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AL Central Notes: Molitor, Royals, Minor, Fulmer, Greene, Tribe

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The Twins haven’t had any talks with Paul Molitor about a contract extension, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.  Molitor exceeded expectations in his first year as a Major League manager, leading the Twins to a surprising 83-79 record.  There isn’t necessarily a lot of urgency to get a new deal done — not only is Molitor still under contract through the 2017 campaign, “the expectation at this point is that” the Twins will give Molitor “every opportunity to” continue managing, Berardino writes, especially as long as Terry Ryan is the GM.  Here’s some more from around the AL Central…

  • The Twins will likely wait to see how their bullpen situation develops in Spring Training before checking out any free agent relievers, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune tweets.
  • Given how Ned Yost, Dayton Moore and J.J. Piccolo all have ties to the Braves, it’s maybe no surprise that the Royals have picked up so many former Atlanta pitchers as reclamation projects, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick writes.  Kris Medlen proved to be a very sound investment for K.C. last winter and now Peter Moylan and Mike Minor have both joined the Royals this offseason looking to re-establish their value. The ties between the pitchers themselves also played a role — Medlen and Moylan trained and rehabbed together in 2014 when both were recovering from Tommy John surgery.
  • Minor said that pitching at Kauffman Stadium and the Royals’ offer of two guaranteed years were big reasons he signed with the team, the lefty tells Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link).
  • Shane Greene’s first season with the Tigers was riddled with injuries, including a scary situation involving an aneurysm that caused blood clots in his fingers, ESPN’s Katie Strang writes.  Greene underwent shoulder surgery to address the problem in August, and while the blood clots have yet to dissolve (which may not happen for years), Greene said he’s feeling much better and is looking forward to competing for a spot in Detroit’s rotation.
  • Michael Fulmer drew heavy interest in trade talks this offseason, Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press reports, though the Tigers didn’t bite on dealing the highly-touted young righty.  It’s no surprise that GM Al Avila was keen to keep Fulmer, given that the right-hander was the centerpiece of the trade package received last summer for Yoenis Cespedes.
  • “The Indians are always sneaky about” working on contract extensions, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes, so it wouldn’t surprise him if the Tribe inks at least one player to a multi-year deal this spring.  Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer make sense as possible extension candidates since both become arbitration-eligible next winter, and Hoynes also thinks the Tribe could extend Cody Allen.
  • Hoynes’ mailbag piece covers several other Indians-related topics, including Hoynes’ belief that the Tribe won’t exercise their $12MM club option on Carlos Santana for the 2017 season.  I tend to agree, unless Santana rebounds from something of a down year in 2015.

AL Central Notes: Jackson, Sox, Minor, Tigers, Twins

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Following their reported signing of Juan Uribe to a one-year deal, the Indians “seem to be considering” a run at free agent outfielder Austin Jackson, tweets Jon Heyman. Cleveland has a well-documented need in the outfield that has yet to be addressed — as Jeff Todd and I discussed on this week’s MLBTR Podcast. Jackson would add some stability to the picture at a potentially bargain rate at this juncture of the offseason and on the heels of a pair of so-so seasons at the plate. Heyman notes that there are other possibilities for Jackson, though, citing the White Sox, Angels, Brewers and “maybe” the Rangers, noting that Texas may not want to spend the money. It’s unclear whether Heyman was merely speculating on that last grouping of teams, though given the Angels’ reluctance to spend on free agents this winter and Texas GM Jon Daniels’ recent comments suggesting the payroll isn’t likely to grow much more, Jackson could be a stretch for either club.

