Mariners Have Emerged As Major Players For Robinson Cano
The Mariners have emerged as a major player in the Robinson Cano sweepstakes, several sources told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com. With the Yankees not wanting to go to seven years or as much as $200MM, an industry source with knowledge of the negotiations termed the Yankees chances of retaining Cano at “less than 50-50.”
That source said that the chances of the five-time All-Star second baseman staying in the Bronx “don’t look too good right now.” For what it’s worth, Mariners GM Jack Zduiencik wouldn’t confirm to ESPNNewYork’s Andrew Marchand that he has met with Cano. Sources familiar with the negotiations between the Bombers and Cano say that the Yankees believe Seattle is willing to give him an eight-year, $200MM deal.
The Yankees reportedly came to Cano with a seven-year, $160MM offer. An insider said the club might be willing to increase their offer, but not by a ton. New York could go to $175MM over seven years, good for an average salary of $25MM. According to a source who was briefed on their last meeting, the Yankees have rejected the idea of any deal longer than seven years for Cano based on their own history of bad deals, including Alex Rodriguez‘s ten-year, $275MM pact, and the deals given to Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, and Ryan Howard. Meanwhile, Cano’s side painted him as not only “the best player on the board,” but also as the best player in baseball and someone who is “indispensable” to the Yankees, the source said.
One baseball insider said that it now comes down to whether Cano wants to be a Yankee or wants to get paid. The Yankees believe they got that answer when Cano’s party allegedly asked for a ten-year, $310MM deal from the club during the season. Cano has since denied making such a request.
Rays To Extend Ryan Hanigan
2:06pm: Hanigan will get $2.75MM in 2014, $3.5MM in 2015, $3.7MM in 2016, and a club option worth $3.75MM in '17 with a $800K buyout, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter).
1:37pm: USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweets that Hanigan's contract is worth $10.75MM and contains a fourth-year club option that could push the deal to $13.7MM in total value.
1:34pm: The Rays have agreed to a three-year extension with newly acquired catcher Ryan Hanigan, according to ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). The Tom O'Connell client will be guaranteed $11MM over the life of the deal, per Olney.
Hanigan, 33, came to the Rays in a three-team deal involving the Reds and White Sox. The veteran is coming off of the worst offensive year in his career as he slashed just .198/.306/.261 with a career-low tying two homers. Hanigan offers Tampa Bay quality defensive play behind the plate as well as a disciplined approach at the plate, characteristics that Rays Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and GM Andrew Friedman certainly appreciates.
Hanigan led the league in caught-stealing percentage in 2013 (45 percent) and 2012 (48 percent). His 40 percent career mark is about 12 percentage points higher than the league average, which tends to be around 28 percent. For his career, Hanigan owns a .262/.359/.343 over seven seasons, all of which were spent with the Reds.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Twins Sign Ricky Nolasco
Fresh off a season in which they deployed the worst rotation in the Majors, the Twins have aggressively targeted arms to improve their starting five. The first step in that plan was made official today, as the Twins have announced the signing of Ricky Nolasco to a four-year, $49MM contract. Nolasco will be paid $12MM annually from 2014-17, and the Twins have a club option that could vest for a fifth year.
Nolasco reportedly obtains a small, three-team no-trade clause. His option, valued at $13MM, will reportedly vest if he totals 400 innings from 2016-17. If not, the Twins can instead elect to pay a $1MM buyout.
Nolasco split the 2013 season between the Marlins and Dodgers, totaling a 3.70 ERA with 7.4 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 43 percent ground-ball rate. The soon-to-be 31-year-old was one of the earliest players to be moved this July, as the Dodgers sent a trio of minor leaguers (Josh Wall, Steve Ames and Angel Sanchez) and paid the roughly $6MM remaining in Nolasco's salary.
Nolasco figures to provide a serious jolt in the arm to a Twins' pitching staff that was sorely lacking reliable arms in the rotation. Twins starters ranked last in baseball in terms of ERA (5.26) and K/9 (4.9) — both marks which Nolasco should aid considerably. The longtime Marlin and brief Dodger figures to join a rotation that will also include Kevin Correia and perhaps Samuel Deduno, but beyond that there are no true locks in the rotation. Top prospect Kyle Gibson struggled in his debut season but figures to receive another chance in 2014, and Alex Meyer, who ranks as MLB.com's No. 31 overall prospect, could have a chance as well. However, the Twins have voiced a desire to add a pair of veteran arms to their rotation this offseason, so I'd expect them to continue being active at next week's Winter Meetings.
While terms of the deal haven't surfaced at this time, Nolasco figures to shatter Josh Willingham's three-year, $21MM contract — the Twins' previous record contract for a free agent. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes' most recent projection for Nolasco's contract was in the range of Edwin Jackson's four-year, $52MM deal.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes first reported that the Twins were on the verge of a significant free agent signing. Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reported the agreement (Twitter link), while Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported the terms of the deal (Twitter links). Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Nolasco's limited no-trade clause and details on his option (Twitter links).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Mets GM Sandy Alderson Met With Curtis Granderson
TUESDAY: Mike Puma of the New York post tweets that Alderson did not make an offer to Granderson during their meeting, but could make an offer sometime this week (Twitter link).
