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Nationals To Name Chip Hale Bench Coach

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The Nationals will name current Athletics third base coach and former Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale their new bench coach, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’ll serve as the right-hand man to rookie skipper Dave Martinez, who was recently signed to a three-year deal as the new manager in Washington, D.C.

Hale, 52, spent two seasons as the Diamondbacks’ manager back in 2015-16 before being replaced with Torey Lovullo by Arizona’s new front-office regime. In addition to his time skippering the D-backs, he’s had two stints on Oakland’s coaching staff and also served on the Mets’ Major League staff as well. Since concluding a seven-year playing career that spanned 1989-97 with the Twins and Dodgers, Hale has managed in the minors and spent eight years as an MLB-level coach (in addition to his two years as a manager). Suffice it to say, he’ll bring plenty of experience to a new-look Nationals coaching staff in 2018.

It’s been a busy offseason for Hale, who was also reportedly among the candidates to become the new manager of the Phillies and the Mets before those posts went to Gabe Kapler and Mickey Callaway, respectively. The move for Hale now leaves the A’s with a new vacancy on their staff that they’ll need to fill in the coming weeks.

Red Sox Prospect Daniel Flores Passes Away Due To Cancer

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In heartbreaking news, the Red Sox announced on Wednesday that top prospect Daniel Flores has passed away due to complications stemming from treatment for cancer. Flores was just 17 years of age.

“Everyone at the Red Sox was shocked to hear of Daniel’s tragic passing,” said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski in a statement. “To see the life of young man with so much promise cut short is extremely saddening for all of us. On behalf of the Red Sox organization, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Daniel’s family.”

Red Sox senior vice president and assistant GM Eddie Romero, who has overseen the team’s international scouting department since 2012, also weighed in:

“Every member of our organization who got to know Daniel absolutely loved him. He was energetic, hard-working, and genuinely selfless, always with a smile on his face. He cared for his teammates and was a natural leader. I’m at a loss for words today. Daniel was an impressive young man with limitless potential, and his life was cut far too short. My condolences go out to Daniel’s mother and sister. Though with us for a short time, Daniel will always be a part of the Red Sox family.”

Boston inked the highly regarded Flores just this summer, signing him to a $3.1MM bonus out of his native Venezuela. He was touted as one of the most promising young talents on the 2017-18 international amateur market and had ranked as the team’s No. 5 prospect over at MLB.com, which also ranked Flores among the 10 best catching prospects in all of baseball.

On-field abilities aside, the sudden and unexpected loss of a young man with such a bright future ahead of him will leave the industry with heavy hearts. MLBTR extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Flores, as well as his teammates and the entire Red Sox organization.

Examining Draft Pick Compensation For The 6 Teams That Could Lose Qualified Free Agents

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Six different teams made qualifying offers to free agents this winter.  Assuming the nine players turn down the one-year, $17.4MM offer, here’s what each of those teams stands to gain in draft pick compensation.

[Related: Offseason Primer: The New Qualifying Offer Rules]

Cubs

The Cubs made qualifying offers to right-handers Jake Arrieta and Wade Davis.  The Cubs were neither a revenue sharing recipient nor a competitive balance tax payor.  Therefore, regardless of the size of the contracts Arrieta and Davis sign, the Cubs will receive draft pick compensation after Competitive Balance Round B, which takes place after the second round.

Cardinals

The Cardinals made a qualifying offer to starter Lance Lynn.  Like the Cubs, they were neither a revenue sharing recipient nor a competitive balance tax payor.  Regardless of the amount Lynn signs for, the Cardinals will receive draft pick compensation after Competitive Balance Round B.

Royals

The Royals made qualifying offers to center fielder Lorenzo Cain, first baseman Eric Hosmer, and third baseman Mike Moustakas.  The Royals were a revenue sharing recipient.  If any of their three free agents sign for a guarantee of $50MM or more, the Royals get draft pick compensation after the first round.  For any of the three that signs for less than $50MM, the Royals get draft pick compensation after Comp Round B.  MLBTR projects all three players to sign for well over $50MM, so the Royals should have a very favorable draft pool in 2018, potentially adding three picks in the top 35 or so if all three sign elsewhere.

Rays

The Rays made a qualifying offer to right-hander Alex Cobb.  They were a revenue sharing recipient and are subject to the same rules as the Royals, Rockies, and Indians.  However, Cobb is a borderline free agent when it comes to a $50MM contract, in our estimation.  The team will be rooting for him to reach that threshold, as the Rays would then net a compensatory pick after the first round.  If Cobb falls shy of that total guarantee, the Rays will receive an extra pick after Comp Round B.

Rockies

The Rockies made a qualifying offer to closer Greg Holland.  They were a revenue sharing recipient and are subject to the same rules as the Royals, Rays, and Indians.  Holland, too, is a borderline $50MM free agent, though he certainly figures to aim higher than that in the early stages of free agency.  If he reaches $50MM+, the Rox will get a pick after the first round.  If not, they’ll receive a pick after Comp Round B.

Indians

The Indians made a qualifying offer to first baseman Carlos Santana.  They were a revenue sharing recipient and are subject to the same rules as the Royals, Rays, and Rockies.  Santana is another borderline $50MM free agent in our estimation, but it’s certainly possible he clears that threshold and nets Cleveland a pick after the first round.

So, the Cubs and Cardinals already know where their draft-pick compensation will land if their qualified free agents sign elsewhere: after Competitive Balance Round B, which currently starts with pick No. 76.  The Royals, Rays, Rockies, and Indians will all be rooting for their free agents to sign for at least $50MM, granting them compensation after the first round, which begins with pick No. 31.

Red Sox Name Dana LaVangie Pitching Coach

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The Red Sox have announced that Dana LeVangie will become the team’s new pitching coach. Also joining the staff is Ramon Vazquez.

LeVangie previously served as the bullpen coach in Boston. He’ll carry some institutional continuity with him as the team undergoes a transition to new manager Alex Cora. LeVangie took quite an interesting path to his new position. A former minor-league catcher, he functioned as the Sox’ bullpen catcher for a long stretch before moving to a scouting role and eventually becoming the ’pen coach.

Vazquez, meanwhile, will “serve as a liaison between the major league club’s advance scouting and statistical analysis efforts, for the purpose of presenting information to players and coaches,” according to the club’s announcement. The former big league infielder served on the Padres’ coaching staff last year and previously worked with the Astros.

Notably, too, the Sox announced that Steve Langone will become the organization’s manager of advanced scouting. The former advance scout will begin traveling with the club. In conjunction with Vazquez, it seems as if the organization will be institutionalizing the flow of analytical information between the front office and uniformed personnel.

Latest On Shohei Otani

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2:23pm: There’s a “tentative understanding” in place simply to extend the prior posting regime for another year, Sherman reports. The MLBPA has yet to weigh in on the subject, though, and there’s still not a final deal in place.

1:31pm: In the wake of Shohei Otani’s decision to hire a MLBPA-certified player representative, it seems that there’ll be a renewed push to figure out a way to resolve the impasse that has threatened to derail his planned move to the majors. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that there’s a sense that the move will help facilitate an agreement that all involved will approve.

Indeed, Otani’s reps at CAA are scheduled to “meet soon” with the player’s association to attempt to get on the same page in an effort to sort things out, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets. That’s just the first step here, of course, as Otani and the MLBPA will still need to engage with Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball — the two entities that are primarily negotiating a new system governing inter-league player transfers.

The difficulties here are tied to two factors: first, MLB’s rules capping international bonuses on certain younger international free agents; and second, the expiration of the prior posting system. There was a time when Otani’s current team, the Nippon Ham Fighters, might have auctioned Otani’s negotiating rights for something approaching or even exceeding nine figures while Otani might have commanded a guarantee of as much or more. Under the just-expired transfer system, the Fighters would at least have stood to receive the maximum allowable $20MM fee. But that’s no longer how things work.

The transfer rules currently under contemplation would do away with the (up-to) $20MM flat-fee approach in favor of one that would allow the NPB team to earn a percentage of the bonus the posted player negotiates. If Otani was free to seek his market value, that wouldn’t likely pose a problem. But his earnings are now severely limited; while he is evidently at peace with that, his would-be former team is obviously not enamored of the possibility of losing its best player for what would be relative peanuts.

Under MLB’s current international rules, MLB clubs can’t go past their international spending pools (as supplemented via trade) to sign Otani. Those are even more limited than might be realized, though, due to teams’ preexisting commitments with young international players. (This was already known, of course, though the details remained fuzzy.)

