Quick Hits: Farrell, Red Sox, Marcum, Valverde
Red Sox manager John Farrell returned to Toronto tonight and was met with a whole lot of boos when he stepped out on to the field. Blue Jays star Jose Bautista says that he isn't looking to dwell on the past, however, and offered up his take on the manager prior to tonight's game. "We'd rather have [Farrell] there than have him here and wishing he was there. We have a manager who wants to be here," said the slugger, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Here's more from around baseball..
- The play of Red Sox prospect Jackie Bradley Jr. made the decision to keep him on the big league roster a no-brainer, writes MLB.com's Jason Mastrodonato. Starting Bradley's service time clock early will have financial ramifications down the road, but Boston believes that what he brings to the table makes it worthwhile to put him on the varsity squad.
- Shaun Marcum was the Mets' first major league signing of the offseason, but they're still waiting for him to make his debut, writes Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Marcum, who recently spoke to MLBTR about his relationship with agents Rex Gary and Jimmy Turner, inked a one-year, $4MM deal with the Mets this winter.
- Tigers skipper Jim Leyland says that bringing Jose Valverde back to the organization was an easy call, writes George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press. Valverde, 35, posted a 3.78 ERA, 6.3 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, and 0.39 HR/9 in 69 innings last year.
West Notes: Dodgers, White, Profar, Astros
Earlier today, we recapped the Dodgers' winter. Here's a look at the latest on the Dodgers and more out of the AL and NL West..
- The Dodgers have a surplus of starting pitchers, leaving Aaron Harang, Chris Capuano, and Ted Lilly in limbo, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. Neither Harang nor Capuano are pleased to be in a relief role, as both feel they're still starting pitchers.
- Hernandez's colleague, Steve Dilbeck, writes that the unhappiness of the Dodgers' reluctant trio of relievers could eventually become a problem for the team. As Dilbeck notes, pitching in long relief roles will negatively impact the contracts that Capuano and Harang can receive in free agency this offseason.
- Rangers prospect Jurickson Profar would like to follow in the footsteps of teammate Elvis Andrus, who recently agreed to an eight-year, $120MM extension, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. With Ian Kinsler in the first year of a five-year extension and Andrus locked up through at least 2018, something will have to change before Profar can earn a spot in the everyday lineup.
- Astros right-hander Alex White, acquired in this offseason's Wilton Lopez trade with the Rockies, will require Tommy John surgery, writes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
A’s Acquire Vogt, Designate Otero For Assignment
The A's announced that they have acquired catcher Stephen Vogt from the Rays for a player to be named later or cash considerations. To make room for Vogt on the roster, Oakland designated right-hander Dan Otero for assignment.
Vogt, 28, saw time in 18 games for the Rays last season but spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A Durham where he hit .272/.350/.424 in 94 games. The catcher was the Rays' 12th round pick in the 2007 draft and has spent his entire career in the Tampa Bay organization until now.
Otero, also 28, will be changing teams for the third time this winter after going from the Giants to the Yankees to the A's in a pair of waiver moves. The right-hander made 12 relief appearances last season and pitched in 48 games in Triple-A where he posted a 2.90 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 1.2 BB/9.
Indians, Kipnis Table Extension Talks
The Indians and Jason Kipnis have put their extension talks on hold now that the regular season has started, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Kipnis and his agents at the Beverly Hills Sports Council had been in discussions as recently as March. Hoynes writes:
"Once the regular season started, the negotiations stopped," said Kipnis before Friday's game against the Rays. "We didn't want the distraction during the season. I think they felt the same way."
Kipnis tells Hoynes that he's interested in resuming extension talks following the 2013 season. The 26-year-old has a little more than one year of service time and isn't eligible for arbitration until after the 2014 season. Kipnis hit .257/.335/.379 with 14 homers in his first full season in 2012.
Hoynes adds that there's no word on whether or not talks with outfielder Michael Brantley are still in progress. Brantley, 26 in May, will be eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season.
The Indians worked out one other extension this winter when they agreed to a two-year pact with infielder Mike Aviles. You can keep track of all contract extensions with MLBTR's Extension Tracker.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Flacco, M’s, Twins, Tigers, Braves
Here are your minor moves for Friday (all links courtesy of Baseball America's Matt Eddy on Twitter)…
- Long-time Orioles farmhand Mike Flacco — the brother of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco — has retired, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com (Twitter link). The 26-year-old first baseman hit .253/.335/.378 in 353 minor league games. Flacco had been with the High-A Salem Red Sox.
- The Mariners released minor league Rule 5 pick Eric Farris, and the second baseman quickly latched on with the Twins, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter). The M's plucked Farris off of the Brewers' roster in December.
- The Tigers released defensive wizard Cale Iorg. The shortstop hit just .199/.240/.313 in parts of three seasons at Double-A. MLB.com's Adam McCalvy points out (via Twitter) that Iorg is the son of Brewers first base coach Garth Iorg.
