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The Inner Monologue of @DimTillard Part 1

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It’s 6:18pm in Pheonix, Arizona.  Sunday March 12th, 2017.  My name is Tim Dillard.  I’m 33.  I play professional baseball, and after a day of Spring Training practice… I’m sitting in a hotel room trying to think of something to write about for MLB Trade Rumors.  They contacted me with the false hope I could write something truly captivating and insightful about baseball.  So after very little reflection and contemplation, I’ve decided to just start typing the inner thoughts about my day.  At this particular moment, yes I do think this is a good idea.

6:21pm Okay wait, did I just misspell Phoenix a few minutes ago?  I must be tired.  During spring training, because of how early practice is, I usually go to bed around 8pm.  I blame the sun.  The sun out here is notorious for draining the energy right out of you.  Or I could just be hungry.

6:48pm Well my trip to Taco Bell was indeed a success!  Much like yesterday… and most of last week.

6:49pm Usually when I’m away from home, I try to eat at all the places my wife refuses to dine.  Tomorrow I’m hitting up Long John Silver (which conveniently shares a building with Taco Bell).

6:53pm Today, in-between spring training activities, I made time to share some of my baseball knowledge and wisdom with a younger generation of ballplayers.  And they found time to remind me that I am still the oldest and most bearded guy in Brewers Minor League camp this year.  But in their defense, I did utter these phrases at the field today: “Back in my day.”, and of course, “Not my first rodeo!”

6:55pm This is my 14th spring training.  And over my career I’ve had the privilege of 12 spring trainings with the Milwaukee Brewers team, and also participated in 2 spring trainings with the unemployment team.  Which means I’m enjoying myself, and appreciating baseball now more than ever.

6:58pm Because now at this stage everything is much more precious.  My past experiences have taught me to treat EVERY stretch, throwing program, sprint work (not poles), meeting, groundball, light weight training, bunt play, another meeting, conversation, workout, that other meeting, or whatever… with a tangible awareness that I have no idea which day will be my last in a baseball uniform.

7:01pm *grabs tissue, dabs eye* … Allergies out here can be challenging.

7:04pm You know what, looking around, I just noticed I’ve had the exact same room at this hotel for the last 3 spring trainings.  Hmm, I wonder how many people have slept in this bed since I was here last?

7:06pm Anyway.  During batting practice today I was asked why I run around the outfield like an idiot picking up baseballs.  The curious kid that asked is in his very first spring training camp.  So I walked up to the young buck (just over half my age), put my hand on his shoulder and said, “Eye wash man!  It’s eye wash!  I’m just trying to make sure all these coaches out here notice me hustling!”  Cause that’s what it’s all about.

7:09pm I mean, that’s part of it I’m sure, but I think some of it is just me being afraid.  Like in the movie Field of Dreams.  You remember the part when the young ballplayer runs over to help the little girl?  And as soon as he steps off the field he instantly transforms into the old white-haired Doctor “Moonlight” Graham?  (spoilers) Then we realize he’ll never be able to go back and play baseball ever again!  Well that’s kind of how I feel.  Except instead of being afraid of transforming into an 87 year-old mustached doctor, I’m afraid every time I leave, a security guard will be instructed to not let me back in.

7:14pm Right now baseball is in full swing (<-pun) and the excitement for baseball is palpable!  Like a hibernating bear that wakes up and just screams at everybody.  Spring training is that awakening!  Not sure who thought it up (you can google it), but it perfectly EASES players, umpires, coaches, broadcasters, bat boys, mascots, popcorn vendors, instant replay technicians, and of course fans seamlessly into another year of baseball history!

7:22pm My roommate just walked in, and has confirmed our room smells like tacos… with just the tiniest hint of fish.

