Rangers Prefer To Have Joey Gallo Start 2017 In Minors
The Rangers’ plans for first base in 2017 aren’t entirely clear, but it appears Joey Gallo does not top their list of potential starters at the position, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News notes. “We think Joey is going to be a very good player in this league, but when is still too early to say,” says GM Jon Daniels. “Ideally, he’d probably get a little more time, unless there is a big jump like Ryan Rua took last year.” Daniels cites Jurickson Profar and Rua as candidates for playing time at first.
Incumbent first baseman Mitch Moreland is a free agent this winter, and Gallo is a talented minor league slugger with a long history of hitting for incredible power — he’s hit 152 home runs, many of the light-tower variety, in parts of five minor league seasons. He’s a third baseman by trade, but he played 32 games at first base in for Triple-A Round Rock last season and would appear to be an obvious candidate to take over the position now that there’s a vacancy. The Rangers could also have playing time available at DH, depending on how this offseason shakes out.
Gallo also has obvious weaknesses, however. He struck out in nearly 35% of his plate appearances last year at Round Rock, and has whiffed a ridiculous 76 times in 153 plate appearances in the big leagues. He would likely have a hard time posting batting averages above the Mendoza Line without improvements in that category, and the Rangers might feel Round Rock is the best place to address his deficiencies. Gallo went to Venezuela this offseason to work on his game in winter ball, but has been sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Rangers Will Make Qualifying Offer To Ian Desmond
The Rangers will make a $17.2MM qualifying offer to outfielder Ian Desmond, general manager Jon Daniels told reporters today (Twitter link via MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan). He’ll be the only Rangers free agent to receive one, though that’s not a surprise, as their other QO-eligible players (Colby Lewis and Mitch Moreland) have never been viewed as candidates.
The decision to extend a qualifying offer to Desmond was fairly straightforward, as the shortstop-turned-center-fielder had a terrific season in his lone year with Texas. Signed to a one-year, $8MM deal this past offseason after the multi-year deal he sought failed to materialize, Desmond proved to be one of the best bargains in all of baseball. Although Desmond, who turned 31 in September, tailed off in terms of productivity late in the season, he still finished out the year with a .285/.335/.446 batting line to go along with 22 homers, 21 stolen bases and respectable defensive marks in the outfield considering his lack of experience there. Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating both pegged Desmond as above average in left field in his time there early in the season, and while he drew slightly negative marks in center field from both metrics, there’s reason to believe that a player of his athleticism can post superior marks in 2017 with a year of experience now under his belt.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that Desmond will exclusively market himself as an outfielder. The former Nationals star, who switched agencies earlier this week and is now represented by CAA, is only a year removed from playing shortstop and could conceivably be viewed by teams as an option at other infield positions as well. From that standpoint, his new representatives could pitch him as a jack of all trades that needn’t be locked into one position, and that versatility could prove lucrative.
Even though rejecting a qualifying offer after the 2015 season undoubtedly played a role in Desmond’s struggles to find a significant multi-year deal last winter, it’d still be a surprise if he accepted the offer. Qualifying offers are formally due on Monday of next week, and from that point, players have one week to decide whether they’ll accept or reject. Coming off a much stronger 2016 season and with newfound defensive versatility to pitch to interested parties, Desmond should be able to land a nice multi-year deal in free agency — one of at least four years in length, in my view.
Rangers To Exercise Jonathan Lucroy’s Option
In the ultimate no-brainer decision, the Rangers will exercise star catcher Jonathan Lucroy‘s $5.25MM club option for 2017.
Lucroy, whom the Rangers acquired from the Brewers prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, will continue as one of the game’s most reasonably priced standouts for another season. Between Texas and Milwaukee, he batted a stellar .292/.355/.500 with 24 home runs in 544 plate appearances. That came after Lucroy battled injuries in 2015 and hit a disappointing .264/.326/.391 with seven homers in 415 PAs. Aside from that season, the 30-year-old has been among the game’s premier all-around catchers since 2012. As has typically been the case, Lucroy graded out quite well as a pitch framer this year, per both Baseball Prospectus and StatCorner.
The 2017 campaign will be Lucroy’s last under the five-year, $11MM extension he inked with the Brewers in 2012. Whether via an extension with the Rangers or a deal with another team in free agency a year from now, Lucroy should become one of the sport’s highest-paid catchers sometime within the next 12-plus months.
Twins Hire Rangers’ Thad Levine As GM
The Twins have announced the hiring of former Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine as their new senior vice president and GM. Though he’ll receive a promotion in terms of title, Levine will still serve as second-in-command to newly tabbed executive vice president/chief baseball officer Derek Falvey in the Twins’ baseball operations hierarchy.
