowler, OF, Cardinals; Dee Gordon, 2B, Mariners; Evan Longoria, 3B, Giants; Jake McGee, RP, Rockies; Bryan Shaw, RP, Rockies; A.J. Pollock, OF, Dodgers; Jed Lowrie, INF, Mets; Kyle Seager, 3B, Mariners
Athletics Reach Deal To Acquire Share Of Coliseum Site
The Athletics have reached a major milestone in their never-easy effort to procure a new ballpark. Alameda County has formally approved an agreement to transfer its share of the Coliseum site to the team, Sarah Ravani of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Once fully finalized, this deal will constitute the foundation for one of the two major pillars of the A’s stadium plan. With partial ownership of the sprawling Coliseum site, the team can begin pursuing a redevelopment plan for its current home. That effort would coincide with and support the construction of a new playing facility at Howard Terminal.
With so many balls in the air at one time, this represents a major step. A’s CEO Dave Kaval labels it “a big deal.” Ravani, who has covered this matter exhaustively, says the agreement’s culmination “all but secur[es] the baseball team’s future in the East Bay.”
The Coliseum sale was the result the county and team clearly preferred, so in that sense it isn’t surprising. But the proposed deal had run into major headwinds — namely, opposition from the city of Oakland, which co-owns the site. Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf indicated that the municipality is now on board.
This won’t end the interactions between the city and team — far from it. In addition to working through the complicated undertaking of constructing a new waterfront ballpark, the sides will now have to decide how to proceed on the Coliseum site redevelopment plan. Kaval says “the ball is in [the city’s] court” as to whether to negotiate a sale of the public’s interest or partner on the project.
Plenty of details remain to be sorted. And it’s far too soon to rule out further roadblocks, particularly given the prior course of this effort. All things considered, though, this news marks the clearest indication yet that the A’s will stay put.
Poll: Which Sub-.500 AL Team’s Having The Best Offseason?
The Blue Jays, White Sox, Rangers and Angels each entered the winter amid multiyear playoff droughts and on the heels of sub-.500 showings in 2019. No one from that American League quartet has been a sorrier bunch for longer than the White Sox, owners of an 11-year postseason-less skid. The Blue Jays, Rangers and Angels have at least been relevant more recently than Chicago, but success has still escaped those other clubs for far too long. However, judging by the teams’ actions in the past weeks, they’ve had their fill of serving as doormats in their league. The offseason has gotten off to rollicking starts for all of these franchises, each of which has made more than one significant addition since the floodgates opened in November.
The Angels, they of the pitiful 72-90 record last season, finally look as if they’re in decent position to capitalize on all-world center fielder Mike Trout’s presence. They added the foremost position player on the market, third baseman Anthony Rendon, on a whopper of a contract worth $245MM over seven years. The rotation-needy Halos have also picked up a pair of starters in Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran. Neither will be confused for an ace, but they should give the team much-needed competent innings at reasonable prices near the back of its rotation. If you’re a glass-half-empty type, though, you may be unimpressed by the Angels’ lack of a front-line starter pickup (though the return of Shohei Ohtani from Tommy John surgery should be a major help) and/or that they haven’t addressed their problems at catcher yet.
The White Sox, also coming off a 72-win season, have been extremely busy in upgrading their lineup. Their offense produced the third-fewest runs in the AL, but that should change for the better in a year with the signing of star catcher Yasmani Grandal (four years, $73MM). The White Sox also helped their cause by retaining first baseman/designated hitter Jose Abreu (three years, $50MM), and they’re clinging to hope that 24-year-old outfielder Nomar Mazara (acquired from Texas) will start living up to his immense promise now that he has changed teams. Even with those three in tow, the White Sox might not be done yet on the offensive end. They’re reportedly at the forefront of the sweepstakes for Edwin Encarnacion, yet another slugging 1B/DH, and remain in the mix for outfielder Nicholas Castellanos – possibly the second-best position player left in free agency.
