Pirates Rumors

Heyman’s Latest: Quintana, Pagan, Cozart, Padres, Bautista, Giants

By Steve Adams | March 16, 2017 at 5:09pm CDT

In his latest notes column, FanRag’s Jon Heyman reports that while teams such as the Astros, Pirates, Rangers and Yankees were all linked to Jose Quintana in trade rumors this offseason, the best offer the White Sox received came from an unnamed club that is currently perceived as more of a rebuilding team. That could mean any number of teams — the Braves, Phillies, Twins, Reds, Brewers and Padres are all in the midst of retooling their organizations — and further context is seemingly unknown at this time. A trade of Quintana, at this point, seems far likelier to occur this summer than during the final days of Spring Training, though Heyman’s note is a reminder that Quintana would appeal to virtually any club in baseball. With four years and $36.85MM remaining on his contract, Quintana’s affordable level of excellence can help clubs looking to win now or those looking to contend more in 2018-19.

A few more highlights…

The Braves have made “multiple” attempts to sign free-agent outfielder Angel Pagan, but the veteran has been holding out for a big league deal worth around $5MM. Heyman notes that Pagan has received some guaranteed offers, but they’ve come with very low base salaries. Atlanta has also been tied to another reunion with infielder Kelly Johnson, but Heyman notes that Johnson, too, is seeking a Major League contract.
Zack Cozart is still available in trade talks, but the Reds haven’t gotten much in the way of appealing offers due to the fact that few clubs are looking for a shortstop right now. The Padres have talked to Cincinnati about Cozart, but Heyman notes that they’re not keen on giving up top-tier talent for a player with only one year of club control remaining before free agency. Heyman notes that San Diego is still on the lookout for a shortstop upgrade.
The Rangers would want a Major League ready starting pitcher in any trade involving Jurickson Profar, Heyman notes. The Padres like Profar but wouldn’t be willing to surrender right-hander Luis Perdomo in order to obtain him, he adds. That may raise an eyebrow for some fans, but I’d point out that Perdomo has five years of control remaining (to Profar’s three) and posted a 4.47 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 61.4 percent ground-ball rate across his final 110 2/3 innings in 2016 after a dismal start in the bullpen. In that time, he posted a 3.84 xFIP and 3.88 SIERA. Profar hit .239/.321/.338 in 307 plate appearances last season.
Right-hander Jered Weaver tells Heyman that he considered retirement this offseason following a career-worst year in 2016. However, Weaver began to feel stronger after a month of rest, ultimately landing with the Padres on a one-year, $3MM deal. Weaver says that he’s “10 steps above last year” in terms of how he feels physically at this point.
The Indians made an offer to Jose Bautista that was for roughly the same $18.5MM guarantee he received with the Blue Jays, Heyman reports, and they weren’t entirely closed off to a multi-year deal. However, Bautista’s preference was to head back to Toronto.
The Pirates sought right-hander Derek Law (among other pieces) in trade talks centering around Mark Melancon with the Giants at last year’s trade deadline, per Heyman. It seems that the Pirates were focused on adding an MLB-ready replacement arm for the bullpen in Melancon talks, which they received in the form of left-hander Felipe Rivero. San Francisco, of course, signed Melancon to a four-year deal this winter.

NL Central Notes: Kang, Cardinals, Aguilar

By Steve Adams | March 15, 2017 at 7:55am CDT

Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang has decided to appeal his DUI sentence in South Korea, reports Jee-ho Yoo of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency (Twitter links). The appeal decision on Kang’s behalf was made in an effort to get his sentence reduced to a court fine, which would expedite his visa acquisition process and allow him to join the Pirates more quickly. The 29-year-old Kang admitted guilt following what was reportedly his third DUI arrest and received an eight-month sentence that was suspended for two years earlier this month. Kang can reportedly avoid any jail time if he does not violate the terms set forth as part of the agreement to suspend his sentence. The Pirates placed Kang on the restricted list over the weekend, as Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote, and as of that writing it had yet to be determined precisely how long Kang would require to secure his work visa. The infielder hoped to resolve the issue within a week, per Adamski, but Pirates president Frank Coonnelly chose not to comment on the matter. It’s not yet known if Kang will face any type of punishment from the team upon arriving in the U.S.

