Red Sox Sign Hector Luna
The Red Sox signed Hector Luna to a minor league deal, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Luna, who turns 31 next month, is a six-year MLB veteran with experience at every position but pitcher and catcher.
Luna appeared in 27 games for the Marlins last year, batting .138/.133/.379 with two homers in 30 plate appearances. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he hit .294/.367/.477 in 411 plate appearances. Most of Luna's big league experience comes on the infield, at second, thid and short.
Jed Lowrie provides the Red Sox with similar versatility and he is ahead of Luna on the depth chart after posting a .907 OPS in 197 plate appearances last year.
Yankees Expect To Hear From Pettitte Soon
A Yankees official told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com that the front office expects to know within a few days whether Andy Pettitte will pitch in 2011. Pettitte appears to be leaning toward retirement, but the Yankees are waiting to address other needs until they know the veteran left-hander’s intentions.
"Starter, reliever, a bat, it depends on what's out there,'' Matthews’ source said. '"But we gotta know what Andy is gonna do first.''
Pettitte would be a welcome addition to a rotation that contains its share of uncertainty after C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes. A.J. Burnett will attempt to recover from a disappointing 2010 campaign; Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre are leading canidadates to win starting jobs if Pettitte retires.
When MLBTR readers voted on Pettitte's future last week, 52% of over 13,000 readers said they think he'll continue playing.
Pirates To Re-Sign Brian Burres
The Pirates added a candidate for the starting rotation today, agreeing to re-sign Brian Burres, according to MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch. Even after he non-tendered the 29-year-old left-hander, GM Neal Huntington maintained that the club had interest in a new deal.
Burres appeared in 20 games for the Pirates last year, serving as a swingman. He started 13 games and relieved in seven others, logging 79 1/3 innings and posting a 4.99 ERA. His strikeout (5.1 K/9) and walk (3.9 BB/9) ratios are below-average, but he will provide the Pirates with depth.
Manager Clint Hurdle will choose between some new additions and some familiar faces when he lines up his 2011 rotation. Burres, Kevin Correia, Scott Olsen, Paul Maholm, Ross Ohlendorf, James McDonald, Charlie Morton, Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen and Brad Lincoln could all start for the Pirates this season.
The Pirates can retain Burres through 2013 if they offer him arbitration.
Brewers Rumors: Marcum, Betancourt, Weeks
The Brewers are going to be a different looking team in 2011. GM Doug Melvin appears to have improved his starting rotation significantly with a pair of major trades. Here's the latest on what remains for the Brewers between now and Opening Day…
- MLB.com's Adam McCalvy explains that the Brewers are open to extensions with new acquisitions Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke. Jon Heyman of SI.com notes that no talks are planned between Greinke and the Brewers at this point (Twitter link).
- All indications from Melvin suggest he's comfortable with Craig Counsell and Yuniesky Betancourt at short. Melivn defended Betancourt's ability and McCalvy takes an in-depth look at the shortstop's glovework.
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel projects upcoming raises for the Brewers' five unsigned arbitration-eligible players. Make sure to check out MLBTR's new arbitration tracker for the latest on Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Kameron Loe, Manny Parra, Marcum and other arbitration eligible players throughout MLB.
Twins Notes: Thome, Pavano, Greinke
So far this offseason, the Twins have made a number of minor league deals, traded J.J. Hardy to the Orioles and added Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka. Twins GM Bill Smith isn't done yet, though. The club could still add Jim Thome, Carl Pavano and/or others. Here's the latest on the defending AL Central champions from La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
- There are indications that Thome’s representatives raised some “eyebrows” when Lance Berkman signed for $8MM. Thome, who signed for a $1.5MM guarantee last winter, posted a .283/.412/.627 line, while Berkman hit just .248/.368/.413.
- There are no indications that Pavano has a three-year offer, according to Neal, who wonders whether the Twins have even offered a two-year deal.
- It’s not clear that the Twins can afford both Thome and Pavano, since both are coming off strong seasons and the Twins’ payroll is already high.
