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The GM of the Month – August 2010
Each month I provide the GM of the Month Award to one MLB GM who’s had the best month based on mainly on his transactions. Trades, waiver claims, signings, are the main aspects to be looked at. As this will be a monthly award, I’ll be basing it off of MLB.com’s Transactions page and press releases. So, even if a player’s signing is essentially complete, if it doesn’t show up until the next month on the transactions or an official press release, the GM won’t get credit for it until the Award for the next month comes out. This month we look at August.
August is always an interesting month when considering who’s the GM of the Month. With the trade deadline come and gone, the typical belief is that trade activity will decline substantially. But that’s just not the case. Teams still in the hunt are scouring the waiver wire to grab some sort of boost for their ball club while other teams are looking to dump salary. The draft pick signing deadline is also in August as teams rush to get as many of their draft picks signed without breaking their budget.
These aspects make the decision for the award tough. There are a number of moves that were relatively impressive. Take for instance, the Kansas City Royals. Dayton Moore was finally able to rid himself of the mistake signing of Jose Guillen. He now has additional space to let some of the younger players on the roster play regularly to see what he’s got for next year and a cancer out of the clubhouse.
The Giants have been active as well. In addition to Guillen, they’ve added Mike Fontenot to their infield and stuffed Cody Ross into their already crowded outfield depth chart. But did these moves make them a much improved team? Not really.
Doug Melvin should be commended for getting Chris Dickerson from the Reds for Jim Edmonds, he should be a good fourth outfielder and initial platoon partner for Lorenzo Cain. Fran Wren should receive a nod for acquiring Derrek Lee who’s had a good offensive second half and should be a notable defensive upgrade over Troy Glaus.
Draft pick signing-wise. Mike Rizzo of the Nationals should receive a hand for signing uber-prospect Bryce Harper and some other good players. So too should Neal Huntington of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In addition to signing two of the top pitching prospects in the draft, they picked up Mexican pitching prospect Luis Heredia, yet another very talented arm. But Huntington already received this awardin June for having the ‘marbles’ just to draft prep pitchers Jameson Tallion and Stetson Allie.
The award for this month goes to another GM showing his ‘marbles’, Kenny Williams. The White Sox have been fading in the AL Central race and it didn’t look like they were going to stay in contention. But after acquiring Edwin Jackson in July (who pitched well last night), Kenny decided he couldn’t just sit back and watch everything unfold. He traded for slugger Manny Ramirez from the L.A. Dodgers. Especially if he doesn’t complain about playing primarily DH, Manny should be a very good addition to the White Sox and have the Twins looking in their rear view mirror.
Congratulations to Kenny Williams!
A View from the Last Days of Rosenblatt
Last night I took my family to the last Fireworks Friday to be held at the soon to be retired Rosenblatt Stadium. The home of the Omaha Royals and the College World Series is nearing the end of its days with only six baseball games left after last night’s contest.
It seems as if Jesse Cuevas’ budget for field maintenance has been slashed. The stadium superintendent and head groundskeeper usually keeps the grounds immaculate, but the outfield was littered with many very visible ruts.
But that didn’t stop a good game from taking place down on the field. The Omaha Royals nearly came back from a 9-3 deficit against the Iowa Cubs. After scoring three in the eighth and two more in the ninth, the Royals had one man on base with star prospect Mike Moustakas at bat. He proceeded to rip a towering shot that died at the warning track.
Moustakas was truly the most interesting player out there. Although there were five home runs knocked out of the aging stadium last night, Mike’s performance still stood out. He ripped a double and a single to have a 2 for 5 game, but there was more to his bat than that. His other three at-bats resulted in deep flys that were quite impressive. Defensively, he looked pretty good at the hot corner. One one grounder to the left of the diamond, Mike scooped up the ball and took his time to make the throw, he knew of the lack of the speed of the hitter and didn’t rush his throw. I wasn’t too impressed with how he ran the bases, but his overall game was very good.
Cubs catching prospect Robinson Chirinos and former Indians top prospect Brad Snyder looked good as well. Hopefully Snyder will at least get a look in the majors this fall. He still has a high strikeout rate, but with the Cubs limping towards the finish line, it doesn’t hurt to see what he has.
As it will likely be my last time in Rosenblatt, it was nice to see one last game in the old girl before the Diamond on the Hill gets torn down.
Rookies to Look For: Jeremy Hellickson
The Tampa Bay Rays seem to be the Atlanta Braves of the early ’90s, churning out talented pitching prospects with relative regularity lately. Just last December I profiled Wade Davis, before Davis it was Cy Young candidate David Price in January 2009, and and then workhorse Jeff Niemann in mid-2008. The latest in this string of talented arms is Jeremy Hellickson.
Hellickson is a 6′-1″, 185 lb. righty that was drafted in the fourth round out of a Des Moines, Iowa high school in 2005. He signed in time to pitch six innings in rookie-league in 2005, posting a 6.00 ERA, by far his highest at any level so far. Since then he has moved through the minor league system regularly putting up impressive statistics. Except for a 75.1 inning stretch at Double-A to close out the 2008 season where he posted a 3.94 ERA, his ERA at every level has been below 3.00.
