Despite appearing in the line-up on Tuesday as a DH, Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters will be seeing Dr. James Andrews this Wednesday to address lingering soreness in his elbow. While it's uncertain exactly what the issue is, the words "Tommy John" have been mentioned directly, as it is believed that he may possibly have a UCL tear according to statements made by the team.
MLB news: Matt Wieters to visit Dr. James Andrews, Pirates offer Polanco extension, Royals GM stresses “patience”
Matt Wieters has elbow soreness, the Pirates have an offer one of their prospects CAN refuse and the Royals front office has some studying to do.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
One of the better catchers in the league, Wieters has been putting up MVP numbers so far, and a potentially lengthy absence would be a major blow to Baltimore’s playoff hopes.
With career highs in every major hitting category -- he's hitting 80 points higher than his career average and is almost 200 points clear of his best OPS season -- Wieters looked to be finally becoming the player everyone thought he would be when he was the 5th overall pick in the 2007 MLB draft. And one that would be well worth the "Joe Mauer money" he was reportedly looking for in the spring.
What effect this will have on his future with the team, and whether it will be factored into any impending arbitration remains unclear, but for now the O’s await his final diagnosis.
Prospect Polanco passes on Pittsburgh proposition
Taking the early extensions offered to the likes of Mike Trout to their absurd extreme, the Pittsburgh Pirates have offered five-tool prospect Gregory Polanco a seven-year, $25 million extension with three option years, according to CBS Sports John Heyman. This would bring his total contract to around $60 million in total money.
Not surprisingly, given that he is able to do math, and probably has a strong idea of what his worth may be -- or least employs someone who does -- he has rejected it.
This type of offer has been made before, of course. Just this year the Astros offered their best prospect, George Springer, a similar contract during spring training. But what makes this instance particularly noteworthy -- outside of Polanco's prodigious talent -- is there seems to be no intention by the Pirates to bring up him up as quickly as Houston did with Springer this season.
And while it may seem surprising considering the type of investment they were looking to make, the fact is that the delay in bringing up Polanco -- who is currently ripping through the minors with a .397 batting average -- has supposedly nothing to do with the usual small-market scuttlebutts of service time and impending arbitration hearings.
According to what GM Neal Huntington told Heyman late last month, the team believes that the slow and steady way in which they developed reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen, fellow outfielder Starling Marte and pitcher Gerrit Cole is what's best for business. It remains to be seen whether allowing his team to flounder with an anemic offense is as well, especially when the organization's own minor league manager thinks he's ready for the Show.
Cano at least mildly perturbed by Rivera comments
While he doesn’t agree with the assessment, Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano was quite deferential in response to recent comments made by former teammate Mariano Rivera regarding Cano’s hustle, or lack thereof.
“Everybody has a different opinion. That’s his opinion and I have to respect his opinion,” Cano told reporters before the Mariners’ game against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday. “I’m not going to go too far into this. That’s the only thing that I can say.”
Cano’s seemingly lackadaisical playing style has long been a “topic of conversation” on New York sports radio. But, following comments made by former teammate Mariano Rivera in his autobiography, The Closer, the commonly held perception of Cano in New York has become national news.
The comments made by Rivera regarding Cano’s lack of “the red-hot passion ... that you see in most elite players” were further exacerbated by Mariano’s stated preference for rival Dustin Pedroia, whom he unequivocally picked over Cano by saying “If I have to win one game, I’d have a hard time taking anybody over Dustin Pedroia as my second baseman.”
Hopefully, despite the statements made by one of the most respected players and competitors in the history of the game, Robinson Cano can find solace in his bed of money and five Silver Slugger awards he’s earned as the premier hitting second baseman of his generation.
Royals GM Dayton Moore fails to understand irony, statistics
The general manager of the long-suffering Kansas City Royals had a lot to say about his club, how their fans need to be patient despite the longest playoff drought in sports and even the idea of player accountability in Tuesday’s Kansas City Star. He also talked about specific problems with his team’s play. None of this was well received by the internet.
Moore's greatest concern about Royals: "We don't have very good at-bats with men in scoring position," he said.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) May 6, 2014 With the bases empty, the Royals are hitting .245/.297/.356. With RISP, they're hitting .241/.301/.347. That's not the problem.
— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) May 6, 2014 Atttention Dayton Moore: "Clutch Hitting" can be measured. Your team is 7th in clutch hitting this year. http://t.co/WtulskMRnM
— David Cameron (@DCameronFG) May 6, 2014 See More:
