NL Central Notes: Brewers, Huntington, Ramirez
Here's a look at the latest out of the National League Central..
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes the right side of the infield and filling out the starting rotation are the major decision points for the Brewers' brain trust before the team gathers next spring in Phoenix.
- Within the same piece, Haudricourt notes the rationale of Pirates GM Neal Huntington for not trading away prized prospects for a much-needed outfield bat. "We were willing to do something stupid," Huntington said. "We just weren't willing to do something insane."
- While the players involved in the Matt Garza trade are getting settled in with their new clubs, there are still Rangers players that could wind up joining the Cubs, including Neil Ramirez. Ramirez, who could be the PTBNL if the Cubs don't instead opt for a duo of different Texas pitchers, is waiting to learn his fate, write T.R. Sullivan and Master Tesfatsion of MLB.com.
Ed Creech contributed to this post.
NL Notes: Trade Deadline, Cedeno, Detwiler
This year's quiet trade deadline is indicative of a brand of baseball in which youth is prized and the strategy of absorbing salary in deadline trades isn't as viable as it once was, Derrick Goold says in an article for the St. Louis Post Dispatch. With sellers such as the White Sox asking for "top 50" or "top 15" prospects in trades for their veterans, according to Goold, NL Central contenders the Cardinals, the Reds and the Pirates opted to stick with the teams they already had in place. Moving too many prospects in a trade is "the quickest way to head in the wrong direction," Pirates GM Neal Huntington opined. On to more Saturday night NL links:
- The Padres signed shortstop Ronny Cedeno to a minor league deal with the knowledge that starting shortstop Everth Cabrera may be suspended on Monday in connection with the Biogenesis investigation, GM Josh Byrnes told Bill Center of The San Diego Union-Tribune. “From Josh’s standpoint, we have to make sure we are covered at shortstop in case we need one,” manager Bud Black said.
- Cubs GM Jed Hoyer expects the waiver trade period to be more active than the non-waiver one, Manny Randhawa of MLB.com reports. However, Hoyer notes that there's some luck involved in putting together a trade after July 31. "If the wrong team claims a guy and won't give up any talent, you're kind of stuck, so waiver deals can work out, but you can also get stuck and not be able to make a deal," Hoyer said.
- Nationals starter Ross Detwiler's lingering back issues may cause him to miss the rest of the season, manager Davey Johnson indicated in an article by Amanda Comak of The Washington Times. As Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post reported in July, many rival executives expected the Nats to acquire a starter after Detwiler hit the DL early last month. However, GM Mike Rizzo's lone July deal was a trade to acquire bench bat Scott Hairston from the Cubs.
Quick Hits: Deadline, Traded Prospects, Buyers/Sellers
After one of the slowest trade deadlines in recent history, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet spoke with 22 Major League executives (most of whom were GMs and assistant GMs) on whether or not they felt the deadline should be moved back. The idea behind a later trade deadline would be allowing fringe contenders a bit more time to assess their status, now that a second Wild Card has been implemented in each league. Of the 22 surveyed, 13 were in favor of moving the deadline back for various reasons. Here's more from around the league…
- Baseball America's Jim Callis ranked the Top 10 prospects who exchanged hands at this season's deadline, and Mike Olt, who is now property of the Cubs following the Matt Garza trade, headlines the list (subscription required).
- ESPN's Keith Law offers up his rationale for thinking that the Phillies, Brewers, Mets, Rockies and Mariners should have sold. He adds that the Royals, Pirates and Rangers should have been more aggressive buyers in the final days of this year's deadline (ESPN Insider required).
- Bud Norris went through the strange experience of being traded from the Astros to the Orioles while the two teams were playing each other, and MLB.com's Alyson Footer looks at other examples of this rarity.
Pirates Release Brandon Inge
The Pirates have released Brandon Inge, according to Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com (on Twitter). MLBTR's Zach Links has confirmed the move.
Inge, 36, was designated for assignment by the Bucs on July 23 after hitting .181/.204/.238 in 110 plate appearances. The longtime Tiger has scarcely stayed north of the Mendoza Line over the past three seasons, hitting .204/.261/.321 in his time with Detroit, Oakland and Pittsburgh. However, his defense has remained strong, according to Ultimate Zone Rating. He's spent time at second base, third base and right field recently, and he even played an inning at shortstop for the Pirates this season.
