D’Backs GM Dave Stewart On Jean Segura Trade
On Saturday, the Diamondbacks acquired shortstop Jean Segura and reliever Tyler Wagner from the Brewers in exchange for starting pitcher Chase Anderson, second baseman Aaron Hill, and prospect Isan Diaz. The deal brings a notable player to the Diamondbacks’ lineup while also creating something of a logjam at his position.
Here’s a look at what Arizona GM Dave Stewart has said about the deal and what could come next for the D’Backs:
- Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart did not dispute the idea that the D’Backs could parlay their infield depth into a trade to bolster another area, as Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic writes. Stewart also indicated that another GM has already approached him about that idea. “It does give us flexibility and also the dollars saved give us some flexibility as well,” Stewart said. “You guys know we’ve been looking at middle relievers. We’ve been looking at closers. We’ve been looking in those areas to try to get better. If there is a deal out there to be made we have to look at it.”
- Stewart added that dealing Hill also saves the club some money if they want to take another look at the free agent market. Hill, the veteran of the trade, has declined steadily since a peak season in 2012. Injuries and playing time battles held him to 353 plate appearances last season and he hit just .230/.295/.345. Entering his age 34 season, he’s owed $12MM in the final year of his contract.
- Prospect Isan Diaz was “one of the first names” mentioned by the Brewers in trade talks, Stewart said (Twitter link via Jack Magruder of FOX Sports). Baseball America rated Diaz the ninth best prospect in the Arizona system. Diaz, 20 in May, is coming off a strong season in rookie ball in which he was dubbed the MVP of the Pioneer League.
- While giving proper respect to Nick Ahmed, Stewart told MLB Network Radio (on Twitter) that Segura is going to get most of his reps at shortstop rather than second base.
- Also in his chat with MLB Network Radio, Stewart confessed that the D’Backs took payroll into consideration by acquiring Segura instead of a free agent like Howie Kendrick. “We are not, right now, as financially solid as we’d like to be,” Stewart said (audio link). “But the addition of [Zack] Greinke took some dollars out of our pocket. We were considering our compensation pick and we also lost our first round pick and I think, as a group, we weren’t willing to give up the comp pick.”
Cafardo On Lincecum, Lucroy, Fister
The Giants are just about done with making offseason moves, GM Bobby Evans tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Evans has been monitoring free agent Tim Lincecum, but he doesn’t anticipate a reunion since the team already boasts a star-studded starting five. Cafardo raises the idea that Lincecum could be in store for a bullpen role in 2016, but Evans’ comments make it seem as though that won’t take place in San Francisco.
Before being shut down midway through the season, Lincecum had posted a 4.13 ERA, although with a 7.1 K/9 and a high 4.5 BB/9 that were even less impressive than that modest ERA figure. His average fastball velocity also fell from 89.6 MPH in 2014 to 87.2 MPH. Lincecum will probably be forced to settle for a one-year deal as he looks to come back from hip surgery entering his age-32 season.
Here’s more from today’s column:
- “A few baseball folks” tell Cafardo that they get the sense something is brewing with Milwaukee catcher Jonathan Lucroy. The Brewers backstop has a limited no-trade clause, but teams such as the Astros and Nationals could have interest in adding a top catcher like Lucroy. The veteran isn’t coming off his best season, but his highly contract still makes him an attractive trade target. Lucroy is set to earn just $4MM in 2016 and $5.25MM (or a $250K buyout) in 2017.
- A few teams had concerns about the medicals on Doug Fister, one NL team official told Cafardo. Fister got a one-year, $7MM deal from the Astros, but some teams thought they could get him on a minor league deal. Fister, soon-to-be 32, could be a bounceback candidate for Houston. After several strong years in Detroit, he put up a stellar 2.41 ERA over 164 frames in 2014, his first season with the Nationals. But things went south last year, as he dealt with injury issues and lost his rotation spot after he was tagged for a 4.60 ERA and .302/.341/.471 batting line in 15 starts.
- One NL scout tells Cafardo that free agent shortstop Ian Desmond should move to third base. “I think he would be excellent there,” said the scout. “He’s a shortstop who probably doesn’t have the great range, but he’d be very good at third. He’s a great kid in the clubhouse who works hard. At some point, there has got to be a team, maybe one who has a pick at the end of the first round, who’d give that up for a guy like this.” As the former All-Star continues to sit on the open market, some have wondered if a deal could be possible with the Rays.
