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New Marlins Ownership Group Still Seeking Equity, Will Replace Samson

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One week back, we learned that Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria had finally struck a deal to sell the organization to an investment group led by legendary shortstop Derek Jeter and Bruce Sherman. But that was only the beginning of the process to finalize the deal.

Notably, there’s still a possibility of changes to the financial structure of the arrangement. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald first reported, the search for cash continues for the expectant new owners. In essence, it seems that the Jeter-Sherman group has something approaching the bare minimum of equity investment needed and would still like to draw additional investors. Those interested in learning additional details about the situation can read more from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag.

Notably, though, it seems there’s little reason to think the bid is in doubt.As Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald writes, commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledges that changes to the deal structure could yet be made, while also saying the current proposal would pass muster under league rules.

Assuming that’s all sorted out, it seems the incoming owners have already made their first significant personnel decision. Current team president David Samson will not be retained in that role, Dan Le Batard of ESPN Radio and the Miami Herald tweets. Le Batard also notes that the Marlins will have a new COO under the incoming ownership group.

There had been indications Samson would be retained in some capacity, and Heyman notes he is still owed a $5MM salary for another year. As Spencer and Jackson further explain, Samson — who is Loria’s son-in-law — has become the public face of the team during an “occasionally polarizing” term in the position. However, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro writes that it does not appear that Samson will return to the Marlins organization in any capacity next year.

MLB Daily Roster Roundup: Peralta, Perkins, Rosenthal

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IMPACT ROSTER MOVES

  • ARZ: OF David Peralta was reinstated from Paternity Leave List; SP Anthony Banda optioned to minors. | Diamondbacks Depth Chart
    • Peralta played RF and batted 1st in Thursday’s game.
    • Banda was scheduled to pitch on Sunday. No word on who will replace him in the rotation.

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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES

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MINOR TRANSACTIONS

Heyman’s Latest: Astros, Verlander, Samardzija, Rays, Mets, Dickey

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In his weekly Inside Baseball column, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag takes a look at the tightly packed AL Wild Card race. He also provides some notes from both the American League and National League. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of relevance to the transactional landscape:

  • While the Astros could still conceivably renew their pursuit of Tigers righty Justin Verlander, it may be that the talks are over barring a significant change of heart from one or both of the organizations. Heyman cites a source who said he felt negotiations were “put to bed last week.” In other news regarding Houston, Heyman says the club “never got serious” in their apparently limited pursuits of Jose Quintana, Sonny Gray or Yu Darvish in July, and one source indicated to Heyman that it never even made an offer for Quintana this summer. The Astros, of course, pursued Quintana extensively this offseason, so the front office was likely already well aware of Chicago’s lofty asking price for Quintana.
  • It seems the Giants have yet to place righty Jeff Samardzija on waivers, with Heyman suggesting it’s seen as unlikely he’ll be claimed when he does go on the wire. But the belief is that the starter could be targeted if he does clear waivers. Samardzija has carried compelling strikeout (160) and walk (23) numbers through his 155 2/3 innings on the year, though he has also allowed 22 home runs and owns a 4.74 ERA. He has turned in four-straight quality outings, it’s worth noting.
  • The Rays are interested in finding a right-handed hitter, according to Heyman, though it’s unclear just what the club might realistically look to do. Tampa Bay has not performed as had been hoped when the team reshaped its roster over the summer, which surely also alters the picture. Reserves such as Trevor Plouffe, Daniel Robertson, and Peter Bourjos have all struggled with the bat, though finding upgrades will be challenging at this stage. (As mostly goes without saying, the decision to part with Tim Beckham has not looked good thus far.)
  • After striking a variety of deals already, the Mets are “still working hard” to deal away more players this August, Heyman writes. Veteran outfielder Curtis Granderson still seems like the most obvious possible trade piece, though perhaps infielder Asdrubal Cabrera, lefty Jerry Blevins, catcher Rene Rivera, or even recently-acquired reliever A.J. Ramos could be moved.
  • The Braves are considering exercising their $8MM club option over knuckleballer R.A. Dickey for the 2018 season, per Heyman. That option comes with a $500K buyout, effectively making it a $7.5MM decision. The Braves are pleased with the 42-year-old’s durability, innings and leadership. Through 141 frames this season, Dickey has a 3.89 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and a 49.5 percent ground-ball rate. Realistically, the club would be hard pressed to find better value on the open market and will need the innings next year.
  • Some clubs believe that the Angels are the team that placed the claim on Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler, per Heyman, who notes that Anaheim is still in the market for a second base upgrade. However, the Halos have only “limited” interest in Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips, who has reportedly cleared revocable waivers and is having a solid season at the plate.

