Blue Jays Appear Interested In Kevin Slowey
The Blue Jays like Kevin Slowey, according to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (on Twitter). Christensen hears that the Blue Jays have relievers to spare and had three scouts watching Slowey pitch in a 'B' game against the Pirates this morning. The right-hander logged three innings without allowing a hit or a run, striking out three.
ESPN.com's Buster Olney reported on Sunday that the Twins are "very much willing" to discuss trading Slowey. The Blue Jays are not desperate for pitching help; Jo-Jo Reyes, Jesse Litsch, Marc Rzepczynski and Kyle Drabek are battling for two rotation spots and Zach Stewart, Brad Mills and Scott Richmond are also in the mix for jobs.
Toronto does have lots of relief depth, particularly from the right side. Frank Francisco, Octavio Dotel, Jon Rauch and Jason Frasor all have closing experience and Shawn Camp and Casey Janssen are coming off of strong seasons. Throw in two more right-handers, Carlos Villanueva and Josh Roenicke, and it's easy to see why teams might ask the Blue Jays about potentially available arms.
Slowey posted a 4.45 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 155 2/3 innings last year. The 26-year-old has never posted a walk rate above 1.7 per nine or a strikeout rate above 6.7 per nine in four big league seasons. He'll earn $2.7MM this year and is under team control through 2013.
Greinke Hurt; Brewers Appear To Have Enough Depth
Like their division rivals, the Brewers lost a top starter to injury before the season even started. But unlike the Cardinals, the Brewers have reason to expect their ace back before long. As a result, it appears that Milwaukee has the depth to get by without making external additions.
Zack Greinke cracked a rib playing basketball and will start the season on the disabled list, so the Brewers will begin the eagerly anticipated 2011 campaign without their most accomplished starter. Yovani Gallardo, Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf and Chris Narveson should provide rookie manager Ron Roenicke with a strong front four and the team doesn't expect to need an extra starter very often; GM Doug Melvin told MLB.com's Adam McCalvy that the Brewers will only need a fifth starter three times in April.
Though the Brewers have a thin farm system – Baseball America ranked it 30th among the 30 MLB organizations – top prospect Mark Rogers started two games for the club last year and could be an option this spring. Rogers, a raw 25-year-old, has an upper-90s fastball and a potentially devastating curve, according to Baseball America. Those tools helped him post a 3.65 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in the minors last year after missing 2007 and 2008 with shoulder operations. The right-hander has encountered some shoulder issues again this spring, however, so he's no sure thing.
But the Brewers don't have to push Rogers to the major leagues, since Manny Parra (pictured) is available, as long as his back stiffness passes, as he expects it to. The left-hander has averaged 24 starts over the course of the past three seasons, including 16 starts in 2010. He posted a 5.02 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 as a swingman last year, logging 122 innings.
Roenicke recently told McCalvy that he considers Tim Dillard, Wily Peralta and Amaury Rivas potential starters as well. The team's current options don't compare with Greinke, but Parra, Rogers or someone else should be able to provide the Brewers with a handful of solid starts as their ace recovers.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
Red Sox Notes: Buchholz, Beckett, Wakefield
The Red Sox beat the Cardinals in Florida today even though they allowed seven runs. Here are the latest updates on the BoSox, with an emphasis on the team's pitching staff…
- The Red Sox announced that they agreed to terms with 15 pre-arbitration eligible players including Clay Buchholz and Daniel Bard. Buchholz was an extension candidate and he discussed a potential multiyear deal with the Red Sox, but they haven't agreed on one so far.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears from a scout that Josh Beckett "looks like he's on [a] mission" and that his pitches are looking good (Twitter link).
- Tim Wakefield told Kirk Minihane of WEEI.com that he can't envision playing elsewhere. "Why would I? I've been here for so long, why would I go somewhere else?" Wakefield asked. He first suited up for the Red Sox in 1995.
Big Year Ahead For Rangers First Basemen
To call 2011 a make or break year for Mitch Moreland and Chris Davis wouldn't technically be right. They aren't even arbitration eligible yet, so they can't really 'make it' the way prospective free agents can. But this season will undoubtedly be crucial to determining the future of the two first basemen and whether they stay in Arlington.
Davis arrived in the majors two years before Moreland as a highly-touted prospect. His .311/.370/.569 minor league line has yet to translate to the majors, however; the 24-year-old has hit just .248/.300/.459 as a major leaguer. Southpaws have held Davis to a .666 OPS, but he has shown power overall, hitting one homer per 20.7 at bats.
