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Archives for April 2015

Minor Moves: Gillespie, Buschmann, Constanza, Coffey

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league…

  • Outfielder Cole Gillespie has accepted an assignment to Triple-A from the Marlins, tweets MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. Gillespie, 30, had the opportunity to elect free agency but has chosen to remain within the organization. The former third-round pick (Brewers, 2006) split the 2014 season with the Mariners and Blue Jays, hitting a combined .243/.300/.311 in 81 plate appearances. He posted a .690 OPS in 33 PAs this spring.
  • The Rays have acquired Minor League right-hander Matt Buschmann from the Athletics, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). The 31-year-old, who is expected to serve as Minor League rotation depth, was a 15th-round pick of the Padres back in 2006 and has spent parts of six seasons at the Triple-A level. Last year, in his first and only season with Oakland, Buschmann worked to a 4.40 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 143 innings of Triple-A ball.
  • The Braves have released outfielder Jose Constanza and veteran right-handed reliever Todd Coffey, reports David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The 31-year-old Constanza offers quite a bit of speed (298 Minor League steals) and posted perhaps surprisingly solid numbers with the bat in 2011, but he’s slumped to a .555 OPS in 121 PA since that debut. As for Coffey, the former setup man hasn’t pitched since 2012 due to Tommy John surgery, but he enjoyed a nice run from 2009-12 with the Brewers, Nats and Dodgers, pitching to a 3.76 ERA in 225 innings of relief. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets one more Braves release — veteran catcher Jesus Flores. The 30-year-old spent parts of five seasons as Washington’s backup catcher but hasn’t seen the Majors since 2012.

Louis Coleman Outrighted To Triple-A

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APRIL 3: Coleman has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Omaha, reports Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). The decision leaves Flynn and Madson as the final two candidates for the Royals’ bullpen.

APRIL 2: The Royals have placed right-hander Louis Coleman on waivers, MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan reports (Twitter link).  Since Coleman is out of options, the Royals have to expose him to the waiver wire and now risk losing him to another club before they can send him down to Triple-A.

Coleman was said to be on the bubble to make Kansas City’s Opening Day roster, as he, Brian Flynn and Ryan Madson were battling for the last spot in the bullpen (or possibly two spots if Ned Yost went with an eight-man relief corps).  The righty was arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, agreeing to a $725K deal for 2015.

Coleman, who turns 29 on Saturday, has spent his entire professional career with the Royals.  A fifth round pick from the 2009 draft, Coleman posted a 2.69 ERA, 10.3 K/9 and 2.78 K/BB rate over 140 1/3 bullpen innings from 2011-13, but he struggled last season, managing only a 5.56 ERA, 6.4 K/9 and 1.33 K/BB rate over 34 innings.  Despite his issues last year, I suspect Coleman will get some attention from teams looking to add bullpen reinforcements before Opening Day.

Giants Extend Sabean, Bochy; Sabean Promoted, Evans Named GM

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The Giants announced today that the contracts of general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy have been extended through the 2019 season. Sabean’s extension, however, comes with a promotion, as he’s been named executive vice president of baseball operations. Meanwhile, assistant GM Bobby Evans has been promoted to senior vice president and general manager, while Jeremy Shelley has been named senior vice president and assistant GM (All links to Twitter).

That the Giants front office and primary on-field decision-maker are being rewarded in this capacity is hardly a surprise, considering the team’s recent results. This group of front office and on-field leaders has, of course, led the team to a trio of World Series victories in just five years, capturing baseball’s ultimate prize in the 2010, 2012 and 2014 seasons.

Reports of extensions for Sabean and Bochy surfaced yesterday, although at the time the specific length of each deal remained an unknown. Additionally, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area noted that a promotion could come with Sabean’s extension, meaning that Evans would become the new general manager.

