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Kyle Schwarber

Cubs Scouting Yankees’ Top Relievers

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12:16pm: Schwarber, Baez and catching prospect Willson Contreras are likely off-limits in trade talks, though the same might not be true regarding Soler, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.

8:48am: The Cubs’ Jason Parks was at Yankee Stadium this week to scout the Bombers’ all-world bullpen trio of Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances, reports George A. King III of the New York Post. Chapman, who’s in a contract year, could be a rental for the Cubs. Miller is under contract through 2018 at a palatable $9MM, while Betances is making the league-minimum salary of $507,500 and is controllable through arbitration for three more seasons. Betances seems the least likely of the three to go anywhere, but the Yankees are willing to listen to offers for him, according to King.

With a league-best 42-18 record, the Cubs clearly aren’t a team rife with flaws. One area of concern, though, is their bullpen, which could use another dominant arm to join the excellent late-game duo of closer Hector Rondon and setup man Pedro Strop. A few other Cubs relievers – namely Trevor Cahill, Travis Wood and ex-Yankee Adam Warren – have done well to prevent runs so far this year, but their peripherals suggest serious regression could be on the way. That isn’t the case for any of Chapman, Miller or Betances. All three have more than lived up to the hype this season in fanning a combined 128 batters, issuing a paltry 14 walks and surrendering 17 earned runs in 71 1/3 innings. Of course, given their importance to the Yankees – who have climbed back to .500 and sit three games out of a Wild Card position – it’s certainly not a sure thing any of them will switch uniforms prior to the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

In the event the Yankees do decide this isn’t their year and elect to put their star relievers on the block, it would likely take one or more enticing young pieces to land a member of the troika. The Cubs have plenty of quality youth in their farm system, which ESPN’s Keith Law (Insider required and recommended) ranked as the league’s fourth-best group entering the season. World Series-contending Chicago probably wouldn’t want to weaken its major league depth by moving the likes of Javier Baez or Jorge Soler, however, and the Post’s Joel Sherman reported last week that the Cubs are not interested in dealing injured catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber for Miller. It stands to reason they wouldn’t move him for Chapman, either, though it’s unknown in Betances’ case.

Quick Hits: Miller, Schwarber, Yankees, Giants, Daniels

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Here are some items from around baseball as we head into the new week…

  • The Cubs wouldn’t trade Kyle Schwarber for Andrew Miller, a source tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  Sherman pegs the Yankees and Cubs as good trade partners given Chicago’s possible weakness in the back of the bullpen and New York’s need for young position player talent.  Schwarber, of course, is out of action until 2017 after undergoing season-ending surgery in early April but is still one of the game’s most highly-touted young sluggers.
  • Sherman’s piece outlines several younger players from around the league who could be Yankees targets if the Bombers indeed decide to become deadline sellers.  While Miller or Aroldis Chapman have been heavily cited as the most obvious trade chips, Sherman suggests New York could explore the market for a wide range of players, including Carlos Beltran, Brett Gardner, Brian McCann, Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Pineda or even Dellin Betances.
  • The Giants could trade “for a complementary player,” Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle opines (Twitter link), but he doesn’t think the club will swing a major deal at this time of the year.  With Hunter Pence gone for at least two months following hamstring surgery, the Giants have already been discussing trade targets, though they have a number of outfield options already on the roster.
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels talks to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News about the 2006 draft, which was Daniels’ first in charge of the Texas front office.  While the Rangers found some good talent in that draft class, their first-round pick was rather a notable miss.  Daniels said his team was eyeing Tim Lincecum with the 12th overall selection but the Rangers were surprised when the Giants drafted Lincecum tenth overall.  Texas instead took high school lefty Kasey Kiker, who never made it higher than Double-A and has been out of pro ball since 2012.

NL Notes: Heyward, Schwarber, Fried

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Jason Heyward received a bit of a rough welcome back to St. Louis today, as he appeared there for the first time since leaving the Cardinals for the rival Cubs. But that didn’t seem to bother him; as he told reporters, including MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat (Twitter link): “If somebody boos me here, that means they weren’t happy to see me leave. I’m glad people weren’t happy to see me leave.” He’s already covered his decision to move on to Chicago in some detail, of course, but the occasion offered a chance to revisit the winter market once again. As Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, Heyward ultimately spurned the Cards not out of any failure to see eye-to-eye on a contract, but because he had found another spot he preferred. “It came down to Chicago was really where I would like to be at the time,” Heyward said. “… I feel like [the Cardinals] had every intention of keeping me here. They said that. And they followed that through with their actions. It didn’t come down to contract. Whether it was the opt-out, whether it was the full no-trade (clause), or what have you — it came down to taking the opportunity to be where I wanted to be and for the first time in my life having the choice.”

