Odds and Ends: Cantu, McPherson, Youkilis

Some evening odds and ends for your enjoyment...

• The Marlins are "pretty far along" on a deal with Jorge Cantu.  He'd battle with Jose Castillo for playing time at third base.  Dallas McPherson may be another possibility - he had talks with another club (the Giants?) recently fall through.  The Fish are one of three or four clubs McPherson likes, though he's not sure whether the interest is mutual.  I hope the Marlins sign 'em both, maybe one of the three works out.
• Nick Cafardo discusses the slight possibility that the Red Sox and Kevin Youkilis discuss a long-term extension rather than go year-to-year with him.  This is Youk's first year of arbitration eligibility.  I imagine his salary could jump up from $425K to $2-4MM.

Comments

[04Forever]

a 4 year extension should be nailed down for youk right now. 4/16 should be a good deal for an above average 1st baseman, backup 3rd basemen. youk got wicked potential.

[CJax33]

Anyone remember the Marlins talking about needing to improve their defense to help their young pitchers? Here's a note to the Fish: Jorge Cantu does not equal good defense, at any position.

Then again, this is the same team that allows Hanley "I should be a center fielder" Ramirez to butcher play after play at shortstop.

The state of Florida needs to cut a deal with MLB if it builds a stadium then Loria has to sell the team.

[quintjs]

With Papi and Manny not getting any young, Mike Lowell isn't either, and with the RS having 2 power 1B in A-ball who are just killing the ball, there seems to be 0 reasons for the Red Sox to sign Youk long term, why lock him up? it worked brilliantly well with Crisp? This ignores Carter in AAA as well.

He isn't that good, and in both his full seasons hasn't really showed up after the all-star break.

[cubs15]

Why lock up Youk? Gold glove def at 1B. He can play 3b. Hits .288 with a .390 obp. He's also just entering his prime.

Chris Carter is a poor defender though he can play a little LF. He can be substituted into the lineup when manny, ortiz or youk is out.

As for the 2 A-ball guys.
Aaron Bates a 24 year old who was bent over in AA ball this year. With a sub .800 ops. For a fist baseman with a sub .800 ops he has no right to be in the MLB.

And for Lars Anderson he's 20, hasn't reached AA yet which suggests he is 3-4 years away.

By the way Crisp was an above average CFer last year.

[quintjs]

You have still given no reason to lock up Youk, his is controlled for the next 3 years, why are you giving him a guaranteed contract?

I am sure Bates is pleased to learn his career is over after you have judged it that way after 91 AT BATS IN AA. You are judging him from 91 at bats? seriously?

Bates is currently 23, and was great in high A-ball for most of the season anyway.

His first 91 at bats at a higher level? Pedroia was useless for half a year at AA, and AAA, and a month or two at the majors, now he is a ROY.

Lars were still in high-A ball in 2008, can see AA by the end of 2008, AAA by 2009, and then who knows, Ellbury started 2007 in AA, finished it as Boston's CF basically.

[quintjs]

To be clear, I am not saying Youkilis is a bad player, I am not saying he shouldn't be Boston's 1B for a while to come.. but its the same as Crisp.

Boston locked up Crisp for years for no good reason, and now they have him at 4million odd on the roster, when a young kid is better and cheaper, and no good way of moving Crisp.

A power 1B might be what the doctor orders in Boston in 2-3 years time, now I am not saying either Bates nor Anderson will be MLB stars, but they have potential to be that player, so why are you going to block that IF it happens?

There is NO reason to lock up Youkilis, no reason at all.
Teams lock up these guys, are the teams needing to know what the payroll is, not wanting to pay huge money year by year, and they want to buy a year of Free Agency, thus they assume the performance risk. Boston has the cash, Youkilis won't earn 8-18million a year through arbitration.. so why would the Red Sox assume the risk?

[kemp's a monster]

There really is no need to lock up Youkilis. I'd rather have the red sox let him go through his arb years. I would then trade him later on depending on how carter, bates, and anderson are doing. If all three don't work out then the Red Soxs can offer him a contract.

Lars and Bates both put up solid numbers in A-Ball.

I do agree Lars is 2-4 years away.

Even though Bates did have a good year in A-Ball. He doesn’t really stand out on that team as 7 other guys, with at least 250 Ab's, posted a .300+ avg and a .900+ ops for the year.

