Quick Hits: Jason Kubel, Giants, Indians
On this day in baseball history in 1987, Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly won his arbitration hearing against the team to secure a contract of $1.975MM. The figure represents the highest in Major League history, eclipsing the previous record set by Jack Morris merely four days prior. Let's catch up on the latest news and happenings around the league on the Sunday without a baseball game until November.
- Jason Kubel dealt with trade rumors all offseason that had the slugger being dealt to another squad thanks to a crowded Diamondbacks outfield, writes Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Luckily for Kubel, Justin Upton was traded to the Braves and the veteran no longer needed to worry about where he would be playing in 2013.
- Angel Pagan's new found fame as a World Series champion led to young men in his home country of Puerto Rico wanting to work out with him, and so he did, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. "They ask me, my personal trainer. I tell them to come over, do the same thing I do. (The trainer) doesn’t charge them. I want them to understand what it takes to get ready, to be a champion. It’s about your work ethic, how you prepare to be successful."
- The Indians can point to a series of key moves this offseason as the reason for optimism heading into 2013, says Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com. "We realized at the end of last year we needed to make adjustments," said general manager Chris Antonetti. "We were not good enough. We needed to improve."
Week In Review: 2/10/13 – 2/16/13
With Spring Training now in full swing, let's take a look back at the week that was here at MLBTR…
- Felix Hernandez officially signed the most lucrative contract any pitcher has ever obtained to the tune of seven-years and $175MM.
- Michael Bourn agreed to a four-year, $48MM deal with the Indians.
- The Rockies avoided arbitration with Dexter Fowler by agreeing to a two-year deal worth $11.6MM.
- The Reds avoided arbitration with outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, agreeing to a one-year deal for $7.375MM.
- The Cardinals announced extensions for manager Mike Matheny and general manager John Mozeliak. Mozeliak obtained a three-year deal through 2016, while the Cardinals also formally exercised Matheny's 2014 option.
- The Padres avoided arbitration with Clayton Richard by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $5.24MM.
- The Orioles officially signed Jair Jurrjens to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
- The Reds and Homer Bailey reached agreement on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration.
- The Nationals avoided arbitration with Jordan Zimmermann by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $5.35MM.
- The Marlins signed Casey Kotchman to a minor league contract with an invite to Major League camp.
- The Rockies acquired infielder Reid Brignac from the Rays in exchange for cash considerations and a player later to be named.
- The Twins signed left-handed reliever Rafael Perez to a minor league deal with an invite to Major League Spring Training.
- The Yankees acquired right-hander Shawn Kelley from the Mariners in exchange for outfielder Abraham Almonte.
- The Indians officially signed Daisuke Matsuzaka to a minor league contract with a Major League Spring Training invitation.
- The Pirates signed Brandon Inge to a minor league deal with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
- The Mariners announced first baseman/designated hitter Mike Carp has been designated for assignment.
- The Mariners signed right-handed reliever Kameron Loe to a minor league deal.
- The Royals acquired utility player Elliot Johnson from the Rays as the player to be named later in the December trade involving James Shields and Wil Myers.
- The Reds avoided arbitration with right-hander Mat Latos, agreeing to terms on a two-year deal worth $11.5MM.
- The Athletics agreed to sign left-hander Hideki Okajima to a minor league deal with an invite to big league spring training.
- The Nationals signed left-handed reliever Will Ohman to a minor league deal.
- The Dodgers announced the signing of reliever Kevin Gregg to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
MLBTR Originals
A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR this past week, as pitchers and catchers reported to the various training camps throughout Arizona and Florida:
- Tim Dierkes previewed next offseason's class of free agents with the first installment of MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings series.
- Tim listed the players on 40-man rosters who have less than five years service time and are out of minor league options.
- Ben hosted this week's live chat.
- Zach Links assembled the best of the baseball blogosphere for you in Baseball Blogs Weigh In.
- Here's the schedule for MLBTR's roster of weekly features and exactly what to expect from them.
- There are many ways to enjoy MLB Trade Rumors. Here's a refresher on how to use MLBTR.
Minor Moves: A’s, Pirates, Colon, Orioles, Hudson
Here's a look at today's minor moves, courtesy of Baseball America's Matt Eddy..
- The Athletics are close to signing Mexican League infielder Antonio Lamas to an undisclosed deal, reports John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).
- The Pirates signed right-hander Roman Colon to a minor league deal. Colon appeared in a few games for the Royals last season but spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A Omaha where he posted a 3.09 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 40 games.
