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AL Notes: Napoli, Wieters, Lowrie, Rasmus

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The Rangers’ interest in first baseman Mike Napoli is real, but the pursuit hasn’t exactly been all-out, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. While there’s certainly a financial component to the current standoff, Wilson argues that the team’s mix of alternatives at first base and DH may also be an independent factor. It’s time the club finds out whether Ryan Rua, Jurickson Profar, and Joey Gallo can handle regular MLB roles, he suggests, and that may be holding the Rangers back from pushing to land Napoli.

Here’s more from the American League:

  • While it seems as if the door is all but shut on a return of Matt Wieters to the Orioles, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com wonders whether Baltimore ought to reconsider. If the price has fallen as far as it seems, Connolly reasons, Wieters would combine with Welington Castillo to form a strong backstop duo. Both could also spend some time at DH, perhaps along with a variety of other players that could rotate through that slot.
  • It seems that the Athletics are set to utilize Jed Lowrie as their regular option at second, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports on Twitter. Manager Bob Melvin says it’s Lowrie’s job so long as he’s healthy. Oakland has received positive indications on Lowrie’s recovery from foot surgery. The 32-year-old will also be looking to bounce back from a tepid year at the plate.
  • The Rays haven’t yet announced the signing of outfielder Colby Rasmus, but that’s not due to any issues with his physical, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). It’s not immediately clear what the holdup is, though it could simply be that the team is waiting to sort out a roster move before making it official.

Avila: Tigers Won’t Exceed Luxury Tax Line In 2018

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While the Tigers’ efforts to streamline their roster may not have advanced much this offseason — a scenario that was contemplated at the outset — that doesn’t mean the plan has changed for the years to come. As Anthony Fench of the Detroit Free-Press reports, GM Al Avila says his organization will not continue its current spending levels past the 2017 season.

“Our situation, really, it’s a tough situation,” said Avila. “Everybody’s looked at our payroll, and it’s over $200 million. This will be the second year we’re going over the luxury tax; we certainly are not going to go over the luxury tax for a third year.”

As the veteran baseball executive explained, it’s not just a matter of the team spending “above its means,” as Avila put it last October. There’s also the matter of the new CBA, which would impose a 50% tax on any spending over the luxury tax line of $197MM.

All told, it’s hardly surprising to hear this stance. Detroit has signaled for some time now that a broader shift in approach is in the works, with the organization unable to continue spending near the very top of the league and the current competitive window narrowing.

Looking at the Tigers’ future commitments, there’s just over $138MM already committed for next year. Arb raises will likely occupy another big chunk, and then there’s the likely-to-be-exercised Ian Kinsler option ($10MM). But Detroit ought to have little problem dipping back under the limbo stick with big earners such as J.D. Martinez, Anibal Sanchez (who technically could be retained on a $16MM option), Mike Pelfrey, Francisco Rodriguez, and Mark Lowe hitting the market.

The biggest future payroll questions, though, are largely out of Detroit’s hands. Outfielder Justin Upton has the right to opt out of his contract following the 2017 season, but he’ll likely need to improve upon his 2016 performance quite a bit in order to pass up the $88.5MM he’d stand to earn from 2018-21. And any possible trades involving highly paid veterans Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and Jordan Zimmermann would be contingent upon approval from the players, all of whom have full no-trade protection (though Zimmermann’s full protection turns to partial protection after 2018). Upton has a twenty-team no-trade clause.

Travis Wood Drawing Interest As Starter

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Left-hander Travis Wood has been a plausible rotation candidate all offseason despite his recent work as a reliever with the Cubs, and MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets that Wood is indeed drawing interest as a starter. The veteran has “at least one Major-League contract offer” from a team that wishes to use him in the rotation, per Morosi.

Wood, who’ll soon turn 30, produced good results in the pen last year for Chicago, throwing 61 innings of 2.95 ERA ball — though he did so with just 6.9 K/9 to go with 3.5 BB/9 and benefited from an extremely low .215 BABIP. Despite the sub-3 ERA, those numbers are actually a bit disappointing. Wood had produced a jump in his swinging-strike and strikeout rates upon moving to a relief role in 2015, but essentially reverted to his prior levels (which came as a starter).

Of course, Wood’s history as a starter is a feather in his cap rather than a demerit. He did scuffle in 2014, but ran up exactly two-hundred innings of 3.11 ERA pitching the year prior. All told, he has made 133 big league starts, over which he has allowed 4.19 earned runs per nine.

