Aroldis Chapman Not Likely To Be Banned From Spring Training
TODAY: Chapman’s suspension isn’t expected to include Spring Training games, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.
SATURDAY: Yesterday, we heard from Commissioner Rob Mandred on possible upcoming action against Jose Reyes, Aroldis Chapman, and Yasiel Puig for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. While suspensions are expected, penalties can come in other forms too. Although criminal charges were not brought against Chapman, he may soon be banned from this season’s Spring Training, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Manfred has broad powers with regard to suspensions related to the new domestic violence policy. However, a spring ban is only one rumored application of those powers, reports Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News. In fact, it remains unclear if Chapman will be disciplined at all, although many outside observers expect the league to take a hard stance against alleged domestic violence. The NFL has suffered a series of public relations debacles from mishandling similar events. Major League Baseball is probably keen to distance themselves from the snafus of America’s other pastime.
Chapman has said he will immediately appeal any disciplinary measures. If those do include a spring ban, he’ll be allowed to continue participating in team events until the appeal is processed.
Yankees Sign Chris Parmelee To Minor League Deal
FEB. 22: GM Brian Cashman told reporters, including the YES Network’s Jack Curry, that Parmelee has been signed to a minor league deal (Twitter link). He’ll be in big league camp, tweets MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.
FEB. 21: The Yankees have apparently reached an agreement with Chris Parmelee, as per his own Instagram page. As a left-handed hitting first baseman/outfielder, Parmelee will essentially fill the spot left on the Yankees’ depth chart once Greg Bird was lost for the season after shoulder surgery.
Parmelee, who turns 28 on Wednesday, opted to become a free agent following a season that saw him hit only .216/.255/.433 over 102 plate appearances with the Orioles but a much more impressive .314/.386/.444 slash line in 272 PA at Triple-A Norfolk. Parmelee has a modest .707 OPS over 1003 Major League PA with virtually the same splits against right-handed pitching as he does against lefties.
The rumor mill has been pretty quiet for Parmelee this winter, though he was mentioned as a speculative fill for New York in the wake of Bird’s injury. Parmelee has seen most of his MLB action at first and right field, so he’ll serve as a depth option behind Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran at those respective positions (possibly from Triple-A to begin the year). Parmelee has a good chance at playing time given how those two veterans, particularly Teixeira, have battled injuries in recent years, and he could also be in for a power boost given Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch.
AL East Notes: Hunter, Chapman, Rays, Ramirez
The Yankees have, rather notably, failed to sign a single free agent to a major league contract this winter. But that doesn’t mean the team hasn’t tried. In fact, the team had a two-year deal for between $11.5MM and $12MM in place with righty Tommy Hunter, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. But an unidentified issue cropped up in his physical, leading the club to blow up the deal (the timing of which is unclear). Hunter ultimately received just $2MM in guaranteed money from the Indians, of course, though that perhaps also reflected the fact that he needed core muscle surgery in early January and will miss the start of the season.
Here’s more from New York and the rest of the AL East:
- The Yankees‘ opportunistic acquisition of Aroldis Chapman, in the midst of a still-ongoing investigation into domestic violence allegations, raises some hard and uncomfortable questions for the organization, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports writes. Meanwhile, New York is still waiting to learn what kind of punishment may be doled out, Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News reports. Indeed, the club is not even sure when it will be informed of a decision. Chapman himself says that he has been interviewed by the league and would appeal any suspension, Passan tweets.
- Rays president of baseball operations Mathew Silverman indicated that he’s not ruling out trade activity this spring, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Silverman explains that the “transaction window is open longer” now than in the past, with other organizations seeming to show an increased willingness to strike deals during camp.
- While the Red Sox are optimistic that Hanley Ramirez can be a productive contributor at first base, writes ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, the club has ways to fill in if the experiment fails. Of course, as Olney notes, there’s plenty of time for assessment before any tough choices are made.
Quick Hits: Braves, Tanaka, Molina, Chatwood
There’s a difference between rebuilding and tanking, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal writes. Teams like the Braves, Brewers and Phillies have already made great strides in restocking their minor league systems after only relatively recently starting the rebuild process, and it could be argued that the way baseball’s system is currently set up, a smaller-market team like Milwaukee really has no option but to tear things down in order to amass the young talent it needs to eventually compete again. Rosenthal also notes that some of the recent criticism of tanking may be less fueled by the spirit of competition than it is by big-market teams upset that their revenue-sharing contributions aren’t being reinvested in the on-field product by the smaller-market teams getting those funds. Here’s some news from around baseball as we head into a new week….
