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Morosi’s Latest: Rangers, Cards, Rockies, Phillies

By Connor Byrne | November 19, 2017 at 8:14am CDT

A few early morning free agent rumors from Jon Morosi of MLB.com…

  • The Rangers “have had preliminary contact” with right-hander Alex Cobb’s representatives, Morosi writes. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported earlier this month that the starter-needy Rangers covet Cobb, one of the top hurlers on the open market. Cobb returned in earnest from 2015 Tommy John surgery last season to turn in a career-best 179 1/3 innings of 3.66 ERA pitching, with 6.42 K/9, 2.21 BB/9 and a 47.8 percent groundball rate.
  • The Cardinals and Rockies are among teams with interest in reliever Brandon Kintzler, whose experience as a closer has executives wondering if a club will sign him to handle that role, according to Morosi. Both the Cardinals and Rockies need more than ninth-inning help, as each team has seen multiple key relievers hit free agency this month. The 33-year-old Kintzler has overcome a paucity of strikeouts to ride a low-walk, high-grounder combination to success throughout his career, including in a 2017 campaign that saw the righty amass a career-high 29 saves between Minnesota and Washington (28 with the Twins).
  • The Phillies are one of the teams eyeing left-hander Jake McGee, reports Morosi, who notes that the reliever was once teammates with new Philadelphia skipper Gabe Kapler in Tampa Bay. With Colorado in 2017, McGee, 31, posted a 3.61 ERA and logged 9.1 K/9, 2.51 BB/9 and a 40.5 percent grounder rate over 57 1/3 innings. Along the way, he was effective against both righty- and lefty-swingers, the latter of whom had their way against Phillies relievers (.270/.347/.459).
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Colorado Rockies Philadelphia Phillies St. Louis Cardinals Texas Rangers Alex Cobb Brandon Kintzler Jake McGee

Free Agent Profile: Lorenzo Cain
Main
Minor MLB Transactions: 11/19/17
View Comments (25)
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25 Comments

  1. playhard9

    8 years ago

    The Cardinals do not need a 33 year old who can’t strike anybody out as their closer. Hard pass.

    1
    Reply
    • aamatho18

      8 years ago

      Can’t argue with the results.

      1
      Reply
      • jd396

        8 years ago

        Worked for Bob Wickman for how long

        1
        Reply
    • teufelshunde4

      8 years ago

      Bowman is a younger cheaper version of Kitzler.

      Reply
    • thestevilempire

      8 years ago

      The Cardinals need someone to get outs in the ninth inning, who cares if its by strike out or ground out! Having such a low walk ratio shows that he’s getting hitters out primarily in the first 3 to 4 pitches of an at bats. Frankly I’m tired of seeing power pitchers that need 20 to 25 pitches to close out a game.

      2
      Reply
      • CompanyAssassin

        8 years ago

        Sometimes a strikeout is just required though, if its tied bottom 9 runner on 3rd with 1 out and your closer has a pretty low chance of a strikeout, that ground ball may allow that run, game over. No pitcher can force a strikeout, but if they have a very difficult time getting one at all that’s not exactly ideal.

        1
        Reply
        • EndinStealth

          8 years ago

          If that’s the situation your closer should have been in the game long ago. If he was in there and that happened, maybe he shouldn’t be the closer.

          1
          Reply
        • Chris Sale Amateur Tailor

          8 years ago

          good point

          Reply
        • Mattimeo09

          8 years ago

          What you should be asking is how many times has Kintzler been in that situation and what happened when he was

          Reply
    • JFactor

      8 years ago

      I’d like to make a Grichuk or Piscotty for Brach trade, so long as they can swing a Stanton deal.

      Then sign either Davis or Holland, or land a lighter trade option reliever for one of the other surplus outfielders.

      If they can land Stanton somehow, depending which outfielders would go back, they should still have 6 or so outfielders that should be getting daily PA in the big leagues somewhere.

      LF – Fowler (hopefully)
      CF – Pham
      RF – Stanton
      4th – Martinez
      5th is one of
      Sierra, Bader, O’Neill, Piscotty, Grichuk, Garcia

      I’d argue if you have those four outfielders that Sierra is the ideal fit for speed off the bench and a defensive replacement in late innings as well a left handed hitter.

      Keep one in AAA for injury replacement and move the others to either land Stanton or upgrade the bullpen.

      Reply
      • seamaholic 2

        8 years ago

        Cards fans are seriously overvaluing Piscotty and Grichuk. There are dozens of OF like those around. They don’t pull in a closer ready reliever.

        1
        Reply
        • JFactor

          8 years ago

          With one year of control while those guys have several and are ML 2-3 win players? Of course they do.

          Reply
        • Mattimeo09

          8 years ago

          One year of control is not what the Marlins or Orioles are looking for

          Reply
      • moe 3

        8 years ago

        I agree on Martinez in the line up I always here about the excess of outfielders Cards also have excess infielders

        Reply
      • dwhitt3

        8 years ago

        So you’re saying Brach is only worth a 5th outfielder?

        Reply
    • shoheiohtahnyy

      8 years ago

      This. Kintzler does not have closer stuff and I would not entrust him in such a role on my team if I expected to contend.

      1
      Reply
  2. Cardinals17

    8 years ago

    Definitely don’t sign another 33 year old Cards.

    Reply
  3. rememberthecoop

    8 years ago

    I don’t want him as a closer, but if he’s willing to take non-closer money, I could see the Cubs being interested. They are actively trying to reduce walk totals from their staff.

    Reply
  4. jollybucnroger

    8 years ago

    Would the Phillies be interested in McGee to potentially flip him at the deadline? Could
    Be a good way to land another solid prospect as they rebuild.

    Reply
    • Brixton

      8 years ago

      He’d probably get 2 or 3 years, so I don’t think so. Phillies want to take a big step forward next season, so he’d likely be here to stay

      Reply
      • jollybucnroger

        8 years ago

        Good point. Especially if the Phillies plan to spend Big next offseason

        Reply
        • Coast1

          8 years ago

          The Phillies aren’t really looking at free agent hitters and Andy MacPhail likens giving 31-33 year old pitchers 5 year deals to chasing unicorns. So the Phillies may spend big on 2-3 relievers and young starting pitchers like Tyler Chatwood.

          Reply
  5. Brace4It

    8 years ago

    He isn’t a typical reliever, but I would welcome him back in Minnesota. He did the job that was asked of him—getting outs. In a relief group that lacked any type of stability, he was always willing to do what was asked of him.

    Reply
    • Chris Sale Amateur Tailor

      8 years ago

      good point he’s not an incredible relief for but he’s a very good piece that any Contender needs unreliable guy out the pen

      Reply
  6. Dock_Elvis

    8 years ago

    If you can effectively keep the ball on the ground, of course, the Rockies are going to show interest….especially in someone whose shown success in high leverage situations.

    Reply

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