Some rumblings from around both the AL and NL Central….
- Mike Moustakas looks like a prime candidate for a deadline trade, though in a video for FOX Sports (Twitter link), Ken Rosenthal cautions that the Royals could face some difficulties in finding a trade partner. For one, there aren’t any contenders with an obvious need at third base, though injuries can certainly change that equation. One rival executive tells Rosenthal that it can be hard to trade a single-position rental player like Moustakas at the deadline.
- Jung Ho Kang’s impending return to the Pirates “is probably his last chance with us,” GM Neal Huntington said on his weekly radio show with Joe Block (hat tip to MLB.com’s Adam Berry). Kang received a work visa earlier this week and is preparing to rejoin the Pirates organization after spending all of 2017 on the restricted list following a DUI conviction in South Korea. Should the infielder face any more off-the-field issues, things “are not going to go well for” Kang with the team, Huntington said. It isn’t any surprise that Kang is on a very short leash given his past history, and he very well could be entering his last few months with the Bucs regardless of how he might perform if and when he returns to the majors. It doesn’t seem likely that the Pirates will exercise their $5.5MM club option on Kang’s services for 2019, barring a major turn-around.
- While closer Corey Knebel has been on the DL, the Brewers’ adoption of a fully situational bullpen has been a big success, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Manager Craig Counsell has been deploying his pitchers simply as “out-getters,” in his words, and not worrying about using specific arms in specific roles. Entering today’s play, Brewers relievers had a cumulative 2.50 ERA (third-best in baseball) despite heavy usage, as the team has the fourth-most bullpen innings of any club in the league. This outstanding relief effort has helped the Brewers offset some pretty middling numbers from the starting rotation.
- With Mike Matheny set to manage his 1000th game on Tuesday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at how Matheny has handled the pressure and expectations of his six-plus seasons running the Cardinals’ dugout. Despite Matheny’s 559-440 record, he has faced criticism from some corners of the St. Louis fanbase for not having either the consistent success (particularly after consecutive non-playoff seasons) or the openness to publicly discuss decisions as former skipper Tony La Russa. Behind closed doors, however, Matheny has been praised for his leadership and teaching skills. “He’s got a lot of talents….He has it all covered,” Michael Wacha said. “Whenever he talks in front of a group of people that group of people is leaning in, listening to what he’s saying. He carries that confidence that he knows he belongs where he is.”
I know 1 team that could use him. Try the Baltimore Orioles
I agree the Orioles would be interested in him if they were a contending team, but by that time in the season the Orioles will most likely be a selling team not a buying one
Good player to take stock on as a rebuilding team with a short field for a power hitter (ex. Cruz and trumbo projects) seems like a similar case that could work out well for both sides.
The Brewers have the 2nd best SP ERA in MLB. “Middling?”
They’re 18th in fwar and unless I’m looking at something wrong they aren’t second in ERA
Translation: “they didn’t sign or trade for a big name starter(s) in the off-season, so they can’t be any good, numbers be damned, even if we didn’t actually look at them..or watch a single game.”
@alb-3 60% of their rotation has an ERA over 4, and I highly doubt Guerra will keep up a 0.82 ERA for very long. And idk where you’re getting the 2nd best SP ERA from. I can’t find any site that actually has SP/RP stats seperate
I take that back, they are seperated. That’s what I get for trying to think when it’s late.. Although these sites are saying their starters have pitched 100 more innings than they actually have, so yeah, idk
Brewers have the 8th best starters ERA. Took me two mins to find this info. Why do people just make stuff up for no reason?
fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=sta&…
@rols1026 Oh man, thanks for the link. … And idk where ESPN is getting their numbers from. At first I thought they didn’t seperate startes from relievers, than thought I was wrong, then realized I was actually right but it still has them higher than they actually are? #internet
8th best ERA in MLB, 5th best in the NL, so they’re in the upper third either way you look at it.
And they just played four games in ridiculously favorable pitchers weather. When the weather warms up and they have more games in that band box they call Miller Park, the entire staff numbers will balloon. The best part is Milwaukee thinks its improved….the reality is they haven’t.
matheny and carpenter need to go
Agreed ship em out of town asap
It would be so much easier if the NL would just have the same rules as the AL
and vote in the DH! It’s kinda crazy to have different rules for the same pro sport!
