the Kansas City The royals don’t necessarily need Zack Greinke. Club officials free project agents Ryan Yarbrough And Jordan Lyles You will combine for 300 rounds. Perhaps Greinke will add another 150, making the Royals better in 2023 but not necessarily in 24 if he deprives younger pitchers the opportunity to grow.
We’re still talking about Zack Greinke, potentially Hall of Famer. He may not be forever royal, but he was first royal and lately royal. To guard against his departure, the team signed Lyles to a two-year, $17 million free agent deal in late December. The fear of the royal family, then and now, was that Greinke would want a contract that reflected the skyrocketing market for starting shooters—a contract that eluded.
For Greinke to return to Kansas City, he’ll probably need to accept a lower base salary that can grow with incentives based on roles, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking but not authorized to speak publicly. The Royals leave the possibility open, even if it could potentially leave fewer innings for their younger pitcher.
Greinke, 39, means a lot to their fans, their franchise.
The last Hall of Famer to play for the Royals was George Brett, who was elected to Cooperstown in 1999. Carlos Beltran might be next, though he might choose the cap on his plate to include mets logo or nothing at all. Greinke may be the latter, and it’s also possible he won’t pick the Royals logo.
Then? Salvador Perez32, may be standing outside. Bobby Witt Jr, 22, could develop into a Hall of Fame-caliber player. But the chances of a low-income team keeping a talent like Witt for most or all of their career are increasingly remote. As a stopping point, a position that already includes four players worth $300 million — Carlos Correa He would have made five – Witt probably less likely to stay.
Greinke, then, holds a certain sentimental value for the Royals, the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2002. His first stint with the club wasn’t always easy. Greinke left camp and considered quitting baseball in the spring of 2006. But three years later, doctors diagnosed him with his condition with social anxiety disorderhe was awarded the American League Cy Young Award.
After the 2010 season, the Royals traded Greinke for righteousnessstarting him on a career journey that included touring with AngelsAnd DodgersAnd diamondbacks And Astros. He finally returned to the Royals last season on a one-year, $13 million contract, produced a 3.68 ERA in 137 innings pitched and endeared himself to his teammates. His unique personality.
With career earnings estimated at $330 million, Greinke doesn’t need to be holding out for every last dollar. But players, no matter how much money they’ve made, are just like everyone else, and they want to be paid what they think they deserve. Greinke is an intense student of the game. In assessing some of the free agent contracts earned by less accomplished pitchers, he certainly had a certain dollar number in mind. For him to return to the royal family, both sides would likely need to give in.
Hey basicsWhat about Pablo?
Of all the teams that could benefit from a trade for Miami Marlins right hand Pablo LopezThe St. Louis Cardinals will rank near the top of the list.
Four Cardinals starting pitchers – Adam WainwrightAnd Miles MikulasAnd Jack Flaherty And Jordan Montgomery Are eligible for free agency at the end of the season. Lopez, who will turn 27 on March 7, is under the club’s control for another two years.
The Cardinals, who will face a potential surplus of outfielders once Jordan Walker is promoted, will be in a position to fill the Marlins’ need on offense. Skip Shumaker, the Cardinals’ bench coach last season, is the Marlins’ new manager.
Pablo Lopez (Dale Zanine / USA Today)
Lars Notbar It is perhaps best suited to the Marlins, who are currently doing the project Brian De La Cruz to be their central player. But Nootbaar, who has been under the club’s grip for five more seasons, is perhaps the player the Cardinals least likely to move. The team has been more open this season Dylan Carlsonwho has four years left of the club’s control. Tyler O’Nealwith two years remaining, he has the lowest turnover of a season in which his OPS+ was barely the league average.
The sources said the teams were involved in at least initial commercial discussions. Of course, the last time these clubs made a big trade, it didn’t work out so well for the Cardinals. Who could forget Sandy AlcantaraAnd Zach GallenAnd Daniel Castano and Magneuris Sierra for Marcel Ozuna In December 2017?
Junior pitchers make gains in arbitration
For some reason, rookies are more successful in free agency than they are in salary arbitration. But three of the settlements in the exchange’s history on Friday represented significant breakthroughs from a players perspective.
For over a decade, David Price and Jered Weaver have shared the record arbitration salary for qualified first-time winners and non-winners of the Cy Young Award—$4.365 million, including bonuses. Logan Webb ($4.6 million), Zach Gallen ($5.6 million) and Dylan stood up ($5.7 million) all topped that mark in their new deals. ACES Webb, Gallen and Cease are represented by Scott Boras.
Some on the players’ side considered Webb’s achievement the most significant, considering it comparable to other shooters that have failed to pass $4.365 million in recent years. Gallen has been at an even higher level, producing nearly the same career ERA+ in pre-ARB seasons as the 2020 Cy Young Award winner. Shane Pepperwho has $6 million as a first-time qualifier (two other Cy Young Award winners, Dallas Keuchel and Corbin BurnsThey earned $7.25 million and $6.5 million, respectively, as their debut). stop, finishing in second place Justin Verlander In voting for the AL Cy Young Award last season, it was the most compelling case of all.
