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Archives for February 2013

Week In Review: 1/27/13 – 2/2/13

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Let's catch up on the week that was here at MLBTR…

  • The Diamondbacks agreed to a four-year contract through 2016 with infielder/outfielder Martin Prado. The deal will pay Prado $40MM in total.
  • The Mets signed outfielder Marlon Byrd to a minor league deal with an invite to Major League Spring Training.
  • The Reds signed left-hander Manny Parra to a one-year contract. The club designated right-hander Todd Redmond for assignment in a corresponding move.
  • The Yankees signed Travis Hafner to a one-year, Major League contract. The deal is worth $2MM plus up to $4MM in incentives.
  • The White Sox claimed first baseman Lars Anderson off of waivers from the Diamondbacks.
  • The Reds signed catcher Miguel Olivo to a minor league contract with an invitation to MLB Spring Training.
  • The Red Sox signed Lyle Overbay to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training.
  • The Indians signed Matt Capps to a minor league deal with an invitation to MLB Spring Training. 
  • The Mets signed LaTroy Hawkins to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.
  • The Marlins claimed right-hander Sam Dyson off of waivers from the Blue Jays. Miami designated center fielder Kevin Mattison for assignment in a related move.
  • The Mariners agreed to sign free agent catcher Kelly Shoppach to a one-year deal that will pay him $1.5MM in base salary with an extra $500K available in incentives.
  • The Phillies designated right-hander J.C. Ramirez for assignment. The move creates roster space for right-hander Chad Durbin, whose one-year deal with the Phillies is now official.
  • The Brewers signed free agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez to a one-year, Major League contract. Gonzalez will obtain a $1.5MM guarantee and could earn an additional $1MM in incentives.
  • The Mets signed right-hander Scott Atchison to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training.
  • The Padres agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Freddy Garcia. 
  • The Yankees agreed to sign Juan Rivera to a minor league deal.
  • The Cardinals agreed to sign Ronny Cedeno to a one-year, Major League contract worth $1.15MM and includes $850K in performance bonuses.
  • The Padres avoided arbitration with reliever Luke Gregerson by agreeing to a one-year, $3.2MM contract for 2013.
  • The Phillies signed infielder Yuniesky Betancourt to a minor league deal with an invite to Major League Spring Training.
  • The Rays agreed to sign second baseman Kelly Johnson to a one-year deal.

East Notes: Red Sox, Kazmir, Dice-K, Cashman

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Economist Andrew Zimbalist says Terry Francona's portrayal of the Red Sox ownership group in his new book gives an unfair representation of John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino's level of investment in the team, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. “I think they’re all really smart. And I think they all really do love baseball, and I think they understand the intricacies of baseball,” said Zimbalist. “John Henry is a stats guy. John Henry brought Bill James to Boston — along with some other very good sabermetricians, by the way."

Here's the latest stories and headlines making news out of the AL and NL East Divisions…

  • Former Mets prospect Scott Kazmir will attempt to make a return to the big leagues this season and believes he can regain the form that made him an All-Star with the Rays, writes Mark Hale of the New York Post.“If his velocity’s back and his confidence is back,” Kazmir’s former pitching coach with the Angels, Mike Butcher, said, “this guy still could be an impact in the major leagues.”
  • Daisuke Matsuzaka remains on the Mets' radar as he could be an option for either the starting rotation or in the bullpen, write Matthew Cerrone and Michael Baron of MetsBlog.com. Matsuzaka, 32, just completed a six-year, $52MM contract with the Red Sox. 
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman celebrates 15 years in his current post with New York today, writes Richard Justice of MLB.com. The hiring of the former Catholic University second baseman in 1998 marked owner George Steinbrenner's 14th general manager in 25 years.

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR this past week:

Rockies Notes: Tulo, Giambi, Chacin, Volstad

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Four years ago today, the Rockies avoided arbitration with third baseman Garrett Atkins by agreeing to a one-year, $7.05MM contract making him the second-highest paid player on the team behind only Todd Helton. The Rockies, however, didn't get their money's worth. After averaging a slash line of .301/.363/.480 the previous four seasons, Atkins' 2009 numbers dropped to .226/.308/.342 and was non-tendered that winter. He played just 44 games with the Orioles in 2010 before being released midseason and hasn't seen any MLB action since. Let's take a look at the news and notes coming out of the Mile High City today:

  • Coming off an injury-plagued 2012, Troy Tulowitzki was the subject of several trade rumors this offseason. "It was a weird thing – the first time I had ever had any trade rumors," Tulowitzki told MLB.com's Thomas Harding. "Any normal person is going to start to think, 'What if this? What if that?' But I can't control those things. Whatever happens, happens, but I definitely want to stay."
  • Jason Giambi has received calls from a few teams and is working out five days a week, as he is determined to continue his playing career, reports Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.
  • Better health of the pitching staff and improved defense are two reasons why fans should have hope for the Rockies, Renck writes within the same article. Renck cites Jhoulys Chacin as a prime candidate for a bounceback year because of his strong finish last season, his new two-year, $6.5MM contract, and a repaired relationship with the front office.
  • Renck feels right-hander Chris Volstad will receive a long look in Spring Training, especially with his former Marlins pitching coach Mark Wiley now working for the Rockies as their new pitching coordinator (via Sulia).

