- Imminent changes could be coming to the Phillies’ outfield, writes Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. “You can’t get around it. It’s not good,” manager Pete Mackanin said in regards to the league-worst .299 OPS Phillies left fielders have compiled and the .454 OPS their right fielders have posted. “In the short term, if we don’t show improvement, we’ll probably make a change,” Mackanin added. The Phillies did make a change Saturday when they put first baseman Darin Ruf in left, but the club doesn’t see him as a solution because of defensive concerns. That could open the door for at least one of Will Venable or David Lough, both of whom are in Triple-A. Venable has a May 1 opt-out in his contract if he isn’t on the Phillies’ big league roster by then. While the Phillies are considering calling up those two, prospect Nick Williams needs more time to develop and is not a candidate for a promotion, according to Mackanin.
Phillies Rumors
Phillies Reliever Daniel Stumpf Receives 80-Game PED Suspension
Phillies left-hander Daniel Stumpf, a Rule 5 pick out of the Royals organization, has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned substance (dehydrochlormethyltestosterone), Major League Baseball announced today. The Phillies have announced that left-hander Elvis Araujo has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Stumpf’s place on the 25-man roster.
Stumpf, 25, is one of two Rule 5 picks to make the Phillies club out of Spring Training this season, joining former Rays outfielder Tyler Goeddel. Stumpf had a solid Spring Training, pitching to a 3.65 ERA with a 14-to-4 K/BB ratio in 13 2/3 innings. He struggled mightily in his MLB debut this year, yielding three runs without recording an out, but he’s appeared in a pair of games since that time and retired the two batters he’s been asked to face. Last season, in 70 2/3 innings at the Double-A level, Stumpf logged a 3.57 ERA with 9.7 K/9 against 4.0 BB/9.
The Phillies will still be able to control the rights to their Rule 5 selection when he returns from the suspension, if they choose. Last year, we saw a pair of Rule 5 picks — David Rollins (Mariners) and Andrew McKirahan (Braves, via waivers from Marlins) — each receive 80-game suspensions but stick with their new organizations regardless. The team has issued a press release with the following statement on the matter: “The Phillies support Major League Baseball’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and are disappointed to hear today’s news of Daniel’s violation.”
Phillies Prospect Andrew Pullin Retires
- Phillies outfield prospect Andrew Pullin has retired, reports Matt Gelb (Twitter). Pullin, 22, tied for the Florida State League lead with 14 home runs last season. A 2012 fifth round pick, Pullin had experience in parts of four professional seasons. No reason was cited for his retirement.
Gomez Next Up In Phillies' Closer Carousel
- After David Hernandez and Dalier Hinojosa each blew their first save opportunities of the season for the Phillies, manager Pete Mackanin tells reporters, including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, that fellow righty Jeanmar Gomez is next in line for a save opportunity. “We’re auditioning,” said Mackanin, who is in his first full season as Philadelphia’s skipper. “We’ve got to find out. It’s a daily question. Why not Gomez? Let’s see what he can do.” Hernandez was signed with the idea that he could potentially fill the ninth-inning role for the Phils, and it’s worth noting that his second appearance was a clean inning with much-improved velocity. However, for the time being, there’s little clarity in the Phillies’ ninth-inning scene. (On a related note: fantasy players looking to monitor the situation and other ninth-inning scenarios around the league can follow MLBTR’s @closernews Twitter account for daily updates on saves-related news.)
East Notes: Smith, Castillo, Howard, Gomez, Chacin
Red Sox righty Carson Smith will return to the mound for work on Sunday, MLB.com’s Ian Browne reports. Smith, who is on the DL with a strained flexor mass muscle, seems to be on track to avoid a lengthy absence. Manager John Farrell said that Smith has had an “encouraging” week and is “progressing at a good rate right now.” The club plans to handle Smith’s build-up with care, as you’d expect with a young pitcher who is both an important future and near-term asset, but his return will be important for the Red Sox relief corps.
Here’s more from the eastern divisions:
- Though he’s not in line for much playing time at present, Red Sox outfielder Rusney Castillo will remain with the major league club for the time being, Farrell tells Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. “I won’t rule out that it might come up in conversation as we go forward,” said Farrell, “but we’re not there yet.” The Boston manager acknowledged that it’s “a tough spot” for the 28-year-old, who lost a chance to seize upon a significant role this spring. At some point, if he’s stuck to the bench, the Sox will presumably need to consider a minor league assignment to give Castillo some consistent plate appearances.
- Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is staying positive despite his own part-time role, Ryan Lawrence of the Philly Voice writes. The veteran slugger says that he understands the team’s position, explaining that “the only thing you can do is stay positive and take advantage of your opportunities when you get them.” Manager Pete Mackanin says that the club will open the year with a traditional platoon of the left-handed-hitting Howard and righty Darin Ruf, but plans to remain flexible in allowing performance to dictate things as the season progresses.
