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Odds & Ends: Damon, Gonzalez, Germano, Astros

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December 23rd has been a big day for trading highly-regarded young pitchers in recent years. On this date in 2006, the Rangers sent John Danks and Nick Masset to the White Sox in the Brandon McCarthy trade and on this date in 2009, the Blue Jays sent Brandon League to the Mariners for Brandon Morrow. Here are today's links…

  • Baseball Prospectus recommends that you buy the MLBTR iPhone app. Chase Gharrity writes that “there’s very little not to love” about the app and that he’s “extremely excited for what it will become in the future.” You can buy the app right here.
  • The Yankees are interested in Johnny Damon, but Brian Cashman told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that there's no "clear role" for him on the 2011 Yankees.
  • The outfielder/DH told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) that other teams have called about everyday jobs.
  • Adrian Gonzalez told Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com that he promised to negotiate potential extensions with the Red Sox instead of holding out for an Albert Pujols-like deal in free agency. "We won't be looking for record-breaking deals," Gonzalez told the Red Sox. "We just want market value." Gonzalez will hit free agency after the season if he doesn't finalize an extension with Boston first, as expected.
  • The Indians announced that they outrighted Justin Germano to Triple-A. The right-hander can elect free agency or accept the assignment.
  • Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle explains that the Astros could be a refreshing team to watch in 2011, even though they haven't signed a major free agent like Cliff Lee or Carl Crawford. 

Brent Dlugach Clears Waivers

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THURSDAY: Dlugach cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (on Twitter).

TUESDAY: The Red Sox announced they've designated infielder Brent Dlugach for assignment to make room for Bobby Jenks.  The Sox had acquired the 27-year-old Dlugach from the Tigers for a player to be named later or cash on November 4th.

Dlugach had his second Triple-A stint this year, hitting .258/.303/.360 in 484 plate appearances while playing shortstop and a little third and second base.  His glove was deemed big league-ready by Baseball America prior to the 2008 season.

Constructing A 25-Man Roster Of Free Agents

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Once the free agent pool starts shrinking, it's always fun to start imagining teams composed only of unsigned players. For the purposes of this admittedly subjective post, I have assumed that every free agent wants to sign with my imaginary American League team and that payroll is unlimited.

My team would be heavy on power relievers, big bats, injury risks and Hairston brothers. It would be light on speed, youth and dependable starting pitching. Here's a look at my imagined 25-man roster, which would likely cost about $120MM. Players in bold are on the team.

The infield would consist of Adam LaRoche at first base, David Eckstein at second, Orlando Cabrera and short and Adrian Beltre at third. Jerry Hairston would back up at short and second and despite his rough 2010 season, Jorge Cantu would make the team as a backup corner infielder. This group figures to be above-average defensively and at least average on offense.

Aging stars would dominate the outfield. Johnny Damon would win the left field job over Fred Lewis, Scott Podsednik and Marcus Thames. Jim Edmonds and Andruw Jones, a pair of once-elite defenders, would roam center and right, respectively. Since Edmonds struggles against lefties and Damon also bats left-handed, the team's fourth outfielder would be Scott Hairston, who is versatile and right-handed.

Fans of the 2006 Blue Jays will be happy to see that Bengie Molina and Gregg Zaun have been reunited as the catching tandem for this hypothetical team. Molina slumped to .249/.297/.326 last year and Zaun missed most of the season with right shoulder surgery, but this duo isn't bad.

Vladimir Guerrero makes the team as a DH over a group of appealing candidates. I decided against Jim Thome, since the team already has a number of left-handed starters who figure to hit in the middle of the order (LaRoche, Damon, Edmonds). Manny Ramirez, another big right-handed bat, was a potential alternative to Vlad, but Guerrero produced more in 2010.

The starting rotation would consist of Carl Pavano, Brandon Webb, Jeff Francis, Freddy Garcia and Kevin Millwood (I'm assuming Andy Pettitte is not available). There's upside here, but Pavano, Webb and Francis are far from sure things. That's why I made Jeremy Bonderman the team's sixth starter/power right-handed reliever. There's no guarantee that he'll stay healthy, so Bruce Chen makes the team as the second lefty out of the 'pen and spot starter.

The bullpen would be the team's strength. Rafael Soriano would close and Kevin Gregg, Brian Fuentes, Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel would also be available late in games.

I think this would likely turn out to be a below average, but respectable major league team, but I'd like to know what you think. Feel free to create your own teams or make adjustments to mine in the comments section.

