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Quick Hits: Analytics, Reds, Phillies, Sano

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Now that the Cardinals/Astros data breach scandal has seemingly come to an end, The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh contacted several sources in various organizational jobs around baseball to ask how various teams protect their proprietary data and intellectual property.  This extends not just to hacking and other illegal accessing of a team’s information, but also what happens when a front office member with knowledge of certain processes and information simply leaves for a job with another franchise.  The piece is a very interesting look inside the purposely-secretive world of analytics departments and is well worth a full read.  Here’s some more from around baseball….

  • While Devin Mesoraco’s health is still a big question mark, Reds GM Dick Williams tells MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon that the team isn’t planning to add a veteran catcher on a minor league deal.  “I don’t see any major signing there.  We’ll just have to see how [Mesoraco] responds and whether or not we have enough guys to cover the issues.”  Behind Mesoraco, Tucker Barnhart and Rule 5 pick Stuart Turner are the top catching options on Cincinnati’s depth chart.
  • Williams also provided updates on Desmond Jennings and Bronson Arroyo, who are both reportedly on the verge of signing minor league deals with the Reds.  Jennings’ deal is “close” to being done, Williams said, while Arroyo’s deal has been worked out “will take a couple of days to get that physically signed.”
  • The Phillies have made some solid offensive upgrades, as David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer feels the additions of Howie Kendrick, Michael Saunders and Chris Coghlan give the Phils “a fighting chance at fielding a middle-of-the-pack offense this season.”  There’s really nowhere to go but up for the Phillies (who scored the fewest runs in baseball in 2016) but they did add some lineup versatility and veteran experience, and they retained flexibility in their rebuilding process since none of the trio are guaranteed beyond 2017.
  • Miguel Sano’s ability to play third base is key to the Twins’ future plans, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes (subscription required).  After an ill-advised experiment as a right fielder last year, Sano is back at the hot corner, where he has displayed roughly average glovework (3.9 UZR/150, minus-3 Defensive Runs Saved) in a brief sample size of 453 innings.  According to Olney, some in the previous Twins front office felt moving Sano into a primary DH role so early in his career could be a detriment to his conditioning and lower his overall value as a player.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Carter, Dodgers, Rays, Romo, Park

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Here’s the latest hot stove buzz from FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal…

  • The Dodgers checked in on free agent slugger Chris Carter, though Rosenthal has some doubts that the fit would work for either side.  Carter might want too significant a salary for the Dodgers’ liking, as the team is already well over the luxury tax threshold.  From Carter’s perspective, he’d likely want more playing time than L.A. could offer him as a part-time first baseman (spelling Adrian Gonzalez against lefty pitching) and receiving an occasional start in left field.
  • The Rays were the mystery team who submitted the highest bid for Sergio Romo’s services.  Previous reports indicated that the Rays were in the mix for Romo and that the reliever declined a higher offer to stay on the west coast and sign with the Dodgers for a one-year, $3MM deal.  With Romo off the board, the Rays are seemingly still in the hunt for another arm to join their bullpen.
  • The Rays earn $20MM per year on their current TV contract, which expires after the 2018 season.  Club owner Stuart Sternberg recently said negotiations were taking place about a new deal, though nothing was close to fruition.
  • Rosenthal’s column takes a broader look at the Rays’ offseason, noting that the team is trying to both save money and stay competitive at the same time.  Tampa could even project as an under-the-radar playoff contender if they catch a few breaks, such as better health from key players.  Had the club received good offers for Chris Archer or Kevin Kiermaier this winter, however, the Rays would’ve embarked on a full rebuilding process, and they could still take that route next offseason or at the July trade deadline if this year’s roster doesn’t play up to expectations.
  • The Twins will release Byung Ho Park if they can’t find a trade partner for the recently-designated first baseman (update: Rosenthal has since corrected this).  Minnesota’s decision to DFA Park was already rather unexpected, and it would be even more surprising if the club cut ties entirely, especially since earlier reports had the Twins intending to keep Park in the minors if he cleared waivers.  The Twins would be on the hook for the remaining $9.75MM owed to Park through the 2019 season if they released him.  Continuing the Tampa-centric theme, Rosenthal reports that the Rays are looking to add a right-handed bat and have Park on their list of targets.  Rather than work out a trade, the Rays could wait to see if the Twins do release Park, in which case Tampa Bay could just sign him as a free agent.  The Rays would then only owe Park a minimum salary while Minnesota covers the rest of the $9.75MM.

