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Archives for August 2015

West Notes: Padres, Morrow, Norris, Doolittle, Furbush, Freese

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ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick provides an interesting look at mid-year starting pitcher rental trades, examining the risks and rewards inherent in such a decision. He reaches back into recent history to see how deals for high-end arms worked out for the teams that made them, and includes a variety of interesting quotes from executives involved in this year’s deals. It’s well worth a full read.

Here are some notes from the game’s western divisions:

  • The Padres passed on a chance to deal significant pitchers before and after the July 31 deadline, and now seem unlikely to make any further significant deals, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. Many of San Diego’s potential trade chips have been claimed on waivers and subsequently withdrawn when a deal could not be arrived at. While starter James Shields has reportedly cleared, Ian Kennedy and Joaquin Benoit are two notable players who are said to be off limits at this point.
  • While his season ended with another surgery, righty Brandon Morrow could still be brought back by the Padres next year, assistant GM Josh Stein tells MLB.com’s Corey Brock. “I think it’s early, but we acquired [Morrow] knowing that there was a risk of an injury and the contract was structured to take that into account,” explained Stein. “I certainly wouldn’t say that there’s not an opportunity to explore something similar going forward.” Morrow said that he “hope[s] to come back, for sure,” though he acknowledged that he is “a ways away from a decision.”
  • Meanwhile, just-signed Padres righty Bud Norris says he is enjoying working from the pen but still hopes to return to the rotation, Lin reports. Norris, 30, has had a nice four-inning scoreless streak to start his time with the Friars, and will certainly draw some interest on the free agent market this winter given his relative youth and track record of delivering solid innings.
  • With his velocity solid and results excellent, rehabbing Athletics closer Sean Doolittle could make it back to the bigs in the coming days, MLB.com’s Jane Lee writes. Doolittle, 28, has made just one appearance in the majors this year for the disappointing A’s, but it’s certainly a good sign for his long-term prospects that he’s responded so well to ongoing rotator cuff issues.
  • Mariners southpaw Charlie Furbush, meanwhile, has a partially torn rotator cuff of his own to deal with, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports (Twitter links). Fortunately, Furbush says the injury appears to be relatively minor and may not require surgery. The 29-year-old has put up a 2.08 ERA with 7.1 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 in 21 2/3 frames on the year. He played the year on a $1.3MM salary and can be controlled for two more seasons via arbitration.
  • The Angels can expect a return in relatively short order from third baseman David Freese, MLB.com’s David Adler reports. Freese has been out since July 22, and the Halos have struggled to find a replacement in his absence. The 32-year-old has hit at his usual league-average pace this year (.240/.309/.397) while providing steady defense. He’ll have a chance to bolster his stock before hitting the free agent market after the season.

AL Central Notes: Zobrist, Medlen, Shapiro, Dombrowski, Norris

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Recently-acquired Royals utilityman extraordinaire Ben Zobrist says that he’s very much open to a return to Kansas City, MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan reports. “Certainly, this had been one of the teams I liked the look of,” he said. “And now, since I’ve been here, it’s a place I want to stay longer. Being here has certainly done nothing but make this [team] go up on my list.” Of course, the versatile and still-productive 34-year-old figures to be as widely pursued on the winter’s free agent market as he was at this year’s trade deadline. Zobrist was already playing well before the trade, but has slashed an outstanding .357/.446/.600 in his first 83 plate appearances with his new club.

Here’s more from Kansas City and the rest of the AL Central:

  • The Royals will hand the ball to Kris Medlen for his first start with the club on Monday, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star tweets. Medlen, 29, has returned nicely after a long layoff for multiple Tommy John surgeries, tossing 14 1/3 innings of 2.51 ERA ball with 14 strikeouts against five walks. His average fastball velocity is as good as ever. Medlen is owed just $5.5MM next year and can be controlled with a $10MM option ($1MM buyout) in 2017. So far, that’s looking like a nice risk for the Royals.
  • Indians president Mark Shapiro declined to comment on recent reports indicating that he could be a candidate to take over the Blue Jays’ presidency, Zack Meisel of the Plain Dealer reports. The long-time Cleveland executive, still just 48 years old, could conceivably be enticed by the possibility of gaining “power and resources,” the Plain Dealer’s Paul Hoynes writes in an interesting piece.
  • There was a creeping sense of suspicion when he was not approached to discuss a new deal over the summer, former Tigers GM (and newly-minted Red Sox president of baseball operations) Dave Dombrowski tells MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (audio link). Dombrowski maintained, however, that he remains unaware what precisely led Detroit to release him from its contract when it did.
  • Just-added Tigers lefty Daniel Norris could end up missing the rest of the year with an oblique injury, Chris Iott of MLive.com reports. Manager Brad Ausmus says that Norris is likely to miss at least a month. The 22-year-old, added as the key piece of the David Price trade, figures to be a key piece of the Tigers rotation next year and for the foreseeable future. He recently joined the MLBTR Podcast to discuss that deal and his approach to the game.

