AL East Notes: Red Sox, Yankees, Cuddyer, Johnson
There has been a great deal of talk about what the Yankees might do in the wake of Mark Teixeira's injury, but the Red Sox have some questions of their own to address as Opening Day approaches. As David Ortiz struggles with an injured left Achilles, could Boston explore a move for a slugger? Here's more on that and other notes out of the AL East..
- Red Sox manager John Farrell acknowledged that the club could explore a Plan B for Ortiz, but nothing is in the works on that front just yet, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. For now, the BoSox skipper says that the club is only evaluating its in-house options.
- Buster Olney of ESPN.com (on Twitter) wonders if there is a deal to made between the Yankees and Rockies for Michael Cuddyer in which Colorado eats a large portion of his deal. Cuddyer is a right-handed hitter who has the versatility to fill in at first base, in the outfield, and at DH. The 33-year-old is owed $21MM over the next two seasons.
- Josh Johnson's contract status and potentially impending free agency isn't stressing him out, writes Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. Johnson says that his next deal is the furthest thing from his mind and manager John Gibbons isn't concerned about it becoming a distraction. The right-hander will earn $13.75MM in his walk year.
How Much Should The Angels Have Paid Mike Trout?
Earlier this month, the Angels renewed the contract of outfield sensation Mike Trout for $510K, $20K over the league minimum. Trout, of course, had an otherworldly campaign, winning Rookie of the Year and finishing second in the AL MVP vote. Baseball's collective bargaining agreement allows teams to set salaries for players who are not yet arbitration eligible, so Trout's agent Craig Landis had no leverage to negotiate.
That didn't stop Landis from issuing a statement, in which he said Trout's salary "falls well short of a 'fair' contract." Trout's season was uncommon, but good players with less than two years of Major League service being renewed is not. This became a news story only because of Landis' statement. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported this week that Landis implied to the Angels that Trout wanted a $1MM salary, which would have topped the $900K the Phillies bestowed upon Ryan Howard after his '06 MVP season.
Some might say the Phillies were foolish for giving Howard $520K above the league minimum in '07, because that gift did not buy enough goodwill to prevent the two sides from going to an arbitration hearing a year later. The same argument could be taken by the Angels, who chose not to make an exception to their service-time based pay scale.
In contrast, a few members of today's Clubhouse Confidential panel at this week's excellent SABR Analytics conference, particularly Dave Cameron of FanGraphs, opined that the Halos should have given Trout the million dollars he reportedly sought. Cameron's stance is that the Angels could have treated the extra $510K as a worthy public relations expenditure. The Angels would have made headlines for their generosity, and setting a precedent for their future zero-to-three players would not be a concern since Trout's situation is so rare. Now, it's your turn to weigh in — choose the number that you like best.
How much should the Angels have paid Mike Trout?
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$1MM or more 44% (7,093)
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$510K 27% (4,380)
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$700K 8% (1,285)
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$800K 8% (1,278)
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$900K 6% (1,002)
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$600K 6% (953)
Total votes: 15,991
AL Central Notes: Tigers, Twins, Hicks, Indians
Here's a look at tonight's news out of the AL Central..
- Tigers right-hander Bruce Rondon struck out two and did not issue a walk this afternoon in what was his best outing of the Grapefruit League season so far. In fact, if the rookie had thrown this well in his previous outings, the Tigers would probably feel more confident about their closer situation, writes Chris Iott of MLive.com. The Tigers are said to be scouring the trade market in search of a proven ninth-inning option.
- When asked if whether starting the service time clock will play a role in whether prospect Aaron Hicks makes team, Twins General Manager Terry Ryan responded, "Not here," according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com (on Twitter). Recently, our own Ben Nicholson-Smith looked at service time considerations for Hicks and other top prospects across baseball.
- The pain of a 68-94 season was the Indians' motivating factor in going out and getting Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher, Mark Reynolds, and Brett Myers, CEO Paul Dolan told Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer. "We didn't want to go through something like that again," he said. "In some ways, it was a shock we needed."
