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Quick Hits: International, Shifts, Rules

By Jeff Todd | February 27, 2017 at 11:10pm CDT

To wrap up a quiet day in the transactional world, here are a few interesting links from around the game worth a look:

Ben Badler of Baseball America provides a breakdown of the recent MLB international amateur showcase. Many of the players on hand already have lined up deals, says Badler, with some even arguing that the event prods players and teams to reach earlier agreements than they would otherwise. In addition to infielder Wander Franco, who the Rays are expected to sign with this year’s biggest July 2 bonus, Badler says that catcher Daniel Flores was highly impressive. Flores has the upside of becoming a top-flight receiver, per the report; the Rangers are expected to land him.
Shifting remains an intriguing and evolving element of today’s game, but Eno Sarris of Fangraphs analyzes whether it may have reached a saturation point. Hitters have responded with increased lift and more opposite-field groundballs, he says. And there are indications that teams are stretching the concept right to the edge of usefulness. While it’s not quite to a “high-water mark” yet, Sarris posits, that point may be on the horizon.
As Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports writes, the league is looking into changes to the game ball that would increase its tackiness. The hope, it seems, is to avoid some of the preparation required to get a baseball ready for action — and to forego the need for pitchers to resort to less-than-authorized means of obtaining their preferred grip.
Meanwhile, MLB and the player’s association continue to discuss ongoing changes and address the implications of the new CBA. In his latest comments, relayed by Evan Woodberry of MLive.com, MLBPA chief Tony Clark rejects the notion that the new agreement depressed player salaries in free agency this winter, saying it’s far too soon to evaluate. He also offered some thoughts on the arbitration process, noting that the impact of various statistics can change without any real warning or explanation from arb panels (which only decide on a number, without setting for their reasoning). “It’s always an interesting back-and-forth, and in some ways you’re throwing darts with what you think is resonating,” he said. “Introductions of new concepts and ideas always happen. Making a one-year determination as to whether or not you have to blow up the entire system doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. We’ll have to see how things progress moving forward.”

Possible Landing Spots For Pedro Alvarez

By Jeff Todd | February 27, 2017 at 9:39pm CDT

Lefty slugger Pedro Alvarez is a limited player, but he’s just thirty years of age and is coming off of a season in which he slashed .249/.322/.504 with 22 long balls in just 376 plate appearances. Most of the damage, as usual, came against righty pitching. And Alvarez is best kept away from a fielding glove (though he did see time last year at third base). But he has actually generated positive baserunning ratings of late, and the overall package still makes him a potent DH option and bench bat — the same basic formula that landed him a $5.75MM contract last year from the Orioles.

On the one hand, we’ve seen other such hitters fall shy of expectations. Adam Lind, for example, took just $1.5MM from the Nationals. And older lefty sluggers such as Ryan Howard and Justin Morneau also remain available. (The right-handed Billy Butler, among others, also has yet to sign.) Of course, it’s easy to forget that Alvarez waited until March to sign last year, so perhaps it’d be unwise to count out agent Scott Boras’s ability to find money when it’s least expected.

As team sort through their internal options, perhaps an injury or renewed assessment could turn the tide for Alvarez. While it would be foolish to overstate his impact at this stage — he’s no longer an everyday third baseman who can provide over thirty long balls — there’s little reason to think that Alvarez isn’t a useful MLB player. And the fact that he can still handle third base in a pinch doesn’t hurt.

Here are seven landing spots that make some degree of sense; weigh in with your pick in the poll below.

