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Padres Rumors: Gonzalez, Torrealba, Eckstein

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The Padres exercised their 2011 option for Adrian Gonzalez today and saw Yorvit Torrealba and Jon Garland turn down their sides of their respective mutual options. Here's the latest on those three players, plus other updates on the Padres' offseason plans:

  • The Padres will meet with the agent for Gonzalez, John Boggs, this week, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (on Twitter). Presumably the meeting will help the sides determine whether a long-term deal is possible. It certainly doesn't seem likely.
  • Torrealba told Hayes that he'd love to return to San Diego, but is seeking a two-year deal (Twitter links).  The catcher is a Type B free agent, so the Padres could get a draft pick if they offer arbitration and Torrealba turns it down to sign elsewhere.
  • David Eckstein, a free agent, probably won't return to the Padres in 2011, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock.
  • Brock points out that Jon Garland will likely make more on the open market than he would have with the Padres (Twitter link).

Garland Declines Option, Hits Free Agency

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Jon Garland declined his side of his 2011 mutual option with the Padres, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (on Twitter). Garland obtains a $300K buyout from the Padres, instead of the $600K he would have received if he had wanted to exercise his $6.75MM option and the team had declined it.

Garland logged exactly 200 innings in 2010, pitching to a 3.47 ERA. The 31-year-old posted 6.1 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in his 33 starts. Back in May, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes suggested Garland could look to match the two-year $15MM deal Jason Marquis signed as a free agent a year ago.

If the Padres offer arbitration and Garland declines and signs elsewhere, San Diego will obtain a supplementary round pick in the 2011 draft as compensation for losing a Type B free agent.

iPhone App Now Available

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Just in time for the offseason, our iPhone app is now available!  It is listed as Baseball Trade Rumors in the app store and costs $2.99.  You can search the store or just click this link.  The app has been described as "beyond belief" by legendary journalist Peter Gammons.

The bread and butter of the app is the customizable push notifications.  By default it sends an alert to your iPhone for all transactions, and you can also add alerts for any combination of players, teams, and leagues you desire.  If you want to be the first to know where Cliff Lee is headed, who the Tigers are looking at, or anything else hot stove-related, this app can accommodate you.

The headlines page of the app shows our 25 latest posts, no ads, easily refreshed.  Individual posts with hyperlinks can be viewed, of course.  You can also leave comments on MLBTradeRumors.com through the app.  Check it out today!

Steinbrenner: Jeter Deal Must Work For Both Sides

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Derek Jeter is almost certainly going to re-sign with the Yankees this offseason, but the Bronx Bombers aren't going to hand their shortstop a blank check. Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner told Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN that a deal between Jeter and the team would have to work for both sides (Click here to listen in). Steinbrenner says doesn't assume negotiations with the franchise icon will go smoothly.

“There’s always the possibility that things could get messy,” Steinbrenner said.

The Yankees don't expect talks to get ugly and they have been in contact with Jeter's representatives because they want to reach a deal.

“We absolutely want him back. We absolutely want [free agent closer Mariano Rivera] back. They’re career Yankees,” Steinbrenner said. “But having said that, we’re running a business here. So if there’s a deal to be done, it’s going to be a deal that both sides are happy with.”

Steinbrenner said the team's payroll will remain at a similar level in 2011. The Yankees entered the 2010 season with a payroll over $200MM, so they will presumably have the means to offer Cliff Lee, Jeter and Rivera generous deals.

D’Backs Decline Option For Adam LaRoche

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The D’Backs declined their half of the $7.5MM mutual option for Adam LaRoche, according to the team. Instead, they’ll pay the first baseman a $1.5MM buyout. LaRoche, who turns 31 this weekend, hit 25 homers in 2010 and reached the 100 RBI plateau for the first time in his career. He batted .261/.320/.468, posting an OPS under .800 for the first time since 2005.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see D'Backs GM Kevin Towers bring in a new first baseman in 2011. The team would like to cut down on strikeouts and appears to have interest in free agent first baseman Paul Konerko. If the D'Backs offer LaRoche arbitration and he turns it down to sign elsewhere, they'll get a sandwich round pick in next year's draft for losing a Type B free agent.

I suggested in September that LaRoche could eventually sign a similar deal to the one-year $6MM contract he signed last winter.

Bonser Elects Free Agency; Brewers Claim James

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The A’s lost one right-hander to free agency and another one to a waiver claim, according to the team. Boof Bonser elected free agency after the A’s outrighted him to Triple-A, and the team lost Justin James when the Brewers claimed him on waivers. The A’s also outrighted outfielder Matt Carson to Triple-A, but Carson agreed to terms on a contract with the team.

Bonser logged 25 innings with the A's and Red Sox this year. The 29-year-old posted a 6.12 ERA, but his strikeout (6.1 K/9) and walk (2.9 BB/9) rates weren't bad.

