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Archives for March 2013

Rangers Won’t Sign Kyle Lohse

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Earlier this week, it was reported that the Rangers were keeping in contact with agent Scott Boras regarding Kyle Lohse.  However, a club source says tells T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com that Texas won’t be the team to take the top remaining free agent off of the market.

“We are not going to sign Kyle Lohse. I can’t be clearer than that,” said the source.

Some wondered if the Rangers might ramp up their pursuit of Lohse in the wake of Martin Perez’s injury, given that the fractured ulna will keep him from throwing for about a month.  However, it looks like Jon Daniels & Co. will instead look to get by with what they already have in-house.  

Even though Lohse has sat on the shelf for much longer than anyone anticipated, Boras is reportedly seeking a three-year deal with a “big” annual salary.  It’s still not clear which teams could be in on the 34-year-old as the Yankees and Indians are also not interested in signing him.  Recently, Tim Dierkes predicted that Lohse would eventually settle for a one- or two-year deal.

Texas added a pitcher earlier today in Derek Lowe but the veteran will reportedly be used as a reliever if he makes the team.

Quick Hits: Mets, Rangers, Hamilton

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The strength of the 2013 Mets appears to be their rotation, but when you compare New York's starting five to the rotations of the Nationals, Phillies and Braves, the group no longer seems as intimidating. As Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes, the Mets seem even more vulnerable in areas such as the outfield and the bullpen. Here are some more links from around the Major Leagues, starting in New York…

  • Free agent right-hander Francisco Rodriguez said he "definitely" wants to return to the Mets and "redeem himself" in New York, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports (Twitterlinks). While the Mets won't rule out a reunion with Rodriguez, it doesn't seem like a 'front burner issue' for the team in Martino's view.
  • The Rangers must find a way to keep CEO Nolan Ryan in place, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. In Rosenthal's view it would be a shame if the Hall of Famer left after the contributions he has made in Texas. It’s possible Ryan will leave the team, but the Rangers say they want him to stay.
  • Josh Hamilton says he isn't out for revenge against the Rangers this season, but one Texas official tells Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he is skeptical of that assertion. The Rangers person predicted that the slugger may hit 50 homers in his first year with the Angels, fueled in part by a grudge against his former club.
  • Within the piece, Heyman reports that the Mariners offered Hamilton about $90MM for four years with vesting options for two additional seasons. The Rangers offered a three-year deal with three additional options, Heyman reports. Hamilton obtained a five-year, $125MM contract from the Angels.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Yankees To Consider Corner Infielders

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Mark Teixeira has a strained right wrist and will miss eight to ten weeks, according to Yankees manager Joe Girardi (via Jack Curry of the YES Network on Twitter). The Yankees will look at first basemen and third basemen when considering possible replacements, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports (Twitter links). Kevin Youkilis’ versatility will enable the club to explore options at both corner positions.

Travis Hafner is not an option in the field, Girardi and GM Brian Cashman confirmed. The left-handed hitter will only be used as a designated hitter and pinch hitter. Juan Rivera and Dan Johnson are among the Yankees' internal options at first base. However, the Yankees are stretched thin in general following Curtis Granderson's injury and may need Rivera in left field.

Free agents Carlos Lee and Aubrey Huff might appeal to the Yankees at first base. The club could also consider trading for a player, though the trade market doesn’t typically gain momentum until later in March. If the Yankees do pursue trades for first basemen they could be bidding against other teams, such as the Brewers.

Offseason In Review: Atlanta Braves

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The Braves crafted a dynamic outfield by acquiring the Upton brothers, but were weakened at third base in the process.

Major League Signings

  • B.J. Upton, OF: five years, $75.25MM. 
  • Gerald Laird, C: two years, $3.3MM.
  • Brian McCann, C: one year, $12MM. Club option exercised.
  • Tim Hudson, SP: one year, $9MM. Club option exercised.
  • Paul Maholm, SP: one year, $6.5MM. Club option exercised.
  • Reed Johnson, OF: one year, $1.75MM. Includes $1.6MM club option for 2014 with a $150K buyout.
  • Ramiro Pena, IF: one year Major League Deal
  • Total Spend: $107.8MM.