- Mat Latos remains on the open market in part because of a perceived attitude problem. One NL official believes that he needs some discipline to stay in line. “You would need a strong manager to keep him in line and acting the way you want him to act. A Buck Showalter, a Bruce Bochy, a Dusty Baker. The guy really competes, but he just gets too outspoken for his own good,” the official said.
Follow MLBTR On Instagram
Recently, MLB Trade Rumors launched a brand new official Instagram account: @TradeRumorsMLB. Each day, we’re sharing conversation-inspiring images about the hottest topics in baseball. From there, we invite you to give us a like, weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section, and even share the link with a friend.
Shortly after the Tigers signed Justin Upton to a six-year, $132.75MM deal, we gave fans an early look at how he’ll look in his new threads. Ditto for new Rockies outfielder Gerardo Parra, recently-signed Marlins hurler Wei-Yin Chen, and Royals pitcher Ian Kennedy. We also asked followers to weigh in on the futures of free agent shortstop Ian Desmond as well as 29-year-old outfielder Dexter Fowler.
So, what are you waiting for? If you don’t have an Instagram account, this is the perfect excuse to sign up and get one. Follow us on Instagram today!
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pirates, Forst, Red Sox
Here’s our weekly look around the baseball blogosphere:
- Pirates Breakdown spoke with catcher Chris Stewart.
- A’s Farm sat down with A’s GM David Forst.
- Chin Music Baseball wonders if an ideology change will help Boston.
- TPOP pitted the Pirates vs. the Cubs vs. the Cardinals.
- Jays From The Couch says Toronto needs to do better down the stretch.
- Philliedelphia doesn’t care whether Ryan Howard used PEDs.
- Camden Depot says the O’s are the worst in the AL East.
- Outside Pitch wonders if the Mets will be a dynasty.
- Baseball Hot Corner is excited for Marcus Stroman.
- Yankees Unscripted says the Bombers can’t bank on their power ‘pen.
- L.A. Dodger Report talks Joe Blanton and pitch framing.
- Notes From The Sally previewed the Shorebirds.
- Wayniac Nation ran down the league’s top rotations.
- Roto Professor looked at the Jean Segura deal.
- Gardy Goes Yardy ran down Yanks youngsters gunning for a roster spot.
- Pinstriped Prospects gave us their top 50 prospect list.
- Jays Journal ran down the likeliest non-roster invitees to make the team.
- Blue Jays Plus wonders if the Blue Jays rotation will be better this year.
- Inside The Zona examined the leadoff spot.
- BBA has some early power rankings.
- Baseball Essential examined the Rockies’ deal.
- 108 Stitches discussed the DH.
Please send submissions to Zach Links at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Cardinals Sign Seung-Hwan Oh
6:34pm: The deal would max out at $11MM — $5MM in 2016 and $6MM in 2017 — if Oh triggers all available incentives and the team picks up its option, per Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News (Twitter links).
1:40pm: The Cardinals have officially signed star Korean reliever Seung-hwan Oh to a one-year deal with a club option that reportedly guarantees him about $5MM. Oh, who is represented by Chip Sloan of Pryor Cashman LLP, did not require a posting fee to sign because he was a free agent.
Known by the nicknames “Stone Buddha” and “Final Boss,” Oh is perhaps the most celebrated Korean closer with 498 games finished over an 11-season career split between Korea and Japan. The right-hander has a career 1.81 ERA, 10.7 K/9, and 2.1 BB/9 over 646 1/3 innings between the two countries. In 2013, after nine seasons in the hitter-friendly KBO, Oh made the transition to the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball and continued his success, including a 2015 campaign that saw him post a 2.73 ERA, 8.6 K/9, and 2.1 BB/9. A two-year old scouting report credits him with a mid-90s fastball, hard slider, and slow curve. MLBTR’s Steve Adams spoke to a pair of scouts earlier this offseason that praised Oh’s fastball and labeled his slider as at least an average offering. As Han Lee of Global Sporting Integration tweets, Oh would become the fourth Korean reliever to jump from NPB to the Majors, joining predecessors Sang-Hoon Lee, Dae-Sung Koo and Chang-Yong Lim. (None of the three pitched more than a season in MLB, though none came with Oh’s track record in Asia, either.)
Oh won’t be the “final boss” of the St. Louis bullpen, given Trevor Rosenthal‘s firm hold on the closer’s job, though he will add some much-needed depth to a back-end bullpen trio that saw a lot of action in 2015; setup man Kevin Siegrist appeared in a league-high 81 games, with Seth Maness (76 games) and Rosenthal (68) also seeing a lot of work. The additions of Oh (if completed) and the re-signed Jonathan Broxton will give manager Mike Matheny more flexibility in deciding his late-game options.
