Some news about the various beasts of the eastern baseball world…
- Adam Jones doesn't believe the Orioles discussed a multi-year extension with his CAA representation before the two sides agreed to a 2011 contract, the outfielder tells MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.
- The Red Sox haven't discussed a long-term extension with Clay Buchholz this offseason, reports Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. Last September, MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith explored what a Buchholz extension might cost Boston.
- Also from MacPherson, he points out that the Red Sox could wind up letting Jonathan Papelbon leave for nothing next winter. Papelbon would have to turn down an arbitration offer from Boston in order for the Sox to receive compensatory draft picks if he signed elsewhere as a free agent. However, by offering arbitration, the Red Sox would be making "a $14-$15MM gamble" that Papelbon wouldn't accept, since he's unlikely to find that much salary elsewhere.
- GM Mike Rizzo discussed several Nationals-related topics during a conference call with reporters today. Mark Zuckerman of the Nats Insider blog has a partial transcript.
- Alex Anthopoulos tells MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm his philosophy about not publicly disclosing whether or not the Jays are negotiating multi-year contracts, be they with Jose Bautista or any player.
- Brett Lawrie tells MinorLeagueBaseball.com's Robert Emrich that he has been working out at third base and believes he will play the position during Spring Training. When Toronto acquired Lawrie in the Shaun Marcum deal, there was speculation to whether Lawrie would stay at second base or be moved to third or even a corner outfield spot. The Jays are, obviously, set at second (at least in the short term) with Aaron Hill.
- In an interview with Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio (Twitter link), Phillies assistant GM Scott Proefrock says his club does not have to deal Joe Blanton or Kyle Kendrick. Proefrock also said the Phillies will look within the organization for right-handed hitting help.
- The Orioles are lacking in Major League third base depth, writes Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
The Jays are obviously set at 2nd, as long as 2010 Hill doesn’t show up in 2011.
I’d prefer the 2009 Hill
its sad.. even in his “good” year … his OBP was a very pedestrian .330
I think jays fans just need to come to grips that Aaron Hill just isn’t that good of a baseball player.
agreed. The near future Jays infield should be:
SS – Hech
2B – Yoo Nel
3B – Lawrie
I hope that Hill bounces back bigtime this year, and the Jays can sell high. I love hill, good ball player, but isn’t quite the all star we need to compete in the east.
Aaron Hills reputation to the fan base has always bothered me. I mean he seems like a nice well liked guy, I have nothing against him, he’s just way way way overrated.
To me he has been one of the biggest flaws on the team the last few years, not him personally but the idea that its okay to not get on base as long as you’re hitting the ball out of the park.. That mindset is okay from your firstbaseman and DH but not your second baseman…
I hate to come off sounding like a hater, but the guy has had an OPS over .800 just one time in his career. His career OBP is .325.. He’s no longer a spring chicken, he’s one of the oldest players on the team.. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if AA doesn’t pick up Hill’s options…
When does AA need to make a decision on his options? Is it before opening day TY? If its next year, the options should help AA make a trade, if Hills performance bounces back.
Before opening day they need to decide if they want to pick up his 3 year option, worth $26 million.
If they don’t pick up his 3 year option, after the 2011 world series they can either a) release him in to free agency b) select 1 more year at 8 million c) 2 more years at 16 million
What a brilliant contract by AA. With that said, I doubt the Jays pick up the 3 year option. Hill, like Bautista, needs another year to prove their worth.
Definitely a stroke of genius with the contract…
I agree with you, no chance the 3 year option is picked up… but if he has a rebound year they can at least pick up the 2 year option for him
Also, to your point.. we may see that infield.. or you may see us picking up a 2B and selling high on escobar.. with the SS market how it is right now, you might get some teams that will pay a hefty price for Esco, provided he has another 09 type season..
Could happen. We could also see Lawrie in the OF as well, where some scouts project his position. The thing with AA, is you can never tell where his head is at with anything. Plus for the team, frustrating at times for the fans.
I still can’t imagine a world in which Papelbon’s ego allows him to accept arbitration after this season.
