AL Notes: JD Martinez, Ackley, Kopech, Red Sox, Pineda
Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez suffered a sprain in his mid-right foot while making a catch on Saturday and left the game after just an inning. (Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press has the details.) X-rays were negative and Martinez will be re-evaluated on Sunday before the club decides that any further tests are necessary. He was seen on crutches and left the ballpark in a walking boot, though Martinez told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck) that “it’s good that I’m able to move on it.” Needless to say, losing Martinez for any extended length of time would jeopardize both the Tigers’ lineup and Martinez’s chances at a big free agent contract next offseason as one of the top players on the open market.
Here’s more from around the American League…
- Dustin Ackley has an opt-out date near the end of Spring Training in his minor league deal with the Angels, the utilityman tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, though he hasn’t decided whether he’ll exercise the clause or remain with the Halos’ Triple-A club. Ackley’s choice is complicated by the fact that he has yet to play the field this spring as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery. The veteran tells Fletcher that he can play first base and swing more or less normally, though he isn’t yet able to handle the throwing involved with second base or the outfield. Ackley hopes he can “at least give them [the Angels] some games defensively before camp is over.”
- Michael Kopech was one of the major pieces the White Sox acquired in the Chris Sale trade, and Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago opines that Kopech could follow Sale’s career trajectory by breaking into the bigs as a reliever. The White Sox eased Sale into the majors by using him out of the bullpen in his first two seasons before unleashing him into the rotation, where Sale emerged as one of baseball’s best starters. Kopech only turns 21 in April and has yet to pitch above high-A ball, though if he continues to impress in the minors, Chicago may be tempted to get him to the big leagues by 2018 as a reliever.
- The Red Sox face a number of pressing questions as they head into the season, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com writes, including some injury concerns for key arms like David Price, Drew Pomeranz and Tyler Thornburg. If these pitchers have to miss time in April, that could be particularly difficult for the club given that Boston faces a tough schedule over the first six weeks, including a lot of division games and tough inter-league matchups against the Cubs, Cardinals and Pirates. As Gammons notes, this could add up to a slow start for the Red Sox, which will only add to the pressure for a team that is expected to challenge for a World Series.
- Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda has already experienced a lot of ups and downs in his career, in no small part due to his struggles with the language barrier, as ESPN’s Andrew Marchand details. Pineda came to MLB with little formal education and virtually no knowledge of English or American culture, which led to some inevitable growing pains (such as Pineda’s infamous suspension for using pine tar in April 2014). The piece is well worth a full read, as it chronicles Pineda’s rise to the majors and the problems that he and many other foreign-born players face upon being thrust into the pressurized environment of pro baseball.
Nationals Notes: Closer, Romero, Scherzer
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo was a guest on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM earlier today and discussed his team’s ninth inning option with hosts Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette (audio link via Soundcloud). “We feel that we have a closer in house,” said Rizzo. “We’ve felt that ever since early in the offseason when we didn’t get one of the big three closers. We feel that he’s here. We’ll figure out which one it is. They all have the stuff to do it. You talk about a power bullpen — we’ve got four or five guys that throw 95-plus in the bullpen.” Pressed further on the issue later in the interview, Rizzo conceded that if things aren’t going well during the season, the Nationals will be open to seeking outside alternatives, but the GM did not indicate that he’s looking to acquire a closer in the limited time between now and Opening Day.
David Robertson has been the “proven closer” that is most commonly linked to the Nats in trade rumors, though FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported earlier today that the sides don’t seem to feel the other is all that serious about getting a trade worked out. Per Heyman, the Nationals feel the asking price on Robertson means that the Sox aren’t all that interested in moving him, whereas the Sox feel the Nationals haven’t been very aggressive in pursuing him.
A couple more on last year’s NL East champs…
- Also from that MLB Network Radio interview, Bowden specifically asked Rizzo about the team’s acquisition of left-hander Enny Romero from the Rays. Bowden noted that Romero caught his attention during the World Baseball Classic when hitting 100 mph with his fastball, and Rizzo explained that Romero has been on the team’s radar for years. The Washington GM revealed that he pushed for the Rays to include Romero in the trade that sent Nate Karns to the Rays in exchange for Felipe Rivero and Jose Lobaton, but the Rays would not part with him.
