David Price

Crasnick On Price, Greinke, Heyward, Upton, Murphy, Starlin

By Steve Adams | November 10, 2015 at 4:32pm CDT

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick conducted his annual Hot Stove survey, polling a number of front-office executives and scouts about some of the top names available both in free agency and on the trade market. Crasnick asked respondents to weigh in on David Price vs. Zack Greinke; Jason Heyward vs. Justin Upton; Chris Davis vs. Yoenis Cespedes; which of Colby Rasmus or Daniel Murphy would be able to sustain some of his postseason success; which of Jeff Samardzija or Ian Desmond is a better rebound candidate; which of Javier Baez or Starlin Castro is more likely to be traded; and which of Alex Gordon, Ben Zobrist or Johnny Cueto is likeliest to return to the Royals. Crasnick has full voting and plenty of quotes from execs/scouts for those who wish to read the piece in its entirety, but here are some particularly interesting highlights…

More respondents felt comfortable giving a nine-figure deal to Greinke than to Price, though the expectation is still that Price’s deal will top Greinke’s due to age. Crasnick quotes a pair of scouts that rave about Greinke’s delivery and how he can age well due to his intelligence and lack of reliance on pure velocity. One NL scout likened Greinke to Greg Maddux.
Heyward won the voting over Upton when asked which would perform better over the life of his next contract, though there was a reasonably even split, and many scouts quoted by Crasnick are concerned with Heyward’s reliance on defensive value and what one described to be a high-maintenance swing.
Murphy won the voting over Rasmus in their question, and one American League special assistant offered an interesting take to Crasnick: “If I was a team and I had a market for Murphy, I’d want him playing third base. I don’t like him at second. The ball finds him, like it did in the World Series. He got exposed there.” Murphy does have experience at third base, and we’ve mentioned him as a possible option for teams in need of help at the hot corner here at MLBTR, as the free-agent market presents little beyond Murphy and David Freese.
More respondents felt that Castro is likelier to be traded than Baez, even though as one scout put it, Baez would “fetch more of a haul.” An AL GM offered an interesting take on Castro’s contract, however, telling Crasnick: “Castro showed enough at two positions this year that his contract will seem like a fair deal once the free-agent class this year gets paid.” Castro, who is owed about $38MM over the next four seasons, certainly isn’t cheap and isn’t without his risks. He was a replacement-level player in 2013 and played that way for much of the 2015 season before his bat came to life late in the season following a switch to second base. Of course, Castro also sported an unsustainable .388 BABIP in September and October, which somewhat inflated his production.
Cespedes and Samardzija narrowly won the voting on their respective question, while Gordon was far and away the most popular answer in the Royals realm.

AL East Notes: Orioles, Rays, Red Sox, Greinke

By | November 7, 2015 at 7:28pm CDT

The Orioles are generally patient in the free agent market under GM Dan Duquette, writes Rich Dubroff of CSN Baltimore. Duquette’s biggest free agent signings came late in the 2013-2014 offseason when he inked Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez. Given that 20 players were extended qualifying offers, Baltimore could once again wait to see if any players fall through the cracks. In my opinion, there are some risks with this strategy. While buying low close to the season has its advantages, it can leave a player under-prepared. Additionally, several clubs appear well positioned to play the waiting game. Duquette could find an unusual amount of competition if he waits to do his shopping until late-January.

Here’s more from the AL East:

Former Orioles Chris Davis, Wei-Yin Chen, and Matt Wieters may take a patient approach to finding a new contract, writes Dubroff. All three Scott Boras clients received a qualifying offer. In the case of Davis, the Orioles would like to re-sign him and plan to make a competitive offer. However, Dubroff wonders how long Baltimore will allow Davis to shop for offers before they move onto alternatives. Meanwhile, the market for Wieters may not be particularly robust with the White Sox, Astros, and Dodgers as possible fits. Reliever Darren O’Day was not given a qualifying offer, and he could be in line for a four-year contract.
The Rays made an early splash on the trade market, and they’re obviously not done, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The club has narrowed its focus for the offseason but remains open to discussing any player. Topkin notes that free agent activity will wait until later in the offseason “when their currency of playing time can be worth more than money to players still on the market.” Trade talks figure to revolve around first baseman James Loney. He’s owed $8MM next season. Corner infield prospect Richie Shaffer appears ready for a high profile role if Loney is dealt elsewhere.
The Red Sox currently have the 12th pick in the 2016 amateur draft, and it may influence some of their free agent decisions, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Under the qualifying offer system, the earliest pick ever surrendered to sign a free agent is the 13th (Padres, James Shields). The club would probably be willing to cough up a pick for a top free agent like Zack Greinke, Davis, or Jordan Zimmermann. However, pitchers like Chen, Marco Estrada, and others might not offer enough upside to forego the early pick. Per President Dave Dombrowski, “I think it’s a case-by-case basis and you analyze that based upon the player you have a chance to sign.“
As a means of retaining their first pick, the Red Sox may attempt to trade for starting pitching, writes Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. Trade candidates are harder to predict because it’s unclear which players are really on the table. McAdam believes that A’s starter Sonny Gray, Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco, and San Diego’s Tyson Ross are logical targets. The club could also chase a top reliever like Craig Kimbrel or Aroldis Chapman.
Greinke may not be a fit in Boston, opines Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com. Greinke actually hit similarly to Pablo Sandoval on a rate basis and reportedly enjoys batting regularly. There’s also the matter of home division. The NL West includes some of the most pitcher friendly parks in baseball. As such, the Dodgers and Giants are a good fit. Pitchers in the AL East have to survive Fenway and three homer-happy venues in Toronto, New York, and Baltimore. That could hold back the Red Sox in negotiations for other top pitchers like David Price too. Gammons does see a possible trade match with the White Sox for ace Chris Sale. Blake Swihart could potentially serve as a centerpiece.

NL Central Notes: Price, Ash, Sadler, Happ, Soria

By Steve Adams | November 6, 2015 at 8:20am CDT

The free-agent signing period has yet to even officially kick off — that will happen after midnight ET tonight, when the five-day, exclusive negotiation window between free agents and their current teams expires — but there are already plenty of rumblings connecting David Price to the Cubs. Earlier in the week, ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote (Insider subscription required) that “some rival evaluators consider the Cubs to be the heavy, heavy favorites” to land Price. And, earlier today, FOX’s Ken Rosenthal noted that he spoke to a pair of agents that represent some of Price’s competitors on this year’s free agent market, both of whom expect him to land with the Cubs. Rosenthal also spoke to an exec who knows Price and believes the Cubs to be the lefty’s top choice. All of this, of course, is highly preliminary in nature. It’s difficult to peg the Cubs as any kind of favorite when the team cannot yet negotiate with his agent, Bo McKinnis, in earnest and when the rest of the league hasn’t been granted a chance to persuade Price, either.

Here’s more from the NL Central…

Though he’ll have a new title and role, longtime Milwaukee exec Gord Ash will remain with the Brewers, GM David Stearns told reporters, including MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Ash had been the club’s assistant general manager since 2002 but will now work in an advisory/pro scouting role with the team instead. Stearns added that the club’s search for a new farm director is ongoing, adding that the search has been narrowed considerably since it began.
Pirates GM Neal Huntington revealed to reporters, including Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that right-hander Casey Sadler underwent Tommy John surgery in October and will miss all of the 2016 season. Sadler made just one big league start for the Pirates in 2015 though he chipped in 10 1/3 innings in 2014 as well. The 25-year-old sinker-baller’s injury does deplete the Pirates’ rotation depth, however. The Pirates will be without Brandon Cumpton in 2016 due to shoulder surgery, Brink notes, and Nick Kingham remains on the shelf after undergoing TJ surgery himself in May. Sadler has a 3.53 ERA in 211 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level.
Brink spoke to Huntington for a second column, and the GM tells him that the Pirates have expressed interest in re-signing left-hander J.A. Happ. “We’ve had discussions about his interest in coming back,” said Huntington. “We’ve expressed to him that we have interest in having him come back.” Happ enjoyed the best stretch of his career following a last-minute trade from Seattle to Pittsburgh before the non-waiver deadline, logging a 1.85 ERA with career-best 9.8 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 rates in 63 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, a source tells Brink that the Pirates have not had any discussions with the representative for their other late July acquisition: right-hander Joakim Soria. The former Royals/Rangers/Tigers closer figures to be one of the more attractive relief options on the open market this winter and could cost more than the Pirates care to pay.

AL East Notes: Bradley, Sox, Gardner, Park, O’Day

By Steve Adams | November 5, 2015 at 10:27am CDT

Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was a recent guest on WEEI’s Hot Stove Show, and WEEI’s John Tomase has transcribed some of the highlights from his talk (while also providing a link to the full audio). Regarding Jackie Bradley and Rusney Castillo, Dombrowski said that as it stands right now, “there’s no question” that the duo will enter next season as starters in the Boston outfield. “Jackie’s one of the best defensive outfielders I’ve ever seen,” said Dombrowski. “So that’s a plus, and Castillo’s got the all-around game.” Dombrowski noted that each has strides to make to reach his potential, however, and I’ll point out that we, of course, cannot rule out the fact that one of the two is traded this winter. (Boston has, after all, recently been linked to free agent Alex Gordon.) Speaking about Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts, Dombrowski stopped short of putting the “untouchable” label on either, though he did so as a means of saying he doesn’t consider any player untouchable. “If you have Miguel Cabrera, somebody may offer you two Miguel Cabreras,” said Dombrowski. “Probably not going to happen, probably never will happen, but unless you listen, you don’t know.” He went on to say he’d be “very surprised” if Bogaerts and Betts aren’t in the team’s lineup next season. Dombrowski also discussed exercising Clay Buchholz’s option, the perils of signing an ace in free agency and revealed that Matt Barnes will head to camp as a reliever next year. His full comments are well worth a read for Boston fans.

Here’s more from the division…

Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald writes that while there’s been speculation that the Red Sox could trade Clay Buchholz now that they’ve exercised his $13MM option, the team might be wise to hold off on that front. Lauber notes that many in the industry believe Dombrowski will make a run at David Price, and while dealing Buchholz would free up some 2016 money for Price or another ace, the uncertainty throughout the rest of the rotation should give Boston pause when listening to offers on Buchholz. While Buchholz can’t be relied upon for 30+ starts and 200+ innings, it’s reasonable enough pencil him in for 100+ innings as a high-quality No. 2 starter based on his 2013 and 2015 performances.
Brett Gardner’s woeful second half of the season was caused in part by a wrist injury suffered early in the year, Yankees hitting coach Alan Cockrell believes (via the Journal News’ Chad Jennings). Cockrell said that Gardner was hit on the wrist early in the season, and the pain bothered him on and off throughout the season. While it might seem odd to blame an April HBP for Gardner’s struggles in August and September, Cockrell explained that players are only allowed to receive three cortisone injections over the course of a given season. Gardner received his three cortisone shots, which alleviated the pain considerably, at unspecified intervals prior to Aug. 1. When he could no longer receive that treatment, Jennings notes that his production plummeted to .203/.288/.290 over the season’s final two months.
The Orioles have scouted Korean first baseman Byung-ho Park and are believed to hold interest in signing him, reports MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko. Park was posted by Korea’s Nexen Heroes on Monday, and teams have until Friday to submit blind bids on the 29-year-old, who has bashed 105 home runs over the past two seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. Unlike the posting agreement with Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball where multiple teams can negotiate with a player, though (assuming there are multiple winning bids of the maximum $20MM), only the winning team can negotiate with Park. That might make it difficult for Baltimore to bid heavily on Park at this time, as the team may still have hopes of being able to work out a deal with Chris Davis. Of course, Park could still be slotted at DH if the Orioles were to somehow win the bidding and still re-sign Davis, though that level of spending seems highly unlikely. I’d imagine that if the O’s win the bidding on Park, it’s a clear signal that Davis will sign elsewhere (though that’s the wide expectation regardless of the Park outcome).
Kubatko also reports that there’s been little in the way of traction between the Orioles and Darren O’Day in talks of a new contract. Baltimore has exclusive negotiation rights with O’Day through Friday, after which he, like all other free agents, will be free to sign with any club. Kubatko was told that “all is quiet” right now after talks have failed to progress much, and he speculates that O’Day could possibly receive four-year offers in free agency.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Zobrist, Park, Robinson

By Steve Adams | November 4, 2015 at 7:22pm CDT

Early indications are that the Tigers are more focused on second-tier free agents than the top of the market, sources tell ESPN’s Buster Olney (Twitter link). That would seem to preclude, at least for the time being, notions of a reunion with either David Price or Yoenis Cespedes, even though both could conceivably fit onto the roster. The question for the Tigers, as I noted in my recent Offseason Outlook on Detroit, is whether a top free agent would fit into the club’s long-term payroll capacity. Justin Verlander’s resurgence has lessened the need to seek a top-flight arm, meaning names like Ian Kennedy, Scott Kazmir, Jeff Samardzija, Wei-Yin Chen and Yovani Gallardo could be more plausible targets for first-year GM Al Avila, who has previously stated a preference to add a pair of starters this winter.