I think if he has a pretty lousy season his agent will be able to convince him that $15M with a chance to rebuild value is the right move.
If he has anything resembling a solid season or better he probably declines, which is what the Red Sox are banking on.
I suppose so, but I figure Pap can’t possibly be worse than he was last season. He just needs to remember how to actually locate a fastball >_>
and how to hold the ball to throw a splitter. which is what I believe he will do all of spring training, that and ditching that “new delivery” he had last year, he wasnt very deceptive with his ball.
I don’t get it. If Paps shows even more decline why can’t he receive the downgrade in pay he deserves? I know arbiters rarely go down but they should really start doing that more often.
I’m a little confused about that too…Why wouldn’t Boston just make Papelbon the lowest possible arbitration offer they can to ensure he doesn’t accept? Is there a rule against that or something?
Boston can make the lowest possible arbitration offer, but that doesn’t help their cause. Papelbon submits his own number and if the Red Sox’s number is too unrealistic, the arbitrator will choose Papelbon’s number and he’ll end up earning more than he probably would’ve if Boston had put forth a more reasonable number.
Oh, duh yeah….didn’t really think it all the way through, thanks. :P
It is, however, completely ridiculous that a player never sees a decline in salary via arbitration.
You don’t understand arbitration. If papelbon and the sox exchange figures and can’t strike a deal it goes to an “arbitrator” hense the name arbitration. The arbitrators job is to take into consideration all aspects of the case and award the player with the ammount they feel they are worth. That’s more or less how it works.
OBJECTION! The arbitrator doesn’t assign the amount they feel the player is worth. They award the player one of the submitted figures which most closely represents the players value. The arbitrator does not get to make up their own numbers.
I think that is what Lester meant. The relevant amounts considered by the arbitrator being the ones submitted.
sustained.
Overruled.
Well, not really. But there hasn’t been one so far.
Because no one cried for Papelbon when he was a lights out all-star closer making league minimum his first 2 years and 3,6, and 9 million the following all-star seasons as well! 6 years/31 million for a dominant closer is a steal and this is why i laugh when people cry about him making 12 million for 1 subpar season. Sorta like those complaining about Big Papi even though he was making 6 million while hitting .300,40,130 every year!
It’s probably because it’s arb season, but I keep seeing dumb comments about how arbitrators assign values to players, it’s driving me insane.
The arbitration process is sort of a mess… it doesn’t really surprise me that people don’t make the effort to understand exactly how it works.
I read this article on espn and thought it was cool…talks about different clauses in players contracts!
link to sports.espn.go.com
The Sox have about $50 mil coming off the books next season and Theo loves those draft picks. He’ll take a chance, unless Papelbon completely falls off a cliff.
I agree, the Sox can afford to take the gamble, but they also have raises due to Bard, Lowrie, Ells, Pedroia, Youk, Lester, Buchholz, AGon (assuming extension), Salty.
Im going to guestimate that those raises will come in around the $30M mark, so there is certainly still money to work with, especially since the Sox work by AAV and not actual cash flow, so Pedroia Youk and Lester’s raises won’t impact available payroll for the 2012 season.
Don’t forget the Sox need that $$ to sign Gonzalez.
I cannot be more impressed in how Anthopoulos has been so classy since he has taken over. Well done.
You’re absolutely right. The man is a class act.
No wonder Theo never goes to arbitration. Papelbon goes from 9.5M to 12M for a decline in performance. Go to arbitration.
Papelbon would’ve likely made $11-$11.5 million in arbitration at minimum. That half a million or so difference is not really worth it to a major league team (Especially one of the most lucratice teams in the MLB) compared to the drama that an arbitration hearing could bring to the table.
That drama is already there. And arbitration has a history of being a 50/50 crap shoot and Sox just might have won with a 10M offer. Don’t know but IMO it is all Theo’s ego.
Could happen. We could also see Lawrie in the OF as well. The thing with AA, is you can never tell where his head is at with anything. Plus for the team, frustrating at times for the fans.