White Sox [Current Depth Chart] — Chicago currently projects to have quite an unproven MLB roster on Opening Day, and yet more holes could open if the club pulls off a spring trade or two. Unless the team shifts Melky Cabrera to the DH hole, that spot is wide open at present. Adding the veteran hitter might help keep fans in the seats and ease the transition that the club is overseeing.
Twins [Current Depth Chart] — Though Kennys Vargas, Byung Ho Park, and Robbie Grossman currently factor in the picture as DH candidates in Minnesota, there has been some rumored interest — though there are also indications that it’s overstated. The Twins do have good reason to see what they have in that trio, though perhaps the club could also see the merit in adding a proven slugger to the stable.
Rangers [Current Depth Chart] — If we suppose that Shin-soo Choo is still deemed capable of playing the outfield without yet another injury, and that Texas still isn’t sold on Joey Gallo, then perhaps there’s still some room for Alvarez on the roster. Alvarez’s camp reportedly tried to get the Rangers to bite before they added Mike Napoli, but it’s not clear whether the interest as reciprocated.
Athletics [Current Depth Chart] — Catcher Steven Vogt and first baseman Yonder Alonso both hit from the left side, and each could spend time at DH, but adding Alvarez would give the team another weapon against righties. Even if power prospect Ryon Healy is on the roster, the right-handed hitter would still have plenty of opportunities at the corner infield spots as well as the DH hole.
Orioles [Current Depth Chart] — It’s a bit of a stretch at this point, but if Baltimore is willing to give Mark Trumbo time in right field, Alvarez could make a return. That’d likely mean punting on Rule 5 picks Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez, and perhaps passing over a third lefty hitting outfielder in Michael Bourn, but the O’s have not shied away from loading up on sluggers in recent years.
Mariners [Current Depth Chart] — This really comes down to one question: does Seattle fully believe in Dan Vogelbach? The young southpaw slugger is slated to battle for playing time with Danny Valencia at first base, but if the M’s feel he’s not quite ready to handle a significant load in the majors, then perhaps they could pivot to Alvarez.
Phillies [Current Depth Chart] — If there’s a National League team that could make some sense, it’s probably the Phils. While they’d like to see what Tommy Joseph can do at first, he’s hardly a slam dunk and currently lacks a platoon partner. The rebuilding club could split time there and perhaps see if Alvarez becomes a deadline trade chip.

Which team do you think will sign Alvarez? (Link for app users.)

Make Or Break Year: Travis d’Arnaud

By Jeff Todd | February 27, 2017 at 6:13pm CDT

MLBTR is rebooting its “make or break year” series, in which we analyze players who enter the season with up-and-down track records but also an opportunity to stake a claim to significant future earnings.

This time last year, Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud was looking to build off of a 2015 season in which he established himself as an offensive force, but also continued to deal with a troubling run of injuries. Now, he’s not only still facing the critique that he can’t stay healthy, but also needs to restore his trajectory as a high-quality option behind the dish.

Injuries remain the major question mark. Over his professional career, d’Arnaud has suffered a series of concussions that are all the more concerning given his position of choice. And that’s not all. The hard-working backstop’s health read-out sounds like a game of Operation, as he has racked up problems high, low, and in-between. Hand and elbow, foot and knee, and back injuries were all on the list even before the 2016 season.

There’s no denying the trouble that d’Arnaud had last year, both before and after a rotator cuff strain sent him to the DL and further clogged his medical rap sheet. He ended the year with a .247/.307/.323 batting line and just four home runs over 276 plate appearances. While his 6.9% walk rate and 18.1% strikeout rate aren’t out of line with career norms, the anemic .076 isolated slugging mark represents a big step back.

The defensive side of the equation brings yet more questions. While he continued to rate well in the pitch-framing department, d’Arnaud cut down just 17 of the 61 baserunners who attempted to steal against him — though certainly the Mets’ staff deserves a hefty share of the blame there. Despite d’Arnaud’s stalling bat, which he hopes to fix with improved swing mechanics, Mets manager Terry Collins says that “the defensive side” is “where we’ve got to really focus.” As John Harper of the New York Daily News recently reported, the young backstop’s pitch calling may have compromised his standing with the Mets’ talented pitching staff.

Given those struggles, there’s a lot for d’Arnaud to prove to an organization that has designs on contending in 2017. That’s not to say that the club doesn’t have confidence in a rebound, as it did decide to pass on potential upgrades behind the dish this winter. Light-hitting veteran Rene Rivera isn’t really suited for more than reserve duty, while Kevin Plawecki has yet to translate his offensive success in the upper minors to the game’s highest level. As Harper writes, the organization could change tack and seek an alternative — as soon as this year’s trade deadline — if d’Arnaud fails to recover his standing.

