The MLB hot stove continues to burn up, as the San Diego Padres made a number of trades over the past few days. But are more moves on the way?
Bleacher Report’s Stephen Nelson caught up with MLB national columnist Scott Miller to discuss which big-name players could be moved this winter.
Who is next on the trading block? Check out the video, and let us know what you think in the comments below!
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Still months away from pitchers and catchers reporting, the MLB rumors surrounding some of the biggest trade targets are hotter than ever.
The hot stove has been set ablaze with rumors swirling about both Cole Hamels and Troy Tulowitzki. Even recent acquisitions by teams might be up for discussion with the San Diego Padres looking to deal one of their biggest assets.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves might actually be keeping one of their most coveted players heading into the season. Prior to the start of the new year, here’s a look at the latest rumors surrounding the MLB.
Cole Hamels
This offseason, the hotbed for trade rumors has been in San Diego. The Padres have been dealing for several huge bats, but they might now be looking to acquire a true ace for their rotation.
San Diego’s latest inquiry has reportedly been on Hamels, who is coming off a career year with the Philadelphia Phillies. Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News passes along the latest on Hamels:
“The Padres have had discussions about trading for the lefthanded ace, who happens to be a San Diego native,” Lawrence writes. “With newly acquired outfielder Wil Myers as potential bait, according to a baseball source.”
Hamels, 30, posted a career-low 2.46 ERA last season with 198 strikeouts and finished sixth in the Cy Young voting, per Baseball-Reference. Even on a team that finished 16 games under .500, Hamels was sensational on the rubber.
He might also be a great fit for San Diego due to his contract, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
While the Padres have made great strides with the additions of outfielders Matt Kemp and Justin Upton, they still need to upgrade the rotation. In a division that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants—each of which have true aces—Hamels would immediately add that presence for San Diego.
Even if it gives up Wil Myers, the return in Hamels seems worth it. This is a deal the Padres need to make to not only compete in the NL West but also in the postseason.
Troy Tulowitzki
Unlike the Padres and the Phillies, the Colorado Rockies have been mostly reluctant to deal their biggest names.
In Colorado, Tulowitzki remains the best potential trade target for any team looking for a power bat. Now, the Rockies are talking about a move involving Tulo with a familiar team, as Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports:
The Mets and Rockies have been quietly discussing a potential Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster for weeks, though it isn’t known yet whether New York will have a decent chance to complete such a deal.
Prized Mets pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard is said to be the centerpiece of discussions revolving around a potential package of young players in a possible deal for Tulo, though it seems like there is still quite a ways to go to have a chance to complete such a monster trade.
In the early portion of last season, Tulowitzki looked like a MVP candidate for Colorado. Through 91 games, the 30-year-old finished with a .340/.432/.603 slash line and 21 home runs, but injuries cut his season short.
The New York Mets have already signed Michael Cuddyer and could be looking to pair him with a familiar face at shortstop; however, injury concerns for Tulo should eventually outweigh the Mets’ need to acquire his offense in their lineup.
Evan Gattis
This offseason has been similar to a fire sale for in Atlanta. Already dealing away the likes of Jason Heyward and the aforementioned Upton, the Braves might actually be keeping one of their best young remaining bats.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post offered the latest rumor about Evan Gattis:
Given the way the offseason has gone for Atlanta, moving Gattis might seem like a good idea to continue the rebuild; however, he is just 28 years old and hit 22 home runs last year while improving his batting average, OBP and slugging percentage.
Having Nick Markakis in right field and Gattis in left, Atlanta would still have a supply of power in the lineup. If Christian Bethancourt can grab the reins behind the plate, this might be a young team that can still compete—even in a rebuilding year.
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This is going to be an offseason Major League Baseball fans look back on with a smile. With the exception of a few teams, virtually every franchise seems to believe that contention in 2015 is possible. It’s why trades and signings have been happening more rapidly than we are used to.
Despite all of the action that’s occurred up to this point, there are no signs that things will slow down. There may not be as many deals involving top-tier stars because there are only so many of those players to go around. But a lot of valuable role players will find new homes.
The trade winds have been blowing for the last few weeks. There are going to be one or two big gusts left, so don’t be surprised by anything that happens anymore. As for what’s on the hot stove right now, here’s what’s cooking.
Rockies Have One Suitor for Troy Tulowitzki
Despite his popularity and ability when he’s healthy, trading Troy Tulowitzki is the best thing that could happen to the Colorado Rockies this offseason. That franchise is wasting money on a player who has a rare ability but has demonstrated throughout his career an inability to stay on the field.
Plus, the Rockies are in such a terrible state right now with their pitching staff that Tulowitzki’s salary sticks out like a sore thumb.
While there doesn’t appear to be a big market for Tulo, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com is reporting one team is still engaged in conversations for the All-Star shortstop:
The Mets and Rockies have been quietly discussing a potential Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster for weeks, though it isn’t known yet whether New York will have a decent chance to complete such a deal.
…
New York and Colorado have been stealthily talking names for weeks, and while there’s said to be some progress, it still feels like they are almost in the early stages with several hurdles to go, including ultimately whether the Rockies-owning Monfort brothers would sign off on such a deal for their beloved superstar shortstop.
There’s no doubt the Mets need to upgrade their shortstop situation. That group hit a collective .236/.317/.312 last year, per Baseball-Reference.com.
By comparison, Tulowitzki hit .340/.432/.603 in 91 games last season. He had 13 more home runs (21) than New York’s shortstops in 71 fewer games. The Mets’ 629 runs scored were tied with Houston for 21st in the league.
