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Orioles Interested In Grant Balfour

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The Orioles have "definite interest" in free agent reliever Grant Balfour, according to MASN's Roch Kubatko.  Kubatko notes that signing the Type A-designated Balfour would require the Orioles to hand over their second-round pick to the Rays.  A year ago, the Orioles were willing to give up the 53rd overall pick to sign Mike Gonzalez.  This pick would be later in the draft.  

Other former Balfour suitors such as the Red Sox and Rockies have filled bullpen needs, so the Orioles have some leverage.  The O's still have lingering interest in Kevin Gregg, a situation that's starting to drag.  Kubatko says they'd also like to sign a lefty reliever, and "the door still hasn't closed" on Mark Hendrickson and Will Ohman.   

 

 

Unfinished Business: AL Central

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We've covered the unfinished business for teams in the NL East, Central, and West as well as the AL West.  Now it's time to tackle the AL Central.

  • White Sox: Swingman or reliever.  A week ago, MLB.com's Scott Merkin opined that Chicago's biggest remaining need was a fourth or fifth starter type who could move to the bullpen when Jake Peavy returns.  Or, the Sox could add another reliever and put Chris Sale in the rotation to start the season.  GM Kenny Williams could theoretically clear some payroll space by moving Mark Teahen.  Another remaining offseason goal could be to lock up John Danks, who is entering his second arbitration year.
  • Indians: Veteran starting pitcher, third baseman, utility infielder, Shin-Soo Choo extension.  A Choo extension is unlikely, but MLB.com's Jordan Bastian suggests the Tribe will attempt to find bargains for the other needs.  Here's a look at the unsigned third base candidates.  Bartolo Colon is the type of pitcher on the radar to compete for a fifth starter job. 
  • Tigers: Starting pitcher, lefty reliever.  MLB.com's Kelly Thesier suggested a couple weeks ago that the Tigers could add a fifth starter/swingman type as well as a lefty reliever later in the offseason.  On a later conference call, GM Dave Dombrowski said he's comfortable with the team's pitching staff but remains open-minded.  They were linked to Brad Penny that same day.
  • Royals: Starting pitcher, reliever.  The Royals' 2011 rotation is looking barren at this point, and their bullpen is light too.  The additions of Jeff Francoeur and Melky Cabrera imply that Dayton Moore likes a little veteran presence on his team, so I expect him to add some stopgaps to augment the pitching staff.  Things have been quiet on the rumor front since the Zack Greinke trade, however.
  • Twins: Starting pitcher, reliever(s), backup infielder, Jim Thome situation, Francisco Liriano extension.  The Twins will have to figure out a Plan B if they fail to re-sign Carl Pavano.  They lost Jesse Crain, Matt Guerrier, and likely others from the bullpen, so some kind of veteran addition seems likely.  We haven't read much on the Twins' desire to re-sign Thome since this December 7th report.  The Liriano idea is pure speculation on my part, but perhaps discussions will occur.

Arbitration Tracker

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More than 20 arbitration eligible players have already agreed to 2011 contracts, but over 100 are still preparing to file next week.  MLBTR now has the best tool for keeping on top of it: our arbitration tracker.

The arbitration tracker shows all eligible players with fields for the player and team's salary submissions, the midpoint, and the amount they settled upon.  You'll be able to filter by team, signing status, and whether a hearing took place.  Also, links to MLBTR stories are provided if you'd like more information on agreements or extensions.

January 5-15th marks the arbitration filing period, and figures will be exchanged on the 18th for those who have yet to reach an agreement.  Hearings will take place in February.

Click here to access our arbitration tracker, which has been added to the Tools menu at the top of the website as well.

How Long Will Phillies’ Four Aces Stay Together?

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The Phillies have assembled an amazing quartet to front their 2011 rotation: Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt.  How long can we expect this group to stay together?

  • Halladay is signed through 2013, with an option for '14.  It's possible the option will vest if Halladay tosses 225 innings in '13, 415 innings in '12-13, and avoids the disabled list at the end of the '13 season.
  • Lee is signed through 2015, with a $27.5MM club option for '16.  This option can vest more easily than Doc's, if Lee has 200 innings in '15 or 400 in '14-15 and does not finish the '15 season with a left shoulder or elbow injury.  Plus, the massive $12.5MM buyout on that option gives it a $15MM net price, which might be worth exercising if Lee is good but not great in his age 36 season.
  • Hamels is signed through 2011 and is arbitration eligible for the '12 season.  Will he test the free agent waters after '12?  The Phillies were able to sign Hamels to his current deal two years ago, but were not able to secure his final arbitration year let alone a free agent season or two.
  • Oswalt is signed through 2011.  He has a $16MM mutual option for '12 with a $2MM buyout.  The $14MM net price should be appealing to the Phillies if Oswalt performs anywhere near his 2010 level, though the pitcher does have the ability to opt out.  There are plenty of possibilities after the '11 season: Oswalt could retire, both sides could decide $16MM is a fair salary for another go-round, the Phillies could choose to decline, or the pitcher could decide he wants security for 2013 and seek a multiyear deal.

