West Notes: Correa, Ibanez, Hawkins
Top Astros prospect Carlos Correa awaits medical evaluation in Houston after an ankle injury Saturday, as Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle notes. “I hit an RBI triple and then my spike got stuck at the bag,” Correa explains. GM Jeff Luhnow says Correa is expected to miss time due to the injury, although it’s not yet clear how much. Correa, the top pick in the 2012 draft, was hitting .325/.416/.510 for Class A+ Lancaster, and the Chronicle guesses he might have been in line for promotion to Double-A Corpus Christi. In any case, losing him to a serious injury would be a significant blow to the Astros, even with their strong farm system. Here are more notes from the West divisions.
- Raul Ibanez is not a good fit for the Mariners, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune tweets. Ibanez hit 29 homers for the Mariners in 2013, but the Angels released him yesterday after he hit a mere .157/.258/.265 in 190 plate appearances for them.
- Rockies closer LaTroy Hawkins is 41, but he has no plans to stop playing, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. “If I stay healthy, I can pitch forever,” says Hawkins. “That’s my thought process. I have been blessed with a right arm that has definitely defeated all of the odds.” The Rockies signed Hawkins last winter to a deal that pays him $2.25MM in 2014, with a $2.25MM option and a $250K buyout for 2015. Hawkins’ 2.77 ERA suggests the Rockies will pick up that very cheap option, although Hawkins’ peripherals have been underwhelming, with 3.8 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 26 innings so far.
Padres Notes: Byrnes, Black, Whitson
It’s been a busy day in San Diego with the firing of GM Josh Byrnes. Here are a few notes on the Padres.
- Byrnes’ firing “begs for an explanation,” Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes. Byrnes hadn’t been on the job long enough (less than three years) to follow through on a plan, and Heyman notes that the only winning team with a payroll lower than the Padres’ right now is the Athletics. The Padres’ new owners seem to believe that this year’s Friars should have been a top team, Heyman writes. Byrnes has a good record with trades, and while some of the extensions to which he’s signed younger players haven’t worked, he received praise for the Jedd Gyorko deal, in particular, when it happened.
- The Padres do not have any immediate plans to fire manager Bud Black or hitting coach Phil Plantier, Heyman tweets.
- The Padres made the right move in firing Byrnes, MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince argues. With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Padres needed to act quickly if they had questions about Byrnes. Castrovince says that the Padres’ new interim GM setup, with Omar Minaya, Fred Uhlman Jr. and A.J. Hinch occupying the position jointly, will be interesting, given that the trade deadline could help shape the Padres’ future.
- Karsten Whitson, an 11th-round pick in this year’s draft by the Red Sox, signed recently for $100K, losing out on $2MM after he reportedly rejected a $2.1MM offer when the Padres drafted him in 2010. But Whitson doesn’t regret his decision to attend the University of Florida, Fangraphs’ David Laurila reports. “My time at Florida was great,” Whitson says. “I went to the College World Series, won two SEC championships, and graduated [with a degree in psychology]. It was a very tough decision, but after doing some self reflection I though it was the right choice.” Whitson underwent a shoulder injury during his time at Florida that limited his bonus potential. He says he and the Padres (who were then run by Jed Hoyer, not Byrnes) did not discuss bonus parameters before they drafted him.
MLBTR Originals
A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR this past week:
- Tim Dierkes revised MLBTR’s 2015 Free Agent Power Rankings and Hanley Ramirez has regained the top spot over Max Scherzer. There are also five new players in this month’s edition (Nelson Cruz, Victor Martinez, Mike Morse, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Russell Martin).
- Charlie Wilmoth outlined several possible reforms to the Super Two designation (untethering free agency and arbitration eligibility from service time, allowing an arbitrator to determine a prospect’s MLB readiness, eliminating the Super Two and redistributing those salaries, and prorating first-year arbitration salaries), but opines a few cases every season like the Pirates’ Gregory Polanco do not justify sweeping changes to the existing system.
