Indians Release Brett Myers
2013/08/indians-release-brett-myers.htmlMyers allowed a staggering 10 homers in that short time. … Myers, who turned 33 recently, signed a one-year, $7MM contract with the Tribe this offseason and was expected to lock down a spot at the back of the rotation.
Trade Notes: Morse, Axford, Kubel
2013/08/trade-reactions.htmlIn the meantime, let's round up some links on the recently completed deals: The Orioles ultimately found Michael Morse to be "a little better fit" than Josh Willingham, GM Dan Duquette told reporters including MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko, leading the team to pull the trigger on his acquisition. … One situation to keep an eye on is the possibility of the Red Sox going after a reliever, although the Boston Globe's Pete Abraham tweets that nothing is in the works for Boston at the moment.
Prospect Rumor Roundup: All-Prospect All-Star Team
2013/09/prospect-rumor-roundup-all-prospect-team.htmlThird Base: Miguel Sano, Twins -- Sano was the runaway winner at third base, although the Cubs' Kris Bryant could give him a run for his money in a year's time (assuming both prospects are still in the minors). … First Base: Dan Vogelbach, Cubs -- This position was the hardest one to find a deserving candidate.
AL East Links: Anthopoulos, Betemit, Rays, Bard
2013/09/al-east-links-anthopoulos-betemit-rays-bard.htmlWilson Betemit's time with the Orioles is probably coming to an end, as Eduardo A. … Also from Chisholm, he predicts that if the Blue Jays don't extend a qualifying offer to Josh Johnson and he hits the open market, Johnson will likely sign a one-year contract with an NL team to try and re-establish his value for the 2015 free agent market.
Arroyo Wants Multiyear Deal To Remain With Reds
2013/09/arroyo-wants-multiyear-deal-to-remain-with-reds.html"If my price tag is a little bit too much or they feel like they don't want to give me…… Bronson Arroyo enjoys pitching for the Reds and "would love to retire in this uniform," but the veteran right-hander stressed that he was looking for more than a one-year contract on the free agent market this winter in an interview with Pete McCarthy and various fans during an MLB.com Chatting Cage segment (MLB.com's Mark Sheldon and Jeremy Warnemuende have a partial transcript).
Will The Braves Seek To Extend Their Young Core?
2013/09/will-the-braves-look-to-extend-their-young-core.html(MLBTR's Mark Polishuk profiled the extension case for O'Flaherty in March of last year, a year before he was lost to Tommy John surgery; Mike Axisa did the same for Bourn in January of 2012.) It is not just the recent crop: in the nearly six-year reign of GM Frank Wren, Atlanta has not extended a single player who had less than five years of MLB service time at the time of the deal. … It's no secret that Atlanta plays home to one of the best collections of young, established big leaguers in the game.
Poll: How To Handle The Braves’ Young Players
2013/09/poll-how-to-handle-the-braves-young-players.htmlWithout demeaning the immense contributions this year of part-timers like Jordan Schafer and Evan Gattis, to say nothing of Brian McCann and a solid all-around pitching staff, that is very nearly what the Braves have done. … (I mention Upton last because, though he is just 26, he has already signed one extension and thus is not looking for his first big payday.
NL East Notes: Braves, Tejada, Parnell, Galvis
2013/09/nl-east-notes-braves-tejada-parnell-galvis.htmlRuben Tejada is expected to join the Mets today as a September callup, which will leave him one day shy of accumulating his third full year of MLB service time, writes ESPN New York's Adam Rubin. … Rubin reported yesterday that the Mets would likely delay Tejada's promotion for that purpose, as it will keep Tejada from reaching free agency for an additional year.
Diamondbacks To Pursue Power Bat
2013/09/diamondbacks-to-pursue-power-bat.htmlOther than Goldschmidt, the team's only player with an ISO greater than .180 is part-timer Eric Chavez, who is set to become a free agent. … Though the organization has gone over $100MM in payroll one time (2002), team president and CEO Derrick Hall seems to predict only measured growth in salary rather than a Blue Jays or Dodgers-esque jump: "So long as our revenues increase, we will continue to invest those dollars in the team and the facility.
