NL East Notes: Minor, Braves, Ozuna, Mets, Speier
The Braves are now uncertain whether or not they’ll tender lefty Mike Minor a contract, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Signs had pointed to the team offering arbitration, with Minor likely to earn at or near the $5.6MM level that he set by winning his arbitration case with the team last year. But the 27-year-old has reportedly suffered a setback in his efforts to return from labrum surgery, and has yet to make it back onto a mound. “We think it could happen prior to the tender date,” said GM John Coppolella. “We want to see something, whether it’s off the mound or … we need to see something. We can’t just blindly tender him a contract and put the team at risk. Because every single dollar counts for us.”
- The Braves suddenly find themselves with a surplus of outfielders after largely committing to shifting Hector Olivera to left field, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes. If Atlanta finds it hard to shed any of the salary owed to Nick Swisher or Michael Bourn, says Bowman, the team may look closer at a trade of Cameron Maybin. But the club’s top executives continue to say they don’t feel pressure to trade Maybin, even after the Olivera move, as O’Brien tweets.
- The Marlins are indeed interested in trading outfielder Marcell Ozuna, but not at anything less than his market value, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro reports. Of course, as Frisaro notes, the team may find it necessary to trade him if it hopes to accomplish its apparent goal of adding a quality, controllable pitcher.
- Mets assistant GM John Ricco says that the club is receiving strong interest in its pitching, as Mike Puma of the New York Post reports on Twitter. That’s not surprising, given the depth and quality of arms present in the organization.
- Ricco also said that the Mets could look to add an offensive player that is capable of filling in around the diamond, rather than seeking a regular at one spot, Puma tweets. Naturally, that statement calls to mind the possibility of signing Ben Zobrist, but there are other players — including, arguably, Daniel Murphy — who could function in a similar capacity.
- It may be time for Mets third baseman David Wright to begin a transition across the diamond, Mark Simon of ESPNNewYork.com writes. The veteran and team leader made a thrilling comeback from serious back issues, but showed real difficulty throwing the ball across the diamond, and Rubin argues that now is the time to begin spelling him at the hot corner and working him in at first base.
- The Nationals are set to add Chris Speier to their coaching staff, either as the third base or bench coach, according to a tweet from MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. The 19-year MLB veteran served as the bench coach under new Nats skipper Dusty Baker when he was with the Reds. Speier has continued on with Cincinnati as a special assistant to GM Walt Jocketty since Baker departed.
AL Notes: Chris Young, Royals, Forsythe, Profar, Red Sox
The Red Sox are among the team’s expressing early interest in free agent outfielder Chris Young, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports on Twitter. It remains to be seen what kind of fit he’d have in Boston, which features two right-handed bats in Mookie Betts and Rusney Castillo in the outfield. Presumably, Young would be pursued as a possible complimentary piece to the left-handed-hitting Jackie Bradley Jr. Of course, it’s still early, and Nightengale also mentions that several other clubs have already been in contact with Young, who had a nice 2015 season for the Yankees (.252/.320/.453 with 14 home runs in 356 plate appearances).
- That’s not the only player by that name, of course, and the other Chris Young has also crafted an interesting free agent case for himself with a strong platform campaign. The Royals do have interest in bringing Young back, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star tweets, but only if his asking price drops. After drawing only marginal interest on the market the last two winters, Young is seeking “pay commensurate to his performance,” per McCullough. (The 36-year-old has contributed 288 1/3 innings of 3.40 ERA pitching over the past two seasons, which was obviously quite valuable.)
- The Royals are giving indications that they see a reunion with Ben Zobrist as more likely than the re-signing of Alex Gordon or Johnny Cueto, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (Twitter links). Zobrist not only makes for a nice fit, given his ability to play second or the corner outfield, but will presumably end up with a contract of a shorter duration than the other two players.
- Another player coming off of a big season is Rays infielder Logan Forsythe, who broke out with a .281/.359/.444 slash line. Tampa Bay and the 28-year-old have mutual interest in discussing an extension of some kind, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo. Forsythe has two years of control remaining, and MLBTR projects him to earn $3.3MM for the coming season. Given that the five-year veteran has never come close to his 2015 production in prior seasons, and bearing in mind the organization’s scant payroll, the likeliest scenario may be a deal that guarantees only two or three seasons while leaving the team with an option or two at the back end.
