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Latest On Adrian Beltre, Rangers

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There’s long been chatter of a possible extension between the Rangers and veteran third baseman Adrian Beltre, and Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports that there’s cause for optimism that a deal can be reached this spring.

Beltre is entering the final season of the five-year deal that brought him to Texas before the 2011 campaign. Texas exercised a club option for the 2016 season this time last year, locking in the decision ahead of time in exchange for a bit of salary shuffling on the part of Beltre.

It’s been a productive relationship thus far, to be sure, and both sides appear inclined to continue things past the present season. GM Jon Daniels said earlier in the winter that the club has interest in a new deal, and Beltre expressed much the same recently.

Beltre’s agent, Scott Boras, tells Morosi that there’s reason to think something can get done during camp. “I’d say there are certainly grounds for a discussion of advancing Adrian’s contract, yes,” Boras said when asked whether a deal could be in place by the start of the season. “I think Adrian already had a discussion with them, in which he expressed a desire to stay,” he added. “They want him there, and we’re going to work on that.”

It’s unclear at this point what kind of contract would be considered. Beltre will soon turn 37, is coming off of thumb surgery, and did slip a bit at the plate last year — posting a still-strong .287/.334/.453 slash after carrying a .899 OPS over his five prior campaigns. Then again, it’s notable that he managed not only to stay productive at the plate but also to continue playing premier-level defense while battling through the serious thumb issue for most of the year.

Certainly, Beltre would have plenty of value on the open market if he can match his 2015 campaign, and would be pursued that much more heavily if he can bounce back to his lofty prior levels. There’s some uncertainty, but also some upside, that will surely impact his earning capacity. On the other side of the equation, Texas will need to weigh the presence of rising players in the organization, including top prospect Joey Gallo and even former top prospect Jurickson Profar, whose respective development paths could impact the team’s infield mix. But even if those players hit their ceilings, there’s probably enough flexibility to get all involved the plate appearances they’d need. While Gallo is a third baseman by trade, he has dabbled in the outfield and could also slide across the diamond with Mitch Moreland headed for free agency.

Latest On Gurriel Brothers

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The current location of major Cuban ballplayers Yulieski Gurriel and Lourdes Gurriel is still unknown after their recent defection, but they tell MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez that they are training in secret in preparation for a move to a big league organization. As Sanchez notes, such an “underground” approach is not uncommon for players seeking to complete their journey away from Cuba.

There are many obstacles still left for the brothers to navigate, of course, but their intentions are not in doubt. “I know there are a lot of people who worried about us,” said Yulieski, “but we are working hard and training every day to accomplish our dreams to play in the Major Leagues.”

Notably, the pair does have hopes of signing as a package, which is certainly an intriguing possibility. “We would like to play together on the same team, have my brother near me,” Yulieski tells Sanchez. “But if the circumstances don’t permit it and we have to go different paths, that’s what we will do.”

As that quote hints, there very well could be a variety of practicalities that make a common team unlikely. For one thing, the elder Yulieski would likely do well to sign shortly after reaching eligibility, both to increase his value as a near-term contributor and to speed his ascent to the majors. But his younger sibling would need to wait until he turns 23 — and thereby sheds bonus pool limitations — to maximize his earnings.

Needless to say, it also isn’t clear whether the same teams that will be most interested in adding a veteran third baseman will also be best-positioned to make a more future-looking investment in Lourdes. Of course, as Dave Cameron of Fangraphs has recently suggested, the package concept could also provide some wiggle room for navigating MLB’s rules.

One important question is whether Yulieski has, as reported, achieved Panamanian residency. He declined to address that matter with Sanchez, but did say that he hopes to join a major league organization “this year” and has intentions “to play as soon as possible.” Notably, Panama’s top immigration officer has denied that Yulieski has current residency, per this Spanish-language link to La Prensa.

Poll: Will The Blue Jays Extend Bautista & Encarnacion?

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Early-career extensions are always fun, but tend not to come with the same drama of talks with pending free agents. Sometimes deals get done late in camp, locking in an important player for years to come and keeping them from the open market; last season, for instance, the Red Sox locked in righty Rick Porcello just after the season began. Of course, Porcello himself was acquired in part because the team did not retain Jon Lester after failing to agree upon an extension despite extensive negotiations in the prior offseason.

