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Archives for March 2013

East Notes: Wang, Yankees, Rays, Marlins

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The Yankees are among the teams keeping an eye on Chien-Ming Wang, who threw six shutout innings against Australia in the World Baseball Classic, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  The Aussies may not be the toughest team in the WBC, but Wang looked strong and probably helped his case for hooking on with the Bombers or another club as pitching depth.  Here's more out of the AL and NL East..

  • MLBPA chief Michael Weiner said this morning that there's "some legitimacy" to the Rays' management concerns that the new CBA has not helped them in terms of competitive balance, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
  • Weiner went on to say that he is "disappointed" in the Rays' attendance figures, but neither contraction nor relocation have come up as possibilities.  He also says there is a curiosity to see what could happen with stadium on other side of Tampa, closer to Orlando (Twitter links).
  • Mets catcher John Buck says that he's keeping himself out of the beef between his former Marlins teammates and the club's management, writes Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel. Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle have both spoken out against Miami owner Jeffrey Loria.
  • Marlins hitting coach Tino Martinez says that Jake Marisnick, who was acquired in the trade with the Blue Jays, could be the best defensive center fielder in the game right now, Sherman tweets.

2014 Vesting Options

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Recently, I crunched the numbers on vesting options from the last three years and found that just over 29% of them were triggered.  Which players can lock in their 2014 options based on their performance this season?  Let's take a look..

  • Kurt Suzuki, Nationals: $9.25MM option vests with 113 starts in 2013.
  • Jamey Carroll, Twins: $2MM option vests with 401 plate appearances.
  • Wilson Betemit, Orioles: $3.2MM option vests with 324 plate appearances (combined 700 between 2012 and 2013).
  • Lance Berkman, Rangers: $13MM option vests with 550 plate appearances.
  • Roy Halladay, Phillies: $20MM option vests with 259 innings pitched (combined 415 innings pitched between '12 and '13).
  • Barry Zito, Giants: $18MM option vests with 200 innings pitched.
  • Johan Santana, Mets: $25MM option vests with 215 innings pitched or winning the 2013 Cy Young Award.

It's also worth noting that Francisco Liriano has a $8MM club option for 2014 with the Pirates, but it can vest at any of three levels, $5MM, $6MM, or $8MM, based on the number of days he is not on the DL this year with a recurrence of his right arm injury.

Central Notes: Tigers, Cubs, Rondon, Valverde

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The Tigers would love to lock Justin Verlander up for the long-term, but it may take a while for the two sides to find middle ground.  The right-hander says that he wants to become baseball's first $200MM pitcher and also says that he is intrigued by the idea of free agency.  While it's certainly a priority for Detroit, Verlander won't be a free agent until after the 2014 season.  In the short-term, they have other questions to answer.  Here's more on the Tigers and other notes out of the Central divisions..

  • Tigers manager Jim Leyland remains interested in bringing Jose Valverde back as a safety net but the money still isn't good enough to facilitate a return, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The veteran would serve as insurance against rookie Bruce Rondon, who is slated to take over the role of closer in 2013.
  • Lynn Henning of the Detroit News believes Leyland is scared that Rondon isn't ready to make the leap just yet.  If the Tigers can't come to terms with Valverde and Rondon struggles, GM Dave Dombrowski may have to start exploring the trade market for ninth inning options.
  • Cubs players recognize that Theo Epstein & Co. may look to sell off valuable pieces at the deadline this year, but they're hoping to play well enough to prevent that from happening, writes Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.  "That’s not what our plan is," right-hander Jeff Samardzija said. "Our plan is to put them in a situation — a tough situation — on what they want to do halfway through the year. . . . If we’re doing our job and winning ballgames, then they’re going to have a tough decision on what they want to do."

AL East Notes: Yankees, Cano, De La Rosa, Red Sox

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Here’s a look at the American League East..

  • Ken Davidoff of the New York Post opines that the Yankees and Robinson Cano need to take a season-long break from their contract talks.  With Cano confessing that the negotiations are starting to get into his head, it would be in the best interest of both parties to table everything for a good seven or eight months.  At this point, however, there’s no indication that they’ll do that.
  • Fireballing right-hander Rubby De La Rosa, who came over in the blockbuster deal with the Dodgers, looks to be a gem for the Red Sox, writes John Tomase of the Boston Herald.  De La Rosa won’t be with the varsity squad to start the season, but the BoSox are high on him nonetheless.  “He’s got electric stuff,” Dustin Pedroia said. “We’re glad to have him. You can never have enough pitching, and it’s pretty exciting, the guys we got in that trade. They’ve got some great stuff. Getting young talent like that, especially pitching, those are prized pieces. This will be huge for our team.” 
  • Rob Bradford of WEEI.com wonders how good of a first baseman offseason acquisition Mike Napoli can become.  So far, Napoli is getting strong reviews from infield coach Brian Butterfield.