My guess: the Phillies will work something out with Oswalt for 2012, and we'll enjoy these four pitching together for two seasons.

Thanks to Cot's for the contract info.

This Date In Transactions History: December 28th

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Former Tigers GM Bill Lajoie passed away today at the age of 76. In the words of current Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski, Lajoie "played an integral role in building the [1984] Detroit Tigers into a world championship team."

Lajoie had been a a senior advisor for Pirates GM Neal Huntington since 2009, and Huntington calls him a "terrific evaluator of talent, an outstanding baseball man, a tremendous mentor and a better friend.” Along with the Tigers, Pirates and many others in the baseball world, MLBTR extends condolences to Lajoie's family and friends. 

Now here's a look back at some historical transactions that have occurred on this date:

  • The Red Sox signed Josh Bard and Brad Penny on this date in 2008. Bard didn't play for the 2009 Red Sox and fans of the team probably wish Penny hadn't either. The right-hander posted a 5.61 ERA in 131 2/3 innings before moving on to San Francisco, where the results were considerably better.
  • The Indians signed Fausto Carmona as an amateur free agent ten years ago today. They've paid him $8.87MM for 746 innings of 4.43 ERA ball so far and have him under team control for four more seasons.
  • The Tigers traded Luis Gonzalez to the Diamondbacks for Karim Garcia on this date in 1998. Garcia hit 14 homers for the Tigers in 1999 and was out of the organization the next year. Gonzalez hit 26 homers for the D'Backs in 1999 and didn't stop there. He hit 31 long balls in 2000 and 57 more in 2001, leading the D'Backs to their first World Series title.
  • The White Sox traded Tim Raines to the Yankees on this date in 1995. Raines was past his prime, but that didn't stop him from hitting .299/.395/.429 in three seasons in New York as the Bronx Bombers won a pair of championships.
  • The Indians signed current Rangers manager Ron Washington on this date in 1987. In his last extended taste of playing action, the infielder hit .256/.298/.363 for the Tribe.
  • Last, but certainly not least, we take you back to 1994. On this date 16 years ago, the Astros and Padres completed a memorable 12-player trade that MLBTR's Howard Megdal explained in great detail this June.

5 Outfielders Who Could Benefit From Werth’s Deal

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Jayson Werth has been one of the best outfielders in baseball for the past few years, but it took the former first round pick years to turn his potential into production. Even though he didn't thrive in the majors until arriving in Philadelphia in 2007, Werth just signed a $126MM deal. Others could follow Werth's path and cash in as free agents even if they don't break out until a little later in their careers. Here are five outfielders who could benefit from the deal the Nationals just made with the 31-year-old outfielder (players listed according to when they hit free agency):

  1. Jose Bautista (hits free agency after 2011 as a 31-year-old) – He was drafted in 2000 and didn't break out until he clubbed 54 homers last year. If he adds another All-Star caliber season to the back of his baseball card, Bautista could cash in next offseason. Werth played at a high level for two full seasons and two partial seasons before hitting free agency, so there is some precedent for players leveraging recent history into nine figure contracts.
  2. Josh Hamilton (hits free agency after 2012 as a 31-year-old) – The former first overall pick didn't debut until he was nearly 26 because of a variety of on and off-field problems. He's an MVP now and he'll hit free agency at the same age Werth did (Hamilton is two years and one day younger).
  3. B.J. Upton (hits free agency after 2012 as a 28-year-old) – Upton's performance has fluctuated considerably over the course of the past few seasons. If the former second overall pick can turn in two consecutive All-Star seasons, he'll have a case for a substantial multiyear deal when he hits free agency.
  4. Adam Jones (hits free agency after 2013 as a 28-year-old) – Jones was an All-Star in 2009, but he has yet to completely break out. He's three seasons away from free agency, so there's still time for him to excel on a consistent basis and prove doubters that he deserves Werth-like money.
  5. Nelson Cruz (hits free agency after 2013 as a 33-year-old) – Cruz broke out in 2009, 11 years after he signed as an amateur free agent. He's still a few years away from free agency, but he has been setting himself up for a big payday with two consecutive monster seasons.

Soria Wouldn’t Block Trade To Yankees

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The Royals have looked firm this offseason in their unwillingness to ship off Joakim Soria. The All-Star closer, on the other hand, appears comfortable with migrating to another market and, more specifically, to New York. In an interview with the Mexican paper Vanguard (link in Spanish), Soria told Roberto Espinoza that he doesn't give much weight to the no-trade clause in his contract, which reportedly allows him to block trades to the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, Phillies, Cardinals, and Cubs.

