Cleveland Sports Forum

Good stuff civ. EE, after a scorching start is crashing and burning. I feel he is in decline, big time.

Nolan Jones at #5

Duquette: The Top 10 third base prospects in baseball


By Jim Duquette Apr 30, 2019 48

This week’s third base rankings are highlighted by future superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr of the Toronto Blue Jays. While the list may not be as talented as last week’s shortstop group overall, the position is still deep and will include some of the biggest power bats in the game. A few of them, like Nick Senzel, you will likely see in a different position this year (center field, in his case), but at some point, they should return to their regular position. Others, like Ke’Bryan Hayes, may someday soon be pushing Nolan Arenado for Gold Glove status.

A quick glossary:

The scouting scale is 20-80, with 50 being a major-league average grade and 80 being elite.

There are two grades here. First is the present grade, for the skill as it would play in the major leagues right now. The second is the future grade — what each skill is expected to be in the future, when at its peak.

HIT = hitting skill; POWER = includes XBH and HR; FIELD = fielding skill; ARM = includes strength and accuracy; SPEED = base running and stealing abilities.

Ages are as of July 1, 2019.

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
Age: 20 Height: 6’2” Weight: 255
Bats: R Throws: R
HIT: 60/80 POWER: 60/80 FIELD: 40/40 ARM: 60/60 SPEED: 30/30 OVERALL: 60/80
2018 stats (Rookie/A/AA/AAA):
Slash: .381/.437/.636 2B: 29 HR: 20 RBI: 78 SB: 3

No one has run through the minors in recent memory like the younger Guerrero, putting up gaudy numbers and absolutely dominating minor-league pitching. His hit and power tools and his career minor-league numbers are eerily similar to his Hall of Fame father’s at the same age, while comparisons to Miguel Cabrera are more accurate in terms of athleticism and future position change. If there is one player that can live up to the multinational expectations and hype, it is Guerrero, who was called up just last week. He’ll need to watch his conditioning and agility, or else a move from third to first base is in his future. But regardless, Guerrero has 40-home run power and looks to be one of the most dominant hitters we have seen in the majors in years.

2. Nick Senzel, Cincinnati Reds
Age: 23 Height: 6’1” Weight: 205
Bats: R Throws: R
HIT: 50/70 POWER: 50/60 FIELD: 50/60 ARM: 60/60 SPEED: 60/60 OVERALL: 50/70
2018 stats (AAA):
Slash: .310/.378/.509 2B: 12 HR: 6 RBI: 25 SB: 8

Senzel’s career has been delayed a couple of times due to injuries, but in spite of that, he looks to be very, very close to helping the Reds at the major-league level. He has an above-average bat that is big-league ready right now, with a balanced and level swing that should play well at Great American Ball Park. His advanced offensive approach will also play well, and allow him to be an above-average power hitter in the not-too-distant future. While his defense at third base is solid average right now, showing a plus arm as well, his playing time there is blocked by Eugenio Suárez, pushing him to centerfield at the moment. He’s a good enough athlete to play second base as well, and profiles better in the infield, as an Anthony Rendon-type player — so I would not rule out a return to the dirt by next season.

3. Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates
Age: 22 Height: 6’1” Weight: 210
Bats: R Throws: R
HIT: 40/60 POWER: 40/50 FIELD: 60/60 ARM: 60/60 SPEED: 50/60 OVERALL: 50/60
2018 stats (AA):
Slash: .293/.375/.444 2B: 31 HR: 7 RBI: 47 SB: 12

I love the overall athleticism and all-around game that Hayes has shown so far. He’s a good enough athlete defensively to play shortstop, but has a chance to be an elite defender with plus range and a plus arm at third. He also has an advanced approach at the plate, sporting a career .361 on-base percentage in the minors. He homered in the Futures Game last year, and his power will get better with further strength and experience. While watching his walk rate climb as he gets closer to the majors is the final indicator that Hayes is ready for Pittsburgh, he is right now, without a doubt, the best third baseman in the Pirates’ organization.

4. Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals
Age: 19 Height: 6’1” Weight: 210
Bats: L Throws: R
HIT: 40/60 POWER: 50/60 FIELD: 40/50 ARM: 50/60 SPEED: 40/40 OVERALL: 50/60
2018 stats (Rookie/A):
Slash: .291/.380/.570 2B: 13 HR: 17 RBI: 44 SB: 1

The youngest player of this group, Gorman has one of the most impressive bats in the minors for his age. Showing that last year’s .949 OPS was no fluke, Gorman is off to an impressive start in 2019, with a loud 1.039 OPS in the Midwest League, having clubbed 6 homers in less than 100 plate appearances so far. He has all of the makings of a middle-of-the-lineup hitter. His defense needs work — he committed 21 errors in 58 games in 2018 — but with time and continued reps, Gorman has enough talent to be a major-league average third baseman. When his defense solidifies, look for Gorman to make an impact.

5. Nolan Jones, Cleveland Indians
Age: 21 Height: 6’4″ Weight: 185
Bats: L Throws: R
HIT: 40/60 POWER: 50/60 FIELD: 40/50 ARM: 60/60 SPEED: 40/40 OVERALL: 40/60
2018 stats (A/A+):
Slash: .283/.405/.466 2B: 21 HR: 19 RBI: 66 SB: 2

Jones is physically gifted both offensively and defensively, and I love his overall approach at the plate. He has improved his command of the strike zone, and has legitimate opposite field power. Despite the fact that he struck out 131 times in 427 at-bats in 2018, Jones’ walk rate should only get better as his approach evolves. On the defensive side, he may need to move across the diamond to first at some point. But if he improves his first-step quickness, he has more than enough arm to handle the hot corner in Cleveland by 2020.

6. Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves
Age: 22 Height: 6’3” Weight: 225
Bats: R Throws: R
HIT: 40/50 POWER: 50/60 FIELD: 50/60 ARM: 40/40 SPEED: 60/60 OVERALL: 50/60
2018 stats (Rookie/AA/AAA):
Slash: .294/.360/.522 2B: 30 HR: 19 RBI: 70 SB: 1

The Braves’ first-round pick in 2015 has had three straight seasons of almost 20 homers, and his raw power is off the charts. In 109 plate appearances in Double A last season, Riley dominated at the plate, finishing with an OPS of 1.071. He followed up his 2018 with an impressive Arizona Fall League, showing a good approach while continuing his power-hitting ways against the best talent in the minors. While the comparisons to Scott Rolen are a little aggressive, there is no doubt that Riley has plus tools as a defender as well — if he can cut down on his strikeouts (29 percent in Triple A last year), then Riley could reach the lofty expectations that the Braves have for him.

7. Jonathan India, Cincinnati Reds
Age: 22 Height: 6’1” Weight: 200
Bats: R Throws: R
HIT: 40/60 POWER: 40/50 FIELD: 40/60 ARM: 50/60 SPEED: 50/50 OVERALL: 40/60
2018 stats (Rookie/A):
Slash: .240/.380/.433 2B: 9 HR: 6 RBI: 23 SB: 6

India showed an advanced approach at the plate in his first professional season last year. His understanding of the strike zone will continue to get better as he moves through the minors, and his level, balanced swing should make him an above-average hitter with likely average power at the major-league level. He has the instincts and ability to play the middle infield and the arm strength to play third. His defensive versatility may help him contribute in Cincinnati by the end of 2020 or early 2021.

8. Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies
Age: 22 Height: 6’5” Weight: 225
Bats: R Throws: R
HIT: 40/60 POWER: 50/60 FIELD: 40/50 ARM: 50/50 SPEED: 30/40 OVERALL: 40/50
2018 stats (Rookie/A-/A):
Slash: .252/.335/.324 2B: 6 HR: 0 RBI: 17 SB: 3

The No. 3 overall pick for Philadelphia in last year’s amateur draft, Bohm showed bat speed, power potential and strike-zone discipline, striking out only 19 times in 121 plate appearances in his pro debut in low-A ball. He’ll hit his first professional home run in 2019 and will have above-average power in short order, but will need to really improve his defense (he committed 9 errors over 29 games in 2018) if he is to stay at third. Otherwise, he profiles as a power-hitting first baseman that should arrive in the majors within two years.

