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Blue Jays Acquire Ben Francisco

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The Blue Jays acquired outfielder Ben Francisco from the Phillies for minor league lefty Frank Gailey, announced the team.  The Jays also designated reliever Jesse Chavez for assignment.

Francisco, 30, hit .244/.340/.364 in 293 plate appearances for the Phillies this year.  As a right-handed hitter he's gotten a disproportionate share of at-bats against lefties in his career, but he hasn't done markedly better against them.  Francisco is set to earn an estimated $1.5MM through arbitration in 2012, and perhaps the Phillies would have cut him loose had they not found a trade partner.  He'll be under team control for 2013 as well if the Blue Jays want him.  With Francisco filling the role of Toronto's fourth outfielder, Rajai Davis may be expendable.

Gailey, 26, posted a 3.41 ERA, 7.4 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, and 0.6 HR/9 in 74 relief innings across High and Double-A this year.  A Philadelphia native, Gailey must be excited about the deal.

Chavez, 28, spent most of 2011 with the Royals' Triple-A affiliate.  There he posted a 3.75 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 2.5 BB/9, and 0.9 HR/9 in 57 2/3 innings.  The Blue Jays claimed him off waivers from Kansas City in late October.

How Much Will Ortiz, K-Rod, and Kelly Johnson Earn Next Year?

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Free agents David Ortiz, Francisco Rodriguez, and Kelly Johnson accepted their teams' offers of arbitration last week, making them signed players for 2012.  In recent years we've seen the occasional setup-type free agent reliever accept arbitration, but not position player regulars or a closer.  Without much recent precedent, determining the salaries of Ortiz, Rodriguez, and Johnson will be tricky. 

The players have incentive to avoid hearings.  If a deal is agreed upon, the player asks for a Signing Guaranteed Provision, guaranteeing the contract.  A hearing, however, opens up the small chance of the player being released in spring training.  The team would have to prove the player "failed to to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive ability" during spring training.  The Padres pulled this off with Todd Walker in 2007, but it's rare.  The Red Sox are happy to have Ortiz next year, and the Blue Jays have use for Johnson.  While I imagine the Brewers would like a do-over on offering K-Rod arbitration, I don't think they'll try to release him in spring training and then go toe-to-toe with Scott Boras.

I talked to a team executive, a former agency employee, and MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz about the salaries Ortiz, Rodriguez, and Johnson might receive.  The details:

  • Estimates ranged from $13-15MM on Ortiz.  He's working from a $12.5MM salary, and his raise will probably be relatively small.  The Red Sox could point to Travis Hafner as a $13MM comparable, while Ortiz's agents at SFX could look to top Adam Dunn's $14MM by virtue of Ortiz's higher batting average.  A two-year deal is possible for Ortiz, but if the Red Sox are at $18MM, Big Papi might as well stop worrying about multiyear security since he can easily get more than $4-5MM in 2013 with a passable 2012.
  • K-Rod should be an interesting case.  On the high end, Boras could argue for Mariano Rivera's $15MM salary.  If they're feeling adventurous, the Brewers could actually try to cut Rodriguez's $11.5MM salary, citing Jonathan Papelbon's $11MM salary for 2012 or Rafael Soriano's $10MM salary.  Rest assured that trying to cut Rodriguez's salary would lead to a hearing, so a settlement closer to Rivera's figure seems possible.
  • Johnson's case might involve bringing in a third baseman such as Miguel Tejada, who signed at $6.5MM for 2011.  Johnson earned $5.85MM in an off-2011, so $7MM is probably his ceiling.  A multiyear deal is possible here.  

Rockies Sign Ramon Hernandez

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The Rockies offically signed catcher Ramon Hernandez to two-year contract today.  The deal is worth $6.5MM, reported Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. In a related move, Colorado traded Chris Iannetta to the Angels for Tyler Chatwood on November 30th, the same day they reached an agreement with Hernandez. Hernandez is represented by Eric Goldschmidt, as our Agency Tracker shows. 

Hernandez, 35, started the offseason as a Type A free agent, but he was reclassified as a Type-B as part of the new collective bargaining agreement. The Reds will receive a supplemental first round pick for losing Hernandez, but the Rockies will not lose a pick.