"I didn't put it there, my agent did, as a strategy," Soria said. "But if the Royals decide to trade me to New York I would gladly go to play with the Yankees or any other team… I repeat, I would not block a trade to the Yankees. I like to play baseball and I would play with any team."

The Yankees reportedly dangled top catching prospect Jesus Montero in a Soria discussion last July, and the subsequent departure of Zack Greinke and David DeJesus has spawned a fresh crop of speculation about the haul Soria could bring to the already deep Royals system. The one cambio that Soria seemed eager to block, though, is a switch to the Royals' starting rotation.

"I really don't believe that could happen," Soria told Espinoza. "As I've always said, why fix something that isn't broken?… Furthermore, if they asked me if I would like to change into a starter, I would say no."

Soria emphasized in the interview that he is happy with the Royals, who have him under control through 2014 via a series of team-friendly options. And while there is a case to be made for keeping Soria right where he is while a roster's worth of elite talent inches ever-closer to the Royals' major league squad, Dayton Moore will no doubt continue to field queries about "the Mexecutioner" for as long as he remains the Royals' elite stopper.

About 18% of 11,000 MLBTR readers would convert Soria into a starter and 69% said the Royals should trade him by next July 31st.

Orioles Target Derrek Lee

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The Orioles are targeting Derrek Lee, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The team renewed discussions with the free agent first baseman a week ago and are open to a deal in the one-year, $8MM range, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. Rosenthal reports that the team is more comfortable signing Lee for one year than committing to Adam LaRoche for three.

The Orioles will have some competition for LaRoche, who appeals to the Nationals, and Lee. The Padres offered Lee a one-year deal worth more than $8MM before agreeing to terms with Brad Hawpe, according to Rosenthal. San Diego would have been a good fit for Lee, who is interested in playing for a contender and returning to the West Coast.

The Angels are “cool” on Lee, according to Rosenthal. They tried to acquire him after Kendry Morales went down last summer and could pair him with Morales at first/DH.

Lee is a potential bargain for 2011. He's coming off thumb surgery and had a down year by his standards, but finished the 2010 season strong with the Braves and hit 35 homers as recently as 2009.

Rangers Had Interest In Jenks As A Starter

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The Red Sox were far from the only club to express interest in Bobby Jenks after the White Sox non-tendered him. The Rangers were one of the interested teams, and they had an unconventional idea for the right-hander to consider. Jenks told Scott Merkin of MLB.com that Texas was interested in signing him as a starter.

Jenks has never started a big league game, but he was drafted as a starter and has since discussed the idea of re-joining the rotation. However, he turned down the Rangers’ overtures to sign in Boston.

Though he sounds excited to join the Red Sox, Jenks admits that they were not his “first hope.” He had wanted to continue his White Sox career, but the team moved on and signed Jesse Crain. Jenks didn’t mind getting non-tendered, since that was a business decision, but he did not like Chicago’s decision to offer his former number (45) to Adam Dunn.

Jenks says the White Sox offered him a two-year deal worth $10MM, or $2MM less than what the Red Sox signed him for. However, a White Sox official told Merkin that the team didn’t make a formal offer.

Possible Suitors For Troy Glaus

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Troy Glaus has a home run title and a World Series MVP Award to his name, but the former third overall pick has a dwindling number of potential destinations for next year. The 34-year-old posted a .240/.344/.400 line for the Braves last year, slumping badly in the second half. He was playing shortstop as recently as 2006 (interleague games only) but Glaus is a first baseman/DH at this stage in his career. He has appeared in just nine games at third since 2009.

Some DH vacancies have been filled and the teams that do need first basemen and DHs may hesitate to add Glaus because of his second half slump and injury history (he missed time with knee and shoulder injuries in 2009-10). Here are some teams that could consider Glaus between now and Spring Training:

DH openings:

  • The Rays could add Glaus as a first baseman/DH.
  • The Rangers have discussed Glaus and have a DH opening.
  • The Twins could consider him if they don't re-sign Jim Thome.
  • The Blue Jays have Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind at first/DH. Would they consider reacquiring Glaus if his price drops enough?

An alternative to LaRoche and Lee:

  • It wouldn't shock many people if Derrek Lee and Adam LaRoche end up playing for the Nationals and Orioles. But if either one of those clubs decides to look at alternatives, Glaus could become an option.

A potential National League fit:

  • The Dodgers occasionally used Ronnie Belliard at first base last year. He's gone, so the Dodgers could use a right handed hitter to complement James Loney, who has hit just .261/.321/.381 against lefties in his career. Marcus Thames may be a better fit for the Dodgers, since he can also play left field, but Glaus makes some sense if his price drops enough.

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