East Notes: Orioles, Tillman, Braves, Yankees, Severino
The Orioles opened contract extension talks with right-hander Chris Tillman‘s agent in December, though Tillman stated earlier this month that he hadn’t heard anything about a potential new deal. The 28-year-old again touched on his future Saturday, implying that the Orioles won’t have a large window to extend him if they make an earnest attempt. Tillman doesn’t expect contract discussions to begin until spring training, and he’d prefer not to engage in any once the season starts, he informed Rich Dubroff of PressBoxonline.com (Twitter link). In what could be his last year as an Oriole, Tillman is slated to rake in $10.05MM.
More from Baltimore and two other East Coast cities:
- One of Tillman’s teammates, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones, said Saturday he wants “more speed” and “more athleticism” in the team’s outfield (via Paul Folkemer of BaltimoreBaseball.com). General manager Dan Duquette, meanwhile, acknowledged that “the outfield defense is an area where the club can improve” and talked up Rule 5 picks Aneury Tavarez and Anthony Santander as potential solutions. The Orioles had the worst defensive outfield in the majors by measure of both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating last year, but – Rule 5 choices aside – they haven’t done much to improve in that area. Seth Smith, who’s not exactly a defensive ace, has been the team’s only prominent outfield acquisition from outside, while it also brought back the bat-first Mark Trumbo. Jones spoke on the pair, saying, “They’re very good athletes, but they’re not top of the line defensive players first.”
- Kris Medlen, a two-time Tommy John recipient and the newest member of the Braves organization, may have retired if not for a biomechanics instructor helping to reinvigorate the 31-year-old, writes Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Medlen, who missed all of 2014 and ’15 and then threw just 24 1/3 frames with the Royals last season, will attempt to reestablish himself in Atlanta, where he produced terrific results from 2009-13. “We’re all excited about being part of the Braves’ family again,” said Medlen, who lives in Atlanta with his family.
- The Yankees‘ young pitching depth is lacking a clear-cut potential ace, scouts tell Bleacher Report’s Danny Knobler, though there’s still a lot of promising talent in the system. “There are not a lot of givens with their guys. They could end up with the best pitching on the planet, or they could have problems,” one NL scout said. Justus Sheffield, acquired as part of the Andrew Miller trade last summer, may be the most intriguing of the bunch. “A lot of people love [Sheffield]….When teams talk to the Yankees about trades, he’s the one they ask for,” an NL executive said.
- Righty Luis Severino is among the Yankees’ highest-upside pitchers, but the 22-year-old disappointed as a starter last season after a promising showing in 2015. Severino laid out why he posted a 8.50 ERA across 11 major league starts in 2016, telling Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media that he had release point issues with his fastball, changeup and slider. With the help of both Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild and the legendary Pedro Martinez, Severino has worked to fix those problems this offseason. “I’m doing very well,” Severino said. “I’ve been throwing my bullpen and my changeup is way better than last year. My fastball location is better, too. So hopefully in spring training it’ll be good.” Severino also “dropped like 10 pounds” at the insistence of the Yankees, who will continue to use him as a starter – whether in the bigs or the Triple-A level to begin 2017 – despite a superb 23 1/3-inning run as a reliever last year. Although Severino logged a pristine 0.39 ERA and held batters to a laughable .105/.209/.158 line out of the bullpen, he’d rather start. “(Brian Cashman) knows I’m going to be a good starter,” he said. “I’m happy with that. I want to start. That’s my goal.”
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: ChiSox, Jays, Brewers, Dodgers, Angels, Cards
This week in baseball blogs…
- Outside Pitch MLB interviews White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier.
- BP Toronto argues that the Blue Jays should extend third baseman Josh Donaldson.
- Big Three Sports explains how one at-bat could affect the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year picture.
- Camden Depot studies which pitchers have the most effective curveballs.
- The First Out At Third regards Brewers outfielder Domingo Santana as a breakout candidate.
- Chin Music Baseball applauds the work the Angels have done this offseason.
- Ladodgerreport is bullish on the Dodgers’ acquisition of ex-Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe.
- The Redbird Daily contends that Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha would be better suited to come out of the bullpen than start.
- Mets Daddy wonders how much third baseman David Wright will contribute going forward.
- The Point of Pittsburgh searches for bargain free agents for the Pirates.
- Call To The Pen evaluates designated hitter options for the Rangers.
- The K Zone shares a recent interview with Phillies righty Zach Eflin.
- Underthought (first in a two-part series) looks back on Bill James‘ top 100 first baseman rankings of all-time, which were last updated in 2001, and tries to figure out which recent players would be worthy of inclusion on a new list.
