The Mariners will be without right-hander Tony Zych for four to six weeks due to the rotator cuff tendinitis that landed him on the disabled list earlier this week, reports Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. When the Mariners originally announced his injury, Zych had yet to have a followup examination back in Seattle. Those tests have now taken place and produced the timeline for which Seattle will be without its quietly excellent setup man. In 30 1/3 innings since being promoted to the Majors last season, Zych has posted a 2.67 ERA, 12.8 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 with a 51.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’s also averaged 95.7 mph on his fastball and has the 14th-best K-BB% among MLB pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings thrown dating back to last season.
- Athletics designated hitter Billy Butler says he’s been left in the dark somewhat as to his lack of playing time, as Jane Lee of MLB.com writes. Butler was careful not to complain about his diminished role, but he did tell Lee that he’s in unfamiliar territory as a part-time player. “I’ve played every day of my life from when I was 7 years old, so this is something new,” he said. “I don’t even know how to exactly prepare for what I’m supposed to do because I’ve never had to do it, so I just try to treat it like I’ve treated everything else, like I’m a starter.” Butler, though, acknowledged the constant change and roster fluctuation that comes with any 162-game season and said he anticipates eventually being able to get another chance to prove he can still be an everyday bat. While he was initially told he wouldn’t be in a straight platoon, that’s how it’s played out for the most part thus far, resulting in just 38 plate appearances for the former Royals star. Butler is earning $10MM this year and has another $10MM coming his way in 2017 as part of a three-year, $30MM deal signed with Oakland.
- The Rangers are flush with possibilities when it comes to their outfield alignment, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports in his latest notes column. Texas officials, according to Rosenthal, have discussed the possibility of shifting Ian Desmond to center field (where he’s already seen a bit of time) upon Shin-Soo Choo’s return from the disabled list, which would keep a spot open for impressive rookie Nomar Mazara. That could give the struggling Delino DeShields some time to work in the minors. Looking longer-term than 2016, though, Rosenthal notes that the Rangers have a plethora of outfield options, most notably including Lewis Brinson, as well as a pair of infield prospects in Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar, that may not have clear-cut places to be placed on the roster. The Rangers, he concludes, are exceptionally well-positioned to make a major play at this summer’s trade deadline if need be.
- Not that the Angels need any more injuries in their rotation, but there appears to be some form of issue with ace Garrett Richards, as the Orange County Register’s Jeff Fletcher writes in his latest column. Richards left his most recent outing after four innings due to dehydration, and he’s skipped his regularly scheduled bullpen sessions between starts. According to Fletcher, Richards said that he isn’t hurt but also acknowledged that something is a bit off. “I’m still a little fatigued,” said the Halos’ Opening Day starter. “The body is still tired. I’m still trying to bounce back. Everything doesn’t feel as crisp right now.” The Angels are already without C.J. Wilson and Andrew Heaney, and left-hander Tyler Skaggs has also seen his rehab from Tommy John surgery slowed by some biceps tendinitis. Richards, now, is questionable for his scheduled Friday outing.
How did Butler prepare to become the single worst player in the league though? Can’t hit, can’t field, can’t run – he’s costing the A’s wins every time he gets up off the bench. Same with Canha, A’s will turn the corner once they just admit that Chapman needs to be in the bigs.
Butler, Canha, Coghlan and Alonso have hit devastatingly poorly for the A’s. If they were all league average then they’d be in first. Doolittle needs to be sent down too.
You think doolittle, their all star closer with a long term contract, should be sent down?
Butler is only 30–he’s never been a particularly outstanding player, but he’s been reasonably productive prior to 2014. Maybe it’s physical, maybe he just aged differently than other players did. Kind of an interesting situation–he has two years left on his contract, he’s not going to get a lot of PAs unless something happens, but he’s probably a contract to be traded as part of a bigger deal. The acquiring team takes the salary, and hopes he can get back to being a 2WAR hitter.
You speak like he still might have something to offer as a hitter. He does not. The A’s need to take this season seriously and just eat his contract and release him — or trade him to Atlanta with their comp pick if they are being cheap about it.
Atlanta was my first thought as a salary dump trade but quickly realized it makes no sense on their end. Butler’s only possible defensive position is occupied by the only player Atlanta is unwilling to move and they want to build a competitive team for the new stadium (which has always made no sense to me to base your timeline on a new stadium; if youre competitive, fans will come no matter where you’re playing) and butler’s contract carries a year into the new stadium which is a 10mil sunk cost. If the A’s want to get rid of his contract they have to send him to an AL team with a reasonably unsettled 1b situation so he can primarily DH and spot start at first. Seattle, texas or maybe Toronto depending on bautista/encarnacion negotiations or seem more likely to me
I feel as if the braves were to pursue butler for a draft pick they would release him afterwards
The rangers have a good problem with too many players for the field but our bullpen needs help
In the last three games at Toronto, Texas scored six runs. That they came out of it with one win and had a shot at W’s the other two games is a tribute to how well their pitching and defense has been. But there is a severe power shortage in Arlington. Prince, Moreland, Beltre, Desmond are not getting the job done when it comes to power. I think Mazara might be a 20-30 HR a year guy one day—-but he’s just a 21 year old rookie right now. I don’t blame the pen too much here. The starters could do more, too. They’re throwing a lot of pitches and not enough innings.
The Rangers need to score a few more runs to allow the bullpen a little room for error.
