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NL Central Notes: Gonzalez, Wainwright, Willis, Bucs

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It was on this day in 1986 that Rollie Fingers chose his mustache over the Reds.  The veteran closer was offered a Spring Training invite by the Reds on the condition that Fingers shave his famous handlebar in order to meet with the team's facial hair policies.  Fingers turned the deal down and instead retired, ending his 17-year Major League career and paving the way for his eventual induction into the Hall of Fame. 

Here's the latest from around the NL Central…

  • The Cardinals exchanged figures with Alex Gonzalez this offseason but couldn't come to terms, and the veteran shortstop instead signed with the Brewers, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports.  The Cards' best offer was a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $1MM plus another $1MM if Gonzalez made the roster, which couldn't top Gonzalez's deal with Milwaukee.  A dozen teams scouted Gonzalez's offseason workout sessions, with the Red Sox and Dodgers showing particular interest in the 36-year-old.
  • Steve Hammond, Adam Wainwright's agent, is out of the country for the next 10 days so there won't be any immediate extension talks between Wainwright and the Cardinals, B.J. Rains of St. Louis 1380 AM Radio reports (via Twitter).  We heard on Monday that both sides were keeping the lines of communication open about a new contract for the ace right-hander.
  • Dontrelle Willis talks to CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney about his career, his short-lived retirement, his controversial exit from the Orioles organization and his return to the Cubs on a minor league contract.
  • The Pirates are desperate for success but ESPN's Buster Olney notes that the team must weigh the short-term benefit of a winning season against the long-term costs (both developmentally and financially) of calling up young starters Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole.  MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith noted earlier today that the Pirates could prevent Cole from gaining Super Two eligibility by delaying his callup until mid-June.

AL West Links: Downs, Daniels, A’s, Ankiel

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Ivan Rodriguez has been hired by the Rangers as a special assistant to the general manager, the team announced today.  "Pudge" spent 13 of his 20 Major League seasons as a Ranger and will now serve the organization as a scout, organizational instructor and ambassador.  Here are some more items from around the AL West…

  • Scott Downs wants to remain with the Angels and the southpaw tells MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez that he would be willing to negotiate an extension during the season.  Downs' representatives at CAA have told the Angels' front office about their client's wishes but have yet to get a response. Downs turns 37 in March and has pitched very well in Anaheim, posting a 2.17 ERA over 99 1/3 innings in his first two years of his three-year, $15MM contract.  He turns 37 in March, however, and Gonzalez speculates that the Angels may let Downs go since Sean Burnett and Nick Maronde are in the fold as left-handed bullpen options.
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels spoke with Dallas Morning News readers about the team's offseason moves, international signings, the current Texas roster and more in a live chat today.
  • The Athletics have received tentative guidelines from the Commissioner's Office regarding a possible move to San Jose, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.  This isn't necessarily a sign that the A's will be allowed to move, Shaikin notes, though if the team can comply with these guidelines, it could prompt Bud Selig to put the matter of the proposed move to a vote of the other league owners.  MLB has been studying the Athletics' proposed San Jose relocation for four years, and the Giants are known to oppose the move on the grounds that it infringes on their territorial rights.
  • Rick Ankiel will make $750K if he makes the Astros' Opening Day roster, plus a few small bonuses based on plate appearances, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports.  Houston signed the veteran outfielder to a minor league contract in January.

Nationals Notes: Lerner, Suzuki, Young

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The Nationals are keeping their focus on their short-term chances of contending, owner Mark Lerner said during a chat with reporters (including The Washington Times' Amanda Comak) at the team's Spring Training camp.  The club's payroll is now over $100MM and while they don't want to go overboard with spending, “this is a special year," Lerner said. "We have obviously incredible talent and there was a couple parts that [general manager Mike Rizzo] wanted and we said, ‘Do what you need to do,’ and that’s basically how it happened."  Lerner said the Nats are concerning themselves with the next three seasons and aren't yet concerned about keeping Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper in Washington over the long term.  The two young stars are team-controlled through the 2016 and 2018 seasons, respectively.

