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Archives for November 2009

Pirates Would Like To Bring Mike Gonzalez Back

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John Perrotto tweets that the Pirates would like to bring lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez back to the Steel City, but the problem is that they'll have major competition for his services. This morning we learned that GM Neal Huntington was cleared to spend more by team president Frank Coonelly, though he was not given a hard number.

The 31-year-old Gonzalez spent the first four seasons of his big league career pitching in Pittsburgh, putting up a 2.37 ERA and a 10.6 K/9 during that time. He recently dropped his previous agent and signed on with Scott Boras.

Orioles Would Consider Sheets And Bedard

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The Orioles have Jeremy Guthrie and three young starters already penciled into their 2010 rotation, but they haven't ruled out added a quality pitcher with a recent injury history, according to Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com. When asked about Ben Sheets and former Oriole Erik Bedard, team president Andy MacPhail said:

"We would consider them. They would have to be vetted medically. They don't get excluded from consideration. We recognize there is a risk that goes with it, but if the potential reward is just as great or greater than the risk, it's something you have to look at.

"We are in a position where we can consider some risk."

We already know that the Orioles aren't opposed to pursuing top tier free agents this winter, though both Sheets and Bedard shouldn't require long-term commitments given their health records.

Lincecum Seeking A One-Year Deal

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With the mother of all arbitration cases set to go down this winter, Tim Lincecum and his agent Rick Thurman will pursue just a one-year deal according to John Shea of The SF Chronicle. Going year-to-year in arbitration would allow the righty to maximize his earning potential, though he'd be forgoing the security that comes along with signing a long-term deal.

Shea mentions that the 25-year-old two-time defending Cy Young Award winner could ask for C.C. Sabathia money thanks to a "special accomplishment" provision in Article VI Rule F (12) of CBA. While filing for salary arbitration, a player's compensation is based on what other players with similar service time are paid, however this provision would allow arbitration panel to "give whatever weight to such argument as is deemed appropriate." That essentially means they could disregard Lincecum's service time, if they choose.

Jays Looking For An Arm And A Bat For Halladay

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Another day, another Roy Halladay rumor. Today, Jeremy Sandler of The National Post reports that the Blue Jays "want a major league-ready arm and bat, both young and affordable enough to stay in Toronto a while, plus prospects for Halladay."

Regardless of how great Halladay is, it's a steep price to pay for just one year of his services. Yesterday we heard that the Red Sox would "almost certainly" have to give up Clay Buchholz and Casey Kelly to acquire Halladay, though those two don't meet the above-mentioned criteria. According to industry insiders, Sandler suggests that serious offers matching Toronto's wish list could be coming in the next few weeks.

Donnelly Hopes To Land A Major League Deal

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Free agent reliever Brendan Donnelly hopes to secure a Major League contract this offseason, according to MLB.com's Doug Miller. The 38-year-old righthander signed a minor league contract with Texas last winter, when he was coming off Tommy John surgery.

"The sense I'm getting this year is that it's similar to last year in general. But personally, I feel really different this year than last year, because last year I was coming off an injury," Donnelly said. "I feel like last year, when I finally got the chance, I showed people I'm back.

"In that way, I can't imagine having to take a Minor League deal this year. I think I've answered the questions that need to be answered on the field. If I had half a season in the NL with a 3.50-4.00 ERA, if the numbers weren't there — especially the strikeout numbers — then I might be singing a different tune."

Donnelly managed to put up a 1.78 ERA with an 8.9 K/9 in 25.1 second half innings for the Marlins last year after Texas cut him and he opted out of another minor league deal with Houston. Based on WAR, it was his most productive season since 2003. Given all of the righthanded relief options on the market (there's 49 of them on our free agent list), it might be tough for Donnelly to get his wish.

Pirates Kicking The Tires On Ankiel & Blalock

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The Pirates are believed to have already made contact with Scott Boras about two of his clients, free agents Rick Ankiel and Hank Blalock, according to Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The team's preference "is for a short-term contract aimed at allowing the player a chance at full-time duty to revive their careers."

