Quick Hits: Cubs, Piniella, Orioles, Beltran, Scherzer
Cubs prospect Albert Almora declared 12 years ago his intention to become a major league star, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune writes. "I'm a quiet kid, just go out and do what I have to do. I like to just shut up and not say anything, let my game do the talking. It has worked so far," Almora says. The Cubs took the outfielder sixth overall in last year's draft, and though Almora missed time this year with injuries, he's six for 10 with five runs and six RBIs in two Arizona Fall League games. On to more Saturday night links…
- Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune spoke with former Stanford assistant coach Dean Stotz about A.J. Hinch, whom the Cubs are reportedly considering for their open manager position. While Hinch struggled during his previous tenure as manager of the Diamondbacks, Stotz, who coached Hinch in college at Stanford, praised his scouting and player development acumen and predicted that the next team that hires him "will be pleased."
- The Mariners' purported interest in Lou Piniella for their manager vacancy was overblown, Ryan Divish of The News Tribune reports. A team source tells Divish that there was no "full-court press" to bring Piniella back.
- Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun has more on Manny Machado's upcoming knee surgery, reporting that the Orioles initially hoped to rehab the tear to the third baseman's medial patellofemoral ligament but decided that doing so could result in a higher chance of an injury in the future. “The surgery is universally very successful in returning players back to play, including baseball players," Daryl Osbahr, the director of sports medicine research at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, commented.
- The time may be right for Cal Ripken Jr. to accept a managing job outside of Baltimore, Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun writes. Buck Showalter has a long-term deal in place as the Orioles' manager, providing cover from fan backlash for both the team and Ripken if the O's legend decides to manage another club. Ripken has been connected to the Nationals in recent days.
- Mutual need for outfield production may lead to a bidding war between the Mets and the Phillies for Carlos Beltran, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News says. The Mets have money to spend and will look to improve upon an outfield that posted the worst OPS in the NL, while the Phillies may target Beltran, a switch hitter, for their lefty-heavy lineup, Murphy says.
- Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III discussed his team's success and the support it receives from St. Louis in an interview with MLB.com
- The Tigers may have to decide between keeping Max Scherzer for one more year or signing Miguel Cabrera to a new extension, according to Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz has projected that Scherzer will make $13.6MM this offseason in his final year of arbitration. Recent reports suggest that the Tigers will consider trading Scherzer in the offseason.
AL Notes: Piniella, Rangers, Yankees, Hardy, Flaherty
As the A's and Tigers battle to see who will face off against the Red Sox for the American League crown, let's check in around the league …
- The Mariners went to former manager Lou Piniella in hopes that he would come out of retirement and take over the club, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The longtime skipper declined, however, leaving the M's with a long list of remaining possibilities to work through. Now 70, Piniella was on board for the franchise's best years in the mid-90's and early-aughts. As Rosenthal notes, he is the only Seattle manager to have stayed at the helm for more than four seasons, or to have drawn up a lineup card for a post-season game.
- Meanwhile, the Rangers are all set at the top but are working through a series of internal shifts in the lower levels of the field staff and front office. In the dugout, manager Ron Washington and GM Jon Daniels are preparing to hire a bench coach and first base coach, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Candidates for the former include former managers Eric Wedge and Jim Tracy. Among those wearing dress socks rather than stirrups, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports, a broader restructuring is underway.
- Those expecting a full-blown Yankees collapse may be somewhat naive, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney (subscription required). The club still has real talent on its roster and will, as ever, be able to exercise its unmatched financial muscle. Indeed, as I recently noted, the Yanks' current payroll commitments are still well short of the club's historical levels, or even the $189MM luxury tax threshold. At present, the Bombers are obligated for $89MM next year (only seventh-highest league-wide), just under $70MM for 2015 and 2016, and $26MM in 2017.
- For the AL East-rival Orioles, Manny Machado's just-announced surgery could provide additional impetus for an extension of shortstop J.J. Hardy. The Orioles should do just that, says Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com. Another three-year extension is not out of line, in Dubroff's opinion. Hardy, 31, is entering the final season of a three-year, $21MM deal he inked with the O's in July 2011. He had yet another strong campaign in 2013, putting up a .263/.306/.433 line with 25 home runs and receiving excellent defensive reviews.
