NL West Notes: Rockies, Rollins, Giants, De Leon
Some rumblings from around the NL West…
- The Rockies formally announced their 2017 coaching staff, including new hires Tony Diaz (first base coach), Duane Espy (hitting coach), Jeff Salazar (assistant hitting coach) and Ron Gideon (major league coach). This is Espy’s second stint as Colorado’s hitting coach, having previously worked in the job from 2003-06 under then-manager Clint Hurdle. Diaz, Salazar and Gideon are all getting their first experience working on a big league coaching staff, though they’re all longtime fixtures in the Rockies organization.
- In an insightful and wide-ranging interview with FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Jimmy Rollins discusses such topics as his new minor league deal with the Giants, his abbreviated 2016 season and whether or not he considered retirement after parting ways with the White Sox last summer.
- The Giants are amassing several utility infielders, leading SB Nation’s Grant Brisbee to wonder if the team could be building depth for a potential trade. Rollins joins Kelby Tomlinson, Ramiro Pena, Ehire Adrianza, Juniel Querecuto and Orlando Calixte as candidates to fill infield roles in the majors or Triple-A. Beyond a trade, the Giants could simply be preparing to have an open battle for the utility job in Spring Training, or getting added depth given Joe Panik‘s injury history.
- Jose De Leon has been rumored to be a central piece of a potential Dodgers trade package for Brian Dozier, and while the Twins are justified in asking for more beyond just the young righty, Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron writes that Minnesota shouldn’t get cavalier about passing on a very talented young arm. Interestingly, Cameron suggests that if the Twins are concerned about De Leon’s long-term potential, they could still make the trade, give De Leon an extended audition in the big leagues in 2017 and then look to deal him next winter. In theory, De Leon would have even more trade value at this point as a controllable young pitcher with some MLB experience.
Free Agent Notes: Encarnacion, Carter, Cahill
The latest on some notable names on the open market…
- A “perfect storm” of both a qualifying offer and the uncertainty around the new collective bargaining agreement has led to Edwin Encarnacion‘s extended stay on the open market, agent Paul Kinzer tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post. When asked if Encarnacion could pursue a contract like Yoenis Cespedes‘ deal with the Mets last winter (a big first-year salary but with the ability to opt out after the first season), Kinzer said “that can happen with a team not picking with a premium draft pick,” i.e. a team with a protected top-10 draft pick. Most of the teams with protected picks are either rebuilding or have entrenched first basemen, though the Athletics have reportedly offered Encarnacion a contract. The Rays also stand out to me as possible candidates for a creative deal. The Rockies already gave up their first-rounder to sign Ian Desmond, and thus would “only” be surrendering a second-rounder if they were to land Encarnacion. Kinzer further discussed Encarnacion’s market in other interviews yesterday.
- With Encarnacion’s market somewhat in flux, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal wonders if some teams could end up kicking themselves for not making a push to land the slugger while he may be available at a lesser-than-expected price. Teams that are still looking for value in a rather busy first base market could find themselves saving money but missing out on an established star who could help a club win the World Series.
- The market for first baseman Chris Carter seems to be held up by Encarnacion’s status, Carter’s agent Dave Stewart tells ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter links). “We’ve had calls from multiple teams, but no real commitment,” says Stewart, who has returned to his agency work after losing his seat as the Diamondbacks GM. The Encarnacion-driven delay has probably also impacted other free-agent sluggers, though it may have particularly concerned Cater, who is also a right-handed hitter limited to first base and DH duties. Carter hit the open market when the Brewers non-tendered him, both in spite of and because of his 41 long balls in 2016 — which drove his expected arbitration price tag to upwards of $8MM.
