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Cafardo’s Latest: Markakis, Bruce, McLeod, Fernandez, Lincecum, Reddick

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Here are some hot stove items from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe…

  • The Royals and Phillies are among the teams looking at Braves outfielder Nick Markakis.  “The money is an issue there, especially with the Royals,” Cafardo writes; Markakis is owed $10.5MM in each of the next two seasons and roughly $7.25MM remaining on his 2016 salary.  Markakis entered Sunday hitting .252/.362/.348 in 185 PA, and his near-total power dropoff over the last two seasons has surely hurt his trade value, as MLBTR’s Connor Byrne pointed out earlier today.  While both K.C. and the Phils could use help in right field, Markakis has delivered only replacement-level production this season, with an even 0.0 fWAR.
  • The Reds’ Jay Bruce is another target for the Royals and other teams looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder.  Bruce’s terrible defensive metrics (-9 Defensive Runs Saved, -34 UZR/150) have his overall value at below replacement level (-0.2 fWAR) though he’s enjoying a good year at the plate, hitting .270/.327/.518 with eight homers through 156 PA.  Bruce is under contract only through the 2016 season, owed approximately $8.1MM more in remaining salary plus a $1MM buyout of a $13MM club option for his services in 2017.  Cincinnati has been shopping Bruce for months, including one proposed offseason trade that nearly saw him get shipped to the Blue Jays.
  • Jason McLeod, the Cubs’ senior VP of player development and amateur scouting, would eventually like to run his own front office but is content to remain with Chicago, having already turned down interviews with the Mariners and Padres in recent years.  McLeod figures to be one of the game’s most sought-after GM candidates should he decide to pursue a general managing position.  Between his stints running the scouting departments for the Cubs, Padres and Red Sox, several well-regarded young prospects and currently stars were drafted on McLeod’s watch.
  • Cuban infielder Jose Miguel Fernandez is eligible to sign at any time, though he could possibly have to wait until the offseason simply due to awkward timing.  Though Fernandez is 28, an eight-year veteran in Cuba’s top league and is pitched by his agent Alan Nero as a Ben Zobrist or Dustin Pedroia type of player, he won’t be able to immediately help an MLB club.  Fernandez hasn’t played since 2014 so he’ll need some minor league time to get back into game shape.
  • As per “a couple of GMs” and at least one AL talent evaluator, Tim Lincecum made a mistake in coming to the American League to sign the Angels.  “I just don’t see his style of pitching at this juncture in his career working in the AL,” the evaluator said.  “The designated hitter makes a big difference, and when you have a guy who relies on having to be pinpoint, that makes it a tough league to succeed.”  Lincecum was known to prefer pitching for a West Coast team so his choices were somewhat limited in that sense, especially given that the two-time Cy Young Award winner also wanted to start.
  • As of last week, Josh Reddick told Cafardo that there wasn’t any progress towards an extension with the Athletics.  Much has changed, of course, since Reddick’s chat with Cafardo, as the outfielder suffered a fractured left thumb and will miss several weeks of action.

Pirates Notes: Bullpen, Joyce, Cervelli

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Here’s the latest from PNC Park…

  • The Pirates are looking for bullpen help, GM Neal Huntington told reporters (including MLB.com’s Adam Berry and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski), though Huntington noted that the pickings have been slim for buyers.  The Bucs will “scour the Minor Leagues to see if there’s another Jason Grilli-type situation out there,” Huntington said, as in a possible buy-low veteran who’s recovering from injuries or a drop in form.  The GM didn’t totally rule out the idea of calling up top pitching prospects Tyler Glasnow or Jameson Taillon as relievers, though “on a case-by-case basis, there are some things we are still accomplishing with our young minor-league starters…before we start trying to shove them in the bullpen,” Huntington said.  With the Pirates’ rotation also lacking in depth, Glasnow and/or Taillon are much more likely to start when they’re called up, as noted earlier today.
  • Matt Joyce may be the latest veteran to enjoy a career revival after joining the Pirates, Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, something manager Clint Hurdle attributes to the franchise’s ability to scout and identify players who have the right attitude about overcoming their struggles.  In Joyce’s case, his winter stint in the Dominican Republic impressed the Bucs.  “To go play 50 or 60 games in a different country and do some things on and off the field that, in a crazy kind of way, might help you find your way back?  I thought it was outstanding.  It polarized the whole story of [Joyce] for me.  I know that level of commitment,” Hurdle said.
  • Francisco Cervelli’s three-year extension not only keeps a key player behind the plate for the Pirates, it also serves as another sign of the franchise’s growth, the Post-Gazette’s Bill Brink writes.  While the Bucs have inked several young players to extensions, Cervelli signed his multi-year deal with free agency beckoning this winter, as opposed to other veterans who have left Pittsburgh for richer deals after rebuilding their value with the club.

