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Quick Hits: Vizquel, Braves, Martinez

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The Tigers are considering signing first-base coach Omar Vizquel to play shortstop for them — or not, as ESPN's Jayson Stark reports. But given their shortstop issues, they've discussed it, or at least joked about the possibility of signing the 46-year-old. Vizquel "could probably handle it," says manager Brad Ausmus. "I don't know if he could play 150 games. But he could probably be a platoon shortstop if he got himself in shape. He certainly still has the hands." Here are more notes from around the big leagues.

  • The Braves' starting pitcher injuries have put them in a tough spot, but they've proven adept at working their way out of problems like these, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman writes. GM Frank Wren expresses confidence that the Braves can recover from the losses of Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy. The Braves recently signed Ervin Santana to a one-year deal to patch the hole in their rotation. "Slowly but surely we're getting Santana, [Mike] Minor and [Gavin] Floyd. Then we're back to pretty good depth and pretty good strength," Wren says. Minor and Floyd are working their way back from injury. "By getting Santana, we were able to make the most out of a tough situation."
  • J.D. Martinez is optimistic that his release by the Astros today will lead to more opportunities elsewhere, writes MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. "I feel like they have a lot of guys coming up, and if there's not room for me to get at-bats and not room for me to play, it's best to let me go and not try to hold me back, and I commend them for that and I thank them for that," says Martinez.

NL East Notes: Syndergaard, Medlen, Hamels, Rollins

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Though they're in the market for a shortstop, the Mets have zero intention of parting with Noah Syndergaard in able to make a trade happen, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. New York has been connected to both Nick Franklin and the Diamondbacks' shortstop surplus (Didi Gregorius and Chris Owings). One scout that Heyman spoke with said Syndergaard is better than Zack Wheeler. Here are some more NL East items…

  • The Braves announced today that Kris Medlen underwent successful Tommy John surgery yesterday, with Dr. James Andrews performing the operation. The Braves will be without Medlen for the season, but the signing of Ervin Santana will help to offset that loss to a degree. Atlanta is currently waiting to learn Brandon Beachy's fate, but Tommy John looks like the probable outcome there as well.
  • Cole Hamels threw a 40- to 45-pitch bullpen session this morning and reported that he felt great afterward, reports CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury. Hamels said he feels that his strength is up to 90 percent. He'll face hitters in live batting practice on Saturday and do so once more before getting into game action. At that point, writes Salisbury, he'll need roughly a month to be ready for the season, meaning the loose target for his return is still May 1.
  • MLB.com's Todd Zolecki writes that Jimmy Rollins wasn't shaken by a report from ESPN's Buster Olney yesterday which stated that some in the Phillies organization feel he needs to be traded as soon as possible. Said Rollins: "It doesn’t matter. I don’t care which way it is tried to be twisted or said, or if it is exactly how it was said, or even if it was said, I can’t be traded." GM Ruben Amaro Jr. called the report "absolute silliness," repeatedly stating that no one in the organization has a problem with Rollins.
  • Manny Delcarmen spoke with the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore about his comeback from an elbow injury that has kept him out of the Majors since 2010. Delcarmen said that following the 2010 season, three doctors told him he needed a second Tommy John surgery before Dr. James Andrews said otherwise. Andrews offered Delcarmen a platelet-rich plasma injection and recommended months of rest, cautioning that his velocity was unlikely to return for quite some time. Delcarmen's velocity has slowly returned from sitting at 88 mph when he began pitching again all the way up to 93-95 mph in Spring Training with the Nats. He's likely to open the season in the minors but could see time with the big league club in the event of an injury after an impressive spring, says Kilgore.

NL East Notes: Rollins, Syndergaard, Braves, Carroll

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A fair amount of ink has already been dedicated to the friction between Jimmy Rollins and new manager Ryne Sandberg this spring, and ESPN's Buster Olney now reports that there's a strong sentiment within the Phillies organization that the team would be better off trading its longtime shortstop as soon as possible (Twitter link). However, as Olney notes, Rollins has 10-and-5 rights (10 years of Major League service and five consecutive with the same team), meaning he has the right to void any trade. Rollins told CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury as recently as yesterday that he has no plans to waive his 10-and-5 rights anytime in the near future: "If we’re in absolutely last place with nowhere to go and change is obviously on the horizon, then at that point I’d think about it. But anything short of a complete disaster, I’m wearing red and white pinstripes." Rollins has already said as much this spring, indicating that he'd like to become the Phillies' all-time hits leader and set some other records with the club (he's currently 60 hits shy).

