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NL Central Notes: Reds, Cardinals, Cubs

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The 2019 Reds payroll will be the team’s highest ever, owner Bob Castellini tells Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  We already knew that the Reds planned on spending more next season, though Castellini’s comments suggest a fairly notable increase over this season’s $101.34MM Opening Day payroll.  The team’s previous payroll high was $115.3MM on Opening Day 2015, and that total jumped to over $118MM by the end of that season.  However, Castellini also referenced increased organizational spending, which suggest he may not be referring exclusively to player payroll.  Regardless, Cincinnati will be shopping for multiple arms this winter, as Castellini notes that “We know we have to bolster the whole pitching situation.  Are we talking about one starter or two?  Two bullpen guys, three bullpen guys?”

More from Cincinnati and the NL Central….

  • MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently took note of the fairly substantial drop in attendance seen at the Great American Ball Park this year, while Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that 2018 marked the Reds’ slowest year at the turnstiles since 1984.  Elsewhere around town, however, Cincinnati’s minor league soccer team FC Cincinnati is busy setting attendance records as they prepare to make the jump to the MLS in 2019, according to Sharon Coolidge and Patrick Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  Losing the attendance battle to a minor league soccer team might be discouraging, but it’s also a clear indication for the Reds that a hunger exists in the city to support a winner.
  • The Cardinals are hoping to get their middle infield combo of Kolten Wong and Paul DeJong healthy this offseason with a little R&R.  Wong will avoid surgery on a balky left knee that led to some hamstring soreness later in the year, as per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  DeJong successful underwent surgery last week to remove a plate that from his left hand that was inserted to aid the healing process after he broke it in May. He’ll be in a cast for a few weeks, but should be healthy enough for offseason workouts before too long. DeJong struggled to regain his power stroke after returning in July, though that isn’t an uncommon short-term issue for players recovering from a broken hand.  St. Louis hopes to get this tandem healthy, as they’re both signed to fairly modest long-term deals. Wong is signed for two more seasons with a $12.5MM option for 2021, while DeJong signed an extension in March.
  • In Cubs news, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat took an early look at the questions Theo Epstein and company need to address this offseason.  The Cubs fell from first in runs scored to eighth in the second half, but exactly where in the lineup they’ll look to upgrade is as of yet unclear.  Perhaps the easiest way to improve the offense is to get Kris Bryant’s shoulder back in good form, as the former NL MVP was in and out of the lineup for much of the second half with shoulder soreness.  For now, the plan is to avoid surgery and hope that a longer offseason than usual helps the healing process.

Denard Span Hires New Agent

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Denard Span has switched agencies, reports Jerry Crasnick. The potential free agent outfielder is now represented by All Bases Covered Sports Management.

After being shipped from San Francisco to Tampa Bay last offseason in the Evan Longoria deal, Span again found himself on the move early in 2018 when the Rays sent him and Alex Colome to the Mariners. Span was a solid contributor in Seattle, hitting .272/.329/.435 across 328 plate appearances, with rate metrics pegging him at 12% better than average for the year (112 wOPS+, 112 wRC+).

Defensively, the former center fielder saw only one inning of action there after recording -27 DRS in 2018. Metrics like him more in left (-1 DRS), but his arm continues to be a liability and he lacks the offensive pop traditionally associated with the position. Still, the grizzled veteran ought to see an opportunity for playing time should he desire to play a 12th season.

Span and Seattle share a $12MM mutual option for 2019 with a $4MM buyout. Span will likely accept, leaving the Mariners front office with an $8MM decision on the outfielder. He made $11MM in 2018 – $2MM of which was paid by the Giants. Span has played eleven seasons for the Twins, Nationals, Giants, Rays and Mariners.

Span’s switch in representation has been reflected in the MLBTR Agency Database, which contains representation info on more than 2,500 Major League and minor league players. If you see a notable error or omission, please let us know: mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.

Blue Jays Acquire Julian Merryweather To Complete Josh Donaldson Trade

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The Indians announced the completion of the August 31st Josh Donaldson trade today, sending right-hander Julian Merryweather to Toronto as expected.

