Archives for January 2012

Red Sox Talking To Roy Oswalt

By Dan Mennella | January 15, 2012 at 10:51pm CDT

The Red Sox have ongoing contact with free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com (Twitter link).

Oswalt, not far removed from being a dependable top-of-the-rotation starter, has seen his stock fall this offseason due to injury concerns, with recent rumors suggesting he could end up with a one-year contract worth somewhere around $8MM.

In addition to the Red Sox, the Rangers and Cardinals are also thought to be interested in adding the right-hander, who could pay off in spades for a contender if he's back at full strength.

Boston has been aggressively purusing rotation depth recently, although Oswalt would be more than insurance if he were to sign. The Sox added Aaron Cook and Justin Germano on minor league deals, and they may be nearing an agreement with Vicente Padilla.

MLBTR Originals: 1/8/2012 – 1/14/2012

By Dan Mennella | January 15, 2012 at 9:45pm CDT

There was plenty of news last week, but the sturdy writing team here at MLBTR still managed to pump out some interested original analysis and reporting. Here's the rundown:

Ben Nicholson-Smith listed the top 10 remaining free agents on the market.
Tim Dierkes reported the terms of Darren Oliver's contract with the Blue Jays.
Ben first reported the Rockies' signing of Damaso Espino to a minor league contract, as well as the terms of Manny Parra's agreement with the Brewers on a one-year contract.
Tim resurrected his Boras Blast From The Past series in the wake of Ryan Madson's deal with the Reds.
Fewer free agent relievers got multiyear deals this offseason than last, by Ben's count.
Michael Morse's sudden rise to prominence has positioned him for an interesting extension candidacy, as Tim writes.
It's never too soon to break down next offseason's free agent class by position, which Tim did.
Mike Axisa rounded up some of the best pieces from around baseball's blogosphere.
Here's the transcript of the weekly MLBTR chat, hosted by Tim.
I looked at the remaining free agent groundballers on the market.

Rockies, Seth Smith Avoid Arbitration

By Dan Mennella | January 15, 2012 at 8:46pm CDT

8:46pm: Smith will earn $2.415MM, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes has learned.

8:28pm: The Rockies and Seth Smith have avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal, the team announced via Twitter.

Smith, 29, was eligible for arbitration for the first time. The outfielder has been a productive offensive player thus far in his career, posting a .275/.348/.485 line in 1,449 plate appearances. The left-handed hitter is well above average against righties (.290/.364/.518) but struggles mightily against southpaws (.202/.269/.319), so he's best deployed in a platoon.

Smith, a second-round pick of the Rox in 2004, was projected by MLBTR's Matt Swartz to earn $2.6MM through arbitration.

Week In Review: 1/8/2012 – 1/14/2012

By Dan Mennella | January 15, 2012 at 8:12pm CDT

The Yankees awoke from a relative offseason slumber to pull off a pair of big moves on Friday. In case you missed that or any other notable news, the Week In Review's got you covered …

The Yankees and Mariners teamed up for a blockbuster trade including lots of prized young talent, with Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi going to Seattle in exchange for Michael Pineda and Jose Campos.
The Yanks also agreed to terms with free agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda on a one-year, $10MM deal.
The Reds agreed to terms with closer Ryan Madson on a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2013 in what may be one of the offseason's best bargains.
The Angels reached agreement with infielder Howie Kendrick on a four-year, $33.5MM extension that covers his final year of arbitration eligibility and three years of free agency.
Josh Hamilton said he'd be open to signing an extension with the Rangers before Spring Training, while Texas tabled extension talks with lefty Derek Holland.
Contract length proved to be an obstacle in the ongoing negotiations between the Rangers and Yu Darvish. Texas was rumored to be talking "Dice-K" money with the right-hander.
Barry Larkin was elected to the Hall of Fame.
Marlins president David Samson said Miami will make an aggressive run for Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes once he becomes a free agent.
The Orioles' Adam Jones said he has not been offered a contract extension.
The Cubs agreed to terms with reliever Kerry Wood on a one-year contract that includes a 2013 option.
The Rays signed free agent Luke Scott to a one-year contract with a club option for 2013.
The Cubs signed lefty Paul Maholm to a one-year deal with a club option for 2013.
The Blue Jays signed lefty reliever Darren Oliver to a one-year deal with a club option for 2013.
The Orioles reached agreement with Korean righty Wei-Yin Chen on a three-year contract worth $12MM.
The Braves agreed to terms infielder Jack Wilson on a one-year contract.
The Mets signed shortstop Ronny Cedeno to a one-year deal, and they also re-signed Scott Hairston to a one-year Major League pact.
A handful of players avoided arbitration with their teams: Ryan Sweeney (Red Sox), Chris Resop (Pirates), Martin Prado (Braves), Manny Parra (Brewers), Kyle Kendrick (Phillies), Ryan Vogelsong (Giants), Kendrys Morales (Angels), and Carlos Gomez (Brewers).
The Brewers exchanged proposals with Japanese outfielder Norichika Aoki.
The Nats withdrew from the Cespedes sweepstakes but remain in on Prince Fielder.
The Red Sox moved close to signing right-hander Vicente Padilla and met with David Ortiz's agent.
The Rays closed in on an extension for manager Joe Maddon.
The Indians expressed interest in free agent first baseman Carlos Pena.
The Tigers downplayed talks of their interest in Cubs right-hander Matt Garza.
Recently extended MLB Commissioner Bud Selig prioritized the Athletics' potential relocation/ballpark search.
Melvin Mora un-retired, while Kevin Cash hung 'em up.
Hiroyuki Nakajima returned to NPB. The shortstop was unable to reach agreement with the Yankees, the team that won the rights to negotiation with him through the posting process.
The Royals agreed to terms with third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff on a minor league contract.
The Cubs agreed to terms with Alfredo Amezaga on a minor league contract.
The Pirates signed lefty reliever Doug Slaten to a minor league pact.
The Indians signed reliever Chris Ray to a minor league contract.
The Mariners signed Aaron Heilman to a minor league deal.
The Cardinals signed Koyie Hill to a minor league deal.
The Mets re-signed Miguel Batista to a minor league deal.
The Orioles re-signed Willie Eyre to a minor league deal.
The Astros claimed outfielder Fernando Martinez, a former blue-chipper, from the Mets.
The Brewers claimed Jeff Bianchi from the Cubs.
The Red Sox acquired infielder Brad Emaus from the Rockies for a player to be named or cash. Boston also signed righty Aaron Cook and Justin Germano, another right-hander, to minor league contracts.
The Reds signed lefty relievers Ron Mahay and Clay Zavada to minor league contracts.
Scott Proctor signed with Korea's Doosan Bears.
Several players were designated for assignment: Nevin Ashley (Rays), Henry Villar (Astros), Kyle Hudson (Orioles), and Mark Teahen (Blue Jays).
The Phillies released John Bowker.

