MLBTR Poll: The Arizona Plan
Less than a month ago, Major League Baseball was hemming and hawing over whether to halt Spring Training. Now, the league is at least considering a rather wild approach to the 2020 season: holding all contests in the Phoenix area for at least a portion of the campaign. If you haven’t read up on this yet, you can do so here and here.
With its statement this morning, MLB has made clear that this is just one of several concepts under consideration. Perhaps this one will fade — at least, the notion of it launching as soon as May — as the situation continues to evolve.
I’ll be sharing some further thoughts on this in an MLBTR YouTube video, which you can look out for later today. But generally, it seems entirely appropriate for the league to make its best efforts to craft a plan to get the game going again. It’s just … is this one even a reasonable starting point?
Let’s see how MLBTR readers feel at this early stage (response order randomized; poll link for app users):
What do you think of a 2020 MLB season in Arizona?
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Intriguing possibility 50% (5,836)
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Worth considering ... just not beginning in May 25% (2,928)
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Not even worth considering 24% (2,831)
Total votes: 11,595
Bryce Harper Discusses Contract Situation Of Phillies, J.T. Realmuto
If you ask Phillies star Bryce Harper, the team needs to do what it takes to retain backstop J.T. Realmuto. Harper discussed that important contractual situation and other topics in a recent chat with Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
It’s debatable how best to interpret Harper’s comments — prediction or exhortation, or both — but not his underlying desire to see Realmuto stay with him in Philly. Harper lavished praise on Realmuto, saying: “I think the Phillies organization absolutely loves J.T. and our team absolutely loves him as well.”
Harper obviously isn’t negotiating contracts, but with twelve seasons left on his own monumental deal his opinion holds greater weight than those of your average veteran star. He says of Realmuto: “Us as an organization, we have to understand that he’s going to help us in the years to come and if you want the best catcher in baseball then we’ll make that happen.”
“I don’t think anybody should fear us not getting J.T. back,” Harper continued. “I want him more than anything, so I mean it’s something we need to make happen as an organization.”
That’s shy of a promise but something more than a mere expression of personal preferences. Harper did go on to say that the club will “hopefully” find a way to keep Realmuto around, and there’s no particular reason to believe he’s operating on inside information here, but it’s rather interesting to see how strongly he phrased things.
When last we looked, the Phillies and Realmuto had paused their discussions on a pre-season extension. Not long after, a leaguewide moratorium on contract discussions went into effect. Realmuto has reportedly sought a monster contract that would approach or even exceed the record catching deal of Buster Posey.
It’s fair to wonder whether the suspension of the 2020 season will have an impact on negotiations if and when they resume. Realmuto will certainly not have an opportunity at a typical platform year. And it’s anyone’s guess at this point how the 2020-21 free agent market will function.
MLB Contemplating Staging Part Of 2020 Season In Arizona
In search of creative solutions to the myriad problems posed by the coronavirus pandemic, MLB and the MLB Players’ Association have held initial discussions regarding a plan that would center at least part of the 2020 season in Arizona. Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reported on the latest developments in the ever-evolving effort.
It’s an interesting concept, at least in theory, given the presence of so many high-quality baseball facilities in the greater Phoenix area. The entire Cactus League apparatus would be available in addition to the Diamondbacks’ home park of Chase Field.
Staging contests in one metro area would drastically limit the cost, time, and risk of plane travel — potentially facilitating a much fuller schedule (more packed and later into the year) than would otherwise be possible. Teams are accustomed to marshaling necessary logistical resources in this area. And concentrating medical and other resources in one area might make it possible to navigate the exceedingly tricky matters that are sure to arise.
Needless to say, this wouldn’t be baseball-as-usual. Agent Scott Boras notes that the league would have to essentially define a group of participants (players, coaches, umpires, trainers, etc.) who’d have “very limited access … to the outside world” and would be “constantly tested.” It seems clear that such an approach would feature no or limited spectators at the ballparks. Even if fans were ultimately allowed in, there’s obviously no way the gate would come anywhere close to its typical levels.
