Archives for February 2009

Odds and Ends: Penny, Koskie, Lowell

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 12:29pm CDT

Links for Tuesday…

Chat today, 2pm CST.
RotoAuthority looks at the pitchers involved in the WBC.
ESPN’s Keith Law weighs in on the Andy Oliver case.
Brad Penny talked to Yahoo’s Tim Brown about his last season in L.A. UPDATE: Bowa’s amusing reaction to Penny’s comments.
Corey Koskie is healthy and hopes to sign somewhere, says La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Josh Willingham’s arbitration hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Ryan Zimmerman’s for Saturday.
WEEI’s Alex Speier talked to Mike Lowell about Boston’s pursuit of Mark Teixeira.
The Sports Business talked to former Dodgers GM Fred Claire.

Dodgers, Andre Ethier Avoid Arb

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 12:06pm CDT

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Dodgers avoided arbitration with outfielder Andre Ethier by signing him at $3.1MM for ’09. He can earn another $100K in incentives. If Ethier gets those incentives he’ll be at the midpoint of the two submissions. Perhaps the deal will help Corey Hart and Josh Willingham come to terms. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says the Brewers have had extensive discussions with Hart’s agent this morning.

Will Ohman Has Three Offers

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 11:46am CDT

TUESDAY: MLB.com’s Corey Brock talked to a Padres source who considers an Ohman signing a long shot. We learned earlier today that the same goes for the Phillies.

MONDAY: According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick:

Will Ohman, one of the top relievers left on baseball’s free agent market, has major league offers in hand from the Pirates, Marlins and Padres, but plans to continue discussions with three contending teams before making a decision on his destination for 2009, his agent said Monday. The Phillies, Mets and Dodgers have all stayed in touch with Ohman, but their interest has yet to progress beyond the talking stage.

Crasnick doesn’t believe the Pirates, Marlins, or Padres would be willing to go past $1MM on a one-year deal. Joe Beimel and Dennys Reyes also remain unsigned.

Pirates Finish Arbitration Cases

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 11:44am CDT

The Pirates have resolved their six arbitration cases. Here are the details, courtesy of Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball:

2009 Pirates Players in Salary Arbitration
#	Date	Player Name	Service Time	Position	Agreement
1	1/20/09	Zack Duke	3.094	SP	1/$2.2M
2	1/20/09	John Grabow	5.016	RP	1/$2.2M
3	1/20/09	Adam LaRoche	5.000	1B	1/$7.05M
4	1/20/09	Tyler Yates	4.050	RP	1/$1.3M
5	1/30/09	‡ Paul Maholm	3.037	SP	3/$14.5M
6	2/17/09	‡ Nate McLouth	3.056	OF	3/$15.75M

‡ Settlement reached after player exchanged figures with club

Spring Training Trade Candidates

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 11:19am CDT

I wrote an article called Spring Training Trade Candidates. Check it out.

Orlando Hudson Rumors: Tuesday

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 10:32am CDT

We learned from Ken Rosenthal earlier today that the Dodgers remain interested in free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson. Rosenthal also said that the Royals like Hudson but don’t have the financial flexibility to fit him in.

SI.com’s Jon Heyman has more on Hudson, learning that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has "had a conversation or two" with the player’s agent since Adam Dunn signed. Colletti also implied that the Dodgers could afford Hudson and Manny Ramirez, if they choose to pursue both. Heyman adds that the White Sox are not a player for Hudson.

Pirates, McLouth Agree To Extension

By Cork Gaines | February 17, 2009 at 10:24am CDT

10:24am: Troy Renck of the Denver Post has the breakdown:

$2MM in 2009; $4.5MM in 2010; $6.5MM in 2011 with club option 2012 for $10.65MM or $1.25MM buyout. His $1.5MM signing bonus is payable between March 2009 and July 2009. His base salary in 2010 increases by $200K for All Star in 2009; $200K for GoldGlove in 2009; $100K for Silver Slugger in 2009. His base in 2011 increases by $200Kfor All Star in 2010; $200K for Gold Glove in 2010; $100K for Silver Slugger in 2010. His base in 2012 increases by $300K for All Star in 2011; $300K for Gold Glove in 2011; $150K for Silver Slugger in 2011.

9:58am: The AP says McLouth’s deal is worth $15.75MM over three years.

6:49am: According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have agreed to a three-year contract with Nate McLouth, avoiding arbitration. There is a team option for 2012. No other details are available at this time.

McLouth was eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason. This deal buys out all three arbitration years and gives the Pirates control of McLouth’s first season of free agency.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

Reds Sign Edwin Encarnacion For Two Years

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 10:24am CDT

10:24am: Troy Renck of the Denver Post has details on the $7.6MM deal:

Encarnacion will receive $2MM this season and $4.75MM in 2010 with an $850K signing bonus payable between March 29 and November 2009. Also will get $25K for 600 plate appearances.

9:32am: Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News believes the deal is worth $5MM.

8:30am: According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds agreed to a two-year deal with third baseman Edwin Encarnacion. The sides had been $1.15MM apart on his ’09 salary. He’ll still have one arb year (2011) before free agency.

Olney Discusses Mark Mulder

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 9:56am CDT

ESPN’s Buster Olney offers his thoughts on free agent lefty Mark Mulder:

Whenever Mulder signs, it figures there is an excellent chance he will wind up with the Oakland Athletics, because he’s a perfect fit there — he has a chance to be a high value signing if he rebounds, he’s cheap, he would be a veteran on a team loaded with young pitchers, and, of course, he knows Oakland, having played there for years.

Mulder, 31, had rotator cuff surgery in September of 2007.

Braves Rumors: Griffey, Glavine, Johnson

By Tim Dierkes | February 17, 2009 at 9:42am CDT

MLB.com’s Mark Bowman and The News Tribune’s Larry LaRue both have a gut feeling that Ken Griffey Jr. will sign with the Braves soon. Atlanta is a better fit for Junior in all kinds of ways.

It’s all speculative right now, but Bowman also wonders if the Braves will announce a Tom Glavine signing alongside Griffey tomorrow. His guess at the two players they’d remove from the 40-man: Anthony Lerew and Gregor Blanco. Ken Rosenthal wrote last night that the Braves were close to re-signing Glavine. David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution weighs in via the comments section of his blog:

The Glavine thing is a given at this point, folks. A done deal, save for crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s. Trust me on that one. And I’d say it’s highly likely that Griffey is going to be a Brave. Almost certain he’s going to choose Atlanta. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. But I’d put it at 90 percent or so that he’s picking the Braves.

O’Brien also writes about Kelly Johnson, who hopes to settle before Thursday’s arbitration hearing.

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