Zachary Links | MLB Trade Rumors

Royals Do Not Plan On Re-Signing Alex Rios

By Zachary Links | March 13, 2016 at 12:41pm CDT

The Royals like Alex Rios, but they won’t be bringing him back in 2016. The team is “said to be” at it’s budget and they will instead go with internal options, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. The team’s plan will be to use Paulo Orlando, Jarrod Dyson, and others in the outfield.

The Royals held a mutual option on Rios’ contract that could have paid him $12.5MM for the 2016 season but, as expected, the team opted instead to pay him a modest $1.5MM buyout. Rios, a Scott Boras client, had one of the worst offensive seasons of his career, hitting just just .255/.287/.353 in 411 regular season plate appearances. The 35-year-old also added four homers and nine steals. The outfielder may have been held back by a broken hand suffered in April of last year, though he still produced a decent sample size of 105 games.

Rios signed with the Royals in December of 2014 after reportedly blocking a trade that would have sent him to KC that summer. It has also been reported that the veteran turned down a two-year offer from the Mariners last offseason, choosing instead to sign a one-year deal with the Royals. Rios apparently wanted to play for a winner more than he wanted a two-year guarantee, so he might not have any regrets about his decision today as he dons his World Series ring.

Cardinals Considering Nick Ahmed

By Zachary Links | March 13, 2016 at 11:11am CDT

The Cardinals will be without shortstop Jhonny Peralta for up to three months and they are exploring options to help replace him at shortstop. One player that the organization is considering is Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe.

Cafardo cautions that the Cardinals are “just starting” their search process for shortstops, but Ahmed is, at the very least, on the list of potential trade targets for St. Louis. As it stands, the Cardinals’ internal candidates to fill in at short are Jedd Gyorko, Aledmys Diaz, and Greg Garcia. For different reasons, none of those three players are ideal for the role. Gyorko was ID’d by some as the main candidate to fill-in for Peralta early on, but he has limited experience at the shortstop position.

It’s not hard to imagine the Diamondbacks parting with the defensively-gifted Ahmed for the right price. The D’Backs could start Chris Owings at second base and Jean Segura at shortstop, making Ahmed somewhat expendable. On Sunday morning, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote that one Diamondbacks official indicated that he would be comfortable seeing Ahmed relegated to a utility role or made into a trade candidate.

Peralta’s timetable on his left thumb injury could theoretically line him up for a return in early June, but Mark Saxon of ESPN reported that his return would more likely be around the All-Star break in July. Last week, MLBTR’s Steve Adams ran down possible replacements the Cardinals could bring in for the injured Peralta. Steve listed Ahmed as a trade possibility, along with D’Backs teammate Chris Owings and several other interesting names.

Rosenthal On Blue Jays, Bautista, D’Backs, Ahmed

By Zachary Links | March 13, 2016 at 9:31am CDT

Now with the Angels, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders if shortstop Andrelton Simmons can develop into a better hitter. Simmons is working hard on the offensive side of his game, but he is also appreciative of the fact that the Halos value him highly for what he does in the field.

“It feels great, man. It helps you build that confidence,” Simmons said. “I don’t have to go up there and be that big-name hitter. I just have to play my part — hit-and-run, bunt the guy over. That might take a little pressure off me and make it easier. I’m still trying to be a better hitter. Everybody is. You try to pick up from guys like Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. Hopefully by the end of the year, I learn a lot from them.”

