Braves To Sign Carlos Torres
Reliever Carlos Torres has agreed to a deal with the Braves, reports Jim Seimas of the Santa Cruz Sentinel, who adds that he chose Atlanta over the Yankees and Dodgers (Twitter link). Bill Shanks of FOX Sports Radio and the Macon Telegram tweets that it’s a minor league deal with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
Torres will give the Braves an option either in their rotation or bullpen, though the latter seems more likely based on his lack of recent rotation experience. The rebuilding Braves have a wide-open bullpen picture, with right-handers Arodys Vizcaino, Jason Grilli and Jim Johnson as the locks to factor into the relief corps. Beyond that trio, the likes of Mike Foltynewicz, Daniel Winkler, Ryan Weber and Shae Simmons (who is recovering from February 2015 Tommy John surgery) all represent right-handed options on the 40-man roster. Non-roster invitees that will be competing with Torres include David Carpenter, Alexi Ogando, Jhoulys Chacin and Chris Volstad, among others.
The 33-year-old Torres has spent the past three seasons with the Mets, pitching to a combined 3.59 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 46 percent ground-ball rate in 241 innings (155 relief appearances, 10 starts). However, his solid production took a step backward in 2015, as he posted a 4.68 ERA in 57 2/3 innings, which led the Mets to designate Torres for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for Antonio Bastardo, who signed a two-year deal with the reigning National League Champions. Torres ultimately elected free agency after clearing outright waivers. Because Torres and the Mets had already agreed to a one-year, $1.05MM contract to avoid arbitration, the Mets were responsible for 30 days of termination pay on that non-guaranteed arb deal — a total of about $172K.
Central Notes: Singer, Stowe, Twins, Cardinals, Latos
Many in the baseball world are mourning a pair of losses this week, as MLB.com reporter Tom Singer and revered Reds clubhouse manager Bernie Stowe have, sadly, passed away. MLB.com executive vice president of content Dinn Mann spoke to Pirates ace Gerrit Cole and manager Clint Hurdle about Singer, who covered the Bucs in recent years at MLB.com, as part of a thoughtfully constructed remembrance. Several of Singer’s colleagues, including Lyle Spencer, Tracy Ringolsby, Anthony Castrovince and Adam Berry, shared fond memories of Singer in a video tribute at MLB.com. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, meanwhile, has penned a tribute to Stowe, who worked for the Reds for 67 years, ever since joining the team as a bat boy in 1947. Crasnick’s column depicts how much Stowe meant not only to the Reds organization, but to the countless friends that he accumulated in the media and throughout the league over his remarkable career. MLBTR offers its sincerest condolences to the many friends and loved ones of both Singer and Stowe and asks that our readers keep the pair in their thoughts.
A few notes pertaining to the game’s Central divisions…
- Twins general manager Terry Ryan recently joined 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson on his weekly podcast and discussed the upcoming season (audio link, with Ryan joining the show around the 13:50 mark). The two covered a number of topics, including the rough season for former top prospect Oswaldo Arcia, who is now entering Spring Training as an out-of-options player. “I was terribly disappointed in the year [Arcia] had, and he knows it,” said Ryan. “He’s got a lot to live up to here. I know he’s been in Fort Myers [home of the Twins’ Spring Training facilities] since the day his season concluded up there in Rochester. But, when you’re not a September recall, with the type of ability he has, there’s something wrong, and we need to fix him.” There doesn’t appear to be a regular role for Arcia with Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano locked into the corner outfield spots and Byung-ho Park standing as the early favorite for DH duties, but Arcia could still land a bench spot alongside John Ryan Murphy, Danny Santana and Eduardo Nunez.
- Ryan also discussed the team’s lack of moves to add left-handed relief help this offseason, noting that there are a few internal options that excite him. “I’m looking forward to seeing Taylor Rogers, for instance, a left-hander that’s been with us for quite a few years,” said Ryan. “He’s going to get every opportunity to make this team. I’d like to see [J.T.] Chargois, obviously, grow into a guy you can count on. He might have the best assortment of pitches of those young pitchers that you guys read about it.” Ryan also indicated that there’s still the possibility of adding an arm from outside the organization, calling a trade more likely than a free-agent signing.
- Although Cardinals newcomer Seung-hwan Oh had some difficulties obtaining a work visa in Korea, the right-hander now has his visa in place and is expected to report on-time, if not early, for his first big league Spring Training, writes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Oh, the all-time saves leader in the Korea Baseball Organization, will compete with Seth Maness, Jonathan Broxton and Kevin Siegrist to serve as Trevor Rosenthal‘s primary setup man, per Goold.
