Giants GM Bobby Evans tells Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that Mike Morse was the one to reach out to the team about a possible minor league contract, and not vice versa. As Schulman notes, Morse spent much of the 2016 season in apparent retirement after being cut loose by the Pirates, but it seems he’s not quite ready to call it quits just yet. Morse is somewhat of a long shot to make the roster in Spring Training, and Schulman writes that Evans did not receive an indication of whether Morse would be willing to go to Triple-A if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster. As it stands, he’ll compete with Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson for an outfield role. The Giants make plenty of sense as a landing spot for a corner outfielder right now, but Evans suggested to Schulman that he doesn’t plan to sign a big bat for the outfield. San Francisco will monitor what is a buyers’ market for corner outfielders in the months leading up to Spring Training, though, Schulman adds.
A few more notes from around the National League…
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson tells Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News that he doesn’t envision beginning extension talks with any of the team’s young rotation arms until Spring Training begins. “We’re not thinking about it now, it really hasn’t been our focus,” said Alderson. “It’s probably not something that is going to happen before we head to spring training.” Among Mets starters, Matt Harvey is in his second year of arbitration and is controlled through 2018, while Jacob deGrom is in his first trip through arbitration (as a Super Two player) and is controlled through 2020. However, both pitchers underwent season-ending surgery in 2016 — thoracic outlet syndrome for Harvey and an ulnar nerve repair for deGrom — so the Mets may want to see how they rebound from a medical perspective before engaging in talks. Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz both stand out as logical extension candidates as well, as neither has reached arbitration yet, which could give a bit of extra incentive to talk long-term. Both pitchers are controlled through the 2021 season.
- MLB.com’s Thomas Harding runs down a number of roster questions for the Rockies in his later Inbox column, noting within that he still expects GM Jeff Bridich to add another reliever either via trade or free agency. Harding also writes that Bridich is considering the possibility of adding a veteran catcher prior to Spring Training as well. The Rox have been asking for potential front-of-the-rotation pitchers in trade talks for Charlie Blackmon, Harding adds, which explains to some degree why the Rockies don’t appear to have had much in the way of advanced trade talks regarding Blackmon. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a $9MM salary for Blackmon next year. He’s controlled through 2018 via arbitration and is fresh off a career year in which he slashed .324/.381/.552 with 29 homers and 17 steals.
- While some Cardinals fans were frustrated that the team didn’t make a big play for Edwin Encarnacion, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch dispels the notion that St. Louis’ lack of a push for Encarnacion was due to financial reasons. Goold reports that the Cardinals’ upcoming increase in television revenue — the team agreed to a $1.1 billion television contract in July 2015 — will give the team about $20MM more in rights fees in 2018 than it will earn in 2017. The column provides an excellent breakdown of the Cardinals’ payroll, noting that just under $46MM is coming off the books from 2016 while just over $47MM has been added to the 2017 ledger. The Cardinals certainly have the capacity to increase spending, Goold writes, but in the case of Encarnacion they simply weren’t all that interested in him as a player (at least not at his price tag). Per Goold, St. Louis’ interest in Encarnacion was only “mild.” (It doesn’t seem that the Cards are abandoning the idea of adding some right-handed pop to the lineup, though, as they were rumored to be “very much” in the mix for Twins second Brian Dozier earlier this afternoon.)
If the Cardinals sign Dozer then their infield situation would be a little less crazy. As a Cardinals fan I would like to see that happen. If it did it would add some more power to the lineup as well.
You mean the Cards trade for Dozier
I think we all know what he meant, no biggie
I didn’t think that was a big deal, but looks like multiple ppl took issue with an honest mistake/mistype
Some Cards fans seem to think all players are signed..
Dozier isn’t a free agent. He will need to be acquired from the Twins.
That’s going to be a mighty big trade package if it is indeed not just a smoke screen.
Dozier is not a free agent. The Cardinals (or any other team) would likely need to surrender substantial prospect resources to acquire him as he is coming off of a huge year and is relatively affordable for a couple more years.
As a Cubs fan, the idea of the cardinals adding Dozier is spooky. I for one am hoping a deal cannot be worked out
So you are saying the Cubs should be afraid?
Sure… respect what the cardinals have done (as an organization) and how dozier allows the cardinals to replace all of the offense lost (with a middle infield position).
Now that’s funny.
Any team that isn’t a bit scared of the key opponents in their division are already in trouble, including the Cubs. Injuries alone could make that a reality. And even losing Schwarber last year…pretty much everything else went as the Cubs hoped. Won’t always be that way.
