Guardians Rumors

MLBPA Chief Clark Visits Padres, Indians

By | March 19, 2016 at 10:16pm CDT

The Padres benefited from the qualifying offer system this winter, writes Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. When Justin Upton and Ian Kennedy declined their qualifying offers, it earned the Friars the 25th and 26th picks in the next amateur draft. The experiences of players like Ian Desmond and Dexter Fowler have led many to expect sweeping changes in the next collective bargaining agreement. While visiting the Padres camp today, MLBPA chief Tony Clark cautioned that changes would be “wrapped in together” with revenue sharing, service time, the luxury tax, and other factors. As Clark explains, it’s not useful to look at items individually when the entire agreement should work in concert. Clark is also expected to visit the Indians today, tweets Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com.

The 2015-2016 offseason was the winter of the opt-out. Don’t count on the Blue Jays to join the trend, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. Per team president Mark Shapiro said: “In some ways they’re just another form of a player option which I think are ridiculous. You’ll never see us do a player option.” Shapiro does allow that there are circumstances where an opt out can make sense. In other words, he’s not as firmly against them as player options. While an anti-opt out stance eliminates many top free agents, the Blue Jays typically play in the bargain end of the pool.
The Athletics have accrued solid prospect depth, but GM Billy Beane doesn’t intend to trade them for short term upgrades, writes Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area. Players such as Matt Chapman, Franklin Barreto, and Sean Manaea may soon be cornerstones of the major league roster. While Beane dealt quality prospects for players like Jeff Samardzija, Jon Lester, and Ben Zobrist in recent seasons, the club is more focused on developing long term talent at the moment.

Indians Sign Marlon Byrd To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | March 17, 2016 at 7:45pm CDT

7:45pm: Byrd has passed his physical, Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer tweets. He’ll earn $1MM if he cracks the major league roster. The contract also includes some incentives, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com adds on Twitter.

11:04am: The Indians and outfielder Marlon Byrd have agreed to a minor league contract, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The 38-year-old Byrd, who split last season between the Reds and Giants, is represented by ACES.

Byrd will add to a growing mix of outfield options for the Indians, who figure to open the season without Michael Brantley (at least for a couple of weeks) and are otherwise relying on a mix of Tyler Naquin, Rajai Davis, Lonnie Chisenhall and Collin Cowgill in addition to fellow non-roster invitees Will Venable, Robbie Grossman and Shane Robinson. On paper, Byrd would bring the most offensive upside of the bunch to serve as a platoon partner for the left-handed-hitting Chisenhall, who thrived in the outfield last year but has longstanding difficulty against left-handed pitching at the plate. Byrd has long been a thorn in the side of southpaw pitchers, and he continued that trend in 2015, hitting .271/.324/.496 against lefties.

Though Byrd was quite productive following an August trade to the Giants, his tenure in San Francisco ended with some degree of controversy. Playing in the final season of a two-year, $16MM contract last in 2015, Byrd needed to reach a total 550 plate appearances for an $8MM vesting option to trigger. Over the final few games of the season, the Giants relegated Byrd to the bench in favor of young outfielders Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson. As GM Bobby Evans explained at the time, the club planned to play Byrd on an everyday basis up until the club was mathematically eliminated from the postseason. If and when that occurred, the team would shift focus and use the remainder of the year to evaluate future options such as Parker and Williamson. Unfortunately, due to the length of time for which the Giants staved off elimination, that meant that Byrd ultimately fell just six plate appearances shy of having his option vest.

Now with the Indians, Byrd will hope to make the club and approximate the solid overall production he’s posted since a career renaissance with the Mets and Pirates in 2013. Since that rebound campaign, Byrd has batted a collective .268/.313/.469. Over the life of a 14-season career in the Majors, his cumulative batting line sits at .275/.329/.430 in nearly 6,000 plate appearances.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Brantley Set For First Game Action Of Spring

By Steve Adams and Jeff Todd | March 16, 2016 at 8:22pm CDT

It’s undeniably been a special couple of seasons for the Royals, and many of the team’s core players tell Bob Nightengale of USA Today that they are enjoying the time they have together for at least the next couple of seasons. To a man, they expressed an interest in sticking around long-term, though of course it would be hard to predict how many will ultimately do so. Meanwhile, GM Dayton Moore suggested that the organization is taking much the same approach. “You can’t be so consumed with what players are going to be here for just this period of time,” he said. “There’s urgency every day. We’re not going to focus on next year, two years, or three years from now. I can’t predict the future. We’re just going to go out there and do the best we can.”

