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Archives for January 2014

Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Bud Norris

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7:51pm: Norris will earn $5.3MM on a one-year deal in 2014, marking a $2.3MM raise from his $3MM salary in 2013, Connolly tweets.

5:16pm: The Orioles and right-hander Bud Norris have avoided arbitration, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Terms of Norris' deal remain unknown at this time, but MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected him to earn an even $5MM in arbitration heading into the 2014 season.

Norris, 29 in March, posted a 4.80 ERA in 50 2/3 innings for the Orioles after being acquired from the Astros in exchange for L.J. Hoes, Josh Hader and a 2014 competitive balance draft pick. Overall, the big righty pitched to a 4.18 ERA with 7.5 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and a 40.2 percent ground-ball rate. Though last season was his first in the American League, Norris managed to limit homers more effectively than he ever has and also matched his career-best in BB/9 rate at 3.4. He's controllable through the 2015 season.

With Norris taken care of, the Orioles have five players remaining, including their most high profile cases. As can be seen in MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker, Orioles executive VP Dan Duquette still needs to come to an agreement with Chris Davis, Matt Wieters, Tommy Hunter, Troy Patton and Brian Matusz.

CC Sabathia Joins Roc Nation Sports

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7:39pm: Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal tweets that Sabathia will now be represented by Jay-Z and agent Juan Perez after "formerly" being represented by the Legacy Agency, which indicates that Sabathia has likely cut ties with the Legacy Agency.

7:27pm: Jay-Z's agency, Roc Nation Sports, has added another high-profile client to its ranks. Yankees lefty CC Sabathia tweeted a picture of himself signing a contract with Jay-Z along with the caption: "#RocNationSports La Familia." Roc Nation also tweeted a welcome message to Sabathia.

It's been a huge year for Jay-Z's new sports agency, as he (along with CAA's Brodie Van Wagenen) negotiated a 10-year, $240MM contract between the Mariners and Robinson Cano. Roc Nation Sports has also added the likes of NBA superstar Kevin Durant, WNBA star Skylar Diggins and NFL star wide receiver Victor Cruz.

It's unclear at this time if Sabathia's agents at the Legacy Agency will remain involved in his baseball dealings. As we saw with Robinson Cano, Roc Nation partnered with CAA in negotiating that deal. Roc Nation could be signing on to handle Sabathia's marketing efforts and brand management while serving as a partner in baseball negotiations, or they could simply be taking on every aspect of his representation.

Sabathia's current deal, negotiated by the Legacy Agency, guarantees him at least $76MM through the 2016 season. He struggled through the worst season of his career in 2013, posting a 4.78 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 211 innings with the Yankees as his fastball velocity dipped to a career-low 91.1 mph.

Masahiro Tanaka Rumors: Thursday

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We'll keep track of the day's updates on Masahiro Tanaka right here:

  • ESPN's Jayson Stark tweets that it was amazing how many owners at the quarterly owners meetings in Arizona were convinced that the Cubs were preparing to blow away the rest of the field with their offer to sign Tanaka.

Earlier Updates

  • The Angels are telling other clubs that they are "not seriously involved" in Tanaka negotiations, tweets ESPN.com's Buster Olney.
  • The Cubs are "pushing hard" for Tanaka, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal on Twitter. The Angels "remain involved" on the 25-year-old righty, says Rosenthal, along with other teams that have been prominently linked to the Japanese ace (such as the Yankees and Dodgers).
  • We have heard previously that the Cubs were prepared to make a major offer to Tanaka. Indeed, as club president Theo Epstein has said previously, he "wish[es] there was a free agent market for young players." Tanaka is about as close as things get to such a market.
  • The involvement of the two Chicago organizations in the Tanaka sweepstakes is an indication of his broad market appeal. (The White Sox are one of a few teams confirmed to have met with Tanaka, though some cold water has since been thrown on their interest.) Both clubs have substantial resources, but neither has qualified for the postseason since 2008 and neither looks primed to break up that trend in 2014. Nevertheless, both teams have made substantial free agent commitments over the last two years to relatively youthful players (Edwin Jackson for the Cubs and Jose Dariel Abreu for the White Sox).

A’s, Jim Johnson Avoid Arbitration

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6:45pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Johnson received a $10MM salary (Twitter link).

6:36pm: The Athletics have avoided arbitration with closer Jim Johnson by agreeing to a one-year contract, the team announced on Twitter. Johnson is represented by Moye Sports Associates. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but the right-hander was projected to earn $10.8MM by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.

