Week In Review: 10/29/09 – 12/5/09
Just hours away from one of the most exciting hot stove times of the year! Remember, MLBTR is offering 24/7 coverage of the Winter Meetings this year. Let's take a look back at the week leading up to the meetings, as there was plenty of action to go around already:
- The Mariners reached a preliminary agreement with Chone Figgins on a four-year, $36MM deal, with a $9MM option for a fifth year. Jack Zduriencik has put together a fantastic defensive team, and adding Figgins to the top of the lineup alongside Ichiro will certainly set the stage for their offense. Figgins signed for less than what I thought he'd get; got to like it for the Mariners.
- The next biggest signing of the week went to Placido Polanco, who received three years and $18MM plus an option from the Phillies. I'd expected the Phils to pursue Adrian Beltre, so this one confused me. Polanco's a nice player, but three years seems too long, and why sign a Gold Glove second baseman only to put him at third? They must not have liked Beltre's $10MM per season asking price.
- Not much of a surprise to see the Red Sox sign Marco Scutaro this week; it'd been rumored for quite some time. Scutaro got two years and $12.5MM guaranteed. Interestingly, he was also offered a two-year deal by the Jays and a three-year deal by the A's. Looks like he wanted the more clear shot at the postseason. Reactions to the signing can be seen here.
- The Braves bolstered their bullpen, adding Billy Wagner for $7MM with a $6.5MM option for 2010, and inking Takashi Saito to a one-year, $3.2MM deal. With the Braves in need of some offense, I was surprised to see them throw $10MM at their bullpen. I love the value for Saito, though I was surprised to see Wagner get $7MM. Still, if they stay healthy, that should be a solid combo to shut down games.
- On the trade front this week, the Rays acquired Kelly Shoppach from Cleveland for a player to be named later. Potentially a steal for the Rays, if Shoppach can find a way to return to his 2008 form. Unfortunate for the Indians that his value fell so far in 2009; he could've fetched some value a year earlier.
- The A's acquired Jake Fox and Aaron Miles in exchange for minor leaguers Jeff Gray, Ronny Morla, Matt Spencer, and $1MM cash from the Cubs. I'm sure the Cubs are thrilled to be rid of Miles and his .466 OPS, and the A's get a decent bat to go along with it, but I don't see the appeal in this one for Oakland as much.
- Roy Halladay placed a Spring Training deadline on any trades, putting some pressure on the Blue Jays and new GM Alex Anthopolous. Here's a look at some of the latest on Doc's situation.
- In total, 23 players were offered arbitration this week.
- Offseason Outlook updates this week featured the Red Sox and Phillies.
Discussion: Winter Meetings
The 2009 edition of baseball's Winter Meetings officially start tomorrow in Indianapolis, however after attending last year's meetings in Las Vegas, I can assure you reporters are already staking out in the hallways trying to get their hands on any scoop possible.
As fans, the Winter Meetings are the zenith of the Hot Stove League, when most major trades and free agent signings will be made, or at the very least put into motion. As Peter Abraham reminds us, actual business gets addressed at the meetings as well. We really don't care about that stuff though, that's for someone else to worry about.
What do you folks want to see happen at the Winter Meetings this week? Are you hoping to see a big Roy Halladay deal? Matt Holliday or Jason Bay or John Lackey choose a new team? Maybe a smaller deal to help your favorite team shore up a weakness? Let us know in the comments.
Royals To Sign Noel Arguelles
4:38pm: Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star tweets that the Royals are saying there could be up to two or three weeks worth of paperwork before the signing is official. Technically, no deal is in place yet.
SUNDAY, 2:46pm: Keith Law weighs in with his reaction to the signing, calling it a "tremendous get for the Royals." Law profiles Arguelles, and also discusses the mentality that international free agency favors big-market teams like the Yankees and Red Sox. Law finds the mentality to be a myth, to put it lightly.