MONDAY: Mets GM Sandy Alderson met yesterday with free agent outfielder Curtis Granderson, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Granderson, who will turn 33 in March, is represented by Matt Brown of Pro Prospects, Inc.
The Mets entered the offseason with an apparent need at the corner outfield, though they have already added one player who can man a spot in Chris Young. Granderson had an injury-shortened 2013, but hit over forty home runs in both 2011-12. His 2013 triple-slash was .229/.317/.407 over 245 plate appearances.
Though Granderson would only cost the Mets a second rounder to sign, since the club's first-round choice is protected, he may well require a relatively lengthy deal. Granderson is seeking a minimum of three years, tweets Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. And at least one industry source believes he could get four or even five years, reports Marc Carig of Newsday (via Twitter).
Yankees Sign Brian McCann
1:20pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post has details on the contract (Twitter links). McCann will earn $17MM per season from 2014-18. His 2019 option will vest if he totals 1,000 PAs from 2017-18, catches 90 games in 2018 and is not on the disabled list at the end of the 2018 season. Should his option vest, McCann has the right to void it and hit the open market.
10:30am: The Yankees' decision to let Russell Martin depart as a free agent and use in-house options at catcher last offseason proved to be costly, but general manager Brian Cashman has made sure to upgrade that hole in his lineup in the biggest possible way. The Yankees officially announced today that they have signed Brian McCann to a five-year contract. Reportedly worth $85MM, the contract also contains a sixth-year vesting option that can push the total value to an even $100MM. McCann, who is represented by B.B. Abbott of Jet Sports Management, will also reportedly receive a full no-trade clause.
As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports notes in his article on the deal, the average yearly salary McCann will receive, $17MM, is the highest ever given to a catcher in free agency. While Joe Mauer's average yearly rate of $24MM remains the record for catchers overall, the Twins have said that Mauer will transition to first base on a full-time basis beginning next season, meaning McCann is set to become the game's highest-paid backstop.
McCann posted a typically strong offensive season in 2013, hitting .256/.336/.461 in 402 plate appearances, but he's likely to see his power rise significantly with the presence of the short porch in Yankee Stadium's right field. McCann's defense is also rated highly by various metrics. While his 2013 total of 102 games in 2013 represented a career-low for a full season, the 29-year-old has usually been a durable catcher. Switching to the AL should also allow him to transition to DH as he ages.
McCann was this offseason's top free agent catcher and one of the top free agents overall. While the Yankees had options such as Chris Stewart and Austin Romine in the mix for their 2014 backstop job, the signing represents a significant upgrade. The Yanks forfeit the 18th overall pick in the June draft in signing McCann, while the Braves, the catcher's former team, gain a pick after the first round.
The Rangers and the Red Sox were also known to be targeting McCann. Jarrod Saltalamacchia is now likely the best remaining free agent option behind the plate.
Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News was the first to report that the Yankees and McCann were close to a deal. Rosenthal first reported that the agreement was in place and was also the first to report the terms (Twitter links). Jon Heyman of CBS Sports was the first to report the deal's no-trade clause.
Steve Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Athletics Acquire Craig Gentry, Josh Lindblom
12:48pm: The A's will also receive right-hander Josh Lindblom from the Rangers, tweets Passan. Minor league second baseman Chris Bostick will head to Texas in the trade as well.
12:47pm: The Rangers are receiving multiple minor leaguers in the deal, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
12:38pm: The A's have acquired outfielder Craig Gentry from the Rangers in exchange for Michael Choice, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Other players are involved in the deal as well, adds Passan.
Gentry, who turned 30 last week, is regarded as one of the game's best defensive outfielders and is coming off a season in which he batted .280/.373/.386 with a pair of homers and 24 stolen bases in 27 attempts. He boasts an outstanding 29.5 UZR/150 in more than 1400 career innings in center field, and The Fielding Bible likes him for +34 runs saved in his career.
Gentry has thrived against left-handed pitching throughout his career, compiling a solid .288/.376/.399 slash line. He's serviceable against right-handed pitchers as well, though his OBP (.334) and slugging (.335) are significantly lower against same-handed pitching.
Lindblom, 26, has primarily served as a reliever in his big league career, but Passan notes that the A's are planning to use him as a starter (Twitter link). Lindblom has a career 3.82 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and a 34.3 percent ground-ball rate. His flyball tendencies should be much better suited for Oakland's O.Co Coliseum than Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Choice is a 24-year-old outfielder who played all three positions for the Athletics' Triple-A club this year. The 10th overall pick by the A's in 2010, Choice made his big league debut in September this year. Prior to the season, Baseball America ranked him second among A's prospects, praising his power and bat speed while noting a propensity for strikeouts and fringy arm strength. Choice went on to hit .302/.390/.445 with 14 home runs in 600 Triple-A plate appearances. He's a native of Arlington, Texas.