Offseason In Review: Cleveland Indians

By Steve Adams | March 9, 2016 at 9:41pm CDT

This is the fourth entry in the Offseason In Review series. You can also read our Reds, Rockies and White Sox entries. The full index of Offseason In Review posts can be found here.

The Indians saw longtime execs Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins depart to head up the Blue Jays’ baseball operations department, leaving the subsequently promoted president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff to fill out the roster around one of baseball’s best pitching staffs.

Major League Signings

Mike Napoli, 1B: One year, $7MM
Rajai Davis, OF: One year, $5.25MM
Juan Uribe, 3B: One year, $4MM
Tommy Hunter, RP: One year, $2MM
Total Spend: $18.25MM

Notable Minor League Signings

Will Venable, Craig Stammen, Ross Detwiler, Joe Thatcher, Tom Gorzelanny, Joba Chamberlain, Felipe Paulino, Robbie Grossman, Shane Robinson, Anthony Recker, Adam Moore, Michael Martinez

Trades

Acquired OF Collin Cowgill from Angels in exchange for cash considerations
Acquired RHP Dan Otero from Phillies in exchange for cash considerations

Waiver Claims

Claimed OF Joey Butler off waivers from the Rays

Extensions

Josh Tomlin, SP: Two years, $5.5MM plus $3MM club option ($750K buyout)

Notable Losses

Chris Johnson (released), Mike Aviles (option declined), Ryan Raburn (option declined), Jerry Sands, Nick Hagadone, Gavin Floyd

Needs Addressed

Unlike most clubs entering the offseason, Cleveland didn’t feel an overwhelming need to search for pitching, as the club has three top-tier starters under control for the foreseeable future in the form of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar (to say nothing of a high-ceiling fourth starter in Trevor Bauer and a pair of quality options for the fifth spot in Josh Tomlin and Cody Anderson). Rather, the question was whether the club would deal from its potential pitching surplus to address other needs around the diamond. With room for upgrades at both infield corners and a pair of outfield spots, there were a number of routes that the Tribe could take to improve an offense that finished 11th in the American League in runs scored.

Mike Napoli was brought in to serve as an upgrade at first base, and he’ll provide the club with a strong glove there, pushing Carlos Santana to DH duty. Napoli didn’t hit much in Boston last season, but he batted .295/.396/.513 upon being acquired by the Rangers late in the year. The catcher-turned-first-baseman still crushed left-handed pitching last season, but at $7MM — a fairly notable sum that represents nearly 40 percent of the free-agent spending by the Indians — they’ll be expecting him to produce even against same-handed pitching.

The need across the diamond at third base was certainly more palpable than the need at first, and while the Indians waited awhile to address the position, the club’s late signing of Juan Uribe should serve as an upgrade. Though he’ll turn 37 later this month, Uribe continues to grade out well defensively at third base. While he might not yield the level of defensive value that a platoon of Jose Ramirez and Giovanny Urshela could have produced, Uribe should be average or better with the glove with a markedly superior bat. This past season, Uribe slashed .253/.320/.417 with 14 home runs in 397 plate appearances, thereby continuing a resurgence that began in 2013 with his age-34 campaign. Uribe almost certainly won’t return to his ways as a 20- to 25-homer threat, but a collective .281/.329/.432 batting line across three prior seasons suggests that there’s still life in his bat, and his personality should be a boon to the clubhouse.