- Max Scherzer threw 54 pitches in a minor league game against the Mets today, writes Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, and he did so with his traditional fastball grip — a grip he’d been unable to use earlier this spring as he worked back from a stress fracture in the knuckle of his right ring finger. Scherzer had previously experimented with a three-fingered grip on his fastball in order to alleviate some pressure on the problematic knuckle, but he was relieved to get back to his traditional pitch arsenal today, Janes notes. The plan for Scherzer is to start a Major League game six days from now, which would give Scherzer time to make three more spring outings. “That’s 70, 85, 100 [pitches],” Scherzer said, suggesting that he’ll have time to ramp up for the season. Janes notes that that schedule wouldn’t line Scherzer up to start on Opening Day but could allow him to make his 2017 debut during the Nationals’ first turn through their rotation.
Heyman’s Latest: Quintana, Pagan, Cozart, Padres, Bautista, Giants
In his latest notes column, FanRag’s Jon Heyman reports that while teams such as the Astros, Pirates, Rangers and Yankees were all linked to Jose Quintana in trade rumors this offseason, the best offer the White Sox received came from an unnamed club that is currently perceived as more of a rebuilding team. That could mean any number of teams — the Braves, Phillies, Twins, Reds, Brewers and Padres are all in the midst of retooling their organizations — and further context is seemingly unknown at this time. A trade of Quintana, at this point, seems far likelier to occur this summer than during the final days of Spring Training, though Heyman’s note is a reminder that Quintana would appeal to virtually any club in baseball. With four years and $36.85MM remaining on his contract, Quintana’s affordable level of excellence can help clubs looking to win now or those looking to contend more in 2018-19.
A few more highlights…
- The Braves have made “multiple” attempts to sign free-agent outfielder Angel Pagan, but the veteran has been holding out for a big league deal worth around $5MM. Heyman notes that Pagan has received some guaranteed offers, but they’ve come with very low base salaries. Atlanta has also been tied to another reunion with infielder Kelly Johnson, but Heyman notes that Johnson, too, is seeking a Major League contract.
- Zack Cozart is still available in trade talks, but the Reds haven’t gotten much in the way of appealing offers due to the fact that few clubs are looking for a shortstop right now. The Padres have talked to Cincinnati about Cozart, but Heyman notes that they’re not keen on giving up top-tier talent for a player with only one year of club control remaining before free agency. Heyman notes that San Diego is still on the lookout for a shortstop upgrade.
- The Rangers would want a Major League ready starting pitcher in any trade involving Jurickson Profar, Heyman notes. The Padres like Profar but wouldn’t be willing to surrender right-hander Luis Perdomo in order to obtain him, he adds. That may raise an eyebrow for some fans, but I’d point out that Perdomo has five years of control remaining (to Profar’s three) and posted a 4.47 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 61.4 percent ground-ball rate across his final 110 2/3 innings in 2016 after a dismal start in the bullpen. In that time, he posted a 3.84 xFIP and 3.88 SIERA. Profar hit .239/.321/.338 in 307 plate appearances last season.
- Right-hander Jered Weaver tells Heyman that he considered retirement this offseason following a career-worst year in 2016. However, Weaver began to feel stronger after a month of rest, ultimately landing with the Padres on a one-year, $3MM deal. Weaver says that he’s “10 steps above last year” in terms of how he feels physically at this point.
- The Indians made an offer to Jose Bautista that was for roughly the same $18.5MM guarantee he received with the Blue Jays, Heyman reports, and they weren’t entirely closed off to a multi-year deal. However, Bautista’s preference was to head back to Toronto.
- The Pirates sought right-hander Derek Law (among other pieces) in trade talks centering around Mark Melancon with the Giants at last year’s trade deadline, per Heyman. It seems that the Pirates were focused on adding an MLB-ready replacement arm for the bullpen in Melancon talks, which they received in the form of left-hander Felipe Rivero. San Francisco, of course, signed Melancon to a four-year deal this winter.
Pitching Notes: Arrieta, Bumgarner, Kopech, Smyly, Angels, Holland
While there’s no evidence of progress between the Cubs and Jake Arrieta on a new contract, the righty provided some interesting thoughts on his outlook to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. Arrieta says he believes he may be able to land “a six- or seven-year deal” when he does sign, whether that’s with Chicago or another organization via free agency. And the 31-year-old adds that he’s looking ahead to a lengthy career, saying: “I feel very confident I can pitch until I’m 40. I do everything possible to make sure I’m healthy and durable.” Arrieta isn’t putting any time restrictions on talks with his current team, telling Heyman he’d consider offers at any time while also noting that he doesn’t want his contract situation to distract from the season to come.
