Archives for September 2013

MLBTR Seeking Comment Moderators

By Steve Adams | September 15, 2013 at 10:00am CDT

MLBTR is looking for additional moderators to read through comments and make sure that they're not in violation of our commenting policy. We're looking for people to contribute throughout the week, including on weekends.

It's not a paid position, but it will keep you connected to the latest trade and free agent rumors. If you're a frequent MLBTR commenter who can help us keep the comment section clean, send a short e-mail to mlbtrmods@gmail.com with the following: your username, the email (or other) account you use to comment on MLBTR, your availability, and a short explanation as to why you'd be a good fit. If you're responsible, respectful and interested in contributing at MLBTR, we want to hear from you.

Japanese Posting System May Change This Fall

By Zachary Links | September 15, 2013 at 9:38am CDT

Since 1998, the Japanese posting system has called for a bidding process that left just one MLB team with a window to negotiate a contract with a coveted Japanese player. However, the system could be getting a significant overhaul in the near future with changes that could take effect as soon as this November, multiple sources told David Lennon of Newsday.

One of the proposals for a new system would have as many as three teams chosen among the top bidders, with the Japanese player then allowed to choose the club he'd prefer to play for and negotiate with. MLB declined to comment, but senior VP for baseball operations Kim Ng acknowledged that they have talked with Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) about the issues involving the posting process.

If those changes take place, it will give Masahiro Tanaka the opportunity to have some say in where he'll play in MLB if he decides to make the jump. It's a luxury that previous imports Ichiro Suzuki, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Yu Darvish, and many others never had.

The rumored changes could benefit all parties involves. The player, of course, would get the freedom to choose between three clubs rather than being led to just one. Meanwhile, the new system would prevent an MLB team from placing the winning bid for the sole purpose of blocking other clubs without the intention of signing the player. Closing that loophole would benefit both MLB and NPB.

Lennon writes that a great deal of people in baseball believe that the overhaul is overdue. The posting agreement has been renewable on a year-to-year basis, with either side able to re-open conversations about it for the coming offseason, so the opportunity to make alterations has been there.

Last month, Ben Badler of Baseball America wrote that changes to the posting system were being discussed, with one proposal calling for more money to be funnelled to the players themselves rather than the Japanese team.

Todd Helton To Retire After 2013 Season

By Mark Polishuk | September 15, 2013 at 12:53am CDT

Todd Helton will retire from baseball at the conclusion of this season, the Rockies' longtime franchise player told Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Helton told Renck he unofficially decided during Spring Training that 2013 would be the end of his career (and hinted about it at the time) and while he pondered continuing playing due to improved health, the veteran slugger has now made the choice to hang up his cleats after 17 Major League seasons.

"It just seems like it's time. It's a young man's game. I am 40 years old," Helton said. "I am looking forward to doing something else besides baseball. Whatever that may be. I am not sure yet."

Helton entered Saturday's action with a .244/.316/.407 line, 13 homers and 51 RBI in 386 PA. He has had a few more injury issues this season and had mostly settled into a part-time role with the Rockies, which Helton said he could've continued in for a few more seasons but felt it was time to walk away:

"If I could play 81 games at home next year, I could do it. I could do it for a couple of more years. And if they had the games scheduled for the same time so I could get a sleeping pattern, I would have a chance. I am sure come next February, probably even in December when it's usually time to start getting ready, it will be tough."

Helton was a two-sport star at the University of Tennessee, serving as the Volunteers' quarterback before a knee injury opened the door for a rather heralded backup (Peyton Manning) to take the job and never look back. Helton turned his full attention to baseball and was selected by the Rockies as the eighth overall pick of the 1995 draft. The left-handed slugger spent his entire career in Colorado and is the franchise's leader in virtually every counting stat, including homers, hits, walks, runs, total bases, doubles, RBIs, games played, at-bats, plate appearances,

With a resume that includes 367 homers, 2504 hits, 1394 RBIs and a .317/.415/.539 slash line, Helton will certainly receive some serious Hall of Fame consideration in five years' time. His Cooperstown critics will argue that Helton was aided by playing at Coors Field (a career 1.048 OPS in home games), though Helton still posted an impressive .856 OPS over his career in away games. This perception that he was partly a creation of Denver's thin air dogged Helton throughout his career, as he never finished higher than fifth in NL MVP voting.