More Rollins- and NL-East-related items for your Tuesday morning…

  • Andy Martino of the New York Daily News spoke with team sources from the Mets and Yankees regarding potential interest in Rollins (both could use some infield help). He was told that the Yankees think it would be too awkward to bring in a name that big in Derek Jeter's final season, and the Mets source simply replied, "Don't see it."
  • Also from Martino's piece, Mets top prospect Noah Syndergaard was reassigned to the minor leagues today, and while he's likely to make his Major League debut in 2014, he probably won't pitch a full season until 2016. Martino reports that Syndergaard is capped around 150 innings this season, and because the team tries to limit starting pitcher increases to 30 innings per season, he'll likely be capped around 180 in 2015.
  • Braves GM Frank Wren told reporters, including MLB.com's Mark Bowman, that the team plans to revisit the rehab process of Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy in an attempt to figure out why each player appears headed for a second Tommy John surgery. Said Wren: "I think we're always evaluating and looking at how we do things and why we do them and do we need to make changes? … I don't think we'll ever stop researching and analyzing. But I can't tell you today that we feel there is a common link [between Medlen and Beachy] other than that they're wearing the same uniform."
  • Jamey Carroll's focus is currently on making the Nationals roster, but he tells Pete Kerzel of MASNsports.com that he's intrigued with the possibility of becoming a manager somewhere down the line. Carroll has been suggested as a future manager by many of his former coaches and teammates. He calls the fact that young players have been seeking him out for advice in camp with the Nats "humbling," though he hints that when his playing career is done, he may first take some time with his family before getting back into the game.

Medlen To Undergo Tommy John; Beachy To Receive 2nd Opinion

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MARCH 17: Medlen will undergo the second Tommy John surgery of his career tomorrow, tweets Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Meanwhile, Beachy is headed to Los Angeles for further evaluation after also being seen today by Dr. James Andrews.

Comments from GM Frank Wren certainly made it sound as if Beachy could be headed in the same direction, even if he is holding out hope, as Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. “I think it’s natural for guys to want to exhaust every possibility before they ultimately make that decision that I’m going to have surgery,” Wren said. “Sometimes these decisions aren’t black and white. There’s enough gray that they want just another set of eyes and another impression on what’s being seen.” The possibility of a second Tommy John procedure for Beachy was reported several days ago.

Looking ahead, the Braves could be in a tough spot next fall, when Medlen will qualify for his final trip through arbitration. He avoided arbitration this year by agreeing to a $5.8MM salary, and the resulting high salary floor could make it tough for Atlanta to tender him a contract for 2015. Medlen will not even be nine months into the recovery process at the point at which tender decisions are due. Teams have guaranteed money under similar circumstances — indeed, the Braves promised Gavin Floyd $4MM to join the club for 2014 — but the fact that this is Medlen's second UCL replacement certainly increases the risk.  

MARCH 12: Medlen told reporters, including MLB.com's Mark Bowman (Twitter link), that he has spent the past two days preparing himself for a second Tommy John surgery. David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says there is a "high likelihood" that Medlen will need Tommy John. O'Brien relays that Medlen was "angry and in denial" after injuring his arm on Sunday; he threw two more pitches before exiting the game (Twitter links).

MARCH 11: Braves right-hander Kris Medlen received his MRI results Tuesday and consulted with team doctors before GM Frank Wren addressed the media. David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was on-hand as Wren revealed to the public that the MRI showed "some involvement in the ligament." However, MRIs on patients that have already undergone Tommy John surgery are difficult to read, and Medlen will therefore undergo further tests and meet with Dr. James Andrews to get another opinion before determining if surgery is required.

While Wren wouldn't comment on specific names, he admitted that the team is exploring the starting pitching market for additional help. O'Brien reports that the Braves have definitely reached out to Ervin Santana as one possibility. Wren called the Braves' mounting pitching injuries "worrisome," though the team believes Brandon Beachy's biceps tightness to be routine for players who have undergone elbow surgeries in the past (per O'Brien's Twitter).

Santana threw a two-inning simulated game yesterday and may wait a day or two before signing, Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reported last night. In that report, he added that financial concern is the main deterrent for the Braves, whose primary competition is the Orioles and Blue Jays. Baltimore has offered a one-year, $13MM deal plus incentives, while Toronto is offering one year and $14MM without incentives. The Twins have offered a three-year deal reported to be in the $30-33MM range, but Santana's preference is a one-year deal, as he could essentially guarantee himself roughly that amount over two years by signing for roughly $14MM for this season and getting a qualifying offer next offseason.

