Pirates Notes: Searage Extension, Leathersich, Kang, Cervelli
The Pirates have agreed to a two-year extension with renowned pitching coach Ray Searage, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Searage, who is widely touted as one of the top pitching coaches in the game, was on a contract that expired at the end of the current campaign but is now locked up through the 2019 campaign. The Pirates have gained a reputation for revitalizing pitchers coming off down stretches, thanks to the resurgences of arms like A.J. Burnett, Francisco Liriano, Mark Melancon, Jason Grilli, Edinson Volquez, Ivan Nova and Juan Nicasio, among others. Searage and former special assistant Jim Benedict — he’s now with the Marlins — receive a great deal of the credit for those successful reclamation projects. Biertempfel’s report also includes “educated speculation” on the fates of the rest of recently extended manager Clint Hurdle’s coaching staff, so Bucs fans will want to check it out in full.
Here’s more out of the Steel City…
- Left-hander Jack Leathersich spoke to Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the late waiver claim that sent him from the Cubs organization to the Pirates as well as his quick return from Tommy John surgery. Perhaps predictably, given the abbreviated nature of his rehab period, the 27-year-old Leathersich struggled upon his initial return. “I was back in games in 10 months, but I just couldn’t recover,” Leathersich tells Brink.“So I’d throw and then the next two days were pretty miserable.” As Brink notes, however, Leathersich clearly got stronger as the season carried on; he didn’t allow a run and posted a 29-to-10 K/BB ratio over his final 18 innings with Triple-A Iowa before being designated for assignment and claimed by Pittsburgh.
- Brink also writes that Jung Ho Kang has a roster spot in the Dominican Winter League this offseason, but it’s not yet clear if he’ll get approval to play there this offseason, as he’s still on the Pirates’ restricted list. Kang has still been unable to obtain a work visa to enter the United States on the heels of this past offseason’s DUI arrest — his third DUI charge in his native South Korea. Bucs skipper Clint Hurdle said he’d travel to the Dominican Republic to meet with Kang in person and watch him on the field if he is indeed cleared to play, per Brink.
- Injured catcher Francisco Cervelli still hopes to return this season, MLB.com’s Adam Berry writes. Cervelli took batting practice and ran today but has yet to be able to crouch behind the plate as he recovers from an ailing quadriceps. As Berry notes, the team’s preference would be to allow Cervelli to enter the offseason feeling healthy and confident, which is also why they’ve opted not to shut down Gregory Polanco, who recently returned from a hamstring issue. Cervelli is in the first season of a three-year, $31MM contract and has been limited to 81 games with a .249/.342/.370 slash line in 2017.
Cubs Designate Pierce Johnson For Assignment
The Cubs announced on Wednesday that they’ve designated right-hander Pierce Johnson for assignment in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for fellow righty Jen-Ho Tseng, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Iowa.
Now 26 years of age, Johnson once ranked as one of the Cubs’ very best pitching prospects and was considered the game’s No. 87 overall prospect by Baseball America in the 2013-14 offseason. The former No. 43 overall pick turned in a very strong 2.74 ERA with 9.4 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9 across two A-ball levels in 2013 in order to earn that distinction, but his star has faded since that time.
Johnson posted similarly strong ERA marks in both 2014 and 2015, but he struggled with control in ’14 and saw his strikeout rate drop drastically in ’15. The Cubs shifted him to the bullpen for much of the 2016 season in Triple-A Iowa, but Johnson responded with a 6.14 ERA and 6.1 BB/9 through 63 innings that year (albeit with a gaudy 10.7 K/9 rate).
The 2017 season was better, as Johnson pitched almost exclusively in a relief role and posted improvements in ERA (4.34 ERA), strikeout rate (12.3 K/9) and walk rate (4.5 BB/9). He has an option remaining beyond the 2017 season, so he could very well draw interest from other clubs in need of pitching depth that can afford to exercise more patience with the once touted right-hander than the Cubs can afford to at this juncture.
The 22-year-old Tseng, meanwhile, currently ranks as the Cubs’ 13th-best prospect in the estimation of Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis of MLB.com. Chicago signed the Taiwanese righty to a $1.625MM bonus as an 18-year-old amateur back in 2013, and he’s enjoyed success at each stop as he’s risen through their minor league ranks. Tseng split the 2017 campaign between Double-A and Triple-A, logging a combined 2.54 ERA (including a 1.80 ERA in 55 Triple-A innings). He’s averaged a combined 7.6 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 this season, and his ground-ball rate spiked from 39.4 percent in 90 1/3 Double-A frames to 53.1 percent in his 55 frames in Iowa.
MLBTR Chat Transcript: Blue Jays, Cardinals, Reds
Click here to view the transcript for MLBTR Chat With Jason Martinez: September 13, 2017
Red Sox Announce New Long-Term Role For David Ortiz
The Red Sox announced today that they’ve reached a long-term agreement with retired designated hitter David Ortiz that “should link him with the organization forever.” Details surrounding Ortiz’s role with the team for which he starred from 2003-16 are somewhat nebulous, though the team’s press release on the matter indicates that Ortiz “will act as a mentor for current players, participate in recruitment efforts, make a variety of special appearances for the club, and work in a business development capacity for Fenway Sports Management and its partners.”
Ortiz himself revealed to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford yesterday that he’d agreed to some kind of new front-office role with the club. “I’m going to be up in the front office,” said Ortiz to Bradford. “Doing some things like going seeing players. That’s going to happen. At some point you’re going to see more often around, things like spring training.”
The 2017 campaign marks the first in which Ortiz hasn’t appeared in a Red Sox uniform since 2003 and the first in which hasn’t been active as a player since 1997. The 10-time All-Star retired following the 2016 campaign, bringing his career to a close with a terrific .286/.380/.552 batting line and 541 home runs across parts of 20 Major League seasons. Ortiz’s success with the Red Sox and postseason heroics had already cemented him in the team’s lore, though there’s been a longstanding belief that he could also return to the club in some type of off-the-field capacity.
As Bradford notes, Ortiz will follow in the footsteps of former Red Sox stars Pedro Martinez and Jason Varitek in serving the organization in an advisory capacity, although today’s announcement seems to indicate that Ortiz’s agreement is more formal and elaborate in nature.
“Like David himself, this agreement is unique and the first time we have made a commitment of this kind or this length to a player, retired or active,” said Red Sox chairman Tom Werner in the team’s announcement. “I am delighted we have a lasting partnership with him; one that brings to us the wisdom, experience, and character that has lifted this club time and again.”
Three Needs: Cincinnati Reds
Next up in our Three Needs series: the Cincinnati Reds.
1. Don’t (completely) abandon the pitching strategy.
Wait, what?! The Reds’ pitching staff has been the worst in all of baseball since the start of 2016, handily pacing the league in the volume of walks, long balls, and earned runs allowed. Actually, that doesn’t quite capture it: the Reds’ pitching staff has essentially defined replacement level since the start of 2016, making it a true outlier. By measure of fWAR, at least, the 2016-17 Reds hurlers have turned in a two-year stretch of futility that is orders of magnitude worse than any other organization of the past two decades, falling well shy of the dreadful 2004-05 Royals and 2002-03 Devil Rays units.
It goes without saying that there’s work to be done if the Reds hope to win at any point in the near future. But Cinci was largely justified in its recent approaching, having accumulated a significant number of interesting-enough pitching prospects at the upper levels of the farm. While few were seen as sure things, the club correctly assessed its chances of contention (not good) and declined to dole out significant contracts to back-of-the-rotation veterans. (Compare to the Braves and Phillies, who spent quite a lot of money on veteran pitching and ended no closer to contention than did the Reds.)
Clearly, the pitching hasn’t developed as hoped; there’s quite a lot of room for self-assessment and improvement. But injuries to Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan, Homer Bailey, and even Scott Feldman — the rare player the Reds did sign into the rotation — played a major role in the dreadful performance, too. The first three of those hurlers will have an offseason to rest up. Luis Castillo — acquired for Dan Straily, who was found last year as part of the budget-friendly strategy — looks like an arm to build around. And the Reds have seen enough moments of intrigue from a few younger arms to hope that one or more can round out the starting unit. Others will become affordable relievers, perhaps with some capacity to make longer relief appearances (an approach the organization has stressed, with some success thus far).