Helton has earned just shy over $161.5MM during his career, according to Baseball Reference. The bulk came from his nine-year, $141MM extension signed before the 2001 season, and in March 2010, Helton signed an extension that covered the 2012-13 seasons that included deferring some money from his previous deal.

Poll: Should Josh Johnson Receive A Qualifying Offer?

By Aaron Steen | September 14, 2013 at 10:44pm CDT

It’s been another disappointing season for the Blue Jays’ Josh Johnson, who was expected to be a big part of the Jays’ playoff push after being acquired in last offseason’s blockbuster deal with the Marlins. As Toronto mulls a qualifying offer for the big right-hander, they’ll have to weigh his troubling injury history with his ability to dominate when on the mound.

Johnson seemingly righted the ship in 2012, when he posted a 3.81 ERA and managed 30 starts for the first time since 2009. However, he was sidelined for much of 2013 by a series of arm ailments and knee tendinitis, and was finally shut down in late August with a strained forearm. His final line, a 6.20 ERA in 81 1/3 innings, makes 2013 arguably the worst campaign of his career.

That’s not the whole story, however, as peripheral numbers suggest that Johnson may have been the victim of some bad luck in 2013. His 9.2 K/9 this year is well above his career mark of 7.8, though it’s offset by an uptick in walks, and his xFIP is just 3.60. Looking closer, we see that Johnson’s 18.5 percent HR/FB rate may have been the source of his 2013 woes. That figure is more than double his career 8.2 percent mark and ranks as the third-highest in baseball among pitchers who have thrown at least 80 innings.

There’s also the fact that Johnson has consistently performed at a high level when healthy. His career ERA stands at 3.40, and he’s still just 29. GM Alex Anthopoulos could make a splash in free agency or offer up more high-level prospects in a trade, but at just one year and $14MM or so, Johnson seems attractive in terms of upside.

Though the Blue Jays’ offseason makeover hasn’t worked as planned, the other major pieces the club acquired – Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey – all return for another playoff push in 2014. Given this and Johnson’s encouraging peripherals, the righty may be worth the qualifying offer gamble. What do you think?

East Links: Jeter, Drew, CarGo, Gonzalez, Lester

By Aaron Steen | September 14, 2013 at 8:11pm CDT

Yankees GM Brian Cashman may be forced to play the bad guy role again as the club considers how they'll address Derek Jeter given the captain's age and durability issues, John Harper of the New York Daily News writes. Three scouts and three executives polled by Harper each said they believe Cashman will acquire an everyday shortstop this offseason, as they don't believe Jeter will be able to handle the position and the Yankees don't have acceptable alternatives. "He’ll be a 40-year old shortstop who already had limited range," one executive said, noting Jeter's injured ankle. "If you’re the GM, it’s your responsibility to make the tough decision for the good of the ballclub.” Here's more notes from around the majors' eastern divisions…

The majority of the six baseball people who Harper spoke with suggested shortstop Stephen Drew as a potential free agent acquisition for the Yankees. While Drew has posted a solid .249/.331/.436 line this season and would be a good fit for Yankee Stadium, signing with the Yanks would place him in a delicate situation. "Would Drew — or anyone else — want to sign on as the guy pushing an unwilling Jeter into a role where he would DH mostly and play short only occasionally?" Harper asks.
The Mets covet the Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez, and one executive familiar with the Rockies' thinking tells Harper they're likely to listen to offers for the star outfielder. However, a trade appears unlikely, as the Rockies want young position players and aren't interested in what the Mets can offer in that regard. Colorado may also consider offers for Troy Tulowitzki, Harper says.
CC Sabathia's 4.90 ERA would be the second-worst mark in Yankees history by a pitcher to surpass the 200 inning threshold, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. “I have always been bend-but-don’t-break, and I have broken a lot this year,” Sabathia commented. Sherman says Sabathia has adjusted his delivery in order to better stay on top of the ball so that his fastball does not cut toward the middle of the plate.
Mets GM Sandy Alderson is on track to become the first GM in club history to post increasing loss totals in each of his first three seasons from the team he inherited, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets. The team clinched its fifth consecutive losing season in dropping today's game with the Marlins.
The Phillies have no plans for recent Cuban acquisition Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez to pitch competitively this season, Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer says. The team sees Gonzalez sliding into the third slot of their 2014 rotation behind Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. "We just want to see where he's at," assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. "We want to get him assimilated into our organization and be ready to go for spring training."
The Red Sox have yet to broach the subject of Jon Lester's next contract, GM Ben Cherington revealed in an interview with WEEI.com. "We just feel like those issues are better left for after we’re done playing, which hopefully is several weeks from now," Cherington said. We recently heard that the Sox are "all but certain" to pick up their $13MM option on Lester for next year.

