Some items out of the AL and NL Central to round out the evening..
- Cubs first baseman Carlos Pena is unlikely to accept the club's arbitration offer, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. Heyman writes that the Type B free agent should be able to land a multi-year deal after hitting .225/.357/.462 with 28 homers in 2011.
- Twins insiders believe that the new collective bargaining agreement will make it easier for them to sign the No. 2 pick in next June’s draft, writes Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune. The slot bonus for that pick has been set at $6.2MM.
- More from Christensen as he writes that before hiring Gene Glynn as their Triple-A skipper, the Twins spoke to recently dismissed Cubs manager Mike Quade, who was a top minor-league manager before landing the Cubs' job. Quade wasn’t interested, as he’ll still be drawing a paycheck from the Cubs for 2012.
- Wandy Rodriguez represents an appealing option for several teams looking to improve their starting pitching, writes Stephen Goff of Examiner. Earlier today, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe wrote that the Astros are getting more and more inquiries about the availability of the 32-year-old and the Red Sox are among the interested clubs.
- MLB.com's Mark Sheldon (video link) doesn't see the Reds moving Yonder Alonso for anything less than a top-end starter. Sheldon goes on to say that he thinks the Reds should hang on to the 24-year-old slugger.
Alonso for either Matt Harrison OR Alexi Ogando?
How does that trade match up?
Texas then promotes Neil Ramirez to the starting rotation.
Well the bottom line is the Reds will have to trade something to get a quality #2 or #3 starter and their pot of gold that they have to trade with at this time is Alonso,
I’m a hugh Alonso fan saw him several times in person with the big league club at the end of the year he has 1 clear position 1st base, he is very ugly in the outfield and the Reds know this or they would be keeping him.
Now saying all the above He is NOT going to bring back a #1 starter not going to happen here is a example lets use CC when Cleveland traded him to the Brewers the Brewers were thinking the same thing about Matt Laporta who was tearing it up in the Minors and with Team USA Power off the hook and hitting for average as 24 year old and the Indians waited them out and the Indians received LaPorta ( who was hit in the head twice since the trade and has never reclaimed his old top prospect form ) Brantley lead-off guy and left fielder, Rob Bryson should see the majors by the end of 2012 has touched 100 and future closer and a #5 starter ( Stiff ) Zach Jackson — The Kicker at the time was CC was a RENTAL.
Alonso by himself is not going to get you a top #2 IMO the Reds are going to have to throw together a package like Alonso – Frazier – Bailey or Wood to get a top notch starter that is with a team friendly contract that is team controlable.
Also look over the Teams in Baseball there are very few teams that need a 1st baseman that even have the type of pitching that the Reds are looking for.
The Rays are not going to trade you one of their top 3 starters I mean MAYBE Shields but with those team friendly options WOW 7 mil 2013 9 mil 2013 – it will take a hugh package to pry this guy away so all here need to get real if you want a guy like Shields then it is time to step up to the plate it will take a hugh package to get any of the Rays top 4 starters IMO they are in the driver seat.
The Indians are in need of a 1st baseman but they trade 4 top 10 prospects at the time to get 2.5 years of Ubaldo and I still hate the fact that they gave up Pomeranz / White / and Gardner in that deal and I do not see the Indians parting with Ubaldo / Masterson / Tomlin at this time.
So who do you trade with maybe take a shot on Santana coming back w/ Mets – long shot but if he does he could be that type of guy.
The Angles are not parting with their top 3 and they do not need a 1st baseman I have seen E Santana brought up but they claim he is not available.
Cahill contract really gets pretty ugly / Gio is a Wild Card that could be had but would cost alot but a offer of Alonso – Frazier – Bailey – Grandal may get you Gio + Bailey and solve to of the Reds glaring issues.
Just remember not pitching BUT QUALITY pitching the type that the Reds seek will come at a hugh cost – If you do not believe me call Cleveland Indians GM and ask him the type of Heat he has dealt with the last 5 months in Cleveland over the Ubaldo trade.
Agree with everything you say. I think the only untouchables are really only one of the two catchers and Billy Hamilton. Thats it though IMO. I think you see if you can get Bailey and Gio for Alonso, Grandel and Frazier. They will want (Homer) Bailey, counter with Wood and I think that is all it will take.
+1
I would love to see Alonso hitting and playing first for the Indians but there is just no match there. But being a high Reds and Indians fan you cannot always have it both ways.
Right now I think the Indians just may shock a few people and trade for a full-time catcher and move Carlos Santana to 1st base everyday. What they are not telling the fans is there is only about 3 mil left in the budget so almost anything that happens before the season starts will be by a trade.
I know it wont happen cause of the whole trading within the division, but Id be open to the idea of a Matt Garza for Alonso package. I think we’ll get more value out of Yonder, than we will Garza.
Those 2 guys Harrison and Ogando are not going anywhere you are now dealing with Nolan Ryan
Zero chance Reds go for that. Neither have huge upside, and I don’t think Ogando is a starter long term.
I have a hard time seeing Pena getting a multi year contract, or at least one with a raise for more than he would have gotten with arbitration on a 1 year deal average salary.
