Minor MLB Transactions: 2/21/16
Here are the latest minor moves from around baseball, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…
- The Marlins released left-hander Troy Patton, the team announced. Patton was a non-roster invite to Miami’s spring camp after signing a minor league deal with the club in December. Patton’s 2015 season was limited to 30 1/3 innings for the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, as he missed much of the year serving an 80-game suspension for testing positive for amphetamines. The southpaw has a 3.25 ERA, 7.2 K/9 and 3.14 K/BB rate over 169 career innings with the Astros, Orioles and Padres, though only 14 of those frames have come in the last two seasons.
- The Angels have hired Brendan Harris and Ben Francisco as pro scouts, Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reports (via Twitter). The hirings would suggest that Harris and Francisco are retiring after lengthy professional careers that saw both men play for six different franchises and play their last big league games in 2013. Harris spent eight seasons in the majors, with 390 of his 529 career games coming as a regular with the Rays and Twins from 2007-09. The versatile Harris saw lots of time at shortstop, third base and second base over his career and he hit .256/.314/.381 over 1876 plate appearances with six different franchises. Francisco saw regular action in the outfield with Cleveland and Philadelphia from 2007-2011 before bouncing around to four other clubs in his final two seasons. Francisco hit .253/.323/.418 with 50 homers over 1771 Major League PA, though he may be best remembered in Philadelphia for his three-run homer that helped the Phillies win Game 3 of the 2011 NLDS against the Cardinals. MLBTR congratulates Harris and Francisco on their fine careers and wishes them the best as they move into the scouting world.
Rangers Notes: Victorino, Beltre, Daniels
Here’s the latest from the Rangers’ camp…
- The Rangers have considered signing Shane Victorino, but only on a minor league deal, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo reports (Twitter link). Texas is known to be looking for veteran outfield help, with such names as Alejandro De Aza, David Murphy, Will Venable and (as ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported earlier today) Drew Stubbs also receiving some consideration. It’s been rather a quiet offseason for Victorino, who is returning to switch-hitting and looking for a one-year contract to rebuild his value after two injury-plagued seasons. Despite Victorino’s impressive career track record, a minor league contract could be his best option at this late juncture in the offseason; from the Rangers’ perspective, they only seem willing to address their outfield depth need in the form of minor league deals anyway.
- Adrian Beltre told reporters (including MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan) that he thought about undergoing surgery to repair the torn ligament in his left thumb last July. Beltre suffered the injury in May and spent most of June on the DL, though he was still in a great deal of pain even after returning. The veteran third baseman was able to tough it out the rest of the season, however, and only underwent surgery after Texas was out of the playoffs. As he prepares to enter his 19th MLB season, Beltre said he’s certainly aware of his age but overall, “my body feels pretty good….on the field, I don’t think I have any limitations.“
- Beltre and GM Jon Daniels both confirmed that there’s mutual interest in working out a contract extension to keep Beltre in Texas beyond the 2016 season. Despite Beltre’s age, Daniels called him “a unique guy” and said “you want to be cognizant of age — older players have more risk — but there are some guys ahead of the curve and he has proven to be one of those guys in more ways than one. Age is a factor, but it’s less of a factor than other guys.”
- In other Rangers news from the last two days, the team signed Jeremy Guthrie to a minor league deal and learned that Tanner Scheppers will miss at least five months due to surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
MLBTR Originals
A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:
- All-Star Giants second baseman Joe Panik joined host Jeff Todd on this week’s edition of the MLBTR podcast. Panik discussed his offseason rehab from a back injury, the development of his power at the plate, and how his background as a finance major impacts how he follows contractual matters in baseball. He also shared fond memories of his time with retired teammates Jeremy Affeldt and Tim Hudson as well as a story of an influential conversation with teammate Hunter Pence early in his career. A new episode of the podcast is released every Thursday and can be accessed on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
- We’re now more than halfway through the month of February and David Freese finds himself still on the open market. Recently, MLBTR’s Steve Adams surveyed the market for the third baseman to try and find a fit. Freese has been a league-average or better bat throughout his career according to both OPS+ and wRC+, and he’s coming off a pair of seasons in Anaheim where he batted a combined .258/.322/.401 (106 OPS+, 108 wRC+). At the same time, there are reasons not to be so gung-ho about the veteran and many of the clubs with clear third base issues have taken care of that position already.
- In Tuesday’s chat, Steve fielded questions on the White Sox, Juan Uribe, the Khris Davis trade, and how to make the ideal mac and cheese.
- In the latest edition of the MLBTR Mailbag, Steve answered questions on the Cardinals, Braves, and the Orioles’ farm system.
- If you’re not already, you should be following MLB Trade Rumors on Instagram.
Nationals To Sign Juan Gutierrez
The Nationals will sign right-hander Juan Gutierrez to a minor league deal, according to MLBTR’s Steve Adams (on Twitter). The deal does not include an invite to Washington’s big league camp.