Here are a few more notes from the National League:

  • Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber is set for surgery this week on his injured left knee, Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com was among those to tweet. It’s already clear that he’ll miss the entire season with ACL and LCL tears, but a broader recovery timeline remains unknown and will presumably depend in part upon how the procedure goes.
  • Young Braves lefty Max Fried is showing promise in his return from Tommy John surgery, Carroll Rogers Walton of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The 22-year-old was a highly-regarded prospect before running into elbow troubles, and remains a high-upside arm for an Atlanta organization that is full of them. He came over in the Justin Upton trade, but has only just returned to action. Fried was not only the high school teammate of Lucas Giolito — who is now the top-rated pitching prospect in baseball — but ended up being taken higher in the 2012 draft when the Nationals’ right-hander fell due to his own elbow troubles.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Beltre, Schwarber, Rickard, Sizemore

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A Beltre extension with the Rangers is challenging because there just aren’t many comparables, reports Ken Rosenthal in his latest video for FOX Sports. The Rangers consider Red Sox designated hitter to be similar, but Ortiz obviously doesn’t have Beltre’s elite third base defense. Ortiz has made around $13MM to $16MM in each of the last five seasons. His contracts have typically included complicated club options with a variety of vesting scenarios and amounts. If both sides agree to use Ortiz as a yard stick, they’ll still have to figure out how to balance offensive and defensive considerations along with what portions of the deal should be guaranteed.

Here’s more from Rosenthal:

  • Kyle Schwarber’s future at catcher is in question. The Cubs will react to how his rehab progresses, but he already had a short window to establish himself behind the plate. Catching prospect Willson Contreras will probably be major league ready sometime during this season, and he’s always rated as the better defender. Schwarber’s already a questionable outfielder. With Anthony Rizzo locked in at first base, Rosenthal wonders if Schwarber might not be destined to join an AL club.
  • The Rays had to make difficult choices when they exposed Tyler Goeddel and Joey Rickard to the Rule 5 draft. The team had a number of right-handed outfielders and pitchers to protect. They weren’t confident Rickard had a high enough ceiling to warrant an eventual everyday role. Outfielders are also hard to stash for a full season than pitchers, making it more likely the club could reacquire Rickard later in the year.
  • Former Indians star Grady Sizemore remains a free agent despite posting over an .800 OPS in the second half last year. Sizemore has received minor league offers, but he’s waiting for an opportunity to be a regular contributor. Sizemore doesn’t want to sign with a team just to provide depth. In my opinion, Sizemore may have to pick the best offer soon – perhaps with an opt-out if another club offers a major league contract. James Loney was the most recent player to sign a contract of that type.

Injury Notes: Schwarber, DeSclafani, deGrom, Inciarte, Ryu

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The big news of the day, of course, is the Cubs’ loss of Kyle Schwarber for the season with a devastating knee injury. Schwarber won’t have his knee operation until the swelling has subsided, which may take a few weeks, and his expected timeline won’t really be known until that time, Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com was among those to tweet. Manager Joe Maddon, meanwhile, said it was “classic validation of why we signed Dexter Fowler” (via Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, on Twitter). Maddon added that Jorge Soler will see plenty of action in Schwarber’s stead, with Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist also representing options to fill in.

There were a few other notable injury matters that hit the news wire:

  • Reds righty Anthony DeSclafani will be bumped once again after being expected to make his season debut on Sunday, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports on Twitter. Manager Bryan Price said there hasn’t been a setback, but suggested that the club was exercising added caution. DeSclafani had been slated for Opening Day duties, but is trying to work through an oblique strain.
  • Star Mets righty Jacob deGrom only made it through 76 pitches in his first outing of the year and was pulled early with tightness in his lat. As Mike Puma of the New York Post reports, deGrom’s velocity was notably down from its usual mid-90s pace — which could be a result of the cool weather and lat issues. Of course, he was still plenty effective, and he isn’t currently set for an MRI, but there are still some warning signs and good reason to proceed with caution.
  • Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte left tonight’s action early with a hamstring issue, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports on Twitter. He’s being labeled as day-to-day for the time being, and it doesn’t appear likely to be a serious injury, but those sorts of muscle tweaks can lead to longer absences than one might think. Atlanta fans will no doubt wonder whether a possible DL stint would open the door for the promotion of Mallex Smith, but the likelier course would be to lean on Drew Stubbs for the meantime.
  • The Dodgers got some promising news on lefty Hyun-jin Ryu, who, tossed two 20-pitch sim-game innings today. As Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register tweets, manager Dave Roberts says that Ryu “felt great” after getting his work in. There’s still a long way to go before Ryu will make it back to the big league mound, but he is set to increase his pitch output in another simulated outing on Tuesday. The club will hope that the quality southpaw can keep some positive momentum going, as he has progressed somewhat slower than expected from his shoulder labrum surgery.

Kyle Schwarber Out For Year With Torn Knee Ligaments

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Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber will miss the season after being diagnosed with full tears to the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments of his left knee, the club has informed reporters including Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter link). Schwarber suffered the injury in an outfield collision last night.

Schwarber was initially diagnosed with only a significant ankle sprain, with x-rays negative for fractures. But the force of the impact with center fielder Dexter Fowler obviously caused much more significant damage to his knee. Now, his ACL and LCL will require surgery and extensive rehab.

Needless to say, it’s a major blow for the high-powered Cubs offense and the rising 23-year-old star. Schwarber was expected to see significant action in the outfield this season, sharing time with right-handed hitting youngster Jorge Soler after the club added Jason Heyward and re-signed Fowler over the winter. He was also set to see limited time behind the plate — his natural position — behind top two options Miguel Montero and David Ross, in hopes that he’d be eased into a more regular catching role in the future.

While losing Schwarber’s high-quality bat is a big loss, Chicago is better positioned to absorb the blow than the Diamondbacks were when they saw A.J. Pollock go down. Soler, Kris Bryant, Matt Szczur, and perhaps Javier Baez provide rather promising options, though they all swing from the right side. The club dealt away left-handed-hitting outfielder/infielder Chris Coghlan in conjunction with the re-acquisition of Fowler, taking away their top platoon option against right-handed pitching.

The biggest impact, in some ways, could be down the line. Schwarber has shown the athleticism to turn into a big league catcher, but is said to need to add polish to that element of his game. Of course, he’s also new to the outfield. Losing the chance to continue to hone his skills on defense — and to see more left-handed MLB pitching, which posed a challenge last year — could impact his development. That’s all before considering the possible long-term impact of what is unquestionably a significant knee injury.

With Schwarber unable to resume his progress as a backstop, top prospect Willson Contreras becomes an even more important asset. His own development has been a significant sub-plot for a Cubs organization that is full of major storylines. Montero is nearing 33 years of age and will be a free agent after 2017, while Ross is set to retire after the season. The door is now open next year — if not sooner — for the 23-year-old Contreras, who will open at Triple-A after a big 2015 in his first run at the Double-A level.

Kyle Schwarber To DL; Awaiting MRI Results On Left Leg Injury

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3:06pm: Schwarber is headed to the DL, per MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat (via Twitter). It appears that Munenori Kawasaki could be the roster replacement. He is not on the 40-man, so space would need to be cleared.

APRIL 8, 11:33am: There is “a lot of concern” in the Cubs organization about Schwarber’s injury, tweets ESPN’s Buster Olney. According to Olney, the team is more concerned about Schwarber’s knee than his ankle. ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers tweets that an update from the Cubs won’t come until “very late in the day.”

APRIL 7: Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber left today’s game after a scary collision with Dexter Fowler. Preliminary x-rays were negative, with the initial diagnosis suggesting that he has escaped with only a left ankle sprain, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat was among those to report on Twitter. He’ll have an MRI tomorrow for a closer look.

While any loss would be unfortunate, it’s certainly promising to hear that the results don’t appear as serious as they looked on the field. Medical personnel checked out both Schwarber’s knee and lower leg after the impact. He was able to get to his feet, but couldn’t put enough weight on the leg to walk all the way from the warning track to the dugout, so he ultimately departed via cart.