- One possible temporary fill-in for Machado, utilityman Ryan Flaherty, was a rare Rule 5 draftee to make it in the bigs, Dubroff writes. The 27-year-old was a valuable contributor this year for Baltimore, netting 1.0 bWAR and 1.4 fWAR in 271 plate appearances while logging time all over the diamond. He will play for the league minimum again in 2014.
NL West Notes: Kemp, Price, CarGo, Tulo, Gray
The Dodgers announced this week that Matt Kemp underwent surgery to repair the A-C joint in his left shoulder. Kemp, who was ruled out for the postseason due to an ankle injury, is expected to be ready for Spring Training, at which point the Dodgers will possess an interesting outfield logjam due to the presence of Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier. Here's more out of the NL West…
- On yesterday's Baseball Tonight Podcast, ESPN's Buster Olney told colleague Tim Kurkjian that the Dodgers are expected to be the most aggressive team in pursuing a trade for David Price this offseason. A Price acquisition would give the Dodgers an unthinkably dominant front four of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Price and Hyun-jin Ryu. Olney also names the Mariners and Rangers as possibilities, though he questions whether or not Price would want to sign an extension in Seattle.
- Rockies owner Dick Monfort says Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki are staying put, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. "The plan is to keep them. Next year, yes. And my plan is to always keep them," Monfort said. "Is that the smartest thing in the world to do? I don't know. But for our fans I think it's the best thing to do."
- Monfort also noted to Renck that the Rockies' payroll is expected to rise from this year's mark of $83.7MM to the $90-95MM range in 2014. He would like the team to add a starting pitcher and another big bat this offseason. MLBTR's Zach Links recently looked at the club's needs in the Colorado installment of the offseason outlook series.
- MLB.com's Jim Callis called Rockies 2013 first-rounder Jonathan Gray "the class of the 2013 draft," saying that he has a higher ceiling than that of fellow Top 3 picks Mark Appel (Astros) and Kris Bryant (Cubs). Callis notes that the Rockies have had trouble developing pitching, but opines that Gray has clear ace potential and could reach the Majors in a hurry.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Henry Blanco Elects Free Agency
THURSDAY: Blanco cleared waivers, declined his outright assignment and has elected free agency, the Mariners announced on Twitter.
TUESDAY: To make room for the newly-acquired Travis Witherspoon on the 40-man roster, the Mariners announced that they have designated catcher Henry Blanco for assignment.
Blanco, 42, slashed just .125/.215/.240 in 107 big league platea appearances this season. Blanco joined Seattle in June, just days after he was cut loose by the Blue Jays. Over 16 years in the majors, the well-traveled veteran owns a .223/.288/.361 line with the Cubs, D'Backs, Braves, Brewers, Twins, Mets, Rockies, Dodgers, Padres, Mariners, and Blue Jays.
To keep track of Blanco and other players in DFA limbo, check out MLBTR's DFA Tracker.
Offseason Outlook: Seattle Mariners
The Mariners could add a piece or two, but they're more than just a trade or free agent signing away from contention. Breakout performances from young players hold the key to the team's success in 2014.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Felix Hernandez, SP: $150MM through 2019
- Hisashi Iwakuma, SP: $7.5MM through 2014
- Danny Hultzen, SP: $2.95MM through 2016 (split contract)
- Dustin Ackley, UT: $1.7MM through 2014 (inc. signing bonus)
Arbitration Eligible Players
- Justin Smoak, 1B: (3.113): $2.8MM
- Michael Saunders, OF: (3.138): $2MM
Contract Options
- Franklin Gutierrez, CF: $7.5MM ($500K buyout)
- Joe Saunders, SP: $8.3MM mutual option ($900K buyout)
Free Agents
The 2013 Seattle Mariners struggled at both run production and run prevention. While those are common characteristics of bad teams, this year’s Mariners squad was perhaps doubly disappointing in that many of the high-upside players the team expected to take steps forward failed to do so. GM Jack Zduriencik, who quietly signed a one-year extension that wasn't reported until much later in the season, will likely focus his offseason evaluations on which of his young players have earned a spot on the 2014 Opening Day roster. That roster will be led by a new manager, as Eric Wedge has said he will not return to the team.