The potential loss of Medlen would be a devastating blow for a Braves rotation that already lost Tim Hudson to free agency and could be without Mike Minor for the early portion of April. Atlanta was projected to have a rotation of Medlen, Minor, Beachy, Julio Teheran and Alex Wood to open the season, with Gavin Floyd eventually slotting in once recovered from Tommy John surgery. Now, they may have to turn to Freddy Garcia, David Hale and other internal candidates, which would be less than ideal for a team expecting to contend in 2014.

Mike Minor Joins Jet Sports Management

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One of the game's top southpaws has changed representation.  Braves lefty Mike Minor has joined Jet Sports Management, MLBTR has learned.  Minor was previously with Bo McKinnis.  Jet Sports has strong Braves ties, representing Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, and Jonny Venters.

Minor, 26, posted a 3.21 ERA in 32 starts in a breakout 2013 campaign.  He signed for $3.85MM this year, as he was arbitration eligible for the first time as a Super Two player.  Minor is under the Braves' control through 2017, and he'll have three more cracks at arbitration unless he signs a long-term extension.  The Braves went on an extension spree in February, locking up Freddie Freeman, Andrelton Simmons, Craig Kimbrel, Julio Teheran, and Jason Heyward to multiyear deals totaling $280.7MM.

Jet Sports Management, which is headed by B.B. Abbott, had a big addition last summer when agent Andrew Lowenthal joined the company.  With him, Lowenthal brought clients such as Charlie Morton, Steve Cishek, Kyle Seager, Daniel Hudson, Joe Panik, David Goforth, and Justin Marks.  In addition to the aforementioned players, the agency counts Chris Sale, Rex Brothers, Jonathan Broxton, Wade Davis, Corey Kluber, Devin Mesoraco, Byron Buxton, Zack Wheeler, and Mike Zunino among its clients.  For all the latest on MLB player representation, check out our agency database. 

NL Notes: Mets, Phillies, Braves, Pirates

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The Mets have an interesting problem in Rafael Montero, whose fast ascent through the minors has placed him on the cusp of the big leagues with limited English skills, The New York Times' Tim Rohan writes. Non-native speakers typically see their English progress as they gradually move up the minor league ranks, but by the middle of the 2013 season, Montero was already logging significant time in Triple-A, a little more than three years after signing out of the Dominican Republic. Still, the Mets figure to find a way to make the situation work: Baseball America projects Montero as a potential No. 3 starter with plus-plus command. Here's more from around the National League:

  • Reliever Mike Adams looked "close to game-ready" when throwing to hitters on Saturday, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg reports (via Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com). Adams is working back from 2013 shoulder surgery, which shortened the first season of a two-year, $12MM deal with the Phillies.
  • Injuries in the rotation have complicated the Braves' attempts to finalize their bullpen for 2014, writes Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
  • Daniel Schlereth has a shot at making the Pirates' bullpen, Tom Singer of MLB.com reports. Schlereth hasn't appeared in the majors since 2012 because of shoulder inflammation. The lefty admits that his velocity is down, but says lowering his arm slot had added movement to his fastball.
  • MLBTR's Charlie Wilmoth rounded up the latest on the Mets earlier today. You can also read his review of the Cardinals' offseason here.

Braves Likely Done Making Rotation Moves

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The Braves will not look to upgrade their rotation even if Brandon Beachy has Tommy John surgery, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports. "Right now, we plan on going with what we have," says GM Frank Wren. "We like what we have."

Ervin Santana, who recently signed a one-year deal with the Braves, could join their rotation about two weeks into the season. (The Braves also recently lost Kris Medlen to Tommy John surgery, which led to the Santana signing in the first place.) Mike Minor is dealing with shoulder soreness, could be ready around that time or shortly thereafter. And the Braves could also add Gavin Floyd, who himself is returning from Tommy John surgery, in May. Due to days off, the Braves won't need a fifth starter until April 12, when Santana may be ready anyway. Until then, Rosenthal reports that they'll go with Julio Teheran, Freddy Garcia, David Hale and Alex Wood.

Brandon Beachy May Need Second Tommy John Surgery

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The Braves have already experienced a critical blow to their rotation with the likelihood that Kris Medlen will have to undergo Tommy John surgery for a second time. Now, the biceps tightness that right-hander Brandon Beachy felt in his most recent Spring Training outing may lead to a worst-case scenario outcome as well; MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that Beachy could also be in line for his second Tommy John surgery. According to Bowman, Beachy was apparently told that the injury was confined to his biceps earlier in the week, which is why he conveyed such confidence to the media on Monday when asked about his ailing arm (Twitter links). Bowman quotes him as saying, "Now it looks like it might be something else."

