Dodgers Notes: Friedman, Frazier, Turner
Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda has traveled to Los Angeles to start meeting with teams, according to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register (on Twitter). The Dodgers, he adds, are expected to be among the clubs that place a bid in order to negotiate with the right-hander.
If the Dodgers are serious about making a run at the Hiroshima Carp star, they might find that the market for him isn’t as competitive as it might have been a few weeks ago. We learned last week that the Red Sox will not submit a bid to negotiate with Maeda thanks to the mammoth deal given to David Price. At the Winter Meetings, Giants GM Bobby Evans told MLBTR that his club had internal conversations about Maeda, but they’re almost certainly out on him after adding Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto.
Here’s more out of L.A.:
- Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters, including Shaikin (Twitter link) that he didn’t land Todd Frazier himself because he wanted Justin Turner to remain at third base. Acquiring Frazier and putting him elsewhere on the diamond would have been “messy,” in Friedman’s estimation. Frazier, of course, went to the White Sox in Wednesday’s three-way deal involving the Reds and Dodgers.
- Friedman says that the Dodgers like the newly-acquired Frankie Montas as a starting pitcher and, if not, they see him as an “impact bullpen arm,” Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Many scouts see Montas as a power reliever. Friedman says that his scouts believe that Montas has one of the best fastball/slider combos in the minors, Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times tweets.
- Friedman said he knows some teams are interested in the players he acquired today, but he cautioned that one trade is not necessarily precursor to another, Shaikin tweets. Still, when asked if he’s now more comfortable with the idea of parting with elite pitching prospects, Friedman answered in the affirmative (link).
- In an interview on KLAC, Friedman did acknowledge that the trade improves the team’s “trade capital to match up with other teams,” according to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register (on Twitter).
White Sox Acquire Todd Frazier In Three-Team Deal With Dodgers, Reds
The first domino has fallen in the Reds’ offseason rebuild, as Cincinnati has announced the trade of All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier to the White Sox in a three-team deal that also includes the Dodgers. Cincinnati will receive three prospects — infielders Jose Peraza and Brandon Dixon and outfielder Scott Schebler — from the Dodgers, who, in turn, will receive prospects Frankie Montas, Micah Johnson and Trayce Thompson from the White Sox.
The acquisition of Frazier will give the White Sox a drastically altered infield composition, as he’ll now take over at third base with fellow trade acquisition Brett Lawrie moving over to second base. Frazier, who turns 30 in February, adds a power bat to the middle of Chicago’s lineup to complement fellow right-handed slugger Jose Abreu and also gives Chicago a well above-average defender at the hot corner. The reigning Home Run Derby champion, Frazier has batted a combined .264/.322/.479 with 64 home runs over the past two seasons with the Reds. He’s set to earn $7.5MM in 2016 and can be controlled via the arbitration process for the 2017 season, after which he will be eligible for free agency.
Frazier’s trade value probably would have been higher were it not for a dismal second half. Some will speculate that his Home Run Derby success altered his swing following the All-Star Game, but whatever the reason, Frazier’s .220/.274/.390 second half paled in comparison to his monstrous .278/.333/.550 first half.
With Frazier on board, the Sox can shift their focus to shortstop, unless the plan is to enter the season with the largely untested Tyler Saladino in that role. Assuming an outside addition at the shortstop position, Saladino could slide into a utility role and back up at three different positions around the revamped infield.
For the Reds, the centerpiece of the deal is Peraza — a fleet-footed, Major League ready infielder whom they can control for the next six seasons. Peraza has long rated as one of the Braves’ better prospects but was flipped to the Dodgers in the 13-player summer blockbuster that also included the Marlins. Peraza’s stay with the Dodgers will be brief, but he should be in line for fairly regular at-bats immediately in Cincinnati — especially if the Reds ultimately trade Brandon Phillips as well.
