Kuzul

On Saturday, Gerrit Cole voiced displeasure with the Pittsburgh Pirates for their modest contract offer to the Cy Young-caliber ace. The team responded Sunday, admitting it made a mistake in how it handled negotiations.

The Pirates initially offered their No. 1 starter a $538,000 contract—a $7,000 increase in his base salary from a year ago. However, Cole’s earnings reached $541,000 after he received a $10,000 bonus for making the All-Star team.

So they were essentially asking the hard-hurling right-hander, who finished fourth in Cy Young voting last year, to take a pay cut.

“We made a mistake in the process,” general manager Neal Huntington said, per the Associated Press. “We didn’t have to move [the figure]. We felt they made a valid point, [and] we made the adjustment.”

Cole, 25, isn’t arbitration-eligible until next year and remains under club control until 2019.

The Pirates cited club policy to not exceed a pay raise of $7,000 for players who are not arbitration-eligible. Cole said Huntington and his staff threatened a salary reduction to the league minimum of $507,500 if he didn’t agree to their offer, per Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Cole was 19-8 with a 2.60 ERA last season and started for the Pirates in their do-or-die National League Wild Card Game against the Chicago Cubs.

The 98-win team from a year ago was vested in him, but it didn’t show as much in contract negotiations.

“When you perform at a level that draws the praise of management, teammates, coaches and fans, you expect appropriate compensation,” Cole said, per Biertempfel. “I understand the business of this game, but it is hard to accept that a year of performance success does not warrant an increase in pay.”

Cole’s agent, Scott Boras, was outraged by the offer. He acknowledged the collectively bargained system that keeps players under club control for eight years is flawed but argued other teams would’ve rewarded Cole as a sign of good faith, per Biertempfel:

What kind of message does that send to players? The best deserve the best. You should reward the best. I can’t believe that is a Bob Nutting-approved (salary) system. It doesn’t ring with the conversations Bob and I had when Gerrit signed. I would think Bob would want to reward a guy for a special performance. Other teams have that system. If Gerrit was with the Mets, he’d get well over $650,000. If he was with the Marlins, he’d get more (than the Pirates will pay).

Yet Huntington fell back on the CBA when making his case for why the team didn’t offer Cole more, per the AP:

Gerrit strikes a note that most people can empathize with. I’m sure there are many people in this world who don’t feel they are adequately compensated for what they do. The challenge we have is there is a collectively bargained system in place and it’s been in place for years.

Once you make an exception, how do you draw the line? If it’s only for MVPs, what if someone wins a Cy Young? Or what if someone finishes fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting? Some clubs have the ability to go in different directions, higher or lower. We believe our system is consistent and it’s the right way to do things for us.

Cole said he doesn’t want the Pittsburgh clubhouse to “question the virtue” of the organization, per Biertempfel, but the team’s ace and his aggressive agent will likely keep this year’s negotiations in mind when they are eligible for arbitration after the season ends.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

On Sunday, the Toronto Blue Jays announced they signed veteran relief pitcher Rafael Soriano to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to major league spring training.

The well-traveled Soriano has been with four teams since 2010, most recently the Chicago Cubs in 2015, when he allowed four earned runs in just 5.2 innings pitched.

His best season came in 2010 with the Tampa Bay Rays when he earned his only All-Star bid after a 45-save season. He also saved 117 games between 2012 and 2014 with the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network noted Soriano will earn $750k this season if he can work his way onto the Jays’ major league roster. 

Although he is eighth among active closers in career saves, per TSN.ca, the 36-year-old’s best days are behind him. However, Bob Nightengale of USA Today thinks he can serve a purpose for Toronto:

Toronto had the 12th-best ERA in 2015 at 3.80 but ranked 23rd in blown saves with 22. Blue Jays fans shouldn’t expect much from Soriano, but if he can work his way onto the roster and eat up some middle-to-late innings down the stretch, he could be a great bargain considering his cheap salary.

