Archives for 2014

Angels Notes: Infielders, Beachy, Medlen

By Mark Polishuk | December 9, 2014 at 7:39pm CDT

Here’s the latest from Angel Stadium…

The Angels are targeting the Rockies’ Josh Rutledge, the Astros’ Marwin Gonzalez, the Tigers’ Eugenio Suarez and the Cardinals’ Pete Kozma in their search for middle infield depth, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports. Rutledge would require the most back in return since he has experience in an everyday role.
Also from Fletcher’s Twitter account, he reports that the Angels aren’t interested in Brandon Beachy or Kris Medlen. Both starters underwent Tommy John surgery last year and were recently non-tendered by the Braves.
GM Jerry Dipoto told reporters (including MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez and Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times) that his team is “probably not” going to pursue more international players during the 2014-15 signing period, though “we’re open to it.” The Halos have already far exceeded their bonus pool for the 2014-15 period thanks to their $8MM expenditure on Roberto Baldoquin, an overage that will prevent them from spending any significant money when the 2015-16 international market opens.
The player most often asked about by other teams is catcher Carlos Perez, Dipoto said.

Latest On Tigers, Max Scherzer

By Jeff Todd | December 9, 2014 at 7:03pm CDT

7:03pm: Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told reporters (including MLive.com’s Chris Iott) denied Olney’s report, saying “I don’t know where he got that. That’s not accurate….I can 100 percent guarantee you that our situation has not changed whatsoever.” The Tigers haven’t had any new talks with Scherzer or gotten involved with any major free agents, Dombrowski said.

1:39pm: The Tigers are focused on retaining starter Max Scherzer, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports on Twitter. Detroit is “prepared to spend big” to do so, Olney adds.

There had been some speculation that Detroit would not be willing or able to bring both Scherzer and David Price into 2015, but Olney shoots down that notion as well. He says the club intends to keep the recently-added Price for next year.

The report is unsurprising on some levels: the Tigers are, of course, a big-spending, win-now team that has agreed to massive deals with its own players. And it could still use the added rotation arm even after dealing for Shane Greene.

On the other, it is hard to imagine what the Detroit balance sheet will look like if a Scherzer deal is added to it. The club’s enormous commitments to Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander both pose significant long-term risk. After bringing back Victor Martinez for four years and $68MM, the Tigers are within shouting distance of the Dodgers in terms of total future payroll commitments, and would likely overtake Los Angeles by adding Scherzer.

Cubs To Shop Welington Castillo

By Jeff Todd | December 9, 2014 at 6:53pm CDT

6:53pm: The Cubs received a few inquiries about Castillo after the Montero trade but the club isn’t actively shopping him, Theo Epstein told reporters (including Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune).

3:39pm: After adding Miguel Montero via trade, the Cubs will shop incumbent starter Welington Castillo, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports on Twitter. Chicago had already participated in exploratory talks earlier in the offseason when the team was pursuing Russell Martin.

Castillo, 27, comes with three years of control. MLBTR and contributor Matt Swartz project him to earn $2.1MM this year, a modest sum for a starting-caliber backstop.

The right-handed-hitting catcher posted two straight above-average years of offensive production before stepping back slightly in 2014. He slashed .237/.296/.389 last year, with a career-best 13 home runs in 417 plate appearances. StatCorner was down on his pitch framing work, though Baseball Prospectus had a more optimistic overall outlook on his defensive value.

Reds Drawing Interest In Cueto, Chapman

By Mark Polishuk | December 9, 2014 at 6:47pm CDT

Reds ace Johnny Cueto and closer Aroldis Chapman are each drawing a lot of trade interest, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter links). The Reds are at least listening on Cueto, though they’re trying to direct trade discussions to other starting pitchers like Mat Latos, Mike Leake or Alfredo Simon.

As I wrote back in September, all four of those Reds starters projected as possible trade candidates since they’re all eligible for free agency after the 2015 season. While Cueto would bring the most back in a trade, he’s also the one Cincinnati is least likely to deal since they want him atop their rotation next year.