Moreland (pictured), who's a year older than Davis, debuted last year and posted a .255/.364/.469 line in 173 plate appearances before posting a .900 OPS in the postseason. Like Davis, he's a left-handed hitter who struggles to hit southpaws (.604 OPS last year). He's the favorite to win the starting job and has impressed GM Jon Daniels, who told MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that "our guys viewed him as one of the best workers and makeups [around]."
Neither player has any guarantees from the Rangers, who are in win-now mode and aren't in a position to be overly patient with developing players. Davis has drawn trade interest in the past, so the Rangers could consider dealing him if he doesn't produce more or becomes redundant. Moreland has done everything the Rangers have asked him to do, but he's just 224 plate appearances into his MLB career, even if you count the playoffs. Let's not assume that he can be a cog at first base.
Next year's free agent class features Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, two sluggers who figure to be looking for deals worth $180MM-plus. It's not hard to imagine Texas pursuing Fielder or Pujols next winter if the Rangers continue winning and the new ownership group decides its new TV deal allows for expanded payroll.
Even if the Rangers don't go after the most intriguing and expensive free agent first basemen, others, such as Derrek Lee and Carlos Pena, will be available (or the Rangers could opt to make Michael Young their everyday first baseman). Whether second tier first basemen like Lee and Pena appeal to the Rangers front office depends in large part on how Moreland and Davis perform over the course of the next six months.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
MLBTR At FanGraphs: The Twins’ Bullpen
I'm writing a series of guest posts at FanGraphs, one of the first places baseball fans go for top analysis and stats. Today, I point out that Joe Nathan and Matt Capps could hit free agency after the season and explain why I don't see both pitchers leaving the Twins.
Astros Sign Robinson Cancel
Thin behind the plate after Jason Castro's injury, the Astros added a former big league catcher to the organization today. They signed Robinson Cancel to a minor league deal, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). He'll report to minor league camp, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (on Twitter).
The 34-year-old native of Puerto Rico last appeared in the majors in 2009 as a member of the Mets. In 102 career MLB plate appearances, the right-handed hitter has a .213/.260/.287 line. Cancel's minor league resume is extensive, as he has played in 1134 minor league games since the Brewers selected him in the 16th round of the 1994 draft. He has a .263/.327/.376 line in 16 minor league seasons.
Who Could Be Released This Month?
With certain contracts, there comes a time when a team would prefer to pay the player to go away and free up a roster spot. For example, two years ago the Tigers ate $14MM in releasing Gary Sheffield and the Phillies assumed $8MM to let Geoff Jenkins go. Here's a look at some big money players who I think stand a chance of being cut this month.
- Oliver Perez, Mets: one year, $12MM. A team insider told ESPN's Adam Rubin three days ago that Perez is highly likely to be released. Today Perez allowed three runs in the first inning of a split-squad game and followed that with a couple of scoreless frames.
- Luis Castillo, Mets: one year, $6MM. Rubin wrote that Castillo "appears destined for the same fate" as Perez, despite the team's unsettled second base situation.
- Carlos Silva, Cubs: one year, $13.5MM. The Cubs are only on the hook for $8MM to Silva this year, as they're receiving $5.5MM from Seattle. The Cubs' last two rotation spots are too early to call, but if Silva continues to pitch poorly in his next few outings and isn't amenable to long relief, the Cubs might have to let him go.
- Armando Galarraga, Diamondbacks: one year, $2.3MM. The D'Backs would only be on the hook for roughly $380K if they release Galarraga by the 15th, whereas Zach Duke's salary is guaranteed. If Aaron Heilman or Barry Enright makes the rotation, Galarraga or Duke would have to slide to the bullpen or be released.
- Barry Zito, Giants: three years, $64.5MM. Most teams would be thrilled with a low 4.00s ERA from their fifth starter, so the idea of releasing Zito was strange from the start.
- Aaron Rowand, Giants: two years, $24MM. The Giants have a crowded outfield, and cutting Rowand makes sense. They've also got Nate Schierholtz, who is out of options.
- Milton Bradley, Mariners: one year, $12MM. Bradley's legal issues aside, Spring Training seems to be going well enough for him. He's even playing center field today. This one is hard to call right now.
- Danys Baez, Phillies: one year, $2.75MM. Baez had a rough first year for the Phillies, but he can probably squeeze his way onto the Opening Day roster.
- Ryan Doumit, Pirates: one year, $5.6MM. Doumit isn't generating much trade interest, but releasing him would be a last resort and probably won't be necessary prior to Opening Day.