More than 10m is asking an awful lot for a guy who can barely hit at all, other than 25 or so HR a year, tho he is a GG calibur defensive player and whoever might sign him should expect his BB total to go down if they have a supporting cast of hitters that he did not really have with the Cubs and get pitched around.
Boras once again declining arbitration at all costs, promising the world to his clients and have a feeling will end up settling on another 1 year deal.. Possibly back with the Rays.
That goes both ways though, if Pena isn’t getting pitched around as much you might expect to see his home run totals increase as well. His OPS will probably remain relatively constant (factoring in any declines due to age) if he’s getting walked less but getting more pitches to hack at.
Also I don’t see why he couldn’t get a multi-year contract, his play hasn’t declined at all since last offseason when he was able to get 10M and he’s still a good everyday 1st baseman. Good clubhouse guy too. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him sign a 2 or 3 year deal with a 6 or 7M average salary.
That is just it though… A 6-7m salary range is about what I was figuring on and 2..Maybe a 3rd year club option if he is lucky and Figure he would not have gotten a pay cut in arbitration the way it is set up, probably even a little raise.. Say a bump to 12m even for 1 year, then say he puts up the same numbers again? the entire thing plays out and he gets another little raise?
He makes more money. Boras costs him money like this.
I mean, most guys could make more money over the course of their careers by signing one year deals if they stay healthy and their production never dips, but players almost always prefer the security of longer contracts with a lower annual salary. I’m sure a 2 year deal for 7M with say a mutual option for a 3rd year is much more preferable to him than a 10-12M arbitration deal, otherwise he would’ve accepted the Cubs’ offer.
Agents can only manipulate so much. Besides, why would Boras mislead his client if he didn’t think there was a favorable market for Pena? Boras costs himself money too if he’s wrong about this.
IMO Pena is not worth it what is he hitting against Lefties something like 150 he is all but worn down to a Platoon guy. IMO way over paid and he should have excepted Arby from the Cubs. Clearly on the Downhill side.
I agree wholeheartedly. So he hits a few HR and has a decent OBP? First basemen are expected to hit HR. He walks a fair amount because he has trouble putting the bat on the ball. He’s one of the worst 2 strike hitters in the game (.108 last year) and he hit .175 with RISP last year.
Plus he turns 34 next year. It’s a lot to expect him to have a Berkman like turnaround.
Pena could actually be a really nice piece if a team viewed him as a platoon player (and if he was willing to get paid as such).
.252/.370/.513 career against righties, .210/.309/.426 against lefties. The difference between BA and OBP is still pretty dang nice against lefties, but the way it drops compared to against righties is a pretty good indication that he just doesn’t see the ball as well coming from a lefty. Get yourself one of those first basemen/utility guys who mash lefties for a couple million, Pena for $5-7MM, and you could have great production for half what a superstar would cost. And of course Pena plays a pretty nice first base too.
Whether he would accept that kind of situation, or the pay that comes with it, I’m not sure. I’m sure he would not want to.
Somebody commented this before but alonso is very similar to travis snider. If you look at the minor numbers snider might be better (plus better D). Does that mean the jays can trade him for a front end starter? If so they should do it right away! Not saying snider should be given up on he could still be a great overall player but if you get an actual number 1 or 2 starter why not trade him.
Mike Quade, easily one of the worst managers of all time. If he gets a major league managerial job ever again, I will be dumbfounded.
Wandy Rodriquez is a great fit for the Red Sox.
Wandy would be a nice fit for the Reds especially since Houston won’t be in our division much longer
Mariners should go after Pena for DH. I can seeing his HR going up with our short LF
huntington will sign pena to play for the pirates you just wait and see. short porch in right at PNC park, the pirates need an impact bat in the four spot and at 1st to add to the likes of tabata, presley, mccutchen at the top of the order. surround pena at the cleanup spot with those speedsters at the top of the order (presley, tabata, mccutchen) who find ways to get on and swipe bags and then guys like walker, alvarez, barmes, barajas behind him. pena would get alot of opportunities to have RISP with guys like presley, mccutchen, tabata, and perhaps marte later, hitting in front of him. call me crazy, but i like a lineup of presley, tabata, mccutchen, pena, walker, alvarez, barmes, barajas sounds like a solid lineup to me. add a starter such as bedard, danks, gavin floyd, marquis in free agency with the rotation of correia, morton, mcdonald, karstens and they could be contenders in the central
Why does everyone assume the Reds think Alonso alone is worth a top-end starter? No one has ever put forth that notion. Yonder Alonso is a fine center piece in a trade for a top-end starter. Nothing more, nothing less.
That said, would the Cubs really be so unwilling to deal Garza within the division (assuming the Reds were on board) when Alonso could replace, if not, exceed the offensive production that Pena gave them at a fraction of the cost? And especially if they don’t plan on contending for a couple more years? They’ve basically excluded themselves from considering Pujols and Fielder. I think if I were GM, I’d gladly take a Yonder Alonso and Travis Wood for Matt Garza type deal. It might take a little more, but not much.