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Archives for January 2008

Betancourt Signs Multiyear Deal

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UPDATE, 1-23-08 at 10:43am: According to MLB.com, Betancourt has signed a two-year deal with an option for 2010.

FROM 1-22-08 at 10:51am:

Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt recently asked for a $2.5MM salary, while the Indians submitted a $1.75MM figure.  A multiyear deal is a possibility; we should know soon.

Betancourt has four years of service time, so a three-year deal would buy out one year of free agency.  We discussed this in early December, and commenters noted that the possibility of saves for Betancourt could complicate the contract.  It’s funny how a dominant setup man can earn significantly less than a mediocre closer.

Odds and Ends: Cano, Colon, Lowry

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Here are some links I’ve rounded up this morning.

  • In theory, Robinson Cano would be open to a long-term deal. River Ave. Blues recently took a look at how historically good Cano has been so far, and suggest the Yankees lowballed him with their arbitration submission.
  • Baseball Prospectus’ Derek Jacques saw Bartolo Colon pitch in the Dominican League Finals, and lends his evaluation.  Colon was not impressive, but not terrible.  It doesn’t seem like he will get the two-year deal he wants.
  • The Brewers will bring Abraham Nunez to camp.  Versatile, but a drain on offense.
  • Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune notes that the White Sox aren’t done yet.  The Joe Crede situation should linger into spring.  Gonzales also mentions that the Giants are "listening to offers for Noah Lowry."
  • A factual look at whether Omar Minaya really stockpiles Latin American players.
  • The Astros can’t settle their gaps with Mark Loretta or Jose Valverde, and Ed Wade expects the team to go to its first arbitration hearings in over a decade.  Wade has set a deadline of this afternoon and will go to hearings otherwise.  Loretta asking for $4.9MM seems particularly off.
  • Matthew Cerrone takes an educated guess on the current Johan Santana situation.
  • Some interesting quotes from XM Radio from Michael Cuddyer and Scott Boras, separately.

Ryan Howard and Arbitration Comparables

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ESPN’s Keith Law has some good info up on his personal blog. I have always wondered about this stuff.  In the post, Law discusses how little sense it makes for the Phillies to pay Ryan Howard more than his service time calls for.  But also in the comments Law explains which players Howard’s agent can compare him to for an arbitration hearing. 

Law says:

For comparison purposes, a player may be compared to players in the same “service class” in the current year or in prior years, and third- and fourth-time eligibles may be compared to free agents who have signed in the current year or in prior years. Single-year salaries are more powerful comparisons than multi-year deals, since the individual salaries within a multi-year deal may be skewed due to bonuses, backloading, or other factors.

Law notes that Howard’s comp could be Miguel Cabrera, who made $7.4MM last year.  Howard logically deserves more than that based on a stat comparison, making the Phillies’ $7MM submission seem low.

2008 MLB Free Agents

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Presenting…your 2008 free agent class.

I’ve categorized them by position; the player’s 2008 age is in parentheses.  Also Type A or B status is included; otherwise there’s no compensation.  If I saw someone as a possibility at more than one position I put them at both.  I’ll keep this post updated throughout the offseason and make it a permanent sidebar link.

Updated 2-22-08

Catchers
No starters available.

First basemen
No starters available.

Second basemen
No starters available.

Shortstops
No starters available.

Third basemen
Corey Koskie (35)

Left fielders
Barry Bonds (43) – Type A
Reggie Sanders (40)
Shannon Stewart (34) – Type B

Center fielders
Kenny Lofton (41) – Type B
Corey Patterson (28)

Right fielders
Shawn Green (35) – Type B
Reggie Sanders (40)

DHs
Barry Bonds (43) – Type A
Mike Piazza (39) – Type B
Sammy Sosa (39)

Starting pitchers
Roger Clemens (45)
Bartolo Colon (35)
Freddy Garcia (32) – Type B
Kyle Lohse (29)
Rodrigo Lopez (32)
Eric Milton (32)
Russ Ortiz (34)
John Thomson (34)
Jeff Weaver (31)
David Wells (45)

Closers
Armando Benitez (35)
Bob Wickman (39)

Middle relievers
Antonio Alfonseca (36)
Jose Mesa (42)
Akinori Otsuka (36)
Aaron Sele (38)

Odds and Ends: Howard, Aardsma, Odalis

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Here we go, another random collection of links.

