Happy Pitchers and Catchers report day Spring Training thread

[bpj]

Out of 39 players who were primarily 1B in 2024 and got 350+ PA's, Spencer Torkelson was the 2nd youngest. And it's his third year in the league, he's going into his Age 25 season. He's a month younger than Kelenic.

What was the rush on either of them?

I don't see why they wouldn't try and pick Torkelson up and stash him in AAA for awhile to see what happens. We have plenty of pitching and middle infield depth, but not much on the corners.

[Double Mocha Man]

Out of 39 players who were primarily 1B in 2024 and got 350+ PA's, Spencer Torkelson was the 2nd youngest. And it's his third year in the league, he's going into his Age 25 season. He's a month younger than Kelenic.

What was the rush on either of them?

I don't see why they wouldn't try and pick Torkelson up and stash him in AAA for awhile to see what happens. We have plenty of pitching and middle infield depth, but not much on the corners.

He could surprise us and turn into another Victor Robles... with more power. Even though his 2023 season would be acceptable here.

[GL_Storm]

Out of 39 players who were primarily 1B in 2024 and got 350+ PA's, Spencer Torkelson was the 2nd youngest. And it's his third year in the league, he's going into his Age 25 season. He's a month younger than Kelenic.

What was the rush on either of them?

I don't see why they wouldn't try and pick Torkelson up and stash him in AAA for awhile to see what happens. We have plenty of pitching and middle infield depth, but not much on the corners.

Teams rush these players. I think most hitting prospects need around 2000 minor league plate appearances to have a chance vs. today's major league pitchers.

[Bil522]

Out of 39 players who were primarily 1B in 2024 and got 350+ PA's, Spencer Torkelson was the 2nd youngest. And it's his third year in the league, he's going into his Age 25 season. He's a month younger than Kelenic.

What was the rush on either of them?

I don't see why they wouldn't try and pick Torkelson up and stash him in AAA for awhile to see what happens. We have plenty of pitching and middle infield depth, but not much on the corners.

Teams rush these players. I think most hitting prospects need around 2000 minor league plate appearances to have a chance vs. today's major league pitchers.

The problem is most guys are in an organization for 6 years in that time it is hard to get 2000 PA, with guys getting hurt or being stuck behind a MLB player. By the time they figure it out they are 25 or 26 and been in the minors for 6 years and you lose them.....or promote them when they are not ready.

[GL_Storm]

Out of 39 players who were primarily 1B in 2024 and got 350+ PA's, Spencer Torkelson was the 2nd youngest. And it's his third year in the league, he's going into his Age 25 season. He's a month younger than Kelenic.

What was the rush on either of them?

I don't see why they wouldn't try and pick Torkelson up and stash him in AAA for awhile to see what happens. We have plenty of pitching and middle infield depth, but not much on the corners.

Teams rush these players. I think most hitting prospects need around 2000 minor league plate appearances to have a chance vs. today's major league pitchers.

The problem is most guys are in an organization for 6 years in that time it is hard to get 2000 PA, with guys getting hurt or being stuck behind a MLB player. By the time they figure it out they are 25 or 26 and been in the minors for 6 years and you lose them.....or promote them when they are not ready.

With good health, a player can get there in just under 4 seasons. It's easier with high school players. With college players, you'd like to see them move through the lower levels quickly so that can get as many reps as possible in AA and AAA where the pitchers are more skilled.

[D-train]

Piece on Garver. I am looking at the bright side here. We have a much better back up C this season.

https://www.mlb.com/news/mitch-garver-w ... h-mariners

[D-train]

I can't stop laughing at Devers facial expressions. lol

[D-train]

It was reported that Castillo was approached by the the M's about waiving his NTC. Turns out it was complete BS.

By Ryan Divish
Seattle Times staff reporter
PEORIA, Ariz. — It’s a beautiful thing being miles from his beachfront home in Las Salinas de Bani in the Dominican Republic, drifting across the blue waters of the Atlantic in a boat named La Piedra with fishing lines in the water.

No social media, no MLB Network, no cell service.

Luis Castillo finds true happiness and peace on the ocean, fishing for mahi mahi, yellowfin tuna, snapper and redfish.

It’s an escape he shared with his father, Luis Sr., who taught him how to fish and throw a baseball while growing up in the nearby town of Bani about 40 minutes away.

The two activities still dominate Castillo’s life, just at somewhat more elevated levels. After the marathon that is the MLB season ends, he retreats to the ocean to recover from the rigors of a season.

“When I go out there, I’m just trying to clear my mind,” Castillo said through interpreter Freddy Llanos.

And the farther he gets from the coast, the chances of a text message from friends perusing the trade rumors on social media or a phone call from his agent decrease.


“When I’m out there fishing, I’m not hearing anything,” Castillo said. “When I get back home, that’s when I will get calls from my (agent).”

