Arbitration Eligibles: St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals are next in our arbitration eligibles series…
- First time: Kyle McClellan, Brendan Ryan
- Second time: None
- Third time: None
The Cardinals have one of MLB's smallest arbitration classes this year with first-timers McClellan and Ryan. Both should be tendered contracts and neither will be expensive. Ryan was abysmal with the bat this year, but he could win a Gold Glove.
Free Agent Market For Shortstops
As usual, the free agent market for shortstops is barren. There are no stars, and solid regulars are hard to come by. The Orioles, Twins, Reds, Astros, Cardinals, Padres, and Giants could be seeking help at the position. Let's take a look.
Technically A Free Agent
Even after an off-year, 36-year-old Derek Jeter is the top free agent shortstop. Everyone assumes he'll re-sign with the Yankees. Will he even receive legitimate offers from other teams? If something causes Jeter to look elsewhere, it'd shake up the market at this position.
Also Probably Unavailable
The Braves are widely expected to pick up their club option on Alex Gonzalez. Jose Reyes will be back with the Mets, and the Tigers are expected to retain Jhonny Peralta.
Tolerable Regulars
Juan Uribe, Orlando Cabrera ($4MM mutual option), and Cesar Izturis topped 850 innings at shortstop this year. Only Uribe was useful with the bat. Uribe has cause to seek a multiyear deal, since he's one of the better free agent choices at both middle infield positions.
One wild card, though he's not technically a free agent, is Hiroyuki Nakajima. The 28-year-old is expected to be posted by the Seibu Lions after a .314/.385/.511 campaign that included 20 home runs in 579 plate appearances.
Potential Regulars
Edgar Renteria may be pushed to an early retirement, but if healthy he'd still be able to find playing time. Miguel Tejada, Jerry Hairston Jr., Adam Everett, and Cristian Guzman are not inspiring shortstop options, but they all logged at least 450 innings there this season or last. Everett is the defensive whiz of the bunch, while Tejada still provides a little offense.
Utility Types
Some of the players listed above will find only utility roles. Other free agents like Nick Punto ($5MM club option), Craig Counsell, Juan Castro, Bobby Crosby, Julio Lugo, Geoff Blum, and Omar Vizquel will be scrapping for playing time and could sign minor league deals.
Non-Tender Candidates
The non-tender candidates could shake up the market, because they're just as interesting as the regular free agents. Jason Bartlett, J.J. Hardy, and Ryan Theriot are the big names. Bartlett is here because he'd be due more than $4MM next year, but given the terrible free agent class and his fine '09 season the Rays would likely find a taker on the trade market if they want to move on. Hardy is a similar story – most of you expect him to be tendered a contract, but he may be traded. Theriot is likely to be cut loose by the Dodgers. He served as the Cubs' main shortstop for three seasons before being supplanted by Starlin Castro this year.
Summary
Once again, the free agent market for shortstops is bleak. Uribe should be popular, and Nakajima plus the non-tenders could provide a boost.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Rick Ankiel
The Royals signed outfielder Rick Ankiel to a one-year, $3.25MM deal in January. I liked the contract, thinking the Royals could extract some value out of him at the trade deadline. GM Dayton Moore succeeded on that front, pairing Ankiel with Kyle Farnsworth and cash to acquire Jesse Chavez, Gregor Blanco, and Tim Collins from the Braves. Ankiel has a $6MM mutual option for 2011. The Braves are likely to choose the $500K buyout, making Ankiel a free agent. Let's examine his situation.
The Pros
- Ankiel's power returned in his 101 plate appearance stint with Kansas City. He slugged .467 with 11 extra-base hits.
- He hit a respectable .256/.339/.462 in 177 plate appearances against righties this year.
- The sample was small, but Ankiel's 10.8% walk rate this year was a career best.
- He's capable of playing all three outfield positions.
- Ankiel is likely to sign another one-year deal at a lower base salary.
The Cons
- Ankiel was terrible with the Braves and has never been good at getting on base.
- Ankiel fares poorly against lefties.