Left-handed relief was perhaps the one area in which the Indians have some uncertainty on the pitching staff, and the front office added a number of veteran arms on minor league deals in the hopes of parlaying one or two into solid production. Lefties Joe Thatcher, Ross Detwiler and Tom Gorzelanny have all had success in the Majors within the past two seasons, and any could emerge as a complement to incumbent options like Kyle Crockett and Giovanni Soto. Alternatively, upper-level minor leaguers Shawn Morimando and Ryan Merritt could emerge as lefty relief candidates, and former fifth starter T.J. House remains on the 40-man roster (though he missed most of 2015 with shoulder injuries and struggled in a return to action in last year’s Arizona Fall League).

Questions Remaining

The outfield was already the Indians’ largest question mark heading into the offseason, and that uncertainty only became more pronounced with the news that Michael Brantley would require surgery to repair his ailing shoulder. However, despite a glaring need, the club’s only big league acquisition was veteran speedster Rajai Davis. While the fleet-footed Davis remained a productive player throughout his two most recent seasons with the division-rival Tigers, he’s a right-handed hitter that comes with a notable platoon split, making him best-suited for part-time work.

Losing Brantley was a sizable enough blow to the team, but the club lost projected center fielder Abraham Almonte to an 80-game PED suspension in the first week of Spring Training. That Cleveland was relying on the journeyman Almonte, a career .244/.297/.378 hitter that batted an improved .264/.321/.455 in 196 PAs with the Indians last year, was a questionable decision in the first place, as I noted in previewing the team’s offseason back in early October.

With Almonte and Brantley out of action, Cleveland will look to some combination of Davis, Lonnie Chisenhall, Collin Cowgill, Joey Butler and minor league signees like Will Venable and Robbie Grossman in the outfield. Prospect Tyler Naquin, too, could factor into the mix with a strong spring after a solid minor league showing in 2015. None of those options come with much certainty, though a few patchwork platoons could be forged. Davis has long handled left-handed pitching quite well, so he could be paired with newly converted outfielder Chisenhall (who posted brilliant defensive marks in a small sample last year) in right field or with Venable in center field. However, Venable has suffered through two dismal seasons, and at 33 years of age, it’s fair to wonder if there’s been some deterioration of his skills.

Cowgill and Butler are, like Davis, right-handed bats best-suited for part-time work; Cowgill comes with a more defensive-minded approach, whereas Butler provides more with the bat but less with the glove.

It should be pointed out that Austin Jackson remained available on the free agent market even after the Almonte suspension, but the Indians watched him sign a one-year, $5MM deal with the division-rival White Sox instead of bringing him into the fold. Cleveland reportedly showed interest in Jackson, but the payroll was long said to be tapped out. This is, of course, speaking with the glaring benefit of hindsight, but given the need in the outfield, the $7MM allocated to Napoli with the hopes that he can still hit right-handed pitching (which he failed to do in 2015) could arguably have been better spent helping to bolster Cleveland’s offer to Jackson. When Napoli signed, no one knew that Jackson would languish in free agency for this long, nor that Almonte would be suspended. But relying on Almonte was always a risk, and given the number of first base/DH types that signed late (or, in Justin Morneau’s case, have yet to sign), there’s a good case to be made that prioritizing the outfield and pursuing a cheaper first base/DH option should have been Plan A all along.

All of this outfield uncertainty raises the question of whether the Indians should’ve dealt from their stockpile of controllable arms to add a bat into the mix. Top prospects Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier are both rising through the minor league ranks, so it’s understandable if the club feels that reinforcements are on the way. That, however, does little to improve the short-term outlook for a club that is otherwise well-positioned to contend within its division. The Indians were oft-connected to Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna, and we saw the Rockies part with a controllable corner option in Corey Dickerson without even securing a Major League ready starting pitcher. The D-backs, too, saw fit to part with five years of Ender Inciarte (and another pair of highly touted prospects) to add Shelby Miller to their rotation, and it can be argued that Cleveland has multiple arms that are superior to Miller. Other financially affordable names like Charlie Blackmon were said to be on the market, and there was even talk of the Astros being willing to entertain the thought of moving George Springer for a sizable enough return.

Cleveland boasts a rotation that would still look appealing even with one member subtracted, a solid bullpen and quality bench pieces in Jose Ramirez and Roberto Perez. (Any of the previously listed Butler, Cowgill or Venable would also make for a quality big league bench piece.) Relying on this outfield mix while also banking on returns to form from Napoli and Yan Gomes could very well create difficulty when it comes to scoring runs.

