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Stark On Gordon, Dunn, Lowell

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The five most untradeable contracts in baseball?  ESPN's Jayson Stark's poll of baseball executives say it's Alfonso Soriano, Vernon Wells, Travis Hafner, Carlos Lee, and Barry Zito.  Hard to argue; check out our Bad Contract Swap Meet from last year for a look at other ugly deals.  It was interesting to see Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kosuke Fukudome nab honorable mentions in Stark's poll.  On to his other rumblings…

  • Stark's conversations led to repeated mentions of the new collective bargaining agreement, which will go into effect in December of 2011.  The uncertainty will have an impact – will 2011 draftees lack leverage, knowing that a slotting system could be installed the following year?  Does it make sense to worry about Super Two status for Mike Stanton now, when that provision might not exist in 2012?
  • Teams have kicked the tires on Alex Gordon, but the Royals have no interest in trading him.  MLBTR's Luke Adams led a discussion post on Gordon yesterday.
  • The Dodgers are scouring the trade market for starting pitching, while the Royals and Phillies seek bullpen help.  The Mariners and Braves are trying to add offense.  The Diamondbacks are actually more interested in starting pitching than relief, and are expected to have Chris Snyder available once Miguel Montero returns.
  • A "baseball man familiar with the Nationals' thinking" expects Adam Dunn to return in 2011, though not necessarily via an in-season extension.
  • A friend of Mike Lowell tells Stark the third baseman would love to play for the Twins or Angels if the Red Sox plan to trade him.
  • The Phillies have recently adopted a stance against full no-trade clauses, which is reflected in the Roy Halladay and Ryan Howard extensions.

2011 Contract Issues: Detroit Tigers

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The Tigers have one contractual option, but it may be decided before the end of the season.  Magglio Ordonez's $15MM option vests with 135 starts or 540 plate appearances.  Barring injury, he'll get there.  On the plus side, it represents a $3MM decrease from his 2010 salary.

In 2011 the Tigers will finally be free of many ill-advised contracts.  Their eight free agents are earning a total of $56.675MM this year, led by Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson, Johnny Damon, and Brandon Inge.  Robertson is now with the Marlins, but the Tigers are paying most of his salary.  Factor in the money the Tigers are shedding for Ordonez and they've got just under $60MM coming off the books.

The increase side is light – Justin Verlander gets a $6MM bump.  They've got Ryan Raburn as a first-time arbitration player, Zach Miner going for a second time, and Joel Zumaya a third.  If payroll is held steady, the Tigers will have a whopping $50MM+ to work with.  Even if it's reduced, the Tigers are in good position to work the free agent market to find a left fielder, third baseman, shortstop, and a starting pitcher or two.

Thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the info.

Could The Nationals Be Trade Deadline Buyers?

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The Nationals are off to a 14-13 start, which puts them two games behind the Phillies in the NL East.  However, based on their runs scored and allowed totals, the Nationals project to finish with 72 wins.  If they can hang around in contention for another month, should the Nats add reinforcements for an unexpected playoff run?

The Nationals' rotation has a 5.19 ERA, third-worst in the NL.  Their starters are averaging only 5.32 innings per outing.  If Livan Hernandez comes back to Earth (0.99 ERA in 36.3 innings), they could be in really bad shape.  Multiple starters are already on the way:

  • Jason Marquis, dealing with bone chips in his elbow, is on a throwing program according to MASN's Ben Goessling.
  • Goessling says Jordan Zimmermann, Chien-Ming Wang, and Ross Detwiler will all begin rehab assignments several weeks from now, with Detwiler being the closest.  While the reports are promising and we should see these three in the second half, it'd be unwise to rely on them.
  • Stephen Strasburg could join the big club in June (and avoid Super Two status), giving the team a potential ace.
  • The Nationals' rotation could really use a shot in the arm right now as opposed to June or July.  They could try to sign Pedro Martinez or Jarrod Washburn, but the free agents would need weeks to be big league ready.  In May only a couple of teams will be realistic about their playoff chances.  Potentially, the Orioles or Indians could be willing to deal.  Kevin Millwood, Jeremy Guthrie, and Jake Westbrook might be available. 
  • The Nationals' bullpen has been respectable, and Drew Storen was promoted to Triple A a week ago.

