ALDS Notes: Glass, Moore, Cueto, Cecil, Andrus, Carter
Last night’s exciting end to the American League Division Series set up an intriguing matchup between the Royals and the Blue Jays. And it provides us an opportunity to take a look at some notes on the teams that just finished playing in the ALDS:
- The Royals‘ bold trade deadline moves paid off big in the ALDS, writes Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star. “This year, we believed we had a chance to do it, and to do it right and to fix what we didn’t get done last year,” said club owner David Glass. Mid-season trade acquisition Johnny Cueto was masterful last night, of course, while Ben Zobrist has been his steadily excellent self. “It’s difficult to give up the prospects, but … you go for it when you have a chance,” Glass added, explaining that he placed trust in GM Dayton Moore.
- Glass heaped praise on Moore, explaining that the organization’s leaders always envisioned the creation of a multi-year contention window, as Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com writes. “When we hired Dayton, that was the plan all along,” he said. “We weren’t interested in just getting there one year and not getting back. That required a lot of patience on his part, along with [club president] Dan [Glass], despite the criticism to the contrary from some people in the media. He stood in there and built something that is here to last.”
- While Kansas City’s window should remain open for some time after this season, as Glass suggested, tough decisions are never far away. There was a slightly wistful moment in Glass’s comments, which came when discussing the need to seize the moment. “One of these days,” he said, “you’ve got some guys on this team we’re not going to be able to afford. That’s sad but true. Hopefully, we’ll keep them together for some period of time, the core group, but that’s real life with small markets.”
- Speaking of Cueto, his performance over the final games of the year could go some way toward setting up his hard-to-predict upcoming free agent case. His struggles down the stretch for the Royals are well-documented, but going eight strong innings last night — with eight strikeouts and no walks — was exactly the kind of performance that the team and prospective suitors were looking for. Cueto’s overall body of work is unassailable, of course, but he has a chance to tamp down any concerns with the status of his valuable right elbow.
- Blue Jays lefty Brett Cecil, who tore his left calf just days ago, is going to try his best to return to playoff action, writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. There’s no chance that he’ll be ready for the next round, so the only way he’d possibly make it back is if Toronto makes it into the World Series.
- If there was a goat in last night’s action, it was Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who committed two key errors in the unbelievable seventh inning against Toronto. While that obviously represents a sour end to his season, it should not be forgotten that Andrus did a lot to restore his standing in 2015. The 27-year-old batted a sturdy .277/.320/.398 in the season’s second half while reversing some of the defensive decline that metrics saw last year. That’s hardly world-beating stuff, but it’s critical to Texas that Andrus can at least represent an average option at short given that he’s still owed over $100MM going forward.
- We already addressed Astros outfielder Colby Rasmus in a bullet this morning, but another Houston player who continued to build his stock is slugger Chris Carter. He ended up with a .294/.400/.529 batting line over twenty plate appearances, continuing to build off of the .240/.328/.558 batting line and nine home runs that he put up over his final 120 plate appearances. MLBTR projects Carter to earn $5.6MM in his second of four trips through arbitration. That’s not cheap — remember, dingers pay — but it’s nothing compared to what power will cost on the open market. After seeming like a non-tender candidate several months back, Carter will once again be an interesting possible trade target to keep an eye on this winter.
Michael McKenry Rejects Outright Assignment From Rockies
Here are today’s outright assignments:
- The Rockies have outrighted three players, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post reports: catcher Michael McKenry and relievers Gonzalez Germen and Simon Castro. It appears that McKenry has already cleared waivers, as he tweeted that he’s now on the open market. The 30-year-old didn’t quite match his strong 2014 output in Colorado, but his .205/.329/.402 slash line was sturdy enough for a backstop even after being adjusted to account for Coors Field. Germen managed a sub-4.00 ERA over 32 2/3 innings, which is no small feat at altitude. But the 28-year-old righty, who was something of a waiver wire pinball last winter, also walked nearly as many batters as he struck out. Castro, 27, saw only 10 1/3 big league frames, allowing ten runs and striking out nine against five walks. He did throw 57 innings of 3.79 ERA pitching at the Triple-A level, though, with a promising 11.7 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9.
Brewers Hire Matt Arnold As Assistant GM
New Brewers GM David Stearns has decided on an assistant general manager, tabbing former Rays director of player personnel Matt Arnold as his top lieutenant. Milwaukee had announced yesterday that long-time assistant GM Gord Ash would not return in that role, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports, though he was offered another position in the organization.