That being said, there’s also reason to believe that Wood can be a more useful weapon — to a contending team, at least — while working from the pen. He obviously can take on multiple innings if needed, but also has a track record of stifling opposing lefties, making him an excellent match-up option. Over his career, right-handed hitters own a .749 OPS against the southpaw, while same-handed batsmen sit below .600. Those splits were even more severe last season.

That track record at least suggests that Wood can present a depth option, even if he’s signed with intentions of being used in the pen. But it seems there’s at least one team that would be willing to promise him not only a roster spot, but a place in the rotation. Whether that club is also the high bidder, of course, isn’t known.

 

Padres Still Monitoring Market For Shortstop Upgrades

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The Padres are “bullish” on former top prospect Luis Sardinas following his strong showing with the club following an August trade, but they’re also still keeping an eye out for a long-term upgrade at the position, reports MLB.com’s A.J. Cassavell.

“Realistically, [shortstop] will be something that we’ll still be looking at in Spring Training, comparing what’s out there, most likely via trade, versus what we have in-house,” San Diego general manager A.J. Preller tells Cassavell.

Preller knows Sardinas well, as he played a significant role in signing the now-23-year-old switch-hitter when he was working in the Rangers’ front office. Sardinas emerged as a Top 100 prospect in the eyes of MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus, but he struggled through parts of three big league seasons before finding his first taste of Major League success with San Diego last year. In an admittedly small sample of 120 plate appearances, Sardinas batted .287/.353/.417 with a pair of homers, six doubles and a triple. He’s long been touted as an above-average defensive shortstop as well, so if he can continue to provide some semblance of offense, he could function as a long-term option in San Diego. Certainly, though, the Padres aren’t going to hang all their hopes on a month’s worth of plate appearances.

While Zack Cozart is an obvious trade candidate, it’s unlikely that San Diego would spring to part with young talent to acquire him with just one remaining year of club control. Looking elsewhere in the league, Adeiny Hechavarria’s name has come up in trade rumors over the past year, but the Marlins have repeatedly been said to want pitching help if he’s to be moved, and the Padres are thin in that regard themselves. Speculatively speaking, Freddy Galvis could eventually become available with J.P. Crawford looming on the horizon in Phialdelphia, while the A’s and Brewers have controllable options in Marcus Semien and Jonathan Villar.

The most common speculative name to be tied to the Padres is Jurickson Profar, due both to the lack of an opening in the Rangers’ middle infield and to Preller’s time in Texas. However, Profar didn’t do much with the bat in 2017 and is controllable only for another three seasons after missing two straight years with shoulder injuries. There’s quite possibly still some interest on San Diego’s behalf, but Profar is far from a sure thing, and it’s been a long time since he was the game’s top overall prospect.

Braves To Sign Kris Medlen

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The Braves have struck a minor-league deal with righty Kris Medlen, per David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links). Once a key member of the Atlanta organization, Medlen will now have to earn his way into MLB camp, as his deal doesn’t include an invite.

If Medlen does make the MLB roster, he’ll earn at a $1MM annual rate, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). He can also achieve up to $2MM in incentives, based upon what role he might occupy (games started or total appearances).

Medlen, now 31, last appeared for the Braves in 2013, when he turned in 197 innings of 3.11 ERA ball with 7.2 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9. His career was knocked off course the next spring, however, when he tore his UCL during Spring Training and ultimately required Tommy John surgery.

Atlanta ultimately elected not to tender him a contract before the 2015 season, leaving Medlen to explore the open market. He landed with the Royals on a two-year deal that promised $8.5MM, but never really made good on the contract in Kansas City.

Medlen was able to return to action and provide 58 1/3 innings in 2015 — including eight starts and seven relief appearances. While his 4.01 ERA wasn’t exactly sparkling, Medlen did return to his typical ~90 mph fastball velocity and show that he could pitch competently at the major league level.

While there was some hope for a greater resurgence this past season, that wasn’t to be. Medlen dealt with shoulder injuries and wasn’t effective when he was available. He ended up handling only 24 1/3 MLB innings, posting a 7.77 ERA while uncharacteristically walking more batters (20) than he struck out (18).

Still, it’s an easy risk for Atlanta to take on a pitcher who is still relatively youthful and remains popular with the fanbase. Whether or not he can crack the roster remains to be seen, though the lack of a camp invite suggests that the team isn’t expecting it. Odds are, then, that Medlen will need to attempt to work his way back to the bigs with a stint in the upper minors at least to open the season.

