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Archives for March 2012

Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Angels

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The Angels stole Winter Meetings headlines by signing the offseason's best free agent hitter and pitcher in the course of a few hours.

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

Trades and Claims

Notable Losses

In August, MLBTR surveyed dozens of baseball people for their GM candidates.  Former big league reliever Jerry Dipoto was mentioned more than anyone else.  After a thorough search, the Angels named Dipoto as Tony Reagins' replacement in late October.  Dipoto came with a great drafting track record, and also had made several excellent trades as Arizona's interim GM in the summer of 2010.

Shortly after his hiring, Dipoto told ESPN's Jim Bowden catcher was one of multiple positions for which he wanted to improve the Angels' on-base percentage.  Several weeks later, Dipoto backed up his words by acquiring Iannetta for Chatwood.  Iannetta has a .357 career OBP, and The Fielding Bible considers him a "terrific defensive catcher."  Though the Rockies may not have appreciated Iannetta, they extracted a solid bounty in Chatwood, who Baseball America ranked the 76th best prospect in baseball prior to the 2011 season.  Given Iannetta's ability to void a $5MM club option for 2013 because of the trade, the Halos may have acquired only one year of control in exchange for six of Chatwood.  This was the first sign the Angels were embarking on a win-now offseason.  The Iannetta acquisition made non-tender candidate Jeff Mathis expendable, so Dipoto picked up Mills to essentially replace Chatwood down the rotation depth chart. 

Even in November, Dipoto warned Bowden not to assume the Angels had no interest in Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols.  However, many assumed Angels owner Arte Moreno would continue to drop out of the bidding on top free agents, and that Moreno's expected $130-140MM payroll precluded signing multiple impact players.

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The Marlins had shocked baseball by committing $191MM to free agents Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Heath Bell during the 2011 Winter Meetings, and they were in play for Pujols as well.  The Rule 5 draft typically signals the conclusion of the Meetings, but just as it began Yahoo's Tim Brown posted a tweet that required a double-take: the Angels had signed Pujols to a ten-year deal.  The contract was worth $240MM, a figure that rose to $246.8MM once the present-day value of ten-year, $10MM personal services contract was considered.  In baseball history, only Alex Rodriguez has signed for more.

With a .421 career OBP, Pujols was the best fit for Dipoto's OBP mandate.  One concern, however, is that Pujols' unintentional walk rate dropped to 7.1% in 2011, after staying above 9% in almost every other season.  The Angels are betting that at age 32, Pujols has many more elite, durable seasons ahead of him.  Pujols is about four years older than Fielder, but is probably the game's best defensive first baseman while Fielder might be the worst, according to The Fielding Bible.  The Angels signed the better player for 2012, but will Pujols still be a superstar in 2015?  His backloaded contract averages a $27MM salary over the last seven years.  Pujols will likely be a $30MM designated hitter by 2021, but the Angels are planning on celebrating milestones in his final playing years.  Even if Pujols' contract becomes burdensome, an unceremonious breakup seems unlikely given the personal services commitment.

The Pujols signing had a ripple effect on the Angels' depth chart.  First basemen Kendrys Morales and Mark Trumbo will move to designated hitter, reducing Bobby Abreu's playing time.  Trumbo is also an option at third base.  Vernon Wells, a below-average defensive left fielder, cannot be pushed to the DH spot to clear a starting outfield position for top prospect Mike Trout.  Dipoto told Bowden in November Wells "deserves a chance to bounce back," but since that trade was Reagins' mistake, I expect a short leash.  Torii Hunter is 36, Wells is 33, Abreu is 38, and Morales is coming off a broken ankle, so it's possible an injury will help sort out this logjam.  If not, I think Dipoto will have the authority to release or bench Wells and/or Abreu to ensure the best possible lineup is on the field.  If $2-4MM of Abreu's $9MM commitment can be cleared via trade, that route should be pursued aggressively.

Shortly after the Pujols signing, the Angels continued their spending spree by signing top free agent starter C.J. Wilson to a five-year deal.  At $15.5MM per year, Wilson gave the Angels an irresistible hometown discount.  With a front four of Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Wilson, and Ervin Santana, they continue to boast one of the best rotations in baseball.

Dipoto allocated the least resources toward the bullpen, grabbing serviceable free agent Hawkins and taking a flyer on Isringhausen on a minor league deal.  With minimal losses and quality arms in Jordan Walden, Scott Downs, Hisanori Takahashi, and Rich Thompson, the need never seemed dire.

Dipoto a finishing touch on his offseason by signing second baseman Kendrick to a four-year extension, months before the player entered his contract year.  With arbitration savings and three free agent years at $9.2MM each, Kendrick's extension provides good value to the Angels.  The Angels have been unable to find common ground with another impending free agent, shortstop Erick Aybar.  The Fielding Bible suggests Aybar has never been Gold Glove-worthy despite his 2011 win, and maybe the best course of action is to try prospect Jean Segura in 2013 if he has all-around success in the minors this year.