- Even without Andrelton Simmons, the Braves are building an enviable amount of middle infield depth, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies highlight the prospects already within the system, and O’Brien notes that the Braves may also wind up with infielders Kevin Maitan and Yunior Severino in the next July 2 international signing period. That’s not even counting the current incumbents at short and second, Erick Aybar and Jace Peterson. If Swanson progresses as well as Atlanta hopes, he could make his MLB debut late in the season and Aybar could then become a trade chip.
- Masahiro Tanaka reported no issues following a 20-pitch bullpen session on Saturday, Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild told reporters (including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch). This was Tanaka’s first time throwing off a mound since he had a bone spur removed from his elbow in October. Tanaka said last week that he couldn’t guarantee he’d be ready for Opening Day; while the procedure wasn’t a major one, the Yankees are obviously taking it easy with Tanaka given his history of arm problems.
- In an interview on KMOX Radio (hat tip to the Associated Press), Cardinals GM John Mozeliak said catcher Yadier Molina had the cast removed from his surgically-repaired left thumb. It will be at least a couple of weeks before Molina and the team can guess if he’ll be ready for Opening Day, though “right now all arrows point positively,” Mozeliak said.
- The odds are against a pitcher returning from a second Tommy John surgery, yet Rockies right-hander Tyler Chatwood is eager to return to action, The Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders writes. Chatwood hasn’t pitched since April 29, 2014 but Colorado is hoping he can become an important member of the rotation.
- There’s no formula for deciding when to promote a top prospect, as ESPN’s Jim Bowden lists the many factors (beyond, obviously, just talent) that teams weigh when deciding to elevate one of their best minor leaguers.
New York Notes: ARod, Tex, Alderson, Wright
In a list of 20 rookies to watch this season, Mets pitcher Steven Matz ranked fifth, writes Richard Justice of MLB.com. Matz is set to spend the season in the rotation, although the club has talked about having a sixth starter help to keep the young pitchers fresh. Across town, outfield prospect Aaron Judge is eighth on Justice’s list. He expects injuries to old vets to open an opportunity. Personally, I’m not entirely convinced Judge is major league ready after he hit .224/.308/.373 in 228 Triple-A plate appearances. The club has decent outfield depth too.
- Speaking of potential Yankees injuries, fragility may define the 2016 Bombers, writes George A. King III of the NY Post. The rotation looks solid but thin. Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia, and even Nathan Eovaldi have all had their run-ins with the trainer. Luis Severino is young and therefore uncertain (pitching is always uncertain). Among the position players, Greg Bird is already out for the year. Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Teixeira are all safe bets to need some time on the shelf.
- Rodriguez and Teixeira may be key players in 2016, suggests Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. Their ability to once again tap into the fountain of youth is one of Feinsand’s five questions for the 2016 campaign. He also wonders if Aroldis Chapman will face suspension, if Sabathia’s new knee brace can help him rebound, and if the rest of the rotation can stay healthy.
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson continues to undergo chemotherapy for an undisclosed cancer, writes Adam Rubin of ESPN. He received the diagnosis shortly after the club clinched the NL East last season, giving the playoffs a bittersweet tinge. It has not affected his job.
- Alderson figures David Wright should play a maximum of 130 games next season, writes Rubin. The club is keen to avoid overtaxing his back. He’ll rest against tough right-handed pitchers with Wilmer Flores likely to enter the lineup.
- Alderson also answered a wide range of questions for Steve Serby of the NY Post. He touched upon his illness, virtually every position on the roster, and the farm system. When asked about the starting rotation, Alderson said, “you go that deep into the playoffs, there’s gonna be kind of a surcharge on their innings. So we’re gonna be careful with them. It doesn’t mean that we’re gonna manage their innings necessarily.“
Yankees Avoid Arbitration With Aroldis Chapman
The Yankees have avoided arbitration with recently-acquired lefty Aroldis Chapman by agreeing to a one-year, $11.325MM deal, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
That figure comes in $275K above the midpoint between the two sides’ filing numbers of $13.1MM and $9MM. It does fall a fair sight shy of the $12.9MM payday projected by MLBTR coming into the winter.
