West Notes: Upton, Bourn, Hairston, Clemens
The Giants expect to begin discussing a "blockbuster extension" with Buster Posey this spring, but that's not the only news coming out of baseball's Western divisions…
- Grantland's Jonah Keri wonders if the Diamondbacks lost leverage in Justin Upton trade negotiations after their deal with the Mariners fell through. Keri also examines several trades from the past 30 years in which a well-regarded player who had fallen out of favor with the franchise was traded.
- The Rangers are "keeping the lines of communication open" when it comes to free agent Michael Bourn and trade candidate Justin Upton, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. If either's price comes down to the liking of GM Jon Daniels, Texas is prepared to take action.
- Jerry Hairston Jr. is in the final year of a two-year, $6MM contract, and he told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that he'll retire if the Dodgers win the World Series this season. Hairston already has one World Series ring, having been a part of the 2009 Yankees and says "you can't get any better" than retiring after a World Series win.
- Roger Clemens sat down with CSN Houston's Steve Bunin to discuss his 2013 role with the Astros and confirmed again that he will not pitch next season. Clemens said he would've had to start training in November to make a serious run at a comeback. Instead, he'll help Houston by mentoring their young arms in Spring Training. For the time being, he's not interested in a full-time role with the organization, however.
- Wendy Thurm of Fangraphs takes a look at a potential Posey extension and notes the risk involved in doling out a massive contract for a player whose career only includes 1255 plate appearances to date.
Diamondbacks Unlikely To Land Porcello
6:16pm: The Diamondbacks are unlikely to acquire Porcello, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (on Twitter).
10:53am: The Tigers would likely ask for a shortstop, a late-inning reliever or a right-handed hitting outfielder in a trade for Porcello, Morosi adds. Detroit doesn't appear to be a finalist for Scott Hairston, who could decide between the Yankees and Mets.
8:14am: The Diamondbacks have talked to the Tigers about trading for starter Rick Porcello, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Morosi confirms that the Mariners have also had talks with Detroit about Porcello. The Angels, Pirates, Padres, Orioles and Cubs have also been linked to Porcello this offseason.
The 24-year-old posted a 4.59 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 53.2% ground ball rate in 176 1/3 innings this past season. He earned $3.1MM in 2012 and has a projected salary of $4.7MM for 2013. He’s under team control through 2015.
Arizona has many internal starting pitching options, including Ian Kennedy, Brandon McCarthy, Trevor Cahill, Wade Miley, Tyler Skaggs, Josh Collmenter and Patrick Corbin. Plus, Daniel Hudson could return from Tommy John surgery midseason. However, GM Kevin Towers has shown this offseason that he’s willing to add to apparent areas of depth. Last month Towers signed Cody Ross even though the Diamondbacks' outfield seemed full to most outside observers.
Diamondbacks To Extend J.J. Putz
The Diamondbacks have agreed to sign J.J. Putz to a one-year extension that will keep him in Arizona through 2014, the team announced via Twitter. The LSW Baseball client will reportedly receive a $7MM salary in 2014.
Putz, who turns 36 next month, pitched to a 2.82 ERA, 10.8 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and 45.7 percent ground-ball rate with 32 saves for the Snakes last season. In 518 2/3 Major League innings between the Mariners, Mets, White Sox and Diamondbacks, Putz has a 3.04 ERA, 9.5 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with 183 saves.
Putz signed a two-year deal worth $10MM to take over as Arizona's closer following the 2010 season. Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers exercised a $6.5MM club option on Putz back in October. He will be joined by flamethrower David Hernandez and one-time shutdown closer Heath Bell — acquired from the Marlins in a three-team trade — at the back-end of Arizona's bullpen in 2013.
Towers sang Putz's praises in a press release:
“J.J. has provided much-needed leadership and stability for our bullpen the last two years. He has been an integral piece and helped set the foundation for our bullpen’s turnaround so we are excited to have him in place the next two seasons.”
