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Offseason In Review: Cincinnati Reds

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The Reds are next in our Offseason In Review series.

Major League/International Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

Trades and Claims: None

Notable Losses

Summary

In 2010 the Reds rode the league's best offense and an acceptable pitching staff to the NL Central crown, marking their first winning season since 2000 and first playoff appearance since '95.  In the offseason that followed, GM Walt Jocketty adopted the motto, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Due to payroll limitations, Jocketty's only real play to change the Reds significantly would have been through trades or by way of declining Arroyo's option.  In early November Jocketty decided to exercise Arroyo's 2011 option at a hefty $13MM, as opposed to a $2MM buyout.  It was a large commitment to a 34-year-old soft-tosser many teams would consider an innings eater, though six seasons in a row of 200-plus innings is a rarity.  A month later Jocketty tacked on two years, coming up with a new deal heavy on deferred money.  The Reds halved Arroyo's 2011 salary in the process. 

Otherwise Jocketty minimized his free agent expenditures, committing under $10MM to five position players.  I don't blame him; there wasn't much out there at left field or shortstop.  The bullpen features enough big arms to withstand the loss of Rhodes, though an arbitration offer would not have been a bad idea for the Type A lefty.  In addition to a full season of Aroldis Chapman, the Reds' 2011 pen features a sleeper in Jose Arredondo.  Signed to a minor league deal a year ago, he's fully recovered from Tommy John surgery.  The Reds will try Paul Janish and Renteria at shortstop with Cabrera's departure.  I don't mind the plan, though I'm curious if the Reds inquired on J.J. Hardy.

The Reds' front office spent the bulk of their offseason hammering out extensions with Bruce, Cueto, and Votto, and attempting one with Edinson Volquez.  Bruce's deal offers a chance at three affordable free agent seasons, and it makes sense for both sides.  Cueto's contract allows for two free agent years, and is riskier by nature since he's a pitcher.  But $16MM is the going rate for a good young pitcher's arbitration years in an extension, so this was a typical contract. 

Votto

As MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith outlined in January, Votto's deal was a head-scratcher from the Reds' point of view.  The Reds were not able to buy out any free agent seasons, which might have cost upwards of $20MM each.  At best the Reds received a mild discount of a few million dollars on Votto's first two arbitration years, compared to the year-to-year earnings of Prince Fielder.

Payroll aside, the Reds did not need to tinker much with the NL's best offense.  They're bringing back a similar group, with plenty of upside for players like Bruce and Drew Stubbs.  Replacing Harang with a young in-house starting pitcher is an upgrade, especially if Homer Bailey's late-season success carries over.  The team is overly enamored with Arroyo and the Votto extension was player-friendly, but the painful aspects of those contracts will be realized after 2011.  The 2011 Reds are short on new faces, which is a positive in their case.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

No Extension This Time For Brewers, McGehee

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The Brewers announced that they signed Casey McGehee to a one-year contract instead of completing the extension they had preliminary discussions about. There's no rush for a deal, as the third baseman isn't arbitration eligible until after the coming season and isn't scheduled to hit free agency until after the 2014 campaign.

McGehee hit 23 homers last year, posting a .285/.337/.464 line in 670 plate appearances in his first full season. The longtime Cubs farmhand caught on with the Brewers in 2009 and hit 16 homers with an .859 OPS in 394 plate appearances as a rookie.

The Brewers, who have already extended infielder Rickie Weeks this offseason, have now signed all 40 players on their 40-man roster.

Rays Sign Edgar Gonzalez

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The Rays signed right-hander Edgar Gonzalez to a minor league deal, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times (on Twitter). The seven-year veteran's deal does not include an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

Gonzalez, who induces slightly more ground outs than air outs, relies on a slider and a fastball that averages just under 90 mph. He split the 2010 season between the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate, where he struck out 29 batters in 24 1/3 innings, and Monterrey of the Mexican League, starting for both clubs.

Gonzalez, 28, last appeared in the majors for the 2009 A's, when he pitched to a 5.51 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 65 1/3 innings. He has similar numbers over the course of his career, which includes six seasons with the Diamondbacks (5.88 ERA, 5.8 K/9, 3.1 BB/9). 

NL East Notes: Zimmermann, Marlins, Heyward

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Players with zero to three years of service time are under team control and don't have the power to negotiate their salaries. Most of these players agree to terms with their clubs on deals worth $400-500K, but some don't agree to terms and their clubs renew their contracts instead (it doesn't affect the player's timeline for arbitration or free agency). Here's the latest on the NL East, including news on some contract renewals:

Olney On Chipper, Sherrill, Torre, Gonzalez

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Chipper Jones told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that he and Jim Thome met and complained "like two old grannies" last summer when Jones was struggling and Thome wasn't playing much. Thome finished strong and re-signed with the Twins and Jones is eager to play again, too. Here are the details on Jones and from around the majors:

  • Jones says getting rest every week or ten days helps him stay strong throughout the season. The veteran third baseman has only played in 135 games once in the past six seasons because of a variety of injuries, so it makes sense to give him the occasional day off.
  • The Phillies tried to sign George Sherrill this winter, before he signed with the rival Braves. Philadelphia sent executive Pat Gillick to see Sherrill and manager Charlie Manuel talked to him, but the left-hander wanted to play within driving distance of his father.
  • Joe Torre makes about $2MM in his new job with MLB, according to Olney.
  • Gio Gonzalez looks very, very good, according to a scout.