Peraza, 22 in April, made his big league debut in 2015, collecting four hits in 22 September at-bats for Los Angeles. He batted a combined .293/.316/.378 with 33 steals between his two Triple-A affiliates last season and has a pair of 60-steal seasons under his belt in the minor leagues. His youth is one of the keys to the deal, as Peraza reached the Majors at the same age we see many top prospects selected out of college in the draft. He’s three years younger than Johnson or Thompson, and the Reds are clearly banking on continued development and improved production as he catches up to his competition in terms of physical maturity. Peraza entered the 2015 campaign universally ranked as a Top 100 prospect — MLB.com had him 38th overall — and he figures to do so again in 2016, as Baseball America’s Ben Badler tweets.
BA recently ranked Peraza as the Dodgers’ No. 4 prospect, trailing only Corey Seager, Julio Urias and Jose De Leon. In Badler’s scouting report, he praised Peraza’s bat-to-ball skills and speed, noting that he could hit for average and swipe 30-plus bases in a regular role. BA’s camp is split on Peraza, it would seem, as John Manuel tweets that Peraza needs to play shortstop to have value as a regular, while J.J. Cooper opines that Peraza should be a solid regular, albeit not a star. Peraza ranks fourth on MLB.com’s list of Dodgers prospects as well and, in fact, ranks 24th on their current Top 100 list. He’s seen time at shortstop, second base and in center field in his career thus far, and second base would seem the most obvious path to at-bats for him in the event of a Phillips swap. He’ll give Cincinnati another versatile piece that can conceivably handle multiple positions, joining Eugenio Suarez in that capacity.
Like Peraza, Schebler can conceivably step right onto the Reds’ roster. He, too, made his big league debut in 2015, albeit receiving just 40 plate appearances. Schebler unquestionably struggled at the Triple-A level, as his .241/.322/.410 batting line (in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, no less) was a marked departure from the .280/.365/.556 line he posted as a 23-year-old in Double-A. However, he’ll play all of next season at 25 years of age and has a history of hitting for power in the minors, as evidenced by the combined 55 homers he launched from 2013-14.
Schebler ranked 13th on MLB.com’s Dodgers Top 30 and 14th on the same list from BA. MLB.com notes that he’s best-suited for corner outfield work — an area of need in Cincinnati — and is a solid baserunner but not a big base-stealer. Some scouts, they add, are hesitant with Schebler because he relies more on raw strength than bat speed to produce his power. BA has previously pegged him as a possible regular in left field, and former Fangraphs scribe Kiley McDaniel noted heading into the 2015 season that Schebler “fits the bill as an under-the-radar performer who could surprise.” However, I’d imagine that his 2015 struggles have clouded that likelihood to some extent.
The 23-year-old Dixon didn’t rank among Los Angeles’ Top 30 prospects in the estimation of BA or MLB.com. He was selected in the third round of the 2015 draft and raked in 45 games at Class-A Advanced this past season before struggling after a promotion to Double-A. He’s played second base, third base and the outfield in his young career and posted a cumulative batting line of .263/.303/.443 with 19 homers this past season between his two levels. Dixon also turned in a nice showing in the Arizona Fall League, batting .295/.318/.508 with three homers in 16 games, and he performed well last winter while playing in the Australian Baseball League.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, pick up a number of prospects with plus tools but uncertain overall packages. Montas, 23 in March, can reach 100 mph with his fastball and has been developed as a starting pitcher, but many scouts still see him as a reliever due to a lack of control. MLB.com currently ranks him as the game’s No. 54 prospect, noting that if everything clicks he’s a potential No. 2 starter, but he could end up as a high-leverage reliever instead due to the aforementioned control issues. BA recently ranked him as the No. 17 prospect in the Double-A Southern League, with Matt Eddy writing that despite holding his velocity deep into starts, troubles with repeating his delivery and lack of strong secondary offerings could lead to relief work.
Thompson, 25 next March, ranked 14th on MLB.com’s list of top White Sox prospects. Known for his excellent athleticism — he’s the brother of NBA superstar Klay Thompson and the son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson — Trayce debuted in 2015 and batted .295/.363/.533 with five homers in 44 games. He hasn’t shown that type of power in the minor leagues, but some have questioned how much he’ll hit in the Majors and projected that he could become a fourth outfielder. Even if that’s the ultimate case, he fits much better on the Dodgers’ current roster than Schebler due to his ability to handle all three outfield positions. The presence of Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, Joc Pederson, Scott Van Slyke and Enrique Hernandez in L.A. seems to point to Thompson opening next season in the minor leagues, even though he’s more or less ready for big league action. (Further trades could clear a path for him in the Majors.)
