The Reds were keen on retaining Matt Harvey entering the offseason and held talks with him right up until he agreed to join the Angels on a one-year deal yesterday, Cincinnati GM Nick Krall tells Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter links). However, the Reds simply weren’t comfortable matching the $11MM guarantee promised by the Halos. That said, Krall made clear that the Reds still hope to add another starting pitcher, be it via free agency or trade, and the GM also added that his club is pursuing another outfielder and some bullpen help. “We need to improve this club, and we know that,” said Krall, whose largest offseason move to date has been acquiring Tanner Roark. While the durable Roark certainly helps to shore up the back of the Reds’ rotation, there’s still plenty of question marks in the mix of in-house rotation options.
A few notes from around the National League on a quiet Wednesday evening…
- The Nationals have had “ongoing conversations” with Anibal Sanchez’s agent, Gene Mato, since the Winter Meetings, tweets Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. That said, there are still multiple teams interested in Sanchez, who enjoyed a career renaissance with the Braves in 2018, as he pitched to a 2.83 ERA with 8.9 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 45 percent ground-ball rate. There’s no shortage of skeptics with regard to Sanchez’s resurgence, though the substantial increase in his usage of a cut-fastball and the fact that he allowed less hard contact than any qualified pitcher in baseball last season (per Statcast) should pique the interest of some clubs. Mato told MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes last week that teams interested in Sanchez “realize it wasn’t luck” that fueled his 2018 rebound.
- Robert Murray of The Athletic writes that the Brewers sent three representatives to watch Troy Tulowitzki’s audition for MLB clubs yesterday (subscription required). Murray spoke to multiple scouts in attendance who had positive things to say about how Tulo looked on that given day, though obviously the primary question isn’t whether the 34-year-old is healthy right now, but whether he’ll be able to hold up over the course of a full season. The Brewers could utilize Tulowitzki at either third base or second base, with Travis Shaw manning the other spot. Given Shaw’s experience (and proficiency) at the hot corner, second base would be Tulowitzki’s likeliest position in Milwaukee. There were at least 11 other clubs on hand at yesterday’s showcase, however, so Milwaukee is but one of many possible landing spots for the former Rockies star. Any team that signs Tulowitzki would only owe him the league minimum of $555K in 2019.
- Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish went through his second day of a throwing program as he works his way back from an arthroscopic debridement procedure in his right elbow (Instagram link). The Chicago organization said at the time Darvish’s surgery was announced that the right-hander is expected to be ready for Spring Training 2019, and the fact that he’s throwing in mid-December is an encouraging sign in that regard. Injuries limited Darvish to just 40 innings with the Cubs in a disappointing first season with the team. The six-year, $126MM contract for Darvish looks all the more problematic for the Cubs in light of reports that the team has extremely limited financial resources at its disposal this offseason. The fact that the Cubs spent a combined $186MM on Darvish, Tyler Chatwood and Brandon Morrow last winter, then acquired the second season of Brandon Kintlzer’s contract at the deadline this summer, only to now be handcuffed by payroll issues is undoubtedly a bitter pill for Cubs fans to swallow.
Tulo to Angels
Don’t they have a ss?
Tulo shouldn’t appear at SS unless it’s an emergency. Second base or third base is where he belongs now.
Question – why wouldn’t he just call it a career at this point? He’s getting paid either way. So essentially he’s playing for free if he signs on with another team, although it saves his former employer a little bit of money.
If I were an athlete in his position I’d try to use the extra time to get an earlier start on the next phase of my life than try to be a bench player for a few more years and probably not make much st all, if anything, while fighting for a job and a roster spot
If I’m not mistaken, he can resign for league minimum with another team and Toronto still has to pay his original contract salary. Also, he worked his whole life to play major league baseball. Perhaps he just wants to play.
He probably just loves the game and wants to keep playing; what’s wrong with that?
