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Royals Notes: Kazmir, Infante, Gordon

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Here’s a look at the World Champions:

  • The Royals are among the many teams with interest in Scott Kazmir, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.  Kazmir met with the Astros last week to explore the possibility of a return to Houston, but it remains to be seen whether that reunion will take place.  The soon-to-be 32-year-old has thrown 373 1/3 innings of 3.33 ERA ball with 7.7 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 and he’s maintained his average fastball velocity at about 91.5 mph.  On the flip side, Kazmir’s advanced metrics (3.98 FIP, 4.14 xFIP, 4.10 SIERA) weren’t as impressive and he struggled to a 6.52 ERA over the months of September and October.
  • The Royals are once again open to moving second baseman Omar Infante, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star tweets.  Of course, it could be tough for the Royals to find a decent haul for Infante given his age and contract.  Roughly two years ago, the Royals signed Infante to a four-year deal for more than $30MM plus incentives with a $10MM team option for 2018.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore says that his front office is only monitoring the Alex Gordon situation for now, as Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com writes.  When asked if Gordon is even within their financial reach, Moore said, “I don’t know. We’ll see. I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t know because I don’t know what [the asking price] will ultimately be. We’re still in the market for an outfield bat. But we also know this: If we do nothing in the outfield, we’ll still be very good defensively at the corner outfield — we’ll have speed and upside with Jarrod Dyson, Paulo Orlando and Brett Eibner and Reymond Fuentes. Jose Martinez isn’t the defender those guys are but has offense. We’ll see.”

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:

AL East Notes: Orioles, Davis, Rays

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The Yankees’ lack of a major signing this winter won’t give them any leverage in the YES Network dispute with Comcast, Bob Raissman of the Daily News writes.  That may come as a surprising take given their recent acquisition of Starlin Castro, but Raissman feels that the shortstop still isn’t enough to move the needle significantly for the Bombers.  In fact, Raissman wonders if the Yankees’ relative inaction could lead fair weather fans to switch over to the Mets.

Here’s today’s glance at the AL East:

  • The Orioles offered Chris Davis precisely $154MM over seven years, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.  Now, GM Dan Duquette says the team is looking at other options.  Talks have not been terminated, but Duquette implied it would be up to Davis’ agent Scott Boras to revisit negotiations.  The 29-year-old Davis is the top power bat on the open market, as he leads the Majors in homers over the past three seasons.
  • The Rays are suddenly holding a hot commodity thanks to their pitching depth, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes.  Earlier today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that of the three teams that are willing to move good, young starting pitching, the Rays might be the most likely to do it.
  • It’s not a big surprise, but the Rays found at the Winter Meetings that “everyone” has interest in Gold Glove-winning center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, Topkin writes.  This past season, Kiermaier led the majors with 42 Defensive Runs Saved.
  • The Rays wanted to bring Daniel Nava back on a minor league deal, but it appears that he’s going to sign a similar deal elsewhere, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.  The Angels and Padres are believed to be in the mix to sign the outfielder, according to a source who spoke with SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo.  Nava, 32, is a free agent for the first time in his career.

Reactions To Jason Heyward Signing With Cubs

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Not only did the Cardinals lose out on Jason Heyward – they lost out while offering the most overall money, according to Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch.  Two sources tell Goold that the Cardinals’ offer was greater in guaranteed value while the Cubs had the higher annual average value, at $23MM/year.  As Goold notes, this marks the second time this winter that the Cardinals made a serious run at one of the winter’s top free agents and came up short.  The other instance, of course, being their failed pursuit of David Price.

Here’s a roundup of reactions to Heyward’s massive new deal with the Cubs:

  • The Cubs’ signing of Jason Heyward has left the Cardinals feeling jilted, Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes.  Now, the Cardinals must move on and add at least one significant piece, Hochman opines.  The writer suggests that the Cards should sign Alex Gordon toplay right field or first base, with Stephen Piscotty playing the other.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports discussed Cubs president Theo Epstein, who now finds himself at the helm of baseball’s newest juggernaut.  Within the article, Rosenthal writes that rival execs say Epstein has long been fixated on Heyward, going back to his early days with the Braves.  Rosenthal also feels that the Cubs were motivated to sign Heyward and Lackey, in part, because they were effectively taking pieces away from the rival Cardinals.
  • Things have changed in Chicago, as evidenced by the free agent additions of Heyward, Lackey, and Ben Zobrist, Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com writes.  Back in November, Epstein says that he didn’t envision the Cubs being able to do two deals in the range of $100MM this offseason.  Things quickly changed, however.
  • The Cubs now have a monster lineup headlined by Heyward, Phil Rogers of MLB.com writes.

Cafardo On Bradley, Miley, Red Sox

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A few teams, including the Royals and Cubs, inquired about Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. at the Winter Meetings only to be told that he was not available, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe.  The 25-year-old Bradley (26 next April) posted a nice .249/.335/.489 bating line in 2015 and justified the considerable defensive hype that comes with his name, saving eight to 10 runs (based on his respective Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating marks) while logging a combined 608 innings across all three outfield spots.  It’s no surprise that he drew interest and also not a surprise to hear that the Red Sox are choosing to hang on to him.

