It could be argued that Anthony Rizzo cost himself some arbitration riches by signing a seven-year, $41MM contract extension with the Cubs, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports sees Rizzo's logic. As Rosenthal explains in his latest Hot Corner video, Rizzo's personal history --- including a past brush with Hodgkin's lymphoma and a demotion to the minors when with the Padres --- could've played a role in his accepting the security of a multiyear deal. Rizzo entered the season with less than a full year of service time, plus Rosenthal notes that Rizzo will still get a crack at free agency. If the Cubs pick up both option years on the deal, Rizzo could hit the market at age 32, young enough to score another nice contract.
Let's check in with some more news from around the NL Central...
Yesterday, we learned that the Brewers offered a contract extension to Jean Segura about a month ago, but no deal is close between the two sides at this time. The 23-year-old has just 81 big league games under his belt and there's not a great deal of precedent in place to work out a new deal as only two position players with less than one year of service (Evan Longoria and Salvador Perez) have inked extensions. Still, Milwaukee would love to lock up their young standout to a team-friendly deal as the Cubs did earlier this week. Here's more out of the NL Central..
The Brewers offered a long-term contract to shortstop Jean Segura about a month ago, agent Joe Klein told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. No deal is close at this time, however.
Klein told Rosenthal, "They contacted me. Right now, I guess it’s in my court. But with a guy this young, it’s hard to figure out what the right numbers would be. It would be good, be nice if it was possible to do. But I don’t know. It’s way, way on the drawing board."
Segura, 23, has only 80 big league games and 314 plate appearances under his belt, almost all of it with the Brewers since coming over from the Angels as the centerpiece of last summer's Zack Greinke trade. He has around 110 days of big league service. As MLBTR's extension tracker shows, two position players have signed extensions with less than one year of service: Evan Longoria in 2008 ($17.5MM over six years) and Salvador Perez in 2012 ($7MM over five years). Those two deals were/are considered extremely club friendly, and each contained a trio of club options. So you can understand Klein's hesitancy.
Perez's contract gave him some extra money up front, so perhaps Segura could be paid $3MM for 2013-15, his three pre-arbitration seasons. His three arbitration years might be valued at $12MM or so, and buyouts on option years could bring the total close to Longoria's $17.5MM over six years. As a power hitter, Longoria's arbitration years would be valued more highly, but his contract is five years old, so it's fair to suggest Segura could be in that range for 2013-18. Perhaps Klein could at least bring the Brewers down to two club options rather than three. Segura is under the Brewers' control through 2018 regardless, so those free agent years may be the key to a potential deal.
The Brewers have locked up many key players over the years, but never one with less than a year of service. They signed Ryan Braun in '08 (1.008 in big league service), Yovani Gallardo in '10 (2.112), Corey Hart in '10 (4.157), Rickie Weeks in '11 (5.131), Braun again in '11, Jonathan Lucroy in '12 (1.136) and Carlos Gomez in March (5.141).
Here's a special Mother's Day edition of Quick Hits..
Matt Harvey posted a game score of 97 while taking a perfect game into the seventh, striking out 12, and walking none over nine innings against the White Sox Tuesday night, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports notes (on Twitter). Only 40 outings of nine innings or fewer since 1916 have earned a higher game score. Here's a collection of notes from around the majors.
Carlos Gomez has emerged as the top player from the Johan Santana trade between the Mets and the Twins, the New York Post's Joel Sherman writes. Santana himself had season-ending shoulder surgery in early April, and the other players the Twins received along with Gomez (Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra) haven't panned out. Meanwhile, Gomez, who the Twins shipped to the Brewers for J.J. Hardy, is off to a .368/.417/.642 start while playing great defense in center field. Sherman doesn't really blame the Mets for dealing Gomez, however. "Would this franchise and this city really have had the patience to wait six years for a blossoming — if it ever would have happened here?" he says. Here are more notes from the NL.
The Brewers have signed right-hander Tim Dillard, according to Chris Cotillo of CLNSRadio.com. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com (on Twitter) confirmed that the Brewers have inked the Icon Sports Management client.
Dillard, 30 in July, posted a 4.38 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 34 relief appearances last season for the Brewers. For his career, the hurler has a 4.70 ERA with 6.6 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 across four big league seasons for Milwaukee.
After receiving his work visa, former star closer Francisco Rodriguez is set to begin his comeback with the Brewers, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports. Rodriguez had been working out in extended spring training while waiting for the visa. The Brewers signed Rodriguez to a minor-league deal in mid-April. They have until May 17 to decide whether to promote him or allow him to become a free agent. Rodriguez appeared in 78 games for the Brewers in 2012. Here are more notes from around the majors.
Earlier today, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts presented his plans for a $300MM renovation on Wrigley Field and made waves when he said that the club may have to move to a new park if certain requests are not met. After his presentation, Ricketts told David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com that his focus is still on making things work at Wrigley. "We also need to generate the revenue we need to compete as a franchise," Ricketts added. "There has been some question as to whether or not we can put up a revenue generating video board and signage in our own outfield and if we can't then at some point we've got to look at other options. But I don't think it's now. We really believe that we are going to be able to work this out and move forward." Here's more from around baseball..
The Twins have plenty to be excited about following the hot starts of top prospects Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton, writes Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports in his first Prospect Heat Check column. Passan spoke to 20 GMs and executives, with one AL evaluator telling him that "Sano is exploding," and adding that the 20-year-old looks to have improved at third base. Here's more on the Twins and more from baseball's Central divisions...
