Joe Saunders Rumors
D'Backs To Sign Joe Saunders
The D'Backs announced that they have agreed to sign free agent Joe Saunders to a one-year deal. Legacy Sports Group represents the left-hander, who was non-tendered by the D'Backs in December. Saunders will obtain $6MM, or $2.7MM less than his projected salary through arbitration. GM Kevin Towers expects Saunders to fit in well on the 2012 club.
“Joe was an integral part of our success last season and will help stabilize the rotation next season,” Towers said in a statement.
Saunders re-joins Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson and Josh Collmenter in a D'Backs rotation that now includes Trevor Cahill. The Red Sox, Orioles, Marlins, Tigers and Rockies were among the teams with some interest in Saunders this offseason.
Saunders, 30, posted a 3.69 ERA with 4.6 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 44.5% ground ball rate in 212 innings this past season. He has averaged 200 innings per season since 2008 without striking out more than five batters per nine innings in any of the past four seasons. The former 12th overall pick had an average fastball velocity of 89.6 mph in 2011.
Steve Henson of Yahoo Sports first tweeted news of the deal and Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweeted the terms of the contract.
Heyman On Cordero, Pena, Kotchman, Reds
More than 100 free agents remain unsigned, as MLBTR's Free Agent Tracker shows. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com offers updates on a handful of them; here are the details:
- Heyman could see the Phillies checking in on Francisco Cordero, but suggests Brad Lidge and Kerry Wood are more likely targets for Philadelphia.
- Casey Kotchman and Carlos Pena seem to be the most likely offensive options for the Indians and both are also in play for the Rays, Heyman tweets.
- Six or more teams are looking for infield depth, so Heyman examines the market for free agent infielders such as Eric Chavez, Aaron Miles and Jack Wilson.
- The Reds are looking for an infielder and an outfielder, Heyman tweets. He suggests Ryan Ludwick, who played under GM Walt Jocketty in St. Louis, would be a “perfect fit” in Cincinnati, where the Reds would like to add depth in left field. The Reds have some interest in Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and Cody Ross.
- The Red Sox remain interested in Joe Saunders, Hiroki Kuroda and Roy Oswalt, Heyman tweets.
Cafardo On Red Sox, Soriano, Madson, Mahay
Within this week's Sunday Baseball Notes, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported that Kevin Cash has decided to end his playing career. Let's take a look at a few other notes Cafardo shared in his column....
- Addressing the starting rotation, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says the team may "buy low on some guys and create a competition in camp." One buy-low candidate the Sox are known to be eyeing is Paul Maholm. Cafardo expects the former Pirate to sign a one-year, incentive-laden deal somewhere.
- The Red Sox may also have Joe Saunders on their radar. One NL scout weighed in on the southpaw: "You'd be afraid that he'd give up some homers at Fenway. But on the other hand, when you've got a guy who can pitch 200 innings from the No. 4 spot in your rotation, I'm telling you, that is effective because that's one of the bullpen spots in the rotation. I mean, that's where you normally believe you have to use a lot of your pen, and if a guy like that saves you, that's important."
- The Cubs are willing to absorb most of the $54MM remaining on Alfonso Soriano's contract in order to facilitate a trade.
- According to Cafardo, many teams, including the Red Sox, Cardinals, and Rays, will become more interested in Ryan Madson if and when his asking price drops. I have my doubts that Madson will become inexpensive enough for the Rays to get too involved.
- 40-year-old lefty Ron Mahay says he feels great and intends to continue his pitching career. Mahay recorded a 3.44 ERA in 34 innings for the Twins in 2010, but couldn't crack the big league roster for the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, or Cardinals in 2011.
Orioles Notes: Jones, Hardy, Fielder, Saunders
Orioles executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette recently told Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com that he's not sure if this year's everyday second baseman is currently on the team's roster. The Orioles are also looking for starters and outfielders while considering trades. Here's the latest...
- Talks between the Braves and Orioles about Adam Jones are “nowhere,” according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The Braves won’t trade a top young starter for Jones, so there’s no momentum for a deal. However, talks remain fluid and Martin Prado and Jair Jurrjens could be involved. The Braves are understandably reluctant to part with pitchers such as Brandon Beachy, Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, Arodys Vizcaino and Randall Delgado.
- Shortstop J.J. Hardy said yesterday on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Report that he thinks former teammate Prince Fielder would "help [the Orioles] out a lot," according to Kubatko.
- Free agent lefty Joe Saunders confirmed to Hardy that he’s been in contact with the Orioles recently. Baltimore has interest in Saunders, who could land a multiyear deal.
- Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun doesn't expect former Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail to take over Joe Torre's recently vacated position at MLB, but he expects the longtime executive will "eventually take a position of significance within the sport."
Saunders Could Land Three-Year Deal
Free agent Joe Saunders is receiving one-year and multi-year offers and a three-year deal for the left-hander is possible, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Tigers and Marlins among the teams that would be logical fits for the veteran, Rosenthal adds.
Yesterday, it was reported that the Marlins have little or no interest in Saunders or Edwin Jackson. The Orioles, meanwhile, have had several conversations with Saunders' representatives.
Marlins Notes: Ramirez, Jackson, Saunders
The Marlins, who agreed to terms with Greg Dobbs on a two-year deal this evening, are still considering ways of improving their rotation. Here’s the latest...
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that Hanley Ramirez still has a “strong preference” to remain at shortstop, but will deal with his upcoming position change professionally. The Marlins are expected to meet with the infielder in Miami this week, according to Rosenthal. Ramirez indicated to the Associated Press last Friday that he was content to move to third base to accommodate Jose Reyes
- Joe Frisaro of MLB.com hears that the Marlins have little or no interest in free agent starters Edwin Jackson or Joe Saunders. However, the Marlins would be willing to trade top prospects to acquire a frontline starter.