Giants president and CEO Larry Baer offered the utmost praise for Bochy and Sabean in a statement in the accompanying press release:

“Brian and Bruce form the foundation on which all three Championship teams have been built. The strength and stability of Giants baseball is a direct reflection of the strength and stability of the partnership of these two men. My top priority this off season was to ensure that this partnership and our outstanding baseball organization remain intact for years to come.”

Sabean had been baseball’s longest tenured GM, having initially been promoted to the position in 1997. Bochy’s tenure has been shorter, though he’s still one of the longest-tenured managers in all of baseball, having been at his post since October of 2006. Sabean has twice been Baseball America’s Executive of the Year and has also been The Sporting News Executive of the Year, while Bochy is a two-time National League Manager of the Year.

As for Evans, the well-liked executive is entering his 22nd season with the Giants organization. He’s previously worked extensively in contract negotiations for the Giants (both in extensions and free agency), and he’s an integral part of the arbitration process and oversees the signing of the team’s top picks in each year’s draft. Baer offered the following kind words about his newly minted GM: “Bobby and I have worked together for more than two decades, and he has excelled at every aspect of his job.  I have the utmost confidence in his ability to handle the daily activities of baseball operations.”

Per the club’s press release, Shelley joins John Barr and Dick Tidrow as assistant GMs in the restructured front office. Baer referred to Shelley as a “rising star” in the world of baseball operations, calling the promotion “well-deserved.”

Cardinals Claim Gary Brown

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The Cardinals have claimed outfielder Gary Brown off waivers from the Giants, tweets Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area. He was designated for assignment earlier this week.

Brown is a former first-round pick and top 100 prospect whose career has yet to take off as many expected. Brown surfaced in the Majors for the first time in 2014, collecting three hits in seven at-bats. A center fielder, Brown has batted .277/.342/.415 in parts of five Minor League seasons.

Josh Hamilton Will Not Be Suspended

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11:48am: Angels GM Jerry Dipoto has released the following statement on the team’s behalf:

“The Office of the Commissioner informed the Angels that an arbitrator determined Josh Hamilton’s recent conduct did not violate his treatment program under MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, and therefore the Commissioner is not permitted to suspend or otherwise discipline Hamilton. The Club had no involvement in the proceeding or the ruling. The Angels have serious concerns about Josh’s conduct, health and behavior and we are disappointed that he has broken an important commitment which he made to himself, his family, his teammates and our fans. We are going to do everything possible to assure he receives proper help for himself and for the well-being of his family.”

11:12am: Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton will not be suspended following a relapse into substance abuse, the league announced today. An outside arbitrator ruled that Hamilton’s conduct did not violate his treatment program and, as such, he is disallowed from being suspended by commissioner Rob Manfred. The commissioner’s office has issued the following statement:

“The issue of whether Josh Hamilton violated his treatment program was submitted to the Treatment Board established under Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The MLB representatives and the Players Association representatives on the Treatment Board deadlocked on that issue, with MLB taking the position that Hamilton violated his treatment program and is subject to discipline by the Commissioner. Under the procedures of the Program, an outside arbitrator was appointed to break the tie, and the arbitrator ruled that Josh Hamilton’s conduct did not violate his treatment program. As a result of that decision, the Office of the Commissioner is not permitted to suspend or impose any discipline on Hamilton. The Office of the Commissioner disagrees with the decision, and will seek to address deficiencies in the manner in which drugs of abuse are addressed under the Program in the collective bargaining process.”

In addition to the personal implications for Hamilton and his well-being, the situation comes with financial implications for the Angels. Namely, had Hamilton been suspended without pay, the team would not be required to pay him his $23MM salary (at least, not while he was on the restricted list).

It’s unclear exactly how long a potential Hamilton suspension would have lasted, but based on the comments from the commissioner’s office, it seems rather likely that Manfred had intended to suspend Hamilton, should the arbitrator’s decision have gone the other way.

