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Brodie Van Wagenen Provides J.D. Davis Update

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The Mets received generally promising news on the shoulder health of corner infielder/outfielder J.D. Davis. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen spoke with reporters including Tim Healey of Newsday (who provides a video on Twitter).

Davis underwent an MRI today. While the readout did identify some potential “previous injury” to Davis’s labrum, per Van Wagenen, that wasn’t deemed to be of concern. Davis “wasn’t symptomatic of anything beforehand” and the MRI “didn’t really show any new structural damage to his shoulder,” the GM explained.

Since the imaging also “didn’t show a ton of inflammation,” per Van Wagenen, Davis can begin the rehab process right away. Precisely when he will fully resume baseball activities remains to be seen; the current plan is for the team to re-assess the matter in one week’s time.

Davis says he has some aches and is “a little weak” in the shoulder, but has full range of motion and is generally “feeling alright.” (Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News provided video via Twitter.) While he’s feeling some sense of relief, the 26-year-old is still waiting to see how he progresses before declaring victory. Fortunately, so long as he bounces back at a reasonable pace, there’s certainly still a clear path for Davis to be ready to go at the start of the season.

Alex Anthopoulos: No Concern On Freeman’s Elbow

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Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said today that Freddie Freeman’s surgically repaired elbow is “not a concern.” Freeman was scratched from his start yesterday after experiencing inflammation. (Video via 680 The Fan, on Twitter.)

The reassurances from the GM are nice, but the real key here is that Dr. David Altchek — who performed Freeman’s bone spur removal procedure over the offseason — is evidently not worried. Even consulting with the surgeon was considered an exceedingly cautious step, Anthopoulos suggested. Altchek indicated that this sort of swelling is just part of the long-term recovery process.

While Freeman would prefer to jump right back into action, Anthopoulos says the team will exercise continued caution. The plan is to let the slugger rest for the remainder of the week and “get him back in there next week.”

Going forward, the team doesn’t anticipate any special care. But it’ll be proactive in doling out rest since there’s so much time left before the start of the season. And Anthopoulos noted that Freeman will need to communicate any issues that do arise. Otherwise, says Anthopoulos, “if doctors aren’t concerned then we’re not.”

MLB Teams Reportedly Pursuing Pre-Arb Extension Blitz

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Pre-arbitration extensions aren’t exactly a new phenomenon. We’ve seen an increasing number of long-term deals with newer MLB players — and even pre-MLB players — over the past decade or so. (Way back in 2013, for instance, I referred to a “baseball-wide trend of … early extensions.”) Last winter featured a dizzying number of extensions, including quite a few involving players that hadn’t yet cracked into the big-dollar earnings stages of their careers.

Some further contracts of that kind were to be expected. But we could be seeing yet more expansion of the kinds of players targeted. The early-career extensions inked by still-youthful reliever Aaron Bummer and swingman Freddy Peralta may only be the tip of the iceberg, ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan indicates on Twitter.

It seems there’s something potentially afoot that goes beyond typical team-by-team extension targeting. Passan says that “teams across baseball are trying to lock up pre-arbitration players,” specifically, and that “there could be a rash of such deals in the coming weeks.”

This evidently widespread effort is all the more interesting given the marked open-market shift observed in the just-completed offseason. In each of the two prior winters, free agents — even high-end, younger ones — were approached with obvious reluctance. But MLB teams attacked the 2019-20 market vigorously, doling out both market-moving superstar deals and a series of hefty, lengthy payouts to quality older veterans.

It goes without saying that it’s good for business for a MLB organization to put a quality product on the field. But doing so consistently and in a cost-efficient manner is the gold standard. That’s also naturally quite challenging, since a baseball season is not only a zero-sum game but one that can swing upon innumerable, not-always-controllable factors.

Teams understandably prefer only to enter competitive bidding situations for free agents as needed. It’s not difficult to recognize a team’s potential upside in drafting (or trading for), developing, and then extending a player at an early enough stage in his MLB career that it can lock in low-cost, productive seasons for many years to come. There are obvious risks here as well. The Yankees-Luis Severino extension seemed a slam dunk but has been gutted by unfortunate injuries. But that deal could easily still pay out. Even if it doesn’t, it’d equate to whiffing on a good but not great free agent signing.