7:25pm Hold on, got a text message…

7:26pm It’s an unnamed teammate asking what time stretch is in the morning.  When I get texts like this I usually send the picture I took of the weekly schedule posted in the clubhouse.  I always take a picture of the schedule because that’s what professional baseball does!  It makes you SUPER paranoid about being late… for anything… ever!  This is one of those times paranoia is a good thing.  Because as the saying in baseball goes, “If you’re 5 minutes early, You’re 10 minutes late!”

7:36pm Let’s see, what else happened today?  Oh yeah, I was asked about the first time I was called up to the Big Leagues.  Oh man, these stories are the life blood for Minor League baseball players.  We need them.  Because it proves The Show is in fact a real place and possibly within grasp.  And players crave inspiration.  So what could be better than hearing a first hand account of toeing the rubber in a Major League baseball game!  But actually my Big League Debut story is kind of an average story at best.  In fact, the best part of my debut story is what happened after the game: with me, on a sidewalk, being mistaken for star Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Ben Sheets!  Anyway, let’s just say there’s a gentleman out there somewhere with 14 Ben Sheets baseball cards with the signature “Tim Dillard48” scribbled on it!

7:48pm Okay yeah it’s late. As soon as my roommate finishes playing his Call of Medal Duty game, I’m falling asleep in this bed… and pretending it’s a brand new mattress.

To Be Concluded…

You can follow Tim @DimTillard and read more of his work at his blog.

NL Notes: Reds, Rockies, Wisler, Schafer

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Reds president of baseball operations Dick Williams gave an interesting interview to David Laurila of Fangraphs that’s worth a read. The top Cincy baseball decisionmaker noted that it’s harder for clubs of that market size to pay solid veterans on short-term deals during a rebuilding campaign, which is one of several factors that tends to make the process more painful. But the organization is plainly committed to doing it and doing it right. Williams detailed many different initiatives underway after an exhaustive review of “where we thought dollars would have a better return on investment than at the major league payroll level.” You’ll want to give the post a full read.

Here’s more from the National League:

  • With Ian Desmond set to miss a chunk of time early in the season, the Rockies are sorting through their options for filling in, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post writes. Mark Reynolds is the obvious choice as a primary replacement, of course, but the team will need to line up some bodies behind him. With manager Bud Black saying the club hopes to “take advantage” of the versatility of some of their own players, he lined up each of Jordan Patterson, Stephen Cardullo, and Cristhian Adames at first in drills. Whether the organization might look at external names isn’t known, but Black did say that he has not heard any discussion surrounding former Rockies first bagger Justin Morneau.
  • Righty Matt Wisler is still trying to establish himself for the Braves, Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. The 24-year-old has been hit hard this spring, as he was in the majors last year, and there doesn’t seem to be much chance that he’ll crack the MLB rotation unless there’s an injury or big performance downturn during the season. Still, manager Brian Snitker says he’s a believer — at least in the quality of Wisler’s offerings. “[I]t’s just location– fastball location,” Black said of Wisler’s struggles. “He’s just got to keep working on location. The stuff is there. The kid’s stuff is too good not to be successful.”
  • Jordan Schafer’s efforts to make the Cardinals roster as a lefty reliever have run into some difficulties, as MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch Reports. The 30-year-old is dealing with forearm soreness, with the root cause yet to be determined. He hadn’t been particularly effective in his five outings anyway, and struggled upon reaching Triple-A briefly last year with the Dodgers organization. But Schafer was actually quite impressive at Double-A in 2016, working to a 3.15 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 over forty frames.

Ian Desmond To Undergo Surgery Following Left Hand Fracture

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March 13: Desmond will undergo surgery on the second to repair the second metacarpal in his left hand on Wednesday, the Rockies announced to the team’s beat writers (Twitter link via Nick Groke of the Denver Post). The Rockies didn’t include a timetable for his recovery in their subsequent release.

March 12: Rockies first baseman Ian Desmond suffered a fracture in his left hand, the club announced to reporters (including MLB.com’s Thomas Harding).  Desmond was hit by a pitch from the Reds’ Rookie Davis during the fourth inning of today’s Spring Training contest between the two teams, and soon left the game during a pitching change.  Desmond will visit a hand specialist on Monday to determine the extent of the injury, though it seems all but certain he’ll begin the season on the disabled list.

