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Extension Candidate: Brandon Morrow

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Brandon Morrow hasn't quite taken the big step towards ace-hood that the Blue Jays were hoping he would take this season, but the right-hander has still has a very solid 2011 campaign.  Morrow has a league-leading 10.5 K/9 ratio, a 3.16 K/BB rate and a somewhat misleading 4.51 ERA (his xFIP is just 3.24) in 20 starts for the Jays.

With Jose Bautista, Ricky Romero, Adam Lind and Yunel Escobar all locked up in multiyear deals, it stands to reason that Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos may turn to Morrow as the next key part of the Jays' future to receive a contract extension.  Morrow, who turned 27 last month, earned $2.3MM this year and has two more arbitration years before being eligible for free agency after the 2013 season.

Morrow's unusual career path could be a factor in helping the Jays get a relative bargain in an extension.  He was primarily used as a reliever in Seattle for the first three years of his career, which depresses his career numbers in the eyes of an arbiter.  Also hurting Morrow is the fact that as of today, his career record (26-25) is barely over the .500 mark and his career high in innings pitched is the 146 1/3 frames he posted last year. 

Combine this with his injury history (a few minor arm-related stints on the DL) and the Blue Jays hold all the cards in extension negotiations.  In fact, all of these factors might even convince the Jays to wait another year to see what they really have in the right-hander.  The club could be content to sign Morrow to a one-year deal for 2012 worth between $4-4.5MM and then look into an extension if he blossoms in 2013.

If an extension did happen this winter, however, a fair number would be a three-year deal worth $19MM, broken down as $4MM in 2012, $6MM in 2013 and $9MM to cover Morrow's first free agent year in 2014.  Knowing Anthopoulos' history, such an extension would certainly include at least one option year, perhaps an $11MM team option for 2015.  Provided that option year was picked up, Morrow would be a free agent at age 31 — still young enough to score a big contract on the open market.

It was one year ago today that Morrow delivered his 17-strikeout, near no-hitter against the Rays.  Given the hype and promise that surrounded Morrow after that masterpiece, a three-year/$19MM extension seems a bit low for a pitcher with his potential.  Morrow himself might prefer to take the risk and only look for a long-term deal once he's established himself as a reliable, upper-tier pitcher.  Then again, given Anthopoulos' already-impressive history of making team-friendly deals, it wouldn't be a surprise if Toronto struck while it had the advantage and ended up with a future ace at a discount price.

East Notes: Ortiz, McGowan, Rhodes, Uggla

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As if Joe DiMaggio didn't have enough honors already, the U.S. Postal Service plans to sell a DiMaggio stamp in 2012, along with stamps bearing the likenesses of three other yet-to-be-announced baseball superstars.  A fitting tribute to a legend of the game….or a subtle way of trying to jinx Dan Uggla?  If it was the latter, the jinx didn't work, as Uggla extended his hitting streak to 29 games tonight.

Here's some more on Uggla, DiMaggio's old team and the other eastern franchises….

  • David Ortiz has been upset about the lack of contract talks between he and the Red Sox, but Fangraphs' Steve Slowinski argues that if negotiations had begun, Ortiz might not liked what he would've heard.  "Which would you prefer: a star player that’s mildly hurt you won’t talk about a new contract with him, or one that feels unappreciated and lowballed?" Slowinski asks.
  • Dustin McGowan hasn't pitched in the majors since 2008, but the injury-plagued Blue Jays right-hander hopes to finally return this September, reports MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm.
  • Speaking of Blue Jays pitchers, Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi reports that Toronto has called up right-hander Henderson Alvarez.  The 21-year-old will make his first Major League start for the Jays sometime this week.
  • Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer suggests the Phillies should consider acquiring Arthur Rhodes to provide some left-handed bullpen depth.
  • Uggla's hot streak has finally made him look like the player the Braves expected when they acquired him from Florida last winter, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
  • The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo touches on a number of Red Sox-related topics in a fan mailbag, such as the likelihood of Jacoby Ellsbury signing a contract extension, how Josh Reddick has improved his trade value and if the Red Sox would get involved in the bidding for Jose Reyes this winter.
  • The Yankees won't call up Jesus Montero for Tuesday's game with the Angels, reports Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger.  There had been speculation that Montero would soon be in pinstripes given the team's announcement that Jorge Posada would be relegated to a bench role.  
  • Orioles manager Buck Showalter told Bill Madden of the New York Daily News that while fans focus on the payroll gap between big-market and small-market clubs, "the real disparity, the disparity that's hurting baseball, is the disparity that no one sees — the amount of money being spent on scouting and player development."  In a follow-up piece for the Baltimore Sun, Robbie Levin looks at how the O's have fallen behind their AL East rivals in developing Latin American talent.
  • The Marlins have agreed to terms with seventh-round draft pick Ryan Rieger, reports Baseball America's Aaron Fitt.  (Twitter link)  Rieger, a first baseman, had committed to play for Long Beach State University next year.