“I am thrilled to bring Matt on board,” Stearns said in the release. “Matt has touched nearly every aspect of baseball operations during his impressive career. He has the ability to impact our organization across the entire baseball operations spectrum and will be an integral part of our operation.”
At 36 years of age, Arnold makes for another youthful addition to the Milwaukee front office, though he’s still a fair sight older than his new boss. (Stearns is just thirty.) Arnold had been with Tampa Bay since 2007. But several teams apparently sought out his services this winter, including the Marlins.
As Arnold explained when he was Tampa Bay’s director of pro scouting, in an interview with Tommy Rancel of SB Nation, his baseball background is firmly in the scouting arena. But he also has a degree in economics and is a believer in statistical analysis. “I think it’s important that we separate the two fields as we each make our own evaluations,” said Arnold back in 2009, ” but combine them in the final synthesis of information when making a decision.”
Of course, Arnold’s exposure to the full scale of baseball decisionmaking has grown since that time. The Brewers’ announcement credits him with involvement in many aspects of Tampa Bay’s organization — including, interestingly, “the integration of science, biomechanics and human movement analysis within baseball operations at all levels.”
Minor MLB Transactions: 10/14/15
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- The Diamondbacks have announced that righty Kevin Munson has elected free agency after clearing outright waivers. Munson was designated and then outrighted earlier in the year. The former Rule 5 selection has shown promise at times, but scuffled through a 4.60 ERA campaign in 2015 while struggling badly with his command.
- Likewise, catcher Nevin Ashley has elected free agency from the Brewers, per a team announcement. He, too, had cleared outright waivers after being designated for assignment. It was a milestone season for the 31-year-old, who made it to the big leagues for the first time after ten seasons in the minors. That stint was short-lived, but Ashley impressed at Triple-A this year, slashing .306/.374/.442 in 381 plate appearances.
Poll: Should The Nationals Make Denard Span A Qualifying Offer?
Heading into the year, it looked like the Nationals would have four fairly obvious qualifying offer recipients: Jordan Zimmermann, Ian Desmond, Doug Fister, and Denard Span. It’s reflective of the team’s overall struggles that only the first of these is a complete slam dunk to receive one now. Despite his forgettable year, Desmond still seems fully worthy as well. But it’s hard to see Fister getting the offer, as $15.8MM for one year probably outstrips his current value on the market.
So what about Span? The center fielder delivered exactly what the Nationals hoped for when they shipped out Alex Meyer to acquire him from the Twins before the 2013 season. He was solid in his first season in D.C. and excellent in 2014, when he slashed .302/.355/.416 and swiped 31 bags over 668 plate appearances. Defensive metrics soured on him somewhat in the second of those campaigns, but he provided outstanding value on his reasonably-priced contract.
This year was more of the same — .301/.365/.431 — but with one glaring exception: Span made only 275 trips to the batter’s box. He recovered quickly enough from offseason sports hernia surgery, missing only about two weeks to start the year. But back and abdominal issues cropped up in the middle of the year, giving way to hip problems, and a late comeback bid proved fleeting. The 31-year-old underwent a hip procedure, ending his season.
The first issue, then, is simply one of health. It’s unclear exactly what kind of recovery timeline should be expected, though certainly we’ve heard no indication that he won’t be ready for the spring. And Span himself recently tweeted that his recovery is progressing well. Regardless of the immediate prognosis, though, there’s some legitimate concern here. The fact that Span struggled with concussions earlier in his career does not help the situation.
While questions about Span’s ability to stay on the field in 2016 do limit his immediate value, though, the bulk of that concern lies in his long-term outlook for teams weighing a multi-year deal. A qualifying offer, of course, only represents a one-year commitment (if accepted), which limits the risk.
True, Span’s health will impact the market assessment that he and his representatives would make in weighing a qualifying offer — i.e., if they don’t foresee an attractive multi-year deal, the QO becomes more attractive. But so long as he remains on track for a more-or-less full 2016 season, Span still seems like an excellent candidate to land a rather high-dollar, multi-year deal in free agency. He and Dexter Fowler arguably represent the only everyday regular center fielders on the market, with Colby Rasmus and Austin Jackson making up their competition.
