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Quick Hits: Minors Camp, Guardians, Hall
Clubs aren’t being allowed any adjustments to their minor league Spring Training camps, as Major League Baseball stated in a recent memo to all 30 teams. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman has portions of the memo, outlining both how minor league camps are expected to open at their usual time (around March 1), and how veteran players signed to minor league deals can be given the option to either participate in the minor league camp, or not participate in unity with the MLBPA (even though these players are technically not part of the current union membership).
In essence, the memo keeps all 30 teams on an even playing field, as Sherman notes that some teams may have gained a competitive advantage by opening minor league camps early. Plus, the early opening of a minor league camp “could be seen by the union as an antagonistic act by MLB” in the words of one source familiar with labor talks, as it could paint those minor leaguers as replacement players or scabs. Since the lack of movement in CBA talks is making it increasingly likely that Major League spring camps won’t open as scheduled on February 16, fans may have to wait until minor league camp in March to get any semblance of a traditional Spring Training experience.
More from around baseball…
- Players on a 40-man roster are considered locked out even if they haven’t reached the majors yet, thus leaving a young team like the Guardians in a tight spot if Spring Training is delayed or shortened, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. Fourteen players on the Guardians’ 40-man have yet to make their big league debuts, and several others have less than a season of big league playing time under their belts. As Hoynes puts it, “a four-week flyby” of an abbreviated Spring Training “isn’t going to be much help” for either the players or the Guardians as a whole, since many of these youngsters are expected to fill some key spots on the Cleveland roster.
- Orioles pitching prospect D.L. Hall is making progress in his recovery from a stress reaction in his left elbow, tweeting last month that he was back on a mound after close to an eight-month layoff. (Hat tip to MASNSports.com’s Roch Kubatko). Hall has been a regular on top-100 prospect lists since he was drafted 21st overall in 2017, and even after tossing only 31 2/3 innings in 2021, still clocked in #52 on Baseball America’s recently-released top 100 ranking. The hard-throwing Hall has posted some big strikeout numbers even if his control (13.35% walk rate) leaves something to be desired, and it isn’t out of the question that he could make his MLB debut this season if he stays healthy and continues to progress. However, Hall is another 40-man roster player whose spring work is delayed by the lockout, so the Orioles will need to wait before judging whether Hall should return for more Double-A seasoning, or if he is ready for a promotion to Triple-A.
Yankees “Expected To Take A Run At” Signing Freddie Freeman
The Yankees were known to have interest in former NL MVP Freddie Freeman prior to the lockout, and it appears as though that interest is more than just simple due diligence. According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link), the Yankees “love” Freeman and “are expected to take a run at” landing the free agent once the transactions freeze is lifted.
Since it still seems unclear whether Freeman will eventually re-sign with the Braves or perhaps look to join another team, it stands to reason that the Yankees can’t be truly ruled out of a Freeman pursuit until he actually signs a contract elsewhere. Or, conversely, unless the Yankees were to make another big first base acquisition like trading for Matt Olson, or perhaps re-signing Anthony Rizzo.
What would make a Freeman pursuit so intriguing for New York, however, is how it would run counter to how the Yankees have pursued their business this offseason. Prior to the lockout, the Yankees didn’t really do much of anything, with the common thinking being that the Bronx Bombers were perhaps waiting to see the terms of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement before making any major financial commitments. Under how the luxury tax is currently calculated, for example, the Yankees already have more than a $226MM number projected for 2022. Barring a major bump in the luxury tax threshold, the Yankees would certainly surpass the tax line by adding Freeman to their payroll.
The salary forecast notwithstanding, the Yankees were at least linked to such big names as Freeman and some of the top free agent shortstops. However, the team was reportedly planning to wait out the shortstop market until after the lockout, just in case any of the remaining names (now Carlos Correa and Trevor Story) could be had on a shorter-term deal.
Whereas the Yankees think so highly of shortstop prospects Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza that they don’t want to acquire a positional roadblock, their first base situation is a little more crowded in the present. Luke Voit is coming off an injury-plagued season but is still the incumbent at the position, with DJ LeMahieu also in the mix when he isn’t playing third base. The infield picture additionally consists of Gleyber Torres as the everyday second baseman, and Gio Urshela playing third and backing up at shortstop behind a new (stopgap) shortstop that will also be taking an every day role. Giancarlo Stanton is still expected to get the bulk of DH time, though since Stanton will get some usage in the outfield, that will open up the DH spot for one of the infielders to get more playing time.
