Is Michael Fulmer on the block yet? Can Cody Bellinger break the HR record? What happened to that guy in SF who fell off the deck? Find out below in Joey’s Quick Hit Bits on all 30 teams.
Arizona D’Backs
-David Peralta led the team with a .354 batting average through April. Just need his defense to continue to be solid…
-While the pitching staff has been nothing special, it has at least been healthy. Watch out division foes…
-Zack Godley has been the surprise of the staff, with a 5-2 record and 3.91 ERA through 8 starts. If the D’Backs can’t improve on their .500 record, look for him to be shopped around the deadline…
-Teammates have called LHP Jared Miller, “the toughest lefty arm in the NL.” He’s been lights-out for a guy that only made it to the show last September.
Atlanta Braves
-The offensive talent is certainly there for the Braves, but the power production has not been. They could look to add a power bat this summer; the name Khris Davis has been floated…
-The entire state of Georgia cringed when Kyle Wright left his ML debut in the third inning in Boston, but the training staff says it was only a right shoulder twinge. He’ll be evaluated before his next start…
-But a real shame for 21-year old Mike Soroka, who will need surgery on his radial nerve. He’ll be moved to the 60-day DL this week…
-In a recent interview, 3B Evan Longoria took a potshot at the White Sox, his former team: “I’m not playing to be part of a construction project. I’ve been around and proven myself, and now my job is to help a contending team to a championship.”
-Ronald Acuna was moved down to 8th in the order during his recent hitting slump, but has hit well in the last two weeks. Look for him to reclaim his place in the middle of the order.
Baltimore Orioles
-There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the commitment of Baltimore’s front office this season, and it looks like the owners finally did something about it. The organization is “a mess”, according to one insider, and needs an experienced GM…
-One of the lone bright spots: 2B Jonathan Schoop is rebounding nicely from a -0.4 WAR season last year. Look for him to be on the move this summer…
-For a team headed to a second-straight cellar finish, the team is producing well on offense. Clint Frazier, who leads the AL in HRs with 18, looks to be a building block for a newer, younger franchise…
-SS Nolan Gorman, last year’s 11th overall pick, has easily made the jump from rookie ball to high-A.
Boston Red Sox
-How does Boston find themselves in fourth in the AL East? An issue very familiar to Boston fans the past several years: no power production…
-J.D Martinez is the leading disappointment in that department. If they can’t dig out of their hole, he could be shopped in an attempt to refill their very bare minors…
-Rick Porcello, who was very publicly on the block this past winter, has held his own with a 9.5/0.9/0.9 pitching line through 39.2 innings. Second thoughts?…
-3B Rafael Devers had a strong April; if he keeps it up, he’ll be in the MVP discussion.
Chicago Cubs
-Albert Almora has been this team’s MVP thus far. No way he doesn’t earn his first All-Star selection…
-With 4 blown saves in April, the bullpen definitely needs work to stay competitive and catch the Pirates. Carl Edwards, Jr. won’t be back until after the break either…
-Help should be on the way with new acquisition Adonis Medina this summer. He’s said in interviews that he’s “more than ready” for the big-league club. The management wants him to continue his work on keeping the ball in the park though…
-C Willson Contreras may be on the move very soon. Multiple teams have inquired but so far, no clear front-runners…
-Great bounce-back outing by Tyler Chatwood this week, going 7.1 scoreless innings. Just what management is looking for to increase his trade value.
Chicago White Sox
-Gio Gonzalez continues to struggle; through 8 starts he has a 7.07 ERA. Is his career as a dominant lefty over?…
-Yoan Moncada’s OPS in spring training: 1.069. Regular season: .651…
-Dallas Woolfork recently became the first 2018 draftee to reach the MLB. His line so far: 14 apps, 4.50 ERA, 8.0/3.2/0.6 pitching line, 2 saves(!)…
-With Gio possibly on the move to a competitive team this summer, look for fellow 2018 draftee Drew Rasmussen to join him. He skipped double-A and is pitching very well in Charlotte…
-#2 prospect Nick Madrigal tore his meniscus on a nasty slide into second base last week. He’ll miss significant time…
-His injury throws a wrench into the rebuild schedule. Many see (and still do) the White Sox becoming a competitor next year with Madrigal, Rasmussen, Jake Woodford, Kel Johnson, and Luis Robert all making the team by that time. The next couple months should provide a clearer picture…
-A great article this past week about the universal brilliance of head scout Tom Allison and his discovery of current #1 prospect P Sergio Contreras. The front office has gone on record saying that Tom is “critical to our future success”…
-3B Austin Riley is having an outstanding first full season. He’s played his way into the lineup, along with OF Anthony Alford.
