The Rangers’ open tryouts today have unearthed a number of interesting names, as Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes (Twitter links). Among those trying out today are three hurlers who’ve pitched in the Rangers’ system — Kameron Loe (who was a starter and reliever for the Rangers from 2004-2008 and pitched last season with the White Sox’ Triple-A affiliate), Mark Hamburger (who made five relief appearances with the 2011 Rangers) and Blake Beavan (who was the Rangers’ first-round pick in 2007 and who pitched parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Mariners). Also appearing today are Justin Masterson (who recently pitched a showcase after appearing the Pirates’ minor-league system last year), Kyle Drabek (the former Blue Jays top prospect, who pitched briefly for the Diamondbacks in 2016) and Jose Veras (the veteran bullpen righty, who pitched last year in independent ball). Here’s more from the West divisions.
- The Rockies’ signing of Ian Desmond tops Dave Cameron of FanGraphs’ list of the offseason’s worst transactions. This offseason’s market featured plenty of first base options, and yet the Rockies paid heavily for Desmond, who wasn’t previously a first baseman, to play first for them. The cost of signing Desmond was also more than his $70MM price tag, too, since the Rockies also gave up the 11th pick in the June draft. “I don’t know anyone who understands this move,” Cameron writes.
- Pitching in Coors Field will be a tough assignment for new Rockies reliever Greg Holland, but the mentally tough Holland is up to the challenge, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes. Holland says one factor for him was the way the Rockies have recently added to their existing core (presumably with offseason pieces like Desmond and Mike Dunn, who both signed before he did). “I did my homework before I signed here. I know what they’ve got. I felt the pieces they added, the holes they filled to contend, that was the deciding factor for me. I wasn’t going to come to a place where I couldn’t win,” Holland says. “It’s just like we did there for three or four years in Kansas City. We grew together, learned together, and went from competing to winning.” Holland, of course, missed the 2016 season after having Tommy John surgery but still managed to land $7MM guaranteed (along with some very favorable perks if he’s able to stay healthy) from the Rockies on a one-year deal with a mutual option this offseason.
- Padres righty Tyrell Jenkins had a chaotic offseason in which he changed teams three times in four weeks, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune notes. He first headed from the Braves to the Rangers in a small trade, then was claimed off waivers by the Reds and finally the Padres. Jenkins, for his part, seems to have handled the offseason activity with good humor. Asked about the most difficult aspect of his winter, Jenkins says, “Having to explain to Mom what’s going on. I guess she thought I had a say in what was going on. I was like, Mom, I have nothing to do with this.” Jenkins also notes that he was “trying to catch (Richie) Shaffer and (David) Rollins,” two medalists in this winter’s waiver claim Olympics. Shaffer (an infielder, and, like Jenkins, a former top prospect) headed from the Rays in a trade to the Mariners, then on waiver claims to the Phillies, then Reds, then Indians before being outrighted. Lefty reliever Rollins went from the Mariners to the Cubs to the Rangers to the Phillies to the Rangers (again) to the Cubs, all in less than six weeks, before finally being outrighted last week.
The only reason I can justify the Ian Desmond signing is that Desmond is athletic and could fill in as an OF or even a SS if somewhere were to get injured – like when Trevor Story (SS) got injured last year.
I guess so. I’m trying to understand it too. Unless they eventually find a high buyer for Blackmon and transition him to center, but that too seems antithetical to their win now approach
I’ve been operating under the assumption that they thought they could get a good return for blackmon or cargo and signed desmond as a replacement and then that trade fell through. It is the only way I can make any sense of them spending that much money and a pick to sign a guy to play 1b for way more $ and years than similarly effective 1b got this offseason.
I always thought it was one of two things: (1) trade of Blackmon (or Cargo) for a boatload, or (2) give them the ability to let either of them walk (they’re FAs soon, right?) if they cost a bunch, since they have Desmond on a long term deal.
That seems like a very plausible theory to me @chesteraauthur. They could still make one of those trades at some point. But yeah, good theory.
