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Olney On Rodriguez, Ibanez, Lee, Yankees

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Last night’s arbitration decisions included some particularly interesting cases, and ESPN.com’s Buster Olney offers insight into a few of them:

  • At times “winks and nods” are involved when it comes to Type B free agents. The free agents have been known to agree in advance to decline arbitration offers, since doing so doesn’t hurt their free agent value. 
  • However, GM Doug Melvin says the Brewers did not ask agent Scott Boras to decline the team’s offer to Francisco Rodriguez. "We felt that with us trading some players the last few years that this was a chance to recover with some high picks,” Melvin told Olney. The GM explained that he’s not expecting to obtain many compensation picks in the next couple of years.
  • As Olney points out, Rodriguez faces a similar decision to the one another Boras client, Rafael Soriano, faced last offseason: “take more money to be a setup man, or less to be a closer.”
  • Olney notes that Raul Ibanez’s agents have a good relationship with the Phillies and suggests it’s likely Ibanez has agreed to turn down the team’s offer.
  • There's no understanding that Derrek Lee will reject the Pirates' offer, according to Olney (on Twitter).
  • Olney suggests gentlemen's agreements are likely in place with Aaron Harang, Jose Molina and David DeJesus and that the three players will decline arbitration(Twitter link).
  • The Yankees are quietly confident that Phil Hughes will start Spring Training in improved physical condition and have a bounce-back season in 2012. They will continue to discuss available starting pitchers, even after agreeing to terms with Freddy Garcia.

Red Sox Notes: Ortiz, Valentine, Wilson

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Major League Baseball's new collective bargaining agreement will make it harder for teams to spend big on amateur talent, which leaves them looking for new ways to build a competitive advantage. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports suggests clubs should invest in scouting to ensure that the money they do spend impacts the Major League roster. Here's more from Morosi on the Boston Red Sox:

  • Morosi says it's more likely than not that David Ortiz will return to Boston for another season. The Red Sox offered the free agent DH arbitration in a climate that no longer rewards one-dimensional sluggers as generously as it once did.
  • Bobby Valentine remains the favorite to be named Boston's next manager, according to Morosi. Tigers third base coach Gene Lamont and Blue Jays first base coach Torey Lovullo remain in the mix as well.
  • The Red Sox continue pursuing C.J. Wilson, according to Morosi. Many other clubs, including the Yankees and Blue Jays also have some interest in the free agent left-hander.

Examining Teams’ Arbitration Decisions

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Teams had until last night to offer arbitration to ranked free agents. Now that decisions from the National and American Leagues are in, here’s an explanation of what certain offers may mean, starting with players who obtained offers:

  • David Ortiz (A) – The slugging DH has a strong case for a multiyear deal, but which team will offer him one? If there’s no multiyear offer on the table by December 7, Ortiz may consider accepting Boston’s offer. It would likely mean a raise from the $12.5MM salary he earned in 2011.
  • Raul Ibanez (B) – It seems that the Phillies have a handshake agreement with the 39-year-old and that he'll decline the team's offer. With all due respect to Ibanez, it wouldn't make sense for the Phillies to commit an eight-figure salary to a defensive liability who posted a .707 OPS in 2011.
  • Edwin Jackson (B) – The Cardinals’ projected 2012 rotation is currently full, so their decision to offer Jackson arbitration suggests they believe he’d have positive trade value on a one-year deal.
  • Heath Bell (A) – It seems as though Bell’s future in San Diego has been uncertain for years. He now has two weeks to decide whether to accept the Padres’ offer or decline and hit the market in search of a multiyear deal.
  • Francisco Rodriguez (A) – The Brewers already have a closer in John Axford, but they seem to be gambling that Rodriguez will turn their offer down in search of a closing job elsewhere. It’s worth noting that he complained about his role late in the season and that Rodriguez won’t cost a draft pick under the new CBA. It’s hard to imagine him accepting the Brewers’ offer.
  • Blue Jays – Toronto extended four arbitration offers — more than any other team. Their interest in accumulating draft picks persists, despite spending limitations in upcoming drafts. The Phillies, Cardinals, Red Sox and Twins each offered three free agents arbitration.

Here's a look at one player who didn’t obtain an offer of arbitration:

  • Roy Oswalt (A) – The Phillies could have obtained draft picks for Oswalt if they were convinced that he wasn’t going to accept arbitration. Instead, they withheld an offer, making Oswalt the lone Type A free agent not to obtain one (not counting players who had clauses in their contracts ruling out the possibility of an offer). This suggests the Phillies aren’t completely convinced Oswalt would turn arbitration down, despite a strong early market for his services. After earning $16MM in 2011, Oswalt wouldn’t necessarily have positive trade value on a one-year deal.