Johnson was acquired by the A's in exchange for Jemile Weeks in a salary dump with the Orioles. The right-hander's hefty arbitration price tag is driven by his Major League leading 101 saves over the past two seasons. Johnson also owns a 2.70 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 over the past three seasons, and his ground-ball rate hasn't dipped below last season's robust 58 percent since the 2010 campaign. He will inherit the ninth inning in Oakland following Grant Balfour's departure.

Johnson represents one of the most interesting arbitration cases in this year's class, as Swartz outlined in an Arbitration Breakdown piece in November. Because so few closers go year-to-year for as long as Johnson has, and because back-to-back 50-save campaigns are so rare, there were few comparables to use when crafting a projection for his 2014 salary. In fact, the best comparable for Johnson's 2014 arbitration case could be Johnson's own 2013 arbitration case, Swartz noted.

Oakland GM Billy Beane still has five remaining arbitration cases, as can be seen in MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker: Jed Lowrie, Craig Gentry, Brandon Moss, Josh Reddick and Luke Gregerson.

Brewers Close To Signing Mark Reynolds

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6:27pm: MLB.com's Adam McCalvy tweets that the Brewers are looking at Reynolds to be their everyday first baseman. Rosenthal adds in a followup tweet that the deal is expected to be a minor league contract.

5:50pm: The Brewers are close to signing Reynolds, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

5:46pm: The Brewers are making a push to sign corner infielder Mark Reynolds, and he's leaning toward signing with Milwaukee, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (Twitter link). The Beverly Hills Sports Council client could help the Brewers address their first base need.

Reynolds was said yesterday to be weighing offers with the intent to sign in the near future, though the Brewers are a bit of a surprising destination. The most recent reports on Reynolds indicated that the Orioles, Twins, Yankees, Nationals and Rangers were the most interested parties.

Phillies Avoid Arbitration With Kyle Kendrick

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The Phillies have avoided arbitration with right-hander Kyle Kendrick by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $7.675MM, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter). Kendrick is a client of Relativity Baseball (formerly known as SFX).

Kendrick, 29, looked to be on his way to another strong season at the All-Star break in 2013 when he had an ERA of 3.68. That would've marked his third straight sub-4.00 ERA campaign, but a disastrous second half saw him post a 6.81 ERA, causing his overall mark to ballon to 4.70. Kendrick ultimately finished the season on the 60-day disabled list for shoulder inflammation, which likely contributed to his second-half struggles.

Over the past three seasons, Kendrick has established himself as a solid arm, posting a 4.05 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 456 innings of work. His agents at Relativity did well to secure a $7.675MM guarantee, as MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected Kendrick to earn $6.6MM.

With Kendrick now settled, the Phillies have taken care of their most expensive arbitration case. Their remaining cases — Antonio Bastardo, Ben Revere and John Mayberry — all project to earn $2MM or less, per Swartz.

Mariners Sign John Buck

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The Mariners announced today that they've added to their catching depth by inking veteran backstop John Buck to a one-year contract. Buck's contract is a Major League deal that is reportedly worth $1MM and should make him the favorite to serve as Seattle's backup catcher. The 33-year-old is a client of the ACES agency.

Buck

Buck, an All-Star back in 2010, got off to a hot start last season for the Mets. He ended April with a .844 OPS and 9 home runs, but faded over the course of the year. Buck ended up with a composite .219/.285/.362 line in 431 plate appearances for the year, though he did swat 15 home runs. His overall numbers line up with the figures he posted over the previous two seasons, falling well shy of his two best seasons: 2009 (.247/.299/.484) and 2010 (.281/.314/.489, 20 home runs).

Buck has appeared in at least 100 games in eight of the last nine seasons, making him a durable option. He has rated positively in terms of blocking pitches in the dirt, but has been ranked among the worst pitch framers in the game. Indeed, according to StatCorner (hat tip to Dave Cameron of Fangraphs), Buck came in dead last among all catchers in framing last year, costing the Mets over 20 runs.

Buck inked a three-year, $18MM contract with the Marlins after those big 2009-10 campaigns, but — depending upon how one values catchers, in particular — never quite lived up to the deal. Fangraphs figures his value at 4.1 WAR over the life of the deal, while Baseball Reference pegs it at just 1.1. And further downward adjustment could be warranted to account for Buck's poor framing metrics. He was ultimately dealt three times over the life of the contract: first to the Blue Jays, then to the Mets, and then to the Pirates. Hitting the open market for a third time, Buck ultimately settled for a relatively modest guarantee this time around.