To make room for Merryweather on the 40-man roster, Jon Berti was designated for assignment, per Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi. The 28-year-old Berti got his first taste of the big leagues this season, starting four games at second base and hitting .267 for the Blue Jays in September.

Playoff contributions notwithstanding, we now know Cleveland’s return on this deal – Donaldson’s small-sample September batting line of .280/.400/.520 across 16 games was good for 0.7 rWAR and a stellar 146 OPS+. With the division locked up for most of the season, Donaldson’s acquisition was designed for the playoffs, beginning today in Houston – still, they seem to have gotten a fair imitation of the bat they were hoping for thus far.

Fancred’s Jon Heyman reported last month that Merryweather would be the PTBNL, but at the time the right-hander wasn’t healthy enough to be passed through waivers – having undergone Tommy John surgery in Spring Training. Merryweather missed the entire 2018 season, but because he was on the minor-league disabled list, he has yet to accrue any MLB service time.

The Blue Jays are banking on Merryweather being more valuable than the compensatory draft pick they would have received if they issued – and Donaldson rejected – a qualifying offer. Perhaps they were wary of Donaldson accepting, which we now know would cost them $17.9 MM for 2019, but whether their thinking was financial, evaluative, or simply in the interest of keeping third-base unoccupied for uberprospect Vlad Guerrero Jr., the return for the 2015 AL MVP now hinges on the health and continued development of Merryweather.

Before losing the 2018 season to Tommy John, the 6’4″ right-hander was 17th on Baseball America’s list of Cleveland prospects. He’s on the older side for a player yet to make his MLB debut (he’ll turn 27 on October 14th), but he pitched well enough in AA as a 25-year-old to turn some heads, and he has an arsenal that could play up to the level of a mid-rotation starter, per Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs. Merryweather may end up in the bullpen, but remember, a rising tide lifts all boats, and the past few Octobers have done nothing if not raise the value of tweener bullpen arms like Merryweather.

It’s not a flashy return, but six to seven years of a control for a near Major League-ready arm is nothing to scoff at. There’s health and development that need to break in Merryweather’s favor, but a supplemental draft pick was no less risky and ultimately, Toronto adds a controllable arm in exchange for an injured player on his way out of town. That undersells Donaldson’s impact in Toronto (as well as his abilities on the field), not to mention what they might have netted if they’d moved him last offseason – but if you squint hard enough, Merryweather’s upside at least hints at the possibility that Donaldson’s free agency isn’t a total loss.

East Notes: Orioles, Nationals, Phillies, Mets

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The Orioles face a pivotal decision in naming their successor to recently dismissed general manager Dan Duquette in the coming weeks, and Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun and Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com run through some speculative candidates for the job. Both mention former Red Sox GM and current Blue Jays VP of baseball ops Ben Cherington as a logical candidate, and it’s worth noting that The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported yesterday that Cherington “wants to build an organization from the ground up” (which likely played a notable role in his decision to withdraw from consideration for the Mets and Giants vacancies). Kubatko adds that executive vice president John Angelos met with former Dodgers GM Ned Colletti earlier this summer but emphasizes that there’s no clear indication it was in connection to a potential GM role or that any formal interview will take place. Meoli, meanwhile, suggests that the team will pursue younger execs from data-driven organizations.

Over at The Athletic, Dan Connolly campaigns for the Orioles to place Cal Ripken Jr. in a president-type role (subscription link), though Ripken has no baseball operations experience. Rosenthal has previously suggested a role similar to the one Derek Jeter holds in Miami, but Ripken would still presumably need an experience exec to work underneath him, and it’s not clear that the organization is even pursuing that type of reunion with the franchise icon.

