Twins Assistant GM Antony On Hunter, Park, Murphy, Nolasco
Jesse Lund, of SB Nation’s Twins blog Twinkie Town, recently did a wide-ranging interview with Twins assistant GM Rob Antony (Part 1, Part 2). Here are a few highlights.
- The Twins weren’t necessarily surprised by Torii Hunter‘s retirement in October, Antony says. That Hunter made his decision early in the offseason allowed the Twins time to plan, and helped them enter the bidding for KBO slugger Byung Ho Park. Later, Antony adds that the Twins had been aware of Park since he was in high school, and they were interested in signing him even then.
- The Twins struggled offensively at the catcher position in 2015, and especially didn’t do well from the backup catcher spot. That deficiency led them to acquire John Ryan Murphy (who they got from the Yankees for Aaron Hicks). Murphy, Antony feels, can be a long-term answer as a starting catcher. That trade took place in November, and Antony says that the Twins wanted to make the deal quickly because many teams were looking for catching and the Twins wanted to get a player who might be around for several years. For that reason, they felt that the trade market was a better avenue to pursue than the free agent market.
- The Twins considered blowing past their international bonus pool in recent years but did not do so because of the way the market for international amateur talent unfolded. “[W]hat ended up happening was a few teams – basically we had about six, seven players that we were prepared to just go get and spend millions of dollars on – well, some teams that lost out on guys they were after went after some of those same players and basically doubled what we were prepared to do,” Antony says.
- The Twins have not discussed the possibility of eating a portion of the $25MM remaining on Ricky Nolasco‘s contract in a potential trade, despite how poorly the first two years of his contract have gone. Nolasco’s role on this year’s team is unclear, but Antony emphasizes that the Twins plan to use him and still view him as a potentially helpful pitcher.
AL Notes: Red Sox, Rangers, Eppler
The Red Sox could trade from their considerable catching depth, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal writes. Blake Swihart projects as their starter, while Christian Vazquez has looked good defensively after having Tommy John surgery last year. There’s also veteran Ryan Hanigan, as well as Sandy Leon, who MacPherson notes isn’t on the 40-man roster but is “being paid commensurate with a front-line depth option.” At some point, MacPherson suggests, youngsters Swihart and Vazquez will likely be the Red Sox’ top two catchers. That would imply that Hanigan could be a candidate to be dealt, with the Astros and Rangers as potential trade partners. Hanigan hit a decent .247/.337/.328 last year, has a reputation as a good defender and framer, and is only owed $3.7MM in 2016, so he could be an attractive target for teams in need of catching help. Here’s more from the American League.
- The Rangers have announced that they’ve optioned high-profile youngsters Joey Gallo, Jurickson Profar and Nomar Mazara to Triple-A Round Rock. Gallo has wowed minor-league fans with his power and hit 29 home runs between three levels in 2015, but he struck out in over 40% of his plate appearances in the big leagues and at nearly as high a rate at Triple-A. Profar was ranked the No. 1 prospect in the game by Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus prior to the 2013 season, but he missed all of 2014 and most of 2015 with shoulder issues and has only recently begun playing shortstop again. Mazara, an outfielder, batted .296/.366/.443 in a 2015 season split between Double-A Frisco and Round Rock. Via MLB.com, he ranks as the Rangers’ third-best prospect, with Gallo ranking first.
- Tyler Kepner of the New York Times’ profile on new Angels GM Billy Eppler describes Eppler’s earlier days as assistant GM of the Yankees. In particular, Kepner gives Eppler credit for many of the Yankees’ smaller but effective moves, like their 2014 stretch-drive trade for Brandon McCarthy and their 2008 offseason deal for Nick Swisher, neither of which cost the Yankees much. “I think you demonstrate that to the people interviewing you, like, ‘There’s other moves that the Yankees make,'” says Eppler, who had previously interviewed for the Padres’ and Mariners’ GM jobs, as well as interviewing for the Angels job when it previously went to Jerry Dipoto. “It’s not just the $150 million guys and nothing else. There are other moves; they just don’t grab the attention in New York.”
