West Links: Lincecum, Giants, Rangers, Moyer, Angels
Yoenis Cespedes of the Athletics is the current MLB home run leader with … two. He hit this mammoth shot against Jason Vargas and the Mariners last night. Here's the latest from baseball's two West divisions…
- The Giants’ ability to hold on to Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner down the line depends largely on having prospects work out as low-cost, high-impact players, writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.
- Rangers GM Jon Daniels expressed some concern about his team's bench when speaking to Calvin Watkins of ESPN Dallas yesterday. "Listen, no club is flawless," he said, "and not to suggest that's our only one, [but] we got some guys on the bench that have some ability … if it's something we need to address we've shown in the past we will."
- Jamie Moyer will start for the Rockies today, but GM Dan O'Dowd told Troy Renck of The Denver Post that having the 49-year-old left-hander on the roster is about more than on-field production. "He brings a set of intangibles that will really benefit our club and our pitching staff. He loves to share information," said the GM.
- The Angels could make the playoffs without Albert Pujols, says Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. He says the club has enough talent "that even a slow start by their superstar won’t doom them."
Rangers Re-Sign Brad Hawpe
The Rangers re-signed Brad Hawpe to a minor league contract, Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com reports (Twitter link). Hawpe, who was released by the Rangers last week, will open the season with Double-A Frisco.
Hawpe posted a .231/.301/.344 line in 216 plate appearances with the Padres in 2011, playing first base and right field. The 32-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow last June. He owns a .284/.380/.493 line in 2,678 career plate appearances against right-handed pitching, so he's a possible weapon against righties.
No Deal Yet For Kinsler, Rangers
Ian Kinsler and the Rangers don't have an agreement on a long-term deal. The second baseman told reporters, including MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, that the sides got close enough to be “disappointed that it’s not done.”
The sides had been working toward an extension that would have guaranteed Kinsler's 2013 option at $10MM and added five seasons at $14MM or so per year. The proposed six-year total would have been in the $80MM range — close to Chase Utley's record for second basemen.
Kinsler has said he doesn't want to negotiate once the season begins. The 29-year-old repeated today that he doesn't want to be involved if the Rangers continue talking with his representatives at BBI Sports Group. He hit 32 home runs and posted a .255/.355/.477 lin in 723 plate appearances a year ago.
Quick Hits: Phillips, Kinsler, Podsednik, Moyer
Links for Thursday, as the first full day of the regular season wraps up…
- The Reds and Rangers are working towards contract extensions with Brandon Phillips and Ian Kinsler, respectively, and ESPN's Jim Bowden says (on Twitter) there's some work left to be done on each. Phillips is expected to get $12.5-13MM annually, Kinsler $13.5-14MM.
- Scott Podsednik will report to the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, his agent confirmed to David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News. Podsednik was not technically a Major League free agent this offseason since he spent all of last year in the minors, so he was unable to opt-out of his contract at the end of Spring Training.
- Jamie Moyer's can make $2MM in incentives op top of his $1.1MM base salary, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports (on Twitter). The 49-year-old left-hander will open the season in the Rockies’ rotation.
- Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright took note when Matt Cain of the Giants signed earlier in the week, Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. "Obviously, you have to pay attention to it,"Wainwright said. "It's a tremendous deal for him." Cain obtained $112.5MM in new money from the Giants, establishing a record for right-handed pitchers.
- Ivan Rodriguez is working out and says he's in shape, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Heyman suggests the Rays could be a fit for the veteran free agent.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Rangers Working Towards Extension With Ian Kinsler
The Rangers and Ian Kinsler are working towards a five-year contract extension worth approximately $14MM per season, reports ESPN's Jim Bowden (on Twitter). The deal would exercise his $10MM option for 2013 and tack the additional five years on top of it. The total package would be six years and approximately $80MM.
Kinsler, 29, called the negotiations a "very confusing process" earlier today. The new extension would eclipse Dan Uggla's five-year, $62MM guarantee with the Braves, but it would fall short of Chase Utley's second base record of seven years and $85MM. Kinsler's contract could impact talks between the Reds and Brandon Phillips, as well as the Yankees and Robinson Cano down the road.
Extension Rumors: Zack Greinke, Ian Kinsler
The baseball world is still reeling from the two historic contract extensions handed out earlier this week. Here's the latest on two players in line for similar deals…
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel that he has yet to meet with Casey Close, the recently-hired agent of Zack Greinke (Twitter link). The right-hander can become a free agent after this season.
- "I don't know how to answer that … It's been a very confusing process," said Ian Kinsler when asked if the Rangers have made him a formal offer according to Drew Davison of The Forth Worth Star-Telegram. The two sides have been discussing a six-year extension recently.
Yankees Claim Cody Eppley
The Yankees claimed reliever Cody Eppley off of waivers from the Rangers, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets. The Rangers had designated the right-hander for assignment yesterday.
Eppley appeared in ten games with the Rangers early on last year, but spent most of the season at Triple-A. The 26-year-old posted a 3.90 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9 in 55 1/3 innings of relief with Round Rock. They Yankees will send him to Triple-A.
Extension Updates: Votto, Niese, Kinsler, Greinke
It’s been a big week for extensions, as Joey Votto and Matt Cain signed historic contracts on Monday. Here are some extension updates from around the league, starting with a couple additional notes on Votto’s deal.
- John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer has the annual breakdown of Votto's deal (Twitter links). He'll earn $12MM in 2014, $14MM in 2015, $20MM in 2016, $22MM in 2017, and $25MM during each of the final six years. The club option for 2024 is worth $20MM with a $7MM buyout.
- Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com has a breakdown of Jonathon Niese's new extension with the Mets (on Twitter). The southpaw gets a $250K signing bonus with annual salaries of $769.5K, $3MM, $5MM, $7MM, and $9MM. The two club options ($10MM and $11MM) can each be bought out for $500K.
- Reds president and CEO Bob Castellini was the one driving the Votto deal, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. Other ownership groups have some concern over the ten-year deal, Crasnick adds.
- The Rangers are discussing a long-term deal with Ian Kinsler, and while the sides are in agreement on the contract length — six years — they haven’t yet found common ground in terms of contract value, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Kinsler doesn’t want to negotiate after the season begins on Friday.
- Casey Close, the agent for Zack Greinke, and Brewers GM Doug Melvin will speak tomorrow to “fill each other in on where discussions stand,” the GM told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Greinke had been representing himself, but his new agent will handle talks from here on.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Rangers Sign Aaron Heilman
The Rangers have signed right-hander Aaron Heilman to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A, reports Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com (on Twitter). The Mariners released the Frontline Sports client over the weekend.
Heilman spent the first half of the 2011 campaign with the Diamondbacks, who released him in July after he posted a 6.88 ERA with 8.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 28.5% ground ball rate in 35 1/3 innings. He later signed minor league deals with the Phillies and Pirates, but didn't pitch at the Major League level after July 15th. One fifth of fly balls against him left the yard in 2011, a major reason for his unsightly ERA.
Rangers Designate Cody Eppley For Assignment
The Rangers have designated Cody Eppley for assignment, reports Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com (on Twitter). The move opens up a 40-man roster spot for the Rangers.
Eppley appeared in ten games with the Rangers early on last year, but spent most of the season at Triple-A. The 26-year-old right-hander posted a 3.90 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9 in 55 1/3 innings of relief with Round Rock.