Twins Acquire Neal Cotts

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The Twins have acquired lefty Neal Cotts from the Brewers, Milwaukee announced on Twitter. Milwaukee will receive a player to be named later or cash in the deal.

Minnesota was obviously the team that won the waiver claim for Cotts, as was reported earlier today. The 35-year-old bolsters a pen that was already struggling before an injury to closer Glen Perkins further reduced its depth. And Minnesota’s other two pen lefties — Brian Duensing and Ryan O’Rourke — have not been very effective.

Cotts has looked like a pure lefty specialist this year, holding opposing lefties to a .185/.230/.346 slash while being tagged to the tune of a .847 OPS by right-handed hitters. But he’s actually posted very neutral platoon splits over his career, and was significantly better against righties last season.

Adding Cotts to a club that remains in the Wild Card hunt will tack on $721K to the Minnesota payroll this year, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press calculates (Twitter link). For the Brewers, they’ll save that amount, pick up the PTBNL (or additional cash), and open a roster spot for the just-claimed Cesar Jimenez, who may well have been added with a deal in mind.

Heyman’s Latest: GMs, Castro, Gomes, Hosmer

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Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com looks in depth at the still-developing front office market. There’s “no evidence” that the Mariners went after Dave Dombrowski, he says, and it remains entirely unclear what Seattle will look to do over the next several months. Likewise, there are a number of dugout swaps that could go down, per Heyman, who says as many as ten skippers are “on the hot seat.”

The piece is loaded with analysis and notes, but here are some of the most notable bits of hot stove information:

  • Cubs infielder Starlin Castro was placed on trade waivers recently, though it’s not yet known whether he’s cleared. Castro has shifted to a utility role for Chicago and is still owed $38MM, but is obviously a significant talent and is just 25 years old. While the Cubs now seem determined to go with Addison Russell at short in the near term and the long term, an August trade of Castro still seems unlikely.
  • Braves outfielder Jonny Gomes has cleared waivers and can freely be dealt. He’s playing on a $4MM salary this year and can be controlled in 2016 through a $3MM option. The 34-year-old doesn’t have a terribly impressive overall batting line, and has seen his power output drop, but is still slashing .231/.409/.385 against opposing lefties.
  • The Royals are “starting to think about” approaching Eric Hosmer to discuss an extension. He is already signed to a $8.25MM salary next year, and has one more year of arb control thereafter. Buying up additional years will not be easy or cheap for Kansas City: Hosmer is in the midst of a breakout .315/.379/.484 campaign, is just 25 years old, and is a client of Scott Boras.

Ike Davis Out For Year With Torn Hip Labrum

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Athletics first baseman Ike Davis will undergo season-ending hip labrum surgery, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Twitter links). The left-handed hitter was acquired from the Pirates over the offseason in deal that included a swap of international bonus pool slots.

Davis, 28, got off to a solid start this year but saw his production fade. He also missed some time with a quad strain. All told, he owns a .229/.301/.350 slash with three home runs, falling well shy of his career .748 OPS output.

Last August, Troy Tulowitzki underwent a procedure to repair his hip labrum and was able to return for a full spring. While it’s impossible to know whether the two players are in equivalent situations, that precedent at least provides reason to believe that Davis may be able to do the same.

But it’s far from clear that Davis will be back in Oakland, even though he is arbitration eligible for the final time in 2016. He’ll be working off of a $3.8MM salary this year, making him a reasonably significant investment through the arb process. If Davis wasn’t already a likely non-tender candidate, the surgery (and lack of opportunity to improve his numbers down the stretch) could push him onto the open market.

Indians Acquire Michael Choice

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The Indians have acquired outfielder Michael Choice from the Rangers, as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com first reported on Twitter. Cleveland will send cash considerations to complete the deal, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets.

Choice, 25, was designated for assignment recently to clear space for the Rangers’ acquisition of Will Venable. Once a top-100 prospect, Choice has stumbled since heading to Texas in return for Craig Gentry before the 2014 season.

Given a chance at the big league level last year, Choice put up a .182/.250/.320 slash in 280 plate appearances. While he hit well at Triple-A that year, he’s managed only a .244/.309/.399 batting line this season at the highest level of the minors.

