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Rosenthal On Nats, Chen, Maeda, Davis, Orioles

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In his latest notes column for FOX Sports, Ken Rosenthal reports that the Diamondbacks strongly considered a swap that would’ve sent center fielder Ender Inciarte to the Nationals in exchange for lefty Gio Gonzalez. While such a scenario is no longer a possibility — Inciarte went to the Braves along with two other highly regarded pieces in exchange for Shelby Miller, and Gonzalez makes little sense for a rebuilding Atlanta club — Rosenthal notes that the Nats could still explore similar possibilities. Moving Gonzalez for a center field option and then signing Wei-Yin Chen, to whom the Nats have previously been linked, could give the team the left-handed-hitting center field option it desires without significantly weakening the rotation. It’s also worth noting that Washington has been linked to the Rockies in the past, who have a left-handed hitting center field option in the form of Charlie Blackmon, though GM Mike Rizzo figures to explore many avenues if that route is indeed on the table.

A few more notes from Rosenthal’s latest column…

  • Rizzo has repeatedly stated that he’s not interested in trading Jonathan Papelbon or Drew Storen unless he receives a nice return, but sources tell Rosenthal that the Nationals are indeed trying to move both of the right-handers. The Nats would likely need additional bullpen help were they to move either pitcher, though as Rosenthal points out, right-hander Tyler Clippard is still available in free agency, and a reunion between the two sides could make some sense. The Dodgers “figure to be” one club that will check in with the Nationals regarding Storen, Rosenthal writes.
  • The specific irregularities in Kenta Maeda’s elbow remain unknown, but the Dodgers’ $25MM guarantee with $10MM worth of annual incentives is a reflection of the team’s acknowledgment that he may require surgery over the deal. According to Rosenthal, the bonuses at the back end of the deal are “largely unattainable,” so even though the contract can max out at $105MM over eight years, it’s unlikely that Maeda will receive such a sum. The elbow issue was known to every team that requested Maeda’s medical information, as it turned up in an MRI taken at the urge of his representatives with the Wasserman Media Group. Per Rosenthal, Maeda is presently asymptomatic and pain-free when he pitches.
  • The Orioles have been debating moving on from Chris Davis for about a month, but the team remains engaged with the slugging first baseman due to owner Peter Angelos’ affinity for Davis. If Baltimore does ultimately move on to alternatives, Yoenis Cespedes is a more likely target for the team than Justin Upton, as Cespedes wouldn’t require the O’s to part with a draft pick.

NL East Notes: Alderson, Mets, Murphy, Swisher

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Mets GM Sandy Alderson made his first appearance with the media in quite some time today, and it was certainly good to see him back in the swing of things after the revelation that he had been diagnosed with cancer. The club’s top baseball decisionmaker told reporters that he’s back to full speed. (Via the Associated Press, on ESPN.com.) “I’ve been working 100 percent since really just after the winter meetings,” Alderson said. “I just couldn’t travel to Nashville that particular Sunday and Monday. Otherwise I would have been there. But since that time I’ve been in the office and fully participating.”

Here’s more from that appearance and some other notes from around the National League East:

  • Alderson added that the Mets are not shying away from spending, despite that perception in some quarters. As he put it, in rather interesting fashion: “The idea that we’re not investing in the team I think is really misplaced and sort of tied up in the populism involving [Yoenis] Cespedes.” Alderson went on to explain that the club’s payroll in 2016 could end up rising by as much as $35MM over its 2014 figure of about $93MM. (The club sat at about $110MM last year.)
  • Generally, said Alderson, the Mets acknowledge the importance of Cespedes and outgoing infielder Daniel Murphy to last year’s run, but he explained there was more to it than simply keeping the band together. “I think along the way we learned a few things about ourselves and about the team, and I think the way we’ve approached the offseason puts some of those lessons into play,” Alderson explained. “It’s not as if we’re not looking to improve the team, and, if possible, in significant ways. But it has to make some sense in terms of how these pieces all fit.”
  • Signing Murphy wasn’t the Nationals’ first choice, writes Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post, but the team believes that he makes for a good fit and addresses an important need. Boswell paints a fascinating picture of Nats’ GM Mike Rizzo’s negotiations with Murphy — conducted while laid up after back surgery — and notes that the organization feels it has largely done what it needed to this winter. While further moves could take place, it seems increasingly likely that a big trade involving the back end of the bullpen may not be forthcoming. And other roster spots — such as a fourth outfielder — could be filled with relatively minor moves, unless high-value opportunities arise. As for Murphy, Rizzo explained the signing thusly: “We were looking for the best left-handed value we could get, and this guy really plays the game the way I like: gritty, hard-nosed, but with a smart baseball mind. He can steal you a base. Situational hits. And the brighter the lights, the more he steps up.”
  • Bringing back left-handed-hitting utilityman Kelly Johnson could spell the end of Nick Swisher’s brief tenure with the Braves, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes. The most likely scenario, he suggests, is for Atlanta to showcase Swisher during Spring Training in hopes that he’ll do enough to draw interest from another team. If not other club is willing to pick up some of Swisher’s $15MM in remaining obligations, says Bowman, he could end up just being released.

