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Central Notes: Garza, Tigers, Hart, Royals

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Cubs manager Dale Sveum told reporters, including MLB.com's Carrie Muskat, that Matt Garza will most likely miss the first month of the season. Garza, ranked ninth on MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings and one of the prime trade targets last summer until he hurt his elbow, strained his left lat two weeks ago when he faced live hitters for the first time since July. In other news involving teams from the NL and AL Central Divisions:

Hunter Pence Wants Long Term Deal With Giants

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Giants outfielder Hunter Pence says that his preference is to sign a long term contract with the club rather than test free agency, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (on Twitter).  Pence will be able to test the open market after the 2013 season.

The Beverly Hills Sports Council client avoided arbitration with San Francisco this winter and is earning $13.8MM in his walk year.  As MLBTR's Extension Tracker shows, GM Brian Sabean has already worked out a pair of extensions this winter by agreeing to deals with Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla.

Pence is No. 10 on Tim Dierkes' list of 2014 free agents, making him the third-highest ranked outfielder in the group behind Shin-Soo Choo and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Cafardo On Red Sox, Vazquez, Stanton, Cano

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that even though the 2013 Red Sox may not knock your socks off, they could still be extremely effective.  In theory, Boston could have used their wiggle room on the likes of Josh Hamilton, Adam LaRoche, and Cody Ross.  Instead, the club's shopping spree yielded Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes, David Ross, Stephen Drew, and Ryan Dempster.  However, the BoSox have set themselves up for bigger things in the long run and they could still be competitive in '13.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • The Red Sox, Nationals, Yankees, Orioles, and Brewers had major interest in free agent pitcher Javier Vazquez before knee surgery put his season in jeopardy. “Never say never,” said a major league source close to the hurler, “but we won’t see him in the immediate future.”
  • One AL executive cautions not to rule out the Tigers as a major player for the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton when the time comes. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski has strong ties to the Marlins from his time with them and may have the chips to get a deal done.  Detroit could use third baseman/outfielder Nick Castellanos, outfielder Avisail Garcia, righty Rick Porcello, and others to entice Miami.
  • One NL executive says that he is envious of the position that Robinson Cano finds himself in.  “He’s going to have the Yankees and the Dodgers offering him a record amount of money,” said the exec.  GM Brian Cashman says he has already offered a “significant” contract, but there's no reason for the Scott Boras client to take the deal when considering how much the Dodgers may be willing to bid.
  • Royals outfielder Jeff Francoeur had the worst WAR among everyday players last season, but at age 29, he feels that he is just entering his prime.  It appears that the Royals would be willing to move him and his strong arm in the outfield could attract interest.

Why I Chose My Agency: Jeremy Affeldt

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By freelance writer Dave Pond for MLB Trade Rumors.

Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt has been a Moye Sports Associates, Inc., client since 1999, and signed a three-year $18MM contract with the Giants shortly after their 2012 World Series Championship. It was Affeldt's third contract with the Giants, following stints with Kansas City, Colorado and Cincinnati. The veteran left-hander spoke with freelance writer Dave Pond about his agency for MLB Trade Rumors:

How did you get hooked up with Mike Moye (Moye Sports Associates, Inc.)

In 1997, I signed with the Royals out of high school and, although I didn't have an agent, I did have a guy who advised me as I negotiated my first contract. When I went off to rookie ball, everyone told me I needed an agent. My mom had seen an article on Mike in Sports Spectrum [a Christian sports publication], told me that he was an agent and a Christian, and that she thought I should give him a call. 

I called Mike and we talked. He told me that I didn't really need an agent during rookie ball. He wasn't just trying to sign me to sign me. Mike said that we should just get to know one another, and see if he was the kind of guy who I wanted to work with. He said he could help me get shoes and things like that — that I didn't need an agent to do those deals — but down the road, if I wanted to work with him, that we could talk about it then.  Mike's not one of these gung-ho, Jerry MaGuire-type guys who comes in with his hair slicked back and a lot of talk. He's a warm, low-key guy, and very professional at what he does. He really takes the time to listen to you, and learn what's important to you. 

A couple of seasons later, I was really doing well in Charleston, and made the single-A All-Star team. I was at the hotel, and I got a bunch of calls from different agents, and I really didn't want to meet with any of them. I was still trying to figure our professional baseball at the time, and I didn't want to have to deal with any of that. So, I called Mike and told him I wanted to sign.

