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D’Backs Expected To Soon Decide On La Russa, Stewart

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Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick is expected to meet with chief baseball officer Tony La Russa on Monday, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports.  A decision about the future of La Russa and GM Dave Stewart could potentially be made at the meeting itself, though if not, a final call should be coming relatively soon.  Team president Derrick Hall confirmed to Heyman that a Kendrick/La Russa meeting was probably happening Monday, though he didn’t note if he or Stewart would also attend.

For Stewart’s part, the general manager told reporters (including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic) on Sunday morning that he hadn’t been told by club management about when to expect a decision on his future.  In a text to Piecoro, Hall said that there would be a sitdown meeting with La Russa and Stewart before any final decision was made, which could represent Monday’s get-together.

The club parted ways with senior VP De Jon Watson a couple of weeks ago, and as Piecoro writes, “many around the game” feel the D’Backs will make changes simply due to the fact that this evaluation of their top baseball execs has gone on for over a month.  Stewart’s contract included a 2017 option that was supposed to be exercised by the end of August, though D’Backs upper management held off until the end of the season.

In a radio interview on Sunday, Hall acknowledged that something had to give.  “We can’t drag this on….We’ve got to improve this ballclub, and we have to have a plan going into the offseason,” Hall said.  “So we’ll make a decision quickly.  It’s awkward for these guys to sit around and wait.  It’s not good for anyone.”

Despite the high-profile offseason additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller, the Diamondbacks finished the season with a 69-93 record, the seventh-worst mark in baseball.  Subpar years from both pitchers, especially Miller, certainly played a part, as did a lack of help from the rotation as a whole, a very shaky bullpen and A.J. Pollock spending almost all of the season on the DL.  Combined with pre-existing criticisms about how La Russa and Stewart have handled the team’s prospects and international signings, there is indeed a case for the D’Backs to make a change.  On the flip side, as Stewart notes to Piecoro, the management team has only been in place for two years, so they could deserve more time to see things through.

West Notes: Scully, Hudson, Rockies, Bridich, Angels, M’s

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Vin Scully signed off for the final time today, ending his incredible career with one final Dodgers vs. Giants matchup.  All of us at MLB Trade Rumors join the rest of the baseball world in tipping our caps to Mr. Scully, the greatest to ever call a baseball game.  We wish him all the best in a very well-deserved retirement.  Here’s some news from around both the NL and AL West…

  • The Diamondbacks will talk to free agent reliever Daniel Hudson this winter about a possible return, GM Dave Stewart told reporters, including Jack Magruder of FanRag Sports (Twitter link).  Stewart discussed the possibility of extending Hudson last June, though also came very close to dealing the right-hander at the trade deadline.  Hudson finished the year with a 5.31 ERA over 59 1/3 bullpen innings, though his solid peripherals (3.89 FIP, 4.20 xFIP, 3.92 SIERA) indicate Hudson’s ERA was inflated by his .333 BABIP and very low 61.7% strand rate.
  • The Rockies were within reach of a wild card spot at the trade deadline but stood pat, ultimately faltering over the last two months of the season and finishing at 75-87.  MLB.com’s Thomas Harding revisits the decision from GM Jeff Bridich to not make any moves, since while there were some good reasons (such as Trevor Story’s season-ending injury) for Bridich to resist buying for a playoff run, it could indicate an over-reliance on Colorado’s internal talent.
  • There don’t appear to be any changes forthcoming to the Angels coaching staff, manager Mike Scioscia told reporters (including MLB.com’s Austin Laymance).
  • The Mariners will consider all of their free agents and club option players, GM Jerry Dipoto told reporters, though MLB.com’s Greg Johns believes “only a couple” will return to Seattle in 2017.  Outfielder Seth Smith is likely to have his $7MM club option exercised, while the M’s could pass on Chris Iannetta’s $4.25MM club option since it’s a fairly high price for a backup catcher.  Of the free agents, Adam Lind will likely be let go while outfielders Nori Aoki and Franklin Gutierrez could be better fits to be re-signed.

