Newly acquired Red Sox ace Chris Sale‘s unorthodox delivery hasn’t posed any significant problems to this point, as he has exceeded the 200-inning mark in three of his five seasons as a starter and combined for 386 frames in the other two campaigns. Asked if that delivery will lead to trouble down the road, Sale’s former pitching coach with the White Sox, Don Cooper, told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, “He knows himself really good. His delivery is solid.” Cooper added, “Chris Sale has three above-average major league pitches that he pours in and throws strikes. I don’t want to sound cocky, but I don’t think anyone saying stuff has a better idea about his delivery than me.” Cooper then lavished further praise on the 27-year-old Sale, who he thinks landed with the right club. “He’s put up Hall of Fame-credible numbers. And now he’s going to a team that is sparing no expense,” said Cooper. “Nothing stands in the way of them putting together the best team. He’s going to a team where he has a chance to put up even more wins. If he has 10 years like he’s had, he has a chance to have a Hall of Fame career.” Cooper had plenty more to say about Sale, so checking out Cafardo’s piece to read all of the pitching guru’s comments is highly recommended.
More from the American League:
- The Orioles are interested in bringing back two of their former relievers, free agent right-handers David Hernandez and Vance Worley, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Hernandez, 31, was the Orioles’ fifth-round pick in 2005 and stayed with the organization through the 2010 campaign. He spent 2016 in Philadelphia, where he tossed 70 2/3 innings and logged a 3.84 ERA, 9.91 K/9 and 3.96 BB/9. Worley was with the Orioles last season, but they non-tendered him earlier this month in lieu of paying the 29-year-old a projected $3.3MM via arbitration in 2017. The swingman recorded a 3.53 ERA despite an ugly 1.6 K/BB ratio last season.
- Having traded Cameron Maybin to the Angels earlier this offseason, the Tigers are looking for center field help “on every front,” general manager Al Avila told Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. “Maybe we can get that guy in a trade,” Avila said. “Maybe we can wait until January and get a guy to be a temporary fix. Maybe we can plug that hole with a sixth-year minor league free agent.” The Tigers have in-house center fielders Tyler Collins, JaCoby Jones and Anthony Gose set to compete for jobs, but they’d like for Jones to develop further at Triple-A Toledo. Gose spent most of his time last season in Toledo, where he got into a dispute with then-manager and now-Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. That rift is now “water under the bridge,” according to Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus. Gose is unlikely to reunite with McClendon in Detroit, writes Woodbery, who points out that Gose has no minor league options remaining. As a result, he might end up joining another organization via waivers if he doesn’t crack the Tigers’ roster. Collins is also devoid of options, though he’s a better bet than Gose to stick with the Tigers, suggests Woodbery.
- After the Mariners promoted Edwin Diaz from Double-A Jackson to the majors last June, the electric 22-year-old burst on the big league scene and quickly became an elite reliever with his fastball-slider mix. The club might have another Diaz on its hands in relief prospect Thyago Vieira, who also relies on a fastball and slider, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times details. Vieira, who’s older than Diaz (24 next month), is capable of hitting 103 mph on the radar gun. “There can’t be many people in professional baseball with a better arm,” Mariners director of player development Andy McKay told Divish. “He throws enough strikes. I don’t think anyone would say there’s a ton of command, but there are plenty of strikes and the slider is hard to hit and really hard not to swing at.” Vieira spent most of 2016 at the High-A level and then pitched in the Arizona Fall League, but the Mariners nearly released him before the season. “In spring training, there was a question as to whether he was going to make a team or not based on his age and general performance history,” GM Jerry Dipoto revealed. Now, after working with minor league pitching coach Ethan Katz, Vieira is on Seattle’s 40-man roster and could debut in the majors in 2017. “I saw a big arm with a lot of potential that just needed a little more time to figure it out,” Katz stated. “There was some stuff that he was doing that needed to be fixed to help him succeed.” Vieira credits Katz for his breakout year. “I have to say thank you to the Mariners for giving me the opportunity to work with him,” Vieira said.