- Half a dozen teams are currently pursuing veteran righty Trevor Cahill, Crasnick adds (Twitter links). Three of those organizations (none of which are named) view the 28-year-old as a potential rotation option, which is said to be his preference. Though he hasn’t seen regular work as a starter since 2014, Cahill has taken the hill to open a big league game 174 times and performed well as a member of the Cubs bullpen following his mid-2015 acquisition. Over 82 2/3 IP across 61 appearances with Chicago, Cahill put up a 2.61 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9. Though he continues to pile up strong groundball numbers, he is prone to allowing home runs when opposing hitters put the ball in the air.
AL East Notes: Logan, Alvarez, Pineda, Blue Jays, Tobias
Here’s the latest from around the American League East…
- The Orioles “have long coveted” Boone Logan, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes. Signing Logan would give Baltimore a more reliable lefty specialist-type of a relief option beyond Donnie Hart and T.J. McFarland, though Kubatko isn’t sure if the O’s would be able to afford Logan’s services. The Blue Jays, Mets, Yankees and Mariners have all been linked to Logan this winter, though the Mariners may have addressed with left-handed bullpen needs by signing Marc Rzepczynski.
- Pedro Alvarez may be the Orioles free agent most likely to re-sign with the team, though as Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun notes, Alvarez’s return could create some roster complications. With Alvarez and Trey Mancini, the O’s would have two players best suited for DH duty, giving them less bench flexibility. Alvarez has indicated a willingness to learn to play outfield, though Encina isn’t sure if Alvarez will be able to defensively handle even a part-time outfield role. On the flip side, Alvarez does bring a lot of power from the left side and bringing him back could cost Baltimore much less than it would to re-sign Mark Trumbo.
- The Yankees have fielded several buy-low offers for Michael Pineda this winter, ESPN.com’s Andrew Marchand reports. Pineda posted a 4.82 ERA last season, a number somewhat inflated by a .339 BABIP and a 17% home run rate Pineda’s advanced metrics (3.80 FIP, 3.30 xFIP, 3.40 SIERA, 10.61 K/9, 3.91 K/BB rate) presented his season in a much better light, and his 175 2/3 innings pitched was a new career high for the injury-prone righty. Pineda will be a free agent after 2017, though rather than trade him, the Yankees are counting on Pineda to put it all together and help stabilize a rotation with several question marks.
- The Blue Jays seem to be looking to solve their position player needs before returning to their search for left-handed relief, Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reports. Logan, Jerry Blevins and Travis Wood are the most prominent southpaw relievers linked to the Jays this winter, though the team also isn’t settled in either corner outfield spot.
- The Red Sox freed up some salary by dealing Clay Buchholz to the Phillies, but Boston also likes the prospect (Josh Tobias) they got in return, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford writes. Tobias, a 10th-round pick for the Phillies in 2015, was one of 10 names targeted by the Sox as they looked through Philadelphia’s system. Red Sox director of pro scouting Gus Quattlebaum describes Tobias as “having potential as a versatile, switch-hitting guy with make-up and a feel to hit. Whenever you can find someone who can hit, that guy is going to standout.“
Pirates Have “Worked Hard” To Deal For Jose Quintana
TODAY: Even after the Pirates reached an agreement with Ivan Nova, the Pirates are still trying to acquire Quintana, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY: The Pirates have “worked hard” to trade for star White Sox lefty Jose Quintana, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets. Olney notes that Quintana’s very reasonable contract — which guarantees him a very reasonable $15.85MM over the next two years, plus cheap options or $1M buyouts for 2019 and 2020 — would fit into the budget of the low-revenue Pirates.
The Bucs currently have a very young and unproven rotation behind Gerrit Cole, and Quintana would certainly provide a big boost to a team that could conceivably contend in 2017. Acquiring Quintana, though, would seemingly constitute a significant change in direction for the Pirates, who have spent much of the offseason thus far discussing trades involving star outfielder Andrew McCutchen (who they now appear likely to keep). Adding Quintana, who has pitched over 800 innings in the last four seasons and who had a 3.20 ERA, 7.8 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 while finishing 10th in AL Cy Young voting in 2016, would dramatically increase the Pirates’ chances of making the playoffs next year.
