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Reactions To The Corey Dickerson Trade

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Here’s a roundup of links on the Rays’ recent acquisition of Corey Dickerson and minor league third baseman Kevin Padlo from the Rockies for Jake McGee and pitching prospect German Marquez.

  • Dickerson adds to what’s becoming a large collection of candidates to play outfield, first base and DH for the Rays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. That group includes Dickerson, Kevin Kiermaier, Desmond Jennings, Steven Souza, Brandon Guyer, James Loney, Steve Pearce and Logan Morrison. Of those, Dickerson, Pearce and Morrison are new additions, and Jennings essentially will be a new addition as well, having missed most of the 2015 season due to a knee injury. “It’s hard to predict how it’s going to actually turn out, but having this group gives us a lot of confidence that we’re going to score the runs that we need to this year,” says Rays president of baseball operations Matt Silverman.
  • Rockies GM Jeff Bridich says that, in addition to adding a potential closer in McGee, they’ve improved their defense and baserunning by replacing Dickerson with Gerardo Parra, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. Of course, they’ll be losing Dickerson and his career .299/.345/.534 line, a good one even in Colorado. “Offensively, I’m not sure how it improves our outfield,” Bridich says. “Corey is a very talented offensive player. The things he always needed to work on at the major-league level were his outfield defense and his baserunning. And I think those two places are two places of strength for Gerardo.”
  • Dickerson for McGee is a “weird trade” from the Rockies’ perspective, FanGraphs’ Dave Cameron writes. The Rockies are giving up four years of control of a talented young hitter in exchange for two years of a reliever, and they could have moved Dickerson to first base, where they have a vacancy. And adding a short-term relief acquisition makes little sense for a team that doesn’t seem poised to contend, Cameron argues. For the Rays, Dickerson wasn’t exactly a necessity, but they added talent in the deal and can figure out what to do with their OF/1B/DH surplus later.

Rockies Outright Kyle Parker

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JANUARY 29: Parker has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, Harding tweets.

JANUARY 20: The Rockies will designate former first-round draft pick Kyle Parker for assignment, according to reports from MLB.com’s Thomas Harding and Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Harding suggested last night a roster move involving Parker would likely be forthcoming, while Saunders confirmed today that he will indeed be designated.

Parker, a 26-year-old outfielder, was taken 26th overall out of Clemson in the 2010 draft. While he reached the majors briefly in each of the last two years, he never earned much of a look at the big league level.

Spending most of his time over 2014-15 at the Triple-A level, Parker put up a combined .285/.332/.442 line with 24 home runs across 930 total plate appearances. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that he’s carried that production level in two of the upper minors’ most hospitable offensive environments (Colorado Springs and Albuquerque).

NL Notes: Reds, CarGo, Torres, Phillies, Pirates

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Reds president of baseball operations Walt Jocketty indicated that it’s “less likely” that team will add an arm now that Bronson Arroyo has signed with the Nationals, writes C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Per Rosecrans, the Reds considered Arroyo to be somewhat of a special case because of his familiarity with the team and his eagerness to work as a mentor for young pitchers. Jocketty did confirm that the Reds made an offer to Arroyo, but in the end, “it just wasn’t good enough,” the longtime exec added. However, first-year GM Dick Williams painted a bit of a different picture when discussing the remainder of the Reds’ offseason, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon writes. “There are still a handful of guys out there that might make sense to bring into camp with a similar profile as Bronson,” said Williams. “Just veteran guys, but not high-profile, big-dollar guys. I wouldn’t be surprised if we add maybe a little bit to our depth there.” Speaking speculatively, Arroyo wasn’t the only former Reds pitcher on the free agent market that could theoretically serve as a mentor to a young staff; right-handers Aaron Harang, Kyle Lohse and Alfredo Simon are all still unsigned.

