Where Will The Starters Go? AL West Edition
Sorry for the delay from the last edition of Where Will The Starters Go. Since then, we’ve seen two guys come off the market in Kris Benson and Odalis Perez, and another strongly speculated to sign: Shawn Chacon with the Astros. So here’s what we’ve got left:
Bartolo Colon, Josh Fogg, Freddy Garcia, Byung-Hyun Kim, Kyle Lohse, Rodrigo Lopez, Eric Milton, Tomo Ohka, Russ Ortiz, John Thomson, Jeff Weaver, David Wells
Once again, I’m open to corrections on my pitching depth charts. I tried to cull as much information from blogs and sites like Baseball America as possible.
Anaheim Angels: John Lackey, Jered Weaver, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, Jon Garland, Dustin Mosely, Kelvim Escobar, Nick Adenhart, Nick Green
Seattle Mariners: Erik Bedard, Felix Hernandez, Carlos Silva, Miguel Batista, Jarrod Washburn, Horacio Ramirez, Cha Seung Baek, Ryan Feierabend
Oakland A’s: Rich Harden, Joe Blanton, Justin Duchscherer, Lenny DiNardo, Dana Eveland, Dan Meyer, Chad Gaudin, Dallas Braden, Jerry Blevins, Gio Gonzalez
Texas Rangers: Brandon McCarthy, Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla, Jason Jennings, Kason Gabbard, Luis Mendoza, Eric Hurley, Matt Harrison, Elizardo Ramirez
The Angels look to open the season with Lackey, Weaver, Santana, Saunders, and Garland in the rotation, thanks to a Kelvim Escobar injury. So they’ve got five solid starters, with a sixth coming in time for May. Mosely will likely start the year in the bullpen, but can start in a pinch. Nick Green had a decently impressive year at AA in 2007, and is on the 40-man roster, so you have to figure he’s in the succession plans should the team befall an injury. Adenhart would require some manuevering, since he’s not on the 40-man. Yet, this all might be moot, as Mike Scioscia has said that the team won’t be signing any free agent starters.
I’m kind of disappointed not to put Brandon Morrow on this list, but it’s been made pretty clear that he’ll be in the bullpen this year. I personally don’t see the sense in drafting a guy at No. 5 then going and signing Carlos Silva to start over him. But, again, I don’t follow the M’s specifically, so I might be missing something here. There’s some depth there for certain, with six guys projected. They also have Eric O’Flaherty on the 40-man. So it appears Seattle has some decent depth, though I’m not so sure they’re keen on giving starts to Baek, Ramirez, and Feieraband. Would the M’s consider bringing back Weaver? Probably not, unless they were in a real bind. Josh Fogg? Once again, it’s tough to see them signing anyone unless there is an injury.
The list might be able to go on longer for Oakland, but I’ll stop it there. They have a ton of options, and since Billy Beane has basically indicated that this is a rebuilding year, it doesn’t seem to make much sense to sign a free agent starter. Then again, he did go out and get Keith Foulke, and he made that surprise move to get Esteban Loaiza a couple of years ago. So he could definitely surprise and bring in someone. Maybe Colon on a one-year with an option? Beane has done stranger things.
The Rangers are another team with a ton of depth beyond their set starters. Yes, we’ll see Millwood, McCarthy, Padilla, Jennings, and probably Gabbard start in the rotation. I’d add Kameron Loe and Robinson Tejeda to the list, but it appears they’ll start in the bullpen. They do have starters in case of an injury, once again, including Tejeda and Loe, but none have the experience or track record you’d really look for. I can see them jumping in on Colon or Fogg in case of injury. But barring that, they could look to add some depth, maybe with Kim. I don’t see them making a commitment to a guy like Kyle Lohse, though.
A note before continuing on to the NL: It doesn’t look like this crop fits in well anywhere yet. Teams are for the most part filled out five-deep with starters, so these guys are really looking for an injury or some ineffectiveness come game time in March. I’ve been opening up the "in case of injury" portion, because it appears that’s what it will take for one of these guys to land somewhere, especially if it’s a Major League deal.
– Joe
Kinsler Signs Five-Year Deal
TUESDAY, 12:52am:ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick pegs it at five years, $22MM plus a sixth year option at $10MM. Crasnick says it buys out one year of free agency and the option would be another. The ’08 season is included in the extension.
MONDAY, 9:33pm:Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that second baseman Ian Kinsler is close to a five-year deal worth $20MM. There may also be a sixth-year option worth $10MM or more.
Grant doesn’t say whether the deal would include the upcoming season; Kinsler recently received a near-minimum deal for ’08. If not, the new contract would buy out two years of free agency with an option for a third.
Kinsler, 25, has a career line of .274/.351/.447 in 250 games. The average AL second baseman hit .284/.339/.416 last year. Kinsler’s probably not among the top ten defensively at his position, if you go by the Fielding Bible awards.
Cubs’ Talks For Byrd Reach Impasse
The Cubs have been interested in Rangers’ center fielder Marlon Byrd for some time now, apparently offering Matt Murton. However, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan says the Rangers’ insistence on good young pitching in the deal has caused a stalemate. The Cubs like Byrd, but not at that price.