Cla Meredith To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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Nationals right-hander Cla Meredith will undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow in D.C. today, according to Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com (on Twitter). Washington signed the 27-year-old to a minor league deal a month ago.

Meredith posted a 5.40 ERA with 4.2 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 21 relief apppearances for Baltimore last year. He was a key member of the Padres' bullpen from 2006-09, when he posted a 3.26 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 237 1/3 total innings. The Orioles acquired Meredith for Oscar Salazar during the 2009 season.

Mark Teixeira Drops Scott Boras

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Mark Teixeira dropped agent Scott Boras, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. The first baseman, who is under contract through 2016, says he wants to focus on helping the Yankees win, not signing his next mega-deal.

Teixeira says his relationship with Boras has run its course, according to Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). Their relationship began over a decade ago when Boras advised Teixeira as a highly-touted high schooler. The Rangers drafted Teixeira fifth overall in 2001 and signed him to a $9.5MM deal out of college. After Teixeira hit free agency following the 2008 season, Boras negotiated his current eight-year, $180MM contract.

Boras' stable of Yankees clients has changed considerably since the end of last season. Like Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez said his relationship with Boras had run its course. Rafael Soriano and Robinson Cano, however, left other agents for Boras.

Though the Jonas Group will help Teixeira manage his off-field activities, he says he hopes to remain on good terms with Boras, his advisor for 12 years. Boras told Jon Heyman of SI.com that it was a "great honor" to work with Teixeira (Twitter link).

Our complete list of Scott Boras clients can be found here.

Offseason In Review: Baltimore Orioles

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The Orioles are next in our Offseason In Review series.

Major League/International Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Trades and Claims

Notable Losses

Summary

A year ago, the Orioles committed over $30MM to short-term veteran acquisitions while also surrendering the 53rd overall draft pick to the Braves.  President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail took a similar approach this offseason, adding more to the payroll but keeping his draft picks.  Is the Orioles' strategy good for the long-term health of the franchise?

MacPhail's dealings mostly improved the team for 2011, though Reynolds, Gregg, and Accardo will be under control for the 2012 season.  The big question is, why is MacPhail trying so hard to improve the 2011 Orioles?  Is it an attempt to energize the fan base?  I'm not sure these players will increase attendance significantly.  Is it for the veteran leadership?  That can be acquired more affordably.  Is it because MacPhail truly views the Orioles as contenders?  The O's don't have nearly enough starting pitching to make contention seem realistic.

One school of thought is that the money spent this offseason would be better put toward the draft and Latin America, as ESPN's Keith Law suggested in a discussion with MASN's Steve Melewski.  In the team's defense, they already rank fourth in MLB in draft spending over the last three years.  They haven't been aggressive in Latin America, but a lower big league payroll might not change that. 

The signings of Gregg, Uehara, and Accardo may at least help the Orioles' young pitching staff.  Only the Gregg signing could be considered excessive.  The Blue Jays valued one draft pick more than having Gregg (or his trade value) at one year and $4.5MM or two years and $8.75MM.  The Orioles again took the plunge on a pricey reliever, even with Mike Gonzalez still on the roster as a reminder.  All multiyear free agent reliever deals are risky, but the gamble makes more sense for contending teams.  MacPhail may have felt the need to bolster the bullpen after the subtraction of David Hernandez, who was excellent in relief last year and under team control through 2015.

Vlad

The Orioles' offense is looking strong with the additions of Reynolds, Hardy, Lee, and Guerrero, assuming they stay healthy.  Of course, the bar is extremely low given last year's output of 3.78 runs per game.  The price for these four players was far from franchise-crippling, but there is concern the veterans will take at-bats from younger guys.  Nolan Reimold and Josh Bell have something to prove in Triple-A, however, and I think the Orioles will make room if they start raking. 

You'd like to see a few of the newly-added veterans flipped for interesting prospects at the trade deadline, though MacPhail wasn't able to cash in Garrett Atkins, Kevin Millwood, and Ty Wigginton last year.  He's added superior players for 2011, so I think there's a better chance this time around.

