Yankees Links: Pettitte, Garcia, Posada, Wise, A-Rod
Twelve years ago today, the Expos sent Christian Parker to the Yankees as the player to be named later in the Hideki Irabu trade. The two teams made the deal a few months earlier, with prospects Jake Westbrook and Ted Lilly going to New York. Parker eventually flamed out, but both Westbrook and Lilly went on to have long and productive careers, just not in pinstripes. Here's the latest from the Bronx…
- Joel Sherman of The New York Post says the Andy Pettitte signing was a move from the vintage George Steinbrenner playbook, a "sensationalistic lightning bolt" signing.
- "You play for the Yankees, nothing surprises you," said Freddy Garcia to reporters (including Marc Carig of The Star Ledger) when asked about the Pettitte signing this morning (Twitter link). Garcia is a candidate to be traded once the left-hander is in game shape.
- Sherman checked with Jorge Posada following the Pettitte signing, and confirmed that the team's long-time backstop is staying retired (Twitter link).
- “We’ve been trying to sign him for the last few years,” said GM Brian Cashman to Jack Curry of The YES Network about Dewayne Wise. The team sees him as a valuable reserve outfielder with above average defense. Wise joined the club on a minor league contract this offseason.
- Alex Rodriguez told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he'd like to own a baseball team one day (Twitter link). According to the game's bylaws, A-Rod will have to wait until he's no longer under contract with one of the 30 clubs to do so.
- MLBPA head Michael Weiner told Carig that he expects the Yankees to remain under the $189MM luxury tax threshold in 2014 and 2015 (Twitter links). That will qualify them for rebates in 2016, and Weiner then expects them to raise payroll.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: A’s, Royals, Phillies, Napoli
Six years and one day ago, Roy Halladay agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Blue Jays worth $40MM. The deal did not kick in until the 2008 season and bought out three free agent years. Halladay only pitched two of those three years in Toronto before being traded to the Phillies prior to the 2010 season. All told, the Jays paid Doc approximately $76MM for over 2,000 innings of 3.43 ERA ball. Here's the latest from around the web…
- The Todd Van Poppel Rookie Card Retirement Plan interviewed several members of the Athletics bullpen, including Brian Fuentes and Grant Balfour.
- El Maquino says the Royals are copying the Rays with their recent contract extensions.
- Redleg Nation is comfortable with a two or three extension for Brandon Phillips.
- Baseball Time In Arlington wrote about Mike Napoli and his lack of a contract extension.
- Baseball GMs invented some extensions for various players.
- Disciples of Uecker says the Brewers have no reason to trade Logan Schafer right now.
- Brotherly Glove makes a case for the Phillies to keep Joe Blanton.
- Phillies Nation, meanwhile, muses about a deal sending Blanton to the Angels.
- Swingin' A's wrote about Yoenis Cespedes and the Athletics' recent history of risky moves.
- AL Eastbound & Down looks at expectations for Brett Lawrie.
- SaberGM analyzed the Tigers' second base situation.
- Chicken Friars wrote about two similar players who ended up in very different places.
- Through The Fence Baseball wonders what Padres ownership is trying to tell fans.
- Sports of Boston plays the what-if game with Jacoby Ellsbury and Curtis Granderson.
- Wahoo's on First looked back at the 2007 Cleveland Indians.
- I-70 Baseball thinks Luke Hochevar may be better than we realize.
- The Eye in the Skydone wrote about Brett Cecil's missing velocity.
- The Battlin' Bucco says the Pirates should free Starling Marte.
- SB Nation Chicago previewed the Cubs season.
- Rising Apple thinks the Mets need a center fielder, specifically Matt Angle.
- Why Won't The Tigers Hire Me? looks ahead to some potential July sellers.
- 85% Sports scores Sandy Alderson's time as Mets GM.
- M.C. Antil says Mat Gamel still has a long way to go.
- Infield Shift listed the 2012 Spring Training All-Stars.
- Cleveland Indians Perspective listed the Indians' top 75 prospects.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.
Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Rays
Surprisingly, the Rays augmented their offense through free agency.
Major League Signings
- Carlos Pena, 1B: one year, $7.25MM.
- Luke Scott, DH: one year, $6MM.
- Kyle Farnsworth, RP: one year, $3.3MM. Club option exercised.
- Fernando Rodney, RP: one year, $2MM.
- Jose Molina, C: one year, $1.8MM.
- Jeff Keppinger, 2B: one year, $1.525MM.
- Total spend: $21.875MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Extensions
- Matt Moore, SP: five years, $14MM. Includes three club options.
- Joe Maddon, manager: three years, about $6MM
Trades and Claims
- Acquired RP Josh Lueke and a player to be named later or cash considerations from Mariners for C John Jaso
- Acquired RP Burke Badenhop from Marlins for C Jake Jefferies
- Acquired $100K from Indians 1B/3B/OF Russ Canzler
Notable Losses
- Johnny Damon, Casey Kotchman, John Jaso, Kelly Shoppach, Juan Cruz, Andy Sonnanstine, Adam Russell, Jake Jefferies, Russ Canzler
For some MLB teams, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis, Alex Torres, and Alex Cobb would all have rotation spots. For the Rays, they rank #5-8 on the depth chart. After fielding offers for various starting pitchers for the offseason's first few months, the Rays chose to maintain their rotation depth and simply sign a pair of free agents to bolster the offense.
The Rays inked Pena and Scott for a total of $13.25MM in January to replace first baseman Kotchman and designated hitter Damon. Damon didn't understand why the two positions were considered means to upgrade the offense, but the increased power potential from Pena and Scott is obvious. The Rays can't afford to pay full sticker price for free agent power. Pena was available on a one-year deal because he's batted .216 over the past three seasons and slugged .402 when he was last in the American League in his previous Rays stint. Scott had been non-tendered by the Orioles after an ugly 2011 season was cut short by July shoulder surgery, and he's limited defensively. Damon and Kotchman were far from sure things themselves, but Pena and Scott have higher offensive ceilings.
The team's unheard-of rotation depth is likely to be fully utilized in the course of the season, as most teams need seven starters in a good year. Almost all pitchers want to remain starters as long as possible, and whether Davis or Niemann goes to the bullpen to start the season, the move will be temporary.
The Rays' bullpen needed some tinkering, and executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made some unpredictable acquisitions in Rodney, Badenhop, and Lueke. In the Rodney signing press release, Friedman provided a euphemism for Rodney's control issues, saying, "Fernando's pure stuff is top-notch and can beat hitters both in and out of the strike zone." Having walked almost eight batters per nine innings in a 2011 season shortened by a back injury, I thought Rodney was in line for a minor league deal. He still throws over 95 and gets tons of groundballs, and it's likely the Rays feel pitching coach Jim Hickey can get Rodney's walk rate down to a tolerable level. Badenhop is an extreme groundballer as well, a nice fit for the best defensive team in baseball. The 29-year-old allowed just one home run in 63 2/3 innings last year for the Marlins.
Though light on experienced big league catching, the Rays also traded Jaso to the Mariners for Lueke. The Rays are no strangers to controversial players, and Lueke comes with the baggage of the 2008 rape charge for which he later pled no contest for false imprisonment with violence. Friedman said upon the trade, "We researched the 2009 incident that Josh was involved in thoroughly and in great detail. We’re satisfied that he is going to be the kind of person and teammate that we look for and we expect him to contribute positively to our group." The Rays may have lowered the bar in their search for undervalued players, suggested John Romano of the St. Petersburg Times in November.
The Rays appear to be aiming for improved defense behind the plate, having traded Jaso and declined Shoppach's option. Since they didn't receive offense from the position anyway in 2011, it made sense to double-down on defense. Using the 36-year-old Molina as more than a backup is an interesting experiment given his strong defensive skills, but if he breaks down, inexperienced catchers Jose Lobaton, Robinson Chirinos, and Chris Gimenez could be handling the American League's best rotation with regularity. Expect the Rays to keep a close eye on the catching market this summer. There's also uncertainty at the shortstop position currently, but Hak-Ju Lee may be ready as early as next season.