All stats courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes showed off his fancy rides in Florida last week, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon was more than happy to show off his whip in Mesa, Arizona.

His style, however, isn’t quite as flashy as Cespedes’.

On Sunday, Maddon put his Arizona-themed van on display at the Cubs’ spring training complex, even posing for a photo with it. Some big leaguers may desire luxurious sports cars, but the 62-year-old skipper seems perfectly content with a classic.

Here’s a better look at the ride, via Austin Vesely (warning: caption contains profanity):

[Jesse Rogers]

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has been diagnosed with subluxation of the patella tendon after undergoing an MRI on Sunday according to Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. Rodriguez originally suffered the injury on Saturday.

The knee remains structurally intact and the ligaments are fine, though there is swelling, per Mastrodonato, leaving a timetable to the southpaw’s recovery unclear.  

At the least, he’ll be sidelined from baseball activities for 72 hours, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. 

Rodriguez tweaked his knee when catching his spikes while backpedaling for a fly ball, per Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. Red Sox manager John Farrell indicated it was on a pitcher-fieldng-practice play, and the discomfort subsided when he was taken to the training room, per Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. 

Rodriguez is currently fourth in Boston’s rotation as he enters his second full season, but the Red Sox have huge hopes for the 22-year-old who last year showed glimpses of early greatness. 

Boston believes Rodriguez can become an elite lefty that eventually elevates his way through the rotation and complements offseason signee David Price. 

“I’m not sure why, even nationally, they don’t have much more attention on Eddie Rodriguez,” Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski said, per Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. “I think he has a chance to be an outstanding pitcher.”

Rodriguez currently has a three-pitch repertoire—a mid-90s fastball, a changeup and a slider that needs work—which has created a ceiling of sorts for the young starter, per FanGraphs:

For a left-hander with a 94 [mile per hour] fastball and good changeup and decent projections, there’s a surprising amount of risk in [Rodriguez’s] line. Still, those things—and a good slider—mean that he has the upside to pay third- or fourth-starter prices in the hopes that he puts it together and turns into an ace.

Opposing batters last year hit .350 against his slider—well above the .263 against his fastball and .185 facing his solid changeup, per FanGraphs. Like a slew of young pitchers breaking into the bigs, work is usually needed on a select few pitches.

But that’s what Rodriguez is focused on this spring training, and it looks like he’ll be back on the mound early next week. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Shortstop Ian Desmond has been a huge part of the Washington Nationals‘ success in recent years, but the two sides parted ways Sunday as Desmond signed with the Texas Rangers in free agency.  

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the deal will be for one year and $8 million. William Ladson of MLB.com confirmed the agreement. The Rangers confirmed their signing Monday morning:

Desmond has undoubtedly been one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball over the past few years. He won the National League Silver Slugger Award at his position every year from 2012 through 2014, and he is a one-time All-Star selection.

Despite that, Jim Bowden of ESPN reported the plan is for Desmond to be the team’s starting left fielder for the 2016 season. Rosenthal added that left field will be Desmond’s primary position, but he could move around the field based on injuries or performance.

The 2015 campaign was a struggle for him, though, as he hit a career-low .233 with 19 home runs and 62 RBI, and Washington missed the playoffs. With that said, his play improved significantly after the All-Star break.

Desmond is just one year removed from his most productive season to date. He posted 24 home runs, a career-high 91 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 2014.

Few players in Major League Baseball have a power-speed combination comparable to Desmond’s, which is why the 30-year-old veteran was so coveted on the open market.

The Nationals were in a difficult situation with Desmond. He was one of their best offensive players, but they could not work out an extension, per Ladson. He was constantly the subject of trade rumors as well, but Washington opted to keep him in 2015, which resulted in the organization ultimately losing him for nothing.

When asked about his desire to remain with the Nationals long term prior to the 2015 season, Desmond made it clear that he was interested in doing so, according to Ladson.

