AL East Notes: Phelps, Red Sox, Bradley
Yankees GM Brian Cashman spoke bluntly about prospective transactions yesterday, as reported by Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. Cashman noted that he is often approached about young starter David Phelps, but continued: "I'm not looking to move him. I'm only looking to move the bad stuff."
- Cashman also addressed the question whether the club's 25-man roster was all in camp, Feinsand reports. The GM indicated that the Yankees are still shopping: "The stuff that's possibly out there that we could add, those decisions aren't in our control. If there are castoffs from other camps that we'll look at and evaluate."
- In searching for "castoffs," one area that New York is likely to target first is the corner infield, as the club is currently "actively seeking" help at first and third according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports echoed that possibility, writing that the Yankees figure to add another corner infielder before Opening Day. Rosenthal reported earlier in the week on Twitter that the Yankees were "asking around about everybody."
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if the Yankees and Pirates might have the pieces to make a deal. The Bucs could have interest in someone like David Aardsma to support closer Jason Grilli and they have an abundance of corner players. Garrett Jones or Gaby Sanchez could be a fit for the Yanks as they look to weather the storm during Mark Teixeira's stint on the disabled list.
- Unlike his counterpart in New York, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington indicated that "in all likelihood our Opening Day roster is going to be made up of guys who are here now," reported Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Cherington also appeared to downplay any suggestion from manager John Farrell that Boston is actively looking to add rotation depth, saying that, while "it can never be deep enough," he "feel[s] a little better than I did this time last year, in terms of our options, at least early in the season."
- Jackie Bradley Jr.’s defense and the importance of starting the season strong are among the reasons the Red Sox should start the season with Bradley on their roster, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes.
Zach Links and Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
Mariners Face Decision On Garland
After putting up a solid spring outing, starting pitcher Jon Garland expects to learn on Friday whether he will be a part of the Mariners' 2013 rotation, because that is when his "out clause" becomes effective, reports Shannon Drayer of ESPN Radio Seattle. Garland says that he has "shown them everything I can" and that "if they don't keep me here I am sure there will be a phone call" from another team.
With fellow rotation hopeful Erasmo Ramirez struggling in his last two outings, and Garland looking sharp during his time in Mariners' camp, Mariners manager Eric Wedge recognized that the team has a difficult decision. "We will get together tonight or maybe tomorrow morning or both and figure out what we are going to do," said Wedge. "Obviously we have got a lot of moving parts when it comes to the starting rotation. It's not just about [Garland], it's about everyone who is involved with this."
Drayer believes it "would be a somewhat big surprise" if the Mariners let Garland walk. While his durability is an obvious concern as he returns from shoulder surgery, she notes that "he appears to be healthy, he can get big leaguers out, his pitches look sharp and he is getting decent sink on the ball." And as "the young pitchers aren't going anywhere" for Seattle, Drayer opines that the team has little to lose and much to gain by awarding the rotation spot to the veteran Garland.
There would be interest from teams like the Rockies if the 33-year-old should hit free agency, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports previewed Garland's comeback attempt back in February.
Edgar Renteria To Retire
While he had not seen the majors since 2011, Edgar Renteria waited until today to officially announce his retirement, reports Andrew Simon of MLB.com. After 16 big league seasons, the shortstop took his time deciding to hang it up: "I feel satisfied with what I did, my heart is telling me that's enough and it's time to retire. You have to know when to retire and that's why I took a year and a half to rest and think about what I was going to do."
Originally signed by the then-Florida Marlins out of his native Colombia, Renteria went on to post both sustained solid performance and great moments on the game's biggest stage. It all began with a stellar rookie campaign as a 19-year-old in 1996, when he logged a .309/.358/.399 line and finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. After the Marlins dealt him to the Cardinals, Renteria punctuated his tenure in St. Louis with his best season, a 2003 campaign in which he hit a robust .330/.394/.480 and appeared in his third of five All-Star games. While Renteria failed to live up to expectations in Boston after agreeing to a 4-year, $40MM contract with the Red Sox, he bounced back to have two productive years with Atlanta before finishing his career with stints in Detroit, San Francisco, and Cincinnati.