New York Notes: Yankees, Mets, Romo, Betances, Bullpens

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Here’s the latest baseball news from both Big Apple teams…

  • Both the Yankees and Rays made late pushes to sign right-hander Sergio Romo before he agreed to sign with the Dodgers, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports.  Romo, a southern California native, preferred to remain on the west coast, as FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets.  Heyman noted earlier that Romo had larger offers, including one from a “mystery” team that made a late increase in its offer to Romo.  The New York Post’s Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that the Yankees never made a formal offer to Romo, so the late increase would’ve had to have come from Tampa Bay or perhaps another mystery team in the mix.
  • There hasn’t been any change in the Yankees’ “file-and-trial” stance towards Dellin Betances’ arbitration hearing on February 17, George A. King III of the New York Post writes.  “Nothing has changed, we haven’t talked.  We have no intention of talking.  It’s not close. Somebody else will make the decision,” GM Brian Cashman said.  As King notes, other teams who have recently taken firm stances against negotiating prior to an arb hearing have instead worked out an agreement (such as the Royals and Kelvin Herrera or the Orioles and Kevin Gausman).  Betances filed for a $5MM salary in 2017 while the Yankees countered with a $3MM proposal.
  • In another piece from Joel Sherman, he looks at the contrast between how the Mets and Yankees are pursuing relief pitching upgrades.  Both teams seem to be operating under stringent budgets, though the Mets showed flexibility and a bit more of a win-now mentality in adding Jerry Blevins and Fernando Salas on deals that aren’t guaranteed beyond 2017.  The Yankees, meanwhile, missed out on Romo and don’t seem to have much willingness to add another veteran arm to their bullpen unless that pitcher meets their asking price.  It should be noted that the Yankees did make a big splash to sign Aroldis Chapman and, with the Chapman/Betances/Tyler Clippard trio in place at the end of games, the Yankees had less of a pressing need in the pen than the Mets did.  Still, as Sherman points out, the Yankees would like to add another experienced reliever to both add depth to the bullpen and to possibly allow the team’s young starters to stay stretched out in Triple-A rather than requiring them for relief work.
  • Better health from the rotation will be the biggest change to a Mets team that saw little roster turnover, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo writes.  Yoenis Cespedes, Neil Walker, Salas and Blevins are all returning to a roster that managed to reach the NL wild card game in 2016 despite injuries to virtually every member of the starting staff.  The Mets are aiming to keep their pitchers healthy by cutting short starts if necessary or skipping starts altogether, and by deploying a six-man rotation to keep everyone fresh.  If the rotation is healthier, it stands to reason the Mets could equal or surpass their 87-win total from last season.

Yankees Made Starlin Castro Available In Trade Talks

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The Yankees explored trades for several high-priced veterans on their roster this winter, with Joel Sherman of the New York Post reporting that Starlin Castro was among these names.  The Yankees “let some clubs know [Castro] was available,” which comes short of actually shopping the second baseman but it does indicate at least an openness to the idea of a deal.  As with Chase Headley and Brett Gardner, the Yankees weren’t able to drum up much trade interest in Castro.

In his first year in the pinstripes, Castro hit .270/.300/.433 with 21 homers over 610 plate appearances, making him a below-average runs creator (94 wRC+).  Castro hit for more power than ever before (a career-best .163 Isolated Slugging mark) but he also set a new career high with a 19.3% strikeout rate.  He also posted subpar glovework as per the Defensive Runs Saved (-8) and UZR/150 (-7.7) metrics in his first full season as a second baseman.

Castro showed enough promise early in his career that the Cubs signed him to a seven-year, $60MM extension in August 2012 but his production has since declined.  With the exception of a strong 2014 campaign, Castro hasn’t delivered much at the plate in three of the last four seasons, and with below-average baserunning and on-base skills, a bump in power might not create enough extra value for Castro if his contact rate and defense continue to decline.  It’s worth noting that Castro is both still young (he’s entering his age-27 season) and he has had a year to adjust to AL pitching, so it could perhaps be too early to write him off.

