AL East Notes: Blue Jays, Axford, Zobrist
The Rays are big on promoting from within both on the field and off. That’s why they were able to replace popular Triple-A pitching coach Neil Allen, now with the Twins, with another sharp mind in Kyle Snyder, writes Marc Topkin for Baseball America. “Kyle Snyder is an excellent pitching coach,” Rays farm director Mitch Lukevics said. “He’s way ahead of the curve in development. He’s smart, has passion, can relate to all. I say all, because he’s been often injured as a professional. He’s been in the big leagues. He’s been rehabbed. He’s been bounced around.” More out of the AL East..
- The Blue Jays have been linked to free agent John Axford and there are several reasons why they would make sense for the closer, including proximity to his hometown, as Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star writes. “Living and growing up not too far away from Toronto — Port Dover, Ont. — I lived just under two hours away,” Axford said of the proximity factor. “Growing up a Blue Jays fan, that would be a big deal for me, definitely. I still live close to Toronto, about 45 minutes away in the off-season, still close to home. So, yeah, it would definitely be big for me, but I’m not going to shut out any team.”
- Before Ben Zobrist was shipped to the A’s, the Orioles discussed him with the Rays, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (via Twitter). The O’s really wanted the standout second baseman/outfielder, but the asking price was just too high for them.
- David Laurila of FanGraphs (on Twitter) likes the Zobrist trade from the Rays‘ perspective. The A’s get the short-term win on the deal, but infield prospect David Robertson has a bright future and should excel for years after Zobrist is done playing.
Marlins Interested In Andy Dirks, Will Venable
The Marlins are looking for a left-handed bat that can spell their outfielders and do some pinch hitting. Their search, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, has now led to a couple of new names: Andy Dirks and Will Venable.
The Blue Jays non-tendered Dirks back in December instead of keeping him on board for a projected $1.6MM. The left fielder, who didn’t make a major league plate appearance in 2014, slashed .276/.332/.413 between 2011-2013 for the Tigers. He grades out as an excellent defender in left field, having compiled 16 Defensive Runs Saved and an UZR/150 mark of +5.1 in 1569 innings in left field.
Venable, 32, has come up quite a bit in trade rumors over the last month and change with the Orioles among the teams that have been linked to him. Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune recently said that it seems more and more likely that the Padres will hang on to him, but one has to wonder if the Marlins’ interest could change things. Venable is due to earn a reasonable $4.25MM in 2015.
The Marlins are also looking into Ichiro Suzuki and Nate Schierholtz as fourth outfielder options. When word of that came out last week, our own Steve Adams speculated that Dirks and Venable could be considerations for Miami.
Cafardo On Hamels, Shields, Duquette, Maddon
It’s time to add Pete Rose’s name to Hall of Fame ballot, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Cafardo always agreed with the decision from commissioner Bart Giamatti to keep Rose out of baseball after he bet on games but after 25 years at the age of 73, he feels that the all-time great has paid for his crime. He’s not sure whether he’d vote for Charlie Hustle, but he should at least have the opportunity to be elected. More from today’s column..
- Cafardo hears that there have been no talks this month between the Phillies and Red Sox regarding Cole Hamels. Boston will not part with Mookie Betts or Blake Swihart but the Phillies want one of the two to make a deal. West Coast teams, meanwhile, are in pursuit of the left-hander.
- One National League GM speculated that James Shields hasn’t jumped on his rumored $110MM offer because he doesn’t want to play for that team. Of course, at 33, teams are wary of giving a five-year deal. “There isn’t a team who wouldn’t want Shields for three years. But five? That’s where it gets tough,” one GM said.
- Orioles executive VP Dan Duquette is still in the running for the Blue Jays president’s job, according to a major league source that spoke with Cafardo. In order that that to advance, of course, the two teams would have to agree on compensation, which is where deals such as this usually break down.
- The tampering charge the Rays filed against the Cubs over manager Joe Maddon is still alive. A major league source tells Cafardo that MLB investigators have been gathering information on the matter.
- Alexi Ogando‘s shoulder medicals don’t look great, according to an American League executive. Still, once his price lowers and he’s no longer holding out for a major league contract, teams will compete for his services.
- Mark Mulder says he’s in the final stage of rehab for his Achilles’/ankle injury and will soon make a decision on whether to resume his pitching career. “The ankle is great,” Mulder said.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Braves, Dodgers, Porcello
On this date in 2008, the Reds hired former Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty as a special adviser to top executive Bob Castellini. Months later, Jocketty would take over as the GM in Cincinnati and he remains in that role today. Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere..
- Outside Pitch previews the Braves for 2015.
- Dodgers Nation says that the bullpen will be better in L.A.