That's what impressed me about Mike so much — he wasn't all about how fast he could sign someone, or see how many guys he could sign. He wanted to make sure I was a quality player, not just on talent, but when it came to character, too — that I was I the kind of guy he wanted to represent, and that I wanted a guy like him to represent me. It was a two-way street, and I was really impressed with that.

What sets Moye apart from other agents?

Several GMs have told me that Mike has a real bulldog mentality when it comes to representing his players in the negotiating room, but that he's one of the best guys to work with as well. He knows his stuff, but he doesn't lie to make you look better or make a team look worse. He doesn't manipulate situations — he's honest with teams he's talking to, and he expects teams to believe him. I want an agent who teams enjoy working with, as well as one with high integrity, good character and good values.

When you meet him, he's not "Hollywood" —  he doesn't seem like your stereotypical agent. You definitely don't look at him at first glance and think "sports agent." I didn't want a Hollywood-type guy — I want to work with a guy who I enjoy spending time with. He's a family-first guy who cares about his wife and kids and where they are at spiritually, so all of that really played into it, too. 

Why have you stayed with Moye Sports?

I'm a very strong Christian man, so I want that type of influence in my life, whether I'm negotiating a contract or if when I'm frustrated with the front office. Mike can talk to me from a Christian perspective as well as from an agent's perspective and that's big for me, because it helps me make the right decisions. Most importantly, Mike reminds me about who I represent — I don't represent me, I represent Jesus.

As professional athletes, we're basically entrepreneurs. We run our own business, and we need people to help us make decisions that will be the best for our families. When we're dealing with the kind of money we're dealing with, and have to make the kind of decisions we're make, I have to have wise counsel, and know that everything is on the table. 

Mike's not just a "yes" man, and he fights for what he knows is right. For Mike, it's never been about how much money he can get Jeremy, so that he'll get a bigger cut — it's how can he help me in life, so that I not only receive great contracts to support my family, but also that I represent  Jesus well in everything I do. Over the years, Mike has helped me become a Major League Christian athlete — not just a Major Leaguer, but a solid Christian man who can represent the Gospel in a tough arena to represent Jesus in. 

Rockies Sign Bobby Cassevah

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The Rockies signed righty Bobby Cassevah to a minor league deal, MLBTR has learned.  The 27-year-old will report to Major League camp tomorrow.

Cassevah had been outrighted off the Angels' 40-man roster on Thursday, after which he elected free agency.  He spent most of 2012 at Triple-A, where he posted a 6.22 ERA, 5.4 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, and 0.58 HR/9 in 46 1/3 relief innings.  Prior to the 2011 season, Baseball America ranked Cassevah 24th among Angels prospects, noting that he "may be the most extreme groundball pitcher in the minors."  Indeed, he owns a 65.9% career groundball rate in the Majors to date.

Quick Hits: Indians, Red Sox, Santana, Cubs

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The Indians have a new-look offense and Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer examines it in detail following a busy offseason for GM Chris Antonetti. After signing free agents Nick Swisher, Mark Reynolds and Michael Bourn, the Indians have more speed and power than they did in 2012. "I don't think we'll be entirely reliant on any one way to score runs," Antonetti said. Here are some more links from around MLB…

  • The Red Sox are looking good after completing last summer's blockbuster trade with the Dodgers, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe writes (on Twitter). Not only did the Red Sox send the cumbersome contracts of Carl Crawford and others to Los Angeles, they obtained promising right-handers Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster in the deal.
  • Questions surround Johan Santana and Frank Francisco, the Mets' two highest-paid pitchers, Ken Belson of the New York Times writes. Santana, who will earn $25.5MM this year, didn't arrive to Spring Training in top form, and Francisco, who will earn $6.5MM, could also open the season on the disabled list.
  • Carlos Villanueva told reporters that he signed with the Cubs as a free agent because he likes the direction of the franchise (video link via the Chicago Tribune). Villanueva said he seeks information on people running teams, just as Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer do their homework on players.

Teams With Open 40-Man Roster Spots

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Teams looking for reinforcements can turn to the waiver wire as Opening Day approaches. Each club faces tough roster decisions at the end of Spring Training, and talented out of options players are sometimes available on waivers as teams try to sneak them through to the minor leagues.

