Free Agent Stock Watch: Johnny Damon
It seems like just a few weeks ago that Johnny Damon was still a free agent, mulling offers from the Tigers, White Sox and others. He is already halfway through the one-year $8MM deal he signed as Spring Training began, so let's take stock of Damon's value.
He's still getting on base (.362 OBP, 40 walks) and stealing occasionally (seven steals in eight attempts), but his power has dropped off noticeably. Damon cranked 24 homers last year, including 17 at Yankee Stadium, a park that seems perfect for his swing and appears to have boosted his homer total. Five of Damon's 17 Yankee Stadium round-trippers were classified as 'just enough' home runs by HitTrackerOnline (that means they didn't clear the wall by much). Comerica Park is considered a pitchers' park, though all six of Damon's 2010 home runs have come at home.
Damon has played in left and center field this year, but has spent most of his time DHing. He turns 37 this winter, so teams are probably wary of relying on him for too much defense at this point. The market for DHs has not been good in recent years, but Damon remains an above-average hitter.
The Elias rankings currently place Damon in Type A territory, but just barely. The Tigers will probably not offer arbitration after the season, since $8-9MM would be a lot to pay Damon next year.
That said, teams other than the Indians and Blue Jays don't have DHs locked up long-term and could look to Damon as a way of getting production on a one-year deal. His former teammates, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Hideki Matsui could be among the players competing for DH jobs after the season, but Damon should still draw one-year offers.
Let's not forget that Damon will likely be about three seasons away from the 3,000 hit plateau after this year. That milestone could make it harder for Damon to pass up multi-million dollar offers to play in 2011, even if it means taking a paycut.
Solutions At Short
The Tigers, Cardinals, Rockies and Padres could improve at short and other teams, like the Yankees, have interest in adding a versatile infielder. Here's a look at some shortstops who may be available between now and the end of the month, sorted according to their 2010 salaries:
- Cristian Guzman, $8MM (free agent after 2010) – Guzman is hitting .294/.343/.369 and has also appeared at second and in right field. He can hit for average and play average defense (according to UZR), but the Nationals would presumably have to eat salary in a trade because there are cheaper options available. Guzman has ten and five rights, so he can veto any deal.
- Jason Bartlett, $4MM (free agent after 2011) – Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez can both play short, so the creative Rays could conceivably trade Bartlett. However, he is hitting .231/.314/.335 and UZR suggests his defense is below average, so teams may not consider him an upgrade.
- Stephen Drew, $3.4MM (free agent after 2012) – Drew boasts a .275/.348/.416 line and plays solid defense at short (+3.2 UZR this year). The Tigers are interested.
- Alex Gonzalez, $2.75MM ($2.5MM club option for 2011) – Gonzalez leads all shortstops in homers (Home Run Derby finalist Hanley Ramirez is four shy of Gonzalez's 17) and he has been a sound defender for the Blue Jays. The 33-year-old doesn't get on base much (.296 OBP), but he offers more power than any other available shortstop (.497 slugging percentage). The Blue Jays are open to deals.
- Cesar Izturis, $2.6MM (free agent after 2010) – Izturis is hitting .239/.286/.283, so teams figure to have limited interest in him.
- Ryan Theriot, $2.6MM (free agent after 2012) – The Cubs could part with Theriot, who is hitting .278/.317/.313. To date, we haven't seen a clear indication that the Cubs are shopping the 30-year-old, though they would presumably listen to offers.
- Craig Counsell, $2.1MM (free agent after 2010) – Counsell isn't hitting much (.614 OPS), but he can play short, second and third.
- Jamey Carroll, $1.05MM ($1.8MM in 2011) – His walk rate is at a career high, and he's playing more shortstop than any other position this year. He could be too valuable a utility player to move.
- Yunel Escobar, $435K (free agent after 2013) – Teams are calling about Escobar, though the Braves don't appear to be shopping him. The 27-year-old is still cheap and promising, despite his .238/.334/.284 line this season.
- Ronny Cedeno and Bobby Crosby could be available; Jhonny Peralta played shortstop for years; Alberto Callaspo has some experience at short and Adam Everett is a free agent.
We examined the market for third basemen and catchers earlier in the week.
Red Sox, Royals Discussed DeJesus
The Red Sox and Royals discussed outfielder David DeJesus about ten days ago and agreed to stay in contact, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. They add, "The Royals are scouting the Red Sox’s minor-league system, but the teams have yet to exchange names." Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald first reported the Red Sox' interest in DeJesus on June 26th. The Padres and Giants seem like good fits for the Royals outfielder as well, though their level of interest is not known.
The Red Sox are not likely to deal for DeJesus unless his price drops, a source tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com. The Royals are currently asking for a lot in return for their right fielder.
As Rosenthal and Morosi note, the Red Sox have dealt with injuries to Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Cameron this season and could use the versatile DeJesus. Given his $6MM club option, the Sox would have DeJesus, Ellsbury, Cameron, and J.D. Drew under control for 2011. Such depth could prompt a trade of Ellsbury, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. This year, DeJesus is owed an additional $2.12MM.
DeJesus is having a career year so far at age 30, with a .326/.395/.460 line in 370 plate appearances. He's also playing above-average defense. The Royals will wait until closer to the July 31st deadline to decide whether to trade DeJesus, reported ESPN's Buster Olney three days ago.
Help At The Hot Corner
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
Links for Tuesday, as we wait for David Price to throw the first pitch of the All-Star Game to Hanley Ramirez…
- For the second time this month, Torii Hunter lobbied for the Angels to acquire Adam Dunn (MLB.com's Bill Ladson reporting). Hunter's willingness to weigh in on personnel decisions should come as no surprise, given his desire to be a GM one day.
- Adrian Beltre was close to accepting a multiyear offer from the Athletics in the offseason, but he told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that he felt the Red Sox gave him a better chance to win. Beltre has not had any talks with the Sox about an extension, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford.
- Cliff Lee doesn't know whether proximity to his Arkansas home will impact where he signs, reports ESPN's Richard Durrett.
- MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince responds strongly to C.C. Sabathia's comments made to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Asked about the breakup of the Indians, Sabathia said, "That wasn't our fault. They traded us. That's on them."
- It appears that the Hanshin Tigers will retain Matt Murton for 2011, according to a Sanspo report relayed by NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman.
Boras Compares Fielder To Teixeira
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
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
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.
George Steinbrenner Dies Of Heart Attack
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner passed away this morning in Tampa, Florida, according to a statement from his family. The AP has reported the cause to be a heart attack. He had recently turned 80. Our condolences are with Mr. Steinbrenner's family and friends.
Giants, Rays, Padres Eyeing Corey Hart
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.