- Jeff Todd examined the Jon Singleton extension and noted the ground-breaking contract should have relatively minimal impact on players who have the means and desire to bear the inherent risk of transitioning from top prospect to an established Major Leaguer.
- Tim was the first to report the details of the 2015 vesting option for White Sox lefty reliever Scott Downs: 55 appearances and not ending the season on the disabled list.
- Speaking of vesting options, Steve Adams is tracking the progress players with a 2015 vesting option are making toward exercising those options.
- MLBTR was the first to learn right-hander Dustin Moseley, who has hasn’t pitched since 2012 because of a shoulder injury, will throw a full bullpen session for interested teams on Tuesday.
- Zach Links revisited the notable transactions which have occurred on June 19th.
- Steve hosted this week’s live chat.
NL Central Notes: McCutchen, Brewers, Cards, Wada
Earlier today, MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk posted divisional roundups for the NL East and AL Central. Now, let’s take a look at the news and notes from the NL Central:
- The Pirates‘ Andrew McCutchen is the best bargain in baseball, opines Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Cook notes McCutchen is the 158th-highest-paid player this season and 77 players have richer contracts than the six-year, $51.5MM extension (plus a $14.75MM club option for 2018) he signed in March 2012. The 27-year-old is following up his 2013 MVP season with a slash of .313/.423/.527 with 11 home runs and a league-leading 52 walks.
- The Brewers are legitimate contenders, writes MLB.com’s Tracy Ringolsby, and their confidence was bolstered by the offseason free agent signing of Matt Garza. “When we signed Garza, I think that’s when we started to feel something could happen,” Jonathan Lucroy told Ringolsby. Added Ryan Braun, “It showed the front office and ownership felt we were a good team.“
- An under-the-radar free agent signing has also paid huge dividends for the Brewers, reports Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Brewers inked Zach Duke inked to a minor league deal in January and the left-hander has been well worth the investment posting a 1.57 ERA, a K/BB ratio of 7.8 (39/5), and a 53% groundball rate.
- The Cardinals‘ priorities as the Trade Deadline approaches, according to the St. Louis Post-Disptach’s Joe Strauss, include finding an offensive upgrade at second base (or third base, if Matt Carpenter is moved to second), a bench bat, and determining whether Pat Neshek can be a reliable 8th inning option.
- Earlier today, the Cubs added Tsuyoshi Wada to their 40-man roster and promptly optioned him to Triple-A. Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald tweets Wada could slide into the Cubs’ rotation, if a starter is dealt between now and the Trade Deadline.
Draft Signings: Jake Cosart, Zach Risedorf
Here are today’s notable draft signings, with the latest agreements at the top of the post…
- The Red Sox have signed third-round selection Jake Cosart to a below-slot bonus of $450K, tweets Jim Callis of MLB.com. The slot recommendation for the 109th overall selection is $509.4K. Cosart, brother of Astros right-hander Jarred Cosart, is a right-hander from Seminole State JC.
- The Padres officially signed sixth-round pick Zach Risedorf, the team announced. The two sides originally reached an agreement two weeks ago, according to MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter link). Terms of the deal aren’t known, though the 177th overall pick carries a $249.4K slot value. Risedorf, a high school catcher from Connecticut, had been committed to UConn.
Edward Creech contributed to this post.
Padres Fire GM Josh Byrnes
The Padres have fired Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes, tweets Scott Miller of Bleacher Report/Turner Sports. The team has confirmed Byrnes has been relieved of his duties.
