Rockies Rumors: Betancourt, Duchscherer, Hawkins, DeRosa
Tracy Ringolsby of FoxSports.com reports that the Rockies hope free agent reliever Rafael Betancourt accepts arbitration, even though he’s a Type-A free agent and would net them two draft picks if he went elsewhere. Colorado declined their $4.5MM option for Betancourt last month, and he’s since rejected their two year, $7MM offer.
The deadline for free agents to accept arbitration is Monday, and if Betancourt accepts, Colorado would get to keep him on a one year deal, though it might cost them somewhere in the neighborhood of $6M.
Meanwhile, Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post adds that Justin Duchscherer and LaTroy Hawkins have become “top targets,” while the team has also expressed interest in Mark DeRosa.
Tigers Unlikely To Deal Cabrera Anytime Soon
Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com reports that two people “with knowledge of the Tigers’ plans heading into the winter meetings downplayed the possibility that Miguel Cabrera will be traded in the coming week,” with one going so far as to say the chances of a deal were “pretty remote.”
Morosi’s sources say the team is more likely to move Edwin Jackson and/or Curtis Granderson, and that even though Justin Verlander isn’t on the trade block, his future is “indirectly” tied to what happens in the next few weeks.
Cabrera is owed $126MM over the next six years, and given the team’s financial situation, the case can be made that they’d be better off using that money to fill multiple holes.
Rockies Interested In Orlando Hudson
7:37pm: Rockies' GM Dan O'Dowd said the club is not actively pursuing Hudson, according to MLB.com's Thomas Harding.
"That is not anything near a front-burner issue," O'Dowd said. "We're very happy with Clint Barmes as our second baseman."
1:31pm: The Rockies are interested in free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson, according to Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports. It's a surprising name, but Ringolsby explain that the Rockies feel that Clint Barmes would get a lot of playing time in a super-utility role.
Hudson, 32 later this month, hit .283/.357/417 in 631 plate appearances for the Dodgers this year. His playing time slipped after the Dodgers acquired Ronnie Belliard, but he still earned almost all his incentives and reached almost $8MM in total. Hudson would not cost the Rockies their #26 draft pick, because the Dodgers did not offer arbitration.
Royals Interested In Pudge
The Royals have interest in free agent catcher Ivan Rodriguez, according to MLB.com's Dick Kaegel.
"He can still catch and throw pretty good," Moore said. "You look at the supply out there for free-agent catchers and there aren't a lot of options."
Pudge is expected to turn down the Rangers' offer of arbitration, however he's only a Type-B free agent, so whatever signs him won't have to forfeit a draft pick. Kansas City has already declined Miguel Olivo's option, and John Buck is a prime non-tender candidate, so they're certainly in the market for a backstop. The 38-year-old Rodriguez hit .249/.280/.384 in 448 plate appearances for the two Texas-based teams in 2009.
A’s Offered Scutaro Three Years
The A's offered Marco Scutaro three years and slightly more money than the Red Sox, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com. Oakland planned to use Scutaro at short, pushing Cliff Pennington into a utility role.
The Fox scribes say the A's are clearly "operating with a measure of financial flexibility," reminding us that Oakland assumed $1.7MM of Aaron Miles' salary when they acquired him from the Cubs yesterday. What do MLBTR's readers think about this, surprised the A's were willing to open their wallet like this?
Giants’ Talk: Catchers, Rotation, Howry
Andrew Baggarly of The Mercury News and John Shea of The SF Chronicle have some notes on the Giants' for us…
- GM Brian Sabean said "nobody thinks [Buster Posey] is ready to catch 100-plus games in the big leagues," however they haven't made any "money offers" to any free agent catchers. He acknowledged that a multi-year deal for a backstop "wouldn't be wise."
- As for why they didn't offer Type-A free agent Bengie Molina arbitration, Sabean said the team didn't "need another arbitration case," and that they "have multiple needs and we want to spread the money throughout the roster."
- Sabean indicated that the team isn't comfortable paying Brad Penny or Juan Uribe what they want, and neither is likely to return. Both players declined one year deals last week.
- Shea says that if Penny leaves, the team probably won't move Jonathan Sanchez in a trade, while Baggarly says there is "less resistance to the idea of Madison Bumgarner beginning the season in the rotation."