Transaction Retrospection: Helton & Tulowitzki Deals
2013/09/transaction-retrospection-the-helton-and-tulowitzki-extensions.htmlFor much of that time, they'll also have Carlos Gonzalez's backloaded $80MM contract to contend with. … Helton will spend his entire big-league tenure with one team, a rarity in this era, and that's due at least in part to the gigantic $142MM extension he signed in 2001.
Angels Notes: Dipoto, Scioscia, Hanson, Calhoun
2013/09/angels-notes-dipoto-scioscia-hanson-calhoun.htmlSince that time, the Halos are 18-6, boosting their overall record to 73-77. … Scioscia said he wouldn't guarantee Hanson, who re-joined the club yesterday, another start this season and wondered what happened to the Hanson who showed up in his first start off the disabled list: "The one game he came back off the DL, his stuff was eye-opening, and he hasn't repeated that." Hanson allowed one run on four hits and no walks with eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings that day.
Free Agent Profile: Bronson Arroyo
2013/09/free-agent-profile-bronson-arroyo.htmlArroyo, 37 in February, came into his own after a March 2006 trade from the Red Sox to the Reds, but during that time he's never hit the open market as a free agent despite never getting a guarantee exceeding three years. … Signing Arroyo lacks upside, but one or two years for him seems safer than four for Matt Garza.
Andy Pettitte To Retire After 2013 Season
2013/09/andy-pettitte-to-announce-retirement-today.htmlI want to have the opportunity to tip my cap to them during these remaining days and thank them for making my time here with the Yankees so special. … One of the things I struggled with in making this announcement now was doing anything to take away from Mariano’s day on Sunday.
Free Agent Profile: Scott Feldman
2013/09/free-agent-profile-scott-feldman.htmlFeldman's highest single-season BB/9 mark dating back to 2008 is 3.3, and he's posted a mark of 2.9 overall since that time (in 811 innings). … Feldman will be 31 years old in February, making him one of the younger starters available on the market.
Free Agent Faceoff: Tim Lincecum vs. Ubaldo Jimenez
2013/09/free-agent-faceoff-tim-lincecum-vs-ubaldo-jimenez.htmlBut these one-time stars should generate a lot of interest in a pitching market largely bereft of top-level talent. … Lincecum's change, in particular, went from being his best pitch to his worst, as he was seemingly unable or unwilling to pound the zone low-and-away with the offering.
AL East Notes: Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays
2013/09/al-east-notes-red-sox-yankees-blue-jays.htmlIndeed, GM Brian Cashman has navigated countless hurdles this season to deliver a contender, though the team is now highly likely to miss out on the postseason for just the second time in the last nineteen years. … The Red Sox clinched the division, even if that had already become a foregone conclusion.
Beltway Links: Davis, Schoop, Haren, LaRoche
2013/09/beltway-links-davis-schoop-haren-laroche.htmlHaren candidly admitted that the toll of being in a new city with no family around and few friends worsened those feelings, as he spent a great deal of time alone and thinking about his struggles. … Melewski opines that Schoop probably needs a bit more minor league seasoning and speculates that such thinking could push the Orioles to pursue a one-year deal with free-agent-to-be Brian Roberts.
Offseason Outlook: Miami Marlins
2013/10/offseason-outlook-miami-marlins.htmlWill the club do much more than pick up a few low-cost free agents to round out the roster this time around? The answer to that question will come from a newly shuffled front office. … Arbitration raises and league-minimum salaries could push their commitment just north of $30MM, which would leave the team with a bit of money to pursue some veteran free agents while still meeting the recently reported payroll target of $37MM.
Arbitration Eligibles: Seattle Mariners
2013/10/arbitration-eligibles-seattle-mariners.htmlEstimated service time is in parentheses, and estimated 2014 salary follows. … Charlie Furbush, previously estimated as a Super Two player, appears to fall one day short of the necessary amount of service time.