The aim in this effort, should it even be pursued, would be to get the game on television sets across the country. There may even be a built-in competitive advantage for baseball as against the other major sports, which are also staring at difficult challenges. It’s certainly easier to imagine baseball being played, with appropriate protection and monitoring, than other sports that involve much more regular and intense physical contact between participants.
Clearly, this idea is still in its infancy, faces numerous challenges of its own, and is only one of many possibilities. It may ultimately function as a bridge to a more-typical playing situation, should that become possible. Depending upon one’s perspective, this all-Arizona approach could be a sobering disappointment … or an optimistic indication that the league and players are working hard to ensure that some kind of campaign is possible.
Flashback: The Spring 2014 Contract Spat Between Max Scherzer & The Tigers
In the 2013-14 offseason, the Tigers were still riding high. Despite some postseason disappointments, the organization had run off three-straight AL Central titles and seemed poised for more. It also had a slate of big-time veterans coming ever closer to free agency.
The top priority, it seemed, was emergent ace Max Scherzer. He had seemingly supplanted Justin Verlander as the top dog on one of the best rotations in recent memory. But free agency beckoned at the end of 2014, Scherzer’s age-29 season.
You may recall that the Tigers ended up making a major long-term deal … but not with Scherzer. (No doubt we’ll write more on that one at some point soon.) Instead, club and player ended up engaging in a somewhat terse exchange of statements to the press at the end of camp, setting the stage for Scherzer’s ultimate departure.
After showing so much tantalizing ability over the years, the former first-round draft pick finally put it all together in 2013. Scherzer spun 214 1/3 innings of 2.90 ERA ball, racking up 10.1 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9 and leading the league with a 0.970 WHIP. Scherzer not only nabbed his first All-Star appearance, but secured his first Cy Young Award.
The Tigers spent big and went for it under long-time owner Mike Ilitch, with veteran exec Dave Dombrowski swinging deals from the GM seat. Pursuit of an extension with Scherzer was inevitable.
Trouble was, Scherzer had taken his time turning into a complete pitcher. By the time the team was ready to place its bet on his future, he had ample leverage. And he had the game’s foremost lever puller running his negotiations: super-agent Scott Boras, long known for bringing his top clients to the open market.
Early-offseason moves freed some payroll availability; Dombrowski told MLBTR’s Zach Links the flexibility would make a Scherzer extension “more possible.” The sides were able to line up on a record-setting arbitration raise, which seemed generally promising. Scherzer indicated that he’d like to reach agreement on a deal to stay in Detroit for the long run.
And then came … a truly bizarre, late-spring exchange. We’ve occasionally seen teams issue statements when negotiations with a superstar fail to culminate in an agreement. But rarely are they so transparently salty as the one the Tigers unfurled …
“The Detroit Tigers have made a substantial, long-term contract extension offer to Max Scherzer that would have placed him among the highest paid pitchers in baseball, and the offer was rejected. As we have reiterated, it has been the organization’s intent to extend Max’s contract and keep him in a Tigers uniform well beyond the 2014 season. While this offer would have accomplished that, the ballclub’s focus remains on the start of the upcoming season, and competing for a World Championship. Moving forward there will be no further in-season negotiation and the organization will refrain from commenting on this matter.”
Well, then! Boras, naturally, responded. He wasn’t quite so spiteful, but certainly landed his own well-placed shot that left no doubt as to his views on the equal standing of the bargaining parties:
“Max Scherzer made a substantial long-term contract extension offer to the Detroit Tigers that would have placed him among the highest-paid pitchers in baseball, and the offer was rejected by Detroit. Max is very happy with the city of Detroit, the fans and his teammates, and we will continue negotiating with the Tigers at season’s end.”
