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Tigers Setting High Asking Prices In Trades

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The Tigers are known to be open to moving some veteran pieces to get younger and to shed some salary, but ESPN’s Buster Olney reports (Insider link) that Detroit’s asking prices for its top players are “so high” that rival execs wonder if they’ll actually trade anyone other than J.D. Martinez this offseason. In addition to Martinez, Ian Kinsler has been the primary name mentioned in trade rumors to this point, although there’s been speculation about players ranging from Justin Verlander to Miguel Cabrera.

Olney does report that the Dodgers have interest in acquiring Martinez. That fit between the Dodgers and Martinez is somewhat natural when considering that they struggled enormously against left-handed pitching and have been tied to another slugging right-handed corner outfielder: Ryan Braun. However, as Olney points out, the flooded market for corner bats makes it difficult to envision the Dodgers parting with a highly regarded prospect for a player that’s set to become a free agent after the 2017 season.

It’s worth remembering, too, that the Dodgers have a number of right-handed-hitting outfield options already on the roster. That includes, most prominently, Yasiel Puig, Trayce Thompson, and Scott Van Slyke. And the Los Angeles brass has suggested that the corner outfield isn’t an area of chief concern. There’s little doubt that the slugging Martinez would represent a significant upgrade at the plate, but he did also rate as one of the game’s worst defensive players in 2016 (-22 DRS, -17.2 UZR).

Olney’s report may shed the most light on Detroit’s valuation of Kinsler, whose partial no-trade clause — along with a stated demand for an extension to facilitate a deal to any of the ten teams to which he can block a deal — already complicates matters. (He’s another player who the Dodgers have shown interest in, though the team is reportedly on his no-trade list.) On the surface, he’s perhaps the most readily movable veteran, apart from Martinez, on the roster. Though he’s 34, Kinsler is coming off of one of the best years of his career, in which he slashed .288/.348/.484 and hit 28 home runs. And he’s guaranteed just $11MM for the 2017 campaign, with an affordable $10MM option for the following season. But given the relative dearth of demand for second basemen, a high asking price (combined with the no-trade factor) may make it rather difficult to line up a deal.

Kinsler isn’t the only quality Tigers player who has trade protection. Verlander, Cabrera, and Victor Martinez all have full control over their futures, and also come with rather hefty commitments given their relatively advanced ages. Recently signed free agents Jordan Zimmermann (full no-trade) and Justin Upton (can block deals to twenty teams) also have protection. While pitchers such as Anibal Sanchez, Mike Pelfrey, and Mark Lowe may be freely dealt, each is coming off of a rough year. Closer Francisco Rodriguez isn’t vested with any no-trade rights, either, but we haven’t heard much suggestion that the Tigers are interested in parting with him.

Of course, it’s still rather early in this offseason’s game of musical chairs, and other organizations with quality veterans to deal are also seemingly floating high asking prices at this stage. Detroit’s stance could certainly soften as it gathers information and names start coming off of the free agent board. While there are indeed alternatives on the open market who’ll impact the trade value of the above-noted players, Martinez and Kinsler figure to hold particular appeal since they promise to deliver impact without the necessity of a lengthy commitment.

All told, it’s tough to predict whether the Tigers will end up making drastic changes this winter. Though GM Al Avila has made no secret that the organization plans to get younger and more cost-conscious, after all, he has also made clear that the shift likely won’t occur overnight.

NL West Notes: Chatwood, Utley, Dozier, Lopez, Romo, Casilla

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Though Tyler Chatwood is entering his last year under contract, there hasn’t been any sign that the Rockies are considering trading the righty, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes as part of a reader mailbag.  Chatwood missed all of 2015 recovering from Tommy John surgery and posted solid numbers in his comeback year, managing a 3.87 ERA, 6.66 K/9 and a 57.2% grounder rate over 158 innings.  It’s unclear whether the Rockies can extend Chatwood given his issues pitching at Coors Field, and he’d make a very interesting trade chip in this offseason’s thin free agent pitching market.  That said, given how Colorado has traditionally struggled to find any viable rotation help, the team might prefer to hang onto Chatwood for as long as possible.  Saunders’ entire mailbag piece is well worth a read, as he also addresses such topics as the Rockies’ first base search and new manager Bud Black.

