Headlines

  • Rafael Devers Unwilling To Play First Base
  • Pirates Fire Manager Derek Shelton
  • Cubs To Promote Cade Horton
  • Mariners Claim Leody Taveras
  • Rangers Hire Bret Boone As Hitting Coach
  • A.J. Minter To Undergo Season-Ending Lat Surgery
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Chip Hale

Chip Hale Returns To Athletics As Third Base Coach

By Steve Adams | October 18, 2016 at 3:37pm CDT

The Athletics announced today that Chip Hale has been re-hired by the organization and will fill the role of third base coach that was vacated when Ron Washington took the same title with the Braves earlier this month. Hale, whose talks with the A’s were first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser, has spent the past two seasons managing the D-backs but was dismissed from that post at season’s end. Prior to his time in Arizona, he served as Oakland’s bench coach under manager Bob Melvin from 2012-14.

“We’re thrilled to bring Chip back to the organization and to retain the rest of our coaching staff,” Athletics general manager David Forst said when announcing the hiring (Twitter link). Slusser tweets that Hale will take on Washington’s role of working with the team’s infielders as part of his duties as third base coach.

Hale, 51, had a seven-year playing career as a utility infielder with the Twins and Dodgers in the late 1980s and early-to-mid 1990s. His Diamondbacks exceeded the expectations of many pundits in 2015 by finishing 79-83 — good for a third-place finish in the NL West behind the Dodgers and Giants. However, Hale was one of many in the D-backs organization to pay the price for the team’s disastrous 2016 campaign, during which the Diamondbacks struggled to a 69-93 record and finished fourth in their division. His experience in a variety of coaching roles and as a big league manager, however, should make him a candidate for future managerial openings, even if he obviously won’t be in that type of role next season.

Share 0 Retweet 4 Send via email0

Oakland Athletics Chip Hale

7 comments

West Notes: Hernandez, Rockies, Hale

By charliewilmoth | October 15, 2016 at 10:22am CDT

The Dodgers left utilityman Enrique Hernandez off their roster for the NLDS, but they’ve added him for their upcoming series against the Cubs and will start him today against lefty Jon Lester, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets. The idea, perhaps, is that the Dodgers’ group of position players is lefty-heavy, and the Cubs have plenty of lefty pitching (including Lester, Aroldis Chapman, Travis Wood, Mike Montgomery, and rookie reliever Rob Zastryzny, who the Cubs have announced has replaced infielder Tommy La Stella on their NLCS roster). Hernandez gives the Dodgers an extra right-handed bat. While he struggled overall this season, batting .190/.283/.324 in 244 plate appearances, Hernandez has a career .270/.362/.478 line against left-handed pitchers. Here’s more from the West divisions.

  • It’s time for the Rockies to start spending heavily in hopes of making a playoff push, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Saunders cites Olney, who notes the recent correlation between spending and winning, with the Indians being the only team with a below-median payroll to make the playoffs. Whether some of Saunders’ proposed moves would actually propel the Rockies to the postseason is debatable — he suggests, for example, that the Rockies ought to consider sending Charlie Blackmon to St. Louis for Matt Adams and Trevor Rosenthal, should such a deal be offered. Adams’ power would likely play well at Coors Field, but the Rockies would sorely miss Blackmon, who joined Nolan Arenado and DJ LeMahieu as one of the team’s best players in 2016.
  • The Athletics are talking to former Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale about their third base coach position, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. The job opened when Ron Washington departed for the Braves. All the Athletics’ other coaches are expected to return next season. Hale was the Athletics’ bench coach for three seasons before heading to Arizona, and Slusser writes that he was popular with Athletics players.
Share 0 Retweet 6 Send via email0

Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Dodgers Oakland Athletics Chip Hale Enrique Hernandez

42 comments

Diamondbacks Fire Dave Stewart, Chip Hale

By charliewilmoth | October 3, 2016 at 3:38pm CDT

The Diamondbacks have announced that they’ve fired GM Dave Stewart and manager Chip Hale. There was no immediate word on whether the Snakes intended to retain chief baseball officer Tony La Russa. “We are still discussing what the appropriate role for Tony La Russa will be going forward,” Kendrick said in a statement.

