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Chicago Notes: Stewart, Hoyer, Hahn

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Trade winds could be swirling around the Windy City in the coming months given that both the Cubs and White Sox are in last place in their respective divisions.  Here's the latest from both Chicago teams as the focus is already turning towards the July trade deadline…

  • Jed Hoyer is "not sure" if Ian Stewart has a future with the team, the Cubs GM told reporters (including Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune).  The third baseman was outrighted to Triple-A earlier this week and has battled injuries since signing with Chicago in the 2011-12 offseason.  Stewart hit .201/.292/.335 in 202 PA in 2012 and is struggling in the minors this year.  "I hope he starts playing well. I do think there is a lot of talent there… But at this point it’s going to be about performance. Potential can only take you so far," Hoyer said.
  • Also from Hoyer (via Sullivan), he feels the Cubs can still turn things around before it's time to consider moving players at the deadline.  "We don't want to be a seller. That's not a position you want to be in. But if you are in that position, you have to take advantage of it. You certainly hope you're looking to buy. It's a lot more fun," Hoyer said.  With the Cubs in Washington to face the Nationals this weekend, Hoyer praised Mike Rizzo's job in gradually turning the Nats from also-rans into World Series contenders.
  • White Sox general manager Rick Hahn was similarly optimistic about his team's chances of getting back into the pennant race.  Hahn spoke to the media (including ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine) about how he feels the Sox can rebound once players return from injury and a few key hitters break out of slumps.  “Our intent from the beginning was that at some point we would be a buyer,” Hahn said. “We continue to have our pro scouts out there looking and talking through ideas. At the same time it will be nice to get some of our injured players back. Trades will not be dictated by speculation, it will be a function of how we play on the field.”
  • If the Chicago teams do become deadline sellers, both will have interesting trade chips in the outfield.  MLBTR's Steve Adams and Jeff Todd recently looked at the trade candidacy of David DeJesus and Alex Rios, respectively.

Minor Moves: Astros, Gonzalez, Wade, Wheeler

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We'll keep an eye on today's minor moves right here:

  • Astros outfielder Fernando Martinez has been outrighted to Triple-A, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports (Twitter link).  Martinez was designated for assignment by the club earlier this week.
  • Edgar Gonzalez has elected to become a free agent after clearing waivers, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports (via Twitter).  Gonzalez was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays two days ago and he chose free agency rather than report to Triple-A Buffalo.  The right-hander posted a 7.88 ERA in eight innings pitched with Toronto this season.
  • The Cubs released right-hander Cory Wade, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America.  Wade, who struggled in ten games for the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate, owns a 3.65 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 across four big league seasons.
  • The Royals have released right-handed relief pitcher Dan Wheeler, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. Wheeler, 35, had been pitching for the Royals' Triple-A affiliate, where he struggled to a 9.00 ERA over 15 innings with a substandard 2.200 WHIP. Last year, Wheeler made just twelve appearances for the Indians and was similarly ineffective, pitching to an 8.76 ERA. Between 2003-2011, Wheeler made no fewer than 35 big league appearances per season. His best seasons came with the Astros in 2005-06, when he logged over 70 innings a year and posted consecutive 2.21 and 2.52 ERA marks.

NL Notes: Haren, Howard, Phillies, Choo

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In case there are still any questions whether the Nationals' Bryce Harper can continue to adjust to big league pitching as it attempts to adjust to him, this story from Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post may put them to rest. Harper recalls that he began developing a flexible approach at the plate when, as a seven year-old playing in an under-10 tournament, the opposition decided it was too dangerous to give him an inside fastball. Kilgore goes on to explain in detail the development of Harper's swing, and why it is so effective at such a young age. Here are some notes from the Nats and a few of their National League competitors:

  • While Nationals starter Dan Haren seems to be turning his season around, Carlos Marmol of the Cubs continues to struggle. As Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times writes, the Cubs not only missed out on adding a starter to bolster their rotation, but could have flipped Haren for a nice haul at the trade deadline. Of course, the Cubs were apparently close to acquiring Haren before the Angels declined his option and made him a free agent.
  • The Phillies should try to trade first baseman Ryan Howard, says David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Looking at the team's free agent options next year, Murphy says there is not much promise for the Phils to improve unless it sheds one of its nine players that stand to make a combined $115MM next season. While acknowledging the limits of Howard's trade value, Murphy posits that the club should agree to eat much of his salary and attempt to obtain a young infielder.This may not be the most promising proposal, however, as Howard's injury history and mediocre start to 2013 (.262/.299/.476 over 137 plate appearances) keep his value down even before looking at his contract.
  • Meanwhile, Murphy's Inquirer colleague Bob Vetrone laments that two former Phillies are having an impact elsewhere. Both Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence were traded mid-season last year after the Phillies fell out of contention, and both are off to productive starts this season. Meanwhile, the Phils' outfielders have been among the worst in baseball. On the other hand, those deals brought much needed youth into the Phillies' organization, including two prospects (Tommy Joseph and Ethan Martin) ranked by some in the club's top 15. 
  • The Mets could make sense as a destination for Shin-Soo Choo when the outfielder reaches free agency this offseason, explains John Harper of the New York Daily News. Choo is currently sitting at third on MLBTR's Tim Dierkes's 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings after his hot start for the Reds. According to one big league executive, Choo fits the profile that Mets GM Sandy Alderson will be looking for as a high on-base outfielder with some pop. Certainly, an outfield upgrade is in order for the Mets, as the combined production from Mets outfielders currently rates right alongside that of the Phillies.

Cubs Release Kameron Loe

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Right-hander Kameron Loe was granted his release by the Cubs and is now a free agent, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago (on Twitter). Loe was designated for assignment by the Cubs earlier in the week.

So far in 2013, Loe has given up an unthinkable nine home runs in just 15 innings of work. Nearly half of the fly-balls given up by Loe this season have resulted in homers. According to Fangraphs, Loe's 47.4 percent HR/FB ratio is the third-highest single-season mark by a pitcher with at least 10 innings since the stat began being tracked in 2002. Oddly, Loe was still able to maintain his typically stellar ground-ball rate by posting a mark of 50 percent in that category.

In parts of nine seasons between the Rangers, Brewers, Mariners and Cubs, the 31-year-old Loe has a 4.46 ERA, 5.6 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and 56.5 percent ground-ball rate.

Trade Candidate: David DeJesus

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David DeJesus is no stranger to hearing his name come up on the rumor mill. He was one of the more attractive trade chips on the July trade market in 2010 before he injured his hand and ultimately required surgery. That was poor timing for the Royals, who saw one of their best chips lose all its value. DeJesus was ultimately shipped to the A's in the offseason for Vin Mazzaro and Justin Marks — hardly the type of package they could've gotten in July when he was hitting .318/.384/.443.  DeJesus

The Cubs will soon find themselves in an uncannily similar situation with DeJesus. The 33-year-old is making $4.25MM this season with a $6.5MM club option for the 2014 season. Those salary figures are almost identical to DeJesus' $4.7MM 2010 salary and the $6MM club option included on that contract.

DeJesus is off to a strong start; he's hitting .274/.342/.500 with four homers and a pair of stolen bases. The power numbers aren't likely to continue to be so impressive, but DeJesus posted a .350 OBP last year and has turned in a .347 OBP or better in all but one season since debuting with the Royals in 2003. He's probably miscast as a center fielder at this stage of his career, but defensive metrics have typically been a fan of his work at a corner spot — particularly left field.

He's not without his warts; DeJesus used to handle left-handed pitching fairly well, but he looks to be a strict platoon player as he enters his mid-30s. He has just one hit and a walk in 12 plate appearances against southpaws this season after hitting just .149/.289/.149 in 115 PAs against same-handed pitching for the Cubs in 2012.

Assuming history doesn't repeat itself with an untimely injury for DeJesus this summer, Cubs GM Jed Hoyer will likely have an attractive trade chip on his hands. DeJesus isn't the type of name you see in blockbuster summer deals, but he's an affordable, veteran on-base machine that could be a nice boost to a contender with a weak outfield alignment. The cheap club option makes him more than a rental, and teams like the Tigers, Rangers, Giants and White Sox could all have interest in DeJesus if their current left field options continue to falter. A reunion with the Royals would actually make loads of sense, as he could platoon with Jeff Francoeur, who is hitting .205/.241/.301 against right-handed pitching but .321/.367/.429 against lefties.

