6:05pm: Olney says the O's are being told that Guerrero has an $8MM offer in hand, which is about $3.5MM more than they are willing to spend, including incentives (Twitter link). Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reported that Baltimore's offer falls in the $3MM to $5MM range.
MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli hears that the two sides are not close to a contract, while SI.com's Jon Heyman hasn't heard of any recent progress. (Twitter links)
5:21pm: The Orioles and Vladimir Guerrero are making progress in their talks, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). If a deal does get worked out, Guerrero would assume DH duties and push Luke Scott to left field according to Buster.
Yesterday we heard that the O's offered Vlad a one-year deal worth about $2MM, but the former AL MVP wasn't terribly enthusiastic about it. As Ben Nicholson-Smith explained, Guerrero's market is limited, so it's tough to see him signing for much more than what was offered. He hit .300/.345/.496 with 29 homers for the Rangers last season, earning $6.5MM in the process.
nice.
I’m sure they’ll magically have him signed by tomorrows Fan Fest, just like Miggy last year.
you called it.
If I were Vlad and this is the only option out there, I’d just retire – or wait on the sidelines for a call. Retirement is probably the better option, than to play with Baltimore.
Or he could sign with the O’s and make money, because who doesn’t like to make some money, and then the O’s can trade him to a contender.
Right. And Vlad apparently is very impressed with the 2 mil offer. If money is what motivates Vlad, 2 mil is not going to cut it; he’s made over $117 million in his career – but no, he could make “some money” – then be forced to move against his will to who knows where.
Just what a free agent with his pedigree would want.
Ouch, your going to get grilled by O’s Fans in 3, 2, 1….
Or he could sign and be a part of the O’s magic in 2011! This team is going to make some people take notice!
Why would he retire when he’s on the cusp of the hall of fame? If he plays a couple more years he can get the hall of fame numbers.
Good point, he’s only 64 homers from 500. He can get that pretty easily in 3 years. 2 if he has a huge year.
The reason why he’s even hanging on this long is because he’s on the very edges of hitting traditional elite HOF numbers. So sitting out a year, or, retiring this offseason is not really an option.
Since when is a 35 year old player with a .300 average, 29 HRs and 115 RBI “hanging on”??? I know a lot of valued players that didn’t produce like that.
For one thing, off the top of my head, he’s nearing the 2500 Hits/500 HR club. He’s not there yet, but he’d hit the HITS mark this coming season, and, the HR mark in 2 yrs. This is a big reason why he wants a 2 yr deal. I think it basically makes him a 1st ballot HOFer.
That worked out well for Jermaine Dye
True.
Vlad isn’t coming off a year where he crashed and burned at the end though.
There has to be better options for Vlad than Baltimore.
If this was the start of the offseason, yes, maybe. But, it’s a few weeks from Spring Training, and most majorleague budgets are more or less set. If they have some moves left, it’s a low risk cheap piece here or there. Not many teams have enough to add a significant contract like Vlad might be, which would invariably force that team to shuffle their money and rethink their roster.
Baltimore is in a similar position, but because of so many young cheap controlled players they have, they are able to move things around without cutting anyone. So for VLad, I think it’s a function of finding a team that has flexibility and the budget.With a few of his former teams such a move at this point would force a trade of, say, Michael Young (who you’d never cut), or a cut of a useful player.
Actually, yes he is. Take a look at his splits. He started off unbelievably hot, but he was looking REALLY bad at the end of the season.
This could out to be quite a bargain for the O’s. Too bad half of what they get out of Vlad offensively Luke Scott will give right back playing LF.
He has an 8 million offer? Right. If he did, he’d take it right away. Nobody is offering that, he’s just trying to get more out of the Orioles.
What if that offer is from team he isn’t very interested in playing for?
Angels?
My bet is that he’s bluffing. The only reason he wouldn’t take that offer immediately was if he’s not going to play everyday, and no team in his right mind would give him 8 MM to a platoon DH.
I highly doubt he has an 8M offer. I could see the Phillies being involved on a low base, incetive deal for playing the field in a platoon role with Brown. Other than the O’s, I can’t wrap my head around who else is interested. Toronto is still very possible. Maybe NY? Let Posado catch more than they expected. The DH spots are pretty much filled in the AL. Other than the Phillies I can’t figure out an NL team that could potentially be interested.