Bostick, 21 in March, was a 44th round pick out of high school by the A's in 2011. A second baseman, he hit .282/.354/.452 with 14 home runs in 555 A-ball plate appearances this year. Prior to the season, BA ranked him 20th among A's prospects, citing sneaky power and the potential to become more than a utilityman.
A’s, Rangers Discussing Significant Trade
12:36pm: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Craig Gentry is one of the players being targeted by Texas (on Twitter).
12:31pm: Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that the A's aren't done trading and are nearing completion of another trade. Brett Anderson is not among the players being discussed, but there are Major League players being talked about (Twitter links). ESPN's Jerry Crasnick adds that it's the Rangers that are in the midst of discussions on a significant trade with Oakland (on Twitter).
Tigers Close To Signing Joe Nathan
The Tigers are nearing a deal with free agent closer Joe Nathan, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
The 39-year-old Nathan is coming off one of the finest seasons of his storied career, having pitched to a 1.39 ERA with 10.2 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 64 2/3 innings with the Rangers in 2013. Nathan added 43 more saves to his resume, tying him for 10th all-time with the legendary Rollie Fingers at 341. Not surprisingly, he is the active Major League leader in saves.
The Tigers elected not to add a closer last offseason and saw an early carousel that included the likes of Phil Coke, Bruce Rondon and a returning Jose Valverde before Joaquin Benoit finally solidified the position.
The early struggles by Detroit's bullpen and the unit's postseason tribulations led many to predict that they'd sign one of the top free agents available, and Nathan is arguably the best available on the market. Detroit has also been linked to Brian Wilson recently.
Rangers Interested In Kurt Suzuki
The Rangers are looking at Kurt Suzuki as an option to pair with Geovany Soto behind the dish in 2014, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.
Suzuki, 30, batted .232/.290/.337 with five homers in his second straight season split between the A's and Nationals. Though he's typically been solid in terms of catching base stealers, Suzuki caught just eight of 65 potential thieves in 2013 (12 percent) and graded out as one of the league's worst in terms of pitch-framing. He was highly adept at blocking pitches in the dirt, per Fangraphs, trailing only Yadier Molina in that regard.
Free agent catchers are flying off the board, with A.J. Pierzynski's recent agreement with the Red Sox serving as the latest example. However, since their signing of Soto kicked off a string of seven Major League contracts for free agent catchers, the Rangers have been content to let more expensive options go to other teams.
After Soto's one-year, $3.05MM contract was finalized, the Rangers said they signed him to be their primary catcher in 2014. Those comments were met with speculation, as GM Jon Daniels made similar implications after signing Soto last offseason, only to turn and sign Pierzynski a few weeks later. With options dwindling, Soto could be their man this time around.
Breaking Down The Hughes, Kazmir Signings
The Twins agreed to sign Phil Hughes to a three-year, $24MM deal on Saturday, which would have been the largest free agent expenditure in their history had they not committed $49MM to Ricky Nolasco a few days prior. I don't think anyone would argue that the Twins needed to add a pitcher or two like Hughes, who has shown promise in his career and has yet to turn 28. We know Hughes will be better away from Yankee Stadium, but it's hard to say how much better, as he's an extreme flyball pitcher no matter where he goes.
Hughes had a serious bout of shoulder inflammation in a lost 2011 season, but he's otherwise shown good health even if he's not an innings guy. Left alone to take his turn every fifth day in a smaller market, with the security of the first multiyear deal of his career, it's feasible that Hughes could put up 180 innings of 4.25 ball. That would be good value for $8MM a season in today's market. I found Hughes' decision to go for a three-year deal coming off a bad season to be an interesting one. Prior to free agency, we've seen more and more young players choose multiyear security over maximizing their dollars going year to year. I'm guessing Hughes would have signed one of those types of arbitration-year extensions after 2010 had he been with a more willing team. Some pitchers will bet on their talent with a straight one-year deal and get right back out on the market, accepting the added pressure of having free agency looming again. Others, like Francisco Liriano last offseason, hedge their bets with a two-year deal. Hughes went for the comfort of three years, made possible in part by his youth compared to the typical free agent.
Scott Kazmir is an example of a pitcher who hedged his bet, by signing a two-year, $22MM deal with the Athletics. It seems likely that one year at $12-13MM was available to him. But as someone who hadn't had big league success since 2008 prior to 2013, it would have been very difficult for Kazmir to eschew multiple years in an attempt to maximize his career earnings. As it stands, Kazmir did much better than the two-year, $16MM contract I guessed in September. As a relatively young southpaw who returned to throwing hard and missing bats this year, Kazmir was a free agent you could dream on. And teams love to dream in free agency, where in a limited market certain players start looking better and better. Only in free agency can a team wipe out three or four years of data suggesting Kazmir was no longer an MLB-caliber pitcher, pointing only to his last 158 innings to project what he'll do in the next few seasons. Kazmir still seems like a wild card for 2014-15, but $22MM is not a huge commitment for an MLB team these days.