Here’s more from around the NL West…

  • The Dodgers are telling teams they are “very open” to re-signing Chase Utley even as L.A. is still exploring other trades for second base help, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (Twitter links).  At this point, it would seem that Utley could be a backup plan for the Dodgers if they couldn’t land a bigger name like Logan Forsythe, Ian Kinsler or Brian Dozier.
  • Speaking of Dozier, Berardino also tweets that there isn’t much cooking between the Dodgers and Twins in trade discussions.  “I wouldn’t hold your breath,” one team official tells Berardino about the chances of a deal.
  • The Giants haven’t had serious talks with relievers Javier Lopez, Sergio Romo or Santiago Casilla, CSNBayArea.com’s Alex Pavlovic reports.  Casilla is the least likely to return, as he and the team ended the season on bad terms.  Romo could potentially be an option for San Francisco in January or February if he fails to catch on with another club beforehand.
  • As for Lopez, Pavlovic writes that the veteran southpaw is “said to have a very short list of teams that could keep him out of retirement.”  Lopez has previously hinted at continuing his career, though it appears it could be only under particular circumstances, such as staying with the Giants.  Pavlovic isn’t sure that will happen, as the Giants already have Will Smith, Josh Osich and Steven Okert on hand as left-handed bullpen options.

Dodgers Interested In Logan Forsythe

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Having already checked in on Ian Kinsler and Brian Dozier, the second-base needy Dodgers are now interested in the Rays’ Logan Forsythe, reports Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman previously traded for Forsythe when he was the Rays’ general manager in 2014, notes Morosi (Twitter links). It’s unclear whether Tampa Bay is currently open to dealing him, though.

Forsythe, who will turn 30 in January, has quietly established himself as a high-end second baseman dating back to 2015. In 1,182 plate appearances since then, Forsythe has batted .273/.347/.444 with 37 home runs and 15 stolen bases, and his 6.8 fWAR during that span places him ninth among the league’s second basemen. Most of the damage the right-handed Forsythe has done the past two years has come against lefties (.287/.350/.543 in 317 PAs), which surely appeals to a Dodgers team that posted a league-worst .213/.290/.332 line versus southpaws in 2016.

Like Kinsler and Dozier, Forsythe is controllable through the 2018 campaign, though he’s set to rake in less money than those two and shouldn’t cost as much to acquire in a trade. Forsythe – who’s due $14.25MM (including an $8.5MM club option for 2018) – has also seen action at third base, where the Dodgers have an opening as Justin Turner sits without a contract. The lion’s share of Forsythe’s playing time has come at second, though, and the Dodgers could clearly use a solution there with Chase Utley on the open market and Howie Kendrick now in Philadelphia.

Quick Hits: White Sox, Dodgers, Twins, Yankees, Orioles

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The White Sox are willing to listen to offers for just about all of their players, and industry sources regard them and the Dodgers as perfect trading partners, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan (Twitter links). Ace Chris Sale, third baseman Todd Frazier and closer David Robertson are among the players Chicago could move, and all of them fit the Dodgers’ needs, notes Passan. Meanwhile, the White Sox like several Dodgers – outfielder Yasiel Puig and prospects Cody Bellinger, Alex Verdugo, Jose DeLeon and Willie Calhoun – so it seems the two sides could line up for some sort of deal this offseason.

Now for some American League notes:

  • Former Twins reliever LaTroy Hawkins has joined the team’s revamped front office as a special assistant, reports Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. And longtime outfielder Torii Hunter, one of the greatest Twins ever, could be next. Hunter told Berardino he has had “several conversations about” taking on a role with the Twins, adding that he and the club “will talk here in the near future.” Hawkins and Hunter, both of whom retired after the 2015 campaign, spent a combined 21 major league seasons with the Twins. Minnesota chose Hawkins in Round 7 of the 1991 draft and Hunter in the first round in 1993.
  • Although the Yankees are on the hunt for starting pitching, they could take advantage of a weak market and shop contract-year right-hander Michael Pineda, Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggests. Even if New York opts against that and only adds to its rotation, Sherman doesn’t see the team going to three years for free agency’s best option, onetime Yankee Rich Hill. New York has shown interest in Hill, Jason Hammel and Derek Holland this week.
  • The Orioles did not add outfielder Mike Yastrzemski or catcher Audry Perez to their 40-man roster Friday, meaning both minor leaguers could end up leaving the organization in December’s Rule 5 draft. Baltimore is at least hoping to retain Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Mike Yastrzemski hit just .221/.312/.369 in 385 plate appearances at Triple-A Norfolk in 2016, though injuries negatively affected him. “He had a labrum problem and he also had a core injury that he had to have surgery on, so he’s got a little work to do to be ready for the spring,” said general manager Dan Duquette. Scouts regard Yastrzemski as a potential fourth outfielder in the majors and Garcia as a possible reserve backstop, and Kubatko expects someone to draft the latter.
  • Along with the previously reported Roger McDowell and Frank Viola, Orioles Double-A pitching coach Alan Mills, Cardinals minor league pitching coordinator Tim Leveque and Rangers minor league pitching coordinator Danny Clark are vying to replace the departed Dave Wallace as Baltimore’s pitching coach, per Kubatko. The club is looking to make a hire soon, perhaps as early as this weekend.

