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Cubs Claim C.J. Riefenhauser, Designate Edgar Olmos

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The Orioles announced today that left-hander C.J. Riefenhauser, who was designated for assignment when they acquired Odrisamer Despaigne from the Padres, has been claimed off waivers by the Cubs. To create roster space, Chicago has designated fellow southpaw Edgar Olmos for assignment.

With this move, Riefenhauser will join his fourth organization of the offseason. After starting out with the Rays, Riefenhauser went to Seattle alongside Nate Karns in the Logan Morrison/Brad Miller trade. He was then sent to Baltimore alongside Mark Trumbo in a trade that brought Steve Clevenger back to the Mariners. With the Cubs, he’ll hope to break camp as a left-handed option in the bullpen, although the team has a number options in that regard, including Travis Wood, Clayton Richard and Rex Brothers. Riefenhauser does have options remaining, so he could open the year at the Triple-A level without being exposed to waivers.

The 26-year-old Riefenhauser has struggled in his brief exposure to the Majors, to be sure, having logged a 6.30 ERA in a limited sample of 20 innings. However, he’s also excelled at the minor league level, where he’s authored an outstanding 2.15 ERA with 8.7 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 in parts of three seasons, totaling 113 innings of relief. Riefenhauser doesn’t light up the radar gun by any means, sitting around 89 mph, but that’s passable velocity for a southpaw, and there’s no denying that he dominated lefties between Triple-A and the Majors before a rocky 2015 season, holding them to a .430 OPS in what was a strong season. Scouting reports from Fangraphs, MLB.com and Baseball America have given Riefenhauser credit for at least an average fastball and average slider with a slightly below-average third offering in the form of his changeup. If he’s a two-pitch reliever, he could still carve out a role as a lefty specialist, one would think, though as MLB.com’s most recent scouting report on him indicated, he could take on a bigger bullpen role with some improvement in his changeup. Prior to the 2014 season, BA credited him with a plus heater/slider combo, though his velocity in the Majors has sat below the 91-93 mph mentioned in that scouting report.

As with Riefenhauser, Olmos has been subjected to a heavy dose of roster churn. He has been claimed three times — by the Cubs (from the Mariners), by the Orioles, and then again by the Cubs — only to be designated in short order. It seems clear that there is plenty of interest in the 25-year-old lefty, who has flashed a mid-90s heater in his limited MLB time, but that organizations are willing to risk losing him in an attempt to stash him in the upper minors without wasting a 40-man spot. Though he’s bounced around frequently, Olmos did show well last year at Triple-A, posting a 3.55 ERA with 9.3 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 in the hitter-friendly PCL.

Cubs To Sign Matt Murton To Minor League Deal

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It’s a nostalgic day at Wrigley Field, as former Cubs outfielder Matt Murton has officially signed a minor league contract to return to the Cubs, MLBTR has learned. A report from Yahoo Japan first reported that an agreement was in place last week.

The now-34-year-old Murton was originally selected by the Red Sox with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2003 draft but was traded from Boston to Chicago in the four-team Nomar Garciaparra blockbuster. Murton made his big league debut with the Cubs in 2005 and went on to spend three-and-a-half seasons as a productive member of the team’s outfield, batting .294/.362/.448 in his time with the Cubs. Murton would eventually be traded to the Athletics (alongside Josh Donaldson) in a trade that netted the Cubs right-handers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin.

Murton’s big league career after leaving the Cubs was brief; he appeared in just nine games for the A’s before he was included in an offseason trade that sent him to the Rockies, and he saw just 29 games as a member of Colorado’s big league club. Murton did have a big year at the Triple-A level with the Rockies in 2009, though, which seemingly caught the eye of the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. Murton signed on with Hanshin for the 2010 season and crushed Japanese pitching, hitting .349/.395/.499 with 17 homers in his first season overseas. While his initial plan may not have been to embark on such a lengthy stay, Murton would go on to spend a total of six seasons with Hanshin, batting a combined .310/.352/.437 in 3534 plate appearances with the Tigers.