Arrieta stands to play an important role in next year’s free-agent market. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes recently listed him as the top pending free agent in his first power ranking of next winter’s crop of open-market talent, with three other high-end hurlers not far behind. Here’s more on a few pitching situations from around the game:
- Another important potential extension scenario is still open out west, where the Giants and ace Madison Bumgarner have three years to consider another long-term pact. As Heyman writes, there’s nothing new to report at this point. And that’s fine with Bumgarner, who says it’s “not really up to me” when talks will get underway in earnest. “Whenever the time comes, it’ll be a conversation held in private,” he says. The star southpaw says he’s comfortable pitching under his previous extension for the time being, explaining that he has no regrets. After all, he acknowledges, both he and the organization took a risk in inking that pact.
- We could be talking about White Sox phenom Michael Kopech in similar terms one day if he accomplishes his personal goals, which he discusses at length in an interesting piece from Scott Miller of Bleacher Report. Kopech tells Miller that he has his sights set on throwing harder than any pitcher ever has — he’s certainly already within range — while noting that his priority is “to be a dominant pitcher” regardless of the radar gun readings. Chicago fans who want to learn about one of the organization’s prized new prospects will want to give the post a full read.
- Mariners brass probably felt a mix of emotions as last night’s USA-Venezuela WBC matchup got underway, but as MLB.com’s Greg Johns writes, it ended up going quite well for the organization. Long-time staff ace Felix Hernandez was excellent, but it was new lefty Drew Smyly who opened eyes with his performance. The 27-year-old southpaw notched eight strikeouts against a potent Venezuela lineup over 4 2/3 strong frames, allowing only one unearned run. And he topped out at over 94 mph with his fastball, setting a new personal high-water mark in that regard.
- The Angels are still sorting through their rotation plans for the season, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register writes. Righties Matt Shoemaker and Garrett Richards appear to be vying for the Opening Day nod, with no signals as yet as to who’ll take the honors. The primary concern, of course, will be ensuring that each is prepared for a fully healthy campaign after their respective health scares in 2016. As Fletcher explains, there’s still some uncertainty with the rest of the staff. Ricky Nolasco and Jesse Chavez appear to be on track to secure rotation jobs, though it’s not yet clear whether southpaw Tyler Skaggs will be ready to roll at the start of the season given the “shoulder fatigue” he has experienced.
- Turning to an interesting pen situation, the Rockies liked what they saw out of righty Greg Holland yesterday, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post reports. The one-time ace reliever, who’s working back from Tommy John surgery, returned to competitive mound action for the first time with a 95 mph heater and effective breaking offerings. While the three-up, three-down frame came against minor-league opposition, the outing represented an important step for Holland as he seeks to reestablish his health and once-dominating stuff. That leaves him on track to make six or eight Cactus League outings, Groke writes, though he won’t take the hill again until the weekend. While the team’s plans for the ninth inning remain unresolved at this point, Groke suggests that it’s likely Holland will receive the closer’s nod over Adam Ottavino.
Charlie Tilson Shut Down For At Least 3 Weeks
White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson will be shut down for at least the next three weeks after his most recent medical check, as J.J. Stankevitz of CSNChicago.com reports. While his MRI showed that he hasn’t suffered a fracture, the stress reaction is causing enough swelling to require a walking boot and further down time.
It’s obviously good news for the organization to find that Tilson doesn’t have a broken bone. On the other hand, it seems there’s little he can do to address his actual ailment other than rest and hope for a speedy recovery. That leaves an opening, at least for the earliest portion of the season.
The Sox aren’t necessarily in desperate straits without Tilson, who suffered a season-ending hamstring tear in his first MLB game last year after being acquired in the deadline deal that sent Zach Duke to the Cardinals. Though Tilson had been slated to handle primary duties in center in 2017, the rebuilding club isn’t placing much of a priority on near-term production. That said, every role on every team presents both a need and an opportunity, and his absence will impact the market.
There are a few options on hand, as Stankevitz notes. Peter Bourjos seems the obvious choice, as he was likely slated to earn a bench role regardless and has ample experience up the middle. The speedy veteran hasn’t proven that he can reach base consistently, of course, but that’s the same limitation that made him available on a minor-league deal.
The two other alternatives lack MLB experience and have somewhat similar profiles to Bourjos, but might at least provide some competition or factor into the fourth outfielder conversation. Adam Engel, a prolific base stealer who’ll play the upcoming season at 25 years of age, hit well in 357 plate appearances at Double-A (.255/.352/.412) but struggled in his 161 plate appearances at the highest level of the minors (.242/.298/.369). And Jacob May, a switch-hitter who’s also 25, spent all of 2016 at Triple-A, where he hit .266/.309/.352 and swiped 19 bags over 321 trips to the plate.