At this point, there’s little reason for the Reds to suddenly begin investing in expensive, aging starters. It would be nice to see some stability added into the mix over the winter — the Feldman signing could provide a guide, or the team could perhaps spend a bit more and take a shot on a higher-upside arm — and the Reds have enough talent on the position-player side to be a plausible contender as soon as next year. But continued restraint would be preferable to a move that ties the organization’s hands in future campaigns.
2. Shop Raisel Iglesias.
What do you do with the best pitcher on a historically awful staff? Trade him, of course! Sounds odd at first glance, I’ll admit, but the Reds could be in a position to cash in on the talented right-hander.
Iglesias could be the centerpiece of a big trade after turning in 71 1/3 innings of 1.89 ERA pitching (so far) with 11.0 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. The 27-year-old is guaranteed just $14.5MM over the next three seasons, though he can choose instead to opt into arbitration and would qualify next year as a Super Two. Iglesias can also be tendered arbitration in 2021, meaning the Reds control him for four more campaigns at what ought to be quite an appealing rate (though his outstanding pitching and saves tallies will boost his earning power in arbitration).
For organizations that will be looking into veteran free-agent closers, or that otherwise have interest in a multi-inning relief ace (and who doesn’t?), there ought to be a real willingness to part with significant young talent. Teams will no doubt notice that Iglesias has thrown harder and generated more whiffs than ever this year, elevating his trade stock to what may well be an all-time high. Given the risks inherent to any pitcher, let alone a flame-throwing reliever, it’s quite possibly an opportune time for the Reds to cash him in.
To be sure, it would be foolish to give up such a talented, controllable asset for less than a compelling return. But the guess here is that the club should have a good chance of prying loose some quality, near-MLB assets — all the better if that includes a young starter — that could be of greater long-term impact and help set the stage for a sustainable run of contention. Earnestly shopping Iglesias will at least give the organization a strong sense of his market value, and might just drum up a great trade opportunity.
3. Bid a fond farewell to Zack Cozart.
It’s unfortunate that the Reds were never able to cash in on the strong play of their veteran shortstop, who has turned from a light-hitting defensive whiz to an all-around star in 2017. Injuries and thin market demand make the failure to strike a match largely understandable from the front office’s perspective.
Now, though, the club is left with a decision to make — one that’ll be due just five days after the end of the World Series. Should the club choose, it can dangle a qualifying offer to the free-agent-to-be. If he declines, and signs for more than $50MM elsewhere, the Reds could score an extra draft pick just after the end of the first round. Of course, if Cozart falls shy of that amount in free agency, the team would receive only a choice after the second round.
When polled recently, MLBTR readers were split as to how the team should proceed, but most felt a QO was in order. Count me among the minority on that decision. Cozart is already 32 and has battled quite a few injuries in recent years. We have already seen the dearth of shortstop demand leaguewide; while he’ll no doubt land a solid, multi-year deal, Cozart likely won’t earn enough (with draft pick compensation required of a signing team) to earn the Reds the highest-possible pick. And he will need to strongly consider taking the ~$18.1MM payday for one year of work.
As good as Cozart has been, and as hard as it may be to see him walk away with nothing coming in return, the Reds simply can’t afford to take the chance that he takes the offer. The team already has over $60MM on the books and will owe some reasonably significant arbitration salaries. Rather than potentially adding an expensive veteran to the left side of the infield, Cincinnati should be anticipating how to clear the way for top prospect Nick Senzel, who destroyed Double-A pitching this year but is blocked at third by Eugenio Suarez — who has spent plenty of time as a professional at short.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/13/17
We’ll track the day’s minor MLB transactions here:
- The Orioles have announced that lefty Andrew Faulkner has been outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers. Faulkner, who turned 25 yesterday, was set to participate in the Arizona Fall League for the O’s before he was designated for assignment recently. He threw 38 2/3 frames on the year at the Triple-A level, posting a 2.79 ERA but also coughing up 5.6 BB/9 to go with 8.1 K/9. The southpaw previously appeared at the MLB level with the Rangers in the prior two campaigns, carrying a 4.41 ERA in twenty appearances, but didn’t crack the bigs this year with Baltimore.
Mets Expected To Pursue Veteran Relief Pitching Over Offseason
The Mets have given every indication that they’ll try to rebound back into contention in 2018. That effort will likely include the pursuit of at least one veteran reliever, Marc Carig of Newsday reports.
