Baseball Daily Dose: Daily Dose: Redmond Fired
Monday, May 18, 2015
The ax fell on Marlins manager Mike Redmond on Sunday, with his long rumored firing finally coming to fruition. Replacing him will be long-time Marlins slugger Jeff Conine, who was special assistant to team president David Samson. The Marlins currently stand in fourth place in the NL East at 16-22.
Redmond was a surprise hire by the Marlins at the end of the 2012 season, jumping on board a rebuilding team with two years of past minor league managing experience in the Blue Jays organization. Now that the team has transitioned to win-now mode this year after the additions of Michael Morse, Dee Gordon, Martin Prado, and Mat Latos during the offseason, it’s Redmond that takes the fall for their slow start.
Of course, default ace Henderson Alvarez made only his third start of the season on Sunday, and Latos holds a 5.54 ERA coming off a season in which he only made 16 starts for the Reds. Other early shortcomings include a bullpen that is 23rd in ERA and lineup tied for 18th in runs despite the great early performances of Dee Gordon and Giancarlo Stanton.
It’s impossible to say how Conine will fare in his new gig, though he has plenty of significant questions to answer in the early going.
Steve Cishek was removed from the closer role recently, with A.J. Ramos looking like the replacement. Will Conine stick with the status quo?
Dee Gordon has been baseball’s hottest hitter in the first quarter of the season, yet he’s a poor 12-for-19 as a base stealer. Will he keep the green light on the basepaths? And for that matter, will the rest of the lineup become more aggressive, with the team combining for 12 steals so far this season.
Can Michael Morse be fixed? He’s hitting a pitiful .210/.271/.286 this season as the starting first baseman. His bat will be key if the team’s offense is to rebound.
Editor’s Note: Play one-day fantasy baseball for cash! FanDuel is hosting a $20,000 league for Monday’s MLB games. It’s just $2 to join and first place wins $2,000. Starts tonight at 7:08pm ET. Enter now!
Closer Job Up for Grabs in Texas
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said there are no roles in the Rangers bullpen, meaning Neftali Feliz no longer stands as the closer. Feliz has struggled this season, with a 5.51 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in 16 appearances.
While Feliz finished with a 1.99 ERA in 30 appearances last season, he had extremely poor peripherals, including a 6.0 K/9 and 1.91 K/BB ratio. His fastball velocity still hasn’t been the same since returning from Tommy John surgery late in 2013, with his fastball nearly three mph less than what it was in 2010-11.
It’s still debatable whether Texas has any better alternatives, however. Rookie Keone Kela is an obvious candidate, averaging better than 94 mph on his fastball, and posting a 2.55 ERA. Still, he’s shown shaky command with a 2.14 K/BB ratio.
Shawn Tolleson is another possible candidate, given his phenomenal 24/3 K/BB ratio to this point. Tolleson doesn’t have the velocity that Kela possesses, but he does have a longer track record in the majors after posting a 2.76 ERA in 64 appearances last season. Both pitchers should be popular adds for saves speculators this week.
Dickerson DL Bound?
Rockies star outfielder Corey Dickerson has had a frustrating season early season fighting through plantar fasciitis, and manager Walt Weiss said that he could require a trip to the disabled list. However, Dickerson stated that he’s not sure if the stint would help his foot.
Despite Dickerson’s frequent exits early in games this season, he’s hitting .309-5-16 to this point. The impact is clear in his lack of steals, however, after attempting 15 stolen bases in 131 games last season.
Drew Stubbs would stand to see regular at-bats if Dickerson goes to the DL. The Rockies success (or lack thereof) could be the biggest concern for his production this season, as it would seem likely the Rox would shutdown Dickerson early this season if they fall too far out of contention. Colorado is already 9.5 out of first place in the NL West, with one of the worst records in baseball at 13-21. While you’d be selling low on Dickerson at this point, it’s still not a bad idea to see what you could get via trade if you own him.
American League Quick Hits: Austin Jackson (ankle) won’t be ready to return from the DL when eligible on Tuesday, but he could be ready later in the week … The Rangers said Josh Hamilton (shoulder) could return during their series May 25-27 against the Indians … Twins DH Kennys Vargas was optioned to Triple-A. He doesn’t face great competition if he regains his bat in the minors, so AL-only owners are advised to hang on to him … Ike Davis has a Grade 2 strain of his left quad, meaning he’ll likely miss more than the minimum time on the DL … Danny Duffy could lose his spot in the rotation when Jason Vargas returns from the DL given how well Chris Young has pitched since being added to the rotation … Justin Verlander (triceps) will throw 45 pitches in a bullpen session on Monday. His return still isn’t imminent … Ross Detwiler was put on the DL with a shoulder injury, and Phil Klein could replace him in the rotation … Ben Zobrist (knee) ran the bases on Sunday, and is set to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday. He could return next week … Shane Greene (elbow) threw without issues on Sunday, and could be cleared for his next start soon … Mark Teixeira is day-to-day with a right toe contusion … Chris Tillman won’t start Tuesday due to a back injury, but he could start later in the week … The Indians will call up Shaun Marcum to start on Wednesday … Casey Fien (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday before starting a rehab assignment.