AL Central Notes: Indians, Santana, Twins, Park, Gordon

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In an excellent piece for Sports on Earth, MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince profiles the Indians’ “dream team” front office from the mid-1990s, which featured eight men that have now occupied (or currently occupy) the title of GM or president of baseball operations. John Hart was the Cleveland GM at the time, but the front office also included assistant GM Dan O’Dowd (who went on to become GM of the Rockies); director of player development Mark Shapiro (former GM and president of the Indians and now president of the Blue Jays); scouting director Josh Byrnes (former GM of the Padres and D-backs); advance scouts Ben Cherington and Paul DePodesta (former GMs of the Red Sox and Dodgers, respectively); assistant director of minor league operations Neal Huntington (current GM of the Pirates); and baseball operations assistant Chris Antonetti, who is of course the current president of baseball ops in Cleveland. Hart and O’Dowd spoke fondly of the group’s explorations of baseball philosophy, and Castrovince explains how O’Dowd and Shapiro wrote a 15-page whitepaper that was pitched to Hart detailing their models of extensions for arbitration-eligible players. While such extensions are commonplace now, the Indians pioneered such extensions in early to mid-90s, allowing them to retain their top talent and emerge as perennial contenders in the American League. Castrovince examines other statistical and technological trends of which the Indians were early adopters and looks at how each now-well-regarded executive got his foot in the door with the Indians.

Here’s more from the AL Central…

  • The addition of Mike Napoli to the Indians’ roster almost certainly means that Carlos Santana has gone from catcher to first baseman to DH (with a brief, ill-fated stop at third base along the way), writes Cleveland.com’s Zack Meisel. While there’s the possibility that focusing solely on offense could help Santana build his offense back up to its 2011-14 levels, Meisel also notes that the $12MM club option the team holds over Santana for the 2017 season is a steep amount for a club with an eight-figure payroll to pay a designated hitter. Meisel’s implication, of course, is that Santana’s future with the club is somewhat murky. Considering the raises Cleveland will owe Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes, Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Jason Kipnis on their guaranteed contracts and also the raises that will be owed to Cody Allen, Lonnie Chisenhall, Bryan Shaw, Trevor Bauer and Zach McAllister in arbitration, a crunch does appear to be coming.
  • Brewers left-hander Will Smith has some fans in the Twins’ front office, says 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson in the first edition of his new podcast (Soundcloud link; Twins talk beginning around 19:30). Nationals right-hander Drew Storen also has some fans among Twins brass, though his projected $8.8MM salary (via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz) could serve to curb the team’s interest. Wolfson also notes that the Twins remain interested in free agent southpaw Antonio Bastardo but still aren’t keen on his three-year, $15-18MM asking price. A Twins official told Wolfson recently that even if the Twins don’t make further moves this winter, they’re happy with what they have, though Wolfson notes that he does expect at least one more move out of the Twins.
  • Twins manager Paul Molitor tells MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger that he’s hopeful that Korean slugger Byung-ho Park will be ready to be his Opening Day designated hitter next season, though Molitor also recognizes that there will be some adjustment as Park transitions to a new league. Molitor notes that Park’s former KBO teammate, Jung Ho Kang, “looked beatable” when he saw him in Spring Training last season but had made enormous adjustments by the time the Twins played the Pirates in the summer. Molitor and the Twins feel that Park can make a similarly quick adjustment. “I think that our scouts understand bat speed, eye-to-hand coordination, pitch recognition abilities, even if velocities and breaking pitches are not Major League quality,” said Molitor in reference to Park’s impressive work in the KBO.
  • Alex Gordon’s desire to come back to the Royals “was a 10,” he told reporters at a press conference yesterday (as MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan writes). Gordon spoke about how appreciative he is of both ownership and the front office for bringing him back to the Royals, although GM Dayton Moore explained that Gordon was always the team’s top priority. “When we went around the table and talked to our scouts, they said, ’Get Alex Gordon,'” said Moore to the media. “”I talked to our analytical guys and they said, ’Get Alex Gordon.’ I talked to our coaching staff and it was, ’Get Alex Gordon.’ Talked to his teammates along the way and it was ’Get Gordo back.’ My momma didn’t raise no dummy. We had to get him back.” According to Moore, things began coming together on New Year’s Eve, and the final details were hammered out over the next few days prior to yesterday’s announcement.