Braves Release Wandy Rodriguez

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The Braves released left-hander Wandy Rodriguez today, reports MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (on Twitter). Rodriguez had been competing with fellow southpaw Eric Stults for the final spot in Atlanta’s rotation, so it would seem that Stults has won that battle. Last night’s acquisition of Trevor Cahill limited the remaining rotation slots and seemingly forced the Braves to choose between one of the remaining candidates as opposed to each making the club.

The 36-year-old Rodriguez hoped to lock down a rotation spot with the Braves after missing the majority of the 2013 and 2014 seasons due to a forearm strain and knee surgery, respectively. Rodriguez made a name for himself in the Astros rotation beginning in 2008, and from that season through 2013, he worked to a combined 3.48 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 997 1/3 innings between Houston and Pittsburgh.

Injuries limited Rodriguez to just 26 2/3 innings and a 6.75 ERA last year, but he looked sharp for much of Spring Training with Atlanta. In 23 innings this spring, Rodriguez notched a 3.13 ERA (eight earned runs) on 22 hits and eight walks with 23 strikeouts. It would be difficult to say that Stults, 35, definitively outpitched Rodriguez. Though Stults’ 1.89 ERA was superior, he also struck out just seven hitters in 19 innings of work for the Braves.

Rodriguez was set to earn a $2MM base salary upon making the club, but he’ll now instead hope to latch on with another team seeking some depth in its rotation.

Dodgers Notes: Olivera, Baker, Puig, Bullpen

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The Dodgers may have to wait for quite some time before they’re able to benefit from the addition of Hector Olivera, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times. Olivera is still in the Dominican Repbulic waiting to acquire a visa that would allow him to travel to the U.S. Even upon arriving, Olivera will need to complete a rigorous physical, due to the questionable state of his right elbow. After that, the Dodgers will option him to the Minor Leagues in order to evaluate his prowess at both second base and third base, and possibly first base as well, per Shaikin. Suffice it to say, despite the significant expenditure, it doesn’t seem that the Dodgers are banking on Olivera playing a major role on the 2015 club.

A few more Dodgers items as we await Opening Day…

  • The Dodgers are “kicking the tires” on free agent righty Scott Baker, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Baker, who was released by the Yankees earlier this week, was a mainstay in Minnesota’s rotation in the late 2000s and earlier this decade, but he’s struggled to reestablish himself following 2012 Tommy John surgery. He’s been ineffective in each of the past two seasons with the Cubs and Rangers, but the 33-year-old could provide some cheap rotation depth for an L.A. rotation with plenty of injury question marks.
  • Yasiel Puig and Howie Kendrick were involved in a frightening collision when pursuing a fly-ball last night, and while Puig got the worse end of the impact, he’s passed a concussion test and is not seriously injured, writes the Times’ Steve Dilbeck. Puig told reporters he felt he’d be ready to play today, but the Dodgers have simply said they plan to monitor his situation.
  • Anthony Witrado of ESPN Los Angeles looks at the team’s questionable bullpen picture, noting that Sergio Santos has pitched significantly worse as the spring wears on. Meanwhile, Adam Liberatore has pitched quite well but could end up on the outside looking in due to the fact that he’d be a third left-hander and has a Minor League option remaining. Manager Don Mattingly has said that righty Pedro Baez is still a consideration, but he, too, has a Minor League option remaining, which could land him at Triple-A.

Dombrowski: Tigers Not Actively Pursuing Roster Additions

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9:50am: GM Dave Dombrowski denied that any move to add a reliever (or any other external player) should be expected. “I don’t know where that would even come from,” said Dombrowski, regarding this morning’s rumor (via Iott). Beck adds another quote from Dombrowski: “I would be really surprised if that happens.”

9:18am: Manager Brad Ausmus told reporters, including Iott (Twitter link), that he’d be “shocked” if the Tigers’ final roster spot was filled by someone from outside the organization. As MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets, that doesn’t mean that the team won’t acquire someone from outside the organization, but rather that a potential new addition may not break camp with the team. That would seemingly indicate a minor trade or signing someone on a Minor League deal.