There’s an argument to be made, then, that the Nats have little risk in extending the QO. There’s no reason not to pick up a draft pick if he’s destined to decline. And we’ve yet to see a single player accept one — even the aging Michael Cuddyer, who declined his offer last year from the Rockies despite coming off of a similarly injury-plagued season. Even if Span did take the $15.8MM, moreover, that might not be a bad result for Washington. Jayson Werth struggled with injuries of his own last year, and Michael Taylor — the presumptive replacement in center — showed both promise and a proclivity to strike out. Both hit from the right side, unlike Span. A left-handed outfielder capable of playing center is a clear target for the Nats, and keeping Span on a one-year commitment (even at that rate) would meet that need and then some. Bringing Taylor on slowly, holding down his arbitration earning power, and limiting the wear and tear on Werth would be nice side benefits.
Of course, there’s a counter-argument to be made here, too. The Nationals have had their share of injury issues over the last several years, and have not always managed to cope when key players went down. And some might disagree that Span would likely turn down the offer; there’s little chance he’ll reach that guarantee over multiple years, and it’s hard to predict how his market would play out — especially if he’s saddled with draft compensation. Is it too great a risk to the club to dangle that much money to an arguably injury-prone player?
Let’s put this one to an up-or-down vote:
Should The Nationals Make A Qualifying Offer To Denard Span?
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Yes 51% (1,814)
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No 49% (1,750)
Total votes: 3,564
Andy MacPhail Officially Takes Over As Phillies President
In a move that was engineered over the summer, Andy MacPhail has officially taken over the Phillies’ presidency from Pat Gillick, according to a club announcement. Gillick will continue on in an advisory capacity, per the release. He spent just over a year in the seat, which he took over temporarily when predecessor David Montgomery fell ill.
MacPhail’s hiring was announced in late June, with the team indicating that he would “oversee the entire organization, both its business and baseball operations,” upon taking the helm. He’ll do just that now, after taking the last few months to acclimate himself.
“As the Phillies begin this new chapter in the club’s history, we are confident that Andy is the right person to lead the organization,” said John Middleton, the club’s plurality owner. “Speaking on behalf of the ownership group, we are pleased with the input that Andy has provided over the past few months. His years of baseball knowledge, combined with his passion for the game, are important as he moves forward with his primary objective of developing a championship-caliber team.”
With the offseason just weeks away, the first over of baseball business for MacPhail will be to identify a new general manager. The club parted ways with the embattled Ruben Amaro Jr., turning things over temporarily to Scott Proefrock while a permanent replacement was found. That process is still ongoing, with MacPhail reportedly working to hand-pick the team’s next GM.
Jo-Jo Reyes Clears Outright Waivers, Elects Free Agency
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- Angels lefty Jo-Jo Reyes has elected free agency after clearing outright waivers, the club announced today. Reyes, 30, threw just one pitch in the majors this year, though he managed to pick up a win in the process. Spending most of the year at Triple-A, he tossed an even 150 innings of 4.32 ERA ball with 6.5 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9. He had been designated for assignment recently by the club.
East Notes: Braves, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees
As the Braves remake their player personnel asset base, the team continues to make changes in other areas. Atlanta recently announced the hiring of Ted Simmons, Matt Kinzer, and Leon Wurth as MLB scouts. Simmons, an outstanding catcher in his playing days, recently served as a special assistant to the GM with the Mariners. Kinzer was an important Marlins scout, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today notes on Twitter, while Wurth recently finished a 13-year run with the Brewers. Also joining the Braves is former Fangraphs prospect analyst Kiley McDaniel, who’ll become the team’s assistant director of baseball operations.
Here are more notes from the eastern divisions:
- The Phillies are working hard as they approach a key draft for the organization, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes. Philly holds the top pick in next year’s draft, and amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz is continuing to canvas the crop of talent that will be making the leap to the professional ranks. Almaraz says that the team will be patient and allow players to develop before reaching a final decision. He added that the Phils will also look to be “creative” to take full advantage of their draft position and overall pool money.
- The Red Sox announced a series of front office promotions today in the scouting arena. Most notably, perhaps, was the bump up of Eddie Romero to VP of international scouting. The team says that the 35-year-old Puerto Rican native has been with the Boston organization since 2006. Romero most recently played an important role in the team’s efforts to sign highly-regarded Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada. And as Ben Badler of Baseball America notes on Twitter, Romero has had a hand in adding several other key prospects as well.
