Make Or Break Year: Billy Hamilton
MLBTR is rebooting its “make or break year” series, in which we analyze players who enter the season with up-and-down track records but also an opportunity to stake a claim to significant future earnings.
Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton remains one of the game’s most fascinating players, due in large part to his eye-popping ability to create runs through his unmatched daring on the bases. Hamilton’s top-of-the-charts speed — which he ably deploys to circle the bags and track down fly balls with the best of them — gives him a sturdy floor and makes him an easy bet to contribute in the big leagues for a full career.
The question remains, though, whether Hamilton ought to be trotted out on an everyday basis given his weaknesses with the bat in hand. There’s an argument to be made that he’s good enough on the bases and in the field that he really doesn’t need to hit much at all to warrant a steady job. Over the past three seasons, Hamilton has paced baseball by a laughable margin in total baserunning value and ranks third in the game in UZR-based defensive contributions. And this isn’t just some sabermetric argument; teams have long valued outstanding up-the-middle defenders who couldn’t hit a lick. (To take but one largely random example, Phil Rizzuto came in second in the AL MVP voting in 1949 despite a .275/.352/.358 batting line … nearly a perfect match for the .273/.351/.355 slash he carried during a Hall-of-Fame career.)
Still, there’s a point at which it’s hard to stomach the lack of production at the dish. Remarkably, Hamilton managed 2.0 fWAR and 1.0 rWAR in 2015 even while hitting an anemic .226/.274/.289. But that level of offense makes him more of a fourth outfielder than a regular worthy of a major commitment from an organization, so the Reds will no doubt demand more before committing to Hamilton for the long run. Obviously he’s shown more in other seasons, but how much bat is enough? And can Hamilton boost his production to the point where that’s a moot question, perhaps earning an extension in the process? Much of the information needed to answer those questions will be provided by Hamilton’s 2017 season.
Is it too early to label this a “make or break year” for Hamilton? Perhaps, to some extent. After all, he’s only 26 and just reached arbitration eligibility for the first time. (He’ll earn a palatable, but still reasonably significant, $2.625MM salary.) But that leaves only two further years of control, at increasing rates of pay, and the Reds are hoping to push toward contention sooner than later. If there’s uncertainty regarding Hamilton’s future — and the organization’s interest in retaining him beyond his arb years — then surely Cincinnati will look to explore alternatives, while perhaps dangling the unique burner in trade talks. (If late-inning relievers are uniquely appealing at the trade deadline, then how about a baserunning specialist who’d become a rare weapon down the stretch and in the postseason?)
Let’s take a closer look at Hamilton’s hitting profile. Surrounding his putrid 2015 campaign, the switch-hitter compiled two seasons in which his overall output was similar but the way he got there was different. In 2014, his rookie campaign, Hamilton slashed .250/.292/.355; last year, he ran out a .260/.321/.343 batting line. With context factored in, both represented productivity that falls about 20% below league average. But for several reasons, the more recent season was arguably more promising.
First and foremost, Hamilton boosted his walk rate in 2016 to a career-best 7.8%. Relatedly, while his overall contact numbers have held steady, Hamilton continued a trend of laying off of more pitches out of the zone. He also put the ball on the ground quite a bit more than ever before (47.7%), helping him to generate a career-best .329 BABIP even as he recorded a typical (for him) 12.5% infield-hit rate and continued to produce very little had contact.
Those background improvements are reason for some optimism, but it’s Hamilton’s late-season charge that has created the most excitement. As C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer recently examined, Hamilton produced a .369 on-base percentage over his final 45 games, allowing him to steal a remarkable 36 bases in that span. With some professional maturation and improvements to his approach supporting that improvement, perhaps there’s cause to believe that could carry over.
