Free-agent right-hander Tim Lincecum will host a tryout for interested teams on Friday in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
Lincecum, a four-time All-Star, has been rehabbing his hip in Arizona. He had surgery on it in September 2015. He pitched last season with the San Francisco Giants, making 15 starts before his ailment. In those appearances, Lincecum went 7-4 with a 4.13 ERA and a 60 to 38 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 76 1/3 innings pitched. According to FanGraphs, Lincecum was worth 0.3 Wins Above Replacement and posted a 4.29 FIP and a 4.64 xFIP. According to Heyman, the Giants, San Diego Padres, and Baltimore Orioles will be among the approximately 20 teams to attend his showcase. Heyman had previously reported that the Giants would be interested in Lincecum in the past, but only as a reliever, with the starting rotation being a strength for the team. The teams that will be at Lincecum's showcase will want to see if he still has anything left in him. Not only a four-time All-Star, Lincecum also won back-to-back NL Cy Young awards in 2008 and 2009 as one of the best young starters in the game. During a four-year stretch from 2008 to 2011, the now-31-year-old Lincecum posted a 2.81 ERA and 977 to 314 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 881 2/3 innings pitched. Since, Lincecum has not been the same, losing life on his fastball that once could reach the 98 to 99 mile per hour (mph) mark. His strikeout rate has gone with it, and he has a 4.68 ERA in the past four seasons. --Devan Fink
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With the San Diego Padres desperately needing some offense to begin their 2016 season, they made a small, possibly rewarding signing on Thursday night.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, first baseman James Loney has agreed to a minor league deal with the team. The Padres' offense has been atrocious, actually being shut out in their first three games against the Dodgers. Loney obviously won't be expected to immediately come in and fix this issue, but is a low-risk, high-reward type deal that could be key come the middle of the season. Released by the Rays following Spring Training, Loney is a ten-year Major League veteran with the Dodgers, Red Sox, and Tampa Bay that was among the league's satisfactory hitters during his prime. Now almost 32, Loney has lost quite a bit of pop from his best days, but was still an above-average hitter at the big league level just two seasons ago. A full-time first baseman, Loney should be able to be a solid option for the Padres off the bench if he is promoted to the Majors. For the time being, Wil Myers is the Padres' starting option at the position. In 388 plate appearances last season, Loney hit .280/.322/.357 with four home runs and 32 RBIs. According to FanGraphs, he was worth -1.3 Wins Above Replacement in 2015. Loney did have a good year the prior season, however, hitting .290/.336/.380 with nine homers and 69 RBIs in 651 plate appearances. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to find his old stroke in San Diego, but if he can, the Padres' offense may get a slight boost going forward. At this point, they can only hope so. --Devan Fink
The Spring Training roster crunch continues. As Opening Day approaches, the Houston Astros and San Diego Padres made a trade Monday, sending right-hander Dan Straily to San Diego for catcher Erik Kratz.
All 30 Major League clubs have been working to pear down their roster to prepare for the regular season, which begins for six teams on Sunday. The move made today could be a sign of things to come, as flurries of semi-major to minor trades are often completed in the days leading up to the beginning of the year. The Padres' addition of Straily is a curious one. He'll likely serve as bullpen depth for them once their season begins, but it is plenty possible he may have to make at least a start or two this season due to his experience there. Last season, Straily spent most of the season in the Astros' Triple-A affiliate, and he posted a 4.77 ERA and a 124 to 25 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 122 2/3 innings pitched. He pitched in 22 games, all starts. As for his entire career, Straily, 27, has a 4.60 ERA and a 4.71 FIP in 260 1/3 innings pitched, working to a 217 to 105 strikeout-to-walk ratio at the big league level. He has spent time with three different clubs to this point. On the other side of the deal, the Astros' acquisition of Kratz fills a need at backup catcher. Jason Castro will open the season at the starting spot, but Kratz is now a pretty much lock to make the team off the bench. A stocky 6'5" and 240 pounds, Kratz may be able to provide some power at the position. As a former 29th round pick, Kratz, now 35, was never considered a top prospect, but worked his way up to the Major Leagues and has been fairly productive. In 2012 and 2013, Kratz, with Philadelphia, hit a combined 18 home runs (nine in each year) in 157 and 218 plate appearances, respectively. He slugged a respective .504 and .386 those two seasons, by far his best. With Houston, Kratz's main role will be to spell Castro off the bench and perhaps hit a few home runs while he does so. He fills a definite need though and finds himself in a new home as rosters continue to be crunched. --Devan Fink Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle and Dennis Lin of the San Diego-Union Tribune first reported the story.
The San Diego Padres and free agent shortstop Ian Desmond are having ongoing discussions, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reported over the weekend. No deal appears to be imminent.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, discussions between the two sides are "very preliminary." The two sides are expected to meet this week to see if there is anything to talk about, presumably in terms of a possible contract for the veteran. It is not a secret that the Padres are looking for an upgrade out at shortstop. Alexi Amarista is projected to be the team's starting option on Opening Day. Last year, he hit for a dismal .544 OPS in 357 plate appearances, providing good enough defense to finish out just below replacement level (-0.8 fWAR). Desmond did not have a great 2015 campaign himself, but he surely is worth a contract for many teams in the infield market. He provides intangibles, such as veteran leadership and postseason experience that could be good for many teams, not just San Diego. Desmond's market overall has not progressed quite rapidly, but the Giants, Rockies, and White Sox have all been mentioned as possible suitors for him. It's hard to know what type of deal he will get, but MLBTradeRumors.com predicted a five-year, $80 million contract for the shortstop. The 30-year-old Desmond hit .233/.290/.384 with 19 home runs and 62 RBIs in 641 plate appearances with the Nationals last year. He was much better in the second half than the first, posting a .777 OPS in the back half of the year as compared to a .589 OPS in the front half. According to FanGraphs, he was worth 1.7 WAR. --Devan Fink
The San Diego Padres have been one of the more active teams in the offseason so far.
They have already traded relievers Joaquin Benoit and Craig Kimbrel to the Mariners and Red Sox, respectively. This has led many to believe that San Diego is expecting to rebuild in 2016. However, the team has also shown interest in shortstop Ian Desmond, according to reports, and could make a play for him with money freed up from dealing Kimbrel. It appears that the team could be at a crossroads between rebuilding and contending for the future. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Padres are shopping right-handed starter Tyson Ross and are also looking to move outfielder Matt Kemp in a trade. Rosenthal wonders aloud whether the Padres would consider dealing both at once, but notes that it would lessen their return at a time when they need to replenish their farm system badly. This would be similar to how they acquired both Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton Jr. before this season, taking Upton's salary. Ross, 28, would draw plenty of appeal from teams in need of starting pitching. He went 10-12 with a 3.26 ERA in 33 starts and 196 innings pitched this season, but posted a strong 212 to 84 strikeout-to-walk ratio, good for a 2.98 FIP. He was named a National League All-Star for the first time in his career in 2014. Also adding to Ross' appeal is his contract status. Ross isn't a free agent until after the 2017 season, and will be arbitration eligible over the next two years. MLBTradeRumors.com projects him to earn $10 million this season. As for Kemp, teams won't be as interested in him due to his poor performance and large contract. In 2015, Kemp hit .265/.312/.443 with 23 home runs and 100 RBIs over 648 plate appearances. His 111 OPS+ was his worst since 2013. Kemp is signed through 2019 and will earn $87 million over the next four years, with $14 million being paid by the Dodgers. --Devan Fink |
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