Red Sox, Wakefield Finalize Two-Year Contract
6:23pm: Full details of Wakefield's contract are here, courtesy of Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
4:29pm: The team has confirmed the signing, according to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi. Bradford, meanwhile, has some quotes from Wakefield, who admitted to being a little disappointed that they wanted to cut his guarantee, "but in the long run they’re at least guaranteeing me another year.”
1:48pm: Bradford confirmed in an email that the deal has been finalized.
1:28pm: WEEI.com's Rob Bradford says the new deal will guarantee Wakefield $5MM ($3.5MM in 2010, $1.5MM in 2011), with incentives that could push the total value of the deal up to $7MM.
1:26pm: The Red Sox have held (and exercised) a perpetual $4MM option for knuckleballer Tim Wakefield since 2005, but now Tony Massarotti of The Boston Globe reports that the two sides are renegotiating the deal after Wakefield had surgery to remove disc fragments from his back.
Massarotti says the two sides are close to an agreement on a two-year deal with a lower base salary, but incentives that will give Wakefield the chance to earn the same money if he stays healthy. The 43-year-old has made 20+ starts for the Sox for the last seven years, and he's just 17 wins behind Roger Clemens and Cy Young for the franchise record of 192 wins.
Crasnick Polls Baseball Executives
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com has a fascinating piece up discussing how various baseball executives view the emerging free agent and trade market. Among those polled:
- Of 20 executives, 11 would want Matt Holliday, nine Jason Bay if money or length of deal were not an issue. Despite Holliday being younger, better defensively and having a better career OPS, Bay's success in the pressure cooker of Boston swayed a large number of executives.
- For John Lackey's destination, eight believe it will be the Yankees, four the Mets, three the Angels, and the Dodgers, Astros, Orioles and Brewers getting one vote apiece. One executive abstained. Prices ranged from three years, $36MM to six years, $100MM.
- Andy Pettitte is the overwhelming choice of the Yankees' free agents to return, while one executive thinks it will be both Pettitte and Johnny Damon. Just two of twenty executives think World Series MVP Hideki Matsui will be back in The Bronx.
The entire piece is well worth your time.
Giants Advise Winn To Seek Employment Elsewhere
According to Andrew Baggarly of The Mercury News, the Giants called Randy Winn's agent to thank him for his services, then informed him to seek employment elsewhere because they have a number of young outfielders.
Craig Landis, Winn's agent, said his client is looking for an everyday job, and "believes he’d be a good fit on a team that is looking to add athleticism to a lineup that already has plenty of power production." The 35-year-old hit .262/.318/.353 in 597 plate appearances this year, and his defense in the outfield checked in at a stellar +20.1 UZR/150.
Odds & Ends: Gonzalez, Halladay, Pettitte, Snyder
Here's some more links on a busy first day at the GM meetings…
- WEEI.com's Alex Speier writes that when Jed Hoyer took over as GM of the Padres, it only made it tougher for the Red Sox to pull off a deal for Adrian Gonzalez. “He knows all my tricks, and I know his,” said Theo Epstein of Hoyer.
- Meanwhile, WEEI.com's Rob Bradford reports that Roy Halladay has identified the Red Sox as a team he'd be willing to accept a trade to. Doc has a full no-trade clause.
- Andy Pettitte has apparently told his Yankee teammates that he'd like to come back for one more year, though there's been no definitive word according to SI.com's Jon Heyman. GM Brian Cashman said he expects the team to be more "cautious than anxious" this offseason, and that he plans to go slow, even with their own free agents according to Joel Sherman of The NY Post.
- Mets' GM Omar Minaya "has told several of his friends in the industry that he badly wants to add a run-producing bat at either first base and/or left field," according to Sherman.
- MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports that Chris Snyder confirmed there has not been a setback in his rehab from back surgery. The Blue Jays nixed a potential Snyder for Lyle Overbay swap over the weekend over concerns about the catcher's back.
- The Orioles claimed righthander Armando Gabino off waivers from the Twins, according to Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune. Meanwhile, a team press release says the Rays claimed righty Ramon Ramirez off waivers from the Reds.
- FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi report that Melvin Mora is working out at other positions to increase his versatility and up his value as a free agent.
- Dave Cameron of FanGraphs compared Jason Bay to Mike Cameron, and determines that the latter is a better value.
- Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts breaks down some Chad Billingsley rumors.
Mariner Musings: Lackey, Washburn, Bedard, Branyan
Earlier today we learned that Mariners' GM Jack Zduriencik is looking forward to having Felix Hernandez around for the next two years, but the rumors don't stop there…
- ESPN's Buster Olney writes that the Mariners are a sleeper in the John Lackey sweepstakes.
- Larry LaRue of The News Tribune says the Mariners have interest in bringing Jarrod Washburn and Erik Bedard back, but they won't overpay.
- MLB.com's Jim Street reports that Russell Branyan's back is feeling good, and he hopes to return to the Emerald City
- Mark Feinsand of The NY Daily News basically got a "no comment" out of Zduriencik when he was asked if he'd have interest in bringing Hideki Matsui to Seattle.
Rays Pick Up Crawford’s Option, Decline Options On Zaun and Shouse
2:47pm: The team picked up Crawford's option, but declined Zaun's and Shouse's according to Smith. Zaun will received a $500K buyout, Shouse $200K.
