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Archives for October 2008

Week In Review: 9/28 – 10/4

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Let’s take a look at the last week in MLB Trade Rumors.

Griffey Wants To Play Three More Years?

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From Pat Borzi of the New York Times:

Ken Griffey Jr., whose nine-year, $116.5 million contract expires after this season, told Chicago writers that he wants to play three more years.

I can’t find any reference to this in the Chicago papers, oddly.  Griffey, 39 in November, hit .249/.353/.424 in 575 plate appearances this year.  He might be a reasonable signing on a one-year deal at less than $10MM, to fill a DH spot.  But would Junior be amenable to any of those conditions? 

Offseason Outlook: Florida Marlins

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The Marlins are next in our Offseason Outlook series.  Here’s a look at the 2009 commitments.  By the way, comments and additional information are always welcome; I usually tweak these posts.

C – John Baker – $400K
C – Matt Treanor – $705K+
1B – Mike Jacobs – $400K+
2B – Dan Uggla – $417K+
SS – Hanley Ramirez – $5.5MM
3B – Jorge Cantu – $500K+
IF – Wes Helms – $950K
IF – Robert Andino – $400K
LF – Josh Willingham – $405K+
CF – Cody Ross – $400K+
RF – Jeremy Hermida – $400K+
OF – Alfredo Amezaga – $945K+
OF – Brett Carroll – $400K

SP – Ricky Nolasco – $400K+
SP – Josh Johnson – $400K
SP – Scott Olsen – $405K+
SP – Chris Volstad – $400K
SP – Andrew Miller – $1.35MM

RP – Kevin Gregg – $2.5MM+
RP – Matt Lindstrom – $400K
RP – Joe Nelson – $400K+
RP – Renyel Pinto – $400K
RP – Doug Waechter – $410K+
RP – Logan Kensing – $400K+
RP – Eulogio de la Cruz – $400K+

This team has about $20MM committed, but that’s before more than half the roster heads to arbitration.  Management won’t keep this team intact, though.

The Marlins are one of the intriguing storylines of the upcoming offseason.  The general sense is that they’ll shop Jacobs, Uggla, Willingham, Hermida, Olsen, and Gregg.  Those hitters accounted for more than a third of the team’s plate appearances this year.  The Marlins want to rebuild the team based on pitching, speed, and defense for ’09.

Greg Cote’s article indicates the Marlins may look to bring in a corner outfielder with speed and strong defense, using internal options for the new-look infield.  There’s been no indication he’s available, but could the Marlins inquire on Carl Crawford?  A more reasonable target could be San Francisco’s Randy Winn (either one would become the team’s highest-paid player, however).

The Marlins also figure to be in the market for young, affordable starting pitching.  I’m guessing they’ll target hard-throwing top prospects, perhaps with little or no MLB experience.  The Rockies have several pitchers who fit the bill.  You have to figure the Marlins call up the Giants as well.  With so many trade candidates, the Marlins’ suite should be hopping at the Winter Meetings in Vegas this year.

Yankees Eyeing Peavy?

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There’s a lot being made of the Yankees signing CC Sabathia, but as Ken Davidoff of Newsday.com asks, "Whom would you rather have? CC Sabathia for six years and $150 million? Or Jake Peavy for four years and $63 million?"  Buster Olney reported on this possibility recently. Davidoff reports:

"Peavy’s agent, Barry Axelrod, who lives in the San Diego area and is very friendly with Towers, said: "My guess is, unless somebody knocks their socks off this offseason, I don’t expect that Jake will be moved. I would think that starting the middle of next year and into the next offseason, there could be a significant possibility of Jake being moved" because of Peavy’s significant raise from 2009 to 2010."

Peavy would need to approve a trade and it’s not sure thing he’d want to go to New York. On whether, Peavy is seeking a trade at all, Davidoff quotes Peavy:

"’I want to be here, but I want to be here with a chance to win a World Series. If someone says, ’Hey, we’re going to rebuild, that’s not going to be our top priority,’ you certainly would wonder what your other options are.’"

Olney’s Latest: Sabathia, Ellis, Embree, Giles

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Buster Olney brings the rumors:

  • If the Yankees want CC Sabathia, they will not lose in any bidding war now that a new ballpark puts them in the position to "throw unlimited dollars" at CC. Unless CC wants to play in the NL, or avoid the media circus of New York City, Olney seems convinced the Yankees will land him.
  • The A’s have begun contract negotiations with Mark Ellis. No details yet.
  • Before the trade deadline, no teams expressed interest in Alan Embree and his $2.25MM salary. This could indicate that the A’s will not pick up his $3MM option. The 38 year old lefthander struggled with a 4.96 ERA this season.
  • The Padres are going to pick up Brian Giles $9MM option at the deadline, shortly after the World Series, rather than buy him out for $3MM. This was expected.

Fukudome Is Just A Rookie

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While Japanese players are eligible for Rookie of the Year honors, they often come with much higher expectations than rookies. As evidence, scapegoat-du-jour Kosuke Fukudome has 3 years, $38MM left on his contract. That is a large commitment to a first year player who struggled more like a traditional rookie than delivering like a high-profile Japanese import.

Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune says what to do with Fukudome is at the top of the Cubs offseason to do list. Says Rogers,

"According to scouts, Fukudome would have no value if Hendry tried to shop him. He isn’t going to go back quietly and resume his career with the Chunichi Dragons, walking away from his deal with the Cubs. That would send a terrible signal as teams around the majors become more aggressive in pursuing players from Asia. One scout interviewed Saturday suggested a course of action that could be tough to swallow.

’He has to go to the minors,’ the scout said. ’He has to get rid of all those habits, pulling out on pitches, collapsing. He’ll never hit the way he’s hitting now, and this is a tough place to work out your problems. Always has been.’"