Despite all the notable names here, Voit, LeMahieu, Torres, and Urshela are all coming off underwhelming seasons, so New York can’t just count on everyone to bounce back. Plus, a proven star like Freeman (even entering his age-32 season) represents such a big upgrade that the Yankees might just prefer to make the signing and then figure out how the pieces fit after the fact. For instance, Voit would seem like the most obvious trade candidate in this scenario, as Voit could be dangled to a first base-needy team that either missed out on Freeman or couldn’t approach his asking price in the first place.
It’s possible the Yankees might also be hoping they can land Freeman at something of a discount price amidst the post-lockout signing frenzy, though that could be more of a difficult play. Teams like the Blue Jays and Red Sox have also been linked to Freeman, the Dodgers and Angels have been noted as possible fits given Freeman’s SoCal roots, and there is still some sentiment that Freeman will ultimately remain with the Braves after all. MLBTR projected Freeman to land a six-year, $180MM deal this winter, and the first baseman is reportedly indeed looking for a contract in that range, though Atlanta (and presumably other clubs) has been hesitant to offer a sixth guaranteed year.
Like Correa and Story, Freeman has draft pick compensation attached since he rejected the qualifying offer. Freeman is five years older than Correa and a little over three years older than Story, plus first base is less of a premium position than shortstop — but it could be argued that Freeman in some ways a safer investment, given how consistent he has been over the last decade. If a team doesn’t want to pay Correa a reported $330MM or make a big nine-figure investment in Story coming off a down year, Freeman may appeal more to a team like the Yankees, who have multiple promising shortstops in the pipeline.
Locking up Freeman on a long-term deal might also be something of a hedge on the Yankees’ part in regards to an Aaron Judge extension. Judge is scheduled for free agency next winter, and he’ll be turning 31 in April 2023. It could be that the Yankees think committing big money to a 32-year-old Freeman through his age-36 or -37 season is a wiser move than paying Judge even more money through his 30’s. Freeman missed time in the 2015 and 2017 seasons due to wrist injuries, but has generally been a very durable player throughout his career. Judge, meanwhile, missed big portions of the 2018-20 seasons due to injury, though he stayed healthy in 2021.
Giants Sign Raynel Espinal To Minors Contract
The Giants signed right-hander Raynel Espinal to a minor league contract earlier this week, according to the team’s official transactions page. Formerly a member of the Red Sox organization, Espinal elected minor league free agency back in November, as was his option as a non-40-man player with at least seven years on a minor league roster.
Espinal made his Major League debut in August and appeared in exactly one game with the Red Sox before he was removed from the 40-man and sent back to Triple-A. While a brief stay in the Show, Espinal can at least say he got a cup of coffee in the big leagues after seven pro seasons, and the 30-year-old now heads to San Francisco looking to build off an overall solid 2021 Triple-A campaign.
Over 117 2/3 innings and 23 games (21 of them starts) for the Worcester Red Sox, Espinal posted a 3.44 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, and 8.8% walk rate. It was enough for Espinal to be named the Worecester pitcher of the year, and a nice comeback for a pitcher who see any official game action in 2020 due to the canceled minor league season.
The Yankees originally acquired Espinal as an international signing back in 2012, and he spent six seasons in New York’s farm system before Boston selected him in the minor league phase of the 2019 Rule 5 draft. Over 465 total innings in the minors, Espinal has a 3.35 ERA, 27.18% strikeout rate, and 7.34% walk rate.
While he has started only 51 of his 162 minor league appearances, 33 of those starts have come over Espinal’s last two seasons. The Giants could therefore see him as a potential depth starter in the minors, or perhaps a multi-inning reliever or swingman. It’s easy to see why the Giants (or any team) would be intrigued by Espinal’s interesting track record, and given San Francisco’s recent success at finding hidden gems, we shouldn’t be surprised if Espinal were to emerge as a contributor to the club’s 2022 roster.
