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NL Central Notes: Cardinals, Reds, Walker

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The Cardinals have overcome a lack of offense in recent years, but that needs to change going forward, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. GM John Mozeliak acknowledges that part of the club’s everyday lineup is in its decline phase, but also says that the greater portion carries “a lot more upside.” He says that the situation on offense needs improvement, but adds that he doesn’t believe “it’s as drastic as other people interpret it.” Goold takes a deep look at the team’s offensive struggles, and its options going forward, in a well-researched piece that deserves a full read.

Here’s more from the NL Central:

  • Many in the Reds’ baseball operations department believe the club should sell off veterans in an all-out rebuilding effort, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports on Twitter. There are varying levels of rebuilds, of course, and Olney says that a full-on Astros/Cubs-style tear-down could be under consideration. Cincinnati dealt away soon-to-be free agents last summer, but held onto its controllable veterans. The team has a variety of appealing talent, including some younger assets and well-established players like Aroldis Chapman, Todd Frazier, Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips, and Joey Votto.
  • The Pirates ought to bring back second baseman Neil Walker for one more year but shouldn’t explore an extension, Brian O’Neill of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette opines. MLBTR projects Walker to earn $10.7MM in arbitration, which could make him a trade candidate for the low-budget Bucs. But with one more season of arb eligibility remaining, says O’Neill, Walker lines up perfectly with the organization’s needs, as a rehabbing Jung-ho Kang and rising youngster Alen Hanson will soon be on the way. An extension, meanwhile, would mean far too great a commitment given Walker’s age and likely earning power, compared with the team’s needs.

Latest On Phillies’ GM Search

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The Phillies announced before the season that they were officially looking to rebuild, and the organization is currently hanging on to pole position in next year’s draft. With Andy MacPhail taking over as club president and Ruben Amaro Jr. being relieved of his duties as general manager, the organization is expected to find a numbers-savvy GM to guide the its development.

The latest on their search:

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Athletics AGM Dan Kantrovitz is receiving a second interview from the Phillies (Twitter link). There are others in the wave of second-round interviews as well. Kantrovitz interviewed for the Brewers’ GM slot before Milwaukee hired David Stearns. Kantrovitz has had two stints with the A’s and two with the Cards, serving in various capacities, including assistant GM, director of scouting and director of international scouting.
  • MacPhail told Zolecki that while it’d be ambitious to expect a hire before the Phillies’ organizational meetings begin next Monday, we shouldn’t dismiss the possibility that a hire could be announced later next week. Zolecki notes that Angels AGM Matt Klentak, who Zolecki previously reported to be a favorite, has had his first interview. MacPhail hired Klentak as the Orioles’ director of baseball operations back in 2008, making Klentak one of the game’s youngest execs. Zolecki also notes that Ng is not among MacPhail’s top candidates.

Earlier Updates

  • ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick spoke to someone familiar with the Phillies’ GM search that disputed the notion that Picollo has become the front-runner in the search (links to Twitter). Rather, he hears that owner John Middleton’s top preference is former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington. However, Crasnick reminds that Cherington has previously indicated that he does not want to dive right back into another GM opportunity. Crasnick also reported over the weekend (Twitter link) that Beinfest has been informed that he is no longer in the running for the position.
  • While the Phillies still have plans to interview about six more candidates, Royals assistant GM J.J. Picollo has emerged as a “heavy favorite” to become the next Philadelphia general manager, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). The New Jersey native has been connected to the Phillies’ opening previously, though it’s not exactly clear when he initially interviewed for the position. Picollo has held his current post with the Royals since 2008 and been in the organization since 2006. Prior to his time with the Royals, he spent seven years working for the Braves.
  • The Phillies have interviewed Cardinals director of player personnel Matt Slater for the position, reports MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince. Slater has been working in front offices for 20 years, beginning as the Orioles’ administrator of scouting from 1995-98, per his bio on the Cardinals’ web site. He also has served in various capacities with the Brewers, Angels and Dodgers in addition to consulting work with Nippon Professional Baseball’s Orix Buffaloes.