As the Lester situation shows, the stakes are often ratcheted up in cases of players with a close identity to their clubs. That’s probably all the more true when (again, as in the case of Boston and its lost lefty) there’s widespread public acknowledgement of mutual interest and close attention from fans.

The Blue Jays face a particularly interesting set of extension questions as camp nears. One of those has already been answered, as the club reached a two-year arrangement with star third baseman Josh Donaldson, who will still have one year of arbitration remaining at the end of that contract.

Much more interesting, time-sensitive, and PR-fraught talks still remain to be had, however, with a pair of star sluggers who are key faces in the organization. Both Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion bloomed late in their careers, upon coming to Toronto. In each case, the team (under then-GM Alex Anthopoulos) bet on the players with extensions that turned into bargains for the organization. With those contracts set to expire after this season, they’re on the clock.

The case for a pair of big new extensions is pretty simple. There’s no question that both players are still producing at a high level at the plate, as they each landed in the top ten in the game by measure of wRC+, and they’ve each expressed interest in contract talks. Many fans are hopeful of pacts, with emotions running after a great run in 2015 was followed by a bad breakup with Anthopoulos. And the Blue Jays’ new front office tandem of Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins has publicly suggested that there will be an attempt at reaching new deals with the pair.

But that’s not all Shapiro and Atkins are considering here, of course. Bautista (35) and Encarnacion (33) are getting on in years. While the former is still capable of manning right field, it isn’t hard to imagine a time in the not-so-distant future where both players are limited to first base and/or DH roles.

Ultimately, as MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently wrote in discussing Bautista as an extension candidate, it’s an open question whether it makes sense for the organization to try to lock up both players. And it isn’t entirely clear whether the front office will be willing to enter anything approaching market-rate deals with the pair.

That will all begin to be resolved as contract talks begin in earnest. For now, though, it’s a good time for a poll: do you think that the Jays will get deals done with either or both?

Minor MLB Transactions: 2/16/16

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We’ll track the day’s minor moves in this post. For starters:

  • The Nationals have signed corner infielder Neftali Soto, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Soon to turn 27, Soto has spent most of his professional time with the Reds, with whom he reached the majors briefly in 2013-14. He was acquired by the White Sox last year and ultimately spent the season at Triple-A, putting up a .246/.343/.307 slash and just two home runs in 231 plate appearances. Soto has shown more in the past, especially in the power department — he hit 30 homers in 414 Double-A plate appearances back in 2011 — though it’s been a while since he had sustained success in the upper minors.

Quick Hits: Granderson, Molina, Braun, Capps

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Dave Cameron of Fangraphs provides his ten favorite transactions of the winter thus far, with the Braves’ haul in the Shelby Miller trade topping the list. For an additional look back at the market action that’s already in the books, Steve Adams and I discussed a few under-the-radar acquisitions that we liked in the most recent edition of the MLBTR Podcast.

Here are a few more notes as camp approaches:

  • Upon arriving at Spring Training today, Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson told reporters, including ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin, that team doctors have told him that his surgically repaired thumb is “all good to go.” Granderson went under the knife in November to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb and spent about a month and a half in a brace, but he appears to be mostly back up to speed now. As Rubin notes, Granderson is again projected to be the Mets’ primary leadoff hitter, though his struggles against left-handed pitching would seem to create a reasonable opportunity to get Juan Lagares into the lineup.
  • Likewise, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina has had his cast removed and is beginning to strengthen his own thumb, MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch writes. The veteran’s importance to his club is hard to overstate, and he says he’s going to try to be ready by Opening Day. He was delayed when the injured digit required a second surgery, so a full recovery by the start of the season may be a big ask.
  • The Brewers are weighing a move of Ryan Braun back to left field, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. It seems as if the organization will weigh several options, but getting Domingo Santana and his live arm into right field would appear to have some appeal.
  • Right-handed reliever Matt Capps is preparing a comeback bid, agent Paul Kinzer tells Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The former Pirates, Nationals, and Twins closer hasn’t worked in the bigs since 2012 while struggling with health issues. He did not appear in the regular season at all last year after spending camp with the Braves.