If there’s a common thread to the Mariners’ struggles under Zduriencik, it’s an inability to score runs, and 2013 was no different. The club’s much-discussed decision to move in the outfield fences before the season didn’t produce the expected offensive gains, as Seattle’s total of 624 runs barely surpassed its 619-run tally from 2012. When Zduriencik sits down this winter to examine his roster for weak links on offense, first baseman Justin Smoak is likely to jump out as being part of the problem. It’s tempting to call his .238/.334/.412 line a step forward, but Smoak hit just .203/.294/.392 in the second half, results that are more in line with his career numbers. Put simply, Smoak’s upside is waning. He’ll turn 27 in December, and he’s approaching the 2,000 plate appearance mark with just a .227/.314/.386 career line. He likely gets another shot in 2014, if only because penciling Smoak in at first and hoping he can deliver on his promise probably gives the club a better shot at contention than what could be expected from a one-year stopgap solution. However, if the Mariners are hanging around near the bottom of the AL in runs scored at the All-Star break next year, continued underperformance from Smoak may be one reason why.
Dustin Ackley disappointed again, hitting just .253/.319/.341, but he came on strong in the second half with a .304/.374/.435 triple slash. That’s much more like the player the Mariners thought they were getting when they selected Ackley second overall in 2009. He also showed the ability to play a competent second base, and may vie with Nick Franklin for the starting job in spring training. Ackley’s likely to continue to get plate appearances next year regardless, as the Mariners could also use him in the utility-type role that he took on for much of 2013.
Zduriencik was brought in with a reputation as a player development guru, and though the Mariners have yet to develop a superstar under his tenure, Brad Miller’s 2013 performance is reason for optimism. His .265/.318/.418 line in a half-season of play is downright impressive for a shortstop in today’s game. Franklin was another bright spot. The 2009 first-rounder posted a strong 10.2% walk rate and .157 isolated power in his first taste of the majors, though he cooled off after a hot June. If Miller and Franklin can build on their 2013 performances, the team’s woeful offensive projection improves considerably. Elsewhere around the infield, Kyle Seager has nailed down the third-base job after posting a total of 7 fWAR between 2012 and 2013. The Mariners may need to look outside the organization for catching help, as Mike Zunino struggled after his June callup and could likely use more time in the minors. If so, a one-year deal for a glove-first backstop may be in order.
Zduriencik has already indicated he plans to extend Kendrys Morales a qualifying offer, but Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported recently that Morales is likely to reject the offer in search of a multi-year deal. That doesn't mean Morales won't end up with the Mariners anyway, as the team apparently isn't ruling out going beyond one year for him. In fact, the Mariners may still be the most likely landing spot for Morales, as it doesn't seem likely that another club would be willing to forgo its first-round draft pick to sign him. His .277/.336/.449 line in 2013 is solid but underwhelming for a player likely limited to a full-time DH role.
Projecting Morales as Seattle's 2014 DH means Jesus Montero no longer has a viable path to the Opening Day roster. The Mariners appear to have given up on him as a catcher, and Smoak is likely to retain the first base job. While we’d be remiss to write him off entirely, he’ll likely have to play his way onto the big league club after a 2013 campaign marred by poor performance, injury and a suspension in connection with the Biogenesis scandal.
Zduriencik can add by subtracting in the outfield. Raul Ibanez helped prop up the Mariners’ flailing attack in 2013, belting 29 home runs, but his -17.1 UZR suggests that he’s a major defensive liability in left field. He ended the year at exactly zero fWAR despite all those homers. If the team commits to Morales at DH, there likely isn’t room on the roster for another all-bat, no-glove type. Improving on the 2013 Mariners’ MLB-worst -73 team UZR should be a major priority for the front office this winter.
Michael Saunders should return to the outfield despite taking a step back this year, while Franklin Gutierrez's future with the club is less certain. After missing significant time again in 2013, Gutierrez completed the guaranteed portion of the four-year, $20.25MM deal he signed with Seattle in 2010 having played in just 325 games. The club may choose to decline his $7.5MM option for 2014 and try to negotiate a deal with a lower salary. Overall, the outfield stands out as the area with the largest potential for improvement for the Mariners. The team was crippled in 2013 by below-replacement-level performances from veterans like Jason Bay (236 PA, -0.2 fWAR), Mike Morse (307 PA, -1.2 fWAR) and Endy Chavez (279 PA, -1.3 fWAR). If ownership is willing to spend – and the Mariners’ reported pursuit of Josh Hamilton last winter suggests that they might be – Scott Boras beckons with Jacoby Ellsbury and Shin-Soo Choo. Otherwise, Curtis Granderson isn’t likely to require as steep of a commitment after sitting out much of 2013 with injuries, while Nate McLouth would come cheap and could provide defense and walks from a corner outfield spot.
