Cafardo On Chapman, D’Backs, Utley
In today’s column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe looked at several managers who could be out of a job this winter. Among the skippers listed is Nationals manager Matt Williams, who has come under fire at times for his in-game decisions. Still, in his defense, Cafardo notes that Williams has had to deal with poor performances by players like Ian Desmond and Jayson Werth, not to mention injuries. Other situations to monitor include the Reds (Bryan Price), Phillies (Pete Mackanin), Tigers (Brad Ausmus), and Mariners (Lloyd McClendon). Here’s more from today’s column..
- When the D’Backs and other clubs called on Aroldis Chapman at the deadline, the Reds were asking for an “incredibly unrealistic” return, according to one GM who spoke with Cafardo. “I couldn’t believe it,” the GM said of the asking price for the closer. Still, it sounds like Reds GM Walt Jocketty will at least listen on him this winter and the price tag could be more palatable for interested teams. “I think teams would give up three very good prospects for him,” said one AL GM, “but I think that’s as far as it would go.” Recently, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com wrote that many in baseball are questioning Jocketty’s decision to hang on to Chapman past the July trade deadline. Heyman also noted that Arizona could pursue him once again this offseason.
- As of Friday, the Giants had no idea how their pursuit of Phillies second baseman Chase Utley would go. GM Bobby Evans acknowledged over the weekend that he’s still in pursuit of Utley, but one has to wonder how far they’re willing to go with Joe Panik on the verge of returning.
- If the Nationals wind up replacing Ian Desmond this winter, they have a very capable replacement on deck in Trea Turner. “He’s a baseball player,” one veteran AL scout said of Turner. “He’s going to be an All-Star player in the big leagues. I don’t see how he misses. He has great instincts for the position and the game in general. He’s got those [Dustin] Pedroia qualities.” Turner, rated as the No. 65 prospect in baseball heading into the 2015 season, is hitting .306/.349/.422 at Triple-A Syracuse.
- Nationals director of player development Doug Harris could emerge as the frontrunner for the Brewers‘ GM job, Cafardo writes. Doug Melvin, who has stepped down as president/GM to take on an adviser role, was the GM in Texas while Harris was an exec there.
- As team president Theo Epstein enters his walk year in 2016, Cubs owner Tom Ricketts is expected to start discussing a new deal with him soon. If he can’t offer him enough money to stay in Chicago, Cafardo wonders aloud if he could go elsewhere or maybe even circle back to the Red Sox.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Price, Maeda, Orioles
Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere..
- Blue Jays Plus looked at the adjustments David Price has made to remain an ace.
- Inside The ‘Zona thinks the D’Backs are gearing up for a run at Kenta Maeda.
- Baseball Hot Corner brought us the story of Phil Marchildon.
- Camden Depot looked back at Dan Duquette’s August deals.
- Scout spoke with Josh Geer and Tim Stauffer of the Sugar Land Skeeters.
- Baseball Essential says Jonathan Schoop could redefine the second base position.
- The Point of Pittsburgh sees the pros and cons in a September Tyler Glasnow callup.
- BASTA warns you not to sleep on Gregor Blanco.
- Reviewing The Brew ran down some candidates for the Brewers’ GM job.
- Some Fair Weather took a closer look at the floundering Marlins.
- Outfield Fly Rule defended Christian Bethancourt.
- A’s Farm gave us their top minor league performers of the year.
- Outside Pitch talked about Yankees prospect Greg Bird.
- Fantasy Pros looked at what to expect from Carlos Gonzalez the rest of the way.
- Fueled By Sports says the Yankees are putting their faith in the farm system.
Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Follow MLB Trade Rumors On Instagram
Recently, MLB Trade Rumors launched a 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.
Recently, we asked readers to predict who will win the AL West and we highlighted some of the big names in the latest installment of the MLBTR Free Agent Power Rankings such as David Price, Yoenis Cespedes, and Johnny Cueto.
We also launched a brand new hashtag campaign. If you have an awesomely obscure baseball jersey we invite you to post a pic of it on Instagram, use the hashtag #RandomMLBJersey, and at-mention us (@TradeRumorsMLB). If you have a great jersey, we’ll re-gram your picture to our thousands of followers.
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!
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/9/15
The latest minor moves…
- Prior to today’s game, the Tigers purchased the contract of lefty Tom Gorzelanny while optioning Shane Greene to Triple-A. Gorzelanny pitched in today’s 7-2 Tigers loss to the Red Sox, allowing a run in a third of an inning. The southpaw was designated for assignment then outrighted to Triple-A in July, and heading into today, Gorzelanny had posted a 6.38 ERA over 24 relief innings for Detroit.
- The Mariners have traded Triple-A third baseman Carlos Rivero to the Red Sox for cash considerations, as Greg Johns of MLB.com tweets. Rivero joined Seattle when he was claimed off waivers from the Red Sox in November of 2014. In December, the M’s re-signed him to a minor league deal. Rivero made his Major League debut last season, appearing in eight games with Boston. In part of five Triple-A seasons, Rivero has slashed .274/.324/.388.
- The Orioles announced that infielder Chris Parmelee has accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. The O’s designated Parmelee for assignment when they acquired Gerardo Parra at the trade deadline and they outrighted him days later. He has hit .216/.255/.433 in 102 plate appearances with Baltimore.
NL West Notes: Greinke, Dodgers, Tulo, Padres
Dodgers president Stan Kasten told Jim Bowden of SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio (on Twitter) that he last spoke to Zack Greinke about his opt-out in the spring. He says that the two sides are playing things out this season and will worry about Greinke’s contractual situation in the offseason. Poised to hit the market as one of the top arms available, the 31-year-old hurler (32 this winter) may prefer to test his value rather than opt in with Los Angeles. Here’s a look at the NL West..
- The Dodgers have some dead money on the books but Kasten says that he views it more as a short-term expense than a financial burden (link). Those dollars, he says, are a “short-term expense for long-term gain.”
- Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post isn’t so sure about the return the Rockies got for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Colorado acquired three quality pitching prospects in Jeff Hoffman, Miguel Castro, and Jesus Tinoco in the swap, but Colorado has a poor track record of developing pitchers. If things do work out with Hoffman, however, he could be a significant rotation piece in 2017, when the Rockies might be able to make some noise.
- The Padres will likely explore August trades but GM A.J. Preller might decide that the offseason is the better time to overhaul the roster, Dennis Lin of U-T San Diego writes.
AL East Notes: Dombrowski, Blue Jays, Red Sox
Top Yankees prospect Luis Severino is elated to be a part of the club’s playoff push, Grace Raynor of MLB.com writes. There has been a ton of hype surrounding the pitcher in New York, but skipper Joe Girardi says that Severino is taking it all in stride.
“Going into the game, I thought that he was a young man that really wasn’t fazed by his surroundings in Spring Training, was able to relax and go about his business,” Girardi said. “I think that that’s what I saw last week. It’s kinda what I expected to see. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot more about him as time goes on — and you see him make starts and how he responds to certain situations and adversity. But, for the most part, that was kind of what I expected.”
Here’s more out of the AL East..
- Indications are that former Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski is more likely to wind up with the Blue Jays or the Mariners than the Red Sox, Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal writes. Still, MacPherson says that doesn’t mean that the Red Sox can’t learn from Dombrowski by looking at how he built a winner in Detroit. Dombrowski’s Detroit teams had structural flaws, but he took them from a team void of stars to a powerhouse organization with aggressive trades. Boston has worked to hang on to its young talent in recent years rather than moving it for established players, but many of those prospects have failed to live up to expectations.
- Red Sox GM Ben Cherington is open to change in the front office if that means improving the team, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald writes. “I don’t think it’s threatening at all” to bring in a new voice in baseball operations, Cherington said late last week. “Whatever stake you have in the Red Sox, after what you’ve been through the last two years, you don’t even have a choice but to try to find solutions to this after awhile of doing it our own way. It’s going to mean different things to different people, but that’s what we’re trying to do around here.” With Larry Lucchino on his way out, Cherington may have to answer to whoever his replacement will be.
- Orioles GM Dan Duquette likes cheap reclamation projects and has caught some lightning in the past, but things just didn’t work out that way with Travis Snider, Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun writes. Snider, who came over from the Pirates this winter to help replace the departed Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis, was designated for assignment on Friday.
MLBTR Originals
A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:
- Rather than MLBTR’s usual Thursday afternoon episode, host Jeff Todd released three different episodes with just-traded young players. First up was Brett Phillips, the rising center fielder who was shipped from the Astros to the Brewers as a major piece in the Carlos Gomez/Mike Fiers deal. Then, Jeff spoke with prized lefty Daniel Norris, who was sent from the Blue Jays to the Tigers in the David Price deal. Jeff completed his early August trilogy by chatting with pitching prospect Zach Davies, who went from the Orioles to the Brewers. A new episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast will be released every Thursday and can be accessed on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
- Late last week, Tim Dierkes rolled out his latest edition of the MLBTR Free Agent Power Rankings. David Price tops the list, followed by Jason Heyward and Justin Upton. Interestingly, several of the players in Tim’s top ten were traded prior to the deadline.
