Quick Hits: Drese, Johnson, Delcarmen, Reyes
Eleven year ago today, the Ken Griffey Jr. era came to an end in Seattle. The Mariners traded their franchise player to the Reds for a four player package highlighted by Mike Cameron and Brett Tomko, and later that day Junior signed a nine-year, $116.5MM contract.
Here's a few links for the evening…
- Remember Ryan Drese? He signed with the Orioles according to this week's edition of minor league transactions, courtesy of Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Drese, a 14-game winner with the Rangers in 2004, last pitched in the big leagues in 2006. He spent last year in the independent Atlantic League.
- Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic hears that Kelly Johnson's arbitration hearing is scheduled for Tuesday in Phoenix. Our Arbitration Tracker shows that Johnson filed for $6.5MM, and the team countered with $4.7MM.
- Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall chatted with fans at MLB.com today, and said he believes "the roster is set for the most part."
- WEEI.com's Alex Speier spoke to Manny Delcarmen's agent, who confirmed that his client had a Major League contract offer from a NL club, but choose the Mariners because of opportunity.
- MLB.com's Spencer Fordin spoke to Jose Reyes at a charity event today, and the shortstop said he's not thinking about his contract right now. Reyes can become a free agent for the first time after 2011.
Make Or Break Year: Joel Zumaya
Long before Aroldis Chapman defected from Cuba, Joel Zumaya was the guy breaking all sorts of velocity records. During the 2006 ALDS, MLB Advanced Media's pitch tracking system clocked one of his fastballs at 104.8 mph, heights previously unreached. Zumaya, now 26, burst onto the scene that year with a 1.94 ERA with 10.5 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 in 83 1/3 innings, holding opponents to a .187/.287/.270 batting line. The Tigers had their closer-in-waiting with Todd Jones nearing the end of his career, but injuries started to strike.
Since the start of the 2007 season, Zumaya has been on the 60-day disabled list five times, at least once per season. He had shoulder surgery to repair an AC joint separation in 2007, an injury he suffered helping his family move items in advance of California wildfires. Two years later he had another surgery on his shoulder, this time to correct a non-union stress fracture. Last year he suffered perhaps the ugliest injury of all, fracturing a bone in his elbow mid-pitch.
That breakout 2006 season has been followed by four seasons with no more than 38 1/3 innings. Zumaya has been effective when he's been on the mound though, striking out 8.1 batters per nine and pitching to a 3.78 ERA over the last four years. He's not what he was that rookie season, but he's certainly been a quality relief arm, and quality relief arms have been rewarded with handsome multiyear contracts this winter.
Zumaya is now entering his final season of team control. He and the Tigers have already agreed to a $1.4MM salary for 2011, but that's a pittance compared to what he could make in the future with a strong and, most importantly, healthy season. Zumaya has already started throwing off a mound and is on track for Opening Day, but that's just step one of a season-long process.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Giants Sign Edgar Gonzalez
The Giants have signed infielder Edgar Gonzalez to a minor league contract, reports Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). He did not receive an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
Gonzalez, 32, appeared in 193 games with the Padres between 2008 and 2009, hitting .255/.312/.381 in 522 plate appearances while playing all four infield positions and the corner outfield spots. He spent the 2010 season with the Yomiuri Giants, and is the older brother of former Padres teammate Adrian Gonzalez.
Michael Young Rumors: Thursday
Michael Young wants out of Texas and, despite the $48MM remaining on his contract, some of the Rangers' rivals are interested. The Phillies inquired on Young and though the Angels, Dodgers and Yankees appear to have little interest in the 34-year-old, other clubs could become involved. Here's the latest on Young, with the most recent updates up top:
- Renck hears that the Rangers want more than they did six weeks ago, but the Rockies are not inclined to change their offer (Twitter link).
- The Rockies thought they had a deal in place with the Rangers for Young about six weeks ago, writes Renck. The Rockies would have given up a pair of solid prospects and were to take on about $20MM of Young's contract. But then the Rangers missed out on free agent DH targets and at this time want more from the Rockies.
- Rangers GM Jon Daniels told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that "nobody looks good right now" for a Young trade. Daniels suggested that "if a deal is going to happen, it's probably going to happen" before Rangers position players report to Spring Training in nine days, though he does not consider February 19th a deadline. He also told Grant the Rangers are not pursuing free agents to replace Young.
- The Dodgers and Rangers had serious discussions about Young, but the sides didn't get close to a deal, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. One source told the FOX writers the Dodgers wanted the Rangers to assume "as much as" $36MM of the $48MM owed to Young.
- The Rangers and Rockies both know the deal they want and seem to be waiting for the other club to blink, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
- The Rangers don't expect to be able to move Young, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). Teams have inquired, but there's no apparent fit.
- Troy Renck of the Denver Post has been told multiple times that the Rockies are out unless the Rangers approach them again (Twitter link).
- Angels GM Tony Reagins told Bill Shaikin of the LA Times that he's "not engaged" with another AL West team in trade talks (Twitter link). It doesn't sound like Young should pack his bags for Anaheim.
- We heard Tuesday that the Rockies were out on Young, but they may still be interested in him. The Rockies haven't heard they're out of the bidding, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The Rangers asked the Rockies for a "very good player" in exchange for Young and the sides are apart on money.