Here are some more notes from the National League…

  • The Rockies have discussed seeing how Carlos Gonzalez looks at first base in Spring Training, manager Walt Weiss tells MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. “CarGo at first base is something we’ve talked about introducing a little bit this spring, but it’s more of a potential longterm outlook,” Weiss explains. “We’re not really looking to circulate him at first base — just starting to introduce it in a practice setting.” As Harding notes, the Rockies never indicated that it was a possibility for the since-traded Corey Dickerson to play some first when such questions arose in regards to the team’s outfield logjam. While playing Gonzalez full-time at first base could theoretically allow the Rockies to make a run at a defensive upgrade in center field (e.g. Austin Jackson), it seems unlikely that the team would simply bank on Gonzalez learning the position in a few weeks’ time in Spring Training. From a long-term perspective, however, slowly acclimating Gonzalez with first base could help to create room for top prospect David Dahl, who has the potential to debut at some point in 2016.
  • The Mets are in trade talks with multiple clubs about right-hander Carlos Torres, who was recent designated for assignment when New York signed left-hander Antonio Bastardo to a two-year deal, tweets SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo. Previously, the New York Post’s Mike Puma noted that the Twins may have some interest in the right-hander, who had somewhat of a down year in 2015 but has been a solid ’pen arm for the Mets over the past few seasons. Dating back to 2013, Torres has a 3.59 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 46 percent ground-ball rate in 241 innings.
  • The Phillies announced on Thursday that they’ve hired former Google quantitative analyst Andy Galdi as their new director of baseball research and development. GM Matt Klentak spoke excitedly about the fresh perspective that Galdi can bring to the research and decision-making processes in Philadelphia based on his recent experience, writes MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, although it should also be noted that Galdi has a background in sports as well. Galdi served as a baseball operations intern for the Mets in 2009, Zolecki notes, and he also spent two years serving as a statistical analyst in the NBA commissioner’s office. Within Zolecki’s column, Klentak speaks at length about the improvements made to the Phillies’ analytics department in his first offseason as the club’s general manager.
  • Sticking with front office changes, earlier this week the Pirates announced some promotions in their baseball operations department. Kevan Graves will move from director of baseball operations to the role of assistant general manager, while Will Lawton has been promoted from baseball operations assistant to assistant director of baseball operations.
  • For Brewers fans (or fans of any club, for that matter) that missed today’s MLBTR Podcast, Milwaukee GM David Stearns joined host Jeff Todd and discussed his team’s continued pursuit of cost-controlled young talent, the club’s farm system and young pieces for the 2016 rotation, as well as the recent comments from catcher Jonathan Lucroy implying that he’d be open to a trade.

Rockies Designate Christian Friedrich For Assignment

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The Rockies announced that they have designated left-hander and former first-round pick Christian Friedrich for assignment. Because Colorado acquired two 40-man roster players — Jake McGee and German Marquez — in the trade that sent Corey Dickerson and a non-40-man player (Kevin Padlo) to Tampa Bay, the Rockies needed to clear a second spot on what had been a full 40-man roster.

Friedrich, 28, was selected 25th overall out of Eastern Kentucky University back in 2008, but he’s struggled for much of his pro career, amassing an ERA north of 5.00 at both the Triple-A level and in the Major Leagues. This past season, Friedrich posted a 5.25 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and a 47.4 percent ground-ball rate in 58 1/3 innings of work. While Friedrich has struggled throughout his career, he’s held left-handed hitters in check fairly well, limiting same-handed opponents to a .257/.314/.364 batting line. He’s also posted considerably better numbers away from Coors, where he has a 4.61 ERA as compared to a 6.96 mark at home.

Rays Acquire Corey Dickerson For Jake McGee, German Marquez

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After two weeks of strong speculation about the possibility of the Rockies trading an outfielder, the club has announced the trade of left fielder Corey Dickerson and third base prospect Kevin Padlo to the Rays in exchange for left-hander Jake McGee and right-handed pitching prospect German Marquez.

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The trade accomplishes multiple goals for the Rays, who will add a high-upside young bat in the form of Dickerson and also clear a bit of money from the payroll by shedding McGee’s $4.8MM salary in the deal. That’s not to suggest in any way that this is a salary dump, of course, as McGee has quietly emerged as one of the better left-handed relievers in the game in recent years.

Dickerson, 26, is not yet arbitration eligible and comes with four years of club control remaining. The former eighth-round pick missed most of the 2015 season as he dealt with plantar fasciitis in his left foot and, later, a broken rib, but he should be healthy enough to take regular at-bats for Tampa Bay in 2015. The left-handed hitter is a career .299/.345/.534 hitter with 39 home runs in just 925 big league plate appearances, although those impressive numbers do come with some caveats. For one, Dickerson has crushed right-handed pitching at a .313/.358/.577 clip in his time as a Major Leaguer, but lefties have given him a fair amount of difficulty, limiting to a .246/.299/.377 slash. Beyond that, there’s a nearly 400-point difference between his OPS at the hitter-friendly Coors Field and his mark on the road. Then again, as MLB.com’s Mike Petriello explained back in December, there’s reason to believe that the so-called “Coors Field Effect” is overblown, and Rockies hitters can excel once leaving the team even if they initially possessed gaudy home/road splits. Dickerson’s troubles against lefties, then, could be the greater cause for concern.