Deal of Note

Tomlin’s extension, while not the biggest headline-grabber, was one of the more peculiar multi-year deals in recent memory. Tomlin had already agreed to a one-year, $2.25MM contract to avoid arbitration, and he received the added perk of the Indians making that sum fully guaranteed (which is not the norm for arb salaries). His contract, however, guarantees him $5.5MM in total, including the upcoming season, meaning that Tomlin surrendered what would have been his first free-agent season for a total of $3.25MM. Beyond that, he gave the Indians control of his second free-agent season by virtue of a club option valued at $3MM (with a $750K buyout). If the option is picked up, Tomlin will receive $5.5MM for his first two free-agent years.

While he doesn’t come with a huge track record in the Majors, Tomlin showed promising gains in the strikeout department across the past two seasons, and we’ve seen teams throw around $5.5MM and more on one-year gambles (e.g. Rich Hill) with based on very small samples of success. The flipside, of course, is that he’s guaranteed himself some meaningful salary — something that was clearly important to Tomlin, as evidenced by the fact that his agents pushed for a fully guaranteed arb agreement. Still, if Tomlin enjoys even a reasonably healthy, successful season, his earning power would have vastly outpaced the extension’s modest guarantee.

Overview

At the outset of free agency, I wouldn’t have disagreed with the notion that the Indians didn’t need to do much to contend for the AL Central in 2016. I doubt, however, that I’d have anticipated such a strict adherence to that line of thinking on the team’s behalf. The Indians will once again have one of baseball’s best pitching staffs, but they’ll need plenty to go right in order to score enough runs to support those arms. An accelerated return for Brantley — which is the direction he’s reportedly heading — and contributions from a prospect such as Naquin or even Zimmer would go a long ways toward improving the team’s chances. That’s quite a bit to bank on, though, especially considering the other rebounds that will be hoped for around the rest of the roster (Napoli, Gomes, possibly Venable).

Questions aside, I’ll be surprised if the Indians aren’t in the mix in the AL Central this season. Beyond the team’s pitching depth, the pairing of Francisco Lindor (whom I felt should’ve landed Rookie of the Year honors over the also-excellent Carlos Correa) and Jason Kipnis creates one of baseball’s best double-play tandems, and a healthy Brantley is among baseball’s best outfielders. Nevertheless, many of the same offense-oriented questions that surrounded the team in 2015 figure to recur in 2016, and it’s not hard to envision them seeking a bat or two come July.

MLBTR readers that want to give their own take on the Indians’ offseason can weigh in with their grade in the following poll (link to poll for mobile app users)…

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Naquin Making Case For Opening Day Roster

By Steve Adams | March 9, 2016 at 7:43pm CDT

Indians prospect Tyler Naquin, a former first-round pick, is positioning himself to contend for the Opening Day center field job in the wake of Michael Brantley’s injury and Abraham Almonte’s suspension, writes Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal. Manager Terry Francona explained that Naquin has caught his eye early on, though he still has plenty of work to do before he’s earned a roster spot. “The fist week, he’s been very impressive, and that’s good because you’re looking for that,” said Francona. “But I don’t think you just make your team out the first week of camp, either.” Lewis notes that while Naquin might not be as highly regarded as top organizational prospects Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier (both outfielders by trade, as well), that could actually play into Naquin’s favor in a strange way, as the team might not have the same service time reservations with him that it would have with No. 1 and 2 prospects. Naquin, 24, split the 2015 campaign between Double-A and Triple-A, batting a combined .300/.381/.446 in 378 plate appearances.