The Top 10 Rookies Of 2017

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With the 2017 Major League Baseball season three-quarters of the way over, we’ve seen no shortage of rookies* burst on the scene as potential long-term building blocks for their respective teams. Here, we’ll take a look at those who have enjoyed the finest introductions to the big leagues thus far.

Aaron Judge

1.) Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees: All rise for the American League home run leader (37) and the shoo-in AL Rookie of the Year winner. While the 25-year-old Judge has batted just .185/.346/.398 since the All-Star break and done significant damage to his MVP hopes in the process, the overall production this season has been awe-inspiring. After a rough, strikeout-laden debut in 2016, Judge has rebounded this season to slash a magnificent .291/.420/.614 in 502 plate appearances. Strikeouts remain a problem, though his 31.5 percent rate isn’t crippling when you pair it with the majors’ second-best walk rate (17.5). When Judge has made contact, he has punished the ball. The 6-foot-7, 275-pound monster ranks fourth in the game in isolated power (.323), and his expected weighted on-base average (.432) is right in line with his actual wOBA (.437, via Statcast and Baseball Savant).

While offensive brilliance has put Judge on the map, the advanced defensive metrics have thought enough of his work in right field to help give him a 6.2 fWAR – which ties him with Jose Altuve for first among all position players. Judge, Altuve and others will spend the next month and a half continuing to vie for the AL MVP, but the newest face of the Yankees has top rookie honors sewn up.

2.) Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, Dodgers: Just as Judge has lapped the AL rookie field, Bellinger has emerged as the Secretariat of the NL race. Bellinger hasn’t quite matched his AL counterpart’s production, but the numbers have still been absolutely remarkable – especially considering he just turned 22 last month and didn’t debut until the end of April. The lefty-swinging Dodger has belted nearly as many homers as Judge (34) in 90 fewer PAs (412), posted a .277/.357/.621 line and logged the majors’ third-best ISO (.343, behind only Joey Votto and Giancarlo Stanton). In the process, Bellinger has given the dream team known as the Dodgers yet another star to build around for the long haul. He’s a lock to follow teammate Corey Seager as the club’s second consecutive NL ROY winner.

3.) Paul DeJong, SS, Cardinals: This is the second straight year in which a Cardinals shortstop has served as one of baseball’s most productive rookies. It was Aledmys Diaz in 2016, but his breakout hasn’t stuck, and he’s currently amid a woeful Triple-A season after beginning the year poorly in the majors. DeJong, 24, may not follow that path in 2018 – he and the Cardinals hope not, anyway – but a 30.9 strikeout rate against a paltry 3.7 percent walk means he’s carrying the second-worst BB/K ratio (.12) among hitters with at least 200 PAs. That will have to change if DeJong’s going to be a viable major league regular for the long haul. In the meantime, give DeJong credit for a .300/.327/.576 batting line through 269 trips to the plate. And even though DeJong didn’t reach the majors until the end of May, he trails only Judge and Bellinger among rookies in homers (18). He also tops all league shortstops in ISO (.276).

Between the offensive output and his plus defense, DeJong has accounted for 2.1 fWAR – putting him just in front of a prominent fellow shortstop, Boston’s Xander Bogaerts, who has been worth 2.0 fWAR in 220 more PAs. Whether DeJong can keep this up is highly debatable, but it’s inarguable that the 24-year-old’s work this season has helped the Redbirds stay in the playoff hunt.

4.) Austin Barnes, C/2B, Dodgers: The Dodgers are 85-34, so it’s not particularly surprising that they’re loaded with outstanding players. Barnes has flown under the radar, though – perhaps because he’s a 27-year-old rookie who has only amassed 180 PAs this season (after logging 37 apiece in the prior two seasons). The former Marlins prospect has taken advantage of his limited playing time, however, having hit a marvelous .293/.411/.513 with six homers and a .220 ISO. Barnes has combined that quality power with elite-level plate discipline, evidenced primarily by the fact that he has nearly as many walks (27) as strikeouts (30). League-average walk and strikeout rates sit at 8.5 percent and 21.6 percent, respectively, and Barnes is comfortably above the mean in each category (15.0 and 16.7). He also happens to own an even higher xwOBA than Bellinger (.379 to .372). It’s worth pointing out, too, that Baseball Prospectus regards Barnes as one of the majors’ preeminent pitch-framing backstops. The hype may not be there for Barnes, yet he’s clearly among the reasons the Dodgers are able to form Voltron on what seems like a nightly basis.

5.) German Marquez, SP, Rockies: As we’ve seen time and again, pitching in Colorado is no easy task. The 22-year-old Marquez has handled Coors Field with aplomb, though, and managed a 4.13 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 2.94 BB/9 and a 41.6 percent ground-ball rate across 113 1/3 innings in his rookie campaign. The run prevention isn’t eye-popping, but the hard-throwing right-hander’s 3.79 FIP, .319 wOBA/.312 xwOBA allowed and 2.5 fWAR all jump off the page. In a year in which the potentially playoff-bound Rockies have seen three other rookie starters eat up innings (Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and Jeff Hoffman), Marquez has stood out the most among their new class of hurlers.