The mariners could have 3 guys in the back end of the bullpen throwing 100 mph, Diaz will close, Altilavila and Thyaga would pitch the 7th and 8th with Cishek being able to fill in anywhere, they also will be getting back Tony Zych who throws upper 90’s. They could have a deadly bullpen but they are relying on 2 rookies, cishek and Zych coming off injury and Diaz having never pitched a full season.
Don’t forget about scrabble fitting in somewhere as well
Forgot about him, I’m guessing he will do the same as Ceshek.
Closer-Diaz
Setup man 1-Altilavila
Setup man 2-Scribner
Fill in-Cishek
Fill in-Veira
Lefty-Mark Z
They still could use another lefty veteran to be used how Nuño was last year.
dude, veira hasn’t pitched above a ball, he isn’t opening on their roster.
That is a legit bullpen with or without Viera
Every team in the big leagues has 2-3 guys who can really throw hard. That’s not really the only thing that makes a bullpen good.
Tell the 2015 Astros that every team has 2-3 guys throwing really hard. If they had 2-3 guys that threw really hard they would have knocked out the Royals and probably could have won it all.
Wicked curveballs seem like they could really make a guy highly-sought-after.
Or maybe you had a decent option with Maybin.
About 60% of the time that was true. Maybin was also effective at going on the DL
Mariners should sign Edwin Encarnacion or Mark Trumbo
Don’t have the $$$
Don’t get EE or Trumbo, use the money to sign a guy like Nova or Hammel instead
are problem isn’t hitting like normal we need a starting pitcher like Hammel or fister we could also trade for a pitcher like smyly from the rays
Could Gardner be an option for Detroit? Who would the Yankees be interested in from their roster?
Maybe for a bad contract swap? Animal Sanchez? Detroit is trying to get under the luxury tax.
I think Gardner is worth more than a bad contract. He isn’t that expensive and is above average in the field (could even play a serviceable center) and on the base paths
There lies the problem. His bat doesn’t play up in LF and is a negative . All his value comes from base running and defense in LF. A serviceable cf doesn’t really call for 12M*2. Now if he’s a good cf that’s a different story. The tigers are also looking to shed payroll so if they have any interest in him it’s bad contract for bad contract.
Most people would be alright with Gardner but with him noticeably going downhill, a swap of a bad contract and a mid level prospect to sweeten the deal. Though this is coming from a bias Tigers fan.
Maybe Justin Wilson for Aaron Altherr and Jeanmar Gomez?
Thats awful for the Phillies. They wouldnt part with Altherr for they
If I’m the Tigers, I laugh at that. And this is coming from a Phillies fan who wouldn’t mind having Wilson.
Probably Tigers should trade Iglesias for a young and cheap CF and put Machado in there at SS.
What team that has a “spare” cheap CFer would want a no-hit shortstop? I can’t think of any.
The Padres.
Jankowski was a number one pick that still has 5 years of control and Margot is one of their top prospects. I can’t see them giving up either without additional prospects coming back with Iglesias.
Padres have a no-hit center fielder in Jankowski, but he’s fast and has a good glove, and they really could use a shortstop. They haven’t had one in like five years.
Iglesisias can hit to a certain extent but he is more of a complimentary asset on offense and is great defensively. I don’t know much about Jankowski but I am hearing comparisons of him being the same way but at a different position. Remember Iggy hit around 300 with around 350 OBP for a couple seasons, so he is not no Rey Ordonez. (has of yet).
lol is cooper a red Sox fan or something? I can see praising your former player that you mentored and coached but that’s excessive about an opposing team
“If he has 10 years like he’s had, he has a chance to have a Hall of Fame career.” Cooper had plenty more to say about Sale,” The question is will the Red Sox belly up to the bar for something probably close to or exceeding $250MM in 3 years when Sale becomes a FA if he pitches well.
I think they should because even on the White Sox he has been a top-5 starter for the past number of years, a 1-2-3 of Sale-Price-Porcello if Price pitches like he pitched toward the end is one of the best 1-2-3s in baseball
pinballwizard1969:
Looking ahead three years, the question may be whether Cooper is right; that Sale’s weird delivery won’t cause arm problems in the meantime.