More from the game’s Eastern divisions…

  • Following yesterday’s report that the Nationals decided not to renew the contract of assistant GM Bob Miller, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports that GM Mike Rizzo didn’t want Miller to leave the organization (likely indicating it was an ownership decision). Miller, as Janes explains, was instrumental in helping to orchestrate the trade that netted the Nationals both Trea Turner and Joe Ross, and he was also involved in contract negotiations, among other key front-office responsibilities.  The Nats also let go of advance scout Chris Rosenbaum, Janes reports.
  • Phillies president Andy MacPhail met with the media earlier this week, discussing a number of topics ranging from potential free-agent acquisitions to the team’s disappointing finish (link via Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Phils fans have long been clamoring for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado to head to the city of brotherly love, and while MacPhail said he expects the team’s payroll to trend closer to its pre-rebuild heights, when the Phillies had one of baseball’s five highest payrolls, he also spoke somewhat cautiously about being too aggressive in the market. “I guess if you were to invest all you had on one star-type player, then that would be sort of an acknowledgment that you think you may be one player away,” said MacPhail. “Is that really going to solve the problems that I articulated earlier — the defense, playing within our division better, being more consistent, striking out less?” MacPhail did suggest that the Phils will be “active” in free agency but suggested that the inconsistent performance of the 2018 Phillies also makes it difficult to determine exactly how good the roster is, as currently constructed.
  • There are some notable changes taking place in the Mets’ minor league coaching ranks, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (Twitter links), with pitching coach Frank Viola set to leave the organization after eight years. Double-A hitting coach Val Pascucci, Class-A Advanced pitching coach Marc Valdes and Appy League manager Sean Ratliff all getting cut loose as well. Viola has been mentioned as a potential big league coach in the past, and DiComo notes that the 1988 American League Cy Young winner remains interested in finding his way onto a big league staff.

Marlins Rumors: Straily, Urena, Mesa Showcase, First Base, O’Brien

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The Marlins are expected to “explore” trade offers for right-hander Dan Straily this offseason and also could be open to offers on righty Jose Urena should they receive a strong offer, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Jackson adds that it’s “no certainty” that Straily will be tendered a contract this offseason even if no trade materializes. That’s a stark drop-off for a pitcher who was a relatively in-demand commodity prior to the 2017 non-waiver trade deadline. However, Straily struggled through an awful second half in 2017 and delivered pedestrian results in a 2018 season that was marred by a forearm injury. Dating back to the 2017 All-Star break, Straily owns a 4.69 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, 1.61 HR/9 and a 32.2 percent ground-ball rate in 195 1/3 innings.He earned $3.375MM in 2018 and would be due a modest raise next season via the arbitration process. Straily, 29, is controlled through 2020.

Urena, 27, notched a 3.98 ERA in 174 innings, averaging 6.7 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and 0.98 HR/9 along the way. His average fastball checked in at 95.8 mph, and his 49.6 percent ground-ball rate was solidly above the league average of 43.2 percent. He’s controlled through 2021 and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter.

More out of South Florida…

  • President of baseball operations Michael Hill met with the media this week to discuss a number of topics (video link via MLB.com), including the team’s decision to host a showcase for Cuban prospects Victor Victor Mesa, Victor Mesa Jr. and Sandy Gaston. While the organization recognizes that this won’t necessarily give them a major advantage, it was still an easy decision. “We’re the Miami Marlins,” Hill said. “Our stadium is in Little Havana. Miami is the gateway to the Americas. It just made so much sense to everyone to host this workout. Obviously, all 30 clubs are invited to the workout so there’s no advantage that we have, but we want the most talented players in baseball to want to be a part of what we’re building. Friday, hopefully, is the start of a productive offseason for us.” Only the Orioles have more than the $4.3MM the Marlins currently have in their international bonus pool.
  • Hill also discussed the team’s need for a first baseman (link via Wells Dusenbury of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel), indicating that the team will look at both internal and external options. Asked about 28-year-old slugger Peter O’Brien, who enjoyed a radical turnaround of his season following a largely unnoticed trade from the Dodgers to the Marlins, Hill called him a “very interesting player” and confirmed that he’ll be in the mix. “He took full advantage of his opportunity after being called to the big leagues,” Hill said of O’Brien, who raked at a .273/.338/.530 clip and homered four times in 74 plate appearances. Clearly, that’s not enough to make him any assurances of playing time heading into 2019, but Hill’s comments could suggest that O’Brien will stick on the 40-man roster this winter. Garrett Cooper figures to be in the mix for some at-bats at first base next season as well, assuming he’s fully recovered from this year’s season-ending wrist injury.

