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AL East Notes: Orioles, Bautista, Yankees

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The remaining offseason additions of the Orioles don’t figure to be too costly, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Kubatko again notes that GM Dan Duquette would like to add another left-handed-hitting outfielders with a good glove and some additional pitching depth before breaking down the Baltimore roster and a number of position battles for the final few spots on the 25-man roster. Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander is recovering from shoulder surgery and can be stashed on the DL early in the year, but fellow Rule 5 selection Aneury Tavarez could have a tough time making the roster. The door for a reunion with Vance Worley “remains open,” per Kubatko, and there are several in the organization that would advocate a return for right-hander Tommy Hunter as well. The Orioles possess a number of options for the final bench spot and the fringes of their pitching staff, and Kubatko’s column gives a nice, comprehensive overview as to how it could all shake out.

A few more notes from the American League East…

  • Jose Bautista is a polarizing figure among MLB fans and his peers around the league (to say the least), but many of his Blue Jays teammates are ecstatic to see him return, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Marcus Stroman and Ryan Goins were among those to emphatically praise Bautista when speaking to Nicholson-Smith. Stroman, in particular, explained that Bautista is a critical resource for him when he’s studying opposing hitters and trying to determine how to keep them off balance. “He’s the first guy I go to because I feel like he has the best strike zone judgment out of anyone in the big leagues,” Stroman tells Nicholson-Smith. (Bautista’s 16.3 percent walk rate since 2011 trails only Joey Votto in all of Major League Baseball.)
  • Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling writes that agent Jay Alou said at Bautista’s press conference that his client had larger offers elsewhere, though he declined to get into specifics. Certainly, there could be some semantics at play, as it’s not difficult to see a two-year offer at a considerably lower annual value offering less appeal than the hefty $18.5MM guarantee to which Bautista agreed. It’s unclear what type of other offers Bautista received (and probably will remain so), but a rebound at the plate would position him nicely in advance of the 2017-18 offseason, even if he’ll be 37 this coming October. Bautista added that he’s open to playing first base for the Jays next year as well, and if he proves serviceable, that’d also go a long ways toward boosting his stock (and would also offer the Jays a means of enhancing their 2017 outfield defense).
  • The Yankees’ system is flooded with well-regarded shortstop prospects (led by Gleyber Torres), and with Didi Gregorius continuing to elevate his game in the Majors, that gives the team plenty of options, writes ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand. GM Brian Cashman tells Marchand that he doesn’t think Gregorius has reached his ceiling yet and should continue to improve. If that’s the case, it’d be hard to displace Gregorius even when Torres is ready for the Majors, though Cashman didn’t sound the least bit concerned about eventually having a potential logjam. “If you have the physical ability to project to play shortstop at the major league level, that also means you have the skill set to play second, third, typically center, left or right because of your speed and the arm,” said the GM. “So, first and foremost, it provides a great deal of creativity and flexibility that you can have with that athlete.”
  • One player that could eventually be impacted by the glut of up-the-middle talent in the Yankees’ farm is Starlin Castro, though he tells Newsday’s Steven Marcus that he “[doesn’t] really think about” the possibility of being displaced or even traded. Castro notes a parallel between the Yankees’ current situation and the end of his Cubs tenure. “That’s the second time it happened to me,” he said of the Yankees’ upcoming wave of talent. “That happened my last year with the Cubs. All the younger guys coming to the team. Here, the same thing.”

AL East Notes: Yankees, Sale, Red Sox, Orioles

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Given their impressive contingent of young talent, the retooling Yankees likely could have put together a package to acquire ace Chris Sale, who’s now with archrival Boston after the rebuilding White Sox traded him for a prospect haul last month. Noting that “all of a sudden, you’re tearing down when you start to build up,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman unsurprisingly expressed an unwillingness to give up potential superstar catcher Gary Sanchez for Sale (via Randy Miller of NJ.com). Regarding auxiliary pieces, Cashman said, “Is it (a touted pitching prospect such as James) Kaprielian or Chance Adams or Justus Sheffield? It would probably be (Luis) Severino right now. So those are the two primers just to get the ball rolling with the other two players yet to be named to try to match up for Sale.”