The move is just one of many in what's been a busy season for Towers and his staff. As MLBTR's Transaction Tracker shows, the team has traded away Chris Young and Trevor Bauer, acquiring Bell, Cliff Pennington, Didi Gregorius, Tony Sipp and Lars Anderson. On the free agent front, they've signed Brandon McCarthy, Cody Ross, Eric Chavez, Eric Hinske and Wil Nieves to Major League contracts.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic was the first to report the financial terms of Putz's extension (Twitter link). Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Justin Upton Rumors: Sunday
Earlier today, we learned that the budget-conscious Yankees aren't in on Justin Upton at present. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports proposed a scenario in which the Yanks send Curtis Granderson to the Mariners and then parlay that haul into Upton, but it doesn't look like Brian Cashman & Co. are going to join the fray for the Diamondbacks star. We'll keep track of the latest on Upton here..
- D'Backs GM Kevin Towers told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he won't be giving the outfielder away for cheap and he's not in a rush to move him. Towers also said owner Ken Kendrick is "fine" with them keeping all their outfielders. Kendrick seemed to have a strong preference towards moving Upton when he spoke with Heyman earlier this offseason, but he'll be leaving the call up to Towers.
Yankees Haven’t Intensified Pursuit Of Justin Upton
There are several teams looking into a trade for the Diamondbacks' Justin Upton, but right now it doesn't seem as though the Yankees will be among them. The Bombers would still like to add a right-handed hitter but haven’t picked up their pursuit of Upton since he was nearly dealt to the Mariners, major league sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
Their decision to stay out of the Upton sweepstakes likely has to do with their efforts to get beneath the $189MM tax threshold for 2014. Upton wouldn't fit into that plan as he is owed $38.5MM over the next three years. Morosi proposes that the Yankees could make room for Upton on the payroll and in the outfield by moving Curtis Granderson, who will earn $15MM this season.
Yesterday, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reported that the Braves are "lying in the weeds" in conversations about Upton and the D'Backs are expected to target Mike Olt in any talks with the Rangers.
Justin Upton Rumors: Saturday
It has been two days since Justin Upton used his no-trade clause to block a trade to the Mariners, which would have sent Taijuan Walker, Nick Franklin, Charlie Furbush, and Stephen Pryor to the Diamondbacks. Yesterday we learned that both the Braves and Mets still have interest in the outfielder, but are unlikely to get involved unless Arizona lowers the asking price. Here is the latest on the 25-year-old Upton…
- The Braves are "lying in the weeds" in conversations about Upton, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter). Atlanta would be guaranteed an outfield of Jason Heyward and the two Uptons for three years.
- The Diamondbacks like Mike Olt according to Olney (on Twitter), so presumably he would be someone they target during trade conversations with the Rangers.
- A lot of people within baseball are surprised the Mariners were willing to give up so much for Upton according to Olney (Twitter links). "It's not as if [Seattle] is one player away from contending," said one evaluator. "Why give up that much now when you're still far away?"
Justin Upton Rumors: Friday
Justin Upton invoked his no-trade clause to reject a proposed deal to the Mariners, one of four teams on his no-trade list. The trade would have sent four players to Arizona: Nick Franklin, Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor and Taijuan Walker. Instead, Upton remains on the Diamondbacks’ roster and the rumors continue. Here’s the latest on the 25-year-old, who can also block trades to the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Cubs…
- The Mets are again interested in trading for Upton, reports Marc Carig of Newsday (on Twitter). He says it's a longshot they'll surrender the prospects required to made a deal.
Earlier Updates:
- Unless Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers lowers the asking price for Upton, the Braves seem willing to proceed with players already in the organization, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. The Diamondbacks wanted a package centered around shortstop Andrelton Simmons earlier in the offseason, but the Braves won’t trade the defensive whiz and Arizona has since acquired shortstop Didi Gregorius from Cincinnati.
