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Blue Jays Acquire Arnold Leon

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The Blue Jays have acquired righty Arnold Leon from the Athletics, Oakland announced via press release. Toronto will send cash or a player to be named to the A’s.

Leon, 27, was designated recently by Oakland. He reached the majors for the first time last year, putting up 26 1/3 innings of 4.39 ERA pitching with 6.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. He has averaged better than one strikeout per inning at Triple-A over the last several years, though he’s also permitted more than four free passes per nine at that level.

Quick Hits: Free Agents, Pompey, Yankees

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Here’s some news from around baseball as we wrap up the first weekend of 2016…

  • “So many teams have spent their money on pitching that they don’t have much left for hitting,” an executive tells John Perrotto of TodaysKnuckleball.com in explaining why so many of the biggest free agent bats are still available.  This could mean that some of the notable names may end up for signing than less than expected due to lack of a hot market.  Then again, the inverse could also be true — an unexpected trade or injury could suddenly create a suitor willing to pay top dollar to fill a lineup need.  Perrotto’s piece also includes his guesses about where 10 of the top remaining free agents will land.
  • The Angels, Giants, Cardinals, Orioles and White Sox seem to be the teams most poised to make a big move or two in January, MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince writes.
  • Dalton Pompey is an important depth piece for the Blue Jays in 2016 and a big part of their future outfield plans, MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm writes as part of a reader mailbag.  Given Ben Revere’s rising arbitration price tag and the fact that Jose Bautista is a free agent next winter, Pompey may be called upon as a regular in 2017, so Chisholm doubts the Jays would make Pompey a trade chip unless they’re able to obtain a big return.  While Pompey hasn’t shown much in limited MLB action, he’s also just 23 and a year removed from being a consensus top-50 (or better) prospect.
  • Also from Chisholm’s piece, he lists the 11 member of the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster who are out of options, with outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, catcher A.J. Jimenez, and righty relievers Steve Delabar and Chad Jenkins standing out as “ones to watch” on the roster bubble.  The Jays would ideally like to use Jimenez in Triple-A while Carrera, Delabar and Jenkins will be in the mix for jobs on the Opening Day roster.
  • In another reader mailbag, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch addresses the idea of whether or not the Yankees could retain the likes of Alex Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira or Carlos Beltran on one-year contracts after their expensive multi-year deals expire within the next two seasons.  Hoch feels it’s probably a longshot for any of them to remain in New York since the team wants a younger team and more roster flexibility — Greg Bird and Aaron Judge are poised to replace Teixeira and Beltran, for instance.  Sabathia may be the best candidate to be retained given how expensive pitching is, though that also may be unlikely given Sabathia’s ongoing knee issues.

Quick Hits: Shapiro, Kendrick, Chapman, Parra

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Mark Shapiro’s tenure as president of the Blue Jays hasn’t exactly been met with a full embrace by the team’s fans, but he tells John Lott of the National Post that he’s focused on the job at hand rather than worrying about criticism. “I think it’s just inefficient for me to spend a lot of time and energy on that,” says Shapiro. “What I think fans ultimately want is for me to work for this team and make it as good as it can possibly be. If I spend my energy worrying about how to be popular, it’ll be time away from doing the job. That’s not what I’m going to do.” The piece offers a lengthy and interesting look at the veteran executive, and is well worth a full read.

Here are a few more stray notes from around the game:

  • When asked about free agent second baseman Howie Kendrick today, Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi said that the organization “feel[s] pretty set” at the position at this point, as Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets. The Dodgers will utilize Chase Utley and Kike Hernandez there, he said, indicating that there’s little reason for the club to pursue a reunion with Kendrick. Otherwise, per Zaidi, the team could still add another starter and is “still evaluating” its options in the bullpen (via J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles News Group, on Twitter).
  • Zaidi also addressed the Dodgers’ reported deal with the Reds for Aroldis Chapman, via another Shaikin tweet. Los Angeles wasn’t “comfortable making the move” and “moved on” after allegations of a domestic dispute involving Chapman surfaced.
  • Unsurprisingly, Gerardo Parra is expected to wait to sign until the top of the outfield market sheds some names, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. He is still drawing interest from the Royals, Nationals, Giants, and Angels, per the report.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post takes a broader look at the outfield market and wonders what teams could be readying to spring. The Nats top his list, followed by four AL clubs: the White Sox, Orioles, Tigers, and Angels. I agree with Sherman’s assessment that the market will still likely pay these players, as I recently wrote. As an anonymous GM told Sherman: “You will have some owners soon say, ‘Wow, we can have this guy rather than what we have now.’ That is when the aggressiveness comes back in.”

