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Archives for February 2013

Orioles, Jim Johnson Avoid Arbitration

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The Orioles and closer Jim Johnson have avoided arbitration with a one-year deal, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).  The Moye Sports Associates client will will make $6.5MM in 2013 with $50K more available in performance bonuses based on games finished, Connolly tweets.

The deal is right around the midpoint as Johnson filed for $7.1MM in arbitration while the Orioles countered with $5.7MM.  The new deal marks a significant raise for Johnson, who earned $2.625MM last season.

Johnson, 29, pitched to a 2.49 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 71 games, earning him his first career All-Star selection.  This was Johnson’s third year of arbitration eligibility thanks to his Super Two status.  The right-hander is scheduled to exchange figures with the O’s once more after the 2013 season and hit the open market after the 2014 campaign.

As MLBTR’s Transactions Tracker shows, Darren O’Day and Jason Hammel are Baltimore’s only remaining arbitration eligible players.  

Cardinals, Freese Avoid Arbitration

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6:01pm: Freese's deal is worth $3.15MM, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).

2:32pm: The Cardinals have agreed to a one-year deal with David Freese, avoiding arbitration, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (on Twitter). CAA Sports represents the third baseman.

Freese filed for $3.75MM with the Cardinals offering $2.4MM, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows. The Cardinals don't have any unsigned arbitration eligible players remaining now that they've agreed to terms with Freese. The 29-year-old remains on track to go to arbitration two more times and hit free agency following the 2015 season.

Check out MLBTR's post on Arbitration Basics for an introduction to the process.

Mariners Agree To Terms With Joe Saunders

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FRIDAY, 5:30pm: Saunders' deal includes a mutual option for 2014 and is worth $6.5MM with an additional $1MM in incentives in year one, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).  

2:21pm: Saunders will obtain about $7MM from the Mariners, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The agreement also includes incentives.

THURSDAY: The Mariners have agreed to a one-year deal with free agent left-hander Joe Saunders, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link).  The contract will become official once Saunders passes a physical.  Saunders is represented by Greg Genske.

Several teams (including the Orioles, Padres, Mets, Pirates and Twins) were interested in Saunders this winter, though the veteran southpaw couldn't find his desired three-year deal.  Minnesota offered Saunders a one-year contract and he also reportedly had a two-year, $15MM offer on the table from a mystery team.  The short commitment will allow Saunders to build value at pitcher-friendly Safeco Field and look for a multiyear deal again next winter.

Saunders, 31, posted a 4.07 ERA, a 5.8 K/9, a 2.0 BB/9 and a 43.1% ground ball rate in 28 starts with the Diamondbacks and Orioles in 2012.  Fangraphs' Dave Cameron points out that Saunders' numbers over the last three seasons are very similar to those of left-hander Jason Vargas, who the M's traded to the Angels for Kendrys Morales.  Saunders projects as the No. 3 starter in Seattle's rotation, behind Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma.

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes had Saunders ranked 25th on his list of the top 50 free agents of the 2012-13 offseason.  Presuming Saunders passes his physical, that would leave just three of those 50 players unsigned — Michael Bourn (ranked third), Kyle Lohse (10th) and Jose Valverde (44th).

Quick Hits: Hernandez, MacDougal, Headley

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Links from around MLB on a day that many are still buzzing about Felix Hernandez’s seven-year, $175MM contract extension with the Mariners…

  • The Hernandez extension may seem like an overpay, but the alternative — trading him for prospects and reallocating millions toward free agency — might be less appealing than it initially seems. Dave Cameron of FanGraphs explains that there’s a considerable cost for teams that attempt to rebuild regularly.
  • Buster Olney of ESPN.com explains how the Mariners could be viewed as both winners and losers following their deal with Hernandez. There's no ambiguity about the significance of the deal for Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw and David Price, however; those three pitchers could be positioned for $200MM contracts, as Olney notes.
  • Verlander exclaimed "Holy cow!" after hearing the news of Hernandez's deal with the Mariners, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Verlander will be eligible for free agency after the 2014 season, and Nightengale notes that Verlander could be "baseball's first $200 million pitcher."
  • Mike MacDougal will throw a bullpen for interested teams in Tempe this coming Tuesday, MLBTR has learned. The 35-year-old right-hander appeared in just seven games with Dodgers in 2012, but he posted a 2.05 ERA in 69 appearances with Los Angeles in 2011.
  • The Padres should "seriously think" about trading Chase Headley before the start of the regular season, ESPN.com's Jim Bowden writes (subscription-only). Bowden notes that Headley is a free agent after 2014, and that he and the Padres haven't found common ground on a contract extension. Bowden lists the Reds, Mariners, Pirates, Blue Jays, Angels, Yankees and Tigers as possible trade destinations for Headley.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports lists the Blue Jays, Reds, Nationals and Braves as winners this offseason, while placing the Rangers, Brewers and Yankees among the losers. The Blue Jays top the list of winners after trading for Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey.
  • Last night Jason Martinez of MLB Depth Charts and I discussed the Hernandez deal and the most improved teams in the league on the latest edition of the Rosters & Rumblings podcast. 

Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.

Outrighted To Triple-A: Martinez, Petersen

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We'll track the day's outright assignments here…

  • The Orioles announced that they outrighted catcher Luis Martinez to Triple-A after he cleared waivers. The Orioles designated Martinez for assignment three days ago after claiming him off of waivers from Texas last month. He hit .270/.350/.386 in 247 plate appearances at Triple-A this past season.
  • The Marlins outrighted Bryan Petersen to Triple-A, Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reports (on Twitter). The Marlins designated Petersen for assignment this week to create roster space for Jon Rauch. Petersen appeared in 84 games for the Marlins last year, playing all three outfield positions. The 26-year-old posted a .195/.272/.257 batting line in 273 plate appearances.

Marlins Sign Chone Figgins

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The Marlins signed utility player Chone Figgins to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training, Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reports (on Twitter). ACES represents Figgins, who was released by the Mariners with one year remaining on his contract earlier this winter.

Figgins signed a four-year, $36MM deal with the Mariners after the 2009 season but hit just .227/.302/.283 in three seasons with the team.  He is still owed $8MM for 2013, a sum for which the Mariners will mostly remain responsible. The Marlins will presumably pay Figgins the MLB minimum salary if he makes the team.

Figgins posted a .181/.262/.271 batting line in 194 plate appearances with the Mariners last year. He played all three outfield positions and appeared at third base.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Johnson, Yankees, Indians

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On this date in 1982, the Dodgers broke up the longest-playing infield foursome in baseball when they traded second baseman Davey Lopes to the A’s for minor leaguer Lance Hudson.  The second baseman had played with Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, and Bill Russell in Los Angeles since 1974.  Garvey parted ways with the Dodgers after the ’82 season when he signed a five-year, $6.6MM deal with the Padres.  That would be the final year in L.A. for Cey as well as he was traded to the Cubs in the winter.  Russell, meanwhile, remained with the club before retiring in 1986.  Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere..

Orioles Designate Trayvon Robinson For Assignment

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The Orioles announced that they designated outfielder Trayvon Robinson for assignment. The move creates roster space for right-hander Todd Redmond, who was claimed off of waivers from the Reds.

The Orioles acquired Robinson from Seattle for Robert Andino this past November. Robinson appeared in 46 games for the Mariners in 2012, posting a .221/.294/.324 batting line in 164 plate appearances as a left fielder. The 25-year-old was initially acquired by the Mariners in the three-team trade with the Red Sox and Dodgers that sent Erik Bedard to Boston.

Orioles Claim Todd Redmond

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The Orioles claimed Todd Redmond off of waivers from the Reds, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reports (on Twitter). The Reds designated Redmond for assignment one week ago to create roster space for Manny Parra.

Redmond made his MLB debut in 2012, starting one game at the big league level. The 27-year-old spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a 3.63 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 148 2/3 innings. The Reds acquired him from the Braves for Paul Janish last July.

Diamondbacks To Extend Aaron Hill

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The Diamondbacks officially announced that they've extended second baseman Aaron Hill through 2016. The deal is valued at $35MM, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, who first reported the agreement (on Twitter). The Legacy Agency represents Hill.

Aaron Hill - Diamondbacks (PW)

The Diamondbacks initially extended Hill in 2011, signing him to a two-year, $11MM contract covering the 2012-13 seasons. That contract calls for a $5.5MM salary in 2013 and won't be affected by today's deal. The new agreement covers the 2014-16 seasons. Hill will earn $11MM in 2014, $12MM in 2015 and $12MM in 2016, according to Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com (on Twitter).

The Diamondbacks acquired Hill from Toronto late in the summer of 2011. The second baseman hit well after joining the Diamondbacks and he continued producing throughout the 2012 season. Hill hit .302/.360/.522 with 26 home runs in 668 plate appearances last year, leading all National League second basemen with 6.2 wins above replacement (per FanGraphs).

This marks the fourth extension Kevin Towers & Co. have completed in 2013. The team signed Martin Prado, another client of the Legacy Agency, to a four-year, $40MM contract. Cliff Pennington (two years, $5MM) and J.J. Putz (one year, $7MM) also obtained new deals, as MLBTR's Extension Tracker shows.

Robinson Cano still projects as the top second baseman — and likely the top position player — available in free agency next offseason. While Cano seems poised for a substantially larger deal than Hill, he does gain some leverage today. Teams no longer have Hill as a free agent alternative.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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