Here are a few notes from around baseball:
Tomorrow is the 30th anniversary of the infamous Lee Elia tirade against the Wrigley Field faithful where he unleased 37 "bleeps" in 187 seconds. Elia would remain as manager of the Cubs for just four more months. John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle chronicles how times have changed for Major League managers. Four reporters were present for Elia's rant and only one had a microphone which captured the event for all posterity. Shea reminds us today there are interview rooms, social media, and live post-game press conferences shown on regional and national sports networks. As a result, Shea says managers have to be more articulate, polite, and thoughtful. Giants manager Bruce Bochy echoes that sentiment, "It's different when you just see pen and paper. When there's a camera there, you have to remind yourself." Elsewhere from the NL Central Division:
On Tuesday, Corky Miller played in his first Major League game since 2010 and he didn't have to wait long for another, starting at catcher for the Reds tonight against the Nationals. The veteran backstop was added to the Reds' 40-man roster earlier this week, as noted by Baseball America's Matt Eddy in his roundup of the week's minor league transactions.
Here are the minor moves that took place today, with the latest at the top of the page...
In his latest edition of Full Count, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (video link) gives the Yankees credit for realizing that Vernon Wells still had a lot left. The big stumbling block in trade talks between the Yankees and Angels was how much of the $42MM deal the Bombers would pay for. Discussions stalled until the spring when the Yankees lost Mark Teixeira to injury and their interest was renewed. Here's more from Rosenthal..
Earlier tonight, the Brewers picked up Francisco Rodriguez up on a minor league deal. Here's more on K-Rod and other notes out of the National League Central..
6:08pm: Rodriguez will get $2MM or more if he makes the big league squad, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
5:23pm: The Brewers officially announced that they have signed Francisco Rodriguez to a minor league deal. Milwaukee has 30 days to assign the reliever, who will train at the club's spring training facility in the interim.
The 31-year-old Rodriguez appeared in 78 games for the Brewers last season and posted a 4.38 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 72 innings. He initially came to Milwaukee from the Mets in a trade during the final year of the three-year, $37MM contract he signed to be New York's closer. The Brewers offered Rodriguez arbitration following the 2011 season, and he made the surprising decision to accept, leaving GM Doug Melvin on the hook for an $8MM salary.
In his 11-year career, K-Rod has a 2.70 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 720 2/3 innings. His 294 saves rank 25th all-time, and he set the all-time single-season saves mark with 62 back in 2008 with the Angels.
MLB.com's Adam McCalvy first reported that the two sides were nearing a deal. Steve Adams contributed to this post.
The Brewers are nearing a minor league contract with right-hander Francisco Rodriguez, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Nothing has been finalized as of yet with the Scott Boras client, according to McCalvy.
The 31-year-old Rodriguez appeared in 78 games for the Brewers last season and posted a 4.38 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 72 innings. He initially came to Milwaukee from the Mets in a trade during the final year of the three-year, $37MM contract he signed to be New York's closer. The Brewers offered Rodriguez arbitration following the 2011 season, and he made the surprising decision to accept, leaving GM Doug Melvin on the hook for an $8MM salary.
In his 11-year career, K-Rod has a 2.70 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 720 2/3 innings. His 294 saves rank 25th all-time, and he set the all-time single-season saves mark with 62 back in 2008 with the Angels.
The Brewers' Kyle Lohse visited with his old team in the Cardinals' clubhouse on Saturday, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports. Lohse signed with the Brewers after a long offseason that began with Lohse and his agent, Scott Boras, declining the Cardinals' qualifying offer. There wasn't much of a market for Lohse after that, mostly because the team that signed him would have to sacrifice a draft pick. He finally signed a three-year, $33MM deal with the Brewers. Lohse reflects on the twisting path that led him to Milwaukee: "[Declining the Cardinals' qualifying offer] makes me look bad, [because] that's a lot of money. But is it fair value for what I had done? No," says Lohse. "Even going back on it, I'd still do the same thing. You have to go out and take your chances. Now, going forward, I don't know what other people in my situation are going to do." Here are more notes from the National League:
8:58pm: The Angels aren't interested in signing Rodriguez, MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports (via Twitter).
7:50pm: Right-hander Francisco Rodriguez is drawing interest from such teams as the Angels, Brewers, Marlins and a few others, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports. The free agent reliever drew little attention on the open market during the offseason, with only the Mets briefly being linked to Rodriguez, though Scott Boras (Rodriguez's agent) said two weeks ago that he expected his client to soon find a new team.
Rodriguez recorded an even 72 strikeouts in 72 innings with Milwaukee last season, posting a 4.38 ERA and 2.32 K/BB. It seemed as if a return to the Brewers was unlikely but given how the club's bullpen has struggled early this season, it isn't surprising that the Crew are checking in on a known quantity. Rodriguez could even find himself in line to become a closer again if he re-signs with the Brewers given that incumbent closer John Axford recently lost his job, though Jim Henderson is slated to receive the lion's share of the save opportunities.
The Angels and Marlins are also in need of bullpen help, owning respective bullpen ERAs of 4.94 (19th in MLB) and 6.31 (28th in MLB) heading into Friday's action. Angels righty Ryan Madson isn't expected back from elbow surgery for a few weeks while Miami closer Steve Cishek has a 15.43 ERA after three outings this season.
As the year's first full weekend of baseball gets underway, take a look at the latest on the Cubs' efforts to rehabilitate Chicago's venerable Wrigley Field. Hal Dardick of the Chicago Tribune writes that, with the club and the city nearing a deal, the owners of the famous Wrigleyville rooftops are preparing to fight any moves that would obstruct their view. On to some roster shuffling notes: