East Notes: Jimenez, Hamels, Yankees
Ubaldo Jimenez‘s first year with the Orioles was a struggle, but with three years left on his contract, the O’s are hoping for better in 2015, Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com writes. Jimenez walked 5.5 batters per nine innings en route to a 4.81 ERA after signing a four-year, $50MM deal last February. The Orioles have tried to trade him, but other teams don’t to take on the rest of his contract. Still, Dubroff notes that Jimenez struck out the side in his last appearance of the year and pitched decently in two starts immediately before that (albeit with too many walks), and Orioles manager Buck Showalter sounds hopeful about Jimenez for next season. “I’m going to be surprised if he doesn’t come in and be ready to pitch like he’s capable of consistently,” says Showalter. Here are more notes from the East divisions.
- Trading Cole Hamels could result in a Cliff Lee-type trade for the Phillies, but they still need to take the risk, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes. The Phillies as currently constituted aren’t strong enough to win with Hamels, so they need to take a chance by trading him for multiple players who can help them win later. Zolecki adds that it’s unlikely the Phillies would deal Domonic Brown or Ben Revere at this point, since the team needs outfielders and both players are relatively young.
- Dellin Betances, and Andrew Miller should be able to handle the late innings in the Yankees‘ new-look bullpen, and there are a number of options for middle relief, Mark Townsend of Yahoo! Sports writes. The newly acquired David Carpenter could play a key role in the sixth and seventh innings, with Adam Warren and Justin Wilson also helping out in important spots. (One would think lefty Chasen Shreve, who pitched brilliantly in the Atlanta system last year, could be a good matchup option at some point as well.) All that depth means the Yankees don’t have to lean too hard on reclamation projects Andrew Bailey and Esmil Rogers.
East Notes: Yankees, Braves, Howard
The Yankees are making the right moves to build their bullpen by adding inexpensive depth, ESPN’s Keith Law writes (Insider-only). Chasen Shreve, acquired from the Braves in the Manny Banuelos deal, gives the Yankees another hard-throwing lefty to go with Andrew Miller and Justin Wilson, and David Carpenter, the Yankees’ other acquisition in that deal, should be tough on righties. Miller, of course, was very expensive, but he was one of baseball’s best relievers last season. The Braves, meanwhile, got a project in Banuelos, and they could try to continue developing him as a starter, hoping his velocity rebounds after missing most of 2012 and all of 2013 due to injury. Here are more notes from the East divisions.
- The Yankees are comfortable with their current rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, C.C. Sabathia, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Capuano, but they’re still likely to add pitching before Spring Training, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes in a Q+A. The team still says it will not add a big contract by signing Max Scherzer or James Shields, however.
- The Phillies have traded Jimmy Rollins and Marlon Byrd, but their rebuild can’t begin in earnest until Ryan Howard departs, Bob Brookover of the Inquirer writes. Howard blocks top prospect Maikel Franco, who played well down the stretch at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and in winter ball in the Dominican. Having Franco at first and Cody Asche at third makes the most sense for the Phillies going forward, Brookover argues.
Quick Hits: Olivera, Howard, Braves
Here are a few notes from around the game to round out the evening:
- The Athletics appear well-situated to make a run at Cuban second baseman Hector Olivera, writes Joe Stiglich of CSNBayArea.com. Oakland has some financial freedom after its run of divesting veteran assets, and has the flexibility to wait and see if and when Olivera becomes eligible to sign.
- The Phillies have made some significant trades in recent weeks, but must part with Ryan Howard to fully enter a rebuild, opines Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Maikel Franco is ready for a big league roster spot, says Brookover, and Howard should not be allowed to stand in his way.
- Trading away corner outfielders Jason Heyward and Justin Upton was the right decision for the Braves, opines MLB.com’s Terence Moore. The roster was not good enough to be a serious postseason threat, says Moore, and moving those pieces brought back important future assets.
East Notes: Gibbons, Turner, Oliver
With the arrival of a new year comes a new season in Blue Jays manager John Gibbons’ contract, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca writes. The new year guarantees Gibbons’ deal through 2016 and also adds a new option for 2017. Every new year adds a new season in Gibbons’ contract, and GM Alex Anthopoulos created the deal so that Gibbons would never have a lame-duck season on the horizon. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported in September that the Jays would retain Gibbons, who is 157-167 in two seasons on the job. Here are more notes from the East divisions.
- Nationals acquisition Trea Turner (who will be the PTBNL in the Wil Myers trade) was the best prospect dealt between the Winter Meetings and Christmas, writes John Manuel of Baseball America. Manuel mentions that Padres vice president of scouting operations Don Welke, a close associate of new GM A.J. Preller, came from the Blue Jays organization, which preached that shortstops must have excellent arms. Turner doesn’t, so the Padres probably didn’t view him as a shortstop in the long term (although Manuel does).