Evan Grant wrote recently that one of Jason Botts, Nelson Cruz, or David Murphy is likely to be dealt before Opening Day. A Byrd trade might allow the Rangers to keep all three.
Cubs’ Talks For Byrd Reach Impasse
The Cubs have been interested in Rangers’ center fielder Marlon Byrd for some time now, apparently offering Matt Murton. However, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan says the Rangers’ insistence on good young pitching in the deal has caused a stalemate. The Cubs like Byrd, but not at that price. Jeff Wilson and Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram say Byrd is still "drawing considerable interest" from the Cubs, however.
Evan Grant wrote recently that one of Jason Botts, Nelson Cruz, or David Murphy is likely to be dealt before Opening Day. A Byrd trade might allow the Rangers to keep all three.
Murton Reads MLBTR
It was pretty cool to learn today that Cubs outfielder Matt Murton reads MLBTradeRumors.com. Welcome! Unfortunately, I can’t imagine it’s thrilling to read about yourself in trade rumors all winter.
Murton is a left fielder, and the Cubs obviously have Alfonso Soriano there. Right field is now filled by Kosuke Fukudome. Lou Piniella couldn’t help but admit that Murton’s role on the Cubs is as a fourth outfielder. The Herald’s Bruce Miles has heard rumblings that the Cubs will try to trade Murton to a team where he can play regularly. ESPN’s Keith Law thinks Murton would be good for a .290/.360/.470 line in regular duty.
Baltimore wouldn’t make sense, now that the team has accumulated an outfield surplus of their own. San Diego remains a strong option, though those talks were said to be slow going last time we checked. And the Rangers appear to want more than just Murton for Marlon Byrd, something the Cubs may be reluctant to do. My own speculation – the Indians could be a fit.
Kinsler Talking Long-Term Deal
2:17pm:The Rangers signed Kinsler for near the minimum for ’08, which doesn’t really affect the long-term discussions.
10:40am:According to Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Rangers have made little progress on a long-term deal with second baseman Ian Kinsler. Jon Daniels was positive about it, however.
Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News does see progress – he spoke to Kinsler and learned that talks for a five-year pact are ongoing. A sixth-year option could be included as well.
Kinsler has two years of service time, so a five-year deal would buy out one year of free agency. Grant believes a five-year deal for Kinsler would be for less than the $30MM Robinson Cano received. Kinsler, 25, has a career line of .274/.351/.447 in 250 games. The average AL second baseman hit .284/.339/.416 last year. Kinsler’s probably not among the top ten defensively at his position, if you go by the Fielding Bible awards.
Marlon Byrd/Matt Murton Rumors
Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News has the latest on the Marlon Byrd/Cubs rumors.
Byrd has been informed that the Cubs have interest in him. Grant says the Rangers reportedly turned down an offer of Matt Murton for Byrd, requiring one or two pitching prospects be added by the Cubs. So for those who think Murton is worth more than Byrd – the Rangers apparently do not agree.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick runs down three possible destinations for Murton: Texas, Baltimore, and San Diego. It seems that the Cubs would prefer to resolve the Baltimore trade talks before they’d ship Murton to one of the other two clubs. Talks for Erik Bedard and/or Brian Roberts are ongoing, according to Crasnick.
Odds and Ends: Dotel, Valverde, Wilkerson
Some Saturday odds and ends to mull over…
- The Yankees considered bringing Octavio Dotel back, but wouldn’t go two years on him.
- Richard Justice thinks Astros GM Ed Wade is making a mistake by setting a deadline and going to arbitration hearings with Jose Valverde and Mark Loretta. I doubt the Astros wanted Loretta to accept their offer of arbitration in the first place, but they took the $4-5MM gamble hoping to get a draft pick. But they actively sought out Valverde, and this might not bode well for him staying past 2009.
- Can’t promise anything, but my source is saying Brad Wilkerson is likely to become a Mariner on a one-year deal. Put this in the unconfirmed category for now.
- Did the Rangers DFA Armando Galarraga in anticipation of including him in a trade?
- Troy Tulowitzki explanation: he can opt out of his $15MM club option for 2014 if he’s traded. Tracy Ringolsby also reports that Garrett Atkins had unfruitful extension talks with the Rox last year and would still like to stay.
- "No substantive negotiations" on a multiyear deal for Ryan Zimmerman.
- Casey Blake‘s agent put in a counteroffer but hasn’t heard back from the Indians yet; the two sides are $1.5MM apart on his ’08 salary.
Rumor Royalty – Evan Grant (Rangers)
I’ve chosen Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News as Rumor Royalty for the Rangers – he is the best source of hot stove for that club. Grant’s blog can be found here.
Submit your Rangers questions for Grant in the comments I will choose the best. Let’s keep ’em focused on the hot stove.
Questions For Jon Daniels?
Rangers GM Jon Daniels agreed to answer some questions for MLBTR. Pretty cool, eh? Leave your suggested questions for him in the comments and I will choose the best five or six. Impress me! Note that he is not at all likely to talk about players under contract with other teams.