Here are some more items from the Nats' camp…

  • Also from Lerner, he said that he and Rizzo would "talk when the time is right" about a contract extension.  "I think this is the place where he wants to make his home and we certainly want him to be here, so I’m sure we’ll come to some understanding at some point in time," Lerner said.  Rizzo's contract is only guaranteed through this season but the Nationals hold options on the general manager for 2014 and 2015.
  • Kurt Suzuki hasn't talked to management about a contract extension but says he'd love to remain with the Nats beyond this season, MLB.com's Bill Ladson reports.  Washington holds an $8.5MM team option on Suzuki for 2014 that right now seems unlikely to be exercised since Wilson Ramos is waiting in the wings at catcher.  It's possible the Nationals could decline the option and still re-sign Suzuki at a lower price.
  • Also from Ladson (Twitter link), the Nationals had interest in Chris Young during the 2010-11 offseason but didn't sign him after seeing the MRI results of Young's throwing shoulder.  Young had another injury-plagued season with the Mets in 2011 but rebounded to make 20 starts in 2012.  The Nats signed Young to a minor league deal today.

Service Time Considerations For Top Prospects

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Timing the debuts of top prospects is essential for MLB teams. No club wants to expose a player to top competition before he's ready, but keeping a player in the minors when he could be contributing at the big league level is hardly appealing either. It's a balancing act.

Though a player's development generally determines his timeline to the Major Leagues, service time is undeniably a consideration. MLB teams can obtain an extra year of control from a player by delaying his debut and they can decrease his chances of qualifying for an additional year of arbitration with enough patience.

Heavily-hyped prospects often have carefully-timed debuts, and Baseball America's recently-released list of the game's top 100 prospects features those currently generating the most buzz. Of the 100 players on the list, 36 project to arrive in the Major Leagues in 2013, according to Baseball America. The chart below presents two key dates for each prospect who might make an impact this coming season.

First, there's the approximate date on which the team can call the player up while keeping him under control for an extra year — through 2019. Next, there's the approximate date on which the team can call the player up without setting him up for super two status and a fourth trip through arbitration.

Service Time Considerations '13

In many cases — Hyun-Jin Ryu comes to mind — service time will not affect teams’ decisions. But keep this list in mind if you’re wondering why Wil Myers is still at Triple-A Durham midway through the first month of the season.

This service time explanation is a modified version of a piece initially published at MLB Trade Rumors one year ago.

Pitching Notes: Price, Valverde, Jackson

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We heard earlier today that the Yankees are eyeing pitching depth, but not Kyle Lohse. Here are some more pitching-themed notes from around MLB…

  • David Price recently said he’d be hesitant to sign a long-term deal with the Yankees because of their facial hair policy. However, the left-hander said today that he wouldn’t rule out playing for New York at some point, Newsday’s David Lennon reports (Twitter links). No doubt realizing his leverage will increase if the Yankees are interested, Price said he might not even have a beard by the time he hits free agency.
  • The Tigers haven’t considered re-signing Jose Valverde for a moment, Lynn Henning of the Detroit News reports (on Twitter). The reliever will have the chance to boost his free agent stock in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
  • Edwin Jackson, one of the top free agent pitchers of the 2012-13 offseason, said his choice came down to the Cubs and Indians, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports. The Indians were aggressive in free agency this winter, signing Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn while pursuing others such as Jackson. The right-hander pitched on a one-year deal in 2012 and is pleased to have signed a multiyear deal this time. “It’s always a good feeling to have security," he said.

The Oldest $100MM Players

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Even as massive contracts become more and more common, baseball's first $100MM player remains the oldest person to obtain a nine-figure deal. Kevin Brown signed the first $100MM contract in baseball history after the 1998 season, a year in which the 33-year-old logged 257 innings, struck out 257 opponents and posted a 2.38 ERA. It led to a $105MM guarantee from the Dodgers, the first of its kind in MLB.

It’s been 14 years since Brown finalized his record deal — long enough for teams to hand out 40 more $100MM deals. In the last calendar year alone nine players have signed nine-figure deals. Many have surpassed Brown's $105MM guarantee, but none of them have been older than 33.