The Angels' heavy spending makes them a 2012 contender, in what might be a two-horse AL West race.  They have a fantastic rotation backed by strong defense, and the league's tenth-best 2011 offense will be on the rise.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Mariners Release Hong-Chih Kuo

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The Mariners announced that they released left-handed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo. Seattle has 39 players on its 40-man roster after cutting Kuo, who signed a Major League deal in February.

Kuo struggled through 40 appearances in 2011, posting a 9.00 ERA with 12.0 K/9 and 7.7 BB/9 and missing time with an anxiety disorder. His results were much better before last year; he had a 3.19 career ERA with 10.5 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 entering the 2011 season. The 30-year-old underwent his fifth career elbow surgery in October and the Dodgers non-tendered him two months later. Kuo, an Octagon client, signed for $500K in guaranteed money and would have earned an additional $500K plus incentives on the active roster.

Offseason In Review: Arizona Diamondbacks

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The defending NL West Champs added a top young starter to their rotation, signed an outfield bat and spent aggressively on bench help.

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Mike Jacobs, Cody Ransom, Jensen Lewis, Rusty Ryal, Chris Jakubauskas.

Trades and Claims

Notable Losses

The Diamondbacks improved by 29 wins and vaulted from last to first following their first offseason under Kevin Towers. This winter, the Diamondbacks raised payroll to unexpected heights, improving their pitching staff in the process.

Towers traded top pitching prospect Jarrod Parker and two others to the Athletics to obtain Trevor Cahill. The 24-year-old averaged 194 innings in his first three MLB seasons and is under team control through 2017. Operating with a modest payroll, the A's preferred Parker, who's just nine months younger than Cahill and under team control for the same period. But the Diamondbacks could afford Cahill's upcoming raises and were understandably drawn to the promising 24-year-old.

“While we were excited to add a guy like Cahill, we weren't going to mortgage the future for someone close to free agency," assistant GM Billy Ryan told MLBTR. "We weren't excited to give up Jarrod Parker. We think he's going to be a very good pitcher in the Major Leagues."

Faced with the possibility that Joe Saunders would earn $8.5-9MM in arbitration, the club non-tendered the left-hander. After spending a month on the open market, Saunders agreed to terms with the Diamondbacks on a one-year deal worth $6MM. His peripheral stats suggest he's a 4.50 ERA pitcher and that his 2011 mark of 3.69 isn't sustainable, but he can contribute 200 league average innings, so it's understandable that Towers asked to expand payroll to accommodate his salary. 

Saunders, Cahill, Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson each completed 200 innings last year, which gives manager Kirk Gibson a strong, durable projected front four. Josh Collmenter rounds out the rotation and top prospects Trevor Bauer and Tyler Skaggs could make an impact as starters later on this year.

The signing of Jason Kubel puzzled many since left fielder Gerardo Parra posted a .784 OPS in 2011, winning a Gold Glove. Kubel offers more power than Parra, but his defense is not highly-regarded and he's a lefty hitter, like Parra, so they aren't natural platoon partners. It makes sense for the Diamondbacks to consider trades for Parra, but they seem likely to keep him as a late-game defensive replacement and left-handed bat off of the bench.

If $11MM sounds like a lot for a player who has a .225/.285/.375 line in his past 1151 plate appearances, recall that Aaron Hill hit well after the Diamondbacks acquired him last summer and that free agent infielders Clint Barmes and Mark Ellis signed comparable deals. It's not a steal, but the D'Backs needed someone to play second base and they expect Hill's offense to rebound to an extent in 2012.

"We still think he can be a good offensive second baseman," Ryan said. "But he doesn't have to be the guy for us."

The Diamondbacks discussed a long-term extension with catcher Miguel Montero, who will be eligible for free agency after the season. The sides tabled talks late last month and it now appears that Montero will test the open market. Kennedy and Hudson are also candidates for long-term deals, and talks could continue into the spring.

After reconstructing his bullpen a year ago, Towers contented himself with two major additions this offseason. The Diamondbacks signed Takashi Saito, who remains effective at the age of 42, and traded for Craig Breslow, an affordable left-hander who has averaged 63 innings per season since 2008.

Towers addressed his bench proactively, signing Blanco, Overbay, McDonald and Bloomquist to Major League contracts relatively early in the offseason. While two-year deals for bench players like McDonald and Bloomquist reduce roster flexibility, shortstop depth is especially important for the Diamondbacks, as Stephen Drew continues recovering from last summer's ankle injury. Overbay's left-handed swing will provide Gibson with an option off of the bench and complement Goldschmidt as he enters his first full season in the Majors (we'll ignore Goldschmidt's reverse platoon splits based on the tiny sample size).

Some of the Diamondbacks' moves were confusing when they happened, but now that the roster is in place, it's clear that Towers improved this team. Last year's club won 94 games without comparable pitching depth or as many weapons on offense. Health permitting, the 2012 Diamondbacks figure to contend again.