Cuban Outfielder Yusnier Diaz Declared Free Agent

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Cuban outfielder Yusnier Diaz has been granted free agency by Major League Baseball and is now free to sign with any team, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports on Twitter. The 18-year-old placed 17th among Cuban prospects in Baseball America’s recent ranking (subscription link).

Diaz is a speedy and athletic player who has shown solid offensive tools in recent showcases, Sanchez explained recently. He is said to have at least some promise in the power department, and profiles as a possible option in center field.

As BA’s Ben Badler wrote today, Diaz was an obvious choice to take home rookie-of-the-year honors in Cuba’s Serie Nacional before he decided to leave his home island, as he put up a .348/.447/.440 slash line. Badler credits him with plus speed and arm strength. As that stat line shows, and as Badler explains further in the above-linked ranking article, there’s some length in Diaz’s swing and will need to build out his frame to increase his meager power output.

There haven’t been any reports specifically linking teams to Diaz, who is subject to international signing limitations. But as Badler notes, he’ll likely be too expensive for the clubs that are currently banned from issuing bonuses of greater than $300K to international players. As Badler adds, Diaz and other top Cuban players who’ll be eligible to sign in the current July 2 period could ultimately end up landing with those organizations that have already blown past their signing pools (meaning that they are already set to serve limitations periods after this signing season).

MLB, MLBPA Announce New Domestic Violence Policy

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Major League Baseball and the MLB Player’s Union have announced a new “Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.” The full announcement can be found here: Twitter link.

Reaching agreement on a policy of this kind was long said to be a priority, especially in light of the multiple controversies that have engulfed the NFL in recent years. In its final form, the policy appears to empower Commissioner Rob Manfred to act strongly in the event that allegations arise or are found to be borne out by an investigation.

According to the policy, the Commissioner’s Office is tasked with investigating “all allegations of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse in the Baseball community.” Notably, the Commissioner is vested with the authority to “place a player accused of” such behavior “on paid Administrative Leave for up to seven days while the allegations are investigated before making a disciplinary decision,” though players also have a mechanism to challenge that treatment “immediately.”

If the Commissioner finds that a player has committed one of the covered acts, he has broad power to determine the penalty. By its terms, the policy does not place any limitations on the type or duration of the punishment, providing that “the Commissioner can issue the discipline he believes is appropriate in light of the severity of the conduct” — regardless whether the player faces any criminal charge or conviction.

The primary check on the propriety of any punishment is through the arbitration process. Players can appeal to the MLB-MLBPA arbitration panel, which will determine whether the Commissioner had “just cause” for the discipline imposed. The panel can refer to prior league disciplinary precedent except for that involving domestic violence, sexual assault, or child abuse. (Effectively, then, the record of prior discipline in these arenas has been wiped clean and cannot be used to argue for a more limited punishment.)

The agreement includes more than just provision for investigation and punishment. Intervention, treatment, training, and education are all contemplated. It also provides for a 24-hour helpline for players and families and other such resources.

Padres Complete Venable Trade, Designate Chris Rearick

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The Padres have officially added righty Jon Edwards from the Rangers to complete the recent trade that sent Will Venable to Texas, the club announced. Edwards had needed to clear revocable waivers before he could be sent as the player to be named later.

San Diego designated Chris Rearick for assignment to clear a 40-man spot. The 27-year-old southpaw was knocked around in his first three big league innings this year, and struggled to a 5.11 ERA (with thirty strikeouts and thirty walks) over 44 Triple-A frames. Rearick has been much more successful in the minors in past seasons, and has never shown those kinds of control issues previously.

Pirates Activate Josh Harrison From DL, Designate Josh Wall

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The Pirates announced today that they have reinstated Josh Harrison from the disabled list and designated right-hander Josh Wall for assignment to clear room on the active roster.

Harrison tore the UCL in his left thumb on July 6 — an injury that required surgery to correct. He’s returned to action slightly faster than the Pirates anticipated, as their initial announcement said he’d be sidelined for seven weeks. The loss of Harrison left the Pirates short-handed and contributed to the acquisition of Aramis Ramirez. Now that Harrison is back, he’ll presumably split time at third base and in right field, possibly at the expense of some playing time for Ramirez and Gregory Polanco. Given his defensive prowess and solid bat, it’d be surprising if Harrison weren’t in the lineup on an everyday basis.

Wall, 28, had his contract selected to the roster earlier this week after a 15-inning game that left Pittsburgh’s bullpen short-handed. Wall has appeared in the Majors in each of the past three seasons, totaling 13 2/3 innings, but he’s yet to pitch in the Major Leagues this season. Instead, he’s spent the year at the Triple-A level, where he owns a very strong 2.93 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 30 2/3 innings.

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