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Archives for February 2017

AL Notes: Astros, Angels, Rangers, Jays, Twins

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Astros senior vice president of broadcasting and alumni relations Jamie Hildreth passed away Friday at the age of 72, reports Alyson Footer of MLB.com. Hildreth joined the Astros in 1987 and became their longest-tenured employee. “Jamie was a vital part of the Astros’ organization for over three decades,” owner Jim Crane said in a statement. “His knowledge of the industry and great ability to connect with people were invaluable. He has left an indelible mark on those of us that were fortunate to work with him. We send our deepest condolences to his many friends and family members.”

MLBTR sends our condolences to Hildreth’s family, friends and organization.

Here’s more from the American League:

  • Thanks in part to injuries, the Angels’ rotation finished last season 20th in the majors in ERA and 28th in fWAR. The Halos responded by making several depth-oriented additions during the offseason, including Yusmeiro Petit, Bud Norris and John Lamb, and expect to have far more success in 2017 as a result. “We’re confident we have the depth that is going to give us a championship-caliber rotation,” manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday (via Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times). “Exactly what the names are gonna be or what order remains to be seen, but we’re excited with the depth that we have. We’re excited with our defensive team, which should be an excellent team, and the positive effect that’ll have on all of our pitching, especially on our starters. We’re confident.” While Scioscia is clearly optimistic about the Angels’ pitching depth, rival talent evaluators are largely skeptical of the group, according to Moura.
  • In the same piece, Moura relays that infielder/outfielder Dustin Ackley still hasn’t received medical clearance to throw since the then-Yankee underwent shoulder surgery last June. Of course, that will make it all the more difficult for the early February minor league signing to earn a spot on the Angels’ Opening Day roster.
  • With a strong spring, first baseman James Loney “could rise to prominence in the Rangers’ camp,” writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Fellow minor league signing Josh Hamilton is also competing for a roster spot, and his knee issues might aid Loney in his quest to crack the 25-man, suggests Sullivan, who points out that they could use a lefty-swinging first baseman to complement the right-handed Mike Napoli. It’s worth noting that Hamilton has never played first, whereas Loney has lined up there almost exclusively since debuting in 2006. Although Loney batted a meek .265/.307/.397 in 366 plate appearances last year, Rangers manager Jeff Bannister told Sullivan that the lifetime .284/.336/.410 hitter “has proven over time that he’s a pretty tough out.”
  • While Blue Jays outfielder Dalton Pompey’s stock has dropped since he peaked as Baseball America’s 30th-best prospect after the 2014 season, the club remains bullish on the 24-year-old. “We think he’s part of the future, left field or whatever, in this organization,” manager John Gibbons informed Paul Hagen of MLB.com. Continued Gibbons: “We think he’s going to have a great career, but he just needs to go out there and play and don’t worry about anything else. Because he’s got a ton of talent. He’s really got everything he needs to be really, really good.” Only two of Pompey’s 384 plate appearances last season came in the majors, and with Kevin Pillar, Jose Bautista, Ezequiel Carrera, Melvin Upton Jr. and Steve Pearce around as outfield options, he seems likely to head to the Triple-A level to begin 2017.
  • Twins right-hander Ryan Vogelsong was worried the line drive he took off the head last May would not only end his career, but perhaps cost him his vision, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Fortunately, the ex-Pirate returned to the mound with his vision intact last year, and he’s now vying for a role with Minnesota after signing a minor league pact in January. On coming back for 2017, the soon-to-be 40-year-old Vogelsong said: “I love to compete. I think talking to guys who are done, it’s hard to replace that. I love being around the guys. I just love the game. I don’t play this game to make tons of money. The money is nice, but I play it because I love it. That’s what drives me. I still feel like I have good seasons left.”