Quintana would come at a significant price in prospects. The White Sox have driven hard bargains so far this offseason in trading Chris Sale and Adam Eaton, and they reportedly asked for top prospects Francis Martes and Kyle Tucker, plus big-leaguer Joe Musgrove, when the Astros called about Quintana. That’s not a wholly unreasonable price for a terrific pitcher with four years of control remaining, particularly given the seemingly seller-friendly market this offseason, but it isn’t cheap, either. The Pirates could conceivably offer top prospects like Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow or Mitch Keller in a Quintana trade, although the exact players discussed as they’ve worked to deal with the White Sox remain unknown.
Mets Notes: Robertson, Conforto, Bruce, Hamilton
The latest out of Citi Field…
- The Mets “haven’t made a serious inquiry” about a trade for White Sox closer David Robertson this winter or at the last trade deadline, though New York hasn’t ruled out the possibility, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports. Chicago would ask for Michael Conforto in any Robertson deal, however, so it could be hard for the two sides to settle on a deal. The White Sox weren’t looking for a big prospect return when they explored moving Robertson at the deadline, Ackert writes, though their current ask of Conforto reflects this offseason’s huge market for relief pitching.
- Also in regards to a possible Robertson trade, since the Mets are unlikely to deal Conforto or another young talent for the closer, Metsblog.com’s Matthew Cerrone proposes that the White Sox should swap Robertson for Jay Bruce if they’re unable to find a team willing to surrender a good prospect for Robertson’s services. The Sox would, if nothing else, save some money in the deal, as Bruce is owed $13MM in 2017 while Robertson is owed $25MM through 2018. Bruce could also become a good trade chip at the deadline, which would allow the White Sox to eventually get the prospect they want. The Mets would be taking on extra salary in this proposed deal, though allocating that money towards a strong relief arm is a better fit for the club than paying for a superfluous corner outfielder.
- In another item from Cerrone, he reports that the Mets “had zero interest” in Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton last summer. While Hamilton is an elite baserunner and defender, those skills were thought to be “unsustainable,” while the Mets also had issues with Hamilton’s strikeouts, low OBP and the fact that he’ll become more expensive over the next three years as he enters his arbitration years. Hamilton has been speculatively linked to the Mets as a possible solution to their outfield conundrum, though if the Mets still have those concerns, there seems to be little chance they would meet Cincinnati’s reportedly high price tag for the center fielder.
Jonny Gomes Intends To Play In 2017
Outfielder Jonny Gomes says he intends to make a comeback, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports on Twitter. The lefty masher, who is now 36, last played in the majors in 2015 and appeared briefly in 2016 in Japan.
Gomes was a productive part-timer as recently as 2013, when he played a big role for the Red Sox in a World Series-winning season. He took 366 plate appearances on the year, swatting 13 home runs and posting a .247/.344/.426 batting line — right at his career average (.242/.333/.436).
But Gomes struggled over the ensuing two seasons. He bounced from the Sox to the A’s in 2014, then joined the Braves as a free agent before being shipped to the eventual-champion Royals for a dozen-game stint. (Though he did not appear in the postseason for Kansas City, Gomes did play a notable role in the excellent victory parade.) He needed 583 trips to the plate to match that 13-homer output, slashing just .225/.321/.337 over that two-year span.
Despite the difficulties, Gomes was still useful when facing lefties in his most recent pair of MLB seasons. Indeed, his chief appeal lies in his work against opposing southpaws — who he has tuned up historically (.855 career OPS) — along with his hard-nosed style of play and noted clubhouse presence.
While he had hoped to return to the big leagues after wrapping up his disappointing stint with the NPB’s Rakuten Golden Eagles, Gomes wasn’t able to secure an opportunity. While he surely could have landed a minor-league deal, and acknowledged that would likely have been necessary, he suggested that he was interested only in signing directly onto a MLB roster at the time.
