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2018 MLB Arbitration Tracker
Our 2018 MLB arbitration tracker is now available! The tracker displays all arbitration eligible players, with fields for team, service time, player and team submissions, the midpoint, and the settlement amount. You can filter by team, signing status, service time, Super Two status, and whether a hearing occurred. For unsigned players that do not agree to terms in the interim, arbitration figures will be exchanged on January 12, 2018.
You can bookmark MLBTR’s 2018 Arbitration Tracker here, or you can find it in the Tools menu at the top of the site.
MLBTR is also the only place for salary projections for every arbitration eligible player, which you can find here.
Minor MLB Transactions: 11/29/17
Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league, all courtesy of Baseball America’s Matt Eddy unless otherwise noted…
- The Dodgers have signed right-hander Jesen Therrien and outfielder Travis Taijeron to minor league contracts. Therrien, who underwent Tommy John surgery late in the 2017 season, inked a two-year minor league pact due to the fact that he’ll spend the 2018 season rehabbing from surgery. Therrien, 24, obliterated minor league opponents in the Phillies’ system this season, as evidenced by a 1.41 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 in 57 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. In the Majors, he logged an 8.35 ERA on 24 hits and seven walks with just 10 strikeouts, though Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer noted that his velocity dropped sharply in the Majors, quite possibly due to the effects of his ailing elbow. The 28-year-old Taijeron, a former Mets farmhand, mashed in the hitters’ haven of Las Vegas (.272/.383/.525, 25 homers, 32 doubles) but hit just .173/.271/.269 in 59 big league plate appearances in 2017. He’s a career .274/.382/.523 hitter in more than 1500 Triple-A PAs.
- Outfielder Ryan LaMarre has latched on with the Twins on a minors pact as well. The 29-year-old has seen fleeting big league time with the Reds, Red Sox and A’s over the past three seasons but collected just a pair of hits and a pair of walks in 40 trips to the dish. LaMarre can handle all three outfield spots and owns a lifetime .268/.335/.388 slash in parts of five Triple-A seasons. He’s a right-handed bat, which could pair well with the Twins’ lefty swinging corner outfielders (Eddie Rosario, Max Kepler) should the team need a fourth outfielder at some point in ’18, though he doesn’t come with a standout track record against left-handed pitching.
2018 Competitive Balance Draft Pick Order
Major League Baseball has set the order for Competitive Balance Rounds A and B of next year’s draft, reports Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. Those rounds, which take place after the completion of the first and second rounds, respectively, are comprised of picks awarded to teams that are considered in the bottom 10 in terms of market size and/or revenue.
As Mayo explains, last season marked the beginning of MLB utilizing a more formulaic approach to determining Competitive Balance order rather than a lottery, as had been done in previous drafts since the Competitive Balance rounds’ inception prior to the 2013 season. The league’s formula took into account total revenue and winning percentage among the 14 teams that received Competitive Balance picks. Based on the results of that formula, the Rays, Reds, A’s, Brewers, Twins and Marlins were awarded the six picks in Comp Round A last year, with the other eight teams (D-backs, Padres, Rockies, Indians, Royals, Pirates, Orioles, Cardinals) all falling into Comp Round B.
Under the new system, those two groups will now flip on an annual basis, meaning the six teams that were awarded Comp Round A picks in 2017 will now comprise the teams selecting in Comp Round B. Likewise, the eight teams that comprised Comp Round B in 2017 will now comprise Comp Round A in 2018. Notably, the Rays will pick in both rounds, as they’ve received the No. 32 overall pick as compensation for failing to sign last year’s No. 31 overall pick, Drew Rasmussen.
According to Mayo, the rounds will play out as follows:
Round A
31. Pirates
32. Rays (Compensation for Rasmussen)
33. Orioles
34. Padres
35. D-backs
36. Royals
37. Indians
38. Rockies
39. Cardinals
Round B
70. Marlins
71. Athletics
72. Rays
73. Reds
74. Brewers
75. Twins
It should also be noted that this isn’t yet likely to represent the final draft order. Competitive Balance draft selections are the only picks that are eligible to be traded from one team to another under baseball’s collective bargaining agreement. These picks can only be traded during the regular season, though, and each pick can only be traded one time. (The Royals, for instance, cannot acquire the Orioles’ pick and then trade it to another team.)