Here’s more from the NL Central…

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that Cardinals outfielder Stephen Piscotty is working to correct some bad habits in his swing that were related to the movement/placement of his back leg. Piscotty and hitting coach John Mabry break down some previous mechanical flaws in the 26-year-old’s swing to Goold, with Piscotty adding that his goal is to be able to elevate the ball more often. With his previous swing mechanics, Piscotty feels that he focused too much on his upper half and would subsequently roll over too many pitches and hit too many grounders. Mabry notes that Piscotty would like to boost his home run total from the low 20s to 30 or more. Per Goold, Piscotty is likely tabbed as the Cardinals’ cleanup hitter heading into the 2017 campaign.
Goold also reports that 20-year-old Low-Class-A outfielder Magneuris Sierra has turned heads in Cardinals camp with his speed and defensive prowess. While Sierra isn’t pushing either Tommy Pham or Jose Martinez for a spot in the team’s Major League bench, he could move quickly through the organization and jump to Double-A to open the current season. Manager Mike Matheny lauded Sierra for his defensive ability and noted that his bat and approach give him a chance to be a well-rounded player in the Majors. Last season in the Class-A Midwest League, Sierra batted .307/.335/.395 with three homers and 31 steals in 122 games.
Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar, who was claimed off waivers from the Indians this winter, is having a strong enough spring to force himself into the mix for a roster spot, writes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Aguilar, who has homered three times this spring and cracked a pair of doubles as well, tells McCalvy that he’s grateful for the opportunity to compete for a bench role after being largely blocked by players like Carlos Santana, Mike Napoli and, this offseason, Edwin Encarnacion in Cleveland. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for a new opportunity for a while, and thankfully I’m in an organization that is giving young players a lot of opportunity,” said the 26-year-old slugger. Aguilar mashed 30 homers last year in Triple-A Columbus, though his .247/.319/.472 slash line isn’t quite as impressive as that round home run total may immediately indicate. As McCalvy notes, though, the right-handed-hitting Aguilar could be a nice complement to lefty swinging Eric Thames.

Latest On Angel Pagan

By Steve Adams | March 10, 2017 at 3:47pm CDT

4:09pm: Pagan had an agreement with the Orioles, but a failed physical blew things up, Heyman reports. It isn’t clear just when that occurred or what the issue was.

The deal with Baltimore was a major league deal, Heyman suggests. Pagan’s agent, Greg Genske, also says that other teams have offered MLB roster spots, per the report. Indeed, Atlanta is potentially interested in such an arrangement, though it’s not clear at what price tag.

This new report seems to change the story on Pagan. It now appears that opportunity and/or money are the main sticking points. The veteran has “been seeking close to $5MM” in contract talks, according to Heyman.

3:47pm: The Pirates and the Braves are among the “many” teams that have made offers to outfielder Angel Pagan, tweets Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. (Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle first reported that the Braves had made an offer.) However, the 35-year-old Pagan has reportedly been holding out for a Major League offer, and it doesn’t seem that any team has made that type of proposal to this point, as Heyman adds that the outfielder has yet to find a suitable opportunity.

Pagan isn’t exactly missing out on Spring Training entirely, as he’s playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, so he’ll be somewhat up to speed if he does ink a deal with a club at some point this month. Earlier this week, Pagan told reporters that he feels that his 2016 play has earned him a spot somewhere. It’s hard to argue that, based on Pagan’s 2016 season. While he may no longer be much of an option in center field, he did bat .277/.331/.418 with 12 home runs and 15 steals last season, and his defense in left field as passable in the eyes of Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved.

Both Atlanta and Pittsburgh were among the speculative landing spots I listed for Pagan last week, as either one makes sense on paper. The Braves don’t have a true fourth outfielder, as their current backup options in center field include Jace Peterson, Chase d’Arnaud and perhaps non-roster invitee Lane Adams. The Pirates, meanwhile, are currently set to utilize Adam Frazier as an infielder/outfielder off the bench but lack a pure fourth outfield option themselves.

Jung Ho Kang Sentenced In DUI Case

By Jeff Todd | March 3, 2017 at 7:30am CDT

March 3: Pirates president Frank Coonelly has issued a statement on Kang’s sentencing, via press release, which reads as follows:

“Now that Jung Ho’s legal case in Korea has concluded, we will continue to work with him and his representatives in an effort to secure his work visa so that he may resume his career as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. We look forward to meeting with Jung Ho as soon as he is able to travel to the United States and having a serious discussion with him on this issue and how he has and will change those behaviors that led to the very serious punishment that has been levied against him in Korea. We will withhold judgment on what Club discipline, if any, is appropriate until we have had an opportunity to have that discussion. We will also withhold from further comment until we have an opportunity to meet with Jung Ho. Regardless of our decision on the disciplinary issue, we will do everything that we can as an organization to assist Jung Ho as he works to change his behavior and grow into the man that we know he can be.”

March 2: Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang has been sentenced in the DUI case in which he admitted guilt, as Jee-ho Yoo of Yonhap News reports. Kang received an eight-month sentence, but it has been suspended for two years, clearing the way for him to return to Pirates’ camp.

Kang can avoid any jail time if he does not violate the terms of the suspended sentence. He has two prior DUI arrests in his native South Korea, though still managed to stay clear of a prison this time around. Whether or not he’ll face any discipline from Major League Baseball remains to be seen.

Clearly, there’s a broader issue of maturity at play here for Kang, who has endangered others with his poor decisionmaking. He has also been accused in the United States of sexual assault, though it’s not clear at present whether those allegations have any merit, and whether there’s any chance of prosecution.

