Quick Hits: July 2 Market, Giants, Dodgers, Ubaldo
Some news from around baseball as we wrap up the weekend…
- With the next international signing window opening on July 2, Baseball America’s Ben Badler profiles (in two separate pieces) 10 youngsters likely to receive seven-figure bonuses. Kevin Maitan is perhaps the mostly highly-touted player of the entire 2016-17 class, as the 16-year-old Venezuelan shortstop is rumored to be in line for a bonus north of $4MM, most likely from the Braves. “Nobody is a can’t miss but it’s hard to see him missing,” one scout says of Maitan. As always, it’s well worth getting a BA subscription to read the full scouting reports and news, including how the Braves, Padres and A’s are connected to two players each, with others rumored to be signing with the Nationals, Astros, Rockies and Mariners.
- The Giants and Dodgers both pursued some major free agent arms last winter, and the results of that hunt are being seen this season, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times writes. After missing out on Zack Greinke, the Giants pivoted to Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija, who have both been workhorses for the club. The Dodgers weren’t interested in either Cueto or Samardzija at the price of their respective contracts with the Giants, and according to Cueto via an interpreter, the Dodgers never offered him a contract at all. “They were telling me to wait,” Cueto said. After missing out on Greinke, L.A. made two less-expensive signings in Kenta Maeda and Scott Kazmir, though as Shaikin notes, the Dodgers’ main issue this season has been a lack of offense.
- Ubaldo Jimenez was rocked for five runs in just a third of an inning today, the shortest start of his Major League career. Jimenez now has a 6.89 ERA over 62 2/3 IP this season, leading Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun to wonder just how much longer the Orioles can continue using him in the rotation. Jimenez can’t be sent with the minors without his permission, and releasing him isn’t likely with roughly $21MM owed to him through the 2017 season.
- If the Orioles do replace Jimenez in the rotation, Dylan Bundy won’t be a candidate, as Encina details in another Baltimore Sun piece that the O’s are focusing on slowly rebuilding Bundy’s arm strength with an eye towards having him contend for a starting spot next spring. Buck Showalter said the aim is to have Bundy throw 60-75 innings out of the bullpen this season. Bundy, the fourth overall pick of the 2011 draft, has had his career delayed by several injuries, including Tommy John surgery.
- Robinson Cano‘s decision to sign with the Mariners after the 2013 season led to shockwaves throughout the second base market that could still be felt in some of this past offseason’s moves, the New York Post’s Joel Sherman writes. Of the six teams (the Cubs, Nationals, Mariners, Pirates, Mets and Yankees) Sherman ranks as the most impacted by Cano’s signing, the Yankees are ranked last, as it is still unclear as to whether Starlin Castro is the club’s long-term answer at the keystone.
Central Notes: Stearns, Braun, Pirates, Burnett, Shaw
Here are some news items from both the NL and AL Central…
- In an interview with Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (audio link), Brewers GM David Stearns discussed that his team’s plan “at this stage [is to] acquire and develop the best young talent we possibly can,” and thus if teams come calling about Milwaukee’s young players, Stearns would want an “exceptionally high” return. Stearns, however, didn’t exactly say that this makes a veteran player like Jonathan Lucroy or Ryan Braun more likely to dealt. In fact, he noted that the possibility of trading Braun hasn’t been something that he’s had to seriously consider in his brief time as Milwaukee’s GM, and “there is no motivation for us to move…an elite-level player.” That said, Stearns did say he’d already talked to both Braun and Lucroy about the trade rumors circling around both men and said he’d keep them appraised of any developments should they arise. Stearns expects “active discussions” leading up to the trade deadline he said the Brewers “are in a situation where we need to be open-minded and we need to be open to any possibility.”
- If the Cubs keep running away with the NL Central, ESPN’s Buster Olney (subscription required) feels the Pirates may focus on deadline acquisitions that can help them in 2017, as reaching the coin flip that is the Wild Card game isn’t worth giving up substantial talent for a short-term rental.