The decision on Stewart comes as little surprise, as it had previously been reported that owner Ken Kendrick was slated to meet with La Russa today to discuss the statuses of both Stewart and La Russa, both of which seemed to be in jeopardy. Hale’s departure, meanwhile, will allow Stewart’s successor to be involved in choosing a replacement.

"Dec

The Diamondbacks hired Stewart in September 2014, so his tenure with the team was very short for a GM. During that time, however, the team’s front office made a number of questionable moves, chief among them the trade that sent 2015 first overall pick Dansby Swanson, along with outfielder Ender Inciarte and pitcher Aaron Blair, to Atlanta for starter Shelby Miller and minor leaguer Gabe Speier. Miller has struggled terribly thus far in Arizona, posting a 6.15 ERA, 6.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 101 Major League innings in 2016. Swanson, meanwhile, made it all the way to the big leagues in just his second pro season and played well, batting .302/.361/.442 down the stretch for the Braves.

Perhaps just as important as the actual result of the deal was the view of player valuation it represented. Swanson alone would been a very steep price to pay for Miller, since Swanson was a premium prospect who had done nothing to sully his status as a former top overall pick. Stewart’s approach was also widely questioned earlier in his tenure after a less consequential deal in which he traded Bronson Arroyo and another former first-round pick, Touki Toussaint, to Atlanta for Phil Gosselin in a deal designed to clear about $10MM in Arroyo’s salary from the Diamondbacks’ books.

The Diamondbacks hoped to position themselves as contenders for 2016, not only acquiring Miller but also signing Zack Greinke to a massive $206.5MM deal. Greinke was serviceable but underwhelming for Arizona, posting a 4.37 ERA, 7.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in his first season there. The Diamondbacks also suffered a number of other setbacks (beginning with a costly injury to star outfielder A.J. Pollock) and they won just 69 games, miles below expectation. (Stewart himself had gone so far as to say preseason projections that the team would win 78 or 79 games were “a joke.”)

Earlier in his tenure, Stewart’s Diamondbacks also signed Yasmany Tomas to a $68.5MM deal that, so far, has led to underwhelming results. The 25-year-old Tomas did bat .272/.313/.508 this season, but struggled so much defensively that his value was limited. For his career in the big leagues, Tomas has -1.2 fWAR.

Not all of Stewart’s moves have been unsuccessful. He acquired shortstop Jean Segura in a swap that has worked out well so far, and his trade for Robbie Ray has also mostly been a success. On balance, though, his decisions have arguably left the organization in worse shape than when he took office. While others share significant responsibility for some of those moves — the Greinke signing, in particular — there are many questions with the organization’s direction.

The process, even more than the decisions themselves, has come under fire since La Russa took command and hired Stewart. Arizona took a notably different approach from the get-go, but increasingly it seemed that the unique operating philosophy was not only potentially problematic in its own right, but also came with other concerns. ESPN.com’s Keith Law detailed a long list of missteps, some of which reflected an apparent failure to grasp rules and contemporary valuation principles. That includes the mismanagement of draft and international funds, such as the bonus pool-busting signing of Yoan Lopez — which cost Arizona a chance to acquire other talent to add a prospect who outside observers aren’t terribly fond of.

Now that change is afoot, a new dugout chief will also be sought — presumably, after the baseball ops department is sorted out. Hale, after all, was the hand-chosen skipper of La Russa and Stewart, though they may not have ended up being supporters. Reports suggested that Arizona’s ownership group intervened to prevent La Russa and Stewart from sending the now-former skipper out of town earlier this summer.