6.) Jordan Montgomery, SP, Yankees: The left-handed Montgomery has registered strikingly similar numbers to Marquez (3.94 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 8.55 K/9, 2.83 BB/9, 41.1 percent-grounder, .301 wOBA/.297 xwOBA against, 2.3 fWAR) through 121 frames. While extra credit goes to Marquez for surviving Colorado so far, Montgomery doesn’t exactly call a pitcher-friendly venue home.

7.) Trey Mancini, OF/1B, Orioles: In a season without Judge, it’s possible Mancini’s offensive output would make him the AL ROY front-runner. The 25-year-old has smashed 21 HRs, trailing only Judge, Bellinger and Matt Davidson among first-year pros, and has put together an appealing overall line (.290/.341/.517 in 411 PAs, with a .227 ISO). Granted, there are some red flags – including a subpar BB/K ratio (.25; league average is .39), a .342 batting average on balls in play that won’t hold and a decent-sized wOBA/xwOBA gap (.368 to .341).

8.) Andrew Benintendi, LF, Red Sox: Benintendi hasn’t been a force of nature this year like Judge or Bellinger, but it’s even more obvious than it was at the beginning of the season that he’s a long-term keeper for the Red Sox. Thanks in part to his three-homer series against Judge and the Yankees last weekend, the 23-year-old Benintendi has racked up 17 long balls, which ranks fourth among rookies. He also leads first-year men in stolen bases (14) and sits fourth in on-base percentage (.361).

9.) Matt Chapman, 3B, Athletics: Chapman, like Barnes, hasn’t seen a ton of big league action this year, having walked to the plate only 166 times. But the production is also very difficult to ignore in Chapman’s case. The 24-year-old has already been worth 1.4 fWAR since his mid-June promotion, thanks largely to otherworldly glove work. Chapman has recorded an extremely impressive 13 Defensive Runs Saved, which trails only Nolan Arenado and Jedd Gyorko among those manning the hot corner, to accompany a third basemen-leading UZR/150 (22.0). As Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wrote last week, that type of world-class defense plus Chapman’s brand of acceptable offense (.230/.301/.514) would make him a star-level contributor for the long term. Of course, whether Chapman can continue hitting at this type of clip is somewhat in question. Chapman’s strikeout rate (33.7 percent) drowns out a passable walk rate (9.0 percent), and his .301 xwOBA pales in comparison to his .343 wOBA.

10.) Chad Green, RP, Yankees: Rounding out the list is a third Yankee, Green, who may get lost in the shuffle as part of a bullpen that features Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Adam Warren. And yet the 26-year-old Green has stood on his own as one of the premier relievers in baseball this season. Through 48 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, the former starter places seventh among relievers in ERA (1.66), fifth in strikeout percentage (40.1) and fourth in strikeout-walk percentage (33.3). The only other relievers who rank top seven in each of those categories are Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen. Decent company.

*For determining rookie status, we’re looking at players with less than 130 plate appearances or 50 innings pitched entering the season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Robbie Grossman Diagnosed With Fractured Thumb

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Twins outfielder/DH Robbie Grossman has been diagnosed with a fractured left thumb, the club announced (h/t Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press, on Twitter). Grossman is expected to miss at least three weeks, manager Paul Molitor said (also via Berardino, on Twitter).

The Twins have come to lean rather heavily on the switch-hitter over the past two seasons. This year, in particular, he has seen near-regular time in the corners and as the designated hitter. Grossman carries a .242/.367/.363 batting line with seven home runs on the year. He has also walked 60  times against just 64 strikeouts.

Minnesota has managed to remain in the AL Wild Card picture despite moving a few veterans at the deadline. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the club will be angling to add players to make up for the loss of Grossman.

In all likelihood, the Twins will dip into their system for a replacement. Assuming the club prioritizes a bat over outfield capability, Kennys Vargas would be the obvious choice. He has managed only a .243/.289/.429 batting line in 190 major league plate appearances this year, but brings big power from the left side. Byung Ho Park is also still down at Rochester, though he carries a .254/.312/.413 slash in 382 trips to the plate and isn’t on the 40-man roster. Young outfielder Zack Granite will also be a consideration, though he didn’t hit much in his first run at the majors earlier this year.

If the Twins prefer an outfielder and decide to consider outside acquisitions, then Mets veteran Curtis Granderson could represent a potential targets. Role players such as Matt Joyce of the Athletics could also be hypothetical possibilities, or perhaps the Twins could get creative and go after a non-40-man player such as Scott Van Slyke of the Reds. It seems somewhat unlikely that the Rangers will dangle Carlos Gomez, given that they too are still a plausible Wild Card team.