Daniel Kim of KBSn first reported that the sides were close to agreement (via Twitter). Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the deal was nearing finalization, pending physical, and reported the contract value.
MLBTR Originals
A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:
- Over the next few weeks, Matt Swartz will be discussing some of the higher profile upcoming arbitration cases for MLBTR. Swartz kicked off his Arbitration Breakdown series with a look at Jake Arrieta, who enters his second year of arb coming off of a Cy Young award. Needless to say, Arrieta is in line for a big raise from his $3.63MM salary last year.
- The hot trend of the 2015/16 offseason has been player options in large, multi-year deals. David Price, Johnny Cueto, and Jason Heyward were among the players to receive them this winter and Swartz attempted to translate their value into a dollar figure.
- MLBTR’s Jeff Todd ran down the latest from around the league before being joined by Scott Merkin of MLB.com on this week’s MLB Trade Rumors podcast. They discuss his experience covering new Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. in his days with the White Sox as well as the outlook of the ChiSox after a disappointing 2015 season. A new episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is released every Thursday and can be accessed on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
- Padres hurler Tyson Ross had a strong season but a weak win/loss record. While wins and losses don’t mean a ton to the modern baseball community when evaluating an individual pitcher’s performance, it still holds weight in the arbitration process. Swartz looked at Ross’ case and how his 10-12 record could change things.
- The reigning AL MVP is headed to arbitration and Swartz gave us an in-depth examination of how things might play out for Josh Donaldson.
- Recently, MLB Trade Rumors launched a brand new official Instagram account:@TradeRumorsMLB. Each day, we’re sharing conversation-inspiring images about the hottest topics in baseball. From there, we invite you to give us a like, weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section, and even share the link with a friend. So, what are you waiting for? If you don’t have an Instagram account, this is the perfect excuse to sign up and get one. Follow us on Instagram today!
- MLBTR was the first to report that the Royals agreed to terms with lefty David Huff on a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite. The 31-year-old has a 5.08 ERA, 5.4 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in parts of seven big-league seasons, which he’s split between starting and relieving.
- On Tuesday, MLBTR’s Steve Adams chatted about the Diamondbacks, Tigers, Adam Eaton, and corner outfielders (among other topics).
- And on his Thursday chat, Jeff Todd addressed topics ranging from a Padres rebuild to Cliff Lee as an Indians target to expect free agent compensation for some of the remaining players.
- Last but not least, MLBTR featured the best of the baseball blogosphere in our weekly segment, Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
AL East Notes: Storen, Blue Jays, Red Sox
On Sunday morning, Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com attempted to put together a list of the 15 best position players in Orioles history. The task, he says, was even more challenging than when he ran down Baltimore’s top ten pitchers of all-time. Matt Wieters, who accepted the O’s qualifying offer this winter, earned a spot at catcher alongside Gus Triandos, a three-time All-Star in the late 50s and early 60s. Another current-day star, Chris Davis, only earned honorable mention at first base as he was situated behind Eddie Murray and Boog Powell. Davis has led the majors in home runs two of the last three years, but Dubroff says that “Murray’s excellence and Powell’s longevity force the issue.”
Here’s more out of the AL East:
- The Blue Jays’ acquisition of Drew Storen creates healthy set of roster options, John Lott of the National Post writes. Meanwhile, it doesn’t seem like Toronto’s new regime is done dealing. The Ben Revere–for-Storen swap marks the first major trade by Mark Shapiro & Co., but new GM Ross Atkins indicated that the team has had “hundreds” of discussions with clubs about potential deals. All told, Storen owns a 3.02 ERA in his 334 big league frames. He’s struck out an average of 8.6 and walked 2.6 batters per nine for his career, but his K rate jumped significantly last season.
- Major league teams continue to spend big in free agency, despite evidence that it is not necessarily working, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal writes. While the Red Sox are doing cartwheels about signing David Price to a mammoth $217MM deal this winter, MacPherson rightfully points out that Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval seemed like wise moves just a year ago. Now, Boston is saddled with both players at a combined $183MM after a disappointing 2015.
- Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com weighed the pros and cons of the Orioles losing their No. 14 pick to sign a free agent who would require draft pick compensation.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Storen, Pirates, Kendrick
Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere:
- Blue Jays Plus sees a hidden plus in Drew Storen.
