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Archives for February 2013

Kyle Lohse Expected To Sign Soon

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The Nationals, Angels, Brewers, Red Sox and Cardinals seem to be distancing themselves from Kyle Lohse, publicly suggesting they aren't likely to reach a deal with the free agent right-hander. Lohse, the last remaining impact free agent, would represent an upgrade for most rotations around MLB. It’s just a question of which team will reach a deal with agent Scott Boras. Here’s the latest on Lohse…

  • Within a piece focused on Zack Greinke, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Lohse is “almost certain to sign with a team soon.”
  • Rosenthal also notes that Lohse would no longer be linked to draft pick compensation if he were to wait until after the amateur draft takes place in June. By the way, the entire FOX Sports piece is worth a read for insight into Greinke’s love of baseball. The Dodgers right-hander was interested in the compensation rules for Lohse, which prompted Rosenthal to inquire.
  • Tim Dierkes, who noted this method of bypassing draft pick compensation last month, recently examined the impact of the qualifying offer at MLBTR.

Cardinals To Extend Matheny, Mozeliak

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8:21am: Mozeliak obtains a three-year deal through 2016, Goold reports (on Twitter). The Cardinals also formally exercised Matheny's 2014 option.

7:19am: The Cardinals will announce extensions for manager Mike Matheny and general manager John Mozeliak today, Derrick Goold and Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch report (Twitter links).

Matheny signed a two-year contract before the 2012 season. That deal included a 2014 club option which will be exercised today. The Cardinals reached the postseason in 2012, Matheny's rookie season. The club won 88 regular season games and advanced to the NLCS as a Wild Card team before losing to the Giants. The 42-year-old Matheny played at the MLB level for 13 seasons, winning four Gold Gloves as a member of the Cardinals, Brewers, Giants and Blue Jays.

Mozeliak had been working under a three-year contract covering the 2011-13 seasons. Since he became the team's GM following the 2007 season, the Cardinals have reached the playoffs three times and won at least 86 games every year. That run includes the 2011 World Series title and last year's NLCS appearance. ESPN.com's Keith Law recently ranked the Cardinals' farm system first in MLB.

Quick Hits: Mariners, Indians, Red Sox, Zambrano

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MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith and Jason Martinez of MLB Depth Charts discussed the 2014 free agent class and busy weeks for the Mariners and Indians on the most recent edition of the Rosters & Rumblings podcast.  While you check that out, here's more from around baseball on this Wednesday night..

  • In an interview with WEEI's Dennis & Callahan this morning, Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino discussed the team's philosophy regarding free agents and their approach to Josh Hamilton this winter, writes WEEI.com's Alex Speier.  “I think we have to keep all avenues open. There was discussion about Hamilton. But when it became clear that it was likely to be a five-, six-, seven-year contract, we thought there was a better way to redeploy the money we had saved from similar long-term contracts," Lucchino said.
  • A source tells Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter) that Carlos Zambrano may sign in Japan on Taiwan if he can't land a major league deal this offseason.  Big Z is a free agent after posting a 4.49 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 in 20 starts and 15 relief appearances last season.
  • The Angels' new trio of starters could prove to be a great bargain, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.  Jason Vargas, Tommy Hanson, and Joe Blanton will earn a combined $18.725MM this season.  Some feel that the Halos' rotation is their weakpoint, but they apparently won't be making a run at Kyle Lohse.
  • More from Speier, who looked at the Red Sox's new approach to roster building in the wake of last season's blockbuster with the Dodgers.

Marlins Notes: Nolasco, Hernandez, Tatum, White

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After the Marlins' blockbuster deal with the Blue Jays this winter that saw much of the team's talent jettisoned north of the border, Ricky Nolasco made it known that he wanted to be sent elsewhere.  As spring training nears, the 30-year-old says that he is ready to put that aside and focus on getting ready for the 2013 season.  “I’m just moving forward," said Nolasco, according to Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post. “Anything that has happened in the past is not going to be talked about anymore."  The right-hander could be moved before the trade deadline as he is entering the final year of his contract.  Here's a look at some minor notes out of Miami..

