Week In Review: 11/1/09 – 11/7/09
The first week of November brought us the early stages of the Hot Stove season. Let's take a look at the week that was…
- Minnesota acquired shortstop J.J. Hardy from the Brewers for center fielder Carlos Gomez. There were other suitors for Hardy, including the Cincinnati Reds.
- The Rays traded second baseman Akinori Iwamura to the Pirates for reliever Jesse Chavez. The 26-year-old Chavez is coming off of his rookie season in which his fastball had an average velocity of 94.5 MPH. With this deal, Tampa Bay saved themselves some money and added a promising young arm.
- The Red Sox acquired Jeremy Hermida from the Marlins for two minor league left-handed pitchers. To date, the production of the 25-year-old has been disappointing, considering that he was once Baseball America's fourth best prospect in baseball. Theo Epstein says that he bought low on the young slugger.
- The Angels re-signed Bobby Abreu to a two-year deal worth a guaranteed $19MM. There is a option in place for a third year that could vest depending on his number of plate appearances. The man responsible for the move, GM Tony Reagins, received a new contract of his own.
- Talk of an American League team being interested in Manny Ramirez was shot down rather quickly. Later on in the week, Ramirez exercised his $20MM option for 2010.
- The Royals shipped Mark Teahen and $1MM to the White Sox for Chris Getz and Josh Fields. White Sox GM Ken Williams says that Teahen will play third base and Scott Podsednik is unlikely to return.
- Tim Hudson has yet to ink a highly discussed extension with the Braves. Meanwhile, they signed Joe Torre's favorite reliever, Scott Proctor. The soon-to-be 33-year-old is an insurance policy in the event that the club loses both Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano in free agency.
- Tim's Offseason Outlook series rolled on with glances at the Minnesota Twins and Florida Marlins.
- Ben Nicholson-Smith highlighted the A.J. Pierzynski deal as one of his Trades of the Decade.
- There are plenty more trades to come this winter and Ben will be keeping track of all of them in one handy post.
Nationals Notes: MacDougal, Dukes, Flores
Let's take a look at some Nationals tidbits courtesy of the latest mailbag from MLB.com's Bill Ladson and Phil Wood of MASNsports.com:
- Mike MacDougal is currently the favorite to be the Nats' closer in 2010. In 52 appearances last season, the 32-year-old posted an ERA of 3.60 but had as many walks as he did strikeouts. However, the club could be looking to upgrade as Ladson hears that they are interested in acquiring free agent reliever Mike Gonzalez. If they ink Gonzalez, Ladson sees the two men sharing the closer role.
- Don't expect Washington to make a move for free agent right fielder Jermaine Dye, as Elijah Dukes will be allowed to showcase his potential as the starter.
- The Nationals are not content with Wil Nieves as their starting catcher as they await a clean bill of health for Jesus Flores. Instead, they would like to get a catcher who can play every day in the event that Flores is not ready for Spring Training or Opening Day.
- Wood writes that while it is something of a long shot, the Nationals have the cash available this offseason to sign Rich Harden. While the 27-year-old wouldn't come cheap, he will not require the forfeiture of a draft pick as he is a Type B free agent.
Phillies Decline Option On Pedro Feliz
Scott Lauber of Wilmington News Journal reports that the Phillies have decided not to pick up Pedro Feliz's $5.5MM option. While it remains possible for Feliz to return to the club, Lauber writes that it is unlikely.
In 625 plate appearances this past season, Feliz turned in a slash line of .266/.308/.386, which meant an OPS of .694 – his worst since 2002. Feliz's calling card is his defensive play at third but his UZR/150 of 5.0 – while still above average – was his worst posting since the stat was first monitored in 2002.
With a number of options available on the free-agent market and the trading block, who should the Phillies get to play third base?
