By Tim Dierkes | at
Catcher Kenji Johjima reached an agreement with the Hanshin Tigers, according to reports passed along by NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman. One of the reports indicates it's a four-year deal worth around $27MM (the AP says $21MM). It seems that Johjima actually topped the two years and $16MM left on his Mariners contract.
Perhaps the Ms will reallocate some of Johjima's money toward free agents. We analyzed their needs in our Offseason Outlook yesterday.
By Howard Megdal | at
9:42pm: MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that the Tigers have confirmed interest in Chapman.
Tom Moore, Detroit's Director of International Scouting, said to Beck: "We're basically just at the interest level. Because of the nature, I think it's a situation where they're going to take the time to allow clubs to spend some time with the player and see who he is."
8:18pm: Add the Detroit Tigers to the list of teams in pursuit of Aroldis Chapman, according to a report by Melissa Segura in SI.com.
Segura writes that "several industry sources expect Chapman will command more than the $32 million the Yankees paid Cuban right-hander Jose Contreras in 2002."
Speaking of the Yankees, Chapman was a guest of the team for Game 6 of the ALCS, writes Jon Heyman.
And the Blue Jays new GM, Alex Anthopoulos, has concluded that it is "not realistic" to sign Chapman, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
"We don't have enough background and scouting looks to make a proper offer," Anthopoulos wrote in an e-mail. "Going forward, these will be the types of things we will be more proactive with. I think the way the Red Sox pursued [Daisuke Matsuzaka] is a great model. They were doing homework on him for years."
By Howard Megdal | at
If you're up reading, we're up writing!
By Howard Megdal | at
Yes, the return flight from New York has barely touched down, but the Angels are already facing a large number of difficult decisions, and the writers who cover them have wasted no time in evaluating them.
MLB.com's Lyle Spencer rates the various chances that 2009's Angels hitting free agency will return in 2010, with Bobby Abreu and Darren Oliver 50-50 to return, and several other players, such as John Lackey, far less than even money.
Meanwhile, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times speculates that free agent Aroldis Chapman might be who the Angels use to replace Lackey.
What would you do? Would you keep any, or all of the free agents? And should the Angels reach for Chapman?
By Howard Megdal | at
With baseball dark until Wednesday, let MLBTradeRumors.com light the way for you…
By Tim Dierkes | at
Next up in our Offseason Outlook series, the Mariners. Their likely commitments for 2010:
C – Rob Johnson – $400K
C – Adam Moore – $400K
1B – Mike Carp – $400K
2B – Jose Lopez – $2.3MM
SS – Josh Wilson – $400K
3B – Matt Tuiasosopo – $400K
IF – Jack Hannahan – $410K
OF/IF – Bill Hall – $1.25MM
LF – Michael Saunders – $400K
CF – Franklin Gutierrez – $455K+
RF – Ichiro Suzuki – $17MM
OF – Ryan Langerhans – $500K+
DH –
SP – Felix Hernandez – $3.8MM+
SP – Ryan Rowland-Smith – $420K
SP – Jason Vargas – $405K
SP – Brandon Morrow – $425K
SP – Ian Snell – $4.25MM
Other candidates: Doug Fister – $400K
RP – David Aardsma – $419K+
RP – Mark Lowe – $418K+
RP – Sean White – $400K
RP – Shawn Kelley – $400K
RP – Chris Jakubauskas – $400K
RP – Garrett Olson – $420K
RP – Carlos Silva – $11.5MM
Other commitments: Yuniesky Betancourt – $1MM, Jack Wilson – $600K buyout
Non-tender candidates: Ryan Langerhans
It is difficult to project the Mariners' payroll. I have them around $49MM before arbitration raises to Gutierrez, Hernandez, Aardsma, Lowe, Langerhans (Langerhans may be non-tendered). I'll estimate these raises to cost an additional $13MM, putting them in the low $60 millions range. While the Ms entered 2009 with a $98.9MM payroll according to Cot's, it might be a stretch to say they have $35MM+ to spend this winter.