- The Pirates acquired catcher Troy Snitker from the Braves in a trade. The 24-year-old was taken by Atlanta in the 19th round of the 2011 draft and has spent the bulk of the last two seasons in rookie ball.
- Also within that link, Eddy reports that the Phillies acquired shortstop Jose Mojica from theYankees. Mojica hit just .226/.265/.305 for the Bombers' Advanced-A affiliate in 2012.
- The Braves released Dimasther Delgado, who appeared on three organization top 30 lists. The 24-year-old left-hander has a 3.93 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in two years of Advanced-A ball.
- The Rays have released right-hander Jason McEachern, who was a 13th-round selection in the 2008 draft. Eddy notes that McEachern was a projectable high school arm that made it to Class-A but never took a step forward in his fastball velocity. The 22-year-old has a 4.96 ERA in 201 Class-A innings.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Dodgers
Not surprisingly, the Dodgers issued the biggest contract of the offseason and spent more than any other club.
Major League Signings
- Brandon League, RP: three years, $22.5MM. $7.5MM Vesting option for 2016.
- Zack Greinke, SP: six years, $147MM.
- J.P. Howell, RP: one year, $2.85MM.
- Total Spend: $172.35MM.
International Signings
- Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP: six years, $36MM.
- Michael Medina, OF: $275K.
Notable Minor League Signings
- Wilkin Castillo, Dallas McPherson, Alfredo Amezaga, Mark Lowe, Peter Moylan, Matt Palmer, Kevin Gregg.
Trades and Claims
- Acquired P Rob Rasmussen from Astros for P John Ely.
- Acquired UT Skip Schumaker from Cardinals for SS Jake Lemmerman.
Notable Losses
Needs Addressed
It's tough to say that the Dodgers, who finished fourth in the Majors with a 3.35 ERA last season, really needed pitching this offseason. They added plenty of it anyway, and there's no denying that both their rotation and bullpen are better off for having done so. The Dodgers entered 2012 with a rotation consisting of Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang. They're now set to run out Kershaw, international signee Hyun-Jin Ryu, Zack Greinke, Josh Beckett and Billingsley (once he's healthy, which should be mid-April). 
The additions of Greinke, Ryu and Beckett (acquired via trade last summer) push both Capuano and Harang to bullpen duty — something neither man figures to be happy about following successful seasons in 2012 (particularly for Capuano). Lilly, currently on the disabled list, appears headed for the same fate. MLB.com's Ken Gurnick recently wrote about the trio, noting that each still prefers to be in the rotation. Barring an injury, that seems highly unlikely.
Greinke's deal broke Matt Cain's record for the richest contract ever awarded to a right-handed pitcher at the time of the signing, and it's still the largest new-money guarantee for a righty. As was the case with CC Sabathia's record-setting deal, Greinke is able to opt out of his contract and test the market again following the contract's third season.
On the bullpen front, the Dodgers dished out a three-year, $22.5MM contract to Brandon League in a surprising move early in the offseason. It's not that League is a bad pitcher, but does the ACES client really merit the second-largest contract for a reliever this offseason? Some would argue it's a fair deal, but given his struggles against left-handed pitching it seems like an unnecessary risk to me. GM Ned Colletti also signed J.P. Howell to a reasonable one-year contract to help combat opposing lefties.
Questions Remaining
The Dodgers' 25-man roster is loaded with star power, but they need to produce. Adrian Gonzalez homered just three times for the Dodgers following last summer's trade. Hanley Ramirez showed improvement after leaving Miami, but he still wasn't close to the 2007-10 version of himself. No one is sure what to expect from Carl Crawford at this point following a disastrous 18-month stint in Boston, during which he was essentially a replacement-level player before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Beckett posted a strong 2.93 ERA with the Dodgers, but did so with far and away the weakest fastball of his career (90.9 mph).
The pitching staff should be among the game's best, but it will be interesting to see how Ryu transitions to the Major Leagues. He was an elite star and strikeout king in Korea, but he lacks the typical velocity one would expect from such pitchers in Major League Baseball. League's deal, while questionable, is a mere drop in the bucket for the Dodgers' seemingly limitless payroll, and Kenley Jansen is one heck of a security net.
The Dodgers could find themselves in the market for a bench bat at some point this season, as manager Don Mattingly has little in the way of offensive threats late in games (apologies to Nick Punto, Skip Schumaker and Jerry Hairston). Perhaps that's one area Colletti will target if he looks to move Capuano, Harang or Lilly.
Deal of Note
In spite of shelling out loads of money to Greinke, Ryu and League, perhaps the most curious decision made by the Dodgers this offseason was not to trade any of their excess starting pitching. Capuano racked up 198 1/3 innings of 3.72 ERA ball (3.95 FIP, 3.97 xFIP, 3.93 SIERA) and posted a stellar 3.00 K/BB ratio. He's under contract for just $6MM this year (plus a $1MM buyout on his mutual option) and surely would be appealing to other teams.
