Nats Notes: Guzman, Desmond, Carroll, Dunn
The Nationals are considering a number of options up the middle. Here's the latest:
- MLB.com's Bill Ladson expects the Nationals to try trading Cristian Guzman this offseason. It won't be easy, given his $8MM salary.
- Manager Jim Riggleman likes Ian Desmond, but others within the organization believe the infielder needs more minor league seasoning.
- Could Ronnie Belliard return to play second base? Ladson doubts it.
- Jamey Carroll doesn't seem likely to return to Washington, either. At least nine teams have interest in the 35-year-old.
- The Nats are considering a couple defensive shortstops, too.
- Since 2007, no fielder has cost his team more runs than Adam Dunn, according to Matthew Carruth of FanGraphs. Dunn will make $12MM in 2010 before becoming a free agent. It's hard to imagine him signing with an NL club again after next season.
Week In Review: 11/8/09 – 11/14/09
Time once again for a look back at the highlights from the past seven days here at MLBTR. Let's take a look:
- The Mariners inked Jack Wilson to a two-year, $10MM deal this week. Wilson's glove alone is worth that money; Jack Zduriencik is putting together a terrific defensive team. For what it's worth, Wilson seems to absolutely love it in Seattle. The Mariners also reached an agreement this week with Ken Griffey Jr. for a $2MM base salary plus incentives. Griffey's numbers took a sharp decline in 2009, but he says he's looking forward to helping out in whatever role he's given in 2010. One Mariner isn't quite ready to return though; Russell Branyan rejected Seattle's initial one-year offer, stating that he wants two years guaranteed.
- Despite missing nearly all of 2009, Tim Hudson signed a three-year, $27MM extension with an option for a fourth year. If Hudson is healthy, this gives the Braves a tremendous amount of pitching depth to deal from to fill other holes. Hudson threw 42.1 innings at the end of the season to the tune of a 3.61 ERA, though his .295 opponent average could be a caution flag. The Braves may not stop with Hudson either. Talks of an extension for Javier Vazquez surfaced this week as well.
- Tim Wakefield also received an extension, signing for two years and $5MM. Wakefield's average annual salary will take a hit, but he's guaranteed another two years right now, which must be nice at the age of 43.
- Several new (and in some cases, surprising) names emerged on the trade market. The Tigers have announced that they'll listen on both Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson, while the Pirates would be open to dealing Ryan Doumit, and the Nationals are getting a lot of calls about Josh Willingham.
- Speaking of the Nationals, they announced this week that interim manager Jim Riggleman will take over the job as the club's official manager for 2010.
- We saw a lot of options picked up or declined this week. The Red Sox picked up Victor Martinez's $7.1MM option for 2010, while the Rays picked up their $10MM option on Carl Crawford but declined to bring back Gregg Zaun or Brian Shouse. The Brewers wisely declined their $6.5MM option on Braden Looper, and the Rockies did the same with Rafael Betancourt's $5.4MM option. And after much drama, Jason Varitek exercised his $3MM player option with the Red Sox.
- Tim released his list of the Top 50 Free Agents this offseason, as well as his predictions for where each will land.
- In his Trades of the Decade series, Ben takes a look at the deal that sent Hanley Ramirez to Florida and Josh Beckett to Boston.
- If you're wondering who's available on the trade market, Tim's got you covered. This week's posts in the trade market series include starting pitchers, closers, and designated hitters.
- Offseason Outlook updates this week include the Rangers and Giants.
- And in case you missed it, the 2009 Elias Rankings have been officially released.
Rogers On White Sox, Gamel, Cabrera, Yankees
The White Sox have a new third baseman of the future, writes Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune. Dayan Viciedo held his own as a 20-year-old in AA this year (.708 OPS), but Brent Morel has passed him on Rogers' depth chart with a torrid stint in the Arizona Fall League. Here are the rest of Rogers' rumors:
- A's GM Billy Beane likes what he sees from pitching prospect Fautino de los Santos, who is hitting the mid-nineties as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
- Casey McGehee has emerged as a solid player, but the Brewers are reluctant to trade Mat Gamel, even if it would net them the starting pitching they covet.
- The Twins are talking to Orlando Cabrera about returning to play second base.
- Rogers says the Yankees are more likely to sign Johnny Damon than Hideki Matsui.
Odds & Ends: Pirates, Jeter, Marlins
Let's take a look at some Sunday morning links….
- Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says that the Pirates may be able to add one or two low-cost free agents this winter, but, as usual, they won't be making any big splashes.