Elsewhere around the American League East…

  • The Orioles’ Zach Britton has been a premier closer since 2014, but he only developed into a lights-out reliever after a difficult run as a starter. In 48 appearances (46 starts) from 2011-13, Britton flashed his signature ground-ball ability (55.5 percent), though he otherwise underwhelmed with a 4.77 ERA and 5.94 K/9 against 3.92 BB/9 across 254 2/3 frames. Britton “had flashes of brilliance” as a starter, ex-Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace told David Laurila of FanGraphs, but Wallace doesn’t believe the 29-year-old would have evolved into a high-end rotation piece had he stayed in that role. “He doesn’t have the… I wouldn’t say mentality, but the wherewithal to navigate,” observed Wallace. “When you’re a starting pitcher, and you give up a run — give up something — you have to maintain your composure and still make pitches, knowing you have quite a bit of the game to go. A lot of guys can’t do that, and he was one of those guys.”
  • Although the Red Sox are making an effort to bolster their depth with minor league signings, they’re having trouble attracting players, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski explained to Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. “We keep trying to sign minor-league guys to contracts with big league invites,” Dombrowski said. “We haven’t been very productive. Not for a lack of trying, but guys are still at the point where, first of all, they’re looking for major league contracts if they can. You can see this past week, they finally started to click where, they were accepting some (minor league) invites. But they’re going to other clubs rather than ours, because they don’t like the chances of making our major league club as much at this time.” While Dombrowski “wouldn’t mind” picking up extra pitching and outfield depth, he’s content with his third base possibilities and is “hopeful” Pablo Sandoval will rebound from a forgettable two-year stretch.
  • As of earlier this month, Baltimore general manager Dan Duquette hadn’t ruled out signing the top starting pitcher available in free agency, one-time Oriole Jason Hammel. That was before the club re-signed pricey slugger Mark Trumbo, though, meaning it’s now more likely to add a cheaper starter, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Baltimore remains interested in re-upping swingman Vance Worley, per Kubatko, who hears that the right-hander’s price will have to drop for a reunion to happen. The Orioles non-tendered Worley last month in lieu of paying the 29-year-old a projected $3.3MM via arbitration in 2017. Worley managed to prevent runs at a respectable clip with the O’s last season in spite of a subpar K/BB ratio (1.6, well below the 2.53 league-average mark), as he pitched to a 3.53 ERA over 86 2/3 innings and 35 appearances (four starts).

Latest On Matt Wieters’ Market

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Matt Wieters is still looking for a new team, and the catcher is short one more potential landing spot now that Braves have agreed to sign Kurt Suzuki.  Atlanta had long been cited as a candidate to sign Georgia Tech alum Wieters; just under 30% of MLBTR readers predicted the Braves as Wieters’ next team in a poll last month.

ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick explored the Wieters market in a series of tweets (1, 2, 3, 4), including the news that there is some sentiment within the Orioles organization to re-sign Wieters to a one-year deal.  Under this arrangement, Wieters would split time with Welington Castillo behind the plate while also getting some at-bats as a DH.  While Wieters is popular with Baltimore’s on-field staff, however, Crasnick describes the O’s as “a long shot” for Wieters since the team’s analytics staff has reservations.

Wieters would certainly be an upgrade over current backup catcher Caleb Joseph, and a one-year deal would give the Orioles future flexibility at catcher — Castillo has a player option for 2018 and top prospect Chance Sisco is close to being ready for the big leagues.  Wieters would still carry a not-insignificant price tag even on a one-year contract, and the Orioles might not be keen to spend that much on the catcher position when Joseph is still in the fold at a low price and could rebound from his dismal 2016 season.

A timeshare-esque situation in Baltimore also wouldn’t necessarily help Wieters’ chances at scoring his sought-after multi-year contract next winter, so he could prefer a clearer path to playing time.  An MLB source with knowledge of the catching market tells Crasnick that the Angels, Rockies and perhaps the Reds seem to be the best fits for Wieters on a one-year deal.  The Angels have reportedly had some internal talks about Wieters already, while the Rockies could use a more established catcher in lieu of their planned Tony Wolters/Tom Murphy platoon.

