Maicer Izturis Retires
Veteran second baseman Maicer Izturis announced his retirement from Major League Baseball at Blue Jays camp in Dunedin, Fla., this morning, per a club announcement. The 35-year-old had been in camp on a minor league deal but has now elected to call it a career.
Izturis has spent the past three seasons in the Blue Jays organization after signing a three-year contract prior to the 2013 season. However, after a down year in 2013, Izturis’ health would scarcely allow him to take the field again. The infielder missed all but 11 games of the 2014 campaign with a complete tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, and he missed the entire 2015 season due to a groin injury and then, eventually, shoulder surgery. Given the poor luck that Izturis has had with his health in recent seasons, it’s perhaps unsurprising that he told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (Twitter link) that his body simply isn’t equipped to deal with the rigors of playing anymore. “I put my heart and soul into it this year to see how I was going to feel,” Izturis explained, “but my body can’t handle it anymore.”
Prior to an injury-riddled stint with the Jays, Izturis had carved out a successful role as an oft-used and highly versatile utility piece with the Angels. Though he never tallied 500 plate appearances in a season, Izturis compiled yearly averages of 95 games and 350 trips to the plate while batting a combined .276/.339/.384 (95 OPS+) from 2005-12 with the Angels. During that stretch, Izturis logged more than 2500 innings at third base, more than 2400 innings at second base and nearly 1700 innings at shortstop. While he wasn’t necessarily a Gold Glove caliber defender at any of the three positions, he handled each of them capably while providing nearly league-average defense, thus making him a very useful utility option for manager Mike Scioscia.
Izturis was one of the last remaining active players to have ever donned a Montreal Expos uniform — Bartolo Colon is still carrying the torch — as he spent the 2004 campaign with the club prior to its move to D.C. Although he was originally signed out of Venezuela by the Indians in 1998, Cleveland traded him to Montreal in 2004. He spent just one year with the organization before being traded to the Angels alongside Juan Rivera for slugger Jose Guillen.
All told, Izturis’ career will come to a close with a .269/.331/.372 batting line, 39 home runs, 406 runs scored, 334 RBIs and 93 stolen bases over the life of 909 games/3350 plate appearances. He earned nearly $24MM in player salaries over that time, per Baseball-Reference. Best wishes to Izturis in his post-playing days.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Doug Fister Looks To Rebound With Astros
This winter, Doug Fister‘s free agency lasted longer than most. The right-hander was linked to a number of teams but, after waiting things out, he inked a one-year, $7MM deal with the Astros which could reach $12MM through incentives. After an exceptionally strong 2014, Fister followed up with a disappointing 2015 which saw him relegated to the bullpen in Washington. At the outset of free agency, observers really weren’t sure about what kind of deal Fister would land. The pitcher says he had no idea, either.
“No, I really didn’t know what kind of contract I would get. I kind of took the mindset that would all take care of itself,” Fister said after tossing a pair of scoreless innings in his 2016 Spring Training debut. “I have a great agent [Page Odle, PSI Sports Management] and I leaned on him…I realized that I’ll just be where I’m going to be and I’m truly blessed to be a part of this clubhouse. We’ve got a great team. I can’t stress that enough.”
Fister drew varying degrees of interest from teams like the Mariners, Yankees, Marlins, Tigers, and even today’s opponent — the Phillies. The Astros came to Fister with the right contract, and they also sold him hard on spending a year in Houston.
“I spent some time on the phone with [manager] A.J. [Hinch] and [GM] Jeff [Luhnow],” Fister explained. “I got to know them more on a personal level, and it was almost like a job interview, really. But they have that desire to win. They have that fire. The guys here got a taste of the playoffs last year, and they want to get back there. They have that fire, that desire, and that’s what we play this game for.”
Last season was surely frustrating for Fister, but he termed the rocky year as a “learning experience.” Ultimately, though, he refuses to complain and he says that he is embracing the challenge of reasserting himself as a starter this year.
After several strong years in Detroit, he enjoyed one of his best seasons with the Nationals in 2014. Unfortunately, injury issues slowed him down at the outset of the season, but he performed better when he was moved to the bullpen. The 32-year-old has a singular focus on getting back to the starting five, but after last year’s experience, he knows that he can pitch in relief again if he is ever asked to do so.
