Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

NL West Notes: Jansen, Drury, Rockies

By Mark Polishuk | September 17, 2016 at 12:44pm CDT

Here’s the latest from around the NL West…

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen is dealing with some wrist stiffness but he doesn’t intend to miss any time with the minor injury, MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick writes. Jansen was wearing a removable brace on his right wrist in the clubhouse after last night’s game, and he said the stiffness fades when he’s warmed up and pitching but is present before and after outings. He dismissed the issue as nothing serious, though any type of arm problem is probably worth noting given Jansen’s importance to the Dodgers’ postseason hopes and his pending free agency this winter.
Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that “he couldn’t see himself” trading Brandon Drury this offseason, though Piecoro thinks Drury could be a very interesting trade chip for the Snakes. Drury is blocked at third base by Jake Lamb, though the D’Backs could continue to use Drury in a super-utility role all over the diamond, including spelling Lamb against some left-handed pitching. The 24-year-old Drury is hitting an impressive .280/.326/.450 with 14 homers over 438 PA in his rookie season and if Arizona did trade him, it would only be for a high price. For instance, John Harper of the New York Daily News speculated earlier this summer that if the Mets asked about Drury, the D’Backs would want someone like Zack Wheeler back in return. (Harper’s item came prior to the news of Wheeler’s subsequent arm problems.) Piecoro also notes that Drury’s status as a trade candidate could also vary greatly if the Diamondbacks replace Stewart and other members of the front office.
In the latest edition of the On The Rox podcast, Patrick Saunders and Jeff Bailey of the Denver Post discuss several Rockies-related topics, including what the team should do this offseason to sustain what Saunders feels is a slim window to contend. Other discussion points include the Rockies’ ill-fated bullpen acquisitions last winter, Walt Weiss’ future in Colorado and the possibility of Bud Black as a managerial candidate.

Padres Front Office Split On A.J. Preller

By Mark Polishuk | September 17, 2016 at 11:21am CDT

Major League Baseball’s 30-day suspension of Padres general manager A.J. Preller for a failure to disclose medical information in the Drew Pomeranz/Anderson Espinoza trade has led to controversy both around the league and in San Diego’s front office. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney (subscription required), “there is a split of opinion” within Padres upper management about Preller. Owner Peter Seidler and team president/CEO Mike Dee both strongly support Preller, while executive chairman Ron Fowler supports Preller publicly but is “asking hard questions about him behind the scenes.”

Questions arose about Preller’s job security in the wake of the suspension, though a club official told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that Preller wouldn’t face any further punishment from the Padres, nor was he in danger of being fired. Nonetheless, it isn’t surprising that the Padres are taking some degree of self-analysis of their baseball operations department, given how (as Olney puts it), “this situation has caused enormous tension and concern” within the club.

Fowler made headlines earlier this summer when he described the Padres’ play as “very embarrassing” during a radio interview. Fowler took responsibility on behalf of management for the Padres’ struggles in recent years, assigning a share of the blame to Preller while also praising him at the same time. “I don’t think there’s a brighter GM out there. I don’t think anyone works harder, but the results are not there, and I think A.J. would be the first one to tell you that,” Fowler said.

It would be unusual for a team to fire a GM after slightly more than two years on the job, though it could be argued that little has been normal about Preller’s entire tenure in San Diego, ranging from the payroll splurge in the 2014-15 offseason, to the lack of movement at the 2015 trade deadline to his current suspension. As Fowler noted during his interview, however, Preller was hired in part because of his ability to acquire young talent — the Padres had a wide array of picks in last June’s amateur draft and they have already far exceeded their international spending limits to land several highly-touted names from this year’s international class.

Of course, it was the acquisition of Espinoza (one of the game’s top pitching prospects) that eventually led to Preller’s suspension. Several executives and evaluators from around baseball, however, tell Olney that the punishment was insufficient. One evaluator said that despite the controversy, Preller still “won” because at the end of the day, Espinoza is still a Padre. As both Olney and Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron observed, there appears to be little explanation for the Padres’ system of internal medical records for their own use and separate records to be shared with other teams unless there was some intentional gamesmanship at play. “The Padres basically got told to stop reaching into the cookie jar while being allowed to continue eating the cookie they were already holding,” Cameron writes.

