Jason Varitek Tests Positive For COVID-19
Jason Varitek‘s wife revealed on Twitter today that the former catcher tested positive for COVID-19, writes Christopher Smith of Masslive.com.
Varitek is preparing for his first season as a full-time coach on Alex Cora‘s robust coaching staff in Boston. Varitek will be the Game Planning Coordinator, presumably drawing on experience from his playing days as a game-managing backstop for the Red Sox. The role figures to be an extension of his previous responsibilities as a special assistant and catching coach, a position he’s held since 2012. He’s been a member of the Boston organization since July 31, 1997 when he arrived with Derek Lowe as part of a deadline deal with the Mariners.
Varitek, of course, is a legend in Boston for his role on the 2004 and 2007 World Series winners. He served as a regular catcher with the Red Sox from 1998 until 2011, finishing his playing career with a .256/.341/.435 line across 1,546 games amassing 5,839 plate appearances. He made three All-Star teams and totaled 24.2 bWAR.
MLB Payrolls Dropped A Collective $2.47 Billion In 2020
Per the latest report from Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, payrolls across MLB fell from $4.22 billion in 2019 to $1.75 billion during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The Dodgers’ $98.6MM payroll, Blum notes, clocked in as the highest mark among the game’s 30 teams. The Yankees finished second with a payroll of $86.3MM.
Of course, the 60-game season meant prorating pay, dropping player salaries by approximately 63% from the full-scale amount. The totals given here mark a roughly 59% year-over-year decrease, suggesting payrolls would have increased had there been a full season. 2018 brought the first year-over-year decrease in payroll since 2010, as Blum reported at the time.
One complicating factor was a rise in buyout options. As Blum writes, “Buyouts of unexercised 2021 options came to $58.2 million, more than double the $26.9 million for buyouts of unexercised 2020 options, a sign of expense-cutting amid the revenue loss.” That’s not a surprise, given the sudden change in expected revenues without fans present, but it is noteworthy.
Parsing owners’ financial positions after this season’s revenue losses will continue to be a topic of discussion as free agency moves forward at its glacial pace. Without transparency from owners, the exact losses are difficult to ascertain. These numbers – presuming their accuracy – do serve as a significant data point, however.
The question of finances has been and will continue to be one of the sticking points between MLB and the MLBPA as the two sides near the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement. Transparency has been at the center of the debate, as owners have resisted the call from players to make their finances public. The Braves, as a publicly traded company, are the only team whose finances are made public in the form of quarterly reports, as Fangraphs’ Craig Edwards reviewed in early December. Of course, only so much can be gleaned from a single team’s financial numbers.
Quick Hits: Rule Changes, Angels, McCann
During a Zoom call with reporters, Rockies manager Bud Black suggested the possibility of teams losing their DH upon pulling their starting pitcher from the game, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The rule change’s purpose would be to deter the use of openers, while keeping some National League strategy in the game in the event that MLB decides to keep the universal DH. That said, Black’s idea could be considered even more outside-the-box than the opener itself, and it doesn’t seem likely to gain much traction. Besides, opener deterrence isn’t necessarily all that high up on the league’s to-do list. Limiting shifts, however, does appear to be gaining in popularity, notes Topkin. Forcing teams to keep two players on each side of the second base bag and keeping infielders on the infield dirt are two ways in which the league could decide to stymie current shifting strategies. Elsewhere…
- The Angels and catcher James McCann did indeed have mutual interest before the Mets inked their backstop of choice to a four-year deal, per MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger (via Twitter). The Angels have been one of the more aggressive teams so far this winter. With many holes to fill, it’s no surprise that they would check in on a cheaper catching option than superstar free agent J.T. Realmuto.
- A few catchers have come off the board already, increasing the likelihood that the Angels enter 2021 with Max Stassi and Anthony Bemboom as their catching tandem. That would be fine as far as manager Joe Maddon is concerned, notes Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times. The veteran Stassi would figure to get the first crack at starter reps after slashing .278/.352/.533 across 105 plate appearances last season. Bemboom had a fine showing in 2020, though the 30-year-old has never received more than 60 plate appearances in a season. The Angels are said to be at least exploring bringing in veteran Kurt Suzuki, who is just a year removed from helming a World-Series-winning staff in Washington.
