Scott Feldman On Signing With Astros
Earlier today, the Astros announced that they have reached agreement with free agent pitcher Scott Feldman on a three-year deal that is believed to be worth $30MM. Right around this time last year – on November 27th, to be exact – Feldman inked a one-year, $6MM deal with the Cubs. This afternoon, I asked Feldman if signing early in the offseason is a priority for him or if it's merely coincidental.
"Well, my lucky number is 27…I don't know, whatever happens, happens. I pretty much stay out of it so I just rely on my agent for that kind of stuff and he just kind of fills me in on whatever goes on," the 30-year-old said, while adding that he was happy to have the deal done in advance of Christmas.
Feldman is no stranger to changing uniforms – he was with three teams (Rangers, Cubs, Orioles) in an 18 month period. With his new three-year deal, Feldman presumably gets to take his coat off and stay for a while. Somewhat surprisingly, the hurler says that securing a longer pact wasn't really a priority for him.
"I think I just wanted a fair deal and to be somewhere that i want to be and I just feel very blessed and fortunate. I think this whole organization is headed in the right direction. I'm just fortunate to be somewhere where they want me," said Feldman on today's conference call.
Even though the Astros have won just 106 games across the last two seasons, Feldman spoke glowingly of the club's future. With that said, I asked Feldman when he sees the Astros taking a massive step forward towards contention.
"That's a good question. I don't think anyone can say for sure when that day is going to come. It's just going to happen and you cant really predict the future but i will say from talking with [Bo Porter] here on the phone before I signed, he was very optimistic and he kind of told me that with the young talent that is going through here and all that, the future is going to be very bright. I can't say for sure when it's going to be, but I think everyone here has the same goal," Feldman said. "We've seen crazier things happen. The Red Sox go from last place to winning the World Series, so anything can happen."
Marlins To Sign Rafael Furcal
FRIDAY, 4:20pm: The Marlins confirmed the deal via press release.
THURSDAY, 8:30pm: The Marlins will sign shortstop Rafael Furcal to a one-year deal, tweets FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald writes that the deal is for $3MM plus incentives (via Twitter).
Rosenthal reports that Furcal will be the Marlins' everyday second baseman. Furcal has not played more than four games in a season at second since 2000, having played at shortstop almost exclusively since then, although many players have successfully transitioned from shortstop to second base. Donovan Solano and Derek Dietrich were the Marlins' primary second basemen in 2013, and Adeiny Hechavarria is currently their starter at shortstop.
Furcal, 36, hit .264/.325/.346 with the Cardinals in 2012 and has a .281/.346/.403 line for his career. Furcal himself indicated last week that the Marlins were one of several teams interested in him, along with the Mets, Red Sox, Pirates, Nationals and Rockies. The Mets reportedly lost interest in Furcal, who missed the entire 2013 after having Tommy John surgery, amidst concerns about his health.
Furcal is the second significant free-agent signing for the Marlins this winter, following catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who received a three-year, $21MM deal. Furcal lives in southern Florida, so the signing will keep him close to home.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Marlins Nearing Deal With Garrett Jones
1:52pm: The two sides are close on a $7.5MM deal that would pay Jones $2.5MM in 2014 and $5MM in 2015, per Juan C. Rodriguez of the Miami Sun-Sentinel (on Twitter).
12:46pm: The Marlins are closing in on a deal with free agent first baseman Garrett Jones, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Jones' contract could be a two-year deal, he adds.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported earlier today that the Marlins have had "serious discussions" with Jones and could be looking at him as a short-term first baseman, as they plan to shop Logan Morrison at next week's Winter Meetings.
Jones, 32, was designated for assignment by the Pirates before being officially non-tendered on December 2nd. The veteran owns a career .254/.316/.458 slash line across six big league seasons. The first baseman/outfielder had a down year in 2013, however, hitting .233/.289/.419 in 440 plate appearances. Jones was due $5.3MM in arbitration this winter, according to MLBTR's Matt Swartz, making him a non-tender candidate.
Jones is best suited to be a platoon first baseman, as his career .193/.234/.334 line versus lefties shows a glaring weakness against same-handed pitching. His numbers against right-handed pitching — .271/.337/.489 — are a marked improvement.
Mariners Could Push For David Price; Still Pursuing Free Agents
1:01pm: A source tells Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times that any trade for Price would have to include Walker (Twitter link).