9. Michael Chavis, Boston Red Sox
Age: 23 Height: 5’10” Weight: 215
Bats: R Throws: R
HIT: 40/50 POWER: 50/60 FIELD: 40/50 ARM: 50/60 SPEED: 40/40 OVERALL: 40/50
2018 stats (A/AA/AAA):
Slash: .298/.381/.538 2B: 14 HR: 9 RBI: 27 SB: 3

Chavis’ rise through the minors was slowed by his own stubborn pull-happy approach early on, and then a PED suspension at the beginning of 2018. With that behind him, his overall offensive approach has improved dramatically. He now uses more of the whole field and is showing above-average power, more than most evaluators had imagined. As his walk rate has risen, so has his stock, and with Rafael Devers ahead of him in Boston, he has seen more time at second base. I would not rule out a return to third at some point, but his bat is major-league ready now, and he is a good enough athlete to handle second.

10. Jordan Groshans, Toronto Blue Jays
Age: 19 Height: 6’3” Weight: 205
Bats: R Throws: R
HIT: 40/60 POWER: 40/60FIELD: 40/50 ARM: 50/60 SPEED: 50/50 OVERALL: 40/60
2018 stats (AA):
Slash: .296/.353/.446 2B: 13 HR: 5 RBI: 43 SB: 0

Several evaluators have trumpeted the 19-year-old Groshans’ baseball skills and overall talent. He has shown above-average bat speed and hitting ability, with a balanced line-drive approach that has impressed so far. His athleticism allows him to play shortstop for now, but he likely will need to move to a corner position in the future if he is playing alongside Bo Bichette. There is still a lot of projection in Groshans’ game. If it comes together, though, he can be an impact player by 2021 or sooner.

Jones' high strike out rate is often attributed to taking lots of pitches, which also results in plenty of walks, and puts in deep in counts. He's not Guerrero or Senzel but seems like a pretty decent prospect. Our best at any level in full season ball, in fact perhaps our only guy in full season ball with a decent chance to be a big league regular [of our home grown crew]. Bradley maybe. Chang looking worse all the time. Haase maybe. Mercado and Johnson from recent trades could make it as outfielders

Keri: The Twins are for real. How are they doing this?


By Jonah Keri May 2, 2019 61

Early​ in his​ career, Eddie​ Rosario was one of​ the most mistake-prone​ players in the​ league.​ In the​ field he​​ made mental errors, frequently throwing to the wrong base. He also swung at everything, striking out nearly eight times as often as he walked. He had lots of talent, but no idea how to harness it.

Derek Falvey saw something else in the team’s left fielder.

“A couple years ago in the wild-card game against the Yankees, if you walked around the clubhouse before that game, you could look in players’ eyes,” recalled Falvey, the Minnesota Twins’ chief baseball officer. “Eddie was the guy you thought might start something. He was the guy you could look to, to pick a fight.”

Falvey meant that in a good way. A fiercely competitive player, Rosario wasn’t buying the Twins’ underdog status that day at Yankee Stadium. In the first inning, with a runner on, Rosario launched a screaming line drive to right, a bullet that left the park in the blink of an eye, giving the Twins an early 3-0 lead.

Minnesota wouldn’t hold the lead that day, as the Yankees jumped all over the Twins pitching staff en route to an 8-4 win. But that home run capped a breakout season for Rosario, one that’s paved the way for bigger things since then.

Rosario now leads the American League with 11 home runs. He’s led the way for a much-improved Twins team, one that owns the second-best record in the majors, vaulting to the top of the AL Central standings.

Things weren’t nearly as rosy in the Twin Cities a year ago. Following that surprise run to a wild-card spot in 2017, the 2018 Twins finished 78-84, a disappointing season that would mark the end of Paul Molitor’s tenure as manager. Though Rosario hit 24 homers last season, he didn’t have much company, as the Twins finished just 23rd in the majors in long balls.

That’s when the team’s weakness ran into a perfectly-timed liquidation sale. The Twins went into last offseason with the same goal as every other team: Get the most bang for their buck. In past winters, that might have meant snagging some ace glovemen or shutdown relievers. In the winter of 2018-2019, in a new era that’s seen teams break home-run records again and again, bombs came at a discount. Beyond the big-ticket duo of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, cheap power popped up everywhere.

The Twins chased that cheap power more aggressively than any other team. Coming off a 30-homer season in the power-squashing environment of Tropicana Field, C.J. Cron could only manage a one-year, $4.8 million deal, landing in Minnesota. After hitting 53 homers over the previous two seasons — while playing a premium defensive position — Jonathan Schoop cost the Twins a scant $7.5 million on a one-year contract. No hitter in all of baseball cranked more dingers from 2014 through 2018 than Nelson Cruz … and he too could manage only one year guaranteed, a $14.3 million pact with the Twins.

