Nine players received qualifying offers this winter, including five from the AL East: Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda, Rafael Soriano, B.J. Upton, and David Ortiz. Here's the latest on the division…
- Unsurprisingly, Swisher will pass on the Yankees' qualifying offer and look for a lucrative multiyear contract this offseason, report Dan Martin and George A. King III of The New York Post.
- Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com thinks the Orioles have enough pitching depth to trade an arm or two this winter. He listed eight potential starters currently on the team's 40-man roster.
- Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal makes a case that the Red Sox should have made Cody Ross and qualifying offer before yesterday's deadline.
- The Yankees intend to keep 2011 Rule 5 Draft pick Cesar Cabral and give him another look in Spring Training, reports Chad Jennings of The Journal News. Cabral, a left-hander, missed all of this season with an elbow injury.
Ryan Aguirre
Who does Swisher think he is? Things have changed from a few years ago when guys were signing for a box of Ramen and a hot plate.
Devern Hansack
Ross for $13.3MM? No thank you. He’s a solid role player, but he has no business getting that kind of money. He’s about to turn 32 and per FanGraphs is slightly better than league average on offense and defense for his career.
johnsilver
I was thinking that there was a low probability chance of it happening also. remember when there was arbitration offer for draft picks for type A/B Boston would use that tactic for many players who probably should accept and many did, but some did not. Graffino, Varitek, Lopez.
It can be a good tactic if the player is looking for a multi year deal rather than just the 1 year, even if it is only for 1 year. Don’t be surprised if Ross ends up with a 3/27-30m deal. he may think the security is worth the extra could have gained.
Devern Hansack
If Ross were a type A or B free agent under the previous system, he would absolutely be worth arbitration; he’d be guaranteed around $6 MM in 2013 if he accepted. $13.3 MM would have been a huge overpay.
Personally, I’d like to the the Sox commit to a thorough rebuild. If they were to bring him back, a two year deal with the prospect of trading him at the deadline or in the offseason next year would be proper.
johnsilver
I gotcha’ on the rebuild and am wanting them to go that route also. ortiz and Ross the only 2 am really realistically wanting them to sign who are available, becuase the team will need some offense next year and fear that without it? This current team actually could lose more than 90 games even.
Have a feeling Ross would decline the 13.3m salary if offered. There will be a 3/25m+ deal made, IMO 27m-30m even and Ross is at an age where he is looking for security is my gut feeling over a 1Y deal.
Ross will be fairly limited on locations where he is productive. some teams that we think may be interested (Atlanta) are terrible for his swing, like SF was and Florida became. He signs a 1Y deal in a horrid stadium and he repeats the entire process all over again like he just did at Boston for a low salary.
Bob Bunker
i dont think they need a complete rebuild aka a 2 plus more years like 2012. just gotta bridge the gap to our prospects are ready and try to shore up the pitching(anibel sanchez maybe)
PClark91
Thats what i didn’t understand from the article. The Sox made the right move not offering him that money. they could sign him for three years for somewhere in the 20-22 million range
Cj McWilliams
“Steve Melewski is a smart man”… said no one ever
jjs91
Steve Melewski, reminds me of rangers fans that would use scott feldman as an example of good rotation depth.
Jim Low
It wouldn’t make sense for the Orioles not to trade away some arms when they are at the highest trade value they probably ever will be.
mehs
Britton, Matusz, Arrietta, Hunter, 3 of which would be sell low guys right now since you’d be selling them as bullpen arms or bad/unproven starters. The two starters the Orioles have with high value are the 2 they aren’t going to trade: Bundy and Gausman. Starters with good value: Gonzalez, Chen, Tillman, Hammel that will likely make up 4 of the 5 in the rotation next year.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
Ahhh Cody Ross is a free agent again. Well, yes since a certain someone keeps his wallet and bank account sealed tighter than a snare drum. I will concede and give up on Hamilton and sign Cody Ross for LF and go out sign Sam Fuld as the 4th outfielder.
However, I am still very much interested in seeing Nick Swisher becoming our starting 1st baseman for 2013 and beyond. Lastly, I am interested in Dan Haren, although I wonder if he’s willing to come to the East Coast?
PS Those picking on Steve M on here, you’re terrible and you know it! :p
Bob Bunker
giving the qualifying offer to ross would have been a good idea. worst case he accepts and we get him as a one year stop gag to prospects are ready for a price that can easily be paid. best case it makes other teams not go after him and we get him on a three year 18-21 million deal instead of 27-30. Or a team signs him and we get a compensation pick.
qbass187
Generally speaking I like MacPhearson’s work… But this is just nonsense. In no universe is Cody Ross worth $13.3 and frankly if they had offered he would have taken it in a heart beat unless he’s suffering from brain damage… because he’ll never see $ like that again ANYWHERE.
This coming from a Cody Ross fan.