Chris Bootcheck Elects Free Agency
Reliever and Scott Boras client Chris Bootcheck has elected free agency, according to a press release from the Pirates. Righties Denny Bautista and Craig Hansen were also outrighted, but apparently remain in the organization for now.
Bootcheck, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Pirates in December. The signing seemed to signify the Pirates could work with Boras after the Pedro Alvarez drama. Bootcheck picked up 20 saves in Triple A, posting very strong peripherals (11.6 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, one home run allowed in 42.6 innings). He did not fare well in his 14.6 big league innings, but did average 93.6 mph on his heater.
Dodgers, Ned Colletti Agree To Long-Term Deal
The Dodgers agreed to a long-term deal with GM Ned Colletti, according to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times. The move has been confirmed by a team press release.
In September, SI's Jon Heyman suggested this would be a three-year contract. We discussed Colletti's work here.
Discussion: Aubrey Huff
Aubrey Huff wasn't great in 2006 (.267/.344/.469), but he still found a three-year, $21MM offer from the Orioles that winter. Surprisingly, Huff cranked out a .304/.360/.552 performance in 2008, ranking fifth in the AL in slugging. Huff was mainly a DH at that point, perhaps one reason why he cleared waivers.
Huff wasn't nearly as successful this year; he hit .241/.310/.384 in 597 plate appearances for the Orioles and Tigers. He was especially awful after the August 17th trade to Detroit.
Huff turns 33 in December, and his stock is down as he enters free agency. He logged 826 innings at first base this year, so we can't rule out an NL job. But does any team envision Huff as a regular player? Can he expect more than $2-3MM?
Mets Release Ken Takahashi
The Mets released lefty reliever Ken Takahashi, according to Ben Shpigel of the New York Times (via Twitter).
Takahashi, 40, signed a minor league free agent contract with the Blue Jays in February. The Mets scooped him up after the Jays released him in March. Takahashi tossed 56.6 Triple A innings, including seven starts. He had a reverse platoon split in his 27.3 big league innings, as lefties knocked him around to the tune of .302/.387/.472.
Brewers Hire Rick Peterson
11:31am: Peterson received a two-year deal, according to Haudricourt.
12:24am: According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Brewers have hired Rick Peterson to be their next pitching coach.
Milwaukee ranked at the bottom of the National League last season with a 5.37 team ERA. Peterson, who has been the favorite for the gig since the regular season ended, will be formally introduced at a press conference Tuesday.
Peterson has worked with Milwaukee manager Ken Macha (during the early 2000s in Oakland) and Brewers bench coach Willie Randolph (from 2003-2008 in New York). Of course, chemistry among the coaching staff is no guarantee for success. The Brewers have serious personnel problems among their starting pitching corps and need to find new blood either by trade or on the open market this winter.
The Brewers dismissed now-former pitching coach Bill Castro in mid-August.
Offseason Outlook: Milwaukee Brewers
Next up in our Offseason Outlook series, the Brewers. Their likely commitments for 2010:
C –
C – Mike Rivera – $415K+
1B – Prince Fielder – $10.5MM
2B – Rickie Weeks – $2.45MM+
SS – Alcides Escobar – $400K
3B – Casey McGehee – $400K
IF – J.J. Hardy – $4.65MM+
IF – Mat Gamel – $400K
LF – Ryan Braun – $1MM
CF – Jody Gerut – $1.775MM+
RF – Corey Hart – $3.25MM+
OF –
? –
SP – Yovani Gallardo – $414K
SP – Dave Bush – $4MM+
SP – Manny Parra – $426K
SP – Jeff Suppan – $12.5MM
SP – Chris Narveson – $400K
Braden Looper – $6.5MM mutual option, $750K buyout if club declines
RP – Trevor Hoffman – $7.5MM
RP – Seth McClung – $1.6625MM+
RP – Todd Coffey – $800K+
RP – Carlos Villanueva – $447K+
RP – Mitch Stetter – $408K
RP – Mark DiFelice – $403K
RP – Chris Smith – $400K
Other commitments: Bill Hall – $7.15MM, David Riske – $4.5MM, David Weathers – $400K buyout
Non-tender candidates: Jody Gerut, Seth McClung
Let's say the Brewers non-tender Gerut and McClung and decline options on Looper and Weathers. That'd put them at $64MM before arbitration raises to Rivera, Weeks, Hardy, Hart, Bush, Coffey, and Villanueva. Many of these players had off years but we still have to put the team in the $70MM range. $4.5MM would be trimmed if Hardy is traded for a minimum-salary player. The Brewers entered 2009 with a $80.2MM payroll, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts.
GM Doug Melvin could have $10MM+ to spend, with holes to fill at catcher, center field, and in the rotation. Melvin must shoulder some of the blame for the team's limited payroll flexibility – the Brewers have $11.65MM in dead money for Riske and Hall in 2010, plus $12.5MM for Suppan to conclude that dubious signing.
The Brewers could fill the catching spot internally, if they allow Jason Kendall to leave as a free agent. The candidate is 23-year-old prospect Angel Salome. Salome hit .286/.334/.413 in 314 Triple A plate appearances this year. His defense is a question mark, and the Brewers did not give him a September audition. Starting Salome would be a risky move, and Kendall does want to stay.
