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In case you hadn’t heard, the New York Yankees needed a new shortstop for 2015. Derek Jeter’s retirement has left a void that will be impossible for anyone to replace, given his standing with fans and Hall of Fame credentials, but the front office addressed the situation in the best possible way. 

Instead of trying to overpay for an older free agent or try to put a marquee name at shortstop simply to placate a fan base that’s used to seeing big-money players at every position, the Yankees struck a deal to acquire Didi Gregorius in a three-team deal with Arizona and Detroit. 

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the deal:

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. Brian Cashman said after the deal for Gregorius went down that it wasn’t a matter of trying to replace Jeter, via Marc Carig of Newsday:

Additionally, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Cashman also expects the Yankees to go with two shortstops when the season starts:

The point of that is to say the Yankees understand that they are getting a player in Gregorius who comes with flaws, though, he is already an upgrade over what the team got out of its shortstop in 2014. 

New York walked around with blinders on last year because Jeter is untouchable, but he wasn’t a good player on either side of the ball. Per Baseball-Reference.com, Yankee shortstops hit a collective .233/.287/.292 in 2014. 

While no one would confuse him with Giancarlo Stanton, Gregorius hit better than New York shortstops with a .226/.290/.363 slash line in 80 games last year. His real value lies with the glove. 

Despite what the Gold Glove awards suggest, Jeter has never been a good shortstop and was the third-lowest rated defensive player at the position by FanGraphs‘ metrics. He was charged with costing the Yankees 12 runs in the field. 

Using those same FanGraphs‘ metrics, Gregorius is vastly superior to Jeter. The sample size wasn’t as big, but the 24-year-old was average with no runs saved in 580.2 innings at shortstop. That value in the field alone makes him superior to anything the Yankees got out of anyone at the position last year. 

When you factor in money, the gap is even wider. Jeter made $12 million to post a FanGraphs‘ wins above replacement total of minus-0.3, while Gregorius’ WAR was 0.3 with a salary of $506,500 and isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2016. 

As Richard Justice of MLB.com wrote, all the Yankees need Gregorius to be is what he has been on defense with a little more offense sprinkled in:

Didi Gregorius has nice range, good instincts and a big-time arm. At times, he will dazzle. Beyond that, he’ll make the plays a starting Major League shortstop is supposed to make, and if you ask a dozen Major League managers what they want from that position, this is it. …

Gregorius will help himself by playing well defensively and also by hitting some. That’s the unknown part of this deal. He’s had only 724 plate appearances in the big leagues, which is about a season and a half.

It’s not like Gregorius has no offensive skills. His plate discipline and power are below-average, but he’s not a high-strikeout hitter with 122 in 647 career at-bats. 

The Yankees have been burned in the past by their big-money contracts, so it was refreshing to see Cashman dial things back to find a practical option at shortstop. Gregorius may not stick there long-term, especially if his bat doesn’t develop the way they want. 

However, in terms of finding a player capable of handling the position who didn’t cost much in a trade and will be making a salary at or close to the league minimum in 2015, Gregorius is the perfect answer for this franchise. 

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After going all-in to win in 2014, the Oakland Athletics are making big changes. Josh Donaldson, arguably their best position player for the last two years, has been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for a package of players that includes Brett Lawrie.

The Athletics made things official on Twitter:

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports first broke news of the deal.

Donaldson provided a farewell through Twitter:

Slusser and MLB.com’s Jane Lee had Beane’s thoughts after the trade was complete:

MLB.com’s Jesse Spector reported the corresponding roster move:

After confirmation of the deal, Slusser also had Josh Reddick and Donaldson’s thoughts on the move:

For the Athletics, the timing of the trade is interesting. They ended last year desperate for offense, scoring 263 runs in 67 games after the All-Star break.

