Buster Posey

West Notes: Trout, Beltre, Andrus, Bumgarner, Posey

By Connor Byrne | September 30, 2018 at 6:23pm CDT

Mike Trout just concluded yet another MVP-caliber season, yet team success has continued to elude the superstar. Trout has only been part of one playoff team (in 2014) and has yet to win even a single postseason game after eight seasons. With Trout only signed for another two years, the Angels may need to turn things around quick to have a better chance at extending or re-signing him, and Trout indeed told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that playing for a contender is a “huge” factor in deciding his future plans. “I want to come to the ballpark playing for something. That’s everybody’s goal here as a player. You don’t want to come playing for nothing,” Trout said. This being said, he still holds the Angels organization in high regard: “My years here we haven’t been winning, but they’ve been taking care of me. I enjoy coming to the ballpark. It (stinks) when it’s September and you’re out of it. But when I was a kid they took a chance on me. We’ll see how it goes. I’ve got a couple more years and we’ll go from there.” Trout also laughed off the idea of the Angels trading him over the next two years, per Fletcher, saying he “for sure” expects to remain with the franchise through at least 2020. In hopes of keeping Trout beyond then, the Halos are expected to discuss an extension with him during the offseason, Fletcher writes.

Elsewhere around the majors’ West divisions…

There is a chance the left side of the Rangers’ infield will consist of two new starters next season, as third baseman Adrian Beltre could retire and shortstop Elvis Andrus has an opt-out in his contract. In the latest update regarding the two close friends, Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram tweets that Beltre is “genuinely torn” on whether to come back in 2019. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News believes Beltre will walk away, and he explains why in a piece which pays respect to the future Hall of Famer. Andrus, meanwhile, is still planning to stay with his current contract, as was the case a few weeks ago, according to Wilson. Vacating the remainder of the deal would mean leaving a four-year, $58MM guarantee on the table, which may be too risky in the wake of a down season for Andrus.
The Giants are open minded with what to do with ace Madison Bumgarner as they seek a new baseball operations leader, CEO Larry Baer suggested Sunday. The team “does not plan to dictate a timetable for contention or major decisions such as trading or keeping” Bumgarner, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Instead, the Giants will listen to the candidates’ opinions on the best course of action in regards to Bumgarner, who’s only under control for another year. As for longtime battery mate Buster Posey, the soon-to-be 32-year-old will remain behind the plate when he returns from hip surgery next season – perhaps as early as Opening Day, per Schulman. “There’s been no discussion about him playing any other position,” executive vice president Brian Sabean said. “He’s our franchise player and he wants to catch.”
More on the Giants, who plan to go into next season with Steven Duggar as their Opening Day center fielder, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic tweets. The 24-year-old got his first taste of major league action this season and hit a below-average .255/.303/.390 (87 wRC+) in 152 plate appearances, though he did account for four Defensive Runs Saved and a 1.4 Ultimate Zone Rating in 345 innings as a center fielder. Baseball America (subscription required) ranks Duggar as the Giants’ sixth-best prospect.

Buster Posey Undergoes Season-Ending Hip Surgery

By Steve Adams | August 27, 2018 at 8:00pm CDT

AUGUST 27: The surgery has been completed as expected, the club announced.

AUGUST 25: Posey will wrap up his 2018 season in time to undergo hip surgery on Monday, as Henry Schulman of the San Francico Chronicle was among those to report on Twitter. He’ll have work done to his labrum and also have some bone spurs removed, as Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic adds on Twitter. Posey is said to be hoping to be prepared for Opening Day 2019, though that seems to be on the optimistic side give that there’s a six-to-eight month timetable.

AUGUST 24: Sabean said in an appearance on KNBR-680 AM in San Francisco last night that after Posey received a second opinion on his hip in New York, surgery is “imminent.” The Giants are in the process of scheduling the procedure.

“Health-wise they say it’s a very common surgery, more so maybe in football,” Sabean explained. “Recovery time is what it is, it’s six-plus months, and if you hit the mark well enough you should be able to perform in spring training and hopefully start the season on time.”