All that said, there are reasons to hope that the former first-round draft pick can make good on his obvious talent. After a solid 2014 season, d’Arnaud turned in a big (albeit injury-shortened) 2015 campaign at 26 years of age. In his 268 plate appearances that year, d’Arnaud slashed a robust .268/.340/.485 and swatted a dozen long balls, leading some to expect he’d soon establish himself as one of the game’s premier offensive threats from behind the plate. Defensively, the metrics love d’Arnaud’s pitch presentation, which many organizations have adopted as a critical element in assessing catching value. And he only just turned 28 years of age, so it’s not as if there aren’t prime seasons remaining.

While he’s still young, d’Arnaud’s future direction will be determined on the field this year — so long as he can stay in uniform and avoid yet more trips to the DL. His limited playing time has also tamped down his earnings, so he’s only set to take home $1.875MM in his first season of arbitration eligibility; cost pressures, then, won’t likely play much of a role. But as the Mets plot a course for the three further years over which they control d’Arnaud, which coincide with the team’s contract rights over several other core players, they’ll no doubt be assessing carefully the extent to which d’Arnaud is capable of providing the offensive production and defensive work that the organization needs at the catching position.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Camp Battles: Tampa Bay Rays

By Jason Martinez | February 27, 2017 at 4:20pm CDT

After losing 94 games in 2016, it was no surprise that the Rays traded away Logan Forsythe and Drew Smyly for younger players who can possibly help the team in the future. On the surface, these trades would indicate a willingness to take a step back and move towards a rebuild. However, the Rays are a team with a tremendous amount of depth in the upper minors, especially starting pitching, and trading away two key players has opened the door for some young players to compete for a starting job — while Tampa Bay also welcomes a few interesting veterans who were signed to short-term deals.

Here are some notable position battles to keep an eye on. Click here for prior entries in MLBTR’s Camp Battles series.

STARTING ROTATION (TWO SPOTS)
Blake Snell
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2

Matt Andriese
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: 1

Jose De Leon
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 3

Erasmo Ramirez
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $3.13MM; projected to become a free agent after ’19 season
Options remaining: Out of options

Chase Whitley
Age: 28
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: 1

Jacob Faria
Age: 23
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’23 season
Options remaining: 2

Other candidates: Chih-Wei Hu, Austin Pruitt, Jaime Schultz

Despite a long list of viable candidates in the mix for a rotation spot, Snell should be able to lock up a spot with a halfway-decent spring. In 19 MLB starts in 2016, Snell was wild (5.1 BB/9) and inefficient (less than 6 innings in 15 starts), but he also struck out 98 batters in 89 innings while posting a 3.54 ERA. He has the talent to take a big step forward in 2017, but he could end up back in Triple-A if he continues to struggle with his control.

Andriese has nothing left to prove in the minors—he has a 2.83 ERA, 17 walks and 113 strikeouts over his last 95.1 Triple-A innings—but he’s also not overpowering enough to stand out from the other rotation candidates. He can separate himself with a strong spring, but there’s also a chance that he gets buried on the depth chart (or goes to the bullpen, where he spent time in each of the last two seasons) if he doesn’t.

Out of several rookies that will potentially make starts for the Rays in 2017, De Leon is the one to watch. He is one of two Rays prospects, along with Brent Honeywell, with frontline rotation potential. Honeywell only has 10 Double-A starts under his belt, though, and De Leon reached the Majors in 2016. Even though he struggled in his late-season stint with the Dodgers, he dominated in 16 Triple-A starts (2.61 ERA, 2.1 BB/9, 11.6 K/9). If he proves that he’s ready this spring, the only question is how much of a workload he can handle in 2017 and if it’s easier to manage if he begins the season in the minors.

Faria also boasts some impressive numbers in the upper minors, allowing less than seven hits per nine innings and striking out more than a batter per inning. He also might be the prospect most likely to handle the 162-game grind after he logged 151 innings in 27 starts last season.

As is the case with Andriese, Ramirez and Whitley both offer the Rays more experienced back-of-the-rotation options if none of the younger pitchers can prove that they’re up to the task. Ramirez was actually quite effective as a starter in 2015 (3.51 ERA, 151.1 IP, 135 H, 37 BB, 116 K), but only made one start in 2016 as he was utilized heavily out of the ’pen. Whitley returned from Tommy John surgery in 2016, making four relief appearances in September before an effective four-inning start (2 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 4 K) in the season finale.