DeJesus isn't an elite bat, but given his history of strong OBP numbers and an affordable club option for 2014, I'd imagine he could net at least one of a trade partner's Top 10 prospects with another respectable piece in the deal as well.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NL Notes: Cardinals, McCann, Wheeler, Dodgers, Cubs

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It is not often, perhaps, that a team improves after losing its best player. But that is precisely what happened to the Cardinals after watching all-time great first baseman Albert Pujols leave town for Anaheim, writes Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal. GM John Mozeliak says he was "down, depressed, disheartened" upon losing Pujols. Since last season, however, the team has received just as much production as Pujols has given the Angels, and at a much lower cost (now and in the future). Meanwhile, money that might otherwise have gone to Pujols was used to ink highly productive players like Carlos Beltran and Yadier Molina. Of course, the Cards tried to keep Pujols, though they were not willing to exceed the $200MM barrier to do so. Mozeliak recalls conferring with St. Louis owner Bill Dewitt Jr., who declined the opportunity to bid whatever amount necessary to keep the franchise cornerstone. Says Mozeliak: "In the end, it came down to business discipline versus emotionally driven negotiation." Even before Pujols's injury-addled start to 2013, the Cardinals looked smart for sticking to their position. 

Here are a few other notes from around the National League:

  • Brian McCann has just begun a season that many believe will be his last in a Braves uniform, but he is focused on the present, writes Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While the slugging catcher and his surgically-repaired shoulder are being watched closely by potential new employers, McCann claims that he is not thinking about the future. "I think when you get ahead of yourself is when you get in trouble." For now, McCann says, "I'm worried about playing baseball. … I'm worried about helping this team win. I'm worried about getting my shoulder stronger every day. And I'm in a good place."
  • Mets officials appear to be anticipating the call-up of top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler sooner rather than later, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. One official said that Wheeler would arrive in New York by June 1 "at the latest," while another called that date "a little aggressive." Martino says that the team genuinely does not appear to be angling to keep Wheeler from achieving Super Two status, but instead intends to promote him when it feels he is ready. 
  • Dodgers president Stan Kasten apologized to fans for the team's less-than-inspiring start to the year, but said that the club was planning to stay the course. As Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports, Kasten claims not to be contemplating any immediate, major moves. Kasten did continue to emphasize the Dodgers' seemingly endless, but arguably aimless, payroll flexibility: "We can do whatever we feel makes sense in the long term and short term."
  • The Cubs' sabermetric focus has not only trickled down from the front office to the playing field, but according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune has produced some wise decisions. Specifically, the Cubs look smart for declining to pursue Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton. Sullivan says the team has been better in the short term, at least for the time being, without the expensive stars. More importantly, the club maintained roster flexibility and youth by choosing to go with the promising Anthony Rizzo at first and a veteran platoon in right field.

Trade Market Notes

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As the season is now over one-fifth of the way through, the likely trade deadline buyers and sellers are becoming more clear. Likewise, analysis is beginning to increase of the development of the market. Let's take a quick look around some recent commentary:

  • The starting pitching trade market promises to be deep, but will likely lack impact, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Heyman analalyzes the potentially available starters by likelihood of a trade. His top three are Ricky Nolasco of the Marlins, Bud Norris of the Astros, and Scott Feldman of the Cubs. Other notable arms include Josh Johnson of the Blue Jays (sixth on Heyman's list), Cliff Lee of the Phillies (twelfth), David Price of the Rays (thirteenth), Jake Peavy of the White Sox (fourteenth), R.A. Dickey of the Blue Jays (fifteenth), and Edwin Jackson of the Cubs (twentieth). 
  • Some possible trade targets may have the right to decline a trade, of course. Wendy Thurm of Fangraphs breaks down the no-trade clauses that may come into play as the trade market heats up. Cliff Lee and Chase Utley of the Phillies each could be moved despite their twenty-one-team list of teams to which they can decline a trade. Likewise, Jimmy Rollins (full no-trade) and Jonathan Papelbon (twelve-team no-trade) could be possible targets. Howie Kendrick could be the member of the Angels most likely to be dealt, in spite of a floating, limited no-trade clause that allows him to decline trades to twelve teams this year. Finally, Thurm notes that the Twins' Joe Mauer is perhaps the most attractive and most expensive potential trade target (however unlikely) who enjoys full no-trade protection. 
  • Of course, MLBTR has been providing its own original commentary on the upcoming trade market. For instance, have a look at the list of relief trade candidates and trade targets with team control.