So it seemed both sides had made their offers; neither proved amenable to further compromise. It emerged that the Tigers’ best offer was a match of the extant comparable of record: the six-year, $144MM Cole Hamels extension with the Phillies. The warring statements drew mixed reactions from the pundit class, but the consensus was that this number was never particularly likely to budge Boras and Scherzer.
Rather than bowing to worry over the season separating him from free agency, Scherzer took out an insurance policy. He was nearly as good in 2014 as he was in the season prior, landing a fifth-place Cy Young finish, obviating the need for that policy, and setting the stage for a proper bidding war. While there was indication at times that the Tigers remained involved, the team showed tepid interest and was not a finalist when push came to shove.
Scherzer, of course, signed a huge contract with the Nationals. Though the face value of $210MM didn’t account for deferrals, it handily topped the prior Tigers offer. Perhaps it was just as well for the Detroit organization. While the club was successful again in Scherzer’s final year, it crumbled in 2015, with Dombrowski stunningly departing after the trade deadline. Then again, Scherzer’s ongoing dominance made even that monster contract a relative bargain. Had the Tigers gone higher in their extension offer and managed to secure his services for the long haul, Scherzer would’ve been a nice trade chip to cash in and jump-start the rebuild.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
A.J. Puk Making Progress In Recovery From Shoulder Injury
Athletics lefty A.J. Puk was slowed by some shoulder trouble in early March, creating some unwelcome uncertainty for a player that just returned late last year from a major injury. Fortunately, Puk has been throwing throughout the COVID-19 shutdown and has progressed to long-tossing from 120 feet, he said in an appearance on Susan Slusser’s A’s Plus podcast (audio link).
Medical review had seemingly ruled out the most troubling potential scenarios. But Puk’s outlook was still a bit unclear when last we checked in. It seems he’s now firmly on the upswing/
“It’s probably the best my shoulder’s felt in awhile actually,” said Puk. “Coming back from Tommy John, a lot of people always seem to talk about how your shoulder kind of flares up and you’ve just got to work through it. I think I was at that stage.”
Puk, the former No. 6 overall pick, added that he has access to mounds from which to throw at nearby facilities. He and fellow top prospect Jesus Luzardo chatted with Slusser about the state of their workouts amid the current stoppage, detailed the ways they’ve kept busy and shared their thoughts on a potentially shortened season or playing in front of empty parks.
Yankees Re-Sign David Hale
TODAY: As it turns out, Hale was re-signed by the Yankees shortly after he was released. He was initially let go in order to rework the specifics of his minors contract, and to incorporate a new opt-out date into the deal. The new pact has a deadline set for five days prior to the beginning of the season, whenever that may be.
APRIL 2: The Yankees have released righty David Hale, Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America reports. This move occurred before the institution of a leaguewide roster freeze.
Hale signed yet another minor-league deal with the Yankees over the offseason. He has gone through numerous procedural moves with the club while moving onto and off of the active and 40-man rosters.
Last season was a productive one for the 32-year-old. He threw 37 2/3 innings over twenty appearances in the bigs, working to a 3.11 ERA with 23 strikeouts against seven walks along with a 50% groundball rate. That represented Hale’s most extensive MLB action since 2015.
Klutch Sports Agency Expands Into Baseball
The Klutch Sports agency announced today that it has acquired the Tidal Sports agency. That’ll bring agent Brodie Scofield and his stable of clients into the growing multi-sport outfit.
Klutch and top agent Rich Paul are already well known in hoops circles. They represent LeBron James and other NBA superstars. A recent investment from United Talent Agency brought the promise of expansion into other sports, which is obviously now underway.
This acquisition comes at a moment when all professional sports are on hold. While NBA players had already earned most of their salaries for the 2019-20 season, MLB earnings are on hold pending the resumption of play. Under the deal agreed to between the league and union, ballplayers would collectively earn just $170MM (less than one-twentieth the expected tally) in 2020.
