Jason Heyward got off to a slow start with the Cardinals but he posted a .960 OPS and five home runs over 100 plate appearances from May 27 to June 27. As Heyward tells Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the improvement came in no small part due to intensive work on his swing, and it seems like things are finally clicking for the right fielder. If Heyward can keep this hot hitting going throughout the season, it will send his free agent value soaring; MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes has speculated that if Heyward could land a $200MM contract if he delivers a big season and proves he can be a consistent force at the plate. Here’s some more from around baseball as we head into the new week…
- The Brewers haven’t told inquiring clubs that they’re not trading Jean Segura, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, but the team would clearly want a lot in return for the shortstop. Haudricourt ranks Milwaukee’s roster in terms of likely trade targets, and the only seeming untouchables being Jonathan Lucroy and young arms like Wily Peralta, Mike Fiers, Jimmy Nelson and others.
- Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle believes that the Giants’ top priorities heading into trade season are fixing the bench, improving the outfield if Hunter Pence and Nori Aoki have longer-term injuries, and addressing the rotation. He adds that while it seems like San Francisco needs to dabble in the market for a front of the rotation starter, it might be too tall of an order. Over the weekend, Giants GM Bobby Evans acknowledged that it could be hard to pull off a deal for a high-end starter given the team’s glut of pitchers with limited trade value.
- Phillies prospect Tommy Joseph is being shifted from catcher to first base, CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury reports. Multiple concussions and a wrist injury limited Joseph to just 63 total games in 2013-14, and after suffering another concussion this season, the decision was made to end Joseph’s catching career for the sake of his health. The Giants drafted Joseph in the second round of the 2009 draft and he came to Philadelphia as part of the Hunter Pence trade package.
- The Padres may “take a more measured approach” to their spending when the July 2 international market opens, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes. The Padres are already scouting the 2016-17 international class and may be looking to spend more heavily next year when several big-market teams will be under bonus penalties and out of the market for the top prospects.
Re: Tommy Joseph, moving him to first is the least of their concerns to me. A young guy who has had “multiple” concussions needs to have a team of experts gather and wonder if this is the career path he needs to pursue. A concussion is nothing to sneeze at. It ended Mark Lemke’s career and Brian Roberts missed a ton of time (albeit due to other injuries, too). The head is not designed to get hit. At least not repeatedly.
” The head is not designed to get hit. At least not repeatedly.” Tell my ex-wife that….I still see double.
JK
I hope if she’s your EX_WIFE you’re not seeing double of her. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. I know, there myself LOL
Listen to your consumers. Disqus was a way better format for forum discussion than this.
agreed
Anyone bet they won’t conduct a poll of their customers? Is that even possible on this service? They don’t have to. Results would be 100% in favor of returning to Disqus.
At least it’s not limited to facebook users.
its not happening, why don’t you just wait and see what there no updates are like?
The Giants should just stand pat and let the season play out.. With the $18m contract of Lincecum and the $12m for Hudson coming off the books they will have the flexibility to chase someone like Samardzija for next year.. The free agent market is going to be pretty deep and with $30 million or more available they should have no problem attracting a Tor arm for their even year championship run..
They just don’t have arms they can offload easily. Makes a bit more sense presently to address some other roster needs.
I’d like the Yankees to ink Heyward, 10 years/$195 million or under.
Heyward would be scary in Yankee Stadium. He may hit 40 HRS a year, and throw people out at 1B on singles to RF. I’m hoping the Cardinals offer him a 3 yr/$36-45 deal and maybe move Holliday to 1B over the winter, allowing the youngsters to roam the OF. Imagine how scary the Cardinals might be if Oscar Taveras doesn’t tragically get killed?
If Heyward took a 3 or 4 year deal (which would still set him up for another big payday), you might be looking at what Hanley or Pablo got, he would want a high AAV like them especially since these are prime years. 3yrs 36-45 is what Beltran got and he’s much older.
Smart move to go way over your international free agent slot in 2016, but Padres still have a few million to spend in 2015 and you have to hope they spend all of it. From what they are saying on BA, the Padres still have several hundred thousand they didnt spend in the current signing period.