Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz not only plans to keep playing in 2019, but Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that Cruz has hopes of landing a multi-year contract as a free agent this winter. Cruz will be an interesting test case within a market that has been increasingly unkind to veteran bat-only players over the last two offseasons. He turns 38 tomorrow and his list of suitors is almost surely limited to American League teams since Cruz has become a full-time DH. On the plus side, Cruz is still hitting as well as ever, with 21 homers and a .273/.358/.569 slash line through 288 PA. Teams are increasingly preferring to rotate several players through their DH spot rather than employ a full-time designated hitter, though Cruz’s production has been so excellent in recent years that you’d think at least a couple of clubs would be willing to trade lineup versatility for a big bat.
Some more from around the AL West…
- The Athletics are getting calls about their relievers, as a scout tells Peter Gammons (Twitter link) that Blake Treinen, Lou Trivino, and Ryan Buchter have all drawn interest from multiple teams. Treinen has been mentioned as a potential trade chip, though Gammons says that Oakland has declined all offers for the closer. Treinen has two more years of control remaining via arbitration, while Buchter has three and Trivino only made his MLB debut this season. The A’s would surely need quite a bit to part with any of the trio, though a trade isn’t out of the question if the team is considering buying at the deadline. The A’s still have a big deficit to make up in both the AL West and wild card races, though an 11-2 run in their last 13 games has given them an impressive 45-38 record.
- With the Rangers facing a lot of uncertainty with their starting rotation in 2019, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram suggests that Yovani Gallardo could potentially return to the team next season. Gallardo hasn’t shown much in three starts for Texas, though he would likely be a low-cost signing in the offseason and would give the Rangers some veteran depth as they juggle their various pitching options going forward.
- While the Angels’ farm system is usually rated around the middle of the pack in most organization rankings, this represents a major improvement from just a couple of years ago, when the prospect-starved Halos were considered to have one of the worst collections of minor league talent of any team in recent memory. The Athletic’s Steve Dilbeck (subscription required) looks at how the Angels have rebuilt their player development system under GM Billy Eppler, with a particular organization-wide focus on finding athletic players. “You’ve seen over the course of [Eppler’s] drafts a very common thread,” Angels director of scouting Matt Swanson said. “Athleticism and not being afraid of high upside players and understanding that we can bring guys in and get them bigger, faster and stronger.”
If someome wants to give a good package Treinen or Buchter Id be ok with it but Lou Trivino is really good, a rookie and 4 years younger than Treinen.
Treinin is worth a top 50 prospect and Butcher is worth a top starting pitching prospect. A’s have no need to trade either one right now without getting a overwhelming package. Trivino will not get traded being he is so young.
Lol what? Buchter is worth a top starting pitching prospect? If you package treinen and Buchter you might be able to snag that top 50-100 prospect and another solid guy but Buchter alone doesn’t have that much value. Treinen, sure.
Absolutely no chance Treinen brings back a top 50 prospect
A closer with a .89 ERA and 2 more years of control will get you a top prospect. There is no reason for the A’s to trade any of their relievers because they have 1 of the best young teams in baseball who will only get better. Like I said unless a team over pays for one of their relievers a deal is not happening.
Teams are gonna have to overpay to pull Treinen away from us, so yeah, he would bring back a top 50 prospect if traded.
To offer one comp:
Brad Hand has posted 3.5 fWAR in 281 career appearances, including 3.6 fWAR in 191 appearances over the past three seasons.
Blake Treinen has posted 4.6 fWAR in 253 career appearances, including 3.6 fWAR in 188 appearances over the past three seasons.
ZiPS, Steamer and FanGraphs Depth Charts project rest-of-season WAR of 0.5, 0.5 and 0.8 for Hand and 0.6, 0.4 and 0.7 for Treinen. This season Hand has posted 0.4 fWAR in 37 appearances while Treinen has posted 1.8 fWAR in 33 appearances.
Hand is owed about $15.3 million through 2020 with a $10 million team option, or $1 million buyout, for 2021. Treinen is earning only $2.2 million this season in the first of three trips through arbitration..
Treinen’s price will shoot up significantly through arbitration with all the saves he’ll rack up this year. Hand is also left handed and comes with an affordable 10 mil option. WAR isn’t the best way to measure a RP either but there’s no doubt treinen has been great. He’ll fetch a top prospect.
