East Notes: Blue Jays, Marlins, Mets, Napoli
Here are a few notes from the AL and NL East..
- Justin Germano appeared to have a shot at a job in the Blue Jays rotation when the Jays signed him in November, but now he's nowhere near the rotation picture, MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm writes. After the acquisitions of Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey, the Jays don't have as much need for the journeyman, who struck out 52 batters and walked 21 while posting a 6.20 ERA in 69.2 innings with the Cubs and Red Sox last season. "Obviously nobody knew they were going to do what they did," Germano says. "It's not the most ideal situation for me but I'm happy to be here, and I hope I can be part of this team because they're going to do some good things this year."
- Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, whose first big move upon taking the reigns in New York was to ship out star outfielder Carlos Beltran to San Francisco for pitching prospect Zack Wheeler, has been validated by the results, writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. While Wheeler has yet to make his regular-season debut with the Mets, the young righty's continued development and increasing "notoriety" has already led Alderson to feel what he described as a "kind of a confirmation."
- Tim Dahlberg of the Associated Press wonders whether the Marlins' Jeffrey Loria is the worst owner in sports history. Dahlberg cites the trade of Johnson, Buehrle and Jose Reyes to the Jays, and points to Buehrle and Reyes' backloaded contracts to suggest that trading them was part of the plan all along.
- Mike Napoli has previously explained how surprised he was to learn that he had a potentially serious hip condition known as avascular necrosis. As reported by ESPN's Gordon Edes, Napoli was not and is not experiencing any symptoms: "I really didn't know what was going on. I don't feel anything. … I'm doing everything, and I feel great." After his original three-year, $36MM deal with the Red Sox was undone when his physical revealed the condition, Napoli instead agreed to play for Boston on a one-year, $5MM deal with incentives that could bring the total value to $13MM.
Jeff Todd contributed to this post.
AL East Notes: Yankees, Chamberlain, Drew
There's no denying that David Ortiz has been the game’s top designated hitter over the course of the last decade. You arrive at the same conclusion whether you use home runs, OPS or wins above replacement; no one has been better than Ortiz. Yet the rest of the designated hitters in the AL East aren't nearly as imposing: Adam Lind, Luke Scott, Travis Hafner and Wilson Betemit. Here are the latest links from the division…
- MLBPA Executive Director Michael Weiner told reporters, including Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, that he has his doubts about the Yankees’ plans of avoiding the MLB luxury tax by 2014 (Twitter link). "I imagine Mr. Steinbrenner is sincere when he says that, but like a lot of things, I’ll believe it when I see it," Weiner said, in reference to managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner.
- Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues expects some team to give Joba Chamberlain the chance to start next offseason, when the right-hander hits free agency. Axisa suggests a two-year, $10MM deal such as the one Carlos Villanueva signed could be enough to land Chamberlain. Don’t expect the Yankees to sign him for that kind of money, though.
- The Red Sox didn't sign free agents just to trade them midseason, Nick Cafardo writes in a mailbag at the Boston Globe. However, Cafardo could imagine the Red Sox trading Stephen Drew if Jose Iglesias blossoms into a passable offensive contributor.
Transaction Retrospection: The Bailey-Reddick Trade
MLBTR is launching a new series entitled "Transaction Retrospection" in which we'll take a look back on trades that have taken place to see how the players involved — including low-level minor leaguers — have fared in new settings and how the involved teams have been impacted. Remember that you can always look back at the players involved in transactions and check in on them yourself using MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.
Oftentimes, as spectators of the game, we focus on the immediate impact of trades rather than the long-term impact that some major transactions have on the teams involved. For example, while some undoubtedly remember all of the players involved in last year's Andrew Bailey–Josh Reddick trade between the Red Sox and Athletics, the majority of fans likely can't name all five players. The immediate impact was apparent in Reddick's success and Bailey's injuries, but there's more to this trade than just those two names.
The Athletics traded Bailey and Ryan Sweeney to Boston in exchange for Reddick, Miles Head and Raul Alcantara. Reddick's breakout and Bailey's breakdown are well-known, but let's look at each player's individual progress to date:
The Major League Side
- Andrew Bailey: Bailey was supposed to take over as Boston's closer, but he would end up requiring thumb surgery in Spring Training and spend more than four months on the disabled list. Upon returning, he pitched to a disastrous 7.04 ERA in just 15 1/3 innings, walking eight and striking out 14 along the way. Bailey remains under team control through the 2014 season, so he'll have plenty of time to redeem himself and make this trade look better for Boston. However, he's been replaced as the closer following the offseason acquisition of Joel Hanrahan.