- The Yankees are among the team’s that would have interest in Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar if he’s made available, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. But teams looking for a buy-low opportunity are likely barking up the wrong tree, per the report. “We are not looking to trade him,” said Rangers GM Jon Daniels. “We held onto him this long. We are pretty optimistic his shoulder is fit. The mindset is to wait and see where he is. We believe he will get back to his value, which was one of the best young players out there.”
- Turning back to the Red Sox, the club not only has some acquisition work to do this winter, but will surely at least consider the idea of extensions, with Betts and Xander Bogaerts seemingly representing the two most likely targets. Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com discusses that possibility, noting that new president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has reached significant extensions in the past. While he declined to discuss those two players’ situations, he did talk about his general approach. “I don’t really have any specific rule on it other than that you want to make sure you feel comfortable that when you give it to the player that you feel their abilities merit it, that you’re going to get the performance,” said Dombrowski. “It’s an exchange of they’re getting a long-term contract and you’re getting some end of it back yourself. Maybe you’re getting some free agency type years. But I don’t really have any set formula when to do that and I think every player is different.”
Market Notes: Matsuda, Maeda, O’Day, Aoki, Shark, Santana
There may be another name to watch on the free agent market, as Japanese infielder Nobuhiro Matsuda has declared free agency and is looking for a deal with a major league club, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The 32-year-old has spent the vast majority of his time at third base while playing for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league. Matsuda has delivered consistent power numbers over the years, but showed a significant increase in his home run output last year, when he swatted a career-best 35 long balls. However, as Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker notes on Twitter, that tally was likely boosted by a favorable change in his home park’s dimensions. Over 603 plate appearances on the year, Matsuda slashed a robust .287/.357/.533. While his age (and lack of MLB experience) limits his value, the veteran does have the benefit of entering a market that lacks much in the way of hot corner options. And because he was eligible to become a free agent, he won’t need to go through the posting process (or have any part of his potential earnings reduced by a release fee).
Here are more notes from around the game as the free agent market kicks into gear:
- Japanese righty Kenta Maeda likely won’t be posted until after the “Super 12” tournament is completed in late November, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports. His team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, is still expected to make the intriguing starter available. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes took an early look at Maeda as a part of his annual top fifty free agent list, explaining that the Diamondbacks could be a strong contender for his services.
- Reliever Darren O’Day is drawing a lot of attention early in the offseason, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. While a variety of large-budget clubs — including the Tigers, Nationals, Mets, and Yankees — are expected to have interest, Sherman says the Orioles will have a chance to match any offers.
- Lefty Mark Buehrle still has not told his agents whether or not he’ll pitch next year, Sherman adds. But he’ll draw plenty of interest if he does, as about ten clubs have already reached out to see whether he would be pitching or retiring.
- Free agent outfielder Nori Aoki is completely healthy after dealing with concussion issues late in the season, agent Nez Balelo tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The Giants’ decision to decline a seemingly affordable option on the veteran was motivated by a desire for flexibility, Balelo indicated, rather than Aoki’s ability to return at full speed. Aoki remains an often-underappreciated player, and he’ll be an interesting target for teams looking for value in the corner outfield.
- It’s shaping up as a strong market for righty Jeff Samardzija, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. He struggled mightily in the run prevention department last year, but many executives remain big fans of his stuff and makeup.
- Southpaw Johan Santana still wants to return in 2016, agent Peter Greenberg tells Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The 36-year-old’s most recent comeback attempts have been derailed by an array of ailments, but the two-time Cy Young winner is evidently still committed. He last threw in the big leagues in 2012.
- If you’re interested in reading up on what this winter may have in store, here are a few pieces looking at the market from a broader perspective. In an interesting and well-researched piece, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca explains that the addition of the second Wild Card has made deadline additions more difficult — which, in turn, makes it all the more important to build a team over the winter. The active period of front office turnover that we just experienced may lead to increased activity on the trade market, Sherman suggests.
- Likewise, a variety of outlets have recently taken different approaches to looking at individual players. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney provides a list of free agents who he thinks could be under-valued on the market. And ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick surveyed executives around the league on a variety of subjects, providing extensive quotes and analysis on different segments of the market.
AL West Notes: Astros Payroll, Rasmus, Profar, Acta
Astros owner Jim Crane said today that the organization is prepared to add significant payroll space for GM Jeff Luhnow to work with, as MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart reports on Twitter. “We’ve got quite a bit of room if we need it,” he said. Houston had dramatically slashed its spending as part of its complete overhaul, but moved back over $70MM in Opening Day payroll last year, added salary via mid-season trades, and seems prepared for yet greater increases now that the club’s contention window has been thrown open. Then again, Luhnow himself has indicated that he does not see many areas of significant need entering the winter.
Here’s more from Houston and the rest of the AL West:
- Luhnow says that the Astros made a qualifying offer to outfielder Colby Rasmus in hopes that he’d accept it, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports on Twitter. “We obviously want to keep Colby,” he said. “So that’s the outcome that we’re hoping for.” That’s certainly interesting to hear, as it certainly would’ve been easy enough for Luhnow to answer the question diplomatically without stating so clearly that he has real interest in a reunion. (In many instances, of course, the qualifying offer is used simply as a tool to open the door to draft compensation.) Rasmus looks like a useful fit for Houston, but it had been presumed that the club would look elsewhere given the rising cost of the 29-year-old, especially after adding Carlos Gomez at the trade deadline. It’s not yet clear whether Rasmus will seriously entertain the offer, or whether the team will pursue Rasmus if he rejects it, but at a minimum it seems that the addition of a left-handed outfield bat of some kind would be of interest. Preston Tucker had a solid rookie effort last year, and might be the leading in-house option to take that role if Rasmus is not retained.
- Rangers GM Jon Daniels says that Jurickson Profar is expected to enter spring playing shortstop exclusively, as Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Though Profar has been serving as a DH in the Arizona Fall League, leaving it somewhat unclear what the future might hold as he works his way back from serious shoulder issues, Daniels struck an optimistic tone. Saying that Profar is “close to kind of having this thing in the rearview mirror,” the GM expressed confidence in the 22-year-old’s ability to return to full strength while also adding that the organization will continue to tread carefully in ramping up his activities (particularly in the field). The club will keep an open mind about Profar’s use next year, but he seems likely to begin the season at Triple-A.
- The Mariners have hired former big league manager Manny Acta as their third base coach, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. Acta ran the Indians and Nationals dugouts previously and has more recently served as an ESPN analyst.
Tommy Hanson Passes Away At 29
After earlier reports indicated that former big league pitcher Tommy Hanson was fighting for his life in an Atlanta-area hospital, it emerged tonight that Hanson has passed away at just 29 years of age.
Heartfelt wishes have streamed in from around the game as friends, fans, and former teammates and opponents have learned of the unthinkable news. MLBTR joins them in extending its sincere condolences to Hanson’s loved ones.
The big righty lost his life in the same city where he had his greatest successes as a baseball player. He broke into the league with the Braves at just 22 years of age after streaking through the minors as a heralded young talent.
Hanson’s life meant far more than the memories he created on the ballfield, of course, but that doesn’t mean his pitching feats aren’t also worth celebrating. A towering presence on the mound, Hanson quickly established himself as one of the brightest young hurlers in the majors. He finished third in the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year vote and followed that up with 200+ frames of 3.33 ERA ball in 2010.
Despite that early-career excellence, Hanson’s career faded after he experienced shoulder trouble in 2011. Never reliant on an upper-nineties fastball, he nevertheless struggled to adapt as he lost velocity. Hanson ultimately played with the Braves for four seasons in total, the last of those coming in 2012.
Hanson returned to his native California that winter after being traded to the Angels, seemingly receiving a fresh start. But things did not turn out as hoped, as Hanson dealt with the tragic death of his younger brother and was unable to re-discover his form on he mound. While that time with the Halos represents his last big league action, Hanson kept trying to work his way back, spending time with the Rangers, White Sox, and (most recently) Giants organizations over the last several years.
Not much is known at present about the root issue that led to Hanson’s untimely death, with reports indicating only that he was in a coma after experiencing “catastrophic organ failure.” But it matters little. At base, it is simply sad beyond words for any person to pass on at such a young age.
Zach Klein of WSB-TV Atlanta reported the news as it emerged at his Twitter timeline.
AL Notes: Twins, Park, Soria, Tigers’ Pen
It was a bit of a surprise to learn that the Twins emerged with the winning posting bid for Korean slugger Byung-Ho Park. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that there were multiple other bids of $10MM or greater, suggesting that Minnesota did not go much beyond the rest of the market to secure the rights. GM Terry Ryan explained that the club’s “evaluators think [Park] can make the transition” to the big leagues, as John Shipley of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. Minnesota sees the 29-year-old as a primary DH who is capable of filling in at first or even third. Ryan said that adding Park did not necessarily mean that third baseman Trevor Plouffe would need to be traded to keep exciting young power hitter Miguel Sano in the lineup. Explaining that the team is “adding, not subtracting,” Ryan said that it is “serious about the possibility of Sano playing in the outfield.”
Here’s more from the Twin Cities and their AL Central rivals in Detroit:
- Righty Joakim Soria has drawn early interest not only from the Tigers, but also from the Twins, according to Wolfson (via Twitter). Minnesota has put out feelers on other relief arms as well, with the pen representing one priority along with the team’s catching situation.
- Tigers GM Al Avila left no doubt in his comments today that his club intends to play at the top of the relief market, as Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports. “We’re trying to get a closer,” Avila said. “Who that guy is right now, I can’t tell you. There might be a guy there that you might not think is a closer but we do, or we might go after a guy that’s already been a closer. I don’t know where it’s going to take me right now.”
- The new general manager did stress, though, that starting pitching remains the priority. He also added that Detroit could also shift those starters who don’t make the rotation into the pen, possibly including recent trade addition Michael Fulmer, as Jason Beck of MLB.com tweets.
- The Tigers are also continuing to make good on the promise to build out their analytical department, and have hired former Blue Jays assistant GM Jay Sartori to run that area, according to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
AL East Notes: Red Sox, Pen, Prospects, Rays, Yankees
The GM Meetings are underway with a bang, at least according to Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. He says “it’s actually been a busier first day than normal,” as Ian Browne of MLB.com tweets, and actually indicated that he thought the team had already been very close to striking a trade before it fell apart. Dombrowski was among the baseball operations leaders who spoke with the media today, and we’ll be covering the comments of him and others over the course of the evening.
Here’s the latest from the AL East:
- The Red Sox are chasing at least one or two good arms in the pen, said Dombrowski (via Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald, on Twitter). He’d like one of those pitchers to be capable of backing up Koji Uehara as the team’s closer. Indeed, Dombrowski declined to rule out the possibility of adding a pitcher who has served recently in a 9th-inning role.
- Dombrowski said that the Red Sox‘ highly-regarded group of prospects has drawn quite a bit of interest, as Rob Bradford of WEEI.com tweets. “Yes, I will say that unequivocally,” he explained. The veteran executive also indicated that he’s feel comfortable with the organization’s array of young talent even if some were utilized in trade, as Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports on Twitter. For more on Boston’s stock of trade chips, check out this piece from the Globe’s Alex Speier.
- The Rays struck an important trade just days ago, of course, but that doesn’t mean the club’s work is done, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. President of baseball operations Matt Silverman said that the organization “still [has] some areas to address,” though that deal means that the focus is now narrower. He added that he sees the club’s current “depth” as a means of addressing those needs. A trade of James Loney — and some of his $8MM salary — could be pursued now that Logan Morrison is in the fold, Topkin suggests.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman largely rejected the notion of pursuing former Mets infielder Daniel Murphy in free agency, as Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. “I think if we’re going to pursue something … we have two offensive-profile players already at that position,” Cashman replied when asked about Murphy. “So I think if we did any changing there it would be seeking more balance of both sides of the ball.” Cashman was, of course, referring to Rob Refsnyder and Dustin Ackley. The former is regarded as a strong hitting prospect who lacks defensive polish, while the latter was moved to the outfield by his former club.
Albert Pujols Undergoes Foot Surgery
Angels first baseman Albert Pujols had surgery last week to “repair the planter plate in his right foot,” per a team announcement. He’s expected to return to full baseball activities in four-and-a-half months, according to the release.
That timeline suggests that Pujols will miss some time early in the season. With the Halos’ season set to kick off on April 5th, Pujols would not have much time to ramp up in preparation for regular duties. And he’ll obviously be out for most or all of the Cactus League action.
Pujols had struggled with a right toe issue late in the year, sticking to a DH role down the stretch. The Hall-of-Fame-bound slugger, 35, ended the season with a .244/.307/.480 batting line with 40 home runs. He initially tried to rest the foot after the season, new GM Billy Eppler tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, but with insufficient improvement elected to undergo the procedure.