New York’s front office has had plenty of time to look ahead to the winter to come. Indeed, as Carig notes, many of the club’s summer trades not only shed salaries of short-term veterans, but installed young relief arms that could make near-term impacts at the MLB level. While those additions will bolster the depth, though, none of the new hurlers has much in the way of MLB experience.
It’ll be interesting to see just how the Mets approach the offseason. Improving the relief corps does seem to offer some hope of boosting the club’s chances without making massive, long-term commitments. Of course, that’s also the case for quite a few other organizations. Presumably, the team won’t be looking at the top-tier closers on the market, but it’s possible to imagine pursuit of just about any other reliever. As usual, there are quite a few available, including high-performing late-inning arms like recent Met Addison Reed as well as Brandon Kintzler, Juan Nicasio, Anthony Swarzak, Pat Neshek, and a host of others.
Notably, the Mets will also be looking to fill needs in other areas. Priorities may include buttressing the infield mix (depending upon the team’s decision on Asdrubal Cabrera, at least) and finding a place for a quality bat (especially with Michael Conforto now facing an uncertain timeline to return from a major shoulder injury). The team will mostly have to hope for the best from its injury-riddled rotation, though perhaps a veteran could be considered there. Indeed, a swingman type might help boost the starting depth while also representing an option in the pen.
New York will likely have around $100MM already committed after it wraps up a costly bunch of arbitration deals. For an organization that had ramped up to over $150MM in salary to open the current season, though, that leaves quite a lot of room to work with — though the team’s anticipated salary levels in the coming season aren’t yet known.
Jonathan Lucroy Interested In Returning To Rockies
Rockies catcher Jonathan Lucroy, acquired just six weeks ago at the deadline, has fit in well with his new team, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. With the open market beckoning at season’s end, Lucroy says he’d “absolutely” have interest in re-joining the organization as a free agent.
The 31-year-old Lucroy noted that he’s not yet thinking in earnest about his next contract. But he also emphasized that he intends to consider quite a bit more than salary in making his choice. “As a free agent, you look at a lot of things,” he tells Saunders. “I look at things even more than money. I want to know what teams are going to be in there. … I want to contribute to a playoff team.”
Lucroy has turned things around at the plate somewhat after a rough stretch to open the year with the Rangers. He’s batting .274/.388/.400 through 116 plate appearances in Colorado, which equates to roughly league-average production when ballpark effects are taken into account. While the power hasn’t quite come around, Lucroy has recorded more walks (15) than strikeouts (14) since changing uniforms.
It seems Lucroy has had an even greater impact with the catching gear on. Manager Bud Black and members of the pitching staff credit his overall impact as a defender and leader behind the plate. Lucroy has also shown much-improved framing numbers, though it’s still quite a small sample and he remains below-average in an area he once excelled.
Understandably, neither Lucroy nor the Rockies are thinking too hard about the future at the moment. The club is busy fending off challengers to its hold on the second National League Wild Card slot, though it remains in solid position with just over two weeks left in the regular season. Like Lucroy, GM Jeff Bridich says the team isn’t “focused on that right now,” but also expressed satisfaction with the veteran backstop.
When he does hit free agency, Lucroy figures to represent an interesting player to watch. Entering the year, it seemed possible he’d challenge for a five-year contract of the sort that Russell Martin landed a few years back with the Blue Jays. Expectations have certainly trended down, though Lucroy still figures to command a solid, multi-year deal. He’ll face market competition from players such as Welington Castillo and Alex Avila.
Athletics Identify Preferred Ballpark Site In Oakland
The Athletics’ search for a new ballpark has gone on now for years and taken many twists and turns. It’s far from over, but as Phil Matier and Andy Ross of the San Francisco Chronicle report, the club has now settled on a preferred location for a new park that would keep the club in Oakland.
A’s president Dave Kaval has penned a letter to the Peralta Community College District expressing interest in building on a parcel of land in the vicinity of Oakland’s Laney College, per the report. Working out an agreement with the landowner is just one of many steps that would be required, of course, with massive infrastructure and permitting needs among the major hurdles to be cleared.
The A’s intend to utilize private financing to construct the ballpark, which is expected to cost something in the range of $500MM. Kaval emphasized that the preferred site had advantages in securing the needed investment against the other sites that had been considered, including potential for nearby mixed-use development. You’ll certainly want to read the full reporting from Matier and Ross to understand the considerations at play and remaining obstacles.
