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Nationals Links: Desmond, Perez, Zimmerman

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Here’s the latest from the D.C. camp…

  • Ian Desmond’s former Nationals teammates are flabbergasted by the fact that the shortstop has yet to sign with a team, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes.  “I don’t think there is a draft pick out there who is better than Ian Desmond,” Bryce Harper said.  “I don’t there is a draft pick out there who is a better guy or person in the clubhouse than him.”  Harper and Max Scherzer both feel that the qualifying offer is largely behind Desmond’s lingering presence on the market, with Harper opining that the QO system is “something baseball definitely needs to change.”  Scherzer thinks the qualifying offer “literally has to be” the biggest and maybe only factor why Desmond is still available. “There’s no other reason why a team would not want to sign a shortstop like that. ….You could see the power. You could see the speed. You just don’t find that out of a shortstop,” Scherzer said.
  • Oliver Perez’s previous stint with the Nationals consisted of 16 Double-A games in 2011, but the southpaw tells MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman that this stint helped revive his career.  Minor league pitching coordinator Spin Williams encouraged Perez to become a full-time reliever in order to pave a quicker road back to the majors, and Perez has taken that advice to the bank.  In four seasons since shifting to the bullpen, Perez has become a quality lefty specialist and is now back in Washington on a much more lucrative contract.
  • Ryan Zimmerman spoke to reporters (including Zuckerman) for the first time since his name was cited in the controversial Al Jazeera documentary that alleged Zimmerman, Ryan Howard, Peyton Manning and several other notable athletes were using PEDs.  Zimmerman firmly denied any allegations made in the documentary and noted that he and Howard were so eager to clear their names that they filed a defamation lawsuit against Al Jazeera, despite the fact that such a suit could lead to more public scrutiny.  “It’s one of those things where privacy is really not privacy anymore for me,” Zimmerman said. “It’s unfortunate that I have to do that, but that’s the steps I’m willing to take to show people that I have nothing to hide.”

No Extension Talks Yet Between A’s, Josh Reddick

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12:31pm: A’s general manager David Forst tells reporters (including John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group and CSNBayArea.com’s Joe Stiglich) that he hasn’t yet had a chance to speak to Reddick’s agent since the two sides have been playing “phone tag” due to travel and other assorted issues.  At this point “it’s impossible to say” if an extension can be worked out before Opening Day, though Forst is happy to hear that Reddick wants to stay with the club.

10:59am: The Athletics have yet to engage Josh Reddick’s representatives in talks about a long-term extension, the outfielder told reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle).  Despite the lack of activity thus far, Reddick reiterated that he was still very interested in remaining with the team for years to come.

Both Reddick and Billy Beane expressed mutual interest in continuing the two sides’ relationship earlier in the offseason.  It seemed like negotiations would begin once Reddick’s 2016 contract was finalized — he and the A’s avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $6.575MM deal for the coming season — in mid-January, though over a month has passed with no apparent progress.  This isn’t necessarily a bad sign since many clubs wait until Spring Training to fully engage in extension talks.  It does, however, create a shorter window to reach a new deal; Reddick, like most players wanting to avoid distractions, has stated that he doesn’t want negotiations to last into the season.

Reddick, who just turned 29 earlier this week, has hit .255/.317/.441 with 83 homers over the last five seasons (including a 32-homer outburst in 2012) and, except for last year, has posted excellent defensive metrics as a right fielder.  With another solid season in 2016, Reddick will position himself for a very healthy free agent contract next winter, especially given the overall weakness of the 2016-17 free agent class.  This could make it difficult for Oakland to lock Reddick up, particularly given the A’s have generally shied away from pricey extensions under Beane’s management.  Reddick could have more value to the A’s in terms of the compensatory first-rounder he could net the team if he rejects a qualifying offer and signs elsewhere next offseason, or he could possibly be a midseason trade candidate if the Athletics aren’t in contention.

