Orioles Notes: Anderson, Mancini, Hays
Brady Anderson, who formerly served as the Orioles’ vice president of baseball operations, is “stepping aside” and leaving the organization, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports (via Twitter). Anderson, Gary Rajsich and Brian Graham were entrusted with interim oversight of the baseball operations department in Baltimore following the dismissal of GM Dan Duquette last winter, and less than a year later, the entire trio is gone from the organization. Rajsich’s contract wasn’t renewed for the 2019 season, while Graham was fired not long after new GM Mike Elias was hired.
Under the previous front-office regime, Anderson had seemingly risen to a fairly prominent standing. It’s been widely reported that he played a major role in the team’s signings of both Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner late in the 2018-19 offseason, although the Cobb signing has gone particularly awry. His role under Elias had been considerably less integral from a baseball operations vantage point, though; Anderson served in an advisory role with the team’s conditioning and fitness programs, per Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun. Whatever role the Orioles might’ve had in mind for him in 2020, if any, it seems that Anderson instead preferred to explore potential new opportunities.
A couple more notes out of Baltimore…
- Another 100-loss season hasn’t swayed Trey Mancini‘s commitment to the Orioles, writes Meoli in a separate column. The Orioles’ 2019 leader in home runs (35), Mancini says that his desire to remain in Baltimore has “never wavered at all.” The 27-year-old slugger, who’ll turn 28 next March, likes the direction the team is headed under Elias & Co. and has firmly bought into the Orioles’ rebuilding efforts. Mancini’s own improvement at the plate has been one of the biggest positives with regard to the club’s future outlook. His 2018 season yielded an ugly .242/.299/.416 batting line, but Mancini erupted with a .291/.364/.535 batting line to go along with those 35 homers in 2019. He also improved his walk rate by 2.4 percent and cut his strikeout rate by three percent. He’ll be in for quite the pay increase this winter in his first offseason of arbitration eligibility and is under club control through the 2022 season. However, Mancini has been vocal about hoping to remain in Baltimore, so perhaps the two sides will discuss the possibility of a longer-term arrangement next spring.
- Outfielder Austin Hays had been slated to play in the Arizona Fall League, but the Orioles have “changed their plans” for the resurgent top prospect, MLB.com’s Joe Trezza tweets. Hays won’t play in the AFL after all, but the 24-year-old certainly looks to have rebuilt his stock with a bounceback year. Injury limited Hays to just 75 unproductive games in 2018, but he suited up for 108 games across four minor league levels and the Majors in 2019. Hays reemerged at the MLB level in September, hitting .309/.373/.574 with four home runs in 75 plate appearances down the stretch. He’ll head into Spring Training as one of the favorites (if not the favorite) to open the 2020 season in center field.
Quick Hits: Goold, Abreu, Kapler
For those who believe that baseball heroes only reside between the lines of play, this writer might humbly direct your attention to a particular member of the St. Louis press box. Derrick Goold, a longtime writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch who covers the Cardinals, was the subject of a piece from colleague Rick Hummel today after Goold came to the rescue of a 64-year-old man at Busch Stadium on Sunday. Mike Flanary, a St. Louis-based videographer, collapsed in the Cubs dugout and was briefly without a pulse before Goold rushed to his aid and administered life-saving CPR. Flanary was brought to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for the effects of a heart attack and stroke; he remained in critical-but-stable condition on Sunday evening.
“In the medical field, when you save somebody like this, they call it a clinical save,” said Washington University’s David Tan, who was the stadium doctor on duty at Busch on Sunday. “This is a clinical save that was started by Derrick Goold. Period.”