Joe Maddon Discusses Adell, Ohtani
Jo Adell made his Major League debut to mixed results in 2020. The toolsy outfielder still has a bright future in Los Angeles despite an opening salvo of .220/.294/.266 across 132 plate appearances. His output last season can be taken with a grain of salt, however. If not for the bizarre circumstances of 2020, the 21-year-old likely would have spent the season in Triple-A.
Apparently, that’s where he’ll return at least for the beginning of 2021, per Maria Torres of the Los Angels Times. Manager Joe Maddon didn’t leave a lot of room for interpretation: “He needs more time in the minor leagues, no question.” Adell turns 22 years old in April, so more time in the minors hardly counts as a setback for the former first-rounder.
Still, the news might challenge some assumptions about the makeup of the Angels roster heading into 2021. With Adell ticketed for the minors, new GM Perry Minasian will no doubt explore free agent outfielders as a short-term stopgap.
Mike Trout and Justin Upton have hammerlocks on center and left. Taylor Ward and Jared Walsh are the only other outfielders on the roster. Both Ward and Walsh are 27 years old, and while they aren’t exactly top prospects, both raked with the Salt Lake Bees in 2019. Walsh stayed hot into the 2020 season, slashing .293/.324/.646 in 108 plate appearances. They both boast some power potential, but if the Angels anticipate Adell spending a healthy chunk of 2021 in Triple-A, they may want insurance beyond that pair.
David Fletcher has spent a fair amount of time in the outfield grass, but he’s presently slated for every-down reps at second base. Still, Fletcher’s presence gives the club some flexibility when looking to build out the roster for 2021. Prospects Jahmai Jones and Brandon Marsh could also theoretically enter the outfield picture while Adell gets more seasoning time in Triple-A.
As ever, don’t expect Shohei Ohtani to roam the grass. Maddon fully expects Ohtani to return to the rotation, and any other playing time is likely to come at designated hitter. Though Ohtani no doubt has the capability of playing the outfield, the Angels have long tabled that possibility.
Ryan Zimmerman Intends To Play In 2021
The 2020 season was the first in Nationals’ team history without Ryan Zimmerman on the roster. After opting out in 2020, Zimmerman intends to return to the diamond in 2021, per Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post (via Twitter).
There’s no timetable for when Zimmerman might sit down with the Nats, but it’s safe to assume he’s not looking to relocate. Mr. Nat has indicated at every turn that he expects the Nationals to be his only professional franchise, and the love-fest has been a two-way street.
The Nationals happen to have a need at first and the ability to platoon Zimmerman. Manager Davey Martinez is used to protecting his veterans and piecing together the timeshare at first, as he’s done for the last couple of seasons. Howie Kendrick, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Eric Thames split time at first in Zim’s absence. All three are now free agents. Jake Noll currently sits atop the depth chart, but it’s safe to assume the 26-year-old with 30 career plate appearances isn’t likely to remain there through opening day.
The Nats have been linked to a number of top free agents, while GM Mike Rizzo noted their flexibility in seeking upgrades. Essentially, the Nats have room for improvement at both infield corners as well as whichever outfield corner Juan Soto doesn’t make camp in. If they were to make a run at J.T. Realmuto, few would be surprised, though Rizzo has said they are comfortable letting Yan Gomes crouch behind the plate for 90 to 100 games in 2021.
Regardless, Zimmerman’s clear intention to return ought to lend some clarity to Rizzo. He had signed for $2MM prior to opting out of 2020, and that’s a reasonable number to project for this season as well. He was tagged with a persistent case of plantar fasciitis in 2019, though he returned to slug a couple of big postseason home runs, as well as, appropriately, the first ever World Series long ball in franchise history.