- He can't stay healthy. This year a quad strain limited him to 74 games.
- Ankiel is not much of a defensive center fielder, based on UZR.
- He's represented by Scott Boras, so his price could be inflated despite the poor season.
The Verdict
When healthy, Ankiel provides some pop against righties. It'd be difficult to guarantee him more than a million bucks, and you could argue that the deals signed by Jim Edmonds, Andruw Jones, and Corey Patterson are the best comparables. Ankiel will have to earn his playing time in 2011.
Arbitration Eligibles: Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates are next in our arbitration eligibles series…
- First time: Joel Hanrahan, Lastings Milledge, Andy LaRoche, Delwyn Young, Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf
- Second time: Wil Ledezma
- Third time: Zach Duke, Ronny Cedeno
The Pirates have three locks to be tendered contracts: Joel Hanrahan, Ross Ohlendorf, and Ronny Cedeno. They're all penciled into key roles for 2011 and none will be expensive.
Position players Milledge, LaRoche, and Young are on the bubble. Milledge probably doesn't have an everyday role on next year's club, but he's cheap enough to keep around as a fourth outfielder. LaRoche and Young would fill less prominent bench roles, but it's possible the Pirates could trade or non-tender one or both.
Karstens was designated for assignment in November of last year and went unclaimed. He's probably still expendable. Despite a 6.86 ERA in 19.6 innings (inflated by one outing), there was a lot to like about Ledezma's stint with the club. He averaged almost 94 mph on his fastball, his peripherals were strong, and the team is light on lefty relievers. He may still be non-tendered, but I expect the Pirates to try to retain him.
Duke, 28 in April, is likely to be non-tendered if there's no trade interest. A month ago, 88% of MLBTR readers predicted the lefty will be cut loose. Duke needs a good defense behind him, but if healthy he has his moments.
Chipper Jones Plans To Return Next Season
Nearly eight weeks after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his left knee, third baseman Chipper Jones told Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com that his recovery is going well. While the veteran's knee won't heal in time for him to play in the National League Championship Series or the World Series, Jones sounds confident that he'll make it back at some point in 2011.
"I don't want the last memory of me to be laying out behind third base. On top of that, I was playing really well and I was swinging the bat really well. I was healthy and I was running the bases good. My frame of mind was really focused. I just want to keep going," said the 38-year-old.
Jones has two years remaining on his deal and is guaranteed to make $13MM for each of those seasons. The Braves hold a $7MM club option for 2013 but that option will automatically vest if the veteran plays in 123 games in 2012 or averages 127 games over the next two years. The six-time All-Star played in 143 games in 2009 but appeared in just 95 this past season.
Odds & Ends: Orioles, Rodriguez, Cubs, Nakajima
Links for Monday evening as the Giants look to shut the door on the Braves in Atlanta..
- The O's might not be able to solidify their coaching staff as soon as they would like to, writes Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com.
- Francisco Rodriguez's grievance hearing over being placed on the disqualified list is set for next week but there will not be an immediate decision rendered, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Giants bench coach Ron Wotus is interested in managing the Bucs, writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.
- According to Shannon Drayer of ESPN Radio, four candidates will interview for the vacant M's managerial job this week, including former Houston skipper Cecil Cooper.
- Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild informed the team today that he will pick up his option for 2011, a major league source told ESPN.com's Bruce Levine.
- The Pirates disclosed (via Twitter) that former Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons was in Pittsburgh today to interview for the team's managerial opening.
- Saitama Seibu Lions shortshop Hiroyuki Nakajima is on his way to being posted, according to Jason Coskrey of the Japan Times (via Twitter) who passes along a report from Yahoo Japan (Japanese link). In a piece for Fangraphs, Patrick Newman called the 28-year-old Japan's second-best hitter behind Norichika Aoki of the Yakult Swallows.
- More and more teams are discovering that homegrown starters are crucial to success, says Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
Damon Would “Love” To Sign With Yankees
After being informed by the Tigers that they will look elsewhere to find a designated hitter for 2011, Johnny Damon says that he is very open to another stint with the Yankees, according to George A. King of the New York Post.