It’s all the more clear now that Gomes will need to earn his way back to the majors in spring camp — or, perhaps, through a stint in the minors to open the 2017 season — as his age, layoff, and recent track record make a guaranteed deal seem implausible. Given the respect he commands around the game, though, Gomes figures to find a chance with an organization.
Padres Considering Jered Weaver
As the Padres continue to build out their rotation with affordable, veteran arms, the organization is considering a move on righty Jered Weaver, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter).
San Diego has parted ways with a variety of notable pitchers in recent months, which left the team with a skeleton crew entering the offseason. But the club has already reached a pair of modest, $1.75MM deals with Jhoulys Chacin and Clayton Richard, each of whom appear likely to occupy rotation slots.
Despite those signings, the rotation currently projects to feature at least three largely unproven arms. Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource lists Luis Perdomo, Christian Friedrich, and Paul Clemens as the next starters in line on the Friars’ depth chart. Needless to say, that mix leaves plenty of room for addition.
Unlike rebuilding rivals such as the Braves and Phillies, each of whom committed significantly more cash to add their own short-term starters, the Padres are seemingly on the look for true bargains. San Diego is also said to be eyeing former staff ace Jake Peavy, who struggled last year with the Giants and will turn 36 during the 2017 season. The club surely has some interest in others as well.
Weaver, 34, ended his season with a minor back injury after giving the Angels 178 innings over 31 starts, but it seems that he fully expects to continue pitching. While he still commands the ball, and drew plaudits for taking the bump every fifth day, Weaver was more vulnerable than ever in his final season with Los Angeles. He surrendered a career-high 5.06 earned runs per nine with 5.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. And those disappointing results came despite a continuation of his long history of outperforming the expectations of ERA estimators, which took rather a dim view of his 2016 effort (5.62 FIP, 5.64 xFIP, 5.44 SIERA).
Never a flamethrower, Weaver has seen his average four-seam fastball velocity decline from the ~90 mph range all the way down to 84 mph in 2016. Opposing hitters made hard contact at a 34.7% clip and hit homers on 12.7% of the flies they put in play against Weaver, both of which were career-worst numbers for the former Halos ace, who also generated grounders at a personal-low rate of 28.8%.
All told, it’s tough to see much reason to believe that Weaver can regain his form of old, though perhaps with some tweaks he can still represent a plausible back-of-the-rotation option. Given the rough platform year, it likely won’t take much of a commitment for the Padres or another organization to find out. Certainly, San Diego and others will place at least some additional value on Weaver’s pedigree and respected status around the game.
MLBTR Poll: Where Will Edwin Encarnacion End Up?
With negotiations seemingly taking place in earnest for free-agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion, let’s see where the MLBTR readership sees things heading. These are the reported suitors that are still trying to land him (in alphabetical order):
Astros: Houston long seemed like a clear possibility, but various other moves made a big strike for Encarnacion appear unlikely. But the ‘Stros could still clear the way for a big bat, especially if the team ends up dealing other pieces to add a starter.
Athletics: A true dark horse, the A’s have always had the need for a big bat, but were a questionable fit in terms of budget. Just how high Oakland is willing to bid isn’t known, but it now seems clear that the team is firmly in the hunt.
Blue Jays: The incumbent Jays are said to be fading as a destination, but Encarnacion’s camp has long suggested its his preference to stay in Toronto, and it’s still possible that he could fit.
Indians: Fresh off a World Series appearance, Cleveland has a bit more budget flexibility than usual and could certainly stand to add a significant hitter to the middle of its order. We’ve heard varying suggestions of the organization’s willingness to spend, but the latest indication is that the Indians are pushing to land EE.
Rangers: Texas remains arguably the best fit on paper, even if its front office has repeatedly poured cold water on the likelihood of such a big signing for the past several weeks.