Minor League Signings

Traded and Claims

Notable Losses

Needs Addressed

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The Braves set out to secure two outfielders this offseason, and they wound up with an impressive combination in the Upton brothers.  Justin (pictured) is 25 and B.J. is 28, so both players are in the prime of their careers.  Justin, the first overall draft pick in 2005, has seemed on the cusp of superstardom for years.  He put up big seasons in 2009 and '11, but showed disappointing power in '10 and '12.  Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers publicly acknowledged entertaining trades for Justin for the second consecutive offseason, and finally pulled the trigger this time.  It had to have weighed on the player's mind.  Getting out of Arizona should be a big win for him, and playing alongside his brother is the icing on the cake.  B.J., drafted second overall in '02, has had a very good Major League career.  He's prone to the strikeout, and the subsequent low batting averages suppress his OBP.  He's also a 25-30 home run player with strong center field defense.  If he finds a way to cut down on the strikeouts, he too could unlock superstar potential.

The Upton brothers both bat right-handed, complementing left-handed bats like Brian McCann, Freddie Freeman, and Jason Heyward.  In Freeman, Heyward, Andrelton Simmons, and the Uptons, the Braves have secured a strong core of position players for at least the next three seasons.

The Braves' bullpen posted a 2.76 ERA and 3.06 K/BB ratio last year, so it was hardly considered a big need going into the offseason.  Nonetheless, the swap of Hanson for Walden adds four years of control of another hard-throwing, intriguing reliever.  With their bullpen, the Braves could shorten a lot of games.  Plus, they've got depth in the event of an injury.  Braves GM Frank Wren also aimed to secure quality backups at catcher and outfield, and the signings of Laird and Johnson fit the bill.

Questions Remaining

For all the excitement of acquiring the Upton brothers, is this team better in 2013?  Prado had been slated to replace Jones at third base, and the Braves had to include him to acquire Justin Upton from Arizona.  With Prado traded, Bourn departed for the Indians, and Jones retired, the Braves lost a third of their 2012 offense.  Accounting for defense, swapping Bourn for B.J. Upton might be a wash in '13.  And while Justin Upton has the higher ceiling, he and Prado could provide comparable value this year as well.  Chris Johnson and Juan Francisco will man the hot corner, after Jones and Francisco took the bulk of the at-bats there in 2012.  Johnson, the right-handed side of that platoon, actually hasn't hit lefties well in his career.  The market for third basemen was weak this offseason, so Wren will have to be on the lookout this summer if the Johnson/Francisco plan isn't working.  The team also needs a strong April return from McCann following shoulder surgery; he's entering a contract year.

After exercising club options on Hudson and Maholm, the Braves felt they had the rotation depth to deal Hanson and Delgado and cut Jurrjens loose.  None of the departed starters were anything special in 2012, nor were they workhorses.  Still, the team enters 2013 with no pitchers who reached 190 innings last year, a feat accomplished by 28 hurlers in the NL.  Brandon Beachy should return from Tommy John surgery by July to give the rotation a boost.  

Deal of Note

Though the Justin Upton trade is not a clear win for 2013 because of the loss of Prado, the latter had only one year of control remaining at the time of the deal.  Upton has three, and he's still on the upswing.  Delgado, considered among the top 50 prospects in the game a year ago, needs to develop into at least a mid-rotation starter for Arizona to prevent this deal from heavily favoring the Braves.  It was a trade Wren had to make.  No one would be surprised if Justin Upton becomes a perennial MVP candidate in his age 25-27 seasons.

Hindsight being 20/20, the loss of the 28th overall draft pick and a five-year, $75.25MM deal for B.J. Upton was a fairly steep price for someone with a .298 OBP last year.  That's only true because Bourn and Swisher signed with the Indians for less than expected — Upton's contract seemed fair when it was completed in November.  Plus, Upton is the youngest of those three by a long shot, and competition seemed stiffer for his services at the outset of the offseason.

Overview

The Braves should contend for the next several seasons, with a strong core of position players, good young arms in the rotation and bullpen, and a pair of top 100 pitching prospects in Julio Teheran and J.R. Graham.  The Braves may not quite stack up with the Nationals on paper, but they're better off now than they were four months ago.

Brian Wilson Won’t Sign Until After Opening Day

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Free agent reliever Brian Wilson is still working to rehab from his second Tommy John surgery and prefers not to audition for clubs until he is 100 percent, a source with knowledge of pitcher's situation told Scott Miller of CBSSports.com.  That means that it might be several weeks into the season until the former Giants standout is ready to sign. 

Wilson is currently throwing bullpen sessions and is said to be at about “80 to 85 percent.”  The soon-to-be 31-year-old threw in January for the Mets and his subpar showing led him to decide to wait until he is 100% before auditioning again.

It usually takes at least 12 months before a pitcher regains full strength following Tommy John surgery and Wilson, who went under the knife last April, is still shy of his one year anniversary.  Giants skipper Bruce Bochy says that the club has not ruled out a return for Wilson while the Mets are an unlikely destination.