Phillies Notes: Lidge, Happ, Feliz
After falling short in their quest to repeat as world champions, Ruben Amaro Jr. & Co. are charged with the task of putting the organization in position to take the crown in 2010. Buster Olney, Baseball Prospectus and the Insider Staff reviewed the Phillies' '09 campaign and discussed what might be in store for them this winter. An Insider subscription is required, but here are some highlights for those without:
- With $11.5MM committed to Brad Lidge in each of the next two seasons, the Phillies are likely to keep him penciled in as their fireman. However, the club could seek out a veteran set-up man who could step into the closer role if "Lights Out" gets lit up again.
- Using J.A. Happ as the centerpiece, the Phillies could have the goods necessary to snare Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays. Halladay, like Cliff Lee, will be a free agent after 2010. Therefore, the Phillies would have to make sure they can keep at least one of the two pitchers before making such a deal.
- If the Phillies choose not to pick up Pedro Feliz's 2010 option, "don't be surprised" if they pursue free agent Adrian Beltre. Olney recently wrote that the 30-year-old third baseman would be a "spectacular fit" for the club. Dan Uggla is also mentioned as someone who could fill the void. Uggla played a less-than-stellar second base this season but could find himself more comfortable at third.
Blue Jays, D’Backs Discussed Snyder For Overbay
SUNDAY, 3:25pm: The Toronto Blue Jays called off the swap because of concerns about Snyder's surgically repaired back, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
2:16pm: In an update to last night's article, Gilbert reports that the deal has been put on hold, according to a Major League source.
SATURDAY, 7:44pm: MLB.com's Steve Gilbert cites a Major League source who says the two sides are "making progress" in their discussions.
12:31pm: Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports that the two teams are discussing a Snyder for Lyle Overbay swap. He mentions that it's "unclear how far along the trade talks are."
10:05am: MLBTR has learned that the Blue Jays and Diamondbacks are in trade talks for catcher Chris Snyder.
Snyder would be a good fit for the Jays, who have catcher Rod Barajas eligible for free agency. The 28-year-old Snyder hit .200/.333/.352 for the D'Backs in a season marred by a back injury (he had surgery in September). Presumably the Blue Jays' doctors would have to check him out before a deal could be completed. The other issue would be money – Snyder is owed $11.25MM over the next two seasons. Snyder received the contract on the strength of his '08 season (.237/.348/.452) but has since lost the starting job to Miguel Montero.
Red Sox Decline Option On Alex Gonzalez
The Red Sox have declined to pick up Alex Gonzalez's $6MM option, writes Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe. However, the club may still have interest in bringing back the 32-year-old on a lesser salary.
Gonzalez posted .284/.316/.453 in 44 games with the BoSox in 2009. Including his play in Cincinnati, Gonzalez turned in a UZR/150 of 10.5. Fangraphs estimates that his total body of work in '09 was worth $2.4MM.
With Gonzalez eligible for free agency, Boston does not have a full-time shortstop on the roster. GM Theo Epstein "all but acknowledged" that Jed Lowrie's injury history has cast doubt on his ability to handle the brunt of the workload.
Trades Of The Decade: Manny To Dodgers, Bay To Red Sox
It's not hard to tell when Manny's unhappy. And a year and a half ago, Manny had had enough. He wanted out of Boston and it wasn't long before he pushed the team's traveling secretary over and told ESPNDeportes "the Red Sox don't deserve a player like me."
So it was hardly surprising that Theo Epstein dealt Manny Ramirez on July 31st, 2008. But it looked as though Manny was headed to the Marlins, so when the Dodgers acquired him in a three-way deal, it was a surprise. The blockbuster was unexpected for a number of reasons; Jason Bay, who would replace Ramirez in front of the Green Monster, was supposed to be headed to the Rays.
Happy or not, Manny was in the midst of a typically productive season when the Red Sox sent him to Hollywood – he was hitting .299/.398/.529 with 20 homers. As Joe Torre told USA Today at the time, it's hard to resist a player like Manny.
"I don't think there's a manager in baseball who wouldn't say they're interested," Torre said.
The Dodgers' interest paid off. Manny finished the year on a tear, hitting close to .400 and reaching base in almost half his plate appearances en route to a 1.232 OPS in the National League.