Nationals Sign Sean Burnett To Two-Year Extension

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The Nationals have officially signed Sean Burnett to a two-year extension. The $3.95MM contract, which was first reported by Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, covers Burnett's final two seasons of arbitration eligibility and includes a mutual option for 2013. Agent Jim Munsey represents the left-hander. 

The 28-year-old became a key reliever for Nationals manager Jim Riggleman in 2010, his first full season in Washington. Burnett, a product of the deal that sent Joel Hanrahan and Lastings Milledge to Pittsburgh, posted a 2.14 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 63 innings last year. The former first rounder limited hits and homers and induced lots of ground balls (54.3% ground ball rate) as usual.

Burnett will earn $1.4MM, including a $100K bonus, in 2011 and $2.3MM in 2012. The mutual option covers Burnett's first free agent year and would pay him $3.5MM or a $250K buyout. The Nationals won their arbitration case with Burnett last offseason (775K vs. 925K), which presumably saved them money on this extension.

AL West Lags, NL East Leads In Offseason Spending

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The Angels and Rangers are candidates to sign top free agents, but so far, the AL West has committed less than any other division in baseball. And it's not just because it's a small division. The four AL West teams have averaged $14.78MM in offseason commitments, considerably less than any other division.

The Nationals and Phillies lead the charge in the NL East, which tops all divisions in offseason commitments so far. The NL East ($60.29MM per club) is ahead of the AL East ($55.2MM per club) to date, despite aggressive deals by the Yankees and Red Sox.

Here's the spending by division:

  • NL East: $60.29MM average ($301.45MM total)
  • AL East: $55.22MM average ($276.08MM total)
  • AL Central: $48.82MM average ($244.1MM total)
  • NL West: $38.71MM average ($193.53 total)
  • NL Central: $22.46MM average ($134.76MM total)
  • AL West: $14.78MM average ($59.1MM total)

Complete details and explanation available here. This list will undoubtedly change by the time the offseason ends, and is simply intended to show which divisions have been most aggressive so far.

D’Backs Sell Ryal To Yomiuri Giants

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The D'Backs announced that they sold Rusty Ryal to the Yomiuri Giants of the NPB. It appeared earlier in the month that the utility player would end up in Japan and the D'Backs released him last week.

Ryal hit .261/.308/.348 in 222 plate appearances last year, his second season in the majors. He has struggled to hit at the major league level, but proven his versatility, playing left field, first, second and third. In parts of five minor league seasons, the 27-year-old has a .287/.346/.475 line. Ryal’s father, Mark, spent two seasons with the Chunichi Dragons, according to the D’Backs press release.

Offseason Spending Details By Team

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MLB teams have made over $1.2 billion in salary commitments so far this offseason, according to data compiled by MLBTR. The seven most aggressive teams have combined for $828MM in commitments this winter. In other words, the Red Sox, Nationals, Phillies, White Sox, Tigers, Yankees and Dodgers are responsible for 68.5% of MLB spending to date. 

It's not unusual for a small group of teams to be responsible for a large percentage of spending and it's certainly not unusual for the Red Sox and Yankees to be among the biggest spenders in the game. So far baseball's 30 teams have committed $1.209 billion this offseason*. That figure is sure to rise once high profile free agents like Rafael Soriano, Adrian Beltre, Carl Pavano and Adam LaRoche sign.

This is by no means a final look at offseason spending – the entire 2011 portion of the offseason lies ahead. But just as it's interesting to examine player stats midway through the season, it's worth checking out spending trends before the final totals are tallied.

The entire list of offseason commitments is below, along with an explanation of which deals count and which deals don't. First, here are a handful of observations about the data:

  • Just because teams aren't spending doesn't mean they can't or won't spend. It sounds obvious, but fans in New York and Toronto can reasonably expect the Mets and Blue Jays to spend when they believe they have a chance to contend.
  • Who would have guessed that the Rangers and Angels would only have made a combined $30.1MM in commitments at this point in the winter?
  • Yes, Florida traded a star second baseman away last month. But that hasn't stopped the normally frugal Marlins from out-spending big market teams like the Cubs, Mets and Braves.
  • There's a considerable dropoff from the Dodgers (7th with $90.18MM) to the Cardinals (8th with 42.35MM).
  • The mean (average) is $40.28MM per team.
  • The median (middle number) is $19.025MM.