Chapman is projected to earn $8.3MM in 2015 through salary arbitration (per MLBTR’s Matt Swartz) and he still has another arb-eligible year left before hitting free agency after the 2016 season. This could make him an expensive luxury for the Reds, and as Rosenthal notes, other teams know that the Reds want to cut payroll.

Blue Jays Notes: D’Backs, Neshek, Gregerson

By Mark Polishuk | December 9, 2014 at 6:30pm CDT

Here’s the latest from Toronto…

The Blue Jays asked the Diamondbacks about both left-hander Wade Miley and outfielder Mark Trumbo earlier this winter, Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun reports. Arizona, in turn, asked for some of the Jays’ young pitching in return. Interestingly, the Jays didn’t plan on keeping Trumbo, but rather flipping him to the Mariners for Michael Saunders, a player Toronto landed anyway by dealing J.A. Happ to Seattle.
Also from Elliott, the Jays have looked into signing free agent relievers Pat Neshek and Luke Gregerson. Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi also notes that the Astros and Yankees are among the other clubs interested in Gregerson’s services.
The Blue Jays are one of three teams who have spoken to veteran reliever Kyle Farnsworth, Davidi reports.
Munenori Kawasaki has looked into options in Japan and may now be considering returning in North America on a minor league deal, according to Davidi. The Blue Jays would seem to be natural candidates to bring Kawasaki back, though manager John Gibbons wasn’t sure what was going on between the team and the infielder.

Braves To Sign Alberto Callaspo

By Jeff Todd | December 9, 2014 at 5:54pm CDT

5:54pm: Callaspo’s deal is a one-year, $3MM contract, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (Twitter links). Another $1MM is available for Callaspo in performance incentives, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.

12:49pm: The Braves have agreed to a deal with free agent infielder Alberto Callaspo pending physical, tweets David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jim Bowden of ESPN.com first reported on Twitter that the sides were nearing agreement.

Callaspo, 31, is a switch-hitter but struggled from both sides of the plate last year. His .223/.290/.290 slash over 451 plate appearances was obviously well below-average. But Callaspo has produced at an average to slightly-above-average clip in recent seasons, and Atlanta may have cause to believe that he’ll return to that level.

Presumably, Callaspo would have the inside track to take over at second for Atlanta. He also represents an option at third, where he has spent some time, either as a platoon mate or replacement for Chris Johnson if the incumbent is dealt away.

Orioles Notes: Matusz, Young, Denorfia, Gomes

By Mark Polishuk | December 9, 2014 at 5:18pm CDT

The Orioles are looking hard for an outfielder, as they’ve been linked to Justin Upton and Marlon Byrd in trade rumors today, though they’re apparently no longer pursuing Matt Kemp. Here’s some more from Charm City…

While the Orioles aren’t shopping Brian Matusz, the lefty reliever is apparently available for the right offer, according to the buzz MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko is hearing around the Winter Meetings. Matusz, the fourth overall pick of the 2008 draft, struggled as a starter before being converted to relief pitching in 2012 and he’s since posted solid numbers out of the bullpen. Matusz has two more years of team control and, as Kubatko notes, his value is tied to whether other clubs see him as a starter or a reliever going forward.
A rival scout considered the O’s to be the “overwhelming favorite” to sign Delmon Young, Kubatko reports. Young was reportedly looking for a multiyear deal while the Orioles were looking to re-sign him to a one-year pact, though it has been rumored that the team could compromise by offering a one-year deal with an option. Dan Duquette met with Young’s agent today.
The Orioles have asked about Chris Denorfia and Jonny Gomes, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports via an article and a tweet, respectively. Denorfia and Gomes check many of the same boxes as Young, as all three are veteran right-handed hitters who can play corner outfield spots, though Gomes is best suited for LF and Young will likely see more time in a DH role.

NL East Rumors: Howard, Hamels, Breslow, Mets

By Zachary Links | December 9, 2014 at 4:31pm CDT

Ryan Howard will gain full no-trade rights as a 10-and-5 player in May, and that’s no small matter for the Phillies, writes Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. The Phillies are willing to eat a significant portion of the $60MM that remains on Howard’s contract to get a deal done, but once his 20-team no-trade list turns into a full no-trade provision, it could create another roadblock for them. More from the NL East..

