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Quick Hits: Nationals, Cards, Liberatore, Draft, Torkelson

By Mark Polishuk | May 31, 2020 at 9:08pm CDT

The Nationals are among the teams who released several minor leaguers within the last week, with Brittany Ghiroli and Emily Waldon of The Athletic (subscription required) reporting that the defending World Series champions cut somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 players.  As for the remaining players in Washington’s farm system, the club will be paying them $300 per week through the month of June — down from the $400 weekly stipend that has become the norm throughout baseball, as per the March agreement between the players and the league.  “The Nationals are believed to be the only Major League team paying a lower stipend amount,” Ghiroil and Waldon write, though the Athletics announced earlier this week that they would be ending the stipend entirely at the end of May.

Just as the A’s were heavily criticized for their decision, the Nats have already taken some heat for the stipend cut, considering that the total amount of money being saved is so relatively minor for a billion-dollar franchise.  As one unnamed Nationals minor league put it, even a reduced stipend is better than being released, but “For us lucky ones still getting help, it’s bittersweet. I wish the owners really weighed how much that $100 they cut us back is saving them versus how much it helps put food on the table for us and our families.”

[UPDATE: Nationals reliever Sean Doolittle tweeted that he and the rest of Washington’s Major League roster will be supporting their organization’s minor leaguers by “committing funds to make whole the lost wages from their weekly stipends.  All of us were minor leaguers at one point in our careers and we know how important the weekly stipends are for them and their families during these uncertain times.”]

More from around baseball…

  • The January swap with the Rays that saw the Cardinals acquire left-hander Matthew Liberatore “could be a monster trade” for the Redbirds, an American League scout tells Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  “There is a small clutch of the best pitching prospects in the minors, and I don’t think you could find 10 better than Liberatore,” the scout said, reinforcing the belief that the Cards have quickly been able to reload its young pitching depth (and its left-handed depth, specifically, as Liberatore and 2019 first-rounder Zack Thompson are both southpaws).  The full trade saw St. Louis and Tampa swap draft picks in Competitive Balance Rounds A and B — the Cards got the lower of the two selections — and exchange Liberatore and minor league catcher Edgardo Rodriguez for Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena.  Since Martinez and Arozarena were both somewhat blocked in the crowded Cardinals’ depth chart, moving them for a very promising young starter indeed looks like a shrewd move for St. Louis, as the Cards lost little from their big league roster.
  • While much of the discussion surrounding the 2020 draft has focused on its reduced length, the biggest story talent-wise has been the amount of quality college pitching available.  “It’s just remarkable how loaded this class is in terms of arms,” an area scout tells Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper, with a team scouting director also noting that “the depth and the amount of really good arms, I don’t know if I’ve seen one like this in my lifetime.”  As a result, due to the abbreviated nature of this year’s draft, there should be several good college pitchers available in free agency once the draft’s five rounds are complete.
  • The first overall pick, however, is expected to be a position player, as Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson has been increasingly thought to be the Tigers’ 1-1 choice.  Detroit scouting director Scott Pleis didn’t drop any hints to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis, saying that “we continue to talk” about who the top pick might be, with “five or six guys” included in the final list of potential candidates.  Beyond Torkelson, Callis hears from sources that the Tigers are also looking at several other of the consensus top prospects of this year’s class, such as Austin Martin, Asa Lacy, Nick Gonzales, and Emerson Hancock.  “Officials with other clubs would be surprised if Detroit doesn’t take Torkelson,” Callis writes.
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2020 Amateur Draft Detroit Tigers Notes St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Rays Washington Nationals Matthew Liberatore Spencer Torkelson

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41 Comments

  1. mlb1225

    5 years ago

    While I’m not disagreeing that Libretore could be an extremely effective major league starter, the Rays must know something about him or know how to make Jose Martinez produce like he did in 2017. It’s not very Rays of them to trade a top 50 prospect, especially a left handed starter, for what looks to be a DH-limited slugger who struggled last year.

    2
    Reply
    • jimmybcool

      5 years ago

      They also got Arozarena. It wasn’t totally lopsided. In fact if Liberatore doesn’t become a very effective major league pitcher Rays won the trade. We’ll know in 2-3 years.

      Reply
    • sean7676

      5 years ago

      Pretty sure Randy Arozarena is the future piece in that deal. You’ll find out soon enough. That boy can play!

      4
      Reply
      • balloonknots

        5 years ago

        Kevin Kiermaier is now making 10mm plus per season for 3 years. Usually the point in where Rays move on from a player. Arozarena is the key of the trade no doubt.