According to a report from the Associated Press, only six teams even have enough uncommitted pool space to offer Otani seven figures. The Rangers ($3.535MM), Yankees ($3.25MM), and Twins ($3.245MM) easily lead the way, with the Pirates ($2.2MM+), Marlins ($1.74MM), and Mariners ($1.57MM+) also have some money to spend — or, perhaps, to trade to a would-be Otani suitor. For someone who is expected to be an immediate and significant contributor at the major-league level, that’s a pittance no matter the precise amount. Of course, he’ll also have a chance to make significant income off the field and through a future extension or trip through arbitration.

Reds To Sign Kevin Quackenbush

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The Reds have struck a minor-league deal with righty Kevin Quackenbush, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter). He will receive an invitation to major-league Spring Training, per C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link).

Quackenbush had been with the Padres organization ever since he was selected in the eighth round of the 2011 draft. The reliever posted compelling peripherals in his first two seasons in the majors, but has trended in the wrong direction more recently. If he can get back on track, he ought to have a shot at earning a job in a Reds bullpen that has quite a few potential vacancies.

In 2017, Quackenbush struggled with free passes for the first time as a big leaguer, allowing 5.5 per nine (against 7.9 K/9) while stumbling to a 7.86 ERA over his 26 1/3 innings. Things were somewhat better at Triple-A, where he ran a 3.90 ERA in 27 2/3 frames, but he still didn’t produce like the pitcher who previously routinely carried double-digit K/9 rates in the minors.

Rays To Sign Vidal Nuno

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The Rays have agreed to a minors pact with southpaw Vidal Nuno, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (via Twitter). Nuno took to the open market after having been outrighted by the Orioles in late August.

Tampa Bay could allow the 30-year-old Nuno a chance to compete for a roster spot in Spring Training. He has seen time in each of the past five MLB seasons, working both as a starter and a reliever.

Most recently, Nuno struggled to a 10.43 ERA in a dozen outings for the O’s. But he was much better at Triple-A, posting a 4.05 ERA over 26 2/3 frames with 10.1 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9. And Nuno was a useful performer at the MLB level in 2016 with the Mariners, running up 58 2/3 innings of 3.53 ERA pitching with 7.8 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9, though the results came despite a worrying .289/.324/.487 batting line for opposing hitters.

Nuno represents a useful depth option given his swingman capabilities. At this point, though, it seems most likely that he’d function as a lefty specialist. He has long been much stingier against left-handed hitters, who carry only a .237/.301/.382 overall slash against him in the majors.

Mike Foltynewicz Hires Excel Sports Management

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Braves righty Mike Foltynewicz has elected to hire new representation, per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (via Twitter). He’ll now be repped by Victor Menocal and Casey Close of Excel Sports Management.

Foltynewicz, 26, is entering the earning phase of his career. He qualifies for arbitration this fall as a Super Two player. That first-time arb salary is a critical number both to fill up the bank account and set a starting point for future raises.

MLBTR and Matt Swartz project Foltynewicz to earn $2.7MM through arbitration. Though he only managed a 4.79 ERA in 2017 to go with his 4.87 career mark, Folty has buttressed his arb case by throwing 382 2/3 total frames with 345 strikeouts. He also reached double-digit wins last season.

It’s conceivable that the Braves could approach Foltynewicz about a long-term deal at some point, though it’s questionable whether that’ll occur next spring. After all, the organization will want to see whether he can elevate his game before committing. And the Braves have still yet to resolve their ongoing front office uncertainty.

Excel’s lengthy client list includes Foltynewicz’s current teammates Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson. You can access MLBTR’s full agency database right here.

Orioles Interested In Andrew Cashner, Jason Vargas

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The Orioles are known to be on the hunt for multiple starting pitchers this offseason — possibly as many as three — and MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes that the team has “definite” interest in righty Andrew Cashner and southpaw Jason Vargas. GM Dan Duquette has suggested in recent weeks that he’d prefer to add at least one lefty to his rotation, and Vargas would accomplish that goal.

Neither Cashner nor Vargas are among the top tier of free-agent starters, though it’s long seemed unlikely that the O’s would play at the top of the market. Given the team’s sizable needs in the rotation behind Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy, the Orioles will most likely have to add multiple arms from the second and third tiers of free-agent starters to fill out the starting five. Starting pitching, of course, is hardly Baltimore’s only need. The O’s could also very well take a look at some depth options in both the infield and the outfield, as they currently project to rely heavily upon a host of young and/or unproven assets (e.g. Tim Beckham at shortstop, Trey Mancini and Austin Hays in the outfield corners).