Tulo is sticking around because he still wants to compete or has something to prove…… or both
Great players, which Tulo once was, want a W.S. Ring before they check out. It validates their career, in their mind. Also, the love of the game is not to be ignored. Once they retire, they know they can (almost) NEVER GO BACK. It is why MLB teams have to basically rip the uniform off their players, who will stick around as long as the team lets them. Most of these players will have no other career after baseball. Most have a pension (Anyone with 4+ years service time in MLB I think) and I would bet the majority who retire these days…say the last 20 years…have made over 10 million in MLB and have enough to live comfortably in retirement without getting another job. Of those who want to keep working, many will return to baseball as coaches, instructors, front office jobs, and scouts. Once BB is in your blood, it stays in your blood.
He probably loves what he does.
Maybe he likes to play baseball and hopes for another chance at a ring?
If you were an athlete, you wouldn’t quit. There is plenty of time for the next phase of his life. Being a professional athlete is fleeting, retirement is a marathon unless you’re a former football player.
Because not everyone thinks like you.
Because he wants to keep playing.
Because this is a free shot to sign with a lot of teams he’s never had.
Because, he wants another half a million.
Because of any of ten thousand other reasons.
If you wants to keep getting paid he has to actually make an attempt to play. Otherwise the MLB could file a grievance against him.
Usually a contract voids on retirement, so he’ll lose a ton of guaranteed money if he retires.
Well said
He can unofficially retire, I think. Stay home but never file the retirement paperwork with MLB.
Can’t exactly say I’m disappointed we didn’t get Harvey back..
And if back end starters command $11M/year, Cincinnati and all small market teams may as well forget ever being competitive. Ridiculous.
Not sure any team needs to spend $11m on a back end starter to be competitive.
Agreed which is why even the union will understand a cap with a floor and ceiling is a eventually the way to proceed with an NBA type kicked that allows you to exceed the ceiling to resign your own. Modify it if need be but simething needs to be done. The cost of even small market games has competition today and why would a home town fan go to see a non-comeptitive team? They soon won’t.
Are you advocating for the nitty gritty salary structure within the NBA style salary cap too? IE: max contracts? A player can only make X as the max, not free market Y?
There is no cooperative imbalance in baseball. – Bud Selig
There is no competative imbalance in baseball. – Bud Selig
I think you miss the point. If back end starters cost $11M, a descent starting pitching staff would cost $100M. Not gonna happen for 1/2 the league.
Need an NFL type salary structure or those smaller market teams need to bolt MLB and start a league they can compete in.
I think Yu’s surgery wasn’t serious. I believe arthroscopic is one of the least serious forms. Keep hope alive, Cubs’ fans
I’m not worried right now. I expect him to be very good next year after only pitching 40 innings and finally getting this procedure done. BUT, IF he doesn’t do well now that he’s healthy, I’ll definitely start to worry about being stuck with him for 4 more years. We’ll see.
@ Bryzzo2016;
By now you should realize that Mr. Epstein specializes in building offensive teams that play their home games in band box ballparks – working with a top 15% payroll. Begrudgingly he will acquire a strong defensive player for a year or so, then will comb the lists of free agents or salary dump candidates to replace said defensive player.
His record also shows that his organizations are poor at scouting and developing Pitchers…..much of which involves being patient. He’ll get a few here and there, but mostly he overpays for hot Pitchers in free agency or salary dumps; getting stuck with large salaries as most usually under-perform on the back-end of their exorbitant contracts and/or get injured at some point (usually overextending themselves physically). His response to the subsequent poor performance of the staff is to bring in a chain of endless name pitching coaches which – due to his teflon image with media and fans – it’s always blamed on the outgoing pitching coach and/or manager.
At some point his overspending hits a wall. Ownership cuts his allowance increases, telling him to spend wisely and not be so foolish with their money.
We all are who we are. As with baseball players, success in life depends on making adjustments. Sometimes we do, sometimes not. Those close to us have to take the bad with the good……or cut the relationship.
@samual. Very well thought out and articulated,but also very wrong
@Samuel
And Theo’s record also shows …. 3 world championships!