It’s important to note, too, that the Cubs are as well-equipped as any team to absorb the loss of a regular position player. Chicago did deal away Chris Coghlan, but signed two everyday options in Jason Heyward and Dexter Fowler to go with Schwarber and Jorge Soler in the outfield. Kris Bryant and Javier Baez could also factor into the outfield mix, and Matt Szczur also remains on hand.

The 23-year-old rose quickly to the majors and made a huge impact last year. A catcher by trade, Schwarber’s bat has been good enough that he’s expected to spend regular time in the outfield while he hones his craft behind the plate. He ended the 2015 season — his age-22 campaign — with a robust .246/.355/.487 batting line and 16 home runs over 273 plate appearances. Of course, there’s room for growth. In particular, Schwarber saw most of his action against right-handed pitching, which he demolished, but struggled to a .481 OPS in 61 trips to the plate against southpaws.

Schwarber’s real upside, perhaps, is down the line, as he could be an immensely valuable player if he’s even a passable option in a catching role. Big-time prospect Willson Contreras will factor into the future at the position as well. Even if he sticks in the outfield, though, there’s reason to think Schwarber can provide sufficiently useful glovework to be a significant asset. Some notable gaffes aside, he rated somewhat below average by measure of Defensive Runs Saved last year but was an approximately average performer in the eyes of UZR — which is no mean feat given his limited experience on the grass.

Quick Hits: Schwarber, Nathan, Lincecum, Capuano

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Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber left today’s game after suffering an apparent left leg injury in an outfield collision with Dexter Fowler. He ended up being carted off of the field after medical personnel examined his knee and lower leg — including his ankle. It’s usually difficult to know the severity of an injury just from watching a review, and it’s certainly possible that Schwarber escaped serious harm, but the violent impact to a vulnerable area certainly did not look promising. Currently, there’s no news of even an initial assessment, so this remains a notable story to watch at present.

Here’s more from around the game:

  • Free agent righty Joe Nathan is working out on his home with intentions of a return at some point this year, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. The 41-year-old is on his way back from Tommy John surgery and will also be looking to bounce back from some tough recent results, but he’s had success well into his late thirties.
  • Another familiar veteran righty working out privately is Tim Lincecum, who was reportedly planning a showcase that has yet to occur. While we await further news on that front, Dan Wade of the Hardball Times looks at the general prognosis for his attempt to rehab a hip labrum tear. In Wade’s analysis, it’s reasonable to think that the 31-year-old could return to being a back-of-the-rotation arm, though anything more may be wishful thinking.
  • Chris Capuano is set to earn a $1.5MM base salary with the Brewers after cracking the Opening Day roster as a minor league free agent, Heyman reports on Twitter. The southpaw can also take down as much as $1.25MM in incentives. Capuano, 37, will open in the pen but could also provide a swingman option as the season goes along.

NL Central Notes: Lucroy, Bruce, Schwarber, Pirates

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Here’s the latest from around the NL Central…