Nelson Cruz knows where to get the good vitamins.
I concur
Nelson Cruz also knows that he’s tested more frequently than most players since his suspension nearly five years ago for a banned substance he reportedly consumed over six years ago.
Did he tell you that over brunch? Give us all a break
Jerry Dipoto has made numerous positive moves that are a large part of the Mariners 2018 success. Segura, Haniger, Dee, Marco Gonzales, converting Edwin Diaz to closer, on and on, he’s literally built more than half the 25 man roster. He deserves a ton of credit. I’m sure he’s dying to extend Cruz- hopefully our FO allows him to get it done. IMO our lineup is significantly weaker w/o Cruz. Get er’ done
Yes, please sign him to a fat 3-4 year deal.
(signed)
The rest of the American League
People said that four years ago. Worked out quite nicely. I’d have no problem giving Cruz a nice 2 year extension right now though.
I think we’ll get him back. I think you can just about eliminate all NL teams, and most AL teams are settled at DH. Astros might be interested
I think they should extend, 2 yr 30 mil, with a team option in 2021
Gallardo went 7.1 innings last night while allowing 3 ER with 7 k’s, so he hasn’t been bad in all 3 of his starts.
Yes, 7.1 IP, 7 K to 1 BB, merely 4 hits allowed
His 3rd start was very good
Putting the Hitters in Orem, Inland Empire and Salt Lake while generally keeping the pitchers more focused on Burlington and Mobile will help your prospects look much better too – whether they are or not
That isn’t to say the Angels system hasn’t improved; it has. But there are also some games being played to make guys superficially appear to be better than they actually are
Ever since the angels signed josh hamilton , I think they have been cursed, The rotation can’t stay healthy. If they don’t make the post season, Scioscia needs to go.
HE-GONE
Might not be a bad choice to blame Arte
Yes, because Scioscia was responsible for signing Pujols, Wilson and Hamilton, and the lost draft picks which went with all those FA signings, and it was his call to sign Baldoquin and get locked out of the international market for years.
Top notch analysis.
Scioscia is responsible for both helping to craft and executing an organizational philosophy which is seemingly destroying the arms of most all pitchers they get their hands on – and that issue isn’t even limited to just pitchers either, as even hitters have come down with Overuse and other otherwise preventable injuries
And he is much more involved in Front Office decisions than most all other managers, with his having a ton of influence in those bad signings and trade targets
I do feel as though Mike is more a symptom of the problem than the source of the problem himself, and I have a feeling AF4L likely feels the same. But he does need to go, and it’s honestly difficult to come up with reasons not to make such a change (truthfully, he should have been gone years ago)
I’d be surprised if Moreno brings Scioscia back. He’s done an excellent job getting the most out of what he has to work with, but I’m sure the FO will lobby for his exit due to his resistance to analytics.
Let’s just say he loses the wild card game still keeps his job? Regardless he’s gotta go! Yes they’ve had many injuries but they have underachieved many times they just need change!
Any manager that has made it nearly two decades is remarkable. Angels job would surely be attractive next year w Ohtani and trout plus a little cash to spend.
Why would you base a decision on a manager on whether they make the playoffs or not??? He has been there 10+ years and has had success. Not his fault most of the rotation has been hurt. It’s not the manager’s fault for things going as they are
The Angels have had a top-10 payroll since 2004, often times being in the top-5
Over that time they have gone 10-22 in playoff games – including an 0-3 mark since 2010 (having made the playoffs just once this decade, despite that huge salary)
Scioscia can’t even be cleared of player target decisions either as Arte famously includes him in those decisions – if the team just isn’t good enough, he’s even partially to blame for helping assemble the team
And yes, as the ML manager, Mike can be heavily blamed for those Overuse and other preventable injuries that plague the organization, despite your trying to use them as excuses for his extended poor performance.
There is really no reason he has been kept for years other than Artes blind devotion to him (the whole “…but 2002!!!” is a popular joke that has gone on way too long; he needs to go already)
You know why they had that huge salary? Hamilton and Pujols. Blaming a manager for not having a good record with a high salaty is pretty **** brainedr when the FO is setting that salary with horrible deals
So they had a top-7 payroll from 2004-2011 because they aquired Pujols in 2012 and Hamilton in 2013? Got it, thanks
And then, what excuse you going to give for the 10-22 record once in the playoffs?