Prediction: Snell, Andriese

FIRST BASE or SECOND BASE (*Brad Miller will occupy one of the spots)
Logan Morrison
Age: 29
Bats: L
Contract Status: 1 year, $2.5MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Nick Franklin
Age: 26
Bats: S
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: Out of options

Tim Beckham
Age: 27
Bats: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $885K; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: Out of options

Casey Gillaspie
Age: 24
Bats: S
Contract Status:Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’23 season
Options remaining: 3

This won’t be much of a battle if Morrison, who recovered nicely from an awful start to the 2016 season by slashing .270/.355/.478 over his final 330 plate appearances, proves that he’s healthy after September wrist surgery. If he picks up where he left off, Brad Miller, who finished the season as the starting first baseman, would slide over and become the regular second baseman. With Morrison’s inability to stay healthy or be productive over a full season, though, the Rays will leave the door cracked open for another player to win this competition.

Franklin is deserving of an opportunity after finally showing some of the offensive ability (.270/.328/.443 in 191 plate appearances) that the Rays were hoping for when he was acquired from the Mariners in the three-team David Price trade back in July 2014. He also proved to be one of the more versatile players in the league, making starts at five different positions (1B, 2B, SS, LF, RF). He’ll get a shot to earn a steady role at either first or second base, but a super-utility role is most likely, allowing the Rays to continue moving him around the diamond while giving him semi-regular playing time.

After being sent to the minors in late August due to a lack of hustle and not brought back at all in September, it’s a surprise that Beckham is still on the roster, let alone in the mix for a starting job. But as long as he’s around—he was in midst of a strong 2nd half (.327/.365/.520 in 105 plate appearances) when the Rays sent him packing—the former No. 1 draft pick has too much talent to exclude from this competition. Like Franklin, though, he’s likely to remain in a utility role as long as Morrison is healthy.

Gillaspie is a long shot to make the Opening Day roster, but it’s hard to ignore how quickly he’s moved up the ladder. The 20th overall pick in the 2014 draft, he began last season in Double-A, where he slashed .270/.387/.454 in 357 plate appearances, before finishing the season with an impressive 47-game stint in Triple-A (.307/.389/.520 in 203 plate appearances). Even if he doesn’t win the starting job on Opening Day, he could force his way into the picture very quickly.

Prediction: Morrison in a 1B platoon with Rickie Weeks Jr.

CATCHER
Curt Casali
Age: 28
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 1

Luke Maile
Age: 26
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 2

Michael McKenry
Age: 32
Bats: R
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $900K in he’s on the MLB roster; can opt out on 3/30 or 6/1
Options remaining: Out of options

Jesus Sucre
Age: 29
Bats: R
Contract Status: MiLB deal
Options remaining: Out of options

Until Wilson Ramos is healthy enough to catch on a regular basis—even if he can return sometime in the 1st half, he’ll likely serve as the designated hitter more often than not—the Rays are hoping to get some production out of the catcher position. While it wouldn’t be a surprise if they added another catcher before Opening Day—Derek Norris would be a logical target—they’re heading into Spring Training with an uninspiring group of options.

Casali has shown some power (18 HR, 16 2B in 369 plate appearances in 2015-16), but he also has a .202 batting average and 116 strikeouts over that span. Defensively, Casali threw out 36% of attempted base stealers in 2016 and has above average numbers as a pitch framer.

Like Casali, Maile is a good defensive catcher who will need to show a lot more offensive ability—he’s slashed .214/.234/.338 in 161 MLB plate appearances—if he’s ever going to be considered more than a backup.

McKenry and Sucre have a chance, if only because Casali and Maile aren’t likely to run away with the starting job.

Prediction: A player not currently on the Rays’ roster

Josh Hamilton Undergoes Knee Surgery

By Steve Adams | February 27, 2017 at 2:16pm CDT

The Rangers told reporters today that Josh Hamilton will be sidelined following arthroscopic surgery to repair the cartilage in his left knee (Twitter link via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). Hamilton won’t be able to begin running for six weeks, and any potential return to a game setting figures to be further down the road than that. Hamilton’s ACL, which was surgically repaired last June, did not have any damage. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets that Hamilton will be out “well into the season,” but adds that there’s been no talk of him calling it a career just yet.

