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Archives for April 2010

Blocked Prospects: Jesus Montero

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In 20-year-old catcher Jesus Montero, the Yankees have what is arguably their best offensive prospect since Derek Jeter. But there's a problem: they don't have an obvious place to put him.

Both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein ranked Montero as the 4th best prospect in the game, while ESPN's Keith Law had him 10th. He is clearly one of the game's brightest young minor leaguers, but as Baseball America said in their 2010 Handbook, "the Yankees no longer talk abut him as an every day major league catcher" because he "is somewhat stiff and lacks agility behind the plate." Despite his defensive woes, Montero hit .337/.389/.562 with 17 homers in 92 games across two levels last year. His season ended prematurely because of a broken finger suffered while he was behind the dish.

In most other organizations, Montero would simply move out from behind the plate and learn how to play first base. Of course, the Yankees already have Mark Teixeira penciled into the position for the next seven years. A corner outfield spot may be a possibility, but scouts are skeptical because his lack of athleticism might not allow him to be anything better than below average out there. Designated hitter is less than ideal since he's so young, not to mention that they'll need the spot for some of the older players on the team's roster.

If they so choose, the Yankees could look to trade Montero for a piece to help the big league roster, something they're known to do with their prospects. In fact, they offered Montero to the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay straight up last year. Jorge Posada is under contract through 2011 and isn't getting any younger, so they could try to ease Montero in as a back-up catcher/part-time DH at first. Montero started the season at Triple-A, and it's worth remembering that he'll be just 27-years-old when Teixeira's contract is up.

Braves Claim Cristhian Martinez

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The Braves have claimed righty reliever Cristhian Martinez off waivers from the Marlins, tweets Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The team then optioned him to Triple-A.

Florida designated Martinez for assignment on Saturday to free up a 40-man roster spot. The 28-year-old posted a 5.13 ERA and a 6.2 K/9 with a 2.7 BB/9 in 26.1 innings of relief for the Marlins last year. He's never spent a day in Triple-A, but his minor league walk rate is impressive at 1.8 BB/9.

2011 Contract Issues: Atlanta Braves

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A look at the Braves' options after the season:

  • Closer Billy Wagner has a $6.5MM club option with a $250K buyout.  Wagner has looked nasty in the early going.
  • Infielder Omar Infante has a $2.5MM club option with a $250K buyout.  The Braves figure to exercise if Infante has a season like '08 and '09.

Troy Glaus, David Ross, Eric Hinske, and Takashi Saito are the Braves' eligible free agents; the group is guaranteed $7.55MM this year.  The Braves players on multiyear deals aren't in line for significant raises in 2011, with Brian McCann and Nate McLouth totaling a $3MM bump.

First-time arbitration players include Jair Jurrjens, Yunel Escobar, Martin Prado, and Eric O'Flaherty.  Jurrjens and Escobar are candidates to be locked up long-term, but Jurrjens is represented by Scott Boras.  Regardless of extensions, Jurrjens and Escobar will receive big raises.

Peter Moylan is a second-year arbitration player, while Melky Cabrera will be eligible for the third time.  Matt Diaz will enter the process for the fourth time.

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the info.

Stark On Free Agent Starters, Harper, Calero

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ESPN's Jayson Stark leads his latest column by explaining why realignment doesn't make sense, and how it'd be shortsighted to make changes based on the Yankees and Red Sox.  On to his hot stove rumblings…

  • One GM's rankings of the five 2011 free agent starters likely to sign multiyear deals: Cliff Lee, Javier Vazquez, Jorge de la Rosa, Aaron Harang, and Ted Lilly.  Health risks and one-year deal types were considered separately.  De La Rosa, who recently turned 29, will be an interesting contract year pitcher to follow.  He makes his season debut Friday afternoon against the Padres.
  • One exec explained that Bryce Harper is not in the same class as guys like Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. were when they were drafted.
  • Why did Kiko Calero find little interest on the free agent market after a strong 2009?  Said one exec: "The medicals are so bad that everybody's wary."
  • An official of a big market club feels that Albert Pujols will ask for Alex Rodriguez money, rather than Joe Mauer/Mark Teixeira dollars.  That exec feels it's obvious the Cardinals will find a way to sign Pujols, even at that price.

Brewers, Gallardo Agree To Five-Year Extension

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The Brewers agreed to a five-year, $30.1MM extension with pitcher Yovani Gallardo today.  The deal buys out all three arbitration seasons and one free agent year, and has a $13MM club option on another.  SI's Jon Heyman tweets that Gallardo can void the club option by obtaining points based on Cy Young voting, while MLB.com's Adam McCalvy gives no-trade clause details.  The contract is a bit loaded toward the front, with the free agent year costing only $11.25MM.  MLBTR named Gallardo as an extension candidate in January and predicted the contract amount once the agreement was reached this morning.  Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel first reported the agreement, with the AP adding contract details.