Rosenthal had more on how the deal came together:

Even though Donaldson is not a high-average hitter, the 28-year-old had a .342 on-base percentage, .456 slugging percentage and 29 homers in 158 games last year.  In addition to his power, Donaldson is one of the best defensive third basemen in baseball. He led all players at the hot corner with 20 defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs, in 2014. Considering he’s not eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season, the Blue Jays have plenty of time to reap the rewards of this deal. 

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The hot-stove season has already provided plenty of heat. Some high-profile free agents have already agreed to deals, while other big names have been moved in trades. It’s already shaping up to be one of the most interesting offseasons in recent memory, and we haven’t even hit the winter meetings.

Right now, most of what is going to come out will be talk. It’s when general managers and agents are able to sit down face to face that the action will intensify. Despite the likely wait for outsiders to see where their favorite team is heading, there’s a lot to digest. 

Some teams will put feelers out, not really wanting to move a player, hoping to get blown away by an offer that they would be insane not to take. Others will reach a stage of desperation, either because they see an opening to pounce on in the division or someone is fighting for his job. 

Whatever the rationale behind starting rumors, it provides plenty of fodder for discussion. Here’s a look at the hottest trade buzz floating around the web. 

Justin Upton Worth A King’s Ransom?

The Atlanta Braves appear to be focusing on their long-term future after trading Jason Heyward, who will be a free agent after 2015, to the St. Louis Cardinals. As a result, it would make sense for Justin Upton to be the next player the team moves. 

Like Heyward, Upton is under contract for only one more year. Upton is more expensive, carrying a price tag of $14.25 million compared to a $7.8 million salary for Heyward, per Baseball-Reference. It would be reasonable to expect a similar, perhaps slightly smaller, return for Upton in that case. 

However, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, that isn’t what Atlanta is thinking. He’s reporting that the Braves are expecting to net a bigger return for the 27-year-old Upton than they got for Heyward:

The Braves are very much shopping Justin Upton and are requesting a higher return than they received earlier this week when they dealt their other corner outfielder, Jason Heyward.

…

Nevertheless, the Braves think Upton has greater value in the trade market because his overall offense — particularly his power — is superior. Upton hit 29 homers and Heyward 11. And Upton brings righty power, which is in particularly short demand.

There’s the dilemma teams looking to acquire Upton have to wrestle with. It’s no secret offensive numbers have been in decline, so a player who hit .270/.342/.491 with 29 homers in 2014 would have great value on the open market. 

That’s not how the trade market works, especially since teams continue to put a greater value on cost controlling young talent instead of overpaying for a player on the verge of free agency. 

It also doesn’t help that, according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the Braves may not be as inclined to deal Upton as they were Heyward:

Clubs that have spoken with the Braves say that while Atlanta dangled both Heyward and Upton at the GM meetings earlier this month, it appeared more motivated to deal Heyward.

One strong possibility is that, internally, the Braves ranked their three most marketable position players — Heyward, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis — in order of easiness to move (and replace) and eventually elevated Heyward to the top of that list.

Stark also notes that the Braves seem to be stuck in a spot where they still want to compete now and build the future. Upton certainly fits into the immediate need for help, especially with an offense that finished 29th in runs and slugging percentage last season.

In other words, this whole scenario sounds like the Braves are dangling Upton as a carrot, and anyone who presents a huge offer they would be insane to turn down will get him. It’s just going to be hard to find someone willing to make that offer. 

Jay Bruce Could Be Victim of Reds’ Payroll

According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Cincinnati Reds’ 2014 payroll was the highest in franchise history at $114.1 million. That’s a lot of money to spend on a team that went 76-86 and finished 12 games out of a playoff spot in the National League. 

Expenses aren’t going to come down much with the current roster, especially with Joey Votto entering the second year of his 10-year, $225 million contract, Brandon Phillips getting paid big money through 2017, Homer Bailey in the second year of his contract and Mat Latos entering his final year of arbitration. 

With Votto and Phillips having limited trade value as a result of injuries and declining performance last year, and Bailey not getting traded after signing his big extension last year, one viable option for the Reds to cut costs is trading Jay Bruce. 