How about the offense?  At 4.30 runs scored per game, the Nats rank 13th in the NL.  They're lacking at second base, where Cristian Guzman and Adam Kennedy have combined for a .261/.284/.351 line.  Dan Uggla would be a huge addition, but it's hard to picture the Marlins making that deal right now.  Ty Wigginton might be easier to acquire.  Right field has been a bigger problem, with a .157/.294/.326 aggregate performance.  The Nationals acknowledged this a month ago upon releasing Elijah Dukes, as they inquired on Corey Hart, Kosuke Fukudome, and B.J. Upton in trade talks and had discussions with free agents Gary Sheffield and Jermaine Dye.  Sheffield or Dye would require sacrificing defense for offense.  Another name to consider could be the Royals' David DeJesus.

Eric Byrnes May Retire

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Eric Byrnes may retire, reports MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.  Said Byrnes three days after being released by the Mariners:

"I think this is the end.  You never say never, but I think this is it. Parts of 11 seasons, man — I gave everything I had to the game. I can look myself in the mirror and know that I gave it my all. I'm proud of that."

Known for his all-out approach, Byrnes would finish with a .258/.320/.439 line across eleven seasons for the Athletics, Rockies, Orioles, Diamondbacks, and Mariners.  His best years were 2004 and '07, the latter season prompting the Diamondbacks to give him a three-year, $30MM extension that runs through this year.

The Rockies’ Approach To Trade Clauses

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The Rockies, known for producing their own talent, have taken an interesting approach to the no-trade clause in several recent contracts.  Four examples:

  • Aaron Cook's annual salaries increase by $1MM if traded.  Many players have one-time assignment bonuses if traded, usually less than a million bucks.  Mark Buehrle is one pitcher with a better trade inhibitor than Cook – he gets an extra $1MM per year and an additional year at $15MM is added to his contract.
  • Brad Hawpe has a $10MM club option for 2011 with a $500K buyout, but he can void the option if traded.  A GM may like the idea of controlling Hawpe through 2011, but only the Rockies have the privilege.
  • Chris Iannetta can void his 2013 club option if he's traded before that season.  Iannetta is only controlled through '13 if he remains a Rockie, something to keep in mind when tossing around trade scenarios.
  • Troy Tulowitzki can void the remainder of his contract if he's traded.  His team-friendly deal won't be transferred to another club without his permission.  It's probably a moot point, as GM Dan O'Dowd told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times in March he hopes Tulo retires a Rockie.

Odds & Ends: Bradley, Miles, Harwell, Zito

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Links for Wednesday, as Ty Wigginton continues his assault on the American League…

  • Milton Bradley left the Mariners in the middle of last night's game, reports ESPN's Mike Salk.  The distractions become difficult to tolerate when he's hitting .214/.313/.371. GM Jack Zduriencik says Bradley asked the organization for help following last night's incident and will sit out for a few days while he works out personal "issues," according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.
  • Bradley, for his part, texted Peter Gammons (Twitter link) to say: "Any reports I said I'm packing up and leaving are 100% fabricated."
  • The Cardinals aren't sure yet whether Aaron Miles will work his way up to the bigs, writes Andy Jasner at MLB.com. The team is evaluating Miles' progress after signing him to a minor league deal last week.
  • Baseball fans are mourning the loss of Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell, who was 92. A public viewing will take place Thursday night at Comerica Park.
  • Barry Zito's 2014 option for $18MM vests if he starts racking up 200 inning seasons, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Even if it remains a club option, the Giants face a hefty $7MM buyout.
  • Baseball America's Jim Callis says Texas high school righty Jameson Taillon is the consensus #2 in the June draft.  Will the Pirates spring for him?  Will the Orioles have a shot at #3?

MacPhail Unhappy With Orioles’ Offense

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Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is on the verge of making roster changes to shake up his struggling offense, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. The Orioles dropped to 7-21 today, and their lineup hasn't lived up to expectations this season.

"There is going to come a time where we’re going to be obligated to keep making changes in terms of offensive personnel," MacPhail said. "I would say there isn’t a great deal of time left before they have to start doing more than what they’re doing now. I’m not staying with them forever. It’s not a suicide pact. They either have to start performing or they’ll go to [Triple-A] Norfolk."

Although MacPhail didn't single anyone out specifically, Zrebiec notes that Adam Jones, Nolan Reimold, Luke Scott, Garrett Atkins, and Julio Lugo are among the players underperforming so far.

Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik talked this week about a similar need for offensive production, but while Zduriencik's Mariners are hoping to be buyers, the Orioles, already 13 games out of first place, are more likely to be sellers. Still, MacPhail's comments suggest that if the club elects to make changes, it will probably mean players being demoted rather than traded.

Alan Embree Elects Free Agency

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WEDNESDAY, 6:24pm: Embree cleared waivers and has elected to become a free agent, tweets Alex Speier of WEEI.com.

FRIDAY, 10:23pm: The Red Sox designated lefty reliever Alan Embree for assignment, tweets Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.  Boston DFA'd the 40-year-old in order to make room for the returning Daisuke Matsuzaka.  Embree did not appear in a major league game for Boston this season.

Embree was allowed to opt out of his minor league deal with the BoSox on April 15th, as he had not yet been promoted to the majors.  He agreed to extend his deal for another two weeks and was called up ten days later.  The contract was set to pay the lefty $500K for making the major league squad, a sum that could have ballooned to as much as $1.1MM with incentives.

Roughly two weeks ago, the veteran reliever stated that he would "go home" if he wasn't on the varsity squad in Boston or presented with another enticing opportunity.  Embree told Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald that he will now return home to talk to his agent to see if another team might be interested in his services.  Lauber points out that the Phillies were interested at one point, though it's unclear if they still have a spot for him.

Discussion: Alex Gordon

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Earlier this week, the Royals optioned former first-round pick Alex Gordon to the minors. The second overall pick in 2005, Gordon was named Baseball America's #2 prospect in all of baseball prior to the 2007 season. However, since hitting .260/.351/.432 in 2008, the 26-year-old has struggled to stay healthy and has posted a slash line of just .226/.327/.369 in 227 plate appearances for the Royals, leading to his demotion.

For Joe Posnanski, the move is a signal that the club has given up on Gordon, writing that "when you send him to the minor leagues after only 12 games, it doesn’t matter what you say. You are giving up." ESPN.com's Rob Neyer agrees, pointing out that many people in Kansas City's front office weren't around when Gordon was drafted, reducing their investment in him. Neyer says that if he were running the Royals, he'd play Gordon at third base, barring injury, until season's end, but the organization has other plans — they intend to give Gordon playing time at left field and first base in Triple-A Omaha. As Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star notes, Gordon likely would've been displaced at third base eventually by prospect Mike Moustakas, who is hitting .417/.491/.917 in Double-A so far this season.

So where does this leave Gordon? Posnanski is pessimistic about the left-handed hitter's future in Kansas City, predicting that Gordon could end up blossoming with another team who appreciates his strengths. It's unclear if the Royals would consider moving him at this point though, or if there'd even be much of a market for him. Mellinger spoke to one rival scout who opines: "Nobody I know is excited about [Gordon] or thinks he’s above getting sent down."

Gordon is under team control until after the 2013 season, so for now the Royals figure to give him a chance to play every day and gain some confidence in the minors. Eventually, his performance or an injury on the 25-man roster will earn him another shot in the bigs. Posnanski, however, belives that "without expectation and without a position," it won't work.

If it were your decision, what would you do with Gordon, a player once drafted ahead of Ryan Zimmerman, Ryan Braun, and Troy Tulowitzki?

Nationals Not Considering Tim Chambers

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WEDNESDAY, 4:18pm: Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said the team is not considering Chambers for a scouting job, tweets MLB.com's Bill Ladson.

TUESDAY, 6:02pm: The Nationals are working to hire College of Southern Nevada coach Tim Chambers as a scout, reports SI.com's Jon Heyman. Chambers, of course, currently coaches Bryce Harper, who Washington is expected to take with the first overall pick in next month's draft.

Despite the connection to Harper, assistant GM Roy Clark insists that the hiring is unrelated, pointed out that he employed Chambers for a decade while he was with the Braves. Heyman mentions that many college coaches are employed by MLB teams as associate scouts, and that it's possible the Nats were impressed with Chambers during their many visits to see Harper.

Yesterday we heard that Harper and Scott Boras were expected to demand a contract in excess of Stephen Strasburg's $15.1MM deal, the all-time draft record. Nats' GM Mike Rizzo recently scouted Harper in person for the first time.

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