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Quick Hits: Harvey, Baker, Pohlad, Cardinals

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Both the Royals and Mets hold a 2-0 lead in their respective League Championship Series following the Mets’ 4-1 win over the Cubs in Game 2 of the NLCS tonight.  Five Mets pitchers (including Noah Syndergaard, who threw 5 2/3 innings) held Chicago to five hits in the game while Jake Arrieta struggled, allowing four runs in just five innings of work.  The NLCS has an off-day Monday as the scene shifts to Wrigley Field, while the Blue Jays will try to get on the board in Game 3 of the ALCS at Rogers Centre.  Some news from around baseball…

  • Matt Harvey’s excellent start in Game 1 of the NLCS should end any trade speculation surrounding the ace righty, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald writes.  The innings-limit controversy between Harvey, Scott Boras and the Mets in September led to rumors that the Mets could look to part ways with Harvey this winter, though his postseason performance has surely gone a long way to erasing any hard feelings.
  • Dusty Baker spoke to reporters (including MLB.com’s Barry M. Bloom) about his desire to return to a dugout.  Baker said his recent interview with the Nationals “was good” and apparently he cleared up some misconceptions the Nats might’ve had about him.  “People think they know you through word of mouth, but it’s somebody else’s opinion. I mean, they don’t really know you until you talk to somebody. Then, it’s like, ’Wow, I didn’t know you were like that,’ ” Baker said.  It doesn’t look like the Padres have an interest in Baker as their next manager, however, as he said he contacted San Diego “and they said, ’Thanks for the interest.’ That was the extent of it.”
  • Twins owner Jim Pohlad discusses several topics in an interview with LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, including Torii Hunter’s future, Paul Molitor’s rookie season as manager and how the club is responding to their return to respectability.  In regards to payroll, Pohlad said that “we’re willing to do whatever it takes,” though there are apparently some limits.  “I will tell you that I’m not a huge fan of long-term contracts. It’s having to commit for so many years and there’s really only downside to the club. There’s hardly any instances where it has been upside, across baseball,” Pohlad said.
  • That comment from Pohlad is parsed by 1500 ESPN’s Derek Wetmore, who notes that several of the Twins’ recent long-term deals aren’t projecting to end well.  Still, Wetmore doesn’t think Pohlad is absolutely against long-term deals as a rule, and perhaps the owner could be more interested in contracts for fewer years but with a higher annual average value.
  • While the Cardinals haven’t missed a beat in the standings, their offense has been in slow decline for a few seasons, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes.  The Cards’ lineup has been propped up by statistical anomalies (an incredible average with runners in scoring position in 2013, for instance) and their run differential has been inflated by their great pitching and defense.  Power has been a particular issue over the last two seasons, though it’s possible more pop could come from within once youngsters Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk grow more accustomed to the majors.

NL Notes: Heyward, Reds, Desmond

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The Cardinals need to re-sign impending free agent Jason Heyward, Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. Heyward’s traditional stats don’t jump off the page, but he makes a difference with his fielding, throwing and baserunning, says Hochman, who also points to Heyward’s age and clubhouse presence. The Cardinals aren’t showing their hand  yet, but they believe they have enough talent that they won’t let the situation with Heyward slow them down. “[H]istorically we’ve had that issue come up where are you held prisoner until you get something accomplished. The good news for us is I don’t think that’s the case here,” says GM John Mozeliak. “I think we have enough internal flexibility where we can still look to do other things and still accomplish what we need to do.” In a recent MLBTR Newsletter, Tim Dierkes examined 25 teams as potential suitors for Heyward, concluding that the teams most likely to sign him were the Yankees, Astros, Angels and Mariners along with the Cardinals. Here’s more from the National League.

