Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Perez, Morgan, Belt, Royals
Three years ago today, the Tigers signed Miguel Cabrera to an eight-year, $152.3MM contract extension less than four months after acquiring him from the Marlins. It was the fifth largest contract in baseball history at the time, and it bought out two arbitration years plus six years of free agency. Despite some off-the-field trouble, Cabrera has more than held up his end of the bargain, hitting .314/.388/.567 with 109 homers since signing the deal.
Here is the latest baseball talk from around the web…
- Pitchers & Poets lists the worst caps of all-time.
- MLB Trade Trees put together a Gary Sheffield trade tree.
- Beer Leaguer looks back at the Paul Konerko for Mike Cameron trade (part one, part two).
- Crashburn Alley makes an encouraging comparison regarding the 2011 Phillies.
- The Nats Blog tries to make sense of the Oliver Perez signing for Washington.
- Beyond The Box Score wonders if the Marlins should try to acquire Nyjer Morgan.
- Splashing Pumpkins lists some conditions that have to be met if the Giants start Brandon Belt in the majors.
- DRays Bay explores the Casey Kotchman option.
- Royals Review lists the ten worst decisions the Royals could make in 2011.
- Lookout Landing muses about Michael Pineda and developing a pitch.
- U.S.S. Mariner breaks down the Mariners' Opening Day roster.
- Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness isn't sure that Jay Gibbons is the best use of a Dodgers' roster spot.
- The Yankee Analysts believes the Yankees should let C.C. Sabathia walk if he opts out of his contract after the season.
- Capitol Avenue Club wants to know where all the Braves' left-handers have gone.
- Bay City Ball thinks a platoon is the best way to replace Brian Wilson if the closer's oblique injury forces him to miss the start of the season.
- Camden Crazies tries to figure out who should bat leadoff if Brian Roberts keeps getting hurt.
- Wahoo Blues speculates about a Travis Hafner for Michael Young trade.
- Gaslamp Ball previews some potential milestones for the 2011 Padres.
- Replacement Level Baseball provides some Spring Training notes about Royals and Padres prospects.
- Amazin' Avenue asks which box score is the best.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.
Nationals Sign Oliver Perez
The Nationals signed Oliver Perez to a minor league deal and assigned him to minor league camp, the team announced (on Twitter). This marks the second time this week that an NL East rival has picked up a discarded Mets veteran; the Phillies signed Luis Castillo Monday.
The Nationals will be responsible for the Major League minimum salary if Perez makes the team and the Mets will assume the rest of his $12MM salary. Southpaws Sean Burnett and Doug Slaten figure to pitch at the major league level, while Perez works in the minors. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter) that Perez will begin the season at Triple-A.
The Nationals signed Perez on the recommendation of Spin Williams, a pitching coordinator who knows Perez, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter). Perez will report to minor league camp and work with Williams, according to Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com (on Twitter).
As MLBTR's Agency Database shows, the Nationals already have eight Scott Boras clients: Rick Ankiel, Alex Cora, Danny Espinosa, Alberto Gonzalez, Bryce Harper, Ivan Rodriguez, Stephen Strasburg and Jayson Werth. Boras appears to have a strong working relationship with Nationals GM Mike Rizzo.
Yahoo's Tim Brown first reported the deal.
Red Sox Seek Rotation Depth
The Red Sox have five proven starters and a handful of viable alternatives, but that’s not stopping GM Theo Epstein from looking for more possibilities for the rotation, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The Red Sox are looking for starting pitching depth and would love to add a veteran who’s open to pitching at Triple-A until he’s needed.
“We’ve learned that we can never have enough starting pitching, but we like the depth provided by [Tim] Wakefield, [Alfredo] Aceves, and [Felix] Doubront," Epstein said.
Wakefield, Aceves and Doubront are the team’s primary alternatives to the starting five of Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka. It also appears that the Red Sox will start Andrew Miller at Triple-A and stretch him out as a starter in the minors.
Though some starting pitching is available, none of it appears to be a logical fit for the Red Sox. The $16MM remaining on Joe Blanton’s contract makes him an unattractive option; it seems doubtful that the Red Sox would meet the Twins' asking price for Kevin Slowey only to stash him in the minors and the Red Sox don’t appear to have much interest in Jeremy Bonderman.
I listed a number of potentially available starters earlier in the week.
Quick Hits: Santiago, Eric Young, Giants
We're officially less than a week away from the start of the 2011 season! Here are some news items to tide you over as we start the countdown to another great year of baseball…
- Ramon Santiago "is available in the right deal," an anonymous scout tells Steve Kornacki of MLive.com. The long-time Tigers middle infielder started 78 games last season, posting a .662 OPS in 367 plate appearances. Santiago's competition for the utility job, Danny Worth, "has made a great impression on Jim Leyland," Kornacki writes.
- Troy Renck of the Denver Post isn't hearing much "trade buzz" (Twitter link) from scouts about Jose Lopez, contrary to a Ken Rosenthal report from earlier today. Renck reiterated his item from earlier this month about how Eric Young Jr. would draw interest if the Rockies wanted to put him on the trade market.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy rounds up the week's minor league transactions.
- The Giants "might be the deepest team in baseball," but Dave Cameron of Fangraphs thinks their "big flaw" is Miguel Tejada and Mike Fontenot at short. Cameron suggests San Francisco should try to move one of their excess outfielders for "a real Major League shortstop."
Red Sox Notes: Stanton, Okajima, Lineup
With apologies to the Dropkick Murphys, let's ship up to Boston for some news from the (presumptive) AL East favorites…
- Mike Stanton hit two homers and drove in seven runs against the Red Sox today in Grapefruit League play, prompting WEEI.com's Alex Speier to recall how the Sox pursued Stanton two seasons ago. When the Red Sox were trying to deal Manny Ramirez in 2008, they attempted to arrange a multi-team trade that would have seen both Stanton and Jason Bay end up in Boston. The Marlins, however, weren't interested in dealing their young slugger.
