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Jonny Gomes

Read The Transcript Of Our Live Chat With Former MLB Outfielder Jonny Gomes

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Drafted in the 18th round by the Devil Rays out of Santa Rosa Junior College back in 2001, Jonny Gomes established himself as a Major Leaguer four years later with a third-place Rookie of the Year finish.  In his 13-year career, Gomes played for the Rays, Reds, Nationals, Athletics, Red Sox, Braves, and Royals.  He also played for Japan’s Rakuten Golden Eagles.

Gomes was perhaps best known for his hard-nosed style of play.  As Gary Shelton of the Tampa Bay Times put it, “There is nothing laid-back, nothing calm about Gomes. He lives his life as if there are two outs in the ninth and the bases are loaded and the bars are closing and the fuse is burning and the air is running out.”  From 2005-15, Gomes was hit by a pitch roughly once every 49 plate appearances, the 12th most-often in MLB.

Serving primarily as a left fielder and designated hitter, Gomes hit 162 home runs in his career.  He hit at least 17 home runs in a season six different times, usually in fewer than 120 games.  A right-handed hitter, Gomes terrorized southpaws throughout his time in the Majors.  The list of pitchers he’s taken deep includes CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, Zack Greinke, Madison Bumgarner, Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling, Chris Sale, and Randy Johnson.

The biggest home run of Gomes’ career came in Game 4 of the 2013 World Series for the Red Sox against Seth Maness and the Cardinals in St. Louis.  Despite not being in the original starting lineup that day, Gomes crushed a three-run shot that led to Boston’s win.  The Red Sox won it in six games, and Gomes’ patriotism was on full display at the White House.  Gomes would go on to pick up the second ring of his career in 2015 with the Royals before retiring in 2016.

Earlier this month, Gomes joined BaseballCloud as its Director of Strategic Partnerships.  Part of his role involves the expansion of the company’s optical tracking system, Yakkertech.  You can follow Gomes on Instagram here and connect with him on Cameo here.

Today, we were proud to host Jonny for a live chat with MLBTR readers.  Click here to read the transcript of today’s chat!

If you’re a current or former MLB player, come do a chat with us!  It only takes one hour, and you get to choose which questions you publish and answer.  Click here to contact us.

Diamondbacks Hire Jonny Gomes As Rookie League Hitting Coach

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The Diamondbacks announced a number of hirings, title changes, and promotions throughout their organization today, including the news that Jonny Gomes will be the new hitting coach for the team’s rookie ball affiliate in the Arizona League.  The move would seem to indicate that the 37-year-old Gomes has decided to call it a career after 13 seasons in the big leagues.

Gomes played for seven MLB teams from 2003-15, with his first six seasons spent in Tampa Bay.  His first extended taste of Major League action resulted in a third-place finish in AL Rookie Of The Year voting in 2005, after he hit .282/.372/.534 with 21 homers over 407 plate appearances.  While Gomes was rarely an everyday player during his career, he found plenty of regular playing time as a noted masher of left-handed pitching, posting a lifetime slash line of .273/.376/.479 against southpaws.

Beyond just his performance on the field, Gomes was well-known for his fiery personality and reputation as a clubhouse leader.  During his final four seasons, he was sought out as a mentor for young A’s and Royals teams making postseason runs, and Gomes was one of the originators of the beard craze that defined the World Series-winning 2013 Red Sox.

Several notable names were included in the Diamondbacks’ list of baseball operations moves, including the promotion of Burke Badenhop to special assistant to the general manager.  Badenhop, an eight-year MLB veteran, worked as an analyst in the D’Backs front office in 2017.  The recently-retired Daniel Bard is also joining the organization in the newly-created Player Mentor role.

Jonny Gomes Intends To Play In 2017

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Outfielder Jonny Gomes says he intends to make a comeback, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports on Twitter. The lefty masher, who is now 36, last played in the majors in 2015 and appeared briefly in 2016 in Japan.

Gomes was a productive part-timer as recently as 2013, when he played a big role for the Red Sox in a World Series-winning season. He took 366 plate appearances on the year, swatting 13 home runs and posting a .247/.344/.426 batting line — right at his career average (.242/.333/.436).

But Gomes struggled over the ensuing two seasons. He bounced from the Sox to the A’s in 2014, then joined the Braves as a free agent before being shipped to the eventual-champion Royals for a dozen-game stint. (Though he did not appear in the postseason for Kansas City, Gomes did play a notable role in the excellent victory parade.) He needed 583 trips to the plate to match that 13-homer output, slashing just .225/.321/.337 over that two-year span.