Chapman, of course, came to the Yankees at a discounted price after it was revealed that he was allegedly involved in a serious domestic disturbance. While charges will not be filed against him, there is still a possibility of league discipline relating to the matter.
The Yankees will obviously hope that the investigation does not reveal cause for a lengthy suspension, with intentions of utilizing Chapman alongside fellow late-inning aces Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances in what could be the most fearsome trio of relievers ever seen in one pen. Anything close to a typical season from the dominating lefty would not only make the trade an easy win (from an on-field perspective, at least), but would set up New York to recoup a draft pick by making him a qualifying offer.
Last year may not quite have been Chapman’s very best overall campaign, but it probably cemented his status as the league’s best reliever regardless. He ended with a 1.63 ERA on the back of a ridiculous 15.7 K/9 strikeout rate. He did permit 4.5 free passes per regulation game, and doesn’t generate many grounders, but that hardly detracts from his near-invincible aura. Indeed, Chapman has struck out nearly half of the hitters he’s faced over the past two seasons and continues to work in the 99 to 100 mph range with his average fastball.
Minor MLB Transactions: 2/11/16
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- The Yankees announced that outfielder Lane Adams has cleared outright waivers and been assigned to Triple-A. He had been designated for assignment recently as New York looked to work the waiver wire to stash assets in the upper minors without clogging up the 40-man. The team has apparently accomplished just that, adding to its outfield depth. Adams, 26, had a tough go in his first run at Triple-A last year, but had performed well earlier in 2015 to earn the promotion. All told, he ended the year with a .281/.347/.445 slash to go with 16 long balls and 31 stolen bases.
AL East Notes: Rays Pen, O’s, Gallardo, Fowler, Chapman
The Rays are in “advanced talks” with free agent righty Tommy Hunter, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. But Topkin cautions that Hunter is still also holding chats with other teams, possibly in search of a multi-year guarantee, suggesting that a signing with Tampa Bay is not imminent. And ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick notes that Hunter is still rehabbing after needing core muscle surgery this winter (Twitter links). The club is working on other possibilities as it looks to beef up a pen that has lost some options to trade. Ryan Webb is also under consideration, per the report, and the Rays have looked elsewhere as well — both on the free agent and trade markets.
Here’s more from the AL East:
- Orioles executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette discussed his team’s remaining free agent efforts today with Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. While declining to discuss reported target Yovani Gallardo directly, Duquette did shed some light on that pursuit in acknowledging his efforts to “bolster” the staff. He talked about the difficulty of parting with a draft pick, and spoke quite disparagingly of the idea of giving an opt-out clause to a player, saying that he doesn’t “see any advantage to the club with that type of relationship.” That appears to be a key factor in the talks between team and player.
- Duquette also touched upon the potential for an outfield addition, calling that “possible” while saying that he thinks the team has “enough outfield depth.” Duquette did note the interest in adding a quality on-base threat to the top of the lineup, which would seem to make Dexter Fowler an appealing match. Reports earlier today connected Baltimore to veteran free agent.
- Giving up two top-thirty draft picks to sign Gallardo and Fowler appears to be a possible outcome at this point for the Orioles, though there are still plenty of other scenarios as well. Dave Cameron of Fangraphs recently broke down the argument for signing both players, presumably at reduced guarantees, thereby reducing the average draft pick cost. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports takes a look, too, crediting the organization for being willing to spend but suggesting that it needs to find a way to replace the lost draft picks (and prospects sent out via trade) in some other way — most likely by ramping up international spending.
- The Yankees and recently-acquired reliever Aroldis Chapman are set for a hearing on February 19, Jon Heyman reports on Twitter. There’s more than $4MM separating the sides’ filing numbers, so obviously both sides have ample incentive (and time) to work out a compromise. If not, it would make for an interesting case, albeit perhaps a sub-optimal way for their relationship to begin.
