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AL West Notes: Reed, White, Rangers, Desmond, Weaver, Triggs

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The Astros’ first base job remains up for grabs, and general manager Jeff Luhnow tells Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM that he can envision prospects A.J. Reed and Tyler White both making the Opening Day roster (audio link), depending on the health of designated hitter Evan Gattis. “Both could make the team,” said Luhnow. “It’s not clear what Gattis’ situation is going to be on Opening Day, and it’s not clear whether he’s going to be ready, so we might have an extra spot. But I wouldn’t say just two guys, either. I think Matt Duffy’s got to be in that equation as well. [Pacific Coast League] player of the year, he’s had a good spring so far, and you can’t count Jon Singleton out either. He’s had a couple of good years in the minor leagues, just hasn’t put it together at the big leagues.” Asked about the impact that Singleton’s contract could play when determining first base playing time, Luhnow expressed confidence that Singleton could still make good on his five-year, $10MM contract but said that decisions of the past won’t impact the present-day roster, and he has to do what’s best for the club. Notably, it should be pointed out that the club’s signing of Doug Fister, which could push Scott Feldman’s $8MM contract to the bullpen, is reflective of that line of thinking.

Here’s more from the AL West…

  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels joined Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News on his podcast, and Grant has transcribed some of the highlights (in addition to providing the full audio, for those that are interested). Daniels addressed the positive signs he’s seen this spring from Joey Gallo, the returning Jurickson Profar and a number of other prospects. Interestingly, Daniels highlighted starting pitching and catching as two potential areas where the club could be exposed. Earlier tonight, Grant reported that the Rangers are surveying the market for catching help and listed Derek Norris as a player of interest.
  • Ian Desmond has reached out to Royals left fielder Alex Gordon for advice in making the transition from the left side of the infield to left field, writes Grant’s colleague Gerry Fraley. Gordon explains to Fraley that one tactic that helped him (and has become a part of his usual pre-game routine) is to spend at least two rounds of batting practice in the outfield, shagging fly-balls as if he were in a game situation. As Fraley notes, Desmond is looking to become the first player in history to start 100 games at shortstop in one season and start 100 games in left field in the season to follow.
  • Angels right-hander Jered Weaver has a bulging disk on the left side of his neck that sometimes triggers irritation in his left arm, writes Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times, but his neck troubles don’t appear to be related to his declining velocity in the estimation of the doctors Weaver has visited. Weaver said that there are no more tests to be performed and no more doctors to see about the issue, joking that he “almost wishes” that doctors would inform him he needs surgery, just so he could know the cause of his velocity loss. While Shaikin notes that Weaver’s frustration is apparent, the 33-year-old says he’ll take the ball whenever asked. Weaver is scheduled to pitch on Saturday, but manager Mike Scioscia tells the L.A. media that the Halos will first evaluate him in a bullpen session on Wednesday.
  • Fangraphs’ Jeff Sullivan loves the Athletics’ claim of right-handed reliever Andrew Triggs off of release waivers from the Orioles. Though the 27-year-old hasn’t yet reached the Majors, Sullivan notes that the improvement in Triggs’ K%-BB% from 2014 to 2015 ranked sixth among all minor leaguers, rating him alongside the likes of Mychal Givens and Tony Zych — two relievers that had breakout campaigns after making such gains. Triggs’ low arm slot and slider also yield plenty of ground-balls, and the last homer he allowed came in 2014, Sullivan notes. While Triggs is no sure thing to make a near-term impact, Sullivan opines that the decision to release him to clear room for Pedro Alvarez was curious, as there were other candidates on the 40-man roster that carry less intrigue than Triggs.

Max Stassi Undergoes Wrist Surgery

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Astros catcher Max Stassi had surgery yesterday on the hamate bone in his left wrist, Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle reports. He’s expected to require six weeks off to recover from the injury, so he’ll obviously not be ready for Opening Day.

Stassi, who turns 25 today, had been expected to slot in alongside Jason Castro in the club’s backstop mix. He may yet have that chance, but will first need to make it back from the surgery and undertake a rehab stint.

Though he’s received only limited MLB exposure over each of the last three seasons, Stassi has long been expected to contribute at the major league level. Rating him the Astros’ 19th-best prospect entering 2016, Baseball America noted that Stassi is a solid defender in all respects, though his bat has failed to advance in the upper minors. He’s known for struggling to make contact but delivering some pop when he does: in his 753 Triple-A plate appearances over the past two seasons, Stassi owns a .232/.289/.380 batting line with 22 home runs.