Cargo is a free agent after this year so they can love Desmond out to RF for the last 4 years of the contract.
Yes, I think that’s the idea that makes sense behind all of this. I’m curious as to what they could have gotten next year in the OF market. I haven’t looked that far ahead
JD Martinez and Lorenzo Cain are probably the 2 top names, here’s the list for free agents next year
link to mlbtraderumors.com
True, they could love him out to RF, but $70 million is already a lot of “love”.
Exactly. If one of their players goes down AJ Pollock style in Game 2, they have a star to fill in that spot and can find a 1B anywhere.
Not saying it’s worth $70 mil and the #11 pick (I think they planned to trade an OF’er) but it’s not quite as crazy as some say.
Desmond’s not a star lol
That makes sense if you have a huge payroll or are going to be very competitive. The first one isn’t true and if they have any sort of huge injury aj pollock style the second one isn’t happening either. So it’s back to not making a ton of sense. A team like the rockies simply shouldn’t be spending that much for what amounts to depth. You can find a 1b easier, which this offseason showed, but they didn’t get one. It just ends up as a rather poor usage of resources for a team that has to be conservative with them.
I am rooting for mark hamburger
Hamburger’s comeback recipe is better if he throws hard cheese and batters can’t ketchup to it. But lettuce see what happens.
lesterdnightfly: you win. pack up your bags, everyone, the internet’s over. we found the best comment.
Foolish to think Desmond spends the life of the contract at 1B
That’s not the point. Desmond is 31, they signed him to a deal that was not cheap and doesn’t supply much surplus value at all even with proper usage, especially after accounting for the 11th pick. Sacrificing even 1 year, which will likely be desmond’s most athletic one remaining since players at age 31 tend to see that decline is a waste.
He’s not the type of player and this is not the type of contract where you just eat a year of sub-optimal deployment to sign him. There were better options on the market to play 1b for this year and there are better uses of the money and pick than signing desmond for 2018 on.
There’s a good chance he’ll shift elsewhere at some point – but the guts of the problem here is…an inning spent at 1B for Desmond, is an inning wasted.
It’s just absolute madness to throw $70million at an OF’er, who was a former SS, in a market that’s absolutely LOADED with 1B men, to play 1B – then not sort out the glut of OF’ers you already have to create space.
“Desmond” and “1B” should never have been said in the same sentence at any point, yet, here we are. It’s a comical situation – and the best thing the Rockies can do is say he’s going to be an OF’er, and shut up immediately after.
To be fair, Desmond and SS never should’ve been in the same sentence. By all accounts, he looked and played much better defensively in the outfield than he ever did at SS
He was actually above average at shortstop at first but the errors became too problematic. He could also take over at second, where his throwing issues might not be so pronounced.
I really hope that some of those guys like Beavan and Drabek manage to catch on with the Rangers.
So you can watch them in Round Rock/Frisco?
Don’t forget Dragmire on waivers
Explaining option years, waiver priority/claims to moms… brothajenkins tell moms to be cool while you make three teams regret letting a mid rotation innings eater pass by. Someone get kevin costner to explain the difference in a strikeout and week contact is just… Throwing a AAAA rating on a guy b4 he even gets a full season under his belt is whack. Good luck chief and remember your floor is a strong mid bp guy which is becoming extremely important these days. Down 5-0 in the second and someone comes in to stop the bleeding thus makes the game watchable… and maybe just maybe gets a win once or twice a season- heck those are the best games. I remember medlen playing that role into the rotation multiple times. Good luck Mr. Jenkins
Jenkins’ personality is amazing and a benefit to any clubhouse. What dooms him is a lack of any out pitch. Going to the bullpen and limiting his arsenal could allow his stuff to play up. He won’t ever be a big time reliever, but he can be one of the guys you don’t know about on a really dominant bullpen.
Bridich blew it again…last year Parra gets coin..now Desmond… not hard to imagine this blowing up in his face
Desmond is a lot better than Parra.