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Archives for April 2011

Week In Review: 4/10/11 – 4/16/11

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Time for our weekly look back at the highlights here on MLBTR:

  • After months of hearing about it, we finally saw the Red Sox sign Adrian Gonzalez to an extension. Boston's newest slugger will receive $154MM guaranteed over a seven year span. Gonzo can block trades to two teams, and acquiring teams aren't allowed to flip him to the Yankees. Here's some media reactions to Gonzalez's deal.
  • Elsewhere in Boston, Daisuke Matsuzaka's tumultuous start has led some fans to call for a change. The Red Sox are unlikely to be trading or releasing Dice-K anytime soon, though. Boston's patience is dwindling, however, and they could eventually look to swap him for another bad contract.
  • The Rangers are expected to sign Leonys Martin for a bonus in the $15MM range soon. Martin, a Cuban outfielder, has been labeled an "elite prospect" by ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. and features plus speed and a good arm in the outfield.
  • The Mets haven't gotten what they were hoping for out of Brad Emaus when they tabbed the Rule 5 Draft pick their Opening Day second baseman. Still, the club isn't ready to give up on Emaus yet, and while Daniel Murphy has been getting more playing time lately, Terry Collins says the Mets will give Emaus the chance to develop into an everyday player.
  • A few potential trade scenarios involving middle infield help could be beginning to surface. The Brewers are looking outside their organization for depth at the shortstop position, and the Twins may prioritize middle infield help over bullpen help after an injury to Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Alexi Casilla's struggles. Kevin Slowey's name has been the subject of trade talks in recent months, but he's currently on the DL.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney took a look at the bullpen market and suggested that unless Heath Bell takes a huge discount to stay in San Diego, the Padres will deal him. Olney names the White Sox as the early favorites for Bell. He names Francisco Rodriguez, Jonathan Broxton, the Blue Jays' relievers, and the Rays' relievers as other trade candidates.
  • The Blue Jays designated David Purcey for assigment early this week, and expect to trade the left-hander. The Astros are one team that has interest in the 28-year-old southpaw.
  • Michael Young says that a trade is "the furthest thing from [his] mind" at the moment. He's completely committed to the Rangers. The Dodgers recently checked in on Young following a broken thumb for Rafael Furcal.
  • Furcal was hot-headed after that injury, even hinting at retirement. That all proved to be emotional frustration, though, as Furcal's agent debunked that rumor the next day.
  • Carlos Delgado, on the other hand, did officially retire this week. The slugger will finish his career with a .280/.383/.546 line and 473 home runs.
  • The Cubs signed Doug Davis to a minor league deal that will pay him the prorated portion of a $900K base salary. Davis, signed as depth following injuries to Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner, will be able to earn another $2MM in incentives.
  • Other minor moves around the league this week included the White Sox designating Lastings Milledge for assignment (he later cleared waivers), the Pirates DFA'ing Garrett Olsen, the Marlins signing Oscar Salazar, and the Blue Jays signing Dewayne Wise. For all of the week's minor moves, check out our Transactions tag or use MLBTR's Transaction Tracker.

Trade Candidate: Jose Reyes

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Good shortstops are always in demand, especially midseason. The number of contending teams in need of infield help almost always outweighs the number of quality MLB shortstops, so it stands to reason that a team not expecting to contend would be open to dealing its shortstop in the right situation. That's likely to be the scenario that we'll see this summer with the Mets and Jose Reyes.

Reyes, 28 in June, signed a four-year deal in August of 2006, and the Mets exercised their $11MM option this past offseason. Reyes hit the disabled list last year due to a thyroid issue after missing most of 2009 with a hamstring injury. He also battled through oblique strains over the course of the 2010 season, but appears healthy now. He's off to a nice .304/.333/.478 start with five stolen bases in five attempts.

Vintage form would see the switch-hitting Reyes as a 60-70 SB threat capable of hitting around 15 home runs while playing solid defense. That type of production would have teams lining up, but even with a more pedestrian season (by his standards), Reyes should attract significant attention at the deadline.

