Brewers' pitcher Will Smith and Orioles' pitcher Brian Matusz were both ejected this past week for having a foreign substance on their arms. Smith was suspended--and has since appealed--eight games, while Matusz is still waiting on a verdict.
Major League Baseball rule 8.01(a)(4) states that, "The pitcher shall not...apply a foreign substance of any kind to the ball...PENALTY: For violation...the pitcher shall be ejected immediately from the game and shall be suspended automatically. In National Association Leagues, the automatic suspension shall be for 10 games." Foreign substances include mixes of sunscreen and rosin, pine tar, and anything else for pitchers to get a tacky ball, something that will allow them to grip it better. The worst part of all these suspensions and ejections is that hitters tend to not care if pitchers are using these substances. If a pitcher can grip a ball better, they are able to throw it more accurately, meaning less hit batsmen and overall a safer game. Orioles' manager Buck Showalter understands the rule, but is also a main proponent in instituting tackier balls for a safer overall game. "Why is the rosin on the field? Why is it there," asked Orioles manager Buck Showalter, via The Baltimore Sun. "It's a deeper issue than that. You've all heard me talk about the crux of the problem. Same reason hitters have pine tar. We all understand the crux of the problem is gripping the ball; it's not trying to [doctor the ball]." The "foreign substance rule" was implemented to outlaw certain advantages pitchers were gaining through throwing spitballs or, as Showalter mentioned, doctoring the baseball. But when a pitcher's intent is to just grip the ball a little easier, don't you think that they should be allowed to use these substances? Absolutely. But to keep pitchers from doctoring the baseball or using spitballs, MLB cannot get rid of the rule altogether. They would need to tweak it. "I would like to see an approved substance pitchers can use," Red Sox manager John Farrell was quoted as saying via ESPN. "I think anytime a game loses players for eight to 10 games, I think it makes us as an industry look within." ESPN's Baseball Tonight had an interesting segment regarding foreign substances, including an appearance from ex-Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden. Braden said that, during Spring Training, the Athletics would have an "application" station, where pitchers would learn to use these substances, including a mixture of rosin and BullFrog sunscreen. Braden said that he would reapply the mixture after every inning. Braden suggested that they should put a pine tar rag behind the mound, similar to how there is a rosin bag behind the mound. He argues that hitters have weighted donuts, batting gloves, pine tar, and other things to give them an advantage, so why are pitchers limited so much? Even though they may be at a disadvantage, pitchers are still technically cheating. Now, isn't cheating wrong? Is there a little bit of guilt involved? "No. Absolutely not," Braden said. "I've got outs to get." --Devan Fink
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Oakland Athletics' left-hander Scott Kazmir is not Cole Hamels.
Yet, at the Trade Deadline in two months, Kazmir could be the biggest bargain for any team in desperate need of some starting pitching help. Kazmir has had a solid start to this season, going 2-3 with a 3.09 ERA (3.93 FIP) and a 53 to 22 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 55.1 innings pitched. With all the need out there for an extra starting pitcher, Kazmir's stock could increase in the coming months. The Athletics' season has not started out hot, going 15-30 in their first 45 games. Knowing Billy Beane, the team is going to move some players in July. Kazmir is bound to be one of them. Oakland inked Kazmir to a two-year, $22 million deal prior to the 2014 season, and the deal has gone exactly how they hoped, with Kazmir pitching to a mid-3 ERA including an All-Star season last year. With Kazmir becoming a free agent this winter, it does not make sense for the Athletics to keep him. Possible suitors for Kazmir include the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Orioles, and even the Red Sox (if they can't get Cole Hamels). In my mind, all four of those clubs would be willing to give Beane the fair prospect price for Kazmir, which would probably be one or perhaps two intriguing lower-level prospects, similar to the Franklin Barreto addition in the Josh Donaldson deal. With every good start he makes, Kazmir becomes more valuable in a trade. His first start, against the Rangers, showed exactly what he is capable of. He threw seven innings, allowing one hit and no runs, striking out ten and walking just two. If that can't help the Blue Jays rotation with their 5.15 ERA, the Red Sox rotation with their 5.08 ERA, or the Dodgers with all the injuries to their rotation in Hyun-jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy, I don't know what does. His name isn't Cole Hamels, but instead it's Scott Kazmir. And he's looking to help a struggling rotation today (or in July). --Devan Fink
The Red Sox made headlines this weekend by promoting top catching prospect Blake Swihart following the injury to starting catcher Ryan Hanigan.
