Veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes hasn’t yet retired, he tells WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford. “I guess to be retired you have to file your papers,” says Gomes. “Before you file your papers you have to mentally be there. I’ll tell you what, 10 or 15 years from now, when I’m on my third job description and you asked me if I wanted to play I would probably say, ‘Yes.’ Painters paint, firefighters fight fires and baseball players play baseball.” Gomes played for the Braves and Royals in 2015, then briefly appeared with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2016. He says that, if his playing career were to come to an end, he might have interest in a job elsewhere in the game, be it in coaching, managing, scouting or in a front office position. Here are more quick notes from around the league.
- Reds shortstop Zack Cozart missed the end of the season due to a knee injury, but says he expects to be healthy to start offseason workouts next month, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com writes. It’s not clear whether he’ll be returning to the Reds, however. “You know there are going to be rumors,” Cozart says. “I dealt with it at the Trade Deadline, and it was weird. Just like with [Jay Bruce], the Reds are all I’ve ever known. Hearing your name in rumors or possible trade scenarios is weird.” The 31-year-old Cozart has one year remaining before he’s eligible for free agency, and the Reds might benefit from clearing a regular spot for Jose Peraza to play. Cozart’s consistently strong defense and modest pop (he batted .252/.308/.425 with 16 homers in 508 plate appearances in 2016) ought to attract at least some trade interest, should the Reds go that route.
- The Phillies have officially announced that they’ve parted ways with hitting coach Steve Henderson, as CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury tweeted yesterday. They will retain all their other big-league coaches. Henderson had been the Phillies’ hitting coach for the last four seasons, having previously served as hitting coach for the Astros and Rays. The Phillies struggled offensively in 2016, batting just .240/.301/.385 as a team and getting especially poor seasons from Cody Asche, Tyler Goeddel, Aaron Altherr, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Paredes.
Maybe the Cozart to the M’s scenario will be revisited?
I doubt it Marte is just fine. He is young and learning no reason to give up prospects for the marginal gain you would get. I almost understood it when they had a chance for a WC spot but not now. Marte has winter ball to learn to stop trying to make the huge plays and make the play in front of you. He had a huge error in Felix 2nd to last start that if he would have thrown the ball to Cano they would have turned a double play but he tried to turn it himself and threw the ball away. Instead of the inning being over and Seattle being up by 2 we gave up 6 runs with another error. Marte makes some amazing plays but then he relaxes and makes errors on easy plays that is youth and he will learn. As for his bat he will be fine his walk rate is low because he bunts a lot but again he is young and his bat will come around this is his first full season in the bigs. If they make a trade hopefully it is for a position of real need like 1st or the OF not one that we have a good young player learning.
Fire ANOTHER hitting coach ? How about you stop drafting such careless, free swinging players ! Some of your best young prospects are known for striking out
Congratz Phillies fans. You may now buy Ryan Howard out of the last year of his contract and wave goodbye. Only bad money that remains on the books is Matt Harrison.
Harrison contract is insured
I love Zack Cozart, such an awesome defender with a lil pop. Really underrated in this game. Any team getting him will be better off for it.
Agree. I don’t get why teams aren’t wearing the phones out trying to get him.
Because he’s a middling 31 year old shortstop who hasn’t strung together adequate offensive years and is a good not great defender who just had major knee surgery a year ago. He’s this generations Alex Gonzalez.
Boom. Perfect. He is absolutely this generations Alex Gonzalez.
Spot on
Now is that Alex Gonzalez or Alex S. Gonzalez?
I can’t tell you how disappointing it was opening up a pack of baseball cards and getting all excited that it was an Alex Rodriguez roomie card … oh, wait, it’s just another Alex S. Gonzalez rookie card.
“Painters paint, firefighters fight fires, and baseball players play baseball.”
Gotta write that one down.
Gomes for Marlins hitting coach