Quick Hits: Buehrle, Rodney, Nationals, Rangers, White Sox, Uggla

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Free agent left-hander Mark Buehrle is not planning on playing in 2016 at this time, though the veteran isn’t yet prepared to announce his retirement from baseball, either, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter link). The soon-to-be 37-year-old’s future has been a debated topic in the past, as some reports indicated that he was planning to retire before Buehrle himself told ESPN Chicago’s Doug Padilla back in October that he’d yet to make a decision on the matter. Another report indicated that if Buehrle were to pitch in 2016, it’d most likely happen if St. Louis showed interest in the Missouri native. Buehrle’s 2015 season wasn’t as strong as his 2014 season, but he nonetheless recorded a solid 3.81 ERA across 198 2/3 innings. That final innings tally left him just four outs shy of recording his remarkable 15th consecutive season of 200+ innings.

A few more notes from around the league…

  • Cotillo also tweets that right-hander Fernando Rodney is in “active talks” with multiple clubs, noting that the Padres, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks and Cubs are all in the mix at this time. San Diego, Chicago and Toronto have previously been linked to Rodney, though Arizona would seem to represent a fairly new entrant into his market. Rodney had a dreadful season with the Mariners in 2015 but turned it around following a trade to the Cubs, yielding just one earned run in 12 innings with a 15-to-4 K/BB ratio down the stretch (Rodney did, however, also plunk three batters in his brief Cubs tenure).
  • We’ve heard about the Nationals’ interest in Gerardo Parra before, and James Wagner of the Washington Post writes that it’s still alive. GM Mike Rizzo was Arizona’s scouting director when the club signed Parra, and the Nats also tried to acquire him from the Brewers this summer, Wagner reminds. Wagner notes that Parra’s so-so OBP and declining defensive ratings make him a questionable fit in Washington, but the team’s goal remains adding some outfield depth to protect against injuries to Jayson Werth and uncertainty surrounding the talented but raw Michael A. Taylor. Wagner opines that from a purely speculative standpoint, Shane Victorino makes some sense for the Nationals as a player who can cover the outfield corners and play center in a pinch if need be.
  • Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes that Rangers fans shouldn’t expect to see Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes or Yovani Gallardo in a Rangers uniform next season, as the team doesn’t have the payroll capacity to add any of the three. A trade for Marcell Ozuna is also unlikely, per Wilson, though the Rangers do still hope to add some rotation depth before the offseason is up. GM Jon Daniels tells Wilson that there are still some affordable names on the open market that have piqued the Rangers’ interest. Wilson also notes that Colby Lewis’ physical — the final step before his reported one-year, $6MM contract becomes official — is slated for next Monday.
  • The White Sox aren’t in a rush to add a big-ticket outfielder to the mix, writes MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. The Sox “seem content to wait and ensure that any free-agent deal would fit their need and parameters,” he continues, writing that it’s likely that Upton and Cespedes will eventually be offered more years and dollars than the ChiSox care to place on the table.
  • Dan Uggla has spoken to three or four teams that are eyeing infield depth, Cotillo tweets. Uggla is set to turn 36 this March and is coming off a season in which he batted just .183/.298/.300 in 141 plate appearances with the Nationals, so any contract to which he agrees figures to be of the minor league variety.
  • Zach Buchanan of the Arizona Republic spoke to executives and scouts from each league to ask which NL West division rival has the better pitching staff heading into the 2016 season: the D-backs or the Giants. While the officials to whom Buchanan spoke seemed to agree that, in a vacuum, the D-backs made more impactful acquisitions this offseason (referring to Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller in comparison to Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija), when factoring in the cost of said acquisitions, there’s an argument to be made for the Giants’ side of the equation. Buchanan also polled officials on which club’s top three starters were more impressive, adding lefties Patrick Corbin and Madison Bumgarner to the mix, which generated mixed responses.