Here’s more from the AL Central…

While the Pirates have a reputation for making good on reclamation projects on which the club buys low, the Associated Press notes that the Royals have experienced some similar succes in recent years, pointing to signings like Chris Young, Ryan Madson and Joe Blanton as outstanding bargains. “[General manager Dayton Moore] really shows you that he wants you here and he’s going to give you every chance to prove that you still have something left,” non-roster invitee Peter Moylan told the AP. “For me, that was a big reason why I came here.” While Moore certainly deserves some credit for the outstanding value pickups, the GM praised his manager and coaching staff for their success as well. “[Manager Ned Yost] and the coaching staff embrace the players we bring into the organization,” Moore said. “They trust in the opinions of our scouts, and then the (current) players’ attitudes and mindset is everyone is in this together, so they bring guys in.” Other reclamation projects in camp with the Royals this season include right-hander Dillon Gee, outfielder Travis Snider and veteran infielder Clint Barmes.
The White Sox and Reds haven’t had any recent talks about Jay Bruce now that Chicago has added Austin Jackson on a one-year deal, tweets Jon Heyman. Following the addition of Jackson, the Sox are done with their pursuit of starting-caliber outfielders, Heyman notes. That would eliminate yet another suitor for Bruce, who looks increasingly likely to begin the year with the Reds now that Jackson is in Chicago and the Orioles have reportedly agreed to add Pedro Alvarez on a one-year deal (thus pushing Mark Trumbo or Chris Davis to the outfield). Earlier today, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes looked at the Jackson signing as part of his review of the White Sox’ offseason.
Carlos Quentin genuinely believed that his playing days were over when he announced that he planned to retire last May, he explained to Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. However, Quentin said he was surprised by how quickly his body began to feel better in his absence from playing. His knees and shoulder, both problematic in the past, returned to normal, and his agent spread the word that Quentin could seek a comeback in 2016. Interestingly, Quentin said that he received non-roster invitations based solely on his track record, but while he was flattered, he didn’t want to sign with a team until the club had seen him and he had earned the invite. “You don’t want to waste anyone’s time,” he said. The Twins offered that chance, sending a scout to watch him near his San Diego home. Hitting coach and former big leaguer Tom Brunansky, who lived nearby, also attended the workout and was impressed by Quentin’s bat speed. “They said they’re looking for a veteran presence, someone to come off the bench and give a good at-bat,” said Quentin of the Twins. “…They were honest, and I appreciate them giving me a fair shake. I said I’ll come and give it my best effort.”

Indians Pursued Will Venable Before Almonte Suspension

By Steve Adams | March 8, 2016 at 9:57pm CDT

The Cubs needn’t be in a rush to extend ace Jake Arrieta, opines ESPN’s David Schoenfield. Arrieta’s camp is said to be seeking a seven-year deal, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, while the pitcher himself mentioned hoping to remain in Chicago for six or seven seasons. Though Arrieta’s 2015 results stack up with any pitcher in the game, Schoenfield notes that the righty hasn’t first proven himself capable of delivering consecutive 200-inning, 30-start seasons — unlike other pitchers to command seven-year deals. Arrieta will hit free agency at the age of 32, which makes him older than a typical free agent. However, he’s also thrown fewer innings in the Majors and minors combined than his peers that have inked seven-year deals by a fairly wide margin. Schoenfield also points out that president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer seem to prefer to build around position players, as evidenced by their young core. Of course, the duo shelled out $155MM for Jon Lester just over a year ago, so it’s not as if the Cubs’ top decision-makers are entirely averse to long-term deals for pitchers.