“Every starter has a routine, and I had to kind of break that up and tell myself that I have to pitch every day,” said Fister. “I told myself that if the time comes later in my career where I have to pitch out of the bullpen, I know that I can do that. At the same time, I know that starting is in my heart and that’s where I wanted to be this offseason. It’s only two weeks into the spring but I’m definitely where I want to be.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AL Notes: Bautista, Indians, Kimbrel, Nava, Heredia
Jose Bautista‘s asking price in an extension has been a source of controversy, and MLB Network’s Peter Gammons echoes reports indicating that Bautista sought a six-year contract in asking for a new deal with the Blue Jays. Gammons spoke to Bautista about his rigid training and diet routine, exploring his ability to defy aging curves thanks to acute physiological self-awareness and in-depth study of said aging metrics. “I am preparing to defy those aging curves by my strict adherence to physical, mental and nutritional routines,” Bautista explained in discussing his desire to play into his 40s. “When I missed time (at 31) with hip problems, I changed everything. I studied, I learned about my body, and how to keep it at peak performance levels, and how to maintain it. … It is about discipline and diet and strive for physical and mental states that defy aging. I love a good steak; I cannot eat red meat. There are a lot of things I love, but I cannot be who and what I want to be and eat and drink them.” As Gammons writes, Jays president Mark Shapiro is somewhat cut from the same cloth — seeking to instill that awareness of conditioning and physiological intellect throughout the organization.
A few more notes from around the American League…
- Terry Francona’s proficiency in managing platoons will be tested early in the regular season, writes MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince, as the Indians attempt to make due with a patchwork outfield mix while Michael Brantley recovers from shoulder surgery. With Abraham Almonte suspended, Cleveland could lean on a combination of Rajai Davis, Collin Cowgill, Lonnie Chisenhall, Joey Butler, Will Venable, Robbie Grossman, Shane Robinson, Michael Choice and prospects Tyler Naquin and James Ramsey — there will be no Austin Jackson signing or Jay Bruce trade, Castrovince reaffirms — none of whom necessarily profiles as an everyday option.
- Tim Britton of the Providence Journal chronicles a foot injury suffered by Craig Kimbrel at 18 years of age that helped transform him add more than 10 miles per hour to his formerly unimposing fastball. Kimbrel dropped 12 panels of sheet rock on his left foot while working with his father, an electrician, thus resulting in nearly a semester wearing a cast. During that time, his coach at Wallace State Community College began a unique throwing program to build arm strength in Kimbrel, which involved him throwing from both knees. Kimbrel and coach Randy Putman both explained to Britton that the program isn’t for everyone, and Kimbrel’s flexibility and athleticism made him uniquely suited for the unorthodox exercises. When healthy enough to pitch, Kimbrel’s stamina was also impacted by missed time with the foot injury, thus prompting a move to the bullpen — a role in which he has excelled ever since.
- Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com and Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register each profiled the nearly unfathomable route that Daniel Nava took to the Major Leagues in a pair of columns this week. Angels fans that are unfamiliar with their new left fielder’s obstacle-ridden road to the big leagues will want to explore the 33-year-old’s journey from equipment manager of his college club to indy ball player that was signed by the Red Sox for one dollar to 27-year-old rookie that turned the first Major League pitch that he saw into a grand slam. Gonzalez notes, in fact, that Hollywood producers have contacted Nava to inquire about making a movie out of his journey, though the new Angels outfielder says he has no intention of entertaining any such inquiry while his career is still going.
- The Mariners will likely send recently signed Cuban center fielder Guillermo Heredia to Class-A Advanced or Double-A to begin his professional career in the U.S., writes MLB.com’s Greg Johns. As Johns points out, Heredia hasn’t played in a game since 2014 due to the lengthy nature of his defection from Cuba, so the club is prepared for some rust that will need to be shaken off. Heredia spoke, through an interpreter, about his excitement for the opportunity to take the next step in his pro career and also explained that the presence of countryman Leonys Martin (who, not coincidentally, shares an adjacent locker) will help to ease his transition. Heredia has known Martin since the two were both in Cuba, and he’s already begun soliciting Martin for advice as he works toward a big league career.
Injury Notes: Brantley, Matusz, Loup, Gardner, Rodriguez
Spring Training is still young, but we’ve already seen a rash of injuries, with Brett Anderson going down for three to five months due to back surgery while a pair of AL Central outfielders — Jarrod Dyson (link) and Cameron Maybin (link) — could each be out up to six weeks. Here’s a look around the league at some other injuries that could potentially carry roster ramifications…
- Indians left fielder Michael Brantley has “flown through” his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery, manager Terry Francona told reporters, including Cleveland.com’s Zack Meisel, on Wednesday. Brantley’s next step is to hit in a batting cage, and from there he’ll progress to full batting practice, per Francona, who said he doesn’t think Brantley will need to be out as long as the initial projections that pegged him for an early May return. While Francona notes that there’s still a significant progression required before Brantley is game-ready, the general feeling surrounding his return appears to be optimistic in nature.
