Yankees Likely To Sign DePaula
The Yankees are expected to sign Dominican right-hander Rafael DePaula for about $700K later today, according to Melissa Segura of SI.com (on Twitter). He reappeared on the market a week ago after facing age and identity fraud questions for a year. MLB suspended him in 2009 and he later confessed to using a false identity.
If not for the suspension, DePaula would likely have signed for more, according to Segura. He turns 20 soon, so the Yankees may fast track his path through the minor leagues. (Twitter links).
Chicago Rumors: Zambrano, Marmol, Dunn, Quentin
Carlos Zambrano has not asked for a trade and the Cubs have not asked him to waive his no-trade clause, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. The Cubs did meet with Zambrano’s agent, Barry Praver, but the sides didn’t discuss trading the right-hander. Here are the details on the Cubs and White Sox:
- Praver and the Cubs also discussed Carlos Marmol, an offseason extension candidate who may be offered a long-term deal.
- Cubs GM Jim Hendry acknowledged the team’s need for a first baseman and said he anticipates “more volume at that position than what people need at that position."
- The Cubs have not yet talked to the agents for Adam Dunn, but the White Sox are still targeting the slugger. The Tigers are interested in Dunn, but ESPN.com's Jayson Stark heard that the Cubs may not pursue him as aggressively as expected.
- Levine hears that the White Sox are not shopping Carlos Quentin. Stark reported yesterday that the Phillies have interest in Quentin.
Morosi On Soriano, Pirates, Tigers
Joaquin Benoit agreed to a lucrative three-year deal yesterday, but a former bullpen mate of his could be waiting a lot longer for his free agent payday. As Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports explains, Rafael Soriano may find more teams pursuing him if he shows some patience. Here’s how some teams other than the Angels could end up in pursuit of the former Rays closer, plus other hot stove notes:
- If the Red Sox send Daniel Bard or Jonathan Papelbon to Arizona in a potential Justin Upton trade, they could be willing to spend on Soriano.
- The Rangers could be looking for a closer if Cliff Lee signs elsewhere and Neftali Feliz moves to the rotation and the White Sox may non-tender Bobby Jenks.
- Agent Scott Boras says closers like Soriano are rare. “A closer of this caliber — at 30 — is almost never in the marketplace.”
- A source suggests to Morosi that the Pirates could deal Evan Meek or Joel Hanrahan and sign a replacement.
- The Tigers would now like to add left-handed relief and are considering J.C. Romero.
Marlins Intend To Spend On Pitching
The Marlins intend to spend the money they saved in the Dan Uggla trade on an established starting pitcher and Javier Vazquez and Carl Pavano are among the team’s top targets, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark.
Vazquez is now the Marlins’ primary target, but he has a number of other suitors. At least six teams, including the Nationals, Rockies, Cardinals and Cubs, have expressed interest in the right-hander this winter, but he isn’t close to a deal with any of them. Vazquez, who has thrown the second most innings and recorded the second most strikeouts in baseball since the start of the 2000 season, would be closer to his Puerto Rico home if he signed with the Marlins.
Pavano is looking for a contract comparable to the three-year $33MM deal Ted Lilly signed with the Dodgers. If Pavano's willing to accept a shorter term deal, the Marlins could work aggressively to bring him back to Miami. Six to eight teams have expressed some interest in Pavano so far this winter.
Yankees To Make Jeter An Offer; How Will It Look?
The Yankees plan to offer Derek Jeter a contract of at least three years, possibly by the end of the week, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Jon Heyman of SI.com and Sherman both suggest the Yankees' initial offer will likely be worth roughly $45MM (Twitter link). However, Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork reported yesterday that the Yankees would be happy to agree to a three-year $63MM deal.
Sherman suggests the Yankees might be willing to increase their offer to the $57-60MM range on a three-year deal and notes that the team could offer a fourth year or an option for a fourth year. According to Matthews, Jeter wants at least a four-year deal and has a preference for a five or six-year contract.
At least one person in the Yankees front office wants the team to draw a hard line with Jeter, Matthews reported. Sherman finds it "very possible" that the Yankees will make an offer and tell Jeter to beat it on the open market if he doesn't like it. The Yankees insist that they'll be offering a baseball contract. Yankees president Randy Levine told reporters that Jeter's contract "isn't a licensing deal or commercial rights deal."
Amateur Signing Bonuses Series
Over the last month or so we've looked at the five largest signing bonuses each team has given to amateur prospects. The vast majority of those bonuses were given to drafted players, but there were certainly plenty of international free agents from Latin America and Asia as well. The bonuses included in the series total just under $500.4MM, ranging from the Braves ($9.67MM) to the Rays ($30.75MM) at the extremes. Here's a link back to all 30 clubs…
AL East
Blue Jays ($13.2MM)
Orioles ($20.072MM)
Rays ($30.75MM)
Red Sox ($15.75MM)
Yankees ($13.44MM)
AL Central
Indians ($14.875MM)
Royals ($20.25MM)
Tigers ($18.78MM)
Twins ($15.5MM)
White Sox ($15.306MM)
Angels ($16.63MM)
Athletics ($14.4MM)
Mariners ($16.34MM)
Rangers ($14.195MM)
NL East
Braves ($9.67MM)
Marlins ($13.425MM)
Mets ($13.3MM)
Nationals ($22.325MM)
Phillies ($13.18MM)
NL Central
Astros ($10.345MM-$10.545MM)
Brewers ($13.1MM)
Cardinals ($12.625MM)
Cubs ($16.15MM)
Pirates ($21.85MM)
Reds ($25.82MM)
Diamondbacks ($29.1MM)
Dodgers ($13.7375MM)
Giants ($16.175MM)
Padres ($15.7MM)
Rockies ($14.4MM)
Latin Links: Tejada, Uribe, Feliz, Cuban Players
Links from Spanish-language news sources…
- Sources close to Miguel Tejada and Juan Uribe said the infielders will wait and see what kind of contract Derek Jeter signs before committing to anything on their own, according to ESPN Deportes' Enrique Rojas. Neither player is aspiring to Jeter-like money, Rojas writes, but they think Jeter will "establish the market value of veteran shortstops" and give their own respective values a boost. The Cardinals are supposedly interested in both players.
