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AL West Notes: Mazara, Mariners, K. Calhoun

By Steve Adams | August 5, 2019 at 10:31am CDT

Nomar Mazara has gone from an expected foundational piece with the Rangers to a platoon outfielder whose future is somewhat up in the air, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. Texas is committed to getting lengthy looks at Willie Calhoun and Scott Heineman in the outfield, and when Joey Gallo returns from the IL, he’ll reenter the outfield mix as well. Mazara, meanwhile, has the worst OBP against left-handed pitching of any qualified hitter in the AL and ranks near the bottom in terms of average and slugging as well. He’s nearing the conclusion of his fourth full year in the big leagues, and while he’ll likely put together his fourth 20-homer season — he’s at 15 presently — he’s never produced even a league-average offensive season based on OPS+ or wRC+. He’ll be arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter and earn a raise on this year’s $3.3MM salary. Texas has some in-house alternatives and the ability to spend in free agency, and Mazara drew some interest prior to the July 31 trade deadline. It’d be painful to sell low on the former top prospect, but it’s clear that his stock has dropped considerably.

Some more news and notes from the AL West…

  • Asked during a conference call about the Mariners’ plans in free agency this winter (link via Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times), general manager Jerry Dipoto replied: “We don’t expect to go into the offseason scouring the free-agent market at the top of the food chain.” That shouldn’t be a particularly surprising stance for anyone to see, as the Seattle club has made it abundantly clear that its rebuild will be a multiyear process. With Felix Hernandez’s contract coming off the books and just over $86MM committed to next season’s payroll at present, the Mariners will have plenty of money to spend, but those funds seem likelier to be allocated to stopgaps, potential summer trade chips and/or mid-range free agents than to any top-tier talent. As Divish points out, Seattle would have overpay (substantially, most likely) in order to sway any free agent to join a club that just lost 90-plus games and is publicly rebuilding.
  • The Mariners will consider moving to a six-man rotation in the near future, MLB.com’s Greg Johns writes. Well-regarded pitching prospects Justus Sheffield and Justin Dunn, acquired in the offseason deals for James Paxton and Edwin Diaz, respectively, will likely join the club by September. Felix Hernandez, too, could return in September. Such an arrangement could help Seattle in monitoring the workload of rookie Yusei Kikuchi and also preventing Marco Gonzales from a radical increase in his innings count from 2018. Sheffield was given a reprieve from the comically hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League recently and has dominated Double-A opposition with a 1.64 ERA and 65-to-14 K/BB ratio in 60 1/3 innings of work. Dunn has also spent the year in Double-A, compiling 100 1/3 innings of 3.59 ERA ball with 10.7 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9.
  • Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun knows that with Jo Adell looming, the team has an affordable alternative to his $14MM club option, but he tells Mik DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times that he’s focused more on his current play than his contractual status. “I’m worried about playing now, and what happens will happen,” said Calhoun. “[Adell] is definitely a great player. He’s a young guy, and we’ll see how he continues to develop, but the talent is there. He’s going to be a big league player for a long time.” Calhoun has been the Angels’ primary right fielder since 2014 and, with the exception of a down season in 2018, has been a generally underrated player. Still, it’s questionable whether the Angels or another club would value him at a net $13MM — the option has a $1MM buyout — in advance of his age-32 season. Free agents entering their mid-30s haven’t fared well in recent years, and corner bats in particular have struggled on the open market. Calhoun’s case is surely helped by the fact that a good bit of his value is tied to his glove and a 10.2 percent walk rate across the past four seasons.
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Los Angeles Angels Notes Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers Felix Hernandez Jo Adell Justin Dunn Justus Sheffield Kole Calhoun Nomar Mazara Scott Heineman Willie Calhoun

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View Comments (36)
Post a Comment

36 Comments

  1. DarkSide830

    6 years ago

    Nomar for Franco and some pitcher in AAA

    Reply
    • bencole

      6 years ago

      Like Julio Franco?

      2
      Reply
      • BigFred

        6 years ago

        Or John Franco, formerly of the Mets?

        Reply
        • CursedRangers

          6 years ago

          Or Mike Franco?

          Reply
    • kevnames42

      6 years ago

      Hope you’re not talking about Wander Franco

      Reply
      • scarfish

        6 years ago

        That was my thought. If that’s the topic, I want a hit of that smoke.

        Reply
      • cattrick12

        6 years ago

        Think he’s talking about maikel Franco

        1
        Reply
      • krillin89

        6 years ago

        Matt Franco. Retired pinch hitter for the Braves

        Reply
        • txjags

          6 years ago

          No way, not for Franco….maybe Jones or Smith or even Doe, but not Franco

          Reply
      • DarkSide830

        6 years ago

        yeah sorry about that. hometown thinking here. i mean Maikel, as in a change if scenery situation for both players.

        Reply
  2. cmancoley

    6 years ago

    The Angels should keep Calhoun. I was one of the people in the beginning of the year thinking we should just trade him or buy him out at the end of the year, he has absolutely changed my mind. Beyond just his above average offensive numbers and gold glove defense, he’s also one of those few guys that help glue the roster together in the clubhouse. He reminds me a lot of Torii. Not only that but he’s also just a gritty player with a winners mentality. The Angels need to keep the winners, and cut the losers. Even if Luis Rengifo is a below average bat, I love that he has that mean winners mindset unlike Pujols, Harvey, Cahill, Bour, Upton, Jose Suarez. Just a hot take

    1
    Reply
    • RootedInOakland

      6 years ago

      Winners mindset is a farce, especially in an individual sport like baseball where every player wants to succeed in the box or in the field when given a chance. Kole is a great ballplayer and he’ll be a solid pickup for whoever signs him, but for a team that is already known as huge money wasters (see: Pujols, Hamilton) the idea of adding $13M to the payroll when u already have an expensive OF feat. Trout, Upton, Jo and Goodwin is idiotic

      Reply
      • Vizionaire

        6 years ago

        who said it has to be a $14 mil option? the team could always buy out the option and sign him to lesser amount. that is if he is willing.