Young catcher Mike Zunino figures to be the Seattle's primary catching option for 2014 (and beyond), but Buck will presumably leapfrog 25-year-old Jesus Sucre and veteran Humberto Quintero on the depth chart. As MLBTR's Aaron Steen has noted, the unseasoned Zunino could probably stand to spend more time in the minors or in a reduced role. With Buck's long history as a starter, however, he is a plausible candidate to see significant time behind the big league dish.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports first reported that the two sides were nearing a deal, and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports first reported (on Twitter) that the two sides had reached a $1MM agreement.

Steve Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Mariners Designate Carlos Peguero For Assignment

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The Mariners announced that they have designated outfielder Carlos Peguero for assignment in order to clear a roster spot for the recently signed John Buck.

The 26-year-old Peguero offers tremendous left-handed power but struggles against left-handed pitching and has long had a serious problem with strikeouts. He batted .260/.321/.460 in 505 Triple-A plate appearances last season and boasts a career .230 ISO (slugging minus batting average) in the minor leagues. However, Peguero has batted just .195/.242/.380 in the Majors.

Baseball America ranked him among Seattle's Top 30 prospect four times, twice placing him as high as No. 11. In their most recent write-up, they noted Peguero's freakish athleticism and surprising speed for a 6'5", 247-pound player, stating that he could be an average defender at a corner outfield spot. However, they also noted that he's likely a platoon player that will always post troubling strikeout numbers due to an inability to recognize breaking pitches.

MLB Owners Approve Expanded Replay In 2014

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Expanded instant replay is officially coming to Major League Baseball for the 2014 season. MLB owners unanimously approved the new replay system today at the quarterly owners meetings, writes Paul Hagen of MLB.com, and the new system has also been approved by the MLBPA and the World Umpires Association.

Managers will be allowed to challenge no more than two plays per game, with a second challenge only being earned if the manager wins his initial challenge. Initiation of these challenges will be made verbally to that day's crew chief. The umpiring crew will also be allowed to initiate a review on any qualified play from the seventh inning on, even if a manager has already used his challenge(s). Roughly 90 percent of plays in a game will be eligible for challenge, including: ground-rule doubles, fan interference, stadium boundary calls, force plays (with the exception of a fielder touching second base on a double play), tag plays, fair/foul calls in the outfield, trap calls in the outfield, hit by pitch calls, timing plays (whether a runner scores before a third out is recorded), touching a base, passing runners and record-keeping (e.g. ball and strike counts, outs, substitutions).

Home run calls will continue to be reviewable upon the crew chief's discretion. Managers can request that the umpiring crew review a home run call but cannot directly challenge a home run ruling.

Challeneged plays will be reviewed by an umpiring crew at the Replay Command Center at MLB Advanced Media headquarters in New York. Ballparks will be equipped with an easily accessible communication center near home plate. Additionally, teams will be allowed to have a club employee monitor video outside of the dugout and communicate with the manager about whether or not to initiate a challenge. Teams will now also be allowed to show replays of close plays on the stadium video boards, even for plays that aren't reviewed.

Hagen's piece is an excellent rundown of the entire replay system which contains considerable detail on the new system and is well worth the read for those wanting to familiarize themselves with the full scope of replay expansion.

In a press release, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark stated: "The Players look forward to the expanded use of replay this season, and they will monitor closely its effects on the game before negotiating over its use in future seasons."

AL East Notes: Carp, Lester, Arroyo, Jays, Rodriguez

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Here's the latest from around the American League East:

  • Red Sox first baseman/outfielder Mike Carp could still be dealt before Opening Day, reports Jason Mastrodonato of MassLive.com. Though Boston has reportedly held out for a substantial return for Carp, and the club values the depth he provies, he might be worth more to other clubs who could deploy him more regularly.
  • Meanwhile, extension talks still have yet to begin between Jon Lester and the Boston front office, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. Clayton Kershaw's extension does not necessarily serve as a comparable for Lester's purposes, says Bradford, but his absence from the open market could have an impact.
  • The Orioles are having ongoing discussions with free agent starter Bronson Arroyo, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). We learned recently that Baltimore had active interest in the veteran.
  • Confirming recent reports, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos said today that the price of pitchers on the free agent and trade market remains too high for the club's liking, Sportsnet.ca's Shi Davidi tweets.
  • Recent comments from Alex Rodriguez and Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner indicate that both sides believe a return to the field in 2015 is a realistic possibility. Rodriguez sounds as though he has accepted the likelihood that he will ultimately sit out the entire 2014 campaign, but a spokesman said Rodriguez would "get ready for 2015 should the judge rule against him" in his court challenge against his full-season suspension. Steinbrenner, meanwhile, said that Rodriguez is "an asset" on the field and insisted the club would take a business approach to dealing with Rodriguez's situation going forward.

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