  • A handful of Marlins on the 40-man roster are out of options and the ones to keep an eye on are outfielders Gorkys Hernandez and Justin Ruggiano plus left-handed pitchers Wade LeBlanc and Mike Dunn, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.  
  • Craig Tatum, a 29-year-old non-roster invitee, informed the Marlins he is retiring, according to Spencer.  The catcher spent three years in the big leagues with the Reds and Orioles and hit .223/.291/.264 during that stretch.
  • It has been weeks since the Marlins heard from former Dolphins quarterback Pat White, and Spencer sees that as an indication that he might not accept their invitation to minor league camp, which starts soon.  The former West Virginia standout is also considering a two-year contract offer the Canadian Football League and has spoken to representatives for at least eight NFL teams.

Angels Sign Chad Cordero

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Reliever Chad Cordero announced via Twitter that he has signed a minor league deal with the Angels.  The deal does not include a spring training invite, according to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (on Twitter).  Cordero retired from baseball in June of 2011 after hooking on with the independent St. Paul Saints.

Cordero, 30, said back in March that he was getting the itch to play again and was giving serious consideration to making a comeback.  Across six seasons with the Nationals/Expos, Cordero posted a 2.78 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9.  The right-hander last appeared in the majors in 2010 when he saw time in nine games for the Mariners.

Cordero is represented by Reynolds Sports Management.

Mariners Extend Felix Hernandez

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7:26pm: Hernandez’s contract will include an eighth season at $1MM if he sustains a specific elbow injury, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi (on Twitter) and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Hernandez would need to miss 120-130 days within one season or consecutive seasons to trigger the clause (Twitter link).

5:24pm: Hernandez's deal includes a full no-trade clause, tweets Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.  The right-hander was set to obtain ten-and-five rights after the 2015 season, but this gives him trade protection in the interim.

4:11pm: Felix Hernandez has now officially signed the most lucrative contract any pitcher has ever obtained. The Mariners announced that they have signed the 26-year-old right-hander to a seven-year deal that represents the largest commitment in franchise history. It's a $175MM contract, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, who first reported the agreement. 

Alan Nero of Octagon represents Hernandez, whose deal required some modifications after an elbow issue surfaced late last week. The sides tore up the previous deal and the new one includes "minor concessions" related to the condition of Hernandez's elbow, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter). 

“Felix is committed to this franchise, and to the city of Seattle, and is a key part of what we are building here,” GM Jack Zduriencik said in a statement released by the team. “As we take necessary steps to reach the next level as a team, Felix will be a key component. We have had a plan since I arrived in Seattle: to build this organization to play at a championship level on a consistent basis. As I have said before, when we get to that level we will need, and want a pitcher, and a person, like Felix."

Felix Hernandez - Mariners (PW)

The new deal replaces the two remaining years on Hernandez's previous contract. That deal covered the 2013-14 seasons and called for salaries of $19.5MM in 2013 and $20MM in 2013. With the extension the Mariners extend their team control of Hernandez by five years through his age-33 season.

C.C. Sabathia established the previous record for pitchers when he signed a seven-year, $161MM contract following the 2009 season. Zack Greinke established a record for right-handed pitchers earlier this offseason, when he obtained a $147MM guarantee from the Dodgers. Hernandez’s deal eclipses Greinke’s deal in terms of total value and average annual value.

The seven-year, $175MM deal becomes the largest financial commitment of the offseason, surpassing Greinke's contract with the Dodgers and Josh Hamilton's deal with the Angels. The deal also represents the largest commitment in Mariners' history.

“I have always told anyone who asks me, Seattle is where I want to be,” Hernandez said. “I love it here, and my family loves it here. 

Hernandez signed his previous contract, a five-year, $78MM deal, after the 2009 season. Weeks after Hernandez signed, Justin Verlander obtained a five-year, $80MM contract from the Tigers. It's conceivable that history could repeat itself and that Hernandez's contract could again establish parameters for a deal between the Tigers and their ace. Like Hernandez, Verlander is two years away from free agency. Clayton Kershaw, another Cy Young winner who's two years from the open market, could also look to Hernandez's contract as a potential point of reference.

Hernandez has solidified his place as one of the game's elite starters since debuting as a teenager in 2005. He won the Cy Young Award in 2010 and finished fourth in the 2012 balloting. Last year Hernandez posted a 3.06 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 over the course of 232 innings in a season highlighted by his August perfect game. 'King Felix' has pitched at least 230 innings in each of the last four seasons, a period for which he has an ERA of 2.81 and nearly as many strikeouts as innings pitched.