Jason Bay didn't match those numbers in Boston – who could? – but his OPS approached .900 and the Red Sox made the playoffs. Perhaps most importantly, the Red Sox had a left fielder who could produce without distracting those around him. As a bonus, the Red Sox had Bay under control for just $7.5MM in 2009, whereas Ramirez was set to explore free agency.
Another coup for the Red Sox, but the deal could hardly have worked out better for Ned Colletti's Dodgers. The Red Sox paid Manny the $7MM remaining on his deal as he dominated the NL and charmed Dodgers fans in the process. From the homers, to the jerseys to the wigs, Mannywood took over Chavez Ravine.
Meanwhile, the Pirates acquired four players for Bay. GM Neal Huntington obtained Bryan Morris and Andy LaRoche from Dodgers and the Red Sox added Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss.
Dejan Kovacevic reported this spring that the Pirates had the chance to obtain Cliff Lee, Franklin Gutierrez and Kelly Shoppach from the Indians for Bay and Ronny Paulino before they sent their left fielder to Boston. That would have been a haul to remember, but the Pirates still obtained value for Bay.
LaRoche started to hit last year and he plays a strong third base, according to UZR/150. Moss, Hansen and Morris haven't shown nearly as much promise since the Pirates acquired them, however. The Pirates might get more value from LaRoche than they would have by holding onto Bay until free agency, though the latter choice would've netted them two draft picks.
Giants May Not Sign Wagner Mateo
Despite reports indicating that the Giants will sign 16-year-old prospect Wagner Mateo, it is "not safe to assume" that they will ink the Dominican outfielder, writes Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. While the Giants made a "strong offer" for the youngster prior to his ill-fated agreement with St. Louis, they are far from reaching an accord and "don't necessarily expect to reach one."
According to Mateo's agent, he recently went to Miami for a consultation regarding his vision. Baggarly writes that, presumably, the purpose of the trip was to undergo laser surgery. In late September Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch penned a strong overview of Mateo's condition and how it led to the voiding of his contract.
Rogers On Yankees, Cubs, Mauer, Padilla
Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune has written a pair of new articles. One focuses on the New York Yankees, while the other explores news from around the majors. Here are some of his points:
- Pitching depth is the Yankees' main priority this offseason. Having Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, and Phil Hughes all healthy and effective would be ideal, but Rogers doesn't think GM Brian Cashman will be able to resist looking hard at free agent veteran starting pitching.
- Rogers thinks the Cubs will attempt to bolster their bullpen through trades.
- He also mentions that the Cubs could be looking to fill a couple vacancies in their Opening Day rotation, with Rich Harden expected to leave and Ted Lilly's health in question.
- Rogers expects the Minnesota Twins to "get busy" working on an extension for Joe Mauer, and wonders what the starting point will be (his guess: five years and $95MM).
- The Los Angeles Dodgers would like to re-sign Vicente Padilla based on his on-field performance. However, his off-field actions, including last week's shooting in Nicaragua, make the decision more problematic.
Odds & Ends: Torre, Figgins, Mora
A few links to browse while we continue the countdown to the GM meetings….
- 2010 may not be Joe Torre's last season in Los Angeles after all, according to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times.
- Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that any Phillies fans expecting the club to go out and land another elite starting pitcher this offseason will be disappointed.
- FOX Sports's Jon Paul Morosi explains why the trade market might be busier than usual this year, and looks at what players could be dealt next.
- MASN's Roch Kubatko examines the Baltimore Orioles' third basemen, past and future. He's skeptical that the Orioles will pursue Chone Figgins this offseason because manager Dave Trembley wants a power hitter at third base. He also wonders if Melvin Mora might end up in Philadelphia.
- Kirk Gibson won't earn a shot at a managerial gig this year, but he may get an opporunity in the not-so-distant future, according to John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press.
- The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice is ready to cut ties with Miguel Tejada and hand over the Astros' third base job to Chris Johnson.
- Steve Slowinski at DRays Bay asks what the Rays ought to do with Andy Sonnanstine, and formulates his own solution.