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Archives for March 2012

Quick Hits: Varitek, D’Backs, Trumbo, Suppan, Braves

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Here's a look at some items from around the league on this Friday evening..

  • Catcher Jason Varitek hopes to remain with the Red Sox in some capacity, but it may take him some time to determine an appropriate role, writes Jerry Spar of WEEI.com.
  • When Kevin Towers was asked specifically about extensions for Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson, the Diamondbacks GM didn’t nix the idea, writes Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.  Towers hasn’t talked to the agents for either player yet but suggested that he might feel them out to see if there is interest in a long-term deal.
  • The Angels' Mark Trumbo has been the subject of trade rumors for the bulk of the offseason, but the slugger appears to be settling in at third base nicely, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.  A January poll showed that MLBTR readers think that the Halos should look to deal Kendrys Morales before Trumbo.
  • Jeff Suppan wants to pitch for as long as he can, but isn't yet sure if that will extend beyond 2012, writes Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  The veteran inked a minor league deal with the Padres this winter.
  • Craig Kimbrel’s salary is the highest ever for a Braves player with less than two years of service time but the pitcher is well worth it, writes David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Winning the National League Rookie of the Year and receiving votes for Cy Young and Rolaids Relief Man awards took Kimbrel’s salary from $419K in 2011 to $590K in 2012.

Luhnow On Myers, Draft, Astros

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New Astros GM Jeff Luhnow participated on the baseball analytics panel today at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.  A few highlights:

  • After the panel, I mentioned to Luhnow that his decision to move Brett Myers to the Astros' closer role has raised a few eyebrows.  I asked if he thought Myers will have more impact in the bullpen than the rotation, and the GM replied, "I think for our team, right now, where we are and what we need, Myers in the bullpen is going to help us.  We've got some options in the rotation and we really didn't have good options for that [closer] role.  He's excited about it, and I'm excited to see how it works out. If it doesn't work out, we can always go back to the other way."   As to whether the two parties would "re-restructure" the contract in that case, Luhnow said that would not be necessary because it's currently structured so it can go either way.
  • During the panel, Luhnow explained what it's like to make a move that is not well-received.  "It's frustrating, because you wish you could tell the fans everything that went into the decision.  You go on FanGraphs and you read stuff about the player, and if that's all the information you had, you might make a different decision.  But you've got a lot of information from the clubhouse, medical information, you have a lot of other pieces that are relevant that you really can't discuss.  You're going to be second-guessed no matter what, so you just have to take it and move on."
  • "You can't go wrong" with the first overall pick in the draft, Luhnow told me.  He's never picked higher than Brett Wallace at #13 in 2008 for the Cardinals.  He says there's already a short list of candidates for the Astros' 1-1 pick in 2012.  I mentioned the huge expectations for such a pick, and Luhnow replied, "No question about it, there have been 1-1s that have not worked out well and we hope that we're one of the 1-1s that turns out to be a franchise player.  That's the 
    expectation, that's the goal.  There's risk in any player you select in the draft, but hopefully we'll take one that will move quickly and be an impact player."
  • "There's no question that sports analytics helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series last year," said Luhnow on the panel.  He said the Cardinals didn't have much with respect to analytics when he arrived in 2003, and the Astros are similar nine years later.  He considers a blank slate "a huge opportunity to gain an edge."  Luhnow says he's hired ten people since being named Astros GM, and "four of them were geeks, nerds, computer guys."
  • Luhnow says the Dominican amateur market is almost inverted from the bargains of 10-15 years ago, and likes the limitations imposed in the new collective bargaining agreement.

Minor Moves: Red Sox, Cubs, Rockies, Nationals

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We'll keep track of today's minor moves here…