The Mariners apparently saved $8MM in 2010 payroll when Kenji Johjima opted out of his contract. With Moore inexperienced and Johnson having all kinds of offseason surgeries, GM Jack Zduriencik figures to be in the market for a veteran catcher. If he doesn't go the free agent route, Zduriencik has shown a recent willingness to take on portions of bad contracts with Hall and Snell. He could call the Diamondbacks about Chris Snyder, who has $11.25MM remaining on his deal over the next two years.
Will Jack Wilson's defense at shortstop be enough for the Mariners to value him at $7.8MM net? Perhaps not, but the two sides could renegotiate at a lower salary. The shortstop trade market offers mainly J.J. Hardy, while Marco Scutaro and Miguel Tejada top the free agents. It would not be surprising to see Zduriencik pursue Hardy, a player he drafted as head of the Brewers' scouting department. Would Dave Cameron's suggested offer of Morrow interest the Brewers?
If the Ms intend to build upon 2009's 85 wins, they'll need to add multiple hitters. They've got the vacancies – first base, third base, DH, and left field are currently open. Re-signing Russell Branyan and/or Adrian Beltre wouldn't be a terrible idea. While Gonzaga alum Jason Bay might be a speculative match, he doesn't seem like Zduriencik's type. I'd expect Seattle's GM to consider value free agents like Carlos Delgado, Nick Johnson, Troy Glaus, Gary Sheffield, Brian Giles, and Jim Thome. The trade market offers Brad Hawpe, Milton Bradley, and perhaps Lyle Overbay and Josh Willingham, not that the Mariners have been linked to them. Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times heard rumblings the Ms could pursue Orlando Hudson, shifting Lopez to another position or club. Zduriencik could go many different ways with these four spots. His shrewd pickups of Branyan, Gutierrez, and Aardsma last winter suggest he'll succeed.
The Mariners led the AL with a 3.87 ERA last year, so it's tempting to leave the pitching staff alone (obviously the defense deserves credit too). However, the rotation could use an upgrade or two behind Hernandez. Washburn and Bedard's 216 innings of 2.71 ball are gone, and Rowland-Smith's peripherals suggest his 3.74 ERA will be hard to repeat. Fortunately, the free agent market offers a host of intriguing bargain buys.
The Mariners could look very different in 2010 – they have potential needs at catcher, first base, shortstop, third base, left field, DH, and in the rotation. On top of that, they've got big arbitration cases (and possible extension attempts) in Hernandez, Gutierrez, and Aardsma. The Mariners weren't mentioned in our Offseason Storylines post a month ago, but their winter should be very active and interesting.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Jed Hoyer will be named the new Padres general manager at a press conference today, according to MLB.com's Thomas Harding. Hoyer, 35, was an assistant GM with the Red Sox. Chris Jenkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune had a little bit of background on him in an article yesterday.
Hoyer ought to have $10MM+ to work with this winter despite a payroll in the low $40 millions. If the plan is to contend in 2010, it's not out of the question.
By Tim Dierkes | at
The latest hot stove notes from SI's Jon Heyman…
By Tim Dierkes | at
38-year-old righty Brendan Donnelly feels he's a better pitcher now than before his 2007 Tommy John surgery, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. It may be tough for him to match his initial success with the Angels, but Donnelly's work last year shows he certainly has something left in the tank. He posted strong numbers in 25.3 big league innings with the Marlins after 25.6 Triple A innings in the Astros organization.
Donnelly told Frisaro his July signing with the Marlins "worked out well for both sides," and the team has interest in re-signing him. Donnelly noted that winning "is pretty much everything for me."
For a million or two, Donnelly could be a sleeper free agent signing this winter. He spent time with the Red Sox, Indians, Rangers, Astros, and Marlins organizations since the Angels traded him in December of '06. Which teams make sense for Donnelly this time around?
By Tim Dierkes | at
The idea of trading center fielder Carlos Beltran will not be entertained by the Mets, according to a source of WEEI's Alex Speier. Beltran's knee injury limited him to 357 plate appearances this year, but that doesn't serve as motivation for the Mets to subtract an important piece for 2010. Beltran has a full no-trade clause, also.
Beltran, a Scott Boras client, signed a seven-year, $119MM deal in January of 2005. FanGraphs suggests he's already been worth $95.5MM in his five Mets seasons, with $76MM of that value coming in 2006-08.
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