NL Notes: Cubs, Mets, Rockies, Cardinals

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The Cubs are considering having left-handers Brett Anderson and Mike Montgomery share the fifth spot in their rotation because they “have not been satisfactorily stretched out,” manager Joe Maddon told Carrie Muskat of MLB.com on Saturday. Injury issues have long beset Anderson, who only notched 11 1/3 innings as a member of the Dodgers last season, while Montgomery has only gone past the 150-frame plateau twice in a professional season. Montgomery last accomplished that in 2015, when the then-Mariner split his season between the Triple-A level and the majors. Maddon opined that Montgomery, 27, has “really high-quality stuff” and could rack up “10 to 15” wins per year.

More from the National League:

  • Injury woes continue for Mets first baseman Lucas Duda, who is dealing with hip stiffness after missing most of last season with a stress fracture in his lower back, relays James Wagner of the New York Times. Duda received a cortisone shot in each hip Friday and then sat out the Mets’ game on Saturday. Manager Terry Collins noted that the Mets are “very fortunate” that it’s still early in camp, which gives Duda more time to heal and should enable the club to make in-house contingency plans at first base. Second baseman Neil Walker and right fielder Jay Bruce could be among the Mets’ fallback options. Walker has never played first, but he took ground balls at the position Saturday, and Collins wants Bruce to get some work there next week. “We’ve just got to protect ourselves,” said Collins.
  • Bud Black is the latest Rockies manager to try to solve the mystery of Coors Field, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick writes. The troubles with Coors Field generally begin with finding good, consistent pitching. “On top of talent, we need mentally tough SOBs,” says Black. “It might get a little bit unsightly when it pops up on the scoreboard or on TV. We have to have guys who will overlook that individual line.” Crasnick notes that the Rockies enter the season with an experienced bullpen that features newcomers Greg Holland and Mike Dunn, and their young starting pitchers (including Jon Gray, Chad Bettis, Tyler Anderson, Tyler Chatwood, and either Jeff Hoffman or German Marquez) gives them hope. GM Jeff Bridich says various types of pitchers can work well in Coors Field, but strong makeup can be a key. “We don’t dwell on it, but we address it openly — this misnomer that success can’t be had at altitude from a pitcher’s perspective,” he says. “We’re 25 years old now as an organization, and there are all different types of pitchers who’ve had success.”
  • Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak is optimistic that newly signed outfielder Jose Adolis Garcia will reach the majors this season, per the Associated Press. “In terms of skillset, I just feel like I would describe him more as a five-tool player, so from a defensive standpoint, above average, from an offensive standpoint, I think there could be some power,” Mozeliak said when assessing Garcia on Saturday. Garcia, a native of Cuba, mentioned through an interpreter that “other offers” were on the table, but he accepted the Cardinals’ $2.5MM proposal “because of the tradition and because it is such a wonderful organization and I knew that I was going to identify with the team and fit in.”

Camp Battles: New York Yankees

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The vast majority of the Yankees’ roster looks set as the season approaches, but the retooling franchise still has a few areas that will need clarification during spring training. In most cases, relatively young players are vying for the youth-oriented Yankees’ open jobs.

Starting Rotation (two spots)
Luis Severino
Age: 23
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Chad Green
Age: 25
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Bryan Mitchell
Age: 25
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 1

Luis Cessa
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Adam Warren
Age: 29
Throws: R
Contract status: One year, $2.29MM (second of three seasons of arbitration eligibility)
Options remaining: 2

The Yankees entered the winter with Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and C.C. Sabathia as their only established starters and exited the offseason in the same situation. Only Tanaka is a top-end option at this point, which made it all the more surprising that the Yankees didn’t bring in more veterans either through free agency or via trade. But it’s clear they’re committed to giving a cadre of unproven right-handers opportunities to seize the last two spots in their rotation this season. Severino, who wasn’t able to follow an outstanding 11 starts in 2015 with a quality showing last season, leads the way.

In terms of run prevention, Severino bombed as a starter over 47 2/3 innings (8.50 ERA), but he did provide some hope with 77 1/3 frames of 3.49 ERA ball out of the Yankees’ Triple-A rotation and another 23 1/3 innings with a microscopic ERA (0.39) as a major league reliever. Despite Severino’s brilliance from the bullpen last year, the Yankees understandably would prefer for the former high-end prospect to develop into a capable starter, so they’re going to leave him in that role for the time being.