- Pirates Breakdown ponders Bucs righty Tyler Glasnow‘s future.
- MLB451 speaks with Angels bench coach Dino Ebel.
- Notes From the Sally previews this year’s Greensboro Grasshoppers, who are the Marlins’ South Atlantic League affiliate.
- MLB Reports suggests the Red Sox try to extend newly acquired ace Chris Sale.
- Jays From the Couch asks if Toronto should trade outfielder Melvin Upton Jr.
- Call To The Pen ranks the American League Central.
- The Runner Sports writes about the five biggest stories facing the Yankees’ pitchers and catchers in advance of spring training.
- The 3rd Man In talks with Texas A&M righty Corbin Martin, one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class.
- Extra Innings: Baseball Around the World calls attention to former major league infielder/outfielder Mark Teahen‘s decision to come out of retirement to join the Italian Baseball League.
- Real McCoy Minor News chats with Cubs minor league infielder Kevin Cornelius.
- Jays Journal checks in on the open market for relievers Toronto could pursue.
- Pinstriped Prospects profiles Yankees righty Chad Green.
- Call To The Pen is optimistic about this year’s Phillies.
- The Runner Sports assesses three non-roster invitees’ chances of earning spots with the Astros in camp.
- Rotisserie Duck focuses on prospects who could impact fantasy baseball this year.
Please send submissions to ZachBBWI @gmail.com.
Nationals, Vance Worley Agree To Minor League Deal
The Nationals have announced an agreement with free agent right-hander Vance Worley on a minor league contract. The deal, which features an invitation to spring training, comes with a $1MM major league salary and up to $1.65MM more in incentives, tweets Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. Worley is a client of Wasserman Media Group.
[Updated Nationals Depth Chart]
The 29-year-old Worley spent last season in nearby Baltimore, where the swingman tossed 86 2/3 innings in 35 appearances (four starts) and logged a 3.53 ERA. Worley’s run prevention success came despite underwhelming strikeout and walk rates of 5.82 and 3.63, respectively, per nine innings. The Orioles elected in December to non-tender Worley, for whom MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected a $3.3MM arbitration award.
While the Orioles weren’t interested in handing Worley a raise over his $2.6MM salary from last season, they did want him back in the fold at a lesser rate. In fact, general manager Dan Duquette revealed earlier Saturday that the O’s had made Worley a contract offer.
Worley will instead head back to the National League, where he began his career as a member of the Phillies from 2010-12. After a year with the Twins, he returned to the NL and pitched for the Pirates from 2014-15. The soft-tossing journeyman has never been a strikeout artist (6.76 K/9), though he has managed to post respectable walk and ground-ball rates (2.87 BB/9, 45.7 percent) en route to a career 3.75 ERA across 595 1/3 major league innings.
In Washington, Worley will join a team with an enviable starting rotation consisting of reigning NL Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Tanner Roark, Gio Gonzalez and Joe Ross. Strasburg and Ross each dealt with serious injury issues last season, though, and the Nationals weakened their starting depth earlier this offseason in trading Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the White Sox for outfielder Adam Eaton. Worley could factor into the Nats’ rotation at some point next season, then. Otherwise, barring injuries during the spring, he’s likely to vie for a bullpen role in camp.
Cafardo’s Latest: White Sox, Blue Jays, Astros, Royals
The Blue Jays have had discussions with the White Sox regarding closer David Robertson, who’s “more than available,” writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Chicago isn’t in any rush to move Robertson, though, because the team believes he’ll possess significant value around the summer trade deadline. Robertson will be more than a rental if the White Sox move him in the coming months, as he has two years and $25MM remaining on his contract. While Toronto already has a high-level closer in Roberto Osuna, it could use another setup option to go with Joe Biagini and Jason Grilli.
More from Cafardo on those two clubs and a couple others:
- The White Sox are “100 percent committed” to keeping star prospect Yoan Moncada at second base, a team source told Cafardo. Moncada, who’s the centerpiece of the haul the White Sox acquired from Boston for Chris Sale last month, primarily played third base in his brief cup of coffee at the major league level last season. Notably, some scouts have suggested moving the athletic 21-year-old to center field, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told Chuck Garfien of Comcast Sportsnet Chicago on Saturday (Twitter link).