Minor MLB Transactions: 9/17/16

By Mark Polishuk | September 17, 2016 at 10:58am CDT

Here are the latest minor moves from around baseball…

The Rangers outrighted left-hander Michael Roth to Triple-A after he accepted the assignment, club executive VP of communications John Blake tweets. Roth was designated for assignment earlier this week. The southpaw appeared in just one game for the Rangers this season (allowing six ER over 3 2/3 relief innings) while posting a 2.97 ERA, 2.24 K/BB rate and 5.8 K/9 over 145 1/3 innings at Triple-A, with 23 of his 28 outings coming as a starter.
The Braves selected the contracts of utilityman Emilio Bonifacio and third baseman Rio Ruiz from Triple-A Gwinnett, the team announced. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski and righty Rob Whalen were shifted to the 60-day DL in corresponding moves to create roster space. Bonifacio was outrighted off Atlanta’s 40-man roster earlier this summer, and the veteran has appeared in just 15 games for the Braves in 2016. Ruiz, 22, is getting his first taste of the majors after hitting .271/.355/.400 with 10 homers and 24 doubles over 533 Triple-A plate appearances this season. MLB.com ranked Ruiz as the 15th-best prospect in the Braves’ system.

No Extension Talks Currently Planned Between Orioles, Zach Britton

By Mark Polishuk | September 17, 2016 at 9:22am CDT

Scott Boras, agent for star Orioles closer Zach Britton, doesn’t think the club will be looking to pursue an extension with his client in the near future, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports. Britton has two more years of arbitration eligibility before he hits free agency in the 2018-2019 offseason.

With so much team control remaining, it perhaps isn’t surprising that the O’s are prioritizing other business before getting around to a long-term deal with Britton. Extending Britton now would also be something of a buy-high move given that the closer is in the midst of perhaps his most dominating season yet — an 0.60 ERA, 9.8 K/9 and 3.57 K/BB rate over 60 1/3 innings, plus a stunning 80.4% ground ball rate and a career-best 96.3 mph average fastball velocity. Britton is a perfect 44-for-44 in save opportunities in 2016.

Needless to say, Britton will be getting a healthy raise in his third year of arbitration eligibility. Britton and the O’s avoided arbitration in his first two arb years by agreeing to salaries of $3.2MM for 2015 and $6.75MM for this season. As a Super Two player, Britton is on track for yet another big arbitration payday following the 2017 campaign; if he continues on his current pace, he could be looking at a 2017 salary in the neighborhood of $12-13MM.

Having already achieved quite a bit of financial security, Britton has some negotiating leverage on his side. It could also help he (and Boras) in waiting to discuss an extension until after this offseason, as Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen are poised to set new standards for reliever contracts.

From Baltimore’s perspective, there are some arguments for exploring an extension now. Locking Britton up to even a two-year deal through his remaining arb years would get the team some cost certainty. The Orioles have traditionally been wary about signing pitchers to a significant multi-year deals, though they’re more comfortable doing so when it’s an arm they’re already familiar with (i.e. Darren O’Day’s four-year contract last winter). Britton also doesn’t carry a significant health risk; as MLBTR contributor Bradley Woodrum outlined in his study of Tommy John injuries earlier this year, there is a well below-average chance Britton will eventually require TJ surgery.

A’s Unlikely To Retain Danny Valencia For 2017

By Mark Polishuk | September 13, 2016 at 10:50pm CDT

SEPT. 13, 10:49pm: Valencia’s roster spot isn’t at risk now, but he is unlikely to return for 2017, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. She notes that it’s unclear whether he could be traded or non-tendered.

12:46pm: MLB.com’s Jane Lee hears differently, reporting that Valencia is likely to remain with the A’s through at least the end of the season. While Valencia and fellow veteran/University of Miami product Yonder Alonso will lose some at-bats to rookies Matt Olson and Renato Nunez, they’ll both still remain in the mix for at-bats down the stretch.

SEPT. 11: The A’s released designated hitter Billy Butler today, and another veteran could soon be following Butler out of Oakland. The Athletics are likely to release Danny Valencia before the end of the season, sources tell Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Valencia is eligible for arbitration for the third and final time this winter, though cutting him sooner rather than later would give both he and the team a clean break rather than waiting until the non-tender deadline.