Still, as Castro is owed $30MM through the 2019 season (plus a $16MM club option for 2020 that carries a $1MM buyout), it makes sense that the Yankees would at least consider moving a player who has generated just 1.9 fWAR combined over the last two seasons.  The Yankees have been operating under a tighter-than-usual budget this winter, Sherman notes, as the team is aiming to get under the luxury tax threshold by next season.

Aroldis Chapman and Matt Holliday were the club’s major free agent expenditures, while Brian McCann was dealt to the Astros and the likes of Castro, Headley and Gardner were all floated in trade talks.  The Yankees have shown a willingness to eat some money to facilitate trades (as in the McCann deal), though outright salary dumps appear to be out of the question as the club continues to rebuild its minor league system.

That deeper farm system may also play a role in New York’s willingness to discuss Castro deals.  Shortstop Gleyber Torres was the centerpiece of the Yankees’ midseason trade of Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, plus Jorge Mateo, Wilkerman Garcia and Tyler Wade are all ranked within MLB.com’s list of the Yankees’ top 15 prospects.  With Didi Gregorius seemingly locked into a spot in the middle infield for years to come in the Bronx, this surplus of second base/shortstop talent could make Castro an odd man out for reasons beyond just his salary.

Twins Claim Ehire Adrianza, Designate Pat Light

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The Twins have claimed infielder Ehire Adrianza off waivers from the Brewers, as per a team press release.  To make room on the 40-man roster, Minnesota designated right-hander Pat Light for assignment.

Adrianza has now been designated for assignment and claimed on waivers twice this week, as Milwaukee claimed him from the Giants on January 31.  The Giants DFA’ed the 27-year-old to make room for Nick Hundley, while the Brewers quickly designated Adrianza themselves after claiming Jesus Aguilar off waivers from Cleveland (though Brewers GM David Stearns said that his team was hopeful of keeping Adrianza if he cleared waivers).

Adrianza has a .220/.292/.313 slash line over 331 career plate appearances in the big leagues, all with San Francisco from 2013-16.  While the switch-hitter has never delivered much at the plate even at the minor league level, Adrianza has displayed defensive versatility as a shortstop and second baseman, plus a handful of games at third.  He’ll join a fellow switch-hitter in Eduardo Escobar as the Twins’ primary reserve infielders, and while both could end up competing for a lone job, the Twins could have particular need for infield bench depth.  Miguel Sano’s ability to handle third base is still up in the air and Jorge Polanco is still largely unproven as a major leaguer.  Polanco will obviously get a lot of time to prove himself, though Sano could ultimately be moved to DH if he can’t manage to be at least passable at the hot corner.

Light, 25, made his MLB debut in 2016 and had a rough introduction to the Show.  The righty posted an 11.34 ERA over 16 2/3 innings with the Twins and Red Sox, allowing four homers in his brief amount of mound time and issuing as many walks (16) as strikeouts.  The hard-throwing Light came to Minnesota from Boston at the trade deadline in exchange for Fernando Abad.  The 37th overall pick of the 2012 draft, Light posted a 4.35 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 2.16 K/BB rate over 297 2/3 IP in the minors, though his results improved after being moved to full-time bullpen work in 2015.

Twins Notes: Salas, Park, Rodriguez

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Here’s the latest baseball news from the Land Of 10,000 Lakes…

  • The Twins made Fernando Salas an offer before the right-hander re-signed with the Mets, 1500ESPN’s Darren Wolfson reports (Twitter link).  Minnesota’s offer was reportedly a one-year deal, like Salas’ deal with the Mets, and Wolfson notes that Salas’ familiarity with New York was a factor in the righty choosing between the two similar contracts.  The Twins made another move to add a right-handed reliever to their bullpen earlier this week when they signed Matt Belisle.
  • The Twins designated Byung Ho Park for assignment in order to create roster space for Belisle, and Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron feels Park has enough “cheap upside” for several other teams to show interest.  Cameron sees the White Sox, Rangers and Athletics as potential fits for Park, who is owed $9.75MM over the next three seasons.  While Minnesota didn’t have much playing time available for Park with Joe Mauer and Kennys Vargas at first base and DH, Cameron makes the argument that keeping Park to gain more return on their initial investment might’ve made more sense for the Twins than signing Belisle.
  • MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez profiles Dereck Rodriguez, a right-handed pitching prospect in the Twins’ system and the son of newly-inducted Hall-of-Famer Ivan Rodriguez.  The younger Rodriguez is entering his fourth season on the mound after converting from his original outfield position, and the 24-year-old is looking to land on the Double-A roster in 2017.