Bowman tweets that both Medlen and Beachy will meet with Dr. James Andrews on Monday, with Medlen likely receiving a final opinion after having already met with Andrews earlier in the week. The loss of both Medlen and Beachy would be crushing to the Braves, although it would be somewhat offset by the team's recent one-year signing of Ervin Santana. Still, even with Santana in the mix, the club would go from a projected rotation of Medlen, Beachy, Julio Teheran, Mike Minor and Alex Wood/Gavin Floyd to Teheran, Minor, Santana, Wood and a combination of Floyd, Freddy Garcia and David Hale. And of course, Minor is expected to miss the first two weeks of the season as well.

Beachy first underwent Tommy John surgery midway through a breakout 2012 campaign in which he posted an even 2.00 ERA over his first 81 innings. He rehabbed from the surgery and made a respectable return effort in 2013, posting a 4.50 ERA over 30 innings. Medlen's previous Tommy John surgery was performed back in August of 2010.

Braves Notes: Santana, Payroll, Wren, Medlen

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The Braves were the surprise winners of the Ervin Santana sweepstakes, signing a one-year, $14.1MM deal with the free agent right-hander earlier today.  We've already published one batch of items about how the Santana signing impacts the other teams who were in the hunt for his services, but here's some news about what the signing means for Atlanta…

  • Santana's deal will raise the Braves' payroll to around the $107MM threshold, but club chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk has no problem with the added money since the team is "in a winning mode," he tells MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  "It's the right time.  Money was not the issue so much as, 'Is it the right time to do it?' We want to send a message to the guys in this clubhouse, our fans and our sponsors and the whole organization that we expect to win."
  • "The [Braves'] announced move to Cobb County has become the gift that keeps on giving," Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes (Insider access required).  Since the team's new stadium plan was announced, the Braves have had the financial ability to sign Santana and ink several key players to multiyear extensions.
  • Braves GM Frank Wren deserves credit for acting quickly to sign Santana, Jeff Schultz of the Journal-Constitution writes, once it became clear that Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy's injuries were serious.  In Schultz's words, "more often than not [Wren] is not proactive in situations like this."
  • The Braves didn't approach Medlen about an extension this winter, David O'Brien of the Journal-Constitution tweets.  Medlen agreed to a one-year, $5.8MM deal for 2014 to avoid arbitration in his second arb-eligible season, and he is eligible for free agency following the 2015 season.  Of course, both Medlen's future in Atlanta and his pitching future in general could be in question as it appears likely the right-hander will soon undergo his second Tommy John surgery.

Reactions To And Fallout From Ervin Santana Signing

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Addressing his team's sudden and successful entry into the market for starter Ervin Santana, Braves GM Frank Wren said that he did not expect to be in the market for free agent starters, but felt Santana was the best option available going into the offseason. (Video of press conference via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.) It was Atlanta's good fortune that Santana remained unsigned when Kris Medlen walked off the mound with an injury on Sunday. Wren immediately made contact, knowing that he had to catch up quickly with other clubs further down the road on talks with Santana. "Once we started talking, we realized that Ervin was very interested in us as well, thought this was a good opportunity for him, and it was a perfect fit for us." 

  • For Atlanta, the message to the field staff and players was clear. "[The signing] means our GM and our front office want to win," manager Fredi Gonzalez said, as MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets.
  • The key for Santana was his desire to pitch in the National League, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports on Twitter. Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos confirmed, saying that he was told Santana "had a strong desire to pitch in the NL and there was no way to compete with that." (MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm provides a transcript of Anthopoulos's chat with the media today.) The GM also emphasized that he was "very comfortable we did everything we could" to land Santana, who the club "viewed … as an impact starter." Anthopoulos implied some disappointment with the way things unfolded, declining comment on several questions about reports that a deal was done last Saturday by saying that he was "trying to take the high road here." 
  • From the Twins' perspective, most talks were "very exploratory," assistant GM Rob Antony told Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I think what they were looking at and were looking for was different from what we were thinking," explained Antony. "… We weren't necessarily looking for a one-year guy."
  • Meanwhile, the Royals' short run with Santana is now officially over, but the team feels fine about how things worked out, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star reports on Twitter. "I think Erv's going to do very well," GM Dayton Moore said, "and we're going to get the pick. And it all worked out." Indeed it did: K.C. got a valuable draft choice and excellent season from Santana, all for the low price of $12MM and the rights to minor league lefty Brandon Sisk.
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