It has been apparent for weeks that Valencia was unlikely to be with the A’s in 2017, as he was rumored as a possible DFA candidate in July since he wasn’t getting any trade deadline interest. Valencia’s playing time was also reportedly going to be cut, though he played in 27 games in August and seven of Oakland’s nine games thus far in September. It could simply be that the A’s didn’t feel comfortable benching Valencia when his 121 wRC+ led the team; after today’s action, Valencia is hitting .289/.346/.458 with 18 homers over 445 plate appearances in 2016.

Valencia’s strong production in three of the last four seasons and his multi-position versatility at third, first and both corner outfield spots (though defensive metrics indicate his glovework is only serviceable at first and right field) should get him attention on the free agent market this winter. If the A’s do release him before the season is over, it’s even possible that Valencia could catch on with a contending team looking for some late-season pop to boost them into the playoffs. Valencia wouldn’t himself be eligible for the postseason, of course, since he’d be joining a team past the September 1 deadline.

Valencia, who turns 32 later this month, has already played for six different teams during his seven years in the majors, and rumors of clubhouse problems have followed him throughout his career. Teammates such as Yonder Alonso, however, have also defended Valencia’s reputation. Slusser notes that Valencia “is known as a hard worker” within the Athletics clubhouse, while Butler’s work habits (particularly a lack of time in the weight room last season) were questioned by teammates. Valencia and Butler are linked, of course, by their infamous clubhouse altercation last month that led to both players being fined and Butler spending time on the DL recovering from a concussion.

Quick Hits: Sanchez, Zimmermann, Relievers

By Mark Polishuk | September 11, 2016 at 11:12pm CDT

Here’s the latest from around baseball…

A nagging blister problem bothered right-hander Aaron Sanchez during his rough outing against the Red Sox today, the Blue Jays ace told reporters (including MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm). Sanchez has been dealing with the sore spot on his middle right finger since Spring Training, with the affected area going from “hot spot” to blister at various times during the season. While Sanchez’s performance obviously hasn’t been much hampered by his minor injury for much of the season, one need only look at Rich Hill’s problems over the last few months to note how a blister can develop into a major issue. Sanchez’s next start was expected to be at least a couple of days later than normal anyways, Chisholm notes, as part of the Jays’ plan to monitor their young star’s innings.
Jordan Zimmermann will throw a simulated game rather than make his next scheduled start for the Tigers, manager Brad Ausmus told reporters (including George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press). Two separate DL stints due to a neck strain have limited Zimmermann to just two starts since the end of June, and the righty didn’t look good in either outing, allowing a combined 10 earned runs over just 2 2/3 innings. The 80-pitch sim game isn’t due to another injury, however, but rather simply give Zimmermann a chance to build up arm speed and regain his mechanics. Zimmerman had no issue with the Tigers’ decision, saying “I can’t be going out there pitching like dog crap, not giving our team a chance to win. We need to win now.”
Newly-acquired relievers are playing a huge role in this season’s pennant races, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com writes, ranging from the blockbuster deals at the trade deadline to less-heralded deals like the Blue Jays’ trades for Jason Grilli and Joaquin Benoit. With the cost of relief pitching so high, an AL manager and AL general manager both suggest to Gammons that clubs could focus more on drafting pitchers they specifically groom as relievers or even old-school “fireman” types who can pitch multiple innings in any game situation.

AL West Notes: Butler, Gray, Lincecum, Fowler

By Mark Polishuk | September 11, 2016 at 9:34pm CDT

It was 50 years ago today that Nolan Ryan made his Major League debut, tossing two relief innings (and recording three strikeouts) for the Mets during an 8-3 loss to the Braves. Ryan spent his first five big league seasons in New York, including winning his only World Series ring as part of the 1969 Miracle Mets squad. Still, Ryan is probably much better remembered for his stints with the Angels, Astros and Rangers during his legendary career. Here’s the latest from around the AL West…

