MLB Shortens Signing Timeline For Cuban Players
TODAY: The league has granted exemptions to a dozen total players, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (links to Twitter). All of those situations have been resolved on a “case-by-case basis,” he says, and the same will hold true of any applications received in the future.
YESTERDAY: The MLB commissioner’s office declared today that young Cuban ballplayers Jonatan Machado and Omar Estevez are free agents with eligibility to sign as part of this year’s July 2 class, as Ben Badler of Baseball America reports. In addition to speeding the signing of these two players, Badler explains, the decision could have wide-ranging ramifications for the international market.
Previously, the league had strictly enforced its general requirement that players seeking to sign as part of a given July 2 class register with the league by May 15 of the year in which they would become eligible to sign. While the collective bargaining agreement provides room for exceptions in cases of “compelling justification” for missing that deadline, the commissioner’s office has never before utilized that provision — even for players claiming as an excuse the fact that they were forced to defect from Cuba.
That policy now appears to have been changed. The memo explaining the decision said that both youngsters had missed the deadline for this signing period “due to no fault of their own,” triggering the “compelling justification” standard and making them eligible to sign beginning in mid-October of this year.
Badler breaks things down in detail, explaining that there are other top players who now can — at least in theory — move up their signing timetable on the same grounds. With more talent potentially shifting into the current year’s July 2 group, that opens new opportunities for those clubs that have already committed to busting their budgets and incurring future signing bonus limitations.
The Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, and Royals all face two-year bans on bonuses of $300K or more, with the Blue Jays set to serve a one-year limitation period. Those teams would have been precluded from chasing Cuban ballplayers who were forced to wait until July 2, 2016 to sign, but would be able to ink them (while incurring a 100% overage penalty) if they receive exemptions from the registration requirement.
As Badler further explains, the move could lead to a more rapid exodus of talent from Cuba, as players — and, more importantly, the handlers and other characters involved in the shadowy defection process — seek to take advantage. This news seemingly constitutes one significant step in the changing treatment of Cuban ballplayers. Obviously, it’s tied closely to the still-developing opening of relations between the United States and its island neighbor.
West Notes: Milo Hamilton, Freese, Semien, Dodgers
Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton, the long-time voice of the Astros, passed away today at 88 years of age. David Barron of the Houston Chronicle documents the life and work of the man who shaped the baseball experiences of so many Houston fans — and coaches, players, and executives — during his venerable career.
With a tip of the cap to Mr. Hamilton, and best regards to his loved ones, here are some notes from the game’s western divisions:
- Angels third baseman David Freese says that he has given no thought at all to his upcoming free agency, as MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reports. While his focus is on helping his team, a nice post-DL run at the plate is also helpful to Freese’s free agent case. Though Freese has been fairly average across the board over his career, and is entering his age-33 season, he enjoys a good position in a market that is largely devoid of high-end options at the hot corner.
- The Athletics like what they’ve seen from Marcus Semien in the second half, as he’s made strides on defense, but GM Billy Beane tells Joe Stiglich of CSNBayArea.com that he’s open to considering Semien at other positions. “Right now, we’re committed to [Semien] for this year [at shortstop], and like I said, we like his progress and hopefully he continues it,” Beane explained. “… I don’t see any immediate competition right now, but at some point, that will arrive on the scene. The thing with Marcus is he’s got the ability to play any position. He can play second, third, short, the outfield. He’s always got that in his back pocket.” Semien has landed a bit below league average with the bat, and UZR isn’t a fan of his overall glovework, but Defensive Runs Saved actually sees him as a positive overall in the field. And he’s still young, having just turned 25 today. (Happy birthday, Marcus!)
- Certainly, it will be interesting to see whether the A’s look to move Semien around the diamond in the coming seasons. Regardless of how things turn out for him, it’s worth noting that the trade that brought him to Oakland is looking quite positive for the organization, which has received solid early returns from Chris Bassitt and Josh Phegley even as Jeff Samardzija has struggled with the White Sox. Of course, Oakland will also enjoy rights to those players for much longer, whereas Samardzija will be a free agent this winter.