8:17am: The Tigers are close to acquiring an unknown relief pitcher, reports Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Bullpen depth has been a question mark for the Tigers all offseason, and it was announced yesterday that righty Bruce Rondon will begin the season on the DL.

As things currently stand, Joe Nathan is slated to pitch the ninth inning for Detroit despite a poor 2014 season and sub-par results this spring. He’ll be supported by setup man Joakim Soria in the eighth inning. Al Alburquerque, Joba Chamberlain, Tom Gorzelanny and Ian Krol also seem likely to join the mix, while Angel Nesbitt has emerged as a bullpen candidate as well. Earlier today, the team optioned bullpen candidates Blaine Hardy and Kyle Ryan to Triple-A Toledo, via MLive.com’s Chris Iott (Twitter link).

There are any number of viable relief candidates available in trades, and the free agent market also has a few possibilities. Rafael Soriano is the most notable name among free agents, but righties Dustin McGowan, Jose Valverde, Jose Veras, Juan Carlos Oviedo and Matt Lindstrom are all available at the moment as well.

While a theoretical trade wouldn’t have to be for a player that is currently out of Minor League options, such a player could be easier to acquire than someone whose roster spot is more set in stone. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes recently compiled a list of all out-of-options players throughout the league, and a look at that list may reveal some potential candidates. Jean Machi and George Kontos are both on the bubble in San Francisco, for example, while Pittsburgh’s Stolmy Pimentel has been speculatively mentioned as someone who could be squeezed out of a roster spot as well.

Offseason In Review: Toronto Blue Jays

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The Blue Jays shored up their batting order with two of the winter’s biggest transactions, and they’re counting on a mix of veterans and rookies throughout the roster to help them grab that elusive playoff berth.

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Trades And Claims

Notable Losses

Needs Addressed

Going into the offseason, the Jays were expected to address a long-standing hole at second base either by acquiring a full-time player for the keystone or by acquiring a third baseman and then shifting Brett Lawrie to second.  Instead, Toronto used Lawrie to obtain that third baseman, bringing Josh Donaldson to the Rogers Centre for a package of Lawrie, shortstop prospect Franklin Barreto and young pitchers Sean Nolin and Kendall Graveman.

While Oakland received some promise back in that blockbuster trade, the Jays did well to hang onto their top-tier prospects while landing four years of control over one of the game’s best third basemen.  The relationship between Donaldson and the Jays got off to a less-than-ideal start as the two sides went to an arbitration hearing, yet there were apparently no hard feelings, and winning the hearing helps the Jays establish a lower baseline for Donaldson’s salaries through his three remaining arb years.  (Though as MLBTR’s Charlie Wilmoth recently explained, there might not be enough common ground between Donaldson and the Jays to work out an extension.)MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays added another significant right-handed bat to their lineup by inking Russell Martin to the most expensive free agent signing in franchise history.  While Martin did hit .290/.402/.430 for the Pirates last season, he posted only a .702 OPS in his five previous seasons, and the Jays have spoken less about Martin’s bat than what he’s expected to contribute as a clubhouse leader and with his outstanding defense.

Melky Cabrera’s departure created a hole in left field that was filled with the acquisition of Michael Saunders from the Mariners.  Unfortunately for Saunders, however, he suffered a torn meniscus after a fluke accident in Spring Training camp, and he had the meniscus removed entirely in order to cut his time on the DL from midseason to only mid-April.  While this quick recovery is great for Saunders and the Blue Jays in the short term, it remains to be seen how his knee will hold up over the season, particularly playing on an artificial surface.