Mets Close To A Deal With Brandon Lyon

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4:54 pm: The Mets are quite confident a deal will be completed with Lyon, tweets Martino.

4:35 pm: The Mets are definitely serious about Lyon, but one Major League source tells Andy Martino of the New York Daily News the reliever is still talking to a few clubs and no deal is done (Twitter link).

3:09 pm: The Mets are closing in on a deal with free agent reliever Brandon Lyon, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. If a contract is finalized, Lyon would be the third right-handed bullpen piece added this week after the signings of Scott Atchison and LaTroy Hawkins. MLB.com's Anthony DiComo tweets this move will probably complete the Mets' bullpen makeover. 

Lyon pitched to a 3.10 ERA, 9.3 K/9, and 3.0 BB/9 in 67 games for the Astros and Blue Jays last year. The 33-year-old, represented by Meister Sports Management, received interest from the Giants this offseason and reportedly was talking with several teams as recently as yesterday. The Blue Jays meanwhile never fully closed the door on Lyon's return despite a full bullpen and limited payroll space.

GM Sandy Alderson has been lukewarm about keeping closer Frank Francisco in that role, so the Mets have been aggressive in trying to improve their bullpen this winter being linked to Jose Valverde, Francisco Rodriguez, and Brian Wilson. The Mets even approached Roy Oswalt about becoming their closer, but to no avail. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets he doesn't believe the Mets are viewing Lyon as a closer. 

Blue Jays Notes: Bullpen, Izturis, Bonifacio

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The Blue Jays have been one of the busiest teams this offseason, per MLBTR's Transaction Tracker. GM Alex Anthopoulos has traded a manager (John Farrell), hired his replacement (John Gibbons, his second stint in Toronto), acquired the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey, Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonifacio, Josh Thole, Mike Nickeas, and Esmil Rogers while signing free agents Melky Cabrera, Maicer Izturis, Henry Blanco, and Mark DeRosa. Is there anything left for Anthopoulos to do before pitchers and catchers report to Dunedin on February 12? MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm answered that question and others when he opened his inbox recently.

  • The remaining moves the Blue Jays have left to make are minor league signings for organizational depth, writes Chisholm. 
  • The only real area of competition is the bullpen. Casey Janssen and Sergio Santos will battle to be the closer. Right-hander Jeremy Jeffress is a favorite to win a job, as he is out of options. Chisholm thinks Brandon Lyon would add a reliable veteran presence to the bullpen, but doesn't see the Blue Jays re-signing the right-hander because the team has reached its payroll limit.
  • It appears Izturis received some sort of promise from the organization he would be the starting second baseman before agreeing to his three-year, $10MM deal, according to Chisholm. Look for Bonifacio to be used in a super utility role even though, in Chisholm's view, he has more upside than Izturis and would bring another element of speed to the lineup.
  • Don't expect Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison, both recovering from Tommy John surgery, to make a major impact until 2014.
  • The Blue Jays' farm system has been weakened by the flurry of trades this offseason. Chisholm notes there's talent in the lower levels, which is at least three years away, but that isn't a concern for the Blue Jays because their core is tied up for a similar period at the big league level.    

AL East Notes: Yankees, Rays, Brignac

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The Yankees made one of their trademark low-risk, high-reward signings last week when they agreed to a one-year, $2MM deal with Travis Hafner that includes another $2MM in performance bonuses.  The left-handed hitter has a career batting line of .287/.391/.534 against right-handed pitching and could prove to be a great pickup if he stays healthy.  Meanwhile, they still have some business to take care of on the other side of the plate.  Here's more on that and other news out of the AL East..

  • Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman told Jim Bowden (via Twitter) and Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM that he is not finished yet and they are still looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder.  The Yankees recently inked Juan Rivera to a minor league deal, but they'll look for a stronger option in the outfield.
  • The Rays have a similar need for a right-handed hitting outfielder/designated hitter/first baseman, but they likely won't find their man before spring training with limited options available, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.  Carlos Lee and Russ Canzler are among the hitters still available on the open market.
  • More from Topkin, who writes that there was trade chatter surrounding infielder Reid Brignac last week.  Brignac is out-of-options and seems unlikely to make the 40-man roster.  Aside from Brignac, the Rays still have to clear two more roster spots.  Catcher Stephen Vogt and reliever Dane De La Rosa are candidates to be DFA'd.