        Reply
        • biggiswrth

          6 years ago

          I agree here, The Angels need one more year to bridge the gap for Adell. Kole for $9 mil (plus the $1mil buy out, makes a litte more sense. There is even talks of moving Upton to 1B by the end of the season, making room for Adell to come up during the 2020 season.

          1
          Reply
        • Ace of Diamonds

          6 years ago

          Adell is ready now, saving $13.5M in luxury tax space will allow the Angels more room to add quality pitching, IE: Gerrit Cole, Wheeler, and/or others. Kole will be gone unless they can trade Upton, that’s what I’d prefer to happen, but don’t expect it…

          Reply
        • Ace of Diamonds

          6 years ago

          what do you do with Pujols if Upton moves to first? Not going to happen. Either trade Upton or Kole is gone, guaranteed…

          Reply
      • AngelDiceClay

        6 years ago

        Pujols got the Angels a $3B TV contract. Realistically The Angels weren’t expecting the video game numbers he put up with the Cards.
        Calhoun has been solid for the Angels. Weather he deserves a $4M raise is up to the Angels. I’d keep him.

        2
        Reply
        • hossmandu

          6 years ago

          Halohonk that Pujols claim is simply not true. The tv deal had been in the works for months prior to the signings of Wilson and Pujols. I quote an article from the week after the winter meetings “The reason they were able to make it rain all over Dallas was thanks to a new television contract that will reportedly more than triple their current broadcast revenue.” Headline from LA Times “Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson deals enabled by TV revenue”

          Reply
    • chaseturrentine

      6 years ago

      Calhoun can play 1B. He’s a little short and a Gold Glove RFer, but he’s got 1B power and Pujols is done after 2021.

      Adell is likely still 1 year away so platooning Pujols and Calhoun for a year doesn’t seem like a bad idea.

      Reply
    • bjsguess

      6 years ago

      It’s not really a “hot take”.

      How you determine a “winners” mentality is pretty silly. Unless you are in the clubhouse, interacting with players, your guess is as good as my 7 year old’s guess about who is a leader.

      Second, Calhoun is NOT providing Gold Glove defense. For his career, he’s basically a scratch RF’er according to both UZR and DRS.

      The Angels should have traded him. That, in no way, would have precluded them from resigning him in the off-season. He could have brought some salary relief along with an interesting lower level prospect.

      Reply
      • rez2405 2

        6 years ago

        Should have traded and actually having the ability TO trade him are entirely different things..

        Why would anybody in their right mind would trade for Calhoun when he can possibly be had on the open market?

        Reply
        • andrewgauldin

          6 years ago

          The same could be said about Machado last year, Castellanos this year. That’s horrible logic

          Reply
        • Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA

          6 years ago

          You can easily argue both players provide something elite. The market showed good players didn’t really get moved, P aside, only those with a potential elite skill set or elite tool were moved. Nobody was trading for Calhoun at the price point.

          Reply
      • lazorko

        6 years ago

        I can think of no better way to discredit UZR and DRS than the fact they rate Calhoun average defensively. That’s madness.

        Reply
    • baseballfan20

      6 years ago

      Yeah, also they should get rid of Upton and put Adell in left that would be a strong outfield

      Reply
  3. skrockij89

    6 years ago

    Would love for the M’s to go after Cole in the offseason. He would be your #1 and speed up the rebuild. Pipe dream I know but would be amazing.

    1
    Reply
    • charles m.

      6 years ago

      The mariners doing anything to win at this point is a pipe dream

      1
      Reply
    • lamars

      6 years ago

      And why would they even entertain such a thought. When the club announced they are in multi years of rebuild?

      Reply
      • skrockij89

        6 years ago

        They plan to contend in 2021. Locking down an ace now would help speed the process.

        Reply
  4. batty

    6 years ago

    Mazara definitely needs a new address and the Rangers would be selling low, but it’s better than not selling at all and him bottoming out.

    3
    Reply
  5. bigdaddyhacks

    6 years ago

    Jerry is sandbagging. They will sign an ace. That’s how all rebuild rotations go. 4 prospects and a legit anchor.

    Reply
  6. tsc32

    6 years ago

    Trade Maz for a couple of pitchers with high ceilings and get it over with. It’ll likely have to be lower level guys with risk but that’s fine

    1
    Reply
  7. bjsguess

    6 years ago

    If I were running the Angels …
    — Pay his buyout
    — Target resigning him in the $5M+ range

    Let him start the season as the RF’er. When Adell is ready, Calhoun moves to the 4th outfielder slot.

    Calhoun is a very solid. Would love to have him back but it has to be in a reserve role with a corresponding reserve salary.

    1
    Reply
    • andrewgauldin

      6 years ago

      That probably means trading Upton or Goodwin.

      Reply
  8. angels2020

    6 years ago

    it’s time for the Adel era to start. love Calhoun’s right field defense…but has regressed as a hitter. would love to see an outfield of Goodwin,Trout,Adel. Please show Upton the door as well. Angels have done well when the bottom of the lineup has had Goodwin, Fletcher and La Stella setting the table

    Reply
  9. smgonzo13

    6 years ago

    Upton isn’t going anywhere and Goodwin will be the 4th OF next year. The Angels will move on from Calhoun.

    Reply

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