Joe Nathan Can Void 2014 Club Option; Seeks Multi-Year Deal
After finishing his 55th game of the season, Rangers closer Joe Nathan is now entitled to void the $9.5MM option that Texas would otherwise hold for 2014, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. If Nathan elects to exercise the contract provision, he will sacrifice the right to a $750k buyout and become a free agent. Nathan is represented by Dave Pepe of Pro Agents, Inc.
Though he is now capable of taking bids on the open market, Nathan says that he hopes to stay in Arlington for the foreseeable future. "The only reason to have that incentive in play is to have a little bit of power in getting a multiyear deal," Nathan explained. "Other than that, I'm just glad to get to that point and have it over and done with."
The 38-year-old has been stellar during his time in Texas. After posting 37 saves in 2012, Nathan has picked up 39 more this year and carries a 1.53 ERA over 58 2/3 innings. Though he has failed to repeat the incredible 6.00 K:BB ratio he posted last year, Nathan is still working at a 3.10 K:BB clip, fanning ten batters per nine innings, and holding opposing hitters to a .168 average.
Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine declined to discuss Nathan's future. He said that the club has "not had any discussions on our class of free agents," while noting that "Joe is prominent among them." Though the contending Rangers surely want a solid late-inning option for 2014, the team does have two other established closing options under contract in Joakim Soria and Neftali Feliz.
NL Central Notes: Liriano, Choo, Gregg
MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince offers up a list of what he considers to be the Top 10 acquisitions of this past offseason, headlined by the Pirates' signing of Francisco Liriano. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com has also tabbed Liriano as the best open-market pick-up of 2013. Recently, MLBTR's Steve Adams got GM Neal Huntington's take on that signing as well as some other recent offseason acquisitions. Here are a few more notes from the National League's Central division:
- A Reds player told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link) that pending free agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo "loves it" in Cincinnati and that teammates have been "working on him"to stay in town. Of course, with several big contracts already on the books, and with Billy Hamilton potentially ready to help at the MLB level, it has been fairly questioned whether the Reds would be in the mix for Choo.
- Cinci GM Walt Jocketty says the team is in fact interested in bringing back Choo, fellow Enquirer newsman C. Trent Rosecrans reports. "We feel we have a good fit for him," Jocketty explained. "We have a winning team that is built to win." The GM implied that the team had hoped to talk extension with Choo's agent, Scott Boras, earlier this year. "We've expressed to him all year [sic] our interest in re-signing him," said Jocketty. "He's wanted to wait or maybe Scott wants to wait until the year is over. We have interest in re-signing. We'll do everything we can to make that happen." Now set to hit the market after an outstanding season, Choo's price tag figures to be higher than it would have been in a mid-year extension scenario. He currently occupies the fifth slot on the 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings of MLBTR's Tim Dierkes.
- After apparently misunderstanding comments from manager Dale Sveum regarding save opportunities down the stretch, Cubs closer Kevin Gregg blasted the organization in the media. As detailed by ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine and Jesse Rogers, GM Theo Epstein says that he could release Gregg, and will consider the decision overnight. Epstein explained that the team had no intentions of removing Gregg from his role, but instead wanted to allow recent acquisition Pedro Strop to finish a few games.
- Even if Gregg holds on with Chicago for the rest of the year, the incident — along with Strop's audition — could impact whether the team has any interest in bringing him back next year. Though he has cooled down considerably after a remarkable comeback in the season's earlygoing, Gregg has notched 32 saves on the year. Either way, as Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com notes, Gregg recently triggered a $500k bonus by finishing his 50th game of the year.
NL East Notes: Pierre, Polanco, Braves, Nationals
Marlins outfielder Juan Pierre just passed Joe DiMaggio for the 175th slot on MLB's all-time hit list with his 2,215th base knock, a milestone brought to my attention at least by the Sun Sentinel's Juan C. Rodriguez. Though DiMaggio missed three prime years due to military service, it remains an impressive accomplishment for the speedy Pierre, who will become a free agent at the end of the year. Elsewhere in the National League East …
- Fellow Marlins veteran Placido Polanco wouldn't commit one way or another when asked by Rodriguez if he would return for a 17th Major League season next year. The thrd baseman, who resides in Miami, did seem to hint that this could be his final season with his answer: "It depends," Polanco said. "It has to be close to home. I have to see what's out there, but the kids, the wife and family is probably ready for me to be home now."