The Mets added Michael Cuddyer to their lineup earlier this offseason, but he’s hardly a difference-maker given his age (35), bad outfield defense and inability to stay healthy.
While one could argue the Mets would be better with Tulowitzki, is he really worth the cost? Heyman says in his report the talks have centered on star pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard going back to Colorado.
In addition to possibly losing their best prospect in the deal, the Mets would also be on the hook for a contract that pays Tulowitzki $114 million through 2020 with a $15 million team option or $4 million buyout in 2021, per Baseball-Reference.com.
That’s a lot of money to pay a shortstop through his age-35 season, especially when you consider Tulowitzki has only played 140 games three times in his career and less than 100 twice in the last three years.
Unless the Rockies are willing to chip in a lot of the money owed to Tulowitzki, it’s hard to justify a scenario where the Mets pull the trigger on this deal.
Braves Might Keep One Player
This has been an offseason of great change for the Atlanta Braves, though their fans are not likely to be thrilled about it. The only regular left from last year’s outfield is B.J. Upton, whose .208/.287/.333 slash line in 141 games pretty much makes him immovable.
It’s clear the Braves have their eye on the future, but they also need someone to generate offense in 2014. Freddie Freeman is the only returning player who had an on-base percentage over .350 and slugging percentage over .450.
The addition of Nick Markakis might add a few points to the on-base percentage at the top of the order but does nothing to help in the power department.
One player the Braves know well who does have power is Evan Gattis. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Atlanta’s plan is to keep the 28-year-old and hit him behind Freeman:
The Braves have a fascination with Gattis that doesn’t make much sense. He’s a nice story as a guy who was out of baseball in college and worked his way back, breaking into the big leagues at 26 and providing nice power with 43 home runs over the last two years.
There are limitations to Gattis’ game, however. He has a career on-base percentage of .304 and has 43 walks in 723 at-bats. His defense in the outfield is atrocious, costing the Braves 10 runs in just 342.1 innings last year, per FanGraphs.com.
That’s why it’s not particularly surprising to see the Braves are underwhelmed by offers for Gattis. As precious as right-handed power is in the game, he’s one year away from a salary increase when arbitration kicks in.
Is Seth Smith the Odd Man out in San Diego?
It’s an exciting time to be a fan of the San Diego Padres, which isn’t something that has been said lately. But all the roster shuffling does mean that other moves will likely have to be made.
After all, when you stockpile outfielders in trades, it’s hard to justify keeping the ones that were already on the roster. According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Padres may be inclined to move Seth Smith, and a potential landing spot has emerged:
Since the Mariners have missed out on acquiring the one big outfield bat—Nelson Cruz should only be used as a designated hitter—they need to get more creative. They already acquired Justin Ruggiano from the Cubs earlier in the week.
Ruggiano is a right-handed hitter who has hit left-handed pitching well throughout his career (.836 OPS). Smith is the counter to that, being a left-handed hitter who has an .839 OPS against right-handed pitching in his career.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today speculated that one downside to all of San Diego’s moves is it makes the lineup overloaded with right-handed bats, adding to Smith’s value for the Padres:
Smith’s name keeps coming up in trade talks because he’s the most attractive chip the Padres have to offer. Cameron Maybin and Will Venable can’t hit, while Carlos Quentin can never stay healthy long enough to show he’s still capable of hitting.
Eventually, the Padres will have to move someone just to have the roster space to keep players other than outfielders on their bench. Smith may be hard to move because of his value as a left-handed hitter, but he is also the most likely player to net something of value in return.
Stats and contract info via Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted
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The freshest batch of rumors is in, and the reports suggest that a couple of potent bats could be on the move in the months prior to spring training.
Several teams have been aggressive in reshaping their rosters. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres have been extremely busy upgrading and reshuffling in order to get the most talent on their respective rosters. The smartest teams use a mix of free agency and trades to make changes.
Making trades can be difficult, though, as negotiating for top players is never easy. Every organization values a player differently, hence the difficulties that often ensue.
Regardless, the following players are likely candidates to be dealt at some point during the winter months.
Josh Hamilton hasn’t posted poor numbers on par with B.J. Upton since signing with the Los Angeles Angels prior to the 2013 season, but many would argue that he has been more disappointing given the five-year, $125 million contract he signed that offseason.
He has just 31 homers and 123 RBI in 240 games with the Halos, but it’s his OPS of .741 that is most disappointing. While with the Texas Rangers from 2008 to 2012, his OPS was .912.
The organization might be at wit’s end with the 33-year-old. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that they’ve tried to trade him this offseason: “The Angels, according to major-league sources, have discussed a possible Hamilton trade with at least two teams this offseason, the Rangers and the Padres.”
Rosenthal notes that the talks were “exploratory in nature; they did not gain traction.” MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez echoed that statement:
That still doesn’t negate the fact that Hamilton could be on the move.
Hamilton is owed $83 million over the next three seasons, so it’ll take a team with deep pockets to take him on. The Halos would certainly cover part of the cost, but not enough to attract smaller-market clubs.
Trading Hamilton would simply be a move to rid the organization of some excess salary; there’s no way the team gets anything of extreme value for him. He’s a high-reward, bounce-back candidate for 2015, but teams don’t dish out top talent for a veteran in that regard.
Of course, general manager Jerry Dipoto is doing his best to downplay the talks, via Rosenthal: “We are absolutely of the belief that the ability is there for him to do the things that he has done in the past. Now we have to help him turn the key to bring the ability out.”
GMs contradict trade rumors all the time for various reasons, so make of this situation what you will. In the end, don’t be surprised if Hamilton has a new address next season.
Seth Smith
The Padres suddenly have a rather stacked outfield.