Here are the details on each team's spending so far this winter:

  1. Boston Red Sox – $172MM ($142MM contract for Carl Crawford, $12.5MM option for David Ortiz, $12MM contract for Bobby Jenks, $3MM contract for Dan Wheeler, $2MM contract for Jason Varitek, $455K option for Scott Atchison)
  2. Washington Nationals – $128.5MM ($126MM contract for Jayson Werth, $1.5MM contract for Rick Ankiel, $1MM contract for Chien-Ming Wang)
  3. Philadelphia Phillies – $125.5MM ($120MM contract for Cliff Lee, $5.5MM contract for Jose Contreras)
  4. Chicago White Sox – $120.25MM ($56MM contract for Adam Dunn, $37.5MM contract for Paul Konerko, $13MM contract for Jesse Crain, $8MM contract for A.J. Pierzynski, $3MM option for Matt Thornton, $1.75MM extension for Omar Vizquel, $1MM option for Ramon Castro)
  5. Detroit Tigers – $99.25MM ($50MM contract for Victor Martinez, $16.5MM contract for Joaquin Benoit, $11.5MM extension for Brandon Inge, $11.25MM contract for Jhonny Peralta, $10MM contract for Magglio Ordonez)
  6. New York Yankees – $93MM ($51MM contract for Derek Jeter, $30MM contract for Mariano Rivera, $8MM contract for Pedro Feliciano, $4MM contract for Russell Martin)
  7. Los Angeles Dodgers – $90.18MM ($33MM extension for Ted Lilly, $21MM contract for Juan Uribe, $12MM contract for Hiroki Kuroda, $12MM contract for Matt Guerrier, $5MM contract for Jon Garland, $3.5MM contract for Rod Barajas, $2MM contract for Vicente Padilla, $1MM contract for Dioner Navarro, $680K contract for Tony Gwynn)
  8. St. Louis Cardinals – $42.35MM ($16.5MM contract for Jake Westbrook, $16MM option for Albert Pujols, $8MM contract for Lance Berkman, $1.1MM contract for Gerald Laird, $750K contract for Brian Tallet)
  9. Cincinnati Reds – $41.75MM ($35MM extension for Bronson Arroyo, $3MM contract for Ramon Hernandez, $2MM contract for Miguel Cairo, $1.75MM option for Jonny Gomes)
  10. Colorado Rockies – $40MM ($32MM contract for Jorge de la Rosa, $8MM contract for Ty Wigginton)
  11. San Francisco Giants – $29.5MM ($22MM contract for Aubrey Huff, $6.5MM contract for Miguel Tejada, $1MM contract for Pat Burrell)
  12. Florida Marlins – $27.5MM ($18MM contract for John Buck, $7MM contract for Javier Vazquez, $2.5MM contract for Randy Choate)
  13. Chicago Cubs – $26.1MM ($14.6MM option for Aramis Ramirez, $10MM contract for Carlos Pena, $1.5MM contract for Kerry Wood)
  14. Los Angeles Angels – $23MM ($15MM contract for Scott Downs, $8MM contract for Hisanori Takahashi)
  15. Minnesota Twins – $19.55MM ($9MM contract plus $5.3MM bid for Tsuyoshi Nishioka, $5.25MM option for Jason Kubel)
  16. Oakland A’s – $18.5MM ($6MM option for Mark Ellis, $5.75MM option for Coco Crisp $4.25MM contract for Hideki Matsui, $1.5MM contract for Rich Harden, $1MM contract for Brandon McCarthy)
  17. Pittsburgh Pirates – $17.75MM ($8MM contract for Kevin Correia, $5MM contract for Lyle Overbay, $4.25MM contract for Matt Diaz, $500K contract for Scott Olsen)
  18. Arizona Diamondbacks – $17.45MM ($10MM contract for J.J. Putz, $2.7MM contract for Geoff Blum, $2MM contract for Melvin Mora, $1.75MM contract for Xavier Nady, $1MM contract for Henry Blanco)
  19. San Diego Padres – $16.4MM ($11.5MM contract for Orlando Hudson, $4MM contract for Aaron Harang, $900K contract for Dustin Moseley)
  20. New York Mets – $14.8MM ($11MM option for Jose Reyes, $2.5MM contract for D.J. Carrasco, $1.3MM contract for Ronny Paulino)
  21. Seattle Mariners – $10.5MM ($7MM contract for Miguel Olivo, $2.5MM contract for Jack Cust, $1MM contract for Erik Bedard)
  22. Texas Rangers – $7.1MM ($6.25MM contract for Yorvit Torrealba, $850K contract for Matt Treanor)
  23. Baltimore Orioles – $5.58MM ($3MM contract for Koji Uehara, $1.5MM contract for Cesar Izturis, $1.08MM contract for Jeremy Accardo)
  24. Atlanta Braves – $5.15MM ($2.5MM option for Alex Gonzalez, $1.45MM contract for Eric Hinske, $1.2MM contract for George Sherrill)
  25. Houston Astros – $4.625MM ($3MM contract for Bill Hall, $900K option for Jason Michaels, $725K contract for Ryan Rowland-Smith)
  26. Kansas City Royals – $3.75MM ($2.5MM contract for Jeff Francoeur, $1.25MM contract for Melky Cabrera)
  27. Toronto Blue Jays – $3.5MM ($2.5MM contract for Edwin Encarnacion, $1MM option for Jose Molina)
  28. Milwaukee Brewers – $2.18MM ($1.4MM contract for Craig Counsell, $780K contract for Wil Nieves)
  29. Tampa Bay Rays – $2MM ($1.1MM contract for J.P. Howell, $900K contract for Joel Peralta)
  30. Cleveland Indians – $1.3MM ($1.3MM contract for Austin Kearns)