The specific placement of these picks in the overall draft order figures to change as well as draft-pick compensation from qualified offers slightly alters the ordering of the picks both surrounding the Competitive Balance rounds. Generally speaking, though, this serves as a rough guideline for next summer’s draft and helps to provide a clearer picture of which teams will have the largest draft pools.
The Royals, for instance, could very well have five of the top 40 or so picks in the draft between their first-round selection, their Competitive Balance selection, and the likely comp picks for Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain (which would fall after the first round and before Competitive Balance Round A so long as each of that trio signs for $50MM or more in guaranteed money).
Meanwhile, the Rays stand to have six of the top 72 selections if Alex Cobb signs a contract worth more $50MM or more and would otherwise have six of the top 80 if he signs elsewhere for less than $50MM (which would push the compensatory pick for his free agency back after Competitive Balance Round B).
East Notes: Girardi, Travis, Braves
Earlier this week, the Yankees announced that Joe Girardi will not return to manage the Bombers next season. But as Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated points out, 53-year-old Girardi might not have lost the job due to the team’s performance or his body of work. The three oldest managers in baseball (Terry Collins, Dusty Baker and Pete Mackanin) all lost their jobs this season, and John Farrell (55) will be replaced by the 42-year-old Alex Cora. This points to a trend in baseball wherein the game is being run by younger players, and it might just be that the ability of younger managers to connect with those youthful stars is being seen as a major asset. Fluency in analytics is also becoming increasingly vital to the manager position. As Verducci also points out, World Series skippers Dave Roberts (45) and A.J. Hinch (43) both fit the bill for this type of “modern manager”. With Girardi lacking the youth and analytic mindset required for the new mold, the Yankees may have simply decided he is no longer relevant in today’s game.
Some other items from around baseball’s Eastern Divisions…
- Red Sox number four overall prospect Sam Travis received his first small taste of major league action this year. But he didn’t fare as expected in the power department, slugging just .342 in the majors and .375 at the Triple-A level. Alex Speier of Baseball America (subscription required and recommended) writes that he spent a lot of last offseason rehabbing from knee surgery, which may have contributed to his struggles. Still, Travis has been seen in recent years as player with a big-league ready bat who needed to improve his defense at first base, and the former second-rounder’s offensive performance didn’t match the billing in 2017. His vastly improved defense, however, has led the organization to give him a shot in left field in the Dominican League, which could improve his prospect stock headed into next season.
- The Braves have been denied permission to speak with Royals GM Dayton Moore, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reports. The Braves organization is still reeling after the scandal broke surrounding then-GM John Coppolella, but they won’t have the chance to interview the 50-year-old Moore for the open position. Moore declined to comment on the request, stating that he’s “focused on what we need to do here in Kansas City.” The two ballclubs are in very different stages headed into 2018; the Royals are likely entering a rebuild with many key players set to reach free agency, while the Braves seem ready to come out of theirs and focus on contending. But because Moore signed a contract extension with Kansas City back in 2016, club owner David Glass would need to give explicit permission to any club interested in reaching out to him.
Hoops Rumors Seeking Part-Time Writers
MLBTR’s sister site Hoops Rumors is looking to add part-time contributors to its writing team. The position pays on an hourly basis. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Exceptional knowledge of all 30 NBA teams, with no discernible bias. We want you to be as comfortable writing about Fred VanVleet and Nicolas Brussino as you would be writing about LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
- Knowledge of the NBA salary cap, the collective bargaining agreement, and transaction-related concepts.
- At least some college education.
- Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both preferred.
- Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics, and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is preferred.
- Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
- Ability to follow Hoops Rumors’ style and tone.
- Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick writing with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
- Ability to use an RSS feed reader. Ability to use Twitter. Both of these are crucial.
