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 02/17/2015 MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Iglesias, Raisel
RHP Raisel Iglesias was signed by the Reds on June 27 to a
seven-year, $27 million contract. The Cuban defector wowed observers
during his stint in the Arizona Fall League. He showed solid command
of his breaking ball, changeup and fastball, which consistently was
at 93-94 mph. Offseason trades of RHP Mat Latos and RHP Alfredo
Simon have created a void in the rotation and Iglesias appears to be
on the fast track to filling one of those spots.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Byrd, Marlon
LF Marlon Byrd was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia
Phillies in December. Byrd is expected to fill a void in left field
created by the departures of Ryan Ludwick and Chris Heisey while
also giving the Reds some pop in the lineup. Byrd hit 25 homers with
85 RBIs last season. But, he also struck out a career-high 185
times. Reds manager Bryan Price lauded Byrd's leadership ability and
hopes that would rub off on some his club's younger players.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Frazier, Todd
3B Todd Frazier avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year, $12
million contract on Feb. 8. Frazier is coming off the best season of
his career, batting .273 with 29 home runs, and 80 RBIs. The Reds
discussed a lengthier contract with Frazier but were unable to come
to terms. Frazier's current deal means he'll be arbitration-eligible
in 2017.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Zimmerman, Ryan
1B Ryan Zimmerman will move across the diamond as Adam LaRoche, the
first baseman last season, signed as a free agent with the White
Sox. Zimmerman played third base since he was drafted by the
Nationals out of the University of Virginia 10 years ago. He was the
National League Gold Glove winner in 2009 but was bothered by right
shoulder problems the past few years. The Nationals moved him to
left field for 30 games in 2014. Zimmerman played one game at first
last year, but he took groundballs there many times during batting
practice. Now the real deal begins in Viera, Fla. The Nationals
certainly need the bat of Zimmerman, who hit .280/.342/.449 with
five homers and 38 RBIs in only 214 at-bats last season. He is the
franchise leader in several categories, including career homers
(184), runs (690) and games (1,198).
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals McLouth, Nate
OF Nate McLouth has a lot to prove. He was signed to a two-year
contract by the Nationals prior to 2014 but hit only .173 with a
.517 on-base-plus slugging percentage in 139 at-bats over 79 games,
with six doubles and one home run. His season ended after right
shoulder surgery on Aug. 21 to repair a labral tear. Amazingly, he
had four of his 24 hits in one game last year -- on May 28 against
the Miami Marlins. The Nationals hope he can recapture some of the
magic that made him an All-Star with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008
or at least come close to his .258 average with the Baltimore
Orioles in 2013. Washington could use a reserve outfielder to
contribute offensively, as LF Jayson Werth may not be ready for
Opening Day after undergoing right shoulder surgery in January.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Taylor, Michael A.
OF Michael A. Taylor could find himself in the mix sooner than
expected. Since LF Jayson Werth may not be ready for Opening Day
after right shoulder surgery in early January, Taylor might man left
field early in the season. Washington would like to see him get more
at bats at Triple-A, but Taylor is already major-league-ready as a
plus defender. He homered in his first big league game Aug. 12 in
New York against the Mets and hit .205 in 39 at-bats for the
Nationals last season. Taylor was the Double-A Eastern League MVP
and also played in 12 games with Triple-A Syracuse. He begins this
year as the No. 2 prospect in the system, according to Baseball
America. Taylor was drafted as a shortstop out of high school but
was moved to the outfield in the minors. "I was a little hesitant at
first. I loved playing shortstop," he said. Now he has a bright
future in the outfield.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Scherzer, Max
RHP Max Scherzer signed a long-term deal with the Nationals in
January to add to an already formidable rotation. Washington already
had, on paper, one of the best starting staffs in the majors,
although RHP Jordan Zimmermann and RHP Doug Fister will be free
agents after this year. Scherzer, a former AL Cy Young Award winner,
went 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA last year with the Tigers. Scherzer, 30,
was drafted out of Missouri in 2006 by Arizona when Mike Rizzo, the
Washington general manager, was the scouting director for the
Diamondbacks.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Span, Denard
CF Denard Span had the best season of his career in 2014. He hit
.302/.355/.416 with a career-high 52 extra-base hits and 31 steals,
also his career best. He played Gold Glove-caliber defense in center
even though he has yet to be awarded the hardware for fielding.
Span, whose arm is average, is in the final year of his contract,
and the consensus is the Nationals will let him walk after this year
and turn to young Michael A. Taylor in 2016. Taylor was considered
the best defensive center fielder in the minors last year by several
scouts.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Mesoraco, Devin
C Devin Mesoraco assumed the primary catching duties last season
after the Reds traded veteran Ryan Hanigan. Mesoraco responded with
an All-Star season in which he hit .273 with 25 homers and 80 RBIs.
The 26-year-old backstop was rewarded in January with a four-year,
$28 million contract. Mesoraco was the Reds' first-round draft
choice in 2007.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Cueto, Johnny
RHP Johnny Cueto stands to gain a hefty raise, either from the Reds
or another club, when he becomes a free-agent following this season.
