|
 MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Featherston, Taylor
INF Taylor Featherston will play winter ball after being force-fed
as a rookie. Acquired in a trade from the Cubs, who selected him
from the Rockies in the Rule 5 draft, Featherson remained on the
roster all season despite never having played above Double-A. He
finished with a .162 average in 101 games. Former GM Jerry Dipoto
was impressed with Featherston's throwing, speed and potential for
power. Featherston's development could determine whether he replaces
SS Erick Aybar, a free agent after next season.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Santiago, Hector
LHP Hector Santiago faces perhaps the most interesting offseason of
his career. Santiago is eligible for arbitration for the second
consecutive winter. His first-half performance works in his favor;
the left-hander earned his first All-Star berth after compiling a
2.33 ERA, the American League's third best at the time, while
holding opposing hitters to a .213 average. But in the second half,
Santiago reached the sixth inning in just four of his 15 starts, and
his ERA exploded to 5.47. He finished the season with career highs
in starts (32), innings (180 2/3) and strikeouts (162). Even if he
avoids a hearing, Santiago could be the Angels' biggest bargaining
chip in a trade.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Wilson, C.J.
LHP C.J. Wilson (left elbow surgery in August 2015) had bone spurs
and chips removed. He said he would be 100 percent for spring
training.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Skaggs, Tyler
LHP Tyler Skaggs (Tommy John surgery in August 2014) spent the
entire 2015 season rehabilitating. He is expected to be ready for
spring training.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Street, Huston
RHP Huston Street (sprained left ankle) missed the final eight games
of the season. He is expected to be ready for spring training.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Shoemaker, Matt
RHP Matt Shoemaker (strained right forearm) didn't pitch after Sept.
20. He is expected to be ready for spring training.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Houston Astros Gomez, Carlos
OF Carlos Gomez is expected to play when the Astros face the Yankees
on Tuesday in the American League wild-card game. Gomez aggravated a
left intercostal muscle on a throw from the outfield Wednesday on
the final play of the game against the Mariners. He missed the
Astros' final games against the Diamondbacks with the hope he would
be ready for the postseason. "I feel really good," Gomez told the
Houston Chronicle. "It's a special moment. I know it's been tough
for me because I want to do my best. But here we are." In 41 games
with the Astros since being acquired from the Brewers, Gomez batted
.242 with four home runs and 13 RBIs.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Alvarez, Dariel
RF Dariel Alvarez made it to the big leagues late in the season and
showed some of his big-time defensive skills. The soon-to-be
27-year-old Cuban batted .241 in 12 games with one homer and one RBI
but also had an outfield assist and showed off his powerful arm. He
was signed as a free agent in 2013 but should have a role with the
Orioles in 2016 as corner outfielders will be an issue.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Davis, Chris
1B Chris Davis returned to his 2013 form with a major league high 47
homers plus 117 RBIs (third-best) along with a .262 average. He
belted 22 homers starting Aug. 1 and kept improving in the final two
months of the season, often carrying the Orioles in the closing
days. The big question now is if he'll return to the Orioles as he
can hit the free-agent market. The fans want him. Teammates want
him. Will the Orioles pay him?
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Machado, Manny
3B Manny Machado wanted to prove his toughness after suffering
serious season-ending injuries in 2013 and 2014. Mission
accomplished. Machado had a true break-out year in 2015, hitting a
career-high 35 homers and driving in a career-best 86 RBIs while
playing in all 162 games -- the only major leaguer to do so. Machado
also stole 20 bases and truly showed all of his talents and even
said at season's end that he'd talk contract extension.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Wieters, Matt
C Matt Wieters finished with just eight homers and 25 RBIs in his 75
games. He still mostly played every other game -- after missing the
first two months -- while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He's a
strong quarterback for the defense from behind the plate but is
another one of the free agents the Orioles will need to make a tough
decision about this winter.
-----------------------------------------------
[to top of second column] |
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Chen, Wei-Yin
LHP Wei-Yin Chen was easily the team's most consistent starter. He
went 11-8 with a 3.34 ERA and rarely turned in a bad start. The
crafty lefty is not afraid to throw inside on hitters and has the
kind of command and control that makes other pitchers jealous. But
now it's time to hit the open market and many who follow the Orioles
think that Chen will command money that's too big for the Orioles to
match.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Jones, Adam
CF Adam Jones battled injury issues throughout the season but still
hit .269 with 27 homers and 82 RBIs in 139 games. Jones also began
asserting himself more as a leader, being very vocal in the season's
closing days about how much he wants the team to bring back 1B Chris
Davis. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact the voice
of Jones has on this situation.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Hardy, J.J.
SS J.J. Hardy also dealt with injury problems all season long. He
played with a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder
throughout the year, though he said he won't need surgery. However,
he hit a career-worst .219 and had all kinds of problems at the
plate due to the injury. Defensively, Hardy was as good as ever, and
the Orioles really could use more offense from him in 2016, and the
veteran is going to work on re-building the shoulder over the
winter.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Matusz, Brian
LHP Brian Matusz (minor right shoulder surgery this fall) is having
minor surgery done on his non-throwing shoulder. The Orioles have
said it's not an issue and didn't affect him this season.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Schoop, Jonathan
2B Jonathan Schoop (hand contusion) apparently just needs time to
heal after getting hit during the season-ending series with the
Yankees
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Bundy, Dylan
RHP Dylan Bundy, the team's top pitching prospect, reportedly was
throwing in Florida and doing well as of early October. He finished
the season on the disabled list due to a right shoulder strain. The
Orioles will keep their fingers crossed with him because he is out
of options, so he could have to start 2016 in the major league
bullpen.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - St. Louis Cardinals Molina, Yadier
C Yadier Molina apparently will try to play in the postseason with a
splint protecting his injured left thumb.
The team announced that Molina had his thumb examined by a hand
specialist and was told that damage still exists in a ligament in
the thumb, an injury that has kept him out since Sept. 20.
However, the Cardinals also announced that Molina would have a
splint built for the thumb that could allow him to both hit and
catch. Molina will test his playing abilities with the splint over
the next few days, hoping that he will be available to play when the
Cardinals start the postseason Friday.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - New York Yankees Sabathia, CC
LHP CC Sabathia is checking himself into an alcohol rehabilitation
facility.
"Today I am checking myself into an alcohol rehabilitation center to
receive the professional care and assistance needed to treat my
disease," Sabathia said in a statement. "I love baseball and I love
my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am
leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last
push toward the World Series. It hurts me deeply to do this now, but
I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right."
Sabathia missed only two-plus weeks (Aug. 24-Sept. 9) this year with
a sore right knee. He finished 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA but pitched well
in the few starts before getting injured and in his outings after
returning.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Walters, Zach
INF Zach Walters (left shoulder surgery in October 2015) had a torn
labrum repaired. He is expected to be ready to resume baseball
activities in February or March.
-----------------------------------------------
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