Harang, while not as solid and more expensive ($7MM plus $2MM buyout on a mutual option), posted a respectable season — a 3.61 ERA in 179 2/3 innings. Advanced metrics didn't like him as much (4.14 FIP, 4.95 xFIP, 4.87 SIERA), but he makes for an expensive long reliever.
One can only assume that once Billingsley and/or Lilly are healthy and ready to come off the disabled list, Colletti will begin exploring trades. Still, it's curious that he chose not to do so earlier this offseason when more trading partners would have been available.
Overview
The Dodgers probably have more starting pitching depth than any team in the Majors, and they also have a deep, talented bullpen with League, Jansen, Howell and Ronald Belisario. When Hanley Ramirez returns from his injury, their lineup will be stacked with big names and big question marks. The sheer amount of talent on this roster makes them look like a playoff contender. And, if Gonzalez, Crawford and Ramirez rediscover their All-Star form, the Dodgers could make a run at the best record in baseball.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Astros Designate Edgar Gonzalez For Assignment
The Astros have designated right-hander Edgar Gonzalez for assignment, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The move creates a spot on the 40-man roster for Travis Blackley, whom the Astros acquired from the Athletics yesterday.
Gonzalez, 30, pitched 25 innings and totaled a 5.04 ERA to go along with a 6.5 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a 46.2 percent ground-ball rate for the Astros in 2012. Originally signed by the Diamondbacks in 2000, Gonzalez has appeared in parts of nine Major League seasons between the D-backs, A's and Astros. He has a 5.84 ERA in 350 career innings.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Smith, Royals, Wells, Gyorko
On this date three years ago, President Barack Obama stepped on to the mound at Nationals Stadium wearing a White Sox cap and a Nats jacket and threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Washington's home opener against Philadelphia. Obama's throw was pretty off the mark, but third baseman Ryan Zimmerman jumped up and made the catch. Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..
- Did The Tribe Win Last Night talked to Joe Smith about his early struggles.
- Kings of Kauffman says K/BB will be important to the Royals this season.
- Kingdome Of Seattle Sports says the M's made the wrong call when they let Casper Wells go.
- Friarhood isn't thrilled with the Padres' decision on Jedd Gyorko.
- Pinstripe Pundits wonders if the Bombers should let Cano walk.
- MLB Reports examined what Buster Posey's deal means for the Giants.
- LA Weekly says that Clayton Kershaw and Sandy Koufax comparisons are on the table.
- I R Fast wonders if Hyun-Jin Ryu's Pitch F/X data should change opinions on him.
- Rising Apple moves on from Johan Santana.
- Yahoo Sports wonders when Zack Wheeler will make his mark.
- Baseball Professor breaks down some impressive spring performances.
- The Inverted M says the Cubs have their work cut out for them to start the year.
- Through The Fence Baseball is high on Matt Harvey.
- The Giants Cove says extensions are now the name of the game.
- i70 Baseball asks if the Royals are for real this year.
- House Of The Bluebird previewed the Blue Jays.
- Baseball Professor awaits the return of Brandon Morrow.
- Baseball Hot Corner previews what should be a heated race in the NL West.
- Wahoo's On First has ten reasons to be skeptical about the 2013 Tribe.
- Lasorda's Lair talks about the Dodgers' outfield production in 2013.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
Clay Rapada Clears Waivers, Hits Free Agency
FRIDAY: The Yankees have announced that Rapada has cleared release waivers and is now a free agent, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY: The Yankees have released left-hander Clay Rapada, tweets MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. The Bombers had designated the southpaw for assignment last week after signing him to a minor league deal in February.
Rapada pitched to a 2.82 ERA, 8.9 K/9, and 4.0 BB/9 in 70 games (38 1/3 innings) out of the bullpen for the Yankees in 2012. He dealt with shoulder bursitis throughout Spring Training, which limited him to just two innings of work.
Dontrelle Willis Signs With Long Island Ducks
Just one day after Vladimir Guerrero signed a contract to play with the Atlantic League's Long Island Ducks, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports that lefty Dontrelle Willis has signed with the Ducks as well (Twitter link).
Willis signed a minor league deal with the Cubs this offseason and was invited to Major League Spring Training with the team. He experienced discomfort in his left shoulder in his first outing, however, and had to leave the game. Willis walked the only batter he faced that day and was cut by the team at the end of March.
The 31-year-old Willis is a former NL Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young runner-up. From 2003-06 he posted a 3.44 ERA, 6.7 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 817 1/3 innings for the Marlins. His brilliant Rookie of the Year campaign helped propel the Fish to a World Series victory over the Yankees in 2003.
Willis has just a 5.65 ERA in 404 1/3 innings since 2007, having walked 5.4 batters per nine innings and allowed 446 hits in that time. He retired from baseball last July but elected to make a comeback this offseason. Willis is represented by Sosnick & Cobbe.