Wil Myers, Carlos Quentin, Rymer Liriano, Cameron Maybin, Will Venable, Abraham Almonte and Seth Smith are currently on the roster. The Dodgers have also finally traded Matt Kemp to the Friars, as their official Twitter account announced, so that’s another player who needs playing time in the outfield. And the team has finalized a trade for Justin Upton, reports Rosenthal.
Of the big group of outfielders, one could assume that Quentin would interest American League clubs that could offer him time at designated hitter. Liriano and Maybin are both players with high upside, so there should be interest there.
But an underrated player who could be on the move as a result of this overhaul is Smith. ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick hears that his name has been coming up in talks:
Smith slashed .266/.367/.440 last season. He was best against righties, though, as he slashed .270/.359/.455 against them.
Teams looking into Smith will utilize him as the left-handed-hitting portion of a platoon in either left or right field. This is where the 32-year-old stands at this point in his career, so he’s nothing more than a complementary piece in an already deep lineup.
A deal for Smith is the type of acquisition that could put a strong team over the top. Hiding weaknesses against southpaws becomes a lot easier with a player like Smith waiting on the bench to take his hacks.
The Padres would do well to trade him. He’s one of their most valuable trade assets, and they still have other holes to fill. With potentially nine outfielders for four jobs (don’t forget a reserve outfielder), there’s some dealing to be done.
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Major League Baseball is a month-and-a-half into the offseason and already oh-so-many moves have been made. But there’s no shortage of rumors and speculation—and questions—around a number of free agents and trade candidates, as well as teams’ objectives and plans of attack.
Some of the latest buzz centers on the surprisingly aggressive San Diego Padres, the bidding for star Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang and why there doesn’t seem to be much chatter around free agent James Shields.
Having covered a number of topics last time, what better way to continue taking the temperature of the hot stove than by running through a batch of the hottest questions to cover the latest potential transaction action across the sport?
See, that’s a question in and of itself, although the four to follow are a bit more meaningful. Promise.
The only downside of having so many things happen at the Winter Meetings last week is Major League Baseball didn’t spread the wealth. Instead of free agents or teams waiting for a day or two in between all of their action, movement has been fairly quiet since everyone left San Diego.
However, just because the actual moves have slowed doesn’t mean the chatter is dying down. Teams are still aggressively working the phones in pursuit of a prize that will hopefully result in a championship sooner than later.
Now is the time for teams to make their best pitch to acquire a premium talent via trade because the top-tier free agents, with the exception of Max Scherzer, are off the table. Scherzer‘s market hasn’t taken off yet, nor is it likely to until agent Scott Boras decides he wants it to, so searching for answers now requires some maneuvering.
Here are the teams looking to make deals for some of the biggest stars in the sport.
Do the Red Sox Have an in on Cole Hamels?
While there is still work to be done, it appears Philadelphia general manager Ruben Amaro is poised to start rebuilding his roster around younger talent. That will require shedding a lot of salary and upsetting Phillies fans, but it’s in the best long-term interest of this declining franchise.
The biggest chip Amaro has to play with is Cole Hamels, who is signed to a reasonable contract by the standards of top-tier starting pitchers and can net a strong return for the Phillies’ system. Finding a trade partner could be problematic because the left-hander has a no-trade list that includes 20 teams.
However, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, there may be at least one team that could make Hamels waive the no-trade provision if they chose to do so:
The Cubs, Red Sox, Dodgers, Padres, and Rangers are interested in Hamels. The sleeper team is the aggressive Astros. The Giants may be in if they can’t get James Shields. The feeling has been that if the Red Sox would pick up Hamels’s 2019 option at $20 million, he would waive his no-trade. The five years remaining on Hamels’s deal would be worth $110 million.
The Red Sox already missed out on their big free agent when Jon Lester opted to sign with the Chicago Cubs. General manager Ben Cherington has done a solid job of rebuilding the middle and back of Boston’s rotation with Wade Miley, Rick Porcello and Justin Masterson.
However, the Red Sox still lack an arm for the top of their rotation in 2015. Hamels will be a steep price, both in terms of what they would have to give up and price, but it’s clear based on Cherington‘s moves that another lost season isn’t in the cards.
After playing things conservatively in free agency the past two years, the Red Sox spent a combined $183 million on Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez.
Guaranteeing Hamels $110 million over five years would also be an out-of-the-box move for Boston, which hasn’t given a pitcher a contract that long since John Lackey in the winter of 2009.
There aren’t many other options for the Red Sox to choose from, especially with the credentials Hamels possesses. He’s only 11 days older than Lester, had a 2.46 ERA with 198 strikeouts and 176 hits allowed in 204.2 innings last year and has finished in the top 10 of Cy Young voting three of the last four years.
The Red Sox also possess one of the deepest farm systems in baseball, so they can afford to gamble on a trade like the one it would take to land Hamels without depleting their future talent. Winning now is a priority for this franchise, so finding a way to make this deal happen seems essential to success in 2015.
Pitching Depth Makes Padres Favorites for Justin Upton?
Unlike the Red Sox, where competing every year is essential to maintaining harmony, the San Diego Padres are still trying to figure out their recipe for success. They seem to believe that winning now is a possibility, as evidenced by the reported acquisition of Matt Kemp from the Los Angeles Dodgers, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
However, the Padres may not be done there. According to Dennis Lin of U-T San Diego, San Diego is viewed as the favorites to land Justin Upton from Atlanta:
More than a few in the industry believe Upton will wind up with the Padres, who may be able to offer more controllable pitching than any other suitor. While Upton, 27, is a year away from free agency, he is owed a reasonable $14.5 million, making him the top option among potential short-term fits.