On the baseball side of the ledger, there’s no doubting Kang’s importance to the Pirates. The 29-year-old has been a steady producer when healthy, providing Pittsburgh with a cumulative .273/.355/.483 batting line and 36 home runs over 837 plate appearances over the past two seasons. The Bucs guaranteed Kang just $11MM in total for his four-year deal, which also includes a $5.5MM club option for 2019.

Offseason In Review: Pittsburgh Pirates

By charliewilmoth | March 1, 2017 at 4:52pm CDT

This is the first entry in MLBTR’s annual Offseason In Review series. We’ll be reviewing the other 29 clubs over the next several weeks as the season approaches.

The Pirates were at the center of multiple potential blockbuster trade rumors this winter, but none of the rumored deals came to fruition. Now, Pittsburgh looks poised to enter the 2017 with a familiar core while several young talents hope to cement themselves as big league contributors.

Major League Signings

RHP Ivan Nova: three years, $26MM (re-signed)
RHP Daniel Hudson: two years, $11MM
RHP Lisalverto Bonilla: Major League contract (later lost on waivers to Reds)

Notable Minor League Signings

Eury Perez, Jason Stoffel, Josh Lindblom, Casey Sadler (re-signed), Angel Sanchez (re-signed)

Trades And Claims

Acquired IF Phil Gosselin from Diamondbacks for RHP Frank Duncan
Acquired RHP Pat Light from Twins for PTBNL or cash
Selected LHP Tyler Webb from Yankees in Rule 5 Draft

Extensions

LHP Wade LeBlanc: one year, $750K, plus $1.25MM 2018 option or $50K buyout

Notable Losses

Neftali Feliz, Matt Joyce, Sean Rodriguez, Jeff Locke, Ryan Vogelsong

Needs Addressed

Despite being connected to trade talks involving star lefty Jose Quintana throughout the winter, the Pirates’ offseason was generally a conservative one, designed to retain and augment the team’s top assets rather than adding more top assets to join them. That’s not to say, though, that their winter failed to prepare them for the upcoming season. The Bucs will have their work cut out for them as they attempt to compete with the Cubs again this year — that would be a tough assignment for any team, really. Still, there’s reason to think they can improve on their 78-win 2016 total, perhaps dramatically so if things go right.

The Bucs’ 2016 season was full of disappointments, particularly in their rotation. Ace Gerrit Cole couldn’t stay healthy and failed to build on his outstanding 2015. Francisco Liriano was a disaster, and he ended up heading to Toronto in a dubious August trade. Jon Niese, acquired prior to the season for a quality second baseman in Neil Walker, was a mess, posting a 4.91 ERA in Pittsburgh before heading back to New York. And Jeff Locke and Ryan Vogelsong, perhaps somewhat predictably, failed to pick up the slack. The Bucs’ rotation, formerly one of the team’s strengths, finished fifth-worst in the NL with a 4.67 ERA.

The disappointments extended to the lineup, where the Pirates got less than they were probably hoping for from Francisco Cervelli, Josh Harrison and John Jaso. By far the Bucs’ biggest disappointment, though, was Andrew McCutchen. The former MVP batted a mere .256/.336/.430 and looked markedly slower than he had in the past. His declining speed was a factor in his horrific -18.7 UZR and -28 DRS, with both statistics marking him as easily the worst regular center fielder in the game.

There’s reason to think the Pirates can avoid some of 2016’s troubles, even though they made few big on-paper moves. In the rotation, they re-signed Ivan Nova, who pitched better than he ever had after heading their way at the 2016 trade deadline. (More on Nova below.) They can also hope for a full, healthy season from Cole, and they should continue to receive help from a burgeoning group of young pitchers that includes Jameson Taillon (who had a strong rookie season in 2016), Chad Kuhl, Steven Brault and, if he can improve his control, top prospect Tyler Glasnow.

This offseason, the Pirates first attempted to address the McCutchen issue by trading him. The superstar has only one guaranteed year left on his contract, plus a team option for 2018, and with top prospect Austin Meadows on the way and Starling Marte looking like a far better defensive center fielder than McCutchen, McCutchen seemed like an increasingly strained fit in Pittsburgh. The Bucs were repeatedly connected to the Nationals as a potential trade partner, with the Nats reportedly offering pitchers Lucas Giolito and Dane Dunning, plus another player. Those plans were scuttled when the Nationals traded Giolito, Dunning and Reynaldo Lopez for Adam Eaton instead. It then appeared the Pirates would keep McCutchen, and though there were whispers about other teams (including the Mets and Blue Jays) having interest, the Bucs never seemed all that likely to trade him once their talks with the Nationals fell through.