Here's the complete, updated list of $100MM players sorted by age, courtesy of MLBTR’s Transaction Tracker (the list includes free agent signings and extensions, but does not include posting fees for Japanese players):

  • Kevin Brown, 33, signed a seven-year, $105MM deal on 12/12/1998.
  • Alex Rodriguez, 32, signed a ten-year, $275MM deal on 12/13/2007.
  • Cliff Lee, 32, signed a five-year, $120MM deal on 12/13/2010.
  • Albert Pujols, 31, signed a ten-year, $240MM deal on 12/08/2011.
  • Jayson Werth, 31, signed a seven-year, $126MM deal on 12/05/2010.
  • Josh Hamilton, 31, signed a five-year, $125MM deal on 12/15/2012.
  • Alfonso Soriano, 30, signed an eight-year, $136MM deal on 11/20/2006.
  • Ryan Howard, 30, signed a five-year, $125MM extension on 4/26/2010.
  • Jason Giambi, 30, signed a seven-year, $120MM deal on 12/18/2001.
  • Ken Griffey Jr., 30, signed a nine-year, $116.5MM deal on 2/11/2000.
  • Carlos Lee, 30, signed a six-year, $100MM deal on 11/24/2006.
  • Zack Greinke, 29, signed a six-year, $147MM deal on 12/09/2012.
  • Carl Crawford, 29, signed a seven-year, $142MM deal on 12/8/2010.
  • David Wright, 29, signed an eight-year, $138MM deal on 12/04/2012.
  • Matt Holliday, 29, signed a seven-year, $120MM deal on 1/7/2010.
  • Joey Votto, 28, signed a ten-year, $225MM deal on 04/02/2012.
  • Mark Teixeira, 28, signed an eight-year, $180MM deal on 1/6/2009.
  • C.C. Sabathia, 28, signed a seven-year, $161MM deal on 12/20/2008 (revised as a 31-year-old on 10/31/2011). 
  • Manny Ramirez, 28, signed an eight-year, $160MM deal on 12/19/2000.
  • Adrian Gonzalez, 28, signed a seven-year, $154MM deal on 4/15/2011.
  • Cole Hamels, 28, signed a six-year, $144MM deal on 07/25/2012.
  • Johan Santana, 28, signed a six-year, $137.5MM deal on 2/2/2008.
  • Vernon Wells, 28, signed a seven-year, $126MM deal on 12/20/2006.
  • Barry Zito, 28, signed a seven-year, $126MM deal on 12/29/2006.
  • Mike Hampton, 28, signed an eight-year, $121MM deal on 12/12/2000.
  • Jose Reyes, 28, signed a six-year, $106MM deal on 12/04/2011.
  • Prince Fielder, 27, signed a nine-year, $214MM deal on 1/24/2012.
  • Matt Kemp, 27, signed an eight-year, $160MM deal on 11/14/2011.
  • Todd Helton, 27, signed a nine-year, $141.5MM deal on 3/1/2001.
  • Carlos Beltran, 27, signed a seven-year, $119MM deal on 1/13/2005.
  • Matt Cain, 27, signed a five-year, $112.5MM deal on 04/02/2012.
  • Ryan Braun, 27, signed a five-year, $105MM deal on 4/21/2011.
  • Ryan Zimmerman, 27, signed a six-year, $100MM deal on 2/26/2012.
  • Evan Longoria, 27, signed a six-year, $100MM deal on 11/26/2012.
  • Derek Jeter, 26, signed a ten-year, $189MM deal on 2/1/2001.
  • Joe Mauer, 26, signed an eight-year, $184MM deal on 3/21/2010.
  • Felix Hernandez, 26, signed a seven-year, $175MM deal on 02/07/2013.
  • Troy Tulowitzki, 26, signed a six-year, $119MM deal on 11/30/2010.
  • Alex Rodriguez, 25, signed a ten-year, $252MM deal on 12/1/2000.
  • Miguel Cabrera, 24, signed an eight-year, $152.3MM deal on 3/24/2008.
  • Albert Pujols, 24, signed a seven-year, $100MM deal on 2/19/2004.

It's also worth noting that $100MM contracts have been evenly split between extensions and free agent contracts. Since the beginning of the 2009-10 offseason, however there have been 14 $100MM extensions against just nine $100MM free agent signings.