Marlins Notes: Starting Pitching, Dunn, Bonds

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Here’s the latest from south Florida…

  • “After the Marlins come to grips with the shock and grief of losing Jose Fernandez the man, they will confront the reality of something far less important but daunting: replacing Fernandez the pitcher,” the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson writes.  There is no easy way to fill the spot of perhaps the best pitcher in the sport, particularly since the Marlins were already going to be looking for rotation upgrades anyway.  This winter’s free agent pitching market is extremely thin, and the Marlins have generally been unwilling to pay big prices on the open market.  (It probably doesn’t help that Wei-Yin Chen, last year’s big signing, struggled in his first year in Miami.)  Jackson figures the “best case scenario” for the Marlins would be to sign one of Jeremy Hellickson, Rich Hill or Ivan Nova, and then make a trade for another starter.  He suggests Adeiny Hechavarria or Derek Dietrich as possible trade chips, and the Fish could even revisit last winter’s attempt to deal Marcell Ozuna for a higher-tier arm.
  • The Marlins have “expressed preliminary interest” in re-signing Mike Dunn, the left-hander tells Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.  Dunn told the club that he “would be more than willing to come back” but is excited to be testing the free agent market for the first time in his career.  Dunn and his family are “going to go where the opportunity is.  Where that is, we don’t know.  I haven’t ruled anybody out.”  The southpaw bounced back from a somewhat disappointing 2015 season to post solid numbers this year — a 3.40 ERA, 8.1 K/9 and 3.45 K/BB rate over 42 1/3 innings.  Dunn posted the lowest strikeout, grounder and walk rates of his eight-year career and his 93.6 mph average fastball velocity was his lowest since 2009.
  • Barry Bonds’ return as the club’s hitting coach in 2017 “is uncertain,” MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro writes.  This was the all-time home run leader’s first year on a coaching staff, and under Bonds’ tutelage, Marlins such as Christian Yelich and J.T. Realmuto had notable jumps in production.  Miami was a below-average offensive club overall, however, most notably in the power department (a likely product of their pitcher-friendly ballpark and an off year from Giancarlo Stanton).  Frisaro notes that some changes are expected to Don Mattingly’s coaching staff.
  • For more Miami baseball news, check out another batch of Marlins Notes from earlier today on MLBTR.

White Sox Notes: Ventura, Williams, Reinsdorf

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Here’s the latest from the south side of Chicago…

  • Robin Ventura was rumored to be done as the White Sox manager, and he confirmed it with reporters (including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin) after today’s game.  “I just feel it’s the right time. It’s more of a personal decision than anything,” Ventura said.  “I love being here.  The organization means a lot to me. You can go as hard as you can and really the only thing you know is how you conduct your business and how you treat people. I’m good with that. Talking to [general manager] Rick [Hahn] through September, you just realize right now is the right time to do it and you need somebody else.”
  • White Sox executive VP of baseball operations Kenny Williams is not stepping down from his position, WSCR 670’s Bruce Levine reports (Twitter link).  Williams was promoted to his current role in October 2012 after a twelve-year stint as the White Sox general manager.
  • The somewhat awkward handling of Ventura’s final days as manager is a sign that the White Sox need to settle on a clear chain of command within the organization, ESPN’s Buster Olney opines in his latest column for ESPN.com subscribers.  Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who Olney calls “the most loyal boss in baseball,” needs to set a clear direction about whether or not the team is rebuilding or in go-for-it mode.  It would also help solve some of the front office miscommunication by firmly establishing whether Williams or GM Rick Hahn is in charge of baseball operations.

Royals Notes: Cain, Gee, Orlando, Cuthbert

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The Royals’ defense of their World Series title ended today as the club finished with an even 81-81 record.  Here are some season-ending notes as K.C. looks ahead to a rebound year in 2017…

  • Lorenzo Cain won’t hit for the next two months, but he tells Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link) that he otherwise expects a normal offseason training routine.  Cain reiterated that his bothersome right wrist won’t require surgery.  The outfielder missed almost all of September with the bad wrist, capping off an injury-plagued season that saw Cain play just 103 games.  The health problems undoubtedly contributed to Cain’s .287/.339/.408 slash line over 434 PA, a below-average showing give how well he performed in the previous two seasons.  Cain is a free agent after 2017, so a return to good health and good form will be very lucrative for him.
  • Right-hander Dillon Gee will undergo thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star writes.  The procedure usually carries a recovery time of 4-6 months, so Gee could be ready for the start of Spring Training.  Gee signed a minor league deal with the Royals last winter and posted a 4.68 ERA, 6.4 K/9 and 2.41 K/BB rate over 125 innings, working as both a starter and a reliever.  He has another year of arbitration eligibility before hitting free agency following the 2017 campaign.
  • Paulo Orlando has emerged as a bit of a late bloomer in the Royals’ eyes, MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan writes.  The outfielder just delivered his best offensive season at age 30, though manager Ned Yost would like to see Orlando develop some more power.  Some other holes exist in Orlando’s game (a 2.7% walk rate, and perhaps an overall inflated slash line due to a .382 BABIP) but he has put himself into the conversation for at least a part-time outfield role in 2017.
  • Cheslor Cuthbert is on his way to the Instructional League to get some second base work, GM Dayton Moore told FSKC’s Joel Goldberg (Twitter link) during the pregame show of today’s Royals broadcast.  Though Cuthbert had a solid rookie season, he could be fighting for a roster spot next year since the Royals will have Mike Moustakas returning at third base, and Raul Mondesi, Christian Colon and Whit Merrifield all in the mix at second.  Learning to play multiple positions, of course, is an obvious boost to Cuthbert’s chances.  He has appeared in a handful of games at second in the majors and minors and also played some first base, beyond his primary third base position.

Current 2017 MLB Draft Order

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With the 2016 regular season now in the books, the preliminary order has been set for the 2017 amateur draft.  The order is set by a reversal of the standings, with the league-worst Twins getting the first overall pick.  When two or more teams have the same record, the better pick goes to the club who had the worse record in the previous season.  For instance, the Reds won 68 games in 2015, the Padres 74 games and the Rays 80 games, which established the order of the second, third and fourth overall selections.  Jonathan Mayo of MLBPipeline.com has the breakdown of where all 30 teams will pick in the first round of next June’s draft…

1. Twins (59-103)
2. Reds (68-94)
3. Padres (68-94)
4. Rays (68-94)
5. Braves (68-93)
6. Athletics (69-93)
7. Diamondbacks (69-93)
8. Phillies (71-91)
9. Brewers (73-89)
10. Angels (74-88)
11. Rockies (75-87)
12. White Sox (78-84)
13. Pirates (78-83)
14. Marlins (79-82)
15. Royals (81-81)
16. Astros (84-78)
17. Yankees (84-78)
18. Mariners (86-76)
19. Cardinals (86-76)
20. Tigers (86-75)
21. Giants (87-75)
22. Mets (87-75)
23. Orioles (89-73)
24. Blue Jays (89-73)
25. Dodgers (91-71)
26. Red Sox (93-69)
27. Indians (94-67)
28. Nationals (95-67)
29. Rangers (95-67)
30. Cubs (103-58)

Given the ongoing negotiations between the league and the players’ union about a new collective bargaining agreement, there is a chance the draft’s rules could be altered under a new CBA, whether it relates to draft spending pools, tying free agent compensation to the draft, etc.  Since it’s already October, however, it’s probably more likely that the same general framework will be in place for this winter’s transactions market, and any significant changes will apply to the 2017-18 offseason and the subsequent 2018 draft.

Under the current rules regarding free agent compensation, if a free agent rejects his team’s one-year/$16.7MM qualifying offer, that team is entitled to a compensatory pick between the first and second rounds if that player signs elsewhere.  The signing team would surrender its first-rounder, or highest remaining pick if it signs multiple QO free agents.

The top ten picks in the draft (held by the Twins, Reds, Padres, Rays, Braves, A’s, D’Backs, Phillies, Brewers and Angels) are protected, so if any of those teams signed a qualifying offer free agent, they would keep that pick and instead surrender their next-highest selection.  Owning a protected pick is a silver lining amidst disappointing seasons for these 10 clubs, as they can now still pursue a top free agent while retaining that valuable position at or near the top of the draft.  Teams who just missed the protected pick bottom-10 now face a tough decision; the White Sox, for instance, have made a few big free agent signings under GM Rick Hahn, but they’ll have to weigh signing a QO free agent against the value of that No. 12 overall selection.

Poll: Who Will Win The World Series?

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The entire season revolves around this one question.  Now that the 2016 postseason field is set, all that remains is seeing which of the 10 remaining clubs will be hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Toronto hosts Baltimore in the AL Wild Card game on Tuesday, with the winner going on to face Texas.  Cleveland holds home field advantage over Boston in the other ALDS matchup.  Over in the NL, New York hosts San Francisco in the Wild Card game on Wednesday, and a date with league-leading Chicago awaits the victor.  Washington will host Los Angeles in Game 1 of their NLDS series on Friday.

