NL Central Notes: Brewers, Shark, Luebke, Cards
It was on this day in 2002 that the Cubs traded swingman Julian Tavarez and three prospects to the Marlins for Matt Clement and Antonio Alfonseca. While Clement and Alfonseca were useful players for Chicago, this is definitely a “what if?” deal for the Cubs and their fans since Dontrelle Willis was one of the prospects sent to the Fish. The deal immediately led to some pain for the Cubs when Willis’ Marlins beat Chicago in the 2003 NLCS (featuring the infamous Steve Bartman incident) en route to a World Series title.
Here’s some news from around the NL Central…
- The Brewers announced several roster moves today, including the news that Will Middlebrooks, Eric Young Jr., Josmil Pinto, Shane Peterson, Manny Pina and Jake Elmore were told they won’t be making the Major League roster (Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the rundown of all the transactions). All six players will remain in the Brewers’ camp. Five of the six were new arrivals this winter — Pina was part of the Francisco Rodriguez trade with the Tigers, Pinto was a waiver claim from the Padres, and Middlebrooks, Young and Elmore were all minor league signings.
- Jeff Samardzija told ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers that he met with Theo Epstein this winter to explore a possible return to the Cubs, though not much came from the talks. “From where we were at, it takes a lot more to get a deal done. I think Theo had an idea of what they wanted and what they were looking for this year,” Samardzija said. The new Giants rotation member also discusses his previous stint with the Cubs and how the club’s rebuilding process has seemed to pay off.
- The Pirates reinvested in their bullpen this winter, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes, a strategy that makes an increasing amonut of financial and statistical sense, particularly for mid-market payroll clubs like the Bucs.
- Now that Eric O’Flaherty has been traded to Atlanta, it looks like Cory Luebke is going to make the Pirates‘ Opening Day roster, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets. The 31-year-old has reportedly clocking in at 94mph with his fastball and 87mph with his curve this spring. Luebke has an opt-out on Tuesday but it sounds like the Bucs won’t give opposing teams a chance to snatch him up.
- Cardinals GM John Mozeliak says that the team’s decision on Rule 5 right-hander Matt Bowman “could come down to the final hour,” as Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com writes. The Cardinals selected Bowman off of the Mets’ roster in December, making him their first Rule 5 selection in four years. Roughly two weeks ago, ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin reported that Bowman was “more likely than not” to make the cut in St. Louis.
- Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo will be taking a medical leave of absence to recover from offseason knee surgery, the club told reporters today (including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Manager Mike Matheny said the Cards are preparing as if Oquendo will miss the entire season, and several members of the St. Louis coaching staff have shuffled positions.
- The Reds have some decisions to make before Opening Day, as C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer project the club’s 25-man roster.
AL East Notes: Loney, Yankees, Levine, Smith
Here’s the latest from around the AL East…
- Hearing his name mentioned in trade speculation is nothing new for James Loney, as the veteran first baseman tells Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune. “I think I’ve dealt with this pretty much every year in my career, at some point, trade rumors. It gets kind of old. I’m not putting too much stock in it, because nothing’s happened yet,” Loney said. It’s no secret that the Rays have been shopping Loney and his $8MM salary for much of the offseason, though no takers have been found.
- Loney’s presence is one of the many playing-time complications facing the Rays as they prepare to set their Opening Day roster, as Mooney and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times explore in separate pieces. Dealing Loney wouldn’t just save some payroll, but it would also free up a much-needed roster spot for either one of the Rays’ several available position players or perhaps another reliever. If a trade can’t be found, Topkin speculates that Tampa could hang onto Loney for a few weeks into the season until a fifth starter is needed, or the team could just see Loney’s salary as a sunk cost and release him.
- The Yankees optioned Rob Refsnyder to Triple-A camp, with manager Joe Girardi telling reporters (including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch) that the club wants Refsnyder to get more experience playing third base before using him as a utility infielder at the big league level. Ronald Torreyes and Pete Kozma are battling for the backup infield job now, though Giradi didn’t rule out the possibility that the Yankees would look at adding an infielder when other teams make their spring cuts.
