AL Notes: Rangers, Ramirez, Betts, Orioles
Rangers GM Jon Daniels cast doubt on the idea of the team making any marquee additions in comments yesterday to the media, including MLB.com’s TR Sullivan. Daniels called it “unlikely” that the club would end up with a top starter, though he said he also wouldn’t “close the door” on a market that includes former ace Yu Darvish. More likely, it seems, would be a depth addition of some kind, though Daniels also emphasized that the organization is not close to any new deals. Broadly, the organization remains steadfast in its “realistic” assessment of its abilities and needs. While the anticipated roster mix is likely “to create some challenges,” says Daniels, that doesn’t mean it will vary from its strategy entering the winter. The Rangers, he says, were “not going to go all-in, spending big dollars this year, nor were we going to be looking to trade all of our young players.”
More from the American League:
- The Angels received some promising news on righty J.C. Ramirez, GM Billy Eppler tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (via Twitter). Ramirez is continuing to show healing in his right elbow, where he suffered a season-ending partial UCL tear. Stem cell treatment has been promising to this point, giving the team some renewed confidence that it will receive a contribution again from Ramirez, who agreed to a $1.9MM arbitration salary after turning in 147 1/3 innings of 4.15 ERA ball in 2017.
- As the Red Sox prepare for an arbitration show-down with star outfielder Mookie Betts, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald argues the team never should have put itself in this position. The sides have a $3MM gap at present ($10.5MM vs. $7.5MM) and indications are they’ll resolve it in a hearing, meaning the Sox will be put in the position of presenting Betts in a less-than-positive light before an arb panel. With a prior disagreement over his 2017 pre-arb salary, the financial relationship between the sides isn’t exactly off to the most promising start. For what it’s worth, MLBTR contributor and arbitration guru Matt Swartz argued before numbers were exchanged that Betts is likelier to command a first-time arb payday on the lower side of the existing gulf.
- Speaking of arbitration, the Orioles will evidently not commit to going to trial over their remaining cases, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Rather the club is still willing to engage in negotiations with both infielder Jonathan Schoop ($9MM filing versus $7.5MM counter) and righty Kevin Gausman ($6.225MM filing versus $5.3MM counter). Whether that’ll mean avoiding a hearing isn’t yet known, but the seeming strategic shift will at least leave remaining room for talks on a few players of quite a bit of importance to the organization’s future.
Yankees To Sign Wade LeBlanc
The Yankees have agreed to a minor-league deal with lefty Wade LeBlanc, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). He’ll receive an invitation to MLB Spring Training and an opt-out opportunity just before the start of the season, per Crasnick, who notes that the deal comes with a potential $1MM base rate of pay in the Majors. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale adds that LeBlanc also has an opt-out on June 15 and would earn a monthly salary of $32K in the minors. LeBlanc is represented by agent Joe Rosen.
LeBlanc, 33, engineered a return to the majors after spending a season in Japan in 2015 (and then appearing on the MLBTR Podcast). After spending some time as a swingman for the Mariners in 2016, he landed with the Pirates and threw well enough to earn a major-league contract in the following offseason.
Things didn’t go quite as hoped in 2017, as LeBlanc managed only a 4.50 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in his 68 innings in Pittsburgh. He did carry a personal-best 9.6% swinging-strike rate, though, and fielding-independent pitching metrics valued his output as better than the results (e.g. 3.97 SIERA).
As has long been the case, LeBlanc was much more effective last year against righties than when pitching against same-handed batters. It seems he’ll join a camp battle to earn a place as a long man for the Yankees.
Josh Harrison Suggests Pirates Trade Him If “Team Does Not Expect To Contend”
In the wake of the recent trades that shipped Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole out of Pittsburgh, speculation has turned to the status of veteran Josh Harrison — another player that has long been mentioned as a candidate to be dealt. The veteran utilityman issued his thoughts on the matter today to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
After discussing his affinity for the team, city, and fans — as well as for the departing players — Harrison laid down a challenge of sorts to the Pirates front office. While he framed it as an expression of what might be “best for the organization,” Harrison seemingly conveyed a clear interest in being dealt if the club is not serious about putting a winner on the field. The full comments are available at the above link, but this seems to be the key passage:
[T]he GM is on record as saying, ‘When we get back to postseason-caliber baseball, we would love our fans to come back out.’ If indeed the team does not expect to contend this year or next, perhaps it would be better for all involved, that I also am traded.