Quick Hits: Free Agents, A’s, Padres, Draft

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Here’s the latest from around baseball as we wrap up the weekend…

  • Will the 2016-17 offseason feature “the worst baseball free agent class in decades”?  Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan thinks so, and the thin number of upper-tier talents available opens the door for the likes of Yoenis Cespedes or Josh Reddick to greatly increase their asking prices if they can build on their hot starts.  Jose Bautista’s slow start shouldn’t hurt his chances of a nine-figure contract given how teams value his “old-man game” built around plate discipline, even if Bautista could end up getting closer to $100MM than his desired $150MM contract.  Even in the thin market, Passan feels Edwin Encarnacion and particularly Carlos Gomez have thus far hurt their value thanks to slow starts.
  • The qualifying offer as we know it may not exist if a new collective bargaining agreement is settled before the offseason begins, though if it remains similar, Passan figures Dexter Fowler, Francisco Cervelli, Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos could be in position to receive a QO from their respective teams.
  • Rich Hill could even get a qualifying offer if he keeps up his strong season, which speaks to the weakness of the free agent pitching class is with Stephen Strasburg off the board.  Passan thinks Hill could ultimately have a better chance of being traded than issued a QO, however.  The relief pitching market is much stronger than the starting pitching market, as Passan feels Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman could both top Mariano Rivera’s $15MM average annual value from earlier this decade.
  • The thin free agent pitching market could lead to more trades for arms this summer, as ESPN’s Jim Bowden (subscription required) notes in his listing of eight contenders who could deal for pitching and 10 starters who could be shopped.  Bowden’s list of starters including two Athletics (Hill and Sonny Gray) and three Padres (James Shields, Drew Pomeranz and Andrew Cashner).  The A’s have been adamant about keeping Gray, though with his rough start, Bowden wonders if the club could decide to move him while he still has value.  As for the Padres, a scout tells Bowden that of the three San Diego pichers, he would prefer to have Pomeranz, which is a sign of just how much Pomeranz has upped his trade value with his impressive start — a 1.80 ERA and 51 strikeouts through 40 innings.
  • In another subscriber-only piece from Bowden, he gets input from various executives around the league about what improvements could be made to the amateur draft.

AL Central Notes: Maybin, Buxton, Royals, Tribe

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Here’s some news from around the AL Central…

  • The Tigers will activate Cameron Maybin from the disabled list tomorrow, with Anthony Gose going to Triple-A in a corresponding move.  Maybin suffered a hairline fracture in his left hand during Spring Training and is hitting .194/.313/.367 over 115 minor league plate appearances.  Detroit acquired Maybin from the Braves last November, and the outfielder will join Steven Moya and Andrew Romine in the outfield mix alongside regulars Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez.  A Maybin/Gose center field platoon seemed to be the initial plan over the winter, though Gose’s struggles earned him a demotion.
  • Byron Buxton is hitting well at Triple-A, though as La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes, the Twins aren’t likely to call Buxton back up to the Show until he shows consistent production and solid development as a hitter.  The star prospect has just a .195/.239/.316 slash line over 187 PA in the bigs and often looked over-matched at the plate against Major League arms.  Buxton only played 13 Triple-A games before his initial promotion in 2015, so he may simply need more seasoning (despite how much he’s crushing pitching at lower level) before he returns to the Twins.
  • The Royals may not have the prospect capital to make a splash at the trade deadline, Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star writes.  The acquisitions of Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist before last summer’s deadline helped win the Royals a championship but those deals also left the club thin on expendable minor league talent.  For better or worse, Mellinger opines, K.C. will have to rely on its current roster to step up if the Royals hope to make another postseason appearance.
  • Stephen Strasburg’s big extension with the Nationals is just the latest case of a star pitcher receiving a huge salary, and Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes that the Indians have positioned themselves well by amassing one of the game’s better rotations at a relative bargain price.  With a number of promising young arms in the farm system, the Tribe seem likely to use starting pitching as a trade chip to address other roster issues.