- Before they agreed to a minor league contract with catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the Blue Jays showed interest in free agent Matt Wieters, relays Cafardo. Toronto already has an everyday catcher in Russell Martin, of course, and also possesses no shortage of first base/designated hitter types (though Cafardo doesn’t specify whether Wieters was on Toronto’s radar before or after it signed Kendrys Morales, Steve Pearce and Jose Bautista). With the Jays out of the picture, the Astros and the previously reported Rays remain possibilities for Wieters, who wanted a three-year deal at the outset of free agency, adds Cafardo. The Astros are another curious fit, however, with Brian McCann and Evan Gattis behind the plate – not to mention the presences of first baseman Yulieski Gurriel and DH Carlos Beltran.
- The Royals’ interest in free agent right-hander Jason Hammel has picked up since Yordano Ventura tragically died last Sunday, per Cafardo. Kansas City was surely banking on quality production in 2017 from Ventura, who tossed at least 163 innings in each of his three major league seasons and totaled a career-best 186 frames last year. From strictly an on-field standpoint, Hammel’s track record suggests he would help replace the stunning loss of Ventura. Hammel has racked up three straight years with 166-plus innings and sub-4.00 ERAs, though he surprisingly hasn’t been able to find work this offseason since the Cubs declined his option in November. It’s worth noting that the 34-year-old experienced elbow tightness late last season and wasn’t active for the World Series champions’ playoff run.
- Along with Hammel, free agent first baseman Chris Carter has piqued the Royals’ interest, but Cafardo notes that they seem likelier to target a left-handed hitter. There are still several notable lefty-swinging options remaining in free agency, including Pedro Alvarez, Brandon Moss, Logan Morrison, Adam Lind, Justin Morneau and Ryan Howard.
AL Central Notes: White Sox, Dozier, Napoli, Dolan
Some news and notes from around the AL Central…
- The departures of Chris Sale and Adam Eaton haven’t led to more trades of veterans for the White Sox, though GM Rick Hahn won’t rush the rebuilding process, he tells reporters (including CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine). “If we had our druthers, we would continue to make transactions like the Eaton and Sale deals in rapid succession,” Hahn said. “Our desire is to get through this process and build a sustainable core of talented players as soon as possible. Our desire and impatience is not going to dictate this market and the schedule of these moves. The timing of these moves will be based upon the market and our ability to get the right value in these trades.” Hahn said he remains in talks with other teams and it is possible the Sox could make another deal before either Spring Training opens or before Opening Day.
- The Brian Dozier trade speculation may not be finished yet, as Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey told reporters (including Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) that “You can’t rule out anything. We constantly need to stay open-minded to potential opportunities to add value.” That being said, Falvey also added that “as it stands, Brian is here today and we’re excited to have him as part of the Twins family.” Minnesota reportedly asked teams to make their final offers for Dozier at the start of January and a heavily-rumored trade with the Dodgers failed to materialize and L.A. instead acquired Logan Forsythe to play second base. Since Dozier is under contract for two more seasons at (given his production) a bargain price, the Twins aren’t under much pressure to trade him immediately.
- Mike Napoli could be a good fit for a Twins team looking for both veteran leadership and another bat, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman opines. Napoli could split time with Joe Mauer at first base and DH, and Heyman notes that Napoli has past ties to both GM Thad Levine and chief baseball officer Derek Falvey. This is just my speculation, but I’m not sure if Napoli would be interested in joining a team that isn’t close to contention, though obviously Napoli’s priorities might change the longer he remains unsigned.
- The Indians moved out of their usual financial comfort zone to sign Edwin Encarnacion, though owner Paul Dolan tells MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian that signing Encarnacion was easier than the decision to give up several highly-regarded prospects to acquire Andrew Miller at the trade deadline. “The cost of Andrew Miller was talent. And that’s not in our DNA, to give up that kind of talent for somebody like that,” Dolan said. “I suppose contracts like Encarnacion are not in our DNA, either. But, it was the right time for us, and we felt it was the right time to reach.”
Latest On Craig Breslow’s Market
The Twins, Blue Jays and Indians are all “strong” in their pursuit of left-handed reliever Craig Breslow, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). The Dodgers and Mets are also interested in the veteran southpaw.
Breslow is likely to pick his new team once Jerry Blevins and Boone Logan (the top two left-handed relievers available) have signed. The Blue Jays and Mets have been connected to both relievers and the Dodgers have also been linked to Blevins, so it’s quite possible that Breslow could lose a suitor or two once the free agent market thins out.
Breslow has struggled for much of the last three seasons, though an overhaul of his mechanics and a new arm slot has led to renewed intrigue in his services, as almost half the teams in baseball had scouts at Breslow’s recent showcase. With this much apparent interest, Breslow can perhaps afford to be a bit patient in finding an offer, as he could still land a decent contract if as many as three teams will still be looking for lefty relief help.