The 35-year-old Hamilton was in camp with the Rangers as a non-roster invitee and was hopeful of securing a roster spot as an option for Texas at first base, though this latest setback raises significantly more doubt about his ability to return to a Major League field. The previously mentioned surgery to repair Hamilton’s ACL also included a meniscus repair, and this new operation represents the fourth procedure on his left knee since returning to Texas.

Hamilton hasn’t played in the Majors since the conclusion of the 2015 campaign. His last work in the bigs resulted in a .253/.291/.441 batting line over the life of 182 plate appearances. The 2017 season is technically the final year of the five-year, $125MM contract he signed with the Angels in the 2012-13 offseason. Anaheim remains on the hook for the vast majority of that deal, as the Rangers were only picking up $2MM of his salary on an annual basis following the deal.

Orioles Notes: McFarland, Rule 5, Flaherty, Britton

By Steve Adams | February 27, 2017 at 1:55pm CDT

The Orioles released left-hander T.J. McFarland over the weekend, but MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes that Baltimore is hopeful that it will be able to re-sign the southpaw to a minor league deal. The O’s wanted more flexibility with their bullpen options, according to Kubatko, which is why they acquired Vidal Nuno and Richard Bleier in separate transactions. Both lefties have minor league options remaining, whereas McFarland couldn’t be sent down without first being exposed to waivers. By my count, the O’s will be on the hook for just over $112K of the $685K salary to which McFarland had agreed, even if he’s not re-signed. (Arbitration salaries aren’t fully guaranteed.) The 27-year-old McFarland turned in a strong 2.78 ERA in 58 2/3 innings back in 2014, but he’s limped to a 5.68 earned run average in 65 big league frames since. More troubling, his walk and strikeout rates have gone in the wrong direction; last season, he punched out just seven hitters in 24 innings of work.

A couple more notes out of Baltimore as the Orioles face off with the Yankees in Grapefruit League play…

The recent signings of Michael Bourn and Craig Gentry have created an even more difficult path for Rule 5 outfielders Aneury Tavarez and Anthony Santander to make the Orioles’ roster, writes Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. The 24-year-old Tavarez has impressed early, and manager Buck Showalter called him a “potential leadoff guy,” noting that the team is still trying to evaluate him from a defensive standpoint. As Encina notes, Tavarez would give the Orioles some sorely needed speed on the basepaths — something the Orioles have sought for much of the winter. Last season, the former Red Sox farmhand hit .330/.374/.495 in 441 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. Santander had shoulder surgery this winter and hasn’t been cleared to play the outfield just yet, though Showalter thinks he’ll get that clearance soon, per Encina.
Ryan Flaherty is dealing with an undisclosed arm injury, Encina writes in a second piece. While it’s not believed to be serious at this time, the injury still creates the potential for further depth issues with the O’s. J.J. Hardy has already been dealing with back spasms this spring, and Flaherty can serve as a backup not only at shortstop but at all four infield spots. Baltimore did ink Paul Janish to a minors deal last week, giving them a familiar face and an additional depth option in the infield. In more positive news, Rich Dubroff writes for MLB.com that the oblique issue that has been plaguing Zach Britton looks to have subsided. Showalter said he’s not exactly sure when Britton will get into a spring game, but it should be in the early portion of March.

NL Central Notes: DeSclafani, Reds, Molina, Cubs

By Steve Adams | February 27, 2017 at 12:20pm CDT

Anthony DeSclafani’s first appearance of the spring will be delayed due to the fact that the Reds right-hander is experiencing some “tenderness” in his elbow, manager Bryan Price told reporters, including C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Price stressed that the team is merely being cautious and said there’s “no red alert” surrounding the team’s presumptive Opening Day starter. “At this point in time, we don’t have any great or grave concerns or any concerns that he won’t be ready for Opening Day roster,” said Price. That’s certainly encouraging, though the situation at least merits monitoring until DeSclafani is healthy enough to take the hill. The 26-year-old missed the first two months of the 2016 season with an oblique injury but was the team’s best starter upon returning. In 123 1/3 innings, DeSclafani pitched to a 3.28 ERA with 7.7 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 41.9 percent ground-ball rate.

