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Archives for January 2009

Odds and Ends: Pavano, Giambi, Manny, Tigers

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Links for Thursday…

  • RotoAuthority looks at possible injury risk young starters for 2009, by way of the Verducci Effect.
  • Anthony Castrovince says the Indians looked at Mark Mulder, Kris Benson, Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon before signing Carl Pavano.  The Tribe’s rotation appears set.  The article also outlines Pavano’s incentives, which kick in at 18 starts.
  • A reminder: for the past month or so we’ve had a Top Stories section in the righthand sidebar.  If you’re looking to find the biggest hot stove news of the past few days quickly, look there first.
  • I did a Q&A with 3:10 To Joba.
  • Ben Shpigel tries to quantify how slow this offseason has been.
  • Susan Slusser has a few details on Jason Giambi’s contract. Jon Heyman confirms Slusser’s earlier comment that the A’s are considering Orlando Cabrera.
  • Bill Plaschke says the Dodgers are "playing the Manny Ramirez game perfectly."  McCovey Chronicles liveblogs that game from the Giants’ side.
  • Jason Beck looks at the dwindling closer options for the Tigers.

Brewers Agree To Terms With Trevor Hoffman

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11:40am: Haudricourt now says Hoffman’s deal does not have a 2010 option.

10:24am: Tom Haudricourt says Hoffman gets $6MM in ’09 with $1.5MM in incentives, plus the 2010 club option.

9:42am: ESPN’s Buster Olney says the Brewers have agreed to terms with Hoffman on a one-year deal with an option.

9:20am: Bloom and McCalvy say the Brewers faxed a term sheet to Hoffman’s agent.

8:36am: MLB.com’s Barry Bloom and Adam McCalvy heard from a source that the Brewers are nearing a deal with Trevor Hoffman.  The AP says the same.  The deal would be for one year with an option for 2010 and is "pretty close" to happening according to the source.

Mets Pursuing Redding, Wolf

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THURSDAY: Mike Puma of the New York Post confirms Fitzpatrick’s Tuesday report that the Mets made an offer to Redding.

TUESDAY: Mike Fitzpatrick of the Associated Press reports the Mets have made an offer to Tim Redding and are readying one for Randy Wolf. The Mets need two starters and are also looking at Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez to fill out their rotation. No details on the offer to Redding. Fitzpatrick cites an unnamed source.

In 2008, Redding won ten games for a team that didn’t win 60, finishing with a 4.95 ERA and in 33 starts and 182 innings. In November he had foot surgery and is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

Players Affected By Arbitration Decisions

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ESPN’s Buster Olney looks at several free agents who currently reside in "compensation-pick purgatory": Orlando Cabrera, Juan Cruz, Jason Varitek, and Ben Sheets.  The cost to sign one of these four includes the loss of a draft pick, causing many teams to avoid them.  You can add Orlando Hudson and perhaps Oliver Perez to Olney’s list.  Darren Oliver (or his agent) saw this situation coming and chose to accept arbitration.  Tony Massarotti says the Red Sox would’ve been more inclined to sign Derek Lowe if they’d also signed Mark Teixeira, but now they don’t want to give up their first-round pick for Lowe.

There are Type As and Bs who would’ve made more money accepting their team’s arbitration offers; Olney names Paul Byrd and Jon Garland.  Peter Gammons mentioned Cabrera and Varitek yesterday.  Mark Grudzielanek might be another case, though most assume he had a prior arrangement with the Royals to decline.  Agents such as Bo McKinnis (Byrd), Craig Landis (Garland), Dan Lozano (Cabrera), and Scott Boras (Varitek) have some explaining to do.

Remember our "Surprisingly Not Offered Arbitration" list from December 2nd?  Here it is again:

Bobby Abreu
Joe Beimel
Pat Burrell
Adam Dunn
Braden Looper
Jamie Moyer
Randy Wolf
Kerry Wood

Aside from Wood and maybe Wolf, we can see now that most GMs made these decisions with excellent foresight.

Mets Meet With Boras

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THURSDAY, 8:55am: MetsBlog sums up the reports about the team’s Boras meeting.  Ken Davidoff says the Mets are confident they’ll sign Lowe or Perez.

WEDNESDAY, 7:41pm Anthony DiComo has sources that say the Mets spoke with Boras about all of his free agent clients. That list includes Perez and Ramirez, although DiComo says Manny remains a long shot.

4:23pm MetsBlog’s Matthew Cerrone has some info on the Mets’ recent meeting with Scott Boras.  He believes the discussions focused on Derek Lowe (not Oliver Perez or Manny Ramirez) and ended on a positive note, though Boras will probably take more time.

Cerrone agrees with Joel Sherman that a three-year, $42MM deal with a fourth-year vesting option for Lowe is feasible.

Andy Pettitte Open To Astros?

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According to Newsday’s Ken Davidoff, free agent lefty Andy Pettitte "might be softening his opposition to rejoining the Astros."  Davidoff believes a deal with the Yankees is in jeopardy, though the sides continue to talk.  Davidoff says Xavier Nady "figures to be dealt now" as another way to trim payroll.

Pettitte may be amenable to a Houston return, but it takes two to tango.  So far this winter the Astros have already pulled their offer to Randy Wolf and non-tendered their starting third baseman Ty Wigginton.

Brewers, Dodgers Pursuing Hoffman

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11:27pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Brewers have emerged as the frontrunner for Hoffman.

10:19pm: Bill Shaikin says Hoffman will make his decision Thursday.  Kevin Towers said tonight that the Padres "just don’t have the money" to retain their longtime closer.  He added that if Hoffman would’ve accepted their $4MM offer they it would’ve been hard to exercise Brian Giles’ $9MM option.

9:07pm: Tom Haudricourt spoke with Doug Melvin and Melvin believes that the Brewers have a legitimate shot at landing Hoffman.  He does not believe the team is not being used to drive up the offer from the Dodgers. Melvin is confident based on his previous work with agent Rick Thurman. Melvin and Thurman have agreed to speak again tomorrow morning.

4:11pm: Jon Heyman believes the Brewers are making a stronger move for Hoffman.

3:36pm: Both offers from the Dodgers and Brewers are for one year with a club option, and both exceed $4MM.  Hoffman’s agent (Rick Thurman) expects to have a deal within 48 hours.  A requirement of Hoffman signing is that he is the closer.  The Brewers have not heard back today from Thurman yet.

11:19am: Brown has confirmed that the Brewers made an offer as well.

WEDNESDAY, 8:43am: Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times says the Dodgers offered Hoffman a one-year contract worth more than $4MM.  Hoffman would take the ninth inning in L.A.  Buster Olney confirms the one-year offer as well, but neither Olney nor Shaikin mention the club option Brown did.

TUESDAY, 11:11pm: Yahoo’s Tim Brown says the Dodgers offered Hoffman a one-year deal with a club option.  Brown suspects the Brewers have made an offer as well.  Hoffman is "thought to prefer Southern California," though he might have to take a setup role in L.A.  At this point, the Padres have not reconciled with Hoffman or restored their offer.

8:16pm: Haudricourt says the Brewers have to battle geography if they hope to win the Hoffman sweepstakes.

6:37pm: Hoffman is in discussion with the Brewers over the "parameters of a contract" according to Ken Rosenthal. His source, who has knowledge of the negotiations, says, "It’s got legs."

5:37pm: Jon Heyman echoes the Brewers and Dodgers are in the running and that Hoffman "could sign in coming days." Heyman reiterates Hoffman’s interest to say close to his "home base" in Anaheim, CA.

1:21pm: Hoffman’s agent says they have mutual interest with the Brewers, though Haudricourt got the impression they may seek two years.

10:13am: Tom Haudricourt talked to Brewers GM Doug Melvin, who indicated Trevor Hoffman is the team’s top choice to fill the closer role.  The two sides have talked parameters and Melvin hopes to learn his chances soon as discussions continue.  The Brewers’ main competition might be the Dodgers, but Hoffman would have a lock on the ninth inning in Milwaukee.  Haudricourt believes the Brewers want to do a one-year deal with an option.