“Do I want to be a National (beyond 2015)? Yes,” he said. “Do I think, at this particular moment, I will be? I don’t know. I cannot give you an answer on that. We’ll see. I know 2015 is coming fast. I’m excited to get back out there. I think we have a lot to prove. We have a hungry bunch coming in 2015.”

It eventually became apparent that the two sides were reaching the end of their time together, however. It was so obvious, in fact, that his final game of 2015 was treated as a farewell of sorts.

After that contest, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo discussed how much Desmond meant to the team over the years, per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post:

Ian Desmond is the rock of the organization. A guy that when I became the GM we made him the everyday shortstop, and (he) has blossomed into one of the best in all of baseball. So yeah, these guys, when these guys are in their last years, their decision-making years, it’s very, very difficult for us personally and professionally.

Desmond is very much in the prime of his career, but there is no telling how he will handle the change in scenery, since he has never known anything other than playing for the Nationals at the MLB level.

While it could be a tough transition, it could just as easily re-energize him and lead to some big-time production after a down year in 2015.

Desmond is easily one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball when he is on his game, and there is a solid chance that he’ll make the Nats regret letting him get away depending on how well he transitions to a new position. 

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Although Major League Baseball’s spring training generally isn’t a haunted house environment, even would-be contenders never know when something is going to pop up and say, “Boo!”

It’s on this note that we’re going to comb through 20 presumed contenders and pick out one big fear each of them should have this spring. And because it would be too easy to suggest that maybe the best players could suffer devastating injuries, we’re going to stick to practical concerns.

For instance, the Los Angeles Angels have more reason to worry about Albert Pujols than they do about Mike Trout. Also, the Boston Red Sox have more reason to worry about Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez than, say, David Price. And so on.

We’ll begin with the team that has the lowest projected win total, according to Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA  projections and end at the team with the highest projected win total.

Begin Slideshow

The San Diego Padres passed over pitcher James Shields for Opening Day starting duties in favor of Tyson Ross, but Shields insisted it’s not a huge deal.

According to Mike Cranston of the Associated Press (via Yahoo Sports), Shields took it in stride while speaking about the subject Saturday.

“I’ve been in this situation before,” Shields said. “I think in 2011, David Price [in Tampa Bay] took my Opening Day start after three years. And I got it right back the next year.”

Shields was 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA last season, his first in San Diego, while Ross was 10-12 with a 3.26 ERA.

First-year Padres manager Andy Green liked Shields’ attitude, per Cranston.

“He handled it like a pro,” Green said. “And he told Tyson, ‘Hey, it’s your job this year, but I’m coming back for it next year.’ That’s what you want to hear.”

The 34-year-old Shields, who is 127-97 in his career, did see his stats dip last year, allowing the second-most home runs of his career (33). His 93 ERA+ was also lower than Ross’ 112, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

However, there is no reason to think this will hurt Shields. He has been a workhorse throughout his career, throwing at least 200 innings in each of the past nine seasons. 

“Shields might be baseball’s best bet to be on the mound every five days,” Cranston noted.

If anything, it will light a fire under the right-hander, and he’ll come out ready the next day. It’s possible that Green may even be using this to fuel Shields and make sure he is firing on all cylinders for his first start.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Gerrit Cole is a Cy Young-caliber talent for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the hard-hurling right-hander doesn’t feel as though he’s being financially compensated as such.

Cole, who isn’t arbitration-eligible until the next offseason, signed a one-year deal with the Bucs on Saturday for $531,000—the exact amount he made last year—with a $10,000 bonus if he makes the All-Star team, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune.

Negotiations were tense, as Cole said the Pirates “threatened a salary reduction to the league minimum” of $507,500 if he didn’t agree to their offer, per Biertempfel.

“When you perform at a level that draws the praise of management, teammates, coaches and fans, you expect appropriate compensation,” he said. “I understand the business of this game, but it is hard to accept that a year of performance success does not warrant an increase in pay.”