The Jays did make a move to address second base by trading Anthony Gose to the Tigers in exchange for prospect Devon Travis, who will start at the keystone on Opening Day.  While Travis was a Baseball America top-100 prospect headed into 2014 and he had an impressive year at Double-A last season, he wasn’t expected to be a factor in the bigs quite so soon given that he hasn’t even played a game at the Triple-A level.  Injuries to Maicer Izturis and Ramon Santiago, however, created an opportunity for Travis and he seized his chance with a big Spring Training performance.

Adam Lind was traded to the Brewers in exchange for righty Marco Estrada, a move that will free up more DH time for Edwin Encarnacion.  Danny Valencia and the newly-acquired Justin Smoak are expected to see most of the action at first when Encarnacion is DH’ing, and Smoak could be another ex-Mariner who could benefit away from Safeco Field.  Estrada is currently ticketed for a bullpen role though his starting experience makes him a decent depth option as a swingman.

Questions Remaining

While Donaldson and Martin are undoubtedly big upgrades over Lawrie and Dioner Navarro, the Blue Jays spent a lot of money and trade capital on two positions that weren’t really big problems in 2014.  The bullpen and second base were areas of need as the offseason began and they’re still question marks now, barring several young players stepping up as reliable contributors.  If Travis isn’t yet ready for the big leagues, that will leave the Jays with the same combination of Ryan Goins, Steve Tolleson, and Munenori Kawasaki that underwhelmed last season.  Izturis will be in the mix once he recovers from his groin injury, though he had so many issues staying healthy and then performing when healthy that he is almost a wild card option at this point.

Aside from Estrada, the team did little of note to address a bullpen that underachieved in 2014 and lost key personnel to free agency in the form of long-time Blue Jays Casey Janssen and Dustin McGowan.  GM Alex Anthopoulos certainly explored his options, as the team checked in on the likes of Rafael Soriano, Francisco Rodriguez and Phil Coke, while also discussing a trade with the Phillies for Jonathan Papelbon.  The closer himself has expressed interest in becoming a Blue Jay, and Anthopoulos personally watched Papelbon throw during a recent Spring Training outing.  Papelbon is owed $13MM this season and has a $13MM vesting option for 2016, however, so that might be too high a price for Toronto to pay.

Barring a further move, Brett Cecil will be the Blue Jays’ closer.  While he has posted very good numbers over the last two seasons, Cecil has only six career saves to his name and has been bothered by shoulder problems this spring.  The most intriguing story coming out of the Jays’ camp has been the emergence of 20-year-old right-handers Miguel Castro and Roberto Osuna, both of whom are expected to be in the bullpen on Opening Day.  While both have looked dominant in spring action, neither young hurler has pitched above the high-A level before, so it’s anyone’s guess as to how they’ll adjust to the Majors.

The Blue Jays felt they had amassed enough starting pitching depth that they could afford to trade Happ, Nolin and Graveman, and also allow Brandon Morrow to leave for free agency.  This decision instantly became second-guessed when Marcus Stroman tore his ACL during a Spring Training drill, leaving the Jays without a pitcher many felt would be the ace of the staff in 2015.

With Stroman out, the Jays went from planning to use Aaron Sanchez as a set-up man to inserting the young righty into the rotation alongside fellow rookie Daniel Norris.  While Norris and Sanchez are the club’s top prospects, it still leaves Toronto with a decided lack of Major League experience at the back of their rotation.  If either of those two falter (or if something happens to Mark Buehrle, R.A. Dickey or Drew Hutchison), the Blue Jays have a thin cupboard of replacements.  Estrada or Todd Redmond could be stretched out, or the team could turn to veteran minor league acquisitions like Felix Doubront, Jeff Francis, Liam Hendriks or even Johan Santana if the former Cy Young Award winner is healthy.

The injuries to both Stroman and Saunders (before his recovery time was shortened) underscored an overall lack of depth on Toronto’s roster.  While any team would obviously suffer in losing an everyday player or a front-of-the-rotation starter, the Jays already face enough uncertainty at so many positions that stalwarts like Jose Bautista, Jose Reyes, Encarnacion, Buehrle, Dickey and now Martin and Donaldson are being heavily relied upon to carry the team.  If one or more of those players were to miss time, the Jays could see another season scuttled due to injuries, as has been the case in each of the last three years.