A funny thing happens when you sign a bunch of guys who can hit the ball out of the ballpark — your team hits more home runs. The Twins ranked 23rd in the majors last season in taters. This year, despite playing in one of the least homer-friendly parks in the league, they rank fourth.

But wait, there’s more. As MLB.com’s Mike Petriello noted, the Twins just broke their franchise record for highest slugging average in a month. Their .493 slugging mark leads the majors by a wide margin, and rates a huge 19 percent better than league average.

Now here’s the kicker: While the new guys have helped, most of the players leading Minnesota’s offensive charge are homegrown holdovers from last season.

It starts with Rosario. At age 27, he’s smoothed out some of the rough edges in his game, particularly in the field. But he still owns one of the lowest walk rates in the American League, and a lowly on-base percentage of .284. He’s crafted his impressive power jag by driving pitches many other hitters can’t handle, including a bunch outside the strike zone.



Right behind Rosario on the Twins’ home-run leaderboard is Max Kepler. Chronologically, the 26-year-old right fielder falls into that sweet spot of mid-20s players who often take the next step in their development as major leaguers. Kepler’s background changes the equation a bit, though.

“He grew up in Germany, not Florida or Texas or Southern California,” said Falvey. “So he’s maybe not as experienced. He’s still learning what adjustments he can make and what his approach is going to be.”

With a potent line of .277/.349/.564 and seven home runs, Kepler profiles like another middle-of-the-order hitter to complement Rosario, Cruz and company. But the Twins have gone another route. In the mold of Joc Pederson in L.A., Minnesota’s parked one of its best power hitters in the leadoff spot.

In addition to Kepler’s maturation as a hitter and big leaguer, Falvey credits new Twins manager Rocco Baldelli for the outfielder’s comfort level atop the order. Baldelli is one of several MLB managers who sets lineups for an entire series ahead of time, helping the process along by giving chatting with starters about upcoming days off, and with backups about the opportunities that will soon come their way. Soon after taking the Twins’ skipper job, Baldelli took that look-ahead approach to extreme levels with Kepler, alerting him months ahead of time that he hoped to make him the team’s leadoff hitter, then riding him in that spot throughout spring training.

Baldelli’s handling of Kepler is one of many moves that Falvey and the rest of the Twins front office have enjoyed watching.

“I’ve remained close with Terry Francona and he’s influenced me quite a bit,” said Falvey, who worked in the Cleveland organization for 10 seasons, four of them with Francona managing the major-league club. “Tito gets guys to be the best version of themselves. There are so many external influences, so many things grabbing people’s attention — and the game is already hard enough with 95-mph cutters in on your hands.

“Rocco wanted to create the same environment, to get players to be the best versions of themselves. There’s a lot of transparency in the clubhouse, to where he’s found a way to be over-communicative. That, and the way he leans on his coaching staff. With Rocco, it’s never about him. He arrives at the best possible conclusions for our team by talking to the pitching coach, the hitting coach, the strength and conditioning coach, the trainers, everyone. It creates a psychologically safe environment in which to share ideas.”

The combination of up-and-comers in their 20s, big-hitting veteran imports and managerial guidance has borne fruit for a Twins club that’s been raking, even after scoring just one run over the past two games against the pitching-rich Astros. Twenty-five-year-old shortstop Jorge Polanco’s batting a massive .327/.393/.606. Suddenly-slugging catcher Mitch Garver’s hitting an obscene .333/.396/.729 at age 28, with 27-year-old catcher/super-utilityman Willians Astudillo (La Tortuga!) batting an excellent .327/.340/.531. Add in Cruz finding another gear at age 38 (.305/.400/.573), and you have one of the league’s best and most surprising offenses.

And yes, the pitching staff is lending its support too, led by staff ace José Berrios. The 24-year-old right-hander has developed into one of the best pitchers in the league, rocking a strikeout-to-walk rate better than 5-to-1 this year. If he keeps this up, everyone’s new favorite workout will become pushing cars on the beach.