Of course, Renteria will be most remembered for his World Series heroics. He hit a walk-off base knock in Game 7 of the 1997 Series to give the Marlins their first ever championship. Over a decade later, after struggling for much of his two-year tenure with the Giants and sitting for much of the postseason, Renteria came alive in the 2010 World Series. The shortstop capped his career by swatting a game-winning, series-clinching home run off of Cliff Lee and was named MVP. (Interestingly, Renteria also hit the ground ball out that ended the 2004 World Series.)
Renteria had been unofficially retired since declining several minor league contract offers last spring, making the announcement largely a formality for the 36-year-old. He earned over $85MM in his MLB career, in exchange for which he notched 140 home runs, 294 stolen bases, and a career .286/.343/.398 slash line over 9066 plate appearances.
Quick Hits: Padres, Wainwright, Posey, Theriot
Cubs starting pitcher and extension candidate Jeff Samardzija struggled on the hill at times tonight, but showed a new way to add value by launching his second long ball of the spring and adding another base hit (along with a sacrifice bunt). Indeed, Samardzija's work on offense was so impressive that he was allowed to take his final plate appearance before being lifted for a reliever in the bottom of the inning. Elsewhere in the National League …
- With the first four spots in the Padres rotation all but locked down by Edinson Volquez, Clayton Richard, Jason Marquis, and Eric Stults, the club could be eyeing outside options for starter number five, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com. Brock notes that in-house options include Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner, Tim Stauffer, and Freddy Garcia. San Diego was also recently linked to the Tigers' Rick Porcello. GM Josh Byrnes was not shy in acknowledging his interest: "Our scouts are out there, and we're talking to a few clubs."
- Extension discussions between the Cardinals and starter Adam Wainwright still appear to be moving in a positive direction, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Said Wainwright: "I think both sides feel confident something could get done." We learned earlier today that talks were progressing.
- An extension agreement between the Giants and star catcher Buster Posey could take many forms, which serves to complicate negotiations, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants and Posey will likely discuss "a three-year deal that buys out arbitration, a different mid-range deal that cuts into free agency and the so-called 'megadeal' that locks Posey into San Francisco for a decade."
- Infielder Ryan Theriot remains unsigned after playing last year with the world-champion Giants, and San Francisco GM Brian Sabean says that the club has "lost contact" with the 33-year-old, reports Schulman. Theriot remains interested in playing, but so far has not received an offer that is "exactly what I'm looking for playing-time-wise." If the right opportunity does not come along, the easy-going Theriot seems to be at peace with moving on from the game to spend time with his young family.
Olney On Yankees, Lohse, Bradley
Here is the latest from ESPN.com's Buster Olney:
- With the Yankees facing more uncertainties in 2013 than the club is accustomed to, it will be interesting to watch whether owner Hal Steinbrenner reacts like his father might have if the team get off to a slow start, writes Olney (Insider sub. req'd). While the club's "austerity plan makes a lot of financial sense," Olney suggests, "it's one thing to come up with a plan in the offseason in a quiet office in December, and a whole other challenge to live it hour by hour through a long summer."
- While the deterrent power of the draft pick compensation tied to free agent hurler Kyle Lohse is well-documented, Olney notes that it only becomes more impactful over time. With the amateur draft now only two months away, "clubs tend to be more clingy with their draft picks than they might have been last fall." And following the news that Lohse appears unlikely to wait until June to sign to "be free of the draft-pick anchor," Olney offers some reasons why the former Cardinal might not take such an approach: clubs would be wary of such a long layoff at his age (34) and could well "want to see him throw before jumping in."
- Olney also discussed the decision facing the Red Sox on young outfield prospect Jackie Bradley Jr., whose torrid spring (combined with the continued unavailability of David Ortiz) has presented Boston with a difficult balance of short-term reward and long-term cost. The service time considerations for Bradley Jr. were also broken down in detail by ESPN.com's Gordon Edes. Indeed, as reported by Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald, Sox GM Ben Cherington has made clear that "there are other factors" at play beyond the young outfielder's ability and readiness.
