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Red Sox Notes: Castillo, Sandoval, Shaw, Moncada, Kelly

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Rusney Castillo needs to improve against hard fastballs, writes Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Last season, the Red Sox outfielder hit just .203/.230/.203 against fastballs of 93 mph or harder. The weak performance is doubly damning because the AL East is populated with plenty of hard throwing hurlers. If Castillo can’t figure out how to barrel up more heaters, he’ll find his playing time dwindling. Fortunately, Castillo and the Red Sox aren’t without hope. Speier highlights Jackie Bradley Jr. who went from one of the worst against hard fastballs in 2014 to one of the best in 2015 (.333/.439/.745). The small sample sizes involved along with other factors can complicate the surface level analysis of these numbers.

Here’s more from Boston:

  • Travis Shaw’s hot play this spring is putting pressure on third baseman Pablo Sandoval, writes Ian Browne of MLB.com. Shaw “could be competing for regular at-bats,” per manager John Farrell. Sandoval is more likely to lose time than Hanley Ramirez. Farrell also commented on Sandoval, saying “the work has to translate to performance.” Shaw is expected to spend some time in left field as well, which could put pressure on Castillo instead.
  • Prospect Yoan Moncada is a good test case of the Red Sox position switching protocol, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. While Moncada is unlikely to play much second base at the big league level due to the presence of Dustin Pedroia (just ask Mookie Betts), the club won’t move a prospect to a new position until they prove proficiency at their base spot. That usually occurs at Double- or Triple-A. It’s possible Moncada’s bat will be big league ready by the end of this season, but he still has a number of developmental hurdles to overcome – in part due to the presence of Pedroia. It’s worth noting, Pedroia is signed through 2021 with a limited no trade clause.
  • Throwing more breaking balls may be the key to success for Joe Kelly, writes Sean McAdam of CSN New England. That was the change he made prior to a strong eight start finish to the 2015 season. With Eduardo Rodriguez set to miss the start of the season, Kelly’s success could save the club from being forced to make a trade.

Injury Notes: Meadows, Lorenzen, Kopech, Boesch

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Pirates prospect Austin Meadows had surgery to fix an orbital fracture, Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. He will return to action in an estimated six to eight weeks. The injury occurred earlier this spring, when Meadows got hit by a ball while playing catch. MLB.com currently ranks Meadows the Pirates’ second-best prospect. After batting .307/.357/.407 for Class A+ Bradenton last year, Meadows will likely begin his 2016 season at Double-A Altoona, at least after he’s finished with any rehab assignments. Here are more quick injury notes.

  • Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen was examined earlier this week by Dr. Timothy Kremchek earlier this week, and he will not throw for “another couple of weeks,” MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets. Lorenzen was previously diagnosed with a mild UCL sprain. He had been set to compete for a job in the Reds’ currently injury-riddled rotation. The 24-year-old Lorenzen posted a 5.40 ERA, 6.6 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 in 113 1/3 innings in his rookie season with the Reds last year.
  • Red Sox prospect Michael Kopech had a screw inserted into his right hand Tuesday to stabilize a fracture he suffered while fighting with a teammate, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe writes. He will be out about six weeks, at which point he will begin getting ready for the season. As Speier notes, 2016 will be the second straight shortened season for Kopech, who served a 50-game suspension last year for use of the stimulant Oxilofrine. The 2014 first-round pick posted a 2.63 ERA, 9.7 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 65 innings with Class A Greenville last year. He’s currently ranked the Red Sox’ fifth-best prospect.
  • Another Red Sock, outfielder Brennan Boesch, broke his wrist while attempting to make a catch on Friday, John Tomase of WEEI.com writes. Boesch’s return date is unknown. The Red Sox signed Boesch to a minor-league deal in January after he split the 2015 season between Cincinnati and Triple-A Louisville, hitting well in the minors but batting .146/.191/.202 in 94 plate appearances in the big leagues. The 30-year-old is best known for his three years of semi-regular duty with the Tigers from 2010-2012.