[Updated Rockies depth chart at Roster Resource]

Needless to say, this is a very unfortunate setback for both Desmond and a Rockies team that has designs on contending for a postseason berth in 2017.  This will mark Desmond’s first trip to the DL since 2012, when he missed almost a month of action recovering from a torn oblique.  Apart from that year, Desmond has been a picture of durability, appearing in at least 154 games in every other season since 2010.

Baseball: World Baseball Classic Exhibion Game-Puerto Rico at Colorado Rockies

Colorado signed Desmond to a five-year, $70MM deal in December that was widely considered to be the offseason’s most surprising free agent signing.  Not only did the Rockies surrender the 11th overall pick in the draft (the highest non-protected pick) to sign the qualifying offer free agent, but the Rockies also intended to use Desmond as their starting first baseman.  Desmond was going to be playing the position for the first time in his pro career, and given Desmond’s ability to play shortstop and all three outfield spots, many questioned the Rockies’ decision to deploy such a good athlete at the least-demanding position on the diamond.

Desmond’s fractured hand continues what has already been a nightmarish spring for the Rockies.  Outfielder David Dahl will also miss the start of the year due to a stress reaction in his ribcage, rotation hopeful Chris Rusin (oblique) and reliever Chad Qualls (elbow) have both been sidelined and, worst of all, Chad Bettis has begun chemotherapy treatments in his continuing battle with testicular cancer.

The Rockies re-signed Mark Reynolds to a minor league deal last month, and the veteran now looks to be the top candidate to fill in for Desmond at first base.  Rookies Jordan Patterson and Stephen Cardullo are also potential internal solutions, with the left-handed hitting Patterson perhaps the best fit to platoon with the righty-swinging Reynolds.  The Rockies could also use Gerardo Parra (who saw some limited action at first last season) or utilityman Alexi Amarista could try out one of the few positions he has never played in his MLB career, though both could be better deployed in the outfield given Dahl’s absence.

As for external possibilities, former Rockie Justin Morneau is available on the open market, though Morneau’s ability for extended time in the field could be a question mark given his checkered injury history.  Ryan Howard, Billy Butler and Kelly Johnson are a few other notable first base names still looking to find a new team.  Colorado is also likely to explore trades or waiver claims on other first basemen who may become available as teams look to trim their rosters before Opening Day.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor MLB Transactions: 3/13/2017

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Here are the day’s minor moves from around the game…

  • The Cubs announced that they’ve granted right-hander Maikel Cleto his release. The hard-throwing 27-year-old hasn’t appeared in the Majors since tossing 29 1/3 innings for the 2014 White Sox. Since that time, Cleto has had some Triple-A success in both the White Sox and Braves organizations, logging a combined 2.75 ERA with 11.5 K/9 against 4.6 BB/9. Cleto has never had much of an issue missing bats, but his control has always been problematic for years. He owns a 6.60 ERA and a 58-to-30 K/BB ratio in 45 Major League innings.

Earlier Moves

  • Outfielder Jason Coats has re-signed with the Rays on a minor league deal after being released earlier this winter, per Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Tampa Bay claimed Coats, 27, off waivers from the White Sox back in January, but he tore his UCL the same day that he was claimed, prompting the Rays to cut him loose to free up a 40-man roster spot. Now, he’ll spend the 2017 season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery as a member of the Rays organization, it seems. Coats batted just .200/.298/.340 in a brief MLB debut last year (58 plate appearances), but he had a huge year with Triple-A Charlotte, batting .330/.394/.519 with 10 homers, 22 doubles and a pair of triples in 332 PAs.

Braves Claim Kevin Chapman From Astros

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The Braves announced on Monday that they’ve claimed left-handed reliever Kevin Chapman off waivers from the Astros. Houston reportedly placed the 29-year-old Chapman on waivers over the weekend. Atlanta had an open spot on its 40-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary.