While it may not be of much interest, the White Sox could still consider looking at the free-agent market to supplement this group. Coco Crisp, Sam Fuld, and Angel Pagan all have plenty of MLB experience in center, to be sure. Alternatively, Chicago could look to be aggressive on the waiver wire (or in snapping up veterans with opt-outs) as teams make tough 40-man calls over the coming weeks.
AL Central Notes: Tilson, Twins, Lowe
It appears there’s been a setback in the recovery of White Sox center field hopeful Charlie Tilson, writes J.J. Stankevitz of CSN Chicago. Tilson was previously diagnosed with a stress reaction in his foot back in mid February, and per Stankevitz, he experienced renewed discomfort this weekend. Tilson was in a walking boot yesterday, Stankevitz notes, and will be reevaluated today. The 24-year-old Tilson, acquired last summer in exchange for lefty Zach Duke, tore his hamstring in his MLB debut last year and missed the remainder of the season. However, the fleet-footed former second-rounder (Cardinals, 2011) was expected to handle center field for the ChiSox out of the gate in 2017, if healthy. Manager Rick Renteria emphasized that the team isn’t ruling Tilson out, but he’s also yet to play in a Cactus League game. Stankevitz notes that non-roster invitee Peter Bourjos would likely open the season in center if Tilson can’t take the field.
Here’s more from the AL Central…
- Right-hander Trevor May was considered one of the front-runners to secure the final spot in the Twins‘ rotation prior to this weekend’s unfortunate diagnosis of a torn ulnar collateral ligament, writes MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger. With May now likely to miss the entire 2017 season, Jose Berrios is the “slight favorite” for the Twins’ fifth spot, though left-hander Adalberto Mejia and righties Tyler Duffey, Ryan Vogelsong and Justin Haley (the team’s Rule 5 pick) all remain in the mix. Bollinger notes that Duffey could be used out of the bullpen, as he was in college, if he doesn’t make the club. Both Vogelsong and Haley are in the mix for a long relief spot as well, if they’re unable to crack the rotation.
- Tigers righty Mark Lowe tells George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press that catcher James McCann noticed a slight differentiation in his mechanics from 2015 to 2016 when examining video, and Lowe is hopeful that the subsequent alterations he’s made will help him to restore his lost velocity. Lowe went from averaging 95.5 mph on his heater in 2015 to just 92.4 mph last season in a year that culminated in a disastrous 7.11 ERA over the life of 49 1/3 innings. Though Lowe will earn $5.5MM in 2017, Sipple notes that he’s not a lock to make the Opening Day roster if he doesn’t perform this spring, so there’s plenty at stake for the veteran 33-year-old. Lowe did toss a shutout inning on Sunday, following the mechanical adjustments.
AL East Notes: Quintana, Norris, Longoria, Lawrie
Here’s the latest from around the AL East…
- The White Sox have been scouting Yankees prospects in regards to a potential Jose Quintana trade, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The two clubs have been linked in Quintana trade rumors though there isn’t any movement as per the latest reports, since New York doesn’t want to part with its top minor leaguers. The Yankees have been seen as a logical target for Quintana due to the lack of certainty in their rotation beyond Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, and C.C. Sabathia, and even that top trio can’t be considered locks due to each pitcher’s injury history. It makes sense that the Sox would keep doing its due scouting diligence on the Yankees and other potential Quintana suitors should a team make a renewed push for a deal before Spring Training is out.
- The Rays would likely be interested in Derek Norris if the catcher is indeed released by the Nationals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The Nats waived Norris yesterday, and obviously the Rays would like to avoid paying the $4.2MM they would owe Norris by simply claiming him. Newly-signed Rays catcher Wilson Ramos will begin the year on the disabled list and will require quite a bit of DH time as he eases back from knee surgery, so Tampa could offer Norris a significant amount of playing time, if not quite a full-time gig behind the plate. Curt Casali, Jesus Sucre, Michael McKenry and Luke Maile are the Rays’ current internal catching options.