If you’re wondering how a team with both Hisashi Iwakuma and Felix Hernandez on staff managed to allow the fifth-most runs among MLB clubs, look no further than the struggles of Aaron Harang (5.76 ERA, 120 1/3 IP) and Joe Saunders (5.26 ERA, 183 IP). As is the case with Bay and other veterans in the outfield, replacing those innings with merely average performances would make the Mariners a significantly better team in 2014. Those may be found among the litany of pitchers potentially available on one-year deals – Phil Hughes, for instance, would be a bounceback candidate away from the short porch in Yankee Stadium. Brandon Maurer also dragged down the staff with his 6.30 ERA in 90 innings, but he’s just 23 years old and posted relatively strong peripheral numbers, so he’s likely to remain in the conversation. Taijuan Walker and James Paxton showed signs that they may be able to give the club a boost in 2014.
Zduriencik will look to make major upgrades to the bullpen after the unit posted a 4.58 ERA in 2013, good for 29th in the majors. A full season of the good version of Danny Farquhar – the one who posted a 2.23 ERA in 32 1/3 second-half innings – in the back of the bullpen will go a long way toward achieving that goal. Charlie Furbush should also be back with his big strikeout totals and strong numbers against lefties. The Mariners will have to decide if they want to try to re-up with Oliver Perez, who could be in line for a raise from his $1.5MM 2013 salary after posting a 3.74 ERA in 53 innings. With a 5.49 ERA in 59 innings, Carter Capps looks to be headed for a minor league assignment, but his 18.8% HR/FB ratio suggests he was victimized by bad luck. Tom Wilhelmsen may hang around given his past success in the team’s closer role, but should be on a short leash after walking more than five batters per nine innings in 2013.
Despite a disappointing year, expect the Mariners’ Opening Day lineup in 2014 to look much like the one that closed out the 2013 season. Ownership could approve a big splash in free agency, but if the Mariners climb into contention in 2014, it will be the blossoming of young players like Walker, Ackley and Miller that pushes them there.
Quick Hits: A’s, Morse, Mariners, Abreu, Braves
As the Athletics get ready for Game 5 against the Tigers, owner Lew Wolff is embroiled in a different battle with the Giants for the right to move his team to San Jose. Wolff goes way back with commissioner Bud Selig, but that won’t play a major role in the proceedings. “Well, we were in the same fraternity,” Wolff told Bob Nightengale of USA Today, “but Bud was there to get an education. I was there to have a good time. Bud was involved in so many intramural events, there wasn’t a game or sport he missed. Of course, he was a spectator. I don’t remember him playing any of it.” More from around baseball..
- The Orioles believe that Mike Morse‘s injury “pre-dated” their summer trade with the Mariners, but it’s not an issue they’re pursuing, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link). Morse is a pending free agent this winter after posting a combined slash line of .215/.270/.381 with 13 homers this past season.
- The Mariners‘ have a long list of managers that they might pursue this winter, but Joe Girardi is not among them, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. While they surely believe that Girardi is a strong skipper, they know that they won’t be able to compete with the allure of the Yankees or Cubs openings. Three names believed to be on the list are A’s coach Chip Hale, Giants coach Ron Wotus, and newly-minted Phillies third base coach Pete Mackanin.
- A high-ranking Mets official told the Star-Ledger’s Jorge Castillo that scouts came away “impressed” with Jose Dariel Abreu’s power after watching him in Santo Domingo last week.
- There is no telling how the NL East will shake out, but the Braves could be contenders without making a single offseason move, opines Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
- The Rockies announced today that Jorge de la Rosa had his option picked up for 2014, but the pitcher says that he was already assured that it would be exercised last week, writes Rafael Rojas Cremonesi for MLB.com.
Kendrys Morales Expected To Reject Qualifying Offer
Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik recently said that the team will "definitely" make a qualifying offer to designated hitter/first baseman Kendrys Morales this winter, and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that Morales will likely reject that offer in search of a multi-year deal on the free agent market.
Morales isn't ruling the Mariners out as a potential landing place on a long-term deal, writes Heyman, nor are the Mariners ruling out agreeing to a multi-year pact with Morales. That may still be the most likely outcome, as Morales' defensive limitations and solid but unspectacular stats may not be a package that teams are anxious to surrender a draft pick to acquire. Last winter, Adam LaRoche struggled to find a lengthy deal after being tied to draft pick compensation, and he was coming off a .271/.343/.510, 33-homer season. Morales, in contrast, hit .277/.336/.449 with 23 home runs, though he's three and a half years younger than LaRoche.