- The outlook on Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz, however, doesn’t appear as rosy; manager Buck Showalter told reporters that the reliever would undergo an MRI, and his return to action isn’t imminent (links to Twitter from MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli). As Ghiroli notes, the club expects to know more on the status of Matusz tomorrow.
- Blue Jays lefty Aaron Loup is also ailing, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Loup is experiencing tightness in his left forearm and could be headed for an MRI, though the next steps in his rehab aren’t yet known. “He threw today and didn’t feel real good, so they’re going to check it out,” said manager John Gibbons.
- Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner isn’t expected to play in spring games until after March 14, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes, as he’s currently dealing with lingering effects from a deep bone bruise in his wrist suffered in the American League Wild Card game last season. Gardner faced live pitching on Wednesday after taking the winter off from hitting, Hoch notes, and while everything went well, he’s still behind the rest of the club’s outfielders. However, despite the fact that his spring debut will be delayed by a couple of weeks, Gardner should have enough time to get up to speed for the regular season, in the estimation of manager Joe Girardi.
- Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez suffered a dislocated right kneecap earlier this week, but the team hopes to have him ready for Opening Day, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. “There’s still a little bit of swelling in the knee, but he’s improving to the point where we’ll put a ball in his hand today and he’ll begin a throwing program on flat ground that will be shortened distance,” explained manager John Farrell, who also noted that while Opening Day is the goal, Rodriguez will “be out there when he’s out of danger.”
Charlie Manuel On Phillies’ Rebuilding Process
The rebuilding Phillies have just two players left from their 2008 World Series Championship team — Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz. They’re not the only members of the organization that were in the dugout then, however; former manager Charlie Manuel is now serving as a senior advisor to the General Manager — a job that keeps him involved and plugged in as the team looks to continue its rebuilding process. The overhaul has left the Phillies with an exceptionally young club, but that’s not unfamiliar territory for Manuel. 
“When I was with the Twins in 1986 and ’87 we had some young players. We had [Kent] Hrbek, [Gary] Gaetti, [Kirby] Puckett, and all these young guys that turned out to be real good players. This group of guys is something similar to them,” Manuel told MLBTR in a one-on-one interview in Clearwater, Florida. “When you look at this group, we’ve got a lot of talent. These players have a lot of tools. We can go first to third, we can go second to home, but we still have to develop ourselves as hitters to be able to be regular players at the Major League level. And, when it comes to young pitchers, we got so many that some of them have to be good.”
Manuel is particularly impressed with the team’s young pitching and pointed to Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff, and Jake Thompson as “big arm” pitchers that can be future stars for the club. Part of Manuel’s new role with the team will be to help identify the next crop of amateur pitchers that can blossom into impact players.
“During the season, I go to all of our minor league teams and help evaluate players,” the World Series winning manager explained. “Also, when Spring Training is over, I’ll get involved in the amateur draft and I’ll check out some of the top guys, guys that are going in the first through fifth rounds. After the summer, I’ll pick up some Major League scouting and key in on some free agents. I’ll also be in Philadelphia up in our box as a part of our own in-house evaluations.”
In 2008, Manuel’s Phillies won 92 games on their way to an National League East crown and, of course, a World Series title. This year’s Phillies aren’t a popular pick for the postseason, but the 72-year-old ex-manager doesn’t think it’ll be long before we see the Phillies in the postseason again.
“I think a few years from now, you’ll see us where the Astros are,” Manuel said as he gestured towards the visiting dugout. “They backed up and made a lot of good draft choices and look at how good they are now. That’s what we’re hoping to do.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cameron Maybin Out Four To Six Weeks With Fractured Hand
Tigers outfielder Cameron Maybin will be sidelined for the next four to six weeks due to a non-displaced hairline fracture in his left hand, manager Brad Ausmus told reporters, including Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Maybin was hit by a pitch in yesterday’s Grapefruit League opener, leading to today’s injury news.
Maybin, 29 in April, was drafted by the Tigers with the 10th pick in the 2005 draft but traded to the Marlins in the Miguel Cabrera blockbuster back in 2007. He bounced from Miami to San Diego to Atlanta before being reacquired by the Tigers this offseason in exchange for relievers Ian Krol and Gabe Speier. Detroit’s subsequent signing of Justin Upton to a six-year deal shifted Maybin to a timeshare with the left-handed-hitting Anthony Gose in center field. With Maybin now doubtful to open the season with the club, Gose could see an increased role early on in the year.