Kaval also hinted at some real optimism despite the long road ahead. “Finally, we’ve got our site,” he said, suggesting that the team sees this as a key step. Even if things go well, though, the report makes clear that construction won’t begin until at least 2021, with the still-hypothetical new stadium potentially ready for games in the 2023 season.
The stakes are high for the A’s, who have been searching for years for an avenue to a new ballpark and now face a phase-out of MLB revenue sharing. While the O.co Coliseum has become something of a lovable dump, it is ill-equipped to maximize revenues. (Of course, it also became a possible site for a new park once the NFL’s Raiders left town; instead, the A’s propose turning it into a community sports park that might host an urban youth baseball academy.)
Many other organizations with less compelling needs have reaped huge financial windfalls through taxpayer-funded parks built through efforts that lacked many of the complications present here. While the A’s figure to seek quite a bit of public assistance for infrastructure projects, the team won’t be able to call upon public money or significant political streamlining to accomplish this complex undertaking.
Reports From Japan Suggest Shohei Otani Will Request To Be Posted
Japanese star pitcher/outfielder Shohei Otani has long been on the radar as one of the most talented players on the planet who isn’t already with a MLB organization. He stoked expectations before the season that he might ask his current team — the Nippon Ham Fighters — to make him available to major league clubs through the posting system. Now, reports out of Japan tonight suggest that’s just what will occur (see, e.g., here).
Of course, given the indications given by Otani himself earlier this year, that news doesn’t come as a major surprise. Indeed, the expectation among major league teams has remained that Otani would become available, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney recently reported.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that nothing is yet official, though the reports seemingly indicate that Otani has already made his wishes clear with club officials. We learned earlier this year that the Nippon Ham organization had largely committed to granting Otani his wish to leave for the majors whenever he requested it, even though the club can’t receive more than $20MM as a transfer fee and could have maintained control over the fascinating talent for a few more years under Nippon Professional Baseball’s system. That $20MM sum may change, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports, though he adds that the posting process is expected to continue operating in essentially the same manner — allowing any teams that are willing to pay the maximum fee to negotiate with the player.
Though Otani has not pitched much this year due to injury, perhaps that won’t have much of an impact. For one thing, he is considered an immense talent; if you’re interested in learning more about his projected abilities in the majors, be sure to check out this outstanding post from MLBTR contributor Chuck Wasserstrom. Further, the Japanese star isn’t really going to be looking for top dollar. At 23 years of age, he’s still two years shy of breaking free of the hard international signing limitations found in the new collective bargaining agreement, which effectively caps his potential bonus in the seven-figure range — a laughably small sum for a player who’d surely command nine figures were he available in a free market.
Otani, though, made clear in his prior comments that salary isn’t his chief consideration in pondering a move to the majors. Passan notes that MLB intends to be vigilant in enforcing the rules and will scrutinize any efforts to skirt them. Instead, he’ll weigh other factors, including his evident desire not only to pitch (where he’s considered most talented) but also to see action as a hitter. That’s not to say money won’t enter the equation at all; Otani’s precise approach remains to be seen. Notably, some teams will be able to offer quite a bit more money than others, with some capped at a meager $300K as a penalty under the prior system. And surely organizations will have different ideas on how they can help Otani earn more from endorsements and other sources. Regardless, as I wrote back in April, this sets up a fascinating potential market situation:
Should Otani become available, however, it would likely make for an unprecedented effort by major league organizations to woo him. That’s due not only to his unusual dual capabilities (and wishes), but also his young age and the unique circumstances of the rules limiting what he can be paid. Literally every team in the game would have cause to pursue him vigorously, particularly if the financial commitment is as meager as it seemingly must be.
That all remains true today, even as many of the league’s teams have begun sending emissaries over to Japan — in many cases, top baseball operations decisionmakers — to begin the unusual recruitment process. Any comparably talented young player would require a top draft choice or immense trade return to acquire. But for Otani — who, it’s worth bearing in mind, is considered ready to step directly into a major league rotation — a team need only be willing to pay the $20MM posting fee and whatever sum of international spending money it has available. Simply put, Otani could represent the most unique opportunity in contemporary hot stove history.