Jared Burton Rumors
Twins To Extend Jared Burton
The Twins locked up one of their best relievers today, signing Jared Burton to a two-year, $5.5MM extension with a $3.6MM club option for 2015. Burton would have been entering a walk year in 2013, so the contract buys out one free agent year with an option for another. He's represented by Dave Pepe of Pro Agents, Inc.
Burton, 31, inked a minor league deal with the Twins last November and made the big league roster after a strong showing in Spring Training. The right-hander had a breakout season with the Twins in 2012, posting a 2.18 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, 0.73 HR/9, and 48.5% groundball rate in 62 innings of work. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected a $2.1MM salary for Burton's last trip through arbitration in 2013, so his actual $2.05MM salary isn't much of a discount. But the Twins now have Burton potentially through 2015, as well as reliever Glen Perkins possibly through 2016 from an extension signed in March.
As MLBTR's arbitration tracker shows, the Twins' class is down to just Drew Butera and Brian Duensing.
Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN first reported the extension was close. Tim Dierkes contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Twins Rumors: McCarthy, Blanton, Dempster, Myers
Here's the latest on the Twins from Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN...
- So far, the Twins have reached out to free agents Brandon McCarthy, Anibal Sanchez, Joe Blanton, Ryan Dempster, and Brett Myers. They're interested in Myers as a starter. They've also reached out to Brandon Webb even though he hasn't thrown a pitch in the big leagues since 2009.
- The club continues to have regular conversations with Alan Nero, who represents right-hander Scott Baker. The two sides are working on a new contract after Baker's $9.25MM option was declined.
- The Twins have not shown any interest in Jon Garland and were not present when the right-hander threw for teams during an audition back in September.
- Talks with reliever Jared Burton about a contract extension are underway. Matt Swartz projects a $2.1MM salary for the right-hander next season, after which he'll become a free agent.
- The Twins have inquired about reliever Randy Messenger, though the Hanshin Tigers in Japan will not allow the right-hander out of his contract.
- The team has not contacted Bill Bray after he hit free agency. Special assistant Wayne Krivsky acquired the left-hander during his tenure as Reds GM.
Rangers, Twins Discussing Jared Burton
The Rangers and Twins are discussing a possible trade involving right-handed reliever Jared Burton, Yahoo's Tim Brown reports (on Twitter). The Rangers are known to be considering additions to their bullpen.
Burton, 31, has a 2.40 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 41 1/3 innings for the Twins this year. He's earning a salary of $750K and will go to arbitration this coming offseason before hitting free agency after 2013.
Central Notes: Gimenez, Young Twins, Cardinals
Passing along a few notes from the Central divisions, where there was plenty of news earlier today. Kosuke Fukudome found a new home, the Brewers won an arbitration case, and the Royals picked up their manager's option. On with the links ...
- The Pirates may end up signing utility man Chris Gimenez, tweets Greg Johns of MLB.com. Gimenez elected free agency from the Mariners earlier today after declining an outright assignment to Triple-A and will be eligible to sign with a new club on Thursday.
- The Pirates will not sign Dmitri Young, whom they worked out at on Monday, according to Tom Singer of MLB.com.
- Phil Mackey of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities radio looks at seven of the Twins' intriguing non-roster players, including infielder Brian Dozier, third baseman Sean Burroughs, catchers J.R. Towles and Chris Herrmann, righties Jason Bulger and Jared Burton, and utility man Steve Pearce. One Twins executive said he's particularly curious about Bulger and Burton, tweets Mackey
- The Cardinals won't have their hand forced into roster decisions based on options this spring, explains Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, as only Skip Schumaker and Tyler Greene -- both projected to be on the Major League roster -- are out of options.
Minor Moves: Wood, Burton, Gonzalez, Buchholz
Moves listed here without specific attribution come from MLB.com's transactions page...
- The Rockies have signed infielder Brandon Wood, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. Wood will make $100K over the league minimum if he makes the big league roster, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (via Twitter). Wood, of course, was once a blue-chip prospect with the Angels.
- The Twins have signed right-handers Brendan Wise, Jared Burton, Samuel Deduno and Luis Perdomo, and outfielders Matt Carson and Wilkin Ramirez to Minor League deals, tweets Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune.