- Which Marlins prospects will appeal to rival teams? Outfielder Christian Yelich and right-hander Jose Fernandez top Kevin Goldstein’s list of Marlins prospects at Baseball Prospectus.
Orioles Interested In Joe Saunders
The Orioles have had several conversations with Joe Saunders' representatives, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Legacy Sports represents the left-hander, who is a Falls Church, VA native.
Saunders, 30, posted a 3.69 ERA with 4.6 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 44.5% ground ball rate in 212 innings this past season. He has averaged 200 innings per season since 2008 without striking out more than five batters per nine innings in any of the past four seasons. The former 12th overall pick had an average fastball velocity of 89.6 mph in 2011.
The Rockies, Marlins, Red Sox and Tigers also appear to have some interest in Saunders, who was non-tendered by the Diamondbacks earlier in the month. Saunders and Jeremy Guthrie would provide the Orioles with a pair of solid but unspectacular innings eaters atop their rotation. Tsuyoshi Wada, Tommy Hunter, Zach Britton, Brian Matusz and Dana Eveland are other possibilities for Baltimore's rotation.
Rockies Seek Pitching; Kuroda, Saunders Unlikely
The Rockies continue to seek pitching help according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter), but they're unlikely to land either Joe Saunders or Hiroki Kuroda unless their asking prices come way down. Troy Renck of The Denver Post adds (on Twitter) that they did call the Athletics about Gio Gonzalez before he was traded to the Nationals, but they were unwilling to surrender four top prospects for the left-hander.
Colorado acquired Kevin Slowey from the Twins and Tyler Chatwood from the Angels earlier this offseason, who figure to compete with Jhoulys Chacin, Alex White, Drew Pomeranz, and Esmil Rogers for rotation spots in Spring Training. Jorge De La Rosa will return from Tommy John surgery at midseason, and Juan Nicasio has recently started throwing bullpen sessions after a batted ball fractured his C-1 vertebrae in August. After spending big on Michael Cuddyer, the Rockies figure to have some spending limitations going forward.
Pitching Links: Edwin, Marlins, Saunders, Felix
Here's the latest on the arms race from around the majors...
- Edwin Jackson and John Danks have comparable numbers over the last three years, which is why Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog thinks Scott Boras will use Danks' recent extension with the White Sox as a model for Jackson in free agency. "Now I know hearing five years and $65M+ for Jackson is a little wacky, just because he [doesn't] come off as the type of pitcher deserving of that kind of commitment...but I refuse to bet against Boras," Axisa writes.
- "Anytime you hear a pitcher's name, you can safely say the Marlins are in," a National League source tells Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. Matt Garza, Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez and Joe Saunders are all mentioned as possibilities for the Fish, though if the Marlins didn't have the minor league talent to acquire Gio Gonzalez and Mat Latos, it's hard to see them being able to deal for Garza. Rodriguez is a possibility since I'd guess Houston's larger concern is getting his salary off the books rather than obtaining a large haul of prospects.
- Speaking of Saunders, he talked to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic about the negotiations between he and the Diamondbacks. Arizona offered Saunders a two-year, $12MM deal and Saunders' camp countered with a three-year, $27MM deal. The D'Backs never made a counter, and though Saunders said he then offered to take a two-year contract worth around $16MM, the club non-tendered him and moved on. I've got to side with the D'Backs in this case -- with the rest of their rotation so cost-controlled, if you're going to splurge on a starter, you can spend your money on a better pitcher than Saunders (perhaps Hiroki Kuroda).
- The Mariners not only shouldn't trade Felix Hernandez, argues Shannon Drayer of ESPN 710 Seattle, but if the team absolutely feels the need to swap a starter, they should deal Michael Pineda instead. Dreyer calls Pineda "replaceable...There is a very good chance that by the end of next season Danny Hultzen could be Michael Pineda on the hill in regards to development, path, and what he brings to the rotation."
- Kevin Goldstein of ESPN (Insider subscription required) presented 10 Major League scouts and executives with a field of Matt Garza, Zack Greinke, Ian Kennedy, Ricky Nolasco and Justin Verlander and asked the question, "Based on talent alone, would you take Yu Darvish ahead of this pitcher?" Aside from the Verlander comparison, Rangers fans will heartily enjoy the other answers.
Marlins Interested In Joe Saunders
The Marlins are considering free agent southpaw Joe Saunders, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (via Twitter). If signed, Saunders would join Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez, leaving Chris Volstad as either rotation depth or perhaps a trade candidate.
Saunders was non-tendered by the Diamondbacks two weeks ago and since then has been connected to a number of teams, including the Red Sox, Rockies, Reds and Tigers. Saunders posted a 3.69 ERA in 33 starts for Arizona last year, though his advanced metrics (a 4.71 SIERA and a 4.38 xFIP) and low strikeout totals (4.6 K/9) indicate that Saunders received some good fortune in 2011.
MLB.com's Joe Frisaro (via Twitter) is less optimistic about a Saunders/Marlins pairing, saying the club "may eventually seek" Saunders but with Buehrle already in the fold, Miami "is not ideally looking to have two soft tossing lefties in their rotation." Saunders, however, threw 212 innings last year and when combined with Buehrle (205 1/3 IP), Nolasco (206), Sanchez (196 1/3), he would add even more durability to a rotation whose ace (Johnson) is still a question mark after missing much of last year with a shoulder injury.