Cafardo On Bourn, Red Sox, Morales, Bailey, Okajima

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The Yankees will face an uphill battle if they attempt to void Alex Rodriguez's contract due to his alleged ties to a Miami PED clinic.  The use of banned substances alone may not be enough to 86 a contract, but a former agent tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that they could try to prove there was fraud prior to the contract being signed.  In that situation, the Bombers would try to show that A-Rod lied about taking PEDs and therefore the contract was agreed to under false pretenses.  Here's more from today's column, with a heavy dose of news on current and former members of the Red Sox..

  • There has been speculation that the Mets are trying to get MLB to allow them to keep their first-round pick if they sign Michael Bourn.  According to a Mets source, they are still trying to determine whether they can get him to sign and they'll only go all out on the compensation issue if they determine that they can. 
  • A few teams contacted the Red Sox about left-hander Franklin Morales this winter and a few others are watching him closely in spring training.  Teams are intrigued by Morales’s starting capability and are especially interested to see if he can consistently maintain his 96 mph fastball over a full outing.  If Gio Gonzalez winds up being penalized for his alleged link to the PED clinic in Miami, Cafardo believes that the Nationals may be interested in Morales.
  • Andrew Bailey is another Red Sox pitcher who will be watched by scouts.  There are still teams out there who could use a closer like the Tigers and Mets and Boston might listen for the right return.
  • A few teams are interested in signing Hideki Okajima to a minor league deal, but he hasn’t made up his mind yet.  The left-hander was recently released by his Japanese team so that he could pursue a return to the majors.
  • Teams like the Astros and Mets are kicking around the possibility of bringing Daisuke Matsuzaka to camp to see if he can recapture the form he had in his first two seasons in Boston.  He could also head back to Japan if he doesn't feel that he has a good chance of making a big league roster.  Last month, a Mets insider told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com that he didn't believe the club reached out to Matsuzaka.
  • Derek Lowe wants to be a starting pitcher, but it appears that he will have to go settle for being a swingman.  The Mets and the Astros are possibilities.

Kevin Millwood To Retire

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After a 16-year major league career, right-hander Kevin Millwood has decided to call it a career, according to Richard Walker of the Shelby Star.  The 38-year-old spent last season with the Mariners and posted a 4.25 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, and a 44.7% ground ball rate in 28 starts.

Millwood says that he told agent Scott Boras that he only wanted to pitch close to his home in Georgia, indicating the Braves and Rays were really his only two choices.  When neither team showed interest, he decided that he wouldn't pitch in 2013.  The veteran says that there's still plenty in the tank, but he would rather spend more time with his family than be on the road this season.

“I feel like I can still throw it well and going out on a high note is a big deal,” Millwood said. “I just felt it was time to be closer to home and to be around the kids more often.”

Last season was a solid effort for Millwood and was punctuated by his six inning contribution to the Mariners' no-hitter over the Dodgers in June.  For his career, Millwood owns a 4.11 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9.  He also earned just under $90MM in his time with the Braves, Phillies, Indians, Rangers, Orioles, Rockies, and Mariners.

Poll: Have The Rangers Done Enough?

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After reaching the World Series two seasons in a row, the Rangers suffered a setback in 2012 when they failed to advance past the Orioles in the AL Wild Card game. The expectations remain the same for 2013 as the organization has its goals set on taking home a ring for the first time in franchise history, even as the roster looks different entering spring training. From losing lineup mainstays to missing out on top free agents, the question becomes whether Texas did enough to address holes in the lineup and on the pitching staff.

A look at the Rangers’ lineup reveals the absence of familiar names including Mike Napoli, Josh Hamilton and Michael Young. The loss of Napoli to the Red Sox may have been a win for the Rangers as the slugger went from securing a multi-year deal to eventually signing a one-year contract due to health concerns. With fewer playing opportunities each season due to the emergence of young talent, Young was sent to the Phillies where he’ll have the opportunity to be in the lineup on a more consistent basis. Hamilton headed to the West Coast when the Angels offered him a contract that the Rangers were not comfortable matching.

While Texas was unable to replace its big bats with the likes of Justin Upton or Carlos Gonzalez, the front office did make two moves that should bring stability to the lineup. The team was able to bolster the catching position by signing veteran A.J. Pierzynski and add depth at designated hitter with the addition of Lance Berkman. 

Pitching concerns for Texas stem more from who the team was unable to sign rather than retain. The organization had hoped to win the services of Zack Greinke but ultimately lost out to the Dodgers. While the Rangers were unable to add pieces from the free agent pool, they did commit long-term to starter Matt Harrison with a five-year, $55MM contract. Beyond the rotation, Texas signed Joakim Soria to add depth to the bullpen.

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