If Hamilton can reach base even at an approximately average clip, he looks like a solid 2.5 to 3.0 WAR player. If he can get on board at a greater rate, perhaps he’ll be a star. But his career OBP of .297 has left his legs in the dugout too frequently. There’s still some time for Hamilton to chart his true course, but the Reds may base their own plans based largely upon his 2017 campaign. The Cincinnati organization has opened up the pocketbook to extend control rights over core players rather frequently, and the Marlins’ extension of Dee Gordon shows the upside for a player of Hamilton’s ilk, but he’ll need to convince the club that he’s capable of sustained productivity to get there.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Central Notes: Hammel, Soler, Adams, Masterson, Brewers
Righty Jason Hammel discussed his transition from the Cubs to the Royals with reporters including Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com. The veteran starter says he wasn’t ready to give up starting at this stage, which may have been in the plans had he remained in Chicago. “I felt like I had proven myself over and over and over again for three years there,” he said. “It is what it is. It’s the business side of baseball. And I’m very happy that I’m over here with these guys.” Whether there’s any sense of bitterness, Hammel says he won’t “hold grudges” or “burn a bridge;” he still owns a home in the city and suggests he could even end up returning at some point later in his career.
- That’s not the only storyline connecting the 2016 champs and their predecessors; there was also a rather notable deal that sent outfielder Jorge Soler to the Royals while delivering star closer Wade Davis to the Cubs. Naturally, the man tasked with harnessing Soler’s evident talent is Dale Sveum — the hitting coach who just happened to have managed the Cubbies before landing in Kansas City. “I still think he’s developing into what he possibly could be,” Sveum said of his new protege. “He’s been very good in camp so far, trying to make adjustments in his legs and things like that, knowing the issues that come with some of the mechanics he’s been using. But like I said, it’s still a development thing. As much as we’d all like to think (otherwise), it’s not a polished product, by no means.”
- Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams is looking to unify several offseason changes this spring, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. He lost weight, worked on building core strength, and re-worked his swing. Bringing these modifications together, and making it all work against MLB-caliber pitching, has been a challenge. But the organization is remaining patient with the lefty slugger, who’s entering a critical year for charting his future with the club.
- It doesn’t appear as if the Reds will pursue a deal with free-agent righty Justin Masterson, as Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer suggests on Twitter. While the organization took a look at the former workhorse recently, it evidently did not see enough promise to add another arm to the spring mix.
- Brewers manager Craig Counsell discussed the status of his team’s bench competition, as Tom Haudricourt and Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel report. Hernan Perez appears to have a very strong shot at making the club as a reserve outfield and infield options. Michael Reed, on the other hand, still “has things to prove at the Triple-A level,” according to Counsell.
NL Central Notes: Masterson, Iribarren, Ramirez
The Reds worked out free-agent righty Justin Masterson today, reports MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon (on Twitter). The 31-year-old Masterson (32 later this month) is eyeing a return to the Majors after spending the 2016 campaign with the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate following 2015 shoulder surgery. While it’s now been several years since Masterson pitched up to his ceiling — he logged a 3.45 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and a 58 percent ground-ball rate in 2013 — there certainly wouldn’t be any risk in adding him to the team’s mix of arms in camp. Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani just dodged a bullet after a minor elbow scare, and right-hander Homer Bailey is out for the first couple months of the season following elbow surgery. Unsurprisingly, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that the Reds would only have interest in a minor league deal for Masterson.
Here’s more from the NL Central…
- The Reds are giving serious consideration to carrying utility infielder Hernan Iribarren on their Opening Day roster, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports. Iribarren, 32, appeared in 24 games last year for Cincinnati, doubling his prior tally in the majors. He posted good results at Triple-A, too, after struggling in prior years at the highest level of the minors. But while he offers some versatility, he doesn’t play shortstop, and the overall profile doesn’t suggest he ought to have a real shot at serving as more than an injury replacement. Still, manager Bryan Price explains that the organization values Iribarren’s makeup and also thinks it may be possible “to get the best of him a little bit late in his career than most.”
- Brewers first base prospect Nick Ramirez is attempting a conversion back to the mound, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. For the time being, at least, he’ll work as a two-way player — as he did in college — though it sounds as if the early returns speak in favor of full dedication to pitching. The southpaw has already regained the feel for his change, the key pitch in his arsenal. “Somehow, my pitches got better with the five-year hiatus,” he says. Ramirez struggled to a .206/.316/.404 batting line in 329 Double-A plate appearances last year, his third-straight year at that level, but it seems he may have found another path to the majors.