Nationals Announce Stephen Drew Signing, Designate Taylor Hill

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The Nationals have announced the signing of infielder Stephen Drew — an agreement that was originally reported recently by Jon Heyman. To clear a roster spot, the club designated righty Taylor Hill for assignment.

Drew joins Daniel Murphy in a re-worked Nats infield. That pair will help make up for the trade of Yunel Escobar and the all-but-assured free-agent departure of Ian Desmond.

Washington will reportedly guarantee Drew $3MM in the deal, which also allows him to earn up to $1.25MM via incentives which can be maximized at 130 games played. That falls to the high side of the going rate for utility infielders. (In addition to the prior examples cited in the original post on the signing, Kelly Johnson agreed earlier today to a $2MM guarantee.)

Soon to turn 33, Drew will hope to improve his offensive production in 2016. He hit 17 home runs in only 428 trips to bat last year, but put up only a .201/.271/.381 overall batting line. While he suffered from a .201 BABIP, and did show an improved 16.6% strikeout rate, Drew has failed to match the line-drive and hard-hit rates that he carried earlier in his career.

With the glove, Drew rates as a solid shortstop and passable second baseman. Washington presumably will feel comfortable deploying him all around the infield, though he’d seem likely to spend much of his time sharing reps at shortstop with Danny Espinosa.

Hill, 26, has provided 21 MLB innings to the Nats over the past two years, allowing 14 earned runs on a 14:7 K:BB ratio. He’s spent most of his time recently working as a starter at Triple-A. After a strong 2014, he managed only a 5.23 ERA in his 118 2/3 innings at Syracuse last season.

Nationals Announce Daniel Murphy Signing, Designate Erik Davis For Assignment

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The Nationals on Wednesday formally announced the signing of Daniel Murphy to a three-year contract and designated right-hander Erik Davis for assignment in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. Murphy, who is represented by ACES, had reportedly agreed to a three-year, $37.5MM pact back on Dec. 24, and he’ll be introduced tomorrow at a press conference, according to the club. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan was the first to report that Murphy had passed his physical (Twitter link). Jon Heyman tweeted the exact breakdown of Murphy’s contract earlier today, reporting that Murphy’s contract is significantly backloaded. Murphy will take home $8MM in 2016, $12MM in 2017 and $17.5MM in 2018, although $3MM of that final season’s salary is deferred, per Heyman.
MLB: NLCS-New York Mets at Chicago Cubs

Murphy, who turns 31 on April 1, hit .281/.322/.449 with a career-best 14 homers over 538 plate appearances in 2015. A 13th-round pick for the Mets in the 2006 draft, Murphy developed into a very solid big leaguer who has posted 12.2 fWAR/9.6 bWAR over the last five years. Mets fans will forever remember Murphy’s contributions in the 2015 postseason, as he posted a whopping 1.462 OPS and seven home runs over 39 PA in the NLDS and NLCS, a performance that earned him the NLCS MVP Award. Murphy became the first player in baseball history to homer in six consecutive postseason games.

In Murphy, the Nationals add a player who provides good pop for a middle infielder and also a versatile defender who play third, first and (on a limited basis) left as well as the keystone. In fact, according to metrics like UZR/150 and Defensive Runs Saved, second base is actually Murphy’s worst defensive position. Since Anthony Rendon can also play both second and third, it’s possible the Nats could use Murphy at the hot corner.