Cincinnati Reds
-Top prospect P-3B Hunter Greene is still in Florida fine-tuning both his pitching and hitting. Other scouts say he should at least be in double-A ball by now…
-The extension for 3B Eugenio Suarez is looking smarter and smarter. He’ll be the building block for the team for several years to come…
-Out of their current 13 wins, the Reds have won three straight twice this year, including a sweep of the Cubs in Chicago…
-It looks like the one-year tryout of C Travis D’Arnaud is a failure. Perhaps a change of scenery helps this summer…
-Well-traveled prospect Dylan Cease had a nice ML debut this week.
Cleveland Indians
-It already appears that Cleveland will cruise to another division title. But with the Tigers and White Sox in the mid-phase of their rebuilds, and the Indians’ roster aging, how much longer is that going to last?…
-A big loss this past Wednesday as Francisco Lindor sprained his elbow on an awkward throw to first. It’s likely youngster Willi Castro comes up from Columbus to try and fill those huge shoes…
-P Trevor Bauer’s ERA would tell you that he’s been a mess thus far, but the rest of his numbers have held up well. Once he brings down the .351 BABIP, he looks to be near unhittable…
-Setup man Nick Goody worked on a hitch in his release point this offseason. Looks like the fix worked.
Colorado Rockies
-Andrew McCutchen has crushed the ball in Coors this year with 10 HRs and 29 RBIs. With the lack of OF depth in the Rockies’ system, this could bode well as an audition for a long-term deal…
-Antonio Senzatela played long-toss from 120 feet this week. A rehab start is likely coming soon…
-Club management has been very satisfied with Ryan Castellani as a bullpen swingman thus far. Manager Ryan James said earlier this week, “He’s growing into this role very well. He’ll be put into higher-leverage situations as the year goes on.” Good development plan for the star righty who skipped triple-A…
-The mission for young catcher Will Smith continues to be to improve his pitch framing. A club source told me, “I think the hitting will come with time. Right now we’re just trying to acclimate him to big-league pitch framing.”
Detroit Tigers
-1B Billy Butler injured himself doing a fist-pump after a big hit last month. Not the kind of example the 33-year old should be setting for the youngsters…
-A renewed focus on defense and good communication has boosted the team. Now for the hitting part…
-The front office sees themselves in a similar position to the White Sox in terms of the team rebuild, but better situated when it comes to pitching. Now to supplement their aging offense…
-Rumors are swirling that Ryan Braun wants another trade…
-2B Andy Ibanez is making a strong case for promotion from Toledo. His line through 96 ABs: .345/.394/.521.
Houston Astros
-The loss of Carlos Correa to thumb surgery is a huge blow for the team. Brandon Lowe and Yi-Chuan Lin will fill that spot in the meantime…
-They’re hungry for more rotational depth, but still apparently turned down a huge deal for White Sox flamethrower Michael Kopech…
-OF Kyle Tucker has been money since he made the big jump and looks to be a solid corner OF for several years to come…
-George Springer is far and away the MVP of the first quarter of the season.
Kansas City Royals
-Rumblings about a change in GM in KC were quickly quashed last week. They appeared to be fan-instigated. The front office is very happy with the rebuild that Mark has started and hope he stays on long-term…
-A check-in on former rumblings: those stories about how OF O’Koyea Dickson was dogging it in the spring and showing up chronically late? “Nobody is talking about that now,” said one Royals source…
-The team hasn’t lost a step with Chase Vallot stepping into the void left by Salvador Perez. One longtime Royals writer told me, “He’s everything that Salvy was and a bit more, and he’s only 22.”