Dodgers Mulling Options After Hanley Ramirez Injury
The Dodgers announced via Twitter that Hanley Ramirez's right thumb will require surgery, causing him to miss the beginning of the 2013 season. The infielder, who had been slated to be the Dodgers' regular shortstop, is expected to return in approximately eight weeks. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the severity of the injury and the fact that Ramirez tore a ligament in his thumb. (Twitter links.)
In spite of losing Ramirez to start the year, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said he isn't looking to trade for a temporary shortstop while Ramirez recovers, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports on Twitter. Colletti also said he has no plans to re-start his pursuit of free agent third baseman Scott Rolen, according to another Hernandez tweet.
Of course, should the Dodgers decline to test the market for a replacement, the club has several internal options. As Jason Martinez of MLB Depth Charts notes on Twitter, the Dodgers could well move Luis Cruz to short while relying upon Nick Punto and Juan Uribe at third. Alternatively, the Dodgers could turn to last year's opening day shortstop, Dee Gordon, although according to Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times, "it's hard to imagine that's the direction they will go." After a difficult 2012 season in which he posted a substandard .228/.280/.281 line, Gordon was reportedly shopped around by L.A. and seemed destined to begin this year in the minors. Other players in Dodgers camp who could be in the mix on the left side of the infield include Jerry Hairston Jr., Skip Schumaker, and Justin Sellers, writes Lyle Spencer of MLB.com.
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
Angels Looking For Backup Catcher
SUNDAY: The Angels are said to like Chris Snyder and Ramon Hernandez with ex-Angel Bobby Wilson, in camp with the Yankees, an interesting possibility, tweets Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times. MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez adds Rod Barajas and Wil Nieves, both with the Diamondbacks, and Brett Hayes and George Kottaras, both with the Royals, as other possibilities.
FRIDAY: The Angels "have been out looking for a backup catcher," tweets Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.
The team entered the spring hoping that former high-end prospect Hank Conger would lay claim to the back-up spot behind starter Chris Iannetta. As Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times explored back in February, the team was also considering two journeymen, John Hester and Luke Carlin. Still young at 25 and offering a natural complement to Iannetta's right-handed bat, Conger seemed the obvious choice if he could move past his history of inconsistency and injury.
Despite Conger's excellent start on the offensive side of the plate this spring, however, he has struggled behind the dish. While manager Mike Scioscia has previously expressed confidence that Conger would rein in his wildness in the throwing game, Conger made three errors with his arm last Sunday. Entering his final option year, the Angels could elect to allow Conger to work out his issues back in Triple-A Salt Lake. For their part, Hester and Carlin have limited track records at the major league level and are sporting anemic batting lines in pre-season action.
If the Halos are unwilling to let Conger test his arm in a real game, the club may be looking at limited options for an upgrade. A glance at MLBTR's Free Agent Tracker reveals Matt Treanor as the lone unsigned, free agent backstop. Barring a more significant trade, the Angels could consider dealing (or scouring the waiver wire) for a more established option as teams like the Diamondbacks and Rockies decide which of their veteran catching options will make their opening day rosters.
Edward Creech contributed to this post.
Cardinals Interested In Harrell, Norris
In addition to "asking about" available shortstops, the Cardinals are "interested in Lucas Harrell and Bud Norris of [the] Astros," reports MLB Network's Peter Gammons (on Twitter). While the Cards' interest in help up the middle is unsurprising (in spite of GM John Mozeliak's recent statements), St. Louis was not expected to be in on starting pitching.
As MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith detailed at the start of the offseason, the Cardinals already "feature[] an effective starting rotation with a combination of established veterans and powerful young arms." And as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently explained, the team was thought at this point to be narrowing its choice between Joe Kelly and Shelby Miller for the team's fifth starter spot. Of course, the Cardinals have already allowed Kyle Lohse to test the free agent waters for quite some time after the veteran turned down his qualifying offer.