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, while it’s possible the Reds could consider trading one of their soon-to-be free-agent starters, the team has had talks about moving Bruce:

The Reds also have engaged in preliminary discussions on deals involving two-time All-Star right fielder Jay Bruce, according to major-league sources. Though club officials say the team is merely listening on players rather than shopping them, a trade of Bruce for more cost-effective talent would be a major step toward retooling with a lower payroll in 2015.

Rosenthal‘s report also says that the Reds aren’t “committed” to decreasing their payroll next season but could upgrade a few positions with the hopes of contending in 2015. He lists San Diego as a team the Reds have spoken with about Bruce. 

Bruce is another player the Reds have under control beyond next season, guaranteed through 2016 with a team option for 2017. The money is reasonable at $24.5 million total through 2016 and the option year at $13 million, per Baseball-Reference. 

Now would be the perfect time for a team in search of offense to inquire about Bruce, who is just 27 years old and coming off a disappointing .217/.281/.373 with 18 home runs. He hit at least 30 homers every year from 2011-13 and had never hit under 21 prior to 2014. 

There is a tangible reason attributed to Bruce’s struggles last year. Rosenthal noted that general manager Walt Jocketty and manager Bryan Price have said the outfielder’s problems “resulted partly from his hurried return from knee surgery.”

With a full offseason to get back in top shape, Bruce is an ideal bounce-back candidate who can upgrade any offense. The Reds are in a good spot where they don’t have to decide right now. They can start the year hoping to contend. If it doesn’t happen, they can deal Bruce at the trade deadline or next offseason to get a strong return. 

Miguel Montero Not Generating Buzz

The big catching domino fell when Russell Martin pulled off a surprise by signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, so teams looking for an upgrade at the position will be forced to turn to lesser free-agent alternatives or the trade market. 

One of those trade alternatives could be Arizona’s Miguel Montero, though Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic is reporting there hasn’t been an extensive volume of calls from teams looking to acquire the 31-year-old since Martin signed:

The Diamondbacks continue to have dialogue with other clubs on a variety of players, including catcher Miguel Montero. However, according to a source, talks regarding Montero have not picked up significantly in the days following the Toronto Blue Jays’ signing of catcher Russell Martin. Among the teams the Diamondbacks have spoken to about Montero are the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox.

It’s not a surprise that Montero‘s stock would be down to the point that teams are reluctant to part with prospects to acquire him. He’s reached an age where his skills are likely to be in decline, particularly on offense.

The veteran has hit just .237/.324/.358 over the last two years with the lowest wins above replacement total during that span among catchers with at least 1,000 plate appearances, via FanGraphs.

Montero‘s defense has also been dropping the last two years, as his caught-stealing percentage has gone from 42 percent in 2012 to 29 percent last year, per Baseball-Reference. Considering he’s got a $40 million price tag over the next three years, you can understand why Arizona’s options appear limited. 

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter. 

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On the list of offseason storylines to watch in Major League Baseball, 19-year-old Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada is near the top.     

There are expected to be many teams in on the bidding, which figures to get very expensive. One team with interest in Moncada are the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants, according to comments made to KNBR by Bobby Evans, who works in the front office:

The Giants could be a strong fit, especially if they are unable to re-sign Pablo Sandoval, though they are likely to have stiff competition if the reports of Moncada’s talents are true. 

Ben Badler of Baseball America noted that Moncada is “the best teenager to leave Cuba since Jorge Soler, a player with exciting tools and dominance of the Cuban junior leagues on par with what Yasiel Puig did at the same age.”

The report also states that Moncada has more upside than Rusney Castillo, who got a $72.5 million deal over seven years from the Boston Red Sox in August. If that turns out to be true, it’s scary to think how much Moncada can get from this market.   