Players Added To The 40-Man

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We’ll use this post to keep track of the players being added to their teams’ respective 40-man rosters today, which is the deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 draft. Players must be added to the big league roster within either four years (if they were 19 or older at the time of their original signing) or five years (if 18 or younger) of their signing year in order to be shielded from selection.

MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo took a look at some of the biggest names who face roster decisions, though most of those won’t be much in question. At the fringes, teams must also consider the major league readiness of the player, since that factors heavily into whether they’ll be taken and kept. Any drafting team, of course, must keep a player on its active MLB roster for the full season (with certain exceptions relating to the DL) in order for their control rights to vest. Adding a player to the 40-man too early can have its own risks, because it limits flexibility and could require a team to expose that player to waivers if a need arises. With 26-man rosters reportedly under consideration, the Rule 5 draft could be quite intriguing this year, and that may bleed into today’s decisions as well.

Below is a division-by-division rundown of the names that were added to each team’s 40-man roster (plus the various waiver claims that spawned from teams trying to outright players to protect Rule 5-eligible prospects). We won’t delve into each player’s background, but if you’re looking to a little more about the names that were added, I’d highly recommend this tremendous, in-depth examination of each team’s additions by Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper. If you want to see how the moves look in the context of a team’s roster, head over to Roster Resource for your club’s depth chart.

Onto the moves…

American League West

American League Central

American League East

National League West

National League Central

National League East

Mike Trout, Kris Bryant Win MVP Awards

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Mike Trout of the Angels and Kris Bryant of the Cubs won the most valuable player awards in their respective leagues, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced tonight.

If Trout’s win is a surprise, it’s only because many wondered of the impact of the fact that his team wasn’t in contention. Looking only at his numbers, the case was rather clear, and he got 19 of 30 first-place votes. It may have been only a typical season for Trout, but a .315/.441/.550 batting line, 29 home runs, and 30 steals (combined with outstanding baserunning and quality defense in center) represented the best all-around output in baseball. This is his second MVP, and the fifth consecutive year he has finished in the top two of the voting.

Mookie Betts was the other top contender for the American League prize, and he was Trout’s equal in most offensive areas excepting OBP (.363), but his context-adjusted output wasn’t anywhere near as good (171 wRC+ for Trout, 135 for Betts). That said, Betts was every bit as good on the bases, and graded better defensively, but still finished over 1 WAR behind. He received nine first-place votes. Star Astros second baseman Jose Altuve came in third in the race.

On the National League side, it was long apparent that Bryant would win. He very nearly did so unanimously, but second-place finisher Daniel Murphy garnered one top nod. In just his second season in the majors, Bryant blasted 39 home runs, put up a 149 wRC+, and made a difference with his glove and legs. That he was the best player on the best team in the game surely didn’t hurt.

It was a truly great campaign for the Nationals’ Murphy, too, who slightly topped Bryant in overall offensive production (156 wRC+) but wasn’t nearly as good in the other areas of the game. Corey Seager of the Dodgers, who took the Rookie of the Year award, finished an impressive third.

Market Notes: Braves, Nats, Sale, S-Rod, Hernandez, Santana, Rosario

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The Braves are “aggressively swapping offers” with other organizations for starters, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Twitter link). Atlanta has been rumored to have inquired on basically all of the quality, young, controllable arms that might be available, and it seems that the organization is serious about pursuing a major strike. One such pitcher, of course, is White Sox lefty Chris Sale, who has also reportedly been asked about by the Braves’ division rivals to the north. Adding a starting pitcher isn’t exactly a priority for the Nationals, at least from the perspective of need, but Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post argues that the team ought to push hard for Sale. By Svrluga’s reckoning, the team has the prospect arsenal needed to get something done; after another postseason disappointment, he says, adding another ace could get the team over the hump.