New York Notes: Yankees, Mets, Wells, Rivera
Earlier today, MLBTR readers were fairly split on what the Yankees should look to do next. About 32% of you said that the Bombers should just work with what they have, nearly 28% want to see the Yanks to land an infielder and an outfielder, and 26% say that GM Brian Cashman should pursue either a first or third baseman. Here's more on what the Yankees may (or may not) do before Opening Day and some items on the Mets..
- The Mariners probably won't make someone truly intriguing such as Kyle Seager or Michael Saunders available for the Yankees, but Casper Wells could be in play, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The 28-year-old is out of options, might not have a roster spot and showed that he can hit well against lefties last season.
- Over the past several months, the Mets have quietly made a series of promotions in the front office, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Dick Scott, who worked with J.P. Ricciardi in Toronto, is now director of player development. Adam Fisher, who is a holdover from the Omar Minaya era was promoted from manager of baseball operations to director of baseball operations. Former assistant director of minor league operations Jon Miller also earned a promotion, moving up to director of minor league operations.
- Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) reflected on the career of Mariano Rivera and his importance to the Yankees franchise over the years. The legendary closer has decided that he will call it a career after the 2013 season.
Quick Hits: Padres, Marmol, Tigers
Teams hoping to trade for Chase Headley will have to wait — at least for a few months. Padres general manager Josh Byrnes told Peter Gammons of MLB Network that San Diego executives have worked hard to assemble an improved offensive team. “We're not breaking it up now," Byrnes said (Twitter links). As Gammons notes, it’s possible the Padres will re-consider their stance in July. Here are some notes from around MLB…
- Carlos Marmol’s name surfaced in trade talk this week, but said today that he expects to be with the Cubs all year despite the rumors. "I don't believe in anything," he said, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter).
- Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he intends to keep managing as long as he can, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). "I'm not retiring, whether we win or we don't win," Leyland said. The 68-year-old obtained a one-year contract from the Tigers after leading the team to the World Series.
- Many of the teams expected to contend in 2013 are already facing significant questions, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com writes. The Tigers (closer), Cardinals (shortstop), Yankees (lineup), Rangers (rotation) and Dodgers (outfield) have issues to address this spring.
- Daisuke Matsuzaka can opt out of his deal with the Indians on March 26th, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Sale, Detwiler, Rondon, A’s
On this date in 1930, Babe Ruth inked a two-year deal with the Yankees worth $160K which renewed his status as the highest paid player of all time. After the deal was completed, General Manager Ed Barrow predicted that, “No one will ever be paid more.” Here's this week's look around the baseball blogosphere..
- South Side Sox has eight comparable cases for Chris Sale.
- Federal Baseball wonders what we might see from Ross Detwiler in 2013.
- I R Fast wonders if Bruce Rondon is ready to be a closer.
- A's Farm talked with Oakland's director of baseball operations about the club's young talent.
- Yankees Fans Unite recaps a jinxed spring training.
- Pinstripe Pundits reminds Mike Trout how lucky he is to play in this era.
- Couch Side Show isn't high on the Rockies' rotation.
- Hot Stove Heat is hoping that Trout doesn't let his meager pay bump affect him on the field.
- Rising Apple doesn't put much stock into who gets the starting nod on Opening Day.
- Phoul Ballz checked in with Phillies prospect Cody Asche.
- Lasorda's Lair is a little worried about Carl Crawford.
- Baltimore Sports and Life spoke with Jerry Crasnick.
- MLB CPI has a composite list of top prospects culled from the best sites on the net.
- Kingdome Of Seattle Sports believes that the M's recent power surge is a good sign.
- Baseball Hot Corner has five prospects to get excited about in 2013.
- The Doubleday examines the magic and myth of the age 27 season.
- Close Call gives their winners of the offseason.
- i70 Baseball looks at the Cards' organizational depth at third base.
- The Daily Statesman spoke with Tony LaRussa.