The Reds are a new name in the mix, and their interest in Wieters or any other established catcher hinges on Devin Mesoraco’s health.  Mesoraco underwent hip surgery last summer and was scheduled to begin catching drills around this point in January, so more should be known about his injury situation in the next few weeks.  Since signing a four-year, $28MM extension after the 2014 season, Mesoraco has barely been able to get onto the field, playing just 39 games total in 2015-16 due to shoulder surgery and procedures on both his left and right hips.  Tucker Barnhart handled most of the work last year in Mesoraco’s absence, hitting .257/.323/.379 in 420 PA and posting strong blocking numbers according to Baseball Prospectus, though both BP and StatCorner rank Barnhart as a below-average pitch framer.  Rule 5 pick Stuart Turner is the only other catcher on Cincinnati’s 40-man roster.

The Diamondbacks and Nationals have both been linked to Wieters at various times this winter, though Crasnick echoes other recent reports in saying that the Nats don’t seem to have much interest in Wieters.  After Washington acquired Derek Norris, there were rumors that the Nationals could sign Wieters and then flip Norris, though one would think that the Nats could’ve just signed Wieters rather than trade for Norris in the first place.  It doesn’t seem like D.C. is a fit at the moment, though “you can never rule out the Nationals with Scott Boras clients,” Crasnick writes.

Orioles Re-Sign Mark Trumbo

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11:20am: Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun reports that Trumbo will earn $11MM per season on the deal, and he’ll also receive annual payments of $1.5MM from 2020-22 in the three years immediately following the completion of his contract.

10:05am: Mark Trumbo had a fairly lengthy saga in free agency, but he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. The Orioles announced on Friday that they’ve re-signed the 2016 MLB home run leader to a new three-year contract that will reportedly guarantee him $37.5MM (with some deferred money). Trumbo, a Wasserman client, also reportedly picks up a partial no-trade clause that will allow him to block deals to seven clubs.

Aug 28, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Mark Trumbo (45) hits a two run home run against the New York Yankees during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

By signing Trumbo, the O’s will lose a chance to recoup a draft pick, as he had declined a qualifying offer from the team at the outset of the offseason. It’s hardly a surprise to see the sides link up for a return, as Baltimore has long been seen as the most aggressive suitor for Trumbo, who just turned 31. Though earlier talks did not progress, Trumbo never seemingly gained much traction with other organizations, likely due to a market filled with power bats and to the rejected qualifying offer.

Baltimore acquired Trumbo last offseason from the Mariners in a deal that worked out excellently for the O’s. He ultimately provided the club with 667 plate appearances of .256/.316/.533 hitting and an MLB-best 47 home runs.

Though that represented a notable step forward in terms of the number of long balls that Trumbo launched — he was a 30-homer threat earlier in his career but had hit just 36 over the past two seasons — his overall output mostly fit within his career norms. Trumbo has long delivered well-above-average pop combined with anemic on-base numbers (.303 lifetime). In 2016, he struck out in 25.5 of his plate appearances while walking 7.6% of the time, right at his career norms.

In the aggregate, Trumbo is more an above-average offensive producer than a true force in the lineup. But there’s no doubt he’s a quality major league hitter, at least so long as he is able to continue squaring up enough balls to post .200+ isolated slugging marks.

The question, though, is just where Trumbo can play in the field. He has consistently rated as one of the game’s worst corner outfielders, no longer plays third, and is blocked at first in Baltimore by fellow slugger Chris Davis. With Hyun Soo Kim and Seth Smith providing left-handed-hitting options for the O’s, though, perhaps Trumbo will only be exposed to the outfield when southpaws take the hill for the opposition. If that’s the team’s approach, then Trumbo will presumably take most of his plate appearances in the DH slot.

Trumbo’s defensive limitations no doubt played a role in the relatively underwhelming interest he seemingly received on the open market. It also surely mattered that several other major power bats were (and are) floating around. Jose Bautista only just signed, receiving less than most expected. Chris Carter was non-tendered by the Brewers despite popping 41 homers in 2016, and is a rather comparable hitter to Trumbo. He has yet to sign; neither have Brandon Moss, Pedro Alvarez, Adam Lind, and Ryan Howard, all of whom hit at least twenty long balls in their most recent seasons.