Rangers Sign Wesley Wright To Minors Deal, Outright Brady Dragmire

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The Rangers announced on Friday that they’ve signed veteran left-handed reliever Wesley Wright to a minor league contract and outrighted right-hander Brady Dragmire to Triple-A Round Rock. Both players will be invited to Major League Spring Training, per Rangers executive VP of communications John Blake.

Wright, who turns 32 tomorrow, didn’t appear in the Majors in 2016 (the first year since 2007 that he hasn’t thrown a big league pitch). He did log 31 1/3 innings with the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate, posting a 4.31 ERA with 21 strikeouts against 13 walks.

Wright lost most of the 2015 season to injury (a strained left trapezius muscle, to be more specific), but from 2011-14 he was a quality contributor to the Astros, Cubs and Rays. In those four seasons, Wright logged a 3.25 ERA with 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings against 3.2 walks per nine. Over the course of his career, Wright has held opposing left-handers to a rather timid .237/.313/.334 batting line through 606 plate appearances.

As for Dragmire, the 23-year-old’s lengthy and tumultuous trip through the offseason waiver circuit will now end with the Rangers. Originally the property of the Blue Jays, Dragmire was designated for assignment in late September and traded to the Pirates, only to be claimed back by the Rangers in early December. Texas tried to sneak him through waivers two weeks later after signing Carlos Gomez, at which point the Pirates re-claimed him off waivers. As if that wasn’t enough movement, Dragmire was again designated by Pittsburgh and again claimed by the Rangers, who designated him for assignment yet again last week after signing Tyson Ross. The Rangers have now finally succeeded in passing him through waivers, meaning they’ll be able to retain his rights without committing a 40-man roster spot to Dragmire.

Last season, Dragmire logged a 4.38 ERA with 5.1 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 in 72 innings at Double-A New Hampshire (Toronto’s affiliate). While those numbers aren’t exactly eye-catching, Dragmire also logged a robust 63.6 percent ground-ball rate, which seems to have made him highly appealing to both Texas and Pittsburgh. He’ll hope to replicate that trait with some improved run prevention in the upper minors as he looks to make his way to the Major Leagues for the first time in 2017.

Nationals Sign Grant Green To Minor League Deal

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The Nationals announced that they’ve signed infielder Grant Green to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. The Boras Corporation client will compete for a utility job in Spring Training and could also open the year in Triple-A as a depth option for the Nats.

[Related: Updated Washington Nationals Depth Chart]

Now 29 years of age, Green was a first-round pick by the A’s back in 2009 (No. 13 overall) and rated among the game’s top 100 prospects for multiple seasons prior to his debut in the Majors. However, despite consistently strong performances at the Triple-A level, where he’s a career .313/.351/.470 hitter in nearly 2000 plate appearances, Green’s bat simply hasn’t panned out in the Majors.

Green spent the 2016 season in the Giants organization and hit well in Triple-A, as usual, prompting a promotion to the Majors in late June. He slashed .261/.300/.370 in 50 plate appearances with the Giants, but he lost his roster spot when Joe Panik was activated from the disabled list in late July. San Francisco acquired Eduardo Nunez from Minnesota shortly thereafter, further blocking the road for a return to the Majors for Green.

The bulk of Green’s experience in the Majors has come as a second baseman, though he’s also spent time in the outfield corners and at each infield corner. In the minors, Green has seen more than 2000 innings at shortstop as well as more than 1100 innings at second base and more than 500 innings at virtually every spot on the diamond other than on the mound and behind the plate.

The Nationals are set with Ryan Zimmerman at first base, Daniel Murphy at second, Trea Turner at short and Anthony Rendon at third base. Behind that quartet is the recently re-signed Stephen Drew as well as corner outfielder Chris Heisey and first baseman/outfielder Clint Robinson. It seems unlikely that Green would beat out anyone from that group, especially as a right-handed bat (which the Nationals already possess in abundance), so it seems likeliest that he’ll either open the season in the upper minors with Washington.

NL East Notes: Saunders, Phillies, Braves, Nats

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Michael Saunders will don a Phillies jersey for the first time this coming season after signing a one-year deal, but as the outfielder tells Ryan Lawrence of PhillyVoice.com, he was nearly a long-term piece for the Phillies back in 2009. Saunders was originally reported to be part of the return the Phillies would receive in trading Cliff Lee to the Mariners, and he was indeed on the verge of being included in that deal, he now says. “They said I was on the Sportscenter tracker in the trade where we were getting Cliff Lee in that three-way deal,” Saunders says. “So I called my agent and he had to do a little bit of digging, he made some calls, called me back and he said, ‘You know what, it’s time to to start packing your bags.” The outfielder goes on to explain that he was, however, a “last-minute subtraction” from the trade that ultimately proved to net a disappointing haul for the Phils. (Tyson Gillies, Phillippe Aumont and J.C. Ramirez went to Philadelphia in the deal, none of whom provided any real value to the team.)

