The likelihood of Desmond signing with Rays may have increased after the acquisition of Corey Dickerson.
After the recent addition of Rockies OF Corey Dickerson, it seems that the Tampa Bay Rays are not done making moves this off-season.
We’ve speculated that the Rays were looking to move either James Loney or perhaps Desmond Jennings; and given the current status of their 40 man roster, moving one or both of these players now seems imperative. If the Rays could move Loney, who is slotted to make 8 million in 2016, it would free up some payroll for the Rays to make a serious play for free agent SS and Sarasota native Ian Desmond. Desmond has expressed interest in signing with the Rays, he is good friends with Rays OF Steven Souza and is represented by Sports One Athlete Management, the same agency that represents Rays manager Kevin Cash.
The cost of signing Desmond to a 1 year deal means the Rays would have to give up the #13 pick in the 2016 draft. Most MLB clubs, including the Rays, highly covet draft picks. Are Stu Sternberg and Matt Silverman willing to roll the dice and go against the grain on 30 year old Desmond looking to bounce back from a substandard ’15 season? Why not? The Rays have most of their young starting pitchers locked up for the foreseeable future with the exception of Alex Cobb and Drew Smyly (free agents in ’18), as well as a plethora of young pitching prospects in their farm system. Signing a player with Desmond’s athletic upside could make the Rays serious contenders in the A.L. East this year. He would also bridge the gap for the incumbent David Robertson, who most believe is just a year away from being “big league ready”. Acquiring Desmond would of course relegate recently acquired INF Brad Miller (.258 11HR and 46RBI in 144 games in ’15) back to his usual “super utility” role.
Either way, the clock is ticking for the Rays to make a play on Ian Desmond. The Chicago White Sox are reportedly highly interested in Desmond as well, since losing their shortstop to the free agent market (Alexei Ramirez to Padres 1yr 4million). Whether Desmond is in the Rays future plans or not, there is one thing clear: There is definitely something in the works for the Rays as we approach Spring Training. As always we’ll keep you posted as this story develops.
According Ken Rosenthal, the Rays are on the verge of trading away Jake McGee for OF Corey Dickerson. (Photo Credit: Unknown)
The Tampa Bay Rays traded away LHP Jake McGee and RHP prospect German Marquez for OF Corey Dickerson 3B prospect Kevin Padlo, both formerly of the Rockies.
Sources: #Rays getting Dickerson. Expected to send multiple pitchers to #Rockies. Others possibly involved.
For Tampa Bay, the addition of a high-upside young bat in the form of Dickerson bodes well for a team in search of an impact bat to bolster the lineup. The trade also cleared $4.8-million of salary ― money that directly contributed to the one-year, $4.75-million deal with Steve Pearce.
Dickerson is not yet arbitration eligible and comes with four years of club control remaining. The 26 year-old was plagued by broken ribs and plantar fasciitis in an injury shortened 2015 season, yet he still hit .304 with an .869 OPS in 65 games. This, after putting together an impressive 2014 season in which he belted 24 homers and drove in 76 RBI in 131 games.
Those impressive numbers do come with some caveats. Dickerson has tortured right-handed pitching at a career .313 BA/.358 OBP/.577 SLG/.934 OPS clip, however, lefties have given him a fair amount of difficulty, limiting him to a .246 BA/.299 OBP/.377 SLG/.677 OPS line.
Beyond that, there’s a nearly 400-point difference between his OPS on the road and at the hitter-friendly Coors Field. Danny Russell (DRaysBay) made note of the extreme park effect in play in a recent article:
By measure of wRC+, Dickerson performed more than 100% better than the average player at home, but performed 17% below average on the road. That differential has improved over the last three seasons, reaching a 105 wRC+ on the road in 2015, but not in a robust sample size (112 PA).
Defensively, Dickerson has spent the bulk of his Major League time in left-field. And while his Defensive Runs Saved (-6 DRS) and Ultimate Zone Rating (-6.7 UZR) are down on his work in left, his worst ratings in the eyes of those metrics came in his injury plagued 2015 season.
One condition of the deal is the now glut of outfielders ― Desmond Jennings, Brandon Guyer, Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza Jr., and Steve Pearce ― which could necessitate a trade. However, one of the aforementioned outfielders already has a suitor ― the Chicago Cubs. On Tuesday, Bruce Levine (CBS Sports Chicago) confirmed Chicago’s interest in Jennings:
The players the Cubs have had interest in include reliever Jake McGee (2.41 ERA, 0.94 WHIP in 2015), starting pitcher Jake Ordorizzi (9-9, 3,35 ERA) and outfielder Desmond Jennings (.268 batting average, .664 OPS in injury-plagued season).