AL East Notes: Machado, Desmond, Rays, Atkins, Bautista

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Here’s the latest from around the AL East…

  • Manny Machado talked to reporters (including MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko) about several topics in a media session today, including his happiness that Chris Davis, Matt Wieters and Darren O’Day are all still Orioles.  The team’s willingness to spend this offseason “brings out hope” that Machado will also be able to sign a new contract to remain in Baltimore, as he desires.  “They’re trying to keep everybody here.  That’s good for me.  I hope they keep me here for [the] long term,” Machado said.  “But the case is, you can’t really sign everybody.  You can’t bring everybody back.  But it’s just part of the business, people you can bring back, people who you can’t, people who won’t be.  But I think we’re making an effort of bringing everybody back, keeping the same clubhouse, the same core.”
  • It’s “still quite unlikely” that Ian Desmond will sign with the Rays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes.  Desmond’s list of possible suitors got even thinner yesterday when the White Sox signed Jimmy Rollins to address the shortstop position.  The Rays have had some talks with Desmond, but the sticking point is the Rays’ unwillingness to surrender its first round draft pick (the 13th overall selection) to make the signing, as Desmond is a qualifying offer free agent.
  • In a session with reporters (including Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi) this morning, Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins gave no comment on either Jose Bautista’s contract ultimatum or the reportedly off-the-table trade involving Jay Bruce and Michael Saunders.  In regards to Bautista, Atkins said any extension talks between the team and the slugger won’t be made public, as “in relation to the negotiation, out of respect for him, out of respect for the Blue Jays organization, we just can’t get into the specifics of it.”
  • In another piece from Davidi, he characterized the Blue Jays’ decision on Bautista as a bellwether of how the club plans to operate in the near future beyond the 2016 season, in regards to both spending and fielding a contender.

Agent: Cliff Lee Not Expected To Pitch In 2016

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Cliff Lee was reportedly considering a comeback earlier this winter, but as his agent Darek Braunecker now tells FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link), “We don’t anticipate him playing at this point.”

Lee last pitched on July 31, 2014 and has since been sidelined due to elbow problems and then a partially torn flexor tendon in his throwing shoulder.  After receiving a clean bill of health in December, however, Lee was looking to return to the mound and drew interest from at least 15 teams.  There were some caveats to Lee’s comeback attempt, however, as Braunecker said in January that his client would require “a perfect fit” to return.  Lee was looking for a one-year Major League deal with a contender reportedly in the range of $6MM-$8MM in base salary, plus incentives.  The left-hander also didn’t reach the point of throwing for teams or holding a showcase, so clubs had several questions about the health of Lee’s shoulder, or when in the season he’d be able to pitch.

At age 37 and already 18 months removed from his last game, it’s hard to see Lee mounting another comeback attempt next offseason.  If this is indeed the end of Lee’s 13-year Major League career, he’ll go down as one of the best left-handed starters of his era.  Lee’s impressive resume includes the 2008 AL Cy Young Award, four All-Star appearances, stints on two pennant winners (the 2009 Phillies and the 2010 Rangers) and a 2.93 ERA over his last 1415 innings.  He also banked over $143.3MM over his career, most of it earned from the five-year, $120MM contract he signed with Philadelphia in the 2010-11 offseason.

Tigers To Sign Casey McGehee

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The Tigers have agreed to a minor league contract with third baseman Casey McGehee, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link).  The 33-year-old McGehee is represented by Meister Sports Management.

There were rumblings earlier in the week about Detroit possibly signing another veteran infielder, and in McGehee, the Tigers have added depth at third base.  The hot corner is arguably the team’s least-settled position given how former top prospect Nick Castellanos has delivered sub-replacement numbers both offensively and (especially) defensively over two full seasons in the bigs.  Offseason acquisition Mike Aviles has the inside track on the utility infield job due to his ability to play all around the diamond, while Andrew Romine and Tommy Field are also in the mix for playing time.

McGehee won NL Comeback Player Of The Year honors in 2014 following a solid season with the Marlins, though that performance was somewhat checkered by a poor second half and an overall .335 BABIP.  He was dealt to San Francisco last winter and was the Giants’ de facto replacement for Pablo Sandoval at third but McGehee struggled badly and eventually lost his job to Matt Duffy.  He ended up re-signing with the Marlins after being designated for assignment in June, and overall, McGehee hit .198/.264/.274 with two homers over 258 plate appearances last season.