Chapman is out of minor league options, so the Braves will need to either carry him on their roster to start the season or once again expose him to waivers if they hope to send him to the minor leagues. The former fourth-round pick has a career 4.09 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 5.1 BB/9 and a 43.1 percent ground-ball rate in 55 big league innings.

While Chapman saw quite a bit of time in the Majors in 2013-14, he’s logged just 13 1/3 combined innings with the Astros over the past two seasons as they’ve relied heavily on Tony Sipp as the primary (and in many cases only) left-handed option in manager A.J. Hinch’s bullpen.

Chapman struggled in Triple-A this past season (4.87 ERA in 61 innings) but does have a strong track record at that level, where he’s worked to a collective 3.67 ERA and racked up 262 strikeouts in 208 2/3 innings (11.3 K/9). He’s also struggled with his control throughout his minor league tenure, however, as evidenced by a career 4.7 BB/9 rate in the minors (4.9 in Triple-A). Chapman doesn’t dominate opposing lefties and permits them to reach too often via walk, but he’s also prevented them from hitting for any sort of power against him. In total, same-handed opponents have batted .263/.354/.325 against Chapman in the Majors. He’ll give the Braves an additional lefty option for the bullpen and compete with the likes of Ian Krol, Paco Rodriguez and non-roster invitee Eric O’Flaherty for a spot at the end of camp.

Injury Notes: Seager, Price, Red Sox, Scherzer, Mariners

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Dodgers star Corey Seager won’t appear in a game for the team at all this week, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (Twitter links via Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times). Roberts said over the weekend that Seager, who finished third in last season’s MVP voting thanks to a .308/.365/.512 batting line and strong glovework at short, is dealing with an “oblique-ish” injury. While there’s still time for Seager to ramp back up for the season, oblique issues have a tendency to linger. Seager hasn’t played since March 3 and now seemingly won’t get into action until the final third of the month. McCullough adds that lefty Scott Kazmir also isn’t likely to pitch in a game this week as he continues to tweak his delivery after leaving his most recent Cactus League outing due to tightness and limited mobility in his hip.

A few more injury issues worth keeping an eye on around the league…

  • David Price told Red Sox reporters that he’s not 100 percent certain exactly what the injury he’s facing is, but in fairly strange fashion, noted that he’d have opted for surgery if he were 22 or 23 years old (via Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald). “They said if I was 22 or 23, they’d have told me to go have surgery,” said Price. “…I’ve gone through this. This is something I feel like happens every spring training. It’s those first four to five weeks of spring training that I feel like I go through this every single year, and this year was just a little bit worse.” Pressed on the specifics of the injury Price stated that he’s not sure what precisely set off the alarm bells for doctors but added that his elbow feels good and offered no concern regarding his ulnar collateral ligament. There’s no timeline for his recovery, though Drellich notes that it’s looking likely that Price will be on the DL to open the season.
  • Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal provides updates on a pair of mending Red Sox relievers (Twitter links). Setup man Tyler Thornburg, acquired in the trade that sent Travis Shaw to Milwaukee this winter, is slated to throw off a mound on Wednesday. Thornburg hasn’t appeared in a game since March 1 but appears to be nearing a return to action. As for last season’s setup acquisition, Carson Smith (who underwent Tommy John surgery before pitching in the regular season), he threw a 15-to-18 pitch bullpen session today, which marks his first mound work since undergoing his Tommy John procedure.
  • Nationals ace Max Scherzer voiced with confidence on Monday that he’ll be ready for Opening Day, per Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. Scherzer, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, has been slowed by a stress fracture in his right ring finger but said plainly on Monday, “I’m gonna do it,” when asked about being ready for the start of the season. Manager Dusty Baker offered a similar take, stating that Scherzer is “a little bit behind but not as far behind as it looked like he was going to be at the beginning” of camp.
  • Mariners setup man Steve Cishek is all but certain to begin the season on the disabled list, per Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. The 30-year-old side-armer had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip last October and is still at least one week, if not two weeks, away from throwing off the mound, according to manager Scott Servais. “I think coming into this camp, it was no secret that we were projecting that he might start the season a little bit late,” said Servais.“We’re still on that schedule.”
  • Within that same piece, Dutton notes that the Mariners got better news on right-hander Tony Zych, who is already throwing off a mound and will face hitters in live BP this week. And in a second column, Dutton adds that the Mariners got positive news following an MRI on right-hander Shae Simmons. There’s no ligament damage in Simmons’ elbow, as the hard-thrower is instead dealing with a strained muscle in his forearm. He’ll be out for the next couple of days, but it seems that the former Brave has staved off any form of serious injury.

