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Archives for July 2010

Help At The Hot Corner

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If your team is looking for help at third base this summer, we've got players who could conceivably be available for trade:

  • Jose Bautista, Blue Jays.  Amazingly, he's the MLB home run leader at the All-Star break.  He's played more right field than third base this year.  Bautista is under team control for 2011.
  • Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays.  Encarnacion cleared waivers last month, as no team wants to assume the $2.14MM owed to him.  Someone might take a chance on his power if the Jays eat his salary, but he could just be signed after the season given the expected non-tender.
  • Mark Reynolds, Diamondbacks.  So far Reynolds is following up his breakout '09 with an even higher strikeout rate and a .214 batting average.  He's owed only $226K more this season, and then $13MM through 2012.  He's not known to be available, but the contract was signed under previous GM Josh Byrnes.
  • Miguel Tejada, Orioles.  Tejada isn't hitting much for the O's, and he's still owed $2.71MM plus a $150K bonus if traded and $100K if he reaches 630 plate appearances.
  • Ty Wigginton, Orioles.  Wiggy made the All-Star team with strong work in April and May.  He has $1.58MM remaining.
  • Jhonny Peralta, Indians.  Peralta has a lot in common with the 2010 version of Tejada. 
  • Jorge Cantu, Marlins.  His OBP and SLG aren't great, yet he remains an RBI man.  He's got $2.71MM left and is known to be available. 
  • Wes Helms, Marlins.  Occasionally, Helms still shows something against left-handed pitching.
  • Alberto Callaspo, Royals.  He's battling a wrist injury, but Callaspo has a decent bat for someone who can handle second and third base, and even shortstop in a pinch.  He'll be arbitration-eligible for the first time after this season.
  • Andy LaRoche, Pirates.  He was bumped to a utility role with Pedro Alvarez's promotion, not that Alvarez has fared better in his first month. LaRoche will be arbitration-eligible after the season, though he could be non-tendered. 
  • Jose Lopez, Mariners.  Lopez switched from second base this year and has been abysmal with the bat.  He hit 25 home runs last year, and only has $1.29MM remaining on his contract.  He could be non-tendered after the season if his $5MM club option is declined.
  • Aramis Ramirez, Cubs.  Aramis usually hits well despite trips to the DL, but this year he was brutal for the season's first two months.  He'd be an interesting deadline pickup, but he has $7.1MM remaining this year, a $1MM assignment bonus if traded, and a $14.6MM player option for 2011.
  • Pedro Feliz, Astros.  There's not much left with Feliz, aside from the $2.03MM on his contract.
  • Mike Lowell, Red Sox.  He's played only 72.6 innings in the field this year and is owed $5.41MM, so the Red Sox would have to pick up the tab.
  • We've mostly discussed offense here, as the defensive samples are so small.  Still, I'll mention that Lopez, Callaspo, and Reynolds have above-average UZR/150 numbers at third base this year. 
  • Keep in mind that overpaid players like Tejada, Ramirez, Feliz, and Lowell are candidates to be traded in August.

Odds & Ends: Dunn, Beltre, Lee, Sabathia

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Links for Tuesday, as we wait for David Price to throw the first pitch of the All-Star Game to Hanley Ramirez…

Boras Compares Fielder To Teixeira

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TUESDAY: ESPN's Buster Olney spoke to multiple GMs who are scared of Fielder's body type.  Throw in the potential for Adrian Gonzalez and Albert Pujols to join him on the free agent market, and Fielder may struggle to approach Teixeira's deal.  Olney says Scott Boras "made it clear [to the Brewers] that he expects to get more for Fielder than the seven years and $169 million owed to Ryan Howard at the outset of this season."

MONDAY: Just in case any doubt remained, agent Scott Boras made it clear that Prince Fielder won’t be giving the Brewers a hometown discount. Boras told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Prince is a “rare, rare commodity” and suggested that the first baseman could be headed for a Hall of Fame career. Most ominous of all for Brewers fans was the player to whom Boras compared Fielder.

“When you have a player that performs like Mark Teixeira, you have to look at Prince Fielder’s performance in comparison,” Boras said. “You want to know the value of a player? Take a look at it.”

One glance at Teixeira’s eight-year $180MM suggests that Fielder won’t come cheap when he hits free agency after the 2011 season. Haudricourt hears from rival agents that the Brewers offered a five-year deal worth just over $100MM. That’s a substantial offer for the mid-market Brewers, but Boras suggests $180MM isn’t as expensive as it sounds.

“If you look at Mark Teixeira’s contract, he made the Yankees money,” Boras said. “How many teams would take on Mark Teixeira’s contract? I would say 20. The reason is it’s good business to do that. Those players are invaluable.”

Fielder, 26, has 20 homers and a league-leading 61 walks. He has posted a .265/.401/.494 line this year, just short of his career .927 OPS. There’s no question that Fielder will command a substantial contract, and Boras suggests he could surpass Teixeira's deal.

“Prince is a home-run hitter,” Boras said. “He’s 70 home runs ahead of Teixeira at that point [of his career]. Prince has much more power. This is how you [measure] performance and age and production. You have to ask in the marketplace how many players can do this?”

As Boras knows, there aren’t many players who can match Prince’s production. That means other clubs will have interest in Fielder and at this point, the Brewers are reportedly willing to listen to offers as they mull the pros and cons of an expensive extension. 

Rockies Remain Interested In Dan Uggla

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There are strong indications the Rockies remain interested in Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.  The Rockies-Uggla speculation has been consistent since Troy Tulowitzki's wrist was broken on June 17th.

Colorado's interest predates the Tulo injury, however.  Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote that the Rockies discussed trading Clint Barmes and a prospect for Uggla last offseason.  It was an active discussion, reported ESPN's Jayson Stark in January.  Rosenthal reported yesterday that the Marlins have made Jorge Cantu and Cody Ross available but are holding off for now on Uggla and Ricky Nolasco.

Uggla is having another fine year, with a .285/.369/.483 line and 16 home runs in 371 plate appearances.  He has $3.52MM remaining on his contract this season, and could earn around $10MM in 2011 in his final arbitration year.  Renck feels that Uggla's salary and the Rockies' potential desire to use him at various infield positions could be obstacles.  Marlins president Larry Beinfest said on Sunday that the team is open to anything, but they won't make moves to clear salary.

It's surprising we haven't heard other teams connected to Uggla.  The Red Sox and Phillies have injury concerns at second base, while the White Sox and Mets are among the contenders who have gotten very little offense out of the position.

Blue Jays Sign Venezuelans Cardona, Cenas

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The Blue Jays signed amateur free agents Adonis Cardona and Gabriel Cenas, according to the team.  Cardona, a right-handed pitcher, and Cenas, a third baseman, will begin in the Dominican Summer League.  The Blue Jays have been aggressive on international free agents under GM Alex Anthopoulos, bidding on Aroldis Chapman and signing Adeiny Hechavarria.

News of Cardona's deal first broke in May from ESPN's Keith Law, but the pitcher could not be officially signed until July 2nd.  According to this Shi Davidi tweet, Anthopoulos confirmed the Cardona signing was for $2.8MM - a record for a Venezuelan amateur, according to Baseball America's Ben Badler.  The Badler link also contains a scouting report.  Davidi also learned from Anthopoulos that Cenas was signed for $700K.

Giants, Rays, Padres Eyeing Corey Hart

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Brewers right fielder Corey Hart is "being eyed" by the Rays and Padres, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Two days ago, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune tweeted that the Rays "appear to be getting serious" about Hart.  And don't forget the Giants, whose interest is well-known to MLBTR readers as well as Hart himself.

Hart fits a criteria shared by the Giants and Padres: he's under team control for 2011.  He has about $2.16MM remaining on this year's contract, and he'll be arbitration-eligible for 2011.  Hart posted an All-Star first half: .288/.349/.569 with 21 home runs and 65 RBIs in 338 plate appearances.  But any suitor has to be concerned that the Brewers are selling high.  Just three months ago, I wrote that Hart "stands a good chance of being non-tendered" after the 2010 season.  ESPN's Keith Law had this to say on July 8th:

"I wouldn't trade anything of value for Hart. His first half is way over his head, and hitters who can be beaten that easily would scare me if I was looking to acquire them for a playoff run."

The Giants might be wary; Shea says GM Brian Sabean "doesn't appear to be willing to move any of his starting pitchers, which the Brewers would demand."  Tommy Rancel of DRaysBay expects the Rays to take a cautionary stance as well.  As for the Padres, FOX Sports' Jim Bowden tweeted word from owner Jeff Moorad that adding a bat is secondary to starting pitching.  Perhaps the Giants, Rays, and Padres are three teams that wouldn't mind adding Hart but won't overpay to do so.

David Ortiz Wants Multiyear Deal?

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Prior to his Home Run Derby victory last night, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz implied he wants a multiyear deal.  Talking to ESPN's Gordon Edes, Ortiz said:

"I don't want one year. Why should I return for one year and go through the same [stuff] I'm going through now, just because it's my last year? No. I like to be left alone when I'm playing baseball. I know how to clean my [stuff] up."

Even with Ortiz's strong production since May, it's difficult to envision the Red Sox offering two guaranteed years.  The first order of business will be his $12.5MM option for 2011, which will almost surely be declined.  I don't think he'll reach a $10MM base salary again.  It's well-known Ortiz wants to remain in Boston, so perhaps he'll be amenable to a lower salary and a second-year option similar to that given to Jason Varitek before the '09 season.  The Red Sox might prefer flexibility with their DH spot for 2012, however.

Odds & Ends: Prior, Capps, Lee, Harper, Hart

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Another round of links for Monday, as Big Papi keeps on hitting…

Minimum Salary

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Ever wonder what the smallest possible payroll is? You couldn't field a major league team for less than $10MM this year, because the major league minimum is $400K. Players with at least one day of service time and players who have been on the 40-man roster for two or more years make at least $65K, even if they're in the minor leagues. Minimum salaries at the major and minor league level increase regularly to account for the cost of living, but do not decrease, even if the cost of living drops.

This MLBTR Glossary entry relies on information from Cot's Baseball Contracts and the current collective bargaining agreement. It was originally published on August 4th, 2009.

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