Spring Training Injuries & Notes (9/26/19)

The spring training fastball velocities are live and available in this spreadsheet with other spring training tidbits.

Note: I’m not sure not detailed and often I’ll be able to go with future notes. MLB.com had a nice free RSS feed with all of their stories and I could quickly find needed information. They ended the feed with no explanation. So now, I’m forced to go to each website to get information. I’m working on a solution but I haven’t found one I’ve liked.

Injuries

● I’m not tracking every injury unless it’s going to cost a position player some regular season time. For pitchers, I never assume they are healthy so they may see more notes. For example, Odubel Herrera has a hamstring strain but should be back in a week. I don’t care … for now.

Odubel Herrera has a Grade 1 hamstring strain and is "coming along," #Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. Herrera has missed the first four games of spring training and the team is not sure when his first game will be.

— Matt Breen (@matt_breen) February 25, 2019

● Clayton Kershaw is healthy and then he’s not with his shoulder being the issue. He will try to throw tomorrow.

#Dodgers Dave Roberts said Clayton Kershaw will try to throw again on Thursday

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) February 26, 2019

For the past week, he’s gone on average at 49th overall just ahead of Patrick Corbin and James Paxton. Eyeballing the other starters, I would consider taking a chance with picks in the mid-70’s (Berrios, Marquez, Wheeler).

● For more evidence past injuries predict future injuries, Jimmy Nelson has been shut down.

Right-hander Jimmy Nelson was backed off from throwing over the weekend after experiencing what was called “arm fatigue,” a situation the Milwaukee Brewers’ baseball bosses did not consider a noteworthy setback.

Nelson, who missed the entire 2018 season while recovering from major shoulder surgery, had been moving forward on a cautiously designed program in spring camp but was shut down from throwing for three days after experiencing minor discomfort that general manager David Stearns said was not specific to his shoulder.

Nelson is the only Brewer starter projected to be at least league average. The rest are worse.

● Carlos Martinez will sit for a couple weeks with a bum shoulder. The chance has increased that he’ll be moved to the bullpen.

The Cardinals have set next week as the date to re-evaluate Martinez and possibly return him to a throwing program, or that could be delayed again. The team has begun to prepare for the possibility Martinez, last year’s opening day starter, won’t be ready as a starter and could shift to a relief role. Starting the season on the injured list is also possible depending how his shoulder responds.

His stock has fallen and he is now going on average at pick 188 after Kyle Freeland and Pedro Schoop and just before Alex Reyes. I feel this price is about right for him.

● Mike Soroka may not be in the Braves rotation to start the 2019 season.

#Braves prospect Soroka said good news is his shoulder soreness is different area of the rotator cuff, not subscapular he hurt pitching last year. Said this was likely from "overloading" w/ lifting and rowing after resuming workouts in Jan. Thinks he'll be in games by late ST.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) February 24, 2019

Touki Toussaint may end up in the Braves initial rotation.

Notes

● Yesterday was Yusei Kikuchi Mariners debut. Most the initial reports where glowing especially this curveball he threw to Joey Votto.

1) it's not often you see Votto take an awkward hack like that

2) the MLB is about to learn what Kikuchi is about pic.twitter.com/bP6R47QNsP

— Sung Min Kim (@sung_minkim) February 25, 2019

The GIF looks great but the outing wasn’t as glowing. Here are my thoughts on his two innings of work.

• The camera angle wasn’t the best and many times the view jumped to the center-field camera mid-windup.
• He pauses during his full-effort looking windup which may throw hitters off the first time they see him.
• He pitched straight at batters with no weird angles which should limit his platoon splits.
• Fastball: A 92-95 mph (from broadcast) straight fastball with some possible rise.
• Curveball: A 12-6 73-mph curve. He didn’t have a good feel for the pitch and lost control of it in the second inning. It might have been because of nerves.
• Cutter: The broadcast team mentioned that he may have thrown one but with the bad camerca angle, it was tought to tell.

I wasn’t Wow’ed at all. Not even close. I’ll be watching his next start if it’s MLB.TV to see if he looks better.

● Yasiel Puig will try hard this year.

“I never worked hard,” Puig told Gonzalez. “Maybe that’s the reason why I didn’t have my better years. … The last couple years, I didn’t work hard because I still have a contract to go. Now I think I’ll work hard more than any year in my life.”

Finally.

● Shin-Soo Choo will bat leadoff for the Rangers.

Chris Woodward said Shin-Soo Choo will likely bat leadoff for the Rangers this season.

— TR Sullivan (@Sullivan_Ranger) February 23, 2019

Adjust your projections accordingly.

● Jed Lowrie will not be ready for Opening Day because of a spained knee.

Jed Lowrie said his left knee capsule sprain is “beyond frustrating,” but the MRI showed “no major damage.”

He doesn’t know if he’ll be ready for the opener: “I want to be out there with the guys on Opening Day, but we need to make sure this is right and it doesn’t linger.”

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) February 23, 2019

His projections will need some replacement level value added to them. I guessing 90% Lowrie, 10% replacement.

● Josh Harrison signed with the Tigers and looks to be slotted in as their full-time second baseman.

Free-agent infielder Josh Harrison in agreement with the #Tigers on a one-year contract, pending physical, source tells The Athletic. Expected to their everyday second baseman.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 20, 2019

His current NFBC ADP is 549 and should sky-rocket up to 300 but could go higher. Just plugging in our Depth Chart projections for him, his value is comparable to Josh Reddick, Yolmer Sanchez, and Jeff McNeil.

The fantasy loser will be Niko Goodrum (298 ADP) who will be relegated to the utility role. Goodrun was more of a fantasy asset than harrison because he steals bases.