Adding Upton to play alongside Kemp would certainly improve a Padres offense that scored the fewest runs in baseball last year (535) and got dreadful production from the outfield (.234/.307/.347, per Baseball-Reference.com).
It just becomes a matter of whether the Padres want to pay what the Braves are asking, which Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported in November as being “a higher return” than what St. Louis paid for Jason Heyward.
Upton, like Heyward, is in the final year of his contract, but is also making nearly twice as much money ($14.5 million to $7.8 million). Upton does offer something Heyward hasn’t shown in two years: Power, as the former All-Star has hit 56 homers in his two years with the Braves.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports also wondered if the financial investment, as well as the pieces that would need to be dealt, are enough to make the Padres relevant in the National League West:
The Padres’ second baseman, Jedd Gyorko, is coming off a .612 OPS in an injury-marred season. Their shortstops, Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes, are perhaps best suited to be utility players. Club officials would like to upgrade over Yonder Alonso at first, and third base currently looms as a competition between and Cory Spangenberg and Yangervis Solarte.
With all the problems in that San Diego lineup, not just the outfield, Kemp and Upton at their best may not be good enough to get the Padres over the hump in 2015. That is key because Upton can be a free agent, so who knows if he would even entertain re-signing in the pitcher-friendly Petco Park.
If you want to take a glass-half-full approach, the Padres still won 77 games despite having the worst offense and allowed the second-fewest runs in the National League. Still, there’s a lineup-wide problem that even a Kemp-Upton duo doesn’t fix.
Phillies Trying to Parlay Ryan Howard Into Trades
When you have a 35-year-old first baseman who hit .223/.310/.380 with a league-leading 190 strikeouts and is owed $50 million over the next two years with a $10 million buyout for 2017, per Baseball-Reference.com, you have to get creative trying to move the player.
Ryan Howard is the albatross in the middle of a Philadelphia franchise that has been riding a wave of bad contracts for the last three years. Being able to move him, even if it means chipping in a lot of money, would be good to move beyond the past glory and current malaise.
Amaro deserves credit for reportedly trying to get creative with a trade package involving Howard, even if it was futile.
According to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports, the Baltimore Orioles had discussions with the Phillies about acquiring Marlon Byrd with a caveat:
The Orioles talked to the Phillies about outfielder Marlon Byrd, and he was offered in a package that included first baseman Ryan Howard, according to multiple industry sources. Don’t hold your breath on that one, either.
The bad news for Amaro and the Phillies is they don’t have a player good enough to sell teams that would cause them to absorb Howard in return. Hamels is the closest thing, but even he’s not that good. It would also significantly lower the return in prospects, unless the Phillies paid off all of Howard’s salary.
However, if buying Howard was an option then the Phillies should just do that and release him now to avoid having him continue to get paid like a superstar and perform like a below-replacement level player.
It’s not a good situation for either side to be in. Howard has to endure the scrutiny that comes with being a $25 million per year player, while the Phillies are handcuffed by the bad contract they gave him two years before he hit free agency.
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With so many of the league’s top free agents signed to big contracts, MLB teams still looking to make an offseason splash will likely have to do so via trade.
The Los Angeles Dodgers set the bar fairly high with a frenzy of deals that netted them a sweet-looking double-play combo in Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins, among other players. One might think that by mid-December, most teams are secure with their rosters and don’t see the need for much tinkering, but the rumor mill suggests otherwise.
Several notable names have found their way into the latest chatter from around the league. Here is a look at the buzz surrounding four players who just might be sporting new colors and crests in 2015.
The Philadelphia Phillies enjoyed a great deal of success over the past 11 seasons relying on the terrific trio of Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.
However, the Phillies are breaking up the band after finishing last in the NL East in 2014 with a 73-89 record. As previously mentioned, they traded J-Roll to the Dodgers, and it appears the team wants to offload Howard as well, per Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe:
The Phillies are trying to get teams interested in Howard, and a team source indicated they are willing to pay a great majority of his contract to move him. Howard, who hit 23 home runs and knocked in 95 runs last season, is owed $60 million between 2015 and ’17, which includes a buyout. The Phillies are trying to sell him as a DH. The Rays and Orioles could have needs in that area.
Howard was once one of the most feared power hitters in the game, but a sharp decline in productivity, injuries and poor defensive play have seen the 35-year-old become more of a liability than an asset.
Indeed, there is no way the Phillies move Howard without eating a large chunk of his contract. A mid-30s slugger whose one remaining tool is a blunt instrument is a big risk for another team to assume, a risk Philadelphia is apparently aware it has to mitigate.
Neither the Baltimore Orioles nor Tampa Bay Rays have a predilection for large payrolls, so it’s possible they would still pass on Howard if Philadelphia can’t or won’t eat much of his contract.
If no team bites on Howard, it’s possible the Phillies could make Howard a ludicrously expensive platoon member at first base.
“General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated Tuesday that it was possible that Howard could be a platoon player if still with the team,” writes CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury.
Manager Ryne Sandberg was essentially mum on that possibility and said he hadn’t discussed it with Howard.
“No, just kind of waiting to see what plays out and what happens,” he said, according to Salisbury. “It’s hard to have some conversations when you don’t know what the roster is going to be.”
Barring a miraculous return to all-star form, platooning Howard doesn’t help this team move on into the next era, especially when prospects like Cody Asche and 21-year-old Maikel Franco could be future first baseman for the club.
Justin Upton
It appears the San Diego Padres aren’t done bringing some much needed brawn to their reedy lineup. Having already agreed to a deal for the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, the Padres are reportedly looking to bring Justin Upton into the fold, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.