Regardless of who plays second, the signing seems to ensure that Danny Espinosa and fellow newcomer Stephen Drew will handle shortstop duties until top prospect Trea Turner is ready for the big leagues. Murphy could also spell Ryan Zimmerman at first base against the occasional right-handed starter. In any case, Murphy’s multi-positional ability gives manager Dusty Baker a lot of flexibility in arranging lineups and late-game situations. Perhaps most importantly, Murphy also adds a much-needed left-handed bat to Washington’s lineup — Murphy and Bryce Harper are currently the only left-handed hitters projected to play everyday roles for the Nationals (though Drew will get his share of at-bats and Espinosa is a switch-hitter — albeit one who struggles as a lefty).

There wasn’t too much public buzz about Murphy’s free agent market before the Nats emerged, as the Rockies, Dodgers and Mets all had some interest but in somewhat limited fashion. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes ranked Murphy 17th on his list of the winter’s top 50 free agents and predicted he’d land a four-year/$56MM contract.  It could be that Murphy’s market was impacted by the number of notable infielders being dealt this offseason. The three teams noted in Dierkes’ list (the Angels, White Sox and Yankees), for example, all addressed infield needs in trades for the likes of Andrelton Simmons, Yunel Escobar, Brett Lawrie, Todd Frazier and Starlin Castro. Beyond that, Murphy reportedly spent much of the early portion of the offseason waiting for the Mets to circle back with an offer. Only after New York acquired Neil Walker in exchange for Jon Niese did Murphy begin to explore other opportunities, per the New York Post.

Since Murphy rejected a qualifying offer from the Mets, New York will receive a compensation pick between the first and second rounds of the 2016 draft. The Nationals, in turn, will have to surrender their first-round pick (17th overall) in the draft but they may end up taking only a minor slide down the draft board since they have two QO free agents of their own. Washington already received a compensation round pick when Jordan Zimmermann signed with the Tigers and could receive another if Ian Desmond signs elsewhere.

As for the 29-year-old Davis, he’ll now endure a waiting period of up to 10 days as the Nationals gauge trade interest in him and mull when or whether to place him on outright waivers. The former 13th-round pick (Padres, 2008) hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2013 — his lone taste of Major League Baseball to this point in his career. Davis split the 2015 season across three minor league levels as he made his way back from 2014 Tommy John surgery. Between Class-A Advanced, Double-A and Triple-A, Davis logged a 3.88 ERA with 8.7 K/9 against 5.0 BB/9 in 48 2/3 innings. It should be noted that a good bit of those control struggles may have been the aftereffects of the aforementioned surgery, as Davis had displayed mostly solid control in 2012-13 before his injury.

ESPN’s Jim Bowden first reported the agreement (via Twitter). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported the financial terms (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Nationals Have Explored Trade Market For Catchers

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The Nationals have explored the trade market for help behind the plate, according to Jon Heyman (on Twitter). Per Heyman, the Nats are “involved on a number of fronts.”

Wilson Ramos and Jose Lobaton are slated to comprise the Nationals’ backstop contingent in 2015, but neither player performed anywhere near his previous peak level. Ramos, in particular, had a difficult season. Though the 28-year-old logged a career-best 504 plate appearances, his offensive output was far and away the worst it has been in any of his six big league campaigns. His 15 home runs notwithstanding, Ramos batted a mere .229/.258/.358 in those 504 PAs. While he’s never been known for his plate discipline, Ramos’ 4.2 percent walk rate was the lowest of his career, and his 20 percent strikeout rate was the highest he’s ever recorded. From a defensive standpoint, his ability to control the running game remained strong — he caught an outstanding 44 percent of attempted base-stealers — and he rated slightly below average (though far from disastrous) in terms of pitch-framing.

Lobaton’s season was worse than that of Ramos, but the 31-year-old also entered the season with lower expectations than those placed upon his teammate and countryman. Lobaton batted .199/.279/.294 in 144 plate appearances and caught a respectable eight of 31 base-stealers while grading out quite well in terms of framing. (Prior to 2015, he’d been roughly average, so it could be that the strong marks are merely a small-sample fluctuation behind the plate as opposed to a definitive sign of improvement.) Elsewhere on the 40-man roster, the Nats have young Pedro Severino (who made a brief big league cameo in 2015) and Spencer Kieboom. Both players need more time in the minors, however, as Severino’s bat comes with question marks (though his defensive tools are said to be advanced) and Kieboom spent the 2015 season at Class-A Advanced.