- The Dodgers are continuing to enact broader organizational changes, this time to the minor league staff. As MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick reports, the organization is shaking up its coaching and instructor ranks. Director of player development Gabe Kapler says that the club “wanted to bring in some new voices in key areas.” Last we checked in, Los Angeles had begun turning over its international scouting department.
NL East Notes: Harvey, Harper, Lazo
ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark takes a long look at the question of how the Mets ought to be handling righty Matt Harvey within the context of the broader state of knowledge on pitching injuries. It is an interesting read, though the bottom-line takeaway remains that even the experts still feel unable to provide clear guidance on how to handle post-Tommy John pitchers.
A few more quick notes relating to the NL East:
- It’s time for the Nationals to consider whether to make a real run at attempting to extend Bryce Harper, writes Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post. As he notes, Harper is currently looking to polish off a historic season — his OPS+ of over 200 is something that a number of inner-circle Hall-of-Famers never reached, let alone at age 22 — which obviously gives him plenty of leverage. True, Harper is already under contract for a reasonable price tag next year — after reaching a two-year, $7.5MM, grievance-avoiding deal that has worked out well for Washington — and he can be controlled for two more seasons beyond. But signing a player like Harper, who is represented by Scott Boras, is probably less about market comps than it is creative business valuation and the imaginations of both sides. Giancarlo Stanton‘s record $325MM guarantee would probably need to be smashed to get something done, Boswell suggests, and I’m inclined to agree.
- Marlins lefty Raudel Lazo has overcome long odds to reach the big leagues this year, as Christina De Nicoloa of FOXSports Florida writes. Not only did he have to defect from his native Cuba and climb the ranks as a fairly unheralded signee, but he overcame consecutive Tommy John surgeries along the way. The 26-year-old has a small frame and lacks a high-velocity fastball, but he has consistently posted good strikeout-to-walk numbers in the minors.
Injury Notes: Nelson, Travis, Tulo, Banuelos
A serious knee injury to Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang will have immediate impact as the post-season nears, and that’s not the only injury to watch today. Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson exited his outing tonight after being struck in the head by a line drive. It was a scary situation, and he’s obviously being handled with extreme care, but the 26-year-old righty was able to walk off and is reportedly coherent as he heads to a hospital for treatment.
As we send our best wishes to Milwaukee, here’s the latest on some other medical situations around the league:
- Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis will undergo exploratory surgery on his left shoulder, as MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm was among those to report on Twitter. That will end whatever hope had remained for him to return this year. It’s unfortunate for both Travis and the Jays that he won’t have a chance to rejoin the club late in the year. Travis, 24, was a revelation for Toronto after coming over in an offseason swap for Anthony Gose. He owns a .304/.361/.498 slash over 239 plate appearances. With good baserunning and fielding added in, he was certainly one of the league’s most impressive rookies, though he’s been out since late July. His progress over the fall and winter will certainly be important as the Jays plan for next season.
- Of course, the Blue Jays are also waiting to learn when shortstop Troy Tulowitzki will return from his own shoulder issues. As Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports on Twitter, the club is still looking for a full understanding of the situation and does not yet have a timeline. Tulo saw a specialist today in hopes of learning more. There is no indication at present that the collision which led to the injury will post any long-term difficulties for the star infielder.
- Young Braves left-hander Manny Banuelos underwent a procedure today to remove a bone spur from his elbow, as David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Twitter links). It went as well as could be hoped, says O’Brien, as there was no ligament damage found. The former top prospect, now 24, made his big league debut after generating solid results at Triple-A in his first season with the Atlanta organization.
Three Needs: San Diego Padres
As we continue working our way through the major needs of non-contenders with the offseason in sight, we’ll turn our attention to the Padres. San Diego entered the year with big expectations after a volatile winter under new GM A.J. Preller. Things haven’t worked out as planned, but the Friars nevertheless stood pat at the trade deadline. San Diego is as unpredictable as any organization in baseball right now, but here are a few areas the team might look to address:
1. Get the talent pipeline flowing. Preller came to San Diego with a reputation as a hard-working, discerning evaluator of talent who could dig up young players at good values. President/CEO Mike Dee explained the premise before the season: “But [Preller] said you don’t have to choose between one or the other. You can have both. You can have a strong pursuit of amateur and international talent and still add impact players. … I’m excited to see the second half of what he’s known for [in the international market].”
