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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.

Cardinals Activate Adam Wainwright

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TODAY: The Cardinals have officially activated Wainwright, creating a 40-man roster spot by placing Carlos Martinez on the 60-day DL.

TUESDAY: The Cardinals are set to activate right-hander Adam Wainwright from the 60-day DL, and he will be immediately available to pitch out of the bullpen, reports MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch (via Twitter). Of course, Wainwright will have to wait a bit longer to get into a game, as tonight’s contest between the Cardinals and Pirates has been postponed due to rain. St. Louis will need to make a 40-man roster move in order to accommodate Wainwright’s activation.

Wainwright pitched 25 innings for the Cardinals earlier this season before a ruptured Achilles landed him on the disabled list. The injury was believed to be season-ending in nature, but Wainwright has been on an accelerated rehabilitation program that will see him get healthy just in time for St. Louis’ postseason push.

The addition of Wainwright to the bullpen will be a late boost to a Cardinals team that has also lost pitchers Jordan Walden and Carlos Martinez as well as catcher Yadier Molina, though Molina could potentially return for the playoffs at this point. The Cardinals have yet to officially clinch the division, but they’re the overwhelming favorite to capture the NL Central crown, as they hold a four-game lead with five games to play.

Stephen Piscotty Leaves Game After Collision

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TUESDAY: Piscotty has been released from the hospital, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told Casey Stern and Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (audio link).  The outfielder “had a couple of bruises but overall everything checked out very clean.  He had a couple more tests today and things came back as positive as we could hope for, so that was very fortunate,” Matheny said.

MONDAY, 10:03pm: All tests Piscotty has undergone have been negative, the Cardinals have announced. He will stay at the hospital overnight.

8:45pm: Cardinals outfielder Stephen Piscotty has left this evening’s game against the Pirates after appearing to get hit in the head in a nasty collision. Piscotty and Peter Bourjos were both chasing a fly ball hit to left center field when Piscotty dove and appeared to strike his head hard against Bourjos’ knee. Piscotty was on the ground for several minutes afterwards and was then removed on a stretcher. He gave a small wave to fans at PNC Park as he was carted off. Jon Jay replaced him in left field.

The details of Piscotty’s injury aren’t yet known — the Cardinals announced he was diagnosed with a “head contusion,” but that he would undergo further tests. It would be very surprising if he didn’t miss significant time. Piscotty was pressed into duty due this season to a series of injuries to other Cardinals’ outfielders, and he’s had a terrific rookie year, batting .313/.365/.507 in 249 plate appearances.

Quick Hits: Redesign, Wainwright, Ausmus, Janish

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As MLB Trade Rumors nears its ten-year anniversary, I’ve decided to update the design for desktop and tablet users.  The changes are mostly aesthetic, but if you’re willing to take five minutes and send us feedback on the new look, I’d love to hear it.  Just drop me a line at mlbtrdata@gmail.com and I’ll send you a link where you can preview our new design.  I hope to roll it out within the next few weeks.  – Tim Dierkes

With that said, here’s some news from around the league…

  • Adam Wainwright’s return to the Cardinals is now pending only a doctor’s approval, writes MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch. Wainwright threw 27 pitches in a simulated game and faced six hitters, allowing a single but then retiring four hitters on strikeouts and a fifth via fly-out. Wainwright said that he felt like himself on the mound and called the session “incredibly uplifting.” Langosch notes that he also fielded grounders and tested his quickness on covering first base without issue. If all goes well, he could be activated not only for the postseason, but for the Cardinals’ upcoming regular-season series against the Pirates.
  • Via MLive.com’s Chris Iott, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus briefly spoke about the team’s decision to bring him back and his expectations for the 2016 season (video link). Ausmus said that after a conversation with GM Al Avila, he knew that reports suggesting he’d be fired didn’t come from him or owner Mike Ilitch. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that he spoke to someone close to Ron Gardenhire — a rumored candidate to replace Ausmus — and was told, “Just when you think you got it figured out, it always surprises you.”
  • The latest Q&A conducted by Fangraphs’ David Laurila is an excellent conversation with Orioles infielder Paul Janish — a longtime defensive wizard who has struggled to maintain consistent big league playing time due to his offensive deficiencies. Janish discusses with Laurila the rigors of playing in the minor leagues, the difficulty that being labeled presents (both mentally and in terms of getting future opportunities) and acceptance of his limitations. Janish believes that he can contribute to a big league club for at least another three to four years but admits that finding the right spot is more crucial for a player like him than it is others. I enjoyed Janish’s self-assessment and the insight into the experiences of less established stars that are perennially fighting for roster spots and would encourage all to check out the piece.

Quick Hits: Heyward, Red Sox, Utley, Reds

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Jason Heyward’s well-rounded game might best be appreciated by the “data-driven organization” that has watched him all season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes.  This might be why the Cardinals could go into team-record contract territory to re-sign Heyward this winter, and the club is indeed interested in bringing him back “though they recognize it might take another team (or more) to help frame negotiations.”  Goold writes that the Cards are open to the idea of including an opt-out clause in Heyward’s deal, which would allow the 26-year-old to potentially return to the open market in four or five seasons and score another big contract.

Here’s the latest from around baseball as we head into the last week of the regular season…

  • Heyward, for his part, tells Goold that how the Cardinals view players “is ideal for a player like myself….I’€™m trying to do anything to win and people see that. That’€™s what they care about. They’re not looking at overall statistics. There are a few (teams) that would fit me, and here is one of them. That stands out. For me, it stands out especially.”
  • Dave Dombrowski has retained many members of the Red Sox front office staff, which Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com writes was contrary to the public perception that Dombrowski was going to “blow up the organization” and restaff it with past colleagues.  Instead, Dombrowski has made a few changes (perhaps most notably the hiring of Frank Wren as a senior VP of baseball ops) but has mostly kept the well-regarded Sox personnel in place.  Promoting Mike Hazen from assistant GM to general manager underscores this continuity.
  • Chase Utley has been getting some time at third base for the Dodgers, which JP Hoornstra of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin notes both helps the Dodgers depth-wise and could help the veteran continue his career as a utility infielder in future seasons.
  • A reader asked John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter) if the Reds might pursue Alfredo Simon as a free agent innings eater.  Fay doesn’t see the team going down that path, but he thinks that they could consider Bronson Arroyo, another former Red, in a similar role.  After missing all of 2015 recovering from Tommy John surgery, Arroyo will likely have his 2016 option bought out by the Dodgers and he’ll be available on the open market.
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