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Archives for August 2007

Wily Mo Pena Clears Waivers

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According to Rob Bradford of the Boston Herald, Wily Mo Pena has cleared waivers without a claim.  It seems no team was willing to risk taking on the $580K owed to Pena this year.  Pena can now be freely traded to any team in baseball, though the players received would have to clear waivers too if on the 40-man roster.  The way around it would be to make them players to be named later.

I’m surprised no one put in a claim on Pena.  It can’t really be his salary, can it?  Teams waste more than that on players with no upside constantly.  Abraham Nunez makes almost $2MM this year.  Is it possible that Theo Epstein somehow convinced the 29 other GMs not to put in a claim?  That doesn’t seem possible either.  Why wouldn’t Jim Bowden put in a claim?  He loves Pena.  Why wouldn’t the White Sox put in a claim?  Even if a GM figured he couldn’t hammer out a deal with Epstein for Pena, why not put in a claim anyway just in case? 

Odds and Ends: Wells, Piazza, Dunn

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Here are some miscellaneous happenings around baseball that weren’t worthy of individual posts…

  • The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the Padres might release starter David Wells this week.  Boomer earns about $175K per additional start, which needn’t continue the way he’s pitching.  He’s tossed up a lot of seven earned run performances lately.  Wells would probably retire if released, though it would be fun to see him hook on with the Dodgers.
  • The Yankees designated ageless LOOGY Mike Myers for assignment on Monday.  That leaves Ron Villone as the only southpaw currently in the bullpen.  Phenom pitcher Joba Chamberlain might join the team today;  the Yankees hope he’ll be their K-Rod.  But they have to make the playoffs first (Baseball Prospectus puts their playoff odds at 55-65% currently).
  • The Indians signed Russell Branyan to a minor-league contract.  He still might be able to provide some pop off the bench against righties.
  • Yes, Mike Piazza passed through waivers.  But he also has a gentleman’s agreement with Billy Beane about accomodating his wishes if Beane trades him.  And one of those wishes might be to avoid Minnesota.
  • The Reds plan to either exercise Adam Dunn’s option and then trade him in the offseason, or else just not exercise the option.  Dunn might command a Carlos Lee-sized free agent deal.  One added wrinkle: Dunn would gain full no-trade protection until June 15th if the Reds pick up the option.

Diamondbacks Sign Byrnes To Extension

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According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks have reached an accord with outfielder Eric Byrnes in the $30MM over three years.  Piecoro believes that the fallout of the deal will be a trade of right fielder Carlos Quentin.

Byrnes, 31, can play all three outfield positions.  He’s having the best season of his career, hitting .303/.365/.497 while shuffling between the first four spots in the batting order.  Long-term, it looks like the Diamondbacks plan on using Byrnes in left field, Chris Young in center, and Justin Upton in right.  It’s possible Young and Upton will swap positions, but you really can’t go wrong either way.

Was Byrnes worth it?  PECOTA would say no, instead valuing Byrnes closer to the Diamondbacks’ original offer of $22.5MM.  However, Josh Byrnes ultimately decided to spend the extra $7.5MM to retain one of the team’s veteran leaders and popular players.  And 3/30 is undoubtedly a below-market deal given that Juan Pierre and Gary Matthews Jr. each got five years.

The 2008 free agent list is now one outfielder lighter.  Center field options remain plentiful though.  As for Quentin, the Nationals and White Sox have been mentioned in the past.  The Byrnes extension might clear a path for Kenny Williams to make a deal this winter.

Erik Bedard’s Long-Term Future

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According to that lovable Baseball Prospectus stat, VORP, Erik Bedard and Mark Buehrle are in a dead heat for the second best performance by an American League pitcher to date.  Dan Haren still maintains the lead.  Haren also heads up ESPN’s Cy Young predictor, but that’s where the rankings deviate.  John Lackey, Josh Beckett, C.C. Sabathia, and J.J. Putz all rank ahead of Bedard for the Cy Young based on ESPN’s model.  VORP and awards voting are two very different things.

But Bedard has won his last eight decisions, and could move up the rankings quickly.  Bedard’s age 28 breakout season has included major improvements in all of his peripheral stats, especially his strikeout rate.  He’s not due for free agency until after the 2009 season, and earns only $3.4MM this year.  Sometime last year, the Orioles offered Bedard a four-year extension worth less than $20MM.  That would’ve bought out one year of free agency.  Of course, Bedard passed. 

The price since has gone up drastically, and will continue rising if Bedard can log several 200 inning seasons.  You have to think he’ll take his big shot at free agency when he’s at his peak value.  And he wouldn’t be in the $14MM hometown discount Mark Buehrle range.  I think he’d be up at in the $18MM Zito/Zambrano range, and that would be if he reached free agency this winter.  Imagine how things will be when two more winters pass.  We can barely picture it.  I can see Bedard getting a massive deal at  $22MM per.  The Blue Jays might be a fit.

