The agents for Jerry Blevins and Boone Logan are signaling to interested teams that each left-hander will be able to land two-year, $12MM deals or better, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. That two-year, $12MM figure — the same contract inked by Antonio Bastardo with the Mets last offseason — was recently used a potential template for both Blevins and Logan by one executive that spoke with Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.
Nicholson-Smith recently reported that the Jays remain in contact with Blevins, and Rosenthal lists the Dodgers as another club that’s interested in his services. As is the case with their interest in Joe Blanton, though, the Dodgers are interested in a one-year deal, which could make it difficult to secure one of the top remaining names on the relief market. The New York Post’s Kevin Kernan writes that the Mets are checking in with Blevins’ camp on a daily basis. The Yankees are also in touch with the representatives for the remaining lefty relievers, Rosenthal adds, though they’re only interested in one-year deals with a low base salary or even minor league deals with Spring Training invites. That, it would seem, removes the likes of Blevins and Logan from the Yankees’ realistic options.
Both Blevins and Logan averaged better than 11 strikeouts per nine innings this past season, though Blevins did so with a lower ERA (2.79 to 3.69) and better control (3.2 BB/9 to 3.9 BB/9). That strikeout rate represented an easy career-best for Blevins, while Logan has averaged better than 11 K/9 in each of the past five seasons with the Yankees and Rockies.
Meanwhile, Craig Breslow‘s recent showcase, which was attended by roughly half the league, has thrust him into the conversation of available lefties. Breslow’s new arm slot was said to pique the interest of some clubs, and he represents a significantly more affordable option than other southpaws that have yet to sign with a new team. Rosenthal reports that the Indians, Mets and Dodgers each had multiple evaluators in attendance, and WEEI’s Rob Bradford reported recently that the Rockies, Blue Jays and Cubs were all in attendance as well. Kernan notes that he spoke to a scout who was in attendance for Breslow’s workout and came away impressed.
Travis Wood, too, is still seeking a new home this winter, but Nicholson-Smith notes that many in the industry still expect Wood to seek a starting job due to his experience in the rotation. That makes him a tough fit for the Blue Jays, and the fact that teams like the Yankees and Dodgers aren’t looking to break the bank, in my mind, makes either club seem like a long shot as well.
Hope the White Sox can scoop one up (reunion with Boone Logan?) to potentially flip in July.
Logan and Blevins will get plenty of offers with contenders. They will not be signing with the Chi Sox
If the Sox offer them the deal they want, they certainly can choose to go to them. Plus, they can end up with a contender by June/July.
Blevins is 33 and has made about $11MM in his career. If a non-contender steps up with the best two-year offer, I’d imagine he’ll go there. This is his best chance at landing a notable multi-year deal.
Logan’s a bit younger with more in the bank, so perhaps he’s a bit likelier to leave a million or two on the table to play for a contender, but generally speaking, if the White Sox (or Twins, Reds, etc.) offer the best multi-year deal, it’d be tough for either to pass on it.
Plus, could be a hockey parallel to what Jagr did there for a while. Sign with a team, play well, get traded to a contender. It’s not a bad situation.
I made a pretty long post with regards to this below Steve, but the short of it is that I believe teams are balking at paying lefty specialists the kind of money u suggest is that these guys above just struggle against RH hitters and make it difficult in today’s game now to carry on a roster. teams want a guy who is able to get “some” RH hitters out, like a Robbie Ross type that doesn’t have horrible splits, tho that’s just an example.
That’s the thing about Blevins though…I believe he was league average against righties. I can’t recall if that was just last year or for a longer time period. Unfortunately Terry Collins treated him mostly as a LOOGY, but he really can face guys from both sides of the plate.
Why would a team not competing in 2017 sign a relatively expensive LH reliever?
Because teams who are rebuilding make moves like this to potentially flip? The fact he is expensive means nothing when your payroll is going to be low.
The agents for Jerry Blevins and Boone Logan are suggesting
Well, I am suggesting that they wait longer or they will have a long wait to see that kind of money!!!!’
SMH @ the suggestion
I actually think this is smart of the agents. The slow moving nature of this FA cycle smells of collusion of some form from the teams. For the agents to both reach out to teams with similar requirements for what are very similar players shows that the agents/players are also working as a unified front.