Yep, loved Heyward’s production.
Yep and the complete absence of injuries to the pitching staff, Health of Rizzo, Bryant, Russell, Zobrist, Baez, Fowler…it all went just fine. They’re gonna miss Fowler a lot more than they think though…
Fowler was on the DL just before the A.S. Break
I agree you should respect the competition. I just don’t think fear and respect are the same. But I understand what you mean now
I realize now I have a typo
Thx JKB. No clarification needed but appreciated
Love that podcast in the Cards link related to payroll
Sounds great but depends on who the twins are asking for. Probably not worth the trade chips Cards would have to give up.
The question is: is anybody actually willing to include a superior young pitcher compared to de leon? Only one i see is alex reyes but i doubt the cards are down with that.
Twins need pitching soooooooo badly.
Giants and cards have some solid pieces to trade, but not necessarily in the SP department position wise.
LEVERAGE WARS
The Cardinals have a ton of SP depth. Weaver, Alcantera, Flaherty, Fernandez, Gomber are all legitimate pitching prospects. Weaver is pretty close to the same level as De Leon. Pitching is the one thing the Cardinals can afford to deal.
Do you think the Cardinals would be willing to include Carson Kelly? Not that his name has been mentioned anywhere I have seen, but the Twins have almost zilch for catching prospects in their farm system.
I really think he’s off-limits. I’m not saying I think he’ll be great if anything. But they seem to really like him as Yadi’s replacement that will be needed before long.
A long term deal with Matz sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
I wasn’t expecting them to sign EE anyways. However, I was very surprised to hear of their interest in Dozier earlier
I’m a huge Cardinal fan, but all off season Mo has said that he wants to give Wong a chance this year. I’m not sure how adding Dozier would make sense. I’m betting it is a smoke screen.
And he has said he wants to improve the defense. Dozier at 3rd could be an upgrade over Peralta/Gyrko
Dozier played 172.2 innings at 3rd in the minors, and never in the majors. I don’t think he can’t handle it, but to move him off 2nd wouldn’t make a ton of sense. His value is at 2nd.
I don’t disagree. But if the Cardinals feel he makes the team better by playing 3rd, it doesn’t matter what it does to his personal value.
I don’t think this is likely, either.
Neither do I. I’d be surprised if they could trade for Dozier without Reyes in the package
Matheny would have to play Wong to see what he can really do!
Mo has to justify the crazy $25MM extension of Wong that he made. Wong’s got to be near the top of the MLB Overrated/Overpaid List.
I know it’s not the point of the post, but I still don’t know what the Rocks are doing, and I’ll be especially baffled if they trade Blackmon. Don’t know why they spent all that money (and the pick) on Desmond when there were much less expensive options at 1b.
Surprised to see Morse being considered in the outfield still. He was poor enough in the field to warrant being viewed as a 1B – I can’t imagine he’s going to be any better after more time off.
Synderguaard
Sanchez
Stroman
Greene
Foley
Could have been the Jays 2018 rotation !!!
Or could have also been
Synderguaard
Sanchez
Stroman
Hoffman
Norris
As soon as 2017 !!!
Honestly Sanchez, Happ, Estrada, Stroman, Liriano might be better off for 2017, but it does hurt in the future.
$200 million for Harvey… $$$$
Classic cardinals fan
Oops wrong post!
Matt Adams and Wong for Dozier
There’s no chance there- If the Dodgers were looking to dump De Leon
It would need to include Reyes, Alcantara Wong and a throw in like McKinney
Lol! Reyes is untouchable. Weaver has as much value as De Leon.
nope
I don’t think you finished the trade proposal there, it’ll take more than that lol
Matt Adams to Colorado is a little intriguing because he won’t break the bank on an sp move for the Rockies.
Weaver, Wong, Adams, and Mayer for Dozier seems about right.
Part of it I think depends on who the Twins would want in return, position players or SP? I know Wong would have to be in it, but beyond that I don’t know.
I doubt that would do it. Wong and Adams are somewhat damaged goods until they prove otherwise.
More of “let’s trade Cardinals’ junk for a quality player” proposals, eh?
Wong is very close to being an AAAA guy. No one would want him other than as filler or one-year placeholder. And at $5MM per year? Nyet !
Caveat emptor…..
Nobody that follows the Mets needs to be informed every time the penny pinchers aren’t going to spend money. Alderson should just let us know the few instances in which they will. Or might. Or might threaten to.
Find a young outfielder…….????