Injury Notes: Cashner, DeSclafani, Sparkman, Tigers, Cardinals
There’s been no shortage of injury news today, with David Price headed for a second opinion following an MRI to examine his left elbow and David Wright being indefinitely shut down from throwing. Those two stars are far from the only ones with injury concerns though; here’s a look at some more injury situations around the game…
- Rangers right-hander Andrew Cashner has been shut down due to biceps tendinitis in his right arm, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. For the time being, the team doesn’t believe that Cashner’s arm troubles will jeopardize his availability for the start of the season, but the offseason signee will be evaluated by team doctor Keith Meister on Friday before further determination is made. Cashner inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Rangers this offseason in hopes of rebounding and reentering next year’s market with improved earning capacity.
- Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani has been cleared to begin throwing, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. That’s a relief for Cincinnati, as the 26-year-old had previously been shut down from throwing on Monday of this week due to some “tenderness” in his right elbow. DeSclafani tells Sheldon that he was never too concerned that the injury might be serious in nature, and indeed, Reds medical director Timothy Kremchek gave him the green light to begin throwing after examining him this week. Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer quotes Kremchek as stating that the hope is for DeSclafani to begin throwing today or tomorrow, with an eye toward throwing off a mound six or seven days from now (Twitter link).
- Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports that Blue Jays Rule 5 pick Glenn Sparkman suffered a fractured bone in his right thumb during pitchers’ fielding practice earlier today (Twitter link). There’s no timeline for his recovery just yet. As is the case with many Rule 5 picks, however, the injury could in a strange way prove advantageous for the Jays and for Sparkman. Toronto could potentially stash Sparkman on the disabled list to open the season — he’d otherwise have to break camp on the 25-man roster — and then work through a minor league rehab assignment early in the year before being considered as an option for the big league roster.
- Tigers relievers Francisco Rodriguez and Justin Wilson both missed their scheduled appearances on Wednesday due to hamstring soreness, writes Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Wilson won’t throw for the next few days as he hopes to mend his injury, while K-Rod is slated to pitch on Saturday. Tigers Manager Brad Ausmus said Rodriguez could “probably” have pitched yesterday, but the team didn’t want to rush him and risk worsening his situation.
- MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch provides several medical updates on the Cardinals. While right-hander Luke Weaver checked out OK after exiting yesterday’s Grapefruit League game due to back spasms, Matt Carpenter was scratched from today’s game due to back issues of his own. Weaver isn’t expected to be sidelined too long, per Langosch, whereas Carpenter will be reevaluated tomorrow (the team isn’t especially concerned, she notes). Carpenter’s back could impact his availability for the World Baseball Classic, however. Langosch also notes that southpaw Tyler Lyons is ahead of schedule in his rehab from knee surgery to the point that he could push for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
NL Notes: Weaver, Salas, Schebler, Holland
The Cardinals announced that right-hander Luke Weaver was removed from today’s Grapefruit League contest due to back spasms (Twitter link). Weaver faced two hitters in the eighth inning of today’s game and retired both before his back acted up. As MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch writes, manager Mike Matheny said he’s unaware of any previous back problems for Weaver, and the team will re-evaluate the top prospect tomorrow. Weaver is battling fellow righties Michael Wacha and Trevor Rosenthal for the final spot in the St. Louis rotation and is by far the least experienced of the group. So while there’s no indication that the injury is especially serious, any time lost this spring could have an adverse impact on Weaver’s chances of laying claim to that vacant starting job.
A few more notes from around the Senior Circuit as the evening winds down…
- Right-hander Fernando Salas has a visa issue that is preventing him from pitching in spring games for the Mets, reports Newsday’s Marc Carig. Salas has already secured the necessary paperwork to pitch for Team Mexico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, so that tournament could give him some needed in-game reps as he prepares for the season. Carig adds in a followup tweet that the Mets expect Salas’ current documentation issue to be resolved sometime next week, so he should be able to pitch with the team upon completion of the WBC, barring any further paperwork complications. Salas, 33, inked a one-year, $3MM deal to return to the Mets in early February on the heels of an excellent showing with the team following last year’s August trade. The veteran setup man tossed 17 1/3 innings with the Mets, yielding just four runs on 11 hits and no walks with 19 strikeouts.