Rymer Liriano Suffers Facial Fractures
Outfielder Rymer Liriano sustained multiple facial fractures Sunday after being hit by a pitch in the Brewers’ Spring Training game against the Dodgers, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Liriano was batting in the eighth inning when Matt West‘s pitch came up and in and struck him hard on the cheek. He was removed on a stretcher. He will begin the season on the disabled list, and it’s unknown when he’ll return. “It’s serious,” says Brewers manager Craig Counsell. “He got hit in the head.”
The Brewers acquired Liriano in January in a minor trade with the Padres. Liriano, who is out of options, was competing to make the team and possibly earn playing time in center field, where the Brewers have a vacancy. Once a top prospect with the Padres, Liriano batted .292/.383/.460 for Triple-A El Paso last season.
Central Notes: Diaz, Lindor, Cole
Signing Ruben Tejada to be their starting shortstop, rather than promoting Aledmys Diaz to the job, was the right move for the Cardinals, Bernie Miklasz writes for 101Sports.com. Diaz went 4-for-4 with two doubles in the Spring Training game after Jhonny Peralta went down with a thumb injury. But his production has since slowed, and Diaz has very little experience in Triple-A (where he was optioned Sunday after Tejada’s signing became official). It’s best for him to begin his season there to see if he can build on the success he enjoyed in the second half of last season, Miklasz argues. Here’s more from the Central divisions.
- Carlos Correa is an incredibly exciting young shortstop, but in comparison, Francisco Lindor of the Indians doesn’t get enough hype, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports argues. Lindor got off to a slow start after being promoted to the big leagues last year but batted .370/.413/.500 in August and .325/.366/.592 the rest of the season. “How many times do you see a kid come up in the first 100 at-bats and just go off, and then the league makes its adjustments?” asks manager Terry Francona. “It was kind of the other way around.” One reason for his late-season success, Lindor says, was bunting — he had nine sacrifices in August. By bunting (which Francona wasn’t necessarily thrilled with, but which he did allow), Lindor learned to track the ball better, setting himself up for success in future plate appearances.
- Pirates ace Gerrit Cole is one of several pre-arbitration players who were reportedly unhappy with the salary his team offered him for the 2016 season, Nathaniel Rakich of VICE Sports notes. (Cole will receive $541K from the Bucs after posting a 2.60 ERA, 8.7 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 2015.) But going public with their displeasure in an effort to affect the next Collective Bargaining Agreement might not be the best course of action, Rakich argues. The MLB minimum salary is a pittance compared to what many players get, but it’s still a lot of money by the standards of most MLB fans. And the 1994-95 strike, in which players and owners negotiated through what Rakich calls “grandstanding,” demonstrates the perils of trying to change labor conditions by arguing through the media.
White Sox Won’t Shop Chris Sale
Despite a potential rift between Chris Sale and the White Sox’s front office, the team will not be trading its ace. General Manager Rick Hahn has no interest in moving Sale, multiple baseball sources tell Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com. This comes on the heels of one White Sox official telling Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe that there is “no chance” of a Sale deal taking place.
Last week, Sale weighed in on the controversy between Adam LaRoche and the team regarding his son’s presence in the clubhouse. After the ace’s pointed words for president Kenny Williams, rival teams quickly began to wonder if one of the game’s brightest young pitchers could suddenly come available. Hayes writes that Hahn received “a few new inquiries” from GMs hoping to acquire the soon-to-be 27-year-old in recent days.
Sale, 27 on Mar. 30, earned his fourth-straight All-Star selection in 2015 by pitching to a 3.41 ERA with career-bests in K/9 (11.8) and BB/9 (1.8) across 208.2 innings. Across six big league seasons, Sale has a 2.91 ERA with 10.3 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9. Not only is Sale a tremendous pitcher, but he is under team control through the 2019 season thanks to a contract that is considered to be one of the most team-friendly pacts in the game today. Sale is slated to earn $9.15MM in 2016 and $12MM in 2017 before options in the 2018 and 2019 seasons that would pay him $12.5MM and $13.5MM. Ultimately, Sale is regarded as an untouchable player in Chicago and some recent friction between the player and the team president will not give way to a trade.
