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Archives for November 2019

Orioles Announce Multiple Minor-League Signings

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The Orioles have announced a variety of minor-league signings. Among the notable players is outfielder Mason Williams, who received a brief look in the majors last September after a strong Triple-A season.

A few other players with MLB experience are heading to the Baltimore organization in hopes of earning a new shot at the majors. Southpaws Hunter Cervenka and Rob Zastryzny have appeared in multiple big-league campaigns. Likewise, infielders Jose Rondon and Jesmuel Valentin have seen the Show.

It’s possible to imagine a path back for each of those players. Williams will face stiff competition but obviously has impressed the club to an extent. The O’s clearly like the idea of creating some competition in camp for the left-handed side of their bullpen. Present top options include Richard Bleier, Paul Fry, and Tanner Scott. And the middle infield corps could be an area of change depending upon what the club does with Jonathan Villar and Hanser Alberto. The former could be a trade or non-tender candidate; it’s possible to imagine the latter drawing trade inquiries as well.

Here’s the rest of the slate of announced signings:

Twins To Sign Blaine Hardy, Juan Graterol, Ryan Garton

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12:11pm: Backstop Juan Graterol and righty Ryan Garton are also heading to the Minnesota org, according to Triple-A communications director Nate Rowan.

Graterol, 30, spent some time with Minny in 2018 and has appeared briefly in each of the past four MLB campaigns. Garton, who is closing in on his own 30th birthday, has thrown 64 1/3 innings of 4.90 ERA ball in the bigs. Last year, he provided the Mariners’ top affiliate with a 3.99 ERA with 10.6 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 65 1/3 innings of action.

10:41am: The Twins have agreed to a minor-league deal with southpaw Blaine Hardy, according to MLB.com’s Jason Beck (via Twitter). Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN had recently reported that the sides were nearing agreement (Twitter link).

This pact comes with an invitation to participate in the MLB side of spring camp for the Minnesota resident. But if an opportunity arises for him to pitch abroad — where he might have greater earning power — then the deal includes a provision requiring the Twins to grant him his release or put him on the MLB roster within 48 hours. Otherwise, there’s a standard opt-out date in June.

Hardy, 32, has been a consistent presence in the AL Central for quite some time now. He broke into the professional ranks with the Royals and reached the majors with the Tigers, ultimately throwing 289 2/3 innings of 3.73 ERA ball in Detroit.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Twins have some new tricks for Hardy to try out. The veteran managed to gut out a 4.47 earned run average last year but didn’t impress ERA estimators. He struggled in particular against same-handed hitters while generally succeeding against righties. Perhaps a few tweaks could unlock something for Hardy.

Mariners Reportedly Nearing Another Rotation Signing

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Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto is evidently cooking up some pre-Thanksgiving surprises for fans of the franchise. The reported addition of Kendall Graveman is but one of two pitching signings in the works, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (links to Twitter).

So, is it the turkey or another side? It seems we’ll find out tomorrow morning, when Divish says the second deal for a starting pitcher will likely be announced.

The M’s entered the winter with obvious needs in the rotation. As MLBTR’s TC Zencka characterized things in rounding up the needs and opportunities for the Seattle org, it seemed possible that the club would pursue as many as three new starting pitching candidates on the open market and/or in trade.

Graveman — one of the possible targets that TC noted — is likely pegged to take one rotation spot. But he could soon be joined by another. It isn’t impossible to imagine the Mariners making a bit of a splash here. No, we’re not expecting another Robinson Cano-sized surprise. But the club has the payroll availability needed to pursue just about any pitcher it likes. It’s also possible, of course, that the other new incoming arm will be more of a depth option than a clear-cut rotation piece.

We won’t offer any specific guesses here, as the possibilities are more or less endless. Dipoto is nothing if not freewheeling. There are some intriguing overseas possibilities, in addition to the full slate of available pitchers that threw in the majors last year. Could be mashed taters and gravy; might be little tiny onions. Hopefully it isn’t canned cranberry “sauce.” It’ll be fun to see who strolls into Seattle with Graveman for Turkey Day.

John Sherman Officially Purchases Kansas City Royals

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NOVEMBER 26: The sale has been formally announced.

NOVEMBER 21: MLB owners have approved the sale of the Kansas City Royals baseball club to area businessman John Sherman, as reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan (Twitter link).

In August, word came that longtime Royals owner David Glass was discussing a potential sale with the KC-based Sherman, with the final price expected to exceed $1BB. Today’s procedural approval by owners and the league itself marks an official transition of ownership.

Sherman’s acquisition was never expected to be in serious doubt, in part due to the 64-year-old’s existing ties to the game. Sherman has been a minority stakeholder in the division-rival Indians since 2016, holding the official title of vice chairman since that time. Sherman, who made his fortune in the natural gas and energy industries, is expected to divest himself of his ties to the Indians now that this sale is approved.

Glass’ tenure as KC owner saw his club reach the broadest possible spectrum of highs and lows. Glass purchased the Royals for a reported $96MM back in 2000. Over the next two decades, the franchise would record 100-or-more losses in six separate campaigns, while reaching the World Series consecutively in 2014 and 2015 (ultimately bringing home a ring in ’15). Next year will mark the 14th full season of club direction under GM Dayton Moore, with the Royals currently engaged in another future-oriented youth movement.

