Players Reflect On Arbitration Hearings Series
In light of the recent arbitration hearing drama between the Yankees and reliever Dellin Betances, I remembered a three-part series B.J. Rains did for MLBTR four years ago that may be of interest. In a series called Players Reflect On Arbitration Hearings, B.J. spoke to Dan Uggla, Jeff Mathis, and Kyle Lohse about their first-hand experiences. Check out the full articles, but as you can see from these excerpts, arbitration hearings affect players differently.
- Uggla: “It didn’t bother me at all. It’s just a process, the business side of it.”
- Mathis: “There’s stuff that goes on in that room that I wouldn’t suggest anybody experience or be a part of. … You don’t want to be a part of anything like that.”
- Lohse: “It’s not a pleasant thing. It’s hard to sit there and listen to the lawyer say how bad you are when the GM is sitting right there and you feel like he fed them the info to talk about how bad you are yet they still want you.”
AL East Notes: Tillman, Harvey, Duffy, Red Sox Rotation
There was a bit of news on some Orioles arms this morning, as Rich Dubroff of PressBoxOnline.com was among those to report (Twitter link). Veteran righty Chris Tillman was able to make it through a flat-ground throwing session without incident, which bodes well as he attempts to get on track to join the rotation early in the upcoming campaign. There’s still a longer way to go for young right-hander Hunter Harvey, who is working back from Tommy John surgery. The organization expects him to be ready for game action by July, per manager Buck Showalter, which would represent a return within a year of his procedure.
- Rays infielder Matt Duffy is expected to be ready to return to the field by mid-March, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. His surgically repaired heel appears to be on the mend, but it’s still not quite clear whether he’ll be ready to go for Opening Day.
- While Red Sox camp has largely been a quiet affair, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing at stake, as Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes. In particular, the battle over the final two rotation jobs still appears unresolved. Cafardo takes an interesting look at the situation, with Drew Pomeranz and Steven Wright discussing their approach this spring. Young lefty Eduardo Rodriguez is the third competitor for a rotation spot.
- Meanwhile, Red Sox southpaw David Price is fully assured a spot on the staff. But he will need to make a slight adaptation to his pitching approach. As ESPN.com’s Buster Olney explains, the league has asked Price (and others with a similar delivery) to make clear to umps whether they are working from the stretch or the windup when there’s a runner on third.
NL East Notes: Braves, Nats Pen, Wright, Wheeler
Because they are owned by a public company, the Braves are required to disclose financial information that other organizations can keep in house. Those interested in reading up on the financial health of the Atlanta organization can check out this article from Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constution, which rounds up some info from a recent conference call involving Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei. The team lost money last year, though he says that was due in large part to its major international expenditures. Maffei also commented on reports that the Marlins might sell for $1.6B, saying that he was “not surprised” to see those numbers, while adding that he sees the Braves as a “far more valuable” franchise.
Here’s more from the NL East:
- The Nationals‘ failure to land a top-tier closer this winter didn’t match the hopes of skipper Dusty Baker, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. Baker says he was hoping the team would bolster its 9th-inning situation, and suggested that he doesn’t expect any late-breaking move to do so. The veteran skipper continued to suggest that there’ll be a battle in camp to knight a closer. Just how Joe Blanton will fit into the mix (once his deal is made official) remains to be seen, but Baker called his addition “significant.”
- Mets third baseman David Wright is headed for a second opinion on his ailing shoulder, as Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports. Whether or not that visit has any hope of substantially changing the outlook isn’t known. As of now, however, he’s slated to stop throwing for at least a few weeks. Read up on the latest on Wright here.
- After a delay caused by residual elbow soreness, Mets righty Zack Wheeler finally made it to his first live BP session of the spring today, as MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo tweets. Wheeler is scheduled to appear in game action for the first time on March 10th, at which time the organization may finally begin to get some clarity as to how much it can expect out of him this year. As with Wright, Wheeler has faced a non-linear road back from injuries. On the positive side for the Mets, Wheeler is just 26 years of age and is earning only $800K in his first season of arbitration eligibility.
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AL West Notes: Jeffress, Gomez, Castro
Here’s the latest out of the American League West:
- The Rangers are bringing several pitchers along slowly this spring, as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. In most cases, there’s no particular concern driving the approach, but reliever Jeremy Jeffress has been slowed by a sore right shoulder. Jeffress has yet to make his competitive spring debut, though he’s still throwing bullpen sessions and says it’s not a significant injury.
- Meanwhile, Carlos Gomez talked about his decision to return to the Rangers, as Richard Justice of MLB.com writes, calling it an easy decision. “I hope I can stay here and finish my career,” he said. “I feel loyal to them. They picked me up when I was on the ground. That’s something me and my family will always be thankful for.” Texas was willing to take a no-risk chance at Gomez last year due in part to the voucher of just-acquired veteran Carlos Beltran; now, the club has seen enough to stake a considerably larger bet after landing him on a one-year, $11.5MM deal.