- While the Yankees will continue to support income redistribution in the next collective bargaining agreement, president Randy Levine tells FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that the Yankees certainly want to see some changes made to the current system. “What is very burdensome to us — and is unfair — is the amount of money we have to pay in revenue sharing compared, for example, to teams in our market that pay 10 times less than us,” Levine said, referring to the Mets. The revenue-sharing contributions are determined by a formula based around net local revenue. Levine said the Yankees made around $90MM in revenue-sharing payments in 2015. According to Forbes magazine, the Yankees still led all MLB teams in revenue ($516MM) last year, even accounting those revenue-sharing payments.
- There has been some speculation that Carson Smith‘s potential as an injury risk could’ve been a reason the Mariners dealt the reliever to the Red Sox this winter, Fangraphs’ David Laurila writes. Smith is on the DL with a strain of his flexor mass muscle and it isn’t known when he’ll return, though the injury isn’t thought to be too serious. The red flags for Smith are his unusual delivery and his heavy use of the slider — only four pitchers (minimum 60 innings) threw a higher percentage of sliders than Smith did in 2015. “I’ve heard that my whole life, but throwing from a lower arm slot is something that’s come natural for me,” Smith told Laurila. “I’ve found ways to manage it, whether it’s the weight room, the trainer’s room, or on the field.” MLBTR contributor Bradley Woodrum recently cited Smith as a slightly above-average risk for Tommy John surgery as a part of his larger study to predict which pitchers will require TJ procedure in the future.
- In other AL East news from earlier today, David Murphy opted out of his minor league contract with the Red Sox and is already drawing interest from the Orioles and other clubs….the Orioles have discussed releasing Hyun Soo Kim from his two-year contract.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Ortiz, Blue Jays, White Sox
Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere:
- RSN Stats examined David Ortiz in his final year.
- Jays From The Couch looked at Toronto’s No. 5 starter options.
- Chin Music applauded the White Sox’s moves.
- Inside The Zona reflected on 2014.
- Camden Depot says that Manny Machado should not bat third.
- Scoutables delved into submarine pitchers.
- Think Blue PC did a Q&A with Ross Stripling.
- SaberBallBlog wonders if Tyson Ross can break out even further.
- Philliedelphia examined the Phillies’ projected starting lineup.
- Bucs Raise It weighed in on the new slide rule.
- Now On Deck sees five players as trade candidates this year.
- Super Two Sports ran down the five best lineups in baseball.
- Pirates Breakdown looked at the over-usage of Tony Watson.
- Shutdown Inning talked Cuba.
- The Runner Sports discussed the Mexico City Series.
- Today’s Knuckleball looked ahead to Alex Rodriguez’s retirement tour.
- TPOP had 30-something thoughts on the Bucs.
- Puckett’s Pond previewed Trevor Plouffe for 2016.
- The JailHouse says this offseason’s best deal flew under the radar.
- Baseball Hot Corner says the time is right for Aaron Sanchez.
- Rascals Of The Ravine has more tales from the Cactus League.
- Outside Pitch wonders if the White Sox can fill the DH spot from within.
- Jays Journal isn’t so sure about Gavin Floyd.
- A’s Farm spoke with some of Oakland’s top prospects.
- Wayniac Nation sized up Yadier Molina‘s Hall of Fame chances.
- Dynasty Digest is high on Mookie Betts in fantasy.
- BBA isn’t buying into the Rays in 2016.
- Amazin Prospects says that Sandy Alderson cannot stray from his formula.
- Big Three Sports spoke with Fangraphs’ Dan Farnsworth.
- Pinstriped Prospects says the Gary Sanchez demotion isn’t the end of the world.
- About Sports sees Ender Inciarte as a long-term option in center field.
Please send submissions to Zach Links at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
David Murphy Opts Out Of Red Sox Contract
Outfielder David Murphy has opted out of his minor league deal with the Red Sox, according to several media members (including Tim Britton of the Providence Journal). The club now has 48 hours to either release the veteran or add him to the 25-man roster.
The move doesn’t come as a surprise, as there has already been speculation about other teams (namely the Orioles) that would be interested in Murphy if he was hit the open market. The 34-year-old hit .283/.318/.421 with 10 homers over 391 PA with the Angels and Indians last season, and he has a career .795 OPS against right-handed pitching, making Murphy a solid candidate for any club looking for left-handed bench depth or a platoon role. Murphy has hinted that he would consider retiring rather than take a minor league job at this stage of his career, though this could be a moot point if there is a solid market for his services.