Here are a few more notes on the developing market:

  • There are five teams in on free agent utilityman Sean Rodriguez, reports Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter). One is the Pirates, who have said they’re interested in a reunion, and the Dodgers are also intrigued, per Robert Murray of Fan Rag. MLBTR rated Rodriguez as the 35th-best free agent available after his productive 2016 campaign.
  • We’ve heard discussion about the possibility of the Phillies dealing Cesar Hernandez, particularly after the team acquired second-base-capable Howie Kendrick, and CSNPhilly.com’s Corey Seidman takes a look at his possible trade market. His productive 2016 and cheap control make him an interesting option for other organizations, though the question remains whether he can sustain his breakout. Seidman discusses some players who could hold appeal to Philadelphia, suggesting that the club would be most interested in a major league return.
  • Lefty Johan Santana may not be done yet, Cotillo adds on Twitter. He’s planning on winter ball in Venezuela in hopes that he can land an opportunity with a major league organization. This certainly isn’t the first time that Santana, now 37, has had a crack at a return, but his prior efforts have all been thwarted by injury. The two-time Cy Young winner has not seen major league action since 2012.
  • Free agent slugger Wilin Rosario is still hopeful of landing with a major league club after spending a year in Korea, Cotillo tweets, but he’s not committed to playing in North America. A return to the KBO could also be a consideration, per the report. Rosario, 27, may no longer be an option behind the dish, but his power should intrigue regardless. Over 532 plate appearances last year with the Hanwha Eagles, he posted a .321/.367/.593 batting line with 33 long balls, though of course the KBO is a notably friendly league for hitters.

Dodgers Have Inquired Into Ian Kinsler, Brian Dozier

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4:40pm: It may not even be that realistic for the Tigers to match up with the Dodgers, given that Kinsler can decline a trade to them and would demand an extension to do so.

Los Angeles is obviously looking in other places for a second baseman, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports notes that they have made contact with the Twins on Brian Dozier — who’d also be a quality, right-handed bat who comes with two years of control.

2:52pm: The Tigers and Dodgers have held some degree of trade talks regarding Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler, reports MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (Twitter links). The connection is an obvious on-paper fit, considering Detroit’s stated desire to pare down payroll and get younger as well as the Dodgers’ lack of a clear starter at the position. While the Kinsler talks are of course worth noting, it should also be recognized that the Dodgers are casting a wide net as they explore options, and Kinsler has a partial no-trade clause which could potentially impact talks. Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports that Kinsler is currently one of four players in whom the Dodgers have interest with regard to their vacancy at second base (Twitter link).

One prospect in whom the Tigers have interest is first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger, according to Morosi, who notes that the Tigers are seeking left-handed power. The 21-year-old Bellinger moved from Class-A Advanced to Double-A in 2016 and, in addition to hitting quite well (.263/.359/.484 with 23 homers) slashed his strikeout rate by a considerable margin (27 percent in ’15, 19.7 percent in ’16). Bellinger moved up to Triple-A for the final three games of the season and ripped another three long balls to further add to his impressive year. MLB.com currently ranks him 31st on its list of Top 100 prospects, while Baseball America rated him 24th on their midseason Top 100. Both reports rave about his defense at first base, though MLB.com points out that he’s started games in center field in the minors and has the speed and athleticism to handle a corner spot in the Majors. BA feels there’s 30-homer potential in Bellinger’s bat.

From the Dodgers’ vantage point, Kinsler is among the most natural targets imaginable for their need at second base. The 34-year-old will play next season on a reasonable $11MM salary and comes with a $10MM option for the 2018 season ($5MM buyout). In addition to having multiple years of affordable control on his deal, he’s coming off yet another excellent year in which he batted .288/.348/.484 with 28 homers and 14 stolen bases. Kinsler rated 8.5 runs above average, per Ultimate Zone Rating, and drew an even more favorable mark from Defensive Runs Saved (+12). He also chipped in strong contributions on the basepaths and, perhaps most appealing of all to L.A., mashed opposing left-handers at a .309/.369/.525 clip in 2016. That line, and Kinsler’s career .306/.372/.507 line against southpaws, have to be tantalizing to a Dodgers club that hit just .213/.290/.332 against lefties as a collective unit in 2016 — dismal enough to easily translate to a league-worst 72 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers.