Tigers Sign Carlos Sanabria, Chris Rabago To Minors Contracts
The Tigers have signed right-hander Carlos Sanabria and catcher Chris Rabago to minor league deals, The Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold reports. Presumably, both players will be invited to the Tigers’ big league Spring Training camp whenever the lockout ends and camp opens for Major League players.
Sanabria pitched in the Royals’ farm system in 2021, after spending his first seven pro seasons in the Astros organization. It’s fair to speculate that Tigers manager A.J. Hinch had a hand in recruiting Sanabria to Detroit, as Hinch was undoubtedly familiar with the righty when Hinch was managing the Astros from 2015-19. Sanabria didn’t make his big league debut until Hinch had left Houston, however, as Sanabria’s MLB resume consists of two games and two innings with the Astros in 2020.
Still only 25 years old, Sanabria has a 3.82 ERA and 23% strikeout rate over 412 1/3 career innings in the minor leagues, working only as a reliever over the last four seasons. Much of Sanabria’s success has come at the lower levels, as he has a 5.27 ERA at Triple-A, albeit over just 27 1/3 innings of work. A greater concern may be a lack of control that has more or less been an issue for Sanabria over his career, and has particularly manifested itself over the last few years; Sanabria has a 14.75% walk rate over 113 1/3 combined innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
Rabago was a 13th-round pick for the Rockies in the 2014 draft, and he has played almost all of his career in Colorado’s farm system apart from a seven-game stint with the Yankees’ Double-A squad in 2018. Rabago has hit .248/.327/.348 over 1727 plate appearances in the minors, including a very similar .240/.325/.346 slash in 235 PA at the Triple-A level.
Rabago will provide the Tigers with further depth at a catching position that is headlined by new arrival Tucker Barnhart. The versatile Eric Haase is the primary backup on the big league roster and can also be used in the outfield, while Dustin Garneau is at Triple-A providing more experience. Jake Rogers will miss a good chunk of the 2022 season recovering from a Tommy John surgery from last September.
MLB Will Not Counter MLBPA’s Latest Offer, Requests Federal Mediator To Help Resolve Lockout
9:51PM: The Players Association is likely to turn down the league’s request for a mediator, according to Drellich (via Twitter).
4:10PM: The league will not be making a counter to the MLBPA’s most recent offer, The Athletic’s Evan Drellich reports (via Twitter). The union made their offer on Tuesday and MLB was expected to make a response, though this will now apparently not be the case. Between this lack of a counter-offer, no new meetings scheduled between the two sides, and now the league’s request for a federal mediator, it is unclear when the next set of negotiations may take place.
3:29PM: Major League Baseball has asked the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for assistance in ending the lockout, ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan reports (Twitter link). As per the league’s request, a federal mediator would step in to help resolve the many outstanding issues between the owners and players in negotiating the next collective bargaining agreement. The MLBPA would also have to sign off on a mediator’s involvement, and it isn’t yet clear whether the union has consented to this third-party consultation.
It isn’t uncommon for the FMCS to become involved in sports-related work stoppages, as federal mediators all played roles in the NFL’s 2011 lockout, the NBA’s 2011 lockout, and the 2012-13 NHL lockout. In addition, Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times noted that former FMCS director William Usery was appointed by President Bill Clinton to try and help baseball’s owners and players come to an agreement that would end the 1994-95 players’ strike.
Results were mixed, as FMCS involvement didn’t do much in the NFL’s case, nor did Usery’s involvement help bring the 1994-95 strike any closer to an end. It is worth underscoring that a federal mediator is there only to help facilitate talks between the two sides, and cannot force either party to accept a deal.
With this in mind, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the lockout is any closer to a resolution. In the absolute best-case scenario that a mediator’s involvement would suddenly jumpstart talks, it would likely be some time before a new CBA is finalized — Jeff Jones of The Belleville News-Democrat observes that the aforementioned NBA and NHL lockouts needed roughly five more weeks of talks to reach a resolution. If Spring Training didn’t begin until mid-March, some regular-season games would need to be canceled.