Pirates Outright Nik Turley

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The Pirates have outrighted left-hander Nik Turley off the 40-man roster, per John Dreker of PiratesProspects.com. He’ll presumably become a minor league free agent.

The 29-year-old Turley was claimed off waivers from the Twins last November. He enjoyed an outstanding year with Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate, pitching to a 2.66 ERA (2.84 FIP) with 10.5 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 0.53 HR/9 and a 33.7 percent ground-ball rate in 67 2/3 innings. Turley was clobbered in his big league debut with the Twins, though that came in a small sample of 17 2/3 innings. Turley, though, has a history of stymieing left-handed opponents in the upper minors, and the Bucs likely viewed him as a potentially affordable bullpen option.

However, the organization never got much of a chance to see whether Turley could contribute. The left-hander was slapped with an 80-game PED suspension in late January after testing positive for Ipamorelin. Upon being reinstated from the restricted list, Turley was immediately placed on the 60-day disabled list due to an elbow strain. It’s not clear at this point whether he’s expected to be healthy enough to take the mound come Spring Training, but it’s certainly not surprising to see the Pirates jettison him from the 40-man roster after that lost season.

In further Pirates news, the team announced this afternoon that right-hander Edgar Santana underwent successful Tommy John surgery today. The organization announced late last month that Santana would require the procedure after an MRI revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

AL Central Notes: Molitor, Mauer, Iglesias, Rajai

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Though the Twins have offered recently dismissed manager Paul Molitor a new position with a “likely” focus on player development (per The Athletic’s Dan Hayes), USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that Molitor’s preference is to continue coaching or managing at the big league level. The 62-year-old isn’t likely to accept the new role within the Twins organization, per Nightengale, who notes that Molitor is still owed a total of $3.2MM through 2020 as part of last October’s contract extension. There are several other managerial openings around the league — Orioles, Angels, Blue Jays, Reds — for which Molitor could potentially emerge as a candidate if he does indeed rebuff the Twins’ latest offer. He also has experience as a big league hitting coach, and both the D-backs and Pirates have announced they’ll be looking for a new voice in that role.

More from the AL Central…

  • The decision to move on from Molitor caught Twins cornerstone Joe Mauer by surprise, writes La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Mauer, like Molitor, is a St. Paul native (the two even attended the same high school — St. Paul’s Cretin-Derham Hall) and spoke about his relationship with the Hall of Famer, who had spent four seasons as the manager in Minnesota. Mauer is mulling retirement after an emotional sendoff from his hometown organization — the only team he’s ever known — and said that Molitor’s dismissal will factor into the calculus. “There are many factors that will go into my decision going forward, and Paul’s absence as our manager is another thing I will be adding to my list of things to consider,” said Mauer. “He’s been an incredible leader and role model and will be greatly missed by all who have played under him.”
  • Jose Iglesias bid farewell to the Tigers organization on Instagram today, and Evan Woodbery of MLive.com writes that it’s become increasingly apparent that the Tigers aren’t likely to pursue a reunion. Manager Ron Gardenhire bluntly indicated that the team is “looking for cheaper and inexpensive” as it looks to fill its middle infield voids. A return for Iglesias certainly doesn’t seem impossible — Woodbery notes that trade interest in him has been nonexistent over the past two seasons, which doesn’t bode well for free agency — but it doesn’t sound as if he’ll be an immediate priority for the club. Woodbery adds that Dixon Machado isn’t likely to be in the team’s plans, either; he elected free agency yesterday after being removed from the Tigers’ 40-man roster several months ago.
  • The Indians’ final roster spot for the American League Division Series will go to Rajai Davis, manager Terry Francona told reporters today (link via MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian). The decision came down to the veteran Davis versus infielder Erik Gonzalez, but Francona indicated that the potential to utilize Davis as a late-inning baserunning threat ultimately outweighed the desire to have a true backup option at shortstop. The 37-year-old Davis didn’t hit much this season — .224/.278/.281 in 216 plate appearances — but he still managed to swipe 21 bases in a very limited role.