AL East Notes: Vazquez, Rays, O’s, Marmol, Shreve

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Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez seems to be ahead of schedule in his rehab from Tommy John surgery, writes WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford.  Vazquez tells Bradford that he had a scare last week when he felt some discomfort in his surgically repaired right elbow, but the doctors informed him that it stemmed from muscle pain and scar tissue as opposed to any sort of notable setback in his recovery.  Vazquez is already throwing to bases from behind the plate, though Bradford notes that it’s unclear if he’ll be ready for game action when games kick off on Feb. 29.  Here’s some more from around the AL East…

  • Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes that the Rays’ focus on adding bats this winter will not only help the offense, but also help the pitching staff and bullpen by theoretically sparing them from so many close games.  “When we’re playing in one-run games every night, it’s tough. It’s tough to piece together the innings and make sure that we keep everyone fresh,” president of baseball operations Matt Silverman said.
  • There’s no reason to worry about Yovani Gallardo passing his physical with the Orioles, based on what Eduardo Encina of The Baltimore Sun hears.  Encina also points out that though Gallardo turns 30 later this month, the righty has a strong track record of durability.  Gallardo’s physical is said to have taken place around noon today, so the deal could potentially be finalized and formally announced by the team at some point this afternoon.
  • The Orioles have been heavily connected to Dexter Fowler, though they’re also looking at other position player options, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets.  Pedro Alvarez, who was rumored as a Baltimore target earlier this offseason, is still being considered by the team.
  • The Red Sox believe that Carlos Marmol can be a relief force again after correcting a flaw in his delivery, WEEI.com’s John Tomase writes.  Marmol’s already-shaky control was worsened by a high arm slot over the last two years, as observed by Boston director of pitching analysis and development Brian Bannister.  If this theory is correct and Marmol can get back on track, the Sox may have landed a big strikeout reliever at the cost of just a minor league deal.
  • The Yankees’ big three bullpen aces have drawn much of the attention this winter, though the rest of New York’s relief corps will also play an important role in the team’s success.  To this end, Chasen Shreve will be a big figure for the Yankees, though his late-season fade is a concern, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes.  Fatigue or over-thinking may have played a role in Shreve’s late-season struggles, though Brian McCann feels that Shreve was tipping his pitches.

Yankees Sign Chris Parmelee To Minor League Deal

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FEB. 22: GM Brian Cashman told reporters, including the YES Network’s Jack Curry, that Parmelee has been signed to a minor league deal (Twitter link). He’ll be in big league camp, tweets MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.

FEB. 21: The Yankees have apparently reached an agreement with Chris Parmelee, as per his own Instagram page.  As a left-handed hitting first baseman/outfielder, Parmelee will essentially fill the spot left on the Yankees’ depth chart once Greg Bird was lost for the season after shoulder surgery.

Parmelee, who turns 28 on Wednesday, opted to become a free agent following a season that saw him hit only .216/.255/.433 over 102 plate appearances with the Orioles but a much more impressive .314/.386/.444 slash line in 272 PA at Triple-A Norfolk.  Parmelee has a modest .707 OPS over 1003 Major League PA with virtually the same splits against right-handed pitching as he does against lefties.

The rumor mill has been pretty quiet for Parmelee this winter, though he was mentioned as a speculative fill for New York in the wake of Bird’s injury.  Parmelee has seen most of his MLB action at first and right field, so he’ll serve as a depth option behind Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran at those respective positions (possibly from Triple-A to begin the year).  Parmelee has a good chance at playing time given how those two veterans, particularly Teixeira, have battled injuries in recent years, and he could also be in for a power boost given Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch.

NL West Notes: Lincecum, Cueto, Gillaspie, Cain, Urias

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The Padres have spoken to Tim Lincecum’s agent and will have scouts in attendance to see the righty throw in a showcase scheduled for later in February, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.  Rick Thurman, Lincecum’s agent, said he’d talked to the Padres “a number of times” but had also been in contact with “quite a few other teams” as well, with at least 20 teams requesting Lincecum’s medical information.  There seems to be enough interest that, provided Lincecum’s showcase goes well, he should be able to land his desired Major League contract.  If such a deal is found with San Diego, the Padres could line Lincecum up as their fourth or fifth starter and move one of their many other back-of-the-rotation candidates into the bullpen.  Here’s some more from around the NL West…

  • Johnny Cueto’s extra workload from the Royals’ postseason run will slightly impact how the Giants treat him in camp, pitching coach Dave Righetti tells Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.  “He’s been through some playoff situations, but when you go to the World Series you go the extra mile,” Righetti said.  “We know it takes stuff out of guys regardless of how young and strong they are….So, absolutely, you would monitor him anyway. Being that he pitched an extra month, you’re darn right.”
  • Conor Gillaspie has regrets over his first stint with the Giants, telling reporters (including Schulman) that “obviously, I was young and probably not mentally or physically or socially where I needed to be” when he broke in with San Francisco as a rookie.  Now back with the team on a minor league deal, Gillaspie feels he’s matured and is thankful to the Giants for giving him a chance.
  • Matt Cain has gone from a cornerstone to an x-factor with the Giants, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News writes, as both the team and the pitcher are hopeful but measured about what Cain can deliver in 2016.  Injuries played a role in Cain’s rough last two seasons, though beyond health, his sudden propensity for allowing homers didn’t help Cain’s faith in himself.
  • Julio Urias is facing a lot of pressure as both arguably the game’s top pitching prospect and maybe even “the next Fernando Valenzuela,” though Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown relates how the 19-year-old Dodgers phenom is trying to take his development step by step.