Aug. 21, 9:05pm: Posey tells reporters that he’s known his hip will ultimately require surgical repair for awhile now (Twitter link via Pavlovic). He’s discussing the situation with the Giants’ medical staff on a daily basis and is confident he’ll be ready for Spring Training.

7:25pm: The Giants and Buster Posey are weighing the possibility of hip surgery that would end the catcher’s season, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. No determination has been made just yet, but Posey has been plagued by hip issues for much of the season and it seems the organization is resigned to the fact that he will need to go under the knife.

Executive vice president of baseball ops Brian Sabean tells Shea that it’s a “safe assumption” that Posey will eventually require surgery, and the report cites skipper Bruce Bochy in adding that the surgery would “address” Posey’s labrum and also remove some bone spurs. The timeline remains unclear, however; Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area writes that he hears Posey will indeed require eventual surgery but is expected to play in tomorrow’s game.

Posey himself tells Shea that the hip has been bothering him for some time but says that there are some days that are better than others. With the Giants currently clinging to the fringes of the NL West picture (seven and a half games out) and the second NL Wild Card spot (seven games out), it’s understandable that Posey would want to continue playing to the extent that his injury allows.

The Giants, though, appear to be taking a fairly practical approach to their dwindling playoff aspirations. Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reported last night that Andrew McCutchen has been placed on revocable trade waivers, tweeting that there’s a “very good chance” he’s moved later this week. If that’s the route the Giants plan to take, then it’d only be reasonable to eventually shut Posey down in order to give him the best chance possible to be ready for the 2019 season. He already elected to forgo this year’s All-Star festivities in order to receive treatment on his ailing hip, and there’d be little sense in delaying the inevitable if the organization ultimately raises the metaphorical white flag.

While Posey has still enjoyed a solid season at the plate, hitting .286/.350/.386, he’s managed just five homers and a total of 28 extra-base hits. For a player who has averaged 47 extra-base hits per year and never posted an ISO (slugging percentage minus batting average) south of last year’s .142, that lack of power production represents a precipitous decline in his power output.

Giants Notes: Samardzija, Posey, Bart, Catching

By Mark Polishuk | August 26, 2018 at 9:09pm CDT

The latest from San Francisco…

Jeff Samardzija will get a second opinion on his bothersome throwing shoulder, The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly reports (Twitter link). Samardzija has been out of action since mid-July with shoulder inflammation, and he most recently suffered a setback in his rehab process. Shoulder issues also required Samardzija to serve another DL stint earlier in the year, and given the lack of time remaining in the season, the Giants could very well decide to simply shut the right-hander down. The injuries have surely contributed to Samardzija’s poor numbers (6.25 ERA over 44 2/3 IP) in what has become a lost season for the veteran.
There aren’t many past instances of a catcher undergoing hip labrum surgery, as Fangraphs’ Jay Jaffe explores, so the Giants can’t really be sure of what to expect from Buster Posey going forward after the longtime star returns from his imminent procedure. Undergoing this surgery could certainly help Posey regain some of his power, though since he’s entering his age-32 season, Posey might be due for something of a natural decline in any case. The Giants can’t explore a full-time move to first base for Posey due to Brandon Belt’s presence, and because Posey’s defense behind the plate is such a big plus for the team, Jaffe explains.
The long-term answer for the Giants at catcher, of course, looks to be second overall pick Joey Bart. In a subscription-only piece for The Athletic, Baggarly looks at the prospect’s first pro season, which has already been an impactful one. Bart has already been promoted to low-A ball, and has a combined .306/.367/.589 slash line over 199 PA at the rookie league and low-A levels. It wouldn’t be a shock to see San Francisco aggressively promote Bart in 2019, given that Posey himself took a quick route to the majors (drafted fifth overall in 2008, made his big league debut in 2009). If Bart keeps up his progress, it will be interesting to see how the Giants manage the situation, given that Posey and Belt are both signed to big-money contracts through the 2021 campaign.