James, also 29, made his big league debut with the A's in 2010. He pitched just 4.0 innings in the majors, but logged 39.1 impressive frames in the upper minors. James posted a 1.83 ERA with 11.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 between Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Brewers Decline Options For Zaun, Hoffman, Davis

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The Brewers declined their 2011 options for Gregg Zaun, Trevor Hoffman and Doug Davis, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Milwaukee paid a total of $2MM in buyouts. Zaun got $250K instead of a $2.25MM salary; Hoffman got $750K instead of a $7MM salary and Davis got $1MM instead of a $6.5MM salary. All three moves were expected.

Zaun, who tore the labrum in his right shoulder this summer, has said he would like to play in 2011, but it probably won't be in Milwaukee. The Brewers have Jonathan Lucroy, George Kottaras and Mike Rivera behind the plate. Davis made just eight starts in 2010 because of injuries.

Hoffman picked up his 600th career save this year, but struggled early in the season, lost the closer's job to John Axford and pitched to a 5.89 ERA overall. In the highly unlikely event that the Brewers offer arbitration and Hoffman turns it down to sign elsewhere, the team would obtain a compensatory pick in next year's draft for losing a Type B free agent.

 

Mets Hire J.P. Ricciardi

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The Mets hired J.P. Ricciardi as a special assistant to new GM Sandy Alderson, according to a team press release. The former Blue Jays GM (2001-09) had been working as an analyst for ESPN. 

Alderson, who worked with Ricciardi for more than a decade in Oakland, says the 51-year-old is “a superb talent evaluator” who will assist in all aspects of baseball operations.

Braves Exercise Options For Gonzalez, Infante

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The Braves exercised their 2011 options for Alex Gonzalez and Omar Infante, according to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter). The team also signed reliever Scott Proctor to a one-year deal. MLB.com's Mark Bowman reported earlier today that the reliever will likely earn a base salary of $750K or so in 2011. Proctor, who was arbitration eligible, will likely have the chance to earn more through incentives.

The options for Gonzalez and Infante cost just $2.5MM each – a reasonable price to pay for two infielders who exceeded expectations in 2010. Gonzalez, who arrived in the Yunel Escobar trade, batted .250/.294/.447 with 23 hom runs in 2010. He hit most of his homers in Toronto, but added six in Atlanta. The 33-year-old is a good defender with some pop who has a sub-.300 on base percentage in his 12-year MLB career.

Infante, 28, batted .321/.359/.416 this year and made his first All-Star team. He finished third in the league in batting average and played second, third, short, left and right, so picking up his option was just a formality; the Braves weren't about to let him hit free agency.

Not Quite Non-Tender Candidates

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85 players made our list of non-tender candidates, but a few fell short of our subjective 25% chance cutoff.  These are guys we can't quite envision being cut loose on December 2nd, but we can picture trades if the player's old team isn't keen on paying up.

  • Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox.  Papelbon might be looking at $12MM in his final arbitration year.  Most likely the Red Sox will just overpay a bit and keep their closer.  But if they decide to go in a different direction they might find an interested club or two, if the price in players is low.
  • Mike Napoli, Angels.  The Red Sox claimed him in August; certainly there will be trade interest.  We used Napoli's arbitration case as an example in this post; he could shoot for $6-7MM.
  • Rajai Davis, Athletics.  The A's could employ a low-power outfield of Davis, Coco Crisp, and Ryan Sweeney, or they could shop Davis to a team seeking a center fielder.
  • Carlos Gomez, Brewers.  The Brewers could turn to Lorenzo Cain and Chris Dickerson in center, making Gomez expendable.
  • Leo Nunez, Marlins.  Clay Hensley might be able to close for the Marlins in 2011 at several million less than Nunez.  Though Nunez had eight blown saves this year, he had appealing peripheral stats.
  • Jesus Flores, Nationals.  Flores will remain cheap despite being arbitration eligible, but Wilson Ramos may have pushed him aside.
  • Josh Willingham, Nationals.  As Willingham's salary continues to climb, the Nationals could try to get more athletic in an outfield corner with Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth.  If they feel comfortable trying Mike Morse and/or Roger Bernadina in the other corner, Willingham could be trade bait.
  • Lastings Milledge, Pirates.  He could be a quality fourth outfielder for the Pirates or another team.
  • Jason Bartlett, Rays.  Trading Bartlett would save the Rays millions, and they could use Reid Brignac or Sean Rodriguez at shortstop.  Bartlett would definitely draw interest on the trade market.
  • Carlos Quentin, White Sox.  Certainly there are teams willing to tender Quentin a contract for 2011.  Similar to the Willingham situation, the Sox could look for more athleticism in right field.

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