A major league source told Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter) that the Phillies haven’t been active in trying to move Cole Hamels at the winter meetings.
Phillies skipper Ryne Sandberg said the return for Hamels “would need to have a wow factor” for the Phillies to trade him to the Red Sox, tweets Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Sandberg added that in a Hamels deal he would want pieces that could help in 2015, tweets Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
The Mets have remained in contact with free agent reliever Craig Breslow, according to Jon Paul Morosi (Twitter link) and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. However, Andy Martino of the Daily News (on Twitter) gets the impression that the Mets aren’t currently in serious pursuit of him.
Mets GM Sandy Alderson has said that any shortstop upgrade would be a modest one, so we shouldn’t expect to see the likes of Troy Tulowitzki, Starlin Castro, or Elvis Andrus in Queens, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
Alderson says there are two to three options on the shortstop trade market at present, according to Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record (via Twitter). The Mets are looking at a mix of youngsters and veterans.
Ian Levin has been named as the new farm director of the Mets, according to Rubin (on Twitter). He previously headed the analytics department, which will now be run by T.J. Barra.

Cubs Acquire Miguel Montero

By Jeff Todd | December 9, 2014 at 3:59pm CDT

Catcher Miguel Montero is officially headed from the Diamondbacks to the Cubs. Young pitchers Zack Godley and Jeferson Mejia make up the return to Arizona in the deal.

While final details remain unknown, reports have consistently indicated that Chicago will take on most or all of the remaining financial commitments to Montero. The sides were said to be in talks yesterday.

Montero, a left-handed hitter, has three years and $40MM left on his deal. The 31-year-old has had two down years after establishing himself as one of the best-hitting backstops in the game. Last year, he slashed .243/.329/.370 with 13 home runs in 560 plate appearances.

But Montero still hits righties quite well and could make up half of a high-quality platoon in Chicago with incumbent Welington Castillo. (Unless, that is, Castillo is dealt elsewhere, in which case Montero will presumably be paired with a different right-handed bat.) Montero rated as an excellent pitch framer (per StatCorner) and strong overall defender (via Baseball Prospectus) last year.

Godley is a 24-year-old righty who has yet to move past the High-A level in Chicago’s system. Working at Daytona last year, he put up a 3.57 ERA in 40 1/3 frames with 11.6 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9.

Mejia, 20, reached Rookie ball last year after being inked by the Cubs on July 2 of 2013. As Ben Badler of Baseball America wrote at the time, the 6’7 prospect had been adding weight and fastball velocity at the time of his signing. He ultimately went for a $850K bonus. Mejia features a low-90s heater with a good change and decent curve. That fastball velo may still be trending up, per MLB.com, which ranked him 17th among Cubs prospects. Working mostly as a reliever, he threw to a 2.48 ERA with 10.1 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9 in 40 innings last year.

As MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes notes on Twitter, Arizona would leave itself without much behind the dish were it to deal away Montero. The free agent market for backstops is rather thin, of course, with Geovany Soto among the most appealing options. Players such as Dioner Navarro may be had via trade, though prying loose a more permanent solution may be difficult.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Twitter that the deal was in its final stages of completion. Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com (via Twitter) reported that the deal was done. And Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (on Twitter) and Levine (Twitter link) reported the other pieces in the deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Orioles, Phillies Discuss Possible Marlon Byrd Deal

By Jeff Todd | December 9, 2014 at 3:58pm CDT

The Orioles and Phillies met today in San Diego to discuss a possible Marlon Byrd deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. The veteran outfielder is under contract for $8MM in 2015 and comes with a $8MM club option for another season.

Byrd, a 37-year-old, right-handed-hitting corner outfielder, has long been rumored to be a trade piece for a rebuilding Phillies club. He slashed .264/.312/.445 with 25 home runs in 637 plate appearances last year after signing as a free agent with Philadelphia.

Baltimore, of course, is in the market for corner outfield options after seeing both Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis leave via free agency.

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