Red Sox, Saltalamacchia Avoid Arbitration

By Dan Mennella | January 15, 2012 at 6:35pm CDT

The Red Sox and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia have avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, the team announced. The deal is worth $2.5MM, tweets Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.

Saltalamacchia, 27 in May, hit 16 homers and posted a .235/.288/.450 line in 386 plate-appearances for the Red Sox in 2011, his first full campaign in Boston. Once a highly touted prospect with the Braves, Salty has been something of a disappointment as a Major Leaguer, hitting .244/.307/.406 in nearly 1,300 career plate appearances over parts of five seasons, although catchers are known the develop late.

Matt Swartz of MLBTR projected Salty would earn $1.6MM in 2012 through arbitration, so the reported $2.5MM is favorable for the Munsey Sports Management client based on that projection.

Boston's remaining arbitration eligible players are Alfredo Aceves, Mike Aviles, Andrew Bailey, Daniel Bard, Jacoby Ellsbury, Franklin Morales and David Ortiz, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.

Yankees Have Spoken To Carlos Pena

By Dan Mennella | January 15, 2012 at 5:29pm CDT

The Yankees have contacted DH/first baseman Carlos Pena, the free agent told Rich Herrera and Mel Antonen during an appearance on MLB Network Radio's Home Plate program (Twitter link). Pena also said he's keeping his options open at this point.

We heard earlier today that the Bombers have also been in touch with free agent Johnny Damon, so they're clearly kicking the tires on reasonably priced DH/1B types after trading Jesus Montero to the Mariners on Friday.

After reestablishing himself as an MLB starter with the Rays from 2007-10, Pena hit free agency last offseason and signed a one-year deal with the Cubs. The left-handed hitter, a Boras Corporation client, slugged 28 homers and posted a .225/.357/.462 line. He'll turn 34 in May.

The Yankees' current projected payroll is at about $212MM, according to Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger, who heard earlier in the offseason that New York doesn't want to go above that figure (Twitter links). So, it sounds like the Yanks will either have to stray from their plan, or sign a Damon or Pena type at a fairly steep discount.

You can use MLBTR's Free Agent Tracker to have a look at the remaining free agent designated hitters and first basemen.

Extension Candidate: Mike Stanton

By Mike Axisa | January 15, 2012 at 4:51pm CDT

With offense on the decline around the league, power is at a premium these days. Few players have more of it than Mike Stanton, the Marlins' 22-year-old wunderkind. Since making his Major League debut on June 8th of 2010, his 56 homers are the sixth most in baseball behind Jose Bautista (79), Albert Pujols (65), Mark Teixeira (64), Curtis Granderson (62), and Prince Fielder (61). That's elite company, especially for someone so young.

The Marlins went on a spending spree this offseason, importing Ozzie Guillen, Jose Reyes, Carlos Zambrano, Heath Bell, and Mark Buehrle, but perhaps their wisest signing could be locking Stanton into a long-term deal. There's certainly no rush since he won't be arbitration-eligible until after 2013 or a free agent until after 2016, but power pays in arbitration and Stanton could get expensive in a hurry. Look no further than Fielder, who turned his impressive power output into $33.5MM during his three arbitration years. It would have been more if he hadn't given up his first two arbitration years as part of a two-year, $18MM contract.

