The Dodgers made a big splash last month with two successive signings of Cuban free agents: infielder Hector Olivera ($62.5MM) and righty Pablo Fernandez ($8MM). But as J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles News Group reports, both players still have yet to receive their visas — and, as a result, have not undergone physicals. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman explained that the club could have elected to perform physicals in the Dominican Republic, where Olivera and Fernandez are both residing. But the Dodgers prefer to wait to allow team doctors a personal inspection. All said, it does not appear that there is any reason to doubt that the agreed-upon terms will ultimately be formalized. In the case of Olivera, however, questions about elbow health were an issue that was reportedly addressed in the contract itself, and his past medical difficulties (along with the significant guarantee) raise the stakes of the physical.
- Meanwhile, the Dodgers have managed to pull together quite a productive bullpen this year at rather a low cost, as Dave Cameron explains in a piece for FOX Sports. The club has continued to tinker with that unit, claiming and designating a pair of arms and then dealing for Xavier Cedeno earlier today. Friedman explains that the club is building depth and expects to add Cedeno to the active roster (via Hoornstra’s Tout feed).
- Brewers owner Mark Attanasio says that he is “not looking at the manager or the general manager right now” as the club looks to turn around an awful start, as MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reports. Attanasio placed the blame on the fact that many of the club’s players are not matching their career standards. He also defended the organization’s decision to keep its core together and try to compete in 2015, saying that it performed “a huge amount of analysis” in making that call.
- If the Marlins do make a change at manager, Mets Triple-A skipper Wally Backman is not a candidate, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Miami owner Jeffrey Loria is “actively reviewing” the situation of Mike Redmond as the team tries to shake off a rusty start. Over at Fangraphs, Jeff Sullivan argues that, though the club’s awful opening is obviously disappointing, the expectations never should have been very high at the start of 2015.
And who put that collection of under-performing Brewers players together? Doug Melvin needs to pay the price for his inability to keep a farm system decently stocked, particularly his lack of young arms.
good
Quite opposite approaches from the Brewers and Marlins’ owners
ooh it will be fun to see which teams the brewers go: Lucroy, braun, seguera, ramirez, Krod?, gomez? parra, and maybe lind if he plays well
There were a lot of people who bemoaned Friedman not giving a RP a big deal. Doing a 180 from the previous regime’s bullpen plan was exactly what was needed. Ned’s tendencies to not promote kids and unwillingness to be aggressive in converting starters is why last years pen was so bad. The pitching depth at AAA is important to the MLB pen and this year looks really solid. Having guys like Wieland, Lee, Urias, De Leon and Holmes at each level lets the team move others (Bolsinger, Carlos Frias, Chris Anderson, Chris Reed, Jharel Cotton) to the pen earlier. I’m happy LA is giving that RP $ to young Cuban and Dominicans instead.
Out of curiosity does Olivera still get his full 62.5 MM even though his deal has yet to be completed? It was supposed to cover the 2015 season.
Quick question… since neither LA player has taken a physical does that mean in theory they could still void the contracts if they wanted to or found a major issue?? I would assume they have to pass for the deal to be official.
I’m hoping to see Butler get a managerial shot sometime, if it’s for the Marlins, great.
“the Dodgers have managed to pull together quite a productive bullpen this year at rather a low cost”?????? Huh???? They’re paying 2,688,910 (Ryan Webb),
124,795 (Dustin McGowan), 10,000,000 (Brian Wilson) from the bullpen and not getting one pitch from any of them. Add in Haren’s 10 million and Billingsley 3 million and the term “low cost” should never be uttered in the same sentence as the word Dodgers.
What does those two have to do with th pen? Both are starters. Plus wasn’t bills a free agent?
Last time I checked Wilson, Webb and McGowan were all relief pitchers.
I was talking about how bills and harens who have nothing to do with the pen
Speaking about the pen it looks like the dodgers are doing what I said all along They are pitching reed out of the pen