Cafardo’s Latest: Fister, Hosmer, Hammel, Mariners, Victorino

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Twelve rookies have drawn attention as potential impact players in 2017, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes in his latest notes column.  Several baseball people give their input on the players, ranging from Red Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi to “rookie” (though a longtime veteran of Cuban baseball) Astros first baseman Yulieski Gurriel.  Here’s some hot stove news from Cafardo…

  • The Royals have interest in veteran right-hander Doug Fister.  Kansas City is known to be looking for rotation help since the tragic death of Yordano Ventura.  Fister (who celebrates his 33rd birthday today) posted a 4.64 ERA, 5.74 K/9 and 1.85 K/BB rate in 180 1/3 innings with the Astros last season.  The Padres, Marlins, Pirates and Mariners have all been linked to Fister at various times this winter, though several of those clubs have made other additions to their rotation and may no longer have interest.
  • The Royals have several notable players hitting free agency next winter, and “the feeling is the Royals will re-sign at least one of their key hitters, likely Eric Hosmer,” Cafardo writes.  Hosmer is a somewhat surprising name to potentially be staying put given that he is represented by Scott Boras, who would usually put a price tag on his client that would be out of reach for the mid-market Royals.  Then again, Cafardo also notes that while Kansas City has the pieces to be a contender this season, “if they’re out of the hunt at the trade deadline…look for a major fire sale.”  To tie those two items together, the Royals could free up money to re-sign Hosmer if they dealt some other pricey contracts.  (One would think Hosmer would also want to be assured that the Royals’ deadline deals were made with an eye towards reloading for 2018 or 2019.)  K.C. already locked up one long-term piece by signing Danny Duffy to a five-year extension last month.
  • Jason Hammel would also be a fit in Kansas City but Fister would seem to have a much lower price tag at this point, as “Hammel believes he should receive at least a three-year deal.”  Given the lack of clarity in Hammel’s market this winter, it would be quite surprising to see a team make that long a commitment to the right-hander, who is entering his age-34 season.
  • The Mariners were linked to Hammel earlier this winter, and Cafardo reports that Seattle offered Hammel a one-year deal with a $10MM option for 2018.  This offer came “very early” in the free agency process and no longer appears to be on the table.  The M’s have since acquired Yovani Gallardo and Drew Smyly, so they no longer seem like candidates for Hammel’s services.
  • Shane Victorino recently underwent minor surgery to remove a cyst under his arm, which has put the veteran outfielder’s plans to pursue a comeback attempt via a minor league contract “on hold.”  Cafardo reported three weeks ago that a team had offered Victorino a contract but he hadn’t yet informed his agent whether or not to accept.

NL West Notes: Rockies, Park, Owings, Myers

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The latest from around the NL West…

  • The Rockies won’t be making a move for recently-designated Twins first baseman Byung Ho Park, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding tweets.  Colorado made a big splash to sign Ian Desmond to fill its first base need and also recently signed Mark Reynolds to a minor league deal as further positional depth.  Barring an injury or an outfielder trade (which would shift Desmond’s role), Park doesn’t seem like a fit for the Rockies.
  • Chris Owings will likely see some time as a corner outfielder during Spring Training, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.  The Diamondbacks’ plan would be for Owings (a right-handed hitter) to spell the left-handed hitting David Peralta when a southpaw is on the mound, which would also free up shortstop for Nick Ahmed.  Owings has already seen substantial time at short, second base and center field during his career, and D’Backs GM Mike Hazen believes Owings has the athleticism to fill the type of super-utility role that Brock Holt fills for the Red Sox.
  • The Padres’ six-year, $83MM extension with Wil Myers has drawn “a lot of industry criticism,” ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (subscription required).  Some evaluators felt San Diego overpaid for a player who has delivered only good-but-not great hitting numbers for a first baseman, plus Myers has had issues staying on the field; Myers played in just 147 games total in 2014-15 due to injury, though he did play in 157 games in 2016.  Olney cites Myers’ good fielding and baserunning metrics as counterpoints to the critics, as well as the fact that the Padres may have felt the need to lock in a new franchise cornerstone as the club goes through a rebuilding process.