- Only two players — Tim Hudson and Brian McCann — on the current Braves roster were with the club when it last won a division title, writes David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required). Neither veteran is guaranteed to be back with Atlanta in 2014, however, as each is set to hit free agency. McCann declined to talk about his future, instead commenting that he's focused on making a deep playoff run and adding some banners to Turner Field.
- The Nationals have opted to sign free agents like Edwin Jackson and Dan Haren to one-year deals to fill out their rotation in each of the past two offseasons, but James Wagner of the Washington Post writes that the development of Taylor Jordan and Tanner Roark might not make that a necessity. The development of that pair, plus the continued maturation of arms like A.J. Cole and Sammy Solis, gives the Nats the option to stick with internal options, sign a free agent or make a trade. GM Mike Rizzo wouldn't rule out any of the three.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
NL Notes: Pirates, Phillies, Jimenez, Torres
We'll round out the evening with a few notes from around the National League:
- The success of the Pirates was not just about developing youngsters and gem-in-the-rough free agents, writes Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Out of ideas on how to improve the club without extra cash to spend, the Pirates concocted what Sawchik calls "perhaps the most aggressive, systematic approach to run prevention — from alignment to pitching strategy — in baseball history." The plan was in the works for years in the organization's lower levels, and developed in the bigs as a combined front office, coaching staff, and player effort. I dare not attempt to encapsulate this interesting piece here, and will instead simply recommend that you give it a full read.
- The Phillies want to add a right-handed, outfielding power hitter to the lineup in 2014, reports MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. While they are hardly unique in this pursuit — the Diamondbacks and Giants are reportedly among the many teams keen to improve their pop — the Phils' needs are somewhat more specific. With Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Domonic Brown, Ben Revere, and Cody Asche presumably penciled in as regulars, and righty-swinging Darin Ruf and Maikel Franco already in the infield mix, the club is definitely shopping for a right-handed, corner outfielder, says Zolecki.
- Philadelphia's interim manager Ryne Sandberg says that the team's bullpen has had some questions answered over the last few weeks, reports Zolecki. Sandberg says that "solidify[ing] the starting rotation" is a top priority, along with "figur[ing] out the catching situation and better defense in the outfield." With youngsters like B.J. Rosenberg, Jake Diekman, and Justin De Fratus staking their claim to a spot in the big league pen, Sandberg says the club may have "a better feel [for] what they really need to concentrate on — as far as the front office — as far as the necessary pieces that either aren't here or that they need to go and get."
- Wondering where top international amateurs rank now that they've signed? Baseball America's Ben Badler, via J.J. Cooper, says that the Cubs' Eloy Jimenez and Gleyber Torres — the top two July 2nd prospects per BA — would likely fall within the top-30 organizational list but outside the top ten. Both should skip the Dominican Summer League and head straght to rookie ball, according to the piece.
Giants Want To Add Power In Offseason
Manager Bruce Bochy says that the Giants are hoping to add "somebody who can drive the ball" in the coming offseason, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. This is not terribly surprising, being as the club ranks 26th in the bigs in slugging percentage and stands atop none but the Marlins in home runs and isolated power.
The most obvious area to add pop would be left field. San Francisco is set in center and seems interested in returning Hunter Pence in right. While the team did muster about two wins above replacement from its left fielders this year, most of it derived from exceptional defense from Gregor Blanco and Andres Torres. That lineup spot produced just seven long balls, however.
The difficulty, of course, comes in the market for power-hitting left fielders, which seems longer on demand than supply. Indeed, we just took a look at much the same question with regard to San Fran's division foes from Arizona, who similarly have a compelling young first baseman and a desire to add pop elsewhere. The Giants probably have more payroll flexibility than do the Diamondbacks: San Francisco has already guaranteed $84.23MM in 2014, but that is still $52.68MM under its 2013 payroll and it only figures to pay a hefty arbitration salary to Belt, who will just be in his first season of eligibility. Though Schulman says that the Giants could be in the mix for free agents like Carlos Beltran, or might even consider dealing a young arm for an outfielder, power would figure to be easier and cheaper to add at the first base position.
Given the market situation, Schulman suggests an interesting alternative method that GM Brian Sabean could employ to infuse pop into the lineup: namely, moving Brandon Belt to left field and adding a first baseman. Bochy seemingly considers it realistic that the team may ask Belt to prepare to play in the outfield, though he was talking about a part-time role that would keep Belt in the lineup when Buster Posey plays first. According to Schulman, however, a full-time move is not out of the question for the athletic 25-year-old, who has established himself this year with a 143 OPS+. Indeed, the smooth-swinging Belt does have professional experience in the outfield, including 36 MLB games.
