Jeff Todd | MLB Trade Rumors

AL Notes: Romney, Brantley, Hamilton, O’s, Frazier, Red Sox

By Jeff Todd | February 23, 2017 at 12:20pm CDT

After moving on from a potential effort to buy the Marlins, Mitt Romney and his family are eyeing the purchase of a share of the Yankees, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. In this case, though, the high-profile politician and businessman would only be looking at obtaining a small portion of the franchise’s highly valuable ownership stake.

Here’s more from the American League:

There’s ongoing concern in the Indians organization regarding the health of outfielder Michael Brantley, Heyman futher reports. Though Cleveland is expressing at least some degree of optimism publicly, the most important steps remain to be taken. Hopes that Brantley could be ready to take the field on Opening Day “have waned just a tad,” says Heyman, though clearly the most important issue isn’t so much when he’s ready as it is ensuring that there isn’t another major setback when he does return to action.
It seems that Josh Hamilton will be able to resume his quest to crack the Rangers roster, as he T.R. Sullivan was among those to tweet that a knee exam yesterday revealed no new structural damage. For the time being, it seems, the discomfort will slow him down somewhat, though presumably he’ll be back in action as soon as the oft-injured joint allows.
The Orioles continue to receive positive signs on two key pitchers who are dealing with some early-spring health questions, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (Twitter links). Though Zach Britton still has “a little discomfort in [his] left side,” he says it’s getting better. And starter Chris Tillman says that his right shoulder “feels great” as he continues to throw long toss. It’s not yet clear when the two hurlers will get back on the mound.
White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier, meanwhile, is dealing with what he describes as a minor oblique issue, as Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports. Frazier, who is considered day-to-day for the time being, says he’ll likely just sit for a few days while the tightness hopefully subsides. “It’s something I’ve dealt with before,” says Frazier, who remains a potential trade chip in his final year of team control. “But at the same time, from what I’ve heard they’re not anything to mess with. So let’s take a couple days and see how it is after a couple days and go from there.”
As the Red Sox have moved to cash in prospect assets for talented major leaguers since the arrival of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the remaining young players have seemingly taken on added importance to the club’s future. As Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes, the Sox refused to part with third baseman Rafael Devers in the deal that ultimately netted Chris Sale. He and first baseman Sam Travis — who missed a significant chunk of 2016 due to knee surgery — aren’t expected to head north with the club out of camp, but could play a major role not long from now. As Dombrowski observes: “The best clubs are constantly breaking in young players on a consistent basis, year in, year out. And you also need it from a cost basis perspective.”

White Sox To Retire Mark Buehrle’s Number

By Jeff Todd | February 23, 2017 at 10:42am CDT

The White Sox are set to retire Mark Buehrle’s #56 jersey this summer, the team announced. As Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago notes on Twitter, that would appear to suggest the the lefty himself is also hanging up his spikes for good — though there’s been no official word to that effect as of yet.

Last we heard, around this time last spring, Buehrle was still pondering his future. But he decided against pitching in 2016, and we’ve heard no indication since that he was planning a return. Today’s news seemingly confirms that the famously fast-working and incredibly durable southpaw is finished after 16 highly productive seasons in the majors.

Though he ended his career elsewhere, Buehrle spent his first dozen seasons in Chicago. He was a model of consistency there, providing 2,476 2/3 innings of 3.83 ERA ball while averaging 5.1 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9. Despite being taken only in the 38th round of the 1998 draft, Buehrle cracked the majors in 2000, his age-21 season, after just a season and a half in the minors.

Arguably his best season came in 2005 — the club’s World Championship campaign — when he came in fifth in the American League Cy Young voting upon compiling a 3.12 ERA over 236 2/3 frames. That represented the second-straight season in which he led the league in innings and the fourth in a row in which he retired the side at least 230 times. Buehrle had many fine moments in Chicago, among them a no-hitter in 2007 and one of just 23 perfect games ever pitched (on July 23, 2009, against the Rays).