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You can feel the urgency between Major League Baseball teams and players picking up each day. There’s been a pattern in recent years where it took months for deals and trades to happen. That hasn’t been the case so far this offseason, which leads to more excitement and unpredictability. 

While the huge dominoes, such as Jon Lester and Max Scherzer, aren’t likely to fall until the winter meetings in December, there are big moves being talked about that can reshape everything that happens this offseason. All it takes is one surprise contract or unexpected trade to force someone else into action. 

It’s also possible that a lot of what’s being talked about right now is purely smoke. While that may end up being the case, it’s still fun to look at the possibilities of what could happen. 

Here are the latest trade rumors that you should be paying close attention to. 

Braves Not Done Dealing Outfielders

In what is shaping up to be a busy offseason for the Atlanta Braves, the franchise may not be ready to go into 2015 with an outfield of B.J. Upton, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis. 

According to Andy Martino of The New York Daily News, Gattis and Justin Upton are generating interest from other teams:

In an age of scarce offense, Upton’s skills are rare and highly valuable. And the teams calling Atlanta about him are seeing that the price will be much higher than what the Braves extracted from St. Louis for Heyward.

Evan Gattis, who tied for 18th in the N.L. this year with 22 homers, is also available in the right deal, teams say — with a price that is also set by the dearth of power in the game.

One thing that does stand out in Martino’s report is the phrase “right deal.” Every player is available in the right deal. It’s a vague, generic term, though it isn’t completely without merit in this case because the Braves are looking past next season after trading Jason Heyward to St. Louis. 

It’s also interesting that the Braves are apparently putting a higher price on Upton when you consider these stats from Ace of MLB Stats:

Upton doesn’t come with more control than Heyward, as his contract also expires at the end of 2015. The obvious difference is Upton has hit 56 homers with a .478 slugging percentage in two years with the Braves. Heyward has hit 25 homers and slugged .401 over that same span, per FanGraphs. 

As valuable as Heyward is thanks to his defense and on-base skills, Upton’s best gift is his ability to hit the ball over the fence. In this era of declining offense, power is more valuable than it’s ever been. Giancarlo Stanton’s new contract can attest to that.

The Braves got one pitcher who has four years of MLB control (Shelby Miller) and a prospect in Tyrell Jenkins who will be under control for six years if and when he gets to The Show. That’s high value considering Heyward is a free agent after the season. 

If Atlanta’s front office thinks it can do better than that for Upton, with more teams valuing the low cost of prospects and young players than ever, the All-Star outfielder will likely remain with the team at the start of 2015. 

Nick Swisher on His Way out, Bro?

Two years ago, the Cleveland Indians made a splash in free agency by bringing former Ohio State star Nick Swisher back to his roots. His first year with the team was like a dream scenario, as the Indians surprised everyone by winning 92 games and made the playoffs as a wild card. 

Things came crashing down to earth for Swisher in 2014. He battled injuries most of the year and hit .208/.278/.331 in 97 games before being shut down in August following knee surgery. 

With Swisher’s value at an all-time low, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting that the Indians may try to get creative if they are going to make any noise this offseason:

That seems like a foolish move, because what can the Indians realistically expect to get for a soon-to-be 34-year-old with two guaranteed years and $30 million left on his contract, per Baseball-Reference.com, coming off the worst season of his career?

Here’s where the creativity comes into it, as Rosenthal speculated about other players with bad contracts who could potentially be moved:

It’s not a pretty group of players to look at. For the Indians, the only one who could be of interest is Ubaldo Jimenez because they know him well. He also had some success in 2013, though most of that came in the second half (1.82 ERA), and he was otherwise mediocre during his time in Cleveland. 

The Indians may not have the financial space to make any big moves this offseason, so keeping the door open to anything is smart. It just doesn’t seem viable to move Swisher at this point given the money he is owed and the possible return in a trade. 

Didi Gregorius a Shortstop Alternative

In a market where a lot of marquee teams could be in the market for a shortstop—including the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers—one cheap alternative could be Arizona’s Didi Gregorius. 