The Pirates’ initial offer was for $538,000—$7,000 more than last year’s pay, as it is club policy not to exceed that mark for players who aren’t arbitration-eligible, per Biertempfel.

Cole last year finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting in a year when Jake Arrieta, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw were so far ahead of the pack that any of the three could’ve won the prestigious award.

Yet Cole’s 19-8 mark with a 3.07 ERA and 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings over a career-high 208 frames in just his third MLB season showed he’s among the incredible young pitchers on the rise. 

The Pirates’ $92.3 million payroll ranks as the 10th-lowest payroll in the majors, per Spotrac. The Houston Astros are the only other 2015 playoff team that pays a lower figure, but they do so with young and cost-effective talent.

Cole said he doesn’t want his teammates to “question the virtue” of the Pirates organization, but it’s hard to imagine negotiations won’t be tense next year when the first overall pick from the 2011 draft can enter arbitration.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In light of Yovani Gallardo’s new contract with the Baltimore Orioles, MLB Players Association chief Tony Clark believes medical information should be more confidential.

When meeting with reporters Saturday at Ed Smith Stadium—the spring training home of the Orioles—Clark was critical of medical records leaking to the public, per Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun:

Medical information shouldn’t be public. There’s a reason why individuals’ medical information is protected. The idea that those who shouldn’t have access to it have access to it and feel compelled to offer it is a concern. … From my vantage point, it is irresponsible and something that we think affects the entire industry and not just the player involved. That’s why I think it mutually makes sense to sit down and figure out perhaps there’s a better way to do it.

After spending last year with the Texas Rangers, Gallardo agreed to a three-year, $35 million deal with the Orioles on Feb. 21, per Eddie Matz of ESPN.com. However, Baltimore put the deal on hold two days later after concerns came up in Gallardo’s physical, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. Passan noted the Orioles have a notorious past when it comes to player physicals.

The following day, the two sides came to an agreement on a two-year deal worth $22 million with a $13 million team option in Year 3, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Clark said the union could discuss the protocol for releasing medical information and that it’s important to ensure privacy between the team and player:

We were connected to Gallardo and his representation throughout. Appreciating what happened, what may have happened and whether there are considerations beyond that to take into account, but that happens with every player, in particular every free-agent player who is going to be subject to a physical and who is going to have his medical information available to clubs who are interested in signing him.

While Clark brought up an important point about privacy, the availability of medical records is important for other teams as well. Knowing the status of a free agent through another team’s report could increase the chances of a team staying away or making a better offer.

Follow Danny Webster on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After missing all of 2015 with shoulder problems that eventually led to surgery, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is making slow progress in his return to the mound in 2016. 

Continue for updates. 

Ryu Likely to Miss Start of Season

Saturday, Feb. 27

Per Eric Stephen of True Blue LA, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Ryu will not be ready when the regular season starts on April 4. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reported Ryu won’t be ready until May.

Per Stephen, Roberts said, “If you look at April 4, he’s behind. We said it from the beginning, there’s no hard date, and we’re not going to rush him.”

Ryu’s 2015 season officially ended on May 21 when he had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He hasn’t appeared in a game since Oct. 6, 2014, against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series. 

At the time of Ryu’s procedure, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com noted some of the success stories following a similar procedure included Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling. He also pointed out sad endings to promising careers for Jason Schmidt and Mark Prior. 

While time will determine Ryu’s fate on that particular list, by all accounts, right now he is heading in the right direction. The Dodgers will need him back in their rotation after losing Zack Greinke to free agency this offseason. 

Los Angeles still has plenty of depth among starters, with Clayton Kershaw being the alpha dog and Scott Kazmir behind him. Ryu has been a valuable No. 3 for the Dodgers, posting a 3.17 ERA with 293 strikeouts in 344 innings since 2013-14. 

The Dodgers know how important Ryu is to their starting rotation and are going to take their time to ensure he is 100 percent before throwing him out against an MLB lineup.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com