Houston’s options to replace Stassi are rather limited. Indeed, Alfredo Gonzalez is the only replacement who is already o the 40-man. The youngster, who rated 26th on BA’s list, is considered a quality defender, though he’s yet to play above Double-A and comes with durability questions. Tyler Heineman and Roberto Pena are the other members of the system in MLB camp. Evan Gattis could (at least in theory) receive consideration once he’s back to full strength, though he hasn’t suited up since he was dealt to the ’Stros.

While it might not be reasonable to expect the Astros to make any kind of significant acquisition, a play for a veteran depth piece certainly seems to make some sense. It’d obviously be preferable to do that sooner than later, though other organizations will be hesitant to thin their own ranks at this stage of the spring.

AL West Notes: Furbush, Sogard, Guthrie, Rangers, Stassi

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There’s growing concern among Mariners brass about the health of left-hander Charlie Furbush’s shoulder, writes Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. Furbush’s 2015 season ended in July due to biceps tendinitis and a minor tear in his rotator cuff, and it was decided then that he would pursue a non-surgical rehab route. Now, however, he feels continued tightness in the shoulder the day after throwing sessions. Furbush will play catch on Tuesday, but manager Scott Servais voiced some concern about Furbush’s availability for Opening Day. Dutton reports that Mike Montgomery could be the beneficiary of the situation, as the out-of-options starter is being converted to a bullpen role and will vie for a relief job with the Mariners over the remainder of Spring Training.

Here’s more from the AL West…

  • A numbers crunch on the Athletics’ roster could leave versatile infielder Eric Sogard without a roster spot, as Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area writes. Sogard is the second-longest tenured member of the roster, but the addition of Chris Coghlan, whom the A’s plan to use all over the diamond in a Ben Zobrist type of role, makes it tougher to carry the defensively gifted Sogard. GM David Forst didn’t rule out a trade of some kind to alleviate a perceived roster logjam at the time of adding Coghlan, Stiglich notes, though Sogard also has minor league options remaining, so he could be sent down and begin the season at Triple-A.
  • Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie can opt out of his minor league deal with the Rangers on March 28 if he’s not going to make the Opening Day roster, reports MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan. The veteran righty could be the “safe bet” to win the club’s fifth starter job right now, per Sullivan, although both A.J. Griffin and Cesar Ramos have looked sharp as well, he notes. Chi Chi Gonzalez, Nick Tepesch and Nick Martinez are all vying for the spot, too, as are righties Anthony Ranaudo and Phil Klein, though Sullivan notes that the latter two are at the back of the pack.
  • Astros catcher Max Stassi flew to Houston yesterday to have an injury in to the hamate in his left wrist examined by a hand specialist, writes Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle. Stassi, who turns 25 tomorrow, entered Spring Training as the favorite to back up Jason Castro behind the plate, though this injury certainly clouds the likelihood of that scenario playing out. Manager A.J. Hinch voiced confidence in Alfredo Gonzalez, the lone alternative on Houston’s 40-man roster, as well as non-roster invitees Tyler Heineman and Roberto Pena, praising each catcher’s defensive abilities. Designated hitter Evan Gattis has plenty of experience at catcher as well, of course, but he got a late start to Spring Training due to surgery to repair a hernia.

AL West Notes: Weaver, McCullers, Gray, Beltre, Fielder

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Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver has been diagnosed with mild degenerative changes in his cervical spine, tweets Mike Digiovanna of the L.A. Times. The cervical portion of the spine includes the upper back and neck. Weaver will still be bumped from his next scheduled start, but he’s not expected to be shut down (tweet). The soft-tossing righty averaged just 83 mph with his fastball last season and was throwing even softer in his spring work. He’s scheduled to see a spine specialist to decide next steps.