AL East Notes: Yankees, Dickerson, Loney, Orioles
The Yankees have done all of their offseason shopping on the trade market, and John Harper of the New York Daily News spoke to GM Brian Cashman, getting insight into each deal. Cashman said Aaron Hicks was identified early as a target due to age, athleticism and abilities versus left-handed pitching. The trade would’ve been difficult were it not for a “monster” year from Gary Sanchez. “We valued [John Ryan] Murphy highly but we knew it would take a lot to get Hicks,” said Cashman. “If Sanchez hadn’t had the year he had, we might not have been as willing to make that trade.” Cashman said that the Cubs initially asked about Brett Gardner when discussing Starlin Castro, but those overtures were rebuffed. He was also reluctant to give up right-hander Adam Warren, and the Cubs requested him for a month before Cashman caved. On the Aroldis Chapman front, Cashman said the Yankees never got close to acquiring him in July but circled back later this winter. The situation was difficult, considering Chapman’s domestic violence allegations, which Cashman said he discussed multiple times with ownership. He refutes the belief that he didn’t part with much to get Chapman, offering praise for Rookie Davis and stating that knee surgery is the only reason Eric Jagielo isn’t ranked among their top 10 prospects. Cashman also discussed the team’s stance on Andrew Miller earlier in the offseason and offered more quotes than we’ll get to in this brief recap. The entire piece is well worth a full read.
Here’s more from the AL East…
- Dave Cameron of Fangraphs believes that the Yankees are perhaps the most underrated team in Major League Baseball right now due to the extensive focus on their lack of free-agent expenditures. While New York isn’t likely to repeat its offensive success, Cameron notes that the strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates from the team’s pitching staff yielded an xFIP mark that dramatically outperformed the club’s ERA, and historically speaking, there’s reason to believe that the ERA will catch up with the peripherals next season, to some extent. Starlin Castro represents an upgrade at second base, and the Yankees have the game’s best bullpen, Cameron adds, so even with some offensive regression and questions in the rotation, there’s reason to believe they can match or exceed last season’s 87 wins.
- Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times spoke to Rays manager Kevin Cash as well as third baseman Evan Longoria about the addition of Corey Dickerson to the club’s lineup, and both had positive things to say. Cash spoke about how Dickerson will help to lengthen their lineup, and as Topkin notes, Dickerson is one of several offseason additions that will give Cash a better slate from which to choose when playing matchups. (The Rays have also added Brad Miller, Steve Pearce and Logan Morrison.) Notably, Topkin points out that the addition of Dickerson only further underscores the need to move James Loney and his $8MM salary, which would free first base for Pearce and Morrison and create more DH at-bats for Dickerson.
- The much-expected addition of Yovani Gallardo to the Orioles‘ rotation, if completed, would cause a crunch in the bullpen, observes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The Orioles have Zach Britton, Darren O’Day, Brian Matusz, Brad Brach, Mychal Givens and Dylan Bundy as “locks” to break camp in the ‘pen, he writes, but adding Gallardo to the starting five would mean that both Vance Worley and T.J. McFarland would be competing for a spot in the bullpen. Without one spot remaining, one of the two would indeed seem to be left on the outside looking in, barring an injury of course.
- Regarding Gallardo, MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli tweets that the ball is in the Orioles‘ court at this point, adding that both parties seem to be optimistic about a deal being completed. Gallardo is reportedly said to be discussing a three-year deal, possibly one that includes an opt-out clause, with the Orioles.
Ike Davis Likely To Sign Minors Pact Soon; Yankees In Mix
First baseman Ike Davis is on track to find a new destination in short order, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports on Twittter. It’s expected that he’ll have to settle for a minor league deal, per the report.
The Yankees are among the teams in the mix for Davis, who’ll turn 29 before the coming season. New York recently lost one left-handed bench bat option in Greg Bird, and Davis could fill a similar niche for the coming season if the club decides to carry such a player as a complement to Mark Teixeira at first and Alex Rodriguez in the DH role.
It isn’t clear what other organizations may have interest, though it’s possible to imagine the Brewers, Astros, Orioles, Rockies, and Rays giving some consideration to a player like Davis for depth, flexibility, and competition. It’s been a quiet winter for Davis, who was non-tendered at offseason’s outset by the Athletics after projecting to command a $3.8MM payday in his final season of arbitration eligibility.
Davis disappointed in his only season in Oakland, putting up a .229/.301/.350 slash with just three home runs in 239 plate appearances. He had at least produced at a slightly above-average rate in his prior year, most of which was spent with the Pirates, and has always been seen as an intriguing talent.
After all, in his age-23 through 25 campaigns — back when he was viewed as a potential long-term piece for the Mets — Davis ran up a .252/.336/.461 batting line and contributed 58 home runs over 1,334 plate appearances. It may be wishful thinking to hope for a return to that level of production, but he’s still fairly youthful and looks to be a worthwhile risk on a minors deal.