Wilmer Flores Wins Arbitration Hearing Against Mets

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Infielder Wilmer Flores has won his arbitration hearing with the Mets, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link).  Flores, who was arb-eligible for the first time this winter, will earn $2.2MM for the 2017 season; the Mets had countered with a $1.8MM figure.  Flores is represented by the McNamara Baseball Group.

Flores, 25, delivered something of a breakout offensive performance for the Mets in 2016, posting a career-best 112 wRC+ while hitting .267/.319/.469 with 16 homers over 335 plate appearances.  Much of that damage came from against left-handed pitching, as Flores delivered a whopping 1.093 OPS over 107 PA against southpaws.  He played a valuable utility role around the Mets’ infield, seeing action at all four spots but primarily serving as a third baseman in the wake of David Wright’s health issues.

Flores’ season was cut short on September 10 when he injured his wrist in a home-plate collision with A.J. Pierzynski, and he underwent hamate bone surgery in October to correct the problems.  With the minor procedure now behind him, Flores is again expected to play an important role for the Mets.  He and Jose Reyes will be the primary options at third should Wright again hit the DL, and Flores’ ability to hit lefty pitching makes him a strong compliment at first base alongside the left-handed hitting Lucas Duda.

The $2.2MM figure is slightly higher than the $1.9MM that MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected Flores would earn.  With Flores’ case now in the books, the Mets’ busy winter of arbitration dealings is now complete; New York entered the offseason with 10 players eligible for arbitration.  You can follow the numbers for every arbitration-eligible player in baseball via MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker.

AL East Notes: Sanchez, Stroman, Blue Jays, Swihart, Wieters

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Here’s the latest from around the AL East…

  • It could make sense for the Blue Jays to pursue extensions with Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman this spring, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi opines.  Locking up young pitching is obviously a logical tactic, and if nothing else, the Jays could gain some cost certainty on both starters through their arbitration years.  Sanchez will be arb-eligible for the first time next winter, while Stroman is going through the arbitration process for the first of four trips (as a Super Two player) this offseason, to the point of going to a hearing to determine his 2017 salary.  On the other hand, since both players have so many years of control ahead of them, the Jays could wait at least one more season to see what they really have in either starter before discussing a long-term agreement.
  • Dalton Pompey will need a big Spring Training to break into the Blue Jays’ planned Melvin Upton Jr./Ezequiel Carrera platoon in left field, MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm writes.  The Jays want Pompey to play every day, so if he does make the big league roster, it won’t be in a bench role.  A good spring performance, however, will put Pompey in line for a promotion should one or both or Upton or Carrera get off to a slow start.  Elsewhere in the mailbag piece, Chisholm notes that it may be hard for any prospects to find a spot on Toronto’s Opening Day roster, and highly-touted Cuban signing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. isn’t likely to be a viable roster candidate until 2018.
  • Blake Swihart’s eventual role with the Red Sox could be serving a multi-positional threat who can catch 90 games while also contributing at first, third, DH and the outfield, Peter Gammons writes in his latest piece at GammonsDaily.com.  Boston moved Swihart to left field last season due to defensive issues behind the plate, though Swihart is intent on carving out a niche for himself as a catcher.  Since Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez both have their own question marks, Swihart could still emerge as a catching option for the Sox in 2017.  As Gammons and Sox bullpen coach Dana LeVangie both mention, Swihart doesn’t have all that much actual catching experience in his career, and got precious little time as a catcher last year due to the position switch and the ankle injury that shortened his season.
  • Re-signing Matt Wieters “would be sentimental, but not practical” for the Orioles, MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli opines.  There have been whispers that Baltimore could bring back Wieters as a part-time DH and in a timeshare behind the plate with Welington Castillo, since Wieters could be had at a lowered price given his long stay in free agency.  Signing veterans at a relative bargain price is a Dan Duquette specialty, Ghiroli notes, though the O’s aren’t actively pursuing Wieters.  It could also be hard for Baltimore to offer Wieters enough playing time, given Castillo’s presence and the likelihood that Mark Trumbo will get more DH at-bats this season.
  • For more out of Baltimore, check out this set of Orioles Notes from earlier today on MLBTR.

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