NL Central Notes: Kang, Cardinals, Aguilar
Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang has decided to appeal his DUI sentence in South Korea, reports Jee-ho Yoo of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency (Twitter links). The appeal decision on Kang’s behalf was made in an effort to get his sentence reduced to a court fine, which would expedite his visa acquisition process and allow him to join the Pirates more quickly. The 29-year-old Kang admitted guilt following what was reportedly his third DUI arrest and received an eight-month sentence that was suspended for two years earlier this month. Kang can reportedly avoid any jail time if he does not violate the terms set forth as part of the agreement to suspend his sentence. The Pirates placed Kang on the restricted list over the weekend, as Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote, and as of that writing it had yet to be determined precisely how long Kang would require to secure his work visa. The infielder hoped to resolve the issue within a week, per Adamski, but Pirates president Frank Coonnelly chose not to comment on the matter. It’s not yet known if Kang will face any type of punishment from the team upon arriving in the U.S.
Here’s more from the NL Central…
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that Cardinals outfielder Stephen Piscotty is working to correct some bad habits in his swing that were related to the movement/placement of his back leg. Piscotty and hitting coach John Mabry break down some previous mechanical flaws in the 26-year-old’s swing to Goold, with Piscotty adding that his goal is to be able to elevate the ball more often. With his previous swing mechanics, Piscotty feels that he focused too much on his upper half and would subsequently roll over too many pitches and hit too many grounders. Mabry notes that Piscotty would like to boost his home run total from the low 20s to 30 or more. Per Goold, Piscotty is likely tabbed as the Cardinals‘ cleanup hitter heading into the 2017 campaign.
- Goold also reports that 20-year-old Low-Class-A outfielder Magneuris Sierra has turned heads in Cardinals camp with his speed and defensive prowess. While Sierra isn’t pushing either Tommy Pham or Jose Martinez for a spot in the team’s Major League bench, he could move quickly through the organization and jump to Double-A to open the current season. Manager Mike Matheny lauded Sierra for his defensive ability and noted that his bat and approach give him a chance to be a well-rounded player in the Majors. Last season in the Class-A Midwest League, Sierra batted .307/.335/.395 with three homers and 31 steals in 122 games.
- Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar, who was claimed off waivers from the Indians this winter, is having a strong enough spring to force himself into the mix for a roster spot, writes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Aguilar, who has homered three times this spring and cracked a pair of doubles as well, tells McCalvy that he’s grateful for the opportunity to compete for a bench role after being largely blocked by players like Carlos Santana, Mike Napoli and, this offseason, Edwin Encarnacion in Cleveland. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for a new opportunity for a while, and thankfully I’m in an organization that is giving young players a lot of opportunity,” said the 26-year-old slugger. Aguilar mashed 30 homers last year in Triple-A Columbus, though his .247/.319/.472 slash line isn’t quite as impressive as that round home run total may immediately indicate. As McCalvy notes, though, the right-handed-hitting Aguilar could be a nice complement to lefty swinging Eric Thames.
AL Central Notes: Carrasco, Perez, Anibal, Sano
Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco underwent an MRI to check out some swelling in his right elbow, but the test revealed no structural damage, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (Twitter links). Nonetheless, manager Terry Francona informed reporters that Carrasco will have at least his next spring start pushed back. Pitching coach Mickey Callaway noted that Carrasco’s fastball was “really flat” in his most recent outing on Monday, Bastian adds, though it doesn’t seem as if there’s any major injury serving as a deterrent to the right-hander. Carrasco missed some time due to injuries last season, though nothing pertaining to his elbow. Rather, the 29-year-old was plagued by a broken hand and a strained hamstring. He hasn’t been on the DL due to an elbow injury since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2011. Last year, Carrasco logged a 3.32 ERA with 9.2 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 48.5 percent ground-ball rate in 146 1/3 innings.
Elsewhere in the American League Central…
- Salvador Perez underwent a second MRI to confirm that there’s no serious damage to his knee following a home-plate collision with Royals teammate Drew Butera in the World Baseball Classic, tweets MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan, though manager Ned Yost said he won’t have further updates until tomorrow morning. Flanagan notes that Yost didn’t seem especially concerned with his catcher’s health. Perez was diagnosed with inflammation following the initial MRI.