Prospect Rumor Roundup: Elite Shortstops
Is this the beginning of a new era for shortstops?
Four publications — Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus (subscription required), Keith Law at ESPN (subscription required), and FanGraphs (compiled by yours truly) — recently released their midseason Top 50 prospects lists. The rankings featured as many as eight elite shortstop prospects. That position is widely considered to be the most important (non-pitcher) spot on the baseball field and those potential star athletes are highly-sought-after commodities on the open market, through trades and via the draft.
Of those eight prospects featured on the four lists, five of the players are found in American League organizations, suggesting we may be soon entering another Era of the Shortstop, similar to what we experienced in the early 2000s with the likes of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Miguel Tejada in the AL.
Let's have a closer look at those eight shortstop prospects…
1. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: Bogaerts was the highest ranked shortstop on all four lists. Boston is clearly planning for the day that the Aruba native is ready to contribute at the big league level as they recently had him playing games at the hot corner — an area of weakness for the playoff hungry club. However, the recent trade of Jose Iglesias, as well as the pending free agency of veteran Stephen Drew, should provide a clear path to the Major League shortstop job for Bogaerts, who has more than held his own at the Triple-A level.
2. Francisco Lindor, Indians: Just 19, Cleveland's top shortstop prospect earned a mid-season promotion from High-A to Double-A after a strong showing both in the field and at the plate. Veteran incumbent Asdrubal Cabrera's uninspired 2013 season could help convince the front office that his time with the organization is coming to an end. Lindor, who is only in his third professional season, could be ready for the Majors by the middle of 2014. He could develop into a perennial Gold Glove winner at shortstop.
3. Carlos Correa, Astros: The first overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa has produced above-average offensive numbers in Low-A ball despite being just 18 years of age. The Puerto Rico native has shown a natural hitting ability, but he has yet to tap into his raw power. There are concerns that he'll eventually outgrow shortstop, but he should have the offensive chops to be an above-average player at just about any position on the field.
4. Javier Baez, Cubs: Baez has arguably the best raw power out of any player on this list, and he already has 27 home runs in 98 games this year. Like Lindor (a fellow 2011 first-round draft pick), he's already reached Double-A. Unlike the Indians prospect, though, his offensive game is raw. He has a very aggressive approach at the plate, which has resulted in just 29 walks with 111 strikeouts in 391 at-bats. As is the case with Correa, there has been some talk of moving Baez to third base. However, with fellow prospect Mike Olt (recently acquired from the Rangers) – a plus defender at the hot corner — that move doesn't make a ton of sense now. He could also move out to right field, but the Cubs organization features a lot of depth in that area. If and when everything clicks for Baez, though, Chicago will certainly find a spot for him.
5. Addison Russell, Athletics: Russell, a 2012 first-rounder, burst onto the prospect landscape in a big way last season. His strong play earned him an aggressive assignment to High-A ball to open the 2013 season despite being just 19 years old. He struggled in the first two months of the season but has posted an OPS near 1.000 during the past two months. Russell probably won't be ready until 2015, so current big league shortstop Jed Lowrie likely has one more season of job security before he finds himself at another position or on another club.
6. Alen Hanson, Pirates: The emergence of Jordy Mercer has added some middle infield stability at the big league level for the Pirates but he's not likely to be the long-term answer at shortstop. Hanson, 20, is the best in-house option to eventually take over the position — although his name has popped up more than a few times in recent trade rumors. After a strong showing in High-A ball, the Dominican native was recently promoted to Double-A. The switch-hitter has shown the ability to steal 20-30 bases with solid line-drive pop.
7. Raul Mondesi, Royals: Previously known as Adalberto Mondesi, this shortstop prospect is one of the youngest players in full-season ball, having just recently turned 18. His inexperience has shown in 2013, and he walked just four times in May and June. His raw ability is undeniable, though, and he's made adjustments with a strong month of July — including 13 walks and his highest monthly OPS of the year at .817.
8. Corey Seager, Dodgers: Seager — whose brother Kyle Seager plays for the Mariners — is perhaps the most underrated shortstop on this list. The teenager has enjoyed his time in the Midwest League, and he's been on fire over the summer months with an OPS approaching 1.000. He's also slugged eight of his 11 home runs in June and July. Like Correa, Seager is expected to outgrow shortstop but he's shown enough skill at the position to suggest he may be able to stick there for a few more years. He's likely at least two seasons away from reaching Los Angeles.
