White Sox Re-Sign Mark Kotsay
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun Times reports that the White Sox have announced that Mark Kotsay was given a one year, $1.5MM contract to return to the team in 2010. It's essentially the same contract he signed with Boston last January.
Kotsay, acquired from the Red Sox just before the trade deadline, hit .292/.349/.434 in 127 plate appearances with the Pale Hose. He played mostly first base for Chicago, but also saw action in all three outfield spots.
Iwamura Interested In Exploring Long-Term Deal
Just two days after being acquired from Tampa Bay, Akinori Iwamura said he's "interested" in exploring a long-term deal with the Pirates during a conference call, according to Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
"I'm definitely interested in the long term, but I first have to do what I can do. We'll see what happens. Hopefully, we can go to the playoffs next season."
You have to love the optimism.
Yesterday we learned that GM Neal Huntington "has interest in exploring an extension" with his new second baseman at some point, so the first obstacle of getting everyone on-board appears to have been cleared.
Iwamura also indicated during the call that his knee feels good, but is not yet at 100%. He expects to be ready for next year.
The Offseason Begins
Congratulations to the Yankees on winning the World Series. Now the offseason officially begins. Players may file for free agency, and teams have an exclusive 15-day period to negotiate and sign them. On November 20th, free agents can negotiate and sign with any team. The GM Meetings are set to begin Monday in Chicago.
Washburn Isn’t Expecting An Offer From Tigers
Soon to be a free agent, lefthander Jarrod Washburn said he "would be surprised" if the Tigers offered him a contract, according to John Lowe of The Detroit Free Press.
"The Tigers have not given me any indication that they would like me back. I haven't heard from them other than to talk about my knee, so I would be surprised if they offer me a contract."
Washburn says that his surgically repaired left knee feels good, and that he "already has regained all of his range of motion in the knee." That injury may be the cause of his poor performance after being acquired from the Mariners at the trade deadline, when he put up a 7.33 ERA after the trade compared to 2.64 before.
On Monday we learned that Washburn originally planned to retire after this season, but his improved performance changed those plans. He also indicated that the Mariners are "definitely toward the top of my list." Washburn does not project to qualify as a Type-A or Type-B free agent, so there's no reason for Detroit to him arbitration after he made $10.35MM in 2009.
Petit, Slaten Claimed Off Waivers
According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, right-hander Yusmeiro Petit and left-hander Doug Slaten have been claimed off waivers.
Petit, 24, was scooped up by the Mariners. He went 3-10 with a 5.82 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 74/34 K/BB ratio in 17 starts (89 2/3 innings) this season with the D'Backs. As Piecoro notes, Petit has allowed 1.96 HR/9 through 229 1/3 major league innings, tied for the worst rate in MLB history.
Slaten, who turns 30 in February, was claimed by the Nationals. He allowed five earned runs and 11 total baserunners in 6 1/3 innings with the Diamondbacks in '09, but posted a 3.09 ERA and a 40/15 K/BB ratio in 43 2/3 innings at Triple-A Reno. He hasn't been the same since undergoing knee surgery at the end of 2007.
Edgar Gonzalez: Free Agent
According to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune, infielder Edgar Gonzalez intends to opt for free agency once the World Series ends.
“I think this is the end of my run here,” Gonzalez said Wednesday after the Padres dropped him from the 40-man roster and outrighted him to Triple-A Portland. “I love San Diego. And the Padres gave me an opportunity that I'm thankful for. But my future is probably elsewhere.”
Gonzalez, 31, batted .216/.278/.373 with four homers and 18 RBI in 169 plate appearances this season with the Padres. He is a .255/.312/.381 career hitter and made $407K in '09. Oh, and he's also Adrian Gonzalez's brother.
Odds & Ends: Mariners, Riggleman, Crisp, ‘Stros
A few leftovers as the Phillies and Yankees do battle in Game 6…
- According to ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure, recently-defected Cuban first baseman Jose Julio Ruiz has impressed scouts in workouts the past two weeks. The Red Sox and Tigers are known to have some level of interest.
- Dave Cameron of U.S.S. Mariner thinks the M's should "kick the tires" on several undervalued starters this offseason. He lists Ben Sheets, Rich Harden, Carl Pavano and Randy Johnson, among others, as possible targets.
- MASN's Byron Kerr spoke Wednesday with Jim Riggleman, who's hoping to be named the Nationals' permanent manager shortly after the World Series ends. He went 33-42 as Washington's interim skipper last season.
- According to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, the Royals have shown "little inclination" that they plan to pick up Coco Crisp's 2010 option worth $8MM.
- Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle lays out some advice for Astros owner Drayton McLane, including this nugget: "Give GM Ed Wade a five-year extension and give him the freedom to reshape the roster and the organization. If there's any doubt he knows what he's doing, check out the 2008-2009 Phillies. Ed Wade acquired the core of those teams."
Phillies, Lee Might Talk Extension This Winter
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Andy Martino, the Phillies have internally discussed the idea of signing Cliff Lee to a long-term contract extension this offseason.
"Clearly, it's on our minds, but we haven't made a decision if we will yet," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Wednesday. "Naturally you have to think about it, but we're more focused on him pitching in this series." Lee has been lights out this postseason and went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA with the Phillies during regulation. He's due for a massive contract, but the Phillies hold a $9MM bargain option on him for 2010 so they will essentially hold the upper hand if negotiations take place this winter.
Lee may have to put in another ace-like season in Philadelphia if he wants the kind of money (seven years, $161MM) that CC Sabathia was awarded last winter. Or perhaps he'll want to capitalize on his fantastic 2009 postseason and settle on a long-term deal that, either way, will be fairly handsome.
Cardinals, Boras Discuss Holliday Deal?
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "there are suggestions that the Cardinals discussed a 6-year, $96 million framework with [Matt] Holliday's agent, Scott Boras."
The note is buried in a chat that took place earlier this afternoon and is barely addressed beyond the words above, so giving it too much credence might be irresponsible. That said, Strauss is as close to the Cardinals' thinking as anyone, and it's at least worth talking about.
The figure — six years, $96MM — probably won't come close to getting a deal done. Boras, in all likelihood, will want more years and a higher annual salary. He has been adamant in comparing Holliday's value to that of Mark Teixeira, who struck an eight-year, $180MM deal last winter with the Yankees. There are suitors out there with holes to fill and cash to spend, and a contract that doesn't crack $100MM isn't likely to catch the eye of Boras and Co.
Holliday, who turns 30 this winter, batted .313/.394/.515 with 24 home runs and 109 RBI in 581 plate appearances during the 2009 regular season. 13 of those home runs and 55 of those RBI came in his 63 games with the Cardinals.
Baez Back In Baltimore?
According to MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez, right-handed reliever Danys Baez is interested in returning to the Orioles.
It's not yet clear if the feeling is mutual.
The 32-year-old Baez posted a 4.02 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 40/22 K/BB ratio in 71 2/3 innings this season. He served as an effective workhorse for the O's and was especially dominant against right-handed hitters, holding them to a .197 batting average and .565 OPS. He also had a robust 60.9% groundball rate. Baez told the Baltimore Sun back in September that he hoped to resume his career on the East Coast:
"I'd like to stay in the East. I like pitching [in the division], and the East is more convenient for me and my family," said Baez, whose family lives in Miami. "I would love to be on a contending team and get into the playoffs. But I have to wait until the offseason and free agency and talk to my agent."
The Orioles signed Baez to a three-year, $16MM deal in November of 2006. He will get another crack at free agency once the World Series concludes.