Sticking with the Reds, Price isn’t planning on utilizing a traditional closer this season, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. The manager instead hopes to have as many as four relievers that can work in various scenarios and be available for multiple innings. Offseason acquisition Drew Storen voiced a willingness to pitch in any role and spoke to Sheldon about the evolution of bullpen management in recent seasons and added that picking up high-leverage outs in other innings can be equally satisfying. Presumably, Storen is one of those arms that Price hopes to be able to lean upon in later innings. Other candidates, from my vantage point, include Raisel Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen and Tony Cingrani
The Cardinals and Yadier Molina face a more complicated negotiation process than the majority of extension scenarios, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports observes. Molina is a franchise icon in St. Louis, and the team hopes to have him spend the entirety of his career in a Cardinals uniform. However, he’ll also turn 35 this summer, and even an additional three years would carry Molina through the age of 38. For a catcher with his type of workload, that’s a potentially troubling commitment for the team to make, especially when it’s top position prospect is young catcher Carson Kelly. “Both sides are trying to work hard and see if we can make it happen,” agent Melvin Roman told Rosenthal. The three-year, $50MM sum suggested by Rosenthal feels quite steep for a 35-year-old catcher whose power has diminished in recent years, though. Molina also had some uncharacteristic struggles in slowing the running game last year, as he caught just 21 percent of attempted thieves. Then again, as Rosenthal suggests, Molina’s case is fairly unique, and he remained quite productive at the dish last season (.307/.360/.427).
Also from Rosenthal’s piece, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has been impressed by a number of the team’s young prospects in camp. While few would be surprised to hear that top-regarded names like Eloy Jimenez and Ian Happ have caught Maddon’s eye, Rosenthal notes that the skipper is also impressed by minor league outfielder Mark Zagunis and infielder Chesny Young. Chicago’s deep stock of prospects will serve them well not only by offering depth pieces in the event of injury but also when addressing needs that may arise prior to the non-waiver trade deadline this summer.

NL East Notes: Nationals, Plawecki, Morgan, Coghlan

By Steve Adams | February 27, 2017 at 10:54am CDT

Matt Wieters’ addition gives the Nationals at least nine Scott Boras clients on their roster — a fact that prompted Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post to explore the relationship between Boras and the Nationals. As Svrluga notes, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon were each drafted as Boras clients, and GM Mike Rizzo stated to Svrluga that he’d always draft the best talent available regardless of representation. Lefty Gio Gonzalez, meanwhile, switched to the Boras Corporation after being extended by the Nats. Still, there’s a strong relationship between Boras and Nats owner Ted Lerner, who negotiated Rafael Soriano’s two-year, $28MM deal directly with Boras and, according to Svrluga, was the “primary architect” on Strasburg’s $175MM extension. Svrluga notes that some in the organization consider the relationship between Boras and Lerner to be unhealthy.

As for Wieters, Svrluga suggests that Boras set out targeting something in the range of the five-year deals signed by Brian McCann and Russell Martin in recent seasons, which prompted the Nats to pursue Derek Norris rather than Wieters. As his price dipped, the Nationals slowly reentered the picture and ultimately came away with what could very well prove to be a nice bargain. Nats fans, and those interested in the Lerner/Boras dynamic, are strongly encouraged to read Svrluga’s column in its entirety.

A bit more from the NL East…

The Mets and Kevin Plawecki had an injury scare over the weekend when the 26-year-old catcher suffered an apparent knee injury on a play at the plate involving Nationals outfielder Rafael Bautista. However, while Plawecki was down for an extended period of time and had to be helped off the field, he’s been diagnosed with a knee contusion and should be cleared to resume workouts in the next few days, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. While Plawecki is a long shot to crack the Opening Day roster due to the presence of Travis d’Arnaud and Rene Rivera on the Mets’ roster, he once again figures to be the team’s first line of defense in the event of an injury to one of the primary two backstops (and d’Arnaud does have a lengthy injury history). While Plawecki has hit just .211/.287/.285 in 409 Major League plate appearances, he’s a lifetime .279/.331/.433 hitter in parts of three Triple-A seasons and is just two years removed from ranking among the game’s top 100 prospects.
Former starter Adam Morgan is now vying for a spot as a lefty in the Phillies’ bullpen and seemingly has a good chance to secure such a role, writes Ryan Lawrence of PhillyVoice.com. Manager Pete Mackanin would prefer to have two left-handers in his bullpen, Lawrence writes, and there are only five southpaws in camp with the Phils: Morgan, Joely Rodriguez, Elniery Garcia (a minor league starter) and non-roster veterans Sean Burnett and Cesar Ramos. Morgan tells Lawrence that he’d happily accept whatever role the Phillies ask of him, joking that he’d serve as the backup catcher if necessary. All but two of Morgan’s 38 Major League appearances have been starts, but the Phils have an emerging young core of rotation arms plus veterans in the form of Jeremy Hellickson and Clay Buchholz.
Chris Coghlan discussed his unique journey through professional baseball and his hopes for making the Phillies roster out of Spring Training with CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury. Coghlan, who had interest from other clubs but chose to sign with the rebuilding Phillies — drew a parallel between the present-day Phillies and the 2014 Cubs team on which he played. (The Cubs lost 89 games before surging to the postseason in 2015 and a World Series title in 2016.) “We went from not being good to being really good,” said Coghlan. “We grew together and built relationships. This team is in a transition period of trying to groom guys, but they also need older guys to bridge the gap and I thought it would be a great opportunity. … I just want to come in here, establish myself, be a great teammate, lead by example and maybe I can stick around long term and see this thing through.”

