Here's the latest on free agent situations around the league:
- Bronson Arroyo's decision came down to the Diamondbacks and the Orioles, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick tweets, with Arroyo's preference to stay in the National League playing a role in his decision to sign with Arizona. Baltimore's best offer was "competitive" with the two-year, $23.5MM guarantee that Arroyo landed, tweets Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun.
- Reliever Ryan Madson hit 93 mph on the radar gun during an audition today in front of 15 clubs, reports Crasnick (via Twitter). Multiple teams have expressed interest in the one-time relief ace, who is working back after missing each of the last two seasons due to elbow issues. Madson's former club, the Phillies, are one of the teams that planned to watch Madson, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reported earlier today.
- Another rehabbing pitcher, former ace Johan Santana, tweeted today that he started throwing off of a mound this week. Last we heard, Twins GM Terry Ryan suggested that Santana probably would not be ready to throw competitive pitches until the summer.
- Multiple teams have shown interest in free agent reliever Brandon Lyon, tweets Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com. The 34-year-old threw 34 1/3 innings of 4.98 ERA ball for the Mets last year, but advanced metrics (3.98 FIP, 4.48 xFIP, 4.38 SIERA) put a somewhat more positive spin on things.
- Free agent outfielder Rick Ankiel told SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (hat tip to Cotillo, on Twitter) that he is still open to playing. But having yet to hear from clubs with interest, Ankiel says he is "in a holding pattern."
Figures, Dodgers PROBABLY used as a bargaining chip.
That is a positive spin on Lyon, but ignores the fact that a 3.98 FIP, 4.48 xFIP reliever is not all that good either.
I said, “somewhat more positive,” in recognition of that. Another somewhat more positive spin: he surrendered a .351 BABIP last year.
For an actually positive spin, he did have a 3.10 ERA in 61 IP in 2012. For a somewhat negative spin on that spin, however, he registered a 3.23 FIP and 3.94 xFIP that year.
Teammates love Ankiel, and he’s a smart guy. Maybe it’d be smart of someone to sign him up as a potential good coach instead of an all but guaranteed bad player?
Rick Ankiel should try going back to pitching because he was not very good last year.