Maybin struggled for much of his tenure with the Marlins and Padres but had somewhat of a rebound with the Braves last season, batting .267/.327/.370 with 10 homers and 23 stolen bases. His career splits don’t necessarily make him an ideal platoon partner for Gose, but Gose’s extreme struggles against fellow lefties (career .202/.256/.269 batting line) make Maybin’s .241/.298/.347 slash against lefties seem more appealing. Maybin is slated to earn $8MM this season — $2.5MM of which will be paid by Atlanta — and the Tigers hold a $9MM club option ($1MM buyout) over him for the 2017 season.
MLBTR Live Chat: 3/3/16
Click here to read a transcript of today’s live chat with host Jeff Todd.
Beane: Athletics “Exploring” Extension With Josh Reddick
Athletics president of baseball operations Billy Beane says that his organization is “exploring” a new deal with outfielder Josh Reddick, as Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM tweets. Last we heard, late in February, the sides had not engaged in talks about an extension.
As things stand, Reddick is set to reach free agency after this season. He is playing on a $6.575MM salary in his final arbitration campaign. Reddick has also made clear that he doesn’t wish to continue talks into the season, so there are only a few weeks to try to nail down a pact.
The 29-year-old has accumulated a lengthy track record of solid production at the plate, compiling a .255/.317/.441 slash line with 83 homers since the start of 2011. Other than an off 2013, he’s been a fairly consistent contributor when healthy.
A significant piece of Reddick’s value has come from his glove; at times, he has registered as an elite defender, per leading defensive metrics UZR and DRS. He has trailed off more recently, although that could conceivably be a sample blip or off year rather than a trend.
Both sides have previously expressed interest in continuing the relationship into the future, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll see eye to eye with Reddick nearing the open market. He’s a difficult free agent to predict at this point, but could conceivably earn a big payday with a strong all-around 2016 season. Meanwhile, Oakland could choose instead to dangle a qualifying offer after the season or even put Reddick on the block this summer if things don’t break right.
Podcast: Evan Grant On Rangers; Bradley Woodrum On TJ Surgery
Today’s MLBTR podcast features two great guests. First, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News hops on the show to fill us in on an upbeat Rangers camp. The topics include the signing of Ian Desmond, what Texas might do with its ample depth, whether there are any trades to explore this spring, and the extension situation with veteran third baseman Adrian Beltre.
Next, host Jeff Todd is joined by Bradley Woodrum to discuss his recent statistical research into predicting the likelihood of Tommy John surgeries. You can find the post on his findings right here on MLBTR, and Brad’s podcast discussion is essential listening for those interested in understanding it fully. He provides an excellent look at the process, the results (including what they do and don’t tell us), and what still remains to be investigated.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and please leave a review! The podcast is also available via Stitcher at this link.
The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast runs weekly on Thursday afternoons.
Peter Bourjos Eager For Fresh Start With Phillies
In December, the Phillies added to an already stacked outfield mix when they claimed Peter Bourjos off waivers from the Cardinals. The outfielder’s time in St. Louis was not terribly memorable and many pointed to his lingering hip injury as the culprit for his struggles. However, Bourjos says it was something else keeping him from playing his best with the Cards. 
“I think it was more just being in and out of the lineup. It was tough getting into a rhythm,” Bourjos told MLBTR in Clearwater, Florida on Thursday. “That’s the role I was in, that was the role I accepted, and you just try to do your best with it. It’s tough coming in and facing the set-up guy or the closer in pinch hit at-bats. It’s tough to get something going.”
Because of his inconsistent playing time, it was no surprise to Bourjos when he was exposed to waivers in the offseason.
“I didn’t really think I’d be back there, just because of how things played out down the stretch. I think I had three or four starts in the second half of the year. I didn’t really have a lot of at-bats. You can just kind of see the writing on the wall, that they had a lot of good young outfielders coming and it probably just wasn’t going to be a good fit,” said Bourjos.
Realizing that he wouldn’t be back with the Cardinals, Bourjos and agent Curtis Dishman huddled up to discuss potential landing spots and which teams would make the best fit for him. With the potential for significant and consistent playing time, the Phillies were “at the top” of his personal wish list. General Manager Matt Klentak told MLBTR back in December that his familiarity with Bourjos from their shared Angels days played a role in acquiring him, but the outfielder says that the Phillies have actually had interest in him for years, dating back to the Ruben Amaro-led front office.
It’s easy to see why the Phillies would have coveted Bourjos for so long. In 2011, the defensive wizard made a name for himself in baseball when he slashed .271/.327/.438. Now on his third big league team, Bourjos is determined to make the most of his fresh start.
“Whenever I’ve had consistent at-bats, I’ve played pretty well, and that goes back to 2013. The at-bats were consistent, but I got hurt. I was playing pretty well up until that point. It’s about getting out there and being consistent in the lineup. It kind of goes both ways, I have to prove that I can do that. I can’t get off to a bad start, I have to prove that I belong out there.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.