Eduardo Rodriguez Likely To Open Year On DL

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Though the Red Sox haven’t made any sort of formal announcement or roster move, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez appears headed for the disabled list to begin the season as he recovers from a dislocated kneecap in his right knee. Manager John Farrell acknowledged to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe that Rodriguez won’t be ready for the opener, telling reporters that Rodriguez is slated to throw off a mound tomorrow. Rodriguez, though, will require three bullpen sessions before he’s even able to get into a spring game, Abraham notes.

Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal takes a stab at a projected return date, noting that if Rodriguez is to follow the same criteria as other Red Sox starters — making six multi-inning appearances in a game setting before his regular season debut — he’d be unlikely to be available before April 26. The Sox, then, could be without their promising young lefty for the majority of the season’s first month. Fill-in candidates for Rodriguez’s rotation spot would include fellow left-handers Henry Owens and Roenis Elias as well as right-hander Steven Wright. (Left-hander Brian Johnson has been slowed as of late by a sprained toe.) The 31-year-old Wright had an inside track on making the Opening Day roster anyway, due to the fact that he is out of minor league options, but the an injury to Rodriguez could further open the door for him, at least for the season’s first month.

When he returns, Rodriguez will join David Price, Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello and Joe Kelly in Boston’s starting five, barring any injuries. The 22-year-old Rodriguez recorded 121 2/3 innings if 3.85 ERA ball out of the Sox’ rotation in his rookie season last year, averaging 7.2 strikeouts and 2.7 walks per nine innings to go along with a 43 percent ground-ball rate.

Quick Hits: Chacin, Morneau, Wright, Fowler, Cardinals

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Jhoulys Chacin has pitched well for the Braves in his Spring Training outings and, perhaps most importantly for the righty, his troublesome shoulder is feeling good.  “When I signed, my mindset was just to come to Spring Training as strong as I could be and to just pitch the only way I know how to pitch….I just want to go through all of this year and the rest of my career with my shoulder strong,” Chacin tells MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.  It would be a nice bargain for Atlanta if Chacin returned to the form he showed when he was a healthy and productive member of the Rockies staff, as Chacin is only signed to a minor league deal.  Here’s some more from around baseball…

  • “Nothing has materialized” for Justin Morneau this offseason, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes, though the veteran first baseman isn’t announcing his retirement.  Morneau said in November that he was adamant about continuing his career after working to come back from concussion and neck issues, though those same injuries limited him to just 49 games in 2015.  Health questions notwithstanding, Morneau did hit .316/.363/.487 with 20 homers in 732 PA over the last two seasons and he won the NL batting title in 2014, so it’s rather surprising that his market has been almost entirely quiet.  The Indians were the only club known to have interest and they went with Mike Napoli instead due to Napoli’s right-handed bat.  Morneau is the last member of MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents still looking for a new team.
  • Also from Cafardo, he notes that Red Sox right-hander Steven Wright is out of options and “a few teams are watching Wright’s camp with great anticipation.”  Wright, a knuckleballer, could still make Boston’s big league roster as a reliever or possibly as the team’s fifth starter if Eduardo Rodriguez is not healthy to start the year.
  • Dexter Fowler spoke to Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com about the surprising turn of events that saw the outfielder re-sign with the Cubs.  Despite media reports that had Fowler all but officially signed with the Orioles, Fowler said he and Baltimore “never really were close” to an agreement.  “They wanted me to pay them what they said the draft choice I was costing them was valued at.  They wanted me to pay them for the pick.  So we said, OK, then give me an opt-out after one year, and they said that’s something they won’t do,” Fowler said.  Casey Close, Fowler’s agent, also commented on the situation last month and had some harsh words for both the Orioles and the media.
  • Also from Gammons, he notes that it isn’t the Cardinals’ style to make rash moves, so the club is likely to be cautious in gauging their response to Jhonny Peralta’s injury absence.  St. Louis was linked to Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed earlier today, though Gammons thinks Arizona wouldn’t settle for anything less than a top minor leaguer like righty Luke Weaver (ranked by Baseball America as the Cards’ fourth-best prospect).
  • Matthew Bowman is “more likely than not” to make the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster as a reliever, Adam Rubin of ESPN.com writes.  Bowman was plucked off of the Mets’ roster in December’s Rule 5 draft.  The 24-year-old has pitched mostly as a starter in his minor league career and it would be somewhat of a surprise to see him pass several veteran options to lock down a bullpen job.  As a Rule 5 pick, of course, Bowman has to stay on the St. Louis 25-man roster all season or else be offered back to the Mets.