  • The Reds have a long road ahead as they attempt to catch up with the Cardinals, Cubs and Pirates, writes Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The Reds need help offensively and won’t have much money with which to acquire it this offseason. “We have really, really stiff competition in our division,” says Joey Votto. “We can’t go in with a half effort because of how good those three teams are. … They’re good it seems at every aspect of the game. We have to exceed them.” Earlier this week, I looked for the Reds’ path forward as part of MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series.
  • After a down season in 2015, it looks highly unlikely shortstop Ian Desmond will re-sign with the Nationals, Chase Hughes of Nats Insider writes. The Nats won’t want to add another risky long-term contract, given that they already have the Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman deals on the books. And Trea Turner’s emergence gives them a potential replacement for Desmond at shortstop.
  • North Carolina State’s 2011 recruiting class has already produced Turner and Carlos Rodon, and four other players from that class were also drafted, as Baseball America’s Jim Shonerd notes. That kind of haul is noteworthy not only for the talent involved, but because NC State got all those players in the last year before the new CBA limited the abilities of teams to spend heavily on late-round draft picks. The Wolfpack had, for example, also recruited righties Jake Junis (who ended up signing with the Royals for $675K) and Jason Creasy (who signed with the Pirates for $250K).

NL Notes: Mets, Cubs, Schwarber, Almora, Cardinals

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The National League Championship Series is notable for its opposing forces: the young pitching of the Mets against the young bats of the Cubs. Indeed, that same dynamic has often been cited by observers as possible reason for those two clubs to match up on a trade. But Mets GM Sandy Alderson said today that the teams have never gained much traction in talks, as Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports on Twitter.

Here’s more from the National League:

  • One of the most interesting players in the NLCS is Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber, who was always known for his advanced bat but who has nevertheless exceeded expectations. As MLB.com’s Jim Callis explains, the team picked him much higher than expected because it believed in his bat, even if his positional outlook was foggy. He’s hit well enough that it doesn’t much matter where he ends up in the field, of course.
  • Another key Cubs prospect that has yet to reach the big leagues is center fielder Albert Almora. As Gordon Wittenmyer writes for Baseball America, the youngster turned around a disappointing season after receiving some strong words from a rehabbing Miguel Montero. It will be interesting to see how Almora’s development — Wittenmyer says he ought to crack Triple-A next year at age 22 — will impact Chicago’s offseason plans as current center fielder Dexter Fowler hits free agency.
  • The Cardinals will spend some time assessing their strategic approach after following a well-earned NL Central crown with an early post-season exit, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. GM John Mozeliak says he’ll be looking at the team’s deployment of reserves, acquisition of amateur players, and trade deadline approach. Some of those initiatives could be geared towards helping the club thrive in the post-season as much as it has in the regular season, though Mozeliak rejected the notion that it was really possible to do that. “When you do get there, there are elements of luck and timing in the postseason. We’ve been an example of that,” Mozeliak said. He further explained: “I don’t think there is a strategic plan that can make you change how you approach October. The fact is you have to get there first, and that’s how we think about building a club. Trying to reverse engineer an October strategy might be a little tougher. But food for thought.” In theory, at least, fatigue and injuries could be alleviated by a deeper roster, Goold writes, and Mozeliak gave indications that he’d be weighing such matters in preparation for the winter.

NL Notes: Russell, Asche, Rockies, Cardinals

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The Mets rode a big night from Daniel Murphy, a gutty performance from Jacob deGrom and strong relief work from Noah Syndergaard and Jeurys Familia to an NLDS victory over the Dodgers tonight. Here’s the latest from the Senior Circuit as the Mets celebrate their first NLCS appearance since 2006…