An offseason bargain hunt that brought in tons of power. A roster full of mid-20s talents ready for their closeups. A first-year manager determined to get the most out of his players. A top-five farm system that includes Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff as potential future stars but also multiple young pitchers who could graduate and contribute at the major-league level this year. A sprinkling of luck that’s produced a 6-3 record in one-run games, a 1-0 record in extra-inning games, and an overall record better than the club’s respectable but not elite +21 run differential might suggest.

One month into the 2019 season, it’s all added up to some serious winning. With injuries mounting at Progressive Field and the Twins playing at this level, consider Cleveland’s run of three straight AL Central titles officially on notice.

(Top photo of Cruz: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

What did you think of this story?

Excellent adds by the Twins

Derek Falvey a great add by the Twins in 2018 in the GM chair. Tito fan.

But before we get worked up at all the great adds (Schoop, Cruz, Cron) they made I looked something up.

The Twins now have the exact payroll the Indians have. So there's that.

We have our hands full with the Twins. In addition to the good adds, young guys like Kepler, Garver, Polanco and Buxton seem to be blossoming. Nothing from Sano yet but we can only hope he doesn't join the breakout party.

I woudn't doubt veterans like Cruz positively influence these kids. Talk about an under the radar stud for a damn long time....it's Nelson Cruz.

Shoot with former Indian Falvey making some smart additions to a young core and a payroll like ours, I do admire them and would be rooting for them except for their inconvenient location in our division.

It's all about the pitching this season for the Twins.

Rosenthal: The curious case of an accomplished free-agent pitcher still looking for work


By Ken Rosenthal 33m ago 4

Free-agent right-hander James Shields has been throwing for teams virtually every week since the start of the season.

Planned showcases?

“No, they just call me up and they want to come see me throw,” Shields says, chuckling. “I’ve thrown in front of the Tigers and Yankees and Orioles and Indians, you name it. I’ve thrown in front of quite a few teams, especially those I feel need starting pitching.”

The Rangers, as first reported by MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi, are another team that has scouted Shields near his home in San Diego. Yet Shields, 37, remains unsigned after pitching 204 2/3 innings with the White Sox last season and producing a park-adjusted ERA not far below the league average.

He knows he is no longer “Big Game James.” He has no intention of robbing a team like Jesse James. But here’s guessing Shields is one of the 150 best starting pitchers in the world, which is the minimal requirement to be part of a major-league rotation.

The average fan, increasingly stat-savvy and value-conscious, might cite the 34 homers Shields allowed in 2018, the second-highest total in the majors, or his 78 walks, the eighth-highest. Well, let’s check in on how some of the smarty-pants clubs are faring with some of the free-agent starting pitchers they signed last offseason:

Lance Lynn, three years, $30 million, Rangers: 5.75 ERA.
Matt Harvey, one year, $11 million, Angels: 6.94 ERA.
Trevor Cahill, one year, $9 million, Angels: 6.95 ERA.
Derek Holland, one year, $7 million, Giants: 5.34 ERA.
Shields, coming off a 4.53 ERA for the White Sox, is more accomplished — albeit older — than every one of those pitchers.

“Last year wasn’t the greatest year in the world. Obviously, our team wasn’t very good. We had 100 losses on the year,” Shields says. “Then again, I logged in 204 innings and did what my team asked me to do on a daily basis.

“I could have been one of those five-and-dive guys. But I had to pick up the slack for the other starting pitchers as far as innings to save that bullpen. I think my ERA definitely was skewed. And now I’m sitting here without a job.

“It’s frustrating as a player. I still have a lot left in the tank. Every scout I’ve thrown in front of, they’ve definitely been impressed, from what they told me, at least.”

And yet …

“I might be the first one ever to throw 200 innings and not have a big-league job,” Shields says.

Actually, Shields is not the only pitcher in that position. Free-agent left-hander Dallas Keuchel also worked 204 2/3 innings last season. But since the start of free agency in 1976, only two pitchers who were healthy — Doyle Alexander and Mike Mussina — did not pitch in a season after throwing at least 200 innings, according to STATS LLC. And that was because both retired.

Shields is six years older than Keuchel and not in the same class at this stage of his career. But he also is not looking for the same type of contract at a time when quality starting pitching again is at a premium because of injuries and poor performance.

Keuchel told Yahoo Sports that he wants a deal in line with “what the analytical data is saying,” presumably referring to the way teams use Wins Above Replacement and similar measures to determine player values. According to a Fangraphs metric that converts WAR to a dollar scale based on what a player would earn in free agency, Keuchel was worth $26.4 million last season and an average of $21.3 million over the past three.