Giants Promote Aramis Garcia

By Kyle Downing | August 26, 2018 at 12:14pm CDT

SUNDAY: Both Garcia’s promotion and Posey’s DL placement are now official, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic was among those to tweet.

SATURDAY: The Giants are expected to promote Aramis Garcia to the major-league club, as Robert Murray of The Athletic was first to report. The move will likely come tomorrow, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.

News of Garcia’s first call-up to the big leagues coincides with the news that franchise icon Buster Posey is scheduled to undergo season-ending hip surgery on Monday. Though Posey is presumably available to pinch-hit in today’s game, the Giants are all but out of the playoff hunt and have accepted the fact that they need to turn an eye towards the ensuing seasons. That means making sure Posey has a shot at returning in time for Opening Day 2019, and as such there’s a void to fill behind the plate beside current backup Nick Hundley.

It wouldn’t be fair to expect Garcia to perform to Posey’s level, or even the watered-down version we’ve seen this year. After all, he’s not exactly lighting the world on fire at Triple-A so far this season. The former second-rounder has hit .237/.286/.263 in 41 plate appearances at that level so far, and even at Double-A this year he only managed a wRC+ of 88 to go along with a .682 OPS. On the other hand, he showed a bit more potential last season when he posted a 116 wRC+ with 17 homers across two levels of the minor leagues.

MLB Pipeline ranked Garcia as the Giants’ 15th-best prospect in their most recent update, citing his strength and the loft in his stroke as reasons to be optimistic about his power potential. There’s plenty of reason to be concerned about his floor, though; the publication believes he’s becoming too aggressive at the plate and will need to tighten up his strike zone in order to have a shot at success against major-league pitching. His defensive skills are merely average as well.

Despite the concerns about him, the Giants aren’t exactly white-knuckling it in regards to hopes that Garcia can become an everyday catcher. Rather, he’ll only need to develop into a serviceable backup in order to fill a future organizational need. Posey will likely return in time to play most if not all of 2019, and San Francisco has their catcher for the future in the form of this past draft’s number two overall pick, Joey Bart. Still, Garcia can win himself a major-league job as a part-time player if he makes good use of his 2018 audition.

Cafardo’s Latest: Posey, Braves, Bumgarner, Yanks, O’s, Jones

By Connor Byrne | August 25, 2018 at 8:30pm CDT

Some San Francisco-heavy rumblings from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

Giants catcher Buster Posey drew trade interest from the Braves prior to the July 31 non-waiver deadline, Cafardo reports. Moreover, “there was talk” Boston was interested in Posey, but a team source shot down that, Cafardo adds. Regardless, it’s no surprise the Giants didn’t trade Posey, a franchise institution who remains a high-end catcher at the age of 31. It was revealed this week, however, that Posey will undergo season-ending hip surgery – a procedure which could also prevent him from being ready to start next year on time. The 2019 campaign will be the third-to-last guaranteed season of the nine-year, $167MM extension Posey signed in 2013.
Like Posey, Giants ace Madison Bumgarner isn’t someone who has been seen as a realistic trade candidate to this point. But that didn’t stop the Yankees from being “in the hunt” for Bumgarner around the deadline, per Cafardo, who notes that “the price was too high” for the Bombers’ liking. Although San Francisco hasn’t been willing to part with Bumgarner, its control over the 29-year-old is running out. As of now, he’s slated to rake in a $12MM club option in 2019 and then reach the open market during the ensuing offseason.
The Orioles won’t trade center fielder Adam Jones this month, according to Cafardo, who writes that the 33-year-old “was open to going elsewhere.” Jones’ apparent willingness to leave Baltimore runs counter to various reports from last month, when he would not waive his 10-and-5 rights to join a contender for the stretch run. Now, having cleared revocable waivers this month, Jones is eligible to be traded anywhere, but it appears the longtime Oriole will end the season with them. After that, he’s scheduled to reach free agency.