"I would love to have that as an option," Damon said. "It would be very exciting to go back there."
According to Damon, Detroit told the 36-year-old slugger that they're in search of a "prototypical DH type like Adam Dunn". The veteran was vocal about enjoying his time with the Tigers and even turned down an opportunity to re-join the Red Sox prior to the waiver trade deadline this year.
Damon was unable to turn in a repeat of his 2009 performance for Detroit, hitting .271/.355/.401 with eight homers in 145 games.
Rhodes, Gomes Want To Return To Reds
Both reliever Arthur Rhodes and left fielder Jonny Gomes would like to return to the Reds in 2011, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
Rhodes, 40, is coming off of a two-year, $4MM deal. The veteran turned in one of his best seasons to date, recording a 2.29 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in a career-high 69 apperances. After earning his first career All-Star nod, the lefty told the Reds that he would "love to come back". Rhodes has yet to receive an indication from the Reds one way or another.
Gomes' future is also up in the air as Cincinnati holds a $1.75MM club option on his contract. While his service time dictates that he would be arbitration-eligible this winter, Gomes' deal calls for him to be released if his option is not exercised. The soon-to-be 30-year-old didn't re-up with the Reds until just before Spring Training last year and says that he's prepared for that scenario again this year. He earned $800K in 2010 as he hit .266/.327/.431 with 18 HRs in 148 games. The Reds have until two weeks after the World Series to decide on Gomes' option but like Rhodes, the outfielder has yet to hear anything from the club.
Trade Market For Second Basemen
In our post on the free agent market for second basemen, we named nine clubs that may be looking for help at the position this offseason but only a handful of solid regulars. Let's see how the trade market changes the supply.
Big Contracts
Chone Figgins (at least $26MM through 2013), Luis Castillo ($6MM in 2011), Carlos Guillen ($13MM in 2011), and Dan Uggla ($10MM+ in 2011) fill our well-compensated bracket of second base trade candidates. The Mariners moved Figgins from third to second base this year, and he posted a .259 batting average but still drew 74 walks. He could be swapped for another undesirable contract. Castillo is owed less and was pretty good in 2009, but carries a negative reputation. Guillen, who logged 393 innings at second this year, is viewed by Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski as a "jack of all trades." That's a pricey utility man, and his stock is further depressed by September knee surgery.
Uggla is included here but is not necessarily available. Perhaps he will be if the Marlins fail to extend him.
Utility Types
Jamey Carroll ($1.8MM), Skip Schumaker ($2.7MM), and Tony Abreu are utility types who can probably be had. Carroll posted a career-best .379 OBP this year. Abreu has crushed Pacific Coast League pitching in recent years, but hasn't performed in the bigs for Arizona.
Non-Tender Candidates
As mentioned in the free agent post, Jose Lopez, Ryan Theriot, Clint Barmes, Mike Fontenot, Willy Aybar, and Jeff Baker are non-tender candidates and therefore trade candidates. In the cases of Lopez, Theriot, Barmes, and Aybar, teams can just wait for the December 2nd non-tender deadline unless they would prefer to avoid competition from other free agent bidders. Fontenot and Baker could be tendered contracts.
Summary
I don't expect the Marlins to move Uggla this winter. Unless they do, the trade market adds only a few bad contracts and utility men to the second base hot stove picture.
Mets GM Interviews Start This Week
The Mets will interview Sandy Alderson, Rick Hahn, Allard Baird, and Josh Byrnes this week for their general manager vacancy, according to Dan Martin of the New York Post. David Lennon of Newsday tweets that it's Baird today, Hahn on Tuesday, Byrnes on Wednesday, and Alderson on Thursday or Friday. Martin adds that a team official told him other candidates could be added to the list.
Alderson is "perceived to be the favorite," writes SI's Jon Heyman. Heyman notes that Alderson has longtime ties to Mets owner Fred Wilpon, as well as support from fans and media members. Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, however, puts on the brakes and provides four tough questions for Alderson that he'd like to see answered.