Matheny has a misleading record, he inherited a team that won world series the year before, there have been endless pitchers disabled on his watch, with many likely do to the fact that he is clueless in running a bullpen. If you get guys up multiple times and don’t use them, the result and physical stress is the same as pitching in the game. In addition he challenges plays in the same manner as Mike martz..did with the Rams, if they don’t like the result of a play they challenge it. Cardinals will remain in a rut as long as Matheny is manager. Bring on Oquendo..
I agree Troll….that is if you add Mozeliak to the bunch and get rid of all three. That would be live adding 5-6 wins per season with them gone.
I kept thinking the Yankees or Red Sox would come around to Moose during the off season but obviously that didn’t happen. There will be an injury at some point though so I think Moose will have a market soon. He’s hitting too well and costs too little not to and could be taken on as 3B/DH if he stays in the AL.
The team that could really use him right now is the Dodgers. Justin Turner will be back in several weeks, but LA is getting no production from their 3B or really anyone aside from Grandal and Kemp. Moustakas’ bat would give them a much needed boost, and he could also spell a struggling Bellinger (who may need to get himself right at AAA any way). With the Royals off to a bad start they may be willing to deal Moose well in advance to the deadline.
In general it’s a decent thought yet there are two issues that can easy stop it from being more than just a thought. Turner is closing in on a rehab assignment so he’d essentially have to agree to be traded unsure of whether or not he’d been somewhat lose a substantial amount of pt close to hitting the market. The second portion of that equation is salary aspect of it. They have about 8M to spend at the deadline and his salary now would significantly limit their potential wiggle room at the deadline. You pretty much cut that in half and would mean the most the Dodgers can obtain at the deadline is about 12M in total 18 salary. There are reasons why trades aren’t made this soon. The market hasn’t developed and the needs of teams aren’t necessarily defined. So really unless someone overlays it’s still not really realistic
And btw in no way can one suggest Bellinger is in need of a demotion. He’s still sporting a .800+ ops, 129wrc+, and most importantly a .355 wOBA. Granted he seems to be swinging through a bit more fbs than last year, but he’s clearly still making adjustments. The adjustments are mlb adjustments not anything suggesting a demotion would be significantly beneficial.
The thing with Matheny is that he took over a WS team and didn’t take advantage of it. In fact he moved them backwards. From WS lost to NL championship lost to NLDS lose missing the playoffs twice. He has to go. Just listing to him talk and his mannerisms show that he has no clue what’s going on out there. Front office needs to just admit it was a terrible and bias hire and move on.
A very big 6 year mistake! He doesn’t know how to handle a pitching staff at all
and he messes with the lineup way to much !
and he messes with the lineup way too much !
Sorry! But my phone service suks so bad!
If Kang is smart, he should not only keep his nose clean, but should be prepared to be offered a lot less than $5.5 million to play next season, no matter how well he plays this year and no matter which team is offering the cash. He is on his last MLB chance and no team is going to invest anything more than a 1 year “prove it” deal on him. Honestly unless he puts up All-Star type numbers this may be a moot point anyways, as he’s too much a risk to have around unless he’s a real difference maker.
Is Kang that much of a risk? If he gets another DUI, he won’t be getting paid by a major league team. He might be a little bit of a PR risk but I think that might be overblown. If he can play he’ll get a deal. Guys coming off career years aren’t getting multi year deals. Morrison, yonder Alonso only got 2 years. So I’m sure he’ll be playing on a short deal but I’m not sure it has a lot to do with the DUI risk.
I am a lifetime Cardinals fan and as much as Mike Matheny seems like a good guy but lacks the common sense to be a big league Manager. I would like to see the Cards go after Joe Girardi to be the next Skipper. He is actually what this team needs and would be liked and respected in St. Louis. This team still needs a power hitting 3rd baseman as well. I think we have missed a good 3rd base since Scott Rolen has left. Girardi and 3rd base would be a huge lift for the Cards!
Girardi seems like good choice but he has an adverse opinion about analytics which ultimately cost him the Yankees job.
why does it need to be a power hitting 3rd baseman? why not a second baseman, or a catcher, or a center fielder?
The Cards should have hired Francona when they had the chance. He interviewed with them anyway. Besides that, when TLR was here it seemed like Oquendo was the heir apparent. He earned the opportunity, certainly more than Matheny anyway. I feel like if the Cards were to fire Matheny in season … Oquendo gets a chance. He def has the players respect.