Orioles Rumors: Roberts, Uehara, Zaun, Pudge

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10:46pm: Roch Kubatko says Zaun wants a two-year deal but the Orioles prefer one year.  The O’s are also talking with Ivan Rodriguez.  Kubatko adds that Kenshin Kawakami was seeking a three-year deal.  In another post, Kubatko says the O’s have no interest in Shelley Duncan, but Richie Sexson and Ty Wigginton are possibilities for first base.  Peter Schmuck adds Nick Swisher, Ryan Garko, Billy Butler, and Ryan Shealy as trade possibilities.

Dan Connolly says the Orioles offered Brian Roberts a multiyear extension at about $10MM per, but the two sides have not made progress and Roberts doesn’t want talks dragging into the season.  Andy MacPhail said he hasn’t had trade talks for Roberts for at least a month.  As for Nick Markakis, the sides were about $10MM apart on a possible six-year extension.

11:31am: Orioles notes…

  • As you know, the Orioles reached an agreement with their first-ever Japanese player, Koji Uehara.  It’s a two-year deal worth $10MM guaranteed, with another $6MM in incentives and bonuses.  Patrick Newman offers commentary on the signing, which is not getting a ton of press in the Japanese media.  Keith Law wonders if Baltimore was a wise choice for Uehara.
  • Dan Connolly says the Orioles’ immediate priority is now to add a catcher, with Gregg Zaun and Ivan Rodriguez the candidates.
  • Peter Schmuck says the O’s are looking for a reserve infielder as well.  They’ve talked to Chris Gomez’s agent and Willie Bloomquist "might be another possibility."

Jake Peavy Rumors: Wednesday

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10:37pm: Kevin Towers said tonight the Braves made a good offer for Peavy a few months ago, but it was unclear whether Peavy would approve a trade there.  He also said a proposal from the Cubs "would fill several holes" on the Padres’ roster.  Peavy’s agent Barry Axelrod says a framework was in place with the Cubs at the Winter Meetings but they were "trying to fill out that framework" by acquiring some pieces.

Bruce Miles runs through the chances of the Cubs signing various free agent starters mentioned below.

3:32pm: Padres CEO Sandy Alderson doesn’t believe there have been new talks with the Cubs, though that is not exactly what Wittenmyer said below.  Alderson said it’s likely Peavy will be with the Padres on Opening Day.  He added that the Padres were never that close to a deal with the Braves and did not have an offer from the Cubs on which they could give a yes or no.  Also, he doesn’t believe the team’s impending sale changes their position on Peavy.

10:03am: According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, "those close to Jim Hendry expect him to restart the Jake Peavy talks" now that the Cubs have unloaded salary with the Jason Marquis trade.  Hendry admitted yesterday he hopes to add another pitcher before Opening Day.

Wittenmyer notes that the Cubs’ 2010 payroll was unaffected by the recent moves, so Hendry would need a nod from the new ownership group before taking on Peavy’s contract.  The new ownership could be in place with just enough time for the Cubs to swing a Peavy deal, Wittenmyer believes.

As alternatives, Wittenmyer suggests Braden Looper and Tim Redding would fit better financially than Derek Lowe.  Dave van Dyck wonders if Andy Pettitte could be a fit.  Bob Klapisch says the Mets have considered Pettitte.

John Smoltz To Sign With Red Sox

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10:28pm: Buster Olney agrees Smoltz is on the verge of a deal with the Red Sox.  Olney wonders if Boston’s rotation surplus will allow them to trade a young starter.  Ken Rosenthal also confirms it, and says the Braves were not willing to guarantee significant dollars.

9:58pm: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman says Smoltz will call the Braves tomorrow morning to tell them he will sign with Boston.  The incentives in the deal are said to be "very attainable."  Does this push Tim Wakefield to the bullpen during the summer?  It’s a good problem to have.

9:20pm: In addition to Rocco Baldelli, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is reporting that the Red Sox may be close to signing John Smoltz.

As of last night, sources indicated that Smoltz was leaning toward Boston’s offer which was said to be somewhere in the vicinity of $5.5 million guaranteed with the opportunity to earn a few million in incentives which could hike the salary up to $10 million. The Sox and Smoltz have been talking since before the Winter Meetings. The Sox do not anticipate that Smoltz will be ready until later in May, but one of the incentives being discussed would be a roster bonus if he’s with the team by June 1.

Smoltz will be 42 in May and made $14MM with the Braves last season.  It would be quite a surprise to see him leave the Braves after all these years.

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