Despite the difficulties, Gomes was still useful when facing lefties in his most recent pair of MLB seasons. Indeed, his chief appeal lies in his work against opposing southpaws — who he has tuned up historically (.855 career OPS) — along with his hard-nosed style of play and noted clubhouse presence.

While he had hoped to return to the big leagues after wrapping up his disappointing stint with the NPB’s Rakuten Golden Eagles, Gomes wasn’t able to secure an opportunity. While he surely could have landed a minor-league deal, and acknowledged that would likely have been necessary, he suggested that he was interested only in signing directly onto a MLB roster at the time.

It’s all the more clear now that Gomes will need to earn his way back to the majors in spring camp — or, perhaps, through a stint in the minors to open the 2017 season — as his age, layoff, and recent track record make a guaranteed deal seem implausible. Given the respect he commands around the game, though, Gomes figures to find a chance with an organization.

Quick Hits: Gomes, Cozart, Henderson

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Veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes hasn’t yet retired, he tells WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford. “I guess to be retired you have to file your papers,” says Gomes. “Before you file your papers you have to mentally be there. I’ll tell you what, 10 or 15 years from now, when I’m on my third job description and you asked me if I wanted to play I would probably say, ‘Yes.’ Painters paint, firefighters fight fires and baseball players play baseball.” Gomes played for the Braves and Royals in 2015, then briefly appeared with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2016. He says that, if his playing career were to come to an end, he might have interest in a job elsewhere in the game, be it in coaching, managing, scouting or in a front office position. Here are more quick notes from around the league.

  • Reds shortstop Zack Cozart missed the end of the season due to a knee injury, but says he expects to be healthy to start offseason workouts next month, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com writes. It’s not clear whether he’ll be returning to the Reds, however. “You know there are going to be rumors,” Cozart says. “I dealt with it at the Trade Deadline, and it was weird. Just like with [Jay Bruce], the Reds are all I’ve ever known. Hearing your name in rumors or possible trade scenarios is weird.” The 31-year-old Cozart has one year remaining before he’s eligible for free agency, and the Reds might benefit from clearing a regular spot for Jose Peraza to play. Cozart’s consistently strong defense and modest pop (he batted .252/.308/.425 with 16 homers in 508 plate appearances in 2016) ought to attract at least some trade interest, should the Reds go that route.
  • The Phillies have officially announced that they’ve parted ways with hitting coach Steve Henderson, as CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury tweeted yesterday. They will retain all their other big-league coaches. Henderson had been the Phillies’ hitting coach for the last four seasons, having previously served as hitting coach for the Astros and Rays. The Phillies struggled offensively in 2016, batting just .240/.301/.385 as a team and getting especially poor seasons from Cody Asche, Tyler Goeddel, Aaron Altherr, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Paredes.

Jonny Gomes Not Retiring

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9:15pm: WEEI’s Rob Bradford tweets that he spoke to Gomes himself tonight, who said that he is not retiring.

3:01pm: Veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes has decided to retire, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. The colorful performer hangs up his spikes after a 13-year run in the majors.

Aug 28, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves left fielder Jonny Gomes (7) reacts after getting a strike out after pitching in the ninth inning of their game against the New York Yankees at Turner Field. The Yankees won 15-4. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Gomes, 35, last appeared briefly in Japan, and was said to be hoping to catch on with another major league organization. A suitable opportunity has evidently failed to materialize, however.

Since his debut in 2003, Gomes has compiled a .242/.333/.436 batting line in just over 4,000 plate appearances. He was always at his best against left-handed pitching, of course, as he hung a lifetime .855 OPS on opposing southpaws.

Gomes ended up playing for seven clubs in the majors after opening up with the Rays. He spent six years in Tampa Bay before moving on to the Reds in 2009 via free agency. After a brief stint with the Nationals, Gomes hit his second wind in a strong 2012 campaign for the A’s.

That season in Oakland is probably when the game was fully introduced to the bearded, tattooed, high-spirited platoon man that Gomes will surely be remembered as. He hit full stride the following year with the World Series-winning Red Sox, playing an important role on the club that extended beyond his solid on-field contributions.

Gomes never really put it together from that point forward, though he did still have use against lefties over 2014-15, which he spent in Boston, back in Oakland, and then with the Braves and Royals. Those, it seems, will be the last seasons of his career.

While he wasn’t on the post-season roster for Kansas City last year, Gomes did memorably brandish a large American flag at the massive celebration following the team’s World Series victory. That added yet another enduring image for a player who played the game hard and with notable verve. MLBTR congratulates him an a memorable run.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jonny Gomes Leaves Japan, Hopes To Return To MLB

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Veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes has wrapped up his stint with Japan’s Rakuten Golden Eagles by “mutual consent,” Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. He is interested in opportunities with major league organizations, though Gomes acknowledges that he’s not really in position to sign onto a MLB roster.