July Trade Recap: NL Central
With three of the league's best teams at the top of its standings and two of the worst at the bottom, the National League's Central division was certainly worth keeping a close eye on. Let's see what ultimately transpired as we continue to look back at baseball's just-completed July trade season …
Brewers
- Acquired infielder Nick Delmonico from the Orioles in exchange for right-handed reliever Francisco Rodriguez.
Cardinals
- Acquired an international bonus pool slot from the Rockies for right-handed reliever Mitchell Boggs.
- Acquired minor league infielder Juan Herrera in exchange for left-hander Marc Rzepczynski.
Cubs
- Acquired right-handed reliever Matt Guerrier from the Dodgers in exchange forright-handed reliever Carlos Marmol and an international bonus pool slot.
- Acquired righty Jake Arrieta, reliever Pedro Strop, and an international bonus pool slot from the Orioles in exchange for right-handed starter Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger.
- Acquired minor league righty Ivan Pineyro from the Nationals in exchange for outfielder Scott Hairston.
- Acquired third baseman Mike Olt, right-handers C.J. Edwards and Justin Grimm and a player to be named later from the Rangers in exchange for right-hander Matt Garza.
- Acquired minor league right-hander Corey Black in exchange for outfielder Alfonso Soriano.
Pirates
- Acquired infielder/outfielder Russ Canzler from the Orioles in exchange for right-hander Tim Alderson.
- Acquired infielder Robert Andino from the Mariners in exchange for a player to be named later. (This deal occurred after the expiration of the non-waiver trade period.)
Reds
- Acquired minor league righty Parker Frazier from the Rockies in exchange for right-handed starter Armando Galarraga.
Synopsis
What stands out from even a glance at the list above is, of course, the degree to which the Cubs outpaced the remainder of baseball in shedding veterans. Setting aside the unique Guerrier-Marmol swap, the Cubs put together four deals that shed salary and brought in young talent. While each deal was very different in the nature of the return, the net benefit to the organization is undeniable given its current makeup. Of course, the Cubbies failed to offload a series of other veterans that seemed primed to change hands, including outfielders David DeJesus and Nate Schierholtz (under team control next year), reliever Kevin Gregg, and catcher Dioner Navarro. Somewhat less surprisingly, Chicago decided to hold onto two younger, cost-controlled pitchers that had been mentioned in rumors in James Russell and Jeff Samardzija.
The other obvious seller of the division, the Brewers, scored last year's biggest heist by snatching shortstop Jean Segura from the Angels for a few months of Zack Greinke. This year, they managed to pull off only one deal, due in part to the fact that some potential high-salary trade chips (Yovani Gallardo, Aramis Ramirez, and Corey Hart, in particular) were not movable due to performance and/or injury issues. However, with other relievers staying put or going for a modest price, Milwaukee seems to have done well to pick up Delmonico. The youngster entered the season as the O's fourth-ranked prospect (per Baseball America) and was hitting .243/.350/.469 with thirteen home runs and five stolen bases at High-A as a 20-year-old. Rodriguez was of no use to the Brewers for the rest of this season, cost them virtually nothing to sign, and was set to become a free agent. The lesson from the Cubs and Brewers seems to be that striking early paid dividends for sellers this year.
While budget, history, and performance kept down expectations of major moves from the remainder of the division, it seems odd that the Bucs, Cards, and Redlegs all failed to make even a supplemental addition. (In the case of the Cardinals, the team actually saw a net outflow of players with big league chops.) To be sure, the prospects of St. Louis upgrading at shortstop or adding a veteran starter always seemed to be a matter of GM John Mozeliak unearthing value in a tight market. And the Reds do not have any glaring holes that lack internal answers. But for a Pirates team that possesses the best record in baseball, a highly regarded farm, and an ongoing lineup hole out in right field, the lack of any substantial acquisition is surprising. Looking at the division as a whole, an awful lot of major league talent left, and virtually none came back.
Pirates Made Significant Offer For Giancarlo Stanton
8:44pm: While multiple teams made offers to Miami for Stanton, the Pirates were not one of them, the Miami Herald's Clark Spencer reports on Twitter. Spencer adds (also on Twitter) that the Marlins declined to discuss Stanton with any teams, and therefore never exchanged names on any potential deals.