Keep checking back for more details on this story.
Noteworthiness
― Jason Hanselmann (The Process Report) gave his thoughts on Dickerson, concluding that he’s “A gifted hitter that has struggled with injuries (plantar fasciitis, broken ribs in 2015), and is a minus even in the corner outfield due to a chicken wing and the thighs to match.” By all means, check out Hanselmann’s well thought out piece that’s linked above.
― In a phone interview Thursday afternoon, McGee told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) that he expected a trade at some point, although he was surprised by the timing of it now. The lefty, who had been with organization since 2004, also said he will be “sad” to leave the many friends he made, mentioning teammates, coaches, training staff and bullpen catcher Scott Cursi.
― President of Baseball Operations Matt Silverman said the front office did its “homework” on Dickerson’s home/road splits, and are confident that his skills will translate into success at the Trop and elsewhere.
A hitter like him is someone that often times is hard to come by. Too much to pass up in this case.
Silverman also acknowledged the hole in the bullpen, saying the others ― such as Alex Colome, Steve Geltz, Enny Romero, and Danny Farquhar ― will need to step up.
The Tampa Bay Rays are in talks with the Rockies regarding a potential trade for Colorado outfielder Corey Dickerson. (Photo Credit: Chis Humphreys/USA Today Sports)
According to Ken Rosenthal (Fox Sports) and Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times), the Tampa Bay Rays are in talks with the Rockies regarding a potential trade for Colorado outfielder Corey Dickerson. While a trade may not be inevitable at the moment, it is not hard to see how one could make sense, given that Tampa Bay appears to be in the market for another impact bat.
Some in game sense Dickerson will be OFer #Rockies trade. Will require less of return than Blackmon. #Rays involved, as @TBTimes_Rays said.
The Rockies are in the market for pitching and they pair well with Tampa Bay for either a starter like Jake Odorizzi, or a reliever like LHP Jake McGee. The Rockies have done some offseason bullpen work, however, there’s still room for improvement on their part. A trade of McGee would wipe $4.8-million from the payroll while also mitigating any concerns of a dwindling velocity. For his part, Dickerson was plagued by broken ribs and plantar fasciitis in an injury shortened 2015 season, yet he still hit .304 with an .869 OPS in 65 games. This, after putting together an impressive 2014 season in which he belted 24 homers and drove in 76 RBI in 131 games. Dickerson’s career splits look particularly tantalizing for Tampa Bay, however, one must take the impact that Coors Field has into consideration. As Danny Russell (DRaysBay) indicated, there is an extreme park effect in play here:
By measure of wRC+, Dickerson performed more than 100% better than the average player at home, but performed 17% below average on the road. That differential has improved over the last three seasons, reaching a 105 wRC+ on the road in 2015, but not in a robust sample size (112 PA).
Another caveat of the trade discussions, the log-jam in the outfield. If the Rays were to acquire Dickerson, it would add to their glut of outfielders ― Desmond Jennings, Brandon Guyer, Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza Jr., and Steve Pearce ― thus necessitating a trade. On the bright side, however, one of the aforementioned outfielders already has a suitor ― the Chicago Cubs. Bruce Levine (CBS Sports Chicago) confirmed Chicago’s interest in Jennings on Tuesday:
The players the Cubs have had interest in include reliever Jake McGee (2.41 ERA, 0.94 WHIP in 2015), starting pitcher Jake Ordorizzi (9-9, 3,35 ERA) and outfielder Desmond Jennings (.268 batting average, .664 OPS in injury-plagued season).
Dickerson, who represents an apt replacement for Jennings (should he be traded), is affordable, won’t be eligible for arbitration until next season, and is under team control until 2020. Just Imagine his projected .299 BA/.338 OBP/.514 SLG/.852 OPS/.222 ISO/.333 BABIP slash line nestled nicely in the Rays batting order…I digress. Whatever the case, things could get interesting over the next few days. Keep checking back for more details on this story.
Noteworthiness
― Jason Hanselmann (The Process Report) gave his thoughts on Dickerson, concluding that he’s “A gifted hitter that has struggled with injuries (plantar fasciitis, broken ribs in 2015), and is a minus even in the corner outfield due to a chicken wing and the thighs to match.” By all means, check out Hanselmann’s well thought out piece that’s linked above.
