8:24pm: Mulder has offers from "several" teams and has not yet decided who he'll sign with, agent Brian Charles tells Fletcher (via Twitter).
8:00pm: Mulder and the Angels have not yet agreed to terms, but if they do, it will be on a minor-league deal, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets.
5:17pm: The Angels appear to be the favorites to sign free-agent pitcher Mark Mulder, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe tweets. Cafardo reports that the Angels could soon sign Mulder to an incentive-laden contract.
Mulder, 36, is trying to make a comeback after retiring in 2010. He has not appeared in the Majors since 2008, and has only appeared in six games since 2006, having spent the last few years of his career struggling through shoulder injuries. He threw for three teams in November. Giants GM Brian Sabean recently said Mulder was looking for a big-league contract. Given his history, though, it would be surprising if he got one.
The Yankees are looking to get younger.
Im so tired of this joke
Yeah I am too but considering that two of the Yankees players retired and they still got older doesn’t help
The Yankees aren’t even the oldest team.
Really? Which team is?
*cough* Phillies *cough*
Are you sure? Because just looking at the depth chart seems like the Phillies roster is overall younger than the Yankees.
Younger>Older
McCann>Ruiz
Tex > Howard
Roberts < Utley
Jeter < Rollins
Arod < Asche
Soriano / Gardner < Brown
Ellsbury < Revere
Beltran and Byrd born the same year
They both have some oldies on the bench in Ichiro, Nieves, Wells.
Pitching seems to be in favor of the Phillies. Other than Lee and Adams the rest are relatively young. Kuroda is 38 and CC is 33, the rest are relatively young as well.
Phillies Average Age is 28.2 and NYY Average Age is 28.1. ;)
Revere isnt better than Ellsbury
Umm maybe read the entire post then…its about age hence why I added a key for you: Younger > Older
Rank/Team/Average age
1 – Boston 28.5
2 – San Francisco 28.4
3- Philadelphia 28.2
4- LA Dodgers 28.1
5- NY Yankees 28.1
the braves are youngest at 27.3. how is 8 months difference between the yankees and the braves a statistical difference-maker?
it’s like in the Simpsons where lisa shows homer a rock, and tells him the rock keeps tigers away; when homer doubts her rock, lisa asks..”well, do you see any tigers”? homer responds by asking Lisa to buy her rock.
it’s the off season and writers and websites/magazines are struggling to fill the days until spring training. age is really irrelevant when it’s mere months difference between the youngest and oldest average age line-ups.
Where did I say anything about the Braves? And who down votes facts?
Braves are the 6th youngest and average age is 26.5. Mariners are youngest. Average age 25.6
Really because the Yankees have the oldest avg in the Majors.
no way. Boston is oldest Avg team 28.5. Yankees AVG 28.1
No they don’t. Read the rankings I posted above.
Mariano was 44 and Andy Pettitte was 41. NYY sign
Mccann (29) , Ellsbury (31), and Beltran (36). NOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW “they still got older”.
Id have to look it up but there was a NY Post article about it a couple of weeks ago
I love how you took Jeter out of the discussion.
Mike said “considering that two of the Yankees players retired ” so we not talking about jeter
Because the players they replaced were younger.
Me too. And this one doesn’t even make sense.
And this is why people think of the Angels Organization as pathetic. Yeah there’s a household name… about 10-years ago!
Signings like this don’t hurt anything. Maybe he is healthy and could give a team some solid innings. I’m sure the Angels weren’t the only team willing to give him a shot.
No the Angels are the only organization that would give a contract to a guy who hasn’t even played since 2008.
That’s called “making stuff up.”
How am I making it up when he hasn’t played a single game since 2008. Look up Mark Mulder on Baseball Reference.
Stop making stuff up… there’s no such thing as Baseball Reference… and I don’t use it religiously… LOL
Talking about the part about angels signing a guy who hasn’t played since 2008
It’s “making stuff up” to say only the Angels would sign him. According to MLBTR in one of their previous articles on Mulder in December, there were multiple MLB teams watching him pitch. You don’t send people to watch someone pitch unless you have interest in them.
You say that because you don’t have to substantiate it with any proof. Teams sign reclamation projects all the time. It’s a part of the league, as much as signing 9-figure contracts. Every team does it. All you’re doing is spewing hatred toward a team you have clear bias against (since we know you’re a Rangers fan).
sounds to me like a lot of hating. Teams were interested in Mulder, not just the angels. I like this move. Low risk, high reward. If he can pitch 60-100 good innings I’ll take it.
He hasn’t pitched that many innings since 2006… The Rangers have a better chance of success bringing back Nolan Ryan as their closer.
we’ll see. He’s only 36 and he’s been out of baseball for a while. If his delivery improved and he’s more deceptive, that could be huge.
How many pitchers do you know that have taken 5 years off of baseball to work on their delivery/mechanics and make it back to the Majors?? And we’re AUTOMATICALLY going to ignore any pitcher from the WWII era.
The signing is most likely a MINOR league contract, not a MAJOR league one. If he does get that minor league contract, he has to fight for a spot on opening day
Jose Rijo
So what? There have been several rookies in their 30s who never played a major league game but still found success. Sounds like you’re reaching for excuses to bash a team you don’t like instead of having a baseball discussion with facts.
Not hating. Just stating the Obvious.
That signing a pitcher to an incentive laden contract makes an organization pathetic? That’s hardly the obvious. Mulder hasn’t pitched since the stone age, I get it. But for any team that needs cheap pitching depth this makes sense.
link to fangraphs.com
Nothing you’ve said on the matter is stating the obvious. Why not just look at it objectively instead of being an angry Rangers fan?
Nice going Dipoto….
Blue Jays signed Tomo Ohka who hasn’t pitched just one less year and one year older.
To a minor league deal mind you and he’s also a knuckleballer now
So have you talked to all the other organizations? Doubt they’d agree with you.
Oh, look at this, several hours later: the article has been updated to note that Mulder has NOT signed with the Angels yet, and is in fact considering offers from MULTIPLE teams. Gee golly, don’t you look even sillier now?
The Blue Jays signed Tomo Ohka to a minor league contract. I know it’s not within the parameters suggested (someone “who hasn’t even played since 2008”), but the spirit of the signing is similar: a former major leaguer who’s changed his delivery is being considered as a potential contributor to a big league team..
Ohka’s value was spent, so he learned to throw a knuckler. He’s enjoyed *ahem* modest *ahem* success with it. The Jays have a knuckler in their rotation. They also have young catchers in the minors. It’s a forward-thinking move to get another knuckler. Ergo, there’s value to signing a seemingly washed-up former major leaguer.
I don’t know what LAA is thinking, but I also don’t understand how this is a bad move. There’s little-to-no risk involved.
If the Angels were signing him to a multi-million dollar pact to be at the front of the rotation (or even to be a guaranteed part of the BACK of the rotation), you’d have a point.
As is, you seem to just be looking for something to fit a narrative. Teams sign reclamation projects to incentive-laden minor league deals all the time. You win some and lose some, but that’s the point. If you win, you found cheap, incentive-based support. If you lose, you cut the bait and forget it happened within days. How is this worthy of scoffing at? Scott Kazmir made a million bucks last year for a 1.1 WAR season as a middle-rotation arm. Bartolo Colon did similar for the Yankees a few years ago. R.A. Dickey gave the Mets a Cy Young award for $4 million a couple years ago (at Mark Mulder’s current age, mind you), and before they picked him up he’d never had a good season IN HIS ENTIRE CAREER.
Mulder’s a long shot, but so what?
How exactly do you figure that people think the Angels are pathetic? Do you have survey results or is that just a rivalry bias? Signing Mark Mulder to a 1 year contract doesn’t hurt anything. In fact there’s never any point in criticizing a 1 year contract.
As a Rangers fan I agree with you totally…just look at the list of spares the Rangers just signed to minor-league contracts with some invites to ST…low risk – – high reward…it’s a small gamble if it hits…I don’t know why people can’t see that.
I’d rather see the Angels take a chance on Mulder than waste money this winter and have nothing left to give Mike Trout. Two straight bad winters have ruined the Angels. No more big splashes unless it’s for Trout.
its only for pitching depth, and it wont be for much money…and if he meets incentives, it means he had a good year.
The last good year of Mark Mulders career was in the 2005 season when he was a ST Louis Cardinal.
What is your point?
IF (did you see that IF) he makes any money that only means that he pitched well. The opposite statement is also true – if he doesn’t pitch well he gets no money. Why is that so hard for you to understand?
I guess the Angels are looking for bullpen arms anyway they can.
Considering he made his comeback emulating Paco Rodriguez’s delivery, is it fair to say he has the ceiling of a Paco Rodriguez-like player?
The Angels are letting go of a guy whose last stint in the Majors resulted in an ERA of 10.80… and are going to replace him with a guy whose last stint in the Majors resulted in an ERA of 10.80, only this guy hasn’t pitched in the Majors in 5 years…
That’s why I said that this is pathetic.
Who Kazmir?
Replacing Chris Volstad (heading to Korea) with Mark Mulder
Ok I just saw they released him earlier today.
Besides, Kazmir posted a 4.04 ERA in 158 innings; he’s out of their league… almost :-P
To most likely a minor league contract
Which DIRECTLY translates to desperation: “We’re so desperate to catch lightning in a bottle, that we’ll sign a guy who hasn’t even played in 5 years”
So what, if he’s bad, he’s gone, if he’s actually good (hardly dout it), major league contract
No it translates to bring the front runners to signing Mark Mulder. And that’s it. Lots of teams are involved. This is something teams do all the time. Stop bashing a team without proof to back up your statements and start learning the game on the front office end of things.
It’s called pitching depth. Who cares how long he hasn’t pitched for in the big leagues? Does it really matter? This is such a non-issue it boggles my mind that people like you are making a big deal about it. These moves are made on a regular basis, but because it’s a player who hasn’t pitched in MLB in some years possibly going to a team that’s a division rival to your favorite team, you call it “desperation”.
Honestly, I just don’t get people.
Releasing Volstad was a non-issue. 99.9% of baseball fans didn’t even know that Volstad was signed by the Angels to pitch in the minors. 100% of baseball fans don’t care that he was released to play in Japan.
Same goes here. The probability of Mulder contributing anything significant is very, very small. However, they are risking literally nothing by signing him (especially to a minor league deal). If he stinks then he’s cut and the franchise eats a few thousand in salary. If by some miracle he can contribute the Angels can promote him and take advantage of a cheap resource.
It’s not like the team is committing $10M/season to him or that they expect ANYTHING out of him. All they are doing is exploring a low risk option with a player.
100% don’t care that Volstad was released to play in Japan because he was released to play in Korea.
Minor league contract. No one is replacing anyone in any significant spot here. Neither would even be on the 40 man roster until opening day.
What if he was a mole sent by Billy Beane to once again destroy the Angels’ pitching staff??
…an A’s fan can dream, I suppose.
That wouldn’t take much work to do.
Wow.. I Thought they were going after Garza or Tanaka!?
they still can. mulder wouldn’t be getting big dollars. I bet with incentives most he could make is 3-4mil tops
But aren’t the Angels Trying to stay UNDER the Luxury Tax? If they signed him to a deal that low then the next pitcher they sign will get 16-17 mil which would put them over the Luxury Tax
They are between $15-$20M under the luxury tax. This deal will cost them NOTHING. At most you are talking about a few million IF he makes it to the big leagues and pitches well. This signing will not impact their decision to go after Garza/Tanaka, etc. Paying a luxury tax on a few million is chump change.
They are. Their initial targets are Garza and Santana, but they will still go after Tanaka whether or not they sign one of the other two. Arte Moreno said he’d only go over the luxury tax for the right player, and Tanaka is just that. The Mulder signing is just insurance, likely to replace Volstad and hoping for an additional lefty arm in the bullpen, or perhaps a spot start or two if needed instead of Joe Blanton.
Signing Santana Would Cost The Angels a Draft Pick. So i don’t see them making an offer to him.
Santana also gives them a SP they need for the next few years that helps the team faster than that draft pick would, with much higher guarantee. I think with more attention being paid to prospects, fans are forgetting what it actually takes to win at the major league level: major league talent. The Angels can still continue rebuilding their farm system, even if they forfeit their first round pick. They have a lot of control over a lot of good players on their roster.
Didn’t they already have Santana up until 2013. Doubt they would bring him back, especially with a draft pick on the line.
Teams bring former players back all the time. The first round pick will be less of an issue once teams that want to contend realize they have to sign a Santana or a Jiminez to get them over the hump.
So they still need a FA SP, but if this crazy plan works out, they’ll have some depth. Does the Ibanez signing mean they’re out on Morales?
they never were in on morales. plus he would’ve cost them a 1st round pick. Morales is with Boras and they’ll be asking for too much. The angels need pitching. And they’ll probaby get outbid for tanaka which means they’ll get garza
Just trying to figure out who has a legit need for Morales. Any thoughts? I can’t see him going to an NL team.
Morales? Ha!
You can really paint a picture. Any thoughts on Morales? Has to be an AL team right?
What?
What crazy plan? The Angels aren’t involved with Morales.
Crazy was not meant literally, and the two ideas were not related.
Jerry you continue to amaze me. You make a good trade in getting Santiago and Skaggs, a decent signing in Ibanez, and now you’re going for an old guy in Mulder? He’s just a waste of money needed to sign Garza.
How much money do you think Mulder is going to command, exactly? There is no possible scenario in which the signing of Mulder prevents them from signing Garza or Tanaka.
I don’t see any way he could help the Angels at the ML level. I rather spend money on Garza than this unproven guy.
It’s NOT an either-or scenario. They’re not signing Mulder INSTEAD of Garza. They’re signing him as a depth-addition, possibly to a minor league roster, with a contract based on incentives. These deals happen constantly in MLB, with every team. The Angels aren’t saying “we can’t get Garza, so let’s get Mulder.” They’re saying “let’s get Garza or Tanaka, but let’s also pad our depth chart with some cheap options to back up our guys in case of injuries or poor performance.” Mulder’s deal will only be of any real value if he performs well. As is, his contract will have no impact on the signings of other free agent SPs.
This is how teams compete. This is how they assemble depth.
I never said Garza or Mulder. I meant Garza will probably want more money so don’t waste it on Mulder.
If they’re going way over luxury tax for Garza, then they paid too much. considering that the angels only have two lefties in the pen (three if Santiago does not get in the rotation), adding lefties to a minor league contract wouldn’t be a bad thing, especially if Burnett is not healthy this year
Mulder will get peanuts so it really has no impact on whether or not they’ll sign Garza, otherwise they wouldn’t be intent on signing Mulder at all.
The only guy he’s replacing is Volstad who left for Korea in a minor league contract
And when mulder pulls a colon here, you’ll be surprised.
This is a no-lose signing.
One year, minor league deal, would not prevent the angels from signing garza or tanaka.
These comments are getting ridiculous. Every GM signs veterans to minor league contracts for the purpose of filling holes at AAA and possibly at the major league level.
Good to hear that mulder’s getting another shot. Maybe he has something up his sleeve and can amaze. Not getting my hopes up whatsoever but who knows. Do it dipoto.
Favorites? Like there are teams lining up to sign him??
Actually they are.
Who needs Tanaka when you can get a Mulder. Good luck Angels fans
Calm down people, geez. Signing a low cost guy on an incentive laden deal does not preclude them from signing Tanaka or Garza. I am not sure they are going to sign either of those guys anyway, but this signing IN NO WAY impacts their ability to do so. A little possible depth on a team without any is a good low risk signing. If he is good again, awesome. He if never pitches in the big leagues, then he was worth a shot and was taken on at very low risk. Teams sign guys on minor league contracts all the time, just because this guy happened to be very good many years ago and has been out of the game for some time does not make this signing “terrible” as the uninformed masses seem to believe. I, for one, wish Mark the best of luck on his comeback attempt, and I did so back when it was announced and before he was linked to the Angels. I guess haters want to hate though.
Knowing Dipoto he won’t make it “low cost”
I think most of the crazy overpays so far have been at the demand of Moreno, and not DiPoto’s fault. I can’t know that for sure though since I have no intimate knowledge of the behind the scenes discussions. I would be shocked if this deal was for any significant money or any major league guarantee. This *should* be a minor league contract with incentives.
So… Raul Ibanez was not low cost?
Ibanez will actually help the team. He’s a proven player, something this Mulder guy isn’t.
That’s why Mulder is getting a minor league contract. He to battle against more favorable lefties to earn a spot. I’m pretty sure what they would pay him would not hinder signing Garza or Tanaka
OMG the Angels are up to their old tricks. Signing a player to the veteran minimum, not guaranteeing him a roster spot! This is why the Rangers and A’s are the class of the west. and another thing! (Charlie Brown teacher noise…)
edit for the down-votes: /s
How does that make Texas and Oakland better…? And do you have any examples?
Like when the Rangers signed Manny Ramirez last year? Or Colby Lewis this year? I know, right!? Only the Angels sign veterans to minor league deals! The outrage!
…stop making things up.
sarcasm. Have you heard of it? This is a no-risk move that might help.
Sarcasm doesn’t usually carry if it’s not spoken
Before you hide behind the ‘sarcasm’ excuse, please notice the plethora of people voicing almost identical sentiments in this discussion who are completely earnest in saying so.
Good for them, but I’m not sure they’re really competing against anyone for his services
Why is everyone making a huge fuss over a pitcher who has a career 4.18 ERA and hasn’t played since 2008? It would make a nice comeback story if he came back, but I don’t see him making an impact on any club.
The idea is to not make any impact whatsoever, at best he’s going to replace if anyone on the roster is not fundamentally well to pitch such as Sean Burnett
Perfect analysis. Blanton and Burnett both are wild cards, Skaggs could either break out or need more time in the minors. This is an insurance policy that could benefit the Angels a great deal.
Maybe a long look in spring training for any team interested may be what would be needed. The very long inactivity due to injuries plus his age may be deciding factors for any team to pass and move elsewhere for their pitching needs. However, if he has reinvented himself as a pitcher with some novelty pitch like a knuckle ball then who knows, 36 is not old for a good knuckle baller. Will see.
Tanaka, Tanaka, Tanaka!
This might be the worst thread I’ve ever seen on MLBTradeRumors. Let me break this down into the simplest terms I know how:
1. The Angels are not depending on Mulder to do anything. They know that the odds are stacked against him to succeed. If signed, his most likely outcome is not to contribute to the big league team.
2. This deal will not in ANY way impact their ability to sign Garza/Tanaka/Jiminez, etc. The dollars for this deal will be tiny and most likely incentive based. The Angels do not need to sign another starter, period. They already have Weaver, Wilson, Skaggs, Santiago, Richards, and Blanton who can all start. Another pitcher would be nice though.
3. If Mulder ends up costing the team more than a few million that will be a GOOD thing. That means that he is pitching the major leagues and contributing value. You don’t have to pitch much or be very good to return a few million dollars worth of value.
4. This deal is not a desperation move. These kinds of low risk moves are made by clubs every year. 95% of the time they don’t turn out. Every once in awhile they do (See Bartolo Colon and Scott Kazmir). If you would like proof please post your team and I’ll happily dig up long shot signings by your favorite team over the past 5 years.
I have ton agree. The problem with this thread was that it was lead to believed that Angels actually signed this guy a major league contract; that this was the impact arm the Angels were looking for instead of Garza or Tanaka. This lead to believe that DiPoto signed another Joe Blanton.
But it was as I expected to be, a minor league deal. Signing this guy to a minor league deal is no real problem no matter how long ago he pitched and how bad he is. He is at best a replacement level pitcher for either Blanton who is really bad or really the only lefty in the bullpen, Burnett, who’s health is questionable. It’s a low risk high reward as everyone said. If he’s bad, well he tried; and by any stroke of luck that he’s good, well then the Angels just found a diamond in the rough.
Hey, I am as curious as the next fan to see if Mark Mulder can still pitch even though it’s been 8 to 9 years since he’s done anything.
I know Jim Palmer tried to come back years after he retired, it was short lived.
So this should be interesting.
This isn’t as bad as when Garth Brooks went to spring training with the Padres.
If it’s a minor-league deal full of incentives, what’s the harm in it?
If he reaches those incentives and gets paid, that means he earned it.
If he doesn’t reach them and the team is forced to waste a few bucks, it’s like a millionaire losing some pocket change in an old sofa.
This is an ultra-low risk with low-to-moderate upside, which makes it a fairly good gamble. I’d like to see the Twins give him a shot, much like they did with Rich Harden last year.
Overcast I love you! Many on this page speak English. Yet you are bilingual…….speaking English and reason.
Thanks, Shane. That’s clever.
I look at FA signings like a gambler. Though I’m not a gambler in real life, I can spot a good FA gamble when I see one. If Mulder succeeds, which we likely won’t, he’ll be like a pennies-on-the-dollar version of Jason Vargas or Scott Kazmir, who’s going rate is upwards of $8MM a year nowadays. If you have roster space, why not take a shot?
Yankees have to be in this mix…. After all he is over 35… He cant be worse then Hughes was
All the angels fans thinking they will get tanaka lol… He is signing with dodgers or maybe Yankees . That’s it. One or the other
Why is it LOL? Please share with us your special insider information that Tanaka will only go to the Yankees or Dodgers. I’m sure others would love to know your connections to Close and Tanaka’s family. They are pretty much the only people who “know” what Tanaka is thinking right now.
And despite your obvious bias, the Dodgers are not some dream destination. Believe it or not, following the Yankees playbook but not getting their results won’t appeal to everyone.
The Angels are involved as much as any other high market team. That’s not something dreamed up by their fans. Tanaka will sign with the team he feels is the best fit for him. For all we know that could end up being neither the Yankees, Dodgers or Angels. But you have to consider the Angels are owned by a filthy rich multi billionaire who is not afraid to spend big. And he will go over the luxury tax for a player like Tanaka, and will compete with the Yankees and Dodgers in the bidding war. In tes of need, the Yankees are the most likely destination because the a Dodgers already have a deep rotation, and the Angels got the young controllable starting pitching they’ve been looking for, with an eye on Matt Garza to add to that in addition. The Yankees don’t have much to brag about in the back end of their rotation at all. So that mixed with NY’s need to keep marquee players on the field to keep their fan base in the seats could give the Yankees an edge over everyone.
Of pitchers who get the bug to throw again, Mulder may be one who has a chance. After arm problems, he’s said to be reaching 92 on the gun, and we know he’s a smart pitcher. So, that two pluses. But, command will come slow, arm slot may revert to what his body knows, and got him hurt. Also in the best case scenario, 100-125 innings and he will be done for the year as his whole body will respond to the rigors of pitching and not be ready for the long haul in a short time. I wish him well, for sure.
I could really see Mulder being 2014’s Kazmir. I don’t understand the hate.
Oh yeah 36 year olds always come back with nasty stuff after last pitching in even a respectable manner at 27…. in 2005. Look at the stats from 06-08. They are horrible! Oh by the way he is on the HOF ballot this year. Best of luck to him but their is a difference between hate and reality. Kazmir is younger, had a shorter layoff and never had a Tommy John surgeon tell him his left arm no longer had a pulse.
That’s a bit of a stretch, but I think if Mulder signs and makes their squad it would likely be as an additional lefty in the bullpen, and perhaps as a spot starter. Sad to say, but I’d actually put him above Joe Blanton on the Angels’ SP depth chart.
Anyone have any comps to look at? I can’t think of anyone taking that much time off and coming back, although it seems likely it’s happened.
My first thought was Andy Benes, but when I looked it up, he apparently was only retired for like 9 months when the Cardinals brought him back, so that’s a pretty horrible comparison, obviously.