Of course, just what “expect to contend” might really mean is open to some interpretation. The organization’s top leadership emphasized in the wake of the trades that it still sees the roster as a possible contender. While those comments are themselves worthy of skepticism, there’s room for debate as to just how the Cutch/Cole swaps will impact the team on the field — and time left for further developments to impact the overall picture. What the trades clearly do not portend, in and of themselves, is a full-blown rebuild; both players, after all, were within a year or two or free agency and the deals returned mostly MLB-level talent.
Interestingly, at least one of the players received, infielder Colin Moran, could help the team cover in the infield if it decides to send Harrison elsewhere. Talks involving the versatile, well-rounded performer have been ongoing over the winter, so a trade wouldn’t be surprising, regardless of the comments he issued today. The Pittsburgh front office no doubt anticipated some disappointment from its remaining veterans — not to mention a more vehement push-back from the fanbase and media — when it moved these core players.
That said, the Bucs likely don’t face a clear financial imperative to make a move, so far as is publicly known. The team currently has less than $85MM on its books for 2018 after moving most of the relatively significant salaries of McCutchen and Cole. Having opened the last two seasons within sight of $100MM in payroll obligations, there’s some breathing room to work with even with Harrison on the roster. He’s owed $10MM for the coming season and can then be controlled with successive club options ($10.5MM and $11.5MM, with a total of $1.5MM in buyouts).
Of course, that assessment of the money situation assumes the club is not preparing to draw down its outlay. In truth, that’s not really clear yet. Cashing in players who are getting older, more expensive, and closer to free agency is a longstanding ritual for smaller-market teams that otherwise would struggle to remain competitive without suffering through lengthy rebuilding stretches. But there are several ways to go while remaining mindful of the need to always keep the future in mind.
Just what the Bucs have in mind currently — a period of salary retrenchment and roster reloading? at least some reinvestment of free payroll on other assets? etc. — is still not entirely know. In a way, how they proceed with Harrison may be the evidence we need to understand the very intentions and expectations that his comment references.
Rangers Sign Deolis Guerra
The Rangers have struck a minors deal with righty Deolis Guerra, per a club announcement. He’ll participate on the MLB side of spring camp.
Guerra, 28, becomes the latest in a succession of pitchers to sign on with the Texas organization over the winter. If he can’t earn his way onto the active roster in camp, Guerra will presumably take up a spot near the top of the Rangers’ relief depth chart.
Texas has seen plenty of Guerra in recent seasons, as he has played with the division-rival Angels organization. In 2015, the righty spun 53 1/3 innings of 3.21 ERA ball with 6.1 K/9 and 1.2 BB/9. Despite that useful output, he was removed from the Halos’ 40-man roster last spring.
Guerra ended up bouncing between the MLB roster and Triple-A in 2017. In the majors, he sputtered to a 4.68 ERA in 25 frames, over which he uncharacteristically handed out a dozen free passes but did show a surprising 14.9% swinging-strike rate. Guerra carried a 1.98 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in his 41 innings at the highest level of the minors.
Central Notes: Pirates, Harrison, Castellanos, Cubs
In an Insider post, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney provides some worthwhile perspective on the Pirates‘ recent moves, arguing that the organization would be perceived much differently had its 2013-15 postseason appearances gone differently. Some may scoff at the idea that this excuses anything: had the team been better, perhaps, it might’ve achieved playoff glory; that it did not does not bear directly on present decisions. That’s true enough, but it’s also valid to note that a few moments in a few games drastically altered the bigger picture of Pittsburgh baseball, which in turn has impacted the way many will now view the trades of key veterans Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole. Olney’s juxtaposition of the Bucs with the Royals — whose own postseason successes followed lesser regular-season accomplishments than those of the Pirates, and turned on some magical moments — seems largely apt. Of course, that doesn’t really reduce the sting for the fans. (It’s also fair to note that, for better or worse, Kansas City mostly kept its best veterans around through the ends of their contracts.) It’s an interesting piece worth a read for subscribers.