Plus, let’s not forget that Mike has his hands in deciding who to target for signing/trade, with him being one of the most GM-connected managers in the entire game (he even pushed for Arte to run DiPoto out of town because Jerry didn’t agree with their high-profile moves and reliance on old-scool philosophies)
Said one GM of the situation in Los Angeles back in 2015:
“If the perception is that you work for the manager and the owner would pick him if it came down to it, you’re certainly going to lose out on a large number of the best candidates who would rather wait for a better opportunity.”
He’s a not-all-that-great manager made a near emperor with the Angels just because he is bffs with busy-body Arte – that is the only reason they gave him that insane and unheard of 10 year contract in the first place, and the only reason he’s still there today, tomorrow and likely years from now
Weren’t you the guy that said the “Angels are must watch TV”, how’s that working.
I’m sure a Nelson Cruz extension is coming. He’s a clubhouse fav, fan fav and still crushes. And he loves it here. I’d give him 2/25 in a heartbeat
I’d love to have him back, but 2/25 doesn’t get it done, he’s making over $14 mm a year now and there’s no way he takes a pay cut. Maybe 2/35-38 with an option will keep him off the market. Ortiz made $16mm 2 years ago, and Cruz is two years younger.
I heard that the Ortiz deal is what they were looking at for a new contract.
Interesting to see the A’s are admittedly not in sell-mode this season. Do they have the pieces to get deGrom and maybe Cespedes to offset some of the prospect haul? They have basically no money tied up in anything and could easily afford to take on some of Cespedes’s 2/58 deal (plus whatevers left this season) he has left. For 2/40 they’d do it for sure. Does Barreto and Puk bring that back if they take on the money?
Uhhh why? Cespedes is a huge injury risk, and they’re a middle of the pack team. I like the A’s a lot as an organization and think that trading for cespedes is a stupid idea. Especially if it involves losing two of their best prospects. Degrom makes slightly more sense, but his walk year will still be at the start of their real window.
They’re not middle of the pack, they’re 7 games off a WC spot with 80 games left and only the (predictably-wilting down the stretch) Mariners in front of them, they easily could make their run with a bold move like that.
Also you need to understand that adding Cespedes allows for a cheaper deGrom.
We’re in the start of a playoff hunt. That’d be an awful move to go all-in the second we start to show signs of a contender.. How about let the prospects move up to the majors first, a good amount of em are close.
there is no need for cespedes at this point since they are getting production from the outfield and Cespedes is way over paid for his production output. DeGroom is a player the A’s want but the cost would be to high for a team that is still in the competeing stages.
I’d take Cespedes and Degrom for Puk and Barretto if I were the A’s. Cespedes is an injury risk, sure that’s fine but you get degrom for 2 guys who might completely bust. Barretto has huge K problems and Puk is still recovering from TJ. I highly doubt the Mets would be that desperate to unload cash. But who knows. A healthy Cespedes is a highly productive player who you could DH half of the time to keep healthy.
1) They absolutely are not getting production from LF.
2) deGrom’s cost would be offset by taking on Cespedes money.
3) Even at $15M a year for Yo, the A’s have no money tied up anyway. There’s absolutely no reason why they can’t have a $80M payroll right now.
jbigz12 thanks for properly understanding that proposal. I agree it does have a lot to do with unloading money due to their ownership/FO situation. I believe they would love to move Yo, who is owed a massive amount he wont ever come close to being worth. A’s have a lot of options at prospect-level SP and 2B (including extending Lowrie) and sticking a true ace on this team makes them an even bigger threat for the WC.
Cespedes is owed $29 million a year in 2019 and 2020. No way the a’s can afford that on their payroll.
JD needs to resign Cruz in the offseason. Vogelbach would be a huge downgrade if they make him the DH next year.
I could see Cano and Healy or a new first baseman rotate 1B and DH if they choose to leave Gordon at 2B, but I wouldn’t count on that. Dipoto was pretty set on him staying in CF before Cano got suspended. Vogey just isn’t MLB talent to me, he needs to go for whatever they can get for him. Package deal maybe.