Gammons On A’s, Pirates, Royals, Rays
Starting pitching is one of the most valuable assets in the game and, as Peter Gammons explains at MLB.com, small-market teams usually have to rely on the draft to obtain it. Here are Gammons’ latest notes from around the league…
- A's GM Billy Beane says his current rotation, a group that’s more or less untouchable, could be as good as Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito were. Trevor Cahill has “become one of the best pitchers in the game,” according to Beane.
- "Let's face it, no small-market team can afford to go into the market to get starting pitching," Beane told Gammons. "To survive and compete, you have to draft and develop pitching, or go out and get it before it's on the Major League radar screen."
- Gammons reports that some expect the Pirates to take Virginia left-hander Danny Hultzen with the first overall pick this June. Click here for MLBTR's Q&A with Hultzen.
- Georgia Tech Lefty Jed Bradley will likely disappear within the first ten picks of the draft, and Connecticut righty Matt Barnes will likely be a top-15 selection.
- The Royals are looking for a college starter who can arrive in the Major Leagues and make an impact in the rotation soon.
- Royals GM Dayton Moore agrees that you need pitching to go along with premium position players. “They're not going to win if we don't find young, affordable pitching," Moore said.
- The D’Backs, who hold two of the first seven picks this year (#3, #7), will take at least one arm early on and the Rays are also likely to take a number of pitchers with some of their many high picks.
Evaluating Arizona’s Remade Bullpen
There’s no charitable way to describe the performance of the Arizona bullpen last year. The group combined to finish last in MLB in ERA (5.74), xFIP (4.69), HR/9 (1.3), WAR (-2.1) and WPA (-8.37) and in the bottom five teams in K/9 (6.8) BB/9 (4.6) and innings pitched (439). They were awful. So as soon as he became the Diamondbacks' GM, Kevin Towers vowed to make changes.
“The focus will probably be primarily on the bullpen this winter, as well as the bench,” Towers told reporters in September.
We’re nearly a quarter of the way through the season, and while it’s too early to make sweeping conclusions about Towers’ work, there’s a distinct sense that the ‘pen is much improved. So far, D’Backs relievers are 3rd in MLB in K/9 (8.7), 7th in BB/9 (3.3), 15th in ERA (3.26) and 4th in xFIP (3.45).
David Hernandez, acquired in the Mark Reynolds trade, has been an asset, though he still hasn't limited his walks. Towers' big offseason splash, J.J. Putz, has provided the D'Backs with a stable late-inning presence (while his former White Sox teammates have been anything but in Chicago). And Rule 5 pick Joe Paterson has yet to allow a run in 15 carefully-timed appearances as a lefty specialist and has struck out more than a batter per inning.
Paterson hasn’t cost Arizona more than $50K and a roster spot, but the other pieces in Arizona’s ‘pen were significantly more expensive in terms of cash and Major League talent. The D’Backs gave up their starting third baseman to acquire Hernandez and Kameron Mickolio (though they seemed more than ready to part with Reynolds and his strikeouts). Of the $20.5MM Towers spent on Major League free agents last winter, more than half – $12MM – went to relievers Putz and Aaron Heilman.
As a result of Towers’ offseason moves, the bullpen has been more than passable. The team’s starters, however, are 28th in baseball with a 4.91 ERA and Arizona is 15-20. Though the D’Backs have not caught up to the Giants and Rockies overall, they do have a significantly better bullpen in 2011.
Rosenthal On Hendry, Indians, Kelly Johnson
The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- On Saturday Rosenthal talked about the "consensus in the game is that the Cubs need to show progress for GM Jim Hendry to keep his job beyond this season." Rosenthal, however, feels that the Ricketts family should extend Hendry, who in his estimation has built a team that is positioned to contend for the next several years. The club may have over $60MM to spend in 2012 salaries during the offseason, so the Cubs' GM, whoever it is, should be a major player in the free agent market.
- Rosenthal wonders whether the Indians will be willing to part with prospects for midseason reinforcements, having assembled much of their promising team through trades. Earlier this month, MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith discussed the Indians' approach with GM Chris Antonetti.
- If the Diamondbacks want to acquire a pitcher, they're most likely to move Kelly Johnson according to Rosenthal. He feels that they'd be open to swapping Johnson for a starter "at a comparable salary and service level," though Johnson would need to start producing first. It's tough for me to identify a team positioned to swap a starter for Johnson, as well.