- Though it’s early, the Phillies are already moving through the line of possible closers, with Jeanmar Gomez likely next up for a chance, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports. Dalier Hinojosa and David Hernandez have both failed to hold late-inning leads in the early action, leaving Gomez as the next man up — at least for now. “We’re auditioning,” Mackanin said. “We’ve got to find out. It’s a daily question. Why not Gomez? Let’s see what he can do.”
- The Braves plan to add righty Jhoulys Chacin to the active and 40-man roster in time to make a start on Tuesday, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. As expected, Atlanta had been carrying an extra reliever while waiting for the fifth starter’s spot to come due.
Betts, Schoop, Ray, Others Move To The Legacy Agency
Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts has changed agencies, staying with his representative — Steve Veltman — as he moved to The Legacy Agency, as Robert Murray of Baseball Essential was first to report (via Twitter). He’s not alone, as players including Jonathan Schoop of the Orioles and Robbie Ray of the Diamondbacks are also making the move, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports, with player rep Ed Cerulo accompanying Veltman to a new home.
Betts, still just 23, has emerged as one of the game’s most exciting young talents. He followed up a highly promising partial season in 2014 with an outstanding campaign last year in which he put up a .291/.341/.479 slash over 654 plate appearances with 18 home runs and 21 steals. Of course, Betts is also a high-quality and versatile fielder and excellent baserunner.
Boston has plenty of cheap control remaining, as Betts won’t even reach arbitration eligibility until 2018 and doesn’t stand to hit the open market until 2021. He certainly profiles as an extension candidate, though, and his new agency will quite possibly field interest from the Sox.
Other quality 1+ outfielders have signed lengthy deals — including, recently, Gregory Polanco ($35MM) and Christian Yelich ($49.57MM) — but it seems fair to expect that Betts would command a good bit more given the floor and ceiling he’s shown to this point. And the price will likely only rise, as his service clock continues to run and he pads the stat sheet.
Schoop and Ray also rate as promising young players, but have more to prove at this stage than Betts. Other big leaguers joining The Legacy Agency, per Rosenthal, include Cody Anderson and Rajai Davis (Indians), Trevor May (Twins), Kevin Siegrist (Cardinals), Carter Capps (Marlins), Jerad Eickhoff (Phillies), and Tony Wolters (Rockies). Several unnamed prospects are also changing agencies.
As always, you can find reported player representation in MLBTR’s Agency Database.
Phillies Notes: Franco, Payroll
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald examines the reasons behind the Marlins’ relatively minor payroll in spite of projections prior to the construction of Marlins Park. The largest problem, Jackson writes, is that their TV contract with FOX Sports is the worst of any MLB club, affording them a mere $18-20MM annually. Comparatively, the Yankees and Dodgers are north of $300MM in annual rights fees, while the Phillies, Rangers and Mariners all have TV deal with average annual values north of $140MM. The Marlins also have yet to broker a deal for the naming rights of the stadium, which could yield $5MM+ in annual value. President David Samson says the club is negotiating with FOX and seeking a partner for the stadium’s naming rights, and Samson also discussed future payrolls. Most interestingly, perhaps, he notes that the maximum percentage of payroll the team might be comfortable dedicating to one player would be around 25 percent. As Jackson notes, with Giancarlo Stanton’s salary set to hit $32MM in 2022, the Fish would need a payroll of $128MM to make that number hold true.
- In light of the Pirates’ extension of Gregory Polanco, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News explores a theoretical Maikel Franco extension for the Phillies. Because Franco will finish the season in the same service class as Polanco but Franco has had more success at the plate, Murphy writes that any deal would need to surpass Polanco’s $35MM guarantee. Murphy proposes a six-year deal (beginning in 2017) that would guarantee Franco $48MM, noting that if Franco continues to perform as he has throughout his limited big league tenure, his first arbitration case could compare favorably to that of Josh Donaldson, who landed a $4.3MM salary as a Super Two player (which Franco projects to be as well). Murphy looks at the risk for the Phillies in the deal — other well-regarded young third basemen like Brett Lawrie, Ian Stewart and Will Middlebrooks, for instance, could not sustain early success — while also touching on the luxury tax and cost-saving benefits the Phillies would reap if Franco blossoms into a star.
- Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com notes that the Phillies’ rebuild has resulted in a roughly $50MM drop in the club’s payroll from Opening Day 2015 to Opening Day 2016. Team president Andy MacPhail says that the Phillies still expect to be active in free agency once the club has developed a young core of talent to supplement. “It’s an artery that we’ll use to improve — not the only one, but it’s there to help us improve and fill in where need be,” said MacPhail. “Ownership, as it has demonstrated repeatedly in the past, is committed to improving and building a winner and there’s no reason to believe that will subside.” MacPhail added that he doesn’t expect the Phillies’ payroll to be in the current range (~$85MM) for too long.