- Searching for answers to his recent decline, Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez tried out some new mechanical tweaks in a bullpen session with manager Brad Ausmus (a former big league catcher), writes Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. Sanchez, Ausmus and pitching coach Rich Dubee were trying out a new arm slot in an effort to bolster the 33-year-old’s velocity after a dip in recent seasons. As Fenech notes, Sanchez’s spring has been nightmarish to date, and he’s done nothing to offer optimism of a turnaround following last year’s disastrous 5.87 ERA in 153 1/3 innings. Fenech writes that if Sanchez’s struggles are significant enough, the team could potentially opt to simply eat the remaining $21MM on his contract ($16MM 2017 salary plus a $5MM buyout on his 2018 option) and release him. Certainly, that’s not a desirable result, though the Tigers have numerous younger options in the rotation, as can be seen on their depth chart at Roster Resource.
- Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron writes that Twins third baseman Miguel Sano is an interesting case study in the small samples of Statcast defensive data that are being made public this season. Though he’s quick to note that the sample he’s observing is beyond minuscule — three total plays in right field — Cameron writes that Sano made two of the three potential “five star” catches with which he was faced (those deemed by Statcast to have a catch probability under 25 percent based on hang time and distance traveled). In looking at the specific plays in question, Cameron notes that neither required an enormous amount of range, but each required an incredibly quick reaction time and excellent footwork — two traits that also are vital at third base. Statcast data is in its nascent stage, but Cameron wonders if that type of insight could be one of the advantages to Statcast data over other defensive metrics like Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating. While there’s no definitive way of knowing just how to interpret this data yet, Cameron’s examination is an interesting look at the potential new applications of Statcast data that will only become increasingly more popular in years to come.
Rays Considering Derek Norris
The Rays “continue to have conversations” about the possibility of adding catcher Derek Norris, whom the Nationals placed on waivers over the weekend, reports ESPN’s Buster Olney. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first connected the two sides recently. Washington was known to be shopping Norris aggressively after signing Matt Wieters but, unable to find any takers for his $4.2MM salary, placed him on waivers. They’ll be on the hook for 30 days of his salary, or about $688K. (The remainder of his salary, as is the case with the majority of arbitration agreements, was not fully guaranteed.) Once he clears waivers, Norris would be a free agent that is free to sign anywhere for any amount.
However, the Rays are also wary of interrupting their camp and inserting a new catcher into the mix after all of the work that incumbent options like Luke Maile and Curt Casali have put in with the staff, per Olney. Tampa Bay also has veteran Wilson Ramos on the roster, though he’ll miss a significant portion of the season as he continues to rehab from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, which he suffered late last September.
Norris brings more offensive upside to the table than either Maile or Casali, though he’s coming off the worst season of his career. In 458 plate appearances with the Padres last season, Norris batted .186/.255/.328. Norris did tie his career best with 14 homers, but his strikeout rate continued to escalate, ballooning to a career-worst 30.3 percent. The 28-year-old did post strong framing numbers — a trait that the Rays value highly — and has a career 26 percent caught-stealing rate (though he checked in at a below-average 21 percent in that regard last year).
It’s not yet known where else Norris will draw interest if and when he clears waivers and becomes a free agent, though one speculative fit could be the Rockies, following today’s news that projected backup Tom Murphy suffered a fractured forearm.
Latest On Jason Kipnis’ Injury
Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis has been shut down for at least two weeks due to a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder, as the team announced recently, and Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that Kipnis is slated to receive a second opinion on his injury at the end of next week. As Hoynes noted in an earlier column, Kipnis isn’t likely to be ready for the season opener, which has the team mulling possible alternatives at second base.
Manager Terry Francona acknowledged that the team could move Jose Ramirez from third base to second base while Kipnis is absent, playing Giovanny Urshela in Ramirez’s place at the hot corner. Ramirez, currently tabbed as Cleveland’s everyday third baseman on the heels of a breakout 2016 campaign, indicated that he’d be perfectly comfortable playing second base. “I’ll play anywhere,” the switch-hitting 24-year-old tells Hoynes.
Alternatively, any of the three options that’re currently vying for the utility infield job in Cleveland could serve as a short-term bridge. That includes young Erik Gonzalez and non-roster invitees Michael Martinez and Ronny Rodriguez. The 25-year-old Gonzalez, already on the 40-man roster, posted a strong .296/.329/.450 batting line in Triple-A last season, making him a seemingly appealing candidate if the team’s need is only short-term in nature.
Adding a player from outside the organization, Francona notes, isn’t necessary if Kipnis isn’t going to be sidelined more than a week or so to open the season. Hoynes notes that for the time being, the team’s top priority is to determine exactly how long the injury will keep Kipnis sidelined. Kipnis and Francona indicated that if this were midseason, Kipnis could potentially play through the injury, though the concern stems from the fact that Kipnis began feeling some discomfort even in non-baseball activities.