- Jered Weaver has the best stuff in the game, says Red Sox DH David Ortiz. Click here for my take on how much Weaver might earn in his 2012 contract year.
Quick Hits: Martin, Bulger, Hudson, Draft
A few items of note on Friday night as Derek Lowe's bid for the Majors' second no-hitter of the week falls by the wayside …
- Rangers prospect Leonys Martin can opt out of his five-year contract and choose to go through the arbitration process if he has enough service time to qualify for arbitration before the contract expires, MLBTR has learned. Martin, 23, is a Cuban defector whose deal with Texas became official on Tuesday.
- Angels reliever Jason Bulger, who was designated for assignment on April 27, cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
- Diamondbacks right-hander Daniel Hudson was part of the ill-fated trade between the Padres and White Sox in May 2009 that was vetoed by Jake Peavy, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (via Twitter). Peavy later accepted a trade to the South Siders at that season's deadline, but that package did not include Hudson. Instead, Clayton Richard, Aaron Poreda, Dexter Carter and Adam Russell went to the Friars. Hudson was later dealt to Arizona at the 2010 trade deadline in exchange for Edwin Jackson.
- The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire at season's end, and hard-slotting for draft picks could be implemented in the new CBA, writes Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. Hard-slotting would affix a set price to each draft pick and preclude drafted prep players from using the threat of going to college as bargaining leverage. One scouting director told Mayo he expects to see more players sign this year since it could be their last chance to negotiate a hefty signing bonus.
NL West Notes: Dodgers, Towers, Lincecum
All eyes will turn to Andre Ethier as he looks to extend his 29-game hit streak against the Mets tonight. Here’s the latest from around the NL West, including some off-field news about Ethier’s team…
- Dodgers vice-chairman Steve Soboroff insists that MLB is suffocating the Dodgers, as Yahoo's Tim Brown explains.
- D’Backs GM Kevin Towers tells Chris Jenkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune that improving Arizona’s bullpen was “paramount” when he took over before last offseason. Towers returns to San Diego, where he ran the Padres for 14 years, as an opposing GM tonight.
- Tom Verducci of SI.com argues that it makes sense for the Giants to lock Tim Lincecum up long-term, especially since the two-time Cy Young Award winner is fitter than ever.
- MLBTR's Tim Dierkes broke down Lincecum's historic arbitration case earlier this week.
West Notes: Giants, Smoak, Trumbo, D’Backs
There are two intra-divisional matchups between NL and AL West rivals slated for tonight. The Rockies face the Diamondbacks at Chase Field while the Mariners host the Rangers. Here are some tidbits from the western divisions…
- "There is discussion in the [Giants'] executive offices as to how long they can stay with [Miguel] Tejada and Pat Burrell," reports Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle. Jose Reyes has been mentioned as a trade target for the Giants, though Brian Sabean denied his club's interest yesterday.
- Thanks to Justin Smoak's emergence, the Mariners seem to have gotten the best of the three recent Cliff Lee trade packages, writes Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.
- If Mark Trumbo keeps hitting and Kendrys Morales is out of action for most of the season, Eric Denton of the LA Angels Insider blog notes that the Angels could face a tough choice this offseason. Denton suggests the Halos could even non-tender Morales, but if they do choose to move the first baseman, surely you'd think the team could find a trade partner.
- We know the Diamondbacks have an interest in UCLA prospect Gerrit Cole with the third pick of the upcoming amateur draft, but Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic adds a couple of other interesting nuggets about the right-hander. Arizona also has the seventh overall pick, but Piecoro notes that since that pick is unprotected, the D'Backs "almost certainly couldn’t risk drafting him" at that spot if they pass on him at #3. Cole is represented by Scott Boras and could be a difficult signing.
- Cole was drafted 28th overall by the Yankees in the 2008 draft but he didn't sign. Piecoro "got the sense from talking with other scouts and executives that there are still some people in the game harboring a grudge toward Cole" since Cole didn't let it be known that he wasn't interested in signing back in 2008.
- MLB.com's Corey Brock profiles A.J. Hinch, the former D'Backs manager who is now the Padres' vice president of professional scouting.
- Julio Borbon welcomes the center field competition of newly-signed Rangers prospect Leonys Martin, reports Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com.
NL West Notes: Dodgers, Giants, Cole
Jason Hammel and Ian Kennedy, who were both acquired in trades, will take the hill against one another tonight with identical 3-1 records and comparable ERAs (Hammel: 3.23, Kennedy: 3.92). Here's the latest on their division before this evening’s Rockies–D'Backs contest…
- Andre Ethier told Yahoo's Tim Brown that he isn't worried about the Dodgers' ability to make payroll. Owner Frank McCourt may not have enough money to pay his players on June 1st because of his financial troubles.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports agrees with Giants manager Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabean: their team is a work in progress.