Also, we’ll see if any clubhouse problems occur with so many “stars” on the Red Sox roster.
I couldn’t imagine sale pitching for ten more years. Better names have failed. Not trying to be negative. I like the guy
The swingman recorded a 3.53 ERA despite an ugly 1.6 K/BB ratio last season.
It took Worley like forever to get settled, but once he did he was fine.
He never really had a defined role for the Orioles, but I want him back.
I like him a lot. I also wanted Wieters back, but I don’t see this becoming true either.
I love how on the mobile app version of this, they feel the need to photoshop a Red Sox uniform on Sale.
Yeah, I hate that. Might as well just photoshop him holding the 2017 AL Cy.
I like the way Don Cooper basically suggests that Sale should be a Hall of Famer because NOW Sale is on a club that doesn’t spare anything in the name of winning. That speaks volumes of the team who has employed him for the past 20 years, doesn’t it?
or he said he will get more counting stats (wins) on a better team.
Watch out Red Sox fans. Sale’s FB declined last year and that may be a quirk, or it may be something more. I’ve got a bad feeling about it.
I’m excited to see the RedSox go with big time pitching. They where always about hitting….
Pitching is everything…
If you are serious about getting CF help Al Avila, sure hope you are talking to Ben Revere. Pretty solid ballplayer despite an off year last year. He was scheduled to be a FA next off season until non-tendered by the Nats. He needs a place to have a bounce back season and he should be well within your budget..
He’s awful defensively. No arm.
No -No- No!! He can’t talk to Revere until January.
I wish Avila would just shut up!!
So if he does not get someone in a trade…. “Maybe we can wait until January and get a guy to be a temporary fix”. Is that a FA and “wait” for what exactly?? It is a temporary fix till when-Spring Training?
Then he wants to “plug that hole (which he created by dumping Maybin like he was a hot potato 6 weeks ago) with a sixth-year minor league free agent.”
So I guess he will: First try to get someone in a trade. If that fails- then wait till January and hope someone is still available that can play CF. That guy is only going to be a temporary fix till he fills it with a AAAA minor leaguer for one of the most important defensive positions (CF) in Detroit.
Please Avila- don’t talk!! You are making the Tigers the “laughing stock” of MLB.
That the Tigers are refusing to unload their players, even with the luxury tax, just shows that the Tigers are not the “laughing stock”. Just like the Red Sox, who are watching their dollars, Detroit is on a budget. Players being non-tendered might provide a better choice to provide help in CF. If Revere is the best FA out there, it’s showing that the current pickings are slim. I would love to see Jankowski, and I would give up Iglesias in a package for him. Jankowski could end up the next Craig Gentry, however, so there is a limit of how much to pay. Detroit could probably just sign Gentry.
I don’t disagree with what they are doing-it is just that Avila seems to be a rudderless ship. I should have said that Avila’s public statements (not the Tigers) are the issue.
It’s so nice to see things coming together for the Seattle Mariners. Good GM, good farm, good roster, good everything.
Replace “good” with “mediocre” and you’re almost there. Their chances of competing still revolve around Cano, Cruz, and Felix, who are all getting old fast. Only star in his prime they have is Seager.
They’re actually in a pretty seriously bad situation.
And when the Mariners win the division you’ll be the one that calls everyone else band wagoners.
Ms should trade for JD Martinez
If the tigers want to get rid of Anthony Gose they can propose the Red Sox for a straight up trade for center fielder Rusney Castillo who is an above average defensive center fielder better than any outfielder that Tigers have at this moment and even better than a possible FA Ben Revere. Castillo has at last found his offensive touch this winter in Puerto Rico with Caguas in Winter ball. batting .429/.471/.500 so far in his 14 at bats. A change of scenery will due wonders for both outfielders and both would be controlled until the end of 2020 and with Castillo having an option of accepting or being tendered arbitration in 2021.
oh wow 14 at bats in winter ball? color me convinced.
He said “so far.” Relax.