Ryan Westmoreland Retires

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Ryan Westmoreland, a former top prospect with the Red Sox, announced his retirement from professional baseball, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports. The 22-year-old underwent brain surgery in 2010 and worked to revive his pro career before suffering a setback and having a second surgery.

"Although it is a very difficult decision for me, it has become clear that the neurological damage caused by the most recent cavernous malformation and surgery leaves me with physical challenges that make it impossible to play the game at such a high level," Westmoreland told reporters.

The Red Sox selected Westmoreland in the fifth round of the 2008 draft, signing him to a $2MM bonus. He posted a .296/.401/.484 batting line as a 19-year-old at Class A the following year, and Baseball America ranked him 21st among MLB prospects leading up to the 2010 campaign.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Ichiro, Jeter, Orioles

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MLBTR’s offseason in review series is just getting started, but the AL East is now complete. Click here to see how the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Blue Jays and Orioles navigated their respective offseasons. Here are some more links from the division…

  • The Red Sox aren't close to bumping up against MLB's luxury tax, as Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com shows. With commitments in the $163MM range, the Red Sox have $15MM separating them from the $178MM threshold.
  • Ichiro Suzuki explained to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post that he wanted to re-sign with the Yankees because of the team's focused emphasis on winning. “Those are things that I wanted in a clubhouse and on a team, and I didn’t know that it existed,” Ichiro said. “I kind of had given up hope that I would find that ideal clubhouse, kind of how I felt how about a clubhouse should be. And I was able to find that last year, and that was here.”
  • In a video blog Davidoff explains that Brian Cashman's recent misadventure won't stop him from doing his job as the Yankees' general manager. Cashman broke his right fibula and dislocated his right ankle after jumping out of a parachute to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project two days ago.
  • Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner are among the ten most powerful people in baseball, Tom Verducci writes at SI.com. Commissioner Bud Selig tops Verducci's list.
  • The Orioles like what they see from Jair Jurrjens this spring, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports. Jurrjens, who signed a minor league deal with Baltimore this past offseason, is one of 13 Orioles pitchers competing for a rotation spot this spring.

Tigers Notes: Marmol, Cubs, Boesch

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The Tigers will consider trading for a closer and Carlos Marmol of the Cubs is drawing interest, so there's a possible matchup on paper. Manager Jim Leyland and GM Dave Dombrowski have publicly downplayed the chances of a trade, but that hasn’t stopped the speculation. Here are some Tigers-related notes…

  • One scout notes that Marmol has issues limiting walks, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com. "Less control than [Al] Alburquerque," the scout said (Twitter link). Marmol has a career walk rate of 6.0 BB/9 in seven MLB seasons.
  • Beck revisits recent trade rumors involving the Cubs and Tigers, pointing out that three of the four best-paid Cubs have been linked to the Tigers in trade rumors in the last 15 months. Alfonso Soriano, Matt Garza and Marmol have all been connected to the Tigers on this site in the last year-plus.
  • John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press argues that the Tigers don't need an experienced closer. Lowe notes that the closers for last year's National League division winners had a total of five career saves entering the 2012 season.
  • Brennan Boesch is now healthy, so speculation about possible trades will resume, Lowe writes. Boesch doesn't have a clear role on the 2013 Tigers and could be dealt this spring.

Offseason In Review: Boston Red Sox

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The Red Sox turned to the free agent market to address their various needs this winter, spending well over $100MM. 

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Trades and Claims

Extensions

Notable Losses

Needs Addressed

The Red Sox chose to acquire useful players at a number of positions instead of spending on a single superstar, an understandable decision considering the value of draft picks and the team’s many needs. GM Ben Cherington distributed contracts to a variety of players, with no individual player signing for as much as $40MM. The result: a team that could rebound from a forgettable 2012 season to compete in the AL East.

David Ortiz - Red Sox (PW)

The Red Sox started by dismissing manager Bobby Valentine and acquiring John Farrell from the Blue Jays. It was evident toward the end of the 2012 season that Valentine was no longer the answer in Boston, and it’s reasonable to expect fewer distractions with the return of the more diplomatic Farrell.

Only two American League teams allowed more runs than the 2012 Red Sox, so Cherington entered the offseason seeking pitching. The Red Sox managed to add Ryan Dempster, an aging but perhaps underrated starter, plus relievers Koji Uehara and Joel Hanrahan. 