Defensively, Dickerson has spent the bulk of his Major League time in left field, though he’s seen 200 innings in center as well. Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating are down on his work in left, although his worst ratings in the eyes of those metrics came in 2015, when he endured multiple DL stints due to the aforementioned plantar fasciitis. It’s easy to imagine that such a painful condition in one’s left foot could hamper outfield range and lead to considerably diminished contributions with the glove.

From a broader perspective, it’s not entirely clear how Dickerson will fit with the Rays’ roster. Tampa Bay already has a wealth of outfielders, with Desmond Jennings slotted into left field, Kevin Kiermaier in center field and Steven Souza in right field. With Brandon Guyer and Mikie Mahtook as possible reserve options and the yet-formally-announced newcomer Steve Pearce also carrying significant corner outfield experience, the Rays didn’t have a clear need for an outfield upgrade. Then again, positional depth is a trademark of the Rays, and the team is never shy about adding controllable young talent — especially in instances like this, where the cost of acquisition (at least at the big league level) is a player with just two years of club control remaining.

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The 29-year-old McGee missed the beginning of the 2015 campaign after undergoing offseason surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow. He returned in mid-May, however, and showed no ill effects from the operation, cruising to a 2.41 ERA with outstanding strikeout and walk rates of 11.6 and 1.9 per nine innings pitched, respectively. A partial tear in his left meniscus cost McGee another month later in the season, but he did return at the end of the year to fire 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Over the past four seasons, McGee has been terrific, pitching to a combined 2.58 ERA with 11.4 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 40.9 percent ground-ball rate. He’s exhibited dominance against not only left-handed batters in that time but right-handed opponents as well. In fact, lefties have actually hit McGee harder than opposite-handed opponents, although neither has mustered much in the way of meaningful offense against him.

McGee could enter the season as the favorite to close games in Colorado as right-hander Adam Ottavino recovers from 2015 Tommy John surgery. McGee has saved 25 games across the past two seasons and looked to have cemented himself as Tampa Bay’s primary ninth-inning option prior to last winter’s elbow surgery. (In his early-season absence, righty Brad Boxberger seized the role and never looked back.) The Rockies will have control of him for at least two seasons, although the possibility of course exists that Colorado will flip him either in July if the team is not contending or perhaps next offseason, when he gets another bump in his $4.8MM salary via arbitration and is only one year removed from free agency.

The Rockies have long been expected to trade an outfielder — in spite of the front office’s suggestion that a deal wasn’t a necessity — due to their own surplus of left-handed-hitting outfielders that was created upon signing Gerardo Parra to a three-year deal. In Dickerson, Parra, Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez, the Rockies were carrying four somewhat redundant assets, with each of the three incumbent options representing an appealing option to clubs in search of a bat. Given Colorado’s own need for pitching, a trade certainly seemed plausible, even if, as GM Jeff Bridich said on several occasions, a deal was far from a given.

Turning to the prospects in the deal, Padlo was a fifth-round selection by the Rockies in the 2014 draft. Selected out of high school, Padlo hit .257/.372/.447 across two Class-A levels in 2015 and has amassed a composite batting line of .271/.388/.494 with 19 homers and 41 stolen bases early in his pro career. Baseball America rated Padlo 14th among Rockies farmhands last offseason, noting that he had “impressive power” for a high school player in the draft but has a thick lower half and can get flat-footed at third base, so he’ll need to work on his agility and be conscious about his weight.

Marquez, who was on the Rays’ 40-man roster, rated 25th among Tampa Bay farmhands, according to MLB.com’s most recent prospect rankings (a new version of the list will be out soon, as will Baseball America’s full Top 30). The 20-year-old Venezuelan right-hander that spent last season pitching at Class-A Advanced, where he worked to a 3.56 ERA with 6.7 K/9 against 1.9 BB/9 in 139 innings. MLB.com notes that Marquez has been consistently challenged by facing older competition — he was three years younger than the league average this past season, for instance — and has succeeded despite being one of the younger players in each league in which he’s pitched. Marquez offers a low- to mid-90s fastbal with the makings of an average or better curveball and a changeup that’s still a work in progress. His control has improved with each season in the minors as well.

Nonetheless, it’s somewhat surprising, in my eyes, that the Rockies felt comfortable parting with four years of Dickerson for two years of a reliever, however excellent he may be, and one mid-level pitching prospect. Colorado, of course, may see considerably more in Marquez than others in the industry, and they may also have had concerns about Dickerson’s diminished plate discipline and increased strikeout rate.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported that Dickerson was going to the Rays in a trade (Twitter link). Joel Sherman of the New York Post added that McGee would go to Colorado, and prospects were also involved (Twitter link). Rosenthal further tweeted some additional details on the structure of the deal, and Jon Heyman reported that Marquez was going back to the Rays as well (on Twitter). Rosenthal later tweeted that Padlo was the fourth player in the trade.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rockies, Rays Nearing Trade

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The Rockies and Rays are nearing an unspecified trade, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter.

It’s not entirely clear at present what could be involved. Recent reports have suggested the clubs could match up on a deal, potentially including outfielder Corey Dickerson on the Colorado side and reliever Jake McGee on the Tampa Bay side. But others have cast doubt on such a scenario, and it isn’t hard to imagine other ways the sides could come together.

Latest On Rockies Outfielders

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With Gerardo Parra on board, the Rockies have four left-handed-hitting outfielders. A trade may not be inevitable, but it isn’t hard to see how one would make sense, particularly given that Colorado is still in need of pitching. Here’s the latest:

  • It may be that Corey Dickerson, rather than Carlos Gonzalez or Charlie Blackmon, could be the likeliest player to be traded, a report from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports suggests (Twitter links). There’s a sense from some in the game, he says, that the 26-year-old may be on the move this winter, due in part to the fact that he might not cost as much as his more established teammates.
  • Though he hasn’t even yet cracked 1,000 MLB plate appearances, Dickerson does appear to offer the greatest value upside of the three trade candidates. That’s due in large part to the fact that he’s cheaper and subject to greater control than are the other two. But he also has shown some serious potential with the bat, putting up a .299/.345/.534 slash that is quite impressive even with Coors Field as a home park. On the other hand, defensive metrics haven’t been in love with his glove.
  • As Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported, and Rosenthal echoes, the Rays are still involved in chatter with Colorado. Topkin adds that he believes left-handed reliever Jake McGee could be the key name involved in talks from Tampa Bay’s side. That’s certainly an interesting development, as the Rockies have already done some bullpen work this winter and seem more in need of rotation help. Of course, there’s still room for improvement there and McGee is a premium arm. Notably, too, Topkin adds that the addition of Dickerson would likely force the Rays to pursue additional moves.

Free Agent Notes: Fowler, Gallardo, Mets, Williams

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MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince takes a crack at identifying the likeliest landing spots for outfielder Dexter Fowler. He likes the White Sox, Angels, Cardinals, Rangers and Cubs as the most plausible destinations. Castrovince ticks through a few other possibilities, including the Indians, who he says may not be able to afford the veteran. But Cleveland has a pretty significant need for an outfield bat, and I wonder if the team could squeeze him in with a backloaded contract structure. It’s worth recalling, too, that the organization has found money late in the offseason previously, although it’s also true that the remnants of the resulting deals (with the since-traded Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher) make for a fairly significant payroll constraint at present.

Let’s check in on a few other free agents that have yet to sign:

  • The Rockies aren’t “especially aggressive” at present in their pursuit of free agent righty Yovani Gallardo, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets. He had previously suggested that Colorado may be a finalist for Gallardo’s services, but now says it is not clear how serious the club is about chasing Gallardo. The veteran remains the most established starter left on the market.
  • The Mets are still interested in adding to their bullpen, but probably not at the price that Tyler Clippard is likely to command, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports on Twitter. Puma previously tweeted that New York was keeping an eye on Tommy Hunter, but was not looking to go past a one-year deal. Hunter, though, has been looking for more.
  • Righty Jerome Williams will miss time early in the year after undergoing a procedure on his Achilles tendon, Cotillo tweets. The 34-year-old hurler has logged better than 100 innings in each of the last four seasons, and could still hold appeal as a swingman/depth option.

West Notes: Rosario, Lincecum, Blackmon, Athletics

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The Astros organization is mourning the loss of 20-year-old pitcher Jose Rosario, who died in a motorcycle accident yesterday evening in his native Dominican Republic. Rosario pitched in the Dominican Summer League and Gulf Coast League last year. The organization’s international director Oz Ocampo praised Rosario as “a beloved member of the Astros Latin American program.” Ocampo continued: “He will be remembered as a long, lanky-framed pitcher with tremendous ability, an outgoing personality and an ever-positive disposition. He was a true student of the game and was constantly looking to learn and improve his abilities. He was also a supportive teammate, as he made it a point to encourage his fellow Astros and deliver that message with a smile on his face. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Rosario family.” We here at MLBTR join in that message.

Here are the latest notes from the game’s western divisions:

  • The Padres are interested in free agent righty Tim Lincecum, Jon Heyman reports on Twitter. He notes that the Marlins also are continuing to look at the former Giants star, along with other teams, as he readies for a planned February showcase after undergoing hip surgery last year.
  • Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon says he was surprised that the team decided to bring in yet another left-handed outfield bat in Gerardo Parra, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post writes. “I was little perplexed at first,” said Blackmon. “Because I didn’t really see it coming. Going into the offseason, I didn’t know that was in play, really. But after looking at it, he’s a great player. I’ve played against him, seen him play. He’s got one of the best arms in the league. He can only make our team better.” Blackmon, of course, continues to draw trade chatter, all the more so after the Parra signing, but he said he’s not bothered by the rumors — while rightly noting that it’s always “good to be relevant.”
  • Athletics closer Sean Doolittle says he is ready to go for spring camp without any restrictions after dealing with shoulder issues last year, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. “I promised I wouldn’t tell anybody I’m in the best shape of my life because I’ll never be 21 again,” said Doolittle. “But I think this is the most important offseason of my career, and I’ve been going about it with that mentality.”
  • Meanwhile, the Athletics aren’t yet sure what to expect from outfielder Coco Crisp, Slusser adds. Though he’s beginning to swing the bat, it isn’t yet clear how he’ll bounce back from an injury-plagued 2015. DH Billy Butler is another question mark, but he says he’s “got a lot left in the tank,” as John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Butler will look to build upon a solid final month in an otherwise forgettable season. “I’m in good shape. I’m strong. Everything’s great,” he said. “I know what the expectations are, so let’s go out there and do it. I’ve prepared this winter to do that.”
  • It sounds like extension talks could soon take place between the Athletics and outfielder Josh Reddick, and GM David Forst said that the team intends to try to find ground for a multi-year deal, as SB Nation’s Jeremy Koo writes. Oakland “will make an effort at” a deal, said Forst. He added that Reedick has “kind of become the face of our team; somewhat the drive and energy of the club.”

Shawn Tolleson, Charlie Blackmon Avoid Arbitration

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While the majority of the 156 players that filed for salary arbitration last week have agreed to terms with their teams, either on a one-year deal for 2016 or on an extension, the cases of more than 20 players remain unresolved. You can track the status of each case using MLBTR’s 2016 Arbitration Tracker, and we’ll keep track of all of today’s smaller deals to avoid arbitration in this post (all referenced projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)…

  • Center fielder Charlie Blackmon and the Rockies have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.5MM, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The Rockies had filed for a $2.7MM salary figure against Blackmon’s number of $3.9MM. That placed the midpoint at $3.3MM, which Blackmon cleared by $200K. The 29-year-old Blackmon is coming off a season in which he slashed .287/.347/.450 with 17 home runs and 43 stolen bases in 157 games/682 plate appearances. That served as a strong followup to a breakout 2014 campaign and cemented Blackmon as fixture in the Colorado outfield (though his name has come up in trade speculation this winter).

Earlier Updates

  • The Rangers announced that they’ve signed closer Shawn Tolleson to a one-year deal, thus avoiding arbitration. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that the right-hander will earn $3.275MM next season. Tolleson, 28, broke out as a setup man with the Rangers in 2014 and seized the keys to the ninth inning from Neftali Feliz early this season. It was a seamless transition from the seventh/eighth inning to the ninth inning for Tolleson, who worked to a strong 2.99 ERA with 9.5 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 42.4 percent ground-ball rate in 72 1/3 innings. Tolleson racked up the first 35 saves of his career along the way, cementing himself at the back of the Texas bullpen. Tolleson had filed for a $3.9MM salary, while the team countered at $2.6MM. The eventual landing spot agreed upon is $25K higher than the $3.25MM midpoint between those two figures and comes in considerably north of the $2.6MM projected by Swartz’s model. With Tolleson’s case settled, the Rangers have just Jake Diekman and Mitch Moreland remaining as unresolved arbitration cases, as can be seen in the tracker linked to above.
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