One knock on Reyes may be his career OBP of just .335, which the Mets said they'd like him to improve before considering a new deal. That OBP and his injury history may have been contributing factors in the recent Jayson Stark report that quoted one NL scout saying he'd recommend Reyes on a two-month rental, but not on a long-term deal. That may be just what's in store, as a month ago when Joel Sherman talked to five non-Met executives, not a single one saw Reyes returning to the Mets in 2012. So where might he end up? Let's look at some possible destinations:

  • Milwaukee – The Brewers are stuck with Yuniesky Betancourt as their primary shortstop for the time being, so it stands to reason they'd look to upgrade at the deadline. Their farm systems have been picked pretty clean by the Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke trades, however.
  • San Francisco – The Giants are trusting Miguel Tejada and his nearly 37-year-old frame to be their everyday shortstop, and they don't have much in terms of contingency plans. Tejada's defense and OBP woes may have San Francisco looking for external options come July.
  • Cincinnati – The Reds are going with Paul Janish and Edgar Renteria to fill out their shortstop position, but they've looked for a leadoff hitter and a more concrete solution at short in the past. Reyes could fill both of those roles on a short-term basis in 2011 as they look to defend the NL Central title.
  • Minnesota – If the Twins can turn around their terrible start to the 2011 season, they could certainly use an upgrade over Alexi Casilla at shortstop. With newcomer Tsuyoshi Nishioka on the shelf, their middle infield depth is particularly weak at the moment. The Twins were said to be at their payroll limit entering the season, however.
  • St. Louis – Ryan Theriot and Skip Schumaker are currently playing up the middle for Tony La Russa, so it's not a stretch to see the Cardinals in search of a midseason improvement if they can remain in contention without Adam Wainwright. Like Minnesota, we heard that the Cardinals were low on funds late in the offseason.

Of course, injuries and other factors could lead other teams to enter the running for Reyes, as he currently only represents a midseason rental. The Mets will likely have a steep asking price for the three-time All Star, but teams are willing to part with elite prospects to make short-term pushes every year; 2011 should be no different.

Davidoff On Sabathia, Wilson, Calero

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While it's still too early in the season to draw conclusions about a player's performance, Ken Davidoff of Newsday takes note of a few impending free agents who are off to hot or cold starts. Players like Prince Fielder (hot) and Albert Pujols (cold) are locks to put up numbers and score big contracts, but some names Davidoff mentions can significantly affect their stocks based on their performances in 2011. Continued health and success from Jose Reyes should earn him a lucrative deal, while a good year from Edwin Jackson would set him up nicely in a free agent class thin on top starters. Let's check out the other updates from the Newsday piece….

  • Davidoff thinks there's a "decent chance" that the Yankees and C.C. Sabathia work out a contract extension before the left-hander's opt-out date next winter.
  • If that were to happen, C.J. Wilson would likely be the most desirable southpaw on the market, but Wilson is trying to avoid thinking about or talking about his walk year: "I'm just pretty much approaching it like I did last year. I'm not going to be looking at my stats too often, because that doesn't really help."
  • Davidoff wonders if the Mets or another club could take a flier on Kiko Calero, who agent Burton Rocks calls a "no-risk, high-reward, high-return guy for any organization." Health is the concern with Calero, though for what it's worth, Rocks says the 36-year-old is in "fantastic shape."

Cafardo’s Latest: Red Sox, Upton, Minaya, Saito

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After extending Adrian Gonzalez this week, the Red Sox have guaranteed nearly $300MM to their two big offseason acquisitions, Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. However, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, some baseball people feel that Jayson Werth would have made more sense for the Sox than Crawford. One AL GM says he's "not sure that many of us are unhappy they chose Crawford over Werth," adding that Werth seemed to be a better fit for Boston's lefty-heavy lineup. Here are the rest of the highlights from Cafardo's Sunday Notes:

  • The Red Sox may not have even been in on Crawford or Werth this winter if they had re-signed Jason Bay a year earlier. A National League GM calls Bay leaving Boston "one of the worst decisions both by a team and by the player," suggesting that both sides miss each other.
  • According to Cafardo, Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers was willing to deal Justin Upton to the Red Sox in the offseason, but only if he got the Adrian Gonzalez package or Clay Buchholz in return.
  • Several teams have spoken to Omar Minaya about potential job openings. Minaya, who dubs himself a "free agent," says he's still sorting through everything and searching for the best fit, but he could make a decision soon.
  • Cafardo points out that spending time on the disabled list could cost Takashi Saito a good chunk of money this season. Currently on the shelf with a hamstring injury, Saito can earn up to five $100K bonuses based on time spent on the active roster.

This Date In Transactions History: Randy Wells

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269090821077_Cubs_at_Dodgers The Cubs' rotation has run into some bad injury luck early this season, with both Andrew Cashner (shoulder) and Randy Wells (forearm) now on the disabled list. The former was a first round pick that spent just one full season in the minors, the latter an unheralded 38th round pick that spent parts of six seasons in the minors before getting to the big leagues. If it wasn't for a transaction that took place three years ago today, one of them wouldn't even be in the organization.

Wells, now 28, was originally drafted as a catcher out of Southwestern Illinois Community College in 2002, but the team moved him to the mound in late 2003 even though he'd never pitched in high school or college. He posted a 4.43 ERA in 107 2/3 innings the next season (Single-A), then was even better in 2005 (2.87 ERA in 106 2/3 IP at Single and Double-A). Baseball America didn't consider him much of a prospect though, and it wasn't until 2007 that Wells got some attention.