Dempster has been an above-average pitcher well after his 30th birthday, and should continue adding value for the duration of the team's two-year commitment. While homer-prone, Uehara brings an extremely impressive strikeout to walk ratio to Boston. In Hanrahan the Red Sox acquire a pitcher who had trouble limiting walks last year, sending a modest return to Pittsburgh in the process.

On offense, the Red Sox started by re-signing Ortiz, easily the top designated hitter available in free agency. They also added backup catcher David Ross, lefty mashing outfielder Jonny Gomes, shortstop Stephen Drew, and former Mariner Mike Carp, fortifying an offense that ranked fifth in the American League in scoring a year ago. 

Mike Napoli initially agreed to a $39MM contract with the Red Sox, but a hip issue led to a re-negotiation and a $5MM guarantee. This deal has the potential to be a bargain for the Red Sox, assuming that avascular necrosis doesn’t prevent Napoli from playing.

Victorino's $39MM contract went through, and it qualifies as the largest deal of the offseason for the Red Sox. While he's an imperfect player who struggles to hit right-handers, Victorino should make the Red Sox better in 2013.

Questions Remaining

The rotation includes Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Felix Doubront, who all posted ERAs above 4.50 in 2012. Each pitcher can be better, but counting on bounce-back performances from so many players seems risky. There's also John Lackey, who's returning from Tommy John surgery and an awful 2011 season. Even with the addition of Dempster, this group looks vulnerable compared to other American League rotations.

Health is a concern for every team this time of year. Jacoby Ellsbury, Napoli, Ortiz and Drew have faced significant, recent injuries. The depth of the organization could be tested if any of these players need more time on the disabled list.

Deal of Note

An ankle injury sidelined Drew for much of the 2011 and 2012 seasons, limiting him to 165 total games and an OPS+ of just 86. In other words, he hasn't been a $10MM player. Yet Ben Cherington's decision to sign Drew to a one-year, $9.5MM pillow contract makes sense.

The free agent market for shortstops tends to be weak, and teams have high asking prices for trade candidates at the position. In Drew the Red Sox acquired a high-upside shortstop for cash without having to trade from prospect depth or surrender a compensatory draft pick. Drew, who turns 30 this month, had been a league average hitter before injuring his ankle in 2011. A league average bat at shortstop is a valuable commodity, and looks like a major upgrade over Jose Iglesias, at least on offense. That said, Drew's contract doesn't block Iglesias or top prospect Xander Bogaerts long-term. He’s here for 2013 alone with the chance to prove that he’s worth $10MM and then some. It looks like a deal that could benefit the team and a player.

Overview

The Red Sox will be an improved team in 2013. But after falling to the bottom of the American League East standings a year ago, this club can no longer be considered prohibitive co-favorites, as they were for most of the last decade. Instead, they’re a fringe contender that could just as easily end up with another sub-.500 record.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Quick Hits: Trout, Happ, Chavez

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The Angels' $510K renewal of Mike Trout's contract for 2013 has made minor news this week. Now FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that Trout's agent, Craig Landis, has suggested his client wanted a $1M contract for 2013. Since Trout is a pre-arbitration eligible player and does not have a long-term deal, the Angels were not obligated to pay him any more than the league minimum salary of $490K, despite Trout's exceptional 2012 performance. One source tells Rosenthal the Angels did not negotiate the deal at all. Another tells him that the Angels initially offered Trout a contract of more than $510K, but Trout did not accept it, and the Angels gave him the $510K contract as punishment. In any case, as Rosenthal suggests, the mini-controversy over Trout's 2013 salary will quickly vanish into history if the two sides can agree on a long-term deal. And, of course, salaries near the league minimum are routine for pre-arbitration eligible players, even spectacular ones. Here are more notes from around the majors.

  • The Blue Jays' offseason acquisitions of Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey have put the squeeze on several Jays pitchers, including J.A. Happ, who no longer has much of a shot at a rotation job. Nonetheless, Happ continues to prepare for the season as a starter, writes Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. "Right now I'm focused on being a starter, building up and doing what I've done in the past," says Happ. Happ could win a job in the bullpen, or he could wind up in the rotation at Triple-A Buffalo, even though he will earn $3.7MM this year.
  • Third baseman Eric Chavez, now with the Diamondbacks, says he needed to leave the Athletics organization behind after suffering numerous injuries in his last seasons there, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Chavez left the A's after the 2010 season, and signing a minor-league deal with the Yankees gave him a chance to "restart everything" by escaping from expectations established early in his career in Oakland. Chavez hit .281/.348/.496 in a successful 2012 campaign in New York, leading to a one-year, $3MM major-league deal with Arizona for 2013.

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