Other: Encarnacion’s agent, Paul Kinzer, says that there are at least six teams to have made three or four-year offers, noting that National League clubs have been involved as well. The Rockies and Cardinals appear to be the most sensible N.L. possibilities, with Colorado acknowledging that it’s at least monitoring the market and reports suggesting that St. Louis may take a look as well.
While at least five American League teams are now known to be in pursuit, it’s imaginable that others, too, have entered the bidding (or, perhaps, still will). The Mariners, Orioles, and Red Sox are among the organizations that could conceivably still be involved (though Boston has quite recently downplayed that possibility).
So, now’s the time to enter your bets: which team is most likely to land the best remaining free agent? (Order randomized; link for app users.)
Who Will Sign Edwin Encarnacion?
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Indians 30% (6,072)
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Other 23% (4,622)
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Rangers 21% (4,139)
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Blue Jays 14% (2,874)
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Astros 7% (1,374)
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Athletics 5% (963)
Total votes: 20,044
6 Teams Have Made Offers To Edwin Encarnacion
6:56pm: Cleveland, Texas, and Oakland appear to be the three most likely destinations at present, Bowden adds. On the N.L. side, the Rockies are said still to be “monitoring” the developments while the Marlins aren’t involved.
6:13pm: In addition to the Indians and Blue Jays, the Rangers, Astros, and Athletics have all made offers to Encarnacion, according to ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden (who cites team sources for each organization). As noted below, there’s apparently at least one other organization that has dangled a proposal as well.
Each of those five clubs have put multiple years on the table, per Bowden, who notes that some of the offers include opt-outs following the 2017 campaign. Two suitors, in particular, are said to be engaged in negotiations “at a rapid pace” with Encarnacion’s reps. It’s not known which of the five organizations are pushing hardest at present.
2:35pm: The Indians are “pulling out all the stops” to land Encarnacion, although they might ultimately not be able to afford him, a source tells Fan Rag’s Jon Heyman. Kinzer tells Heyman that two teams have been especially enthusiastic in their pursuit of Encarnacion, although he doesn’t say who.
11:14am: Here’s the latest from Edwin Encarnacion‘s agent Paul Kinzer, via an interview with Jeff Blair of Sportsnet590:
- Kinzer says he is surprised Encarnacion isn’t yet signed. He acknowledges the “glut” of power hitters remaining on the free agent market (presumably including players like Mark Trumbo, Mike Napoli, Jose Bautista and Chris Carter) but says he felt Encarnacion and Yoenis Cespedes stood above that group.
- Encarnacion has gotten three- to four-year offers from six teams, Kinzer says. Most of those offers were for three years. National League teams have been involved in Encarnacion’s market as well as American League teams.
- Encarnacion’s priority, though, has been to return to the Blue Jays. The Jays, of course, made a significant offer to Encarnacion, but that offer came right around the opening of free agency, and Kinzer says the timing wasn’t quite right for Encarnacion, who wanted to assess other teams’ interest. After the Jays signed Kendrys Morales and then Steve Pearce, Kinzer and Encarnacion felt it wasn’t likely Encarnacion would return to Toronto. “We never had any idea that the Blue Jays were going to move that fast,” Kinzer says. He acknowledges the two sides have spoken recently, but says Encarnacion is coming to grips with the fact that he probably won’t be a Blue Jay next season.
- Kinzer says he expected significant offers from teams like the Red Sox and Yankees early in free agency. Those apparently didn’t materialize, and Kinzer says he believes the threat of a lost draft pick had an impact on Encarnacion’s market. The absence of a new CBA early in the offseason was a factor as well, he adds.
- Kinzer feels it wasn’t a mistake that Encarnacion didn’t discuss an extension with the Jays once the 2016 season started. He says that when he negotiated Starlin Castro‘s extension with the Cubs, it was a significant distraction for Castro, affecting his eating and sleeping habits. Encarnacion, meanwhile, was very productive in his final year before free agency.
MLBTR Chat Transcript
Click here to view the transcript for MLBTR Chat With Jason Martinez: December 21, 2016