Edward Creech contributed to this post. ESPN's Buster Olney reported the elbow issue and Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported Hernandez would still obtain a $175MM deal (on Twitter). Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Yankees Acquire Shawn Kelley

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The Yankees have acquired right-hander Shawn Kelley from the Mariners in exchange for outfielder Abraham Almonte, according to Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune (on Twitter).  The Mariners designated Kelley for assignment on Thursday to make roster space for Kelly Shoppach.

Kelley, 28, appeared in 47 games for the Mariners in 2012, posting a 3.25 ERA with 9.1 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, and a 28.8% ground ball rate in 44 1/3 innings.  The right-hander will earn $930K in 2013.

Meanwhile, Almonte will give the M's some much needed minor league depth at the centerfielder position and can also play the corners.  The 23-year-old spent last season in Double-A, hitting .276/.350/.392 in 78 games.

Dodgers Notes: Capuano, Harang, Mattingly, Beckett

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Yesterday, we learned that Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw doesn't want to have extension talks during the season.  It could cost the Dodgers upwards of $200MM to lock him up for the long term, but we know that the Dodgers aren't shy about spending.  Here's more out of Los Angeles..

  • Starter Chris Capuano hasn't asked for a trade even though he's one of eight starting pitchers looking for a rotation spot and may not make the cut, writes MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.  The veteran knows that he may wind up being moved thanks to the starter surplus but also won't rule out a move to the bullpen in order to stay in Los Angeles.  Aaron Harang, who is in a similar spot, says that he hasn't considered becoming a reliever in 2013.
  • Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly says that he won't let his contract status become a distraction for him in 2013, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.  Mattingly is entering the third and final season of his deal and his request at the end of last year to have his 2014 option be guaranteed was declined.
  • Mid-season acquisition Josh Beckett says that despite what someone believe, he enjoyed his time in Boston, Richard Justice of MLB.com writes.  At the same time, he is looking forward to being a part of the reloaded Dodgers.

Quick Hits: Indians, Yankees, Bailey

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The latest links from around MLB…

  • The Indians are getting calls on Michael Brantley and Drew Stubbs following their four-year deal with Michael Bourn, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Though the Indians currently plan to keep both Brantley and Stubbs, some people suspect Stubbs will be dealt.
  • Daisuke Matsuzaka said part of the reason he signed with the Indians was the chance to compete against his former team, the Red Sox, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports (on Twitter).
  • Andrew Bailey told Alex Speier of WEEI.com that he loves playing with the Red Sox, even if he's not the team's closer.
  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi isn't sure if Andy Pettitte will retire after 2013, Jack Curry of the YES Network reports (Twitter links). "I think Andy still loves to compete," Girardi said, acknowledging that it’ll ultimately be up to the left-hander himself.  Pettitte will celebrate his 41st birthday this summer and while he doesn’t seem ready to retire, he said he doesn’t intend to decide until after the 2013 season.
  • Mariano Rivera said he has decided whether 2013 will be his final season, according to Curry (Twitter links). The Yankees closer won’t reveal his decision just yet, but will do so before the regular season begins.
  • Homer Bailey said he and the Reds would prefer to avoid an arbitration hearing if possible, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. “It’s kind of a slow process. We’ll see how it goes and go from there,” Bailey said. The right-hander has a hearing scheduled for Monday after filing for $5.8MM. The Reds, who recently avoided arbitration with Mat Latos and Shin-Soo Choo, offered $4.75MM.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Nationals Notes: Gonzalez, Zimmermann, Rizzo

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Earlier today, we learned that Nats GM Mike Rizzo is “open minded” about pursuing an extension with shortstop Ian Desmond.  Here's more from Rizzo courtesy of MASNsports.com's Dan Kolko..

  • Despite Gio Gonzalez's alleged link to a Miami PED clinic and the potential fallout that could come from that, the Nats aren't looking to acquire a big-name arm as insurance.  Rizzo says that he is always looking for depth, but the news about Gonzalez didn't "intensify" anything for the front office.
  • However, the club could look to make a significant move if an injury or something else unforeseen creates a need.  "If you're talking about a big-time trade or a big-time free agent acquisition, I would think that would have to be something that was set off by something that happens here in camp," the GM said. "But we're always looking to get ourselves better and deeper, and if there's something to be done that makes sense for us, we'll certainly doing it."
  • Rizzo says that the Nats and Jordan Zimmermann are still a little ways apart in negotiations for a contract for the 2013 season.  The right-hander made similar comments earlier this week.

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