AL East Notes: Rays, Moncada, Jays, Sanchez

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Here’s the latest from around the AL East…

  • The Rays added several veterans to an already-crowded outfield and first base mix, leaving youngsters Mikie Mahtook and Richie Shaffer disappointed but understanding about probable Triple-A assignments, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes.  It’s not out of the question that a roster spot could open up in the event of an injury or a trade.  The Rays have been rumored as a possible trade partner for teams looking for outfield help, and the club has been shopping first baseman James Loney for much of the winter.
  • Yoan Moncada isn’t likely to be playing his natural second base position with the Red Sox as long as Dustin Pedroia is in Boston, but the Sox want to see Moncada prove himself defensively at his “base position” before shuffling him around the diamond, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford writes.  Moncada made 23 errors in 71 A-level games at second last season, so there’s certainly still work to be done in that regard, though scouts have long felt Moncada has the athleticism to play third base or the outfield.
  • Several players vying for spots on the Blue Jays roster are out of options, which the Toronto Sun’s Ken Fidlin feels could impact the team’s decisions for Opening Day.  Of the four outfielders (Domonic Brown, Ezequiel Carrera, Darrell Ceciliani, Junior Lake) competing for a backup spot, for instance, Ceciliani is the only one with a minor league option remaining.  The battle for the fifth starter’s job is similarly complicated since Aaron Sanchez, Gavin Floyd and Jesse Chavez are out of options while Drew Hutchison isn’t.
  • The fifth starter competition is further complicated by the fact that Sanchez and Floyd both pitched well in Grapefruit League action today, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith writes.  The Jays would obviously love to see heralded prospect Sanchez in their rotation, though the team also knows it use Sanchez as a setup man since he thrived in the role last season.  Alternatively, Sanchez could start while Chavez and Floyd go to the bullpen, as Chavez has swingman experience and relief work could be easier on Floyd’s arm given his injury history.
  • Also from the AL East, MLBTR’s Zach Links spoke to Russell Martin about the catcher’s free agent experience last winter.

Minor MLB Transactions: 3/11/16

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league…

  • The Orioles have re-signed outfielder Julio Borbon to a minor league contract, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Borbon has taken 863 MLB plate appearances, compiling a composite .272/.318/.347 slash with 47 stolen bases. But the 30-year-old last saw the Majors in 2013 and has spent the past two seasons in the Baltimore organization at Triple-A. His numbers dipped in his second go-around with Norfolk; last year, Borbon batted just .269/.299/.321, though he contributed on the basepaths, as usual, by swiping 23 bases in 114 games despite that modest OBP.
  • Baseball America’s John Manuel tweets that the Red Sox have released right-hander Karsten Whitson. The 24-year-old Whitson was selected ninth overall by the Padres in 2010 as a high schooler, but he turned down a $2.1MM signing bonus to attend the University of Florida. Unfortunately, Whitson began to battle shoulder injuries after an excellent freshman season and ultimately wound up signing for $100K as an 11th-round pick by the Red Sox in 2014. Whitson pitched just seven innings for the Sox’ short-season Class-A affiliate in 2014 — his lone professional experience to date.

AL Notes: Astros, Alburquerque, ERod, Tazawa, Castro

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Astros GM Jeff Luhnow addressed a variety of issues today with Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. He suggested that the club’s first base mix may not be fully resolved this spring, with the organization remaining open to making changes over the course of the season. He made clear that Houston won’t just be relying on metrics in reaching its decisions, but is paying close attention to how the various contenders look against advanced competition this spring.