Scott Boras On Free Agency, Davis, Span, CBA

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Earlier today, super agent Scott Boras joined MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM to discuss the state of the free agent market. Here are a few highlights:

  • While there are a variety of notable names still available in free agency Boras suggests that isn’t any cause for concern for those players. As he put it: “in free agency, I’m not sure you can put a calendar on it.” Boras went on to note that, of the $1.6B or so in free agent spending thus far, about $1.2B has gone to pitching. If you’re interested in more details on the current market setting, we broke down the spending to date and the outlook for still-unsigned players in a post yesterday.
  • While he attributed the big starting pitching salaries this year to a natural reflection of last year’s Max Scherzer contract, Boras says there has been a “definite advance in the relief market.” He attributes that observation to a copycat phenomenon as teams seek to emulate the success of the Royals.
  • As for his own clients that still remain on the market, Boras called slugger Chris Davis a “rare opportunity.” That’s due in large part to his undeniable power, but also — per Boras — because he can hit opposing lefties and provides more defensive versatility than one might think. Interestingly, Boras also noted that several American League East clubs (the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Yankees) are presently reliant on aging power sources that will hit free agency or retirement in the near future — hinting that those teams should be considering Davis not only for his immediate impact but also future organizational need.
  • Boras also discussed center fielder Denard Span, who he says is recovering nicely from hip surgery. Some teams have already “been down to see him,” said the agent. He adds that he expects Span to find a deal “in the very near future.”
  • While there were other topics of conversation as well, Boras also fielded an interesting question regarding what issues his clients see as having primary importance in the coming year’s CBA negotiations. Boras focused in on the qualifying offer system and limitations on draft spending, which he tied together by citing the obvious value that teams place on top selections.

 

 

AL East Notes: Boggs, Yankees, Orioles, Anthopoulos, Jays

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The Red Sox announced yesterday that they will retire the No. 26 in honor of Wade Boggs on May 26 of the upcoming season. Boggs, now 57, spent the majority of his career donning a Red Sox uniform. The 2005 Hall of Fame inductee debuted as a rookie with the Sox back in 1982 and played there through 1992, hitting .338/.428/.462 and winning five batting titles (in a span of six years) in his 11 seasons with the club. He’ll join the likes of Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Johnny Pesky, Pedro Martinez, Bobby Doerr and Joe Cronin as part of Red Sox lore.

Here are some more notes from the AL East…

  • The Yankees are seeking an inexpensive rotation option, writes George A. King III of the New York Post. Per King, the club hopes to land a young starter via trade or add a rotation option on a minor league deal with an invite to Major League Spring Training. The Yankees, he adds, aren’t involved in the free-agent market at any position at this point. King notes that the Yankees continue to insist that Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, Greg Bird and Jorge Mateo aren’t available in trade, but adding a controllable arm to their rotation mix without parting with said prospects will be a difficult task. As such, it seems to me that adding some veteran arms on minor league deals is a likelier route. A pair of speculative names that would seem to me to be fits: Chad Billingsley and Wandy Rodriguez.
  • Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun doesn’t believe that the Orioles will go beyond three years in their efforts to land a free-agent starting pitcher. While they’ve been connected to Yovani Gallardo and Scott Kazmir, both are seeking four-year pacts. Encina notes that Ubaldo Jimenez is the only free-agent starter the O’s have ever signed to a four-year deal. (Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Orioles are still in the mix for both Gallardo and Kazmir, among other pitchers). Encina also notes that there’s nothing imminent on the Chris Davis front, and the Orioles remain unwilling to up their offer from the reported seven-year deal worth $150MM.
  • Former Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos tells the Canadian Press that he expects to be working again next month. While Anthopoulos said there are media opportunities that have presented themselves, he will most likely take a job with a Major League team in some capacity. “I understand that I may not be a general manager again and I’m OK with that,” said Anthopoulos. “Now again, that’s what my perspective is today. And obviously deciding not to sign an extension, I had to be prepared for that. I just think that all of the decisions I’ve made in my life, I never chased the money. You try to do what ultimately you feel is going to satisfy you and fulfil you. As simple as it sounds — and maybe this is naive — but normally success will follow.”
  • MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm breaks down the Blue Jays’ 11 out-of-options players, noting that many will be competing for jobs in Spring Training. Ezequiel Carrera, Brett Cecil, Jesse Chavez, Steve Delabar, R.A. Dickey, Josh Donaldson, Chad Jenkins, A.J. Jimenez, Josh Thole and Junior Lake are all out of options, Chisholm notes. While many of those names needn’t be the least bit concerned with their lack of options, that factor is much more impactful for the likes of Carrera, Jimenez and Lake. Both Carrera and Lake are at least fifth on the club’s outfield depth chart. Chisholm feels that it’s “only a matter of time” before Jimenez, once one of Toronto’s top prospects and a potential long-term piece behind the plate, is placed on waivers.