Weiner On CBA, Mets, Wright

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MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner addressed reporters at Mets camp today, discussing draft pick compensation and the Mets’ franchise player. Here are some details (all Twitter links)…

  • Weiner said he expects to discuss draft pick compensation with MLB before the current collective bargaining agreement expires, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports. It sounds as though the MLBPA would like to consider changes to the system that affected the leverage ofplayers such as Michael Bourn and Kyle Lohse. "The compensation affected those guys fairly dramatically this year, and we would like to try to address that,” Weiner said.
  • Weiner said he hopes the Mets spend more, as chairman & CEO Fred Wilpon has said they will (via Mike Puma of the New York Post). "I think everybody would like to see the Mets as a competitive team, and it's going to require a higher payroll,” Weiner said.
  • David Wright knew that he would have been a highly coveted free agent if he didn’t sign with the Mets long-term, Weiner said (via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). "David understood that if he went out to market he’d probably make more money, and perhaps substantially more money," Weiner said. Wright signed an eight-year, $138MM extension with the Mets in December.
  • Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com notes that MLBPA exec Bobby Bonilla collects more money from the Mets than any of their current outfielders. Bonilla, who spent parts of five seasons with the Mets, still collects deferred payments from the club.

Yankees Eyeing Pitching Depth

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The bulging disk in Phil Hughes’ back could prove to be a short-term concern, but the Yankees are preparing for the possibility that they’ll need pitching reinforcements. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Yankees are “fishing around” for a veteran starter who can pitch at Triple-A.

The Yankees plan to watch free agent right-hander Chien-Ming Wang at the upcoming World Baseball Classic, Sherman reports. However, GM Brian Cashman said yesterday that he has no interest in signing Kyle Lohse, the top player remaining on the free agent market. Signing Lohse would require the forfeiture of the 27th overall pick in the upcoming amateur draft.

Cashman said the Yankees will rely heavily on their pitching staff in 2013, adding that he expects a decrease in offense. “We are going to score fewer runs,” he admitted. The Yankees' projected rotation consists of Hughes, CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda and Andy Pettitte. David Phelps and Ivan Nova are competing for the final starting job and Adam Warren provides the club with depth.

Justin Morneau On Future With Twins

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Justin Morneau, who has spent his entire ten-year career with the Twins, told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he’ll understand if he’s no longer part of the organization’s long-term plans. But as Morneau enters the final year of his contract, he’s prepared to talk if general manager Terry Ryan wants to discuss an extension during the season.

“I’m not against it,” he told Morosi. “It’s not something I’d like to do, unless it starts close and seems realistic from beginning. You don’t want to drag negotiations out for weeks in the middle of the year and become a distraction.”

Morneau, 32 in May, will earn $14MM in 2013 before hitting free agency. He hit 19 home runs and posted a .267/.333/.440 batting line in 2012 after battling concussion-related issues and undergoing various surgeries. The New Westminster, British Columbia native says his preference is to stay with the Twins and win in Minnesota. Yet he acknowledged that he’s intrigued by the possibility of playing for the team he rooted for as a kid: the Blue Jays.

"That was my favorite team growing up, so that would be very cool,” he said.

Morneau signed a six-year, $80MM deal before the 2008 season. However, he sustained a concussion in July of 2010 and missed the remainder of the 2010 season and much of the 2011 season. The left-handed hitting SFX client won the 2006 AL MVP.

How Often Are Vesting Options Triggered?

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Vesting options often appeal to both teams and players. Teams obtain assurances that they won't be overpaying for unproductive players and players get the chance to earn more by staying on the field.  There are always a handful of players with these clauses each season, but how often to do they vest?  Here, we'll take a look at the vesting options from the past three seasons and crunch the numbers to see what percentage of them have clicked.

2011

  • Brian Fuentes, Angels: Needed 55 games finished in 2010 for $9MM option to vest. He completed just 35 for the Angels and Twins.
  • Billy Wagner, Braves: Wagner's $6.5MM option vested as he easily surpassed 50 games finished (64).  However, the guaranteed money wasn't enough to talk to the veteran out of retirement.
  • Trever Miller, Cardinals: Miller reached 45 appearances, securing his $2MM option for the next season.  It would have reverted to a club option if he spent time on the DL with a left arm or shoulder injury, but he stayed healthy for the remainder of the year.
  • Matt Cain, Giants: Cain had more than the required 182 1/3 innings or 27 starts (223 1/3, 33) for his  $6.25MM option to vest, but the Giants instead guaranteed his 2011 salary at $7MM as part of his three-year extension.
  • Kerry Wood, Indians: Wood got a late start in 2010 season thanks to a back injury and a mid-season trade to the Yankees. The trade meant that he wouldn't get to close anymore, putting him well shy of the 55 games he had to finish to activate his $11MM option.
  • Alex Cora, Mets: Needed 80 games for his $2MM option to vest, but he played in just 66 games for the Mets and Rangers.
  • Darren Oliver, Rangers: $3.25MM option vested, as he surpassed the required 59 appearances (64).
  • Ramon Hernandez, Reds: $3.25MM option would have vested with 120 games played but he totaled just 97.
  • Magglio Ordonez, Tigers: He was on pace to easily hit 135 starts (or 540 plate appearances) before an ankle fracture in July cost him a guaranteed $15MM in 2011. 