        Reply
        • ImAdude

          5 years ago

          Kiermaier is one of the most overhyped and overrated players in baseball.

          Reply
        • balloonknots

          5 years ago

          I would not call him overrated – when on the field he is one the best defensive centers I have ever seen. Great instincts and plays the Wall as good as any ever! He is not a liability with the bat except for his annual slump which lasts about a month each year bringing his overall numbers down cause he does go clueless for that period but he is the main reason my wife and daughter will go with me and son the game. So in the end and game of drawing people to game for entertaining us he is joy to watch for all in the family!

          2
          Reply
    • seth3120

      5 years ago

      While agree it’s hard to fleece the Rays they are great and finding controllable talent but like the article says Martinez was blocked and the Cardinals while posturing tried to unload him for awhile. He can hit he has that kind of talent but before talk of NL DH he wasn’t taking a spot in their outfield. They got a promising left handed starter and continue to be young pitching rich. Could be a trade that both teams win and given they are in different leagues they’ll both take that

      5
      Reply
    • Tim_Buck-Two

      5 years ago

      I was saddened to learn that the Cardinals gave up Arozarena in this deal. Was very excited to watch him play. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if he ends up being the best player of the deal. Libratore is good and all, but can’t miss prospects can miss. Randy looked really solid in the playing time he got down the stretch.

      Reply
    • Yadi Dadi

      5 years ago

      Liberatore is a potential front of the rotation arm, and its expected generally that he’ll reach that and maybe more. He’s the gem of this deal and its not close. Martinez is DH only, a very nice hitter but getting older and coming off a down year. Arozarena is nice, he has some speed and D, decent hitter with zero pop. If this was a blind swap where no one knew the identity of the teams you couldn’t get 5% of responders to say the Cards didnt win this trade.

      Reply
      • ImAdude

        5 years ago

        We won the trade even though one single game hasn’t been played? -The Cardinal Way

        Reply
        • Yadi Dadi

          5 years ago

          Correct. Now go cry some more.

          Reply
        • ImAdude

          5 years ago

          My God you’re a fool.

          Reply
        • hollidayfever

          5 years ago

          Why is he a fool? JMart was horrible last year and his offense has steadily declined back to league average over the last two years straight, which makes him almost impossible to roster because he’s possibly the worst defensive player in baseball. Cardinals have better DH prospects in house that can actually also field a position. Arozarena hurts a little, but Tyler O’Neill is a much better prospect in every way, and Arozarena likely isn’t more than a 4th OF unless he can BABIP around .380 or something in MLB. He’s got virtually no power and his speed doesn’t translate to great defense or base stealing ability.

          Reply
        • ImAdude

          5 years ago

          Because you can’t judge a trade when nobody has played a game. I don’t care how good you THINK it looks on paper. And O’Neill is nothing more than a weightlifter who hits a HR every so often and Strikesout even more.

          Reply
  2. Iknowmorebaseball

    5 years ago

    Oh great, more exaggerating bologna from Cardinals. Liberator is weak…. please!!

    1
    Reply
    • mrperkins

      5 years ago

      A heck of a deal for Mo. Top 5 executive in baseball!

      Reply
      • ImAdude

        5 years ago

        Mrperkins, go make me a chicken fried steak.

        Reply
    • seth3120

      5 years ago

      The Cardinals aren’t exaggerating Gould is a respected beat writer often quoted. I’m not saying the Cardinals have the best farm but they sure develop good young arms that aren’t coming cheap.

      Reply
      • jimmybcool

        5 years ago

        Yeah Gould is no shill for the Cardinals. if they mess up he calls it that way. I think this was a decent trade for both teams. One or both may end up benefiting more from it but at the time it was a good deal.

        Reply
      • ImAdude

        5 years ago

        Goold is so respected that you can’t even spell his name correctly. He’s a Mozeliak lackey.

        1
        Reply
        • Dotnet22

          5 years ago

          1/10 on the trolling attempt

          Reply
        • ImAdude

          5 years ago

          That’s 1 better than your defense.

          Reply
      • Iknowmorebaseball

        5 years ago

        Is that right Seth? Okay. They have done a good job developing young arms. I agree

        Reply
  3. Cam

    5 years ago

    Slashing 25% from an already small monthly pay, is shameful. It is a minimal saving – heck, even minuscule – to the franchise, but significant to a number of lives.

    To put it into perspective, one months pay for a Major Leaguer being paid league minimum, is equivalent to 117 Minor Leaguers getting $400 a month each. That shows that even in these tough times.. ownership like the Nats and A’s are treating their farmhands disgracefully.