- Availability. You must have strong weeknight and weekend availability, along with the ability to work at least one or two regular shifts per week.
- Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.
If you’re interested, email hoopsrumorsparttimers@gmail.com by Friday, September 22 (4:00pm central time) and take a couple paragraphs to explain why you qualify and stand out. Many will likely apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to every applicant.
Pro Football Rumors Seeking Part-Time Writers
We’re looking to add part-time contributors to the Pro Football Rumors writing team. The position pays on an hourly basis. Applicants must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NFL teams, with no discernible bias.
- Knowledge of the salary cap and transaction-related concepts.
- At least some college education.
- Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both strongly preferred.
- Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
- Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
- Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
- Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick writing with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers or links to other relevant articles.
- Ability to use an RSS feed reader. Ability to use Twitter. Both of these are crucial.
- Strong weeknight availability is crucial. You must frequently be available to work between 5-11 pm central time Monday-Friday. Weekend availability is also a plus.
- Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.
If you’re interested, email pfrapplications@gmail.com by September 24 (11:00pm central time) and take a couple of paragraphs to explain why you qualify and stand out. Many will apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to every applicant.
Three Needs: Cincinnati Reds
Next up in our Three Needs series: the Cincinnati Reds.
1. Don’t (completely) abandon the pitching strategy.
Wait, what?! The Reds’ pitching staff has been the worst in all of baseball since the start of 2016, handily pacing the league in the volume of walks, long balls, and earned runs allowed. Actually, that doesn’t quite capture it: the Reds’ pitching staff has essentially defined replacement level since the start of 2016, making it a true outlier. By measure of fWAR, at least, the 2016-17 Reds hurlers have turned in a two-year stretch of futility that is orders of magnitude worse than any other organization of the past two decades, falling well shy of the dreadful 2004-05 Royals and 2002-03 Devil Rays units.
It goes without saying that there’s work to be done if the Reds hope to win at any point in the near future. But Cinci was largely justified in its recent approaching, having accumulated a significant number of interesting-enough pitching prospects at the upper levels of the farm. While few were seen as sure things, the club correctly assessed its chances of contention (not good) and declined to dole out significant contracts to back-of-the-rotation veterans. (Compare to the Braves and Phillies, who spent quite a lot of money on veteran pitching and ended no closer to contention than did the Reds.)
Clearly, the pitching hasn’t developed as hoped; there’s quite a lot of room for self-assessment and improvement. But injuries to Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan, Homer Bailey, and even Scott Feldman — the rare player the Reds did sign into the rotation — played a major role in the dreadful performance, too. The first three of those hurlers will have an offseason to rest up. Luis Castillo — acquired for Dan Straily, who was found last year as part of the budget-friendly strategy — looks like an arm to build around. And the Reds have seen enough moments of intrigue from a few younger arms to hope that one or more can round out the starting unit. Others will become affordable relievers, perhaps with some capacity to make longer relief appearances (an approach the organization has stressed, with some success thus far).
At this point, there’s little reason for the Reds to suddenly begin investing in expensive, aging starters. It would be nice to see some stability added into the mix over the winter — the Feldman signing could provide a guide, or the team could perhaps spend a bit more and take a shot on a higher-upside arm — and the Reds have enough talent on the position-player side to be a plausible contender as soon as next year. But continued restraint would be preferable to a move that ties the organization’s hands in future campaigns.
2. Shop Raisel Iglesias.
What do you do with the best pitcher on a historically awful staff? Trade him, of course! Sounds odd at first glance, I’ll admit, but the Reds could be in a position to cash in on the talented right-hander.
Iglesias could be the centerpiece of a big trade after turning in 71 1/3 innings of 1.89 ERA pitching (so far) with 11.0 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. The 27-year-old is guaranteed just $14.5MM over the next three seasons, though he can choose instead to opt into arbitration and would qualify next year as a Super Two. Iglesias can also be tendered arbitration in 2021, meaning the Reds control him for four more campaigns at what ought to be quite an appealing rate (though his outstanding pitching and saves tallies will boost his earning power in arbitration).