This is an improved Orioles team, but to what end?  Some need to see a tangible benefit before endorsing significant short-term veteran commitments for a rebuilding club.  The Orioles might argue, what's the downside?  If the short-term additions don't adversely affect the farm system or the development of young players, the Orioles' strategy can at least be considered neutral for the long-term health of the franchise regardless of the team's record in 2011.  I expect to hear a lot of intangibles as support for MacPhail's offseason, while the more analytically-minded will focus on whether the Orioles are able to trade veterans for prospects in July. 

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Quick Hits: Phillips, Olsen, Rangers, Greinke

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The great Mickey Mantle announced his retirement on this day in 1969.  The Mick was coming off his worst of his 18 Major League seasons, a .237/.385/.398 performance in 1968.  While a .782 OPS would be a pretty decent performance for most mortals, it was well behind Mantle's .977 career OPS.  Mantle retired with 536 home runs, seven World Series rings and legendary status with both the Yankees and the sport as a whole.

Some news items…

  • Brandon Phillips wants to play for the Reds beyond his current contract, and John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer speculates how much it might cost to keep Phillips in Cincinnati.  The club holds a $12MM team option on Phillips for 2012, and Fay thinks Phillips would have to accept less tham $12MM per season in a new deal.  Fay guesses Phillips will ask for a Dan Uggla-esque contract, while the Reds will try to sign him to a deal similar to Juan Uribe's pact with the Dodgers.  If I had to guess, I'd say the Reds' financial situation might make them hard-pressed to pick up Phillips' 2012 option, let alone give him another expensive, multiyear deal.  Another year of pennant contention and more fans in the Great American Ballpark would certainly change things, of course.
  • It came as news to Scott Olsen that Pirates GM Neal Huntington listed him as as a bullpen candidate if he doesn't make the rotation, reports Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  “They didn’t bring me in here to be a bullpen guy,” Olsen said. “They want to do that, we are going to have to have a conversation about it, and we haven’t had one about it.”  Olsen's contract with Pittsburgh includes $3MM in incentives based on the number of starts that Olsen makes, so obviously Olsen has a stated interest in staying out of the bullpen.
  • The Rangers' payroll for 2011 will be almost 70% higher than it was in 2010, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
  • Zack Greinke says he "kind of had to play the bad guy" by requesting a trade from the Royals, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  "The way things were in Kansas City, if I hadn't done that, the fans would have been outraged if I was traded," Greinke said.  "The fans — I don't know why, but they really liked me."
  • Keith Law of ESPN.com lists six prospects who might be "this year's Mike Trout" and have a breakout minor league campaign.
  • One of Law's breakout candidates is Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos, a supplemental first-round pick (44th overall) for Detroit in 2010.  John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press talked to the 18-year-old about playing alongside his childhood hero, Miguel Cabrera.
  • The Cubs have already paid back the $3MM they owed Ryan Dempster in contract deferral payments, reports ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine.
  • Matt Eddy of Baseball America recaps the week's minor league transactions.

East Notes: Joba, Wieters, O’s, Damon, Durbin

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Some items from the AL and NL East as the eastern clubs dive into Grapefruit League action…

  • Joba Chamberlain won't be a Yankee by this time in 2012, predicts Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com.
  • Matt Wieters is listed as one of "the most disappointing prospects of all time" by Steven Goldman of Baseball Prospectus.  "His glove and the dream of what might have been will keep him around for years, but stardom now seems spectacularly unlikely," Goldman writes.  Given that Wieters is entering just his third Major League season and hasn't turned 25 yet, this ranking seems awfully premature.
  • The Orioles' farm system lacks depth, especially in comparison to its AL East rivals, writes FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.  "The team’s offseason moves…represent nothing more than a Band-Aid," Rosenthal says, noting that the O's "are practically a zero" when it comes to international scouting.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes examined these issues in his offseason-in-review piece about Baltimore earlier today.
  • Johnny Damon tells Ken Davidoff of Newsday that his free agent discussions with the Yankees this past winter involved a scenario that would have seen Damon make three starts per week for New York.  Damon turned the deal down since the lack of playing time would have hurt his quest for 3000 hits. 
  • Damon also tells Peter Gammons (Twitter link) that had he known the Tigers weren't going to bring him back, he would have gone to the Red Sox when Boston claimed him on waivers last August.
  • The Phillies made Chad Durbin a $2MM offer in December, considerably more than the $800K deal Durbin eventually signed with Cleveland, reports MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.  Once Philadelphia signed Cliff Lee, however, the team pulled back the contract and instead offered just a minor league deal.  "When Cliff signed, it took any ability to go back there on a Major League deal off the table," Durbin told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.  Durbin doesn't have any hard feelings towards the Phillies over the move: "You know, I'd take Cliff Lee over Chad Durbin."
  • Anthony DiComo of MLB.com looks at the twists and turns of Tim Byrdak's baseball career.  The veteran left-hander is trying to make the Mets' Opening Day roster after signing a minor league deal with the team in January.

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