The problem for Keuchel is that the market does not value him in that range and might not even after the June draft, when teams can sign him without losing a draft pick and the accompanying pool money.

Shields, who rebounded from two years of negative WAR to be worth $8.7 million last season, according to Fangraphs, is not subject to draft-pick compensation.

“I definitely am not asking for an outrageous salary, but I would want to be treated fairly for what I do and bring to a ball club,” Shields says. “My focus at this point in my career is to help a team win a pennant and get to a World Series.”

An official from a club interested in Shields says it is his understanding that the pitcher wants a guaranteed major-league contract, but that salary is not a primary consideration. Shields has earned $114.1 million in his career, Keuchel $30.6 million, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

“He’ll spend some time in the minor leagues getting ready, but he wants a (major-league) deal so that he doesn’t get stuck in minors all year,” the official says of Shields. “I’m shocked he hasn’t received it from someone. I don’t believe the money is much of a factor.”

The official saw Shields throw a few weeks ago and says he appeared to be in good shape. Shields, however, says he still has received “no formal offers.”

Not even offers of a minor-league contract?

“I definitely can tell you I’ve had no formal offers,” Shields repeats. “(Teams) have thrown a lot of things out there. But I’ve had no formal offers whatsoever.”

Curious, considering that 64 starting pitchers have gone on the injured list in the first six weeks of the season, according to STATS. Shields, who has been placed on the injured list only once in his career, for a strained right lat in 2017, has averaged 208 innings in his 12 full seasons.

Red Sox lefty David Price, Shields’ former teammate with the Rays, says the Sox players were talking about him on the bus to the airport in Chicago on Sunday, incredulous that he remained unsigned.

“James Shields is going to take the ball every fifth day and he’s gonna give his team a chance to win!!” Price said in a text message. “He’s the guy that teaches all the young guys the right way to go about their business. It’s a joke to me he doesn’t have a job.”

One old friend sticking up for another? Perhaps. But consider how White Sox manager Rick Renteria assessed Shields in a conversation with reporters at the end of last season.

“I think more than anything, when you see how he’s continued to pitch and work through all of the things he’s done over the course of his career, I think he’s been a big factor by example,” Renteria said. “He goes out there and shows you how to get through innings, grind through some rough outings and continue to eat up outs. I think these guys are seeing it. He’s been someone that’s shown them why he’s been around for so many years.

“I think these guys have taken on some of his personality, some of his traits. Hopefully, it’s something they can cling to and continue to help each other with. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have someone that’s something like that. He’s done everything he could to help with both between the lines and being in the clubhouse.”

Keuchel, according to pitcher Lance McCullers and other former Astros teammates, possesses some of those same intangibles, none of which is measured by WAR and other advanced metrics. Teams still might want “great clubhouse guys,” but they rarely pay extra for what those players offer.

For better or worse, the market continues to evolve.

Front offices have become more careful with their valuations since Shields signed a four-year, $75 million free-agent contract with the Padres in February 2015, entering his age-33 season. Teams are increasingly creative in the way they use pitchers, no longer bound by convention both at the start of games and at the finish. But the latest wave of injuries — and a constant shortage of pitching — would seem to reinforce the value of a workhorse, no?

“Baseball has got to understand that they have to rely on guys who can post,” Shields says. “Some of these GMs are starting to realize already that they’re kind of scrambling for starting pitchers, and where are they going to get it?

“I’ve seen guys from A ball getting called up — which is awesome for them, to get an opportunity to be in the big leagues — but at the same time, you need a guy to give you flexibility on a starting pitching staff, to eat up innings.”

For now, Shields is enjoying spending time with his wife, Ryane, and two daughters, Ashton, 15, and Camden, 9, at a time of year when he normally is away; he spoke on the phone Sunday after attending his older daughter’s volleyball tournament. He throws every day, uses Rapsodo pitch-tracking technology to monitor his bullpen sessions and sends video to clubs. But, he says, “There is going to come a time where I’m going to decide whether I’m going to shut it down for the season or not. I’m not going to continue to do this all year long. I don’t think it’s fair to me. I don’t think it’s fair to my family.”

That said, he does not consider retirement an option. He wants to pitch, if not this season, then the next.

