With Spring Training set to begin next week, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Coonrod DFA to be resolved:
The Phillies decision to designate right-hander Sam Coonrod for assignment last week will reach a conclusion today. Coonrod, who was designated in order to make room for Josh Harrison on the 40-man roster, struggled to the tune of a 7.82 ERA (4.61 FIP) over 12 2/3 innings in a 2022 season that was mostly wiped out by a shoulder strain. That said, Coonrod was a useful middle reliever as recently as 2021, when he posted a 4.04 ERA (3.71 FIP) over 42 1/3 innings. If he goes through waivers unclaimed, Coonrod does have enough service time to reject an outright assignment. However, given his $775K arbitration salary for 2023 would be lost in doing so, it’s possible he could accept the outright assignment anyway rather than test free agency.
2. Are more extensions on the way?
The run-up to Spring Training is frequently seen as a time for teams and players to discuss extensions, with most of the heavy lifting done in terms of transactions and baseball activities not yet started up. This past weekend saw the Dodgers announce an extension with shortstop Miguel Rojas that will keep him in L.A. through at least the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025 as well. Rojas joins a handful of players such as Jeff McNeil and Yandy Diaz who have inked extensions recently, and it’s possible more deals could be on the way. Giants ace Logan Webb has reportedly discussed an extension with San Francisco’s front office. It was also recently reported that the Royals front office is looking into extensions for the team’s young core as well.
3. Player Chat today at 10am CT:
MLBTR’s Player Chat series will continue this week, and we’re excited to welcome former big league right-hander and longtime MLB scout Tim Fortugno to host a chat with readers today. Fortugno pitched in parts of three MLB seasons from 1992-95, suiting up for the Angels, Reds and White Sox along the way. He pitched a total of 12 seasons in the minors, three in the majors and another in Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League. Fortugno has since spent more than 20 years in Major League scouting departments, working for the Rangers, Mets and Rays, who’ve employed him since 2019. Tune in at 10am CT today to ask any questions you have and to read about Fortugno’s wide array of experiences in baseball!
I love all of the different people that the site is able to get on here. Scouts, current pros, former pros, career minor leaguers, longtime major league vets. Its so interesting hearing all different perspectives on pro baseball. Unfortunately, the timing of these chats always happen to be on times I can not attend.
Great comment. I agree too. It’s brilliant we get to read so many widespread perspectives.
In a completely rational world, teams would identify players they wanted to keep longer-term and offer them extensions that would give the players security and the teams some level of discount, either through total price-tag, or buying out arb years, or maybe reasonably priced options, etc. But we don’t have an entirely rational world. Teams near a CBT threshold may not want to take on the increased AAV and teams that are hyper-frugal may just see the player as an asset that’s devalued by coming to an extension because a) the player is intrinsically cheap right now, and b) before he gets expensive, he can be traded for younger players with more years of control. The CBT we have right now might be the best that could have been bargained for at the time, but it’s really fostered a very balkanized approach to player compensation.
Y’all really gone leave out the red elephant on the room for why coonrod hasn’t historically got the benefit of the doubt?
His subpar performance?
Y’all really aren’t gonna mention the (red) elephant in the room for why Coonrod hasn’t historically got the benefit of the doubt?
He’s been around a few teams, I’m sure it mostly comes down to baseball and his value, contributions to the team, but I highly doubt politics played a role in anything regarding baseball decisions. With that said, I personally believe that he should be allowed to stand for whatever he pleases, and I believe that it is hypocritical for ANYONE to say that what he did was wrong, in standing for his own beliefs.