National League Quick Hits: Shelby Miller continues to dominate, taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning on Sunday. He now has a 1.33 ERA and 0.83 WHIP this season … Billy Hamilton was moved down to No. 8 in Cincinnati’s batting order on Sunday, with Zack Cozart taking over as the leadoff man. It remains to be seen if the move will stick … Wil Myers (wrist) hit in the batting cage on Sunday, and the Padres hope he can return on Tuesday … Carlos Gomez got a scare after taking a Noah Syndergaard fastball to the helmet, but he’s not expected to miss significant time … Don Mattingly said it’s likely Kenley Jansen will regain the closer role in his next appearance … Jayson Werth (wrist) could undergo an MRI on Monday, but he’s hoping he only has a bruise … Jarred Cosart (hamstring) made it through a bullpen session and will start on Tuesday … Jorge De La Rosa jogged before Sunday’s game, and it sounds like he will be okay for his next start after tweaking his nagging groin issue in Saturday’s start … Tsuyoshi Wada is set to replace Travis Wood in the Cubs rotation. Wada had a 3.25 ERA in 13 starts last season, so he’s not a bad addition in deeper mixed leagues … Jaime Garcia (shoulder) will join the Cardinals rotation on Thursday. He has a long history of success and shoulder problems. He replaces Tyler Lyons in the rotation … Williams Perez is set to take over Eric Stults’ spot in Atlanta’s rotation … David Wright (hamstring, back) will resume baseball activities on Monday. There’s still no clear timetable for his return … Chad Billingsley is heading back to the DL with an arm issue, this time a strained shoulder. It’s unclear how much time he will miss or who will replace him in the Phillies rotation … Troy Tulowitzki missed Sunday’s game with his quad issue, but the injury is still considered minor … Vance Worley’s next start will be skipped, and Charlie Morton (hip) could take his spot in the rotation next week … Manny Parra’s return from a neck injury has been pushed back due to tenderness in his pitching elbow … Phil Gosselin left Sunday with a thumb sprain.
The ax fell on Marlins manager Mike Redmond on Sunday, with his long rumored firing finally coming to fruition. Replacing him will be long-time Marlins slugger Jeff Conine, who was special assistant to team president David Samson. The Marlins currently stand in fourth place in the NL East at 16-22.
Redmond was a surprise hire by the Marlins at the end of the 2012 season, jumping on board a rebuilding team with two years of past minor league managing experience in the Blue Jays organization. Now that the team has transitioned to win-now mode this year after the additions of Michael Morse, Dee Gordon, Martin Prado, and Mat Latos during the offseason, it’s Redmond that takes the fall for their slow start.
Of course, default ace Henderson Alvarez made only his third start of the season on Sunday, and Latos holds a 5.54 ERA coming off a season in which he only made 16 starts for the Reds. Other early shortcomings include a bullpen that is 23rd in ERA and lineup tied for 18th in runs despite the great early performances of Dee Gordon and Giancarlo Stanton.
It’s impossible to say how Conine will fare in his new gig, though he has plenty of significant questions to answer in the early going.
Steve Cishek was removed from the closer role recently, with A.J. Ramos looking like the replacement. Will Conine stick with the status quo?
Dee Gordon has been baseball’s hottest hitter in the first quarter of the season, yet he’s a poor 12-for-19 as a base stealer. Will he keep the green light on the basepaths? And for that matter, will the rest of the lineup become more aggressive, with the team combining for 12 steals so far this season.
Can Michael Morse be fixed? He’s hitting a pitiful .210/.271/.286 this season as the starting first baseman. His bat will be key if the team’s offense is to rebound.
Editor’s Note: Play one-day fantasy baseball for cash! FanDuel is hosting a $20,000 league for Monday’s MLB games. It’s just $2 to join and first place wins $2,000. Starts tonight at 7:08pm ET. Enter now!
Closer Job Up for Grabs in Texas
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said there are no roles in the Rangers bullpen, meaning Neftali Feliz no longer stands as the closer. Feliz has struggled this season, with a 5.51 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in 16 appearances.
While Feliz finished with a 1.99 ERA in 30 appearances last season, he had extremely poor peripherals, including a 6.0 K/9 and 1.91 K/BB ratio. His fastball velocity still hasn’t been the same since returning from Tommy John surgery late in 2013, with his fastball nearly three mph less than what it was in 2010-11.