- Goold also reports that Matt Holliday has begun taking grounders at first base, though the veteran left fielder insists that the work at first was his own idea and is just being done in an attempt to increase his versatility. “I wanted to challenge myself,” Holliday told Goold. Brandon Moss and Matt Adams are currently the primary first base options for manager Mike Matheny, though having Holliday as an option there would only serve to strengthen the team’s depth.
- Fangraphs’ August Fagerstrom opines that the White Sox got perhaps the biggest bargain of the offseason in the form of Mat Latos. Fagerstrom lists seven players with worse xFIP marks than Latos posted in 2015 but who averaged a total guarantee of $81MM between them. Of course, Latos comes with notable health and clubhouse concerns, but the White Sox have done well with such assets in the past. Fagerstrom points out that the Sox have an exemplary track record of keeping players healthy and haven’t shied away from adding potentially cantankerous personalities to their roster in the past. Meanwhile, J.J. Stankevitz of CSN Chicago offers a similar take, comparing the 2015 production of Latos to that of Jeff Samardzija, noting the similarities in their numbers but the enormous discrepancies in their contracts.
Minor MLB Transactions: 2-10-16
Here are the day’s minor signings from around the league…
- The Angels have signed right-hander Javy Guerra to a minor league deal, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The former Dodgers closer served a 50-game suspension last season for a drug of abuse but will look to work his way back into a big league bullpen with the Halos. Last year, Guerra was limited to a total of just 5 1/3 innings between the Majors and minors, due largely to his suspension. However, he tossed 46 1/3 innings of 2.91 ERA ball for the White Sox in 2014 and has high-leverage experience as well, having saved 21 games for the Dodgers as a rookie in 2011. All told, Guerra has a 2.87 ERA with 7.5 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and a 43.3 percent ground-ball rate in 150 1/3 innings between L.A. and Chicago.
- Infielder Brandon Hicks has agreed to a minor league deal and an invite to big league Spring Training with the Dodgers, SB Nation’s Eric Stephen tweeted yesterday. The most recent big league action for the 30-year-old Hicks came with the 2014 Giants, when he received 242 plate appearances across 71 games. While Hicks didn’t hit for average whatsoever, he did show some power. That did little to mask his 32 percent strikeout rate, though, and he finished with an overall batting line of .162/.280/.319 with San Francisco. Hicks struggled with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate last season but is a career .244/.327/.429 hitter in parts of six seasons at that level.
Giants Avoid Arbitration With Brandon Belt
The Giants have avoided arbitration with first baseman Brandon Belt by agreeing to a one-year deal, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. He’ll receive $6.2MM, Jon Heyman tweets.
The sides had seemed headed for a hearing. MLBTR projected Belt to earn the exact amount he ultimately received in his second (and second-to-last) trip through arbitration. He filed for $7.5MM, with the team countering at $5.3MM to create a $6.4MM midpoint.
Soon to turn 28, the smooth-swinging lefty has been a steady and excellent performer for San Francisco. Since debuting back in 2011, he’s racked up just over 2,000 plate appearances with a cumulative .271/.347/.456 batting line and 63 home runs. And he not only delivers a high-quality glove at first, but has shown the ability to fill in at the corner outfield in a pinch.
After an injury-shortened 2014, Belt got back on track in 2015 and was running numbers comparable to his excellent 2013 campaign before running into concussion issues late in the year. He is expected to be ready for a full spring, though, and health matters don’t appear to be much of a concern for the team.
There are indications that a long-term deal could be a consideration. And, indeed, the Giants already struck a deal with fellow 4+ service-time stalwart Brandon Crawford. Belt has always seemed a more tenuous fit in an extension scenario, though, as he occupies a position that could eventually house star catcher Buster Posey depending upon how things progress.
Phillies Designate Bobby LaFromboise
The Phillies have designated lefty Bobby LaFromboise for assignment, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. His roster spot will go to just-acquired infielder Taylor Featherston.
This move constitutes the latest in a multi-step roster shuffle for the Phils, who designated former top prospect Jesse Biddle to make space for the claim of LaFromboise. Now, they’ll look to sneak him through waivers — or, instead, watch him go to his fifth organization in the last four years.