Here’s more from today’s column:

  • The Red Sox and Royals also discussed Wade Miley before he was shipped to the Mariners.  A big league source tells Cafardo that Boston asked KC for Kelvin Herrera while the Royals preferred to move Luke Hochevar.  The Red Sox ultimately opted for the Mariners deal.  Miley’s first season with Boston got off to a slow start, but the lefty rebounded from a ghastly 8.62 April ERA to 4.10 ERA with a 137-to-58 K/BB ratio across his final 178 innings of the 2015 season.
  • It “appears that” Cody Ross’ career is over. The free agent outfielder suffered a bad hip injury with the D’Backs two years ago and he hasn’t been the same player since.  The 34-year-old Ross was released by Arizona last season and later went 2-for-25 in nine games with the Athletics.  Ross has played parts of 12 MLB seasons, suiting up for the Tigers, Dodgers, Reds, Marlins, Giants and Red Sox in addition to the Diamondbacks and Athletics, and hitting .262/.322/.445.
  • Agent Joe Sambito tells Cafardo that free agent third baseman Will Middlebrooks has gotten inquiries from 11 teams.  Cafardo speculates that the Brewers could bring Middlebrooks into their third base mix.
  • Most execs and scouts that Cafardo spoke with at the Winter Meetings said that they wouldn’t give Jason Heyward a $200MM deal.  Of course, the Cubs felt differently.

Rosenthal On Leake, Orioles, Cubs, Inciarte

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Pitcher Mike Leake is willing to take significantly less to play at home in Arizona, according to sources who spoke with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  However, D’Backs COO Tony La Russa says it’s “probably unlikely” that the team will sign him.

“It’s gone back and forth,” La Russa said. “Getting Shelby (Miller) gives us a (full) rotation. I think it’s difficult because when somebody wants to pitch for you and you really like the person, you want to try and work it out. But it’s complicated and probably unlikely.”

Here’s more from Rosenthal’s column:

  • If Chris Davis goes elsewhere, the Orioles will look to bring in a left-handed bat.  Rosenthal hears that Pedro Alvarez, Gerardo Parra and Will Venable are a few of the hitters that interest Baltimore brass.  The Orioles are also likely to explore the free agent market for a starting pitcher.
  • Many have been critical of the Orioles’ farm system depth, but GM Dan Duquette has rejected the notion that they are thin.  Duquette could put his money where his mouth is by trading for one of the Rockies’ outfielders, Rosenthal writes, but they would likely ask for Colorado native Kevin Gausman in return.
  • The Cubs are “one of a number teams” that inquired on Ender Inciarte after he went from the D’Backs to the Braves.  Still, they’re more likely to go after a starting pitcher by offering up Jorge Soler or Javier Baez.  Inciarte has five years of club control and can be a strong defensive center fielder, although he also has extensive experience at both corner positions. The 25-year-old was largely unheralded as a prospect but has batted a combined .292/.329/.386 in his first two Major League seasons, including a stellar .303/.338/.408 line in 2015.
  • The Padres, Indians, and Rays could all still move a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, Rosenthal writes, and the Rays might be the most likely of the three.  Tampa Bay has three starters who could be solid No. 2 guys in a rotation: righty Jake Odorizzi and lefties Drew Smyly and Matt Moore.  Alex Cobb could also be conceivably moved, but he is affordable and under club control for the next two years.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Miller, Braves, Blue Jays

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Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere..

Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.

Johnny Cueto’s Agent On Cardinals, Market

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The Winter Meetings in Nashville are nearly through and many of the open market’s starting pitchers have found their homes for 2016 and beyond.  However, one of this class’s very best, Johnny Cueto, is still searching for his big payday.  Cueto is a bona fide ace with years of experience at the head of the Reds’ rotation, but a number of his expected suitors have already allocated major funds towards the top of the starting five.  Even though some might have the impression that Cueto’s market is shrinking, agent Bryce Dixon told MLB Trade Rumors in a 1-on-1 interview that he doesn’t see things that way.

“You can always add an ace pitcher to your staff.  All thirty teams can use a Cueto,” Dixon told MLBTR on Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee. “So, yeah, there are teams like the Diamondbacks that have added a [Zack] Greinke and a [Shelby] Miller, so maybe their appetite for him has lessened but, no, I don’t view the market as shrinking up.  I’m still finding interest and there still seems to be enough out there for him to land comfortably with a team.”

So far, Cueto has yet to receive an offer that clearly separates him from the second tier of starting pitchers and Dixon says that he is comfortable in waiting.  A few weeks ago, Cueto’s camp was handed a sizable offer from the Diamondbacks, one that was worth $126MM over six years, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (on Twitter).  Some observers suggested that the offer was a strong one given Cueto’s second half issues and 50/50 showing in the postseason, but Dixon says that he did not discuss the offer at length with the pitcher before they turned it down.