- While the Pirates may have a need at catcher, both Clint Hurdle and Neal Huntington felt John Jaso‘s past concussion history ruled him out of consideration for work behind the plate, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. Chris Stewart and the newly-acquired Erik Kratz look to handle the catching duties while Francisco Cervelli is on the disabled list.
- It doesn’t appear that Sean Burnett will exercise his June 15 opt-out clause even he isn’t on the Twins‘ Major League roster, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (via Twitter). Burnett signed a minor league contract with Minnesota in May, his fourth minors deal with as many clubs since November following prior agreements with the Braves, Dodgers and Nationals. The veteran southpaw has a 2.66 ERA over 20 1/3 relief innings at Triple-A this season as he looks to return to the bigs for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2014.
- Bryan Shaw had another tough outing on Saturday, leading Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer to wonder if the Indians need to look for a more reliable setup man at the deadline. Shaw’s season has been a roller-coaster, going from a terrible April to lights-out in May and thus far shaky in June, all adding up to a 5.18 ERA, 9.25 K/9 and 3.33 BB/9 over 24 1/3 innings. Shaw’s main problem has been the long ball, as his whopping 2.2 HR/9 is more than triple his career average prior to this season.
Rays To Promote Blake Snell, Move Matt Andriese To Bullpen
The Rays will call up top pitching prospect Blake Snell for a start on Thursday, manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times). Righty Matt Andriese, who has a 2.82 ERA over seven starts for the Rays this season, will be shifted into a fireman role in the bullpen.
This is the second time Snell has been promoted, as the 23-year-old southpaw was called upon for a spot start against the Yankees on April 23. Snell looked good in his MLB debut, holding New York to one run on two hits and a walk over five innings, recording six strikeouts along the way. He was returned to Triple-A Durham afterwards, where he has enjoyed an impressive season: 3.29 ERA, 12.9 K/9 and a 3.21 K/BB rate over 63 innings.
Cash gave no indication as to how long Snell’s latest stint the Tampa rotation could last, though as Mooney notes, Snell won’t amass enough service time to attain Super Two status should he remain on the Major League roster for the rest of the season. That being the case, there’s little reason the Rays wouldn’t keep the lefty around if he pitches well.
It may be unfair to solely attribute financial reasons to Snell’s minor league stay, of course, as he has exhibited some control issues over his pro career — 28 walks over his 63 Triple-A innings this season and a 4.4 BB/9 over his 485 frames in the minors. An extra bit of Triple-A seasoning also may have been warranted simply due to the fact that Snell (while picked 52nd overall in the 2011 draft) was somewhat of a middling prospect before his breakout 2015 campaign. That massive season saw Snell jump three levels in the Rays’ farm system and land himself a prominent spot on the preseason prospect rankings lists (ranked 12th by Baseball America and MLB.com, 14th by ESPN’s Keith Law, 21st by Baseball Prospectus).
Snell’s continued success this year, however, earned him that April start and now what could be a prolonged look in Tampa’s rotation. The Rays entered the season expecting to be led by their starters, though only Jake Odorizzi and Andriese have performed consistently well. Chris Archer (4.61 ERA), Drew Smyly (4.94) and Matt Moore (5.56) have all had their share of struggles, though advanced metrics indicate that all three are significantly outperforming their inflated ERAs.
Andriese’s 2.82 ERA, by contrast, has perhaps a bit fortunate, as ERA predictors (3.22 FIP, 4.25 xFIP, 4.42 SIERA) paint a less flattering view of his performance. Andriese doesn’t miss many bats (6.04 K/9) and relies on grounders and soft contract to rack up outs. It’s not a dissimilar arsenal to that of Erasmo Ramirez, who has also pitched quite well for Tampa in a fireman role this season. Having a pair of versatile, multi-inning relievers could provide a boost to a Rays bullpen that has been plagued with injuries, most notably closer Brad Boxberger spending almost the entire season on the DL.
NL East Notes: Collins, Mets, Marlins, Stanton, Harper, Belisle
Mets manager Terry Collins missed today’s game due to illness and will remain in a Milwaukee hospital overnight for observation and further tests, ESPN’s Adam Rubin writes. Collins left Miller Park around a half-hour before the start of today’s Mets/Brewers game, with bench coach Dick Scott serving as interim manager in the 5-3 Brewers victory. Collins was already feeling a little better just before leaving for the hospital, though it isn’t yet clear if he’ll be ready to resume his duties on Tuesday when the Mets host the Pirates. We at MLBTR wish Collins a quick recovery and hope to see him back in the dugout soon. Here’s some more from around the NL East…
- The Marlins have explored the trade market for veteran relief pitching, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports, though they don’t have much to offer teams in return. It’s no surprise that the Fish are looking for bullpen help, with Carter Capps and Bryan Morris both lost to season-ending injuries.
- Also from Jackson’s piece, he writes that the Marlins aren’t yet overly worried about Giancarlo Stanton‘s struggles and feel the outfielder “is simply [in] a slump.” Stanton has 12 homers but only a .192/.299/.415 slash line over 225 PA, with a whopping 79 strikeouts.
- There has been lots of buzz about Bryce Harper‘s next contract crossing the $500MM threshold, though as Sportsnet’s Naoko Asano writes, some factors beyond pure baseball value could determine the final number, such as the terms of the next CBA or if broadcasting rights contracts stop growing over the next few years. That latter factor could be particularly noteworthy given how the Nationals‘ MASN broadcast revenues are limited by their ongoing dispute with the Orioles, though that hasn’t stopped Washington from making a number of big signings that contain deferred money.
- Matt Belisle‘s minor league rehab assignment can’t continue past June 22, so the Nationals will soon have a decision to make in their bullpen, MLB.com’s William Ladson writes. Belisle went on the DL with a calf strain near the end of April and has been rehabbing at Double- and Triple-A for the better part of three weeks, and MLB pitchers can only spend up to 30 days on rehab assignments.
- The Mets loaded up on pitching in this year’s draft, a strategy Ken Davidoff of the New York Post wonders is the first step towards the Mets shopping Matt Harvey this offseason. There has been a lot of speculation that Harvey won’t re-sign with the Mets when he hits free agency after the 2018 season, so bolstering the system with young arms could allow the Mets to consider trading Harvey if they feel they have enough pitching depth.
Draft Signings: Curtis Taylor, DJ Peters
The 2016 MLB Draft is in the books, and over the coming weeks we’ll see plenty of picks agree to terms with their new clubs. Rather than list all of the several hundred players, we’ll run down some of the more notable picks (either due to the size of their signing bonus, the round they were selected or a significantly over-slot/under-slot deal) as they’re reported. Here are today’s notable mid-round signings, with all slot values coming courtesy of MLB.com’s Jim Callis)…
- The Diamondbacks have agreed to sign fourth-rounder Curtis Taylor for $496K, Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun reports (Twitter link). The bonus is just barely under slot for the 119th overall pick, which carries a $496.7K value. Taylor is a 6’6″, 225-pound right-hander from the University of British Columbia who was ranked 130th on Baseball America’s top 500 list of draft prospects. BA’s scouting report (available to subscribers) says Taylor has touched 96mph with his fastball.
- The Dodgers have reached an agreement with fourth-round outfielder DJ Peters, as indicated by the Glendora Baseball Twitter feed (Peters’ high school). Terms of the deal weren’t announced, though the 131st overall carries a $442.4K slot price. A product of Western Nevada Community College, Peters was also selected in the previous two drafts (by the Cubs in 2014 and the Rangers in 2015, both in the 36th round) and was ranked by Baseball America as the 290th-best prospect in this year’s draft class.
Astros Agree To Deals With 6 Draft Picks
5:30pm: Rogers’ deal is worth $614K, an exact match of his slot price, Berman reports. Dawson’s deal also matches his slot value, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets.