“It’s true — the Padres want Justin Upton in addition to Matt Kemp,” Rosenthal notes. “They’re also looking at other hitters, but one rival executive says the Pads are ‘all over’ Upton, confirming a report by Mark Bowman of MLB.com.”
Bringing in both Kemp and Upton would be a welcome infusion of runs for a team that finished dead last in scoring in 2014.
The 30-year-old Kemp—who finished in second in MVP voting in 2011 but has struggled with injuries and ineffective play over much of the last three seasons—came on strong in the latter half of the 2014 season, but the Dodgers had to do something to relieve the logjam in the outfield, and it’s likely his massive contract made him expendable.
Pairing Kemp and Upton in the outfield should sell tickets from behind the backstop out to the bleachers, but the fans in the latter seats might have a bone to pick with the defensive play from this potential duo.
Kemp finished last among innings-qualified outfielders in Ultimate Zone Rating in 2014, while Upton ranked 47th out of 55 outfielders over a three-year span from 2012 to 2014, per FanGraphs.com. The defensive play means the Padres would also need to hold onto their strong corps of starting pitchers.
According to Rosenthal, the Padres are reluctant to trade the likes of Ian Kennedy, Andrew Cashner or Tyson Ross.
While defense is a concern, Rosenthal also notes that bringing in Upton would likely clean the coffers, assuming the Padres aren’t able to dispense with some salary in a trade with the Atlanta Braves:
The additions of both outfielders would increase the Padres’ commitments next season to $71.525 million for 10 players, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Add the nine Pads eligible for arbitration, and the number would zoom past $100 million, according to projections by Matt Swarz of MLBTradeRumors.com.
Something would have to give – the Pads’ Opening Day payroll last season was a club record at $90.6 million. Perhaps the team could trade Kennedy, who projects to earn $10.3 million or closer Joaquin Benoit, who is under contract for $8 million.
The Padres aren’t deep enough at other positions to trade any bona fide major leaguers and remain competitive. If the reported interest in Upton does indeed mean San Diego is looking to contend rather soon, then it’s likely some of the organization’s top prospects would have to be involved in any trade.
Upton and Kemp would bring plenty of lumber to a run-starved team, but it likely won’t be enough for the Padres to scaffold all the way to the NL West penthouse.
For the Braves, this could be a good bit of business if they do intend to rebuild. They already traded away Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason. If the team can land a mix of prospects and/or picks from the Padres, it could push the perennial NL East contender to a full-on rebuild, albeit with a solid foundation thanks to the swaps.
Ian Desmond and Jordan Zimmerman
The Washington Nationals are set up to be perennial contenders if they want to be. They finished with the best record in the National League in 2014 and have a solid corps of both young and proven talent that includes the likes of Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg and Jayson Werth.
However, two members of the team that played so well last season could be set to leave the nation’s capital, per Rosenthal:
The Nats indeed are open to moving Zimmermann and Desmond, perhaps even in the same deal. They recently engaged in multiple conversations about both players with the Mariners, according to major-league sources. One of the many ideas the Nats proposed was Zimmermann and Desmond for right-hander Taijuan Walker and shortstop Brad Miller, sources said.
Rosenthal also reported in his column that the Nationals had talks with the Boston Red Sox about Zimmerman.
Desmond and Zimmerman are in the last years of their contracts and set to make $11 million and $16.5 million in 2015, respectively, per Spotrac.
It appears the Nationals are willing to part with two players who have been solid contributors for much of their careers. Desmond’s average and on-base percentage took a notable dip last season, but he still hit 24 homers and notched 91 RBI while playing 151 games at shortstop, clearly no easy feat.
Zimmerman, who was an All-Star in both 2013 and 2014, had the best year of his career last season, going 14-8 with a 2.66 ERA. At 28 years old, he’s in his athletic prime and has pitched in 32 games in each of the last three seasons.
Considering the team won 96 games last season, it would likely be a frustrating development for Nationals fans if these players were traded for prospects. A bounce-back year from third baseman Ryan Zimmerman could put the Nats over the top, especially considering other NL contenders might be taking a step back. The Dodgers lost offensive firepower by trading Kemp, and the San Francisco Giants are without Pablo Sandoval now.
Of course, the Nationals could end up with nothing if one (or both) of those players decides to leave as a free agent at the end of next season.
This is a team the front office really should try to keep together. With a championship in reach and players like Ryan Zimmerman, Harper and (hopefully) Strasburg to carry them through lean years, the Nats would likely be better off holding onto both Zimmerman and Desmond in 2015 and taking their chances.
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With Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings now in the rear-view mirror, what’s next for the Boston Red Sox?
The Red Sox recently added several pieces to their starting rotation, but they lack an ace to carry them. Boston continues to have an overabundance of outfielders as well, not to mention a few other areas that could use some tinkering. Here is a look at what the Red Sox need to do over the remainder of the offseason.
Acquire a No. 1 Starter?
Max Scherzer and James Shields are still out there on the open market as free agents. As Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe recently reported, rumors of the Red Sox potentially trading for the Philadelphia Phillies‘ Cole Hamels will not go away. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal stated that Boston has also discussed a possible deal with the Washington Nationals for Jordan Zimmerman.
Boston’s fans would undoubtedly like to see their club make a major move for a top-tier starter. But at this point, there’s a fairly decent chance that’s not going to happen. Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston suggests the Red Sox may opt for more pitching depth, rather than a star:
In the absence of a big move, the Sox could try to acquire another young arm with big-league experience, like Miami’s Nathan Eovaldi, a 24-year-old right-hander who is a hard thrower (95.7 mph was his average velocity in 2014) and had a much better fielding independent percentage (3.37 FIP) than ERA (4.37), which may be a function of a high batting average on balls in play (.326). The Marlins are looking for a first baseman and a bat to hit behind Giancarlo Stanton, and they could have some interest in Allen Craig.
Boston entered the Winter Meetings with two starters projected to be in the club’s 2015 rotation, Clay Buchholz and Joe Kelly. The team then acquired Wade Miley, Rick Porcello and Justin Masterson. From ESPN Boston’s Joe McDonald, after the signing of Masterson, who had a 5.88 ERA and 1.63 WHIP last season, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said:
We clearly see Justin as a starter. That’s what he’s really been just about all the time since he was traded, so that’s the role we expect him to be in, and if he’s what we think he will be then he’ll be a good one. Justin has had experience pitching out of the bullpen, so obviously he can do that, but we’re signing him to be a starter.
Could this be an indication that no further moves are coming and the Red Sox rotation is now complete with those five players? Considering some of the other comments Cherington made lately, that might very easily be the case. Via Jason Mastrodonato of Mass Live, Cherington said:
We’ve been able to acquire the three starters we have this week while still maintaining what we consider the top end of our young pitching and still have what we think is good pitching depth, beyond the five guys that will likely begin the season in the rotation.
And from the Providence Journal‘s Tim Britton, Boston’s GM stated:
Once Opening Day is gone, the whole No. 1 starter thing kind of is overrated. Whoever takes the ball that night, it’s their responsibility to help us win. You’re going to pitch every five days; the order doesn’t really mean as much once you get past Opening Day. We feel like we’ve put together a rotation now that can help us win every game. We’ll figure out the order in spring training.
At first glance Cherington‘s words suggest he is more than happy with his squad’s current starting pitching situation. However, Boston may well still be pursuing an ace anyway. Britton makes a great argument for why Red Sox supporters shouldn’t necessarily take those quotes too seriously:
A few things to digest…it would be bad form for Cherington to express dissatisfaction with a rotation full of established major-league regulars. …
Second, it would be bad business for Cherington to express dissatisfaction with his rotation. … Now that the Red Sox have five starters, they can convincingly pretend to walk away from the negotiating table with the Phillies or Nationals if the price looks too high. (It’s easier to haggle over the price of a car when you drove to the dealership instead of walked.)
If Boston is content to head into the 2015 season with a rotation of Porcello, Buchholz, Miley, Kelly and Masterson, can it still compete for a division title? C.J. Nitkowski of Fox Sports believes so, writing:
And while you wonder how the Red Sox can win a division without an ace, remember who won the American League East a year ago: The Baltimore Orioles, with a rotation that posted a 3.61 ERA, good for 12th best in baseball, to go along with a 4.18 FIP, 28th in baseball.
The Red Sox have a very good, not great, starting rotation. One that can be more than enough when backed by good defense, good offense, and a good bullpen, much like the Orioles had a year ago.
However, of the five Boston starters only Porcello (3.43) posted an ERA below 4.00 last season (Kelly 4.11, Miley 4.34, Buchholz 5.34 and Masterson 5.88). Matching Baltimore’s 2014 production with this group will be no easy task.
Shed Some Outfielders
Below is a guess at the Red Sox batting order in 2015:
Brock Holt played every position besides pitcher and catcher last year and is a nice option as an all-around utility player. Allen Craig has spent much of his time in the outfield over the course of his career, but he can also be used as a backup first baseman or third baseman. That leaves Shane Victorino, Daniel Nava and Jackie Bradley Jr. all fighting for time as reserve outfielders.
It doesn‘t make any sense for Boston to enter the season with six, seven or eight outfielders (depending on if you include Craig and Holt). Somebody has got to go.
Find a Home For Will Middlebrooks
Will Middlebrooks batted just .191 with two home runs and 19 RBI in 63 games in 2014. By signing Sandoval, the Red Sox made it quite clear that Middlebrooks is not their third baseman of the future. The Boston Herald’s Scott Lauber recently discussed some options for the 26-year-old:
Middlebrooks said he spoke to general manager Ben Cherington last week — one day after Sandoval signed his five-year, $95 million contract — but received few answers about a situation that he calls ‘blurry.’
He still doesn’t have to clear waivers to be sent to the minors and could conceivably open next season in Triple A. He also could move across the infield and begin working out at first base, where Mike Napoli has only one year left on his contract.
Or he could be traded, part of a package to bring back a starting pitcher.
His recent numbers prevent him from having much trade value, so it’s hard to imagine Boston would reject any reasonable offers from teams showing interest in Middlebrooks.
Add a Veteran Lefty to the Bullpen
At the moment the Red Sox have four left-handed relievers on their 40-man roster—Drake Britton, Tommy Layne, Edwin Escobar and Eduardo Rodriguez. Not a single one of them has thrown even 50 total innings in the major leagues.
Before spring training starts, expect Boston to bring in at least one lefty with some big league experience under his belt. Middlebrooks or one of the extra outfielders could come in useful in making this happen.
The Red Sox have taken several significant strides towards recovering from their last place season in 2014. But, if they’re aspiring to return to their championship form of 2013 there is still much work to be done.
Statistics via RedSox.com
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It didn’t take long for the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ new front office to leave its mark on the city and franchise this offseason.
In a span of 24 hours during the recent winter meetings, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi orchestrated deals that saw the Dodgers plug a hole at shortstop, replace their All-Star second baseman and dump a former franchise cornerstone seemingly without a moment’s hesitation.
When the dust settled, it appeared Los Angeles had improved its roster in a variety of ways—albeit perhaps more subtly than usual. And if last week’s flurry was any indication, the new conductors of this Dodgers train surely have more up their sleeve between now and the start of spring training.