Extension Notes: Strasburg, Harvey, Encarnacion, Buchholz

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Spring training is also extension season, and Steve Adams and I previewed things on a recent edition of the MLBTR Podcast. Several players have inked arb-only deals, and there have been a pair of interesting contracts for injury-risk relievers, but thus far only Dee Gordon (Marlins) and Brandon Crawford (Giants) have landed truly significant contracts this winter. There are already rumblings about some big names who could dabble with long-term negotiations, many of whom pose significant questions to their organizations.

Here are a few links to the latest extension chatter:

  • It does not appear that the Nationals and Stephen Strasburg have any intentions of making a real effort at a new contract, as Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports. Agent Scott Boras had high praise for the Washington organization and its handling of the prized righty, but his comments suggest that a pre-season deal would come as a major surprise. “We amicably agreed to a one-year deal (for 2016),” Boras said. “He’s going to pitch, and we’ll see where it goes from there. It’s something we’ll be discussing at the end of the year.” None of that comes as much of a surprise, of course, as Strasburg has a chance at a huge contract if he can put up a healthy and productive campaign.
  • There may be slightly more daylight for an extension in the case of another NL East, Boras-repped ace — Matt Harvey of the Mets — according to a report from ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin. Unlike Strasburg, Harvey can be controlled for two more seasons after 2016, so there’s quite a bit more ground to cover before he hits the open market. Harvey said he hasn’t heard any talk of negotiations, but indicated he would be willing at least to consider a long-term arrangement. Boras, meanwhile, provided a trademark analogy to explain his stance: “Expectations of an extension are like dinner invitations. They are always politely considered until you know the restaurant.”
  • The Blue Jays have yet to open talks with slugger Edwin Encarnacion, his agent Paul Kinzler tells Morosi. That’s not surprising with camp still on the horizon, but the new Toronto front office has made clear it intends to make an effort to reach agreement with Encarnacion (and fellow star Jose Bautista). Kinzer indicated that he believes there’s plenty of time to work something out, with Encarnacion very open to the idea of foregoing free agency for the chance to cement his legacy with the balllub.
  • Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz says that he doesn’t think the time is right to discuss a new deal, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports. “I still think I have some stuff to prove before we even get into [extension discussions],” Buchholz told Mastrodonato. Boston probably feels similarly, particularly given that the roller-coaster righty is already controllable for 2017 (his age-32 season) by way of a $13.5MM club option. 

MLBTR Mailbag: Cardinals, Braves, Uribe, Morneau, Orioles, MASN

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It’s been a quiet day on the rumor mill, but thankfully we’ve got some interesting questions to get to in today’s MLBTR Mailbag!

After the loss of John Lackey and Jason Heyward, the Cardinals’ 2 best players in 2015, adding Mike Leake was our only upgrade. We have very little power or speed. With the improvements of the other teams in the NL do you think the Cardinals will make the playoffs?

I’d have liked to see the Cardinals do more with their rotation, as losing Lance Lynn for the season was a significant blow, and Jaime Garcia’s arm is a perennial question mark. Carlos Martinez and Michael Wacha have both had injury issues in the past as well. All that said, though, to call Leake the team’s only upgrade feels incorrect. The Cardinals added an intriguing bullpen arm in Seung-hwan Oh and improved their catching depth with Brayan Pena as well. Beyond that, there’s enormous room for internal growth; the Cardinals will have full seasons of Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk in 2016, and they’ll also see the return of Adam Wainwright (who scarcely pitched in 2015 due to an Achilles injury) and Jordan Walden to fortify the pitching staff. There’s also a chance that Brandon Moss, now further removed from the microfracture hip surgery he had following the 2014 season, will return to his more productive ways from 2012-14.

The Cardinals had baseball’s second-best run differential in a season without Wainwright last year, and while it’s fair to expect some regression in Grichuk and Piscotty, it’s a huge overreaction to imply that they’re any sort of long shot to make the playoffs. If anything, losses in the Pittsburgh rotation and the continued tear-down of the Brewers and Reds have softened the division. It’s a difficult division with two very good teams joining them at the top (Pittsburgh and Chicago), but the Cardinals should be in the mix for a postseason spot.

The Braves are rumored to have an agreement in place with Kevin Maitan. Do tampering rules count towards international signings? — Mike B.