If Boston puts Murphy on its Opening Day roster, he’ll receive a $2MM base salary for 2016 as per the teams of his minors contract with the team. It’s not out of the question that Murphy remains with the Sox, though the team has a number of outfield options to weigh. Even if Rusney Castillo is sent down to Triple-A, the Red Sox could use Brock Holt or Travis Shaw as the left-handed hitting side of a platoon with Chris Young in left field, rather than retain Murphy.
Nationals, Braves Trade Tyler Moore For Nate Freiman
The Nationals announced that they have acquired minor league first baseman Nate Freiman from the Braves in exchange for infielder/outfielder Tyler Moore.
Freiman, 29, signed on with Atlanta in December after having a disappointing year for the Athletics’ Triple- A affiliate. In 305 plate appearances for Triple-A Nashville, the first baseman slashed just .220/.279/.321. His last major league stint came in 2014 when he appeared in 36 games (93 plate appearances) for the A’s in 2014, slashing .218/.269/.448 with five homers. Freiman had hoped to crack the roster in Atlanta, but he’ll now look to get back to the big leagues with the Nats.
Moore was put on waivers and then outrighted by Washington earlier this week, so it was pretty apparent that the out-of-options Moore was no longer in the team’s plans. In four years as a bench bat in D.C., Moore hit .228/.281/.401 over 649 PA, with virtually equal numbers against both lefty and righty pitching. Moore has played almost exclusively at first base and left field during his career, though he’s also appeared in nine games in right and worked out briefly as a third baseman this spring.
Padres Return Rule 5 Pick Blake Smith To White Sox
Padres pitcher Blake Smith has cleared waivers, according to Dennis Lin of U-T San Diego (on Twitter). The Padres will now return the Rule 5 Draft selection to the White Sox.
Smith, 28, was a second round pick of the Dodgers in 2009 The University of California product was in the Los Angeles organization until May 2015 when he was shipped to the White Sox for left-hander Eric Surkamp.
Last year, Smith split time between Double-A (with both Dodgers and White Sox affiliates) and Triple-A, posting a combined 3.23 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9. When he was left exposed, the Padres pounced in the Rule 5 draft. However, he apparently did not do enough to compel the Padres to add him to the big league bullpen.
Mets Seeking Backup Catcher
MARCH 27th: The Mets are leaning towards having Plawecki open the season as the backup catcher on the big league roster, Rubin writes. However, they have told scouts to keep their eyes peeled for an available backup catcher. Rubin adds that the Mets are not all that interested in out-of-options Tigers catcher Bryan Holaday.
MARCH 13th: The Mets are telling teams that they are looking to land a backup catcher, a source tells Adam Rubin of ESPN.com. As it stands, the Mets have Kevin Plawecki slotted in as the backup for starter Travis d’Arnaud.
If Plawecki were to remain on the big league roster, he wouldn’t see a whole lot of playing time with d’Arnaud serving as the team’s primary backstop. Team officials are mulling the idea of putting the 25-year-old in Triple-A to get some at-bats and, if they go that route, they feel it is necessary to go out-of-house to get a new understudy for d’Arnaud. The source tells Rubin that the team is not happy with its other internal catching options, including Johnny Monell.
Over the weekend, Mets manager Terry Collins was asked where Plawecki could open the season and he indicated that things are fluid:
“We haven’t had that discussion as to where he’s going to fit the best, or what we think is the best for everyone involved. That has not taken place. What we’ve got to do is take what we think are the best 25 and get out of the gate and go from there. If the conversation goes to, ‘Hey, look, we need to have this guy ready to be an everyday guy,’ he may have to go play [in Las Vegas]. If we think we’re better off being able to get him two to three games a week at times [backing up d’Arnaud], then he’s got a good chance of making the club.”
Plawecki, a first-round pick in the 2012 draft, saw 258 plate appearances for the Mets last season and slashed just .219/.280/.296 with three homers. In parts of two seasons at Triple-A, the catcher hit .262/.318/.392.