Here’s more on the AL Central…

  • Heyman also tweets that the White Sox appear to be open to one more outfield addition — one that can handle playing some center field. Austin Jackson, of course, would fit the bill in that regard, he notes, as would Dexter Fowler, if the Sox are willing to spend more. Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago/670 The Score also writes that the Sox are interested in adding to their outfield depth and are indeed considering Fowler. However, Fowler is said to be one of Baltimore’s top targets, and the O’s reportedly “expect” that they’ll be able to land both Fowler and free-agent right-hander Yovani Gallardo.
  • Left-hander Mike Minor, who inked a two-year contract with the Royals earlier today, will be unavailable for the first six weeks to two months of the regular season, general manager Dayton Moore told reporters, including Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). That Minor will be sidelined for some time to open the season isn’t unexpected, as the former Braves hurler is recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
  • The Tigers are reportedly set on adding relief arms to their Spring Training mix after adding Bobby Parnell on a minor league pact, but MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets that the team could yet bring in another player on a minor league deal — likely an infielder. The infield market has been largely picked clean, though a few recognizable names such as Alberto Callaspo, Jonathan Herrera and Dan Uggla have yet to sign this offseason.
  • Twins skipper Paul Molitor tells reporters, including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger (Twitter link) that heading into Spring Training, he’s considering Kurt Suzuki his starting catcher and trade acquisition John Ryan Murphy the backup. Of course, it’d be somewhat surprising to see a manager promise a starting role to a just-acquired, inexperienced option with a seasoned veteran in house. Suzuki probably will get the nod on Opening Day, and I can imagine him getting some more time early in the year as Murphy learns a new pitching staff and acclimates to his new organization. However, barring a return to 2014 form for Suzuki, it seems likely that Murphy will at least work his way into a larger role than that of a traditional backup catcher, as Minnesota’s hope is that he can develop into its primary catcher beyond the 2016 campaign. It’s worth noting, too, that Suzuki has a $6MM option that will vest at 485 plate appearances. He’s averaged 491 PAs as the clear No. 1 catcher in the past two seasons, and the Twins probably would prefer to avoid that option vesting — especially if Suzuki’s production more closely resembles 2015 than 2014.

AL Central Notes: Park, Smith, Indians, Brantley, Tigers

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Nine different Twins talent evaluators saw Byung-ho Park in person before the team submitted its $12.85MM bid earlier this offseason, Minnesota vice president of personnel Mike Radcliff tells David Dorsey of the News-Press Media Group. Radcliff himself was among those who watched Park personally in South Korea, having been to Korea in four of the past six seasons, per Dorsey. “It’s a different style,” said Radcliff of Korean baseball. “They swing hard and often over there. There’s a transition. … But we think his swing is Americanized, if you will. He has less movement in his body, from head to toe. He will see velocities he hasn’t seen much of before. But we think the transition will be good, if you will. There just aren’t too many situations to compare him to.”

Here’s more on the Twins and their division…

  • The Twins continue to poke around the trade market for left-handed relief help and like Brewers left-hander Will Smith quite a bit, reports 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson in his latest podcast (audio link, with Twins talk firing up around the 37:45 mark). There’s certainly no indication that Milwaukee is looking to move Smith, although as this winter’s Ken Giles trade showed, moving a controllable relief arm can certainly bolster a farm system in a hurry. The Twins have no shortage of minor league talent that could entice the Brewers, though GM Terry Ryan recently spoke about a number of in-house options that intrigue him as lefty options in the bullpen, calling out Taylor Rogers and J.T. Chargois by name.
  • The Indians have shuffled their Latin American Operations department, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. After an “amicable” split between the organization and former Latin American director Ramon Pena, the Indians have promoted Koby Perez to that post and made a series of subsequent promotions. Previously, Pena had overseen all Latin American scouting, player development and operations, but those responsibilities will be spread out among different officials now, Hoynes continues. Hoynes spoke to Cleveland president of baseball operations about the team’s approach in Latin America and how the Indians plan to leverage their player development resources in that sphere.
  • Indians outfielder Michael Brantley has begun taking no-contact swings, writes MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. Brantley, who underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder back in November and was said to have a recovery timeline of five to six months, reported to camp early and will need to progress to hitting off a tee and eventually taking batting practice before he’s ready for in-game action, Bastian writes. Bastian spoke to GM Mike Chernoff and hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo about Brantley’s progress and the possibility of a swifter-than-expected return. “…knowing him and his makeup and how hard he works, and our training staff, how diligent they are, I’m pleased, but I wouldn’t say I’m surprised [by his progress],” said Van Burkleo.
  • Right-hander Michael Fulmer, the key piece received by the Tigers in July’s Yoenis Cespedes trade, is viewed by the organization as a starter but could factor into the team’s bullpen in 2016, writes Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. Justin Verlander, Jordan Zimmermann, Anibal Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey are locks for the rotation, with lefty Daniel Norris favored to land the fifth spot, but manager Brad Ausmus was open to the idea of Fulmer in a relief role this year. “Realistically, if he were to make the club, he would probably be a reliever,” Ausmus told Fenech. “If he were not to make the club, he would probably be a starter. … You have enough time in spring training that even if he’s coming out of the pen right now in big league camp, there will be a point where if you think he’s going to be a starter in Toledo, we can make the switch and get his innings up before the start of the season.”