According to Rosenthal, teams are calling the Diamondbacks about the availability of Gregorius:

Gregorius has a lot of work to do with the bat if he’s ever going to be a long-term starter in the big leagues. He has a .682 OPS in 183 games with the Diamondbacks, who, according to ESPN.com’s Park Factors stats, play in one of the best offensive environments in baseball. 

If you put Gregorius in a worse offensive park, like Citi Field, imagine what the numbers could look like? However, the silver lining for any team with an interest in the 24-year-old is that he won’t cost a lot in terms of dollars. 

Gregorius isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2016, so he will make little more than the league minimum next year before seeing any spike in his salary. That could make it easier, in relative terms, to live with a bad hitting performance when you aren’t paying a player much money. 

Even though Gregorius hasn’t turned into the defender it seemed he would be as a prospect, FanGraphs‘ metrics have him roughly average to this point in his career with no defensive runs saved and 87 plays made out of his zone. 

Considering how bad Derek Jeter and Hanley Ramirez were at shortstop last season for the Yankees and Dodgers, respectively, getting an average glove at the most important defensive position would be like seeing the reincarnation of Ozzie Smith. 

The Diamondbacks don’t need Gregorius anymore, especially with Chris Owings returning and the general manager who acquired him (Kevin Towers) getting fired in September. So finding a trade partner for the young shortstop would be a smart move. 

Stats via Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter: @adamwells1985.

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One year after being traded to the Washington Nationals, right-handed pitcher Doug Fister could be on the move yet again. 

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Nationals would be inclined to deal Fister under the right circumstances:

Whatever deal that could be is up to Washington’s front office, though it would likely take a lot for Fister to be traded. He’s going to make a reasonable salary, by most pitching standards, in his final year of arbitration. The Nationals are built to win now, which is easier to do with the right-hander in their rotation. 

Fister has gotten lost at times in star-studded rotations with Detroit and Washington, though he’s turned into one of the best and most consistent pitchers in baseball. He had his best ERA in 2014 (2.41) and is one of the best control pitchers in the league with a career walk rate of 1.73, per FanGraphs. 

Given the premium on top-level starting pitching, as well as the low financial cost, the Nationals can ask for a hefty return if they decide to start engaging teams in discussions for Fister. 

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Billy Butler‘s quest to find a team has reportedly reached its final destination. The former Kansas City Royals designated hitter is a free agent for the first time in his career, so this was a new experience. 

According to Robert Murray of MLB Daily Rumors, Butler has agreed to a contract with the Oakland Athletics: 

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale added:

ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney also confirmed the terms of the contract. 

If ever there was a case study on the market value of designated hitters in this era of baseball, Butler was it. He’s a 28-year-old hitting specialist incapable of playing a position, at least in any kind of effective manner, and he had the worst offensive season (.271/.323/.379) of his career in 2014. 

The Royals, whose payroll climbed to over $90 million for the first time last season, didn’t exercise their $12.5 million option on Butler. At the time, Kansas City general manager Dayton Moore told Dick Kaegel of MLB.com that the team was interested in bringing the DH back at a lower rate:

Billy’s been a huge part of our success, and we’re going to stay engaged with him and do everything we can to bring him back.

…

The only thing I can say about that is we want him back. We’re obviously not in a position now to pick up a $12 million option, but we welcome the opportunity to bring him back.

Butler is also quoted in the piece as saying that he wanted to return, and he’s “a Royal at heart.” Ultimately, he hit the market at an inopportune time due to the competition at his position. Victor Martinez, another DH and superior hitter, was also available this winter before the Detroit Tigers threw a mega contract his way. 

Drew Fairservice of FanGraphs wrote about the problems that teams face with one-dimensional hitters (average, no speed, no power) and how that drastically limits interest:

It makes these hitters, high average and good contact rates though they claim, tough sells for teams in need of offense.