Hellickson’s dominance on the mound didn’t stop once he was called up to the majors. After his third major league start, he became the first player in the modern era to pitch at least six innings, while allowing only three hits or less in each of his first three Major League starts.
Jeremy has a low-90s fastball that, though is a little too straight, he points with plus command. His changeup is a true out pitch that makes his fastball look better than the same offering from another pitcher. Rounding out his repertoire is a plus curve that he is able to spot anywhere in the zone, or out of it for effect.
The lack of speed and movement on his fastball may be the only things that will keep Hellickson from becoming a true ace, fitting in more appropriately as a #2 or verygood #3 starter. But when you have David Price and eventually Wade Davis at the front of your rotation, you don’t need Hellickson to be an ace.
Manager Joe Maddon has said that he expects Hellickson to be a big part of the team’s future. It’s easy to see why.
Rainy Day Reading: Defending Omar
Typically I am in favor of the writing of newspaper sportswriters as they in front the sport on a daily basis and typically they provide informative articles that not only tell you what you need to know, but also often give you some little tidbit of insight into the the thinking of those in the game. One of these writers is StevePopper of NorthJersey.com. I follow his Twitter feed regularly to catch some insight into New York baseball. It’s a good Twitter feed without too much inconsequential information.
However, one of his latest articles, entitled ”Omar Minaya’s scout skills will be his saving grace“, immediately raised my eyebrow. In the article Popper opens with the open admission that Omar Minaya has made some mistakes in his tenure as the GM of the New York Mets, but says his scouting background will help him out in the final two years of his deal.
UGH.
The article briefly “sums up” the two main cons of Minaya’s “scorecard” in the contracts for Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo, $60 million worth of contracts that had some critics cringing when they were signed, let alone after the first few games under those new contracts were played out. Also, what about Jason Bay? The Red Sox knew there was something wrong with his knee, but the Mets obviously didn’t think it would be that big of a thing. Yet, wouldn’t scouting have played a role in the decision-making on these signings?
It also defends Omar Minaya’s actions, stating that he is “…..bound to restricted access to the Wilpons’ checkbook.” When Minaya took over the reigns in 2004, he accepted a team that entered the season with a $ $96.66 million payroll. In 2009 he went into the season with a $149.37 million payroll, an over $50 million increase in five years. Let’s put aside the nearly $150 million figure that 28 other GMs would love to have at their disposal and look at the net increase the Mets have had at their disposal since Minaya walked in. Cot’s Baseball Contractshave the 2010 Mets payroll at $126,498,096, an approximate $29,800,000 increase from what Minaya inherited when he came into the position in September 2004. Only nine teams enjoyed more of an increase over that span (interestingly the Yankees are not one of them). But only five of those teams currently have payrolls in excess of $100 million.
He also states, “The scout in Minaya will come in handy if he sticks out the final two years of his deal…” Although Minaya has been able to stock his team with players through the draft and the international market, the volume of prospects in the Mets system has handcuffed the Mets ability to acquire top talent through trades.
Jon Heyman of SI.com discussed in a recent column that Minaya’s job situation isn’t secure. It shouldn’t be.
Pinella Exits Gracefully
Unlike how his team played yesterday, Manager Lou Pinella bowed out gracefully from is position with the Chicago Cubs. Lou stated that Sunday’s game would be the last in a Cubs uniform, the last in any uniform as the storied manager was retiring from the game.
In a press conference after the game, Lou stated that he had been away from home since 1962 and it was time to go home. Much like when he left the Mariners, Pinella is doing it for his family as he is going back to Florida to look over his mother as her health is failing.
I’ll miss his explosive personality, the way he talked, the way he made dirt fly onto the pants of umpires, the kicks at his hat after throwing it on the ground, getting thrown out of games, throwing bases, throwing tantrums. There’s no doubt about it, Lou has been fun to watch.
But I look forward to a day that both him and Bobby Cox may enter the Cooperstown shrine together.
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Trade Bait: Derrek Lee to Atlanta
Atlanta starting first baseman Troy Glaus‘ knee must be much worse than initially thought. He’s hitting just .196/.204/.304 since the All-Star break, creating an ugly hole in the middle of the Braves’ lineup. The Braves realized the need to patch this hole up in order to maintain their 2.5 game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. The spackle for the hole turns out to be Derrek Lee, the first baseman for the Chicago Cubs.
D-Lee himself has been battling injury this season as his back has bothered him for much of the first half. But he’s been on tear since the All-Star break. He’s had a .313/.356/.583 line since then, knocking 6 home runs in 96 at-bats, up from the 10 in 322 he had in the first half. Lee will also be a marked improvement defensively at first base, rounding out an notable defensive improvement throughout the infield over the past month. The replacement of Glaus, Martin Prado, Escobar, and Chipper Jones with Lee, Omar Infante, Alex Gonzalez, and Prado should be noticeable to the Braves’ pitching staff.