The Mariners showed interest in an extension for Morales over the summer, but he and agent Scott Boras had an asking price that was high enough to prevent the team from even extending a formal offer.
Mariners Claim Travis Witherspoon
The Angels announced that outfielder Travis Witherspoon has been claimed off waivers by the Mariners (Twitter link). Witherspoon had a down year in Double-A, hitting .214/.299/.342 in 129 games this past season.
The 24-year-old was once thought to be a high upside prospect for the Halos but health issues last season and poor production this season have hurt his stock. Witherspoon isn't too far removed from a time where he drew comparisons to Padres outfielder Cameron Maybin, notes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (on Twitter).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Quick Hits: Athletics, Mariners, Beltran
Even as the Athletics square off against the Tigers at the O.co Coliseum, the organization is working on stadium issues on multiple fronts. Wendy Thurm of Fangraphs has a blow-by-blow of yesterday's federal court hearing on MLB's efforts to dismiss the suit filed against it by the City of San Jose. Somewhat ironically, neither the A's themselves nor the city of Oakland are parties to that suit. Those two entities, meanwhile, are still negotiating a renewal of the club's expiring lease on the much-maligned ballpark; Will Kane of the San Francisco Chronicle has the latest on that score. Here are a few more notes on a quiet Saturday morning …
- Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik is in no particular rush to fill the club's surprise manager vacancy, the Associate Press reports (via the Boston Herald). Set to begin his third search since taking the helm in 2008, the general manager says he has yet to start in earnest and will take his time doing so. "Until we get to a point where I feel comfortable with all of the names that we have and maybe some of the clubs are out of the playoffs we might have interest in," said Zduriencik, "I won't even begin the process."
- One-time Mets star outfielder Carlos Beltran is not ruling out a return to New York, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter), and that possibility may have improved with an All Star game meet-up between Beltran and team COO Jeff Wilpon. From the Mets' perspective, Puma further tweets, the team is interested but wary of Beltran's apparent defensive decline. We owe a tip of the hat to MetsBlog, whose Michael Baron comments that he isn't sure Beltran is an everyday outfielder at this point. MLBTR's Charlie Wilmoth recently compared Beltran to Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz, with MLBTR readers indicating a strong (69.3%) preference for the former.
Quick Hits: Wainwright, D’Backs, Hultzen, Royals
The Cardinals rolled to a 9-1 win over the Pirates in Game One of their NLDS series today, as A.J. Burnett allowed seven runs in just two innings while Adam Wainwright allowed a run on three hits over seven innings. Pittsburgh has had to deal with Wainwright as a division rival for years yet MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch (via Twitter) points out that Wainwright could've been a Pirate 13 years ago. The Bucs were preparing to take Wainwright as an outfielder in the second round (with the 59th overall pick) of the 2000 draft, but the Braves took Wainwright 29th overall and the rest is history.
Here are some more news items as we look ahead to Friday's ALDS series openers…
- Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers said his team will look for a left-handed bat this offseason, MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports, and that next hitter will likely come in a trade. "We're going to look at free agents, but I think this is one of the weaker free-agent markets I've seen in some time, so that might lead us toward looking at trade partners more," Towers said.
- Mariners southpaw Danny Hultzen underwent left shoulder labrum and rotator-cuff surgery on Tuesday and could miss the entire 2014 season while recovering, Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times reports. MLB.com ranked Hultzen as the 18th-best prospect in the sport in the site's preseason rankings, while Baseball America (#29) and ESPN's Keith Law (#66) also thought highly of the 23-year-old lefty. Hultzen was the second overall pick of the 2011 draft and was quickly moving up the Seattle farm system, posting a 2.05 ERA, 4.86 K/BB and 10.0 K/9 in six Triple-A starts last season.
- Some of the flaws of the new collective bargaining agreement can be seen in the case of the Royals, ESPN's Keith Law (Insider subscription required) argues, as small-market teams who finish just shy of the postseason are somewhat "punished" by the system.
- Andy Martino of the New York Daily News looks at which players in the postseason could be targets for the Yankees or Mets in free agency or the trade market this winter. Some players could fit on either club, such as Ricky Nolasco. Martino says the Mets "tossed around" Nolasco's name when discussing a Giancarlo Stanton trade with the Marlins last spring.