Among Severino’s fellow hopeful starters, Cessa threw the most innings last season (70 1/3) and turned in 51 2/3 frames of 4.01 ERA pitching as a starter. The former farmhand of the Mets and Tigers also yielded just 1.39 walks per nine as a starter, which helped offset a below-average K/9 (6.1).

Green, whom the Yankees acquired with Cessa in a 2015 trade with Detroit, had more difficulty preventing runs last year than Cessa did (5.94 ERA in 36 1/3 innings as a starter). However, Green averaged a robust 94 mph on his fastball, induced whiffs on 12.3 percent of swings and registered an outstanding 10.9 K/9 from the rotation.

Mitchell’s average velocity was similar to Green’s in 2016 (93 mph), though he only totaled five appearances – all starts – after April toe surgery knocked him out for the first few months of the year. While Mitchell put up a stellar 3.24 ERA and an above-averaged 48.2 percent ground-ball rate during his 25 innings, he also tallied more walks than strikeouts (12 to 11) and allowed home runs on an unsustainable 3.7 percent of fly balls.

The sole member of the Yankees’ potential back-end starter contingent who isn’t at a prime age is Warren, who will turn 30 in August. However, Warren could be the only one who’s guaranteed to make the major league roster, as manager Joe Girardi said Saturday the ex-Cub will be on the Yankees’ 25-man as either a starter or reliever (Twitter link via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Nearly all of Warren’s career has been spent as a reliever (205 appearances, 21 starts), and it’s likely he’ll again fill that role at the outset of 2017. The normally competent Warren will try to bounce back from a 65 1/3-inning season in which he threw to a 4.68 ERA and 5.12 FIP, both of which represented enormous drop-offs from his career numbers (3.63 and 3.96).

Prediction: This is a difficult one to forecast, but Severino is loaded with upside and should be a leading candidate to garner a spot. The Yankees could allow Severino to sink or swim in the majors in the early going, and if he scuffles again, they’d be able to reassess whether to try him in the bullpen again or give him more minor league seasoning as a starter. And we’ll also bet on the bat-missing Green to join Tanaka, Sabathia, Pineda and Severino.

Right Field
Aaron Judge
Age: 24
Bats: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 3

Aaron Hicks
Age: 27
Bats: S
Contract status: One year, $1.35MM (first of three seasons of arbitration eligibility)
Options remaining: Out of options

The Yankees acquired Hicks from the Twins last winter with the hope that he’d build on a promising 2015 in which he hit .256/.323/.398 with 11 home runs and 13 stolen bases across 97 games and 390 plate appearances. But Year 1 of Hicks’ tenure in the Bronx was a disaster, as he slashed a paltry .217/.281/.336 and swiped just three bags over 361 trips to the plate. The switch-hitting Hicks was particularly ineffective against lefties (.161/.213/.271 in 127 PAs), which hadn’t been the case during his three years in Minnesota.

Hicks’ struggles in 2016 helped open the door for Judge, who logged a woeful .179/.263/.435 line with 42 strikeouts in his 95-PA major league debut. The 6-foot-7, 255-pound Judge packs a wallop, though, and has held his own in the minors since the Yankees selected him in the first round of the 2013 draft. As a result, Judge currently ranks among the game’s top 50 prospects on lists by ESPN’s Keith Law (44th) and MLB.com (45th), while Baseball Prospectus (63rd) and Baseball America (90th) also regard him highly.

Prediction: Judge wins the starting job, but the out-of-options, cannon-armed Hicks stays in the fold as New York’s top reserve outfielder.