Let’s check in on the latest from Pittsburgh and elsewhere around the game:
- As Olney notes in his column and tweeted yesterday, many in the industry expect the Pirates to continue working on trades for veteran players. In particular, Josh Harrison could be on the move — a possibility that has been talked about for much of the winter. The versatile utilityman will surely hold appeal to numerous other organizations, though the full scope of his potential market is not entirely clear at this point.
- Whether or not Harrison is also traded, the Pirates are expressing confidence that the roster can be a factor in the near term. As Elizabeth Bloom of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, the organization’s higher-ups stressed yesterday that parting with McCutchen and Cole does not equate to a full-blown rebuild. Hearkening to the club’s breakout 2013 team, the Pirates’ top executives all put a positive spin on their reloading effort. “We need to remember what put us in playoff contention in 2013,” said owner Bob Nutting. “We had an infusion of talent, young talent, and played effectively, outperformed. We’ve done that before. We need to put ourselves in a position to do that again.” Likewise, GM Neal Huntington called the Bucs “a young, talented team … that is going to be fun to watch.” Needless to say, those words aren’t exactly falling on universally receptive ears. Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, for instance, blasted the organization and called on fans to express their disappointment with their wallets.
- The Tigers remain open to dealing Nicholas Castellanos this winter, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports. Castellanos is slated to earn $6.05MM in his second-to-last season of arbitration eligibility — a campaign in which he’s expected to undergo a full-time move to right field. Previously, we’ve heard that the 25-year-old had drawn some interest after he and the team failed to see eye to eye on an extension. That said, GM Al Avila has made clear the Tigers are not committed to trading Castellanos, whose glove hasn’t kept pace with his otherwise promising bat.
- Though the focus still seems to be on the rotation, the Cubs arguably also need another significant reliever, Patrick Mooney argues in The Athletic (subscription link). Chicago might conceivably go bigger with a bullpen addition if it settles for more of a depth starter, says Mooney, who notes that GM Jed Hoyer acknowledged recently that the club could still add to the relief corps.
Top 60 Remaining Trade Candidates
It has been a month since we broke out the top 60 remaining offseason trade candidates in baseball. Since that time, several of the players from that list have indeed been dealt, while situations have also changed for some others. With a few weeks left for transactions to proceed before Spring Training opens, we’ll take a quick look at how the trade market appears to have changed.
Starting Pitchers
Market Changes: The Astros nabbed Gerrit Cole from the Pirates, taking one of the most obvious and best trade candidates off the market and filling an opening with a contender. That said, multiple organizations are still in play for one or more starters. The possibility of achieving greater value via trade is, perhaps, one of the many reasons that the top starters have yet to reach deals.
Top Remaining Trade Candidates
- Chris Archer & Jake Odorizzi, Rays: Tampa Bay has moved one significant veteran (see below), suggesting the team is as open as ever to swapping out older/more expensive players for younger ones, though there’s hardly an indication that a full-scale rebuild is underway.
- Michael Fulmer, Tigers: He has come up here and there in rumors, though there’s still no reason to believe Detroit is willing to move its best asset for anything less than a haul.
- Danny Duffy, Ian Kennedy & Jason Hammel, Royals: Similarly, we’ve heard of teams asking about Duffy, but Kansas City has evidently not embarked upon a concerted effort to trade him. The other two players would be salary dumps, though the Royals could just keep them and hope for improvements while also being assured of filling up some innings.
- Zack Greinke & Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks: Moving Greinke’s contract would be a challenge, but still-simmering chatter on Arizona’s interest in J.D. Martinez suggests it is still plausible. Meanwhile, we’ve heard Corbin come up as another player who could be moved to open payroll space.
- Dan Straily, Marlins: Dealing the righty would hurt for a pitching-needy team, but it has to be on the table.
- Danny Salazar, Indians: We keep seeing Salazar’s name arise and Cleveland is said to be willing to deal him, but the team likely won’t do so unless that facilitates the filling of another need.
- Julio Teheran & Brandon McCarthy, Braves: There’s still no indication that Teheran is being discussed, but he feels like a plausible chip in the right circumstances. It also seems possible that McCarthy could be passed along, though odds are he (and also just-acquired starter Scott Kazmir) will be viewed as necessary veteran depth entering camp.