AL Central Notes: Sano, Indians, Gurriel, Tigers

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On this day in 2005, the Twins signed Johan Santana to a four-year, $39.75MM extension in the wake of the southpaw’s Cy Young Award season.  The deal not only gave the small-market Twins some cost certainty through Santana’s arbitration seasons and his first free agent year, it also proved to be a nice bargain as Santana put up sterling numbers from 2005-07 (including another Cy Young in 2006).  He didn’t finish out that deal in a Twins uniform, however, as Santana was traded to the Mets in February 2008.  Here’s the latest from around the AL Central…

  • The Twins’ signing of Miguel Sano is chronicled by Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, a transaction that the team hopes will not only help the Major League roster if and when Sano becomes a star slugger, but one that also cemented the Twins as players on the international market.  Minnesota encountered several obstacles in its pursuit of Sano, including a lengthy investigation into his age and the team’s willingness to go beyond its international spending comfort zone to land a prospect that seemingly everyone in the Twins organization believed was an elite talent.
  • The Indians have scouted Yulieski and Lourdes Gurriel and will check in on the two Cuban stars, though Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer doesn’t think the Tribe has the money it will take to land either player.  Hoynes also addressed several other Tribe-related topics as part of this mailbag piece.
  • The Tigers like drafting hard-throwing college pitchers, yet as ESPN’s Keith Law tells George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press, nobody who fits that description is likely to be available when the club makes the ninth overall pick in June.  Law suggests that the Tigers could opt for a high school pitcher instead (such as Forrest Whitley or Greg Veliz) or they could possibly go for position player talent instead with Puerto Rican shortstop Delvin Perez.

Central Notes: Brewers, Tigers, Mauer

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Former Brewers GM Doug Melvin says he’s sleeping better in the six months since he ceded the team’s GM job to David Stearns, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy writes. Now a senior advisor, Melvin has continued to work in player development with the Brewers, but he’s also taken more time for himself.  “It’s like the difference between a coach and a manager. When you’re a coach, you have your certain responsibilities. You’re available. But when you’re the manager, you feel responsible to 25 players, plus the coaches and the trainers and everybody,” says Melvin. As a GM, he says, “[you feel a total responsibility. Pro scouting, amateur scouting, international scouting, player development, the Major League team — there’s always something to think about.” Here’s more from the Central divisions.

  • Tigers owner Mike Ilitch is the closest thing the game has to a modern-day George Steinbrenner, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. After adding Justin Upton and Jordan Zimmermann this offseason, the Tigers have four players signed to nine-figure contracts. Of course, the ends of those kinds of contracts can create roster flexibility issues of the sort the Yankees have dealt with in recent years, and Sherman notes that the Tigers already have $122MM committed for the 2018 season for Upton, Zimmermann, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez.
  • Twins star Joe Mauer says lingering concussion symptoms caused him to have blurred vision while hitting the past two seasons, Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press writes. The vision issues were caused by sunlight, Mauer says he will try hitting with sunglasses in an effort to improve his ability to pick up pitches. “If you’re just a little off, you’re fouling off pitches you should be driving into the gap,” says Mauer. “In the big leagues, you don’t get too many more opportunities to see good ones to hit.” Mauer adds that he does not want his concussion issues to be an “excuse” for his performance the last two seasons, in which he’s seen a dramatic decline in offense. (He’s hit .270/348/.376 the last two years, compared to a previous career average of .323/.405/.468.) Mauer is still signed for the next three years at $23MM per season, so he could provide a big long-term boost to the Twins if he were to get back on track.