John Danks Wants To Remain With The White Sox

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There were a few trade rumors circling around John Danks heading into this year's deadline, but if the southpaw had his way, he'd remain in Chicago for years to come.  Danks tells The Chicago Sun-Times that he and agent Jeff Berry have engaged in some low-level negotiations with the team about a contract extension.

“There’s been a little bit of talks here and there, but nothing super serious,’’ Danks said. “It hasn’t gotten to the point where it’s been a back-and-forth negotiation. It’s been more, ‘OK, we’ll throw this out there, No, OK then we’ll throw this out there.’ It will be another ‘No,’ and then it kind of dies out.

“This is my first choice. I love it here. This is all I know, and I love ­everything about it. I’ve heard it said that I want free agency, I want to go back to Texas, I just want to move on. That couldn’t be further from the truth, so we’ll see how it works out. There’s a business side to it, and I think it goes both ways. It will play out the way it’s supposed to play out, and hopefully that’s here.’’

Danks has one more year of arbitration eligibility and can become a free agent after the 2012 season.  The left-hander is earning $6MM this year and, despite a rough 0-8 start and a stint on the DL with an oblique injury, Danks' numbers (3.90 ERA, 2.61 K/BB rate, 6.8 K/9 rate) are about on par with his career norms.  He looks to be on pace for the $10-11MM salary that MLBTR's Tim Dierkes suggested Danks could receive in 2012 if he had "a normal platform season."

Danks turned down a four-year, $15MM extension offer from Chicago during the 2009-10 offseason, which looks like a smart move in hindsight.  He said he and Berry hadn't discussed figures in a while and denied a report that he wanted "Mark Buehrle-type money," which would make his extension worth roughly $14MM per season.

Though the White Sox ultimately told teams that Danks wasn't available, he was seen as potential trade bait last month if Chicago wanted to avoid paying that 2012 arbitration payout and get a solid return in a deal.  Danks admitted that he and another Sox pitcher, Gavin Floyd, were logical trade candidates if the Sox decided to cut costs and rebuild.

"I think [Floyd and I] would be two of the more likely guys to go if they went that direction,’’ Danks said. “I can’t see them doing that, personally, just because we have [Adam] Dunn and [Alex] Rios coming back, so you have pieces there for next year. But if it comes down to that point and they’re looking to go that way, Gavin and I would be possibly two of the first guys to go.’’

New York Notes: Reyes, Wade, Posada, Pelfrey

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The Mets have placed Jose Reyes on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain after examining the results of an MRI, the team announced.  This break in Reyes' season won't be filled by contract talks, however, as Newsday's David Lennon tweets that Reyes and his agents still plan to wait until after the season to begin negotiations.  Reyes' latest health issue isn't helping his reputation as an injury-prone player; as one unnamed Mets player tells Lennon (Twitter link), Reyes "is probably losing $100K a day on the DL," in regards to his next contract.

Here's the latest on the Mets and Yankees…

  • Right-hander Cory Wade has been the Yankees' "secret weapon" since joining the club on a minor league deal in June, writes Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog.
  • Another low-profile Yankee acquisition, Eric Chavez, has also paid off for the Bombers, writes MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
  • Rival executives say the Yankees lead the league in waiver claims, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
  • As ESPN.com’s Buster Olney points out (on Twitter), the Yankees could use a second left-hander out of the bullpen in October. It won’t be surprising if they consider Arthur Rhodes, who will officially hit free agency later this week.
  • Jorge Posada will have to choose between a bench role and asking for his release, according to Olney, who says the Yankees won’t cut him (Twitter link).
  • The Mets intend to tender Mike Pelfrey a contract this winter, according to Newsday’s David Lennon. The right-hander earns $3.925MM now and could earn over $6MM in 2012.