Gutierrez appeared in 114 games for the Royals, Angels and Giants over the 2013-14 seasons, posting a 4.08 ERA, 6.7 K/9 and 2.47 K/BB rate over 119 relief innings. The 32-year-old was non-tendered by San Francisco following the 2014 season and re-signed with the team on a minor league deal, though he exercised a June 1 opt-out clause in his contract since he wasn’t on the Giants’ Major League roster. Gutierrez signed on with the Phillies and Nationals on minor league deals as well in 2015 but never cracked the bigs, ending up with a 3.98 ERA over 61 innings at the Triple-A level.
Tanner Scheppers To Miss Half Of Season
Rangers right-hander Tanner Scheppers has torn cartilage in his left knee and will miss at least the first half of the season, as The Associated Press writes. The veteran is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday.
Scheppers, 29, was a staple in the Rangers’ bullpen in 2013, pitching to a 1.88 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 across 76 appearances. However, injuries have slowed him down ever since. In 2014, Scheppers made only four starts and four relief appearances thanks to right elbow inflammation. In 2015, the reliever was hampered by his knee and a sprained right ankle, limiting him to only 42 outings and production that was not in line with his career best. In total, he posted a 5.63 ERA with 7. 5 K/9 and a sky-high 5.4 BB/9.
Scheppers was drafted by the Rangers in the first round (44th pick) of the 2009 amateur draft. He is not scheduled to reach arbitration until after the 2016 season and will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season.
AL East Notes: Dickey, Blue Jays, Orioles, Fowler
Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey revealed to reporters that he underwent surgery at the end of last year to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, as Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com tweets. Dickey was the subject of trade rumors over the winter but the club denied actively shopping him. It’s also not clear if the Blue Jays could have gotten much for the knuckleballer considering that he is entering his age-41 season, only under contract for 2016 and earning $12MM. News of Dickey’s knee surgery probably doesn’t do much to help his trade value going forward, either.
Here’s more from the AL East:
- Orioles veterans are happy to see the team continuing to make free-agent acquisitions, Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun writes. “He’s an awesome guy,” Hardy said of Yovani Gallardo, who was his teammate for a time. “Good pitcher. Obviously, you guys can see his numbers. He’s only had one losing season in, what is it, nine years? Great guy, great teammate. He’ll fit right in.” On Saturday night, the Orioles and Gallardo agreed to a three-year, $35MM deal with a $13MM club option for 2019.
- The Orioles haven’t landed Dexter Fowler yet, but Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com says the O’s might as well part with two picks in order to fill the 2016 team’s main holes in the rotation and outfield. Fowler would bring a capable leadoff hitter and table-setter with a healthy career on-base percentage and Melewski feels he would be well worth the draft pick compensation.
- After signing Gallardo, Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn’t sure what the corresponding 40-man move will be, but he says it won’t necessarily be a pitcher, as Rich Dubroff of CSNMidAtlantic tweets.
Follow MLBTR On Instagram
Recently, MLB Trade Rumors launched a brand new official Instagram account: @TradeRumorsMLB. Each day, we’re sharing conversation-inspiring images about the hottest topics in baseball. From there, we invite you to give us a like, weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section, and even share the link with a friend.
On Saturday, immediately after news of the Orioles’ agreement with Yovani Gallardo broke, MLBTR’s Instagram gave fans a sneak peek at what he will look like in his new jersey. Just before that, MLBTR asked readers to predict the landing spots for Yulieski Gurriel and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. a.k.a. the Super Gurriel Bros. Another recent image asked readers to weigh in whether the Orioles would sign Pedro Alvarez or Dexter Fowler or instead trade for Jay Bruce.
So, what are you waiting for? If you don’t have an Instagram account, this is the perfect excuse to sign up and get one. Follow us on Instagram today!
Rangers Interested In Drew Stubbs
The Rangers have discussed Drew Stubbs as an outfield depth option, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com tweets. However, Texas only wants to sign him to a minor league deal.
Texas signed Stubbs to a minor league deal back in August after he was cut loose by the Rockies. After slashing .216/.286/.431 across 51 games for the Rockies, Stubbs hit just .095/.269/.143 for Texas in a limited sample size of 26 plate appearances. For his career, Stubbs has hit .244/.313/.395 at the plate across seven years.
Stubbs provided the lefty-heavy Rangers with a useful option down the stretch last season and he could be called back to fill the same role in 2016. Still, the Rangers are not presently willing to give the 31-year-old a guaranteed spot on the varsity squad. We haven’t heard much about Stubbs’ free agency in recent weeks, so an incentive-laden minor league pact might be a good solution for both sides.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Braves, Pirates, Cardinals
Here’s our weekly look around the baseball blogosphere:
- Atlanta Baseball Talk spoke with John Schuerholz and John Coppolella.
- Pirates Breakdown discussed how Jung Ho Kang can affect the Bucs’ run production.