3:29pm: The Astros have agreed to deals with six members of their 2016 draft class, reports Mark Berman of FOX 26 (links: 1, 2, 3, 4). Second-round outfielder/second baseman Ronnie Dawson, third-round catcher Jake Rogers, fifth-round third baseman Abraham Toro-Hernandez, eighth-round right-hander Nick Hernandez, ninth-round southpaw Ryan Hartman and 10th-round righty Dustin Hunt will officially join the organization.
Financial terms aren’t yet available on any of the deals, but Dawson stands to collect the highest amount. His selection, 61st overall, carries a $1.057MM slot value. MLB.com ranked the lefty-swinging Dawson as the 121st overall player in this year’s class, lauding the Ohio State Buckeye’s athleticism, raw power, bat speed and strength. Baseball America was more bullish on Dawson, placing him 53rd prior to the draft and also offering similar praise as MLB.com. However, BA doesn’t expect Dawson to end up in center field as a pro and wonders whether the 21-year-old will hit enough to hold down a corner outfield position.
Rogers’ pick, 97th, has a $614K pool allotment. The backstop from Tulane earned a higher rating than Dawson from MLB.com, which viewed him as the 87th-best player available and sees him as the premier defensive catcher in college baseball – and, per some scouts, the best defender at any position in this year’s draft class. Rogers’ lack of offensive skills could be problematic, though, as the right-hander has both a big leg kick that disrupts his timing and a long swing. BA had Rogers at No. 95 because of his defensive skills, but the outlet contends that he should put more focus on trying to hit for average to improve his issues at the plate.
Cafardo’s Latest: Brewers, Teheran, Kemp, Hudson
In regards to Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun‘s potential availability this summer, one American League executive told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, “That’s the name I’m waiting for.” Braun is in the first season of a five-year, $105MM extension, and both the money he’s owed and his PED history are roadblocks standing in the way of a possible deal, reports Cafardo. The writer adds that the quality of return in a hypothetical Braun trade will come down to how much of his contract Milwaukee eats. The 32-year-old has dealt with injuries this season, but he has still slashed an outstanding .316/.378/.541 with 11 home runs through 217 plate appearances.
More from the Boston-area insider:
- The fact that one of Braun’s teammates, Jonathan Lucroy, is still on the Brewers surprises some baseball executives. One National League exec thinks rebuilding Milwaukee has an unrealistic asking price for Lucroy. Nevertheless, the 29-year-old has made his case for a major return by serving as perhaps the majors’ best catcher this season; plus, he has a cheap club option for 2017 ($5.25MM).
- Opinions are split within the Braves organization as to whether they should trade 25-year-old right-hander Julio Teheran or build around him. The Braves have fielded inquiries on Teheran, but it would cost a significant haul to acquire him, notes Cafardo. In 82 innings this year, Teheran has recorded an excellent ERA (2.85) and put up strong strikeout and walk rates of 8.45 and 2.52, respectively. He’s also controllable through 2020 on an eminently reasonable contract.
- In not-so-shocking news, the Padres are hoping to move struggling outfielder Matt Kemp, a major league source told Cafardo. However, given Kemp’s contract (he’ll make $21.5MM per year through 2019) and lack of production, it’s going to be difficult to find a taker. With his combination of subpar defense and disappointing offense, the former MVP candidate has been among the majors’ least valuable players this year.
- Reliever Daniel Hudson, a pending free agent, could be a hot commodity around the trade deadline if the Diamondbacks decide to sell. The right-handed flame-thrower has tossed 24 2/3 innings this year and logged a 1.82 ERA, 8.03 K/9 and 2.19 BB/9, also inducing ground balls 49.2 percent of the time.
- Free agent outfielder Shane Victorino is still looking for a new team, his agent, John Boggs, told Cafardo. Victorino has been available since the Cubs released him May 23. The 35-year-old was a replacement-level player in 71 games last season, batting a weak .230/.308/.292 in 204 combined PAs with the Red Sox and Angels, so he might continue to have difficulty finding work.
Minor MLB Transactions: 6/12/16
Here are today’s minor transactions from around baseball:
- The Cubs have announced the signing of free agent infielder Josh Silver to a minor league pact. The 26-year-old has been playing for River City of the independent Frontier League since last season and has hit .320/.392/.442 with six homers in 306 PAs.
- The Diamondbacks have signed free agent third baseman Travis Denker to a minor league deal, per a club announcement. Denker last spent time with a major league organization in 2012, when he appeared in 64 games with the Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate. His only big league action came in 2008 as a member of the Giants, with whom he hit .243/.333/.486 in 42 plate appearances. Denker has bounced around multiple independent leagues and the Mexican League in recent years.
- The Cubs have claimed right-handed reliever R.J. Alvarez off waivers from the Athletics and optioned him to Triple-A Iowa, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com was among those to report (Twitter link). Alvarez has impressively struck out 32 hitters in 28 career major league innings, but the 2012 third-round pick has offset that by walking 18 and registering a 7.39 ERA. The 25-year-old is currently working his way back from March surgery on his right elbow.
- The Marlins have signed free agent righty Travis Ballew to a minor league contract, the team announced. The reliever spent 2012-15 with the Astros organization after going in the 23rd round of the draft, though Houston never promoted him to the big leagues. Ballew, 25, opened this season pitching for Fargo-Moorhead of the independent American Association. In 221 career minor league innings, Ballew has posted a 4.03 ERA, 9.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9.
Yankees, Ike Davis Agree To Major League Deal
The Yankees and free agent first baseman Ike Davis have agreed to a major league contract, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports (Twitter link). The lefty-swinging Davis will soon join the Yankees and team with right-handed hitter Rob Refsnyder to form a platoon at first, tweets Heyman.
Davis’ agreement with the Yankees means he’s returning to New York, where he began his career with the Mets and where his father, Ron, pitched for the Bombers from 1978-81. The Rangers released the 29-year-old from his minor league deal earlier today and he became an obvious fit for the Yankees, who have dealt with major injury issues at first base going back to Greg Bird‘s offseason shoulder surgery. The team has also lost starter Mark Teixeira and a pair of reserves – Chris Parmelee and Dustin Ackley – to the disabled list in recent weeks, and will now hope to draw production from Davis. The Yankees courted Davis over the winter before he elected to sign with the Rangers, eventually leading New York to bring back veteran Nick Swisher on a minor league deal. Swisher hasn’t fared well at the Triple-A level this year, though, which is why the Yankees are turning to Davis.
In 2,377 major league plate appearances, Davis has slashed .239/.332/.416 with 81 home runs, a career-high 32 of which came in 2012. Most of the damage he’s done has come versus right-handed pitchers, against whom he owns a quality 122 wRC+. The Yankees’ hope is that Davis will be able to take advantage of the short right field porch at their stadium and post respectable production in a platoon with Refsnyder, thereby helping the club stay in the playoff hunt.
Twins Claim Neil Ramirez
The Twins have claimed right-handed reliever Neil Ramirez off waivers from the Brewers and transferred Phil Hughes (knee) to the 60-day DL, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press was among those to report (Twitter links).
Ramirez, 27, threw just 1 2/3 innings during his brief stint with the Brewers, who claimed him off waivers from the Cubs on May 31. In his time with those two teams this season, Ramirez yielded a combined six earned runs, three home runs and eight walks in 9 1/3 innings. The former 44th overall pick isn’t far removed from major league success, however. As a member of the Cubs from 2014-15, Ramirez totaled 57 2/3 frames of 1.87 ERA pitching, also posting an excellent 10.6 K/9 and a decent 3.6 BB/9 along the way. Ramirez has dealt with multiple injuries, though, and his fastball velocity has dropped as a result. He’ll now join a Twins bullpen that ranks fourth from the bottom in ERA (4.61), although the unit has the league’s fifth-best K/BB ratio (3.18).
Ramirez entered the season with 1.158 years of major league service time, meaning he comes with four more years of control. That also makes him a likely Super Two candidate this winter.