Buehrle departed the White Sox after the 2011 season, joining the Marlins along with a crop of other free agents. After one solid year in Miami, he was dealt to the Blue Jays as part of the blockbuster trade that also shipped veterans Josh Johnson and Jose Reyes (among others) to Toronto. Buehrle was productive til the end, providing the Jays with 604 1/3 innings of 3.78 ERA ball in his final three campaigns.

Even in his age-36 season, which appears now to be his last, Buehrle managed 198 2/3 innings and led qualifying AL pitchers with a 1.5 BB/9 walk rate. That broke a string of 14 consecutive seasons in which the exceedingly durable hurler racked up at least 200 frames.

In the end, Buehrle racked up 51.9 fWAR and 59.2 rWAR over his career. By Fangraphs’ measure, only four other pitchers — Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia, Randy Johnson, and Roy Oswalt — were as productive over Buehrle’s active seasons, over which he paced all of baseball in total innings. In that span, he received five All-Star nods and picked up four Gold Gloves, while never failing to make at least thirty starts in each of his full MLB seasons.

Assuming this is in fact the end, MLBTR congratulates Buehrle on his excellent career and extends its best wishes to him in his future endeavors.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Jake Peavy

By Jeff Todd | February 23, 2017 at 9:53am CDT

Free-agent righty Jake Peavy remains unsigned with Spring Training well underway, but as Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports, that’s due largely to personal matters impacting the veteran starter. Peavy says he is currently focused on being with his four sons while he and his wife finalize a divorce.

Peavy says he still expects to return to the hill, so it doesn’t seem that the 35-year-old is heading toward retirement despite a sub-par, injury-plagued 2016 season. Instead, his representatives have informed teams that he is not yet ready to commit to an organization, but Peavy says he’s working out and will hold a showcase when he is ready.

“It hurts not to be in spring training,” Peavy tells Crasnick. “I know that day is coming, but right now being a dad is absolutely No. 1. There’s no way in a million years that I could leave my boys at this time.”

There’s little doubt that Peavy will draw interest when he is prepared to sign; indeed, we’ve already heard that the Padres had interest at one stage of the winter. Last season’s struggles may be attributable in part to back issues. And, as Crasnick writes, the fallout of a financial scheme that took advantage of Peavy and others proved a major distraction. While his age rightly dampens expectations moving forward, Peavy was capable of delivering a 3.58 ERA in 2015 and racking up over 200 frames the season prior.

Orioles Re-Sign Michael Bourn

By Jeff Todd | February 22, 2017 at 5:17pm CDT

FEB. 22: Bourn’s deal also comes with up to $3.5MM worth of incentives based on plate appearances, reports Crasnick (Twitter link). In total, the contract can max out at $5.5MM with enough playing time.

FEB. 20: The Orioles have reached agreement on a contract with outfielder Michael Bourn, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com first reported (via Twitter). It’s a minor-league pact that comes with a camp invite, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. Bourn would earn $2MM if he cracks the MLB roster, per Heyman.

Bourn, who is a client of Lagardere Sports, will have a chance to opt out of his deal if he isn’t added to the 40-man late in camp, though there’s a bit of discord on the date. ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter) has it as March 25th, while Kubatko tweets that it’s actually the 27th. Regardless, the veteran will be able to seek greener pastures if the team decides not to commit to him.

At 34 years of age, Bourn is no longer the player he once was when starring in center field for the Braves. But he showed that there’s still some gas left in the tank during his stint late last year with the O’s, earning plaudits from the Baltimore front office and field staff.

Over 55 plate appearances in Baltimore, Bourn slashed .283/.358/.435 and drew six walks against nine strikeouts. Those numbers compared favorably to his best full seasons in the majors, when he was rarely much more than a league-average hitter but nonetheless added significant value with the glove and on the bases.

Of course, that’s rather a small sample, and the broader recent picture isn’t as favorable. Bourn’s offensive production has lagged since he signed on with the Indians in advance of the 2013 season, and he has struggled in particular over the last two seasons.