The Rays kept the well-regarded Friedman-Maddon duo in place, as Friedman declined to interview for the Astros GM job and Maddon signed a three-year extension. Friedman authored yet another precedent-setting contract for pitching phenom Matt Moore, signing him to a five-year deal despite just 17 days of Major League service. There's risk in guaranteeing $14MM to a pitcher so green, but barring injury the Rays probably saved tens of millions of dollars and snagged a pair of free agent years, at their option. Some young players are less receptive to this type of contract, perhaps including young Rays Desmond Jennings and Jeremy Hellickson, who are represented by the Boras Corporation.
The Rays hope they've found a way to improve their offense without affecting their rotation depth. If the offense sputters, Friedman will still be in a strong position this summer, as few clubs can part with quality starting pitching without missing a beat.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Quick Hits: Willis, Marlins, Reyes, Dunn, Blue Jays
Here are some miscellaneous notes from around the league…
- The Marlins are not expected to show interest in their former ace Dontrelle Willis, reports MLB.com's Joe Frisaro (on Twitter). The Phillies released Willis earlier today.
- "Before I signed here, I saw what [the Marlins were] trying to do," said Jose Reyes to David Lennon of Newsday. "That's why I decide to come here to Miami, because of the opportunity to win. Because in my ninth year in the big leagues, I don't win anything yet."
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports expects Adam Dunn to rebound from his disastrous 2011 campaign with the White Sox. The 32-year-old slugger said "ninety percent of what happened was simple, mental."
- Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava spoke to MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm about a number of the team's prospects, including David Cooper, Travis d'Arnaud, and Anthony Gose.
Rangers Notes: Feldman, Uehara, Lowe, Webb
On this date in 2000, the Rangers acquired David Segui and cash in a three-team trade. Texas sent Lee Stevens to the Expos, the Expos sent Brad Fullmer to the Blue Jays, and the Jays sent Segui and cash to the Rangers. Here's the latest from the two-time defending AL champs…
- The Rangers have gotten calls about Scott Feldman, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). They have a strong inclination to hang onto the versatile 29-year-old right-hander, however.
- Given their deep cache of right-handed relievers, Heyman says (on Twitter) that Texas could still trade Koji Uehara or Mark Lowe. Uehara invoked his no-trade clause to reject a deal to the Blue Jays in January.
- The Rangers rolled the dice with Brandon Webb last season, and ESPN's Buster Olney says (on Twitter) that the 32-year-old sinkerballer continues to work out with the intention of getting back on the mound for a team at some point.
Reactions To The Andy Pettitte Signing
Most of us thought the Yankees were done improving their rotation after acquiring Michael Pineda and signing Hiroki Kuroda, but they added one more veteran piece on Friday. Andy Pettitte decided to come out of retirement and return his old team, signing a one-year, minor league deal worth $2.5MM with no incentives. He won't be ready for Opening Day, but will get back into shape early in the season before rejoining the team. Here's a bunch of news and reactions to the signing, with most links going to Twitter…
- "I am embarrassed to be coming back, but what can I do? My desire has changed," said Pettitte to reporters (including Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News and Joel Sherman of The New York Post) in a conference call this afternoon. "It was the Yankees or nothing," he added.
- Dialogue between Pettitte and GM Brian Cashman started back in December according to Jack Curry of The YES Network. The team originally offered a one-year deal worth $10-12MM, but the left-hander wanted to work out for six weeks to see how he felt.
- The two sides spoke sporadically over the last year according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The Yankees checked in with Pettitte before signing Kuroda in mid-January, but at that point he wasn't sure if he would return.