- The Boston Globe's Chad Finn thinks that the Red Sox should be doing whatever it takes to acquire Adrian Gonzalez.
- When it comes to Derek Jeter, the Yankees ought to rethink their rule about not discussing early contract extensions, according to Bob Klapisch of FOX Sports.
- Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press writes that all of the Curtis Granderson trade rumors could be much ado about nothing.
- Newsday's Ken Davidoff has a few tidbits of info from around the league. He mentions that he doesn't see the Yankees taking care of their outfield/DH situation until after the winter meetings.
- The latest Marlins mailbag from MLB.com's Joe Frisaro includes a few hot stove inquiries from readers.
- Roch Kubatko looks back at some of the names that were bounced around Orioles hot stove talks a year ago and wonders if the Orioles will again be linked to Braden Looper, Jon Garland, and Matt Treanor now that they're all back on the market.
- Joe Pawlikowski at River Ave. Blues hopes to see the Yankees stay internal to solve fill the eighth inning role, rather than venture to the free agent market and spend on a name like Rafael Betancourt, LaTroy Hawkins, or Octavio Dotel.
- Adam McCalvy at MLB.com examines some of the rumored discussions that obviously fell through when the Brewers and Pirates were talking JJ Hardy.
- El Lefty Malo crunches some numbers to try to predict how many additional runs the Giants will need to score to approach 90 wins and make a postseason run.
Discussion: Should Detroit Move Cabrera?
Over the past week, we've heard rumblings about the Tigers making players such as Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson available in order to shed payroll in the coming years. In his latest column, Ken Rosenthal offers up another question: should the Tigers look to trade Miguel Cabrera? Rosenthal opines that it makes financial sense for the Tigers to do just that.
Cabrera, 26, is entering his prime and is already established as one of the game's elite hitters. His bat is the cornerstone of Detroit's offense, and his 209 career home runs and career line of .311/.383/.542 would draw interest from many teams. Cabrera is owed $126MM over the final six years of his contract, however. He also had his share of off-field issues at the end of the season, as the Tigers lost a three-game lead on the AL Central with four games to go. Could the $126MM be spent more effectively by the Tigers? Fangraphs would say that for the time being, Cabrera is worth the money; they valued his performance at $24.3MM in 2009.
The Tigers will have $102.1MM committed to Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis, Curtis Granderson, Carlos Guillen, and Brandon Inge in 2010, before arbitration raises to other players including Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson.
However, following the 2010 season, the contracts of Ordonez, Bonderman, Robertson, Willis, and Inge will be coming off the books in Detroit, freeing up more than $57MM. Given that information, is it better to trade their best hitter to save payroll and stock the farm system, or try to gut it out and work through the financial difficulties that 2010 has to offer? Rosenthal speculates one possible trade scenario to Boston, an exchange of Cabrera for Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Lowell, and a solid prospect such as Lars Anderson or Stolmy Pimentel. What's the better move for the Tigers, and what kind of package could Cabrera fetch if he were available on the trade market this offseason?
Phillies Free Agent Notes
MLB.com's Todd Zolecki runs down the Phillies offseason, looking at how the club is planning to improve coming off back-to-back World Series appearances. Here's some highlights:
- The Phillies are looking to upgrade at third base, as we've heard before. Chone Figgins figures to be too expensive for their liking, and they'll look for a shorter, more affordable contract. Zolecki names the same possibilities we heard earlier in the week: Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Placido Polanco.
- Philadelphia has interest in Fernando Rodney, but it may not be mutual, as Rodney likely would prefer a team with whom he can close. As Zolecki writes, that is "not an option" in Philly.
- The Phillies have seven impending free agents: Paul Bako, Miguel Cairo, Scott Eyre, Pedro Feliz, Pedro Martinez, Chan Ho Park, Matt Stairs, and Jack Taschner. Zolecki says Park and Eyre are the two most likely to return, with Ruben Amaro Jr. already having contacted Park's agent.
- Bako's return hasn't been ruled out, but Amaro has said that he's seeking a backup catcher. Feliz is in a similar situation, with his return not being ruled out but the team looking to upgrade.
- If Stairs returns, it will be on a minor league contract. Taschner and Martinez are not expected to return.
- The futures for Eric Bruntlett, Clay Condrey, and Tyler Walker are in question.
Discussion: Trade Options For Yankees And Mets
With so many teams maintaining or reducing payroll this winter, the New York Yankees and New York Mets have an opportunity to take advantage, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Although it's possible that the Yankees' and Mets' 2010 payrolls will be below their 2009 figures, Sherman says each team still has money to spend.
