The Astros have sent 2013 top overall pick Mark Appel to extended spring training, Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle reports (Twitter links). The Astros say Appel isn’t injured, and they attribute his struggles to his adjustments to their tandem rotation system, but GM Jeff Luhnow calls Appel’s performance so far “a little unsettling.” Appel has posted a 6.23 ERA with 13 strikeouts and four walks so far with Class A+ Lancaster. Here are more notes from the West divisions.
- Diamondbacks outfielder Mark Trumbo will be out six weeks with a fracture in his foot, Jack Magruder of FOX Sports Arizona tweets. Trumbo’s absence is yet another blow for the Diamondbacks, who are off to a 7-18 start and will now be without one of their key offseason acquisitions (along with Bronson Arroyo and Addison Reed) for an extended period.
- It appears that the price for free-agent-to-be Pablo Sandoval may have increased, and the Giants perhaps should have considered signing him for something close to the five years and $90MM he was reportedly seeking before, Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles writes. Given the lack of good third base options available either internally or on the 2014-15 free-agent market, signing Sandoval to an extension seems to be the Giants’ best bet, Brisbee argues.
Sandoval is said to be looking for $100MM in FA. No way he gets that from a team. He just isn’t a $100MM player.
He might be a $100 M player before he signed; he wouldn’t be afterward.
I must say that quote doesn’t quite do Brisbee justice…. he really just says that the giants need to resign Sandoval because their internal option are horrible and its better to overpay for Sandoval than overpay in a trade. He even says with regard to Sandoval “if you were looking for a relative bargain, it probably isn’t coming.”
That is not the most ringing endorsement of 5/90 I’ve ever heard.
Price for Pablo increasing? He has a .537 OPS to start the season, needs to get his act together before he starts demanding more.
In 2012 Sandoval posted a .538 OPS in the month of August. His 2012 season line was .283/.342/.447 .789 OPS. One month slumps happen all the time.
He’s missed so much time from 2011 through 2013 I can’t see a team giving him the type of deal he’s looking for and giving up a draft pick.
I don’t see him getting a deal that large either. I’m just pointing out that his low April OPS is not unprecedented
I guess we’ll have to wait until the end of May?
And I wouldn’t give him 5/90 for a .789 OPS and his proclivity not to stay in shape.
If Sandoval wants to become a free agent after the season, I would expect Brian Sabean to be first in line to hold the door open for the Kung Fu Panda (assuming the door will open that wide)
Sandoval is not good defensively at 3B, he doesn’t have much plate discipline, and a move across the diamond with Belt at 1B is not going to happen. Let someone else overpay for Sandoval’s decline, and secure a draft pick after giving him a qualifying offer.
A poor man’s, not as productive, or talented Prince Fielder?
He may need to raise that .165 AVG before he talks about contracts.
Astros should find a team like the Cubs and trade multiple pitchers for a position player.
I say we let Sandoval go this off season. But that probably won’t happen. He’s been a declining hitter just about every season since he’s come into the league and he makes bad decisions defensively at third. Plus nobody knows how long he’ll keep his weight in check. He’s really not worth more than 6M a year in my opinion.
If Posey can make the transition from catcher to third, like Sandoval did, I feel San Francisco should move him there. We have Hector Sanchez and Andrew Susac who can platoon at catcher next season, or we could bring in someone with more experience.