Swihart, 23, was the Sox' first round pick in the 2011 draft and has flown through the minor leagues, being promoted all the way up to Triple-A last season. He was ranked as the 17th best prospect in baseball prior to this season by Baseball America and continued to mash through his first 18 games (.338/.392/.382 in 74 PA). While Swihart may have been the best option for the Red Sox at catcher following Hanigan's injury, this call-up does not by any means mean that Swihart is ready for the Major Leagues. Experts predicted that Swihart would need at least the first half of this season in Triple-A, perhaps longer, before getting the call. Now, he's getting the call in May, and while Red Sox fans are pumped, I, on the other hand, am wary of the decision for just one reason. Swihart hasn't played catcher long enough to have the feel to catch Major League pitching. Swihart's bat isn't the issue here; it's his defense. The Red Sox converted Swihart, who was a third baseman and outfielder, into a catcher, meaning he has just been calling games and blocking balls since only 2011, whereas many other catchers in the Majors have been doing it their entire baseball careers (amateur included). Sure, you can make the argument that half a season would not have made the difference in Swihart's defensive development, and generally I would agree with you. However, Swihart has just 31 games of Triple-A experience at catcher (he has 36 appearances), where the best non-Major League pitching is found. If Swihart was called up in June or July, he would have likely doubled his number of appearances behind the dish, perhaps making a huge difference for the Red Sox down the road. Even still, he will learn as he goes along. There's no doubt about that. But when you are the Red Sox, wouldn't you want the best overall catcher you can find, at least until you believe Swihart is ready? Swihart is good with the bat, but his defense and game calling probably cannot stand up to those Major League veterans that they could have found cheaply in a trade (e.g. Welington Castillo or Dioner Navarro) or even on the free agent market. It's hard to know how many runs or wins Swihart's defense and pitch calling will cost the Red Sox, if any. I'm just trying to comprehend calling him up after 36 games in Triple-A. Many players need at least a full season there before they are fully seasoned. And perhaps the Red Sox don't expect Swihart to be fully seasoned, but see him as the best available option. I could be wrong with this and I hope Swihart does prove me wrong. But taking a step back, I'm not exactly thrilled with the Red Sox decision to be proactive and promote Blake Swihart. Only time will tell, right? --Devan Fink Over the past five days or so, many teams have been focused on locking up their players with little service time, in hopes that they would buy out their pre-arbitration and arbitration seasons, while also gaining control of some of their free agent years.
Rick Porcello, Josh Harrison, Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, and Yordano Ventura were recently extended by their respective teams. Here are my thoughts on each deal. The Red Sox overpaid Rick Porcello Since 2007, there have been 52 years of contract extensions given out to 14 starting pitchers between five and six years of MLB service time, worth $826.1 million. That's an average of a 3.7 year deal for $15.89 million per year, which would buy out two free agent years. Porcello got a four-year, $82.5 million deal from the Red Sox, which would come out to a $20.625 million annual average value. Porcello is not worth $20.625 million per season. If he made that figure this year, he would be the 23rd-highest paid player in the Majors, ahead of Adam Wainwright, Jon Lester, David Price, and Max Scherzer. I rest my case. Josh Harrison still hasn't proved himself...though that doesn't mean that deal with Pirates is spoiled The Pirates signed Harrison to a four-year, $27.3 million deal. Harrison still hasn't proved to me that he can be a viable option in the lineup at the same level as he did in 2014. Regardless, this doesn't mean that he signed a bad deal. If and only if Harrison hits well again does this deal become a real steal for Pittsburgh. Harrison makes at most $10.25 million before becoming a free agent barring options. If he continued to play at the same level he did last season, he would easily make more than that as a third-year arbitration player. It all depends on how he continues to play. Corey Kluber's deal is fantastic for both sides Corey Kluber had pitched in 15 career big league games coming into the 2013 season, boasting a 5.35 ERA. Coming into that 2013 season, Kluber was a 27-year-old, practically career minor leaguer, pitcher with not many expectations. Since, he has captured an AL Cy Young award and has established himself amongst the best in the business. I personally like Kluber's deal for both sides, due to the fact that it is only guaranteed $38.5 million, but with escalators can go to $77 million. It's great security for him, especially