The clubhouse fight between Billy Butler and Danny Valencia in August didn’t play a role in the Athletics’ decision to release Butler today, A’s GM David Forst and manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including CSNBayArea.com’s Joe Stiglich) today. Butler was released because it was simply “the right time to move on. It’s something we’ve discussed,” Forst said. “A lot of the younger players are here now, potentially more coming once [Triple-A] Nashville’s done. The at-bats just were not there. It’s time for us to move our focus beyond.”
Butler also comments within the piece, saying the release wasn’t unexpected but he feels he could’ve used more at-bats to prove himself. His rough 2015 season “was definitely below what my expectations of myself are,” Butler said. “This season, it’s hard to even judge that. I haven’t even had many opportunities to play. When I did, I thought I helped the team.”
Sonny Gray threw 11 pitches off a mound in a short bullpen session on Sunday, and the A’s righty told the media (including MLB.com’s Michael Wagaman) that he is still hopeful of pitching again this season, even if it’s just a relief outing or two. Earlier reports this week suggested that Gray’s 2016 season was probably over, given the nature of his injury (a right forearm strain) and the fact that the A’s are well out of the pennant race.
Tim Lincecum won’t pitch again for the Angels in 2016, but GM Billy Eppler tells John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that he’ll touch base with the righty in the offseason. In fact, Eppler said he has already “spoke at length with [Lincecum] about some thoughts for the wintertime and I’ll probably have more dialogue with him to see what he’s doing from a rehabilitation and strengthening standpoint.” Shea figures Lincecum will have to accept a minor league contract and be more open about converting to relief pitching if he hopes to continue his career. The Giants were interested in Lincecum as a reliever last winter, so a reunion could be possible if Lincecum indeed accepts a role change. While Lincecum struggled badly in limited duty with the Halos, Shea feels a proper offseason of conditioning and a full Spring Training could be greatly beneficial for the right-hander.
This weekend’s Cubs/Astros series has led to some reflection about Houston’s decision to pass on Kris Bryant in the 2013 draft, but ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers looks back at another connection between the two clubs. In January 2015, the Astros traded Dexter Fowler to Wrigleyville for Luis Valbuena and Dan Straily, a deal GM Jeff Luhnow said the two sides discussed for over a month before Straily’s inclusion clinched things. While Fowler has been a star over his two seasons for the Cubs, Luhnow has no regrets, given that Fowler was a year away from free agency and Valbuena has been a pretty solid player for the Astros. (This isn’t mentioned in Rogers’ piece, but moving Straily may actually be the bigger loss for Houston. Straily was traded to San Diego in March for Erik Kratz, and the righty developed into a good rotation piece for the Reds this season.)

Dodgers Release Randy Choate, Matt West

By Mark Polishuk | September 11, 2016 at 8:36pm CDT

The Dodgers released left-hander Randy Choate and right-hander Matt West at the start of the month, Eric Stephen of the True Blue LA blog reports. Neither pitcher appeared in the big leagues in 2016, with Choate tossing 17 2/3 innings at three levels of the Dodgers’ farm system while West threw 46 relief innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Choate posted a 7.13 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 2.5 K/BB rate this season, though that inflated ERA is somewhat misleading. Choate has been strictly a lefty specialist for years in the bigs, yet in the minors, he actually faced more right-handed batters (who had a whopping 1.143 OPS against him in 43 PA) than he did left-handed batters (who managed just a .578 OPS in 41 PA).

It’s probably unlikely, though not totally out of the question, that a team looking for southpaw bullpen depth down the stretch could sign Choate with an eye towards using him in his old LOOGY role. Choate signed his minor league deal with the Dodgers in June after he was released by the Blue Jays in Spring Training, and (this is purely speculation on my part) Toronto stands out as one contender who has struggled to find effective left-handed relief pitching this season. If Choate does manage to catch on somewhere and appear in a big league game, the 41-year-old will have officially played in parts of 16 Major League seasons.

West, 27, had a strong year at Triple-A, posting a 2.33 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 4.75 K/BB over his 46 frames. A second-round pick for Texas in the 2007 draft, West converted from infielder to pitcher in 2011 and has a 3.54 ERA over 203 2/3 career innings in the minors. He had cups of coffee with the Rangers (three games) in 2014 and the Dodgers (two games) in 2015.