Advanced Metrics
The hiring of Friedman and Zaidi shortly after the Dodgers were eliminated early in October signaled a cultural shift within the organization.
Both staunch believers in the concept of advanced metrics, Friedman and Zaidi cultivated the practice in the small markets of Tampa Bay and Oakland, respectively, where a lack of financial flexibility called for shrewd, cost-effective baseball decisions.
In fact, Zaidi spent time working directly under Athletics general manager Billy Beane, who gained national recognition through Michael Lewis’ 2003 book, Moneyball, and the 2011 film of the same name.
When analyzing the metrics of the Dodgers roster they inherited from former general manager Ned Colletti, Friedman and Zaidi probably noticed that the defense could use some work. After all, there was a gaping hole at shortstop. Los Angeles chose not to re-sign Hanley Ramirez primarily because of his defensive shortcomings.
A common barometer used to value a player’s defense is a metric called defensive runs saved (DRS). Zero is considered average, 10 is great and minus-10 is poor. According to Fangraphs, Ramirez ranked 29th among all shortstops who played at least 500 innings at the position last season with minus-nine DRS.
When Ramirez commanded a contract that the Dodgers probably deemed too expensive given his age and declining defense, Friedman and Zaidi opted to go in a different direction. Rather than completely sacrifice offense by rolling the dice on a sure-handed, yet unproven, in-house option like Erisbel Arruebarrena, the Dodgers acquired Jimmy Rollins from the Philadelphia Phillies, per ESPN’s Buster Olney.
Last season, Rollins ranked 10th in DRS among shortstops with at least 500 innings under their belt, per Fangraphs. He also produced a higher on-base percentage, four more home runs and 14 more stolen bases than Ramirez.
For a moment, it looked like Rollins and second baseman Dee Gordon were going to constitute the 2015 double-play combination for the Dodgers. But Los Angeles then traded their all-star infielder to the Miami Marlins in exchange for four prospects, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
The major haul for the Dodgers in the deal was Andrew Heaney, MLB.com’s top-ranked pitching prospect in all of baseball heading into 2014. Heaney didn’t stick around very long, though, as Los Angeles quickly flipped the southpaw across town in exchange for the Angels veteran second baseman Howie Kendrick.
Yes, the Dodgers gave up a dynamic game-changer in the speedy Gordon. But upon closer inspection, Kendrick’s .347 on-base percentage trumped Gordon’s in 2014. As the old saying goes, “You can’t steal first base.”
Moreover, Kendrick’s DRS ranked seventh among all second basemen with at least 500 innings played last season, per Fangraphs. Gordon’s minus-five DRS ranked 25th.
Saving Money
Although Friedman and Zaidi now have more money to work with than they ever could have dreamed of in Tampa and Oakland, the pair remains committed to their cost-effective approach to improving the team.
Financial flexibility was lacking within the Dodgers organization last season. Former general manager Ned Colletti shoulders some of the blame for that reality, as does the Guggenheim Baseball Management ownership group that gave Colletti permission to dole out massive player contracts in order to re-establish the Dodgers’ brand following the tumultuous Frank McCourt era.
Los Angeles’ Opening Day payroll in 2014 came out to $229.3 million, the highest in the majors.
Regarding the 30-year-old Ramirez, the Dodgers were simply not willing to give him anything close to the $88 million over four years that he received from the Boston Red Sox last month.
The Dodgers’ top prospect, Corey Seager, plays shortstop but by all accounts, will not be ready for full-time MLB service until 2016. That’s why Los Angeles nabbed Rollins, a player whose contract comes off the books following the 2015 season but someone who should make for a quality stopgap next year.
One of the loftiest contracts that Colletti handed out was the eight-year, $160-million commitment to Matt Kemp. Not only did the outfielder miss most of 2012 and 2013 due to various injuries, those same injuries had seemingly sapped Kemp of his defensive capability. According to Fangraphs, Kemp registered a minus-23 in DRS, the worst among qualifying MLB outfielders in 2014.
Kemp’s hefty contract and poor defensive metrics contradicted two of the central ideals that Friedman and Zaidi champion.
It’s why Kemp was a prime piece to be moved in a trade, and that’s exactly what the Dodgers did when they sent him to the San Diego Padres in exchange for catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitcher Joe Wieland and pitching prospect Zach Eflin, per Kirk Kenney and Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
It also helped that Kemp’s value was higher than it had been in three years because of his resurgent second half at the plate in 2014.
Los Angeles agreed to eat $32 million of the $107 million remaining on Kemp’s contract, thereby immediately freeing up $75 million while reducing the well-documented outfield logjam at Dodger Stadium.
For good measure, the Dodgers recently agreed to deals with starting pitchers Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and ESPN’s Buster Olney. The common denominator between McCarthy and Anderson—besides being Twitter-savvy—is that they are both former Athletics and thus catch the eye of Zaidi.
While it can be argued that McCarthy’s four-year $48-million contract is excessive for a pitcher with a career 4.09 ERA, Friedman and Zaidi may be looking a little deeper. Sure, McCarthy’s most recent work was a stellar second half of 2014 with the Yankees. Even that might be an anomaly, though. Historically, McCarthy has struggled in hitter-friendly parks like Yankee Stadium.
But what about spacious parks like Dodger Stadium?
A reasonable comparison is O.co Coliseum, home of the A’s. McCarthy’s ERA during his two seasons with Oakland was lower than it has been with any other team throughout his nine-year career. As a No. 4 starter in Los Angeles, there will also be less pressure on McCarthy. Plus he will be working with one of the game’s best pitching coaches in Rick Honeycutt.
