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Archives for March 2011

Twins Notes: Liriano, Yankees, Cuddyer

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Some notes from the Twin Cities…

  • The Twins turned down a Yankee offer of Ivan Nova and Ramiro Pena for Francisco Liriano earlier this winter, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.  The Twins, however, are interested in left-handed pitching prospect Manuel Banuelos and want him included in any package from New York.  Rosenthal thinks the two teams will revisit negotiations before Opening Day, but notes the two sides haven't talked "in at least a month."  Minnesota assistant GM Rob Antony said last week that the Liriano trade speculation was nothing but rumors. 
  • The Twins didn't have "serious" negotiations about an extension with Liriano this winter.  Rosenthal speculates that Minnesota may have concerns about Liriano's durability, since "otherwise, an extension makes perfect sense."  Liriano can be a free agent after 2012 and MLBTR's Tim Dierkes saw the southpaw as an extension candidate last fall.
  • Michael Cuddyer is slightly upset, but understanding, about the Twins not discussing a contract extension with him over the winter, writes Kelsie Smith of the Pioneer Press.  Cuddyer can be a free agent after the season and Smith argues that the Twins would miss Cuddyer's clubhouse leadership if he were to depart.

Los Angeles Notes: Kemp, McCourt, Carroll, Locker

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Now that Oscar Night is fading into people's memories, here are some items about Tinseltown's two baseball clubs…

  • Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com profiles Matt Kemp, recapping the outfielder's tumultuous 2010 season and looking at how Kemp is preparing to bounce back this year.
  • Jamie McCourt and her attorneys have submitted a court filing asking that she receive fuller disclosure of the Dodgers' financial dealings, reports Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times.  This latest step in the McCourts' ownership struggle stems from a recent report that Frank McCourt was looking for a $200MM loan from Fox, a proposal that was rejected by Bud Selig.
  • Jamey Carroll tells MLB.com's Ken Gurnick that he doesn't feel "bitter" about not having a starting job with the Dodgers, despite a fine .291/.379/.339 slash line in 414 plate appearances last season.
  • Jake Locker tells Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that he doesn't have any plans to pursue a baseball career.  There were rumors that Locker, who received a $250K signing bonus as a tenth-round pick of the Angels in the 2009 draft, might turn to baseball if the NFL were to enter a protracted work stoppage.  Lockout or not, Locker will make much more as a quarterback than he would as an Angels farmhand — Locker is projected to be one of the top QBs taken in April's NFL draft.

Cody Ross Hopes For Long-Term Deal With Giants

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Cody Ross and his agent approached the Giants on the very first day of Spring Training to discuss a contract extension, reports Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News.  Ross is eager to sign a multiyear deal with the club, even if it means possibly passing up a free agent contract elsewhere next winter.

"I've let them know that's what I want," Ross said. "Free agency would be cool to experience, but I know what this team is about and where it's going. We have a great thing here, and I want to stay."

It's not surprising that Ross would want to remain in San Francisco, both for the long-term stability and due to his performance since joining the team.  The Marlins let Ross go to the Giants on a waiver claim in August, and Ross posted an .819 OPS in 82 plate appearances down the stretch.  The outfielder then exploded in the postseason, hitting .294/.390/.686 with five home runs and capturing the NLCS MVP award as the Giants went on to win the World Series.

Ross obviously has no regrets with how things turned out last summer, though he admitted to being upset over being let go by Florida.

"It's almost like a slap in the face," Ross said. "I was willing to sign an extension there even though it's not the greatest place to play. They were building a nucleus for when their new stadium opened. I was comfortable there and liked it. You pour your heart and soul out for an organization for 4 1/2 years, and all of a sudden they're like, 'See ya.' "

Ross, arbitration-eligible for the last time this winter, signed a one-year, $6.3MM deal for 2011 and will be a free agent next winter.  As Baggarly points out, San Francisco's outfield depth and Ross' average career numbers (a .788 OPS in seven Major League seasons) will likely mean that the club will wait for the offseason to discuss a possible extension, though Giants VP Bobby Evans told Ross' agent that they will continue negotiations later in the spring. 

It wouldn't be the first time the Giants have given a multiyear deal to a veteran, but given the club's spotty-at-best track record with these contracts, it's best for the champs to wait to see how Ross performs in 2011 before locking him up.  Baggarly notes that San Francisco's claim for Ross was made primarily to prevent him from going to the Padres, so it's not like the Giants acquired Ross with the intent on making him a long-term answer in right field.  (In a separate item, Baggarly notes that San Diego actually didn't put in a claim of their own for Ross.)

Cuban Prospect Leon’ys Martin Nears Free Agency

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Leon'ys Martin is likely to be declared a free agent possibly as soon as this week, ESPN's Jorge Arangure (Twitter link) hears from Martin's agent, Bart Hernandez.  Arangure reports that Martin has been scouted by several teams over the last few months while he has been working out in Mexico, his home since defecting from Cuba last year.

Martin, 22, is a left-handed hitting outfielder "whose best tools are his speed and defense," according to Baseball America's John Manuel, who also notes that Martin had a .492 OBP during the 08-09 season in Cuba's top professional league and "showed at least average range" in center field.  Martin was a bench player for Cuba during the 2009 World Baseball Classic, picking up two hits in seven at-bats.