Central Notes: Singer, Stowe, Twins, Cardinals, Latos

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Many in the baseball world are mourning a pair of losses this week, as MLB.com reporter Tom Singer and revered Reds clubhouse manager Bernie Stowe have, sadly, passed away. MLB.com executive vice president of content Dinn Mann spoke to Pirates ace Gerrit Cole and manager Clint Hurdle about Singer, who covered the Bucs in recent years at MLB.com, as part of a thoughtfully constructed remembrance. Several of Singer’s colleagues, including Lyle Spencer, Tracy Ringolsby, Anthony Castrovince and Adam Berry, shared fond memories of Singer in a video tribute at MLB.com. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, meanwhile, has penned a tribute to Stowe, who worked for the Reds for 67 years, ever since joining the team as a bat boy in 1947. Crasnick’s column depicts how much Stowe meant not only to the Reds organization, but to the countless friends that he accumulated in the media and throughout the league over his remarkable career. MLBTR offers its sincerest condolences to the many friends and loved ones of both Singer and Stowe and asks that our readers keep the pair in their thoughts.

A few notes pertaining to the game’s Central divisions…

  • Twins general manager Terry Ryan recently joined 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson on his weekly podcast and discussed the upcoming season (audio link, with Ryan joining the show around the 13:50 mark). The two covered a number of topics, including the rough season for former top prospect Oswaldo Arcia, who is now entering Spring Training as an out-of-options player. “I was terribly disappointed in the year [Arcia] had, and he knows it,” said Ryan. “He’s got a lot to live up to here. I know he’s been in Fort Myers [home of the Twins’ Spring Training facilities] since the day his season concluded up there in Rochester. But, when you’re not a September recall, with the type of ability he has, there’s something wrong, and we need to fix him.” There doesn’t appear to be a regular role for Arcia with Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano locked into the corner outfield spots and Byung-ho Park standing as the early favorite for DH duties, but Arcia could still land a bench spot alongside John Ryan Murphy, Danny Santana and Eduardo Nunez.
  • Ryan also discussed the team’s lack of moves to add left-handed relief help this offseason, noting that there are a few internal options that excite him. “I’m looking forward to seeing Taylor Rogers, for instance, a left-hander that’s been with us for quite a few years,” said Ryan. “He’s going to get every opportunity to make this team. I’d like to see [J.T.] Chargois, obviously, grow into a guy you can count on. He might have the best assortment of pitches of those young pitchers that you guys read about it.” Ryan also indicated that there’s still the possibility of adding an arm from outside the organization, calling a trade more likely than a free-agent signing.
  • Although Cardinals newcomer Seung-hwan Oh had some difficulties obtaining a work visa in Korea, the right-hander now has his visa in place and is expected to report on-time, if not early, for his first big league Spring Training, writes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Oh, the all-time saves leader in the Korea Baseball Organization, will compete with Seth Maness, Jonathan Broxton and Kevin Siegrist to serve as Trevor Rosenthal’s primary setup man, per Goold.
  • Goold also reports that Matt Holliday has begun taking grounders at first base, though the veteran left fielder insists that the work at first was his own idea and is just being done in an attempt to increase his versatility. “I wanted to challenge myself,” Holliday told Goold. Brandon Moss and Matt Adams are currently the primary first base options for manager Mike Matheny, though having Holliday as an option there would only serve to strengthen the team’s depth.
  • Fangraphs’ August Fagerstrom opines that the White Sox got perhaps the biggest bargain of the offseason in the form of Mat Latos. Fagerstrom lists seven players with worse xFIP marks than Latos posted in 2015 but who averaged a total guarantee of $81MM between them. Of course, Latos comes with notable health and clubhouse concerns, but the White Sox have done well with such assets in the past. Fagerstrom points out that the Sox have an exemplary track record of keeping players healthy and haven’t shied away from adding potentially cantankerous personalities to their roster in the past. Meanwhile, J.J. Stankevitz of CSN Chicago offers a similar take, comparing the 2015 production of Latos to that of Jeff Samardzija, noting the similarities in their numbers but the enormous discrepancies in their contracts.

Sherman’s Latest: Cespedes, Ramirez, Castro, Sano

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Several teams are gambling on successful position changes for core players, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. While it’s not uncommon for a team to sign a player like Jason Heyward and shift him to a new position for a couple seasons, these transitions don’t always go swimmingly. Sherman examines some of the biggest names to watch this season, and we’ll touch upon a few of them here.