Johnson, who turns 25 on Friday, has long been considered the potential second baseman of the future in Chicago, but he’ll now hope to land that role in Los Angeles. His first taste of Major League action in 2015 didn’t go too well, as he batted just .230/.306/.270 in 114 plate appearances. However, Johnson is lauded for his elite speed — he swiped 84 bases in 131 games in 2013 — and delivered a quality .316/.376/.466 batting line in 2015. MLB.com places a 75-grade on his speed (on the 20-80 scale). Johnson, though, has little in the way of power (24 homers in 1761 minor league PAs) and is said to be a shaky defender at second base. He made three errors in 32 starts at second base last season, and in just 280 innings drew ratings of -7 and -3 from Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating, respectively. He could also be ticketed for Triple-A to begin the 2016 season, with veteran Chase Utley on board to hold down the fort at second base while Johnson develops.
Overall, it’s fair to question the return that Cincinnati received in the deal. The trade very clearly hinges on the development of Peraza, whom the Reds reportedly “love” and were on the verge of acquiring in the failed Aroldis Chapman trade, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (Twitter link). The Reds do indeed acquire a pair of players in Peraza and Schebler that are near MLB-ready or presently MLB-ready, but neither seems to possess star-caliber upside. A pair of solid regulars — or even one solid regular, for that matter — will make this a palatable return in the long run, but most seemed to be expecting more impactful prospects in return for a player of Frazier’s caliber, especially when considering his reasonable price tag. Perhaps his poor second half tanked some of his trade value, but given the bulk of clubs that were tied to Frazier the general consensus will be that Cincinnati might have been — or at least should have been — able to acquire more in a trade of this magnitude.
Yahoo’s Jeff Passan first reported that Montas was going to the Dodgers in a trade. C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer broke the news of a three-team deal including Frazier (on Twitter). Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported the other prospects in the trade (links to Twitter).
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
White Sox, Dodgers Nearing Trade; Frankie Montas Involved
The White Sox and Dodgers are nearing the completion of a trade, reports Yahoo’s Jeff Passan (on Twitter). Top right-handed pitching prospect Frankie Montas would head to the Dodgers in the deal, Passan notes, so it figures to be a fairly significant move. Passan does add that Yasiel Puig is not a part of the developing transaction.
Specific parameters beyond that remain unclear, but both clubs aim to contend in 2016, so each team will likely be acquiring players that can contribute in immediate fashion. (Montas, who made his Major League debut in 2015, fits that bill for the Dodgers.) The White Sox could use upgrades at shortstop and one of second base or third base (Brett Lawrie will man the other position).
West Notes: Cueto, Giants, Astros, Dodgers
Giants GM Bobby Evans discussed the prospective addition of Johnny Cueto yesterday, noting the deal’s upside, as Alex Pavlovic of CSNBayArea.com reports. “You have a guy that has a chance to be an elite presence in your rotation if he’s healthy and we can play good defense behind him and he uses our ballpark to his advantage,” said Evans. Of course, the deal is not yet official, though Evans’s comments appear to suggest that the club isn’t too worried about the physical, which John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle says (on Twitter) will likely take place Wednesday.
Here’s more from out west:
- The San Francisco GM also addressed the team’s outfield search, indicating that he’ll continue to keep an eye on all potential options in the market. But a significant move isn’t likely after the commitments to Cueto and Jeff Samardzija, Pavlovic reports.
- ESPN.com’s Keith Law discusses the Cueto move, explaining that there’s a good deal of risk for the Giants but noting that there are some positives. For one thing, says Law, the veteran looks to be a good fit for spacious AT&T Park; for another, the early opt-out provision (after two years) arguably makes better sense than other such uses of that type of clause. Of course, it ultimately all comes down to whether Cueto will return to form or if his rough second half is an indication of the future.