Central Notes: Grimm, Rodriguez, McDonald

By Aaron Steen | September 14, 2013 at 6:37pm CDT

Since picking up Justin Grimm from the Rangers in the Matt Garza deal, the Cubs have liked what they've seen from him in a relief role, writes Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Pitching coach Chris Bosio explains that the club is "presenting different roles for him," and Gonzales says that Grimm could stay in the pen going into spring training. On to more links from the AL and NL Central…

The Pirates have shut down Wandy Rodriguez because of persistent pain and discomfort in his left forearm, according to a statement from GM Neal Huntington. The move will provide more time for the flexor tendon in Rodriguez's forearm to heal and sets him up to be ready for Opening Day 2014, Huntington said.
Rodriguez says he hasn't considered whether he'll trigger his $13MM player option for next year, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets. However, it's unlikely that he doesn't do so, Biertempfel says. The Pirates are on the hook for $7.5MM of the option.
The Twins don't plan to sign James McDonald, who elected free agency today after being outrighted to Triple-A by the Pirates, Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com says. Minnesota will re-evaluate McDonald and take a look at his medicals over the offseason, however.

Jeff Todd contributed to this post.

Rosenthal On Gardenhire, McCann, Saltalamacchia

By Zachary Links | September 14, 2013 at 4:57pm CDT

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports brings us yet another edition of Full Count, let's dive in and take a look at the highlights..

Of all of the pending managerial situations to watch in the majors, the Twins might be the most interesting club to keep an eye on. Ron Gardenhire is trying to avoid his third-straight 90-loss season and he's extremely unlikely to accept a one-year deal and serve as a lame duck in 2014. By the same token, the Twins might not be willing to give him another multi-year pact. For what it's worth, GM Terry Ryan has taken full responsibility for the team's poor roster.
Catchers generally don't do well in free agency, but two prominent ones are about to hit the open market with prominent teams bidding for their services: the Braves' Brian McCann and the Red Sox's Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The Phillies and Rangers figures to be in the mix as they could lose free agent backstops of their own. The White Sox badly need to upgrade behind the plate, though it's not clear how much they'll spend. The Yankees could be involved too. They want to stay under the $189MM luxury tax threshold, but they could use one of the two to finally give themselves an adequate replacement for Russell Martin.
It's not a huge surprise to see the Marlins contemplating a front office shakeup in September, but regardless of what they do with Baseball Operations President Larry Beinfest, Miami has bigger fish to fry. The Marlins have to decide if they will part with Giancarlo Stanton as he's still unlikely to sign an extension. Rosenthal also wonders why they have been bystanders when it comes to going after Cuban free agents that have come and gone like Yasiel Puig, Yoenis Cespedes, and Alexander Guerrero. One has to imagine that a notable Cuban import would be a sizable draw in Miami.
Even though all of the focus is on the playoff chase, there's still a matter of who will get the final protected pick in next year's draft. The Phillies, if they win too much, can wind up losers. The difference is critical for Ruben Amaro & Co. as they have an older club and they'll want to sign free agents, but, of course, they don't want to lose a first rounder. You can keep track of the other September race with MLBTR's Reverse Standings.

James McDonald Elects Free Agency

By Zachary Links | September 14, 2013 at 4:00pm CDT

SEPT 14: McDonald has refused his outright assignment and elected free agency, according to the Pirates' transactions page.

SEPT. 13: McDonald cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis, according to the International League transactions page. As a player that has been outrighted off his 40-man roster but has three or more years of Major League service time, baseball's collective bargaining agreement allows McDonald to elect free agency following the season.

SEPT. 7: The Pirates announced that they have designated James McDonald for assignment. The move will allow the Bucs to promote Brandon Cumpton from Triple-A Indianapolis.

