Free-agent reliever David Robertson will hold his previously reported showcase on Thursday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. There will be a large group of teams in attendance, Heyman suggests, owing to a combination of the 35-year-old Robertson’s past accomplishments and what should be a low-risk contract. Robertson enjoyed great success as a Yankee and White Sox from 2008-18, establishing himself as an oft-dominant workhorse along the way, but the right-hander fell off as a Phillie after that. He threw 6 2/3 innings in an injury-shortened 2019 and didn’t pitch at all last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
- Brandon Kintzler turned down a $2MM guarantee from the Marlins to join the Phillies on a non-guaranteed pact Wednesday, Barry Jackson of the Miami relays. The righty is betting on himself that he’ll land a roster spot in Philadelphia and earn a $3MM salary with up to $1MM in incentives. Kintzler was the closer last year in Miami, where he saved 12 of 14 games and posted a terrific 2.22 ERA with a similarly impressive 57.3 percent groundball rate. The veteran’s ability to keep the ball on the ground helped him overcome a K-BB percentage of 3.0 – the sixth-lowest mark among qualified relievers. The Marlins had an opportunity to keep him after last season, but they instead declined his $4MM option in favor of a $225K buyout.
- Righty starter Matt Shoemaker is “weighing multiple offers” and may sign somewhere this week, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports. Shoemaker, 34, was a Blue Jay from 2019-20, but injuries held him back in both seasons. He threw 28 2/3 innings in ’19 because of a torn ACL and finished last year with another 28 2/3 while battling shoulder inflammation. A lofty 29.6 percent home run-to-fly ball rate led to a 4.71 ERA for Shoemaker in 2020, but his 4.35 SIERA, career-high 92.1 mph fastball velocity, and above-average walk and groundball percentages (7.6 and 48.1) were more encouraging.
- Reliever Blake Parker is deciding among three teams’ offers (one of which is a major league deal) and could make his choice soon, per Heyman. The 35-year-old righty turned in a fine 2020 as a Phillie with a 2.81 ERA/3.39 SIERA and an exorbitant strikeout rate (36.0 percent) over 16 innings, though he also walked 13.0 percent of the batters he faced.
Kintzler is a pretty good pitcher. Surprised he didn’t have more of a market if that’s all that it took to sign him.
His stats said he was a lucky pitcher, last year.
His stats say that every year. And every year he’s solid. Ricky Nolasco was “unlucky” for like 12 straight years. Which is why I never trust those crap metrics that try to predict how a player should have actually performed. Either way, this is a huge gamble by him. If he doesn’t make the Phillies team then he ends up with nothing
Well said. I remember for years people kept saying Ricky Nolasco was a good pitcher with bad luck. Stats don’t address the mental capacity of a player. Stats geeks are the reasons why guys like Nolasco, Jason Heyward, and even Juan Lagares made more money than they should have.
I think the way Kintzler outperforms his expected new age stats makes teams afraid they’re going to be the one left holding the bag if his production wanes, even though they wouldn’t face the same judgement for missing on other players. It’s an interesting idea to explore, instead of thinking about it like Kintzler is a proven quality reliever think about the way teams think about players now. If a team signs a guy with a high power fastball and he underperforms and has a bad year they say shame on the player for not doing what our projections said he would do. But if somebody like Kintzler has a bad season the same front office would say shame on us for signing a player that performed to our projections. And Kintzler outperforming expectations every year does nothing for him while guys like Tyler Chatwood get four year deals for over 30 million based on projections.
The problem with many of the newer metrics is that they discount generating soft contact as a skill. Now at some point the stuff falls off enough and a guy won’t be able to do so (Jered Weaver was a prime example of that here) so I understand GM’s not wanting to be the one who signs a guy and gets left holding the bag.
Personally, I’d look at the quality of contact much more closely if I was a GM. I love a good 8 pitch inning with two ground balls and a pop up.
Kintzler was a journeyman with the Cubs like 2 years ago. “Lucky” is a good way to put his season last year. Phillies really going through it now as an organization. The Bryce Harper signing now looking like a major setback to me.
Is journeyman another way of saying the only 2019 Cubs reliever who could be trusted to get guys out?
You’re way off. Kintzler was solid for the Cubs then, and solid for the Marlins last season. The Phillies signed him to a minor league deal. He won’t be there closer. He may not even make the team. This is a solid depth signing.
Theres nkt a hugh difference bettwen 2 mil from MIA and the 3 from PHI due to the tax situation in Florida. I guess the incentives must be appearance based
I agree Doug.I think that he has been underrated his whole career because he does not throw hard.What gm’s seem to do sometimes is not only overuse these metrics but do not pay attention to the historic durability of the pitcher.Hard throwers don’t last like this type of pitcher so what good are all the strikeouts if they cannot pitch for half the year.I would think that there would be a metric for durability but I have never seen one.
Shoemaker is a good dude. Whoever picks him up will potentially get a pitcher that breaks out, if he can just stay healthy. Outside chance that he comes back to the Jays, but wherever he ends up, I wish him well.
Love Shoey. His wife is funny on social media too.
Imagine explaining this statement to a baseball fan in 1990.
Good point. This whole world has changed so much.
They’d be like Indians reliever Paul Shuey? His wife isn’t funny at all!!
Lol hilarious
Bring Shoe home! (to Toronto)
Bring Parker and Shoey back home to Anaheim!
Wouldn’t mind Parker coming back to Philly. One of the few bright spots of a horrific pen.
yeah I feel he got trashed for what he did in 2019 but actually did quite well in 2020 and his track record is pretty solid.
Parker was one of the few bright spots in the Phillies bullpen last season
I’d love to see high socks D-rob back in the Bronx.
I wish the Angels would bring back Shoemaker instead of that ridiculous trade for Alex Cobb.
“Brandon Kintzler turned down a $2MM guarantee from the Marlins to join the Phillies…”
This is exactly why I take exception when someone says something, Team X should have signed Player X. If this nugget hadn’t been revealed we might have seen some fan saying the Marlins should have signed Kintzler. Obviously they tried to, and even made a better offer than the Phillies. It’s an unfair criticism that used repeatedly.
It’s only better if you don’t think he’ll make the MLB roster.
Yeah, I should have said a better deal, as far as security goes. I assumed most guys would want a guaranteed contract over a minor league one, but you’re right, the Philly deal is more money if he makes the 26 man roster.
Not really. Philly is offering him a total of *double* the money Mia offered, if he hits the incentives. 4M v 2m
Double!
I think Robertson might be a good sneaky signing for whoever gets him. Hasn’t pitched in 2 seasons basically but you’re not signing him to be a closer anymore.
is Robertson still repping himself in free agenc
He hired his old agent back.
I’d like to see both Shoemaker and Parker back with the Angels. Shoe is an underrated pitcher, if the poor guy can catch a break and stay healthy for a full season. He’s been a hard-luck pitcher.
Career K/IP. Stud
Is there any doubt that the Yankees are going to use their Ottavino savings to sign Robertson to a cheap, 1 year deal? Then us Boston fans are going to watch Robertson blow away Ottavino’s numbers this year for 1/3 of the cost? The prospect Boston received in the Ottavino deal had better turn out to be a stud as taking on Ottavino’s salary really bailed the Yankees out of CBT jail and will probably allow them to sign both Robertson & Gardner to team-friendly deals.
Maybe they do maybe they don’t.
Ottavino was valuable enough that another team like the jays could have traded for him and took the prospect. Ottavino pitches well he’s turns into another prospect or two as well.
good deal