Of course, upgrading at the plate hasn’t been Chicago’s sole focus. The White Sox made a large splash on the pitching side last weekend when they agreed to sign former Cy Young-winning southpaw Dallas Keuchel for three years and $55.5MM. He followed the much more modestly priced Gio Gonzalez as the second accomplished lefty the team signed for its rotation. With those two, ace Lucas Giolito, the high-upside Reynaldo Lopez–Dylan Cease–Michael Kopech trio, and (once he returns from Tommy John surgery) Carlos Rodon, the club actually has plenty to look forward to with regards to its starting staff.
The same can be said for the Blue Jays and Rangers, who have each spent the majority of the offseason bettering their rotations. Toronto, a lowly 67-95 last season, just took a four-year, $80MM gamble on ex-Dodger Hyun-Jin Ryu. After offering elite production in his final year as a Dodger, Ryu’s in line to lead a Jays staff that will also consist of fellow new additions Tanner Roark, Chase Anderson, Matt Shoemaker (returning from a torn ACL) and perhaps some combination of ex-Japanese star Shun Yamaguchi (yet another just-signed hurler), Trent Thornton, Jacob Waguespack, Ryan Borucki, Anthony Kay and stud prospect Nate Pearson. Unlike late last season, after the Jays traded two vet starters (Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez) and their rotation was a barren wasteland, possibilities abound.
On the offensive side, the Jays replaced departed first baseman Justin Smoak (now a Brewer) with ex-Brewer Travis Shaw in the corner infield. It’s hard to see that as an upgrade on paper, though, after the woeful 2019 Shaw had. But for one year and $4MM, it’ll look brilliant if Shaw returns anywhere near the 3.0-WAR production he managed from 2017-18.
As for Texas, this offseason looks like a bit of a mixed bag. The Rangers have not added at third base or catcher, two positions that still look iffy, even though they partook in the Rendon derby and have also been part of Josh Donaldson’s market. On the other hand, their rotation looks far superior to the 2019 group that got very little outside of the Mike Minor–Lance Lynn duo and played a key role in a 78-84 finish. Those two are back, while two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber (acquired from the Indians), Kyle Gibson (three years, $28MM) and Jordan Lyles (two years, $16MM) will round out the quintet. For the first time in a while, it’s fair to say the Rangers’ rotation looks strong one through five.
All of these clubs have been extraordinarily active as they seek ways to move past their longstanding struggles in 2020. In your opinion, though, which has enjoyed the best offseason so far?
(Poll link for app users)
Hank Conger Joins Coaching Staff Of KBO’s Lotte Giants
Former Angels, Astros and Rays catcher Hank Conger will serve as the new catching coach for the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization, per Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. It doesn’t appear that Conger has formally announced his retirement as a player, but the move to a coaching capacity puts an end to his playing days for the time being.
Conger, 32 next month, was born in Washington and went to high school in California but is of Korean descent. He played in parts of seven seasons between the Angels, Astros and Rays organizations, recording a .221/.294/.366 batting line over the life of 373 MLB games (1134 plate appearances). Conger also saw action in parts of five Triple-A campaigns but hasn’t appeared in affiliated ball since the 2017 season, which he spent with the D-backs’ Triple-A affiliate.
Conger was perhaps MLB’s premier pitch framer in 2013-14, and Yoo notes that his new team acquired 25-year-old backstop Seong-jun Ji via an offseason trade. The hope seems to be that Conger can aid in his development behind the plate as he steps into a starter’s role for the first time in his career.
Mets Sign Dellin Betances
The Mets gave their fans a pleasant holiday surprise, announcing Tuesday that they’ve agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent right-hander Dellin Betances. The Excel Sports client will reportedly be guaranteed $10.5MM and secure a player option for the 2021 season in addition to a vesting player option for the 2022 campaign.
The contract is said to promise Betances a $7.5MM salary in 2020, and his player option is valued at $6MM with a $3MM buyout. However, he’ll have the opportunity to boost the value of that option and the potential 2022 option as well.
Specifically, the value of the 2020 option will escalate by $800K when Betances pitches in his 40th game in 2020. It’ll increase by an additional $1MM upon reaching each of 50, 60 and 70 games. As for the second player option, it would vest if Betances exercises the first player option and then appears in 50 games in 2021 — but only at a $1MM base. If Betances appears in 60 games, that base would jump to $2MM (with a $1MM buyout). It’d further increase to $3MM ($1MM buyout) by appearing in 70 games in 2021.