  • Addison Russell has been ruled out for the NLCS, as MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat writes. Russell, who suffered a mild hamstring strain when running out a triple in the NLDS, will be replaced by Javier Baez as the Cubs’ starting shortstop for the League Championship Series. Russell could be ready for the World Series, should the Cubs advance that far, and the Cubs are still deciding who to add to the NLCS roster to replace him. Muskat notes that one option is outfielder Quintin Berry, whose blistering speed would be a late-game asset and potential difference-maker for manager Joe Maddon in close games.
  • Cody Asche might be running out of time to prove himself with the Phillies, writes MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. Already forced to the outfield to make way for budding star Maikel Franco, Asche now sees the outfield picture growing a bit more crowded. Odubel Herrera has claimed the center field job, and Aaron Altherr’s strong play earned him a look in a corner. The Phillies will likely sign a veteran outfielder this winter, be it Jeff Francoeur or someone new, and top prospects Nick Williams and Roman Quinn will open next season at Triple-A. Asche, who hit .245/.294/.395 with a dozen homers this season, admits that he isn’t quite sure where he stands heading into spring training. “That’s the unanswered question,” he tells Zolecki. “I really think the answer lies within myself, and how I come out and play in Spring Training. It’s up to me to take advantage and force my way back into the lineup.”
  • Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post tackles a number of offseason topics in his latest mailbag column, including the possibility of a Carlos Gonzalez trade. Asked if the Rockies could move the remaining money on Jose Reyes’ deal by packaging him with CarGo, Saunders points out that doing so would require an acquiring club to take on $81MM over the next two seasons. The Rockies’ best hope at moving Reyes, he writes, is to eat a large chunk of his salary, but owner Dick Monfort doesn’t typically operate that way. Saunders also writes that he believes Tom Murphy will back up Nick Hundley next season before inheriting the starting role in 2017, at which point Murphy and Dustin Garneau could comprise Colorado’s catching tandem.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak will look for an upgrade over backup infielder Pete Kozma this winter, writes MLB.com’s Jen Langosch. As Langosch writes, manager Mike Matheny was hesitant to insert Kozma — an excellent fielder but very weak hitter — into the lineup over either Jhonny Peralta or Kolten Wong, possibly leading to each wearing down this year. Mozeliak will also look for more depth on the pitching staff, though he’s content with the internal starting options he has on the roster. Per Langosch, there will be “a shakeup” in the bullpen this winter, however.

Cardinals Notes: Heyward, Martinez, Moss, Bourjos, Matheny, Coaches

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The Cardinals’ 2015 season came to an end this week after the team fell to the division-rival Cubs in Game 4 of the NLDS at Wrigley Field. That means that club’s immediate focus now becomes the offseason, and the chief question with which St. Louis figures to be faced is whether or not the team can re-sign Jason Heyward. Whether or note Heyward remains in St. Louis is up for debate, but GM John Mozeliak made clear today that the Cards want to bring Heyward back into the fold on a long-term deal, writes MLB.com’s Jen Langosch. Heyward “was a tremendous fit on this club [and] did exactly what we wanted him to do,” said Mozeliak, who added that the team’s wait for a Heyward decision in free agency won’t handcuff its other offseason pursuits.