- In another piece from Topkin, he looks at the ever-present trade speculation that seems to swirl around Evan Longoria, no matter how much the third baseman insists that he wants to remain with the Rays for the rest of his career. With the Rays front office constantly looking to keep payroll stable and reload with young talent, trading Longoria (who is owed $100MM through 2022) would seem like a logical step if the club ever embarks on a full-fledged rebuild. Topkin notes that Longoria is on track to receive 10-and-5 rights in April 2018, which would give him the right to reject any proposed trade. The Rays could therefore look to deal him before then, Topkin opines, or perhaps they could wait until they finalize a new stadium deal.
- A reunion between Brett Lawrie and the Blue Jays “would be a shock,” MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm opines as part of a reader mailbag. In Chisholm’s view, the only path to Lawrie’s return to Toronto would be if second baseman Devon Travis “suffers a major setback” in his recovery from knee surgery. That scenario isn’t entirely out of the question given that Travis’ availability for Opening Day seems to be in doubt, though Lawrie himself is dealing with some injury concerns and wants to get healthy before pursuing a new contract. The Jays, Rays and Royals all had some interest in Lawrie after his release from the White Sox, with the Mets also linked but reportedly not overly intrigued.
Yankees Notes: Quintana, Refsnyder, Kaprielian
In light of the Yankees’ decision to make outfield prospect Clint Frazier cut his hair Friday, this is a good time to revisit a piece from 1991 on the team’s longtime first baseman, Don Mattingly. Then with the New York Times (and now with the YES Network), Jack Curry wrote that Mattingly refused to obey owner George Steinbrenner’s hair policy, so New York benched and fined its captain as a result. That came two months after the Yankees denied Mattingly’s request for a trade. “Maybe I don’t belong in the organization anymore,” a frustrated Mattingly said at the time. “I talked to [general manager Gene Michael] about moving me earlier in the year. He said we’ll talk at the end of the year. Maybe this is their way of saying we don’t need you anymore.” Mattingly added that Michael wanted an “organization that will be puppets for him and do what he wants.” Michael fired back, saying: “He’s the captain and he’s got a big contract. If we asked the captain to get his hair cut, he should get it cut.”
Despite Mattingly’s dispute with the Yankees, he went on to spend the next four seasons with the club before retiring after the 1995 campaign. The Bombers were the only team for which Mattingly played, of course, in an excellent career that began in 1982. As for the Yankees, although Steinbrenner passed away in 2010, his daughter, part-owner Jennifer Steinbrenner, has kept her father’s rule in place, per Billy Witz of the Times. Many, including River Ave Blues’ Mike Axisa, aren’t happy about it.
Here’s more from the Bronx:
- Trade rumors have connected the Yankees and White Sox ace Jose Quintana over the past few months, but no deal is brewing between the teams, reports Curry (video link). Nothing has changed since January for the Yanks, who were then loath to subtract from their loaded farm system to acquire Quintana and remain unwilling to trade a prospect haul for the left-hander as Opening Day approaches.
- The Yankees are reportedly willing to listen to offers for utilityman Rob Refsnyder, and with that in mind, Curry notes that he’s going to have a difficult time cracking their 25-man roster. If New York goes with a four-man bench, odds are it’ll be Chris Carter, Austin Romine, Aaron Hicks and Ronald Torreyes who serve as their reserves, says Curry, who points out that Refsnyder does have a minor league option remaining. Thus, it’s not necessarily a must for the Yankees to trade the soon-to-be 26-year-old.
- Although he missed most of last season with an elbow injury and hasn’t pitched above the High-A level, right-hander James Kaprielian has a chance to end up in the majors sometime this year, according to George A. King III and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. The 23-year-old, whom the Yankees chose 16th overall pick in the 2015 draft, threw a three-inning simulation game Friday and could make his next appearance in a spring training contest, manager Joe Girardi told King and Davidoff. Girardi believes Kaprielian has “a ton of talent” and will have an opportunity to “move pretty quickly” toward the big leagues if he stays healthy.
AL Central Notes: Hefner, ChiSox, Tigers, Indians
The Twins have hired former big league right-hander Jeremy Hefner as an advance scout, Hefner himself announced (Twitter link). Hefner, who was forced to retire due to myriad injuries (including a pair of Tommy John surgeries in 2013-14), notes that he’ll help formulate game plans and reports for the Major League club and adds that he’ll have some non-traditional duties with his new position as well. The 30-year-old Hefner last pitched in the Majors back in 2013 when he tossed 130 2/3 innings of 4.34 ERA ball with 6.8 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 for the Mets.