Both are defensive zeroes with nothing to offer on the bases, a lack of foot speed which further limits the contributions with the bat. The company they keep speaks volumes about the type of player who can make this style work.

There’s no denying that Butler’s profile isn’t great, though that doesn’t mean he has no value. He’s just two years removed from hitting .289/.374/.412 and in 2012 hitting 29 home runs. It becomes a matter of figuring out whether you believe this season was a blip on the radar or a sign that his decline phase has set in. 

Given Butler’s age and track record, there’s reason to be optimistic that he can find that swing again. He’s also durable, having played no less than 151 games in each of the last six years, which can only bode well for his numbers in his new home.

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Even though spring training is when you start to see what a team is capable of doing in the regular season, the offseason is when you get a real sense of where all 30 Major League Baseball teams view themselves heading into the next year. 

While many rumors will be floated around, some of which will never happen, it’s important to keep track of them because you can learn how a front office is thinking.

For instance, the Cubs have a young nucleus of position players that has already started to arrive, so they will be linked to many pitchers through free agency or trades because that’s their one weakness, and they are trending upward. 

Scouring through the latest trade rumors, the sense you get from this offseason is that the list of potential sellers will be high. Each team has its reasons for making a move, which is what makes all of the talk compelling. 

Here are the rumors that could shape that offseason for at least three franchises. 

Braves Listening On Jason Heyward, Others

Even though they haven’t come out and said as much, it’s looking more and more like the Atlanta Braves are going to start rebuilding their roster. 

Braves president of baseball operations John Hart made a point to mention that there’s not much financial flexibility because of bad contracts already on the books, per David O’Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution:

One thing that we’ve looked at and we’ve talked about is that quite clearly we’re wearing some bad contracts. And so your ability economically to maybe play in the free-agent game is going to be more restricted. So we’re looking at certain levels of free-agent starters. I would assume as we finish up these (general manager) meetings, we’ll have a pretty good idea at what other clubs are looking to do…

As a result, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that teams have called the Braves about Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis:

Heyman did note in his article that the Braves aren’t shopping those three players around, but he does acknowledge that the contract status of Heyward and Upton could force their hand:

Atlanta has an interesting decision to make on some of its young stars, especially Heyward and Justin Upton, who are free-agent eligible after the 2015 season. Gattis is in a different spot, as a player under the Braves’ control for several years, but Atlanta is expected to start young catcher Christian Bethancourt this year, so teams may see an opening.

Heyward seems like the player who will draw the most attention. He’s the youngest of the trio at 25 years old, gets on base at a high clip (.351 career OBP) and was the best defensive player regardless of position by defensive runs saved in 2014, per FanGraphs.

Upton isn’t old at 27 years old, but has likely plateaued as a player. He’s still a very good asset to have, hitting 29 home runs last year, though he’s due to make nearly $7 million more ($14.5 million) than Heyward ($7.8 million) next season.

Gattis is a player who provides you with a lot of power, as evidenced by his 43 homers in two seasons, but he has a terrible approach and little plate discipline (.304 OBP). 

Bernie Miklasz of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch speculates that the St. Louis Cardinals could be a good trade partner with the Braves for Heyward:

Even with the iffy power and platoon limitations, Heyward is more talented overall than any of the Cardinals’ current outfielders. The defense in RF would improve dramatically. And Heyward‘s ability to bat leadoff would enable the Cardinals to move Matt Carpenter to more of a so-called RBI spot in the lineup.

While the farm system isn’t as strong as it once, the Cardinals do have prospects that could intrigue Atlanta in a potential deal. Stephen Piscotty is a terrific hitting outfielder who spent all last season at Triple-A Memphis. 

If the Braves were to engage the Cardinals in trade talks for Heyward, it would make sense to start the conversation with Piscotty and go from there. St. Louis certainly has the need for more outfield depth and is a team in win-now mode that Heyward would fit in with nicely. 