The Tampa Bay Rays signed free-agent Steve Pearce to a one-year contract on Thursday. (Photo Credit: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)The Tampa Bay Rays have inked a one-year, $4.75-million for with right-handed slugger Steve Pearce pending a physical, according to Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times). Pearce should receive time in left field, at first base and at DH. Thursday’s trade of Jake McGee trade freed up roster space and the funds to sign the slugging utility player.
BREAKING: #Rays are close to signing Steve Pearce to a 1-year deal, just pending a physical. Would get DH at-bats, play 1B vs. LHP, some OF
Pearce put together a monster 2014 season with the Baltimore Orioles, however, his production regressed the following season. Steve Adams (MLB Trade Rumors) wrote about his offensive struggles in 2015, noting,
His strikeout and walk rates trended in the wrong direction this past season, but the larger factor behind Pearce’s 2015 struggles was likely a 90-point drop in BABIP. Pearce did see a fairly notable dip in his percentage of hard contact (34.6 percent in 2014, 30.1 percent in 2015), but that shouldn’t result in such a drastic drop in his fortune on balls in play, so there’s good reason to believe that he can bounce back to some extent in 2016.
Steve Pearce’s 2015 left/right splits, and 2016 Steamer projection. (Source: FanGraphs)
While a return to his mammoth 2014 levels* is unrealistic, if Pearce can approach anything resembling his cumulative production of the past two seasons ― a healthy .258 BA/.335 OBP/.494 SLG/.829 OPS line ― he’d be an excellent pickup for Tampa Bay. And though his track record is rather spotty, Pearce’s 31 homers over his past 592 Major League plate appearances is undeniable. Moreover, Pearce has hit extremely well at Tropicana Field, collecting a 1.039 OPS over 23 games, with seven home runs and 14 RBI.
It is thought that manager Kevin Cash could platoon Pearce with either Logan Morrison or James Loney** at 1B/DH, though he may also see time in the outfield, providing Tampa Bay another option should Desmond Jennings or Steven Souza Jr. spend more time on the DL. In any case, while inflicting more damage against left-handed pitching over the past two seasons, Pearce has also hit righties well, slashing .258 BA/.336 OBP/.481 SLG/.817 OPS against right handed pitching.
Keep checking back for more details on this story.
*When he collected an impressive .293 BA/.373 OBP/.556 SLG/.929 OPS slash line. **The Rays made room on the 40-man roster for Pearce by trading Jake McGee. One still can’t help but wonder if they’ll deal James Loney?
Noteworthiness
― Pearce was excited by the prospects of playing for his hometown team:
So pumped for the opportunity to help bring a championship to my home state of FL as a member of the 2016 Tampa Bay Rays!
Could Ian Desmond be a free-agent target of the Tampa Bay Rays? (Photo Credit: Unknown)
Historically, we’ve come to expect very little in terms of the Tampa Bay Rays making a big splash in the free agent market, but will this year be different? As the proverbial “big chips” start to fall, (Chris Davis, 7 years and $161-million; and Justin Upton 6 years and $132.75 million), the Rays could find a bargain with a number of veteran players looking to bounce back from a substandard 2015 season. Join JJ and Anthony as they delve deeper into that question.
First off, it wouldn’t be unheard of for the Rays to ink a one-year pillow contract with a player who may be trying to re-establish himself as a commodity in the following year’s free-agent class. Of course it goes without saying, to add a bigger named free-agent, they’d need the blessing of Stu Sternberg. However, Stu has previously expanded the payroll for the unexpected additions of Rafael Soriano and the second coming of Grant Balfour. Six players who might be in the sights of Matt Silverman instantly come to mind: Ian Desmond, Pedro Alvarez, Justin Morneau, Steve Pearce, David Murphy, and Marlon Byrd.
Ian Desmond
Ian Desmond’s left/right splits, and 2015 Steamer projection. (Source: FanGraphs)
JJ: Much like Asdrubal Cabrera in the ’14 offseason, Ian Desmond, Sarasota native, finds himself unsigned after a disappointing ’15 campaign in which he struggled both offensively and defensively. Desmond batted .255 with 24 homers and 91 RBI with an OBP of .313 in 2014. In Desmond’s ’15 contract year, we saw a slight decrease in offensive production, reverting to an average of .233, 19 homers, and 62 RBI with a pedestrian .290 OBP and 27 errors. Could the Rays and Desmond benefit from a 1 year deal similar to that of Asdrubal Cabrera in ’14? With the recent addition of Brad Miller, that scenario seems unlikely. However there’s no denying that Desmond could be a steal as he looks to bounce back from what most believe was just a down year.
