The 4pm CST deadline for players to accept qualifying offers has come and gone and none of the eight players in play opted to return to their respective clubs for a $13.3MM salary in 2013. That means that Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda, Rafael Soriano, B.J. Upton, Adam LaRoche, Michael Bourn, Josh Hamilton, and Kyle Lohse will net their teams a compensatory pick if they sign elsewhere. Here's the latest from around baseball..
- The Giants are confident that they will be re-signing Jeremy Affeldt and the club believes that they will work out a three-year deal, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. GM Brian Sabean indicated yesterday that he is optimistic about being about to keep Affeldt, Angel Pagan, and Marco Scutaro.
- Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (via Twitter) that he has not approached Corey Hart's agent about an extension and doesn't have immediate plans to do so. A report earlier today suggested that the Brewers and Hart were discussing a deal to keep him beyond 2013. The first baseman/right fielder is set to earn $10MM next season.
- The Tigers aren't interested in Soriano and plan to stay in-house to find their closer, tweets Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. Right-hander Bruce Rondon, 21, will get a chance at the job.
Rondon should still be in the minors working on hos control, you cant rely on him just yet.
So should Valverde, and at times last year, Benoit, Dotel, and Coke.
The Tigers have Rondon, Al Al, Villareal, Coke, Benoit, and Dotel. I bet they can figure it out between those guys…or trade for one in July if need be.
Spend that money re-upping Sanchez or getting a clutch OF.
I bet they cant, at least sign a guy like devine, lindstrom, hawksworth, and see what Madson or soria want. Going into the yr with that pen isnt smart.
I could use some work on my hos control too.
Thank god no Soriano. Losing a 1st round pick plus the contract size he wants is just unreasonable.
Especially in this market. If you want an all star caliber closer for cheap, there’s plenty of options that are probably better than Soriano.
Exactly. Soria, Madson, and Broxton are all out there and won’t cost a draft pick.
Not to mention, relief pitching teds to fluctuate. One here lights out and horrid the year after. There aren’t too many who stay great year after year like Mo or Hoffman back in his hay day
If Ruben Minaya Jr goes out and gets Soriano, are you still gonna be critical about it?
I’m thinking about 3 of these guys won’t get more than the 13.3 on the open market this year.
Lohse, Soriano, LaRoche?
I think soriano might be disappointed honestly.
Lohse and LaRoche I think while may get less next year will benefit. Laroche has struggled for a few years now, and Lohse really had some flukey years recently. I think they will both try to lock up several years based on career years.
I don’t think Soriano or Lohse will get an annual salary of 13.3 or more. But both guys are pitchers, and 30+ years old, when injuries start to occur. So they are probably happy to trade away one year of high salary for more total money on a multi year contract, which means safety for them.
When the Tigers gave Benoit the 3 year deal a couple years ago, I assumed the plan was to have him ascend to the closer role following the departure of Valverde, either in 2011 or 2012 depending on whether or not the Tigers exercised his option (obviously they did). I have no problem with them staying in-house, although I’d prefer they not open the season with Rondon in that role. The Dotel signing was great last year, and finding another middle relief arm for 3-5 mill would really provide the best value. I am guessing they will give Coke a long look if another lefty (Downs? Crosby?) steps up in spring training.
Oliver as a lefty reliever is also an option.
If Rondon starts on the big club, I’m guessing he starts with like a 7th inning role
Throw him into the fire. It’s not like he has a John Wettleland to learn from anyways. I mean, if you’re gonna run Rayburn out there for 3/4 of a season, how bad can having a rookie closer be? Just give him a short leash.
If Rondon wins the job in spring training, let him go in there and show his worth.
Too many teams are cradling their prospects, having them develop in farm system forever, thus they never amount to jack squat.
I’ll take 3 more year of affeldt.
So how’s that qualifying offer idea working out?
I see the market for Soriano as very limited. Dodgers and Washington seems like the only two realistic teams who’d be interested in offering close to what Soriano wants.
A three year deal for 25 mil is IMO the best he can hope for.
A good deal for both a club and Soriano, would be 5 year deal for 30 mil. He’d get a lotta money, the team would get a quality reliever, and depending on a contract structure, they would only be on the hook for a few million per year at the end, which is likely what Soriano will be worth by then.