Here’s more from the AL West:

  • An MRI has revealed no damage in Lance McCullers sore right shoulder, writes Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle. The Astros’ starter threw a career high 164 innings last season, and the club has plans to limit his innings. Carefully addressing this current injury seems like a good way to manage McCuller innings while looking after his health. As such, he may not open the season on the big league roster.
  • “Everyone” inquired about Athletics ace Sonny Gray this winter, tweets Jon Heyman of MLB Network. The Red Sox were apparently the first to pick up the phones on the day after the World Series ended. No deals were close per Heyman. Oakland leadership has been vocal about holding onto Gray, although the club is also known to be very open minded about looking for roster upgrades.
  • While there is a gap in talks between the Rangers and Adrian Beltre, it’s thought that the two sides are motivated to find a middle ground, tweets Heyman. Beltre, soon-to-be 37, is in the final year of his current contract with Texas. Heyman speculates that the Angels could be a top suitor for Beltre if he reaches the open market. If an extension isn’t reached soon, Beltre’s performance this season could be the difference between a moderate one-year deal and a sizable multi-year offer.
  • The Rangers tried to sign Austin Jackson for about $4MM before pivoting to Ian Desmond, tweets Heyman. Texas’ need was in left field with Jackson preferring to remain an up-the-middle player. He ultimately signed with the White Sox for $5MM.
  • Slugger Prince Fielder has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, writes Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News. He will use a mask and breathing apparatus to combat the disorder. The player and club are hopeful that better rest will translate to a more successful season. Fielder does not plan to undergo the painful and complicated jaw reconstructive surgery used to cure sleep apnea. Mike Napoli underwent that particular procedure prior to the 2015 season.

AL Notes: Astros, Alburquerque, ERod, Tazawa, Castro

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Astros GM Jeff Luhnow addressed a variety of issues today with Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. He suggested that the club’s first base mix may not be fully resolved this spring, with the organization remaining open to making changes over the course of the season. He made clear that Houston won’t just be relying on metrics in reaching its decisions, but is paying close attention to how the various contenders look against advanced competition this spring.

  • Meanwhile, Luhnow said, the Astros’ back-of-the-rotation competition may result in some bullpen time for one of Doug Fister, Scott Feldman, or Mike Fiers. But he emphasized that he expects “all three guys are going to end up making a lot of starts for us this year.”
  • The Angels are hoping that reliever Al Alburquerque will be able to bounce back after a tough 2015, and improved health is one reason for optimism, as MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reports. Albuquerque says that he was hobbled for all of the spring and much of the regular season last year after contracting the Chikungunya virus over the winter. His fastball velocity steadily increased over the course of the year, and Albuquerque says he feels “much better” in camp.
  • The Red Sox now seem all but certain to go without young lefty Eduardo Rodriguez to open the year, as Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. Though the swelling is down in his right knee, Rodriguez still hasn’t returned to the bump and manager John Farrell says there’s “still no time frame or date to get him on the mound yet.” With the club obviously exercising caution, and a full ramp-up still needed, it would appear to be surprising if he’s able to join the 25-man roster on Opening Day.
  • In other Red Sox pitching news, Boston is hoping that the decision to shut down reliever Junichi Tazawa late last year will help him regain his form in 2015, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal writes. Generally a highly reliable pen arm, Tazawa seemingly hit a wall late last year. Now, pitching coach Carl Willis says he sees improved “late action to his pitches,” cleaner mechanics, and better location. The 29-year-old’s ability to bounce back will not only be important to the club, but will also determine his market standing when he qualifies for free agency after the season.
  • Reversing its prior stance, the Yankees don’t intend to prepare Starlin Castro to spend any further time at third base this spring, George A. King III of the New York Post reports. He’ll instead focus on settling in at second base and preparing to serve as the reserve shortstop, says manager Joe Girardi. As King notes, that could open up some additional opportunity for Rob Refsnyder to make the team as a utility piece.

Astros, A.J. Hinch Have Agreed To “Revised” Contract

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The Astros reached agreement with manager A.J. Hinch on a “revised” contract at some point earlier in the offseason, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports. His new agreement is said to increase his earnings and “put[] him in position to remain with the club longer.” All told, says Drellich, Hinch now appears to have a guaranteed term that runs through 2018.

Precise details remain hazy in large part because the exact terms of Hinch’s original contract were never entirely clear. Reports at the time pegged it at three years and an option, but he has suggested that may not have been the case.

Regardless of whether this deal is properly termed an extension, or whether it is just includes the exercise of an option year, it obviously reflects an enhanced commitment from the organization. Hinch impressed on all fronts last year, bringing a broad skillset to the job and drawing positive reviews from GM Jeff Luhnow and owner Jim Crane.

The proof was in the pudding, of course, as the new-look ’Stros surged to the post-season and very nearly took the AL West. With a host of exciting young players returning, and a few key additions plugged in over the winter, expectations are high in Houston for 2016. That doesn’t mean a repeat will be easy; the entire American League has hopes of contending, and the western division in particular seems wide open.

