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Archives for September 2013

AL Central Notes: Dunn, Bonderman, Twins

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Adam Dunn readily admits that he's frustrated with the White Sox's 2013 season, but at the moment, he doesn't anticipate retiring this winter, writes Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com.  “I think we went down this road before: the day that I quit having fun and quit enjoying making a struggle to come to the ballpark or not enjoying the competition out there is the day I will go home, whether it be tomorrow, whether it be ten years from now," Dunn said. "I’m still enjoying the competition. It’s just tough losing when you have such high expectations.”  Here's more out of the AL Central..

  • Tigers pitcher Jeremy Bonderman has left The Legacy Agency and is now represented by SFX, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).  Bonderman, who was moved to the bullpen after signing a minor league deal with Detroit, will be a free agent this winter.  You can keep track of everyone's representation using the MLBTR Agency Database.
  • The Twins made a run at second baseman/left fielder Kensuke Tanaka last winter, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter) would be surprised if they still had interest.  The Giants designated Tanaka for assignment yesterday.  The 32-year-old hit .329/.400/.397 in 400 plate appearances for San Francisco's Triple-A affiliate this season.
  • Earlier today, we learned that Paul Konerko intends to play next season, despite hinting at retirement this season.

Paul Konerko Wants To Continue Playing

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There was talk heading into this season that veteran Paul Konerko could make 2013 his final season, but it sounds as though he's not ready to walk away from the game just yet.  The first baseman/DH is telling friends that he definitely wants to return to the White Sox in 2014 and believes that he can still be productive, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).

Konerko, 37, is in the midst of his worst offensive season since becoming a full-time major leaguer in 1999.  In 440 plate appearances, Konerko has a .244/.314/.358 slash line with ten homers.  No one would blame the veteran for moving on to something else after winning a World Series ring, being named to six All-Star teams, and earning upwards of $127MM over the course of his career, but he seems intent on signing a new contract with the White Sox after his current one expires this winter.

Recently, teammate Adam Dunn said that there was "zero chance" Konerko would retire.  Ironically, we learned last night Dunn himself is at least thinking about retirement, even though he's owed $15MM next season.

Cubs Designate Michael Bowden For Assignment

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The Cubs announced that they have designated Michael Bowden for assignment.  In a related move, fellow right-hander Chang-Yong Lim has been promoted to the big league roster.

Bowden, 27 on Monday, has a 4.30 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 34 relief outings this season.  In parts of six big league seasons, the 6'3" hurler owns a 4.51 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9.  This marks the second time that Bowden has been DFA'd by the Cubs this season – he was also removed from the 40-man back in May.

With so many players in DFA limbo, there's no better time to get familiar with our new DFA Tracker.

Outrighted To Triple-A: Joe Benson, Eduardo Sanchez

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We'll keep track of today's outright assignments here..

Alderson On Harvey, Offseason, Young, Collins

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Losing Matt Harvey for the rest of the year and part of the 2014 season was obviously a tough pill to swallow for the Mets and GM Sandy Alderson told WFAN yesterday that it will change his approach to the offseason, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  Alderson didn't plan on spending big on a pitcher, but losing Harvey means that he'll have to shell out some cash for a starter.  Here's more from Alderson's chat, courtesy of Rubin..

  • Alderson won't look to trade bats for additional pitching in the wake of Harvey's injury.  That wasn't in the cards for the Mets anyway, even if Harvey was available.
  • Harvey will make an initial decision on Tommy John surgery in one to two weeks and the decision to go under the knife versus rehab will be his call.  
  • Harvey's injury may slot Rafael Montero or Jacob deGrom into the rotation out of spring training. If Harvey was healthy, the rotation likely would have been Harvey, Jonathon Niese, Zack Wheeler, Dillon Gee, and an innings-eater from outside the organization – leaving Montero, deGrom, and Noah Syndergaad with Triple-A Las Vegas.
  • Alderson sees Eric Young Jr. as one of the Mets' top five outfielders next season but the hope is the Mets can add enough outfield bats to push Young to a fourth or fifth outfielder.  Young may be no more than a platoon player anyway because of his lefty-righty splits, Rubin notes.
  • The team will wait until after the season to officially announce that Terry Collins is returning for 2014.

Adam Dunn Considering Retirement

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Adam Dunn is guaranteed $15MM next season, is within reach of notching 500 homers, and is just 33 years old.  However, the White Sox slugger tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that he will consider retiring this offseason and forfeiting his remaining salary if he no longer is enjoying himself.

“I’m not coming back just to come back for money or because I have one year left (on his contract),” Dunn said. “I’m not coming back to chase home run numbers or whatever. If I end up with 499 and I’m not having fun, see ya – 499 it is.”

Meanwhile, Dunn told Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com (on Twitter) that "as of right now" he doesn't plan on retiring and plans on playing in 2014.

The soon-to-be 34-year-old would probably feel differently if the White Sox were having a good season rather than one that he termed "a great letdown."  Manager Robin Ventura acknowledged that Dunn has expressed his frustrations to him, but he doesn't see Dunn walking away from the game.  And while Dunn is unhappy with how 2013 has gone, he says that he doesn't blame anyone from the organization in particular.