“My process is still working,” Shields says. “To be continued.”

(Photo: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images))

What did you think of this story?

I wouldn't waste the Indians money on him. We've already dumped $5,000,000 or so into Salazar's bank account. We will have Clevinger back in a few weeks. Rodriguez is worth a lengthy tryout. Beyond those 5 Anderson and Plutko are cheap alternatives and this team is unlikely to go anywhere anyway with the current lineup.

Good points but for me, if he were open to say a $1 million rest of the season deal then I'd do that.

You say Clev will be back and I agree. Jef Rod for Kluber. But after that? And any more injuries?

Say what you may, 204 innings last year at league average is drastically better than the depth we seem to have in organizational starting pitching.

It won't happen apparently so whatever....

for cheap, OK, but I'd still rather give auditions to Plutko and Anderson. And then eagerly await McKenzie and the next wave,

Another Twins reinforcement:

Miguel Sano (heel) went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in his sixth minor league rehab game Tuesday with Double-A Pensacola.

Sano is now batting .400 with a 1.240 OPS, two doubles, two homers, and eight RBI in 25 plate appearances between High-A and Double-A. These encouraging offensive results could very well spur the Twins to activate the 25-year-old third baseman earlier than they might have otherwise.

He's been on the injured list all season with a laceration on his right heel that required a debridement procedure.

Rosenthal: For the Orioles, a team in distress, the on-field struggles may be the least of the concerns


By Ken Rosenthal May 15, 2019 187
First things first, out of respect to a city that lost the NFL Colts in 1984, and remains emotionally scarred by the trauma even though it replaced that team with the Ravens 12 years later:

The Orioles are not likely to leave Baltimore.

A vacant Camden Yards would be an unthinkable blow to the city and state of Maryland, and an incredible black mark for baseball. The Orioles and Maryland Stadium Authority are also in preliminary negotiations to secure a new lease for the team before the current agreement expires at the end of 2021, sources say.

The question of whether the Orioles can succeed in Baltimore – amid declining attendance, an ongoing dispute with the Nationals over TV rights fees and a rebuilding plan that will take years to complete, if it succeeds at all – is another matter entirely.

Coming off a franchise-record 115 losses in 2018, the Orioles are 14-26 this season, the third-worst record in the majors. Their farm system ranks 22nd out of 30, according to Baseball America, and new general manager Mike Elias is overhauling virtually the entire organization, a process that includes building an international scouting department almost from scratch.

Not surprisingly, business is suffering – the Orioles’ average home attendance has dropped from 30,805 in 2014 to 15,720 this season, a decline of nearly 50 percent. Making matters worse, a certain percentage of fans seemingly is reluctant to attend games in downtown Baltimore following the civic unrest sparked by the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American, who suffered a spinal injury while in police custody and died seven days later in April 2015.

Amid such challenges, it’s easy to understand why the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), in which the Orioles are the majority owner, continues to fight for every last dollar in its disagreement with the Nationals and Major League Baseball. The Orioles consider the outcome vital to their economic future, and point back to the 2005 agreement that allowed the Nationals to enter their exclusive broadcast territory, an agreement they say was designed to protect the Baltimore club from long-term financial harm.

Yet, it’s also easy to understand why the Nationals and MLB are exasperated with the Orioles’ refusal to twice accept the decisions of a three-person panel from baseball’s Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee (RSDC). The 30 major-league franchises have spent more than $10 million in legal fees to essentially fight one of its own teams, sources say – and that figure does not include the money the Orioles and Nationals have spent individually.

The latest installment of the panel recently awarded the Nats nearly $100 million in additional fees from 2012 to ‘16, but the Orioles plan to bring their argument to the New York State Court of Appeals, according to the Washington Post, thus extending baseball’s version of the 100 Years War.

The dispute, which stems from the agreement that enabled the Nationals to move from Montreal to Washington, D.C., in ‘05, escalated when the two sides could not agree on fees in ‘12. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan wrote to baseball commissioner Rob Manfred last year to express concern about the matter, citing the “potential negative impact on the Orioles, the City of Baltimore, and the State of Maryland,” according to the Baltimore Sun.

