The Mariners know they must add offense and can’t be too picky. Still, they strongly prefer to obtain righty heft.
The eight players who batted the most for Seattle in 2013 were either lefties (Kyle Seager, Raul Ibanez, Michael Saunders, Dustin Ackley and Brad Miller) or switch-hitters (Kendrys Morales, Justin Smoak and Nick Franklin). Among the switch-hitters, Smoak and Franklin were terrible against lefties and Morales turned down Seattle’s qualifying offer and became a free agent.
The three righties who batted most often for Seattle were Mike Morse and Brendan Ryan, who were ineffective and were traded during the season, and Jason Bay, who was released. Touted catching prospect Mike Zunino struggled in his first major league try and the regression, demotion and drug suspension for Jesus Montero also was devastating for Seattle.
The OPS for the Mariners’ righty batters (.615) and against lefty pitching (.657) both were last in the majors. That doesn’t mean Seattle won’t play for lefty-swinging Jacoby Ellsbury, who has been tied to the team because it needs offense so badly and because he is from nearby Oregon.
But the expectation is Seattle also could be aggressive on free agents Jhonny Peralta, Nelson Cruz, Marlon Byrd and Mike Napoli – Peralta and Cruz, in particular, are two players who very much entice the Mets.
The Blue Jays are prioritizing a starting pitcher, feeling they cannot contend in the AL East without upgrading that area. Toronto’s rotation ERA of 4.82 was the second worst in the majors.
Toronto thinks with R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle, J.A. Happ and full returns to health expected for Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison (who is pitching well in the Arizona Fall League after Tommy John surgery) that it has depth, but needs another high-end starter. The Blue Jays believe their philosophy in acquiring Josh Johnson last year as part of their big deal with the Marlins was sound – go for a top talent – but Johnson just wasn’t healthy and that explains his poor season.
That is why the Blue Jays want to use the same strategy this offseason, though it is doubtful they will reunite with Johnson, who is now a free agent.
Agent Barry Praver said: “Manny [Ramirez] is interested in continuing his career in MLB or Japan.”
According to Praver, the 41-year-old Ramirez has continued to hit and stay in shape.
Ramirez last played in the majors in 2011, when he had a five-game stint with the Rays. With the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock this past season, Ramirez hit .259 with three homers, 13 RBIs and a .698 OPS in 30 games.
Arguably no team has more core players eligible for arbitration than the Braves with Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Chris Johnson, Craig Kimbrel, Kris Medlen, Mike Minor and Jordan Walden, plus Brandon Beachy, Jordan Schafer and – if they tender him – Jonny Venters (trying to come back from a second Tommy John surgery).
When you look at that group, plus the pre-arbitration Andrelton Simmons and Julio Teheran, you see a lot of candidates with whom Atlanta should possibly be trying to get long-term cost certainty. So I asked Braves GM Frank Wren if he would try to engage one or several of these players in multi-year discussions, and Wren said, “Who says we haven’t tried already?”
Wren, though, admitted he finds it more difficult to do early contracts because the lure of free agency motivates many players to shun the subject or ask huge figures to be bought out of free-agent seasons.