One year into Preller’s tenure, the club’s farm is lagging — even as the team struggles at the major league level. As things stand, the organization has just one top-100 prospect (Hunter Renfroe, #76 per MLB.com). The Padres didn’t have a first-round draft pick last year after sacrificing their first two choices in the James Shields signing and the Craig Kimbrel trade. And while the organization says it’s happy with its haul of July 2 prospects, it didn’t land Yoan Moncada, Yadier Alvarez, or any of the other most-hyped Latin American players on this year’s international market.
We’ve already seen Preller trade away a good portion of the upper-level talent he inherited. Now, he’ll need to show that he can successfully re-fill the system. The team appears to be headed for a top-ten draft pick, and can use qualifying offers to Justin Upton and (potentially) Ian Kennedy to add more selections and spending capacity. That’s a nice start, but more creative measures — such as trading a player like Kimbrel, searching the trade market for competitive balance picks and international signing pools, and/or looking for the next Touki Toussaint deal — may be needed.
2. Sort out the middle infield. Dating from the start of the 2011 season, the Padres rank dead last in major league baseball in middle infielder fWAR. The bulk of the positive wins above replacement from that stretch date to 2013, when Jedd Gyorko and Everth Cabrera both had solid campaigns. Other than that, San Diego has received basically replacement-level production from both the second base and shortstop positions for the last five years.
The organization is currently batting around some less-than-optimal possibilities as the offseason looms. Gyorko has looked re-born at the plate in recent months, and the team seems pleased with the initial returns on an experimental move to shortstop. But it would be brave to go into a full season on the assumption he’ll hold down that position, especially given the failed effort to use Wil Myers in center field this year. San Diego currently has the league’s worst defense, by measure of UZR/150 innings, and asking Gyorko (never a highly-regarded defender elsewhere in the infield) to step in at short seems a tall order.
That’s all the more true given that the organization isn’t exactly overflowing with talent elsewhere in the infield. Other players in the mix at second and third are Cory Spangenberg, Yangervis Solarte, and Will Middlebrooks. While some combination of that group should passably hold down those positions, it looks like a stretch for it to cover the four-through-six slots in a contending infield.
With this year’s Clint Barmes–Alexi Amarista pairing having fallen flat, and Trea Turner dealt away, an outside shortstop addition may well be necessary if expectations are to contend. San Diego can look to a trade market with several promising possibilities or pursue a group of free agents that includes some interesting-but-aging veterans who could be had on short-term deals.
3. Balance the lineup. Improving on the defensive side is one way that San Diego can add balance and situational flexibility to its roster, but even more pressing may be the need for left-right balance in the lineup. Aside from the switch-hitting Solarte, who has fairly even platoon splits over his two big league seasons, the team has a dearth of left-handed bats amongst its regulars.
There are some lefties in the mix, of course, but all appear to be part-time options at this stage. Spangenberg hits from the left side, as do Amarista and rookie Travis Jankowski — who could conceivably split time with Melvin Upton in center next year. Outfielder Alex Dickerson may get a long look to make the team as a fourth outfielder this spring, and Brett Wallace could be brought back after a surprising run (with a sample-size warning in full effect). There’s Yonder Alonso, but he’s yet to impress consistently and is out again with another injury. He may be displaced at first by Myers. Top youngsters Renfroe and Austin Hedges are righties, so it isn’t as if there is a big, left-handed bat waiting in the wings.
What can be done? As things stand, there isn’t a lot of room to spend: San Diego already has $75MM on the books, and that’s before acting on a $8MM option over Joaquin Benoit and paying arb raises to Myers, Alonso, Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner, and Derek Norris. While some budget bench signings are possible, the trade route looks more promising if the Padres look to add an everyday left-handed hitter or two.