Derek Jeter On Marlins’ Offseason Plans

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Marlins CEO Derek Jeter addressed his organization’s outlook and near-term spending plans in an appearance yesterday. David Wilson of the Miami Herald was among those to cover the chat.

Jeter offered up a bit of a soundbite when he responded to a question about pursuing a given player that the organization likes in free agency. “We’ll go get him,” Jeter provided.

There was a proviso, however. “If a guy fits with our plan and what we’re trying to do, we’ll go get him,” Jeter continued. “I should say, make an attempt to get him.”

There’s a price for every team on every player of interest. But the Fish won’t necessarily be swimming in the deep end just yet. “We must be responsible,” Jeter explained.

Nobody expected the Marlins to plunk down major cash for a premium free agent or to clog up their roster with an array of veterans. In a broadly competitive National League landscape, the Miami roster is obviously far shy of contention-quality.

Still, it’s arguably time that the club begin moving towards a winning outfit after two seasons under Jeter’s helm. And there are opportunities for value in free agency, even for a team that has no plausible hope of winning during the term of a contract. Beyond the veteran leadership component, some wise investments can generate trade returns (and perhaps stave off grievances from the players’ union).

So, what does a “responsible” offseason look like? Details were not forthcoming, unsurprisingly, but Jeter did suggest the focus was less on payroll and more on roster space and opportunity. While there’s certainly some corporate-speak in there, there’s also some underlying merit.

[RELATED: Offseason Outlook: Miami Marlins]

Jeter spoke of the “challenging year” ahead, with the team “filling gaps” while “not blocking the young prospects.” It stands to reason there’ll be some exploration of more opportunistic pursuits, though that wasn’t an item raised by the soon-to-be-Hall-of-Famer.

At the end of the day, the ongoing focus is clear. “We have to stick with the plan,” says Jeter, “and our plan is to build a system the right way, which we’ve made a lot of progress in two years.”

Kazuhisa Makita Signs With Rakuten Golden Eagles

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Right-handed hurler Kazuhisa Makita is heading back to his native Japan. The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles have announced his signing.

Makita jumped the Pacific in 2017-18, landing a two-year deal with the Padres. While he was able to generate quite a few more strikeouts in the majors (9.5 per nine) than he averaged over his prior tenure in Japan (5.0), the submariner was also prone to the long ball and surrendered a 5.40 ERA over 35 innings in his debut campaign.

While the Friars lost their bet that Makita’s low-eighties sinker would sufficiently befuddle MLB hitters, he was quite effective last year in the upper minors. In 70 1/3 frames across 43 Double-A and Triple-A appearances, he worked to a 3.33 ERA with 8.6 K/9 against 1.4 BB/9. The showing did not convince the San Diego organization to give him another crack at the majors.

Now, Makita will attempt to pick up where he left off in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. But he’ll do so with a rival of his former team. Before coming to the bigs, Makita had compiled 921 1/3 innings of 2.83 ERA pitching over seven seasons with the Seibu Lions.

Quick Hits: Hill, Wheeler, Twins, O’s, Rays

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Free-agent left-hander Rich Hill drew interest from ten teams at last week’s GM Meetings, he tells J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group (via Twitter). That interest was in spite of the primary revision surgery Hill has undergone this offseason, which will likely sideline him until at least June. However, Hill, 40 in March, has remained extremely effective when he’s been able to pitch, and it seems teams are keen on him despite the injury risk. The veteran didn’t indicate whether he’d prefer to sign this offseason and rehab under the supervision of a team or wait until he’s fully healthy to showcase for teams next summer.

  • The Twins have right-hander Zack Wheeler “very high on their list of pitching targets,” reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). That’s unsurprising, as Wheeler is the number three starting pitching option on this year’s free agent market. As MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted in the Twins’ offseason outlook, the organization’s long-term payroll is relatively open, and starting pitching stands as the team’s biggest need this offseason. José Berrios and Jake Odorizzi are the only locks to be in the rotation next season. Wheeler figures to draw a robust market, as the MLBTR staff forecasted him for a five-year, $100MM deal at the offseason’s outset.
  • The Orioles have named Rockies assistant Anthony Sanders their first base coach, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets. Jon Morosi of MLB.com first reported the O’s would hire him for that role. Sanders is a former professional outfielder who spent 14 years coaching with the Rockies. He’ll take over for Arnie Beyeler in Baltimore.
  • The Rays have hired former Astros scout Greg Brown as their hitting coordinator, Jon Heyman of MLB Network relays. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first suggested the Rays would choose Brown, who had been the head coach at Nova Southeastern University. Heyman notes Brown signed now-Red Sox star J.D. Martinez back when he was a scout with Houston. Of course, Martinez didn’t truly blossom until he ended up in Detroit several years later.

