FanRag’s Jon Heyman tackles a number of slow-starting teams in the intro to his weekly notes columns, getting the opinions of rival scouts and executives on the slow starts from the Cardinals, Giants, Blue Jays and Rangers. Heyman spoke to Giants GM Bobby Evans on his club’s issues in left field, with Evans conceding, “We don’t have a true left fielder. We’re going to have to mix and match.” Heyman notes that veteran infielder Aaron Hill is expected to get some looks in left field. San Francisco elected to move on from Angel Pagan this offseason and entered the year with a platoon of Jarrett Parker and Chris Marrero in left field, but Parker will now miss significant time following a broken clavicle. And it appears to be too late to turn back to Pagan, who told El Vocero yesterday that he’s planning to sit out the 2017 season to spend time with his wife and children.
Here are some highlights from Heyman’s National League and American League roundups…
- There’s “no evidence of any real trade talk” between the Brewers and Dodgers involving Ryan Braun, per Heyman. He notes that the Brewers may feel a slight sense of urgency due to the fact that Braun will achieve 10-and-5 rights on May 24 (thus allowing him full veto power over any trade). The improved production out of Yasiel Puig could make Braun a less appealing target, as Puig himself has the ability to be a dynamic weapon against lefties if he can return to form. Even if Braun does ultimately reach 1o-and-5 status, Heyman notes that the Dodgers are said to be his preferred destination in a trade, so he could very well approve the deal after that point.
- Also of note to Dodgers fans, Los Angeles showed interest in right-hander Brad Ziegler this offseason and were willing to discuss something in the range of $12MM over two years. Ziegler, instead, signed with the Marlins for two years and a total of $16MM. To this point, he’s yielded just one run with a 6-to-1 K/BB ratio and a ridiculous 81 percent ground-ball rate through his first eight innings.
- Multiple teams inquired with the Brewers about right-hander Wily Peralta this spring, but Milwaukee clearly didn’t find an offer to its liking. “We’re very comfortable having him as part of our rotation,” GM David Stearns tells Heyman. The 27-year-old Peralta has a 2.65 ERA through his first three starts, though his strong work dates back further than Opening Day. While Peralta’s 2016 numbers look pedestrian at best, he posted a 2.92 ERA through 61 1/3 innings after being recalled from a Triple-A demotion early last August. In his past 13 MLB starts, Peralta has a 2.86 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 51.2 percent ground-ball rate. He’s controllable for two seasons beyond the 2017 campaign, and it’s easy to envision him emerging as a trade candidate this summer if he continues to perform anywhere near that level.
- J.J. Hardy’s lengthy injury history will make the Orioles unlikely to pick up his $14MM club option at season’s end. However, Heyman adds that even if the O’s do move on from Hardy, they’re not likely to displace Manny Machado from third base given his excellence (and, presumably, his comfort level) at the hot corner. Rather, the team figures to shop for a shortstop next offseason. The 2017-18 free agent crop at shortstop figures to be headlined by Zack Cozart, with alternative options including Eduardo Nunez, Alcides Escobar and Danny Espinosa. Baltimore could, of course, turn to the trade market for some shortstop help as well. Ryan Mountcastle is the team’s top-regarded minor league shortstop, but the 20-year-old former first-rounder opened the season in Class-A Advanced and many scouting reports question his ability to remain at short in the long run.
- The Tigers are planning to be “extra cautious” with right fielder J.D. Martinez as he returns from a foot injury, Heyman writes. However, there’s little chance of the Tigers pursuing him as a free agent this offseason due to the fact that the team still intends to trim down its long-term payroll outlook. Re-signing Martinez, who ranked sixth on MLBTR’s Free Agent Power Rankings earlier today, could require another sizable commitment of five or more years if Martinez has a typical season at the plate.
Interesting on Zeigler but more money and less taxes made it a no brainer for him to choose the marlins. If the Dodgers want Braun they might need to rethink the package. Puig has been one of their best players so bringing Braun in at the cost of puig wont change the team drastically. Now bring braun in and keep puig and you really got something
If they want Braun, I think a package would be around Toles. Maybe throw in a B prospect and a lottery ticket
Toles isn’t worth anything.
Toles absolutely has value. 5 years of control, good bat and speed.
Toles has no value to Milwaukee, who have an abundance of outfielders in their system. The Brewers will ask for pitching, pitching and more pitching.
Seriously Toles for Braun? Thats ridiculous. For Braun you’re probably looking at either Alvarez or Buehler and maybe a low level B prospect and the Brewers throw in money for Brauns contract.
Pretty much. The problem with Toles is he’s a tweener. He’s not a top prospect. He’s not a true lead off hitter. He’s going to hit rhp. He has a cannon, he has tremendous speed, but he’s not a great route runner. Toles has some pop and is a good role player for a contending team, but he’s not really an everyday guy. He’s also in need of some MiLB seasoning. A headliner in a trade is unrealistic. He has more value as a Dodger or for a team that has a similar profile RH bat in need of a LH bat. I like him I’m just not sure he’s a finished product and there’s a clear ceiling. The Brewers though are beyond set in OF prospects with intrigue.
