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Archives for December 2013

NL Central Notes: Cubs, Pirates, Brewers, Hart

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After passing along several updates from out of the NL East and NL West, we'll turn to the National League's third division, as Monday winds down…

  • According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link), the Cubs have received inquiries about Starlin Castro's availability, but have no intention of trading him. "We're excited to have Starlin," said GM Jed Hoyer.
  • Hoyer hasn't ruled out the possibility of the Cubs trading a top prospect, telling reporters, including Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter link), that they "would certainly consider it" if it made sense for the club's long-term future.
  • Discussing potential free agent additions, GM Neal Huntington said today that it's very unlikely the Pirates would sign a player that required giving up draft pick compensation, and confirmed that Pittsburgh won't be in on Masahiro Tanaka if he's posted (Twitter links via Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review).
  • The Pirates plan to fill their hole in right field internally, but are keeping an eye out for a starting pitcher, a middle infielder, and another bat (likely a first baseman), according to Huntington (Twitter link via Sawchik).
  • Adam Rubin of ESPN New York (Twitter link) continues to hear that the Brewers' preference is to re-sign Corey Hart, assuming the money doesn't rise out of their price range. In that case, the Mets would have to look elsewhere for an Ike Davis trade partner.

Latest On Masahiro Tanaka

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Peter Gammons' published a new piece today on Rakuten Golden Eagles owner Hiroshi Mikitani, which included several quotes. On of the most notable comments from Mikitani was about his prized starting pitcher, Masahiro Tanaka: "I don’t intend to post him." However, Gammons' interview was conducted last Wednesday, and many additional reports have surfaced since then suggesting that the matter is far from resolved. Here are a few Monday evening updates on Tanaka from Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports:

  • Yozo Tachibana, the Golden Eagles' president, plans to arrive at MLB's winter meetings in Orlando on Tuesday. As Passan writes, Tachibana's appearance may lead to some clarity on whether or not the team will post Tanaka.
  • The influence of the Rakuten front office over Tanaka is "significant" and recent changes to NPB posting rules are believed to have drastically reduced the club's interest in opening the bidding for its star pitcher.
  • While the Golden Eagles are expected to try to persuade Tanaka to remain in Japan, sources tell Passan that if Tanaka wants to make the jump to MLB, Mikitani and the team may be willing to simply honor his wishes.
  • Executives who spoke to Passan on Monday pegged a deal in the six-year, $100MM range for Tanaka, if he's posted.
  • Passan hears from sources that in the past there have been arrangements where NPB teams agreed to give a portion of a player's posting fee back to the player. The Yahoo! scribe wonders if an agreement could be reached that would funnel money back to Rakuten in excess of the $20MM max, if the team decides to post Tanaka.

Reliever Rumors: Mets, Orioles, Mariners, Tigers

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Considering how many teams continue to seek bullpen help, it shouldn't come as a surprise that we're following up our earlier post on reliever rumors with another round of them. Let's dive in…

  • The Mets have kicked the tires on Chris Perez as a potential late-inning addition, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link). DiComo notes that Perez could serve as ninth-inning insurance for New York if Bobby Parnell isn't healthy.
  • In addition to Perez, Mitchell Boggs is receiving interest from the Mets, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Boggs was non-tendered after a subpar 2013, but is viewed as an intriguing buy-low candidate by New York, says Sherman.
  • Baltimore could be another potential fit for Perez, but the Orioles are also eyeing Grant Balfour and John Axford, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
  • The Mariners don't appear to be prioritizing bullpen additions at this point, according to GM Jack Zduriencik, who says that with their available money, the M's "would look at adding a legitimate closer as a lower priority" (Twitter link via Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune).
  • Noting that Dave Dombrowski has suggested the Tigers may take a flier on a veteran as insurance for Bruce Rondon, MLB.com's Jason Beck wonders if Octavio Dotel might be a fit to return to Detroit (Twitter link).

Mets Exploring Ike Davis, Daniel Murphy Trades

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9:06pm: Andy Martino of the New York Daily News tweets that the Orioles aren't "hot" for either Davis or Murphy at the moment, while Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio says Baltimore's talks for Murphy are "way overblown" (Twitter link).

8:00pm: The Mets aren't pushing to move Murphy, but remain open to a trade, according to Marc Carig of Newsday. Carig adds that Davis appears more likely to be dealt than Murphy (Twitter links).

7:25pm: While they may not be seriously in the mix for Davis, the Orioles appear to be a legit suitor for Murphy, says Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). Sherman also adds the Rays to the list of potential destinations for Davis.

6:44pm: The Mets are pushing "very hard" to move Murphy, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). As for Davis, the Orioles don't appear to be a serious suitor. Mike Puma of the New York Post hears that Baltimore's interest is "distant" at the moment (Twitter link).

5:36pm: The Mets and Brewers met today to revisit the possibility of an Ike Davis trade, reports Adam McCalvy of MLB.com (Twitter link). Newsday's Marc Carig is hearing the same thing, tweeting that Milwaukee is one of four teams engaged with the Mets about the first baseman.

We initially heard nearly a month ago that the Brewers and Mets had discussed the idea of a trade that would send Davis to Milwaukee. Corey Hart remains a possibility for Milwaukee at first base, but it doesn't sound like the club is closing in on a deal for either player, as McCalvy indicates that the team has laid the groundwork on both fronts.

Andy Martino of the New York Daily News adds (via Twitter) that there doesn't seem to be much traction yet on a deal for either Davis or fellow trade candidate Daniel Murphy. According to Martino, there's some skepticism among executives that New York will find many takers for Murphy.

Blue Jays Rumors: Lind, Loney, Moreland, Morrison

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Earlier today, we heard from Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi of FOX Sports that a trade agreement between the Rangers and Blue Jays fell through when a player involved in the deal failed his physical. The FOX duo reported that Sergio Santos would have been sent to Texas in the swap, and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca adds another detail, revealing that the agreed-upon trade would have seen the Blue Jays land a starting pitcher. Here's more on the Jays from Orlando:

  • The Pirates approached the Jays about Adam Lind, but talks quickly fizzled when Toronto countered by asking about Neil Walker, according to Davidi.
  • While the Jays aren't necessarily looking to move Lind, the team has asked around about other first base options like James Loney, Mitch Moreland, and Logan Morrison, in case a Lind deal presents itself.
  • GM Alex Anthopoulos didn't comment specifically on whether the Blue Jays would bid on Masahiro Tanaka, but said, "I think it’s safe to say any good starter that’s out there we’re going to be active, we’ll try to be involved and see if it makes sense for us."
  • Anthopoulos added that the Jays are "having some dialogue" on a smaller deal that would add a right-handed bat to the team's bench.
  • Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com passes along a transcript of manager John Gibbons' conversation with the media today, which includes plenty of discussion about possible holes on the roster and potential moves to address them.

Lucas Harrell Drawing Trade Interest

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In the wake of their acquisition of Dexter Fowler, the Astros are being viewed by other teams as a realistic trade partner this offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal reports (via Twitter) that Astros starter Lucas Harrell is drawing some trade interest.

Harrell, 28, struggled through the 2013 season, losing a league-worst 17 games and recording a 5.86 ERA to go along with a 1.71 WHIP. Still, the right-hander had a strong 2012 campaign, and his 2013 peripherals, including an xFIP that was nearly a run lower than his ERA, suggest that he could be a bounceback candidate.

In addition to potentially fielding calls on Harrell, the Astros are in the market for a reliever who can potentially close, tweets ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. Jose Veras, who earned 19 saves for Houston last year before being shipped to the Tigers, is one of the "many names" on the Astros' list, says Stark.

NL West Rumors: D-Backs, Padres, Giants

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It remains to be seen whether or not Masahiro Tanaka will be posted by the Rakuten Golden Eagles, but if he is and the Diamondbacks have yet to address their starting pitching needs, expect Arizona to place a bid on the Japanese right-hander, tweets Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Here's more on the D-Backs and a pair of their NL West rivals:

  • Kevin Towers and the D-Backs don't mind waiting on Eric Chavez, who is deciding where he wants to play and monitoring Arizona's moves, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
  • Asked about the possibility of trading Archie Bradley, Towers suggested today that it would be "very, very tough" for the D-Backs to do so, tweets Gilbert.
  • The Padres have interest in Scott Downs, among other southpaw relievers, tweets Jon Morosi of FOX Sports. San Diego's Josh Byrnes confirmed that the team is casting a wide net for bullpen help, indicating that he has touched base with "most" available left-handed relievers (Twitter link via Adam Berry of MLB.com).
  • According to Berry (Twitter links), Byrnes said the Padres have weighed "six or eight ideas" and have meetings set up to discuss free agents and trades. Byrnes also shot down the latest round of Chase Headley rumors, stating that the team views the third baseman as part of its 2014 plans.
  • Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area has some details on the Giants' search for an outfielder, tweeting that the Giants called three times on Norichika Aoki before the Brewers decided to send Aoki to the Royals. In a second tweet, Baggarly says the Giants are interested in Michael Morse and Corey Hart, but probably not at the years and dollars those players will command.
  • John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle provides a couple more Giants updates, reporting that no teams have inquired on San Francisco's five starters, but that the club's young pitching has drawn some interest. Shea adds that the team appears unlikely to bring back Chad Gaudin (Twitter links).

Jamey Wright Choosing Between Rays, Dodgers

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Jamey Wright's free agent choice will come down to his most recent two teams, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who tweets that the right-hander is choosing between the Rays and the Dodgers.

Wright, 38, has been effective as a relief pitcher over the last two seasons, posting a 3.40 ERA and 7.8 K/9 in 132 total outings. He spent the 2012 season with the Dodgers before pitching for the Rays in 2013. He'll represent a low-cost, low-risk bullpen arm for whichever team lands him, considering he has signed for a base salary worth less than $1MM for each of the last several years.

Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reported earlier today that Wright was on the Dodgers' radar.

Mets Sign Curtis Granderson

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The Mets have officially signed Curtis Granderson to a four-year deal, the team announced today. Granderson's new contract, which doesn't include a no-trade clause, will pay him $13MM in 2014, $16MM in 2015 and 2016, and $15MM in 2017, for a total of $60MM overall. Granderson is represented by agent Matt Brown of Pro Prospects, Inc.

Granderson-CurtisGranderson, 33 in March, would likely have been in for a bigger payday had it not been for a fluke season that saw him miss 100 games on the DL as a result of getting hit by a pair of pitches. When he was on the field, The Grandy Man batted .229/.317/.407 with seven homers and eight steals in 245 plate appearances.

However, the Mets are likely paying for the production that Granderson displayed in the 2011-12 seasons, during which he batted .247/.342/.522 with an MLB-best 84 home runs. Many detractors will try to claim that Granderson is a product of Yankee Stadium, but as I explained in my free agent profile, that's simply not the case; Granderson belted 47 homers at Yankee Stadium in 2011-12 but still went deep 37 times on the road. He benefited to an extent from Yankee Stadium, but as shown by his .244/.339/.493 line on the road, Granderson is more than capable of hitting in other stadiums. Those concerned about his platoon splits can look to his .249/.351/.521 batting line and 127 wRC+ against left-handers from 2011-12. I projected a three-year, $45MM contract in that profile, meaning that Brown and Granderson topped my expectation by getting a fourth year at the same annual value.

Granderson figures to play an outfield corner in Queens, with Juan Lagares manning center field and Chris B. Young (who signed a one-year, $7.25MM contract with the Mets) handling the other corner spot. In Young and Granderson, the Mets have added some much-needed power to their lineup while also adding solid outfield defense. Granderson's glove graded out strongly in 2013, and the move to a corner should help him continue to post strong defensive numbers,

The Mets emerged as the top suitors for Granderson in previous days but were previously reported to be unwilling to up their offer from three years to four. By signing Granderson, the Mets are agreeing to forfeit their second-round pick in next year's draft (their first-rounder is protected). Special assistant J.P. Ricciardi told me at last month's GM Meetings that the Mets would be willing to make that move for the "right" player, but that signing two free agents tied to draft pick compensation was unlikely.

Granderson was also linked to the Red Sox as a possible replacement for Jacoby Ellsbury and said to have drawn interest from teams like the Mariners and Orioles. The Yankees, of course, had interest in retaining Granderson as well. Instead, they will receive a compensatory pick between the first and second round of the 2014 draft — the second such pick they've acquired today, given the news that Robinson Cano is headed to Seattle on a ten-year deal.

The agreement was first reported by Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter), with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports adding terms (Twitter link) and Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter links) adding further details.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Mark Prior Officially Retires; Could Join Padres Front Office

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Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets that he ran into Mark Prior at the Winter Meetings and was told the Prior has officially retired and could join the Padres front office. Prior's most recent comeback attempt with the Reds in 2013 was cut short when he once again injured his shoulder.

Prior, now 33 years of age, hasn't pitched in the Major Leagues since 2006. Drafted second overall behind Joe Mauer in the 2001 draft, Prior burst onto the scene in 2002-03 with the Cubs in dominant fashion. In his first 328 big league innings, Prior posted a 2.74 ERA with a 392-to-88 (4.45) K/BB ratio.

Unfortunately, Prior would go on to throw just 329 additional Major League innings in an injury-riddled career. Multiple injuries to his rotator cuff, labrum and anterior capsule in his right shoulder required multiple surgeries that have limited 58 2/3 innings in affiliated ball since the end of the 2006 season.

Prior's once-promising playing career officially comes to an end with a 3.51 ERA, 10.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 657 innings. Prior signed a then-record $10.5MM contract out of the 2001 draft, which stood until 2009 when Stephen Strasburg signed a four-year $15.1MM deal as the No. 1 overall pick.

The Padres organization has lost several key members of its field staff following the hiring of Rick Renteria as Cubs manager, and it also lost special assistant Brad Ausmus to the Tigers. Prior could bring a wealth of knowledge to assist GM Josh Byrnes and his staff.

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