McDonald, 28, was just reinstated from the disabled list after being out of action since April 30th due to issues with his throwing shoulder. The right-hander wasn't terribly sharp in six starts this season, posting a 5.76 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 6.1 BB/9. McDonald was once considered to be a high-upside prospect when he started out with L.A. and was rated No. 56 nationally by Baseball America before the '09 season. For his career, McDonald owns a 4.20 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9.

McDonald spent the entirety of the 2011-12 seasons in Pittsburgh's rotation, hurling 171 innings of 4.21 ERA each year with a combined 7.7 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9. His fastball velocity has declined in each of the past two years, though, falling from an average of 92.7 mph in 2011 to 91.8 in 2012 and 90.5 in 2013's small sample of 29 2/3 innings.

To keep track of McDonald and everyone else in DFA limbo, check out the MLBTR DFA Tracker.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Vesting Options Update

By Zachary Links | September 14, 2013 at 3:27pm CDT

Back in February, I looked at vesting options from 2010, 2011, and 2012 to try and find out how often they were triggered over that span. In total, just over 29% of vesting options were locked in for the following season. If you think that's a low success rate for vesting options, just wait until you see this year's crop. As the 2013 regular season winds down, we've got a pretty concrete idea of who has managed to successfully tack on additional year to their contract and who hasn't..

Kurt Suzuki, Athletics: $9.25MM option vests with 113 starts in 2013. Suzuki looked like he'd have a solid chance of securing his 2014 option early in the season as Wilson Ramos struggled to stay healthy, but the younger backstop ultimately returned to reclaim his starting job. The 29-year-old was eventually traded back to Oakland without enough time on the clock to hit 113. Now, it's a club option for next season worth $8.5MM with a modest $650K buyout.
Jamey Carroll, Royals: $2MM option vests with 401 plate appearances. Carroll surpassed that total in each of the last three seasons and even had 500+ plate appearances in 2011 and 2012, but he had significantly less this season. With 191 PAs for the Twins and 31 for the Royals, he barely cleared the halfway mark.
Koji Uehara, Red Sox: Uehara's contract was originally reported to be a one-year deal worth $4.25MM, but Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe and Alex Speier of WEEI learned last month that his deal contained a vesting option that would give him $4.25MM for next season with 55 appearances. The veteran reached that goal on August 13th and just last night, he finished his 35th game of the season, boosting his '14 salary to a cool $5MM.
Wilson Betemit, Orioles: $3.2MM option vests with 324 plate appearances (combined 700 between 2012 and 2013). Betemit underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on March 26th and just got back to big league action in late August. Needless to say, his option won't vest.
Lance Berkman, Rangers: $13MM option vests with 550 plate appearances. Injuries derailed Berkman's campaign once again in 2013 and he has just 70 games and 288 PAs to date. Berkman was thinking about quitting mid-season rather than returning, so it wouldn't be a shock to see him retire after this season.
Roy Halladay, Phillies: $20MM option vests with 259 innings pitched (combined 415 innings pitched between '12 and '13). This was a longshot to begin with, but shoulder surgery earlier this season makes this one impossible.
Brett Myers, Indians: $8MM option vests with 200 innings pitched in 2013 and a passed physical after the season. After logging 21 and 1/3 innings in 2013, Myers was sidelined with tendinitis and a mild ligament sprain in his right elbow and was eventually cut loose.
Barry Zito, Giants: $18MM option vests with 200 innings pitched. Zito has just 128 innings through 24 starts and four relief outings to his credit this season, so he won't get to lock in his sizable 2014 salary.
Johan Santana, Mets: His $25MM option could have vested with 215 innings pitched or winning the 2013 Cy Young Award, but he won't have a chance at that thanks to a season-ending tear in his pitching shoulder.
Francisco Liriano, Pirates: The nature of Liriano's contract with the Pirates was shrouded in secrecy, but our own Steve Adams got the goods last month. The left-hander's 2014 option ($5MM) officially vested when he reached 90 days not spent on the DL due to the right arm injury. Now, he' s increased that number to $6MM after reaching 120 games on Saturday, Sept. 7. He could have reached $8MM for 2014 with a total of 150 games, but he spent too much time on the sidelines to have that opportunity.

Team Facebook/Twitter/RSS

By Zachary Links | September 14, 2013 at 2:29pm CDT

If you prefer your MLBTR fix limited to only your favorite team, we've got you covered. Below are links to our team Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds.

AL East