Bullpen (one to two spots)
Jon Niese
Age: 30
Throws: L
Contract Status: Minor league contract ($1.25MM on active roster)
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Chasen Shreve
Age: 26
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until the 2020-21 offseason
Options remaining: 1

Ben Heller
Age: 25
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 3

Jonathan Holder
Age: 23
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 3

With Aroldis Chapman, Randy Levine favorite Dellin Betances and Tyler Clippard locked in, and Warren, Mitchell and Tommy Layne perhaps in line to join them, the Yankees should have a good idea of what their bullpen will look like. The picture isn’t fully clear, though, as the likes of Niese, Shreve, Heller and Holder figure to push for roster spots in the coming weeks.

Niese is easily the most experienced, having collected 211 major league appearances. Although 197 of those have come as a starter, the Yankees are intent on seeing what he can offer as a reliever. Niese doesn’t seem like an overly appealing option as anything but a long reliever, however, as he doesn’t throw hard or dominate same-sided hitters (lefties have hit .266/.326/.412 against him). Shreve, on the other hand, hasn’t fared well since a successful 12 1/3-inning stint with the Braves in 2014 and a terrific first half as a Yankee in 2015. He also hasn’t been any kind of solution against lefty-swingers, who have slashed .264/.361/.462 against him. Heller and Holder, meanwhile, have done nicely in the minors – the latter was especially great last season – but didn’t carry that success to the majors in small sample sizes in 2016.

Prediction: The Yankees tab Niese as a third lefty behind Chapman and Layne, who would accompany four righties (Betances, Clippard, Warren and Mitchell) to comprise their season-opening bullpen.

[RELATED: New York Yankees Depth Chart]

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Bucs, Jays, Braves, Cubs, Royals

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This week in baseball blogs:

Please send submissions to ZachBBWI @gmail.com.

AL Notes: Yankees, Bourn, Zunino

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Analytics plays an increasingly important role in player acquisition decisions, but team chemistry might be even more important now than it once was, Yankees GM Brian Cashman tells the New York Post’s Ken Davidoff. It’s especially important not to introduce a problem player into the mix, Cashman says. “20 years ago, you can bring anybody in and survive that,” he opines. “Now I don’t think it’s as easy — with social media, TMZ and stuff like that. Because you’re too busy instead of talking about the game and the results and the competition, you’re too busy talking about something that’s going on off the field or not game-related constantly. It’s a pain. It’s a problem.” There are, however, still unknowns in determining what sorts of players can become problems — Cashman says that, for example, one can’t know beforehand which players will suddenly become less interested in the game after setting themselves up for life with a big contract. Here’s more from the American League.

  • Orioles outfielder Michael Bourn has a broken ring finger on his right hand and will miss the next four weeks, Roch Kubatko of MASN writes ( Twitter links). Bourn injured the finger yesterday while catching a football as part of a team workout. Bourn, of course, recently signed a minor-league deal to return to the Orioles, and he stood a decent chance of making their Opening Day roster. It remains to be seen how Bourn’s injury will affect his chances of making the team, and how his situation will be impacted by his opt-out, which allows him to leave the Orioles in late March if he isn’t added to their big-league roster.
  • Former No. 3 overall pick Mike Zunino’s big-league career hasn’t gone as anticipated, with a .195/.262/.370 through 1,247 career plate appearances in the Majors. Zunino’s downward spiral even included a demotion to Triple-A Tacoma last season. He remains upbeat about his future, and now says the demotion actually helped him, as Larry Stone of the Seattle Times writes. “[I]t was exactly what I needed at the time,” says Zunino. “You never want to take a step backwards, but sometimes that can let you take two steps forward. It really felt that way. Being able to go down to Triple-A, be able to have some success and being called back up, you feel that sense that you earned your way back up.” In Seattle, Zunino says, he had a number of coaches giving him hitting advice, whereas in Tacoma he worked only with that affiliate’s hitting coach, Scott Brosius, who helped him re-think his approach. This year, Brosius is on the Mariners’ big-league coaching staff, and Zunino thinks he’ll also benefit from the presence of veteran backup Carlos Ruiz, who the M’s acquired in a trade this winter.

Minor MLB Transactions: 2/25/17

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the game.