So the Pirates will keep McCutchen, at least for now, and they’ll head into 2017 with a new plan for how to use him. While McCutchen’s 2016 season was disappointing, he did end it well, batting .284/.381/.471 over the season’s final two months. It remains to be seen whether he can retain that pace going forward, of course. But the Pirates also addressed his defensive struggles by changing their outfield alignment — the very capable Marte will man center field going forward, with Gregory Polanco in left and McCutchen in right. McCutchen has a weak arm, suggesting that right field is an odd fit, but right field in PNC Park is small. Also, McCutchen is better at going to his right than to his left, suggesting that he could fare decently in right by staying relatively near the foul line.

The Bucs also addressed their bullpen, which had been depleted by the losses of Mark Melancon at last year’s trade deadline and Neftali Feliz to free agency, by signing Daniel Hudson to a two-year deal. Hudson produced a 5.22 ERA with the Diamondbacks last season, but his peripherals were somewhat more promising than that, and his fastball averaged 96 MPH in his second full year back from his second Tommy John surgery. He shares his good velocity, extensive injury history and modest recent performance record with pre-2016 Feliz, who had a successful comeback season with the Pirates last year.

More analysis after the break …Read more

The team also extended Wade LeBlanc, who they’d acquired late in the 2016 season, for one year plus a 2018 option. The move, while minor, seemed like a somewhat odd one given the large number of potential lefty options in the team’s bullpen (including Tony Watson, Felipe Rivero, Antonio Bastardo and Tyler Webb, who they selected in the Rule 5 Draft shortly thereafter). Even granting that, as a closer, Watson’s handedness doesn’t matter much, the Pirates might address their seemingly too-big collection of lefties sometime in Spring Training, perhaps by trading Bastardo. The team might have dealt Bastardo in the winter had the lefty free-agent market not been so slow to develop.

Late in the offseason, the Bucs also struck a small deal to add second baseman Phil Gosselin after the Diamondbacks designated him for assignment. Gosselin is somewhat of an odd fit for a Pirates 25-man that perhaps more acutely needed a backup shortstop, a position Gosselin rarely plays. But Gosselin has a bit of on-base ability and can be optioned, and the Pirates cited the need for more depth at third base as Jung Ho Kang began a DUI trial in South Korea that would delay his arrival to camp. If Kang is out for any extended period, though, David Freese would likely get most of the starts at the hot corner.

Questions Remaining

The Pirates will have to make up for the departures of two key members of a very productive 2016 bench. Sean Rodriguez batted .270/.349/.510 while playing seven positions last year before heading to the Braves (who have already lost him for most or all of 2017 after a nasty car crash). And Matt Joyce posted a .403 OBP (including a remarkable 59 walks) in 293 plate appearances with the Bucs last year before signing with the Athletics.

The Pirates have a reasonable replacement for Rodriguez in Adam Frazier, who joined the Pirates in June after posting a .401 OBP in Triple-A and hit .301/.356/.411 the rest of the way, appearing at second, third and the three outfield positions. The lefty-swinging Jaso, who figures to be supplanted by Josh Bell at first base, will effectively replace Joyce, providing some of Joyce’s on-base ability but little of his power.

Joining Frazier and Jaso on the Pirates’ bench could be infielder Alen Hanson. The former top prospect has hit a wall in the high minors and batted just .266/.318/.389 last year with Triple-A Indianapolis. He also isn’t really a shortstop any longer and therefore isn’t a great fit for a Bucs bench that can use help at that position. He is, however, out of options, and would be a candidate to be claimed on waivers.

[Related — Camp Battles: Pittsburgh Pirates]

How Bell will adapt to first base turns out to be one of the Pirates’ biggest questions in itself. He’s a highly rated prospect who’s hit well throughout the minors, but he moved from outfield to first base following the 2014 season, and he’s struggled to adjust to the position defensively, looking awkward at the position in 23 games in the big leagues in 2016. He also hasn’t developed the home-run power of an archetypal first baseman, although there’s hope that will continue to develop. If it does, and if Bell can play respectable defense at first, he could become the Pirates’ first three-win first baseman since Kevin Young in 1999. If not, things could get ugly, although probably no uglier than a long string of underwhelming recent performances by Pirates first basemen like Pedro Alvarez, Ike Davis and Gaby Sanchez.

While most of the Pirates’ roster spots appeared set heading into Spring Training, it’s unclear who will join Cole, Taillon, Nova and Kuhl in the Bucs’ rotation. There are plenty of choices, including Brault, Drew Hutchison and Trevor Williams. By far the most intriguing, though, is Glasnow, who approaches the big leagues as the Pirates’ best-regarded starting pitching prospect since Cole debuted in 2013.