- Ryan Sweeney: Sweeney went homerless in 219 plate appearances, batting .260/.303/.373 along the way. He played his typically strong brand of defense in Boston, posting an 11.6 UZR/150 and saving five runs over his 467 1/3 innings, per The Fielding Bible. Sweeney was non-tendered by the Red Sox this offseason but re-signed with the team on a minor league contract late last month.
- Josh Reddick: Reddick exploded over the season's first half, batting a whopping .268/.348/.532 with 20 homers. While he slumped horribly in the second half, Reddick still finished with a .242/.305/.463 batting line with 32 homers. He was worth +22 runs per The Fielding Bible and posted an equally stellar 20.4 UZR/150. FanGraphs pegged Reddick's value at 4.8 wins above replacement. Reddick won't be arbitration eligible until after this coming season and is under team control through 2016.
The Prospect Side
- Miles Head: Head ranks as the A's No. 7 prospect according to Baseball America and No. 9 according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. The 21-year-old primarily played third base in the Oakland organization, but also has experience at first base. He hit a ludicrous .382/.433/.715 with 18 homers in 67 games for High-A Stockton before being promoted to Double-A Midland. He held his own as a 21-year-old at Double-A, batting .272/.338/.404 but whiffed in 32.1 percent of his plate appearances. BA praises his quick, compact swing and "outstanding" bat control, which create enough power to profile as a corner infielder. Head's lack of range and athleticism leave his future at third base in doubt, according to BA.
- Raul Alcantara: Alcantara ranks as the team's No. 26 prospect according to BA and No. 11 prospect according to MLB.com. After a dominant 2011 in Boston's organization, Alcantara struggled with Oakland's Class-A affiliate in Burlington in 2012. He pitched to a 5.08 ERA, 5.0 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 102 2/3 innings of work. BA has his fastball at 90-95 mph, and they also praise his change-up's depth and armside run. Both Mayo and BA agree that Alcantara's breaking pitches need work but praise his delivery and command. Alcantara turned 20 in December, so it would seem there's plenty of time to hone his secondary pitches and develop a bit more movement on his fastball.
The trade also had an impact on other players already in the organizations. Bailey's injury forced Alfredo Aceves into the closer's role in Boston for the first time, which had unspectacular results. The acquisition of Bailey was supposed to give the Red Sox enough depth to shift Daniel Bard into the starting rotation. Bard struggled, however, and when he returned to the bullpen after a Triple-A stint, he allowed 14 runs in six innings of relief pitching.
Reddick's acquisition, meanwhile, replaced the power production of the departing Josh Willingham — who signed as a free agent with the Twins — and vastly improved Oakland's outfield defense in the process. Willingham's departure, the Bailey trade and the Gio Gonzalez trade allowed the A's to invest four years and $36MM in Cuban hotshot Yoenis Cespedes.
The trade looks bleak for the Red Sox right now, but one of the beauties of transactions like this is the seemingly endless web they spin. For example, a strong season from Bailey could lead to another trade, causing the cycle to start all over again.
Baseball America's 2013 Prospect Handbook was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Red Sox Sign Ryan Rowland-Smith
The Red Sox have come to terms on a deal with Ryan Rowland-Smith, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. No word on the details of the contract. The 30-year-old lefthander will be pitching for his native Australia in the World Baseball Classic.
The Frye McCann Sports client last appeared in a MLB game in 2010 with the Mariners where he posted career-lows of a 6.75 ERA, 4.0 K/9, 2.1 HR/9, and 11.6 H/9 while appearing in 27 games, 20 as a starter. Rowland-Smith spent last season with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate recording a 3.94 ERA and 7.2 K/9 in 77 2/3 innings covering 30 games including eight starts.
Last month, Crasnick reported Rowland-Smith threw for seven teams in Arizona, but the Red Sox were not one of them.