-Trevor Oaks had a much needed quality start this week, going 7 innings and giving up only 2 runs.
Los Angeles Angels
-Top prospect 2B Bo Bichette is settling in nicely. He already has three 3-hit games, including a 4-hit outing against Detroit last month…
-P/DH Shohei Ohtani has lost all four of his starts this year and holds an 11.34 ERA. Local reporter Chim Richolds said Ohtani looks like he’s “pressing” a bit too hard, and needs to get back to the fundamentals…
-As much as the fans would hate to lose perennial Gold Glover Andreleton Simmons, he might be in high demand if the Angels can’t right the ship…
-OF Justin Upton could be a candidate for a salary dump this summer if he can’t start hitting the ball again.
Los Angeles Dodgers
-Nice acquisition of P Reynaldo Lopez from the White Sox, who is now the only Dodger righty starter. Scott Alexander, who went back in trade, has been horrid…
-Cody Bellinger is on pace for 79 HRs. Obviously an unsustainable pace, but he should make it well into the sixties…
-Kenley Jansen has the third-lowest ERA of the bullpen. It’s at 1.02 right now…
-Sean Manaea is following up his great season with another great start. And his numbers are even better right now.
Miami Marlins
-Last place, wracked with injury, and still only 2.5 games back of the division? As soon as the offense comes around, these Marlins will be dangerous…
-Eric Gonzalez may end up being the waiver pick-up of the year. The journeyman starter is throwing a line of 7.2/2.3/1.0 through 7 starts this year…
-The leash on Lewis Brinson at RF may be getting shorter if he can’t improve his .648 OPS. Monte Harrison is doing extremely well in triple-A and may get the call after the Super 2 deadline…
-Adeiny Hechevarria, who chose to come back to the Marlins this offseason, just celebrated his 30th birthday by inviting 250 people to the park and having a pre-game celebration on the infield…
-The entire organization was very excited following the 2nd overall pick of Mike Crawl, the outstanding corner infielder out of Minnesota. He’s already ahead in his development and should take the fast track to the big-league squad.
Milwaukee Brewers
-The Brewers’ priority this summer will certainly be starting pitching. Neither Nelson, Hader, and Davies have shown the talent to be a rotation ace. They certainly have the system to pull off a big move, but doubt exists as to whether they’ll actually pull the trigger…
-P Grant Holmes has been mentioned by a couple executives as a necessary centerpiece of any deal. He’s got talent but needs more seasoning before taking his place on the staff…
-P Brandon Woodruff has been working on a strength program in the past few weeks. His rehab is coming along “very swiftly”, according to a team source…
-The debate surrounding the talent of Japanese 1B Terukiyo Shimzu is at an all-time high. But numbers don’t lie, and the April NL Player of the Month just keeps hammering the ball…
-New hitting coach Pat “Papa” Lovell has been an enigma for the team. SS Orlando Arcia gave him complete credit for his new approach this year, which is paying off in spades.
Minnesota Twins
-This year’s best Rule V pick looks to be P Sandy Alcantara. He’s been moved from the pen to the rotation and has shown well in his last two starts…
-The Twins have the talent to challenge for a wild card spot in the relatively weak AL field. The key to getting there? “More clutch hitting,” said one team source…
-Big money free agent C Yasmani Grandal has been a disappointment thus far. He’d better step it up, with the lack of catcher depth in their system…
-Veteran Joe Mauer is ready to pass the torch to young sensation Brent Rooker. Mauer said recently that he’d like to play “as long as possible”, though it’s anyone’s guess how long that will be…
-The reclamation tour for Michael Pineda is going well. He has three straight quality starts but one win to show for it.
