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Berkman Unsure If He’ll Play After Contract Expires

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Astros first baseman Lance Berkman has been one of the best, if not most unheralded sluggers of the last decade. Since his first full season in 2000, a typical season for Fat Elvis has consisted of a .301/.414/.558 batting line with over 30 homers and 100 RBI. After slumping big time this April (.162/.326/.392), he's managed to rebound and is hitting .300/.419/.522 since May 1st.

But now, as MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports, the 33-yr old first baseman is unsure if he'll play after his contract expires next year. Berkman has one more season left on the six year, $85MM contract he signed prior to the 2005 season, but the team holds a $15MM option for his services in 2011. If the option is declined, they'll pay him a $2MM buyout.

Here's Berkman's quotes from McTaggart's article:

"I'm going to play next year because I'm under contract, and if they pick up the option, we'll see where I'm at after that year," he said. "That's kind of how I'm viewing it."

"I don't think that's fair to the team or to me," he said. "If I'm not going to perform a level I'm comfortable with, I'm not going to play. I'm going to play next year because I'm obligated to play. I'm going to give as a good of an effort as I can, and see what happens. If I have a good year and they pick the option up, I'll be committed for another year.

"I don't want to hang around. I don't want to hamstring the organization, and I don't want to take away from my family and things like that. If I'm not as productive as I want to be, I'll take it to the house."

Thanks to the April slump, Berkman is hitting a career low .272 and is slugging under .510 for the first time in his career. Most players would consider .272/.400/.496 with 18 homers and a 79/81 K/BB ratio a career year. For Berkman, it's enough to consider hanging up the spikes.

Rockies Release Russ Ortiz

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Diamond Leung reports that the Rockies have released veteran righthander Russ Ortiz, who had been pitching with Triple-A Colorado Springs. After spending most of the year in the Astros rotation, Ortiz agreed to the minor league contract with the Yankees before opting out of the deal in hopes of finding a better big league opportunity. Colorado signed him to a minor league pact two weeks ago.

In three starts with the Rockies' top minor league affiliate, Ortiz allowed 28 baserunners and 12 runs in 14 IP. The former 21-game winner hasn't been an effective pitcher since 2004.  

Mets To Sign Japanese Teenager

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Patrick at the great NPB Tracker passes along a report from the Japanese publication ChuSpo, which says that the Mets have agreed to sign Japanese teenager Taiki Kawasaki. The lefthanded hurler stands 6'1", 170 lbs, and reportedly throws a high-80's fastball, as well as a slider and curve. He'll receive a minor league contract.

The 17-yr old native of Osaka left Japan after high school in hopes of signing with a Major League franchise, and has been training at Julio Franco's academy in Florida. Patrick says that Franco will reportedly travel to Japan in the middle of next month to officially announce the signing.

Odds & Ends: Hillman, White Sox, Japanese Pitchers

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Let's start the evening off by rounding up a few spare links…

  • According to The Associated Press (via ESPN), Royals manager Trey Hillman will return to the team next season. Kansas City GM Dayton Moore, who originally hired Hillman, had his contract extended through 2014 earlier this week.
  • White Sox GM Kenny Williams was asked if the Jim Thome and Jose Contreras trades indicate that he was throwing in the towel according to Scot Gregor of The Daily Herald, and Williams replied "Hell no. We're still in it to win it.”
  • Patrick at NPB Tracker passes along a report saying that the Yokohama BayStars are looking to import Japanese pitchers currently playing in the States. The article mentions that players like Tomo Ohka, Yasuhiko Yabuta, and Masahide Kobayashi could interest the BayStars, while Patrick throws the names of Kei Igawa and Takashi Saito into the ring.
  • ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. writes that Miguel Angel Sano is not the only big name Latin American free agent stuck in age investigation limbo. Venezuelan pitcher Daniel Sanchez, considered one of the best pitchers available this year, is stuck in the same boat after the Brewers put in a formal request to MLB to investigate his age. An age investigation is a prerequisite to signing any player from Latin America.

Discussion: Derek Jeter

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Over the last few days, we've seen reports from SI.com's Jon Heyman and ESPN's Jayson Stark indicating that the Yankees were ready to let star shortstop Derek Jeter play out the rest of his contract before worrying about resigning him. Jeter will make $21MM next season in the final year of the monster ten year, $189MM contract he signed prior to the 2001 season.

Still extremely productive, Jeter has rebounded from a substandard 2008 campaign to hit.330/.396/.474 in just over 600 plate appearances this year. The 35-yr old has even managed to improve his usually poor defense, checking in with a +6.8 UZR this year, good enough for third best among shortstops with at least 900 innings at the position. He's a legitimate MVP candidate after finishing in the top three on the ballot twice before.

Assuming he stays healthy and has a typical Derek Jeter season in 2010 (.317/.387/.459 career batting line), what kind of contract do you think would be appropriate for him heading into his age 37 season? Is three years at say, $15MM per year a good starting point?

