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Archives for January 2012

Phillies Interested In Kerry Wood

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11:04pm: The Cubs and Wood can't agree on the money or the length of a contract, writes Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.  Wood seeks around $4MM, writes Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.  The big righty told NBC-5 Chicago he'll make a decision by Friday, which also marks the start of the Cubs Convention. 

6:08pm: The Cubs and Phillies have expressed the strongest interest in signing Wood, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com.

1:50pm: Late last week Kerry Wood appeared to be working toward a one-year deal to return to the Cubs, but we soon heard that it was far from done and that Wood is still in talks with several teams about a 2012 contract. The Phillies could be one of those teams based on these two tweets from ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, who reports that Philadelphia has Wood on their radar but their interest could be contingent on the health of Jose Contreras.

The 40-year-old Contreras had season-ending elbow surgery in August after appearing in just 17 games (14 innings of work) for the Phils last season. He compiled a 3.86 ERA and 8.4 K/9 but struggled with his control, walking eight and hitting a batter in those 14 innings. Wood, on the other hand, whiffed 10.1 per nine over 51 innings of 3.35 ERA ball with the Cubs, with a more reasonable 3.7 BB/9.

The Phillies lost Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge both to free agency this winter. They pounced early to replace Madson by signing Jonathan Papelbon. Wood would represent an affordable option to set-up for Papelbon. As Crasnick notes in a final tweet, the allure of playing for a contender may have more appeal than the Cubs' rebuilding philosophy under the new front office headed by Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer.

Gammons On Fielder, Madson, Cook

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The relative inactivity of the Yankees and Red Sox on the market for expensive free agents has rendered this offseason a strange one, writes Peter Gammons of MLB.com. Both clubs are concerned about the luxury tax in both the short and long terms, one GM tells Gammons. Here are some other tidbits of note …

  • Gammons wonders whether there’s a fit for free agent Prince Fielder other than the Nationals: “Where is there a team with local media rights that Fielder could impact? And local media rights is what's driving the cars these days, as Albert Pujols knows.”
  • However, if the Rangers get a deal done with Yu Darvish, the "Fielder watch will come into focus," especially if the Nationals back off and Prince doesn’t want to play for the Mariners.
  • As for Ryan Madson, the race between the Angels and Rangers for supremacy in the AL West could re-shape the market for the free agent closer. Halos GM Jerry Dipoto, in particular, is keeping an eye on the right-hander to see if his price comes down.
  • The Red Sox are looking at lefty Paul Maholm, and they might be interested in Aaron Cook if the righty is amenable to signing a minor league deal with incentives. Cook has a history with new Boston pitching coach Bob McClure.
  • The Red Sox inked right-hander Carlos Silva in hopes of making him 2012’s Freddy Garcia, who was a nice value signing for the Yankees on a one-year, $1.5MM deal last season.

Brewers Work Out Aoki

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Japanese outfielder Norichika Aoki has completed a workout for the Brewers, according to Nikkan Sports via Patrick Newman's NPB Tracker.

The Brewers won the right to negotiate with Aoki after placing a high bid of $2.5MM through the posting system. The bid was accepted by the Yakult Swallows, Aoki's club in NPB, and the Brewers have till Jan. 17 to sign Aoki, according to Newman, or else he'll return to the Swallows.

Brewers GM Doug Melvin and manager Ron Roenicke were among eight representatives in attendance for the 75-minute workout, which reportedly included catch, long toss, batting practice and base running.

Aoki has been a star in Japan, posting a robust .336/.411/.472 line in seven seasons. The Brewers, however, may have a bench role in mind for the outfielder, as we learned last month that they began contract negotiations in the $1-1.5MM range.

MLBTR Originals: 1/1/12 – 1/7/12

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There was plenty of original analysis and reporting published at MLBTR last week. Here's a look back …

Week In Review: 1/1/12 – 1/7/12

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Lots of transactions this week… let's run down the major ones along with the week's top rumors here:

  • The Angels and Howie Kendrick agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension worth $33.5MM that will buy out his final arbitration year and three free agent seasons. The Halos also inked Jorge Cantu to a minor league deal.
  • The A's signed Coco Crisp to a two-year deal that will pay the center fielder $6MM in 2012, $7MM in 2013, and carries a $7.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout for 2014.
  • Jason Frasor's tenure with the White Sox didn't last long; the South Siders dealt him back to the team they acquired him from this past summer — the Blue Jays – in exchange for two minor league pitchers.
  • The Padres dealt with their first base surplus this week by trading Anthony Rizzo (along with Zach Cates) to the Cubs in exchange for Andrew Cashner and Kyung-Min Na. Rizzo had previously been one of the key components to San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez trade.
  • The Marlins took on one of the game's biggest loose cannons when they acquired Carlos Zambrano for Chris Volstad. The Cubs will pay all but $2.5MM of the $18MM owed to Zambrano. Miami also signed Greg Dobbs to a two-year deal worth $3MM.
  • Speaking of nearly untradeable Cubs, the Orioles discussed a potential acquisition of Alfonso Soriano from Chicago earlier this week. Multiple teams have inquired on Soriano apparently, though the Cubs would need to eat an immense amount of salary.
  • The Mariners signed Hisashi Iwakuma to a mere one-year, $1.5MM contract that includes $3.4MM in incentives. Iwakuma turned down signficantly more on a multiyear deal with the A's through the posting system following the 2010 season.
  • Iwakuma wasn't Seattle's only Japanese signing though; the Mariners also agreed to sign infielder Munenori Kawasaki to a minor league contract. Like Iwakuma, Kawasaki was a free agent and exempt from the posting system.
  • The Yankees, meanwhile, failed to reach an agreement with Japanese infielder Hiroyuki Nakajima. The Bombers wanted Nakajima in a utility role, while he was a star with the Seibu Lions.
  • The Cubs agreed to extend their relationship with Reed Johnson, coming to terms on a one-year deal worth $1.15MM for the outfielder.
  • The Mets made a pair of similar one-year signings (price-wise), picking up Ronny Cedeno for $1.2MM and re-signing Scott Hairston to a $1.1MM deal.
  • There were several major league deals given out to relievers this week, starting with the Rays' addition of Fernando Rodney on a one-year deal worth $2MM. Rodney will earn $1.75MM this season with a $250K buyout on a $2.5MM club option for 2013.
  • The Blue Jays signed Darren Oliver to a one-year deal that will pay the veteran southpaw $4MM.
  • The Dodgers signed Mike MacDougal to a one-year deal that will pay the 34-year-old $1MM and contains a club option for the 2013 season.
  • The Nationals, who will be receiving a tremendous increase in their TV revenues, may have emerged as the favorites to land Prince Fielder. Doing so would likely mean they'd have to find a new home for Adam LaRoche.
  • Scott Boras is said to be seeking five years for his other big ticket free agent, Edwin Jackson. Early in the offseason, Boras was reportedly seeking A.J. Burnett/John Lackey money (five years, $82.5MM).
  • Tigers righty Rick Porcello has opted out of his contract and become arbitration-eligible. He signed a four-year Major League deal out of the draft and exercised his opt-out clause, which will allow him to earn more via the arbitration process.
  • Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan is taking a leave of absence while his wife battles with cancer. Keep he and his family in your thoughts.
  • After a 17-year Major League career spent entirely with the Yankees, Jorge Posada will announce his retirement in the coming weeks. After all is said and done, Posada will finish with a career triple slash line of .273/.374/.474 to go along with 275 homers.

Orioles Close To Deal With Wei-Yin Chen

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The Orioles are close to a multiyear deal with Taiwanese lefty Wei-Yin Chen, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  As a foreign player in Nippon Professional Baseball, Chen had free agency negotiated into his contract with the Chunichi Dragons.

Last year in Japan, Chen posted a 2.68 ERA, 5.1 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, and 0.49 HR/9 in 164 2/3 innings.  He ranked 19th on Keith Law's top 50 free agents list.  Law offered a positive scouting report, concluding that Chen "offers more upside than the typical NPB refugee, both due to age and the chance for the slider to become a consistently plus pitch."  Chen, 26, throws relatively hard for a southpaw, as high as 92-94 when he's right according to Law.

New Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette has gone the international route to supplement his rotation, having already added an NPB starter in December in Tsuyoshi Wada.

