The emergence of Tommy Pham was one of the best developments of 2017 for the Cardinals, who saw the former reserve deliver a stunningly great age-29 campaign (6.4 rWAR, 5.9 fWAR). Pham may not have been in position to break out as a Cardinal if not for their then-farm director, John Vuch, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details. Even though Pham suffered through injury-shortened seasons in the Cardinals’ minor league system in 2011 and ’12, Vuch remained bullish on the former 16th-round pick and convinced him to re-sign with the organization on a two-year minors pact entering 2013. Pham’s driving force then was to eventually get to the majors, which he did in 2014. He’s now trying to remain among the game’s premier players and, according to agent Eric Izen, “understands that he’s got a smaller window than a lot of players. He’s 30 years old.” Unfortunately for Pham, his age may prevent him from ever landing a huge payday in the league. He won’t be eligible for arbitration until next offseason. In the meantime, he’ll make $570K this season after the Cards renewed him for that rate this week. That came after discussions regarding a two-year deal failed to gain traction, Goold wrote earlier this week. “The numbers didn’t add up to me and my agency and the union. Nothing made sense,” Pham said. “I didn’t think. It’s business first and foremost. I didn’t like it. The numbers didn’t seem right. I wouldn’t sell myself short like that.”
More out of the Central divisions…
- The rebuilding Tigers won’t be adding any more free agents prior to the season, according to general manager Al Avila. “No, we’re done for now,” Avila told Jon Morosi of MLB Network on Saturday. “We said we were going to try to sign two pitchers, and we signed two pitchers. As far as free agents, we’re done” (Twitter link). Unsurprisingly, it was a modest offseason for Detroit; aside from those two pitchers (Mike Fiers and Francisco Liriano), its only other guaranteed contract went to outfielder Leonys Martin. Those three will earn a combined $11.75MM in 2018.
- Royals manager Ned Yost told reporters Sunday that he’s considering giving third baseman Mike Moustakas some looks at first base this spring, though he hasn’t talked to the player about it yet (Twitter links via Rustin Dodd of The Athletic and Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com). If Moustakas actually does see action at first during the season, it could open up playing time for third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert, Dodd points out. The re-signing of Moustakas figures to lead to a smaller-than-expected role for Cuthbert, though Yost said this week (via Dodd) that he’d like for Cuthbert to rack up at least 400 at-bats this season. Cuthbert encouraged as a rookie back in 2016, when he amassed 510 trips to the plate and hit .274/.318/.413, before experiencing a massive drop in PAs (153) and production (.231/.275/.322) last year.
- Back in early November, the Reds were aiming to use hyped infield prospect Nick Senzel all around the diamond in 2018. They’ve since abandoned that plan, manager Bryan Price explained to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. “You can’t do that. The game’s not that easy to take a young man that’s primarily been third base and move him all over the field,” Price said. “We’ve primarily kept him on the left side of the infield.” The Reds are unsure whether the 22-year-old’s primary spot will be third base or shortstop when he opens the season in the minors, but Senzel believes he’s already capable of playing short in the majors right now, per Sheldon. At least for the moment, that position belongs to Jose Peraza in Cincinnati.
If Peraza struggles, might we see Senzel take his spot by June? Or, maybe Scooter G struggles at 2B and Peraza slides to 2B and Senzel comes in as SS.
there are so many variables.. T.Brennaman and Welsh were saying last night that the FO has even been floating the idea of moving Suarez back to SS (his original spot) and having Senzel stay at 3B. Funny how most of these scenarios are assuming Peraza continues to have poor output. I bet the guy needs to have an all star season to keep his head off the chopping block
Yes, if either Scooter or Peraza struggles, Senzel will be an everyday starter by May or June
I think the reds should do a kris Bryant and call him up once they an extra year of control because he is far superior to Peraza with the bat
pretty sure that’s the plan
Very high likelihood that he’s up as soon as they get the extra control, or very shortly after that
is Senzel really capable of of playing a solid short?
scouts seemed unsure of him sticking at third at time of draft.
as a phils fan, thinking about how hoskins-kingery-crawford-senzel could have been the infield for the next 10 years.
He was the minor league defensive player of the year at third. So, yes, he can stick at third.
tough to Senzel playing third for Phills when he is a Red!
He’s essentially saying the Phils should have taken Senzel instead of Moniak in the draft
dummy
“could have been the infield for the next 10 years”
Yeah, let’s watch everyone get old and then rebuild for ten years. That’s the way John Middleton likes it. Slash the payroll to nothing and steal the TV money. By some mysterious, unknowable method the farm deteriorates to the worst in the game as everyone gets old.
FELONY FRAUD
Google: John Middleton Felony Fraud
I love Pham, but he didn’t agree to a two year deal that I’m sure was more than his renewal rate. I don’t understand that logic.
If he has another big year it works for him. That’s a big if.
It won’t work though-he still has no leverage.