That proved only to be a temporary hold, though, and Hale will wrap up his first stint in charge of a dugout after a rough 2016 campaign. His original contract only promised two years — both of which are now in the books with a 148-176 overall record — but also included an option year. The organization exercised that provision at the outset of spring camp this year, so Hale will be entitled the guaranteed money.

It isn’t immediately clear what led to Hale’s dismissal beyond the fact that it affords a clean slate. But whatever the particular internal considerations were in this case, it’s not often that a manager survives the kind of season that the D-Backs just wrapped up — in which sky-high expectations (whether or not they were reasonable) went entirely unmet.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Share 0 Retweet 8 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Newsstand Chip Hale Dave Stewart

61 comments

Latest On Diamondbacks’ Personnel Decisions

By Steve Adams | September 23, 2016 at 10:29am CDT

There’s a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the status of the Diamondbacks’ front office, as both chief baseball officer Tony La Russa and GM Dave Stewart have seen the deadline for their 2017 options to be exercised pushed back from the end of August until after the season. The D-backs have already parted ways with senior vice president De Jon Watson, and CEO Derrick Hall said yesterday in an appearance on the Doug and Wolf Show on 98.7 FM in Arizona that decisions on La Russa and Stewart would come quickly after the season ended.

“It’s something that will happen relatively quickly after the season,” said Hall. “I mean, we decided — along with ownership — that they wanted to wait until after the season, I understand why, and there is a thorough process going on, which is great, but I think whether it’s still going to be Tony here, whether it’s going to be Stew here, the decision has to be made quickly for them because they’ve got a lot of plans.”

La Russa himself was a guest with Doug and Wolf the previous day and suggested that he wouldn’t agree to stay with the organization in the event that ownership decided it wanted to retain him but part ways with Stewart (audio link to the interview, plus some written highlights from the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro). “I think there’s a matter of integrity, as far as personal integrity, and it’s hard for me to see agreeing to let somebody go that I don’t think should be let go,” said La Russa. “… I just think that hopefully I’m not put in that position.”

The chief baseball officer also recognized that there’s no certainty surrounding his own status, adding, “By the way, I think there’s an equally good chance that they’re going to say, ’Look, I’ve watched you for two and a half years, and we’re worse now or almost as we were in 2014, so you can just pack your bag as well.’ So I’m not assuming anything.” Furthermore, he emphasized that ownership has had enough time to evaluate both him and Stewart, stating that he wouldn’t consider any decision “unfair” in any way.

Regarding Watson, Hall explained in his interview that the SVP insisted that he wanted to know his fate before the season came to a close: “De Jon was in a place where he wanted to know (about his future) earlier, and ultimately Stew and Tony — and he did report to Tony — they decided that they were going to let him know that he was not going to be renewed.” La Russa, meanwhile, implied that there was no way they could give Watson the certainty that he desired at this point, so the decision to part ways was reached.

Hall also said in his interview that he’d be understanding if the ultimate decision was that the team wished to part with Stewart, but La Russa also walked away due to his loyalty. “I get it when Tony is defending him and always will — this is his guy, and he always has been his guy, and they have a wonderful relationship,” said Hall. “So if that scenario did come to fruition and that’s the decision Tony made, I get it. And I wouldn’t fault him for that.”

Meanwhile, manager Chip Hale recently told reporters, including MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert, that the organization’s focus remains on the team. While Hale conceded that it’s “natural” to wonder about his future when he’s on his own time, he’s not dwelling on his status, nor is La Russa or Stewart. “Everybody’s been so good — Tony, Stew — we’ve talked baseball, talked about the club, how guys are doing in the Minors at different levels, who we’re going to protect [over the winter], things like that,” Hale explained. “We’re just keeping it all baseball.” While Hale is signed through the 2017 season, changes in baseball operations hierarchy often beget changes to the field staff, including the manager.

Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Chip Hale Dave Stewart Tony La Russa

16 comments

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dodgers, Brewers, Braun, Puig, D-backs

By Connor Byrne | August 27, 2016 at 5:43pm CDT

Before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, the Dodgers discussed a deal with the Brewers that would have sent outfielder Ryan Braun to Los Angeles, reports FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). While Braun has since cleared waivers, meaning the Dodgers (or another team) could make a trade for him this month, that would require overcoming potential complications. For instance, any team acquiring Braun would likely want the Brewers to eat a significant portion of the $76MM left on his contract, says Rosenthal, who adds that Milwaukee might be hesitant to assist a high-revenue club like the Dodgers in paying the 32-year-old. If the Dodgers and Brewers aren’t able to swing a trade in August, they could revisit talks during the offseason.

Here’s more from Rosenthal:

  • As of now, the Dodgers have not placed outfielder Yasiel Puig on revocable waivers this month, making him ineligible for a trade, notes Rosenthal (video link). Even if Puig does end up on waivers in the month’s final days, the Dodgers are likelier to move him during the offseason when they can negotiate with the rest of the league instead of just one team. LA demoted Puig to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Aug. 2 and is not currently planning to recall him when rosters expand Sept. 1. The right-handed hitter has slashed .386/.435/.667 in 62 minor league plate appearances, though, and could still factor into the Dodgers’ plans before the year is out.
  • Mets manager Terry Collins’ heavy reliance on closer Jeurys Familia could help lead to his ouster, according to Rosenthal. Familia is tied for the major league lead with the Indians’ Bryan Shaw, who’s not a closer, in relief appearances since the start of the 2014 season. Familia is on track to eclipse the 75-appearance mark for the third straight year – which, in Rosenthal’s opinion, points to overuse – but he has continued as one of the league’s most effective relievers this season.
  • If the Diamondbacks fire manager Chip Hale after the season, they could target the Rockies’ Walt Weiss, per Rosenthal, who notes that Weiss has connections to both D-backs chief baseball officer Tony La Russa and general manager Dave Stewart (they’re also on the hot seat). Weiss, whom Rockies GM Jeff Bridich inherited upon taking over after the 2014 season, is in the last year of his contract. In terms of wins and losses, the Weiss-led Rockies have shown progress this year, though they’ve faded lately and have only compiled a a 268-346 record under him since 2013.
  • The Dodgers’ clubhouse was “like a cemetery” after the team traded backup catcher A.J. Ellis to Philadelphia for fellow reserve backstop Carlos Ruiz on Thursday, one LA player told Rosenthal. A rival executive added, “You never want to give players an excuse for failure,” implying that the loss of a beloved teammate like Ellis could sap the Dodgers of morale. Rosenthal is skeptical of Ellis’ departure sinking the likely playoff-bound club, though, considering he didn’t contribute much on the field.
Share 0 Retweet 27 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Los Angeles Dodgers Milwaukee Brewers New York Mets A.J. Ellis Chip Hale Jeurys Familia Ryan Braun Terry Collins Walt Weiss Yasiel Puig

37 comments

D’Backs Ownership Stopped Shelby Miller Trade With Marlins, Hale Firing

By Mark Polishuk | August 21, 2016 at 11:37pm CDT

The Diamondbacks and Marlins had worked out a trade that would have sent Shelby Miller to Miami in exchange for three starting pitchers, only for Arizona ownership to shoot down the deal, a Marlins executive tells USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.  The two sides had been linked in talks about Miller, with Miami right-handed pitching prospect Luis Castillo reportedly mentioned as a trade chip before Castillo was dealt to San Diego as part of the Marlins’ deal for Andrew Cashner.

As Nightengale writes (semi-facetiously), the reason given by D’Backs ownership was that such a trade “just wouldn’t look good,” considering the stunningly big trade package the Snakes gave up last winter to acquire Miller from the Braves.  The same “wouldn’t look good” reasoning also impacted another ownership decision, as D’Backs chief baseball officer Tony La Russa and GM Dave Stewart were considering replacing manager Chip Hale with Triple-A skipper Phil Nevin before being told that a managerial change wouldn’t happen.