Here’s more from the AL Central as the offseason gets underway…

Ben Zobrist tells MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan that Alex Gordon should be the Royals’ top priority this offseason due to Gordon’s status as face of the franchise, but adds that he would love to return to Kansas City (Twitter link). Kansas City picked up Zobrist from the A’s in exchange for lefty Sean Manaea and right-hander Aaron Brooks prior to the non-waiver trade deadline. Zobrist, like Gordon, figures to be one of the more in-demand free agents this winter due to his versatility and track record of above-average offense. Gordon declined his player option with the Royals earlier tonight.
The Twins have interest in a reunion with fleet-footed center fielder Shane Robinson, a source tells Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Robinson recently elected free agency after being outrighted by the Twins, who presumably would like to bring him back on a minor league pact. The 31-year-old somewhat improbably cracked Minnesota’s Opening Day roster in 2015 and spent the entire season serving as a fourth outfielder, late-inning defensive replacement and pinch-runner. The former Cardinal hit .250/.299/.322 in 197 plate appearances and graded out quite well by measure of Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating (+3 and +2.7, respectively, in just 458 innings).
Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that the Twins have scouted Korean first baseman Byung-ho Park extensively, with one club official calling him a “good run producer.” It’s somewhat difficult to see where Park would fit into Minnesota’s crowded corner scene, where Trevor Plouffe, Joe Mauer and Miguel Sano are all likely to rotate throughout third base, first base and DH (though Mauer wouldn’t see time at third). Park was posted earlier this week after hitting 105 homers over the past two seasons in KBO. Bids on the 29-year-old are due Friday.

Alex Anthopoulos On Blue Jays’ Offseason

By Jeff Todd | October 26, 2015 at 5:57pm CDT

Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos took a look ahead at the coming winter after his club was bounced from the ALCS, and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca breaks down the most interesting information to come out of the GM’s comments. Of course, Toronto still needs to act to get Anthopoulos under contract, an under-the-radar issue that will soon move to the front burner.

Among the key notes:

Anthopoulos doesn’t have any major changes in mind for the front office group working beneath him (assuming he reaches a new deal). Likewise, manager John Gibbons appears to be all but certain to return.
Could the Jays make a serious effort to re-sign David Price? “I know he’s very open to being back here,” said Anthopoulos. “We’ll certainly be in the game.”
The club could consider shifting young righties Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna to the rotation, added Anthopoulos, as the club bids to fill out its staff. But he seemed to suggest that a return to starting might wait given the team’s expectations of contention next year.
The club has some depth in the corner outfield/first base/DH slots, Anthopoulos noted. As Nicholson-Smith explains, Chris Colabello and Justin Smoak could end up being discussed in trades, and first base could be an area that the team could add a left-handed bat. Anthopoulos did add that “a little more balance” in the lineup would be preferable.
The club will likely allow Ryan Goins and Devon Travis to compete for the starting second base job this spring.
There’s also some depth in the outfield, where Kevin Pillar put up a nice year in center and Jose Bautista remains entrenched in right. That leaves a bit of a logjam among Ben Revere, Michael Saunders, and Dalton Pompey which could (at least in theory) be resolved via trade. Anthopoulos said that the depth is important to cover for injuries but also “gives [the team] some options.” He also added that Toronto still believes in Saunders, explaining that “his upside is huge.”

Cafardo On Murphy, Price, Davis, Cueto

By Zachary Links | October 25, 2015 at 11:11am CDT

In today’s column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe spoke with eight major league officials about the players trending up and trending down as free agency approaches. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that the list of players trending in the right direction starts with Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy.

“Obviously, he’s not going to be as hot as he’s been in the postseason, but he plays positions where his power plays well,” an American League GM told Cafardo. “There are teams like the Dodgers and Yankees who need a second baseman. Others, like the Angels, need a third baseman, where he also plays. He’s going to be sought-after and get a five-year deal at around $75MM. Maybe more.”

Murphy, who can also play at first base, would also have appeal for the attractive to the Orioles, Astros, Padres, and Tigers, Cafardo writes.

Here’s more from today’s column..

