The Padres have been fined by Major League Baseball for an infraction of the international signing rules, reports Scott Miller of Bleacher Report. According to Miller, the Padres flew prospects from Venezuela to Aruba for private workouts shortly before the onset of this year’s international signing period. That maneuver violated a league rule which states that teams are not allowed to host workouts for prospects that are not yet old enough to sign anywhere other than their native countries. The amount of the fine is not clear, per Miller, and the violation hasn’t done anything to jeopardize the job status of GM A.J. Preller, who is still in the first season of a five-year contract.
Elsewhere in the division…
- It was reported over the weekend that the Giants hope to bring back Marlon Byrd in 2016, and as Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News now writes, manager Bruce Bochy has also expressed a desire to retain Nori Aoki. A platoon of the two in left field could make some sense, Baggarly notes, though paying that platoon a combined $13.5MM (the sum of Byrd’s $8MM option and Aoki’s $5.5MM option) may be too much. Baggarly points out that the top priority this winter will be to rebuild the rotation, and an expensive outfield platoon could detract from that goal. Byrd’s option will vest with another 18 plate appearances.
- Also within the piece, Baggarly points out that closer Santiago Casilla’s option will vest if he finishes two more games this season. That would lock in his 2016 salary at $6.5MM, but Baggarly writes that the Giants will probably pick up the option anyway, even if Casilla doesn’t reach the necessary milestone.
- The Diamondbacks’ outfield situation is crowded, writes Yahoo’s Tim Brown, meaning the team might end up moving one of its corner options this winter. David Peralta, Ender Inciarte and Yasmany Tomas have all seen time in the corners this season, but despite Tomas’ shrinking role and disappointing second half, he’s likely to remain with the club. As Brown points out, Tomas reported to Spring Training out of shape this season, and the club will push him to arrive in much better physical condition next year. Manager Chip Hale told Brown to expect “a huge jump” in Tomas’ performance next season, adding, “No. 1, he’s going to come back in a lot better shape.”
Marlon Byrd is not worth 8 million dollars. If he wants to play on a team with legitimate playoff aspirations, he should take a pay cut and like it.
Hes been worth 1.3 WAR in 131 games. Not great, but he would get 5-6M on the FA market on a 1 year deal anyways, If the Giants want him, they’re going to just let his option vest. 1/8M isn’t terrible for a guy whos been worth ~9 WAR over the last 3 years.
I’ve never understood anger over a player refusing to take a pay cut. The Giants were fully aware of the vesting option when they traded for him, and decided to trade for him anyway. Byrd has no need to volunteer to take a pay cut.
I’m not angry and he shouldn’t volunteer to take a pay cut. The Giants shouldn’t bring him back at that salary either though.
Your probably not worth the salary your making but none of us are complaining. He puts the numbers in relation to his role. Sorry but your out of line
Aoki for his career has shown a bit of a reverse platoon split if anything, so the expensive platoon seems ill-conceived. I will say his power drops a little more into the non-existent range vs. lefties, but the uptick in OBP more than makes up for that.
Call it a platoon, call it outfield depth. With all the injuries this season, the Giants clearly needed the depth.
If someone were to suggest that the Dbacks have a top 5 OF in baseball, I would snicker a little … but not that much actually.
Their main 3 OFers might just lead MLB in WAR among outfielders.
Peralta, Inciarate, and Pollock combine for 15.4 WAR.
Marte, Cutch and Polanco combine for 11.5.
Joey Bats, Pillar, and Revere combine for 12.6
Harper, Taylor and Span combine for 11.2
Trout, Calhoun and company aren’t even close either.
Marlins aren’t close.
Mets aren’t either.
Matt Holiday, Heyward, Grichuk, Piscotty and Pham all together only got 12.9 WAR.
You could make the argument that they ARE the best.
The Phillie fan inside me is still upset about Inciarte, who Amaro gave back in the rule 5 draft.
AJ Pollock ranks 8th among all position players in Fangraphs WAR, ahead of players like McCutchen, Posey, and Rizzo. While I’m not saying that he’s better than any of those guys, he’s played at a superstar level this year. Add Peralta and Inciarte, and I think they’re certainly Top 5.
Sounds like kind of a rinky dink rule to violate and for a team that generally doesn’t spend much on the Rule 4 draft or IFA’s that needs help in all facets of it’s farm system?? Way to go MLB is all I can say. This isn’t a major market team that you could see taking a jet for a player to some hideaway location, but a small market team that needs all the help it can get.
Yes excuse a rule of jettisoning 14 and 15 year olds from one third world country to another, because they aren’t a big market team.
Arizona is in a good position
however they need to stop worrying about Aroldis Chapman. What they need to do is assume the contract of Mark Melancon (at the cost of a decent prospect or so). I understand that he is only under contract for next year, but he’s a cheaper alternative to Chapman, and he can probably net a good prospect haul in July. It would give Dave Stewart a bit more time to assess what he has and who could eventually take over as closer of the future.
Melancon is gonna cost more than a decent prospect or so. He is the Pirates’ closer and right now, they look to be competing for the next few years. It is gonna take a considerable haul to get them to even consider trading him. Probably pretty close to the cost to acquire Chapman.