At first glance, it might seem odd that Cease would end up with only $100,000 more than Gallen. Boras settled in Gallen first, realizing that stopping would be higher. At that point, Cease could have used Gallen as a baseline, perhaps pushing the envelope with white stockings. But since Cease didn’t win a Cy Young Award, his cap may still be $6 million for Bieber.
The stopping career ERA is +20 percent above the league average. Gallen is 36 percent higher – even higher than Kushel and Burns when they were first.
Research continues at Astros GM
With spring training approaching, Astros owner Jim Crane hasn’t named a replacement for James Click, who fired him as general manager over two months ago.
Despite this, Crane actively interviews candidates for the vacancy. Among those interviewed, according to sources familiar with the team’s operation but not authorized to speak publicly:
• Former Marlins chief of baseball operations Michael Hill, who has spent the past two seasons in the role Major League BaseballSenior Vice President, Field Operations.
• Atlanta Braves Deputy Chief Scout Dana Brown who oversaw the outfielder’s drafting Michael Harris IIplayer von Grissom and right hand Spencer Stryder Since joining the team from Toronto Blue Jays in January 2019.
• Ex San Francisco Giants General Manager Bobby Evans, who also interviewed the Astros prior to Crane’s hiring of the Click in January 2020.
Not having a GM didn’t stop the Astros from signing a free agent for disposal Rafael Monteroa first baseman Jose Abreu And a defensive player Michael Brantley Earlier this season, OR reached agreements with six of its eight players eligible for arbitration on Friday.
Exceptions were Kyle Tuckerwho asked for $7.5 million while the Astros offered $5 million, matching the Blue Jays’ Beau Bechet For the biggest gap between the player and the club, however, was Christian Javier, who offered $3.5 million while the team offered $3 million.
Why the Giants, Mets are silent on Korea
Carlos Correa Talk to me freely Friday about his physical problems, noting that the New York Mets took the advice of the same ankle specialist who called him a danger to the San Francisco Giants. Correa’s agent, Scott Boras, has also spoken publicly about the operation, saying his client’s “orthopedic job” should be more telling than an MRI.
However, club officials are at a disadvantage in such cases, unable to explain the medical reasons for their refusal to sign a player. A federal law passed in 1996, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)Protects a patient’s sensitive health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. The end result, when issues like Korea come up, is that often only one side of the story gets told.
Another note about Correa: He told me he plans to participate in the World Baseball Classic for Puerto Rico, playing the same position he would have with the Mets—third base, along with shortstop Francisco Lindor.
strike in Asia
the Oakland A could not be considered a powerhouse in Asia even after signing their free agent right-handers Shintaro Fujinamia 10-year veteran from Japan, and Drew Rosinski, which presented the last four seasons in Korea. The additions only cost a combined $6.25 million in salary, plus a $650,000 publishing fee for Fujinami’s Japanese team, the Hanshin Tigers.
However, give Person A credit for creative ways to upgrade their roster, and tireless exploration that led to the two additions. Fans generally don’t know such work, and general manager David Forrest said several members of the organization contributed autographs.
Associate General Manager Dan Feinstein, who oversees the team’s international scouting, takes annual trips to Asia, as well as multiple trips annually to Latin America. Louis Kim, a scout in Korea, saw Rosinski on a grand scale. And top-tier scouts in Asia played crucial roles in signing Fujinami.
Toshiyuki Tomizuka, a full-time scout in Japan, began following Fujinami when he was a pitcher in high school and continued to watch him through his struggles in the juniors and Japanese majors. In 2019, Tomizuka insisted that Pacific Rim’s coordinator, Adam Heslop, see Fujinami at a minor league game.
Fujinami did well, and both Tomizuka and Hislop followed closely for the next three years. Hislop attended every one of Fujinami’s starts when the 6-foot-6 right-hander rose in August, staying positive about his prospects with deployments and negotiation.
Rucinski and Fujinami’s characters are both starting for the upcoming A season. Paul Blackburn He is discharged from surgery to repair a tear in his right index finger, but is expected to join Cole Irvine in the opening day rotation. James Caprillianafter surgery on the AC joint (shoulder), he may be less certain to be fit, which may open up a place for him Kyle Muellerwhich came from the brave in Shaun Murphy trade.
Other candidates include Ken WaldichukAnd JB SearsAnd Adam Oller And Adrian MartinezThey all started last season.
Finally…
The free agent market for thinners has dwindled, but there are still many interesting possibilities. Among them: Righty Michael Fulmer (. 697 OPS opponents in 63 2/3 innings last season), lefty Andrew Chafin (. 619 OPS opponents in 57 1/3 innings) and Matt Moore (. 564 OPS opponents in 74 innings .
(Greinke top photo: Denny Medley/USA Today)