A few more notes on the Cards as they gear up for the winter…

  • Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch also has a breakdown of issues discussed by Mozeliak when talking to the media today. The GM gave good news when it comes to young right-hander Carlos Martinez, revealing that there are no plans for the 24-year-old to undergo surgery to repair his ailing shoulder. Rather, he’ll spend the offseason at the team’s spring complex in Jupiter, Fla. and go through what Goold terms a “more regimented” offseason under the guidance of the club’s training staff.
  • Also from Goold, the Cardinals have interest in bringing Brandon Moss back for at least a bench role. “Obviously Moss was someone we acquired because we like his power potential and we like his flexibility he gives you being able to play outfield or first,” said Mozeliak. “He’ll have a spot at some point.” The question facing the Cardinals when it comes to Moss, I’d imagine, is whether they can find a way to bring him back at a cheaper price. Moss earned $6.5MM in 2015 and is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $7.9MM in 2016. That seems too expensive for a part-time player with limited defensive upside.
  • Mozeliak was more vague when it came to the team’s interest in retaining outfielder Peter Bourjos. Acquired from the Angels alongside Randal Grichuk in the 2013-14 offseason, Bourjos has received inconsistent playing time and undergone hip surgery since his acquisition, either of which may have contributed to diminished performance. “As far as Peter goes, I don’t think it ever worked to the point where we were hopeful of,” Mozeliak explained. “That doesn’t mean we’re at the point to give up either. We’ll reassess and look at what our opportunities look like over the next six weeks or so.” Bourjos is projected to earn an affordable $1.8MM in arbitration, but with Matt Holliday, Grichuk, Stephen Piscotty, Jon Jay and Tommy Pham all in the fold, it’s certainly easy to envision him being traded to another club. (Moving Holliday to first base, Mozeliak said, isn’t a consideration.) A non-tender strikes me as unlikely, simply because Bourjos’ defensive ceiling is so high. A team in need of center field options such as the Brewers, Indians, Mariners or Padres would make some sense to me as a fit.
  • Tyler Lyons or Marco Gonzales could emerge as left-handed relief options in next year’s bullpen, according to Mozeliak (via Goold). The Cardinals like the idea of using either in the bullpen because they’d be less-specialized options than Randy Choate was over the past few seasons.
  • As Langosch notes, the team hasn’t made a decision on Jaime Garcia’s $11.5MM option, but the Cardinals feel he exceeded their expectations in 2015. “You think back to Garcia, and the impact that he made on our roster was extremely positive,” said Mozeliak. “If we were having this conversation in February, I don’t think any of us would have thought he was going to contribute, especially the way he did.” I’d expect the option to be exercised, especially considering Mozeliak’s August comments on Garcia.
  • Don’t expect many (or any) changes in the Cardinals dugout, as Goold writes that the entire coaching staff has been invited back for the 2016 season.
  • Bernie Miklasz of 101 ESPN examines the difficulties of managing in the social media era as part of a lengthy piece on manager Mike Matheny. While Miklasz notes that he has often been critical of Matheny himself, he also opines the onslaught of criticism Matheny received during the NLDS wasn’t necessarily deserved, as Matheny alone was not the reason for the Cardinals’ early exit from the playoffs.

Yadier Molina To Undergo Thumb Surgery

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Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina will undergo surgery to repair the ligament tear in his left thumb this afternoon, tweets MLB.com’s Jen Langosch. Following the operation, he’ll be shut down from all baseball activity for the next eight to 12 weeks, Langosch adds. This actually marks the second time that Molina has been sidelined for eight to 12 weeks by a torn ligament in his thumb, though the last instance came in the summer of 2014, and the injury was sustained in his right thumb, not his left.

Molina sustained his current injury in mid-September and sat out the final few weeks of the season but made an attempt to return in the playoffs. The 33-year-old appeared in three NLDS games against the Cubs but exited after a painful-looking swing in the third game and didn’t return for the decisive Game 4. Tony Cruz replaced him in each instance.

While Molina’s timeline for recovery will have him capable of getting up to speed with baseball activities sometime between early December and early January, his status is worth monitoring, as any meaningful setback could push his recovery closer to Spring Training.

Molina was having a down season at the plate even before injuring his thumb, as his .270/.310/.350 batting line paled in comparison to the .307/.355/.461 triple-slash that he logged in the four prior seasons. Then again, this marks the second consecutive season in which Molina has slugged under .400 and recorded an isolated power (slugging minus batting average) near or below the .100 mark. Both could be indicators of a decline in offensive production as the workhorse backstop enters his mid-30s, and of course the after-effects of a second hand surgery could impact his future production at the plate.

Nonetheless, Molina is about as well-regarded a defensive catcher as one can find throughout the game and should continue to carry that reputation moving forward. He caught more than 40 percent of opposing base stealers for the sixth time in seven seasons in 2015, and he again posted characteristically strong pitch-framing numbers, per StatCorner.com and Baseball Prospectus. Molina will earn $14MM in each of the next two seasons as part of a five-year, $75MM extension signed in Spring Training 2012. St. Louis also holds a $15MM option on Molina for the 2018 season, which comes with a $2MM buyout.