Nightengale uses these ownership interventions to argue that La Russa, Stewart and senior VP of baseball operations De Jon Watson shouldn’t be blamed for the Diamondbacks’ struggles this season, nor should the trio be fired after less than two years on the job.  The fate of Arizona’s front office is yet to be decided, as 2017 options for Stewart and Watson are up on August 31 and La Russa’s option is up after the season.  As Fan Rag Sports’ Jon Heyman noted earlier this week and Nightengale reiterates here, D’Backs upper management is hoping to let August 31 pass without a decision so they can delay their choice until after the season.

Without knowing what exactly the Marlins were offering for Miller, it’s hard to say that ownership necessarily made the wrong move in nixing the trade.  Obviously, Miami’s offer wouldn’t have come close to matching Dansby Swanson/Ender Inciarte/Aaron Blair, though the feeling could have been that La Russa and Stewart were selling low on Miller.  The three pitchers on Miami’s end of the deal would have almost certainly been prospects, and there wouldn’t have been any blue chip arms in the group given the Marlins’ low-rated farm system.

Hale’s name has been on the hot seat for weeks, and a managerial change would’ve been less surprising than the D’Backs cutting bait on Miller after less than a season.  It’s unknown if La Russa and Stewart were specifically planning to fire Hale or if they were still discussing the idea.  Hale has a 130-156 record as Arizona’s manager and is is under contract for the 2017 season.

Share 0 Retweet 22 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Miami Marlins Chip Hale Shelby Miller

34 comments

Heyman’s Latest: Managers, White Sox, Yunel, Dodgers, Puig, Norris, Rangers

By Steve Adams | August 18, 2016 at 4:22pm CDT

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports kicks off his weekly Inside Baseball column with a look at the job security of a number of managers, noting that Mets skipper Terry Collins, D-backs manager Chip Hale and White Sox manager Robin Ventura could all be on the hot seat, while Braves interim manager Brian Snitker doesn’t seem especially likely to shed the interim label and keep his post. Other names mentioned include Mike Scioscia (Angels), Brad Ausmus (Tigers), Kevin Cash (Rays), Paul Molitor (Twins), Bryan Price (Reds) and Walt Weiss (Rockies), but none from that group seems to be eminently in danger of losing his job even at season’s end, per Heyman.