- Baseball Hot Corner feels that Rick Porcello is in for a monster year.
- Reviewing The Brew says Rickie Weeks is hurting his free agent value.
- Blue Jays Plus discussed the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. situation.
- Redbird Rants goes to bat for Chris Von der Ahe.
- Halo Hangout introduces Angels fans to Kyle Kubitza and Nate Hyatt.
- Baseball News Source talks James Shields and Max Scherzer.
- Golden Gate Sports says thank you to Will Clark.
- Being Frank prepares for life without Russell Martin.
Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Quick Hits: Nationals, Axford, Badenhop
Here’s the latest from around the league as the evening winds down.
- With Ben Zobrist headed west to the Athletics, the Nationals are still trying to solve second base, writes Bill Ladson of MLB.com. Currently, there are five internal options. The most obvious are Danny Espinosa and Anthony Rendon. Espinosa has disappointed over the last two seasons while Rendon is expected to start at third base. Prospect Wilmer Difo has yet to play above A-ball, but he’s on the 40-man roster and possesses exciting tools. Other options include veterans Kevin Frandsen and Dan Uggla.
- Free agent John Axford would like to compete for a closer gig, writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. As it happens, the Blue Jays have yet to acquire a closer. Left-hander Brett Cecil is penciled into the role. At this point, no offers have been made to Axford, but several teams have shown interest including the Jays. After three consecutive rough seasons, Axford would likely have to earn any high leverage role.
- The market for mid-tier, high leverage relievers has been slow to materialize, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Bradford interviews righty reliever Burke Badenhop who is coming off a career season with a 2.29 ERA in over 70 innings. As Badenhop points out, teams don’t feel any pressure to make the first offer to free agents of his caliber. While five teams may be showing interest, they each know that any firm offer will get passed around to the others for bidding. Relievers like Badenhop, Francisco Rodriguez, and Rafael Soriano have to exercise patience as prospective buyers first gauge the trade market.
Quick Hits: Haren, Lavarnway, A’s
The Marlins still hope that Dan Haren will report to spring training, writes Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. The righty, who was acquired from the Dodgers earlier in the offseason, has told the club he prefers to play for a west coast team. Of the available options, the Padres and Giants are considered the most likely to acquire him. However, the Marlins could use a veteran like Haren, and they’re unlikely to spend $100MM on a free agent alternative like James Shields. When MLBTR readers were polled last week, nearly 11% thought he would pitch for the Marlins next season.
- The offseason has been hectic for Ryan Lavarnway, writes Mark Townsend of Big League Stew. As MLBTR readers know, he’s waiting to hear if a fifth club will acquire him. He started the offseason with the Red Sox and has since bounced to the Dodgers, Cubs, and Orioles. Baltimore designated him for assignment to clear room for Delmon Young. Lavarnway remains in DFA limbo. Townsend speculates that the Diamondbacks could use a catcher, but they’ve had ample opportunity to acquire him several times.
- A’s GM Billy Beane hinted at the club’s plans for the rotation, writes Jeremy F. Koo for SB Nation. Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir have rotation spots on lock down, while “Kendall Graveman, Jesse Hahn, and Drew Pomeranz are on the inside track.” The A’s also have Jesse Chavez, Sean Nolin, and Chris Bassitt in addition to injured hurlers Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin. As Koo notes, it’s surprising to see Graveman as part of the inside track crowd. Acquired as part of the Josh Donaldson trade, Graveman has two seasons of professional experience including four and two-thirds innings in the majors.
NL West Notes: Padres, Maurer, Rockies, Rosario
Padres GM A.J. Preller deserves much of the credit for the club’s surprising offseason, but ownership should get its due too, writes Matt Calkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune. While the decision to fire former GM Josh Byrnes prior to the trade deadline was roundly lampooned, it opened the door for Preller to prepare his staff for a flurry of offseason moves. Additional support from ownership, including an expanded payroll, helped to fuel Preller’s moves.
- New Padre Brandon Maurer blossomed in a relief role last season, writes Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Maurer features a 95 mph fastball and a biting curve. The Padres may give him a chance to start, but he appears to have the floor of a late innings reliever.
- If the Rockies don’t make some bold moves, another 90 loss season could be on the horizon, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Rockies GM Jeff Bridich says a couple moves were “close-ish,” but hasn’t yet found a major move to his liking. Saunders would target the rotation and bullpen for remodeling.
- In a quick analysis piece of the 15 NL clubs, ESPN’s Jim Bowden (Insider required) opines that the Rockies need to trade Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. The club has a lot of work to do before it can be considered a contender. From my perspective, I think they’re just waiting for the right offer, which may include both players proving themselves healthy and productive after their latest batch of injuries.