*Totals based on free agent contracts, extensions signed by players on the brink or free agency, options exercised this offseason and one international signing. Minor league deals are excluded.

Vizquel, Inge and Lilly signed extensions on the brink of free agency; their extensions count above, as does Arroyo's deal with the Reds. Troy Tulowitzki, Jay Bruce and Ricky Nolasco signed extensions long before free agency and their extensions don’t count here. The Twins’ bid for and contract with Nishioka count. All options exercised this offseason count except the options for Adrian Gonzalez, Omar Infante and David DeJesus. Those three players were traded after their teams picked up their options. Some teams, like the Brewers, have added payroll by trading for players, but those acquisitions do not show up here.

Using different cutoffs, Maury Brown of the Biz of Baseball recently calculated that total payroll allocation for free agents is now over $1 billion this offseason.

Reds Interested In Scott Podsednik

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The Reds are interested in Scott Podsednik, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. As the FOX writers point out, Podsednik could platoon with Jonny Gomes in left field. Podsednik has a career .283/.344/.391 line against right-handers and Gomes has a career .276/.371/.507 line against southpaws.

Podsednik can still run, make good contact and get on base (.342 OBP last year, .352 in 2009). However, he isn't the base stealer he once was and doesn't hit for much power. Now 34, Podsednik is probably not going to steal 70 bases or be an elite leadoff hitter, but he's in position to command a raise from the $1.75MM salary he earned last year.

The Angels are interested in Podsednik and, earlier in the winter, the Dodgers seemed open to bringing the outfielder back. It will not cost a draft pick to sign Podsednik, who was not offered arbitraiton.

Braves Notes: Payroll, Greinke, Uggla, Chipper

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Braves GM Frank Wren told David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he has noticed a “re-emphasis on speed” in baseball over the past five or six years. Wren said he’d like the Braves to transition into a more athletic club, but that’s far from the only interesting comment he made. Here’s the latest:

  • Wren says the Braves have “an ample payroll to win” without question. The Mets and Phillies may spend more, but teams like the Rays win with less.
  • The Braves discussed trading for Zack Greinke, but decided against it. “We talked about it,” Wren said. “I just think it was going to be cost-prohibitive for us, because some of those players it would have taken to make that deal are players we’re going to be counting on in the next year or two, and we think they’re going to be premium talents at the major league level.”
  • Generally speaking, Wren said he is hesitant to trade “productive, game-changing” young players who could have a “huge major league impact in the future.”
  • There have not been setbacks between the Braves and Dan Uggla as they discuss an extension. O’Brien suggests the sides will likely reach a five-year deal this offseason.
  • Chipper Jones explained to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that his pre-season workouts have been coming along slowly, but steadily. "I'm so out of shape, one of my neighbors caught me dry-heaving on his lawn," Jones said. "We had a nice little chuckle out of it. I grabbed his phone to make sure he didn't take any video and people would see it on YouTube."

Poll: The Next $100MM Contract

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We've already seen four nine-figure deals this offseason and Troy Tulowitzki, Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth and Cliff Lee may have company in the $100MM club before long.

MVP winners Albert Pujols, Joey Votto and Josh Hamilton are extension candidates. Scott Boras could surprise us all by finding $100MM out there for Adrian Beltre or negotiating a nine-figure extension for Carlos Gonzalez or even Jered Weaver. Prince Fielder and Jose Reyes are going to hit free agency after the 2011 season and C.C. Sabathia has an opt-out clause looming, so they may be seeking massive contracts within the year.

Let's vote on the next nine-figure deal (ignoring Adrian Gonzalez, since there seems to be a good chance that the Red Sox extend him once the season begins). Players are listed alphabetically.

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