Odds & Ends: Blue Jays, Gomes, Lincecum
Links for Saturday…
- Jordan Bastian of MLB.com provides his list of the top 10 prospects in Toronto's system and answers other Jays-related questions in a reader mailbag.
- MLB.com's Mark Sheldon writes that the holding pattern between Jonny Gomes and the Reds is continuing. Sheldon says that Gomes might make his decision once one of the other second-tier outfielders – guys like Garret Anderson, Cliff Floyd, Endy Chavez, or Marlon Anderson – sign with a club.
- Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle says that Tim Lincecum's contract with the Giants will have future ramifications because it'll help keep his salary down after it expires. Lincecum will still have two more years of arbitration eligibility left when this new deal expires.
- The Yankees will be serious bidders for Cuban shortstop Adeiny Hechevarria once he is "unblocked" by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, reports George A. King III of The New York Post.
- Despite signing Mike Lamb to a minor league deal, the Marlins are still on the lookout for a lefty bat off the bench, tweets MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
- In a separate tweet, Frisaro says that the chances of the team bringing Kiko Calero back are slim, even on a minor league deal. They have concerns about his shoulder.
- Jim McLennan of AZ Snakepit posted Part Two if his interview with Diamondbacks' GM Josh Byrnes.
- John Tomase of The Boston Herald says that the Red Sox don't look like a team in transition, despite GM Theo Epstein's comments earlier this offseason.
- Here are the latest minor league transactions, courtesy of Baseball America's Matt Eddy. The Marlins signed outfielder Jason Lane to a minor league deal.
Cardinals Open To Another Spring Signing
MLB.com's Matthew Leach reports that St. Louis has between $6MM and $7MM worth of "wiggle room" in their payroll that may have to last the club through the rest of the season. But, as Leach notes, "the Cardinals aren't holding onto money for a midseason trade as much as they are for an acquisition during camp."
St. Louis GM John Mozeliak hinted that he may make another move during Spring Training if none of the team's young players step up to adequately fill the Cards' problem areas: "As we move forward and get into spring, we should have a better idea of what that [greatest need] might be. It may be nothing. But it usually is always something and more than something."
Matt Holliday dominated the headlines in St. Louis over the winter, but aside from that major re-signing, the Cardinals were fairly quiet in the offseason; only Brad Penny and possibly Rich Hill could be considered major additions to the club. As Leach pointed out, however, the Cards have signed two free agents over the last two springs (Kyle Lohse and Dennys Reyes) and are still looking for backup outfielders, a left-handed pinch-hitting option and possibly another reliever or two.
Rays Win B.J. Upton Arbitration Case
The Rays have won in their arbitration case over B.J. Upton, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. The 25-year-old will make $3MM in 2010 rather than the $3.3MM he was seeking.
Upton had a down year offensively in 2009, hitting .241/.313/.373 with 11 HRs. The center fielder's glove was still strong however, as he posted a UZR/150 of 11.8.
With this decision going in their favor, the Rays are now an unblemished 5-0 in arbitration cases, 4-0 under executive VP Andrew Friedman.
Marlins Notes: Blalock, Delgado, Branyan
Some Marlins tidbits courtesy of MLB.com's Joe Frisaro..
- Hank Blalock may be an option for the Marlins as they seek a left-handed bat off the bench, tweets Frisaro. Up until this point, the Indians were the only known suitor for the 29-year-old's services.
- Frisaro also reports (via Twitter) that Florida has no interest in signing Carlos Delgado and still has no interest in Russell Branyan. Yesterday we learned that the Marlins spoke to Delgado's agent, though the veteran slugger is said to be seeking more money and playing time. There were rumblings of Florida's interest in Branyan, but Frisaro learned last week that the club has not spoken to him.
Felipe Lopez Fires Scott Boras
Disgruntled because he's still without a job this late into the offseason, Felipe Lopez fired agent Scott Boras according to ESPN's Jayson Stark. He is now represented by the Beverly Hills Sports Council.
There haven't been many rumors about the 29-year-old Lopez this offseason, except for some interest from the Cardinals. He hit .310/.383/.427 for the Diamondbacks and Brewers last season, better across the board than Orlando Hudson's .283/.357/.417 line for the Dodgers. Lopez also outperformed him defensively at second base, posting a 7.6 UZR/150 compared to Hudson's -3.3 mark. The Twins gave the O-Dawg a one-year, $5MM deal last week.
Johnny Damon Rumors: Saturday
Pitchers and catchers report next week, but Johnny Damon still doesn't have a home for the 2010 season. ESPN's Buster Olney hears that "at least one team which might have extended an offer has no expectation that [Damon] would actually take a two-year offer; rather, part of the negotiation with that team is that he would take only that one year."