Facing a fair amount of turnover from their title team in 2019, the Nats will appreciate Zimmerman’s stabilizing presence in the locker room. He’s not, however, likely to soak up much playing time. The 36-year-old has appeared in 100 games just twice over the last seven seasons, averaging 92 games and 364 plate appearances over that span. With a .263/.323/.470 line since 2014, he’s been a 107 wRC+ bat without any positional flexibility. Despite his limited utility, the team has shown a tremendous amount of faith in their longest-tenured player.
Beane, Forst, Owens Expected To Return To A’s Front Office In 2021
Amidst much speculation about the future of the Athletics’ front office, the team’s chief baseball officials (executive VP of baseball operations Billy Beane, GM David Forst, and assistant GM Billy Owens) are expected to continue working in Oakland for the 2021 season, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. In addition to Slusser’s sources, A’s manager Bob Melvin intimated during a recent discussion with Slusser and other reporters that the team’s front office trio would be returning: “It looked like at the beginning of the offseason that there might be several in that group not here. At this point, it looks like everyone will be back.”
The key factor seems to be that the proposed merger between RedBall Acquisition Corp (Beane is RedBall’s co-chair) and Fenway Sports Group LLC (the parent company of the Red Sox) doesn’t appear to be on track to get league approval before the end of the year. Had a deal gone through, Beane would have left the A’s due to the obvious conflict of interest. It isn’t clear when the commissioner’s office could weigh in on the merge, though as Slusser puts it, “Beane is likely to remain at the A’s helm through 2021.”
Had Beane left the team, Forst was seen as the logical candidate to take over the baseball operations department, with Owens the favorite to move up the ladder and become general manager. That said, both Forst and Owens received interest from the Mets and Angels for their front office vacancies, with Owens interviewing for both general manager openings. It doesn’t appear as if Forst even spoke with either team, as reports indicate he enjoys his job in Oakland.
Changes could still be coming to the A’s depending on Beane’s future business dealings, but for now, the Athletics will continue their rather remarkable front office stability. Beane has been with the team for over 30 years and atop the front office pyramid since October 1997, Forst has been with the organization since 2000, and Owens spent five seasons as a minor league hitting coach before moving into front office work in 2003.
Minor MLB Transactions: 12/19/20
The latest minor league moves from around baseball…
- The Phillies have signed right-hander Neftali Feliz to a minor league contract, according to reporter Silfredo Melo (hat tip to Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101). The deal contains an invitation to Philadelphia’s big league Spring Training camp. A veteran of nine MLB seasons and the winner of the 2010 Rookie Of The Year Award, Feliz hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2017, as he spent 2018 with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A team and a minors deal with the Mariners in April 2019 didn’t materialize into any playing time in Seattle’s farm system. Multiple injuries hampered Feliz’s very promising career, but there’s no risk for the bullpen-needy Phillies in seeing if Feliz (who is still only 32) has anything left in the tank. This is the second time that Phils president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has acquired Feliz — the righty is one of Dombrowski’s first signings in Philadelphia and he was one of the executive’s last signings in Detroit, as the Tigers signed Feliz less than a month before Dombrowski and the club parted ways in August 2015.
Mariners Assistant GM Joe Bohringer Resigns
Joe Bohringer has resigned his position as the Mariners’ assistant general manager in order to retire from baseball, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). Bohringer will remain with the team until the end of the year “to help guide in the transition” to a new hire.
Bohringer was promoted the AGM job prior to the 2019 season, following three-plus years as special assistant to general manager Jerry Dipoto. Though Bohringer is only 50 years old, he has spent 31 seasons in pro baseball, dating back to his beginnings as an intern with the Pirates and Yankees front office while still a student at MIT. Bohringer’s resume includes front office and scouting positions with the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Cubs, and a prior stint with the Mariners as an area scouting supervisor from 2002-06 before returning to Seattle in 2015.
NL East Notes: Scherzer, Dombrowski, Realmuto, Braves
While Nationals ace Max Scherzer is taking a “year by year” approach as he nears his 14th Major League season, Scherzer isn’t eyeing retirement any time soon. “I still love everything it takes to go out there and pitch at a high level. Still love pitching as much as I ever have. I don’t feel like I’m slowing down whatsoever and I want to continue to have as long a career as possible,” Scherzer tells NBC Sports Washington’s Todd Dybas.