- There’s word that the Royals were not interested in discussing potential Zack Greinke trades with their AL Central rivals. The Indians and Twins did appear to have interest in Greinke, Neal writes.
Adrian Beltre Rumors: Monday
Multiple reports suggested that the Rangers and Adrian Beltre were close to an agreement on a multiyear deal yesterday, but it turns out that "nothing is remotely imminent" between the team and the third baseman. Though MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reported that the sides aren't nearing a deal, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says there "appears to be some hope" about a potential agreement. Here's the latest on the talks between Scott Boras and Beltre's suitors:
- Rangers officials admitted to Sullivan that they like Beltre, but team president Nolan Ryan says the Texas infield remains unchanged. "As of right now, Michael Young is our third baseman," Ryan said. "We haven't done anything."
- The Rangers' interest in Beltre is completely sincere, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. The 31-year-old wanted to return to Boston, but the Red Sox didn’t care to meet Boras’ asking price, according to Olney.
Rangers Talking With Adrian Beltre
10:30pm: After talking to Rangers officials, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan writes, "There appears to be some mutual interest on both sides, but nothing is remotely imminent."
6:52pm: Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports that the two sides are close to agreeing to a deal (link in Spanish). An agreement "appears imminent" according to one of Rojas' sources, while another tells him it will "probably" be a five-year contract with an option for 2016.
SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that nothing is done, but "there appears to be some hope." Jeff Wilson of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram echoes Heyman's report (Twitter link).
3:14pm: While the two sides have no deal in place, the Rangers remain in contact with Adrian Beltre, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi and Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) have both shot down a report out of the Dominican Republic earlier today that said the Rangers had signed Beltre to a six-year deal.
With Michael Young, Elvis Andrus, and Ian Kinsler all entrenched in the Texas infield, it would seem an unlikely match at first. However, the Rangers had some discussions at the Winter Meetings about sending Young to multiple teams, and this is far from the first time we've seen them linked to Beltre. Young could also be shifted into a designated hitter role in the event of a Beltre signing.
As WEEI.com's Alex Speier points out, Texas landing Beltre would represent a best case scenario for the Red Sox, as the Rangers' first round pick is unprotected, while other suitors such as the A's and Angels would only net Boston a second-round selection. In a poll just before New Year's, 11.55% of the near-12,000 MLBTR readers who voted thought Beltre would land in Texas.
According to Morosi, Scott Boras is seeking a five-year deal worth at least $85MM for his client, which is on par with ESPN's Buster Olney's take in late December. Despite ongoing discussions with the Rangers, Morosi says the Angels are still viewed as the favorite to land Beltre.
Odds & Ends: Greinke, Young, Rangers, MacLane
Links for Sunday….
- SI.com's Jon Heyman says the "word is" that the Nationals offered Zack Greinke a big contract extension in an effort to entice him to join their team (Twitter links). He simply didn't believe the Nats could win, so he instead waived his no-trade clause to go to the Brewers.
- A source told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the Rangers and Rockies have not had any serious talks about Michael Young in the last week, so if he does get traded, it will likely be to a team that did not show much interest in him at the Winter Meetings (Twitter links).
- Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News offers a "semi-educated guess" that if the Rangers do sign Adrian Beltre, they'll shift Young to a DH/utility role rather than trade him (Twitter link).
- NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman passes along a Japanese report that has the Orix Buffaloes set to acquire Evan MacLane from the Cardinals. An official announcement is expected soon.
- Cole Hamels and the Phillies haven't yet begun discussions for a multiyear extension, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As MLBTR's Tim Dierkes noted when he examined the Phillies' four aces, Hamels is arbitration eligible after next season and can become a free agent after 2012.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider required) shares a list of 36 potential MLB storylines for 2011. Olney's list includes the Albert Pujols negotiations, Heath Bell trade talks, and C.C. Sabathia's out clause.
- The Jason Bartlett trade potentially opened up a spot on the 25-man roster for long-time Rays' farmhand Elliot Johnson, according to Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.
- WEEI's Rob Bradford and Alex Speier attempt to determine whether Hideki Okajima is likely to rebound for the Red Sox in 2011.