Cubs Considering Outfielders

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Multiple readers have emailed me about a radio report on WSCR 670 The Score out of Chicago today. According to the report, the Cubs are considering multiple trade possibilities to fill the monthlog gap left by Alfonso Soriano’s quad injury.  On the radar: Craig Monroe, Matt Stairs, Jeff Conine, and Adam Dunn.  Additionally, Cubs GM Jim Hendry came out and said today that he’s working the phones to find some help.

Contract situations of each player:

Monroe – $1.5MM left in ’07, should earn $5MM+ in ’08 before reaching free agency
Stairs – $267K left in ’07, free agent after season
Conine – $630K left in ’07, free agent after season
Dunn – $3.3MM left in ’07, free agent after season if traded

Monroe is the right-handed Jacque Jones, contract situation and all.  He’d be a poor and mildly expensive addition.  He’d probably clear waivers.

Stairs is doing what he does best, mashing righties.  He’s having his best season since 2003.  He’s not earning much and has no ’08 commitment.  He played for the Cubs in ’01 and did a decent job. The problem?  He might be claimed off waivers before he gets to the Cubs.  Jim Hendry really should’ve made this deal in July.  Every AL team will have a crack at him first on waivers.  Plus the Jays might fancy themselves contenders at six games out of the wild card. 

Conine is on the last leg of his career and doesn’t really offer anything Matt Murton doesn’t.  I don’t really see the point but this pickup seems most likely.

Dunn is the most intriguing and also by far the least likely option here.  The Cubs would have to give up some good players and pay out a decent chunk of salary for less than two months of Dunn.  They’d also have to do something ugly like put him in right field when Soriano comes back.  I don’t see this happening. 

2008 MLB Free Agents: Ramon Castro

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One name not originally on my list of free agent catchers this winter was the Mets’ Ramon Castro.  I didn’t view him as a potential starter.  But with nine homers in 124 ABs for the Mets this year, Castro could move to the front of a weak class of catchers.  Assuming Jorge Posada and Ivan Rodriguez never hit the open market, that leaves Castro, Michael Barrett, Paul Lo Duca, and Jason Kendall.  Let’s take a closer look at Castro.

Castro was picked 17th overall by the Astros in the 1994 draft.  A couple of other backstops went a few picks before him – Jason Varitek and Paul Konerko.  Castro was a 22 year-old with a .759 OPS at Double A back in 1998 when the Astros decided to trade him to Florida for reliever Jay Powell.  Powell was very solid for Houston, a team that won the NL Central easily that year. 

Castro spent most of ’99 in Triple A, posting a .757 OPS with decent power.  Florida’s "Catcher of the Future" was recalled in August and got his feet wet with 67 ABs that year.

He seemed on the inside track to split catching duties with Mike Redmond in March of 2000.  However, the Marlins chose to keep Sandy Martinez and send Castro back to Triple A to start the season.  This time, Castro mashed Triple A pitching – .335/.380/.628 – and made the All-Star team.  The Marlins called him up in late July.  He became the team’s #1 catcher, but didn’t hit.

Not comfortable with Castro as their starter anymore, the Marlins went out and signed Charles Johnson for the 2001 season.  Though Castro was out of options, the Marlins sent him to Triple A in April and he surprisingly cleared waivers.  Still only 25, Castro again posted an OPS over 1.000 at Triple A.  Teams started calling Dave Dombrowski, interested in making a deal.  Castro earned only a September call-up in ’01.  The Blue Jays expressed interest that winter, but Castro stayed put.

Castro seemed certain to be traded heading into 2002, but an injury to Johnson opened the door for him to begin the season with the Marlins.  An elbow issue surfaced in May, but Dr. James Andrews deemed it a sprain and Castro was back by mid-June.  Castro received only 101 ABs that year, but did begin to show some power with a .455 SLG.

Heading into 2003, the Marlins still didn’t have faith in Castro so they signed Ivan Rodriguez to a one-year deal.  Good idea.  Castro stuck in the Majors most of the year but got only 53 ABs as the third catcher. 

Then in late August of ’03, Castro was arrested on a rape charge.  A few days later he posted bond and rejoined the Marlins, declaring his innocence.  His hearing was postponed, but the Fish didn’t put him on the playoff roster.  Prior to the hearing, Castro signed a one-year, $400K deal for 2004 with the Marlins.  He entered a not-guilty plea as the trial was pushed back to October of ’04.  Most of the playing time went to Mike Redmond that year, and Castro hit the DL in June with an inflamed toe.  Mike Lowell suggested that the impending trial contributed to Castro’s .135/.231/.260 line in 2004.

Assigned to Triple A in October, Castro opted for free agency instead.  As for the trial, the charge was reduced to misdemeanor indecent assault and Castro plead no-contest.  The plea did not acknowledge wrongdoing.  Castro was sentenced to a year of probation.

