Odds and Ends: Yamarin, Eaton, Atkins, Ohman
Links for Monday…
- Yankees and Red Sox fans are dreaming of Joe Mauer, whose contract is up after the 2010 season.
- Updated June draft order, courtesy of Baseball America.
- The Braves signed a Japanese amateur pitcher named Yoshinori Yamarin to a minor league deal.
- Adam Eaton is not a candidate for the Phillies’ fifth starter job, and they’ll probably release him and eat his contract if they can’t trade him.
- MLB.com made a nice addition in Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki.
- Arbitration hearing dates are set for Paul Maholm and Nate McLouth.
- Jim Salisbury writes about Tal Smith, who prepares arbitration cases for clubs.
- Garrett Atkins comments on his arbitration request and his future with the Rockies.
- The Reds voided the contract of 16 year-old Venezuelan pitcher Ismael Guillon and re-signed him for less due to a problem found during his physical.
- Athletics Nation talked to MLB.com beat writer Mychael Urban.
- David O’Brien chatted with unsigned reliever Will Ohman.
- Orioles infielder Oscar Salazar cleared waivers.
Joba Chamberlain’s 2009 Innings
I asked eleven of my favorite baseball writers (including Ken Rosenthal, Peter Gammons, Jon Heyman, and Keith Law) to predict Joba Chamberlain‘s innings total for 2009. Check out the results at RotoAuthority, as well as fantasy baseball analysis on Joba’s value.
Rangers Close To Signing Marlon Byrd
According to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers are close to avoiding arbitration with outfielder Marlon Byrd by signing him for ’09. He submitted a $3.6MM figure while the Rangers submitted $2.7MM.
Blue Jays Sign Brandon Fahey, Jason Lane
According to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, the Blue Jays signed infielder Brandon Fahey and outfielder Jason Lane to minor league deals.
Fahey, 28 in January, isn’t much with the bat. He is versatile though. Lane, 32, hit .236/.340/.447 for the Yankees’ Triple A affiliate last year. His career highlight was a 26 home run season for the ’05 Astros.
Tigers Sign Timo Perez
According to the AP, the Tigers signed outfielder Timo Perez to a minor league deal. Perez, 32 in April, spent all of ’08 with the Tigers’ Triple A club. He hit .302/.374/.473 in 112 games.
Polanco Enters Contract Year
Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press takes a look at the Placido Polanco situation. The Tigers second baseman is entering the last year of a four-year deal, and GM Dave Dombrowski does not seem in a hurry to lock up the 33 year-old. Morosi says much remains to be seen – Polanco’s ’09 performance, the Tigers’ projected payroll, and the possible emergence of second base prospects.
Polanco hit .307/.350/.417 in 629 plate appearances last year while playing excellent defense. He earned $4.6MM; FanGraphs valued him at $10MM more than that. Other prominent free agent second basemen for the 2009-10 offseason: Mark DeRosa, Felipe Lopez, Brian Roberts, and Freddy Sanchez.
Kenny Rogers May Retire
44 year-old southpaw Kenny Rogers posted a 5.70 ERA in 173.6 innings last year while earning $8MM. What’s the plan for 2009?
We touched on it briefly Saturday – Tigers pitching coach Rick Knapp said Rogers is retired, based on a November conversation. Knapp backed off a bit in other comments, while GM Dave Dombrowski doesn’t believe Rogers is close to signing with any club.
Nationals Rumors: Zimmerman, Dunn, Bowden
Chico Harlan of the Washington Post has all kinds of observations from NatsFest.
- Nationals president Stan Kasten expressed his distaste for free agent pitching contracts, but might consider it if the team is closer to contention.
- A quote from Kasten regarding the Ryan Zimmerman extension talks: "I know it’s just a coincidence that [Zimmerman and Ryan Howard] have the same agent who doesn’t seem to like to do long-term contracts before free agency." That’s a reference to Casey Close. Currently the two sides have a $1.15MM gap on Zimmerman’s ’09 salary.
- Zimmerman is friends with Adam Dunn, who would love to play for the Nationals.
- GM Jim Bowden expects the free agent market to get moving within the next ten days. Bowden still hopes to add a left-handed middle of the order bat as well as starting pitching.
Brewers Rumors: Hart, Weeks, Gallardo
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has the latest on the Brewers…
- Corey Hart hopes to avoid an arbitration hearing; he and the Brewers are $1.1MM apart on his ’09 salary. It’s a decent gap, but many players are fighting over a similar difference. Hart turned down a long-term extension last year but remains open to the idea. Assistant GM Gord Ash recently said, "We’re not on the same page with regard to his value. And that goes back to last year."
- The Brewers face an $800K gap with Rickie Weeks. Weeks also hopes to get a deal done. The Brewers are open to a multiyear deal with Weeks. Doug Melvin has never gone to an arbitration hearing as Brewers GM.
- Owner Mark Attanasio mentioned that the team will revisit all young players in Spring Training and consider extensions. Attanasio mentioned Yovani Gallardo by name. Gallardo, 23 in February, isn’t arb-eligible until after the 2010 season.
Pirates Interested In Braden Looper
Let’s gather up assorted pieces of Pirates information from Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from the past few days…
- We already knew about Pedro Martinez; Kovacevic says the Pirates also have an eye on free agent starter Braden Looper. The Dodgers and D’Backs are other teams in the market for the 34 year-old hurler. Team president Frank Coonelly says free agents are "still asking for prices based on yesterday’s market."
- Kovacevic suggests the Pirates may sign another bench player soon, someone other than fan favorite Doug Mientkiewicz.
- GM Neal Huntington ruled out free agents Rich Aurilia, Joe Crede, and Kevin Millar. Still, Coonelly expects the Pirates to sign more players, ones that fans "would fall in love with."
- Huntington says there are no current trade talks for shortstop Jack Wilson.