- The Rockies and Rangers engaged in “significant” trade talks involving catcher Wilin Rosario, reports Saunders. However, a trade has yet to materialize. The Rockies are now saying they’re comfortable splitting Rosario’s time between catcher and first base, although that could be posturing.
Rays Sign Juan Francisco
The Rays have signed corner infielder Juan Francisco to a minor league deal, tweets Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Francisco was non-tendered by the Red Sox earlier in the offseason.
Francisco, 28 next season, spent 2014 with the Blue Jays, where he hit .220/.291/.456 with 16 home runs in 320 plate appearances. While the power was a positive, shaky defense and a 36.3% strikeout rate are two very big holes in his game. He is best used as a left-handed platoon bat. Last season against right-handers, he compiled a useful .238/.306/.504 line. Southpaws held him to a dreadful .116/.204/.186 performance. His career splits are nearly as extreme, which highlights his obvious role.
He has also appeared with the Brewers, Braves, and Reds. Francisco seems likely to serve as depth behind fellow left-handed hitter John Jaso.
Minor Moves: Butler, Pridie, Anderson, Solis
Here are the latest minor league moves.
- The Rays signed former Cardinal Joey Butler, tweets Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. The outfielder, 29 next season, appeared briefly for St. Louis last year (six plate appearances) but finished the season in Japan with the Orix Buffalo.
- The A’s signed 31-year-old outfielder Jason Pridie, per Eddy (also Twitter). His last substantial action came in 2011 when he hit .231/.309/.370 in 236 plate appearances with the Mets. Pridie has appeared in the majors in each of the last three seasons, but he’s compiled only 24 plate appearances in the process. He was thought to have signed with the SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization, but the deal fell through. The A’s also signed minor league reliever Jonathan Joseph.
- The Dodgers reached agreement with nine minor leaguers, including Lars Anderson, Ali Solis, and Ryan Buchter, tweets Eddy. Anderson, 27, was once a highly regarded first base prospect with the Red Sox, but his failure to develop power has left him without a big league role. Solis has appeared twice in the majors with the Padres and Rays. In a tiny 11 plate appearance sample, he has six strikeouts and a 30% swinging strike rate. Buchter, 27, made his major league debut with the Braves last season. He tossed one scoreless inning. In the minors, he’s shown a strong strikeout rate and a disconcertingly high walk rate.
Reactions To The Ben Zobrist Trade
Earlier today, the Rays agreed to swap Ben Zobrist and Yunel Escobar to the Athletics for John Jaso, infield prospect Daniel Robertson, and outfield prospect Boog Powell. The move represents a five or six win gain for the A’s, writes Keith Law of ESPN (Insider required). Per Law, Oakland lacked any “capable everyday middle infielders,” so the move is pure benefit at those positions. Here’s more reactions to the blockbuster.
- While it’s been a hectic offseason for the A’s, the club still has another $5MM available, tweets John Hickey of Bay Area News Group. My impression is that the team is pretty well stocked at this point. I could see a role for a third catcher, backup outfielder, or middle reliever, but no need is particularly pressing.
- Teams interested in Zobrist checked in with A’s GM Billy Beane within five minutes of the trade, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Zobrist appears to be a linchpin for the A’s, so a second trade strikes me as unlikely. Of course, Beane has shown this offseason that we can’t rule it out.
- The acquisition of Zobrist and Escobar will allow the A’s to shift Marcus Semien into a utility role, writes Law. Semien was previously penciled in as the primary shortstop, but he’s better suited to second or third base. With Semien and Zobrist capable of playing all over the diamond, Oakland could possess the most flexible roster in the league.
- “We see [Semien] as an everyday player, similar to Josh Harrison‘s role with the Pirates,” said Beane to reporters including Chris Haft of MLB.com. Meanwhile, Beane plans to leverage Zobrist’s versatility and switch-hitting to build excellent matchups. In the same article, Beane compared Robertson to former Athletic Mark Ellis.
- Jaso is excited to return to Tampa Bay, tweets Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times. Per Baker, Jaso had identified the Rays earlier in the offseason as a team that might target him (also Twitter).
- Jaso’s return to the Rays could allow the club to shop left-handed outfielder David DeJesus, according to Law. The veteran outfielder is owed $6MM in 2015, and the Rays have a reputation for careful management of the payroll. A trade would open more regular playing time for Kevin Kiermaier and Brandon Guyer. Jaso is expected to serve primarily as a designated hitter.
- Beane’s re-tooling efforts are “fearless,” writes Richard Justice of MLB.com. The GM’s decision to trade multiple All Stars and established veterans to extend the club’s window to compete is nothing short of inspired. Justice also notes that manager Bob Melvin specializes in building cohesive teams. With so many new faces, Melvin will have his hands full.