It’s worth noting that players can re-sign with teams after declining their offers of arbitration. Similarly, teams can re-sign players to whom they did not extend offers of arbitration.

Heyman On Ortiz, Rodriguez, Nathan

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Now that this year's arbitration offers are officially in, the free agent market has become that much easier to read. Jon Heyman of SI.com examines some of last night’s decisions and provides more notes from around the league (all Twitter links): 

  • One agent predicts David Ortiz could get $16MM if he accepts Boston’s offer of arbitration. Heyman suggests a two-year deal in the $25-28MM range could also work for both sides.
  • Though the Brewers took on some risk by offering Francisco Rodriguez arbitration, the right-hander seeks a multiyear deal and a closing job, so he’ll decline Milwaukee’s offer. The Brewers already have John Axford in place, so for Rodriguez to close games he’ll have to move on.
  • The Twins offered Joe Nathan a two-year deal that would have guaranteed him a bit less than the $14.75MM contract he signed in Texas. However, one AL executive told Heyman that Nathan "wanted to go to Texas."

American League Free Agent Arbitration Offers

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10 American League teams have free agent arbitration offer decisions to make, and we'll update them in this post throughout the day in advance of the 11pm central time deadline.  For a fantastic customizable chart with all 57 Type A/B free agents and their teams' decisions in real-time, click here. 

Updated team decisions:

Teams with decisions still due:

National League Free Agent Arbitration Offers

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10 National League teams have free agent arbitration offer decisions to make today, and we'll update them in this post in advance of the 11pm central time deadline.  For a fantastic customizable chart with all 57 Type A/B free agents and their teams' decisions in real-time, click here.  

Updated team decisions:

Teams with automatic decisions only:

Yankees, Freddy Garcia Nearing Deal

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The Yankees are nearing a one-year deal with Freddy Garcia, according to David Waldstein of the New York Times (on Twitter).The Yankees offered the right-hander arbitration earlier tonight.

Garcia, 35, signed a minor league deal in February and delivered a surprisingly strong 3.62 ERA in 146 2/3 innings. The 13-year veteran posted 5.9 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 36.4% ground ball rate for the Yankees, spending part of August on the disabled list with an index finger injury.

Though the Yankees have locked up C.C. Sabathia, their search for starting pitching continues. Sabathia and Garcia will join A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes in the team's projected 2012 rotation.

Quick Hits: Red Sox, Sizemore, Padres, Chen

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Links for Wednesday night as we await arbitration decisions from the National and American Leagues…

  • Rob Bradford of WEEI.com surveyed this offseason's stronger-than-usual relief market with the help of many Major League GMs. The Red Sox aren’t desperate for a closer, because Daniel Bard and Bobby Jenks are already in their ‘pen, but GM Ben Cherington figures to explore the market for closers after losing Jonathan Papelbon to the Phillies.
  • The Phillies, Rockies and Cubs had more interest in Grady Sizemore than any teams except the Indians, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter links). Hoynes has the details on Sizemore’s incentives: the outfielder obtains $1MM if he reaches 500 plate appearances and $500K for every 25 plate appearances until he reaches 650. 
  • The Padres aren’t likely to sign any free agent pitchers to Major League deals this offseason, according to MLB.com’s Corey Brock (on Twitter). Padres GM Josh Byrnes sent starter Wade LeBlanc to Miami yesterday.
  • The Rockies had mild interest in Bruce Chen before he re-signed in Kansas City, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter). 
  • The Twins and Cubs were Chen’s primary suitors other than the Royals, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).

Yankees Sign Jayson Nix

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The Yankees have signed Jayson Nix to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Nix, a 29-year-old who bats from the right side, will presumably compete for a utility job next spring.

Nix posted a .169/.245/.309 line in 151 plate appearances for the 2011 Blue Jays before they outrighted him to the minors in July. He posted double-digit home run totals in 2009-10, but has struck out in a quarter of his career plate appearances. The 2001 first rounder has MLB experience at shortstop, second, third and both corner outfield positions.

Cesar Izturis Drawing Interest

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Cesar Izturis is looking for a Major League deal and has drawn interest from several teams, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The infielder won’t be re-signing with the Orioles, according to Connolly.

Izturis, 31, has spent the past three seasons in Baltimore, where he has played shortstop, second and third. He missed much of the 2011 season with elbow and groin injuries, but has a .255/.295/.322 line in 11 Major League seasons. UZR suggests the former Gold Glove winner has been an above-average defender in each of the past six seasons. Izturis is a client of Peter E. Greenberg & Associates, the same agency that represents free agent shortstop Jose Reyes.

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