“This ownership group is committed to fielding a team that consistently competes for postseason play,” said Padres President and CEO Mike Dee in a statement. “Thus far this season, the results on the field have been mixed at best and clearly have not lived up to expectations. After a lengthy evaluation of every facet of our baseball operations, we have decided to make this change today. The search for a new General Manager begins immediately. We are looking for someone who can define, direct and lead this franchise’s baseball philosophy for years to come.“
The firing comes just two days after a report surfaced that Byrnes’ relationship with ownership had deteriorated. The Padres hope to have someone in place by later this season, sources tell Miller (on Twitter). Red Sox Assistant GM Mike Hazen has already been discussed as a possible replacement for Byrnes, tweets ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets the Padres have also discussed a reunion with Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers. In a separate tweet, Nightengale notes Towers (Padres GM from 1995 to 2009) is under contract in Arizona through 2016 but his job security has come into question with the hiring of Tony LaRussa. Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune (subscription required) lists five potential candidates: Towers, Larry Beinfest (ex-Marlins GM), Farhan Zaidi (A’s assistant GM/director of baseball operations), David Forst (A’s assistant GM), and Jason McLeod (a former Padre executive and currently the Cubs’ senior vice president of player development and amateur scouting).
In the interim, Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations Omar Minaya and Assistant GMs A.J. Hinch and Fred Uhlman Jr. will assume Byrnes’ responsibilities in what the Padres call the “office of the general manager.” Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets Minaya will be the point person for any trade talk. Miller reports manager Bud Black and his coaching staff are safe and is expected to remain so until a new general manager is hired (Twitter links).
The Padres have posted a 184-215 record since Byrnes was named general manager in October 2011 replacing Jed Hoyer. Per MLBTR’s Transaction Tracker, Byrnes’ two highest-profile transactions were acquiring Andrew Cashner from the Cubs for Anthony Rizzo and dealing Mat Latos to the Reds for a package of Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, Brad Boxberger, and Edinson Volquez. Byrnes has also handed out five contract extensions of three years or more during his tenure (Cameron Maybin, Nick Hundley – since traded to Baltimore – Cory Luebke, Carlos Quentin, and Jedd Gyorko), but was unable to hammer one out with third baseman Chase Headley.
NL East Notes: Jennings, Braves, Hamels, Mets
Dan Jennings was a guest on MLB Network Radio’s Front Office show this morning, and the Marlins GM told hosts Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden (as per Bowden’s Twitter account) that owner Jeffrey Loria is willing to “open the checkbook” to make additions before the trade deadline. Miami began the season with one of the league’s lowest payrolls at just under $46MM, yet despite losing ace Jose Fernandez to Tommy John surgery, the Fish began the day just 1.5 games out of first place in the NL East. The Marlins could be looking to take advantage of their surprising good form, as Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported earlier today that Miami has been as aggressive as any team in scouting for upgrades.
Here’s some more from around the NL East…
- The Braves likely won’t be involved in the bidding for the Rays‘ David Price or the Cubs‘ Jeff Samardzija, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The team is already over budget and still has a solid starting rotation, despite the loss of Gavin Floyd.
- The easiest way for the Phillies to rebuild would be to trade Cole Hamels, Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Despite Hamels’ big contract (he is owed approximately $107.5MM through the end of the 2019 season), he is younger and carries fewer health question marks than other veteran Phillies who could be available in trades. “If I were in their boat, I’d really hate to move [Hamels],” a rival executive tells Brookover. “But if you go back to question about which player is going to bring you the most value, you’re going to get the most for that guy. You have to get the most you can for a guy like that. If you don’t, you keep him. But you’re only going to get 1.5 pieces for someone else when you could get a lot more than that for him.”
- When Travis d’Arnaud returns this week, the Mets have the choice of either optioning Anthony Recker to Triple-A or exposing Taylor Teagarden to waivers, ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin writes. Also, Teagarden has the option of becoming a free agent if he is outrighted again. Rubin explores several factors in the decision, such as whether the Mets would mind losing Teagarden, and the effect this roster move could have on catching prospect Kevin Plawecki‘s development.