Deadline Notes: Red Sox, Giants, Relievers, Torres, Verlander, Cozart, Cabrera

By Jeff Todd | June 29, 2017 at 1:01pm CDT

The Red Sox do not need to stay under the luxury tax line in making their deadline moves, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in an appearance today on WEEI (h/t to Rob Bradford, on Twitter). Recent estimates put Boston about $9MM shy of the threshold, which has added implications under the new CBA since the tax escalates when it is owed in consecutive seasons. While the Sox will no doubt weigh that factor in assessing possible trades, it’s notable that the organization doesn’t feel compelled to stay within those limits. Boston is likely to be involved in the market for third basemen — I looked at possible targets recently — and could also add pitching.

Here’s more …

The Giants are clearly in position to deal a few veterans, but it’s not yet known just how significant the moves will be. Signs are, though, that San Francisco is willing to listen to offers on just about any player, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi writes. The Giants are not interested in moving Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, and Brandon Crawford, per the report. That could leave some other interesting names available, with Morosi even suggesting that first baseman Brandon Belt could be available. He calls the Angels a potentially “intriguing fit” — though it’s not clear whether there’s any firm interest from Los Angeles — while noting that several other buyers will be looking at a variety of left-handed-hitting first basemen on what seems still to be a wide-open market.
Unsurprisingly, interest in relief pitching will be robust at this year’s deadline, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com writes. Executives suggest that there’ll be a premium on pen arms, as usual, though the expectation remains that none will fetch the kind of immense returns that Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller commanded last year.
The Padres have inquired with the Yankees about elite shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. That said, there’s no indication the Yanks have any interest in parting with the talented youngster — even though he is expected to miss the remainder of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That injury doesn’t really change his long-term value, of course, and it’s not altogether clear what Padres players the Yankees might target that could command that kind of trade value. Lefty Brad Hand and former New York infielder Yangervis Solarte may well be of interest, as Heyman notes, but it’s tough to imagine the Yankees parting with such an elite prospect for either or both of them.
Heyman also weighs in on veteran Tigers hurler Justin Verlander, who has seen his name begin to come up in trade rumors. At this point, a deal seems less than likely, a source tells Heyman, but there is a real possibility that the righty (and his contract — which promises $56MM over 2018 and 2019) could end up on the move. Three or four teams are said to have participated in exploratory talks on Verlander, per the report, though any deal would require Verlander to waive his no-trade protection.
Reds shortstop Zack Cozart, a clear trade candidate with his strong play and expiring contract, tells Heyman that his preference would be to remain in Cincinnati. While he says he understands and accepts that a deal “is more than likely to happen,” Cozart noted that he has informed the front office that he’d be amenable to exploring a long-term contract instead. It’s not terribly surprising, particularly given their internal options, that the Reds haven’t yet made an offer to the 31-year-old.
Mets infielder Asdrubal Cabrera is walking back his recent call to be traded after being moved from short to second, as Dan Martin of the New York Post writes. Cabrera explains: “In that moment when I said that, I wasn’t saying I want to get traded. I was just saying it didn’t seem like they had a plan for me. … If they’ve got a plan, they should tell me.” He went on to say that he is “fine with playing second base,” saying that his complaint related more to a lack of communication. In any event, it remains unclear just how much demand there’ll be for the veteran, and also how inclined the Mets are to bring him back next year at a $8.5MM price tag (versus a $2MM buyout).

NL Notes: Thames, Posey, Dodgers, Phillies

By Connor Byrne | April 29, 2017 at 10:12pm CDT

Eric Thames’ agent, Adam Karon, was the driving force behind the now-Brewers’ slugger’s decision to sign with the Korea Baseball Organization in 2013, writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. “My view was, ‘Look, you’ve always been successful when you’ve played every day, and you’re not going to get the opportunity here,’” Karon said. “He was the last man on the 40-man roster of the worst team in baseball.”

