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Archives for September 2009

Odds & Ends: Indians, Delgado, Harper, Matsui

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Here's some links to kick off your Saturday…

  • Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Indians have requested that MLB run DNA tests on a few international players the team is negotiating with to confirm their identities. The Tribe got burned when 17-year-old shortstop Jose Ozoria turned out to be 20-year-old Wally Branyan last year.
  • Michael Baron of MetsBlog.com says that Carlos Delgado hasn't really talked to the Mets' front office about returning next year, but he'd love to come back.
  • MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo breaks down the challenges facing Bryce Harper heading into the 2010 Draft.
  • The Astros may explore the possibility of Kaz Matsui returning to Japan, according to Richard Justice of The Houston Chronicle.

Things Looking Up For Sabean Extension?

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Brian Sabean has been general manager of the Giants since 1996, but he entered 2009 as a lame duck GM because he wasn't under contract beyond this year. The club does hold an option for his services next season, although anyone would prefer to have job security.

According to Andrew Baggarly of The Mercury News, managing general partner Bill Neukom indicated to KNBR radio than an extension for Sabean is a good possibility.

“We will continue to collect information, and frankly, how we finish this season, finishing strong, is significant,” Neukom told the station. “It’s not controlling, but it’s a pretty important data point, don’t you think? We want these last 16 games to be part of the data in assessing where we can go.”

Neukom said he’d evaluate Sabean on the basis of “where we think he can take is. It’s going to be a somewhat complicated formula. It will have qualitative and quantitative aspects to it.”

Henry Schulman of The SF Chronicle adds that Neukom is pleased with the team's recent drafts and success of their minor league affiliates, but promised to consider free agent signings and trades as well. Sabean is perhaps most well known for the infamous A.J. Pierzynski for Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano, and Boof Bonser deal, however he did turn a 90-loss team in 2008 to a playoff contender this year.

DeRosa Open To Returning To Cubs

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You can argue that trading Mark DeRosa last offseason set the tone for the Cubs' disappointing season, as they lost not only his .800+ OPS and versatility, but his leadership and influence in the clubhouse as well. The Cubbies might have a chance to rectify that move this winter though, because according to Gordon Wittenmyer of The Chicago Sun Times, DeRosa would be willing to return to Chicago's north side.

''I would definitely listen,'' said DeRosa, who was shocked and saddened by his trade to Cleveland on New Year's Eve, six months before the Indians traded him to St. Louis.

''Obviously, my allegiance lies here [in St. Louis], but once the season's over — I have no ill feelings towards anybody over there. I enjoyed my time there. I didn't agree with the move, but I didn't have any control over it.''

DeRosa is set to have offseason wrist surgery, but he told Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune that he wants to be considered a healthy player in free agency. That shouldn't surprise anyone.

"I wanted to be treated as a healthy player, and not a guy who has to go get surgery. Rickie Weeks and all these guys that have had it say it's not a big deal and they come back from it."

The Cardinals have already talked to DeRosa about a contract extension, but Sullivan says the team has decided to hold off until he has the surgery this offseason. DeRosa projects to be a Type-B free agent at the moment, and pulled in a very reasonable $5.5MM this season. Unless the Cards are really concerned about his wrist, there's no reason for them not to offer DeRosa arbitration, ensuring they'll at least walk away with a supplemental first round pick if he heads elsewhere.

Elias Rankings Update

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At the end of each season, The Elias Sports Bureau ranks all MLB players numerically based on a bunch of stats.  Every player is categorized in one of five position groups and by league.  The rankings cover a two-year time period.  They are used to determine whether free agents are Type A, Type B, or neither.  If you'd like a reminder on how draft pick compensation works, read up here.

Eddie Bajek of Detroit Tigers Thoughts reverse-engineered the Elias Rankings last year.  Eddie's incredible work was made possible in large part due to information provided by ESPN's Keith Law.  Eddie is now providing the rankings exclusively to MLB Trade Rumors.  Today's snapshot covers the beginning of the 2008 season through September 18th, 2009.  The rankings will change over the remainder of the season.  Keep in mind that if players change leagues, they are ranked in their new league.

Click here to see the latest Elias Rankings.

New developments: Jermaine Dye dropped from Type A to B, Jack Wilson from B to none, Jarrod Washburn from B to none, Octavio Dotel from B to A, Gary Sheffield from B to none, Ronnie Belliard from none to B, David Eckstein from B to none, and Adam LaRoche from none to B.

Kerry Wood’s 2011 Option Unlikely To Vest

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We've been following a few vesting options this month, including Josh Beckett's and Magglio Ordonez's, but there's one player whose vesting option we haven't touched on: Kerry Wood. If he finishes 55 games this season, his $11MM option for 2011 will be guaranteed, however Wood is sitting on 45 GF at the moment with just 16 games left in Cleveland's season.