Relievers
Market Changes: Three top lefties have departed the potential trade market, none via trade: Zach Britton suffered a serious injury, while Brad Hand and Felipe Rivero have signed extensions that almost certainly indicate they won’t be dealt this winter. There just aren’t any comparable hurlers to be had, so those developments seem to favor the remaining southpaw free agents. Veteran relievers Joakim Soria and Luis Avilan were also traded recently.
Top Remaining Trade Candidates
- Alex Colome, Rays: Colome still seems the likeliest of the game’s top young closers to be dealt. Nothing has come together to this point, but he has appeared frequently in the rumor pages.
- Kelvin Herrera, Royals: The asking price is said to be high; perhaps the Royals would be willing to take the risk of carrying Herrera to the trade deadline if offers aren’t sufficient.
- Brad Ziegler, Junichi Tazawa & Kyle Barraclough, Marlins: While the Fish have created some breathing space in the payroll, moving some of the money owed to Ziegler and Tazawa would surely still hold appeal. It’s likely that Barraclough will be held, but nothing’s bolted down in Miami.
- Shane Greene & Alex Wilson, Tigers: We haven’t heard much chatter surrounding this duo, but the Tigers must listen to any offers on any players.
- Arodys Vizcaino, Braves: Likewise, it has been crickets on Viz all winter, but it’s still imaginable a team would take a look if other possibilities don’t work out.
- Dellin Betances, Yankees: Entering the winter, it was at least reasonable to wonder whether New York would decide to move on after a tough 2017 season for Betances. We haven’t heard much indication of that, though it’s still possible that he changes hands, particularly with the Yanks counting pennies.
- Raisel Iglesias, Reds: The odds are starkly against a deal with Cincinnati reportedly asking for the moon, but it’s possible to imagine interested clubs circling back if other things don’t work out.
Outfielders
Market Changes: Yesterday’s Andrew McCutchen deal was significant for this sector of the market, as it filled a void in San Francisco and took a name out of contention for other teams. But there’s still a need up the middle for the Giants, while other teams have not yet addressed their own needs.
Top Remaining Trade Candidates
- Christian Yelich, Marlins: While the asking price is understandably steep, the Marlins are no doubt aware that it may be a good time to cash in on Yelich, who has indicated he’d prefer to be moved.
- Billy Hamilton & Adam Duvall, Reds: At one point, Hamilton seemed all but gone. That’s no longer the case, but it’s still imaginable that either of these players is shipped out.
- Randal Grichuk, Cardinals: Even with Stephen Piscotty traded, the Cards have an overloaded outfield mix.
- Avisail Garcia, White Sox: Signals are that the asking price is too steep for a deal to come together, but Chicago’s front office is surely still picking up the phone on Garcia.
- Domingo Santana & Keon Broxton, Brewers: With the Brew Crew still looking to add a starter, nothing can be ruled out. Of the team’s many intriguing outfielders, Santana and Broxton stand out as possible trade pieces in certain scenarios, and each has been floated in rumors thus far.
- Aaron Altherr, Nick Williams & Odubel Herrera, Phillies: Now that the Phillies have pushed Rhys Hoskins into the outfield, there are two openings left and three arguably deserving candidates to fill them. Any of the trio could conceivably be moved in a deal to acquire a starter. Of course, this mix of players could also coexist on the roster, with the Phils sharing time and playing matchups while seeing how each develops.
- Corey Dickerson, Rays: His name has at least been floated as a possible trade chip, though we’ve heard no rumblings of talks.
- Kyle Schwarber, Cubs: There’s just no indication that a Schwarber deal is likely to occur this winter.
- Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox: Despite some early rumblings, all recent signs point to JBJ staying put in Boston.
- Jacoby Ellsbury, Yankees: The Yanks would love to find a taker for some of Ellsbury’s salary; unsurprisingly, that hasn’t been easy to pull off.
- Shin-Soo Choo, Rangers: Ditto.
- Yasmany Tomas, Diamondbacks: And ditto again.