In far more trivial news from around the game…
- Much has been said about Jose Abreu‘s ongoing flirtation with White Sox management about his potential return to the Chicago dugout in 2020–we understand by now that both team and player are interested in a reunion, although Abreu’s contract is up this offseason. For what it’s worth, the player’s teammates were unequivocal on Sunday in their advocation for an Abreu return, as detailed in a piece from James Fegan of The Athletic. “It doesn’t make sense for him to not be a White Sox,” pitcher Lucas Giolito said. “He’s an example for us and I think he’s the guy,” outfielder Eloy Jimenez opined. “I don’t see his skill set right now diminishing in any way, shape or form,” manager Rick Renteria offered. Opinions will vary on what kind of deal Abreu–who posted a 115 wRC+ in 690 plate appearances this year–should elicit, but those around the South Side clubhouse clearly believe he’s an integral part of the team’s next step toward contention.
- Posts were aplenty on the job status of Phillies manager Gabe Kapler on Sunday, which should come as little surprise, considering that Kapler has been beleaguered with near uniformity by fans and press alike in his second season as Philadelphia’s manager. In comments made to Scott Lauber the Philadelphia Inquirer after Sunday’s game, it seemed that Kapler, for one, had had enough speculation for one season (link). “It’s definitely not a conversation I need to have right now in this room,” Kapler said to reporters about forthcoming conversations with Philly management. “It’s a private conversation. My job is to focus on managing the Phillies even after Game 162.” If Kapler is indeed removed as skipper in the City of Brotherly Love, he will finish his tenure with a 161-162 managerial record.
Angels ‘Contemplating’ Job Status Of Brad Ausmus
11:32 pm: According to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, the Angels have a press conference scheduled for 12 pm PST tomorrow afternoon, which, if one is to read between the lines, could be something of an inflection point vis a vis Ausmus’ future with the club. Bollinger’s counterpart at The Orange County Register, Jeff Fletcher, notes that this press conference was scheduled five days ago, and had been expected to be a forum for Ausmus and Eppler to discuss the season and offseason (Twitter links).
10:25 pm: Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Angels are ‘contemplating’ the job status of one Brad Ausmus (link), with sources indicating that a decision is expected to be made on the manager’s fate within the next 24 hours.
Last we had heard in regard to Ausmus’ security with the org, Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times was relaying that the former catcher’s job was safe for 2020. Just today, the manager seemed nonplussed when presented with rumors about his potential firing that originated from Buster Olney of ESPN and Ken Rosenthal of Fox–two reporters working in presumably less proximity to the clubhouse than Torres. It’s hard to characterize this intersection of rumors as anything more than murky, but Feinsand’s depiction of a 24-hour window at least sets the stage for some kind of impending resolution to the situation.
Hired just this last offseason, Ausmus ultimately guided the 2019 Angels to a dreadful 72-90 record in his first year in Anaheim. Still, the former Tigers skipper could be forgiven for his current team’s struggles. For one, the impact of the July 1 passing of pitching Tyler Skaggs simply cannot be quantified. Skaggs was expected to be a crucial part of the team’s rotational mix, after a 2018 season in which he posted 1.3 WAR across 24 starts as a 26-year-old; aside from the on-field ramifications of Skaggs’ untimely departure, it’s hard to imagine how team morale must have been affected by the tragic death of such a close colleague and friend. The Angels were a game below .500 entering the All-Star break, but limped to a 27-44 record in the second half.
Elsewhere on the club’s roster, GM Billy Eppler tasked Ausmus with a bullpen that submitted a collective 5.10 ERA this year–good for 25th among major league teams. It’s also fair to say that the word “rotation” was very apt when describing the club’s starting situation. Los Angeles’ Opening Day rotation consisted of Skaggs, Felix Pena, Chris Stratton, Matt Harvey, and Trevor Cahill, but none of those players would be starting games by season’s end, in large part due to ineffectiveness. Starting pitchers under Ausmus posted a 5.58 ERA this year, a mark better than only Colorado and Baltimore. Offensively, the club missed outfielder Justin Upton for much of the year, while big-money slugger Albert Pujols once again provided negligible on-field value to the Angels lineup.