Saunders also spoke about his second-half drop in production, and he believes his inability to work out early in the preceding offseason (due to 2015 knee surgery) led to a good deal of fatigue in the season’s second half. Lawrence’s column is full of quotes from the new Phillies’ right fielder, and I’d recommend a full read-through for those that are interested.

A few more notes from the NL East…

  • MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki fields a number of roster-related question in his latest Phillies Inbox, addressing additional moves, the backup catcher’s role, J.P. Crawford’s timeline and some rumors that surrounded Cesar Hernandez earlier this winter. Zolecki notes that while further minor league deals could be handed out — he specifically notes that the bullpen could be an area of need — the Phils are likely done adding significant pieces this winter. He also calls Andrew Knapp the favorite to serve as Cameron Rupp’s backup in 2017, though veterans Ryan Hanigan and Bryan Holaday will do their best to give him a run for his money in Spring Training as non-roster invites.
  • The Braves have an unexpectedly deep bullpen picture and a number of options heading into 2017, writes MLB.com’s Mark Bowman in a very comprehensive (and highly recommended) breakdown of the relief corps in Atlanta. Strong late-season performances from right-hander Jose Ramirez (who is out of minor league options) and waiver claim Chaz Roe give the Braves two intriguing arms to complement righties Jim Johnson, Arodys Vizcaino and Mauricio Cabrera. Ian Krol looks to have one spot locked down, while Paco Rodriguez could battle to be a second lefty in manager Brian Snitker’s bullpen. However, the Braves are also intrigued by Rule 5 pick Armando Rivero, who whiffed 105 batters in 67 2/3 Triple-A innings last season. And the team has plenty of experienced non-roster arms as well, including Eric O’Flaherty, Jordan Walden and Blaine Boyer. That latter of the trio is the likeliest to make the team’s Opening Day roster in Bowman’s estimation.
  • Greg Holland is headed to the Rockies after agreeing to a one-year deal a couple of days ago, and FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that the Nationals are still in the market for a closer after watching the former Royals star head elsewhere. Washington was reportedly interested in Holland and one of the final teams in the mix, but it appears their search for a late-inning arm will continue. As Heyman points out, Sergio Romo is among the most experience right-handed options remaining on the market, while the trade market still has David Robertson and Alex Colome, though the latter is viewed as unlikely to be moved. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal wrote late last night that the Nationals aren’t as willing to spend on “lesser relievers” as they were on an elite arm like Kenley Jansen (to whom they offered more than $80MM). The Nats are also reluctant to trade prospects, he adds. MASNsports.com’s Pete Kerzel writes that it’s looking more and more likely that the Nats will go with internal options, as they don’t appear to have been especially active in attempting to trade for a late-inning arm due to the asking prices put forth by other teams.

Latest On The Market For Left-Handed Relievers

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The agents for Jerry Blevins and Boone Logan are signaling to interested teams that each left-hander will be able to land two-year, $12MM deals or better, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. That two-year, $12MM figure — the same contract inked by Antonio Bastardo with the Mets last offseason — was recently used a potential template for both Blevins and Logan by one executive that spoke with Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.

Nicholson-Smith recently reported that the Jays remain in contact with Blevins, and Rosenthal lists the Dodgers as another club that’s interested in his services. As is the case with their interest in Joe Blanton, though, the Dodgers are interested in a one-year deal, which could make it difficult to secure one of the top remaining names on the relief market. The New York Post’s Kevin Kernan writes that the Mets are checking in with Blevins’ camp on a daily basis. The Yankees are also in touch with the representatives for the remaining lefty relievers, Rosenthal adds, though they’re only interested in one-year deals with a low base salary or even minor league deals with Spring Training invites. That, it would seem, removes the likes of Blevins and Logan from the Yankees’ realistic options.

Both Blevins and Logan averaged better than 11 strikeouts per nine innings this past season, though Blevins did so with a lower ERA (2.79 to 3.69) and better control (3.2 BB/9 to 3.9 BB/9). That strikeout rate represented an easy career-best for Blevins, while Logan has averaged better than 11 K/9 in each of the past five seasons with the Yankees and Rockies.

