Multiple teams remain interested in signing free agent closer Francisco Cordero and agent Bean Stringfellow is discussing multiyear deals at least one of them, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. The Reds remain interested, but Cincinnati GM Walt Jocketty says he isn’t prepared to guarantee more than one year.
"We're looking at one year or one year with an option," Jocketty said. "That's all it could be, right now."
The Reds are in regular communication about Cordero and a couple of other teams are involved, Stringfellow said. The agent doesn’t expect Cordero to be a free agent for much longer and suggested a deal may occur within ten days.
The 36-year-old posted a 2.45 ERA with 5.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 50% ground ball rate in 69 2/3 innings for the Reds this past season. Cordero reached the 30-save plateau for the fifth consecutive season, saving 37 games. However, his average fastball velocity dropped to 93 mph and peripheral stats such as xFIP (4.14) and SIERA (3.91) suggest his 2.45 ERA may be artificially low. The three-time All-Star has also been linked to the Rays, Red Sox and Angels this offseason.
Thank God the Sox got Bailey and Melancon, which presumably means they won’t get Cordero. That guy would be a disaster waiting to happen at Fenway
Bean Stringfellow? Really? Stringbean?
Best name in baseball.
Seeing Bean’s name just never ever gets old.
Don’t make fun of his name, that’s rude.
Bean Stringfellow… Hahaha
Can we sign Stringfellow to close instead of Coco? Cooler name and costs less I bet.
Man oh man. I never wanted Cordero on the Rays til now when the report is that Rodney has been signed. Even Cordero can be trusted more than Rodney. I hate signing pitchers or hitters that I loved facing on other teams, it’s not a good sign. 1 year and 2 million isn’t a huge risk as long as he’s the lowest leverage out of the pen.
Noooooooo! I want Madson! Dammit Walt lets go for it at this point!
As much as I’d prefer Madson over Coco, our small budget won’t allow it … we just don’t have the market size to be able to afford talented Boras clients. Until the inequality in baseball is fixed, there will always be the “haves” and the “have nots”