Certainly, though, Dodgers president of baseball ops Andrew Friedman and his staff have alternatives if they deem Detroit’s asking price too high. Friedman & Co. need only look elsewhere in the American League Central to find another highly plausible trade candidate in the form of Brian Dozier, for instance. Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips may well come at a lower cost if he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause for the chance to play on a contending team, and Philadelphia’s Cesar Hernandez has seen his name surface in trade rumors as well. As far as free agents go, a reunion with Chase Utley seems plausible as well.

Ian Kinsler Won’t Waive No-Trade Clause Without Extension

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Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler is not interested waiving his no-trade protection unless a (hypothetical) acquiring team reaches a new contract with him, his agent Jay Franklin tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Kinsler is one of several veteran Tigers players who has come up in trade chatter this winter.

Anything is possible, but the demand for an extension would certainly gum up any trade talks between Detroit and any of the rivals who are on Kinsler’s list. He is already 34 years of age, so it isn’t as if he has mid-prime years to sell, and part of his appeal is the relatively limited commitment ($11MM in 2017 and a $10MM option for 2018) that comes with Kinsler’s contract.

Franklin didn’t leave much room for interpretation in his comments. “If one of the 10 teams happens to call and wants to talk about it, we’re open to talking about it,” he said. “[But] they’re going to have to extend him for us to waive the no-trade.” Though the player rep adds that Kinsler is most interested in playing on a winning team, it doesn’t seem as if he’ll entertain any possibilities if they don’t include more years and dollars.

The Dodgers have been rumored to have interest in Kinsler, but are one of the ten organizations to which he must approve a deal. For teams like Los Angeles, who are happy to employ veterans but strive to avoid lengthy entanglements, the demand may be a non-starter.

It’s possible to imagine that some organizations would at least be willing to consider adding to Kinsler’s guarantee — though, perhaps, they won’t be anxious to go too far or too high given his age and two existing years of control. But the need to negotiate with the player and his current team complicates things greatly, since any possible suitor would surely also be looking into alternatives.

It isn’t yet known what other teams are subject to Kinsler’s approval. With 19 teams that aren’t, it’s certainly plausible to think he could be shipped somewhere without having a say. But there are limited teams with a clear need at second base, so depending upon the makeup of the list, Kinsler’s stance could make it quite difficult for the Tigers to pull off a deal — not that the team necessarily feels compelled to do so.

Terry Francona, Dave Roberts Win Manager Of The Year Awards

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Indians skipper Terry Francona and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts have been named Manager of the Year in their respective leagues, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced tonight. It should be noted that voting is conducted prior to the playoffs, meaning their teams’ postseason performances aren’t factored into the decision.

Terry Francona

Francona, 57, guided the Indians their fourth straight winning season since coming on board as the team’s skipper prior to the 2013 season. Cleveland went 94-67 under Francona’s watch this year, running away with the American League Central division by a margin of eight games. Cleveland’s terrific season was all the more impressive due to the fact that the team’s best player from 2014-15, Michael Brantley, played in just 11 games due to difficulties recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Francona also dealt with late injuries to Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Yan Gomes down the stretch as the team made its final push to the playoffs. That performance led Francona to receive 22 of the 30 first-place votes from the BBWAA. Rangers manager Jeff Banister (four), Orioles manager Buck Showalter (two) and Red Sox manager John Farrell (two) also received first-place votes (link to full voting breakdown).

This marks Francona’s second Manager of the Year Award in just four years with Cleveland, as he also took home the honor in 2013 — his first season with the team. His efforts have already been rewarded, as Cleveland announced shortly after the World Series that the 2019 and 2020 club options on Francona’s contract have already been exercised four years in advance.

Dave Roberts

The 44-year-old Roberts takes home the honor in his first full season as a manager, having guided the Dodgers to a 91-71 record and a National League West Division title despite a multitude of injuries throughout the rotation — including a two-month absence from ace Clayton Kershaw. Fifteen different pitchers made starts for the Dodgers this year, with rookie Kenta Maeda starting a team-high 32 games and 20-year-old Julio Urias making the fourth-most starts at just 15. Prior to this season, Roberts had precisely one game of managing experience, stepping in for a single game with the 2015 Padres following the dismissal of Bud Black.

Roberts received 16 first-place votes, while Cubs skipper Joe Maddon (eight), Nationals manager Dusty Baker (four) and Mets manager Terry Collins (two) each nabbed some first-place votes as well (full voting breakdown here). Roberts still has two years remaining on the three-year deal he inked prior to the 2016 season plus a club option for a fourth year in 2019.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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