New York Mets
-Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom were recently signed to long-term deals. A Mets source was quoted as saying, “this team isn’t going anywhere”…
-Is Josh Donaldson suffering from a World Series hangover? His line this year: .197/.333/.409, albeit with 8 HRs and 22 RBIs…
-Second-ranked prospect Andreas Gimenez is crushing the International League to the tune of .386/.443/.550. Mets, meet Jose Reyes’ replacement…
-The Mets have a big hole at catcher after losing Travis D’Arnaud and will certainly look to improve at the trade deadline…
-Outfield help is also sorely needed. Said one Mets source, “Marcell Ozuna is definitely on the radar.”
New York Yankees
-A potential ALCS preview didn’t go well for the Bombers, who were swept out of Houston earlier this month…
-Looking at their pitching staff, it’s hard to pinpoint any weaknesses. Perhaps a lefty middle reliever is all they need to add?…
-The rotation is certainly bursting at the seams. If anyone at all would be a candidate to be moved, it might be Sonny Gray…
-Estevan Florial is having a great year in triple-A. Problem is, no place to give him lots of playing time…
-Luis Severino hasn’t given up a run in 16 innings.
Oakland A’s
-As they look for another deep postseason run, the A’s front office is said to be looking closely at Rick Porcello to shore up their rotation. The question is, however, will the Red Sox retain enough of his salary to make it worthwhile?
-That need will have to contend with the necessity to extend OF Khris Davis. Talks are said to be “pretty close” at this point…
-P Daniel Gossett seems to be a candidate to move back to the bullpen, but with A.J. Puk’s struggles this year in Nashville, there really isn’t a suitable replacement in the system yet…
-Blake Treinen has been hammered this year but is reportedly in “no danger” of being removed from the 9th inning spot…
-Journeyman OF Jeremy Hazelbaker is a nice story this year. The 31-year old, who has played for at least five different organizations as a utility man, has played his way into a starting spot.
Philadelphia Phillies
-Aaron Nola has cemented his spot at the top of the rotation. That said, his 2-5 record has been marred by receiving exactly 2 runs/game of run support through his 9 starts…
-Kyle Schwarber hasn’t played catcher since he was in college, but the front office believes the learning curve isn’t as important as having his bat in the lineup…
-The bullpen, formerly anchored by Aaron Loup and Edubray Ramos, has surprisingly thrived with Hector Neris, Juan Nicasio, and Victor Arano…
-Rhys Hoskins was recently asked if he wanted to play in the Home Run Derby for a second straight year. His answer: “I need to focus on the fundamentals before I get into a fun display.”
Pittsburgh Pirates
-A top focus for the Pirates this summer will, like the Brewers, be starting pitching. The competition between the two teams should make for some fireworks on the hot stove this summer…
-P Patrick Corbin should be back within the next couple weeks to help…
-3B Josh Harrison has made a lot of noise about how he’s a star. It will be interesting to see if the Bucs cancel his upcoming team option and negotiate a long-term deal…
-Austin Meadows is making a compelling case for Rookie of the Year…
-While the sun might be setting on Adam Wainwright’s career, he’s still pitching well and providing great guidance to the bevy of young talent on the team. He’s said he wants to stay in baseball even after he’s done playing.
San Diego Padres
-The Pads need to find their bats. It’s long past time that Fernando Tatis, Jr. made his way to the show…
-P Alex Lange should also find his way to the big team soon. Management wants to see his control come around first, though…
-1B/OF Wil Myers is reportedly unhappy, but with his gaudy contract set to kick in next year, it’s unlikely he’s going anywhere…
-Nice outing by Dinelson Lamet against the Dodgers last week. He needed a confidence booster.
San Francisco Giants
-A lot of rumblings about Joe Panik and his desire to stay in San Fran for the long haul, but no information on a contract extension yet…
-The pitching staff is wildly exceeding expectations, despite the season-ending injuries to Mark Melancon, Blaine Hardy, and top prospect Walker Buehler…
-SS Garrett Hampson was recently recalled and hit his first ML home run, in Miami of all places…
-Veteran replaces veteran: 3B Mike Moustakas is doing very well in Evan Longoria’s old spot. He was thrilled to sign long-term and is very happy…
-Second overall pick Matthew Liberatore was sent back to extended spring training after a two-inning, nine-run shelling in A-ball. He’ll likely get some more training in and come back with the Giants’ short-season A club…
-The fan who reportedly fell from the right-field fan deck to the pier outside the stadium this week is in stable but critical condition.