- Righty Simon Castro is making a strong impression in camp with the Athletics, as MLB.com’s Jane Lee reports. Castro, who’ll soon turn 29, brings an unusual amount of pep to the mound, which has earned the praise of manager Bob Melvin. Though he has just 17 MLB innings under his belt, Castro is coming off of a strong 2016 season in which he pitched to a 3.38 ERA with 9.8 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 over 53 1/3 Triple-A frames with the Rockies organization.
Tigers To Sign Cuban Infielder Luis Valdes
The Tigers have reached agreement on a minor-league deal with free-agent Cuban shortstop Luis Valdes, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. Bonus information isn’t known, but Valdes was not subject to international spending limitations.
Valdes seems to be more of a veteran utility option than an interesting prospect to watch. He’s already 28 years of age and ought to open his tenure with the Tigers in the upper minors, per Badler, but there doesn’t appear to be much reason to believe that he’ll ever challenge for more than a reserve role in the majors.
Over his seven seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, Valdes owns a .275/.316/.392 batting line with 24 home runs over 1,267 plate appearances. Though his last season was by far his best, it also came way back in 2014. Whether his bat can keep up at the game’s highest level isn’t yet clear, Badler suggests, though Valdes holds greater promise in the field. Per Badler, the infielder “is a smart, fundamentally sound defender with an average arm that plays up because of his extremely quick release.”
Alex Kirilloff To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Recent Twins first-round draft pick Alex Kirilloff will undergo Tommy John surgery in about a week, per a team announcement (h/t Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press, via Twitter). That will cost the outfielder all of the 2017 campaign.
That’s an unfortunate development for the 19-year-old, who’ll lose a year of development opportunities. Of course, given that he’s not a pitcher, it’s somewhat less concerning in regards to his long-term outlook.
Kirilloff, who was taken 15th overall in last summer’s draft, seemingly suffered the injury late last summer. He was shut down and rested all winter, but obviously was still dealing with issues as camp opened.
Minnesota will still look forward to a future contribution from Kirilloff, who was a long way from the majors before today’s news. He had shown quite well at the Rookie level last year, posting a solid .306/.341/.454 batting line with seven home runs over 232 plate appearances. Both MLB.com and Baseball America rated Kirilloff the Twins’ third-best prospect entering the 2017 season.
NL Central Notes: Cubs, Iglesias, Lorenzen, Freese
Cubs GM Jed Hoyer joined Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquetter of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today, and among the topics they discussed were a possible extension for Jake Arrieta and the health of Wade Davis following last season’s pair of trips to the disabled list (audio link via Soundcloud). Hoyer kept it general when speaking of Arrieta for the most part. “Obviously when it comes to free agency, there’s a lot of factors involved, a lot of things pulling both sides in different directions,” said Hoyer, after voicing a preference to keep the details of talks close to the vest. “You have to weigh a lot of factors, but at the end, obviously, this guy’s been terrific for us. He was a huge part of us winning the World Series, a huge part of us even getting to the playoffs in 2015, and certainly that’s not something we take for granted.”
Regarding Davis, Hoyer suggested that the heavy workloads Davis racked up when appearing in back-to-back World Series in 2014-15 — Davis threw 25 postseason innings in addition to 139 1/3 regular-season frames across those two years — is something of which the Cubs are cognizant. The Cubs plan to be judicious with the workload of Davis and the relievers who shouldered large workloads for Chicago in last year’s deep World Series run this spring, per Hoyer.
A few more items pertaining to the division…
- It’s already been documented that the Reds aren’t planning on going with a traditional one-inning closer this season, and Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that the team is going to lean heavily on right-handers Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen in the late innings. Both pitchers could end up exceeding 100 innings, writes Buchanan, as the plan is to utilize each in a high-leverage, multi-inning role. Both Iglesias and Lorenzen have recent experience as starters and are embracing a role that’s been uncommon in recent years but was far more normal a generation or two ago in Major League Baseball. Other teams around the league will be keeping a watchful eye on how the experiment plays out, as well. Milwaukee GM David Stearns spoke to Buchanan about the blurring line between starter and reliever, while Oakland GM David Forst stated that Cincinnati does indeed have “good candidates” for that type of multi-inning role. “I’m as curious as anyone to see how it plays out,” Forst said to Buchanan.