Whether Scherzer’s baseball future is in the District or elsewhere has yet to be determined, as Scherzer is entering the final year of his contract. Nationals GM Mike Rizzo recently stated that there hadn’t yet been any extension talks with the right-hander, and Scherzer also said he hasn’t heard anything about negotiations. Obviously, there’s plenty of time before the season for the two sides to discuss continuing what has thus far been an incredibly successful relationship, though Scherzer still sees 2021 as more unfinished business. “I still have another year left to really try and execute this contract,” Scherzer said. “That’s just kind of how I try to work. I’m not going to sit here and try to reflect upon six years when I’ve still got a year left.”
More from around the NL East…
- The Phillies‘ hiring of Dave Dombrowski as their new president of baseball operations caught many around in the sport by surprise, including Dombrowski himself on some level. As Jayson Stark of The Athletic (subscription required) writes in his chronicle of Philadelphia’s front office search, “In a little more than 30 hours, Dave Dombrowski had gone from ‘sorry’ to ‘when do I start?’ And he’d never seen it coming.” Stark’s piece details the many ins and outs of the Phillies’ search, which a close but ultimately fruitless courtship of Twins GM Thad Levine, and Dombrowski himself twice rejecting the team’s overtures to focus on his position as part of a group attempting to bring an MLB franchise to Nashville. After Dombrowski learned that MLB was unlikely to either expand or relocate a team any time soon, he gave renewed consideration to the Phillies’ pitch and a deal came together quite quickly.
- On paper, “the match seemed perfect” between J.T. Realmuto and the Mets to line up on a free agent deal, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal writes. However, “the Mets wanted to move more quickly than Realmuto,” so New York pivoted away from Realmuto to sign the next-best catcher on the market in James McCann. Time will tell if either side might have erred, whether it was the Mets by being too aggressive or Realmuto by not being aggressive enough.
- The Braves officially announced their 2021 coaching staff, including the additions of Bobby Magallanes as a second assistant hitting coach and the hiring of Drew French as the new bullpen coach. Magallanes has been with Atlanta’s organization for the last two seasons, first working as a hitting coach at the Triple-A level in 2019 and then as an assistant hitting instructor in 2020, which already included a lot of work with the MLB roster. French has spent the past five seasons with the Astros, working in such roles as Triple-A pitching coach in 2019 and instructing at Houston’s alternate training site last season.
Tigers Prospect Alex Faedo To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Tigers right-hander Alex Faedo will undergo UCL surgery later this month, as per a statement released by the team. As per the usual timeline for Tommy John procedures, Faedo will miss the entire 2021 season but should be ready by Opening Day 2022.
Faedo has a 3.96 ERA, 4.07 K/BB rate, and 9.3 K/9 over 236 1/3 innings in Detroit’s farm system, moving from high-A ball to Double-A in 2018 and then spending all of 2019 with Double-A Erie. Any thought that Faedo could skip Triple-A and make his Major League debut in 2020 was first hampered when a positive COVID-19 diagnosis kept him out of Summer Camp, and then Faedo was shut down due to a forearm strain in August.
The 18th overall pick of the 2017 draft, Faedo drew some top-60 prospect attention in analyst rankings but his first pro season somewhat lowered his stock. MLB Pipeline’s scouting report explains that Faedo had a drop in fastball velocity and his slider (arguably his best pitch) lost effectiveness, though both pitches looked better during the 2019 season.
Both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America ranked Faedo as the tenth-best prospect in a pitching-heavy Tigers farm system. The development of such young arms as Matt Manning, Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Joey Wentz, and Faedo has been a key element of Detroit’s rebuilding process, and Mize and Skubal both made their MLB debuts this past season. Given Faedo’s diagnosis, there is bound to be renewed concern over Manning, who was also shut down with a forearm strain over the summer. At last word back in October, however, Manning had recovered.