Glasnow, though, struggled with his control last season, issuing 5.0 BB/9 in both the minors and Majors. That’s hardly the kiss of death, and might even be understandable for a then-22-year-old pitcher with a 6-foot-8 frame. But Glasnow also almost never threw his changeup in 23 1/3 big-league innings. He now says he worked on his changeup in the offseason, and the Pirates asked him to alter his grip on the pitch as well. It remains to be seen whether his change can be a good pitch, or whether he’ll even be confident enough to use it regularly in games. Of course, some starters have done just fine relying very heavily on two pitches, but if Glasnow were to develop a viable third pitch, that could only help him. In any case, the considerable questions about Glasnow’s ability to perform well out of the gate might make him a good bet to begin the season with Indianapolis.

The Pirates also face questions at third base, where incumbent Kang has been the subject of a long series of ugly news stories going back to last summer. First, he was accused of sexual assault in Chicago in June. (He has not been charged in the alleged incident.) Then, in December, he was arrested in Korea and charged with leaving the scene of a DUI crash. It later emerged that the DUI arrest was his third in Korea since 2009. His trial for the December incident was set to begin a few days after Spring Training opened, and his arrival in camp was delayed. There is, of course, the immediate problem of when Kang will join the Pirates ready to play, and then the longer-term problem of what to do with a talented third baseman who repeatedly runs afoul of the law.

Deal Of Note

Nova’s three-year deal was one of the offseason’s strangest free agent contracts. Heading into the 2016 trade deadline, Nova was a forgettable righty starter whose mediocre strikeout numbers and home-run issues overwhelmed his good ground-ball rates. Like so many Pirates reclamation projects in recent years, though, he arrived in Pittsburgh and immediately looked like a different pitcher, walking just three batters in 64 2/3 innings and looking like he couldn’t have cared less about the home-run problems he’d had as a Yankee. Even better for him, there was already precedent for pitchers turning a handful of good starts in Pittsburgh into real money — J.A. Happ got three years and $36MM from the Blue Jays after a terrific stretch run with the Bucs in 2015. And, unlike Happ, Nova entered a free agent market very thin on starting-pitching talent. As of November, Nova had reportedly received offers similar to Happ’s deal.

In spite of all that, Nova ended up with a mere $26MM, half of what we predicted when the offseason began. It still isn’t clear why he got so little, although he made clear after signing that he enjoyed pitching in Pittsburgh and was happy with his choice. In any case, he’ll provide the Pirates with a capable rotation arm to join Cole and Taillon.

Overview

The 2016 season was a bad one for the Pirates and their fans, and perennial questions remain about ownership’s commitment to winning (or to its ability to spend in the first place). And on paper, adding only Nova and Hudson to a 78-win team looks underwhelming, particularly given the number of wins it will likely take to win the NL Central.

In general, however, the health of the franchise remains strong. At least Bell and Glasnow appear likely to contribute in 2017, with Meadows perhaps arriving as well. Kevin Newman and 2016 breakout pitcher Mitch Keller give the Bucs another pair of strong prospects. That quintet could eventually join a good young big-league core that includes Marte, Polanco, Cole and Taillon.

Alternately, some combination of them could head elsewhere in a trade package for a star player like Quintana, to whom the Pirates have continued to be connected. The reasons for their interest are obvious — he’s a star with a reasonable contract that includes four more years of control, meaning he could help the Pirates contend not only in the short term but in the medium term as well.

The Bucs still appear likely to trade McCutchen at some point prior to the end of the 2018 season, and there’s no contradiction between the rumors of the Bucs trading for one star veteran and looking to deal another. Unlike Quintana, McCutchen is more of a short-term asset, and due to his declining defense and Meadows’ emergence, he’s no longer as perfect a fit for the team’s roster as Quintana would be. Given that the Pirates didn’t get want they wanted for McCutchen this winter, though, it now makes sense to see how 2017 unfolds before revisiting that topic. A rejuvenated McCutchen would provide a significant boost to the Bucs’ hopes of contending, and even if they don’t, he could net the Pirates more in a trade than they might have gotten after their talks with the Nationals fell apart a few months ago.

What’s your take on the Pirates’ winter? (Link to poll for mobile app users …)

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NL Central Notes: Cubs, Iglesias, Lorenzen, Freese

By Steve Adams | February 28, 2017 at 10:21pm CDT

Cubs GM Jed Hoyer joined Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquetter of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today, and among the topics they discussed were a possible extension for Jake Arrieta and the health of Wade Davis following last season’s pair of trips to the disabled list (audio link via Soundcloud). Hoyer kept it general when speaking of Arrieta for the most part. “Obviously when it comes to free agency, there’s a lot of factors involved, a lot of things pulling both sides in different directions,” said Hoyer, after voicing a preference to keep the details of talks close to the vest. “You have to weigh a lot of factors, but at the end, obviously, this guy’s been terrific for us. He was a huge part of us winning the World Series, a huge part of us even getting to the playoffs in 2015, and certainly that’s not something we take for granted.”

Regarding Davis, Hoyer suggested that the heavy workloads Davis racked up when appearing in back-to-back World Series in 2014-15 — Davis threw 25 postseason innings in addition to 139 1/3 regular-season frames across those two years — is something of which the Cubs are cognizant. The Cubs plan to be judicious with the workload of Davis and the relievers who shouldered large workloads for Chicago in last year’s deep World Series run this spring, per Hoyer.