Gallardo is an interesting case, as he had two years and 108 days of service time heading into the season but only 320 innings under his belt due to a torn ACL that caused him to miss most of '08.  He would've been arbitration-eligible for the first time after this season.  Coming into the season Gallardo had 22 wins, 325 strikeouts, and a 3.57 career ERA.  McCalvy deduced that Jon Lester was the comparable used, as Gallardo's new deal mirrors that contract and exceeds it by $100K.  Gallardo now appears to own the biggest contract signed by a pitcher with less than three years service time.

Warner Madrigal Not Designated

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1:41pm: Grant has tweeted a correction, saying Madrigal has not been designated but instead transferred to the 60-day DL.  According to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, Major League Baseball told the Rangers they were not comfortable with Madrigal being designated while still on the 15-day DL.

1:21pm: The Rangers designated righty Warner Madrigal for assignment to make room for Matt Treanor, tweets Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.  The potential loss of Madrigal is linked to catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who was slow to notify the team about a back injury.

Madrigal, 26, struggled in 12.6 big league innings last year.  He was solid in Triple A, posting a 2.57 ERA, 8.8 K/9, and 2.0 BB/9 in 49 innings.  Madrigal began his career as an outfielder in the Angels organization.  According to Baseball America, the Halos "inadvertently failed to place him on the 40-man roster before the end of the [2007] World Series," allowing the Rangers to sign him as a minor league free agent.  Madrigal threw in the mid-90s back then, but averaged 91.4 mph in the Majors last year.  Madrigal was recently placed on the DL with forearm tightness.

Athletics Claim Jai Miller Off Waivers

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The Athletics claimed outfielder Jai Miller off waivers from the Marlins and optioned him to Triple A, according to the team's Twitter feed.  Miller had been designated for assignment five days ago, as the Marlins cleared spots for Mike Lamb and Jose Veras.

Miller, 25, hit .289/.360/.510 in his second Triple A stint for the Marlins last year, playing right and center field.  Back in their '08 Handbook, Baseball America said his doubters wonder if "Miller isn't merely the next Reggie Abercrombie, a tools-laden player whose skills never fully transferred to the diamond."  Two years later, they wrote that "some in the organization still see him as a late bloomer with Mike Cameron characteristics."

Pirates Release Ramon Vazquez

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The Pirates unconditionally released infielder Ramon Vazquez, according to a team press release.  Vazquez had been designated for assignment four days ago.  The Pirates will assume Vazquez's $2MM salary, less the league minimum if another team signs him.

MLBTR's Luke Adams looked at Vazquez's situation earlier this week, noting that he should have value to a few clubs at the league minimum salary.  The 33-year-old hit .230/.335/.279 last year in 239 plate appearances, playing second base, shortstop, and third base and dealing with a knee injury.

GM Neal Huntington's plan when signing Vazquez in December of '08 may have been to find a credible back-up middle infielder in case the team traded Freddy Sanchez and/or Jack Wilson.  But you have to question his $4MM commitment to Vazquez, a journeyman platoon player who still didn't hit lefties in his career year '08 season.

One Contract Mulligan Per Team

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What if every team was given the power to remove one contract from their payroll?  Here's what we might see…