Now back with the Cubs, Murton will look to force his way into an outfield mix that has Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward and Jorge Soler lined up as the starters (from left field to right field) with Chris Coghlan and Matt Szczur also in the mix for bench roles. Ben Zobrist and Arismendy Alcantara, too, are capable of playing the outfield, though Zobrist will be the Cubs’ primary second baseman, and Alcantara is probably bound for Triple-A after struggling there in 2015.

Cubs Initially Asked For Gardner In Castro Talks

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The Yankees have done all of their offseason shopping on the trade market, and John Harper of the New York Daily News spoke to GM Brian Cashman, getting insight into each deal. Cashman said Aaron Hicks was identified early as a target due to age, athleticism and abilities versus left-handed pitching. The trade would’ve been difficult were it not for a “monster” year from Gary Sanchez. “We valued [John Ryan] Murphy highly but we knew it would take a lot to get Hicks,” said Cashman. “If Sanchez hadn’t had the year he had, we might not have been as willing to make that trade.” Cashman said that the Cubs initially asked about Brett Gardner when discussing Starlin Castro, but those overtures were rebuffed. He was also reluctant to give up right-hander Adam Warren, and the Cubs requested him for a month before Cashman caved. On the Aroldis Chapman front, Cashman said the Yankees never got close to acquiring him in July but circled back later this winter. The situation was difficult, considering Chapman’s domestic violence allegations, which Cashman said he discussed multiple times with ownership. He refutes the belief that he didn’t part with much to get Chapman, offering praise for Rookie Davis and stating that knee surgery is the only reason Eric Jagielo isn’t ranked among their top 10 prospects. Cashman also discussed the team’s stance on Andrew Miller earlier in the offseason and offered more quotes than we’ll get to in this brief recap. The entire piece is well worth a full read.

Lazaro Armenteros Weighing Offers

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Highly touted Cuban outfielder Lazaro Armenteros (aka “Lazarito”) will spend the next 24 hours mulling his options and is expected to decide on a team tomorrow, reports MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez. Lazaro himself told Sanchez recently that he hoped to make a decision tomorrow, though he left open the possibility that the decision process could take longer. “I’m planning on making a decision on [Wednesday], but only God knows what will happen and when I will sign,” Armenteros said to Sanchez. “I’m not worried about it. I’m just waiting on the right opportunity.” The ballyhooed 16-year-old is drawing serious interest from nine clubs, according to Sanchez, including the Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Padres and Phillies.

Of that group, the Braves, Phillies and Padres would need to either exceed their 2015-16 international bonus pool in order to sign Lazarito or convince him to wait until the 2016-17 international signing period before signing. Both the Braves and Padres have been said to be planning on vastly overshooting their 2016-17 international pools, and Sanchez notes that the Phillies are in a similar boat, as they’re expected to have an impressive class of international signings next period as well. Signing Lazarito in the current period would prevent any of those three clubs from following through on those plans, as his bonus would force the teams into penalty territory and bar them from signing a player for more than $300K in the 2016-17 class (and again in the 2017-18 class, for that matter). Each team almost certainly has verbal agreements already in place with international amateurs, which would have to be broken in order to sign Armenteros.

Thus far in the 2015-16 signing period, the Cubs, Dodgers, Giants and Royals have incurred maximum penalties by overshooting their pools, meaning that the only cost to one of those four clubs would be purely financial. (Armenteros’ bonus plus a 100 percent luxury tax on the amount for which he signs.) Meanwhile, the Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, Diamondbacks and Rays would all be ineligible to sign Armenteros after exceeding their 2014-15 bonus pools and incurring spending penalties on this year’s class and the 2016-17 class of international free agents.