Quick Hits: Yankees, Cano, Lohse, Nationals

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On the latest edition of the Rosters & Rumblings podcast, MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith and Jason Mart.inez of MLB Depth Charts discussed Robinson Cano's contract status and the Padres' 2013 chances.  Here are some links to close out this Friday evening..

  • A more restrained approach to spending by the Yankees doesn't mean that they can't re-sign Cano to a hefty, long-term deal, writes MLB.com's Mike Bauman.  From a competitive standpoint, the Yanks cannot afford to lose Cano considering their aging lineup and the loss of power elsewhere.
  • The Kyle Lohse situation shows that not even Scott Boras can truly command the invisible hand of the market, Jack Moore of Fangraphs writes.  However, Boras has found a way around this in the past with pillow contracts and Moore looks at examples including Edwin Jackson, Ryan Madson, and Adrian Beltre.
  • Jim Callis of Baseball America takes a stab at predicting the 2016 World Series and has the Nationals topping the Rays.  Callis sees the Nats' stable of first-rounders powering the club in the years to come and envisions Anthony Rendon and Lucas Giolito emerging by this time.
  • The Marlins are giving non-roster invitee Michael Wuertz a chance at salvaging his career, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

Notable Transactions From March 2012

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Most clubs have addressed their significant roster questions by the time players report to Spring Training, but there are always moves to be made.  We know that we're likely to see at least one significant move go down as Kyle Lohse remains on the open market, but what else can we expect this month?  Let's take a look back at notable transactions made last March with help from our handy Transaction Tracker… 

NL East Notes: Byrd, Hawkins, Feliciano, Marlins, Mets

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Here's a look at some items on the Mets and Marlins..

  • Mets outfielder Marlon Byrd says that he may retire if he doesn't make the club out of spring training, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post.  However, the 35-year-old stands a good chance of winding up in orange and blue this year given the state of the Mets' outfield.  Byrd was released before he could serve his 50-game suspension last season, but he won't have to serve any more time on it in 2013.
  • Under the new collective bargaining agreement, a player with significant MLB experience the previous season who comes to camp the next year on a minor league deal gets an early decision on whether he has made the team. Mets vets LaTroy Hawkins, Pedro Feliciano, and Tim Byrdak qualify, assistant GM John Ricco tells Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  Because of that, the Mets must either inform those three they've made the team, cut them a check for $100K to go to the minors, or release them by March 26th.
  • Mark Buehrle is happy to have moved on from his short stay with the Marlins and isn't dwelling on owner Jeffrey Loria's PR campaign in Miami, writes Jayson Stark of ESPN.com.  "I saw some of it and pretty much didn't pay attention to it," the left-hander said, "because I know what I was told and I saw what he was saying, and they weren't the same thing. So I mean, I guess he's got to do what he's got to do to get the fans back. But whatever."

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Ethier, Harper, Cordero

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On this date in 1987, Charlie Kerfeld agreed to one of the more ludicrous deals in the history of baseball.  The right-hander inked a one-year deal with the Astros worth $110,037.37 and 37 boxes of orange Jello.  Kerfeld, who wore No. 37, insisted he earn more than teammate Jim DeShaies' $110K salary and wanted the gelatin for future pranks.  

We've already had lots of great stuff on MLBTR today, but there's always room for Baseball Blogs Weigh In.  Here's this week's look around the web..

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.  

AL West Notes: Trout, Rangers, Felix

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One American League executive told Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com that he'd be talking to Mike Trout about a "crazy-long deal" if he were running the Angels. Castrovince considers some possible comparables for extension talks, concluding that it probably makes sense for the Angels to wait before extending Trout. His leverage is high right now, even though he's arguably the best bargain in MLB.

Here are some more notes from the AL West…

  • The Rangers announced that Jon Daniels has been promoted to president of baseball operations/general manager. Daniels, who became the club's GM in 2005, will still report to CEO Nolan Ryan.
  • Daniels told Scott Miller of CBSSports.com that he's intent on being more than "the team that used to be good.” The Rangers lost Mike Napoli, Josh Hamilton and Ryan Dempster to free agency, but Daniels isn't worried about the transition. “You've got to keep moving forward and not be afraid of change,” Daniels said. The GM explained the importance of depth and noted that being the best team on paper doesn’t guarantee success.
  • The Rangers are among the teams still interested in free agent infielder Ryan Theriot, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). However, Theriot continues looking for more playing time.
  • Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez recently established a new record for starting pitchers, signing a seven-year, $175MM contract. Hernandez told Heyman that he expects Clayton Kershaw will be the one to break the record because "he's a little younger" than other top pitchers. Hernandez suggested that Justin Verlander "might get the money, but less years.'' The Mariners ace said he helped other pitchers a bit, adding that he won't mind when another pitcher breaks his record.

Offseason In Review: New York Yankees

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The Yankees seem determined to avoid the luxury tax in 2014, yet the club entered the 2012-13 offseason with a variety of major needs. They addressed most of them with short-term solutions, only to see more issues emerge. 

