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Dioner Navarro Moving Toward Deal

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Catcher Dioner Navarro is "moving to resolution" with a team, according to Peter Gammons of the MLB Network (on Twitter). Gammons doesn't have the name of the front-runner yet, but he adds that the Red Sox are not in pursuit.

Navarro, who turns 30 in February, enjoyed a strong rebound campaign with the Cubs in 2013, batting .300/.365/.492 with 13 home runs in 89 games (266 plate appearances). The Marlins are the main team to have expressed interest in Navarro so far, though the Red Sox did apparently express some interest as a fallback option should their top targets fall through.

The Blue Jays have been said to be in the market for a catcher, as have the Twins, in light of the news that Joe Mauer's days behind the plate are done and he will be a first baseman going forward. The Rays don't figure to be in the mix after reaching an agreement with Jose Molina over the weekend.

Breaking Down The Jhonny Peralta Signing

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While many pundits expected a few deals in the four-year, $50-55MM range to be issued this offseason, few thought that Jhonny Peralta would be on the receiving end of such a lavish payday. Yet that's exactly what took place over the weekend, with the Cardinals agreeing to a four-year, $53MM contract with the former Tiger and Indian.

At first glance, Peralta's contract appears to be an alarming overpay, however that's more due to the fact that there was clearly a disconnect between his market value and the media perception of his worth. This isn't said to pat myself on the back by any means (I was off by $17MM on the total value of his contract, after all), but my own projection of three years and $36MM for Peralta was among the most aggressive numbers I saw around the baseball sphere when looking at other predictions. News that Peralta was seeking $56-75MM late last week was widely scoffed at by MLBTR readers both on Twitter and in the comments section of the post.

Reports have indicated that the Mets believed, initially, that they would be able to land Peralta on a two-year contract. They weren't the only ones thinking along those lines, as ESPN's Jim Bowden pegged him at two years and $20MM. Meanwhile, over at CBS Sports, Jon Heyman spoke to an agent and an unnammed GM, and that trio pegged Peralta in the two-year, $16-21MM range. When I presented my own three-year, $36MM prediction to MLBTR's Tim Dierkes as we were discussing the free agent profile series, he was struck by its aggressive nature.

As it turns out, I, like many others, failed to properly weigh three key components that played a vital role in Peralta's contract:

  • The middle infield and third base markets offered little to no competition. Even with a limited number of teams looking to spend big on a free agent shortstop, the bar was set higher than any of us imagined, as the floor for Peralta appears to have been three years and $45MM.
  • Teams' strong desire to hang onto draft picks is likely greater than any of us have taken into account. Stephen Drew, who is connected to draft pick compensation after rejecting a qualifying offer, represents the only true everyday alternative to Peralta on the open market. The amount for which he signs will be one of the most interesting stories of the offseason from this point forth.
  • Teams may not be as hesitant to sign players connected to performance enhancing drugs as we would initially think. If this is the case, it's good news for Nelson Cruz and Bartolo Colon as they look to maximize their free agent paydays. I predicted three years and $39MM for Cruz and one year at $10MM for Colon in their respective free agent profiles — two projections that are feeling a bit light given the early direction of the free agent market.

From a performance standpoint, Peralta is a solid player that's probably deserving of a $13MM AAV. I won't rehash the fine work done by Eno Sarris and Dave Cameron over at Fangraphs in illustrating why a slightly above-average hitter (relative to the rest of the league, that is; Peralta dwarfs the average shortstop in terms of offensive prowess) and a reliable defensive shortstop is worth such an investment, or why this is the going rate for such players.

While many will be quick to label this contract an "overpay," we need to be more mindful of what that term really means. Should an "overpay" be defined by our own expectations, or should it be defined by the possibilities within the structure of a given free agent market? Each free agent market is its own animal, unique in nature and unlikely to be repeated. In this instance, a three-year deal likely wasn't happening, and there are even reports that have indicated Peralta left money on the table to join a stacked Cardinals organization. If that's the case, Peralta's signing is likely a bargain relative to the realm of realistic possibilities, even if it's an eye-popping number for which most of the world was ill-prepared. Kudos to agent Fern Cuza of SFX for dissuading teams from the media's perception of his market and more than doubling most prognosticators' expectations in terms of years and dollars.