JD Martinez Comments On Opt-Out
Eyebrows were raised from Charlestown to South End today when, at the questioning of Boston Globe report Pete Abraham, Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez seemed to express ambivalence about the prospect of returning to the team in 2020 (link). Martinez has a much-discussed opt-out to consider this offseason, and Abraham asked him whether the prospect of joining his fourth team in five years is truly an attractive one. “I don’t mind moving around,” Martinez told the reporter. “I kind of like it.”
That’s hardly the sort of “I love being here” boilerplate you often hear when players are asked about potential opt-outs or extension prospects. It may be a bit dramatic to read too much into the comments of a player likely eager to conclude what has been a frustrating season in Beantown, but the 32-year-old will indeed have a difficult decision to make this offseason. As part of the five-year/$110MM deal he signed with Boston in February of 2018, Martinez has an opt-out this offseason that would pay him $2.5MM if he elects to forego the remaining three years and $62.45MM on his contract. Essentially, Martinez will have to reconcile his desire to stay in Boston long-term with the ability of his agent Scott Boras to find a deal elsewhere in excess of that $62.45MM guarantee.
If Boras wants to market Martinez as the best DH option on the vine this season, he will no doubt be able to assemble some convincing presentations. Though this season didn’t quite see the former Astro, Tiger, and Diamondback replicate the offensive assault he placed on baseballs in the previous two years (170 and 167 wRC+ figures in 2018 and 2017, respectively), he still mounted a .305/.383/.559 line in 2019–output resulting in a 139 wRC+.
Though the market has not been kind to corner/DH types in recent years, Martinez should represent a more appealing free agent option than, say, Edwin Encarnacion, over whom the Yankees hold a $20MM club option; Nelson Cruz, still a Statcast darling at age 39, could challenge Martinez for DH supremacy among free agents, but the Twins would be smart to exercise that player’s $12MM club option for 2020.
Put another way: it’s quite possible that this year’s DH market will consist of Martinez, Avisail Garcia, and a handful of past-30 question marks like Mark Trumbo. If Martinez’s comments to Abraham are any indication, that might be a market context he is willing–if not eager–to place himself within.
Postseason Notes: Wild Card, Brewers, Dodgers
As twenty teams prepare to pack it in for the offseason, a few odds and ends concerning those still remaining in the battle for a World Series crown…
- The 2019 playoff picture is officially set. The Rays will head to Oakland for the AL Wild Card game on Wednesday, Oct. 2, with first pitch at 8:09 pm EST. Earlier this week, Rays manager Kevin Cash appeared on MLB Network Radio, where he made comments indicating that Charlie Morton would take the ball on Wednesday for Tampa. No official word has come from the Athletics regarding their own one-game stopper, but Billy Beane hinted to the San Francisco Chronicle that Sean Manaea may have the “inside track” to tackle the opportunity.
The Nationals and Brewers will do battle on Tuesday at 8:08 pm EST in Washington D.C. for the NL play-in spot, where Max Scherzer is expected to take the ball for the Nationals. Meanwhile, Tom Haudricort of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel relays that Brandon Woodruff will be trusted by manager Craig Counsell to best Scherzer in the winner-moves-on affair (link). Woodruff may not carry the imposing resumé of Scherzer (nor does he possess a rare genetic variation that endows him with transfixing, multi-colored eyes), but he has looked the part of a frontline starter when healthy in 2019, with a 3.62 ERA (3.01 FIP) in 121.2 innings this season. - In other Brewers-related news, outfielder Ryan Braun expects to play in that Tuesday tilt against D.C. Haudricort also relays that outfielder Lorenzo Cain is “hopeful” for the game (link). Braun is dealing with a calf issue, while Cain has a balky ankle. As previously noted here, the Brewers may be limited to Trent Grisham or Tyrone Taylor in center if Cain is indeed too hindered to give it a ‘go’ on Tuesday night.
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hasn’t yet announced the full pitching lineup for the NLDS, but he tells Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Time that he is “feeling really good” about trusting Rich Hill with potential Game 4 duties (link). Hill was only activated from the IL on September 24th but did strike out five Padre hitters in just two innings of work in that appearance. As the number-one seed in the National League, the Dodgers will host the winner of the Nats-Brewers Wild Card play-in matchup. The Dodgers, in fact, will play at home throughout the postseason, unless they face the Astros in the World Series–by posting an MLB-best 107-55 record, Houston clinched homefield advantage through the Fall Classic.