A number of young outfielders have signed long-term contracts in recent years and can serve as reference points for a Stanton extension. Justin Upton signed away his three arbitration years for $20.75MM, Carlos Gonzalez for $23.5MM, and Jay Bruce for $22.5MM. Upton, CarGo, and Bruce also gave up their first two years of free agency for an average of $13.3MM per season. Those same five years of Stanton's career figure to cost the Fish upwards of $50MM.

For what it's worth, the Marlins signed Hanley Ramirez to a six-year contract prior to the 2009 season, which would have been his first as an arbitration-eligible player. They secured his three arbitration years for $23.5MM and then three additional free agent years for an average of $15.5MM annually. Ramirez did have a Rookie of the Year award and two top-11 finishes in the NL MVP voting at that point, so Stanton would figure to come slightly cheaper, assuming they act now.

A new era of Marlins' baseball begins next season with a new name, a new stadium, and several new high-profile players. Getting Stanton — one of their core homegrown players and a .261/.344/.525 career hitter — under contract long-term would be an excellent finish to a productive and franchise-altering offseason.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Yankees Have Spoken To Johnny Damon

By Mike Axisa | January 15, 2012 at 3:23pm CDT

With Jesus Montero headed to the Mariners, the Yankees have spoken to Johnny Damon about the possibility of returning to New York as a DH according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (all Twitter links). He says they don't have much money left to spend on a hitter, adding that there's a "very small chance" they would consider Jorge Posada since he has yet to make his retirement official.

Damon spent four seasons in pinstripes, hitting .285/.363/.458 from 2006-2009. He hit .261/.326/.418 with 16 homers and 19 steals for the Rays last year, with 596 of his 647 plate appearances coming as the DH. The Orioles have expressed interest in him this month, though a return to Tampa is unlikely after they signed Luke Scott. Andy Martino of The New York Daily News says the Yankees have not yet fully evaluated their DH options following the Montero trade, and MLB.com's Bryan Hoch adds that they may be okay with Andruw Jones and minor league slugger Jorge Vazquez at the position to start the year (Twitter links).

Gonzalez, Nationals Agree To Five-Year Extension

By Luke Adams 2 | January 15, 2012 at 3:01pm CDT

3:01pm: Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports (on Twitter) that the deal is worth $42MM, and the two option years could raise the value to $65MM.

12:49pm: The Nationals and Gio Gonzalez have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension, the team announced. The deal runs through 2016, with club options for 2017 and 2018, and comes less than a month after the Nationals sent four prospects to the Athletics to acquire Gonzalez. The southpaw is an ACES client.

Gonzalez, 26, was eligible for arbitration for the first time as a Super Two this winter. Our projections pegged him for a $4.2MM salary in 2012. The extension will cover all four of Gonzalez's arbitration years plus one free agent year. With the two club options, the Nationals have potentially bought out three of the southpaw's free agent years.

Despite owning the rare distinction of being traded three times before making his big league debut, Gonzalez has emerged as one of the game's best young hurlers in recent years. He's coming off his strongest season to date, having recorded a 3.12 ERA and 8.8 K/9 in 32 starts. Despite leading the league in walks, the lefty earned his first All-Star berth and set a career high with 202 innings pitched.

When we looked at Gonzalez as an extension candidate last April, we mentioned that similar pitchers like Jon Lester, Ricky Romero, and Yovani Gallardo had signed five-year contracts worth approximately $30MM in recent years. Those deals also covered the pitchers' last four years of team control plus one free agent year, however none qualified as a Super Two. Gonzalez figures to command a slightly higher guaranteed salary, and MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith believes $38MM or so is fair (Twitter link).

With Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg under team control through 2015 and 2016, respectively, the top of the Nationals' rotation is set for the next half-decade. The club still has six unsigned arbitration-eligible players as our Arbitration Tracker shows: Tyler Clippard, Jesus Flores, Tom Gorzelanny, John Lannan, Mike Morse, and Zimmermann.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Blue Jays Avoid Arbitration With Colby Rasmus

By Mike Axisa | January 15, 2012 at 2:01pm CDT

The Blue Jays and Colby Rasmus have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $2.7MM, report CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman (on Twitter). Toronto acquired the Beverly Hills Sports Council client from the Cardinals at the trade deadline.

Our system forecast a $2.3MM salary for Rasmus next season. In 35 games after the trade, the 25-year-old hit just .173/.201/.316 with three homers while battling a wrist sprain. He's a .251/.322/.432 career hitter in his three big league seasons, though the various advanced metrics are mixed about his defensive performance.

As our Arbitration Tracker shows, the Blue Jays still have five unsigned arbitration-eligible players: Ben Francisco, Casey Janssen, Kelly Johnson, Brandon Morrow, and Carlos Villanueva.

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