2012

  • Bobby Abreu, Angels: Got his $9MM option by getting the required 433 plate appearances (finished with 585). 
  • Adam Wainwright, Cardinals: His second place finish in the 2010 Cy Young voting was step one of the vesting process, but the options for 2012 ($9MM) and 2013 ($12MM) options did not vest as he finished the season on the disabled list after having Tommy John surgery.
  • Aramis Ramirez, Cubs: $16MM option did not vest since he was not traded or named MVP of either the regular season or League Championship Series.
  • Rafael Furcal, Dodgers: Had just 369 total plate appearances, needed 600 for his $12MM option to vest.
  • Jon Garland, Dodgers: Recorded 54 innings on the mound, but needed 190 for his $8MM option to vest.
  • Francisco Rodriguez, Mets: Rodriguez agreed to waive his vesting option in exchange for additional compensation following the trade that sent him to the Brewers.  He would have been guaranteed a $17.5MM salary in 2012 had he finished 55 games and been declared healthy by doctors.
  • Koji Uehara, Orioles: $4MM option vested thanks to his 65 appearances (needed 55), despite coming shy of 25 games finished, which also would have triggered it. 
  • Arthur Rhodes, Rangers: $4MM option did not vest.  He needed 62 appearances but only totaled 51 between the Rangers and Cardinals.
  • Joakim Soria, Royals: Needed 55 appearances for his $6MM option to vest and racked up 60.
  • Dan Wheeler, Red Sox: His option would have vested at $3MM if he pitched in 65 games and increased to $3.25MM with 70 games, but he fell short of both totals with 47 appearances.

(A quick mention here for Mark Buehrle, who would have had an extra year at $15MM tacked onto his deal if he was traded at some point during the 2011 season.  Of course, that didn't happen.)

2013

  • Jason Bartlett, Padres: Only had 98 plate appearances on the year, needed 432 for his $5.5MM option to kick in.
  • Alex Gonzalez, Brewers: $4MM option would have vested with 525 plate appearances, but had just 89 thanks to a torn ACL.
  • Chipper Jones, Braves: $9MM+ option would have vested with 123 games while the future Hall of Famer only played in 112.  It didn't matter much anyway as Jones retired following the 2012 season.
  • Kevin Gregg, Orioles: Needed 50 games finished for his $6MM option to vest, had just 13.
  • Brett Myers, Astros: Myers' $10MM option would have vested with 45 games finished.  He also could have triggered the option based on an unknown points system.  Neither one of these things happened, leading the White Sox to decline his option.

Out of the 24 total vesting options across the last three seasons, only seven were triggered — and that's including Cain and Wagner*, who met the necessary requirements for their options but did not accept them for different reasons.  In total, just over 29% of the vesting options over the last three years have been triggered.

* By the same token, we'll put Rodriguez along with the options that did not vest, even though it was tossed out upon his trade to Milwaukee.  He did not reach the 55 games finished that would have been required to guarantee his $17.5MM salary for 2012.

This year, we'll be keeping an eye on vesting options for several notable players and some are more realistic than others.  Lance Berkman hopes to stay healthy and trigger his $13MM option for 2014 by hitting 550 plate appearances on the year with the Rangers.  The Giants will be on the hook for $18MM if Barry Zito reaches 200 innings in 2013.  To trigger his $20MM option for 2014 with the Phillies, Roy Halladay needs to rack up 259 innings this year.  It's a tall order, but Halladay did manage to record 250 2/3 innings just three years ago.

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