Big Year Ahead For Rangers First Basemen
To call 2011 a make or break year for Mitch Moreland and Chris Davis wouldn't technically be right. They aren't even arbitration eligible yet, so they can't really 'make it' the way prospective free agents can. But this season will undoubtedly be crucial to determining the future of the two first basemen and whether they stay in Arlington.
Davis arrived in the majors two years before Moreland as a highly-touted prospect. His .311/.370/.569 minor league line has yet to translate to the majors, however; the 24-year-old has hit just .248/.300/.459 as a major leaguer. Southpaws have held Davis to a .666 OPS, but he has shown power overall, hitting one homer per 20.7 at bats.
Moreland (pictured), who's a year older than Davis, debuted last year and posted a .255/.364/.469 line in 173 plate appearances before posting a .900 OPS in the postseason. Like Davis, he's a left-handed hitter who struggles to hit southpaws (.604 OPS last year). He's the favorite to win the starting job and has impressed GM Jon Daniels, who told MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that "our guys viewed him as one of the best workers and makeups [around]."
Neither player has any guarantees from the Rangers, who are in win-now mode and aren't in a position to be overly patient with developing players. Davis has drawn trade interest in the past, so the Rangers could consider dealing him if he doesn't produce more or becomes redundant. Moreland has done everything the Rangers have asked him to do, but he's just 224 plate appearances into his MLB career, even if you count the playoffs. Let's not assume that he can be a cog at first base.
Next year's free agent class features Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, two sluggers who figure to be looking for deals worth $180MM-plus. It's not hard to imagine Texas pursuing Fielder or Pujols next winter if the Rangers continue winning and the new ownership group decides its new TV deal allows for expanded payroll.
Even if the Rangers don't go after the most intriguing and expensive free agent first basemen, others, such as Derrek Lee and Carlos Pena, will be available (or the Rangers could opt to make Michael Young their everyday first baseman). Whether second tier first basemen like Lee and Pena appeal to the Rangers front office depends in large part on how Moreland and Davis perform over the course of the next six months.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
Quick Hits: Choice, Royals, Feliz, Posey, Lawrie
If you're a fan of top prospects and rookies, then this Quick Hits post is for you. Here are today's links…
- Oakland's 2010 first rounder, Michael Choice, is wowing scouts in Arizona, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Peter Gammons of MLB Network hears from a trusted scout that Choice has the bat speed, strength and athleticism to become a "monster" (Twitter link). Baseball America ranked the 21-year-old third among Oakland's prospects heading into the season.
- One GM says the Royals are so deep in talent that they can still be in it in 2013 if a couple of their top prospects miss, according to Gammons (on Twitter).
- Neftali Feliz has said he's most comfortable closing games, but Rangers GM Jon Daniels says he'll continue stretching the 2010 AL Rookie of the Year out to see if he can make it as a starter, according to Anthony Andro of the Fort-Worth Star Telegram (on Twitter).
- The Giants and last year's NL Rookie of the Year, Buster Posey, agreed to a one-year deal, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. He tweets that the deal is worth $575K. That's about $150K more than the Giants had to give him.
- Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos tells Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi that Brett Lawrie has looked “very good.” The Blue Jays, who acquired Lawrie for Shaun Marcum over the winter, like the infielder’s work ethic, tools and drive.
AL Central Notes: Choo, Slowey, Konerko
A few items from the middle section of the American League map…
- Shin-Soo Choo says he hasn't heard from agent Scott Boras or from the Indians about the status of contract extension talks, or if the two sides are even currently talking, reports Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Boras and the Tribe were negotiating earlier this winter, and Choo has said that he doesn't want the talks to stretch into the season. The fact that Boras has described the Indians as "a developmental team" is not a good sign for Cleveland fans, though since Choo is under contract through 2013, it gives the club a couple of years to break in their young prospects.
- Kevin Slowey is the Twins pitcher that's most likely to be traded, not Francisco Liriano, writes Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. We heard during the Winter Meetings that Minnesota was considering using Slowey as trade bait.
- From the same item, Souhan reports the Rangers (in addition to the Yankees) also inquired about Liriano's availability.
- Paul Konerko had "a feeling of closure" last season in Chicago and "was preparing himself emotionally to devote himself to a new organization," writes Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com. Isaacson talks to Konerko about his free agency and how he ended up back with the White Sox.
Rangers Notes: Front Office, Young, Davis
Jon Daniels' contract extension isn't the only news out of the Rangers' camp today. Here's the latest on the defending AL champs…
- Now that Daniels is under contract through 2015, the club's next step is to lock up other front office members, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. "You put good people in place and then you keep them in place," said team president Nolan Ryan. "It tells people who you are as an organization and it tells new players coming in what you are all about." Ryan said that assistant GM Thad Levine could have a new deal finalized by this weekend.
- Daniels has "exchanged hellos" with Michael Young but the two haven't talked about his offseason trade demand, the GM tells the Galloway & Co. podcast (and passed on by ESPNDallas). Young said he had no plans to speak to Daniels upon his arrival at Spring Training two weeks ago, and didn't wish to be a distraction to the team by revisiting the issue.
- In a radio interview with 103.3 ESPN's Ian Fitzsimmons (passed on by Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com), Chris Davis says he's playing third base during Spring Training, which he believes will help him find playing time somewhere, if not necessarily with Texas. The Rangers have the hot corner covered by Adrian Beltre and they have another (albeit unproven) lefty-swinging first baseman in Mitch Moreland. Davis drew trade interest last summer — no surprise given his career .311/.370/.569 line in five minor league seasons.