  • The Orioles have re-signed shortstop Paul Janish to a minor-league deal with a Spring Training invite, Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com tweets. Incumbent O’s shortstop J.J. Hardy has had back issues lately, but Buck Showalter told reporters, including MASN’s Roch Kubatko (via Twitter), that Janish’s re-signing is not related to Hardy’s status. The 34-year-old Janish appeared in 14 games with the Orioles in each of the past two seasons, but has spent most of the last two years with Triple-A Norfolk, where he batted .248/.333/.280 in 2016.
  • Orioles lefty T.J. McFarland has cleared outright waivers and been placed on release waivers, Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun tweets. The Orioles designated McFarland for assignment when they officially acquired Vidal Nuno from the Dodgers. The Orioles remain interested in McFarland but would like to re-sign him for less than the $685K they would have had to pay him after settling with him for that sum in January, Kubatko tweets. McFarland has just over three years of service time and would have been eligible for arbitration had he and the Orioles not settled. The reliever is coming off a disappointing season in which he posted a 6.93 ERA with ten walks and just seven strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings in the big leagues.

Braves Claim Christian Walker From Orioles

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The Braves have claimed 1B/OF Christian Walker from the Orioles, the Orioles have announced. The O’s designated Walker for assignment last week when they acquired Richard Bleier from the Yankees.

Walker was once a well-regarded prospect in the Orioles’ system, winning the team’s minor league player of the year award after a strong 2014 season spent mostly at Double-A Bowie. He has since struggled to get much traction at Triple-A Norfolk, however, batting a decent but modest .264/.321/.437 there last season. Walker had little chance at a roster spot with the Orioles once the team re-signed Mark Trumbo this past winter.

Walker does, however, have an option remaining, and he’s relatively young, at 25. While his Triple-A numbers haven’t been impressive, they also haven’t been horrific, so it seems possible he could yet emerge as a viable big-leaguer with a bit of improvement. If he does, his ability to play both first base and left field should give the Braves or some other organization at least a couple ways to use him. The Braves, of course, have Freddie Freeman at first, but it’s possible to see Walker helping the team out as a backup and in the outfield (where he could potentially serve as a right-handed caddy for Nick Markakis) at some point this season.

Cafardo’s Latest: A-Rod, Nava, Robertson

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Here’s the latest from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

  • Alex Rodriguez recently said he is retired and does not intend to return to the game, but he tells Cafardo that his decision to leave the playing field behind was a bittersweet one. “It’s never ever out of you,” he says. “I love this game so much. When you’re out here on the grass with my uniform on, you’re always tempted to grab a bat, but I’m also happy with my life.”
  • Minor-league signee Daniel Nava has a reasonable chance to make the Phillies’ roster out of camp, according to GM Matt Klentak. “He can play the corner outfield spots, first base, and he’s a switch-hitter, so he’s got a shot,” Klentak says. The one-time Red Sox outfielder batted a modest .223/.297/.292 with the Angels and Royals last season. With Tommy Joseph at first and Howie Kendrick, Odubel Herrera and Michael Saunders around the outfield, Nava could compete with Aaron Altherr, Chris Coghlan and perhaps Tyler Goeddel for spots on the Phillies’ bench.
  • At last check, talks between the Nationals and White Sox regarding David Robertson were in “stalemate,” but Cafardo writes that there’s a chance they could be revived. He echoes earlier reports that the White Sox would have interest in Pedro Severino, the youngest member of the Nats’ current catcher logjam.

Camp Battles: Pittsburgh Pirates

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The Pirates, due to a fairly strong group of young players and to a long string of multi-year contracts for their core hitters (including Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Francisco Cervelli, Chris Stewart, John Jaso, David Freese, Josh Harrison and Jung Ho Kang) have a limited number of jobs available in camp this year. It makes sense, then, that the Bucs signed only a few veterans to minor-league deals this year, and that none of the veterans they did sign appear to have much chance of making the team.

There are, however, a few spots open. Let’s take a look.