- The Reds considered Scott Schebler as more of a left fielder than a right fielder when he was acquired in the 2015 trade that sent Todd Frazier to the White Sox, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, but the 26-year-old has spent a great amount of time working to improve his throwing. As such, the team now views Schebler as a viable option in right field, and he’s in line to get a chance to cement himself as the team’s primary option there in 2017. “It’s one of the things I worked on for quite some time, and it’s getting there,” Schebler told Sheldon. “I would never say I have a cannon. I may never have one, but you work toward that and maybe you end up somewhere in the middle.” Manager Bryan Price said the team has emphasized to Schebler that its preference would be less air underneath his throws, even if it means one-hopping the catcher on throws to the plate. Price praised Schebler for improvements to his arm strength and accuracy — both of which he attributes to mechanical alterations.
- Greg Holland won’t make his Cactus League debut for the Rockies until next week, at the earliest, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. The 31-year-old threw a 23-pitch simulated game on Tuesday of this week and will throw at least two more sim games before he’s cleared to get into an actual game with his new team, per Saunders. To this point, Holland hasn’t come out and thrown his fastball at 100 percent, though the former Royals closer said he’s building toward that point. Holland is clearly itching to get into a game, calling it “demoralizing” for any competitor to sit out as games are underway. “But you have to understand that there is a right way and there is a science behind this,” Holland told Saunders. “You have to stay patient with it, as hard as it is.” Holland inked a one-year, $7MM deal with the Rox this winter, and his contract also contains a vesting player option that’ll trigger at $15MM if he finishes 30 games or appears in 50 total contests.
NL Central Notes: Cubs, Iglesias, Lorenzen, Freese
Cubs GM Jed Hoyer joined Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquetter of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today, and among the topics they discussed were a possible extension for Jake Arrieta and the health of Wade Davis following last season’s pair of trips to the disabled list (audio link via Soundcloud). Hoyer kept it general when speaking of Arrieta for the most part. “Obviously when it comes to free agency, there’s a lot of factors involved, a lot of things pulling both sides in different directions,” said Hoyer, after voicing a preference to keep the details of talks close to the vest. “You have to weigh a lot of factors, but at the end, obviously, this guy’s been terrific for us. He was a huge part of us winning the World Series, a huge part of us even getting to the playoffs in 2015, and certainly that’s not something we take for granted.”
Regarding Davis, Hoyer suggested that the heavy workloads Davis racked up when appearing in back-to-back World Series in 2014-15 — Davis threw 25 postseason innings in addition to 139 1/3 regular-season frames across those two years — is something of which the Cubs are cognizant. The Cubs plan to be judicious with the workload of Davis and the relievers who shouldered large workloads for Chicago in last year’s deep World Series run this spring, per Hoyer.
A few more items pertaining to the division…
- It’s already been documented that the Reds aren’t planning on going with a traditional one-inning closer this season, and Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that the team is going to lean heavily on right-handers Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen in the late innings. Both pitchers could end up exceeding 100 innings, writes Buchanan, as the plan is to utilize each in a high-leverage, multi-inning role. Both Iglesias and Lorenzen have recent experience as starters and are embracing a role that’s been uncommon in recent years but was far more normal a generation or two ago in Major League Baseball. Other teams around the league will be keeping a watchful eye on how the experiment plays out, as well. Milwaukee GM David Stearns spoke to Buchanan about the blurring line between starter and reliever, while Oakland GM David Forst stated that Cincinnati does indeed have “good candidates” for that type of multi-inning role. “I’m as curious as anyone to see how it plays out,” Forst said to Buchanan.