- The team has informed reliever Bob Howry that they would like to bring him back, but they have not yet talked about money.
- The Giants will not forfeit a draft pick to sign a player, which rules out the Type-A's. They hold the 24th overall pick in next year's draft. However, Sabean said that Type-A's who weren't offered arbitration were "more sensible targets."
Marco Scutaro Signing Reactions
Yesterday the Red Sox agreed to a two-year, $12.5MM deal with free agent shortstop Marco Scutaro, with a mutual option for 2012. The deal became official today. The Red Sox will give a draft pick to the Blue Jays as compensation. Let's take a look at some of the reactions around the web…
- ESPN's Keith Law says that "with some regression, [Scutaro] will still represent a good value for his salary." He says the loss of the draft pick "is the worst part of the deal," though.
- ESPN's Peter Gammons has comments from former Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi praising Scutaro as "one of the best shortstops, period."
- WEEI's Alex Speier shows that Scutaro almost can't help but be an improvement on Boston's 2009 shortstops. In another article, Speier looks at how unique it is for Scutaro to have become a starting shortstop so late in his career.
- Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe recalls Scutaro as a rookie for the Mets in '02, "at the center of a tug-of-war between manager Bobby Valentine and general manager Steve Phillips."
Dodgers, Justin Miller Agree To Minor League Deal
The Dodgers agreed to a minor league deal with reliever Justin Miller, according to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times. Hernandez says he'll earn $850K if he makes the big league roster, with another $50K in incentives.
Miller, 32, posted a 3.18 ERA in 56.6 innings this year for the Giants despite striking out 36 and walking 27. Miller was outrighted in October after undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery.
Brewers Make Offer To Craig Counsell
3:46pm: The Brewers made an initial contract proposal to Counsell today, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
9:48am: The Brewers plan to present an offer to utility infielder Craig Counsell, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The interest is mutual, but ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted back on November 16th that at least a dozen teams are eyeing Counsell and a multi-year deal is possible.
Counsell, 39, hit .285/.357/.408 in 459 plate appearances this year while playing second base, shortstop, and third base and earning $1MM. If Alex Cora gets $2MM, Counsell's agent Barry Meister should seek at least that much.
Red Sox Sign Marco Scutaro
3:23pm: The signing is now official, according to a team press release. Interesting press conference note from Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe: he tweets that Scutaro said another team offered more money.
FRIDAY, 9:08am: ESPN's Buster Olney has the terms on Scutaro: $1MM signing bonus, $5MM in 2010, $5MM in 2011, and a 2012 option with a $6MM club option, $3MM player option, and $1.5MM buyout. That makes it a two-year, $12.5MM deal – less than I thought he'd receive.
THURSDAY, 10:01pm: The deal will include a mutual option for a third year, according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald (via Twitter).
9:46pm: Price also reports that it is a two-year deal (via Twitter). The signing will result in Toronto receiving a supplemental pick and Boston's first rounder (#29), provided that they do not sign a higher-ranking Type A free agent who was offered arbitration.
9:37pm: The Red Sox have agreed to terms with Scutaro, pending a physical, according to Ed Price of FanHouse.com (via Twitter).
9:26pm: A report from Venezuelan outlet Lider, passed along by Jorge Arangure of ESPN Deportes (via Twitter), claims that Scutaro has signed with the Red Sox. However, there is no additional confirmation at this time.
4:39pm: ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports that Scutaro worked out for the Red Sox near his home in Miami earlier this week. Special assistant to the GM Allard Baird was in attendance, and it's "believed the workout helped alleviate some concerns the Red Sox had over a heel injury that sidelined Scutaro for the final two weeks of the 2009 season."
11:05am: We know the Red Sox are considering other options, including Orlando Hudson, but Marco Scutaro still interests Theo Epstein & Co. Here's the latest on the shortstop:
- The Red Sox asked for Marco Scutaro's medical records, according to Venezuelan journalist Augusto Cardenas. Scutaro told Cardenas that he hasn't yet received a formal offer from Boston.
- It would be a surprise to see Scutaro accept the Jays' arbitration offer, but the club is prepated to re-position Scutaro in the outfield if he accepts, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
- The Boston Herald reports that the Red Sox are interested in Jamey Carroll.