- Bless You Boys crunches some numbers to find the odds of making it to the majors.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Cardinals Notes: Kozma, Cedeno, Wainwright
Earlier today the Cardinals announced a five-year, $31MM extension for Allen Craig that buys out up to two of the 28-year-old’s free agent seasons. Here are some more notes related to the Cardinals, who learned this week that shortstop Rafael Furcal will have to undergo Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow…
- Furcal’s injury isn’t disastrous, Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. As long as Pete Kozma can provide acceptable defense until the trade market develops, the Cardinals should be fine. The team’s internal projections didn’t expect more than 100 starts from Furcal in 2013, according to Strauss.
- The early returns on Ronny Cedeno are “less than glowing,” according to Strauss, who notes that Cedeno’s $1.2MM contract is not guaranteed.
- The Cardinals remain apart on years and dollars in extension talks with Adam Wainwright, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Mozeliak expressed optimism about the discussions, telling Stark "I feel good about where we're headed but we'll see."
Mariners To Receive Cash For Carp
The Red Sox and Mariners are expected to complete the Mike Carp trade by the end of the month, with Seattle receiving cash for the first baseman/outfielder, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports (on Twitter). The Red Sox acquired Carp from the Mariners for a player to be named later or cash considerations on February 20th.
Carp, a left-handed hitter, has played for the Mariners in parts of four seasons, compiling a .255/.327/.413 batting line with 18 home runs and 28 doubles in 608 plate appearances. Players to be named must be announced within six months of a trade, which leaves the teams with plenty of time to complete the deal.
Cardinals Extend Allen Craig
12:04pm: Craig will earn $1.75MM in 2013, $2.75MM in 2014, $5.5MM in 2015, $9MM in 2016 and $11MM in 2017, according to Rick Hummel of the Post-Dispatch. The 2018 option is valued at $13MM with a $1MM buyout.
10:52am: Craig obtains a $31MM guarantee, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (on Twitter).
9:41am: The Cardinals announced that they agreed to a five-year extension with first baseman/outfielder Allen Craig (Twitter link). The deal runs through the 2017 season and includes a club option for 2018. ACES represents Craig.
Craig, 28, is now entering his final season as a pre-arbitration eligible player. The contract covers his final pre-arb year, his three arbitration seasons, and at least one free agent year. The club option gives the Cardinals the chance to retain Craig for a second free agent year.
Craig got plenty of playing time as a first baseman and corner outfielder in 2012, and he responded with a tremendous season that earned him some recognition on NL MVP ballots. In 514 plate appearances, the right-handed hitter posted a .307/.354/.522 batting line with 22 home runs. Craig also impressed in 2011, when he posted a .917 OPS in 219 plate appearances.
While terms of the deal aren't known, it won't be surprising if it's worth $30MM or so. Many others have signed long-term deals covering the same seasons as Craig's deal, as MLBTR's Extension Tracker shows. When Andrew McCutchen, Justin Upton, Jay Bruce, Cameron Maybin and Curtis Granderson signed long-term deals, this five-year period was valued in the $25-36MM range (some of those players signed six-year deals).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Poll: The Yankees’ Next Move
The Yankees have finished first or second in the American League in runs scored in each of the last four seasons. Joe Girardi has managed some potent offenses, but the club's current lineup looks ordinary rather than exceptional following the news that Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira will miss the first month-plus of the regular season with injuries.
The Yankees’ projected lineup now includes Juan Rivera and Dan Johnson in place of Granderson and Teixeira. Not surprisingly, GM Brian Cashman is considering possible upgrades. Significant trades aren't generally completed in March, so Cashman's options are limited. Plus, if the Yankees make a major move they could face tough roster decisions in a matter of weeks. But the team can't afford to field a weakened lineup for one sixth of the season, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post pointed out today. How should Cashman navigate this early season dilemma?
What should the Yankees do next?
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Rely on internal options 32% (3,394)
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Acquire an infielder and an outfielder 29% (3,073)
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Acquire a corner infielder 25% (2,643)
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Acquire an outfielder 14% (1,486)
Total votes: 10,596