- TPOP discussed the Bucs’ payroll and the 2017 CBA.
- Inside The ‘Zona had a change of heart on Howie Kendrick.
- Grading On The Curve likes the Dodgers’ offseason.
- Big Three Sports says Miguel Sano is a man amongst boys.
- Chin Music says the D’Backs are far from perfect.
- Clubhouse Corner talked “Scouting for Diamonds.”
- Everything MLB wonders why relievers are getting paid so much.
- MLB Reports wants the Dodgers to keep going.
- Think Blue PC remembered a bad Dodgers winter.
- Roto Professor pumped the brakes on Kenta Maeda hype.
- Gardy Goes Yardy makes the case for Jorge Posada in the HOF.
- Jays From The Couch looked at Jose Bautista‘s power in different parks.
- Now On Deck offered up their own HOF ballot.
- Wayniac Nation sounded off those that didn’t vote for Ken Griffey Jr.
- Jays Journal evaluated Toronto’s outfield.
- Outside Pitch rated the Tigers’ top 5 moves.
- Baseball Essential wonders who will lead off for Toronto.
- Pinstriped Prospects spotlighted Tony Franklin.
- SocraticGadFly talked Cardinals.
- About Sports examined the David Price deal.
- Baseball Hot Corner wonders if we could see a woman in pro baseball.
Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Padres, Ian Desmond Having Ongoing Discussions
TODAY: Discussions between the two sides are “very preliminary,” according to Jon Heyman (via Twitter). While there is an expectation that the Pads will have talks this week with Desmond’s camp, Heyman says the purpose will be “to see if there’s anything to talk about.”
YESTERDAY: The Padres and free agent shortstop Ian Desmond are having ongoing discussions, according to major league sources who spoke with Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Even though that match would make a lot of sense, no deal appears to be imminent between Desmond and San Diego, Morosi adds.
Morosi notes that Desmond hit 88 home runs over the past four seasons and in that same span the Padres scored the second-fewest runs in the majors. Meanwhile, their 2015 shortstop Alexi Amarista had the worst OPS (.544) of any National League player with at least 300 at-bats last season. Financials and, perhaps, their timeline for contention aside, the Padres sound like the perfect landing spot for Desmond.
Desmond picked up three straight Silver Slugger awards from 2012 through 2014, and owns a .264/.317/.443 since he began his breakout in 2012. While that line was down overall in 2015, his .307 BABIP did fall shy of his career .322 mark and he showed more life at the plate at times later in the season. The 30-year-old’s calling card is his ability to deliver power from a middle infield position, but his reps have also been highlighting his defensive ability when meeting with teams. The Padres would slot Desmond in as their starting shortstop without hesitation, but Desmond appears to be open to playing other positions in an effort to broaden his market.
Desmond declined his qualifying offer from the Nationals back in November, but San Diego’s top pick (8th overall) is protected. The team also stands to add two compensatory picks if and when Justin Upton and Ian Kennedy land elsewhere. At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes predicted that Desmond would land a five-year, $80MM deal.
MLBTR Originals
A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:
- So far this offseason, 69 players have signed for a total of $1.609B. Last week, MLBTR’s Jeff Todd asked readers to weigh in on how high free agent spending will go. More than 60% of you said that total free agent spending will top $2.5B when all is said and done this winter.
- Which free agent outfielder would you rather sign: Yoenis Cespedes, Alex Gordon, or Justin Upton? MLBTR’s Steve Adams pitted the three free agents against each other and the results were actually pretty close between all three.
- The month of January isn’t typically a big month for free agent signings, but this year, things could be very different. In anticipation of what should be a very exciting month, MLBTR’s Charlie Wilmoth looked back at major activity from Januarys past.
- What have last year’s lowest-scoring offenses done to improve in 2016? Charlie delved into the moves made by the Braves, Marlins, White Sox, Phillies, and Reds.
- Free agent hurlers Jeff Samardzija and Mike Leake both came away with sizable paydays this winter. On Saturday, Charlie asked MLBTR readers which contract they prefer: Shark’s five-year, $90MM pact or Leake’s five-year, $80MM deal.
- On Tuesday, Steve hosted a chat and discussed the White Sox, Aroldis Chapman, the Nationals, and more. On New Year’s Eve, Jeff fielded a wide range of questions from MLBTR readers.
- On Sunday morning, MLBTR featured the best of the baseball blogosphere in our weekly segment, Baseball Blogs Weigh In.