Bautista and the rest of the veteran core become even more important given that six rookies are being counted on to play major roles — Sanchez, Norris, Castro, Osuna, Travis and center fielder Dalton Pompey.  While there’s certainly a lot to like about the pedigree of this young talent (Norris, Sanchez and Pompey are all ranked as top-30 prospects by Baseball America), there’s a lot of risk in trying to contend with multiple rookies in key positions, as the 2014 Red Sox could attest.

Deal Of Note

Saunders’ torn meniscus wasn’t a good sign coming off an injury-plagued 2014 season for the outfielder, yet if his borderline miraculous recovery holds up, he could be a quality addition for the Jays.  Despite Saunders’ health issues in recent years, he still posted a 111 OPS+ over the last three seasons for Seattle, including a .273/.341/.450 slash line over 263 plate appearances last year.  A move from Safeco Field to the much more hitter-friendly Rogers Centre should make his bat even more potent.

Overview

It’s not exactly a make-or-break season for the Blue Jays given all these young talents just starting their careers and the number of notable veterans all under contract (or team options) for 2016 and beyond.  Falling short of the postseason again could spell the end of manager John Gibbons, however, and possibly even Anthopoulos as well given how Jays ownership is already searching for a new club president.  You would imagine that a new president would prefer to have his own baseball operations personnel in place, especially if that president is himself a former general manager like Dan Duquette or Kenny Williams.  That said, the Jays’ search has been so public and so unusually handled thus far that it’s hard to predict how it will play out, so it’s probably a story best explored after the season.

Anthopoulos may not quite be done with his offseason maneuvering, as the GM has hinted that the team could still make bullpen additions at the end of Spring Training or even past Opening Day.  The Jays could also upgrade their depth elsewhere around the diamond by moving Navarro, who has been a subject of trade speculation all winter long and has even voiced a desire to start for another club.  (I examined his Trade Candidate status in February.)  The Tigers and Diamondbacks are among the teams who have reportedly shown interest in Navarro, though D’Backs GM Dave Stewart has denied his team will be making a move for the catcher.

If this collection of Jays ends up being the Opening Day squad, however, it’s still a team to be reckoned with, especially since the other AL East clubs are also dealing with their own share of question marks.  Reyes, Martin, Bautista, Encarnacion and Donaldson is as good a start to a batting order as any in the league, and the lineup could be even more daunting if Saunders blossoms in Toronto or if Pompey and/or Travis break out.  Hutchison could be ready to take a step forward after making an adjustment to his slider late last season, while Norris and Sanchez are so highly regarded that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see either emulate Stroman’s immediate success.

It could be that this injection of fresh blood is just what the Blue Jays need to finally get back to the playoffs.  Stroman’s torn ACL was a huge blow right off the bat, yet if the Jays can avoid any similarly devastating injuries, they should be in the AL East hunt through September.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement/USA Today Sports Images

$100K MLB Contest At DraftKings

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Opening Day is less than a week away, so now is the time to enter the new season’s first fantasy baseball contest from Draft Kings! There is a $100K total pool to be distributed, with a $10K top prize and payouts going to the 7,850 highest point scorers. It costs just $3 to enter, but you can take a free shot at this contest if you are making your first deposit. Click here to enter!

The contest goes live on Opening Day: April 6th at 1:05pm EST. You’ll pick your team using a salary cap of $50K for ten players. Allocate your cash over these slots: 2 P, 1 C, 1 1B, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 SS, 3 OF.

I set this lineup earlier in the winter and am sticking with it now as camp breaks:

03.11.2015 DraftKings

Don’t hesitate!  Sign up for the DraftKings $100K MLB contest right now!

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