For organizations that will be looking into veteran free-agent closers, or that otherwise have interest in a multi-inning relief ace (and who doesn’t?), there ought to be a real willingness to part with significant young talent. Teams will no doubt notice that Iglesias has thrown harder and generated more whiffs than ever this year, elevating his trade stock to what may well be an all-time high. Given the risks inherent to any pitcher, let alone a flame-throwing reliever, it’s quite possibly an opportune time for the Reds to cash him in.
To be sure, it would be foolish to give up such a talented, controllable asset for less than a compelling return. But the guess here is that the club should have a good chance of prying loose some quality, near-MLB assets — all the better if that includes a young starter — that could be of greater long-term impact and help set the stage for a sustainable run of contention. Earnestly shopping Iglesias will at least give the organization a strong sense of his market value, and might just drum up a great trade opportunity.
3. Bid a fond farewell to Zack Cozart.
It’s unfortunate that the Reds were never able to cash in on the strong play of their veteran shortstop, who has turned from a light-hitting defensive whiz to an all-around star in 2017. Injuries and thin market demand make the failure to strike a match largely understandable from the front office’s perspective.
Now, though, the club is left with a decision to make — one that’ll be due just five days after the end of the World Series. Should the club choose, it can dangle a qualifying offer to the free-agent-to-be. If he declines, and signs for more than $50MM elsewhere, the Reds could score an extra draft pick just after the end of the first round. Of course, if Cozart falls shy of that amount in free agency, the team would receive only a choice after the second round.
When polled recently, MLBTR readers were split as to how the team should proceed, but most felt a QO was in order. Count me among the minority on that decision. Cozart is already 32 and has battled quite a few injuries in recent years. We have already seen the dearth of shortstop demand leaguewide; while he’ll no doubt land a solid, multi-year deal, Cozart likely won’t earn enough (with draft pick compensation required of a signing team) to earn the Reds the highest-possible pick. And he will need to strongly consider taking the ~$18.1MM payday for one year of work.
As good as Cozart has been, and as hard as it may be to see him walk away with nothing coming in return, the Reds simply can’t afford to take the chance that he takes the offer. The team already has over $60MM on the books and will owe some reasonably significant arbitration salaries. Rather than potentially adding an expensive veteran to the left side of the infield, Cincinnati should be anticipating how to clear the way for top prospect Nick Senzel, who destroyed Double-A pitching this year but is blocked at third by Eugenio Suarez — who has spent plenty of time as a professional at short.
NL Notes: Padres, Brewers, Rockies, Marlins
The Padres fired hitting coach Alan Zinter on Friday, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. Zinter lasted less than two seasons in the position, having taken the job in November 2015. The Padres’ offense ranked toward the bottom of the majors during Zinter’s run, but he didn’t exactly have a world of proven talent at his disposal. Manager Andy Green explained to Lin that he’s seeking a “different voice” for the role. Meanwhile, GM A.J. Preller told AJ Cassavell of MLB.com that the Padres will begin searching for a successor immediately, but he indicated there’s no rush to hire a replacement (Twitter link).
Here’s more from the National League:
- The Brewers’ rotation was rife with question marks entering the season, but it now appears the surprise contenders have at least three legitimate building blocks in Jimmy Nelson, Chase Anderson and Zach Davies, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel observes. The emergence of that cost-controlled trio has been especially important to a team that’s not able to spend big on free agents, and Haudricourt points out that the Brewers may even have a couple more promising young starters on hand (Brandon Woodruff and Josh Hader). It’s possible they’ll go into 2018 with those five comprising their rotation, Haudricourt notes.
- Rockies outfielder David Dahl is resigned to the fact that he won’t be able to contribute this year, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. Dahl hasn’t appeared in a major league game this season, and he hasn’t played in a minor league contest since July 31, thanks to the rib injury he suffered during spring training. Now, Dahl doesn’t expect to swing a bat again until December, according to Saunders. “The thing I really need is rest, to let it heal completely, because every time I would start swinging, I would start feeling it again,” said the 23-year-old Dahl, who excited the Rockies last season with a .315/.359/.500 batting line in a 237-plate appearance rookie campaign.