Offseason Outlook: Kansas City Royals

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The Royals are up next in our Offseason Outlook series.  Their 2010 commitments:

C – John Buck – $2.9MM+
C – Brayan Pena – $405K
1B – Billy Butler – $421K
2B – Alberto Callaspo – $416K
SS – Yuniesky Betancourt – $2MM
3B – Alex Gordon – $457K+
IF/OF – Mark Teahen – $3.575MM+
IF/OF – Willie Bloomquist – $1.7MM
LF – David DeJesus – $4.7MM
CF – Mitch Maier – $401K
RF – Jose Guillen – $12MM
OF – Josh Anderson- $400K
DH – Mike Jacobs – $3.25MM+

SP – Zack Greinke – $7.25MM
SP – Gil Meche – $12MM
SP – Brian Bannister – $1.7375MM+
SP – Luke Hochevar – $1.325MM
SP – Kyle Davies – $1.3MM+

RP – Joakim Soria – $3MM
RP – Juan Cruz – $3.25MM
RP – Kyle Farnsworth – $4.5MM
RP – John Bale – $1.2MM+
RP – Doug Waechter – $640K+
RP – Robinson Tejeda – $437K+
RP – Roman Colon – $435K+

Options: Coco Crisp – $8MM club option with $500K buyout, Yasuhiko Yabuta – $4MM club option with $500K buyout, Miguel Olivo – $3.3MM mutual option with $100K buyout

Non-tender/trade candidates: Buck, Bale, Waechter, Colon, Jacobs, Teahen

Cot's Baseball Contracts says the Royals entered 2009 with a $70.5MM payroll.  If the Royals non-tender or trade the six players I've listed as candidates, they'll have about $58MM committed before arbitration raises to Gordon, Bannister, Davies, and Tejeda.  So let's put them in the low-$60MM range.

Crisp's $8MM option is a tough call; it seems slightly steep but the market for center fielders is weak.  If exercised, the Royals won't have much to spend on their other needs unless payroll is raised.  But should they be spending more money?  I advocate using Pena plus a cheap free agent at catcher, promoting Kila Ka'aihue as a 1B/DH, and signing a reasonably priced reclamation project pitcher like Erik Bedard, Justin Duchscherer, or Randy Johnson.  The bullpen might be lousy again, but it's pricey enough as is.

My version of the 2010 Royals is probably not a contender unless everyone stays healthy and they get breakout seasons from Gordon and Hochevar and bounceback years from Guillen, Meche, Cruz, and others.  Halfway through the season, if that's not happening, Dayton Moore should hold a fire sale and get what he can for Crisp, Guillen, Meche, Cruz, and Farnsworth.  The current mix of cheap effective young players and overpaid, underperforming veterans is not a formula for success.

Heyman On Holliday, Red Sox, Pedro, Bradley

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The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • Heyman covers numerous examples of National League GMs mining the American League scrap heap.
  • Heyman agrees with Jayson Stark's note yesterday, that the Yankees will allow Derek Jeter to enter his walk year unsigned and worry about it after the 2010 season.
  • The Cardinals will try hard to retain Matt Holliday, but Heyman believes the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox could be in the mix for the slugger.
  • Heyman discusses future shortstop possibilities for the Red Sox – they could retain Alex Gonzalez or go after Marco Scutaro.  He says they "don't seem anxious" to bring Orlando Cabrera back.
  • Pedro Martinez is looking good, and Heyman says only the Phillies and Rangers had real interest.  The Cubs and Brewers were on the fringes.
  • Heyman talked to two GMs about the Cubs and Milton Bradley.  One thought the Cubs could unload him by eating half his remaining $21MM; another thought they'd need to assume almost all the money.  I am not a Bradley apologist; he's certainly been a distraction.  But how would subtracting a .394 OBP make the Cubs' middling offense better?

Cubs Acquire Thomas Diamond

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1:32pm: The Cubs confirmed the acquisition via a press release.  Diamond was simply claimed off waivers from the Rangers.  He'll head to Triple A Iowa.

12:23pm: The Cubs acquired righty Thomas Diamond from the Rangers, MLBTR has learned.  Diamond, the 10th overall pick in the 2004 draft, was designated for assignment Tuesday by Texas.  He had Tommy John surgery in '07, and has struggled with his control since.  Diamond has worked as a reliever most of this year.

Cubs assistant GM Randy Bush coached Diamond at the University of New Orleans, by the way.

Rangers Mulling Third Base Acquisition

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In the wake of Michael Young's hamstring injury, the Rangers are "considering trade options at third base" according to Evan Grant of D Magazine in a Wednesday article.  Young is aiming to return two weeks from now, so it'd be a short-term upgrade over the current Omar Vizquel/Esteban German combo.  And if the Rangers do overcome their 3.5 game defecit in the AL West, the September acquisition would not be playoff-eligible.

Grant speculates on three potential acquisitions: Garrett Atkins, Melvin Mora, and Fernando Tatis.  The problem is that the first two are being well-compensated for their lousy seasons, while Tatis hasn't played third base much in recent years.  ESPN's Buster Olney finds a deal unlikely, but feels that Jamey Carroll might be a nice fit.  One more idea: would a Troy Glaus trade be worth exploring?

Discussion: NL Cy Young

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The NL Cy Young might be a close race this year.  Tim Lincecum is the leader, but plenty of others merit consideration: Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Matt Cain, and Dan Haren.  Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Johnson, Javier Vazquez, Clayton Kershaw, Jair Jurrjens, Joel Pineiro, Randy Wolf, and Wandy Rodriguez are having strong seasons as well.  We've got about a month to go, keep in mind.

The last few NL Cy Young winners: Lincecum, Jake Peavy, Brandon Webb, and Carpenter.

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