Orioles Want To Deal Ubaldo Jimenez

If you’re looking for a pitcher who posted a 4.81 ERA and walked 77 hitters in 125.1 innings who has three years left on his contract, the Baltimore Orioles would like to speak with you. 

According to Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com, the Orioles have put Ubaldo Jimenez on the trade block and have already had discussions with teams about the right-hander:

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who made only two starts and three relief appearances in the final 41 games of the regular season and didn’t appear in a postseason game, is being made available by the Baltimore Orioles, according to Major League sources.

The Orioles have discussed Jimenez with several teams during the GM Meetings being held in Phoenix this week.

The concerns with Jimenez coming off his strong finish to 2013 with Cleveland turned out to be true. He’s had ERA totals of at least 4.68 in three of the last four years and hasn’t hit 190 innings since 2010 with Colorado. 

Given the success Jimenez had with the Indians two years, Heyman and Jon Morosi of Fox Sports speculated that a potential reunion could be good for the right-hander:

Morosi did follow that up by saying there haven’t been any serious discussions between the Indians and Orioles about Jimenez:

While the Indians could use more depth in the rotation behind Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, Jimenez doesn’t seem like a solution.

As good as Jimenez’s 2013 season looks in hindsight, it was really the result of an unsustainable second half with a 1.82 ERA. He was basically the same guy we’ve seen before and after that with a 4.56 ERA and 53 walks in 98.2 innings prior to the All-Star break. 

If the Orioles are going to move Jimenez, it can only be classified as addition by subtraction. They aren’t going to get anything of real value for him, nor are they likely to get much salary relief since teams will likely want them to kick in a lot of the money remaining on his contract. 

In other words, the Orioles are going to have a hard time finding much value by keeping or trading Jimenez. 

San Diego Padres Want Offense

Who would’ve guessed that the Padres would enter an offseason trying to find more offensive production? At some point, the franchise should just accept that no one can hit in Petco Park, but we don’t have time for rational solutions. 

Instead, according to a report from Heyman on CBSSports.com, the Padres are listening to offers for their starting pitchers and catchers Yasmani Grandal and Rene Rivera:

San Diego is listening on starters Ian Kennedy, Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross. Kennedy has performed very well since going to San Diego, but is in the last year of arbitration before becoming a free agent, and presumably wouldn’t have quite the trade value of Cashner and Ross, two extremely promising young pitchers.

…

The Padres’ catchers were Yasmani Grandal and Rene Rivera, and they also have a defensively strong prospect Austin Hedges, who gives them a bit of depth there.

Unfortunately for the Padres, those players don’t present much potential for return in a deal for various reasons. As Heyman notes about Kennedy, he’s only got one year of control left before hitting free agency.

Tyson Ross has to overcome the stigma of being a Petco creation since he had a 5.33 ERA in parts of three seasons with Oakland before being traded to the Padres.

Andrew Cashner has the best combination of stuff and potential, but he’s only been starting full time for two years and has been on the disabled list at least once in three of the last four years. 

Yasmani Grandal, who was supposed to be one of the key pieces acquired from Cincinnati in the Mat Latos trade, is the one intriguing option in the group. He hasn’t hit for average since 2011, but a catcher who posts a .321 on-base percentage with 15 homers playing most of his games at Petco Park offers something good. 

Of course, therein lies the problem for San Diego. The Padres want to upgrade its offense, yet trading Grandal means losing their most prolific home run hitter last season. It’s a classic Catch-22 scenario for a franchise that doesn’t have any easy solutions because of its home park. 

Ideally, the front office can find a way to trade at least one of those pitchers because that park can make mediocre arms look like rotation stalwarts. 

Stats via Baseball Reference

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Anthony Bosch, the founder of Biogenesis that led to a scandal involving several Major League Baseball players being suspended, reportedly told federal investigators that agent Scott Boras tried to alter medical records to prevent former All-Star Manny Ramirez from being suspended. 

Continue for updates.