- The Astros would “definitely like to bring in another starter,” owner Jim Crane said yesterday, as Jose de Jesus Ortiz tweets (video link). Houston has real interest in Yovani Gallardo, could potentially match up on Mike Leake, and remains interested in a reunion with Scott Kazmir, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports. The team doesn’t appear to be moving on Kenta Maeda, he adds, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if GM Jeff Luhnow and co. decide to wait out the market and “bargain hunt.”
- Former big league catcher Josh Bard is likely to join the Dodgers coaching staff, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. He’s expected to slot in as the bullpen coach, Morosi suggests.
Giants, Johnny Cueto Progressing Toward Deal
3:17pm: ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that the two sides are making progress on a deal and could have an agreement in place soon (Twitter link).
2:34pm: Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Giants and Cueto are discussing a deal that “easily” tops the $120MM figure he rejected from Arizona. The Dodgers and “a couple others” are still in the mix, but the Giants are working the hardest to get something done. The deal being discussed with San Francisco (and others) will “likely” contain an opt-out clause, Heyman adds.
1:48pm: The Cardinals and Dodgers have both “dabbled” in Cueto’s market, tweets Crasnick, but both teams were hesitant to even approach the reported $120-126MM that Cueto rejected, let alone exceed it.
1:24pm: ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports that action on Cueto does indeed seem to be picking up (links to Twitter). One source that spoke to Crasnick and knows Cueto’s market well feels that the right-hander could ultimately top the $120-126MM offer he rejected from the D-backs.
12:46pm: The Giants are making a “strong push” for right-hander Johnny Cueto, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
San Francisco, of course, was a finalist for the services of Zack Greinke but lost out to a stunning last-minute push by the division-rival Diamondbacks. Since that time, they’ve added Jeff Samardzija on a five-year, $90MM contract, but they’ve reportedly been open to bringing in another starter in addition to that signing. Cueto has already rejected a six-year offer from the D-backs that was reported to be worth $120-126MM in total, which should serve as a barometer of sorts when gauging the type of money it will take to sign him. Of course, it’s not certain that Cueto will sign for more than that figure — his market may have some down a bit, he may simply not have wanted to play with the D-backs, etc. — but it’d be a surprise to see him take substantially less just two weeks after that reported offer.
Cueto, 30 in February, posted a combined 3.44 ERA in 212 innings with the Reds and Royals this past season. His late struggles with Kansas City are well known at this point, as he recorded a 6.49 ERA over his final 51 1/3 innings on his new club. Cueto had mixed results in the playoffs, struggling in two starts but also delivering a pair of masterpieces, including a one-run, complete game victory over the Mets in Game Two of the World Series.
Cueto missed a small amount of time over the summer with a minor elbow injury that never sent him to the disabled list. Regardless, the earlier injury and rocky performance with the Royals has created a fair amount of skepticism surrounding him this offseason, at least in the media. Clearly, with at least one club willing to offer a significant six-year contract, teams aren’t completely scared off by any uncertainties that may exist regarding his right elbow.
Central Notes: Frazier, Rodriguez, Melancon, Royals
The Indians and White Sox were both rumored to be interested in Todd Frazier during last week’s Winter Meetings (the Royals, too, are said to have discussed him as a possible left field option), and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports adds a few more teams to the list of interested clubs. The Dodgers, Nationals, Rangers and Angels are all “believed to have some involvement or interest,” in the Reds‘ third baseman, Heyman writes. Talks are “starting to percolate,” says Heyman. Last week, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the Reds are “heavily” shopping Frazier.
A few more notes from the game’s Central divisions…
- Utility man Sean Rodriguez is generating interest from four clubs at the moment, including the Pirates and Tigers, tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. The 30-year-old batted just .246/.281/.362 in 240 PAs with the Pirates last season, but his ability to play all four infield positions as well as the outfield corners is a selling point, Crasnick notes.
- In an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, Pirates GM Neal Huntington confirmed that he’s willing to listen to offers on closer Mark Melancon (Twitter link). However, he also added, “We’re gonna have to get something that really makes sense to even consider moving him.” The Pirates recently freed up some money by trading Charlie Morton to the Phillies and may have saved a bit of cash in the Neil Walker/Jon Niese swap, so there may not be as much pressure, financially speaking, to move him as there was even one week ago.
- Despite last season’s World Series Championship, the Royals are expected to operate with a payroll that is similar to 2015’s mark of $115MM, writes the Kansas City Star’s Sam Mellinger. As such, it’s unlikely that the club is able to retain Alex Gordon, barring unforeseen circumstances. Specifically, Mellinger writes that the club could circle back to Gordon if he lingers on the open market, unable to find a significant pact (presumably, one of five years). Mellinger notes that recent Royals free agents James Shields and Ervin Santana saw their price drop substantially later in the offseason, and the team does believe that the crowded outfield market means that supply and demand are working in its favor with regards to the outfield market, Mellinger writes. It does seem unlikely (to me, anyhow) that Gordon’s price will dip back into Kansas City’s comfort zone, although the Royals do have to be encouraged to hear that the Cardinals aren’t likely to embark on an aggressive pursuit of Gordon.
Reported Runner-Up Offers For Heyward And Greinke
The most important numbers involved in any free agent scenario are, obviously, the final deal terms. But the offers made by other clubs are not only interesting but also potentially tell us something about the market — both at the time of the signing and even moving forward.
We heard plenty of discussion today about how much cash was dangled in front of two of this year’s three biggest free agent pieces: Jason Heyward and Zack Greinke. Heyward reportedly agreed with the Cubs for eight years and $184MM, with a contract provision allowing him two separate opportunities to opt out of the deal and re-enter the market. Meanwhile, after exercising just such a clause to jump back into the free agent waters, Greinke inked a mind-blowing six-year, $206.5MM deal with the Diamondbacks (which included some very significant deferrals).
Before entering those arrangements, both players considered multiple other arrangements. For Heyward, the elusive $200MM barrier was reportedly met or exceeded by both the Nationals and the Cardinals. (Per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch — here and here — and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, on Twitter.) And at least one other team, possibly the Angels, also beat Chicago’s total guarantee with its bid. (That’s per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, Twitter links; see here for the Halos’ late interest.)
Notably, though, we’ve not been told how many years Washington and St. Louis covered in their offers, and Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that it seems neither met the $23MM AAV that Heyward will reportedly receive. And as Keith Law of ESPN.com stresses on Twitter, it’s even more important to bear in mind that the opt-out opportunities carry significant value and that Heyward will owe less in state taxes in Illinois than he would have in the other locales.
While acknowledging the opt-out value, Passan notes that it’s nevertheless “uncommon” for a player to turn down a greater overall guarantee, and that’s largely true in the abstract. But it’s important to remember, too, that Heyward’s unique market placement — he hasn’t even reached the halfway point between 26 and 27 years of age — makes his situation quite a bit different from that of most free agents.
For one thing, Heyward’s age arguably increases the worth of those bail-out clauses even further, since he’ll gain the right to re-enter the market in advance of his age-29 season. That’s still early for a free agent, and might give Heyward a chance not only to step up his AAV (if his performance increases and/or salary inflation continues) but also to tack on more years down the line. Greinke pulled exactly that trick despite turning 32 before signing his new deal, and the upside for Heyward is even greater.
Also, gaining two opt-out points will allow Heyward to assess his market timing while keeping the future guarantee in his back pocket. That not only adds to the value going to him in this deal but also increases the uncertainty and risk for the Cubs.
It’s worth noting, too, that even if Heyward does play out the full eight years in Chicago, he’ll stand to hit the market again before he turns 35. That’s exactly the point in his career that Ben Zobrist finds himself as he joins the Cubs on a four-year, $56MM contract. There’s good reason to believe that Heyward will be plenty capable of continuing to earn money on the open market at the end of his deal, which makes it much easier (and arguably wise) to forego another year (or two) of commitment for a relatively marginal bump in the overall guarantee — all at the cost of annual earning power.
Simply put, without knowing whether the other bidders were willing to include similar opt-out terms, and without knowing the length of their proposals, it’s impossible to compare the offers. From my perspective, though, the deal that Heyward ultimately agreed to is a better contract for him than the straight ten-year, $200MM deal that we at MLBTR thought Heyward could command (see here and here).