Meanwhile, Craig Breslow’s recent showcase, which was attended by roughly half the league, has thrust him into the conversation of available lefties. Breslow’s new arm slot was said to pique the interest of some clubs, and he represents a significantly more affordable option than other southpaws that have yet to sign with a new team. Rosenthal reports that the Indians, Mets and Dodgers each had multiple evaluators in attendance, and WEEI’s Rob Bradford reported recently that the Rockies, Blue Jays and Cubs were all in attendance as well. Kernan notes that he spoke to a scout who was in attendance for Breslow’s workout and came away impressed.

Travis Wood, too, is still seeking a new home this winter, but Nicholson-Smith notes that many in the industry still expect Wood to seek a starting job due to his experience in the rotation. That makes him a tough fit for the Blue Jays, and the fact that teams like the Yankees and Dodgers aren’t looking to break the bank, in my mind, makes either club seem like a long shot as well.

Quick Hits: Howard, Marlins, Rockies, Rays, Wieters

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Ryan Howard tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that a productive second half in 2016 — Howard batted .262/.324/.608 in his last 140 plate appearances — convinced him that he still has “a lot left in the tank.” Howard is working out and waiting in hopes of receiving an offer for the upcoming season, Rosenthal writes. The longtime Phillies cornerstone is open to signing in the American League and serving as a designated hitter, and he’s realistic and understanding of the fact that he isn’t likely to be given an everyday role. Howard is one of many left-handed sluggers on the free-agent market — Brandon Moss, Pedro Alvarez, Adam Lind and Justin Morneau are all also available, for instance — but a strong finish and 24 home runs against right-handed pitching (in 327 plate appearances) could get him a look as a part-time DH or a bench bat in 2017.

Here are a few more late-night notes from around the game…

  • The Marlins’ acquisition of right-hander Severino Gonzalez filled the team’s 40-man roster, making further guaranteed contracts unrealistic, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro reports. The Marlins could still add some players on minor league deals, but with a full 40-man roster and a payroll that is at its limit (roughly $110MM), additional spending is a long shot. Miami was recently connected to both Chris Carter and Mark Reynolds, but Frisaro calls the chances of signing either “extremely remote.” The Fish do have interest in Jeff Francoeur, but he’d have to be willing to sign a minor league contract in order to return to Miami. That could ultimately happen, but Francoeur does have interest elsewhere, as the Braves are said to be in on him as well.
  • Sticking with the Marlins, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears that it was the agents for Carter and Reynolds who reached out to the Marlins recently, and not vice versa. That would certainly make sense, as Miami could look like an appealing landing spot, on paper, for either slugger. Jackson writes that the Marlins are considering a 13-man pitching staff and a four-man bench, making the addition of even a modestly priced right-handed bat like Carter or Reynolds unlikely. There’s still some interest in Francoeur and Chris Johnson, he notes.
  • Fangraphs’ David Laurila spoke with Rockies GM Jeff Bridich about a number of topics, interestingly touching on what lessons that Major League front offices can learn from the front offices of teams in other sports. Laurila notes that Bridich is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan, and the two discussed Green Bay’s ability to build through the draft as well as the Atlanta Falcons’ turnaround from a sub-.500 club to a Super Bowl participant. Bridich also spoke about the Rockies’ focus on youth and athleticism as well as their growing analytics department. “We’ve worked in leaps and bounds to do that, but it’s probably unfair to say we’ve brought our analytics process up to par with our scouting process,” said Bridich. “…in terms of the human capital, in terms of the financial capital, and the time spent in the growth of the analytics over the last year, year and a half… it’s real. We’re starting to really see some movement there.”
  • Rays general manager Erik Neander tells Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that newly acquired right-hander Jose De Leon is very close to making a “significant impact” on the team, though Topkin writes that De Leon could open the year in Triple-A. De Leon’s shoulder has been a source of concern for some, but the right-hander denies that there’s any cause for concern and said his arm is healthy. “I’m on a mission,” De Leon tells Topkin. “I was a low draft pick, nobody knew about me, nobody believed in me, so I’m on a mission to fulfill my dreams. Getting to the big leagues is just the beginning.”
  • Topkin also notes at the end of that column that the Rays are “possibly” considering free-agent catcher Matt Wieters in their search for a bat. While that may seem like a curious fit at first glance, offseason signee Wilson Ramos will be out early in the season as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn ACL. Even when Ramos is healthy enough to take the field, it’s all but certain that the Rays will want to be cautious at first once he’s activated. Wieters could catch regularly for a good portion of the season and eventually be part of a catcher/DH timeshare with Ramos, in theory.

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