Some highlights from the lengthy column…

  • White Sox GM Rick Hahn was far more in favor of a deadline sale than owner Jerry Reinsdorf, Heyman writes, but the Sox ultimately held onto nearly all of their tradeable assets, with the exception of left-hander Zach Duke, suggesting that Hahn ultimately wasn’t given the go-ahead to operate as he might’ve wished. The Sox haven’t put Chris Sale on trade waivers yet, Heyman notes, though that decision is a moot point. He’d be claimed by the first team available — the Twins, as things currently stand — and pulled back off waivers. Chicago had interest in Gary Sanchez when the Yankees were looking at Sale, he adds, though that’s not much of a surprise. Catcher has long been a weak spot in Chicago, and Sanchez is among the more highly regarded prospects in all of baseball.
  • There wasn’t much chatter pertaining to Yunel Escobar prior to the non-waiver trade deadline (and there’s been less in August), but Heyman writes that Escobar did draw interest in July. However, the Angels like what he’s been able to give to the club offensively, batting .316/.365/.397 in 474 plate appearances. I’m not sure I see the logic behind not being willing to move Escobar but trading a similarly priced and very arguably more valuable asset with the same amount of club control (Hector Santiago) for what amounted to an injured prospect, but perhaps the Halos simply didn’t receive an offer to their liking for Escobar.
  • The Dodgers “love” Rich Hill and were planning to pursue him last winter until Brett Anderson accepted the team’s qualifying offer, per Heyman. Those two don’t seem like they should’ve been mutually exclusive — the Dodgers went out and signed Kenta Maeda and Scott Kazmir following Anderson’s acceptance of the QO, after all — but perhaps the Dodgers either couldn’t guarantee a rotation spot or didn’t find the notion of two starters with such recent injury woes to be palatable. Either way, if the Dodgers are as fond of Hill as Heyman indicates, it seems likely that they’ll be in the mix to re-sign him come the offseason.
  • One executive from a non-Dodgers club opined to Heyman that no team will claim Yasiel Puig if and when he’s placed on revocable waivers and added, “…if they do, they’re going to get him.” Furthermore, Heyman writes that it isn’t likely that Puig will rejoin the Dodgers at any point this season, as he has “turned off” many of his teammates. It seems difficult to fathom that the Dodgers wouldn’t bring him back in the month of September when rosters expand, but we’ll find out in just a few weeks — if Puig isn’t dealt first.
  • The Padres have yet to put Derek Norris on trade waivers, and Heyman calls him a more likely offseason trade candidate. The Indians showed mild interest but ultimately decided that their internal options were preferable to Norris, who is once again struggling tremendously following a strong showing at the plate from May 1 through the All-Star break. Heyman also notes that the Padres are interested enough in Puig to at least be thinking about it and points out the connection between pro scouting director Logan White and Puig. White was the Dodgers VP of amateur scouting prior to his Padres gig and was one of the execs that recommended Puig to his colleagues.
  • The Rangers weren’t able to swing a deal for any of the big-name starters they pursued, but that’s in part due to the asking prices they received. The Rays asked the Rangers for Jurickson Profar and other pieces in exchange for Matt Moore, while Rougned Odor’s name was suggested by the Rays in Chris Archer talks and by the White Sox in talks for Chris Sale.
Share 0 Retweet 11 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves Chicago White Sox Cleveland Guardians Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers New York Mets San Diego Padres Texas Rangers Brian Snitker Bryan Price Chip Hale Derek Norris Gary Sanchez Kevin Cash Mike Scioscia Paul Molitor Rich Hill Robin Ventura Terry Collins Walt Weiss Yasiel Puig Yunel Escobar Zach Duke

43 comments

Diamondbacks Considering Managerial Change

By Jeff Todd | July 22, 2016 at 2:43pm CDT

The Diamondbacks are considering replacing skipper Chip Hale, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Tim Montemayor of Arizona’s AM 1060 first tweeted that there were rumors circulating.

If Arizona goes ahead and moves Hale aside, Triple-A manager Phil Nevin would likely take his place at the helm of the big league club, per the report. General manager Dave Stewart declined to comment on the matter when asked about the rumors by Rosenthal.

Hale, 51, has managed the D-Backs since the start of last year, when he was selected by Stewart and chief baseball officer (and Hall-of-Fame manager) Tony LaRussa to run the club on the field. Things seemed on the upswing after year one, as Arizona showed improvement and logged a 79-83 record. Indeed, the organization picked up Hale’s 2017 option at the start of camp this spring.

The promising showing in 2015 emboldened the organization to make several major additions over the winter. That included, most prominently, the stunning signing of Zack Greinke and the acquisition of Shelby Miller for a trio of critical assets.

With over half of the games in the books this year, it is evident that things haven’t gone as hoped. Arizona sits in the NL West basement at the moment with a 40-55 record on the year. It would be hard to pin all of that on Hale, of course. Star center fielder A.J. Pollock was lost during camp, Miller has been dreadful (as have other recent acquisitions like Yasmany Tomas), and the club has somewhat predictably failed in its outfield defense — among other areas of concern.

Share 55 Retweet 5 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Chip Hale Phil Nevin

65 comments

Rosenthal’s Latest: Archer, Chapman, CarGo, Rangers, Managers

By Steve Adams | July 15, 2016 at 11:55pm CDT

While the Rays are fielding some calls on righty Chris Archer, the kinds of offers coming through the line have been good only for “comedic value,” a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The report certainly suggests that Tampa Bay isn’t interested in the kind of buy-low offers it is apparently receiving. The young righty hasn’t quite been himself this year, but remains quite talented and controlled at a very cheap rate.