Cubs Outright Ian Stewart To Triple-A

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Cubs third baseman Ian Stewart has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Iowa, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago (on Twitter). The Cubs are still on the hook for Stewart's $2MM salary.

The 28-year-old Stewart hit .201/.292/.335 for the Cubs in 2012 — his lone season with the team. The former No. 10 overall draft pick has spent the majority of his career with the Rockies, but failed to follow up on a 2008-10 stretch that saw him hit .246/.334/.454 with 53 homers for the Rockies.

Since that time he's batted just .183 before undergoing wrist surgery last season to repair a broken bone which he reportedly played through for two years. Stewart was hampered at the beginning of the season due to a strained quadriceps muscle.

In spite of his injuries and lack of production, the Cubs re-signed Stewart this offseason after non-tendering him at the December deadline.  The Cubs' 40-man roster now stands at 39.

Cubs Notes: Feldman, Draft, Marmol, Stewart, Jackson

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The Cubs are 12-20 on the season, good for the second-worst record in the National League.  On the plus side, four of their five starting pitchers have performed well, and the team has shown surprising power in the early going.  The latest on the North Siders:

  • Scott Feldman is a name to keep in mind leading up to the trade deadline and in free agency after the season, writes ESPN's Buster Olney, after the 30-year-old pitched seven strong innings to defeat his former Rangers teammates last night.  Feldman has a 2.70 ERA through his first six starts, but should his peripheral stats remain steady, SIERA suggests something around 4.30 would be a better bet moving forward. 
  • The Cubs have not missed a start from college righties Mark Appel or Jonathan Gray, but they have expanded their search beyond those two, GM Jed Hoyer told Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM yesterday.  The Cubs draft second overall next month, and despite Hoyer's lip service, they're widely expected to take Appel or Gray after the Astros pick.
  • Asked by reporters why reliever Carlos Marmol continues to get chances, Hoyer instead offered that Marmol has been "ridden hard by a number of managers here" as an explanation for the former closer's struggles (via Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com).  Given his $9.8MM guaranteed salary, the Cubs are presumably reluctant to release Marmol.
  • Asked whether $52MM man Edwin Jackson is a candidate for the bullpen when Matt Garza returns, Hoyer ducked the question, noting that surplus starting pitching "always seems to take care of itself and we're a ways away from having to deal with that kind of issue."  Rogers feels that allowing Jackson to stay in the rotation due to his contract, at the expense of a better-performing starter, sends a poor message to the team.  I wonder, though, what kind of message would be sent to future free agents if the Cubs make a large four-year commitment to a pitcher and demote him to the bullpen after fewer than ten starts.  Regarding Hoyer's comment, the Cubs are really only two healthy weeks away from having to deal with the rotation surplus, as Garza should be ready to return after two more rehab starts.
  • "An apparent lack of commitment" is behind Ian Stewart taking his allowed 72 hours to report to the Cubs' Triple-A Iowa team on his optional assignment, since Stewart had already been playing with the club on his rehab assignment, opines Rogers.  Stewart, earning $2MM this year, recently finished rehabbing a left quad injury.  UPDATE: Stewart did report back with Iowa yesterday, tweets Rogers.
  • Padres third baseman Chase Headley "would be perfect for the Cubs," suggests Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  The Cubs have three premium position player prospects in Javier Baez, Albert Almora, and Jorge Soler, and for me it's difficult to picture a Headley trade without one of them and equally difficult to imagine Hoyer and Theo Epstein parting with one during a non-contending season.

Quick Hits: McCann, Zimmermann, Ryu, Twins

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For those who are visual-minded baseball fans, the Los Angeles Times has an interactive graphic that allows users to see a side-by-side comparison of two teams' salaries on a position-by-position basis. After you're finished checking out what that looks like when you compare the Astros to the Dodgers and Yankees, here's more from around the league…

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