Olney says that executives involved in the negotiations expect Damon to eventually accept a one-year deal worth $7MM with some deferred money, so his people can say he turned down a two-year deal. Meanwhile, Drew Sharp of The Detroit Free Press wonders if Scott Boras is just using the Tigers to create a market for Damon when one doesn't exist.
If Damon has in fact received a two-year offer worth $14MM from the Tigers, I can't see how he could turn that down at this point.
Odds & Ends: Upton, Jackson, Tigers, Lopez
Friday night linkage..
- B.J. Upton and the Rays had their arbitration hearing today and the decision from that hearing is expected tomorrow, writes Bill Chastain of MLB.com. Tampa Bay is offering $3MM while Upton wants $3.3MM.
- Steve Gilbert of MLB.com tweets that there is still no movement in talks between the D-Backs and Edwin Jackson. Jackson is seeking $6.25MM while Arizona is offering $4.6MM.
- If the Tigers ink Johnny Damon, the club may look make a trade to free up their glut in the outfield, writes James Schmehl of MLive.com. Ryan Raburn and Clete Thomas could be shipped elsewhere in order to make room for Damon in the lineup. Schmehl also writes that GM Dave Dombrowski may try to move Nate Robertson and Carlos Guillen, though their hefty contracts will be an impediment.
- Phil Wood of MASNSports.com fails to understand the Nats' interest in pitcher Kris Benson. The 35-year-old has not pitched a full season since 2006, when he posted a 4.82 ERA with 4.3 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 for the Orioles.
- Australian catcher Guy Edmonds has signed with the Texas Rangers, according to Christian Nicolussi of The Daily Telegraph. Nicolussi writes that the 16-year-old has the potential to outperform the country's greatest baseball export, Dave Nilsson.
- ESPN's Rob Neyer defends Tim Lincecum's signing of a two-year deal with the Giants. Tiny Tim was seeking $13MM in arbitration with the club.
- Rangers pitchers Omar Beltre and Alexi Ogando – banned for the past five years due to their involvement in a visa fraud scandal – have received their visas and are expected in Spring Training, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. In total, the Rangers are expecting 56 players in camp.
- On his website, MetsBlog.com founder Matthew Cerrone was asked by a reader if reporters in the mainstream media "make up" hot stove rumors. While he says that this is not the case, the seriousness of talks between clubs are, at times, not communicated effectively. Because of the strange nature of the baseball rumor mill, Cerrone says that he and Tim Dierkes provide an important service to fans by adding context to hot stove rumblings.
Players Avoiding Arbitration: Friday
We'll keep track of any players that avoid arbitration today here…
- The Orioles and Jeremy Guthrie have agreed to a one-year $3MM deal, according to Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Guthrie receives $100K for winning the Cy Young Award. He also earns $50K for finishing second or third in the Cy Young voting and the same amount for making the All Star team, winning World Series MVP, ALCS MVP or a Gold Golve
Johnny Damon Rumors: Friday
5:35pm: While the activity on Damon has heated up in the past week, it doesn't appear as though he will sign with a team until next week, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
2:12pm: Jon Heyman of SI.com says via Twitter that it looks like the Damon sweepstakes will come down to the White Sox and Tigers. He says the Braves don't appear to have the money to bid.
2:00pm: Don't hold your breath for a Damon signing. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that nothing is imminent with the Tigers.
9:44am: The White Sox "threw [a] bone" at Johnny Damon, but weren't seriously involved, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). That matches up with yesterday's reports from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times and MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
Rosenthal and others reported yesterday that the Tigers are prepared to offer Damon $14MM over two years. That makes them the favorite to acquire the outfielder, though we haven't completely ruled out the Braves.
Nationals Sign Adam Kennedy
The Nationals officially signed second baseman Adam Kennedy to a one-year $1.25MM deal today, which includes a $2MM club option for 2011. Kennedy's fate was known to be tied to Orlando Hudson, who signed with the Twins the day before Kennedy agreed to terms with the Nats.
Kennedy, 34, hit .289/.348/.410 in 586 plate appearances for the Athletics last year. In his career he's been a strong defender at second base, though that was not evident in 2009's 421-inning sample.
The Cardinals released Kennedy in February of '08, eating most of the $4MM owed to him. The Rays signed him to a minor league deal and traded him to Oakland for a player to be named later in May. The Rays later received Joe Dillon in that deal.
MLB.com's Bill Ladson first reported the agreement and ESPN.com's Buster Olney added the terms of the deal.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.