Seattle Mariners
-Big bat Mitch Haniger has hit very well this season, but without the power production. He said in an interview last week, “I’m not trying to kill the ball…I’m just forgetting about launch angle and trying to hit the ball squarely.”…
-Apparently that power void has been filled by C Mike Zunino. He’s on pace for 46 big flies, which would be the most by a Mariner since Ken Griffey, Jr. hit 48 in 1999…
-P Erasmo Ramirez has been awful through 8 starts, taking the loss in all but one. Team observers believe he might be tipping his pitches, resulting in 2.2 HR/9…
-Jean Segura continues to hit the cover off of the ball. He also keeps it light in the dugout, as was evidenced last week with him giving a hotfoot to rookie C Erik Haase…
-OF Dwight Smith, Jr. has been another sensational Rule V pick. His numbers: 156 PAs, .343/.397/.483.
St. Louis Cardinals
-At age 35, Cole Hamels is making a compelling case for his first Cy Young. 41 innings, 1.54 ERA, 3.43 FIP through 8 starts. As long as he can stay strong when his .215 BAA normalizes, he should be in the discussion…
-For all of the money spent on their bullpen this offseason, they’ve been the worst or among the worst in baseball. But this is a veteran pen and count on them to adjust as the summer wears on…
-From this reporter’s view, new acquisition Carlos Tocci looks awfully uncomfortable batting cleanup. Manager Tom Lennox called it a “numbers game”, but it doesn’t seem to be working out…
-Some great pictures on Miguel Sano’s Instagram account this month from his offseason trip to Scotland. He said it, “opened his eyes to a world he never knew.”
Tampa Bay Rays
-The Rays have a great swath of prospects ready to join the big-league team. SS Willy Adames is already there and P’s Brendan McKay and Bryan Mata, along with IF Isaac Paredes, shouldn’t be far behind…
-Blake Snell has been brutalized with a .422 BABIP thus far…
-Alex Colome has thrown his changeup on 3.2% of his pitches, down from 7.5% last year. The change in change seems to be working out…
-Joe Smith is enjoying a career renaissance at age 35. He has an 0.94 ERA through 28.2 innings.
Texas Rangers
-All eyes are on GM Ryan Wolfson and when he’ll raise the white flag by trading P Michael Fulmer…
-Another year, another case of Joey Gallo equalling his singles total with his HR total…
-The Rangers have no plans to continue developing DH Willie Calhoun’s defensive abilities. One team source said, “his future lies at 1B, if in the field at all”…
-C J.T. Realmuto signed a very team-friendly 3-year deal this past offseason. The question, however, is how many years of that will he be a Ranger?
-Justin Verlander’s career is likely over, and he acknowledged as much in an interview with Popular Mechanics magazine this past week.
Toronto Blue Jays
-So far Mike Trout has been slow out of the gate. Slow for him, however, is an .854 OPS and a 130 wRC+…
-OF Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. finally got his call-up. His first two games: 5/9, HR, 3 RBI, BB…
-The weakest part of the team coming in to the year looked to be middle infield. Scratch that, as SS Ehire Adrianza has an .891 OPS through 147 PAs…
-The Jays recently acquired some lefty relief depth in Aaron Bummer from the White Sox. He has good ML experience and looks like a LOOGY…
-Jose Quintana has received the win in his last 5 starts.
Washington Nationals
-Several sources within the club hope Strasburg opts out after this season and re-negotiates a new contract with the club. They’ll have a while to think on it since he’s out for the year with a torn UCL…
-The club appreciates Daniel Johnson and the job he has done to fill in for Harper while he’s been out. He’ll head back to Syracuse after Harper returns, however…
-Max Scherzer has finally hit the wall, it seems. Nats fans want him off the DL, but the club is wavering, saying he has some rehab to do…
-Carter Kieboom has floundered thus far, but don’t be surprised if he keeps getting playing time.
Joey Fats is a 30-year old white male living in Illinois. He gets married on Saturday.