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Trades and Claims

  • Acquired RP Shawn Kelley from Mariners for OF Abraham Almonte.
  • Claimed UT Russ Canzler off waivers from Indians.  Later claimed off waivers by Orioles.
  • Claimed RP Jim Miller off waivers from Athletics.
  • Claimed RP Mickey Storey off waivers from Astros.
  • Claimed RP Josh Spence off waivers from Padres.
  • Claimed RP David Herndon off waivers from Blue Jays.
  • Claimed C Eli Whiteside off waivers from Giants. Later claimed off waivers by Blue Jays.

Notable Losses

Ichiro Suzuki - Yankees (PW)

Needs Addressed

Lavish spending set the Yankees apart from other MLB teams for years. No other franchise spent as aggressively, and it was difficult to argue with the results: five championships since 1996. Their wild spending habits have now disappeared, but Brian Cashman’s job description hasn’t changed. He’s still tasked with bringing another championship to New York.

Cashman retained starters Hiroki Kuroda and Andy Pettitte on one-year deals, solidifying the rotation for 2013. The veteran pitchers didn't require long-term commitments — a bonus for any team, especially the suddenly cost-conscious Yankees. 

Mariano Rivera returns for a 19th season in pinstripes after signing a one-year deal. Spending $10MM on a reliever returning from a lost season wouldn’t make sense in most instances, but this is the greatest closer of all time, someone who has proven he can succeed past his 40th birthday.

The Yankees added a number of accomplished but aging position players in Ichiro Suzuki, Kevin Youkilis, Travis Hafner and Juan Rivera. Suzuki required a two-year commitment, which was something of a surprise considering his combined .308 on-base percentage for 2011-12. Yet Suzuki played well after joining the Yankees in a midseason trade, providing strong defense. Plus, the Phillies reportedly offered more than the Yankees did, so the market for Suzuki was strong. 

The addition of Youkilis makes sense in my view. He’s not the player he once was, but considering the thin offseason market for third basemen and Alex Rodriguez’s hip issues the Yankees did well to acquire Youkilis, a longtime New York nemesis. 

Though Hafner is another player in decline, the Yankees don’t need him to perform at the level he did seven or eight years ago. Instead, they’ll hope his left-handed swing translates into lots of Yankee Stadium home runs. It’s a gamble worth taking and — notice a pattern here? — it’s just a one-year commitment.

Questions Remaining

Even though the free agent market for catchers featured Russell Martin, Mike Napoli and A.J. Pierzynski, the Yankees passed, choosing instead to rely on Chris Stewart and Francisco Cervelli behind the plate. Neither Stewart nor Cervelli has played 100 games in a season, so the Yankees are taking on significant risk here.

The starting rotation must be considered a concern, especially now that Phil Hughes may not be ready for Opening Day. Pettitte hasn’t started 30 games since 2009 and can’t be counted on for a full season. And while David Phelps, Ivan Nova and Adam Warren are valuable arms, the Yankees would presumably prefer not to have to rely on these players to lead them to October.

Health is a concern for many Yankees, including Derek Jeter, who’s recovering from ankle surgery, and Rivera, who missed almost all of the 2012 season. The embattled Rodriguez won’t be back before midseason due to his hip issues.

Another infielder, second baseman Robinson Cano, has received a "significant" contract offer from the Yankees. The club must now determine whether Cano and agent Scott Boras define "significant" differently than they do, or if a long-term deal remains within reach.

The Yankees also have a potential need in left field, now that Curtis Granderson is sidelined with a broken arm. In one sense the timing is ideal — half of Granderson’s recovery period overlaps with Spring Training. In another sense, it’s too late for Cashman to pursue upgrades now that the best trade candidates and free agents are no longer available. 

Deal of Note

Credit the Yankees for their handling of free agents Kuroda, Rafael Soriano, Nick Swisher. All three players obtained qualifying from the Yankees early on in the winter, and all three players declined the $13.3MM offers. The results could hardly have been better from the Yankees’ perspective. Kuroda later signed a one-year deal with New York, where he’ll look to build on a strong 2012 season. Swisher and Soriano left, bringing the Yankees valuable compensatory picks in the upcoming amateur draft. 

In particular, the Yankees’ dealt with Soriano much differently than they did two offseasons ago, when they initially signed him. During the 2010-11 offseason, upper level Yankees executives were intent on signing Soriano, even though it cost them a draft pick to do so. Two winters later, the Yankees preferred the draft pick to the player.

Overview

The Yankees’ offseason moves weren’t particularly exciting. The organization changed course, bypassing the elite free agents they would have pursued five or ten years ago in the hopes of avoiding baseball’s luxury tax by 2014. Limited by this goal, Cashman signed veterans to short-term deals, addressing most needs, and setting the team up for another run at a championship. After a good, but not great offseason, the Yankees have a good, but not great team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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