Whether or not Sabean will pursue this strategy remains to be seen, of course, but it would open up more avenues to bring additional power into AT&T Park. The free agent market for first basemen includes Kendrys Morales and Mike Napoli. Cuban defector Jose Abreu has also been rumored to be on the Giants' radar.
NL East Notes: Nationals, Hawkins, Feliciano, Beinfest
In the aftermath of today's shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, the Nationals have rightly postponed tonight's matchup against the Braves. Needless to say, our thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy. As anyone who has ever attended a game at Nationals Park knows, the neighboring naval facility plays a big role at the ballpark, with the team playing a submarine horn to celebrate home runs and honoring service men and women at every contest. Today, the stadium's parking lots have served as a somber meeting point for family members waiting to learn more about their loved ones.
Shortly after the recent Boston Marathon attack, Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci wrote that baseball, "unlike any other sport, is there for us virtually every day." There is no ballgame in D.C. today, but they'll play two tomorrow. We hope that baseball will bring some small comfort to the Navy Yard community, as it has done for so many others.
- For those interested in learning more about the Nationals' reactions to today's events, the Washington Times' Amanda Comak has the latest. Meanwhile, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports on things from the Braves side. According to third baseman Chris Johnson, the Nats' and Braves' player representatives jointly notified the MLBPA that the players felt it would be inappropriate to play.
- Mets reliever LaTroy Hawkins is keenly aware that he doesn't have much time left in the bigs, writes Brian Giuffra of The Record (NorthJersey.com), but says he's still "not at the end of [his] career." Still capable of touching the mid-90's in his age-40 season, the righty has been effective: in 65 2/3 innings, he has a 3.15 ERA, 10 saves, 7.1 K/9, and 1.4 BB/9. "Certainly, if he wants to come back … it would be nice to have him around," said Mets manager Terry Collins, who explained that Hawkins is a beneficial presence for the club's younger arms.
- Fellow Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano says that he, too, hopes to return next year at age 37. He tells Clayton Collier of MetsmerizedOnline.com that he hopes to "retire from here." The lefty specialist has never thrown a pitch for another big league club, though he did spend a year in Japan and also collected $8MM from the cross-town Yanks for two injury-riddled seasons. Since returning to Queens, Feliciano has tossed 9 1/3 innings of 4.82 ERA ball. Much of the damage has come from the twelve right-handed hitters he's pitched to in 2013, however, as they have a collective .714/.833/1.143 line against him. Of the 32 lefties that Feliciano has faced this year, as many have struck out as have managed a hit (six).
- Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest is once again facing public speculation that he could lose his post. Beinfest deserves better, says FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, who reports that the long-time executive recently approached owner Jeffrey Loria and asked him to decide whether or not Beinfest would stay on in Miami. Loria has thus far stayed quiet on the status of Beinfest, who is under contract through 2015. Rosenthal reports that the two key Marlins figures have repeatedly clashed over baseball decisions ranging from promotions to the saga of hitting coach Tino Martinez.
Royals To Call Up Yordano Ventura
The Royals will bring up one of the club's top prospects, righty Yordano Ventura, to start tomorrow night, the team announced via Twitter. Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star first reported yesterday (on Twitter) that Ventura could be in line for his big league debut.
Ventura continues to climb the latest top prospect lists. According to Baseball America, he rates as the game's 26th overall prospect, with his secondary offerings improving to complement a three-digit heater. MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo listed the 22-year-old at number 34 after he checked in at 60th before the season. This puts him in the same realm as other young righties like Alex Meyer, Jonathan Gray, Trevor Bauer, and Jake Odorizzi, and just behind fellow KC farmhand Kyle Zimmer. As Mayo noted, the real question with Ventura is whether his change will develop enough to make him a starter, or whether he will occupy a late-inning role with his fastball and curve offerings. ESPN's Keith Law is somewhat less bullish: he left Ventura out of his pre-season top-100, though he did note him as an honorable mention on his mid-season top-50 list.
The Dominican signed with Kansas City back in 2008 for a meager $28k bonus, as the 5'11 hurler was not yet touching the 90's with his fastball and had some mechanical issues. As Baseball America's Ben Badler has explained, Ventura gained weight and cleaned up his delivery, with stellar results. Advancing quickly through the low minors, Ventura reached Double-A last year. After posting a 2.34 ERA in 57 2/3 innings at the penultimate minor league level in 2013, including 11.5 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9, Ventura earned a promotion. Over 77 innings at Triple-A, he has registered a 3.74 ERA on the back of 9.5 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9. In addition to the downgrade in his K/BB ratio, Ventura also allowed significantly more hits (9.4 H/9 vs. 6.1 H/9) after moving up to Omaha.
Though Ventura was somewhat less outstanding later in the year, Kansas City apparently felt the time was right with starter Danny Duffy struggling with an injury. As Dutton explains, the team could instead have turned to Luis Mendoza or Will Smith, who have started in the past but are currently working out of the pen. As a result of the decision, the Royals will need to make a 40-man roster move to clear space. Ventura will take the hill for a crucial test against the division-rival Indians, who are among the teams that Kansas City is chasing for a Wild Card slot.
East Notes: Yankees, Saltalamacchia, Duda, Pitchers
The game of baseball seems to have entrenched competitive parity, writes MLB.com's Mike Bauman. He cites the Pirates, A's, Rays, Indians, and Royals as examples of small-market clubs having successful seasons, and notes that the Dodgers are currently the only team that lead a division in both the standings and media market size. Of course, that doesn't mean that salary capacity is without importance: The Tigers and Red Sox rank in the top five of MLB payrolls along with the Dodgers, and other likely playoff teams like the Cardinals, Reds, and Rangers are in the top half. And several other teams with top-15 payrolls — the Orioles, Yankees, and Nationals — are also still in the hunt. Let's take a look at some of the big-budget squads from the league's eastern divisions:
- The Yankees' injury woes are well-documented, and now seem a good bet to pervade the season. Alex Rodriguez is set for DH duties with a balky hamstring, the team just learned that an oblique injury will sideline Brett Gardner for a decent stretch, and now the Yanks have scratched Alfonso Soriano from today's game with a thumb sprain. New York's bullpen situation is arguably still more pressing than the outfield, however, and time is short to add temporary fill-ins. The club recently made one September-only acquisition to fill a gap with shortstop Brendan Ryan, and is just two games out of the Wild Card. It is possible, if unlikely, that GM Brian Cashman could look to add yet another replacement from the group of players that have cleared waivers.
- Still basking in his game-winning grand slam last night, Red Sox backstop Jarrod Saltalamacchia could be a candidate to receive a qualifying offer, writes John Tomase of the Boston Herald. With a top-10 OPS among catchers and an improving skill set behind the dish, says Tomase, Salty should be considered for a QO among the Sox' other candidates — Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli, and Stephen Drew. Of course, even if Boston decides it wants Saltalamacchia back, it is an entirely separate question whether to run the risk of a qualifying offer. The Munsey Sports Management client would seem likely to accept the offer if it is extended, as he would risk a tough market if signing teams had to sacrifice a draft pick to get him. Though the 28-year-old figures to be among the most desirable catchers available after Brian McCann, moreover, demand will be diluted somewhat by other established, power-hitting options like A.J. Pierzynski and Carlos Ruiz.
- Lucas Duda of the Mets is getting an unexpected opportunity to showcase himself for his club, writes Matt Ehalt of ESPNNewYork.com. As MLBTR's Mark Polishuk recently explained, Duda has a chance to snare a first base gig with the Mets or make himself a reasonably attractive trade commodity. The New York brass seems glad to give him the chance after watching Ike Davis struggle and ultimately go down with a season-ending injury. "Here's his shot to say, 'Hey, look, I'm going to be a legitimate candidate, you're going to have to think about me at that spot,'" explained manager Terry Collins. "That's why we're hoping as we finish the season out that Lucas does what we know he can do."
- Two young, NL East aces — Matt Harvey and Stephen Strasburg — have become emblematic of baseball's long struggle with the stress put on its best arms. But relief could be on the way, according to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince, who explains that promising new conditioning methods could be employed to limit the occurrence of catastrophic arm injuries.
NL West Notes: Chavez, D-backs’ Closers, Lincecum
We just looked at the Diamondbacks' pending search for a power bat. Here are some more notes on the D-backs and their NL West rivals:
- As noted in my earlier post, the team's second-best power source this year has come from third baseman Eric Chavez, who has done a nice job on a one-year, $3MM deal. As Zach Buchanan of the Arizona Republic reports, the 35-year-old is interested in returning, and only wants a one-year deal since he isn't sure how long he'll want to keep going. GM Kevin Towers says that "there's still probably a need" for Chavez next year, and that the team could utilize his left-handed bat in a platoon with rookie Matt Davidson.
- Arizona also has some question marks at the back end of its bullpen, writes Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The team owes $7MM to J.J. Putz and $6MM to Heath Bell (even after the Marlins pick up part of the tab) in 2014, but has used Brad Ziegler at closer of late. Ziegler earned $3.15MM this year, and should get a nice raise in his final year of arbitration after logging another 60+ inning, sub-3.00 ERA season while picking up double-digit saves. Though Arizona might wish to shed some of these obligations, only Ziegler seems like he would draw much interest.
- If Giants starter Tim Lincecum reaches the open market, he could be in a better position than one might expect, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes on Sulia. While teams used to worry about how Lincecum would perform when he lost velocity, says a Schulman source, they now know and may feel more comfortable making a long-term commitment. We heard yesterday that the Giants have opened negotiations on an extension with one soon-to-be free agent, Hunter Pence, but have yet to do so with Lincecum.
Diamondbacks To Pursue Power Bat
Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers is interested in acquiring a "prototypical, corner bat" in the coming offseason, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic recently reported. Towers says he is looking for a third baseman or corner outfielder to provide pop in the middle of the lineup alongside young star Paul Goldschmidt.
The Diamondbacks have indeed struggled in the power department this season. Arizona sits at 26th in the bigs in home runs, 21st in slugging percentage, and 25th in isolated power (ISO). Other than Goldschmidt, the team's only player with an ISO greater than .180 is part-timer Eric Chavez, who is set to become a free agent.
As he looks to bolster his squad's power output, Towers will be hindered by payroll. Arizona's 2014 ledger already shows just $7.18MM less than its 2013 opening day tally of $86.30MM. And that only accounts for the eleven players who have guaranteed deals for next year. The team also has seven players who are either entering arbitration for the first time or are advancing to another year in the process. Two of those players — outfielder Gerardo Parra and current closer Brad Ziegler — figure to command fairly substantial raises after strong years. Though the organization has gone over $100MM in payroll one time (2002), team president and CEO Derrick Hall seems to predict only measured growth in salary rather than a Blue Jays or Dodgers-esque jump: "So long as our revenues increase, we will continue to invest those dollars in the team and the facility. If I had to predict, I would say our total would increase again."
Acknowledging that the team probably lacks sufficient payroll capacity to add a big bat from the free agent market, Towers indicated that the club could look to deal one of its center fielders. "So maybe you move one of your center fielders for a corner outfielder, maybe to a ballclub that's heavy with corner outfielders but don't have a center fielder," Towers explained. "We've got three up here and all three can play center field, and clubs have interest in them." In addition to youngsters Adam Eaton and A.J. Pollock — each of whom remain under team control through at least 2018 — the team has also used Parra in center this season. Parra is just 26, and still has two more years of arbitration before reaching the open market. Of course, each of these players has their limits in value. Pollock and Parra have had good campaigns but seem to lack upside, while Eaton's value is down after an injury-filled year.
Of course, the obvious thought that springs to mind is that the D-backs only recently traded away a prototypical, young, power-hitting corner outfielder when they shipped Justin Upton to the Braves earlier this year. Upton has hit 25 long balls and posted an ISO over .200 this year in Atlanta. (Another power source, Chris Young, was dealt to the Athletics; though he has struggled to get on base and make contact, he does have a .185 ISO.) It may prove difficult to find a replacement. While Arizona could make a play for premier slugger Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins, it would surely have to offer up something like Eaton and ace-in-training Archie Bradley, and then some, just to start a conversation. Likewise, a young, high-upside slugger such as Wil Myers of the Rays would surely require a king's ransom.
The team has one other top-100 prospect it could dangle: third baseman Matt Davidson, who checks in at 67th on the latest ranking of MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. But Davidson himself figures to be ready to contribute next year after posting back-to-back seasons in the .830 OPS range in the high minors, and Mayo says that he possesses MLB home run pop. Though Davidson has struggled in limited MLB action thus far, Arizona may be best off looking internally. Indeed, Hall just said of Davidson: "we see his future as a power-hitting corner infielder."
Other than Stanton, who would Towers reasonably look to target? If the team is unable to add significant salary through free agency, then presumably it would be similarly precluded from taking on a big contract unless the trade partner kicked in a lot of cash. And the nature of Towers' comments — "we probably could use another big bat somewhere in our lineup" – make a play for a prospect sound unlikely. If the intention is to find an established, powerful, low-cost option, then, the pickings are likely slim. And it appears that most teams with an apparent need for a young, big-league-ready center fielder lack an established corner power bat to offer in return. I'll try to work through some of the possiibilities.