SATURDAY, 10:41pm: More detail courtesy of Passan, who says that the two sides have agreed to a pact. On top of the $7MM, Arguelles can earn up to $2MM in incentives as well – and give Passan a dead-on prediction. Of course, the deal will not become official until the youngster passes a physical.
Arguelles' fastball reached 94 mph when he threw for the Cuban national team. Also armed with a strong changeup and above average curveball, he must improve his control to truly capitalize on his potential.
10:31pm: The Royals are believed to be near a major-league agreement with lefty Noel Arguelles, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. The deal is reportedly worth $7MM over five years.
This comes as somewhat of a surprise as we recently heard that the most interested clubs were the Athletics, Rays, Mariners, and Yankees. Late last month, Passan predicted that the Cuban defector would fetch between $8.2MM and $10MM, slightly more than what he is set to receive from Kansas City.
Odds & Ends: M’s, O’s, Closers, Molina, Willingham
Let's take a look at some Sunday links:
- A number of league officials have told the New York Post's Joel Sherman that they expect the Mariners and the Orioles to spend big this offseason. The M's have already started spending big, inking Chone Figgins earlier this week. Hearing that the Orioles are ready to spend big, however, comes as a surprise.
- Peter Gammons agrees on the Mariners; he tweets that one executive says we should watch for Seattle to be in on both Jason Bay and John Lackey. The Mariners have money, and as Gammons says, "Jack Z loves to lay low and strike."
- We know that there are plenty of capable closers available on the open market, but Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports reports that there are a handful available via trade as well. The Reds are hoping to move Francisco Cordero and the remainder of his hefty contract – two years, $25MM. San Diego believes that Heath Bell's value is at its absolute zenith and is looking to capitalize. The Pirates hope to find a new home for Matt Capps, who they labeled as their closer for 2010.
- Jon Heyman wonders aloud if Bengie Molina is seeking a three-year pact, since the Mets are willing to give him two years and there is no deal in place yet (via Twitter).
- Heyman also tweets that the Cubs and Rays are not close on a Milton Bradley-for-Pat Burrell swap. The possibility of including the Mets and Luis Castillo in a three-way trade is "not helping things."
- The Mets are interested in Josh Willingham, according to William Ladson of MLB.com (via Twitter).
- Don't expect the Padres to move Adrian Gonzalez in Indianapolis, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com. However, if San Diego does make any moves at all, it will likely be via trade.
- Jon Paul Morosi offers a high-level preview of each team's thoughts going into the Winter Meetings, broken down by National League and American League.
- A few overseas updates courtesy of Patrick from NPB Tracker: The Hansin Tigers are nearing a deal with Randy Messenger, and have interest in Jason Bulger, should he be removed from the Angels' 40-man roster. Patrick also adds that Nelson Payano is likely to return to MLB-affiliated ball. The lefty last worked with the AA affiliates for Seattle and Atlanta in 2008.
- Ken Davidoff tweets that once the Yankees non-tender Chien-Ming Wang, the Dodgers will have interest in the right-hander, as Joe Torre and Larry Bowa are both big fans.
Red Sox Winter Meetings Preview
Peter Abraham takes a look at the Red Sox checklist as they head into this year's Winter Meetings. Abraham is sure to note that his focus is on what Boston needs, not the fantasy trade scenarios that fans may want. Says Abraham, "The Sox needs refining, not rebuilding." That said, let's take a look:
- The easy solution in left field is to bring back Jason Bay. Abraham says though, that the acquisition of Jeremy Hermida presents Boston with the option of signing a right-handed hitter, such as Xavier Nady, to form a platoon. The Red Sox could also let Bay go in favor of pursuing Matt Holliday.
- While the rotation appears to be set for now with Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz, and Tim Wakefield, Abraham says the Sox could use a "No. 5.5 starter, a No. 6, and possibly a No. 7" for depth. He names the usual suspects, including Ben Sheets, Erik Bedard, and Rich Harden.