MLBTR Originals
2013/10/mlbtr-originals-9.htmlJohnson enters free agency for the first time this winter. … Steve Adams predicts right-handed reliever Jesse Crain will sign for one-year and $3.5MM with incentives based on innings pitched and, perhaps, games finished.
Quick Hits: Magic, Girardi, Pirates, Bailey
2013/10/quick-hits-magic-a-rod-coonelly-indians.htmlGeneral managers around the league told Olney that "their comments were watched more closely over the last year than in any time in recent memory," so Johnson could face some type of penalty for his remarks. … One such team, the Cubs, expect to learn by tomorrow if Girardi is staying in New York, a source tells Wittenmyer.
Offseason Outlook: Seattle Mariners
2013/10/offseason-outlook-seattle-mariners.htmlThe Mariners may need to look outside the organization for catching help, as Mike Zunino struggled after his June callup and could likely use more time in the minors. … GM Jack Zduriencik, who quietly signed a one-year extension that wasn't reported until much later in the season, will likely focus his offseason evaluations on which of his young players have earned a spot on the 2014 Opening Day roster.
Offseason Outlook: Minnesota Twins
2013/10/offseason-outlook-minnesota-twins.htmlGuaranteed Contracts Joe Mauer, C: $115MM through 2018 Glen Perkins, RP: $7.8MM through 2015 Josh Willingham, OF/DH: $7MM through 2014 Kevin Correia, SP: $5.5MM through 2014 Ryan Doumit, C/OF/DH: $3.5MM through 2014 Jared Burton, RP: $3.425MM through 2014 Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses) Trevor Plouffe, 3B (2.162, Super Two): $2.1MM projected salary Brian Duensing, RP (4.104): $1.9MM Anthony Swarzak, RP/SP (3.038): $800K Contract Options N/A Free Agents Mike Pelfrey The Twins have already cleared up one of their first orders of offseason business by issuing manager Ron Gardenhire a two-year extension and retaining the entire coaching staff. … One of the biggest Twins narratives of the offseason will be "What to do with Joe Mauer?" Perennially one of the league's best catchers, Mauer missed the end of the season with a concussion.
Offseason Outlook: San Francisco Giants
2013/10/offseason-outlook-san-francisco-giants.htmlGuaranteed Contracts Buster Posey, C: $154MM through 2021 Hunter Pence, OF: $90MM through 2018 Matt Cain, SP: $80MM through 2017 Madison Bumgarner, SP: $31.75MM through 2017 Angel Pagan, OF: $28MM through 2016 Marco Scutaro, 2B: $12MM through 2015 Jeremy Affeldt, RP: $10MM through 2015 Santiago Casilla, RP: $9.5MM through 2015 Sergio Romo, RP: $5.5MM through 2014 Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses) Brandon Belt (2.128, Super Two): $2.4MM Gregor Blanco (3.164): $2.2MM Jose Mijares (5.024): $2.1MM Yusmeiro Petit (3.016): $1.3MM Joaquin Arias (4.071): $1.2MM Tony Abreu (3.170): $700K Contract Options Barry Zito, SP: $18MM club option with a $7MM buyout Ryan Vogelsong, SP: $6.5MM club option with a $300K buyout Free Agents Chad Gaudin, Tim Lincecum, Javier Lopez, Andres Torres The Giants have a few important players set to hit the open market, including the perplexing Tim Lincecum. … After breaking out in 2008 and asserting himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball across four consecutive years, The Freak struggled mightily in 2012 and rebounded somewhat in 2013.
Free Agent Profile: A.J. Burnett
2013/10/free-agent-profile-aj-burnett.htmlExcellent as he's been lately, Burnett's detractors will point to his time in New York and much of his time in Toronto and say that he simply isn't the same pitcher in the American League when he doesn't have the benefit of facing opposing pitchers. … When the Yankees were able to obtain some salary relief and a pair of warm bodies (Diego Moreno and Exicardo Cayones) for the final two years of A.J.