The 29-year-old has spent most of the prior two campaigns in the Pirates organization. He posted a 2.98 ERA in 54 1/3 Triple-A innings in 2015, logging 8.6 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9. And he’s contributed 11 2/3 good MLB frames to Pittsburgh over the last two seasons, allowing just two runs (on a pair of solo homers) and nine total baserunners while striking out a dozen opposing hitters in that short sample.
Orioles Sign Dale Thayer To Minors Deal
The Orioles have added veteran righty Dale Thayer on a minor league contract, his representatives at O’Connell Sports Management announced on Twitter. He’ll receive an invitation to major league camp in the deal.
Thayer, 35, ran up excellent results in his first three years with the Padres after receiving only minimal prior MLB opportunities. Over 2011-14, he worked to a 3.02 ERA with 8.3 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9 across 188 frames.
But the righty couldn’t maintain that trajectory after finally earning his first arbitration payday last year. He managed only 37 2/3 frames before being designated and outrighted. Thayer’s 4.06 ERA was hardly a disaster, but there was obvious cause for concern as he fell off to 6.0 strikeouts and 3.6 walks per nine.
Baltimore will presumably slot the veteran into a competition for a middle relief role. He’ll look to earn a spot in a pen that could draw from an interesting pool of names this spring, including players like the rehabbing Dylan Bundy, emergent Mychal Givens, resurgent Brad Brach, and swingman Vance Worley.
Phillies Acquire Taylor Featherston
The Phillies have acquired infielder Taylor Featherston from the Angels in exchange for cash or a player to be named later, Philadelphia has announced. He was recently designated for assignment by Los Angeles to clear roster space for the claim of lefty Christian Friedrich.
New Philly GM Matt Klentak was with the Halos when the organization acquired Featherston’s Rule 5 rights and carried him on the active roster for all of 2015 to obtain control. For the Phillies, Featherston could provide a near-term MLB option. After all, Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez, and Andres Blanco hardly constitute the most inspiring up-the-middle unit. More likely, though, he’ll go back for his first crack at Triple-A after skipping the level in the Rule 5 process.
Featherston is viewed as a high-quality defender, and advanced fielding metrics backed that up in his limited action last year. But he’s still got some work to do at the plate. Over his first 169 MLB plate appearances, Featherston carried a lowly .162/.212/.247 triple slash. He has shown some pop and speed previously in the minors, however, and the Phils’ new-look front office obviously feels there’s some upside to take a crack at developing.
Ike Davis Likely To Sign Minors Pact Soon; Yankees In Mix
First baseman Ike Davis is on track to find a new destination in short order, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports on Twittter. It’s expected that he’ll have to settle for a minor league deal, per the report.
The Yankees are among the teams in the mix for Davis, who’ll turn 29 before the coming season. New York recently lost one left-handed bench bat option in Greg Bird, and Davis could fill a similar niche for the coming season if the club decides to carry such a player as a complement to Mark Teixeira at first and Alex Rodriguez in the DH role.
It isn’t clear what other organizations may have interest, though it’s possible to imagine the Brewers, Astros, Orioles, Rockies, and Rays giving some consideration to a player like Davis for depth, flexibility, and competition. It’s been a quiet winter for Davis, who was non-tendered at offseason’s outset by the Athletics after projecting to command a $3.8MM payday in his final season of arbitration eligibility.
Davis disappointed in his only season in Oakland, putting up a .229/.301/.350 slash with just three home runs in 239 plate appearances. He had at least produced at a slightly above-average rate in his prior year, most of which was spent with the Pirates, and has always been seen as an intriguing talent.
After all, in his age-23 through 25 campaigns — back when he was viewed as a potential long-term piece for the Mets — Davis ran up a .252/.336/.461 batting line and contributed 58 home runs over 1,334 plate appearances. It may be wishful thinking to hope for a return to that level of production, but he’s still fairly youthful and looks to be a worthwhile risk on a minors deal.
Blue Jays, Josh Donaldson Reach Two-Year Extension
The Blue Jays have announced a two-year, $28.65MM deal with star third baseman Josh Donaldson. He’ll earn $11.65MM in 2016 and $17MM for the following year.
The sides had been set for arbitration, with Donaldson filing at $11.8MM and the team countering at $11.35MM. While the gulf between those numbers is obviously a pittance compared to the overall value involved, the Jays employ a “trial and file” strategy that made a hearing inevitable after numbers were swapped — barring a multi-year deal. The sides could have worked out a deal to buy out all of Donaldson’s remaining arb years — he was a Super Two last year and is under control through 2018 via arbitration — if not a yet longer pact to lock up some free agent seasons, but chose the more straightforward option.
