The Angels have offered Torii Hunter a one-year contract at a heavy pay cut from his previous $18MM salary, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported today. Hunter, who’s eligible for free agency this offseason, seeks at least a two-year deal. The Angels are interested in bringing him back, so there’s a potential fit here if the sides can agree on the value and length of the contract. Here are today’s links…
- Longtime MLB manager Tony La Russa says Jim Leyland of the Tigers seems "as passionate now as he was the first day he managed,”Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports. Leyland, 67, doesn't have a contract for the 2013 season.
- Shohei Otani throws a slider and a curve to go along with his explosive fastball, Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker writes. The 18-year-old right-hander is one of the top high school pitching prospects to emerge from Japan in years. The Red Sox, Dodgers and Rangers all have some interest in Otani.
- Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said special assistant Matt Galante was offered the chance to return but will explore other options, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports (on Twitter).
To Hunter’s credit, he did hit .300 for the first time in his career. He had a great year, and he’s still incredibly valuable defensively. I’d give him two years, sure.
If Hunter isnt resigned, i will be really mad. He is one of those guys that brings a clubhouse together, while putting solid numbers on the board. not to mention that he has really good fielding skills. They need to give him a good contract.
He’s also a gamer who gives 110% day in and day out. He leaves it all on the field while showing true grit and playing the game the right way. When he’s not grinding out each and every at-bat, he’s in the clubhouse bringing the team together.
He could head to NY anyway.. They are letting Swisher go, figure Jones isn’t worth enough to even bother with a spot on the post season roster (correctly so btw) and anyone always has a chance for a ring with the NYY..
Hunter just might take a shot at his last gambit with them.. Maybe a 2/20m deal and see if he can get 1 more ring before hanging them up.
get 1 more ring? you mean get a ring? Angels have as much as a shot as the yankees will next year.
As much as do not like saying it… NY is always close to a WS title and most players know it.
Forget Cashman saying they are going to “play nice” with the 189m financial cap.. They lose to Detroit and that fiscal responsibility supposedly they were going to adhere to is trampled underneath the feat by millions of rabid NYY fans.. We have seen it too many times before.. As long as ANY Steinbrenner owns that team? They are going to buy a WS if possible.. Fact of life.
Disagree. George is no longer the man in charge and his sons don’t have the same drive as he did. I think the Yankees could face a big shakeup, but not Josh Hamilton esque
Half of the “duet” does. He was responsible for Jeter deal, Soriano and has shown is more than willing to go to nearly any length to keep the $$$ tradition strong.
I’ll believe it when see it. Remember when the MLBPA sued over collusion for the 87-89 seasons? That was the only time a Steinbrenner ever held down their payroll.
The yankees haven’t bought that many world series rings lately… If you look at the teams that are winning now they win with good young players, who have good chemistry as well as having a few stars… the yankees can’t handle that. I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better. It seems like they don’t even care this post season
I dunno.. 200m Payroll on a continual basis goes an awful long way to maintaining a record of winning.. Not always of course, but leaves one in better shape with ways of affording it.
Other teams that spend 125m+ also generally seem to do better from year to year.. Philly, even Boston tho yeah they didn’t exactly do so well the last 3 years, those teams generally have more leeway and more payroll (by far) to succeed year in and out over teams that max out with.. Say 50-75m and Tampa being a probable exception. We will have to see if they can continue the phenomenal drafting/development process they have put together over the last 5 years can continue with new drafting restrictions put into place.
It has been stated that the Orioles and Angels are in on Otani too.
This is true.
Of all the years to have an IFA freeze to hit huh? Wonder how much he would have gotten prior to June when the new rules hit? Boston gave an 18YO Korean SS 2.5m, there were plenty more examples of over payment like that do not recall from teams trying to get as many people inked before the new CBA took effect.
So is $2.9 million the max anyone can offer, or will a sliding scale take effect this offseason?
**think** it was after last season, but not sure.. Hope so. LOL
2.9 minus anything teams have already spent
It is after the 2012-2013 signing season. I just found out the extra cap room is tradeable, should make things interesting next year.
yea does this fall into the IFA signing rules?
Yes.. Pacific rim/ Caribbean, European.. All bundled together..
Yes, if he was older and played professionally in Japan then his signing wouldn’t count towards the international spending cap.
My guess is the rangers have a leg up due to darvish. He is seen as a demo god in Japan. Also I like hunter but I think la should move on from him. They need to find a place for trumbos bat and I still think pbj should not be moved an out field with trumbo-trout-pbj is solid. And 1-2 of trumbo and pbj is scary for opposing pitchers.
I don’t see how the rangers have such a leg up, given that he will spend at least 2 years in the minors. He isn’t going to start in the majors rooming with darvish
Exactly.. More teams have a far longer track record of Asian players than Texas.. Seattle, LAD, Boston.
Anyone else get this article notification just a little while ago? It was written 10 years ago!
i was so confused before i saw it was from 10 years ago