Weeks is strongly opposed to moving to center field, and incumbent Mike Cameron is a free agent. Cameron is willing to take a pay cut to stay, and the Brewers should strongly consider re-signing him. Gerut may be cut loose after a .230/.279/.376 performance. Internally, Lorenzo Cain (.214/.277/.338 at Double A, missed time with a ligament tear) can't be ruled out. Note that Melvin said in September that "we cannot be distracted" by holes in the field due to the need to focus on pitching.
On to the rotation, Melvin would like to add two starting pitchers. MLB.com's Adam McCalvy wrote on September 10th that "the Brewers will almost certainly pick up" Looper's option. I've written before that I don't think that's a good idea. For that same price the Brewers could sign a free agent with significantly more upside.
The Brewers will not trade Braun or Fielder, but it seems very likely that they'll make Hardy and/or Gamel available for starting pitching. Today at U.S.S. Mariner Dave Cameron proposed a Hardy-Brandon Morrow swap, which seems reasonable. The Twins, Red Sox, and Blue Jays could be other potential fits for the shortstop.
Even before considering a possible long-term deal for Fielder, Melvin has his work cut out for him this winter. He's already re-signed Hoffman and added Rick Peterson as the new pitching coach. Now he must take a limited budget to find two starting pitchers, a catcher, and a center fielder. He has to decide on Looper's option, entertain offers for Hardy, and deal with at least five significant arbitration cases. Should be an action-packed hot stove season for Brewers fans.
Odds & Ends: Johjima, Rockies, Kikuchi
Links for Tuesday…
- Chat today, 2pm CST.
- The Hanshin Tigers are interested in Kenji Johjima, according to Kyodo News.
- The Rockies are expected to re-sign GM Dan O'Dowd and manager Jim Tracy this week, according to Patrick Saunders and Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.
- Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times says the Dodgers "are mindful that [signing Yusei Kikuchi] could harm the club's long-standing ties in Japan." Kikuchi told Kyodo News that interviewing with 12 NPB and eight MLB clubs made his decision even more difficult. NPB Tracker has more.
- Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says Brad Lidge for Michael Bourn has been "the perfect trade." In that November 2007 deal, the Phillies also received infielder Eric Bruntlett and the Astros also acquired Geoff Geary and Mike Costanzo (Geary is now a free agent). I'd say the Astros may ultimately win the deal if Bourn's breakout season holds up, since they gave up one year of Lidge for five of Bourn. But, as Justice noted, the Phillies have a ring.
- Always fun…Dave Cameron's 2010 offseason plan for the Mariners at U.S.S. Mariner. My one beef is the John Danks acquisition…I don't think it fits from Chicago's point of view.
- Viva El Birdos takes a look at the Cardinals' 2010 commitments.
- MLB.com's Mychael Urban discusses Justin Duchscherer's future.
Boras Discusses Johnny Damon
We discussed Scott Boras' Matt Holliday–Mark Teixeira comparison yesterday. Today let's check out Boras' take on another of his high-profile free agent clients – Johnny Damon. Peter Botte of the New York Daily News has the quotes:
"Not that I've been thinking about this, but players who can get on the field every day and score 100 runs, how many guys do that? Johnny just plays, and he's got the body type that allows him to do that. If stem-cell research were around, you'd want to tap into that gene pool. He's (35), but has a 30-year-old's body. He plays much younger."
The best part is definitely, "not that I've been thinking about this." Also…is stem-cell research not around? Boras may also use a possible run at 3,000 hits as a selling point, but even he can't pitch a four-year deal for Damon.
Damon, 36 in November, hit .282/.365/.489 in 626 plate appearances this year. He played over 1,100 innings in left field, and UZR/150 found him below-average. There's speculation the Yankees will re-sign Damon or Hideki Matsui on a one-year deal and use that player partially at DH. Realistically, Damon's $13MM salary should be halved for 2010.
Freese Is Cardinals’ First Choice For Third Base
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, David Freese should get first crack at the Cardinals' third base job next season.
Freese was impressive in his 225 plate appearances with Triple-A Memphis, posting an .894 OPS, and hit well in a very small major-league sample as well (.837 OPS in 34 plate appearances).
Should Freese excel, it would be a welcome change from 2009 for the Cardinals, when eight different players held down the hot corner.
"I think we would like to give him a shot to play every day," St. Louis GM John Mozeliak said. "If we need to ramp up the offense in another way, we have plenty of time. But given what he accomplished this year, I definitely think (Freese) deserves that chance."
The decision to give Freese first crack at the third base job complicates any efforts to sign free agent Mark DeRosa, who wants an every day job in 2010.
Strauss added that the Cardinals have little interest in any other free agent third basemen.
Odds & Ends: Pirates, Rockies, Brewers
What, two playoff games isn't enough baseball for you? Us either…
- Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com discusses the many problems with the Pirates. She doesn't think any of the traded Pirates are coming back, and addresses the improvement Pittsburgh needs to make in the starting rotation and up the middle.
- MLB.com's Thomas Harding dissects the state of the Rockies, position-by-position.
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says there will be no pitching coach hiring announced today for the Brewers, in case you were staying up late waiting for that announcement.
- Boston Red Sox coaches Brad Mills and Tim Bogar interviewed for the Houston managerial vacancy.