AL Central Notes: Tilson, Twins, Lowe

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It appears there’s been a setback in the recovery of White Sox center field hopeful Charlie Tilson, writes J.J. Stankevitz of CSN Chicago. Tilson was previously diagnosed with a stress reaction in his foot back in mid February, and per Stankevitz, he experienced renewed discomfort this weekend. Tilson was in a walking boot yesterday, Stankevitz notes, and will be reevaluated today. The 24-year-old Tilson, acquired last summer in exchange for lefty Zach Duke, tore his hamstring in his MLB debut last year and missed the remainder of the season. However, the fleet-footed former second-rounder (Cardinals, 2011) was expected to handle center field for the ChiSox out of the gate in 2017, if healthy. Manager Rick Renteria emphasized that the team isn’t ruling Tilson out, but he’s also yet to play in a Cactus League game. Stankevitz notes that non-roster invitee Peter Bourjos would likely open the season in center if Tilson can’t take the field.

Here’s more from the AL Central…

  • Right-hander Trevor May was considered one of the front-runners to secure the final spot in the Twins’ rotation prior to this weekend’s unfortunate diagnosis of a torn ulnar collateral ligament, writes MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger. With May now likely to miss the entire 2017 season, Jose Berrios is the “slight favorite” for the Twins’ fifth spot, though left-hander Adalberto Mejia and righties Tyler Duffey, Ryan Vogelsong and Justin Haley (the team’s Rule 5 pick) all remain in the mix. Bollinger notes that Duffey could be used out of the bullpen, as he was in college, if he doesn’t make the club. Both Vogelsong and Haley are in the mix for a long relief spot as well, if they’re unable to crack the rotation.
  • Tigers righty Mark Lowe tells George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press that catcher James McCann noticed a slight differentiation in his mechanics from 2015 to 2016 when examining video, and Lowe is hopeful that the subsequent alterations he’s made will help him to restore his lost velocity. Lowe went from averaging 95.5 mph on his heater in 2015 to just 92.4 mph last season in a year that culminated in a disastrous 7.11 ERA over the life of 49 1/3 innings. Though Lowe will earn $5.5MM in 2017, Sipple notes that he’s not a lock to make the Opening Day roster if he doesn’t perform this spring, so there’s plenty at stake for the veteran 33-year-old. Lowe did toss a shutout inning on Sunday, following the mechanical adjustments.

Quick Hits: Royals, Rebuilds, Quentin, Payrolls

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The Royals are pushing to contend in 2017 but if the team is out of the race in July, GM Dayton Moore has told outside executives that impending free agents Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar will all be available, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.  Moore stopped short of completely confirming this report, though he did tell Sherman that “we would have to consider it [a fire sale] if things do not go right.”  2017 has long been seen as the last year of the Royals’ run of contention with this core group, though the team is considering pursuing a reunion with at least one or two of the quartet this winter once they hit free agency.  As the Yankees did with Aroldis Chapman last season, K.C. could deal several of their free agents to reload on prospects or MLB-ready talent and then try to re-sign one or more of the traded players back onto the roster.  Sherman figures the Mets will keep tabs on Cain and/or Moustakas given their uncertainty in center field and third base.

