Latest On Matt Harvey And Mets
We learned earlier today, in a report from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, that some disagreement has arisen between the Mets and agent Scott Boras regarding the handling of 26-year-old righty Matt Harvey. Boras claims that the club is risking an injury to Harvey, who underwent Tommy John surgery in October of 2013, by not adhering to a 180-inning limit this season. (Harvey has already thrown 166 1/3 frames on the year, and has never before exceeded 178 1/3 innings in his career.) In turn, Mets GM Sandy Alderson countered that the team does not believe a hard innings cap should apply.
There’s been plenty more back and forth in the hours since that report emerged. Here’s the latest:
- Mets assistant GM John Ricco addressed the media, saying that the team will not shut down Harvey — who is obviously a key piece of the club’s rotation — down the stretch, as ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin was among those to report. (Rubin also reported earlier that the team would abide by this approach.) Harvey will have at least one start skipped, with the team moving to a six-man rotation, and is expected to end up with between 190 and 195 regular season innings.
- Ricco also said that Harvey will throw a “reasonable” number of innings in the postseason, with the team monitoring how he feels as things proceed. He added that the Mets believe they have only received recommendations from doctors regarding innings totals, as opposed to firm mandates. There is a chance, per Ricco, that Harvey “could end up being shut down” in the course of the playoffs, though he said that same possibility applies to some extent “with all our pitchers.” (That last quote came courtesy of Matt Ehalt of The Record; Twitter links.)
- Boras has made several comments to additional media outlets, including MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (audio links) and The Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio New York 98.7 FM (audio link). While many of his comments reflect what Heyman already reported, those sources are worth a listen for those who are particularly interested in the topic.
- According to Harvey’s representative, determining when to shut down a player under these circumstances “always should be a doctor’s decision.” Going into the year, per Boras, there was agreement on all sides that there should be limits, which “had to be defined by doctors as the season unfolded.” When the subject was addressed in August, says Boras, even the club’s own physician expressed that the advice of the surgeon — in this case, the esteemed Dr. James Andrews — should be followed.
- The parallels to the Nationals’ shutdown of Stephen Strasburg back in 2012 are hard to ignore, of course. Boras told ESPN Radio that the Nationals never allowed the decision to reach the player, instead deciding to follow the “expert medical opinion” in that case to shut down their staff ace when he reached his specified load (and also to pitch him on regular rest over the course of the season). For the Mets to extend Harvey beyond the medical advice, says the super-agent, is an unprecedented decision that puts the righty in “unfound territory” moving forward — in part because doctors are not sure that he’ll be able to continue his usual level of performance the rest of the way.
- There are no immediate transactional implications for this decision, aside from the fact that Harvey will have an opportunity to increase his 2016 arbitration salary, but the long-term ramifications are potentially broad. Harvey can be controlled via arbitration through 2018. With Boras as his agent, he may be unlikely to reach an extension regardless of whether this matter affects his relationship with the club in any way. (It is worth noting that, according to Boras, Harvey authorized him to discuss the matter with the media.) Any long-term health issues, of course, would potentially impact both Harvey and the club, though it is impossible to weigh that possibility at present.
Rockies Activate Justin Morneau, Designate Matt McBride
The Rockies have designated outfielder/first baseman Matt McBride for assignment, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post tweets. His roster spot was needed for Justin Morneau, who was activated from the 60-day DL.
After putting up an excellent 2014 campaign, Morneau lasted just 104 plate appearances this season before going down with head and neck issues. Given his history of concussion difficulties, he and the team understandably took a cautious approach.
With a month to go this year, Morneau will have a chance to rebuild his value somewhat. He had not hit terribly well even before the injury — his .290/.317/.450 batting line looks good at first glance, but is actually below league average when adjusted to account for Coors Field. And he’ll be entering his age-35 season in 2016.
As things stand, it seems likely that Colorado will spend $750K to buy out the $9MM mutual option that remains on Morneau’s contract. In that case, he’d once again hit the open market, and surely would attract a host of teams looking to take a chance on him.
McBride, 30, has not done much with his limited playing time this year. He continues to deliver solid results at the Triple-A level, but has never earned an extended look in the big leagues. McBride is the last part of the return for Ubaldo Jimenez left in Colorado, though of course he’s previously been outrighted off of the 40-man roster.