- As Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic explains, it's possible that UCLA right-hander Gerrit Cole will be available to the D'Backs when they select third overall in this June's amateur draft.
Draft Notes: D’Backs, Rays, Rendon, Bauer
A year ago, everybody knew Bryce Harper was going to be the first overall pick in the draft. The year before that, Stephen Strasburg was the clearcut favorite to be the top selection. This time, there's no obvious candidate to go first overall. Here's the latest on the draft, with five weeks to go until the big day:
- ESPN.com's Keith Law hears that D’Backs GM Kevin Towers is seeing Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rendon, Dylan Bundy, Trevor Bauer, Bubba Starling and Danny Hultzen in anticipation of the draft (Twitter link). Arizona selects third and seventh overall this year, so it's not surprising that Towers is scouting the top available players.
- Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison told Joe Lemire of SI.com that he hadn't had any extra picks to work with before last year. A bevy of ranked free agents left the Rays for other teams last offseason, which means that Tampa Bay has 11 of the first 75 selections this June. "We're not going to get up all wound up and create something out of this, other than to stick with our process and evaluate our players properly," Harrison said.
- Cole, high school shortstop Francisco Lindor, Hultzen and Rendon top the list Jon Heyman of SI.com creates with the help of a number of scouting directors.
- Heyman hears that UCLA right-hander Trevor Bauer is "shooting up the board" and could become a top-five pick, along with his rotation mate, Cole.
- Check out my interview with Rendon from last week for his thoughts on the upcoming draft. Here's our series of Draft Prospect Q&As.
Orioles Acquire Hester To Complete Reynolds Trade
The Orioles have received catcher John Hester from the Diamondbacks to complete the Mark Reynolds trade, according to a team press release. Hester, a 13th-round selection out of Stanford University by the Diamondbacks in 2006, will be assigned to Triple-A Norfolk.
Hester, 27, played in 53 big league games for Arizona in 2009 and 2010, hitting .220/.294/.366 with three homers. The catcher has spent the bulk of the last three seasons in Triple-A where he owns a slash line of .335/.390/.562.
The O's acquired Reynolds in December of 2010 and a player to be named later or cash considerations for relievers David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio.
Dead Money: Paying Players To Play Elsewhere
Eating money in trades or by releasing players is far from an ideal business practice, but sometimes it's a necessary evil. The Mets believe they are better off paying Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo a combined $18MM not to be on their team this year, and released the two just last month. David Wharton of The Los Angeles Times wrote about the concept of "dead money" today, speaking to Dodgers GM Ned Colletti, sports economist J.C. Bradbury, and Scott Boras.
With some help from Cot's Baseball Contracts, let's look at the teams that are paying players to be anywhere but on their roster this season…
- Angels: Gary Matthews Jr. ($11.4MM)
- Astros: Roy Oswalt ($7MM)
- Blue Jays: Vernon Wells ($5MM)
- Cubs: Carlos Silva ($7.25MM, plus $2MM in 2012)
- Diamondbacks: Chris Snyder ($3MM)
- Dodgers: Manny Ramirez ($8.33MM per year through 2013), Andruw Jones ($3.2MM per year through 2014), Juan Pierre ($3.5MM)
- Mariners: Carlos Silva ($5.5MM), Yuniesky Betancourt ($1MM), Josh Wilson ($179K)
- Mets: Oliver Perez ($4MM), Luis Castillo ($6MM), Gary Matthews Jr. ($1MM)
- Rockies: Manny Corpas ($3.55MM, $250K in 2012)
- Royals: Yuniesky Betancourt ($2MM)
- Twins: Brendan Harris ($500K)
- White Sox: Scott Linebrink ($3.5MM)
This doesn't include money the Braves owe Kenshin Kawakami ($7.4MM) or the Yankees owe Kei Igawa ($4MM). Both Japanese imports remain in the organization, but they've since been banished to the minor leagues. It also doesn't include all the money the Mets famously owe Bobby Bonilla for the next two decades.
Yuniesky Betancourt is the only player collecting paychecks from three different big league teams at the moment, but Carlos Silva could join him if he's called up by the Yankees. Gary Matthews Jr. could also be in that mix if he catches on somewhere this summer.