Then a member of the Astros organization and a participant in the Venezuelan Winter League, Thames scoffed at Karon’s suggestion initially. However, he had a change of heart and ended up inking a two-year deal with the NC Dinos. Thames became a sensation in Korea, where he toyed with the KBO’s offspeed-heavy pitchers from 2014-16. He parlayed that success into a three-year, $16MM pact with the Brewers this past winter, and the first baseman has certainly done his part to justify that investment so far. The 30-year-old entered Saturday leading the league in both home runs (11) and ISO (an absurd .506), and he has swung at just 19.8 percent of pitches outside the strike zone – down from 36.3 percent with the Mariners and Blue Jays from 2011-12. There is skepticism toward Thames’ success, though, evidenced in part by the fact that the league administered him a random drug test for the third time in a 10-day span on Friday, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Thames seems more amused than bothered by the testing, but he’s not sure how “random” it actually is, relays Haudricourt (Twitter link).

Giants Place Posey On 7-Day DL, Select Federowicz, Designate Blackburn

By Steve Adams | April 11, 2017 at 4:54pm CDT

The Giants announced that they’ve placed Buster Posey on the 7-day disabled list and selected the contract of veteran backstop Tim Federowicz. To clear a spot for Federowicz on the 40-man roster, the team has designated right-hander Clayton Blackburn for assignment. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area first reported that Posey would be placed on the DL and that Federowicz is on his way to the Majors.

[Related: Updated San Francisco Giants Depth Chart]

Posey was hit in the head by a 94 mph fastball from D-backs right-hander Taijuan Walker yesterday, and though Pavlovic notes that he’s said to be feeling good, the team wants to proceed with caution in a potential concussion scenario. As Pavlovic notes, the Giants have been burned in recent years by rushing both Brandon Belt and Joe Panik back from concussions, and it only stands to reason that they’d want to not only avoid repeating those mistakes but proceed with extreme caution regarding their top position player.

Federowicz, 29, is a veteran of five Major League seasons, although he’s never been much of a source of offense in the big leagues. He’s a .194/.243/.295 hitter in 304 plate appearances with the Dodgers and Cubs, but he does come with a strong Triple-A track record (to say nothing of his solid performance in Spring Training). In 304 Triple-A games over the course of his career, Federowicz is a .304/.375/.511 hitter, and he also slashed an impressive .323/.417/.625 in 21 games with the Giants this spring. Federowicz is out of minor league options, so he’ll likely be exposed to waivers once again once Posey is healthy enough to return. In the meantime, Nick Hundley figures to step up and catch on a regular basis.

Blackburn, 24, rated as the Giants’ No. 5 prospect (per Baseball America) as recently as the 2014-15 offseason and rated among the team’s Top 10 prospects from 2012 through 2016. BA praised Blackburn for his pitchability and control, noting that he’s able to generate good sink on his low-90s heater. Blackburn, though, had a rough 2016 season in Triple-A, pitching to a 4.36 ERA with 6.7 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9 and a 46.8 percent ground-ball rate. He was tagged for five runs on six hits and a walk with one strikeout across three innings in his first Triple-A start of the 2017 season. Given his proximity to the Majors, his control and his fairly recent prospect status, he seems like a reasonable candidate to command trade interest or be claimed on waivers by a pitching-needy organization with strong waiver priority.

Injury Notes: Bradley, Posey, Segura, Osuna, Desmond, Gray/Bassitt, Weaver

By Jeff Todd | April 10, 2017 at 11:09pm CDT

The Red Sox have placed center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. on the 10-day DL, as Ian Browne of MLB.com was among those to report. Bradley was diagnosed with a knee sprain caused by a misstep while running the bases. An MRI did not reveal more significant damage, so the hope is he won’t miss much more than the minimum.