- David Freese originally came to the Pirates on a mid-March, one-year deal last offseason, but he figured out quickly that he hoped to remain with the Pirates beyond the 2016 campaign, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Freese tells Biertempfel that he told his agent last summer to initiate the extension talks that led to his two-year, $11MM deal with the Buccos. “It all started with talking to me understanding this is the place I want to be,” says Freese. The corner infielder adds that the market has begun to change for players like himself, who are closer to average than to stars: “Older guys are not going to find that kind of deals that were there a few years ago.” Freese’s teammates are thrilled to have him back, as both Gerrit Cole and Josh Harrison laud his quick emergence as a quiet leader in the clubhouse. Cole referred to Freese as “one of the better teammates, if not the best, that I’ve played with.”
NL Central Notes: DeSclafani, Reds, Molina, Cubs
Anthony DeSclafani‘s first appearance of the spring will be delayed due to the fact that the Reds right-hander is experiencing some “tenderness” in his elbow, manager Bryan Price told reporters, including C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Price stressed that the team is merely being cautious and said there’s “no red alert” surrounding the team’s presumptive Opening Day starter. “At this point in time, we don’t have any great or grave concerns or any concerns that he won’t be ready for Opening Day roster,” said Price. That’s certainly encouraging, though the situation at least merits monitoring until DeSclafani is healthy enough to take the hill. The 26-year-old missed the first two months of the 2016 season with an oblique injury but was the team’s best starter upon returning. In 123 1/3 innings, DeSclafani pitched to a 3.28 ERA with 7.7 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 41.9 percent ground-ball rate.
- Sticking with the Reds, Price isn’t planning on utilizing a traditional closer this season, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. The manager instead hopes to have as many as four relievers that can work in various scenarios and be available for multiple innings. Offseason acquisition Drew Storen voiced a willingness to pitch in any role and spoke to Sheldon about the evolution of bullpen management in recent seasons and added that picking up high-leverage outs in other innings can be equally satisfying. Presumably, Storen is one of those arms that Price hopes to be able to lean upon in later innings. Other candidates, from my vantage point, include Raisel Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen and Tony Cingrani
- The Cardinals and Yadier Molina face a more complicated negotiation process than the majority of extension scenarios, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports observes. Molina is a franchise icon in St. Louis, and the team hopes to have him spend the entirety of his career in a Cardinals uniform. However, he’ll also turn 35 this summer, and even an additional three years would carry Molina through the age of 38. For a catcher with his type of workload, that’s a potentially troubling commitment for the team to make, especially when it’s top position prospect is young catcher Carson Kelly. “Both sides are trying to work hard and see if we can make it happen,” agent Melvin Roman told Rosenthal. The three-year, $50MM sum suggested by Rosenthal feels quite steep for a 35-year-old catcher whose power has diminished in recent years, though. Molina also had some uncharacteristic struggles in slowing the running game last year, as he caught just 21 percent of attempted thieves. Then again, as Rosenthal suggests, Molina’s case is fairly unique, and he remained quite productive at the dish last season (.307/.360/.427).
- Also from Rosenthal’s piece, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has been impressed by a number of the team’s young prospects in camp. While few would be surprised to hear that top-regarded names like Eloy Jimenez and Ian Happ have caught Maddon’s eye, Rosenthal notes that the skipper is also impressed by minor league outfielder Mark Zagunis and infielder Chesny Young. Chicago’s deep stock of prospects will serve them well not only by offering depth pieces in the event of injury but also when addressing needs that may arise prior to the non-waiver trade deadline this summer.
NL Notes: Hamilton, Aguilar, Lugo, Marrero, Guerrero
Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton has gained perspective heading into his fourth full season in the majors, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Learning to manage the tension of the game, and picking up some of Joey Votto‘s preparation routines, have Hamilton sporting a newfound confidence that comes from being “relaxed going to the plate.” Rather than overthinking things when he goes to bat, Hamilton says, “I know what I want to do before I go in the box.” That approach helped the 26-year-old put up a strong .369 OBP and swipe 36 bags over the final 45 games of the 2016 season; combined with an outstanding glove, that made him quite a productive player. Heading into his first season of arbitration eligibility, with two more to go, Hamilton could establish himself as a strong everyday center fielder (and, perhaps, an extension candidate) if he can continue that performance.