- Neftali Feliz told Jose Caceres of Hoy he's heard rumors about the Rangers planning to move him to the rotation, but on the team's end, "Nobody has said anything to me." SI's Jon Heyman tweeted earlier today that the team would consider the move if they can't sign Cliff Lee.
- Victor Mesa, a former Cuban National Team manager and one of the all-time greats of Cuban baseball, told the official government newspaper Trabajadores that the time has finally come for those in power to allow Cuban players to sign with foreign teams, conveys Diario de Cuba. "I think there could be incorporation [into foreign teams], so that they could spend eight years playing in our National Series and [sign] with our involvement, not independently," Mesa said. The most recent prominent player to flee the country is a speedy teenaged outfielder in the mold of Mesa himself: 17-year-old centerfielder Yasiel Balaguer, who arrived in Nicaragua a few days ago.
Twins To Extend Ron Gardenhire
On the heels of being named the 2010 AL Manager of the Year, Ron Gardenhire has agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Twins, reports Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Twins officials tell Christensen that the skipper's entire staff will also be extended for two years, keeping them signed through 2012. Gardenhire, who was already under contract for 2011, will receive an additional two years, meaning he'll be on the Twins' bench through 2013.
Gardenhire has managed the Twins since 2002, leading the team to a 803-656 (.550) record and six division championships. Minnesota has won just a single playoff series during Gardenhire's tenure and never reached the World Series. However, as we heard when the Twins were eliminated this fall, for CEO Jim Pohlad, the club's playoff performance is a "nonissue" when evaluating Gardenhire.
Gardenhire had finished second in AL Manager of the Year voting five times before this year's win. Gardenhire managed the Twins to 94 victories and a division title, despite missing slugger Justin Morneau for half the season.
Justin Upton Rumors: Wednesday
Today's Justin Upton rumors…
- One AL exec told SI.com's Jon Heyman (Twitter link) that Arizona's asking price for Upton is "ridiculous."
- The Rockies inquired on Upton, according to the Denver Post's Troy Renck. A Diamondbacks official expects the team would be willing to deal within the division, though they'd have to receive a very strong offer.
- The Upton rumors are more than just talk, says ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, who was told the D'Backs are "genuinely open" to moving the 23-year-old. However, it might take a package of five players who could help the team in the short- and long-term (Twitter links).
- The Red Sox discussed Upton with the D'Backs late into Tuesday night, reports CSNNE.com's Sean McAdam, but talks are now stalled over Towers' latest demands.
- The Braves are unlikely to pursue Upton after trading for Dan Uggla, GM Frank Wren implied (via Joel Sherman on Twitter).
- The D'Backs will seek at least four or five players in return for Upton, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. He believes perhaps three of those players would have to be big league ready.
- USA Today's Bob Nightengale introduced the idea of Upton as a trade candidate on Monday, and the rumors took off yesterday. Today, Nightengale says the Yankees' offer for Upton has fallen short but the Red Sox remain engaged. Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers described the Upton trade talks as "people kicking the tires right now."
- Towers told Joel Sherman of the New York Post, "[Upton] would be a tough guy to move. But you always seek out the information on what teams will do because you never know if, to get one player, a team will grossly overpay." Sherman added via Twitter that the D'Backs "have [a] growing belief [they] will trade Upton based on [a] ton of interest."
- Sherman talked to one team executive who says the Marlins have had the most interest in Upton for a while. An exec speculated that Logan Morrison and Ricky Nolasco would get it done, notes Sherman.
- It's not known if the Rays would like to add a second Upton, but the execs Sherman spoke to consider them an early favorite along with the Marlins.
Odds & Ends: Jones, Mets, Yankees, Guerrero, Greinke
A few more links for Wednesday night…
- In addition to all the other trade targets and free agents they've been eyeing lately, the Rockies have inquired on Andruw Jones, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman.
- The Mets completed two of their four second-round managerial interviews today. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork has extensive post-interview remarks from Bob Melvin and a briefer comment from Chip Hale, with Terry Collins and Wally Backman due up tomorrow. Rubin tweets that Sandy Alderson expects to announce the team's new skipper by next Tuesday.
- The Yankees hope to further their discussions with Derek Jeter and Cliff Lee this week, writes Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger. Lee is "about ready to entertain offers," Nolan Ryan tells Heyman (Twitter link).
- Some opinions from past and present Red Sox players: David Ortiz guarantees Vladimir Guerrero will return to the Rangers, while Lou Merloni argues that the Sox need to trade Jonathan Papelbon. The Dallas Morning News and WEEI.com have the details.
- A baseball official tells Danny Knobler of CBS Sports that he could see the Rangers, Brewers, and Blue Jays becoming involved in trade talks for Zack Greinke.
- They've made plenty of moves already this offseason, but the Marlins may not be done yet. Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post passes along a quote (via Twitter) from Larry Beinfest that suggests the team will pursue a starting pitcher.
- MLive's Steve Kornacki thinks Joaquin Benoit is "absolutely" worth the $16.5MM the Tigers spent on him.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports considers Ken Williams' offseason plans – A through E.