- Boston has requested medical reports on Mike Gonzalez, and will need to fill out the back of the bullpen for 2010. Abraham feels the Red Sox will invite about a dozen relievers to camp and see who performs well.
- Boston should look to add a veteran outfielder and infielder for bench depth. Abraham says Boston doesn't seem interested in keeping Rocco Baldelli around. He names Adam Everett, Craig Counsell, Reed Johnson, Marcus Thames, and Adam Kennedy as options.
- Abraham doesn't see Buchholz, Casey Kelly, or Ryan Westmoreland being dealt. He names Casey Kotchman, Josh Reddick, and Manny Delcarmen as trade chips.
- Abraham also speculates on the possibility of Jonathan Papelbon being traded. With Daniel Bard waiting in the wings, this isn't the first time someone has speculated on the possibility of Papelbon being shipped off.
Orioles Offseason Gameplan
The Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec looks at five key questions for the Orioles as they head into this year's Winter Meetings. He's also got some quotes from Andy MacPhail talking about the Orioles' views on this year's free agent market. Let's go over some highlights:
- MacPhail states that the O's will be less active at the Winter Meetings than they were in 2008, when they signed Cesar Izturis, traded Ramon Hernandez, and offered a $140MM contract to Mark Teixeira. He does, however, state that when the offseason is said and done, Baltimore will likely have been more active than it was overall last year.
- Don't expect a major move from Baltimore this week. They don't have a free agent target singled out and will likely wait to see how the market takes shape as time progresses.
- While they'd like to add an impact hitter, the Orioles are unlikely to pursue names like Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, and MacPhail isn't big on the idea of trading his top prospects for short-term fixes. So far, the O's aren't thought to be bidders for veteran outfield/DH types like Jermaine Dye, Hideki Matsui, and Vladimir Guerrero.
- Luke Scott is likely Baltimore's biggest trade chip. Moving Scott would allow Nolan Reimold to DH while recovering from surgery, and improve defense by getting Felix Pie more at-bats in left field.
- Ty Wigginton is also mentioned as a trade chip. Zrebiec says the Orioles would have to be overwhelmed by an offer to move Jeremy Guthrie, and have a way to secure two veteran arms to replace him as well.
- MacPhail would prefer not to sign a closer that will cost their second-round pick, such as Jose Valverde, Mike Gonzalez, or Rafael Soriano. Zrebiec mentions Kevin Gregg as a possibility.
- The Orioles have had talks with John Lackey's agent, but aren't expected to be serious bidders for the former Halos ace. They'll look at names like Ben Sheets, Rich Harden, and Erik Bedard instead.
- After Radhames Liz was claimed by the Padres, Baltimore found themselves with an open spot on its 40-man roster. MacPhail would prefer to give a homegrown player a shot rather than make a Rule 5 selection, unless he's convinced that the Rule 5 Draft offers something that their minor league clubs currently don't have.
White Sox Notes: Beckham, Jones, Designated Hitter
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen addressed some of the team's needs before heading off to Indianapolis, and MLB.com's Scott Merkin has the goods..
- Guillen would like to find an upgrade over Gordan Beckham in the leadoff spot. However, Guillen went out of his way to say that he is a "good RBI man" and added that he would like to move him down to sixth or seventh in the lineup.
- Andruw Jones could be an everyday outfielder for the ChiSox if (and, as Merkin notes, "that's a big if") he reports to Spring Training in shape.
- Guillen seems to like the flexibility that comes with not having a true designated hitter. The way he sees it, he can use Jones, Omar Vizquel, Mark Kotsay, Paul Konerko or Mark Teahen in the spot when neccessary, and shift them around as he sees fit.
- Freddy Garcia is working to get himself in position to be the club's fifth starter. The 33-year-old posted a 4.34 ERA in nine starts with the White Sox last season.