  • The Mets were wary about committing to Yoenis Cespedes in part because of his shaky history in center field. As Sherman writes, Cespedes’ top defensive attribute is his arm. However, in center, range tends to be more valuable than arm strength.
  • Last season, the Padres attempted to shift Wil Myers from an outfield corner to center. His experience could serve as a chilling example for Mets fans. When he wasn’t battling injury, Myers graded out as an atrocious center fielder. This season, San Diego plans to shift Myers to first base. It’s yet another position at which he has limited experience. Interestingly, Myers has moved all over the field in his professional career – he started out as a catching prospect, and he also has experience at third base.
  • Another failed outfielder moving to first base, Hanley Ramirez, will be critical to the Red Sox success this season. Ramirez was a disaster in left field, but there is hope he can be more focused and healthier in an infield role. David Ortiz occupies the designated hitter role. He’s expected to retire after the season, meaning Ramirez could be shifted to a bat-only role after 2016.
  • The Yankees are taking a gamble of their own on Starlin Castro. The former Cubs shortstop hit much better after a shift to second base, but his defense still graded out as below average. Unlike Cespedes, Myers, or Ramirez, Castro looked merely below average rather than nightmarish. The Yankees hope that more experience at the position and smoother actions can lead to defensive improvement in 2016.
  • In an attempt to manage their corner infield and designated hitter surplus, the Twins are going to try prospect slugger Miguel Sano in the outfield. Sano, a third baseman by trade, doesn’t have professional experience in the outfield. However, his shift will allow the club to start Sano, Joe Mauer, Byung-ho Park, and Trevor Plouffe. In my opinion, the Twins might have been smarter to move Plouffe into the outfield. He has experience as a utility man and an established bat. Sano will now need to learn a new position while adjusting to major league pitching.

AL Central Notes: White Sox, Uribe, Urshela, Freese, Rosario

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Here’s the latest from around the AL Central…

  • The White Sox and Cubs have both contacted the Rays about their pitching and outfield surplus, CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine reports.  The Cubs’ discussions with the Rays have been well-documented this winter, though the Sox are a new entry among the many teams to touch base with the Rays about their young arms; Levine notes that at least 11 teams have asked Tampa Bay about pitchers.  The White Sox have needs at both corner outfield positions and at the back end of their rotation.  The all-lefty trio of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Carlos Rodon will headline the Pale Hose rotation, while John Danks, Jacob Turner and Erik Johnson are the current competitors for the fourth and fifth starters’ jobs.
  • The White Sox went on a seven-game winning streak from July 23 to July 29 last season, though this hot stretch right in the leadup to the trade deadline didn’t really change the team’s plans, GM Rick Hahn tells MLB.com’s Scott Merkin.  The decision to keep Jeff Samardzija at the deadline, for instance, wasn’t made because of the win streak; “nothing materialized and nothing was done in principal” in terms of a possible Samardzija trade, though the Sox were discussing him with teams.  “Those [talks] don’t necessarily happen July 27, 28, 29 and 30th. Those are going on for several weeks,” Hahn said.
  • The Indians have offered Juan Uribe around $3MM, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports as part of his latest subscription-only column.  Uribe has been linked to the Tribe and a few other teams, though salary will depend on whether or not Uribe is slated for a starting or backup role.  Cleveland seems likely to use Uribe and Giovanny Urshela in a time-share at third, so Uribe wouldn’t get the lion’s share of playing time.
  • Speaking of Urshela, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer looks at the Indians’ incumbent at the hot corner, noting that it’s too soon to write off the 24-year-old as an all-glove, no-bat player.  While Urshela’s minor league numbers aren’t impressive overall, he did post an .825 OPS over 528 PA at Double-A and Triple-A in 2014.  Pluto notes that Urshela battled injuries in 2015 and was probably promoted too quickly.  Urshela’s glove is so impressive that he can be a very useful everyday player if he hits even just a little, though Pluto notes that there are enough questions surrounding Urshela that the Tribe is justified in looking for an upgrade, especially in a season when team plans to contend.
  • The Indians are leaning more towards Uribe than David Freese to address their third base need, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes as part of a reader mailbag.  Freese entered the winter as the best of a fairly thin free agent third base market but there’s been very little news about him this winter, aside from some talks with the Angels before they acquired Yunel Escobar.
  • Randy Rosario was something of a surprising addition to the Twins’ 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft, but as Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes, the Twins are impressed by the young left-hander’s promise.  Rosario, 21, missed much of 2014 recovering from Tommy John surgery before returning to pitch 53 2/3 innings in A-ball last season.  The Dominican Republic product signed an $85K contract with the Twins in 2010.