Of course, MLB players do stand to continue accruing service time even if no baseball is played this year. That’s of particular importance for some of the new Klutch clients, who’ll continue to be represented by Scofield — now the agency’s lead baseball representative.
As MLBTR’s database reflects, the baseball unit now housed at Klutch Sports features some rather prominent players. Astros star Alex Bregman is certainly the top client; he’s entering the first year of the extension he inked in the spring of 2019. Another client, Brewers infielder Keston Hiura, seems a potential extension candidate. Mets starter Marcus Stroman is slated to reach free agency in advance of the 2021 campaign. Other big leaguers on the client list include Kevin Gausman, Sean Newcomb, and Blake Swihart. And the Klutch stable now also features one of the game’s top prospects in Jarred Kelenic of the Mariners.
Mariners Release Cody Anderson
The Mariners have released righty Cody Anderson, as per the roundup of pre-roster freeze transactions from Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America. He had been in camp as a non-roster player.
Anderson joined the Seattle organization in mid-February, representing his first time with another club after nine years in the Indians system. He was knocked around for eight hits and four earned runs in three innings of Cactus League action.
Now 29 years of age, Anderson showed well with a strong 15-start debut in 2015. But he struggled in the ensuing campaign and ultimately went down to Tommy John surgery. Anderson did return to the majors briefly last year after a two-season absence, but struggled in brief action.
Season Cancellation Would Not Delay Luhnow, Hinch Reinstatement
Former Astros GM Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch will not serve any suspension time beyond 2020, regardless of whether a season is played, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. Both were fired by the Houston organization after MLB issued year-long bans arising out of the sign-stealing scandal of the 2017 Astros.
Per the report, this determination was made “because the suspensions are tied to the end of the 2020 postseason rather than a specific number of games.” That’s not necessarily a compelling technical reading — if that’s even the right way to address the matter. Regardless, it does seem consistent in substance with the reported handling of player suspensions.
If indeed this is how commissioner Rob Manfred handles things, then the path will be clear for both Luhnow and Hinch to return later this year — as had been the case before the surprise coronavirus shutdown.Presumably, the same determination will hold for former Astros bench coach and Red Sox manager Alex Cora, if he ends up being suspended.
Whether or not that comes to pass will obviously depend upon whether some team takes a chance. When we polled MLBTR readers in early February, most anticipated that Luhnow would never return to a GM seat but that Hinch would again be tasked with leading a dugout. Hinch was certainly a more broadly popular figure and has struck a much more conciliatory tone since the sign-stealing scandal broke. On the other hand, he was also in the dugout while the illicit activity occurred and did not avail himself of the many avenues to halt it. It is less clear to what extent Luhnow was fully aware of the cheating scheme.
Tigers Release, Re-Sign Jordy Mercer, Zack Godley
In advance of the MLB-wide roster freeze, the Tigers released and re-signed veterans Jordy Mercer and Zack Godley, per Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America. It was a procedural move, per Chris McCoskey of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), no doubt relating to their opt-out clauses. Both players remain with the organization on minor-league pacts.
*The original version of this post misinterpreted the underlying story and failed to recognize that both players had been re-signed. We regret the error.
Mercer, the long-time Pirates shortstop, spent the 2019 season with the Detroit organization and returned as a non-roster invitee in the past offseason. He missed a lot of time due to injury but turned in a sturdy .270/.310/.438 batting line when healthy. Mercer has hit well thus far in camp and would appear to be a solidifying presence in a largely uncertain infield mix.
As for Godley, 29, he handed out eight walks in 4 1/3 innings of spring action. But he’ll still have a shot at earning a bounceback opportunity in Detroit. Godley emerged as a quality rotation piece in 2017 with the Diamondbacks but took a step back in the ensuing season and struggled mightily last year. His deal includes a $1.5MM salary and $1.5MM in possible incentives, if he can earn his way to the majors.