Minor Moves: Irving Falu, Tyler Robertson

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Here are today's minor moves from around the league…

  • The Royals have requested unconditional release waivers on second baseman Irving Falu, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. The 30-year-old switch-hitter has an impressive .337/.366/.427 batting line in an admittedly tiny sample size of 95 plate appearances. He's been solid but less spectacular at the Triple-A level, hitting .283/.342/.365. He received just four big league plate appearances in 2013.
  • The Nationals announced that southpaw Tyler Robertson, who was designated for assignment last week, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse. The soon-to-be 26-year-old began the 2013 campaign with the Twins but was claimed off waivers by the Nationals in June. Robertson posted a strong 3.04 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 in 47 1/3 Triple-A innings. He yielded a .296/.376/.407 batting line, however, and has yielded a .273/.415/.455 batting line to opposing right-handers in his brief time as a Major Leaguer.
  • As can be seen in MLBTR's DFA Tracker, eight players are currently in DFA limbo.

Aaron Crow, Tim Collins “Very Available” In Trades

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The Royals boasted one of Major League Baseball's best bullpens in 2013, and they have no shortage of in-house replacements in the event of a trade. That surplus is one of the reasons that rival executives have told Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that right-hander Aaron Crow and lefty Tim Collins "are very available" in trades. Said one official:

"Those are the guys they’d like to trade because they’re going to start to make a little bit of money. But the key thing for them is they have a lot of other guys ready to step in…guys who might be even better."

The Royals are also willing to at least entertain the thought of parting with prized closer Greg Holland, though according to Dutton they would need a "major" return for their ninth-inning man and aren't too keen on parting with him. One club official said to Dutton: "Are we actively looking to move Holland? No. But we’ve got to be open-minded to everything."

Both Crow and Collins are headed into the first year of arbitration eligibility. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected them to earn $1.9MM and $1MM, respectively. While neither salary is prohibitive (to say the least), the Royals currently project for an $87MM payroll, GM Dayton Moore has said he expects the 2014 payroll to mirror 2013's mark of $85MM. As Dutton points out, three years of either Crow or Collins would figure to fetch a nice haul on the trade market when pitchers like Joe Smith are signing for three years and $15.75MM.

Dutton writes that right-hander Wade Davis is expected to get a chance to work his way back into the rotation in Spring Training but may end up in the bullpen again. The bullpen seems to suit Davis much better, as he has a career 2.24 ERA as a reliever and 4.57 mark as a starter (5.67 in 2013). Given his $4.8MM guaranteed salary in 2014, I'd expect that Davis is a trade candidate as well, though the Royals may value his three cheap club options too highly to part with him.

Orioles Claim Cord Phelps

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The Orioles announced that they have claimed infielder Cord Phelps off waivers from the Indians, bringing their 40-man roster to 38 players. The Indians had designated the former third-round pick for assignment last week.

Phelps, who turns 27 in January, is the owner of a career .286/.367/.471 in 1,576 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. However, he's failed to live up to the expectations set by that robust batting line in the Majors, slashing just .159/.221/.248 slash line in 123 plate appearances. Primarily a second baseman, the switch-hitting Phelps also got a bit of experience in left field and at first base in 2013. He's played 40 games at shortstop in the minors as well, though he hasn't appeared at the position since 2011.

This is the second minor acquisition by the Orioles today, as the team also acquired fellow DFA casualty Brad Brach from the Padres in exchange for right-hander Devin Jones.

Athletics Acquire Fernando Abad

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The A's have acquried left-hander Fernando Abad from the Nationals in exchange for Class-A outfielder John Wooten, according to the MLB Network's Peter Gammons (Twitter link). Abad was one of two 40-man roster casualties last week when he and Tyler Robertson were designated for assignment in order to clear roster space for Sammy Solis, Michael Taylor and Aaron Barrett in advance of the Rule 5 Draft.

Abad will turn 27 in three weeks and is coming off a solid season in which he pitched to a 3.35 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 37 2/3 innings of work for the Nationals. Abad turned in a curious reverse platoon split, as opposing lefties batted .306/.338/.452 against him, albeit in a small sample size of just 65 plate appaearances. He also had a poor finish to the season, allowing 10 runs in his final 13 1/3 ininngs and serving up the only three homers he allowed all season.

Abad has two years, 73 days of service time, so he won't be eligible for arbitration until next offseason and can be controlled through 2017 should he excel in his new surroundings.

The 22-year-old Wooten was a 37th-round selection by the A's in the 2012 draft and had a solid season for Class A Beloit in 2012, batting .257/.333/.430 with 20 homers in 555 plate appearances. Though he's primarily a right fielder, Wooten also appeared in 10 games at third base, six at first base and one at second base. He did not appear on Baseball America's list of Top 30 A's prospects prior to the season, nor does he currently appear on MLB.com's list of Top 20 A's farmhands.

Pirates Designate Garrett Jones, Kyle McPherson

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The Pirates designated Garrett Jones and Kyle McPherson for assignment, according to Tom Singer of MLB.com (on Twitter).  The move comes on the heels of Pittsburgh's acquisition of Jaff Decker and Miles Mikolas from San Diego.

