Justin Turner’s rise is one of the game’s underplayed stories. Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports writes that the minor league free agent-turned-star is loving life with the Dodgers. The picture painted is one of a player whose success and positivity have fed more of the same. As I explained recently, Turner looks to be a possible extension candidate this winter.
Here are some more stray notes from around the league:
- If the Athletics follow through on their reported plans to promote Billy Beane, he’ll take a position akin to that of Tony La Russa’s with the D’backs, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains (Twitter links). Club president Michael Crowley will remain in his current role, says Rosenthal. It’s still somewhat unclear exactly how day-to-day responsibilities would change from the present arrangement, but the GM title is reportedly likely to go to assistant GM David Forst.
- Pirates’ right-hander Brandon Cumpton entered the 2014 season as the organization’s 11th-best prospect, in the eyes of Baseball America, but has seen injuries derail his career since. After undergoing Tommy John surgery already in 2015, Cumpton has now had a “right shoulder subacromial decompression” procedure performed, as Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports (Twitter links). In addition to raising concerns in another area of his arm, that will bump his recovery time to 13-15 months away.
- Though some Astros fans want to see the team give a late-season call-up to fast-rising prospect A.J. Reed, that’s almost certainly not going to happen, writes Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. Reed has had an excellent season, but only reached Double-A for the second half and does not need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason.
The Astros being scared of messing with the 40 man roster and not calling up Reed, Tyler White and until recently Matt Duffy is one reason why they won’t make the playoffs. The insistence of Valbuena, Carter and Villar being used drives me crazy. Luhnow is scared to lose a player like he lost DeShields and now he won’t bring up the better players that give them a better chance to win because they will cost a spot. Who cares if they cost a 40 man spot if they play well. They can’t be any worse than the strikeout machines we have to throw out there on a daily basis. There are guys on the 40 now that don’t need to be there.
He lost DeShields by choice, and a smart choice at that. He’s got speed and has adjusted nicely but they don’t need him, and with them being ahead of schedule. Why mess up the flow just for a crap-shoot chance at a ring this year? We knew going in this team would be streaky. All or nothing bats and young kids make that happen. Bringing up guys who barely have tasted the upper minors and tossing them into the frying pan of MLB in a penate chase isn’t going to boost their production. By now you’d be lucky to get say .5 wins extra /total/. For bonus they’re not rule 5 ready, thus, more roster mobility come next offseason when they can non-tender or trade guys as Valbueno, Carter, Singleton etc. His hands are virtually tied and he’s making the right choice. Why ruin their plan for a luck chance this year? They’re ahead of schedule, enjoy meaningful baseball and the privilege to watch some great young talent as opposed to years past. The future is bright in Houston and they’re not about to tarnish that for one year.
Calling up them up too quickly would be very unwise. Perhaps they can’t play well yet, and the pressure of a pennant chase ruins them. Would you really want that if you were an Astros fan? The Astros will make the playoffs actually. Just watch. If they don’t, they’ll make it in the next few years because the future is bright for the Astros.