- Roch Kubatko of MASN can't see the Orioles signing a full-time DH now that Derrek Lee is on board.
- Police say Alfredo Simon is the primary suspect in a fatal shooting in the Dominican Republic, reports the Associated Press (via the Miami Herald). Simon insists he was not involved in the incident, according to Orioles Dominican representative Felipe Alou Jr.
Rockies, Gonzalez Appear To Be Nearing Extension
The Rockies appear to be nearing an extension with Carlos Gonzalez. The outfielder's Twitter account announced that a contract is "is almost a fact" and confirmed that it would be in the seven-year, $80MM range. Troy Renck of the Denver Post says it sounds like a deal will be completed this week (Twitter links).
The deal would keep Gonzalez in the Rockies' lineup through 2017. He and Troy Tulowitzki, who is under contract through 2020, will be cornerstones in Colorado for the foreseeable future.
Gonzalez is not yet arbitration eligible, so the contract would cover one pre-arb season, three arbitration seasons and three free agent years. Agent Scott Boras has a tendency to let his clients hit the open market, but this deal would put Gonzalez's free agency off until he's 32. However, Boras proved with the Jayson Werth deal that it's possible for early thirties outfielders to cash in via free agency.
The precise breakdown of the proposed deal remains unclear, but it doesn't appear as though the Rockies are getting a hometown discount.
This post was originally published on January 3rd.
The Twins’ Rebuilt Bullpen
The Rays have been the center of the free agent defection universe this winter, most notably losing franchise player Carl Crawford to the division rival Red Sox. Tampa has also waved goodbye to key relievers Dan Wheeler, Joaquin Benoit, and Randy Choate, and figure to do the same to Chad Qualls, Grant Balfour, and Rafael Soriano. They'll feature a completely rebuilt bullpen when the 2011 season begins, but they're not alone.
The Twins, owners of one of the game's best bullpens in 2010 (3.49 ERA), have also dealt with a mass bullpen exodus. Setup men Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier left town for three-year deals while Brian Fuentes is looking for a similar contract as well. Jon Rauch and Ron Mahay are free agents that remaining unsigned. That fivesome combined for 240 1/3 innings with a 3.03 ERA, which will certainly be tough to replace.
Matt Capps finished the season as the team's closer, and he'll return as an arbitration-eligible player. Lefty Jose Mijares returns as well, joining fellow southpaw and Rule 5 pick Scott Diamond. The latter could end up the rotation, however. Anthony Slama was up briefly in 2010, but he and his impressive minor league track record (1.95 ERA, 12.5 K/9) figure to get a longer look in 2011. Alex Burnett, Glen Perkins, Rob Delaney, and Jeff Manship will also be returning. Hard throwing Triple-A righty Jim Hoey came over in the J.J. Hardy swap.
The Twins also have a rather significant relief ace in the hole. Joe Nathan is returning from Tommy John surgery and is expected to be ready for the start of the season, so he'll presumably step right back into his familiar closer's role. That pushes Capps back into a setup role, mitigating the loss of Crain and Guerrier somewhat. Pat Neshek will also be further away from Tommy John surgery, and he could be a major addition if he returns to his 2006-2007 form (2.68 ERA, 10.6 K/9 in 107 1/3 innings).
If the current cast of characters doesn't workout, GM Bill Smith has shown the willingness to go out and trade for bullpen help during the season. He acquired both Fuentes and Capps this past summer and Rauch the summer before. Two years ago he swung a move for Eddie Guardado. Next winter's crop of free agent relievers includes Heath Bell, Jonathan Papelbon, Jonathan Broxton, Francisco Cordero, Ryan Franklin, and Mike Gonzalez, some of whom will surely be made available in trades.
Minnesota lost a lot of quality relievers this offseason, but they still have a strong end-game duo in Nathan and Capps. There are enough warm bodies to try in middle relief, but if nothing sticks they can always go outside the organization for help. Fixing a bullpen in-season is standard practice in today's game, and 2011 will be no different for the Twinkies.