Toles has value as a very good 4th outfielder/ spot starter to a contending team. So far in his short sample size in the ML’s, he has basically only shown the ability to hit for average. Even his good average last year though, was driven up by a very high BABIP.
Toles will never be the centerpiece in any major deal. He very well could be a decent addition to a Braun deal, but any deal involving Toles as the centerpiece would immediately be rejected…
I’m sure dodger fans appreciate Toles and really like him as a player, but don’t let that cloud your view of his true value.
I never said toles for braun or toles to Milwaukee. I simply stated toles has trade value in reply to the statement made.
Spot on, and this is a very realistic view of Toles and his value..Well stated..
Toles? For Braun? LoL!
The issue remains Puig has been absolutely dreadful against LHP this year. If they decide to keep Puig it almost guarantees any possible trade targets are going to be expiring contracts. I think if they can use Puig as a big trade chip lessening the prospect load they most certainly would. The problem with Puig at the top of the order against lefties is guys have shown they have no problem pitching around Turner to get to Puig. And Puig hasn’t really produced a substantial reason as to why they shouldn’t.
Puig’s splits this season are anomalous. It’s almost impossible to imagine they will continue that way over the course of a season. Puig isn’t top of the order anyway. Roberts has batted him cleanup some of the time but also as low as 8th.
Even not just looking at the splits and considering the ABs. They’ve looked a little better against LH as of late. But the quality of ABs up in the lineup haven’t been ones to write home about. Now granted Puig’s shown a lot this year and I’ll give him that. I expect his “Puigesque” type moments ever now and then and you can live with them, but the issue is he still has to become more reliable against LHP. I think having Guti hit in front of him will alleviate some of the pressure. But Puig is going to be relied upon to lengthen the lineup and quality of ABs is going to be crucial. I’m not so much focused on the results, because when summer time rolls around some of the hard hit balls will start to fall.
The two RHBs they went out to get are both on the DL so it’s difficult to evaluate the payoff for those moves, and two of the LHBs in the middle of the order are in a slump besides. No doubt Seagar will shake it off though I wonder if Gonzales will. So right away that puts huge pressure on the few who are performing.
May 24 is a real date of urgency. 5/10 rights are never a problem until the player has them. Then it would be mal- practice for the agent to not advise the player to ask for something; especially with the increased taxes in Cal.
The O’s should really consider Nunez. His fielding isn’t great but his mixture of hitting and speed would be a huge asset at the top of the order.
San Francisco gave up a guy that was on some top 100 lists for Nunez. I doubt they’d trade him and if they did it’d be to another team since they’d want another top prospect back which Baltimore is lacking.
He’s a free agent after this season. They don’t need a SS until after the season since Hardy is playing now.
Nunez has never been a consistent player for any “good” team. Also, I believe Hardy will stay and his option can automatically be picked up with 600 PA. Which he should get if he stays healthy this year.
The Orioles will be moving Machado to SS and looking for a new 3B He has long expressed a preference for playing there, and it is the team’s best chance of getting him to sign a long=term contract extension.
Nothing is keeping Manny in Baltimore!!! Starting at 3B for your 2019 NY Yankees Manny Machado❗️
As an O’s fan I could actually live with that. That said, he may well get traded this off season for a major haul.
I like the idea of Machado going to the Yankees. That should put NY in payroll hell for years to come.
I don’t buy the assumption that the Brewers are still in tearing down phase. They lead all of MLB in HR. The payroll is already rock bottom. The minor league system is now very highly rated. Thames, Braun, Shaw are controllable. The core of the rotation is also. They have a top 20 prospect in Lewis Brinson who could provide a boost later this season. Bandy and Pina have been a revelation behind the plate. The middle infield is set.
Good points, however, the Brewers still need pitching. They have some good prospects in Hader, Bickford, and Woodruff, but more arms are needed to turn the corner.
If you acknowledge Nunez isn’t great in the field then he has no shot at Baltimore signing him. The O’s don’t splurge on the free agent market and rely on defense to make their pitching stronger. There’s no way a Buck Showalter team goes from a gold-glove caliber Hardy at SS to a Nunez who is barely average. No shot.
Hardy has a vesting option for 600PA which he will get if hes healthy.
1o and 5 rights?
10+ yrs MLB; last 5+ with player’s current team = complete no trade right
Often the player waives the right to refuse the trade in exchange for $$$, an extension etc. But in 2016 Phillips and Votto used it to prevent a trade.
Not that I think there’s great potential – but when you’re still in the division race is hardly the time for the Brewers to think about moving its franchise player…I know it’s only April, but still.