No Extension Talks Between Dodgers, Kenley Jansen

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The Dodgers didn’t talk about a multi-year contract while in negotiations over Kenley Jansen’s deal for 2016, the closer tells MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick.  The two sides avoided arbitration by settling on a $10.65MM salary in Jansen’s last year of arb eligibility, and he’ll hit free agency after the season.

As Gurnick put it, Jansen mentioned the lack of long-term talks with “the implication being that he wished [the team] had” discussed keeping him in Los Angeles beyond 2016.  Still, Jansen seemed at peace with the one-year deal, saying “at the end of the day, it’s just business. I’ve got to move forward.  Who knows what’s going to happen after this year?  It’s not in my control.  All I can do is stay healthy, help my team win and when the year is over, I can’t predict the future.”

Though president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has far more financial resources available to him in L.A. than he did in Tampa Bay, Friedman’s modus operandi with the Rays was to acquire relief pitching at a low price, a tactic that often resulted in great success (i.e. Fernando Rodney, Kyle Farnsworth).  Continuing this strategy would allow Friedman and GM Farhan Zaidi to spend the Dodgers’ many millions on more stable positions than the often-inconsistent relief market.  With Chris Hatcher, Yimi Garcia and Pedro Baez already on board, Jansen himself would understand if one of the Dodgers’ current relievers will be his replacement.

“They can close — Hatch, Yimi, Pedro.  I’m not mad at that. If that’s the road they want to go, who knows? This day I’m a Dodger. I’ll just continue to keep improving and help the team win and be better every day,” Jansen said.

Then again, the Dodgers also attempted to bolster their pen with a much more high-priced arm in Aroldis Chapman this past winter, before concerns over an alleged domestic violence incident involving Chapman scuttled the trade.  Jansen said he had no hard feelings about a deal that would’ve relegated him to a setup role, saying that Friedman contacted him to discuss the failed Chapman trade once the news broke.

In terms of pure on-field performance, Jansen is certainly worthy of a multi-year commitment after four excellent years as the Dodgers’ closer.  The righty has a 2.28 ERA, 4.89 K/BB rate and a whopping 528 strikeouts over 340 innings in his career, and he’ll be a big target on the open market next winter.  (If not the biggest free agent closer, as Chapman is also in the last year of his contract.)  One concern beyond cost for both the Dodgers and other teams could be Jansen’s history of heart issues, though those problems haven’t cropped up in the last few years.

Astros Interested In Randy Choate

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The Astros have talked to left-hander Randy Choate, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports.  Choate would provide the club with some southpaw relief depth beyond Tony Sipp, as Sipp and Kevin Chapman are the only lefty relievers on Houston’s 40-man roster.

Choate, 40, is the definition of a lefty specialist.  Over his 15-season career, Choate has been hit hard by right-handed batters (a .290/.403/.404 slash line) while dominating left-handed hitters to the tune of a measly .195/.276/.274 slash.  Choate posted similar splits in 27 1/3 innings last season with the Cardinals while delivering an overall 3.95 ERA, 7.2 K/9, 4.4 K/BB rate and 61.7% ground ball rate.  In regards to that last stat, 2015 was Choate’s seventh consecutive year with a grounder rate of at least 60 percent.

Despite Choate’s recent success, there hasn’t been any buzz surrounding his free agency this offseason.  It’s probably no surprise that teams were waiting, given Choate’s age and somewhat limited skillset.  He figures to draw more interest now, as teams develop bullpen openings due to injury or dissatisfaction with their internal left-handed options.

As Drellich notes, several Astros righty relievers have good splits against left-handed batters.  While there may not be a pressing need for a southpaw, however, adding a pitcher like Choate would be a low-cost way to solve a problem before it develops during the season.  The bullpen is one of a few areas where Houston is lacking in depth, Drellich opines, as the club could also stand to bolster its backup situation at catcher or either corner infield slot.

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