Renowned surgeon Dr. Keith Meister will be in camp next Thursday or Friday, according to Hoynes, at which point he’ll examine both Kipnis and right-hander Cody Anderson, who has previously been diagnosed with a strained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
If it’s deemed that the Indians do need to go outside the organization to add some infield depth, veteran Kelly Johnson remains unsigned this winter. Alternatively, Cleveland could look to any number of players that are out of minor league options and appear to be long shots to make their current organization’s roster at the end of Spring Training. Some of those players may become available on waivers later this month as well.
MLBTR Chat Transcript
Click here to read a transcript of today’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
Minor MLB Transactions: 3/14/17
We’ll track the day’s minor moves here:
- Righty Andrew Bellatti has joined the Orioles on a minors deal, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. The 25-year-old had spent his entire career with the division-rival Rays organization, but lost his 40-man spot last summer. Bellatti worked to a 2.31 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 23 1/3 MLB innings in 2015, his first and only big league stint. But he struggled last year in the minors, allowing 11 earned runs in 14 1/3 frames on the year while working through shoulder troubles.
Out Of Options 2017
The following 40-man roster players have less than five years service time and are out of minor league options. That means they must clear waivers before being sent to the minors. I’ve included players on multiyear deals. This list was compiled through MLBTR’s sources when possible, but may be incomplete for a handful of teams. I’ll update the post as confirmed information comes in.
Angels
Austin Adams, Kirby Yates, Cam Bedrosian, JC Ramirez
Astros
Mike Fiers, Brad Peacock, Max Stassi
Athletics
Stephen Vogt, Liam Hendriks, Raul Alcantara
Blue Jays
Mike Bolsinger, Ezequiel Carrera, Ryan Goins, Bo Schultz
Braves
Kevin Chapman, Chase d’Arnaud, Ian Krol, Jose Ramirez, Chaz Roe
Brewers
Tommy Milone, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Jonathan Villar, Jesus Aguilar, Jhan Marinez, Wily Peralta, Hernan Perez, Manny Pina, Carlos Torres
Cardinals
Greg Garcia, Tyler Lyons, Miguel Socolovich
Cubs
Matt Szczur, Mike Montgomery, Hector Rondon
Diamondbacks
Randall Delgado, Chris Herrmann
Dodgers
Giants
Hunter Strickland, George Kontos, Jarrett Parker, Gorkys Hernandez, Cory Gearrin, Conor Gillaspie
Indians
Trevor Bauer, Lonnie Chisenhall, Brandon Guyer, Zach McAllister, Dan Otero, Danny Salazar
Mariners
Leonys Martin, Evan Scribner, Nick Vincent
Marlins
Derek Dietrich, Adeiny Hechavarria, Dan Straily, Jose Urena, Jeff Locke
Mets
Nationals
Orioles
Brad Brach, Zach Britton, Dylan Bundy, Oliver Drake
Padres
Christian Bethancourt, Paul Clemens, Jarred Cosart, Christian Friedrich, Brad Hand, Luis Sardinas
Phillies
Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez
Pirates
Alen Hanson, Wade LeBlanc, Felipe Rivero
Rangers
Rays
Chris Archer, Brad Boxberger, Xavier Cedeno, Alex Colome, Danny Farquhar, Nick Franklin, Erasmo Ramirez, Jumbo Diaz
Red Sox
Josh Rutledge, Tyler Thornburg, Sandy Leon, Steven Wright, Drew Pomeranz, Christian Vazquez, Heath Hembree, Bryce Brentz
Reds
Arismendy Alcantara, Tony Cingrani, Blake Wood
Rockies
Cristhian Adames, DJ LeMahieu, Jordan Lyles, Chris Rusin
Royals
Christian Colon, Cheslor Cuthbert
Tigers
Andrew Romine, Tyler Collins, Jose Iglesias, Dixon Machado, Steven Moya
Twins
Ehire Adrianza, Eduardo Escobar, Robbie Grossman, Jorge Polanco, Danny Santana, Michael Tonkin
White Sox
Matt Davidson, Leury Garcia, Dan Jennings, Rymer Liriano, Yolmer Sanchez, Michael Ynoa
Yankees
Dellin Betances, Tommy Layne, Aaron Hicks, Austin Romine, Gary Sanchez, Chris Carter
Special thanks to J.P. Hoornstra and Adam McCalvy for their assistance.
Ian Desmond Expected To Miss About 6 Weeks
Rockies first baseman Ian Desmond is expected to miss around six weeks with his fractured finger, GM Jeff Bridich tells ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden. Desmond requires surgery on the second metacarpal in his left hand after being hit by a pitch.
It is not immediately clear whether the six-week timeline is in reference to a return to baseball activities or making it back for full MLB action. Regardless, there’s a mix of good and bad news.