The concept of tampering generally is invoked with regard to players that are currently under contract with another organization. Maitan isn’t even yet eligible to sign. Generally, though, this sort of thing happens every season with every team. A huge number of the July 2 signings you’ll see have been in place for months, which is why there’s such a landslide of reports on international prospect signings on the day the signing period opens. You can argue that the system needs fixing, and you won’t get a disagreement here, but that situation is no way unique to the Braves.

Two of the best veterans, Juan Uribe and Justin Morneau, are still on the market. These are guys who can either start or provide a productive bat and clubhouse presence off the bench. Why has there been so little news about them and where do you see them landing? — Will M.

There’s been a bit of talk about Uribe recently, as he’s been connected most heavily to the Indians (as a starter at third) but also as a versatile reserve for the Giants and Yankees. Cleveland is the best fit for him, from my vantage point, although there’s a reasonable case to be made that the Astros and Padres could use him just as much as any of those clubs. The Indians seem like the most plausible landing spot for him at this point, just based on the combination of interest and need.

Morneau’s market has been decidedly more quiet, but he still seems like a candidate to land a one-year deal somewhere in Spring Training. It’s possible that at this point, his reps at Relativity are waiting to see if any team incurs a first base/DH injury in Spring Training, as that could open a spot for him. If not, the Astros have the most glaring need at first base of any contending club from where I sit. It’s true that there are some young names on the horizon like A.J. Reed and Tyler White, but Morneau would be a reasonable stopgap to start the season at first base and eventually slide into more of a part-time role. That Evan Gattis recently had core muscle surgery only makes the fit more logical, as any lingering issues from that would prove problematic for Houston.

The Orioles farm system is probably second worst in baseball behind the Angels.  In 2014 they forfeited or traded their top 3 picks.  How much are they forsaking their long term success if they forfeit 2 top 30 picks for Yovani Gallardo and Dexter Fowler? — Derek R.

Jeff Todd and I actually covered this on the MLBTR Podcast last week. It’s true that the Orioles would be compounding the problem of a largely barren farm system by forfeiting their top two picks in this year’s draft. However, Baltimore’s offseason maneuvering — beginning with Matt Wieters’ acceptance of the qualifying offer and continuing through re-signing Darren O’Day and Chris Davis, plus adding Hyeon-soo Kim on a fairly high-upside deal — gives a sense that they’re still firmly in “go for it” mode. If the thought is to add Gallardo on a three-year deal and possibly Fowler on a two-year deal (or acquire two years of control over Jay Bruce from Cincinnati), it seems fair to say that they could consider 2016 and 2017 both seasons in that “go for it” window. I think it’s interesting to note that if the Orioles don’t contend in 2016 and struggle again in 2017, their list of trade chips for an accelerated rebuild would be impressive (whether that comes in mid-2017 or following the 2017 season). Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Zach Britton are all controlled through 2018, and any of that trio would, at least at present, seem to represent a player that could fetch a haul were the final year or year-and-a-half of his services placed on the trade market. Baltimore would also be able to potentially listen on the final year of a theoretical Gallardo contract, two years of Jonathan Schoop and as many as three years of Kevin Gausman in that scenario.

All of that, of course, is highly hypothetical, but the point is that the O’s presently have enough high-value, controllable assets that it’s easy to see them successfully pulling off a Braves-esque rebuild in the 2017-18 offseason if things don’t go their way over the next two seasons.

Is the MASN deal ever going to be settled? — Marla A.

This falls within Jeff’s wheelhouse, so I asked him to take a crack at answering your question … and you can blame him for any errors or omissions!

To begin with, those who aren’t familiar with this matter should read about the key decision (to date) right here. As I explained there, the court didn’t actually decide how much the Nats will get from the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and when they’ll get it; rather, it said that the prior arbitration decision had to be set aside because of a conflict of interest in the Nationals’ choice of representation.

In addition to throwing the matter back open to dispute, that decision also allowed the Orioles (who control MASN) to fight over the forum for a re-hearing and to continue to run the clock on the Nats. That gives Baltimore leverage, as D.C. struggles with stalled and uncertain cash flow.