- The Padres released second baseman Alberto Gonzalez. San Diego appears to be clearing 40-man roster space in anticipation of next month's Rule 5 draft.
- Right-hander Taylor Buchholz elected free agency. The Mets removed Buchholz from their 40-man roster earlier in the week. He would have earned roughly $1.2MM in 2012 had the Mets retained him through arbitration. Earlier in the week GM Sandy Alderson was unsure if anxiety and depression would prevent Buchholz from pitching in 2012.
- The Angels released right-hander Anthony Ortega.
Minor Moves: Jared Burton, Wilmin Rodriguez
The latest minor moves...
- The Twins signed right-hander Jared Burton to a minor league contract, reports MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger (Twitter link). Burton, 30, has a 3.41 ERA in 164 appearances with the Reds over the last five seasons, recording 143 strikeouts in 169 Major League innings.
- The Giants re-signed left-hander Wilmin Rodriguez to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The 26-year-old reliever posted a 4.34 ERA with 6.0 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 64 1/3 innings in the upper minors of San Francisco's system in 2011.
Minor Moves: Burton, Reyes, Wood
Today's minor moves...
- Jared Burton elected free agency, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon (on Twitter). The 30-year-old right-hander showed promise out of the 'pen in 2007-08, but has appeared in just ten MLB games since 2010. He spent time on the 60-day DL with shoulder inflammation in 2011.
- The Padres signed 16-year-old outfielder Franmil Reyes out of the Dominican Republic for $700K, tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock. Baseball America's Ben Badler has more on Reyes.
- The Pirates announced they've signed reliever Tim Wood to a minor league deal. The 28-year-old had eight big league innings for the Bucs this year, and posted a 3.49 ERA, 6.2 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 0.4 HR/9, and 24 saves in 49 Triple-A relief innings for the Pirates and Rangers.
Outrighted: Thompson, Burton, Pirates, Tigers
Players outrighted off 40-man rosters today:
- The Reds announced that they outrighted Daryl Thompson and Jared Burton off of the 40-man roster. Burton would have been arbitration eligible for the second time and MLBTR projected a salary in the $900K range for the 30-year-old.
- The Pirates announced that they outrighted Brian Burres, Kevin Hart, Brandon Wood and Steve Pearce to Triple-A to create 40-man roster space. All four players can now elect free agency. Wood and Pearce would have been arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason, and though neither player projected to earn even $1MM, the Pirates decided to cut them loose instead of tendering contracts.
- The Tigers outrighted catcher Omir Santos and lefty Brad Thomas, tweets MLB.com's Jason Beck. Thomas would have been arbitration eligible, but it was clear he wouldn't make it to the point of being tendered a contract after missing much of the season with an elbow injury.
Reds, Burton Avoid Arbitration
The Reds agreed to a one-year deal with Jared Burton, avoiding arbitration, the team announced (on Twitter). Burton, a super two, made $810K last year and is arbitration eligible for the second time.
The 29-year-old right-hander missed nearly all of the 2010 season with a hypothyroid condition and an oblique injury. He posted a 4.40 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 59 1/3 innings in 2009 and was similarly effective in 2008.
As MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows, the Reds still have four arbitration eligible players: Joey Votto, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Bill Bray.
Relief Rumors: Saito, Fuentes, Burton, Nationals
As MLBTR's Free Agent Tracker shows, lots of free agent relievers remain unsigned. Here's the latest on the relief market:
- Takashi Saito's deal with the Brewers guarantees him $1.75MM and gives him the chance to earn $1.5MM more through incentives, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- MLB.com's Adam McCalvy adds details on the contracts for Sean Green and Craig Counsell.
- Brian Fuentes is telling teams that he would like to close, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Several teams are interested in the lefty and the Rays are one interested club that could offer a closing job.
- The Reds will likely avoid arbitration with Jared Burton today and agree to a one-year deal with the reliever, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.
- The Nationals are pursuing another reliever who can pitch late in games and potentially close, according to Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes listed relief help as one of the Nationals' remaining needs last week.
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