Here’s a look at some of the highlights from Rosenthal’s column:

A major league source tells Rosenthal that the Blue Jays might only be open to giving Jose Bautista a deal similar to what Yoenis Cespedes signed with the Mets this offseason. Last week, it was reported that the 35-year-old is seeking at least five years on a new deal that would pay him upwards of $30MM per year on average. Cespedes, meanwhile, re-upped with the Mets this winter on a three-year, $75MM pact with an opt-out. Clearly, there is a significant gap for the two sides to bridge, though Joey Bats indicated in February that he was not interested in negotiating after naming his asking price. Bautista earned his sixth-straight All-Star nod in 2015 as he slashed .250/.377/.536 with 40 homers.
“At least one Diamondbacks official” believes that the team should use Jean Segura at short and Chris Owings at second base, relegating Nick Ahmed to either a utility role or perhaps making him a trade candidate. Ahmed, 26 on Tuesday, slashed just .226/.275/.359 with nine homers in 459 plate appearances last season, though much of his value comes from his defense. In 2015, Ahmed had a strong 16.1 UZR/150 rating.
The Padres’ next move might be to trade a catcher, Rosenthal writes. San Diego has three capable catchers in Derek Norris, Austin Hedges, and Christian Bethancourt, and there isn’t really room for all three players to make the roster. Of course, a trade isn’t mandatory either, as Hedges could be demoted. Bethancourt, on the other hand, is out of options. In December, the Padres were said to be shopping Norris and Hedges. In February, the team was still said to be having conversations involving Norris, though nothing came of those discussions.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Alvarez, McCutchen, Duda

By Zachary Links | March 13, 2016 at 9:03am CDT

Here’s week’s look around the baseball blogosphere:

Camden Depot says the O’s are sacrificing defense by adding Pedro Alvarez.
TPOP looked at Andrew McCutchen and the rest of the ’05 draft class.
Chin Music says Lucas Duda is crucial to the Mets’ success.
Inside The ’Zona graded the D’Backs’ offseason.
BP Toronto pondered a Marcus Stroman extension.
Yankees Unscripted wonders how Bombers fans will receive Aroldis Chapman.
Same Page Team ranked the players on the Blue Jays’ roster.
Pirates Breakdown scored the bulls and bears of Bucs Spring Training.
The Runner Sports weighed in on Astros Spring Training.
Shutdown Inning examined the Rangers’ starting lineup.
Motor City Bengals profiled Victor Martinez.
Big Three Sports brought us a pitching-heavy mock draft.
Rascals Of The Ravine talks Yasiel Puig and helicopters.
Angels Win says the Halos should sign Rex Brothers to a minor league deal.
New York Sports Guys offered up ideas to fix the Red Sox.
Pinstriped Prospects sat down with Jeff Degano.
Philliedelphia discussed race and baseball.
Outside Pitch says the Yankees should look into signing Mike Olt.
Dynasty Digest says that Jordan Zimmermann’s fantasy stock is down.
Freelance Fuego pondered Matt Moore’s future.
Bucs Raise It had some thoughts on David Freese.
A’s Farm ran down the minor leaguers most likely to appear on the big league roster.
Think Blue PC is high on Dave Roberts.
The Bronx Bomber looked at the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry.
Super Two Sports addressed the Phillies’ outfield situation.
Baseball Hot Corner sized up the Blue Jays’ upcoming decisions.
Innings Eaters wonders if the Nats upgraded with Ben Revere over Denard Span.
Jays From The Couch says that Aaron Sanchez is tipping his curveball.
Notes From The Sally previewed the Rome Braves.
MLB Reports examined the Reds’ payroll.
Redbird Rants says the Cards can win it all.
About Sports says John Farrell is on thin ice.
Wayniac Nation wonders how good the Yanks’ starting five can be.
Puckett’s Pond previewed Miguel Sano.

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

Pro Football Rumors Has NFL Free Agency Covered

By Zachary Links | March 8, 2016 at 3:23pm CDT

The NFL’s free agent period will officially begin in less than 24 hours and several big name players are poised to change teams. The Broncos badly want to elevate quarterback Brock Osweiler to the starting role in 2016, but he will be courted by the Texans and several other teams if he is not signed by tomorrow. Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon is arguably the best pass rusher in this year’s crop and the Giants, Raiders, Browns, and Titans are in pursuit. The Jaguars are also high on Vernon and they could pair him with the newly-signed Malik Jackson. Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin could join up with an NFC West rival and Dolphins tailback Lamar Miller could land with another team in the state of Florida. You can keep up with these storylines and many, many more with Pro Football Rumors.

Need to study up on these names? Well, we have you covered with PFR’s Top 50 NFL Free Agents list. Read our comprehensive guide to see where Doug Martin, Janoris Jenkins, Damon Harrison, Eric Weddle, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Greg Hardy, and other free agent notables rank.

Whether you’re a hardcore football fan or more of a casual watcher, you’re going to want to stay plugged in with PFR all offseason long. Here’s how you can get our up-to-the-second NFL news:

Jeremy Hellickson On Offseason Trade

By Zachary Links | March 7, 2016 at 8:20am CDT

As a part of the Diamondbacks’ efforts to remold themselves into a contender, they sent one of their starters off to a rebuilding club. In November, the D-backs shipped Jeremy Hellickson to the Phillies in exchange for 20-year-old righty Sam McWilliams. Hellickson, unlike McWilliams, comes with a lengthy track record at the big league level — something that could theoretically have appealed to the win-now Diamondbacks — but he’s struggled in recent seasons, logging a 4.73 ERA over the past three seasons after an outstanding start to his career. The Diamondbacks decided to use his relatively sizable projected salary elsewhere.

Leading up to the deal, Hellickson says that he didn’t get a phone call from anyone in the organization indicating that a move might be coming down. However, he sensed that he could be traded at any moment. “I didn’t have any indication [that a deal could happen], you just kind of get a feeling with the direction that they’re going in,” Hellickson said in Clearwater, Fla. late last week. “I didn’t know that they were going to sign guys for that much money after trading me, but I just got the feeling that was going to happen.”

After Hellickson’s departure, the Diamondbacks spent $206.5MM on Zack Greinke; paid a hefty premium in terms of player personnel to acquire Shelby Miller (Ender Inciarte, Dansby Swanson and Aaron Blair); signed Tyler Clippard to a two-year, $12.25MM deal; and acquired Jean Segura and righty Tyler Wagner from the Brewers for Chase Anderson, Isan Diaz and Aaron Hill. Now, after winning 79 games in 2015, the D-backs could very well contend for the NL West crown. Even though the Phillies seem more likely to wind up in the cellar of the NL East than at the top, Hellickson says that he isn’t bothering to concern himself with his former club’s dealings.

At the age of 28, Hellickson is one of the team’s “veteran” starters, along with 32-year-old Charlie Morton (a fellow offseason trade acquisition). Hellickson admits that it’s an odd role to play for someone who is on the right side of 30.

“It is a little bit weird being one of the veteran guys on this rotation,” said Hellickson. “It was kind of the same situation alst year [in Arizona] but the game is getting younger. There are guys getting called up at 21 or 22 years old. I don’t feel old at 28, but 28 is kind of old in this game right now.”

Hellickson and the Phillies avoided arbitration back in January with the right-hander getting $7MM instead of his projected $6.6MM salary. After this season, the Scott Boras client is headed towards free agency. Hellickson may or may not rack up wins this season, but the former American League Rookie of the Year could position himself for a nice payday with a rebound campaign in 2016.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AL East Notes: Warren, Yankees, Rays

By Zachary Links | March 6, 2016 at 4:00pm CDT

When it comes to pitcher Adam Warren, the Yankees didn’t know what they had until it was gone, Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal writes. The Yankees’ acquisition of Starlin Castro got plenty of attention, but the less heralded Warren could be tricky for New York to replace. Warren, 28, gave the Yankees 17 starts in addition to providing much needed help in the bullpen. He can also be controlled for another three years in arbitration, which is another major plus.