Now, the ultimate rights fee issue will certainly be settled in some manner, and there’s some hope that will occur sooner rather than later. Commissioner Rob Manfred recently expressed some confidence that there’s an end in sight, saying:“I think in reasonably short order, there will be a resolution of MASN, either by the litigation being done or some other mechanism.”

Of course, let’s remember that we’re talking legal timelines here, and they can be lengthy. It appears that the case is currently sitting in an appellate court, as MASN has appealed the trial court’s decision not to order arbitration before a neutral arbitral forum. If a settlement can’t be worked out at some point, then the case will continue to work its way through the system.

Ultimately, some new arbitration will be initiated, and at that point it should proceed fairly swiftly, with the Nats’ money spigot being turned back on without much delay after a decision is reached. Notice, though, that I say “should”; there’s always the possibility of yet more legal wrangling thereafter, though this particular case is rather unusual in that the underlying arbitration decision was actually thrown out (a relative rarity).

On a relevant — and somewhat ridiculous — note, it’s important to bear in mind that the next rights fee period in the deal (2017-2021) is already fast approaching. Clearly, that needs to be dealt with as well, perhaps with some new initiative to look for a more permanent solution.

Finding A Landing Spot For David Freese

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We’re now more than halfway through the month of February, and yet, despite the fact that pitchers and catchers report will begin to report this week, there are a surprising number of starting-caliber players available on the free-agent market. While that can, in some ways, be attributed to what was a very deep crop in terms of outfielders and starting pitchers, that was never true of third base. And yet, David Freese finds himself lingering on the open market and without a team to which he has recently been tied in any sort of convincing manner. Earlier this winter, Freese reportedly talked to the Angels about a reunion, but the team has since acquired Yunel Escobar to handle third base. The White Sox represented an on-paper fit back in November, but their trade for Todd Frazier eliminated the need for a third baseman.

Freese has been a league-average or better bat throughout his career according to both OPS+ and wRC+, and he’s coming off a pair of seasons in Anaheim where he batted a combined .258/.322/.401 (106 OPS+, 108 wRC+). Overall, he’s a lifetime .276/.344/.417 hitter that has averaged 15 home runs per 162 games played. Durability has, at times, been an issue for Freese, but he’s been the victim of a pair of pretty fluky injuries over the past two seasons, twice fracturing a finger in his hand when he was hit by a pitch. Ultimate Zone Rating pegs him as a roughly average fielder, which is better than what a lot of teams will trot out in 2016. A slightly above-average bat and an average glove aren’t necessarily exciting, but there’s value there.

While those are all reasons to consider Freese, there are also reasons to pass. UZR may be fine with Freese’s glove, but Defensive Runs Saved has him quite a bit below average. He’s also 32 years old and set to turn 33 in late April, so he’s entering a stage of his career at which it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see his bat decline. An average player at a premium position certainly holds value, but his limited ceiling means that there are probably several potential suitors that feel they have an in-house option capable of putting up comparable numbers. Realistically, some of them are going to end up being correct in that assessment.

I’d be surprised to see Freese land more than a one-year commitment at this stage of the winter. That, it would seem, creates the potential for a bargain add for a team in need of some infield help. He’s not someone that will take a fringe team and make them a contender, but he can add a couple of wins to a contending club with a questionable option at third base or potentially develop into a trade chip for a rebuilding team come July. And, on a one-year deal, if things go south, it’s relatively easy to cut ties.

That said, let’s take a look around the league to see where Freese might best fit as Spring Training games approach…