Meanwhile, Harrell and Norris (both righties) are coming off of solid, if unspectacular, 2012 campaigns. Harrell, 27, threw 193 2/3 innings of 3.76 ERA baseball in his first full big league season. Norris, in turn, is entering his age 28 season after posting a 4.65 ERA over 168 1/3 innings last year, and features a longer history of performance at the highest level. Certainly, St. Louis is well-positioned to add either pitcher if it so chooses, as it possesses the kind of farm depth that would appeal to an Astros team that has been aggressively cutting payroll and adding young, unproven talent.
Quick Hits: Boesch, Mets, Red Sox, Catching Market
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details the latest from Major League Baseball Players Association chief Michael Weiner on the union's views on drug testing. Weiner also discussed the qualifying offer system, expressing that he is "pleased that the number of players that carried compensation dropped way down, from in the thirties to nine," while noting that neither the league nor the union "expected that a player the caliber of Kyle Lohse would have the difficulty he's having," an issue which he "would like to find a way out of … sooner rather than later, before 2016." Elsewhere around the league:
- Brennan Boesch detailed the series of events that led to him joining the Yankees yesterday, as Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger reports. Boesch was told "earlier this week" that he would be released by the Tigers despite still having multiple minor league options, which the outfielder viewed as "a favor" despite being surprised at the news. When Boesch learned from agent Scott Boras of the Yankees' interest, he instructed Boras to just "get it done" because New York was his top choice.
- The Mets, unlike their New York neighbors, "weren't enthused" about Boesch because they saw him "as another Lucas Duda" and feel comfortable with their in-house options, tweets Jon Heyman. Meanwhile, the club may need to fill in for star third-baseman David Wright to start the season, and Michael Baron of MetsBlog breaks down the internal options.
- Left-handed reliever Franklin Morales is out indefinitely as he deals with a bulging disk in his back, which potentially opens a spot in the Red Sox bullpen for Clayton Mortensen, writes Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Morales' injury situation also makes it is less likely that Boston will deal Alfredo Aceves, Lauber explains, because "manager John Farrell has identified Aceves [as] the primary long man in the Red Sox' bullpen and their best option to provide a spot start in the event of injuries in the rotation."
- As the Angels look over the market for available backstops, they are joined by the Phillies, Pirates, and Rays in looking for "experienced catching," tweets Peter Gammons of MLB Network.
Rule 5 Report: McGuiness, Kobernus, Rosenbaum, Inciarte, Fields
To get the weekend started with some fascinating insight into the use of analytics by agents, look for the audio link at the 2013 SABR Analytics Conference Player Agent Panel page. Let's take a look at a few updates on some Rule 5 draftees who are hoping to stick with their new clubs:
- Chris McGuiness has impressed the Indians at first and in the outfield, writes Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer, and the team is loath to return him to the Rangers. According to manager Terry Francona, "in a perfect world, I wish he wasn't a Rule 5 pick and he was in our minor league system." If the Indians are unable to keep McGuiness on the big league roster, Francona "hope[s]" that a trade can be worked out to keep him in the system, adds Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
- Jeff Kobernus, primarily an infielder in the Nationals system, continues to battle with Quintin Berry for a spot in the Tigers outfield, writes Jim Hawkins of MLB.com. While it is "possible" that both players could make the roster, according to manager Jim Leyland, that scenario is a "longshot."
- Another player plucked from the Nationals, left-handed pitcher Danny Rosenbaum, "has put up a nice argument for himself in the competition for a middle-relief spot" with the Rockies, writes Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Rosenbaum, who never saw a big league camp while in the Washington organization, spoke with Nats' reliever Craig Stammen to learn how to transition from the rotation to the bullpen.
- Outfielder Ender Inciarte is in the midst of a solid spring and is making a play for the Phillies' fifth outfielder role, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Just 22 years old, Inciarte never played above High-A ball in the Diamondbacks organization.
- Josh Fields came to the Astros from the Red Sox with the first pick in the Rule 5 draft, and acknowledges being "really, really excited when Houston picked me up." As Adam Berry of MLB.com writes, the rebuilding Houston franchise hopes that the 27-year-old, righthanded reliever is ready for the big leagues after he posted a solid 2012 season in Triple-A Pawtucket.