Anyway, all of that has long been appreciated and acted upon by MLB teams. So, what to watch for the rest of this spring? Beyond the obvious — whether specific young stars will be approached and wooed — it’ll be interesting to find out how far teams can take this approach. Remember: it’s still unclear just how certain major issues — the next CBA, the lively ball, universal DH, robo umps — will be resolved in the near term. Will there be a chase for upside or an attempt to lock in reasonable rates of pay for solid pieces? Will teams look to get a jump on anticipated changes to the labor market? MLB organizations also value roster flexibility and will be loath to tie up future payroll to non-productive players. Much remains to be seen, but it appears we’re in for another lively and interesting extension season this spring.

J.D. Davis Slated For MRI

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Mets corner infielder/outfielder J.D. Davis is heading in for an MRI today after suffering a shoulder injury yesterday, as Mike Puma of the New York Post reports (Twitter links). He was pulled from the club’s spring contest after diving for a groundball.

It’d be presumptuous even to speculate as to the possible outcomes here. The initial word is simply that Davis “jammed” the shoulder on the play. An examination from the Tigers’ team physician indicated a lack of damage to the labrum or rotator cuff.

If that all holds up following the more detailed examination, it’d represent good news for the Mets. The club has been snakebitten at times in recent years by injuries — especially to shoulders, it seems (Michael Conforto, Jeurys Familia, Matt Harvey, David Wright).

Davis was injured while playing at third base, but it seems he’s lined up at present to spend more of his time in left field. That flexibility is particularly useful for the Mets as they wait to see what they’ll get from players such as Yoenis Cespedes and Jed Lowrie. While Davis didn’t grade well at either position last year, the club will feel just fine putting him on the field if he can hit at anything approaching his 2019 levels (.307/.369/.527).

Luis Severino To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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7:45pm: Severino will undergo Tommy John surgery on Thursday, the team announced.

2:05pm: Doctors have recommended Tommy John surgery for Yankees righty Luis Severino, general manager Brian Cashman told reporters Tuesday (Twitter link via Newsday’s Erik Boland). He’ll miss the entire 2020 season and potentially some of the 2021 campaign, depending on his recovery.

This is the second hit to a rotation that was enhanced over the winter through the addition of Gerrit Cole. The club is also facing uncertainty regarding southpaw James Paxton, who underwent back surgery and is expected to be sidelined until at least early May.

With Severino down for the season and Paxton set to miss several weeks of the 2020 campaign, at minimum, an imposing Yankees rotation now looks more mortal. Cole, of course, is still a bona fide ace, but the top options behind him are now Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ. Both veterans have been durable sources of innings in recent seasons, and Tanaka in particular has been a consistent producer.

Beyond that trio, the Yankees will turn to a host of incumbent options — including Jordan Montgomery, Jonathan Loaisiga, Luis Cessa, Mike King and Deivi Garcia. Veteran righties Chad Bettis and Nick Tropeano are both in camp as non-roster invitees as well.

This’ll be the second consecutive lost season for Severino, who totaled a mere 20 innings between the regular season and the playoffs. Shoulder and lat injuries held the 26-year-old down last year from spring through September. That slate of injuries has combined to wipe out nearly all of the first two years that were covered under the four-year, $40MM extension Severino signed just one year and 10 days ago. He’ll be paid $10.5MM in 2020 while rehabbing on the 60-day injured list, and he’s set to earn salaries of $10.75MM in 2021 and $11.5MM in 2022. The Yankees also hold a $15MM club option (with a $2.75MM buyout) for the 2023 season.

Nats Notes: Strasburg, Scherzer, Kieboom

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While there’s no denying that huge money drove Stephen Strasburg’s return to the Nationals, there were some other key elements that informed his decisionmaking this winter. As Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reports (subscription link), Strasburg actually worked in family-related travel benefits into his negotiations and contract. Those changes will redound to the benefit of other players with the organization. Strasburg also negotiated for year-round access to Nationals Park and access to certain equipment for training.

The whole story provides a nice look at the shy but increasingly assertive Nats’ co-ace. More from D.C. …

  • Strasburg has toiled quietly even under intense scrutiny. Max Scherzer isn’t exactly a trash-talker, but his mound-stalking and glowering certainly represent a challenge to opposing hitters. Both arms, and both personalities, have made the Nats’ pitching staff one of the best in the business for some time now. But for how long? Todd Dybas of NBC Sports Washington looks at the question whether Scherzer could end up inking a new deal with the club. The 35-year-old is presently two high-priced seasons away from a return to the open market. While it’s tough to imagine losing the rare pitcher that has outperformed a mammoth free agent deal, it’s also not an obvious situation for an extension. Scherzer says it’d be up to the team to “drive those conversations” if it wishes. On his side, he says he’s going to “stay in the moment” and not think too hard about the future.
  • The Nats’ hopes for a repeat crown obviously rest on quite a few players. If there’s a clear wild card, it’s probably young infielder Carter Kieboom. MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato checks in on his progress at learning to handle the third base position. The top prospect is accustomed to the left side of the infield, having spent plenty of time at shortstop, but says it’s still an adjustment to move to the hot corner. He’s keeping a steady demeanor and focusing on the big picture, but it’s obvious he’s also receiving something of a trial by fire this spring. Both Kieboom and manager Dave Martinez expressed confidence … and emphasizing the need for loads of reps both in practice and at game speed. “We really believe that he could be our third baseman,” says Martinez.

Latest On Freddie Freeman

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As of yesterday afternoon, the outlook was rather positive on Freddie Freeman’s troublesome right elbow. But he was scratched from his scheduled spring appearance today owing to inflammation in the joint.

It’s not time to panic if you’re a Braves fan. The club made clear it’s a precautionary move. And some amount of swelling in the elbow at some point was probably inevitable. Freeman, after all, required fairly extensive cleanup work over the offseason to address painful bone spurs.

The situation does certainly warrant close attention from the Atlanta training staff. Freeman is obviously a key cog in the Braves’ lineup. He gamely battled through the injury down the stretch last year, but produced a prolonged slump at the plate.

Manager Brian Snitker spoke on the subject, explaining that it’s not seen as cause for major alarm at the moment. (Video via 680 The Fan, on Twitter). The hope is that Freeman can take a few days off and then get back going. Unsurprisingly, the skipper evinced little worry that his star hitter would be capable of fully preparing for the season to come even if he’s delayed.

Stepping into the lineup today is Yonder Alonso, who’d also be the top insurance plan to help the club cope with any absence from its top-of-class first baseman. The Braves will hope instead that Alonso exits Spring Training as a bench bat and capable option to give Freeman some extra rest in the early going.

Mets Considering Creative Approach To 5th Starter Spot

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The Mets are at least pondering a less-than-standard approach to filling their fifth starter’s spot, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. It’s possible that neither Steven Matz nor Michael Wacha will simply win the job in camp.

[RELATED: Camp Battles: Mets Rotation]

Other organizations have already acted effectively upon the fundamental premise. The Mets would shed typical forms in favor of a flexible arrangement that maximizes the abilities of the players on hand.

It’s certainly an intriguing concept, at least in some of its forms. There are several possibilities, per Sherman: Matz and Wacha could essentially tag in and out of the rotation depending upon matchups. The team might also utilize an opener. While the premise isn’t specifically contemplated in Sherman’s piece, it stands to reason that those two starters could also be utilized in a piggyback arrangement at times.

This all obviously depends upon health. Most contending organizations strive to have more arms available than is needed on paper, since it’s rare that all can be called upon at a given time. In this case, especially, that’s a major factor since both Matz and Wacha have dealt with fairly significant health limitations in recent years.

As Sherman explains, there are other factors to be considered as well. It’s tempting to imagine a game opened by Seth Lugo, carried by multi-inning stints from Matz and/or Wacha, and then closed down by power relievers Jeurys Familia, Dellin Betances, Justin Wilson, and Edwin Diaz. But the realities of day-to-day pitching management likely won’t allow such a clean progression on a regular basis. And the fact is, for all their individual and collective upside, every one of those hurlers enters the season with a significant downside scenario.

All of that isn’t to say this concept isn’t worth exploring. To the contrary, this seems like a logical application of shifts we’ve witnessed in recent years. Perhaps some starters shouldn’t be tasked with quite so many innings, while some relievers can handle more. The Mets’ own array of talent does seem to suit an adaptable methodology.

Mixing and matching and generally acting flexibly can have obvious advantages. There’ll also be some potential pitfalls to be navigated. Taken as a whole, the idea only makes the already interesting Mets more fun to watch.

Mattingly, Jeter Set Expectations For Marlins

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The Marlins don’t seem especially likely to contend in 2020. But the club clearly has designs on drawing some attention — from local fans and the national baseball scene — to its efforts.

MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro captures the prevailing internal sentiment in a post that includes some quotes from skipper Don Mattingly and a video interview with CEO Derek Jeter. Both of those key leaders are obviously former Yankees legends, and the oft-noted connection certainly seems to inform the Miami organization’s plans.

Speaking from an ownership-level perspective, Jeter left no doubt that he seeks to recreate the winning culture that he came up with in the George Steinbrenner-owned Yankees. How do you create that? Per Jeter, you simply “start winning” in the minors and beyond.

It certainly sounds like mindset is a key for the Fish. Jeter says he expects the team’s players to embrace the open opportunities and challenges ahead of them. He has advised the team that “competition eliminates complacency.”

Jeter is obviously applying some pressure to the MLB roster. “Our guys are being pushed” in camp, he says. The plan for the pitching staff is “a little bit old school;” the club will “let ’em take their lumps along the road.”

Talent isn’t something that can just be willed into existence. But the team proved its own commitment to its philosophy when it parted with a series of interesting pitchers this winter. The Marlins were tired of waiting for potential to translate into MLB ability; other organizations were willing to commit 40-man roster spots to the discarded arms.

The Miami organization has replaced some of that unproven talent with a series of sturdy veteran types. The idea seems to be that it’s time to move towards results at the MLB level.

Mattingly certainly says as much. He’s looking for “significant improvement” in the win-loss column. It shouldn’t be too hard to move the ball after a 57-win 2019 campaign, but Mattingly says he also hopes his charges can “make some noise” in 2020.

There’s obviously a strong long-term connection between the on-field product and the team’s off-field business efforts. The Marlins have an increasingly interesting group of talent on hand but fans are understandably wary after years of unmet expectations. Jeter spoke of a need to build “trust” with the fanbase. And he also acknowledged that the club’s ongoing efforts to hammer out a new (and hopefully more lucrative) television contract are of “huge” importance.

 

Mark Shapiro On Blue Jays’ Outlook

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Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro discussed the state of his organization with Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic (subscription link). You’ll obviously want to read the full transcript for all the details, but we’ll cover a few key points here.

One of the more interesting observations from Shapiro relates to the hot stove more broadly. The precise course of the market every winter is never a given. If you went back and replayed the offseason you’d likely end up with quite different results.

Shapiro spoke of the Blue Jays’ surprise at the early free agent market development, saying that “some of the signs that happened were pretty far outside what our expectations were.” That forced the club to “adjust to what the market’s doing and still keep our values, but look at measuring what the level of inflation is, and then adjust our values for that inflation.”

One wonders whether the opposite has been true for various teams in the prior two offseasons, which were notably quiet for free agents. It remains quite the curiosity that we saw such a marked dive in spending activity for two-straight years before the market suddenly perked back up this time around.

Certainly, the Jays could’ve just shrugged and decided not to keep pace in the market bidding. Instead, it re-worked its expectations and kept after the best remaining players, ultimately walking away with quality southpaw Hyun-Jin Ryu. But stretching to land Ryu doesn’t necessarily mean the front office anticipates a postseason surge.

In terms of timing and expectation, Shapiro walked a line and avoided setting firm expectations. On the one hand, he says that upper management has “started to listen to our young players and just the power of their belief in each other … and the belief in their potential.” That’s part of the reason the club pushed for improvements this winter. At the same time, the team’s top executive isn’t setting runaway dreams. He didn’t want to cap the possibilities but also said that “.500 would be a big step forward in wins.”

So … what happens if the team does surprise and puts itself in contention in 2020? Adding more to the roster “would be spending outside of our budget, for sure,” says Shapiro — an evident nod to the fact that the club has plotted out some lower-spending years after ramping down from a 2016-18 cost inflection. But he also said that he’s “confident that we’ll get the support” from ownership when the time is right. The club is obviously dedicating attention and funds to broader building efforts; Shapiro spoke at length about the improved Dunedin facilities that he believes will help “lead to wins” in a multitude of subtle ways over the long haul.

In discussing the eventual need to ramp up the dedication of assets to the current MLB roster, Shapiro made another observation of broader interest. As he put it: “Usually, the dollars you spend at the trade deadline are not too significant because it’s part-season, partial season of salary.” It’s obviously also important that such investments are made with much greater knowledge of team need and likelihood of postseason qualification. Based upon Shapiro’s characterization, Jays fans can justifiably expect the club to push the pedal down when the young talent comes into its own and the competitive situation warrants further supplementation.

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