Jays, Kevin Millar Close To Deal
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, first baseman Kevin Millar is "almost certain" to sign a minor league deal with the Blue Jays today or tomorrow. The Mets, Yankees, Nationals, and Rangers had also been in on Millar. Rich Aurilia has been recommended for the Mets by several writers, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post learned they’ve yet to make contact with his agent.
Millar, 37, hit .234/.323/.394 in 610 plate appearances last year.
T.R. Sullivan: Rangers Unlikely To Land Sheets
Ben Sheets remains a free agent. The Rangers still have holes in their starting rotation. Yet, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes that "all signs point to him not being with the Rangers" in 2009.
"Did the Rangers look? Yes. Sheets lives here [in Dallas] and is from Louisiana. He is also a No. 1 starter. That mandates the Rangers consider him. The Rangers also need pitching. That mandates Sheets being interested in them. It’s a perfect match. They had two weeks to get it done. Both have little in the way of alternatives. And it’s still not done."
"This just isn’t going to get done," concludes Sullivan. The 30-year-old right-hander has a career ERA of 3.72. He went 13-9 last season with a 3.09 ERA over 198 1/3 innings. Obviously Sheets carries a troubling history of injuries, but it seems this one is all about dollars and cents.
Rangers A Fit For Andruw Jones?
SI.com’s Jon Heyman believes the Rangers could become serious suitors for free agent outfielder Andruw Jones.
"If someone wants to resurrect their career, Texas is the perfect place," an American League executive told Heyman, referring to The Ballpark at Arlington’s short outfield walls.
The Rangers currently have outfielders Josh Hamilton, Marlon Byrd, Neslon Cruz and David Murphy on their projected big league roster. GM Jon Daniels said last weekend that he wants Hamilton to move from center to right field eventually, which could potentially open a spot for Jones.
Rangers Sign Eddie Guardado
4:13pm: The Rangers’ minor league deal with Guardado is official, according to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan.
TUESDAY, 7:48am: Wilson says Guardado "has agreed to return to the Rangers on a non-roster deal." Final details remain, and the deal could be worth up to $3MM.
MONDAY, 5:21pm: Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram spoke with Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who confirmed that a deal could be finalized for Guardado "within the next few days."
2:05pm: According to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers are close to a deal to bring lefty reliever Eddie Guardado back to Texas. It may be completed in the next few days. Adding Guardado could help soften the blow of losing Joaquin Benoit to rotator cuff surgery.
Sullivan adds that the Rangers continue to look for pitching help beyond Guardado, with names like Jason Jennings, Kris Benson, and Chad Cordero in the mix.
Rangers Hot Stove Update: Jennings, Sheets
Jeff Wilson, writing for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, has a few more updates on the Rangers’ hot stove situation:
- Jason Jennings is still on the team’s radar. His agent and GM Jon Daniels had multiple conversations last week. Jennings, 30, struggled last season before undergoing surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon. He should be ready for spring training and is likely to come cheap.
- The lines of communication remain open with free agent Ben Sheets, but there hasn’t been much progress. Wilson believes that might change now that the Mets have agreed to a deal with Oliver Perez.
Sheets-Rangers Talks Slow Down?
Free-agent right-hander Ben Sheets, another option for the Mets, could end up with the Rangers, but his talks with Texas have "less momentum" than they did 10 days ago, according to a source. The Rangers want Sheets only on their terms, the source said.
A week ago, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan wrote that Sheets wants two years while the Rangers prefer one year and a club option. The Rangers also continued to have concern about his medical reports.
Odds and Ends: Mets Payroll, Reds, Rangers
Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone. Some Odds & Ends:
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star thinks the Royals should trade for Rich Hill.
- Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News estimates the Mets payroll to be $135MM this season, before Freddy Garcia or the $2.25MM owed to Willy Randolph.
- River Ave. Blues has a nice write up on the non-guaranteed nature of arbitration and the process of declining arbitration to free agents.
- The Dallas Morning News’ Anthony Andro peers into the future of the Rangers, ranked atop Baseball America’s organizational rankings. Writes Andro, "Since the magazine began rankings in 1984, a playoff appearance has followed within six years all but twice for the No. 1 club."
- Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald lists some of the quirkier signing bonuses and perks in the MLB, including Roy Oswalt’s bulldozer.
Salty, Teagarden Likely To Remain Rangers
Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes that the signing of Jason Varitek "should end any more talk of Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Taylor Teagarden being traded to Boston."
Saltalamacchia will head into spring training atop the Rangers’ catching depth chart, but Teagarden can win himself consideration with a strong showing in camp. Salty, 23, hit .253 last season with three home runs and 26 RBI in 198 at-bats. Teagarden, 25, batted .319 with six dingers and 17 RBI in 47 at-bats during a short time with the big league club.
Rangers Avoid Arb With Marlon Byrd
According to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, the Rangers agreed to terms with outfielder Marlon Byrd on a one-year, $3.06MM contract.
Byrd was asking for $3.6MM in arbitration while the Rangers submitted a $2.7MM offer. The 31-year-old settled on the $3.06MM figure Friday. Byrd hit .298/.380/.462 with 10 homers and 53 RBI in 122 games last season. He’ll compete for playing time this year in an outfield that also boasts David Murphy, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz.
The Rangers have now settled with all of their arbitration-eligible players. They haven’t needed a hearing since 2000.
Jason Varitek Rumors: Thursday
7:58pm: Alex Speier of WEEI provides us with a Varitek-relevant quote from Curt Schilling’s appearance on the Big Show:
“I’ve talked with Jason a couple different times about this. I think there’s probably some discussion going on around the parameters of a deal since it was put on the table. In fact, I know there (has been). I think you’re going to end up with a deal that nets Jason the $10 million over two years, somehow guaranteed or tied into some incentives, that keeps him here, or I think he might end up taking the one-year deal. I’m not positive, but at the end of the day I think it’s going to be Jason Varitek catching for the Boston Red Sox, which is really all I care about."
5:01pm: Former teammate Sean Casey had this to say on the MLB Network Thursday:
"I’d be shocked if ‘Tek doesn’t come back to Boston. The fans love him there. The guys in that clubhouse love ‘Tek. I can’t imagine Jason Varitek putting on a uniform besides the Boston Red Sox. I saw him a few weeks ago. I know he wants to come back to the Red Sox. So I hope they get that done. I think it would be good for both sides, no doubt about it, especially that pitching staff."
3:50pm: Varitek faces a Friday morning (8:30am) deadline, says Tony Massarotti. Massarotti’s source adds that Varitek is "very seriously considering the option of sitting out the 2009 season and/or retiring rather than accepting the contract offer made to him last week."
Massarotti adds that the Red Sox are expected to reopen trade talks for Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Miguel Montero, independent of Varitek.
9:55am: A quote from WEEI’s Michael Holley in regard to Jason Varitek this morning:
"I have moles who have told me if the deadline were today, no deal." Catch the audio here, about 13 minutes in.
The deadline is tomorrow. Michael Silverman noted today that if Varitek declines the current $5MM plus an option offer, the Red Sox would either move on or make a lesser offer.