Sherman suggests that the two New York franchises could use their financial flexibility to explore the trade market. The Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds are among the clubs reportedly looking to trade. Sherman thinks that the Yankees or Mets are in a position to take on a bad contract from one of these teams (such as Magglio Ordonez, Bronson Arroyo, or Francisco Cordero) if a more desirable piece, like Curtis Granderson or Brandon Phillips, was also included in the package.
One agent tells Sherman that the Mets "are not a destination spot right now, especially if you are a hitter. You would be going to a questionable team playing in a huge park." As such, Sherman implies that if the Mets aren't able to blow away a hitter like Matt Holliday or Jason Bay with a ton of money, the trade market could serve them better.
It's a decent idea in theory, but I'm not sure it's necessarily the right move for either team. For instance, Sherman rightly points out that the Granderson-Ordonez pair will be less expensive next year ($23.5MM) than what the Yanks paid for Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui this year ($26MM). However, he neglects to mention that Damon and Matsui outproduced the two Tigers in 2009, and it's unlikely that the Yankees' pair will cost $26MM again in 2010. Plus, as MLBTR's Mike Axisa tweets, there's no guarantee that taking on a bad contract would reduce the price of a player like Granderson or Phillips.
If you were running the Yankees or Mets, would you be calling up the Reds, Tigers, and other cost-cutting franchises that are looking to deal? Or would you be more inclined to stick to the free agent market?
Cafardo On Cabrera, Penny, Upton
In his latest column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe examines the differing opinions on this year's free agent market and passes on some info from around the majors. The highlights:
- One National League GM on the top players in this year's free agent class: "[Matt Holliday] won’t get what Mark Teixeira got. No chance. [John] Lackey may get A.J. Burnett money, but I’m not even sure anyone would go that high."
- A separate source tells Cafardo that many teams will wait out the market this winter, potentially resulting in a few bargains for thrifty teams later in the offseason.
- Cafardo wonders if the Detroit Tigers would entertain trade offers for Miguel Cabrera, who will make $20MM next season. If so, Cafardo thinks the Red Sox would get involved.
- The Seattle Mariners believe they're very close to contending, which will mean hanging on to Felix Hernandez and pursuing players like Lackey and Jason Bay this offseason.
- The San Francisco Giants are interested in bringing back Brad Penny.
- Cafardo says it "isn't far-fetched" that the Rays could deal B.J. Upton. He suggests Upton's availability will depend on Carl Crawford's future with the team, or lack thereof.
Odds & Ends: Duke, Hardy, Mets, Angels
Some Saturday evening links…
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports write that the Brewers asked the Pirates for Zach Duke or Paul Maholm in exchange for J.J. Hardy. Pittsburgh hoped to land the shortstop in exchange for closer Matt Capps or catcher Ryan Doumit. When the Pirates refused to budge, the Brewers pulled the trigger on the deal with Minnesota for Carlos Gomez.
- Also noted is that the Mets are considering former Indians skipper Eric Wedge as a candidate for their bench coach vacancy. The position could be a stepping stone to the head job as Jerry Manuel is in the final year of his contract. Bob Melvin and former Orioles bench coach Dave Jauss are also in the mix.
- After recently signing GM Tony Reagins to a new contract, the Angels have made a few front office changes, reports Lyle Spencer of MLB.com.
- John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer implores the Reds not to trade Bronson Arroyo or Brandon Phillips to clear payroll.
- Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun suggests that Dan Uggla would make a good fit for the Orioles. Based on conversations that Schmuck has had with beat writer Jeff Zrebiec, it doesn't seem as though the O's front office agrees.
- Marquis Grissom will not return as the Nationals' first base coach, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
Discussion: Fernando Tatis
In 2008, after disappearing from the Major Leagues for some time, Fernando Tatis hooked on with the Mets. Tatis was a pleasant surprise for the orange and blue, posting .297/.369/.484 in 92 games. After the season, the Metropolitans rewarded Tatis with a one-year, $1.7MM deal.
The Dominican utilityman did not perform at quite the same level in '09. In 379 plate appearances, Tatis recorded a less impressive slash line of .282/.339/.438. Defensively, he showed that he is still sharp – whether it be in left field, first base or third base.
Tatis, who turns 35 on New Year's Day, will most likely be taking a pay cut on his next deal. Tatis could be a good fit for the Rangers, who are in need of a right-handed bat. The Mets may also be interested in retaining him for the right price, as he looked strong down the final stretch of the season (.854 OPS in August-October).
How much would you pay for the versatile veteran? Should the Mets make a push for him or look elsewhere? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments section.