Here we find the expected risk associated with giving large contracts to unproven commodities. It’s obvious Fukudome needs to make adjustments to big league pitching; however, his contract prevents the club from treating him as they should: like a rookie.

Fukudome put up .257-.359-.379 with 10 homeruns, 25 doubles, and an underwhelming 58 RBI. With a career OBP just under .400 in Japan, disappointment lies primarily in his .359 OBP and the inability to adjust and remain the tablesetter he was in May. Fukudome finished with a stat line less than that of a $12.5MM player and more akin to a rookie. As Rogers points out, Jim Hendry might need to treat him like one.

Edmonds Considers Retirement

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Jim Edmonds is mulling over retirement, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun Times. The 39 year old is not complaining of breaking down physically and was a starter on the Cubs postseason roster so it’s evident the guy can still play. Still, as many-a-ballplayer considers at his age, Edmonds says, "I’m just trying to figure out what I want to do, what’s best for my family.”

While Edmonds admitted to "soaking it in" during his final games, Wittenmyer writes:

"The Cubs are expected to leave the door open for Edmonds to return but won’t break the bank to keep him off the free-agent market. Whether he returns to Chicago could come down to whether another team goes after him hard, whether a team closer to his Southern California home pursues him or whether he decides to retire."

There are 18 reasons to expect Edmonds to return. Needing only that many homeruns to reach the 400 mark, Edmonds should be motivated to find a full time role with a club this offseason. The outfielder made $8MM with the Cubs this season and while that amount could come down a notch, if Edmonds is healthy and motivated to put up another 20 homerun season then he should find plenty of interest.

Abreu Wants At Least Three Years

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According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, right fielder Bobby Abreu wants at least a three-year contract as he heads toward free agency for the first time in his career.

Abreu prefers to remain with the Yankees, but he does not want a one-year deal.  He certainly wouldn’t have to settle for that on the open market.  The general consensus is that the Yanks will offer Abreu arbitration and be content with compensatory draft picks if and when he turns it down.

Abreu, 34, hit .296/.371/.471 in 684 plate appearances this year.  The average AL right fielder hit .282/.351/.459.  Abreu’s defense rates poorly; he cost the Yankees 24 bases (16 plays) compared to the average right fielder this year.  Franklin Gutierrez led right fielders by saving 29 bases above average.

Speculative possible suitors for Abreu this winter: the Rays, Royals, Braves, Mets, Cubs, and Reds.

Speculating On The Yankees: McLouth and Lowe

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The New York Post and Daily News are providing us with some ideas on what’s being considered by the front office in the Bronx this off-season.

George A. King III of the Post writes that the Yankees and Pirates have not yet discussed the possibility of Nate McLouth roaming center field when the new Stadium opens in 2009.

Pirates GM Neal Huntington has declared nobody is untouchable, and the Pirates are looking to upgrade a poor minor league system and major league talent base, so McLouth’s name has been tossed around. The Yankees are in the market for a center fielder.

Thanks to increased playing time, McLouth easily surpassed his previous career highs in HR, RBI, R, and doubles this year, but it also doesn’t appear to have been a fluke. He’s always been able to take a walk and his increased power (career high .497 SLG%) seems sustainable considering his age (will be 27 on Opening Day ’09). Although I don’t think that he’s as strong defensively as Melky Cabrera has been, he’s definitely an offensive upgrade.

Next, the Daily News’ Anthony McCarron wonders if Derek Lowe might be in pinstripes next year. Yankees manager Joe Girardi has stated that the team needs some pitchers capable of throwing 200-plus innings, and McCarron thinks that the 35-year old righty fits the bill.

Lowe is just the kind of pitcher the Yankees want to insert into their rotation – a durable winner with a playoff pedigree.

I suppose a lot of this will depend on what Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte decide to do. If those two retire or leave via free agency, the Yankees will have a very young rotation as of right now. Do the Yankees need a guy like Lowe, an aging Boras client coming off one of the best seasons of his twelve-year career?

Paul Moro writes for UmpBump.com and can be reached here: Paul {at} umpbump {dot} com.

Odds And Ends: Cardinals, Astros, K-Rod

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Links for Saturday…

  • It doesn’t sound like Jon Daniels has autonomy in Texas.
  • Ian Hunter of Country 103.9 in Ontario recently talked to MLBTR about the Blue Jays. Click here to download the mp3.
  • Reds GM Walt Jocketty has talked to three or four of the Reds’ nine free agents.  John Fay speculates those players are David Weathers, Jerry Hairston Jr., Mike Lincoln, and Jeremy Affeldt.
  • The Padres’ grievance against shortstop Khalil Greene won’t be heard until spring.  The case of Doyle Alexander may be a precedent; the Yankees were not able to recover any money after Alexander broke a knuckle by attacking a dugout wall in ’82.
  • Matthew Leach of MLB.com takes a look at the Redbirds’ upcoming offseason.  Leach estimates that after all the contract and arbitration items are settled, the Cards will have around $25MM to look for a middle infielder, a middle reliever, and perhaps a new closer or #4 or #5 type slugger.
  • Likewise, earlier this week Astros MLB.com beat writer Alyson Footer reported on GM Ed Wade’s offseason plans. Wade is expected to make some tweaks to the roster, but it’s unlikely he’ll make any major moves. Footer suggests the Astros could look for a couple of rotation arms, and speculates on the possibility of signing Ben Sheets.
  • The O.C. Register’s Mark Whicker doesn’t see Francisco Rodriguez coming back to the Angels.

Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com and can be reached here: alexo05 {at} umpbump {dot} com.  Tim Dierkes also contributed to this post.

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