Cafardo On Cherington, Indians, Lackey

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The game is getting younger, but we saw plenty of older players make a difference in 2015, as Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes.  The list of impact vets starts off with Red Sox slugger David Ortiz who posted a .273/.360/.553 slash line with 37 homers, earning Cafardo’s “Old Guy of the Year” award.  Twins outfielder Torii Hunter was another older player who made his mark this year, though he may have had a stronger impact on his team off the field rather than on it.  That type of veteran leadership can be valuable for a younger team, Cafardo argues, and he hears from people within the Astros that they’ll be seeking a “older, Raul Ibanez type” in the winter.

Here’s more from today’s column..

  • Despite some speculation to the contrary, former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says that he has not interviewed for the Phillies’ GM role.  Cafardo writes that he seems “content to sit out the year and regroup.  Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports recently noted that Cherington isn’t likely to try to get a GM job this offseason, but the Phillies job could be appealing to him, since he and Phillies owner John Middleton both went to Amherst.  If Cherington does take a GM job, he’ll want it to be with people that he trusts.
  • Cafardo hears that the Indians will continue to try and move a starting pitcher for a hitter this offseason.  Cleveland seemed more willing to move Danny Salazar than Carlos Carrasco later in the season, Cafardo says, and The Boston Globe scribe identifies the 25-year-old as a potential trade chip.
  • One major league source tells Cafardo that Cardinals pitcher John Lackey could be a fit for the Cubs next season as a free agent.  After all, Theo Epstein signed Lackey as a free agent in Boston and the veteran hurler is close with Jon Lester.  Lackey, who turns 37 in a few weeks, pitched to a 2.77 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 33 regular season starts.
  • Cafardo cautions us not to expect Xander Bogaerts and the Red Sox to work out an extension this winter.  Agent Scott Boras isn’t one to do team-friendly deals and Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski tends to wait later in the arbitration process to discuss new deals.
  • D’Backs Chief Baseball Officer Tony La Russa offered up a strong endorsement of ex-Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, who is looking to repackage himself as a manager. “Ruben is a very smart baseball man,” La Russa said. “There’s no doubt in my mind he could be a very good major league manager. He’s an ex-player who understands the game.”
  • Tim Naehring, one of the Yankees’ top pro scouts, is a possibility to replace Billy Eppler as assistant GM in New York.  Brian Cashman adviser Jim Hendry and former big league outfielder Kevin Reese are other potential candidates for the role.

Injury Notes: Piscotty, Tulowitzki, Gomez, Drew

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Here’s the latest on some significant members of playoff contenders who are battling injuries down the stretch…

  • Stephen Piscotty has been diagnosed with a concussion following his scary outfield collision with Peter Bourjos on Monday.  Still, he passed his initial set of neurological tests and there is now optimism that Piscotty will be able to play again before the season is over, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes.  The rookie outfielder has already been cleared to fly with the Cardinals to Atlanta for their final series of the year.
  • Troy Tulowitzki could return to the Blue Jays lineup as early as Thursday’s game against the Orioles, the shortstop told reporters (including Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star).  Tulowitzki hasn’t played since September 12, when he suffered a small crack in his left scapula after colliding with center fielder Kevin Pillar while chasing a pop fly.
  • Carlos Gomez may return to the Astros lineup tonight, manager A.J. Hinch told Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquette on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (audio link).  Hinch is “not convinced [Gomez] is completely 100 percent” recovered from his left intercostal strain, but “it’s a risk worth taking” since the Astros are battling for their postseason lives.  Gomez played on Sunday and Monday as a pinch-runner and defensive sub, respectively, getting one plate appearance but laying down a sacrifice bunt.  A return to the lineup would obviously involve taking full swings, which worries Hinch a bit given the threat of re-injury.
  • Stephen Drew may have played his last game of 2015 after being hit with a deflected grounder earlier this month.  Drew has been sidelined since Sept. 22 and he tells Fred Kerber of the New York Post that he may have suffered a concussion and also a recurrence of a past inner-ear problem.  If Drew is indeed done for the year, it may also mark the end of his Yankees tenure, as the veteran infielder will be a free agent this winter.
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