Infielders
Market Changes: Two notable players have changed hands, with Evan Longoria going to the Giants and Yangervis Solarte joining the Blue Jays. Those swaps seemingly take the acquiring teams out of the market for other infielders.
Top Remaining Trade Candidates
- J.T. Realmuto, Marlins: With the valuable Realmuto expressing his displeasure with the situation in Miami, it’s easy to imagine a swap, even if we still haven’t seen public indication that talks have advanced.
- Josh Harrison, Pirates: We’ve seen Harrison’s name in the rumor mill a fair bit, but there’s still no clear word as to whether he’ll be moved. Trading Cole and Cutch certainly could be interpreted as making a Harrison swap more likely, but that isn’t necessarily the case. The club likely values the flexibility of the two option years in the infielder’s contract. Another Bucs veteran who might conceivably be dangled is backstop Francisco Cervelli, as a commenter points out.
- Manny Machado, Orioles: It has been a bit of a roller coaster all offseason on Machado, with some reports still suggesting the O’s would like to get a deal done and others indicating that the team will stand by a lofty asking price.
- Jed Lowrie, Athletics: The market for Lowrie has been quiet, but teams in need of an option at second could still check down to him.
- Nicholas Castellanos & Jose Iglesias, Tigers: Neither player seems particularly likely to be targeted as a contender’s first choice, but both could hold appeal in the right situation. Detroit is prepared to move any veteran if it can achieve interesting young talent.
- Scooter Gennett, Reds: We haven’t heard much discussion of a Gennett deal, perhaps because Cincinnati values him after a strong season but perhaps also because other teams are wary of his track record and inability to hit lefties.
- Cesar Hernandez & Cameron Rupp, Phillies: There just isn’t much reason for the Phillies to rush into a deal involving Hernandez, particularly after freeing some infield playing time for younger players by trading shortstop Freddy Galvis. Though Rupp seems to be lining up for a timeshare behind the dish, he could still be parted with to clear the way for a new backstop duo in Philly.
- Jose Abreu, White Sox: As with Garcia, the ask seems high and not designed to ensure a deal is completed.
- Starlin Castro, Marlins: Though Miami no doubt likes the idea of marketing the four-time All-Star to a skeptical fan base, it surely also sees the appeal of shedding a chunk of his salary, which was absorbed in the Giancarlo Stanton swap. Castro has given indication he’d like to be traded.
- Chase Headley, Padres: With Solarte shipped out, the Pads may line up this old favorite at the hot corner. But he’d surely also be available if another team comes calling.
- Jurickson Profar, Rangers: While his name hasn’t arisen much, it still seems reasonable to think Texas is willing to make a deal on the former top prospect.
- Yasmani Grandal, Dodgers: With little chatter emerging about Grandal, perhaps the Dodgers simply feel they are best served carrying two quality catchers into the 2018 season — which, really, is hard to argue with.
- C.J. Cron & Luis Valbuena, Angels: Both these players can coexist on the roster, at least if you squint. But with Albert Pujols expected to command time at first while sharing the DH slot with Shohei Ohtani, and an infield otherwise loaded with everyday types, Cron and Valbuena aren’t the most comfortable fit.
- Jason Kipnis, Indians: After a near-deal to the Mets fell apart, leaving the Indians unable to free up cash to land Santana, Cleveland seemingly settled on moving Kipnis back to his accustomed second base.
- Brad Miller, Rays: Having moved Longoria, the Tampa Bay infield has more openings. On the other hand, that also indicates all bets are off for trade candidates, and the Rays may prefer to move on from Miller if they find a decent deal and feel they can better reallocate his anticipated salary.
- Martin Prado, Marlins: Miami could just hang on to the veteran and hope he rebuilds his trade value a bit, or it could cut its losses if another team is willing to take on at least some of the obligations remaining.
- Javier Baez, Addison Russell & Ian Happ, Cubs: Increasingly, it feels like this group of players will stay put. On the other hand, all it takes is one phone call and the Cubs are still looking for a starter.
Latest On Giants’ Pursuit Of Outfielders
The Giants and Pirates are engaged in “serious talks” regarding outfielder Andrew McCutchen, according to Robert Murray and Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (Twitter link). At the same time, San Francisco is said to have “gotten more serious” in discussions with free agent Lorenzo Cain, in the words of Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter), though he also cautions the sides aren’t close to an agreement.