“I couldn’t envision a better partner to help return championship-caliber baseball to Minnesota,” said Falvey. “Thad’s leadership and management experiences across all facets of baseball operations make him the perfect fit for the role, and I’m looking forward to executing our vision together.”
Levine, who will turn 45 on Nov. 12, had been with the Rangers since the 2005 season. His responsibilities in Texas included assisting GM Jon Daniels with player acquisition, roster composition, contract negotiations and statistical/financial analysis. He also oversaw the team’s international scouting operations. The veteran baseball executive also previously served as the senior director of baseball operations with the Rockies. He’ll bring to the Twins an executive with a long background in player development but also one who is quite familiar with more modern trends in statistical analysis.
According to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minnapolis Star Tribune, the Twins had interest in now-former Red Sox vice president of international scouting Amiel Sawdaye before he followed colleague Mike Hazen to Arizona. Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the Twins’ offer to Sawdaye was an assistant GM position, so he apparently was never in the running for the No. 2 spot that ultimately went to Levine. The fact that Minnesota was offering additional AGM slots to outside hires, though, does suggest that there could be further changes to the Twins’ front office even after adding Falvey and Levine.
Neal and Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News first reported that the Twins would hire Levine. FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported Thursday that Levine’s hiring was imminent.
Rangers Claim Adrian Sampson From Mariners
The Rangers announced on Wednesday that they’ve claimed right-hander Adrian Sampson off waivers from the Mariners. Sampson, who turned 25 in October, had elbow surgery this past June and is expected to open the 2017 season on an injury rehab program, per Rangers executive vice president of communications John Blake. At the time of the operation, Sampson explained to the Tacoma News Tribune’s Bob Dutton that he didn’t require Tommy John surgery but still had a Grade 3 strain in his flexor bundle that required surgical repair.
Sampson, a Seattle native, will leave his hometown organization after spending only a year there. He was acquired by the Mariners in July 2015 in the trade that sent J.A. Happ to Pittsburgh and showed well in his Triple-A time with the M’s this year, tossing 80 1/3 innings of 3.25 ERA ball with 6.8 K/9 against 1.3 BB/9. The Mariners likely hoped to be able to sneak him through waivers due to his injury in order to keep him in the organization while freeing up a 40-man roster spot, but the Rangers snagged him off waivers and will now need to carry him on their own 40-man roster throughout the offseason or attempt to pass Sampson through waivers themselves.
Free Agent Notes: Cespedes, Wieters, Tolleson
Things remain quiet as the World Series draws to a close, but here are a few recent notes on the free agent market:
- While some analysts and fans think there’s a match to be made between the Giants and top expected free agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, we haven’t heard any firm reports connecting those dots. And there may not be reason to do so, according to Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News (via Twitter), who labels any link “outside speculation based on apparent need.” Of course, it would be surprising if San Francisco didn’t at least consider such a move, given the team’s opening in left field and middle-of-the-road offensive output in 2016. But whether the organization will undertake a real pursuit seems unclear at this point.
- The Orioles are still undecided on whether to issue catcher Matt Wieters a qualifying offer, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com writes. At present, the sense is the team will let him reach the market unhindered, says Kubatko, which would match the consensus recommendation of MLBTR readers (per a recent poll). There’s certainly an argument to be made that a one-year, $17.2MM commitment wouldn’t be a terrible outcome, though, and Kubatko says he doesn’t think Wieters would again take the QO, which would net the club a draft pick if he signed elsewhere.
- Righty Shawn Tolleson is open to a return with the Rangers despite being cut loose recently, as MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports. Poor performance, bad luck, and a back injury conspired to create a lackluster 2016 campaign for Tolleson after he entered the year as the club’s closer. While he’ll surely be looking for the best opportunity available, and says he’s allowing his agent to lead the charge, Tolleson noted that he is “not closing any doors” and won’t let the disappointing ending prevent him from returning to Texas. The 28-year-old, who turned in strong efforts in 2014 and 2015, added that he is back to full health after rehabbing his back strain and has been cleared for “a normal offseason.”
Heyman’s Latest: CBA, Orioles, Rangers, Jays, Rockies
Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed optimism about negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement earlier this month, and players’ association executive director Tony Clark did the same Saturday, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman. “I’ve always been a glass half-full guy. We continue to work. We continue to go through the issues,” said Clark, who didn’t reveal if the draft-pick compensation attached to the qualifying offer will remain the same in the next CBA. In the current agreement that’s set to expire in December, a team receives a first-round pick if it issues a QO to an impending free agent and he then signs elsewhere.