Here’s some more from around baseball…

  • There’s no set timetable for when a rebuilding team should start trying to compete again, as C. Trent Rosencrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer hears from several general managers who have either led their teams through rebuilds or are currently within the process of building for the future.  The Cubs’ blueprint for rebuilding seems to have worked perfectly, though GM Jed Hoyer noted that the team’s decision to spend on veteran talent following an 89-loss season in 2014 was made in part because too much losing would’ve been detrimental.  “We were very concerned about a losing culture and bringing up our young players.  If you bring your players up in a culture that accepts losing, at some point it’s going to have a negative impact on those guys,” Hoyer said.
  • Now that he is finally healthy, Carlos Quentin felt he owed it to himself to give baseball one more shot, the veteran outfielder tells Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.  “I didn’t want to look back five years from now and say, ’I should have just picked up the phone and made a call and swallowed my ego and pride and done it the right way,’ ” Quentin said.  The Red Sox signed Quentin to a minor league deal this winter, and at age 34 and having not appeared in a big league game since July 26, 2014, Quentin is comfortable with the fact that he faces a long road to crack Boston’s deep roster.
  • The Dodgers have the more “dead money” on their payroll than any other team in baseball, Fangraphs’ Craig Edwards observes.  Los Angeles has $47.4MM committed to players who are not on their 40-man roster (whether they’ve been traded, released or are still in the organization but just not on the 40-man) this season.  The Padres ($35.1MM), Yankees ($26.5MM), Angels ($22.4MM) and Red Sox ($22.3MM) round out the top five, though San Diego is by far the leader in terms of dead money as a percentage of overall payroll.  A whopping 54.8% of the Padres’ 2017 payroll is going towards players who are no longer on the team’s 40-man roster — Melvin Upton Jr., James Shields, Hector Olivera and Jedd Gyorko.

NL Notes: Giants, Blanco, Orioles, Voth, Happ

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Ian Desmond’s fractured hand is the big story coming out of the senior circuit today, though here are some more items from around the National League…

  • With a number of veterans in camp on minor league deals and quite a few jobs still to be decided, the Giants’ final roster cuts “are going to come down to the end of camp,” Bruce Bochy told reporters (including MLB.com’s Barry M. Bloom).  “I’ve already had some guys tell me, ’I’m glad I’m not you.’ I mean, they’re all good guys, experienced guys, and they’re doing a good job,” Bochy said.  As Bloom notes, versatility will be a big factor in the Giants’ decision, as a player who can handle multiple positions is a necessity given the team’s needs and lack of bench space.  Jimmy Rollins, Aaron Hill, and Mike Morse are a few of the notable veteran names still fighting for jobs.
  • Gregor Blanco received interest from the Orioles and Tigers this winter, but the outfielder tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that he chose to sign a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks in part because of their running game and aggressive style of play.  Detroit’s connection to Blanco was previously reported, and while this is the first time the O’s have been linked to Blanco this winter, he makes sense as a target given how Baltimore searched the market for left-handed hitting, versatile outfielders for much of the offseason.
  • Austin Voth has been somewhat of an overlooked figure behind the Nationals’ other star prospects, though as Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post writes, Voth could now emerge in an important role as Washington’s top piece of starter depth.  Voth is battling with A.J. Cole, Vance Worley, and Erick Fedde for the “sixth starter” role, which is of no small importance given the injuries that inevitably crop up for a pitching staff over the course of a season.  A fifth-round pick for the Nats in 2013, Voth has a 2.84 ERA, 3.33 K/BB rate and 8.7 K/9 over 487 1/3 career innings in the minors.
  • With so many young Cubs stars already in place around the diamond, prospect Ian Happ is looking to help his chances of finding a regular role by playing multiple positions a la Ben Zobrist, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com writes.  “He’s a perfect example to a young player on how to stay in the game and contribute. That’s who I want to emulate,” Happ said.  Originally drafted as an outfielder and second baseman as the ninth overall pick in the 2015 draft, Happ has already played second and all three outfield spots in the minors, plus he has been doing some work as a third baseman this spring.  In another piece on Happ, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat notes that Happ is developing well at second and is already showing some fine skills at the plate.  Happ is yet another impressive youngster in the Cubs’ pipeline, as he featured on top-100 prospect lists from MLB.com (28th), Baseball Prospectus (54th), Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law (both 63rd).