He has rights through the arbitration process. If he has another standout year and he believes what he would earn via the arbitration process is more than what the Cardinals offered, it makes sense. Furthermore, it impacts each arbitration year as the previous year’s salray is a factor in the decision making process.
He is taking a risk though.
Right! Clearly, he feels he can put up the kind of numbers this season that when combined with last years will earn him a larger pay day via arbitration. Or possibly force the Cards into giving a more lucrative multi year deal. That would be leverage.
It would have been more this year but not necessarily more than his first year of arb. If he puts up another 5 win aeason he is gonna have a very nice baseline for the whole arb process moving forward as opposed to having that first arb year number tamped down by whatever the club was offering, which we also have no idea what they were offering.
Yeah, I wish we knew the offer. That would make it easier to critique.
To me, Pham believes that 2017 was just the beginning, and also believes wholeheartedly that he will produce – at minimum – at that level going forward for the next several seasons. Possibly only his propensity for injury holds him back from doing so. He is an incredible story, and kudos to him for believing that he is worth a significantly larger payday.
Kudos to the Cardinals, also, for holding out (so far) to see where his productivity and durability align before rewarding a very large contract like younger, pre-arb players have received.
If 2017 was a preview of things to come, a multi-year deal totaling in the tens of millions might be appropriate. Front-loaded with option years and sizable incentives in the last half
But with his eyes you never know when his production is finished.
Peraza has a shocking lack of power and walks. He’d have to hit .400 just to be average.
Moose should jump at the idea of some time at 1st base. It will only help him having some innings at 1st. Might get a team to give him a more lucrative contract this next time around. Still needs to get better with his glove at third though.
It could also backfire, if teams view you primarily as a 1st basemen like some teams did with Frazier it hurts your future value, rarely do guys move down the defensive spectrum and then move back up it a year or two later
3rd is still a more valuable position if he can bounce back defensively. 1st baseman had a terrible market this year and the guys that settled for 1yr deals will be on the market again next year.
Better to hit free agency off a year-long solid defensive showing at the position you know than to split time with a less valuable position.
Machado and Donaldson are also in next years FA class. How many teams really a need a third baseman?
Machado wants to be a Shortstop so I don’t know if he’d sign with a team to play third
Does anyone who has actually watched more than 10 Royals games in the last two years think Moose is a bad defensive third baseman?
At least two teams will need a 3B, Toronto and Baltimore, and logically, neither will be able to afford the top 3B on the market.
I do wish we could know what the Cards offered over these two years so we could judge if they were shorting him or if he was too bullish on what he wanted.
I’m sure it was something like 2/$3-4M with $1M being this year. A little more money upfront, cost certainty next year, Pham has a promise for at least a few million if more injuries pop up. I dunno.
Cards wouldn’t offer it unless they felt certain there was a bargain to be had though
I’m sure their actuarial tables showed it makes sense. For a guy who has busted his butt so many years with a break-out season at age 30, he probably feels comfortable getting paid “just” $570k next year for a chance to outplay the actuarial tables.
Tigers 2018: “Watch us try to tank with a Triple Crown winner!”
Honestly, the Tigers not pumping $100-300M into the market, like theyve done every year for the last 10 years or so might be the only reason for this slow market. And shame on them too. Neil Walker is way better than Dixon Machado, Greg Holland is better than any of their relievers, but they’re “done”? It’s gross to watch them outwardly trying to tank like this and playing AAAA guys while MLB players are unemployed.
Gross?
They are tanking because they have been wasteful and stupid in the free agent market for so long. It’s a lesson the rest of the fans in baseball should watch and learn from when they complain about their teams lack of spending
They would still be paying Prince Fielder for the next three seasons if the Rangers hadn’t bailed them out.
exactly.. DET and BAL are the two that really stand out to me as examples of over indulging in free agent signings
You should do stand up.
I have to admit that Walker’s bat, at an affordable salary, might make the team a bit more entertaining, but with Iggy in his last year, it makes more sense to give Dixon playing time. As for Holland, one arm wont fix this bullpen.
Pham was terrific in 2017 and at this point nothing indicates that it was a fluke. Only his age and injury history are against him .. But if anyone can come from out of nowhere relatively late and produce several MVP-type seasons in a row à la Josh Donaldson it’s Pham. The competitiveness, drive and focus are all there, and it’s just not common to hear many people speak of their goals and what he is doing to achieve them in any profession the way that he does.
But his eye problem could flair up and then it’s over for him. He’s gambling on himself, I don’t blame him, but it might bite him later.
With the signing of Saltalamacchia Al has probably emptied his bank account and damn that line up is rock solid……and besides that who the hell would want to sign with this mess anyways.
Any pitcher trying to rebound would probably enjoy pitching in Comerica.
Wonder if there would be any interest in a Nick Senzel and Adam Duvall for Ender Inciarte and Matt Wisler deal with the Braves.