Quick Hits: Soler, Lucroy, Swanson, Chen

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In a radio interview on The 670 Score’s “Inside The Clubhouse” show, Theo Epstein said the Cubs are committed to Jorge Soler as a big part of their roster, CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine reports.  “We are putting our stock into his future,” Epstein said.  “Barring anything [an overwhelming trade offer], he knows to ignore all the trade rumors and take it as a compliment.”  Epstein praised Soler’s hitting potential and his offseason training, as Soler “is down to 225 [pounds] and is working hard on his quickness and flexibility” to improve his right field defense.  The Cubs could add a defense-first backup outfielder, Epstein hinted, which probably isn’t a surprise given Soler’s inexperience and the questions about whether or not Kyle Schwarber can handle left field.  Here’s some more from around baseball…

  • The Brewers don’t want to sell low on Jonathan Lucroy in the wake of his underwhelming 2015 season, though they could be taking a risk by waiting to make a trade, Fangraphs’ Jeff Sullivan writes in a piece for FOX Sports.  If Lucroy’s concussion and injury history continues to diminish his ability, Milwaukee will have missed its window to recoup significant value for the former All-Star.  Midseason deals for catchers are also somewhat uncommon, as it’s somewhat hard for a new catcher to instantly develop a rapport with pitchers.
  • The Braves targeted Dansby Swanson even before they created room at short by dealing Andrelton Simmons, GM John Coppolella tells Fangraphs’ David Laurila.  “We’ve been in talks with Arizona since the end of the 2015 season,” Coppolella said. “We hoped to get Swanson, but we didn’t know if, or how, the deal would materialize. We saw him as a fit for us, whether we made the Simmons trade or not. We just want really good players and he’s a really good player.”
  • Wei-Yin Chen may have the most value of any remaining free agent pitcher, MLB.com’s Mike Petriello writes, as he has posted comparable numbers to Jeff Samardzija or Jordan Zimmermann and probably won’t cost as much.  Of course, Chen and his agent Scott Boras are looking for healthy compensation for the southpaw’s services in the form of a five-year, $100MM contract.
  • While opt-out clauses are usually considered to provide little benefit to a team, the Boston Herald’s Scott Lauber notes that there’s certainly upside if a club can avoid paying big money to a player outside of his prime years.  For instance, Lauber reports that had the Red Sox been successful in obtaining Alex Rodriguez from the Rangers in the 2003-04 offseason, they had no intention of re-signing him after he opted out of his deal (as expected) after the 2007 season.  The Yankees, who did deal for A-Rod and then re-signed him to a whopping 10-year, $275MM contract after 2007, have surely regretted not letting Rodriguez walk when they had the chance.
  • Blue Jays director of analytics Joe Sheehan is profiled by the Toronto Star’s Brendan Kennedy, who notes that Sheehan’s promotion to the newly-created position is a sign of the team’s increased focus on analytics under Mark Shapiro.
  • The Giants are the most likely team to sign Yoenis Cespedes, MLB.com’s Jim Duquette opines.  The Tigers, Orioles, White Sox and Angels round out Duquette’s list of Cespedes’ most likely landing spots.

Blue Jays Sign Roberto Hernandez, Brad Penny

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The Blue Jays have announced a series of minor league pitching signings today, including righties Roberto Hernandez and Brad Penny. Toronto also confirmed the previously-reported signing of southpaw Wade LeBlanc and announced the additions of right-hander Scott Copeland and lefty Pat McCoy. All of the above-listed players will receive invites to major league camp.

Hernandez, 35, threw 84 2/3 innings (in eleven starts and nine relief appearances) last year for the Astros before losing his roster spot. He put up a 4.36 earned run average with 4.5 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 in that span. Hernandez lost a mile off of his fastball last year, ending with an average 88.9 mph heater, but rested for the second half of the season and could be a swingman/long relief candidate.

Toronto will owe pay Hernandez at a $1.25MM annual rate if he makes the roster, per SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (on Twitter). The deal also includes $750K in incentives. And there’s a March 28 opt-out, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca adds via Twitter.

Penny still brings a mid-nineties heater even as he closes in on 38 years of age, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick noted yesterday in reporting the signing on Twitter. He can opt out of his deal at the end of camp, Nicholson-Smith notes via Twitter. Penny worked as a starter last year at Triple-A for the White Sox, throwing 135 1/3 innings of 4.46 ERA ball.