  • Angels: Brian Fuentes earns $9MM this year and has a vesting option for '11 at the same salary.  The Halos would also have to evaluate whether they're confident enough in Ervin Santana to pay him $26.2MM over the next three years.  We'll exclude Gary Matthews Jr. since he's technically not on the team anymore.
  • Astros: They might miss his bat, but they'd have to erase the three-year, $55.5MM remaining commitment to Carlos Lee.
  • Athletics: Eric Chavez has one year and $15MM left on his deal.
  • Blue Jays: Vernon Wells is on the hook for $98.5MM over five years.
  • Braves: Derek Lowe, owed $45MM over three years, would get the axe.
  • Brewers: Jeff Suppan is a goner, owed $14.5MM for one year.
  • Cardinals: Kyle Lohse would be a likely candidate, with $32.625MM owed over three years.
  • Cubs: Easily Alfonso Soriano, owed $90MM over five years.
  • Diamondbacks: I'll nominate Chris Young, who's owed $25.25MM over four years.  Chris Snyder at two years and $11.25MM would merit consideration.
  • Dodgers: Manny Ramirez is owed $20MM this year, and the honeymoon is over.
  • Giants: They'd have to wipe out the $83MM owed to Barry Zito over the next four years. That amount could become $94MM over five years.
  • Indians: The Tribe is still on the hook for $40.25MM over three years for DH Travis Hafner.  It might be a while before we see a DH get a $50MM deal again.
  • Mariners: Milton Bradley and has $21MM over two years would be on the chopping block, though taking on that deal allowed the Ms to move Carlos Silva.  If we exclude Bradley it might be Ian Snell at $4.25MM.
  • Marlins: They're not paying Nate Robertson's contract, so there's really no fat to trim.
  • Mets: How would you play this one?  You probably don't remove your ace Johan Santana, though he'll make $98.5MM over four years (not including deferrals).  Similar story for the $26.5MM owed to Francisco Rodriguez over two years.  Carlos Beltran is looking at $37MM over two years, and he still may be worth that.  The easy choices don't result in maximum savings: Oliver Perez at two years and $24MM and Luis Castillo at two years, $12MM.
  • Nationals: They'd probably choose Cristian Guzman's $8MM.
  • Orioles: I'll assume the Orioles would not remove a contract they brought on during the offseason.  Instead maybe they'd ditch Koji Uehara's $5MM or Ty Wigginton's $3.5MM.
  • Padres: No obvious candidate.  Chris Young at $6.25MM would be a possiblity, though not if they feel he's primed for a solid, healthy year.
  • Phillies: They'd be likely to erase Brad Lidge's two years and $24.5MM.
  • Pirates: Ramon Vazquez, owed $2MM, has already been designated for assignment.
  • Rangers: Michael Young will make $64MM over the next four years, though money is deferred.  Would the Rangers let this contract stand?
  • Rays: They'd free up the $9MM owed to Pat Burrell.
  • Reds: Closer Francisco Cordero is owed $25MM over the next two years.
  • Red Sox: Would they get rid of the $12.5MM owed to David Ortiz or $12MM to Mike Lowell?
  • Rockies: Even with the reworked deal, would the Rockies remove Todd Helton's contract?  Do they have regrets over Huston Street's three-year, $22.5MM extension, given his injury?  The $5.75MM owed to Jeff Francis?  The $7MM Manny Corpas gets over the next two years?
  • Royals: They've got Jose Guillen at $12MM, or a more useful player in Gil Meche at two years, $24MM.
  • Tigers: Miguel Cabrera's $126MM over six years is steep, but he'd be impossible to replace.  Magglio Ordonez gets $18MM this year and possibly $15MM in '11, but the Tigers passed on a chance to let him go.  Carlos Guillen would be a good choice at two years, $26MM; that would be more beneficial than removing a $12MM contract with Jeremy Bonderman or Dontrelle Willis.
  • Twins: The reality is that they've have to consider Joe Nathan's $24.5MM over two years, especially if it's not insured.
  • White Sox: Would they wipe out Alex Rios at $59.7MM over five years, or Scott Linebrink at $10.5MM over two?
  • Yankees: They could remove a big commitment, like A.J. Burnett's $66MM over four years.  That'd make more sense than Jorge Posada at $26.2MM over two or Damaso Marte at $8.25MM over two.

2011 Contract Issues: Toronto Blue Jays

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The Blue Jays will face three club options after the season:

  • Shortstop Alex Gonzalez has a $2.5MM option.  That's actually a bit less than he's earning this year, and the net price would be lower if there's a buyout involved.
  • Reliever Kevin Gregg has an odd contract, where the Blue Jays can exercise a $4.5MM option for 2011 or an $8.75MM option for 2011-12.  Both scenarios appear steep unless Gregg has a big year.
  • Backup catcher Jose Molina has a $1MM club option with a $200K buyout.

In Vernon Wells, Adam Lind, and Aaron Hill, the Blue Jays will pay an additional $16.1MM to players under contract.  Wells' $10.5MM bump leads the way.

Fortunately, the Jays have $31.65MM coming off the books as Lyle Overbay, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and John Buck will be up for free agency.  A few of the four will likely be dealt this summer.  Also to be cleared: $10MM owed to B.J. Ryan and $6MM to Roy Halladay. 

The Blue Jays have plenty of arbitration situations after the season, with non-tender candidates mixed in.  Brandon Morrow, Jesse Litsch, Dana Eveland, Jesse Carlson, and Merkin Valdez project as first-time arbitration players.  Shaun Marcum, Casey Janssen, and Dustin McGowan should be second-timers, while Edwin Encarnacion, Shawn Camp, and Jeremy Accardo will face arbitration for the third time.  The Blue Jays have a pair of fourth-year arbitration players in Jose Bautista and Brian Tallet.  There's a lot to sort through here, but no one seems likely to get a massive raise.

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the information.

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