since he's only had a good couple of years (even though he appears here to stay dominant), but could also be a very good deal compensation-wise, especially if the escalators are met. This deal is good for Cleveland as well; they're locking up one of the best pitchers in baseball for years to come. The Indians took a calculated risk with Carlos Carrasco Like his rotation counterpart, Carrasco is a late-bloomer, not really taking shape as a solid pitcher until the last 10 starts of last season. Granted, he went 5-3 with a 1.30 ERA and a 78 to 11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 69 2/3 innings. Carrasco's career has had a ton of ups and downs, including a designation for assignment in 2013. With a four-year, $22 million pact, obviously the Indians hope that Carrasco is the one that looked brilliant at the end of last year. If he does continue his successes, this deal will be considered a huge win for them. If he doesn't, the Indians will just have to eat the cash, which never exceeds $8 million per season. Carrasco's deal only buys out his arbitration years with options to control his free agent years. It's a good sum for a pitcher who had a career 5.29 ERA coming into 2015, but could also be a good deal for a team looking to stay in contention for many years to come. Yordano Ventura's deal is an absolute steal for the Royals The Kansas City Royals locked up one of the best young pitchers in baseball for all of his pre-arbitration and arbitration years, none for an overly extravagant price. With his new five-year, $23 million pact, Ventura makes just $9.95 million as a projected third-year arbitration player, when he could continue to make much more than that if he continues to improve. Ventura will make a guaranteed figure just over what Carlos Carrasco made. I'm sure most of you would agree; I'd rather have Ventura on my squad than Carrasco. (If I could only have one, of course.) Sure, Ventura gets some security if 2014 somehow is a fluke, but overall this looks like a huge win for Kansas City. --Devan Fink Column: With signing of Moncada, Red Sox can meet Phillies demands and acquire Cole Hamels2/26/2015 The Red Sox are now in prime position to acquire Cole Hamels. Any way you slice it, they have the prospects to satisfy Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies front office with an offer for the left-handed ace. With the signing of 19-year-old Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada to a $31.5 million bonus, Boston not only solidified their infield for the future, but also solidified the opportunity to acquire one of the primer pitchers in baseball. And it may not even take that much of a hit to their farm system. But how is that possible? The Phillies have demanded at least one blue-chip prospect from any team that has wanted to acquire Hamels. The Padres were rumored to have shown interest, but a deal is likely not going to be completed due to that reason. They do not have the blue-chip prospects that the Phillies covet. The Red Sox, on the other hand, do. With the signing of Moncada, they now have the flexibility to move shortstop/third baseman Xander Bogaerts in any Hamels deal. If they do, Boston could move Hanley Ramirez back to shortstop (his natural position) and still have three viable options in the outfield, playing any three of their many outfielders, which include Shane Victorino, Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts, Allen Craig, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Daniel Nava. All six of those options are good enough to start. Boston could use Ramirez at shortstop until Moncada is ready for the big leagues, which may not be until 2017 or 2018. If, by then, he has outgrown the position, the Red Sox could slide him into third base, moving Pablo Sandoval to first base or designated hitter (if David Ortiz is retired by that time). The Phillies seem to have their eyes set on Blake Swihart, a 22-year-old catcher and the Red Sox first round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft. Swihart has drawn comparisons to Buster Posey, being praised for a great bat and plus defense. Instead of Swihart, the Red Sox could offer the likes of Christian Vazquez, a 24-year-old catcher and former 9th round pick, to Philadelphia. If this deal takes place at the trade deadline, Boston could call-up Swihart directly from the minor leagues, as he may be MLB ready then. Since the Red Sox have already given the blue-chip prospect the Phillies have coveted in Bogaerts, due to the fact that they may have a better option in a few years, then they will not need to give up Swihart in any deal. It could be a nice compromise that ends up working out for both sides. Then, the Red Sox may give up one or two red-chip prospects in the deal to Philadelphia. Overall, the deal premises are Bogaerts, Vazquez, and one or two others for Cole Hamels. Would that be a fair deal? I would think yes. Yoan Moncada's signing opened this door for Boston and could be a huge development in the talks throughout the season. --Devan Fink |