Indians Designate Carlos Moncrief
The Indians have designated outfielder Carlos Moncrief for assignment, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets. That move, along with a 60-day DL transfer for lefty T.J. House, created roster space for the team to add Michael Martinez and lefty Giovanni Soto to the 40-man roster.
Moncrief, 26, has not yet reached the majors. He’s slashed a somewhat disappointing .227/.346/.367 this year while splitting his time between Double-A and Triple-A, with the better half of the results coming at the lower level. Moncrief put up a more robust .271/.328/.431 batting line in 2014, all of which was spent at the highest level of the minors.
Quick Hits: Hart, Phillies, Davis
CJ Nitkowski of FOX Sports takes a look at the upcoming generation of MLB managerial candidates. He provides some interesting notes on five names to watch: D’Backs scout and special assistant Todd Greene, White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing, Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler, and Alex Cora and Raul Ibanez, each of whom currently work in the media.
Here are some more scattered notes from around the league:
- The Pirates announced today that first baseman Corey Hart is finished playing this year. Hart, who signed a one-year, $2.5MM deal with Pittsburgh over the offseason, had been attempting to make a late-season return, but his health and productivity have been lacking all year. He’ll return to the free agent market after the season, but he hasn’t been a significant contributor since 2012 and his future looks murky.
- While the Phillies possess an ugly win-loss record, as had been expected, the organization has shown real progress this year, CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury writes. Rival scouts have looked favorably upon the young players acquired in Philadelphia’s numerous recent trades, says Salisbury, and the team’s best higher-level talent has transitioned well thus far to the majors. There’s more to be done, of course, but it isn’t hard to see a promising path forward — especially given that the big-budget Phils now have less than $100MM in total future commitments on their books.
- Slugger Chris Davis means more to the Orioles than his home run tallies, writes Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun. Of course, bringing him back in free agency will require a sizable commitment, particularly now that Davis — who has yet to turn 30 — is closing in on 40 home runs with a 138 wRC+. It doesn’t hurt that Davis has shown the ability to play a serviceable corner outfield (UZR views him as a slight positive, DRS as a slight negative) in addition to a solid first base. He’ll hold appeal to a variety of teams this winter.
Front Office Notes: Dipoto, Hazen, Cherington, Angels
The Mariners plan to interview current Red Sox consultant and former Angels GM Jerry Dipoto, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. Seattle recently parted with former GM Jack Zduriencik and is on the hunt for a replacement. Seattle appears likely to choose a baseball operations leader with prior experience in a general manager role, though it’s also said to be considering internal options.
Here are more notes on the front office and managerial changes expected to take place this fall and winter:
- Red Sox assistant GM Mike Hazen is a candidate for the Brewers‘ general manager position, Rosenthal and colleague Jon Morosi report (Twitter links). Milwaukee has not yet begun a formal interview process, he adds. The Brewers say they’ll take their time in finding a new GM, but could be leaning toward a young, analytically-minded candidate.
- Outgoing Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, meanwhile, may not be in a rush to reclaim that position with a new team, according to another tweet from Rosenthal. Cherington has received interest from clubs in unspecified opportunities, and he’s “in listening mode” rather than actively pursuing another GM post.
- MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez discusses the Angels‘ GM search, which as recently reported is expected to move quickly. The club has stayed quiet on its thinking thus far, says Gonzalez, but it seems reasonably likely that it will look to go with a first-time GM from another organization. Gonzalez lists a wide number of theoretical candidates.
- Bob Nightengale of USA Today provides an overview of the actual and potential front office openings around the game. He breaks down the latest rumblings among all of the clubs that seem reasonably likely to pursue change.
East Notes: Bradley, Bour, Sabathia
The Red Sox‘ patience with Jackie Bradley Jr. is finally paying dividends, as Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes. As Bradford explains, it’s not just about the results on the field. Bradley has, of course, been producing at a remarkable rate since his most recent call-up, but he’s also presented a different kind of demeanor, coachability, and comfort. Always a highly-regarded defender and a consistent offensive producer in the minors, Bradley seems to be putting it all together at the big league level in his age-25 season.