It has long seemed possible that the Giants could end up landing either of these two veteran players. Certainly, the connections aren’t new. That reports have emerged on both in near proximity could be interpreted in various ways.
Regarding McCutchen, the Pirates and Giants have reportedly discussed him in the past, though obviously nothing has come together to this point. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area looked at the connection today as well, including the fact that the San Francisco front office has hoped the Gerrit Cole trade might free up chatter on McCutchen, who is owed $14.5MM in his final season of contract control. Per Pavlovic, the Bucs’ demands to this point have been too rich for the Giants.
It’s possible to view the offseason developments to date from both organizations as a lead-up to a deal involving McCutchen. The Giants, who’d rather not part with draft picks as compensation for signing a qualifying-offer-bound free agent, have already traded for Evan Longoria, so there’s little question they are pushing to return to contention in 2018. And the Pirates’ recent trade of Cole clearly indicates the organization is willing to move on from highly-paid stars. McCutchen has long seemed a more obvious trade piece than was Cole.
At the same time, it’s too soon to rule out Cain. Both players could certainly fit on the same roster; at present, only Hunter Pence — himself a question mark after a shaky 2017 season — is firmly in place in the outfield. (Our sister site, Roster Resource, currently places Steven Duggar and Jarrett Parker atop the Giants depth chart in center and left.) Of course, doing so would mean ponying up significant cash as well as prospect assets. Even if the Giants were able to secure a nice price for Cain, they’d almost surely end up flying past the luxury line and he’d unquestionably require draft compensation. Getting Cutch, too, will require only a one-year commitment but will mean parting with at least some young assets.
Justin Morneau To Retire, Join Twins As Special Assistant
JANUARY 15: Morneau will indeed retire, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger tweets. He’s expected to hold a press conference to announce the move on Wednesday.
JANUARY 9: Long-time Twins star Justin Morneau is slated to join the team as a special assistant, according to Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network (via Twitter). It would appear that the decision spells the end of his playing days, though there’s no clear word yet of that.
Morneau, 36, told Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca in late October that he was not ready to retire officially, but also seemingly acknowledged his playing career was likely over. At the time, Morneau said he had hoped to play in 2017 but had not been willing to go down to Triple-A and wait for a phone call. It has never seemed likely that the opportunities would improve over time, particularly now that Morneau did not play in the just-completed season.
Entering the 2017 campaign, Morneau was already expressing some uncertainty about his future, though he also sounded like someone who wanted to carry on. Now, though, indications clearly are he’s moving on to other challenges in the baseball world.
If this is indeed the end of the line, Morneau will end his career as one of the best and most productive players ever to hail from his native Canada. In the aggregate, the first baseman turned in 22.6 fWAR and 27.3 rWAR over his 14 MLB campaigns. He also earned just shy of $100MM, due in large part to a six-year, $80MM extension he struck with Minnesota in 2008.
Of course, it’s hard not to ask what might have been. Morneau won the American League MVP Award in 2006 and went to the All-Star Game in each of the ensuing four seasons. As of mid-2010, he carried a lifetime .286/.358/.511 batting line. And he was then in the midst of his best season, boasting a whopping .345/.437/.618 output with 18 home runs through 81 games.
Things changed suddenly when Morneau took a knee to the head in a collision at second base. The concussion he suffered knocked him out for the rest of the season and limited him to just 69 games in the ensuing campaign. While he was eventually able to return to above-average work at the plate, and even turned in a very strong 2014 season with the Rockies (.319/.364/.496), Morneau never fully regained his standing on the field.
Injuries limited Morneau in 2015 and delayed his start to the 2016 campaign, when he signed a one-year deal with the White Sox after offseason elbow surgery. He ultimately managed only a .261/.303/.429 output for Chicago — respectable work for his age-35 season after so many travails, but not enough to drive interest from other organizations after the end of the season. Morneau also appeared in the World Baseball Classic in 2017, representing his fourth appearance for home country and perhaps his last competitive action on the field.