Let's give him some more time in AA and see how he does. His .777 ops is good for a guy that hit .200. Even though it was only 100 Ab's.

And as for Coco i don't necessarily think his contract is a bad thing. He was an above average in CF last year. What makes him so appealing to other teams is his contract. I hardly doubt the Red Sox would have much trouble trading him if they don’t end up getting Santana.

[PrahaSMC]

I'll agree with the prevailing sentiment... no chance Youk gets a long-term deal. I mean seriously, he is already cost-controlled through his age 31 season. The Sox should just let him go through the arb process and let him walk as a soon-to-be 32 year old FA after 2010.

Aaron Bates is a long shot to ever contribute as a starter in BOS, so I'm not sure why anyone would equate him with Lars. Bates is turning 24, having just had a cup of coffee in Portland.

Lars is only 20, and poised to rake in hitter-friendly Lancaster this spring. He'll be in AA by seasons end, so he is effectively 3 full years ahead of Bates in development.

[metafrantic]

If the Sox could lock up Youk at 4/16 then they should. here's why:

1. A career .384 OBP guy whose offense improves every year and plays GG defense don't come along every day. Youk is just coming into his prime, too.

2. He's got 3 years of arbitration left; it's likely that his 2nd year of arbitration will cost $4m, and the 3rd year will exceed it. His first year of free agency would be even more expensive. paying him 4m/year for 4 years, overall, is cheaper than what he'd get for those same years on a year-to-year basis.

3. A guy with Youkilis' offense and defense, who's signed cheaply for a few years, is great trade fodder. It's why acquiring Dan Haren cost the Diamondbacks about as much in prospects as Johan Santana is expected to; he's not as good as Santana, but he's signed cheaply for three years. If the Sox should manage to find a power-hitting 1B in a year or two (Mark Teixeira?), Plenty of teams would love to get Youk on a 3/12 deal. (Remember Billy Beane's man-crush on Youkilis? He'd kill to get him.)

[TheStud126]

If a blog reader/comment writer knows that Youk will get that kind of money, why wouldn't Youk's agent know the exact same thing? Do you think there's a snowball's chance in hell that Youkilis signs for $4 million per year when he's clearly worth at least $8 million per on the open market?

[TheStud126]

The point of signing a long term deal and buying out arbitration is that the player gets a good deal and the team gets a good deal. The Red Sox will probably be paying Youk $20 million over his three arbitration years and I could see him signing a 3 year/$30 million deal when he hits free agency, so he's essentially leaving $14 million on the table by signing a 4/16 extension. Sorry for the back-to-back, but my thoughts runneth over.

[metafrantic]

I never said I thought that Youkilis WOULD sign for 4/16... I said that if the Sox could get him for that then they should.

The real reason for a player to sign a contract and let his arbitration years be bought out is the guarantee of the money. That way if he gets hurt he still gets paid; if Youkilis stays with arbitration and then gets hurt and misses all of 2008, he'll get crapall in 2009.

So a player takes les than they would probably make going year to year in exchange for the security of guaranteed money. Maybe 4/16 is low, but for the next 4 years I could see Youk getting maybe 15-18m total, and then whatever he got as a 32-year-old free agent. So maybe 4/20 would be pretty reasonable for where Youkilis is now.

[04Forever]

hometown discount, players do it all the time. besides, thats in the projections of what he should be earning right now anyway, 4 million per year, you lock that in for 4 years and thats good

[nrmax88]

Speaking of hometown discounts. I wonder how Albert Pujols is feeling about that particular decision in his life. He is probably thinking how he could be out of St Louis with a monstrous contract on a winning team. Not that making 100 mil over 7 years is such a bad gig, but still.

[joemorgan=#1]

Why the heck would contract talks with the giants and mcpherson break down. I could not imagine he was asking for more then a million dollar one year with his history. What are the giants going to do go with Aurillia or heaven forbbid pedro feliz again.

[TheGrinch]

I think Dallas McPherson is a pretty good gamble, as long as you load his contract with incentives. Big injury risk though. Jorge Cantu? He just seems like a big baby and went from tons of homers to practically none. No thanks for my team.

[joemorgan=#1]

either one of them are huge gambles because they cost nothing I'd take them both if I'm the marlins or giants why not they don't have anything to lose. I think cantu still has promise he won't hit 30hr but .275 with 20hr and 80rbi is possible don't expect him to get on base and he's a deffensive liabilty but it's better then giving feliz three years.