So much for your trolling
This is dead on. Theo has been overrated for years. He’s real good about taking teams that are down with low payrolls, overspending on free agents, trading his farm system away, then being good for a few years. As the free agents fail to fulfill (Carl Crawford, Jason Heyward, etc.), he starts blaming his coaches. The team goes down in a spiral and he will leave.
Yeah offensively he drafted really well in Chicago though. Pitching has clearly been something they haven’t drafted well, but early on, when it was asset collection, they drafted all offensive players in the first round because the probability of success is much higher than with pitching.
Yeah, Boston’s run that started with Epstein as GM really shows how weak and over-rated he is. If he can only squeeze out a 15-year window…well, then dump him!
Wrigley is an offensively neutral park.
I think it depends on which way the wind is blowing but it has edged up somewhat the last couple years.
It used to be the NL offense-friendly park before they put the lights in and the new smaller ballparks were built.
Drafting pitching is difficult these days. Kids come up through youth programs then on to school and college ball. The wear and tear on young arms these days is more so than in the past. I see the point of view where you draft for offense and use that as trade chips or salary savings so that you can go for proven arms in trade or FA. Theo and company have had a run of bad luck with this philosophy as of late but I still agree with it. Strong defense was also a big part of winning the world series. Baez, Heyward, Rizzo and Almora are among the best defenders in the game today.
Yeah it was one crappy way to start off a six year contract but I think it was just bad luck. Chatwood is garbage but I expect a bounce back year from Yu. Won 95 games last year with everything under the sun going wrong. With Yu bringing something and a full healthy year of KB they should be just fine. Would still love a big name though…
I agree that Darvish will be fine and Morrow should be too when healthy.
Unfortunately, it looks grim for any pitcher that walks a hitter an inning like Chatwood.. Once that starts happening, it gets to be a mental problem that’s hard to correct.
Sorry, with Darvish history I have little hope he can comeback. Bad signing will cost Cubs for years. Too bad because they proved they could be a winning ball club without him.
Won’t cost them for years. It’s small given the big TV deal coming in 2020
If heard there is a glitch with the tv deal! May not be the windfall they had hoped for! I kind of hope Darvish never pitches again and hope the Cubs insured against a total loss!
I love how 2016 must have been the worst year of your life. I hope you revisit it often. All Cubs fans thank you for your misery.
I’m old and loved the Cubs as a younger man. Something is different now, I just don’t care as much as I used to. If they win fine and if they don’t, no big deal.
The Braves should offer a 2 year deal to Sanchez, if only to keep him away from the Nats
Sanchez only pitches well in contract years. The Braves have way too many pitching prospects that could either contribute or be traded for a stud way better than Sanchez.If I were a Braves fan I would want a division rival to sign him.
Dodgers should get Tulo, as long as the cost is low
Whoever gets him will get him for league minimum, because the Blue Jays are paying the majority of his salary.
to what, ride the bench? With Muncy at 2b, Seager at SS and Turner at 3b, where exactly is Tulo going to play? He wants a starting position.
Lol Muncy at 2nd
so where is Muncy playing? with 35 dingers last year he isnt riding the pine. im not a Dodgers fan and havent seen many games. His glove work cant be worse than Andujar at the hot corner.
Lol,I hope so because they don’t need him
Whoever gets him will get the entire 10 games a year he plays
why does it seem like no one wants to make a trade with the Dodgers starting pitchers could it be nobody trust is Freidman.
I say this as an outside observer, but the Dodgers always seem like they’re reluctant to make a big splash and trade what’s required to get someone significant with club control. Yeah, they got Machado and Darvish, but they were rentals with less risk and a lower price than someone like a Kluber, Syndergaard, etc.
I don’t think it’s teams unwilling to trade with Friedman, I think it’s Friedman being unwilling to make that kind of trade.
Tulowitzki will be in a Giant or an As uniform come opening day.
Both have only 37 currently on 40 man so they have plans to add somebody.
A lot of big wigs there from the Giants organization. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit to see him with the Giants to play backup for Longo and Panik. He would get a lot of playing time platooning with those guys. Pablo can platoon at first with Belt out in left and Posey behind the dish. If Panik doesn’t come back to life then sit him and play Tulowitzki
Any team needing a shortstop or second baseman would be foolish not to look at Tulo, especially at the league minimum salary.