In terms of outfielders, Jay Bruce of the Reds would seem to be a perfect fit, but there is no reason for Cincinnati to part with him. The D-backs could go after a player in the mold of their recent major acquisition, super-utility-man Martin Prado, who was extended shortly after heading to Arizona. Among outfielders, Michael Cuddyer of the Rockies could make sense, as he is set to make $10.5MM next year on the heels of a strong .939 OPS campaign to date and is the kind of hard-nosed player that Towers loves. At 34 years of age, Towers might be able to coax a reasonable, reasonably short extension if he can pry Cuddyer away from a seemingly uninterested division foe. A much cheaper target is the Cubs' Nate Schierholtz, who has posted a career-best .228 ISO and twenty home runs in 450 plate appearances. Now 29, Schierholtz will be arb-eligible next season before reaching free agency. But it is far from clear that he can be an everyday power source. The Dodgers' Andre Ethier is another possibility, though he would appear to have too much left on his contract to be a realistic possibility. And in the end, older players like these options are probably somewhat redundant with Cody Ross, who remains under contract and will work back from hip surgery next year.
If the team wants to target youth and upside, it could pursue a turnaround candidate like Lucas Duda of the Mets or Josh Reddick of the A's, each of whom have seen their power dip from their career peaks. Other younger, controlled players that could fit the cost/power profile that Towers desires are Darin Ruf of the Phillies, Chris Carter of the Astros, or even the Nationals' Tyler Moore, though their strikeout rates and poor defense are major question marks. Players of this ilk would figure to come at a reasonable price, at least, though it is far from clear that any would really improve the D-backs.
If the Snakes look to the hot corner, they could find some more attractive options. Chase Headley of the Padres fits the trade-and-extend mold, though at 29 he will be looking for a sizeable deal. San Diego could play the recently extended Will Venable in a corner spot and shift Jedd Gyorko to third to make way for one of Arizona's youngsters in center, though the club has some options in its own system. Then, there are two younger, cost-controlled options who have knocked over twenty long balls, but would certainly command a big return. The Mariners, who definitely need someone to man center, have an attractive third bagger in Kyle Seager. But Seattle does not have an obvious replacement for Seager; the D-backs would likely need to send Davidson up north in any deal. The Athletics' Josh Donaldson has had an even more incredible breakout season than Seager, and the A's have options to replace him in the short term (Alberto Callaspo) and long term (prospects Addison Russell, if he moves off of short, and Miles Head). Of course, the A's don't have a need in center, with Coco Crisp entrenched for the time being and the young Michael Choice pressing for a promotion. You can be sure that Billy Beane would extract a painful price if Towers calls on Donaldson.
Yet another big name that could be put in play, opines ESPN's Buster Olney, is Yoenis Cespedes of the A's. With two years and $21MM left on his deal, Beane could look to realize future value on his investment in the Cuban outfielder. After a strong .292/.356/.505 campaign last year, Cespedes has matched his output of 23 home runs but has taken a step back otherwise. His triple-slash stands at .243/.301/.443. On the one hand, it could be argued that the A's would be selling low after an injury-filled campaign. On the other, the 27-year-old slugger would still promise to bring back a haul of lower-cost talent that the team could control well into the future.
There is one other obvious possibility: Mark Trumbo of the Angels. He is young, capable of playing all of the corner spots defensively, unquestionably powerful, and entering his first year of arbitration eligibility. Sure, he comes with questionable defense and concerning strikeout totals, but he has averaged over thirty bombs over the last three years. While Trumbo could likely be had for the right price, the last thing the Angels really need is a young center fielder. As with Seager and Donaldson, if Towers wants to pick up a player like Trumbo, he is going to have to part with some of his club's good, young pitching.
In the final analysis, Arizona's best bet may be to hang onto its youthful outfielders and supplement them on the free agent market. Carlos Beltran is probably going to be too expensive, but Marlon Byrd should be affordable, though he will probably draw a lot of interest from teams looking to add power on a budget. Then, there is Nelson Cruz, who figures to come at a substantial discount after his PED suspension. If Towers could land the 33-year-old with something akin to the two-year, $16MM deal that the Blue Jays gave Melky Cabrera last year, he might provide the right mix of skill and cost for Arizona.