With Logan and Blevins carrying reported price tags of at least two years and $12MM, Breslow is certainly a less-costly alternative, which has particular appeal to several of his suitors. Cleveland has already gone well above its usual spending limits to sign Edwin Encarnacion, the Mets’ payroll may also be somewhat maxed-out with Jay Bruce‘s salary still on the books and the Jays may also be at or near their payroll parameters after re-signing Jose Bautista. The Twins are known to be attempting to wait out the market to score a bargain or two, as the rebuilding club obviously doesn’t intend to overpay for a bullpen signing.
From 2005-13, Breslow posted a 2.82 ERA, 2.1 K/BB rate and 7.4 K/9 over 402 relief innings with six teams (including the Twins and Indians). The 36-year-old has been effective against both left-handed hitters (holding them to a .693 OPS over his career) and right-handed hitters (.705 OPS).
Rockies Sign Greg Holland
1:38PM: Holland earns $6MM in salary and there is a $1MM buyout of his 2018 option, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (Twitter links). If Holland either pitches in 50 games or finishes 30 games this season, the option vests into a $15MM player option for 2018 that Holland can either accept or reject in search of a larger multi-year deal on the open market. If the option doesn’t vest, it turns into a $10MM mutual option for 2018 that contains another $8MM in incentives.
9:55AM: The Rockies have landed one of the offseason’s most sought-after bullpen arms, as the club officially announced its one-year deal with right-hander Greg Holland. The contract also contains a vesting option for the 2018 season. Holland is represented by the Boras Corporation.
Holland will earn $7MM in guaranteed money in 2017, though he can earn substantially more in incentives that vary based on his role with the Rockies. Holland has $3MM worth of non-closing incentives in his contract and can earn up to $14MM next season if he serves as the Rockies’ closer. Presumably, the non-closing incentives are based on factors such as innings pitched and appearances, and the deal also contains bonuses for games finished.
[Related: Updated Colorado Rockies Depth Chart]
The 31-year-old Holland missed all of the 2016 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery that was performed late in the 2015 campaign. Prior to that operation, however, he was one of the game’s top relievers and a key factor in the Royals’ return to prominence. From 2011-14, Holland tossed 256 1/3 innings of 1.86 ERA ball with 12.6 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 with a 44.4 percent ground-ball rate. Holland racked up 113 saves in that time and anchored the Royals’ bullpen in the 2014 postseason, throwing 15 innings and allowing one run with a 15-to-5 K/BB ratio.
A year later, when the Royals won the World Series, Holland watched from the dugout following his operation. He’d pitched to a 3.83 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9 in 44 2/3 innings prior to going under the knife. Incredibly, at the time Holland’s injury was reported to the public, manager Ned Yost suggested that Holland had unknowingly suffered a tear of some degree in his UCL back in Aug. 2014, which would mean he pitched the entire 2015 campaign with a tear in the elbow. The Royals reportedly recommended medical examination on numerous occasions, though Holland declined. Presumably, the tear was minimal in nature at first, but it progressed to the point where it was termed a “significant” tear by the tail end of the 2015 season.
If Holland passes the Rockies’ physical, he’ll add to what’s been an active offseason for Rockies GM Jeff Bridich and the rest of the Colorado front office. Colorado has clearly been operating in a win-now capacity, as evidenced by the team’s signing of Ian Desmond to a five-year, $70MM contract (which cost them the No. 11 overall pick in the upcoming draft) and the addition of lefty Mike Dunn on a three-year, $19MM deal.
With the Rockies, Holland would likely be the favorite to pitch the ninth inning, though he’ll presumably have to prove healthy and effective enough to push past incumbent candidate Adam Ottavino. That duo and the newly signed Dunn will pair with holdovers Jake McGee, Jason Motte and Chad Qualls to comprise the relief corps for first-year Rockies manager Bud Black. Also in the mix for ’pen jobs in Denver will be lefty Chris Rusin and right-handers Jordan Lyles, Carlos Estevez and Miguel Castro.
While the addition of Holland certainly doesn’t make the Rockies an immediate contender, the team’s offseason maneuverings have improved the 2017 outlook. Not only will Desmond and Holland be bolstering the lineup and the pitching staff, but the Rox will receive full seasons from sophomores David Dahl, Trevor Story and Tyler Anderson, each of whom impressed in their rookie efforts this past season. Beyond that, it’s certainly plausible that emerging rotation leader Jon Gray will take another step forward, and the Rox have an intriguing blend of young and veteran arms to round out the rotation. That group includes Chad Bettis, Tyler Chatwood, German Marquez and Jeff Hoffman.