Though he’ll ultimately fall a fair sight shy of the four-year, $60MM deal that MLBTR predicted, we did note that his limitations as a player and the presence of the qualifying offer could drive his market downward. That’s just what happened here. While Trumbo reportedly turned down more money earlier in the winter from the O’s — reports have variously suggested that the team made a three or four-year offer of around $14MM per season — it’s not clear that he ever had a chance to make substantially more than he’ll end up with.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports was the first to report that the two sides had resumed negotiations and were nearing a deal. He also tweeted that a deal was “all but done,” and Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun tweeted that an agreement had been reached, pending a physical. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan (Twitter link) and Heyman (Twitter link) reported the terms of the agreement. Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM reported that Trumbo received a partial no-trade clause (via Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Orioles Designate Adam Walker For Assignment

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The Orioles announced that they’ve designated minor league outfielder Adam Walker for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Mark Trumbo, whose new three-year deal to return to Baltimore is now official.

This marks the third DFA of the offseason for the powerful Walker, a longtime Twins farmhand who has bounced from Minnesota to Milwaukee to Baltimore. The former third-round pick is known for his massive power and alarming penchant for strikeouts. Though Walker has homered 58 times across the past two minor league seasons, he also punched out at a 38 percent clip in Triple-A this past season and struck out in 34.6 percent of his plate appearances in Double-A a year prior. Walker is still just 25 years of age, so there’s certainly time for him to make some adjustments, but it seems likely that strikeouts will always be an issue for him. Walker is limited to the outfield corners (though some have speculated on a move to first base) and batted .243/.305/.479 with 27 homers in his first run at Triple-A in 2016.

Orioles Notes: Britton, Mancini, Outfield

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Orioles closer Zach Britton said again yesterday that he’s interested in working out a long-term deal with Baltimore, tweets MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko. Britton stated that he hopes to spend his “whole career” in an Orioles uniform. Of course, any long-term commitment to Britton figures to come at a staggering cost for the O’s. The 29-year-old has morphed into one of the best relievers in baseball, and arguably the single best reliever the game has to offer. Over the past three seasons, Britton has a comical 1.38 ERA with 9.3 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and an MLB-leading 77.9 percent ground-ball rate. He’s set a new Major League record for single-season ground-ball rate in each of the past two campaigns, including an unthinkable 80 percent mark in 2016. Both Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman landed $80MM+ contracts this winter, and one has to imagine that Britton could challenge those figures in free agency following the 2018 season, barring any sort of collapse. And, with an $11.4MM salary already agreed upon for the 2017 season, it’s not as if he hasn’t already earned quite a bit of financial security.

A few more notes on the Orioles…

  • Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com takes a look at first base prospect Trey Mancini’s future with the O’s now that Mark Trumbo has agreed to a new three-year deal. As Connolly writes, Mancini isn’t considered an outfielder, so he’s not likely to platoon with trade acquisition Seth Smith in right field. However, the Orioles still could add another outfielder to upgrade the team’s defense (and possibly platoon with Smith), which would likely cost Mancini his roster spot and send him back to Triple-A. Connolly argues against trading Mancini, noting that he’ll turn 25 in March and has yet to have a dominant season in Triple-A. Connolly suggests that while Mancini isn’t considered a top-tier prospect league-wide, some additional time to prove he’s mastered Triple-A pitching could bolster his value. A bench role is theoretically possible for Mancini, but as the Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli observes, with a backup catcher (likely Caleb Joseph), outfielder Joey Rickard and infielder Ryan Flaherty all occupying spots, there’s only one place left, and the O’s may not be done adding pieces.
  • GM Dan Duquette would still like a left-handed-hitting outfielder with a trustworthy glove, writes Kubtako, which keeps the Orioles alive as a possibility for someone like Michael Bourn (or, as Connolly suggests above, Angel Pagan). However, any new addition would be limited to a reserve role, as Adam Jones is entrenched in center while Smith and fellow lefty Hyun Soo Kim figure to get looks in the outfield against right-handed pitching. Kubatko notes that the Trumbo addition should put to rest any chance of the Orioles re-signing Pedro Alvarez or of the team serving as a landing spot for Chris Carter — another right-handed slugger to whom the O’s have been linked throughout the winter. Kubatko also adds that the Orioles aren’t going to move Chris Davis to right field, despite the fact that his glove there is passable, as his defense is considered too much of an asset at first base.