I hope Vlad signs with the O’s. I don’t see any other team in on him and I love watching him hit. He is truly one of the most amazing hitters of all-time. Who else can rip a pitch in the dirt 300 feet? Take the low offer Vlad and prove once again that you are one of the best hitters ever.
i am not a mad Os fan if he doesnt come here but i am mad about poor journalism. dont post something unless its true. and dont say exact opposite of what you say 1/2 hour later
relax. mlbtr isn’t doing the journalism. they are just reporting what is being written by accredited journalists. its called mlb trade “rumours” for a reason. more than half of what you read isn’t going to be true.
“rumors”*
in Canada it’s rumours with a U, but for this site in USA it’s rumors.
like Center vs Centre?
Wow, SOMEBODY gets it!
just messin with you
either way is fine y’know
damn straight and yes i am from canada
i didnt mean to bash mlbtraderumors just the original journalist
That’s pretty weak. I’d call Vlad’s bluff on the $8 mil offer he supposedly has in hand.
If Vlad has that eight million offer in hand, why are we even talking about this? He would have already signed. And if Vladdy is so good, why is he still unsigned? Why would Tampa, which has a history of making good personnel decisions, sign that noted team player Manny if Vlad was still out there?
And Cutthestring, Scott is regarded as a solid defensive OF. His metrics are decent, he’s not Crawford, but he’s not Bull Luziniski, either.
the O’s are being told that Guerrero has an $8MM offer in hand.
who is the mystery team?
..Blue Jays?
It sounds like bogus negotiation tactic by his agent.
Maybe the Blue Jays, maybe a bluff…
But my quess is the Angels are gonna try and get him back.
sounds to me like not only does he want more money, but he doesn’t really want to play with Baltimore. he’s stalling, waiting/hoping for another/better offer.
That’s what LaRoche did, and he ended up with the Nationals on a 2-year deal he didn’t want because there was no one left to sign with. It’s a great negotiation tactic when demand is greater than supply, but it obviously isn’t.
Personally I’d rather have the O’s not sign Vlad. He can’t play in the field whatsoever, his speed is all but gone, his stats dropped off dramatically in the second half and disappeared in the postseason. He would still be a good upgrade to the O’s lineup no doubt but I’d rather see what Reimold and Pie can do in a full-season platoon.
It won’t take the worlds greatest negotiator to call that bluff, If it is true it’s the Yankees because we all know 8 mil is chump change to the evil empire.
not only in Canada
i effing love disqus.
Omg this is ridiculous they just need to sign him.
If Manny only got 2 million thats all Vladimir should get.
I disagree, Vlad is coming off a solid season with Texas. Manny is both older and showing more signs of decline, including this past season.
“I disagree, Vlad is coming off a solid season with Texas. Manny is both older and showing more signs of decline, including this past season.”
Not to mention Manny needs to be a self absorbed clown everywhere he goes.
So who’s the team that has offered Vlad 8mil, and why hasn’t he taken it yet?
C’mon Phils, step up to the plate with a 1 yr deal for $3M. Who cares about his defense? We need a legit RH stick behind Howard, and what Vlad can do with the bat far outweighs the stuff he can’t get to in RF.
Vlad and his agent ain’t fooling anyone. Take the offer and shut the hell up.
Come on sign the deal baby.
61 comments and no one has made the following point:
“an 8mm offer in hand” does not mean its a 1 year 8mm deal. I believe 100% that Vlad has an “8mm offer in hand”.
Is it a 2 year deal for 3 million a year plus incentives bringing the total value to 8mm?
Is it with a team that won’t guarantee him enough at bats?
or is it from a National league team (I.e. PHILADELPHIA) at a low base salary, with TONS of incentives tied to at bats, INNINGS PLAYED, awards, GOLD GLOVE, etc… with a mutual option for a second year?
All we can say for sure is that its not a 1 year deal from an AL team to DH full time, or he would have taken it.
He’s jockeying for a two year 10MM commitment from Baltimore.
8 mil is a 2-year offer, or he’d be all over it. Manny only got 2 mil. He probably wants 2 years from the Os, and they want one from him. I mean if WE know the Os have an offer of between 3-5, why would another team essentially DOUBLE that for one year?
I hope they get him…but I hope they don’t stretch too hard or they’ll end up with Albert Belle again.