In his second crack at Triple-A, Wells made nine starts and 31 relief appearances for the Iowa Cubs in 2007. Although his 4.52 ERA was hardly noteworthy, he did strike out 9.5 men per nine innings. That's what caught the eye of the Blue Jays, who selected Wells with the 11th pick of the 2007 Rule 5 Draft. He made the team out of Spring Training in 2008, though he appeared in just one game with them (scoreless inning with one walk).

Apparently that was all Toronto needed to see. Nine games into the season, the Jays designated Wells for assignment, making room on both the 25-man and 40-man rosters for left-hander Jesse Carlson. After toiling in limbo (and on waivers) for a week, Wells was returned to the Cubs on April 16th as per Rule 5 Draft protocol. He made four relief appearances in Chicago later that year, and has pitched to a 3.67 ERA in 60 starts (365 2/3 innings) in the two years since.

Wells is a true player development success story, a guy that changed positions (more like vocations, really) as a professional and climbed the ladder one step at a time. He was ranked as one of his organization's top 30 prospects just once by Baseball America, when they placed him 22nd in Toronto's system prior to the 2008 season. Wells may be hurt now, but he's done some fine work for the Cubs over the last few years. The only reason they have him around though is because the Blue Jays cut ties with him three years ago today.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Dodgers Could Soon Reach Financial “Tipping Point”

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7:41pm: Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times reports that McCourt took a $30MM loan from FOX this week, which will cover the Dodgers' expenses and payroll obligations into next month. Shaikin clarifies (on Twitter) that MLB's approval is not needed for personal loans, which this was.

1:07pm: Although the Dodgers increased payroll from $83MM last season to over $95MM this year, the team still has serious financial concerns as the McCourts continue with their divorce. ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider req'd) hears from a high-ranking executive that the team could soon reach its financial "tipping point," since payroll obligations must be met during the second and fourth weeks of the season.

As if the divorce wasn't enough, owner Frank McCourt was recently sued by the Boston law firm Bingham McCutchen. McCourt had sent representatives to meet with the commissioner's office about a proposed plan that includes a TV deal with FOX (that would advance him $200MM) and would allow him to preserve control of the team, but they're still waiting on a decision. Fellow owners aren't pleased with the situation, reportedly.

This past week was the second full week of the 2011 baseball season.

Barmes Hopes To Remain With Astros Beyond 2011

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The Astros remade their middle infield this offseason, but they have yet to see new shortstop Clint Barmes play an official game in their uniform. He's currently recovering from a fractured hand suffered in Spring Training, but he's already thinking beyond his rehab and to the future, telling Stephen Goff of Examiner.com that he hopes to remain in Houston beyond this season.

Barmes, 32, will earn $3.925MM this season, his final one as an arbitration-eligible player. He is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, when he would be one of the few legitimate everday middle infielders available on the market. Although he hit just .235/.305/.351 with the Rockies last season, Barmes hit a respectable .264/.306/.452 with 34 homers and 25 steals from 2008-2009. Aside from a hiccup in 2007 and 2008, UZR has liked his defense at short.

Rosenthal On DeRosa, Rangers, Gonzalez, Garcia

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Let's dive into the latest edition of Full Count from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports..

  • It's early in the season, but it already seems like the Giants' Mark DeRosa could be the odd man out in San Francisco.  DeRosa is obviously versatile, but the club seems to be set at shortstop, second base, third, and in the outfield.  The veteran is earning $6MM and he seems like a prime candidate to be traded. 
  • The Rangers are off to a hot start but the club is concerned about their lack of a dominant right-handed set-up man.  Alexi Ogando was supposed to fill that role but instead, he's flourishing as a starter.   Darren O'Day is coming off two strong seasons but he's viewed as more of a "seventh inning guy".  Because of that, look for Texas to target a strong right-handed reliever before the deadline.
  • The next young starters in line for contract extensions might be the A's Gio Gonzalez and the Cardinals' Jaime Garcia following the deals given to Trevor Cahill and Clay Buchholz.  However, Gonzalez is a Super Two player, meaning that the A's might have to guarantee him another year to cover his first year of free agency. 

Quick Hits: Mariners, Indians, Orioles

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Links on a rainy Saturday afternoon in New York..

Braves Acquire Stefan Gartrell

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The Braves have acquired Triple-A outfielder Stefan Gartrell from the White Sox for cash considerations, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter).  The 27-year-old has been with the White Sox since 2006, when he was taken in the 31st round of the amateur draft.

In 177 career Triple-A games, Gartrell owns a .258/.318/.460 slashline with 32 homers. 

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