Quick Hits: Mariners, Indians, Strasburg

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Some afternoon links for a slow-moving Sunday…

  • The Mariners currently project as a 75-win team, writes Dave Cameron of the U.S.S. Mariner and Fangraphs. Cameron writes that assuming the team still has $15MM to spend, they could push themselves into the .500 range for the 2012 season. He looks at remaining free agents and presents three speculative offseason scenarios — one of which involves Prince Fielder.
  • Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer answers questions from Indians fans surrounding Matt LaPorta's trade value, potential free agent signings, Shelley Duncan's roster status, the health of Grady Sizemore, and more in this mailbag piece.
  • Pete Kerzel of MASNsports.com writes that Nationals fans should get used to the conservative approach for Stephen Strasburg, speculating an innings limit of 170 (based on how the team handled Jordan Zimmermann last year). He goes on to say that while GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Johnson may get creative to allow him to pitch into early September, they're both "big picture guys" who would probably shut Strasburg down before late September even things broke right and Washington reached the playoffs.

NL West Notes: Dodgers, Hamels, Lidge

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When MLBTR's Tim Dierkes listed the most surprising trades of the offseason last week, NL West clubs showed up in four of the six. The West, which has seen all five teams earn playoff spots since 2006, is once again difficult to figure out heading into the spring, writes Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports. As the division's residents continue to make moves in hopes of contending, here are the latest NL West updates:

  • The Disney family has partnered with Stanley Gold and will make a bid for the Dodgers, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. With a handful of deep-pocketed bidders already in contention for the franchise, Shaikin says current owner Frank McCourt believes the sale could exceed $1.6 billion.
  • Within his ESPN.com Insider blog, Buster Olney says the competition is good news for Dodgers fans, since no one who commits that type of money to purchase the franchise will "let it rot with a modest payroll." Cole Hamels should also be excited, Olney adds, implying the Dodgers could be in position to make the southpaw a significant offer if he becomes a free agent next winter.
  • The Rockies, who we know have talked to Brad Lidge this offseason, are still interested in the Denver-area native, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. However, due to Lidge's injuries last year, Colorado only has interest "at minimal risk." Presumbly a deal heavy on incentives would be the Rockies' preference.

AL East Notes: Smith, Hanigan, Yankees, Orioles

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Exactly one year ago, the Rays and Cubs finalized an eight-player deal that sent Matt Garza to Chicago. 365 days later, Garza is on the block again, though so far teams have balked at the Cubs' asking price. Could Garza be back in the AL East before Opening Day? While we wait to find out, here are a few links from the division:

  • Although we heard in recent weeks that Tampa Bay was interested in Rockies' outfielder Seth Smith, the Rays may not have held onto Smith had they acquired him. According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider link), one deal discussed earlier in the winter involved the Rays trading for Smith and flipping him to the Reds in exchange for catcher Ryan Hanigan.
  • Newsday's Ken Davidoff explains why the Yankees haven't made a move for one of the top starting pitchers (including Garza) available via free agency or trade.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com looks into the Orioles' search for a designated hitter.
  • Check out this morning's Red Sox notes here and last night's AL East notes here.

Cafardo On Red Sox, Soriano, Madson, Mahay

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Within this week's Sunday Baseball Notes, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported that Kevin Cash has decided to end his playing career. Let's take a look at a few other notes Cafardo shared in his column….

  • Addressing the starting rotation, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says the team may "buy low on some guys and create a competition in camp." One buy-low candidate the Sox are known to be eyeing is Paul Maholm. Cafardo expects the former Pirate to sign a one-year, incentive-laden deal somewhere.
  • The Red Sox may also have Joe Saunders on their radar. One NL scout weighed in on the southpaw: "You'd be afraid that he'd give up some homers at Fenway. But on the other hand, when you've got a guy who can pitch 200 innings from the No. 4 spot in your rotation, I'm telling you, that is effective because that's one of the bullpen spots in the rotation. I mean, that's where you normally believe you have to use a lot of your pen, and if a guy like that saves you, that's important."
  • The Cubs are willing to absorb most of the $54MM remaining on Alfonso Soriano's contract in order to facilitate a trade.
  • According to Cafardo, many teams, including the Red Sox, Cardinals, and Rays, will become more interested in Ryan Madson if and when his asking price drops. I have my doubts that Madson will become inexpensive enough for the Rays to get too involved.
  • 40-year-old lefty Ron Mahay says he feels great and intends to continue his pitching career. Mahay recorded a 3.44 ERA in 34 innings for the Twins in 2010, but couldn't crack the big league roster for the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, or Cardinals in 2011.

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