MLBTR Originals
A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:
- Brett Ballantini caught up with White Sox GM Rick Hahn in an exclusive interview. In the Q&A, Hahn spoke about prospect Tim Anderson, the differences between this offseason and the previous one, and much much more.
- In Dunedin, Florida, Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin spoke to MLBTR about his trip through free agency prior to the 2015 season. “It wasn’t stressful or anything. [Free agency] has never really been a stressful process for me,” Martin said. “I don’t have any kids or anything like that. I don’t have any family, so there’s nothing for me to answer to. The ability for me to play at home, for the team I grew up cheering for, that always had a good ring to it for me. The other options were [the Dodgers] and the Cubs, and those are really good places to play, so it was all positive for me. I really enjoyed the process this time.”
- On this week’s edition of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast, host Jeff Todd spoke with Washington Post national baseball writer Barry Svrluga about some of the biggest storylines surrounding the Nationals in 2016. Jeff also spoke with MLBTR’s Charlie Wilmoth to discuss what’s ahead for the Pirates. A new episode of the podcast is released every Thursday and can be accessed on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
- Steve Adams looked at the Tigers’ aggressive offseason and noted that newly-elevated GM Al Avila is continuing the team’s win-now approach. The Tigers initially looked to replace Yoenis Cespedes on the cheap, but they went on to ink Justin Upton to a lucrative deal which could potentially only last for two seasons. The Tigers also pounced early in free agency with the addition of starter Jordan Zimmermann.
- The Cubs are eager to win in 2016 and they laid out major money this winter to help accomplish that goal. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes ran down the team’s moves, including their free agent pickups of Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, John Lackey, and Dexter Fowler. In the reader poll at the close of the piece, more than 77% of you gave the Cubs an “A” for their winter dealings.
- There’s a new GM in Seattle and a whole lot of change on the roster. Charlie looked back on the Mariners’ offseason and the moves that were made to help support the club’s talented core.
- Tim compiled this year’s list of out-of-options players using MLBTR’s sources.
- The Giants surprised many by signing both Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto this offseason. Jeff looked back at those significant signings in addition to the other moves made by Bobby Evans & Co. In the team’s “deal of note” section, Jeff broke down the lucrative extension for Brandon Crawford.
Rangers Content With Current Catching Situation
The Rangers have reportedly been in the market for a catcher in recent weeks, but that search has apparently been put on the back burner. On Sunday, Texas GM Jon Daniels indicated that he will not be adding another catcher between now and Opening Day, as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com writes.
“At this point I anticipate both our catchers are in camp,” Daniels said. “We are open if there is a true improvement to the team, but we’re not going to change for change’s sake.”
Daniels admitted that he has talked “a little bit” with rival teams about acquiring a catcher, but Sullivan gleans that the asking prices for Derek Norris and Jonathan Lucroy have simply been too high. Ultimately then, the Rangers will head into April with Robinson Chirinos behind the dish and a handful of veteran catchers jostling for the No. 2 job.
But, aside from Bobby Wilson, Chris Gimenez, and Michael McKenry, Sullivan notes that 2010 sixth-round pick Brett Nicholas has looked strong in camp and could also find his way on to the roster. Daniels says that the team wasn’t sure what they had in Nicholas but his performance as of late has the club viewing him as “a big league-capable catcher.” On the other hand, Nicholas can be stashed in the minors whereas the team’s trio of veterans probably can’t. Gimenez is out-of-options and Wilson and McKenry have opt-out opportunities if they’re not on the big league roster.