Generally speaking, the base values of Betances’ player options make it unlikely that he’ll be tempted to opt into the additional years of the contract unless he incurs an injury that would pretty severely hinder his earning power. In the event that Betances declines his initial player option at the end of the 2020 campaign, the Mets would have the opportunity to issue him a qualifying offer.
Betances, 32 in March, made four consecutive All-Star teams beginning with the 2014 season and was one of baseball’s most dominant ’pen options from 2014-18 while with the Yankees. Over that span of five years, the New York City native pitched to a pristine 2.22 ERA with a gaudy 14.6 K/9 mark against 3.9 BB/9. Despite pitching his home games in the launching pad that is Yankee Stadium, he averaged just 0.6 HR/9 in that time as well.
The stars looked to be aligning for Betances to cash in on a massive free-agent payday as a result of that half decade of dominance, but a shoulder impingement in Spring Training ultimately wiped out five months of Betances’ 2019 season. And when he was finally healthy enough to return, Betances suffered a partial tear of his left Achilles tendon in his first (and only) appearance of the season.
Those injuries notwithstanding, Betances entered the winter considered to be one of the best bounceback candidates on the free-agent market. Few, if any available relievers can match the upside that he brings to the table. His health troubles surely wiped out the possibility of a substantial three- or even four-year arrangement, but on a short-term pact, Betances has the potential to be one of the winter’s best bargains.
The Mets’ bullpen now features three relievers who, as recently as 2018, were widely considered to be among the game’s elite: Betances, Edwin Diaz and (perhaps to a lesser extent) Jeurys Familia. All three are in dire need of a rebound, but if that trio can come anywhere close to approximating the value it produced back in ’18, the Mets’ relief unit will be an overwhelming strength.
Righty Seth Lugo will give rookie manager Carlos Beltran a fourth high-end option, as he’s coming off a terrific 2.70 ERA and a 104-to-16 K/BB ratio through 80 innings of relief work himself. Lefty Justin Wilson, too, had a strong season — albeit in a more specialized role. Righties Brad Brach, Robert Gsellman and Michael Wacha are currently in line to round out what now looks like an experienced and potentially excellent Mets bullpen.
It wasn’t long ago that the Mets’ 2020 payroll looked to be up against ownership’s comfort threshold, but the recent restructuring of the final year of Yoenis Cespedes’ four-year contract surely gave the club some additional spending capacity. That grievance left the Mets with an additional $18.75MM in resources with which to work — an unexpected development that undoubtedly played a major role in paving the way for this deal.
Andy Martino of SNY first reported the deal (via Twitter). MLB Network’s Jon Heyman added that it was a one-year deal. ESPN’s Jeff Passan tweeted that Betances received two player options. Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links) and Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link) added details on the option structures and incentives packages.
Mets Designate Sam Haggerty For Assignment
The Mets announced Tuesday that they’ve designated infielder Sam Haggerty for assignment in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster for newly signed reliever Dellin Betances.
Haggerty, 25, made his MLB debut in 2019 but appeared in just 11 games and tallied only four plate appearances. A 24th-round pick by the Indians back in 2015, he made his way to the Mets alongside Walker Lockett last winter in the trade that sent catcher Kevin Plawecki to the Indians. Haggerty has played primarily second base in the minors but has experience all over the infield and outfield as well. He’s a .250/.371/.378 hitter in 155 games of Double-A ball and has batted .271/.358/.424 in a much smaller sample of 19 games in Triple-A.
Tyler Saladino Signs With KBO’s Samsung Lions
The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization have announced an agreement with infielder Tyler Saladino (hat tip to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net). The deal comes with a $700K salary, a $100K bonus and up to $100K in incentives.
The 30-year-old Saladino, a veteran of five major league seasons, will now ply his trade overseas after the Brewers jettisoned him earlier this month. Saladino had been projected to earn a relatively modest $1MM in arbitration in 2020, but the Brewers sent him to the free-agent market when they non-tendered him.