A few more notes out of the game’s eastern divisions …
- The Marlins are giving an extended look at first baseman Justin Bour to see if he could play an expanded role in the future, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro writes in a fan Q&A. The left-handed-hitting Bour is getting more plate appearances against southpaws at present. He owns a strong .252/.321/.449 slash with 15 home runs over 336 plate appearances, though he really has yet to be exposed to left-handed pitching at all to date. Another matter that could need addressing is the fact that defensive metrics are not fans of his efforts with the glove thus far.
- Yankees lefty CC Sabathia says he’s feeling good about his progress as he works to return to the mound, as George A. King III of the New York Post reports. “No pain, I’m excited,” Sabathia said of this right knee. GM Brian Cashman said recently that Sabathia will be utilized as a starter when he is activated. There had been some indication that the club was considering utilizing the high-priced former ace in a relief role.
Dodgers Designate Andy Wilkins
The Dodgers have designated first baseman Andy Wilkins for assignment, the club announced. His 40-man spot was needed for the activation of top prospect Corey Seager, who’ll start tonight at shortstop.
Wilkins, 26, was acquired from the Blue Jays back in early May. He received a brief call-up last year with the White Sox, but has spent most of his time over the last several seasons in the upper minors. Since coming to the Los Angeles organization, Wilkins has slashed .249/.307/.472 while contributing 18 home runs at the Triple-A level.
Injury Notes: Johnson, Scribner, Blanks
Let’s check in on a few injury situations around the league:
- Padres righty Josh Johnson says he’s ready for a rehab assignment, as Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Johnson has dealt with a variety of health issues, most recently undergoing Tommy John surgery and experiencing several setbacks in his return, and is currently taking part in simulated games. The former top-of-the-rotation hurler is aiming to make it back to the big leagues this year in a relief capacity. Johnson is still just 31, though he’s now far removed from his last effective big league action — a 191 1/3-frame, 3.81 ERA campaign back in 2012. Given his age and ceiling, Johnson will once again be an interesting name to keep an eye on this coming offseason.
- Righty Evan Scribner will miss the rest of the year for the Athletics after being diagnosed with a torn lat muscle, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. Scribner, 30, was in the midst of an interesting — albeit ultimately disappointing — 2015 campaign. Though he maintains a stellar strikeout-to-walk ratio of 9.6 K/9 against 0.6 BB/9, he’s been touched for 14 home runs (22.6% HR/9) in his 60 innings of work. He’s likely to qualify for arbitration as a Super Two after the season, as he’ll have 2.142 years of service on his clock, but could be a non-tender candidate for Oakland.
- Another player who’ll be out the rest of the way due to surgery is Rangers outfielder Kyle Blanks, who will undergo procedures on both of his Achilles tendons, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports on Twitter. The 28-year-old has had quite a tough time staying on the field. That’s especially unfortunate since he could have a productive role on a surprising Texas club that could use his right-handed bat. Blanks slashed a strong .313/.352/.522 in 71 plate appearances earlier this year at the major league level. Signed as a minor league free agent after he was non-tendered last winter by the A’s, Blanks will actually be arb-eligible once again. He entered the season having accumulated 5.005 seasons of service, and has added just 159 more since his contract was purchased on April 29th. (Players must reach 172 days to tack on a new season, so Blanks will still be just shy of six total years of service.) Given his injury issues, of course, it seems unlikely that the Rangers will tender him a contract.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/2/15
Here are the day’s minor moves …
- The Pirates have selected the contract of infielder Pedro Florimon, the club announced. Florimon, 28, was outrighted recently after seeing 15 games of action with the big league club. He required a 40-man spot, which was opened when the Bucs placed righty Deolis Guerra on the 60-day DL. Though he’s compiled only a .201/.264/.297 batting line in his 713 career MLB plate appearances, Florimon possesses a highly-regarded glove and figures to provide a defensive option for Pittsburgh down the stretch.
Extension Candidate: Justin Turner
Every winter, we cover a host of seemingly minor signings — veteran utility players, swingmen, platoon outfielders, etc. — as teams fill out their rosters by adding depth and competition in areas of uncertainty. It’s unusual for such deals to have truly significant impact.