Armenteros was declared a free agent by Major League Baseball a little over a month ago and has since hosted an open showcase in addition to private workouts for multiple clubs, the most recent of which came on Monday, per Sanchez (though he lists the team involved in that private workout as “undisclosed”). Armenteros has worked out as both a center fielder and corner outfielder, drawing praise for his power, speed and athleticism. Sanchez ranks him eighth among international prospects and second among those that have not already signed, although the current iteration of his rankings does not include the Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (who has not yet been declared a free agent) or any international free agent that is exempt from international bonus pools. In his scouting reports, Sanchez notes that there’s a wide variance in scouts’ opinions on Lazarito’s arm, and some scouts have questioned how his “muscular college-football-player body” will look as he continues to grow. Armenteros is already listed at 6’2″ and 205 pounds, and if he continues to add to that frame, a move to the corner outfield certainly seems like a reasonable outcome.

Spring Training Eve

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John Baker, former Major League catcher for the Marlins, Padres, and Cubs, makes his MLBTR debut today. John, a veteran of seven big league seasons, was hired by the Cubs in December in the role of baseball operations assistant. You can follow him on Twitter here.

To most of the population, early February is a pretty regular time. Children fall back into the rhythm of school and afternoon activities, the weather warms, and we await the prescient actions of a groundhog. In the baseball world, we sit on the eve of Spring Training, excited for the launch of a new season.  Internationally, players are making their final arrangements at home, shipping cars, signing spring training leases and getting ready to say goodbye to their families.

Sep 14, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher John Baker (12) calls for time-out against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

For many players, report day is like Christmas in February. Boxes of equipment are stacked like presents in front of their lockers. New uniforms, pants, and team issue gear are hung neatly like stockings on a mantel. Players sniff their new gloves and take dry hacks with new bats in their underwear. In baseball, grown men are allowed to act like children, and children love holidays. Spring training is also one big family reunion, complete with fascinating characters from all corners of the earth united by the international brotherhood of baseball.

For others, Spring Training can be a source of great anxiety. The entire organization is in one place, watching. Baseball’s full attention turns to two states. Younger players are vying to replace veterans while simultaneously trying to learn from them. Much of the clubhouse is constantly checking MLB Trade Rumors, searching for some clarity about their future. The cliché that baseball is a game of adjustments rings truer in spring training than during any other time. Only a select few players (usually less than 80% of the 25 man roster) truly know where they will be starting the season. Everyone else must adjust. Unless your face is on the cover of the media guide, your certainty about your future is unfounded.

I have experienced spring training from every angle; starting catcher for the Florida Marlins, upstart minor leaguer with the Oakland A’s, backup catcher with the San Diego Padres. I have known I was going to make teams, known I wasn’t, and been completely uncertain. The last two springs of my career were positional competitions battling for one of the last roster spots. I was successful in Chicago, unsuccessful in Seattle. I learned through each new experience and used every obstacle as a chance to test my mental toughness. The game always forced me to adjust.

This year I will be looking at baseball from a new angle. I get to observe and learn from some of the best minds in the game, both on and off the field. I will also be learning about our players, from the bottom to the top of the organization. Instead of sitting behind the plate, I’ll be sitting in meetings. Playing baseball defined much of who I was, and now, how well I’m able to pass on what I’ve learned will determine who I become. Sitting behind a plate is only one item on the long list of things I will miss about being a Major League Baseball player during spring. Mostly I’ll miss the competition, and the drama.

Spring training gently eases us into to the drama and tension of a long baseball season. We have the fear of injury, the uncertainty of pitch count management, the danger of sliding practice gone awry. There is always hope that a heralded prospect finally makes the leap forward that everyone has been expecting. The thrill of seeing a star player in his new uniform is finally realized. The tension builds as games begin and the level of competition gradually increases until opening day, when it all actually counts again.