Jones, 32, 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.  Still, Jones has cleared 20 homers in three of his five seasons with the Bucs and he should draw interest as a platoon bat with power.

McPherson, 26, was sidelined for most of last season, making just two minor league starts.  He underwent Tommy John surgery on July 10 this year, making it unlikely that he's able to contribute much in 2014.  In 25 career starts at the Double-A level, McPherson owns a 3.39 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Pirates Acquire Jaff Decker, Miles Mikolas

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The Padres announced they have traded outfielder Jaff Decker and right-handed reliever Miles Mikolas to the Pirates for first baseman/outfielder Alex Dickerson.  Both Decker and Mikolas were designated for assignment last week.

Decker, 23, was taken with the 42nd overall pick in the 2008 draft.  He ascended to Triple-A for the first time in 2013 and hit .286/.381/.443 in 105 games.  He also saw 13 games on the varsity squad with most of his action coming in August.  Decker entered the 2013 season ranked 23rd on Baseball America's list of Top 30 Padres prospects, with BA noting that he has a walk-first, hit-second approach at the plate and could profile as an offensive-minded reserve outfielder.  He is capable of handling all three outfield spots.

The 23-year-old Dickerson was born and raised in the San Diego suburb of Poway, graduating from Poway High School in 2008 before playing baseball at Indiana University.  Dickerson spent all of 2013 with Double-A Altoona, hitting .288/.337/.494 in his first year at that level.  Dickerson entered the season ranked as the Pirates' No. 11 prospect according to BA and MLB.com, the latter of which currently has him 13th overall among Bucs farmhands. BA praises his ability to use the whole field, while MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo is impressed with his understanding of the strike zone.

Mikolas, 25, has 27 big league games to his credit over the last two seasons but he spent the bulk of 2013 in Triple-A, posting a 3.25 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 54 outings.  He entered the season ranked 25th among Padres prospects, per BA, who noted that he has a good curveball and can touch 98 mph with fastball that doesn't have much movement on it.  BA wrote that his ceiling may be a middle reliever or setup man, but he has a high probability of reaching that level.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Orioles Acquire Brad Brach From Padres

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The Orioles have acquired right-hander Brad Brach from the Padres in exchange for minor league righty Devin Jones, the teams have announced.

The 27-year-old Brach was somewhat surprisingly designated for assignment last week. Brach pitched to a 3.19 ERA in 31 innings for the Padres in 2013, striking out 31 batters in the process. Though he has swing-and-miss stuff, Brach's control has typically been problematic, and that was on display in 2013, as he walked 19 batters in those 31 frames. Still, Brach owns a career 3.70 ERA and 10.1 K/9 rate (117 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings), so if he can improve upon his career 5.1 BB/9 rate, there's hope that he can be an effective big league reliever.

Orioles executive vice president feels that Brach gives the team another option in the sixth or seveth inning and praised his fastball and forkball (MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko reporting on Twitter). Kubatko also notes that Brach has a minor league option remaining.

Jones, 23, struggled through 123 1/3 innings at Double-A Bowie in 2013, pitching to a 5.84 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9. A former ninth-round pick by the Orioles, Jones entered the season ranked 18th among Orioles prospects, according to Baseball America. BA noted that the O's are hopeful that after working with Jones to add a changeup, he can develop into a No. 3 or 4 starter, but his stuff probably plays better in the bullpen. In a relief role, Jones' fastball touches 96 mph and works well with an 82-84 mph slider that he struggles to command but is an above-average pitch at times.

Indians Designate Tyler Cloyd For Assignment

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The Indians announced (on Twitter) that they have designated right-hander Tyler Cloyd for assignment in order to clear a 40-man roster spot for outfielder David Murphy, whose two-year, $12MM contract became official earlier today.

Cloyd never threw a pitch within the Indians organization. Cleveland claimed the 26-year-old off waivers from the Phillies in early October, after the minor league season had already ended. He has a solid minor league track record, as he's the owner of a 3.39 ERA to go along with 6.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 254 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level.

However, Cloyd was hit hard at the big league level in 2013, posting a 6.56 ERA in 60 1/3 innings and averaging 6.1 strikeouts and 3.7 walks per nine innings with a 39.4 percent ground-ball rate. His 86.3 mph average fastball is one of the slowest you'll see from a right-handed starter, creating plenty of room for doubt, but his FIP of 4.49 this season does leave some room for optimism.

To keep track of Cloyd's status as well as the dozen other players who have been designated for assignment in the past week, remember to check out MLBTR's DFA Tracker.

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