Orioles Eyeing David Murphy
Red Sox outfielder David Murphy can opt-out of his contract with the Red Sox today. If he does, he might not be unemployed for long. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe expects Murphy to get calls from multiple teams and he hears from one major league source that the Orioles are among the clubs with interest. Cafardo adds that Murphy is “likely” to exercise his opt-out clause today.
Murphy, 34, inked a minor league deal with Boston in late February, bringing him back to the organization that drafted him in the first-round of the 2003 draft. The veteran’s big league journey took him to Texas for parts of seven seasons before he inked a two-year, $12.5MM contract with the Tribe. That deal didn’t quite go as planned and last season, the Indians shipped Murphy to the Angels. Between the two stops, he posted a combined .283/.318/.421 slash line with 10 home runs.
So far this spring, Murphy has looked solid and he feels as though he’s done enough to make a big league team.
“I feel I’ve had a decent camp and shown the Red Sox what I can do,” Murphy said. “I just want to end up in a major league uniform.”
By the same token, Murphy says that he would rather retire than play the 2016 season in the minors. For his career, Murphy owns a .274/.333/.432 big league slash line over ten seasons with the Red Sox, Rangers, Indians, and Angels.
Added To The 40-Man Roster: Sunday
As Opening Day approaches, teams will be making tough roster decisions involving their veteran players. Some of these decisions pertain to Article XX(B) free agents who have their opt-out date on Tuesday, though other players have opt-outs that fall on Sunday or Monday. We’ll keep track of the players who make the big league roster cut here:
- The Mariners confirmed that Dae-Ho Lee has been added to the 40-man roster, as Bob Dutton of The News Tribune tweets. Lee had the ability to opt out of his minor league deal today if he did not make the 40-man cut. Per the terms of his deal, the Korean first baseman will earn a $1MM base salary with $3MM in possible bonuses.
- Mariners right-handed reliever Joel Peralta has been told he’ll be added to the 40-man roster, Greg Johns of MLB.com tweets. However, nothing is official yet since the 40-man roster is currently full. It’s possible that a move involving Jesus Montero could free up a spot for the reliever.
- The Brewers have added Blaine Boyer to their 25-man roster, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Journal-Sentinel (on Twitter). Boyer, 34, posted a 2.49 ERA in 65 games for the Twins last season, but that was offset by a sub-par 4.6 K/9. Now that Boyer’s fate has been decided, Milwaukee must figure out what to do with Franklin Morales and Chris Capuano who have opt outs on Monday and Tuesday (respectively).
- Brewers outfielder Ramon Flores will make the Brewers’ big league roster, as Todd Rosiak of the Journal-Sentinel tweets. Flores was out-of-options, so the team did not have the option of sending him down to the minors.
- Left-hander Ross Detwiler has been told he’ll be on the Indians‘ Opening Day roster, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets. Per the terms of his deal, Detwiler will earn a $1MM base salary with the opportunity to add another $1.5MM in performance bonuses. The former No. 6 overall draft pick spent last season with the Rangers and Braves but struggled with both teams.
Indians Release Will Venable, Joe Thatcher
The Indians have released outfielder Will Venable and left-hander Joe Thatcher, as Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets.
Venable, 33, was traded from the Padres to the Rangers in August of last year. After hitting .258/.318/.378 in 308 plate appearances for San Diego, Venable’s slash line dropped to .182 .325 .227 in 82 plate appearances for Texas. In total, Venable slashed .244/.320/.350, numbers that were a step up from 2014 but not in step with his previous Padres seasons. The Turner Gary Sports client would have received a $1.5MM base with up to $2MM in incentives had he made the Indians’ roster.
Thatcher was informed on Saturday that he would not be making the team. Thatcher could have accepted a minor league assignment with a June 1st opt-out date, but he apparently requested his release instead. The 34-year-old pitched to a 3.18 ERA with 10.3 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 across 43 appearances last season. Those 43 outings came across two separate stints for the Astros as he was designated for assignment in July and re-signed in August. In a small sample size of 3.2 IP, Thatcher allowed just two hits, fanned four, and walked only one batter in his second turn with Houston.