A quick end to the lockout seems quite remote, however, given the large divides that have already become apparent in earlier talks between MLBPA and the players’ union. If anything, requesting a mediator at this relatively early stage of negotiations is unusual, and it could be a tactic by the league to put some public pressure on the union. (Labor lawyer Eugene Freedman raised this point as part of a multi-Tweet thread about today’s news.) According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, a player with direct knowledge of the labor talks referred to the mediation request as “a publicity stunt” from the league.
While the lockout has only been going on for a little over two months, there is certainly a ticking-clock element to negotiations, given that Spring Training camps were scheduled to open within two weeks’ time, and Opening Day is scheduled for March 31. If the “publicity stunt” sentiment is shared by the union members at large and the MLBPA doesn’t agree to FMCS mediation, it would represent yet another setback in talks (or lack thereof) between the two sides.
Diamondbacks Sign Dan Straily To Minor League Contract
The Diamondbacks have signed right-hander Dan Straily to a minor league deal, as officially announced by the Triple-A Reno Aces. Straily’s deal includes an invitation to Arizona’s big league spring camp.
A veteran of eight MLB seasons, Straily last pitched in the Show in 2019, when he allowed 22 home runs over 47 2/3 innings with the Orioles en route to an ungainly 9.82 ERA. Straily opted for a notable change of scenery and joined the Korean Baseball Organization’s Lotte Giants for both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, with an impressive 3.22 ERA and 24.75% strikeout rate over 360 1/3 innings.
Straily took part in a chat with MLBTR’s readers back on December 14, and noted that a return to the majors was on his mind: “I have said since day one that I want to finish my career in the MLB where my son can watch me pitch.” Since Straily is only 33 years old, there’s plenty of time left for a second act in his Major League history, provided that Straily can build on his success in the KBO League.
Beyond just the change in competition in South Korea, Straily also said that he and the Giants’ coaching staff used pitching technology to work on his pitches and upgrade both his changeup and fastball, in particular. These changes have apparently caught the eye of the D’Backs, and for the no-risk cost of a minors deal and camp invite, Arizona can get a closer look at Straily (whenever Spring Training actually opens) to see if he can contribute to the active roster.
While the rotation was one of many things that went south for the 110-loss Diamondbacks in 2021, the club can at least go into next season with a provisional starting four in place — Zac Gallen, Madison Bumgarner, Merrill Kelly, Luke Weaver figure to be Arizona’s top choices at the moment. Pitchers like Tyler Gilbert, Taylor Widener, Humberto Mejia, Humberto Castellanos and Caleb Smith could all be competing for that fifth spot or for bullpen roles, with Straily now adding some veteran depth to what is overall a pretty young and inexperienced group (except for Smith). Injuries or trades could open up further opportunities in the rotation, as Kelly in particular could be a trade chip as he enters the final year of his contract.
Straily has a solid track record in his recent big league past, posting a 4.03 ERA over 495 1/3 innings with the Reds and Marlins from 2016-18. Prior to that nightmare of a season in Baltimore, Straily had seemingly established himself as at least a solid innings-eater, if a pitcher prone to allowing home runs. While Chase Field has a reputation for being a homer-friendly ballpark, that reputation may be a bit outdated, considering that fewer homers have been hit at the ballpark since the D’Backs began storing baseballs in a humidor prior to the 2018 season. Over the last three years, Chase Field has actually allowed a below-average number of home runs, as per Statcast.
NL Notes: Wainwright, Dodgers, Phillies
A 2022 season shortened by the lockout would have a statistical impact on every player, particularly veteran names like Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals veteran is looking forward to one final season with retiring longtime teammate Yadier Molina, and if the duo joins forces for 20 more Wainwright starts, they’ll set a new record for most games started by a battery (breaking the Mickey Lolich/Bill Freehan mark of 324 starts). “Any time you can say you had the most all-time ‘anything’ in baseball is a real accomplishment,” Wainwright told Rick Hummel of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I just look so much forward to having an opportunity to break that record with my buddy, Yadi. I hope we get enough starts to make that happen. We just need the season to start.”
To this end, Wainwright is hopeful of a good result in labor talks between the league and players, but feels “these owners are going to have to come around, though. They’re kind of crazy with their asks. I guess when you own the company, you want to see how far you can stretch it. The game of baseball is a very lucrative thing for players and owners. The ones that get left out of that are always the fans, unfortunately. Baseball sometimes just needs to get out of its own way and realize we could be the only show going.”