Orioles Nearing Deal With Mark Trumbo

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4:29pm: Trumbo will be guaranteed less than $40MM in the deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter.

4:20pm: The sides are nearing a deal, Heyman adds in another tweet. If completed, it’ll be for three years, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets.

4:07pm: The sides are “making progress” in their talks, Heyman tweets.

3:54pm: The Orioles are “back in touch” with free-agent slugger Mark Trumbo, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). It’s not immediately apparent how serious talks are, but Heyman notes that there’s a possibility of a deal coming together.

Trumbo and the O’s were said to be in deep discussions about a deal to bring him back to Baltimore earlier in the winter. But the team pulled its offer — reported to be about either three or four years at around $14MM annually — when an agreement did not come together.

Now, it seems, the sides have picked up where they left off. Whether the O’s will still be willing to put as much cash on the table remains to be seen. Last winter, the organization circled back to Chris Davis and gave him a monster deal, though he was certainly also a unique case given his standing in the organization. But Baltimore may now also feel that Trumbo’s market demand isn’t as great.

Last we heard, teams like the Rockies and Rangers are also involved in Trumbo’s market, though it’s not clear to what extent. The 31-year-old is arguably the best remaining free agent, though demand is also impacted by the presence of a variety of other power hitters, and Trumbo’s top-tier slugging is offset by his limited on-base abilities and mediocre glovework in the outfield.

Trade/Free Agent Rumors: Holland, Astros, Feliz, Saunders, Twins

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Former Royals closer Greg Holland is getting closer to selecting a new team and could make a decision within the next week, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM. Holland has been said to be seeking a two-year guarantee with an opt-out after the first season as he looks to re-establish himself following Tommy John surgery late in the 2015 season. Roughly two-thirds of the league has been linked to Holland in some capacity, though it’s unlikely that the majority of teams would be comfortable with that type of contractual arrangement. The 30-year-old figures to draw interest from contenders and non-contenders alike so he’ll have to weigh not only the financial strength of the offers he receives but also the ability to pitch for contending club and the opportunity to compete for a ninth-inning job (which non-contending clubs may be more willing to offer right away than contenders).

Some more notes pertaining to the free-agent and trade markets…

  • The Astros haven’t given up on the notion of acquiring one of Sonny Gray, Jose Quintana or Chris Archer and remain in contact with the Athletics, White Sox and Rays, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweeted recently. The extreme asking prices on each starter makes it seem unlikely that Houston would be able to pry any of that trio loose. They’ve already balked at Chicago’s reported asking price of Francis Martes, Kyle Tucker and Joe Musgrove for Quintana, and MLB Network’s Peter Gammons tweets that he received a flat “No” when he asked one source if Gray could land in Houston. Archer, meanwhile, seems like an even longer shot to contend. The Rays have already moved one of their starters, trading Drew Smyly to the Mariners, and the remainder of their offseason dealings have been largely focused in improving the 2017 club.
  • While the Brewers and right-hander Neftali Feliz have yet to finalize an agreement, the two sides are still talking and working toward that goal, tweets MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Reports over the weekend suggested that the two sides could be moving toward a deal, though there’s been little news since. Feliz had a strong 2016 season with the division-rival Pirates (3.52 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 in 53 2/3 innings) but finished the season on the shelf with a somewhat vague arm injury.
  • Both the Blue Jays and Orioles were “in” on Michael Saunders before the outfielder agreed to a one-year, $9MM with the Phillies (which includes an $11MM club option and escalators), tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. Per Crasnick, Saunders also drew some level of interest from the Brewers and the Diamondbacks as well, Crasnick adds, which is somewhat interesting given the fact that neither club has a clear on-paper need for an additional regular in the outfield.
  • Twins manager Paul Molitor tells La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he’s hopeful the front office will add a veteran to the roster to help bring some experience to what is overall a young clubhouse. “I’ve talked to Thad and Derek about my opinions about adding, where we could, more experienced people who have the reputation of being influential in clubhouse culture as well as leadership,” said Molitor, “and a guy who can still play.” Neal speculates that an outfield bat would be the likeliest fit, noting that Minnesota is pretty well stocked in terms of infield options and DH types.