  • Indians: Cleveland third basemen batted a collective .228/.273/.356 last season, and the team has moved former third-baseman-of-the-future hopeful Lonnie Chisenhall to the outfield. That leaves the defensively gifted but offensively questionable Giovanny Urshela and Jose Ramirez as the favorites for at-bats at the hot corner. Realistically, either could be considered an upgrade over Freese with the glove, but both players contributed to that dismal batting line I just referenced in 2015, and Ramirez could arguably better serve the Indians by bouncing around the infield in a utility capacity. Money is tight in Cleveland, as is so often the case, but they’re considering a run at Juan Uribe, according to multiple reports, and Freese would fill that same need.
  • Angels: They might have one of baseball’s highest payrolls, but money also hinders the chances that Freese will return to the Halos, as owner Arte Moreno seems dead set on not exceeding the luxury tax threshold of $189MM. If the Halos clear some money in some form of Spring Training trade, though, it stands to reason that Freese could return and push Escobar from third base over to second base. Angels second basemen hit .250/.295/.352 last season, and incumbent starter Johnny Giavotella has a limited track record at the plate and poor ratings in the eyes of defensive metrics.
  • Astros: Luis Valbuena is a capable enough third baseman with the bat, as he showed in 2015 when he blasted a career-best 25 home runs. Valbuena, though, can handle multiple positions and saw 200+ innings at first base last season. He could slide across the diamond to first base early in the year while A.J. Reed finishes developing (and, perhaps, avoids Super Two status), leaving third base open for Freese, whose right-handed bat would mesh well with the Astros’ short porch in left field. Houston third basemen batted just .223/.298/.412 last season. GM Jeff Luhnow knows Freese well from the pair’s days together in St. Louis.
  • Brewers: There’s a case to be made that a rebuilding team needn’t spend money on a veteran free agent, as it behooves the team to free some at-bats for younger players (and losing games only strengthens the team’s draft the following season, anyhow). However, Milwaukee will probably be giving a fairly substantial amount of at-bats to fellow veteran Aaron Hill at third base, and Hill could be relegated to a platoon role with Scooter Gennett, clearing the way for a hitter with much more recent success. Manager Craig Counsell spoke about the importance of adding the veteran Hill and his experience to the Milwaukee clubhouse following that trade, and Freese could do the same while providing a better bet to serve as a summer trade chip.
  • Braves: Much in the same way that the Brewers could potentially benefit from Freese, the Braves currently project to have a combination of Adonis Garcia and Kelly Johnson at third base now that Hector Olivera is in the outfield. Atlanta has quite a few options there already, as Gordon Beckham can also man third base if needed, but Freese seems a more reasonable bet to produce like a regular at the hot corner.
  • Pirates: Pittsburgh’s starting infield is filled in as it is, but adding Freese could allow them to ease Jung Ho Kang back into action and could also push Kang back to shortstop, where is offense would be an upgrade over that of Jordy Mercer, who could probably fill a utility role more aptly than Pedro Florimon. Financial considerations and an already crowded infield picture make this one perhaps a bit of a stretch, though there’s some logic to the fit.

Clearly, not every team listed is a perfect fit, but none of the six mentioned here has a concrete enough infield setting that Freese couldn’t perhaps serve as an improvement. Some other teams I debated listing that ultimately seemed a bit too much of a reach include the D-backs (Jake Lamb and Brandon Drury both represent possible regulars at the position) and Padres (Yangervis Solarte has been similarly productive from 2014-15). An injury in Spring Training, of course, could create further matches for Freese and other remaining free agents — especially those that are most likely limited to one-year deals.

NL Central Notes: Brewers, Lucroy, Molina, Cards, McCutchen

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Brewers GM David Stearns laughed when told by Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he’s earned the nickname “Dealin’ Dave” on the heels of making nine trades to acquire 16 new players this offfseason. Haudricourt runs down all of the names acquired by Stearns, who shared a bit of insight into his general offseason approach with Haudricourt. “There’s a strength-in-numbers approach with pitching,” explained Stearns, who has acquired six pitchers via trade this winter. “Part of that is due to the increased injury risk associated with pitchers. We’re trying to stockpile good arms. I think most importantly we’re trying to stockpile guys who’ve proven they can throw strikes. We’ve been able to do that through some of these transactions.” Stearns went on to add that Jonathan Lucroy’s status hasn’t been impacted by the addition of a fairly highly touted catching prospect in Jacob Nottingham, acquired in the Khris Davis trade over the weekend. As Stearns notes, Nottingham spent last season at Class-A and can’t be expected to contribute in the Majors in the immediate future.