  • Meanwhile, Luhnow said, the Astros’ back-of-the-rotation competition may result in some bullpen time for one of Doug Fister, Scott Feldman, or Mike Fiers. But he emphasized that he expects “all three guys are going to end up making a lot of starts for us this year.”
  • The Angels are hoping that reliever Al Alburquerque will be able to bounce back after a tough 2015, and improved health is one reason for optimism, as MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reports. Albuquerque says that he was hobbled for all of the spring and much of the regular season last year after contracting the Chikungunya virus over the winter. His fastball velocity steadily increased over the course of the year, and Albuquerque says he feels “much better” in camp.
  • The Red Sox now seem all but certain to go without young lefty Eduardo Rodriguez to open the year, as Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. Though the swelling is down in his right knee, Rodriguez still hasn’t returned to the bump and manager John Farrell says there’s “still no time frame or date to get him on the mound yet.” With the club obviously exercising caution, and a full ramp-up still needed, it would appear to be surprising if he’s able to join the 25-man roster on Opening Day.
  • In other Red Sox pitching news, Boston is hoping that the decision to shut down reliever Junichi Tazawa late last year will help him regain his form in 2015, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal writes. Generally a highly reliable pen arm, Tazawa seemingly hit a wall late last year. Now, pitching coach Carl Willis says he sees improved “late action to his pitches,” cleaner mechanics, and better location. The 29-year-old’s ability to bounce back will not only be important to the club, but will also determine his market standing when he qualifies for free agency after the season.
  • Reversing its prior stance, the Yankees don’t intend to prepare Starlin Castro to spend any further time at third base this spring, George A. King III of the New York Post reports. He’ll instead focus on settling in at second base and preparing to serve as the reserve shortstop, says manager Joe Girardi. As King notes, that could open up some additional opportunity for Rob Refsnyder to make the team as a utility piece.

AL East Notes: Sabathia, Heyward, Saunders, Bautista, Kopech, Panda

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CC Sabathia’s announcement that he would enter rehabilitation for alcohol abuse on the eve of the Yankees’ Wild Card playoff game last October stunned fans and those throughout the industry, and now, the left-hander offers an honest account of the factors that led to his decision over at the Players’ Tribune. Sabathia explains the reasons that he first turned to alcohol and the way in which his addiction evolved in an extremely candid, personal chronicle of his battle with the disease. Sabathia details his time spent in rehab and thanks his family as well as friends in the game such as David Ortiz, Torii Hunter and David Price for their support throughout the process. The big lefty writes that he feels mentally stronger than he ever has heading into a season and offers a message of hope to those that are going through their own battles with addiction.