Cafardo On Yankees, Sanchez, Lohse, Red Sox
In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has some extremely kind words about MLBTR and founder Tim Dierkes. "Call it American ingenuity, or a great business model for start-ups, but it has been incredible to watch the growth of mlbtraderumors.com — to the point where it’s now the go-to site for major league executives, reporters, and fans," Cafardo writes. Here's more from today's column..
- Backstops Francisco Cervelli, Chris Stewart, Bobby Wilson, and Austin Romine won't light up the scoreboard, but that's alright with Yankees GM Brian Cashman. “We’re not looking for catching. We just know our offensive production at that position isn’t going to be as good as in the past," Cashman said.
- Despite some interest in free agent second baseman Freddy Sanchez, teams have not been willing to commit to him. The former NL batting champion has had numerous injuries and surgeries in the past.
- One AL GM offered up his prediction on where Kyle Lohse will land. "[The Rangers] missed out on a couple of guys. While you don’t want to overpay or give him an extended contract, they seem to be the most motivated to get a deal done with him.”
- Some teams may not be anxious to add Red Sox reliver Alfredo Aceves to their club house, but one American League GM says that someone will pull the trigger. “He’s a talented pitcher who can do a lot of things,” said the GM. “The baggage is there, but some team will put up with the baggage. Who knows? If he gets to start somewhere, maybe all of the problems go away.”
- Cafardo believes that Brian Wilson will be the Tigers' fallback option when he's ready to return after surgery. Until then, Bruce Rondon will have the opportunity to close in Detroit.
- Free agent left-hander Joe Beimel wants to make a return and has auditioned for some teams. The 35-year-old is coming back from Tommy John surgery last May.
- The stock of minor league catcher Christian Vazquez is rising so rapidly that Cafardo wonders if the Red Sox will pursue deals for Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Ryan Lavarnway. Vazquez will likely start the year at Double-A but could move up quickly.
AL East Notes: Yankees, De La Rosa, Red Sox, Orioles
Here's the latest out of the American League East..
- Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com ran down his likes and dislikes on the Yankees this season. Heyman likes that the Bombers have kept their strong rotation in tact and believes that even though they acted like a small-market team this winter, they will go out and spend in July if they need to. Meanwhile, Heyman is concerned about the club's age and lack of depth in the minors.
- Pedro Martinez believes that Rubby De La Rosa, one of the key pieces of the Red Sox's blockbuster trade with the Dodgers, has a chance to be "someone special", writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. De La Rosa is rebounding from Tommy John surgery and will see his innings capped in 2013.
- Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com wonders if quality is more important than quantity when it comes to a team's farm system. The Orioles had just two players ranked in the Baseball America top 100 prospects list this year, with Dylan Bundy at No. 2 and Kevin Gausman at No. 26. Manny Machado also would have been towards the very top of the list had he qualified for rookie status.
- Orioles reliever Darren O'Day told the local press, including CSNBaltimore.com (video link) that he is especially happy to have a contract extension with the club given the way that he has bounced around in the past. O'Day inked a two-year extension with a club option for 2015.
Minor Moves: Maloney, Hampson, Blanco, Blue Jays
Here's a look at today's minor moves, courtesy of Baseball America's Matt Eddy..
- The Red Sox have signed left-hander Matt Maloney to a minor league deal, according to Eddy. The 29-year-old has spent time in the big leagues in each of the past four seasons and owns a career 3.83 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in Triple-A.
- The Mets have re-signed left-hander Justin Hampson, Eddy writes. The 32-year-old posted a 2.33 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 for Triple-A Buffalo in 2012. Hampson also saw time in 13 big league games last season for the Mets and a combined 74 for the Padres in 2007 and 2008.
- The Phillies released shortstop Andres Blanco, according to Eddy. Blanco, 28, last appeared in the majors with the Rangers in 2011 and owns a career .255/.301/.333 slash line across six big league seasons.
- The Blue Jays re-signed right-hander Clint Everts, Eddy reports. Everts, who spent last season with Toronto's Triple-A affiliate, was taken with the fifth-overall pick in the 2002 draft by the Expos.