- The Phillies hope to help Rule 5 pick Andy Oliver with his control, Jim Salisbury writes for Baseball America. Oliver posted a very high 6.6 BB/9 in 64 innings of relief for the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis last year, but with 12.0 K/9 and excellent velocity. “There aren’t many lefthanders sitting between 94 and 97 (mph) with a good slider,” says pro scouting director Mike Ondo. “Obviously strike one is going to be important, but he’s got two big weapons. If some things come together, we hope we have something.” Ondo adds that the Phillies will use their other Rule 5 pick, Odubel Herrera, primarily as an outfielder.
Phillies Notes: Outfield, Pitching
The big story of the day is the trade of Marlon Byrd. We learned earlier this evening about reactions and the Reds side of the story. Here’s more on how the Phillies will adapt to life post-Byrd:
- Trading Byrd could open the door for some young guys in Philadelphia, writes CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury. In particular, Domonic Brown, Darin Ruf, and Rule 5 pick Odubel Herrera stand to benefit the most. Brown’s role is uncertain after a difficult 2014, and Ruf has rarely received consistent work at the major league level. Herrera has some interesting upside if he can stick for the season. Other outfielders under contract include Grady Sizemore, Jeff Francoeur, Xavier Paul, and Brian Bogusevic. Ben Revere‘s role is far more solidified.
- The trade was also about adding pitching depth, says Salisbury. Along with the Rollins deal, Philadelphia has added three solid pitching prospects to the upper minors in Ben Lively, Zach Eflin, and Tom Windle. That sort of depth is important, especially with Cole Hamels on the trade block. Presumably, Cliff Lee just needs to demonstrate health before joining Hamels on the block.
- The Phillies could be on the verge of adding two starting pitchers, writes Salisbury in a separate piece. One of those names is likely Wandy Rodriguez, who reportedly reached an agreement pending a physical late last week. The other could be Aaron Harang, who Salisbury tweeted about earlier today. As with the pitching prospects listed above, it’s important for a rebuilding club to have enough arms to absorb the roughly 1,450 innings thrown in a major league season. Players like Rodriguez and Harang can also serve as additional trade bait. Roberto Hernandez filled that role last season.
Reactions To The Marlon Byrd Trade
Earlier today, we witnessed what might be the last trade of 2014. The Phillies swapped outfielder Marlon Byrd and $4MM to the Reds for pitching prospect Ben Lively. Here’s the latest related to the move:
- Trade talks were initiated during the GM Meetings in November, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. GMs Walk Jocketty and Ruben Amaro continued to work closely on the deal over the last couple weeks. Philadelphia’s decision to include $4MM likely played a large role in netting a strong return.
- Reds manager Bryan Price praised Byrd’s intangibles, reports Sheldon. According to Price, Byrd will fill a much needed role of run producer, but he can also help the club build a professional culture. Jocketty also acknowledged Byrd’s work ethic and leadership.
- ESPN’s Keith Law likes the trade for Philadelphia. They continue the much needed mission of rebuilding, and the return is about as good as can be expected for Byrd. The Reds perspective is a lot harder to support. They’re walking a fine line between rebuilding and contending, but it seems like they’re getting the worst of both worlds. For what it’s worth, I suspect the Reds plan to re-sell Byrd at the trade deadline. If he’s not performing well enough to be traded, they can bench him to avoid the vesting option (which triggers in 550 plate appearances).
- Jocketty says the Reds will focus on adding to the bullpen and bench, writes C. Trent Rosencrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Byrd deal crosses left-fielder off the club’s to-do list. I would add rotation depth as another area of concern.
Reds Acquire Marlon Byrd
The Reds have announced that they’ve acquired Phillies outfielder Marlon Byrd and cash from the Phillies for righty prospect Ben Lively. The Phillies will pay half of Byrd’s $8MM salary in 2015, and nothing on his $8MM club/vesting option for the following year.
Earlier this week, FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi reported that the Reds and Phillies had discussed a Byrd deal that ultimately didn’t take flight. It appears, however, that they finally found common ground. The Reds have traded Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon this offseason and have added few significant players of their own. An outfielder to add to Jay Bruce and Billy Hamilton was high on their shopping list, though, so it’s no surprise they’ve agreed to a trade for Byrd.
After an excellent 2013 campaign with the Mets and Pirates, Byrd kept hitting in 2014, batting .264/.312/.445 with 25 homers for Philadelphia. He’s average to above average defensively in a corner outfield spot, although he has mostly played right field recently and will be asked to play left in Cincinnati. Byrd had also frequently been connected to the Orioles this offseason.