Minor MLB Transactions: 9/11/16

By Mark Polishuk | September 11, 2016 at 7:31pm CDT

Here are the latest minor moves from around the game, all from Matt Eddy of Baseball America unless otherwise credited. Check out Roster Resource for updated roster information for the teams cited here and every other team in the majors.

The Rays have outrighted Hank Conger to Triple-A Durham, after the catcher was designated for assignment earlier this week. Conger managed just a .194/.265/.306 slash line and three homers over 137 plate appearances for Tampa this season. Perhaps even most ominously, Conger’s struggles worsened after he was optioned to Triple-A in July, as he has managed just a .503 OPS over 116 PA for Durham.
The Rays have selected the contract of veteran southpaw Dana Eveland, the team announced. He’ll take the 40-man roster spot of Tyler Sturdevant, who was DFA’ed earlier today. Eveland has himself been designated for assignment twice this season by the Rays (accepting outright assignments both times), and the lefty has an 8.55 ERA, 8.1 K/9 and 6.8 BB/9 over 20 relief innings out of Tampa Bay’s bullpen this season.
The Blue Jays outrighted third baseman Matt Dominguez to Triple-A, the club announced last week. Dominguez was designated for assignment on September 2. He owns a .269/.315/.421 slash line and 18 homers over 514 PA for Triple-A Buffalo this season, plus he also appeared in five games for the Jays to clock his first big league action since 2014. Once a well-regarded prospect, Dominguez enjoyed a 21-homer season with Houston in 2013 but has hit only .231/.273/.371 in 1369 career PA in the majors.
The Blue Jays released outfielder Quintin Berry. The base-stealing specialist just signed a minor league pact with the Jays on August 31, potentially putting him in line for a reprise of his past role (with the Tigers and Red Sox) as postseason pinch-running depth. Berry appeared in just 31 MLB games in 2013-15 and he hasn’t played in the bigs in 2016, spending much of the year with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate.
The Braves released right-hander Wilfredo Boscan. The 26-year-old made his Major League debut this season, tossing 15 1/3 innings over six games (one of them a start) for the Pirates and posting a 6.46 ERA. Atlanta claimed Boscan off waivers in August and then outrighted him off the 40-man roster to make room for September call-ups.
The Braves have selected the contract of catcher Blake Lalli from Triple-A, the team announced. Lalli will replace A.J. Pierzynski, who hit the 15-day disabled list earlier today. Lalli, who has 22 big league games under his belt, will be looking for his first taste of MLB action since 2013 when he was a member of the Brewers. He has since played in the Diamondbacks and Braves farm systems.
The Marlins released right-hander Andre Rienzo. The Brazilian hurler posted a 2.85 ERA, 10.1 K/9 and 2.3 K/BB rate over 41 innings split between four levels of the Miami farm system, though 32 1/3 IP came at the Triple-A level. Control was again an issue for Rienzo, as it was during his 140 1/3 career MLB innings with the White Sox and Marlins from 2013-15 when he had a 4.7 BB/9 (not to mention a 1.6 HR/9 that contributed to his 5.90 ERA).

White Sox Release Ryan Webb

By Mark Polishuk | September 11, 2016 at 5:35pm CDT

The White Sox have released right-hander Ryan Webb, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy reports. The 30-year-old reliever signed a minor league deal with Chicago in July after being released by the Rays earlier this season.

Webb signed a one-year, $1MM Major League deal with Tampa in February but wasn’t very effective in his brief stint as a Ray, posting a 5.19 ERA, 5.7 K/9 and 3.67 K/BB rate over 17 1/3 innings. The peripherals numbers weren’t too far removed from Webb’s career marks, and there was certainly some batted-ball misfortune (.417 BABIP) that led to Webb’s inflated ERA.

It was certainly a step down from Webb’s usual performance, as the righty had posted a solid 3.35 ERA (with a 6.2 K/9, 2.15 K/BB and 56.5% grounder rate) over 376 innings from 2009-15 for the Padres, Marlins, Orioles and Indians. His 2016 struggles continued at the Triple-A level, however, as Webb tossed only 2 2/3 innings (with a 13.50 ERA) for the top White Sox farm club. He hasn’t pitched since July 20, so there could well be an injury at play, making it even more unlikely that another team would sign Webb for the September stretch run.

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