    4
    Reply
    • fs54

      5 years ago

      As a Nats fan, I am disappointed by hearing this. But heard Doolittle and guys came together to help the minor leaguers.

      Reply
      • Cam

        5 years ago

        You’re right – for every headline about a team not caring, there are counter stories about others stepping up, which is great. Kudos to Doolittle and co!

        Reply
      • gbs42

        5 years ago

        The players bailing out the owners financially. Sounds very familiar.

        1
        Reply
  4. skullbreathe

    5 years ago

    Thompson for the Cards was a 1st round stretch.. Most drafts had him in the 3rd/4th rounds.. He has a history of injury problems so once there is a full pro minor league season he’ll be under a lot scrutiny to see if he holds up…

    1
    Reply
    • adc6r

      5 years ago

      Anthony Rendon also had a history of injuries when the Nats took him in the mid first round. He would have been a top five pick. the rest is histoyy…

      My point is you can’t just say a players past determines their future. That is why u view scouting as being just as important as analytics…

      Reply
    • Yadi Dadi

      5 years ago

      Why do so many people love to lie on the internet when its so easy to fact check. I just pulled up 5 major mock drafts from 2019 and not a single one had Thompson going lower than 15th in the 1st. Are you just that jealous of the Redbirds?

      Reply
    • hollidayfever

      5 years ago

      Cool story Skull! If not for COVID, there’s a definite case to be made for Thompson being worthy of a late 2020 season callup, if not already slated for the AAA rotation. Health is a major concern with every pitcher ever drafted. His upside is Cole Hamels type ace, so it’s definitely a worthwhile upside gamble, since a pitcher with his upside rarely makes it to where the Cards pick, despite your silly troll claims to his projected value.

      Reply
  5. adc6r

    5 years ago

    OK let’s expand this story out and gain some context…
    QUestion:
    How many of you who have been or are still following stay at home orders are still receiving a paycheck from your employer.

    I personally work for a state government and I AM receiving a paycheck while I stay at home. But this is becoming more and more of a rarity.

    In this context it is encouraging that the sport that has the most employees who are actually professional athletes still has them on the payroll, albeit at a reduced rate. but what is most encouraging to me is the way the players are stepping up in Washington to help the MiLB players. That deserves some Kudos on this thread.

    As far as the owners go, they are starting out in this crisis as being well off [and they most certainly are] but consider they also probably have their own business that are taking unprecedented hits.. In addition they are going to take a hit as owners of their franchise. I am not shedding tears about their plight but I am asking to keep this in mind as part of the balance. Just like the large retailers and food service and grocery businesses, many of the most vulnerable Aericans are employed by these companies. And most of them ARE unemployed right now.

    Reply
  6. sandman12

    5 years ago

    MLB is approaching this backwards. Instead of no minor league baseball this season, they should play minor league ball only and forget about the MLB season. Just a single ‘aaa team from each organization would be awesome … and televised.

    MLB is not required to accept a deal with MLBPA that will cost them money.

    1
    Reply
    • adc6r

      5 years ago

      No MLB games mean no TV revenue. TV revenue is the reason MLB is still considering playing at all

      1
      Reply
      • sandman12

        5 years ago

        Disagree. Tons of baseball fans would love to watch every team’s best prospects play …. and they aren’t unionized.

        Reply
        • ImAdude

          5 years ago

          If anyone thinks the MLBPA is really a union, you’re smoking crack.

          Reply
        • clepto

          5 years ago

          Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

          1
          Reply
        • adc6r

          5 years ago

          striker, Striker, STRIKER!
          shrugs shoulders
          [WHACK!]
          Also from Airplane
          @clepto,

          Reply
    • Yadi Dadi

      5 years ago

      Even if anything you said would be true, there is no chance in hell that this could be pulled off. Putting together the tv deals alone would take another month that they simply dont have

      Reply
  7. MLB-what-ifs

    5 years ago

    Sandman – agree that tons of baseball fans would love to watch, but it would generate little revenue to pay players or cover other expenses……isn’t that the only reason anyone works, to get paid….any business needs more revenue than expenses to stay in business

    Reply
  8. Natsman1

    5 years ago

    No, not TONS of people. FRACTIONS of people. If anyone thinks games featuring minor leaguers on TV is SUDDENLY going to be a solution, sorry you’re wrong. That is a ratings DISASTER. A huge yawn to the casual baseball fan (and their numbers VASTLY outweigh the diehards like us). MLB’s TV partners (read: cash generators) will tell MLB to go eff themselves with that idea, and rightfully so.

    Reply

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