The signing gives Colorado a veteran presence behind the plate to help with a young rotation that figures to include the likes of Chatwood, Jhoulys Chacin, Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, Esmil Rogers, and Clayton Mortensen. Hernandez hit .282/.341/.446 with a dozen homers in 328 plate appearances for the Reds last season. He also threw out a whopping 23 of 62 attempted basestealers, a well above average 37.1%. Colorado will be his fifth big league team.

Tim Dierkes ranked Hernandez 31st on his list of the top 50 free agents. The leaderboard for our free agent prediction contest can be found here.

Non-Tender Candidates

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I initially published my non-tender candidates list on November 14th, and since then many of the 54 players I mentioned have been removed from 40-man rosters or traded.  Below is my revised list in advance of tonight's 11pm central time deadline.  As a reminder, not all of these players will be non-tendered, but those who are become free agents.  Click here for MLBTR's projected salaries for these players, if they are tendered contracts.  You can follow all of today's action with MLBTR's non-tender tracker.

Position Players

Daric Barton
Emmanuel Burriss
Jesus Flores
Mike Fontenot
Chris Getz
Tony Gwynn Jr.
Koyie Hill
Paul Janish
Jeff Keppinger
George Kottaras
James Loney
Donnie Murphy
Ronny Paulino
Brayan Pena
Landon Powell
Adam Rosales
Skip Schumaker
Luke Scott
Ryan Spilborghs
Ryan Theriot
Wilson Valdez
Eli Whiteside

Pitchers

Matt Albers
Brad Bergesen
Tom Gorzelanny
Rich Hill
J.P. Howell
Hong-Chih Kuo
Jose Mijares
Peter Moylan
Micah Owings
Manny Parra
Jo-Jo Reyes
Joe Saunders
Doug Slaten
Andy Sonnanstine
Joe Thatcher
Chris Volstad
Jerome Williams

Red Sox Rumors: Luxury Tax, Wandy

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The latest on the Red Sox, courtesy of Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald…

  • GM Ben Cherington's comments on the team's pursuit of pitching: "We need to add some pitching depth, we’re working on that, we don’t know what the scope of that’s going to be. Last year at this time, nobody knew who Alfredo Aceves was, and by the end of the year he was one of our best pitchers."  Tim Britton of the Providence Journal notes that Aceves was a non-tender last year by the Yankees, and takes a look at seven players who could interest the Sox if they're cut loose at tonight's deadline.  Click here for my list of non-tender candidates.
  • Red Sox president Larry Lucchino explained the team's stance on the luxury tax: "We wouldn’t rule it out (going over the threshold), but our plan historically has been to try to be at or around it.  We have gone over it when we felt there was a need to. When the baseball operations department suggested a certain transaction made imminent good sense, we were willing to go over it, and I think that will be our policy going forward."
  • Wandy Rodriguez is among the starting pitchers of interest to the Red Sox, writes Silverman.  Word was a week ago that the Astros didn't want to eat any of Wandy's potential $36MM over the next three years, though that was before Jeff Luhnow was hired as GM.
  • Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey, John Danks, and Gavin Floyd also remain on the radar, says Silverman.  The White Sox and Red Sox got together during the Winter Meetings to discuss Danks and Floyd.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports explains why he feels the Red Sox are a fit to acquire the Marlins' Hanley Ramirez.

Latest On John Danks

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A week ago, Jon Heyman reported that the Yankees were unwilling to trade Manny Banuelos or Jesus Montero for White Sox lefty John Danks.  The newly-minted CBS Sports scribe now tweets that the White Sox asked for two of Montero, Banuelos, or Dellin Betances, and the Yankees might give up one in a package.

It's easy to see why the Yankees have resisted so far, as Danks is only under team control for one year.  He'll certainly be motivated with free agency on the horizon, and he would be just 27 years old on the open market.  If Danks can put up 32 starts with a sub-4.00 ERA, as was his custom prior to 2011, I think he'll be able to top four years and $50MM.  Edwin Jackson's upcoming contract may set the bar.