Nationals Activate Shawn Kelley, Place Ryan Madson On 10-Day DL

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The Nationals have swapped out right-handed relievers, per a club announcement. Shawn Kelley has returned from a long run on the disabled list, replacing Ryan Madson on the active roster. Madson is headed for his own DL stint.

Kelley has been out since the middle of June with a trap strain. Before that, though, it was already clear something wasn’t right. Through his first 18 innings on the year, Kelley posted a 7.00 ERA with 10.0 K/9 and an uncharacteristic 4.5 BB/9. He also allowed nine long balls — averaging one in every other inning of work.

Curiously, those pronounced struggles went on even as Kelly maintained not only a fairly typical average fastball velocity (92.7 mph), but also a typically outstanding swinging-strike (15.0%). That seemingly gives cause for some optimism that Kelley can rediscover his usual form down the stretch. At this point, though, he’ll have to earn back his place among the team’s late-inning options.

The hope is that Madson won’t require nearly so lengthy a layoff. Madson has been diagnosed with a sprained right finger, per the organization. But manager Dusty Baker suggested that it may only require the minimum ten days (via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com, on Twitter). Surely, the Nats will be focused on ensuring Madson is healthy come October.

Madson, acquired along with lefty Sean Doolittle back in July, was turning in quality results in Oakland but has been utterly dominant since. In nine scoreless frames since coming to D.C., Madson has allowed just five hits and a walk while racking up 13 strikeouts.

Phillies Designate Pedro Beato, Select Contract Of Pedro Florimon

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The Phillies have designated righty Pedro Beato for assignment. He’ll make way for the activation of infielder Pedro Florimon, who is joining the active roster.

Beato made just one appearance for the Phils before landing on the DL, though he did return to the majors for the first time since 2014. He had spent each of the two prior years pitching at Triple-A with the Orioles organization, producing sub-3.00 earned run averages in each season. And Beato was similarly effective in his 46 1/3 innings this year at the Phillies’ top affiliate, posting a 2.72 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9.

As for the 30-year-old Florimon, this move puts him in the majors for the seventh consecutive season. He owns a meager .200/.261/.297 slash over 742 career MLB plate appearances, though he keeps earning opportunities due to his highly regarded glovework. Florimon has been useful at the plate this year at Lehigh Valley, batting .265/.347/.410 and even hitting ten home runs.

Cardinals Place Trevor Rosenthal On 10-Day DL

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The Cardinals have placed reliever Trevor Rosenthal on the 10-day DL with what the team is calling right posterior elbow irritation, per an announcement. Young righty Luke Weaver has been recalled to take his spot on the active roster.

Rosenthal had recently regained the team’s closer role, turning in quality results as the Cards surged in the standings. But the hard-throwing righty left last night’s outing after exhibiting diminished velocity, with indications at the time that he was experiencing tightness in his pitching arm.

The 27-year-old hurler has turned in a bounceback year after a rough 2016 campaign that was marred by arm problems. Through 47 2/3 innings to date, he carries a 3.40 ERA and has racked up 14.3 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9. Rosenthal has not only reversed last year’s walk problems, but has worked at a career-high 98.9 mph and generated a personal-best 15.9% swinging-strike rate.

While any elbow problems are of concern, the outlook on Rosenthal remains unclear at this point. Certainly, the Cardinals will hope that he can recover after a relatively brief DL stint and return to the pen down the stretch.

After all, St. Louis remains in the hunt for the NL Central title and it’s a difficult time to find a quality replacement via trade. The team could return Seung-hwan Oh to closing duties, give lefty Tyler Lyons a shot, or utilize a committee to finish out games. Internal solutions will still leave the club down a late-inning arm, though Weaver certainly represents a quality new addition to the unit.

Orioles Outright Ruben Tejada

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The Orioles announced that infielder Ruben Tejada has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Norfolk. Tejada’s removal from the roster clears way for Ryan Flaherty, who has been reinstated from the disabled list, according to the team.

Injuries to Flaherty and J.J. Hardy created an opening for Tejada on Baltimore’s big league roster, but the longtime Mets infielder struggled at the plate through 41 games in an Orioles uniform. In 124 trips to the plate, Tejada batted just .230/.293/.283 with six doubles prior to being outrighted back to Triple-A. Those struggles are similar to the ones Tejada experienced in limited action with the Cardinals and Giants in 2016. His last reasonably productive season came with the 2015 Mets, when he hit .261/.338/.350 in 116 games (407 plate appearances).

The 31-year-old Flaherty has been on the disabled list since late May due to a shoulder strain. He carries a mere .216/.285/.356 batting line in 1261 career plate appearances, though he gives manager Buck Showalter plenty of versatility off the bench. Flaherty has more than 390 innings at each of shortstop, second base and third base under his belt in his career, and he’s also capable of handling corner outfield duties on occasion.

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