Odds & Ends: DeRosa, Bradley, Figgins
Here are some links to check out as the snow falls for the first time this season in New York:
- Free agent Mark DeRosa is in a state of flux, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Cardinals, Braves, Yankees, Giants, and Red Sox are all possibilities, but each have higher priorities than the 34-year-old. The Mets and Nationals are also interested in the right-handed batter, but he would prefer to play for a contender. DeRosa may be waiting by the phone for a while if he is unwilling to lower his asking price.
- More from Ken Rosenthal as he writes that despite interest from the Rangers, the Rays remain the frontrunners for Milton Bradley.
- Considering their plans to reduce their hefty payroll, It shouldn't surprise anyone that the Yankees won't consider Matt Holliday or Jason Bay (per Buster Olney's blog). However, Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues wisely point out that this time last year, it was said that the Yanks didn't have enough cash to land Mark Teixeira after signing CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.
- The Mariners' signing of Chone Figgins may indicate that the organization believes power is currently overrated, says ESPN's Keith Law.
- In a footnote to his report of the Orioles re-signing Chad Moeller, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun writes that while the O's remain interested in righty reliever Ryota Igarashi and lefty Hisanori Takahashi, they aren't expected to be terribly aggressive in their pursuit. Both players recently applied for international free agency.
- On the heels of Phillies GM Ruben Amaro stating that the door is open for Pedro Martinez's return to the club, the 38-year-old reciprocated that sentiment to Scott Lauber of The News Journal.
- Kevin Towers is leaning towards accepting an offer from his close friend – Yankees GM Brian Cashman, according to Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports.
- Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel estimates that the Brewers will have about $12MM to spend on starting pitching after addressing the rest of their roster. Since that probably puts them short of the capital needed to sign John Lackey, what do you think would be the best way to take care of their starting pitching needs on the open market?
- The Pirates placed Luis Cruz on waivers to make space for their second pick in the Rule 5 draft, writes Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com.
Giants Notes: Rodriguez, Uggla, Bumgarner
Let's take a look at some Giants tidbits courtesy of Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News…
- We heard earlier today that the Giants are one of a handful of teams interested in Ivan Rodriguez. It has also been reported that the club is interested in Yorvit Torrealba and Brad Ausmus as they look to ease Buster Posey into the role of catcher. However, Baggarly says Miguel Olivo, Rod Barajas, and Jason Kendall are more likely targets.
- Although Florida's Dan Uggla is highly coveted by GM Brian Sabean, he is unwilling to sacrifice valuable commodities such as left-hander Madison Bumgarner to get him.
- Just as the club wants to wait before giving Posey the reins as starting catcher, they would like to have Bumgarner start the year in Triple-A. In order to do this, they need to find a fifth starter. If they cannot retain Brad Penny, they'll have to look out-of-house.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Beltre, Wolf, Callaspo, Rule 5 Draft
On this date two years ago, the Tigers acquired Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis for six players including Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller. Only one of the other four players, Burke Badenhop has yet to see significant playing time at the big league level. With this year's winter meetings set to begin next week more big players could be on the move. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Jorge Says No! wonders if the smart move for Adrian Belte is to accept arbitration from the Mariners now that the Phillies no longer need a third baseman.
- Around the Majors explains why the Dodgers made a mistake in not offering arbitration to Randy Wolf.
- The Baseball Opinion looks back at how each team did with their '04 free agency compensation draft picks.
- Royals Authority makes a case for trading Alberto Callaspo.
- River Ave Blues wonders who could play left field for the Yankees if they don't land Johnny Damon, Matt Holliday or Mike Cameron.
- UmpBump looks at what the Astros need this off-season.
- MLB Notebook believes Justin Duchscherer would be a good fit for the Pirates.
- Bucco Fans previews the right-handed pitchers in the upcoming Rule 5 draft with Aneury Rodriguez of the Rays listed as one of the top options overall.
- DRaysBay looks at some relief pitchers that are available in the Rule 5 draft.
- We Should Be GMs examines the free agent market for relief pitchers and who might be a good fit for the Phillies.
- The Pinstriper looks back at what might have happened had the Yankees not re-signed Alex Rodriguez in '07.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.