- The Yankees had maxed out their budget by the time Pettitte said he wanted to pitch, so owner Hal Steinbrenner had to authorize the signing according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
- The two sides explored a number of different financial packages, including a personal services contract that would not have counted against the luxury tax according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- ESPN's Buster Olney says the Yankees could have signed Mike Gonzalez two weeks ago, but turned it down because of that budget. Pettitte's history with the team worked in his favor.
- The Yankees are very open to trading their excess starting pitching, reports Olney. In addition to Pettitte, they have CC Sabathia, Pineda, Kuroda, Freddy Garcia, Phil Hughes, and Ivan Nova penciled into the rotation.
- Sherman wouldn't be surprised if the Yankees shopped Garcia if they feel Pettitte could help this season. Garcia could be an affordable alternative for clubs looking at Joe Blanton or John Lannan.
- “I don’t think he’s coming back to where he was, call it a hunch," said Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine to reporters (including Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald). "But he’s a good pitcher. Always respected Andy. Always thought he was a borderline Hall of Famer. Add someone like that to your staff, you’re doing good.”
Extension Talks Heating Up Between Padres, Hundley
The Padres locked up Cameron Maybin to a five-year deal earlier this month, and now they're working on another core player. MLB.com's Corey Brock reports (on Twitter) that talks between the team and catcher Nick Hundley have heated up this week, and an agreement could be close. He's an Athletes First client.
Hundley, 28, will earn $2MM this season, his first as an arbitration-eligible player. A .255/.314/.420 career hitter, Hundley broke out with a .288/.347/.477 batting line in 308 plate appearances last season. He did miss more than two months with an oblique strain and an elbow issue, however. Since breaking into the league in 2008, Hundley ranks 13th among all catchers with 6.5 wins above replacement (min. 1,000 PA).
As our Extension Tracker shows, catchers like Kurt Suzuki (four years, $16.25MM), Carlos Ruiz (three years, $8.85MM), Chris Iannetta (three years, $8.3MM), and Yadier Molina (four years, $15.5MM) have signed extensions when they had between three and four years of service time. Hundley's three arbitration years figure to cost San Diego $8-10MM.
Rays Appear To Be Seeking Catcher
The Rays currently have four catchers on their 40-man roster, but apparently they're seeking even more depth. Jon Heyman and Scott Miller of CBSSports.com hear from those within the industry that Tampa is believed to be seeking an extra catcher (Twitter links). One executive predicted that Jose Molina won't catch more than 80 games.
Molina, 36, was brought in on a one-year, $1.8MM deal this offseason because of his stellar defense and not his .263/.323/.396 batting line with the Blue Jays over the last two years. The veteran backstop has started 81 games behind the plate just once in his 12-year career (2008), and only twice has he started more than 60 games at catcher. The other 40-man roster catchers – Robinson Chirinos, Jose Lobaton, and Stephen Vogt – have 116 plate appearances at the MLB level combined.
As our Free Agent Tracker shows, there isn't much out there in terms of catching help. It's basically Ivan Rodriguez and Ramon Castro. The Rays have pitching to spare if they want to seek another backstop via trade.
Brewers Seek Middle Infielder
The Brewers are looking for a middle infielder, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets. The club aims to add insurance behind starters Rickie Weeks and Alex Gonzalez.
Infielders Brooks Conrad and Cesar Izturis could crack the Opening Day roster if GM Doug Melvin doesn't complete a deal before then. Aaron Miles and Miguel Tejada are available in free agency, but they wouldn't necessarily represent an upgrade over the Brewers’ existing candidates.
Elliot Johnson, Chris Nelson, Eric Young Jr., Emmanuel Burriss, Luis Valbuena, Donnie Murphy, Robert Andino and Brent Lillibridge are out of options and could be available in trades later by the end of the month. The Phillies are also looking for infield help.
Outrighted To The Minors: Ramon Benjamin
We'll keep track of the day's outright assignments here…
- The Marlins outrighted right-hander Ramon Benjamin to Double-A, Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. Benjamin will miss the 2012 season while recovering from shoulder surgery. The 24-year-old posted a 3.75 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 4.5 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings between Class A and Double-A in 2011.