Here’s more from the game’s Central divisions…

Despite the fact that the Cardinals will be without Jhonny Peralta for what looks to be a span of two to three months, the team has yet to call other clubs on potentially available shortstops, reports ESPN’s Jayson Stark, as it awaits a final decision on Peralta’s recovery. One exec told Stark that he feels Braves shortstop Erick Aybar “has to be at the top of their list,” adding that “of the guys out there, he’s far and away the best player.” The Braves have shown a willingness to trade virtually anyone other than Freddie Freeman, so it would stand to reason that Aybar, a free agent at season’s end, could be had despite sitting atop Atlanta’s depth chart at shortstop. I took a look at a number of speculative shortstop options for the Redbirds shortly after Peralta’s injury.
Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett was shut down recently due to persistent pain in his right (throwing) shoulder, but an MRI performed today revealed nothing more than mild tendinitis, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Knowing that there’s no structural damage, the Brewers will ease Gennett back into action, starting with drills, per manager Craig Counsell. Counsell did note that Gennett would essentially be starting “from the beginning,” though he made no mention of the second baseman’s readiness for Opening Day being jeopardized.
Indians right-hander Tommy Hunter may open the season on the disabled list due to lingering effects from offseason hernia surgery, but that issue is not what caused a two-year deal with Hunter and the Yankees to fall through, reports MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (on Twitter). The Yankees reportedly had an agreement in the $11.5MM to $12MM range with Hunter disintegrate because of concerns over his physical, but the problem was not related to Hunter’s surgery nor his previous groin injuries, per Bastian. Whatever gave the Yankees pause didn’t curb the Indians’ interest, says Bastian, although considering the fact that the Yankees were initially going to offer a guarantee six times greater than the one Hunter received from Cleveland, it’s probably not surprising that they were a bit stingier with their medical evaluation.
News of the Indians’ signing of Will Venable to a minor league deal broke within hours of Abraham Almonte’s 80-game suspension for a failed PED test, but president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told Cliff Floyd and Casey Stern of MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM that his club had been in negotiations with Venable for awhile before they learned of Almonte’s suspension anyway (audio link). “Thankfully, at that point, in Almonte’s case, we had been engaged with a number of free agents, including Will Venable, and were able to bring that to conclusion, coincidentally about the same time, but that actually had been something we were working on for quite awhile,” said Antonetti.

Indians Felt Austin Jackson Preferred White Sox

By Jeff Todd | March 6, 2016 at 10:24pm CDT

The White Sox may finally have wrapped up an interesting offseason with today’s announcement of the signing of outfielder Austin Jackson to a one-year, $5MM contract. He’ll join a series of other new faces on the MLB roster in Chicago, none of whom — including the trade acquisitions — are guaranteed or controlled for more than two years. The overall financial commitment is quite minimal, and the South Siders still look to have plenty of long-term flexibility.

Here’s the latest on a few of those additions, and one notable departure:

Jackson will indeed be Chicago’s primary center fielder, GM Rick Hahn told reporters including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin (Twitter link). That means that Adam Eaton, fresh off of a quality campaign in the first year of his extension, will line up primarily in the corner outfield. Clearly, the team’s overall glovework on the grass should be much improved, as the team’s preexisting alignment likely would’ve featured Melky Cabrera and Avisail Garcia on both corners.
As something of an added bonus, the Sox kept Jackson from the division-rival Indians, per Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer (Twitter links). Cleveland felt it would have needed to go north of $5MM to add Jackson, who seemed to prefer to play in Chicago.
Padres shortstop Alexei Ramirez asked to go on a road trip to play the White Sox, his longtime club, as Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com reports. Ramirez called it “really emotional” to suit up for the only MLB organization he’d ever played for previously, saying that he put in “eight years of defending, 100 percent energy, eight years of being the first to show up and work hard every day” in Chicago. Ramirez added that San Diego’s $4MM contract was the sole firm offer he received this winter.
Newly-signed White Sox righty Mat Latos says that he’s eager not just to show his form on the mound, but also to rebuild his image, as Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com reports. “Maybe I needed a wake-up call,” said the 28-year-old. “I’m very direct, and I’ve just got to pick and choose my battles and learn to just hold onto some things. If I had some issues with things that went on with Cincinnati, I needed to keep them to myself. That was just a slip-up on my part. That was me dummying up. Just a bad lapse of judgment.” In an email, GM Rick Hahn suggested that the organization wasn’t scared off by a player’s reputation, preferring instead to sit down with each individual and make an assessment. In the case of Latos, it isn’t hard to see how the organization might’ve believed he would be motivated to make good on a $3MM investment.

Swisher Recognizes Reasons For Trade To Braves

By Zachary Links | March 4, 2016 at 1:04pm CDT

When the Indians signed Nick Swisher to a four-year, $56MM deal prior to the 2013 season, they didn’t anticipate his knees giving him serious trouble just one year in. By 2015, the deal looked to be a bad one for the Indians and they were more than motivated to unload the money owed to him. The Tribe found a taker in August, sending Swisher, Michael Bourn’s bad contract, and $15MM to Atlanta for third baseman Chris Johnson. Swisher says he completely understands the Indians’ reasons for dealing him.