Nationals Have Interest In Angel Pagan

By Steve Adams | February 27, 2017 at 8:24am CDT

The Nationals are among the teams with interest in free-agent outfielder Angel Pagan, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports in his latest notes column. However, the Nationals and other interested parties are hoping to land Pagan on a minor league pact, Rosenthal notes.

That Pagan would potentially have to settle for a minors deal is somewhat of a surprise. Though age isn’t on his side, as he’ll turn 36 this July, Pagan is coming off a quite-productive season at the plate and remains a very viable option in left field — if not in center. Last season, the switch-hitter batted .277/.331/.418 with a career-high 12 home runs in 543 trips to the plate. He also provided above-average value on the bases (15-for-19 in stolen bases and, per Fangraphs, +1.9 runs overall) and was one of the game’s most difficult batters to strike out. Only 16 players whiffed at a rate lower than Pagan’s 12.2 percent in 2016.

Certainly, Pagan comes with some durability concerns. He’s been on the disabled list in each of the past four seasons and missed just under a month with a hamstring injury in 2016. However, after being limited to just 167 games between the 2013-14 seasons, he’s averaged 131 games and 547 plate appearances across the past two seasons.

The Nationals have a mostly full outfield, with Jayson Werth slated to roam left field, newly acquired Adam Eaton in center field and 2015 NL MVP Bryce Harper in right field. Pagan could serve as a solid fourth outfielder that could spell Eaton from time to time and provide somewhat of a safety net for the oft-injured Jayson Werth. Chris Heisey is the team’s primary backup, and Adam Lind could see some occasional time in left field as well. Michael Taylor, too, is on hand as a potential option in the outfield, though the promise he once showed has yet to manifest in the Majors, and he’s coming off a dreadful 2016 season.

Per Rosenthal, Pagan also drew interest from the Blue Jays and the Royals earlier this winter, but those two teams have since inked Jose Bautista and Brandon Moss to respective contracts. Bautista’s deal with the Jays, though, hardly seems like it should entirely preclude Toronto from harboring continued interest in Pagan. The Blue Jays currently look poised to deploy a platoon of Ezequiel Carrera and Melvin Upton Jr. in left field, and it’s not difficult to argue that Pagan would be an upgrade over that pairing. Speculatively speaking, the Tigers and White Sox could each offer Pagan a fairly significant role in 2017, and a number of teams could consider Pagan an improvement over their current fourth outfielder.

Quick Hits: Quintana, Astros, Yanks, Cards, Bucs, Rockies, Mets

By Connor Byrne | February 26, 2017 at 10:11pm CDT

Although left-hander Jose Quintana was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, he remains with the White Sox as the 2017 campaign approaches. However, the 28-year-old is still in high demand around the majors, according to CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine, who writes that the Astros, Yankees, Cardinals and Pirates are “dug into” the Quintana sweepstakes. With the exception of the Cardinals, Quintana has drawn frequent connections to each of those reported suitors in recent months. The Redbirds suffered a blow earlier this month when they lost standout prospect and rotation candidate Alex Reyes for the season because of a torn UCL, but they’re reportedly unlikely to make a significant splash in response. If true, that would rule out the acquisition of Quintana.

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