“Yeah, I want to play,” he told Rosenthal. “I want to play when I’m 50 but I understand where I am and where the game is right now.”

Gomes did suggest that he can “bring way more to a team” than on-field performance, and there is little doubt that his celebrated clubhouse presence would help draw interest. But the 35-year-old struggled with Rakuten, putting up a .169/.280/.246 slash with 22 strikeouts in 75 plate appearances.

Of course, Gomes only ended up pursuing an opportunity abroad after battling through a pair of rough campaigns. Over 2014-15, he posted a collective .225/.321/.337 batting line in 583 trips to the plate with the Red Sox, Athletics, Braves, and Royals.

Though he did still hit lefties at an above-average clip, Gomes checked in below replacement level in both years. He’s never been a great fielder, and also took a step back on the bases in 2015.

At his best, Gomes is a lefty-mashing fourth outfielder who can hold his own against right-handed pitching. He’s also provided surprising value on the bases (albeit not in the stolen base department) while receiving plaudits for his influence as a teammate.

Jonny Gomes To Sign With Japan’s Rakuten Golden Eagles

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Veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes will sign a one-year, $2MM contract with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The MVP Sports client can also earn an additional $1MM worth of incentives, Rosenthal adds, and his contract contains a mutual option for the 2017 season as well.

Gomes expressed some frustration regarding the generally slow-moving nature of the free-agent market for position players this year when speaking to Rosenthal. “This is not how it’s supposed to be,” said Gomes. “It seems like the players are getting bullied. It’s February. These people are human beings. They have families. They’ve got to make plans. I’m not trying to get back at baseball by any means. But I’m not just going to hang around. What has changed since the end of September? It’s not like a guy is hot right now or in a slump.”

The 35-year-old Gomes is known for his strong clubhouse presence and ability to crush left-handed pitching, although his numbers versus lefties have tailed off in recent seasons. Though Gomes has batted a very solid .250/.363/.409 when holding the platoon advantage over the past three seasons, those numbers do pale in comparison to the .284/.382/.512 batting line he posted against lefties up through the 2012 season. This past year, Gomes split the season between the Braves and the Royals, batting a combined .213/.313/.347 in 262 plate appearances (.227/.371/.412 against lefties).

Gomes made clear to Rosenthal that he’s still planning on playing beyond the 2016 season, whether it’s in the Major Leagues or overseas. “This isn’t a farewell tour. This isn’t like my last year,” he told Rosenthal. “I have no plans of hanging it up. I can always come back or — if I take off over there — finish my career there.” Gomes also spoke about his excitement over adding another layer of experience to his resume with an eye toward coaching, managing or a career in broadcasting once his playing career is over.

Cafardo On Napoli, Victorino, Gomes

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Analytics have taken over baseball and not everyone is thrilled about it, as Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe writes in today’s column.

“I’ve seen so many good baseball men who will be pushed out of the game, and never be allowed back, to make room for some of the huge analytical departments that these teams employ now,” said an American League GM. “And the question we all have: Has this made the game better? I’m not sure the answer to that is yes.”

Cafardo also broke down MLB’s teams in a T-chart of “Analytical” vs. “Traditional” and the split appears to be roughly 50/50.  Interestingly, every team in the AL West is listed as an analytical club while the entire NL East is in the traditional column.

Here’s more from Cafardo:

  • There’s “some talk about” free agent Mike Napoli adding the catching position back into his arsenal, Cafardo writes.  Playing as a first baseman/outfielder in the second half of the season, Napoli helped restore his value by hitting .295/.396/.513 with five homers for the Rangers across 78 plate appearances.  Napoli would make sense as a right-handed-hitting complement to the club’s left-heavy lineup and GM Jon Daniels says that there is interest in a reunion.
  • Agent John Boggs told Cafardo that client Shane Victorino wants to play in 2016.  The agent added that Victorino is finally healthy and intends on getting back to switch-hitting.  The Flyin’ Hawaiian hit just .230/.308/.292 in 2015 in 204 combined plate appearances for the Red Sox and Angels.  Still, he’s only two years removed from his 2013 campaign in which he slashed .294/.351/.451 with 15 homers for Boston.
  • Jonny Gomes would love to be a manager some day, but not just yet. “They’ll have to rip the jersey off my back,” the 34-year-old said.  Last week, Gomes had his $3MM option declined by the Royals.  On paper, that’s not an unreasonable sum for a platoon outfielder that posted a .371 OBP and a .185 isolated power (slugging minus batting average) against lefties, but KC opted for greater payroll flexibility.  Gomes came to the Royals in an August deal with the Braves picking up half of his remaining salary.
  • In his short time with the Red Sox, newly-minted Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto turned in a detailed report on the Sox organization from top to bottom, according to Red Sox top exec Dave Dombrowski.  With that kind of intimate knowledge of the Sox, Cafardo speculates that it would make sense to watch for Mariners/Red Sox trade talks.
  • Some have theorized that ex-Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos will eventually become the GM of a Montreal franchise, whether it’s by expansion or the relocation of the Rays or A’s.  While that could be a fit, Cafardo writes that AA is very likely to get a job before that takes place.