  • The Brewers were talking with the Astros and Braves about a three-team trade involving Jonathan Lucroy last month, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports.  Houston made an attempt at Lucroy earlier in the offseason, as previously reported by FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, and the club has also been linked to Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte.  This isn’t to say that Inciarte was also necessarily part of this three-team proposal, of course, as Atlanta’s role in the trade could’ve taken any number of forms.
  • Lucroy has been the subject of many trade rumors this winter, to the point that he and his family don’t have living arrangements in Milwaukee settled yet since he presumed he was going to be dealt.  “It’s all out of your control. But communication is a big thing. I’d like to be kept up to date what’s going on. It’s not like I’m going to spread it all around, I just want to know when it’s coming, when to expect it,” the longtime Brewers catcher said.
  • Also from Nightengale’s piece, he notes that the Reds were willing to pay roughly $8MM of Jay Bruce’s $12.5MM salary as part of the abandoned three-team trade that would’ve sent Bruce to the Blue Jays, Michael Saunders to the Angels and prospects to Cincinnati.  It was expected that the Reds would have to eat some money in any Bruce deal, given that the outfielder is coming off two consecutive subpar seasons.  Saunders is making $2.9MM in 2016, so adding Bruce would’ve cost Toronto around $1.6MM in extra salary (not counting the $1MM buyout of Bruce’s $13MM club option for 2017).
  • Like Lucroy, Bruce is also rather surprised to still be with his original team given all of the trade speculation.  He reiterated that he would prefer to stay with the Reds, and blames his recent “pretty poor” play for threatening his long-term future in Cincinnati.  (Though it could be argued that if Bruce had been hitting more, the Reds would’ve been able to move him sooner.)  “In order for me to have a chance to stay here, I need to play better.  We’ll see what happens.  I never changed my sentiment, wanting to be part of this for the long haul….But obviously, I have to do my part to even have a chance,” Bruce said.
  • Kyle Schwarber could be a personal catcher for Jason Hammel this season, CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney writes, as the Cubs are looking for ways to get Schwarber’s bat into the lineup whenever possible.  Schwarber’s defensive future has been the subject of much debate, as he’s scheduled to see most of his playing time in left field this year even though his fielding prowess is still a question mark.  It’s also unclear if Schwarber can handle being a regular catcher, though with Miguel Montero and David Ross ahead of him on Chicago’s catching depth chart, he could be eased into the position for just Hammel’s starts.  Being removed from too much grind behind the plate could actually benefit Schwarber, Mooney notes, by helping him stay healthy.
  • The Pirates hired James Harris as a special assistant to baseball operations in February, and Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review examines how the hiring is an example of how the Bucs are willing to look outside of baseball for ways to build their organization.  Harris specializes in fitness and nutrition techniques and he has spent much of his career in football, including the last decade working with Chip Kelly both at the University of Oregon and with the NFL’s Eagles.  Harris’ lack of baseball experience wasn’t a big factor for Pirates GM Neal Huntington, as the goal for any athlete is about “maximizing performance.  How do we help this player get better every day and perform as consistently as possible?“

Rosenthal On Freeman, Padres, Kemp, Cubs

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This afternoon, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports released a news-filled column with rumblings from around the league.  The whole article is worth a read, but here’s a look at some of the highlights:

  • The Braves are shopping first baseman Freddie Freeman, according to officials from three different clubs that have spoken with Rosenthal.  One of Rosenthal’s sources added that the possibility of Freeman getting traded was “the talk of the [Arizona] Fall League” among scouts earlier this month.  Freeman’s salary is set to rise from $12MM in 2016 to $20.5MM in ’17 and the Braves might not want to pay out those salaries as they look to rebuild.  After trading shortstop Andrelton Simmons, it’s clear that the Braves are not too fearful of the fan backlash that comes from trading star players.
  • Another official asserts that the Braves are “shopping everyone owed money.”  That could mean that the likes of right-hander Julio Teheran, right fielder Nick Markakis, and center fielder Cameron Maybin are for sale.  Earlier today, we learned that some folks within the Orioles organization would be open to a reunion with Markakis.  After a down year, Teheran’s value isn’t as high as that of Simmons, but Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com recently wrote that there’s a “good chance” that he would be made available.
  • Sources tell Rosenthal that the Braves “are talking to a number of…non-compensation free agents, including some veteran relievers.”  Ultimately, Rosenthal writes, it’s hard to tell what the Braves’ goal is in 2016.  In the end, the gameplan might be to sell off Freeman and Teheran, land even more prospects, and land a top choice in the 2017 draft.
  • The Padres are shopping right-hander Tyson Ross and outfielder Matt Kemp, major league sources tell Rosenthal.  Kemp is owed $86MM over the next four years and Rosenthal wonders aloud if the two players could be packaged together in order to facilitate a deal.  Ross, 29 in April, is under club control for two more seasons.  In 2015, he pitched to a 3.26 ERA with 9.7 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 across 33 starts.  Kemp, meanwhile, posted a .265/.312/.443 slash line that was below his career average with 23 homers in 2015 while playing poor defensively.
  • Sources say that the Cubs will “at least explore” the trade interest they are getting in right fielder Jorge Soler and infielder Javier Baez, Rosenthal writes.  Meanwhile, the Cubs do not intend to move third baseman Kris Bryant, shortstop Addison Russell or left fielder Kyle Schwarber.  If the Cubs were to move Soler or Baez, they would likely seek their pitching equivalent, meaning a player with similar service time and talent that’s roughly the same age.
  • The Rays are getting bites on relievers Jake McGee and Brad Boxberger, particularly after the Craig Kimbrel deal, according to sources.  Furthermore, teams are also zeroing in on Rays starters.
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