Catching Options For The Royals

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The Royals seek catching depth following Salvador Perez’s left knee operation, and GM Dayton Moore could look for replacements in a number of places. Perez remains the Royals’ long-term solution behind the plate, so they’re looking for someone to complement Brayan Pena for a few months. It makes sense for the Royals to pursue a short-term acquisition, since obtaining a prospect would be costly and Perez should return midsummer. Here’s a rundown of the avenues Moore could explore:

Free Agents

At this point there aren’t many free agents who spent considerable time in the Majors last year. Ramon Castro is available and the Royals have been linked to veteran catcher Ivan Rodriguez. 

Out of Options Players

Craig Tatum and Chris Stewart aren’t projected to make their teams’ Opening Day rosters and could be available later in the month. Bobby Wilson and Jose Lobaton don’t have guaranteed MLB jobs either, so the Royals could inquire on them. The Royals have leverage here, since they are well-positioned to claim a catcher on waivers should a club try to slip someone through.

Veteran Trade Targets

Perhaps Rob Johnson of the Mets, Josh Bard of the Dodgers, Dioner Navarro and Corky Miller of the Reds, Humberto Quintero of the Astros or Koyie Hill of the Cardinals would appeal to the Royals as a short-term answer. Those backstops don’t have guaranteed roster spots with their current organizations and would likely be available in the right deal. The Royals had a scout watching Quintero yesterday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported.

Minor Moves: Jamie Hoffmann, Cardinals

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Let's keep track of the day's minor moves right here…

  • Outfielder Jamie Hoffmann elected free agency after being outrighted by the Rockies, reports Troy Renck of The Denver Post. The 27-year-old was slowed by an illness this spring and struggled in games.
  • Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (on Twitter) that the Cardinals have released four minor leaguers: RHP Pete Parise, LHP Dan Calhoun, LHP Jean Mijares, and RHP Sean Watson. None of the four were among the team's top 30 prospects according to Baseball America, though Goold notes that Parise was once considered a closer-type.

Guerrero Intends To Play; Japan An Option

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Vladimir Guerrero intends to play this season, agent Fern Cuza confirmed to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). If the 37-year-old doesn't have a job by the time Spring Training ends, he'll explore opportunities in Japan.

Guerrero had interest in joining the Yankees this offseason and he appeared to draw some interest from the Marlins. However, it's been a quiet offseason for Guerrero other than that.

Guerrero has 2,590 hits, 449 homers and a .318/.379/.553 line 16 seasons into a career that will probably deliver him to Cooperstown soon after he retires. In 590 plate appearances with the Orioles last year, the nine-time All-Star posted a .290/.317/.416 line with 13 homers.

Phillies Seek Backup Catcher

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The Phillies are looking for a backup catcher, ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets. The front office would like to improve upon their current internal options if possible.

Brian Schneider projects to back Carlos Ruiz up, and Erik Kratz and Sebastian Valle are also on Philadelphia's 40-man roster. Ivan Rodriguez and Ramon Castro are the only free agent catchers who spent significant time in the Major Leagues in 2011, so the Phillies may look to complete a trade. Royals GM Dayton Moore is also on the lookout for catching depth this spring.

NL East Notes: Utley, Harper, Mets

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The Mets' owners reached a $162MM settlement with the trustee for the victims of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme earlier today. Here are some more notes from the NL East…

  • The Phillies announced that second baseman Chase Utley “has come to a bit of a plateau” in his rehab. He’ll travel out of town for a few days to see a specialist for his knees, the team added. Utley's chance of playing on Opening Day seem slim and prospect Freddy Galvis may get his chance at the MLB level.
  • The Nationals optioned Bryce Harper to the minor leagues over the weekend, and outsiders aren’t the only ones praising the move. "He is going to be special, but he isn't ready,'' one Nationals veteran told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
  • The Mets' owners hope to recover approximately $125MM on loser funds, Heyman tweets. This would reduce their losses to $37MM or so.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports believes commissioner Bud Selig should step in if the Mets don't start operating like a high-revenue team by next winter (Twitter link).

Phillies Release Joel Pineiro

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The Phillies announced that they released right-hander Joel Pineiro. The Wasserman Media Group client signed a minor league deal with the Phillies in January and would have earned $1.5MM on the MLB roster.

Pineiro started 24 games for the Angels in 2011, posting a 5.13 ERA with 3.8 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 145 2/3 innings. There wasn't room for the 33-year-old on the Phillies' staff, however. As a veteran player who had a Major League deal in 2011, Pineiro would have obtained $100K if the Phillies had assigned him to the minor leagues.

Mets Owners Reach Settlement With Madoff Trustee

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The Mets' owners settled the ongoing lawsuit against them this morning. They agreed to a $162MM settlement with Irving Picard, the trustee for those who lost money in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme, Richard Sandomir of the New York Times tweets. Fred Wilpon, Jeff Wilpon and Saul Katz won't have to start paying the settlement for three years.

The settlement doesn't mean the Mets' financial woes are over with, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes (Twitter link). However, Mets ownership is better-positioned to maintain control of the team. The settlement also caps expenses for the owners, who oversaw a $50MM reduction in payroll this offseason.

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