Orioles, Jose Bautista Have Been In Contact

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Even though Orioles general manager Dan Duquette called free agent right fielder Jose Bautista “a villain in Baltimore” at last month’s Winter Meetings, the executive has been in touch with the longtime Blue Jay’s camp this offseason, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link).

The degree of the Orioles’ interest in Bautista is unclear (FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported earlier this month that it’s nonexistent), but it’s known that the team is looking for another outfielder, as Duquette indicated last week. Given that negotiations with free agent Mark Trumbo don’t seem to be leading anywhere, the club is also on the hunt for a big bat. Bautista would fill those needs more than other recently Orioles–linked names like Chris Carter, Pedro Alvarez and Brandon Moss, though he’d certainly come at a higher price tag than anyone from that group.

The Orioles would lose a first-round pick if they were to sign Bautista (they would get a later selection as compensation for Trumbo’s exit), but the argument for a bold short-term maneuver like adding him is that they’re built to win now. Third baseman Manny Machado, closer Zach Britton, center fielder Adam Jones and starter Chris Tillman each have two or fewer years of team control remaining, meaning Baltimore’s window to compete for a championship could be on the verge of closing.

Bautista would perhaps help keep the Orioles’ contention chances alive in the near term, but it’s worth noting that the 36-year-old’s only real asset at this point is his bat, which was ordinary by his lofty standards in 2016. In a season limited on account of multiple disabled list stints, Bautista hit .234/.366/.452 in 517 plate appearances – down from the remarkable .268/.390/.555 slash he compiled in 3,604 PAs from 2010-15.

While Bautista clearly wasn’t great in any facet last season, he was still easily above average at the plate and would make up for Trumbo’s absence with aplomb. The right-handed hitter would also provide the Orioles a third credible offensive corner outfielder, joining lefty-swingers Seth Smith and Hyun Soo Kim, as well as a far more established DH option than Trey Mancini.

AL Notes: Carter, A’s, Twins, Falvey, Mariners, La O

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Here’s the latest from around the American League…

  • In an interview with Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (partial audio link), agent Dave Stewart said he had spoken to “four or five teams” about client Chris Carter, including the Rangers and Orioles.  The Athletics haven’t been in touch with Stewart, as the A’s gave the impression that they have moved on from Carter, who played in Oakland from 2010-12.  Stewart doesn’t anticipate Carter signing within the next week or so, as the market for first base/DH types is still rather unsettled, even a few weeks after Edwin Encarnacion signed with the Indians.
  • The Twins have had a fairly quiet offseason, though chief baseball officer Derek Falvey expects more activity for both his club and others as Spring Training approaches, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes.  “If an opportunity presents itself, we’ll be ready to strike,” Falvey said.  “The reality is, we’re standing here today with players still available in free agency that I don’t think any of us would have predicted in October.  Things change.”
  • With Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto saying that his team’s major offseason moves are complete, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune looks how Seattle’s 25-man roster could break down, with relatively few spots still available to be decided in Spring Training battles.
  • The Rangers’ $110K signing of Cuban infielder Luis Yander La O could end up being a bargain, Baseball America’s Ben Badler opines.  La O spent almost a full year in free agency before “signing for far less money than other Cuban players who have received bigger bonuses despite having less talent,” Badler writes.  Multiple changes in representation could be one reason for La O’s longer-than-expected stint on the open market, though Badler notes that many scouts see him as a utilityman rather than a potential everyday player.  Still, at the cost of just a $110K bonus, the Rangers are taking little risk in La O’s future.
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