AL West Notes: Astros, Parker, A’s, Angels

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The Astros’ first-base situation is one of the more fluid among contenders league-wide, but Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle writes that the competition is off to a compelling start. Possible options such as A.J. Reed, Tyler White, Jon Singleton, and Matt Duffy are among the players who have begun making their case for major league jobs, and Drellich explains that it won’t be long before the team will begin to make its choices. “The at-bats are going to start to dry up with the competition,” said manager A.J. Hinch, who added that he’ll begin to give more playing time to the most likely candidates in the middle of March.

Here’s some more camp news out of the AL West:

  • Athletics righty Jarrod Parker is going to be limited to bullpen duty as he tries to work back from an elbow fracture (not to mention his two prior Tommy John procedures), Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The 27-year-old, who hasn’t seen MLB action since 2013, will likely trim his offerings down to a fastball-change combination. He’s currently building up his arm strength in bullpen sessions, and says that he’s just taking things one step at a time. “Expectations are not in my vocabulary anymore,” said Parker. “I just go day to day and try to be in tune, see how I feel, give what I’ve got that day and not try to reach.”
  • The Athletics have received good signs on the injury front from catcher Stephen Vogt and righty Jesse Hahn, as Slusser further reports. Vogt, who isn’t far removed from an elbow procedure, hit two home runs today and says he was glad to be able to “trust the elbow” and “take full swings and not feel any pain.” And Hahn, who was limited last year with a concerning forearm strain, looked good in his two innings and says he feels healthy. Likewise, outfielder Coco Crisp looks to be in good form after an injury-riddled 2015 season, manager Bob Melvin told reporters including John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).
  • Over in Angels camp, the left field situation remains an interesting one to watch, and MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez writes that 24-year-old Rafael Ortega is a player who has impressed early. Of course, the organization still seems set to go with a platoon of Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry to open the season. As Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reports, they have taken a long and winding road to this point.

AL Notes: Correa, Beltran, Gordon

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Astros shortstop Carlos Correa is just the megastar-to-be for Major League Baseball, Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan writes — Correa is not quite as brash as Bryce Harper can sometimes be, but more outwardly confident than Mike Trout, and might just have that kind of exceptional talent. Last season, when he was a 20-year-old rookie, he quickly won over teammates with his play and with his confidence.  “It was kind of like us saying; ’Here you go, dude. You own this place,'” says outfielder George Springer. Here’s more from the American League.

  • Yankees slugger Carlos Beltran hopes to continue playing beyond the expiration of his contract following the 2016 season, ESPN’s Wallace Matthews writes. “My goal is to play 20 years,” Beltran says. “I would love to play 20 years in the big leagues. So that means two more years if possible.” Beltran’s first season in the big leagues was 1998, so playing through 2017 would mean he appeared in 20 straight big-league seasons. Beltran has become more and more of a defensive liability as he’s aged, but his hitting bounced back nicely in 2015, when he batted .276/.337/.471 with 19 home runs. His best path forward after 2016 might be as a DH, although, as Matthews notes, Alex Rodriguez appears set to man that position with the Yankees through 2017.
  • Alex Gordon confirms that the White Sox had strong interest in him this offseason, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago writes. His first choice, though, was always to head back to the Royals. “After every conversation I had with (agent Casey Close) it was always, ’Have the Royals said anything?’” says Gordon. “This is where I grew up. Its where I wanted to be. Coming from the bad times to really cherish the good times, why not stay here?” Both Gordon and Yoenis Cespedes were reportedly possibilities for the White Sox, although both ended up returning to their former teams, with Gordon taking a $72MM guarantee to stay in Kansas City.

Doug Fister Looks To Rebound With Astros

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This winter, Doug Fister’s free agency lasted longer than most.  The right-hander was linked to a number of teams but, after waiting things out, he inked a one-year, $7MM deal with the Astros which could reach $12MM through incentives.  After an exceptionally strong 2014, Fister followed up with a disappointing 2015 which saw him relegated to the bullpen in Washington.  At the outset of free agency, observers really weren’t sure about what kind of deal Fister would land.  The pitcher says he had no idea, either.

Doug Fister (vertical)

“No, I really didn’t know what kind of contract I would get.  I kind of took the mindset that would all take care of itself,” Fister said after tossing a pair of scoreless innings in his 2016 Spring Training debut.  “I have a great agent [Page Odle, PSI Sports Management] and I leaned on him…I realized that I’ll just be where I’m going to be and I’m truly blessed to be a part of this clubhouse.  We’ve got a great team.  I can’t stress that enough.”