Even if it would be optimistic to expect Bourn’s late-2016 work at the plate to carry over, there’s reason to hope he can make a strong contribution. The veteran still rates well on the bases, and rates as at least a roughly average fielder. While the O’s already have two lefty platoon outfielders penciled into their roster, Seth Smith and Hyun Soo Kim, neither is capable of playing center. Bourn figures to compete with Joey Rickard and minor-league signees Craig Gentry and Logan Schafer for a bench spot in camp.

Camp Battles: Seattle Mariners

By Jeff Todd | February 22, 2017 at 3:39pm CDT

Ever-active Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto has surrounded his team’s core with a bevy of platoon players and optionable arms this winter. Though only three areas appear ripe for real competition, there are a variety of configurations and playing-time arrangements that remain possible.

Here are Seattle’s ongoing camp battles; click here for previous entries in MLBTR’s Camp Battles series.

FIRST BASE
Dan Vogelbach
Age: 24
Bats: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2

Danny Valencia
Age: 32
Bats: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $5.5MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

D.J. Peterson
Age: 25
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 3

It’s all but certain that Vogelbach and Valencia will combine to make up a first base duo to open the 2017 season. (Can someone craft a nickname for that combo?) But the precise mix of playing time is still in the air as camp gets underway.

The youthful Vogelbach, acquired in the deal that sent Mike Montgomery to the Cubs, has only seen 13 MLB plate appearances. But he raked last year at Triple-A, posting an outstanding .292/.417/.505 batting line over 563 plate appearances with 23 long balls and an impressive 97 walks to go with his 101 strikeouts. Beyond proving that he can translate that to the majors, Vogelbach will need to polish his glovework at first.

While Seattle surely hopes that Vogelbach hits enough to push Valencia into a reduced role — the veteran is also capable of playing third base and the corner outfield — there’s reason to believe that the 32-year-old could take over primary duties himself. Since the start of the 2013 season, Valencia owns a productive .284/.334/.464 slash in 1,349 trips to the plate. Of course, he has also posted rather dramatic splits over his career, with a robust .873 OPS against lefties and a less-than-impressive .682 mark when hitting without the platoon advantage.

Peterson, who just turned 25, would be a surprise on the Opening Day roster — barring injury, at least — but perhaps there’s some room for him to impress enough to pressure the V&V tandem. He has, after all, been rated as a top-100 prospect in the past. And he bounced back from a woeful 2015 season, producing at a solid .264/.327/.455 clip in the upper minors last year.

Prediction: This situation seems destined to result in a platoon, with Vogelbach perhaps given a shot to face most of the righties and Valencia appearing against opposing southpaws.

CORNER OUTFIELD
Jarrod Dyson
Age: 32
Bats: L
Contract Status: 1 year, $2.8MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Mitch Haniger
Age: 26
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 3

Guillermo Heredia
Age: 26
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2

Ben Gamel
Age: 24
Bats: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2

As with the situation at first, there are plenty of platoon options here. While Shawn O’Malley and Taylor Motter could factor into things, those two players appear more likely to battle for an infield-focused utility job. It’s mostly a four-horse race for the two corner outfield jobs flanking center fielder Leonys Martin — though basically any of this group of players could also see time in center as well.

The M’s are clearly excited about this defensively proficient group of players, but all have something to prove at the plate. Only Dyson is a clear certainty for a roster spot; the veteran was acquired for talented righty Nate Karns and can’t be optioned. His track record of outstanding glovework, excellent baserunning, and good-enough productivity at the plate also perhaps give him the best shot at earning near-regular time, though he has typically been used as a platoon player in the past and has long struggled against left-handed pitching.

The other three primary competitors will be duking it out for playing time, with Haniger perhaps having the inside track on duties in right field. Though he didn’t hit much in a 34-game MLB stint last year, the right-handed hitter laid waste to the upper minors, posting a .321/.419/.581 batting line and swatting a surprising 25 long balls in his 548 plate appearances.

While the M’s would no doubt love to carry both Heredia and Gamel, doing so would mean leaving behind an extra arm. And the optionable players can always be pulled back up as needed. Neither impressed in the majors last year, but both delivered strong on-base numbers in the upper minors. Which gets the first crack at MLB time this year may depend not only upon their respective performances this spring, but also the organization’s views on their potential platoon mates. Even the above-described first base battle could play into things; if Vogelbach secures regular time at first, that would leave Valencia available to provide righty pop in the corner outfield.