- David Freese originally came to the Pirates on a mid-March, one-year deal last offseason, but he figured out quickly that he hoped to remain with the Pirates beyond the 2016 campaign, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Freese tells Biertempfel that he told his agent last summer to initiate the extension talks that led to his two-year, $11MM deal with the Buccos. “It all started with talking to me understanding this is the place I want to be,” says Freese. The corner infielder adds that the market has begun to change for players like himself, who are closer to average than to stars: “Older guys are not going to find that kind of deals that were there a few years ago.” Freese’s teammates are thrilled to have him back, as both Gerrit Cole and Josh Harrison laud his quick emergence as a quiet leader in the clubhouse. Cole referred to Freese as “one of the better teammates, if not the best, that I’ve played with.”
Potential Landing Spots For Angel Pagan
Spring Training is underway, and though all of the names on MLBTR’s Top 50 ranking from this past November have come off the board, a handful of useful free agents still remain in search of new homes. Angel Pagan quite arguably tops that list. The 35-year-old has averaged 547 plate appearances and 131 games per season across the past two years after missing much of the 2013-14 campaigns due to injury, and the 2016 season was a productive one for the switch-hitter. Pagan batted .277/.331/.418 with a career-high 12 homers to go along with 15 stolen bases and defense in left that ranged from passable (-4 Defensive Runs Saved) to slightly above average (+4.4 Ultimate Zone Rating).
Though he’s played in about 130 games in each of the past two seasons, Pagan has nonetheless required time on the disabled list in each of those campaigns — most recently spending a few weeks on the shelf with a hamstring injury. His days of playing center field on a regular basis could possibly be behind him as well; the Giants shifted Pagan to left field last year after signing Denard Span to a three-year deal. With Pagan set to turn 36 this season and poor defensive metrics from his last regular work in center field (2015 — though he was hampered by knee troubles that season), some clubs may be wary of his glove in center.
Pagan has drawn interest from the Nationals, per FOX’s Ken Rosenthal, who also reported that the Blue Jays and Royals had interest before adding Jose Bautista and Brandon Moss, respectively. Pagan will hardly break the bank at the stage of the offseason — Rosenthal suggested that the Nats are hoping to land him on a minor league deal — but the longtime Giants and Mets outfielder still seems perfectly capable of helping a big league team. His bat checked in at roughly league average last year, per park-adjusted metrics like OPS+ and wRC+, and depending on one’s preferred defensive metric/WAR version, Pagan was worth one to two wins.
Let’s run down a few speculative landing spots for Pagan that make some sense on paper…
- Athletics [Current depth chart]: Oakland’s outfield mix right now looks to include Khris Davis as the primary left fielder, Rajai Davis in center field and Matt Joyce in right (where he’ll platoon with Jake Smolinski). Mark Canha and/or Adam Rosales could see some occasional time in the outfield corners as well, but there’s enough uncertainty here that Pagan could serve as an upgrade.
- Braves [Current depth chart]: Atlanta still doesn’t have much of an option in center in the event of an Ender Inciarte injury or day off. Matt Kemp is no longer an option there, and Jace Peterson has all of eight innings in the Majors at the position. The Braves have claimed corner options like Adam Walker and Christian Walker this winter, but Pagan profiles as more of a traditional fourth outfielder than either of those younger options.
- Blue Jays [Current depth chart]: Even after re-signing Bautista, it’s not hard to see how Pagan could fit into the Jays’ outfield mix. Toronto is currently set to rely on a platoon of Ezequiel Carrera and Melvin Upton Jr./Steve Pearce in left field. Pagan could compete for at-bats in left and could also help to spell Bautista in right (either late in games as a defensive replacement or in the starting lineup on days when Bautista serves as a DH). Speculating further, he could even push Bautista to first base with some degree of regularity (though the team does have both Justin Smoak and Pearce as options there).
- Giants [Current depth chart]: San Francisco seems set on seeing what it has on its hands with a pair of unproven outfielders: Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson. Parker, though, has demonstrated significant strikeout issues and needed a .360 average on balls in play to produce a fairly modest .267 average in the Majors. Williamson is the younger of the pair and has come with his own strikeout issues. Left field still looks like the Giants’ biggest hole, on paper, but they seem to prefer to move on to younger options.
- Nationals [Current depth chart]: Jayson Werth, Adam Eaton and Bryce Harper are set to be the primary outfielders in D.C., but Werth has had his own injury issues in recent years. Michael Taylor, Chris Heisey and perhaps an occasional appearance from Adam Lind appear to be the Nationals’ primary reserve options, but Taylor’s yet to make enough contact in the Majors to tap into his considerable upside. GM Mike Rizzo has been highly active late in the winter, adding both Matt Wieters and Joe Blanton in the past week.
- Orioles [Current depth chart]: The O’s were linked to Pagan back in December, though they’ve since added Michael Bourn and Craig Gentry on minor league deals. Bourn, though, will miss the next four weeks due to a broken finger, so perhaps the Orioles will again turn to Pagan as a possible depth piece. GM Dan Duquette reportedly would like an outfielder that can provide some speed and corner defense, and Pagan can fit that bill. Baltimore does have a pair of Rule 5 outfielders in camp in Aneury Tavarez and Anthony Santander, though, so the team may also feel the outfield scene is crowded enough.