Orioles Notes: Scott, MacPhail, Guerrero
The Orioles avoided arbitration with Luke Scott today, but here's a few more tidbits from Charm City…
- Scott's contract includes a standard awards package that could put another $350K into his pocket according to Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun.
- President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail talked to a group of Baltimore School of Law students today, and The Baltimore Suns' Keith Van Valkenburg has the goods. MacPhail acknowledged that the team will not "be buying No. 1 pitchers" because they're expensive and fragile by the time they hit free agency. "It's just a bad place for us to spend our money."
- MacPhail said the team intends to stay the course and build from within, especially on the mound. "Given the economics of it, it's the only approach. It's not just the right approach, it's the only approach. We have to stick with it."
- The franchise is not able to sustain a $140MM payroll, and MacPhail doesn't foresee a salary cap anytime soon. "If you want a cap, OK, but in my opinion that means you're going to have no baseball for at least a year. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking the players will cave."
- ESPN.com's Keith Law tells Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com that he doesn't like what the Orioles have done this offseason. Vladimir Guerrero is, in Law's estimation, "in the toaster" even if he's not yet toast. Blocking Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie with Guerrero doesn't make sense to Law.
Mariners Sign Manny Delcarmen
The Mariners signed Manny Delcarmen to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training according to the team. He is represented by Jim Masteralexis and can remain under Seattle's control as arbitration eligible player in 2012.
Delcarmen, 29 later this month, posted a 4.99 ERA, 6.5 K/9, 5.5 BB/9, 1.4 HR/9, and 45.0% groundball rate for the Red Sox and Rockies in 2010. He battled back soreness and spent two weeks on the disabled list with a forearm strain, the first DL stint of his career. The Mariners will undoubtedly hope he turns back into the Delcarmen of old, the guy that struck out 8.6 batters per nine innings while walking just 3.4 per nine with impressive ground ball rates in 2007 and 2008.
The Rockies chose not to tender Delcarmen a contract in December after he earned $905K in 2010, prompting several clubs (including the Rays) to show interest in him this winter.
Cardinals, Mariners To Sign International Prospects
The Cardinals and Mariners moved closer to six-figure deals with international prospects today. The Cardinals got approval from MLB for their deal with Venezuelan prospect Leobaldo Pina, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). The shortstop will receive a bonus worth $300K or so.
You may not have heard of Gabriel Guerrero, but you've heard of his uncle. The Mariners signed Vladimir Guerrero's nephew for $400K, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. The 17-year-old Dominican is a "big-bodied right-handed hitter" with raw power. Badler writes that the prospect projects as a corner outfielder with a solid arm, just like Vlad.
Padres Sign Randy Flores
The Padres signed Randy Flores, according to CAA, the reliever's agency, on Twitter. Flores is set to sign a minor league deal with an invitation to Major League Spring Training, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (Twitter link).
The 35-year-old left-hander started last season in Colorado and the Twins picked him up off of waivers in August. In 31 total innings last year, Flores posted a 3.19 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9. Not surprisingly, he has fared better against left-handed hitters in his career, posting 7.7 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 against them. Flores induces more ground balls against right-handed batters, though.
Orioles, Luke Scott Avoid Arbitration
The Orioles avoided arbitration with Luke Scott, agreeing to a $6.4MM deal, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. As our Arb Tracker shows, Scott filed for $6.85MM, while the O's countered with a $5.7MM offer.
Scott led the Orioles in homers (27) last year, when he earned $4.05MM. The 32-year-old hit .284/.368/.535 in 517 plate appearances, mostly as the Orioles' DH. Scott will play left field in 2011, when Vladimir Guerrero takes over as the Orioles' everyday DH.
The Orioles can retain Scott in 2012 if they offer arbitration, but they could choose to cut him loose after the season if they determine that his salary as a fourth-time arbitration eligible player will out-strip his production.
Orioles right-hander Jeremy Guthrie is one of eight arbitration eligible players who is still without a contract for 2011.
Rangers, Josh Hamilton Agree To Two-Year Deal
3:02pm: Hamilton earns $7.25MM in 2011, $13.75MM in 2012 and a $3MM signing bonus, according to Grant (on Twitter). The Rangers will pay Hamilton's signing bonus in two $1.5MM installments.
1:01pm: The Rangers agreed to sign Josh Hamilton to a two-year, $24MM deal, avoiding arbitration. Hamilton had filed for $12MM in arbitration this year, while the Rangers countered with $8.7MM.
Hamilton earned $3.25MM last year in his first season as an arbitration eligible player. He won the AL MVP, a Silver Slugger and the batting title in 2010, though he battled a variety of injuries along the way. Hamilton missed most of September with a ribcage injury, but finished the season with a sparkling .359/.411/.633 line and 32 homers.
The contract buys out the Moye/Sanderson client's final two seasons of arbitration eligibility, but does not delay his free agency. Like Joey Votto, last year's NL MVP, Hamilton signed an extension that covers only his remaining arbitration years.
Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News first reported the agreement (on Twitter) and Jon Heyman of SI.com reported the value of the contract (Twitter link).