- A partial UCL tear in Wei-Yin Chen’s left elbow has kept him from taking the mound since May 1, but he’ll return to the Marlins in the coming days, Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. While Chen will finish 2017 as a reliever, the Marlins expect to slot him back into their rotation next season. After this fall’s World Series, Chen will be able to opt out of the remaining three years and $52MM left on the five-year, $80MM contract he signed with the Fish in January 2016. That’s obviously not going to happen, though, as the ex-Oriole has struggled with injuries and turned in mediocre results during his two years in Miami.
MLB Daily Roster Roundup: Anderson, Faria, Uehara
IMPACT ROSTER MOVES
- CHC: C Rene Rivera added to 25-man roster; RP Koji Uehara activated from 10-Day DL; C Victor Caratini and RP Rob Zastryzny optioned to minors. | Cubs Depth Chart
- Rivera was the catcher and batted 7th in Sunday’s game.
- MIL: SP Chase Anderson activated from 10-Day DL; SP Brandon Woodruff optioned to minors. | Brewers Depth Chart
- The Brewers do not need a 5th starter until September 2nd due to a pair of upcoming off days.
- TBR: SP Jacob Faria (strained abdominal) placed on 10-Day DL; OF Cesar Puello (claimed off waivers on Saturday) added to 25-man roster. | Rays Depth Chart
- Alex Cobb will come off the disabled list to take Faria’s rotation spot on Thursday.
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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES
- ARZ: SP Robbie Ray will be activated from 7-Day DL during the upcoming series against the New York Mets (Monday-Thursday), according to the team. | Diamondbacks Depth Chart
- Ray made a rehab start on Thursday, so the earliest he would return is Tuesday August 22nd.
- CWS: SP Carson Fulmer will be recalled from minors on Monday August 21st and SP Lucas Giolito will be recalled from minors on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Daryl Van Schowen of the Chicago Sun Times. | White Sox Depth Chart
- HOU: C Brian McCann will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Thursday August 24th, according to Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. | Astros Depth Chart
- KCR: C Salvador Perez will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Tuesday August 22nd or Wednesday August 23rd, according to Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. | Royals Depth Chart
- LAD: SP Brock Stewart will be recalled from minors on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. | Dodgers Depth Chart
- MIN: 3B Miguel Sano (stress fracture in tibia) will be placed on 10-Day DL, according to La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune; 1B Kennys Vargas will be recalled from minors; SP Tim Melville will have contract purchased from minors on Monday August 21st, according to Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. | Twins Depth Chart
- NYY: SP Masahiro Tanaka will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Tuesday August 22nd. | Yankees Depth Chart
- PHI: SP Nick Pivetta will be likely recalled as the 26th man for the double-header on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Matt Gelb of the Philly Inquirer. | Phillies Depth Chart
- TBR: SP Alex Cobb will be activated from 10-Day DL on Thursday August 24th, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. | Rays Depth Chart
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MINOR TRANSACTIONS
- ARZ: RP Jimmie Sherfy and RP Braden Shipley recalled from minors; RP Silvino Bracho and RP J.J. Hoover optioned to minors. | Diamondbacks Depth Chart
- BAL: RP Alec Asher recalled from minors; RP Miguel Castro optioned to minors. | Orioles Depth Chart
- LAD: RP Jordan Jankowski claimed off waivers from Houston Astros and optioned to minors. | Dodgers Depth Chart
- NYM: RP Jacob Rhame acquired from Los Angeles Dodgers to complete the deal for Curtis Granderson. | Mets Depth Chart
- PIT: C Jacob Stallings recalled from minors as the 26th man for the Little League Classic. | Pirates Depth Chart
- SEA: INF/OF Taylor Motter recalled from minors; INF Danny Espinosa released. | Mariners Depth Chart
- STL: OF Stephen Piscotty recalled from minors as the 26th man for the Little League Classic. | Cardinals Depth Chart