Friday, Nov. 14

Boras Denies Bosch Allegations

Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan has Scott Boras’ response to Bosch’s claims:

Bosch Claims Boras Hid Ramirez PED Use

According to Gus Garcia-Roberts of Newsday, Bosch claims that Boras set all of this up after Ramirez’s first positive drug test in 2009 when he was playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers:

Bosch said Boras arranged the meeting after Ramirez tested positive for banned substances in 2009. Boras, according to Bosch, came up with an explanation for the failed test that involved Ramirez accidentally using an elderly uncle’s testosterone cream because he thought it was aftershave.

The report says that Bosch brought forward these claims when he was “being debriefed by the Drug Enforcement Agency.” It also states that MLB Players’ Association records show Ramirez got a prescription from Dr. Pedro Bosch, father of Anthony, and he was given hCG that resulted in his first suspension. 

When Bosch met with federal agents, he told them that Boras called for the meeting at Dr. Pedro Bosch’s office after Ramirez failed the drug test. Bosch’s father was present at the meeting to act as a witness and because he had a medical license.

Bosch also claims in the article that Boras “told him that the MLBPA needed him to produce a patient chart for Ramirez. Bosch responded that he didn’t keep records on his patients, so he fabricated a file for the union’s use” and the uber-agent wanted hCG included on the chart to avoid a suspension. 

Ramirez became one of the highest-profile players to be suspended under MLB’s joint drug agreement. He said after his first suspension that the failed drug test as the result of a medication given to him by a doctor for a condition that wound up being on MLB’s banned list, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:

Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I’ve taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons.

Before retiring in 2011, Ramirez signed with Tampa Bay and played in five games. It was announced afterward that the former All-Star had failed another drug test and would have faced a 100-game suspension if he kept playing. 

In a March interview with Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Ramirez took responsibility for his actions and acknowledged a need to move forward:

When you make a mistake in life, no matter what you do, you’re going to pay the price. That’s what happened to all of the players that did it. I’m not going to judge people. Everybody is human. Everybody makes mistakes. …

You’re going to feel guilty about what you did. But you did it. You move on. And you learn from it.

While Ramirez is still playing baseball, spending last year with the Chicago Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate in Iowa, he would face a suspension in the event he ever makes it back to the big leagues. 

Boras has become one of the most powerful and high-profile agents in all of sports, negotiating record deals for Alex Rodriguez. He’s going to play another huge role in free agency this offseason, representing Max Scherzer. 

Garcia-Roberts also notes that neither Dr. Pedro Bosch, nor Boras responded to Newsday inquiries about these claims. 

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San Francisco Giants pitching prospect Adalberto Mejia has been suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball due to a failed drug test. 

According to Alex Pavlovic of The San Jose Mercury News, Mejia tested positive for a banned stimulant:

As Pavlovic mentions, Mejia is regarded as one of San Francisco’s best prospects. He was ranked as the Giants’ No. 4 prospect coming into the 2014 season by Baseball America and MLB.com, and spent all year playing for Double-A Richmond. 

Just 21 years old, Mejia was signed by the Giants as an international free agent in 2011. In the scouting report for him coming into 2014 on MLB.com, the left-hander was described as having the total package of what scouts look for in a young southpaw:

He had no problem handling high Class A hitters at age 19, as the only thing that slowed him down was a strained lat muscle that sidelined him for seven weeks.

Mejia has everything scouts look for in a pitcher — stuff, size and command — and as a bonus, he’s left-handed. Mejia throws a low-90s two-seam fastball with minimal effort, getting the ball to cut or sink and locating it where he wants.

Losing Mejia for 50 games certainly delays his path to the big leagues next season. He still had work to do, as evidenced by a 4.67 ERA and 119 hits allowed in 108 innings, via MiLB.com, but the ceiling is bright for this young pitcher. This is just a bad speed bump on the road to what will hopefully be a long and prosperous career for a talented hurler. 

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