  • Right-hander Scott Atchison signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox after being removed from the 40-man roster and clearing waivers, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
  • The Cubs signed left-hander Nate Robertson to a minor league deal, Eddy writes.  Robertson had a 7.14 ERA with 5.3 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 18 starts with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate last season.
  • The Rockies signed left-handed pitcher Royce Ring, according to Eddy.  The former first-round pick saw time in the majors for four different clubs between 2005-2010.  Ring spent time with the Triple-A affiliates for Seattle and Boston last season.
  • The Nationals signed right-hander Mike Schultz, who has one big league inning to his credit from his time with Arizona in 2007.  The 32-year-old has been pitching well in Japan for the last four years, posting a 2.55 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9.
  • MLBTR has learned that the Orioles signed catcher Josh Johnson.  The 29-year-old played the last three years in the Atlantic League but prior to that spent time with the Rays and Astros Triple-A affiliates.
  • The Red Sox signed right-handed pitchers Garrett Mock and Billy Buckner to minor league deals and will report to minor league camp, an industry source tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  Mock, 28, was once considered a top pitching prospect by Washington but strugged in 2011 as he posted a 6.39 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9.  Buckner, meanwhile, made 21 starts and two relief appearances for the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate in 2011. 
  • The Dodgers signed right-hander Blake Johnson and shortstop Brandon Mims to minor league deals following this week's open tryout, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times tweets. Johnson spent the 2011 season in the upper minors with the Royals and Rockies, posting a 5.59 ERA in 77 1/3 innings. Mims, 19, was the Blue Jays' ninth round selection in 2010.
  • The Orioles signed 27-year-old Mexican pitcher Miguel Gonzalez to a minor league deal, the pitcher told Fernando Ballesteros at Puro Béisbol (link in Spanish). Gonzalez posted decent strikeout rates across three levels in the Red Sox system last year after two years away from the minors. He told Ballesteros he will start off at Triple-A for the Orioles. 

Marlins Had Interest In Vladimir Guerrero

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4:44pm: The Marlins are not pursuing Guerrero, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Miami is content with right-handed bench bats such as Aaron Rowand and Austin Kearns and Guerrero is not a fit in that role.

3:09pm: The Marlins are interested in shoring up their bench by signing Vladimir Guerrero, the veteran told Julio E. Castro C. at the Dominican paper El Caribe (link in Spanish). However, neither Guerrero nor manager Ozzie Guillen is entirely comfortable with what a move back to the National League would signify for the 37-year-old's career.

"The Marlins have shown interest in me, but to be on the bench or to pinch hit for the pitcher. Ozzie Guillen didn't like this, since he said I'm not that class of player," Guerrero told Castro. Guerrero shares this hesitancy, adding, "I don't consider myself a bench player, in spite of my age."

Despite Guillen's reservations, the match makes sense on paper. The Marlins' first options off the bench are currently lefties Chris Coghlan and Greg Dobbs, and Vlad and former Marlin Derrek Lee are the strongest remaining right-handed batters. Guerrero also said he considers himself a friend of Guillen, whom he met when the Venezuelan was the Expos' third base coach in 2001. "In addition to that, I know the Marlins' owner [Jeffrey Loria] very well, and I consider him a great person," Guerrero added.

Earlier this winter, Guerrero was reportedly open with the Yankees about his desire to fill their DH vacancy. In lieu of other offers, he indicated to Castro he was willing to return to the junior circuit after eight seasons away. "For the moment, I'll continue waiting for [the Marlins'] call," Guerrero said.

Quick Hits: Yankees, Nationals, Playoffs

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On this date in 1995, MLB owners and players agreed to end the strike that began in August of 1994. There hasn't been an MLB labor stoppage since, despite a close call in 2002. Here are some links for Friday evening…

  • The Yankees intend to lower payroll below $189MM by 2014, but GM Brian Cashman explained that the club will continue spending aggressively, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (Twitter link). "We’re still the Yankees,” he said. “We’re still going to outspend everybody else. That’s not going to change."
  • The Nationals announced that they renewed the contracts of right-hander Drew Storen and outfielder Roger Bernadina. The team has the right to unilaterally assign the players a 2012 salary, since they aren’t yet eligible for salary arbitration.
  • ESPN.com's Jayson Stark has a detailed breakdown of the recently-announced postseason schedule. Stark also answers some common questions about the new format and explains why he's in favor of it. "One game — with the entire season riding on it," Stark writes. "It's March Madness with bats and balls."
  • MLB and the MLBPA aren’t considering expanding the postseason beyond ten teams at this point, Stark tweets. Michael Weiner of the MLBPA says the sides "never seriously discussed" that option.