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post

Ohio Notes: Youkilis, Stephenson, Anderson

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The Indians have a day off while the Reds begin a four-game series with the Rockies tonight at the Great American Ballpark.  Here's the latest baseball news from the Buckeye State…

  • Cincinnati native Kevin Youkilis told ESPN Boston's Joe McDonald that if he were to leave the Red Sox, he would enjoy playing for his hometown Reds.  Youkilis is under contract through 2012, with the Sox holding a $13MM option for 2013 on "the Greek God of Walks."  Youkilis will be 34 on Opening Day 2013, so while $13MM is a bargain for a player with Youkilis' production, it's possible Boston might explore a younger, cheaper third baseman like prospect Will Middlebrooks.  The Reds have Scott Rolen's contract coming off the books after 2012 and could have a hole at third unless Todd Frazier or Yonder Alonso catches on at the hot corner.
  • There is a "greater than 50% chance" that Reds first-round draft pick Robert Stephenson will attend the University Of Washington rather than sign with Cincinnati, tweets Kendall Rogers of Perfect Game USA.  Stephenson, selected 27th overall by the Reds, had already committed to Washington and is "an academic type," according to Rogers.
  • With Drew Pomeranz and Alex White shipped to Colorado in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian talks to several Indians executives about the pitching depth still left in the club's minor league system.
  • Perhaps one more young arm can be added to that mix — Baseball America's Jim Callis tweets that the Tribe have signed right-hander Cody Anderson, a 14th-round pick in the June amateur draft.  Anderson's bonus was worth $250K.  Callis describes Anderson as having "intriguing size (6-4/225) [and an intriguing] fastball" that clocks in between 92-96 mph.  Anderson had been committed to attend Texas Christian University. 

Dombrowski Talks Contract Extension

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Tigers owner Mike Ilitch silenced questions about the job security of his leadership team by announcing extensions for manager Jim Leyland and president and general manager Dave Dombrowski today. It’s a move toward stability and, Ilitch hopes, the Tigers’ first World Championship since 1984.

“Dave has built a solid foundation for this organization and assembled competitive teams that give us a chance to win year in and year out,” Ilitch said.

Dombrowski’s top assistants – assistant GM Al Avila, special assistant David Chadd, VP of player personnel Scott Reid and legal counsel John Westhoff – also received contract extensions. That continuity helps the front office team work effectively, Dombrowski said.

“I think it’s extremely important,” he said on a conference call. “They’re very knowledgeable, they’re hard-working, they’re loyal.”

But don’t confuse continuity with an aversion to change. Dombrowski says the Tigers rely on more statistical analysis now than they did a five or ten years ago. Mike Smith and other executives supplement scouting reports with numbers for balanced evaluations.

“We don’t rely on them as much as other people do, but there’s all different types of statistical analyses available,” Dombrowski told reporters. “I think everybody has grown through the use of computers and the use of scouting reports, having access to them. It’s at your fingertips any time, anywhere you go.”

Though Dombrowski’s top assistants obtained extensions and the GM himself is locked up through 2015, Leyland’s coaches did not get extensions and the manager obtained a one-year extension. However, Dombrowski said Leyland did not ask for more job security than he was offered.

Yankees Release J.C. Romero

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The Yankees released J.C. Romero at his request, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The 35-year-old has a  2.21 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 17 minor league appearances this year.

It's been a busy year for the left-hander, who started the season in Philadelphia, where he posted a 3.86 ERA with more walks than strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings.  The Phillies released him in June and he signed with the Nationals within a week. The Yankees signed him in July, soon after the Nationals released him.

Rockies Sign Kevin Millwood

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The Rockies have signed Kevin Millwood, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter). Millwood spent most of the season in Boston's minor league system, but the Red Sox released him yesterday.

Millwood has started 16 games for the minor league affiliates of the Yankees and Red Sox this year, posting a 4.32 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 89 2/3 innings. Those numbers resemble the Major League totals Millwood posted in 2009-10 (4.37 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9). Millwood, a 14 -year veteran, had started at least 21 MLB games every year since 1997 before this season.

Rangers To Release Arthur Rhodes

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The Rangers have put Arthur Rhodes on release waivers and he'll be a free agent Wednesday, according to Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). The Rangers had designated the left-hander for assignment last week.

Rhodes, 41, has a 4.81 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 24 1/3 innings this year. He earns $3.9MM in 2011 and the Rangers, who had a $4MM option for 2012, will be responsible for Rhodes' entire salary less a pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum if Rhodes signs elsewhere.

If he appears in 62 games this year – he has 32 appearances so far – and is not on the disabled list at the end of the season, the club option will vest. Rhodes could draw interest from teams such as the Cardinals despite his so-so 2011 stats.

Colby Rasmus Hires Beverly Hills Sports Council

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Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus has hired Beverly Hills Sports Council to represent him, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Rasmus, who turns 25 Thursday, had been a TWC Sports client. Current Blue Jays Aaron Hill and Jesse Litsch are also BHSC clients, as our Agency Tracker shows.

Rasmus heads to arbitration for the first time this winter and is under team control through 2014. Based on arbitration rewards for comparable players such as Adam Jones ($3.25MM this year) and B.J. Upton ($3MM in 2010), Rasmus will likely earn $3MM or so in 2012.

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