Quick Hits: Rockies, Pagan, Phillies
Links for Tuesday, as fans receive good news on Justin Morneau and concerning news on Carlos Beltran…
- Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post looks at the five-man battle to serve as Chris Iannetta's backup catcher for the Rockies. My speculation: if the job goes to Matt Pagnozzi, perhaps Jose Morales and Chad Moeller would become available.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post tries to determine whether Angel Pagan is a long-term solution for the Mets in center field. Pagan, 29, is under team control through 2012 as an arbitration eligible player.
- The Phillies lost the payroll flexibility to acquire injury replacements earning more than the minimum by signing Cliff Lee, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports in a notes column.
- Rosenthal offers more thoughts on the Orioles' direction in a Q&A with Matt Vensel of the Baltimore Sun. Click here to read my review of the team's offseason.
- ESPN's Jerry Crasnick looks at the culture change new GM Kevin Towers has engineered for the Diamondbacks.
March Trading
March trading typically involves out of options players, former top prospects, and spare parts, but these players can have a major impact. Here's a look at the players acquired via trade during this month over the last few years, with the help of MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.
- Edwar Ramirez (Rangers and Athletics), Omar Aguilar (Indians), Ray Olmedo (Brewers), Matt Treanor (Rangers), Kevin Frandsen (Red Sox), Steve Lerud (Orioles), Andres Blanco (Rangers), Nate Robertson (Marlins)
- Treanor, Blanco, and Robertson spent significant time in the Majors last year for the acquiring team.
- Sergio Santos (Giants), Chris Stewart (Yankees), Luke Gregerson (Padres), Eulogio de la Cruz (Padres), Curtis Thigpen (Athletics), Ronny Paulino (Giants and Marlins), Hector Correa (Giants), Jack Taschner (Phillies), Chris Burke (Mariners), Rudy Darrow (Braves), Josh Anderson (Tigers), Jeff Keppinger (Astros)
- The Giants' 2009 acquisition of Santos is an interesting story. According to Yahoo's Jeff Passan, he was dealt to San Francisco with the caveat that if the Giants couldn't play Santos every day as a shortstop, they'd send him back to Chicago to start a conversion to pitching. He was indeed traded back to the Sox on April 1st and made the team out of Spring Training the following year, tossing 51 2/3 innings of 2.96 ball with 56 strikeouts in 2010.
- Gregerson was sent to the Padres to complete the December '08 Khalil Greene deal with the Cardinals. Clearly that pickup was a big win for Kevin Towers. Paulino, Taschner, Anderson, and Keppinger also spent significant time in the bigs in '09.
- Henry Arias (Reds), Brad Salmon (Royals), Mike McCoy (Orioles), Justin Huber (Padres), Todd Redmond (Braves), Tyler Yates (Pirates), Ramon Ramirez (Royals), Jose Marte (Diamondbacks), Dustin Nippert (Rangers), Jair Fernandez (Twins), R.A. Dickey (Mariners), Matt Kata (Pirates)
- Yates, Nippert, and Dickey spent significant time in the Majors in '08. Dickey landed with the Mets as a free agent in December of '09 after a stint with the Twins, and took off with a 2.84 ERA in 174 1/3 innings.
- The Royals acquired Ramirez from the Rockies in March of '08, sending Jorge de la Rosa to the Rockies a month later to complete the deal. De La Rosa's career took off with the Rockies, culminating in a $32.5MM deal in November of last year. The Royals sent Ramirez to the Red Sox in November of '08 for Coco Crisp. Crisp might have been a solid acquisition for Kansas City, but shoulder surgery interrupted his season.
Ng Leaving Dodgers For MLB Job
10:42am: Ng still hopes to become a GM one day, she told Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times. She also said that the Dodgers' ownership turmoil was not a factor in her decision to leave. Her 13-year stint with the Dodgers will run through Opening Day.
7:50am: A couple of former GM candidates are now working under Joe Torre in MLB's restructured baseball operations department. Dodgers vice president and assistant GM Kim Ng is leaving the club to become MLB's senior vice president of baseball operations, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. And former Diamondbacks assistant GM Peter Woodfork will also work under Torre, reported Bill Madden of the New York Daily News yesterday. Both Ng and Woodfork have interviewed for GM jobs in the past.
Word came recently that MLB was firing VP of umpiring Mike Port, VP of administration Ed Burns, and senior specialist of on-field operations Darryl Hamilton in what Madden's MLB source called a "bloodbath." Madden says Woodfork's main responsibilities will be with umpires, while Ng's will be player-related. Madden notes that the changes shouldn't be seen as Torre's moves, as they were in the works before his hiring.