Will the Cubs break their curse and capture their first World Series since 1908?  Or, perhaps the second-longest Series drought in baseball could instead end if the Indians continue Cleveland’s sudden run of sports success.  Could the Rangers (56 years in existence) or Nationals (48 years) finally win the first championship in the history of their franchises?  Can the Mets continue to thrive amidst a swath of injuries and make it back to the Fall Classic for the second straight year?  Do the Blue Jays have more bat-flipping postseason heroics in store for 2016?  No AL team has won more games over the last five years than the Orioles, but can they finally get that elusive postseason breakthrough?  Could the Dodgers or Red Sox celebrate their respective franchise icons (Vin Scully and David Ortiz) by sending them into retirement on the high note of another championship?  Or, are all these questions moot since it’s an #EvenYear and thus the Giants are due for another title?

MLBTR readers, who do you think will win it all?  (link for app users)

Andrew McCutchen On Contract, Disappointing 2016

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The Pirates and center fielder Andrew McCutchen are not discussing a contract extension, and that doesn’t surprise the five-time All-Star, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“Who’s going to want to sign me for the (rest of) my career when I’ve had the year that I’ve had? No one is going to think that,” McCutchen told Biertempfel. “You know what they’re going to think? ‘Trade him. Get him out of here. He doesn’t deserve (an extension).’ People are going to say that.”

The normally excellent McCutchen has endured by far the worst season of his eight-year career, having accounted for less than 1.0 fWAR while taking sizable steps backward as a batter, baserunner and defender. The lifetime .292/.381/.487 hitter has slashed an underwhelming-in-comparison .255/.336/.430 in 670 plate appearances, though he has clubbed 20-plus home runs for the sixth straight year and experienced an offensive resurgence since August. As a runner, McCutchen has been caught stealing more than he has been successful, which is a first, as the 29-year-old has swiped a career-low six bags on 13 attempts. Moreover, his minus-2.2 BsR is also a personal worst. Defensively, McCutchen is easily the last-ranked center fielder in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved (minus-27), Ultimate Zone Rating (minus-17.6) and UZR/150 (minus-22.5).

If the low-payroll Pirates are going to keep McCutchen in the fold for the foreseeable future, he realizes he’ll have to put forth a better performance next season.

“I’ve got to prove — not to (fans), but to the team and to ownership — that I’m able to play out my career at a high level,” the 2013 National League MVP said. “I didn’t do that this year. I didn’t play at my best level. There are a lot of places I can improve, and I didn’t do that this year.”

Unless the Pirates trade McCutchen in the offseason, they won’t have to make any immediate decisions on his future. He’s under contract next season for $14MM and can stay in the fold in 2018 by way of a $14.5MM club option. While those are eminently reasonable figures, general manager Neal Huntington was noncommittal about McCutchen’s future on Sunday.

“It’s fair to say we’ll continue to explore how we get this club back into a postseason hunt,” said Huntington, whose team will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2012. “We love this core (of players), and we think we can supplement it. At the same time, if there is a significant move that gives us a better chance to get back to the postseason in 2017 and ideally ’18 and beyond, that’s something we’ll be open to.”

Productive corner outfielders Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco, both of whom are on team-friendly deals, are surely part of the core Huntington mentioned. The same has been true of McCutchen, long the face of the franchise, but his future in Pittsburgh seems less certain than ever. Further clouding his long-term status is the presence of 21-year-old outfielder Austin Meadows, a top prospect who’s nearing the majors.

Manfred On CBA, Red Sox-Padres Trade, Preller, Ortiz

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Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in December, but commissioner Rob Manfred said Sunday that he expects a new CBA in place by the end of the postseason, according to Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal (Twitter link). “Both parties still have significant issues on the table,” added Manfred, but he doesn’t believe those concerns are enough for either side to rip up the agreement and start negotiations from scratch (via Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, on Twitter).