It is of course creating a game of Russian Roulette, bit it’s really the best move they have at this junction. 2/12 for a good lefty reliever is still better than what a potential contender would need to give up in prospects to land a similar player… and every contender should be in the market for a good lefty.
I agree. I smell collusion also…
Agents always say/go with collusion when they can’t get what they want and almost every time, it’s nothing but hot air is it not?
Maybe it’s nothing more than teams thinking that a 25 man roster spot right now more valuable than a player who cannot get out opposite handed players, even tho they are good at getting out one specific type and paying them high amounts of money, like the Giants did Javiar lopez did for years before finally figuring it out and letting him go, even tho he was still doing the same, exact good job vs 1 type of player? AL dh pay and roster spot value has dropped also over the years, so did teams well before that in the NL of keeping a really good hitter to pinch hit, now it’s the super sub type.
The game evolves. maybe teams feel a 25 man spot isn’t worth these types at much more than league minimum, or a roster spot. Some good ones like Tommy Layne can’t even keep a MLB roster spot.. Give one 4-5m, like Logan?? Collusion? Not likely.
How about the slow-mo market for Sluggers (among other positions) this season? Maybe that is why Cespedes jumped early at the Metsies offer.
A lot of these “Sluggers” have tremendous warts and are clearly one dimensional players. We also have to acknowledge teams that would usually drive prices up are in the process of getting under the threshold or their rosters are mainly complete (Yankees,Dodgers,Red Sox, Cubs, Cards, Nats etc.). So I think the this has a lot to do with next years new CBA implications seeing as this is a transitional year.
The market is fixing itself. Not sure it’s really prudent to go 2/12 on LOOGY. It just seems as though the collusion argument is the crutch that has been used when agents quite don’t understand what has happened to the market. Age of players matter, their overall skill set matters, and versatility has been emphasized. We can also understand that teams are probably gearing up for 18. Which will probably require development of their young talent to grab that one big shiny piece.
I’ve been wondering about collusion for a few weeks now, but keep convincing myself I’m being paranoid. Glad to hear I’m not the only one starting to wonder. Probably not explicit, but perhaps quietly dropping “there’s no market for Player X” pieces with reporters is a decent way of signaling that everyone’s still on board with suppressing a person’s market.
Something the MLBPA should look into, even if reality doesn’t end up matching appearances. I know Sabremetrics guys are down on defensively limited guys, but 40+HR guys signing for $12M per? A 30-100 guy can’t get a 2-year deal? Baseball hasn’t changed THAT much. And if the Heyward deal is an example of the new “wisdom,” then maybe some reconsideration is warranted. Doubt Theo would do it again.
A lot of free agents have signed. Is there only collusion for left handed relievers?
You must not be monitoring the market for corner power hitters.
Should be:
….for corner power hitters who can’t play in the field.
Its not collusion for teams to finally be smart about giving long term deals when they do not have to.
Logan and Wood to the Angels would make sense for the Angels. Wood would get the opportunity to start. Lets face it, Skaggs cannot stay healthy. And Richards is a huge question mark. And gives the Angels someone who can go more than 2 innings out of the bullpen. Logan will provide a much needed left handed reliever.
I wonder if the Angels would shop Skaggs, in such a case… and what his market would be like. Seems as though LA pitchers are cursed with injury and there’s definitely some upside there…
The problem is, there is only one GM who over pays for injury prone pitchers. That is Jerry Dipsnot. Maybe pack age Cron Skaggs and Escobar, for Paxton. I think that would be the best case scenario. Or Skaggs and Cron to Tampa for a starter.
why would dipoto do that? he has a younger 1b prospect and there are free agent guys available arguably as good as cron. plus what would they do with escobar.
stop trying to pawn the angels garbage off on others. your owner and management has put this team in this position now live with it.
Jerry Dipsnot.
First time I’ve heard that.
Hilarious !
Dipsnot has a history of trading young prospects for rentals. Or trading good players for below average players. Or haven’t you been paying attention? No one in their right mind would trade for Skaggs. And actually give up good players for him. Oh wait Dipsnot did that twice. If you think I am just hating on Dipsnot look at the prospects he traded while GM with the Angels, then look at what he got in return. Dipsnot is the reason the Angels starting rotation is such a utter mess.