8:15pm: While the Pirates ultimately stood pat on trade deadline day (apart from a post-deadline deal for minor-leaguer Robert Andino), the club made a real push to acquire slugger Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Pittsburgh worked hard to acquire Stanton, according to Biertempfel, who says that the club's best offer forced Miami to consider dealing their star right-fielder. Last we heard, the Marlins were set to hold onto Stanton in spite of intense interest around the game. As one of the game's premier power hitters at just 23 years of age, and set to enter arbitration for the first time next year, there is no question that Stanton would bring back a massive haul in any trade. While the Marlins continue to resist the urge to deal their best asset, he will certainly be one of the most interesting players to watch over the coming offseason.
Pirates Acquire Robert Andino
The Pirates have acquired infielder Robert Andino from the Mariners in exchange for a player to be named later, tweets Shannon Drayer of ESPN Radio Seattle. Andino was not on Seattle's 40-man roster at the time of the deal.
The 29-year-old Andino saw big league action earlier this year for the M's, struggling to a .184/.253/.237 line over 85 plate appearances. His Triple-A numbers are not much better, as he possesses a .229/.281/.333 triple-slash in 167 plate appearances to go with three home runs and two stolen bases. The club had outrighted Andino back in late May.
Orioles Making Progress On Deal For Bud Norris
Reports this morning have indicated that the Orioles are still in on Bud Norris, who is controllable through 2015 via arbitration. Norris has been one of the most talked about players leading up to this season’s deadline. Here’s the latest on the 28-year-old…
- The Orioles are making progress on a trade for Norris, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
Earlier Updates
- The Orioles are still in the mix for Norris, while the Giants are doubtful, tweets Stark.
- Talks for Norris have accelerated in the past hour, and the Pirates, D’Backs and Orioles have been in contact, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
- ESPN’s Jayson Stark tweets that the odds of a Norris trade are up to 75 percent, and multiple teams are still involved.
- The D’Backs are a “distant maybe” for Norris at this point, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- Knobler also tweets that the Indians have had some recent talks with the Astros regarding Norris, though it’s not clear how strong their interest is. Cleveland is reportedly working hard to acquire a starter.
- The Rangers have interest in acquiring Norris, possibly for the purpose of flipping him for a hitter, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
- The Braves have indeed jumped into the mix, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The Orioles, Pirates and D’Backs remain possibilities, and there’s a general sense that Norris will be dealt, adds Passan.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports disagrees, reporting that the Braves aren’t in on Norris and never have been (Twitter link). MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets a similar report.
- Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets that the Pirates have the interest and ability to put together a package of lower-level prospects if that type of return interests Astros GM Jeff Luhnow.
- The Giants and Pirates continue to show a lot of interest in Norris, while the Rangers and D’Backs are in the background as well, according to Peter Gammons of the MLB Network (Twitter link).
- The Astros need to lower their asking price on Norris significantly for the Orioles to be serious players, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link).
- Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle writes that the Astros have standing offers for Norris but are hoping someone ups their bid as the deadline nears. The Pirates, Orioles and Diamondbacks have shown interest, and a fourth team is in the mix as well. Offers to this point “have been pretty soft,” Smith adds.
- The Astros appear to be collecting their final offers for Norris, tweets ESPN’s Jayson Stark. The Giants could be a dark horse for Norris, and the Orioles are in the mix, according to Stark.
- Interest in Norris is picking up, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). The Orioles are in the mix, and Cafardo reports that the Braves have re-joined the talks as well.
- The Diamondbacks and Pirates don’t seem to be aggressively pursuing Norris, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (on Twitter). Heyman notes that there’s a chance the Astros hang onto Norris.
Pirates Attempted To Land Mark Trumbo
The Pirates tried to make a play for Angels first baseman/outfielder Mark Trumbo, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links) heard rumblings of interest from the Pirates earlier today and noted that they might have been open to parting with a young starter.
Meanwhile, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (via Twitter) hears that the Angels had no interest in a Trumbo deal with the Bucs.
Even though Trumbo's name has come up at times in recent years due to a surplus, the Halos are high on the 27-year-old and didn't want to part with him this summer. In 448 plate appearances this season, the 2012 All-Star has a .249/.313/.473 slash line with 23 homers.