Anthony: Demand for Desmond has always looked iffy, and his lackluster .233 BA/.290 OBP/.384 SLG/.674 OPS/.294 wOBA certainly did him no favors. He isn’t projected to fare much better in 2016, but his upside is appealing and his athleticism allows him to play anywhere on the diamond.
Pedro Alvarez
Pedro Alvarez’s left/right splits, and 2015 Steamer projection. (Source: FanGraphs)
JJ: Another interesting free agent still unsigned is former Pirates left-handed slugger Pedro Alvarez. Not only can Alvarez provide home run production (30, 36, 18, 27 in the last 4 seasons respectively), but Alvarez can play either first base or spell Evan Longoria at third base from time to time. In the unlikely event that the Rays were to sign Alvarez, they would clearly have to move James Loney; who along with recently acquired Logan Morrison gives them a surplus of left handed hitting First baseman.
Anthony: Alvarez represents a negative with the glove ― his 23 errors, -14.7 UZR, and -14 DRS in 2015 speaks to that. Nevertheless he is blessed with something the Rays could use: the ability to mash right handed pitching. Alvarez’s power is legitimate (yes, that is a .237 ISO), and he could be the impact bat Tampa Bay craves.
Justin Morneau
Justin Morneau’s left/right splits, and 2015 Steamer projection. (Source: FanGraphs)
JJ: 4 time All-Star Justin Morneau’s name had also been linked to the Rays per Marc Topkin’s article. Morneau played only 49 games last year with Colorodo, but played well in his two years with the Rockies batting over .300 both years. Signing Morneau would only add to the previously mentioned logjam at first base. He’d likely be relegated to DH duties where he’d be a nice addition to a offense that can be stagnant at times.
Anthony: Morneau is a lefty, which bodes well for a team that could use someone who can hit right handed pitching, although there are legitimate concerns about his concussions. His injuries last season did have one positive impact, his market price dropped which is good for a small market team like the Rays. His projected 0.4 WAR, combined with his projected overall production, would mean he’d have to seek somewhere in the ballpark of $5-$6 million if the Rays are going to take a chance on the 34 year-old Morneau.
Among the remaining free agents names that make the most sense for the Rays are: Lakeland native Steven Pearce, David Murphy, Marlon Byrd.
Steve Pearce
Steve Pearce’s left/right splits, and 2015 Steamer projection. (Source: FanGraphs)
JJ: Pearce has tormented the Rays the past two seasons with the Orioles. He hit 21 homers with an OBP of .377 in ’14, but saw a drop in production last year batting only .219 with 15 homers and 40 RBI. Pearce’s versatility should attract the Rays who are looking for another super utility player to replace Ben Zobrist.
Anthony: Pearce handled himself well at first last season, and also showed he can play some second. A partial rebound towards his 2014 numbers could make the Lakeland native a great value.
David Murphy
David Murphy’s left/right splits, and 2015 Steamer projection. (Source: FanGraphs)
JJ: The Rays could also benefit from another left handed bat in the outfield. A player like like David Murphy or Zephyrhills native Dominic Brown could meet the Rays low salary criteria. Murphy is the more consistent player of the two, but Brown would offer a huge upside if he could show the same offensive prowess he displayed in ’13.
Marlon Byrd
Marlon Byrd’s left/right splits, and 2015 Steamer projection. (Source: FanGraphs)
JJ: Ageless wonder and journeyman Marlon Byrd’s name is also in the mix. Aside from the 20/70 production he’s managed to sustain over the past 3 seasons(with 4 different NL teams), Byrd could provide the young Rays with a Cliff Floyd type presence in the clubhouse.
Conclusion
While the bullpen was the most glaring weak spot last season, the lackluster offense, especially against right handed pitching, contributed to their 80-82 record. Only three current players (Logan Forsythe, Kevin Kiermaier, and Steven Souza) posted a plus 100 wRC+ against righties in 2015, and the Rays could benefit from the offensive boost that a player like Pedro Alvarez or Steve Pearce has to offer.
…That is, if the price is right.
Noteworthiness
― Tampa Bay added LHP Justin Marks and Adam Wilk, and RHP Kyle McPherson (former Montgomery Biscuit) to Minor League deals. All three are invited to Spring Training, bringing the count to 60 players invited to Major League camp.