Saladino spent two years in Milwaukee, the first of which went OK (he slashed .246/.302/.398 in 130 plate appearances), but last season was nightmarish. Across 71 trips to the plate, Saladino only mustered a .123/.197/.215 line. However, Saladino was highly successful at the Triple-A level, where he batted .287/.384/.566 with 17 home runs in 310 PA. Even in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, his output checked in 27 percent above average, per FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric.
Before his stint with the Brewers organization, Saladino spent parts of four seasons with the White Sox, who used a seventh-round pick on him in 2010. He debuted in the majors in 2015 and has since hit .226/.278/.330 with 17 HRs and 28 steals in 1,064 trips to the plate at the game’s top level. He saw extensive action at three infield positions (third, short and second) before heading to Korea.
AL Pitching Notes: Indians, Kluber, Jays, Ryu, Rays, Morton, O’s
The Indians brought an end to the Corey Kluber era earlier this month, trading the right-hander to the Rangers for reliever Emmanuel Clase and outfielder Delino DeShields. On paper, it may not look like a great return for a two-time Cy Young winner, though it turns out teams just weren’t champing at the bit to surrender hauls for Kluber – a 33-year-old’s who expensive ($17.5MM guarantee for 2020) and coming off an injury-marred campaign. Thanks to those factors, when the Indians left this month’s Winter Meetings, the majority of offers they’d received only included players at the Single-A level, Terry Pluto of cleveland.com relays. So, in an effort to stay competitive in 2020, they took a pair of major leaguers (including Clase, whom they hope can blossom into a late-game force). The goal is to use some of the Kluber savings on an infielder, another outfielder and more bullpen help, per Pluto. The Indians may have crossed one of those needs off the list when they agreed to a $6.25MM deal with second baseman Cesar Hernandez on Monday.
- The rebuilding Blue Jays made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason Sunday in agreeing to a four-year, $80MM contract with left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu. While the former Dodger was among the game’s premier pitchers last season, his age (33 in March) and extensive injury history make him an especially risky pickup at such a high price tag. There’s a solid chance the deal will become regrettable for Toronto, Buster Olney of ESPN observes (subscription links), though he nonetheless applauds the Blue Jays for taking a chance in an attempt improve and become more interesting. As those who’ve followed the past few offseasons know, many teams have drawn the ire of fans and media for sitting on the sidelines instead of making earnest efforts to put a more competitive product on the field. At the very least, considering the active winter the Jays have had, they’re trying.
- More from Olney (subscription), who expects Rays righty Charlie Morton to become a hot commodity on the trade market in the next year. There are no indications the Rays, coming off a stellar season thanks in large part to Morton’s elite output, are considering parting with the 36-year-old now. But with so few (or no) sure bets left on the free-agent pitching market, he’d surely bring back a sizable return in a deal at this moment. Morton’s also on a contract that would be appealing to most teams, as he’ll make $15MM in 2020. He has a $15MM option for 2021 that will become guarantee if he spends fewer than 30 days on the injured list, but it’ll likely be a good problem for his employer if it does vest. Morton does not have no-trade protection built into his deal, so Tampa Bay could move him without his permission. However, Olney writes that the Rays have immense respect for the Cy Young contender, and if they do become open to parting with him, they’ll “probably feel out Morton” first.
- Last season was one to forget for Orioles righty David Hess, who logged a 7.09 ERA/7.26 FIP over 80 innings. But Hess told Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com he’s working diligently this winter in hopes of landing a rotation spot for 2020. Specifically, Hess followed the lead of teammate John Means by heading to P3 (Premier Pitching & Performance) in St. Louis. As Kubatko explains, P3 “offers personalized baseball training to athletes across the Midwest with the goal of providing instruction and individualized strength training.” Means, who recommended P3 to Hess, used the center’s guidance last offseason and then turned into one of the O’s true bright spots in 2019. Hess informed Kubatko that “this is really the first offseason where I’ve had baseball-specific work outside of just playing catch. Really trying to work on delivery-based stuff. Working on, not necessarily arm strength – I’ve always worked on that – but really cleaning up my arm path. So it’s similar in a lot of ways, but it’s also different. I guess the best way to say it is it’s very hyper focused.”