- Pirates [Current depth chart]: No one is supplanting any of Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte or Andrew McCutchen for a regular role in the Pittsburgh outfield, but the primary backup outfielders appear to be Adam Frazier (who was more of an infielder in the minors) and John Jaso, who is definitively limited to the corners.
- Twins [Current depth chart]: Minnesota looks to be going young across the board in the outfield, with Eddie Rosario in left, Byron Buxton in center and Max Kepler in right. Switch-hitter Robbie Grossman is on hand and could serve as a right-handed complement to Rosario or Kepler, and Drew Stubbs is in camp with Minnesota trying to win a job. Out-of-options Danny Santana, a former shortstop, has seen his share of outfield action as well. There are plenty of options for the Twins, but if it’s determined that one of the starters needs to return to Triple-A, or if an option like Stubbs or Santana falters, there’s room for an addition.
- Tigers [Current depth chart]: Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez are set for everyday work in the corners, but the Tigers are going piecemeal in center field. Mikie Mahtook and Tyler Collins look primed to form a platoon, with Anthony Gose and young JaCoby Jones also on hand as options. It’s up for debate whether Pagan’s glove will play in center field anymore, but given the uncertainty in Detroit, it’s easy to see where he could slot into the mix.
- White Sox [Current depth chart]: Melky Cabrera, Charlie Tilson and Avisail Garcia look to be the starting trio for the ChiSox in the outfield, with veteran Peter Bourjos in camp on a non-roster invite. Waiver claim Rymer Liriano, too, could enter the mix — perhaps as a platoon partner for Tilson. Pagan could push Garcia or Cabrera to designated hitter, in theory, or he could slot in elsewhere if the Sox decide that Tilson needs more seasoning.
I’ll open this one up for everyone to weigh in (link to the poll for Trade Rumors mobile app users)…
Where Will Angel Pagan Sign?
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Blue Jays 14% (835)
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Braves 13% (768)
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Giants 12% (716)
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Nationals 11% (680)
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White Sox 9% (554)
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Other 9% (540)
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Tigers 8% (497)
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Orioles 7% (439)
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Athletics 7% (411)
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Pirates 6% (362)
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Twins 3% (187)
Total votes: 5,989
David Wright Diagnosed With Shoulder Impingement
6:20pm: A pair of Mets sources tell Kristie Ackert and Christian Red of the New York Daily News that the news on Wright’s shoulder following today’s examination is “not good.” Mets GM Sandy Alderson told reporters today that Wright’s shoulder woes are related to last year’s surgery to address a herniated disk in his neck and conceded that this latest setback makes Wright’s Opening Day availability “questionable.” The longtime Mets captain also had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his shoulder to reduce inflammation this spring.
Wright “is not going to be throwing for a couple of weeks” and will be focusing on exercises to strengthen his shoulder, though he can also continue to serve as a DH in spring contests. Asked about the possibility of Wright shifting across the diamond to first base, Alderson told the media: “Well, if he can’t throw, it makes every position less realistic. … [O]ur goal is to get him back to third base.”
8:27am: Mets third baseman David Wright will have to halt his throwing program after being diagnosed with a shoulder impingement, as Mike Puma of the New York Post was among those to report (Twitter links). Though it seems he’s still able to swing the bat at present, the news represents a delay in Wright’s timeline to return to the majors.
This is hardly the first roadblock that the veteran has faced, of course. He battled a serious back condition (spinal stenosis) last spring and throughout the season, only to see his comeback bid end with neck surgery. Now 34 years of age, Wright has played in just 75 games over the past two seasons.
At this point, the ability to throw the baseball seems to be the major limiting factor, as Wright has ramped up his hitting at a considerably quicker rate. For the DH-less Mets, though, there’s little function for the veteran if he’s unable to play the field, so he’ll need to build up arm strength before he can see time on the active roster.
Wright was already facing a time crunch in terms of preparing for Opening Day, as he had yet to begin regular work in the field. With this latest setback, it seems all but certain he’ll open the season on the DL. While that’s hardly an unexpected result for the club, which is no doubt taking the long view here, it’s disappointing to see other issues arising as Wright seeks to somehow play through the significant health conditions he has encountered.
The Mets have already foreseen the need to cover for missed time from Wright, of course, so it’s not as if the team will need to rush out and find a replacement. Jose Reyes and Wilmer Flores are both available to fill in, and the open roster spot may clear some additional daylight for players such as T.J. Rivera, Gavin Cecchini, and Matt Reynolds.