- MLB Trade Rumors is now on Instagram! Follow us today: @traderumorsMLB.
- Steve Adams reflected on notable August trades from the past three years.
- Earlier today we rounded up the best from the baseball blogosphere in our weekly feature, Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
Cafardo On Pierzynski, Cespedes, Torre
In today’s column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe gives his suggestions for fixing the Red Sox. One idea is for Boston to take advantage of the Mets, who have offensive needs but might not have the willingness to address them in free agency. The Mets may be forced to use their pitching depth in order to improve their offense, and one baseball person wondered aloud to Cafardo whether Matt Harvey could be had for Xander Bogaerts. Cafardo also sees Pablo Sandoval for James Shields as a logical deal as the Red Sox and Padres would be swapping bad contracts. Here’s more from today’s column..
- “While it’s not assured yet,” the Braves would like to keep A.J. Pierzynski beyond 2015, Cafardo writes. The catcher is making $2MM this season and he could be in line for a raise given his play in 2015. Through 77 games, the catcher owns a .302/.340/.446 slash line with 7 homers. Pierzynski, who turns 39 in December, has an OPS of .765, his best showing since 2012.
- A five-year, $100MM deal for Yoenis Cespedes isn’t out of the question, according to one agent who spoke with Cafardo. The outfielder figures to be one of the few quality bats available on the open market this winter and the agent cites Hanley Ramirez’s deal as reason to believe that Cespedes could hit $100MM. Ramirez signed a four-year pact worth $88MM that can balloon to $110MM if his fifth-year option is exercised. The Mets might not be willing to go that high for the slugger. Tim Dierkes ranked Cespedes No. 6 on his most recent update to the MLBTR Free Agent Power Rankings.
- Joe Torre, currently MLB’s vice president of baseball operations, told Cafardo that he wouldn’t rule out working for a team again, though it would have to be the right situation. Cafardo wonders if Torre could be a candidate to join the Red Sox‘s front office with Larry Lucchino stepping down.
- Speaking of Lucchino, those who know the outgoing president and CEO well say that he wants another challenge. The Blue Jays and Nationals (Lucchino has D.C. roots) are two teams to watch, Cafardo says.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: D’Backs, Rays, Blue Jays
On this date in 2002, Barry Bonds joined Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron as the only players ever to hit 600 career home runs, as Leo Panetta of NationalPastime.com writes. Later, Ken Griffey Jr. Jim Thome, Sammy Sosa, and, most recently, Alex Rodriguez, gained admittance into the 600 home run club. Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere..
- Inside The ‘Zona says the D’Backs don’t have enough trade chips.
- Rays Colored Glasses spoke with top prospect Brent Honeywell.
- Blue Jays Plus says Toronto’s deals were beneficial on and off the field.
- Ariball offered up a new formulation of SIERA.
- Baseball Hot Corner says the Red Sox should get Dave Dombrowski.
- Rumbunter ranked the top rotations in Pirates history.
- Nolan Writin’ broke down Leonys Martin‘s struggles.
- Outfield Fly Rule looked at the Braves-Indians trade.
- Yankees Unscripted broke down Luis Severino‘s MLB debut.
- Reviewing The Brew has ideas to rebuild the Brewers’ infield.
- Fueled By Sports says Dombrowski will land on his feet.
- The Point of Pittsburgh analyzed Gregory Polanco.
- Roster Resource pressed the reset button on the Padres.
- BASTA gave their impression of Kelby Tomlinson.
- Fantasy Pros looked at the closers that were moved in July.
- MLB Analysis says Michael Pineda is the best he’s been.
- The First Out At Third gave us a primer on Zach Davies.
- Baseball Essential says the Orioles did what they could.
- A’s Farm gave us their mid-season progress report.
Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Nationals, Juan Gutierrez Agree To Minor League Deal
The Nationals are set to sign Juan Gutierrez to a minor league pact, according to Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors (via Twitter). The deal will become official upon the passing of a physical.
After being released by the Phillies on Saturday, Gutierrez had interest from “multiple” teams and his camp was in the midst of advanced talks with one, according to Adams (Twitter link). Gutierrez’s stop in Philly didn’t last long as the hurler was signed roughly two months ago.
The 32-year-old Gutierrez has posted a 3.66 ERA, 7.3 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 51 2/3 innings this season at two Triple-A affiliates. He spent last season in the Giants bullpen, tallying a 3.96 ERA with 6.2 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 36.8 percent ground-ball rate in 63 2/3 innings. Gutierrez’s fastball averaged a healthy 93.5 mph, and his career mark in that regard is 94 mph.