More notes from the NL Central…

  • The Cardinals are open to adding another catcher as a depth option on the eve of Spring Training, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but Yadier Molina and the team are both hopeful that he can be ready for the season opener. Molina, who underwent a second thumb surgery in December after his October operation did not fix the injury in his hand, tells Goold that he has no doubt that the second surgery healed the issue, citing improved performance in range-of-motion and strengthening exercises on the hand. Molina could still be two weeks away from catching, Goold notes, and that step will come before Molina progresses to hitting. If he’s not ready to open the season, offseason addition Brayan Pena will begin the year as the club’s starter. St. Louis has added veteran Eric Fryer on a minor league deal and could bring him north as the backup to Pena if Molina isn’t ready, and it stands to reason that any external addition to the catching mix would be cut from the same cloth.
  • Goold appeared on MLB Network’s Hot Stove show this morning and talked Cardinals (video link), discussing Molina, Adam Wainwright and the team’s mix of players at first base. If Wainwright is limited at all this season after missing much of last year due to an Achilles injury, the limitations will come in Spring Training as opposed to during the regular season, Goold said. He adds that the Cardinals “want to see if the Brandon Moss that they have is the Brandon Moss of a few years ago — the guy who over the last four years has averaged 24 home runs per year. “ Goold went on to add: “The guy who hits most is going to play most at first base. The guy who hits for the most power is going to play the most at first base.” Moss is joined by Matt Adams and Stephen Piscotty in the first base column on the depth chart.
  • Andrew McCutchen said again on Monday that his hope is to spend his entire career with the Pirates, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. McCutchen, who turned 29 in October, has been the face of the Bucs’ franchise for much of his career and is under contract for three more seasons at a total of $41.5MM (only $28MM of that is guaranteed; Pittsburgh has a $14.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout for McCutchen in 2018).

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Castillo, Trumbo, Cash

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Despite the team’s poor finish in 2014, there are few spots on the Red Sox roster that are up for grabs this spring, writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. The starting lineup is set, and the bench will consist of backup catcher Ryan Hanigan, offseason signee Chris Young, Brock Holt and Travis Shaw. Craig Kimbrel, Koji Uehara, Carson Smith, Junichi Tazawa and Robbie Ross ar locks for the ’pen, and the final two spots could be somewhat influenced by the fact that lefty Tommy Layne and right-hander Steven Wright are out of minor league options. Lauber lists four players that could make strong impressions on decision-makers and end up factoring into the team later in the year — left-hander Brian Johnson, right-hander Pat Light, first baseman Sam Travis and outfielder Brennan Boesch, the latter of whom had his best years on the Tigers, when Dave Dombrowski was general manager.

Here’s more from the AL East…

  • The potential upgrade from deploying Rusney Castillo in left field over Hanley Ramirez is striking, writes Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. Acknowledging the extreme sample-size caveat, MacPherson points out that Castillo rated at +9 runs in 200 innings, per Defensive Runs Saved, whereas Ramirez rated at -19 DRS. While the 90-run difference resulting from extrapolating those numbers isn’t a realistic expectation, it does highlight the potentially dramatic improvement that could result from improved outfield athleticism.
  • The potential addition of Pedro Alvarez to the Orioles’ lineup would push Mark Trumbo into right field, though Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com spoke to a scout who has a more optimistic take of Trumbo in the outfield than most reports. The scout to whom Kubatko spoke graded Trumbo as a 50 on the 20-80 scale in the outfield (average). “He’s not going to hurt you out there,” the scout said. “He’s athletic in the outfield. He’ll be fine. He’s got a good arm, he’s a good athlete, he’s a good fielder.” Trumbo, though, has long drawn poor reviews from scouts in the outfield and rates considerably below average in the outfield corners per DRS and Ultimate Zone Rating.
  • Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune spoke to Rays manager Kevin Cash about the difference heading into his second season as a manager. Cash said that he learned a seemingly incalculable number of lessons from his first year on the job and stressed the importance of communicating to some of his pitchers that weren’t particularly pleased with the short leashes they were afforded last year. “That’s my job,” Cash explained. “You’ve got to be able to communicate that. I’m learning this on the fly. I never had to be that guy. Now it was, ‘OK, go tell someone why he’s getting taken out of the ballgame and explain that.’ I don’t know if you ever have a perfect message. But you get more comfortable with experience.” Cash drew rave reviews from his predecessor, Joe Maddon, especially considering that last season was Cash’s first managing at any level. “I couldn’t have done the job he did last year,” said Maddon. “I had all those years in the minors, all those experiences at all those outposts, nobody watching.” Cash also drew quite a bit of praise from Evan Longoria, who spoke very positively

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