Here’s more from the National League:
- The Brewers are set to give Jesus Aguilar a shot at winning a bench job with the club, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports on Twitter. Claimed off waivers earlier in the winter from the Indians, the 26-year-old Aguilar is out of options. While he hasn’t seen much MLB action, Aguilar does own a productive .271/.346/.472 batting line at the Triple-A level and could share time at first with new Milwaukee signee Eric Thames if he impresses this spring.
- Likewise, the Mets seem to be giving righty Seth Lugo a shot at showing he deserves the team’s fifth rotation slot after a surprising showing in 2016. As Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports, Lugo will do battle with fellow righty Robert Gsellman in camp, with the former receiving the starting nod on Friday. New York plans to keep one on the staff, with the other working from the Triple-A rotation rather than the pen, while Zack Wheeler catches up and hopefully reclaims his spot on the MLB roster.
- Chris Marrero represents something of a dark horse in the Giants‘ active battle for bench spots — which we covered earlier tonight — as Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News writes. San Francisco placed a call to his representatives right at the start of free agency, and the 28-year-old jumped at the opportunity. “If this team wants you, it’s a good thing,” he says. Once a highly regarded prospect with the Nationals, Marrero has scant MLB time, but did slash a productive .284/.344/.494 and hit a career-best 23 home runs in 544 Triple-A plate appearances last year with the Red Sox organization.
- Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald tells the interesting tale of an unlikely Marlins pitcher, righty Tayron Guerrero. A towering, hard-throwing reliever, Guerrero hails from a tiny island in Colombia; learning to play ball there required a two-hour walk through the jungle and a boat ride to the mainland. Guerrero cracked the majors briefly with the Padres before being shipped to Miami as part of last summer’s Andrew Cashner trade. If he can refine his control — he averaged a career-low 4.0 BB/9 in the upper minors in 2016 — Guerrero could turn into a factor in the Marlins’ pen.
Heyman’s Latest: Villar, Lucroy, Tigers Veterans, Utley, Weaver, Lincecum, Clevenger
After grading every team’s offseason, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag provided a bevy of information on a variety of situations around the league in his latest notes post. Some is mostly of historical interest, and there’s lots more in the article, but these are some of the highlights with transactional ties:
- The Brewers “floated” an extension offer to infielder Jonathan Villar, says Heyman, but he wasn’t interested. The club’s initial offer, at least, would only have guaranteed him around $20MM. While Villar had a relatively undistinguished career before landing in Milwaukee, he was rather excellent last year and hasn’t yet turned 26. On the other hand, he won’t reach arbitration eligibility until next fall and still has to prove he can repeat that effort. Though Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio may have been willing to green-light pursuit of Matt Wieters, it seems that the front office wasn’t enthusiastic about that possibility.
- While the Rangers haven’t yet opened extension talks with catcher Jonathan Lucroy, it’s still expected that a deal will at least be explored. GM Jon Daniels has acknowledged as much, though it’s unclear just when the discussions will get underway. If nothing comes together, Lucroy promises to be one of the game’s most widely pursued free agents next winter. Texas, of course, is also chatting with starter Yu Darvish and second baseman Rougned Odor.
- The Dodgers explored a deal with the Tigers involving star righty Justin Verlander, per Heyman, who notes that “nothing got close.” Verlander’s hefty salary obligations were considered a barrier, though it seems his no-trade protection may not have been. The veteran righty has suggested he’d be amenable to consider a swap, and his relationship with Kate Upton would likely make Los Angeles an appealing destination. While the Dodgers have a quite a few starters on hand, it’ll be interesting to see whether the pursuit of the resurgent Verlander is rejoined at some point.
- Speaking of the Tigers, the organization evidently considered quite a few other deals before largely holding pat. The Mets “seriously discussed” giving up Michael Conforto for the final season of control over star slugger J.D. Martinez, but ultimately backed down. While the Astros reportedly checked in on Miguel Cabrera, they were asking for “more than half of the $150 million remaining on Cabrera’s contract” to be paid by Detroit and apparently never offered enough for the front office to bring a deal to ownership. And both the Twins and Padres made inquiries on shortstop Jose Iglesias, but clearly nothing developed with either team.