“It was a business move and I don’t blame [the Indians] for doing that,” Swisher told MLBTR prior to Friday’s Spring Training game against the Phillies. “I got hurt in the second year of a five-year deal [his deal includes an option] and my production was down. I was hired to do a job and I didn’t get it done, so I don’t blame them. It made a lot of sense as a business move.”

Now more than 18 months removed from double arthroscopic surgery on his knees, Swisher says that he “feels great” and is eager to show what he can do on the field. After first undergoing surgery in 2014, Swisher turned in a weak .208/.278/.331 line and followed that up with an even worse .198/.261/.297 batting line in 30 games in 2015. Now, he believes that he can inch closer to the form he displayed in the previous eight seasons, when he slashed .257/.362/.464 and averaged 26 homers per season.

If Swisher shows in Spring Training that he can hit reasonably well, he might not be in Atlanta for long. In January, it was reported that the Braves would like to trade Swisher and/or Bourn before Opening Day. The talk will heat up if Swisher starts raking in March, but don’t expect the 35-year-old to be scanning the web for the latest mentions of his name.

“There’s too much stuff going on to pay attention to that. I’ve kind of been doing this for a little bit and in the offseason, people write stuff that has no truth to it. I think, for me, I’ve been doing it long enough to know that it’s all B.S. Until something does happen, that’s when you can really believe things,” Swisher said.

Swisher finds himself on a team that is designed to compete in 2017, not 2016. The veteran understands the team’s plan but he is not necessarily crazy about the prospect of spending the year in the cellar.

“It’s different. It’s something I’m not used to. Where I’m at in my life and my career, I want to win and I want to win now. I don’t know how many years I got left,” said Swisher. “I just know that I want to keep going out there and keep enjoying this piece of grass every day that I keep coming out to. I’m just so fortunate in my career and I’ve been able to do a lot of great things. I just want to ride this thing until the wheels fall off and I want to make my mark on this game, somehow.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Castrovince On Indians' Murky Outfield Outlook

By Steve Adams | March 3, 2016 at 8:49pm CDT

Jose Bautista’s asking price in an extension has been a source of controversy, and MLB Network’s Peter Gammons echoes reports indicating that Bautista sought a six-year contract in asking for a new deal with the Blue Jays. Gammons spoke to Bautista about his rigid training and diet routine, exploring his ability to defy aging curves thanks to acute physiological self-awareness and in-depth study of said aging metrics. “I am preparing to defy those aging curves by my strict adherence to physical, mental and nutritional routines,” Bautista explained in discussing his desire to play into his 40s. “When I missed time (at 31) with hip problems, I changed everything. I studied, I learned about my body, and how to keep it at peak performance levels, and how to maintain it. … It is about discipline and diet and strive for physical and mental states that defy aging. I love a good steak; I cannot eat red meat. There are a lot of things I love, but I cannot be who and what I want to be and eat and drink them.” As Gammons writes, Jays president Mark Shapiro is somewhat cut from the same cloth — seeking to instill that awareness of conditioning and physiological intellect throughout the organization.