Rangers, Jon Daniels Agree To Extension
The Rangers agreed to a four-year contract extension with GM Jon Daniels, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). Daniels' contract was set to expire after the 2011 season and his new deal covers the 2012-15 seasons.
Daniels, who took over as GM in 2005, saw the Rangers increase their win total in each of the past three years. Baseball America named Daniels the 2010 Executive of the Year after he overhauled the Rangers' farm system and led the team to its first ever World Series berth.
The Rangers' eighth GM, Daniels became the youngest GM in MLB history when he was promoted into his current role a month after his 28th birthday. For a more complete look at Daniels' work, click through to MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.
The Rangers are interested in exploring extensions for a number of their players, as well.
Quick Hits: Richard, Crawford, Feliz, Castro
Links for Friday as Jake Peavy prepares for his first game action since last July. Peavy faces the Angels in Arizona this afternoon…
- Chris Richard, an outfielder/first baseman who spent parts of five seasons in the majors with the Orioles, Rays, Rockies and Cardinals, has announced his retirement, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (on Twitter).
- The Angels offered Carl Crawford $108MM with an $18MM option, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). No wonder the outfielder accepted Boston's $142MM offer.
- Vernon Wells would have accepted a trade to the Yankees, not just to the Rangers or Angels, according to Heyman (on Twitter).
- Rangers higher-ups want Neftali Feliz to make the team's rotation, according to Heyman (on Twitter).
- Astros catcher Jason Castro could miss the entire season, after tearing his right ACL, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
Rangers, Daniels Nearing Extension
6:54pm: The two sides spoke today and are moving closer to a deal, reports Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas. "I'm optimistic we're in the process of getting something done shortly," said Ryan.
8:24am: Jon Daniels and Rangers president Nolan Ryan are expected to meet today to discuss an extension for the GM, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The deal is a priority for Ryan and the sides could arrive at an agreement as soon as today, according to Grant.
Daniels led the Rangers to the World Series last year after signing Vladimir Guerrero, trading for Cliff Lee, moving C.J. Wilson to the rotation and seeing young players like Elvis Andrus and Neftali Feliz emerge as regulars. For a more complete look at Daniels' work, click through to MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.
The Rangers are interested in exploring extensions for a number of their players, as well.
Rangers May Explore Long-Term Extensions
Rangers GM Jon Daniels says that the club still may explore long-term extensions with some players before Spring Training ends, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The club currently has four notable players who could be candidates for new deals.
Even though he won't be a free agent until after the 2015 season, Elvis Andrus could be in line for an extension. As Sullivan points out, the Rangers worked out a multiyear deal with Ian Kinsler at a similar point in his career to skirt future arbitration years. Rightfielder Nelson Cruz has three years left before he can test the open market but a multiyear deal would mean avoiding two years of arbitration.
Club officials have suggested that an extension is unlikely with left-hander C.J. Wilson, who is a free agent after this season. Same goes for slugger Josh Hamilton who recently signed a two-year, $24MM deal to avoid arbitration. Even though Hamilton is the biggest name in the quartet, Sullivan writes that because the deal was just completed, the two parties probably aren't in a rush to hammer out a new one right away.
Meanwhile, the Rangers would also like to get a deal done with Daniels. Club president Nolan Ryan is confident that the two sides will work out an extension, though he won't put a timetable on it.
Quick Hits: Hall, Young, Feliz, Burnett, Buck
Links for Wednesday night..
- Longtime major leaguer Juan Castro told MLB.com's Ken Gurnick that he never considered retirement at any point this winter. The 38-year-old is trying to hook on with the Dodgers in 2011 for what would be his fourth stint with the club.
- Earlier today, Yankees GM Brian Cashman told versatile Astros veteran Bill Hall that the club was "this close" to signing him, tweets Jack Curry of the YES Network.
- A source close to the Rockies told Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated that the Rangers sought a "very good player" for Michael Young, but didn't elaborate on who that player might be.
- Some in the Rangers front office feel that Neftali Feliz could develop into the type of starter that would otherwise cost a bundle in a trade, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
- Yankees fans have been hard on A.J. Burnett, who is set to earn $16.5MM annually through 2013. However, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that Burnett's career numbers are not all that different from Boston's Josh Beckett.
- Outfielder Travis Buck views his arrival in the Indians locker room as a fresh start, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
AL Notes: Royals, Miller, Chavez, Napoli, Vizquel
Let's take a look at some items related to the Junior Circuit..
- A rival executive described the Royals' young talent as "an embarrassment of riches" to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- Speaking of Kansas City, Jonah Keri of Fangraphs examines the one-year, $2.5MM deal given to Jeff Francoeur. Even though the deals given to Francoeur and fellow outfielder Melky Cabrera (one-year, $1.25MM) are puzzling for many reasons, Keri notes that the one-year deals don't block any of the club's prospects.
- The Red Sox are hopeful that Andrew Miller will resurrect his career after signing a minor league deal with the club this winter writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. According to Miller's agent, the lefty recieved big league offers from three other teams but preferred the BoSox.
- Two ex-Mariners, Endy Chavez and Brett Tomko, are looking to make it back to the majors with the Rangers, writes Kirby Arnold of The Daily Herald.
- Now in Texas, Mike Napoli says that he knew that the Angels would trade one of their talented catchers, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. The Halos had a glut at the position with Napoli, Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson, and Hank Conger waiting in the wings.
- White Sox veteran Omar Vizquel Is a reminder of what might have been for the M's, writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.
- The Pirates are likely still in search of two lefties out of the 'pen, writes Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.