More from Heyman:
- The Orioles are still mulling whether to qualify catcher Matt Wieters, relays Heyman, who notes that the next CBA could affect their decision. Baltimore tendered a QO last year to Wieters, who accepted it and remained with the team on a $15.8MM salary. Wieters then had arguably the worst season of his career, hitting .243/.302/.409 in 464 plate appearances and grading poorly as a defender. In the event the Orioles qualify Wieters again and he accepts, he’ll be on their books for $17.2MM in 2017 – his age-31 season.
- The Rangers are interested in re-signing outfielder Carlos Gomez, reports Heyman. It’s already known that team president and GM Jon Daniels is prioritizing center field, so bringing back Gomez wouldn’t be surprising. The Astros released Gomez in August after a dismal showing dating back to 2015, but he was resurgent down the stretch for a Rangers club that plucked him off the scrapheap. Serving as primarily a corner outfielder while Ian Desmond manned center, Gomez hit .284/.362/.543 with eight home runs in 130 PAs to rebuild some of his stock before free agency. Desmond is also slated to hit the open market, and Daniels observed that he and Gomez “have kind of a similar profile.”
- Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders is another qualifying offer candidate, but it could be “tough” for the team to issue him one, Heyman opines. General manager Ross Atkins said earlier this week the Jays were “still working” on what to do with Saunders, whose 2016 was a tale of two halves. Saunders, 30 in November, slashed .298/.372/.551 in 305 PAs before the All-Star break and posted an ugly second-half line of .178/.282/.357 in 185 trips to the plate.
- Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez and Indians first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. seem likely to interview for the Rockies’ managerial opening after the World Series, per Heyman, who also names a few previously reported candidates in Marlins bench coach Tim Wallach, former Padres manager Bud Black, ex-Astros skipper Brad Mills and Rockies Triple-A manager Glenallen Hill.
West Notes: Claire, Dodgers, Gallo, Felix, Marlette
MLBTR offers its best wishes to former Dodgers GM Fred Claire, who is battling skin cancer that developed on his lip after a life in the sun at baseball diamonds. He spoke with JP Hoornstra of the Los Angeles News Group about his challenge and many fortunes in life, and it’s well worth a read. Claire has generously discussed his lengthy tenure with the Dodgers previously with MLBTR’s Zach Links. MLBTR wishes him our very best.
Here are a few notes from the western divisions:
- Current Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently addressed the team’s 2016 campaign, as Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reported. Los Angeles faces decisions on several positions heading into the offseason with a variety of notable free agents, including closer Kenley Jansen, third baseman Justin Turner, starter Rich Hill, and infielder Chase Utley. “We have a lot of talented players who are free agents, and I expect we’ll have ongoing dialogue with every one of them,” said Friedman. “There are so many ways the off-season could play out. It’s so hard to try to corral it at this point.”
- Power-hitting Rangers prospect Joey Gallo suffered a hamstring injury in his third game of action in the Venezuelan Winter League, as Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. He may need to head back stateside to have the muscle assessed, and it seems that it could well interrupt his time with the Navegantes del Magallanes. There’s no reason to think it’ll impact Gallo’s availability in the spring, certainly, but the hope had been that he would use the winter ball stint to develop at the plate while also providing the team an opportunity to assess his readiness to play a larger role at the major league level in 2017.
- This offseason is a critical one for Mariners righty Felix Hernandez, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times writes. Once one of the game’s most dominating pitchers, the 30-year-old has exhibited a variety of worrying signs of late. By virtually any measure, Hernandez faded last year; though his 3.82 ERA was still plenty useful, earned-run estimators viewed 2016 as his worst season as a professional. Now, says Divish, King Felix will need to figure out a way to succeed despite waning velocity and wavering command. With $79MM owed to Hernandez over the next three years, Seattle has plenty riding on his ability to return to something approaching his prior form.
- The Mariners face a decision on catcher Tyler Marlette, who could be a Rule 5 draft candidate if he’s not added to the team’s 40-man roster, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune writes. Marlette, 23, is hitting well in the Arizona Fall League, continuing to make a case for the team to trust him with a valuable roster placement. He performed well at the High-A level, too, slashing .273/.335/.472 over 358 plate appearances before earning a promotion to Double-A. As Baseball America’s staff explains, Marlette needs his bat to carry him, as he’s considered a marginal defender.
