Pirates Sign Tony Armas Jr.
Pirates GM Dave Littlefield announced today that the team has signed righty Tony Armas Jr. to a one-year deal with a club option for ’08. RotoWorld reports that Armas will make $3MM in ’07 and has a $500,000 buyout for ’08. The move should thankfully push Shawn Chacon out of the rotation.
It’s hard to believe Armas would represent an improvement in anyone’s rotation after posting a 5.03 ERA in 154 innings last year in a National League pitchers’ park. Basically the one thing Armas has going for him is that he’s on the right side of 30. And he was traded for Pedro once.
Pirates Interested In Weaver
According to Ken Rosenthal, the Pirates are battling with the Cardinals for the services of Jeff Weaver. Weaver could reunite with his former manager and pitching coach in Pittsburgh and thankfully push Shawn Chacon out of the rotation. The Cards are still in the lead, however. The Mariners or Dodgers could be involved also.
You have to wonder if Boras could convince Weaver to take another one year contract, maybe in the $7MM range. He could stick in the NL all year and parlay it into a nice three-year pact if he pitches decently. His best bet is probably St. Louis; they’re offering two years.
Blue Jays Sign Tomo Ohka
UPDATE: The Blue Jays signed Ohka to a one-year deal with incentives. He’s guaranteed $1.5MM and can double it by reaching incentives.
The Washington Post reports that Tomo Ohka will likely decide on a team today or tomorrow. The Nats are unlikely, and he’s leaning towards Toronto. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Ohka now only wants a one-year deal. Looks like he couldn’t get three years so he’d rather re-enter the market in ’08 after a hopefully solid year. The Pirates are definitely out of the running. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review mentions that the Mets are still in on Ohka.
The Bucs, however, have turned their focus to Tony Armas Jr. Several teams are interested in him, with the Pirates in the lead. Though he’s not particularly good, he is relatively healthy and on the right side of 30. Beggars can’t be choosy.
Latest On Ohka
Ah, the Tomo Ohka saga. What could be more exciting in late January? Football just can’t compete. The Pirates have "escalated efforts" to snag the righthander, which I suppose means an increased offer. An Ohka signing for the Bucs would probably push Shawn Chacon out of the rotation, never a bad idea.
The Nats, Blue Jays, and…wait for it…a mystery team are the contenders for Ohka. My guess is that Ohka wants a Jason Marquis type deal.
Ohka Could Sign Soon
The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo reports that Tomo Ohka could decide this weekend whether to pitch for the Nationals, Pirates, or Blue Jays. The Bucs are also working on Brian Lawrence, so they’d probably only sign one of the two.
I wonder what happened to the Mets, and whether Ohka is still holding out for a three-year deal. You can read my full profile of the 30 year-old righty here.
Brian Lawrence Update
According to Kevin Towers on XX Sports Radio in San Diego, Brian Lawrence is waiting to see what happens with David Wells. Towers expects an answer from Wells today. If Boomer doesn’t sign with the Padres, Lawrence probably will.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Times reports that the Mariners, Rockies, and Pirates are all still competing for Lawrence.
Pirates Acquire LaRoche For Gonzalez
UPDATE: A source tells me the Pirates included shortstop Brent Lillibridge in the trade, and it’s a four-player deal. That’s quite a price – Baseball Prospectus’s PECOTA system indicates that the college product would be baseball’s ninth best shortstop in 2007 (based on projected WARP).
The above info is now confirmed by John Perrotto of the Beaver County Allegheny Times. The Braves are sending outfielder Jamie Romak to the Bucs to complete the deal.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have agreed to send Mike Gonzalez and another unknown player to the Braves for first baseman Adam LaRoche. Nice to finally put the daily LaRoche rumors to rest. Given the inclusion of Lillibridge, I’d say the Braves won another deal here.
Check out RotoAuthority to read the fantasy implications of this deal.
Pirates Still Chasing LaRoche, Tracy
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tells us that Pirate GM Dave Littlefield is under pressure to acquire a power bat before the season begins. The two main targets are still Adam LaRoche and Chad Tracy, but will Littlefield include a second Major Leaguer along with Mike Gonzalez? And if Kovacevic’s report of Littlefield’s mandate is true, isn’t that leak detrimental to the GM’s efforts?
The Bucs still refuse to include Chris Duffy or Paul Maholm in a two-for-one deal. Kovacevic speculates that another reliever might represent a compromise; if the Pirates need to include Salomon Torres they should do it. While it would decimate the bullpen it still makes sense to trade relievers for sluggers.
The article also mentions that trading for Ryan Church or signing Trot Nixon wouldn’t fulfill the team’s goal and seems unlikely. Options such as Geoff Jenkins or Jacque Jones could be pursued, however.
Bucs Still Looking For Hitter
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates are mulling options other than Adam LaRoche, as talks have stalled somewhat. Trot Nixon appears to be off the radar as a free agent signing. No more Melky Cabrera talk either.
Existing possibilities include Chad Tracy for Mike Gonzalez and another player, or a deal for Ryan Church, Casey Kotchman, or Geoff Jenkins.
Meanwhile, Bucco Blog weighed in on the team’s need to keep Chris Duffy and also suggested Kotchman as a realistic possibility. Jake "heard through the grapevine" that Kotchman could one day entertain a long-term deal with the Bucs. I haven’t spoken to Jake on this topic recently, but just connect the dots a bit here.
Pirates Targeting Elijah Dukes?
Bucco Blog reports that the Pirates and Devil Rays are talking, and the Bucs may be targeting 22 year-old first baseman/outfielder Elijah Dukes. Jake’s informal poll of writers and scouts seemed to indicate that such an acquisition would require either Tom Gorzelanny or Mike Gonzalez. To me, Gorzelanny would make the most sense. As you probably know, Dukes has a world of talent but some makeup issues.
Gorzelanny had a scare last year with August elbow stiffness, though he came back to make three starts after that. For 2007, the 24 year-old southpaw is projected at a 4.06 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 153 innings by ZiPS and a 4.27 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 168 innings by RotoAuthority.