- Though the Indians had real interest in Chase Utley, the team’s offer was shy of the ultimately successful bid from the Dodgers. Still, it seems that Cleveland very nearly landed him before L.A. “stepped in late,” per Heyman.
- While the Reds have said they are done adding to their MLB roster, Heyman suggests the organization could make a play for some of the veteran pitchers still available. Cincinnati may even have outbid the Padres for Jered Weaver, who earned $3MM, though it’s not clear whether the club ever did so.
- Veteran righty Tim Lincecum is drawing some interest as he prepares for a showcase, according to Heyman, though surely he won’t draw as much intrigue as he did last year. It’s unclear what’s next for catcher Steve Clevenger, who has attempted to rehabilitate his image in an interview with Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. His former team, the Orioles, at least considered offering him a minor-league pact, but ultimately decided against it.
NL Central Notes: Hanrahan, Kang, Arrieta, Reds
Recently retired right-hander Joel Hanrahan will rejoin the Pirates organization as a pitching coach for the team’s Class-A affiliate in West Virginia, writes MLB.com’s Adam Berry. The 35-year-old called it quits after he was unable to return to the Majors following his second career Tommy John surgery, but he’ll bring plenty of recent big league experience to dugout to help mentor the Pirates’ next wave of young arms. “I know he had great passion for pitching and for the game,” manager Clint Hurdle said to Berry and other reporters. “Really, the game got unplugged on him earlier than he wanted it to. He kept trying and it kept not working. That’s when I started thinking there might be a pilot light lit somewhere here.”
A bit more from the NL Central…
- Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang appeared in South Korean court today and admitted to his recent DUI charge, as Jee-ho Yoo of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reports. “I deeply regret what I have done,” said Kang, who had two prior DUI arrests. “If I can get one last chance, I will become an exemplary player to earn respect from everyone.” Korean prosecutors sought a fine of just over $13,000 U.S. dollars for Kang. As Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette adds, it’s not clear whether further punishment will be handed by the Pirates organization, though Kang has already agreed to appear to an MLB-recommended treatment program. The verdict hearing for Kang will be held on March 3.
- Both Jake Arrieta and Cubs GM Jed Hoyer spoke to ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers about the complicated factors that go into a a theoretical extension for Arrieta. The 2015 Cy Young winner was candid about the fact that he knows he’ll be paid handsomely next winter barring any form of injury or sudden decline. Arrieta again mentioned that there’s little reason for any player — himself or anyone else — to take a discount on a contract with free agency just six months away. Teammate Anthony Rizzo, too, weighed in on the matter and suggested that no one in the clubhouse would blame Arrieta for pursuing maximum dollars. “He has enough money to last him the rest of his life,” said Rizzo. “”What he gets a year from now is going to be icing on the cake. … But he’ll try to set the bar for the next guy just like the guy before us did.” The Cubs will soon have to try to find ways to retain as much of their young core as possible, with Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Javier Baez and Kyle Hendricks all nearing arbitration. And, as Rogers notes, at some point the team will have to at least consider tearing up the remainder of Rizzo’s contract and attempting to make him a Cub for the remainder of his career.
- Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that Reds skipper Bryan Price is extremely impressed by left-hander Wandy Peralta. The hard-throwing southpaw has a genuine opportunity to crack the team’s roster as a second left-handed option behind Tony Cingrani, whom the Reds prefer not to use in specialized matchups due to the fact that he can hold his own against righties. “On the days that we don’t have [Cingrani], it would be a really nice thing to be able to matchup a left-hander against some of the better left-handers in our division and in the National League,” Price said. The 25-year-old Peralta allowed seven runs in 7 1/3 innings in his MLB debut last season, though Buchanan details some tweaks he’s made to his repertoire over the summer. And Peralta did log a 2.33 ERA in 58 Triple-A innings last season, even if that impressive mark came with a less-encouraging 38-to-23 K/BB ratio.