Another factor to consider when thinking about the Nationals’ catching situation is that Ramos is slated to hit the open market next winter and may not be in the team’s long-term plans. If the expectation is that Ramos signs elsewhere as a free agent — either because the Nationals are outbid by a rival team or because the team simply isn’t interested in re-signing him — then it perhaps makes some sense to proactively seek upgrades behind the plate this season. Ramos has historically done most of his damage against left-handed pitching, and the Nationals are known to be seeking lineup balance, so perhaps they’d be interested in finding a left-handed bat to pair with Ramos behind the plate. That, of course, is nothing more than speculation on my own part, and it’s worth pointing out that the reported-but-not-yet-finalized additions of Daniel Murphy (link) and Stephen Drew (link) will at least given the club some more left-handed options around the diamond once completed.

In spite of Ramos’ struggles getting on base last season, it should be noted that president of baseball operations/GM Mike Rizzo spoke very highly of Ramos back in early November in the midst of rumors connecting the Nationals to Matt Wieters (prior to Wieters’ acceptance of a qualifying offer from Baltimore). Rizzo conceded that Ramos had some struggles at the plate but showed good power and ranked No. 1 in the National League in terms of throwing out base-stealers, adding: “We like Ramos. He’s a guy that it would be difficult to find a replacement for.”

Ryan Zimmerman, Ryan Howard File Defamation Lawsuits Against Al Jazeera

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6:25pm: In a full column, Salisbury relays Howard’s official statement on the matter: “Today I authorized my attorneys to file suit against Al Jazeera and its reporters. Their irresponsible reporting forced me to take this action to protect my name and to fight back against the spreading of these lies. I will have no further comment, as the filing itself contains all I need to say.”

6:08pm: John Ourand of Sports Business Journal has a copy of Zimmerman’s suit against Al Jazeera (PDF link from Ourand, on Twitter).

5:59pm: According to a report from Reuters (Twitter link) and a second report from Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (also on Twitter), Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard have filed lawsuits against the Al Jazeera media outlet for the PED allegations against each player in Al Jazeera’s recent documentary, The Dark Side. The controversial documentary was released in late December, although within hours of its release, the documentary’s main witness, Charlie Sly, told ESPN that the comments he made regarding Zimmerman and Howard were “absolutely false and incorrect,” adding that the comments he made to British hurdler Liam Collins, who went undercover for the film, were his attempt to “pull one over on Collins to see if he had any idea of what he was talking about.”

Per the Washington Post’s Barry Svrluga (links to Svrluga on Twitter), Zimmerman’s lawsuit states the following: “Mr. Zimmerman has never taken Delta 2, human growth hormone, or any other steroid or other performance-enhancing substance banned by the MLB.” The Al Jazeera film in question alleges that Zimmerman did take Delta-2, which is both specifically designated to evade drug tests and included on Major League Baseball’s list of banned substances. At the time the documentary was published, attorney William Burck of Emmanuel Quinn, who represents both Zimmerman and Howard, issued the following statement:

“It’s inexcusable and irresponsible that Al Jazeera would provide a platform and broadcast outright lies about Mr. Howard and Mr. Zimmerman. The extraordinarily reckless claims made against our clients in this report are completely false and rely on a source who has already recanted his claims.  We will go to court to hold Al Jazeera and other responsible parties accountable for smearing our clients’ good names.”

NFL star Peyton Manning, who is also the subject of Al Jazeera allegations, could conceivably file a suit as well, as could fellow NFL players Julius Peppers, Mike Neal and James Harrison, each of whom is connected to Delta-2 usage in the film as well. MLBTR’s sister site, Pro Football Rumors, has been tracking the football implications of the Al Jazeera documentary for those who are interested in the latest developments on the NFL side of the equation.

Outfield Notes: Angels, Upton, Cespedes, Parra, Span

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The Angels are still in the outfield market, but it’s not clear whether the team will strongly pursue the top available options, as MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reports. A source tells Gonzalez that owner Arte Moreno remains unwilling to exceed the luxury line, meaning that the team would not have the payroll capacity for a major addition — at least without trimming existing salary first. When asked whether the team was looking at a major addition or less expensive move, GM Billy Eppler responded: “I don’t think you look to do one and not the other. I think you’re constantly looking to do both. Your circumstances and timing might dictate what you can and cannot do, but I think you should always be looking to do both.” Meanwhile, Eppler noted that the team is not committed to platooning Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava in left field, saying that “we’re not at that point yet.”