Here’s more from the AL East:

Rays first baseman-turned-pitcher Dan Johnson says he is committed to getting better at his new craft, with no real timetable for getting things down pat, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. “I’m into it,” he said. “It’s completely up to the Rays how they want to work it. I’m coming in with an open mind. Send me to the Dominican league, I don’t care.” Johnson played first base for the Rays over parts of three seasons and spent 2015 with the Cardinals and Reds organizations.
Orioles Rule 5 Draft pick Joey Rickard is turning heads in Sarasota, Florida, as Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com writes. “I like him,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of the outfielder. “Good defender in center and left so far. Timing is everything. He’s 24, lot of guys start figuring it out. He’s kind of come into his own the last year, carried it over into winter ball. He’s got a chance to make our club.” Rickard was plucked from the Rays organization over the winter.
Rays right-handers Brad Boxberger and Jake Odorizzi as well as center fielder Kevin Kiermaier all turned down meager raises as a matter of principle in 2016. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times checked in with all three players about their decision and all three indicated that they did not take the matter personally this offseason.
Over the weekend, MLBTR caught up with Blue Jays hurler Marco Estrada to discuss his return to the Blue Jays and his decision to forego testing the open market this offseason.

Marco Estrada Happy To Be Back With Blue Jays

By Zachary Links | March 6, 2016 at 2:59pm CDT

Marco Estrada’s first experience through free agency was over before it could even get underway. In November, following a career year, the right-hander agreed to return to Toronto on a two-year deal worth $26MM. Estrada would have liked to take his time on the open market, but after careful consideration, the hurler decided that he would be better off taking a two-year deal from Toronto rather than accept the one-year, $15.8MM qualifying offer.

“I wanted to test it just to see what it was like. I probably would have returned to this team anyway. I did want to test the market. Who doesn’t?,” Estrada told MLBTR during a one-on-one chat in Dunedin, Florida. “I’ve never been through free agency and I was coming off of a really good year so why not test free agency? I didn’t get to experience it, but I’m happy with my decision. I’m glad to be back and I’m happy with how my deal worked out. But, it would have been nice to see what it’s like. Who knows, maybe two years from now I’ll try free agency.”

The veteran pitcher and his reps at TWC Sports pushed hard for a three- or four-year commitment from the Blue Jays, but they ultimately agreed to the two-year offer. From the sound of it, the Blue Jays were firmly against giving the 32-year-old (33 in July) a longer deal.

“We tried to get a third or fourth year. I don’t think it was ever going to be close on their part. Obviously, I tried. I wanted less money for more years, but they didn’t want to do it. It’s fine. I like the deal I got now. I guess the AAV went up and it was only two years but, it’s good, you know, I can’t complain,” Estrada said.

Even after seeing many of the offseason’s top available pitchers rocket past their projected earnings, it’s not clear whether Estrada could have netted a hefty three- or four- year pact. Estrada, on one hand, ended the season with a strong 3.13 ERA over 181 innings. The advanced stats aren’t as kind to him, however. As MLBTR’s Jeff Todd noted in November, Estrada wound up with a career-low 8.7% HR/FB rate and a .216 batting average on balls in play, factors that surely played a role in his breakout year.

Regardless of the contract, Estrada is happy to be back in Toronto for two more seasons.

“I look at the team that came back and it’s a pretty solid team. It’s not a lineup I’d like to face, I’ll tell you that right now,” the pitcher said. “Knowing I’m going to have these guys behind me, not just the offense they give me, but the defense. Nobody ever talks about the defense here and I think we’ve got one of the best defensive teams in the league. A guy like me, I need a good defense behind me, so why not come back here and have these guys play hard for me?”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