Dunn's .228/.331/.454 slash line this season may not be up to par with his career numbers, but he hardly looks washed up.  If Dunn does decide to walk away from baseball and another $15MM, he won't be hurting for cash as Baseball Reference estimates his career earnings to date to be ~$98MM.

Omar Infante Changes Agencies

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Tigers second baseman and pending free agent Omar Infante is now represented by Gene Mato of Mato Sports Management, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  Infante was previously represented by Octagon Sports Management.

The move is notable not just because Infante is in his walk year, but because Mato also represented teammate Anibal Sanchez.  Both players came over via trade last July from the Marlins.

Infante, 31, is hitting .317/.344/.453 with nine homers in 389 plate appearances this season.  it's a slash line that's a marked improvement over his career numbers of .279/.318/.402.  While Robinson Cano will obviously the top second baseman on the open market this winter, Infante will find a less crowded market at his position after Chase Utley inked a contract extension with the Phillies.

You can keep track of everyone's representation by using the MLBTR Agency Database.

Blue Jays Designate Mauro Gomez For Assignment

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The Blue Jays designated first baseman Mauro Gomez for assignment, according to Scott MacArthur of TSN (via Twitter).  Toronto also moved Melky Cabrera and Josh Johnson to 60-day DL, officially ending their 2013 seasons.

Gomez, soon to be 29, has spent the entire year with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, hitting .249/.322/.521 with 29 homers in 453 plate appearances.  The first/third baseman saw some time in the majors last season with the Red Sox where he posted a .275/.324/.422 slash line in 37 games.

You can keep track of all of the players currently in DFA limbo using the MLBTR DFA Tracker.

Chase Headley Talks Padres, Future

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Chase Headley appears unlikely to grant the Padres a discount on any extension, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports. 

"My first choice would be to stay here," the third baseman said. "I love our coaching staff. I love a lot of the guys here. That said, you have to at least understand where you are positioned in the market. It doesn't benefit myself or the other players to go out and sign a deal just to sign a deal, without it being a good deal.

"I'm not actively trying to get to free agency, but trying to get what you are worth is important. It would be foolish not to at least pay attention. I'm not going to sell myself short."

We've heard conflicting rumors thus far on whether the Padres will try to extend the 29-year-old. A report from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal in May that indicated Headley was likely to be traded by this year's deadline, but CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman wrote just weeks later that the team had no plans to move him. In a confusing series of events, Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler announced at one point to reporters that the team was planning a franchise-record offer to the third baseman. However, the club's ownership apparently never communicated that to Headley, who ultimately told the Padres that he didn't want to discuss his contract during the season.

Based on quotes in Shaikin's article, the Padres' ability to compete in the NL West appears likely to emerge as a factor in negotiations. "At this stage of my career, I want to win," Headley asserted, adding that he believes the Padres will be able to do so. However, the club has yet to make the playoffs during the third baseman's tenure in San Diego. In the interview, Headley speaks admiringly of the Dodgers' 2013 success, telling Shaikin, "You can't help but see what's going on in L.A. and be impressed."

Though Headley hasn't been able to repeat the success of his breakout 2012 season, when he finished fifth in NL MVP voting, agents speaking with Heyman in May suggested that the starting point for an extension would be the six-year, $100MM deal that Ryan Zimmerman signed in 2012. As Shaikin notes, Fowler recently told reporters that the Padres plan to raise payroll by more than 20 percent in 2014. However, if the team decides that it can't play at the $100MM level, Shaikin cites a number of teams that could be interested in Headley, including the Dodgers, Angels, Yankees, Giants, Red Sox, Phillies, and Cardinals. 

Headley is scheduled to go through arbitration once more this winter and hit the open market after the 2014 season.

Twins Notes: Bard, Colabello, Morneau, Hamburger

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Here’s a look at the latest on the Twins..

  • The Twins “are in the due diligence phase” on Daniel Bard, whose brother Luke is a Minnesota farmhand, 1500ESPN.com’s Darren Wolfson tweets. Injuries have plagued the 28-year-old’s 2013 campaign, as he’s pitched just one inning in the majors this year and has a 6.46 ERA in 15 1/3 minor league innings. Still, Bard has two years of arbitration remaining and posted a 3.33 ERA in 73 innings for Boston as recently as 2011, so he may be worth a claim.
  • Chris Colabello’s opposite-field power could help him earn the Twins’ first base job following the departure of Justin Morneau, Berardino writes. Colabello, 29, has managed just a .193/.270/.360 line in 126 plate appearances for the Twins this year, but was hitting .352/.427/.639 for the club’s Triple-A affiliate before being called up in May.
  • The Twins have signed well-traveled right-hander Mark Hamburger to a minor league deal, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. Hamburger, who was originally signed out of an amateur tryout camp by the Twins in 2007, managed to catch on long enough with the Rangers to pitch eight major league innings in 2011. However, the 26-year-old hasn’t pitched in the majors since. He’ll have to serve a 50-game suspension for testing positive a second time for a drug of abuse before he can play a game, Berardino notes. 

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