Twins To Sign Carlos Quentin To Minors Deal

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The Twins have agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Carlos Quentin, according to Jon Heyman (Twitter links). He’ll receive an invitation to MLB camp, per Heyman, and would earn $750K if he makes the MLB roster, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets. Quentin also picks up a June 1 opt-out opportunity if he hasn’t been added to the roster, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter).

It had appeared that the veteran was headed toward retirement, though more recent indications were that he would pursue a return to the majors. His representatives have suggested he could factor in at first base or DH in addition to his usual corner outfield role.

Quentin, 33, was released last winter after he was shipped from the Padres to the Braves as part of the contract balancing equation in the (first) Craig Kimbrel trade. He caught on with the Mariners on a minor league deal, but appeared only briefly at Triple-A Tacoma before calling off his attempt to work back.

We last saw Quentin in the majors in 2014, when he scuffled to a .177/.284/.315 batting line while dealing with a steady progression of injuries. Of course, he’s done much more previously. Over the 2009 through 2013 campaigns, Quentin posted a strong .252/.346/.485 slash. While he’s never rated well as a defender, that robust production shows that the bat has never been much of an issue.

Minnesota certainly has little to lose by giving Quentin a shot at a return, but it’s not immediately clear how he’d fit in the club’s plans. The organization made a fairly significant investment in Byung-ho Park, who also profiles as a defensively-limited, right-handed slugger. And the club seemingly has the corner outfield covered with Miguel Sano (who’ll convert from third base), Eddie Rosario, prospect Max Kepler, and the still-youthful Oswaldo Arcia. First base remains occupied by Joe Mauer, with Park factoring as a part-time stand-in.

There’s always the possibility that Quentin could squeeze onto the roster as a veteran bench piece. But players such as Eduardo Nunez and Danny Santana look to be favorites to grab 25-man spots, given their youth and defensive flexibility for a club that has some questions in center and at short. Both Nunez and Santana are out of options, as is the left-handed-hitting Arcia, who may be facing his final shot in Minnesota.

For what it’s worth, though he hits from the right side, Quentin has actually been somewhat better against opposing righties over his career. If nothing else, he’ll provide a veteran option and some competition for the less-established players currently on hand.

Central Notes: Alvarez, Uribe, Brewers

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Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News takes an interesting look back at what was perhaps the first modern deployment of the opt-out clause. Then-Twins GM Andy MacPhail utilized a player option to lure top starter Jack Morris to the organization. “I thought, what’s the worst thing that can happen?” says the current Phillies president. “I was already committed to giving him $9 million over three years. He could pitch great and leave or he could like it and stay the whole time. Either scenario, I would’ve taken. Nor did I get any criticism at the time.” Things couldn’t have worked out much better, as it turns out, as Morris helped lead Minnesota to a World Series before departing. If you’re interested in some more reading on the history and development of the now-pervasive opt-out, check out this piece from MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes.

Here are some notes from the game’s central divisions:

  • Former Pirates corner infielder Pedro Alvarez is more than just a DH, his agent Scott Boras tells MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (audio link). Alvarez still has the skills and athleticism that got him to the hot corner in Pittsburgh in the first place, says Boras, who rejects the idea that he’s a bat-only player “based upon a short sample size or a moment in his career where he’s had an irregularity in throwing.”
  • The Indians are still pursuing free agent third baseman Juan Uribe, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. We’ve heard consistent chatter on that connection for quite some time, but it still isn’t clear whether Cleveland will (or will need to) push up its offer to get something done. There have also been suggestions that the club may be prepared to wait to see who’s left without a seat when the music stops this winter.
  • The Brewers have paid a lot of attention to center field this winter, Tom Haudricourt writes for Baseball America. In the immediate term, the organization will hold “an open competition,” per GM David Stearns, with veterans Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Eric Young Jr. looking to hold off youngsters Domingo Santana and Keon Broxton. Of course, Santana is seen more as a corner outfielder in the long run, but the club will presumably dedicate most of its playing time there to Ryan Braun and Khris Davis. As for Broxton, Stearns had praise for him as a near-term and future option. “He gives us increased depth in the outfield and has a chance to play center field,” he said. “We think Keon has a chance to be a real asset to our team, beginning this year.”
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