Here’s more from Rosenthal:

  • The Yankees are discussing the possibility of trying to extend closer Aroldis Chapman, according to Rosenthal. Talks to this point are just internal and haven’t been raised with Chapman’s representatives, but the club isn’t set on selling off big league assets over the next few weeks. Team president Randy Levine maintained to Rosenthal that the Yankees like their team and won’t make a call on trading away veterans until much closer to the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.
  • Carlos Gonzalez is perhaps the best player among current trade candidates, but the Rockies don’t feel the need to get out from underneath his contract in the same manner they did with Troy Tulowitzki, so he’s far from a lock to be moved. CarGo is batting an excellent .318/.367/.557 this season, and it’s interesting to note that over the past 365 days, he’s hitting .304/.354/.592 with a hefty 46 homers in 156 games played. His $17MM salary in 2016 and $20MM salary in 2017 are both reasonable sums for that level of production.
  • The Rangers were in on Drew Pomeranz before his trade to the Red Sox, and they’re in on Rich Hill now that Pomeranz is off the market. The Rangers could also use an upgrade behind the plate, writes Rosenthal, who notes that Jonathan Lucroy would be preferable to Derek Norris, but the latter of the two is available as well. The Rangers, though, “probably do not view” any of the available trade candidates as worthy players to surrender top-tier young talent like Jurickson Profar or Joey Gallo.
  • Some within the industry have told Rosenthal that Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale “could be in imminent danger” of losing his job, but D-backs sources denied the notion when asked, he continues. Rosenthal lists Bryan Price and Walt Weiss as skippers that are safe for now but may be seeking new employment come season’s end, and he notes that Robin Ventura, Brad Ausmus, John Farrell and Terry Collins could all be in the same boat if their clubs finish the season poorly.
Share 5 Retweet 13 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Colorado Rockies New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Aroldis Chapman Brad Ausmus Bryan Price Carlos Gonzalez Chip Hale Chris Archer Derek Norris Joey Gallo John Farrell Jonathan Lucroy Jurickson Profar Rich Hill Robin Ventura Terry Collins Walt Weiss

87 comments

NL Notes: Harvey, deGrom, Pirates, Hale

By Connor Byrne | May 21, 2016 at 11:09pm CDT

The Mets considered sending Matt Harvey down to help the slumping ace regain form, but he talked his way into remaining with the big league club and will make his next start, according to Newsday’s Marc Carig. “We dissected every angle there was,” said manager Terry Collins. “In the end, knowing this guy like we do, he wants to pitch. He wants to fight through it. He isn’t going to run and hide. He wants to get out there. So we’re going to do that.” Interestingly, in addition to mulling a minors trip for Harvey, the Mets pondered removing everything from his locker and setting those belongings on fire – which then-Mets reliever Bobby Parnell did last season when he was struggling. It’s unknown if Harvey actually did it, per Carig, who adds that the Mets believe his problems stem from a lack of confidence.  After logging 427 innings of 2.53 ERA pitching to accompany a 4.78 K/BB from 2012-15, the 27-year-old Harvey has regressed significantly in both categories in 2016 (5.77 and 2.87, respectively).