A few more items pertaining to the division…

It’s already been documented that the Reds aren’t planning on going with a traditional one-inning closer this season, and Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that the team is going to lean heavily on right-handers Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen in the late innings. Both pitchers could end up exceeding 100 innings, writes Buchanan, as the plan is to utilize each in a high-leverage, multi-inning role. Both Iglesias and Lorenzen have recent experience as starters and are embracing a role that’s been uncommon in recent years but was far more normal a generation or two ago in Major League Baseball. Other teams around the league will be keeping a watchful eye on how the experiment plays out, as well. Milwaukee GM David Stearns spoke to Buchanan about the blurring line between starter and reliever, while Oakland GM David Forst stated that Cincinnati does indeed have “good candidates” for that type of multi-inning role. “I’m as curious as anyone to see how it plays out,” Forst said to Buchanan.
David Freese originally came to the Pirates on a mid-March, one-year deal last offseason, but he figured out quickly that he hoped to remain with the Pirates beyond the 2016 campaign, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Freese tells Biertempfel that he told his agent last summer to initiate the extension talks that led to his two-year, $11MM deal with the Buccos. “It all started with talking to me understanding this is the place I want to be,” says Freese. The corner infielder adds that the market has begun to change for players like himself, who are closer to average than to stars: “Older guys are not going to find that kind of deals that were there a few years ago.” Freese’s teammates are thrilled to have him back, as both Gerrit Cole and Josh Harrison laud his quick emergence as a quiet leader in the clubhouse. Cole referred to Freese as “one of the better teammates, if not the best, that I’ve played with.”

Quick Hits: Quintana, Astros, Yanks, Cards, Bucs, Rockies, Mets

By Connor Byrne | February 26, 2017 at 10:11pm CDT

Although left-hander Jose Quintana was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, he remains with the White Sox as the 2017 campaign approaches. However, the 28-year-old is still in high demand around the majors, according to CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine, who writes that the Astros, Yankees, Cardinals and Pirates are “dug into” the Quintana sweepstakes. With the exception of the Cardinals, Quintana has drawn frequent connections to each of those reported suitors in recent months. The Redbirds suffered a blow earlier this month when they lost standout prospect and rotation candidate Alex Reyes for the season because of a torn UCL, but they’re reportedly unlikely to make a significant splash in response. If true, that would rule out the acquisition of Quintana.

NL Central Notes: Villar, LeMahieu, Cubs, Pirates

By Mark Polishuk | February 26, 2017 at 11:11am CDT

Here’s the latest from around the NL Central…

As recent extension talks would seem to indicate, the Brewers have earmarked Jonathan Villar as a long-term part of their future, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. In turning down the extension (reportedly a three-year deal over his arbitration seasons worth in the range of $20MM), Villar is showing confidence that he can match his 2016 breakout year and put himself in line for a bigger payday down the road. Haudricourt notes that Villar and the Brewers have yet to agree on a dollar figure for his 2017 contract. While this has no bearing on Villar’s status since the Brewers control him through 2020, it can be seen as a sign of good negotiating faith if a club rewards a pre-arbitration player with a salary well above the league minimum in the wake of a good season. (For more on pre-arb salaries, check out this piece from MLBTR’s Jeff Todd from March 2015.)
The December 2011 trade that sent DJ LeMahieu and Tyler Colvin from the Cubs to the Rockies in exchange for Ian Stewart and Casey Weathers is revisited by Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. It was the first deal made by Theo Epstein’s front office in Chicago and, in hindsight, one of the rare misses for the Cubs in the Epstein era. “Sometimes, you show up somewhere and you can make a mistake in your first off-season by not being as familiar as you should be with a player, because you haven’t seen him yourself in person,” Epstein said. “We felt like there were good bat-to-ball skills there [with LeMahieu], and sound defense. From the reports, we weren’t sold on his bat speed, didn’t think there’d be a lot of power. But he’s certainly proving us wrong. The bat-to-ball is really elite, and he’s made himself into one of the better defensive second basemen in the league.” LeMahieu, of course, developed into a regular for the Rockies at second and enjoyed a breakout year in 2016, hitting .348/.416/.495 and winning the NL batting title.
Pirates GM Neal Huntington hopes to continues in his job for years to come, and tells Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that still enjoys working within a medium-payroll framework. “I’ve only lived in small markets. I thrive on that. I love the challenge of working with a group that has to be creative and innovative and more efficient,” Huntington said. “And while the margin for error is a challenge at times, I don’t wake up and think about (a big-market job) because that’s not energy spent on my family and spent on finding the best way to do the job here.” Huntington is entering the last guaranteed year of his contract, with the Bucs holding a club option on his services for 2018.
In other NL Central news from earlier today on MLBTR, the Cardinals are interested in top Cuban outfield prospect Luis Robert.

