Quick Hits: Rockies, Aardsma, Moylan
Despite their recent additions of David Hale and Gus Schlosser, the Rockies are still hunting for established pitching, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports. GM Jeff Bridich says will try to add another pitcher who will be part of the 40-man roster. Bridich says he likes Hale and Schlosser’s abilities to get ground balls, and notes that the Rockies will have both head into Spring Training preparing to be starters. “[W]e will sit down in the early part of spring and figure it out,” says Bridich. “The fact that both of these guys have started in the past was an appealing part of who they are, and of their history.” Here are more notes from throughout the game.
- Agent Jamie Murphy says client David Aardsma will throw for teams next Monday (Feb. 9) in Arizona, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes (Twitter links). Aardsma hopes to demonstrate increased velocity after making mechanical changes, Murphy adds. The 33-year-old Aardsma had a strong 2014 season for Triple-A Memphis in the Cardinals organization, posting a 1.29 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 35 innings. The former closer last appeared in the Majors with the Mets in 2013.
- Free agent righty Peter Moylan is “feeling great” and is hoping to return to the Majors by midseason after having Tommy John surgery last March, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle writes. “My goal is to be 100 percent by end of spring,” says Moylan. “Probably have to throw for some teams right around the start of spring to gauge interest, but there have already been some nibbles, which is encouraging.” The 36-year-old, a former Braves bullpen mainstay, has pitched fewer than 30 innings in the big leagues since 2010, last appearing in the bigs with the Dodgers in 2013.
David Aardsma Does Not Exercise Opt-Out
May 16: Aardsma decided not to opt out yesterday and will stay with Triple-A Memphis for the time being, tweets Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.
May 7: Cardinals right-hander David Aardsma, currently with the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Memphis, has a May 15 opt-out date in his current minor league contract, MLBTR has learned (Twitter link).
The 32-year-old Aardsma signed with the Cardinals late in Spring Training after asking for his release from the Indians and has been solid for the Redbirds so far. Aardsma has a 1.98 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 4.6 BB/9 and three saves through his first 13 2/3 innings in Memphis.
Last season marked Aardsma’s first extensive work in the Majors since Tommy John surgery and labrum repair surgery slowed his career in 2011. He posted a 4.31 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 4.3 BB/9 and a 32.8 percent ground-ball rate in 39 2/3 innings with the Mets in 2013. Though his average fastball velocity was down from his career mark of 93.7 mph, he still averaged 91.2 mph and notched an 11.7 percent swinging-strike rate that was actually better than his career mark of 10.7 percent.
Cardinals Sign David Aardsma
After being released by the Indians, reliever David Aardsma has signed with the Cardinals, according to a report from Derick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (links to Twitter). The contract is a minor league deal, meaning he will still need to earn a roster spot.
Aardsma, 32, threw 39 2/3 frames for the Mets last year, posting a 4.31 ERA, after a long layoff due to Tommy John surgery. He notched 8.2 K/9 against 4.3 BB/9, while generating just a 32.8% ground-ball rate. Advanced metrics were all over the map last year for Aardsma — 5.27 FIP; 4.63 xFIP; 4.01 SIERA. As Steve Adams wrote in discussing Aardsma's release from Cleveland, the righty has not regained his pre-surgery, mid-90s fastball velocity, so it remains to be seen whether he will be able to continue improving back towards his strong form over 2009-10, when he served as the Mariners closer.
Indians Release David Aardsma
The Indians have granted right-hander David Aardsma his release, tweets MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Aardsma asked for his release after being informed that he would not make the big league bullpen, according to Bastian.
The 32-year-old Aardsma returned from a lengthy Major League disappearance to fire 39 2/3 innings of 4.31 ERA ball for the Mets last season. Prior to that stint, Aardsma had thrown just one inning from 2011-12 as he battled back from Tommy John surgery. In New York, he averaged 8.2 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 but posted a low (even by his standards) 32.8 percent ground-ball rate.
Aardsma doesn't have the zip he had prior to Tommy John, when he averaged better than 94 mph on his fastball with regularity. He checked in at an average of 91.2 mph last season but still posted a strong 11.7 swinging-strike rate. Aardsma stranded 80.5 percent of his baserunners last season — a mark he is unlikely to repeat — but also was plagued by a 14.6 percent homer-to-flyball ratio, which figures to come down (his career mark is 9.5 percent). For what it's worth, Aardsma has had a strong Spring Training, yielding two earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks in six innings of work.
Indians Sign David Aardsma
7:37pm: Aardsma would earn $1MM upon making the roster out of Spring Training, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link).
10:47am: The Indians have signed David Aardsma to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation, the club announced via press release. The 32-year-old righty is represented by TWC Sports.
Last year, Aardsma saw fairly extensive action at the MLB level for the first time since 2010, when he was closing games for the Mariners. Throwing for the Mets, Aardsma pitched 39 2/3 innings of 4.31 ERA ball in 2013, including 8.2 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9.
He is joined by several other veterans signed to minor league deals. Cleveland has also inked non-guaranteed contracts with right-handed relievers Scott Atchison and Matt Capps, along with longtime minor leaguer J.C. Ramirez and southpaw Mike Zagurski.
Mets Sign David Aardsma
The Mets announced that they have signed David Aardsma to a minor league deal. The right-hander will report to the club's Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.
Aardsma, 31, was with the Marlins on a minor league deal but exercised his opt-out clause in mid-May. The veteran posted a 2.57 ERA with 12 strikeouts and eight walks across 14 innings of work for Triple-A New Orleans. Aardsma has had bad luck with injuries in recent years, having undergone surgery to repair the labrum in his left hip followed by Tommy John surgery in 2011.
Late last week, we heard that Japan's Hanshin Tigers had interest in bringing Aardsma aboard after he parted ways with Miami. For his career, Aardsma owns a 4.22 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 across parts of seven big league seasons.
Hanshin Tigers Pursuing David Aardsma
David Aardsma, who requested his release from the Marlins earlier in the week, is being pursued by Japan's Hanshin Tigers, according to a Sanspo report passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker (Twitter link).
Aardsma pitched fairly well in his 14-inning stint with the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans, but has appeared in just one Major League inning since 2010. Surgery to repair the labrum in his left hip followed by Tommy John surgery have stalled the 31-year-old's career, but he was a solid ninth inning option for Seattle from 2009-10. Aardsma picked up 69 saves in that time, posting a 2.90 ERA, 9.6 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 121 innings.
I imagine that Aardsma's track record would allow him to get a Major League opportunity with a team in need of bullpen help at some point, but if not, Japan has served as a stepping stone back to the big leagues for many pitchers in the past. Colby Lewis, Scott Atchison and Ryan Vogelsong are recent examples of pitchers who experienced varying degrees of success in Nippon Professional Baseball before working their way back to Major League rosters.
Marlins Release David Aardsma
2:39pm: Ken Rosenthal reports that Aardsma's contract contained a May 15 opt-out clause that allowed him to request his release if he wasn't with the Major Leagues by this date. He exercised that clause and will seek a Major League deal with a new team (Twitter links).
2:06pm: The Marlins have released right-hander David Aardsma, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. The former Mariners closer had signed with the Fish on a minor league pact on April 13 and sounded excited when discussing the opportunity a few days later.
The 31-year-old pitched well in 14 innings for Triple-A New Orleans, posting a 2.57 ERA and 12 strikeouts, although he did have eight walks in that time as well.
Aardsma pitched in one inning for the Yankees last season — his long Major League appearance since 2010. Injuries have derailed the flamethrower's career, but he was a solid ninth inning option for Seattle from 2009-10. Aardsma picked up 69 saves in that time, posting a 2.90 ERA, 9.6 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 121 innings in that role. Crasnick adds that he isn't sure whether the release was the Marlins' decision or if Aardsma requested the move.
Marlins Notes: Stanton, Fernandez, Aardsma
Though the Marlins are baseball's worst team at 2-11, their rotation has hung in pretty well with a collective 3.52 ERA. Kevin Slowey, Ricky Nolasco, and rookie Jose Fernandez have led the way. Tonight, they have Alex Sanabia facing the Nationals at Marlins Park. The latest on Miami's team:
- Giancarlo Stanton probably has more trade value than the Rays' David Price currently, ESPN's Buster Olney writes based on conversations with about a half-dozen team officials. That seems a given, with Stanton under team control for an extra year. Olney's early "educated guess" at the front-runners for Stanton: the Rangers, Mariners, Tigers, and Cardinals. Stanton, 23, has missed several games with a bruised shoulder, which he will test today with a few swings according to Craig Davis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. As of Sunday, the Marlins were not interested in trading Stanton, tweeted Peter Gammons of MLB Network. In a poll of over 13,000 MLBTR readers last Thursday, 40% felt Stanton would be traded during this season, while about 31% expected the Marlins to wait until the offseason.
- "There's more downside than upside" in the Marlins' decision to promote Fernandez to the big league club to start the season, writes Jim Callis of Baseball America (subscription required). Callis feels Fernandez is subject to increased injury risk, and finds the team's failure to wait 12 days before promoting him to be short-sighted. Fernandez only made one start prior to April 12th, at which point the Marlins could have purchased his contract and controlled him through 2019 instead of 2018. Even if you feel the Marlins will just trade Fernandez once he gets expensive, he would've had more trade value with an extra year of control.
- "The Marlins made a strong financial offer, and more important, they had a plan for me," reliever David Aardsma told Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal, adding, "They made that clear to me, that if I pitch well, I have an opportunity to claim a role." Barbarisi's article is a good read, as he followed Aardsma through the process of being released by the Yankees and landing with Miami. The Marlins' bullpen has been one of the league's worst, with five relievers sporting ERAs over 5.00.
Marlins Sign David Aardsma
The Marlins have signed right-handed reliever David Aardsma, according to a tweet from the 31-year-old. According to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, on Twitter, it is a minor league deal.
MLBTR previously reported that Aardsma cleared waivers on April 6, and was weighing interest from multiple MLB clubs. Aardsma will hope to prove that he is ready to return to regular big league action. He has only thrown one inning in the majors since the 2010 season, when he saved 31 games for the Mariners and posted a 3.44 ERA in 49 2/3 innings. Aardsma underwent Tommy John surgery in 2011.