Haha love it. Reds refuse to trade clubhouse cancer Matt Harvey because they think it will hurt their chances of signing him (which, idk why they would want to) and then he signs elsewhere anyway. Scooter Gennett is next.
Was Harvey a cancer? It seemed like he was a mode teammate according to people with access to the clubhouse.
Quote?
Yes, it’s much easier to just downvote isn’t it?
Typically when you refer to someone being a clubhouse cancer you’d need proof of that being true. Not proof of the contrary. Do you have a link of him being a problem in Cincy?
Yours?
Bro it’s been known that the guy is a headcase for years
According to my son who pitching for Reds(David Hernandez) he was an outstanding teammate.
They refused to trade him because the best offer they had for him was a Frank Pastore rookie card.
I’d much rather have that than Matt Harvey and whatever he was owed
I’d give another upvote if I could.
Harvey’s trade market was practically zero, you fool. The only club I even recall having interest was Milwaukee. If you’re going to be mad at them, be prepared to be mad that they will only add buy low guys and call it a day.
Brewers claimed Matt Harvey on August waivers. Letting him and his salary go to Milwaukee for no return would have been addition by subtraction.
I’m not ryan we just share all the same views and love the Padres! Sign profar in 2021! I’m sure that guy just disappeared! Nothing but a coincidence that we post the same things.
Living rent-free in your head…
It’s very difficult when one’s alter ego roots for another team .Inner conflicts abound. The primary personality always seeks bliss and will go to extreme lengths to wish for conformity. That being said, good luck with the Padre fandom.
Would love for the Brewers to sign him would be a great pickup for multiple positions.
supposedly wants starting time and to play 1 position.
@samual. Very well thought out and articulated,but also very wrong
Hopefully, Darvish is just as good for the Cubs this season as last.
Dodgers and Yankees looking like geniuses now that they passed on Darvish.
You have to wonder if Suzuki is talking up Sánchez to his new (old) team.
Any word on how Tulo actually looked in his workout?
How in the world are the CUBS in a payroll crunch? I get that there’s some sunk cost in their active roster, plus future raises to pay for, but this team has been a playoff regular for a couple of years, has not broken the luxury tax threshold and it the darling to one of the largest media markets in America. So, how are they afraid to add major payroll commitments, even if if pushes them over the luxury line?
You answered your own question; Cubs do not want to exceed the luxury tax threshold.
Now, we may not agree with that approach but this is how the Cubs want to play it.
They will be over the threshold this year. They just don’t want to go too far over it.
Tulo to the braves in a bench role. He won’t remain healthy all year and he’ll be paid barely anything by the club. He wants to extend his career, bench role not a bad way to go. But I get wanting to play every day…
He has already stated he wants to go to a team that will play him regularly at 1 position. He probably wont get that, but he will go where he has the most opportunity
Don’t understand the Matt Harvey “cancer” comment above since he wasn’t. He was a rental who gave his best efforts and was respected by everybody. Now he’s a rental for the Angels. Reds didn’t need him when they got Roark, especially at that price. They need to work on a top of the order SP with a multi-year deal, plus other needs as we know.
Still difficult to understand the Roark trade given the Nats are now willing to take a flyer on a guy with one dominant year last year in his past 5 and will likely shell out more $$ than what Roark would’ve earned.
I can see Tulo with the Rockies. He could start at second base and the thin air there would certainly help his offensive numbers. He won’t be moving Trevor Story off shortstop, but it would be a chance to join the infield with Nolan Arrenado, Story, and Ian Desmond if he can stay healthy they’d have lots of pop there.
Reds act like someone pretending to be rich, but in reality they are not. They are rumored on every player but as the players start to come off the board, the Reds big move is Roark.
The Cubs would be a good fit. Baez can play anywhere in the infield. Tulo can share time with happ and zo at 2nd. Its only the minimum. So if he doesnt do anything. They can let him go.