In addition to the organizations already noted, Morneau spent a brief stretch with the Pirates in 2013, following his mid-season trade from the Twins. Clearly, Morneau will forever be associated with the Minnesota franchise, though, after 11 good years there. He was part of a core group that featured mainstays such as Johan Santana, Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer, and Joe Mauer. While the Twins never experienced much postseason success in that era, they did take home six AL Central titles in a nine-year span (2002 through 2010).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor MLB Transactions: 1/15/18
We’ll cover the day’s minor moves in this post …
- The Blue Jays have brought back second baseman Jon Berti on a minors deal, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). A former 18th-round pick who’ll soon turn 28, Berti will remain with the only professional organization he has played for. He has appeared mostly in the upper minors for the past several seasons but hasn’t yet earned a promotion to the majors. In 237 Triple-A plate appearances in 2017, the fleet-footed Berti carried a .205/.271/.321 slash line with three home runs and 23 steals.
Extension Records: Pending Free Agents & Other Veterans
We have already looked at the record-setting pre-arbitration and mid-arbitration extensions. Today, we’ll turn to those contracts that were struck with players who had already reached their final season of team control, as well as those that were agreed upon with veterans who had already moved past six years of MLB service (even if they had multiple contract years remaining at the time of the deal). You can explore more contracts beyond those we’ve covered with MLBTR’s Extension Tracker.
Biggest Contract, 5+ Service Class
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers: 7 years, $215MM (plus opt-out)
If you’ve read through the prior two posts in this series, the gulf between position-player and pitching contracts really stands out. But hurlers close the gap with vigor once they drawn near to (or reach) the open market. Kershaw’s deal is the largest, understandably, but hardly the only example of a quality starter getting something in the realm of open-market money when entering or in the midst of their final season of team control. Stephen Strasburg ($175MM), Rick Porcello ($82.5MM), and Danny Duffy ($65MM) have all inked such deals in recent years, with Cole Hamels ($144MM) and Homer Bailey ($105MM) scoring notable prior contracts.
Biggest Contract, 5+ Service Class Position Player
Matt Kemp, Dodgers: 8 years, $160MM
Interestingly, it has been quite some time since we’ve seen a 5+ service-class position player land a monster contract. Brett Gardner‘s $52MM deal in early 2014 was the most notable since Andre Ethier ($85MM) and Miguel Montero ($60MM) in 2012. For really significant slugger contracts, you have to go back another year, when Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez ($154MM) got big bucks to forego the possibility of yet greater riches in free agency. At the time of his deal, Kemp was a 27-year-old who had just turned in an MVP-caliber campaign. This contract provides a notable marker for some high-quality players currently nearing free agency, should they agree to engage in talks.
Biggest Contract, 6+ Veteran
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: 8 years, $248MM (plus two options)
In some regards, it’s not worthy considering veterans with over six years of service separately from 5+ players that are still in arbitration. Many (but not all) of the former group are, like the latter, just one season away from free agency. That said, there are some general differences — in particular, all highly-paid 6+ players have already sold at least one would-be free agent season — so we’ll break them out. Age is increasingly a factor at this point, though some 6+ players that agreed to earlier-career extensions have still wrangled new deals at young ages. For instance, Joe Mauer‘s $184MM contract was signed before his age-27 season. The number of years on the odometer did not dissuade Detroit from re-upping Cabrera two seasons before his existing contract was set to run out. Questionable at the time, that decision is looking all the more troublesome after Cabrera stumbled in 2017. Other major contracts from this bucket include David Wright (link), Ryan Zimmerman (link), and Dustin Pedroia (link).
Biggest Contract, 6+ Veteran Pitcher
Justin Verlander, Tigers: 5 years, $140MM (plus option)
As noted in our mid-arb post, JV and Felix Hernandez (link) followed parallel paths in market-pacing salaries in each of their two extension situations. Other major 6+ pitching extensions include Johan Santana (link), CC Sabathia (link), and Matt Cain (link). While these contracts show that veteran pitchers nearing free agency can still cash in even as they build up mileage on their arms, age and wear-and-tear factor all the more for hurlers. Contract length, then, has proven somewhat harder to achieve. Cabrera, Mauer, Wright, Zimmerman, and Wright all secured eight-year guarantees, while all the pitchers just named settled for five or six-year terms.