Boras On Edwin Jackson, Damon, Mike Gonzalez

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I had a chance to catch up with super agent and MLBTR reader Scott Boras after today's baseball analytics panel at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston.  A few highlights:

  • Asked what led Edwin Jackson to take a one-year deal with the Nationals, Boras said, "In Edwin's case, it was choice.  We had multiyear deals, a number of them.  We really felt that it was best for him, at his age, to be with a particular team at a particular time and then go into the free agent market next year."  I was curious as to whether Boras thought Jackson would improve his market position with a better 2012 performance, and the agent explained, "Our metrics, our analysis, we felt that his evolution as a pitcher is coming.  I think he was developing certain pitches as his season went on.  We really felt it was best for him to do a one-year contract rather than a three-year deal."  
  • Speaking of the agency's analytical tools, Boras has internal metrics he does not share with teams in negotiations, he noted during the panel.  These analytics instead help determine how the agency values the player as a starting point.  Sabermetric guru and Red Sox employee Bill James jumped in to question Boras on what he does when a GM places a significantly higher value on a player than Boras does, "other than celebrate."  The agent replied that he will, for the most part, guard against poor fits for his clients, unless the client dictates his destination due to family concerns.
  • Johnny Damon is "home, working out, waiting for the right team," Boras told me.  I asked if Damon was expected a Major League deal, and Boras said, "Johnny Damon was about the third-best DH in the AL.  I'm sure there's a lot of clubs that are looking at youth, and by the time spring training ends they may be looking at it differently."
  • Lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez is "in play with a lot of teams right now," according to Boras.  He elaborated, "A lot of it has to do with situational needs and clubs. In these markets, sometimes late doesn't mean demand, it just means choice."

NL Central Notes: Burnett, Cardinals, Astros

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Though two NL Central veterans dominated headlines this offseason, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder signed with American League teams and Aramis Ramirez's three-year, $36MM deal with the Brewers was the largest free agent contract by any of the division's six teams. Here are the latest links from the NL Central…

  • The Pirates announced that they expect A.J. Burnett’s eye injury to sideline him until two or three months from now. The right-hander underwent surgery today after injuring himself in a bunting drill.
  • Cardinals chairman and CEO Bill DeWitt Jr. told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that the Cardinals couldn't take the chance of letting Yadier Molina hit free agency. "We didn't extend Molina because he had a good year offensively last year,” he said. “We extended him because of the bulk of the work since he became a regular in 2005." Molina and the Cardinals finalized a five-year, $75MM extension yesterday.
  • Four of the ten people Astros GM Jeff Luhnow has hired might be described as geeks or nerds, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes reports from the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston (Twitter links). Luhnow said he’s had a clean slate, since the Astros weren't doing much in terms of analytics before hiring him.

MLB Announces Expanded Playoffs For 2012

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FRIDAY, 1:15pm: MLB has officially announced the expanded format. For 2012 only the Division Series will open with two home games for lower ranked teams, and continue with three home games for top ranked teams. This will cut down on travel time and make the Wild Card play-in game possible.

THURSDAY, 6:19 pm: The new playoff system will not be announced today, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark (on Twitter). MLB.com's Barry M. Bloom says talks are still ongoing, with the biggest logistical problem being the time between the end of the regular season and the start of the LDS round. At the moment they only have two days for potential tie-breakers, travel, weather delays, and the Wild Card play-in games. 

WEDNESDAY, 3:32pm: MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that "we'll have an answer in the next couple of days." Nightengale confirms that players and owners have agreed to expand the postseason for 2012.

1:26pm: The agreement isn't final but will happen, adds Rosenthal.  He says the announcement for tomorrow isn't certain, but is possible.  Rosenthal's full story is here.

1:13pm: The MLB playoffs will expand from eight to ten teams for 2012, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, with an announcement coming tomorrow.

The non-division winners in each league with the two best records will be the wild card teams, meaning it is now possible for a third-place team to reach the postseason.  Each's league's wild card pair will face off in a one-game playoff.

Latest On Adonis Garcia

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FRIDAY, 12:56pm: The Yankees haven't made Garcia an offer, Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger tweets.

THURSDAY, 2:36pm: The A's have not made a bid on Garcia, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports on Twitter. She says the report was denied in the strongest possible terms, which makes you wonder whether the Yankees are seriously involved.

12:48pm: Cuban player Adonis Garcia has offers from the Yankees and Athletics, according to Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald. The A's would be willing to offer close to $18MM over six years, while the Yankees would offer $16MM, Ebro writes. Garcia could decide on a team by next week.

Garcia became a free agent in February and drew interest from a number of teams. The 26-year-old spent this winter with the Magellan Navigators of the Venezuelan League. The Yankees are interested in Garcia as an outfielder, but the Athletics view him as an infielder.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Molina, Perez, Cano, Playoffs

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On this date in 1927, Babe Ruth became the highest paid player in baseball history when he signed a three-year contract with the Yankees that would pay him $70K annually. That would be approximately $910K per year in 2012 dollars, giving you an idea of just how much baseball salaries have exploded over the years. Here's the latest from the baseball corner of the internet…

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