Fresh off of an American League MVP award, Donaldson had enormous earning power at the arb table. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz broke down his case in January, noting that the projected $12MM salary would have represented a record $7.7MM raise. Obviously, both team and player agreed that was a bit more than was warranted, though even the Jays were willing to pay the same bump that the prior record holder received (Chris Davis, with a $7.05MM raise).
The new deal not only rewards Donaldson for his monster 2015 season with a nice salary in the coming season, but also promises him a second huge payday. It’s less than he might have earned with another strong season — and much less than a repeat MVP effort would have brought — but significantly reduces his risk in exchange for some potential cost savings and certainty to the club.
Donaldson, who came over from the A’s last winter, went to a hearing with his new club before he ever suited up. The club won, with Donaldson settling for $4.3MM — a fair sight shy of the $5.75MM that he sought. Of course, he’s now more than made up for it with this new deal.
There certainly weren’t any lingering effects from that adversarial proceeding on Donaldson, who exceeded already-high expectations last year. The MVP tab was well deserved, as the 30-year-old delivered a .297/.371/.568 slash and 41 home runs, helping to lead Toronto to an AL East pennant. With typically stellar defense mixed in, Donaldson tallied 8.8 rWAR and 8.7 fWAR.
Something of a late-bloomer, Donaldson represents a tough decision as a long-term extension candidate. There’s little chance he’d take a significant discount to give away free agent years, but he’s already under control through his age-32 season and has every right to demand a premium payday.
Toronto is, of course, already examining the possibility of buying up seasons of sluggers in their mid-30s, as pending free agents Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista are on the docket for extension talks this spring. Having Donaldson’s salary for 2017 already on the books certainly removes a variable, though balancing the long-term checkbook still seems a matter that will require some care.
Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reported the agreement and approximate value. Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reported the precise guarantee (via the Washington Post).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
International Notes: Gurriel Bros., July 2 Spending
Cuban star Yulieski Gurriel, who reportedly defected recently with younger brother Lourdes Gurriel, may have an easier path to free agency than had been expected. Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald reports that both brothers have moved across the border from the Dominican Republic to Haiti, which is a popular launching point for Cuban players seeking to make it to the majors. (Spanish language link.) Importantly, per the report, the 31-year-old infielder has already established Panamanian residency, which might well provide a faster route to the open market since some hurdles would already be cleared. Ebro provides other interesting details on the situation of the famed elder Gurriel brother, who is apparently looking to take his last chance at playing in the majors in his prime. Though he’ll soon turn 32, Gurriel is considered a prime talent and will create an interesting market situation — remember, quality infielders such as Ian Desmond, David Freese, and Juan Uribe remain unsigned — if and when he is deemed eligible to sign. The younger Lourdes, meanwhile, still appears likely to wait until October to ink an agreement, when he’ll be old enough to fall ouside of international signing restrictions.
Here are some more notes on the international market:
- The Brewers, Cardinals, Phillies, and Rangers are expected to have an active year in the coming July 2 market, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports, though it’s not yet clear to what extent any of those teams will be willing to go past their pool allocation. We’ve already heard that the Braves, Nationals, and Padres are expected to make significant moves this summer, likely incurring maximum penalties for exceeding their international spending limits. With numerous big spenders on the sidelines after blowing past their own caps in prior years, there’s some opportunity for other clubs to step in and seek to sign their own slate of talented youngsters out of Latin America.
- Sanchez goes on to discuss the market more generally, explaining that expectations are the non-Cuban market will produce a few significant bonuses (around $3MM to $4MM) with several other players receiving seven-figure paydays as well. He further notes that there figures to be quite a bit of competition as teams capped at $300K bonuses look to add lower-bonus names. The Angels, Diamondbacks, Rays, Red Sox, and Yankees are halfway through their two-year restricted periods, while the Blue Jays, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, and Royals are set to join them for the coming signing period.
- There’s a notable showcase event being held today in Santo Domingo that will feature many of the players being targeted by the aforementioned teams, as Sanchez further reports. 59 prospects from seven nations will be there, including top Venezuelan youngster Kevin Maitan (who is favored to sign with the Braves). Other intriguing players are on hand, per Sanchez, including Mexican outfielder Tirso Ornelas, Panamanian righty Edisson Gonzalez, and Dominican outfielder Jeisson Rosario.