11:47am: In the wake of Seattle's historic ten-year agreement with Robinson Cano, one Major League executive told Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times that he is "convinced" the Mariners' next move will be to make a push for David Price (Twitter link). Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Mariners believe they have the prospects to land Price, and indeed, that would seem to be the case.
This is only my speculation, but Seattle could look to build a package around top prospect Taijuan Walker and the recently displaced Nick Franklin, who could be deemed expendable with Cano in the fold for the Mariners. The Rays, of course, will likely be open to moving Price this winter. He projects to earn $13.1MM in arbitration (per MLBTR's Matt Swartz) and is controlled through the 2015 campaign. It would make sense for the Mariners to aggressively pursue short-term upgrades in the early years of Cano's contract in order to maximize their chances while he is still in his prime.
Morosi also notes (on Twitter) that the Mariners are still in pursuit of Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Beltran, Nelson Cruz and other free agents. Morosi also reported earlier that the Mariners are one of the teams that is currently in on Mike Napoli, who reportedly has an offer in-hand from a club other than the Red Sox that Boston has yet to beat. It's not clear if that club is the Mariners, but their talks with Napoli are said to have been recent. An upgrade at first base, DH or in the outfield still seems likely for Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik, and the addition of Cano could signal to potential free agents that the Mariners are serious about winning.
Mike Napoli Talks Reach Critical Stage
11:24am: Napoli's market is picking up, and the Mariners, Marlins, Rangers and Red Sox are all involved, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi adds that the Mariners have had "recent" talks with Napoli.
10:57am: Mike Napoli's free agent negotiations are at a critical stage, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. He says Napoli wants to remain with the Red Sox, but he has an offer from another club that Boston will need to match or exceed. Earlier, Rosenthal tweeted that the Rangers and Marlins are in on Napoli, who remains a priority for the Red Sox. The Rangers are interested even after acquiring Prince Fielder, which is seemingly made possible by the designated hitter spot.
Napoli was one of 13 players to receive a qualifying offer in November, so signing him will require forfeiture of a draft pick for teams other than the Red Sox. The 32-year-old switched to first base full-time in 2013 for Boston, hitting .259/.360/.482 in 578 plate appearances and playing in the postseason for the sixth time in eight seasons. Last offseason, Napoli's three-year, $39MM deal with the Red Sox was renegotiated down to a one-year, $5MM guarantee after his physical revealed a degenerative hip condition. With Curtis Granderson receiving four guaranteed years today from the Mets, I think Napoli has a good case for the same.
Mariners Close To Deal With Robinson Cano
The Mariners are closing in on a deal with Robinson Cano, acccording to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Heyman adds that Cano's deal with the Mariners would be worth "at least" $225MM.
Cano's negotiations with the Mariners have turned into somewhat of a soap opera. Reports earlier this morning indicated that a last-minute hike in demands from agent Jay-Z enraged Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln and caused talks to fall apart. Recently, reports surfaced that talks were still alive. The Yankees, reportedly, are unwilling to offer more than $200MM.
Mariners Talks With Cano Still Alive After Hitting Snag
9:18am: Talks between the Mariners and Cano are still alive, according to Ken Rosenthal on FOX Sports (on Twitter).
7:43am: The Mariners talks with Robinson Cano have broken down after Seattle made an offer of nine years and $225MM, two sources told Mark Feinsand, Bill Madden and Teri Thompson of the New York Daily News. The Mariners are no longer in the mix to sign Cano, reports Feinsand.
According to the New York Daily News team, Cano and his representatives from CAA and Roc Nation Sports arrived in Seattle with an eight-year, $200MM offer in hand from the Mariners and eventually received assurances that the Mariners would go to nine years and $225MM. However, a late change by agent Jay-Z in which he once again demanded $252MM over 10 years caused Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln to "explode," prompting the meeting to end.
Seattle's offer of $225MM over nine years topped the Yankees' best offer by two years and $50MM, Feinsand notes. However, the Yankees appear to be Cano's lone serious suitor once again. The Yankees reportedly have never been willing to exceed the $200MM barrier for Cano.
Yankees Nearing Deal With Hiroki Kuroda
The Yankees are getting close to another one-year deal with right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (on Twitter). The deal should be worth about $16MM, according to Heyman.
Yesterday, it was reported that the Yankees were optimistic about their chances of re-signing Kuroda, who has spent the past two seasons in Yankee pinstripes, posting a 3.31 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 421 innings. Kuroda earned $15MM in 2013, so a $16MM salary would represent a slight raise for the 38-year-old.