- Hideki Okajima isn't used to having to fight for a bullpen job, but the Japanese left-hander is determined to stay on the roster, writes MLB.com's Ian Browne.
- Boston's regular lineup is heavy with left-handed hitters, but Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com thinks the offense will be potent enough to overcome the lefty-righty disparity.
- Speaking of Edes, he took part in a fan chat on ESPN Boston today discussing such topics as Lars Anderson's trade value, whether the Red Sox may try to acquire a catcher, and the futures of both David Ortiz and Terry Francona in Boston.
Alderson On Perez, Castillo, Beato, Emaus, Reyes
Mets GM Sandy Alderson held a blogger conference call today, and Metsblog.com's Michael Baron has the transcript. Here are some of the hot stove-related notes…
- Fan sentiment "came into play" in Luis Castillo's release, Alderson said. The Mets "became aware about the sentiment in New York for [Castillo and Oliver Perez]….It's difficult to overcome that, so you evaluate player performance against presumption in the minds of the fans." In Perez's case, Alderson said the southpaw just didn't pitch well enough to make the roster, so the fans' thoughts were moot.
- Alderson says if the Mets are in contention, the club will have the money available to add a player if necessary.
- Alderson thinks his team's farm system is underrated but he says the Mets "need to be more aggressive and successful in developing players out of the draft."
- "There is a very good possibility we will keep both our Rule 5 picks" Alderson said, in regards to Pedro Beato and Brad Emaus. The GM said that Emaus' Rule 5 status was a major reason the team gave him every chance to win the second base job this spring. "If he was not a Rule 5 draftee, he wouldn’t have presented the immediacy that he does," Alderson said. "If he’s not the starting second baseman, I’m not sure how much he helps us in a bench role. At least at the outset, you’re going to give him every opportunity."
- If the Mets have a reduced payroll next season, they should still be able to re-sign Jose Reyes if they wish, given the number of contracts the team has coming off the books this winter.
NL Central Notes: Pudge, Chapman, Szczur
As Starlin Castro and Corey Hart celebrate birthdays today, here's the latest from the NL Central….
- Writing for MLB.com, Peter Gammons talks to a number of GMs and scouts about the NL Central contenders. One general manager thinks the Reds could "be the single biggest favorite in any division going into the season," while three scouts are collectively unimpressed with the Brewers, saying "Milwaukee may be awful" this season.
- Ivan Rodriguez is "not a fit" for the Astros' catching needs, tweets Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. The Nationals are known to be shopping one of their catchers, but Kilgore thinks Rodriguez's $3MM salary in 2011 may be too pricey for Houston, though the 'Stros have said they would add payroll for the right catcher.
- Aroldis Chapman has been working hard in preparation for his first full Major League season, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy looks at the details of the contract Matt Szczur signed with the Cubs in January, and also the revamped deal he signed just last week.
Doug Davis Throws For Eight Teams
The Angels, Mets, Orioles, Rangers and Rockies were among the eight teams that sent scouts to Doug Davis' throwing sessions in Tempe today, reports MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez (Twitter link). Davis threw a 45-pitch bullpen session and said his arm "felt great" afterwards, according to Sanchez. As per recent reports, the three unnamed teams don't include the Astros or Davis' most recent team, the Brewers.
It isn't clear whether Davis expects a Major League or minor league contract, though given his injury history, the latter is much more reasonable. Of the named teams, Texas is the club with most sudden need for starting pitching, given that Tommy Hunter suffered a groin injury this afternoon and Neftali Feliz has been slotted back into the closer's job. The Rangers could sign Davis to a minor league deal to see how he performs in regular work, while putting Dave Bush into their rotation as Hunter's temporary replacement.
AL West Notes: Feliz, Young, Angels, Felix
Here's the latest from the reigning American League champions and their divisional rivals…
- After the news broke earlier today that Neftali Feliz would remain the Rangers' closer this season, Nolan Ryan said the team is aiming to have Feliz join the rotation for the 2012 season. "I think if we weren't in such a need for him as a closer, he would be starting for us this year," Ryan said in a radio interview on ESPN 103.3 FM's Galloway and Company (and reported on by Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com). "I think what it means is that we have a year to find somebody within our system or through trade or a free agent acquisition to come in and take that role [as closer]."
- Jon Daniels and Michael Young have met twice this spring to "clear the air," tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Daniels expressed regret over not communicating better with Young, and also regretted that the veteran infielder received "undeserved criticism" for his trade request, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Daniels doesn't think Young will be dealt before Opening Day but "he hasn't ruled out anything."
- The Angels fired scouting director Eddie Bane last fall, a decision that ESPN's Keith Law criticized in an e-mail to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Law thought Bane's firing "smacked of internal politics, and furthered Tony Reagins' reputation in the game as a difficult person to work for and someone who only values opinions that match his own."
- The Mariners have been adamant that they have no intention of trading Felix Hernandez, and Scott Miller of CBSSports.com commends the M's for their stance.
Indians Sign Jesse English
The Indians have signed left-hander Jesse English to a minor league deal, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com (Twitter link). English became a free agent in November when Washington outrighted him off its roster.
The 26-year-old southpaw made his Major League debut last season, posting a 3.86 ERA in seven relief appearances with the Nationals. English was a sixth-round selection of the Giants in the 2002 amateur draft, and he has a 3.95 ERA and a 9.7 K/9 rate in 139 career minor league games, 69 of them starts.