Prediction: Dyson seems likely to receive the bulk of the time in left, but right field seems wide open. On the one hand, platooning Haniger and Gamel could hold appeal. On the other, that would leave the M’s with three left-handed-hitting outfielders, perhaps opening the door for Heredia to make the roster with Gamel heading to Triple-A for further seasoning.

BULLPEN (THREE SPOTS)
Casey Fien
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $1.1MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Dan Altavilla
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 3

Chris Heston
Age: 28
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: 1

Ariel Miranda
Age: 28
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2

Tony Zych
Age: 26
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: 2

Shae Simmons
Age: 26
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: 2

Paul Fry
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 3

James Pazos
Age: 25
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2

Zac Curtis
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2

Other Candidates (non-roster invitees): Christian Bergman, Jonathan Aro, Jean Machi, Nick Hagadone, Dean Kiekhefer, Ryan Weber, Pat Venditte

With Steve Cishek only just beginning to throw, there’s added competition for a bullpen that has plenty of interesting candidates in camp. All of the 40-man members listed above, excepting Fry, saw MLB time last year. But only Fien, who signed a major league deal, seems to be all but presumed as a member of the Opening Day relief corps. And perhaps he’s not completely assured of a spot, meaning as many as three jobs are up for grabs this spring.

Altavilla, too, has a largely unassailable case for a role. After all, he allowed just a single earned run and racked up a 10:1 K/BB ratio in his 12 1/3 debut MLB frames last year. Still, he only worked to the Double-A level previously, and had never before impressed to the extent he did in 2016, so he doesn’t enter camp with a stranglehold on a job.

You could probably argue that Zych, too, deserves a presumption in favor of a spot, but he is still working back from a shoulder procedure. Related issues perhaps contributed to his skyrocketing walk rate last year. Zych may require a DL stint to open the year, and may spend some rehab time ensuring he’s fully back on track before rejoining the major league ranks. Simmons has also shown plenty of promise combined with injury woes. He has drawn the praise of GM Jerry Dipoto and could well earn a job.

Heston and Miranda, meanwhile, might conceivably fight to become the Mariners’ long relief man and spot starter. The latter could also conceivably play a role as a second lefty to join Marc Rzepczynski. If the team is determined to have another southpaw to rely upon, though, that could create opportunities for any of Fry, Pazos, or Curtis — not to mention non-roster options such as Hagadone, Kiekhefer, or even Brad Mills. (And who can forget the unique switch-pitcher, Pat Venditte, who’s back in Seattle camp?)

There are some non-roster contenders on the right-handed side of the equation, too. Bergman, the recently outrighted Aro, and the veteran Machi are also on hand, though none seem particularly likely to crack the roster. With so many arms on the 40-man, the M’s may feel okay about exposing one to waivers if another pitcher shows better in camp; alternatively, the organization could try to stash as many players as possible to maintain loads of depth entering the season.

Prediction: Fien and Altavilla look like strong bets here. Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource currently likes Heston to join them. My own inclination, though, is that the organization will prefer another lefty — predicting which one seems a fool’s errand, though Miranda could also handle a swingman function — unless Simmons has such an overwhelming camp that he can’t be held down.

Red Sox Notes: Info Systems, Koji, Panda, Pomeranz

By Jeff Todd | February 22, 2017 at 1:15pm CDT

The Red Sox are embarking upon a transition from their old information system (“Carmine”) to a new one (“Beacon”) that will support all of the team’s critical analytics work, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe writes that the club . The changing nature of data, a shifting focus in analyzing it, and new means of digesting it have all occasioned the initiative, as Speier explains. Readers interested in that element of the baseball decisionmaking process, or fans of the club, will want to give the piece a full read.