Kuroda's situation has been up in the air so far this season, as he's reportedly also been weighing a return to Japan and possibly returning to Southern California, where his family currently resides.
Marlins Sign Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Few pegged the Marlins to land any top free agents this offseason, but they landed one of the top catchers on the market by inking South Florida native Jarrod Saltalamacchia to a three-year contract reportedly worth $21MM. Miami officially announced the three-year deal on Friday. Saltalamacchia is represented by Munsey Sports Management, as shown in the MLBTR Agency Database.
Saltalamacchia, 28, also had serious interest from the Twins and some degree of interest from the Rangers, though they seem to have shied away from the idea of a reunion in recent days. With Brian McCann off the board, Salty was the top remaining catcher on the free agent market. On top of that, the former Red Sox backstop had extra appeal with nearly every other starting-caliber backstop already off the board. The switch-hitter batted .273/.338/.466 with 14 homers last season, but he also struck out in nearly 30 percent of his plate appearances and posted just a .628 OPS as a right-handed batter. Among all players with 400 plate appearances in 2013, Saltalamacchia's 29.6% strikeout rate is the ninth-worst.
Another one of Saltalamacchia's biggest drawbacks is his difficulty in hitting left-handed pitching, with a .206/.269/.338 line since 2011. Saltalamacchia is below average at throwing out attempting basestealers and preventing them from trying, according to FanGraphs. His caught stealing percentage of 21.2% was second-to-last among qualified catchers this year. Saltalamacchia has typically about average in terms of pitch framing, though he was slightly below average in that regard in 2013.
There may be no team that needed a catching upgrade more than the Marlins. Miami catchers combined to bat .192/.249/.280, which translated to a league-worst wRC+ (weighted runs created plus) of 43. Fangraphs pegged Miami catchers at -1.8 wins above replacement — also the worst mark in all of Major League baseball.
As Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) pointed out earlier prior to the agreement, the Marlins might have had a leg up on Minnesota in their chase for Salty. Not only do Saltalamacchia and his family reside in Wellington, Fla. (less than 70 miles from Marlins Park), the state has no income tax, meaning the Twins might have had to outspend the Marlins by a significant margin to win out.
The Red Sox would have liked to have Saltalamacchia back in the fold, but they were reportedly unwilling to go beyond two years for a catcher.
Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post first reported that Saltalamacchia was likely headed to the Marlins (Twitter link). Juan C. Rodriguez of the Miami Sun-Sentinel first reported that the agreement was in place (on Twitter). The Miami Herald's Clark Spencer reported the year-to-year breakdown (also on Twitter).
Steve Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Quick Hits: Red Sox, Coghlan, Beltran
Who's the most valuable trade asset in baseball? Not to spoil the ending of Jonah Keri's MLB Trade Value rankings for Grantland (Part 1 here, Part 2 here), but it's almost certainly Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who posted over ten wins above replacement for the second straight season while making barely more than the league minimum. Not only is he the best player in the game, but even without a long-term deal, the Angels can control him for the next four years at what will likely be below-market rates. Figuring out who else ought to go in the top ten, based on their age, contract status and all-around performance, is a fun exercise. The Pirates' Andrew McCutchen and his now-extremely-team-friendly-looking deal are there, as is 21-year-old stud Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper. The order of the rest isn't nearly so obvious. Here are more notes from around the Majors.
- Now that Jacoby Ellsbury is gone, the Red Sox are looking for an outfielder to pair with Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field, Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald writes. Curtis Granderson wouldn't work since both and Bradley hit left-handed, so the Red Sox are looking at righty outfielders. One of those, Lauber writes, is Franklin Gutierrez, who has a .256/.306/.391 career batting line but has a strong defensive reputation and a career .818 OPS against lefties. The Red Sox could also still acquire Carlos Beltran (although he certainly wouldn't be a candidate to play center field) or trade for an outfielder.
- The Marlins would like to see outfielder Chris Coghlan return, but Coghlan is deciding what to do next after being non-tendered, MLB.com's Joe Frisaro writes. Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill suggests that Coghlan would need to accept a minor-league contract to stay with the Marlins. If another team offers him a big-league deal, Coghlan will likely leave Miami behind. It seems unlikely, however, that he'll get one, given that he's coming off a .256/.318/.354 season, isn't a strong defensive player, and hasn't posted an OPS above .718 since his Rookie of the Year-winning debut season in 2009.
- Contrary to recent rumors, the Royals haven't offered Carlos Beltran three years and $48MM, tweets FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. Royals ownership would have to be involved if the team wanted to offer that much money.