As for Greinke, the veteran righty said today in his introductory press conference that he was literally minutes away from signing with some unknown other club before Arizona swept in. ESPN’s Molly Knight tweeted that the Giants were actually the runners up, making Greinke a six-year, $195MM offer.
But San Francisco’s president of baseball operations Brian Sabean has said publicly that the club was not comfortable promising Greinke a sixth year. And both Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area (Twitter link) and John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (also on Twitter) strongly disputed the notion that the Giants had come anywhere near the D-Backs’ offer.
The Dodgers, too, are said to have balked at going to six years on Greinke, as MLB.com’s Mark Saxon was among those to note recently (Twitter link). It remains unclear how high the Los Angeles offer was, and whether it or another team was the one that nearly struck a deal with Greinke.
Looking at all of those reported offers, it seems clear that there are several clubs that have the capacity and willingness to spend much more money this winter than they have so far. That’s not to say that all will actually put that cash right back into free agency. But the potential is there, and it’s also notable that an unexpected team (the Diamondbacks) put so much cash onto the market.
All said, there’s plenty left to be spent. And that makes sense: more than half of MLBTR’s top fifty free agents — including six of the top ten — remain unsigned at present.
Johnny Cueto’s Agent On Cardinals, Market
The Winter Meetings in Nashville are nearly through and many of the open market’s starting pitchers have found their homes for 2016 and beyond. However, one of this class’s very best, Johnny Cueto, is still searching for his big payday. Cueto is a bona fide ace with years of experience at the head of the Reds’ rotation, but a number of his expected suitors have already allocated major funds towards the top of the starting five. Even though some might have the impression that Cueto’s market is shrinking, agent Bryce Dixon told MLB Trade Rumors in a 1-on-1 interview that he doesn’t see things that way.
“You can always add an ace pitcher to your staff. All thirty teams can use a Cueto,” Dixon told MLBTR on Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee. “So, yeah, there are teams like the Diamondbacks that have added a [Zack] Greinke and a [Shelby] Miller, so maybe their appetite for him has lessened but, no, I don’t view the market as shrinking up. I’m still finding interest and there still seems to be enough out there for him to land comfortably with a team.”
So far, Cueto has yet to receive an offer that clearly separates him from the second tier of starting pitchers and Dixon says that he is comfortable in waiting. A few weeks ago, Cueto’s camp was handed a sizable offer from the Diamondbacks, one that was worth $126MM over six years, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (on Twitter). Some observers suggested that the offer was a strong one given Cueto’s second half issues and 50/50 showing in the postseason, but Dixon says that he did not discuss the offer at length with the pitcher before they turned it down.
Dixon concedes that the Diamondbacks are one club that does not have a clear fit for Cueto at this stage, but, on paper, the Cardinals do stand out as a team that would have the need and the resources required to sign the veteran. Still, some outsiders have suggested that unpleasant history between the two sides could get in the way of a union. In 2010, the Reds and Cardinals got into a brawl and, in one exchange, Cueto kicked catcher Jason LaRue in the head while wearing spikes. The impact of the kick left LaRue with concussion issues that forced him to retire at the end of the 2010 season. The brawl may still be fresh in the minds of some Cardinals fans, but the Cardinals organization has not brought up the incident in their talks with Cueto’s camp.
“I can’t speak to how the Cardinals feel. ..Obviously [Johnny] regrets how the fight went down,” Dixon told MLB Trade Rumors on Wednesday afternoon. “He’s expressed regret over it in the past. He loves pitching in the NL Central. He’s the best pitcher of our era in the NL Central. It would be a good marriage [between] Johnny and the Cardinals. I think once the fans got past the fight and they saw what a gamer Johnny is and what he could bring to the team, I think they would be able to embrace him now, though I don’t think that they’ll do that overnight.”
Dixon went on to explain that the circumstances of the brawl were complicated. Cueto was pushed up against the screen and, feeling trapped, he made a split-second reaction that he deeply regrets. For a time, the fight may have defined him as someone who is angry or violent, but those who work with and around Cueto, he says, can attest to his mellow character and positive attitude. Ultimately, Dixon can see the Cardinals being a great landing spot for his client.