According to Arangure, Martin is "considered an elite prospect" who looks to earn more than Adeiny Hechavarria and Jose Iglesias, two other recent high-profile Cuban signings.  Hechavarria inked a four-year, $10MM contract with Toronto in April, while Iglesias signed a four-year, $8.25MM deal with Boston in July 2009.

Brewers Discussing Extension With Casey McGehee

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The Brewers are in discussions with Casey McGehee about a multiyear extension for the third baseman, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  GM Doug Melvin says he should know within "the next few days" whether an extension is feasible, though he notes that the two sides have only talked "briefly" about a long-term contract.

McGehee, 28, hit .285/.337/.464 in 670 plate appearances for Milwaukee last season, his first as an everyday player.  He is under team control through 2014 and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time next winter.  If Melvin does get McGehee locked up, it would be the second multiyear deal given to a Brewer infielder this offseason, on the heels of Rickie Weeks' four-year, $38.5MM extension.

Red Sox Notes: Henry, Fenway, Lester

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Some news from Boston, all courtesy of WEEI.com's Alex Speier…

  • In a radio interview with WEEI's The Big Show today (Speier has the transcript), Red Sox principal owner John Henry said he was fined $500K by Major League Baseball in 2009 for comments he made to the Boston Globe about baseball's revenue-sharing system.  "The large markets are not allowed to give their opinions," Henry said today.
  • The Sox may be able to afford a new addition at the trade deadline or during the season.  "We might have a little space, but we don’t have a lot of space," Henry said.  "This is a big payroll."
  • Henry thinks Terry Francona and Theo Epstein will remain with the team for years to come, but didn't want to commit to exactly how long.  "[Francona] has a tough job everyday over those seven months, trying to deal with a lot of pressure," Henry said.  "Same issue with our general manager. Will our general manager agree to do this for another five, 10 years? These are tough, tough jobs."
  • The extensive renovations done on Fenway Park will ensure the stadium can last for another 50 years, Henry predicts.
  • In a separate piece, Speier looks at how Jon Lester has developed into "arguably the most important player on the team" for Boston.

Phillies, Manuel Progress Toward Extension

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The Phillies have made some progress on a contract extension for manager Charlie Manuel, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Manuel’s agent, Pat Rooney, met with Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. for an hour today and the talks went well.

“It was productive,” Rooney told Salisbury. “We’re getting closer. There was some give and take. Both sides made some movement, but we’re still a little ways away. They know our position so we’ll keep working on it.”

Manuel hopes to have a two-year extension by Opening Day and has said that he isn’t worried about negotiations. The 67-year-old will earn $2.4MM in 2011, the final year of his contract. Though Manuel declined to comment today, he issued a statement confirming that "Ruben and Pat are working toward a resolution."

Orioles Expect To Keep MacPhail Beyond 2011

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Orioles owner Peter Angelos told Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun that he expects president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail to remain with the O’s after his contract expires at the end of the coming season. There's no extension in place yet, but Angelos says he has already made the decision to keep MacPhail.

"I don't have to decide it,'' he said. "I think it's obvious. He's not going anywhere. We don't need to talk about it."

MacPhail says he enjoys working with Angelos and knows him to be “a man of his word.” Manager Buck Showalter says he hopes MacPhail keeps running baseball operations in Baltimore, where he took over during the 2007 season.

The Orioles have not finished with more than 68 wins in any of their three full seasons under MacPhail. They appear to be a better team in 2011, though as MLBTR's Tim Dierkes explained when reviewing the team's offseason, Baltimore fans won't likely see the O's contend in 2011. MacPhail, who started running MLB teams over 25 years ago when he took over the Twins, has built Championship clubs before. Minnesota won the World Series in 1987 and again in 1991 under MacPhail.

Boras: Beltran Is An Outfielder, Not A DH

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Agent Scott Boras says Carlos Beltran could pursue jobs as a center fielder or as a right fielder after the season, but don't expect the five-time All-Star to DH. Boras told Andy Martino of the New York Daily News that most teams would have room in their outfields for Beltran.

“Carlos Beltran is a great athlete, and I find it hard to believe that there would be three outfielders on a major league team that would match Carlos on a level to suggest he would be DH,” Boras said.

Beltran missed considerable playing time with knee issues last year and said yesterday that he'll move to right field to accomodate the Mets and Angel Pagan, who put together a strong season in 2010, when Beltran played just 64 games.

In 13 big league seasons, Beltran has appeared in three games as a right fielder and in two more as a left fielder. Boras says his client has the athleticism to return to center field in 2012, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The 33-year-old has not yet decided whether to pursue jobs as a center fielder or as a right fielder when he hits free agency this fall.

Mets Seek New Loan

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The Mets are 'desperately' seeking a new loan for tens of millions of dollars to cover their operating expenses, according to Josh Kosman, Mark DeCambre and Dan Mangan of the New York Post. The Wilpon family, which owns the team, faces a $1 billion lawsuit and says they are open to selling 20-25% of the Mets.

JPMorgan Chase is working with other companies to put together a loan that would provide the Wilpons with cash until they sell part of the team, according to the Post. The team received $25MM from MLB in November but has exhausted its credit with the league, according to the New York Times. 

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