Organizations are also making their final preparations. Arbitration cases will be settled, last minute roster additions completed, and the focus will turn inward. A tidal wave of optimism is about to hit Sloan Park in sunny Mesa, Arizona. We believe this will be the year we celebrate a world championship in Chicago. The sentiment across baseball is the same. Nearly every team thinks 2016 will be its year. The best part is that now we get to watch it unfold on the field. Finally, it’s time to compete.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Quick Hits: Harris, Seratelli, Fowler

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To celebrate the end of the Super Bowl and the unofficial beginning of the baseball season, FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi lists ten key story lines from the upcoming MLB season. At the top is whether the Cubs can ride a 97-win 2015 campaign and a string of high-profile free agent signings (Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, John Lackey) to their first World Series win since 1908. Elsewhere, Morosi quickly reviews the offseasons of the Dodgers, Red Sox, Yankees, Nationals, Royals and Diamondbacks, assessing their chances of winning in 2016. Here’s more from around the game.

  • Cardinals pitcher Mitch Harris took a highly unusual path to the big leagues — he was drafted in 2008 but spent years away from the game serving in the Navy before making his minor-league debut in 2013 as a 27-year-old and quickly making his way to the Majors. One of the challenges he faced while serving was keeping up with what big-league hitters were up to, FanGraphs’ David Laurila writes. Harris says, though, that in some ways, his ignorance of his opponents could be a strength. “When I came back, I didn’t always have an idea of who I was facing,” he says. “There was no… I don’t like to use the word fear, so I guess you could say I wasn’t nervous to face anybody.” Harris had a relatively successful rookie season in 2015, posting a 3.67 ERA (albeit with 4.3 BB/9 and a modest 5.0 K/9) in his first 27 innings in the bigs.
  • Longtime Royals and Mets minor-league utilityman Anthony Seratelli is retiring, Laurila notes. In retirement, Seratelli plans on building his audio and video production company. The 32-year-old played at the Triple-A level in 2012-2014 and played with the Seibu Lions in Japan last season, but never reached the Majors. He exits with a .371 career minor-league OBP in parts of eight seasons.
  • Dexter Fowler tops the list of remaining free agents who are worth signing, ESPN’s David Schoenfield writes. Schoenfield notes that Fowler would be a good add for the White Sox, who have a need in the outfield and a protected first-round pick. Of course, White Sox GM Rick Hahn has previously expressed reluctance to part with the Sox’ next pick, at No. 28 overall, although the team recently has been connected to Fowler anyway.

NL Notes: Arrieta, Pirates, Phillies

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Now is the time for the Cubs to try to sign ace Jake Arrieta to a long-term deal, Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago writes. Arrieta and the Cubs recently agreed on a one-year, $10.7MM contract to avoid arbitration in Arrieta’s second year of eligibility. Arrieta can currently become a free agent after the 2017 season. Of course, Arrieta’s agent Scott Boras would surely agree that an extension for Arrieta shouldn’t be cheap after his Cy Young award-winning 2015 season, and since Arrieta turns 30 next month, he might only have one shot at a big free agent deal, meaning he might not be inclined to sign now unless the deal is quite long. Also, Arrieta’s incredible stretch run changed the landscape since we last closely considered his extension candidacy. Levine proposes a four-year deal at an average of $23MM per season, with two club options. While it’s true that Arrieta’s salaries for the next two seasons are essentially set via the arbitration process, a $92MM deal with options would, in my opinion, be unlikely to bring Boras and Arrieta to the table. Recent history suggests Arrieta has a shot at a deal in the $200MM range if he waits until after 2017. Here’s more from the National League.

