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Royals Notes: Kazmir, Infante, Gordon

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Here’s a look at the World Champions:

  • The Royals are among the many teams with interest in Scott Kazmir, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.  Kazmir met with the Astros last week to explore the possibility of a return to Houston, but it remains to be seen whether that reunion will take place.  The soon-to-be 32-year-old has thrown 373 1/3 innings of 3.33 ERA ball with 7.7 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 and he’s maintained his average fastball velocity at about 91.5 mph.  On the flip side, Kazmir’s advanced metrics (3.98 FIP, 4.14 xFIP, 4.10 SIERA) weren’t as impressive and he struggled to a 6.52 ERA over the months of September and October.
  • The Royals are once again open to moving second baseman Omar Infante, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star tweets.  Of course, it could be tough for the Royals to find a decent haul for Infante given his age and contract.  Roughly two years ago, the Royals signed Infante to a four-year deal for more than $30MM plus incentives with a $10MM team option for 2018.
  • Royals GM Dayton Moore says that his front office is only monitoring the Alex Gordon situation for now, as Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com writes.  When asked if Gordon is even within their financial reach, Moore said, “I don’t know. We’ll see. I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t know because I don’t know what [the asking price] will ultimately be. We’re still in the market for an outfield bat. But we also know this: If we do nothing in the outfield, we’ll still be very good defensively at the corner outfield — we’ll have speed and upside with Jarrod Dyson, Paulo Orlando and Brett Eibner and Reymond Fuentes. Jose Martinez isn’t the defender those guys are but has offense. We’ll see.”

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:

AL East Notes: Orioles, Davis, Rays

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The Yankees’ lack of a major signing this winter won’t give them any leverage in the YES Network dispute with Comcast, Bob Raissman of the Daily News writes.  That may come as a surprising take given their recent acquisition of Starlin Castro, but Raissman feels that the shortstop still isn’t enough to move the needle significantly for the Bombers.  In fact, Raissman wonders if the Yankees’ relative inaction could lead fair weather fans to switch over to the Mets.

Here’s today’s glance at the AL East:

  • The Orioles offered Chris Davis precisely $154MM over seven years, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets.  Now, GM Dan Duquette says the team is looking at other options.  Talks have not been terminated, but Duquette implied it would be up to Davis’ agent Scott Boras to revisit negotiations.  The 29-year-old Davis is the top power bat on the open market, as he leads the Majors in homers over the past three seasons.
  • The Rays are suddenly holding a hot commodity thanks to their pitching depth, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes.  Earlier today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that of the three teams that are willing to move good, young starting pitching, the Rays might be the most likely to do it.
  • It’s not a big surprise, but the Rays found at the Winter Meetings that “everyone” has interest in Gold Glove-winning center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, Topkin writes.  This past season, Kiermaier led the majors with 42 Defensive Runs Saved.
  • The Rays wanted to bring Daniel Nava back on a minor league deal, but it appears that he’s going to sign a similar deal elsewhere, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.  The Angels and Padres are believed to be in the mix to sign the outfielder, according to a source who spoke with SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo.  Nava, 32, is a free agent for the first time in his career.

Reactions To Jason Heyward Signing With Cubs

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Not only did the Cardinals lose out on Jason Heyward – they lost out while offering the most overall money, according to Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch.  Two sources tell Goold that the Cardinals’ offer was greater in guaranteed value while the Cubs had the higher annual average value, at $23MM/year.  As Goold notes, this marks the second time this winter that the Cardinals made a serious run at one of the winter’s top free agents and came up short.  The other instance, of course, being their failed pursuit of David Price.

Here’s a roundup of reactions to Heyward’s massive new deal with the Cubs:

  • The Cubs’ signing of Jason Heyward has left the Cardinals feeling jilted, Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes.  Now, the Cardinals must move on and add at least one significant piece, Hochman opines.  The writer suggests that the Cards should sign Alex Gordon toplay right field or first base, with Stephen Piscotty playing the other.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports discussed Cubs president Theo Epstein, who now finds himself at the helm of baseball’s newest juggernaut.  Within the article, Rosenthal writes that rival execs say Epstein has long been fixated on Heyward, going back to his early days with the Braves.  Rosenthal also feels that the Cubs were motivated to sign Heyward and Lackey, in part, because they were effectively taking pieces away from the rival Cardinals.
  • Things have changed in Chicago, as evidenced by the free agent additions of Heyward, Lackey, and Ben Zobrist, Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com writes.  Back in November, Epstein says that he didn’t envision the Cubs being able to do two deals in the range of $100MM this offseason.  Things quickly changed, however.
  • The Cubs now have a monster lineup headlined by Heyward, Phil Rogers of MLB.com writes.

Cafardo On Bradley, Miley, Red Sox

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A few teams, including the Royals and Cubs, inquired about Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. at the Winter Meetings only to be told that he was not available, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe.  The 25-year-old Bradley (26 next April) posted a nice .249/.335/.489 bating line in 2015 and justified the considerable defensive hype that comes with his name, saving eight to 10 runs (based on his respective Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating marks) while logging a combined 608 innings across all three outfield spots.  It’s no surprise that he drew interest and also not a surprise to hear that the Red Sox are choosing to hang on to him.

Here’s more from today’s column:

  • The Red Sox and Royals also discussed Wade Miley before he was shipped to the Mariners.  A big league source tells Cafardo that Boston asked KC for Kelvin Herrera while the Royals preferred to move Luke Hochevar.  The Red Sox ultimately opted for the Mariners deal.  Miley’s first season with Boston got off to a slow start, but the lefty rebounded from a ghastly 8.62 April ERA to 4.10 ERA with a 137-to-58 K/BB ratio across his final 178 innings of the 2015 season.
  • It “appears that” Cody Ross’ career is over. The free agent outfielder suffered a bad hip injury with the D’Backs two years ago and he hasn’t been the same player since.  The 34-year-old Ross was released by Arizona last season and later went 2-for-25 in nine games with the Athletics.  Ross has played parts of 12 MLB seasons, suiting up for the Tigers, Dodgers, Reds, Marlins, Giants and Red Sox in addition to the Diamondbacks and Athletics, and hitting .262/.322/.445.
  • Agent Joe Sambito tells Cafardo that free agent third baseman Will Middlebrooks has gotten inquiries from 11 teams.  Cafardo speculates that the Brewers could bring Middlebrooks into their third base mix.
  • Most execs and scouts that Cafardo spoke with at the Winter Meetings said that they wouldn’t give Jason Heyward a $200MM deal.  Of course, the Cubs felt differently.

Rosenthal On Leake, Orioles, Cubs, Inciarte

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Pitcher Mike Leake is willing to take significantly less to play at home in Arizona, according to sources who spoke with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  However, D’Backs COO Tony La Russa says it’s “probably unlikely” that the team will sign him.

“It’s gone back and forth,” La Russa said. “Getting Shelby (Miller) gives us a (full) rotation. I think it’s difficult because when somebody wants to pitch for you and you really like the person, you want to try and work it out. But it’s complicated and probably unlikely.”

Here’s more from Rosenthal’s column:

  • If Chris Davis goes elsewhere, the Orioles will look to bring in a left-handed bat.  Rosenthal hears that Pedro Alvarez, Gerardo Parra and Will Venable are a few of the hitters that interest Baltimore brass.  The Orioles are also likely to explore the free agent market for a starting pitcher.
  • Many have been critical of the Orioles’ farm system depth, but GM Dan Duquette has rejected the notion that they are thin.  Duquette could put his money where his mouth is by trading for one of the Rockies’ outfielders, Rosenthal writes, but they would likely ask for Colorado native Kevin Gausman in return.
  • The Cubs are “one of a number teams” that inquired on Ender Inciarte after he went from the D’Backs to the Braves.  Still, they’re more likely to go after a starting pitcher by offering up Jorge Soler or Javier Baez.  Inciarte has five years of club control and can be a strong defensive center fielder, although he also has extensive experience at both corner positions. The 25-year-old was largely unheralded as a prospect but has batted a combined .292/.329/.386 in his first two Major League seasons, including a stellar .303/.338/.408 line in 2015.
  • The Padres, Indians, and Rays could all still move a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, Rosenthal writes, and the Rays might be the most likely of the three.  Tampa Bay has three starters who could be solid No. 2 guys in a rotation: righty Jake Odorizzi and lefties Drew Smyly and Matt Moore.  Alex Cobb could also be conceivably moved, but he is affordable and under club control for the next two years.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Miller, Braves, Blue Jays

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Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere..

Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.

Minor MLB Transactions 12-12-15

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Here are the day’s minor transactions:

  • The Tigers signed 17 minor leaguers, reports Anthony Fenech and James Jahnke of the Detroit Free Press. Among the most notable names are left-handed pitcher Drake Britton and right-handed pitchers Rafael Dolis, Lendy Castillo, and Preston Guilmet. The club also inked infielder Tommy Field. Britton, a former top Red Sox prospect, has pitched well in limited major league action. However, he scuffled with the Cubs Triple-A affiliate last season, posting a 5.08 ERA in 83 innings. Guilmet has strong minor league peripherals, but he’s struggled through 23 major league innings with a 8.22 ERA (4.28 xFIP).
  • The Tigers also inked right-handed pitcher Jake Brigham. However, his situation is unique in that he’s also pursuing a contract with NPB’s Rakuten Eagles. Brigham, soon-to-turn-28, has posted decent numbers as a minor league swingman. The Braves gave him a brief major league audition last season in which he threw 16 innings with a 8.64 ERA.
  • The Braves have signed former Reds starter David Holmberg, reports Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Holmberg, 24, has thrown 62 major league innings over 12 starts and two relief appearances. He has a 6.24 ERA with 4.79 K/9 and 5.08 BB/9. Atlanta also acquired reliever Ethan Martin. The former Phillies swingman flashed decent stuff with command problems in the majors, leading to a 5.93 ERA, 10.43 K/9, and 5.93 BB/9 in 44 innings.
  • The Orioles have signed lefty Jeff Beliveau. The southpaw missed most of 2015 with a labrum injury. He’s experienced success as a situational reliever, including a 2.63 ERA with 10.50 K/9 and 2.63 BB/9 in 2014 (24 innings, 30 appearances).
  • The Marlins have added righty Dustin McGowan. The once successful 33-year-old pitched poorly for the Phillies while struggling with control in 2015. He was only marginally better at Triple-A. If McGowan recovers his form, he could be a valuable reliever. He has a career 4.68 ERA with 7.35 K/9 and 3.90 BB/9 in 505 innings.
  • The Mets have inked former Brewers closer Jim Henderson. Injuries caused the 33-year-old to lose his ninth inning role in 2014, and he’s failed to reestablish himself since then. Last season in 29 innings for Milwaukee’s Triple-A affiliate, Henderson posted a 4.55 ERA with 7.58 K/9 and 5.16 BB/9.
  • The Padres have signed Philip Humber to a minor league deal. Humber pitched the 2015 for the KBO’s KIA Tigers in 2015. He posted a 6.75 ERA in the offensively charged league. Humber is perhaps best remembered for his unlikely perfect game for the White Sox in April of 2012. He was also part of the haul that brought Johan Santana to the Mets.

Crasnick On The Outfield Market

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With Jason Heyward finally off the board, the rest of the outfield market can begin to shift into place, writes Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. Here’s a sampling of what Crasnick sees shaping up around the league:

  • The Royals would like to bring back free agent Alex Gordon at the right price, but they could also jump into the market for one of the Rockies outfielders. Per Crasnick, Carlos Gonzalez would require a serious haul – perhaps one or both of Raul Mondesi or Miguel Almonte. He doesn’t believe Charlie Blackmon or Corey Dickerson would require either player. I’m not sure I agree with this assessment. While Gonzalez is definitely the more recognizable name, Dickerson and Blackmon cost less, are younger, and come equipped with more club control. It’s also arguable as to which of the trio is expected to be best over the next few years. In any event, with the Royals window wide open, they do match up well for one of the Rockies outfielders.
  • If the Royals fall short of Gordon or a trade asset, an outfielder like Denard Span, Gerardo Parra, or Dexter Fowler should help to keep the pressure off Jarrod Dyson. All three would cost substantially less than Gordon, but they also carry assorted warts including platoon issues and checkered injury histories.
  • The Angels and Giants would like a quality outfielder, but they have multiple positions to fill with limited resources. If the Giants go in on another starter like Mike Leake, they’ll be out on top outfielders like Justin Upton. Similarly, the Angels still need to address second base and left field. Their barren farm system will force them to use the free agent market.
  • The Reds have only received a couple of feelers on outfielder Jay Bruce. Entering his age 29 season, Bruce has been a below average hitter in each of the last two seasons. This despite hitting in one of the friendliest parks for hitters. While I do think a team will eventually roll the dice on Bruce, it won’t be until after more quality outfielders leave the marketplace.

Brewers Scouring Market For First Basemen

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The Brewers are taking a wide-angled approach to finding a first baseman, tweets Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. Among the potential fits are Pedro Alvarez, Ike Davis, Steve Pearce, Chris Carter, and Daniel Nava. One notable name missing from the report is veteran Justin Morneau, although he may still be under consideration.

Milwaukee traded first baseman Adam Lind to the Mariners last week for three minor league pitchers. Lind, a 32-year-old left-handed platoon bat, had just one year of club control remaining. Since he didn’t fit into the club’s long term plans, he was deemed expendable. While some of the names listed above represent a definite downgrade to Lind, the Brewers may be best served by targeting a player they can trade at the deadline.

Alvarez, Carter, and Morneau strike me as the most likely to return value down the road. Miller Park is a home run friendly stadium which should benefit all three sluggers. Alvarez and Carter generally post hefty home run totals combined with a poor batting average. Morneau is a different sort of hitter with high averages and moderate power. Whereas both Alvarez and Carter are entering their age 29 seasons, Morneau will turn 35 next May and has battled serious injuries in recent years.

Nothing is preventing the club from signing two players from this list. In particular, Pearce makes sense as a platoon option for Alvarez. The former Oriole offers some defensive versatility. He has experience in the outfield and even managed to play a decent second base in a tiny sample last season. Similarly, Nava, a switch-hitter, could provide some depth in the outfield while platooning with Carter. Nava has been much better against right-handed pitching throughout his career.

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