Managerial Rumors: Ausmus, Ross, Pirates
For those who are waiting with bated breath for the ousting of their favorite team’s manager, Angels skipper Brad Ausmus would probably advise you to ignore unconfirmed rumors. Today, Ausmus reminded Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that his time as Detroit’s manager was marked by unfounded rumors of his impending ouster (link). “It came out that I was being fired [in 2015]. I was there for two more years.” Indeed, several major outlets reported that season that Ausmus was as good as gone from the Tigers dugout, but intervention by GM Al Avila was later said to be instrumental in the former catcher maintaining his job in the Motor City.
Besides this helpful bit of historical perspective, it’s pertinent to note that Ausmus was relaying this experience in response to questions surrounding his own, current job security with Los Angeles. When asked about rumors that the club may be looking for a managerial change in the offseason–rumors that may have stemmed from a recent Ken Rosenthal blurb–Ausmus was nothing if not succinct. “I have a contract,” he told Fletcher. “That’s the only thing I know.” Ausmus is signed through the 2021 season under a three-year contract he agreed upon just last offseason.
More notes on the game’s most hard-to-quantify uniformed role…
- Former catcher David Ross is already a permanent figure in Cubs postseason lore–but could he become a regular fixture in their dugout in 2020? If Ross’ comments on ESPN this evening–as relayed by Jesse Rogers–are any indication, it sure sounds like he would have any interest in the now-vacant Chicago managerial position (Twitter link). “I think it’s one of the best jobs in baseball,” Ross said of the opening. “I’ve got a lot of close ties with those guys. I think the interest would be there. I think my heart is drawn to that dugout a little bit.” It’s worth noting that Ross also said his current role with ESPN does provide him with much-valued family time. At the same time, Ross’ quotes won’t do much to quell rumors tabbing him as the replacement for his former manager Joe Maddon.
- Clint Hurdle was only relieved of his post as Pirates manager this afternoon, but Rob Biertemfel of The Athletic is wasting no time in churning the gears of the managerial rumor mill (link). Although the club hasn’t yet confirmed its list of potential hires, Biertempfel has been asking “players, coaches, scouts, executives, and others in the industry” for several weeks about whom GM Neil Huntington might like to interview. Included among Biertempfel’s suggestions are former Rangers skipper Jeff Banister, Twins bench coach Derek Shelton, and White Sox minor league manager Omar Vizquel. Interestingly, Biertempfel summarily dispenses with any notion of Pittsburgh bringing in Joe Maddon, as the reporter believes that Maddon’s salary demands will be a non-starter for the small-market Pirates.
Ray Searage Expecting To Be Fired
Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage–perhaps one of the most lauded professionals of his vocation in recent memory–informed Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he is expecting to be fired by his organization in short order (link).
After manager Clint Hurdle received a Pittsburgh pink slip this afternoon, Searage’s removal from his pitching coach role would represent a substantial dugout makeover. The Pirates have given no official indication of their coaching plans, but they have informed Searage that a decision on his future is impending. “They told us they would let us know in the next couple of days,” Searage told Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic (link). “Now, bringing in a new manager could mean bringing in different personnel, anyway. I’m preparing myself not to be a Pittsburgh Pirate next year.”
If the Pirates do indeed remove Searage from his post, it would mark the end of an inarguably successful chapter in his career. After a playing career in which he logged seven MLB seasons as a hurler, Searage was named Pittsburgh’s pitching coach in August of 2010–meaning that his tenure has basically lock stepped with Hurdle’s nine-year run with the org.
During his time in black and yellow, Searage earned himself a near-mythological reputation as a pitching whisperer. J.A. Happ, Francisco Liriano, A.J. Burnett are just a few examples of veterans who revived their careers under Searage’s tutelage in the Steel City, and Gerrit Cole, perhaps the sport’s best pitcher circa 2019, began his career as a Searage understudy. Industry-wide respect for Searage was so pronounced following the Pirates 2013-2015 run of success that, in 2016, Sports Illustrated once went so far as to call him “the secret to the Pirates’ success”.
Of course, Searage’s time in Pittsburgh hardly culminated in a storybook ending. Although Pirates pitchers spent the least time on the injured list among all National League teams from 2014-2015, Searage probably made much more frequent trips to the training room in recent years. Jameson Taillon, Trevor Williams, Chris Archer, and Jordan Lyles all spent time on the injured list this year–and that’s not the only list that was pertinent to Pirates pitchers in 2019.
Under Searage’s instruction, Pirates pitchers often worked up-and-in in 2019–a strategy that helped fuel a few on-field brawls, the most notable of which was a Pittsburgh-Cincinnatti duel that resulted in pitchers Kyle Crick and Keone Kela being placed on the suspended list. Crick was later engaged in a clubhouse scuffle with Felipe Vazquez that resulted in Crick needing surgery and both players being levied with fines. This month, Vazquez was shockingly arrested on charges of, among other things, statutory sexual assault of a minor. That Searage would conclude his time in Pittsburgh with such a top-to-bottom disaster of a season would be, in a word, lamentable.
Hunter Renfroe Set For Minor Foot Surgery
Padres outfielder Hunter Renfroe is scheduled to undergo a minor surgery to remove a bone spur from the top of his right foot, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
The surgery is expected to prevent Renfroe from participating in offseason workouts for about a week, per Cassavell.
While it’s unclear just how long Renfroe has been dealing with the injury, it hasn’t required an IL stint for the 27-year-old outfielder. He has been dealing with other injuries to his elbow and ankle throughout the second half of the season, which has been a disappointment for Renfroe after he looked ready to break out with a stellar first half.
Those injuries may be partly to blame for what turned out to be a dreadful second half for Renfroe. After entering the All-Star break with a .248/.303/.618 batting line and 27 home runs, his numbers have plummeted over the season’s final months. Playing through injuries, Renfroe has slugged just .295 since the All-Star break, managing just six home runs.
Whether Renfroe would have been able to maintain his first-half output over a full season is inconclusive, though the truth likely lies somewhere in between the two extremes. He still figures to hold a position in the Padres’ plans for 2020 and beyond; the team refrained from dealing him earlier this season on account of his strong defensive track record, prodigious power, and years of team control remaining.
NL East Notes: Brinson, Phillies, Mets
Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson has faced steep expectations after he was acquired as the centerpiece of the trade that sent Christian Yelich to Milwaukee. But after back-to-back disappointing seasons in Miami, the 25-year-old may be running out of chances, writes Wells Dusenbury of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. While manager Don Mattingly has been at times willing to sacrifice winning in exchange for player development, he hopes to turn the corner and begin the transition out of mediocrity in year three of the complete rebuild. For Brinson, that means he will have to capitalize on his opportunities and start to translate his undeniable tools into on-field production. In particular, he’ll need to cut down on the strikeouts and improve his walk rate; it bears mentioning that he’s begun to show some progress in that department in September. However, the overall batting line still leaves much to be desired, including a complete power outage: Brinson hasn’t homered once in 2019 after tallying 11 just a year ago. After more than 650 plate appearances with the Marlins, next season may be his last chance to actualize the potential that made him a highly-touted prospect.
More from around the NL East…
- A pair of Phillies infielders may have played their final game in the City of Brotherly Love, cutting the final tie between today’s Phillies and the powerhouse teams of the late-2000s, writes Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic. With Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez eligible for arbitration, both are strong candidates to be non-tendered: It would cost a considerable price to keep Hernandez around when Scott Kingery exists as a cheaper, more productive option; likewise, Franco has been streaky and is likely not viewed as a long-term solution for the club. However, they remain as the only links to the days of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard, bridging the team through the doldrums of 2014-2015 and into a new era of Bryce Harper-led Philly baseball.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post offers a look towards the Mets’ offseason, advocating for an uptick in payroll as the team seeks to vault itself into contention in the hyper-competitive NL East. With franchise cornerstones like Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil playing under affordable pre-arbitration contracts, now might be the time to hike up the spending elsewhere to capitalize on existing young talent. The Mets will have to navigate the impending free agency of Zack Wheeler, who could be retained in order to preserve the rotation depth, as well as make decisions on Edwin Diaz and Noah Syndergaard. Sherman proposes a two-year payroll allocation, which would allow general manager Brodie Van Wagenen to, say, go all-in on 2020 under the promise that expenditures will drop the following season, when David Wright and Yoenis Cespedes come off the books.
No Talks Between Red Sox, Eduardo Rodriguez On Extension
Eduardo Rodríguez has been the Red Sox most reliable starter this year. Sitting on 196.1 innings entering today’s final start against the Orioles, Rodríguez stands a good shot of eclipsing 200 innings for the first time in his career, which would make him one of only 15 pitchers to do so this season. His strikeout (24.6%) and walk (8.8%) rates are right in line with his previous career work, but a massive uptick in ground balls and improved health have helped the 26 year-old to a career-best season, with the high innings total paired with a solid 3.80 ERA.
With Rodríguez having emerged as a mid-rotation starter, many teams would be interested in locking him up long-term. The Red Sox, though, haven’t initiated any such conversations, he tells Rob Bradford of WEEI. Nevertheless, the hurler indicated he’d be amenable to a long-term arrangement if the team were to come knocking. “I still have two more years here. We’ll see how that goes. I love it here and I want to stay here for a long time. If they want me to, I’ll stay here,” Rodríguez said. “I haven’t had that conversation yet so I don’t know how that feels.”
That there haven’t been any talks as of yet isn’t too surprising considering the current state of the organization. Having fired Dave Dombrowski, the Sox are operating with a four-person crew heading up baseball operations for the stretch run, with the organization’s permanent leader still to be determined. No doubt, Boston will look to put a long-term front office structure in place before turning to key offseason roster decisions.
Also throwing a wrench into matters is the organization’s seemingly forthcoming effort to slash payroll significantly. Red Sox ownership expressed a desire this week to get underneath the competitive balance tax threshold of $208MM in 2020, a huge cut from the team’s estimated $240MM+ luxury tax figure this season. With the club already having $150MM+ on the books next season, not counting arbitration raises, there figures to be quite a bit of roster turnover.
While most of the attention has been focused on Mookie Betts, who is on track to become a free agent after next season, the situation with Rodríguez could likewise go a number of ways. Rodríguez and the Sox agreed to a $4.3MM salary to avoid arbitration last offseason, with two more years of arb forthcoming. Between his innings total, run prevention and 19 wins (which surely won’t matter to the Sox’s new front office head but will factor into his arbitration status), E-Rod looks poised for a significant raise in the coming months.
Buying out free agent seasons would only exacerbate the organization’s CBT concerns. Luxury tax calculations are based on average annual value of the players’ contracts, not actual yearly sum. Even if the Sox were to backload a Rodríguez extension, the present CBT calculation of any deal would be rather lofty, certainly higher than if the parties again settled on a one-year agreement to avoid arbitration.
If Boston indeed follows through on cutting payroll, there’s a chance Rodríguez even becomes an offseason trade candidate instead. Again, however, there’s little indication on how the organization plans to proceed until they bring in a new head of baseball ops. Dealing away Rodríguez would be difficult for a team that no doubt plans to contend in 2020, as the Sox’s rotation mix is filled with uncertainty. Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi and David Price all have their health question marks, while Rick Porcello is slated to hit free agency.
How the Red Sox choose to proceed this offseason will be among the winter’s most fascinating stories. Whether any arrangement can be hammered out to keep the youngest member of the rotation in the fold for the long-term certainly bears monitoring.