Josh Johnson To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
2:06pm: Johnson will indeed attempt another comeback, agent Matt Sosnick tells ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitlonger). The veteran righty has known of the tear for about ten weeks, but attempted to pitch through it before deciding to have the procedure. Sosnick says that his client will also look into “cutting-edge” medical developments that could prove beneficial in addition to the TJ procedure.
10:19am: Padres righty Josh Johnson will go under the knife for his third Tommy John procedure, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. He will almost certainly miss the entirety of the 2016 season after having the surgery some time next week.
Johnson most recently had a UCL replacement in April of 2014. He had signed a one-year, $8MM deal with San Diego prior to that season, but never threw a major league pitch before succumbing to the surgery. The Friars brought him back on an incentive-laden, one-year, $1MM pact, but the 31-year-old was never quite able to make it back to MLB action.
The Padres’ investment has obviously not panned out as hoped, but it was a relatively meager sum to risk on the pitcher they hoped would re-emerge. Johnson had a rough 2013 season with the Blue Jays, allowing 56 earned runs in just 81 1/3 frames, but carried a career-best 9.2 K/9 rate and drew solid reviews from some ERA estimators.
While he’d had injuries before that point, Johnson also had racked up nearly a thousand innings of 3.15 ERA pitching heading into his short and disappointing tenure in Toronto. At times, he’s been among the very best pitchers in the game.
Given that he’s undergoing the procedure, it certainly seems that Johnson will give it at least one more shot. In all likelihood, he won’t even have a chance at throwing competitively until he has turned 33.
Carlos Pena To Sign Contract To Retire As Member Of Rays
The Rays will sign first baseman Carlos Pena to a contract in order to allow him to retire as a member of the organization, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports on Twitter. The 37-year-old Dominican native has not played with any organization this year.
Though he ultimately made many stops along the way in his 14 big league seasons, Pena enjoyed his longest and most successful stint in Tampa Bay. After originally signing there as a minor league free agent, Pena put up a monster 2007 season in which he swatted 46 home runs and carried a 1.037 OPS. He inked a three-year, $24.25MM extension thereafter.
Though he never quite reached that peak again, Pena put up a .230/.360/.483 slash over his five years with the Rays, the last of which came after a one-year stop with the Cubs. He was also a significant contributor to the club’s 2008 and 2010 playoff teams, compiling a .269/.388/.522 batting line with four home runs in his 80 post-season plate appearances.
Before heading to Tampa Bay, Pena spent an extended stretch with the Tigers. Though he was an above-average hitter, he didn’t consistently produce there as he did later. Pena also made a stop in Chicago, as noted above, and had short tenures with the Rangers, Royals, Red Sox, Astros, and Athletics. He had an unsuccessful late-season run last year in Texas, and it appears as if that will represent his final work at the MLB level.
While Pena was born in the Dominican Republic, he played high school and college ball in the United States, making him draft-eligible. He was taken with the tenth pick of the 1998 draft by the Rangers and soon became one of the game’s highest-rated prospects. But Pena was dealt twice in 2002, not long after reaching the majors, first heading to Oakland and then on to Detroit (as portrayed in the Moneyball book and film).
It took some time until Pena made good on his full promise, but he certainly did that for the Rays. MLBTR offers its congratulations on an outstanding career, and wishes him the best as he moves on to other pursuits.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/16/15
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- The Athletics have brought up lefty Barry Zito from Triple-A, announcing today that his contract was selected. A 40-man spot was cleared by placing Jesse Chavez on the 60-day DL. The 37-year-old last threw for Oakland back in 2006, his last of seven seasons with the club. He has worked to a 3.46 ERA over 138 innings this season at Triple-A Nashville, with 5.9 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9, after sitting out the 2014 campaign and joining the A’s on a minor league deal.