Each Team’s Offseason 40-Man Roster Status, Free Agents

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The 2018 playoffs are underway! For some baseball fans, that means cheering on your favorite team or just watching some exciting baseball games. For others, including myself, the offseason can’t get here soon enough because we have no rooting interest and/or just really love free agency and trade rumors.

Once the offseason begins, things will move quickly. A five-day window following the conclusion of the World Series allows for teams to have exclusive negotiating rights with their own pending free agents. By the time that window closes, teams will have reinstated players from the 60-day disabled list or restricted list, and all contract options will have been exercised or declined. Players with an opt-out clause will also have made their decision on whether to stay or become a free agent.

Since several teams will be above the 40-man roster limit once players are reinstated, there will be a flurry of transactions — mostly minor trades and players being designated for assignment or outrighted — prior to the start of the free agency period.  These first rounds of cuts are usually not difficult. Typically, teams have at least a few relievers or bench players who are expendable because they are buried on the depth chart and not expected to play an integral role on the MLB roster in the foreseeable future.

Freeing up spots to prepare for December’s Rule 5 draft, however, will be much more challenging. For example, the Padres, who will need to clear two spots initially, could have as many as six or seven prospects that they’ll want to add to the 40-man roster. The front office might need to get creative in order to clear several more spots by the deadline to set the 40-man roster (usually around November 20th). I’ll be discussing this more in a few weeks.

Each team’s roster total (after reinstatements and the departure of free agents) is listed below to show how many spots will need to be cleared or how much space the team will have at the start of the free agency period. The Angels lead with 45, meaning they will have to remove five players from their 40-man roster. The Diamondbacks currently have the most space with 32, although they have one obvious club option to be exercised.

*These numbers will continue to be updated through the first week of November.

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Latest On The Mets’ General Manager Search

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3:25pm: MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo hears differently regarding Duquette, tweeting that the longtime Orioles GM is not a candidate for the Mets’ job and is not in line to receive an interview. Martino agrees, tweeting “definitively” that Duquette will not be interviewed.

2:34pm: The Mets haven’t yet contacted Dan Duquette, though he is expected to receive an interview with the team, Mike Puma of the New York Post writes.  As a further detail about Cherington, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link) that he also removed himself from consideration for the Giants’ search. Cherington is open to GM opportunities but would prefer the opportunity to “build an organization from the ground up,” per Rosenthal.

9:12am: The Mets are beginning to compile names and line up interviews to determine the identity of their next general manager, though Blue Jays VP of baseball operations Ben Cherington won’t be interviewing for the position, SNY.tv’s Andy Martino reports.  While neither Cherington or the Mets commented on the situation, Martino hears that Cherington is happy in his current job in Toronto.

Cherington won a World Series during his tenure as Boston’s general manager (covering the 2012 season to August 2015), and joined the Jays in September 2016.  He was linked to previous front office vacancies with the Twins and Braves over the last two years, though declined offers to interview for those positions; the Giants are also reportedly interested in Cherington for their current GM opening.

Cherington recently stated that while he was open to the idea of becoming a general manager again, he was enjoying his work for the Jays.  There doesn’t appear to be much urgency on Cherington’s part to leap back into the fray of running a front office, and there seems to be enough consistent interest in his services that he can afford to pick and choose from potential situations.

The Mets have reportedly had interest in speaking to Cherington for weeks, though even if he isn’t a candidate, the club still has roughly 10-12 people under serious consideration to be their next general manager.  MLB executive Kim Ng, Braves assistant GM Perry Minasian, Royals assistant GM Scott Sharp, and former Orioles GM Dan Duquette are just a few of the names who have been rumored to be on the Mets’ radar, and it was reported yesterday that former Rangers and Brewers GM Doug Melvin would be receiving an interview.

Cardinals director of player development Gary LaRocque is also expected to be interviewed in the near future, Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets.  LaRocque was initially mentioned as a candidate of interest back in August, owing to his past tenure with the Mets organization from 1998-2008 and his 40+ years of experience in a wide variety of different scouting, front office, and on-field roles in the Dodgers, Mets, and Cardinals organizations.

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