Let’s check in on a few health situations of note from around the game …

Giants star Buster Posey departed the club’s game today after being struck in the head by an errant pitch, but thankfully indications are he escaped any significant injury. As Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News writes, Posey passed a concussion test and told teammates he was fine. That’s not conclusive, of course, but for now the team does not plan to make a roster move to fill in for the stellar backstop, as Baggarly further notes on Twitter.
Mariners shortstop Jean Segura was also pulled today with an injury, though it doesn’t appear to be a major concern. Manager Scott Servais told reporters, including MLB.com’s Greg Johns (Twitter link), that it’s a “very mild” hamstring issue. For now, at least, the key offseason addition won’t be headed for the DL, with Servais calling him day to day.
The Blue Jays anticipate that closer Roberto Osuna will be able to return to action tomorrow, as Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. The excellent young reliever opened the year on the 10-day DL owing to a cervical spasm, though that placement was backdated. He made it through a sim game and now seems ready to return to the majors — where he’ll try to pick up where he left off in a strong 2016 season.
There are several important Rockies players still working back from injury, and Nick Groke of the Denver Post has the latest. Ian Desmond, Tom Murphy, and David Dahl all seem to be progressing, with the trio possibly slated to return by the end of the month. Desmond, who’ll suit up at first base for the first time when he’s ready, seems to have the clearest progression at this point. Per Groke, Desmond will start to throw and field at some point this week.
Athletics righties Sonny Gray and Chris Bassitt are making strides in their rehabs, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Grey’s lat strain is healing well enough that he was able to work up to 35 pitches from the bullpen today. That could leave him on track to return tot he majors before April is out, per the report. Bassitt, meanwhile, is on the cusp of a rehab stint, though Slusser notes that he’s likely to take a full month in the minors since he’s working back from a year-long layoff owing to Tommy John surgery.
Though he’s currently stashed at Triple-A, Cardinals righty Luke Weaver is a key piece of the organization’s depth (and future rotation plans). He is headed for a DL stint with lower back stiffness, as MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch reports on Twitter. At present, it’s not clear what kind of an absence is anticipated.

NL Notes: Velasquez, Fernandez, Posey, Peralta, Masterson

By Jeff Todd | June 8, 2016 at 12:53pm CDT

Phillies righty Vincent Velasquez was pulled from his start today after just two pitches — neither of which clocked in over 87 mph, per Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). That’s an ominous sign for Velasquez, who just turned 24 yesterday. He has shown both immense promise and some inconsistency, but overall has looked like an important piece of the organization’s future by throwing 61 1/3 innings of 3.67 ERA ball with 10.7 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9. The team is calling it right biceps soreness for now, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki tweets, but that doesn’t necessarily reduce any concern. It’s too early for a full assessment, of course, but the fact that the former Tommy John patient has a problem in the elbow area is troubling.

Here’s some other news form the National League:

The Marlins are “pessimistic” about their chances of inking ace Jose Fernandez to a long-term pact, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. He has been at peak form since returning from his Tommy John surgery, especially of late, and the club appears to think he wouldn’t bite at the $25MM AAV put on future free agent seasons in Stephen Strasburg’s recent extension.
Superstar Giants catcher Buster Posey is dealing with an irritate nerve in his right thumb, but he suggests it’s an injury that can be managed (video link via KNBR). Posey, 29, is hitting well below his career rate over his first 212 plate appearances, though he’s still humming along at a productive /.257/.316/.450 clip.
Cardinals infielder Jhonny Peralta sees his move to third base as more than just a temporary switch, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Soon to turn 34, Peralta says that he could find a home at the hot corner. “I know I am getting older and you have Diaz being younger,” he said, “so third base might be my future. I have a future there. Hopefully, I’ll play it as well as I need to play it. It could be my fit.” As Goold notes, the front-loaded structure of Peralta’s contract leaves the team on the hook for just $10MM next year. Peralta will hit the open market again thereafter. He has maintained his offensive production since signing with St. Louis, posting a .269/.336/.429 batting line over 1,272 plate appearances.
Pirates GM Neal Huntington says that the organization has seen some promising signs from veteran righty Justin Masterson, MLB.com’s Adam Berry reports, though there’s still work to be done. “You still see the life in the fastball,” said Huntington, “but it’s not the mid-90s power-sink that Justin had when he was so successful. We’re still working to get him back … to get the mechanics to where he’s comfortable with them and build the arm strength. We’re still in that phase.”

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