Phillies Taking Close Look At High-Schooler Jacob Groome
- With the top draft choice and a big bonus pool available this summer, the Phillies face a critical decision, and the organization won’t be making it without intense preparation. New Jersey high-school lefty Jacob Groome has received plenty of attention from around the game, and Philadelphia intends to watch every single one of his starts, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Indeed, GM Matt Klentak was on hand for Groome’s first outing of the year, as were ESPN.com’s Keith Law and Eric Longenhagen (Insider link), who were impressed by the young southpaw’s three-pitch mix — in particular, his polished curveball. While it’s rare to see high school hurlers go 1-1, it seems Groome has a chance to become only fourth to receive that honor.
East Notes: Rays, Mets, Fernandez, Phillies
The Rays’ quest for a new stadium in the greater Tampa Bay area remains an important topic for the organization and the league. As Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports, club owner Stuart Sternberg continues to assert a commitment to finding a way forward in Florida. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, meanwhile, said he’s putting his faith in Sternberg, saying: “as long as he’s committed, I think we — me and Major League Baseball — will remain committed to the market.” Manfred also addressed the matter of geography more generally, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. He suggested that the priority is to figure out the outstanding ballpark difficulties of organizations in their current cities, before considering any expansion possibilities. “Sequentially, I think it’s important for Tampa Bay and Oakland to get their facility situations resolved before we move into a real active consideration of expansion,” said Manfred. Of course, that’s an important factor in maintaining leverage; as Manfred perhaps implicitly acknowledged in stating, “we feel it’s our obligation to have alternatives to consider in the event that a relocation becomes necessary.”
There was also some sad news out of St. Petersburg today, as Rays’ minority owner Lance Ringhaver was reportedly killed in a car accident yesterday, as the Tampa Bay Times reports. Sternberg issued a statement mourning the loss of the 76-year-old, and MLBTR joins in offering condolences to his family and the Rays organization.
- The Mets are likely to face ongoing questions of daily lineup construction with both Juan Lagares and Michael Conforto in line for playing time, as John Harper of the New York Daily News writes. Lagares appears to be back in good form while Conforto continues to show the promise he displayed in 2015, but Yoenis Cespedes is an everyday player and Curtis Granderson still seems lined up for the majority of the action in right. (Then, of course, there’s Alejandro De Aza.) For now, this seems like a good problem to have, but it certainly could lead to some tough decisions as the season goes along.
- Meanwhile, the Mets could face yet tougher issues with third baseman David Wright, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post explains. Wright’s movement in the infield and ability to keep pace at the plate while dealing with spinal stenosis remain in question, though of course the standout veteran will have every chance to battle through.
- Via MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (on Twitter), the Marlins say that they have placed an innings limit of about 180 on right-hander Jose Fernandez in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. The 23-year-old ace tossed 89 1/3 innings last season after returning in early July, though he was slowed late in the season by a biceps injury as well. Fernandez is slated to make his season debut tomorrow against the Tigers in Miami.
- As Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer points out, only three teams in the past decade have kept two Rule 5 Draft picks for the entirety of a season, but manager Pete Mackanin tells him that the Phillies are aiming to become the fourth by retaining both outfielder Tyler Goeddel and lefty Daniel Stumpf for the entire year. “They’ve both shown enough ability where they can be part of the future,” Mackanin told Gelb. “…It’s hard to turn away young talent and that’s what our goal is, to keep them.” For the time being, Goeddel will platoon with Cedric Hunter, per Gelb. And while Stumpf could initially be used as a situational lefty, the uncertainty that is permeating the Phillies’ bullpen gives each reliever a chance to see his role grow, he adds. Additionally, Gelb notes that while Carlos Ruiz got the nos on Opening Day, it’ll be the younger Cameron Rupp seeing the lion’s share of playing time behind the plate this year. Ruiz is earning $8.5MM in the final season of a three-year deal.
Phillies Release Ernesto Frieri
The Phillies have released veteran righty Ernesto Frieri, as Triple-A director of media relations & broadcasting Matt Provence noted on Twitter. Frieri had seemed set to open the season with Lehigh Valley, but will instead head back to the open market.
It’s been some time since Frieri was an effective major league reliever, and he wasn’t able to show enough this spring to stick with the Philadelphia organization. Once a high-strikeout, late-inning option, Frieri’s velocity and swinging strike rates plummeted last year with the Rays. Though he did retire eight batters by way of strikeout this spring, he also allowed nine earned runs and five long balls in his seven innings of action.