On the one hand, Desmond won’t be available for Opening Day. That hurts all the more given the five-year, $70MM commitment the team made to sign him over the winter and the fact that several other players are also set to miss time.
On the other, it seems as if the veteran utilityman will likely not require an overly lengthy absence. Weathering a month or so without Desmond isn’t ideal, but perhaps it won’t be back-breaking for the contention-hopeful Rox, who’ll likely lean on veteran Mark Reynolds in Desmond’s stead.
The bigger concern for Colorado, perhaps, is the aggregate of injury problems that have already arisen. There’s real talent on hand, but the club doesn’t seem to be overflowing with depth. Already, the reserves will need to be deployed to account for anticipated absences at first (Desmond), the rotation (Chad Bettis), the outfield (David Dahl), and catcher (Tom Murphy) at the start of the year.
Tom Murphy Diagnosed With Fractured Forearm
Rockies catcher Tom Murphy has become the latest player to suffer a fairly significant spring injury for Colorado, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post reports on Twitter. Murphy has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his right forearm that will sideline him for the next four to six weeks — though it’s not entirely clear whether that’s when he can be expected back in game action.
Murphy, who’ll soon turn 26, is slated to play a major role at the MLB level for the coming season. He has appeared in just 32 games in the majors entering the year, but has impressed (.266/.341/.608) at the plate in that brief span and laid waste to Triple-A pitching last year (.327/.361/.647).
The Rox will presumably lean on Tony Wolters in the meantime, increasing the pressure on the light-hitting 24-year-old. It seems likely that Dustin Garneau will crack the roster as well, as Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource projects in an updated Rockies depth chart.
It’s also possible that Colorado will look into outside options, if for no other reason than to bolster the depth. A.J. Pierzynski and Dioner Navarro are among the available veterans, with Steve Clevenger also still unsigned after his controversial statements last year. It’s also plausible to imagine the Rockies keeping an eye on the waiver wire and looking at veterans who can opt out of their contracts in a few weeks’ time. The Nationals, for instance, have placed Derek Norris on waivers, and he could represent an appealing option.
The Rockies have been hit hard by the injury bug this spring. David Dahl, Ian Desmond, and now Murphy all seem likely to open the year on the DL. In those cases, at least, some of the absence will occur during camp time, and the players are expected to make their way back in relatively short order. The outlook is much less certain, and the situation significantly more worrisome, for workhorse righty Chad Bettis, who is undergoing chemotherapy.
MLBTR Poll: Top 2017-18 Free-Agent Starter?
MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes just released the first run of his 2017-18 free-agent power rankings. While the list will obviously change quite a bit over the course of the season to come, it’s interesting to note that four outstanding pitchers open up at the front.
Really, every member of this impressive group of veteran starters could realistically end up on top of the list by season’s end (as could a few other players). Tim has already stated his views on the preliminary ordering; now it’s time for MLBTR’s readership to weigh in.
Here are the four hurlers, in Tim’s order, with a brief affirmative case for why each ought to be considered the frontrunner to become the best free-agent starter:
Jake Arrieta, Cubs: None of the other pitchers has done what Arrieta did in 2015, when he posted a 1.77 ERA over 229 innings and took the Cy Young over two outstanding competitors. While he showed some worrying signs over the second half last year, he’s still throwing premium stuff and has been a workhorse of late.
Yu Darvish, Rangers: If one of these hurlers can be said to have the most upside, perhaps it’s Darvish. He paces this group in generating swings and misses and converting those into strikeouts. If he can return to his early-career 200+ inning pace, all bets are off on his earnings.
Johnny Cueto, Giants (can opt out of current contract): Though his long MLB tenure makes it seem as if Cueto is older than the others on this list, that’s not really the case; he’s only 19 days senior to Arrieta. And he’s certainly the most accomplished of the group overall, having turned in three seasons of 200+-inning, sub-3.00 ERA ball over the past five years.
Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees: The arm health remains a long-term question, but at what point might Tanaka’s age and consistency push past that consideration? He did manage to turn in 199 2/3 frames last year, after all, and will pitch the entire 2017 season at 28 years of age. Over his 490 total MLB frames, Tanaka owns a strong 3.12 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and just 1.5 BB/9.
So, which of these hurlers do you see ending the year with the best free-agent case? (Link for app users.)
Which Pitcher Is Likely To End Up As The Top 2017-18 Free Agent?
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Jake Arrieta 44% (2,504)
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Yu Darvish 30% (1,703)
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Johnny Cueto 15% (871)
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Masahiro Tanaka 10% (552)
Total votes: 5,630