Not really an Angles ‘follower’…. understand your frustrations (to a degree)….but just really wanted to let you know that the “Dipsnot” name was great !
So was Grady “LittleBrain”…. !
Yet your team is still looking up at the Mariners. Same old underwhelming Angels.
Well dipotos done a good job with Seattle except for the wade Miley trade, and the guy he gave up for him hasn’t played a game for Boston
I take offense to that, Carson Smith threw 2.2 innings last year! Was still happy with the trade despite that, because I HATED watching Miley pitch.
I like the Wood fit. He’d get an opportunity to start as the 5 spot in open and could seamlessly shift to the pen if one of the youngsters (Meyer, Smith, ect.) win the job.
Yawn, the Sandy MO is to go get Breslow cause he is cheap…Forget Blevins unless he gives the Mets a sharp discount (which he SHOULDNT)
I really hope the O’s sign Logan. They only have one lefty reliever for the middle innings so another one would really help. They could probably get him for around 2/14 and they already showed previous interest at last years trade deadline.
No mention of the Nats anywhere; they could certainly use one of the lefties.
I think they are set with Solis and Perez, Grace as a backup. They are probably more concerned with spending $ on a righty like Romo or Blanton.
I hope the Jays get Belvin, he would have to be an upgrade over Cecil last year and 1/2 the commitment. Still shocked someone gave Cecil that contract, seems like he blew every high leverage situation he was put into.
Then you’re only looking at Cecil’s first half. Cecil was far superior to Blevins from 2013-2015. Ill give it to you that Blevins had a better 2016 campaign. But Brett turned it on in the second half and was reminiscent of his former self. Not sure how you’re shocked that Cecil got that contract either. Perhaps you should look up his numbers again?
Cecil wasn’t that great in the second half and pretty useless at the end of the year. He was awful in the first half of 2015 too and than had the run of his life over about 30 IP. You just couldn’t trust him in high leverage situations. Between 2015 and 2016 I can’t imagine a pitcher blew more leads or ties than him.
The jays probably won the division last year if he wasn’t on the team.
He missed all of spring training though and his peripherals didn’t back up his ERA. I don’t know how many times he gave up the lead on weak ground balls that found holes, but it seemed like a lot. Then you add on the fluky home run rate and he’s one of the most logical bounce back candidates in all of baseball
When you watch him pitch next year you’ll change your opinion. He was th 5th best guy in TOR and we had a terrible pen.
I know he wasn’t his normal self but he’ll bounce back. The eye test and his stats both prove that to me
Why the heck would anyone give Boone Logan $12 million? He’s simply not that good. Sorry.
If they won’t pay it must be collusion.
Wouldn’t put it past the owners. They’ve been found guilty of doing it in the past.
In the past 7 seasons, he’s had one bad year. How’s he not good?
Idk why the Diamondbacks aren’t at least checking in on all of these guys. Andrew Chafin and Steve Hathaway are the only real options on the 40 man roster
Please, Red Sox, sign Breslow and cut Abad. 1) If he’s cheaper than the others on the market, so he won’t give them the same luxury tax worries and perhaps be a wash without Abad’s third trip through arbitration; 2) they’ve already gutted the farm, so don’t have/can’t afford to give up the B type prospects it takes to pick up a good reliever in season; 3) if he’s not particularly good, they can always outright him off the 40 man roster and his money comes off the salary cap even though they still have to pay it (like the $25 million or so they’ve lit on fire for Castillo and Craig, the Killer Cs).
Yeah that is the one name that jumps off the page at me when I look at the roster. Not feeling very warm and fuzzy about him bouncing back. However I’m okay with them not going after Breslow, and giving Abad a shot. I think Robby Scott is a fine backup plan waiting in the minors, so if Abad looks awful we can cut him early and pull up Scott. If Robbie Ross and Robby Scott (AKA Robby squared) can’t get it done, then I guess they’ll be in a position to shop mid-season.
What about Javier Lopez? Is he retiring?
As a Mets fan, I hope we resign Blevins. 2/$12M is OK with me. But also as a Mets fan, I would strongly advise against trying to support my salary request by pointing to the Bastardo deal.