Dodgers Interested In Top Free Agents

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The big-budget Dodgers have the money to spend on any of the absolute best free agents – right-handers Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg and third baseman Anthony Rendon – and they are indeed considering them, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. However, the luxury tax-minded team’s going to stay “disciplined” in its pursuit of those three, per Heyman.

There are few need areas on the Dodgers, evidenced by the fact they won a National League-high 106 games in 2019. Although the Dodgers fell in an upset to the eventual World Series-winning Nationals in the NLDS, it’s hard to deny the talent that’s on hand. The Dodgers could do next to nothing this offseason and still look like one of the majors’ premier teams at the outset of next year, but president Andrew Friedman & Co. are nonetheless working to better the roster in an effort to improve LA’s chances of breaking a championship drought that goes back to the 1980s.

That said, adding any of Cole, Strasburg or Rendon would represent a far more expensive pickup than anyone the Friedman-led Dodgers have signed thus far. Since Friedman took over after the 2014 season, the Dodgers have spent $80MM at most on a free agent, having re-signed Kenley Jansen entering 2017. Cole may end up tripling that total, with MLBTR predicting a $256MM guarantee, while Rendon should eclipse $200MM in his own right and Strasburg has a strong chance to approach that amount.

Either Cole or Strasburg would seemingly serve as a capable replacement for Hyun-Jin Ryu, who’s a free agent after what was a near-Cy Young season in 2019. Even with none of those names in the fold, the Dodgers look to be in good shape with Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin, Julio Urias, Kenta Maeda and Dustin May lining up as their top starters for next season. And they’re also doing quite well at third with Justin Turner, though he could move across the diamond if they make a major splash at the hot corner.

Latest On Mets’ Pitching Coach Vacancy

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MONDAY: Patterson’s no longer a candidate for the position, according to Andy Martino of SNY. Hefner, on the other hand, “is a very strong candidate to get the job,” per Martino.

SUNDAY:  The Mets have interviewed A’s minor league pitching coordinator Gil Patterson for their pitching coach position, reports ESPN’s Buster Olney. It isn’t clear from the report, however, when Patterson’s interview took place or if he remains in the running.

Patterson recently wrapped up the fourth year of his third separate stint working with A’s farmhands. From 2013-15, he held a similar role with the Yankees, with whom he pitched his only ten MLB games in 1977. Patterson didn’t have a lengthy MLB playing career, but he’s worked in assorted pitching development roles over the past three decades. In addition to his time with the A’s and Yankees, Patterson has coached for the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays in his career, logging three seasons (2002-04) as Toronto’s pitching coach.

Patterson becomes the fourth known candidate for the Mets’ pitching coach job. Brewers’ bullpen coach Steve Karsay, Twins’ assistant pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, and University of Michigan pitching coach Chris Fetter have previously been tied to the role. In other Mets’ news, the club seems likely to bring in veteran coach Hensley Meulens as Carlos Beltrán’s bench coach.

Rockies Reportedly Do Not Intend To Trade Jon Gray

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While there has been some early chatter surrounding Rockies righty Jon Gray, that doesn’t mean we’re on the cusp of a major swap. Rather, per MLB.com’s Thomas Harding, the Rox are leaving rival organizations with the expectation that Gray will remain in Colorado.

As MLBTR’s Connor Byrne explored earlier this month, Gray seems a strong trade candidate on paper. The 28 year-old is projected for a reasonable $5.6MM salary in arbitration, but he comes with just two seasons of team control remaining. Gray took a step forward in 2019, posting a 3.84 ERA in 150 innings with solid strikeout (23.6%) and walk (8.8%) rates despite calling Coors Field home. As a team, however, the Rockies went backwards, stumbling to a 71-91 season after back-to-back postseason appearances.

Without much flexibility to spend this offseason, there was and is reason to believe Colorado will explore the trade market both to add MLB pieces and as a potential means of increasing organizational financial flexibility. In addition to possibly attempting to move the contracts of some older, more expensive players, it stands to reason that the team would at least endeavor to learn what kind of young talent might be had in a swap involving its marketable, mid-arbitration players.

Perhaps the Rox didn’t like what they heard when rivals came calling on Gray in recent weeks. No doubt the bar is set even higher when it comes to shortstop Trevor Story. Like Gray, the star shortstop comes with two more years of team control. Dealing one or both would make for something of an organizational reboot, even with other key MLB pieces still on hand.

It certainly doesn’t sound as if the Rockies are anxious to discuss Story in trade talks. To the contrary, the Athletic’s Nick Groke (subscription link) even characterizes the team as having real interest in an extension, although there’s no indication anything’s close on that front. Even if there’s mutual interest, it’ll be challenging to find common ground. Story only just turned 27, has established himself as one of the game’s best shortstops, possesses strong arbitration earning power ($11.5MM projection), and holds sky-high potential in free agency after the 2021 season.

If Colorado is to return to contention, strong seasons from Gray and Story would be key. The Rockies don’t seem likely to threaten the Dodgers in the NL West and probably won’t project as a favorite in the Wild Card race. But there is some compelling core talent on hand and the organization is understandably interested in trying to win while that group is in place. It seems GM Jeff Bridich and company are planning to stay the course this winter in hopes of bouncing back sooner rather than later.

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