Cueto went 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA in 34 starts last season. The Reds
say they will attempt to resign Cueto, but he'll stretch the club's
coffers, especially after Max Scherzer was awarded a seven-year,
$210 million dollar deal by the Washington Nationals in January.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Votto, Joey
1B Joey Votto missed 99 games, including the final 76 contests, last
season with a distal quad strain in his left knee. The condition of
his knee and readiness to play has remained a mystery for months and
will be a hot topic when players report to spring training.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Bailey, Homer
RHP Homer Bailey had season-ending surgery in September to repair a
torn flexor mass tendon in his right forearm. Bailey was expected to
being throwing in January. Early indications are that Bailey, who
went 9-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 23 starts, might miss a start or two to
begin the regular season.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Marshall, Sean
LHP Sean Marshall hopes to be ready to pitch in spring training
after being limited to just 31 games the past two seasons due to
shoulder issues. The 32-year-old Marshall has made 396 career
appearances. He had season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in
his left should in June.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Rodriguez, Alex
3B Alex Rodriguez is sorry -- though the exact source of his regret
remains vague. He wrote a letter "to the fans," with spring training
just days away, to apologize for past transgressions that led to his
suspension by Major League Baseball for using performance-enhancing
drugs. The five-paragraph letter was handwritten and released Feb.
17. It offered no specifics about his past actions.
The three-time American League MVP was suspended for the 2014 season
after violating baseball's drug program and labor contract.
Rodriguez was found to have used three banned substances, and he was
accused of obstructing justice during baseball's investigation of
the Biogenesis case.
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Cleveland Indians Chen, Bruce
LHP Bruce Chen agreed to a minor league contract with the Indians
and received an invitation to Cleveland's major league spring camp.
Chen would make $1 million if he makes the big league club,
according to CBSSports.com. The 37-year-old veteran spent the past
six years with the Royals. He struggled with a back injury last
season and was released in September after going 2-4 with a 7.45 ERA
in 13 games (seven starts). Chen owns an 82-80 record with an ERA of
4.58 in a 10-year career.
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MLB Note - Miami Marlins Johnson, Reed
OF Reed Johnson and the Marlins agreed to terms on a minor league
contract on Feb. 17, and he received an invitation to spring
training with the major league team. In his first year with the
Marlins in 2014, Johnson batted .235/.266/.348 with two home runs
and 25 RBIs in 113 games. The 38-year-old is expected to contend for
a spot as the team's fourth outfielder this season.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Lindstrom, Matt
RHP Matt Lindstrom signed a minor league deal with the Angels on
Feb. 17, and he was invited to the team's major league spring camp.
The 35-year-old veteran had a rough, injury-plagued season for the
White Sox in 2014. He needed surgery to repair an ankle injury and
struggled for much of the time he was healthy. Lindstrom appeared in
35 games and went 2-2 with a 5.03 ERA, a .338 opponents' batting
average and a 1.74 WHIP. He converted six of 10 save opportunities.
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MLB Note - San Diego Padres Northcraft, Aaron
RHP Aaron Northcraft, designated for assignment by the Padres on
Feb. 11, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A El Paso on
Feb. 17. Northcraft, 24, was acquired by San Diego along with OF
Justin Upton in the December deal that sent 2B Jace Peterson, LHP
Max Fried, 3B Dustin Peterson and CF Mallex Smith to the Braves.
Northcraft went a combined 7-10 with a 4.70 ERA in a combined 26
games (24 starts) in Double-A and Triple-A last year.
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MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Nix, Jayson
INF Jayson Nix signed a minor league contract with the Orioles on
Feb. 17 and received an invitation to Baltimore's major league
spring camp. Nix, 32, hit a combined .120/.169/.157 with one homer
and four RBIs in 41 regular-season games for the Phillies, Pirates
and Royals last year. He went 0-for-3 for Kansas City in the
postseason. Nix was part of the Royals' World Series roster, but he
declined an outright assignment to the minors and became a free
agent Nov. 24. He has spent time with six teams in seven major
league seasons.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Jansen, Kenley
RHP Kelsey Jansen underwent surgery on Feb. 17 to remove a growth
from a bone on his left foot, the team announced, and he could miss
a month of the regular season. Jansen will be on crutches for about
10 days and in a walking boot for the next three to four weeks. In
all, it is expected to take eight to 12 weeks before he is ready to
pitch in a game, which could sideline him for the entire month of
April. The Dodgers said the growth was discovered when Jansen
reported pain while running the previous week. Jansen, 27, had 44
saves in 49 opportunities in 2014, when he finished with a 2.76 ERA,
101 strikeouts and 19 walks in 65 1/3 innings.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Harper, Bryce
OF Bryce Harper, 22, will move from left field to right field,
switching places with Jayson Werth, who is 13 years older than
Harper. Washington feels the move will mean less wear and tear on
Werth. The National League Rookie of the Year in 2012, Harper still
has something to prove for a full season. He was bothered by
injuries and played in just 100 games last season, as he hit .273
with 13 homers and 32 RBIs and a .768 OPS. Of his 13 homers, 10 came
in his final 47 games. Harper hit homers in the last two games of
the NL Division Series against the Giants.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Davis, Erik
RHP Erik Davis (Tommy John surgery in April 2014) is in the middle
of a throwing program and should pitch at some point in 2015,
according to assistant GM Doug Harris. He may be a long shot to
contribute to the major league club as other young pitchers passed
him on the depth chart.
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Cabrera, Miguel
1B Miguel Cabrera could start baseball activities soon if he is
cleared after an examination of his right ankle. He underwent an MRI
exam Feb. 17, and the results were expected to be announced Feb. 18.
"We're hopeful at that point he gets turned loose," Tigers GM Dave
Dombrowski said, according to the Detroit Free Press. Cabrera is out
of a walking boot earlier than anticipated after his October ankle
surgery, but his next step in rehab will be determined after Dr.
Robert Anderson looks at the ankle. If Cabrera gets the OK, he could
participate in full-squad activities when Tigers players report to
camp Feb. 23.
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