- Former MLB player Harold Reynolds said on MLB Network’s Hot Stove show that Upton repeatedly told the Diamondbacks he would not approve a deal to the Mariners (via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports on Twitter). Rosenthal notes that Reynolds is the younger brother of Larry Reynolds, Upton’s agent.
- Upton was never going to the Mariners, so talks were a “waste of time” in the view of USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter link).
- The Rangers appear to be moving on from Upton.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Mets Targeting Prominent Outfielders
The Mets like Scott Hairston, but view the free agent as a fallback option in case they can’t obtain a bigger name outfielder, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter links). The Mets would be happy to re-engage the Diamondbacks about Justin Upton, according to Heyman. However, they found Arizona’s asking price on Upton to be high earlier in the offseason.
We now have a precise sense of the Diamondbacks’ asking price for Upton. It appears that GM Kevin Towers agreed to a deal that would have sent Upton to Seattle for Nick Franklin, Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor and Taijuan Walker. However, Upton invoked his no-trade protection and blocked the deal (latest details here).
The Mets' outfield currently includes Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Lucas Duda, Mike Baxter, Jordany Valdespin, Andrew Brown and Collin Cowgill. GM Sandy Alderson has been eyeing outfielders all winter, but has yet to acquire an established player.
Justin Upton Rejects Trade To Mariners
10:50pm: Taijuan Walker would have been the fourth player in the trade package to the D'Backs, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter). Walker, a 20-year-old right-hander, was ranked as the 20th-best prospect in the sport by Baseball America prior to the 2012 season, though he struggled pitching at the Double-A level last year.
7:40pm: The Mariners offered a four-player package to the D'Backs, according to Scott Miller of CBS Sports. Arizona would have received Nick Franklin, Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor and one of Taijuan Walker, Danny Hultzen or James Paxton.
6:06 pm: Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton invoked his limited no-trade clause to reject an agreed-upon deal between the D'Backs and Mariners that would have sent Upton to Seattle, reports Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The M's were prepared to give up "a package of young talent" in the trade, a return that Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic has heard was "substantial" (Twitter link).
Though several teams have been linked to Upton over the last two seasons, the Mariners seem to be the first to propose a deal that has gotten the D'Backs to agree to move the 25-year-old outfielder. As Rosenthal/Morosi note, the trade rejection could be gamesmanship by either Upton or the D'Backs — Upton could be trying to control where he ends up, or the Snakes are sending the message that if Upton wants to leave Arizona, his only option is Seattle. The Mariners, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Cubs are the four teams on Upton's current no-trade list, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link).
The Braves and Rangers are still pursuing Upton, and we've heard in recent weeks that such teams as the Mets, Padres, and Orioles have also been in engaged with trade talks with the Diamondbacks.
Rangers “Moving On” From Justin Upton
The Rangers made their "final offer" for Justin Upton to the Diamondbacks and now don't expect to continue talks with the D'Backs, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Texas is "moving on" after making their offer before the D'Backs agreed to their deal today with the Mariners that fell apart when Upton rejected the trade. Arizona made one final offer to Texas for Upton on Thursday before agreeing to the Seattle deal, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). The Rangers rejected that offer since the "price [was] too steep."
The Rangers and D'Backs have been seen as natural trade partners for much of the offseason, with prospective deals built around Upton going to Texas in exchange for Elvis Andrus or Jurickson Profar. The Rangers were steadfast in refusing to include either shortstop in a trade, however, preferring to offer Mike Olt and Derek Holland as part of a package for Upton. The Snakes have acquired Cliff Pennington and Didi Gregorius to address their need at shortstop this winter, though neither of those players would preclude Arizona from still going after Profar or Andrus.
Though Texas is now apparently out of the mix, there are no shortage of teams still interested in Upton. The Orioles, Mets and Padres have all explored trades for Upton in recent days, while Nightengale sees the Braves as the team that makes the most sense as a trade partner with the D'Backs.