NL East Notes: Boras, Harvey, Phillies, Draft, Braves

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Here’s the latest from around the NL East…

  • The Mets haven’t approached Matt Harvey about a long-term extension, agent Scott Boras tells The Record’s Matt Ehalt.  “I always leave it up to the teams to approach us about those things like Washington did with (Stephen Strasburg).  We just keep our doors open and evaluate things as it comes,” Boras said.  Offseason chatter indicated that there weren’t any talks between the two sides, though since Strasburg’s extension rather surprisingly came out of nowhere, it wouldn’t be as stunning to see a Harvey contract negotiated privately.  Harvey, of course, still has two more arbitration-eligible years before hitting the open market after the 2018 seasons, whereas Strasburg was scheduled for free agency this coming winter.  An extension is likely less important to the Mets than simply getting Harvey on track — the righty has a 4.93 ERA through his first eight starts, though his peripherals indicate that he been somewhat unlucky (.373 BABIP, 3.35 FIP, 3.75 xFIP, 3.95 SIERA).
  • In the latest Baseball America mock draft, Hudson Belinsky projects the Phillies will take Florida southpaw A.J. Puk with the first overall pick.  Pat Gillick and other Phils executives, however, have been seen scouting high school outfielders Mickey Moniak and Blake Rutherford, and sources tell Belinsky that the Phillies could draft a slightly lower-regarded player in order to save slot money on the first overall pick.  Philadelphia has a draft bonus pool of just over $13.405MM (the second-highest amount of any club) and it could be the latest team to strategically deploy their draft spending by spending less on a top pick in order to spend more on a harder-to-sign talent in a later round.  Ultimately, however, Belinsky feels the Phillies still go with “the safer option” in Puk given “the importance of this pick in the club’s rebuilding effort.”
  • While the Braves are disappointed by their poor 2016 record, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes that the club has played a tough schedule.  Big picture-wise, the Braves are still in good shape, as O’Brien observes that many of the big names Atlanta has dealt (such as Justin Upton, Shelby Miller or Jason Heyward) are currently struggling, while the Braves received several building-block prospects to aid in their rebuild.

AL East Notes: Gurriel, Smoak, Antolin, Red Sox

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The tension that has been building between the Blue Jays and Rangers since last October finally manifested itself Sunday in the form of an all-out brawl (MLB.com video link) between the two clubs.  Multiple suspensions are sure to be handed out to members of both teams in the coming days.  Of greater concern for the Jays was yet another late-game bullpen meltdown, as a 6-3 lead in the seventh turned into a 7-6 deficit (and the eventual final score) thanks to an Ian Desmond three-run homer off Jesse Chavez.  Here’s some more from around the AL East…

  • Cuban star Yulieski Gurriel “would be super happy” to join the Yankees, Aroldis Chapman told NJ Advance Media’s Brendan Kuty through a translator.  Gurriel and Chapman are former teammates on Cuba’s national team, and in a conversation two weeks ago, Gurriel asked the closer some questions about what it was like to play for the Yankees.  As Kuty points out, the Bombers may not have room for Gurriel given that Chase Headley is already locked in at third base and Gurriel (who turns 32 in June) may be too old for a Yankees club that has been focused on transitioning to a younger, more flexible roster.  Gurriel and his younger brother Lourdes defected from Cuba earlier this year and are still waiting on clearance from MLB to become free agents, with several teams expected to bid on the siblings once they’re officially on the open market (though Lourdes is subject to international signing pools).
  • The Blue Jays have found several late-blooming hitters in recent years, and Justin Smoak’s early success has Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star wondering if the first baseman could be the latest example.  Smoak entered today’s action hitting .314/.448/.500 with three homers over 87 plate appearances, and manager John Gibbons believes a steady everyday role (forced by Chris Colabello’s suspension) could be contributing to Smoak’s hot bat.  Smoak was one of the game’s top prospects after being selected 11th overall by Texas in the 2008 draft, though he showed little at the plate over his first six MLB seasons.
  • Blue Jays righty Dustin Antolin was almost frustrated enough to walk away from baseball this offseason, Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi writes.  An 11th-round pick in 2008, Antolin battled injuries (including Tommy John surgery in 2010) during his long stint in the minors and was unsigned with two weeks remaining before Opening Day.  His girlfriend encouraged him to give it one last chance, however, and after re-signing with the Jays, Antolin performed well at Triple-A and has now finally reached the Show after being called up to replace the injured Brett Cecil in Toronto’s bullpen.
  • It’s no surprise that any team would take some lessons from the Royals following their World Series victory, as even the big-market Red Sox have observed K.C.’s model for success, Dave Dombrowski tells Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.  While Dombrowski noted some distinct differences between the two franchises, he praised the Royals’ mentality, player development and (most specifically) their bullpen construction.  Silverman points out that the acquisitions of Craig Kimbrel and Carson Smith were perhaps the most direct way in which the Sox have tried to emulate the Royals’ blueprint, though Boston needed a bullpen upgrade in general following a rough 2015 for the relief corps.
  • In other AL East news from earlier today, the Orioles placed Jimmy Paredes on waivers, the Red Sox designated Sean O’Sullivan for assignment and we explored several more items out of Boston in an edition of Red Sox Notes.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/15/16

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Here are today’s minor moves from around baseball…

  • Cubs outfielder Ryan Kalish has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat reports (Twitter link).  Kalish was designated for assignment yesterday.  The 28-year-old appeared in seven games for Chicago this season, upping his career total to 153 games with the Cubs and Red Sox since 2010.
  • The Pirates will promote infield prospect Alen Hanson to the majors on Monday, according to his agency, LA Sports Management (Twitter link). Hansen, who has appeared on various top-100 prospect lists in recent years, owns a .284/.342/.442 batting line in 2821 career minor league plate appearances.  In 126 PAs with Triple-A Indianapolis this season, the 23-year-old has slashed .288/.309/.398 with two home runs and seven steals. He swiped 35 bags with Indy in 2015.  Hanson’s first taste of the majors is unlikely to last long, as his call-up will come thanks to outfielder Starling Marte’s forthcoming placement on the paternity list.
  • Left-hander David Huff has exercised the May 15 opt-out clause in the minor league contract he signed with the Royals during the offseason and is now a free agent, MLBTR has learned.  Huff threw 23 2/3 innings for the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate and posted phenomenal nine-inning strikeout and walk rates of 11.03 and 0.76, respectively, along with a 4.18 ERA.  The 31-year-old has put up a 5.08 ERA, 5.4 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 as a starter and reliever in parts of seven major league seasons.
  • Left-hander Brian Duensing has asked to be released from his own minor league deal with the Royals, MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan reports (Twitter link).  Duensing’s contract also contained a May 15 opt-out date.  This is the second time that Duensing has opted out of a minor league deal with the Royals in the last two months, as the two sides came to terms on a new contract after Duensing opted out of his previous deal near the end of Spring Training.  The 33-year-old has a 3.10 ERA, 3.80 K/BB rate and 8.4 K/9 over 20 1/3 relief innings for Kansas City’s Triple-A affiliate this season.
  • The Yankees selected the contracts of right-handers Chad Green and Conor Mullee prior to Saturday’s game.  In corresponding moves, Greg Bird, Mason Williams and Bryan Mitchell were all moved from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL and top catching prospect Gary Sanchez was optioned back to Triple-A after appearing in just one game for New York.  Green and Mullee are both getting their first taste of the big leagues.  Green has a 3.29 ERA, 8.4 K/9 and 3.53 K/BB rate over 336 1/3 minor league innings, starting 59 of his 69 career games.  He will start the Yankees’ game on Monday against the Diamondbacks.  Mullee, a career reliever, has a 2.13 ERA, 8.9 K/9 and 3.46 K/BB rate over 143 1/3 pro innings since being picked in the 24th round of the 2010 draft.

Jose Reyes Could Face Suspension Of At Least 60 Games

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MAY 13: FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reports that an announcement on Reyes could come as soon as today, and he hears the same as Heyman: Reyes is expected to be suspended for at least 60 days. Interestingly, however, Rosenthal suggests that Reyes will not be suspended an additional 60 days on top of his paid administrative leave, but rather will repay the money he earned on leave and be suspended for an additional 26 games (or more, if the suspension proves lengthier than 60 days).

Rosenthal also adds that the delay in determining a punishment for Reyes has not been due to any differences between the commissioner’s office and the MLBPA, but rather due to difficulty in obtaining the necessary information to make a final ruling.

MAY 8: Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes could be facing at least a 60-game suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy, with some sources estimating that Reyes could be sidelined for closer to 80 games, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports.

A suspension has seemed inevitable ever since the alleged incident between Reyes and his wife took place in Hawaii last November.  Criminal charges against Reyes were dropped in March since Reyes’ wife wasn’t willing to participate in the case (nor has she been willing to participate in MLB’s investigation of the incident) and the shortstop has been on paid administrative leave while the matter has been examined by the league and the player’s union.

The policy gives Commissioner Rob Manfred the ability to discipline players in such alleged domestic violence situations even if no criminal charges are filed.  Aroldis Chapman, for instance, is nearing the end of his own 30-game suspension for an offseason incident, though as Heyman notes, Reyes’ incident has been considered to be a more serious matter due to the severity of the alleged violence.

Reyes was owed $22MM by the Rockies this season, so a suspension in the range of 60 to 80 games would cost him roughly $7.33MM-$9.77MM (as a reminder, players are paid over the 180-day MLB calendar, not strictly the 162-game season).  Beyond this season, Reyes is also owed $22MM in 2017 and a $4MM buyout of a $22MM club option for 2018.  There has been speculation that once Reyes’ suspension is up, the Rockies will simply release the shortstop and eat the rest of the money owed to him in order to cut ties as quickly as possible.

Angels, ChiSox, D’Backs, Giants Showing Early Interest In Tim Lincecum

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The Angels, Diamondbacks, Giants and White Sox are the four teams who have been the quickest to show interest in Tim Lincecum, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports.  The Padres are also expected to join the hunt to sign the two-time Cy Young Award winner.  Given that the majority of MLB teams had scouts in attendance at Lincecum’s showcase on Friday, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more clubs emerge.

Lincecum has long been considered as a possibility to return to the Giants and there is mutual interest between the two sides, though it’s still unclear whether the club is adamant about using Lincecum only as a reliever or (as he prefers) as a starting pitcher.  The Padres and Angels have also been linked to Lincecum, and given how both teams have been plagued by rotation injuries this season, they seem likely to be more open to using Lincecum as a starter.

The White Sox are a logical suitor for Lincecum given the club’s desire for rotation depth in the wake of John Danks’ release.  Erik Johnson, Miguel Gonzalez, Jacob Turner and Chris Beck are all on hand as fifth starter options for Chicago, though Lincecum offers much more upside if he can even partially resemble his old Cy Young form.  While Lincecum could be intrigued by the idea of joining the first-place Pale Hose, geography could be an issue if (as the Orioles’ Dan Duquette noted this morning) Lincecum indeed prefers to pitch for a team “west of the Mississippi.”

The D’Backs are a new name in the Lincecum sweepstakes.  Arizona starters entered today’s action with a 5.41 ERA, the second-highest rotation ERA of any club in baseball.  Zack Greinke sports a 5.15 ERA (though advanced metrics indicate that he has been unlucky), Shelby Miller has pitched very poorly and none of Patrick Corbin, Rubby De La Rosa and Robbie Ray have looked much more than average.  Pitching at Chase Field could be something of a hard sell for Lincecum given that he would likely prefer to rebuild his value in a less hitter-friendly ballpark; he has a 4.72 ERA in 76 1/3 career innings at Chase Field against the Diamondbacks.

Cafardo’s Latest: Reddick, Lovullo, Teheran, Swihart, Ellsbury

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We’ve already checked in with the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo once today, with his report that the White Sox and Angels could both be looking to acquire one of several notable outfielders before this summer’s trade deadline.  Here’s some more from Cafardo’s weekly Sunday notes piece and a separate column…

  • Josh Reddick is another addition to the list of left-handed hitting outfielders who could be targeted by the White Sox, or perhaps even the Cubs given Reddick’s past history with Theo Epstein.  Reddick will be a free agent this winter and there doesn’t appear to be much progress between he and the Athletics on an extension.  The A’s are 14-18 after today’s loss in Baltimore and Reddick stands out as a big trade candidate should Oakland continue to lag behind in the AL West race.
  • If the Braves decide to make a change at manager, Cafardo suggests that Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo would be a good fit for the rebuilding club due to Lovullo’s experience in dealing with younger players.  Lovullo posted a winning record while serving as Boston’s interim manager last year and received quite a bit of credit for helping end 2015 on a positive note after the disastrous first few months of the Sox season.
  • Many scouts and front offices feel Julio Teheran will be made available before the trade deadline.  The Braves had some talks with the Giants and Cubs about Teheran last winter, and the 25-year-old righty has likely elevated his value with a good start to his season after he struggled in the first half of 2015.
  • One AL general manager thinks the Red Sox would be willing to include Blake Swihart in a trade package for “a No. 2 type pitcher.”  Though Swihart has struggled defensively behind the plate and has been demoted to Triple-A, the former top prospect still has a lot of trade value.  Swihart’s hitting potential makes him a bigger trade target than fellow Boston catcher Christian Vazquez for most teams, as Vazquez is a much better defender but is a question mark at the plate.
  • It has become clear that the Red Sox made the right choice in choosing Jackie Bradley Jr. over Jacoby Ellsbury, Cafardo opines.  Bradley is starting to show signs that he can be a consistent big league hitter and he’s always displayed an outstanding glove, while Ellsbury has battled injuries and declining performance since signing a seven-year/$153MM deal with the Yankees in the 2013-14 offseason.

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