- Redbird Rants made five bold predictions for the Cardinals.
- Jays From The Couch sat down with Jonathan Harris.
- Camden Depot ran the numbers on childhood memories.
- Clubhouse Corner chatted with LaTroy Hawkins.
- Blue Jay Hunter wonders if Toronto should re-sign Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion.
- Big Three Sports reflected on Chris Archer‘s 2015.
- Inside The ‘Zona delved into the D’Backs’ rotation.
- Bronx Bomber Blogger ran down ten things for Yanks fans to look forward to.
- Outside Pitch highlighted some Yankees storylines to watch.
- The Score pondered Barry Bonds’ 2016 value.
- Sports Heaven says Starlin Castro should change positions.
- The Shark Tank talked Bucs NRIs.
- Blue Jays Plus says Michael Saunders makes Toronto even better.
- Chin Music Baseball says six teams are facing major pressure to win.
- Chris Zantow wrote about former reliever Ken Sanders.
- Philliedelphia debated the Wall of Fame.
- BBA projected the top five save leaders in each league.
- TPOP updated their Prospect Surplus Values for 2016.
- Wayniac Nation wonders if the Angels should move Mike Trout.
- Notes From The Sally previewed the 2016 Hickory Crawdads.
- Motor City Bengals wonders if J.D. Martinez can get any better.
- Baseball MTJAG discussed the big Cuban free agents.
- Gardy Goes Yardy ran down the Bombers’ pitching options.
- Now On Deck is thrilled that baseball is back.
- Pinstriped Prospects looked at five Bombers prospects who could debut in ’16.
- Jays Journal broke down Toronto’s left field battle.
- Baseball Essential says Rob Refsnyder is undervalued.
- Baseball Hot Corner interviewed Blue Jays top prospect Conner Greene.
Please send submissions to Zach Links at ZachBBWI@gmail.com
Dodgers Sign Yaisel Sierra
FEBRUARY 21: The Dodgers announced the completion of the deal. Sierra will earn a $6MM signing bonus and then salaries of $1MM, $2.5MM, $3.5MM, $4MM, $5.5MM, and $7.5MM, per another Heyman tweet. He will have the ability to opt into salary arbitration if he becomes eligible.
FEBRUARY 20: Sierra and the Dodgers are expected to complete their deal soon, Jon Heyman tweets. It will be in the $30MM-$31MM range.
JANUARY 12: The Dodgers have reportedly agreed on a six-year deal with Cuban righty Yaisel Sierra. Jon Heyman tweeted that a deal was in place after Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported this morning that agreement was close (Twitter link).
Per Passan, Sierra is expected to receive a guarantee of around $30MM. The Dodgers “pulled ahead” with an offer of between $30MM and $35MM over six years, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports (Twitter links). The other teams that have at least made a “strong push” for Sierra are the Marlins and Cubs, he adds. (Miami’s pursuit was recently reported.)
Needless to say, Los Angeles has been remarkably active on the international market, and the addition of Sierra only continues that trend. The club already added Japanese hurler Kenta Maeda in the new year, signed and traded Hector Olivera last spring, landed a number of high-priced July 2 prospects (led by Cuban hurler Yadier Alvarez) over the summer, and then continued to pay 100% overages on large bonuses to Cuban prospects Yusniel Diaz and Omar Estevez.
Sierra, like Maeda and Olivera, is more or less MLB ready, though he’s probably more likely to see big league action out of a pen in the near term. The Dodgers’ rotation is already arguably somewhat overloaded, though, so Sierra could factor as a 2016 relief piece while looking to tap into his starting upside down the line.
The 24-year-old seems to come with a fairly intriguing ceiling. While he didn’t post good results in his most recent action in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, he is said to have a mid-90s fastball with a good slider. The ready comp is Reds’ righty Raisel Iglesias, with Ben Badler of Baseball America explaining (subscription required) that Sierra has more physical tools but less polished command than did Iglesias when he signed.
Sierra boosted his stock with a showcase in late October that drew a throng of scouts. And recent scouting reports have suggested that the righty has shown improvement in cleaning up both his delivery and command. As Badler noted today on Twitter, Sierra looks like a potential mid-rotation starter at his best.
It’s easy to see the rationale here from the Dodgers’ perspective. Even as the team increasingly eschews large commitments to veterans, it is putting its admirable financial position to work by doling out huge bonuses on the international market. While Sierra won’t require the team to pay a 100% tax, as he wasn’t subject to international signing limitations, the investment still represents a significant up-front cost that probably won’t yield a commensurate return on the field in the immediate future (if it ever does).
Of course, that’s precisely the gamble that all teams take when they dedicate resources to amateur talent. But Los Angeles is uniquely well-situated right now to utilize cash to accumulate young, controllable assets. With the strict limitations applicable to the draft, and the organization’s coming two-year ban on international signings of over $300K, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if we see yet more outlays over the next several months.