In December of 2004, new Mets GM Omar Minaya signed Castro to a minor-league deal.  He spent some time on the DL for a sprained quad, but still racked up a career-high 209 ABs as Mike Piazza’s backup.  He posted a decent .756 OPS.

The Mets signed Castro to an $800K deal for ’06, but a strained rib cage caused him to miss time.  While rehabbing that, he tore his medial meniscus and needed surgery.  He finally made it back at the end of September, but it was a lost year.

Castro signed for $850K last winter to again serve as Paul Lo Duca’s backup.  Lo Duca hasn’t been healthy or hitting, and Castro’s having his best season with an .889 OPS. 

In 119 games as a Met, Castro has a .255/.324/.455 line with 21 HR in 459 ABs.  One has to wonder if he could do that in a single season.  If so, he’d be one of the better catchers available.  In the past, Castro has shown the ability to throw out 30%+ of would-be basestealers.  However, he’s nailed just two of 25 this year.  Mets fans – what’s up with that?

Teams like the Devil Rays, Mets, Cubs, Astros, and Padres may all be looking for catchers this winter.  Castro should get consideration as a regular, and might be a decent buy at two years, $8MM or so.

Multiple Teams Looking At Kielty

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UPDATE: The Red Sox signed Kielty.

Bobby Kielty is a 31 year-old switch-hitting outfielder.  He can typically draw a few walks and hit lefties.  He can handle the corner outfield positions but hasn’t played center with any regularity since 2002.  Kielty is a free agent now after being released by the A’s.

According to the Boston Herald, Kielty is receiving interest from the Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Astros.  The Herald mentions Kielty’s ties to New England, while the San Francisco Chronicle considers him the favorite.  Question: why would the Astros be interested?

Edmonds Would Waive No-Trade Rights

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Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds has the right to veto any deal as a 10-and-5 player.  And while the Cardinals have never asked him to approve a deal, he said recently that he’d be open-minded if the team wanted to move him.

Edmonds makes another $3.66MM this year, plus $8MM in 2008.  Some of this year’s salary is deferred without interest until 2010-19, making it even better.  I have to admit I liked the two-year $19MM pact when it was signed in November of 2006.  But the Cardinals did have the choice of simply exercising Edmonds’ $10MM option for ’07 instead of extending him through ’08.

Would Edmonds pass through waivers?  Probably.  He hasn’t shown that he’s able to stay healthy and find a rhythm at age 37.  While his salary for next year isn’t too bad, it still might be a waste of money.  Not that the Cardinals would ever help the Cubs, but an Edmonds acquisition would make some sense right now.   

Olney: Tejada, Piazza Put On Waivers

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ESPN’s Buster Olney has some waiver activity for us this evening.  Keep in mind that many, many players are put on waivers; there’s no risk for a team in doing so.

Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada was placed on waivers, and the White Sox made a claim.  Olney simply says that the two sides "did not work out a deal," but doesn’t say whether they negotiated.  The Sox have had their eye on Tejada for a while; they had talks with the Orioles about him back in December of 2005.  Olney says the Orioles will now keep Tejada for at least the rest of the season.  There’s no real rush for the Orioles; they can get more teams involved during the winter meetings.

Tejada makes another $3.85MM this year plus $13MM in each of the 2008 and 2009 seasons.  He’s also owed $4MM in signing bonus money spread over those last two seasons.  So, $33.85MM for 2.32 seasons.  That’s an average annual value of about $14.6MM.  He’d certainly create some much-needed excitement on the south side of Chicago.

Olney also adds that Mike Piazza passed through waivers without being claimed.  Any team in baseball could’ve had Piazza if willing to pay the remaining $2.6MM on his contract.  Instead, the A’s will try to work out a trade and would most likely have to assume some of Piazza’s salary.  The Twins, Angels, and Mariners seem to be the main possibilities.    

Zambrano Wants To Sign With Cubs

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Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano says he’s ready to sign; the Cubs just need to put a reasonable contract offer in front of him.  He’d sacrifice the chance to hit the open market after the season.  It appears that five years and $90MM would get the job done.  Zambrano would be likely to exceed Barry Zito’s 7/126 on the open market, so this is a discount.  He’d still be the highest-paid Cub. 

Back in April, it was five years, $80MM.  The Cubs have cost themselves $10MM by waiting, and that amount will continue to increase if Zambrano finishes strong and/or actually gets to free agency.

Zambrano has bounced back from a lousy start, and now his numbers are in line with career marks.  I have to admit that in May I suggested that even 5/80 was a bad idea for the Cubs.  Has Zambrano’s performance since then changed my mind?  It certainly makes the decision tougher.  I don’t have a good answer here; it depends on what the Cubs would do with the money if they let Z walk.      

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