While the Halos obviously will hope to get Pujols back as soon as possible, the team will also surely be cautious. After all, the veteran is still owed $165MM over six seasons. His long-term health will certainly have a major bearing on how much value he can provide on the back end of his huge free agent deal.
The Angels do not expect to adjust their offseason approach in light of the news, Eppler added in his comments. The club views C.J. Cron as a viable option at first, and he’ll presumably fill in while Pujols works back into the lineup and, eventually, duties in the infield.
Cardinals Prospect Alex Reyes Receives 50-Game Suspension
Top Cardinals prospect Alex Reyes has been given a 50-game suspension after testing positive for marijuana, according to a team release (h/t to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, via Twitter). Reyes, who had been pitching in the Arizona Fall League, expressed regret at his own “inappropriate behavior.”
Reyes, a 6’3 righty, has streaked up prospect boards and now rates as a consensus top-20 youngster league-wide. His AFL stint is now over, but because he was a member of that league he’ll be able to accumulate some time served in the offseason.
From a developmental perspective, the suspension is not likely to cause much of an interruption. The 21-year-old had ascended to Double-A last year, but likely was set to spend more time in the minors both to finish his polishing and to build up innings on his arm (which, presumably, is why he was working in the AFL). And whatever one thinks about marijuana use, or the merits of the league testing/suspending players for its use, the drug is obviously less harmful and concerning than other banned substances.
Still, the suspension is obviously not preferable for Reyes or the St. Louis organization. He has shown enough pure stuff — with a big fastball and plus curve — that he could conceivably factor into the club’s plans this year (more likely at the end than the start). With a need to refine his third pitch (a changeup) and hone his command, per MLB.com, the lost opportunity to play early in the season could have an impact on his timeline.
Suspensions of minor leaguers relating to marijuana are not a new phenomenon, but Reyes’s profile — along with the increasingly widespread legalization of the drug — could bring more attention to the issue. As Nathaniel Grow of Fangraphs has explained in breaking down the league’s treatment of the substance, only minor league players are subject to year-round random drug testing and harsh enforcement of the prohibition against marijuana use. (Reyes is not yet on the Cards’ 40-man roster.) According to that account, Reyes would only have been hit with this ban if it were his second positive test, as a first-time offender is only required to participate in a treatment program.
Jose Reyes Arrested For Alleged Domestic Abuse
TUESDAY, 8:03am: Major League Baseball has issued its own statement, saying that the commissioner’s office “already has begun its investigation into the facts and circumstances” of Reyes’s arrest. The league said that its new policy on domestic violence shows that it “understands the seriousness of the issues surrounding domestic violence,” adding that the policy “explicitly recognizes the harm resulting from such acts.”
12:21am: The Rockies have issued a statement on the arrest, saying: “We were extremely disappointed and concerned to learn of the allegations involving Jose Reyes. We continue to gather information and will address this matter appropriately, in accordance with Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.”
MONDAY, 9:36pm: Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes was arrested on Halloween night in Hawaii for allegedly assaulting his wife, Chelsea Davis of Hawaii News Now reports. Reyes has been released on bail, according to the report, which does not make clear whether he’ll face charges.
The report is obviously deeply troubling, though as always it is necessary to await facts before issuing judgment. It goes without saying that domestic violence of any kind is unacceptable, and that matter is of far more importance than any baseball-related considerations.
MLB and the Major League Baseball Player’s Association recently agreed to a stringent new protocol for dealing with and (if appropriate) punishing alleged perpetrators of domestic violence. Under that policy, commissioner Rob Manfred will have the authority to issue discipline of whatever type he believes “appropriate in light of the severity of the conduct,” though of course an arbitration panel is available for appeal. There are also provisions dealing with administrative leave pending an investigation, though it’s not clear that they would come into the play during the offseason. Importantly, Reyes could theoretically face a suspension regardless of whether or not he is ultimately charged or convicted of a crime.
Further details of the alleged assault are available in a report from Davis. According to that report, Reyes’s wife accused him of grabbing her by the throat and shoving her into a sliding glass door in their hotel room. While she was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries, Reyes was placed under arrest for “abuse of a family or household member.”
It seems likely that Manfred and the league will make every effort at a thorough and timely investigation. The league and player’s associated pushed through agreement on the above-noted policy after watching as the National Football League struggled to deal with several high-profile domestic abuse cases.