Lucas Harrell, Shawn Tolleson Elect Free Agency
Rangers right-handers Lucas Harrell and Shawn Tolleson have rejected outright assignments and been granted free agency, per a pair of announcements from the team. Both right-handers finished out the year on the 60-day disabled list and were outrighted earlier this week.
The drop-off for Tolleson is somewhat startling. Entering the season, the 28-year-old had established himself as the Rangers’ closer after turning in a terrific 2014 season in a setup role and stepping into the ninth inning in a similarly excellent 2015 season. From 2014-15, Tolleson tossed 144 innings and logged 35 saves, averaging 9.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with a 41.4 percent ground-ball rate. The 2016 season, however, yielded dreadful results, as he limped to a 7.68 ERA with a dramatically diminished 7.2 K/9 in just 36 1/3 innings. Tolleson was at one point optioned to the minors, and his season came to a close on Aug. 23 when a back injury landed him on the 60-day disabled list.
Tolleson’s bottom-line results were awful, but there’s also reason to express optimism. He maintained his velocity, averaging 93 mph on his heater, and his control (2.5 BB/9) was once again solid. Furthermore, he recorded a career-best 52 percent ground-ball rate. The primary reasons for Tolleson’s downfall were a .372 BABIP and, more alarmingly, a 24.2% homer-to-flyball rate that resulted in an average two home runs per nine innings pitched. While those numbers aren’t appealing, a HR/FB rate at that level is almost certain to regress in future seasons. And Tolleson will pitch all of next season at the age of 29, so there’s little reason to assume that his sudden and rapid decline was related to his age. A team that signs Tolleson would be able to control him for both the 2017 and 2018 seasons, as he’s still arbitration eligible.
Harrell, meanwhile, joined the Rangers in a fairly curious summer trade with the Braves. The Rangers shipped prospect Travis Demeritte to Atlanta in exchange for Harrell and left-hander Dario Alvarez (who remains in the organization), and the returns on Harrell weren’t pretty. The 31-year-old, who spent the 2015 season pitching in the Korea Baseball Organization, made just four starts for Texas and surrendered 11 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings before he, too, incurred a season-ending injury (groin strain). All told, he finished up the season with a 4.21 ERA, 6.9 K/9, 4.8 BB/9 and a 44.3 percent ground-ball rate in 47 innings of work between the two teams. Harrell should find interest as a depth option this winter, though given his rocky 2016 and lack of a track record — 4.77 ERA in 448 2/3 innings — it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be promised a rotation spot anywhere heading into the 2017 season.
AL Notes: Indians, Britton, Rangers
Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke with the media about the Indians‘ use of the Chief Wahoo logo, as Ken Davidoff of the New York Post was among those to report. Manfred said that he plans to discuss the usage of the logo with the team’s owner, Paul Dolan, after the season. The depiction is “offensive to some people,” said Manfred, “and all of us at Major League Baseball understand why.” Though he certainly hinted that the league would like to see a change, Manfred did stress that it was “primarily a local matter,” saying that “it’s not easy as coming to the conclusion and realizing that the logo is offensive to some segment.”
Here are a few more notes from the American League:
- Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com wonders whether the Orioles could get creative with the increasingly expensive, but also increasingly dominant lefty Zach Britton. The club seems set to hold onto Britton and maintain his role as the closer in 2017, notes Kubatko. But he suggests the team could consider a trade, an extension, or even a return to the rotation for the 28-year-old. That last option would come with considerable upside, but also quite a bit of risk. Britton didn’t succeed in the majors until he moved to the pen — following a roughly similar trajectory to Andrew Miller — and Kubatko adds that the team has some questions about his durability in a rotation role.
- Dealing Britton or star third baseman Manny Machado wouldn’t make sense for the Orioles, Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com opines. While the club has only two years of control remaining over these two elite players, and could surely obtain an impressive haul of prospects for either, Melewski argues that the roster is set up to keep pushing to win over 2017-18.
- Apart from adding a starter, the Rangers‘ priority this winter is to find a center fielder, as Jeff Wilson of the Fort-Worth Star Telegram writes. Ian Desmond and Carlos Gomez both are candidates to return after their stints in Texas, with GM Jon Daniels noting that “they have kind of a similar profile.” Indeed, there are quite a few similarities, extending from their eye-popping tool sets to some inconsistencies in production. The GM offered praise for both, noting that Gomez is more experienced playing center while Desmond — who he says he “spent a lot more time around” — impressed him greatly “as a person and [with] the consistency he brought from that standpoint.” Presumably, Texas will also at least consider other options, including Dexter Fowler and potential trade candidates.