Considering the team's financial plight and Wood's substandard year, I think it's safe to say this is one option the Tribe would have gone out of its way to make sure it didn't vest. It seems like it would be a lot easier to keep a reliever from finishing games without making it look suspicious than it would be to keep an everyday player from picking up plate appearances or a starter from racking up innings.

The Indians will have to pay attention to how many games Wood finishes next year though, because if the same 55 GF trigger in is effect again. If the option doesn't vest, the club can still choose to pick it up.

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the contract info.

Odds & Ends: Crow, Kearns, Minor Leagues

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A few links to start off your Friday night…

  • Royals GM Dayton Moore said Aaron Crow will be a given a chance to win a spot with the big league team next spring, according to MLB.com's Dick Kaegel.
  • Bill Ladson of MLB.com writes that Austin Kearns' time with the Nationals is all but over. The outfielder is out with a thumb contusion, and GM Mike Rizzo said it's unlikely he'll return this year. There's zero chance the team will exercise his $10MM option for 2010, instead paying him a $1MM buyout.
  • According to Baseball America's minor league transactions, the Indians cut ties with reliever Ken Ray. You may remember that Ray made a little noise with the Braves back in 2006.

Discussion: Bobby Jenks

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A few weeks ago, White Sox GM Kenny Williams sent a memo to the other 29 clubs saying that pretty much all of his veterans were available. It's unclear if closer Bobby Jenks was included in that memo, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today says the burly righthander will be prime trade bait this winter because of his shaky season, and he goes so far as to say it "will be a bigger surprise if he's back than if traded."

Jenks' performance has suffered this year because he's giving up more longballs than ever before, more than one every six innings pitched. Prior to 2009, Jenks' strikeout rate had been in a four year decline, bottoming out at 5.55 K/9 last year. Even though he's rebounded to post an 8.27 K/9 this season, he's still having the worst year of his career, and FanGraphs values his performance at just $1.9MM.

In his first year of arbitration, the 28-year-old Jenks is earning $5.6MM, and he'll surely get a raise in the offseason. This winter's free agent class features plenty of closers - including Billy Wagner and Trevor Hoffman – which might limit the market for Jenks. What kind of trade value does a homer prone reliever with World Series experience have? Could he fetch a return similar to what the Orioles received for George Sherrill, another closer about to enter his second year of arbitration?

Odds & Ends: Mateo, Sano, Crow, Ethier

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Some more links for the afternoon or, if you're on the East Coast, the early evening…

  • ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. hears that a vision issue could affect the status of the contract Wagner Mateo signed with the Cardinals earlier in the summer. If Mateo has a degenerative eye condition, the Cards may look to reclaim some of the $3.1MM they awarded the 16-year-old. Mateo's agent says it's a non-issue.
  • Miguel Angel Sano doesn't appear to be near a deal with any club, but Arangure Jr. hears that the shortstop seeks $3.2MM.
  • ESPN.com's Keith Law believes Aaron Crow's long holdout will hurt the pitcher more than it helped him. The Royals completed their deal with Crow just yesterday.
  • ESPN.com's Rob Neyer knows it's painful for the A's to see Andre Ethier's 30-homer season in LA, but he reminds his readers that Milton Bradley helped the A's win a division title after Billy Beane traded Ethier to acquire Bradley before the 2006 season. 

Rosenthal On Junior, Twins, Cardinals

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears the Mariners will not reject Ken Griffey Jr. if he decides to return next season. Here are the details and the rest of Rosenthal's rumors:

  • Junior will decide whether he wants to return for another season after this one ends.
  • GM Jack Zduriencik says the Mariners will wait to hear from Griffey before proceeding with the rest of their offseason plans.
  • One source tells Rosenthal that the team would bring Griffey back if the 13-time All-Star wants to return. A second source suggests Griffey may be willing to take on a reduced role for a reduced salary.
  • Rosenthal suggests the Twins will need to add a veteran starter this offseason. He mentions Randy Wolf as a possible target for the club.
  • Orlando Cabrera and Joe Crede are free agents, so the team will likely have to re-structure the left side of its infield.
  • Rosenthal wonders how Cardinals pitchers will fare if highly-regarded pitching coach Dave Duncan moves on next year. 

Olney On Nationals, Hardy, Mets

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ESPN.com's Buster Olney compares two of the game's best pitchers, Felix Hernandez and Zack Greinke, before providing us with some rumors:

  • Olney hears the Nationals will consider former MLB manager Buck Showalter when they select the team's permanent field manager.
  • J.J. Hardy will likely see lots of time at shortstop before the season ends. Olney guesses that the Brewers are trying to raise his trade value going into the offseason.
  • One GM tells Olney that the Mets have a few elite players, some unmoveable ones and not much minor league depth. This means the team may have to spend heavily to compete. 
  • Here's Tim's take on the Mets and here's Jon Heyman's.

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