One executive told ESPN's Buster Olney during the Winter Meetings that the White Sox sought a "Ubaldo Jimenez" package for Danks, which would be hard to defend since Jimenez came with two-plus years of cost certainty.  In addition to the Yankees, AL East rivals such as the Blue Jays and Red Sox appear to have checked in.

Manny Ramirez Comments

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Manny Ramirez was officially reinstated from the retirement list by MLB on Saturday, though he must serve a 50-game suspension if signed.  Ramirez recently spoke to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, here are a few highlights.

On his abrupt April retirement:

"I was badly advised, I took a decision I should not have taken. I should have said something to my fans.  I was surrounded by many people who gave me bad advice. I made an emotional decision, but I have regretted that decision since the day I made it."

On his willingness to sign a minor league deal:

"If a scout comes by and sees me, sees the shape that I'm in, I can get a big league contract, but the doors are open."

On his willingness to play Japan or someone else other than MLB:

"We are the working class and wherever there is work, you must go work."

Barry Bonds was unable to find a minor league offer in 2008 and 2009, and while Manny doesn't come with quite as much baggage, it's possible he'll come up empty as well.

Quick Hits: Aoki, Cuddyer, Buerhle, Sherrill, Quentin

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Some links to check out as we await tomorrow night's non-tender deadline..

  • As expected, the Yakult Swallows filed posting paperwork on outfielder Norichika Aoki Monday morning in Japan, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com.
  • Free agent Michael Cuddyer's decision will be huge news and could happen soon, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  Morosi adds that the decision will have a big impact on the Twins' and Rockies' plans.
  • Chuck Garfien of CSNChicago.com spoke with Mark Buerhle who said that he hopes to return to the White Sox in some capacity after his four-year deal with Miami is through.  The veteran also said that the Sox didn't make him an offer after the Marlins put their deal on the table.
  • Free agent left-hander George Sherrill is drawing interest from the Royals, Phillies, Blue Jays, and Mariners, a source tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  The Rockies were also said to be targeting the veteran last week.
  • Even though the two sides were reportedly talking on Tuesday, the Red Sox aren't discussing a deal for Carlos Quentin with the White Sox, tweets Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.  Earlier today we learned that Quentin has come up in talks with the Blue Jays, though those discussions have apparently cooled.
  • The Indians are in on all "non-[Prince] Fielder" bats, including Josh Willingham, but don't have much financial flexibility, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  The Tribe is after a right-handed bat and the club has been linked to Derrek Lee, Andruw Jones, and Mike Cameron among others.
  • Troy Renck of The Denver Post (via Twitter) doesn't see catcher Eliezer Alfonzo returning to the Rockies but could see the club going after someone like Jeff Mathis if he is non-tendered.  Mathis, 28, was shipped from the Angels to the Blue Jays on December 3rd for left-hander Brad Mills.
  • Craig Breslow, who was traded to the Diamondbacks along with starter Trevor Cahill on Friday, first heard of the deal via Twitter, not the A's front office, writes Katie Dowd of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • Former Mets General Manager Steve Phillips likes the Astros' hire of Jeff Luhnow as GM and believes that he understands how to operate a small market team, writes Stephen Goff of Examiner.com.

Tigers Inquired On Chase Headley

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The Tigers checked with the Padres about Chase Headley, but there's no momentum in trade talks right now, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Several other teams have reportedly shown interest in Headley this winter including the Cubs and Rockies.

The 27-year-old projects to earn $3MM through arbitration this winter and it will be his second time through the process as a Super Two.  The Padres are asking for a lot to part with Headley and the lack of depth in the free agent market for third basemen makes him a hot commodity.

projects to earn $3MM through arbitration this winter, his second time through the process as a Super Two.

Week In Review: 12/4/11 – 12/10/11

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This was an incredibly exciting week here at MLBTR as we brought you 24/7 live Winter Meetings coverage.  On Thursday, Luke Adams gave us a comprehensive look back at all the major happenings during the meetings in Dallas.  For a day-by-day look, check out our posts summing up Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 by Steve Adams.  Here are the biggest stories that took place after the Meetings..

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