FIRST BASE
Josh Bell
Age: 24
Bats: B
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

John Jaso
Age: 33
Bats: L
Contract status: One year, $4MM remaining on two-year contract
Options remaining: 0

The first base job appears to be Bell’s to lose, but there are a couple of wrinkles here. Bell did not move from the outfield to first base until fall of 2014, and his defense at first still rates as well below average. Also, he recently had knee surgery, although he has already been cleared to do everything but run. Assuming he’s healthy, he’ll likely get the job, with Jaso moving to a bench role. In that scenario, Bell could also see time in the outfield, with Jaso or Freese taking over first base when the Bucs wish to give one of their outfielders a rest.

Prediction: Bell wins the job.

THIRD BASE / BACKUP INFIELD
Philip Gosselin
Age: 28
Bats: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2020-21 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Alen Hanson
Age: 24
Bats: B
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 0

The Pirates’ group of position players appears mostly set, but there appears to be at least one job open, and a number of moving parts will factor into the Pirates’ choice. One is the status of Kang, who appeared in court in South Korea last week to answer for a DUI charge. It’s unknown when Kang will be able to report to camp. If he can’t be ready by Opening Day, Freese would likely take most of the playing time at third base, but a player like Gosselin’s chances of making the team would also increase.

Assuming Kang is ready, though, the team will likely have a bench of Stewart, Freese, Jaso and Adam Frazier, with one spot open. Super-utilityman Frazier played middle infield in the minors, but the bench is otherwise short on middle infield talent. The problem with both Gosselin and Hanson is that both are more second basemen than shortstops, but the Pirates also don’t really have a pure shortstop bench candidate unless they go somewhat off the beaten path and take someone like light-hitting minor-leaguer Gift Ngoepe north.

Between Gosselin and Hanson, Gosselin has much more big-league experience, having amassed 501 career big-league plate appearances over four years with the Braves and Diamondbacks. He also appears, generally, to be a better player than Hanson, who batted a disappointing .266/.318/.389 for Triple-A Indianapolis last year. But there is at least something to be said for Hanson’s candidacy — he’s a former top prospect who’s out of options, and his base-stealing ability would at least give Clint Hurdle an interesting tactical option off the bench. There is perhaps also a possibility the team could keep both — Kang could get stuck in Korea, and there might be a chance the Pirates could option Frazier, although that appears unlikely after his solid 2016 rookie season.

Prediction: Assuming Kang is ready, Gosselin makes the team, and the Pirates lose Hanson off waivers.

FIFTH STARTER
Tyler Glasnow
Age: 23
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Drew Hutchison
Age: 26
Throws: R
Contract status: One year, $2.3MM; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2019-20 offseason
Options remaining: 1

Steven Brault
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Trevor Williams
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

The pitcher to watch here is the 6-foot-8 Glasnow, who towers over the other three pitchers both literally and in terms of upside. Glasnow, though, has had trouble with his control and is still working on a third pitch — he arrived in camp this season throwing a new changeup after rarely using a change last season. The Pirates might feel he’s better off continuing to work out the kinks in the minors.

If that’s what they decide, the other three pitchers would battle for the final rotation spot, with the choice perhaps coming down to Hutchison and Brault. Hutchison arrived in the controversial Francisco Liriano trade last season and did not perform well in the Pirates’ organization down the stretch, either in the minors or the Majors. The Pirates’ decision to tender him, though, suggests that they see something in him. Hutchison also has plenty of big–league experience, unlike the other three candidates.

Brault fared well in the minors last season and would give the Bucs a left-handed option to fill out what otherwise figures to be an all-righty rotation, but he looks like a back-of-the-rotation type. Williams did good work for Triple-A Indianapolis but received fewer opportunities in the big leagues than Brault last season; he looks like a long shot.

Prediction: Hutchison wins the job over the howls of Pirates fans, but Brault pressures him early on.