Yeah I think this the main problem. Also BP is not pitching fantastic but overall not bad after the early struggles. Losing Kela was a blow. I imagine the offense will pick up soon once Prince starts hitting like he is capable of and getting Choo back will also be nice.
If they are willing to part with Brinson or Gallo they still make a logical trade partner with the Brewers for Lucroy. The combined sub .200 average from the catching spot with Chirinos still going to be a while til he returns is really hurting them right now. Maybe even Blazek or Will Smith (when healthy) could be thrown in and see what kind of blockbuster could be worked out.
Lucroy is incredibly overrated in my opinion. A year and a half to two years of all star caliber play which coincided with a loaded lineup where he was batting 5th or 6th and being the guy teams wanted to pitch to in order to avoid braun and fielder in their respective prime years doesn’t negate a career of mediocrity. Also of note, nobody talks about lucroys defense, ever. Its not bad, but certainly not noteworthy either. Rangers are in good hands with Jeff Bannister and won’t make such bad decisions to give up top prospects for past their prime players, particularly at the catcher position that is very much a spot on the field that requires youth to handle the physical demands just like other up the middle spots like shortstop and center field.
It’s been more than one and a half to two souls years. He’s a career .283 hitter with double digit HR power, those are very good numbers for a catcher. Even his injury plagued “bad year” last year saw him hit .264 with some pop, which is above average for a catcher. Throwing out runners may not be great, but as for his defense he is commonly talked about as one of the best pitch framers in the league and handles a staff well. Also not sure I’d call a guy on the right side of 30 past his prime. And he’s hitting over .300 with 6 2B this year in a lineup where he has zero protection. Only 1 HR so far, but those will come as it warms up and the ball travels better.
Here’s how the A’s can compete for a playoff spot:
1. Send down Doolittle, bring up Wendelken. Doolittle needs another pitch, he can learn one in the minors. Wendelken is ready and is obliterating hitters at AAA.
2. When Valencia is activated, DFA/release Bulter. Just eat the money or trade him to Atlanta with the draft pick for a no-name org depth piece.
3. Send down Canha, bring up Chapman – on defense alone Chapmans better, and is a better athlete too so he could handle 3B/2B/OF with relative ease. Chapmans already playing SS this year. Valencia too, has time at 2B so even if you just use Chap as a 3B only, there’s plenty of options. Lowrie is trash on defense this year – he’s worse than Semien was last year and thats saying something.
4. Send down Graveman for Alvarez.
5. Do not be shy about promoting Mengden or Overton if they are still mowing hitters down in a month. Either as bullpen nasties or replacing anyone not named Gray or Hill who makes 2 bad starts in a row.
The funny thing is that even though Seattle is on fire right now, they have absolutely no depth at all and if any injuries happen they are in rough shape, whereas the A’s are playing players who are not as productive as guys they have in the minors. Depth makes the postseason & the A’s have a ton of it.
Absolutely no depth eh? So no depth to cover that bunch of relievers that have been on the DL since the start of the season. One of which was mentioned in this fine article.
In all reality, this is the first year that Seattle actually has substantial depth. They’re playing differently, the organization is being ran differently. Theyre not the 2010 Mariners. They’re on fire right now, yes, are they this good? I don’t know. But, they have depth that’s for sure.
I was about to say all of that, I’d like to add that they Paxton down in AAA, and Montgomery in pen who is a starter, so there’s 2 starters that have major league experience, and they also have others in AAA, so they definitely have pitching depth, and if all of are catchers somehow get injured we have Zunino. So I don’t see how that could be considered absolutely no depth
Chapman will be a all star but its still to soon to bring him up. The team is not ready for a playoff run. Better to let them get some good experience in the minors. I would be more for bringing up Olson because he can’t hit much worse than Alonso has done this season.
Depth is a combination of productivity at the Major League level and having pieces to plug in from the minor league level. A team creates depth by having their starting players in their lineup, rotation, and bullpen perform, and at the same time having a good bench to fill in when needed. Then you go to the minor league level and either have veterans who are performing at AAA or a top prospects who are ready to for their call up, or both. Depth is not limited to just having minor leaguers you can plug in. And there’s really no more of a guarantee there than having a veteran signed to a minor league deal. Since the A’s are more productive at the minor league level, then they’ve already depleted their overall depth. Because if they have to constantly call up minor leaguers to fill in for unproductive major leaguers, then they’re already depleting their minor league system in the process. Depth doesn’t really truly exist for a team until they’ve played through the season and are tested. Whatever perceived depth we see on paper going into any season is always going to be different mid-season.
Seattle has Lind and Lee why would they trade in division to get worse at first? We have Cruz Smith and Guti who can DH and play OF this is the only spot they can easily improve on at the trade deadline is a better bat and fielder than Smith is. Butler does not fill any rule we need. You think after getting swept by Seattle you might have learned a little about them. They are playing great ball right now. When Seager gets hot which he is heating up look out.
You A’s fans you ever seen a ball hit into the seats in dead center like Cruz did? I have watched many games there and never seen that. It seems to be a lot longer than the 435 they said it was.
Reggie hit the longest shot to centerfield ever in the park. Don’t forget the bash brothers help bring in the steroids there. Canseco has hit a few farther.
You must be too young to remember a time when A’s sluggers were notorious for hitting absolute bombs further than that to dead center.
I wish i was too young to remember the days back to the bash brothers and even Reggie but that is not the case. Like I said I have watched games there but only when they played the M’s. I am sure the roid boys could hit balls out of there but I don’t remember seeing it. I also asked if the 435 sounded right seems a bit short to me but I have never been there so not sure.