It’s still debatable whether Texas has any better alternatives, however. Rookie Keone Kela is an obvious candidate, averaging better than 94 mph on his fastball, and posting a 2.55 ERA. Still, he’s shown shaky command with a 2.14 K/BB ratio.
Shawn Tolleson is another possible candidate, given his phenomenal 24/3 K/BB ratio to this point. Tolleson doesn’t have the velocity that Kela possesses, but he does have a longer track record in the majors after posting a 2.76 ERA in 64 appearances last season. Both pitchers should be popular adds for saves speculators this week.
Dickerson DL Bound?
Rockies star outfielder Corey Dickerson has had a frustrating season early season fighting through plantar fasciitis, and manager Walt Weiss said that he could require a trip to the disabled list. However, Dickerson stated that he’s not sure if the stint would help his foot.
Despite Dickerson’s frequent exits early in games this season, he’s hitting .309-5-16 to this point. The impact is clear in his lack of steals, however, after attempting 15 stolen bases in 131 games last season.
Drew Stubbs would stand to see regular at-bats if Dickerson goes to the DL. The Rockies success (or lack thereof) could be the biggest concern for his production this season, as it would seem likely the Rox would shutdown Dickerson early this season if they fall too far out of contention. Colorado is already 9.5 out of first place in the NL West, with one of the worst records in baseball at 13-21. While you’d be selling low on Dickerson at this point, it’s still not a bad idea to see what you could get via trade if you own him.
American League Quick Hits: Austin Jackson (ankle) won’t be ready to return from the DL when eligible on Tuesday, but he could be ready later in the week … The Rangers said Josh Hamilton (shoulder) could return during their series May 25-27 against the Indians … Twins DH Kennys Vargas was optioned to Triple-A. He doesn’t face great competition if he regains his bat in the minors, so AL-only owners are advised to hang on to him … Ike Davis has a Grade 2 strain of his left quad, meaning he’ll likely miss more than the minimum time on the DL … Danny Duffy could lose his spot in the rotation when Jason Vargas returns from the DL given how well Chris Young has pitched since being added to the rotation … Justin Verlander (triceps) will throw 45 pitches in a bullpen session on Monday. His return still isn’t imminent … Ross Detwiler was put on the DL with a shoulder injury, and Phil Klein could replace him in the rotation … Ben Zobrist (knee) ran the bases on Sunday, and is set to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday. He could return next week … Shane Greene (elbow) threw without issues on Sunday, and could be cleared for his next start soon … Mark Teixeira is day-to-day with a right toe contusion … Chris Tillman won’t start Tuesday due to a back injury, but he could start later in the week … The Indians will call up Shaun Marcum to start on Wednesday … Casey Fien (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday before starting a rehab assignment.
National League Quick Hits: Shelby Miller continues to dominate, taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning on Sunday. He now has a 1.33 ERA and 0.83 WHIP this season … Billy Hamilton was moved down to No. 8 in Cincinnati’s batting order on Sunday, with Zack Cozart taking over as the leadoff man. It remains to be seen if the move will stick … Wil Myers (wrist) hit in the batting cage on Sunday, and the Padres hope he can return on Tuesday … Carlos Gomez got a scare after taking a Noah Syndergaard fastball to the helmet, but he’s not expected to miss significant time … Don Mattingly said it’s likely Kenley Jansen will regain the closer role in his next appearance … Jayson Werth (wrist) could undergo an MRI on Monday, but he’s hoping he only has a bruise … Jarred Cosart (hamstring) made it through a bullpen session and will start on Tuesday … Jorge De La Rosa jogged before Sunday’s game, and it sounds like he will be okay for his next start after tweaking his nagging groin issue in Saturday’s start … Tsuyoshi Wada is set to replace Travis Wood in the Cubs rotation. Wada had a 3.25 ERA in 13 starts last season, so he’s not a bad addition in deeper mixed leagues … Jaime Garcia (shoulder) will join the Cardinals rotation on Thursday. He has a long history of success and shoulder problems. He replaces Tyler Lyons in the rotation … Williams Perez is set to take over Eric Stults’ spot in Atlanta’s rotation … David Wright (hamstring, back) will resume baseball activities on Monday. There’s still no clear timetable for his return … Chad Billingsley is heading back to the DL with an arm issue, this time a strained shoulder. It’s unclear how much time he will miss or who will replace him in the Phillies rotation … Troy Tulowitzki missed Sunday’s game with his quad issue, but the injury is still considered minor … Vance Worley’s next start will be skipped, and Charlie Morton (hip) could take his spot in the rotation next week … Manny Parra’s return from a neck injury has been pushed back due to tenderness in his pitching elbow … Phil Gosselin left Sunday with a thumb sprain.
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