Holland was linked to about two-thirds of the league early in the offseason, but the number of teams interested in his services began to narrow over the course of the past few weeks. Most recently, the Rockies, Nationals and a yet-unreported “mystery” team were believed to be the three most serious suitors for Holland’s services. With Holland off the board, the Nationals will presumably have to look elsewhere to add an experienced arm to their ninth-inning mix.
Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan (Twitter link) was the first to report that the two sides were in agreement, with FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman tweeting earlier in the day that Holland and the Rockies were closing in on a deal. Passan also reported the financial details about the contract’s guaranteed money and the available incentives.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dodgers To Sign Ike Davis
1:27PM: Davis will earn $1.25MM if he reaches the majors, and the contract contains an out clause, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets.
8:03AM: The Dodgers have agreed to sign first baseman Ike Davis to a minor league contract, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy reports (via Twitter). Davis has been on the open market since being released by the Yankees last August.
Davis, 29, appeared in just eight major league games in 2016, spending much of his season at the Triple-A level with the Yankees’ and Rangers’ top minor league affiliates. The left-handed hitting Davis has a solid career slash line (.251/.351/.441) against right-handed pitching over his career, though even those numbers were on the decline over the last two seasons as Davis struggled to retain a big league job. After an impressive start to his MLB career as the Mets’ regular first baseman, Davis has hit just .222/.327/.354 over 1058 PA since the start of the 2013 season, bouncing from the Mets to the Pirates to the A’s and last year’s brief stint with the Yankees.
The signing gives L.A. some veteran first base depth for the minors. Adrian Gonzalez is entrenched at first base for the Dodgers, with Darin Ruf (a right-handed bat to better complement the lefty-swinging Gonzalez) slated as the backup at first.
Dodgers Notes: Hill, Zaidi, Forsythe
Here’s the latest from Chavez Ravine…
- Rich Hill‘s life and incredible career turn-around is profiled by Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times, detailing how the journeyman southpaw went from just trying to eke out a major league job to posting some of the best numbers of any pitcher in the sport over the last two seasons.
- The Dodgers’ acquisition of Logan Forsythe from the Rays for Jose De Leon is something of an overpay for L.A., Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron opines. Cameron feels there’s risk involved in the trade given De Leon’s potential, the fact that Dodgers themselves could’ve used De Leon’s arm in the bullpen or as rotation depth, and that the Dodgers could’ve given up a bit more prospect capital to acquire Brian Dozier, a player Cameron argues is markedly better than Forsythe. Still, the deal makes sense if the Dodgers are in win-now mode and are already looking ahead to another potential playoff matchup with the Cubs in October.
- Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi also discussed the Forsythe deal in an interview with Jim Memolo and Kevin Kennedy on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (audio link), noting that Forsythe was “on a very short list of targets” for the club’s second base vacancy. Zaidi described the Dodgers’ search for a second baseman as “pretty drawn-out and “unfortunately, probably more of it got out into the public than we would’ve liked.”
Orioles Notes: Britton, Machado, Worley, Brach, Joseph
Here’s the latest from the Orioles’ FanFest event…
- Zach Britton and the Orioles haven’t been discussing an extension, though the ace closer tells MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli (Twitter link) and other reporters that there is mutual interest between the two sides on working out a new deal. Britton and the O’s avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $11.4MM contract for 2017, and Britton has one more arb year left before entering free agency.
- There also haven’t been any extension talks between Manny Machado and the O’s, the star third baseman told reporters, including Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. Machado reiterated that he hopes to remain with the Orioles and he understands if the club is focusing on other priorities right now rather than open talks. Needless to say, negotiating a Machado extension will be a major task given the huge amount of years and dollars (ten years and $300MM is a ballpark figure) it would take to prevent Machado from hitting free agency at age 26 following the 2018 season.
- The Orioles have made a contract offer to right-hander Vance Worley, executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette told reporters (including the Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli). Worley was projected to earn $3.3MM in arbitration this winter and was non-tendered by the O’s last month. The righty posted a 3.53 ERA, 5.8 K/9 and 48.1% grounder rate over 86 2/3 innings for Baltimore last season and has value as a long reliever and spot starter, even if the Orioles weren’t keen on meeting his projected price tag.
- Duquette also stated (to Eduardo A. Encina and other media) that the Orioles are planning to go to hearings to decide their three unsettled arbitration cases with Kevin Gausman, Brad Brach and Caleb Joseph. Brach and Joseph discussed their takes on the hearing process with MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, with Brach also talking about his name being mentioned in offseason trade rumors.