Some notes from the AL East…

  • Prior to Jason Heyward’s trade to the Cardinals last offseason, the Yankees and Braves discussed a blockbuster framework that would’ve sent Heyward, Andrelton Simmons, David Carpenter, Melvin Upton and Chris Johnson to New York in exchange for Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, Manny Banuelos, Gary Sanchez and Ian Clarkin, according to a report from Jon Heyman (links to Twitter). Per Heyman, New York ultimately wouldn’t pull the trigger on the deal. A later, much smaller trade would see Carpenter and lefty Chasen Shreve sent to the Yankees in exchange for Banuelos. Heyward, meanwhile, was dealt to the Cardinals in a trade that sent Shelby Miller to the Braves. Atlanta, of course, flipped Miller to the D-backs this winter in a potentially franchise-altering deal.
  • Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins joined Buster Olney on today’s Baseball Tonight Podcast (audio link, with Atkins appearing at about the 29-minute mark) to discuss his background in baseball and a few Jays topics. Olney asked Atkins about the reported near-trade to acquire Jay Bruce which would’ve sent Michael Saunders to the Angels as part of a three-team deal. “[Saunders] has been unbelievable,” said Atkins when asked about the rumored swap. “With the rumors, spending time with him about that, he was as humble, as professional and as committed as possible to make sure that this will be the best trade that never happened.” Atkins went on to praise Saunders’ mobility and a pair of homers against inside fastballs — one from an opposing lefty. The inability to turn on inside pitches is often a concern with players coming off knee surgery, Atkins said, but Saunders to this point has shown no such ill effects.
  • Olney also asked about reports of Jose Bautista’s lofty asking price in extension talks with the Blue Jays. Atkins called Bautista “one of the smartest guys” he’s been around and said interactions with his right fielder have been nothing but positive. “My interactions with him, contrary to what people may think based on what’s been read, have been incredible,” Atkins said. “They’ve been amicable, they’ve been warm, they’ve been open, full of laughter and really, full of positivity. … I think, unfairly, some things have been portrayed that aren’t necessarily true. It’s unfortunate that there’s been somewhat of a negative light cast on his potential demands, and the focus has gone away from what a talented player he is and what a great person he is.”
  • Red Sox prospect Michael Kopech, a right-hander that received a 50-game suspension during last year’s minor league season for use of the banned stimulant Oxilofrine, has run into some trouble once again, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Kopech suffered a fractured right hand in an altercation with a teammate, per Bradford. “It was stupid,” GM Mike Hazen told Bradford of Kopech’s incident. “He’s going to have to grow up, obviously, with the things that have happened so far. He’s got a long road to go to get to the big leagues. He obviously has a ton of potential. He’s got a long way to go. These types of things, you don’t want to put more barriers in front of you than playing professional baseball already presents you.” Kopech was selected with the 33rd overall pick of the 2014 draft as compensation for the Red Sox’ loss of Jacoby Ellsbury in free agency. When he was able to take the field last year, the 19-year-old logged a 2.63 ERA with 9.7 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 in 65 innings (15 starts, one relief appearance).
  • Pablo Sandoval has been working with Red Sox infield instructor Brian Butterfield to alter the positioning of his glove on certain plays as well as his general first-step quickness, manager John Farrell tells reporters, including Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. Mastrodonato notes that while Farrell has raved about the preparation of Hanley Ramirez, he’s been more cautious in his descriptions of Sandoval, telling the media today that there’s still “work to be done” in terms of his defense and finding his timing at the plate. Sandoval, per Mastrodonato, says he’s been focusing quite a bit on his first step and spent the entire offseason hitting right-handed in an effort to get his right-handed swing back to its peak levels. (Sandoval, for those who weren’t aware, abandoned switch-hitting about a third of the way through the 2015 season.)

AL East Notes: Sims, Stroman, Ramirez, Bogaerts, Rodriguez

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Spring training provides many opportunities for teams to interact with their fans, but it isn’t often that you hear about a club actually signing one. But the Yankees did just that for ten-year-old Landis Sims, an inspiring young man who miraculously has devised a way to play baseball despite being born without hands or lower legs. It’s a great story, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Andrew Marchand, and well worth a read. Congratulations to Landis on his opportunity in Yanks camp!

Here’s more from the AL East:

  • Budding Blue Jays staff ace Marcus Stroman has impressed plenty already, but Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca writes that he’s working on taking the next step by tinkering with a quick pitch to keep hitters off balance. More notable than the new offering itself, perhaps, is the process behind it. “I always like to pick hitters’ brains,” explains Stroman, “and the biggest thing sometimes hitters say that messes them up is when pitchers change their tempo, change their motion, change their delivery.” Generally, the soon-to-be 25-year-old righty says that he “feel[s] extremely strong out there on the mound” this spring.
  • While the focus on Red Sox first baseman Hanley Ramirez has revolved around his transition in the field, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports that he’s also working to re-tool his swing. The surprising Travis Shaw is doing all he can to push Ramirez this spring, but Boston skipper John Farrell says he’s pleased with what he’s seen thus far at the plate from the veteran. His swing is “more compact,” says Farrell, “more of a line-drive approach.” Ramirez started strong last year offensively but faded to a substandard .249/.291/.426 overall batting line on the season.
  • As Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes, Ramirez once wrestled with the decision whether to accept an early-career extension, ultimately accepting one with the Marlins. Now, current Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts could be facing a similar choice. While Bogaerts previously suggested that Boston had not initiated talks, his response was somewhat different when asked recently. “I would just say I’m working hard, and will keep working hard,” he said when asked about a possible long-term deal. “People who work hard get good rewards, so we’ll see what happens what happens with that in the end. I’m just trying to focus on the game now.” While it’s not yet clear whether serious talks are underway, or whether they will ultimately occur this winter, it is certainly interesting to consider whether Boston will make a real run at locking up the Scott Boras client, a former top prospect who broke out last year and still has four years of team control remaining.
  • The Red Sox have a limited window to get enticing young lefty Eduardo Rodriguez ready to open the season in the rotation, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. He is staying off of the mound for the time being after recently suffering a tweak to his right kneecap. Boston is proceeding cautiously with a pitcher who is expected to be a key cog for years to come, and appears to feel good about leaning on its depth if that proves necessary. The 22-year-old contributed 121 2/3 innings of 3.85 ERA pitching last year, with 7.2 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9, and with 170 total frames (including his Triple-A output) he seems ready to take on a full season’s workload if he can return in time for a full ramp-up.

Cafardo On Orioles, Bruce, Red Sox, Maeda

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In today’s column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders where James Loney might fit in with the Rays this year.  The veteran is currently behind the platoon of Steve Pearce and Logan Morrison at first and he’s also blocked at DH and left field by Corey Dickerson and Desmond Jennings, respectively.  With a salary of $8MM, the Rays have been unable to find a taker for Loney via trade, though they are willing to eat some of that money to facilitate a deal.

Here’s more from today’s column:

  • The Orioles are still considering a deal for Reds outfielder Jay Bruce as they try to bolster their lineup in March.  The O’s are also considering Austin Jackson, but Bruce could be considered the better fit thanks to his power.  Bruce will make $12.5MM in 2016, plus a $1MM buyout or a $13MM option in 2017, which isn’t exactly chump change.  Also, even though Bruce has some excellent campaigns on his resume, his play over the past two seasons hasn’t been all that strong.
  • One NL exec says a few teams have ID’d Red Sox catcher Ryan Hanigan as a possible trade target this summer.  Red Sox officials have said that it’s unlikely they would part with Hanigan due to the inexperience of Blake Swihart and fellow youngster Christian Vazquez.  However, rival officials aren’t sold on that and believe that Hanigan could be more available than Boston is letting on.  Hanigan has a $3.7MM salary for 2016 with an option for 2017.
  • Can new Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda be effective in his first MLB season?  One scout who watched him throw in Japan isn’t so sure.  “His stuff isn’t as good as [Masahiro] Tanaka and he’s more a middle to end of the rotation type of guy,” said the scout. “I don’t know how his fastball plays in the big leagues. I think he’s got the secondary pitches, but the quality of hitters he’ll face may be a challenge at first.”  The Dodgers will be without Brett Anderson for the next three to five months, so they are certainly hoping that Maeda can hit the ground running.
  • Agent Randy Rowley tells Cafardo that Justin Masterson will throw a bullpen session for several teams towards the end of March.
  • The trade sending John Ryan Murphy to the Twins in exchange for outfielder Aaron Hicks was “the best pure baseball deal of the offseason,” in the opinion of one official who spoke with Cafardo.  That official, Cafardo notes, was not involved in the swap in any way.  Hicks, a defensive specialist, posted a .256/.323/.398 batting line in 2015 and added 13 steals, numbers that made him a little more attractive to the Bombers.  The Twins, meanwhile, got themselves an upgrade behind the plate in the wake of Kurt Suzuki’s struggles.
  • Free agent outfielder Grady Sizemore hasn’t received much interest to date.  The veteran spent the second half of last season with the Rays.
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