In a perfect world, the Rangers would probably prefer to have Lucroy or Norris to shore things up behind the plate, but they are not presently willing to meet the demands of the Brewers or Padres in order to make a trade happen. The salaries of both players ($4MM and $2.9MM), respectively, are also factors. Even though those are relatively modest sums, the team is already said to be well over their projected payroll thanks to the Ian Desmond signing.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Freese, Blue Jays, Bradley
Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere:
- TPOP is happy about the Bucs adding David Freese.
- Same Page Team sized up the Blue Jays’ fifth starter competition.
- Inside The Zona wants Archie Bradley to anchor the D’Backs’ pen.
- L.A. Dodger Report says Austin Barnes is going to be very important.
- Camden Depot has a couple of bones to pick with Fangraphs’ projected standings.
- About Sports says the Braves need to be smart with their prospects.
- Swingin A’s wonders who will win the last bullpen job.
- Jays Journal wonders if the Jays and A’s could match up again on a pitching deal.
- Philliedelphia looked at the Phillies’ fifth outfielder spot.
- Super Two Sports previewed the 2016 Blue Jays.
- Pinstriped Prospects spoke with a former MLB pro scout about the Bombers’ youngsters.
- Sports Heaven defended White Sox GM Ken Williams.
- Nats GM previewed this year’s bats in fantasy.
- Big Three Sports is optimistic about Kris Bryant.
- Wayniac Nation wonders if 2015 was a fluke for the Twins.
- Think Blue PC says Caleb Dirks is making his mark.
- Pirates Breakdown wonders if Juan Nicasio can crack the starting five.
- Dynasty Digest is high on Tyler White.
- Chin Music Baseball says is amped for Corey Seager in 2016.
- Bleeding Royal Blue advocated for baseball’s evolution.
- Redbird Rants is worried about the Cards’ rotation.
- Clubhouse Corner discussed Bo Schultz‘s journey.
- Outside Pitch pondered the impact of Adam LaRoche‘s retirement.
- Roto Professor ranked MLB’s top prospects.
- Baseball Prospectus spoke with Marco Estrada.
- Baseball Hot Corner has some sleepers you should target.
- Rascals Of The Ravine shared some tales from Spring Training.
- The Runner Sports looked at the Astros’ chopping block.
Please send submissions to Zach Links at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Minor MLB Transactions: 3/20/16
Here are today’s minor moves from around baseball, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…
- The White Sox acquired right-hander Brandon Sinnery from the Diamondbacks in exchange for cash, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports (via Twitter). Sinnery will report to the Sox minor league camp. The righty went undrafted out of the University of Michigan but signed with the D’Backs in 2013 after a season of independent ball. Sinnery has a 4.09 ERA, 2.77 K/BB rate and 5.9 K/9 in 477 1/3 innings, starting 78 of his 80 career games in Arizona’s system.
Astros Looking For Catching Depth
With backup Max Stassi sidelined for six weeks after hamate bone surgery, Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) that the team is looking at catchers outside the organization. While Hinch said he’s comfortable with minor leaguers Roberto Pena or Tyler Heineman as the backup to start the season, it only makes sense that Houston would explore the market for experienced help. The team’s hopes that Evan Gattis could be an option behind the plate have been scuttled by Gattis’ hernia surgery, which could keep him out of Spring Training action altogether.
The Astros recently had a scout watching Tigers backup Bryan Holaday, McTaggart reports. Holaday is out of options and is stuck behind James McCann and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, though there’s at least a chance Detroit will keep all three catchers since the club likes Holaday quite a bit. Houston has also reportedly shown interest in Blue Jays minor league backstop A.J. Jimenez, another out of options player.
Beyond those two, McTaggart lists some of the other potential candidates who could be acquired or available on the waiver wire as Spring Training rolls on. Possible targets include J.P. Arencibia, Carlos Corporan, Tim Federowicz, Ryan Hanigan, Austin Romine and the odd men out of the Rangers’ backup competition between Chris Gimenez, Michael McKenry and Bobby Wilson. I’d also cite the Padres and Rays as teams who could be open to moving a catcher.