  • The Pirates won 98 games last season and have a strong core in place, but many of their top competitors in the National League have improved, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. The Cubs have had a busy and productive offseason, and while the Cardinals have lost talent (some of it to their rivals in Chicago), they should benefit somewhat from better luck with injuries. The rest of the league, too, has become increasingly polarized, with several very bad teams, but lots of potentially strong ones, including the Mets, Nationals, Dodgers, Giants and Diamondbacks. The Bucs, however, continue to believe in themselves. “There’s no question the Cubs did a fantastic job on balancing amateur player acquisition and timing it with those young players being ready to hit the major league level and then pouring a ton of money into free agency,” says Pirates GM Neal Huntington. “They are going to be good going forward. The Cardinals are going to be good going forward. Our belief is, with this core that we have, that we are going to continue to be good going forward.”
  • The Phillies don’t figure to be one of the NL contenders in 2016. They should, however, be fun, as FanGraphs’ Paul Swydan writes. They suddenly have only a handful of over-30 players, and the younger ones offer a mix of power (Maikel Franco), defensive ability (Odubel Herrera), speed (Cesar Hernandez) and, among the Phillies’ young pitchers, control (Aaron Nola). Then there’s top prospect J.P. Crawford, who could make his debut in 2016, along with a number of other very interesting minor leaguers, including Nick Williams, Andrew Knapp, Dylan Cozens, Jake Thompson, Vincent Velasquez and Mark Appel.

Quick Hits: Bell, Linares, Puig, Jackson, Rays

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The big ticket free agents aren’t always the most important offseason additions, writes AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Using the Steamer projection system, Cassavell takes a look at the six players he thinks will most affect their respective divisions. Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman and Cubs center fielder Jason Heyward are obvious picks. Surprisingly, Cassavell finds Mike Napoli to be the big name in the AL Central while Wade Miley’s move to Seattle could be sneaky important.

Here are a few more notes from around the league:

  • Cuban veterans Alexei Bell and Yordanis Linares will hold workouts on February 15 and 16 in Baja California, tweets Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. Bell, 32, was reported to have left Cuba on January 13 and could fit as a right fielder. Linares’ defection was reported last summer. The 26-year-old doesn’t have enough professional experience in the Serie Nacional to avoid international spending restrictions. Bell, however, can be signed by any team.
  • The White Sox should target Yasiel Puig, opines Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Chicago has shown curiosity about the Dodgers outfield depth and could obviously stand to improve in the outfield. Rumors have tied them to veteran lefty Andre Ethier who could provide a useful platoon bat. However, Puig represents a more definitive upgrade with a star ceiling. Unfortunately, young talent comes with a price. Merkin lists pitchers Carson Fulmer, Spencer Adams, and shortstop Tim Anderson as possible targets for the Dodgers. Trading any of that trio would be a bitter pill to swallow.
  • The Indians could be a fit for free agent outfielder Austin Jackson, suggest Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. Center field depth would be useful considering that Michael Brantley will start the season on the disabled list. Lonnie Chisenhall, Rajai Davis, and Abraham Almonte figure to form the Opening Day outfield, and it’s not hard to see a way to improve upon that trio. At the very least, additional depth in case of injury would be valuable.
  • The Rays should consider three more offseason moves, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The bullpen could use additional depth – perhaps Tyler Clippard or Tommy Hunter. Either Desmond Jennings or Brandon Guyer can be traded. The team is deepest with them on the roster, but they may be expendable. Jennings’ health may make a trade difficult. Lastly, Ian Desmond looks more and more attractive as a buy low option. The Rays have to be willing to discard their 13th overall selection in the draft if they’re to sign Desmond.

AL Central Notes: White Sox, Uribe, Urshela, Freese, Rosario

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Here’s the latest from around the AL Central…