A few more notes from around the American League…

Terry Francona’s proficiency in managing platoons will be tested early in the regular season, writes MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince, as the Indians attempt to make due with a patchwork outfield mix while Michael Brantley recovers from shoulder surgery. With Abraham Almonte suspended, Cleveland could lean on a combination of Rajai Davis, Collin Cowgill, Lonnie Chisenhall, Joey Butler, Will Venable, Robbie Grossman, Shane Robinson, Michael Choice and prospects Tyler Naquin and James Ramsey — there will be no Austin Jackson signing or Jay Bruce trade, Castrovince reaffirms — none of whom necessarily profiles as an everyday option.
Tim Britton of the Providence Journal chronicles a foot injury suffered by Craig Kimbrel at 18 years of age that helped transform him add more than 10 miles per hour to his formerly unimposing fastball. Kimbrel dropped 12 panels of sheet rock on his left foot while working with his father, an electrician, thus resulting in nearly a semester wearing a cast. During that time, his coach at Wallace State Community College began a unique throwing program to build arm strength in Kimbrel, which involved him throwing from both knees. Kimbrel and coach Randy Putman both explained to Britton that the program isn’t for everyone, and Kimbrel’s flexibility and athleticism made him uniquely suited for the unorthodox exercises. When healthy enough to pitch, Kimbrel’s stamina was also impacted by missed time with the foot injury, thus prompting a move to the bullpen — a role in which he has excelled ever since.
Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com and Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register each profiled the nearly unfathomable route that Daniel Nava took to the Major Leagues in a pair of columns this week. Angels fans that are unfamiliar with their new left fielder’s obstacle-ridden road to the big leagues will want to explore the 33-year-old’s journey from equipment manager of his college club to indy ball player that was signed by the Red Sox for one dollar to 27-year-old rookie that turned the first Major League pitch that he saw into a grand slam. Gonzalez notes, in fact, that Hollywood producers have contacted Nava to inquire about making a movie out of his journey, though the new Angels outfielder says he has no intention of entertaining any such inquiry while his career is still going.
The Mariners will likely send recently signed Cuban center fielder Guillermo Heredia to Class-A Advanced or Double-A to begin his professional career in the U.S., writes MLB.com’s Greg Johns. As Johns points out, Heredia hasn’t played in a game since 2014 due to the lengthy nature of his defection from Cuba, so the club is prepared for some rust that will need to be shaken off. Heredia spoke, through an interpreter, about his excitement for the opportunity to take the next step in his pro career and also explained that the presence of countryman Leonys Martin (who, not coincidentally, shares an adjacent locker) will help to ease his transition. Heredia has known Martin since the two were both in Cuba, and he’s already begun soliciting Martin for advice as he works toward a big league career.

Brantley's Rehab Ahead Of Schedule

By Steve Adams | March 3, 2016 at 7:11pm CDT

Spring Training is still young, but we’ve already seen a rash of injuries, with Brett Anderson going down for three to five months due to back surgery while a pair of AL Central outfielders — Jarrod Dyson (link) and Cameron Maybin (link) — could each be out up to six weeks. Here’s a look around the league at some other injuries that could potentially carry roster ramifications…

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley has “flown through” his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery, manager Terry Francona told reporters, including Cleveland.com’s Zack Meisel, on Wednesday. Brantley’s next step is to hit in a batting cage, and from there he’ll progress to full batting practice, per Francona, who said he doesn’t think Brantley will need to be out as long as the initial projections that pegged him for an early May return. While Francona notes that there’s still a significant progression required before Brantley is game-ready, the general feeling surrounding his return appears to be optimistic in nature.
The outlook on Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz, however, doesn’t appear as rosy; manager Buck Showalter told reporters that the reliever would undergo an MRI, and his return to action isn’t imminent (links to Twitter from MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli). As Ghiroli notes, the club expects to know more on the status of Matusz tomorrow.
Blue Jays lefty Aaron Loup is also ailing, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Loup is experiencing tightness in his left forearm and could be headed for an MRI, though the next steps in his rehab aren’t yet known. “He threw today and didn’t feel real good, so they’re going to check it out,” said manager John Gibbons.
Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner isn’t expected to play in spring games until after March 14, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes, as he’s currently dealing with lingering effects from a deep bone bruise in his wrist suffered in the American League Wild Card game last season. Gardner faced live pitching on Wednesday after taking the winter off from hitting, Hoch notes, and while everything went well, he’s still behind the rest of the club’s outfielders. However, despite the fact that his spring debut will be delayed by a couple of weeks, Gardner should have enough time to get up to speed for the regular season, in the estimation of manager Joe Girardi.
Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez suffered a dislocated right kneecap earlier this week, but the team hopes to have him ready for Opening Day, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. “There’s still a little bit of swelling in the knee, but he’s improving to the point where we’ll put a ball in his hand today and he’ll begin a throwing program on flat ground that will be shortened distance,” explained manager John Farrell, who also noted that while Opening Day is the goal, Rodriguez will “be out there when he’s out of danger.”

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