Rockies Notes: Cubs, De La Rosa, Tulowitzki
It’s been a rough week for the Rockies, who have lost five games in a row, got no-hit by Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday and allowed three runs to score on one wild pitch in yesterday’s 9-4 defeat to the Brewers. Here’s the latest on a Colorado team that is trying to hang on in the NL playoff race…
- The Rockies aren’t interested in Cubs starters Jeff Samardzija or Jason Hammel, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.
- It may be too soon to tell if the Rockies will be sellers or buyers at the trade deadline, but if the team does decide to sell, Saunders notes that two of its key trade chips have very limited value at the moment. Michael Cuddyer is on the DL until August, while southpaw Jorge De La Rosa is battling a stiff back and has pitched poorly over his last three outings.
- In an MLB Network Radio appearance today, Rockies director of Major League Operations Bill Geivett told Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden that Troy Tulowitzki won’t be traded and Geivett hopes the star shortstop will spend his entire career in Colorado (via Duquette’s Twitter account). With Tulowitzki healthy and putting up MVP numbers, it could be argued his trade value has never been higher, though Geivett and other members of Rockies management have steadfastly insisted for a few years now that Tulowitzki isn’t going to be dealt.
AL Central Notes: Twins, Outman, Rodon
A new or upgraded stadium just represents a new revenue stream for a franchise, not a surefire promise of a winning team, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune writes. Sullivan focuses his piece on the Cubs‘ planned renovations to Wrigley Field, though he uses the Twins and Target Field as an example of a team whose move into a new ballpark was undermined by moves that currently look like expensive mistakes (i.e. the Ricky Nolasco contract, Joe Mauer‘s extension).
Here’s some more from around the AL Central…
- Jim Souhan of the Star-Tribune presents a different view of the Twins‘ future, listing four reasons why he feels the team is turning the corner back to respectability.
- The Indians are trying to make a minor trade to send southpaw Josh Outman elsewhere, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. The Tribe designated Outman for assignment on Wednesday. Outman’s strong numbers against left-handed batters should generate some interest, though as MLBTR’s Jeff Todd noted, Outman’s peripherals suggest his performance this season isn’t as solid as his 3.28 ERA would suggest.
- Carlos Rodon was seen as perhaps the most Major League-ready pitcher of any 2014 draft pick, which is why White Sox assistant GM Buddy Bell feels Rodon would best be served by signing soon. “You want to get started sooner than later….But I just think the sooner you sign and with his ability and how I see him, this kid is going to be in the big leagues soon,” Bell told reporters, including CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes. “It just seems to me if money is the issue, he’s going to make a helluva lot more getting it started than not.” The Sox have until July 18 to sign Rodon, who is rumored to be looking for a bonus above the $5.72MM slot value for the No. 3 overall pick.
Latest On David Price
There may not be a more heavily-discussed player in the leadup to the July 31 trade deadline than David Price. Here’s the latest buzz about the Rays southpaw…
- The Dodgers are considered the favorites to land Price by many around baseball, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. The Cardinals have recently been scouting Price, and the Giants are also in the mix. The Marlins could have an interest in Price, and had scouts watching his start last Friday.
- Topkin also opines that the Braves, Angels and Indians make sense as possible suitors for Price. Cleveland scouts were present at Price’s most recent start.
- The Rays would prefer to trade Price to the National League, or if not the NL, at least outside of their own division. While an AL East trade isn’t impossible, Topkin believes a division rival would have to give up something beyond the already-large asking price the Rays are seeking for their ace.
- It helps both Price and the Rays if a trade is worked out sooner rather than later, Topkins believes. The Rays can get an early jump on the pitching market and Price seems to be getting frustrated by both Tampa Bay’s struggles and the constant questions about his future.
- While Price is only under contract through the 2015 season, a rival scout tells ESPN’s Buster Olney (Insider subscription required) that teams gunning for a World Series won’t hesitate to give up a big trade package for the lefty. “You worry about the cost of signing him later, and if he walks away, that’s the way it goes. But you’re adding a No. 1 starter who can be a difference-maker for two seasons,” the scout said.