Dixon concedes that the Diamondbacks are one club that does not have a clear fit for Cueto at this stage, but, on paper, the Cardinals do stand out as a team that would have the need and the resources required to sign the veteran.  Still, some outsiders have suggested that unpleasant history between the two sides could get in the way of a union.  In 2010, the Reds and Cardinals got into a brawl and, in one exchange, Cueto kicked catcher Jason LaRue in the head while wearing spikes.  The impact of the kick left LaRue with concussion issues that forced him to retire at the end of the 2010 season.  The brawl may still be fresh in the minds of some Cardinals fans, but the Cardinals organization has not brought up the incident in their talks with Cueto’s camp.

“I can’t speak to how the Cardinals feel. ..Obviously [Johnny] regrets how the fight went down,” Dixon told MLB Trade Rumors on Wednesday afternoon.  “He’s expressed regret over it in the past.  He loves pitching in the NL Central.  He’s the best pitcher of our era in the NL Central.  It would be a good marriage [between] Johnny and the Cardinals.  I think once the fans got past the fight and they saw what a gamer Johnny is and what he could bring to the team, I think they would be able to embrace him now, though I don’t think that they’ll do that overnight.”

Dixon went on to explain that the circumstances of the brawl were complicated.  Cueto was pushed up against the screen and, feeling trapped, he made a split-second reaction that he deeply regrets.  For a time, the fight may have defined him as someone who is angry or violent, but those who work with and around Cueto, he says, can attest to his mellow character and positive attitude.  Ultimately, Dixon can see the Cardinals being a great landing spot for his client.

“Johnny’s best friend is Brayan Pena (Pena signed a two-year deal with St. Louis this winter).  Johnny would love to pitch to him and a catcher like [Yadier] Molina, so I think it would be a good fit.  Whether the Cardinals step up with the necessary resources, that remains to be seen.  But he has no problem towards the Cardinals and the manager of that [2010 Cardinals] team [Tony La Russa] is with the Diamondbacks organization now.  He came down and met Johnny and they had no problem.  It’s in the past.  It’s unfortunate that it happened, but, on our side, we’ve moved on,” said Dixon.

Dixon could see Cueto forming a strong rotation alongside Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, and Carlos Martinez, but he could also envision his client looking good in Dodger blue next to Clayton Kershaw in L.A.’s rotation.  Those are just two of the fits that Dixon can see for Cueto at this stage and he’s still willing to wait for what he feels is an appropriate pact.  When asked to put a timetable on a Cueto signing, Dixon indicated that it could happen in a matter of minutes or a matter of weeks.  One option he’s not considering at this time, however, is a one-year pillow deal to allow Cueto to cash in next winter.

“I don’t think we’re going to have to go down that road.  We’ll remain flexible but I don’t anticipate something like that,” he said.

Scott Boras On Span, Wieters, Kennedy, Chen

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In what has become an annual tradition at the Winter Meetings, agent Scott Boras held court for all of the reporters in attendance.  MLB Trade Rumors was on hand for the scrum and we’ve got a few of the highlights below:

  • One reporter asked if Boras would be willing to consider a one-year deal for free agent outfielder Denard Span.  Boras flatly rejected that notion and said that he will be gunning for a multi-year contract.  Marc Carig of Newsday (via Twitter) hears from some in the industry that feel Span may have to settle for a one-year deal with incentives due to health concerns.
  • Boras was asked about the decision for Matt Wieters to accept the qualifying offer from the Orioles and he explained that the catcher’s free agent market would have been bogged down too much by the draft pick forfeiture had he tried it.  When asked by MLBTR why he and Ian Kennedy opted to reject the QO, Boras quipped, “Well, someone told me this pitching market was going to be advanced.  I think it was pretty obvious to us at the time that the decision was going to be what it is.”
  • I asked Boras about the market for starter Wei-Yin Chen, who stands as one of the strongest remaining starters available.  Boras characterized his market as “great” and made a fun, agent-slanted case for his client.  “The last two years his ERA is lower against AL East teams than David Price, so that tells you how good a pitcher he is,” Boras said.
  • I also asked Boras about reliever Greg Holland and his unique situation in free agency.  Boras confirmed the widely expected notion that Holland will seek out a two-year deal and he says that “a number” of teams with interest in that type of deal have spoken to him about such a pact.  Boras also said that Holland could return to action in time for the 2016 postseason.  From the outside, one has to wonder if Holland will be able to rebound that quickly after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late September.

Follow MLBTR On Instagram

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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.

This week, we’re giving fans an early look at traded players in their new jerseys.  Here’s a glance at how Starlin Castro will look in pinstripes.  And how about Ben Zobrist in his new Cubs uniform?  Ditto for Shelby Miller who looks sharp in the D’Backs’ 2015 uni.

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!

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