Though a delay to the start of Spring Training seems inevitable, Wainwright is continuing to work out as usual as he prepares for his 17th big league campaign. This work was temporarily delayed by a recent bout of COVID-19, though Wainwright said his symptoms were relatively mild.
More from around the National League….
- “The Dodgers seem to be positioning themselves to have a young wave of pitching ready in the second half of next season,” The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya writes, citing Dustin May’s return from Tommy John rehab and the impending big league debut of prospect Ryan Pepiot. Los Angeles hasn’t been shy about immediately putting its young arms into key roles in the rotation or bullpen, so Ardaya believes the Dodgers will look to acquire a veteran “stopgap” kind of starter to cover some innings before the youngsters arrive. Clayton Kershaw’s free agency also continues to loom over the L.A. offseason, yet Ardaya feels the Dodgers would “likely” still try to land that second-tier arm even if Kershaw also re-signs with the team. Such moves would give the Dodgers six starters on paper (with Kershaw and the stopgap joining Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, Andrew Heaney, and Tony Gonsolin) before even considering the likes of May or Pepiot, though having a surplus would be a welcome problem for a Dodgers team that had its depth thinned by injuries in 2021.
- The Phillies hired Chris Fonnesbeck as the top analyst in their research and development department earlier this offseason, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports. Fonnesbeck worked in the Yankees’ analytics department from 2019-21, and also spent the 2018 season working as a consulting analyst for the Brewers. The Phils have put a new focus on their analytics team this winter, hiring Arirudh Kilambi as the team’s new assistant GM and putting him in charge of R&D.
Nationals Hire Jon Weil For Special Assistant Role
The Nationals have hired Jon Weil as a special assistant to president of baseball operations/GM Mike Rizzo, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports (Twitter link). Weil’s “primary responsibilities” will include professional scouting, according to Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington.
Weil joins the Nats after a long stint in Colorado, working in various capacities in the Rockies’ front office from 2005 until he departed the organization last summer. Weil had been working as the Rockies’ assistant GM since 2014, and was considered a possible candidate for the interim GM role that eventually went to Bill Schmidt (later formally hired as the full-time general manager) when Jeff Bridich resigned in April.
Weil began his baseball career with four seasons as an area scouting supervisor with the Royals and also spent seven years working in pro scouting with the Rockies, so he’ll bring plenty of experience to Washington’s front office. One of Rizzo’s chief goals this offseason has been a major overhaul of the Nationals’ player development and scouting departments, and Weil’s hiring represents yet another change in their organizational ranks.
Matt Magill Announces Retirement
Right-hander Matt Magill has announced his retirement, as per his personal Twitter account. The 32-year-old is calling it a career after 13 professional seasons in total, and parts of five MLB seasons.
It was quite a nice run for a 31st-round draft pick, as Magill was selected out of high school by the Dodgers in 2008. Magill made his Major League debut in the Dodger Blue in 2013, tossing 27 2/3 innings for the club before returning to Triple-A for the entirety of the 2014 season. That winter saw Magill dealt to the Reds in exchange for Chris Heisey, but Magill’s Cincinnati tenure was marked by a Tommy John surgery that wiped out almost all of his 2015-16 seasons.
Magill finally gained a foothold in the big leagues in 2018, appearing in 90 games and pitching 107 1/3 innings with the Twins and Mariners over the course of the 2018-19 seasons. While his Statcast numbers weren’t pretty, Magill outpitched his metrics by rather a stunning amount, posting a 3.94 ERA over those two seasons despite some of the league’s worst hard-contact and xwOBA totals. Magill also allowed an above-average number of home runs, but struck out batters at a solid 25.1% rate.
The abbreviated 2020 season saw Magill post a perfect 0.00 ERA over his first eight outings before he ran into some serious struggles, quite possibly due to a shoulder injury that eventually brought an early end to his campaign. The Mariners released Magill and then quickly re-signed him at the end of last year’s Spring Training, but the righty didn’t see any action at either the MLB or minor league levels in 2021. Magill ends his career with a 4.63 ERA and 23.2% strikeout rate over 149 2/3 innings in the bigs.
We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Magill on his career, and we wish him the best in retirement.