Red Sox Notes: Bogaerts, Bradley, Cherington
On this date 12 years ago the Red Sox purchased Jorge De La Rosa from Monterrey of the Mexican League. De La Rosa, now a starter with the Rockies, never pitched for the Red Sox but he did play an important role in their history. Two years after acquiring De La Rosa the Red Sox traded him and three others to Arizona for Curt Schilling. Here are today's Red Sox-related links…
- Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. offer a "glimpse into the future" of the Red Sox in the words of manager John Farrell, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reports. Farrell expressed confidence that Bogaerts will be able to handle either third base or shortstop from a defensive standpoint. However, both players are set to open the 2013 season in the minor leagues.
- Bogaerts ranked eighth on Baseball America's list of the game's top prospects and Bradley ranked 31st. Both project to reach the MLB level in 2014, according to BA.
- Red Sox GM Ben Cherington knows it takes more than character to compete in the AL East, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. "It has to start with talent," Cherington said. "You can have a bunch of good guys in spring training, but if you're not winning in May, you're not feeling good anymore.'' As others in the Red Sox organization explained to Nightengale, winning and strong clubhouse culture are often closely linked.
- It's finally time for the Red Sox to focus on baseball instead of off-field distractions, Jon Paul Morosi writes at FOX Sports.com. Farrell said he's been impressed with the attention to detail displayed by some newcomers.
NL Central Notes: Gonzalez, Wainwright, Willis, Bucs
It was on this day in 1986 that Rollie Fingers chose his mustache over the Reds. The veteran closer was offered a Spring Training invite by the Reds on the condition that Fingers shave his famous handlebar in order to meet with the team's facial hair policies. Fingers turned the deal down and instead retired, ending his 17-year Major League career and paving the way for his eventual induction into the Hall of Fame.
Here's the latest from around the NL Central…
- The Cardinals exchanged figures with Alex Gonzalez this offseason but couldn't come to terms, and the veteran shortstop instead signed with the Brewers, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports. The Cards' best offer was a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $1MM plus another $1MM if Gonzalez made the roster, which couldn't top Gonzalez's deal with Milwaukee. A dozen teams scouted Gonzalez's offseason workout sessions, with the Red Sox and Dodgers showing particular interest in the 36-year-old.
- Steve Hammond, Adam Wainwright's agent, is out of the country for the next 10 days so there won't be any immediate extension talks between Wainwright and the Cardinals, B.J. Rains of St. Louis 1380 AM Radio reports (via Twitter). We heard on Monday that both sides were keeping the lines of communication open about a new contract for the ace right-hander.
- Dontrelle Willis talks to CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney about his career, his short-lived retirement, his controversial exit from the Orioles organization and his return to the Cubs on a minor league contract.
- The Pirates are desperate for success but ESPN's Buster Olney notes that the team must weigh the short-term benefit of a winning season against the long-term costs (both developmentally and financially) of calling up young starters Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole. MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith noted earlier today that the Pirates could prevent Cole from gaining Super Two eligibility by delaying his callup until mid-June.
East Notes: Phillies, Steinbrenner, Yankees, Red Sox
Despite what some observers may think, the Phillies refuse to believe that their window has closed, writes Bob Nightengale of USA Today. "If I really thought the window was closing," said Cole Hamels, "I would have been gone. I play to win. They didn't have to give me any assurances. You can see it. You can feel it." There are a number of questions surrounding the Phillies, including offseason acquisition Michael Young's ability to play third base, but Ryan Howard cautions fans not to be surprised by their success in 2013. Here's more out of baseball's eastern divisions..
- Hal Steinbrenner has been adamant about the Yankees cutting their payroll to $189MM, but ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews reports that he may return to something resembling his father's free-spending ways. "This is the first time since George died that it appears a Steinbrenner is actually running the Yankees," a source tells Matthews. A change in the Yankees' approach would have dramatic implications throughout the free-agent market, and it could have a near-immediate impact on Robinson Cano as he enters his walk year.
- The Red Sox generally haven't incorporated former major league players into their decision-making, but GM Ben Cherington appreciates special assistant Jason Varitek's input, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. In the coming months, Varitek will assist the front office in player development and draft scouting. Two other former Red Sox stars, Pedro Martinez and Tim Wakefield, are also working with Cherington.
- In addition to being a key bullpen piece for the Orioles, the recently extended Darren O'Day is also a mentor to his fellow Baltimore sidearmers, writes Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com. O'Day recently agreed to a two-year, $5.8MM deal with a club option for 2015.
Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.