Manfred, who’s in Boston on Sunday for Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz’s final regular-season game, also addressed several other important topics:

  • After acquiring left-hander Drew Pomeranz from the Padres for top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza in July, questions arose in August over whether San Diego was completely honest about Pomeranz’s medical information. It turned out the Padres didn’t reveal that Pomeranz was taking anti-inflammatory medication for his elbow at the time of the deal. Then, when MLB handed Padres general manager A.J. Preller a 30-day suspension in September, Red Sox chairman Tom Werner expressed displeasure with the commissioner’s office, saying, “We felt that some wrong was committed and that it’s important to have a level playing field. The Padres didn’t play on it.” Interestingly, the league gave the Red Sox the opportunity to undo the trade in early August, Manfred revealed, but the non-waiver deadline had already passed by then. Moreover, there was no way for the league to compensate the Red Sox, the commissioner stated. As a result, Boston turned down the offer and kept Pomeranz (Twitter links via MacPherson and Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe). The 27-year-old has scuffled since the trade and is currently dealing with left forearm soreness.
  • Whether the Padres fire Preller for his questionable practices is up to them, not the league, according to Manfred (via Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune). “I felt that that Mr. Preller behaved inappropriately in the situation. He behaved inappropriately to the detriment of two clubs,” said Manfred. “And I thought that a publicly announced suspension of 30 days, which is the longest suspension of a front-office person in 70 years, was a firm statement of our view on how he had behaved or, in this case, misbehaved.” As of Sept. 17, the Padres’ front office was reportedly split on Preller, who, in addition to crossing the Red Sox, didn’t disclose all available medical information in a July trade with the Marlins. As a result, the Preller-led Padres reversed part of what was a large transaction that centered on Andrew Cashner. Ultimately, the Padres re-acquired right-hander Colin Rea from Miami and sent pitching prospect Luis Castillo back to the Marlins. That came after Rea left his sole Marlins start with an elbow injury. Rea is now attempting to stave off Tommy John surgery.
  • Ortiz was among 104 major leaguers who tested positive for performance-enhancing substances in 2003, but Manfred downplayed that. The list didn’t distinguish therapeutic use exemptions from PEDs, per Manfred, who called it “unfair” and “wrong” that the positive test might negatively affect Ortiz’s legacy (Twitter links via MacPherson and Alex Speier of the Boston Globe).

Marlins Rumors: Rodney, Cashner, Ichiro

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The Marlins were in the thick of the National League wild-card race when they made separate summer deals to acquire reliever Fernando Rodney and starter Andrew Cashner from the Padres. Those two have since scuffled in Miami, which has gone backward during the season’s second half and will finish with a sub-.500 record for the seventh straight year. As a result of their disappointing performances with the Marlins, the club is likely to move on from Rodney and Cashner, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

The Fish have a 2017 club option in the $3.5MM to $4MM range for Rodney, who went from nearly invincible as a Padre to borderline unusable with the Marlins. After Rodney logged a pristine .31 ERA, 10.4 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and 59 percent ground-ball rate in 28 2/3 innings in San Diego this year, the club traded him to Miami on June 30 for right-handed pitching prospect Chris Paddack, who has since undergone Tommy John surgery. Rodney has converted only 8-of-11 save opportunities with the Marlins after going 17-of-17 in San Diego. Worse, the 39-year-old has seen both his ERA (5.89) and BB/9 (6.21) skyrocket across 36 2/3 innings in South Florida. If the Padres move on from Rodney after the season, the journeyman could look for his eighth major league employer during the winter.

Cashner, meanwhile, seems primed to search for his fourth major league team on the heels of a subpar contract year. Since joining the Marlins on July 29, the hard-throwing right-hander has been even more woeful than Rodney at preventing runs, having registered a 5.98 ERA in 52 2/3 innings. That’s over a run worse than the 4.76 ERA Cashner posted in 79 1/3 frames with the Padres this year and not what the Marlins had in mind when they surrendered a handful of players, including well-regarded first base prospect Josh Naylor, for the impending free agent. While Cashner slightly improved his K/9 from 7.65 to 7.74 after switching uniforms, he mimicked Rodney with an unpalatable BB/9 (5.13, far worse than the 3.42 he put up in San Diego).

Unlike Rodney and Cashner, the Marlins are set to bring back outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, per Jackson, as the 3,000-hit club member carries a low cost ($2MM club option) and has performed respectably this season. Ichiro, who will turn 43 on Oct. 22, has batted .288/.352/.374 in 365 plate appearances while spelling Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna at each outfield position.

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