The feeling is that a seven-year, $210MM deal for David Price would be fair, Cafardo writes, though some are concerned that Price won’t live up to that kind of deal unless he goes somewhere that he’s comfortable. The incumbent Blue Jays could be that place, but the Dodgers, Cardinals, and Cubs are also listed as possibilities. Price, 30, pitched to a 2.45 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 32 regular season starts for the Tigers and Blue Jays this past season.
The group of eight anonymous scouts, managers, and GMs polled by Cafardo would not want to give Orioles bopper Chris Davis more than a five-year deal. Of course, a team out there very well could. “In the heat of the negotiations and fearing someone else will get him, this will likely get beyond what everybody wants. Scott Boras is the agent, so we may be looking at seven years,” one scout remarked. Recently, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes profiled the two-time home run king and estimated that he’ll be in line for a six-year, $144MM pact.
Johnny Cueto had a rough second half after being traded to the Royals and one National League GM told Cafardo that a “few teams have scratched him off their list.” Still, that GM estimates that Cueto can net a Jon Lester-type $155MM deal. Recently, we learned that the Red Sox are mulling a serious push for Cueto. The Marlins also like Cueto, but financial constraints will probably hold them back in that pursuit.
One GM told Cafardo that he wouldn’t give Royals outfielder Alex Gordon anything more than a three-year deal at $36MM-$38MM. In addition to KC, Cafardo recently listed the Indians, Orioles, Mets, Tigers, and possibly the Red Sox as potential fits.
Nationals hurler Jordan Zimmermann didn’t have a great season, but he was listed by Cafardo as a player whose arrow is pointing upwards. One NL scout praised Zimmermann’s work ethic and toughness. At the end of the regular season, Zimmermann sounded like a player who knows that he’ll be changing teams.
One AL GM envisions Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada attracting attention from “six or seven teams” who could offer up a “four- or five-year deal in the $12MM-$15MM [per year] range.” Last month, MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk checked in on Estrada’s free agent stock. The right-hander posted a 3.13 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 across 28 starts and six relief appearances in 2015.
Cafardo’s panel indicated that Scott Kazmir could get a three-year deal this offseason, but at a reduced rate because of his struggles with the Astros down the stretch. The group of eight officials sees Kazmir getting $10-$12MM AAV over a three year period. The Tigers are among the clubs with interest in the veteran left-hander, though Kazmir has also expressed a desire to return to Houston.
At least two teams have their top advisers and scouts looking at Rich Hill’s last four starts with the Red Sox to see if his emergence in 2015 is for real. One AL scout who has done his homework on the left-hander praised the hurler for his confidence.
Cafardo identified the Braves, Dodgers, Rays, Astros, and Mariners as teams that could have interest in Orioles catcher Matt Wieters. Of course, his market will be impacted by whether or not he receives a qualifying offer. The Rangers will be among the teams with interest, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, but only if he does come with a QO attached. In a recent MLBTR poll, 60% of readers said that the O’s should give Wieters a QO.

Blue Jays Notes: Shapiro, Anthopoulos, Price, Dickey, Tulo

By | October 24, 2015 at 6:22pm CDT

The Blue Jays have been knocked out of the playoffs, but the club’s window for contention remains open, writes Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star. The entire starting lineup is under contract for 2016. Toronto scored 891 runs on the season – an astounding 127 runs better than the second-best Yankees. The offense even improved as the year went on with the acquisitions of Troy Tulowitzki and Ben Revere. The breakouts of Ryan Goins and Chris Colabello could also add up to more runs over a full season as could healthy years from Devon Travis and Michael Saunders. Alas, the front office will have it’s work cut out with the pitching staff. David Price, Marco Estrada, and Mark Buehrle will be free agents and GM Alex Anthopoulos has a soon-to-expire contract too. The bullpen is strikingly thin as well. Perhaps they’ll be forced to trade from the strong lineup.

Here’s more Jays news:

We should soon learn more about the plans of new Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro, writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. With Anthopoulos’ contract set to expire on October 30, the club will need to quickly decide if they will offer an extension. It remains unclear how Shapiro plans to share decision making authority with his GM, and it’s possible the two have different philosophies. However, after such a successful campaign, it would be surprising to see Toronto allow Anthopoulos to leave.
The Blue Jays refused to sign pitchers for over five-years under former CEO Paul Beeston, per Davidi. Again, it’s uncertain if Shapiro will bend those old rules to re-sign David Price or ink another top pitcher. The largest contract ever handed out by a Shapiro-led regime was the four-year, $57MM deal to Travis Hafner in 2007. Of course, Cleveland may possess additional salary constraints above and beyond those of Toronto. Personally, I would expect the Jays to acquire multiple mid-tier arms and rely upon the offense. A couple top relievers could be hugely helpful, and all could be had for a fraction of Price’s future contract.
Price would welcome an extension with the Blue Jays, reports Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. His teammates have also expressed a desired to see him return. As previously noted, the Jays leadership would have to seriously change their past habits. For example, Anthopoulos has yet to pay for than $5MM for a free agent pitcher.
Knuckle ball specialist R.A. Dickey figures to be an important piece of the 2016 rotation, writes Griffin. The soon-to-be 41-year-old has thrown over 200 innings in each of the last five seasons and may be asked to anchor a rotation of young pitchers. His style of absorbing innings while keeping his team in the game is a great fit for the Toronto offense. Personally, his role reminds me of fellow knuckleballer Tim Wakefield with the Red Sox and fellow slowballer Jamie Moyer with the Phillies.
Tulowitzki never settled in with his new team, reports John Lott of the National Post. “It’s tough for me now to trust anybody in this game after what happened,” said Tulowitzki referring to the business side of the game. He had expected to remain with the Rockies after signing a 10-year extension in 2011. Tulowitzki doesn’t hold the trade against the Rockies or Blue Jays and looks forward to spending a full season with his new club.

AL East Notes: Dickey, Schoop, Orioles, Osuna

By Steve Adams | October 21, 2015 at 8:00pm CDT

Though R.A. Dickey’s short start yesterday in a hugely important Game 4 of the ALCS led to quite a bit of negativity among Blue Jays fans, Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star opines that his $12MM club option for the 2016 season should still be exercised. Griffin points out that while the reactionary conclusion is to say the team should cut ties with the knuckeballer, that’s irrational. Dickey leads all Major League pitchers in innings dating back to 2012, and he was outstanding in the season’s second half, working to a 2.80 ERA over his final 15 starts. Dickey, in fact, logged a 3.11 ERA across his final 150 1/3 innings, dating back to June 2. Though his strikeout rate in that time (5.5 K/9) leaves plenty to be desired, he also averaged just 2.3 walks per nine innings. Two hundred league-average (or better) innings would be worth the $12MM total of his option, which really boils down to an $11MM decision, since the Jays have to pay him a $1MM buyout even if they’re cutting ties. At one year and $11MM, the Jays should keep Dickey around, especially with David Price, Marco Estrada and Mark Buehrle all potentially departing this winter as free agents.

Heyman’s Latest: Harvey, Murphy, Kennedy, Wieters, Phillies

By Steve Adams and Jeff Todd | October 19, 2015 at 7:21pm CDT

Mets righty Matt Harvey and agent Scott Boras took out an insurance policy on the right-hander’s arm, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports in his latest Inside Baseball column. The policy covers a mere fraction of Harvey’s overall earning potential, says Heyman, but it does give him a bit of a safety net in the event that his workload following Tommy John surgery leads to future arm complications. Heyman notes that Harvey’s dominant outing in Game 1 of the NLCS “all but obliterated” other teams’ chances of trading for the right-hander, who was lauded by the Citi Field faithful. Never one to pass up the chance for a memorable quote, Boras said of Harvey’s performance on a cold New York evening: “Forget Batman. He’s Mr. Freeze.”

A few more highlights from the column…

While multiple reports have indicated that the Mets aren’t planning on giving Daniel Murphy a qualifying offer, one rival GM tells Heyman that they “absolutely have to” extend the QO on the heels of Murphy’s huge postseason. The GM added that Murphy should reject the offer and look to capitalize on the five homers he’s launched since the NLDS got underway.
The Padres appear to have interest in a reunion with starter Ian Kennedy, per the report. It’s likely, of course, that there will be competition. As Heyman notes, the 30-year-old righty has sustained the gains in velocity and strikeout rate that he showed last year — in fact, his 9.3 K/9 is second only to David Price among free agents — and has been a reliable source of innings for the last six years.
Catcher Matt Wieters will draw some open-market interest from the Rangers, but only if he avoids a qualifying offer. Texas would not have interest in giving up its first-round pick to ink Wieters, says Heyman.
The Phillies haven’t yet called Jim Hendry about their open GM seat. He teamed with new Philadelphia president Andy MacPhail with the Cubs. But Heyman writes that the Phils appear to be angling toward younger candidates. Though we haven’t heard much lately on the status of Kim Ng, one source says that she remains in the mix.

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