East Notes: Williams, Cespedes, Boxberger, Kelly, Tazawa
Star Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper provided a ringing endorsement for embattled skipper Matt Williams, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports. “Truly, I love him as a manager,” said Harper. “Flat out I absolutely do. If I didn’t, everybody would know.” Player sentiment only goes so far, of course, but the comments do seem particularly meaningful with Harper set to finish off a compelling, breakout season as one of the lone bright spots on a disappointing team.
Here’s more from the eastern divisions:
- While there was a report yesterday that the Braves could have interest in Yoenis Cespedes as a free agent, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution hears (Twitter link) that the team has no such intentions. As I noted at the time, that match seemed curious on paper not because Cespedes wouldn’t be an appealing target for the team — he would — but because his price tag seems likely to move quickly into a range that the Braves would not find palatable.
- Rays closer Brad Boxberger says that his recent struggles may be the result of inconsistent usage earlier in the year, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. Another strong campaign from Boxberger, 27, has started to trend downward in recent weeks, and he said that could be due to “all of the early use in non-closing situations.” While Boxberger says he does not want to place blame on the team’s lack of a designated closer role — which he has filled, de facto, for much of the year — he obviously seemed to suggest that as a possibility. Boxberger will still be a season away from reaching arbitration eligibility after this year, though his saves tally this year will set him up for a big payday thereafter — if he can remain healthy and effective.
- Red Sox righty Joe Kelly has flipped the narrative on his season, but as Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reports, he may have thrown his last pitch of 2015. While that decision has yet to be made, the 26-year-old exited his outing last night with shoulder tightness — obviously not an area that the team will want to take any chances at the tail end of a lost season. Kelly’s solid late-year results have surely given nsew president of baseball operations plenty to think about in planning next seasons rotation.
- Another Red Sox right-hander, reliever Junichi Tazawa, has already been declared shut down for the rest of the year, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. The move is not related to any injury, says interim manager Torey Lovullo. Instead, Boston wants to avoid too much stress on the 29-year-old’s arm after he topped sixty frames in each of the last two years. The steady Tazawa has faded down the stretch this year after a typically strong first half. He’ll enter his final year of arbitration in the offseason.
Angels GM Candidates Include LaCava, Hazen, Atkins, Eppler
When former general manager Jerry Dipoto left the club in the middle of the summer over an apparent lack of compatibility with manager Mike Scioscia, it became apparent that the Angels could have a unique GM search on their hands. The team has been increasingly active recently and is said to be hopeful of making a decision within a few weeks’ time.
Here’s the latest on the Angels’ search for a new leader of their baseball operations department, with updates on the preliminary interview process added as information is reported:
- Blue Jays assistant general manager Tony LaCava interviewed for the Angels’ GM vacancy today, reports Buster Olney of ESPN (via Twitter). LaCava has been an AGM with Toronto since 2007 and also currently holds the title vice president of baseball operations. He’s been strongly considered for GM openings in the past, and he even (reportedly) turned down an offer to become the Orioles’ GM back in 2011.
Earlier Updates
- Red Sox AGM Mike Hazen will interview with the Angels as soon as today, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports on Twitter. Hazen has long been considered likely to head up a baseball ops department at some point. His name has also come up with regard to Boston’s own internal GM opening.
- Angels pro scouting director Hal Morris has also been given an interview for the post, MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reports on Twitter. He joins Klentak and Servais as internal candidates who have reportedly been given a chance to sit down with the top-level brass.
- The Angels interviewed Indians VP of player personnel Ross Atkins today, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports on Twitter. Atkins has been in the Cleveland organization for quite some time, and has occupied his current post since a promotion last year. Indians AGM Mike Chernoff has received more press as a possible GM hire, though he also seems to be an internal promotion candidate if current Cleveland GM Chris Antonetti takes the vacated president’s role. Antonetti has previously noted that Atkins holds the promise of a future general manager.
- We learned yesterday that Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler had his interview with the Halos, as had been widely expected. Eppler has been tabbed by some as the leading candidate, and is reportedly interested in the position — despite any possible limitations of authority owing to the presence of Scioscia — due in part to his ties to Southern California.
- Los Angeles is said also to have conducted interviews with its own assistant general managers, Matt Klentak and Scott Servais.