Lively, 22, was the Reds’ fourth-round pick in 2013 out of the University of Central Florida, and he’s quickly made his way through the minors, spending 2014 with Class A+ Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola. Overall, he posted a 3.04 ERA with 10.2 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. MLB.com ranks Lively as the Reds’ eighth-best prospect, noting that his stuff overwhelming but that he does have four good pitches and hides the ball well.
FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, who initially tweeted that the teams agreed to terms, als noted that the amount of money the Reds will receive was significant. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweeted immediately before the deal that the two sides could soon reach an agreement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Byrd Trade Between Phillies, Reds Fell Through
The Phillies are in clear rebuild mode, having dealt Jimmy Rollins and Antonio Bastardo this offseason, and they appear to have had a third trade in the works before it fell through. Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports that the Phillies and Reds were close to a trade that would’ve sent Marlon Byrd to Cincinnati before talks broke down (Twitter link). The other players in the trade are unclear at this point, though Morosi notes that the Reds and Phils could still re-work the deal.
The Reds have a known need for a left fielder, although it’s somewhat interesting that they’ve been pursuing upgrades via trade, considering the fact that they, too, have looked to be in the midst of a rebuild. The Reds have dealt Mat Latos to the Marlins and Alfredo Simon to the Tigers in a pair of trades aimed at the future. It’s possible that the Byrd trade talks took place before those moves, and the team has simply changed directions, but it’s also possible that they feel they can contend even after moving a pair of arms and weakening their rotation.
Even with the subtraction of Latos and Simon, the Reds could lean on a rotation consisting of Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey, Mike Leake and Tony Cingrani in the first four slots. Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani and left-hander David Holmberg, acquired in trades over the past calendar year, are internal candidates to fill the fifth slot in the rotation.
Adding a player like Byrd, along with healthy rebounds from Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips and Bailey could go a long way toward helping the Reds return to contention in 2015. Byrd is owed $8MM in 2015 and has an $8MM vesting option for 2016 that will trigger if he reaches 550 plate appearances this coming season. Byrd, 37, batted a solid .264/.312/.445 with 25 homers and above-average defense in right field. Presumably, he’d shift to left field in Cincinnati, as Bruce has been a fixture in right field there since 2008. The Reds have also been linked to Michael Morse and Nori Aoki this offseason, though Morse is now off the market, having signed a two-year deal with Miami.
NL East Notes: Pierzynski, Phillies, Marlins, Mets
Earlier today, MLBTR posted the latest news and notes on the Nationals. Let’s now take a look at the other teams in the NL East:
- If A.J. Pierzynski‘s Spring Training looks like a continuation of his subpar 2014 season, he may not make the Braves‘ Opening Day roster, writes Fangraphs’ David Laurila in his latest Sunday Notes column. Pierzynski and the Braves agreed to a one-year, $2MM deal on Christmas Eve.
- The Phillies will spend considerably less on their starting pitching in 2015 and the rotation may actually be better, opines Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com.
- With the Braves and Phillies prioritizing years beyond 2015, the New York Post’s Joel Sherman surveyed seven baseball executives representing all six MLB divisions whether the Marlins or the Mets will be the Nationals‘ primary challenger this season. A split decision of 4-3 favored the Marlins.
Cafardo On Drew, Swisher, Longoria, Gomes
In today’s column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that the Orioles are still the team to beat in the AL East, a largely stagnant offseason which included losing two top players. The Orioles are, in part, banking on Chris Davis having a bounce back season in his walk year and they believe healthy seasons out of Manny Machado and Matt Wieters will elevate them. More from Cafardo..
- Agent Scott Boras thinks the market for Stephen Drew will heat up in January after teams have exhausted trade possibilities for a middle infielder. Boras hinted to Cafardo that a personal issue may have contributed to his offensive decline last season, though he declined to elaborate.
- The Indians would like to trade Nick Swisher after acquiring Brandon Moss from Oakland and the Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, Padres, Brewers, and Cubs could all be possible trade partners. Swisher is owed about $30MM on his deal, however, so Cleveland might have to foot some of the bill.
- One National League GM told Cafardo that he inquired about Rays third baseman Evan Longoria and was rebuffed. The Rays have Longoria under contract at $11MM this year and $11.5MM next year before his extension kicks in in 2017, running through 2023.
- Cafardo writes that Jonny Gomes could wind up with former Red Sox Jon Lester and David Ross on the Cubs to add some veteran presence to a young outfield. “He’s still an effective player. He works for a team that’s on the verge and on a team like the Cubs or Astros who need a veteran presence,” said one National League GM.
- At some point, the Phillies might have to release Ryan Howard and eat more than $60MM in salary. Still, it’s not surprising to hear that a GM told Cafardo that an American League team would scoop him up as a DH if he is free.