- The Orioles signed left fielder Kyle Hudson, who spent the first four years of his career in the Baltimore organization. The 26-year-old hit just .264/.335/.286 for the Triple-A affiliates of the Phillies and Rays.
- Right-hander Mark Hamburger is seeking employment once again after being released by the Astros this week. The 26-year-old was a roster casualty several times last season and spent time with the Rangers, Astros, and Padres.
Daniel Seco contributed to this report.
AL Notes: Hernandez, Escobar, Indians, Konerko
The signing of Felix Hernandez marks a major move in the history of the Mariners organization but will only matter if the deal is the first of many to come, writes Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times. “This signing, given the size and length of the contract, is the best evidence that the ownership group is committed to winning and doing what it takes to win,” Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln said. Here's the latest news and stories making headlines from around the American League.
- Yunel Escobar made his first comments about his trade to the Rays, reports the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. Escobar, with teammate Jose Molina acting as his interpreter, said he "felt really happy" about coming to Tampa Bay adding manager Joe Maddon made him feel very welcome and having former teammates like Molina and Kelly Johnson on the team makes him feel like he's "in the family already."
- GM Chris Antonetti discussed the Indians' starting rotation with Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio (audio link).
- White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko reiterated he will not make any decision on his future until after the 2013 season, reports Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com.
- The 2013 Blue Jays offer a lot to like and dislike as CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler breaks down what he's seen so far this Spring Training.
Daniel Seco contributed to this post.
NL Notes: Lohse, Cardinals, Mets
Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio predicts Kyle Lohse will sign with either the Brewers or Rangers as one of five moves which will happen this spring (Insider subscription required). Bowden also sees extensions for Adam Wainwright and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. Here's the other Senior Circuit news and notes from the first Sunday of Spring Training:
- Count the Phillies out as suitors for Lohse as GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is prepared to go with the staff he has in camp, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
- Lohse will only become of interest to the Cardinals if their rotation candidates aren't panning out during Spring Training, writes CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman in a piece outlining six reasons why the Redbirds remain playoff contenders.
- One reason for the Cardinals making the postseason in three of the last four years is being ranked as one of the NL's top four teams in terms of innings pitched by the starting rotation, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Goold notes this year’s rotation is set to include four starters, beyond Wainwright, who combined have just one 190-inning season.
- The Mets could use catcher John Buck as trade bait once they promote Travis d'Arnaud in the opinion of ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin, who cites the precedent of when David Wright took over at third base.
- Bill Madden of the New York Daily News cautions the Mets to be prudent with their newfound financial flexibility if they dive into next year's free agent outfield pool. Madden lists Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo, and Hunter Pence (all ranked in the top ten of MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings) as possible targets.
Cubs Notes: Garza, Ricketts, DeRosa
Cubs right-hander Matt Garza, ranked ninth on MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings and one of the prime trade targets last summer until he hurt his elbow, faced live hitters for the first time since his injury. Garza "looked good" (MLB.com's Carrie Muskat on Twitter) and "was throwing strong" (Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune via Twitter) before cutting his session short walking off the field with a trainer while holding his left side. Manager Dale Sveum calls the injury a mild lat strain and says Garza will be fine, Sullivan tweets. Here's the other news coming out of Mesa today, as the Cubs held their first full-squad workout:
- Owner Tom Ricketts told reporters, including ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine, he has been impressed by the job done by President Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer. "I think the progress is tremendous," Ricketts said. "People can't see all the decisions that are made behind the scenes. I see these guys making hundreds of smart decisions during the course of the year. Some of them are public decisions, and a lot of them are smaller decisions made behind the scenes. I just have complete total confidence that they are moving us in the right direction."
- Ricketts also addressed the reduction in payroll during his tenure, reports David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com. "The previous payroll model from the Tribune Company ownership was unsustainable in the current context which is why we are working to reach a deal on renovating the ballpark that will allow us to increase our revenue streams for the organization."
- The Cubs contacted Mark DeRosa about replacing Bob Brenly in their broadcast booth, tweets the USA Today's Bob Nightengale. DeRosa, who played two seasons on the North Side (2007-2008), instead chose to sign with the Blue Jays last month while the Cubs hired Jim Deshaies as their new TV analyst.