Here’s more out of Boston:

The Red Sox placed a bid on veteran reliever Koji Uehara before he signed on with the Cubs, manager John Farrell tells Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald (via Twitter). Farrell hinted that it fell shy of the $6MM guaranteed by Chicago. The offer, he said, was not “to what [Uehara] expected.” Boston acquired a new setup option in Tyler Thornburg before Uehara put pen to paper with the Cubs, but it’s unclear just when those discussions took place.
We’ve already seen visual evidence of Pablo Sandoval’s improved physique, but it’s not yet clear whether that’ll translate to a full turnaround. There’s hope, though, a loss of weight — along with a healthy shoulder and perhaps renewed focus — will allow the embattled veteran to return to being a productive player. Farrell said today that the expectation is for Sandoval to show an “increase in range maybe some better foot quickness, [and] better body control” in the field, as ESPN.com’s Scott Lauber reports. Of course, he’ll also need to bounce back at the plate.
Last year’s Drew Pomeranz drama has spurred a renewed effort to address medical information on a leaguewide basis, as we’ve heard previously and MLBPA chief Tony Clark addressed yesterday with reporters including Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com. With new “checks and balances and accountability and transparency” now in place following the recent round of collective bargaining talks, says Clark, the hope is that positive “changes are being made to the protocols and the system itself.” The Pomeranz situation itself, he said, was regrettable. “To say it’s unfortunate would be an understatement,” said Clark. “We’re hopeful here moving forward with the changes and adjustments that are being made that it won’t happen again.”

NL Notes: Smith, Wieters, Drew, Franco

By Jeff Todd | February 22, 2017 at 11:29am CDT

Giants lefty Will Smith has been shut down for a week after experiencing inflammation in his pitching elbow, Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News was among those to report (Twitter links). Fortunately, an MRI has already returned clean, so it seems there’s no worry of a major injury. But while it’s still early, San Francisco’s plan to get Smith ready for Opening Day is already on a tight timeline, Baggarly notes. So long as he can progress after his rest, Smith will be given six spring appearances in preparation for the season.

Here’s more from the National League:

The Brewers, like the Rays, kept tabs on Matt Wieters up to his agreement with the Nationals, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Though Milwaukee GM David Stearns wouldn’t acknowledge whether an offer was made, he acknowledged that there was contact. “I would say we have regular contact with many agents, including Scott,” Stearns explained. “So Matt’s name came up, and we made sure we understood where the market was for him and what the potential fits were. But nothing really beyond that.”
Infielder Stephen Drew likely won’t see as much time with the Nationals as he could have elsewhere, but as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com writes, he nevertheless chose to reprise his role as a key reserve in D.C. His comfort with the team came into play, along with family considerations. Drew also discussed his bout of vertigo last year, which occurred due to an ear infection. He dealt with symptoms through the postseason and into the offseason, but seems to be back to normal as camp opens.
While Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco is entering only his second full season in the majors, there’s still plenty at stake, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com writes. Refining his approach at the plate and work in the field certainly seem to be on the agenda, and whether he can successfully turn his talent into consistent productivity could have a major impact on the organization’s plans. Salisbury suggests that a player such as Manny Machado could become a serious consideration for the team — he’ll be a free agent after 2018 — depending upon how Franco progresses. While it’s obviously too soon to factor in players such as Machado in any meaningful way, as Salisbury acknowledges, Philadelphia is no doubt already thinking about where Franco will end up in the long run. It does seem worth noting that, even if he isn’t able to lock down the job at third for the foreseeable future, he could ultimately be a candidate to shift across the diamond to first base.

Injury Notes: Elbow Therapy, Hamilton, Britton, Cishek, Wright, Wheeler, Braves, Gibson

By Jeff Todd | February 22, 2017 at 10:09am CDT

With elbow health continuing to generate headlines, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports takes a look at the variety of new treatments — generally grouped under the header of orthobiologics — that pitchers, teams, and medical professionals have turned to in an effort to avoid the necessity of going under the knife. Stem-cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma treatments are now increasingly being deployed throughout the game, though it remains to be seen whether they’ll prove effective. You’ll certainly want to give this piece a full read to understand the state of the science. Those interested in the general subject will also want to read up on the surgical alternatives to the traditional Tommy John approach to torn ulnar collateral ligaments, as we recently discussed here.