  • The White Sox and Cubs have both contacted the Rays about their pitching and outfield surplus, CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine reports.  The Cubs’ discussions with the Rays have been well-documented this winter, though the Sox are a new entry among the many teams to touch base with the Rays about their young arms; Levine notes that at least 11 teams have asked Tampa Bay about pitchers.  The White Sox have needs at both corner outfield positions and at the back end of their rotation.  The all-lefty trio of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Carlos Rodon will headline the Pale Hose rotation, while John Danks, Jacob Turner and Erik Johnson are the current competitors for the fourth and fifth starters’ jobs.
  • The White Sox went on a seven-game winning streak from July 23 to July 29 last season, though this hot stretch right in the leadup to the trade deadline didn’t really change the team’s plans, GM Rick Hahn tells MLB.com’s Scott Merkin.  The decision to keep Jeff Samardzija at the deadline, for instance, wasn’t made because of the win streak; “nothing materialized and nothing was done in principal” in terms of a possible Samardzija trade, though the Sox were discussing him with teams.  “Those [talks] don’t necessarily happen July 27, 28, 29 and 30th. Those are going on for several weeks,” Hahn said.
  • The Indians have offered Juan Uribe around $3MM, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports as part of his latest subscription-only column.  Uribe has been linked to the Tribe and a few other teams, though salary will depend on whether or not Uribe is slated for a starting or backup role.  Cleveland seems likely to use Uribe and Giovanny Urshela in a time-share at third, so Uribe wouldn’t get the lion’s share of playing time.
  • Speaking of Urshela, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer looks at the Indians’ incumbent at the hot corner, noting that it’s too soon to write off the 24-year-old as an all-glove, no-bat player.  While Urshela’s minor league numbers aren’t impressive overall, he did post an .825 OPS over 528 PA at Double-A and Triple-A in 2014.  Pluto notes that Urshela battled injuries in 2015 and was probably promoted too quickly.  Urshela’s glove is so impressive that he can be a very useful everyday player if he hits even just a little, though Pluto notes that there are enough questions surrounding Urshela that the Tribe is justified in looking for an upgrade, especially in a season when team plans to contend.
  • The Indians are leaning more towards Uribe than David Freese to address their third base need, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes as part of a reader mailbag.  Freese entered the winter as the best of a fairly thin free agent third base market but there’s been very little news about him this winter, aside from some talks with the Angels before they acquired Yunel Escobar.
  • Randy Rosario was something of a surprising addition to the Twins’ 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft, but as Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes, the Twins are impressed by the young left-hander’s promise.  Rosario, 21, missed much of 2014 recovering from Tommy John surgery before returning to pitch 53 2/3 innings in A-ball last season.  The Dominican Republic product signed an $85K contract with the Twins in 2010.

Cubs Avoid Arbitration With Jake Arrieta

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The Cubs have agreed to a $10.7MM deal with righty Jake Arrieta to avoid arbitration, Jay Cohen of the Associated Press (Twitter link). There was plenty of incentive for both sides to get something done, as Arrieta filed at $13MM and the team countered at $7.5MM, setting the stage for what would have been quite a high-stakes hearing.

Instead, Arrieta will land $450K above the midpoint. As MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz has explained in detail, Arrieta’s case provided a test for assessing arbitration raises. While the MLBTR arb model projected a $10.9MM salary after Arrieta’s monster 2015 season, Swartz revised that downward to $10.4MM as a limitation on the predicted record raise for a second-year-eligible player. Obviously, Arrieta landed right between those figures.

Arrieta, who is nearing 30, somehow managed to improve upon his stellar 2014 campaign with the Cubs, taking home a Cy Young award in the face of stiff competition. Chicago successfully reclaimed him after a 2013 deadline trade with the Orioles that also landed Pedro Strop in exchange for a few months of Scott Feldman.

Over his 229 innings in 2015, Arrieta worked to a 1.77 ERA with 9.3 K/9 against 1.9 BB/9. He also improved upon his groundball induction numbers, posting an excellent 56.2% grounder rate on balls in place. With the righty showing career-best average fastball velocity, a true five-pitch arsenal, and non-existent platoon issues, there weren’t many pitchers this side of Los Angeles that could even come close to Arrieta’s work last season.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether there is any realistic hope of a longer-term pact. Arrieta is eligible for arbitration one final time next winter, and then stands to reach free agency. He won’t exactly be a youthful entrant onto the market, but as Zack Greinke just proved, it’s possible to take home over $200MM at an even later point in one’s career. Certainly, Chicago will have a tough decision as to how high it would be willing to go to keep Arrieta around.

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