With Opening Day fast approaching, and a variety of deadlines hitting clubs around the league, we’re seeing plenty of final roster and initial playing time decisions being made. While many don’t necessarily implicate control rights or other contractual matters, some are particularly noteworthy. Among them:
- Ricky Nolasco has won the Twins’ final rotation spot, with the club optioning Tyler Duffey to Triple-A, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger tweets. The 25-year-old Duffey had an impressive ten-game debut last year, but was outperformed in camp by the high-priced veteran Nolasco, who struck out 14 in his 13 1/3 innings. Duffey, meanwhile, surrendered a 7.30 ERA in 12 1/3 innings, with six walks to go with just six strikeouts. Minnesota also seems to have set its pen and the rest of its 25-man Opening Day roster, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune tweets, by reassigning Logan Darnell to minor league camp. It appears that Fernando Abad will function as the sole lefty middle reliever on the club.
- It appears that reliever Craig Breslow has made the Marlins’ roster, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com tweets. Breslow inked a minor league deal with Miami this winter and will earn $1.5MM in 2016 if he makes the roster.
- The Giants have optioned catcher Andrew Susac and will go with Trevor Brown in the reserve role to open the season, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area was among those to report on Twitter. Susac has dealt with injuries this spring and could certainly stand to receive more steady playing time. That creates a nice opportunity for the 24-year-old Brown, a glove-first receiver who has a lot to prove with the bat.
- The Brewers will go with Yadiel Rivera and Rule 5 pick Colin Walsh as bench infielders, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy tweets. That leaves Hernan Perez without an apparent role. He’s out of options, so a roster move could be coming for the 25-year-old. Meanwhile, Walsh will get a chance to stick in Milwaukee, which is obviously intrigued at the idea of keeping his future rights.
Ok, so among the Rule 5 guys, Blash, Goeddel, Rickard and now Walsh seem to have earned a spot on their teams, and at least two guys have been sent home.
It will be interesting to see how the rest of the Rule 5 guys pan out.
With Delabar and Choate being released, looks like Biagini will make the Jays as well
This is nit-picking, but Abad won’t thechnically be the Twins only left handed reliever. They have Glen Perkins, but of course his role as closer is a bit different from Abad’s.
“the sole lefty middle reliever”
Hernan Perez was taken off the 40 man in the offseason and signed to a AAA contract by the Brewers. He’s not going anywhere but to their AAA affiliate in Colorado Springs to start the season. You might want to correct that in your posting.
Walsh has the upside of a leadoff hitter. Career .395 OBP in the minors plus decent hit skill and some speed. Hopefully he can develop a bit more. Like is ceiling more than Scooter’s. Although Walsh did have 3 errors in yesterday’s ST game.
Walsh is older than Gennett, was released by the Cardinals, and exposed to Rule 5 by Oakland. He’s kind of interesting because of his on base skills but if his ceiling were high, he’d have made it to the majors before turning 26. On base skills are nice, but as George Kottaras will tell you, they are not the be all and end all and you are going to have to hit to stay in the big leagues. He better defend as well. 3B might be where he ends up.