Royals Notes: Shields, Johnson, Tejada, Francoeur
The Royals, as chronicled by MLBTR's Transaction Tracker, had a busy winter acquiring James Shields and Wade Davis in a blockbluster seven player trade, re-signing Jeremy Guthrie, and dealing for Ervin Santana and his $13MM salary. The Royals haven't reached the playoffs since winning the World Series in 1985. Could this be the year the post-season drought comes to an end? Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star, in a Twitter Q&A exchange, says the list of things that have to go right for that to occur is shorter than in any season for maybe 20 years. Here are the other highlights from Dutton's weekend sessions:
- Dutton doesn't see the Royals extending Shields during the season and the likelihood of it happening after the season or next year isn't much better. Dutton argues why wouldn't Shields, who the Royals hold a 2014 team option, want to test the free agent market unless overwhelmed with an offer and why would the Royals make an overwhelming offer to a pitcher who will be 33.
- Elliot Johnson, the player to be named later in the Shields-Davis trade, was discussed as the final piece in the deal almost from the beginning. Johnson's inclusion as the PTBNL was announced one week after the Rays designated him for assignment.
- Dutton believes there's a good chance Johnson and Miguel Tejada both make the team as utility infielders, but adds neither is a lock.
- Jeff Francoeur, entering the final year of a two-year, $13.5MM contract extension he signed in August 2011, needs to show increased production to hold his job for the entire season.
- Dutton sees seven to nine guys making the Royals' 2013 Opening Day roster who weren’t with the team a year earlier.
Latest On Mets, Jose Valverde
2:10pm: A source tells Newsday's Marc Carig Valverde is only on the Mets' radar if there's an injury in camp and a need arises.
1:25pm: The Mets expect Valverde to receive a big league deal somewhere else, tweets Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. If that doesn't happen, however, they may consider him later, but not so much now.
12:54pm: A team insider characterized the chances of the Mets signing Valverde as "really, really unlikely," according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
9:27am: The Mets are leaving the door "slightly ajar" for free agent Jose Valverde to join the club as their closer, an industry source told Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. The source says that the Mets view Valverde, who turns 35 next month, as “a 5 out of 10.” However, as Davidoff notes, the Mets current bullpen isn't exactly filled with 8s and 9s.
Mets officials will assess the performances of their relievers in live action while continuing to collect information on Valverde. As it stands, Bobby Parnell is slotted in as the closer, with Brandon Lyon and Josh Edgin as the primary setup options.
It appeared that Valverde found a home earlier this month with the Marlins, but those reports proved to be untrue. Shortly thereafter, agent Scott Boras denied planting the story in order to drum up interest in his client. Valverde and Kyle Lohse are the two remaining members of MLBTR's Top 50 Free Agents list to be without a team.
Edward Creech contributed to this post.
Cafardo On Arroyo, Wang, Perez, Dodgers, Oswalt
The Rays shed about $28MM of payroll this winter between B.J. Upton, James Shields, Carlos Pena, Jeff Keppinger, J.P. Howell, and Wade Davis, but that's no problem for the confident organization, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. While the team will look different in several areas this season, they'll still have their typically strong pitching. The first four of the rotation are set with David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Moore, Alex Cobb with a competition between four strong candidates for the No. 5 spot. Here's more from today's column..
- Bronson Arroyo has been a consistent pitcher for the Reds, but the feeling from most people and the pitcher himself is that this could be his last year in Cincinnati. One major league source says the Cubs would be a perfect fit as a strong veteran presence in their rebuilding effort.
- Agent Alan Nero said he has taken Chien-Ming Wang off the market until he pitches for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic. If he pitches well, the veteran should have a healthy market for a team in need of depth. The Yankees are keeping tabs on Wang despite already having six starters in the fold.
- While there’s more focus on where Alfonso Soriano might be dealt, David DeJesus could also be a nice midseason chip for the Cubs. The outfielder would be a solid fit for a few teams, including the Phillies, Orioles, and Red Sox.
- It looks like the Indians will hold on to Chris Perez for now, but the Dodgers had serious interest in him not too long ago. If Tribe gets off to a slow start, L.A's interest could be something to keep in mind.
- The Red Sox have discussed first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp, who was designated for assignment last week by the Mariners, as a backup. There may not be room, however, as they are committed to Lyle Overbay. Overbay has asked the Red Sox if he could play some outfield as well this season.
- Roy Oswalt still hasn't officially retired and he could be leaving the door open to join a club during the season. Recently, we learned that the Mets tried to sell Oswalt on becoming their closer in 2013, but the veteran isn't interested in the bullpen.
- Teams will pay attention to out-of-options Red Sox reliever Clayton Mortensen in spring training. The 27-year-old looks to be the odd man out the way the Sox bullpen could be configured.