More from the division…
- Despite a pause in their sell-off, the White Sox remain open for business, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Indeed, as GM Rick Hahn told MLBTR in February, the club would have preferred to have made four more deals at this point. But that doesn’t mean the team is ready to deal just to move salary, and some rival officials think the Sox are setting unrealistic price tags on their remaining veterans. “I think our asks are commensurate with what we are willing to give up,” Hahn tells Sherman, while noting the team is still open to deal. Sherman also looks at how Jerry Reinsdorf came around to the idea of selling, with the veteran owner finally agreeing that the organization’s best shot at capturing another title would come through a rebuild.
- While it’s still early in camp, the results from right-hander Anibal Sanchez haven’t been encouraging, as Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press writes. Sanchez, along with expensive veterans Mike Pelfrey and Mark Lowe, have all been knocked around thus far, and Fenech notes that it’s difficult to imagine a team with postseason aspirations breaking camp with all three on the roster. Sanchez, who has allowed 11 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, is owed $16MM this coming season plus a $5MM buyout on his 2018 option. Pelfrey’s struggles have been similar (eight runs in six frames), and he’s set to earn $8MM in the second season of a two-year deal. Lowe is set to earn $5.5MM and has surrendered three runs in his 3 2/3 innings, albeit with a more encouraging 5-to-1 K/BB ratio. Obviously any spring stats — especially those accumulated through March 10 — should be taken with a large grain of salt, but none of that trio performed well in 2016, either.
- The Indians‘ payroll will surpass $100MM for the first time this year, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who notes that the lack of holes on a roster with a still-limited payroll — Cleveland’s projected $124MM payroll will rank in the bottom half of the league — is fairly remarkable. Cleveland is trying to determine who will claim the final spot in the bullpen, who will serve as a utility infielder and who will claim the remaining reserve outfield role, but beyond that the roster is largely set. General manager Mike Chernoff noted to Sherman that his team typically wouldn’t be able to pursue a marquee name like Edwin Encarnacion, “…but having cost controllable guys allowed one big guy.”
- Michael Brantley will play in a five-inning simulated game — his third simulated contest of the week, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Indians still don’t know exactly what they can expect of Brantley, though Hoynes spoke to manager Terry Francona quite a bit about Brantley’s progress and the team’s hopes. As Francona observed to Hoynes, if Brantley is able to return to his former self — a big if — Cleveland will have effectively added two dynamic middle-of-the-order bats to an already imposing lineup.
Quick Hits: Scouting Changes, Data Sources, Pitching Strategy
It has been a quiet few days in the transactional world, but there are plenty of interesting things being written with possible implications for the player market. Here are a few pieces well worth a read:
- ESPN.com’s Keith Law (Insider link) takes a look at players who entered camp with notable tweaks to their respective games, rounding up the impressions of scouts from around the game. Diamondbacks righty Taijuan Walker is said to have impressed with his latest mechanical overhaul, and he’s showing improved fastball command along with a sharper cut fastball. For White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, the change has come more on the mental side; it seems he’s improving his ability to recognize pitches and decide whether to swing. The results haven’t been all that promising for Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward, Law suggests, who still seems to lack bat speed despite a newly reworked swing.
- R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports writes about the sources of the data that we read so much about. Beyond the obvious and well-known sources, there’s also a cottage industry of individuals and small companies who sell various kinds of information to ballclubs. While burgeoning in-house analytical departments have obviated the need for certain third-party services, the appetite for data has led to new avenues. It’s a fascinating and lengthy look at this important topic that you’ll want to read in full.
- With research from Willie Harrison and John Salmon suggesting that the home-team advantage shows up most prominently in the poor performances of visiting starters in the first inning, Dave Cameron of Fangraphs examines the possible implications. Cameron suggests that there could be merit to the idea of utilizing a reliever to throw an inning to open games for visiting teams, before turning things over to the “starter” in the bottom of the second. While that’d be a tough strategy to implement over most of the season, it could be of greater function when rosters expand or during the postseason.
- For individual pitchers, we know that stuff doesn’t always equate to results. Eno Sarris of Fangraphs addresses that general topic by looking closely at the differing 2016 seasons put up by Reds pitchers Cody Reed and Dan Straily (the latter of whom has since been traded to the Marlins). Sarris’s breakdown suggests that predictability — or, the lack thereof — is an important ingredient for a major league pitcher, regardless of what kind of raw offerings he possesses. For Straily, being able to throw offspeed pitches for strikes in hitters’ counts last year was an important part of his renaissance. In Reed’s case, Sarris discovers, he relied too heavily not just on his fastball, but in throwing it to a certain spot (outer half). Be sure to check out the full piece for all the details and nuance in the analysis.