The Braves (three open spots), Angels (one open spot), Phillies (one open spot), Nationals (one open spot), Cardinals (one open spot) and Giants (one open spot) are the MLB teams that presently have open 40-man spots, according to MLBDepthCharts.com. These clubs are well-positioned to claim someone should an intriguing player be placed on waivers. They could also offer free agents Major League deals without having to cut another player (if they have enough money and projected 25-man roster space).

The Braves are known to be seeking a left-handed bench bat, and could consider options on waivers in the next month or so. The Nationals could be looking for left-handed relief, depending on how their internal options perform this spring.

Keep in mind that many of the 24 teams with full 40-man rosters will create roster space by moving a player to the 60-day disabled list or by releasing, outrighting or designating for assignment a rostered player. For context, eight players were claimed on waivers during the week leading up to Opening Day in 2012.

NL East Notes: Phillies, Stanton, Marlins

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Baseball Prospectus' preseason projections have the Nationals and Braves ahead of the Phillies in the National League East. That's how the standings looked in 2012, and most observers seem to expect similar results in 2013. However, Phillies special assistant Pat Gillick sees things differently. Here are the details…

  • Gillick told Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he believes the Phillies can contend for "two or three more years." Gillick, the team's former GM, said he likes the club's approach this spring. "They really want to win. When people have that attitude, it carries them a long way," he said (link via the Miami Herald).
  • The Marlins renewed the contract of Giancarlo Stanton for $537K, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. Stanton's not earning much more than the MLB minimum of $490K for now, but he'll earn a substantial raise one year from now when he's arbitration eligible for the first time.
  • Marlins fans agree that owner Jeffrey Loria isn't good for baseball in Miami, Greg Cote of the Miami Herald reports. Loria addressed reporters multiple times this past week, offering insight about the team’s busy offseason and future direction.

Los Angeles Notes: Angels, Dodgers, Trout, Wilson

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Here's a look at the latest from the two L.A. teams..

  • The Angels gave star outfielder Mike Trout a $510K contract for next season, just $20K over the MLB minimum, and agent Craig Landis voiced his displeasure in a statement, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.  Gonzalez writes that the Halos didn't want to set a precedent for their other players and they don’t feel that it'll hinder their ability to sign him to a long-term extension.  For his part, Landis says that the figure "falls well short" of a fair deal.
  • The Dodgers have an embarrassment of riches on the mound at a time when most teams are searching for their fourth and fifth starter, writes Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.  While there's likely a trade candidate or two on the Dodgers, GM Ned Colletti says that he's happy to hang on to his surplus.
  • After signing a five-year, $77.5MM deal with the Angels last winter, C.J. Wilson didn't get off to the greatest start with his new club.  However, the hurler says that he's finally healthy and ready to have a bounceback year, Gonzalez writes.

Poll: Will The Yankees Get Under $189MM For 2014?

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Last year, the Bombers made waves and eyes roll when they said that they were determined to get under the $189MM figure to avoid being severely taxed in 2014.  The new Collective Bargaining Agreement meant that the Yankees’ free-spending ways were no longer good business, but people were still skeptical that the Steinbrenner family would go through with tightening the belt.  One year later, it seems like they’re still serious about being smart shoppers.

The Yankees kept veteran pitchers Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda on one-year deals, meaning that they’ll see a combined $27MM come off of the books after this season.  Kevin Youkilis was also brought in on a one-year, $12MM deal to satisfy the club’s need at third base.  Meanwhile, the club resisted temptation and stayed away from the bigger names on the open market this winter.  It’ll stay that way too, despite Scott Boras’ desire for the club to get involved with Kyle Lohse.

Everything seems to be falling in line for the Yankees when it comes to getting under the $189MM mark, except when it comes to their star second baseman.  The Yanks insist that they have made a “significant offer” to keep Cano for the long-term, but there could be a significant gap between the club and the Boras client.  The Bombers could be thinking about something in the neighborhood of seven years at $171MM while Boras might expect opening bids for ten years at $20-25MM per season.  Ultimately, keeping Cano from testing free agency may mean compromising their repeated desire to avoid paying steep luxury tax penalties.  When all is said and done, do you see the Bombers sticking to their guns?

Will the Yankees get under the $189MM luxury tax threshold for 2014?
No 63.08% (8,120 votes)
Yes 36.92% (4,752 votes)
Total Votes: 12,872

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