With Andrew McCutchen in center and Lastings Milledge serving the default leftfielder, the idea is that late-bloomer Garrett Jones would play either first base or rightfield, depending on what the team does in the offseason. Kovacevic says that management's preference is for Jeff Clement to win the first base job, though bringing in Ankiel would put Jones at first, while bringing in Blalock would put Jones in right.

Kovacevic also adds that GM Neal Huntington has been cleared by team president Frank Coonelly to spend more, although no firm number was given. However, Huntington "expressed no urgency to do so, citing solely baseball reasons." The Pirates started 2009 with a $48.78MM payroll, and Tim had the team's projected 2010 obligation at less than half that in his Offseason Outlook, though that was prior to the Akinori Iwamura deal.  

Odds & Ends: Orioles, Padres, Theriot

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Here are some links on an understandably slow Thanksgiving night…

  • Baltimore GM Andy MacPhail tells Steve Melewski of MASN Sports that the Orioles are willing to offer a big contract under the right circumstances.  MacPhail points out that the club offered $140MM to Mark Teixeira as evidence that they are willing to spend.  Given their recent history, do you believe him?
  • The Padres are keeping close watch on first round draft pick Donavan Tate, writes Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  The third overall pick is recovering after undergoing sports hernia surgery in October.
  • Despite plans to shift Ryan Theriot from shortstop to second base, Cubs GM Jim Hendry tells Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that he has faith in the soon-to-be 30-year-old.  Theriot has been told to prepare for a shift to the other side of the bag to make room for Starlin Castro.  Recently it has been reported that the Cubs are interested in Mets second baseman Luis Castillo.

Discussion: Kevin Gregg

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Although he is admittedly not one of the sexier names on the free agent market, Cubs reliever Kevin Gregg should garner a fair amount of attention this offseason.  The 31-year-old recorded a 9.3 K/9 and a healthy K/BB ratio of 2.37.  Gregg's ERA of 4.72 was a career worst, but his xFIP was a respectable 4.20 – his best since his first full season in 2004.

After losing the role of closer mid-season, it doesn't sound as though re-signing Gregg is a priority of Jim Hendry's.  However, less than a year ago, the Cubs avoided arbitration with Gregg by inking him to a one year pact worth $4.2MM. 

Now that he appears likely to be changing uniforms, what teams should look to acquire his services?  How much is he worth in a marketplace chock full of viable relief options?  Let's hear your thoughts in the comments.

Blue Jays Rumors: Barajas, Snider, Needs

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The only MLB city not celebrating Thanksgiving today has, predictably, been the main source of Thursday's hot stove talk. In a series of Twitter updates, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com brings us a few more Toronto Blue Jays notes….

  • It doesn't look like Rod Barajas will return to Toronto next year. The club plans to offer him arbitration, but the 34-year-old could have a multi-year deal lined up with another team.
  • GM Alex Anthopoulos on Barajas: "We're going to keep the dialogue open. But, right now, I don't see there being good chances of Rod coming back."
  • The Blue Jays have informed Travis Snider that he'll have to earn a spot on the team's Opening Day roster.
  • The upshot of Barajas' likely departure and Snider not being handed a starting role? The Jays' two primary needs are behind the plate and in the outfield, with catcher being the club's top priority.
  • Anthopoulos also cites the leadoff spot as something Toronto would like to address this winter.

Discussion: High-Risk Arms

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This year's class of free agent starters is littered with high-risk, high-reward arms. These pitchers can dominate, but as the Red Sox found out with Brad Penny and John Smoltz, they aren't sure things.

Starters like Rich Harden (10.9K/9), Erik Bedard (9.8K/9), Ben Sheets (3.09 ERA in 2008), Justin Duchscherer (2.54 ERA in 2008), Smoltz (8.4K/9), Penny, Brett Myers and Randy Johnson (8.1K/9), provide plenty of options for teams willing to take a risk on an aging or recovering arm.

Would you offer any of these pitchers a multi-year deal? Which one of them is likeliest to pitch at an elite level next year?

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