Camp Battles: Pittsburgh Pirates

By charliewilmoth | February 25, 2017 at 10:48am CDT

The Pirates, due to a fairly strong group of young players and to a long string of multi-year contracts for their core hitters (including Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Francisco Cervelli, Chris Stewart, John Jaso, David Freese, Josh Harrison and Jung Ho Kang) have a limited number of jobs available in camp this year. It makes sense, then, that the Bucs signed only a few veterans to minor-league deals this year, and that none of the veterans they did sign appear to have much chance of making the team.

There are, however, a few spots open. Let’s take a look.

FIRST BASE
Josh Bell
Age: 24
Bats: B
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

John Jaso
Age: 33
Bats: L
Contract status: One year, $4MM remaining on two-year contract
Options remaining: 0

The first base job appears to be Bell’s to lose, but there are a couple of wrinkles here. Bell did not move from the outfield to first base until fall of 2014, and his defense at first still rates as well below average. Also, he recently had knee surgery, although he has already been cleared to do everything but run. Assuming he’s healthy, he’ll likely get the job, with Jaso moving to a bench role. In that scenario, Bell could also see time in the outfield, with Jaso or Freese taking over first base when the Bucs wish to give one of their outfielders a rest.

Prediction: Bell wins the job.

THIRD BASE / BACKUP INFIELD
Philip Gosselin
Age: 28
Bats: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2020-21 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Alen Hanson
Age: 24
Bats: B
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 0

The Pirates’ group of position players appears mostly set, but there appears to be at least one job open, and a number of moving parts will factor into the Pirates’ choice. One is the status of Kang, who appeared in court in South Korea last week to answer for a DUI charge. It’s unknown when Kang will be able to report to camp. If he can’t be ready by Opening Day, Freese would likely take most of the playing time at third base, but a player like Gosselin’s chances of making the team would also increase.

Assuming Kang is ready, though, the team will likely have a bench of Stewart, Freese, Jaso and Adam Frazier, with one spot open. Super-utilityman Frazier played middle infield in the minors, but the bench is otherwise short on middle infield talent. The problem with both Gosselin and Hanson is that both are more second basemen than shortstops, but the Pirates also don’t really have a pure shortstop bench candidate unless they go somewhat off the beaten path and take someone like light-hitting minor-leaguer Gift Ngoepe north.

Between Gosselin and Hanson, Gosselin has much more big-league experience, having amassed 501 career big-league plate appearances over four years with the Braves and Diamondbacks. He also appears, generally, to be a better player than Hanson, who batted a disappointing .266/.318/.389 for Triple-A Indianapolis last year. But there is at least something to be said for Hanson’s candidacy — he’s a former top prospect who’s out of options, and his base-stealing ability would at least give Clint Hurdle an interesting tactical option off the bench. There is perhaps also a possibility the team could keep both — Kang could get stuck in Korea, and there might be a chance the Pirates could option Frazier, although that appears unlikely after his solid 2016 rookie season.

Prediction: Assuming Kang is ready, Gosselin makes the team, and the Pirates lose Hanson off waivers.

FIFTH STARTER
Tyler Glasnow
Age: 23
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Drew Hutchison
Age: 26
Throws: R
Contract status: One year, $2.3MM; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2019-20 offseason
Options remaining: 1

Steven Brault
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Trevor Williams
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

The pitcher to watch here is the 6-foot-8 Glasnow, who towers over the other three pitchers both literally and in terms of upside. Glasnow, though, has had trouble with his control and is still working on a third pitch — he arrived in camp this season throwing a new changeup after rarely using a change last season. The Pirates might feel he’s better off continuing to work out the kinks in the minors.

If that’s what they decide, the other three pitchers would battle for the final rotation spot, with the choice perhaps coming down to Hutchison and Brault. Hutchison arrived in the controversial Francisco Liriano trade last season and did not perform well in the Pirates’ organization down the stretch, either in the minors or the Majors. The Pirates’ decision to tender him, though, suggests that they see something in him. Hutchison also has plenty of big–league experience, unlike the other three candidates.

Brault fared well in the minors last season and would give the Bucs a left-handed option to fill out what otherwise figures to be an all-righty rotation, but he looks like a back-of-the-rotation type. Williams did good work for Triple-A Indianapolis but received fewer opportunities in the big leagues than Brault last season; he looks like a long shot.

Prediction: Hutchison wins the job over the howls of Pirates fans, but Brault pressures him early on.