MLBTR Originals

By Zachary Links | March 6, 2016 at 1:15pm CDT

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

Former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel spoke with MLBTR in Clearwater, Florida about his role with the team and the club’s rebuilding process. “We can go first to third, we can go second to home, but we still have to develop ourselves as hitters to be able to be regular players at the Major League level. And, when it comes to young pitchers, we got so many that some of them have to be good,” Manuel told MLBTR.
Nick Swisher is hoping that he still has enough left in the tank to make an impact in 2016. MLBTR spoke with the veteran outfielder in the dugout prior to Atlanta’s Friday contest against the Phillies. “It was a business move and I don’t blame [the Indians] for doing that,” said Swisher when asked about the deal that brought him to the Braves. “I got hurt in the second year of a five-year deal [his deal includes an option] and my production was down. I was hired to do a job and I didn’t get it done, so I don’t blame them. It made a lot of sense as a business move.”
On the latest edition of the MLBTR podcast, host Jeff Todd talked with Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News and analytics expert Bradley Woodrum. A new episode of the podcast is released every Thursday and can be accessed on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
It’s March and Austin Jackson is still without a team. MLBTR’s Steve Adams ran down possible landing spots for the outfielder, including the Indians, White Sox, and Orioles. Cleveland is reportedly tapped out in terms of payroll, but the Indians are perhaps the most obvious on-paper fit for Jackson. As for the White Sox, Jackson would provide a reasonable backup to Adam Eaton in center and could see regular at-bats in the outfield corners, as his glove would be an upgrade over that of either Melky Cabrera or Avisail Garcia. Click the link to see where MLBTR readers see Jackson landing.
Hurler Doug Fister is hoping to rebound with the Astros. MLBTR was on hand as Fister discussed his free agency experience and his reasons for signing with Houston.
Getting traded can be an adjustment and that’s a change that Jake Thompson has experienced twice in his young career. Thompson spoke with reporters, including this reporter, about the lessons he learned after trade No. 1.
New Phillies outfielder Peter Bourjos chatted with MLBTR about his fresh start in Philly and what he can do to get back to his 2011 form.
Jeff ran down notable recent late-spring trades, including one notable swap from 2015.
MLBTR was on hand in Lakeland, Florida last week as Tigers manager Brad Ausmus gave his thoughts on Detroit’s offseason and more.
Veteran outfielder Nate Schierholtz, who is in camp with the Tigers, spoke to MLBTR about his time in Japan.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Fowler, Greinke, Pirates

By Zachary Links | March 6, 2016 at 11:46am CDT

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

Camden Depot isn’t upset about the Orioles losing out on Dexter Fowler.
Inside The Zona compared Rubby De La Rosa’s changeup to Zack Greinke’s.
TPOP ranked the Pirates’ top prospects.
Chin Music Baseball says the Rangers have question marks.
Big Three Sports spoke with FanGraphs’ Jeff Zimmerman.
North Shore Nine weighed in on the Gerrit Cole situation.
Outside Pitch says it’s an important year for Matt Moore.
80 Grade Halos is amped for Angels Spring Training.
Super Two Sports examined the Cody Asche situation.
Baseball Hot Corner chatted with ex-GM Dan Evans.
The Runner Sports checked in on the Astros.
A’s Farm took a position-by-position look at Oakland’s organizational depth.
Same Page Team sized up the Blue Jays’ bullpen.
Fansided sees seven perfect fits for Lazaro Armenteros.
Pirates Breakdown examined the disparity in minor league salaries.
Gardy Goes Yardy says James Kaprielian can help the Yanks fairly soon.
Think Blue PC reconsidered the Dodgers rotation.
Redbird Rants discussed Trevor Rosenthal’s future.
MLB Reports looked into the Yankees’ payroll going forward.
Chris Zantow delved into Milwaukee’s father-son connection.
Jays From The Couch says Toronto’s defense is underrated.
Philliedelphia discussed Ryan Howard’s pursuit of 400 home runs.
Wayniac Nation says this could be the D’Backs’ year.
Notes From The Sally previewed the 2016 Lakewood Blueclaws.
BBA says the Nats are banking on three players to bounce back.
Dynasty Digest wonders if the Yankees made a mistake trading for Aroldis Chapman.
Sports Heaven has five prospects to keep an eye on.
Puckett’s Pond made a 25-man roster prediction.
Motor City Bengals looked back on the Andrew Romine deal.
Pinstriped Prospects examined Ben Gamel’s recent breakout.
World Series Dreaming created a taxi squad.
About Sports wonders if Henry Owens can break through this year.
Baseball Essential pitted Carlos Correa vs. Francisco Lindor.
The Runner Sports had some fun with Jake Marisnick and George Springer’s field trip.
Pittsburgh Sports Report weighed the pros and cons of keeping Andrew McCutchen.

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

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