More from the National League:

  • On the heels of a less-than-stellar Saturday showing – five innings, five hits, four earned runs and three walks – Mark Simon of ESPN.com wonders if the Mets should also be concerned about starter Jacob deGrom. After bursting on the scene with back-to-back dominant campaigns, deGrom has been merely good in 2016. He entered Saturday with the majors’ 16th-worst hard-hit rate, which is in stark contrast to his eighth-best mark from last season, as Simon writes. Moreover, deGrom’s K/9 has dipped from 9.00-plus in each of the previous two years to 6.59 this season. The soon-to-be 28-year-old has also lost a couple miles per hour of velocity compared to last season, per PITCHf/x.
  • The three-year, $31MM extension the Pirates gave catcher Francisco Cervelli this week could be a major win for the club, opines Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. With pitch-framing value included, NEIFI Analytics projects Cervelli’s open market worth from 2017-19 at $57MM – nearly twice as much as he’s going to make with the Pirates – as Sawchik points out. Thus, Sawchik questions Cervelli’s decision to sign the extension, but he concedes that the backstop perhaps values playing in Pittsburgh over maximizing his worth.
  • The Pirates’ shallower outfield alignment is getting excellent results, Sawchik and Chris Adamski detail. The Pirates’ outfielders lined up deeper last season and stopped enemy runners from advancing an extra base on singles 52.6 percent of the time. That number is up to 59 percent this season. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen has experienced the biggest improvement, going from 42.4 percent to 55.7 percent (via BucsDugout.com), since moving in an average of 17 feet from last season to this year (316 to 299). Further, after the Pirates turned 45.7 percent of the balls hit to the outfield into outs last year, they’ve increased the rate to 53.1 percent in 2016. Pittsburgh elected to move its outfield in this season because of its pitching staff, said manager Clint Hurdle. “No. 1, we have a staff that predominately uses two-seam fastballs. So in an actuality, a high percentage of balls are getting to the outfield on the ground. Fly balls that are hit (off two-seam fastballs) are not hit as high or deep as four-seam fastballs. It also accentuates outfield arms. It increases throwing accuracy, the ability to stop runners.”
  • Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale isn’t pleased with the potential changes to the strike zone and the intentional walk, he told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. In regards to raising the strike zone, Hale said, “To me, the lower the zone, it’s always been better. I guess they’re trying to increase offense now. For me, I’d just leave the game alone. I think it’s good.” Hale also blasted the current replay process, saying, “I don’t know how the games are going to get any quicker as long as we keep checking every play on replay. And we have to slow the game down that way. It’s almost to the point of being embarrassing. It’s like, ‘He looks like he’s out to me, but let me check.’’
Share 8 Retweet 9 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks New York Mets Pittsburgh Pirates Andrew McCutchen Chip Hale Francisco Cervelli Jacob deGrom Matt Harvey

11 comments
« Previous Page
Load More Posts
Show all

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Rafael Devers Unwilling To Play First Base

    Pirates Fire Manager Derek Shelton

    Cubs To Promote Cade Horton

    Mariners Claim Leody Taveras

    Rangers Hire Bret Boone As Hitting Coach

    A.J. Minter To Undergo Season-Ending Lat Surgery

    Blue Jays Sign Spencer Turnbull

    Blue Jays Sign José Ureña

    Ross Stripling Retires

    Rangers Place Leody Taveras On Outright Waivers

    Triston Casas Likely To Miss Entire 2025 Season Due To Knee Surgery

    Orioles Recall Coby Mayo

    Dodgers Recall Hyeseong Kim

    Triston Casas Suffers “Significant Knee Injury”

    Angels Place Mike Trout On 10-Day Injured List

    Rangers Option Jake Burger

    Tigers Designate Kenta Maeda For Assignment

    Reds Option Alexis Diaz

    Orioles Move Charlie Morton To Bullpen

    Astros To Activate Lance McCullers Jr. This Weekend

    Recent

    Rafael Devers Unwilling To Play First Base

    Pirates Fire Manager Derek Shelton

    Cubs To Promote Cade Horton

    Carl Edwards Jr., Matt Foster Sign With Mexican League Teams

    Yankees Outright Carlos Carrasco

    Royals Sign Trevor Richards To Minor League Deal

    Reds To Place Hunter Greene On IL With Groin Strain

    Padres Release Andrew Bellatti

    Poll: Jacob Wilson’s Hot Start

    Chet Lemon Passes Away

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version