Tigers are trying to shed payroll and Castillo has a terrible contract
If the Tigers were really trying to shed payroll, they would ….. shed payroll. Avila is a bit out of his league as a GM, and alas, I think his job is where they have shed most of it.
I don’t think he’s out of his league at all. Hard to move guys when there are still big names available for free.
Tigers are looking to move JD Martinez and Mariners are one big bat away from being playoff contenders. I’d say go all in before Cano and Cruz stock plummets. JD for Tyler O’Neil and Kyle Lewis makes sense for both teams.
That is a horrible trade for the Ms
While I think O’neil by himself would be fair value, I don’t think its what the Tigers are looking for. They want major league ready talent, and while he is close, I don’t think he’s close enough. Lewis, with his torn ACL, makes him questionable. for trade bait. (Seattle wouldn’t get fair value).
Yes Lewis has the high risk high reward factor. But that probably wouldn’t be realized until next year. Seattle in essence is overpaying for one year of JD but come July if they are out of contention they could just as easily flip him for another high ranking prospect (O’Neil caliber) of a contending team. They’d basically lose out on Lewis. Of course if JD gets injured then it’s a colossal failure and the GM would get fired. The Tigers are smart to try and trade JD while he’s healthy.
Giving up way to much for a one year rental.
Chris sale will personally win 20 games for the Red Sox. He pitched slower to throw less pitches and go further into games. he has 97 98 when he needs a la a Justin Verlander. he keeps on the pace he is on is in the HOF. Red Sox have arguably the best pitcher in baseball not named Kershaw.
“Personally win 20 games”?
You mean he will have no fielders and will use invisible runners when he hits in every spot?
Aside from the hyperbole, wins are not a good measure of a pitcher’s abilities.
The bigger question is whether “he keeps on the pace he is on”. No pitcher is immune to overuse or injury. Or in his case, putting himself above the team.
Let him have 5-7more years of true dominance, then we can talk about the HOF.
What is Don Cooper supposed to say, really? He just states facts. Sure…if Sale has 10 more seasons like the last 3…he’s going to the Hall…and he has a clear advantage at it pitching in Boston. But thats a big if….If 3-5 solid years is a predictor….then he needs to line up behind Tim Lincecum and Orel Hershiser.
I don’t have an issue with Cooper or Sale…its just not even an interesting journalistic question…its pre-Christmas filler.
Story points:
1) Very few managers or coaches talk about a former teammate publicly like Cooper did.
2) His remarks could definitely be construed as a knock on the White Sox as well.
This was not “filler”, but a story worthy of being addressed.
As is just about everything on MLBTR.
Well, this is far from something that isn’t typically addressed. Players and coaches are constantly asked questions that can only really be answered in cliche. Cooper’s response was predictable as would be expected. No light was shone upon anything intriguing. Would Cooper say, “Yeah, his mechanics are messed up…I can’t believe we unloaded him at the right time? I hope he likes the Boston uniforms so he doesn’t rip them to shreds.”..?
It is filler…its not mlbtr…its part of what they catalog. Its just a journalist being paid. Its ok…I just dont find an ask question A knowing answer B is coming to be all that interesting. Its like asking a politician a typical question and knowing a non candid response is coming.
Well, now I know what “filler” looks like.
Im not sure what could be construed from this blurb as a direct knock on the White Sox? People all over baseball and in the stands question the mechanics and the drop of velocity.
It’s alright…I just thought this blurb was a lazy question. Ill go look deeper.
Just read the entire article. Sounds like Cooper was irritated at the question….dont get ANY sense that Cooper is knocking the White Sox…he even says…”The White Sox lead the world in keeping pitchers healthy. Our guys go to the post every 5 days.”
The Boston market is so rabid for baseball stories on the hot stove that the writers create non-stories. Cooper has a “what he heck!” type response which is what id expect from him.
Ok, you win. I’m tired.
Just a discussion…glad they come up…im an adult…I dont look at this as a contest. I learn a lot sometimes. Ill just headline Cafardo here….”Cooper says Sale is a great pitcher, and wishes him well.”