After signing a five-year, $108 million contract extension with Seattle near the end of the 2022 season, Castillo didn’t expect to hear much about his future during any offseason. He had stability with a long-term contract that now seems affordable by current market standards. The agreement also featured a no-trade clause through the 2025 season.

Beyond the contract, Castillo felt more secure in his situation when Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners president of baseball operations, told the media that trading a pitcher from the starting rotation would be Plan Z. It’s a message he relayed to the members of the starting rotation.

But in the first days of December leading up to the MLB Winter Meetings, the Athletics stunned the baseball world by signing Luis Severino to a three-year, $67 million contract. It was followed by former Mariner and Eastside Catholic graduate Matt Boyd signing a two-year, $29 million contract with the Cubs, Nathan Eovaldi re-signing with the Rangers for three years at $75 million and Max Fried getting an eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees.

Given what teams were willing to pay for pitching in the market, the three years remaining on Castillo’s contract at $22.75 million per season looked somewhat affordable given his talent and past success.

The Mariners started actively listening to trade offers involving Castillo. They didn’t want to trade him, but if the right MLB player was made available in return and the trade allowed for some additional payroll flexibility, it would have been professionally irresponsible to not consider it.

Out of fairness to Castillo, the front office contacted him and his agent to let them know what was happening and their thought process, also gauging what teams Castillo would considering waiving his no-trade clause for or what would be needed to get him to waive it.

“I didn’t really have a big reaction to it,” he said. “I mean, I still had the no-trade clause left in the contract. But if the team wanted to come to me in some negotiation, who knows what happens? It’s not the first time my name’s been linked to something like this. You never know what’s happening. This is a business.”

What if the Mariners would’ve asked him to waive the no-trade clause to go to a team that would’ve made him cut his long dreadlocks, like the Yankees?

“If I didn’t have that option of going to a team where I’d have to cut my hair, it’s less likely now,” Castillo said with a chuckle.

In the end, the Mariners couldn’t find a trade match. It never got as far as some reports detailed. Some teams were concerned with the language for a $25 million vesting option in 2028, while most didn’t want to offer MLB talent in return.

The Mariners weren’t disappointed that they never reached Plan Z.

“We chose to hold on to Luis and the other four starting pitchers, as we expected when the offseason began,” Dipoto said.

Castillo didn’t want to be traded.

“I’m 100% happy,” he said. “The talent we have in this rotation. And it’s my third year here, once you’re here this long, you kind of call it a family here. I’m happy that I’m here.”

There is some thinking from baseball insiders that once Castillo’s no-trade clause expires after this season, the Mariners won’t hesitate to trade him due to the money owed for the seasons ahead.

But until then, he’s the most veteran pitcher on one of the best starting rotations in MLB.

“It was a little bit scary at first, just because of who Luis is and what he means to us, and how he’s helped me and all that kind of stuff,” fellow starter Logan Gilbert said. “I didn’t expect him to be traded, or for any of the starters to get traded. But people are expensive out there. It’s very expensive to sign free agents, especially hitters coming to Seattle. So at some point you never know if that’s the way to get a big bat here is to trade an arm.”

Castillo is coming off a somewhat subpar season by his standards. He ended the season on the injured list, having suffered a hamstring injury on Sept. 8. He still made 30 starts (three fewer than 2023), posting an 11-12 record with a 3.64 ERA. In 175 1/3 innings pitched, he struck out 175 batters with 47 walks. Even when he was healthy, he struggled to pitch with consistent command. And his changeup wasn’t as effective as years past.

“It was a little frustrating,” he said. “I’ve never had that happen to me career, having an injury that late and having to miss the last month of the season.”

But if the Mariners had somehow managed to get into the postseason, Castillo would’ve been ready to pitch.

“I was throwing bullpens and working with the trainers,” he said. “The mentality was I’d be ready for the playoffs.”

Instead, the Mariners missed the postseason by one game for a second straight season.

The hope is that Castillo can return closer to his 2023 All-Star form where he made 33 starts, posting a 14-9 record with 3.34 ERA and finishing fifth in the AL Cy Young voting.

[Donn Beach]

Bregman does hit pretty well there

This might not necessarily be that move — those opt-outs could make this a very short stint in Boston indeed — but certainly it elevates the stakes for 2025. Bregman is without question the right-handed bat that the Sox have been desperately needing to balance out their lefty-heavy lineup, and he famously hits fantastically at Fenway Park, with a .311/.458/.660 career slash line

[D-train]

Bregman does hit pretty well there

This might not necessarily be that move — those opt-outs could make this a very short stint in Boston indeed — but certainly it elevates the stakes for 2025. Bregman is without question the right-handed bat that the Sox have been desperately needing to balance out their lefty-heavy lineup, and he famously hits fantastically at Fenway Park, with a .311/.458/.660 career slash line

Yep why would he ever want to leave. There is the aspect beyond ballpark factors that a guy simply has a lot more fun absolutely raking than struggling. Case in point. Teo in T Mobile vs. Dodgers stadium.