BULLPEN (ONE SPOT)
Wade LeBlanc
Age: 32
Throws: L
Contract status: Signed to a one-year, $750K deal with a team option for $1.25MM or a $50K buyout in 2018
Options remaining: 0

A.J. Schugel
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2021-2022 offseason
Options remaining: 1

Tyler Webb
Age: 26
Throws: L
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 3, but cannot be optioned as a Rule 5 pick

I assume here that Tony Watson, Daniel Hudson, Felipe Rivero, Juan Nicasio, Jared Hughes and Antonio Bastardo are assured jobs. The complication is that Watson, Rivero and Bastardo are all left-handed, as are LeBlanc and Webb. Bastardo’s name came up in trade rumors over the offseason, but the Pirates did not deal him, perhaps hindered by the late-breaking lefty relief market. He could be a logical trade candidate late in Spring Training as teams finalize their rosters, especially if a lefty reliever on another club suffers an injury. If Bastardo were to be dealt, LeBlanc and Webb’s chances of making the team would increase. It’s perhaps also worth noting that Hughes has an option and looked like a non-tender candidate following a mediocre 2016 season, but the Bucs did tender him and have shown few indications of tiring of his contact- and grounder-inducing ways.

Assuming Bastardo stays, that leaves one bullpen spot. On talent, Schugel looks like the best choice — he was quietly effective in the Bucs’ bullpen last year, and he’s right-handed to boot. He is, however, optionable. The team’s decision to extend LeBlanc last winter might indicate that he has the inside track, even though he’s left-handed. Webb, who the Pirates selected in the Rule 5 Draft last winter, is another possibility after he posted a solid 3.59 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with Triple-A Scranton in the Yankees’ system in 2016. It’s been years since the Pirates have kept a Rule 5 pick on their roster for any significant period of time, but Webb could have a real shot if he impresses in camp. Otherwise, LeBlanc could get the job, with the team continuing to look for opportunities to deal Bastardo.

Prediction: LeBlanc makes the team, loading the Pirates’ bullpen with lefties. Schugel heads to Indianapolis, and the Pirates offer Webb back to the Yankees.

[RELATED: Pittsburgh Pirates Depth Chart]

5 Key Stories: 2/18/17 – 2/24/17

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Here are the top stories from our week of coverage at MLBTR.

Matt WietersNationals sign Matt Wieters. The Nats had already added Derek Norris this offseason, but this week they took advantage of Matt Wieters’ seemingly limited market by signing him to a two-year, $21MM deal with an opt-out after the first season. The move seemingly makes Norris a trade candidate; he could end up with one of a variety of teams. The Brewers and Rays had also shown interest in Wieters, although the Rays were reportedly only willing to guarantee Wieters $6MM.

Cubs extend Pedro Strop. The Cubs removed a good right-handed reliever from next offseason’s free agent market, signing Pedro Strop to an extension through 2018, including an option for 2019. Strop had previously avoided arbitration on a one-year deal for 2017 that would pay him $5.5MM; his new deal also adds $5.85MM for 2018, plus a $500K buyout on the option.

League, union discuss rules changes. MLB and the players union failed to reach agreement on a number of potential rules changes for 2017, leading commissioner Rob Manfred to express frustration this week. One change upon which the two sides did agree is for teams to announce intentional walks via a dugout signal. Manfred also said that the Diamondbacks’ stadium, Chase Field, has “serious maintenance needs.”

Padres sign Jered Weaver. Wieters wasn’t the only veteran to find a new home this week. The Padres signed longtime Angel Jered Weaver to a one-year, $3MM deal that will keep him in Southern California. In San Diego, Weaver will likely join what could be a veteran-heavy rotation, with Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin and Trevor Cahill also in the mix. The Reds also had interest in Weaver.

Orioles acquire Vidal Nuno, re-sign Michael Bourn. The Orioles added a bit of lefty depth this week, dealing minor-leaguer Ryan Moseley to the Dodgers for Vidal Nuno. The move was one of several for the Orioles this week — they also acquired another lefty, Richard Bleier, from the Yankees, and re-signed veteran outfielder Michael Bourn to a minor-league deal. Bourn appears likely to make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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