  • The Red Sox inked a couple of former closers to minor league deals: Dan Kolb and Dan Miceli.  No need to run out and pick them up for your fantasy team.  I think Papelbon is secure.
  • Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says the Red Sox are hunting for a lefty bench bat.  Tony Clark emailed him to say he’d love a return to Boston, but Cafardo says he’s not on the top of the list.  Clark hit .207/.265/.291 for the ’02 Sox.
  • A few comments from Pat Gillick on the Ryan Howard situation.  He says the Phillies are "open to anything."  Gillick also claimed arbitration hearings really aren’t all that contentious.  I guess that could be true, I’ve never been in the room for one.
  • The official acquisition of Octavio Dotel meant the White Sox DFA’d David Aardsma.  Aardsma, 26, has whiffed about a batter per inning over his last two seasons.  He has to have a little bit of trade value.
  • Impacto Deportivo says the Mets will meet with Odalis Perez.  Two left-handed O. Perez’s might confuse opponents, giving the Mets an advantage.  Really though it’s a good idea for Omar to stockpile some arms even if Odalis doesn’t have much left.  One thing’s for sure, he won’t be earning $7.75MM again.  (Hat tip to MetsBlog).
  • Looking for an MLBTR reader forum?  I offer you our Facebook discussion board.

Kevin Towers To Receive Extension

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FROM 1-22-08 at 10:20pm: The new deal for Towers will run through 2010.

FROM 1-22-08 at 2:17pm:

According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, Padres GM Kevin Towers is signed through 2007 with a 2008 club option.  MLB.com’s Corey Brock wrote today that Towers is set to receive an extension this week.

I haven’t done any rankings but I think Towers might be the game’s best GM.  Maybe I’ll do an MLBTR poll on that.

Tulowitzki Signs Extension

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UPDATE, 1-22-08 at 4:29pm: The six-year, $30MM deal runs from 2008-13.  The Rockies have a club option at $15MM for 2014, something they probably hope they’ll get to exercise.

UPDATE, 1-20-08 at 10:54pm: This thing is done, pending a physical.  I am still a little confused because I was told the six-year deal starts with the ’08 season, but Thomas Harding says the option year is for 2013.  If it’s six years and begins with 2008 the seventh-year option should be for 2014.

FROM 1-20-08 at 9:37am:

According to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki are nearing a record six-year, $30MM deal.  This beats Grady Sizemore’s $23.45MM contract as the largest for a player with less than two years of service time.  The deal also has a seventh-year option.

Renck says Tulo would be a Rockie through 2014; it seems like he is counting the option year in that statement.  Seems like a wise move by Colorado; the Indians certainly aren’t regretting Sizemore’s contract.  It’s nice to have cost certainty with your star players. 

Endy Chavez Signs For Two Years

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The AP reports that the Mets signed fourth outfielder Endy Chavez to a two-year deal for $3.85MM.  Chavez will be 30 in February; he’s spent time with the Royals, Nationals, and Phillies.  He has a career line of .271/.311/.375; he missed most of ’07 with injuries.

The Mets have seven outfielders on the roster: Chavez, Moises Alou, Marlon Anderson, Carlos Beltran, Ryan Church, Carlos Gomez, and Angel Pagan.  I’m not sure why Omar Minaya decided to sign Chavez for two years when he seems to have a cheaper version in Pagan.  At any rate I wouldn’t say that locking in Chavez for two years instead of one makes Gomez or Fernando Martinez any more or less likely to be traded. 

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