Baltimore currently has nearly $62MM committed to just four players in 2018: first baseman Chris Davis, center fielder Adam Jones, DH Mark Trumbo and setup man Darren O’Day. The payroll is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to balloon by another $55.1MM following a sizable slate of arbitration raises to another seven players, highlighted by Manny Machado and Zach Britton. In all, the O’s look to be on the hook for just under $127MM in 2018 before so much as spending a single penny this winter.

Assuming the payroll won’t expand too far beyond the $164MM mark at which the Orioles entered the 2017 season, that’d leave Baltimore with roughly $35-40MM to spend on new salary for the 2018 campaign. That’s not an insignificant amount of funds, to be sure, but that money will go quickly if the O’s truly intend to add three new starters and deepen their pool of position players.

Neither Cashner nor Vargas figures to break the bank, so to speak. We pegged Cashner for a two-year, $20MM contract on last week’s top 50 free-agent list and projected a one-year, $10MM pact for Vargas on the heels of a poor finish to the 2017 season. Generally speaking, it’d be a surprise to see either command more than a $12MM annual commitment in free agency, and the O’s could certainly backload any multi-year deals issued to free agents in an effort to defer some of the dollars to 2019, when some combination of Machado, Britton and Jones will all likely be off the books.

Of course, the fact that so many key Orioles contributors are just one year from the open market will play into the offseason calculus as well. The Orioles have to be cognizant of the fact that if the season goes south early on in the 2018 campaign, they’ll be faced with the unpleasant notion of having to listen to offers on longtime stars like Machado, Britton and Jones.

With that possibility looming, the team may not wish to commit to lengthy multi-year deals in free agency this winter. Speaking from a purely speculative standpoint, shorter-term deals that would allow the club to pivot in the event of a poor start to the year could be more desirable than locking in a mid-rotation arm like Lance Lynn or Alex Cobb on a three- or four-year pact that could prove more difficult to move.

Cashner, 31, gave the Rangers 166 2/3 innings of 3.40 ERA ball but did so with one of baseball’s worst strikeout rates (4.6 K/9) and a lackluster walk rate (3.5 BB/9). Fielding-independent ERA alternatives like FIP (4.61), xFIP (5.30) and SIERA (5.52) were all considerably more bearish on his 2017 output.

The 35-year-old Vargas turned in an All-Star first half in 2017, though the 2.22 ERA he carried through the end of June was buoyed by an unsustainable 86 percent strand rate. Vargas’ control slipped in the season’s final three months (3.9 BB/9), and his BABIP and strand rate regressed (substantially so in the case of the latter), leading to a bloated 6.66 ERA in the final three months of the 2017 campaign.

Diamondbacks Re-Sign Rubby De La Rosa To Minors Deal

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The D-backs announced Tuesday evening that they’ve re-signed right-hander Rubby De La Rosa to a two-year, minor league contract. He’d been released by the Diamondbacks back in September after undergoing a second career Tommy John surgery in August. He’s been assigned to Double-A Jackson and will spend 2018 rehabbing with the hope of returning to a big league mound in 2019.

De La Rosa, 29 next March, battled UCL issues in 2016 but elected to undergo stem cell therapy rather than a second Tommy John procedure. The stem cell treatment looked to have done the trick at one point this past season, as De La Rosa turned in excellent numbers across three minor league levels (mostly Triple-A) before returning to the Diamondbacks in late June. Unfortunately, he’d toss just 7 2/3 innings before going back on the shelf and ultimately going under the knife once again.

A former top prospect, De La Rosa has yet to establish himself as a regular rotation member in the big leagues, but many have wondered how he’d fare as a full-time reliever over the course of his big league career. In this past season’s brief sample, he averaged a hearty 97.1 mph on his fastball, lending credence to the notion that he could function as a power arm out of the ’pen if he ditched his changeup and went with a pure fastball/slider combination. De La Rosa has long fared better against right-handed opponents and could become overpowering against them if his stuff plays up in a short-relief role.

The D-backs won’t be able to gauge that anytime in the near future, of course, but De La Rosa will be a name to keep an eye on when his elbow is (hopefully) healed up for the 2019 season — his age-30 campaign.

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