Here’s more on the market for outfielders, which remains chock full of major names:

  • Top free agents Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes have seen increased interest in the new year, according to ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden (Insider link). But both are still waiting to see what happens with Chris Davis, per the report, as their representatives see the Orioles as a plausible landing spot if the club does not land Davis.
  • The Nationals have continued interest in free agent Gerardo Parra and have been in contact with him, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson writes. Washington has long been connected with the veteran, who would presumably share time with the aging Jayson Werth and unproven youngster Michael Taylor if signed.
  • Former Nats center fielder Denard Span could still be considered for a return to D.C., but durability obviously remains a major concern. Meanwhile, he’ll surely aim for a full-time role. The veteran is set to show off his recovery from surgery at some point this month, but gave a preview recently on his Twitter account. From the video available at that link, Span looks to be moving well and is obviously progressing after the hip procedure. In spite of the risk, he ought to hold plenty of appeal given the high level of production he’s carried recently when healthy.

NL East Notes: Nova, Marlins, Taylor, Mets

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The Marlins are known to be seeking starting pitching, and the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo reported over the weekend that “Miami has had interest” in a trade for Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova this winter. The match makes some sense on paper, as Nova, who is reportedly being shopped by the Yankees, will be affordable at a projected $4.4MM (via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz), which would come in well within Miami’s budget. The Marlins have been linked to starters and said to be comfortable in the range of a $12MM annual value, so Nova’s relatively modest salary shouldn’t be a problem. The link to Nova continues somewhat of a recent shift in reports pertaining to Miami’s search for rotation upgrades; the Marlins have now been connected to Nova, Doug Fister, Cliff Lee and Edwin Jackson within the past week — all likely one-year commitments. Previously, the team was linked to multi-year deals for starting pitchers and was also said to be eyeing young starting pitching in trade scenarios with a variety of teams, including the Indians and Mariners. Outfielder Marcell Ozuna could yet return a notable starting pitcher, but Miami’s asking price on the 24-year-old has been high (he certainly wouldn’t be in play in any talks for Nova).

A few more notes from the NL East…

  • “We’re still talking with players and looking for ways to add to our overall depth,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill told MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro yesterday when asked about the team’s starting pitching. As things currently stand, Frisaro lists Jarred Cosart, Tom Koehler, Adam Conley and either Justin Nicolino or David Phelps as the four starters that would follow Jose Fernandez in the rotation. Clearly, there’s a good deal of uncertainty there, and Frisaro runs down some other internal options that are either MLB-ready or close to earning that distinction, including right-hander Jose Urena, right-hander Kendry Flores and left-hander Jarlin Garcia.
  • Michael A. Taylor’s role with the Nationals in 2016 is up in the air at this time, writes Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post. While Taylor, who is entering his age-25 season, showed impressive defense and a nice blend of speed/power last season in an unexpectedly regular role (necessitated by injuries to Denard Span and Jayson Werth), he also struck out in nearly 31 percent of his plate appearances and displayed a lack of plate discipline, thereby yielding OBP questions. As things stand right now, Taylor is penciled in as Washington’s opening day center fielder. However, the team’s reported interest in names like Jason Heyward, Carlos Gonzalez and Gerardo Parra seems to indicate some discontent with the current outfield trio, Janes notes. Interestingly, she doesn’t seem to think that Taylor would head to Triple-A for regular at-bats even in the event of a significant outfield addition, instead writing that Taylor “would likely slide into the role of superutility outfielder,” spelling the aging, injury-prone Werth and others as needed.
  • The Mets are still open to signing a veteran arm for their bullpen, writes MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo in his latest Inbox column. Jeurys Familia, Addison Reed and Jerry Blevins are locks to fit in, and at least three of Sean Gilmartin, Erik Goeddel, Carlos Torres, Logan Verrett and Hansel Robles should end up in the ’pen as well, DiComo writes (or, presumably, four of the five, in absence of the aforementioned veteran addition). With lefties Josh Smoker and Dario Alvarez as well as righties Jim Henderson and Rafael Montero also serving as possibilities, the team does have quite a bit of depth, DiComo notes.
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