BULLPEN (ONE SPOT)
Wade LeBlanc
Age: 32
Throws: L
Contract status: Signed to a one-year, $750K deal with a team option for $1.25MM or a $50K buyout in 2018
Options remaining: 0

A.J. Schugel
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2021-2022 offseason
Options remaining: 1

Tyler Webb
Age: 26
Throws: L
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 3, but cannot be optioned as a Rule 5 pick

I assume here that Tony Watson, Daniel Hudson, Felipe Rivero, Juan Nicasio, Jared Hughes and Antonio Bastardo are assured jobs. The complication is that Watson, Rivero and Bastardo are all left-handed, as are LeBlanc and Webb. Bastardo’s name came up in trade rumors over the offseason, but the Pirates did not deal him, perhaps hindered by the late-breaking lefty relief market. He could be a logical trade candidate late in Spring Training as teams finalize their rosters, especially if a lefty reliever on another club suffers an injury. If Bastardo were to be dealt, LeBlanc and Webb’s chances of making the team would increase. It’s perhaps also worth noting that Hughes has an option and looked like a non-tender candidate following a mediocre 2016 season, but the Bucs did tender him and have shown few indications of tiring of his contact- and grounder-inducing ways.

Assuming Bastardo stays, that leaves one bullpen spot. On talent, Schugel looks like the best choice — he was quietly effective in the Bucs’ bullpen last year, and he’s right-handed to boot. He is, however, optionable. The team’s decision to extend LeBlanc last winter might indicate that he has the inside track, even though he’s left-handed. Webb, who the Pirates selected in the Rule 5 Draft last winter, is another possibility after he posted a solid 3.59 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with Triple-A Scranton in the Yankees’ system in 2016. It’s been years since the Pirates have kept a Rule 5 pick on their roster for any significant period of time, but Webb could have a real shot if he impresses in camp. Otherwise, LeBlanc could get the job, with the team continuing to look for opportunities to deal Bastardo.

Prediction: LeBlanc makes the team, loading the Pirates’ bullpen with lefties. Schugel heads to Indianapolis, and the Pirates offer Webb back to the Yankees.

NL Central Notes: Hanrahan, Kang, Arrieta, Reds

By Steve Adams | February 22, 2017 at 8:41pm CDT

Recently retired right-hander Joel Hanrahan will rejoin the Pirates organization as a pitching coach for the team’s Class-A affiliate in West Virginia, writes MLB.com’s Adam Berry. The 35-year-old called it quits after he was unable to return to the Majors following his second career Tommy John surgery, but he’ll bring plenty of recent big league experience to dugout to help mentor the Pirates’ next wave of young arms. “I know he had great passion for pitching and for the game,” manager Clint Hurdle said to Berry and other reporters. “Really, the game got unplugged on him earlier than he wanted it to. He kept trying and it kept not working. That’s when I started thinking there might be a pilot light lit somewhere here.”

A bit more from the NL Central…

Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang appeared in South Korean court today and admitted to his recent DUI charge, as Jee-ho Yoo of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reports. “I deeply regret what I have done,” said Kang, who had two prior DUI arrests. “If I can get one last chance, I will become an exemplary player to earn respect from everyone.” Korean prosecutors sought a fine of just over $13,000 U.S. dollars for Kang. As Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette adds, it’s not clear whether further punishment will be handed by the Pirates organization, though Kang has already agreed to appear to an MLB-recommended treatment program. The verdict hearing for Kang will be held on March 3.
Both Jake Arrieta and Cubs GM Jed Hoyer spoke to ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers about the complicated factors that go into a a theoretical extension for Arrieta. The 2015 Cy Young winner was candid about the fact that he knows he’ll be paid handsomely next winter barring any form of injury or sudden decline. Arrieta again mentioned that there’s little reason for any player — himself or anyone else — to take a discount on a contract with free agency just six months away. Teammate Anthony Rizzo, too, weighed in on the matter and suggested that no one in the clubhouse would blame Arrieta for pursuing maximum dollars. “He has enough money to last him the rest of his life,” said Rizzo. “”What he gets a year from now is going to be icing on the cake. … But he’ll try to set the bar for the next guy just like the guy before us did.” The Cubs will soon have to try to find ways to retain as much of their young core as possible, with Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Javier Baez and Kyle Hendricks all nearing arbitration. And, as Rogers notes, at some point the team will have to at least consider tearing up the remainder of Rizzo’s contract and attempting to make him a Cub for the remainder of his career.
Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that Reds skipper Bryan Price is extremely impressed by left-hander Wandy Peralta. The hard-throwing southpaw has a genuine opportunity to crack the team’s roster as a second left-handed option behind Tony Cingrani, whom the Reds prefer not to use in specialized matchups due to the fact that he can hold his own against righties. “On the days that we don’t have [Cingrani], it would be a really nice thing to be able to matchup a left-hander against some of the better left-handers in our division and in the National League,” Price said. The 25-year-old Peralta allowed seven runs in 7 1/3 innings in his MLB debut last season, though Buchanan details some tweaks he’s made to his repertoire over the summer. And Peralta did log a 2.33 ERA in 58 Triple-A innings last season, even if that impressive mark came with a less-encouraging 38-to-23 K/BB ratio.

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