- While signing a second baseman is an obvious route for the Yankees to take in bolstering their chances in 2016, Chad Jennings of the Lohud Yankees Blog writes that it isn’t quite that simple. If the organization’s recent history is an indication, says Jennings, an in-house route could be more likely than a new signing, and the recently-acquired Dustin Ackley could pair with homegrown Rob Refsnyder, with Jose Pirela also on hand. “I think we have at least some comfort knowing that I have Ref [and] I maybe have Ackley if we get a better feel for what he can provide on the defensive standpoint,” explained GM Brian Cashman. “We have Pirela who had a hell of a year at Triple-A (but) has not really shown that yet at the Major League level. I think we have some candidates here that as we move forward, we can say we have something, unless something presents themselves as being better.”
Managerial Notes: Nevin, Cora, Mariners, Marlins, Mattingly
There were a host of updates this morning on all four managerial openings around the league. Here’s the latest:
- Long-time big leaguer Phil Nevin, who most recently has served as the manager of the Diamondbacks‘ Triple-A affiliate, has drawn broad interest, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports on Twitter. Nevin has already interviewed with the Marlins and Nationals, as expected, and will also sit down with the Padres and Mariners. Nevin, 44, spent the most memorable stretch of his 12-year big league career in San Diego, where he racked up a .288/.359/.503 slash in over 3,000 plate appearances.
- The Padres will also interview long-time big leaguer Alex Cora, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Cora, who currently works as an analyst, has often been mentioned as a managerial candidate and served as a skipper in his native Puerto Rico. The 39-year-old spent parts of fourteen seasons in the majors, the last of those with the Nationals in 2011.
- The Marlins and Nationals will also interview Cora, according to a tweet from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Like Nevin, it seems, he’ll be given a look by all the teams currently seeking new field leadership.
- Indeed, Cora is also expected to receive interest from the Mariners, according to ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden (Insider link). Other names that could be weighed in Seattle include Padres bench coach Dave Roberts, Rays third base coach Charlie Montoya, Angels special assistant Tim Bogar, and former big league skipper Bud Black, per the report. We’ve heard Bogar mentioned previously as a possible favorite, with a variety of other names that could be considered.
- The Nationals will not only take a look at Nevin and Cora, but will also interview Black this week, Nightengale tweets, which was widely expected. Washington also has interest in Giants bench coach Ron Wotus, James Wagner of the Washington Post reports.
- Bowden says to look for the Marlins to interview an “eclectic” mix of possibilities for their managerial vacancy — a description which could, it seems, be applied to many of the other openings. The club is giving indications that it will wait to make a decision until the Dodgers decide whether to retain Don Mattingly, as he’d be considered a strong candidate in Miami.
- You can keep track of all the latest developments for three of the above teams’ managerial situations at the following links: Marlins, Nationals, Padres. (We’ll start one for the Mariners in short order.)
Prospect Notes: AFL, Morejon, Moncada, Rankings
The Arizona Fall League kicks off today, and as always there are a number of interesting players participating. Baseball America’s Bill Mitchell previews the action with a closer look at Dodgers righty Jharel Cotton and Astros third baseman J.D. Davis. For a full breakdown of the notable names, check out these videos from BA’s John Manuel and take a look at MLB.com’s Jim Callis preview of the top prospects to watch.
Here are the latest prospect notes from around the game:
- Young Cuban lefty Adrian Morejon has left the island in search of a deal with a big league club, Baseball America’s Ben Badler reports. The 16-year-old is better compared with traditional July 2 prospects from elsewhere in Latin America than he is to the generally older Cuban prospects we’ve seen in recent years, and Badler says that Morejon is a high-end talent by that measure. His market timing remains to be seen, but he has a chance to be deemed eligible to sign in the current July 2 period based on recent policy precedent, which would potentially make him available to teams that will otherwise begin serving $300K+ signing bans next summer. Morejon’s move could be the latest sign of a potentially growing exodus of younger Cuban talent, Badler notes.
- The Cubs may have been closer to getting Yoan Moncada than has previously been known, despite the fact that the team was not eligible to sign him last winter. According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (Twitter links), Chicago asked the budding Cuban star to consider waiting until this July to sign, and even dispatched skipper Joe Maddon to spend a full day with him and his camp. That effort nearly worked, says Sanchez, though obviously Moncada ended up heading to the Red Sox in March. Chicago went on to make a big splash in the international market without Moncada, but somehow managing to land him would’ve been a true coup.
- Baseball American has wrapped up its series of prospect rankings in each of the minor leagues. Most recently, it covered the best youngsters from the International League, many of whom have already ascended to the majors. You can find all of BA’s league-based rankings here.