Copeland, meanwhile, just turned 28. He debuted briefly for the Jays last year, but spent most of the year working to a 2.95 ERA in 125 Triple-A innings, but with a marginal 4.8 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9.

As for McCoy, he has also received a short stint in the bigs — in 2014 with the Tigers — and will be looking for a chance at a return. He spent last year in the Orioles organization, throwing 83 1/3 minor league innings and compiling a 3.78 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9.

Details On Jonathan Papelbon’s Current No-Trade List

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DECEMBER 18: That list was apparently the one in effect for 2015, as Crasnick now provides a list that, he says, will be in effect for the year to come. It is the same as the prior iteration except for four changes.

On this new list, the Braves, Reds, Royals, and Mariners have moved into the group of teams to which Papelbon can reject a trade. Meanwhile, the Giants, Phillies, Tigers, and Yankees are now among the clubs to which Papelbon may freely be dealt, without his authorization.

DECEMBER 15: Nationals reliever Jonathan Papelbon has the right to name 17 clubs to which he cannot be traded without his consent, and ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports on this year’s list.

Papelbon can block deals to the following clubs: the Athletics, Blue Jays, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Indians, Marlins, Orioles, Phillies, Pirates, Rangers, Rockies, Tigers, Twins, White Sox and Yankees. The league’s remaining teams can acquire the controversial veteran without his approval.

No-trade lists tend to reflect both personal preferences and strategic considerations. It’s hard to know the precise motivations here, but it’s worth remembering that Papelbon has previously made good use of his no-trade rights in exerting leverage. In approving the trade that sent him to D.C. last year, Papelbon received assurances he’d be used as the closer and picked up a guarantee of his 2016 option (though that would have vested anyway and he took a discount to facilitate the move).

While an exceedingly public spat with star Bryce Harper has led to wide speculation that Papelbon will be dealt, Nats GM Mike Rizzo has maintained that the team won’t simply cut him loose for whatever it can get. Papelbon is neither cheap ($11MM) nor young (35), but he’s continued to produce quality results and represents a fair value from a pure baseball perspective.

Blue Jays Claim Junior Lake

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The Blue Jays have claimed outfielder Junior Lake off waivers from the Orioles, Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com reports on Twitter. Baltimore had recently designated Lake for assignment.

Lake did not play much in the majors last year, spending most of the season at Triple-A. In 355 plate appearances there, he put up a strong .298/.397/.431 slash. But Leake hasn’t quite produced at that level in the majors. Over the last three years, he’s managed a .237/.278/.377 slash in 664 trips to the plate.

It’s not clear yet what Toronto’s intentions are with Lake, but he offers some flexibility for a team that could consider dealing from its outfield depth. As things stand, Ben Revere, Kevin Pillar, Michael Saunders, and Dalton Pompey look like the top candidates to join Jose Bautista in the outfield, and it’s possible to imagine the club attempting to cash in one of those players to address another need (or free up resources to do so). Adding Lake certainly doesn’t force a move, but could help facilitate one.

Blue Jays To Sign Wade LeBlanc

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The Blue Jays and left-hander Wade LeBlanc have reached agreement on a minor league pact, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal includes an invite to major league spring training. LeBlanc, 31, spent the 2015 season pitching in Japan for the Seibu Lions. Back in November, the hurler joined Jeff Todd on the MLB Trade Rumors podcast to talk about his experience in Asia and his desire to return to Major League Baseball. The former Padres/Angels/Marlins/Yankees/Astros lefty has a lifetime 4.47 ERA with 6.1 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 in 446 2/3 big league innings — most of which came as a starter. However, LeBlanc has worked primarily as a reliever since 2012 and probably has an easier path to the Toronto roster in the bullpen.

Here’s a look at some more minor moves of note:

  • The Athletics confirmed that they have released first baseman Nate Freiman, as was first reported by Athetics Farm (h/t: CSN Bay Area’s Joe Stiglich, on Twitter). The 2012 Rule 5 pick spent the 2013 season with Oakland, batting a respectable .274/.327/.389 while working largely in a platoon capacity. His average and OBP dipped in 2014, and he spent the entire 2015 campaign in the minors where he struggled greatly in Triple-A. The 28-year-old batted just .220/.279/.321 this season at Nashville, prompting Oakland to designate him for assignment and outright him off the 40-man roster this summer. He’ll look to latch on with a new club and, considering the fact that he was a highly productive Triple-A bat as recently as 2014, should be able to do so.
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