Royals Exercise Options On Davis, Escobar; Gomes’ Option Declined

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The Royals announced on Thursday that they’ve exercised their $8MM club option over Wade Davis and their $5.25MM club option on Alcides Escobar. Veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes had his $3MM club option declined.

It’s a stretch to even say that the Royals faced a decision on either Davis or Escobar, as both of those contract options boiled down to little more than a formality. Each is an extremely affordable and reasonable rate for the value that player brings to the table, and there was never a doubt that either would return. Gomes’ option perhaps required a bit more thought, as $3MM for a platoon outfielder that posted a .371 OBP and a .185 isolated power (slugging minus batting average) against lefties seems at least somewhat reasonable, but Kansas City opted for greater roster and payroll flexibility.

Vesting Options Update

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With the regular season nearing its end, we have some clarity on several vesting clauses around the game. Let’s take a look at where things stand …

  • Chase Utley, Dodgers: There’s no chance that Utley’s $15MM option — the first of three in succession — will vest. (He’d need 110 plate appearances over the final two weeks of the season to reach 500.) Instead, Utley will become subject to a team option — the value of which floats between $5MM and $11MM based upon days spent on the DL. The precise details have yet to be reported, so it’s not yet clear how much it would cost Los Angeles to control the veteran. Neither is it known whether the team would have interest; Utley has a mediocre .200/.296/.347 slash over 108 plate appearances with the Dodgers.
  • Jonathan Papelbon, Nationals: This one was taken care of as part of the deal that sent Papelbon to D.C. from the Phillies. Papelbon helped facilitate the swap by agreeing to take $11MM to throw next year for the Nats. He was already likely to reach the requirements for his option to vest at $13MM, but that agreement greased the wheels on a move he desperately wanted and removed any doubt as to his payday.
  • David Ortiz, Red Sox: Big Papi has blown well past the 425 plate appearances he needed for his 2016 option to vest, though he’ll also need to pass an offseason physical. The question now is the value of the option. It has already reached $15MM, but would go higher if he makes his 600th trip to the dish. In that case, it will go to $16MM (or, if it’s more than that, the value of the qualifying offer). Ortiz has earned it, with another huge season and successful run at 500 career home runs.
  • Joaquin Benoit, Padres: Benoit needed to finish 55 games for to his $8MM option to vest. That can’t happen, so it’ll turn into a team option. It’s a fair sum for a reliever, but Benoit continues to put up strong results at 38 years of age.
  • Marlon Byrd, Giants: The 38-year-old sits at 502 plate appearances. He needs 48 more the rest of the way to reach 550 total, which, in combination with those accumulated last year, would be sufficient for his $8MM option to vest for 2016. With 13 games left, it’s still possible that he could reach the needed total, but that’ll depend heavily on playing time — and San Francisco may well not wish to be on the hook for that kind of cash.
  • Santiago Casilla, Giants: As MLBTR reported, Casilla needs 55 games finished for his $7.5MM option to vest for 2016. The situation is somewhat similar to Byrd’s. With 49 finished games in the bank so far, it’s still possible — but, perhaps, unlikely — for Casilla to reach the necessary tally.
  • Nori Aoki, Giants: Due to injuries, the outfielder is stalled well shy of the 550 plate appearances he needed to turn a $5.5MM club option into one of the mutual variety. That could still be an appealing price tag for a player who performed well when healthy.
  • Jonny Gomes, Royals: Gomes needs 325 plate appearances for a $3MM club option for 2016 to become guaranteed. He only has 246, and hasn’t been used much in Kansas City, so that’s not happening.

We already know that Cliff Lee won’t achieve the innings totals required for his 2016 option to vest, as the Phillies southpaw hasn’t pitched all season and is attempting to recover from a torn left flexor tendon without undergoing surgery.  Brandon League also hasn’t pitched this season and has been released by the Dodgers, so he won’t reach the games-finished total required to allow his 2016 player option to vest.

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