In baseball’s view, the Orioles need to put the MASN dispute to rest, reach agreement with the Nationals and move on to other pressing topics. The Orioles counter that MASN has made multiple settlement offers to the Nationals, to no avail. As the tension continues, so does the fallout, the isolation of Orioles’ ownership as it fights the league and drives up legal fees for the other clubs.

The MASN affair is not the only Orioles matter frustrating baseball, sources say. For more than a year, baseball has asked the team to appoint a control person in place of Angelos, 89, who is in poor health. The control person is accountable to baseball for the operation of the club and for its compliance with the rules of baseball.

The Orioles still have not responded to baseball’s request, though Angelos’ sons, John and Lou, have assumed more prominent roles with the club and attended recent owners’ meetings. Either would be a logical choice to replace Peter Angelos as the control person, but the necessary approval from 3/4 of the 29 other clubs might be an issue, given the strained relationship between the Orioles and baseball.

Some Orioles fans believe baseball already is exacting retribution for the MASN conflict; Camden Yards, one of the game’s most cherished parks, has not hosted an All-Star Game since 1993, its second year of existence. But the Orioles have not made a formal proposal for the game, according to officials on both sides. The club’s preference, sources say, is to secure a new lease and work with the state to make improvements to the ballpark first.

Holding off would seem prudent. The team is reeling after winning the most games in the American League between 2012 and ‘16. Baltimore, meanwhile, was the subject of a recent New York Times Magazine cover story, “How an American City Falls Apart.” The story detailed, among other things, how violent crime in the city has surged since Gray’s death in 2015. According to the FBI, Baltimore had the highest homicide rate among the nation’s 50 largest cities in 2017.

Baltimore City also has experienced a decline in population, with a net loss of 7,342 during the 12 months that ended July 1, 2018, its biggest drop in a year since 2010, according to a U.S. Census Bureau estimate, as reported by the Baltimore Sun. The population in the surrounding counties has remained flat or increased, but that is not necessarily good news if fans from those areas are less inclined to go downtown for games.

The Baltimore region’s corporate base also has diminished; no Fortune 500 company has headquartered in the area since 2012. Orioles officials, however, believe both the team and city will rebound.

John and Lou Angelos and other team executives are in routine contact with the city and state as well as local tourism boards. John Angelos not only has spearheaded a number of innovative promotions at Camden Yards, but also has shown the potential to be a worthy heir to his father by demonstrating his social conscience and passion for the city.

Still, the Orioles are playing from behind, both on and off the field. Elias, who got a late start as GM when he left the Astros for the Orioles in mid-November 2018, has yet to hire a permanent farm director and amateur scouting director. John Vidalin, whom the team named as chief operating officer to lead its business operation in July 2018, recently left to return to the NBA’s Miami Heat.

For the on-field product to improve, Elias will need to proceed with the unflinching support of ownership, even if the team suffers several consecutive 100-loss seasons and attendance continues to crater. Yet, even if the GM is near-flawless with his decision-making, the Orioles are almost certain to endure the pitfalls of rebuilding – the injuries and inconsistencies in player performance, the seemingly endless dark before the dawn.

The opening of Camden Yards, the first and best of the retro ballparks, led to annual attendance of at least 3 million from 1992 through 2001, with the exception of the strike year in ‘94. Last year’s total of 1.56 million was a record low for the park, and the danger is that the Orioles will become like the Indians and Rays – effectively, turning into a small-market club.

The team likely is staying put. Staying, though, is not the same as succeeding. The Orioles are exchanging one form of crisis for another.

anyone notice that Jesus Aguilar is back to his Indians style of play. He's hitting 200. OPS 619. Hit 3 homeruns over two games at the end of April and none before or since.

For a good laugh...

RAJAI DAVIS
OF, NEW YORK METS

Mets purchased the contract of OF Rajai Davis from Triple-A Syracuse.

Davis is getting the call to replace Brandon Nimmo, who was placed on the injured list with a strained neck. Signed to a minor-league deal this winter, the 38-year-old outfielder was slashing .277/.344/.403 in the International League with 14 steals in 37 games. He's always had the ability to provide bag thefts, but the rest of the offensive skill set at this point in his career is lacking.

(Sheesh, this is one guy who can still run no matter how old he gets!)

RAJAI DAVIS
OF, NEW YORK METS

Rajai Davis got a chance to pinch-hit in the eighth-inning and slugged a three-run bomb against the Nationals in a 6-1 win on Wednesday.