Here’s the latest on some injury and health matters around the league:

Veteran Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton is headed for a visit with his surgeon after feeling pain in his recently repaired left knee, as Jeff Wilson of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram was among those to report on Twitter. It’s unclear as yet how serious a concern the latest knee issue is, though it’s far from the first time that Hamilton has dealt with problems in that joint. The 35-year-old, who last appeared in 2015, is in camp on a minor-league deal. He has been expected to compete for a reserve role as a left-handed-hitting option in the corner outfield, at first base, or in the DH slot.
There’s promising news on Orioles closer Zach Britton’s potential oblique issues, which came to light yesterday. He told reporters, including Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (links to Twitter), that he’s not overly concerned with the issue and would still be available to throw were it the regular season. Britton’s comments largely echo those made yesterday by manager Buck Showalter, serving to further reduce the volume on the alarm bells. The key southpaw adds that he finds it encouraging that he has not experienced any pain while throwing.
Mariners righty Steve Cishek has picked up a ball for the first time since his hip surgery last fall, as MLB.com’s Greg Johns reports. For now, he’ll only throw lightly off of flat ground every other day, though hopefully he’ll ramp up from there. “It felt pretty good, surprisingly,” said Cishek. “There’s some discomfort, but the joint has to get used to that motion again. I was surprised how good it actually felt.”
Likewise, Mets third baseman David Wright is only beginning to throw the ball, though in his case too it represents an important first step. As Mike Puma of the New York Post reports, manager Terry Collins says it’s likely that Wright won’t take to the field until the middle of March as he continues to work back slowly from serious back and neck issues. Wright is expected to receive opportunities to hit, likely on the minor-league side of camp, in the interim. New York is understandably taking a cautious approach to the veteran. While it still seems unlikely he’ll be ready for Opening Day, the hope may be that he can return to strength in time for MLB action in a relatively early stage of the coming season.
Mets righty Zack Wheeler is back on the bump and was able to throw thirty pitches today without incident, as Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News tweets. He, too, will surely be handled with kid gloves after a slower-than-hoped return from Tommy John surgery and some elbow discomfort earlier this month. It’s a good sign that Wheeler has been able to return to the mound relatively swiftly, though it remains anyone’s guess just how much the club will get from him in 2017.
There’s some cautious optimism in Braves camp about the health of lefty Paco Rodriguez, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports. Though Rodriguez “has understandably shown occasional signs of rust” as he works back from his own TJ procedure, writes Bowman, the health signs have been encouraging. Atlanta agreed to a $637,500 salary with Rodriguez to avoid arbitration, seemingly leveraging the possibility of a non-tender to secure a deal that fell below MLBTR’s projection of $900K.
Likewise, Braves righty Dan Winkler is attempting a return, though in his case it’s from a somewhat scarier elbow fracture, as David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explains. The 27-year-old, who had already battled back from Tommy John surgery, faced a much different recovery process after his second procedure. Now, he’s working on refining his delivery to avoid future problems. Because of the time he’s missed, the 2014 Rule 5 draftee still must stay on Atlanta’s active roster for about two months in order for the organization to take full control of his rights.
Twins righty Kyle Gibson is also seeking to make mechanical changes this spring, as Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports. The 29-year-old, who’s set to earn $2.9MM through arbitration, is seeking to tamp down persistent shoulder problems. As Berardino writes, a new training regimen has been designed in order “to teach Gibson’s arm to pronate properly at the end of his delivery” and thus “keep the humerus from rubbing on the shoulder’s connective tissues.”

MLBTR Poll: Assessing The Matt Wieters Deal

By Jeff Todd | February 22, 2017 at 8:40am CDT

While the deal is still awaiting a physical to be finalized, we learned yesterday that the Nationals had agreed to a two-year, $21MM pact with Matt Wieters that also allows him to opt out of the second season (and second $10.5MM payday). As the Nationals wrap up that move, and begin looking ahead to perhaps one more roster tweak to come, it seemed like an opportune time to take two quick polls.