11:35pm: The Rays have three player options they must make decisions about in the not too distant future, and Joe Smith of The St. Petersburg Times reports that those decisions may come as soon as today.
Carl Crawford's $10MM option appears likely to be picked up according to Smith, but he says "an even bigger question is whether Crawford and the Rays can come to an agreement on an extension during the offseason." The longest tenured Ray has already indicated that he's open to signing a long-term extension.
The two other club options of interest belong to Gregg Zaun and Brian Shouse. If Tampa picks up Zaun's $2MM option, he has the right to void it as per a clause in his contract, However, Zaun has already said that he hopes to return to the team in 2010, and $2MM isn't unreasonable for a veteran catcher that can give you a .340 OBP and a .400 SLG.
With the emergence of Randy Choate late last season, Shouse's $1.9MM option might be a little rich for Tampa. Buying him out for $200K seems likely.
2009 Elias Rankings Released
The 2009 Elias Rankings have been released, and Ed Price of AOL FanHouse has a full list of the Type-A and B free agents.
Our 2010 MLB Free Agent list has been updated, and below is a summary of differences between the official rankings, and those projected by Eddie Bajek.
- Chone Figgins qualifies as a Type-A, not a Type-B as projected.
- Vladimir Guerrero qualifies as a Type-B, not a Type-A as projected.
- Gregg Zaun goes from no compensation to Type-B.
- Jerry Hairston Jr. goes from Type-B to no compensation.
- Hideki Matsui goes from Type-B to no compensation.
- Aubrey Huff goes from Type-B to no compensation.
If you're not sure how free agent compensation works, or if you just forgot, make sure you check out our primer.
Marlins Rumors: Uggla, Ross, Cantu, Johnson
Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post has some Marlins rumors for us today…
- The front office will explore options for trading some of their 11 arbitration eligible players at the GM meetings this week. They already moved one in Jeremy Hermida over the weekend.
- Capozzi writes that there are "indications" that Dan Uggla will be traded by next month's winter meetings. The 29-year-old pounds out 30+ homer seasons like they're going out of style, but he made $5.35MM in just his first year of arbitration in 2009.
- Cody Ross is expected back after earning $2.225MM in his first year of arbitration.
- Capozzi says it's "a 50-50 split" as to whether Jorge Cantu stays or not. He earned $3.5MM in 2009 and can become a free agent next offseason.
- The Marlins aren't going to increase payroll much from last season, if they do at all.
- The team is preparing a multi-year offer for ace Josh Johnson.
Heyman’s Latest: Holliday, Lackey, Bay, Trades
Jon Heyman has a new column up at SI.com, so let's dive on in…
- Scott Boras said on Sunday that the Cardinals have not made any proposals in an effort to retain Matt Holliday, and Heyman says "the chances for Holliday to remain a Cardinal look slim at this point."
- A source familiar with the situation said the Angels offered John Lackey an extension earlier this year worth less than $40MM over three years on top of 2009's $10MM salary, so if they wish to re-sign him now, they'll have to completely rethink their original stance.
- The Red Sox are trying to bring Jason Bay back on a four year, $60MM deal, though his agent maintains that Bay is the "most complete player on the market."
- The Mets, Giants, Braves, Cubs, Mariners, and Yankees could also be interested in Holliday and/or Bay.
- The Mets are believed to have Holliday higher on their wish list than Bay, and are also expected to pursue Randy Wolf.
- There is speculation that Lackey would like to pitch at home in Texas, but the Rangers' interest might depend on how quickly their sale is resolved.
- Heyman says that "MLB has set a tentative Thanksgiving deadline for the sale of the Rangers, but the price tag is expected to be in the $500 million range, and in cases of such big money there are no guarantees that things will go quickly."
- Roy Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Bobby Jenks, Dan Uggla, and Milton Bradley should highlight a star studded trade market.
- Halladay seems like a good bet to be moved, while the Red Sox and Dodgers represent possible suitors for Gonzalez.
- Tampa has a replacement for Crawford in top prospect Desmond Jennings, while Jenks and Uggla would be moved in cost cutting deals.
- Teams will certainly inquire on the availability of Felix Hernandez, but Heyman says the team plans to spend the winter trying to lock him up long-term. At the GM Meetings today, GM Jack Zduriencik said "Felix is our property. We're going to have him the next two years."
- The Yankees have started to think about re-signing both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui.
- Both the Brewers and Mariners are expected to have interest in Jarrod Washburn.
- If the Angels don't re-sign Chone Figgins, they are expected to pursue Adrian Beltre to fill their third base hole.
- The Rangers will let Hank Blalock walk as a free agent, and are expected to promote top prospect Justin Smoak next year.
- Orlando Hudson is expected to leave the Dodgers as a free agent, though Heyman says they could re-sign Ronnie Belliard to compete with Blake DeWitt at second base.
- Team officials would not be shocked if the Red Sox tried to move David Ortiz and/or Mike Lowell, though it's going to be tough to move them with all the DH-types available on the free agent market.
Red Sox Pick Up Victor Martinez’s Option
No surprise here, though now it's official: The Red Sox have exercised their $7.1MM option for Victor Martinez according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe. This was about as much of a no-brainer as they come.
The 30-year-old Martinez hit .303/.381/.480 this season, .336/.405/.507 after coming to Boston at the trade deadline. He split his time in the field almost equally between catcher and first base, and FanGraphs values V-Mart's 2009 production at $21.9MM.