Fister drew varying degrees of interest from teams like the Mariners, Yankees, Marlins, Tigers, and even today’s opponent — the Phillies.  The Astros came to Fister with the right contract, and they also sold him hard on spending a year in Houston.

“I spent some time on the phone with [manager] A.J. [Hinch] and [GM] Jeff [Luhnow],” Fister explained.  “I got to know them more on a personal level, and it was almost like a job interview, really.  But they have that desire to win.  They have that fire.  The guys here got a taste of the playoffs last year, and they want to get back there.  They have that fire, that desire, and that’s what we play this game for.”

Last season was surely frustrating for Fister, but he termed the rocky year as a “learning experience.”  Ultimately, though, he refuses to complain and he says that he is embracing the challenge of reasserting himself as a starter this year.

After several strong years in Detroit, he enjoyed one of his best seasons with the Nationals in 2014.  Unfortunately, injury issues slowed him down at the outset of the season, but he performed better when he was moved to the bullpen.  The 32-year-old has a singular focus on getting back to the starting five, but after last year’s experience, he knows that he can pitch in relief again if he is ever asked to do so.

“Every starter has a routine, and I had to kind of break that up and tell myself that I have to pitch every day,” said Fister.  “I told myself that if the time comes later in my career where I have to pitch out of the bullpen, I know that I can do that.  At the same time, I know that starting is in my heart and that’s where I wanted to be this offseason.  It’s only two weeks into the spring but I’m definitely where I want to be.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AL Notes: Desmond, Rangers, Perez, Altuve, Rollins

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Ian Desmond’s path to the Rangers all began earlier in the offseason, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. The club let him know that they would have interest on the off chance that Desmond couldn’t find a multi-year deal and was willing to move to the outfield, says Grant, and that indeed turned out to be the case. “Things can change,” GM Jon Daniels explained. “You have to be prepared. You never know when a domino might fall. If you have any interest in that player, you have to express that early on.” Daniels has also made clear that he doesn’t believe there will be any difficulty in sorting out playing time when Josh Hamilton is ready to return.

Here’s more from Texas and the rest of the American League:

  • Rangers co-owner Ray Davis discussed his organization today, and Grant has the story. Most notably, he said that the club can still add payroll for a mid-season addition after signing Desmond. As for that move, he explained: “It was a matter of need and Jon Daniels and Thad Levine finding a way to do things creatively. They came to us and proposed a creative deal. For me, this is a process where nobody other than the baseball people make the player decision. My only role is an economic one. They have a plan and decision they make long before they come to me.”
  • Royals catcher Salvador Perez is excited at his new deal and hopes he’ll spend the rest of his career in Kansas City, writes Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. From the team’s perspective, despite a team-friendly contract already being in place, it made sense to swing another deal. “We went into Salvy’s previous deal with expectations that obviously he was going to be a terrific player,” said GM Dayton Moore. “We’ve always believed in him — as a talent, as a person, as a teammate. And he’s out-performed that contract. He’s an underpaid player in the game.” Noting the sacrifice that Gil Meche made when he left money upon departing the team, Moore explained that the motivation extended beyond pure baseball economics. “You focus on what’s right for Sal,” Moore said. “We’ve said from day one, that we want to create an organization that we’d want our own sons and family to be a part of. Well, Salvy’s family.”
  • Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders whether other clubs will follow suit in rewarding underpaid players. He cites Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks, Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs, Jose Altuve of the Astros, Chris Sale of the White Sox, Madison Bumgarner of the Giants, and Chris Archer of the Rays as others on team-friendly pacts. From my perspective, most of those players line up more as traditional second extension candidates, in that their teams may well see some value in doubling down on their investments in the way that has occurred in the past for Troy Tulowitzki, Evan Longoria, Ryan Braun, Ryan Zimmerman, and others.
  • As for Altuve, the Astros aren’t currently holding extension talks, according to Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. Like his friend Perez, Altuve has greatly outperformed his own contract, which would stand to pay him just $25MM if Houston exercises its two options. As Drellich notes, though, Altuve would still stand to hit the market at 29 years of age and probably has a better chance at longevity than does Perez.
  • White Sox skipper Robin Ventura says that he envisions Jimmy Rollins making the club out of camp, as Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune tweets. “I expect him to make the team, unless something happens physically where it wouldn’t work,” said Ventura.
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