Andrew Cashner Won’t Be Ready For Opening Day

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TODAY: The Rangers may hold off on acquiring a starter due to Cashner’s relative progress, Sullivan writes.  While the righty still may be a longshot to make Opening Day, Cashner might not be out of action for too long, so Texas could get by with internal options.  Griffin, for instance, improved his stock with a good four-inning outing on Saturday.

FRIDAY: Cashner’s outlook seems reasonably positive, per an update from MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets. The righty will have an injection before beginning a new throwing program this weekend, says Sullivan. Notably, follow-up visits to the doctor have not revealed any “major” problems with his arm.

YESTERDAY, 1:00pm: Rangers pitching coach Doug Brocail now says, more definitively, that Cashner will not be ready for the start of the season, tweets Wilson.

10:07am: Right-hander Andrew Cashner has suffered a setback in his recovery from biceps tendinitis and will be shut down for another few days, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The latest injury troubles for Cashner now have his readiness to open the season in doubt, and Cashner is likely to undergo an MRI to give the Rangers more information on the issue.

Beyond that, the Rangers saw their catching depth take a hit, as Brett Nicholas will require surgery to repair a torn meniscus and be sidelined into April (Twitter link via MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan). Furthermore, Sullivan tweets that Jurickson Profar jammed his left middle finger while playing in the World Baseball Classic, though there’s no indication that the issue is serious.

Certainly, the larger issue for the Rangers is Cashner’s timeline. Signed to a one-year, $10MM contract this winter, the oft-injured Cashner was penciled in as a likely fourth starter behind Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Martin Perez. Tyson Ross was signed this winter to serve as a fifth starter as well, but it was known at the time his deal was finalized that he wouldn’t be ready come Opening Day.

Cashner been dealing with biceps tendinitis since at least last week but was at least playing catch from a distance of 120 feet on Tuesday, Wilson notes. Even that level of activity, it seems, will be halted for the time being, however.

Texas does have a number of alternative options for the final two spots in the rotation, though none is without his question marks. A.J. Griffin is once again in the mix, though he posted an ERA north of 5.00 in 119 innings with the Rangers last season. Former first-rounder Chi Chi Gonzalez is another option, but the 25-year-old had an unimpressive season in Triple-A last year. Nick Martinez, Eddie Gamboa, Tyler Wagner and Yohander Mendez are all also on the 40-man roster, though Mendez has already been optioned out of big league camp. Veteran righty Dillon Gee is also in camp on a non-roster deal and has been healthy to this point.

While pulling one starter (or a combination of starters) from that mix to fill one spot in the rotation seems doable, it may be asking a lot of that group to ably fill two slots in the rotation of an expected contender in the American League West. It’s not yet known exactly how long Cashner will miss, but if he’s deemed to require a significant absence, then certainly one can imagine the Rangers looking to the remaining free agents or to some lower-profile trades to help fill out the rotation. Longtime Rangers fixture Colby Lewis remains unsigned, as do righties Doug Fister and Edwin Jackson (though Texas reportedly decided against making an offer to Jackson after watching him throw last month). Any talk of Texas adding an arm is, of course, speculative in nature to this point, however.

As for Nicholas, his injury thins out the Rangers’ catching depth but isn’t likely to have a significant impact on the team’s big league roster. Jonathan Lucroy and Robinson Chirinos are the clear top two catchers in the organization, although with each playing in the WBC, Nicholas’ injury does leave Texas a bit thin on catching options in camp while that tournament is in progress.

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