By most accounts, the Nats paid less than Wieters was expected to earn entering the winter. Despite lower-than-expected demand, there were other suitors still in play, so perhaps also the deal reflects a still-active market. And in the final analysis, it’s an objectively reasonable price tag that reflects Wieters’s abilities but also his limitations.

Still, market-value deals often make more sense for some teams than others. Dave Cameron of Fangraphs isn’t sold that the Nats were the right team to make a play for Wieters, given the presence of Derek Norris, Jose Lobaton, and Pedro Severino. On the other hand, there may well be other considerations — the front office’s assessment of Wieters’s pitcher-handling and pitch-calling abilities, a scouting assessment of his hitting, etc. — that could impact the analysis. (There’s plenty more discussion of Wieters’s overall value in the above-linked post on his signing, as well as in Cameron’s piece.)

Then, there’s the question of what the team does next. This signing would look somewhat different if, as various reports have hinted, the team goes on to move Norris (along with his $4.2MM arbitration salary and remaining season of control) as opposed to Lobaton (a lower-upside veteran who is also cheaper at $1.575MM and set for free agency next winter). And it would be another matter entirely if the move was designed in part to free up Severino, who currently features as a part of the organization’s long-term planning at the position, to a acquire a late-inning reliever.

Regardless of what happens with Severino, it’s likely that the team will still need to decide between Norris and Lobaton as a second backstop. Though both Wieters and Lobaton are switch-hitters, the former has thrived traditionally against lefties, while the latter has been better against right-handed pitching. Norris, meanwhile, has wide platoon splits that suggest he’s most effective against southpaws.

Since the Nats’ next step impacts the assessment of the deal with Wieters (assuming it’s finalized), we won’t ask a simple yes/no on whether it’s a good signing. Indeed, there are alternative viewpoints on which ensuing transaction truly matters most in assessing this deal, since it’s reasonable to argue that any trade involving Severino really isn’t dependent upon the addition of another short-term, non-optionable veteran. Instead, then, we’ll ask: how would you characterize the move at this point?

(Link for app users.)

Alex Rodriguez Says He Is Officially Retired, Has No Intentions Of Comeback

By Jeff Todd | February 21, 2017 at 2:49pm CDT

Appearing at camp in his capacity as a Yankees spring instructor, former star Alex Rodriguez told reports that he has no intentions of staging a comeback at 41 years of age. As Jack Curry of the YES Network was among those to report (links to Twitter), Rodriguez says he’s officially retire and won’t be looking to make a return to the majors.

We have heard strong suggestions of this before, of course, including a recent statement from Rodriguez’s spokesperson stating that Rodriguez did not intend to play in 2017. But this appears to be the first time that Rodriguez himself has spoken definitively on the matter, making clear that he has officially hung up his spikes and doesn’t intend to pull them back out of the locker.

Despite those prior indications, there have been persistent questions about whether Rodriguez might change his mind at some point — not least of which because he’s just four home runs shy of 700. He’d also have represented a low-cost signing, since the Yankees are still obligated for his $21MM salary this year. (That fact will remain unchanged.)

Rodriguez did note that several organizations reached out to him after he wrapped up his tenure with the Yankees in the middle of the 2016 season. He declined to provide details, but it seems there were opportunities with teams other than the Marlins — the only club that had been linked publicly to the veteran slugger. Though Rodriguez was a shell of his former self in 2016, he was quite productive the season prior. He might also have represented an intriguing gate attraction, and continues to draw plaudits for his baseball acumen even as his reputation has suffered due to his troubling history with PEDs.

With today’s news, it seems we can confidently put to bed any further questions of A-Rod’s future — except, perhaps, as they pertain to his candidacy for the Hall of Fame and non-playing pursuits. In addition to his role with the Yankees, the future extent of which remains to be seen, Rodriguez appears likely to enhance his presence as an analyst. Having previously worked the postseason coverage for FOX Sports, Rodriguez is now in talks to spend time in the YES Network booth, according to Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com. He’s also set to host a reality show on CNBC that will focus on retired athletes’ financial problems.

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