“Johnny’s best friend is Brayan Pena (Pena signed a two-year deal with St. Louis this winter). Johnny would love to pitch to him and a catcher like [Yadier] Molina, so I think it would be a good fit. Whether the Cardinals step up with the necessary resources, that remains to be seen. But he has no problem towards the Cardinals and the manager of that [2010 Cardinals] team [Tony La Russa] is with the Diamondbacks organization now. He came down and met Johnny and they had no problem. It’s in the past. It’s unfortunate that it happened, but, on our side, we’ve moved on,” said Dixon.
Dixon could see Cueto forming a strong rotation alongside Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, and Carlos Martinez, but he could also envision his client looking good in Dodger blue next to Clayton Kershaw in L.A.’s rotation. Those are just two of the fits that Dixon can see for Cueto at this stage and he’s still willing to wait for what he feels is an appropriate pact. When asked to put a timetable on a Cueto signing, Dixon indicated that it could happen in a matter of minutes or a matter of weeks. One option he’s not considering at this time, however, is a one-year pillow deal to allow Cueto to cash in next winter.
“I don’t think we’re going to have to go down that road. We’ll remain flexible but I don’t anticipate something like that,” he said.
West Notes: Cueto, Puig, Rangers, D’Backs, Phillips, Padres
The Dodgers have “joined the fray” on free agent righty Johnny Cueto, per Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. It’s not immediately clear whether that indicates any stepped-up interest on the part of the Dodgers, who were previously said to have reached out to Cueto’s representatives recently. Indeed, agent Bryce Dixon told MLBTR’s Zach Links yesterday that he saw L.A. as a good fit. As Heyman adds, there are “a couple other” unnamed organizations also “in the mix” for Cueto at present.
Here are a few more notes from the game’s western divisions:
- Scott Miller of Bleacher Report takes a close look at Yasiel Puig‘s standing in the Dodgers organization. He speaks extensively with both Adrian Gonzalez and A.J. Ellis (among others), who provide fascinating insight into the strained (but, perhaps, not-yet broken) relationship between Puig and his teammates.
- With the Rangers reportedly adding reliever Tony Barnette, there’s yet more reason to believe the club could strike a deal involving one of its young pen assets, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. The Diamondbacks have widely been tabbed as one pursuer, and Grant says that Arizona is eyeing late-inning hurlers Shawn Tolleson and Keone Kela. Though the D’Backs are said to be hesitant to part with young righty Archie Bradley, Grant says that exactly who Texas is eyeing in trade talks.
- The Diamondbacks have talked to the Reds on multiple occasions about second baseman Brandon Phillips, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. Arizona’s win-now moves could help persuade Phillips to authorize a deal there, suggests Rosenthal, though MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets that the veteran has not been approached to discuss his no-trade rights.
- As with the Barnette signing, bringing in Christian Bethancourt isn’t necessarily just an isolated move for the Padres, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune explains. The move leaves the club with four catchers on its 40-man roster, and the two most recent additions — Betancourt and Josmil Pinto — are out of options. San Diego was “shopping” both Derek Norris and Austin Hedges over the week, per Lin, who suggests that it wouldn’t be terribly surprising to see one of them dealt.
Dodgers Moving On From Aroldis Chapman
The Dodgers have moved on from left-hander Aroldis Chapman and are now weighing a run at Yankees lefty Andrew Miller, as well as other options, in their quest to bolster the back-end of their bullpen, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported yesterday that the Dodgers and Astros were talking about Miller with the Yankees, although one would assume that Houston’s reported acquisition of Ken Giles from Philadelphia takes them out of that market.
The Dodgers were said on Monday to have reached a deal to acquire Chapman from the Reds, but later in the day it was reported that the trade had not yet been completed. Eventually, it was reported that Chapman had allegedly been involved in a highly troublesome domestic dispute back in October. While no arrests were issued at the time of the incident, the league is indeed investigating the matter and, under its new domestic violence policy, could take action of some kind against Chapman.