As for Glaus, he will go onto the DL to rest his wary knee and rehab in Gwinett as a third baseman. Yes, a third baseman, there’s been doubt from many that he could return to the hot corner, but we’ll see how well it goes. A healthy Glaus could be a great addition to the bench, or if at least passable on defense, could spare the much more versatile Infante for an important utility role. This aspect cannot be under-valued in the National League as they race towards the finish line.
The Cubs receive three pitchers in exchange for Lee and a portion of his remaining salary. Righty Robinson Lopez is the most-highly touted player going to the Cubs. He has a low-90s fastball, an inconsistent slider, an a decent change-up. At 19, the Cubs can be patient with him and allow him to more slowly refine his stuff.
Tyrelle Harris is a righty reliever with a fastball that hovers around 90, a decent change-up and a breaking ball in need of work. He’s kept his hits below innings pitched at all three levels he been to this season, and his strikeouts above that same level as well. However, it’s his lack of control that could end up problematic as his walk rates are relatively high.
Jeffrey Lorick is another reliever, but from the other side. The lefty has baffled left-handed hitters at two levels this season and could eventually become a lefty specialist in Chicago.
This is a good deal for both sides as it sits. If Lee continues to hit and show the improved defense at first, the Braves have a good shot at holding off the Phillies to win the NL East. It also deepens the bench once Glaus returns. If the Braves make it to the post-season, especially if they win the division one more time under Bobby Cox, this will be a win for them.
The Cubs may also win. While the two relievers are fringy, Lopez at least has the potential to be decent at the back end of a rotation or in relief. If he refines his off-speed offerings, Lopez could possibly be a 3-4 starter.
NL East Prospect Blast
Last week Jim Callis of Baseball America went through his mail bag and answered a few questions in his regular Ask BA segment. One of the questions that he answered was:
"With the recent promotion of Domonic Brown to the Phillies, is the group of Brown, Jason Heyward, Mike Stanton and Stephen Strasburg the best group of prospects ever to debut in one season for four different teams in a division?"
Callis did his regularly great research and discussed other seasons that saw a number of great prospects debut in one division in a year. But I couldn’t stop from thinking about the other prospects debuting in the NL East this season that should be impact makers along with the aforementioned quartet.
Although Mike Stanton is the name that shines in Florida, it’s hard to overlook Logan Morrison when talking prospects. Baseball America ranked him #20 amongst the top 100 prospects in MLB for 2010. This slugging first baseman has been hitting so well in the minors, the Marlins have plugged him into left field just to get his bat into the lineup. This time a year from now, if they keep Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez around, the Marlins’ lineup will be something that will make an opposing pitcher cringe.
Much like the Marlins, the Atlanta Braves have a phenom hitter in right field and a first baseman ready for a call-up. Freddie Freeman is impressing scouts in the minors with his general hitting ability and growing power stroke. He was ranked #32 in Baseball America’s top 100 prospects in MLB for 2010. Once Troy Glaus is gone at the end of the season, first base is Freeman’s to lose. It may even be earlier with Glaus’ recent struggles.
Although Mike Rizzo is going through a lengthy process in redeveloping the Washington Nationals’ farm system, the team is already reaping the rewards of his work. Acquired in the same draft as Strasburg, reliever Drew Storen is also already in the majors and has impressed the team enough to be given a shot at closing. Baseball America ranked him #92 amongst the top 100 prospects in MLB for 2010.
Even with Ruben Amaro trading away much of the farm system for top-end pitchers, he’s been able to ascertain what talent he should keep and obviously made a good decision on Domonic Brown.
The Mets and their regularly mediocre farm system cannot be counted out either. First baseman Ike Davis was initially thought of as a bust as he didn’t hit for power in his abbreviated first professional season. Now he’s amongst the NL rookie leaders in home runs, even though he didn’t even break camp with the Mets out of Spring Training. Davis was also on Baseball America’s list, ranked at #62 going into 2010.
If Fernando Martinez rebounds from a lackluster season, the NL East should have three teams with young impact players at first and right field. If you include first baseman Ryan Howard in the fold, even though he’s already 31, then four of the five teams would have an impact tandem along the right field foul line.
The future’s looking nice for the teams in the NL East with these young players.
Rainy Day Reading: Yuni and Strasburg
Tom Verducci of CNNSI.com wrote an article shortly after Stephen Strasburg‘s debut discussing Strasburg’s impact and his interesting connection with Yunieski Betancourt. Yes, Verducci actually made a connection between the best pitching prospect to come along in years and a shortstop that amazes me that he’s still starting in the major leagues.
Back in 2008 the Seattle Mariners and the Washington Nationals were in a heated race to see who could be the worst in Major League Baseball. With two games remaining in their 2008 schedule, the Mariners had a 59-101 record, giving them a half-game lead over the woeful Nationals at 59-100. But Betancourt turned it on and hit like a man possessed the last two games, going -for-7 with a walk, two runs and two RBI. The Mariners won their last two games and the Nationals won the rights to draft Strasburg.
Even when Yuni played well, he was screwing over Mariners fans. If only Mariners Jack Zduriencik had suckered the Royals into taking Yuni earlier…
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