But minor league signings can be hugely important. The Tigers, for instance, have rightly received ample attention for their immensely beneficial decision to bring in late-blooming slugger J.D. Martinez, who engineered a hard-to-predict turnaround through carefully thought-out changes in his swing mechanics and approach.
As good as Martinez has been, though, there’s an argument to be made that Justin Turner was the more insightful breakout signing of the winter of 2014. Turner languished on the market until February, when the Dodgers — then still under the command of Ned Colletti — swooped in with a minor league deal that ultimately paid out just $1MM.
At the time, Turner was a 29-year-old utility infielder who carried an approximately league-average batting line. He profiled as a solid-enough defender at third who delivered usable, but inferior, glovework up the middle.
It looked like a nice get for the Dodgers, who committed nothing but a spring invite, but hardly seemed a game-changing addition. With two more years of arb control, there was some added value since Los Angeles effectively picked up option years at values that would be dictated by his performance.
What seemed to be solid value has turned into an unbelievable bargain. Over 672 plate appearances in Dodger blue, Turner owns a .314/.379/.501 slash line with 22 home runs and eight stolen bases. There were some questions whether he could keep things up this year after posting a .404 BABIP in 2014, but Turner has thrived by increasing his power output even as his batting average on balls in play has fallen back to normal levels.
It’s questionable, to be sure, whether he can maintain the power surge that has pushed his isolated slugging mark to over .200. Turner’s 15.6% home run per flyball rate in 2015 may be unsustainable — that’s a career-best by a significant margin — but he has obviously learned something about driving the ball that seems likely to stick. Building off improvements in his contact profile that were evident in his 2013 numbers with the Mets, the 2015 version of Turner makes hard contact in approximately one third of his plate appearances while generating the same soft contact rate (10.8%) as Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Cabrera.
On the defensive side of the ledger, Turner continues to receive fairly poor defensive metrics when playing at second and short. But he’s spent most of his time at the hot corner, and both UZR and Defensive Runs saved value him as an above-average defender there over the last two years.
Needless to say, the aggregate package is quite good. Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference credit Turner with about 6.5 to 7 wins above replacement since the start of 2014. That’s all the more impressive given his somewhat limited plate appearances — he was a part-timer last year and missed time with injury this year — meaning it was accrued in about a full season’s worth of regular playing time. And it’s not as if Turner has succeeded because he’s been limited to situations with the platoon advantage; he’s actually delivered significantly better numbers against right-handed pitching this season and over his career.
It’s not clear whether the Dodgers’ new front office will pursue a new deal with Turner, but this coming offseason presents an obvious opportunity to do so. Howie Kendrick, Jimmy Rollins, and Chase Utley will all be free agents after this year, assuming the team declines Utley’s option. While the organization has some immediate options — Corey Seager, Enrique Hernandez, and Jose Peraza chief among them — none have had the chance to establish themselves fully at the big league level. Hector Olivera, of course, has already been cleared out of the picture with a mid-season trade.
From Turner’s perspective, too, there are some good reasons to consider such an arrangement. He earned a relatively meager $2.5MM in 2015, and will be in line for a significant raise. But Turner will still be a great value for next season, will remain a year away from the open market, and will then be signing in advance of his age-32 season.
If the sides choose to chat, it will be difficult to find comparable players. Late-career breakouts are hardly unheard of, but even premium players such as Jose Bautista and Corey Kluber have signed extensions at rather reasonable prices with shorter track records to work from.
And there is one obvious comp: Martin Prado, a similarly-profiling defender, who inked a four-year, $40MM pact with the Diamondbacks the winter before he would have reached free agency. Prado was then entering his age-29 season and had a longer history of good offensive production and strong defensive work around the field. But he was also just one year removed from a down season and had not shown the same offensive ceiling that Turner has established.
All told, that contract seems to provide a useful starting point for talks between the Dodgers and Turner’s representatives at the Legacy Agency. Of course, whether or not an extension can be reached (or will even be pursued) depends on the motivations of all involved, but a big new contract for Turner seems a reasonably plausible scenario.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.