Anderson’s $10 million deal is incentive-laden due to his extensive injury history. But Pedro Moura of the Orange County Register points out an interesting piece of information that gives this signing the potential to be another cost-saving steal for the Dodgers in today’s high-stakes pitching market:
Although there is major injury risk associated with Anderson, Los Angeles appears confident the can provide better upside than Dan Haren, who was shipped to Miami in the Gordon deal.
What’s Next?
Whenever a team pulls off six transactions involving 17 players in a matter of two days, it’s probably a good bet that more moves are on the way.
The Dodgers certainly addressed some issues—filling out the back end of the starting rotation, finding a replacement at shortstop and replenishing the farm system—but what’s to say these recent acquisitions will even make it to spring training wearing Dodger blue?
Just ask Andrew Heaney or Stan Kasten.
The Dodgers president recently shared similar sentiments with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:
I’ve always said to my GMs, the roster you have in December or January is not the roster you’ll need or want or have in August or September or October. They’re always going to be needs that arise, holes that have to be filled, adjustments or improvements that you need to make. So whatever you do, don’t ever think you’re finished.
One option that has been dangled around the league and whose name always seems linked to the Dodgers is Cole Hamels. The veteran Phillies southpaw will turn 31 later this month and is owed $94 million over the next four years.
With statistically comparable pitchers Max Scherzer and James Shields set to rake in contracts north of $100 million, Friedman and Zaidi might view Hamels as a bargain, and they’ve clearly shown how much they like a good bargain.
The additions of McCarthy and Anderson would seemingly take Los Angeles out of the Hamels sweepstakes, but if the Dodgers are willing to dump a resurgent fan favorite in Kemp, there’s no telling what the team might do if it means a better chance at reeling in a pitcher like Hamels.
Stay tuned.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise linked/noted.
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The MLB offseason has already been filled with blockbuster trades and huge free-agent signings, but the trade rumors that continue to circulate around the biggest names in the sport could signal more change to come.
With stars like first baseman Ryan Howard, starting pitcher Cole Hamels and outfielder Allen Craig all reportedly on the market, the landscape of baseball could drastically shift once again this offseason.
Here are the latest trade rumors surrounding the biggest names in baseball.
Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard started his career as one of the best sluggers in the league, but injuries over the last several years have resulted in lackluster play from the 35-year-old veteran.
According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, Philadelphia is trying desperately to move the high-priced hitter:
The Phillies are trying to get teams interested in Howard, and a team source indicated they are willing to pay a great majority of his contract to move him. Howard, who hit 23 home runs and knocked in 95 runs last season, is owed $60 million between 2015 and ’17, which includes a buyout. The Phillies are trying to sell him as a DH. The Rays and Orioles could have needs in that area.
Howard’s first dip in production came during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, but he was staying healthy enough to be a contributing factor during the regular season and into the playoffs. The veteran suffered a serious Achilles injury at the end of 2011 and hasn’t been the same since.
The player who hit 48 home runs during the 2008 season has hit a combined 48 home runs over the last three seasons. With the franchise owing him $60 million over the next three years, there is no doubt that the Phillies should be looking to trade Howard.
Philadelphia wouldn’t get a great return if a team bites on Howard, but the franchise would free up money for the rebuilding process.
Cole Hamels, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies must begin the rebuilding process this offseason and trade away the majority of the veterans who still hold any real value.
One of the names garnering the most attention is starting pitcher Cole Hamels.
In the same report from Cafardo, Hamels is drawing serious interest from teams around the league, giving the Phillies a chance to restock the farm system if it turns into a bidding war:
The Cubs, Red Sox, Dodgers, Padres, and Rangers are interested in Hamels. The sleeper team is the aggressive Astros. The Giants may be in if they can’t get James Shields. The feeling has been that if the Red Sox would pick up Hamels’s 2019 option at $20 million, he would waive his no-trade. The five years remaining on Hamels’s deal would be worth $110 million. Would he want an extension beyond that to OK a trade?
Unlike Howard, Hamels is still very dangerous as one of the top starting pitchers in the National League. The left-handed starter has been a staple of Philadelphia’s starting rotation since 2006 and a versatile player who has avoided major injury.
Add in the ability of Hamels to play well in the postseason over the course of his career, and there will be several teams willing to overpay for a player who can make a real difference.
The Phillies must make this deal now to get the most out of a possible trade.
With the time to negotiate details and maximize the return, dealing Hamels in the offseason would allow the franchise to enter the regular season without the impending trade hanging over Hamels’ head and affecting his work.
Allen Craig, RF, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox outfielder Allen Craig became a star with the St. Louis Cardinals over the first four years of his career, but he suffered multiple foot injuries and has struggled over the last season before being traded midway through the year to the Boston Red Sox.
According to Richard Justice of MLB.com, the Red Sox have listened to offers for Craig.
“Boston general manager Ben Cherington has listened on Craig, but he shown no strong willingness to trade him. Cherington may be reluctant to trade Craig at a time when his value probably is lower,” he wrote.
Craig played in 126 games with the Cardinals and Red Sox during the 2014 season, but only managed to hit a combined .215 batting average, eight home runs and 46 RBIs. His numbers are way down, but at 30 years old, he still has the potential to return to elite form with the proper recovery from his foot injuries.
What makes Craig such a commodity is his ability in the postseason. With the Cardinals, Craig was a major piece to the puzzle and one of the most reliable players in the lineup during St. Louis’ run as a perennial contender.
Any team looking for depth in the outfield and a reliable player at the back end of the lineup should consider giving the Red Sox a call about acquiring Craig for a lower asking price.
Stats via MLB.com.
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